So what was I supposed to be Witnessing, again?
Oh, that's right: The NBA's best player -- leading the team with the NBA's best regular-season record -- getting bounced out of the playoffs, decisively.
I wonder if we'll look back and realize that this team was LeBron's best shot at a title for the next half-decade or longer. Or maybe it will be framed as the "setback" portion of his myth, before the titles come.
What we know is that they won't be coming in 2009.
-- D.S.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Saturday 05/30 (Very) Quickie
Lakers advance to Finals: Wow, remember when the Nuggets actually looked like they had a chance against the Lakers? The Lakers are SO much better when Kobe focuses on distributing (10 assists, to go with his 35 pts).
Stephen Strasburg: Umm, so what's the big deal again? He can't even beat UVA; how's he going to beat the NL Central?
Speaking of phenoms, Matt Wieters made his MLB debut -- and was 0/4 with a K and 3 LOB. But Luke Scott had 2 HR, at least...
Rockies fire Clint Hurdle, then promptly win without him: He shouldn't take that personally.
Sixers hire Eddie Jordan: How will Princeton philosophy mesh with Iguodala, Young, Speights, etc?
Getting ready for Cavs-Magic Game 6 in Orlando. Should be a wild game. Win or bust for LeBron.
-- D.S.
Stephen Strasburg: Umm, so what's the big deal again? He can't even beat UVA; how's he going to beat the NL Central?
Speaking of phenoms, Matt Wieters made his MLB debut -- and was 0/4 with a K and 3 LOB. But Luke Scott had 2 HR, at least...
Rockies fire Clint Hurdle, then promptly win without him: He shouldn't take that personally.
Sixers hire Eddie Jordan: How will Princeton philosophy mesh with Iguodala, Young, Speights, etc?
Getting ready for Cavs-Magic Game 6 in Orlando. Should be a wild game. Win or bust for LeBron.
-- D.S.
Friday, May 29, 2009
NBA Age Limit Sucks, Cont'd: Case of Rose
TNR's Jason Zengerle connects the dots between the Derrick Rose fiasco at Memphis and the NBA's ridiculous age-limit rules.
As you are sitting there oohing and ahhing about LeBron's 4th quarter last night, let's remember that the NBA now thinks LeBron would be unacceptable for the NBA as an 18-year-old. Right.
LeBron. Kobe. Dwight Howard. Rashard Lewis. These are not exceptions that prove the rule. These are the reasons why the age-limit rule is absurd.
-- D.S.
As you are sitting there oohing and ahhing about LeBron's 4th quarter last night, let's remember that the NBA now thinks LeBron would be unacceptable for the NBA as an 18-year-old. Right.
LeBron. Kobe. Dwight Howard. Rashard Lewis. These are not exceptions that prove the rule. These are the reasons why the age-limit rule is absurd.
-- D.S.
Friday 05/29 A.M. Quickie:
Kavya, LeBron, Kobe, Calipari, More
For all of his amazing exploits on the court, let's all remember that LeBron is no champion. (Sure, the judges will allow: "Not yet.")
And there's a good chance that despite his who-didn't-see-it-coming triple-double last night, the Cavs will lose Game 6 in Orlando and get humiliatingly bounced from the playoffs.
Maybe we need a puppet of Kavya Shivashankar, the 2009 Bee champ. She has more championship bonafides than LeBron (and, until Kobe wins one without Shaq, more than Kobe, too).
Kavya was everything we want LeBron to be: Confident, dominating, unstoppable. LeBron is everything but the last one: Sure, he is individually unstoppable, but his team? Very stoppable.
Kavya leads today's SN column, tied into LeBron and Kobe -- who both head into weekends that will define their careers more than any previous moment.
Dive into the rest of the column here. More later.
-- D.S.
And there's a good chance that despite his who-didn't-see-it-coming triple-double last night, the Cavs will lose Game 6 in Orlando and get humiliatingly bounced from the playoffs.
Maybe we need a puppet of Kavya Shivashankar, the 2009 Bee champ. She has more championship bonafides than LeBron (and, until Kobe wins one without Shaq, more than Kobe, too).
Kavya was everything we want LeBron to be: Confident, dominating, unstoppable. LeBron is everything but the last one: Sure, he is individually unstoppable, but his team? Very stoppable.
Kavya leads today's SN column, tied into LeBron and Kobe -- who both head into weekends that will define their careers more than any previous moment.
Dive into the rest of the column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday 05/28 A.M. Quickie:
Kobe, Calipari, Cavs, Barca, Bee, More
I led today's SN column with Kobe's transformation into...Chauncey Billups and how that correlates to the Lakers playing much much better. Considering my allergy to John Calipari, perhaps I should have led with this scandal brewing at Memphis that Cal left behind:
This is why college basketball is, at its essence, a cesspool:
John Calipari allegedly uses fraudulent SAT scores to land the most valuable player in college basketball for the 2007-2008 season. They go to the national-title game.
Said player -- and that the alleged scandal involves this player is only an educated guess at this point -- goes very very very high in the subsequent NBA draft.
Coach leverages the Final Four run into a brand spanking new gig at the most historically prestigious program in the country, in turn generating a recruiting class that is so good that his new team is immediately installed as the team to beat next season.
Meanwhile, his OLD school is about to get destroyed by the NCAA.
But John Calipari? Will get off scot-free, along with his new program.
In an ideal world, if Calipari indeed was involved in this eligibility fraud, the punishment would follow him to Kentucky -- Cal punished individually, UK punished for hiring him.
And wouldn't that be something, if his brand-new team -- with basically a one-and-done shot at a national title -- was ineligible for the postseason next season?
But that's not going to happen, and that's why college basketball is so effed up.
"Kobe doin' work" was not getting it done for the Lakers. So instead, they went with "Kobe doin' his best Chauncey Billups impression." And because of that, the Lakers finally looked like the better team, at least for one quarter -- the 4th, the one that mattered last night.
Vote For Manny deserves to be THE sensation of baseball for the next month, and all pranksters out there -- Howard Stern, TJ Simers, Tony Kornheiser -- who enjoy, say, "Vote for the Worst" on Idol should be pushing fans to vote Manny into the starting lineup of the NL All-Star team.
Barca wins! How did you ever doubt them?
Bee finals tonight! One of the great sporting spectacles of the year.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
This is why college basketball is, at its essence, a cesspool:
John Calipari allegedly uses fraudulent SAT scores to land the most valuable player in college basketball for the 2007-2008 season. They go to the national-title game.
Said player -- and that the alleged scandal involves this player is only an educated guess at this point -- goes very very very high in the subsequent NBA draft.
Coach leverages the Final Four run into a brand spanking new gig at the most historically prestigious program in the country, in turn generating a recruiting class that is so good that his new team is immediately installed as the team to beat next season.
Meanwhile, his OLD school is about to get destroyed by the NCAA.
But John Calipari? Will get off scot-free, along with his new program.
In an ideal world, if Calipari indeed was involved in this eligibility fraud, the punishment would follow him to Kentucky -- Cal punished individually, UK punished for hiring him.
And wouldn't that be something, if his brand-new team -- with basically a one-and-done shot at a national title -- was ineligible for the postseason next season?
But that's not going to happen, and that's why college basketball is so effed up.
"Kobe doin' work" was not getting it done for the Lakers. So instead, they went with "Kobe doin' his best Chauncey Billups impression." And because of that, the Lakers finally looked like the better team, at least for one quarter -- the 4th, the one that mattered last night.
Vote For Manny deserves to be THE sensation of baseball for the next month, and all pranksters out there -- Howard Stern, TJ Simers, Tony Kornheiser -- who enjoy, say, "Vote for the Worst" on Idol should be pushing fans to vote Manny into the starting lineup of the NL All-Star team.
Barca wins! How did you ever doubt them?
Bee finals tonight! One of the great sporting spectacles of the year.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Brian Grey: Comparing Baseball Talent Scouting With Business Talent Scouting
Brian Grey is one of the most influential folks in online sports media. Among other things, he ran Yahoo! Sports, then jumped over to Fox Interactive to run FoxSports.com.
At both stops, success followed his arrival. Now he's an Executive-in-Residence at Polaris Venture Partners, a top-tier VC firm (I actually have a buddy from business school who is a General Partner there, an association which is about as close as I personally could get to actually working there.) E-i-R has to be one of the coolest jobs you can have -- evaluating and working with young companies and helping them position themselves for growth.
Anyway, PaidContent published a post by Grey today where he compares baseball talent evaluation to business talent evaluation. If you're in the market for a new job -- or, say, any job -- it is a great read. (And if you're in the market to hire? Well, obviously you should ping me first.)
-- D.S.
At both stops, success followed his arrival. Now he's an Executive-in-Residence at Polaris Venture Partners, a top-tier VC firm (I actually have a buddy from business school who is a General Partner there, an association which is about as close as I personally could get to actually working there.) E-i-R has to be one of the coolest jobs you can have -- evaluating and working with young companies and helping them position themselves for growth.
Anyway, PaidContent published a post by Grey today where he compares baseball talent evaluation to business talent evaluation. If you're in the market for a new job -- or, say, any job -- it is a great read. (And if you're in the market to hire? Well, obviously you should ping me first.)
-- D.S.
Obama As NBA Draft Guru: Tyreke Evans?
Apparently, Barack Obama loves Tyreke Evans, even as high as No. 4 to the Kings. I love that the President loves hoops so much he can have an opinion about who the Kings should draft.
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Sports and Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Cont'd
Tommy Craggs with another must-read: Evaluating new SCOTU nominee Sonia Sotomayor's sports-related rulings. Craggs' own ruling: MLB strike? Good. NFL draft age-limit rules? Bad.
(In my enthusiasm to throw out the talking point that she "saved baseball," I neglected to discuss her part in the Clarett reversal. You all know how I feel about the NFL age restrictions. Terrible...)
-- D.S.
(In my enthusiasm to throw out the talking point that she "saved baseball," I neglected to discuss her part in the Clarett reversal. You all know how I feel about the NFL age restrictions. Terrible...)
-- D.S.
Wednesday 05/27 A.M. Quickie:
Magic, LeBron, Barca, Greinke, Bee
You are more than within your rights to want to see a Kobe-LeBron NBA Finals. But you would be considered more of a fan of entertainment than the NBA.
Because Kobe-LeBron wouldn't be a match-up of the two best teams in the NBA.
I don't know who will survive the Nuggets-Lakers series, but it is pretty clear at this point that the Cavs are NOT the best team in the East -- that would be the Magic.
Sure, the Cavs are two missed buzzer-beaters from being up 3-1, but then again, they are one made buzzer-beater from being swept 4-0. The point is that they are being out-played... and exposed.
Those much-lauded offseason moves? Mo Williams is hardly emerging as 1B to LeBron's 1A. It has been Bron-Bron-Bron for Cleveland -- enjoy the upside (44 pts)... lament the down (8 TO).
Meanwhile, as you'll see in today's SN column lead, the Magic have it all: Superior post presence, superior depth, superior coaching.
Orlando is not up 3-1 by some kind of fluke -- they are up 3-1 because they are the better team, the best team in the East.
More you'll find in today's column:
*If you only follow soccer one day a year, make it today: Champions League final. If you can, get to a soccer-crazy sports bar in the mid-afternoon to take in the scene.
*But, wait! What about the Bee! Longtime readers know that I am a HUGE fan of the Spelling Bee. No athletes perform under more pressure than these middle-school kids.
(So my big question is: How do I find a sports bar that will let me watch both the Champions League final AND the Bee on different screens?)
*It MUST be a good day in sports when a sick Zack Greinke start is bounced below the fold. He only pitched a complete-game 5-hitter with 8 Ks and zero BBs. Absurd.
*You all know how I feel about the coaches' college football poll -- corrupt to the core, with the lead evidence generated every season with the release of the coaches' final (BCS) ballots.
Well, now the coaches don't want to reveal their votes anymore, so they won't. And I say: Fine -- remove yourselves from the BCS equation. (Of course, they won't.)
The BCS is screwed up enough without stripping what little transparency there is out of the process.
*PED bust in Central Florida: So apparently the dealer supplied the Capitals and Nationals. Wouldn't it be insane if Ovie -- the NHL's best player -- turned out to be a PED user? Let's assume he isn't. More insane: The Nats use PEDs, yet still suck so badly.
Complete SN column here. Go Barca. Go Kavya.
-- D.S.
Because Kobe-LeBron wouldn't be a match-up of the two best teams in the NBA.
I don't know who will survive the Nuggets-Lakers series, but it is pretty clear at this point that the Cavs are NOT the best team in the East -- that would be the Magic.
Sure, the Cavs are two missed buzzer-beaters from being up 3-1, but then again, they are one made buzzer-beater from being swept 4-0. The point is that they are being out-played... and exposed.
Those much-lauded offseason moves? Mo Williams is hardly emerging as 1B to LeBron's 1A. It has been Bron-Bron-Bron for Cleveland -- enjoy the upside (44 pts)... lament the down (8 TO).
Meanwhile, as you'll see in today's SN column lead, the Magic have it all: Superior post presence, superior depth, superior coaching.
Orlando is not up 3-1 by some kind of fluke -- they are up 3-1 because they are the better team, the best team in the East.
More you'll find in today's column:
*If you only follow soccer one day a year, make it today: Champions League final. If you can, get to a soccer-crazy sports bar in the mid-afternoon to take in the scene.
*But, wait! What about the Bee! Longtime readers know that I am a HUGE fan of the Spelling Bee. No athletes perform under more pressure than these middle-school kids.
(So my big question is: How do I find a sports bar that will let me watch both the Champions League final AND the Bee on different screens?)
*It MUST be a good day in sports when a sick Zack Greinke start is bounced below the fold. He only pitched a complete-game 5-hitter with 8 Ks and zero BBs. Absurd.
*You all know how I feel about the coaches' college football poll -- corrupt to the core, with the lead evidence generated every season with the release of the coaches' final (BCS) ballots.
Well, now the coaches don't want to reveal their votes anymore, so they won't. And I say: Fine -- remove yourselves from the BCS equation. (Of course, they won't.)
The BCS is screwed up enough without stripping what little transparency there is out of the process.
*PED bust in Central Florida: So apparently the dealer supplied the Capitals and Nationals. Wouldn't it be insane if Ovie -- the NHL's best player -- turned out to be a PED user? Let's assume he isn't. More insane: The Nats use PEDs, yet still suck so badly.
Complete SN column here. Go Barca. Go Kavya.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday 05/26 A.M. Quickie:
LeBron Is Staying In Cleveland in 2010
LeBron James is going to lose the battle but win the war.
It's a fair question: What will come first -- LeBron winning a title or becoming the first billion-dollar athlete in history, which is his main goal?
There's no question: It's a lot easier to fulfill the latter if he completes the former.
So the bigger news out of Cleveland is not that LeBron and the Cavs losing the East finals -- which they will, because the Magic are the superior team (and that's without Jameer Nelson).
It is that the Cavs are doing this deal with Chinese business interests to give them a stake in the team. Because there isn't anything the Knicks can throw at LeBron -- fortune, fame, the country's biggest media market -- that can compete with the power of China.
I'm calling it now: With the team's new partnership in China, LeBron stays in Cleveland in 2010. I don't even think it will be a debate.
And with the special backing of these Chinese interests, is there any question that LeBron has an advantaged entry into the market -- even with the NBA, even with Nike helping him? -- that will get him a lot closer to that billion-dollar valuation, a lot faster?
Now, whether he can win titles is another story. I think that right now, the Magic look like the better team -- in fact, they look like the best team in the playoffs. (Undoubtedly, they will choke tonight, as a result of that, but no matter...)
Weren't the Cavs supposed to be so much better thanks to the moves by "Executive of the Year," Danny Ferry? All Mo Williams looks like right now is a punching bag with a flapping yap, not the Robin to LeBron's Batman.
Besides: Two stars -- even when one of the stars is LeBron -- can't top the Magic's 3 stars (Howard, Lewis, Turkoglu), plus superior role players.
The same situation is happening in the Lakers-Nuggets series: As I lead in today's SN column, imagine Kobe having a night like Carmelo had last night. Think the Lakers would win? The Lakers would be a Lottery team.
The Nuggets absorbed a terrible night for Melo -- and won by 20. Gasol vs. K-Mart/Nene/Birdman is a rout. JR Smith looked unguardable. Billups was Billups.
All this talk about "Kobe vs. LeBron" in the NBA Finals proves the point: If you're going to rely on individual stars, you're going to lose when faced with a more top-to-bottom talented team.
More you'll find in today's column:
*This Mike Tyson daughter story is horrific.
*Syracuse pulls off one of the greatest comebacks in LAX history.
*Of yesterday's MLB performances, I'll take the 10-run comeback (but if I have to limit myself to a single player, I'll take Carpenter).
Complete SN column here. More later and all day on Twitter, as usual.
-- D.S.
It's a fair question: What will come first -- LeBron winning a title or becoming the first billion-dollar athlete in history, which is his main goal?
There's no question: It's a lot easier to fulfill the latter if he completes the former.
So the bigger news out of Cleveland is not that LeBron and the Cavs losing the East finals -- which they will, because the Magic are the superior team (and that's without Jameer Nelson).
It is that the Cavs are doing this deal with Chinese business interests to give them a stake in the team. Because there isn't anything the Knicks can throw at LeBron -- fortune, fame, the country's biggest media market -- that can compete with the power of China.
I'm calling it now: With the team's new partnership in China, LeBron stays in Cleveland in 2010. I don't even think it will be a debate.
And with the special backing of these Chinese interests, is there any question that LeBron has an advantaged entry into the market -- even with the NBA, even with Nike helping him? -- that will get him a lot closer to that billion-dollar valuation, a lot faster?
Now, whether he can win titles is another story. I think that right now, the Magic look like the better team -- in fact, they look like the best team in the playoffs. (Undoubtedly, they will choke tonight, as a result of that, but no matter...)
Weren't the Cavs supposed to be so much better thanks to the moves by "Executive of the Year," Danny Ferry? All Mo Williams looks like right now is a punching bag with a flapping yap, not the Robin to LeBron's Batman.
Besides: Two stars -- even when one of the stars is LeBron -- can't top the Magic's 3 stars (Howard, Lewis, Turkoglu), plus superior role players.
The same situation is happening in the Lakers-Nuggets series: As I lead in today's SN column, imagine Kobe having a night like Carmelo had last night. Think the Lakers would win? The Lakers would be a Lottery team.
The Nuggets absorbed a terrible night for Melo -- and won by 20. Gasol vs. K-Mart/Nene/Birdman is a rout. JR Smith looked unguardable. Billups was Billups.
All this talk about "Kobe vs. LeBron" in the NBA Finals proves the point: If you're going to rely on individual stars, you're going to lose when faced with a more top-to-bottom talented team.
More you'll find in today's column:
*This Mike Tyson daughter story is horrific.
*Syracuse pulls off one of the greatest comebacks in LAX history.
*Of yesterday's MLB performances, I'll take the 10-run comeback (but if I have to limit myself to a single player, I'll take Carpenter).
Complete SN column here. More later and all day on Twitter, as usual.
-- D.S.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday 05/25 Quickie: New SN Column
Happy Memorial Day -- a moment to offer thanks and deep appreciation to everyone who died in service to the country, as well as their families.
I also filed a new SN column this morning, and it was a perfect opportunity to step away from the seemingly daily NBA lead items and tackle this question:
Who is the best team in American sports today?
The answer is: Northwestern women's lacrosse, which just won its 5th straight national title (capping an undefeated year, no less).
Not bad for a Midwestern team whose varsity wasn't around a decade ago, consistently routing well-established programs in the East.
Meanwhile, let's be clear: LeShot means LeZilch if LeCavs don't win LeSeries. And, right now, they're not going to; the Magic are the better team -- even if LeBron is the best player on the court.
And in your MLB must-track today: David Price was called up by the Rays and will start today. (He's already claimed in your fantasy league, don't bother looking.)
Complete column here.
-- D.S.
I also filed a new SN column this morning, and it was a perfect opportunity to step away from the seemingly daily NBA lead items and tackle this question:
Who is the best team in American sports today?
The answer is: Northwestern women's lacrosse, which just won its 5th straight national title (capping an undefeated year, no less).
Not bad for a Midwestern team whose varsity wasn't around a decade ago, consistently routing well-established programs in the East.
Meanwhile, let's be clear: LeShot means LeZilch if LeCavs don't win LeSeries. And, right now, they're not going to; the Magic are the better team -- even if LeBron is the best player on the court.
And in your MLB must-track today: David Price was called up by the Rays and will start today. (He's already claimed in your fantasy league, don't bother looking.)
Complete column here.
-- D.S.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Sunday 05/24 (Very) Quickie
Eh: Suddenly, Nuggets in 6 doesn't look very good. Last night felt like the old Nuggets, the ones who were consistently owned by the Lakers in years "B.C." (Before Chauncey) Another game, another botched inbounds pass.
Kobe's 41 felt like a "Remember me?" to all the LeBron fans out there still freaking out over his Game 3 finisher, whose value will really be determined tonight. If the Cavs win, reclaiming HCA and momentum in the series, it was huge; if the Cavs lose, they are still series 'dogs.
(Speaking of LeBron, do not underestimate the strategic importance of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert selling a big stake in the Cavs to Chinese business interests, as it relates to LeBron staying with the team. If the Cavs become China's adopted favorite team, that trumps New York's appeal.)
NBA Draft: Nick Calathes is staying pro...in Greece(?!) He signed a 3-year deal with the Euro champs, committed to at least next year, with an option to go to the NBA in 2010.
(Actually, this might make him a 1st-round lock in the 2009 NBA Draft: The team that signs him wouldn't have to have him on the roster this season, would not have to pay a buy-out to get him back from Europe, and get a player with a year of extra seasoning at Europe's top level. UPDATE: Apparently, he wouldn't be eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft, which makes no sense to me.)
MLB:
Walk-off walk for Dodgers over Angels.
Yet another walk-off win for the Yankees.
Milestones: Jason Giambi joins 400 HR Club.
Stud: Kyle Lohse. Cards pitching continues to impress.
NCAA LAX: Wow, go Cornell! Crashes title game with shocking upset of UVA. Will lose to Cuse, which throttled Duke.
-- D.S.
Kobe's 41 felt like a "Remember me?" to all the LeBron fans out there still freaking out over his Game 3 finisher, whose value will really be determined tonight. If the Cavs win, reclaiming HCA and momentum in the series, it was huge; if the Cavs lose, they are still series 'dogs.
(Speaking of LeBron, do not underestimate the strategic importance of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert selling a big stake in the Cavs to Chinese business interests, as it relates to LeBron staying with the team. If the Cavs become China's adopted favorite team, that trumps New York's appeal.)
NBA Draft: Nick Calathes is staying pro...in Greece(?!) He signed a 3-year deal with the Euro champs, committed to at least next year, with an option to go to the NBA in 2010.
(Actually, this might make him a 1st-round lock in the 2009 NBA Draft: The team that signs him wouldn't have to have him on the roster this season, would not have to pay a buy-out to get him back from Europe, and get a player with a year of extra seasoning at Europe's top level. UPDATE: Apparently, he wouldn't be eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft, which makes no sense to me.)
MLB:
Walk-off walk for Dodgers over Angels.
Yet another walk-off win for the Yankees.
Milestones: Jason Giambi joins 400 HR Club.
Stud: Kyle Lohse. Cards pitching continues to impress.
NCAA LAX: Wow, go Cornell! Crashes title game with shocking upset of UVA. Will lose to Cuse, which throttled Duke.
-- D.S.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Saturday 05/23 (LeBron) Quickie
Wow. Oh, wow. The finest shot of LeBron's career. The finest MOMENT of LeBron's career. The biggest moment in the history of the Cavs. An exorcism of Michael Jordan's "Shot" over Ehlo.
(Question for the Magic: How do you let LeBron catch that ball?)
Instead of being down 0-2 heading into 2 games in Orlando -- virtually finished in the series -- they are 1-1, still without home-court advantage in the series, but with U-turn momentum.
A few more notes:
*Leave it to the defending champs to snap the Yankees' W streak.
*Cubs fans love Peavy for nixing White Sox, then hate him for 10 Ks vs. Cubs
*Dara Torres remains incredible (new U.S. record in 50 fly)
*If you have a child, why in god's name would you own a pit bull?
*Jay Wright will be a good NBA coach one day -- if Philly got him, it would be a coup -- but Villanova is on the cusp of being a perennial Top 10 team under Wright. Worth staying.
(Question for the Magic: How do you let LeBron catch that ball?)
Instead of being down 0-2 heading into 2 games in Orlando -- virtually finished in the series -- they are 1-1, still without home-court advantage in the series, but with U-turn momentum.
A few more notes:
*Leave it to the defending champs to snap the Yankees' W streak.
*Cubs fans love Peavy for nixing White Sox, then hate him for 10 Ks vs. Cubs
*Dara Torres remains incredible (new U.S. record in 50 fly)
*If you have a child, why in god's name would you own a pit bull?
*Jay Wright will be a good NBA coach one day -- if Philly got him, it would be a coup -- but Villanova is on the cusp of being a perennial Top 10 team under Wright. Worth staying.
Friday, May 22, 2009
UFL Update: My Minor Obsession Continues
Catching up on a link to an ESPN.com column about the UFL and its prospects to serve as an alternative/minor league to the NFL.
I remain steadfast in my very simple, game-changing (and game-winning) strategy -- you have to play where the NFL won't -- or can't:
Open the UFL to players following their freshman year of college. The one year of college gives them a national spotlight that will help with fan interest (ex: Julio Jones, Terrelle Pryor); the two years of UFL service gives them paid professional training for their NFL careers.
After those 2 years in the UFL, they are NFL draft-eligible -- and arguably better prepared for their NFL careers for it.
THIS is the point of that Gladwell David/Goliath/full-court-press piece -- engaging in unconventional strategy to overcome a vastly superior opponent. Not that the NFL is the UFL's opponent -- but a legacy of failure of "alternative" professional football leagues sure is.
If the UFL wants to position itself as a viable minor-league to the NFL, the place to start isn't by struggling to develop NFL cast-offs and wannabes; it is by developing NFL-caliber players before the NFL will let them in.
-- D.S.
UPDATE: Discussing having Michael Vick play in the UFL is NOT a strategy -- it is a gimmick. And if they're willing to entertain THAT limited idea, then it's hardly irrational to evaluate my change-the-game "underclassmen" option.
I remain steadfast in my very simple, game-changing (and game-winning) strategy -- you have to play where the NFL won't -- or can't:
Open the UFL to players following their freshman year of college. The one year of college gives them a national spotlight that will help with fan interest (ex: Julio Jones, Terrelle Pryor); the two years of UFL service gives them paid professional training for their NFL careers.
After those 2 years in the UFL, they are NFL draft-eligible -- and arguably better prepared for their NFL careers for it.
THIS is the point of that Gladwell David/Goliath/full-court-press piece -- engaging in unconventional strategy to overcome a vastly superior opponent. Not that the NFL is the UFL's opponent -- but a legacy of failure of "alternative" professional football leagues sure is.
If the UFL wants to position itself as a viable minor-league to the NFL, the place to start isn't by struggling to develop NFL cast-offs and wannabes; it is by developing NFL-caliber players before the NFL will let them in.
-- D.S.
UPDATE: Discussing having Michael Vick play in the UFL is NOT a strategy -- it is a gimmick. And if they're willing to entertain THAT limited idea, then it's hardly irrational to evaluate my change-the-game "underclassmen" option.
Friday 05/22 A.M. Quickie:
Nuggets, Peavy, Yankees, Marve, Maryland
So between my Nuggets in 6 and Magic in 6 picks, this week may represent the best it'll get for me. Then again, both picks may turn out to be right.
Leading today's SN column, the Nuggets have now out-played the Lakers in BOTH their games, with a split in LA to show for it -- which is pretty incredible, given LA's dominance over Denver in the playoffs in LA. Now the series goes to Denver, and -- guess what -- advantage Nuggets.
(And the Nuggets didn't even play all that well! That's what makes last night even more incredible -- they basically gritted their way to a win in LA. The Nuggets...gritty? Billups for MVP.)
Meanwhile...
*When Jake Peavy turned down a trade to the White Sox, the only thing I could think of was Barack Obama -- the uber-Sox fan -- making a call to the IRS asking them to give Peavy's 2008 tax returns a "no-trade, this" audit.
*The Yankees are the hottest team in baseball? Ugh. The Red Sox are proving that the Jays don't have what it takes to sustain over the long haul -- Toronto will be out of first by the end of May, and they won't see it again.
*I'll take the Robert Marve news (cram it, Kiffin) over Brett Favre non-news. Marve will do great at Purdue -- the offense is as wide-open as it gets for a QB.
*Lance Stephenson going to...Maryland? Let's just assume that the Under Armour shoe deal happens the minute he finishes his freshman season and declares for the NBA Draft. He won't go to Arizona -- it's too remote. Maryland is smack dab on the East Coast Biased, ACC-loving national radar, and they have a gaping hole at "superstar" that Lance will fulfill.
Longtime readers know that I am a Maryland hoops fan -- that was my childhood hoops team. For some reason -- probably my natural contrarianism -- I wasn't into Georgetown back in the mid-1980s...my nostalgic appreciation for the Hoyas only developed in my 20s...but growing up on the Maryland side of suburban DC, I was a huge Maryland hoops fan. Len Bias was my original sports-fan consciousness, although I found Keith Gatlin to be more accessible -- Bias was simply too larger-than-life athletic. For the record, college hoops is the only sport where I maintain the complete troika of allegiances: Childhood (Maryland), College (Northwestern), Whatever-We're-Going-To-Call-It (Florida).
Complete column here. More later, including an update on one of my weird fascinations, the UFL. Enjoy the long weekend, everyone.
-- D.S.
Leading today's SN column, the Nuggets have now out-played the Lakers in BOTH their games, with a split in LA to show for it -- which is pretty incredible, given LA's dominance over Denver in the playoffs in LA. Now the series goes to Denver, and -- guess what -- advantage Nuggets.
(And the Nuggets didn't even play all that well! That's what makes last night even more incredible -- they basically gritted their way to a win in LA. The Nuggets...gritty? Billups for MVP.)
Meanwhile...
*When Jake Peavy turned down a trade to the White Sox, the only thing I could think of was Barack Obama -- the uber-Sox fan -- making a call to the IRS asking them to give Peavy's 2008 tax returns a "no-trade, this" audit.
*The Yankees are the hottest team in baseball? Ugh. The Red Sox are proving that the Jays don't have what it takes to sustain over the long haul -- Toronto will be out of first by the end of May, and they won't see it again.
*I'll take the Robert Marve news (cram it, Kiffin) over Brett Favre non-news. Marve will do great at Purdue -- the offense is as wide-open as it gets for a QB.
*Lance Stephenson going to...Maryland? Let's just assume that the Under Armour shoe deal happens the minute he finishes his freshman season and declares for the NBA Draft. He won't go to Arizona -- it's too remote. Maryland is smack dab on the East Coast Biased, ACC-loving national radar, and they have a gaping hole at "superstar" that Lance will fulfill.
Longtime readers know that I am a Maryland hoops fan -- that was my childhood hoops team. For some reason -- probably my natural contrarianism -- I wasn't into Georgetown back in the mid-1980s...my nostalgic appreciation for the Hoyas only developed in my 20s...but growing up on the Maryland side of suburban DC, I was a huge Maryland hoops fan. Len Bias was my original sports-fan consciousness, although I found Keith Gatlin to be more accessible -- Bias was simply too larger-than-life athletic. For the record, college hoops is the only sport where I maintain the complete troika of allegiances: Childhood (Maryland), College (Northwestern), Whatever-We're-Going-To-Call-It (Florida).
Complete column here. More later, including an update on one of my weird fascinations, the UFL. Enjoy the long weekend, everyone.
-- D.S.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
5 Years Ago Today: Me On Around The Horn
Five years ago today -- May 21, 2004 -- I made my "Around the Horn" debut. I sat in Tony Kornheiser's chair on the PTI set in DC. It was cold. It was harrowing. And it was so satisfying.
That first show, in particular, remains one of the best memories of my life. Five years later, I am indebted to folks like Bill Wolff, Aaron Solomon, Tony Reali and the ATH production crew for having me on.
Apparently, when you're on-air "talent," you are by nature supposed to be kind of a douchebag. Or a prima donna. Or at least an ingrate, for losing sight of the fact that you get to do something (get PAID to do something) that 95 percent of sports fans would kill for the chance to try.
I don't mind revealing I was -- still am -- merely grateful for the opportunity. (I might also add that the show's ratings went up -- and the median age of the panelists went way down -- when I appeared. j/k...)
I ended up appearing on the show a few more times that summer and fall, and I would like to think that I brought a younger -- and a new media -- sensibility to the show.
Besides the whole "What am I/what is HE doing THERE?" vibe, I think the most notable thing about my presence was the on-air hazing. (Yes, yes, Woody: I *am* a "high-talker." Proudly.
Most of all, I sincerely enjoyed the experience, even if most of my best witty banter came mumbling to myself on the train rides from DC back to New York, long after they would have been useful for the show.
But, wow, was it fun.
-- D.S.
UPDATE: Tony Reali tweeted his big memory of my first appearance was that Woody called me "Topo Gigio," a reference that was not only absurdly dated but lost on... well, everyone (my parents got it, actually). When you look up Topo Gigio on Wikipedia, however, you realize how brilliant Woody truly is. That was basically me!
PS: I really need to edit that show down and put it up on YouTube. That is: If I could stand watching myself.
That first show, in particular, remains one of the best memories of my life. Five years later, I am indebted to folks like Bill Wolff, Aaron Solomon, Tony Reali and the ATH production crew for having me on.
Apparently, when you're on-air "talent," you are by nature supposed to be kind of a douchebag. Or a prima donna. Or at least an ingrate, for losing sight of the fact that you get to do something (get PAID to do something) that 95 percent of sports fans would kill for the chance to try.
I don't mind revealing I was -- still am -- merely grateful for the opportunity. (I might also add that the show's ratings went up -- and the median age of the panelists went way down -- when I appeared. j/k...)
I ended up appearing on the show a few more times that summer and fall, and I would like to think that I brought a younger -- and a new media -- sensibility to the show.
Besides the whole "What am I/what is HE doing THERE?" vibe, I think the most notable thing about my presence was the on-air hazing. (Yes, yes, Woody: I *am* a "high-talker." Proudly.
Most of all, I sincerely enjoyed the experience, even if most of my best witty banter came mumbling to myself on the train rides from DC back to New York, long after they would have been useful for the show.
But, wow, was it fun.
-- D.S.
UPDATE: Tony Reali tweeted his big memory of my first appearance was that Woody called me "Topo Gigio," a reference that was not only absurdly dated but lost on... well, everyone (my parents got it, actually). When you look up Topo Gigio on Wikipedia, however, you realize how brilliant Woody truly is. That was basically me!
PS: I really need to edit that show down and put it up on YouTube. That is: If I could stand watching myself.
Idol vs. BCS: Once Again, Fans Know Best
Yes, I'm an Idol fan. 100 million votes in the finals can't be wrong. But there's a sports point to be made here...
For the second straight year, fans rejected the conventional wisdom of the "experts" and picked the so-called "underdog" as their Idol champ.
Last year, it was David Cook over David Archuleta. This year, it was Kris Allen over Adam Lambert. And, like last year, it was no shocker.
Lambert was insanely talented, but -- when it finally came down to a 1-on-1 battle -- the fact that he had no natural massive voting constituency was going to beat him.
For me, it reaffirms my faith in fans and offers a valuable lesson: When you give America the chance to pick their own champ, they seem to get it right, far better than the so-called "experts."
How does that tie back to sports? The notion that the BCS formula wouldn't have a significant component that allows fans to vote on the two finalists is ludicrous.
The coaches vote is a farce. The media vote is almost equally driven by partisan politics. The computers lack a soul and will never have credibility with many folks.
I have been banging this drum since 19-freaking-97: If you insist on a system that picks two teams at the end of the season to play for the national title, let the fans decide.
Kris Allen knows: The fans will get it right.
-- D.S.
For the second straight year, fans rejected the conventional wisdom of the "experts" and picked the so-called "underdog" as their Idol champ.
Last year, it was David Cook over David Archuleta. This year, it was Kris Allen over Adam Lambert. And, like last year, it was no shocker.
Lambert was insanely talented, but -- when it finally came down to a 1-on-1 battle -- the fact that he had no natural massive voting constituency was going to beat him.
For me, it reaffirms my faith in fans and offers a valuable lesson: When you give America the chance to pick their own champ, they seem to get it right, far better than the so-called "experts."
How does that tie back to sports? The notion that the BCS formula wouldn't have a significant component that allows fans to vote on the two finalists is ludicrous.
The coaches vote is a farce. The media vote is almost equally driven by partisan politics. The computers lack a soul and will never have credibility with many folks.
I have been banging this drum since 19-freaking-97: If you insist on a system that picks two teams at the end of the season to play for the national title, let the fans decide.
Kris Allen knows: The fans will get it right.
-- D.S.
Thursday 05/21 A.M. Quickie:
Howard, Magic, Vick, Papi, Idol, More
My predictions are so rarely -- and fleetingly -- correct that this morning I will stand up and say:
"Magic in 6? OH YES."
I have two complementary theories:
(1) The Magic were battle-tested by the Celtics to the point that playing the Cavs in Cleveland simply wasn't all that daunting.
(2) The Cavs were so soft from their 8-0 run through the first two rounds of the playoffs that they were completely unready for a taut game.
That leads today's SN column.
Now, the Cavs have lost that home-court advantage they worked so hard to earn, on two levels: They lost HCA in the series and their regular-season home dominance suddenly seems stale.
Last point: Last night was a huge F-U to all the so-called "experts" who had the Cavs rolling past the Magic into the NBA Finals. The Magic are legit, which is why I picked them to win the East title in the preseason. (That's enough self-congratulation for one morning, thanks.)
More in today's column, as usual, not said nearly as pithily as presented here:
*What's more pathetic: Papi going HR-less or the pity embrace he's getting for hitting one?
*After one day out of prison, you can already tell that popular sentiment -- filtered through the mainstream media -- is for the "Vick as rehabilitated" second-act storyline.
(The UFL is asking fans whether they should get Vick? (1) They'll never get the chance; a half-dozen NFL teams will take him as soon as the smoke clears; (2) for a league founded on "conventional" football, it sure seems strange that they would make a gimmick story like considering Vick the way they earn buzz. There is a much simpler and far more self-sustaining way to do that. Post on that coming later.)
*How many violations does Lane Kiffin get before the NCAA actually cracks down?
*Condolences to Scott Schoenweis on the death of his wife; thoughts for Amy Mickelson as she begins a battle with breast cancer.
Complete SN column here. More later, including the celebration of a big anniversary.
11 a.m.: Idol -- with a sports twist.
1 p.m.: Very very special anniversary.
-- D.S.
"Magic in 6? OH YES."
I have two complementary theories:
(1) The Magic were battle-tested by the Celtics to the point that playing the Cavs in Cleveland simply wasn't all that daunting.
(2) The Cavs were so soft from their 8-0 run through the first two rounds of the playoffs that they were completely unready for a taut game.
That leads today's SN column.
Now, the Cavs have lost that home-court advantage they worked so hard to earn, on two levels: They lost HCA in the series and their regular-season home dominance suddenly seems stale.
Last point: Last night was a huge F-U to all the so-called "experts" who had the Cavs rolling past the Magic into the NBA Finals. The Magic are legit, which is why I picked them to win the East title in the preseason. (That's enough self-congratulation for one morning, thanks.)
More in today's column, as usual, not said nearly as pithily as presented here:
*What's more pathetic: Papi going HR-less or the pity embrace he's getting for hitting one?
*After one day out of prison, you can already tell that popular sentiment -- filtered through the mainstream media -- is for the "Vick as rehabilitated" second-act storyline.
(The UFL is asking fans whether they should get Vick? (1) They'll never get the chance; a half-dozen NFL teams will take him as soon as the smoke clears; (2) for a league founded on "conventional" football, it sure seems strange that they would make a gimmick story like considering Vick the way they earn buzz. There is a much simpler and far more self-sustaining way to do that. Post on that coming later.)
*How many violations does Lane Kiffin get before the NCAA actually cracks down?
*Condolences to Scott Schoenweis on the death of his wife; thoughts for Amy Mickelson as she begins a battle with breast cancer.
Complete SN column here. More later, including the celebration of a big anniversary.
11 a.m.: Idol -- with a sports twist.
1 p.m.: Very very special anniversary.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Nice Tribute To Dr. Z
Great post in praise of Dr. Z. (Regular readers know that about 5 jobs ago, I edited Dr. Z's columns for SI.com and once had the pleasure/pain of being yelled at by him. Apparently that's a badge of honor. Needless to say, he intuitively understood how to write for the Web and why that was so different from writing for magazines or newspapers.)
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Tebow Update: About That Throwing Motion...
Have you ever heard of a top team -- the leading contender for the national title -- adapting their star quarterback's style to get him ready for the NFL? That's what Florida is doing.
I'm not averse to it, by any means. In fact, I'm all for it:
(1) I certainly root for Tebow to have a long and productive NFL career as a QB (if only to shut up the haters). And he needs to work on his delivery to do it. QB coach Scott Loeffler is the guy to teach him.
(2) Despite his phenomenal efficiency (Top 5 in D-1 for 2 years in a row), Tebow has never thrown a "good-looking" ball -- it wobbles. If Loeffler can work out the kinks in Tebow's mechanics and make him that much more of an accurate passer, that makes Tebow that much better... THIS YEAR (and not just in his NFL career).
Take note of one underrated quote from Urban Meyer from Schlabach's piece: "At the end of the day, Tim is going to be a very good NFL player. If he goes to the right team and a well-coached team, he's going to be a very productive player for a very long time."
That kind of statement just confirms my strong feeling of Tebow's draft prospects: Tebow will be drafted by Bill Belichick and the Pats. (That Meyer will take over for Belichick in a few seasons when Belichick retires, to coach his protege Tebow, is just an added conspiracy-theory bonus.)
-- D.S.
I'm not averse to it, by any means. In fact, I'm all for it:
(1) I certainly root for Tebow to have a long and productive NFL career as a QB (if only to shut up the haters). And he needs to work on his delivery to do it. QB coach Scott Loeffler is the guy to teach him.
(2) Despite his phenomenal efficiency (Top 5 in D-1 for 2 years in a row), Tebow has never thrown a "good-looking" ball -- it wobbles. If Loeffler can work out the kinks in Tebow's mechanics and make him that much more of an accurate passer, that makes Tebow that much better... THIS YEAR (and not just in his NFL career).
Take note of one underrated quote from Urban Meyer from Schlabach's piece: "At the end of the day, Tim is going to be a very good NFL player. If he goes to the right team and a well-coached team, he's going to be a very productive player for a very long time."
That kind of statement just confirms my strong feeling of Tebow's draft prospects: Tebow will be drafted by Bill Belichick and the Pats. (That Meyer will take over for Belichick in a few seasons when Belichick retires, to coach his protege Tebow, is just an added conspiracy-theory bonus.)
-- D.S.
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