December 25, 2024

NBA Playoffs First Round

May 5, 2006 by

With the exception of the Memphis debacle, this has been one of the best first rounds in the playoffs that I can remember. And the best series so far has been the Wizards and Cavs. Tonights game has been no different. Between Arenas and James, we get to see the future of the NBA. But more than that, we get to see two clutch players battling it out to the very end. It is a shame that someone has to lose this series. As it stands right now, Arenas just hit a DEEP three to tie the game and send it to OT in game 6. See ya in the extra period!

Update:  Wizards Bounced From Playoffs.  Gotta feel for Arenas, as he missed 2 key free throws down the stretch, and he has been near automatic from the line this year.  Congrats to the Cavs.

Filed Under: NBA

Lowe Coming Home

May 5, 2006 by

Who says you can’t go home? Sidney Lowe is doing just that, 83 champsand for the most part, the NC State Wolfpack are excited. They are hoping that a significant part of history plays a part in an even more exciting future.

After several weeks of being trounced in the media for it’s failed attempts to lure high-profile coaches such as Rick Barnes and John Calipari, the Wolfpack turned their attention to one of their own. For a couple of weeks, if I had told you a former Wolfpacker would be the guy who got the job, you would have thought Derrick Whittenburg. But in the last few days, Sidney Lowe’s name was tossed around more and more. Finally, it was announced that a press conference had been set for Sat. May 6th to announce his hiring.

Lowe holds a special place in the hearts of NC State fans. He was the starting point guard the year that Jimmy V led the Wolfpack on an improbable run to the National Championship. After that, Lowe was drafted by the Bulls with the 1st pick in the 2nd round (the same draft that Ralph Sampson went #1 overall). He played a total of about 4 years in the NBA.

He moved into the coaching ranks where he has been head coach for the Minnesota Timerbwolves in the early 90’s and the Memphis Grizzlies in the early 00’s. But this will be his first college coaching job. This could prove to be a difficult transition, as college coaching is a different animal altogether than the NBA. And one of the biggest parts of coaching college is recruiting, which Lowe has never had to do before. Surrounding himself with good coaches who CAN recruit should be job #1.

There are only a few candidates for the job that could have solidified and healed the growing rift in the fanbase in Raleigh, and Lowe is one of them. Wolfpack nation had become severely divided over Herb Sendek and the direction of the basketball program. There were fears that with a new coach, the program would take a step back, the fanbase would grow impatient with the lack of improvement, and force the new guy out before he had a chance to get going. This hire avoids that problem as it is expected the fans will cut Lowe a little more slack as “one of their own.”

As a Wolfpacker, which I have mentioned more than a few times around here, I hope Lowe succeeds with flying colors. Given his reputation as one of the better assistant coaches in the NBA, he shouldn’t have any problems recruiting, even if it is a new experience for him. Excitement will be returning to Raleigh soon, and I can’t wait to hear the roar when one of State’s favorite sons returns home to roam the sidelines come this fall. I just can’t wait.

Filed Under: College Basketball

Authentic Barry Bonds Balls

May 5, 2006 by

All the talk in the baseball world has been about Barry Bonds and his attempt to pass Babe Ruth’s home run record. Stonecoldjz hit on this earlier in the week, and for the most part, I agree with him. Let’s forget about the fact that it’s not even the MLB record. Instead, let’s talk about the ball itself. MLB has made it crystal clear they have no intentions of making a big deal about it if and when Bonds passes Babe Ruth. As a matter of fact, until today, there were no plans to even put special markings on the ball to verify it’s authenticity. But Bob DuPuy, MLB’s chief operating officer, decided there was no good reason not to add the markings to the ball. So today, a shipment of balls will arrive in Philadelphia and the officials will use the balls when Barry comes to the plate.

The only good reason I can come up with to use these balls is to keep there from being a controversy after the ball goes into the stands. And with controversy, comes even more media coverage. To be honest, I’m tired of hearing about it. So I’m all for getting the special balls in play. When Bonds moves into SECOND PLACE, NOT FIRST, the clowns in the stands will be able to identify the ball, and sell it for an unreasonable amount of money. It’s SECOND PLACE PEOPLE!!!

“Until Barry or anybody else gets close to Aaron, I think that’s really going to be the big thing. … Nobody remembers who finishes second,” Al Kaline, who hit 399 career homers, said before teeing off Friday.

I wonder what the other real Hall of Famers think about this. Well, Harmon Killebrew, #8 on the HR list, and others are fairly uncomfortable talking about it.

“If they’re doing something that is an illegal situation, that’s different,” Killebrew said Friday. “That’s why I say there’s a cloud over baseball right now. You hate to point any fingers at anybody because you don’t really know for sure.

So I guess until he breaks the SECOND PLACE record, I’m just going to have to deal with it. Crap!

Filed Under: MLB

Quick Hits: May 3rd, 2006

May 3, 2006 by
  • The Dolphins have signed RB Gerald Riggs, Jr., the son of former NFLer Gerald Riggs. The former Tennessee Volunteer went undrafted in the 2006 draft.
  • Chad Johnson is already providing bulletin board material for the rest of his division. “We’re going to be good,” Johnson said Wednesday, following a workout at Paul Brown Stadium. “Anyone else that feels we’re not going to dominate the AFC North this year, something’s wrong.” A lot of times, this type of confidence/cockiness is a huge negative for me, but if you can back it up, then talk all you want to. Well, I can’t really say that, because while T.O. generally backs up his BIG mouth with his game, I absolutely detest him. There are some differences between the two of them though, the main one being that Chad Johnson is a good teammate, and doesn’t destroy clubhouses wherever he goes.
  • The Tennessee Titans are taking a long hard look at Ty Law, and Law is doing likewise with the Titans. Law is the highest rated corner available on the market, and if you’re the Titans, well, where DON’T you need help. The problem is the money (isn’t it always?). Until the Titans are able to do something with Steve McNair, they won’t be able to afford the $9 million price for Law.
  • As for the Steve McNair situation, I think they ought to let him go. Now, before you go all crazy on me, I am a HUGE Titans fan. And the reason I think they ought to let him go isn’t to clear salary space for Law or anyone else. I think they ought to let him go to a team where he will be appreciated. It’s sad to say, but for all that McNair has done for the team over the years, they are willing to throw him under the bus. Guess he should have seen it coming….he does know Eddie George doesn’t he? BTW, his case is scheduled to go before an arbitrator on May 16.
  • Sterling Sharpe is going to be joining Cris Collinsworth, Jerome Bettis, Bob Costas, and Peter King in the studios of NBC for Sunday Night NFL. Sharpe was hired in November after “an audition that was one of the best I’ve ever seen. He was opinionated and fearless and great company for Bob and Cris.”
  • New York Rangers defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, who spent time this season in the NHL’s substance abuse program, was arrested Wednesday on a drunken driving charge, police said. His BAC was reportedly twice the legal limit.
  • Forward Steve Konowalchuk, sidelined since November because of a broken wrist, has been cleared to play for the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference semifinals.
  • Major League Baseball at long last picked someone to buy the Washington Nationals, choosing a group that’s led by real estate developer Theodore Lerner and includes former Atlanta Braves executive Stan Kasten.
  • Guard Scottie Reynolds, a McDonald’s All-America, and forwards Damion James and Jeremy Mayfield were all granted releases.
  • A Tennessee freshman football player, Raymond Henderson, was dismissed from the team after making an inappropriate comment to a woman and her daughter in a restaurant. I guess Phil Fulmer is cutting down on the shenanigans after they had 8 players arrested or investigated in one 6 month period. I guess it’s about time. Nope, I KNOW it’s time!
  • And finally, from the “Eye for and Eye” category: An Ohio University football player was charged with hitting a police horse as officers directed students away from a brawl outside a bar. What kind of a jackass hits a horse? I think it’s only fitting that the horse have a free shot at the big, brave football player. I bet it hurts, and I hope it does. Then I hope they arrest the guy and suspend him from the team for one year. He could be reinstated after one yea if and only if he performed 500 hours of community service at an animal shelter.
Filed Under: General Sports

Gimme A Break

May 3, 2006 by

photoYou know what, I think Kobe should toughen up a little. That is, toughen up on the court. The locker room “I’m too big to even think about someone like him” crap his just that….CRAP. And while the NBA is busy making an example of Bell for fouling “The Chosen One”, how about the fact that Reggie Evans didn’t get a single thing for jingling Chris Kaman’s bells.
Suns guard Bell suspended 1 game

Filed Under: NBA

Raising Arizona

May 2, 2006 by

Edgerrin James is not only bringing his ability to tote the ol’ pigskin up and down the field, he is bringing veteran leadership. I thought Edge was great in Indianapolis, but for some reason, I am really rooting for him to excel in Arizona. Well, I guess I should say I’ll be rooting for the Arizona Cardinals to excel. Toss Matt Leinart and their receivers into the equation and you might have a decent team there. I like underdogs, they’re fun to pull for. But I would venture to say the Cardinals won’t be underdogs for long.

Filed Under: NFL

Quick Hits: May 2nd, 2006

May 2, 2006 by
  • Police Tuesday were investigating a report of a sexual assault involving Lakers center Kwame Brown. Wow, does playing with Kobe just invite this stuff now?
  • Marcus “New Mexico” Vick, who seemingly had been forgotten after not being drafted, has been invited to the Miami Dolphins rookie mini-camp. Wonder how he can screw this opportunity up too?
  • Pacman Jones is burning bridges every which way he knows how. Just a few matches he has used to start the burning include not showing up for offseason conditioning programs, hanging out with drug traffickers, and surprisingly being present at a shooting at a local gas station. With the trouble that follows him around, he should be made to wear a “Warning” sign.
  • From the “Don’t hold your breath” category: Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t want one NFL team in Los Angeles. He wants two.
  • B-U-S-H: Reebok sold 15,000 jerseys with that name on the back. The thing is, they don’t know what number the jersey is going to have on it. While at USC, Bush wore #5, but according to NFL rules, that number is designated to the QB position. It takes a special petition to get the league to allow the number change, and hopefully, those 15,000 people who ordered jerseys will find out soon what their purchase looks like.
  • After starting out the series in an 0-2 hole, the Carolina Hurricanes fought back and won 4 straight to close out the series with Montreal. Game 6 ended with the Hurricanes getting a goal from Cory Stillman in OT.
  • Big East getting bigger? The Birmingham Bowl has been added as a Big East tie in bowl. The opponent will be a team from Conference USA. This is a week after they had another tie-in bowl added, the International Bowl in Toronto. Seriously, the International Bowl? I think we’re reaching a little here. Really….TORONTO? I didn’t know there WAS college football in Toronto!
Filed Under: General Sports

Quick Hits: May 1st, 2006

May 1, 2006 by
Filed Under: General Sports

Mario Williams The Man

May 1, 2006 by

Sorry for the Mario Williams deluge today. Just feel like putting some good things out about him to combat all the negativity from the talking heads were embarassed on Sat. The USA Today had a piece out today that had some touching points in it that let you know what kind of guy were talking about here.

The biggest surprise concerning Williams? The defensive end’s dream day nearly didn’t happen.

Filed Under: NFL

Insight Into the Draft Day Questions

May 1, 2006 by

Paul Attner wrote an article for the Sporting News today that gets into the details and the path that eventually led the Houston Texans to draft Mario Williams instead of the fan favorite Reggie Bush. Quite an interesting read.

Around 5:30 Friday afternoon, Dogra asks Williams, “How would you like to be the first choice?” They celebrate by drinking $10 bottles of water and eating from $20 cans of Pringles from the minibar in their hotel room in New York. Williams can afford the bill.

FWIW, and I have stated this already several times, I think in 10 years, the decision will still be a tossup. Both of these guys, Williams and Bush, will be superstars for the foreseeable future.

Filed Under: NFL
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