All across the news the past couple of days is the news about The "U" (in case you Minnesotans didn't know, they aren't talking about Minnesota) and all the allegations that Nevil Shapiro has laid on them. It's definitely disappointing to hear but in all reality it happens at a lot of major institutions. They might not be extravagant as all the sex parties, clubs, yachts, and abortions that Shapiro paid for but it still goes on.
Yahoo did a great job of getting information about the allegations and has a lot of documentation. My biggest issue is, how exactly do you trust a convicted felon? Also, how does The "U" not keep track of this guy a little more. He was on the sidelines during games, had access to basically all of the players and coaches. Plus, Miami knew that he partially owned a sports agency business. Oh wait, he donated money to the athletics' department and that is why they turned a blind eye. It makes sense, it's all about the $$$ at that level.
The biggest problem for Miami right now is that they have new coaches in both men's basketball and football, both seem to have very good reputations and they are going to get absolutely hammered by the NCAA for something they didn't have a part of. Hopefully, they at least had some knowledge of this before they signed their contracts, but my guess is that they didn't.
One big question everyone has right now is, what will be the penalties? Will the NCAA give them the "death penalty?" I think it's highly unlikely because the NCAA needs "The U" to be good in football for them to make more money. I heard yesterday on the Doug Gootlieb Show that the NCAA should fine them $10 or $20 million to set the record straight. The pocketbook is where it hurts. Makes sense but you certainly don't want to take away anything from the normal students that don't do anything do for the school (was that too harsh?).
Another solid story coming over the news today is that Georgetown brawl that happened this morning over in China. There is finally video on it and it's below. To think that the Hoyas just met with Vice President Biden yesterday, what a turn for US-China relations.
Here is the video...
This morning I got to watch Dook take on the Chinese Jr. National Team and I got to see a little bit of what Dook will do this season. WHINE!!!! It was unreal, every time a call didn't go their way all the players and coaches looked like a six year old girl who didn't get a candy bar on their trip to the store. Even Coach K got into the refs face on a non-call along the sideline. These aren't ACC refs, they don't care who you are.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Long Time No Talk
It's a been a long absence for me from the blogging world and there are certainly a lot of things to cover. Today I'm just going to talk about the whole big time college athletics and it's pay to play model and potential conference realignment.
I get pretty worked up when I hear the Big Ten and SEC commissioners talking about "their athletes" needing extra money to cover living expenses. That is a complete and utter joke for them to say that, especially at those schools. In the SEC their athletes are treated like Gods and with the exception of Vanderbilt they rarely have to worry about academics because athletics come first. Does anyone know what these athletes get for their scholarships?
On top of their "free education" they get a scholarship check. What does that check include? It usually ends up being roughly $750 or more. Really? Yes, the athletes usually have their training table which costs about $8 a pop for dinner and possibly a lunch as well. So they get that taken out of the checks and then the rest is theirs for "other food" and housing. I would say that the athletes might pay $500 a month in rent at the high end and the rest is for the new iPhone and video games. They have plenty of money for "living expenses."
Another way to get around this is for the athlete to file on taxes as an independent and then they can live in Section 8 housing for super cheap and have even more money. On top of that, many of these athletes qualify for a Pell Grant which could get them up to $5,500 for the year. So...on top of the scholarship check they get the Pell Grant and they can't live a quality life? Are you kidding me?
And I still haven't mentioned free tuition, free books, free tutoring, better academic facilities to use than normal students, and I haven't even mentioned the free gear (I guess I just did). On top of this, they travel very nicely on charter flights and stay in extremely plush hotels on the road. Tough life they live at that level.
What about the D3 athlete? They generally pay for their own tuition and play "for the love of the game." We sometimes drive our own cars to games and don't get mileage. At some places have to pay for their own gear. Actually could get penalized for missing class because of games. Practice is scheduled around class instead of the other way around. We generally travel on the day of the game not the night before to "get use to the surroundings." The Super 8 Hotel and the Hampton Inn are great places to stay because they have continental breakfast.
WVU would stay in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night if they played them Thursday night (complete waste of money if you ask me). No Friday nights in a local hotel to "get away from distractions," for Saturday night's game. All meals on the road are catered and cost at least $20 a pop per person. Think about that for a football squad. Lots of cash money.
So...I don't want to hear they have it bad. They do get paid and have an opportunity to actually make money if they are smart. Now, what the NCAA should do it make it mandatory for every "student-athlete" that gets a check take a money managing class for them to be "smart" with the money they receive.
I could go on forever but let's move on...
Texas A&M almost made the move to the SEC and apparently it could still happen soon. I'm not exactly sure why TAMU would make the move and why the SEC would take them. TAMU plays second fiddle in the state of Texas and flat out isn't better than the 'Horns or the Sooners.
All I keep on hearing is that the SEC wants to break into Texas. You want Texas and not A&M. Texas is the draw and A&M is the ugly step sister. They certainly aren't the draw nationally that Texas is. Plus, TAMU would be average at best in the SEC. It doesn't make to me. Plus...
Isn't it about the student athletes not the money?????? Apparently it's all about the money and not about the student athlete. People need to start making educated decisions for their student athletes because according to the NCAA most of the athletes go professional in other aspects of life. Stop being hypocritical. Say it's about the money when it is. That's reality, no matter what the NCAA says.
I get pretty worked up when I hear the Big Ten and SEC commissioners talking about "their athletes" needing extra money to cover living expenses. That is a complete and utter joke for them to say that, especially at those schools. In the SEC their athletes are treated like Gods and with the exception of Vanderbilt they rarely have to worry about academics because athletics come first. Does anyone know what these athletes get for their scholarships?
On top of their "free education" they get a scholarship check. What does that check include? It usually ends up being roughly $750 or more. Really? Yes, the athletes usually have their training table which costs about $8 a pop for dinner and possibly a lunch as well. So they get that taken out of the checks and then the rest is theirs for "other food" and housing. I would say that the athletes might pay $500 a month in rent at the high end and the rest is for the new iPhone and video games. They have plenty of money for "living expenses."
Another way to get around this is for the athlete to file on taxes as an independent and then they can live in Section 8 housing for super cheap and have even more money. On top of that, many of these athletes qualify for a Pell Grant which could get them up to $5,500 for the year. So...on top of the scholarship check they get the Pell Grant and they can't live a quality life? Are you kidding me?
And I still haven't mentioned free tuition, free books, free tutoring, better academic facilities to use than normal students, and I haven't even mentioned the free gear (I guess I just did). On top of this, they travel very nicely on charter flights and stay in extremely plush hotels on the road. Tough life they live at that level.
What about the D3 athlete? They generally pay for their own tuition and play "for the love of the game." We sometimes drive our own cars to games and don't get mileage. At some places have to pay for their own gear. Actually could get penalized for missing class because of games. Practice is scheduled around class instead of the other way around. We generally travel on the day of the game not the night before to "get use to the surroundings." The Super 8 Hotel and the Hampton Inn are great places to stay because they have continental breakfast.
WVU would stay in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night if they played them Thursday night (complete waste of money if you ask me). No Friday nights in a local hotel to "get away from distractions," for Saturday night's game. All meals on the road are catered and cost at least $20 a pop per person. Think about that for a football squad. Lots of cash money.
So...I don't want to hear they have it bad. They do get paid and have an opportunity to actually make money if they are smart. Now, what the NCAA should do it make it mandatory for every "student-athlete" that gets a check take a money managing class for them to be "smart" with the money they receive.
I could go on forever but let's move on...
Texas A&M almost made the move to the SEC and apparently it could still happen soon. I'm not exactly sure why TAMU would make the move and why the SEC would take them. TAMU plays second fiddle in the state of Texas and flat out isn't better than the 'Horns or the Sooners.
All I keep on hearing is that the SEC wants to break into Texas. You want Texas and not A&M. Texas is the draw and A&M is the ugly step sister. They certainly aren't the draw nationally that Texas is. Plus, TAMU would be average at best in the SEC. It doesn't make to me. Plus...
Isn't it about the student athletes not the money?????? Apparently it's all about the money and not about the student athlete. People need to start making educated decisions for their student athletes because according to the NCAA most of the athletes go professional in other aspects of life. Stop being hypocritical. Say it's about the money when it is. That's reality, no matter what the NCAA says.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
David Kahn...Really??? - Updated
Obviously, I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of David Kahn. On top of Kevin McHale burying the franchise with the Joe Smith contract debacle, Kahn has basically put the team in even more of a rewind then initially anticipated. He didn't have much to work with when he first got there but the team is awful and even with the talent they have right now, they won't become Oklahoma City because they don't have a "star" that can carry the team like Durant can. Yes, Kevin Love is very good but he isn't a franchise guy. He is the second or third option on a good team.
Here is an interview to show how much of a clown Kahn is.
I think he is trying, which is great for a three year old but not for a NBA executive who is trying to dig a terrible franchise out of the depths of the cellar they seem to always find themselves in. I certainly lay a lot of the blame on Glen Taylor, the Twolves owner. Any idiot can see that the picks and the trades that he has made over time have done nothing but keep the team in the deep end with no chance of saving themselves.
Here is quote from Kahn from an interview a few years back, when he was the Pacers' GM.
Bizball: During your time as GM of the Pacers, who was the best player you felt you acquired, either through trades, or the draft?
Kahn: I was most proud of draft-night deals I engineered for Jeff Foster and Jamaal Tinsley, two players who remain with the team today not because they were our best players but because of the pressure surrounding both deals.
I honestly had no idea he was the Pacers' GM. I thought he worked his way up in Portland but I was wrong. During his time with Pacers I don't think he had anything to do with personnel decisions because Larry Legend and Donnie Walsh did all that stuff. If you look at this (have to scroll down a little) it tells you how he was into marketing and development more than player decisions. Why and how the Twolves would hire someone like this, I have no idea.
One last note before I go. If you look at the Twolves' roster, I don't see Ricky Rubio but there is Derrick Williams, Brad Miller, and Bojan Bogdanovic. It seemed to me that Ricky was all the rage around the Twin Cities and he supposedly "signed" with the team. Why isn't he on the roster then? Another year in Europe? I smell trouble.
Update: To put things into even better terms with Kahn. He recently reached out to Coach K from Dook to find out if he would be interested in coaching the Twolves. Are you kidding me? He turned down the Lakers and Kobe Bryant to stay at Dook. He makes roughly $5 million a year from Dook. Regardless of the talent that is in Minnesota he would be extremely lucky to reach 30 wins in his first year. The saga continues...
Here is an interview to show how much of a clown Kahn is.
I think he is trying, which is great for a three year old but not for a NBA executive who is trying to dig a terrible franchise out of the depths of the cellar they seem to always find themselves in. I certainly lay a lot of the blame on Glen Taylor, the Twolves owner. Any idiot can see that the picks and the trades that he has made over time have done nothing but keep the team in the deep end with no chance of saving themselves.
Here is quote from Kahn from an interview a few years back, when he was the Pacers' GM.
Bizball: During your time as GM of the Pacers, who was the best player you felt you acquired, either through trades, or the draft?
Kahn: I was most proud of draft-night deals I engineered for Jeff Foster and Jamaal Tinsley, two players who remain with the team today not because they were our best players but because of the pressure surrounding both deals.
I honestly had no idea he was the Pacers' GM. I thought he worked his way up in Portland but I was wrong. During his time with Pacers I don't think he had anything to do with personnel decisions because Larry Legend and Donnie Walsh did all that stuff. If you look at this (have to scroll down a little) it tells you how he was into marketing and development more than player decisions. Why and how the Twolves would hire someone like this, I have no idea.
One last note before I go. If you look at the Twolves' roster, I don't see Ricky Rubio but there is Derrick Williams, Brad Miller, and Bojan Bogdanovic. It seemed to me that Ricky was all the rage around the Twin Cities and he supposedly "signed" with the team. Why isn't he on the roster then? Another year in Europe? I smell trouble.
Update: To put things into even better terms with Kahn. He recently reached out to Coach K from Dook to find out if he would be interested in coaching the Twolves. Are you kidding me? He turned down the Lakers and Kobe Bryant to stay at Dook. He makes roughly $5 million a year from Dook. Regardless of the talent that is in Minnesota he would be extremely lucky to reach 30 wins in his first year. The saga continues...
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Rest of the 1st Round - NBA Draft
#15 - Pacers pick Kawhi Leonard from San Diego State. Good to see the Pacers try to get more athletic. Sick of seeing them draft white guy after white guy. They selected Paul George last year and now Leonard. I really like him. He's tough as nails and he doesn't stop. I would like to see him stick to his game and be a glue guy early in his career. I like his suit, he went a little different than everyone else. Nothing wrong with a little flair.
#16 - Sixers pick Nikola Vucevic from USC. I really like his game. I was really surprised that he didn't get more love from the commentators throughout the season. He plays tough and doesn't have the prototypical Euro game, he'll bang a little bit for sure. Gotta love guys coming from the crowd to greet David Stern. Anyone remember Priest Lauderdale?
#17 - Knicks pick Iman Shumpert from Georgia Tech. I actually like his game and he was given a ton of flak for being a workout warrior. Somewhat like a Joe Alexander in that sense. He'll be alright for them. He's definitely a combo guy and went to GT because he was told he could play the point. At least now the Knicks will have one person that can defend. Hopefully, Isiah Thomas didn't make that pick.
#18 - Wizards pick Chris Singleton from Florida State. Another long and athletic player that will be NBA ready on the defensive end. He'll want to play the 3 but he can guard 1-4 right now. He is a pretty good stand still shooter but is not good coming off screens or off the dribble. Like the look minus the pocketsquare. Where is the yellow in your tie?
#19 - Bobcats pick Tobias Harris from Tennessee for the Bucks. Another crowd entrance for the local product. He won't wow you with anything but is flat out steady with everything. He's a good pick for the Bucks but I'm not sure if he'll be able to consistently cover 3's in the NBA. Played a little point forward in AAU and high school and that's what Bruce Pearl told him he would do for the Volunteers. I didn't see it much but he certainly won't take the ball out of hands of Brandon Jennings.
Spurs trade George Hill to Pacers for Kawhi Leonard. Great trade for the Spurs. Look for them to move Richard Jefferson as well. Not exactly sure why the Pacers would want Hill with Darren Collison manning the point for them. Hill is a local product but it doesn't make sense for them in my mind.
#20 - Twolves pick Donatas Motiejunas from Lithuania. I don't have a clue who he is right on par with David Kahn. On another note, A League of Their Own is on, at least time between picks isn't 15 minutes anymore. That is how excited I am to watch this guy play.
#21 - Trail Blazers pick Nolan Smith from Dook. I do like this pick. I thought he was really undervalued this season even after Kyrie came back. He was right in the mix for National Player of the Year but didn't get the fanfare because there is nothing fancy about his game. He won't wow you but he's good. Not sure what this means for Andre Miller.
#22 - Nuggets select someone with a ton of tattoos or Kenneth Faried from Morehead State. He's a beast. He'll be able to rebound like crazy and flat out won't back down from anyone. He knows his role and won't try to change that. Look for him to find a jumper as time goes on and become a Charles Oakley type player.
#23 - Rockets select Nikola Mirotic from Serbia. His name sounds awesome and that's all I know about him. He won't be in the NBA for at least four years.
Trade with Twolves and Rockets with Johnny Flynn and the rights to Donatas Motiejunas to Rockets for Brad Miller, the rights to Nikola Mirotic, and a first rounder. Now Rubio starts and they get a "true" center in Brad Miller. But how does this all work out for K-Love? Too many guys at the same position. Someone will be unhappy and the new coach will have his hands full. Adding that first rounder for the Twolves will definitely help because it'll probably be lottery. It gives the Rockets another small point with Kyle Lowry already there. Who knows?
#24 - Thunder pick Reggie Jackson from Boston College. He basically carried BC to a reasonable first season for new coach Steve Donahue. He didn't want to stick around for the rebuilding project with a ton of young guys. Not sure where he plays, has to be a point. That means OKC will get rid of Eric Maynor and I don't think that's a good idea.
#25 - Celtics pick Marshon Brooks from Providence. He can flat out put the ball in the basket. He played on a crappy team but he has that knack to score. Opposing teams knew he was their only option and he still scored. Bilas just said he doesn't guard but he'll learn and he has the tools to be able to defend especially with his length.
#26 - Mavs pick Jordan Hamilton from Texas. There was talk about him being a top 15 guy. He is clearly a small forward not shooting guard. He's big and strong but his biggest issue is his consistency. He sometimes has a bad 'tude dude. Good bang for the buck at this point in the draft. I like this pick especially after Caron Butler's injury.
Celtics trade Marshon Brooks to Nets for Jajuan Johnson (who technically hasn't been picked yet) and a future 2nd rounder. I like this trade for the Celtics, they are getting too old up front and Johnson brings a whole lot of length and pretty good shooting touch. Good spot for Brooks in Jersey. They only have Anthony Morrow at the 2 guard, it gives him a chance for some early PT.
#27 - Nets pick Jajuan Johnson from Purdue. It would be way cooler if he was "the defensive end for the Purdue." Like I said above, he brings length and some defensive presence.
Twolves get 28th and 43rd pick from the Bulls for the rights to Nikola Mirotic. David Kahn is an idiot. How draft picks do you need when you need veterans?
#28 - Bulls pick Norris Cole from Cleveland State. Another point guard for the Twolves. He's got one of the coolest haircuts in the NCAA. Too bad K-Love will steal all of his rebounds away if he gets a chance. He had a game like this, not bad for being 6'2".
#29 - Spurs pick Corey Joseph from Texas. I don't like this pick at all. I don't think he is ready but the Spurs must think he'll be the second coming of George Hill. The Spurs have kind of become the Patriots when it comes to drafting people. They might initially question the pick but no one will question Bill Belichick, same thing goes for R.C. Buford. He's not ready though.
Have to love David Stern. Comes out with a poop eating grin on his face when he walks out and even thanks the crowd for booing him. Classic.
#30 - Bulls pick Jimmy Butler from Marquette. Great story as told on ESPN. I think he is a solid pick at this point, he's obviously a really tough kid and you have to be to play for Buzz Williams. He'll be a great glue guy and will bust his rear-end all the time. He'll be similar to Taj Gibson at the wing spot.
Miami gets Norris Cole and Twolves get 31st pick, future 2nd round pick, and cash considerations. Are you serious Kahn? I might drive over to Minneapolis and give him a flying elbow a la Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Just keep getting younger for no reason.
That's it for blogging for today. Steals of the 2nd round will be Tyler Honeycutt and Shelvin Mack. Both left early and both can defend at a high level right now. Honeycutt is long and with anyone that plays for Ben Howland he'll know how to defend immediately. Mack has proven himself on the big stage and more than held his own last summer vs. NBA guys when he played for the College Select Team vs. Team USA in preparation for the World Championships.
As I said before here are a couple of guys that I questioned about coming out and sure as poop they didn't get picked in the first round. Here is my post. Cory Joseph is the only guys on that list that was a 1st rounder that I don't think he was worthy of.
#16 - Sixers pick Nikola Vucevic from USC. I really like his game. I was really surprised that he didn't get more love from the commentators throughout the season. He plays tough and doesn't have the prototypical Euro game, he'll bang a little bit for sure. Gotta love guys coming from the crowd to greet David Stern. Anyone remember Priest Lauderdale?
#17 - Knicks pick Iman Shumpert from Georgia Tech. I actually like his game and he was given a ton of flak for being a workout warrior. Somewhat like a Joe Alexander in that sense. He'll be alright for them. He's definitely a combo guy and went to GT because he was told he could play the point. At least now the Knicks will have one person that can defend. Hopefully, Isiah Thomas didn't make that pick.
#18 - Wizards pick Chris Singleton from Florida State. Another long and athletic player that will be NBA ready on the defensive end. He'll want to play the 3 but he can guard 1-4 right now. He is a pretty good stand still shooter but is not good coming off screens or off the dribble. Like the look minus the pocketsquare. Where is the yellow in your tie?
#19 - Bobcats pick Tobias Harris from Tennessee for the Bucks. Another crowd entrance for the local product. He won't wow you with anything but is flat out steady with everything. He's a good pick for the Bucks but I'm not sure if he'll be able to consistently cover 3's in the NBA. Played a little point forward in AAU and high school and that's what Bruce Pearl told him he would do for the Volunteers. I didn't see it much but he certainly won't take the ball out of hands of Brandon Jennings.
Spurs trade George Hill to Pacers for Kawhi Leonard. Great trade for the Spurs. Look for them to move Richard Jefferson as well. Not exactly sure why the Pacers would want Hill with Darren Collison manning the point for them. Hill is a local product but it doesn't make sense for them in my mind.
#20 - Twolves pick Donatas Motiejunas from Lithuania. I don't have a clue who he is right on par with David Kahn. On another note, A League of Their Own is on, at least time between picks isn't 15 minutes anymore. That is how excited I am to watch this guy play.
#21 - Trail Blazers pick Nolan Smith from Dook. I do like this pick. I thought he was really undervalued this season even after Kyrie came back. He was right in the mix for National Player of the Year but didn't get the fanfare because there is nothing fancy about his game. He won't wow you but he's good. Not sure what this means for Andre Miller.
#22 - Nuggets select someone with a ton of tattoos or Kenneth Faried from Morehead State. He's a beast. He'll be able to rebound like crazy and flat out won't back down from anyone. He knows his role and won't try to change that. Look for him to find a jumper as time goes on and become a Charles Oakley type player.
#23 - Rockets select Nikola Mirotic from Serbia. His name sounds awesome and that's all I know about him. He won't be in the NBA for at least four years.
Trade with Twolves and Rockets with Johnny Flynn and the rights to Donatas Motiejunas to Rockets for Brad Miller, the rights to Nikola Mirotic, and a first rounder. Now Rubio starts and they get a "true" center in Brad Miller. But how does this all work out for K-Love? Too many guys at the same position. Someone will be unhappy and the new coach will have his hands full. Adding that first rounder for the Twolves will definitely help because it'll probably be lottery. It gives the Rockets another small point with Kyle Lowry already there. Who knows?
#24 - Thunder pick Reggie Jackson from Boston College. He basically carried BC to a reasonable first season for new coach Steve Donahue. He didn't want to stick around for the rebuilding project with a ton of young guys. Not sure where he plays, has to be a point. That means OKC will get rid of Eric Maynor and I don't think that's a good idea.
#25 - Celtics pick Marshon Brooks from Providence. He can flat out put the ball in the basket. He played on a crappy team but he has that knack to score. Opposing teams knew he was their only option and he still scored. Bilas just said he doesn't guard but he'll learn and he has the tools to be able to defend especially with his length.
#26 - Mavs pick Jordan Hamilton from Texas. There was talk about him being a top 15 guy. He is clearly a small forward not shooting guard. He's big and strong but his biggest issue is his consistency. He sometimes has a bad 'tude dude. Good bang for the buck at this point in the draft. I like this pick especially after Caron Butler's injury.
Celtics trade Marshon Brooks to Nets for Jajuan Johnson (who technically hasn't been picked yet) and a future 2nd rounder. I like this trade for the Celtics, they are getting too old up front and Johnson brings a whole lot of length and pretty good shooting touch. Good spot for Brooks in Jersey. They only have Anthony Morrow at the 2 guard, it gives him a chance for some early PT.
#27 - Nets pick Jajuan Johnson from Purdue. It would be way cooler if he was "the defensive end for the Purdue." Like I said above, he brings length and some defensive presence.
Twolves get 28th and 43rd pick from the Bulls for the rights to Nikola Mirotic. David Kahn is an idiot. How draft picks do you need when you need veterans?
#28 - Bulls pick Norris Cole from Cleveland State. Another point guard for the Twolves. He's got one of the coolest haircuts in the NCAA. Too bad K-Love will steal all of his rebounds away if he gets a chance. He had a game like this, not bad for being 6'2".
#29 - Spurs pick Corey Joseph from Texas. I don't like this pick at all. I don't think he is ready but the Spurs must think he'll be the second coming of George Hill. The Spurs have kind of become the Patriots when it comes to drafting people. They might initially question the pick but no one will question Bill Belichick, same thing goes for R.C. Buford. He's not ready though.
Have to love David Stern. Comes out with a poop eating grin on his face when he walks out and even thanks the crowd for booing him. Classic.
#30 - Bulls pick Jimmy Butler from Marquette. Great story as told on ESPN. I think he is a solid pick at this point, he's obviously a really tough kid and you have to be to play for Buzz Williams. He'll be a great glue guy and will bust his rear-end all the time. He'll be similar to Taj Gibson at the wing spot.
Miami gets Norris Cole and Twolves get 31st pick, future 2nd round pick, and cash considerations. Are you serious Kahn? I might drive over to Minneapolis and give him a flying elbow a la Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Just keep getting younger for no reason.
That's it for blogging for today. Steals of the 2nd round will be Tyler Honeycutt and Shelvin Mack. Both left early and both can defend at a high level right now. Honeycutt is long and with anyone that plays for Ben Howland he'll know how to defend immediately. Mack has proven himself on the big stage and more than held his own last summer vs. NBA guys when he played for the College Select Team vs. Team USA in preparation for the World Championships.
As I said before here are a couple of guys that I questioned about coming out and sure as poop they didn't get picked in the first round. Here is my post. Cory Joseph is the only guys on that list that was a 1st rounder that I don't think he was worthy of.
NBA Draft Lottery - Live Blog
Though, I don't have any capability to (or don't know how) to do a live blog, I'll do the best I can with a pick by pick analysis for the Lottery. My commentary will include how stupid David Kahn is, how good or bad the pick's fashion sense is, and if I think it's a good fit. Hopefully, there will be a couple of trades that I can make fun of as well.
The ESPN intro was great, great song with some cool footage. Only problem is putting Jimmer in a old man golf hat. He isn't Payne Stewart. Could Klay Thompson look anymore awkward. Kyrie could go without the hat as well. He isn't Jason Mraz.
6:34 - David Stern - "Let's hear it for New Jersey." Awesome, great first quote David. He's clearly a genius but he doesn't fit with the younger generation. He's needs his 'stache back.
6:39 - Cavs select Kyrie Irving from Dook. Good first pick with a true lack of a superstar at this point. He is Chris Paul-esque in his game. He really knows how to play and is a better athlete than he gets credit for. With Baron Davis in Cleveland, the Cavs need to do something to get Kyrie a starting spot. Should be interesting to see how that plays out. Someone needs to teach him how to tie a tie. Not sure if he's trying to go with the skinny tie look or not but it doesn't look good especially coming from someone that went to private school all through high school. Bigger knot dude.
6:41 - Twolves select Brandon Knight...just kidding (at least yet). Twolves are quickly becoming the Detroit Lions in the NBA. Lions drafted 95 straight wideouts in the 1st round and Twolves love drafting point guards. David Kahn is bound to do something stupid.
6:45 - Twolves really select Derrick Williams from Arizona. He's a very good player with a lot of explosiveness. He shot the crap out of it from 3 this year but I don't think he shoots that well from the NBA three. Not exactly sure what the Twolves will do now that they have Williams, Beasley, K-Love, and Anthony Randolph essentially playing the four. I'm sure you can play them at the 3 as well but they just drafted Wes Johnson out of Syracuse last year. Kahn is confusing for sure but he probably took the best available. Don't mind the suit, smart and clean. I need a little more flash with the tie.
6:50 - Jazz select Enes Kanter out of Kentucky (kind of) via Turkey. This pick completely changes the rest of the draft. Very interesting story with him. Bounced around to a bunch of prep schools in the US and signed with Kentucky. He never played for Coach Cal because he took too much money from a pro club in Turkey. Dominated the Nike Hoop Summit last year. How do him and Al Jefferson fit together for the Jazz? Another clean suit with a spice on the tie. I could do that.
6:54 - Where does Brandon Knight go now? What about Jimmer? Lots of different story lines now. Jay Bilas is hilarious and if you don't follow his Twitter you wouldn't know.
6:56 - Cavs select Tristan Thompson out of Texas via Toronto, Canada. Not exactly the pick everyone was looking for. I do like him as a player but I don't think he should've gone that high. I hate when people say he is undersized when you a 6'8" almost 6'9" 4 man. The NBA has changed and if you are that big and long you'll be fine. JJ Hickson and himself are basically the same player with Hickson being a righty and Thompson a lefty. Not so sure about that decision. I like the look, smart and classy. Anything else, eh?
7:02 - Raptors select Jonas Valanciunas via Lithuania. Weird, the Raptors select a foreign player. Potential, potential, potential. He'll probably be in Europe for at least a year or two. I don't know too much about him besides people saying he is a young Pau Gasol. That's a heck of billing for someone. He did play with Minnesota's own Khalid El-Amin last season. How does he fit with Ed Davis and Andrea Bargnani? Who plays the 5 because Bargnani is a stretch 5 and not a natural 5? Plan Jane with his suit. I know I can't wear that color because I look dead with it on, but that's just me.
7:07 - Wizards select Jan Vesely from Czech Republic, who will have a lot of fun tonight with his lady friend. We keep hearing that he is a Andrei Kirilenko or Tom Chambers type player. He certainly has some bounce in his game. Once again, with all the bigs that the Wizards have in Javale McGee, Andray Blatche, and Trevor Booker, where does he fit? Will he look good in their new jerseys? Blah with his suit. You would figure his lady friend would help him out a little.
7:11 - Kings select Bismack Biyombo from Congo for the Bobcats. He is the ultimate unknown and that is what makes him intriguing. Played in the Hoop Summit this year and had a triple double with blocks. He's basically Ben Wallace. His offensive skills consist of him laying the ball in and dunking the ball. His body looks somewhat like mine did at his age. JACKED. He can speak six languages, six more than me. Bobcats aren't really that good and I'm not sure how that fits for them. MJ needs to get some work done. Another clean look for the suit. Someone at least taught him how to tie a knot.
7:16 - Pistons select Brandon Knight from Kentucky. He's a very bright and efficient player. He's a combo guard that fits right in with another combo guard in Rodney Stuckey. I don't understand this pick at all. They didn't even work him out. What are they thinking? I hope Knight understands that he'll win as many games in his first two years in Detroit as he did in one year at Kentucky. Franchise is in flux, thank you very much Joe Dumars for drafting Darko and burying the team for years to come. Bill Laimbeer should be the next coach and bring back the Bad Boys. Didn't get a chance to see what he was wearing. These picks just frustrate me, why stockpile guys that are tweeners that do the same thing? Another issue is, they don't even know what type of style they will play without having a head coach. You would think he should/could have a say in the pick.
7:23 - Bobcats select Kemba Walker from UConn. I like really like this pick for the Bobcats. He's a tough nut and he won't back down. He certainly can play the point. They have some tools in Charlotte. They keep saying that he is a combo guy but he certainly be a true point as proven early in his career. Carried the UConn squad to the Big East and NCAA Championship. WINNING, duh. I really like his look tonight. Not too flashy but with a little summer/Euro look with his suit and tie. Not sure what I think about Heather Cox. She is kind of has the motherly look but I like it. Maybe I'm getting old. Any thoughts?
7:29 - Bucks select Jimmer Fredette for the Kings. Not really much to say about Jimmer that isn't already known. He has to be able to share the ball with Tyreke Evans in Sac-town. He is definitely a capable passer. I think he'll be alright defensively. As Jay Bilas says, he's more athletic than people think. He HAD to score at BYU and that is the reason why he took so many shots in Provo. If he went to Brockport, he would have cost the school a lot of money with all the tshirts the crowds would've gotten (free shirt to the crowd for made 3's). I saw him play in high school and I honestly didn't think he would be this good but he worked his tail off. Not so sure about his look but I do like the three piece suit. I need one of those stat.
7:35 - Warriors select Klay Thompson from Washington State. He is a very good shooter and was recruited heavily by Michigan, so you know he can shoot it. He played for Tony Bennett for a year and he certainly can defend. Had an issue with a marijuana arrest toward the end of the year and certainly has to answer some questions about that. So now Golden State has Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, and Thompson. One has to go for sure and my guess it will be Ellis. New coach Mark Jackson will like this pick. I like the look but he needs to cut down on the pocketsquare. Who is his stylist?
7:41 - Jazz select Alec Burks from Colorado. He was quite the unknown coming out of high school but he has a knack for scoring. That is something that can't be taught. He has ideal size for the 2 spot in the league. He didn't shoot the ball well from 3 but that will come as time goes especially now that he is a pro. Jazz must think they will keep Devin Harris in the long term. I thought they would go young at the point. Looks like he is going to a funeral or exploring the winter in Boulder. It's summertime dude, show some colors but I guess that'll fit right in with the plain Jane state of Utah.
7:46 - Suns select Markieff Morris from Kansas. His twin brother has always been considered a little better but who knows. Markieff is a 4 while Marcus is more of a tweener. I honestly don't know which is which but that's what they keep telling me on the telecast. How do the twins react to being away from each other? Marcus has to be a little jealous right now. I heard Kansas paid top dollar for their services. Will he be the next Channing Frye? Don't mind the suit, though his brother needs some work with his pocketsquare. Hopefully, Marcus follows through on the flowers and fruit he said he would send to Markieff. Same day on those, fruit will go bad quickly without refridgeration.
7:54 - With the last pick of the Lottery the Houston Rockets select Marcus Morris. Wow, certainly didn't see that coming. Like I said before, I can't figure out who is who. Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes play the 4 for the Rockets and I think Kevin McHale will do a good job working with him. Markieff better send some fruit to Houston. Really needs to put that pocketsquare in the pocket like it's supposed to.
That's all for now. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts after the Twolves make a stupid trade sometime later in the draft.
The ESPN intro was great, great song with some cool footage. Only problem is putting Jimmer in a old man golf hat. He isn't Payne Stewart. Could Klay Thompson look anymore awkward. Kyrie could go without the hat as well. He isn't Jason Mraz.
6:34 - David Stern - "Let's hear it for New Jersey." Awesome, great first quote David. He's clearly a genius but he doesn't fit with the younger generation. He's needs his 'stache back.
6:39 - Cavs select Kyrie Irving from Dook. Good first pick with a true lack of a superstar at this point. He is Chris Paul-esque in his game. He really knows how to play and is a better athlete than he gets credit for. With Baron Davis in Cleveland, the Cavs need to do something to get Kyrie a starting spot. Should be interesting to see how that plays out. Someone needs to teach him how to tie a tie. Not sure if he's trying to go with the skinny tie look or not but it doesn't look good especially coming from someone that went to private school all through high school. Bigger knot dude.
6:41 - Twolves select Brandon Knight...just kidding (at least yet). Twolves are quickly becoming the Detroit Lions in the NBA. Lions drafted 95 straight wideouts in the 1st round and Twolves love drafting point guards. David Kahn is bound to do something stupid.
6:45 - Twolves really select Derrick Williams from Arizona. He's a very good player with a lot of explosiveness. He shot the crap out of it from 3 this year but I don't think he shoots that well from the NBA three. Not exactly sure what the Twolves will do now that they have Williams, Beasley, K-Love, and Anthony Randolph essentially playing the four. I'm sure you can play them at the 3 as well but they just drafted Wes Johnson out of Syracuse last year. Kahn is confusing for sure but he probably took the best available. Don't mind the suit, smart and clean. I need a little more flash with the tie.
6:50 - Jazz select Enes Kanter out of Kentucky (kind of) via Turkey. This pick completely changes the rest of the draft. Very interesting story with him. Bounced around to a bunch of prep schools in the US and signed with Kentucky. He never played for Coach Cal because he took too much money from a pro club in Turkey. Dominated the Nike Hoop Summit last year. How do him and Al Jefferson fit together for the Jazz? Another clean suit with a spice on the tie. I could do that.
6:54 - Where does Brandon Knight go now? What about Jimmer? Lots of different story lines now. Jay Bilas is hilarious and if you don't follow his Twitter you wouldn't know.
6:56 - Cavs select Tristan Thompson out of Texas via Toronto, Canada. Not exactly the pick everyone was looking for. I do like him as a player but I don't think he should've gone that high. I hate when people say he is undersized when you a 6'8" almost 6'9" 4 man. The NBA has changed and if you are that big and long you'll be fine. JJ Hickson and himself are basically the same player with Hickson being a righty and Thompson a lefty. Not so sure about that decision. I like the look, smart and classy. Anything else, eh?
7:02 - Raptors select Jonas Valanciunas via Lithuania. Weird, the Raptors select a foreign player. Potential, potential, potential. He'll probably be in Europe for at least a year or two. I don't know too much about him besides people saying he is a young Pau Gasol. That's a heck of billing for someone. He did play with Minnesota's own Khalid El-Amin last season. How does he fit with Ed Davis and Andrea Bargnani? Who plays the 5 because Bargnani is a stretch 5 and not a natural 5? Plan Jane with his suit. I know I can't wear that color because I look dead with it on, but that's just me.
7:07 - Wizards select Jan Vesely from Czech Republic, who will have a lot of fun tonight with his lady friend. We keep hearing that he is a Andrei Kirilenko or Tom Chambers type player. He certainly has some bounce in his game. Once again, with all the bigs that the Wizards have in Javale McGee, Andray Blatche, and Trevor Booker, where does he fit? Will he look good in their new jerseys? Blah with his suit. You would figure his lady friend would help him out a little.
7:11 - Kings select Bismack Biyombo from Congo for the Bobcats. He is the ultimate unknown and that is what makes him intriguing. Played in the Hoop Summit this year and had a triple double with blocks. He's basically Ben Wallace. His offensive skills consist of him laying the ball in and dunking the ball. His body looks somewhat like mine did at his age. JACKED. He can speak six languages, six more than me. Bobcats aren't really that good and I'm not sure how that fits for them. MJ needs to get some work done. Another clean look for the suit. Someone at least taught him how to tie a knot.
7:16 - Pistons select Brandon Knight from Kentucky. He's a very bright and efficient player. He's a combo guard that fits right in with another combo guard in Rodney Stuckey. I don't understand this pick at all. They didn't even work him out. What are they thinking? I hope Knight understands that he'll win as many games in his first two years in Detroit as he did in one year at Kentucky. Franchise is in flux, thank you very much Joe Dumars for drafting Darko and burying the team for years to come. Bill Laimbeer should be the next coach and bring back the Bad Boys. Didn't get a chance to see what he was wearing. These picks just frustrate me, why stockpile guys that are tweeners that do the same thing? Another issue is, they don't even know what type of style they will play without having a head coach. You would think he should/could have a say in the pick.
7:23 - Bobcats select Kemba Walker from UConn. I like really like this pick for the Bobcats. He's a tough nut and he won't back down. He certainly can play the point. They have some tools in Charlotte. They keep saying that he is a combo guy but he certainly be a true point as proven early in his career. Carried the UConn squad to the Big East and NCAA Championship. WINNING, duh. I really like his look tonight. Not too flashy but with a little summer/Euro look with his suit and tie. Not sure what I think about Heather Cox. She is kind of has the motherly look but I like it. Maybe I'm getting old. Any thoughts?
7:29 - Bucks select Jimmer Fredette for the Kings. Not really much to say about Jimmer that isn't already known. He has to be able to share the ball with Tyreke Evans in Sac-town. He is definitely a capable passer. I think he'll be alright defensively. As Jay Bilas says, he's more athletic than people think. He HAD to score at BYU and that is the reason why he took so many shots in Provo. If he went to Brockport, he would have cost the school a lot of money with all the tshirts the crowds would've gotten (free shirt to the crowd for made 3's). I saw him play in high school and I honestly didn't think he would be this good but he worked his tail off. Not so sure about his look but I do like the three piece suit. I need one of those stat.
7:35 - Warriors select Klay Thompson from Washington State. He is a very good shooter and was recruited heavily by Michigan, so you know he can shoot it. He played for Tony Bennett for a year and he certainly can defend. Had an issue with a marijuana arrest toward the end of the year and certainly has to answer some questions about that. So now Golden State has Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, and Thompson. One has to go for sure and my guess it will be Ellis. New coach Mark Jackson will like this pick. I like the look but he needs to cut down on the pocketsquare. Who is his stylist?
7:41 - Jazz select Alec Burks from Colorado. He was quite the unknown coming out of high school but he has a knack for scoring. That is something that can't be taught. He has ideal size for the 2 spot in the league. He didn't shoot the ball well from 3 but that will come as time goes especially now that he is a pro. Jazz must think they will keep Devin Harris in the long term. I thought they would go young at the point. Looks like he is going to a funeral or exploring the winter in Boulder. It's summertime dude, show some colors but I guess that'll fit right in with the plain Jane state of Utah.
7:46 - Suns select Markieff Morris from Kansas. His twin brother has always been considered a little better but who knows. Markieff is a 4 while Marcus is more of a tweener. I honestly don't know which is which but that's what they keep telling me on the telecast. How do the twins react to being away from each other? Marcus has to be a little jealous right now. I heard Kansas paid top dollar for their services. Will he be the next Channing Frye? Don't mind the suit, though his brother needs some work with his pocketsquare. Hopefully, Marcus follows through on the flowers and fruit he said he would send to Markieff. Same day on those, fruit will go bad quickly without refridgeration.
7:54 - With the last pick of the Lottery the Houston Rockets select Marcus Morris. Wow, certainly didn't see that coming. Like I said before, I can't figure out who is who. Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes play the 4 for the Rockets and I think Kevin McHale will do a good job working with him. Markieff better send some fruit to Houston. Really needs to put that pocketsquare in the pocket like it's supposed to.
That's all for now. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts after the Twolves make a stupid trade sometime later in the draft.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
College World Series - Omaha
As most of you know, I headed to Omaha for the first ever College World Series at the TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha. It was quite the experience. I got to see four games, one on Saturday, two on Sunday, and one on Monday and then I made my way back to the Twin Cities.
Let's get right to it. Driving through Iowa is just awful. There is nothing there except for the occasional set of 40 to 50 windmills to either side of the highway. At least I got to drive close to 80 the whole time. Only thing positive in Iowa in my two driving experiences through there.
I got to Omaha right around 2:30 on Saturday and saw Rosenblatt Stadium from the highway. I really wanted to go check it out but it wasn't in the cards and probably won't be. I was told they are getting rid of it soon. It's too bad, there is a lot of history there. I got to my hotel and figured I need to head downtown to get there in time for the second game of the day. UNC vs. Vanderbilt was just finishing up when I got there.
As I arrived at the stadium, I was really impressed. It looked like a major league park in my first viewing. It had a really nice entrance and was definitely on par with some major league facilities. I got a couple of tickets for the general admission seats and got to walk around the whole thing. The problem with the general admission seats are that they aren't guaranteed. You can use them for any game you want but it doesn't necessarily mean you will get it. There are 5,500 seats available in the outfield and if you don't get there in time you are left in the dust. You can use those tickets for any game though, which is nice, but if you are on a timeframe, not so good.
I snuck into line and probably cut at least a thousand people and ended up in the fourth row in left field just above the bullpen. I had a great seat and watched a pretty good game in football powers Florida vs. Texas. I always enjoy watching Texas because I like their coach, Augie Garrido. He is as old school as they come, proven by this video (probably not NSFW - not suited for work, he has some choice words). Texas has played a ton of small ball all year and don't exactly have too many bombers on the squad. It was obvious that Texas couldn't bash with the Gators and the Gators came out on top 8-4.
On Sunday I got my baseball fill for the year. I was hoping for some quality games and some quality baseball and I sure got it. I got to see UVa (Virginia for the dumb people) play against Cal. UVa was throwing the number two pick in the MLB Draft, Danny Hultzen, and he is pretty darn good. One great thing about him is that he also bats 5th in the lineup for the Cavs. You don't see that too often. Cal has a great story and it's awesome that they are playing in the CWS after getting the plug pulled. One of Cal's players went to the same high school as one of the Pipers, Levi Wenrich. Both went to William Hart HS in Newhall,CA. Not sure if Levi knows Devon Rodriguez but they would have been a year apart there. UVa scored a couple of runs late and ended up winning 4-1.
The second game was a matchup of defending National Champion South Carolina versus Texas A&M. I moved seats for this one and headed over to right center for a little different view. I certainly couldn't complain about these ones. One thing I noticed right away is that the Aggies went old school with their stirups. They certainly would have made Alan Trammel proud. Game started off with a bang it was 4-4 after the first. I thought I was going to be at the park until I looked like this. From the 2nd to the 8th there was basically nothing going on and that part went fast. A&M did nothing in the top of the 9th and then the Gamecocks got things going. They got the bases juiced and forced A&M to bring in five infielders. The Gamecocks got a basehit into the outfield and let me get back to my hotel. Great game.
It was a long day at the park for me. I was baseball'ed out until I got back to my hotel and watched the end of the Yanks-Cubbies game. Almost too much baseball for a basketball coach.
The last game of my adventures was the Tarheels of UNC taking on the Longhorns of Texas. I got some regular seating for this one and was right along the left field line right where foul territory got thinner. They were some nice seats for sure. I actually sat next to a couple of older women who have had "season tickets" for the CWS for the past 19 years. It was pretty cool to hear some of their stories. Carolina sent out a freshmen lefty who pitched like a senior. He was phenomenal all game long. He only gave up four hits in a complete game shutout. He has Texas off balance and it was an impressive performance. I was happy to see the Heels get a win on my last game at my first experience in Omaha.
I'm going to go over some positives and negatives of my experience.
Positives
- Great atmosphere, city of Omaha really embraces the CWS
- Some really good baseball was played
- Ballpark was great, add another level and it's just as good as Target Field
- Reasonable ticket prices, 4 games for $48 (I got one free for my good looks)
Negatives
- Line for General Admission seating lasted about a mile, need to be more efficient
- Price for snow cone was $5 and yes I paid it
- Lack of home runs - I didn't see one in BP either, part because of park (wind direction) and new bats (lack of pop)
Interesting Facts
- The new stadium is home to the CWS and Creighton baseball, the local minor league team doesn't play there, it's too big
- Rosenblatt Stadium could seat just as many fans as the new stadium, it always seemed small on tv
- I read in the paper that ESPN brings roughly 160 people to help out with the telecast. Jenn Brown looked just as good in person as on tv.
- Creighton is about six blocks away from the stadium, starting with their unreal soccer facility.
I am hoping to make this an annual event for myself. Nothing like watching some quality baseball with guys always on the top step like it's supposed to be.
Let's get right to it. Driving through Iowa is just awful. There is nothing there except for the occasional set of 40 to 50 windmills to either side of the highway. At least I got to drive close to 80 the whole time. Only thing positive in Iowa in my two driving experiences through there.
I got to Omaha right around 2:30 on Saturday and saw Rosenblatt Stadium from the highway. I really wanted to go check it out but it wasn't in the cards and probably won't be. I was told they are getting rid of it soon. It's too bad, there is a lot of history there. I got to my hotel and figured I need to head downtown to get there in time for the second game of the day. UNC vs. Vanderbilt was just finishing up when I got there.
As I arrived at the stadium, I was really impressed. It looked like a major league park in my first viewing. It had a really nice entrance and was definitely on par with some major league facilities. I got a couple of tickets for the general admission seats and got to walk around the whole thing. The problem with the general admission seats are that they aren't guaranteed. You can use them for any game you want but it doesn't necessarily mean you will get it. There are 5,500 seats available in the outfield and if you don't get there in time you are left in the dust. You can use those tickets for any game though, which is nice, but if you are on a timeframe, not so good.
I snuck into line and probably cut at least a thousand people and ended up in the fourth row in left field just above the bullpen. I had a great seat and watched a pretty good game in football powers Florida vs. Texas. I always enjoy watching Texas because I like their coach, Augie Garrido. He is as old school as they come, proven by this video (probably not NSFW - not suited for work, he has some choice words). Texas has played a ton of small ball all year and don't exactly have too many bombers on the squad. It was obvious that Texas couldn't bash with the Gators and the Gators came out on top 8-4.
On Sunday I got my baseball fill for the year. I was hoping for some quality games and some quality baseball and I sure got it. I got to see UVa (Virginia for the dumb people) play against Cal. UVa was throwing the number two pick in the MLB Draft, Danny Hultzen, and he is pretty darn good. One great thing about him is that he also bats 5th in the lineup for the Cavs. You don't see that too often. Cal has a great story and it's awesome that they are playing in the CWS after getting the plug pulled. One of Cal's players went to the same high school as one of the Pipers, Levi Wenrich. Both went to William Hart HS in Newhall,CA. Not sure if Levi knows Devon Rodriguez but they would have been a year apart there. UVa scored a couple of runs late and ended up winning 4-1.
The second game was a matchup of defending National Champion South Carolina versus Texas A&M. I moved seats for this one and headed over to right center for a little different view. I certainly couldn't complain about these ones. One thing I noticed right away is that the Aggies went old school with their stirups. They certainly would have made Alan Trammel proud. Game started off with a bang it was 4-4 after the first. I thought I was going to be at the park until I looked like this. From the 2nd to the 8th there was basically nothing going on and that part went fast. A&M did nothing in the top of the 9th and then the Gamecocks got things going. They got the bases juiced and forced A&M to bring in five infielders. The Gamecocks got a basehit into the outfield and let me get back to my hotel. Great game.
It was a long day at the park for me. I was baseball'ed out until I got back to my hotel and watched the end of the Yanks-Cubbies game. Almost too much baseball for a basketball coach.
The last game of my adventures was the Tarheels of UNC taking on the Longhorns of Texas. I got some regular seating for this one and was right along the left field line right where foul territory got thinner. They were some nice seats for sure. I actually sat next to a couple of older women who have had "season tickets" for the CWS for the past 19 years. It was pretty cool to hear some of their stories. Carolina sent out a freshmen lefty who pitched like a senior. He was phenomenal all game long. He only gave up four hits in a complete game shutout. He has Texas off balance and it was an impressive performance. I was happy to see the Heels get a win on my last game at my first experience in Omaha.
I'm going to go over some positives and negatives of my experience.
Positives
- Great atmosphere, city of Omaha really embraces the CWS
- Some really good baseball was played
- Ballpark was great, add another level and it's just as good as Target Field
- Reasonable ticket prices, 4 games for $48 (I got one free for my good looks)
Negatives
- Line for General Admission seating lasted about a mile, need to be more efficient
- Price for snow cone was $5 and yes I paid it
- Lack of home runs - I didn't see one in BP either, part because of park (wind direction) and new bats (lack of pop)
Interesting Facts
- The new stadium is home to the CWS and Creighton baseball, the local minor league team doesn't play there, it's too big
- Rosenblatt Stadium could seat just as many fans as the new stadium, it always seemed small on tv
- I read in the paper that ESPN brings roughly 160 people to help out with the telecast. Jenn Brown looked just as good in person as on tv.
- Creighton is about six blocks away from the stadium, starting with their unreal soccer facility.
I am hoping to make this an annual event for myself. Nothing like watching some quality baseball with guys always on the top step like it's supposed to be.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Waitin for it on Wednesday
I've been noticeably absent for a little bit, so I have lots of things to talk about. Numerous random topics to be talked about it, so let's have some fun.
NBA Champs, Dallas Mavericks. Certainly didn't see it coming. I thought for sure the Heat would have their number. I was certainly proven wrong. Dirk was a flat out star throughout the whole Finals and playoffs. There are a ton of things to talk about after his performance. Where does he stand on the all time power forward lists? What is Mark Cuban planning instead of rings? Do they have another run in them?
I was listening to ESPN radio the other day and they had their "experts" talking about where Dirk stands on the all time power forward lists. Duncan was consistently listed as numero uno with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eQlUINKWtU and Barkley at two-three. And obviously a couple of other names came up before Dirk's name came up. Dirk is more of a small forward in a power forward's body. There isn't exactly power to his game. Plus, like I've said before, Duncan isn't a power forward, he's clearly a center with touch out to 18'. Now that Dirk has got the "ring" his place in history as an all time great. We can thank MJ for basically making championships the almighty proving ground.
Mark Cuban talked about rings being old school and out of fashion. He said he had something big in mind for his guys. I can't even imagine what he has planned. Maybe a giant ring that can be worn as a necklace? A diamond encrusted championship belt? We will see, I'm sure it will be fun for the best owner in sports.
I have mentioned this before, the Mavs have a ton of experience and that is certainly one of the reasons why they have stuck together in big moments and made crazy runs when they needed to. I don't know if they can do it again, J-Kidd is getting old (or is already old). There are a lot of miles on each one of their main guys' legs. They are actually very similar to the Celtics a few years back. This might be their last hoorah as a unit.
I feel bad for the Heat. They celebrated their championship before the season. It was a heck of a gathering with fireworks and lasershows galore. I think it's hilarious. They didn't deserve to win, they looked lost late in each contest. Lebron took a total backseat in each 4th quarter. It's actually disappointing to see arguably this generation's most talented player fold like a book down the stretch.
Speaking of Lebron, it's amazing to see the expectations that people place on him. For his career to be where everyone should be he needs to average a triple double and get at least as many rings as Jordan (six). People jumped all over him in Game 5 for his lackluster performance and he still had a triple double with 17 points, 10 assists, and 10 boards. It's like he played bad, it's just that he didn't meet expectations. Why aren't people giving Chris Bosh flak? He is considered a "max contract" player and he did nothing but live off of Lebron and Wade the whole playoffs. Lebron has certainly brought a lot of the expectations on himself for his "decision" but it would be hard for anyone to live up to these expectations. He's very similar to A-Rod in a sense. He's trying to please everyone instead of taking care of business when he needs to.
I've heard of bunch of people talk about how Lebron has no mid-range game and how he needs to add that for him to take his game to the next level. I'm calling those people idiots because it has been proven that Lebron actually makes for mid-range shots than just about anyone in the NBA (I think he's 2nd or 3rd). What LBJ needs to add is a post up game. Miami was clearly missing a low block presence. Dallas had theirs in Dirk. The Bulls had Jordan because Luc Longley and Bill Wennington weren't exactly going to light up the scoreboard. The top players have low post games. It helps them get easy shots and it helps them get to the free throw line. Simple solution, it's not the mid-range game, it's the post-up game, work on it.
I have a friend who keeps on telling me that "The Decision" was brought on by David Stern. I certainly won't disagree with that statement. Stern is clearly a genius and figures out ways for the NBA to move to the forefront in the media. Would he tell Lebron to do something like that to make the NBA like the WWE? Are the Heat the NWO? LBJ switching to the Heat stirred the pot and was definitely a "Hollywood" Hogan move. It's just something to think about. LBJ's popularity has decreased this year but the casual fan watched it way more than usual. Any thoughts?
After watching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals I've determined two things. The Cup is one of the coolest traditions in sports. Guys completely stay away from The Cup until they win it. They won't touch it and try not to go near it. To see the emotion the guys have when they skate around with The Cup is one of the coolest things you'll see. Point number two is that Tim Thomas looks exactly like Alan from the Hangover with his playoff beard. Agree or disagree with me. Alan vs. Tim.
Last night I was able to watch the US' last group match in the Gold Cup for soccer. We needed to win or tie to advance to the next round. We (why I say we, I have no idea) looked like poop. Score should've been at least 4-0 instead we made it an interesting 1-0. I just don't get it. How we don't play with any urgency. The only time we see that urgency is when we get down early and have to fight back to get back into the game. I know it happens in all sports at all levels but you can't just walk onto the field, ice, or court and expect to win because we have USA on our jerseys. Big game on Sunday vs. Jamacia in the Quarters. If the team loses expect Bob Bradley to be let go. The team looks like it has gotten stagnant in their development. I'm certainly not saying he is a bad coach because I think he is but at what point do we take our game to the next level.
I asked my buddy Mark today (he's a soccer coach) and asked him why the US is so freaking bad on set pieces on the offensive and defensive ends. It just doesn't make sense to me how we just wait for things to happen instead of making things happen (doesn't that sound familiar?). Attack the ball and things are going to go your way. The aggressor usually wins the battle.
Is it just me or do more people have neck tattoos than normal? I keep seeing people with neck tattoos and wonder where do these people work and where is that acceptable in a business setting besides a tattoo parlor. Am I becoming the old delusional man that I knew that I would become?
I probably won't be back until next week to talk about my experience down in Omaha for the College World Series, should be awesome. If you see me, I'll probably look like a lobster when I get back but a really good looking one.
NBA Champs, Dallas Mavericks. Certainly didn't see it coming. I thought for sure the Heat would have their number. I was certainly proven wrong. Dirk was a flat out star throughout the whole Finals and playoffs. There are a ton of things to talk about after his performance. Where does he stand on the all time power forward lists? What is Mark Cuban planning instead of rings? Do they have another run in them?
I was listening to ESPN radio the other day and they had their "experts" talking about where Dirk stands on the all time power forward lists. Duncan was consistently listed as numero uno with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eQlUINKWtU and Barkley at two-three. And obviously a couple of other names came up before Dirk's name came up. Dirk is more of a small forward in a power forward's body. There isn't exactly power to his game. Plus, like I've said before, Duncan isn't a power forward, he's clearly a center with touch out to 18'. Now that Dirk has got the "ring" his place in history as an all time great. We can thank MJ for basically making championships the almighty proving ground.
Mark Cuban talked about rings being old school and out of fashion. He said he had something big in mind for his guys. I can't even imagine what he has planned. Maybe a giant ring that can be worn as a necklace? A diamond encrusted championship belt? We will see, I'm sure it will be fun for the best owner in sports.
I have mentioned this before, the Mavs have a ton of experience and that is certainly one of the reasons why they have stuck together in big moments and made crazy runs when they needed to. I don't know if they can do it again, J-Kidd is getting old (or is already old). There are a lot of miles on each one of their main guys' legs. They are actually very similar to the Celtics a few years back. This might be their last hoorah as a unit.
I feel bad for the Heat. They celebrated their championship before the season. It was a heck of a gathering with fireworks and lasershows galore. I think it's hilarious. They didn't deserve to win, they looked lost late in each contest. Lebron took a total backseat in each 4th quarter. It's actually disappointing to see arguably this generation's most talented player fold like a book down the stretch.
Speaking of Lebron, it's amazing to see the expectations that people place on him. For his career to be where everyone should be he needs to average a triple double and get at least as many rings as Jordan (six). People jumped all over him in Game 5 for his lackluster performance and he still had a triple double with 17 points, 10 assists, and 10 boards. It's like he played bad, it's just that he didn't meet expectations. Why aren't people giving Chris Bosh flak? He is considered a "max contract" player and he did nothing but live off of Lebron and Wade the whole playoffs. Lebron has certainly brought a lot of the expectations on himself for his "decision" but it would be hard for anyone to live up to these expectations. He's very similar to A-Rod in a sense. He's trying to please everyone instead of taking care of business when he needs to.
I've heard of bunch of people talk about how Lebron has no mid-range game and how he needs to add that for him to take his game to the next level. I'm calling those people idiots because it has been proven that Lebron actually makes for mid-range shots than just about anyone in the NBA (I think he's 2nd or 3rd). What LBJ needs to add is a post up game. Miami was clearly missing a low block presence. Dallas had theirs in Dirk. The Bulls had Jordan because Luc Longley and Bill Wennington weren't exactly going to light up the scoreboard. The top players have low post games. It helps them get easy shots and it helps them get to the free throw line. Simple solution, it's not the mid-range game, it's the post-up game, work on it.
I have a friend who keeps on telling me that "The Decision" was brought on by David Stern. I certainly won't disagree with that statement. Stern is clearly a genius and figures out ways for the NBA to move to the forefront in the media. Would he tell Lebron to do something like that to make the NBA like the WWE? Are the Heat the NWO? LBJ switching to the Heat stirred the pot and was definitely a "Hollywood" Hogan move. It's just something to think about. LBJ's popularity has decreased this year but the casual fan watched it way more than usual. Any thoughts?
After watching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals I've determined two things. The Cup is one of the coolest traditions in sports. Guys completely stay away from The Cup until they win it. They won't touch it and try not to go near it. To see the emotion the guys have when they skate around with The Cup is one of the coolest things you'll see. Point number two is that Tim Thomas looks exactly like Alan from the Hangover with his playoff beard. Agree or disagree with me. Alan vs. Tim.
Last night I was able to watch the US' last group match in the Gold Cup for soccer. We needed to win or tie to advance to the next round. We (why I say we, I have no idea) looked like poop. Score should've been at least 4-0 instead we made it an interesting 1-0. I just don't get it. How we don't play with any urgency. The only time we see that urgency is when we get down early and have to fight back to get back into the game. I know it happens in all sports at all levels but you can't just walk onto the field, ice, or court and expect to win because we have USA on our jerseys. Big game on Sunday vs. Jamacia in the Quarters. If the team loses expect Bob Bradley to be let go. The team looks like it has gotten stagnant in their development. I'm certainly not saying he is a bad coach because I think he is but at what point do we take our game to the next level.
I asked my buddy Mark today (he's a soccer coach) and asked him why the US is so freaking bad on set pieces on the offensive and defensive ends. It just doesn't make sense to me how we just wait for things to happen instead of making things happen (doesn't that sound familiar?). Attack the ball and things are going to go your way. The aggressor usually wins the battle.
Is it just me or do more people have neck tattoos than normal? I keep seeing people with neck tattoos and wonder where do these people work and where is that acceptable in a business setting besides a tattoo parlor. Am I becoming the old delusional man that I knew that I would become?
I probably won't be back until next week to talk about my experience down in Omaha for the College World Series, should be awesome. If you see me, I'll probably look like a lobster when I get back but a really good looking one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)