Baseball is no longer America’s pastime. It has been replaced by the NFL, which is not only America’s new pastime but also America’s passion. That being said, you would think that no one would be paying any attention to baseball this time of year. Especially when you consider that the NFL season is winding down with teams fighting for their playoff lives on a weekly basis. Not to mention that the NBA (which I also love) season is in full swing, and is very exciting. However, one baseball team has still managed to grab national headlines. I will give you one guess as to what team I am referring to. Go ahead, I will give you a minute…. That’s right the NEW YORK YANKEES!!!!
After not only failing to win the World Series last season, but finishing an embarrassing THIRD in their own division the Yankees decided that changes had to be made. Random changes were not needed, but specific positions needed to be upgraded. They realized that they needed starting pitching and also needed to upgrade the first base position. Their next moves are what separate the Yankees from other Major League Baseball teams. They actually went out and got the absolute best players to fill their needs. This is very different from what the Atlanta Braves did when they needed a right-fielder a couple of seasons ago. Rather than sign a real major league talent and compete for the playoffs they decided to sign the washed-up Raul Mondesi and the even more washed-up Brian Jordan to platoon at the position. Instead of simply adding an arm to the rotation (much like the Braves did with an ancient Tom Glavine), they decided to sign CC Sabathia! Sabathia absolutely dominated the second half of last season. He didn’t just dominate he was historically good. In his final 17 starts he was 11 – 2 (he had 4 no decisions) with 7 complete games. Over this same time period he also had 128 strikeouts and only 25 walks. I will give you a second to take it all in and realize just how amazing those numbers are….
For those of you who don’t regularly follow baseball, I will tell you that he wasn’t a flash in the pan. He has been an absolute menace to opposing hitters his entire career. To join Sabathia in the rotation that also added AJ Burnett, who is also a very good starting pitcher. They followed these signings up by adding a switch-hitting first baseman, who has hit at least 30 homeruns every year of his career except his rookie year. That would be Mark Teixeira, a player that the Atlanta Braves traded away for a bag of baseballs, a pair of tube socks, and a pair of flip-down sunglasses (that was such a stupid trade, but I will address that on another day).
Although I am not a Yankees fan, I certainly have a huge amount of respect for them as a franchise. This is because (unlike the team in my home city) they do whatever it takes to try to win each and every year. They realized that they had some areas that needed to be improved and they went out and spent a total of $423.5 million (of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!) to improve them. Not only has this off-season proven that the Yankees will spend whatever it takes to win, it has also proven that the New York Yankees are also recession-proof.
Since the Yankees went on their off-season spending spree, people from all corners have been speaking ill of them and their business practices. General Managers and front office executives of other teams have even been suggesting that Major League should consider implementing a hard salary cap to allow other teams to ensure that other teams can continue to compete financially with the Yankees. To all those speaking ill of the Yankees and their dedication to putting a winning product on the field for their fans, I simply want to say HI HATERS!!!!
The New York Yankees sale out virtually every home game and they also own their own cable network that airs their games locally. In addition to that they are also among the league leaders (if not the league leader) in merchandise sales. For those of you who don’t have a PhD in economics, what I’m basically saying is that they make more money than any other team. Therefore, they have more money to spend than any other team. I think the Steinbrenner’s deserve a lot of credit for re-investing this money back into the team rather than simply putting it in their pockets as a nice profit for the year.
To be truthful, I really question the business acumen of those who don’t like the way the Yankees do business. Last I checked, the object of professional sports was to win and make money. The Yankees have a history of doing just that. Now, there are those franchises that simply exist to make money and really don’t place a premium on winning. The Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and the Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos have not put anything remotely resembling a winning product on the field in a very, very, very long time. If your team continues to make a profit each year, yet fails to compete for a playoff spot regularly, they are doing you a huge disservice.
If you have a problem with the way that the Yankees do business please comment and let me know. What should they do differently? Should they allow areas of their team to be weak so that everyone else has a chance to beat them? Should they not put the best possible product on the field for their fans (who pay the fourth highest average ticket price in baseball)? If your team did what the Yankees did and put themselves in a position to compete for the division titles and World Series Championships year in and year out, you would be elated. Remember they have the money. If they don’t spend it on players, they will simply pocket it. It is time for everyone to stop being so hypocritical about the Yankees’ business practices, and more importantly to STOP HATING!!!!
****SPECIAL SHOUTOUT****
The award for "BEST GAME THEORY REFERENCE ON A SPORTS BLOG" goes to SCOTT (a regular reader of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!) for masterfully referencing the "Prisoner's Dilemma" in his comments on last week's blog entry.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
GIVE A BROTHA A CHANCE
IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK!!!! Unfortunately I haven’t been able to write anything new for the last three weeks. I spent the first two weeks studying for a final exam and completing a final project. I am proud to say that I have completed the first semester of my MBA program with very good grades. All of my hard work is definitely paying off. I also spent five days on vacation in Cancun with the wifey. It was nice to have a week not to think about work or school. It was much needed, and very relaxing.
Today I want to discuss a very serious topic, therefore this entry will not be as humorous or light-hearted as some of my previous entries. As a matter of fact, I would like to get some good opinions on this topic and also some feedback on possible solutions to the problem that will be discussed (remember this is a family blog, so keep the language clean in the comments).
As you all should know by now, Auburn University hired Iowa State Head Coach Gene Chizik to replace Tommy Tuberville as their Head Football Coach. They have been roundly criticized by many in the sports media and Charles Barkley (arguably Auburn’s most famous former athlete). There are those who wonder why they chose Chizik who has a stellar 5 – 19 record as a head coach and is riding a current 10 game losing streak, to lead a program that plays in arguably the toughest division in the toughest conference in college football. There are also those (namely Barkley) who wonder if the hire was racially motivated. This is because they passed on one of the hottest coaching prospects in the country in Turner Gill (University of Buffalo). In just three years Gill took the Buffalo program from laughing stock to conference champion. He is without a doubt a more accomplished head coach than Chizik. I am not inside the head of Jay Jacobs, Auburn’s Athletic Director, which means that I don’t know what his motivation for the hire was. However, he did say that Chizik is the right fit for Auburn. Only time will tell if he was right, or if he made a huge mistake.
The controversy that followed this hire has brought to the forefront an issue that comes up each off-season, but remains a problem each year. That issue is the lack of African American coaches in major college football. Today 4.20% of Division 1 head coaches are African American. That is 5 out of 119 to be exact. The only black head coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A ) are Randy Shannon (University of Miami), Turner Gill (University of Buffalo), Kevin Sumlin (University of Houston), Mike Locksley (University of New Mexico), and Ron English (Eastern Michigan University). THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!! There is no way that you can tell me that only five African American coaches in America are qualified to be a head coach at the major college level.
In the NFL 21.88% (7 of 32) of all head coaches are African American. Although this is not as high as it should be, it is definitely a step in the right direction toward diversity. It is ridiculous that the college game is so far behind. In 1993 the NFL instituted the Rooney Rule, which makes it mandatory that all NFL teams with coaching vacancies interview at least one minority candidate during their coaching search. Although I wish that this rule was not necessary, it has proven to be invaluable to the advancement of minority coaches. The biggest problem that black coaches have faced in the past was the inability to even interview for head coaching openings. The introduction of this rule made NFL decision makers consider candidates that they usually wouldn’t have given a shot. It also gives minorities a chance to keep their interviewing skills sharp. This rule works, and should be implemented in the college game.
I believe that there is one simple reason that black coaches simply don’t get opportunities to be major college head coaches. This is because the vast majority of college presidents, athletic directors, and big-money football boosters are not African American, and are reluctant to give opportunities to people who don’t look like them. I have heard college Athletic Directors say on several occasions that they hired someone that they were comfortable with or someone that they knew. That is all fine and well, but there will never be true diversity in the major college football coaching ranks until someone steps outside the box and takes a chance.
Not only should black coaches get an opportunity in college football, they should also be treated fairly once they get that opportunity. I can only think of two situations where black coaches were fired fairly. Karl Dorrell was let go at UCLA after five decent but not great seasons. He had a record of 35 – 27, but was not able to win the conference or get to a BCS game. Tyrone Willingham was fired by the University of Washington this season. It was a just firing because he had a record of 11 – 37 in his four seasons at the school. He also went 0 – 12 this past season.
Tyrone Willingham is an interesting case because he was treated so unfairly while at the University of Notre Dame. He was fired by Notre Dame after only three seasons. In those three seasons he had a record of 21 – 15. Normally I would say that if Notre Dame didn’t think that 21 – 15 is good enough at Notre Dame, then they had the right to make a change. However, I found it very strange that Willingham’s successor, Charlie Weiss went 22 – 15 in his first three seasons. Notre Dame even gave Weiss a ten year contract extension during his first season, when he had a similar record as Willingham. Just for the record, I would like to state that Weiss experienced his most success when he was leading a team of players recruited by Willingham. Once he got his own recruiting classes on campus, everything went downhill. Please tell me how it is fair for two coaches to have similar records at the same school, yet be treated very differently by that University.
I can think of three potential solutions to this problem. The first of which is to introduce a rule that mirrors the Rooney Rule that has been implemented by the NFL. I am very skeptical of the chances of this rule working at the college level. This rule works in the NFL because NFL teams are run by business men whose primary goal is to win and make money. If they feel as though an African American candidate is the best person to lead that football team, they will hire him. However, college football is run by boosters. The person that is hired to lead the football team has to be someone that the big-money boosters approve of, or they will simply stop donating to the program. More often than not, these boosters know very little about the technical aspects of football and simply want the coach that they like to be leading their team. If they don’t want a minority, then that school will not hire a minority, no matter how qualified he is.
The next potential solution is for a black coach to get an opportunity at a major program and hire a staff that consists primarily of black coaches. If this coach is wildly successful, then coaches from his staff are likely to get opportunities to be head coaches. This is strategy that Tony Dungy employed in the NFL. It is amazing that every current African American coach in the NFL except for Marvin Lewis, Romeo Crennel, and Mike Singletary (and of course, Dungy) have at one point in their career worked for Tony Dungy.
My third potential solution to this problem is for the elite black high school athletes to go to schools that have African American head coaches and coordinators. If this happens, the number of black coaches being interviewed for job openings will sky-rocket. A college football program is only as good as the players that it can recruit and if a school is put at a recruiting disadvantage, even the boosters that are staunchly against diversity will embrace and demand it.
This is a real problem in a country that is supposed to be the land of opportunity. I think that it’s ridiculous that African American coaches are still treated as second class citizens in the world of college football. They are simply not given equal opportunities. Am I the only person that thinks that it is funny that America feels as though an African American can be qualified to lead our country in these difficult times, but an African American can’t be qualified to lead a college football team to a BCS game? It is time for colleges and universities all over America to treat all coaches equally and give everyone a fair chance to be a head coach.
If you have any additional suggestions as to how this problem can be solved, please comment and share them. (Remember to keep it clean, this is a family blog).
Today I want to discuss a very serious topic, therefore this entry will not be as humorous or light-hearted as some of my previous entries. As a matter of fact, I would like to get some good opinions on this topic and also some feedback on possible solutions to the problem that will be discussed (remember this is a family blog, so keep the language clean in the comments).
As you all should know by now, Auburn University hired Iowa State Head Coach Gene Chizik to replace Tommy Tuberville as their Head Football Coach. They have been roundly criticized by many in the sports media and Charles Barkley (arguably Auburn’s most famous former athlete). There are those who wonder why they chose Chizik who has a stellar 5 – 19 record as a head coach and is riding a current 10 game losing streak, to lead a program that plays in arguably the toughest division in the toughest conference in college football. There are also those (namely Barkley) who wonder if the hire was racially motivated. This is because they passed on one of the hottest coaching prospects in the country in Turner Gill (University of Buffalo). In just three years Gill took the Buffalo program from laughing stock to conference champion. He is without a doubt a more accomplished head coach than Chizik. I am not inside the head of Jay Jacobs, Auburn’s Athletic Director, which means that I don’t know what his motivation for the hire was. However, he did say that Chizik is the right fit for Auburn. Only time will tell if he was right, or if he made a huge mistake.
The controversy that followed this hire has brought to the forefront an issue that comes up each off-season, but remains a problem each year. That issue is the lack of African American coaches in major college football. Today 4.20% of Division 1 head coaches are African American. That is 5 out of 119 to be exact. The only black head coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A ) are Randy Shannon (University of Miami), Turner Gill (University of Buffalo), Kevin Sumlin (University of Houston), Mike Locksley (University of New Mexico), and Ron English (Eastern Michigan University). THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!! There is no way that you can tell me that only five African American coaches in America are qualified to be a head coach at the major college level.
In the NFL 21.88% (7 of 32) of all head coaches are African American. Although this is not as high as it should be, it is definitely a step in the right direction toward diversity. It is ridiculous that the college game is so far behind. In 1993 the NFL instituted the Rooney Rule, which makes it mandatory that all NFL teams with coaching vacancies interview at least one minority candidate during their coaching search. Although I wish that this rule was not necessary, it has proven to be invaluable to the advancement of minority coaches. The biggest problem that black coaches have faced in the past was the inability to even interview for head coaching openings. The introduction of this rule made NFL decision makers consider candidates that they usually wouldn’t have given a shot. It also gives minorities a chance to keep their interviewing skills sharp. This rule works, and should be implemented in the college game.
I believe that there is one simple reason that black coaches simply don’t get opportunities to be major college head coaches. This is because the vast majority of college presidents, athletic directors, and big-money football boosters are not African American, and are reluctant to give opportunities to people who don’t look like them. I have heard college Athletic Directors say on several occasions that they hired someone that they were comfortable with or someone that they knew. That is all fine and well, but there will never be true diversity in the major college football coaching ranks until someone steps outside the box and takes a chance.
Not only should black coaches get an opportunity in college football, they should also be treated fairly once they get that opportunity. I can only think of two situations where black coaches were fired fairly. Karl Dorrell was let go at UCLA after five decent but not great seasons. He had a record of 35 – 27, but was not able to win the conference or get to a BCS game. Tyrone Willingham was fired by the University of Washington this season. It was a just firing because he had a record of 11 – 37 in his four seasons at the school. He also went 0 – 12 this past season.
Tyrone Willingham is an interesting case because he was treated so unfairly while at the University of Notre Dame. He was fired by Notre Dame after only three seasons. In those three seasons he had a record of 21 – 15. Normally I would say that if Notre Dame didn’t think that 21 – 15 is good enough at Notre Dame, then they had the right to make a change. However, I found it very strange that Willingham’s successor, Charlie Weiss went 22 – 15 in his first three seasons. Notre Dame even gave Weiss a ten year contract extension during his first season, when he had a similar record as Willingham. Just for the record, I would like to state that Weiss experienced his most success when he was leading a team of players recruited by Willingham. Once he got his own recruiting classes on campus, everything went downhill. Please tell me how it is fair for two coaches to have similar records at the same school, yet be treated very differently by that University.
I can think of three potential solutions to this problem. The first of which is to introduce a rule that mirrors the Rooney Rule that has been implemented by the NFL. I am very skeptical of the chances of this rule working at the college level. This rule works in the NFL because NFL teams are run by business men whose primary goal is to win and make money. If they feel as though an African American candidate is the best person to lead that football team, they will hire him. However, college football is run by boosters. The person that is hired to lead the football team has to be someone that the big-money boosters approve of, or they will simply stop donating to the program. More often than not, these boosters know very little about the technical aspects of football and simply want the coach that they like to be leading their team. If they don’t want a minority, then that school will not hire a minority, no matter how qualified he is.
The next potential solution is for a black coach to get an opportunity at a major program and hire a staff that consists primarily of black coaches. If this coach is wildly successful, then coaches from his staff are likely to get opportunities to be head coaches. This is strategy that Tony Dungy employed in the NFL. It is amazing that every current African American coach in the NFL except for Marvin Lewis, Romeo Crennel, and Mike Singletary (and of course, Dungy) have at one point in their career worked for Tony Dungy.
My third potential solution to this problem is for the elite black high school athletes to go to schools that have African American head coaches and coordinators. If this happens, the number of black coaches being interviewed for job openings will sky-rocket. A college football program is only as good as the players that it can recruit and if a school is put at a recruiting disadvantage, even the boosters that are staunchly against diversity will embrace and demand it.
This is a real problem in a country that is supposed to be the land of opportunity. I think that it’s ridiculous that African American coaches are still treated as second class citizens in the world of college football. They are simply not given equal opportunities. Am I the only person that thinks that it is funny that America feels as though an African American can be qualified to lead our country in these difficult times, but an African American can’t be qualified to lead a college football team to a BCS game? It is time for colleges and universities all over America to treat all coaches equally and give everyone a fair chance to be a head coach.
If you have any additional suggestions as to how this problem can be solved, please comment and share them. (Remember to keep it clean, this is a family blog).
Sunday, December 7, 2008
STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! HAS A PROJECT
Thanks for checking in. Unfortunately, I am not able to post anything new this week due to a final project that I am working on this weekend. Please take the time to read any entries that you may have missed and comment on them if you would like (I do check old posts for new comments).Thanks for the continued support. Wish me luck on my project!!!!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! HAS A TEST
Thanks for checking in. Unfortunately, I am not able to post anything new this week due to a final exam that I am studying for this weekend. Please take the time to read any entries that you may have missed and comment on them if you would like (I do check old posts for new comments).Thanks for the continued support. Wish me luck on my exam!!!!
****NOTE****
FOR ALL OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN GEORGIA THAT ARE READING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 2nd IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION FOR ONE OF OUR SENATE SEATS. JIM MARTIN IS ATTEMPTING TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBANT SAXBY CHAMBLISS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION, AND I AM URGING EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD THROUGH YOUR VOTE.
****NOTE****
FOR ALL OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN GEORGIA THAT ARE READING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 2nd IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION FOR ONE OF OUR SENATE SEATS. JIM MARTIN IS ATTEMPTING TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBANT SAXBY CHAMBLISS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION, AND I AM URGING EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD THROUGH YOUR VOTE.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
HE’S JUST AS GOOD (AND NOT A DIVA)
Those of you who are regular readers of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! have probably guessed that I’m not a fan of the Diva that is Brett Favre. I am not going to go into why at this point (To find out why, please click “July” on the list of months that are located to the right of this entry. Then click and read the entry titled “THE BIGGEST DIVA IN THE NFL”), but I will admit that he is among the best to ever play the game. Notice I said among the best, NOT THE BEST! However, it is true that if you asked a group of KNOWLEDGABLE football fans to name the top five quarterbacks of all time, he should be in discussion. Personally I don’t think that he’s a top five quarterback, but I can understand how some people feel that he is. If you take it one step further and ask the same group of fans to name the top ten quarterbacks of all time, his name must be on the list. Even as a Brett Favre hater, I must admit that he is hands down a top ten quarterback. Anyone who disagrees simply doesn’t know football.
That being said, I know of one quarterback whose name wouldn’t come up in either discussion. This quarterback has the same amount of Super Bowl victories of the “great” Brett Favre. At the end of this season, he could also have the same number of MVP awards (3) as Favre. However, he’s rarely considered by anyone to be an all-time great. As a matter of fact if you compare his career numbers to those of Favre, I would say that they are just as good, if not better. I would take him over Favre any day of the week, because his career stats are better, he has never spoken out against a teammate in search of a new contract, he doesn’t annually hold his team hostage each off-season by threatening to retire, he doesn’t give inside information about his former team to their opponents, and most importantly he doesn’t do commercials for Wrangler Jeans. The player I’m describing deserves all of the love that Brett Favre receives, if not more. That player is none other than the incredibly underappreciated Kurt Warner.
I am by no means the president of the Kurt Warner fan club. I am simply singing his praises because he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves, while Favre doesn’t get all of the blame that he deserves. I knew that some of you reading this wouldn’t believe me and think that I am making this stuff up. Being prepared for that criticism, I have actually done a little research and a little math and came up with an accurate comparison of the two quarterbacks. Due to the fact that Brett Favre has played in 164 more games than Kurt Warner, I used average/game statistics in order to make the comparison even.
Both quarterbacks average approximately 21 completions a game. In doing so Favre has completed 58.6% of his passes, while Warner has completed 62.4% of his passes. Let’s take this comparison one step further and look at their average QB rating. Kurt Warner has an average QB rating of 86.66, which compares quite favorably to Favre’s 81.74. Still not convinced, let’s look at the all-important touchdown to interception ratio. This also favors Kurt Warner’s 1.61 touchdowns thrown for every interception over Favre’s ratio of 1.53 to 1. Just for perspective’s sake, let’s compare their touchdown to interception ratios to other all-time greats. Dan Marino’s career ratio is 1.67 to 1, Peyton Manning’s is 1.99 to 1, Tom Brady’s is 2.29 to 1, and Joe Montana’s is 1.96 to 1. This is one of the most important stats for quarterbacks, and it’s obvious that Warner’s ratio is much closer to that of other great quarterbacks than Favre’s.
I am by no means saying that Brett Favre isn’t a great player, but what I am saying is that it’s time for Kurt Warner to get the respect that he deserves. He is A HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK, yet no one seems to notice his accomplishments. His career has been just as good as Favre’s (without all of the dramatics). If Warner wins the MVP award this season (which will be his third), his career will undoubtedly be better than Favre’s, and no one could argue otherwise.
There are those who will always consider Brett Favre the best quarterback ever. They love his gun-slinger mentality. I don’t consider him a gun-slinger, I simply see him as a careless and quarterback that takes unnecessary chances. This “gun-slinger” is the only quarterback in NFL history to throw 300 interceptions. Somehow that gets lost in all the praise of Favre. I sure hope that is a cap-gun that he is slinging, since he misses his target so much.
These are two quarterbacks that have certainly had their highs and lows. When they are good, they are both awesome. When they are bad, they are both terrible. What is really funny is that fact that when discussing Favre, only the good seems to get mentioned. On the other hand when discussing Warner, the bad is what usually comes up. Everyone thought that Warner was done when he struggled near the end of his career with St. Louis and during his tenure with the Giants, yet no one felt that Favre was done when he struggled mightily in 2005 and 2006. I wonder why? Even this year, Kurt Warner is having a much better year than Favre. Going into this week’s games, Warner has already thrown for 3,155 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions. These are by far better than Favre’s numbers of 2,273 yards, 18 touchdowns and a whopping 12 interceptions (which leads the league going into Week 12).
I would like for everyone reading this that doesn’t see Warner as Favre’s equal or superior to explain why he isn’t. They both have 1 Super Bowl championship, and at least 2 MVP awards. If Warner wins it this year, they will both have three. It’s now time for real football fans to recognize Kurt Warner’s accomplishments and give him the respect that he deserves.
****NOTE****
FOR ALL OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN GEORGIA THAT ARE READING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 2nd IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION FOR ONE OF OUR SENATE SEATS. JIM MARTIN IS ATTEMPTING TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBANT SAXBY CHAMBLISS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION, AND I AM URGING EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD THROUGH YOUR VOTE.
That being said, I know of one quarterback whose name wouldn’t come up in either discussion. This quarterback has the same amount of Super Bowl victories of the “great” Brett Favre. At the end of this season, he could also have the same number of MVP awards (3) as Favre. However, he’s rarely considered by anyone to be an all-time great. As a matter of fact if you compare his career numbers to those of Favre, I would say that they are just as good, if not better. I would take him over Favre any day of the week, because his career stats are better, he has never spoken out against a teammate in search of a new contract, he doesn’t annually hold his team hostage each off-season by threatening to retire, he doesn’t give inside information about his former team to their opponents, and most importantly he doesn’t do commercials for Wrangler Jeans. The player I’m describing deserves all of the love that Brett Favre receives, if not more. That player is none other than the incredibly underappreciated Kurt Warner.
I am by no means the president of the Kurt Warner fan club. I am simply singing his praises because he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves, while Favre doesn’t get all of the blame that he deserves. I knew that some of you reading this wouldn’t believe me and think that I am making this stuff up. Being prepared for that criticism, I have actually done a little research and a little math and came up with an accurate comparison of the two quarterbacks. Due to the fact that Brett Favre has played in 164 more games than Kurt Warner, I used average/game statistics in order to make the comparison even.
Both quarterbacks average approximately 21 completions a game. In doing so Favre has completed 58.6% of his passes, while Warner has completed 62.4% of his passes. Let’s take this comparison one step further and look at their average QB rating. Kurt Warner has an average QB rating of 86.66, which compares quite favorably to Favre’s 81.74. Still not convinced, let’s look at the all-important touchdown to interception ratio. This also favors Kurt Warner’s 1.61 touchdowns thrown for every interception over Favre’s ratio of 1.53 to 1. Just for perspective’s sake, let’s compare their touchdown to interception ratios to other all-time greats. Dan Marino’s career ratio is 1.67 to 1, Peyton Manning’s is 1.99 to 1, Tom Brady’s is 2.29 to 1, and Joe Montana’s is 1.96 to 1. This is one of the most important stats for quarterbacks, and it’s obvious that Warner’s ratio is much closer to that of other great quarterbacks than Favre’s.
I am by no means saying that Brett Favre isn’t a great player, but what I am saying is that it’s time for Kurt Warner to get the respect that he deserves. He is A HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK, yet no one seems to notice his accomplishments. His career has been just as good as Favre’s (without all of the dramatics). If Warner wins the MVP award this season (which will be his third), his career will undoubtedly be better than Favre’s, and no one could argue otherwise.
There are those who will always consider Brett Favre the best quarterback ever. They love his gun-slinger mentality. I don’t consider him a gun-slinger, I simply see him as a careless and quarterback that takes unnecessary chances. This “gun-slinger” is the only quarterback in NFL history to throw 300 interceptions. Somehow that gets lost in all the praise of Favre. I sure hope that is a cap-gun that he is slinging, since he misses his target so much.
These are two quarterbacks that have certainly had their highs and lows. When they are good, they are both awesome. When they are bad, they are both terrible. What is really funny is that fact that when discussing Favre, only the good seems to get mentioned. On the other hand when discussing Warner, the bad is what usually comes up. Everyone thought that Warner was done when he struggled near the end of his career with St. Louis and during his tenure with the Giants, yet no one felt that Favre was done when he struggled mightily in 2005 and 2006. I wonder why? Even this year, Kurt Warner is having a much better year than Favre. Going into this week’s games, Warner has already thrown for 3,155 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions. These are by far better than Favre’s numbers of 2,273 yards, 18 touchdowns and a whopping 12 interceptions (which leads the league going into Week 12).
I would like for everyone reading this that doesn’t see Warner as Favre’s equal or superior to explain why he isn’t. They both have 1 Super Bowl championship, and at least 2 MVP awards. If Warner wins it this year, they will both have three. It’s now time for real football fans to recognize Kurt Warner’s accomplishments and give him the respect that he deserves.
****NOTE****
FOR ALL OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN GEORGIA THAT ARE READING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 2nd IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION FOR ONE OF OUR SENATE SEATS. JIM MARTIN IS ATTEMPTING TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBANT SAXBY CHAMBLISS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION, AND I AM URGING EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD THROUGH YOUR VOTE.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
I THOUGHT I TOLD YA THAT HE WON'T STOP
“Los, I just read an article on the internet that said EVANDER HOLYFIELD IS ABOUT TO FIGHT AGAIN!!!! Can you believe that?” This is the voice mail that I received earlier this week from the one and only Keebo, one of my friends from college. After listening to the message, the first thought that entered my mind was, ‘I am shocked, but not surprised. Holyfield has to be out of his mind, but that’s cool because this is going to make great blog material!’
I am one of the last boxing fans on earth. I know that we are few and far between but I still love the sweet science, even if no one else that I know does. Although I am a big boxing fan, I am a bit hypocritical because this is a sport that I would never participate in nor would allow my kids to. Boxing is a great workout, but it is ridiculously dangerous once you get into the ring. There is a lot of money to be made in boxing, ONCE YOU MAKE IT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU ARE HEADLINING PAY-PER-VIEW EVENTS. However, until you make to that point, you would have to be an idiot to be a professional boxer. Big-time fights provide up to eight-figure purses regardless of the outcome of the fight. With this type of prize money involved, one would think that every young boxer would dream of reaching the big-time, fight a couple of big fights, and gracefully bow out with the remainder of their brain capacity intact. For some reason, IT USUALLY DOESN’T WORK OUT THAT WAY! I can't explain it, but boxers seem to want to fight forever.
I have never seen a boxer who retired and stayed retired. It’s something about getting repeatedly punched in the face that keeps drawing them back to the ring. Most boxers fight past their prime, and much longer than their focus or skills should allow, i.e. Roy Jones Jr. (who is a shell of what he was in his prime at thirty-nine years old). Even at the age of forty-three, Bernard Hopkins continues to fight. He is not what he was in his prime, but he is still winning top fights and has the majority of his mental faculties. He is the exception, but definitely not the rule. EVANDER HOLYFIELD WOULD BE THE RULE!
I must admit, that I have always been a huge Evander Holyfield fan. He is from Atlanta and has proven over the years to have the heart of two men. Now we know what happened to Lamar Odom’s heart, Holyfield has it. He has always been an undersized Heavyweight (if there is such a thing), that continually took on bigger opponents and reminded them that ATLANTA DON’T RAISE NO PUNKS!!!! Although I have always been a fan, I must admit that I realized at a very young age that this guy didn’t exactly set the curve in school.
Evander Holyfield won his first professional fight, IN 1984! That means that he has been getting punched in the face for a living for twenty-four years. Just to put that into perspective, I WAS THREE YEARS OLD WHEN HE HAD HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL FIGHT!!!! That is not including the amateur years before he even became a professional. Needless to say, there is a good chance that he has been punched in the face more than any other living human being. What is amazing about his longevity is the fact that his style is very straight-forward and that takes just as many punches as he gives out. He isn’t exactly Floyd Mayweather Jr., who routinely goes twelve rounds without ever getting hit.
Unlike today, there was a time in recent boxing history when the heavyweight division actually meant something. It was during that time that everyone was anticipating the fight between Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield and Mike “The Cannibal” Tyson. The fight finally took place in 1996. Holyfield won the fight and became the third man in boxing history to become a three-time heavyweight champion. Surviving Tyson once wasn’t enough for Holyfield. He gave Tyson a rematch, and his ears haven’t forgiven him since. Frustrated by the superior boxing skills of Holyfield, Tyson got hungry and decided to take a bite out of Holyfield’s ear. At that moment the referee decided to stop the fight and disqualify Tyson. Holyfield, the Rhodes Scholar that he is, wouldn’t allow that. He and his doctor intervened telling the referee that he wanted to continue. I still don’t understand that decision. I am assuming that the doctor is smarter than Holyfield, so he really should not have let that genius continue to fight a man that JUST BIT HIS EAR! Nonetheless the fight continued, and Tyson continued to eat. This time he bit a chunk from Holyfield’s other ear. It obviously wasn’t seasoned to Tyson’s liking, because he immediately spit it out into the ring. That incident still didn’t deter Holyfield. Instead of retiring, he continued to fight.
The boxing powers that be finally stepped in and placed Holyfield on medical suspension from fighting. Once again, Holyfield refused to call it quits. He continued to train and was eventually reinstated. His will is admirable, yet in my opinion, amazingly foolish. Now after 53 professional fights over a span of twenty-four years, Mr. Holyfield is getting back into the ring. This time against the "Russian Giant", Nikolai Valuev. Valuev stands 7ft. tall and weighs 330lbs. Holyfield on the other hand stands a 6ft. 2-1/2in and weighs around 221 lbs. By the way, Holyfield was also in middle school (making straight A’s I’m sure) when Valuev was born. He is eleven years older than Valuev.
This fight eerily reminds me of Apollo Creed v/s Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. I just hope it doesn’t end the same way. For the record, I think that Holyfield is going to lose the fight, but he is going to give it everything he has and put on a show for the fans.
I’m sure that you are wondering why this guy is still fighting. I've concluded that he is wired a little differently than most, and just can’t stop fighting. There is another reason. He's also doing it for the STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! For those of you that don’t know, he’s currently paying a mortgage on a $10 million mansion and allegedly thousands of dollars each month for child support. SO HE WON'T STOP, CAUSE HE CAN'T STOP! Every time I hear about Holyfield stepping back into the ring, in my head I hear P. Diddy's refrain from the Only You (remix) saying “I thought I told ya that we won’t stop, I thought I told ya that we won't stop.” I know that this has to be his theme song, because HE WILL NEVER STOP!!!!
****SPECIAL BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUT****
I would like to send a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BRITTANY, THE COOLEST 9 YEAR OLD IN THE WORLD!!!!
****NOTE****
FOR ALL OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN GEORGIA THAT ARE READING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 2nd IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION FOR ONE OF OUR SENATE SEATS. JIM MARTIN IS ATTEMPTING TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBANT SAXBY CHAMBLISS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION, AND I AM URGING EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD THROUGH YOUR VOTE.
I am one of the last boxing fans on earth. I know that we are few and far between but I still love the sweet science, even if no one else that I know does. Although I am a big boxing fan, I am a bit hypocritical because this is a sport that I would never participate in nor would allow my kids to. Boxing is a great workout, but it is ridiculously dangerous once you get into the ring. There is a lot of money to be made in boxing, ONCE YOU MAKE IT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU ARE HEADLINING PAY-PER-VIEW EVENTS. However, until you make to that point, you would have to be an idiot to be a professional boxer. Big-time fights provide up to eight-figure purses regardless of the outcome of the fight. With this type of prize money involved, one would think that every young boxer would dream of reaching the big-time, fight a couple of big fights, and gracefully bow out with the remainder of their brain capacity intact. For some reason, IT USUALLY DOESN’T WORK OUT THAT WAY! I can't explain it, but boxers seem to want to fight forever.
I have never seen a boxer who retired and stayed retired. It’s something about getting repeatedly punched in the face that keeps drawing them back to the ring. Most boxers fight past their prime, and much longer than their focus or skills should allow, i.e. Roy Jones Jr. (who is a shell of what he was in his prime at thirty-nine years old). Even at the age of forty-three, Bernard Hopkins continues to fight. He is not what he was in his prime, but he is still winning top fights and has the majority of his mental faculties. He is the exception, but definitely not the rule. EVANDER HOLYFIELD WOULD BE THE RULE!
I must admit, that I have always been a huge Evander Holyfield fan. He is from Atlanta and has proven over the years to have the heart of two men. Now we know what happened to Lamar Odom’s heart, Holyfield has it. He has always been an undersized Heavyweight (if there is such a thing), that continually took on bigger opponents and reminded them that ATLANTA DON’T RAISE NO PUNKS!!!! Although I have always been a fan, I must admit that I realized at a very young age that this guy didn’t exactly set the curve in school.
Evander Holyfield won his first professional fight, IN 1984! That means that he has been getting punched in the face for a living for twenty-four years. Just to put that into perspective, I WAS THREE YEARS OLD WHEN HE HAD HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL FIGHT!!!! That is not including the amateur years before he even became a professional. Needless to say, there is a good chance that he has been punched in the face more than any other living human being. What is amazing about his longevity is the fact that his style is very straight-forward and that takes just as many punches as he gives out. He isn’t exactly Floyd Mayweather Jr., who routinely goes twelve rounds without ever getting hit.
Unlike today, there was a time in recent boxing history when the heavyweight division actually meant something. It was during that time that everyone was anticipating the fight between Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield and Mike “The Cannibal” Tyson. The fight finally took place in 1996. Holyfield won the fight and became the third man in boxing history to become a three-time heavyweight champion. Surviving Tyson once wasn’t enough for Holyfield. He gave Tyson a rematch, and his ears haven’t forgiven him since. Frustrated by the superior boxing skills of Holyfield, Tyson got hungry and decided to take a bite out of Holyfield’s ear. At that moment the referee decided to stop the fight and disqualify Tyson. Holyfield, the Rhodes Scholar that he is, wouldn’t allow that. He and his doctor intervened telling the referee that he wanted to continue. I still don’t understand that decision. I am assuming that the doctor is smarter than Holyfield, so he really should not have let that genius continue to fight a man that JUST BIT HIS EAR! Nonetheless the fight continued, and Tyson continued to eat. This time he bit a chunk from Holyfield’s other ear. It obviously wasn’t seasoned to Tyson’s liking, because he immediately spit it out into the ring. That incident still didn’t deter Holyfield. Instead of retiring, he continued to fight.
The boxing powers that be finally stepped in and placed Holyfield on medical suspension from fighting. Once again, Holyfield refused to call it quits. He continued to train and was eventually reinstated. His will is admirable, yet in my opinion, amazingly foolish. Now after 53 professional fights over a span of twenty-four years, Mr. Holyfield is getting back into the ring. This time against the "Russian Giant", Nikolai Valuev. Valuev stands 7ft. tall and weighs 330lbs. Holyfield on the other hand stands a 6ft. 2-1/2in and weighs around 221 lbs. By the way, Holyfield was also in middle school (making straight A’s I’m sure) when Valuev was born. He is eleven years older than Valuev.
This fight eerily reminds me of Apollo Creed v/s Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. I just hope it doesn’t end the same way. For the record, I think that Holyfield is going to lose the fight, but he is going to give it everything he has and put on a show for the fans.
I’m sure that you are wondering why this guy is still fighting. I've concluded that he is wired a little differently than most, and just can’t stop fighting. There is another reason. He's also doing it for the STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! For those of you that don’t know, he’s currently paying a mortgage on a $10 million mansion and allegedly thousands of dollars each month for child support. SO HE WON'T STOP, CAUSE HE CAN'T STOP! Every time I hear about Holyfield stepping back into the ring, in my head I hear P. Diddy's refrain from the Only You (remix) saying “I thought I told ya that we won’t stop, I thought I told ya that we won't stop.” I know that this has to be his theme song, because HE WILL NEVER STOP!!!!
****SPECIAL BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUT****
I would like to send a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BRITTANY, THE COOLEST 9 YEAR OLD IN THE WORLD!!!!
****NOTE****
FOR ALL OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN GEORGIA THAT ARE READING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 2nd IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION FOR ONE OF OUR SENATE SEATS. JIM MARTIN IS ATTEMPTING TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBANT SAXBY CHAMBLISS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION, AND I AM URGING EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD THROUGH YOUR VOTE.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
ALL ABOARD!!!!
As self-appointed President of the unofficial Atlanta Hawks Fan Club, I have an announcement to make. YOU HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER 10TH TO GET ON THE HAWKS BAND WAGON before it leaves the station. On December 10th the Hawks will have played 20 games, which approximately ¼ the of the season, and once we reach that point, I WILL BE CLOSING THE DOORS OF THE BANDWAGON, AND NO ONE, AND I MEAN NO ONE ELSE WILL BE ALLOWED TO GET ON!!!!
Some of you may be reading this and wondering why in the world would anyone restrict the Hawks bandwagon. I mean over the last couple of years they have been a team that couldn’t even half fill their arena on a nightly basis. One would think, that they would take all of the fans that could get, no matter if they are true fans or bandwagon fans that are simply along for the ride. However things have changed, and as the only person who has been a dedicated Hawks fan throughout this entire prolonged and excruciatingly slow rebuilding process, I REFUSE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO JUST TAG ALONG FOR THE SPECIAL PLAYOFF RUN THAT AWAITS US AFTER THE REGULAR SEASON!!!! For those of you that have been living under a rock for the past twelve days and not paying attention to the most important team in the NBA, I will fill you in on what you missed. THE HAWKS ARE 4 – 0!!!! Not only are they 4 – 0, but their four wins are all over teams that made the playoffs last year and have a good chance to make the playoffs this year. To date, they have defeated the Orlando Magic (the defending Southeast Division champions), the Philadelphia 76er’s (playoff team from a year, who added Elton Brand this off-season), the New Orleans Hornets (2nd best team in the Western Conference a year ago, and also feature Chris Paul the best point guard in the NBA), and the Toronto Raptors (starring Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal). This proves that this team is no fluke.
It’s amazing that although they currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference and is tied for the best record in the NBA, this is still a team that only gets 10 second highlight packages and brief mentions on Sportscenter. In case you haven’t noticed, this team has the third best starting lineup in the Eastern Conference. That’s right, I said third best in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks lineup consisting of Joe Johnson (simply amazing), Mike Bibby (the much needed point guard), Josh Smith (the ultimate stat-stuffer), Al Horford (an absolute beast), and Marvin Williams (good player, but wrong draft pick) is only behind defending champion Boston, and the new look Detroit Pistons (featuring Allen Iverson). The bench is even pretty good. When you look at the contributions being made by the likes of Zaza Pachulia, Acie Law, Flip Murray, and Maurice Evans, you have to be amazed. THIS IS A COMPLETE TEAM, AND THEY ARE THE TRUTH!!!!
The Hawks went into the off-season riding high off of their shocking playoff appearance of last season. They seemed to lose some of that momentum when Josh Childress elected to sign with Olympiacos of the Euroleague for much more money than the Hawks offered. Although I still believe that the Hawks made a huge mistake by not signing Josh Childress, the combination of Acie Law and Maurice Evans has been able to minimize the loss. Childress was by far the most versatile player on the team. He could defend three positions. He could also slash to the basket, make an open jump shot, rebound, and was essentially the team's backup point guard. The emergence of Acie Law as a capable backup to Mike Bibby has filled in the ball handling void left by Childress, and Maurice Evans has been able to handle the other jobs that Childress handled so well.
Another tough decision that the Hawks had to deal with during the off-season was the status of lame-duck head coach Mike Woodson. People all around Atlanta have been calling for Woodson’s head for the last couple of years, but I have not been one of them. If you watch the Hawks as much as I do (I watch about 75 of the 82 regular seasons game each year) and know anything about basketball, you would know that Woodson was not the problem. He simply inherited the youngest team in the NBA, which also happened to be a franchise that was allergic to point guards. Just look at what happened as the young team began to mature and they traded for a legit point guard. For all of those who have been calling for his head, I think it’s time for you to question your own basketball IQ. He has held this team together through some tough times and we are now reaping the rewards of his hard work. He not only led this team to the playoffs last year for the first time since the 1998 – 1999 season, but he also took the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics to game seven in their first round playoff series.
Although I am a Hawks fan, I am not delusional. I don’t expect this team to win the NBA championship this season, or even to make the NBA Finals. However, I do expect them to win the Southeast Division and to win a playoff series. This team is truly a treat to watch because they are incredibly athletic and exciting. It’s too bad that they don’t get to play on national TV regularly (a topic that I will discuss at a later date), because people who do not live in Atlanta truly deserve the opportunity to watch this team in action. Now that they have an identity, which is predicated on defense and a run-in-gun style offense, the sky is the limit.
REMEMBER THE DATE, DECEMBER 10TH. CIRCLE IT ON YOUR CALENDARS AND BE SURE TO BE SAFELY SECURED ON THE HAWKS BANDWAGON BY THAT DATE! IF YOU’RE NOT ON BY THEN, WE WILL BE LEAVING THE STATION AND HEADING TOWARD THE PLAYOFFS WITHOUT YOU!!!!
I would be remised if I didn’t mention the historic event that took place on Tuesday night around 11pm. BARACK OBAMA WAS ELECTED THE 44th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. HE IS THE 1st AFRICAN AMERICAN TO EVER BE ELECTED TO THE NATIONS HIGHEST OFFICE!!!! America has spoken and decided that it is time for things to change. America as a whole is facing some very tough times on several fronts and, as a member of my favorite rap group once said, Something’s Gotta Give. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. Go ahead and tell them Big Boi….
As you know, I have been urging people to get out and vote each week on this blog. I would like to personally thank everyone who cast his or her vote in this election. No matter how you voted, it is important that you let you voice be heard. You should feel proud.
I would also like to urge all of the people reading this that voted for the first time, to continue to vote and not let this be your first and only time.
Some of you may be reading this and wondering why in the world would anyone restrict the Hawks bandwagon. I mean over the last couple of years they have been a team that couldn’t even half fill their arena on a nightly basis. One would think, that they would take all of the fans that could get, no matter if they are true fans or bandwagon fans that are simply along for the ride. However things have changed, and as the only person who has been a dedicated Hawks fan throughout this entire prolonged and excruciatingly slow rebuilding process, I REFUSE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO JUST TAG ALONG FOR THE SPECIAL PLAYOFF RUN THAT AWAITS US AFTER THE REGULAR SEASON!!!! For those of you that have been living under a rock for the past twelve days and not paying attention to the most important team in the NBA, I will fill you in on what you missed. THE HAWKS ARE 4 – 0!!!! Not only are they 4 – 0, but their four wins are all over teams that made the playoffs last year and have a good chance to make the playoffs this year. To date, they have defeated the Orlando Magic (the defending Southeast Division champions), the Philadelphia 76er’s (playoff team from a year, who added Elton Brand this off-season), the New Orleans Hornets (2nd best team in the Western Conference a year ago, and also feature Chris Paul the best point guard in the NBA), and the Toronto Raptors (starring Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal). This proves that this team is no fluke.
It’s amazing that although they currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference and is tied for the best record in the NBA, this is still a team that only gets 10 second highlight packages and brief mentions on Sportscenter. In case you haven’t noticed, this team has the third best starting lineup in the Eastern Conference. That’s right, I said third best in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks lineup consisting of Joe Johnson (simply amazing), Mike Bibby (the much needed point guard), Josh Smith (the ultimate stat-stuffer), Al Horford (an absolute beast), and Marvin Williams (good player, but wrong draft pick) is only behind defending champion Boston, and the new look Detroit Pistons (featuring Allen Iverson). The bench is even pretty good. When you look at the contributions being made by the likes of Zaza Pachulia, Acie Law, Flip Murray, and Maurice Evans, you have to be amazed. THIS IS A COMPLETE TEAM, AND THEY ARE THE TRUTH!!!!
The Hawks went into the off-season riding high off of their shocking playoff appearance of last season. They seemed to lose some of that momentum when Josh Childress elected to sign with Olympiacos of the Euroleague for much more money than the Hawks offered. Although I still believe that the Hawks made a huge mistake by not signing Josh Childress, the combination of Acie Law and Maurice Evans has been able to minimize the loss. Childress was by far the most versatile player on the team. He could defend three positions. He could also slash to the basket, make an open jump shot, rebound, and was essentially the team's backup point guard. The emergence of Acie Law as a capable backup to Mike Bibby has filled in the ball handling void left by Childress, and Maurice Evans has been able to handle the other jobs that Childress handled so well.
Another tough decision that the Hawks had to deal with during the off-season was the status of lame-duck head coach Mike Woodson. People all around Atlanta have been calling for Woodson’s head for the last couple of years, but I have not been one of them. If you watch the Hawks as much as I do (I watch about 75 of the 82 regular seasons game each year) and know anything about basketball, you would know that Woodson was not the problem. He simply inherited the youngest team in the NBA, which also happened to be a franchise that was allergic to point guards. Just look at what happened as the young team began to mature and they traded for a legit point guard. For all of those who have been calling for his head, I think it’s time for you to question your own basketball IQ. He has held this team together through some tough times and we are now reaping the rewards of his hard work. He not only led this team to the playoffs last year for the first time since the 1998 – 1999 season, but he also took the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics to game seven in their first round playoff series.
Although I am a Hawks fan, I am not delusional. I don’t expect this team to win the NBA championship this season, or even to make the NBA Finals. However, I do expect them to win the Southeast Division and to win a playoff series. This team is truly a treat to watch because they are incredibly athletic and exciting. It’s too bad that they don’t get to play on national TV regularly (a topic that I will discuss at a later date), because people who do not live in Atlanta truly deserve the opportunity to watch this team in action. Now that they have an identity, which is predicated on defense and a run-in-gun style offense, the sky is the limit.
REMEMBER THE DATE, DECEMBER 10TH. CIRCLE IT ON YOUR CALENDARS AND BE SURE TO BE SAFELY SECURED ON THE HAWKS BANDWAGON BY THAT DATE! IF YOU’RE NOT ON BY THEN, WE WILL BE LEAVING THE STATION AND HEADING TOWARD THE PLAYOFFS WITHOUT YOU!!!!
I would be remised if I didn’t mention the historic event that took place on Tuesday night around 11pm. BARACK OBAMA WAS ELECTED THE 44th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. HE IS THE 1st AFRICAN AMERICAN TO EVER BE ELECTED TO THE NATIONS HIGHEST OFFICE!!!! America has spoken and decided that it is time for things to change. America as a whole is facing some very tough times on several fronts and, as a member of my favorite rap group once said, Something’s Gotta Give. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. Go ahead and tell them Big Boi….
As you know, I have been urging people to get out and vote each week on this blog. I would like to personally thank everyone who cast his or her vote in this election. No matter how you voted, it is important that you let you voice be heard. You should feel proud.
I would also like to urge all of the people reading this that voted for the first time, to continue to vote and not let this be your first and only time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)