Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Yao Done? Free Agency, etc....

Greetings all...
  • Yao Ming's ailing foot is apparently more serious than we all thought...and his 09-10 season and maybe even his career(!) are in jeopardy....likely due to the size and structure of his foot, the bone is apparently not healing on schedule and as we all know, feet are the fastest way to kill a big man's career (ask Bill Walton)...this is a potential side effect for free agency as well as Darryl Morey suddenly has to try and fill that void to keep his playoff hopes alive....
  • Speaking of Free agency...it begins in earnest at midnight... It should be a wild and interesting season due to the economics as they stand....guys that would normally command $8 million on the open market may only get $5 million and so on....it'll be intriguing to see who's ready to spend to acquire guys on the cheap...
  • Charlie Villanueva and Marquis Daniels non-tendered....all this means is that they can't take the option with their current teams....Villanueva is a more attractive commodity due to size, skill, and youth....but both guys COULD sign with their respective teams, but their teams do not have "restricted" free agent privileges in that they can't match offer sheets now...I've heard Charlie as a possible Hawks target....
  • The free agent point guards that the Hawks should target (in order by ONLY on-court): 1) Kidd, 2) Miller, 3) Bibby, 4) Sessions 5) Jack
  • The free agent point guards that the Hawks should target (by ability to actually get them and $$$$): 1) Bibby, 2) Sessions, 3) Jack......and that should tell you something b/c I'm already on record opposing a Bibby offer....
  • Tim Lincecum threw a 2-hit complete game last night....in a 10-0 victory...It's probably harder to pitch when you're up 10 runs b/c you know you have that cushion...but he was thoroughly dominant throughout...and it's fun to watch him pitch
  • The Tampa Bay Rays have 42 more stolen bases than any other team in baseball (118) and BJ Upton and Carl Crawford ALONE have more than 26 teams....insanity....
Free agent pickup of the day (that I want to see)....Paul Millsap to the Team that Shall Not Be Named....

That'll do it

Friday, June 26, 2009

NBA Draft 2009 Review, etc.

Greetings all...it was a crazy night in the Association so I'm going full steam ahead with the Draft...but first, the trade before the draft...
  • Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to the Magic for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie....On Orlando's side, this move not-so-coincidentally coincided with Hedo Turkoglu opting out of his deal and Vince will slide into his stead... I don't love the fit as Vince is much more of a jumpshooter than a creator at this point in his career, but he can still score the basketball and they didn't gut their nucleus to do it... Anderson was added to the deal late (at least publicly) but could be more than just an add-in, I like his game alot out of the Pac-10 and he could be a rotation guy if they give him a shot.... for New Jersey? Straight salary dump clearly...Courtney Lee is a solid, young wing but Skip will be relegated to bench duty behind Devin Harris and they gave up on Anderson too fast in my opinion...I'm not sure of New Jersey's plan to actually compete this year...but they at least rid themselves of VC's ridiculous contract...
To the draft itself...
  • Let's just say it was an eventful one....I'm going to run the 1st round in entirety with a few stray thoughts here and there in the 2nd....here we go
  1. LAC- Blake Griffin - We all knew it was happening....but they still haven't moved one of their other big people so there is still a pretty crazy logjam...this pick will be discussed forever so I won't bother...
  2. Memphis- Hasheem Thabeet - It was a poorly kept secret all week that they were going for Thabeet...I'm not in love with the pick but I can see the justifications...Marc Gasol isn't a defensive presence at all, and in theory he can defend the rim and get the ball to their lightning quick guards to run...
  3. OKC- James Harden - The most NBA-ready guard in the entire draft and OKC snatches him...Russell Westbrook was pretty adamant against drafting a PG (aka Rubio) and he got his wish...Harden can and will start right away and remains my co-leader for ROY with Griffin depending on each other's playing time...
  4. Sacramento - Tyreke Evans - Well, here's where things got crazy... Evans isn't a point guard in any way...he could potentially play a little there alongside a smaller 2-guard who could handle...but that's not what Kevin Martin is...I can't fathom the reason they'd leave all the PGs on the board to take Evans here when their significant need is someone to run the team....
  5. Minnesota- Ricky Rubio - Ah yes, the T-Wolves and my new favorite GM David Kahn (lol) they had 5 and 6 ... At 5, Ricky Rubio is a God-send on paper for the T-Wolves...he fits perfectly as the distributor for the future....but there are apparently SERIOUS concerns from he and his father about him playing there and he's claiming Europe is still an option...that's insane...if they spend the 5th pick on him and he goes to Europe again, that's a serious error...
  6. Minnesota- Jonny Flynn - Here's where things went ever more crazy....because both Tyreke Evans and James Harden were gone here (and my money says that Minnesota didn't fathom that), they were left without a plausible 2 guard option...and they went with Flynn....now I'm actually a supporter of his game and I think he'll be an NBA starter at PG...but there's no way on God's earth him and Rubio can play in the same backcourt....mostly on the defensive end...I'm hoping there is/was a trade in place...b/c otherwise its pretty indefensible to me...
  7. Golden State- Stephen Curry - First of all, I'm a big Curry fan...he has an elite skill (shooting) and has significant ball-handling skills and a passing upside....that said, Golden State has no place for him I wouldn't think...and all kinds of deals are being rumored...mostly a deal for Amare Stoudemire that may include this pick.... Curry and Ellis in the backcourt would be intriguing...but very, very, very small....then again, it's Nellie-Ball...
  8. New York- Jordan Hill - First, there is an ongoing rumor about Hill and Nate Robinson to Minnesota for Ricky Rubio....if that goes through, this analysis is void...but until then.... I like the pick for NY...Hill can rebound and is a pretty good athlete... the problem for the Knicks is that all of their PG targets were gone, but this was a good recovery...he'll start at the 4 if Lee leaves, and if he comes back, he'll probably play some center (or Lee will) and they can play together in that run-n-gun system...
  9. Toronto- Demar DeRozan- Well...at least they took a wing... I'm very wary of DeRozan's "bust" possibility b/c he can't shoot...like at all...but he's a great athlete and he is a position of extreme need for Toronto, I'd rather have Terrence Williams or even Gerald Henderson...but he addresses the need
  10. Milwaukee- Brandon Jennings- This likely signals the end of the Ramon Sessions era in Milwaukee...but most people thought that was imminent... Jennings has elite potential, is extremely quick, and can finish... he's slightly unknown b/c he went to Europe for a year of development, but he's a high-risk/reward pick that I'm okay with for them
  11. New Jersey- Terrence Williams- I had pegged Williams to NJ BEFORE they dealt Carter...and for some reason I looked twice at this one....he has all the skills but isn't consistent... and they suddenly have a gaping hole on the wing... They'll be significantly more pressure on him than there would have been with Carter there...but him and Courtney Lee could eventually be a nice wing tandem...
  12. Charlotte- Gerald Henderson- MJ takes a Duke wing....interesting....Wing is a need b/c after Raja and Wallace there isn't anything there...Henderson is a Larry Brown type guy b/c he'll certainly defend out there... All those Iverson rumors may have to be put down though...
  13. Indiana- Tyler Hansborough- Really? Psycho T is a lottery pick? I can't defend that...yes, he could be a decent asset for somebody down the road as an 8th/9th man... but that's not what lottery picks are for...he'll be a fan favorite in Indiana, but I can't give the thumbs up here...not enough of a skillset
  14. Phoenix- Earl Clark- On the record here..Clark has a huge upside...and he'll fit the system pretty well... but the cupboard is going to be pretty bare if they swing the Amare deal so he'll have increased pressure to perform early...
  15. Detroit- Austin Daye- He doesn't immediately strike me as a Detroit player...he's way too soft/skinny...and don't give me the Prince comparison please....Prince is an above-average defender...Austin Daye is far from that...but he has an elite skillset and extremely crazy length...if he puts on 40 pounds and toughens? Could be a boom...just don't see the fit right away
  16. Chicago- James Johnson- This pick made more sense when I heard Ty Thomas was on the trading block...He's a good athlete that can play the 3 and the 4, but I'm not a fan of his game really....in the same way I wasn't that of Thomas...the difference is Thomas can change the game on defense with his shot blocking and length...I don't see that from Johnson...
  17. Philly- Jrue Holiday- Interesting here....Holiday was going as high as 4 in some mock drafts and he slides all the way here...he wasn't good in college this year....read that again... but he has crazy athleticism and skills...I don't like the fit in that backcourt with Andre Miller a free agent and him and Lou Williams both being combo guards...
  18. Denver (via Minnesota for a future 1st rounder)- Ty Lawson- This one hurt me as Hawks fan...I thought he was falling in our laps... that being said, Denver steals one here...he's the heir apparent to Chauncey if they want to go that way and should be able to play 15 minutes a night right away...
  19. Atlanta- Jeff Teague- Remember yesterday when I posted the list of guys I didn't want? Teague was on that list....Yes, I hear you analysts saying it was a good value pick..and it very well might be... but I don't want a combo guard to be my point guard when the Hawks already have Jamal Crawford... OH! And by the way...I've heard at least 3 people call him "the worst defender in the entire draft"....Ladies and Gentlemen, Rick Sund!! I just don't get the point...teams just fail to realize that you need somebody to distribute the basketball...and the next 2 guys would have been much better fits...b/c they actually play point guard....I really, really hope I'm wrong and I wish Mr. Teague the best....
  20. Utah- Eric Maynor- The team with the 2nd best point guard in basketball ends up taking a point guard....you say why? I would've gone the DeJuan Blair route myself...but they need somebody to give Deron a blow and Maynor can play right away and run that team...
  21. New Orleans- Darren Collison- The team with the BEST PG in the world...ends up taking a point guard...sense a theme? Same thing here...Paul needs a backup...and here he is...I wouldn't have gone here if I was NO...too many holes elsewhere...
  22. Portland- Victor Claver- Uhhh...who? A typical Blazer stash-away...
  23. Sacramento- Omri Casspi- I keep reading about his toughness....and they already have Andres Nocioni? I'm confused...
  24. OKC (via Dallas)- BJ Mullens- Sam Presti apparently loves him...they were trying to jump up to get him all night...but I don't agree with Sam on this one...Mullens wasn't even a good college player..and I know he's an athletic 7-footer and they don't grow on trees... but I'll give it a "meh" due to bustability...lol
  25. Dallas (via OKC)- Rodrique Beaubois- I have no idea....can't even lie...but Mark Cuban (via his twitter) says this is the guy they've targeted all along....for what it's worth...
  26. Chicago- Taj Gibson- How many long, athletic forwards does one team need? I don't get this pick at all....
  27. Memphis- DeMarre Carroll- I really, really like him...he defends and does little things...he's definitely a role player, but he does the stuff that Rudy Gay doesn't do...a nice compliment...
  28. Minnesota- Wayne Ellington- Never been a fan of his game...but at least he has a skill (shooting) that Minnesota suddenly desperately needed after missing out on a swingman early and getting rid of Mike Miller....decent value this late
  29. New York (via LAL)- Toney Douglas- Big fan of Toney's since Jonesboro High...lol...he can flat-out score and should probably play right away for New York IF Nate Robinson gets dealth....and this pick signals that may be imminent IMO
  30. Cleveland- Christian Eyenga- I heard a "more raw" version of Mikael Pietrus....yikes lol...that's pretty raw...but they got a steady guy in the 2nd....
To the 2nd round....I'll just cover the picks I really liked....the rest? Ehh....
  • 35) Detroit- Dajuan Summers- Wow, a great value this late and I honestly think he'll be the guy that makes the rotation as a rookie instead of Austin Daye (who went at 15)...he's just more ready to play now...
  • 36) Memphis- Sam Young- Yes, he's 24 years old...but he'll play right away and you don't get that kind of guy in the 2nd that often...
  • 37) San Antonio- DeJuan Blair- I seriously can't even fathom him falling this far...There were a few places in the high teens that I could have seen him going to and there's no way I would've taken Hansborough over him...either way, RC Buford and company stage another coup here...he's going to be in the rotation for a title contender this year
  • 38) Sacto (via Portland)- Jon Brockman- 4 straight picks that I liked...Brockman is a tough guy who was vastly underrated in college and will bring toughness
  • 43) New Orleans (via Miami)- Marcus Thornton- I don't love his game but I like the fit alot...New Orleans needs a pure scorer off the bench and that's pretty much Thornton's only skill...
  • 44) Houston (via Detroit)- Chase Budinger- I'm high on Chase...In my original mock, I had Chase in the high teens/low 20's...Houston gets a versatile wing that can put the ball in the basket and shoot it...
  • 46) Cleveland- Danny Green- John Hollinger had Danny Green #12 on his entire board...and I never saw him below 35 in any mock...he's a steal right now at this spot...in fact, I'd bet my life he makes that roster...
  • 49) Atlanta- Sergiy Gladyr- I hate, hate, hate, hate this pick... not because I know much about him...but because Patty Mills, Goran Suton, and some others were on the board....They took a combo in round 1, traded for Jamal Crawford and then take a thinnish scoring 2-guard....seriously?
  • 50) Utah- Goran Suton- I disagree with the Kosta Koufos comparison I keep seeing...Suton is much more physical and a superior rebounder....I don't know if he sticks in Utah, but I think he sticks somewhere
  • 55) Portland- Patty Mills- Just too much value here to not put this on the list...I know Portland has about 19 guys for 12 spots...but he's better than the 55th player in this draft..by a long shot...
Well that's it...I won't do team grades...b/c...I think they're dumb....So hopefully you get some info out of this...

Thursday, June 25, 2009

2 Big Trades, Draft Preview Part 2, and more!

NBA Draft Day!! Can't wait....Basketball is front and center....First today...the 2 big(-ish) trades....
  • Shaq to the Cavs for Ben Wallace's expiring contract, Sasha Pavlovic, the 46th pick, and cash.... Wow... Well, It's an absolute coup for Cleveland in that they give up absolutely nothing in exchange for Shaq....Now that that is out of the way, I don't really like the Shaq fit b/c he can't defend the pick-n-roll at all...like he's known for the fact that he can't do this, and that's the single biggest thing Cleveland failed to do against Orlando...yes, he'll help Lebron on offense by taking a few double teams and having a legit post presence...but the defensive problems aren't going away...for Phoenix? Basically just a basic salary dump and a typical Robert Sarver move to make their team worse while acquiring nothing in return...
  • Jamal Crawford to the Hawks for Acie Law and Craig Claxton.... Yikes....To the positive portion of my review....the straight "value" of this deal is in the Hawks favor...they've dealt an expiring deal and a young PG that they weren't going to play for a proven 18-20 ppg scorer... now, kudos aside...I hate the move for the Hawks... Crawford's game is not one that I have any admiration for (an understatement to be sure) and basically I have no idea where this is going now... Do the Hawks still go point guard in the draft? Crawford can't play the 1, makes 9.5 million (cutting the legs off Mike Bibby negotiations I would say), and suddenly would be coming off the bench unless they want to move Joe Johnson to the 3....I don't understand the direction....
  • Speaking of the Hawks...Here is the list of legit possibilities (in the draft range, I mean) of guys they could draft where I'd be outright FURIOUS.... BJ Mullens, Jeff Teague, Jrue Holiday (now that Crawford is there), Tyler Hansborough, Wayne Ellington....I say that now so that when I destroy the pick if and when they take one of them...you'll be forewarned....
A few stray draft thoughts....
  • Looking at Minnesota's current roster....they HAVE to keep 2 picks in the top 6 AND take a PG and SG with them....they literally have no guards...none... if they don't come away with Rubio or Curry at the 1 and Harden or Evans at the 2...they've failed....
  • I keep seeing Jordan Hill to Golden State...I don't understand that pick at all... Anthony Randolph was their lottery pick last year and PF of the future (and he came on quite strong late in the year last year) and they also have Biedrins at the 5 and Turiaf backing up both spots...it's not a need....they need a guard....
Here's the Lottery and their needs (in my opinion)....
  1. LAC- No glaring needs, so they go best available with Griffin obviously and try to unload one of the 3 frontcourt guys (and they still have Deandre Jordan who they like)
  2. Memphis- They need a 4 or 5...I'm a Marc Gasol fan, but he can't block shots and isn't a great athlete...Somebody like Jordan Hill would fit here but I think they will go Thabeet (not a supporter of that fyi)
  3. OKC- Seems like they've zeroed in on a guard...I'd go with Rubio myself...but Harden wouldn't be a bad fit at all...Jordan Hill would be a nice compliment (athletic big) but they are fairly set
  4. Sacto- Easiest pick on the board...they'll be taking a point guard...it's their most pressing need...Whoever is left between Rubio, Curry, and maybe Flynn is who they'll take... a small forward would be a possibility but there isn't one worthy at this selection and PG is much, much more important
  5. Minny- See above (Guards!!!)
  6. Minny- See above (Guards!!!)
  7. Golden State- See above once again...but guard play is necessary here IMO...they have a glut of 3's, are young on the front line...but are left with basically Monta Ellis as their only starting caliber guard and he's not a point...if they could get Evans, that would be a nice fit...if not, someone like Jrue Holiday/Flynn/etc. may work?
  8. New York- is there anywhere they DON'T have a need? lol... That being said, it's clear D'Antoni wants a point guard...I don't see Steph Curry falling that far, but he's the best fit... it'll be a guard...
  9. Toronto- Another team I don't understand when I see mock drafts...they literally MUST take a swingman...they have to...they don't have a single NBA quality one on their entire roster... DeRozan, Clark, Williams, or even Henderson should be in play...if Harden somehow got to them, it'd be the fastest pick in history
  10. Milwaukee- Another team with a point guard need...I don't see them resigning Ramon Sessions and most people seem to have forgotten that the reason they dealt Richard Jefferson (other than money) was to clear the way for last year's lottery pick Joe Alexander...they aren't taking a 3... Flynn/Lawson/Jennings would be who I'd target...
  11. New Jersey- Vince is older and the only threat on the wing for them at this point...Terrence Williams would be a great fit IMO b/c he does the things Vince won't do (i.e. defend and handle) but any of the wings not named DeRozan would be a good fit...possible sleeper pick would be to take a guard (Holiday most likely) that would allow Harris to play off the ball? But I'd take a wing..
  12. Charlotte- They really have a depth issue...the starting 5 isn't terrible with Felton (or Augustin), Bell, Wallace, Diaw and Okafor...but there's nothing behind them... they could use somebody like DeRozan with some explosion on the wing or maybe a DeJuan Blair power type...a weird team though
  13. Indiana- Point Guard and post presence...the only post guy I'd take here is Blair if he's around...otherwise I'd take the point for some TJ Ford insurance (Jarrett Jack is leaving via FA)...
  14. Phoenix- They suddenly need size...and young size at that....after the Shaq deal... BJ Mullens is being slotted here alot...I hate his game...there really isn't a young big to be had... I could see Earl Clark or James Johnson if they fell here...just for some young size... otherwise maybe tab Nash's successor if they have a PG they like fall in their lap...
Just a few thoughts there... Hard to do a mock draft with no insider info...I toyed with a mock that was fully who I would take...but that's hard to follow through on since most NBA gm's wouldn't be faced with that decision based upon the rest of my board....

It's going to be an exciting night regardless...and it's not necessarily a bad thing to have all this turmoil..it keeps the focus off of how bad this draft could end up being... Happy Draft Day!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

NBA Draft Preview/Thoughts

I know it's not as flashy as one of those mocks but I won't insult you by telling you I have any idea what these teams are thinking....we'll get to that later....but here's my thoughts....First to the guys I like in this draft (aka Higher than their being projected)
  • Point Guards- Ricky Rubio (pass-first is the main reason, I feel like I'm uninformed generally), Jrue Holiday (size/skill-set are underrated), Ty Lawson (he does the things that I want my point guard to do....pass/make open shots/unselfish and is underrated due to size), Darren Collison (most underrated of the bunch, excellent defender, capable ball-handler and an NBA rotation guy for a decade), Eric Maynor (leadership, defense, falls b/c of lack of athleticism)
  • Wings- Terrence Williams (versatile skill-set, defends, good ball-handler), Gerald Henderson (won't be a star but has NBA body/athleticism/effort/defense), Sam Young (has a wide skill-range, can defend), Chase Budinger (gets knocked for "toughness" but I don't think you can under-state his skillset), Dajuan Summers (do-everything guy who will stick on a team) Jack McClinton (no, he shouldn't be a first rounder, but he has an elite skill, he can flat-out shoot it), Earl Clark (probably the biggest upside in this draft other than Rubio or maybe DeRozan, has all the tools and if you can get him in the late lottery it's worth the shot)
  • Posts- DeJuan Blair (I wouldn't reach but he has the rebounding/toughness to be a quality undersized power forward like a less athletic Paul Millsap, etc.), Jon Brockman (he's a 2nd round talent, but he may have been a top 7-8 player in all of college ball last year...great rebounder/tough guy who could be a 10th man), Goran Suton (I can't figure out why he's going undrafted in mocks...he was great in the tourney and provides a versatile Big at the next level who can make jumpers and rebound)
I purposefully left out Griffin from that list...I feel like he's the surest thing in the draft and will be a 15 ppg, 8 rpg guy at the very worst (barring injury)....To the guys I believe are OVER-valued (aka the guys I don't like at the spots they're being mocked)
  • Point Guards- Jeff Teague (don't think he has the tools to run a team, a typical combo-guard that flat-lined late last year and won't make it as an NBA starter), Tyreke Evans (I don't hate him by any means...I've just seen the 6'5 PG thing fail so many times...and he still can't shoot)
  • Wings- Marcus Thornton (has one marketable skill...scoring, and seems to be a little on the brash side), Wayne Ellington (I watched him for his entire college career and never thought he was even average at anything other than jump-shooting...that won't cut it), Demar DeRozan (The Vince Carter comparisons are purely-athletic...Vince can score/shoot the basketball in a way that Derozan simply can't...he's too raw and I don't think it's a lock he ever "gets" it), Austin Daye (the fact that he's a wing says it all...too skinny, too frail, too slow....I like him..but he'll have to adapt greatly),
  • Posts- Hasheem Thabeet (this never works out that I can remember...totally one-dimensional player who doesn't use his size on offense at all...the Mutombo comparison is valid, but Dikembe was far more developed by this point), BJ Mullens (another instance where I don't see how a GM can fall into the trap....typical highly ranked "potential" high school big with no real skillset who drastically underperformed in college and came out before he could plummet further) Tyler Hansborough (I almost left him off this list...but reports of him climbing into the lottery are ludicrous to me...he'll never be more than a 8-10th man coming in for energy and boards)
In case you were wondering....That leaves the "top" guys that are neither list at Stephen Curry, Jordan Hill, James Harden, Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings...I like them all....all have flaws...but they are being fairly accurately mocked IMO....

And now...for the Hawks portion of the program...
  • The Hawks have 1 choice in my opinion....it has to be a point guard...it has to be....#1) Point guard is the ONLY position in this draft with any sort of depth and at the 19th pick, you're getting the middle of the pack at the position you choose....#2) Acie Law isn't the answer AND I'm firmly against resigning Mike Bibby unless it's at 5-6 million a year and even then I'm skeptical.... and #3) Taking a swingman would make me see visions of Billy Knight in my head for years to come...and he isn't the GM....That said....
  • Here's my PG list in order by who I'd want for the Hawks (Yes I know there will be a bunch of these guys gone): 1) Curry, 2) Holiday, 3) Jennings, 4) Lawson, 5) Collison, 6) Flynn, 7) Maynor, 8) Teague, 9) Mills..... Any of the top 7 (should the others be unavailable) would feel like a win to me....
Part 2 still to come...Basically it will be a top-10 mock based on what teams SHOULD be doing..not necessarily what they will be doing...

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

R-Jeff to the Spurs...

I don't do breaking news much...but this is fairly big IMO...
  • Richard Jefferson to the Spurs in exchange for Bruce Bowen, Oberto, and Kurt Thomas.....For San Antonio, this is absolutely huge.... Having Duncan, Manu, Parker AND R-Jeff gives them the league's best 4-some by a large margin and provides them with a little injury insurance for when (not if) Manu goes down for a spell while still giving them additional scoring in exchange for really nothing but role players and the agreement to take on salary AND (the kicker) he's not going to kill them on defense and with guys like Udoka behind him that have that skillset, they won't lose what makes them the Spurs.... For Milwaukee? Pure salary dump....all 3 of the older players they acquired have expiring deals after next year while Jefferson's 13+ million was clogging the way for Joe Alexander (their 2008 lottery pick).... It makes them instantly worse... but reportedly fills their goal of being able to possible resign Ramon Sessions and/or Charlie Villanueva....All that said...I absolutely love this deal for San Antonio and it makes them (going into the draft/free agency at least) the team to beat even over LA due to Odom/Ariza signability concerns....

Lucas Glover, Donald Fehr, etc.

Straight in....short on time...
  • Lucas Glover wins the US Open....okay, I'll drop it...who!?!??! Okay...that being said...he outplayed Ricky Barnes (who was dreadful at 76), and that's really all he had to do without imploding... Phil Mickelson mounted a giant charge but came up short... Fairly uneventful and exceedingly weird (who could actually watch this thing on Monday afternoon?)...
  • Donald Fehr out as MLB union head....this would've been enormous news about 15 years ago when Fehr was in the day-in-day-out consciousness of American sports fans during the Strike... that being said, he's a polarizing figure and it'll be interesting for future negotiations to see who the players actually go with...
  • 0 runs...10 hits....I never understand that....but I'll take the 2-0 Braves victory....and the boys suddenly have it going a bit...2 runs still won't cut it...but you knew that....
  • I feel like Albert Pujols is somehow still underrated....how long does he have to be the best hitter in the game? 26 homers... 68 RBI....both of those lead the majors...but that's the thing....That's been done by many guys who hit .250....Pujols is hitting .328 and is a CAREER(!) .334 hitter...that's insanity....More props to him please
That's it for now...coming Thursday is my list(s) of NBA draftees that I either like or don't like compared to their draft stock....aka...you won't be getting a mock from me....there's about 100 others you could look at

Sunday, June 21, 2009

US Open, Braves Go Down, etc.

Right to it...
  • The US Open delayed again....Round 3 won't even START for some players until at least noon today (Sunday) in a move that assures that a regulation winner won't be crowned on Sunday for the first time since 1983... Tiger is 11 back so this story isn't as big (because Tiger IS golf, obviously) but the prospect of even a possible TUESDAY crowning of a major champion is pretty crazy....they are literally removing water from these greens around the clock...should make for some drama...
  • The Braves go down with a whimper...3-0 to the Red Sox.... Now, losing to the BoSox is no travesty, that's a great baseball team....but being shutout for the 8th time already this season (to lead the Majors btw) is unacceptable...yes, Josh Beckett was dominant...but this game was easily winnable....2 costly errors led to runs and not one clutch hit was had all night...Happens all too often with this team of guys who can't produce runs unless it is of the station-to-station variety...
  • USC hires a former NBA coach....does the name Kevin O'Neill ring a bell? Ehh...not for most people....the former NBA head coach/Arizona Interim Coach/personnel guy is not exactly the splash you would have hoped for as a Trojan fan...I'm not impressed with a re-tread regardless, and he doesn't strike me as the guy who can take the focus off the pending investigation...a "meh" move...
  • The Red Sox may go to a 6-man rotation....that's a staggering thought... The amount of pitching depth they have with a healthy John Smoltz and THREE major-league ready starters in AAA is overwhelming....and they have the best bullpen in the Majors... I'm going to go ahead and pick them to win it all as of now...
  • The NBA draft is Thursday....did you know that? You should...I know it's a "down" year as far as prospects go...but this is must-see TV for any basketball fan...I'm going need more pushing of this in the media...

That's all for now

Friday, June 19, 2009

Braves get it Going, etc.

Real quick...
  • The Braves seem to have it going a bit...back-to-back quality pitching outings (save one HR off Kawakami today) and...the real shocker...7 and 8 runs in back-to-back games... I don't wanna jinx it...but I probably just did...The best thing about tonight though? 3 scoreless innings from Moylan/Gonzalez/Soriano against that Boston lineup...that excites me
  • Tiger is 10 back at the US open....this is a bit deceiving b/c he hasn't started play on day 2 and the leader is already -5 on the day...but 10 is alot of shots.... skepticism from me on that one...
  • Kobe plans to stay in LA....BUT...didn't say he wouldn't opt out...interesting... I can't truly see him going anywhere else, but he certainly has all the leverage in the world...
  • Tom Glavine won't pitch in 09....uhh...Tom that means you're retired, I don't care what you say... you're 43 and don't have any pitching offers...make it official already
  • And a College World Series note...PING!!! That is all....but seriously (lol) it's one of the most irrelevant sporting events on the calendar to me...(along with the little league version) and I don't know a single person who really cares...
Until later...

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Stallworth, Sosa, etc.

A decent sports information day for baseball season....
  • Donte Stallworth sentenced to 30 days in jail for killing a man while operating a vehicle drunk.... I won't give you the entire thought process (been covered elsewhere) but I agree with the fact that if you compare this to what Mike Vick did, it's not even comparable and I don't understand this....It's the same thing with Leonard Little, the punishment for killing another human being while drunk should simply be a whole lot stronger...
  • Sammy Sosa reportedly tested positive for PED's in 2003....raise your hand if you're surprised.... that's what I thought....start the "hall of famer or not" argument...
  • Kevin Love tweets that Kevin McHale is out at T-Wolves coach....this is definitely news b/c it hasn't been reported yet... I'd be okay with this, as it's pretty well known that he's a below-average head coach and a flat-out awful GM...
  • Mike Gonzalez absolutely implodes last night as the Braves go down 7-2.... Yes, it was 3-2 before-hand and it probably didn't matter...but when Bobby Cox inserts his pseudo-closer in the 8th down 3-2....his entire job is to keep it 3-2... I hated putting him in...and the result backed me up on it...but it's a typical Bobby move... in other news, I've invented a new stat called "Threats ended by Kelly Johnson"...it's a fun one
More later...

Monday, June 15, 2009

NBA Champion Lakers, etc.

And we have a new NBA champion....the LA Lakers!
  • LA 99, Orlando 86... LA takes the series in 5, and Kobe gets his ring....a big-time effort by LA last night (coupled with a secret stinkbomb by Orlando) enabled LA to not even have to get back to LA to win the series....Kobe had 30, Pau had 14 and 15, Lamar had 17 and 10....sounds like about the exact standard lines for each of them in this sort of spot....They went out and took this one (+9 rebounding edge, 8 blocks, making 50% of their threes) but Orlando gets some blame... 41% shooting, 8-27 threes, 10-16 FT, and even a quite 11-10 game from Dwight Howard in this spot are pretty unacceptable....it's a young team with a young star, and you could almost sense the mediocre effort coming early in the game... at any rate, Phil Jackson takes the ring lead (10, wow) and Kobe cements his legacy in the all-time pantheon.....anything but a ho-hum night in LA when they get back I assume...
  • Shaq to the Cavs? uhh.... I never liked the idea....but if they only have to deal Ben Wallace and Sasha? I'd do that instantly....on both sides btw....Phoenix just buys out Wallace/releases Pavlovic and suddenly they're saving $10 million...and Robert Sarver REALLY wants to save that $10 million
  • MLB Roundup: Cliff Lee takes a no-hitter to the 8th...he's been very good again this year...just not quite up to the pace of last year (but who thought he would keep that going?).... Yankees 15, Mets 0....would you believe Santana started for the Mets? Yikes... and Orioles 11, Braves 2....same result....Derek Lowe starts for the Braves...gets utterly blasted....This team is infuriating to follow for anyone that doesn't know that....
  • The US Open is going to the gate this weekend...I'm thoroughly excited to see what Mr. Eldrick Woods brings... after his mastery with the driver in his win last week...I think the field should be wary of getting in his path....

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Pens Win the Cup, Vick, Hanson, etc.

Good day...

  • Pittsburgh wins the Stanley Cup....that's not even the story to me....it's still hockey and largely irrelevant to me (and this blog) BUT I can't help but to reference it today simply b/c the Pens won a Game 7 IN DETROIT(!) to win the Cup after having been down 2-0, buried alive...and subsequently buried again before Game 7...I didn't see one person pick Pittsburgh...not one...Congrats to Malkin, Crosby, and the boys
  • Falcons release Mike Vick....a surreal day for any Falcons fan who suffered through the early days of his case/suspension... pretty crazy to think that less than 3 years after he set the QB Rushing record, the Falcons would be unable to garner even a 7th round pick for him....pretty insane...
  • Trent Green retires....probably best known for his time in KC and the fact that he was the one injured to make way for Kurt Warner's improbable back-to-back MVP run and SB title... he had a nice 15-year career...big ups
  • Tommy Hanson returned to the mound...with better results.... 2 ER and a win....more of that to come please
  • A rivalry already brewing? I love this kind of stuff....Brandon Jennings (of "I went to Europe to skip college" fame) has started a verbal spat with Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio saying that he is "overrated" and "clearly not the best PG prospect in this class"...I love it...get this party started early...and do it with a high-top fade...
  • 2 injury notes from MLB... Jake Peavy out a month...that hurts SD big-time even though he hasn't been quite as dominant as years past....and Roy Halladay leaves early with a groin injury in the 4th inning last night....I'll keep you posted

That'll do it for now...

Friday, June 12, 2009

Lakers Reign?, McNabb, etc.

Well here we are...
  • LA takes a 3-1 lead....Kobe had a ho-hum (if not, inefficient) 32 points on 31 shots, Trevor Ariza was ENORMOUS with 16 points in the 2nd half, and Derek Fisher hit 2 enormous threes late in the game to give them the victory... I was highly impressed with Ariza down the stretch, and it was an old-school flashback for Fisher with 2 huge daggers (although the 2nd one was hugely aided by some terrible defense from Jameer Nelson up by 3)... For Orlando? There were the same questionable coaching things (Jameer playing the entire 4th and OT, not fouling/guarding for a 3 up by 3 with 10 seconds left, Courtney Lee only playing 7 minutes, etc.)...Dwight Howard was huge with 16 points, 21 boards, 9 blocks and was his superhuman self...but it wasn't enough to overcome Rashard Lewis's 2-10, 6 point outing.... The biggest indictment was the last possession of the 4th, however, with a failure to get Hedo or Lewis a shot and instead having Pietrus hurl the ball at the rim...bad times.... To me, this series is over... I know that's not a limb at all, but there is simply no way Orlando is beating LA both times at Staples....I'll tune in..but the lights are dim...
  • Donovan McNabb's deal gets restructured....Well, this should end the trade talk for him as Philly has given him a raise in $ and with that, a stamp of endorsement... I agree with this move for Philly as Donovan is certainly a top-10 QB
  • The Yankees can't beat the Red Sox...normally I would never mention this... but at 8-0 for the year, it becomes news...
  • And I'll talk about...Soccer? Yes, soccer.... Real Madrid (a soccer club in Europe for those that have no idea) has paid $131 million dollars JUST for the rights to Cristiano Ronaldo... This is a world-record (by a large margin no less) and absolutely ridiculous money just for the right to pay the guy $15 million a year... I know he's the World player of the year...but wow...this was pretty shocking to me

More later...

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Magic Get One, Mark Sanchez, etc.

Sorry for the ridiculous delay....
  • Orlando gets one back...Behind an NBA finals record 63% FG shooting for the night, the Magic simply out-dueled LA in an offensive battle....first of all, LA's defense was indefensibly terrible...that being said, Orlando was unconscious...take a look at these FG numbers....Alston 8-12, Hedo 7-12, Shard 8-14, Dwight 5-6....the 4 leading scorers shot a combined 28-44...that should tell you enough.....that kind of shooting isn't sustainable (Alston especially) but for any given night, they can put you into submission like that... For LA? Kobe started unconsciously...but cooled substantially (2 for his last 12 FG) and despite shooting a very good 52% themselves, the LA defense outdid the offensive output in a negative way....what does it all mean? Honestly, not a whole lot in my opinion that we didn't already...if Orlando, a jumpshooting team, makes that % of shots, they're nearly impossible to beat...BUT I can tell you with a relative certainty they won't shoot 60% in this series again... Orlando may get one more...but LA is simply better...and they'll win in 5 or 6...
  • In another basketball note...JA Adande wrote an incredibly good column over at http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/kareem and that should be read for any basketball fan...simply an appreciation for the most efficient scorer the NBA has ever seen...
  • Wait...the Vikings don't even WANT Brett Favre anymore? Good for them...they speak for all of us...go away Brett
  • Mark Sanchez signs his 5-year deal with the Jets....why is this news? In my opinion, picks NOT signing deals should be the only time it is news....and yet, this leads SC because he's in New York...
  • On a Braves note...They dropped one to the Pirates 3-2 tonight behind some paltry hitting...Jurrjens was again good going 7 IP with only 2 ER... but that's not why I write this...I write this to complain about Greg Norton...yes, the "professional pinch hitter" is hitting .098 for the year....yes, .098...for a guy who can't field...and literally is the #1 pinch hitter on the roster...indefensible...

That's it for now...Game 4 tomorrow at 9:00....

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Strasburg, Tim Floyd, etc.

Straight bullets today...but before I start I feel it's my duty to remind you to watch NBA finals Game 3 this evening at 9....do your civic duty on this one
  • Ballyhooed collegiate pitcher Stephen Strasburg (aka "the Anchorman" per Bill Simmons and JackO) selected #1 in the Amateur Baseball draft today....the debate now? Whether to send him straight to the majors...I would advise against this if I were the Nats...but the end of the year isn't out of the question and he'll DEFINITELY be on the 40-man roster call-up in September I'd imagine....
  • USC Hoops Coach Tim Floyd resigns today...and does so amidst vast allegations of impropriety for that program...the indication to me is that sanctions must be pretty imminent for him to do this...as the evidence seems fairly vast and continuously mounting...a shame too b/c he had that program going for the first time since Sam Clancy and Jeff Trepagnier...
  • Brett Favre still hasn't decided...that is all....
  • An NBA Trade!! Okay...not an "impact deal" but still...the Sixers acquire sharp-shooter Jason Kapono in exchange for bruiser Reggie Evans... I like the deal alot for Philly simply b/c...they had no one that can shoot the basketball and that is Kapono's chief skill...for Toronto? I don't get it...you already have a dearth of wings...and you give one away for the one-dimensional Evans...maybe Bryan Colangelo has a plan...but I don't see it....
  • Brad Lidge to the DL... after that perfect Save year last year...you almost had the sickening feeling it would end badly in 2009...7.00+ ERA and 0-3 with 6 blown saves this year....that seems about right...
  • NBA Draft defections....Scottie Reynolds is going back to Nova (as he should, and he'll make them a top team yet again), and Nic Wise is headed back to Arizona (the fact that he declared was a joke frankly)....still waiting on word on Jodie Meeks and others who seem to be on the fence...
  • The Braves are playing some turbulent baseball....I love the Nate McLouth lead-off move...he has speed that KJ and Escobar don't have and seems to be comfortable hitting there....2 in a row i'll take...but the bullpen implosion last night was disconcerting....

Until later...

Monday, June 8, 2009

Finals Game 2...and A Little Tiger...

Sorry for the absence... mitigating circumstances.....2 huge sporting events yesterday (at least to me)...let's cover them...
  • LA holds serve once again in Game 2... In a game that featured Rashard Lewis playing out of his mind, Andrew Bynum having as many fouls as points, and Orlando making 10 threes (more on this in a moment)... Courtney Lee's missed floater and then missed alley-oop layup ended up costing Orlando... Lewis had a very impressive 34 and 11, Hedo played well for the first time in weeks, and Dwight was Dwight (17 and 16)... but some interesting (and questionable IMO) substitution patterns from Stan Van Gundy are what sticks for me... JJ Redick played the lion's share of minutes at the 2 down the stretch despite shooting just 1-6 and having Courtney Lee on the bench who is a better defender and ball-handler... and they also decided to go the length of the stretch-run in the 4th without a point guard... That coaching advantage I talked about? Evident.... For the Lake-show? Kobe was efficient and dominant at times (29 and 8) and the Odom/Gasol duo played extremely well (which helped to overshadow Bynum being awful and Ariza shooting 3-13)... 
  • So what does this all mean? SVG is getting his behind handed to him through 2 games...I'm not shocked by that...but on the bright side...This is the 3rd game ALL year that Orlando has lost while making 10 or more 3's..so there is aberration potential if you're a Magic fan.... Game 3 is do-or-die time....
To the golf course...
  • Tiger Woods shot an unbelievable 65 (low round of the day in the field by 3 shots, no less) to come from 4 shots back to win the Memorial aka Jack Nicklaus' tournament....this is a big deal b/c it's Tiger (obviously) and the Memorial is a top 10 tournament all year...amazing display...and if he hits 14 of 14 fairways, he's never, ever, ever, losing....his iron play is just too good...
That's all for now

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Twitter!

I am out of computer commission this weekend still.... BUT you can go to my sports-focused Twitter page at http://www.Twitter.com/browismyhero for all my sporting thoughts from my endless stream of babble...

Thursday, June 4, 2009

2009 NBA Finals Preview!

Well..it's all come down to this....this is a very basketball-centered blog unless it's dead in the middle of football season... I'm sure you've realized that the NBA is a big deal to me....so here we are...Let's break it down...Position by position and so on...
  • Homecourt Advantage - LA
  • Season Series - Orlando wins 2-0 (both with Jameer Nelson)

To the matchups (I went with the Points/Wings/Posts because of guys like Odom and Pietrus that play 30+ minutes but don't start AND Nelson's injury)

  • Point Guards - Derek Fisher/Jordan Farmar/Shannon Brown vs. Rafer Alston/Jameer Nelson/Anthony Johnson.... First of all, Jameer Nelson isn't going to be referred to here as the starter... this is the single biggest question mark of the entire series, how much can he give them? He can't possibly be in top-shape enough to play more than 20 or so minutes, he's not going to trust himself fully, and the team has settled in without him....for that purpose...I'm leaving Skip in there.... To the matchup... Derek Fisher is basically a corpse of himself at this point....he's still gritty...he can still run a team...but he can't score, he can't defend more than at an average level at this point, and he's been missing the wide-open 3's he was once money on (23% in the playoffs, and under 40% FG), Farmar is a guy with shaky confidence that has been mostly buried....and Shannon Brown has been the brightspot for them (defending, making big shots, and being generally athletic) but he's not a true point and is in uncharted territory for him... Rafer Alston was HUGE at the end of the Cleveland series... I still don't fully trust him in a big moment, he's a hot-cold shooter, and has never been here before... Jameer Nelson was playing at an all-star level prior to the injury and if he's 80% he's the best PG in this series...he won't be 80% IMO, but even 60% of him is better than.....Anthony Johnson who I fully and completely do NOT trust after seeing him play for 2 years in Atlanta...Edge: Even (Goes to Orlando if Nelson is even 80%)
  • Shooting Guards - Kobe Bryant/Sasha Vujacic vs. Courtney Lee/Mikael Pietrus .... You can stop laughing now... Kobe is the 2nd best player on the planet and the best closer/clutch-player in all the land... he'll average 30+ in this series... you know this...Vujacic is shooting 28% in the playoffs...28! It's his only discernable skill and he's the worst rotation guy in this series not named Anthony Johnson... Courtney Lee...you don't know as much about but I'll tell you... he's a very, very good defender, he has a knack for coming up big in big moments, and he's a great FT shooter (90% in the playoffs)... he'll compete on Kobe, throw some things at him....Mikael Pietrus was exceptional in the Cleveland series...he played the best defense on Lebron thus far in the playoffs, he's made big shots (especially that corner 3 that he loves) and can be counted on in crunchtime... but in the end... GIGANTIC, HUGE, MONSTROUS edge: Lakers
  • Forwards - Trevor Ariza/Lamar Odom/Luke Walton vs. Rashard Lewis/Hedo Turkoglu/Pietrus... Ariza is a very good role player...he defends, is an exceptional athlete, and is shooting the ball very well right now (55% FG, 50% 3-pt FG in the playoffs, albeit on wide-open jumpers), Odom is the same enigma he's always been...he's capable of the 19 and 14 games, he's capable of a 1-10 FG, 5 point game... but the big thing is that he matches up very well defensively against the 6'10 shooting forwards for Orlando b/c he can throw length at them from the 4 spot that Cleveland couldn't... Walton is up-and-down but is heady...he needs to make shots to stay on the floor however.... for Orlando? First of all, you need to factor Pietrus in a little here b/c he plays alot at the 3 spot... but Lewis and Turkoglu present the most incredible matchup problems for MOST teams...but I don't see for LA b/c of the length/athleticism of Ariza/Odom but that being said.. Lewis has been virtually unstoppable offensively in the playoffs...and Turkoglu is still waiting to put up a 27 point, 9 board, 11 dime game, but at the same time Hedo is a terrible defender and can and should be exposed as such... Edge: Orlando
  • Post Players - Pau Gasol/Andrew Bynum vs. Dwight Howard/Marcin Gortat.... This is the pivotal point of this series ON the floor in my mind (Nelson's injury not withstanding)... Pau Gasol absolutely DISAPPEARED in last year's finals... he's averaging 18 and 11 in this series and needs to be a near 20/10 guy in this series for the Lakers to maintain their favorite status... Bynum is an enigma at times...but mostly b/c Phil refuses to play him steady minutes...his CHIEF role in this series is to keep Dwight off the block and the glass when he's in the game....any 12 and 8 games from him are gravy... You know Dwight Howard... he's going to give them 24 and 12 nightly...but I don't think at this stage he can score 30-35 a night on capable athletes in the post (sorry Big Z and Ben Wallace)...he'll need to be super-human, and he's capable, but I don't see it....Edge: Orlando (not as big as you may think)
  • Coaching - Phil Jackson vs. Stan Van Gundy.... Gigantic mismatch here...9 rings for Phil... Van Gundy has made some quality adjustments at times in the series (finally burying JJ Redick, playing Pietrus 35 minutes a night, etc.) but is absolutely overwhelmed here... I can see Phil taking away one of the forwards for the duration of the series, making Dwight make FT's and keeping him out of the 6-7 dunks a game he's been getting... and get Kobe into enough matchups with Hedo or Lewis that he has a big edge... Big Edge: Lakers

For the record, I'm including the experience advantages (namely Kobe and Fisher) in these matchups, the homecourt in LA and Orlando is sizable at this point as well... And here we are at the pick....

LA in 7... Too much Kobe (I say he averages 36 ppg in this series and cements the legacy fully), enough contain on Dwight Howard, a less-than-healthy Jameer Nelson, and Phil Jackson will thoroughly dominate Stan Van Gundy when it matters....Here's to a great series however (and here's to hoping the Refs don't kill this thing with 80 Free throws a night), I can't wait! The NBA is FANNN-TASTIC! I LOVE THIS GAME!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Francoeur Comes Through!!

Lack of time and resource this morning... The NBA Finals preview will be up by Thursday AM...

---Jeff Francoeur (a favorite of mine since I spent 2 years of high school in the same halls as him) hit a 2-out, 2-run HR to tie the game at 5-5 last night in a game the Braves would go on to win 6-5 in 12.... I can't remember a bigger non-playoff celebration on my part then watching that... I was a little fired up lol... Good looking out Jeffrey... That said, a huge win for the Braves who were down 5-0 AND being no-hit into the 7th... Maybe this will jumpstart this club

Thats all for now, had to get that up quick from the iPhone but I'll be back later

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Back with Basketball...

Sorry for the extended absence everyone....want to personally thank Ryan for filling in....let's get it...
  • 1st, I will clearly have an NBA finals preview up.... It's coming...don't panic...in the meantime...follow me on twitter @browismyhero for info on that and more....
  • Jameer Nelson to play in the finals....well this will clearly affect things....he is suddenly the great unknown...he was playing at an all-star level prior to injury but playing this quickly would be WAY ahead of schedule and no one thinks he can be near 100%....at the same time...is he still an upgrade from Anthony Johnson? I say yes...
  • The Memphis/Derrick Rose cheating scandal is coming to a head....Memphis says they find nothing wrong...Calipari is out of there...the NCAA is going to have to handle it...
  • The Braves are 25-25....is this what I had in mind after 50 games? No...but at the same time there are bright spots...the starting pitching (outside of the dreadful 5th spot) has been very, very good...Jurrjens has emerged as a legit top-20 pitcher...Lowe has been steady....Vazquez shows glimpes and Kawakami has been competent....keep in mind...Hanson and Hudson are on the way and this could honestly be the best rotation in the MLB if they get there and get it going...
  • Manny isn't making the all-star game....the big fuss about this is unnecessary b/c a vast majority of his huge voting turnout was pre-suspension...the backlash alone won't allow him to get voted in...but the voting public is STILL dumb enough where he'll be in the top 10....
  • Brace yourselves...NHL Mention.... It's cup finals time so I'll throw it in...especially when the Red Wings (my dad's favorite hockey team) are up 2-0.... this has been big for the league's mini-resurgence to have some big names (and a great Caps/Pens series earlier) throughout... maybe they'll be relevant....but probably not while Gary Bettman is alive....
More later...