If Notre Dame is no longer a collge football power, why do voters still put such value in beating the Irish?Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesWhen it comes to Notre Dame, there is great disconnect in the media between how theysee theFighting Irish program and what beating Notre Dame means.The Green Bay Packers jersey
prevailing view of Notre Dame if that of a former powerhouse that is living off its past glories andcan no longerrecruit the kind of talent needed to compete with the top schools in the BCS conferences.Manycollege football pundits believe first-year head coach Brian Kelly is the man to return Notre Dame to national championship contenders (didn't they also say that about Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis?), butnobody thinks it will happen this year. That's why the Irish started the season unranked.Still, in the past three weeks, victories over Notre Dame have catapulted Michigan, Michigan State, and Stanford up the AP Top 25 Poll.The Wolverines and Spartans wereunranked before last-minute comeback wins against the Irishmoved them to 20th and 25th, respectively, in the AP Poll. Houston Texans jersey
The Cardinal jumped from 16th to ninth after a 23-point win over Notre Damelast week.IfNotre Dame(1-3) is such a fallen program, whydo the 60 AP voters stillconsider a win overthe Irisha reliable barometer of how good these teams are?Stanford's ascension is particularly troubling. AP voters moved themup seven spots and ahead offour other 4-0 teams they were previously behind: LSU, Utah, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Is defeating Notre Dame really worth that much?Michigan needed one the greatest individual performances in college football history from QB Denard Robinson (502 total yards and three touchdowns) for its 28-24 win.Michigan State needed a touchdown pass on a fake field-goalin overtime that should not have counted (the play clock expired before the ball was snapped) for Indianapolis Colts jersey
its 34-31 win.If either those victories had come against any other unranked team with a losing record, there is no way they would put ina Top 25 poll.The Irish are a 2.5-point favorite over the Boston College Eagles on Saturday at Alumni Stadium. If the Eagles (coming off a 19-0 loss to Virginia Tech last week) should prevail, will they too find themselves catapulted into the next Top 25 poll?The way AP voters are ranking teams, you never know.
2011年1月22日星期六
22 Jan 11 Nebraska Football: Reviewing the Cornhuskers' 56-21 Win Over Washington
Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesT-Magic: Fine. I give up. Yes, it's a silly nickname. Yes, he gave it to himself, or at least signs his text messages with it. But if Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez can run for 137 yards and three touchdowns, throw 7-for-11 for 150 yards and a touchdown, and read a defense and make adjustments in his first road start, he can call himself the Queen of Belgium for all I care. If there's been a more impressive road opener for a freshman quarterback, I don't know what it was.Locking Down Locker: Remember Jake Locker? The first overall pick in Arizona Cardinals jersey
the NFL Draft and darkhorse Heisman candidate? Yeah, that guy went 4-for-20 for 71 yards and two interceptions, including one on his first pass. Nebraska's secondary, particularly cornerbacks Prince Amukamura and Alfonzo Dennard, gave Locker no place to go and rattled his confidence. Head coach Bo Pelini's defense impressively took away what is likely the most talented quarterback Nebraska will face this season.Hey, Remember Us?: Poor Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead. Both running backs had great days against a BCS opponent on their home field, getting over 100 yards and scoring. And their performance has been completely overshadowed by (sigh) T-Magic and his wizardry. But keep in mind that the threat Helu and Burkhead pose is part of why Martinez is so effective. Without a danger from the tailback, defenses could focus on Martinez and significantly limit his effectiveness. Now, they have to pick their poison.The Bad ...Blue Green: Nebraska backup quarterback Cody Green is, by all accounts, a bright and charming young man with a tremendous amount of physical talent. Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson wouldn't continue to get him a series in the first half if he didn't think it was important to get him ready to play. But Green fumbled his first two snaps, setting up a Washington score. As important as it is to have a backup quarterback ready to go, it's hard to see how Green's continued insertion into games is going to continue.Cutback Conundrum: When Washington did have success, it was running right at the Nebraska defense. Much of that success took a page from what Western Kentucky and Idaho did, which was to get the NU defensive line moving laterally and have the tailback hit a gap on the back side. Admittedly, NU's defensive gameplan was focused on Locker and not the running game, Atlanta Falcons jersey
which was part of the reason for their successes on the ground. But NU will be facing sterner, power running teams (see Kansas State) and will have to show they can stop it.Unstretchy: While in the category of a "good problem," Nebraska jumping on Washington early meant they never had to rely on a passing attack to move the ball and score. While Martinez was efficient and effective with most of his throws, NU has yet to put that air attack to a real test. At some point this season, Martinez will have to win a game with his arm, not his legs.... And the Passed TestApparently those guys were ready to go on the road. NU was up 14-0 less than five minutes into the first quarter, and was never in serious danger for the rest of the game. While we have yet to learn exactly how good the win over Washington is, it's clear that Nebraska was ready for the threat posed by the Huskies and able to respond. For the first time in his NU career, Pelini's team won their challenging non-conference game. With that hurdle cleared, the ceiling for this year's season just got raised.The Big PictureWelcome to the bright spotlight of national attention, Nebraska. After lackluster performances by a number of Top 10 teams, Nebraska's annihilation of Washington at home will catapult NU into a short list of teams that can be considered legitimate national title contenders. At times in the past, Pelini's Cornhuskers have not handled success well. From here going forward, Nebraska will have to handle the pressure of being the hunted, rather than the hunters. Pelini's challenge will be to get his team ready for that new role.The Next GameSouth Dakota State at Nebraska (September 25, 6:00 p.m., PPV): The Jackrabbits come to Lincoln bringing a DIvision I-FCS national ranking in a season where FCS teams have won in BCS conference stadiums. Baltimore Ravens jersey
The Jacks will...oh, this isn't kidding anyone.The Jackrabbits are 0-2 coming to Lincoln against a hyper-confident Nebraska team. There is a possibility that NU could overlook South Dakota State in preparation for a trip to Manhattan to face Kansas State, but Nebraska's talent level is so superior that such a result is almost unimaginable. At least Cody Green should get a chance for some redemption.Like this article? Please LIKE the article here and on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter @law_talking_guy to receive updates of new articles and to read my observations during Nebraska games. Thanks for the read!
the NFL Draft and darkhorse Heisman candidate? Yeah, that guy went 4-for-20 for 71 yards and two interceptions, including one on his first pass. Nebraska's secondary, particularly cornerbacks Prince Amukamura and Alfonzo Dennard, gave Locker no place to go and rattled his confidence. Head coach Bo Pelini's defense impressively took away what is likely the most talented quarterback Nebraska will face this season.Hey, Remember Us?: Poor Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead. Both running backs had great days against a BCS opponent on their home field, getting over 100 yards and scoring. And their performance has been completely overshadowed by (sigh) T-Magic and his wizardry. But keep in mind that the threat Helu and Burkhead pose is part of why Martinez is so effective. Without a danger from the tailback, defenses could focus on Martinez and significantly limit his effectiveness. Now, they have to pick their poison.The Bad ...Blue Green: Nebraska backup quarterback Cody Green is, by all accounts, a bright and charming young man with a tremendous amount of physical talent. Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson wouldn't continue to get him a series in the first half if he didn't think it was important to get him ready to play. But Green fumbled his first two snaps, setting up a Washington score. As important as it is to have a backup quarterback ready to go, it's hard to see how Green's continued insertion into games is going to continue.Cutback Conundrum: When Washington did have success, it was running right at the Nebraska defense. Much of that success took a page from what Western Kentucky and Idaho did, which was to get the NU defensive line moving laterally and have the tailback hit a gap on the back side. Admittedly, NU's defensive gameplan was focused on Locker and not the running game, Atlanta Falcons jersey
which was part of the reason for their successes on the ground. But NU will be facing sterner, power running teams (see Kansas State) and will have to show they can stop it.Unstretchy: While in the category of a "good problem," Nebraska jumping on Washington early meant they never had to rely on a passing attack to move the ball and score. While Martinez was efficient and effective with most of his throws, NU has yet to put that air attack to a real test. At some point this season, Martinez will have to win a game with his arm, not his legs.... And the Passed TestApparently those guys were ready to go on the road. NU was up 14-0 less than five minutes into the first quarter, and was never in serious danger for the rest of the game. While we have yet to learn exactly how good the win over Washington is, it's clear that Nebraska was ready for the threat posed by the Huskies and able to respond. For the first time in his NU career, Pelini's team won their challenging non-conference game. With that hurdle cleared, the ceiling for this year's season just got raised.The Big PictureWelcome to the bright spotlight of national attention, Nebraska. After lackluster performances by a number of Top 10 teams, Nebraska's annihilation of Washington at home will catapult NU into a short list of teams that can be considered legitimate national title contenders. At times in the past, Pelini's Cornhuskers have not handled success well. From here going forward, Nebraska will have to handle the pressure of being the hunted, rather than the hunters. Pelini's challenge will be to get his team ready for that new role.The Next GameSouth Dakota State at Nebraska (September 25, 6:00 p.m., PPV): The Jackrabbits come to Lincoln bringing a DIvision I-FCS national ranking in a season where FCS teams have won in BCS conference stadiums. Baltimore Ravens jersey
The Jacks will...oh, this isn't kidding anyone.The Jackrabbits are 0-2 coming to Lincoln against a hyper-confident Nebraska team. There is a possibility that NU could overlook South Dakota State in preparation for a trip to Manhattan to face Kansas State, but Nebraska's talent level is so superior that such a result is almost unimaginable. At least Cody Green should get a chance for some redemption.Like this article? Please LIKE the article here and on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter @law_talking_guy to receive updates of new articles and to read my observations during Nebraska games. Thanks for the read!
2011年1月18日星期二
18 Jan 11 LSU Football: Why The Tiger Defense Will Dominate West Virginia Mountaineers
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThis Saturday will see a match up of ranked teams as No. 23 West Virginia travels to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge to take on No. 15 LSU. The story of this game will be the high-powered offense of West Virginia against the relentless defense of LSU. The Mountaineers are averaging over 150 yards rushing and 250 yards passing per game. The LSU defense is tied for third in the nation in sacks with 11 and ninth in interceptions with five. Overall, the LSU defense has been stout, ranked fifth in the nation. West Virginiaoffense is undoubtedly good with Denver Broncos jersey
tons of speed and experience. However, they have not seen anything remotely close to LSUdefense this season and will be in for a real surprise when they see linebackers that run like corners and defensive lineman that blow up offensive lineman. The Tiger defense is built for the SEC and high caliber offenses. Defensive coordinator John Chavis is doing a good job, with the exception of the second half of the UNC game, of sending different looks and blitz packages to keep offenses scrambling. Tiger defensive linemen are living in opposing teams backfields and causing mass destruction. Chavis is also not afraid to send a corner or safety blitz on third down and other key moments. West Virginia running back Noel Devine is averaging 118 rushing yards per game, but that is against Coastal Carolina, Marshall and Maryland. No disrespect to those institutions, but they do not compare to what Devine will see on Saturday night. With the game starting at 8:00pm central time, the LSU fans will have two extra hours of partying under their belts by kickoff. The already loud and rowdyDetroit Lions
crowd will be at another level when the Mountaineers take the field. Again, no disrespect to the Big East, but West Virginia has not experienced the deafening volume of crowd noise that will be present on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. This should be an absolute rout if the Tiger offense can finish drives like they did in the second half versus Mississippi State last Saturday. Prediction: LSU 35 WVU 13
tons of speed and experience. However, they have not seen anything remotely close to LSUdefense this season and will be in for a real surprise when they see linebackers that run like corners and defensive lineman that blow up offensive lineman. The Tiger defense is built for the SEC and high caliber offenses. Defensive coordinator John Chavis is doing a good job, with the exception of the second half of the UNC game, of sending different looks and blitz packages to keep offenses scrambling. Tiger defensive linemen are living in opposing teams backfields and causing mass destruction. Chavis is also not afraid to send a corner or safety blitz on third down and other key moments. West Virginia running back Noel Devine is averaging 118 rushing yards per game, but that is against Coastal Carolina, Marshall and Maryland. No disrespect to those institutions, but they do not compare to what Devine will see on Saturday night. With the game starting at 8:00pm central time, the LSU fans will have two extra hours of partying under their belts by kickoff. The already loud and rowdyDetroit Lions
crowd will be at another level when the Mountaineers take the field. Again, no disrespect to the Big East, but West Virginia has not experienced the deafening volume of crowd noise that will be present on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. This should be an absolute rout if the Tiger offense can finish drives like they did in the second half versus Mississippi State last Saturday. Prediction: LSU 35 WVU 13
2011年1月15日星期六
15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams signed DE Jay Williams to 3 year deal March 30 2005
The St. Louis Rams signed veteran defensive end Jay Williams to a 3 year contract. Williams recorded 37 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 2 deflected passes and 2 forced fumbles in 2004 with the Miami Dolphins.The 6'3", 270 lbs. product of Wake Forest University began his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1994. Williams stayed with the Rams when they moved to St. Louis until 1999, before playing for the Carolina Panthers (2000-2001) and the Dolphins (2002-2004). He has amassed 178 tackles, 23.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 4 deflected passes, 4 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries in 137 games over 11 seasons. (0) What has been a mighty roar for some time in Detroit Lions land is a whisper in the winds everywhere: "Fire Millen," it implores, "please, for the love of God, fire Millen."With the Lions eliminated from playoff contention for New York Jets jersey
roughly the last nine weeks, stories and speculation regarding the Honolulu blue-and-silver is all about one man, the guy hired to turn around a 9-7 franchise.(And no, nothing changes after a hard-fought, seven-point loss to the New England Patriots. When your most notable games of the year are a loss to the defending NFC champions and a loss to the Super Bowl champions of two seasons ago, things are just plain ill.)The free-for-all probably officially began with Millen's fine quote dated the Monday following the Kitty Cats' defining 17-10 loss at the Arizona Cardinals. "I don't even know what you're talking about," ran the man's line as reported by Steve Pate of the Oakland Press. "Don't even ask that."While the question begging this response could have related to really any subject from his plan for the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft to offensive coordinator Mike Martz's future, it actually regarded whether "he had given any thought at all to stepping down as club president."Again, Millen's answer: "I don't even know what you're talking about. Don't even ask that."Meanwhile ESPN wag Bill Simmons threw in his pithy two cents with "Here's the week when Lions fans stop asking each other, 'Why the hell haven't they fired Millen yet?' and start asking, 'Wait, do you realize we could have taken Leinart last April ... why the hell haven't we fired Millen yet?'" Sports Illustrated online edition ran a tiny item from Philadelphia sportswriter Paul Domowitch. SI.com essentially ran the entire seemingly unsubstantiated rumor: "Matt Millen's wretched 6-year tenure as the Lions' general manager appears to be close to an end. Millen will sit down with owner William Clay Ford after the season, and that meeting is expected to result in Millen finally stepping down/getting fired."Aside from coming out of Philly, a distinctly non-Lions market, Domowitch's reportage feels a bit strange by dint of the fact that no one else has reported on this particular meeting. While an off-season meeting between Millen and Ford may actually happen, there is nothing to suggest that Millen will in fact find himself unemployed in 2007. (Except of course, status as the 31st or 32nd best team in the NFL - a fact that has yet to hurt Millen's standing with The Boss to this point.)Heck, the guys in the Motor City paid to watch this stuff (where "stuff" is a loose synonym for "Detroit Lions football") on a daily basis seemingly wouldn't believe a word suggesting Millen's going through the out door even if it made every non-Michigan headline in the country.Poor cynical Free-Press sportswriter Drew Sharp believes that Ford the Elder looks upon Millen as the son he never had. While vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. may know what's best for the football team, Daddy Ford values Millen's stubborn loyalty (And who wouldn't be loyal to a Oakland Raiders jersey
guy who distributes six-figure checks for incompetence?) more than Junior's business head.Sharp's colleague Nicholas J. Costonika goes so far as to suggest that it's simply too late to fire Millen in article that might have caused a wave of subscription cancellations had not most of Detroit tuned out Lions news long ago. Incredibly writes Costonika, "Like it or not, this is the reality: Millen has to remain with the Lions long enough to give [head coach Rod Marinelli] a fair shot to turn things around."Really? The reality as this writer sees it is simply that, keeping Marinelli firing Millen tomorrow will do nothing to erase the influence the guy will continue to have over this team for the remainder of this decade. Mike Williams, a.k.a. The Most Useless Player In The NFL, is merely the poster boy for a clump of moves made under Millen's jurisdiction that will affect the team's ability to dig itself out of holy mess it's in. among them. Williams holds a contract of $13.5 million with $9.5 million guaranteed; he's signed through 2009. Also signed through that season is Charles Rogers, who was thrown $14.5 million in signing bonus alone on a contract worth up to $55 million. Upon cutting Rogers, Millen was quoted in the Associated Press as stating "Maybe this is just one of those wrong-place, wrong-time things." Hmmm, maybe.Joey Harrington, currently giving Miami Dolphins fans hope for a mad dash at the playoffs, was signed for six years (through 2008) for $36.5 million. Harrington was iced from the roster by Marinelli after being forced to try and adapt to game plans from three different head coaches. At least Millen saved the team the $4 million roster bonus Harrington would have made in 2007. Surely, it will all have been worth it for that crucial sixth-round pick.The Lions are still throwing money out the window due to Dan Wilkinson's contract. And would you believe Steve Mariucci is still on the Detroit payroll for this year?One rumor regarding the Houston Texans', um, interesting choice of Mario Williams at No. 1 says that team officials, after meeting with Reggie Bush and his agent, simply decided they didn't want to pay the contract Bush could command as top pick. Ergo, the slightly cheaper Williams. Putting the Lions in the top spot on the draft board, even if Millen can show restraint for overhyped star talent as he did this year, guarantees nothing. Could Detroit pay a No. 1 pick enough? Marinelli has stated that Jon Kitna is the quarterback he wants for his system, but does this truly indicate that Troy Smith and/or Brady Quinn will be spared the title of Lions savior? And hasn't it been a while since the potential No. 1 pick publicly stated his refusal to play for the league's beatdogs, a la John Elway?There is exactly one compelling argument against firing Millen. Philadelphia Eagles jersey
Ford Sr. is the guy that ultimately approved Millen's hire and will be the rubber stamp for the new president and/or general manager of the Lions. Can he be trusted? After all, Isaiah Thomas should be looking for a new gig by Draft Day..."Fire Millen?" The proponents of this argument rhetorically ask, "What's the point?"RealFootball365.com: perpetually firing Millen from the Detroit Lions. (4)
roughly the last nine weeks, stories and speculation regarding the Honolulu blue-and-silver is all about one man, the guy hired to turn around a 9-7 franchise.(And no, nothing changes after a hard-fought, seven-point loss to the New England Patriots. When your most notable games of the year are a loss to the defending NFC champions and a loss to the Super Bowl champions of two seasons ago, things are just plain ill.)The free-for-all probably officially began with Millen's fine quote dated the Monday following the Kitty Cats' defining 17-10 loss at the Arizona Cardinals. "I don't even know what you're talking about," ran the man's line as reported by Steve Pate of the Oakland Press. "Don't even ask that."While the question begging this response could have related to really any subject from his plan for the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft to offensive coordinator Mike Martz's future, it actually regarded whether "he had given any thought at all to stepping down as club president."Again, Millen's answer: "I don't even know what you're talking about. Don't even ask that."Meanwhile ESPN wag Bill Simmons threw in his pithy two cents with "Here's the week when Lions fans stop asking each other, 'Why the hell haven't they fired Millen yet?' and start asking, 'Wait, do you realize we could have taken Leinart last April ... why the hell haven't we fired Millen yet?'" Sports Illustrated online edition ran a tiny item from Philadelphia sportswriter Paul Domowitch. SI.com essentially ran the entire seemingly unsubstantiated rumor: "Matt Millen's wretched 6-year tenure as the Lions' general manager appears to be close to an end. Millen will sit down with owner William Clay Ford after the season, and that meeting is expected to result in Millen finally stepping down/getting fired."Aside from coming out of Philly, a distinctly non-Lions market, Domowitch's reportage feels a bit strange by dint of the fact that no one else has reported on this particular meeting. While an off-season meeting between Millen and Ford may actually happen, there is nothing to suggest that Millen will in fact find himself unemployed in 2007. (Except of course, status as the 31st or 32nd best team in the NFL - a fact that has yet to hurt Millen's standing with The Boss to this point.)Heck, the guys in the Motor City paid to watch this stuff (where "stuff" is a loose synonym for "Detroit Lions football") on a daily basis seemingly wouldn't believe a word suggesting Millen's going through the out door even if it made every non-Michigan headline in the country.Poor cynical Free-Press sportswriter Drew Sharp believes that Ford the Elder looks upon Millen as the son he never had. While vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. may know what's best for the football team, Daddy Ford values Millen's stubborn loyalty (And who wouldn't be loyal to a Oakland Raiders jersey
guy who distributes six-figure checks for incompetence?) more than Junior's business head.Sharp's colleague Nicholas J. Costonika goes so far as to suggest that it's simply too late to fire Millen in article that might have caused a wave of subscription cancellations had not most of Detroit tuned out Lions news long ago. Incredibly writes Costonika, "Like it or not, this is the reality: Millen has to remain with the Lions long enough to give [head coach Rod Marinelli] a fair shot to turn things around."Really? The reality as this writer sees it is simply that, keeping Marinelli firing Millen tomorrow will do nothing to erase the influence the guy will continue to have over this team for the remainder of this decade. Mike Williams, a.k.a. The Most Useless Player In The NFL, is merely the poster boy for a clump of moves made under Millen's jurisdiction that will affect the team's ability to dig itself out of holy mess it's in. among them. Williams holds a contract of $13.5 million with $9.5 million guaranteed; he's signed through 2009. Also signed through that season is Charles Rogers, who was thrown $14.5 million in signing bonus alone on a contract worth up to $55 million. Upon cutting Rogers, Millen was quoted in the Associated Press as stating "Maybe this is just one of those wrong-place, wrong-time things." Hmmm, maybe.Joey Harrington, currently giving Miami Dolphins fans hope for a mad dash at the playoffs, was signed for six years (through 2008) for $36.5 million. Harrington was iced from the roster by Marinelli after being forced to try and adapt to game plans from three different head coaches. At least Millen saved the team the $4 million roster bonus Harrington would have made in 2007. Surely, it will all have been worth it for that crucial sixth-round pick.The Lions are still throwing money out the window due to Dan Wilkinson's contract. And would you believe Steve Mariucci is still on the Detroit payroll for this year?One rumor regarding the Houston Texans', um, interesting choice of Mario Williams at No. 1 says that team officials, after meeting with Reggie Bush and his agent, simply decided they didn't want to pay the contract Bush could command as top pick. Ergo, the slightly cheaper Williams. Putting the Lions in the top spot on the draft board, even if Millen can show restraint for overhyped star talent as he did this year, guarantees nothing. Could Detroit pay a No. 1 pick enough? Marinelli has stated that Jon Kitna is the quarterback he wants for his system, but does this truly indicate that Troy Smith and/or Brady Quinn will be spared the title of Lions savior? And hasn't it been a while since the potential No. 1 pick publicly stated his refusal to play for the league's beatdogs, a la John Elway?There is exactly one compelling argument against firing Millen. Philadelphia Eagles jersey
Ford Sr. is the guy that ultimately approved Millen's hire and will be the rubber stamp for the new president and/or general manager of the Lions. Can he be trusted? After all, Isaiah Thomas should be looking for a new gig by Draft Day..."Fire Millen?" The proponents of this argument rhetorically ask, "What's the point?"RealFootball365.com: perpetually firing Millen from the Detroit Lions. (4)
2011年1月13日星期四
14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks "David Greene's progress worth watching"
The Seattle Seahawks have forever talked about getting Seneca Wallace on the field in a capacity other than quarterback, but circumstances have always conspired against the possibility.Wallace has elite athleticism, but you can count on one hand the number of times the Seahawks have tried to use it. A fourth-round pick in 2003, Wallace never got on the field in his first two seasons as he focused on learning how to play quarterback in the Seahawks' complicated West Coast scheme. Then the Hawks traded backup quarterback Trent Dilfer after the 2004 season, Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
giving the No. 2 spot to Wallace heading into 2005. Since then, the team has been hesitant to use Wallace elsewhere because it didn't want to leave itself short at quarterback if he were to get injured. Head coach Mike Holmgren did put Wallace in a few times during the 2005 playoffs, and he even made a great catch against Carolina; but with no other backup options, Holmgren has been hesitant to use Wallace much more than that.The need to keep Wallace at quarterback was proven last season when Matt Hasselbeck missed four games with a sprained knee, and, because the Seahawks again did not sign a veteran this offseason, it appears Wallace's athleticism will wallow on the bench once more. That is, unless David Greene makes strides in his third year. A third-round pick out of Georgia in 2005, Greene looked completely lost in the offense as a rookie. He didn't look a whole lot better in the 2006 exhibition season, so the Seahawks are counting on him to show them something this year. If he can demonstrate some mastery of the offense in August, it could Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
give Seattle some comfort in knowing it has three guys who can play the position.With Hasselbeck limited as he recovers from shoulder surgery, Greene took a lot of snaps in the minicamp earlier this month. And the young QB probably will continue to get ample reps in the next minicamp, which begins June 4, and perhaps at the start of training camp as well.With Wallace a free agent after the 2007 season, the Seahawks really need to find out what they have in Greene so they have choices next offseason. Wallace will not be offered a starting gig by anyone, but some team might pursue him to be its No. 2. And the Seahawks need to have a backup plan for their backup plan. The team will have Greene for at least one more season because he will be merely a restricted free agent next offseason.Before the recent NFL draft, team president Tim Ruskell said the Seahawks are confident Greene can take the next step in the steep learning progression of the West Coast offense."He made some progress last year. This year he'll have to continue that and do more," Ruskell said. "It's a very hard system to develop in, and so it takes a little bit of time ... so you want to want to be patient with these guys. You do not want to have a quick trigger and pull the plug too early. We're not down on David. We like David. Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
We're excited about David."This summer, Seahawks fans will see whether Greene does enough to keep them excited -- and perhaps to put the athletic, playmaking potential of Wallace on the field at a spot other than quarterback.
giving the No. 2 spot to Wallace heading into 2005. Since then, the team has been hesitant to use Wallace elsewhere because it didn't want to leave itself short at quarterback if he were to get injured. Head coach Mike Holmgren did put Wallace in a few times during the 2005 playoffs, and he even made a great catch against Carolina; but with no other backup options, Holmgren has been hesitant to use Wallace much more than that.The need to keep Wallace at quarterback was proven last season when Matt Hasselbeck missed four games with a sprained knee, and, because the Seahawks again did not sign a veteran this offseason, it appears Wallace's athleticism will wallow on the bench once more. That is, unless David Greene makes strides in his third year. A third-round pick out of Georgia in 2005, Greene looked completely lost in the offense as a rookie. He didn't look a whole lot better in the 2006 exhibition season, so the Seahawks are counting on him to show them something this year. If he can demonstrate some mastery of the offense in August, it could Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
give Seattle some comfort in knowing it has three guys who can play the position.With Hasselbeck limited as he recovers from shoulder surgery, Greene took a lot of snaps in the minicamp earlier this month. And the young QB probably will continue to get ample reps in the next minicamp, which begins June 4, and perhaps at the start of training camp as well.With Wallace a free agent after the 2007 season, the Seahawks really need to find out what they have in Greene so they have choices next offseason. Wallace will not be offered a starting gig by anyone, but some team might pursue him to be its No. 2. And the Seahawks need to have a backup plan for their backup plan. The team will have Greene for at least one more season because he will be merely a restricted free agent next offseason.Before the recent NFL draft, team president Tim Ruskell said the Seahawks are confident Greene can take the next step in the steep learning progression of the West Coast offense."He made some progress last year. This year he'll have to continue that and do more," Ruskell said. "It's a very hard system to develop in, and so it takes a little bit of time ... so you want to want to be patient with these guys. You do not want to have a quick trigger and pull the plug too early. We're not down on David. We like David. Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
We're excited about David."This summer, Seahawks fans will see whether Greene does enough to keep them excited -- and perhaps to put the athletic, playmaking potential of Wallace on the field at a spot other than quarterback.
2011年1月12日星期三
13 Jan 11 Remembering the Three J's: Dallas' Young and Exciting Trio of the 1990s
Building through the draft has proven to be an effective way to build an NBA championship-winning team.The Dallas Mavericks took that approach in the 1990s as they used top-five picks in three consecutive years on talented youngsters Jim Jackson, Jamal Mashburn, and Jason Kidd.DubbedReebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
the "Three J's," the trio appeared to be the perfect pieces to rebuild around. Jackson and Mashburn were dangerous wing scorers, while Kidd was the ultimate pass-first point guard who could make everyone around him better. Kidd's rookie year, 1994-95, was the first season the trio played together and each player made valuable contributions.Kidd led the league in triple-doubles and ended up sharing Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill.Jackson and Mashburn formed one of the league's highest scoring duos as they both averaged over 24 points per game. They both had 50-point games that season as well.But more importantly, the Mavs finished with a 36-46 record, which was a 23-win improvement from the previous season.The next season everything would fall apart.Mashburn appeared in only 18 games, Jackson saw his scoring average drop to 19.6 ppg, and the Mavericks floundered to a lousy 26-56 record.Kidd and Jackson then began to fight with one another. According to rumors, the two feuded over RB singer Toni Braxton after Braxton went to pick up Kidd for a date at an Atlanta hotel and left with Jackson instead.The Three Js' tenure in Dallas would then come to an end during the 1996-97 season as all three members were traded out of town.Kidd was dealt to the Phoenix Suns on the day after Christmas in a package that included future Mavs star Michael Finley.Then in February, Mashburn was sent to the Miami Heat and Jackson wound up heading to the New Jersey Nets in a huge nine-player trade.The Three J's experiment had failed miserably, but all three members went on to have successful careers.Kidd emerged as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. The nine-time All-Star was named to six All-NBA teams, nine All-Defensive teams, and became the second all-time Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
assist leader.Mashburn continued to be hampered with injuries, but became an All-Star with the New Orleans Hornets in 2003.And Jackson turned into the ultimate journeyman playing for 10 other teams. However, he proved to be a solid reserve for many years. The Three J's never led the Mavericks to a championship or a playoff berth, but they sure were fun to watch when they were healthy and not bickering with one another.
the "Three J's," the trio appeared to be the perfect pieces to rebuild around. Jackson and Mashburn were dangerous wing scorers, while Kidd was the ultimate pass-first point guard who could make everyone around him better. Kidd's rookie year, 1994-95, was the first season the trio played together and each player made valuable contributions.Kidd led the league in triple-doubles and ended up sharing Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill.Jackson and Mashburn formed one of the league's highest scoring duos as they both averaged over 24 points per game. They both had 50-point games that season as well.But more importantly, the Mavs finished with a 36-46 record, which was a 23-win improvement from the previous season.The next season everything would fall apart.Mashburn appeared in only 18 games, Jackson saw his scoring average drop to 19.6 ppg, and the Mavericks floundered to a lousy 26-56 record.Kidd and Jackson then began to fight with one another. According to rumors, the two feuded over RB singer Toni Braxton after Braxton went to pick up Kidd for a date at an Atlanta hotel and left with Jackson instead.The Three Js' tenure in Dallas would then come to an end during the 1996-97 season as all three members were traded out of town.Kidd was dealt to the Phoenix Suns on the day after Christmas in a package that included future Mavs star Michael Finley.Then in February, Mashburn was sent to the Miami Heat and Jackson wound up heading to the New Jersey Nets in a huge nine-player trade.The Three J's experiment had failed miserably, but all three members went on to have successful careers.Kidd emerged as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. The nine-time All-Star was named to six All-NBA teams, nine All-Defensive teams, and became the second all-time Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
assist leader.Mashburn continued to be hampered with injuries, but became an All-Star with the New Orleans Hornets in 2003.And Jackson turned into the ultimate journeyman playing for 10 other teams. However, he proved to be a solid reserve for many years. The Three J's never led the Mavericks to a championship or a playoff berth, but they sure were fun to watch when they were healthy and not bickering with one another.
12 Jan 11 Two Philadelphia 76ers A.I. All-Stars? Andre Iguodala's Case for Consideration
Chris Chambers/Getty ImagesThe Philadelphia 76ers will already be sending one player with the initials A.I. to the NBA All-Star Game in Dallas next month. Surely, it is not the one fans would have imagined at the beginning of the season, as Allen Iverson improbably returned in December. No, this isReebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
concerning Andre Iguodala, a frustrating yet extremely talented player, and his case for All-Star recognition.All last season, Sixers fans heard then-head coach Tony DiLeo proclaim it would be Iguodala's last year taking vacation time during All-Star Weekend. Even before this season, Iguodala could have been expected to elevate his game to the next level. Now in his sixth season, Iguodala has provided many with jaw-dropping athleticism yet failure to conjure up a dominant game. With a contract worth over $80 million, you damn well should be an All-Star caliber player.Well, based on performances thus far, Iguodala is an All-Star this year. No, Andre will not impress you with the smoothness of his jumper or his post-game interviews. However, he will provide one of the most well-rounded games in the NBA.An extremely durable player, Iguodala has only missed six games in his career and started every one that he has played in, including 44 this season. In 2009-2010 he is averaging 17.6 PPG, above his career average of 15.8. Simple-minded fans would glance at this respectable but not amazing stat and pass on Iguodala's credentials. Don't do this. After spending a lot of time early in the season handling the ball, he has racked up 5.7 APG while creating countless opportunities for his teammates. Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
For most, basketball stops there on the offensive end. This unfortunately hurts the argument for Iggy even more, as he may be best on the defensive side of things.On a given night, (imbecile) head coach Eddie Jordan may require Andre to guard up to four different positions, and he does it well. Even as a two or a three, Iguodala manages to pull down 6.9 RPG, adding 1.9 SPG. If you have Andre Iguodala on your fantasy basketball team, you are probably pleasantly surprised.But does that make him an All-Star?We know LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, and Iverson will start for the Eastern Conference squad. That leaves seven open spots for some good players worthy of a great honor. Chris Bosh has to be the first man off the bench. Based on his incredible statistical production, Gerald Wallace should earn his first berth. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith should be awarded a spot in the Big D due to their contributions to the surprising Atlanta Hawks. Rajon Rondo finally seems to be bursting into the "Big Three" bubble, outlasting teammates Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.Two spots remain. Pierce and Allen could be considered as well as Derrick Rose, David Lee, Antawn Jamison, and Steven Jackson. It would be easier if Allen Iverson wasn't in the picture, but hey, I'm not complaining. Boston has their two stars, the Wizards are too much of a mess to consider Jamison, and the Bobcats will definitely not have two, after never having any representatives.When he was drafted No. 9 overall in the 2004 Draft, the Sixers Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
organization and fans alike did not know what they were getting with Andre Iguodala. Surely we knew about the athletic, unproven player. Still six years later, I feel the same way. Iguodala has displayed immense talent but has remained unrecognized vastly among media and his peers.An All-Star berth would be a wise choice for A.I. No. 2.
concerning Andre Iguodala, a frustrating yet extremely talented player, and his case for All-Star recognition.All last season, Sixers fans heard then-head coach Tony DiLeo proclaim it would be Iguodala's last year taking vacation time during All-Star Weekend. Even before this season, Iguodala could have been expected to elevate his game to the next level. Now in his sixth season, Iguodala has provided many with jaw-dropping athleticism yet failure to conjure up a dominant game. With a contract worth over $80 million, you damn well should be an All-Star caliber player.Well, based on performances thus far, Iguodala is an All-Star this year. No, Andre will not impress you with the smoothness of his jumper or his post-game interviews. However, he will provide one of the most well-rounded games in the NBA.An extremely durable player, Iguodala has only missed six games in his career and started every one that he has played in, including 44 this season. In 2009-2010 he is averaging 17.6 PPG, above his career average of 15.8. Simple-minded fans would glance at this respectable but not amazing stat and pass on Iguodala's credentials. Don't do this. After spending a lot of time early in the season handling the ball, he has racked up 5.7 APG while creating countless opportunities for his teammates. Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
For most, basketball stops there on the offensive end. This unfortunately hurts the argument for Iggy even more, as he may be best on the defensive side of things.On a given night, (imbecile) head coach Eddie Jordan may require Andre to guard up to four different positions, and he does it well. Even as a two or a three, Iguodala manages to pull down 6.9 RPG, adding 1.9 SPG. If you have Andre Iguodala on your fantasy basketball team, you are probably pleasantly surprised.But does that make him an All-Star?We know LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, and Iverson will start for the Eastern Conference squad. That leaves seven open spots for some good players worthy of a great honor. Chris Bosh has to be the first man off the bench. Based on his incredible statistical production, Gerald Wallace should earn his first berth. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith should be awarded a spot in the Big D due to their contributions to the surprising Atlanta Hawks. Rajon Rondo finally seems to be bursting into the "Big Three" bubble, outlasting teammates Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.Two spots remain. Pierce and Allen could be considered as well as Derrick Rose, David Lee, Antawn Jamison, and Steven Jackson. It would be easier if Allen Iverson wasn't in the picture, but hey, I'm not complaining. Boston has their two stars, the Wizards are too much of a mess to consider Jamison, and the Bobcats will definitely not have two, after never having any representatives.When he was drafted No. 9 overall in the 2004 Draft, the Sixers Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
organization and fans alike did not know what they were getting with Andre Iguodala. Surely we knew about the athletic, unproven player. Still six years later, I feel the same way. Iguodala has displayed immense talent but has remained unrecognized vastly among media and his peers.An All-Star berth would be a wise choice for A.I. No. 2.
2011年1月10日星期一
10 Jan 11 Lebron will prove he's better than Kobe when he beats the Lakers in June
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesThe Cleveland Cavaliers acquired two-time All-Star Antawn Jamison in a three-team trade Wednesday night.Cleveland, which has won 11 consecutive games and owns the best record in the league at 43-11, only squandered Zydrunas Ilgauskas and their first-round pick to obtain Jamison. Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
Jamison, 33, the fourth overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft out of the University of North Carolina, is a skilled and rugged power forward who was averaging an impressive 20.5 points for the Washington Wizards prior to last night transaction.At this juncture, barring an injury to superstar LeBron James, the Cavaliers seem destined to easily waltz through the Eastern Conference and into the NBA Finals in June.James, 25, a three-time All-NBA First Team selection and the 2009 MVP, is indisputably the best player in the world today.Ever since he made his professional debut with Cleveland in 2003, James hasn been surrounded with enough talent to capture a title.However, with legendary center Shaquille ONeal, 2009 All-Star point guard Mo Williams, and Jamison, James now has the type of teammates that can help him win the Larry OBrien Championship Trophy.Presently, the only squads that are even remotely capable of competing with Cleveland are the Boston Celtics (33-18), the Orlando Magic (37-18), the San Antonio Spurs (31-21), and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers (42-13).The Celtics, Magic, and Spurs are all very solid teams.Nevertheless, in actuality, not one of those three teams can genuinely topple the Cavs.It is virtually inevitable that NBA Commissioner David Stern will Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
realize his ultimate fantasy this summer and he will be blessed with a showdown pitting James and the Cavs versus the Lakers and Kobe Bryant for the crown.The Lakers are extremely formidable and they currently have an even better cast of players on their roster than they did last year.Still, in approximately four months, expect a sports team based in the city of Cleveland to become champions for the first time since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.
Jamison, 33, the fourth overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft out of the University of North Carolina, is a skilled and rugged power forward who was averaging an impressive 20.5 points for the Washington Wizards prior to last night transaction.At this juncture, barring an injury to superstar LeBron James, the Cavaliers seem destined to easily waltz through the Eastern Conference and into the NBA Finals in June.James, 25, a three-time All-NBA First Team selection and the 2009 MVP, is indisputably the best player in the world today.Ever since he made his professional debut with Cleveland in 2003, James hasn been surrounded with enough talent to capture a title.However, with legendary center Shaquille ONeal, 2009 All-Star point guard Mo Williams, and Jamison, James now has the type of teammates that can help him win the Larry OBrien Championship Trophy.Presently, the only squads that are even remotely capable of competing with Cleveland are the Boston Celtics (33-18), the Orlando Magic (37-18), the San Antonio Spurs (31-21), and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers (42-13).The Celtics, Magic, and Spurs are all very solid teams.Nevertheless, in actuality, not one of those three teams can genuinely topple the Cavs.It is virtually inevitable that NBA Commissioner David Stern will Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
realize his ultimate fantasy this summer and he will be blessed with a showdown pitting James and the Cavs versus the Lakers and Kobe Bryant for the crown.The Lakers are extremely formidable and they currently have an even better cast of players on their roster than they did last year.Still, in approximately four months, expect a sports team based in the city of Cleveland to become champions for the first time since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.
2011年1月9日星期日
9 Jan 11 Atlanta Coach Mike Woodson Case of Mistaken Identity, Mavs Beat Hawks
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesYoure the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks and were up by as much as 15 points with only eight minutes left in the game when your opponent begins clawing their way back into the game.Your opponent is also one of the best teams in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks, with one of the best players Seattle Seahawks jersey
in the league, Dirk Nowitzki.In a back-and-forth type of contest where your team has come back from a 14-point deficit, and is starting to unravel and appear to be on their way to letting a sure win fall through the cracks, doesn't a timeout seem like the most appropriate thing to do if you are the head coach? Not if you are Mike Woodson.No, instead, you do your best impression of the great Zen master Phil Jackson and let your team figure out how to dig themselves out of the hole.Only one problemyou are not one of the league all-time best coaches, and your team is not one of the league all-time greatest franchises in the Los Angeles Lakers.Instead of calling a timeout and helping his players figure out how to break through the Mavericks zone defense, Woodson just stood there on the sideline with his arms folded across his chest.Not only did he just stand there looking like a leaf on a log, he was so unaware of what was going around him that he gave Jason Kidd an opportunity to make him look like a complete fool.With under two minutes left in the game, the Hawks, still with a two-point lead, watched as their head coach made his attempt at making SportsCenter not Top Ten list.Kidd was pushing the ball up the court when he noticed that Woodson was a little too far out on the court than he should be. Kidd, being the St. Louis Rams jersey
veteran that he is, ran right towards Woodson, and the two shared a small nudge.The impact was enough to knock Woodson off balance, and enough for the officials to issue a technical foul on Woodson for interference. That sent Nowitzki to the foul line, where he made the free-throw attempt, and, seconds later, Kidd nailed a three to give the Mavericks back the lead.From here, the game did go into overtime, so Woodson mishap did not cost his team yet, but it clearly gave the Mavericks back the momentum.Also, it was like Woodson and the Hawks were suddenly frozen in a dazed and confused state of mind, while Dallas outscored the Hawks 12-4 in the overtime and left Atlanta with the win.Kidd was a Hawks-killer in more ways than one. He finished with his first triple double this season19 points, 16 rebounds, and 17 assiststo lead his team to victory.The Mavericks were able to get back into the game when they switched to a zone on defense in the fourth quarter, and outscored the Hawks 34-23 in the period. Atlanta could not penetrate through the Mavericks zone, and Tennessee Titans jersey
was forced to keep settling for outside shots. They didn fall.Maybe if Woodson had decided to call even a quick 20-second timeout the Hawks could have at least tried to figure out how to get through the zone defense. Instead, he let his team keep throwing up bricks while on their way to letting a big win slip away.Thanks Mike. I only wonder what you will do next for an encore.
in the league, Dirk Nowitzki.In a back-and-forth type of contest where your team has come back from a 14-point deficit, and is starting to unravel and appear to be on their way to letting a sure win fall through the cracks, doesn't a timeout seem like the most appropriate thing to do if you are the head coach? Not if you are Mike Woodson.No, instead, you do your best impression of the great Zen master Phil Jackson and let your team figure out how to dig themselves out of the hole.Only one problemyou are not one of the league all-time best coaches, and your team is not one of the league all-time greatest franchises in the Los Angeles Lakers.Instead of calling a timeout and helping his players figure out how to break through the Mavericks zone defense, Woodson just stood there on the sideline with his arms folded across his chest.Not only did he just stand there looking like a leaf on a log, he was so unaware of what was going around him that he gave Jason Kidd an opportunity to make him look like a complete fool.With under two minutes left in the game, the Hawks, still with a two-point lead, watched as their head coach made his attempt at making SportsCenter not Top Ten list.Kidd was pushing the ball up the court when he noticed that Woodson was a little too far out on the court than he should be. Kidd, being the St. Louis Rams jersey
veteran that he is, ran right towards Woodson, and the two shared a small nudge.The impact was enough to knock Woodson off balance, and enough for the officials to issue a technical foul on Woodson for interference. That sent Nowitzki to the foul line, where he made the free-throw attempt, and, seconds later, Kidd nailed a three to give the Mavericks back the lead.From here, the game did go into overtime, so Woodson mishap did not cost his team yet, but it clearly gave the Mavericks back the momentum.Also, it was like Woodson and the Hawks were suddenly frozen in a dazed and confused state of mind, while Dallas outscored the Hawks 12-4 in the overtime and left Atlanta with the win.Kidd was a Hawks-killer in more ways than one. He finished with his first triple double this season19 points, 16 rebounds, and 17 assiststo lead his team to victory.The Mavericks were able to get back into the game when they switched to a zone on defense in the fourth quarter, and outscored the Hawks 34-23 in the period. Atlanta could not penetrate through the Mavericks zone, and Tennessee Titans jersey
was forced to keep settling for outside shots. They didn fall.Maybe if Woodson had decided to call even a quick 20-second timeout the Hawks could have at least tried to figure out how to get through the zone defense. Instead, he let his team keep throwing up bricks while on their way to letting a big win slip away.Thanks Mike. I only wonder what you will do next for an encore.
2011年1月8日星期六
8 Jan 11 The Golden State Warriors Shouldn't Panic...Yet
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesI don't need to recap this season. We all know that watching the Warriors has often been like watching amateur erotic theatreoccasionally brilliant, occasionally frustrating, but nearly always painful as they find a way to mess things up. (This is not meant to disparage hard-working amateur erotic theatre performers or their fans.)Having said that, we all know what the brightest G-spots in the sea of flesh and premature ejaculations has been: the rapid development of Stephen Curry and the consistent scoring of Monta Ellis.(Okay, I'll stop Washington Redskins jersey
the erotic theatre references now.)After watching the last game against the Raptors, I was further convinced that Warriors management have to give Monta and Steph a full year to develop. Already, despite the Monta-Curry compatibility issue, they're the most dynamic backcourt in the league.Sure, they're a little lacking on defense, but if the Dubs re-sign Raja Bell, they can bring him off the bench if Monta or Steph are getting blown away on a particular night. We don't need them to be absolute lockdown guys.Having said that, I do believe there are some things management and the team needs to do for us to finally return to the playoffs.1) Andris Biedrins Needs To Develop a Post GameA lot of people have already given up on Biedrins and are calling for him to be shipped out this offseason for a post player. And I'm acquainted with his flaws, namely that he can't shoot to save his life, he has very little post game, and isn't that great a stopper in the paint.However, guys with his mobility, rebounding, and blocking ability, and more importantly bigs with his price tag, don't come around every day.That's why I believe that they need to develop Biedrins rather than give up on him.In a decent system, he would have developed some post moves by now. Since he's only human and isn't going to magically develop them out of thin air, they need to get someone in to help him learn.I hear there's a bloke called Hakeem Olajuwon out there who might be keen to help for the right price. Why haven't they called him in yet?Developing a post game at both ends will take Biedrins closer to being the dominant center he has the potential to become, which means we won't need to trade for a big man.2) Get Rid of Maggette by Any Means NecessaryLook, I'm sure Corey Maggette is a nice bloke. And he is a good scorer and one of the best in the league at drawing fouls. But he can't play anything resembling defense, he can't shoot threes, and he's making $10 million a year.This offseason, the Dubs need to work the phones of every team that needs a scorer and is willing to take on his contract. If we have to take scraps for him, so be it. Hell, I'd seriously consider taking DeShawn Stevenson for him (hint, hint, Mark Cuban).Even if it means we have to trade our first-round pick, it might be a necessary evil to save Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
some money.If all else fails, I might be able to negotiate a trade with the Wollongong Hawks of the Australian NBL.3) Give Steph and Monta Tickets to Vegas This OffseasonOkay, I imagine you're thinking something along the lines of "What?!" Hear me out.A few years ago, my favourite rugby team brought in a new star who had to combine with our stud second-year player who had been injured for most of his rookie year. For the first half of the season, we struggled along outside the playoff race, and they never managed to form the combination good teams need in their positions.When the team had a two-week break around midseason, the coach called them into his office, gave them 10 days off practice and two tickets to Bali, and had them stay in one hotel room.Once they got back from their trip, we didn't lose another game that season and went on to win our first title since 1969.Personal chemistry is a quality that's extremely underrated in pro sports these days. But does anyone doubt that part of the reason the Cavaliers are the favourites for this year's title, despite being primarily made up of LeBron, one guy whose best days are behind him and a bunch of scrubs, is because they all seem to be best mates? Or, for the same reason, that the Thunder are the team everyone fears in the future?Monta and Steph don't seem to have any personal chemistry at all. Maybe their problems co-existing could be simply down to this? A trip to Vegas can make any two men best friends if you experience the highs and lows together. (Or so I've heard.)4) Nellie Boy Has To GoI've been a strident critic of Don Nelson in the past, but anyone can tell his heart isn't in coaching anymore just by watching him on the bench.Why does he stick around? Because he's only seven games away from the NBA win record for a coach.Whatever I may say about him, he's won 1,326 more games as an NBA coach than I have. Therefore, I reckon he deserves to at least get his record and retire to Hawaii in peace.In the meantime, management should start making a succession planline up Avery Johnson, Byron Scott, whoever. Hell, get Larry Brown inif anyone can teach these guys defense, he can. Which leads me to...5) Improve Team DefenseThe main flaw this season has been our defense. Well, duh, you say. Our guys can't defend.However, our problem isn't just that Monta and Steph can't lockdown their men. It's that we don't have anything resembling team D.Once again, I cite the Cavs. Antawn Jamison can't defend physical big men, and Mo Williams can't defend anything. Why doesn't this hurt them? Because they have a fantastic help defensive scheme.The Warriors don't have anything resembling the conceptwe rely almost totally on man-to-man D. And even if you had Batman defending against Kobe, Brandon Roy, Joe Johnson, etc., he's not going to be able to consistently lock them down if he gives up several inches in height.We need to develop a team defense. This ties into point four: Don Nelson won't (or can't) teach it. So we need a Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
coach who can.If you look at it, these are all little things. I don't believe we need to panic and blow up the roster by any meansin fact, I firmly believe that we have a terrific young nucleus who can lead us into the playoffs sooner rather than later. Even if our management are incompetent, these moves don't require rocket scientists at the helm. They mostly require a little common sense, a cool head, and some initiative.Unfortunately, it seems all the initiative in the Bay Area belongs to the fans right now.
the erotic theatre references now.)After watching the last game against the Raptors, I was further convinced that Warriors management have to give Monta and Steph a full year to develop. Already, despite the Monta-Curry compatibility issue, they're the most dynamic backcourt in the league.Sure, they're a little lacking on defense, but if the Dubs re-sign Raja Bell, they can bring him off the bench if Monta or Steph are getting blown away on a particular night. We don't need them to be absolute lockdown guys.Having said that, I do believe there are some things management and the team needs to do for us to finally return to the playoffs.1) Andris Biedrins Needs To Develop a Post GameA lot of people have already given up on Biedrins and are calling for him to be shipped out this offseason for a post player. And I'm acquainted with his flaws, namely that he can't shoot to save his life, he has very little post game, and isn't that great a stopper in the paint.However, guys with his mobility, rebounding, and blocking ability, and more importantly bigs with his price tag, don't come around every day.That's why I believe that they need to develop Biedrins rather than give up on him.In a decent system, he would have developed some post moves by now. Since he's only human and isn't going to magically develop them out of thin air, they need to get someone in to help him learn.I hear there's a bloke called Hakeem Olajuwon out there who might be keen to help for the right price. Why haven't they called him in yet?Developing a post game at both ends will take Biedrins closer to being the dominant center he has the potential to become, which means we won't need to trade for a big man.2) Get Rid of Maggette by Any Means NecessaryLook, I'm sure Corey Maggette is a nice bloke. And he is a good scorer and one of the best in the league at drawing fouls. But he can't play anything resembling defense, he can't shoot threes, and he's making $10 million a year.This offseason, the Dubs need to work the phones of every team that needs a scorer and is willing to take on his contract. If we have to take scraps for him, so be it. Hell, I'd seriously consider taking DeShawn Stevenson for him (hint, hint, Mark Cuban).Even if it means we have to trade our first-round pick, it might be a necessary evil to save Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
some money.If all else fails, I might be able to negotiate a trade with the Wollongong Hawks of the Australian NBL.3) Give Steph and Monta Tickets to Vegas This OffseasonOkay, I imagine you're thinking something along the lines of "What?!" Hear me out.A few years ago, my favourite rugby team brought in a new star who had to combine with our stud second-year player who had been injured for most of his rookie year. For the first half of the season, we struggled along outside the playoff race, and they never managed to form the combination good teams need in their positions.When the team had a two-week break around midseason, the coach called them into his office, gave them 10 days off practice and two tickets to Bali, and had them stay in one hotel room.Once they got back from their trip, we didn't lose another game that season and went on to win our first title since 1969.Personal chemistry is a quality that's extremely underrated in pro sports these days. But does anyone doubt that part of the reason the Cavaliers are the favourites for this year's title, despite being primarily made up of LeBron, one guy whose best days are behind him and a bunch of scrubs, is because they all seem to be best mates? Or, for the same reason, that the Thunder are the team everyone fears in the future?Monta and Steph don't seem to have any personal chemistry at all. Maybe their problems co-existing could be simply down to this? A trip to Vegas can make any two men best friends if you experience the highs and lows together. (Or so I've heard.)4) Nellie Boy Has To GoI've been a strident critic of Don Nelson in the past, but anyone can tell his heart isn't in coaching anymore just by watching him on the bench.Why does he stick around? Because he's only seven games away from the NBA win record for a coach.Whatever I may say about him, he's won 1,326 more games as an NBA coach than I have. Therefore, I reckon he deserves to at least get his record and retire to Hawaii in peace.In the meantime, management should start making a succession planline up Avery Johnson, Byron Scott, whoever. Hell, get Larry Brown inif anyone can teach these guys defense, he can. Which leads me to...5) Improve Team DefenseThe main flaw this season has been our defense. Well, duh, you say. Our guys can't defend.However, our problem isn't just that Monta and Steph can't lockdown their men. It's that we don't have anything resembling team D.Once again, I cite the Cavs. Antawn Jamison can't defend physical big men, and Mo Williams can't defend anything. Why doesn't this hurt them? Because they have a fantastic help defensive scheme.The Warriors don't have anything resembling the conceptwe rely almost totally on man-to-man D. And even if you had Batman defending against Kobe, Brandon Roy, Joe Johnson, etc., he's not going to be able to consistently lock them down if he gives up several inches in height.We need to develop a team defense. This ties into point four: Don Nelson won't (or can't) teach it. So we need a Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
coach who can.If you look at it, these are all little things. I don't believe we need to panic and blow up the roster by any meansin fact, I firmly believe that we have a terrific young nucleus who can lead us into the playoffs sooner rather than later. Even if our management are incompetent, these moves don't require rocket scientists at the helm. They mostly require a little common sense, a cool head, and some initiative.Unfortunately, it seems all the initiative in the Bay Area belongs to the fans right now.
2010年12月30日星期四
30 Dec 10 Raptors Report Week 22: Toronto Goes from Hopeful To Doubtful
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe Raptors 7th seed chances took a major blow on Sunday night. Their opponents, the Golden State Warriors, didn't have much to play for, but out-hustled the Raptors and outplayed them for most of the game.The Raps made a late push, but a missed layup in the dying seconds St. Louis Rams jersey
by Chris Bosh doomed the Raptors. They made a miraculous comeback, but it fell short, and the Raptors now sit two games back of the Charlotte Bobcats. This could have been a mere game, but now with the schedule getting tough, the Raptors will have to win at least five of their last six games to realistically have a chance at 7th.The Raptors finally got some wins, playing with some urgency, but couldn't seal the deal on the final game of the week.Record: 3-1Performance on a scale of 1-10: 7PositivesThe Raptors are playing with urgency and appear to have their mid-season form back. It might be a little too late, but they might do something in the playoffs. Sonny Weems has been spectacular, and Chris Bosh is finally driving the ball and attacking the defenses.NegativesThe Raptors lost to a lowly Golden State team by one point, but they shouldn't have even been in that opportunity. Even without Monta Ellis, the Warriors managed to claw out a victory in Toronto. The Raptors toughness down the stretch of games has to improve.Overall, Tennessee Titans jersey
this week would have been great if Bosh had made that last second layup, but that loss hurt. The Bulls are right on the Raptors tails, and the Raptors will need some Charlotte losses to get that 7th seed. Hopefully they can at least hold that 8th seed.GO RAPS!
by Chris Bosh doomed the Raptors. They made a miraculous comeback, but it fell short, and the Raptors now sit two games back of the Charlotte Bobcats. This could have been a mere game, but now with the schedule getting tough, the Raptors will have to win at least five of their last six games to realistically have a chance at 7th.The Raptors finally got some wins, playing with some urgency, but couldn't seal the deal on the final game of the week.Record: 3-1Performance on a scale of 1-10: 7PositivesThe Raptors are playing with urgency and appear to have their mid-season form back. It might be a little too late, but they might do something in the playoffs. Sonny Weems has been spectacular, and Chris Bosh is finally driving the ball and attacking the defenses.NegativesThe Raptors lost to a lowly Golden State team by one point, but they shouldn't have even been in that opportunity. Even without Monta Ellis, the Warriors managed to claw out a victory in Toronto. The Raptors toughness down the stretch of games has to improve.Overall, Tennessee Titans jersey
this week would have been great if Bosh had made that last second layup, but that loss hurt. The Bulls are right on the Raptors tails, and the Raptors will need some Charlotte losses to get that 7th seed. Hopefully they can at least hold that 8th seed.GO RAPS!
2010年12月29日星期三
29 Dec 10 Suns' Robin Lopez Will Miss the First Round
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesAccording to Suns head coach Alvin Gentry, Robin Lopez will miss at least the first round of the playoffs. Lopez is currently battling a back injury that caused him to miss the final 10 games of the season. "The visit he had to the doctor was pretty positive, but still we're not having him for the playoffs, not for the first series, anyway," Gentry said. "It's not anything where we'll even take a remote chance."During his Monday evaluation Lopez did not receive an epidural, and doctors said he is progressing well with Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
his rehab.Phoenix did not struggle in his absence but the improved defense that the Suns experienced after the All-Star break diminished in the past few weeks. After Wednesday night's victory over the Jazz, the playoff picture is officially set. The Suns will play the Portland Trailblazers, a team that Phoenix struggled against during the regular season. The only positive is that Portland might be without star guard Brandon Roy, who is currently deciding whether or not to forgo knee surgery.So what does Lopez's injury mean in the long run for the Suns?Phoenix is simply a better overall team with him the lineup. His size alone makes him a defensive force that can trouble any team's big man. Although he diminishes the range that the Suns have with Channing Frye on the court, Lopez is a very Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
efficient scorer, making nearly 59 percent of his field goal attempts.Frye and Jarron Collins have filled in at Center, while Alvin Gentry has used a combination of players, including Amar'e Stoudemire and Lou Amundson, to give the Suns a different look. Phoenix can afford to lose him for the first round, and quite possibly the second (if they make it that far), but if they want to go deeper than that they will need Lopez to do it.
his rehab.Phoenix did not struggle in his absence but the improved defense that the Suns experienced after the All-Star break diminished in the past few weeks. After Wednesday night's victory over the Jazz, the playoff picture is officially set. The Suns will play the Portland Trailblazers, a team that Phoenix struggled against during the regular season. The only positive is that Portland might be without star guard Brandon Roy, who is currently deciding whether or not to forgo knee surgery.So what does Lopez's injury mean in the long run for the Suns?Phoenix is simply a better overall team with him the lineup. His size alone makes him a defensive force that can trouble any team's big man. Although he diminishes the range that the Suns have with Channing Frye on the court, Lopez is a very Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
efficient scorer, making nearly 59 percent of his field goal attempts.Frye and Jarron Collins have filled in at Center, while Alvin Gentry has used a combination of players, including Amar'e Stoudemire and Lou Amundson, to give the Suns a different look. Phoenix can afford to lose him for the first round, and quite possibly the second (if they make it that far), but if they want to go deeper than that they will need Lopez to do it.
2010年12月28日星期二
28 Dec 10 Kobe Bryant Gets Defensive With His Eighth First Team Selection
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesI feel like Los Angeles Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant has been one of the NBA's best man defenders for most of his career. The league obviously echoes my sentiments as Bryant was selected to the all-NBA defensive first team for the eighth time.It's easy to forget Bryant's prowess as a defender considering he is one of the best offensive talents to ever enter the NBA, but his defensive skills have been on full display so far this postseason.Bryant's defense on Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook was likely the difference in that series. Now although Ron Artest now defends an opponent's best player, it was Bryant's responsibility since he became a starter.This is quite an accomplishment for a player who draws most of Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
his reviews, positive or negative, on the offensive end of the court, but the same qualities that make Bryant a superb scorer aid him on the defensive end as well.For one, Bryant is one of the better athletes in the professional game, and the attention he pays to honing his craft is legendary and unmatched.Bryant's ultimate goal is perfection. He understood at an early age that what he did on the defensive end weighs just as much as the offensive end when crafting a legacy.Excelling on the defensive end takes willpower, endurance, pride, and confidence, and Bryant has an abundance of all four.He seems to draw as much satisfaction from a defensive stop as he does from a pretty shot.Bryant is also one of the more fundamentally sound players in the league, and his footwork and close-out ability on the perimeter is known, but greatly under-appreciated.The rigors of 14 professional seasons have began to take their toll on Bryant as evidenced by the numerous ailments he has faced this season.But true to form, Bryant Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
has been able to adjust his game accordingly.Artest's arrival gave Bryant the opportunity to play the passing lanes more, and it also allowed him to guard a player like Westbrook since Artest was so effective on the Thunder's Kevin Durant.In the past, Bryant would have been forced to defend a player like Durant because former laker Trevor Ariza would have been like a lamb to the slaughter in the face of Durant's offensive assault.But Artest's competent defense meantBryant could concentrate his focus on defending Westbrook, while conserving some of his energy for the offensive end.There are those who would say Bryant is overrated as a defender, but that is not a sentiment which is shared by any of his peers around the league, or any of his opposing coaches.Thunder coach Scott Brooks agreed when asked if Bryant's defense was the factor which swung momentum in their series, and Cleveland Cavaliers' star LeBron James credits Bryant for his own defensive approach.James said he was impressed with Bryant's Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
abilities as a defender when the two were teammates on the United States' gold medal winning Olympic team.It was Bryant's dedication on that end of the floor, which caused James to re-evaluate his own defense.It worked for James because this year, his one-on-one defensive skills saw a huge improvement and he joined Bryant on the first team, his second selection for that honor.
his reviews, positive or negative, on the offensive end of the court, but the same qualities that make Bryant a superb scorer aid him on the defensive end as well.For one, Bryant is one of the better athletes in the professional game, and the attention he pays to honing his craft is legendary and unmatched.Bryant's ultimate goal is perfection. He understood at an early age that what he did on the defensive end weighs just as much as the offensive end when crafting a legacy.Excelling on the defensive end takes willpower, endurance, pride, and confidence, and Bryant has an abundance of all four.He seems to draw as much satisfaction from a defensive stop as he does from a pretty shot.Bryant is also one of the more fundamentally sound players in the league, and his footwork and close-out ability on the perimeter is known, but greatly under-appreciated.The rigors of 14 professional seasons have began to take their toll on Bryant as evidenced by the numerous ailments he has faced this season.But true to form, Bryant Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
has been able to adjust his game accordingly.Artest's arrival gave Bryant the opportunity to play the passing lanes more, and it also allowed him to guard a player like Westbrook since Artest was so effective on the Thunder's Kevin Durant.In the past, Bryant would have been forced to defend a player like Durant because former laker Trevor Ariza would have been like a lamb to the slaughter in the face of Durant's offensive assault.But Artest's competent defense meantBryant could concentrate his focus on defending Westbrook, while conserving some of his energy for the offensive end.There are those who would say Bryant is overrated as a defender, but that is not a sentiment which is shared by any of his peers around the league, or any of his opposing coaches.Thunder coach Scott Brooks agreed when asked if Bryant's defense was the factor which swung momentum in their series, and Cleveland Cavaliers' star LeBron James credits Bryant for his own defensive approach.James said he was impressed with Bryant's Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
abilities as a defender when the two were teammates on the United States' gold medal winning Olympic team.It was Bryant's dedication on that end of the floor, which caused James to re-evaluate his own defense.It worked for James because this year, his one-on-one defensive skills saw a huge improvement and he joined Bryant on the first team, his second selection for that honor.
2010年12月27日星期一
27 Dec 10 Cavaliers Must Make a Stand
Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesWe are heading in the Summer of LeBron and everyone has an opinion. I want to preface this with the fact that I am a Cleveland Cavaliers fan and am happy to have had LeBron. The problem I have is the fact that LeBron is holding the organization hostage. Danny Ferry has done everything within his power to bring a championship caliber supporting cast. All of these players LeBron has openly campaigned for or at the very least was excited to have. LeBron is a great player, maybe one of the greatest, but he is not Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
a great judge of talent. He does not know how to make a championship team. The Cavs are being handcuffed by him. If he stays they must tell him to just do what he does best and play ball. Let the people who were hired to make decisions make those decisions without pressure from him. If he trusts them then he must sign the max 6 year deal. These 3 year deals only pressure the team to make trades and signings for today and not what is best for the team or the future. The Cavs choose to go after older players with high dollar long term deals. Where did this get them?A great regular season team that folds come playoff time.What they could have got is some cap room for this year free agent market. The Cavs were so scared to lose LeBron that they basically let him run the organization. The team is in a constant state of flux. They are always trying to learn to play with each other. Teams like Boston and San Antonio that play together for years are much better come playoff time.There are also reports of bringing John Calipari in Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
a package deal with LeBron. I just hope that does not happen in Cleveland. Calipari had 5 first round picks on Kentucky last year and could not even get to the Final Four. He had a very good run in Memphis, but in very weak conference and never won a title. He coached the Nets to the playoffs his second year in the NBA, as an 8th seed, after going 26-56 the previous year. The very next year he was fired after starting 3-17. The Nets went 13-17 the rest of the lockout shortened season.He is more Rick Pitino than Larry Brown.The Cavs will offer LeBron the 6 year max deal. If he only wants to resign for 3 years then they must let him go. Teams have been winning championships for seven years without LeBron and without him holding Dan Gilbert and Danny Ferry hostage the Cavs can Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
win one as well. Let them do what they do best. Danny Ferry has made moves with little cap room and sacrificing draft picks. Imagine what he could do if he was the one actually choosing which players to go after.One thing for sure though is Dan Gilbert will open his wallet and spend to get a winner.
a great judge of talent. He does not know how to make a championship team. The Cavs are being handcuffed by him. If he stays they must tell him to just do what he does best and play ball. Let the people who were hired to make decisions make those decisions without pressure from him. If he trusts them then he must sign the max 6 year deal. These 3 year deals only pressure the team to make trades and signings for today and not what is best for the team or the future. The Cavs choose to go after older players with high dollar long term deals. Where did this get them?A great regular season team that folds come playoff time.What they could have got is some cap room for this year free agent market. The Cavs were so scared to lose LeBron that they basically let him run the organization. The team is in a constant state of flux. They are always trying to learn to play with each other. Teams like Boston and San Antonio that play together for years are much better come playoff time.There are also reports of bringing John Calipari in Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
a package deal with LeBron. I just hope that does not happen in Cleveland. Calipari had 5 first round picks on Kentucky last year and could not even get to the Final Four. He had a very good run in Memphis, but in very weak conference and never won a title. He coached the Nets to the playoffs his second year in the NBA, as an 8th seed, after going 26-56 the previous year. The very next year he was fired after starting 3-17. The Nets went 13-17 the rest of the lockout shortened season.He is more Rick Pitino than Larry Brown.The Cavs will offer LeBron the 6 year max deal. If he only wants to resign for 3 years then they must let him go. Teams have been winning championships for seven years without LeBron and without him holding Dan Gilbert and Danny Ferry hostage the Cavs can Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
win one as well. Let them do what they do best. Danny Ferry has made moves with little cap room and sacrificing draft picks. Imagine what he could do if he was the one actually choosing which players to go after.One thing for sure though is Dan Gilbert will open his wallet and spend to get a winner.
2010年12月26日星期日
26 Dec 10 Kobe Bryant Surpasses LeBron James in Six Weeks
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesLeBron James was without a doubt the regular season's Most Valuable Player as he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the league's best overall record. But everyone should realize, it has "regular season" in front of it for a reason.James is without a doubt a fantastic athlete, who thrives in the open floor and penetrating the lane while showing a fabulously developed jump shot. This is not intended to knock on the greatness that is James for his time will come soon enough.But what James managed to do in six Washington Redskins jersey
months has, once again, failed to pay off in the postseason. Eliminated by the aging Boston Celtics in six games during the Eastern Conference semifinals, James has shown once again the difference between him and the likes of Kobe Bryant.What took James six months to do, Bryant surpassed in merely six weeks. The NBA Playoffs have consistently shown legends are born during them, and Bryant's resume has continued to grow.Bryant was known during the regular season as the league's most deadly player in clutch situations, knocking down several game winners and just as he did last season, Bryant has carried his Los Angeles Lakers back to the NBA Finals.The Lakers are truly a resilient team led by the league's best player. Yes, Bryant is the league's best basketball player. James is league's best athlete by far, but Bryant has the better skill-set, his game reaching all aspects of the basketball spectrum.What James can do, Bryant simply does better. Sure Bryant isn't stacked with triple-doubles, but in all reality he doesn't have to be. He still passes better, dribbles better, shoots better, plays defense better and in reality scores in every way better than James to this point.Bryant has developed the best "rise up" shot in the game, as he rises with ease above any and every defender and drills shot after shot after shot. Bryant may not slam everything through the rim like James, but there have been times when James has missed dunks because he just has to power everything in.Bryant's main intent is Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
to finish, whether he has to simply lay the ball in, or has the chance to dunk. It doesn't matter to him - he simply wants to score and wants to win. His will to win eerily resembles that of Michael Jordan, so much to the point that many question if he is a better clutch performer than Jordan.But this isn't about comparing Jordan to Bryant, it's about showing that Bryant is still the league's best basketball player.James, being the athlete he is, uses his ability to get to the rimand when that's taken away from himhe will rise up for the jumper. His game resembles that of a baseball pitcher with two strong pitches, the fastball and the changeup. No matter what, his opponent knows what's coming.Bryant, however, resembles the like of a premiere pitcher who can rotate between his change up, fastball, knuckleball and curve ball to the point where you never know what's coming. He makes sure to keep his opponent uncomfortable.With free agency just around the corner for James, he can merely sit and watch as Bryant gets to continue to prove why he's the league's best basketball player.We all know just how much Bryant loves vengeance, and now he gets his shot at the team that took away his chance for his fourth title in 2008, the Lakers hated rival Boston.Kobe Bryant ladies and gentlemen was once quoted saying "Love me or hate me, its one or the other, always has been. Hate my game, my swagger. Hate my fade-away, my hunger. Hate that I'm a veteran, a champion. Hate that, hate it with all your heart. Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
and hate that I'm loved for the exact same reasons."Bryant has once again shown why people both love and hate him, but in reality it doesn't matter. Denying that he's beyond the league's best basketball player is ignorant, because he'll just continue to prove his critics wrong.
months has, once again, failed to pay off in the postseason. Eliminated by the aging Boston Celtics in six games during the Eastern Conference semifinals, James has shown once again the difference between him and the likes of Kobe Bryant.What took James six months to do, Bryant surpassed in merely six weeks. The NBA Playoffs have consistently shown legends are born during them, and Bryant's resume has continued to grow.Bryant was known during the regular season as the league's most deadly player in clutch situations, knocking down several game winners and just as he did last season, Bryant has carried his Los Angeles Lakers back to the NBA Finals.The Lakers are truly a resilient team led by the league's best player. Yes, Bryant is the league's best basketball player. James is league's best athlete by far, but Bryant has the better skill-set, his game reaching all aspects of the basketball spectrum.What James can do, Bryant simply does better. Sure Bryant isn't stacked with triple-doubles, but in all reality he doesn't have to be. He still passes better, dribbles better, shoots better, plays defense better and in reality scores in every way better than James to this point.Bryant has developed the best "rise up" shot in the game, as he rises with ease above any and every defender and drills shot after shot after shot. Bryant may not slam everything through the rim like James, but there have been times when James has missed dunks because he just has to power everything in.Bryant's main intent is Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
to finish, whether he has to simply lay the ball in, or has the chance to dunk. It doesn't matter to him - he simply wants to score and wants to win. His will to win eerily resembles that of Michael Jordan, so much to the point that many question if he is a better clutch performer than Jordan.But this isn't about comparing Jordan to Bryant, it's about showing that Bryant is still the league's best basketball player.James, being the athlete he is, uses his ability to get to the rimand when that's taken away from himhe will rise up for the jumper. His game resembles that of a baseball pitcher with two strong pitches, the fastball and the changeup. No matter what, his opponent knows what's coming.Bryant, however, resembles the like of a premiere pitcher who can rotate between his change up, fastball, knuckleball and curve ball to the point where you never know what's coming. He makes sure to keep his opponent uncomfortable.With free agency just around the corner for James, he can merely sit and watch as Bryant gets to continue to prove why he's the league's best basketball player.We all know just how much Bryant loves vengeance, and now he gets his shot at the team that took away his chance for his fourth title in 2008, the Lakers hated rival Boston.Kobe Bryant ladies and gentlemen was once quoted saying "Love me or hate me, its one or the other, always has been. Hate my game, my swagger. Hate my fade-away, my hunger. Hate that I'm a veteran, a champion. Hate that, hate it with all your heart. Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
and hate that I'm loved for the exact same reasons."Bryant has once again shown why people both love and hate him, but in reality it doesn't matter. Denying that he's beyond the league's best basketball player is ignorant, because he'll just continue to prove his critics wrong.
2010年12月25日星期六
25 Dec 10 Can Kevin Love Realistically Become an All-Star Talent?
Handout/Getty Images14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists in 29 minutes per game.SBN NBA Power Ranking states: "How impressive has Kevin Love been this year? Here's a list of players under the age of 23 who have posted a single-season PER above 22 and a rebound percentage over 17: Tim Duncan (twice). Chris Bosh. Elton Brand. Terry Cummings. Kevin Love. That's it. And of the five, Love's rebound percentage is by far the highest."His PER for the whole season was above 20, therefore he's in the same conversation or caliber of Miami Dolphins jersey
players with Deron Williams, Andrew Bogut, Josh Smith, Brandon Roy, and Carlos Boozer.At the age of 21, Kevin Love is considered one of the top rebounders in the NBA. The funny thing about it was that he was considered a good rebounder in college, but he's an even better rebounder in the NBA.While Kevin Love only stands at 6'9'', his work and efficiency on both sides of the glass are revered as the very best, as he's not athletic or long. He has mastered the art of hand wrestling, boxing out, and timing.At the age of 20, he had posted total rebounding percentages by season that are ranked in the top 40 in NBA's history. While the likes of Dennis Rodman, Swen Nater, Dwight Howard, and Dikiembe Mutombo have posted in the top 40 multiple times, that puts Kevin Love in elite company for best rebounders in NBA's history.What will Kevin Love average?What will Kevin Love average?14 points, 11 rebounds (current)6.4%15 points, 12 rebounds18.1%16 points, 13 rebounds19.7%17 points, 13 rebounds24.7%18 points, 14 rebounds31.1%Total votes: 421Throughout the season, Kevin Love was put on the bench, but as a starter, he put up numbers that shouldn't go without mention. Please consider: 15 PPG, 13 RPG, 3 APG in 32 MPG.It's safe to assume, with another year under his belt, playing Minnesota Vikings
with team USA, and knowing that he's going to be the bona fide starter at the power forward position, that this year will be where Kevin Love can prove if he is an all-star talent that he believes he is.But is he?With an incredible basketball I.Q and a phenomenal rebounding ability to compliment great outlet passing, Kevin Love is no slouch on the offensive end at all.In my opinion, he won't be able to carry a team on the low block, but he can, in certain situations, create his own shot. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the instinct in his head as of right now, due to his shot always getting blocked in the low post. Because he can shoot mid range shots, and three-point shots, there's potential for Kevin Love to score.But with that, Kevin Love, sadly to say, is bad on the defensive end. He doesn't block any shots and doesn't have the athleticism to guard stretch power forwards in the NBA.But while Love is still very young, his versatility would suggest that he has upside still left, particularly on the defensive end.So the question remains, can Kevin Love become an all-star?I'm not talking about a one- or two-time all-star, but an all-star multiple seasons.Here's the rundown.He can be that type of all-star, but it would take the Minnesota Timberwolves to have won at least 50 games. Kevin Love isn't a legit first option on a championship caliber team. He has the potential to be a No. 2 option, and he's a No. 3 option already at the age of 21.Due to the fact that he's not able to carry a team, and that he's a liability on the defensive New England Patriots jersey
end, Kevin Love can't be an all-star until the Wolves win lost of games because he's a Robin type of player, not a Batman.Still, he's an incredible talent, but he's no Dirk Nowitzki. Don't get me wrong, he still has a lot of upside, but as of right now, he's an all-star talent on the level of those like Al Horford or Chris Kaman (I'd take Love over both).Thanks for reading.
players with Deron Williams, Andrew Bogut, Josh Smith, Brandon Roy, and Carlos Boozer.At the age of 21, Kevin Love is considered one of the top rebounders in the NBA. The funny thing about it was that he was considered a good rebounder in college, but he's an even better rebounder in the NBA.While Kevin Love only stands at 6'9'', his work and efficiency on both sides of the glass are revered as the very best, as he's not athletic or long. He has mastered the art of hand wrestling, boxing out, and timing.At the age of 20, he had posted total rebounding percentages by season that are ranked in the top 40 in NBA's history. While the likes of Dennis Rodman, Swen Nater, Dwight Howard, and Dikiembe Mutombo have posted in the top 40 multiple times, that puts Kevin Love in elite company for best rebounders in NBA's history.What will Kevin Love average?What will Kevin Love average?14 points, 11 rebounds (current)6.4%15 points, 12 rebounds18.1%16 points, 13 rebounds19.7%17 points, 13 rebounds24.7%18 points, 14 rebounds31.1%Total votes: 421Throughout the season, Kevin Love was put on the bench, but as a starter, he put up numbers that shouldn't go without mention. Please consider: 15 PPG, 13 RPG, 3 APG in 32 MPG.It's safe to assume, with another year under his belt, playing Minnesota Vikings
with team USA, and knowing that he's going to be the bona fide starter at the power forward position, that this year will be where Kevin Love can prove if he is an all-star talent that he believes he is.But is he?With an incredible basketball I.Q and a phenomenal rebounding ability to compliment great outlet passing, Kevin Love is no slouch on the offensive end at all.In my opinion, he won't be able to carry a team on the low block, but he can, in certain situations, create his own shot. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the instinct in his head as of right now, due to his shot always getting blocked in the low post. Because he can shoot mid range shots, and three-point shots, there's potential for Kevin Love to score.But with that, Kevin Love, sadly to say, is bad on the defensive end. He doesn't block any shots and doesn't have the athleticism to guard stretch power forwards in the NBA.But while Love is still very young, his versatility would suggest that he has upside still left, particularly on the defensive end.So the question remains, can Kevin Love become an all-star?I'm not talking about a one- or two-time all-star, but an all-star multiple seasons.Here's the rundown.He can be that type of all-star, but it would take the Minnesota Timberwolves to have won at least 50 games. Kevin Love isn't a legit first option on a championship caliber team. He has the potential to be a No. 2 option, and he's a No. 3 option already at the age of 21.Due to the fact that he's not able to carry a team, and that he's a liability on the defensive New England Patriots jersey
end, Kevin Love can't be an all-star until the Wolves win lost of games because he's a Robin type of player, not a Batman.Still, he's an incredible talent, but he's no Dirk Nowitzki. Don't get me wrong, he still has a lot of upside, but as of right now, he's an all-star talent on the level of those like Al Horford or Chris Kaman (I'd take Love over both).Thanks for reading.
2010年12月24日星期五
24 Dec 10 When a Wizard Cries Wolf: Gilbert Arenas Learns the Dangers of Faking Injuries
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesWashington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas was recently fined $50,000 by the team after it was revealed that he faked an injury in order to give teammate Nick Young more playing time.Arenas reportedly claimed that his knee was bothering him, but then later admitted he only said it in an attempt to garner more playing time for Young, a player Arenas felt deserved the extra minutes.At first glance it may seem like an unselfish act by Arenas, but in reality it's just a continuation of the strange mannerisms that has led Denver Broncos jersey
him to this particular point in his career.Arenas is an extremely likable guy and a media favorite, but his charisma and personality should not excuse him for the string of questionable choices he has recently made.The gun incident last season was bad, and the pregame dance where he made light of the incident was worse, but this new episode where Arenas "sacrificed" himself for the sake of the team takes the cake.Young very well may deserve more time on the court, and when he received the opportunity to play Young performed well, but is that really Arenas' decision to make?Last time I checked Flip Saunders was the Wizards' coach, and if he really felt Young deserved more time, then I have no doubts he would give them to him.But, it looks like Young may get his fill of minutes eventually and they will likely come from Arenas, since the Wizards have made it clear they no longer feel his presence is needed.The only problem is, what team in their right mind would trade for him?Call it coincidence or call it irony, but one night after faking an injury Arenas suffered a groin pull that only complicates matters since, those types of injuries usually take longer to recover from.But even if Arenas was healthy and able to play tomorrow he has burned so many bridges in Washington, that few teams would be willing to risk the threat Arenas poses to chemistry.By all accounts Arenas is genuinely a good guy with a goofy persona, and a love for practical jokes, but when you add in his numerous knee injuries, and Detroit Lions
constant clashes with management, he doesn't seem worth the risk.Sadly, it's not even a matter of talent though, because Arenas proved during his brief return last year that he could still get to the rim at will, and he did score over 30 points in his first game back.Arenas is a 22.7 points per game career scorer, but he has only appeared in 465 out of a possible 738 career regular season games, and there is also this to consider.Why would a player whose recent career has been defined by injury choose to tempt fate by crying wolf?Besides creating extremely bad karma, what type of message does it send to teams who may have been willing to take a chance on Arenas' damaged goods?How does anypotential trade partnerknow that this is just an isolated incident from Arenas, and that he has truly learned his lesson?How can a team in good faith take a chance on Arenas, and then have to live with the lingering thought that any minor injury suffered from here on out is not another desperate plea for attention?Because Green Bay Packers jersey
that's all it really boils down to.Arenas has been so limited by injuries the past few seasons that the only way he has remained relevant in the NBA was by giving confusing sound bytes, and committing egregious acts.Arenas may still have a few years of NBA-level play left in his weary body, but unless he learns to close his mouth and focus on the game, we may never get the chance to find out.
him to this particular point in his career.Arenas is an extremely likable guy and a media favorite, but his charisma and personality should not excuse him for the string of questionable choices he has recently made.The gun incident last season was bad, and the pregame dance where he made light of the incident was worse, but this new episode where Arenas "sacrificed" himself for the sake of the team takes the cake.Young very well may deserve more time on the court, and when he received the opportunity to play Young performed well, but is that really Arenas' decision to make?Last time I checked Flip Saunders was the Wizards' coach, and if he really felt Young deserved more time, then I have no doubts he would give them to him.But, it looks like Young may get his fill of minutes eventually and they will likely come from Arenas, since the Wizards have made it clear they no longer feel his presence is needed.The only problem is, what team in their right mind would trade for him?Call it coincidence or call it irony, but one night after faking an injury Arenas suffered a groin pull that only complicates matters since, those types of injuries usually take longer to recover from.But even if Arenas was healthy and able to play tomorrow he has burned so many bridges in Washington, that few teams would be willing to risk the threat Arenas poses to chemistry.By all accounts Arenas is genuinely a good guy with a goofy persona, and a love for practical jokes, but when you add in his numerous knee injuries, and Detroit Lions
constant clashes with management, he doesn't seem worth the risk.Sadly, it's not even a matter of talent though, because Arenas proved during his brief return last year that he could still get to the rim at will, and he did score over 30 points in his first game back.Arenas is a 22.7 points per game career scorer, but he has only appeared in 465 out of a possible 738 career regular season games, and there is also this to consider.Why would a player whose recent career has been defined by injury choose to tempt fate by crying wolf?Besides creating extremely bad karma, what type of message does it send to teams who may have been willing to take a chance on Arenas' damaged goods?How does anypotential trade partnerknow that this is just an isolated incident from Arenas, and that he has truly learned his lesson?How can a team in good faith take a chance on Arenas, and then have to live with the lingering thought that any minor injury suffered from here on out is not another desperate plea for attention?Because Green Bay Packers jersey
that's all it really boils down to.Arenas has been so limited by injuries the past few seasons that the only way he has remained relevant in the NBA was by giving confusing sound bytes, and committing egregious acts.Arenas may still have a few years of NBA-level play left in his weary body, but unless he learns to close his mouth and focus on the game, we may never get the chance to find out.
2010年12月23日星期四
23 Dec 10Houston Rockets Fail To Launch: No One Can Defend Team's Ductile Defense
Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesSo much for lift-off.After whipping the Minnesota Timberwolves and reeling off two straight against the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, the Houston Rockets crash landed like a shuttle with all of its engines blown out and now must digest a miserable 3-9Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
record. Houston surrendered in consecutivebeatdowns and in athree-point homedefeat that mightsting for the rest of the season.The Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors could have been mistaken for the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. The Rockets did not stop anyone on any ofthose squads when it counted. Shannon Brown, Steve Blake, Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Al Harrington, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith, Kyle Korver, Andrea Bargnani and Linas Kleiza have each circled a common futuredate on their calendars in the previous month.None of them can wait to play the Rockets again, so they can light up the scoreboard and look good doing it. Houston, despite crippling injuries and a road-heavy earlyschedule, looks ready for Secaucus. It would be fool-hearted for the team's supporters to give up hope 12 games into an 82-date campaign. Fans believe at all costs because it is their job to do so. Management, however, must know the returns of Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming will not provide a panacea.The front office, headed by GM Daryl Morey, cannot allow the "we'll get better" charades to continue. This team has issues time will not fix. For one, the basketball and football franchisesseem to Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
be aligned when it comes tohistoric defensive ineptitude.The Rockets might not allow the equivalent of 400 passing yards per contest, but they have done enough to warrant the criticism that accompanies yielding an average of107 points on 46 percent shooting.Different week, same problem. Maybe the Texans and Rockets can commiserate together. Texans Safety Bernard Pollard, who ranks in the NFL'stop 10 in giving up bigplays that lead to touchdowns, could show Kevin Martin a thing or two about tough talk. No one seems qualified, though,to put that gab into practice, aside from a few usual suspects not talented enough to compensate for the rest of the clueless stiffs.Friday's effort was pathetic, even if the team led at several junctures and was close before the Raptors pulled away late. The Air Canada Centre has become the Rockets' version of Helga's House of Pain. Toronto, now 4-9, brought plenty of it from the start.Tonight, the Phoenix Suns bring a 6-7 record and an offense that can still pour it on, even with Amar'e Stoudemire's defection to New York, to Toyota Center. Agroinstrain will sideline Steve Nash, making reserve spark plug Goran Dragic the probable starter at point guard. Can the Rockets take advantage of some rare good fortune in their favor, or will Dragic become the latest salivating ballerto shred through a defense that might struggle in a senior citizen's league? Hell, 76-year-old Bill Russell could decideto test his skills against Houston if this continues.The man-to-man and team coverage would merit praise if the Rockets could duplicate the efforts at home versus Minnesota and at Madison Square Garden more often. Instead, those lockdown master clinics seem more like aberrations than the start of Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
a trend.Rick Adelman oversees the fifth most productive offense in the association, but the Rockets lack a passable go-to option on that end with Yao and Brooks unavailable. This team couldn't close a Wal-Mart or a coffee shop, much less a quarter in anNBA game.Wednesday night, it was Battier missing a free throw that would have cut the Thunder's halftime lead to seven. Then, it was Scola fouling Russell Westbrook beyond the arcbefore the second quarter buzzer sounded. The Rockets trailed by 11, 64-53, instead of eight.Friday night, Scola delivered the Rockets a brief third-quarter lead, 75-74, then the Raptors proceeded to score four straight baskets. When it comes to closing the deal, this teams squadknowsas much about that art as Steve Carell's character in the 40-Year-Old Virgin.No coach in sports history could win with this slapdash,abominable defense. Few could survive the grind with such a confused, inept crunch-time offense.Two weeks ago, Scola's fast-break layup afforded the Rockets their last fourth quarter lead in Washington, 85-84. The Wizards then mounted a killer 10-0 run with a turnover-pronerookie at the helm and a similarly horrific half-court defense.The excuses maycome flying off the shelves like popular Christmas toys. Tough schedule. The back-to-back champs were too good and experienced on opening night. Too many road contests versus ones at home.The author of the Lakers'game-winning shot was playing in his first ever regular season game in Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
purple and gold. The sleepy, unfashionably late fans, aside from the dedicatedRed Rowdies,and comical fourth-quarter lapses create a no-advantage atmosphere at Toyota Center. The Rockets have choked away final frame leads in every loss. What makes anyone think the venue matters?GiveHouston's pro basketball team a high school gym for the evening, and they will find a way to lose there, too. Thesquads atop the Western Conference havedealt with hardships, andthe disparityor varying degrees should not tilt the discussion.When the Rockets rolled into the AT&T Center without Kyle Lowryor Yao's services, and then lost Brooks at halftime, they played opposite a Spurs team missing reserve forward/centerMatt Bonner.
record. Houston surrendered in consecutivebeatdowns and in athree-point homedefeat that mightsting for the rest of the season.The Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors could have been mistaken for the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. The Rockets did not stop anyone on any ofthose squads when it counted. Shannon Brown, Steve Blake, Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Al Harrington, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith, Kyle Korver, Andrea Bargnani and Linas Kleiza have each circled a common futuredate on their calendars in the previous month.None of them can wait to play the Rockets again, so they can light up the scoreboard and look good doing it. Houston, despite crippling injuries and a road-heavy earlyschedule, looks ready for Secaucus. It would be fool-hearted for the team's supporters to give up hope 12 games into an 82-date campaign. Fans believe at all costs because it is their job to do so. Management, however, must know the returns of Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming will not provide a panacea.The front office, headed by GM Daryl Morey, cannot allow the "we'll get better" charades to continue. This team has issues time will not fix. For one, the basketball and football franchisesseem to Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
be aligned when it comes tohistoric defensive ineptitude.The Rockets might not allow the equivalent of 400 passing yards per contest, but they have done enough to warrant the criticism that accompanies yielding an average of107 points on 46 percent shooting.Different week, same problem. Maybe the Texans and Rockets can commiserate together. Texans Safety Bernard Pollard, who ranks in the NFL'stop 10 in giving up bigplays that lead to touchdowns, could show Kevin Martin a thing or two about tough talk. No one seems qualified, though,to put that gab into practice, aside from a few usual suspects not talented enough to compensate for the rest of the clueless stiffs.Friday's effort was pathetic, even if the team led at several junctures and was close before the Raptors pulled away late. The Air Canada Centre has become the Rockets' version of Helga's House of Pain. Toronto, now 4-9, brought plenty of it from the start.Tonight, the Phoenix Suns bring a 6-7 record and an offense that can still pour it on, even with Amar'e Stoudemire's defection to New York, to Toyota Center. Agroinstrain will sideline Steve Nash, making reserve spark plug Goran Dragic the probable starter at point guard. Can the Rockets take advantage of some rare good fortune in their favor, or will Dragic become the latest salivating ballerto shred through a defense that might struggle in a senior citizen's league? Hell, 76-year-old Bill Russell could decideto test his skills against Houston if this continues.The man-to-man and team coverage would merit praise if the Rockets could duplicate the efforts at home versus Minnesota and at Madison Square Garden more often. Instead, those lockdown master clinics seem more like aberrations than the start of Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
a trend.Rick Adelman oversees the fifth most productive offense in the association, but the Rockets lack a passable go-to option on that end with Yao and Brooks unavailable. This team couldn't close a Wal-Mart or a coffee shop, much less a quarter in anNBA game.Wednesday night, it was Battier missing a free throw that would have cut the Thunder's halftime lead to seven. Then, it was Scola fouling Russell Westbrook beyond the arcbefore the second quarter buzzer sounded. The Rockets trailed by 11, 64-53, instead of eight.Friday night, Scola delivered the Rockets a brief third-quarter lead, 75-74, then the Raptors proceeded to score four straight baskets. When it comes to closing the deal, this teams squadknowsas much about that art as Steve Carell's character in the 40-Year-Old Virgin.No coach in sports history could win with this slapdash,abominable defense. Few could survive the grind with such a confused, inept crunch-time offense.Two weeks ago, Scola's fast-break layup afforded the Rockets their last fourth quarter lead in Washington, 85-84. The Wizards then mounted a killer 10-0 run with a turnover-pronerookie at the helm and a similarly horrific half-court defense.The excuses maycome flying off the shelves like popular Christmas toys. Tough schedule. The back-to-back champs were too good and experienced on opening night. Too many road contests versus ones at home.The author of the Lakers'game-winning shot was playing in his first ever regular season game in Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
purple and gold. The sleepy, unfashionably late fans, aside from the dedicatedRed Rowdies,and comical fourth-quarter lapses create a no-advantage atmosphere at Toyota Center. The Rockets have choked away final frame leads in every loss. What makes anyone think the venue matters?GiveHouston's pro basketball team a high school gym for the evening, and they will find a way to lose there, too. Thesquads atop the Western Conference havedealt with hardships, andthe disparityor varying degrees should not tilt the discussion.When the Rockets rolled into the AT&T Center without Kyle Lowryor Yao's services, and then lost Brooks at halftime, they played opposite a Spurs team missing reserve forward/centerMatt Bonner.
2010年12月22日星期三
NBA Free Agency 2010: LeBron James To Announce Decision On Thursday
Elsa/Getty ImagesThe countdown to the most sought after free agent's decision in recent history has begun.According to sources, LeBron James will announce his decision on Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 9 P.M. EST on ESPN during a one-hour special. James' representatives requested permission to Indianapolis Colts jersey
sell the sponsorship, with the proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.LeBron has had meetings with the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers.James opened a Twitter account on Tuesday, although he has been quiet on where he will land this offseason.Regardless, he will announce his decision in what is sure to bring outstanding television ratings to ESPN. So be sure to watch LeBron James' announcement on Thursday, July 8.NOTE: I will write an article analyzing his decision after the special.
sell the sponsorship, with the proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.LeBron has had meetings with the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers.James opened a Twitter account on Tuesday, although he has been quiet on where he will land this offseason.Regardless, he will announce his decision in what is sure to bring outstanding television ratings to ESPN. So be sure to watch LeBron James' announcement on Thursday, July 8.NOTE: I will write an article analyzing his decision after the special.
2010年12月21日星期二
MLB Rumors: Reports Say New York Mets Making Progress With Pitcher Chris Young
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesAccording to ESPN and the New York Post, the New York Mets are deep in talks with hurler Chris Young.While Buster Olney says the Mets are "closing in on a deal" for the 31-year-old former All-Star, the Post is reporting that they are "not close" to signing the lanky right-hander.I can understand Philadelphia Eagles jersey
why some people consider him a relatively cheap short term option; I just don't see too much value in going after him.His price tag is way too high for someone who will enter the season as an almost unknown quantity and the risk outweighs the reward.Nobody knows just how his surgically repaired right shoulder will hold up under the rigors of a 150-inning campaign, and even if he does have a clean bill of health, the fact remains that he's not really been a solid pitcher since 2007.His velocity was down when he did pitch in four games in 2010 and, coupled with a highly restrictive budget, it just doesn't make sense to blow it all on one aging guy who may or may not contribute much in the coming season.The Padres, who paid him $11 million for the last two years, had a pretty simple decision to make in not picking up his hefty $8.5 million option for 2011 and the Mets should give him a wide berth, too.Is Chris Young a good target for the Mets?Is Chris Young a good target for the Mets?Yes63.4%No36.6%Total votes: 232I know the pitching Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
rotation is in a state of flux with Johan Santana starting the year on the DL, but the team has holes all over the place, most notably in the bullpen now that Pedro Feliciano has declined arbitration.Depending on who you believe, the Mets have anywhere from $5 to $10 million in the budget this year. They played a risky—but probably worthwhile—game in their dealings with Feliciano this past week, and they would be advised to pass on Young.In short, Young isn't the same pitcher—injury or not—that posted back-to-back seasons of double-digit wins. His strikeouts have been on the decline since 2007, his command has slowly worsened and hitters are doing a much better job of putting the ball in play. Young doesn't have the stuff to make hitters scared and because of his declining skill set, they can wait on pitches in the zone and drive them hard somewhere.The trend over the last three years that he was healthy is that a) batters are swinging at fewer pitches and b) making better contact with the pitches they do swing it. Young has no deception and no ability to blow guys away. It's all fastball-slider and neither pitch can be considered a "plus" offering any more.Fans tend to remember the 6'10" Young as the San Diego All-Star who San Diego Chargers jersey
consistently tossed low-90s fastballs on the black. The reality is he's a mid-80s guy whose best days are behind him.New York has the luxury of pitching in a pitchers' park, so Young may very well be able to post a sub 3.75 ERA there. With the price and risk, though, it's better to look for cheaper options elsewhere.2011 is not the year to be inheriting risky arms with inflated contracts.
why some people consider him a relatively cheap short term option; I just don't see too much value in going after him.His price tag is way too high for someone who will enter the season as an almost unknown quantity and the risk outweighs the reward.Nobody knows just how his surgically repaired right shoulder will hold up under the rigors of a 150-inning campaign, and even if he does have a clean bill of health, the fact remains that he's not really been a solid pitcher since 2007.His velocity was down when he did pitch in four games in 2010 and, coupled with a highly restrictive budget, it just doesn't make sense to blow it all on one aging guy who may or may not contribute much in the coming season.The Padres, who paid him $11 million for the last two years, had a pretty simple decision to make in not picking up his hefty $8.5 million option for 2011 and the Mets should give him a wide berth, too.Is Chris Young a good target for the Mets?Is Chris Young a good target for the Mets?Yes63.4%No36.6%Total votes: 232I know the pitching Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
rotation is in a state of flux with Johan Santana starting the year on the DL, but the team has holes all over the place, most notably in the bullpen now that Pedro Feliciano has declined arbitration.Depending on who you believe, the Mets have anywhere from $5 to $10 million in the budget this year. They played a risky—but probably worthwhile—game in their dealings with Feliciano this past week, and they would be advised to pass on Young.In short, Young isn't the same pitcher—injury or not—that posted back-to-back seasons of double-digit wins. His strikeouts have been on the decline since 2007, his command has slowly worsened and hitters are doing a much better job of putting the ball in play. Young doesn't have the stuff to make hitters scared and because of his declining skill set, they can wait on pitches in the zone and drive them hard somewhere.The trend over the last three years that he was healthy is that a) batters are swinging at fewer pitches and b) making better contact with the pitches they do swing it. Young has no deception and no ability to blow guys away. It's all fastball-slider and neither pitch can be considered a "plus" offering any more.Fans tend to remember the 6'10" Young as the San Diego All-Star who San Diego Chargers jersey
consistently tossed low-90s fastballs on the black. The reality is he's a mid-80s guy whose best days are behind him.New York has the luxury of pitching in a pitchers' park, so Young may very well be able to post a sub 3.75 ERA there. With the price and risk, though, it's better to look for cheaper options elsewhere.2011 is not the year to be inheriting risky arms with inflated contracts.
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