In the first of a three-part series culminating on Wednesday, I will break down my thought on the first two rounds of this year's NCAA Tournament. It's the most wonderful time of the year...
-Expect all the #1 seeds to make the Sweet 16
Over the last five years, all 20 top seeds have won two games in the tournament. Now that's not the only reason I'm picking Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky and Duke to make the Sweet 16, but it sure helps. Neither UNLV nor Northern Iowa stands a chance against Kansas and the same can be said for Texas and Wake Forest against Kentucky. I have Florida State beating Gonzaga in the West and while Gonzaga could be a difficult matchup for Syracuse, I don't see that game happening. The only real chance for an upset here is Louisville beating Duke. Rick Pitino's squad beat Syracuse twice this season but in their other six games against top 25 teams, they were 0-6. Advantage Blue Devils.
-Pick chalk in the West and you may be surprised
Say what you want about UTEP being one of the final at-large teams in the tournament, but don't count them out as a Sweet 16 sleeper. They match up well with Butler while Vanderbilt is overseeded and could lose to Murray State, one of two 13 seeds who stand a chance in the first round (Siena being the other). At the bottom of the bracket, I think BYU is the most underseeded team in this tournament and could surprise with a Sweet 16 or Elite 8 appearance, especially with the Salt Lake City advantage once they reach the third round. Xavier also has what it takes to make a Sweet 16 and the only top four seed I have in the Sweet 16 here is Syracuse. It's ballsy, but not as far out as most people would think.
-As many as three double-digit seeds could crash the Sweet 16 party
I already talked about how well the bracket sets up for UTEP, but fellow 12 seeds Cornell and Utah State have similar Sweet 16 aspirations. The Temple-Cornell matchup has the potential to be one of the tournament's best first-round games and Wisconsin, while talented, is no lock for the Sweet 16 (although they should have no trouble with Wofford). If Utah State finds their way past Texas A&M they could very easily face 13th-seeded Siena, who faces a Purdue team that has struggled mightily without Robbie Hummel. A Utah State-Siena matchup isn't too far-fetched and would guarantee at least one double-digit seed in the Sweet 16. Don't forget it's happened in 13 of the past 14 years.
-Expect upsets
Yes, the last three years have been very chalky. Everyone has heard all the analysts talking about how there is no dominant team this season and that should lead to upsets. I think there is an upper echelon limited to 10-15 teams with Elite 8 potential limiting late-round upsets a la George Mason in 2006, but early on I expect a lot of shocking results. I would not be surprised to see two 13 seeds, three 12 seeds and two 11 seeds win in the first two days of the tournament. And that's really what March Madness is all about: The underdogs.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Cheering injuries: How to define scumbag fans
After his release from the Browns, quarterback Derek Anderson had some choice words for Cleveland fans. "The fans are ruthless and don't deserve a winner," he said. "I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured."
As somebody who played multiple sports (albeit only through high school), I understand Anderson's frustration. The last thing you want to hear when you're lying on the turf in pain is cheers from fans who are so disgusted with your play that they are desperate to see what the backup quarterback can do. Talk about adding insult to injury.
The worst part is that a good majority of these fans have probably never played a competitive sport in their life. They don't understand what it's like to be injured in a middle school game, let alone a game played at the speed of the NFL. The small possibility always exists of players being paralyzed or even killed on the field and to me, that is no laughing (or cheering) matter.
Anderson apologized for his comments saying they came out of frustration, but that's not to say he doesn't still mean them or that he was wrong. He meant them, and he was dead on.
Any fan who cheers an injury to their own player really isn't a fan, just a frontrunner (or an a-hole). I know these players get paid millions of dollars (in Anderson's case, $7.45M to compile a 42.1 passer rating in 2009) but they are out there giving it their all on every down and anybody who thinks otherwise is ignorant. When you take a play off in the NFL, someone is liable to get seriously injured and there's a great chance it's going to be you.
I'll admit there have been times when I was "happy" a player was injured. When Jets linebacker Mo Lewis knocked Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe out of a 2001 game, I surely was not disappointed to see a sixth-round pick out of Michigan by the name of Tom Brady enter and try to lead the Patriots to victory.
Fast forward to 2010, where I am a full believer in karma and this scenario was one of the first that led me to my beliefs. My "happiness" turned to distress when I had to watch Brady win Super Bowl MVP honors and lead New England to a championship, one that I doubt Bledsoe could have won himself.
I wasn't cheering Bledsoe's injury by any means, as anybody who saw the hit Lewis laid on him knew that was an extremely painful injury. But we've all been in the spot where a key opponent loses a player to injury, and it's difficult to feel too bad for your rival.
But I digress. Regardless of how badly Browns fans wanted to see Brady Quinn at the helm, cheering Anderson's injury was not the way to get what they wanted. I hate to wish injury on any of the fans who were cheering at that game but maybe then they would know what it felt like, especially if there was somebody on the sidelines pointing and laughing at them for being injured or clapping because they got to replace them on the field.
That's about the only way I can think of for fans like that to truly understand how it feels to be on the other side. And I can guarantee it would not be a very good feeling. It's time for fans around the NFL and other professional sports league to get their acts together.
As somebody who played multiple sports (albeit only through high school), I understand Anderson's frustration. The last thing you want to hear when you're lying on the turf in pain is cheers from fans who are so disgusted with your play that they are desperate to see what the backup quarterback can do. Talk about adding insult to injury.
The worst part is that a good majority of these fans have probably never played a competitive sport in their life. They don't understand what it's like to be injured in a middle school game, let alone a game played at the speed of the NFL. The small possibility always exists of players being paralyzed or even killed on the field and to me, that is no laughing (or cheering) matter.
Anderson apologized for his comments saying they came out of frustration, but that's not to say he doesn't still mean them or that he was wrong. He meant them, and he was dead on.
Any fan who cheers an injury to their own player really isn't a fan, just a frontrunner (or an a-hole). I know these players get paid millions of dollars (in Anderson's case, $7.45M to compile a 42.1 passer rating in 2009) but they are out there giving it their all on every down and anybody who thinks otherwise is ignorant. When you take a play off in the NFL, someone is liable to get seriously injured and there's a great chance it's going to be you.
I'll admit there have been times when I was "happy" a player was injured. When Jets linebacker Mo Lewis knocked Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe out of a 2001 game, I surely was not disappointed to see a sixth-round pick out of Michigan by the name of Tom Brady enter and try to lead the Patriots to victory.
Fast forward to 2010, where I am a full believer in karma and this scenario was one of the first that led me to my beliefs. My "happiness" turned to distress when I had to watch Brady win Super Bowl MVP honors and lead New England to a championship, one that I doubt Bledsoe could have won himself.
I wasn't cheering Bledsoe's injury by any means, as anybody who saw the hit Lewis laid on him knew that was an extremely painful injury. But we've all been in the spot where a key opponent loses a player to injury, and it's difficult to feel too bad for your rival.
But I digress. Regardless of how badly Browns fans wanted to see Brady Quinn at the helm, cheering Anderson's injury was not the way to get what they wanted. I hate to wish injury on any of the fans who were cheering at that game but maybe then they would know what it felt like, especially if there was somebody on the sidelines pointing and laughing at them for being injured or clapping because they got to replace them on the field.
That's about the only way I can think of for fans like that to truly understand how it feels to be on the other side. And I can guarantee it would not be a very good feeling. It's time for fans around the NFL and other professional sports league to get their acts together.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Interest in women's basketball still nonexistant despite UConn's record streak
I hate to say that I would rather watch the North Carolina men's team lose 11 out of 16 conference games and go 16-15 this year than watch the Connecticut women roll off 71 straight wins but I would; women's basketball just isn't entertaining. To me, it's the equivalent of Division III men's basketball and I'm talking about the WNBA here. Women's college basketball is more akin to 14-17 year-old boys playing in high school.
I'm not debating that these girls have talent. Some can shoot, some have handle, and occasionally one can dunk. Basketball at its best is a fast-paced, high-flying game and no offense, but women just can't provide anywhere near the level of entertainment that men can.
Which brings me to this year's UConn women. They are awesome. They beat teams handily every time out and haven't won any of their past 71 games by less than 10 points. I think that stat more than any other proves how pathetic women's basketball really is.
You're telling me that not one of the 71 teams they've beaten has gotten lucky enough to even keep a game close. The Huskies have played plenty of top-10 teams throughout this streak, and none of those teams were good enough to lose by single digits?
A SportsCenter poll showed that 68.5 percent of people's interest in women's basketball didn't change as a result of UConn streak and 19.4 percent were actually LESS INTERESTED. How can an awesome streak like this make you less interested in a sport?!? (Note: only 12.1 percent were more interested)
My guess is because it takes up five minutes on SportsCenter whenever the ladies play. And in those five minutes, I'm sure everybody would rather see an NBA or men's college basketball highlight. Hell, put hockey on and I'm sure people would care more. And this is America!
The bottom line is that no matter how great Tina Charles, Maya Moore and the rest of the UConn team are, nobody will ever really care. I'd rather watch PBA bowling on a Sunday afternoon than any women's basketball game. I compared it to high school basketball, but I have definitely watched more televised men's high school games than women's games at any level. Sorry ladies, but there's a reason the WNBA won't exist in 10 years.
I'm not debating that these girls have talent. Some can shoot, some have handle, and occasionally one can dunk. Basketball at its best is a fast-paced, high-flying game and no offense, but women just can't provide anywhere near the level of entertainment that men can.
Which brings me to this year's UConn women. They are awesome. They beat teams handily every time out and haven't won any of their past 71 games by less than 10 points. I think that stat more than any other proves how pathetic women's basketball really is.
You're telling me that not one of the 71 teams they've beaten has gotten lucky enough to even keep a game close. The Huskies have played plenty of top-10 teams throughout this streak, and none of those teams were good enough to lose by single digits?
A SportsCenter poll showed that 68.5 percent of people's interest in women's basketball didn't change as a result of UConn streak and 19.4 percent were actually LESS INTERESTED. How can an awesome streak like this make you less interested in a sport?!? (Note: only 12.1 percent were more interested)
My guess is because it takes up five minutes on SportsCenter whenever the ladies play. And in those five minutes, I'm sure everybody would rather see an NBA or men's college basketball highlight. Hell, put hockey on and I'm sure people would care more. And this is America!
The bottom line is that no matter how great Tina Charles, Maya Moore and the rest of the UConn team are, nobody will ever really care. I'd rather watch PBA bowling on a Sunday afternoon than any women's basketball game. I compared it to high school basketball, but I have definitely watched more televised men's high school games than women's games at any level. Sorry ladies, but there's a reason the WNBA won't exist in 10 years.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Jets use free agency to bolster secondary
As the league's top pass defense, you would think that one of the New York Jets' strengths would be their secondary. Outside of All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, you wouldn't have been any more wrong.
The Jets struggled all season to find a cornerback to play opposite Revis, something everybody in the NFL saw in the AFC Championship game against Indianapolis. Enter Antonio Cromartie. The ex-Chargers playmaker will now don a Jets uniform at the small price of a third-round pick in this year's draft.
Cromartie represents a significant upgrade over the recently-released Lito Sheppard and Dwight Lowery, who seems better suited as a nickel back at this point in his career. The Jets top pass defense was a result of their aggressive, blitzing style that forced opposing quarterbacks out of rhythm and the addition of Cromartie should allow the Jets to create even more pressure up front and rely more heavily on man coverage in the secondary.
The second move the Jets made was trading safety Kerry Rhodes to the Cardinals for a fourth-round pick and a 2011 seventh-rounder. Rhodes was a big disappointment this season, as many expected him to thrive in new coach Rex Ryan's aggressive defense. Instead, Rhodes seemed uncomfortable and was eventually benched in favor of Eric Smith.
Last season was the first of Rhodes' career where he did not record a sack and his second straight without forcing a fumble, a far cry from his first three seasons in the league where he registered 10 interceptions, 8 sacks and 6 forced fumbles. Once regarded as one of the NFL's best playmaking safeties, the reason many thought he would thrive under Ryan, Rhodes will now try to take advantage of a fresh start in Arizona.
Rhodes hasn't always had the reputation of being a hard worker and it might be no coincidence that his play has fallen off since signing a huge contract before the 2008 season. Two disappointing seasons later, he will now be asked to fill the impressive shoes of Antrel Rolle, who left for New York's other team.
Many thought the Jets would be targeting a cornerback in the draft this season, but the trade for Cromartie changes that dynamic drastically. The Jets will definitely be looking to upgrade the free safety position to complement Revis, Cromartie and Jim Leonhard.
If they are able to shore up the final hole in their secondary, their defense could be even better than it was last season. With another year under the belt of Mark Sanchez and the potential addition of a big-name wide receiver, it would be a mistake to think the Jets can't soar to new heights in 2010.
The Jets struggled all season to find a cornerback to play opposite Revis, something everybody in the NFL saw in the AFC Championship game against Indianapolis. Enter Antonio Cromartie. The ex-Chargers playmaker will now don a Jets uniform at the small price of a third-round pick in this year's draft.
Cromartie represents a significant upgrade over the recently-released Lito Sheppard and Dwight Lowery, who seems better suited as a nickel back at this point in his career. The Jets top pass defense was a result of their aggressive, blitzing style that forced opposing quarterbacks out of rhythm and the addition of Cromartie should allow the Jets to create even more pressure up front and rely more heavily on man coverage in the secondary.
The second move the Jets made was trading safety Kerry Rhodes to the Cardinals for a fourth-round pick and a 2011 seventh-rounder. Rhodes was a big disappointment this season, as many expected him to thrive in new coach Rex Ryan's aggressive defense. Instead, Rhodes seemed uncomfortable and was eventually benched in favor of Eric Smith.
Last season was the first of Rhodes' career where he did not record a sack and his second straight without forcing a fumble, a far cry from his first three seasons in the league where he registered 10 interceptions, 8 sacks and 6 forced fumbles. Once regarded as one of the NFL's best playmaking safeties, the reason many thought he would thrive under Ryan, Rhodes will now try to take advantage of a fresh start in Arizona.
Rhodes hasn't always had the reputation of being a hard worker and it might be no coincidence that his play has fallen off since signing a huge contract before the 2008 season. Two disappointing seasons later, he will now be asked to fill the impressive shoes of Antrel Rolle, who left for New York's other team.
Many thought the Jets would be targeting a cornerback in the draft this season, but the trade for Cromartie changes that dynamic drastically. The Jets will definitely be looking to upgrade the free safety position to complement Revis, Cromartie and Jim Leonhard.
If they are able to shore up the final hole in their secondary, their defense could be even better than it was last season. With another year under the belt of Mark Sanchez and the potential addition of a big-name wide receiver, it would be a mistake to think the Jets can't soar to new heights in 2010.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Ultimate 1-on-1 Basketball Tournament: Round 1
I know it has been a while since I initially seeded the NBA's top players for this tournament, but this is just filler material for when I have no other good ideas for posts anyway...but on to the games!
#1 - Kobe Bryant vs. #16 Joe Johnson - The only advantage to Johnson in this matchup is that he starts with the ball. He scores a couple of points to take an early 4-0 lead on Bryant, but once Kobe gets the ball he goes on a tear. Johnson struggles to stay in front of Bryant defensively and Kobe gets to the hoop for a couple of impressive dunks. When Johnson gives him a little space, he buries a few jumpers in his face to go ahead 7-4 before missing another shot. Johnson never sees the lead again and Bryant moves on after an 11-6 win.
#2 - LeBron James vs. #15 Paul Pierce - One of Pierce's biggest assets is his strength, which is negated by James and his 6'8'', 260-pound frame. Pierce also cannot match the quickness of James and struggles to get anything going offensively, scoring just 3 points against The King. LeBron moves on.
#3 - Dwayne Wade vs. #14 Deron Williams - In the third game of the first round, Williams poses the most serious threat to the higher seed so far. He may lack the quickness of Wade or the ability to create space for his own shot, but Williams uses his strength to drive to the hoop and outmuscle Wade for a few early baskets to go up 3-0. Wade comes out cold and gives Williams the ball right back, while Williams extends his lead to 7-0.
Being the clutch performer he is, Wade recognizes his dire situation and turns it on, running off eight straight points to go up 8-7. Williams scores just twice the next time he has the ball to retake the lead, but Wade's quickness get him around Williams to the basket to tie it at nine. A missed three gives Williams hope, but Wade races around him for the putback dunk and hits a pull-up jumper at the elbow to seal the win, 11-9.
#4 - Kevin Durant vs. #13 Steve Nash - Both players present difficult matchups for each other, as Durant cannot stay in front of Nash or block his shot due to Nash's quickness and creativity around the hoop. Nash takes an early 5-0 lead but once Durant gets the ball, the six-inch height difference gives him uncontested shots at the hoop and unlimited post-up opportunities. Durant is so pure with his jumper that he runs off eight straight points, giving the ball back to Nash up 8-5. Nash pulls it back to 8-7, but misses a three-pointer that represents his final shot of the game. Durant seals up an 11-7 win a few minutes later.
#5 - Carmelo Anthony vs. #12 Amar'e Stoudemire - A definite mismatch in favor of Carmelo, as Stoudemire finds it difficult to drive around Anthony or post him up due to Melo's strength. Without his pick-and-roll partner Nash, Stoudemire musters just two points on mid-range jumpers (an improving area of his game) before bowing out in the biggest blowout so far.
#6 - Chris Paul vs. #11 Brandon Roy - This is where 1-on-1 differs from 5-on-5. Most anybody would take Paul over Roy if they were building a team, but Roy is the more impressive individual scorer and shows that against Paul. Roy runs off the game's first four points before getting his pocket picked by the quick hands of Paul, who find his way to the hoop for a few baskets. But Roy is just too prolific on offense, even against an excellent defender like Paul. No player reels off more than two consecutive points the rest of the way, but it's Roy who comes out on top in the end, 11-8, for the tournament's first upset.
#7 - Dirk Nowitzki vs. #10 Danny Granger - An awesome matchup between two of the league's top scorers, both over 6'9''. Granger takes advantage of receiving the ball first by toying with Dirk's lackluster defense, taking him to the basket multiple times before pulling back for jumpers. Before you know it, Granger is up 7-0. But Nowitzki storms back, using his height to drain three straight long-distance jumpers over Granger to cut the lead to 7-6.
Granger gets the ball back and scores twice before missing, giving Nowitzki an opportunity to win outright. Two three-pointers later, it's game point in favor of Nowitzki. But he takes it inside the three-point line and gets it stolen by Granger, who ties the game at 10 and takes this game into the tournament's first overtime. The players trade baskets until the game is 14-14, but Granger is the one who picks up consecutive baskets first as Dirk fatigues and goes cold from the three-point line. Upset number two in favor of Granger, 16-14.
#8 - Chris Bosh vs. #9 Dwight Howard - If people thought Nowitzki-Granger was a good matchup, they didn't see Bosh-Howard on the docket. Howard gets to the hoop for a few dunks and hits two baby hooks in the post to take a 4-0 lead. On the next possession, Bosh shows off his complete offensive arsenal, creating space with his quickness advantage for a few jumpers and getting to the hoop and reversing underneath the hoop to protect himself from the shotblocking of Howard. Howard finally denies Bosh at the rim after going down 6-4.
Howard gets back to 6-6, but his extremely limited offensive game is exposed as the matchup rolls on. They say great defense beats great offense, but bad offense beats itself and Bosh is long enough to affect Howard's game in the post. Bosh eventually takes this one, 11-8.
Round two coming soon...
#1 - Kobe Bryant vs. #16 Joe Johnson - The only advantage to Johnson in this matchup is that he starts with the ball. He scores a couple of points to take an early 4-0 lead on Bryant, but once Kobe gets the ball he goes on a tear. Johnson struggles to stay in front of Bryant defensively and Kobe gets to the hoop for a couple of impressive dunks. When Johnson gives him a little space, he buries a few jumpers in his face to go ahead 7-4 before missing another shot. Johnson never sees the lead again and Bryant moves on after an 11-6 win.
#2 - LeBron James vs. #15 Paul Pierce - One of Pierce's biggest assets is his strength, which is negated by James and his 6'8'', 260-pound frame. Pierce also cannot match the quickness of James and struggles to get anything going offensively, scoring just 3 points against The King. LeBron moves on.
#3 - Dwayne Wade vs. #14 Deron Williams - In the third game of the first round, Williams poses the most serious threat to the higher seed so far. He may lack the quickness of Wade or the ability to create space for his own shot, but Williams uses his strength to drive to the hoop and outmuscle Wade for a few early baskets to go up 3-0. Wade comes out cold and gives Williams the ball right back, while Williams extends his lead to 7-0.
Being the clutch performer he is, Wade recognizes his dire situation and turns it on, running off eight straight points to go up 8-7. Williams scores just twice the next time he has the ball to retake the lead, but Wade's quickness get him around Williams to the basket to tie it at nine. A missed three gives Williams hope, but Wade races around him for the putback dunk and hits a pull-up jumper at the elbow to seal the win, 11-9.
#4 - Kevin Durant vs. #13 Steve Nash - Both players present difficult matchups for each other, as Durant cannot stay in front of Nash or block his shot due to Nash's quickness and creativity around the hoop. Nash takes an early 5-0 lead but once Durant gets the ball, the six-inch height difference gives him uncontested shots at the hoop and unlimited post-up opportunities. Durant is so pure with his jumper that he runs off eight straight points, giving the ball back to Nash up 8-5. Nash pulls it back to 8-7, but misses a three-pointer that represents his final shot of the game. Durant seals up an 11-7 win a few minutes later.
#5 - Carmelo Anthony vs. #12 Amar'e Stoudemire - A definite mismatch in favor of Carmelo, as Stoudemire finds it difficult to drive around Anthony or post him up due to Melo's strength. Without his pick-and-roll partner Nash, Stoudemire musters just two points on mid-range jumpers (an improving area of his game) before bowing out in the biggest blowout so far.
#6 - Chris Paul vs. #11 Brandon Roy - This is where 1-on-1 differs from 5-on-5. Most anybody would take Paul over Roy if they were building a team, but Roy is the more impressive individual scorer and shows that against Paul. Roy runs off the game's first four points before getting his pocket picked by the quick hands of Paul, who find his way to the hoop for a few baskets. But Roy is just too prolific on offense, even against an excellent defender like Paul. No player reels off more than two consecutive points the rest of the way, but it's Roy who comes out on top in the end, 11-8, for the tournament's first upset.
#7 - Dirk Nowitzki vs. #10 Danny Granger - An awesome matchup between two of the league's top scorers, both over 6'9''. Granger takes advantage of receiving the ball first by toying with Dirk's lackluster defense, taking him to the basket multiple times before pulling back for jumpers. Before you know it, Granger is up 7-0. But Nowitzki storms back, using his height to drain three straight long-distance jumpers over Granger to cut the lead to 7-6.
Granger gets the ball back and scores twice before missing, giving Nowitzki an opportunity to win outright. Two three-pointers later, it's game point in favor of Nowitzki. But he takes it inside the three-point line and gets it stolen by Granger, who ties the game at 10 and takes this game into the tournament's first overtime. The players trade baskets until the game is 14-14, but Granger is the one who picks up consecutive baskets first as Dirk fatigues and goes cold from the three-point line. Upset number two in favor of Granger, 16-14.
#8 - Chris Bosh vs. #9 Dwight Howard - If people thought Nowitzki-Granger was a good matchup, they didn't see Bosh-Howard on the docket. Howard gets to the hoop for a few dunks and hits two baby hooks in the post to take a 4-0 lead. On the next possession, Bosh shows off his complete offensive arsenal, creating space with his quickness advantage for a few jumpers and getting to the hoop and reversing underneath the hoop to protect himself from the shotblocking of Howard. Howard finally denies Bosh at the rim after going down 6-4.
Howard gets back to 6-6, but his extremely limited offensive game is exposed as the matchup rolls on. They say great defense beats great offense, but bad offense beats itself and Bosh is long enough to affect Howard's game in the post. Bosh eventually takes this one, 11-8.
Round two coming soon...
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Knicks can't coerce LeBron with performances like THAT
I know the Knicks were without Wilson Chandler last night for personal reasons, but I doubt he would have made much difference. A 101-59 deficit at the end of the third quarter is not just because of one person.
It sounds extremely weird to say this, but the Knicks (at least right now) miss Jared Jeffries. I never thought I would utter such a statement, but they play even less defense now than they did before, which is saying something. Cleveland was able to get to the basket with ease last night and exploit the Knicks' complete lack of size and defensive presence in the post.
Next year, the Knicks will not miss Jeffries' contract. Everybody knows they're going nowhere this year anyway so I'm not bashing the trade, especially since Tracy McGrady has played well. Sergio Rodriguez shows flashes of being able to handle the point guard position in the NBA despite being LeBron James' latest transition block victim, and watching him you can see why he was more highly rated than Jose Calderon a few years back. He just needs some seasoning.
Bill Walker has been a revelation after scoring 21 points last night and proving the Knicks did get something back for Nate Robinson that could be useful in the future, since Eddie House will likely be wearing a different uniform next season. But I digress.
In all honesty, why would James come to New York next season when the Cavs have beaten New York by 47 points combined in their three meetings this season? I understand the first two games were close, but the team that lost by 31 last night is more representative of the supporting cast James would be playing with for the Knicks next year.
They play no defense, particularly on the low block, and have more holes than possibly any team in the NBA. They are set at ONE position assuming they don't re-sign David Lee, and that position is small forward with Chandler and Danilo Gallinari both expected to continue their development. What position does James play again?
The sole allure for James to come to New York outside of it being New York is playing with another max-level player. But does a core of Rodriguez, Toney Douglas, Chandler, Gallinari, Walker, James and say Chris Bosh sound like a championship squad? The Knicks would need more than just Bosh to solve their woes in the post, but James has taken teams deep in the playoffs with less of a supporting cast (and no teammate with the pedigree of Bosh).
Even still, James must be laughing at the Knicks right now. Last night was plain embarrassing and the least the Knicks could have done was shown up, defended their basket and shown James that were worth his time and effort next season. They didn't, and since these teams don't meet again this season, this game will be the last taste of the New York Knicks that James has in his mouth.
If you were him, I'd be spitting out that taste of New York and I don't know if I'd ever try their food again. I definitely wouldn't leave a tip.
It sounds extremely weird to say this, but the Knicks (at least right now) miss Jared Jeffries. I never thought I would utter such a statement, but they play even less defense now than they did before, which is saying something. Cleveland was able to get to the basket with ease last night and exploit the Knicks' complete lack of size and defensive presence in the post.
Next year, the Knicks will not miss Jeffries' contract. Everybody knows they're going nowhere this year anyway so I'm not bashing the trade, especially since Tracy McGrady has played well. Sergio Rodriguez shows flashes of being able to handle the point guard position in the NBA despite being LeBron James' latest transition block victim, and watching him you can see why he was more highly rated than Jose Calderon a few years back. He just needs some seasoning.
Bill Walker has been a revelation after scoring 21 points last night and proving the Knicks did get something back for Nate Robinson that could be useful in the future, since Eddie House will likely be wearing a different uniform next season. But I digress.
In all honesty, why would James come to New York next season when the Cavs have beaten New York by 47 points combined in their three meetings this season? I understand the first two games were close, but the team that lost by 31 last night is more representative of the supporting cast James would be playing with for the Knicks next year.
They play no defense, particularly on the low block, and have more holes than possibly any team in the NBA. They are set at ONE position assuming they don't re-sign David Lee, and that position is small forward with Chandler and Danilo Gallinari both expected to continue their development. What position does James play again?
The sole allure for James to come to New York outside of it being New York is playing with another max-level player. But does a core of Rodriguez, Toney Douglas, Chandler, Gallinari, Walker, James and say Chris Bosh sound like a championship squad? The Knicks would need more than just Bosh to solve their woes in the post, but James has taken teams deep in the playoffs with less of a supporting cast (and no teammate with the pedigree of Bosh).
Even still, James must be laughing at the Knicks right now. Last night was plain embarrassing and the least the Knicks could have done was shown up, defended their basket and shown James that were worth his time and effort next season. They didn't, and since these teams don't meet again this season, this game will be the last taste of the New York Knicks that James has in his mouth.
If you were him, I'd be spitting out that taste of New York and I don't know if I'd ever try their food again. I definitely wouldn't leave a tip.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Be proud of the U.S.A. hockey team
Yes, I know, they only got second place. And second place is the first loser. But a silver medal in the Olympics is nothing to shake a stick at, especially considering nobody thought the Americans would even medal before the tournament started.
This is pretty similar to what I wrote about the Jets losing the AFC championship game. While the ultimate goal in any tournament is to be the last man standing, sometimes you have to accept failure when you've already exceeded expectations. I can't believe I just wrote that.
But honestly, what American isn't proud of how their boys competed in the Olympics? They shocked Canada and the rest of the hockey world with their 5-3 win in the qualifying round and showed that wasn't a fluke the second time around.
Down 2-0 in the second period, lots of fans were thinking this game was headed to blowout status. But the only people that mattered, the ones on the ice, were thinking they had over a period to at least send this game to overtime. And while it took them almost the whole 60 minutes, they were able to do just that.
My Facebook news feed was flooded with pro-American sentiment and "I <3 Zach Parise" status updates after his goal with under 30 seconds left tied the game for the U.S. They had all the momentum heading into overtime and Patrick Kane even said he thought they were going to win the gold after Parise's goal.
Although Sidney Crosby's goal early in overtime took all the wind out of the American sails, nobody can say that they were disappointed by the effort the U.S. put forth. That was by far the worst goal Ryan Miller had allowed in the whole tournament; anytime you get beat five-hole it's somewhat embarrassing. But considering Miller was the major reason behind the first-round upset of Canada and the Americans performance throughout the Olympics, it's hard to place the blame on him.
I watched almost every minute of each American game in this tournament, despite the fact that I don't watch hockey. I will always support the country that has given me so much, especially when athletes represent it as well as the U.S. hockey team was able to.
The 2010 olympic hockey team will go down as winners in my book, despite falling short of the ultimate prize. And coming from somebody as ultra-competitive as I am, that's an extremely high compliment.
This is pretty similar to what I wrote about the Jets losing the AFC championship game. While the ultimate goal in any tournament is to be the last man standing, sometimes you have to accept failure when you've already exceeded expectations. I can't believe I just wrote that.
But honestly, what American isn't proud of how their boys competed in the Olympics? They shocked Canada and the rest of the hockey world with their 5-3 win in the qualifying round and showed that wasn't a fluke the second time around.
Down 2-0 in the second period, lots of fans were thinking this game was headed to blowout status. But the only people that mattered, the ones on the ice, were thinking they had over a period to at least send this game to overtime. And while it took them almost the whole 60 minutes, they were able to do just that.
My Facebook news feed was flooded with pro-American sentiment and "I <3 Zach Parise" status updates after his goal with under 30 seconds left tied the game for the U.S. They had all the momentum heading into overtime and Patrick Kane even said he thought they were going to win the gold after Parise's goal.
Although Sidney Crosby's goal early in overtime took all the wind out of the American sails, nobody can say that they were disappointed by the effort the U.S. put forth. That was by far the worst goal Ryan Miller had allowed in the whole tournament; anytime you get beat five-hole it's somewhat embarrassing. But considering Miller was the major reason behind the first-round upset of Canada and the Americans performance throughout the Olympics, it's hard to place the blame on him.
I watched almost every minute of each American game in this tournament, despite the fact that I don't watch hockey. I will always support the country that has given me so much, especially when athletes represent it as well as the U.S. hockey team was able to.
The 2010 olympic hockey team will go down as winners in my book, despite falling short of the ultimate prize. And coming from somebody as ultra-competitive as I am, that's an extremely high compliment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
