Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesSo the entire country will be interested in what is happening in Tuscaloosa this Saturday between Florida and Alabama. Luckily for the fans, it is not the only game on the slate this week. The weekend is full of must-win games and inter-conference road games. Here is a quick look at what to watch for this weekend, besides Alabama and Florida.UL-Monroe at No. 10 AuburnAuburn should have no trouble improving to 5-0 for a second straight year. Don't look for the Tigers to overlook the Warhawks given everything that has happened in Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
college football this season, but also don't expect a miracle. Next week Auburn travels to Kentucky to face a Wildcat team that beat them at home last season. Cam Newton should be able to run and throw anywhere he chooses this week. Look for a big Auburn win.Auburn 42, ULM 10Vanderbilt at UConnIt will be interesting to see how Vanderbilt handles themselves on the road after having a week off. The last time the Commodores were on the field, they took down Ole Miss. Will the week off kill the momentum gained by Vanderbilt or did the Commodores use the week off to continue building on the success they achieved in Oxford two weeks ago? It should be a close game. UConn has disappointed this year so far after being a dark horse candidate to win the Big East. Vanderbilt has had the harder schedule thus far and should be able to compete with the Huskies.Vanderbilt 20, UConn 17Kentucky at Ole MissOle Miss picked up a much needed, potentially season-saving win at home last week against Fresno State and Kentucky showed that they are not yet a contender by getting drubbed by Florida 48-14 in the swamp. The biggest question is going in to this game is whether or not Kentucky can stop a running quarterback. Masoli is starting to grasp Houston Nutt's offense and seems to be getting more comfortable with his offensive line. If he finds the holes early in the Kentucky defense, it could be a long day for the Cats. The Ole Miss defense has been rather porous as well and the Wildcats have been explosive on offense this season. Look for a shootout in Oxford on Saturday.Kentucky 35, Ole Miss 28Alcorn State at Mississippi StateMississippi State showed vast improvement last week in their home win over Georgia. The train should keep moving as the Bulldogs welcome FCS Alcorn State to Starkville for a break in the brutal SEC schedule. This should be an easy win for Mississippi State. I'm not looking for a Jacksonville State type upset on this one, but then again, nobody called that game correct either.Patrick Peterson is a Heisman Cadidate on Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
the defensive side of the ballChris Graythen/Getty ImagesMississippi State 47, Alcorn St. 10Tennessee at No. 12 LSUTennessee's young team has to travel to Baton Rouge to take on one of the country's top defenses this week. Tennessee is talented, but has very little depth. The Tigers have a menacing defense, but are abysmal on offense. It Patrick Peterson and company can continue to play at the level they are currently playing, this one should not be close. However, Jordan Jefferson is going to have to start leading the offense to scoring drives that don't end in field goals. After seeing Tennessee get taken to overtime by UAB last week, I think the Vols are in for a long day.LSU 24, Tennessee 3Georgia at ColoradoBottom line, the Bulldogs have to win this game to salvage their season. Georgia is already 0-3 in the SEC for the first time under Mark Richt and would fall to 1-4 overall with the loss. Colorado is 2-1 and coming off a big home win against Hawaii. Folsom field is a tough place to play for visitors and the crowd will be heavily involved. Georgia should be fired up for this one and they have a good shot at pulling off the victory. Colorado's only game against a BCS conference did not end well for the Buffaloes. California rocked them 52-7. The Bulldogs should leave Boulder 2-3 but I would not be surprised if Colorado pulls off the upset.Mark Ingram will look for holes in the tough Florida defense.Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesGeorgia 20, Colorado 14No. 7 Florida at No. 1 AlabamaFlorida looked like it found it's offense last week as freshman Trey Burton scored six touchdowns in the Gators win over Kentucky last week and Alabama showed grit and capitalized on the mistakes that Arkansas made as they squeaked out a victory on the road last week. This game has the makings of a classic. Alabama Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
has to force mistakes by John Brantley and Florida has to put points on the board early. Greg McElroy has yet to lose as Alabama quarterback and will have to improve on his performance last week if he is to keep the streak alive. Home-field advantage will definitely come in to play in this game.Alabama 24, Florida 21
2011年1月24日星期一
24 Jan 11 Florida Gators Face Two Challengers for SEC East Supremacy
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe Florida Gators have been in both the BCS and SEC title picture since Urban Meyer stepped onto Florida Field. The remainder of the SEC East, for the most part, has not. There has been no clear number two in the East for the past five years, with the 2005 Georgia team and 2007 Tennessee team both needing help to get to the SEC championship game. Part of this is because of the Gators' dominance. The Gators have been a one loss team three times in the past five years. There is more talent in Gainesville than there is in anyReebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
other city in the SEC East. However, it is a two way street. The Gators pulled such a high number of top recruits because nobody was really challenging them for the talent (that is, until Saban arrived, but that's a whole other article). Tennessee was up and down until 2008 and has been down ever since. Georgia has been in a slow slide since the 2008 Sugar Bowl win over Hawaii. South Carolina never really got it together under Spurrier. Kentucky has been steadily improving, but still has a long way to go. Vanderbilt is...well, Vandy is Vandy. Florida hasn't had to worry about their division recently. In fact, the Gators are 232 since 2005 against SEC East opponents. The status quo has been, "worry about Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and other SEC West opponents first. Win those games and an SEC Championship game is guaranteed."When you look at who has played in the SEC championship game, that becomes more clear. In both 2005 and 2007, the years Florida failed to make it to Atlanta, the Gators beat the eventual Eastern champion in their regular season matchup. The Gators are always the team to beat in the East, even in their off years. Sure there's been some close games, but most came in Meyer's first two years. After Meyer got rid of that pesky "real quarterback" and installed his system guy, Tebow, the Gators won by an average margin of 25.53 points per game over SEC East opponents. Hey, conclusion jumper, sit down. I realize that Vanderbilt and Kentucky are in the SEC East, and I realize that the Gators wax those two teams quite regularly. If you're still here, and you haven't jumped to the comments to tell me what I think you are going to tell me, then I'll break down the SEC East by average margin of victory since 2007. Gators' SEC East Opponents since 2007 Georgia 3042 (L) 4910 4117 AVG: 17 High: 39 Low: -12 Kentucky 4537 635 417 AVG:33.33 High: 58 Low: 8 South Carolina 5131 566 2414 AVG: 26.67 High: 50 Low: 10 Tennessee 5920 306 2313 AVG: 24.33 High: 39 Low: 10 Vanderbilt 4922 4214 273 AVG: 26.33 High: 28 Low: 24 As you can see, the Gators haven't had any competition in their division recently. They have only one loss, and only one single score victory outside of that (2007 Kentucky). Furthermore, every team was beaten by an average margin of 17 points or more (three scores).You can argue "close" two touchdown games. I don't like it, but some people call 14 point wins "close". You can't argue anything close about a three score game. 17 points is a blowout no matter how you slice it. So why did I just feed you all of that delicious 100 percent whole grain stat? It's not just because stats are loaded fiber and you need your fiber. For the first time in three years, the Gators are going to face real adversity week in and week out, something that the players on this team haven't seen. For the first time in at least two years, the Gators aren't miles better than everyone in their division. For the first time in three years, they don't have the best offense either. The Gators have two real challengers in Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
the SEC East this year. South Carolina has a better rushing attack than Florida. Jeff Demps is very good, but Lattimore is a star in the making. The Gamecocks may have a better quarterback with that fourth stringer-turned-starter-thanks-to-an-all-you-can-eat-calamari-buffet, Mayhem. He's looked pretty good through two games. He has yet to throw a touchdown, but Garcia can move the ball with his arm and his legs. Their defense is stouter up front, and their kicker is less erratic, too. Florida has an advantage in returns and the secondary, and that's about it right now. On paper, South Carolina should be the better team (note: the Gators also have a depth advantage, which goes a long way when your teams play each other in week 11).Georgia is minus their best player right now and hung in tough with South Carolina on Saturday. Watch out for AJ Green once he returns. He's going to be as mad as any player ever, and he's going to make opponents pay as soon as he can return to the field. Georgia's quarterbacking situation is similar to Florida's minus the enormous pressure that Brantley has to carry. I think Brantley has more talent at receiver than Aaron Murray does while Green is out, but Green is such a game changer that he may make that entire mediocre receiving corps great. Once again, Florida's secondary is second to none. Georgia hasn't been bad at pass defense, but Florida is out of this world good right now. Teams will have to run to win against the Gators, and Georgia's rushing game is only mediocre this year. All three teams have bad SEC West schedules. South Carolina's is probably the worst, by getting the three A's (Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas). None of the three East teams should expect to run through the SEC West unscathed. However, the team that wants to win it all can't drop more than one of their three crossdivisional games. Overall, the Gators have been caught up to. South Carolina is probably the biggest threat, as they're a more complete team. That's good for the Gators though, as South Carolina plays Florida in Gainesville, and the Gators have time to work out their new offense before facing the Gamecocks.Georgia isn't bad, but they're probably a step behind. A trip up by Florida or a couple of SC losses puts Georgia right in the mix Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
though. They're good enough to compete; good enough to win, really. The rest of the SEC East is less dangerous, but this is 2007 all over again. FCS schools beat FBS teams on the regular. FBS schools that lost to FCS schools beat BCS conference champions. To channel Yogi Berra: Don't count out the SEC East's "bottom three", just don't count on them. It's a wacky year. One that could lead to a wacky SEC East result. The Florida Gators could get knocked off the mountain top by a team who actually beats them on the field.
other city in the SEC East. However, it is a two way street. The Gators pulled such a high number of top recruits because nobody was really challenging them for the talent (that is, until Saban arrived, but that's a whole other article). Tennessee was up and down until 2008 and has been down ever since. Georgia has been in a slow slide since the 2008 Sugar Bowl win over Hawaii. South Carolina never really got it together under Spurrier. Kentucky has been steadily improving, but still has a long way to go. Vanderbilt is...well, Vandy is Vandy. Florida hasn't had to worry about their division recently. In fact, the Gators are 232 since 2005 against SEC East opponents. The status quo has been, "worry about Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and other SEC West opponents first. Win those games and an SEC Championship game is guaranteed."When you look at who has played in the SEC championship game, that becomes more clear. In both 2005 and 2007, the years Florida failed to make it to Atlanta, the Gators beat the eventual Eastern champion in their regular season matchup. The Gators are always the team to beat in the East, even in their off years. Sure there's been some close games, but most came in Meyer's first two years. After Meyer got rid of that pesky "real quarterback" and installed his system guy, Tebow, the Gators won by an average margin of 25.53 points per game over SEC East opponents. Hey, conclusion jumper, sit down. I realize that Vanderbilt and Kentucky are in the SEC East, and I realize that the Gators wax those two teams quite regularly. If you're still here, and you haven't jumped to the comments to tell me what I think you are going to tell me, then I'll break down the SEC East by average margin of victory since 2007. Gators' SEC East Opponents since 2007 Georgia 3042 (L) 4910 4117 AVG: 17 High: 39 Low: -12 Kentucky 4537 635 417 AVG:33.33 High: 58 Low: 8 South Carolina 5131 566 2414 AVG: 26.67 High: 50 Low: 10 Tennessee 5920 306 2313 AVG: 24.33 High: 39 Low: 10 Vanderbilt 4922 4214 273 AVG: 26.33 High: 28 Low: 24 As you can see, the Gators haven't had any competition in their division recently. They have only one loss, and only one single score victory outside of that (2007 Kentucky). Furthermore, every team was beaten by an average margin of 17 points or more (three scores).You can argue "close" two touchdown games. I don't like it, but some people call 14 point wins "close". You can't argue anything close about a three score game. 17 points is a blowout no matter how you slice it. So why did I just feed you all of that delicious 100 percent whole grain stat? It's not just because stats are loaded fiber and you need your fiber. For the first time in three years, the Gators are going to face real adversity week in and week out, something that the players on this team haven't seen. For the first time in at least two years, the Gators aren't miles better than everyone in their division. For the first time in three years, they don't have the best offense either. The Gators have two real challengers in Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
the SEC East this year. South Carolina has a better rushing attack than Florida. Jeff Demps is very good, but Lattimore is a star in the making. The Gamecocks may have a better quarterback with that fourth stringer-turned-starter-thanks-to-an-all-you-can-eat-calamari-buffet, Mayhem. He's looked pretty good through two games. He has yet to throw a touchdown, but Garcia can move the ball with his arm and his legs. Their defense is stouter up front, and their kicker is less erratic, too. Florida has an advantage in returns and the secondary, and that's about it right now. On paper, South Carolina should be the better team (note: the Gators also have a depth advantage, which goes a long way when your teams play each other in week 11).Georgia is minus their best player right now and hung in tough with South Carolina on Saturday. Watch out for AJ Green once he returns. He's going to be as mad as any player ever, and he's going to make opponents pay as soon as he can return to the field. Georgia's quarterbacking situation is similar to Florida's minus the enormous pressure that Brantley has to carry. I think Brantley has more talent at receiver than Aaron Murray does while Green is out, but Green is such a game changer that he may make that entire mediocre receiving corps great. Once again, Florida's secondary is second to none. Georgia hasn't been bad at pass defense, but Florida is out of this world good right now. Teams will have to run to win against the Gators, and Georgia's rushing game is only mediocre this year. All three teams have bad SEC West schedules. South Carolina's is probably the worst, by getting the three A's (Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas). None of the three East teams should expect to run through the SEC West unscathed. However, the team that wants to win it all can't drop more than one of their three crossdivisional games. Overall, the Gators have been caught up to. South Carolina is probably the biggest threat, as they're a more complete team. That's good for the Gators though, as South Carolina plays Florida in Gainesville, and the Gators have time to work out their new offense before facing the Gamecocks.Georgia isn't bad, but they're probably a step behind. A trip up by Florida or a couple of SC losses puts Georgia right in the mix Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
though. They're good enough to compete; good enough to win, really. The rest of the SEC East is less dangerous, but this is 2007 all over again. FCS schools beat FBS teams on the regular. FBS schools that lost to FCS schools beat BCS conference champions. To channel Yogi Berra: Don't count out the SEC East's "bottom three", just don't count on them. It's a wacky year. One that could lead to a wacky SEC East result. The Florida Gators could get knocked off the mountain top by a team who actually beats them on the field.
2011年1月22日星期六
22 Jan 11 Auburn Tigers Review: Malzahn Can't Be Satisfied With the Offense
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesAuburn (3-0) found themselves in a hole early. For most of the first two quarters Auburn's offensive line was being dominated by the Clemson front four. The Tigers were down 17-0, and honestly looked clueless as to why.Cameron Newton made some passes that had me questioning his true Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
potential. We know he's a big guy with a good looking pass, but that's not the issue. The problem seemed to be when Auburn wanted to spread the field. Newton locked onto the target keying the defense to the receiver.When Newton has had to go 30-plus yards with a pass, it really hasn't looked good.Gus Malzahn who is widely known for being a offensive guru, made the Clemson defense look full of All-Americans.I understand going up the middle heavy to open the outside. But, that wasn't what was happening. There was a weak looking fake to the running back, and the slow end around that Clemson seemed to expect.When they dialed up Dyer in the backfield the defensive line was killing the Auburn offensive line. Micheal Dyer is good and getting better, but when the blocking fails him like it did at times in this game, he can't be successful.After the game Chizik made the comment that Clemson caught Auburn off guard with their approach to start the game. If that's true it took the Tigers way too long to figure them out.The fact is, Clemson wasn't using much deception in their play calling. Auburn's line up front was playing on their heals and the Clemson running game was exploding off of the blocks taking it to the front four.When Auburn tried to use force to drive the ball, the offensive line was being knocked Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
into the backfield. When you lose the battle up front, you're not going to win big SEC games.I thought the drive before halftime that made the score 17-3 was huge for the momentum we found in the second half. Having some points on the board gave the team something to build on, and some important adjustments were made.Auburn was still losing up front, but not nearly as much as they had been. There was clearly a more aggressive Auburn team in the second half, and when the game turned brutal Auburn benefited.The best thing that happened for Auburn was their commitment to block in the second half. Without that taking place, the 21-point comeback wouldn't have been possible.The fact that Malzahn opened it up played a big factor too. It really is difficult to determine what he was trying to do early, because the line was getting beaten badly. Maybe with better protection some of the first half plays would've worked better.Team StatsCLEMAUBFirst Downs2719Third Down Efficiency6-165-13Fourth Down Efficiency0-10-0Plays-Net Yards82-41461-424Rushes Yds47-18747-221Passing Yds227203Kick Return Yds47123Punt Return Yds156Passes21-35-07-14-2Punts7-2896-241Fumbles-Lost1-00-0Penalties Yds5-509-90Time of Poss.34:2025:40The game clock being messed up in the first quarter didn't do the Auburn offense any favors. However, when you're going three and out, it really doesn't matter much.I expected the run defense to hold Clemson's running backs to around the 100-yard mark. I did not expect to see Andre Ellington go for 140 on 22 carries.Chizik asked earlier in the week if all the fans would wear blue. He really hoped to use the home field advantage against Clemson. Surprisingly, it never seemed to affect them.South Carolina comes into Auburn next Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
week but, the way we've played so far we will not be good enough to beat them. I really hope to see Mario Fannin back, it was obvious we needed him in the backfield.On the bright side, Auburn did get the chance early in the season to learn how to win the close games. From this point forward if they fall behind, the belief is that a comeback is possible.
potential. We know he's a big guy with a good looking pass, but that's not the issue. The problem seemed to be when Auburn wanted to spread the field. Newton locked onto the target keying the defense to the receiver.When Newton has had to go 30-plus yards with a pass, it really hasn't looked good.Gus Malzahn who is widely known for being a offensive guru, made the Clemson defense look full of All-Americans.I understand going up the middle heavy to open the outside. But, that wasn't what was happening. There was a weak looking fake to the running back, and the slow end around that Clemson seemed to expect.When they dialed up Dyer in the backfield the defensive line was killing the Auburn offensive line. Micheal Dyer is good and getting better, but when the blocking fails him like it did at times in this game, he can't be successful.After the game Chizik made the comment that Clemson caught Auburn off guard with their approach to start the game. If that's true it took the Tigers way too long to figure them out.The fact is, Clemson wasn't using much deception in their play calling. Auburn's line up front was playing on their heals and the Clemson running game was exploding off of the blocks taking it to the front four.When Auburn tried to use force to drive the ball, the offensive line was being knocked Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
into the backfield. When you lose the battle up front, you're not going to win big SEC games.I thought the drive before halftime that made the score 17-3 was huge for the momentum we found in the second half. Having some points on the board gave the team something to build on, and some important adjustments were made.Auburn was still losing up front, but not nearly as much as they had been. There was clearly a more aggressive Auburn team in the second half, and when the game turned brutal Auburn benefited.The best thing that happened for Auburn was their commitment to block in the second half. Without that taking place, the 21-point comeback wouldn't have been possible.The fact that Malzahn opened it up played a big factor too. It really is difficult to determine what he was trying to do early, because the line was getting beaten badly. Maybe with better protection some of the first half plays would've worked better.Team StatsCLEMAUBFirst Downs2719Third Down Efficiency6-165-13Fourth Down Efficiency0-10-0Plays-Net Yards82-41461-424Rushes Yds47-18747-221Passing Yds227203Kick Return Yds47123Punt Return Yds156Passes21-35-07-14-2Punts7-2896-241Fumbles-Lost1-00-0Penalties Yds5-509-90Time of Poss.34:2025:40The game clock being messed up in the first quarter didn't do the Auburn offense any favors. However, when you're going three and out, it really doesn't matter much.I expected the run defense to hold Clemson's running backs to around the 100-yard mark. I did not expect to see Andre Ellington go for 140 on 22 carries.Chizik asked earlier in the week if all the fans would wear blue. He really hoped to use the home field advantage against Clemson. Surprisingly, it never seemed to affect them.South Carolina comes into Auburn next Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
week but, the way we've played so far we will not be good enough to beat them. I really hope to see Mario Fannin back, it was obvious we needed him in the backfield.On the bright side, Auburn did get the chance early in the season to learn how to win the close games. From this point forward if they fall behind, the belief is that a comeback is possible.
2011年1月18日星期二
18 Jan 11 College Football Odds: Arizona a Touchdown Favorite at Home Over Cal
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesThe Cal Golden Bears suffered a crushing defeat to the Nevada Wolfpack last week 52-31 and begin conference play against a red hot Arizona team. The 14th ranked Wildcats took down the 18th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes last week in a game that went down to the wire.Cal had won their first two Arizona Cardinals jersey
games comfortably before succumbing to the pistol offense of Nevada. The Bears have a chance to quickly rebound and pick up a key conference road win. The college football lines show that Arizona is a 6.5 point favorite.Cal looked extremely impressive in their first two games, scoring 52 points in both games and destroying soon to be Pac 10 member Colorado. The tables were turned last Friday night when Colin Kaepernick led Nevada to 52 points of their own.Head coach Jeff Tedford had to be embarrassed by the performance his Bears put on. There is still reason to be optimistic about the season, however. The play of quarterback Kevin Riley has been very good for the most part, as he has thrown for 732 yards and eight touchdowns.Riley is completing 64% of his passes, but was intercepted three times at Nevada. Shane Vereen put on a show last Friday, rushing for 198 yards on 19 carries and scoring three times. On the year, Vereen has tallied 324 yards on the ground and reached the end zone on eight different occasions (two receiving).He Atlanta Falcons jersey
has done a nice job of making Cal fans forget about Jahvid Best leaving the program early for the NFL. Marvin Jones has distinguished himself as the number one wide receiver on this team, catching 21 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns.Freshman Keenan Allen got off to a quick start, but has sputtered a bit. He is second on the team with 10 catches and two TDs. Caldefense allowed 316 yards rushing a week ago. Arizona has an average running attack, but they do throw short passes that work like a run.Beating a team ranked inside the top ten is always a nice feeling, but Arizona must avoid a let down against a sneaky Cal team that will be hungry for a win. The Wildcats explosive offense was slowed down to some extent last week, but they scored on special teams and defense to get the victory.Nic Foles leads a passing attack that ranks sixth in the nation at 330 yards per game. He is connecting on 78% of his passes and has thrown five touchdowns with three interceptions.The Michigan State transfer has mastered the short passes that Arizona relies on to move the ball. Running back Nic Grigsby had a rough outing versus Iowa, but still leads the Cats in rushing, with 187 yards on 33 carries.Grigsby has a team high five touchdowns on the ground and is a speed back that can make defenders miss. Greg Nwoko and Keola Antolin have combined for 177 yards on 30 carries and two more scores.Four players have at least 11 receptions in a group that is led by Juron Criner. Criner has snagged 14 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown. David Douglas has a team high 16 receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona spreads the ball all over the field to stretch defenses from sideline to sideline.The home team in this match-up has won theBaltimore Ravens jersey
past five games. Arizona is feeling pretty good about themselves after their win over Iowa, while Cal canwait to get back on the field following their disappointing loss at Nevada. The Wildcats played the run extremely well versus Iowa and if they slow Shane Vereen, Cal could be in for a long night offensively. Donoveremphasize the outcome of last weekgame for these two schools and take the points.Play: Cal +6.5 Get all of your expert football picks from the team at Locksmith. No site provides more winners than Jimmy Boyd and company.
games comfortably before succumbing to the pistol offense of Nevada. The Bears have a chance to quickly rebound and pick up a key conference road win. The college football lines show that Arizona is a 6.5 point favorite.Cal looked extremely impressive in their first two games, scoring 52 points in both games and destroying soon to be Pac 10 member Colorado. The tables were turned last Friday night when Colin Kaepernick led Nevada to 52 points of their own.Head coach Jeff Tedford had to be embarrassed by the performance his Bears put on. There is still reason to be optimistic about the season, however. The play of quarterback Kevin Riley has been very good for the most part, as he has thrown for 732 yards and eight touchdowns.Riley is completing 64% of his passes, but was intercepted three times at Nevada. Shane Vereen put on a show last Friday, rushing for 198 yards on 19 carries and scoring three times. On the year, Vereen has tallied 324 yards on the ground and reached the end zone on eight different occasions (two receiving).He Atlanta Falcons jersey
has done a nice job of making Cal fans forget about Jahvid Best leaving the program early for the NFL. Marvin Jones has distinguished himself as the number one wide receiver on this team, catching 21 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns.Freshman Keenan Allen got off to a quick start, but has sputtered a bit. He is second on the team with 10 catches and two TDs. Caldefense allowed 316 yards rushing a week ago. Arizona has an average running attack, but they do throw short passes that work like a run.Beating a team ranked inside the top ten is always a nice feeling, but Arizona must avoid a let down against a sneaky Cal team that will be hungry for a win. The Wildcats explosive offense was slowed down to some extent last week, but they scored on special teams and defense to get the victory.Nic Foles leads a passing attack that ranks sixth in the nation at 330 yards per game. He is connecting on 78% of his passes and has thrown five touchdowns with three interceptions.The Michigan State transfer has mastered the short passes that Arizona relies on to move the ball. Running back Nic Grigsby had a rough outing versus Iowa, but still leads the Cats in rushing, with 187 yards on 33 carries.Grigsby has a team high five touchdowns on the ground and is a speed back that can make defenders miss. Greg Nwoko and Keola Antolin have combined for 177 yards on 30 carries and two more scores.Four players have at least 11 receptions in a group that is led by Juron Criner. Criner has snagged 14 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown. David Douglas has a team high 16 receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona spreads the ball all over the field to stretch defenses from sideline to sideline.The home team in this match-up has won theBaltimore Ravens jersey
past five games. Arizona is feeling pretty good about themselves after their win over Iowa, while Cal canwait to get back on the field following their disappointing loss at Nevada. The Wildcats played the run extremely well versus Iowa and if they slow Shane Vereen, Cal could be in for a long night offensively. Donoveremphasize the outcome of last weekgame for these two schools and take the points.Play: Cal +6.5 Get all of your expert football picks from the team at Locksmith. No site provides more winners than Jimmy Boyd and company.
2011年1月15日星期六
15 Jan 11 Detroit Lions Mike Williams Charles Rogers Third Stringers
Wednesday was a shocking day for two of the Detroit Lions' most talented players, as wide receivers Mike Williams and Charles Rogers were both announced as third-stringers. The news isn't a shock to the Detroit coaching staff, though. Rookie head coach Rod Marinelli and offensive coordinator Mike Martz have both been extremely disappointed in the troubled pair of playmakers.The 6-foot-4, 229-pound Williams has all kinds of ability, but his lack of work ethic has been troubling to the Lions organization. In fact, former Detroit head coach Steve Oakland Raiders jersey
Mariucci recently said Williams needs to "get with it." Truthfully, he's right. The former USC star has been consistently late for team meetings and other functions, which has stymied his chances of becoming a productive pro.As a rookie last season, the 22-year-old was a major bust to the Lions' fans, coaching staff and, of course, general manager Matt Millen. The 10th overall selection in 2005 finished a 5-11 team campaign with just 29 receptions and one touchdown.Rogers, meanwhile, has been one of the largest draft disappointments in recent memory. Millen used the second overall choice on the ex-Michigan State standout in the 2003 draft. In the 6-3, 220-pounder's final season with the Spartans, he had 68 catches and 13 touchdowns. After three injury-riddled seasons in Detroit, Rogers has 36 catches and four Philadelphia Eagles jersey
touchdowns. How's that for disappointment?Out of a possible 48 regular season contests, Rogers has played in only 15. He's been bogged down by injuries and even a substance-abuse suspension. Rather than being the savior of the Lions' receiving corps, he's been a major handicap to what seems like a permanently basement-dwelling franchise. Choices like Williams and Rogers are why fans want Millen out of a job. Frankly, who can blame the Detroit loyalists for their anger? Since Millen took the helm of the organization in 2001, it has compiled a comically bad 21-59 overall record.The Lions' current depth chart sees unrecognizable names like Glenn Martinez and Mike Furrey ahead of Williams and Rogers. Martinez, a former undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley, has one career reception. Northern Iowa's Furrey, also formerly undrafted, spent the first three seasons of his career with Martz in St. Louis. He's played some defensive back in the past, and has 21 career catches. For the Detroit Lions to climb out of the gutter in 2006, they'll need Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
both of their highly touted wideouts to finally stand up and at least perform decently. If the duo comes up short in preseason, their NFL careers could very well be over. The team's four exhibition games will be paramount to Williams and Rogers.--.
Mariucci recently said Williams needs to "get with it." Truthfully, he's right. The former USC star has been consistently late for team meetings and other functions, which has stymied his chances of becoming a productive pro.As a rookie last season, the 22-year-old was a major bust to the Lions' fans, coaching staff and, of course, general manager Matt Millen. The 10th overall selection in 2005 finished a 5-11 team campaign with just 29 receptions and one touchdown.Rogers, meanwhile, has been one of the largest draft disappointments in recent memory. Millen used the second overall choice on the ex-Michigan State standout in the 2003 draft. In the 6-3, 220-pounder's final season with the Spartans, he had 68 catches and 13 touchdowns. After three injury-riddled seasons in Detroit, Rogers has 36 catches and four Philadelphia Eagles jersey
touchdowns. How's that for disappointment?Out of a possible 48 regular season contests, Rogers has played in only 15. He's been bogged down by injuries and even a substance-abuse suspension. Rather than being the savior of the Lions' receiving corps, he's been a major handicap to what seems like a permanently basement-dwelling franchise. Choices like Williams and Rogers are why fans want Millen out of a job. Frankly, who can blame the Detroit loyalists for their anger? Since Millen took the helm of the organization in 2001, it has compiled a comically bad 21-59 overall record.The Lions' current depth chart sees unrecognizable names like Glenn Martinez and Mike Furrey ahead of Williams and Rogers. Martinez, a former undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley, has one career reception. Northern Iowa's Furrey, also formerly undrafted, spent the first three seasons of his career with Martz in St. Louis. He's played some defensive back in the past, and has 21 career catches. For the Detroit Lions to climb out of the gutter in 2006, they'll need Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
both of their highly touted wideouts to finally stand up and at least perform decently. If the duo comes up short in preseason, their NFL careers could very well be over. The team's four exhibition games will be paramount to Williams and Rogers.--.
2011年1月13日星期四
14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks Seneca Wallace Matt Hasselbeck Mike Holmgren Gil Haskell Pittsburgh Steelers Antwaan Randle-El
Not many teams in the NFL are blessed to have a player who can be used as a utility weapon, but the Seattle Seahawks are. That player is Seneca Wallace, a guy who has the skill to play a little quarterback and a lot of receiver, while keeping the Seahawks' offense among the elite in the league.The former Kansas City Chiefs jersey
Iowa State star quarterback was selected in the fourth round of the 2003 draft by the Seahawks, who had the idea of utilizing him mostly as a wideout. In the beginning the 5-11, 196-pounder was reluctant to play anything but quarterback in the pros. Lately, he's come around, since his best chance to make any sort of impact is to fill a multi-talented role for the defending NFC champs Wallace continues to be listed as a QB on the Seahawks' depth chart, but it doesn't mean he'll play much of that position. Veteran Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck has it on lockdown, so Wallace's best hope is to throw the occasional pass on a trick play. Undoubtedly, head coach Mike Holmgren and offensive coordinator Gil Haskell have more than a few tricks up their sleeve for the 25-year-old.Last season, Wallace's only playing time in the regular season came at quarterback, as he completed 13-of-25 pass attempts for 173 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His efficiency rating was a paltry 70.9. Thanks to his below-average size, there isn't much of an NFL future for Wallace as a quarterback. Instead, with his size and 4.53 speed, receiver is his best option.The only time Wallace has lined up at receiver for the Seahawks came during the team's victory over the Carolina Panthers in January's NFC title game. WallaceMiami Dolphins jersey
entered the game and made a tremendous 28-yard reception, which helped set the stage for Seattle's 34-14 blowout victory.Despite that, Holmgren isn't ready to give Wallace many reps at wideout this summer, until the team can sign a dependable backup quarterback to free him. Since Hasselbeck is the Seahawks' only true viable option at the position, it leaves the offensive coaching staff in limbo. At the moment, a dependable veteran QB isn't on the market, so Seattle's in quite a conundrum.Holmgren would love to move Wallace to wideout full time, but it just isn't going to happen anytime soon. The Seahawks' best bet would be waiting until the end of the preseason to find a reliable, aged quarterback to be their number 2. However, that would be a problem because the player wouldn't fully understand the team's offense, and Wallace wouldn't have gotten enough snaps as a receiver.Unfortunately for Wallace, who just wants to get on the field, Holmgren came out and stated that the three-year veteran's chances of playing receiver in 2006 are slim and nil, if the team doesn't sign a quarterback before their training camp begins in late July.Rather than wasting Wallace's copious amounts of talent, the Seattle Seahawks' smartest move is to give him a role to confuse defenses, which would Minnesota Vikings
include throwing, running and receiving. Pro offenses tend to run at least one trick play each week, and that's where Wallace's presence could be felt most. The Steelers defeated the Seahawks in February's Super Bowl with a receiver, Antwaan Randle El, who threw a 43-yard touchdown pass in a 21-10 victory. In today's league, a multi-dimensional player is always useful, as long as he's got the talent. Wallace does, so put him in, coach.--Get more on Seneca Wallace and the Seattle Seahawks
Iowa State star quarterback was selected in the fourth round of the 2003 draft by the Seahawks, who had the idea of utilizing him mostly as a wideout. In the beginning the 5-11, 196-pounder was reluctant to play anything but quarterback in the pros. Lately, he's come around, since his best chance to make any sort of impact is to fill a multi-talented role for the defending NFC champs Wallace continues to be listed as a QB on the Seahawks' depth chart, but it doesn't mean he'll play much of that position. Veteran Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck has it on lockdown, so Wallace's best hope is to throw the occasional pass on a trick play. Undoubtedly, head coach Mike Holmgren and offensive coordinator Gil Haskell have more than a few tricks up their sleeve for the 25-year-old.Last season, Wallace's only playing time in the regular season came at quarterback, as he completed 13-of-25 pass attempts for 173 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His efficiency rating was a paltry 70.9. Thanks to his below-average size, there isn't much of an NFL future for Wallace as a quarterback. Instead, with his size and 4.53 speed, receiver is his best option.The only time Wallace has lined up at receiver for the Seahawks came during the team's victory over the Carolina Panthers in January's NFC title game. WallaceMiami Dolphins jersey
entered the game and made a tremendous 28-yard reception, which helped set the stage for Seattle's 34-14 blowout victory.Despite that, Holmgren isn't ready to give Wallace many reps at wideout this summer, until the team can sign a dependable backup quarterback to free him. Since Hasselbeck is the Seahawks' only true viable option at the position, it leaves the offensive coaching staff in limbo. At the moment, a dependable veteran QB isn't on the market, so Seattle's in quite a conundrum.Holmgren would love to move Wallace to wideout full time, but it just isn't going to happen anytime soon. The Seahawks' best bet would be waiting until the end of the preseason to find a reliable, aged quarterback to be their number 2. However, that would be a problem because the player wouldn't fully understand the team's offense, and Wallace wouldn't have gotten enough snaps as a receiver.Unfortunately for Wallace, who just wants to get on the field, Holmgren came out and stated that the three-year veteran's chances of playing receiver in 2006 are slim and nil, if the team doesn't sign a quarterback before their training camp begins in late July.Rather than wasting Wallace's copious amounts of talent, the Seattle Seahawks' smartest move is to give him a role to confuse defenses, which would Minnesota Vikings
include throwing, running and receiving. Pro offenses tend to run at least one trick play each week, and that's where Wallace's presence could be felt most. The Steelers defeated the Seahawks in February's Super Bowl with a receiver, Antwaan Randle El, who threw a 43-yard touchdown pass in a 21-10 victory. In today's league, a multi-dimensional player is always useful, as long as he's got the talent. Wallace does, so put him in, coach.--Get more on Seneca Wallace and the Seattle Seahawks
2011年1月12日星期三
13 Jan 11 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: First Overall NBA Draft Picks
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesFor the second time in three years, the first overall pick in the NBA Draft will have to sit out his rookie season due to injury. It happened to Greg Oden in 2007 when he underwent microfracture surgery to repair his ailing right knee, and happened this season with the Clippers' Blake Griffin.The pressure of being the first pick is never easy, and the scrutiny only increases with the delay of Griffin's debut.The 2000s were tough on rookies. Out of 10 picks, only two went on to be voted Rookie of the Year. That numberReebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
stands in start contrast to the seven first picks that were voted Rookie of the Year in the 90s.The success of a rookie depends largely on the situation around him.Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Yao Ming, and Blake Griffin were drafted to be centerpieces for their respective organizations. Howard and James have reached the finals, while Ming has struggled with injuries. Griffin has yet to see a single minute in the NBA.Nothing is ever certain except for the attention the first overall pick gets.In the last 20 years, the NBA Draft has produced big names, stunning disappointments, and utter wastes of talent. They are The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.The GoodThe San Antonio Spurs have had two first overall picks in the last 30 years. In 1987, they drafted David Robinson. His career highlights include Rookie of the Year, two-time NBA Champion, Defensive Player of the Year, NBA MVP and a career double-double average.Ten years later, the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan and never looked back.Duncan's resume is impressive even when compared to Robinson's. 1997 Rookie of the Year, four-time NBA Champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time NBA MVP, and a career double-double of his own.Duncan is arguably one of the most consistent performers in the NBA today and he certainly lives up to his nickname of "The Big Fundamental". Especially in a league that seems devoid of anything resembling the basics of basketball.The Orlando Magic have Dwight Howard leading them to bigger and better things these days, but they owe much of their past success to the original Superman.In 1992, the Magic drafted Shaquille O'Neal with the first pick. In his second year, the Magic had reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. By his third year, they were in the NBA Finals.The Magic reached the playoffs three times in Shaq's four years with the team, but couldn't stop him from signing with the LA Lakers in the offseason.Shaq went on to win four championships, three with LA and one with Miami, earn three finals MVP awards, one league MVP award and eliminate any doubt that he is the most dominant center in the modern day NBA.Even though the Magic only got a taste of the glory that followed Shaq, they can take credit for bringing the beast, the Diesel, into the NBA.And with Howard looking like a monster himself, I don't think they miss him that much anymore.The BadThe word bust is thrown around quite a bit when taking about first round picks, but the conversation picks up when the first overall pick is in question.The Milwaukee Bucks spent their first pick in the 1994 draft on Glenn Robinson. Robinson immediately held out for a lucrative deal. His asking price wasn't too steep.He only wanted 13 years, $100 million for his rookie contract.He got 10 years and $68 million instead, but it still stands as the most lucrative rookie contract in NBA history. Statistically speaking, Robinson sort of earned it.He holds career averages of 20 points and six rebounds, but that only earns him slightly above average status. In his eight years with the Bucks, he only helped them to one playoff berth in which they reached the Eastern Conference finals to Philadelphia.Before his deal was up, the Bucks traded Robinson to the Hawks for Toni Kukoc, Leon Smith and a first round pick in the 2003 draft.He only lasted a year in Atlanta before being traded to the 76ers over the summer of 2003. His tenure with Philadelphia would only last the year and he was traded to the Hornets for Rodney Rogers and Jamal Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
Mashburn. He was waived by the Hornets almost immediately.Robinson was a member of the Spurs for their 2005 championship run, but didn't play a significant role in the victory.He missed 88 games over his eight years with the Bucks, a majority of those games coming in two years from 1997-1999. Injuries, particularly to his knees, spelled the end of his career.Needless to say, the Bucks did not get their moneys worth with Robinson.I bet if the Golden State Warriors could go back to 1995 and re-do their first pick, they certainly wouldn't pick Joe Smith again.Not that Smith is awful, but he doesn't seem quite worthy of the first overall pick consider the four players taken after him all have All-Star appearances and he does not.Imagine what the Warriors would be like if they had taken a leap and drafted eventual fifth overall selection Kevin Garnett. Or fourth overall pick Rasheed Wallace. Or third overall pick Jerry Stackhouse. Or second overall pick Antonio McDyess.Garnett and Wallace would go on to in championships, while Smith never reached the finals.While still active, Smith has become expendable late in his career. In the last five years, he has been a part of eight teams. He had decent showings early in his career, but never lived up to his status as first overall selection.The UglyTwo players drafted in the last 20 years have become synonymous with the term bust. Both were considered to be the future for their respective teams and neither lived up to the hype.Michael Olowokandi was supposed to be a force on the inside, a veritable second coming of Shaq. He had all the measureables: height, weight, everything.He failed miserably to live up to his draft status. The word pedestrian is almost too generous to label his career.He missed 37 games his rookie year with the Clippers and 46 games in his final season with Clippers in 2002-2003. In the meantime, he averaged just 10 points and eight rebounds per game.Over the remaining four years of his career, The Kandi Man spent time with Minnesota and Boston, but never turned his career around in any fashion resembling a first overall pick.To make matters worse, Dirk Nowitski, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, and Antawn Jamison were among the players picked after Olowokandi. The Clippers have only recently recovered from the grave overvaluing of Olowokandi, and he isn't even the biggest bust to come out of the last 20 drafts.Kwame Brown stands out as the biggest draft bust in the last two decades solely because of the landscape of the NBA at the time.The influx of high school players declaring for the draft was at its peak in the 2001 draft. Out of the top ten, four of the draftees were straight out of high school. The other three players have proven to be just as bad as Brown, but they don't have the first overall selection label on their careers.Tyson Chandler, Eddie Curry, and DeSagana Diop are not first round talent and were highly overvalued by scouts. Brown turned out to be particularly bad because behind him, Pau Gasol was available.Ironically enough, Brown was shipped to the Lakers and then traded to the Grizzlies in the trade that brought Gasol to LA.Brown's time in Washington was unforgettably forgettable. His career high averages with the Wizards were 10 points and seven rebounds in his third year. The Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
next year, he would prove to be an immature highschooler.Brown skipped meetings, practices, and argued with teammates and coaches. He was suspended for the Wizards' playoff series in 2005 after missing practice due to a stomach virus, but being spotted later that evening at a Chinese eatery.Since the rule change that requires players to be one year removed from high school or 19 years old by the end of the calender year, there have been less instances of the straight out of high school bust. It is a shame that the Wizards couldn't have had the first overall pick in any of the three drafts following 2001, because they could have had Yao Ming (2002), LeBron James (2003) or Dwight Howard (2004).The NBA Draft is an imperfect science at best.Drafting for need can lead a team to draft Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan. Drafting the best player available can lead to drafting Pervis Ellison. It is nearly impossible to predict what bumps will come along the road of a first overall pick's career, but it is easy to look back and see exactly what went wrong.
stands in start contrast to the seven first picks that were voted Rookie of the Year in the 90s.The success of a rookie depends largely on the situation around him.Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Yao Ming, and Blake Griffin were drafted to be centerpieces for their respective organizations. Howard and James have reached the finals, while Ming has struggled with injuries. Griffin has yet to see a single minute in the NBA.Nothing is ever certain except for the attention the first overall pick gets.In the last 20 years, the NBA Draft has produced big names, stunning disappointments, and utter wastes of talent. They are The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.The GoodThe San Antonio Spurs have had two first overall picks in the last 30 years. In 1987, they drafted David Robinson. His career highlights include Rookie of the Year, two-time NBA Champion, Defensive Player of the Year, NBA MVP and a career double-double average.Ten years later, the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan and never looked back.Duncan's resume is impressive even when compared to Robinson's. 1997 Rookie of the Year, four-time NBA Champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time NBA MVP, and a career double-double of his own.Duncan is arguably one of the most consistent performers in the NBA today and he certainly lives up to his nickname of "The Big Fundamental". Especially in a league that seems devoid of anything resembling the basics of basketball.The Orlando Magic have Dwight Howard leading them to bigger and better things these days, but they owe much of their past success to the original Superman.In 1992, the Magic drafted Shaquille O'Neal with the first pick. In his second year, the Magic had reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. By his third year, they were in the NBA Finals.The Magic reached the playoffs three times in Shaq's four years with the team, but couldn't stop him from signing with the LA Lakers in the offseason.Shaq went on to win four championships, three with LA and one with Miami, earn three finals MVP awards, one league MVP award and eliminate any doubt that he is the most dominant center in the modern day NBA.Even though the Magic only got a taste of the glory that followed Shaq, they can take credit for bringing the beast, the Diesel, into the NBA.And with Howard looking like a monster himself, I don't think they miss him that much anymore.The BadThe word bust is thrown around quite a bit when taking about first round picks, but the conversation picks up when the first overall pick is in question.The Milwaukee Bucks spent their first pick in the 1994 draft on Glenn Robinson. Robinson immediately held out for a lucrative deal. His asking price wasn't too steep.He only wanted 13 years, $100 million for his rookie contract.He got 10 years and $68 million instead, but it still stands as the most lucrative rookie contract in NBA history. Statistically speaking, Robinson sort of earned it.He holds career averages of 20 points and six rebounds, but that only earns him slightly above average status. In his eight years with the Bucks, he only helped them to one playoff berth in which they reached the Eastern Conference finals to Philadelphia.Before his deal was up, the Bucks traded Robinson to the Hawks for Toni Kukoc, Leon Smith and a first round pick in the 2003 draft.He only lasted a year in Atlanta before being traded to the 76ers over the summer of 2003. His tenure with Philadelphia would only last the year and he was traded to the Hornets for Rodney Rogers and Jamal Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
Mashburn. He was waived by the Hornets almost immediately.Robinson was a member of the Spurs for their 2005 championship run, but didn't play a significant role in the victory.He missed 88 games over his eight years with the Bucks, a majority of those games coming in two years from 1997-1999. Injuries, particularly to his knees, spelled the end of his career.Needless to say, the Bucks did not get their moneys worth with Robinson.I bet if the Golden State Warriors could go back to 1995 and re-do their first pick, they certainly wouldn't pick Joe Smith again.Not that Smith is awful, but he doesn't seem quite worthy of the first overall pick consider the four players taken after him all have All-Star appearances and he does not.Imagine what the Warriors would be like if they had taken a leap and drafted eventual fifth overall selection Kevin Garnett. Or fourth overall pick Rasheed Wallace. Or third overall pick Jerry Stackhouse. Or second overall pick Antonio McDyess.Garnett and Wallace would go on to in championships, while Smith never reached the finals.While still active, Smith has become expendable late in his career. In the last five years, he has been a part of eight teams. He had decent showings early in his career, but never lived up to his status as first overall selection.The UglyTwo players drafted in the last 20 years have become synonymous with the term bust. Both were considered to be the future for their respective teams and neither lived up to the hype.Michael Olowokandi was supposed to be a force on the inside, a veritable second coming of Shaq. He had all the measureables: height, weight, everything.He failed miserably to live up to his draft status. The word pedestrian is almost too generous to label his career.He missed 37 games his rookie year with the Clippers and 46 games in his final season with Clippers in 2002-2003. In the meantime, he averaged just 10 points and eight rebounds per game.Over the remaining four years of his career, The Kandi Man spent time with Minnesota and Boston, but never turned his career around in any fashion resembling a first overall pick.To make matters worse, Dirk Nowitski, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, and Antawn Jamison were among the players picked after Olowokandi. The Clippers have only recently recovered from the grave overvaluing of Olowokandi, and he isn't even the biggest bust to come out of the last 20 drafts.Kwame Brown stands out as the biggest draft bust in the last two decades solely because of the landscape of the NBA at the time.The influx of high school players declaring for the draft was at its peak in the 2001 draft. Out of the top ten, four of the draftees were straight out of high school. The other three players have proven to be just as bad as Brown, but they don't have the first overall selection label on their careers.Tyson Chandler, Eddie Curry, and DeSagana Diop are not first round talent and were highly overvalued by scouts. Brown turned out to be particularly bad because behind him, Pau Gasol was available.Ironically enough, Brown was shipped to the Lakers and then traded to the Grizzlies in the trade that brought Gasol to LA.Brown's time in Washington was unforgettably forgettable. His career high averages with the Wizards were 10 points and seven rebounds in his third year. The Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
next year, he would prove to be an immature highschooler.Brown skipped meetings, practices, and argued with teammates and coaches. He was suspended for the Wizards' playoff series in 2005 after missing practice due to a stomach virus, but being spotted later that evening at a Chinese eatery.Since the rule change that requires players to be one year removed from high school or 19 years old by the end of the calender year, there have been less instances of the straight out of high school bust. It is a shame that the Wizards couldn't have had the first overall pick in any of the three drafts following 2001, because they could have had Yao Ming (2002), LeBron James (2003) or Dwight Howard (2004).The NBA Draft is an imperfect science at best.Drafting for need can lead a team to draft Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan. Drafting the best player available can lead to drafting Pervis Ellison. It is nearly impossible to predict what bumps will come along the road of a first overall pick's career, but it is easy to look back and see exactly what went wrong.
12 Jan 11 Celtics-Lakers: Black Mamba Hits Another Big Shot
Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesThe Lakers came out of the gates executing. They were taking good shots, playing good defense, and wouldn't allow the Celtics to get in any sort of rhythm.They held Ray Allen to a field goal percentage of 20 percent.Kevin Garnett got the Celtics going and at the end of the first quarterthe Lakers were up 30 to 19.In the second quarter Rondo provided a spark. The game started to heat up with Rasheed and Pau getting into it. The Celtics flipped the script and made a twenty three point turnaround led by Rondo and Pierce.Rondo was the leading scorer for the game with 21 points and 12 assists.In the fourth quarter, the Lakers were trailing by seven with seven minutes to go. Led by Bynum and a wounded Kobe, the Lakers slowly rallied back.Pau was on the bench towards the Carolina Panthers jersey
end of the game which didn't surprise me because he wasn't playing aggressively.With 50 seconds in the game Artest drove left and made an unorthodox shot, which cut the lead to one. On the Celtics' second to last play, Artest played great defense on Paul Pierce, which led to a charge.The Lakers were down one with a three second difference on the shot clock. With 11 seconds to go,Artest passed to Kobe from the corner.Kobe drove left to the top of the free throw line, Ray Allen stayed on his feet, then Kobe faded away and sank it with seven second to go.Out of time-outs, Pierce got the inbound pass and Ray Allen set a screen for him. Pierce went right and Allen popped, Pierce dished it out to Allen for the three and Allen missed.Lakers win. Hopefully this will give them a boost.
end of the game which didn't surprise me because he wasn't playing aggressively.With 50 seconds in the game Artest drove left and made an unorthodox shot, which cut the lead to one. On the Celtics' second to last play, Artest played great defense on Paul Pierce, which led to a charge.The Lakers were down one with a three second difference on the shot clock. With 11 seconds to go,Artest passed to Kobe from the corner.Kobe drove left to the top of the free throw line, Ray Allen stayed on his feet, then Kobe faded away and sank it with seven second to go.Out of time-outs, Pierce got the inbound pass and Ray Allen set a screen for him. Pierce went right and Allen popped, Pierce dished it out to Allen for the three and Allen missed.Lakers win. Hopefully this will give them a boost.
2011年1月10日星期一
10 Jan 11 Done Deal: Cleveland Cavaliers Obtain Antawn Jamison
Drew Hallowell/Getty ImagesThe Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a three-team, six player trade that lands them the Washington Wizards' Antwan Jamison and Los Angeles Clippers guard Sebastian Telfair.The Wizards will receive Zydrunas Ilgauskas from Cleveland, and the Clippers land Drew Gooden after parting ways with the Marcus Camby, who had been traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.Finally, Cleveland gets someone to bolster their team, after two weeks of hearing constant banter about how they were going to improve in the short term, and potentially the long term, if they can get someone that would convince league MVP LeBron James to stay around.Despite Jamison being the a good move for the Cavaliers, there still remains the question of how the 6'9'' power forward will bolster the team's chances of Green Bay Packers jersey
winning a title.Even with Jamison on the Cavaliers' roster, the Lakers remain the best team in the NBA.Jamison desperately needs to play defense for the Cavaliersa skill he is often criticized for.Couple his skill set with LeBron excellent passing skills and overwhelming propensity to find the open man and Jamison should see his efficiency take a rise.Jamison's contract has three years, and about $35 million left, but the Cavaliers are putting everything on the table in order to hang a championship banner at Quicken Loans Arena.
winning a title.Even with Jamison on the Cavaliers' roster, the Lakers remain the best team in the NBA.Jamison desperately needs to play defense for the Cavaliersa skill he is often criticized for.Couple his skill set with LeBron excellent passing skills and overwhelming propensity to find the open man and Jamison should see his efficiency take a rise.Jamison's contract has three years, and about $35 million left, but the Cavaliers are putting everything on the table in order to hang a championship banner at Quicken Loans Arena.
10 Jan 11 Kobe Bryant's Legacy: The Making of A Basketball God.
The title alone might enrage Jordan and Lebron fans alike, but I'm just metaphorically speaking if you equate their on court production and achievements into their Hype it makes sense.However I'm a pretty religious man myself so its hard for me to call a ordinary man a god so here's a analogy for you if Lebron is King, Then Kobe is Maximus the warrior General from Gladiator yes that's better. To understand why I've made this bold statement one would have to read the folowing.Kobe Bryant the Man is no different from any other American born male Arizona Cardinals jersey
athlete, bull headed,cocky, slightly arrogant, driven, fierce competitor, intelligent, sometimes to honest other times not honest enough. As far as the world is concerned when Kobe finally hangs up his battle tattered Nike Zooms he will be the most celebrated NBA athlete across the globe with his closest rival haling from the archives of the Hall of Fame.However here in America, Kobe is the most hated and scrutinized NBA player of all time. Hated for being a typical American male. Hated and generally disliked to a level that his on court achievements gets played down on a national level. I know Kobe haters you feel youare justified in your hatred for the man. I feel your pain, I too was once a lead Kobe hater. Being from Chicago, IL I HATED KOBE WITH EVERY SQUARE INCH OF MY JADED SOUL!!I hated the fact that he not only obtained a ring before MJ did at the same point in his career but he matched MJ's three peat. So I made what I thought was the perfect escuse for MJ " Kobe only has three rings because of Shaq".I hated the fact when he faced M.J. in battle he wasn't intimidated but seemed to go at MJ as if he was his equal. I hated the fact that Kobe stole MJ moves his reverses, his fade aways, his fakes.Until I was introduced to ESPN classics and learned to my surprise that MJ's dunks were actually Dr. Jays so was his reverse lay ups. His fade aways wasn't his either but it was Elvin Hayes, And his series of endless fakes and finishes were coincidently similiar to Elgin Baylors. Again I made a escuse for MJ while taking away from Kobe saying "Well MJ looked better doing it". That still didn't take away from the fact that he didn't invent the wheel.I hated the fact that Kobe scored 81 points in a single game. I pawned it off on everything EXCEPT Kobe, the defense was Atlanta Falcons jersey
weak, he was a ball hog, it was against the Toronto Raptors for Christ's sake. But really the truth of the matter was for the first time in my life I had witness a Basketball player that was truly unstoppable. In all actuality the Lakers were getting manhandled by 18 points in the game and they needed Kobe to take over.Sadly when Kobe was arrested for allegedly raping the young lady from Colorado, I was happy I wanted to believe it. I wanted him to go to jail and never play basketball again. Not becauseI felt he was guilty I didn't care whether he was guilty or not. I wanted him to go to jail because I was tired of seeing him dominate the league. When he didn't go to jail I blamed it on acorrupt system where a star athlete can just throw money at the judge. In total disregard to the actual facts and common sense. The facts being that she was caught in various lies recanted her story numerous times and refused to testify againt her so called assailant.During that time a fellow by the Name of Steve Nash won two back to back MVP awards for putting up the same numbers John Stockton used to put up. I was happy at the time but now I realized Kobe was being punished by the NBA for something he didn't even do. At the time I justified it with saying "well the league has a image to uphold". Even though it never stopped the league from granting MJ his MVP awards in light of his gambling debts and cheating on his wife Multiple Times.This is what makes Kobe Bryant a legend to me, in the midst of all this turmoil and controversy he still delivered. In the land of Hollywood where stars come dime a dozen, those bright burning stars come to watch Kobe. The fact that the league wasn't delivered to him on a silver platter like it was to MJ and Lebron, but he took it wrenched it away from MJs hands and keeps it strategically away from LBJ's.With everything Kobe has had to endure there is no way he should be in the postion that he is today. There is no way he should be in the discussion of greatest Laker of all time. Kobe vs MJ discussions are becoming moreBaltimore Ravens jersey
relevant with each passing year and he has a legitment chance of coming out on top. I'm the least bit surpised though he has been doing it his whole career, when the odds are stacked against him, the time is ticking the game is on the line. He makes his move knowing that the odds being against him, the time dwindling away or the odds being against him has never stopped him. His only nemesis has been fate and so far he has gained the upper hand wouldn't you agree? By Tommy Ross
athlete, bull headed,cocky, slightly arrogant, driven, fierce competitor, intelligent, sometimes to honest other times not honest enough. As far as the world is concerned when Kobe finally hangs up his battle tattered Nike Zooms he will be the most celebrated NBA athlete across the globe with his closest rival haling from the archives of the Hall of Fame.However here in America, Kobe is the most hated and scrutinized NBA player of all time. Hated for being a typical American male. Hated and generally disliked to a level that his on court achievements gets played down on a national level. I know Kobe haters you feel youare justified in your hatred for the man. I feel your pain, I too was once a lead Kobe hater. Being from Chicago, IL I HATED KOBE WITH EVERY SQUARE INCH OF MY JADED SOUL!!I hated the fact that he not only obtained a ring before MJ did at the same point in his career but he matched MJ's three peat. So I made what I thought was the perfect escuse for MJ " Kobe only has three rings because of Shaq".I hated the fact when he faced M.J. in battle he wasn't intimidated but seemed to go at MJ as if he was his equal. I hated the fact that Kobe stole MJ moves his reverses, his fade aways, his fakes.Until I was introduced to ESPN classics and learned to my surprise that MJ's dunks were actually Dr. Jays so was his reverse lay ups. His fade aways wasn't his either but it was Elvin Hayes, And his series of endless fakes and finishes were coincidently similiar to Elgin Baylors. Again I made a escuse for MJ while taking away from Kobe saying "Well MJ looked better doing it". That still didn't take away from the fact that he didn't invent the wheel.I hated the fact that Kobe scored 81 points in a single game. I pawned it off on everything EXCEPT Kobe, the defense was Atlanta Falcons jersey
weak, he was a ball hog, it was against the Toronto Raptors for Christ's sake. But really the truth of the matter was for the first time in my life I had witness a Basketball player that was truly unstoppable. In all actuality the Lakers were getting manhandled by 18 points in the game and they needed Kobe to take over.Sadly when Kobe was arrested for allegedly raping the young lady from Colorado, I was happy I wanted to believe it. I wanted him to go to jail and never play basketball again. Not becauseI felt he was guilty I didn't care whether he was guilty or not. I wanted him to go to jail because I was tired of seeing him dominate the league. When he didn't go to jail I blamed it on acorrupt system where a star athlete can just throw money at the judge. In total disregard to the actual facts and common sense. The facts being that she was caught in various lies recanted her story numerous times and refused to testify againt her so called assailant.During that time a fellow by the Name of Steve Nash won two back to back MVP awards for putting up the same numbers John Stockton used to put up. I was happy at the time but now I realized Kobe was being punished by the NBA for something he didn't even do. At the time I justified it with saying "well the league has a image to uphold". Even though it never stopped the league from granting MJ his MVP awards in light of his gambling debts and cheating on his wife Multiple Times.This is what makes Kobe Bryant a legend to me, in the midst of all this turmoil and controversy he still delivered. In the land of Hollywood where stars come dime a dozen, those bright burning stars come to watch Kobe. The fact that the league wasn't delivered to him on a silver platter like it was to MJ and Lebron, but he took it wrenched it away from MJs hands and keeps it strategically away from LBJ's.With everything Kobe has had to endure there is no way he should be in the postion that he is today. There is no way he should be in the discussion of greatest Laker of all time. Kobe vs MJ discussions are becoming moreBaltimore Ravens jersey
relevant with each passing year and he has a legitment chance of coming out on top. I'm the least bit surpised though he has been doing it his whole career, when the odds are stacked against him, the time is ticking the game is on the line. He makes his move knowing that the odds being against him, the time dwindling away or the odds being against him has never stopped him. His only nemesis has been fate and so far he has gained the upper hand wouldn't you agree? By Tommy Ross
2011年1月9日星期日
9 Jan 11 The Shot Clock: 24 Tidbits of NBA Knowledge as March Madness Approaches
Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesWelcome to The Shot Clock, a semi-regular commentary on the state of the NBA. Enjoy! 24. The month of March belongs to college basketball, but don't let that minimize the significance of this month to the NBA season. Everyone has about 20 games left, and the playoffs are only a month and a half away.The importance of March is all about finding out who the playoff contenders and pretenders are, and for evaluating who the league's MVP will be.23. About that MVP race, is LeBron James already a lock? The numbers are there (averaging 29.9 points/7.1 rebounds/8.5 assists) and he's the best player on the best team in the NBA. Who can catch him? 22. Well how about Kevin Durant? The Durantula is averaging a 30/8/3 and has transformed the Oakland Raiders jersey
Thunder from a bottom-dweller to a legit playoff team in the Western Conference. He doesn't have the national exposure of LeBron just yet, but his streak of 29 games at 25-plus points put him in a well-earned spotlight.21. Don't forget about Kobe Bryant. Yeah, he missed a few games in February, but he's the best player on the best team in the West. The numbers are still there (28/5/5), and oh yeah, he's hit five game-winners this season. 20. But let's be honest, the award is LeBron's to lose right now. For the next few weeks, the King might need to carry the load even more as the Cavs are down two centers now, with Shaquille O'Neal out for the rest of the regular season.No one expects the Cavaliers to fall apart without Shaq for 25 games, but will the Big Fella be ready come playoff time? Will Cleveland even need him until they play Orlando? 19. Speaking of Big Z, the Mavericks were reportedly told that Ilgauskas will be coming back to Cleveland at the end of the month. Big Z is drawing interest from a number of teams, including the Nuggets, but with Shaq down, the Cavaliers may need him more than ever. Potentially losing him to another contender could be a big blow to the Cavs title hopes. 18. With Cleveland a couple men down at the moment, is there anyone in the East who can catch the Cavs for home-court advantage?Boston and Atlanta are probably too far back now, but if Orlando is ever going to make a move, now is the time. The Magic are six games behind the Cavaliers at the moment, but may feel confident that they can beat Cleveland without home-court, just as they did in last year's East Finals. 17. It feels like a long time ago that Boston was sitting at 26-9 and just as much a favorite to come out of the East as Cleveland or Orlando.Since then, a 10-12 swoon has dropped the Celtics into fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The C's may have hit rock bottom with a home loss to the woeful New Jersey Nets this past Saturday.Suddenly, Boston looks old and battered, and perhaps just waiting, or hoping, for everything to click in the playoffs. 16. Can Boston turn it on, or at least turn it around, in time for the playoffs? Barring a disaster, they should get out of the first round in the East just fine. But an Eastern Conference semis matchup against most likely either Cleveland or Orlando is a daunting task for this Boston team.Consider that Boston lost to Orlando last year despite having home-court advantage in Game Seven; two years ago, they had to survive a tough seven-game series against a much inferior Cleveland team. Quite simply, the Celtics just don't match up well with the top teams in the East. 15. Enough of the top half of the East, let's talk about the bottom half and who will make and miss the playoffs.Toronto and Chicago should get in, and that leaves three teamsMilwaukee, Charlotte, and Miamifighting for two spots.Right now, I think a healthy Wade gets Miami in, and Charlotte slips in over Milwaukee to serve as Cleveland's sacrificial lamb, uh I mean, first-round opponent. 14. Good news for Miami. Dwyane Wade is back and healthy at the moment for the fast-fading Heat. He played 37 minutes the other night in a loss at Orlando, and will once again have to carry the load to get the Heat into the playoffs.13. Even with a healthy Wade, what chance does Miami have to make any noise in the playoffs? The answer...not much. Let's face it, the Heat are not a quality basketball team. Philadelphia Eagles jersey
They lack any real offensive firepower to complement Wade, and the ability to win consistently at home (14-14 on the season). Not a great combination come playoff time.12. Another offensively challenged team in the East race is the Charlotte Bobcats. But don't tell that to the duo of Stephen Jackson (21/5/4) and Gerald Wallace (19/11/2) who have quietly put up nice numbers all season. The early season deal in acquiring Captain Jack for Vladimir Radmanovic and Raja Bell has to be one of the best moves of the season. 11. But even with Charlotte's modest success this year, the most coverage the franchise has received all year came when Michael Jordan recently bought the team. This has nothing to do with anything, but I love the fact that one of his first acts as owner was to attend a practice and challenge Gerald Henderson to a game of HORSE. It's always fun to have Michael around. 10. We're down to 10 here on The Shot Clock, and what better time to discuss the New Jersey Nets' quest to win 10 games this season?The Nets are now up to 6-53 with their best win of the season on Saturday at Boston. A 4-19 finish will get the Nets to 10 wins, which is easier said than done for this team. Strangely enough, the Nets are so bad that they have stayed relevant because they are trying not to become history. 9. On the other hand, who is the league's most irrelevant team? Indiana? Detroit? Minnesota? Right now, I would say Indiana since they have not been good, or even exciting, in years. 8. One team that has been mostly irrelevant all season on the court is Washington, but unfortunately, off-the-court matters have brought the Wizards into the national spotlight.A rare bright spot in a lost season for the Wizards has been the recent amazing play of Andray Blatche. In his last five games, Blatche has averaged 27/12/4 and two blocks per game. It's nice to see him at least making the most of his opportunity to play.7. But back to the teams who matterwho will end up missing the playoffs in the West?While I think there may be some fluctuation in seeding position before the end of the season, I think the eight teams that are in right now will be the eight that qualify in April. Of the three outsiders, I am more confident in New Orleans to slide into the playoffs than I am in either Memphis or Houston.6. If you look at the Western Conference standings, you will notice how the Spurs are teetering in the seventh spot currently, a far cry from where we usually see San Antonio in March and April. The Spurs are still a quality team and will not bow out easily in the first round, but the offseason acquisition of Richard Jefferson has not exactly worked out, and the team looks flat-out old sometimes. 5. Someone who all-of-a-sudden doesn't look so old is 36-year-old Dallas point guard Jason Kidd. He's not the triple-double machine he used to be, but his 19/16/17 line in Atlanta on Friday was one of the best performances by any one of any age this season. 4. Will the resurgent Kidd help lead the Mavericks past the Lakers in the playoffs? I'm not sure yet, but Dallas does have a few positive things going for itself. A resurgent Kidd is one of them.Dirk Nowitzki is still one of the best players in basketball, and the Caron Butler trade added some needed depth. But Dallas needs to show that they can go into the Staples Center in Los Angeles (and I don't mean against the Clippers) and battle with the best before we call them a title contender just yet. 3. Well, if Dallas can't do it, how about Utah? Does anyone believe in the Jazz? Do the Jazz even believe in the Jazz?Instead of buying at the deadline to try and improve their already-impressive team, Utah acted like a seller instead and gave Ronnie Brewer away. Utah is only a game behind Denver for second in the West, and are a very talented and well-coached team. But just like Dallas, Utah needs to prove they can win a few big games on the road before they can be labeled a true titlePittsburgh Steelers jersey
contender. 2. So does that leave Denver as the only true threat to the Los Angeles Lakers in the West?Right now, yes it does. Denver took the Lakers to six games in the West Finals last year and despite a loss at LA on Sunday, they have shown the ability last season and this season to beat the Lakers both at home and on the road.Chauncey Billups is a matchup problem for the Lakers and Carmelo Anthony can score with the best of them. A Western Conference Finals between Los Angeles and Denver has "seven games" written all over it. 1. Finally, it was sad to hear about George Karl. Hopefully, he will get well soon.
Thunder from a bottom-dweller to a legit playoff team in the Western Conference. He doesn't have the national exposure of LeBron just yet, but his streak of 29 games at 25-plus points put him in a well-earned spotlight.21. Don't forget about Kobe Bryant. Yeah, he missed a few games in February, but he's the best player on the best team in the West. The numbers are still there (28/5/5), and oh yeah, he's hit five game-winners this season. 20. But let's be honest, the award is LeBron's to lose right now. For the next few weeks, the King might need to carry the load even more as the Cavs are down two centers now, with Shaquille O'Neal out for the rest of the regular season.No one expects the Cavaliers to fall apart without Shaq for 25 games, but will the Big Fella be ready come playoff time? Will Cleveland even need him until they play Orlando? 19. Speaking of Big Z, the Mavericks were reportedly told that Ilgauskas will be coming back to Cleveland at the end of the month. Big Z is drawing interest from a number of teams, including the Nuggets, but with Shaq down, the Cavaliers may need him more than ever. Potentially losing him to another contender could be a big blow to the Cavs title hopes. 18. With Cleveland a couple men down at the moment, is there anyone in the East who can catch the Cavs for home-court advantage?Boston and Atlanta are probably too far back now, but if Orlando is ever going to make a move, now is the time. The Magic are six games behind the Cavaliers at the moment, but may feel confident that they can beat Cleveland without home-court, just as they did in last year's East Finals. 17. It feels like a long time ago that Boston was sitting at 26-9 and just as much a favorite to come out of the East as Cleveland or Orlando.Since then, a 10-12 swoon has dropped the Celtics into fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The C's may have hit rock bottom with a home loss to the woeful New Jersey Nets this past Saturday.Suddenly, Boston looks old and battered, and perhaps just waiting, or hoping, for everything to click in the playoffs. 16. Can Boston turn it on, or at least turn it around, in time for the playoffs? Barring a disaster, they should get out of the first round in the East just fine. But an Eastern Conference semis matchup against most likely either Cleveland or Orlando is a daunting task for this Boston team.Consider that Boston lost to Orlando last year despite having home-court advantage in Game Seven; two years ago, they had to survive a tough seven-game series against a much inferior Cleveland team. Quite simply, the Celtics just don't match up well with the top teams in the East. 15. Enough of the top half of the East, let's talk about the bottom half and who will make and miss the playoffs.Toronto and Chicago should get in, and that leaves three teamsMilwaukee, Charlotte, and Miamifighting for two spots.Right now, I think a healthy Wade gets Miami in, and Charlotte slips in over Milwaukee to serve as Cleveland's sacrificial lamb, uh I mean, first-round opponent. 14. Good news for Miami. Dwyane Wade is back and healthy at the moment for the fast-fading Heat. He played 37 minutes the other night in a loss at Orlando, and will once again have to carry the load to get the Heat into the playoffs.13. Even with a healthy Wade, what chance does Miami have to make any noise in the playoffs? The answer...not much. Let's face it, the Heat are not a quality basketball team. Philadelphia Eagles jersey
They lack any real offensive firepower to complement Wade, and the ability to win consistently at home (14-14 on the season). Not a great combination come playoff time.12. Another offensively challenged team in the East race is the Charlotte Bobcats. But don't tell that to the duo of Stephen Jackson (21/5/4) and Gerald Wallace (19/11/2) who have quietly put up nice numbers all season. The early season deal in acquiring Captain Jack for Vladimir Radmanovic and Raja Bell has to be one of the best moves of the season. 11. But even with Charlotte's modest success this year, the most coverage the franchise has received all year came when Michael Jordan recently bought the team. This has nothing to do with anything, but I love the fact that one of his first acts as owner was to attend a practice and challenge Gerald Henderson to a game of HORSE. It's always fun to have Michael around. 10. We're down to 10 here on The Shot Clock, and what better time to discuss the New Jersey Nets' quest to win 10 games this season?The Nets are now up to 6-53 with their best win of the season on Saturday at Boston. A 4-19 finish will get the Nets to 10 wins, which is easier said than done for this team. Strangely enough, the Nets are so bad that they have stayed relevant because they are trying not to become history. 9. On the other hand, who is the league's most irrelevant team? Indiana? Detroit? Minnesota? Right now, I would say Indiana since they have not been good, or even exciting, in years. 8. One team that has been mostly irrelevant all season on the court is Washington, but unfortunately, off-the-court matters have brought the Wizards into the national spotlight.A rare bright spot in a lost season for the Wizards has been the recent amazing play of Andray Blatche. In his last five games, Blatche has averaged 27/12/4 and two blocks per game. It's nice to see him at least making the most of his opportunity to play.7. But back to the teams who matterwho will end up missing the playoffs in the West?While I think there may be some fluctuation in seeding position before the end of the season, I think the eight teams that are in right now will be the eight that qualify in April. Of the three outsiders, I am more confident in New Orleans to slide into the playoffs than I am in either Memphis or Houston.6. If you look at the Western Conference standings, you will notice how the Spurs are teetering in the seventh spot currently, a far cry from where we usually see San Antonio in March and April. The Spurs are still a quality team and will not bow out easily in the first round, but the offseason acquisition of Richard Jefferson has not exactly worked out, and the team looks flat-out old sometimes. 5. Someone who all-of-a-sudden doesn't look so old is 36-year-old Dallas point guard Jason Kidd. He's not the triple-double machine he used to be, but his 19/16/17 line in Atlanta on Friday was one of the best performances by any one of any age this season. 4. Will the resurgent Kidd help lead the Mavericks past the Lakers in the playoffs? I'm not sure yet, but Dallas does have a few positive things going for itself. A resurgent Kidd is one of them.Dirk Nowitzki is still one of the best players in basketball, and the Caron Butler trade added some needed depth. But Dallas needs to show that they can go into the Staples Center in Los Angeles (and I don't mean against the Clippers) and battle with the best before we call them a title contender just yet. 3. Well, if Dallas can't do it, how about Utah? Does anyone believe in the Jazz? Do the Jazz even believe in the Jazz?Instead of buying at the deadline to try and improve their already-impressive team, Utah acted like a seller instead and gave Ronnie Brewer away. Utah is only a game behind Denver for second in the West, and are a very talented and well-coached team. But just like Dallas, Utah needs to prove they can win a few big games on the road before they can be labeled a true titlePittsburgh Steelers jersey
contender. 2. So does that leave Denver as the only true threat to the Los Angeles Lakers in the West?Right now, yes it does. Denver took the Lakers to six games in the West Finals last year and despite a loss at LA on Sunday, they have shown the ability last season and this season to beat the Lakers both at home and on the road.Chauncey Billups is a matchup problem for the Lakers and Carmelo Anthony can score with the best of them. A Western Conference Finals between Los Angeles and Denver has "seven games" written all over it. 1. Finally, it was sad to hear about George Karl. Hopefully, he will get well soon.
2011年1月8日星期六
8 Jan 11 Boston Celtics Have Miles to Go Before They Are a Team
Elsa/Getty ImagesTeams have always hated the Boston Celtics because of their history of dominating the NBA landscape. Even when they were going through their struggles before the big three, teams enjoyed pounding them into submission.These days it doesn't take muchfor the Celtics Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
to give up the ghost. Red Auerbach must be rolling over in his grave to see the players tarnish the Green of his beloved Celtics.It is a hard pill to swallow to see Kevin Garnett go meekly into the night with Brandon Jennings woofing in his ear.How about the Memphis GrizzlieD-league call-up Hasheem Thabeet intimidatingPerkins, KG, and company.After the game, Rudy Gay was heard saying he thought the Celtics would put up a better fight.Last night LeBron said that the Celtics "look bored," like they were waiting for the second season to start.The Boston Celtics' difficulties go way beyond that. It stems from Doc Rivers' unwillingness to develop his young players because he prefers veterans. It hurts to see the likes of Bill Walker scoring 20 points in New York, when he couldn't even get off the bench in Boston.Okay, we are talking about New York, but you get my point.Doc's unwillingnessor inabilityto see that he has got to stop this madness has left the younger players frustrated.Rasheed Wallace has sucked the life out of the team, as well as Kendrick Kansas City Chiefs jersey
Perkins. Wallace is averaging 20-25 minutes a game, when he hasn't even earned the time. This has led Perkins to play with uncertainty and has disrupted his rhythm.Marquis "Slowski" Daniels' game does not fit this team, and Tony Allen has not been able to get any significant time on the court because of him.It only adds to the depressive play andstate of mind of the team.The Celtics' vaunted offseason acquisitions have brought nothing but stale air to the team.The Celtics' mantra is "We are a work in progress; we ain't perfect."Well, this work in progress is stuck in no-man's land.They are unwilling to give the younger players more free reign and unwilling to acknowledge that Rondo should be the one leading the team.It is a travesty to see the old timers drag their carcasses up and down the court while Miami Dolphins jersey
father time extends the ball and chain on their career.There is still a chance for hope, a chance for redemption. There are two teams who have won championships who have been where this current incarnation of the Celtics are. The 1995 Houston Rockets and Bill Russell's last year in the league.Celtic Nation can continue to hope this group can somehow become part of that legacy and restore the Celtic name. But reality says that continued denial by the team and its administration would suggest otherwise
to give up the ghost. Red Auerbach must be rolling over in his grave to see the players tarnish the Green of his beloved Celtics.It is a hard pill to swallow to see Kevin Garnett go meekly into the night with Brandon Jennings woofing in his ear.How about the Memphis GrizzlieD-league call-up Hasheem Thabeet intimidatingPerkins, KG, and company.After the game, Rudy Gay was heard saying he thought the Celtics would put up a better fight.Last night LeBron said that the Celtics "look bored," like they were waiting for the second season to start.The Boston Celtics' difficulties go way beyond that. It stems from Doc Rivers' unwillingness to develop his young players because he prefers veterans. It hurts to see the likes of Bill Walker scoring 20 points in New York, when he couldn't even get off the bench in Boston.Okay, we are talking about New York, but you get my point.Doc's unwillingnessor inabilityto see that he has got to stop this madness has left the younger players frustrated.Rasheed Wallace has sucked the life out of the team, as well as Kendrick Kansas City Chiefs jersey
Perkins. Wallace is averaging 20-25 minutes a game, when he hasn't even earned the time. This has led Perkins to play with uncertainty and has disrupted his rhythm.Marquis "Slowski" Daniels' game does not fit this team, and Tony Allen has not been able to get any significant time on the court because of him.It only adds to the depressive play andstate of mind of the team.The Celtics' vaunted offseason acquisitions have brought nothing but stale air to the team.The Celtics' mantra is "We are a work in progress; we ain't perfect."Well, this work in progress is stuck in no-man's land.They are unwilling to give the younger players more free reign and unwilling to acknowledge that Rondo should be the one leading the team.It is a travesty to see the old timers drag their carcasses up and down the court while Miami Dolphins jersey
father time extends the ball and chain on their career.There is still a chance for hope, a chance for redemption. There are two teams who have won championships who have been where this current incarnation of the Celtics are. The 1995 Houston Rockets and Bill Russell's last year in the league.Celtic Nation can continue to hope this group can somehow become part of that legacy and restore the Celtic name. But reality says that continued denial by the team and its administration would suggest otherwise
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