I was fortunate enough to get a tour of Matthew Knight Arena (which I refer to as "the Matt") in November and was blown away at the details of various aspects of the arena and it capabilities. Shower heads that were 8 feet high, a video production room that controls what is shown on KnightVision, a treatment center for athletes in sports that don't compete on the north side of the river, allowing them to save a trip over to the Cas Center to receive treatment, a Club Room floor that displays the various center court logos at historic Mac Court, a Dallas Cowboys-esque experience that allows Club Room pass holders to view the Ducks as the take the court in the most expensive arena in college athletics. Too much you say, right? Not a chance, not when it attracts names like Elton John, or the athletes I was lucky enough to see in person: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, and Victoria Azarenka, at the Nike Clash of the Champions.
Sure, it would have been special to attend the first event at Matthew Knight Arena, but once I found out two of the greatest men's tennis players in history were going to be making a one in a lifetime appearance at the Matt, I had to find a way to get my hands on a ticket. It's tough to think of a better way to experience an event at the Matt for the first time than going to a full-blown Nike event, and the Nike Clash of the Champions was everything the arena is intended to host.
The Matt has a pro arena feel with all the electronic boards and 21st Century amenities, but with the capacity for a college crowd it avoids the hangar feel of a pro arena. The top row isn't too high, allowing fans to see the floor without having to look at KnightVision the entire time. Having seats on the lower level, I was lucky enough to avoid that problem, and the seating slope at the Matt goes up more than out, avoiding the feeling most pro arenas and stadiums have. No Mac Court bashing here, but the spacious concourse allowed conversations to go on without being bumped by others walking around, lines for food and kiosks without people walking through the line because there was no other space, enough room to avoid rubbing elbows in the bathroom like at Mac, and there was room for Nike to set up all their kiosks without getting in the walkways and slowing down the foot traffic. Sure, there are places where nudging someone next to you can happen while strolling around the arena, but Mac Court had a feel of closeness all its own.
Enough with the gushing about how this arena can be a place for generations of Duck fans to watch the green and yellow hang banners fill up the ceilings comfortably...Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were in Eugene, Oregon!!
I consider myself a fan of tennis, though I don't pay close attention to it like I do football or basketball. I can understand most of what's going on, but there's still a few things I haven't grabbed a hold of yet. Having said that, seeing Fed vs. Rafa is something every tennis fan wants to see. #1 vs. #2...in EUGENE OREGON!! It can't get much better than this, can it? Wait, Maria Sharapova is in the first match? Scratch that, it just got better. Beginning with entrances down the aisles of the lower levels for each of the athletes, complete with spotlights, flashing concert show lights and camera flashes, I knew this was going to be a special night.
My eyes were fixed on the court, in awe of the ability of all the players. "Wow" was my word of choice for the night. After a forehand winner down the line, a full extension return, a long rally, or an ace, it was my reaction. Wow. Toss in an "unreal" or "jeez" for an extra special winner or return and that was my vocabulary. I would have been a terrible commentator for this. Sharapova and Azarenka were in full "grunt/whatever noise its called" mode, making the match feel like it was more than an exhibition. Winner catching the line here, powerful forehand that went unreturned there.
What separates tennis from other sports is that at exhibition or charity events, the players really do put on a show for the fans. One idiot student thought he was really cool and decided to make a sign making fun of Sasha Vujacic, Sharapova's fiance, and his status as a bench warmer in the NBA. The chair umpire for the match, a Tennis Channel commentator, took advantage of his microphone power and got the loser some face time on KnightVision. Sharapova returned with a simple "Not anymore..." to this clown who thought he had someone gotten one up on Vujacic. He then flipped the sign over and wrote something not worth remembering in an attempt to make some sort of pointless recovery. Get over yourself, dude. Vujacic won the lottery when Sharapova said yes to his marriage proposal, and you're not the only one who was bummed to hear that news. And just like everyone who made a dumb sign, the clock hit 15 seconds and his fame bubble burst. Another guy made an awkward/hopefully fake marriage proposal to Victoria Azarenka, and was shot down by the event MC like a Dick Cheney hunting partner. Enough with the idiots, this event was about tennis at its best. And that's what it was once the men hit the court.
Entering the court to a standing ovation, there were Roger and Rafa. (I wanted someone to pinch me, but last time I asked a friend to do that, the mark was there days later) It was almost too good to be true seeing the two best tennis players in the world, 15 minutes from my house (in Oregon!!), and be in the building to see it. But it wasn't, and that's what made it so special. Seeing the trademark tweener shot by Club Fed, powerful serves, even more powerful returns, slice shot rallys that made the crowd laugh in awe because they went 10+ shots long, and the all around skill were something that seemed like these two tennis legends were video game creations. They were that good. Granted this wasn't for a major title, Federer and Nadal weren't emptying the tank trying to beat each other, but the skill that got them to the top of the tennis world was on display. I almost felt spoiled because this was my first professional tennis match I had attended, and here were Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal! (Repeating their names still doesn't do justice to the rarity of this matchup, but one more time for good measure can't hurt. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.)
Throw in a mic'd up mixed doubles match, complete with John McEnroe as the guest chair umpire to add to the Nike factor, along with Joey Harrington and Dennis Dixon as linesmen for the Oregon Duck factor, and the Nike Clash of the Champions was an event only tennis could put together. The NFL, NBA or MLB couldn't put an event of this caliber together without some serious appearance fee cash being thrown out to get big names to attend or fan voting. That is one of the many reasons tennis so special and unlike other sports. On match point in the mixed doubles match, Roger Federer started to mimic the pre-shot routine of McEnroe, which eventually led McEnroe to take the racquet and play the point himself. Federer took the chair, Johnny Mac served, and a light hearted rally included a tweener shot from McEnroe himself and ended with a drop shot winner from one of the legends of tennis. The NFL can't figure out how to split nine billion dollars but a 52 year old on a bad ankle can hit a tweener in a rally that gets returned by the number 2 ranked player in the world, and end it with a drop shot, all at an exhibition match in Eugene, Oregon. THAT is what makes tennis so great. It's not about money, but rather a love for the game.
Of course being a Nike event, Phil Knight took the mic. I love hearing Phil talk because the relationships he has with the athletes who wear the swoosh. He took some jokes from McEnroe and laughed along with them. Roger Federer spoke about Knight as more than the person who signs his checks, but as a friend. Uncle Phil truly cares about the athletes who represent Nike. He thanked all the players for participating in this event, knowing they had another ATP event only a few days away, and talked about how this event all came together, starting with calling Sharapova, the first player to commit, who agreed to participate before they hung up the phone.
The event ended in a way only the UO/Nike connection could create, with the Duck presenting each of the players, including McEnroe, with a personalized Oregon football jersey. They all donned their jerseys for a picture on the floor with Uncle Phil, and Sharapova and Federer even went as far as to make the Oregon "O" symbol with their hands, bringing the noise from sold out crowd up another level as they gave Knight and the players a standing ovation.
An event that only the University of Oregon and Nike have the capability to make possible.
Another to reason to love Nike, and love being a Duck. Thanks, Phil.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The Decision Behind "The Decision"
During winter break my Warriors and Rise With Us friends decided that it wasn't fun anymore to make fun of the fact that my team left for browner pastures in the land north of Texas. We came to the agreement that before the start of the 2010-11 NBA season I had to select a team to support in lieu of the departure of the Seattle SuperSonics. Right then I knew then there were only two teams in the running: the Miami Heat and New York Knicks. A few of teams were easy to eliminate: the Trail Blazers, (still rising, right Kenny? Oh well, better luck next year!!) Lakers, and Zombie Sonics for obvious reasons. The main factor in deciding which team to support was who Dwyane Wade would sign with. And yesterday, I notified my good friend Kenny of my intentions to put my full support behind the Miami Heat. His response went something like, "Good. Glad you finally picked a team." No "I can't believe you picked the Heat! What a frontrunner!" talk. Just a simple response.
The Knicks were in the running for the aura of MSG and David Lee. I'm a big fan of his, and hope he doesn't have any dropoff now that he's going to be a Golden State Warrior. Those who saw my last column know that Chris Bosh wasn't who I wanted for the Heat, but I'm not gonna complain. And for those who think this decision was made solely because of #6's decision to join the party down in South Beach is wrong, his announcement only sweetens the pot.
My second biggest regret (leaps and bounds behind the top regret, which I will always live with) is the decision last week to not seriously make a pursuit for Heat season tickets with another good friend of mine, Rob. Last Monday after class I was scanning the very fan-friendly Heat SeatPick on the Miami Heat site and found two seats 10 rows from the floor, on the aisle behind the visitor's bench. $4472 a piece. Earlier today, MSNBC's Darren Rovell tweeted that 15 straight calls regarding Heat season tickets went to voicemail. To think I could have had Heat season tix...
And a message to those who question my fandom, I suggest taking a look at this. I'm not going into this half-assed. Blast me all you want about how think I'm a frontrunner, a bandwagon fan, or whatever else you wanna call me. But look at that video and realize that I clearly don't care about your attempts to get in my head. I still take shit from people about the Sonics. Yeah, I know they were stolen and we don't have a team. I'll laugh along when you tag me in pictures of KeyArena with funny captions about how the Sonics used to play there because, yeah, it's laughable how a team can literally be bought thanks to inept leadership with muscles like Steve Urkel. But you know what, in the words of Vince Vaughn from Wedding Crashers, "I don't give a baker's"...well, you know the rest. The Heat are my team, and based on how things are going, or really aren't, in the process of putting a SuperSonics team back on the KeyArena floor, they're going to be my team for awhile.
See you for Larry O'Brien Trophy in June, Lakers. Go, Heat!
The Knicks were in the running for the aura of MSG and David Lee. I'm a big fan of his, and hope he doesn't have any dropoff now that he's going to be a Golden State Warrior. Those who saw my last column know that Chris Bosh wasn't who I wanted for the Heat, but I'm not gonna complain. And for those who think this decision was made solely because of #6's decision to join the party down in South Beach is wrong, his announcement only sweetens the pot.
My second biggest regret (leaps and bounds behind the top regret, which I will always live with) is the decision last week to not seriously make a pursuit for Heat season tickets with another good friend of mine, Rob. Last Monday after class I was scanning the very fan-friendly Heat SeatPick on the Miami Heat site and found two seats 10 rows from the floor, on the aisle behind the visitor's bench. $4472 a piece. Earlier today, MSNBC's Darren Rovell tweeted that 15 straight calls regarding Heat season tickets went to voicemail. To think I could have had Heat season tix...
And a message to those who question my fandom, I suggest taking a look at this. I'm not going into this half-assed. Blast me all you want about how think I'm a frontrunner, a bandwagon fan, or whatever else you wanna call me. But look at that video and realize that I clearly don't care about your attempts to get in my head. I still take shit from people about the Sonics. Yeah, I know they were stolen and we don't have a team. I'll laugh along when you tag me in pictures of KeyArena with funny captions about how the Sonics used to play there because, yeah, it's laughable how a team can literally be bought thanks to inept leadership with muscles like Steve Urkel. But you know what, in the words of Vince Vaughn from Wedding Crashers, "I don't give a baker's"...well, you know the rest. The Heat are my team, and based on how things are going, or really aren't, in the process of putting a SuperSonics team back on the KeyArena floor, they're going to be my team for awhile.
See you for Larry O'Brien Trophy in June, Lakers. Go, Heat!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The No Brains Association
I love the NBA. The wierdest part is that my love for the NBA grew stronger just as I was picking a team to follow, and those who know me continue to remind me of how that went. (At least my team didn't pick Greg Oden #1 overall!! Now I do feel sorry for Oden, just as I feel sorry for Sam Bowie. I just don't feel bad for the people who try to fire jabs at me with the cliche "Where does your team play?" or "My team still exists" lines. My team didn't pass on greatness...twice! Still rising though, right Kenny? Better luck next year!!)
The greatest part of all this is after last winter when I declared myself an NBA free agent fan, I took a good hard look at every team in order to make the correct decision in selecting a team for the right reasons. A few were easy choices to quickly eliminate, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, although having been to Staples Center to see the spectacle that is a Los Angeles Lakers game was quite a sight. Other easy teams to eliminate from contention were the Portland Trail Blazers, who seem think that they're contenders every year while not getting anywhere in the playoffs and making more trades than the NYSE on an off day, the Team Formerly Known as the Seattle SuperSonics, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Boston Celtics.
A few teams caught my attention, and have had my eye fixed on them for since declaring to opt out of being a Sonics fan (temporarily of course, until the SuperSonics return to their rightful home, KeyArena) and find a new team to follow. Call me cheap, but my team got robbed for 40 million dollars thanks to inept public leadership at every level, a coffee-crazed owner who now likely wears a paper bag whenever he sets foot outside to avoid being stoned by angry Supes fans, a soulless creature who married into wealth and partnered with another man who lost his wealth to the extent that he had to sell a majority of his wine collection (pause for laughter...still pausing...ok that's enough for now. Karma's a bitch, ain't it?) and a commissioner who was so buddy-buddy with the heartless creature that he would do a complete 180 degree turn just to please him. So unless you feel the same way as me, I care about what you say to me about losing my team as much as Lindsay Lohan cares about getting clean.
Whew, now that I got that off my chest, the teams that caught my eye were the Knicks, Heat, and in the back of my mind if the team LeBron eventually chooses look appealing, then I'll throw them into consideration as well. Each team has a star player that I like, (David Lee and Dwyane Wade) play in arenas I think are pretty sweet, (MSG and American Airlines Arena) significant cap room to make moves that can turn them into contenders and fun to watch again, and have cities that aren't at the bottom of the list of many people's travel lists. (compared to, say, Detroit, Milwaukee, Charlotte, or that dreaded city in the state north of Texas)
Right now the Heat are the frontrunners to sign me as their newest fan, but with all this free agency talk and "sources" reporting various developments in this swarm of activity, anticipation, and eventually a feeling of hope and renewed confidence, I'm gonna be a Heat fan right now and make my case for what my potential new team needs to do in order to return to the championship form they somehow reached in 2006.
First off, kudos to Dwyane Wade for playing both sides of the line by recruiting other top free agents to come and join him in Miami for the next 5-6 years and build a potential dynasty while listening to offers from other teams because he is a free agent himself. Not many players in his position would be willing to talk to other players at the All-NBA level to come play with them, siding for the continued spotlight grabbing and ability to make max contract dollars.
Obviously the Heat are making the right decision in pursuing LeBron along with their pitch to bring Dwayne back to the table and sign a new contract, but I don't see Chris Bosh as the third piece in their desired 3 headed monster. Amar'e Stoudamire is the ideal power forward whose style can exist with the potential combo of LeBron and Dwayne. When I think of Chris Bosh, I picture elbow jumpers and a lack of strength in the paint on a team that was put together with him as the focus. Amar'e is what the Heat should be looking for as a frontcourt phenom to compliment James and Wade. He can obviously run the pick and roll, is able to finish with strength at the rim, protect the paint with his shot blocking ability, and I know his defense isn't one of his more polished skills, which could become a concern in the playoffs with centers like Dwight Howard and Al Horford lying in waiting, it isn't enough to turn a series in the opposition's favor. The majority of his game is inside the paint, which allows James and Wade to create and attack from the outside, kick out and hit a slashing Amar'e in the paint if necessary. He can also rebound offensively and convert second chances, granted James or Wade don't make highlight putback dunks themselves. He is enough of a big man that he won't step on LeBron or Dwayne's toes outside the paint, but is mobile and enough of an athlete to add a pick and roll aspect to make a freakish Amar'e-Dwyane-LeBron power 3 that can instantly be included in the championship picture. (I will continue with my plan for rebuilding the Heat in a bit)
In NYC, with the best players in college, often in hideous attire, who have talent that is also often not up to par but after looking around at the rest of the guys probably thought "Wow, these are the best guys? Hell, if I can play better than those guys and they're projected to be lottery picks and make millions instantly, I've gotta declare too!" combined with GMs that are such idiots and pay WAY too much attention to whatever Bristol says about their wingspan or other "skills and abilities" that make them too good to pass up, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the NBA Draft!! Filled with the awkwardness of David Stern, Jay Bilas' embarrassingly-inflated ego, two of the few NBA personalities that have a brain in Jeff Van Gundy and Jon Barry, and a second round where the headliner is NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, who smiled in amusement whenever the fans who were drunk but not drunk enough to be shown the door shouted "Sex-y Sil-ver!" as he stepped to the podium to announce the next pick and numerous trades. One, er, two things in particular stood out from that night:
- Stuart Scott and Jay Bilas. Stu was trying to be all hip and cool by wowing us with his extensive knowledge about these guys, reading cards about every draft pick with notes that were probably put together by unpaid interns who spent many sleepless nights putting them together, but ended up boring us. Maybe read over the cards and pick one every few picks next time, k Stu? Scott also seemed to have a stick up his ass during the draft, criticizing players like he was good enough to match their athletic achievements. The example of this that stood out the most for me was him brushing off Jordan Crawford's "kinda sorta/I guess we'll call it a dunk" on LeBron after he got drafted, by saying that the dunk wasn't very impressive and said everybody gets dunked on so it wasn't much of anything. Um, Stu, if the dunk wasn't such a big deal then why was it confiscated and turn into such a big story if it wasn't such a big deal? And how dare you take a moment like that away from Jordan Crawford! Here's a kid who until that dunk was a virtually unknown college player dunking on LEBRON JAMES!!!!
Jay Bilas was equally embarrassing during the draft. (side Q: why doesn't Bristol have a dedicated draft guy for the NBA like Mel Kiper, Jr. is for the NFL? It's embarrassing that they have someone with such extensive knowledge of the NFL for draft coverage but put virtually no effort into the NBA) I don't need to know everybody's wingspan or hear how they "really want to win." If a guy has freakishly long arms, then tell me. If not, dont bore me with your goo-goo ga-ga love for wingspans. And no duh guys really wanna win.
And now back to my Heat GM thought process. The ideal team is built like the Lakers with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Amar'e Stoudamire on the roster, and a mix of guys who know their strengths and how to contribute to a championship-caliber team. These guys, who are also free agents as of right now, include: Nate Robinson, Louis Amundson, Juwan Howard, Brendan Haywood, Steve Blake, and Luke Ridnour. With Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers on the roster as well, how about someone fire up the trade machine and try to wrangle Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks out of Houston for Beasley, Chalmers, and a future #1? That would be a big stretch, considering Daryl Morey is one of the few GMs in the league who actually has a brain and makes smart personnal decisions, but it's worth a try, right? Also, guys to try and work for who will be free agents in 2011 are Joakim Noah, Darren Collison, Aaron Brooks (should the trade somehow not work) and Joel Przybilla. Realistic? Some of these ideas, yes. Goals that would take some considerable time and effort? Also a definite yes. But its not out of the picture, considering Drew Gooden is likely going to play for his ninth, yes that's right, NINTH NBA team for a very confusing and large amount of $32 million over 5 years, and Darko Milicic will be making $20 million for Milwaukee. (David Kahn is somewhere thinking, why didn't I think of signing those guys for that much???) But I guess that's just how things work, in the No Brains Association.
The greatest part of all this is after last winter when I declared myself an NBA free agent fan, I took a good hard look at every team in order to make the correct decision in selecting a team for the right reasons. A few were easy choices to quickly eliminate, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, although having been to Staples Center to see the spectacle that is a Los Angeles Lakers game was quite a sight. Other easy teams to eliminate from contention were the Portland Trail Blazers, who seem think that they're contenders every year while not getting anywhere in the playoffs and making more trades than the NYSE on an off day, the Team Formerly Known as the Seattle SuperSonics, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Boston Celtics.
A few teams caught my attention, and have had my eye fixed on them for since declaring to opt out of being a Sonics fan (temporarily of course, until the SuperSonics return to their rightful home, KeyArena) and find a new team to follow. Call me cheap, but my team got robbed for 40 million dollars thanks to inept public leadership at every level, a coffee-crazed owner who now likely wears a paper bag whenever he sets foot outside to avoid being stoned by angry Supes fans, a soulless creature who married into wealth and partnered with another man who lost his wealth to the extent that he had to sell a majority of his wine collection (pause for laughter...still pausing...ok that's enough for now. Karma's a bitch, ain't it?) and a commissioner who was so buddy-buddy with the heartless creature that he would do a complete 180 degree turn just to please him. So unless you feel the same way as me, I care about what you say to me about losing my team as much as Lindsay Lohan cares about getting clean.
Whew, now that I got that off my chest, the teams that caught my eye were the Knicks, Heat, and in the back of my mind if the team LeBron eventually chooses look appealing, then I'll throw them into consideration as well. Each team has a star player that I like, (David Lee and Dwyane Wade) play in arenas I think are pretty sweet, (MSG and American Airlines Arena) significant cap room to make moves that can turn them into contenders and fun to watch again, and have cities that aren't at the bottom of the list of many people's travel lists. (compared to, say, Detroit, Milwaukee, Charlotte, or that dreaded city in the state north of Texas)
Right now the Heat are the frontrunners to sign me as their newest fan, but with all this free agency talk and "sources" reporting various developments in this swarm of activity, anticipation, and eventually a feeling of hope and renewed confidence, I'm gonna be a Heat fan right now and make my case for what my potential new team needs to do in order to return to the championship form they somehow reached in 2006.
First off, kudos to Dwyane Wade for playing both sides of the line by recruiting other top free agents to come and join him in Miami for the next 5-6 years and build a potential dynasty while listening to offers from other teams because he is a free agent himself. Not many players in his position would be willing to talk to other players at the All-NBA level to come play with them, siding for the continued spotlight grabbing and ability to make max contract dollars.
Obviously the Heat are making the right decision in pursuing LeBron along with their pitch to bring Dwayne back to the table and sign a new contract, but I don't see Chris Bosh as the third piece in their desired 3 headed monster. Amar'e Stoudamire is the ideal power forward whose style can exist with the potential combo of LeBron and Dwayne. When I think of Chris Bosh, I picture elbow jumpers and a lack of strength in the paint on a team that was put together with him as the focus. Amar'e is what the Heat should be looking for as a frontcourt phenom to compliment James and Wade. He can obviously run the pick and roll, is able to finish with strength at the rim, protect the paint with his shot blocking ability, and I know his defense isn't one of his more polished skills, which could become a concern in the playoffs with centers like Dwight Howard and Al Horford lying in waiting, it isn't enough to turn a series in the opposition's favor. The majority of his game is inside the paint, which allows James and Wade to create and attack from the outside, kick out and hit a slashing Amar'e in the paint if necessary. He can also rebound offensively and convert second chances, granted James or Wade don't make highlight putback dunks themselves. He is enough of a big man that he won't step on LeBron or Dwayne's toes outside the paint, but is mobile and enough of an athlete to add a pick and roll aspect to make a freakish Amar'e-Dwyane-LeBron power 3 that can instantly be included in the championship picture. (I will continue with my plan for rebuilding the Heat in a bit)
In NYC, with the best players in college, often in hideous attire, who have talent that is also often not up to par but after looking around at the rest of the guys probably thought "Wow, these are the best guys? Hell, if I can play better than those guys and they're projected to be lottery picks and make millions instantly, I've gotta declare too!" combined with GMs that are such idiots and pay WAY too much attention to whatever Bristol says about their wingspan or other "skills and abilities" that make them too good to pass up, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the NBA Draft!! Filled with the awkwardness of David Stern, Jay Bilas' embarrassingly-inflated ego, two of the few NBA personalities that have a brain in Jeff Van Gundy and Jon Barry, and a second round where the headliner is NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, who smiled in amusement whenever the fans who were drunk but not drunk enough to be shown the door shouted "Sex-y Sil-ver!" as he stepped to the podium to announce the next pick and numerous trades. One, er, two things in particular stood out from that night:
- Stuart Scott and Jay Bilas. Stu was trying to be all hip and cool by wowing us with his extensive knowledge about these guys, reading cards about every draft pick with notes that were probably put together by unpaid interns who spent many sleepless nights putting them together, but ended up boring us. Maybe read over the cards and pick one every few picks next time, k Stu? Scott also seemed to have a stick up his ass during the draft, criticizing players like he was good enough to match their athletic achievements. The example of this that stood out the most for me was him brushing off Jordan Crawford's "kinda sorta/I guess we'll call it a dunk" on LeBron after he got drafted, by saying that the dunk wasn't very impressive and said everybody gets dunked on so it wasn't much of anything. Um, Stu, if the dunk wasn't such a big deal then why was it confiscated and turn into such a big story if it wasn't such a big deal? And how dare you take a moment like that away from Jordan Crawford! Here's a kid who until that dunk was a virtually unknown college player dunking on LEBRON JAMES!!!!
Jay Bilas was equally embarrassing during the draft. (side Q: why doesn't Bristol have a dedicated draft guy for the NBA like Mel Kiper, Jr. is for the NFL? It's embarrassing that they have someone with such extensive knowledge of the NFL for draft coverage but put virtually no effort into the NBA) I don't need to know everybody's wingspan or hear how they "really want to win." If a guy has freakishly long arms, then tell me. If not, dont bore me with your goo-goo ga-ga love for wingspans. And no duh guys really wanna win.
And now back to my Heat GM thought process. The ideal team is built like the Lakers with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Amar'e Stoudamire on the roster, and a mix of guys who know their strengths and how to contribute to a championship-caliber team. These guys, who are also free agents as of right now, include: Nate Robinson, Louis Amundson, Juwan Howard, Brendan Haywood, Steve Blake, and Luke Ridnour. With Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers on the roster as well, how about someone fire up the trade machine and try to wrangle Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks out of Houston for Beasley, Chalmers, and a future #1? That would be a big stretch, considering Daryl Morey is one of the few GMs in the league who actually has a brain and makes smart personnal decisions, but it's worth a try, right? Also, guys to try and work for who will be free agents in 2011 are Joakim Noah, Darren Collison, Aaron Brooks (should the trade somehow not work) and Joel Przybilla. Realistic? Some of these ideas, yes. Goals that would take some considerable time and effort? Also a definite yes. But its not out of the picture, considering Drew Gooden is likely going to play for his ninth, yes that's right, NINTH NBA team for a very confusing and large amount of $32 million over 5 years, and Darko Milicic will be making $20 million for Milwaukee. (David Kahn is somewhere thinking, why didn't I think of signing those guys for that much???) But I guess that's just how things work, in the No Brains Association.
Friday, June 4, 2010
My, Oh My
He was my favorite player growing up. I wanted to bat left handed so I could have that same sweet swing he did. I remember turning up the radio so I could hear his at bats, sitting and staring at the tv when he stepped into the box because he was just that cool, and that damn good. He was so big a candy bar was named after him, video games had his name on it, he had his own signature shoe, commercials promoting him as a Presidential candidate, (ok, so maybe he wasn't ACTUALLY gonna run, but still, how many athletes today would be put into a commercial as a Presidential candidate?) his own logo capturing his legendary swing in a perfect illustration, combining the smooth and powerful stroke that brought so many fans to their feet, all topped by a smile and childhood behavior that made his accomplishments and head-turning, eye-popping, and speechless plays something to marvel at. Christened as the man who would break one of the most sacred records in sports, he was supposed to be among the greatest to ever play, and when it was all said and done, he was. We got the greatest effort he could give, which was just the way he wanted to do it, and what he'll be remembered for. He was my childhood hero, the man who saved baseball in Seattle, the greatest athlete from any sport I have ever seen play in person.
Doing it all in a time when seemingly every single player was in question, bringing up his name was considered laughable. He was the ideal team player, giving up his body to make the catch, coming through in the clutch at the plate, and doing it all while staying humble and deflecting the spotlight from himself. His unfortunate string of injuries robbed baseball of something special, but he continued to work back from injuries and give to the game everything he had. His swing, once able to launch home runs into the upper deck at the Kingdome, had diminished. His speed was lost as the number of surgeries he underwent grew. His fielding range had been eliminated, as he shifted to the designated hitter position. But his childhood attitude never faded. On the top step of the dugout he was always looking around at the fans, many of them having come to the ballpark just to see #24. He would joke with them, laughing and enjoying a fan-player interaction that is rare in today's age of big business of sports. His approach to the on deck circle brought a heightened buzz of energy to those in attendance.
Being born only months after he was drafted, I literally grew up with him, which makes his retirement so sad because not only does it mark the end of a first ballot Hall of Fame career, but it also unofficially brings a close to my own childhood. Gone are the days of the sweet swing that made the Kingdome light up with fireworks after each monstrous blast. Say so long to the wall climbs that brought back home runs, the diving catches that were quickly followed by "Did he just do that?!" No more Hip Hop Horray, his hat turned backwards at the Home Run Derby, or that funny commercial with him literally everywhere on the field that displayed his personality so well.(link here) He changed the position, changed baseball, and changed the lives of millions, including mine. With his retirement, I can only smile with the same happiness he was always seen with, because looking back what he did, that's all I can do. Just smile. So for doing it the best way, the right way - the only way - I say thank you George Kenneth Griffey, Junior. You always did, and will continue to, bring out the kid in everybody.
Doing it all in a time when seemingly every single player was in question, bringing up his name was considered laughable. He was the ideal team player, giving up his body to make the catch, coming through in the clutch at the plate, and doing it all while staying humble and deflecting the spotlight from himself. His unfortunate string of injuries robbed baseball of something special, but he continued to work back from injuries and give to the game everything he had. His swing, once able to launch home runs into the upper deck at the Kingdome, had diminished. His speed was lost as the number of surgeries he underwent grew. His fielding range had been eliminated, as he shifted to the designated hitter position. But his childhood attitude never faded. On the top step of the dugout he was always looking around at the fans, many of them having come to the ballpark just to see #24. He would joke with them, laughing and enjoying a fan-player interaction that is rare in today's age of big business of sports. His approach to the on deck circle brought a heightened buzz of energy to those in attendance.
Being born only months after he was drafted, I literally grew up with him, which makes his retirement so sad because not only does it mark the end of a first ballot Hall of Fame career, but it also unofficially brings a close to my own childhood. Gone are the days of the sweet swing that made the Kingdome light up with fireworks after each monstrous blast. Say so long to the wall climbs that brought back home runs, the diving catches that were quickly followed by "Did he just do that?!" No more Hip Hop Horray, his hat turned backwards at the Home Run Derby, or that funny commercial with him literally everywhere on the field that displayed his personality so well.(link here) He changed the position, changed baseball, and changed the lives of millions, including mine. With his retirement, I can only smile with the same happiness he was always seen with, because looking back what he did, that's all I can do. Just smile. So for doing it the best way, the right way - the only way - I say thank you George Kenneth Griffey, Junior. You always did, and will continue to, bring out the kid in everybody.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
From Spain, with no love
A team that is looking to rebuild. An 18 year old with an ego. A family that is looking to get what they want. Ahh yes, the Ricky Rubio situation is one with some serious problems.
Who is Ricky Rubio to say where he wants to play in the NBA? He's 18, been playing pro since age 14, but in Europe, not in the states. Sure, he seems to have the skill set to be a significant contributor in the Association, but he has no basis to be demanding where he wants to play. Sorry mom and dad, but you can't be hovering over your son's shoulders and be making demands as to where you want him to play. I'm sure every parent has their preferences of where their want their children to play, should their athletic career reach that level, but to take these demands public and claim that other European teams are making offers is out of line.
This is the NBA. This is the highest level of basketball in the world. This is not a league where rookies can make demands about where they want to play. This is a league that is bigger than Ricky Rubio, and the Rubio family needs to figure that out.
But the biggest question out of all this is if Bill Simmons were the GM of the T'Wolves, would this be happening?
Who is Ricky Rubio to say where he wants to play in the NBA? He's 18, been playing pro since age 14, but in Europe, not in the states. Sure, he seems to have the skill set to be a significant contributor in the Association, but he has no basis to be demanding where he wants to play. Sorry mom and dad, but you can't be hovering over your son's shoulders and be making demands as to where you want him to play. I'm sure every parent has their preferences of where their want their children to play, should their athletic career reach that level, but to take these demands public and claim that other European teams are making offers is out of line.
This is the NBA. This is the highest level of basketball in the world. This is not a league where rookies can make demands about where they want to play. This is a league that is bigger than Ricky Rubio, and the Rubio family needs to figure that out.
But the biggest question out of all this is if Bill Simmons were the GM of the T'Wolves, would this be happening?
Friday, May 1, 2009
Pacquiao/Hatton Prediction
Ok, so after watching all four episodes the award-winning 24/7 series on HBO, the post 24/7 Overtime interview with the trainers online, the fighter's words during the press conference and the entire weigh-in, it's time to give an evaluation and prediction on the Junior Welterweight title bout between The People's Champ and pound for pound #1 boxer in the world, Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao and the blue collar Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Title holder Ricky "Hit Man" Hatton.
24/7 offered alot of insight into the preparation of each fighter, but one fighter seemed to show HBO more action than the other. The Manny Pacquiao camp, which once again called the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Los Angeles its home, allowed its sparring sessions to be filmed for the entire camp. Manny's speed looked ferociously quick, his combinations were very crisp and the Pac Man ended one of his sparring sessions shorts with a swift blow to the body of his opponent. Pacquiao looked very good in his workouts inside the ring while his trainer, Freddie Roach, considered by many in the boxing community the best in the industry today, held the mitts in solo workouts. His handspeed did not seem to drop much, if at all, during his sparring, which hopefully for Pacquiao's case will carry over to Saturday night.
Ricky Hatton did not have his sparring sessions televised until the final episode, and did not seem to throw as many punches as Pacquiao during his sparring, but used more of a "feel it out" kind of approach to his lone sparring session that was shown. The HBO crews did, however, focus on Hatton's rigorious jogging workouts, which included workouts twice a week at almost 12,000 feet at Mount Charleston outside Las Vegas. His workouts with Floyd Mayweather, Sr. were very good, with long, quick combinations. The only question TST saw with Hatton was the number of punches he threw during his sparring compared to Pacquiao's.
Advantage: Pacquiao. His handspeed looks to be too much for Hatton, although maybe the lack of film for Hatton will turn into a benefit, by not allowing Team Pacquiao to see what he has in store for Pac. Playing headgames with a camera in front of him? Sounds like Floyd Joy.
The weigh-in was conducted without any physical altercations or verbal attacks, which makes it seem like this fight is more of a cash grab for both sides rather than a bad blood matchup. Pacquiao came in at 138 pounds, with Hatton tipping the scale at 140. During the staredown Hatton's height advantage was evident, but it shouldn't be anything to look into as an advantage for the Hit Man. The only thing TST took out of the weigh-in was the H-U-G-E Hatton following that made the journey to Sin City, booing Pacquiao and going into raucous cheering at anything Hit Man. Tough to know how many Hatton followers will make the journey all the way thru the gates and into the MGM Grand Garden Arena, but Team Hatton came brought the masses to Vegas once again.
Advantage: Hatton. His fan following is the best in boxing. They can be heard at all his fights, although TST would like to see what it would be like if The People's Champ could bring numbers like that from the much poorer Phillipines. Nonetheless, Hatton takes the crown for loudest and largest fan following in boxing, and expect a majority of those inside the Garden Arena to be in the Hit Man's corner.
They may be bumped to the undercard before the fighters they have trained step into the ring on May 2 because of their recent back-and-forth war of words, which have provided the only verbal jabs leading up to the fight. Known for his poetic predictions and generally flamboyant and loud personality, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., Hatton's trainer, is one of the most entertaining individuals in boxing today. Normally soft-spoken and reserved, Freddie Roach, long-time Pacquiao trainer, comes across as having a quiet and calm confidence. Both were former fighters, both are now trainers that are considered two of the best in the sport today. Both suffer from some sort of physical condition; for Roach it is Parkinson's, likely the result from his days as a fighter, and Mayweather suffers from Sarcoidosis, a condition most commonly found in the lungs that causes Floyd Joy to cough frequently. Both are taking the necessary means to minimize the disease's impact, but they are seen at times. On hbo.com, Jim Lampley hosted "Overtime," an interview with both trainers to follow the airing of the final 24/7 episode, which had the best verbal sparring of the entire build up to the fight. Roach commented on how Mayweather's frequent references to him as "cockroach" got under his skin, and had some words following the interview after being called "soft." Roach unleasehed a flurry of verbal body shots that seemed to have bene built up over a period of time, sending Mayweather to the canvas of the verbal ring, and stepped out of the actual ring, where the interview had taken place moments earlier.
Advantage: Pacquiao. His long term relationship with Roach is a bond that extends beyond the ropes, and the rumors of tension in the Hatton camp have raised eyebrows among those following the fight. It seems as though Joy is making this fight more about him than his fighter, something that Roach commented on during the Lampley interview. The quiet confidence of Roach was also evident during the interview, as he took the stage to unleash the best verbal punch to Mayweather, who had been poetically procliaming victory for Hatton and calling Pacquiao a "mule" to the "Italian Stallion" of Hatton. Roach's professionalism was also on display during 24/7, leading the tight Pacquiao camp by clearing out the Wild Card Gym of all unnecessary persons during Pacqiuao's sometimes crowded training sessions to eliminate potential distractions.
So after watching hours of coverage of the fight, who does The Shooter's Take have wearing the Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Title belt out of the MGM Grand Garden Arena on the Las Vegas Strip on May 2? Continuting his dominance across yet another weightclass, Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao will be too fast and too efficient for Ricky "Hit Man" Hatton, and will retain his title as boxing's pound for pound best fighter and take the Ring Magazine belt as well, with a TKO in the 10th round, expanding the legendary status of The People's Champ.
24/7 offered alot of insight into the preparation of each fighter, but one fighter seemed to show HBO more action than the other. The Manny Pacquiao camp, which once again called the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Los Angeles its home, allowed its sparring sessions to be filmed for the entire camp. Manny's speed looked ferociously quick, his combinations were very crisp and the Pac Man ended one of his sparring sessions shorts with a swift blow to the body of his opponent. Pacquiao looked very good in his workouts inside the ring while his trainer, Freddie Roach, considered by many in the boxing community the best in the industry today, held the mitts in solo workouts. His handspeed did not seem to drop much, if at all, during his sparring, which hopefully for Pacquiao's case will carry over to Saturday night.
Ricky Hatton did not have his sparring sessions televised until the final episode, and did not seem to throw as many punches as Pacquiao during his sparring, but used more of a "feel it out" kind of approach to his lone sparring session that was shown. The HBO crews did, however, focus on Hatton's rigorious jogging workouts, which included workouts twice a week at almost 12,000 feet at Mount Charleston outside Las Vegas. His workouts with Floyd Mayweather, Sr. were very good, with long, quick combinations. The only question TST saw with Hatton was the number of punches he threw during his sparring compared to Pacquiao's.
Advantage: Pacquiao. His handspeed looks to be too much for Hatton, although maybe the lack of film for Hatton will turn into a benefit, by not allowing Team Pacquiao to see what he has in store for Pac. Playing headgames with a camera in front of him? Sounds like Floyd Joy.
The weigh-in was conducted without any physical altercations or verbal attacks, which makes it seem like this fight is more of a cash grab for both sides rather than a bad blood matchup. Pacquiao came in at 138 pounds, with Hatton tipping the scale at 140. During the staredown Hatton's height advantage was evident, but it shouldn't be anything to look into as an advantage for the Hit Man. The only thing TST took out of the weigh-in was the H-U-G-E Hatton following that made the journey to Sin City, booing Pacquiao and going into raucous cheering at anything Hit Man. Tough to know how many Hatton followers will make the journey all the way thru the gates and into the MGM Grand Garden Arena, but Team Hatton came brought the masses to Vegas once again.
Advantage: Hatton. His fan following is the best in boxing. They can be heard at all his fights, although TST would like to see what it would be like if The People's Champ could bring numbers like that from the much poorer Phillipines. Nonetheless, Hatton takes the crown for loudest and largest fan following in boxing, and expect a majority of those inside the Garden Arena to be in the Hit Man's corner.
They may be bumped to the undercard before the fighters they have trained step into the ring on May 2 because of their recent back-and-forth war of words, which have provided the only verbal jabs leading up to the fight. Known for his poetic predictions and generally flamboyant and loud personality, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., Hatton's trainer, is one of the most entertaining individuals in boxing today. Normally soft-spoken and reserved, Freddie Roach, long-time Pacquiao trainer, comes across as having a quiet and calm confidence. Both were former fighters, both are now trainers that are considered two of the best in the sport today. Both suffer from some sort of physical condition; for Roach it is Parkinson's, likely the result from his days as a fighter, and Mayweather suffers from Sarcoidosis, a condition most commonly found in the lungs that causes Floyd Joy to cough frequently. Both are taking the necessary means to minimize the disease's impact, but they are seen at times. On hbo.com, Jim Lampley hosted "Overtime," an interview with both trainers to follow the airing of the final 24/7 episode, which had the best verbal sparring of the entire build up to the fight. Roach commented on how Mayweather's frequent references to him as "cockroach" got under his skin, and had some words following the interview after being called "soft." Roach unleasehed a flurry of verbal body shots that seemed to have bene built up over a period of time, sending Mayweather to the canvas of the verbal ring, and stepped out of the actual ring, where the interview had taken place moments earlier.
Advantage: Pacquiao. His long term relationship with Roach is a bond that extends beyond the ropes, and the rumors of tension in the Hatton camp have raised eyebrows among those following the fight. It seems as though Joy is making this fight more about him than his fighter, something that Roach commented on during the Lampley interview. The quiet confidence of Roach was also evident during the interview, as he took the stage to unleash the best verbal punch to Mayweather, who had been poetically procliaming victory for Hatton and calling Pacquiao a "mule" to the "Italian Stallion" of Hatton. Roach's professionalism was also on display during 24/7, leading the tight Pacquiao camp by clearing out the Wild Card Gym of all unnecessary persons during Pacqiuao's sometimes crowded training sessions to eliminate potential distractions.
So after watching hours of coverage of the fight, who does The Shooter's Take have wearing the Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Title belt out of the MGM Grand Garden Arena on the Las Vegas Strip on May 2? Continuting his dominance across yet another weightclass, Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao will be too fast and too efficient for Ricky "Hit Man" Hatton, and will retain his title as boxing's pound for pound best fighter and take the Ring Magazine belt as well, with a TKO in the 10th round, expanding the legendary status of The People's Champ.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
With the #4 Pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select....
This may be the most influential pick in the early part of the draft, and could cause a domino effect of numerous potential pick swaps and trades. The early word out of the 206 was a no brainer: Michael Crabtree, but that was months ago, and the 'Hawks have made some improvements in their receiving corps in the meantime, holding TJ Houshmandzadeh's Rolex hostage while he visited Minnesota, only to have him return to the PNW and sign a contract with Seattle, and subsequently get his watch back.
Later there was talk that Seattle should take the man that is safer than a water landing in the Hudson: Aaron Curry. Many draft gurus (I refuse to call them experts because being an expert in the draft field is impossible) have tagged Curry with the "safest pick" title, which isn't really a bad thing. No major off the field issues, consistent, talented, and NFL-ready, a good set of attributes to have when being selected by your future employer on national television, then signing an eight figure contract to work for them. But recently Scott Pioli and the Kansas City Chiefs have been the team that most are projecting to select the linebacker from Wake Forest.
While Curry and Crabtree are two seemingly can't miss prospects, The Shooter's Take has the Seattle Seahawks selecting University of Southern California Quarterback Mark Sanchez with the fourth pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. While the hype for Sanchez has been as thick as Los Angeles smog during a dry summer, get through all of it and Sanchez is much like the City of Angels itself: as good as advertised.
The Mission Viejo, California native caught the attention of the nation with his week one performance against Virginia, making accurate throws all around the field. His signature toss from the game, a 49 touchdown strike to Ronald Johnson, was one of many throws that Sanchez made to solidify himself early as one of the elite quarterbacks in the 2008 collegiate ranks. His accuracy and arm strength make him a can't miss in the pros. He isn't a complete pocket passer, and showed some speed and elusiveness during the season, which is a good sign that he won't be the prototypical "cinder blocks for feet" quarterback a la Byron Leftwich and Kurt Warner. The knack on him is that he lacks the experience to make a smooth adjustment to the pro ranks, which TST is not buying. He seemed to handle one of the most scrutinized positions in college football with ease, and finished it off by dismantling Penn State in a showcase game for NFL scouts. Take that, doubters.
Sorry, Eugene Monroe, but having the opportunity to draft the next franchise quarterback is a little higher on the priority list than finding the man who gets the task of filling first ballot Hall of Famer Walter Jones' big cleats. Seneca Wallace is probably going to be a career second stringer, as sad as that is to say. Maybe a converted receiver for the trick plays (TST refuses to call them gadget plays, one of those recent NFL buzz words, along with OTA, short for Offseason Team Activities, which TST didn't know existed until NFL Live drove that word into the ground)? Who knows, but I don't think he's the future of Seattle quarterbacking.
Apparently Sanchez isn't highly coveted in the 206, as their loyalty to Hasselbeck is quite strong. Not to bash or speak derogatorily to the area I hope to call home one day, but at some point Hasselbeck isn't going to be under center, and it is in the near future, my guess being less than three years away. And with a large amount of uncertainty regarding the heir to Hasselbeck, solidifying that position should be a top priority. While Crabtree would be the alternative to selecting at #4.
Ahh...but you thought The Shooter's Take was done?? So wrong!
Another option has Seattle trading picks with the Washington Redskins, who have the #13 pick, which covets because of the opportunity to select Sanchez themselves. Should the 'Hawks drop down to #13, TST has a few names in mind.
Brian Orakpo. His size makes him a good fit to anchor the defensive line with last year's first round pick Lawrence Jackson, or to move out to linebacker, similar to DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys.
Malcolm Jenkins. Giving a sidekick to Marcus Trufant could change a team's passing scheme against Seattle, and Jenkins could do that. He would also replace the subpar performance of Kelly Jennings, something that Seattle fans have been looking for.
Many have Knowshon Moreno as the top back in the draft, but should Seattle trade down to #13, TST does not want to see Moreno in 'Hawk blue, and hasn't bought a ticket for the Moreno train. An average of 64 yards per game in Georgia's in '08 against Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida...not promising numbers for a back who is projected to be an every-down back. And don't give TST this "Oh, well he played in the SEC" garbage. The SEC is still college football, and playing in the SEC doesn't grant a player some sort of award that should put them higher on draft boards.
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