Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
Not only am I a huge sports fan, I am also a hip-hop head. No matter what I am doing, I am usually doing it while listening to music. I earn my living as an engineer, and whenever I am at my desk, you will usually find me with headphones on listening to music as I work. The same is true of writing this blog. Each week when I sit down to write, the first thing I do is open iTunes and decide on a playlist or album to write to. My musical choice is usually determined by my mood at the time or the topic that I will be writing about. Although I listen to a lot of Outkast and Jay-Z, you might catch me rocking to Lupe Fiasco, The Clipse, Jay Electronica, Kanye West, or even 2 Chainz (go figure). That being said, there is only one album that can provide the appropriate soundtrack for this week’s entry. That album is “Take Care” by Drake. Drake’s sophomore release is one of the dopest, softest, emotional, man law violating, I need a hug albums in the history of rap (I use the term rap loosely).
Drake is appropriate because today’s topic is the one and only LeBron James. Bear with me for a moment and I will explain why. For my money he is the best player in the NBA, and to be perfectly honest, second place isn’t even close. Anyone who says that LeBron James is not the best player in the NBA is either lying or related to another NBA player. In just his second NBA season James returned the Cleveland Cavaliers to respectability. Think about it, prior to LeBron’s arrival, the last respectable Cleveland basketball team featured Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, and Craig Ehlo. Yeah, that Craig Ehlo. You know I couldn’t mention his name without including a video of his crowning moment as a pro (please see clip below).
In his third season, the Cavs won 50 games and made the playoffs. This was truly amazing, especially when you consider who some of his teammates were that year. He had the honor of playing with such household names as Alan Henderson, Ira Newble, and Damon Jones (I promise you that I am not doing this on purpose, but we may as well look at the biggest highlight of Damon Jones’ career while we’re here).
LeBron spent the first seven years of his NBA career in Cleveland. During that time he led them to the NBA Finals once, the Eastern Conference Finals once, and the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals three times. It’s safe to say that he put Cleveland back on the NBA map.
After the 2009-2010 season, LeBron was eligible for free-agency. This gave him the right to play for any team that he chose. As we all know now, he chose to go to Miami. Who could blame him, he gave up the brutal Cleveland winters for South Beach. He decided to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh instead of Jamario Moon and J.J. Hickson. Can we really blame him? It was his right to leave Cleveland, and he did. However there was one small thing that he did wrong. He decided to announce his “Decision” in primetime on national television. That was awfully arrogant, but again it’s his right. Oh yeah, there is one other small detail I failed to mention, Cleveland was his hometown team, so the people there kinda hate him now; which is their right as well.
LeBron’s decision to dump his hometown in front of the whole world, has led to something that he couldn’t have ever imagined, a backlash. No longer is he America’s sweetheart, the player that everyone admirers and loves. He is now public enemy #2 when it comes to athletes (behind Michael Vick of course). This is by far the most adversity that James has ever faced in his basketball career. They say adversity shows a person’s true character, and if this is indeed true, we now know that LeBron is about as tough as Drake’s music. I must admit, he had me fooled. Silly me, I thought that a 6’8”, 250 lb. man from the hood would be tough. I was wrong. Apparently LeBron is that dude that always went crying to his mother when someone took his toys. He has turned into a walking, talking pity party.
In Lebron’s first year with the Heat they made it to the NBA Finals, but I am still trying to figure out if he was there with the team or not. I watched the replays of the games on NBA TV during this off-season and I simply didn’t see him. As any superstar player should, he received a great deal of criticism for his no-show. He also started ducking the media after games because he couldn’t handle the fact that everyone noticed that Mario Chalmers was a bigger factor in the series than he was.
(Let’s pause a minute and let that last sentence sink in).
Needless to say James probably had the worst off-season of his career due to the way he played on the biggest stage. What I’m wondering is which bothered him more, losing the finals or being criticized?
This season, the Heat are off to another strong start and are the odds-on favorite to win the NBA championship. That being the case, you would think that all would be happy in LeBronville. Yet, he‘s still in a competition with Drake to see who can whine more about the downside of their fame and success. In an interview a few weeks back, Larry Bird was asked who he thought was the best player in the NBA. Logically, his answer was LeBron James. He was then asked which player playing today would he most want to play with. His answer was Kobe Bryant. Although I would never want to play with Kobe Bryant (because his teammates don’t get to play basketball, they simply do cardio while he plays basketball), I respect Larry’s OPINION. Bird was asked a question and his answer happened to be Kobe Bryant. While giving props to Kobe, Bird in no way insulted the “Sensitive One”. However, LeBron took it as a slight and responded by saying,
“I’m an easy target – let’s say that. When someone wants to get a point across, just throw LeBron’s name in there. If you’re watching cartoons with your kids and don’t like it you say, ‘Blame it on LeBron.’ If you go to the grocery store and they don’t have the milk you like you say, ‘It’s LeBron’s fault. I’m an easy target and I understand that. It doesn’t get me to me at all.”
Is he serious? All that from Larry Bird saying that he wanted to play with Kobe Bryant! It’s obvious that he needs a hug.
Needless to say the good people of Cleveland Ohio have yet to forgive LeBron for spitting in their faces in front of the entire country. To show their disdain for him, they BOO him profusely and hold up signs to express their feelings whenever he visits. This obviously bothers James and I’m sure he cries himself to sleep after each road game in Cleveland. Last week he decided to try to curb the vitriol shown to him by the Cav fans. He stated to reporters that he wouldn’t rule out a return to Cleveland at some point in his career. His selfish need to be loved by all led to him making an incredibly stupid statement and possibly alienating the organization that is currently paying him over $100 million for six years of basketball. Unfortunately for LeBron, he was still booed with each touch of the ball, and now stories are popping up all over the place about LeBron “plotting his return to Cleveland.” I’m sure the fans in Miami are loving that. Now we have a sensitive superstar that will soon have people in two cities hating him, but I’m sure he’ll handle that well. My advice to him is to win a championship this season in Miami and SHUT UP!
There are two things that I am certain that I never want to hear again, a Drake song about his struggles with fame and how it prevents him from finding true love, and LeBron James whining because the people don’t love him like they used to. I think they should just give each other a hug and agree to be one another’s sounding board and support system, because the rest of us are sick of hearing it!
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Kobe Bryant: It is well documented on this blog that I HATE KOBE BRYANT! Truthfully, I never thought I would see the day that I would actually give props to this _________ (fill in the word that you think I would have used), but I must applaud his comments to the Lakers management concerning Pau Gasol. The Lakers tried to trade Gasol before the season started, but were unsuccessful. Since the season has started, it has been rumored that Gasol was being traded to every team in the league and the Harlem Globetrotters. This has obviously had a negative effect on his play this season because his scoring average is currently at a career low (16.6 ppg.). We all know two things to be true about Pau. He is an enormously skilled post player, and he is about as tough as Keith Van Horn. That being said, I think it’s pretty safe to assume that he is a huge fan of whoever is the Spanish equivalent of Drake.
I have a new respect for Kobe (that will disappear as soon as I hit the “Post” button on this entry) for telling management that they need to either trade Pau soon or commit to not trading him. Bryant stated the obvious by saying that Gasol is not comfortable with the current situation and it is definitely affecting his play. I have always viewed Kobe as a selfish, me-first person. Actually I still do, but he has earned my respect for the next 15 minutes for sticking up for his soon to be ex-teammate. I will resume hating him in exactly 16 minutes, starting….now.
SCRUB – My (kinda) Boston Celtics: I am a person that roots for individual players more than I do particular teams. I have been a Boston Celtics fan for exactly 6 years, which is the exact number of years that my favorite NBA player (Rajon Rondo) has been a member of the team. So it’s fair to say that my allegiance is to him and not the actual franchise. That being said, the Celtics are terrible this season (15-16) and they are looking ancient in the process. It’s time for the C’s to shake things up and trade their one valuable asset (Rondo). In the process they will not only lose one of the best point guards in the league, but they will also lose a fan (me). Our loss may hurt them in the short term, but it will be better for them long-term. I just hope they trade us to a contender.
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
Showing posts with label kobe bryant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kobe bryant. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Hello strangers and welcome back to what will soon be the best sports blog on the World Wide Web. The fact that we have been strangers lately is all my fault. After an extended hiatus from writing, I am back and better than ever. My New Year’s Resolution is to be dedicated to bringing you my commentary on the ever-eventful world of sports and to make this blog a weekly must read for everyone (watch out MMQB, I’m coming for you.)
I could spend this time reflecting over the things that took place during our time apart, but that would be no fun. Instead, I am going to turn on the recent 2chainz mixtape (yeah, I’m just as shocked as you are that I think it’s dope) and look into the future to tell you what should/will happen in 2012 in the games that we all love.
THE MIAMI HEAT WILL WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP – All of the Heat/LeBron haters might as well get over themselves. This is the year that they start their string of championships. This is a short NBA season with lots of back to back to back games, so you can pretty much eliminate all of the older teams from contention (that means you Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, and Mavericks). Russell Westbrook and his desire for a better shoe contract and more TV airtime is determined to let his jealousy of Kevin Durant destroy the Thunder’s chances (more on that later). The Clippers and Knicks are both exciting and intriguing, however they are not quite ready yet. So that pretty much leaves Memphis in the west, and Miami in the east as the primary contenders. That being said, I would like to draw your attention back to my original statement in bold letters above.
RAJON RONDO SHOULD BE TRADED FOR RUSSELL WESTBROOK – This could quite possibly be the most fair trade in NBA history. It would benefit both teams as well as both players personally. Russell Westbrook is clearly jealous of Kevin Durant and is also angry that his mom continues to buy him the Robin costume on Halloween, while Durant gets to be Batman every single year. He would love to be on a team where he can truly be a poor man’s Derrick Rose. Westbrook would like nothing more than to be the first, second, and third option on some team, regardless of whether they are regular title contenders are not. Westbrook is the classic case of the athlete who readily acknowledges that while there is indeed no “I” in team, there is definitely a “ME”. Rondo on the other hand, is the classic team first point guard who enjoys getting assists, steals, and rebounds much more than he enjoys scoring. All he cares about is winning, and making his teammates look good. Rondo has been perfect for Boston while playing with Jesus Shuttlesworth, KG, and Pierce. However, that trinity is at the end of their line and it is now time for Boston to rebuild. They will definitely need more scoring in the coming years, which simply isn’t Rondo’s game. What they need is a combo-guard who happens to play the point and enjoys shooting more than he enjoys (I’ll let you fill in your own word/phrase here). That guy currently resides in Oklahoma City. In Boston, Westbrook will get to be the center-piece of a rebuilding team, where he would be able to put up 30 shots a night. While Rondo can go to the Thunder and be the perfect person to serve beautiful assists to Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka. He will instantly turn them into the only team in the league that could actually compete with the HEAT. This is one case where trading “team first” for “me first” will actually benefit everyone.
PEYTON MANNING WILL BE A JET – I am that rare NFL fan with no real loyalty or allegiance to any team(s). However, I do have favorite players. My favorite NFL player is without a doubt Peyton Manning (he is the best to ever do it in my opinion). That being said, I have obviously been partial to the Colts during his tenure there. Although it pains me to see him move on to another franchise, I know in my heart of hearts that it is time for Peyton to move on. The Colts will draft Andrew Luck (if they land the first pick) or Robert Griffith III in April’s draft, which will mean that it is time for them to move on from Manning. With the new rookie pay-scale in place, the Colts will be able to have four years of service from one of these young guns for less than they would have to pay Peyton for one season. Manning will be 36 years old when next season starts and has had multiple neck surgeries. As a franchise, you simply can’t afford to keep him in this post-JaMarcus Russell era in the NFL (where top picks are much cheaper). That being said, look for the Rex Ryan and the Jets to pay Peyton whatever he wants to become a jet. Rex wouldn’t care if Cooper Manning wanted to play wide receiver, he’d give him a uniform if it meant Peyton was coming. There are some reading this now saying, “but they already have a quarterback in Mark Sanchez.” To those people I say SLAP YOURSELF! If you thought that Minnesota’s pursuit of Favre was bad, you just wait until Rex hears that Peyton Manning is available. Once Sanchez is cut, I fully expect he and his fellow Trojan bust Matt Leinart to do a Reality TV show. I don’t know what it will be about, but that seems to be what all of the washed up celebrities do these days.
MY HOMETOWN ATLANTA HAWKS WILL NOT WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP – I just couldn’t conclude this blog without this statement. The Hawks lost Jamal Crawford this off-season and brought in Tracy McGrady (which would have been awesome 8 years ago), Jerry Stackhouse, and Jenerro Pargo. That is all I have to say about that.
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Metta World Peace a.k.a The Baller Formerly Known As Ron Artest: I am not a Lakers fan by any stretch of the imagination and I hate Kobe Bryant more than Gucci Mane hates his freedom. That being said, I will be watching every Lakers game that comes on television just to hear the following phrases: “World Peace for Three!”, “Great Defense by World Peace”, “The Assist to World Peace”, “Stop Shooting so Damn Much Kobe and Give World Peace a Chance!”
SCRUB – The NCAA: There are 834 bowl games inundating my television this holiday season and only two matter. The Rose Bowl (nope, not because of tradition) because Oregon’s uniforms are going to be so damn cool, and the National Championship Game because LSU and Alabama are two teams that should be playing in the AFC South and not the SEC. I’ve said it once, and I will continue saying it until it is no longer true, THE NCAA SUCKS!!!!!!!
I could spend this time reflecting over the things that took place during our time apart, but that would be no fun. Instead, I am going to turn on the recent 2chainz mixtape (yeah, I’m just as shocked as you are that I think it’s dope) and look into the future to tell you what should/will happen in 2012 in the games that we all love.
THE MIAMI HEAT WILL WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP – All of the Heat/LeBron haters might as well get over themselves. This is the year that they start their string of championships. This is a short NBA season with lots of back to back to back games, so you can pretty much eliminate all of the older teams from contention (that means you Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, and Mavericks). Russell Westbrook and his desire for a better shoe contract and more TV airtime is determined to let his jealousy of Kevin Durant destroy the Thunder’s chances (more on that later). The Clippers and Knicks are both exciting and intriguing, however they are not quite ready yet. So that pretty much leaves Memphis in the west, and Miami in the east as the primary contenders. That being said, I would like to draw your attention back to my original statement in bold letters above.
RAJON RONDO SHOULD BE TRADED FOR RUSSELL WESTBROOK – This could quite possibly be the most fair trade in NBA history. It would benefit both teams as well as both players personally. Russell Westbrook is clearly jealous of Kevin Durant and is also angry that his mom continues to buy him the Robin costume on Halloween, while Durant gets to be Batman every single year. He would love to be on a team where he can truly be a poor man’s Derrick Rose. Westbrook would like nothing more than to be the first, second, and third option on some team, regardless of whether they are regular title contenders are not. Westbrook is the classic case of the athlete who readily acknowledges that while there is indeed no “I” in team, there is definitely a “ME”. Rondo on the other hand, is the classic team first point guard who enjoys getting assists, steals, and rebounds much more than he enjoys scoring. All he cares about is winning, and making his teammates look good. Rondo has been perfect for Boston while playing with Jesus Shuttlesworth, KG, and Pierce. However, that trinity is at the end of their line and it is now time for Boston to rebuild. They will definitely need more scoring in the coming years, which simply isn’t Rondo’s game. What they need is a combo-guard who happens to play the point and enjoys shooting more than he enjoys (I’ll let you fill in your own word/phrase here). That guy currently resides in Oklahoma City. In Boston, Westbrook will get to be the center-piece of a rebuilding team, where he would be able to put up 30 shots a night. While Rondo can go to the Thunder and be the perfect person to serve beautiful assists to Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka. He will instantly turn them into the only team in the league that could actually compete with the HEAT. This is one case where trading “team first” for “me first” will actually benefit everyone.
PEYTON MANNING WILL BE A JET – I am that rare NFL fan with no real loyalty or allegiance to any team(s). However, I do have favorite players. My favorite NFL player is without a doubt Peyton Manning (he is the best to ever do it in my opinion). That being said, I have obviously been partial to the Colts during his tenure there. Although it pains me to see him move on to another franchise, I know in my heart of hearts that it is time for Peyton to move on. The Colts will draft Andrew Luck (if they land the first pick) or Robert Griffith III in April’s draft, which will mean that it is time for them to move on from Manning. With the new rookie pay-scale in place, the Colts will be able to have four years of service from one of these young guns for less than they would have to pay Peyton for one season. Manning will be 36 years old when next season starts and has had multiple neck surgeries. As a franchise, you simply can’t afford to keep him in this post-JaMarcus Russell era in the NFL (where top picks are much cheaper). That being said, look for the Rex Ryan and the Jets to pay Peyton whatever he wants to become a jet. Rex wouldn’t care if Cooper Manning wanted to play wide receiver, he’d give him a uniform if it meant Peyton was coming. There are some reading this now saying, “but they already have a quarterback in Mark Sanchez.” To those people I say SLAP YOURSELF! If you thought that Minnesota’s pursuit of Favre was bad, you just wait until Rex hears that Peyton Manning is available. Once Sanchez is cut, I fully expect he and his fellow Trojan bust Matt Leinart to do a Reality TV show. I don’t know what it will be about, but that seems to be what all of the washed up celebrities do these days.
MY HOMETOWN ATLANTA HAWKS WILL NOT WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP – I just couldn’t conclude this blog without this statement. The Hawks lost Jamal Crawford this off-season and brought in Tracy McGrady (which would have been awesome 8 years ago), Jerry Stackhouse, and Jenerro Pargo. That is all I have to say about that.
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Metta World Peace a.k.a The Baller Formerly Known As Ron Artest: I am not a Lakers fan by any stretch of the imagination and I hate Kobe Bryant more than Gucci Mane hates his freedom. That being said, I will be watching every Lakers game that comes on television just to hear the following phrases: “World Peace for Three!”, “Great Defense by World Peace”, “The Assist to World Peace”, “Stop Shooting so Damn Much Kobe and Give World Peace a Chance!”
SCRUB – The NCAA: There are 834 bowl games inundating my television this holiday season and only two matter. The Rose Bowl (nope, not because of tradition) because Oregon’s uniforms are going to be so damn cool, and the National Championship Game because LSU and Alabama are two teams that should be playing in the AFC South and not the SEC. I’ve said it once, and I will continue saying it until it is no longer true, THE NCAA SUCKS!!!!!!!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
WHAT'S THE POINT
I never played big-time college sports, so hopefully someone who did or who knows more about college sports than I do can answer these two questions for me. What is the point of NCAA investigations? and How does the NCAA determine what programs or issues to investigate? The recent investigation into the high school transcript of a former University of Memphis player who fits the description of Derrick Rose has prompted me to ask these questions, because in my eyes, the NCAA is the most bass-ackwards sports organization that I have ever seen (that hasn’t been run by Isiah Thomas).
It has been reported by a variety of media outlets that the NCAA is investigating allegations of a player fitting the description of Derrick Rose using a stand-in for the SAT Test and having high-school grades changed so that he would be able to qualify for a scholarship at Memphis (where he only played the mandatory one season). Although these allegations would qualify as big violations of NCAA rules, I find the timing of this particular investigation rather peculiar. Since he has left high school Derrick Rose has led Memphis to a Final Four, become the #1 draft pick in the NBA, led the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs (where they participated in one of the best playoff series of all time), and won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. So, I ask of you, do you really think that he cares about an NCAA investigation into his high school transcript? Also, if Barney Fife and the rest of the NCAA investigators find that these allegations are true, what can they do to him?
There are those who would argue that the investigation still needs to take place and that the coaches and/or administration must be held accountable if any wrong-doing has taken place. However, that will also be difficult to do because the “Teflon Don” himself John Calapari is no longer pacing the sidelines at Memphis. He has taken his great recruiting ability and excellent coaching skills to COLLEGE BASKETBALL WINNINGEST PROGRAM, The University of Kentucky (he has also been told that he is not at risk in the investigation). So again I ask, what is the point?
There are only a couple of possible outcomes for this investigation. One possibility is that nothing could happen. If the NCAA finds that no rules were broken during the recruiting of the player that fits Rose’s description, then life would go on as normal for all of the concerned parties. However, if it is decided that violations did take place, then Memphis will almost certainly face some sort of NCAA sanctions. This could mean that they could possibly have to forfeit their recent Final Four appearance and all of the income earned from it. Trust me, no one is going to forget that they made it to the Final Four even if the NCAA strips them of that distinction. Much like everyone still remembers the Fab Five of the University of Michigan from the early 90’s. The NCAA also found them guilty of rules violations and removed all of their records from the books, IN 2003 (man I’m glad the guilty parties had to deal with the consequences of their actions, the NCAA is never late, but always right on time)! They could also lose scholarships and/or be put on probation. What a way for new coach Josh Pastner to start his head coaching career?
As far as elite college basketball jobs go, the University of Memphis does not qualify as one of them. They are in a terribly weak conference and were only regularly on TV because they had a high-profile coach, in Calipari, that was able to recruit the kids that networks wanted to put on television and schedule games with big name programs. Now that he is gone, look for Memphis, if they avoid NCAA sanctions to remain near the top of Conference USA, but not garner very much national attention. On the other hand, if the NCAA does decide to sanction them, look for their program to follow a similar path as the Georgia Basketball program after the Jim Harrick fiasco. They were so hamstrung by sanctions and bad publicity that the next coach never had a chance. That would be terribly unfair to Pastner because he will be there to deal with the fallout, while Rose (if it is actually him that they are investigating) continues to collect NBA millions while becoming one of the faces of the NBA, and Calipari enjoys his thrown on top of the College Basketball World at the University of Kentucky. Since all of the alleged parties of interest have moved on, someone please tell me, what’s the point of this investigation again?
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK
BALLER: Stan Van Gundy (Head Coach Orlando Magic) – You may look like the third Super Mario Brother or an “actor” that I won’t name here because this is a family blog, but you figured out a way to defeat LeBron James and the Pips in order to move on to the NBA Finals. Congratulations! Be sure that after you win the championship this year, that you go up to Pat Riley and tell him to “Kiss the Ring” for the way he played you during the 2005 – 2006 season. Now go out and beat the Lakers, because I HATE KOBE BRYANT!!!!
SCRUB: LeBron James’ Background Singers (AKA the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers) – What happened? You had the best regular season record in the NBA this season. Then you choked when it really counted. You gave LeBron James virtually no help in this playoff series. Outside of James and Delonte West, no one on that team showed any toughness on the court. In crunch time LeBron had to bring the ball up court, survey the defense, and make the play (shot or assist, and sometimes both) to keep you in the game. He also had to play virtually every minute of every game, which obviously wore him out. Just think, if he had just a little bit of help, you would be playing on the Big Stage in the NBA Finals. But instead you will continue to be his background singers in small nightclubs.
It has been reported by a variety of media outlets that the NCAA is investigating allegations of a player fitting the description of Derrick Rose using a stand-in for the SAT Test and having high-school grades changed so that he would be able to qualify for a scholarship at Memphis (where he only played the mandatory one season). Although these allegations would qualify as big violations of NCAA rules, I find the timing of this particular investigation rather peculiar. Since he has left high school Derrick Rose has led Memphis to a Final Four, become the #1 draft pick in the NBA, led the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs (where they participated in one of the best playoff series of all time), and won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. So, I ask of you, do you really think that he cares about an NCAA investigation into his high school transcript? Also, if Barney Fife and the rest of the NCAA investigators find that these allegations are true, what can they do to him?
There are those who would argue that the investigation still needs to take place and that the coaches and/or administration must be held accountable if any wrong-doing has taken place. However, that will also be difficult to do because the “Teflon Don” himself John Calapari is no longer pacing the sidelines at Memphis. He has taken his great recruiting ability and excellent coaching skills to COLLEGE BASKETBALL WINNINGEST PROGRAM, The University of Kentucky (he has also been told that he is not at risk in the investigation). So again I ask, what is the point?
There are only a couple of possible outcomes for this investigation. One possibility is that nothing could happen. If the NCAA finds that no rules were broken during the recruiting of the player that fits Rose’s description, then life would go on as normal for all of the concerned parties. However, if it is decided that violations did take place, then Memphis will almost certainly face some sort of NCAA sanctions. This could mean that they could possibly have to forfeit their recent Final Four appearance and all of the income earned from it. Trust me, no one is going to forget that they made it to the Final Four even if the NCAA strips them of that distinction. Much like everyone still remembers the Fab Five of the University of Michigan from the early 90’s. The NCAA also found them guilty of rules violations and removed all of their records from the books, IN 2003 (man I’m glad the guilty parties had to deal with the consequences of their actions, the NCAA is never late, but always right on time)! They could also lose scholarships and/or be put on probation. What a way for new coach Josh Pastner to start his head coaching career?
As far as elite college basketball jobs go, the University of Memphis does not qualify as one of them. They are in a terribly weak conference and were only regularly on TV because they had a high-profile coach, in Calipari, that was able to recruit the kids that networks wanted to put on television and schedule games with big name programs. Now that he is gone, look for Memphis, if they avoid NCAA sanctions to remain near the top of Conference USA, but not garner very much national attention. On the other hand, if the NCAA does decide to sanction them, look for their program to follow a similar path as the Georgia Basketball program after the Jim Harrick fiasco. They were so hamstrung by sanctions and bad publicity that the next coach never had a chance. That would be terribly unfair to Pastner because he will be there to deal with the fallout, while Rose (if it is actually him that they are investigating) continues to collect NBA millions while becoming one of the faces of the NBA, and Calipari enjoys his thrown on top of the College Basketball World at the University of Kentucky. Since all of the alleged parties of interest have moved on, someone please tell me, what’s the point of this investigation again?
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK
BALLER: Stan Van Gundy (Head Coach Orlando Magic) – You may look like the third Super Mario Brother or an “actor” that I won’t name here because this is a family blog, but you figured out a way to defeat LeBron James and the Pips in order to move on to the NBA Finals. Congratulations! Be sure that after you win the championship this year, that you go up to Pat Riley and tell him to “Kiss the Ring” for the way he played you during the 2005 – 2006 season. Now go out and beat the Lakers, because I HATE KOBE BRYANT!!!!
SCRUB: LeBron James’ Background Singers (AKA the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers) – What happened? You had the best regular season record in the NBA this season. Then you choked when it really counted. You gave LeBron James virtually no help in this playoff series. Outside of James and Delonte West, no one on that team showed any toughness on the court. In crunch time LeBron had to bring the ball up court, survey the defense, and make the play (shot or assist, and sometimes both) to keep you in the game. He also had to play virtually every minute of every game, which obviously wore him out. Just think, if he had just a little bit of help, you would be playing on the Big Stage in the NBA Finals. But instead you will continue to be his background singers in small nightclubs.
Monday, May 25, 2009
I’M BACK & HE’S HOME
Your eyes are not deceiving you; this is actually a new post from STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! I know that I have been away for almost two months, but they have been a very productive two months. Since I’ve been away, I have finished another semester of my MBA program (the last month of the semester was very tough, which was the predominant cause of the break). My beautiful wife also surprised me with a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate our second year of marriage (That's right, I married a sports fan who took me to Vegas, JACKPOT!), and I have also been traveling for work. Now I’m back and ready to resume work on STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! My course load for the summer is lighter than that of a normal semester, so hopefully, I will not have a long school induced break.
It must be a good week for sports fans because I am back and Michael Vick is back at home. This is a story that is near and dear to my heart. I am a huge Michael Vick fan and can’t wait to see him on the football field again. I am not going to take the time to get up on my soapbox about how ridiculous it is that Vick spent time in federal prison for dog fighting, while Leonard Little killed a person while driving drunk and only missed eight games, and while Dan Heatley formerly of the Atlanta Thrashers killed his teammate Dan Snyder in an auto accident while driving like a mad man, never served any prison time. I guess the American Justice System is telling us that the lives of dogs are more valuable than the lives of people. But like I said, I am not going to discuss this now. The fact of the matter is that Vick has been released, and should be reinstated into the NFL in time for the upcoming season if Commissioner Judge, Jury, and Executioner decides that he has served his debt to society.
I must admit, I have found some of the commentary about Michael Vick’s football future absolutely hilarious. There are some people who think that he will only be able to sign for the league minimum (somewhere between $500,000 and $800,000 for someone with his years of service in the league) once he is reinstated, due to the perceived baggage that he will take along with him to a new team. That is an absolute joke. He will receive a multi-million dollar contract simply because more than one team will be in the running for his services and the price will most certainly be driven up through sheer competition.
The other comment that I hear concerning Vick that I think is hilarious, is that he will never be able to play quarterback in the NFL again and that he will have to switch positions. If you want to know why I find this comment funny, simply click on the video below.
This clown is not only still in the NFL, he just received a new free-agent contract. So if he can play quarterback in the NFL, someone please tell me why Michael Vick can't.
Vick will be back in the NFL and he will be a quarterback. I am even willing to say that he will be a starter before the 2009 season is over. I know for a fact that he will not be welcomed back by the Atlanta Falcons. He totally screwed up his chance here and they have found their new quarterback in Matt Ryan. Arthur Blank and company have every right to move on with their lives without Michael Vick. I am guessing that one of the following teams will sign him (no inside information, just my gut feeling):
It must be a good week for sports fans because I am back and Michael Vick is back at home. This is a story that is near and dear to my heart. I am a huge Michael Vick fan and can’t wait to see him on the football field again. I am not going to take the time to get up on my soapbox about how ridiculous it is that Vick spent time in federal prison for dog fighting, while Leonard Little killed a person while driving drunk and only missed eight games, and while Dan Heatley formerly of the Atlanta Thrashers killed his teammate Dan Snyder in an auto accident while driving like a mad man, never served any prison time. I guess the American Justice System is telling us that the lives of dogs are more valuable than the lives of people. But like I said, I am not going to discuss this now. The fact of the matter is that Vick has been released, and should be reinstated into the NFL in time for the upcoming season if Commissioner Judge, Jury, and Executioner decides that he has served his debt to society.
I must admit, I have found some of the commentary about Michael Vick’s football future absolutely hilarious. There are some people who think that he will only be able to sign for the league minimum (somewhere between $500,000 and $800,000 for someone with his years of service in the league) once he is reinstated, due to the perceived baggage that he will take along with him to a new team. That is an absolute joke. He will receive a multi-million dollar contract simply because more than one team will be in the running for his services and the price will most certainly be driven up through sheer competition.
The other comment that I hear concerning Vick that I think is hilarious, is that he will never be able to play quarterback in the NFL again and that he will have to switch positions. If you want to know why I find this comment funny, simply click on the video below.
This clown is not only still in the NFL, he just received a new free-agent contract. So if he can play quarterback in the NFL, someone please tell me why Michael Vick can't.
Vick will be back in the NFL and he will be a quarterback. I am even willing to say that he will be a starter before the 2009 season is over. I know for a fact that he will not be welcomed back by the Atlanta Falcons. He totally screwed up his chance here and they have found their new quarterback in Matt Ryan. Arthur Blank and company have every right to move on with their lives without Michael Vick. I am guessing that one of the following teams will sign him (no inside information, just my gut feeling):
San Francisco 49er’s – They have a head coach with a strong personality in Mike Singletary and they don’t have a quarterback. He will be able to handle the media scrutiny. This would be a great fit. They also have Michael Crabtree, which would make for better Mike & Mike show than the one that comes on ESPN Radio in the mornings (in my opinion, that show is terrible).
Miami Dolphins – Bill Parcells was able to keep Lawrence Taylor as in check as a cocaine-using linebacker can be. Therefore the Michael Vick drama should be a piece of cake.
Oakland Raiders – Al Davis (need I say more)
Carolina Panthers – They need a quarterback more than they will ever admit (JAKE DELHOMME IS DONE!). They also have a strong running game and a good defense. They could play ball control offense with Vick, DeAngelo Williams, and Jonathan Stewart and really let Steve Smith do what he does best on the outside. Vick will make them a favorite to make the Super Bowl.
Arizona Cardinals – Vick can get in shape and work on his throwing as Warner finishes his career. They will need a quarterback soon because Matt Leinart simply is not the answer.
Tennessee Titans – They drafted the imitation, why not sign the real thing. Vick is what they thought they were getting in Vince Young. Also, Kerry Collins is near the end.
There are those who believe that Vick will reunite with Jim Mora Jr. and Greg Knapp in Seattle, but I don’t think that will or should happen. I know that Hasselbeck is done, but Vick is not the answer there.
I can’t wait to see Vick back on the field.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK!
BALLER: The Orlando Magic & Denver Nuggets - You share this honor because you have showed up and played your butts off in the Eastern & Western Conference Finals respectively. The good people at Nike & Vitamin Water have all but written you off. This is obvious because they have been running Kobe v/s LeBron commercials since the playoffs began. In their eyes, you are nothing but a stepping stone. As a fan of the NBA and an even bigger fan of competitive games, I want to thank you for making both the conference finals an actual competitive series. You both have a legit chance of making it to the finals and you are proving to everyone that you aren't going to simply be "Witnesses" to the advertisers dream come true. (For the record, I am pulling for Cleveland & Denver).
(On a somewhat related topic, I noticed that Kobe is referred to as the Black Mamba in some of those commercials. Does anyone really call him that? I have never heard anyone call him that, and I think it is a stupid nickname. Also, who gave him that name. I hope he didn't give it to himself. Doesn't he know that you can't give yourself a nickname. Then it isn't a nickname, it's simply you wishing that you were someone else.)
SCRUB: NBA Commissioner David Stern - You get this honor for allowing companies to run ads basically foreshadowing a finals matchup BEFORE THE FINALS. You have already had a referee get convicted for fixing games, and many casual fans also believe that some games have been fixed in the past. (We aren't even going to get into the alleged frozen envelope during the 1985 draft lottery.) So if one or both of the conference finals go to a seventh game and Cleveland and/or LA win in a close game or on a questionable call, you are really going to open yourself up to criticism for fixing the finals for advertising dollars. Allowing these ads to run before the finals is really stupid, and for that you are my SCRUB OF THE WEEK.
Now for a totally non-sports related topic:
I am 27 years old, and a child of hip-hop music. Not the junk you hear on the radio today, I am referring to the music of rap's golden era, the 1990's. There are a few rappers that I listen to today. Among them are Outkast, Jay Z, TI, Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, Lil Wayne and Mos Def, just to name a few. However, I must say that there hasn't been any new talent worth listening to in quite a while. That is until now. For those who appreciate good rap music and is disgusted by the junk that is on the radio today, I recommend that you check out a new artist (as Ghetto Mafia would say) that is Straight from the DEC (Decatur GA). He goes by the name of B.O.B. He is the real deal and the future of hip hop. But don't take my word for it, simply click on the link below.
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