What the heck is it with athletes these days? We have already discussed, probably too much, the tale of Ricky Williams, who was busted during the offseason. But how about a dummy who can’t keep himself clean during the freaking PLAYOFFS?!?!?! Cliff Robinson, who I swear is old enough to know better, got caught violating the NBA substance abuse policy. So instead of helping his team defend Shaq and the Miami Heat, he will guarding against the munchies at 3am. Way to go! If anyone has a logical explanation, other than “Dude, he’s like, free to do whatever he wants maaaaan…”, I’d love to hear it!
Athletes and Drugs
May 12, 2006 by
Rick Adelman Fired – WTF?
May 9, 2006 by
Let me get this straight…you take an NBA team to EIGHT straight playoff appearances and you want the man gone. WHY? Do you really think you can perform much better in Sacramento then you have since he came aboard? I sure as H#$L don’t and this will only backfire in your face. I am getting really tired of coaches in the pros or in college who do not get the credit they derserve because their fans are so greedy. Five consecutive 50 win seasons until this year when they basically had a brand new team other than Mike Bibby and Brad Miller, but they made the playoffs again and actually ruffled the feathers of the Spurs until running out of gas. Kiss this success goodbye Sac Town!!!
US Immigration
May 9, 2006 by
I know, I know….a sports forum, and we’re talking about immigration issues? But in this case, the two are intertwined. Gavin Grant, a sophomore G/F for the NC State Wolfpack is in a little legal hot water. When he was 10 years old, his mother came here from Jamaica, and obviously Gavin came with her. Now, 12 years later, good ol’ Uncle Sam is going to try and send him home. Makes a lot of sense, wouldn’t you think? It does, except for a few things:
- Grant is in college, working on a degree. I guess it would be OK and they would let him slide if he were off working in a field somewhere in Arizona.
- Since Grant and his presence in the United States has absolutely no bearing on the all important and oft-pointed to “price of a head of lettuce”, he needs to be gone?
- He is married to an American citizen, and has a 1 year old child. What happened to not breaking families up. Isn’t that why they sent Elian Gonzalez home, to be with his father and not split the family up?
- A couple of weeks ago, there were protests in every major city in the US, yet not one arrest was made or one green card was checked. But they’re willing to pull a kid OUT OF SCHOOL and make an example out of him?
- Sending Grant home to Jamaica would most certainly send a vicious message to the reported 300,000 illegals in NC alone (HAH!)
If all things and issues were being pursued with the same amount of vigor and fairness, I wouldn’t have a beef with anything right now. But what they’re doing with a guy who is doing the right thing, and is a good kid, doesn’t seal the border or solve the problem. When you put up a fence and start deporting the illegals who are raping our system and country, THEN come talk to me about sending Gavin Grant back to Jamaica. Until then, kiss off!
Big Ben Wallace Does it Again
May 8, 2006 by
Ben Wallace was announced the Defensive Player of the Year again today. He becomes the first player ever to win the award four times in a five year span. Wallace also won the award last year, 2003 and 2002. Big Ben was fourth in the NBA in rebounds at 11.3, ninth in blocks with 2.2 and tenth in steals at 1.78 making him the only player to be in the top 10 in all categories. I truly enjoy watching Ben Wallace play the game and I couldn’t agree more that he deserves this award due to his outstanding effort night in night out.
Hat Tip Steve Nash
May 7, 2006 by
Steve Nash is once again the MVP of the National Basketball Association. Nash pretty much ran away with his second consecutive MVP with Lebron James finishing a distant second. Nash set career highs this year avergaging 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, .512 field goal percentage and .921 free throw percentage. Steve also lead the NBA in assists at 10.5 a game and was in the top 10 with three point percentage at 43.9. Maybe the biggest feat was winning 54 games this year and another Pacific Division title without All-Star Amare Stoudemire plus Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson who left Phoenix after last season.
Same Ole Mavericks???
May 7, 2006 by
I know it’s a little early to tell, but I feel the question needs to be brought up. It seems every year recently Dallas is talked about as a true Western Conference contender yet they find a way to squander away important games which ultimately sends them on summer vacation. I really feel like today was one of those games against the San Antonio Spurs because Dallas lost 87-85. First and foremost, the Mavericks almost had been off for an entire week when San Antonio was basically on 36 hours rest. Secondly, Dallas was ahead at the end of every single quarter except the final one. This was a game they desparately needed to gain confidence against the favorite, but instead it appears to me they are still a pretender. I hope I’m wrong, but most of the time I’m not.
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.
Lowe Coming Home
May 5, 2006 by
Who says you can’t go home? Sidney Lowe is doing just that, 
and 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.â€
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.
Tim Thomas and Suns Force Game Seven
May 5, 2006 by
Tim Thomas scored 21 including a HUGE three pointer with 6.3 seconds in regulation to force overtime last night in the Suns/Lakers playoff battle. In overtime the Suns salted the game away and won 126-118. The Suns put forth a huge team effort with Nash scoring 32, Barbosa 22, Thomas 21, Marion 20 and Boris Diaw with 19. Kobe Bryant was the big star of the night in the loss with 50 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. I think you can pretty much say this series is now over and Phoenix will win at home in game seven after the Lakers were up at one point 3-1. Sorry LA!
Gimme A Break
May 3, 2006 by
You 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