Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts

3/15/11

"NBAz in 7 Dayz"

March Madness. If you are a basketball fan, it is hard not to get drawn into the hoop hype. There are 17 notable Canadians in the tournament including Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph, both playing for the University of Texas. If you nodded your head at the second sentence of this intro, you have most likely filled out or waiting until after the first round to fill out, your March Madness brackets. Whether it is for the office pool or for just for bragging rights, making those picks will be hard for anyone since how many can say they have followed every team and has seen every game leading to this tournament. This year is tough since the talent is pretty even and we may just have a Cinderella team take out #1 ranked Ohio State. Here on the DNB, there's a way for you to get connected to the tournament and get your basketball fix: message @dinoblogger on the site or on Twitter for more information.

Today's "NBAz in 7 Dayz" will be all about connections: NBA links to NCAA ball, NFL to NBA and Twitter to an NBA related case in the US legal system. Lots to nibble on - go grab a snack and get ready to get your head around it.

"Ya'll gon make me loose my mind, up in here"

Nothing like a little DMX to put NCAA hoops in perspective. Before the promos for this even started, this tune ALWAYS reminded me of March Madness, filling out brackets and loosing yourself in this great game. Arguments can be made for the Superbowl or even NBA final, but what makes this tournament pure 'madness' are two things: the number of teams in the tournament (64, not including the first round) and the level of play. Some people forget the players in this tournament are boys becoming men and for some of them, this may be the highest level of basketball they will ever play. So going nuts after draining a three at the buzzer is not only exciting for us but exciting and emotional for them. When I hosted the Saints Invitational High school Basketball Tournament earlier this year, I got to see a Canadian version of basketball madness. These kids played five straight games to make it to the Championships and man, were they feeling it. Dragging themselves in the gym, trying to getting themselves psyched by taking in a game before their much anticipated trip to the final. Once tip-off came and went, something switched on and everyone in attendance got to see some great basketball.

I have interviewed and spoke to many scouts and all have told me there is one thing that will separate the amateur athlete from the elite player who will go the distance: conditioning. It is sad but there are some players who believe this is not as important as practicing your jump shots or stand out plays to get yourself noticed. I spoke to a scout once who told me he really only pays attention to the last half of a game because this where you can tell which players are going the distance and putting conditioning high on their priority list. Some things to think about while getting into the 'madness' this week. Another thing to consider is number of NCAA basketball players connected to the NBA in one way or another. Here are a few:

Not in the Tournament (but notewirthy):
  1. Austin Hollins, University of Minnesota (son of Lionel Hollins, Head Coach of the Memphis Grizzlies).
  2. Ralph Sampson III, University of Minnesota (son of Ralph Sampson, 4-time NBA-All Star).
  3. Jeremiah Rivers, Indiana University (son of Doc Rivers, Head Coach of the Boston Celtics).
  4. Jeff and Marcus Jordan, Central Florida University (son of NBA great Michael Jordan).

Tournament Bound (check your bracket picks for these):

  1. Jon Horford, University of Michigan (son of Tito Horford who played for the Bucks and Bullets in the 1990's and brother of Al Horford, the All-Star center for the Atlanta Hawks).
  2. Jordan Dumars, redshirt, University of Michigan (son of Joe Dumars former player and now Pistons President).
  3. Josh Bartelstein, University of Michigan (son of NBA and NFL agent Mark Bartelstein).
  4. David Stockton, Gonzaga University (son of John Stockton, who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz and brother to Shawn Stockton, a junior guard at Montana University).
  5. Nolan Smith, Duke University All-American (son of the late Derek Smith who played for five NBA clubs, including the Celtics).
  6. Ledrick Eackles, Oakland University (son of former Washington Bullets and Miami Heat guard Ledell Eackles).
  7. Phil and Matt Pressey, University of Missouri (son of former Buck and current Cavaliers Assistant Coach Paul Pressey).
  8. Tim Hardaway Jr., University of Michigan (son of Tim Hardaway, former Warriors and Heat guard).
  9. Cameron Ayers, Bucknell University (son of Randy Ayers, former 76ers head Coach and current Assistant Coach of the New Orleans Hornets).
  10. Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame University (brother of Indiana Pacers forward, Tyler Hansbrough).
  11. Chris Smith, Louisville University (brother of J.R. Smith of the Denver Nuggets).

NBA and NFL playing the waiting game

As you may already know, the NFLPA (National Football League Players Association) found a loophole, a strategy if you will, in which to gain leverage with their employers, the NFL. Members of the NBA's Player Association are playing close attention. Here's why. The NFLPA filed for decertification so they could legally sue the NFL in court for violating antitrust law. Decertification means the NFLPA technically does not exist at the moment, therefore the players now have the power to be named as individuals in a lawsuit against their employer. The NFL then locked out its players and essentially shut things down until further notice. It is possible for the same thing to happen in the NBA .

At the crux of the NFL issue sits how the owners and players are going to divide up 9 billion dollars. In the NBA, owners are not only looking to divide up 4 billion dollars but they are looking to change the pay scale in the NBA by going with a hard salary cap. They also want to get rid of most or all of the current exceptions to the cap that teams get to re-sign their star player for more dough or for teams who are over their cap limit to add experienced veterans at a lower price. If both sides in this issue can't come to an agreement, I am sure they will be looking to their NFL counterparts to see if decertification is a viable option for them. Think about it. If U.S. District Court Judge David Doty decides in favour of the NFL players (which he has a reputation for) and that gets both sides talking faster, maybe the NBPA might think decertification is the way to go. But if the Judge Doty decides in favour of the owners, then the NBPA might sit tight and not take that drastic step. Something to think about going forward.

Tweets calling out Twits?

Another legal rangling story for you. Minnesota Timberwolves beat reporter for the Associated Press Jon Krawczynski is being sued over tweets about NBA official, Bill Spooner. This is what allegedly happened according to the suit filed by Spooner. Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Kurt Rambis was upset over a foul called against his team versus the Rockets on January 24th. Spooner allegedly tells Rambis he would review the call at halftime. Rambis reportedly inquires how his team was supposed to get the two points back. Spooner's suit claims he didn't respond to Rambis' question but AP reporter Jon Krawczynski tweeted his version:

"Ref Bill Spooner told Rambis he'd 'get it back' after a bad call. Then he made an even worse call on the Rockets. That's NBA officiating folks".

Associate General Council for AP Dave Tomlin provided this statement in response: "We believe all of the facts we reported from the game in question were accurate". Also, as of this morning, an AP spokesperson said the organization has not yet been served with a lawsuit. To top it all off, Minnesota lost the game by 4 points (129-125) so those 2 points could have made a difference in crunch time. So now if the everyday, average fan is sitting at the game, overhears something and tweets it, are they considered a journalist reporting what they see from the game? Not exactly. Jon Krawczynski is a seasoned reporter, trained in proper journalism at a university or college like most are and as such is made aware of the legalities of the profession. Anyone with a cellphone or computer can tweet whatever is on their mind, good or bad, this is the nature of free speech. But Krawczynski was at the game in his capacity as a journalist and is held to a higher standard. Do we have another 'Spoelstra' moment here? Who knows. There are two sides to this story and everyone will have their own opinion. I hope this proves to those using Twitter to think before you tweet. People are reading and paying attention. Your reputation and the person the comment is made about is at stake, so be careful.

Thanks once again for joining me this week. As always keep your comments and suggestions coming by following me on Twitter (@ddegraauw) and on Facebook (Danielle de Graauw). See you on Thursday for more "NBAz in 7 Dayz" when we will continue our discussion on the NBA playoffs and my picks I alluded to last week. See you then.

9/13/10

Thoughts For A Monday In September

First off apologies for no blog on Friday. I am conserving my energy for the season. Second I failed to mention this last week but we are going to start a weekly chat on Thursdays, for now that will start at 7pm but the time will likely change.

The NFL is perhaps the most hyped up sport there is in pro sports. Watching all of the stuff going down yesterday made me think about things here with Raptors and the NBA in general. Now one of the real shockers of week 1 was the Seattle Seahawks giving a beat down to the 49ers. It was suppose to be the opposite. The Raptors have been picked to finish dead last in the East by ESPN but it is just that a pick. Till we start playing games for real it is an educated guess at best. So just keep that in mind over the next month.

Some other lessons from the NFL week 1? Lebron James was in the house to watch our favourite football team- "America's Team". Dallas Cowboys are a lot of peoples pick to go to the Super Bowl. Not mine by the way even though I am a Cowboy fan. Well the Washington Redskins didn't get the memo and beat the Cowboys who looked anything like a championship team. Miami Heat have been pretty much crowned as Champions by many. That being said you still have to go out and meet expectations.

The last lesson for all teams is you never know what can happen. For that you only need to look at the Eagles game for the example. For the entire off-season Eagles fans and NFL experts have debated how Kevin Kolb will do replacing Donovan McNabb. Well a concussion and it is hello Mike Vick and suddenly the story changes. Injuries do not know who are good teams and who are bad teams. They have no idea who is a starter or who is a bench player. They just happen.

While Leboron James was chilling in a luxury box watching the Skins and Cowboys. Earlier in the day his replacement as the NBA's new hero was putting in work. Kevin Durant and team USA defeated the host Turkey and take home a gold from the world championships. Full marks to Kevin Durant for leading a team that was B or C listers in terms of what the U.S could actually have and still winning. Congrats to Jay Triano as well who was on that staff for team U.S.A. Does anyone doubt if Triano was coaching Canada we would have been better then 0-5?

Believe it or not NBA training camps will start opening up in a couple weeks. It has been one of the most eventful summers in league history and we are about 6 weeks away from the start of another NBA season. So GET READY.

4/27/10

"Jiggly Bits"

I am done. Done with this emotional roller coaster the Lakers are putting me on. It's funny how James and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to these things. Being a fan and becoming emotionally attached to a team is like being in a relationship. If a team doesn't keep up their end of the bargain by playing well and being entertaining at the very least, do we start the slippery slope of the "break-up" check off list? All I am saying is I am having doubts and I am wondering if it would just be easier if I was a "single" fan of the game. Then I would be free to cheer for Lebron or Nash or even Durant without feeling guilty. In any other professional sport, I'm single. No ties to any team, just a love and admiration of the game, free to follow and support any player I choose. Much easier and stress free. Let's check in with my Fab Four match-ups to see how things are going and talk about some NBA headlines.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Series tied at 2-2)

The first thing I noticed in this game and I am not sure if this was a conscious coaching decision or not, but Kobe wasn't always taking on the offensive leadership position during this game. Alvin - a friend of mine and the Dinonation - posted on my facebook page that Kobe needed to sport a cape and come out flying like the superhero of this series or else the Thunder might roll on through to the next round. He's got a point. The Lakers were trying to play from the inside out and it obviously didn't work. They weren't paying attention to detail and lost a game that was pretty much decided in the first quarter. The final score (110-89 for Oklahoma) did not reflect that a multi-NBA Championship powerhouse was present. The Thunder are becoming a serious threat for the Lakers. Even Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said they had a meltdown. Take a look at the stats for this game and it becomes clear. In the transition, the Thunder just out ran the Lakers 24-2. They were good on the fast break and held the Lakers to a 29-17 lead after the first quarter. Most of the starting Lakers were on the bench in the fourth quarter and Kobe left the game (not to return) to begin treatment on his knee. Are they giving up? Are they getting old? Not sure. But whatever it is, they need to step out of it before there is thunder and lighting in Los Angeles.

Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers (Phoenix leads the series 3-2)

This game made be happy. It's funny. The playoffs are generally a time when coaches tell their reserves, "No offence but you may not see a lot of playing time". The stars of the club take over and conduct the business of winning games. With their starters on the floor, Phoenix allowed Portland to take an 18-4 lead to begin with Monday night but dug deep into their proverbial bench pockets to pull out a remarkable 107-88 win. Two notables? Channing Frye and Jared Dudley. Channing had a career playoff high 20 points and 8 rebounds on the night with Jared at 19 points. Nice to see players step up and get to contribute coming off the bench. But let's not forget Brandon Roy. He had no real impact on this particular game but to come back so early from knee surgery - EIGHT days after. You might have heard this sort of thing happening in the NFL but in the NBA? Basketball players take a special kind of pounding on those knees and need them to be in tip top shape. A testament to Roy's character and work ethic.

Speaking of character, the Suns' Grant Hill picked up his third Joe Dumars Trophy as announced Monday. This award is given to players in each division who deserve to be recognized for their sportsmanship qualities and is voted on by the players. Hill joins Atlanta's Al Horford, Boston's Ray Allen, Cleveland's Antawn Jamison, Denver's Chauncey Billups and Houston's Luis Scola. This has to be the best piece of NBA hardware to have in your collection. It means people think you are cool to play with and against and admire for your character and not just your basketball skills. The MVP or any of the other accolades you can receive as an NBA player means you are good at what you do but it also means you are hard to defend or shut down and that might mean you are not as fun to play against. It means a lot more to receive recognition for something when it comes from your peers and especially when the talent being recognized is sportsmanship.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls (Cavs lead the series 3-1)

They are done. Chicago - that is. I hate to say it, too because Chicago has so much going for them. But it was certainly a Lebron show, giving Chicago fans a new image for the number 23. On Sunday, Lebron James finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists - a nice triple double. And that third quarter buzzer-beater bomb from just inside the half? Unbelievable. It seemed as effortless as if it was made from 2 feet away instead of 34 feet. Even Joakim Noah described James as the best player in the world. It's no wonder that Cavs fans at the game started chanting "M-V-P! M-V-P!" I think that one game that Chicago took gave their head a shake and made the Cavs realize this wouldn't be a series sweep. Derrick Rose rolled his ankle on Shaq Sunday - a nagging, on going injury that may or may not prevent him from playing in game five. Chicago needs all the help they can get. I hope they do everything to challenge the Cavs and not just participate in the Bron Bron show. Would love to be a fly in the wall in the Bulls pre-game chat.

Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte Bobcats (4-0 Series Win for Orland0)

Our first series sweep of the playoffs. The Orlando Magic is the first team making it to the next round and are anxiously awaiting who their opponents will be: the Hawks or the Bucks. I will give credit to Charlotte. This was their first trip to the playoffs and kept themselves in the game. The 99-90 win for the Magic could have gone the other way. Charlotte cut the lead to a single point at 77-76, one point in the game, but two drained 3's by Mickael Pietrus kind of killed any momentum the Bobcats had. The Bobcats are still learning how to play playoff basketball. And it is certainly a different game. It's no sprint to the finish. It's a full-out marathon and only the mentally and physically fit will survive.

On that note, let's touch on the rumours I have been hearing about Bobcats Coach Brown. You may have heard too, that he's toying with the idea of a front office job with Philly or the Clippers. He says he's not coaching anywhere else but in Charlotte but that doesn't quash possibilities of taking another position somewhere else. He's almost 70 and he could just be weighing options. I think based on his close relationship with Michael Jordan, an offer to leave Charlotte would have to be pretty darn good.

Kevin Restani and Franklin Mieuli - R.I.P.

Whether they were an architect of the game or just contributed whatever they had, it is always sad to see someone from leave the game permanently. Kevin Restani died in San Francisco after returning from Milwaukee where he was at game three between his former Bucks and their opponents, the Atlanta Hawks. Restani was a power forward with the bucks in the mid to late 1970s. He was nicknamed "Big Bird" by then Bucks play-by-play announcer Eddie Doucette. The Bucks aren't saying how he died Saturday night, but nonetheless will be sadly missed.

Franklin Mieuli was on of the most colourful figures in the NBA. He owned the Golden State Warriors for 24 years until he sold them in 1986. He won an NBA title with the team the year I was born (look it up..ahem 1975) and was the club's only championship in almost fifty years in California. This is one guy I would have loved to have a chat with about the game. He had such a passion for the game of basketball and just threw his heart into it. Fans loved him mostly I think because it stuck with a struggling team for so long. He died of natural causes on Sunday in San Francisco. He was 89.