MBrady was an exceptional young man. He was the valedictorian of his
high school class, won several scholarships and became the first person
in his family to attend college.
He worked tirelessly for over
a month posting blogs on the NBA, NFL and MLB and quickly became one of
the Sweet 16 Finalists in FoxSports Next Great Sportswriter contest -
ending a cycle of dangling modifiers and run-on sentences that plagued
his family for generations.
He was just about to heat up
some left over pizza when he decided to check his Hotmail account for
the latest news on the contest. That is when he saw an email from the
judges with the subject "Sorry, you got the boot!"
MBrady provided feedback to other bloggers, engaged in give in take with those
who commented on his blog and had sent in several valuable ideas in
email to the folks running the contest. In his heart of hearts this
made him feel like a kiss up.
Though he could have ignored the tone and tenor of this email, MBrady decided to keep it real...
Just kidding everybody -
I just wanted to say thanks to FoxSports for coming up with the idea for this contest. You guys rock. It has been great fun.
I also want to thank the judges for taking on such a daunting task.
To those left standing - congratulations and keep up the good work. In
my humble opinion, you are all excellent writers and deserve to be
where you are.
Basketball “This is the second most exciting indoor sport, and the other one shouldn’t have spectators.” #### Vertlieb
I love this game. Basketball is basketball for me - whether it's the NBA, college, high school or grade school hoops.
During the contest I have occasionally written posts for the MLB and NFL sections but those areas are not mine. I have carefully crafted the pieces, silently posted them and then I have quietly gone on my way. So you can imagine my surprise over the last two weeks when I saw several posts in the NBA section bemoaning the state of the game – claiming it’s boring, it’s worse than soccer and definitely not FAN-tastic, no matter what Chevy Chase says.
My initial reaction to these anti NBA posts was – not in my house!
I am certain that I can find people who think NASCAR and driving in circles for hours on end is less than exciting. I am certain I can find people who think Major League Baseball is too slow and doesn’t contain enough action. And I am certain I could even find people who think the NFL end zone celebrations are silly and the mandatory dumping of Gatorade on the winning coach is both unoriginal and boring. So I wondered, what gives? Why the disrespect?
But as I thought about it more, I realized that many of the writers in this contest probably didn't come of age watching Larry Bird and Magic Johnson duel it out in the NCAA - and dream about being them.
I also realized that most people weren’t fortunate enough to grow up in a hotbed of basketball, and very few people ever got to play in a championship game of the St. Ignatius tournament.
It is for these reasons that I wrote a preview for a game that took place nearly twenty-seven years ago - the 1979 championship game of the St. Ignatius boys’ basketball tournament. It was never written, but if it had been, it would have read like this.
CHICAGO – April 15, 1979
Championship Night It will be a cold and wet night but that won’t stop anyone from St. Ignatius parish, a stone’s throw from Loyola University, from braving the winds and rain and making their way to the gym.
Climb the three stories of stairs at 6:30 and you will hear the screeching of the gym shoes on the hardwood floor as Brian Wrenn and his Georgetown Hoyas get ready to take on Jerry Ranalli and his North Carolina Tar Heels for the consolation game. If you hurry, you will get a place on the bleachers and a hot dog before tip-off. By 7:30, at the start of the second game – featuring Matt Connelly’s Boston College Eagles against Danny Roti’s Marquette squad - the balcony will be filling up. And by the time warm-ups start for the championship match-up between Paul McMahon’s Duke Blue Devils and Mike Brady’s UNLV Running Rebels it will be standing room only and you will be feeling the pulse of this old gym pounding through your body as the fans continue a chant that was started in the last round – “UN” stomp stomp, “LV” stomp stomp.
The Anticipation It is hard to imagine the excitement that courses through the school this time every year when the basketball tournament comes around again and the championship night is approaching unless you have been there or have been lucky enough to play in it. Third and fourth graders will sit in the stands with their friends and dream about the day they make it to fifth grade and can finally start to play. Everyone will be there.
The tournament has been a tradition in this Chicago north side neighborhood since 1945. Many of the players competing tonight can scour the program and see when their father and uncles won Best All Around, MVP, Sportsman, Free Throws, Best Seventh, Sixth and Fifth Graders, and the various team trophies. It's the kind of thing you would see in an old movie - how the whole town looks forward to this one week of basketball.
An Unexpected Game But this is not the championship game everyone expected when they first saw the brackets. It was supposed to be Brian Wrenn, the leading scorer on the varsity Wildcat team that went to CYO championship, taking the top bracket and either Matt Connelly or Jerry Ranalli – the second and third options on the same varsity squad – emerging from the bottom bracket.
And then a funny thing happened – Paul McMahon’s Duke Blue Devils beat Brian Wrenn and his Hoyas in the quarter-finals and Mike Brady’s Running Rebels ran roughshod over the field – winning their first round game and then surprising everyone with big victories over both Jerry’s Tar Heels and Matt’s Eagles in the following rounds.
The Blue Devils have been lead by center Paul McMahon - averaging 18 points and eight rebounds a game. They have also gotten solid performances from Richie Levenhagen who handles the ball, safely feeds it in the low post, and has added 12 points per game. Both of Duke’s games were close but they sealed victories by finishing very strong – combining key baskets with tenacious defense. “We have gotten stronger and more confident each game and I feel that if we can just stay in it, then I like our chances, ” stated Victor Pena, coach of the Blue Devils.
But just staying in it will be their challenge. The guard tandem of Mike Brady and Danny Delpoza has confounded their three opponents thus far. Either player can play point, penetrate and finish or dish out to the other for the open jumper. When fouled, both hit over eighty-five percent from the line. With this style of play they are averaging 32 points a game. "These guys have been on fire. One more game. That's what I told them. Just one more game," said Dan Kascher, coach of the Running Rebels.
Strengths and Weaknesses Duke’s strengths, scoring in half court setups from down in the post and controlling the boards, are the weaknesses for the UNLV. The strengths for the UNLV, running and gunning, expose Duke’s lack of speed and perimeter defense.
Key Match-up UNLV will need another huge night from their sixth grade center Matt Murphy. He will get help guarding Paul McMahon when the defense collapses but he will still need to hold his own down low and control the defensive boards. Rarely in this tournament is so much asked of someone so young.
The X Factor Mike Brady showed flashes of brilliance three years ago when he won best fifth grader the same year that his brother Joe won best seventh grader and his brother Dan won the tournament and walked away with Best All Around. On championship night, with the pressure on, his previous success and family history will account for a Running Rebel edge.
Prediction UNLV 30 - Duke 26
Regardless of the outcome, you can count on three things; the gym will be packed, it will be rocking and you will witness another incredible championship night – one that will surely be remembered for years and years to come.
Reaching the Sweet 16 of the Fox Sports Next Great Sportswriter contest has changed my life. Now that I am a role model I feel a great responsibility to all the kids out there who dream to one day stand on the sidelines with pencil in hand racking their brains for a fresh angle as the clock ticks away.
So, let me begin by stating for the record, "I have never used steroids, period. I do not know how to say it any more clearly than that."
That might seem hard to believe, especially with my 20 plus quality posts and with BALCO head Victor Conte claiming that I injected myself in the leg with human growth hormones in an interview for "20/20," to be aired Friday - but I assure you that I am clean.
Sure, I have been using a hand cream called “the clear III” from BALCO for the past month of the competition but they told me that it is basically aloe vera in a tube and I believe them.
So with that out of the way let me get to the meat of this post – who are the 16 finalists?
I can best be described as someone who writes primarily about the NBA but also about the NFL and MLB – especially as it related to Chicago or a hot topic. My approach is to try and find something unique to say and to say it concisely and with a twist.
Since I hadn’t written about sports for a long time my first few posts were just OK as I struggled to get my footing. That day finally came with Enough “D” in Da Bears? I am sure that most people didn’t see it or read it but I knew after I had written it that I was hitting stride. It revealed something about me, it was concise and prophetic and it all came together at the end.
A few post after that, I came up with a new type of article that I think could be on FoxSports.com or ESPN entitled Reading Between the Lines. Although it needs more development it demonstrated an innovative nature to my writing.
Ron Just Wants to Be Like Mike is still one of my favorite posts and I think it is most indicative of my writing style. I followed that up with several more posts that shared many of the same qualities.
Just before Christmas an idea that had been germinating in my brain for the month finally came out. NBA 3 on 3 is, in my humble opinion, my best idea – although not my best post. It a whole new way of looking at the NBA and evaluating the strength of the organization. I should have been more concise and ended stronger but the content is solid.
After all of that, with the clock ticking away, I attempted to push myself and committed to three more posts in the
The Brackets are Being Filled that captured some of what it felt like to have the first phase of the contest winding down.
As for the other 15 finalists – I finished reading most of their posts late last night and I considered writing up a summary of each finalist – including the sports covered, team and city affiliations and my general impressions. I thought it would add something to the competition – a way to get to know the contestants before the voting that will determine this whole thing gets under way. But knowing that my summary might not faithfully represent the other writers’ work I decided to do the next best thing – highlight my favorite post from each one.
After tonight the contest changes dramatically - with only 16 writers going on to compete for the ultimate prize – becoming a contributing writer at FoxSports. In another five weeks it will all be decided. But what’s next, after that?
Assuming FoxSports wants this community to grow and mature it is in everyone’s interest to open up the lines of communication. Below are my initial thoughts and suggestions.
Blogs.FoxSports.com As the Farm System for FoxSports.com The first step is for Blogs.FoxSports.com to be transformed into an online magazine just like FoxSports.com. It would look and feel just like FoxSports.com but be populated with articles and posts from us.
Which posts would be included? This could be handled in any number of ways and may require that writers categorize their posts but the main idea is that we would all vote on our favorite writers and the top ones would be included. This would give writers a chance to hone their skills and create a following and give the editors at FoxSports a good way to farm new talent.
I also think the Blogs.FoxSports.com site could be a little different than the main site – swapping out modules for our own creations. Instead of the Free Video module that is on the home page maybe the new site could create a different module - devoted to humor, or the odds and gambling, or something more blog-like and interactive. We could establish modules that map well to the different styles of the various writers.
A Little Love on the FoxSports.com Home Page On the home page of FoxSports.com the farm system could take over one Feature slot – like the far right one that I circled in red – and a feature article from the Blogs.FoxSports.com site could be highlighted there daily. This would give everyone who continues to write a chance to get on the main site in a real way.
It's a sunny day at Camden and there is a
pop fly to short left center. Brady Anderson has got a good jump on
it. He is running full speed in as the ball keeps falling faster and
faster until finally he jumps, flies, or whatever and he is completely
stretched out, flat on the ground from his wrist to his waist, with his
feet whipping wildly behind him, his face tense and his eyes locked
in on the ball that is heading straight into his open mit.
"It hurts a heck of a lot more if you don't dive for it" is the quote on this Converse ad.
I
know that feeling. At the end of this first round of the competition I
wanted to have a body of work that was impressive. With over 20
posts I feel pretty good. But still wanting to push myself,
I committed to three more articles last night - as a sort of "give it
your best effort" idea. It hasn't been that bad.
The
first one - This Is Not Your Father's Game - went pretty well I
thought. It was quicker than usual and a bit more preechy than my true voice but
the content was solid and I was able to work in a good picture of Bob
Cousy.
The third and final one that I will
post tonight will be more about my observations of the contest and
where I think this whole thing should go when this is over and I feel
good about that one.
But this second one has
required full speed, full stretch effort. For a while it seemed that I
just ran out of good angles. I had been trying to come up with
something that I could cleaverly connect to the topic that will also act as a good lure for the reader but without any luck.
It is a
really simple idea though - that we need to add the Best All Around award to the MVP award or get rid of the MVP. Every year we argue who the MVP "really"
is. Nash or Shaq? LeBron or Duncan? Wade or Brand? Iverson or Kobe
or Garnett? But the annual arguments that we engage in have more to
do about the definition of the award than the players involved. With
the addition of the Best All Around we can finally spare ourselves.
The Best All Around goes to your
Jordan-types - the guys who take on the brunt of the ball handling and
scoring. The MVP goes to your Shaq-types - big, dependable,
dominating guys you feed it down to. With an MVP and a Best All Around
we can finally argue about the players and their merit and quit
comparing apples and oranges.
The
difficulty I had with this article might have been because the idea that the NBA needs to add a
Best All Around award to the MVP is a topic more suited for a blog post
or an Internet Poll than an article or it might have been because the
well was temporarily dry. In either case, it had me outstretched there
for a while.
I played basketball in grade school. We were taught to play much like the old highlights of Bob Cousy dribbling in circles with his right hand only.
By the time I hit high school the pro game was changing. It was getting much faster, more aggressive and closer to the rim.
When Michael Jordan came of age and began winning championships the game officially changed. The transformation started by Dr. J was completed and basketball became a game that is won and lost based on how aggressively you play it – how hard you fight for the ball, how desperately you hit the glass and how forcefully you take it to the rim.
And with that – our way of looking at the game needs to change.
Take Francisco Garcia from last night. He was 1-7. Our initial reaction is to think – bad night. But he ended up with 11 points. He had to be taking it to the hole.
How about Michael Redd? He went 4-14 last night. He ended up with 21 points.
You see the same thing with players who have a good night as well. Tony Parker went 8-16 and ended up with 27 points. Wade went 10-14 and ended up with a whopping 35 points.
You can get a feel the value of a player with a quick read of their Field Goal Yield – field goals made compared to total points. Games like Garcia, Redd, Parker and Wade are very good games. You need those to win in the NBA. Those Yields are usually an indication of a player who is consistently taking it to the rim, getting fouled and hitting free throws.
But the Field Goal Yield is just a rough estimate of a player’s productivity. If you want to complete this you will need to factor in all the other stats - but be careful how you weight them.
You will notice that fouls are a positive. The old school of thinking is that fouls are a negative but in this “take it to the rim" game fouls are necessary and useful – both offensively and defensively.
Negative stats Turnovers Missed field goals Missed free throws
Be careful here. In the Bob Cousy game, missed field goals and missed free throws meant a lot. In this new game it is way over-valued. Don’t deduct much for them.
The only negative stat you need is a stat that isn’t recorded. It is the points scored by the person you are guarding when you are on the floor. Think Toni Kukoc. He was the poster child of this stat when he was on the Bulls. Since he played a very weak defensive game his counterpart usually scored as many if not more points than he did. So did he have a great game scoring 24 points if his counterpart scored 32?
So go forth and view the box scores with a new perspective and make sure you give those Francisco Garcia’s their due - they earned it.
It's tourney time. The committee is filling up the brackets. You can bet that some
bloggers are definitely in, while some look good as many more rest on the bubble. This last day is going to be big - especially for the bubble bloggers.
How are we going to respond? We talk a good game - or at least write a good one. We sit at our keyboards late at night with the glow of the monitor radiating on us while our loved ones are fast asleep - and we judge. We judge this shot and that pass and this trade and that draft pick. But now it's us and it's our time.
Isn't this great and isn't this why we joined the Next Great Sportswriter competition in the first place? We are not only fans - we are competitors.
How am I going to respond? I have to assume that I am on the bubble - even if I am so far away that the judges have yet to see my blog. It is the only course of action since we have no standings.
I have a lot of ideas. I want to write a piece about how the NBA needs to either add a Best All Around to go with the MVP or they need to eliminate the award altogether. Aren't we tired of the same old stale arguments every year? With an MVP that is the most valuable person to his team and a Best All Around that is the best athlete, we could be spared countless future meaningless arguments.
I also want to write a piece and introduce a new offensive productivity stat for the NBA - the field goal yield. Looking at players' productivity in terms of shots made to total points has a way of uncovering who is a valuable contributor and who is not for a game that just demands you take it to the rim.
And I would like to end on a real ####. I would like to combine my ideas on how FoxSports could turn this new blog space into its own farm system for up-and-coming sports writers with a much overdue calling out of my favorite fellow writers.
Sure, you are thinking, everyone want to dribble left at the top of the key, fake out Craig Ehlo, jump and hit the winning shot at the buzzer. Everyone wants to think that they will dig deep down and pull it out. Everyone wants to think that they are a winner.
But we all know that only 16 move on and I can't help but sit here and wonder - will I be one of them? And I think to myself, I could wait like everyone else for the judges make their big announcement but maybe there is better way. From the corner of my eye - sitting on the dining room table - I see it - the ultimate authority - the Magic 8 Ball.
And so, I pick it up - begin shaking - and say out loud "Am I moving on to the Sweet 16?" And with one last shake I look down only to see - Ask Again Later.
You can think about the NBA in any number of ways. It can be superstar versus superstar - Kobe versus Shaq. It can be team versus team - Pistons versus Spurs. It can be coach versus coach - Riley versus Jackson. How about the NBA as a 3 on 3 - with GM, coach, star. It is not too far fetched. Think about it.
Detroit - Dumars, Flip, Billups You have to like Dumars, Flip, Billups. It's rock solid. It is machine-like in its efficiency. It is perfect spacing and execution. It is Dumars and Dumars was always great - even if it wasn't ever flashy or more than it needed to be. I like this team.
Indiana - Bird, Carlisle, ONeal Bird, Carlisle, ONeal is good but you have to think this organization is still suffering some sort of bird flu that they caught last year. With the upcoming trade they will likely have finally kicked it but it will take a little more time to regain their strength and fully compete.
Miami - Riley, Riley, Shaq Riley, Riley, Shaq is really with Wade too but you know showtime has many moving parts - and in this case even includes a reinvigorated Alonzo Mourning - so you gotta like what you see. The talent is there and the coach is on the bench. If it wasn't for Wade I would be rooting against these guys out loud, but with Wade I am very intrigued and ready to jump on the bandwagon.
Chicago - Paxon, Skiles, Hinrich Paxon, Skiles, Hinrich. I could play on this team. I am a short white guard who understands the value of playing with the most intensity and grit and I make smart shots and most of my free throws. They have established the work ethic and style of play. The next step is hanging out the Help Wanted sign and signing some offensive stars.
New York - Isiah, Larry, Marbury Isiah, Larry, Marbury. I tend to root against Isiah - not as any firm rule but somehow I always find myself rooting against him. He signed all of this talent - based on his keen eye for the stuff - and then hoped that it would come together. When it didn't, he called somebody who knew how to clean up a mess. The problem in NY is that Marbury needs to go. It will take time and, as such, can only be done if Isiah can follow the coach long enough. All that is needed is patience in New York - good to see him struggling.
Cleveland - Ferry, Brown, LeBron Ferry, Brown, LeBron. If I repeat the names of this team out loud five times I always have the same thought - Brown will be gone before this team hits its stride. With LeBron you can copy the Jordan path to championships that the Lakers will be taking or you can come up with a new way - but you need a way that LeBron buys into because you will hit bumps along the ways. My bet is that the Brown system falters before the glory that is coming hits LeBron in all its gold and glitter and, at that point, there is a high profile coach on the Cav's bench.
Boston - Ainge, Doc, Pierce Ainge, Doc, Pierce. What is this? I always admired Ainge's competitiveness and style of play. I always liked Doc. And Pierce looks like a real star. What is going on here? From a distance I thought they were purging their malcontents. They should be doing better, shouldn't they? Somebody please fill me in.
Lakers - Kupchak, Jackson, Bryant Kupchak, Jackson, Bryant. Wow. It will be a fight with the Pistons, Spurs, and Heat but they could do it. It wont be hard to attract top talent to play Kobe's supporting cast - no matter how much bad press he gets. Some of the new talent needed grew up watching and dreaming of being like him winning all those championships and playing in L.A. Every star loves sunshine, girls, movies, the recording business and money? It is a good bet that Phil can teach Kobe how to be Jordan and Mitch can bring in the missing pieces. I like this bet. Buy now.
Memphis - West, Fratello, Gasol West, Fratello, Gasol. I don't know what to make of that. Seems to be working. I would enjoy seeing it work. I am just not a true believer yet. There is a weakness in the spine or something. Not that they won't dazzle us at times but the frailty will make itself felt eventually. They also score lower than you would expect when you look at them with my handicapping. I guess what I am saying is - I am not afraid of this team.
Denver - Kiki, Carl, Melo Kiki, Carl, Melo. I don't know what to make of it but I basically like what I have seen from all three - when they were on their own. This one is better for me to hear from people who are closer to these guys.
Clippers - Baylor, Dunleavy, Brand Baylor, Dunleavy, Brand. Interesting. Seems to be working ok. Worth keeping an eye on even though it is usually hard to imagine the Clippers as a good team or organization. Brand brings a lot to the equation. An argument could be made that he is the best player over the last 5 years.
Dallas - Donnie Nelson, Avery, Dirk Minnesota - McHale, Dwane Casey, Garnett New Jersey - Thorn, Frank, Kidd Philidephia - Billy King, Cheeks, Iverson Washington - Ernie Grunfeld, Eddie Jordan, Jamison San Antonio - Buford, Popovich, Duncan...
The Book's Hot Tip Keep an eye on this no name team - Larry Harris, Terry Stotts, Michael Redd.
I average just over 17 pts on 44% shooting, 6 assists and nearly 4 rebounds a game.
I could be Peja Stojachovic and you would be close but Peja shoots a slightly lower percentage and doesn't have as many assists or rebounds.
I could be Baron Davis but I am not. Baron has more assists at 10 a game but only shoots 34% from the field.
Now you think you've got it - Chauncey Billups. Sorry. After Thursday night's career game his pts per game is slightly higher and his assists up at 8 a game. But very close.
No, I am not Peja Stojachovic, Baron Davis nor Chauncey Billups. I am Stephon Marbury.
What does this tell us?
It tells us that intangibles are real otherwise the Kings and Warriors would consider a straight up trade for Stephon Marbury to be a good deal and the Pistons would see it as a wash. But we know that is not the case.
It was reported today that Donnie Walsh has talked with representatives from 15-20 teams and in most cases, he took the call rather than placed it.
That is a lot of interest for Ron Artest. At 19 pts, 5 assists and 2 rebounds per game it almost seems reasonable. In a sport where you need at least two stars on a team to win, one is currently available. But is this star a wise choice or should these eager buyers beware?
It is not to say that whatever team gets Artest will immediately suffer but it is to say that whatever team gets Artest will eventually suffer. His intangibles ultimately make him a negative impact on a team and organization.
Many teams will convince themselves that Artest is worth the risk because many teams have only one and some have no superstars. To illustrate the point let's consider one possible destination that seems just too tantalizing to completely ignore and where Artest could possibly gel just long enough to win a title before imploding again.
Entertain the thought of Artest, Iverson and Iguodala. Or Artest, Iverson and Weber. How would you like to walk into Phili and play those guys? In this one case, the crazy intangibles from all players involved just might combine and create some sort of explosive mixture that has enough power to win one title. If you were Billy King you might just try and convince yourself that Artest is worth the risk.
But buyers beware - this sale is "as is". No refunds. No returns.
The reactions to the Van Gundy resignation all fall into three main categories.
First, only the exact timing was a surprise. The writing was on the wall. It was inevitable. Stan is gone. It's a Riley ego trip and consequences be damned.
Second, Riley is an evil backstabbing mafioso type. Period.
And then third, the Heat will be better with Shaq coming back and Riley taking over.
The only reaction that didn't fall into one of these categories was a view of J-Will and Posey as a cancer that is roaming the league and removing head coaches. That was good.
But my focus is on something altogether more positive. I am wondering if Riley didn't just assemble a group of athletes that he thinks could be molded into some modern day swampy version of Showtime.
Shaq outlets to J-Will who quickly passes up to a streaking Wade who takes the ball, shuffles and shakes and dribbles once, maybe twice and leaps toward the rim, where contested, he dishes out to 'Twoine who pump fakes to get the defender in the air and then crouches and dribbles just to his left, squares up and then passes to Shaq who grabs the ball on the run and slams it home. Is this what we are potentially talking about.
“To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve.” Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan has had the greatest impact on the game of basketball since I began watching (1970s) - a remarkable talent and a legacy of championships. His sense of the basket and his knack for game winning shots has inspired the armchair and professional athletes like nobody else. Who, under the age of 40, has not wanted to be like Mike – at least a little?
But there are two Mikes. There is the incredibly talented “on court Mike” who managed six championships and completely dominated the sport at the end of his career. And there is the “off court Mike” – the commercial Mike - who smiled that insincere smile at every turn and demanded that the “Jordan rules” open every door and pick up every check.
Although us armchair athletes desperately covet his six championship rings and the glory that accompanies being “the man” on the court, the real athletes desire the off court Mike – the commercial Mike – the fake Mike – the rich and famous Mike. After all, it is much easier for them to achieve.
When Kobe entered the league I could not believe how much he was like Mike. The potential of his talent was obvious but what stunned me more was how much he seemed to be imitating the commercial Mike. Kobe took on Mike’s smile and mannerisms like a master mime. But he is not the only one. LeBron, Dwayne, Tracey, ‘Melo’ - and now Ron.
"Here I don't think I'm going to have a chance to maximize my opportunity for my potential," Ron said. "When I first got here, all I wanted to do was play defense. I never really cared about offense, but what I see is players like Kobe, Tracy, Arenas and Jermaine getting the opportunity to maximize their potential on the court and to get paid.”
With a perennial malcontent like Ron Artest it can be difficult to understand his moods and motives but this much is obvious – he just wants to be like Mike – the commercial Mike that is.
No Defense for Cavs - Again "We as a team, the coaches, the players, are not getting it done on the defensive end of the floor, and it's evident by the 109 points and the 57 percent from the field," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "Until we figure it out, you guys will see plenty of nights like this." What this means for the Cavs There is no room for long lapses in this division. No patience means trouble for a coach with no name. Griz Reveal Weakness "I couldn't get it going because they were double-teaming me, so it was hard," Gasol said. "It was a frustrating situation." What this means for the Griz Although the Griz have been on the rise the future is looking bleak with Pau confirming his natural weakness.
Flatfooted Heat Lose Again "You give up a runout to lose the game, you deserve to lose," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Plain and simple, you deserve to lose. Nobody should feel sorry for you or nothing else. ... If you haven't learned things like that over your time in the league, you're not experienced. You're just old."
What this means for the Heat Wade needs to raise his game a notch. Scoring points is one thing - winning games is another. Just ask AI and Kobe. Bulls Going Nowhere Fast "At times, it seemed like we were playing in quicksand," Hinrich said. "For whatever reason, we didn't have it tonight."
What this means for the Bulls They need to toughen up. Still reeling from Sheed laughing at them on their court.
Playing Terrible Good Enough Against Knicks "The good thing is that we didn't play well, we didn't shoot well, we didn't get to the foul line and we still won," Sun's coach D'Antoni said.
What this means for the Knicks They are bad.
A Loss is a Loss for Warriors "It's still a loss," Murphy said. "We played well enough to win. We were up there in the fourth quarter against a great team, and we have to find a way to win those games."
What this means for the Warriors Only time will tell. They have to learn to close out games against better teams.
Lack of Intensity Doom Jazz "I think it looked like we took them lightly tonight. And we have no reason to take anybody lightly," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. What this means for the Jazz They need to shake things up.
The Doc is Confused "I thought we caught the Spurs on an off night," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "They were beatable."
What this means for the Celtics Mid tier team for the forseeable future.
CHICAGO. "It's often said Jordan needed Pippen and Pippen needed Jordan. I'm not sure Jordan didn't need Pippen more than Pippen needed Jordan," former Bulls assistant Tex Winters said. His point is simple - every superhero needs a sidekick - at least if he wants to win championships.
This brings us to today's NBA superheros.
1. Kobe. Kobe is going through his "jacking it up" phase. Every great salesman talks himself into trouble and out of trouble - just looking for his groove. But he needs to talk a lot to do it. Same is true for every great scorer. MJ had years to jack it up before winning a championship. Kobe won early as a sidekick and desperately wants to be "the man". You have to admire that about him. His trick will be to get out of this phase quickly and look at Odom as his Pippen.
2. Shaq. He needs to switch roles from superhero to sidekick - from Superman to Robin. But Shaq knows it. And Shaq strokes Wade all night and day because he needs him to elevate his game just one more notch.
3. AI. He is not even looking for a sidekick. I love this guy because he is 6' 0" - 165lbs and the leading scorer in the NBA. He is my superhero because he is my size and he does so much. Unfortunately for him, he is stuck. Maybe it is small man's disease but he will have to jack it up all day and all night and drive and shoot and shoot and shoot until he is out of the NBA (you can almost hear a sigh coming from the commissioners office) just to prove to everyone - something.
4. LeBron. He has the skills and mindset to take on a sidekick - the only question is who? Drew Gooden is having a great year but not sure he fits into that Robin outfit. Seems like the Cavs are building Robin by committee.
5. Duncan. You can't be boring and be a superhero at the same time.
On Christmas Day we will see the Spurs and Detroit tangle it up. Barring an injuries or suspension this proves to be a benchmark for the post season.
The West
Clipper Trainwreck Just Ahead
It is now cool to diss the Clippers but close your eyes if don't want to see it. It promises to be an astonishing crash and with the Clipper's organizational history it likely will be fatal for the year. In the next two weeks they face Miami, NY, Phoenix, Detroit and then the Spurs. Although they have enjoyed the bird's eye view for the first month they will soon be looking up to Golden State and Phoenix.
Golden State with Task at Hand
Not an overwhelming couple of weeks but a solid challenge with games against Phoenix and Detroit. We will know more about this upstart by mid month.
Phoenix in 1st?
Phoenix plays both the Clippers and Golden State so can sneak into first place if they play well.
The East
Cavs and Bucks Matchup
I know everyone likes to say that the Bucks are like the Clippers - overrated - but not so quick. They have beaten the Mavs, the Warriors, the Heat and the Pacers and have accumulated the bulk of their losses on one bad western road-trip.
At the same time the Cavs are a quality team with LeBron James and their losses came at the hands of quality teams like the Spurs, the Grizzlies and the Warriors. This is a big game on the 10th.
Miami to Make a Move?
It will take as long as it takes for Shaq to ome back but once he does he will have Dwayne Wade and an improved Alonzo. This injury report is worth keeping your eyes on.
I have played baseball, basketball and football my whole life. I have suffered the tragedies of defeat and tasted sweet victory for me and my team. And it's these experiences that will come in handy as I compete with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back.
What do I mean?
I haven't watched sports for the last 5 years and I currently don't have a t.v. or cable. I will cover my beat from cyberspace. I will read the box scores and articles and "watch" some games refresh every 15 seconds - but that is it.
What else?
I will be suspended by my feet with my head hanging over a boiling pit full of crocodiles and snakes. All ending on February 8th - with a fiesta at my house (mariachis and margaritas for everyone) celebrating my new job at FoxSports.
He worked tirelessly for over
a month posting blogs on the NBA, NFL and MLB and quickly became one of
the Sweet 16 Finalists in FoxSports Next Great Sportswriter contest -
ending a cycle of dangling modifiers and run-on sentences that plagued
his family for generations. 
I am certain that I can find people who think NASCAR and driving in circles for hours on end is less than exciting. I am certain I can find people who think Major League Baseball is too slow and doesn’t contain enough action. And I am certain I could even find people who think the NFL end zone celebrations are silly and the mandatory dumping of Gatorade on the winning coach is both unoriginal and boring. So I wondered, what gives? Why the disrespect? 
So, let me begin by stating for the record, "I have never used steroids, period. I do not know how to say it any more clearly than that."
I played basketball in grade school. We were taught to play much like the old highlights of Bob Cousy dribbling in circles with his right hand only. 
Sure, you are thinking, everyone want to dribble left at the top of the key, fake out Craig Ehlo, jump and hit the winning shot at the buzzer. Everyone wants to think that they will dig deep down and pull it out. Everyone wants to think that they are a winner. 
What does this tell us? 
Shaq outlets to J-Will who quickly passes up to a streaking Wade who takes the ball, shuffles and shakes and dribbles once, maybe twice and leaps toward the rim, where contested, he dishes out to 'Twoine who pump fakes to get the defender in the air and then crouches and dribbles just to his left, squares up and then passes to Shaq who grabs the ball on the run and slams it home. Is this what we are potentially talking about.
Kobe leads the league in field goal attempts per game.
No Defense for Cavs - Again
Griz Reveal Weakness
Flatfooted Heat Lose Again
Bulls Going Nowhere Fast
Playing Terrible Good Enough Against Knicks
A Loss is a Loss for Warriors
Lack of Intensity Doom Jazz
The Doc is Confused
