When Things Fall Apart: The NY Knicks

“I couldn't see nothing at that time. Blood was coming out of my eye, so I couldn't really see. I don't even know what was going on.”

-Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony on his collission with Rajon Rondo late in the loss to the Celtics.

Doh.

The NY Knicks' team and season continue to come apart at the seams.  Since Brooklyn native, Carmelo Anthony joined the Knicks, they are an umimpressive 7-9. A run that includes two three-game losing streaks, one three-game winning streak, losses to the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers (twice!!), and slipping to the 7th playoff seed.

NBA journalists are sounding off everywhere.  Here's what's being said:

PRESS PLAY: STEPHEN A. SMITH


PRESS PLAY: NBA TONIGHT

• NY Daily News:  Knicks star Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire see in Celtics sacrifice they must make to win

• NY Daily News:  Melo already part of Knicks history...bad history

• NY Daily News:  New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh reiterates Carmelo Anthony Deal was his decision, not Dolan's

• NY Post:  Melo bloodies, psyche bruised as Knicks slump reaches 6 out of 7

• NY Post:  Walsh:  I'll take blame for Knicks soon

• NY Post:  Doc's Rx:  A little bit of time

• Yahoo! Sports:  Melo wilting under burden to lift Knicks

• ESPN New York:  New York Knicks need much more from Melo

• ESPN New York:  Knicks Need to be Stoudemire's Team

• ESPN New York:  Knicks must find consistency at center

• Slam:  Carmelo: Knicks May Not Jell Until Next Year

• ESPN:  Knicks' Loss Stings Like Decade of Misery

• NBC:  Celtics Teach Knicks A Few Lessons

• FoxSports:  Melo:  Knicks Might Not Improve Soon

Photo Credit: Sipkin/News

Apple x Jordan: You Can't Stick Jordan

 

So, this ridiculously sick sticker of Michael Jordan palming the Apple logo pretty much speaks for itself!  Seriously. 

Regardless of whether or not you're a Jordan fanatic, it's impossible to contain your lust for this image. Even if it is fleeting.

This is exactly what happened to me last night while on Twitter.  @shegotgame RTed @suga_shane and the rest is history.  Eventually, tweeps (mostly NBA heads) had a RT fest trying to find the mastermind behind this idea.  Minutes later, because that's how fast twitter works, the creator's identity was revealed.

All props to Jirobot of Jirobot.wordpress.com for this brilliant design.  After I checked out his site, I learned that this Michael Jordan design isn't new at all.  In fact, it's the second installment of his year old sticker collection.  

Who said never late is better? LOL.

Check out a few other designs from my new hero.

The Original MJ

The King of Pop

The Goonies:  Never Say Die!

Mr. Steve Jobs

To see more, head over to his site.

The Michael Jordan sticker costs $13 plus $5 shipping for US residents.  If you live outside of the States, shipping is $15.

The other stickers vary in price, but don't exceed $20.  

If you're interested in purchasing a sticker, leave him a comment on his website and he'll get back to you. Or email him here.

When I upgrade my computer in the near future, I'll definitely be hitting him up! That Michael Jackson sticker has my name all over it!

P.S. To all of you non-tweeters, this is a perfect example of why it's the ish.  Everyday a star is born!

Get involved and follow me:  @sdotrenee!

Michigan Wolverines: Is it in the Genes?

From left, Josh Bartelstein, the son of a sports agent, represents the next generation of basketball at Michigan along with Tim Hardaway Jr., Jon Horford and Jordan Dumars, whose fathers played in the NBA

Last night I was able to watch the University of Michigan (U-M) play Clemson and it conjured up sweet memories of the first time I watched a U-M team play.  Back in the early '90s, I was introduced to Michigan on a Saturday afternoon, while sitting on the edge of my bed and channel surfing on my white 13" TV/VCR combo.  I was immediately hooked because I was watching something I'd never seen before.  Five Black young men, later known as the Fab Five, were running the court for the same team at the same time; on national TV for a D-1 college basketball program.  This was huge!  I was equally intrigued and shocked by what I witnessed.  Who are they?  Where did they come from?  Does anyone else know this is happening?  Or, is this old news and am I the last to discover this oddity? 

The following week I recall flipping through each and every channel trying to find them again.  If they re-appeared on TV then it would prove that what took place the week before wasn't a fluke.  I continuously traveled up and down the dial, but felt completely defeated because I was unsuccessful.  I didn't find them that week, but every weekend I watched college basketball with hope that I'd see them again.  Some weeks I did.  Some weeks I didn't.

However, they quickly won me over and I became an instant fan of the Fab Five.  I talked about them to anyone that would listen.  The imprint they lift in my psyche was unbelievable.  So much so, I declared that I would be attending the University of Michigan for college.  I was 12 years old, hadn't yet selected a high school, but I had college all figured out.  My Dad appreciated my obsession with and admiration for this team, but politely informed me that they wouldn't be there when it was time for me to enroll. 

Pause. 

What?  Oh.  I guess I hadn't thought about that.  Well, I didn't care.  That minor detail was irrelevant.  What mattered was that I was hopelessly in love with the Fab Five.  I totally immersed myself into everything they represented.  I read and hoarded every article about them, wore Michigan gear, or anything with navy blue, and argued with countless Duke fans in my jr. high classes.  I also patted myself on the back because for the first time in my life, I formed a sports allegiance independent of my father or brother.  And not only that, but the Fab Five were good!  They captured the attention of the entire country.  Not just little ol' me.  I was so proud of myself.  But shortly after the Fab Five disbanded and moved on from U-M, the hype surrounding their basketball program started to fade.  And since then, they haven't given their fans much reason to cheer for them. 

Well, it's possible things are starting to look up for U-M's basketball program.  They've been in the press recently because they have a trio of players with fathers that played in the NBA, not to mention another player who is the son of an NBA/NFL agent.  Yes, Tim Hardaway Jr. (guard, son of Tim Hardaway Sr.), Jordan Dumars (forward, son of Joe Dumars), Jon Horford (forward, son of Tito Horford and brother of Al Horford), and Josh Bartelstein (guard, son of Mark Bartelstein) are following in their father's footsteps and continuing the family's sports legacy.

Sharing similar backgrounds, the sons admit that they were not pressured into this by their fathers.  They are, however, excited about the opportunity to live out their dreams, while their fathers support them 100%.

Per the New York Times:

I’ve tried to shield my son from my business because there’s a lot I don’t think he should be exposed to,” Mark Bartelstein said. “It was his dream to play college basketball, and he’s now living it at Michigan. That’s all I can ask for. I am here to cheer him on.

In Dumars' case, he grew up hanging around practices and games, getting to know players. He's been a fixture at Pistons practices for years, playing pickup against Chauncey Billups and having Rasheed Wallace show him how to dunk. But again, it was his love for the game that attracted him to basketball, not the pressure from his dad.

Meanwhile Jon is fortunate to have his father and older brother advise him.  Al's successful college career came to an end after winning back-to-back NCAA titles at Florida.  And, his success has continued in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks.  But even with all of that, Jon is still doing his best to create his own identity and legacy on the court.

While they're thankful to have the support of their family, they do acknowledge that they don't expect any handouts along the way and recognize that they are targets who may be recipients of harsh criticism due to their family ties.  Upon witnessing how the Big Ten taunted Michael Jordan's son, Jeff, during his Illinois days, the Hardaway's have an idea of what awaits them.  “The world is cruel,” Tim Hardaway Sr. told the New York Times. “If we were back in the day, playing in college, and we knew that your father played in the N.B.A, we would try to destroy you.  Joe and I tried to prepare our kids for this: the up and downs, the mistakes you make."  Most importantly, all fathers have advised their sons to live in the moment and have fun.
 
Tim Hardaway Jr., freshman, seems to have the most promising future.  Right now, he's the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 12 ppg, 1.5 apg, 3.3 rpg.  And although Jon Horford, also a freshman, gets minutes, he's making less of an impact with 1.7 ppg, 0.0 apg, 2.2 rpg.  Jordan Dumars, a sophomore, is sitting out until the winter semester because he transferred from South Florida.  Josh Bartelstein, from Highland Park, Ill., is a sophomore reserve.

Are they being hailed as saviors of the U of M basketball program?  Not exactly.  But they have created a buzz that hasn't existed for a while.  People are interested in seeing how this class of celebuspawn will perform.  Will they be able to live up to the legacies of their fathers?  Only time will tell.  Coming off of last night's win, they're off to a 4-2 start after gaining their first road victory of the season and their first win in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge since 1999.  That's progress, certainly giving Michigan basketball fans a reason to cheer again! Go Blue!

Skullcandy + Roc Nation + NBA= The Skullcandy Crew

Skullcandy, the premium headphone brand, extended their partnership with the NBA and Roc Nation and formed The Skullcandy Crew which features a who's who among the best young(ish) talent in the NBA.  Andre Iguodala of the 76ers, Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, and Kevin Durant and James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder form the Skullcandy Crew.

Here's what Skullcandy said about the new partnership:

With teams in surf, skate, snow and several other action sports, it only made sense to broaden the Skullcandy Family to cover the NBA’s superstars, further cementing the bond between music and athletes. 

Skullcandy will be actively supporting charity events with each Crew member and will have exclusive access to behind the scenes action starring our NBA crew. Whether it’s taking over the Skullcandy Twitter account, hanging backstage at concerts, or dropping beats with the Roc Nation family, the Skullcandy Crew will give you the courtside view into the life of some real ballers.

NBA signature headphones will also drop sometime this year along with the Crew rocking the latest Skullcandy gear.

I think this is a dope partnership and a great come up for these guys.  But, I can't help but think how ironic it is that David Stern attempted to clean up the hip hop image of the players by enforcing a dress code; but then partners with Skullcandy and RocNation.  I honestly think both decisions were the right decisions, but I couldn't ignore my observation.  Can't knock the hustle.

Check out the promo video featuring The Skullcandy Crew.  And, if you want to learn what music the Crew is rocking out to on gameday, while they're traveling or just chilling, find out at www.skullcandy.com/nba-crew.

PRESS PLAY:  The NBA SkullCandy Crew

The Takeover? Under Armour Launches New Basketball Shoe

Over the weekend, Under Armour launched a basketball shoe line called Micro G., which is promoted by Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks.  With the tag line, I Think You Hear Us Coming, Under Armour hopes to overtake Nike as the leading basketball shoe on the market.  Although no major ad buys are planned, Under Armour did produce a :15 promo w/ Brandon Jennings.  It'll be interesting to see what other plans Under Armour has to make a splash.  I hope they don't expect Brandon Jennings to do all of the heavy lifting by himself.  If so, no one's going to "hear them coming" with this soft, quiet launch.

Since this is Under Armour's second attempt at entering the footwear market, I expected a bit more.  Remember in 2008, they ran an ad during the Super Bowl announcing a new shoe line, which subsequently failed. It would've been nice to see Under Armour find the happy medium between balling out by buying a Super Bowl ad and doing the minimum.  It exists.

Well, despite no major ad buys, Kevin Plank, Under Armour CEO, did return armed with backup.  He recruited three Nike execs to help resurrect Under Armour's footwear line.  You know how the old saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em; but in this case, Plank had them join him.  Smart.  But is that enough to compete with the billion dollar marketing budget Nike has to spend?  Or the roster of professional athletes signed to Nike? Or all of the Nike endorsed teams on the AAU and college basketball level?  Nike is connecting with this market at a young age and building brand loyalty, which is key.

Don't get me wrong, Under Armour deserves a round of applause for redefining performance apparel, but I still think it's going to be extremely difficult for Under Armour to gain a substantial piece of Nike's 95% market share.

Although I'm heavily into sports, I traded sneakers for heels a long time ago and can't remember the last time I bought some kicks that weren't going to be used for running or workouts.  However, I do know style, and these Under Armour sneakers aren't speaking to me.  Maybe it's because Nike has dominated the basketball shoe market for so long, but these sneakers look real generic to me. Like, if I was 12 years old and my mom brought these home, I would feel some type of way.  Maybe it's just me, but there's something about that swoosh that makes your sneaker look official.  On second thought, it's definitely not just me.  Nike has a choke hold on 95% of the basketball shoe market for a reason.

What do you think?  Does Under Armour stand a chance at overtaking Nike, something that long time rivals Reebok and Adidas have been unable to do?

 
PUSH PLAY: UNDER ARMOUR BASKETBALL SHOES

NY Yankees Pop Champagne! and more

I'm baaa-aaack and so are the Yankees!  But, before I get into that I have a short PSA:  Sports heads, please know that I've missed delivering the goods.  I've been a busy little bee the past month.  However, I'm finally getting a grasp on things (I think) and can return to blogging with some type of regularity (I hope).  

With that said, there's no better time to jump back in than the present!

My beloved NY Yankees are in the playoffs...AGAIN!!!  There was never a doubt in my mind that I'd see Yankees Stadium open for business in October.  Despite injuries to Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, we managed to keep it together.  Our ace CC Sabathia reached 21 wins for the first time in his career (congrats!) and Robinson Cano is making a strong bid for MVP.  Nick Swisher has also been pretty consistent all year.  Newbie Curtis Granderson got off to a slow start, but was finally able to locate his swing.  And although Captain Derek Jeter's batting average isn't where we're used to seeing it, you know he'll step up when needed i.e. now.  So, expect Mr. November to produce like he usually does.

But I must admit, I'm not as confident as I was last year this time.  Last year, the Yankees were so dominant that it was a no-brainer that we'd get our 27th World Championship.  However, this year's suspect pitching rotation makes me slightly nervous.  I just hope that Joe Girardi makes the right decisions, the team starts hitting again, and our defense is on point.  Since our pitching is the biggest question mark (including Mariano Rivera's ability to get four outs), we need to make sure we're gelling everywhere else.

The other thing that makes me nervous is the possibility of facing the Texas Rangers.  Dare I say that I'm quietly hoping the Yankees land the wild card spot because I like our chances against the Twins more? The Rangers seem to have our number this season.  Plus, it's such a slap in the face to see us struggle against Cliff Lee when we were rumored to get him before the trade deadline.  I hope that doesn't come back to bite us!  No matter what though, I'll be focused during the postseason.  Go Yankees!  Let's win it for the Boss!

Another thing that I love about this time of year is the overlap between the NFL, NBA, and Yankees Postseason. Forget Christmas, for me, this is the most wonderful time of the year!  The NFL is always enjoyable, but when your team is playing well, that feeling is multiplied by 100.  With my Jets scheduled to face the Bills, Vikings, and Broncos before their bye week, I expect this blissful feeling to continue for a while.

Now the Knicks are a different story. Tonight my Dad and I talked about the Knicks and I'll tell y'all like I told him, don't believe the hype.  Knicks fans have suffered too long and I'm not convinced that the dark days are behind us.  In the past, I devoured reading material about the Knicks early in the season, but this year, I've decided it's not worth it.  I can't even tell you who their starting 5 is.  Admittedly, it's pretty pathetic, especially since I consider myself a ride or die fan.  But recent history has proven that I shouldn't invest too much time and energy in them this early in the season.  Yes the Knicks made some moves, but is it really enough to make a push toward the playoffs? I'm not sure.  And, my uncertainty is causing me to be proceed with caution.  I'd be more hopeful if I knew Carmelo Anthony or Chris Paul were on their way to form the NYC version of "Superfriends" with Amar'e Stoudemire, but that doesn't seem likely.  Now don't get me wrong, Amar'e Stoudemire is a good player, but he's injury prone and I just have nightmares of our other $100 million man, Allan Houston.  I'm definitely not wishing that on Stoudemire, but it's real.  Microscopic knee surgery is a beast.  Just ask Allan Houston, Grant Hill, Chris Webber, and Tracy McGrady.

Since my Yankees and Jets are still holding me down, I prefer to ride that wave for as long as possible.  Truthfully, last season when the Jets lost to the Colts in the AFC Championship game, I wasn't only disappointed because the Jets' season was over.  The most painful part was facing the harsh reality of giving the Knicks 100% of my attention.  Since I've finally learned the hard way, I'm going to let the Knicks' regular season record do the talking. Show and prove Knicks.  Show. And. Prove.

P.S.  Yes, I'm aware that when referencing the Yankees and Jets it's all about "my", "we", and "us", but when referencing the Knicks, it's all about "them".  The Knicks will get back to "my", "we", and "us" status when they earn it.

The Talk of the Town: NY Knicks, NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Mets

No matter the season, NYC sports always manages to dominate sports talk.  This morning I woke up, turned to NY1, like I do every morning, and realized that we (NYC sport teams) were pretty busy yesterday. In case you missed it, here's a quick recap!

NY KNICKS
The Good!  Yesterday afternoon, the Knicks announced that Isiah Thomas would not be consulting for the organization, after all.  According to certain NBA bylaws, an NBA exec can't have any contact with NCAA athletes.  Since Zeke is the head basketball coach for Florida International University (which went 7-25 last season, fyi), Isiah would've been in direct violation of that bylaw.  When I read this, I released a huge sigh of relief.  Phew!

The Bad!  The fact that Isiah Thomas was offered a job with the Knicks, after EVERYTHING we've been through with him, proves that leadership (Jim Dolan) is still delusional and ill equipped to run this team.  At one point in Isiah's career, he was praised for being able to scout talent.  I was one of those people doing the praising. But, those days are long gone.  In my opinion, Isiah has indisputably proven that he's all about self and lacks any type of dignity or pride.  How could Isiah, a Hall of Fame player, return to the scene of the crime, while Knicks fans are still licking our wounds? Contrary to what Isiah and Dolan may think, it's still too soon.  Until the Knicks have a respectable season, we will not forgive OR forget Isiah for leaving us in ruins.

I say all of this despite having been a Zeke fan forever.  In fact, when I tried out for the basketball team in 7th grade, my Dad hyped me up by saying that Isiah Thomas is small, but also the best at his position.  Nuff said.  I got this.  Lacking talent, I quickly realized that the only thing Zeke and I had in common was our size deficiency, but I digress...

Thank goodness the NBA stepped in to put Knicks fans out of our misery, for now.  Despite making some solid (not great!) off season moves, hiring Isiah Thomas would've ruined our season before it even started.


NY YANKEES
The Good:  Last night, the Yankees had an incredible comeback against the Texas Rangers. After a loss to the Red Sox and a blown save by Mariano Rivera, the Yankees' bats suddenly woke up toward the end of last night's game.  Sadly, I fell asleep and missed the exciting comeback, but it was nice to wake up, wipe the cold out of my eyes, put my glasses on and see that we got the W!

The Bad:  Watching the Yankees struggle against Cliff Lee had me fuming. I keep shaking my head at the thought that the Yankees didn't get Cliff Lee when all reports pretty much confirmed that he was a Yankee. Cliff Lee should be in pinstripes, not serving up 11 strikeouts against us.  And then to make matters worse, I had to witness another piss poor Lance Berkman performance at first base.  I keep asking myself, why did we acquire him at the trade deadline?  Why?????  Congrats to Mark Teixeira and his wife for welcoming a son into the world, but I'm thankful he'll be with the team for tonight's game against the Kansas City Royals.

As of now, there's a good chance that we could face the Rangers in the playoffs.  Thankfully their relief pitching is a little suspect.  Despite the Rangers having Cliff Lee, I like our chances.

NY JETS
The Good!  Last night was the highly anticipated debut of HBO's hit series, Hard Knocks starring the NY Jets!!  Since I'm such a huge Jets fan, I've been waiting for this show to debut since HBO announced that Gang Green was their chosen team.  I know I've said this before, and I'm saying it again, I absolutely love that the Jets have completely erased the NY Giants from the back pages of the New York dailies.  They're everywhere!  We have a coach that talks nuff smack, as I'm sure you saw on last night's show, and a team that can back it up! The Giants/Jets preseason game on Monday can't come soon enough!  J-E-T-S!  JETS! JETS! JETS!

The Bad! I was asleep before the show even started.  Extremely pathetic.  I know.  I remember looking at the clock at 8something thinking that I had another two hours to go.  I tried to fight it but lost that battle.  Although I haven't watched the show, I heard that the Darrelle Revis contract situation had a starring role.  I hate this.  I really do.  Up until this point, what made the Jets such a good story to follow is that there was nothing negative to report.  Now all of a sudden they're engaged in this extremely public contract dispute with Darrelle Revis and his agent.  And, our GM Mike Tennenbaum is admitting defeat on camera.  Really?  Really?

I've tried to speak about this topic without getting fired up, but I can't.  However, I will say this.  I understand where both parties are coming from.  I'd be a horribly judge.  Also, I didn't expect Revis to hold out this long.  I wasn't all that concerned during OTA's but now that we're heading into our first preseason game on Monday, I'm super concerned.  And, having the team owner, Woody Johnson, publicly say that he doesn't think Revis will play this season does not put me at ease, posturing or not.  Oh how I wish this was just scripted reality to create more buzz around Hard Knocks, but I know that it's not.  All I can say is, Damn you Al Davis for overpaying Nnamdi Asomugha!!! 
 

NY METS

Unlike all of the other teams I've covered, the Mets don't have anything "good" to touch upon.  With them, it's just all "bad". They can't catch a break.  I don't follow them a whole lot, but I do know that they're on a sinking ship.

Last night, Francisco Rodriguez verbally assaulted reporters with countless F-bombs during the post game interview following their 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies. As if that wasn't enough, he then went on to physically assault his father-in-law. Whoa!  Who does that?  K-Rod certainly isn't a saint, and has a history of losing his temper, but going off on your father-in-law is next level!  As a result, K-Rod was arrested, charged with third- degree assault, and suspended 2 games.

More importantly, this altercation gave everyone an insiders look at how dysfunctional the Mets clubhouse really is.  If Mets fans were hoping for some type of miraculous comeback, they should face reality and shift their focus to football.  It's not happening.  The only hope they can cling to is team owner, Fred Wilpon, finally manning up and getting the courage to send Jerry Manuel packing.

It ain't easy being a New York sports fan!

Nike's World Basketball Festival

 
The NBA has done a fantastic job of keeping their buzz alive post NBA Finals.  The highly anticipated Free Agency period lived up to expectations with all of the off season moves.

The NBA will continue to ride this wave with the upcoming 2010 FIBA World Championship hosted in Turkey from August 28- September 12th.  I know the NFL season will be underway, but I'm sure fans will support Team USA and tune in to see if they will reclaim that elusive Gold medal from Spain.

Believe it or not, despite being current Olympic Gold medal winners, Team USA hasn't won Gold at the World Championship games since 1994.  That's a problem.  And, one reason for that is because most elite NBA players decline the invitation to participate.  So far, the roster includes Kevin Durant, David Lee, Chauncey Billups, Rudy Gay, Danny Granger, Brook Lopez, Andre Iguodala, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and Rajo Rondo, Tyreke Evans, and Stephen Curry.  There are definitely some solid players on the list, but overall, the talent doesn't measure up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Redeem Team. 

Regardless, the show must go on.  And, to get folks more excited about the tournament, Nike and USA Basketball have teamed up to put on the World Basketball Festival.  The event will take place August 12-15th in New York City.  It will kickoff at Radio City Music Hall (8/12) and travel around the city to Harlem's Rucker Park (8/13 - 8/14) and back downtown to Madison Square Garden (8/15).  Here's the official word from NIKE and USA Basketball about the event.

This summer, NIKE, Inc. and USA Basketball are planning to bring the world's best basketball teams and top musical performers to New York City for the inaugural World Basketball Festival, a four-day celebration of the performance and culture of the game, an event that Nike has committed to reprising every two years.

The World Basketball Festival, August 12-15, features basketball's leading brands within the NIKE Inc. portfolio – Converse, the Jordan Brand, and Nike Basketball.

 The World Basketball Festival will celebrate the creativity that surrounds the game and the inspiration, attitude, and athleticism that define it.  On the hallowed ground of New York City courts, players and artists will demonstrate how the rhythm of a game has become the soundtrack of a culture and how a global community will unite to create basketball's new destiny.  

The World Basketball Festival, August 12-15, features basketball's leading brands and 100 years of footwear tradition- Nikebasketball, Jordan, and Converse. 

The event will also feature the top national basketball teams in the world, including China, Brazil, France, Puerto Rico, and the USA.

This should be a cool event.  If you live in the NYC area, then you should definitely check it out.  For me, basketball + live music = sold!  Although, the list of performers hasn't been released yet.

If you don't live in NYC, I'm sure you can follow the exhibition games on TV, however, I wasn't able to find details to confirm this.  To learn more about the event, hit up the World Basketball Festival Facebook page at www.facebook.com/worldbasketballfestival and their website at http://worldbasketballfestival.nikemedia.com/.

Lastly, in true NIKE fashion, they have designed a World Basketball Festival Collection with several country-themed NIKE Zoom Hyperfuse colorways.  Check them out below.  I have no idea when these are dropping.  Just know that they're "coming soon"!

Countries include (left to right) USA, Brazil, Canada, France and Puerto Rico.

NEW SH*T!!!  
As a new feature, I'm going to include links to related articles so you can learn more about each story.  You likes?

Related articles by Zemanta

• 2010 World Championships: Can This Team USA Begin A New Chapter Of Dominance? (sbnation.com)
• No Redeem Team players for 2010 basketball worlds (sports.espn.go.com)

NBA Free Agency: I Hope...

As all of the NBA Alerts hit my inbox and time ticks away on the clock, I'm actually starting to get pumped about this whole Free Agency thing.  I'm surprised to say that I haven't been following it as much I thought I would.  It's partly because I think a lot of the info that's shared by the media is bullsh*t.  I believe none of what I hear or read until it's officially official.  I think most of these NBA analysts are opportunists and are just making up information to get more media attention.  None of these NBA insiders have Lebron James, D-Wade or any other free agents' ear like that.  Everyone wants to be the first to break the BIG story, but the enormous amount of conflicting reports exposes everyone for simply speculating as much as the next man.

BUT, I can't help but admit that I'm starting to ooze with excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead for the NBA and its fans. Starting tonight at midnight, the NBA will be front and center of the sports world.  A league shakeup is less than 3 hours away.  What a treat for the fans!  We all think we can do a better job than a team owner or GM, if given the opportunity.  That's what fantasy sports is all about.  Organizations finally have the opportunity to get top notch talent.  It'll be very interesting to see how the NBA capitalizes on their time in the spotlight.  The amount of talent eligible for free agency, in the same year, will probably never happen again.  This is historic, people.

Once the players have swapped jerseys and changed area codes, I'm hoping three things will happen as a result of the free agency moves. 

1.  BEAT LA!!!
As you know, I'm not a Lakers fan.  I practically stopped watching the NBA Playoffs after Game 5 of the Celtics/Cavs series because it was pretty obvious that we were on our way to a rematch of the 2008 Finals.  Been there.  Done that.  Wasn't interested in doing it again.  I dislike the Lakers and Celtics equally so it made it difficult to cheer for either team.  As much as it pained me, I sat out most of the NBA Playoffs and Finals.  I watched Game 6 and 7 of the Finals, but that was it.  And, once the game was over, I didn't feel any type of way.  I just turned the channel as if it was any other game.  Moral of the story is, I'm tired of The Lake Show starring Phil Jackson as the "Zen Master" and Kobe Bryant as "Snitch".

With that said, I want all teams in contention of landing a major free agent to understand that their purpose is to build a team that has a serious chance to BEAT LA !!  If their roster doesn't stack up well against the Lakers, then they've failed.

Not only will that be a fail for all of the teams, but it will also be a fail for the NBA because this year's free agency period is allowing a lot of teams to hit the reset button and get a do over.  If one team can't manage to deliver a championship team and wipe out the Lakers, then this was all for naught. Which leads me to #2.


2.  NBA:  WHICH ORGANIZATION WILL EMERGE A WINNER?
I touched on this a little earlier, but I want to go slightly deeper.  This year's free agency period is bigger than Lebron James.  He's only one man, and he can't do it on his own.  He proved that in Cleveland.  This year's free agency is about acquiring the right pool of talent to create a championship squad. 

The NBA and team management must recognize that they're under a microscope.   Everyone will judge, critique and scrutinize every move made.  The organizations are all being graded.  It's similar to teams being graded after the Draft.  No different. Each team/owner/GM must impress and show how innovative and business savvy they are.   How good they are at assessing the needs of their team and implementing a plan to fill the holes.  How creative they can be with eliminating the dead weight to come under the cap.  How well each organization will sell or market its team to a player.  How well  they will convince the player that poor decisions of the past are exactly that, in the past and won't impact the future.  A pitch deck or 3-minute video about what the team and city can offer isn't going to get the job done.  The business of basketball is what I'm interested in.  The organization that's most successful at all of the above will emerge the winner.  

This leads me to #3.

3.  NY KNICKS:  DON'T EFF THIS UP!
It's no secret that the Knicks organizations has destroyed its reputation.  Players no longer jump at the opportunity to play at the World's Most Famous Arena.  How embarrassing.  Knicks fans have suffered long enough.  It's finally time to close the chapter on the past and return to the Glory Days of the 90s.  The time is now.

Knicks fans have been waiting for July 7, 2010 longer than anyone.  We've had this date circled on our calendars for years.  All of the bad moves that were made over the years and presented as strategic decisions to get us under the cap are excused.  The slate has been wiped clean.  I, along with ALL Knicks fans, know that it was BS, but all is forgiven as long as the Knicks don't eff this up!
 
The best way for James Dolan and Donnie Walsh to restore our trust in the organization is to make  something happen!  We're not asking for a Miracle on 34th Street, but we'd like something close to it.  I think most of us have realistic expectations.  We don't expect to land Lebron.  After all, we're Knicks fans.  We're very accustomed to getting the short end of the stick.  But, on the other hand, we're Knicks fans!!  We don't expect to be straight disrespected by everyone either.  So, we better be #1 on someones list...Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudamire, Joe Johnson, somebody!

It would be a catastrophic disaster for the city if we weren't able to land one or two of the Big Boys, especially after you consider all that we've been through. Despite being the laughing stock of the league for the past decade, Knicks fans are ride or die.  Through it all...Frederic Weis, Allan Houston's $100 million contract, Isiah Thomas, Stephon Marbury, Jerome James, Eddy Curry, Lenny Wilkins, Larry Brown, Tim Thomas, Steve Francis, and the list goes on and on and on, we remain naively optimistic that something good will happen for us.  As long as we're saved the embarrassment of being the last kid picked on the playground, I'll be grateful.   I hope that's not too much to ask.

Blog Stroll: King James' Collapse

The talk of the day has been the great collapse of King James in last night's game against the Boston Celtics.  I watched that game, like you, in complete shock, awe, and confusion.  Although, as shocked as we all were, it seems no one has been rendered speechless because everyone has been sharing their two cents all. day. long. Whether it's criticism for Lebron or speculating about what his next move will be, people can't stop talking, blogging, tweeting, etc. Me included.  However, my main concern is the Cavs beating the Celtics so my nightmare of another Lakers/Celtics NBA Final doesn't come true!!  

I usually choose not to write about topics you can find on a million other blogs but today I said, what the hell.  I did a Blog Stroll and compiled a list of links for to you to visit.  Go ahead. Check out the links and read what everyone on the net is talking about.  

Slam Magazine:  About Last Night:  Thoughts on Lebron, failure, and the future.  Call it a posse cut.

The Sports Guy, ESPN:  The End of Pro-basketball in Cleveland

Cleveland.com:  Fans React on Game 5 and Lebron's Future

TrueHoop, ESPN:  What happened to Lebron James?

Michael Rosenberg, Sports Ilustrated:  Is Lebron done with Cleveland?

Joe Posnanski, Sports Illustrated:  An underachiever in Cleveland? Lebrons, Cavs have the look of one

Ohio.com:  Lebron still confident the Cavs can rebound vs Celtics

Behind the Ball, Yahoo! Sports:  Beyond the Box Score, where Lebron James did not care

Daily Dime, ESPN w/ Video:  Lebron's Farewell Game in Cleveland?

ESPN New York:  Lebron Mania is sweeping the City:  Knicks fans and New York Magazine editors are hoping to convince the King

Michael Jordan: Show Us What You Got

As you know, Michael Jordan recently became the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.  My initial reaction upon hearing this was, ummm, I wonder how this'll turn out.  Let's be real, when it comes to bball, MJ hasn't had much success in many endeavors beyond lacing up as #23 for the Chicago Bulls.

Since the Bobcats made the postseason for the first time in franchise history, they finally have a story to tell that people (sports + fans + networks + sponsors) want to hear, but it's up to Michael Jordan and President & COO Fred Whitfield to finally make the Bobcats financially viable.  Today, Sports Business Daily reported,

The team prior to the '09-10 season was "projected to lose $35[M]," but team officials said that "several successes of late have improved the Bobcats' bottom line." The Bobcats have sold "more than 800 new season tickets for next year," and renewal rates have "climbed to 85%, up from around 70% in recent years." That ranks the team sixth and 12th, respectively, in the NBA. Whitfield said that those sales, "much like several corporate sponsors expected to be added in the next few months, are the culmination of an 18-month push." Industry execs said that the Bobcats "must pounce on the momentum" from making this year's playoffs. SportsCorp President Marc Ganis: "They must stay in the public eye after the playoffs. Every week or two, they need to have something that puts them in the public eye. It almost needs to be scripted." (via Sports Business Daily)

 I totally agree with this, but it's easier said than done.  With everyone speculating about where today's top free agents will land, it'll be very difficult for the Bobcats to keep their seat at the cool kids table.  The Bobcats' PR department have a tough road ahead of them.  They must craft a killer strategy to continue the buzz about the team.  Unfortunately, the Bobcats don't have any picks in June's draft.  That would have been an immediate and obvious opportunity to stay relevant.  And, with rumors swirling that Larry Brown is going to return to the 76ers, it doesn't seem like the PR team has much to work with.  It'll be interesting to see what "news" the PR team will be able to manufacture to accomplish Ganis' challenge.

The Sports Business Daily article also mentioned,

 Jordan "approved increased budgets for game operations at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs, adding flair to the team's post-season push," and he allowed Whitfield to "hire eight staffers, the franchise's first gain since laying off 38 employees" in '08. (via Sports Business Daily)

Sometimes you have to spend money to make money, but MJ should be careful not to overdo it.  It's going to take more than one successful trip to the postseason to turn the team around financially.  Yes, increased season ticket subscribers and sponsorship packages help, but team execs shouldn't lose focus on putting a product together that people will want to pay to see.  The last thing you want is for the Bobcats' fan base to feel duped because the team's success was a one and done situation.  If they can't hold on to Larry Brown, they're going to be in trouble.  It's doubtful that a team with their pool of talent will make back-to-back appearances to the NBA Playoffs.

Michael Jordan has the business and basketball worlds taking note of every move he makes.  He's finally back in the spotlight.  Just the way he likes it. Will he come through in the clutch like he's done so many times in the past, or will this be another blemish on his record?  Looks like we'll have to play the wait and see game.  Although, my money is on the Bobcats returning to obscurity.  Just sayin'...

Bleeding Purple & Gold!!

If I were to make an uneducated guess, I'd say that the majority of the Lakers/Kobe fans reside in the 310 or the 323.  Nothing scientific about it.  Purely based on tweets and Facebook status updates I've read during the playoffs. And based on that uneducated guess, I would be loud AND wrong.  And, if I were a betting woman, I'd be broke. Well, thank goodness I'm neither uneducated nor a betting woman.  I'm so much smarter than that. I know you guys perpetrate a fraud.  Front like you dislike the Lakers, but cheer for them on the low.  Yep, if you're suddenly feeling uncomfortable reading this, that means I'm talking to you.

Today, the NBA announced that Kobe Bryant's #24 jersey is the top selling jersey in the country for the second consecutive season, while the Lakers also top the list with merchandise sales.  This report is based on sales at the NBA Store in NYC and on NBAstore.com, since the start of the 2009-2010 NBA season through April 2010. 

Love 'em, hate 'em, or love to hate 'em, hella people are coppin' that purple and gold.

In case you're wondering, here's a breakdown of the Top 10 Most Popular teams and Top 15 Most Popular Jerseys.

Top 10 Most Popular Team Merchandise:

1. Lakers
2. Celtics
3. Cavs
4. Bulls
5. Knicks
6. Nuggets
7. Magic
8. Heat
9. Spurs
10. Sun

Top 15 Most Popular Jerseys:
Kobe Bryant/Lakers Lebron James/Cavs Kevin Garnett/Celtics (up one spot from last season) Derrick Rose/Bulls Dwight Howard/Magic Dwyane Wade/Heat Chris Paul/Hornets Paul Pierce/Celtics Kevin Durant/Thunder Carmelo Anthony/Nuggets (up five spots from last season) Nate Robinson/Celtics (boo.  i still don't approve Nate the Great in a Celtics uni) David Lee/Knicks (get it now b/c i doubt he'll be a Knick next season) Brandon Roy/Trailblazers Pau Gasol/Lakers Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics (shocker)
Did you peep how my Knicks are still represented on these lists even though they stink?  You gotta love it.  Also, I just want to go on the record as saying that next season the Knicks will hold down the #1 spot on both of these lists after they sign one or two free agents this summer.  Pow.

Dwight Howard leaves agent. Is this decision Superman's kryptonite?

On Sunday, Yahoo! Sports reported that Dwight Howard is no longer represented by Aaron Goodwin of  Goodwin Sports Management (GSM).  If you're unfamiliar with GSM, it's a Seattle based sports agency that represents almost two dozen NBA and WNBA players including Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Jamal Crawford, and Candace Parker.  Although it's unknown who's going to handle Dwight's business ventures moving forward, rumors suggest that the chosen ones are friends and family.

D. Howard has been a GSM client since he was drafted in 2004.  Since then, GSM has successfully marketed Dwight, building an empire stacked with a $20 Million-a-year endorsement portfolio.  D. Howard lends his likeness to major brands such as Adidas, Gatorade, McDonald's, NBA Live, T-Mobile, and Ed Hardy (cough...no comment...cough).  He also has a role in the movie, Just Wright starring Queen Latifah and Common, which hits theaters May 14th.

With all of this success, one may think that Dwight is losing it for leaving GSM at such a high point in his career, not to mention in the middle of the playoffs.  A small part of me agrees, but a larger part of me thinks the Olympic Gold Medalist will be just fine.  Remember when Lebron caught flack for leaving GSM to also have his friends handle his business deals?  Well, so far it seems that things have turned out pretty well for the King.  Don't you agree?

See, generally, the hardest part about locking in deals is convincing major corporations of an athlete's marketing potential.  Once you're able to do that, and you secure at least one deal, offers start to flow in.  Dwight has had no problem selling corporations on his on-the-court skills.  Like Lebron, he's lived up to the hype after transitioning from high school to the league.  What's better, last year Dwight took his team to the NBA Finals, also showcasing his ability to lead, while responding to critics who outed him for being too playful during games and not serious enough to lead the Magic to the promise land.

Additionally, Dwight hasn't succumbed to the off-the-court evils which usually compromises an athlete's image and marketability.  Dwight (and Lebron for that matter) has seemingly mastered that part too.  With that said, it appears there's nowhere to go but up.

All of the hard work was done by GSM.  They've designed a blueprint for success when it comes to Dwight.  They've successfully built D. Howard's blemish-free image.  Well, semi-blemish-free if you don't count the somewhat public feud with the mother of his son, which has resulted in Dwight suing his ex-girlfriend, former Orlando Magic dancer, and current cast member of VH1's Basketball Wives, Royce Reed.  But yeah, with that aside, Dwight has the perfect image!

Hopefully, this questionable decision works out for the best.  If Dwight is smart, he has learned a thing or two from GSM over the years.  In fact, him and the new team should really thank GSM for doing all of the dirty work.  If Dwight stays at the top of his game, out of trouble, and things between him and the ex don't get messy(er), everything from here on out should be easy, breezy.  I doubt that Dwight would lose any major deals as a result of new management.

Aside from starting charities in his name, most of Dwight's business deals have come by way of endorsements.  It'll be interesting to see if Dwight's new handlers have him pursue new business development opportunities.  Many athletes have tried and many have failed.   I guess time will tell where this decision ranks Dwight among sports' most business savvy.  I'll definitely be keeping score.

The Wild Wild West: NBA Playoffs

As promised, here's Part Deux of my NBA Playoffs post.  If you read Part One, When the East is in the House, Oh My God, then you already know that these posts are about who I want to win, not who I think will win. Side bar:  I updated When the East is in the House, Oh My God, so please go back and read it.  I can't believe no one called me out for an error I made!  Speaking of calling folks out, as another reminder, I implore you to call me out if I bandwagon hop during the playoffs.  Although that's not really my style it's been known to happen a time or two in the past. :)

So, I've already broken down the Eastern Conference which means that today I'm focused on the Wild Wild West...Conference that is.  And, now that all of the matchups are set, I'm going to switch it up and go series by series.

Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
For this series, I'm riding with the Oklahoma City Thunder.  As you can probably imagine, I am not a Lakers fan.  I would be very disappointed if they won another championship (says the fan of the most winningest franchise in history).   I kind of like employing the "do as I say, not as I do mantra", lol.  I'm not going to say that I'm anti-Kobe Bryant, I'm just pro-Kevin Durant.  I think he's an amazing talent, and one of the great future stars of the league.  Case in point, this season, he set the record for the youngest player to win the scoring title.  He's the real deal.  Poor Greg Oden...  Sorry, I can't help but think of Oden's misfortune when I think of how successful Durant's young career has been.

So successful that Lakers' coach, Phil Jackson, recently criticized the officials and accused them of giving Durant preferential treatment because he goes to the foul line so much.  Seriously?  You have got to be kidding me  Phil Jackson has the nerve to talk about someone getting special treatment.  Pot meet kettle.  Kettle meet pot.  Give me a break.  When Kobe gets those calls, I don't hear him complaining.  When Jordan got those calls, he was quiet as a mouse.  SMH...Durant can't help that he's a physical player who knows how to draw the foul.  Durant can't help that people can't D him up without fouling him.  Durant also can't help that he's a 90% free throw shooter.  So, if and/or when the games come down to the wire, Phil Jackson should be shook because he knows that 9 out of 10 times, that ball is going through the hoop.   Also, I find it very interesting that Phil shares his POV two days before the Lakers/Thunder series begins.  He's already politickin'.  He aint slick.  I know his type.  I think he recognized that his team has been falling apart at the wrong time of the season.  He may be panicking slightly. Although, if I were the Lakers, I wouldn't be worried.  Yes, they hit a few bumps toward the end of the season and yes Kobe has a finger injury but I'm sure they'll be fine.  He's Kobe Bryant for goodness sakes.  Trust me, he'll turn it on when it's time i.e. now.  Also, Andrew Bynum is making his return in time for the series.  I'm sure his playing time will be limited at first, but their bench just got a little deeper, which is exactly what you want during the playoffs...more weapons.

All in all, I think this is going to be a good series.  I'm excited to watch Durant go up against Kobe.  I'm also proud to see this young team and franchise do so well.  It's a good story for the league.  I'd love to see the underdogs send the defending champs home early.  Let the Thunder, roll!!

Mavericks vs. Spurs
For this series, I'm going with the Mavs. 

The Mavs/Spurs is one of my favorite rivalries in the league.  Both teams have consistent veteran players that continue to carry their teams.  I also think that both teams take their play to another level when they face each other.  The good ol' Texas Showdown will definitely live up to the hype. 

Although, I've never really been a fan of the Spurs.  In my opinion, they're just not an exciting team to watch.  I don't really connect with anyone on their team.  Yes, Tony Parker included.  In fact, I feel like the Mavs and the Spurs are a tale of two teams.  With the Spurs, I think the personality of the team is similar to that of Tim Duncan aka The Big Fundamental aka Mr. No Personality aka pretty blah.  But on the other hand, I think the Mavs' team personality is that of Mark Cuban aka Mr. Badass.  I know lots of people think he's a team distraction, but I don't.  I think his level of involvement and fandom is exciting to watch.  I respect that he's such an active, passionate owner, who isn't afraid to speak his mind.  I also appreciate that he offers transparency for the fans. I once read that he responds to "all" of the fans' emails personally.  Notice "all" is in quotes because I think that may be exaggerated slightly,  but the fact that he responds to any is pretty remarkable.  

Mark Cuban also isn't afraid to spend money to bring talent to Dallas.  He desperately wants to win a championship and I desperately want him to win one.  I think owners like him should be rewarded with a Championship for all they do for the franchise.  He will make all necessary moves until he feels that he has the best team on the court.  However, despite all of that, the Mavs can never seem to make it happen.  It's kind of as if they lack that killer instinct to put teams away for good.  They made it to the finals in '06, but got burned by the Heat.  Maybe this will be their year.  If they're able to make it happen, you'd hear no complaints from me.


Suns vs. Blazers
I'm pulling for the Suns on this one. 

Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudamire are two of my favs in the league.  They're also the heart and soul of the Suns.  For that reason, all of the Stoudamire trade rumors upset me.  I feel like he's so unappreciated.  Not cool.  He's their leading scorer (23.1 ppg), leading rebounder (8.9 ppg) and has played every game this season.  He doesn't deserve to be treated like he has. I don't get it.   

I also love that Grant Hill is healthy again.  Yep, I enjoy a feel good story from time to time, lol.   The funny thing is, I was not a Grant Hill fan during his Duke days because he used to take it to Michigan's Fab Five all of the time.  But, when he came into the league, I quickly changed my opinion of him.  He's such a good guy.  I like good guys and I want this group of good guys to succeed, even if the front office is making a bad decision with trying to move Stoudamire.

Ahhh, the Portland Blazers.  I must admit, they're pretty impressive.  Despite losing Greg Oden (again) and Joel Przybilla for the season,  they've somehow pushed through and landed themselves the sixth spot in the playoffs.  Sadly, this will be the end of the road for them.  With Brandon Roy out for knee surgery, they don't have a chance.  The timing for this couldn't have been any worse.  Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.  

Nuggets vs. Jazz
If I had my way, the Denver Nuggets would be the team coming out of the West and heading to the Finals.  I'm a huge Carmelo Anthony fan (go 'cuse!).  And, I'd love to see him go up against his fellow 2003 NBA Draft mate, Lebron James.  This way, it's guaranteed that at least one of them gets a ring.  Yes, here I go being a sucker for a feel good story again. But, that's not the only reason.  I also enjoy watching the Nuggets play-- Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Chris Anderson, Chauncey Billups, J.R. Smith, Aaron Aflalo, Nene and on and on and on.  I love this team!

I think this is their most well-rounded and focused team in a minute.  Chauncey Billups has definitely provided that team with the leadership they needed. And, during the season, they had a nice little run where they were just shutting teams down.  But, since then, Kenyon Martin suffered a knee injury and I think that's negatively impacted the team.  Although he's back, I don't think he has the same hop as he did before the injury.  Hopefully, these past few days off will do him some good.

Now, about the Jazz.  Admittedly, I haven't paid much attention to the Jazz since Karl Malone and John Stockton retired.  It's partly because they're out West and partly because they don't have the same star power they did with Stockton and Malone.

Despite that, I'm aware that Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams hold that team down.  It''ll be fun to watch Deron Williams and Billups face off against each other.  Two very strong leaders at the point.  Game changers.  And just like the Nuggets, the Jazz are dealing with injuries to some of their major contributors...Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko, and Mehmet Okur. 

Regardless, these pros know how to battle through the injuries.  They're playing to be crowned Kings of the West.  I doubt they'll use injuries as an excuse.  This should be a great matchup, but I'm riding with the Nuggets all day!!

 That does it.  I covered all of the teams. Don't forget the Playoffs start tomorrow.

Here's the schedule for the first round. 

Let the games begin!

When the East is in the House, Oh My God: The NBA Playoffs

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I'll do better. I promise!

Get ready! The NBA Playoffs are only days away. In this post, I'll share who I'm riding with out of the Eastern Conference. You'll have to check back later in the week when I share my Western Conference favs (or lack thereof, lol).

When reading this, please know that this is about who I want to win, not who I think will win. And please, please, please commit this to memory because if any of my teams get knocked out early and you see me repping another team, I encourage you to call me out. I'd do it for you.

Being from New York, I naturally have to root for the Eastern Conference. As Blahzay Blahzay said, When the East is in the House, Oh My God. Check the records. The Eastern Conference teams dominate the Western Conference teams. Biggie would be proud. OK, enough with the preamble. Let's do this!

First off, I'm riding with the Cavs all the way to the Finals. I know that's not an original thought, but for me it's kind of a big deal because I wasn't like the rest of America. When Lebron was drafted, I didn't immediately hop on the King James bandwagon. The fact that ESPN was covering his high school games meant nothing to me. I wanted him to prove himself first. Hailing someone as the second coming prematurely annoys me. Sports heads are good for that. I can't stand it! Plus, the 2003 NBA Draft was stacked with Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and lots of other players that showed and proved in college. I had a reason to see those guys succeed over cheering for Lebron. To be honest, I don't think I really became a Lebron fan until 2007, when he took the Cavs to the finals and one-year after D-Wade got his ring.

Although it took me four years, I'm here now! I'd love to see King James earn his jewels. I think his chances now are as good as they've ever been. Shaq Diesel (less 20 lbs.) is coming back. I expect him to be focused and energized. The playoffs is when he gets back on D a little quicker and jumps a little higher. He gets after it. Lebron should also be refreshed and ready to go since he hasn't played in a week and will probably sit out the last game of the regular season. And the supporting cast of Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams, and Delonte West are going to show up. They know this might be the end of the road for Lebron in a Cavs uni so it's now or never!

Selfishly, I want them to be hungry for that reason. I think that Lebron's chances of coming to the Knicks will improve if he gives the people of Cleveland a Championship. If he loses, I don't think he'll bail on his fans. I respect that, but that's not the result I'm looking for. Let's make everyone happy. And by everyone I mean Knicks and Cavs fans. Win for the home fans, pack it up, and make that move to NYC. We need to get that old feeling back at the Garden and in the city. I know the Yankees won, the Jets went to the AFC Championship this year, and the Giants won the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, but trust me, it's not the same. When the Knicks are winning, the city is electric. I want that old thing back. Go CAVS!!!!

Second on my list are the Atlanta Hawks. Yes. The Atlanta Hawks. All season I'd been waiting for the real Atlanta Hawks to stand up and present themselves. You know, the team that hadn't been relevant since the Dominique Wilkins days. In other words, decades ago, lol. I don't necessarily remember when I became a believer, but at some point during the season, it happened. They've been pretty convincing with their consistent play. They kept winning and winning and winning, transforming my shock to belief.

As a Spelman College alumna, I spent four of the most important years of my life in the ATL. It's like my second home. I will always have a special place in my heart for that city. I remember going to check out the Hawks' games when the Knicks came to town. You could purchase tickets for $5. Five dollars! Craziness. But, despite the bargain basement ticket prices, the arena was still empty as hell. It was sad.

My, my, my look how far they've come. Joe Johnson, Jumpshot JC (the nickname my brother gave Jamal Crawford during his Blue/Orange days), Al Horford, Josh Smith and the rest of those boys are legit. And even though they're the number three seed in the East, I still feel like they're an underdog and most people will sleep on them. Please don't be one of those people. Show them some love!

As for the rest of the teams in the East, I don't really have an interest in who advances to win it all. Alright, I may be exaggerating...slightly. If the Magic, Hornets (see update below), and (maybe) the Heat win, I wouldn't mind.

I know the Magic have had a helluva run, but I'm not putting too much stock in them after last year's performance. Dwight Howard came up short big time. They had the whole country riding with them against the Lakers and they couldn't get it done. It was a major disappointment. Adding Vince Carter to the team, plus a healthy Jameer Nelson should take them far, but I'm not sure it'll be enough. We shall see..

UPDATE:  Next up are the Hornets. Charlotte Bobcats.  I don't know what I was thinking, but clearly I had a lapse in memory and took it back to before the Hornets were relocated from Charlotte to New Orleans.  MAJOR FAIL, which makes me wonder, are you guys reading this????

Anyway, another reason I thought about the Hornets and not the Bobcats is because since when do the Bobcats make the playoffs?!?!?!  Although, I do remember them playing the Knicks a couple of times this season and beating us.  I know that doesn't say too much, but for me it does.  I always looked at the Bobcats as an easy win.  Not so much anymore.  Gotta give props where props are due, Larry Brown and Michael Jordan seem to be taking the franchise in the right direction, for this season at least.  The Bobcats grabbing that seventh seed is a huge victory.  They won't make it out of the first round, and may even get swept by the Magic, so they should be happy they made it this far. 

Next season is another story.  Since Eddie Jordan was recently fired by the 76ers, there's already talk that  Larry Brown may return to Philly.  Interesting.  Very, very interesting.  Let's see how the team's new Majority Owner, Michael Jordan, handles things during the offseason.

Moving on to the Heat. Since they won in '06, I'd prefer if they didn't win again. As long as Pat Riley runs that team, I'll never fully support them. I still feel some type of way about Pat the Rat flat leaving us for the Heat. It's really too bad because I actually like this Heat team, but unfortunately, I can't rock with them...based purely on principle.

I'm hoping the Raptors will be watching the playoffs from their couches just like me so that will leave us with the Bulls, Bucks, and Celtics. In my opinion, the Bucks are never anything to be excited about unless you live in Milwaukee, so I'll just keep it moving to the Bulls.

Although I like Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Brad Smith, I can rarely bring myself to root for the Bulls. As a Knicks fan, I just can't allow it to happen. We were crushed by MJ too many times. Last year's playoffs were a rare exception. Watching the Bulls battle it out against the Celtics was great! For that series, all was forgiven and I was a hardcore Bulls fan. Talk about "Where Amazing Happens". That series was it. Definitely one of the best. But if the Bulls lock down that 8th spot, they'll be going up against the Cavs. No way I'm rooting for the Bulls.

Lastly, we have the Celtics. It should be pretty clear that they get zero love from me, especially since they got their rings in 2008. The only reason I was remotely ok with them winning was because a) they beat the Lakers and b) because I like Doc Rivers. However, with that said, all generosity has left the building. I'd very much appreciate the Celtics exiting the playoffs rather expeditiously.

There you have it! Don't forget to check my blog later in the week for a post on the Western Conference.

P.S. If you like what you've read, please leave a comment. Thanks!

White Men Can't Jump

In January,  you may have heard that former boxing promoter Don "Moose" Lewis planned to start a  "whites only" basketball league called the All-American Basketball Alliance (AABA).   And, to prevent "passing", (no pun intended, I promise!) Lewis made it very clear that "only players that are natural-born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race" need only apply.
Ridiculous, I know.  So ridiculous that media sources (and me) are unsure whether this is a publicity stunt or the real deal.  Regardless, Lewis shared that the purpose of the league is to restore fundamental play to the game of basketball.  Something that he's convinced only white players are able to do because apparently, non-white players have ruined the game with their athletic style of play. 

When I first heard he was starting a "white only" league, I interpreted that as "non-black".  Although, after Lewis further defined "white only", I realized that players including Steve Nash (Canada), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey) and many other non "natural-born United States citizens" are also banned from the league. Did I mention that this was ridiculous?

Note to Lewis:  YouTube some old Larry Bird footage and then let's have a conversation about "white" players lacking athleticism and sticking to the fundamentals.  Bird is a natural-born United States citizen with both parents of Caucasian race" who is also known as a skillful, athletic trash talking showman.  Or, let's keep it funky and talk about David Lee, Chris Kaman, or Birdman, just to name a few.  Those boys are good and should feel some type of way about Lewis feeding into the stereotype that White Men Can't Jump. 

Well, this semi-old news was resurrected on Monday when Jason Jones from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart interviewed Don Lewis.  During the interview, Lewis attempted to defend the league as well as claims that he's racist.  Pretty funny stuff.  Although, I couldn't help but wonder how much funnier it would've been as a Chappelle's Show skit, but what are you going to do...Enjoy!

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