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13 August 2010
But I digress... This is a sports blog, no? While trying to think of a new commentary series to start here on our (not always) College (never) Daily (mostly) Sports Blog, I remembered those hot afternoons and evenings all those years ago spent making fun of, well, you. And the SD Hot or Not series was born. Installment 2, proceed with the chlorophyll!
HOT: Starting sports commentary articles with "but I digress."
NOT: Brandon Marshall. With the less-likely-than-the-owners-want-you-to-think 2011 NFL lockout on yesterday's front burner, Marshall came out yesterday with his plan-B to play for an NBA team.
Asked to clarify whether he will pursue a basketball career if there is no NFL season in 2011, Marshall said: "Not pursuing -- I'm going to be on an NBA team. Seriously."
Marshall said he was good enough to play shooting guard professionally.
The Pro Bowl wideout played basketball at Lake Howell High School in Florida and frequently attended NBA games in Denver.
Quick, someone tell 2010 All-American Scottie Reynolds he can come back from Frosinone, Italy. Also, get Coach Yeary on the horn. The Hawks could use him. The guy can bury threes.
Cohron was quick to point out that there is a good chance the NBA will be locked out that year anyway. Maybe he was talking about the Florida Thundercats of the SPBL. (League fee: $799, trophies not included).
HOT: John Daly. Recently Daly's play in PGA tour events has people talking that his new lifestyle and significant weight loss could have him competing again. I, for one, hope so. Who doesn't like hearing "dang" picked up by on-course mics? Also, his clothing venture, Loudmouth Golf, last week signed their first NCAA deal with my dear University of Tennessee... FOR ORANGE AND WHITE CHECKERBOARD GOLF PANTS!
NOT: Spelling in Alabama. But then, if you were a season ticket holder, you already knew that. Good job. Best part? The people in Mississippi didn't notice either! ZING!
NOT: This guy. Nice hat, chotch. I assume she's now single.
HOT: She is.
That's all folks. 22 days til burgoo and 16 hours of football. See ya there!
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09 August 2010
We watch them on Sunday when they put on their helmets, pull their 7 irons, and mash their right foot to the floor. Tuesdays and Saturdays go by like a blur as we see them shoot jump shots and throw the ball with 300 pound kids driving through their midsections. The next day we talk about it in the halls at work, at the local bar, over text message, and on our back porches. But do we really realized what we're asking of them?
A recent article in the NY Times, the quarterback battle at the University of Kentucky, and Tiger Woods' struggles have made me reflect on this. What do we really want from our athletes? Should we really expect greatness from them?
I'm not so different from most sports fans. It's habit to check my favorite college and professional sports teams' websites daily. ESPN is always on in the background at my house and ESPN radio blares from an old transistor radio on my desk at work when my office-mate is out. This is all a part of me being a sports "fan." Quotation marks are essential here, because what truly makes someone a "fan?"
The term sports "fan" is a derivative from the word fanatical. A quick google search defines this term as "motivated by excessive, irrational zeal." I can't quite come to terms with that though. Sports fans, to me, are people who keep up with their team daily, go out of their way to experience their teams successes (and failures), and at the end of the day, people who can always pull for their team (or an individual). I've always decried those who called themselves fans, yet they didn't watch their teams play, or worse, turned the broadcast off as their team began to crumble.
Yet, if we look at the more strict definition of the term, sports "fans" are the people who go beyond rational thought. They are the ones that ask everything from their heroes. Anything less than certain victory is considered deplorable. Those, and many others who openly attack athletes, need to take a long look in the mirror.
The recent NY Times article is a good starting point for this analysis. In this piece (which I highly recommend reading) Pat Jordan takes a look inside the life of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt is known as the son of one of the greatest NASCAR drivers in history, and his fans have always expected him to carry on the tradition of excellence his father started. What many of his fans can't see is that he is just a man.
Possibly the greatest irony of all is that a large part of Earnhardt's fan base is made up of those who want to identify with someone. They see the guy trying to sell them Wrangler jeans and say, "he's just a guy like me, I'm gonna pull for 'em." The problem is, they forget all about Dale being a common man come Sunday. Anything less than a first place finish leaves them feeling let down. Not one moment's thought goes into thinking about the things that Dale is dealing with at the time, his true level of talent, or what his real ambitions are.
From the NY Times article, it's obvious that Dale Earnhardt Jr. never wanted to be his father. He never expected to be the greatest driver in NASCAR history. Put simply, he realized that he had enough talent, and the luck to be who he was, to allow him to drive a car for a living instead of working under one. People need to realize he is a normal man, and that on any given Sunday his performance will be what it is, but it will not change him.
At the other end of the spectrum we have the case study of Tiger Woods. Tiger was trained, nearly from birth, to be the greatest golfer on the planet. He did not dissapoint. For nearly ten years Woods thoroughly dominated a sport that many feel is the most difficult to excel at for an extended period of time. Then it came crashing down.
Tiger's personal life has been a true media circus for the last year. His professional life has followed suit in the past few months. People everywhere are wondering why Tiger is playing so poorly. There is only one explanation: he has lost his focus.
Woods grew up his entire life with one goal, to become the greatest golfer ever. Not to be good, mind you, but to become the greatest athlete in a sport's history. Along the way he found a personal life, with a wife and children. Unfortunately, he found another personal life that consisted of many transgressions. When these two personal lives collided, he came to where he is now.
Tiger's recent golf performances have nothing to do with age or a lack of skill. It all has to do with his personal life. People follow every word of tabloid and traditional media about his personal life and then have the nerve to ask, "why is he playing so poorly?" Because Tiger isn't the robot that his marketing machine has made him out to be. While he put his family through unspeakable turmoil, at the end of the day he's a person and he cares for his family. He is personally responsible for everything that he's going through, but his fans should understand that he's not going to be emotionally invested in golf right now. Not Thursday, not Friday, not Saturday, and sure as Hell not on Sunday when it really matters.
Tiger's fans should understand this. They don't have to forgive him for what he's done. He's made his own bed. But to get frustrated that he's shooting over par every round is ridiculous. Try going through a public scandal and divorce and continue to work at peak performance in your day job before criticizing this man.
Finally, we come to amateur athletics. Nothing draws my ire more than people who continually bag on 18-22 year-old kids for their performance in an athletic event. The quarterback situation at the University of Kentucky is a shining example.
Mike Hartline is a senior who has been the starting quarterback for the Kentucky football team. He has direct competition from both Morgan Newton (a sophomore quarterback who started at times the previous season) and Ryan Mossakowsi (a redshirt freshman thought to have the best raw throwing talent of the bunch). For two years Kentucky fans have been on Hartline's back, calling him everything from inefficient to an outright bum. What gives them that right?
There is not one single person in my group of friends that played division one college football. 99.9% of the people commenting on Kentucky's quarterback situation have not either. Yet these people feel they have a right to talk poorly about a student-athlete. Why? Well, they attended the school for one. Secondly, they pay for tickets so that gives them the right. I call bullshit on all of that.
I'm not a proponent of sugar-coating anything. If Mike Hartline throws three interceptions against Louisville in week one, I will be the first to say that he played horribly and that one of the other kids should get a look at that position. What I do have a problem with is people personally attacking the kid. People talking about him like he's a used appliance. People booing him in the stadium.
At the end of a hard-fought game this kid has to go back to his dorm room. He has to talk to his parents. Has to eat dinner. Has to look in the mirror. You don't think he has enough questions in his mind about his talent? You need to add to that by going to your blog, your message board, or texting your buddy in section 210 saying, "Hartline's shit, when are we gonna play Newton?" It's senseless, and doesn't do anyone any good.
American society has been focued on winning since its inception. It's what has made this country what it is today.
Winning is very important, but at what cost? Why do we continually ask athletes at both the professional and collegiate level to live up to expectations that we do not on an every day basis? We expect them to be perfect every time they are asked to perform. Can we live up to this expectation? We should ask ourselves this question every time we open our mouths to criticize those that we ultimately turn to as a source of entertainment.
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19 July 2010
There's a number of moves or transactions I could point to in order to demonstrate the craziness of the NBA this summer, but perhaps this one takes the cake: Darko Milicic will receive $20 million over the next four years from the Timberwolves. If you're not sick after reading that, then you haven't been paying attention.
In recent memory, we've never seen a summer like this one, with the huge free agency deals, multiple multi-player trades, and..shall we say...questionable personnel moves by nearly every team. There were so many rumors floating around this summer that it was nearly impossible to track who was going where and for how much. At one point, I believe there was a sign-and-trade involving David Lee, Hank Aaron, the late Ted Kennedy and three members of Phish, although it fell through because the band members refused to relinquish the rights to their hit song "Gin & Juice" (that's for you Smooth).
With that in mind, here's a look at each team's off-season, including trades, free agency signings and the draft. For these lists, I've only included new additions to the roster, not players who resigned (you'll also notice I took some liberties with the use of the word "significant"). As I write this, there's still some pieces yet to fall into place, but the majority of the player movement should be completed. Too bad we only have to wait another three months for the actual games.
Here's a look at the Southwest. Be sure to check out the Eastern Conference's Atlantic, Central and Southeast Divisions, as well as the West's Northwest and Pacific Division.
Southwest Division
Dallas Mavericks
Significant additions: Tyson Chandler, Dominique Jones
Significant losses: Erick Dampier
Outlook: Once again, Dallas appears to be talented enough to win a bunch of games in the regular season, but not good enough to legitimately challenge for a title. Jones' scoring ability should help off the bench, although Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Roddy Beaubois are likely to eat up a good chunk of the backcourt minutes. Chandler is a solid defensive center who showed that he can be an offensive weapon when he plays with a good point guard, as he did with Chris Paul in New Orleans, but he's been injury prone his entire career. An aging core of Kidd, Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki wil probably lean more heavily on contributions from Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood in the regular season as they try to save themselves for the playoffs. Overall, this team will probably win 50 games again, but they're still a step below the Lakers, and maybe even the Thunder, in the West.
Houston Rockets
Significant additions: Patrick Patterson, Brad Miller
Significant losses: None
Outlook: The Rockets appear ready to crash the playoff picture this year, provided Yao Ming remains healthy and they can integrate him back into the offense with the emergence of Aaron Brooks and last year's mid-season acquisition of Kevin Martin. Adding Patterson and resigning Luis Scola gives the Rockets more depth up front, and if Jordan Hill is able to contribute, this could be one of the best frontcourts in the league. Returning Kyle Lowery in the backcourt will help, as will the continued improvement of Chase Budinger. The Rockets will enter the season with some unknowns, but on paper, this team could be a sleeper in the West and if things fall their way, they could be a top-four seed. Coach Rick Adelman seems to know what buttons to push to get the most out his players, so don't be surprised to see Houston making some playoff noise this year.
Memphis Grizzlies
Significant additions: Xavier Henry, Greivis Vasquez, Tony Allen
Significant losses: Ronnie Brewer
Outlook: It's hard not to like the talent on the Grizzlies' roster as they enter the season. They have two young perimeter stars in OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay to go with two solid big men in Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Xavier Henry is a ready-made NBA shooter, and Tony Allen is a terrific defender who brings playoff experience. Plus, they've got a host of young forwards who could break out this year, including Sam Young, Darrell Arthur and DeMarre Carroll. However, there's still some questions that could keep this team from being a playoff contender. Will Mayo stay at shooting guard, or will he try to move to the point? Can Mike Conley finally demonstrate some consistency? Will Hasheem Thabeet contribute anything? The Grizzlies appear to be on the way up as an organization, and their commitment to Gay shows that they may have a plan for the future, but they may still be a year away from being a serious playoff contender, especially in the loaded West.
New Orleans Hornets
Significant additions: Craig Brackins, Quincy Pondexter
Significant losses: Morris Peterson
Outlook: Poor Chris Paul. A couple years ago, the Hornets appeared to be one of the brightest young teams in the league. Now, following some questionable trades and front office decisions, they'll be lucky to even contend for the playoffs this year. Adding Brackins to a thin frontcourt can't hurt, but he's not likely to have a huge impact as a rookie. Pondexter gives the team another young, talented backcourt player to go with Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton, but he's likely to take some lumps as a rookie. Paul is still one of the most dynamic point guards in the league, and David West is a talented forward, but there's not much beyond them. Emka Okafor and Peja Stojakovic are injury-prone, while Julian Wright has yet to capitalize on his immense potential and James Posey has done nothing of record since signing a massive free agent contract. Perhaps the most interesting storyline out of New Orleans this season will be how long Paul is around, as trade talks have been swirling.
San Antonio Spurs
Significant additions: Tiago Splitter, James Anderson
Significant losses: None
Outlook: The Spurs have done a nice job of filling in pieces around Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, and this summer was no different. Splitter should be an instant impact player with his rebounding and toughness, while Anderson will give them another perimeter threat. The continued improvement of George Hill and DeJuan Blair should be enough to keep the Spurs among the best in the West, although it remains to be seen if Richard Jefferson will be brought back, following an inconsistent year. As usual, this team may not challenge for a top seed, but you can bet they'll once again be in the playoff hunt.
Predicted finish: Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Memphis, New Orleans
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19 July 2010
Apparently last year's Sugar Bowl may be even more meaningless than I originally thought.
ESPN is reporting that former Florida center Maurkice Pouncey is being investigated for possibly receiving money from an agent after the Gators' loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship game, but prior to their Sugar Bowl win over Cincinnati. If this turns out to be true, Pouncey would be declared ineligible, and in all likelihood, Florida would have to forfeit that victory.
I'm not too concerned with giving up that Sugar Bowl. Once they lost to 'Bama, the Gators' season essentially ended, as they entered the year in the unenviable position of failing with anything less than a national title. Yes, it was great to win and great to see UC fans put in their place, especially since I live in Cincinnati and I was incredibly sick of hearing about how good tthe Bearcats were, despite the fact that they routinely played high school teams last year on their way to a 12-0 regular season record. No, what concerns me now is the image of Florida taking a big hit and the doors being opened for more investigations.
If Pouncey took money, then even as it pains me to admit it, I'm sure he wasn't the only one. Florida has a ton of players looking toward NFL futures, and like any elite college football program, agents are going to be crawling over campus trying to work their way into those players' inner circles. If the staff doesn't make it absolutely clear that any contact with agents is prohibited, and then do their best to enforce that, than they're responsible when something like this happens. No excuses, no turning a blind eye or pretending they didn't know what was happening. Discipline starts at the top, and when something goes wrong, they have to be accountable.
Even if nothing comes of this, the national image of Florida is now going to be the same as USC...which isn't good. It's one thing to be hated for what you do on the field, it's quite another to be mocked and hated for being perceived as dirty and cheating. While some may argue, I feel Florida has definitely fallen more into the former category the last few years; now it appears they could be heading toward the latter.
We'll see what happens with the investigation, but the fact that there is an investigation in the first place doesn't bode well for Florida. Thanks a lot Maurkice - hope it was worth it.
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18 July 2010
There's a number of moves or transactions I could point to in order to demonstrate the craziness of the NBA this summer, but perhaps this one takes the cake: Darko Milicic will receive $20 million over the next four years from the Timberwolves. If you're not sick after reading that, then you haven't been paying attention.
In recent memory, we've never seen a summer like this one, with the huge free agency deals, multiple multi-player trades, and..shall we say...questionable personnel moves by nearly every team. There were so many rumors floating around this summer that it was nearly impossible to track who was going where and for how much. At one point, I believe there was a sign-and-trade involving David Lee, Hank Aaron, the late Ted Kennedy and three members of Phish, although it fell through because the band members refused to relinquish the rights to their hit song "Gin & Juice" (that's for you Smooth).
With that in mind, here's a look at each team's off-season, including trades, free agency signings and the draft. For these lists, I've only included new additions to the roster, not players who resigned (you'll also notice I took some liberties with the use of the word "significant"). As I write this, there's still some pieces yet to fall into place, but the majority of the player movement should be completed. Too bad we only have to wait another three months for the actual games.
Here's a look at the Pacific. Coming up tomorrow, the Southwest.. Be sure to check out the Eastern Conference's Atlantic, Central and Southeast Divisions, as well as the West's Northwest Division.
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors
Significant additions: David Lee, Ekpe Udoh, Dorell Wright
Significant losses: Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike, Corey Maggette, Anthony Morrow, Ronny Turiaf
Outlook: The addition of Lee, long one of the most under-appreciated players in the league, should boost a Warriors' front court that badly needs his rebounding and energy. Unfortunately, Lee's move out West isn't likely to get him any closer to the playoffs. Stephen Curry looks to be a future All-Star, and Monta Ellis is an explosive scorer, but beyond them, the Warrior's roster is thinner than Brandan Wright's arms. Andris Biedrins is solid in the post, and Wright could be a good wing in an up-tempo system, but there's very little depth anywhere, and playing in the loaded Western Conference does them no favors. If Wright and Udoh can stay healthy, they could help this team avoid the basement, especially if Curry and Ellis are able to develop more chemistry together in the backcourt. But the smart money says the Warriors are probably headed for a rough year.
Los Angeles Clippers
Significant additions: Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe, Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes
Significant losses: Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, Drew Gooden
Outlook: Once again, the Clippers are loaded with young talent. Bledsoe and Aminu both have the potential to be very good, and when combined with Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, the Clipper can boast as much young talent as any team in the league. Veterans Baron Davis and Chris Kaman can still get the job done, and the addition of Foye and Gomes will help the depth of the team tremendously. But...this is still the Clippers. The franchise seems to be under a constant dark cloud, and bad luck is always lurking around the corner. If they can keep everyone healthy, this is a team with a bright future. But even so, they're still probably too young to make much noise this season.
Los Angeles Lakers
Significant additions: Steve Blake, Devin Ebanks, Derrick Caracter
Significant losses: Jordan Farmar
Outlook: If you're sick of seeing the Lakers win, you're not going to enjoy this season. The Lakers return virtually everyone from their title team, save for reserve guard Jordan Farmar, who was really only used to hand out towels to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Blake is an excellent addition to the Lakers with his basketball IQ and unselfish nature, and second-round picks Ebanks and Caracter both are talented enough to make the roster, although minutes will be sparse. With Kobe, Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum back, the Lakers will enter the season as the favorite to cut down the nets again. They'll likely have to develop a little more consistent depth as the West has gotten better, but barring injury, the Lakers should be in for another fantastic season.
Phoenix Suns
Significant additions: Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick, Gani Lawal
Significant losses: Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa
Outlook: The post-Amare era begins this year in Phoenix, although his loss might not be felt as much as you think. Adding Turkoglu and Childress to the wings gives the Suns two more playmakers who will thrive in their fast-break offense, and although Warrick lacks the skills of Stoudemire, his athleticism should be a nice fit for their style of play. Lawal is a rugged rebounder who could provide toughness of the bench, and he could turn out to be a nice second-round steal. With Channing Frye back to stretch the floor, and Robin Lopez healthy enough to man the post, the Suns have plenty of weapons next to Steve Nash, Jason Richardson and Grant Hill. We'll miss seeing the Nash-to-Amare alley-oops this year, but the Suns still will be heard from in the playoffs.
Sacramento Kings
Significant additions: DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, Samuel Dalembert
Significant losses: Spencer Hawes, Andres Nocioni
Outlook: Perhaps no team is as poised to improve as rapidly as the Kings, with the addition of Cousins in the post. An absolute monster inside, Cousins could become one of the best big men in the league as a rookie if he's able to keep his emotions in check. He's got a nose for the ball off the glass, and he's already one of the strongest players in the league. Whiteside and Dalembert will provide solid depth up front with Jason Thompson and Carl Landry, and Omri Casspi could turn some heads this year if he's able to be more consistent. If the Kings are able to get anything from Donte Greene, they could pose a lot of match-up problems. But this team will go as far as Cousins and Tyreke Evans can take it. They're still a couple of pieces away from being ready to contend, but they've got two important cornerstones in place, and the future looks bright.
Predicted finish: LA Lakers, Phoenix, LA Clippers, Sacramento, Golden State
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18 July 2010
There's a number of moves or transactions I could point to in order to demonstrate the craziness of the NBA this summer, but perhaps this one takes the cake: Darko Milicic will receive $20 million over the next four years from the Timberwolves. If you're not sick after reading that, then you haven't been paying attention.
In recent memory, we've never seen a summer like this one, with the huge free agency deals, multiple multi-player trades, and..shall we say...questionable personnel moves by nearly every team. There were so many rumors floating around this summer that it was nearly impossible to track who was going where and for how much. At one point, I believe there was a sign-and-trade involving David Lee, Hank Aaron, the late Ted Kennedy and three members of Phish, although it fell through because the band members refused to relinquish the rights to their hit song "Gin & Juice" (that's for you Smooth).
With that in mind, here's a look at each team's off-season, including trades, free agency signings and the draft. For these lists, I've only included new additions to the roster, not players who resigned (you'll also notice I took some liberties with the use of the word "significant"). As I write this, there's still some pieces yet to fall into place, but the majority of the player movement should be completed. Too bad we only have to wait another three months for the actual games.
Here's a look at the Northwest. Coming up tomorrow, the Pacific. Be sure to check out the Eastern's Conference's Atlantic, Central and Southeast Divisions.
Northwest Division
Denver Nuggets
Significant additions: Al Harrington
Significant losses: None
Outlook: Harrington will help provide some depth up front for the Nuggets, which isn't a bad idea given the injury propensity of Kenyon Martin and Nene. Other than that, this will be almost exactly the same team as last year, which can be good and bad. Denver will still be dangerous as long as they have Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and JR Smith, but they still lack the poise and consistency required to be a championship contender. Scoring points won't be a problem for this team but they'll have to prove they can stop somebody if they want to advance in the playoffs. If they can stay healthy, and if role players like Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo can step up, this team has the talent to play with anyone. But unless they show a better commitment to defense, they're not going to challenge the Lakers for Western Conference supremacy.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Significant additions: Wesley Johnson, Michael Beasley, Lazar Hayward, Martell Webster, Luke Ridnour
Significant losses: Al Jefferson
Outlook: For a bad team, the Wolves never cease to provide entertainment. First, they won the bidding war for Darko, although it remains unclear who exactly they were bidding against. Second, they made their run on small forwards, as they drafted Johnson and Hayward in the first round, then traded for Webster and Beasley. Next, one summer after using three first-round picks on point guards and then signing another in free agency, they went out and signed point guard Luke Ridnour. After that, to top it off, they then traded away one of their most consistent players for the one thing Wolves' fans don't want their team to have...more draft picks. On paper, this team actually appears to have some talent, although it won't be enough to keep them out of the basement. But more than wins or losses, we should just be thankful there are teams like the Wolves around to remind us that you can still have a sense of humor and be an NBA general manager. Here's to David Kahn!
Oklahoma City Thunder
Significant additions: Cole Aldrich, Morris Peterson, Daequan Cook
Significant losses: None
Outlook: Two years ago, the Thunder won 23 games. Now they'll enter the 2010-11 season as arguably the second-best team in the West. With Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka and James Harden, the Thunder have as bright of a future as any team in the league. Lacking only some depth up front and some veteran guys for chemistry, the Thunder landed Aldrich in a draft-day trade, and his rebounding and defense should earn him some minutes this year. Peterson will be expected to provide some leadership to the young team, while Cook gives them another shooter to space the floor for Durant and Westbrook. If they can handle the expectations of being a top team, the Thunder could make a lot of noise this season and into the playoffs.
Portland Trail Blazers
Significant additions: Luke Babbitt, Elliott Wiliams, Wesley Matthews
Significant losses: Martell Webster
Outlook: Stop me if you've heard this before - the Blazers can be one of the best teams in the West if they stay healthy. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge can be a potent duo, and surrounded by players like Jerryd Bayless, Rudy Fernandez, Nicolas Batum and Andre Miller, this team has plenty of ways to beat you. Adding Babbitt and Williams, two versatile players who can play multiple positions, will only add to the ways the Blazers can attack on offense. Matthews, a rugged defender, should carve out minutes right away with his toughness, adding even more depth for the Blazers. But as usual, the key will be the health of the big men, namely Greg Oden, Marcus Camby and Joel Przybilla. If those three can stay healthy, this is a team capable of putting a scare into the Lakers. But history tells us this team will once again battle injuries, and have to settle for merely being a playoff team.
Utah Jazz
Significant additions: Gordon Hayward, Al Jefferson, Raja Bell
Significant losses: Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Wesley Matthews
Outlook: The Jazz appear to have found ample replacements for their losses this summer, trading for Jefferson to fill Boozer's spot in the post, drafting Hayward to fill in for Korver, and then signing Bell to take over Matthews' role as a defensive stopper. However, it remains to see how well the new pieces will mesh under Jerry Sloan. The Jazz still have Deron Williams running the show, and with Andrei Kirilenko, CJ Miles, Paul Milsap and Mehmet Okur all back, this is still a veteran team that's used to winning. If Jefferson can prove to be as adept running the pick-and-roll with Williams as Boozer, and if Hayward is able to provide some quality minutes off the bench, the Jazz could be a top-four seed in the West. Look for Williams to have a monster season.
Predicted finish: Oklahoma City, Utah, Denver, Portland, Minnesota
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18 July 2010
There's a number of moves or transactions I could point to in order to demonstrate the craziness of the NBA this summer, but perhaps this one takes the cake: Darko Milicic will receive $20 million over the next four years from the Timberwolves. If you're not sick after reading that, then you haven't been paying attention.
In recent memory, we've never seen a summer like this one, with the huge free agency deals, multiple multi-player trades, and..shall we say...questionable personnel moves by nearly every team. There were so many rumors floating around this summer that it was nearly impossible to track who was going where and for how much. At one point, I believe there was a sign-and-trade involving David Lee, Hank Aaron, the late Ted Kennedy and three members of Phish, although it fell through because the band members refused to relinquish the rights to their hit song "Gin & Juice" (that's for you Smooth).
With that in mind, here's a look at each team's off-season, including trades, free agency signings and the draft. For these lists, I've only included new additions to the roster, not players who resigned (you'll also notice I took some liberties with the use of the word "significant"). As I write this, there's still some pieces yet to fall into place, but the majority of the player movement should be completed. Too bad we only have to wait another three months for the actual games.
Here's a look at the Southeast. Be sure to check out the Atlantic and Central also. Coming up tomorrow - the Western Conference's Northwest Division.
Southeast Division
Atlanta Hawks
Significant additions: Jordan Crawford
Significant losses: None
Outlook: The Hawks, last seen mailing in a second-round series against Orlando, still appear to be a step below the league's elite. They return virtually intact, and the addition of Jordan Crawford gives them another scorer off the bench, but they still don't have the overall talent of the Magic, Celtics or Heat. Jeff Teague is expected to take over at the point, and his athleticism should give the team a boost, but they're still thin up front and Joe Johnson hasn't yet shown he's the type of player who can close out big games. If Al Horford and Josh Smith continue to get better, this is still a team capable of 50+ wins in the regular season. But barring any other moves, they appear to be a team with a second-round ceiling.
Charlotte Bobcats
Significant additions: Erick Dampier
Significant losses: Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler
Outlook: The feel-good vibe of finally making the playoffs last season will probably come to an end this year, as the Bobcats will try to compete in one of the toughest divisions with a very limited roster. Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson are talented wings, and Boris Diaw can be a tough matchup when he's motivated, but there are way too many questions to feel good about this team. Can DJ Augustin handle the point? Will any of the aging centers (Dampier, DeSagana Diop, Nazr Mohammed) be able to stay healthy? Will Gerald Henderson or Derrick Brown contribute anything in their second year? How soon before Larry Brown starts looking elsewhere for another job? On the plus side, at least the Bobcats won't have to worry about losing in the playoffs this year.
Miami Heat
Significant additions: LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Mike Miller, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Significant losses: Michael Beasley
Outlook: You may have heard a little about Miami's off-season. When LeBron and Bosh decided to join Dwyane Wade in Miami, the Heat instantly vaulted on to the contenders list, and they've managed to continue to add pieces around them. Rugged post players Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem will help up front, while Miller's shooting will spread the floor and give the three stars room to operate. The Heat still could use some more depth in the backcourt, and they'll have to battle outrageous scrutiny and expectations all year, but it's hard to bet against a team with this much talent.
Orlando Magic
Significant additions: Chris Duhon, Quentin Richardson
Significant losses: Matt Barnes (pending)
Outlook: By mostly staying put, the Magic have flown under the radar this summer. But don't be fooled - this is still a team that can win a title this year, with virtually everyone back from last year's 59-win team. They still have plenty of shooters to surround Dwight Howard, and the addition of Richardson just gives them one more veteran sniper who can make defenses pay. Duhon is a solid backup for Jameer Nelson, and the entire team should be motivated after losing in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Look for forward Brandon Bass to get some more minutes this year as the Magic try to keep Howard fresh, and if Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis play to their potential, this is a dangerous team. The Heat are getting all the headlines, but don't be surprised to see the Magic making noise deep in the postseason as well.
Washington Wizards
Significant additions: John Wall, Kirk Hinrich, Yi Jianlian, Trevor Booker
Significant losses: Mike Miller, Randy Foye
Outlook: The Wizards are hoping Wall can usher in a new era after last season's disastrous showing. Wall has all the physcial abilities to be a superstar, and his leadership and basketball IQ earned rave reviews during the summer league. He'll join a talented young core that includes athletic big man Al Thornton, Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee, who should benefit greatly from Wall's speed and passing. The addition of Kirk Hinrich gives the Wizards a veteran combo guard who adds toughness, and rookie Trevor Booker should be able to carve out a spot in the rotation with his rebounding and energy. The biggest question mark is obviously the return of Gilbert Arenas, who in addition to his gun-related suspension last year, has also been dealing with major knee injuries the last few seasons. If he's able to stay focused and healthy, he could team with Wall to form a dynamic backcourt. The Wizards aren't contending yet, but with Wall as their future, they're certainly on the right track.
Predicted finish: Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Washington, Charlotte
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18 July 2010
There's a number of moves or transactions I could point to in order to demonstrate the craziness of the NBA this summer, but perhaps this one takes the cake: Darko Milicic will receive $20 million over the next four years from the Timberwolves. If you're not sick after reading that, then you haven't been paying attention.
In recent memory, we've never seen a summer like this one, with the huge free agency deals, multiple multi-player trades, and..shall we say...questionable personnel moves by nearly every team. There were so many rumors floating around this summer that it was nearly impossible to track who was going where and for how much. At one point, I believe there was a sign-and-trade involving David Lee, Hank Aaron, the late Ted Kennedy and three members of Phish, although it fell through because the band members refused to relinquish the rights to their hit song "Gin & Juice" (that's for you Smooth).
With that in mind, here's a look at each team's off-season, including trades, free agency signings and the draft. For these lists, I've only included new additions to the roster, not players who resigned (you'll also notice I took some liberties with the use of the word "significant"). As I write this, there's still some pieces yet to fall into place, but the majority of the player movement should be completed. Too bad we only have to wait another three months for the actual games.
Yesterday we looked at the Atlantic. Today, we'll examine the Central. Tomorrow, we'll look at the Southeast.
Central Divison
Chicago Bulls
Significant additions: Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer
Significant losses: Kirk Hinrich, Hakim Warrick, Brad Miller
Outlook: With Boozer joining Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah, the Bulls are the clear-cut favorites in the Central. Rose is one of the best young point guards in the game, and Boozer gives them a solid offensive threat in the post. The addition of Korver will help the Bulls spread the floor, and Noah should once again anchor the defense from the paint. Brewer could also be a solid pick-up, as he can guard three positions and should be able to run the floor nicely with Rose. If Rose continues his improvement, and Boozer has the impact expected of him, this is a team that could find themselves playing deep into June.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Significant additions: None
Significant losses: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, LeBron James
Outlook: I think it's safe to say the Cavs will not be defending their division title this year. The loss of LeBron leaves a gaping hole in the lineup, and there's no reason to think it will be filled anytime soon. Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison are solid, but hardly go-to players, as we've seen in the playoffs. Role players like Anderson Varejao and Anthony Parker benefitted greatly from the attention paid to LeBron, and the holes in their games will be exposed this year. The only real hope for the Cavs is that bouncy forward JJ Hickson blossoms with more touches, giving them some semblance of an offense. Even then, there's just not enough here to get excited about. It could be a long year in Cleveland.
Detroit Pistons
Significant additions: Greg Monroe
Significant losses: None
Outlook: The Pistons appear to be caught in limbo as far as their long-term plans as a franchise. On one hand, they still have veterans Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Wallace, the remnants of their title team in 2004. On the other hand, they have young guns like Rodney Stuckey, Jonas Jerebko and now Greg Monroe. In between are guys like Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Add it all up, and you have a team that's not good enough to contend, but not bad enough to get a superstar in the draft lottery. There's certainly some good pieces here, but overall, it's just not enough to get excited about. Look for the Pistons to make some deals this year once they're out of contention, Until then, they'll remain in limbo.
Indiana Pacers
Significant additions: Paul George, Lance Stephenson
Significant losses: None
Outlook: Who's excited for Pacers' basketball?? Hello? Anyone out there? That may be cruel, but let's be honest. This is just not a good team. George and Stephenson are talented wings who can play next to Danny Granger, but who gets them the ball? Troy Murphy is a solid forward, but he's not exactly headed for Springfield. Mike Dunleavy is..well...Mike Dunleavy. Beyond that, there's just nothing there. If the Pacers manage to get fans excited about this team this year, they deserve some sort of medal. Because on paper, I see no reason the Pacers venture out of the cellar.
Milwaukee Bucks
Significant additions: Corey Maggette, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Larry Sanders, Drew Gooden
Significant losses: Luke Ridnour
Outlook: Flying a little under the radar, the Bucks have put together a very solid team that could be a threat in the East. Gooden and Sanders provide some much-needed depth in the post behind Andrew Bogut, whole Maggette and CDR will give rising point guard Brandon Jennings some options on the wing. Bringing back John Salmons is also big for the Bucks, and if Michael Redd can stay healthy, this is a team that all of a sudden has a lot of options on the perimeter. They'll need a healthy Bogut to reach their potential, but don't be surprised to see the Bucks make some noise this year.
Predicted finish: Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Indiana
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18 July 2010
There's a number of moves or transactions I could point to in order to demonstrate the craziness of the NBA this summer, but perhaps this one takes the cake: Darko Milicic will receive $20 million over the next four years from the Timberwolves. If you're not sick after reading that, then you haven't been paying attention.
In recent memory, we've never seen a summer like this one, with the huge free agency deals, multiple multi-player trades, and..shall we say...questionable personnel moves by nearly every team. There were so many rumors floating around this summer that it was nearly impossible to track who was going where and for how much. At one point, I believe there was a sign-and-trade involving David Lee, Hank Aaron, the late Ted Kennedy and three members of Phish, although it fell through because the band members refused to relinquish the rights to their hit song "Gin & Juice" (that's for you Smooth).
With that in mind, here's a look at each team's off-season, including trades, free agency signings and the draft. For these lists, I've only included new additions to the roster, not players who resigned (you'll also notice I took some liberties with the use of the word "significant"). As I write this, there's still some pieces yet to fall into place, but the majority of the player movement should be completed. Too bad we only have to wait another three months for the actual games.
First up - the Atlantic. Coming tomorrow, the Central.
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics
Significant additions: Avery Bradley, Jermaine O'Neal
Significant losses: Tony Allen, Rasheed Wallace
Outlook: The Celtics' biggest moves were bringing back Paul Pierce and Ray Allen for one final run at a title. They'll likely lose 'Sheed to retirement, but O'Neal could be a capable replacement off the bench. Bradley has a world of ability, and could prove to be a solid defender who could fill Tony Allen's role. With Rajon Rondo blossoming into a star, and the Big 3 of Pierce, Allen and Kevin Garnett anxious for one final ring, this should be an inspired team, and barring injuries, they should be in contention all season.
New Jersey Nets
Significant additions: Derrick Favors, Damion James, Jordan Farmar, Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow
Significant losses: Yi Jianlian
Outlook: The Nets certainly can't get much worse than they were last year, when they won only 12 games and became a punchline throughout the league. The addition of the high-flying Favors will help, but he's probably too raw to contribute much this year. Outlaw, Morrow, James and Farmar could be nice rotation guys around Brook Lopez, Devin Harris and Terrence Williams, but overall this roster still lacks a lot of punch. They'll probably be better than last year, but not by much. Another last-place finish wouldn't be surprising.
New York Knicks
Significant additions: Amare Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf
Significant losses: David Lee, Al Harrington, Chris Duhon
Outlook: The Knicks missed out on LeBron James, but all things considered, you have to think they got better this summer. Felton and Stoudemire aren't exactly Stockton and Malone, but both guys should put up good numbers in Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo system. Randolph is brimming with talent, and a change of venue may be just what he needs to flourish after his up-and-down tenure in Golden State. With Danilo Gallinari's versatility on the wing, and some solid depth in Azubuike, Turiaf, Toney Douglas and Bill Walker, this is a team that should be in the playoff mix. They're still a couple pieces away from being a real contender, but for the first time ina few years, things appear to be looking up.
Philadelphia 76ers
Significant additions: Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, Andres Nocioni
Significant losses: Samuel Dalembert
Outlook: The Sixers are a hard team to figure out. They have some nice young pieces in Hawes, Mareese Speights, Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams and Thaddeous Young, and the addition of the versatile Turner on the wings gives them another playmaker. They also have a couple veterans in Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala who are both capable of big nights, although the team would love to unload one, or both, or their contracts. The problem is trying to figure out how this roster fits. They still lack a true point guard, and there's too many question marks surrounding the young guys to have any real confidence in them. Unless they make some moves during the year to shake up the roster, it could be another disappointing year in Philly.
Toronto Raptors
Significant additions: Ed Davis, Solomon Alabi, Leandro Barbosa, Linas Kleiza
Significant losses: Chris Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu
Outlook: Hmm...where to start? The Raptors lost Chris Bosh and inexplicably decided to give Amir Johnson a $34 million contract. They drafted two young college bigs with lots of upside in Davis and Alabi, but both will need time to develop. The addition of Barbosa should help the backcourt, but he's a career reserve who played in only 44 games last year. They have a solid forward in Andrea Bargnani and wings Sonny Weems and Demar DeRozan are highlight-reel athletes, but overall, there's just not a whole lot here. Even worse, who does this team market to sell tickets? This was a team that missed the playoffs with Bosh last year. How on Earth will they compete without him? It looks like another rough year for the Raptors.
Predicted finish: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Toronto
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14 July 2010
Dear Cleveland, All of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;
As you now know, our former hero, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who grew up nowhere near this region he deserted tonight, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.
This was announced with a couple day, humble, non-self-promotional build-up culminating with some ESPN reporters breaking the news on Twitter. This "decision" was like many other things we have "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.
Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to a few of us.
The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the not so hard-working, not very loyal and rarely driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you. Unless you decide to stop supporting us. By the way, can I borrow $100k from any of you?
There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. You think Kyle Lowry is exciting? If so, over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating a four year deal with him! (Nevermind, Lowry is sticking with the Rockets...damn.)
You simply deserve this kind of betrayal from a guy we traded to Washington less than three months ago.
You haven't given an iota to this organization compared to what Big Z gave and you don't deserve anything.
In the meantime, I want to make one outlandish statement that will never come true to you tonight:
"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'BIG Z' WINS ONE"
You can take it to your mortgage broker... if you got your mortgage with Quicken Loans.
If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you this non-shameful display of a free agent just going to a better team hasn't really shifted our "motivation." You did hear about the offer sheet to Kyle Lowry, though, right? (Ugh, damn you, Darryl Morey.)
Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.
Sorry, but that's simply not how it works. Actually, I have no idea what that means, so it may actually be how it works.
This is a lesson our children should want to learn. Someone is choosing to go play for a better organization than ours. Can I really blame him? No. Hell, I hope my kids grow up to be like "Big Z."
But the bad news is that this well thought out action cannot and will not serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio. Honestly, the Cavs, Indians and Browns all blow. We can't win dick around here.
The self-declared former "Big Z" won't be taking any "curse" with him. He doesn't need to do "right" by Cleveland or Ohio. We did trade him to get Jamison, who absolutely sucked in the playoffs. Not to mention, "Big Z" wanted to play in the 2008 Olympics and we wouldn't let him. We probably have worse karma now.
Just watch us get worse.
Sleep well, Cleveland. About half of you still have jobs.
Tomorrow is a new, but not much brighter day... unless you like Kyle Lowry! (Don't worry, surely there is another mediocre guard out there that we can overpay.)
I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:
PAYING BACK THE NBA the $100k I got fined for the other letter I wrote...
Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers
(In case you couldn't tell, this letter is completely fake. Dan Gilbert, please don't sue me. If you haven't seen the letter Gilbert wrote after LeBron decided he was going to the Heat, click here. This will hopefully be funnier after you read that.)
