NBA Draft Recap

Well, here we are. June 26th. The NBA Draft has concluded, along with the NBA Finals, and everything else that is at all entertaining in the world of sports. That means that we have two months of baseball games along with a few US soccer international games. Yes, the soccer will be mildly entertaining (not as great as the shocking upset over Spain 2-0; USA USA!!!). However, I am always on suicide watch the last two months of the summer. I cannot wait until college football and for the new NBA season to begin.

With that being said, I have a few thoughts on the NBA Draft from last night.

1. LA Clippers did a wonderful job picking Blake Griffin. Whats that? Many of you are probably saying, "Of course they picked Griffin, Zach!" Well, the obvious and sure-fire decisions are not always made by the Clippers. This is the team that drafted Michael Olawokandi #1, "The only #1 pick ever worse than Kwame Brown." Griffin is not going to turn this franchise around, but he can be a missing piece that leads the Clippers to making the playoffs in a few years.

2. Memphis made an absolutely idiotic decision drafting Hasheem Thabeet #2. What is the deal with NBA GMs selecting seven footers so high. Yeah, Kareem and Chamberlain were awesome, but this is a completely different game nowadays. You need a big man that can face up and knock down a jumper, along with pound the glass (i.e. Pau Gasol, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett). When was the last true big man, that was a number 1, 2, or 3 option, that won a title? Umm, Ill probably go with Kareem on that one, possibly Hakeem, but he could do so much more offensively than Oden or any of these over highly-coveted TRUE big men (such as Yao). This draft pick sets the Grizzlies back another 2-3 years. Will someone please help these guys? Not even Jerry West could.

3. Ricky Rubio. Jonny Flynn. Ty Lawson. All drafted within the first 20 picks. All point guards. All drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Okay, they did trade Lawson almost immediately, but that doesn't explain the fact that they are still left with two starting point guards. They must trade either Rubio or Flynn, sooner rather than later. Their hand will probably be forced by Rubio, who has now stated that he wants to stay in Spain for another year or two rather than go and freeze his ass off in Minnesota. Which brings me to another major problem that I have with the NBA Draft. I am getting sick of these teams drafting European guys, only to keep the guys in Europe. Be faithful to Americans, and draft college players who desperately want to be here, rather than guys like Rubio who only wants to be here if he plays in a big market. It is stupid. I hate seeing these guys get drafted and then never hearing from again, when guys like Kennedy Winston went undrafted as he sat crying along with his family when he saw his dream pass him by.

I will be back very soon with more thoughts on the Draft (who is getting better in the NBA, and which team should just give up and move to Vegas to start over).

2012!!!

Okay, so I have been surfing the web researching the belief that our world will cease to exist on December 21, 2012. If you haven't heard about this, it is pretty crazy. About as crazy as Y2k mania and Haley's comet talk...They are even making a movie about it starring Amanda Peet and John Cusack. It looks pretty good, and while there are many different theories regarding the end of the world on this date, the most famous theory is based upon the quasi-fact that the Mayan calendar will end on that exact day and many "prophets" have foreseen the end of the Earth when the calendar ends (some believe that the calendar is actually a trillion years from ending, just depends on who you talk to). Like I said, crazy. So, since our world is going to end in nearly 3 years, it got me thinking about what sporting events that I MUST see before I die (within the next three years). I compiled a list, feel free to make one of your own.

1. 2010 World Cup. Two words: South Africa. Forget the fact that it is one of the most AIDS-plagued nations in the entire world. As long as you don't share needles or have unprotected sex with an infected citizen, you should be fine. Feel free to share needles with uninfected citizens. The world's biggest sporting event shines its light on the forgotten continent. It is a chance for Africans to show the world that they love their sport and they know how to have fun. This would be an amazing trip. Soccer, Safari, Soccer, Beach, Soccer, Party. Sounds great to me. Downside: Cost. The whole trip would probably cost more than an American soccer player makes in a year. Here's to watching from home. If I have my say, I will park my ass in front of the couch and watch EVERY game like I did in 2006.

2. Alabama in the 2010 National Championship. Julio will be an experienced junior getting ready to be drafted in the Top 3 of the draft as an early-entry. Plus, Bama has had back-to-back #1 recruiting classes. All of those guys will have experience and they will be gunning the unseat the Gators as the SEC's championship contender. I mean they nearly made it all the way this year. Come on, Coach Saban, we only have 3 more years to get back and go out on Top.

3. Sitting courtside next to Jack Nicholson at a Lakers Playoff game. It doesn't even have to be a Game 7. I just want to experience my favorite team in the entire world in the atmosphere of the NBA playoffs. It would be a tremendous opportunity. Heck, you could even blindfold me for the entire game, and I would still have an AMAZING story to tell. I MUST go to Staples Center at least before I am gone.

4. Manchester United v. anyone in Old Trafford. The singing. The scoring. The overcast day. When I travel across the pond, I will make a stop at Old Trafford a priority. While most of my fellow Americans hate soccer, I do not. Now is the perfect time, too, with Rooney and Ronaldo on the team.

5. Honorable Mention: Duke basketball at Cameron, USC at Notre Dame football, and Yankees at Red Sox. If only I was as rich as Mark Cuban, I would go to all of these and I would make sure to disgrace Kenyon Martin under my breath rather than to his momma.

Does anyone else have a list?

NBA Playoff 2nd Round Predictions

Sorry for the long delay in posts...studying for law exams has definitely made its mark on my life.

I just wanted to take a second to make some predictions on the upcoming second round playoff matchups.

Mavericks v. Nuggets:

I believe that this will be the most boring series of all. Every year, the Mavericks are just one player away. The real problem is that the team is getting older and Cuban is doing nothing to combat that, he only makes it worse. He traded Devin Harris (now an all-star) away for 78 year old Jason Kidd. I mean, I love JKidd, but he has definitely seen better days. Without much-needed speed and athleticism, the Mavs will not be able to keep up with the Nuggets' fast pace. I say Nuggets in 6.

Lakers v. Rockets:

The Lakers are finally finding their stride, and that is not good news for the Rockets. The Lakers not only beat the Rockets all four games this season, they destroyed them by a combined 58 points in those games. Playing against Aaron Brooks and Luis Scola compared to Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer is the equivalent of playing against a junior varsity girls team instead of Duke. The Rockets will steal Game 4 at home, but the Lakers will close out the series at home in Game 5. Lakers in 5.

Cavaliers v. Hawks:

The one thing that the Hawks can do is win at home. However, the Cavs do it better, along with just about everything else involving a basketball. At least the Hawks will put up a fight, unlike the Pistons. I could actually see this going 7 games, if the Hawks take their home magic from last year's series against Boston and carry it over into this series. In fact, I believe that last year's Celtics were a much better TEAM than this year's Cavaliers. The only problem is that LeBron will be too much in Game 6 at Atlanta. Cavaliers in 6.

Celtics v. Magic:

The Celtics run will come to an end in this series. Unless KG brings his potty-mouth to the floor for the games against the Magic, the Magic WILL win this series. I believe that Rondo and Big Baby are enough to draw out this series, but Game 7 will go to the Magic. The Baby Bulls completely drained the Celtics' old legs last series, making this a much more difficult task for the Boston club. Magic in 7.

Those are my predications for the upcoming second-round. Hopefully, I will be as accurate as the last. Here's to Amazing Happening many times this round.

The Rondo Smack

By now, everyone has seen the smack HEARD round the NBA. Brad Miller's mouth certainly noticed. To prevent a game-tying layup, Rajon Rondo reared back and knocked the taste out of the slow center's jaw. The league says that it was not a flagrant foul, while every journalist in the country (outside the Boston area) is claiming that Rondo committed a virtual 1st degree assault on Miller.

I will give Rondo this: it is playoff basketball. Be tough or go home. Pansies never make it past the first round. However, the refs CAN'T receive this type of leeway. These guys (and girl) are there for a purpose; it is their job to protect the players and maintain a sense of order to the game with their whistle. I believe, along with many others, that this is not the type of precedent to set this early in the playoffs. You can't allow a player to smack another in the head in one game, (his hand was about a yard away from the ball) and then call a flagrant foul the next time that it happens. Basketball fans demand consistency from the refs. If you are consistent, then people don't cry wolf quite as much. And now in this instance, the NBA refs have created a huge predicament. The next time a smack on the head happens (and it will happen again), if these guys call a flagrant, everyone will say that it contradicts their decision in the Celtics game. If they don't, it will continue to happen more and more.

The best thing to do in this situation is call the flagrant. That way you can maintain consistency and ensure that it does not happen again. Make players afraid to flagrant foul at the end of games, do not embrace this type of incident. I really like Rondo, but he deserved a flagrant in this instance. I mean Brad Miller could hardly maintain focus on the line afterward. If he came out, then he was done for the game (per NBA rules). So, Coach Del Negro decided Brad needed to stay in, so that when he made the free throws, he could play in the second overtime (plus, Doc Rivers could have chosen who would shoot the free throws, also per NBA rules). It never made it that far. Miller struggled to the line. Missed a close first one, then tried to miss the second on purpose, but failed to hit the rim.

So, basically, the refs did exactly what NO ONE wants the refs to do. That's decide the game. The refs took the game out of the Bulls' hands by not calling a warranted flagrant foul.

I defend the NBA from attacks by ignorant Alabamians ALL of the time, but this is a disgrace. Any hit above the shoulders, that is no where close to the ball, should be at the very least a flagrant one foul. Two shots. Possession. The Bulls, and a one-eyed Brad Miller deserved it. In all likelyhood, the Celtics still would have won the game. They had the momentum. Ben Gordon was hobbling. Derrick Rose was playing scared. It was all Boston, but now we will never know what could have happened. The refs froze up. The league defends the call, but that's really only because it was in a pivotal Game 5. If the league admitted the call was wrong, it is basically saying, "okay, well the Celtics won the series, but they shouldn't have, so any success from now on is not justified."

I understand the league's stance in hindsight, but I will never understand why the refs succomb to pressure from the fans or to a perception that they will ALWAYS take the game out of the players' hands by calling a WARRANTED foul at the end of the game.

I honestly question whether or not a flagrant foul would have been called on the Bulls if the roles were reversed. My heart is saying "no way, there is no ref bias in the NBA." However, my brain is saying "you may be on to something there, remember Donahey."

If the league wants to repair its image and continue to grow in popularity, it must change this perception that the refs shouldn't always take the game out of the players' hands. Rondo took the game out of his hand by using it to slap Miller, or at least it should have. Of course, the refs should not always call it tight down the stretch, but to an extent, they have now provided justification for continuous head-smacks throughout the 2009 Playoffs.

Yeah, David Stern, you kept your BELOVED Celtics in the Playoffs...but at what cost? The cost of Brad Miller's dental reconstruction surgery and even more guaranteed in the no-so-distant future.

Tiger coaches are "on the prowl"

If you were waiting for a sign of desperation on the Plains, it has finally come.

We are in the midst of the Spring Evaluation period for NCAA football recruiting. That means that nearly every college football coach in the nation is out meeting with high school coaches and watching future prospects. This is the time where coaches really determine what players fit their system and who is worthy of their resources during the season. These two months may be arguably the most important in the recruiting process as relationships are formed with players and coaches that will help schools land a top class in February of 2010.

The Auburn University football coaches have realized the significance of this period and are now showing the state of Alabama and the rest of the SEC that they are serious about recruiting. Gone are the days where Tommy Tuberville went duck hunting instead of recruiting. Gene Chizik has decided to lease a LIMOSUINE to ride throughout the state and their recruiting trail.

Yes, you heard that right. Coach has rented a limo! Oh boy! We are back! The sheer fact that he rented a limosuine is funny in itself, but I am more focused on the image that this displays of the status of Auburn football.

Rental cars are no longer good enough for Auburn, nope, we need to ride "in style."

To me, this exhibits that Auburn is still not ready to challenge Nick Saban and the colossial program that he is building in Tuscaloosa. Saban doesn't need a limo when he goes to evaluate kids. He could show up on a bigwheel, and 5 stars would be committing on the spot.

This is the perception that Auburn coaches are creating. "Well, we know we won't ever be able to measure up. So, let's try as best as we can to distance ourselves from programs that are in our atmosphere, such as Miss St. and Arkansas."

The problem is that the limo is going to distance the Auburn program, it is going to set it back in terms of how other college programs feel about them. No one is worried anymore. Last year, people would say, oh they will be back to where they were a few years ago. Folks, with stuff like this, that's not going to happen.

Picture this. You are a high school five-star recruit. Three coaches show up at your school.

Urban Meyer comes in. Shows you his two national championship rings. Talks about how you fit in their system, and you could be the next Tim Tebow or Percy Harvin. You can play in front of 90,000 fans in one of the most intimidating atmospheres in the SEC. Chomp, Chomp.

Nick Saban shows up. Displays his national championship ring. Gives you a copy of the book that he has written. Tells you that he is building the next powerhouse in Tuscaloosa. You can play in front of 101,000 fans next year. We have the best workout facility in the country, and the most loyal, rabid fanbase year-round. Oh, yeah, and you will be working against Julio Jones everyday in practice to improve your game. 36-0.

And then Gene Chizik shows up in a limosuine with Auburn flags and stickers attached. He punches the horn as he sees you at the field, and the limo blares the tune, "Dixie." He tells you that despite his 5-19 record as a head coach, things are looking up. Yeah, they only have half of the fans that Alabama has, but things are looking up. Yeah, our program just fired the most successful coach in the history of the school and hired me, but things are looking up. Even though we still play second fiddle to Alabama after beating them 7 out of 8 years, we now have this LIMO! Look at how cool it is. There are cup holders in the back. Go on, put a cup in there, and watch it hold. It also plays disco music at night-time.

Sorry, Auburn fans. You can justify this as much as you like, but if it was Alabama doing it, you would be laughing your heads off. I promise you that the majority of college football fans are now laughing at you, instead of laughing with you. If you don't believe that, consider the fact you are the first and last program that will ever lease a limosuine to impress recruits. Good luck, next year.

Al Davis has lost his mind

Just a quick thought. Has anyone taken a look at the draft picks of the Oakland Raiders?

If you haven't here is a brief run-down after Day One. (If you don't know what a run-down is, ask Jim Halpert).

In the first round, with the 7th pick in the draft, the Raiders selected Darrius Heyward-Bey, a wide receiver from the University of Maryland. That's 7th, not 37th. Granted he was the fastest WR at the combine, most scouts believed that he would go anywhere from the second round to late-first round at the earliest. What is Al thinking? He could have traded this #7 pick to the Jets, before they acquired the #5 pick from the Browns (giving up 3 players and 2 picks), and gotten TONS in return. Oh, and they also could have gotten Darrius Heyward-Bey. He would have most definitely still been available at #17, as that it is where Jeremy Maclin was drafted, and nearly EVERY team had Maclin rated above Heyward-Bey.

Okay, the only reasonable explanation is that Al Davis, having gone almost completely insane, believed that he was getting a deal in drafting Heyward-Bey. Davis, in all of his genius, probably believed that he was drafting two players at once!!! A deal that not even Howie Mandel could pass up. Seeing as Al was born in 1674, he probably does not understand the concept of hyphonated last names. That's okay, Al. Everything will be fine until Darrius Heyward shows up for training camp, and you keep asking everyone when Darrius Bey will be gracing the Raiders practice field with his presence.

In the second round, Al decided to go on a limb and draft Michael Mitchell from THE Ohio State University. Oh wait. No STATE. My bad, Michael Mitchell from ohio university. The fightin' bobcats. Wow. Remarkable. What a genius. No one, BESIDES AL DAVIS, could have seen the NEED to spend a second-round draft pick on a guy that most NFL teams didn't even know existed. I mean, there is a possibility that not even Michael Mitchell knows that he exists. We are talking about a guy that Davis could have gotten AFTER the draft. Davis could have gone to Mitchell's house in August, days before the first exhibition, and said, "hey, would you like to lose 15 games this year? well then, you wanna join my team full of guys just like you, guys that absolutely no one has heard of???" This might be the absolute DUMBEST draft pick of all time. Well, except for that time that the team took a kicker in the first round. What team was that? OH YEAH, THE RAIDERS!

You used to be my favorite team, Oakland Raiders. Now, I don't completely understand how I made it so many years. I have now moved on to greener pastures, and now I can only hope that they put Al Davis out to pasture...

Lakers have finally shown up...

Well it only took four games into the playoffs, but the Los Angeles Lakers have finally shown why they are the #1 seed in the West and one of the two favorites to reach the NBA finals. Through three games against the Jazz, they have shown the offensive ability to win games or at least keep them close despite Kobe having an off-night (see: Game 3, 5 for 24). Yet, now, as if visited by the ghosts of Magic, Elgin and Kareem during their Friday night slumber, they have realized that it takes more than putting up a lot of points to BEAT teams on the road and solidify themselves as a contender instead of a pretender.

The Lakers didn't win convincingly, 108-94 to be precise, because Kobe went off for 38 points. Albeit this sudden outburst did help. (In fact, I predicted this would happen in an earlier blog "All-Playoff Teams, through Game 2", although I predicted Kobe would have 40. So close...) Nope, the Lakers showed the ESPN audience on Saturday night that it had made a subjective, intentional decision to lock down on people like Paul Millsap and Matt Harpring and forbid them from scoring. Yeah, let Boozer and Williams get their 20 point averages. Just keep Harpring and Millsap and others such as Okur and Brewer from firing in double-digits and boosting the home morale.

There were no real EASY buckets for the Jazz, who felt the sting of the surprise defensive efforts from Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, and REMARKABLY Luke Walton (who provided some help for the foul-troubled Trevor Ariza). This helped keep the Utah crowd out of the game (thank goodness) and allowed the Lakers to keep their foot on the pedal.

It will take efforts like tonight's to ensure that the Lakers are once again in the NBA finals, and it will take a night exactly like this, but possibly better, to allow the Lakers to beat Cleveland on their home court.

In order to be successful in the NBA playoffs, you must show desire, ability, and toughness on the road. If you do not, you allow weaker teams to prolong the series, making you much more weary and tired in facing the next foe. The Lakers have shown desire tonight. Kobe led by example, and everyone else fell in line.

Indeed, it may have helped that Adam Morrison was in street clothes for the game, as the sight of him in a business suit, made the Lakers realize how horrible it would be to not be playing basketball in a few weeks. (or they just may have been surprised to see that he had showered tonight or possibly he wasn't quoting Che Guevara verbatim during warmups for the first time all season) Regardless of the loss of the permanent cheerleader Morrison, the Lakers provided us with a great exhibition of playoff basketball.

Also, I am going to give a shout-out to Shannon Brown, who has proved to be an unbelievably great mid-season acquisition for the Lakers. His defense, athleticism and three-point marksmanship have been true assets for the team. I curtsey to you, Mr. Brown.

The Lakers have finally shown up for the playoffs. It's about time. On to Game 5.