A Basketball Rant...In Three Acts

Act I: Miami Heat Fans
This is why people hated the Miami Heat

Allow me to clarify this section of my rant to those not versed in subtlety. This is not directed at true Miami Heat fans. To them I say congrats on all of your team’s success. I know a few legit Heat fans, some who were sincerely ecstatic when not only they signed Lebron James and Chris Bosh but also when they signed Carlos Arroyo. Yes visions of an Arroyo to James connection actually danced in their heads. This section is dedicated to those bandwagon chumps who last year cheered for the Lakers, the Celtics before them and so on and so forth. People who can’t even name the coach or the starting center on their supposed “favorite” team. You get no congratulations. You get no accolades and to me you are everything wrong with fans today. Cheer for whomever you want, but when you change who you cheer for more than you change your underwear I can not take you seriously.

Act II: The Chicago Bulls

Yes I am disappointed that the Bulls lost in 5 games in the Eastern conference finals. I expected them to win but the Heat were just a better team this year. But as my friend the wee man Pete Campana stated young teams only learn through losing. I had hoped my young Bulls would be different but alas the same fate that befell young Laker squads in the early 80s, young Bulls teams in the late 80s, and young Spurs teams in the mid 90s befell the D-Rose led Bulls.

With the young core Rose, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng all learning from this experience not to mention bench players Taj Gibson, Omer Asik, C.J. Watson and Ronnie Brewer showing that for stretches they can hang, the bench mob and it’s starters will be fine if they can get a starting shooting guard. Keith Bogans played admirably defensively this series against Dwayne Wade but be honest the Bulls will not win if they can’t get a viable second option.

Act III: Derrick Rose

I can’t express how proud of this young man I am after this season. When being interviewed in the preseason and he boldly asked the question: “why can’t I be MVP?” and from that point on he went out and did whatever was needed for the team to win. You can point to his marked improvement in his 3 point shooting and the fact that he was the only player in the NBA in the top ten in both scoring and assists any notion that he should lose his MVP status is ridiculous. Using that logic Lebron should have lost his MVP last year when he quit against the Celtics. The MVP is a regular season award and no player despite what you will hear from talking heads like John Hollinger or Dan LeBatard was more important to his team’s success than Derrick Rose. The third year guard has ascended quicker than the would be MVP in James. You see young Derrick has led his team to the playoffs every season of his career, so if you want to compare Rose to James compare them in context.

Well that’s all I have to say for now. I am picking the Mavs to win in 7 possibly as a bitter Bulls fan but also because I’d much rather see Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, and Jason Terry win a title than well anyone on the Miami Heat.

Bulls Win Again

Congrats are in order to two integral members of the Chicago Bulls past success.



Tex Winter the creator of the Triangle Offense which the Bulls used to wreak havoc on the NBA in the 90s and the Worm himself, Dennis Rodman, arguably the greatest rebounder of all time were both inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

EPIC DOUBLE POST

This past weekend an awesome movie about the Michigan basketball team from the early 90’s popularly known as the Fab Five premiered on ESPN and the response to be honest has confused me. The most polarizing point of the entire film has been when Jalen Rose referred to Grant Hill and other black players on Duke as “Uncle Toms.” Talking heads and editorial writers have filled the blogosphere and the airwaves with condemnation of Rose’s comments.

Allow me to shed some light on his comments, which I am not saying were correct but were most definitely taken out of context.


Well actually I feel I don’t now, here is a guy looking back on how he thought as an immature 19 year old kid and giving what he thought at the time. Does he still believe Grant Hill or black people at Duke are Uncle Toms? No, he has matured. Let me ask this of those criticizing Rose, look back when you were young. Did you ever say something that in hindsight was wrong or misguided? If you can show me one that claims this I will show you a liar. I understand where Rose was coming from, the black face of Duke was someone who was a lot like him in many ways but differed where it mattered most. Having that famous father but one was there and the other was not, it’s simple he was bitter. I understand that. I had friends growing up who I deeply resented for having that father figure where I did not; I look back and realize it was not the fault of friends.
Equally Important


My other problem with the criticism has been that they were not the most important black team, that title many feel belongs to the Georgetown Hoyas of the 80’s. Even the star of those teams Patrick Ewing has come out and asks where their movie is? Well first, they were more important but that doesn’t mean the Fab Five weren’t important. They are important because they changed the culture of basketball, for better or worse. Baggy shorts, black shoes, black socks? Something that simple blew America’s mind. Their brash attitude and cockiness shocked the world, but let’s be real that has always been a part of the game. Also it was unheard of for five freshmen to not only start but they made it to the championship game. Twice.

Alright, I’ve ranted enough on that subject. I guess I’ll end there ...or will I?
Boom! Double dose!

So my Chicago Bulls recently topped the Washington Wizards, no big deal. The big deal is that they took over first place in the Eastern Conference with that win. But that’s not what this is about; I just wanted to brag for a second.

My beef today is with ESPN’s resident asshat Colin Cowherd who I recently railed against for his assessment that John Wall is a future terrible leader because he did the dougie once at the behest of an assistant coach who just happens to be Sam Cassell and knows a little about winning. Yesterday the esteemed talent evaluator that he is declared via twitter no less among other things “When D rose wins a big playoff series, it will be his first. Lebron gets crushed by media yet w less talent, has already been to finals.” And he is right, it will be his first playoff series win, never mind it’s just his third season in the league and the Bulls drew the Boston Celtics both times, never mind that he did this with a coach who had no idea what he was doing, the man he is comparing Rose to DIDN’T EVEN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS HIS FIRST TWO YEARS.

“thats it. Rose wants his OWN fame. the ‘GET IT’ guys like lebron, wade. kobe, K.G. want rings. Iverson wanted own fame 2” All of these players that he is listing are established stars who took many years to get their first ring and in the case of Lebron have yet to get a ring. You see Rose doesn’t hold elaborate pre season dance parties at the United Center, he doesn’t have a lot of commercials and tv appearances like King James, and when the NBA world was salivating at the altar of Lebron where was D-Rose? That’s right; he was in the gym working on his jumper, strengthening a weakness in his game. But hey this the guy who proclaimed flashy guys don’t become all time greats, you know except for Bob Cousy, Wilt Chamberlain, Pete Maravich, Dominique Wilkins, Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson…you know there are too many to list.
Too bad you'll never win because you have playing the game...oh wait

I’ll end by saying this is extremely biased as I am a Bulls fan, but please if you are going to make statement as asinine as the above by Mr. Cowherd then please make sure you can’t drive a Mack truck right through your theories.

Touche Lebron...touche.

Damn...I mean...damn.

2008 Mock Draft (Chocolate Edition)

As a Chicago Bulls fan I refused to watch the NBA draft lottery for two reasons. One, we had less than a 2% chance of receiving the top pick, and secondly and most importantly it would remind me that my Bulls did not make the playoffs after such a good season last year. But after seeing that we received the top pick, the Bulls become a much more attractive destination for coaches and I think we can rebound from such a thoroughly disappointing season. Without further ado I present to you, the 2008 NBA Draft as I see it happening.

1. Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
The Bulls select the most NBA ready player in the draft. He is an immediate upgrade over Kirk Hinrich, and can help the Bulls reach their potential in a quicker fashion than the aforementioned Hinrich. While Beasley is tempting, Drew Gooden is more than serviceable at power forward.

2. Miami Heat: Michael Beasley, PF/SF, Kansas State
Miami will take whoever the Bulls don't take and be happy with it. Beasley has the talent to be a once in a lifetime player. He's a ferocious rebounder, an excellent scorer, and has the range to step out to the three point line. The only thing holding him back is Michael Beasley.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
The best true center in the draft, Lopez is able to hit the 15 foot jumper with consistency and is a very strong rebounder. Drafting him allows the T'wolves to slide Al Jefferson to power forward, his natural position and gives them a formidable front line for years to come.

4. Seattle Supersonics: Jerryd Bayless, PG, Arizona
The Sonics wanted Derrick Rose, but Bayless is the second best guard in the draft. Team him with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green and you have a backcourt that is amazing for years to come.

5. Memphis Grizzlies: Anthony Randolph, PF, LSU
While Randolph is a young and raw talent the Grizzlies have the time to allow him to play and become the player that he has the talent to be. His skill set is similar to that of Chris Bosh.

6. New York Knicks: Deandre Jordan, C, Texas A&M
Eddy Curry isn't impressing anyone in the Big Apple and Jordan has the talent to become the next Dwight Howard. A very good athlete with an explosive vertical and good timing which coulc develop into great timing leading him to be a great rebounder and shot blocker.

7. LA Clippers: OJ Mayo, SG, USC
Mayo, one of the most talked about guards in this class is probably the best scorer in the class and should have no problem hitting the NBA three. He makes sense for the Clippers seeing as they will probably lose Corey Maggette. If Shaun Livingston can return to form that could be an exciting backcourt.

8. Milwaukee Bucks, Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana
Explosive scoring guard who has the potential to be the next Mitch Richmond. Able to hit the three easily from NBA range and has an explosive vertical. Team that with his amazing body control and you have someone who can score easily in the paint.

9. Charlotte Bobcats, Darrell Arthur, PF, Kansas
No one's stock has risen more than Arthur since the Final Four. He is a mature post player who rebounds and plays defense well. Throw him in with a healthy Emeka Okkafor and Gerald Wallace and you have a pretty impressive defensive frontcourt.

10. New Jersey Nets, Danilo Gallinari, SF, Italy
The best player available at this point, could immediately provide a spark off the bench as the backup to Richard Jefferson and improve the team's three point shooting percentage as he is the most natural shooter in the draft.

11. Indiana Pacers, Russell Westbrook, SG/PG, UCLA
Westbrook isn't a true point guard which Indiana needs, but he can play behind Jamaal Tinsley for a year and learn the ropes. He is athletic enough to defend both guard positions and is explosive on the break.

12. Sacramento Kings, DJ Augustin, PG, Texas
Since trading away Mike Bibby the team has been lacking in point guard play. Kevin Martin has turned out to be a great scorer and team him with a dynamic distributor like Augustin and both will benefit. Arguably the highest basketball IQ in the draft.

13. Portland Trailblazers, Kevin Love, F/C, UCLA
The best passing big man in this draft, and the best passing big man that I have ever seen live teamed with Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, Martell Webster and the young Blazers and that is a nucleus not to be messed with. While he is not the most athletic big man, he has excellent range and one of the most intelligent players in the draft.

14. Golden State Warriors, Joe Alexander, SF, West Virginia
Alexander is one of the most tenacious players in the entire draft, just ask the Duke Blue Devils who got a heavy helping of Joe Alexander. Very athletic big man who can shoot the three but is not afraid to drive inside and draw contact. Also has a deceptively good low post game complete with a nice jump hook.

23

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

We all know the story, a skinny and awkward 16 year old tries out for the varsity basketball team and is cut on the first day. He comes back the next year and not only does he make the team, but he is the leading scorer for the team his junior and senior seasons. In fact he not only led them in scoring, but he also led them to two state titles. He goes on to University of North Carolina and wins a NCAA national championship. After that he goes on to destroy the NBA scoring records and defies the laws of gravity on a nightly basis. But the most dramatic moment night of the illustrious career of number 23 came on June 14, 1998.

It was a warm night in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the Chicago Bulls are preparing to defeat the Utah Jazz for the second year in a row, and earn their third title in a row. The Jazz were indeed a strange bunch. They all seemed to have bad haircuts, wore shorts that were a little too far north of the knee, and their nickname made no sense seeing how you were more likely to see a polar bear ride a tricycle with a Hitler helmet on down State Street before you found a decent jazz club in the land of Mormons. But on the court, if anyone was going to end the Bulls dynasty, it would be this fundamentally sound squad from the land of polygamy.

The game began a little after 8:30 eastern time, 7:30 central time, and from the start you could tell it was going to come down to the wire. The Bulls came out of the gates quickly, with long armed defensive wizard and small forward Scottie Pippen had the hot hand in the first quarter. The Jazz answered right back with the back and forth passing of Jeff Hornaceck and John Stockton. Shandon Anderson’s solid play also energized the experienced Jazz squad.

The second quarter got underway pretty much the same way the game began, just insert number 23’s name where Pippen’s had been as the leading scorer. The Bulls built up a little lead, but unfortunately for me and the rest of Chicago, the Jazz came back again and this time they took the lead. Things were really looking down as the second quarter came to a close. It was going to take some good coaching or better yet another superhero like performance from the man whom Larry Bird called Jesus in sneakers after a younger version of 23 raped the Celtics defense for 69 points.

The third quarter came, and the back and forth struggle between the team that would be kings and my beloved Bulls. Ron Harper steeped his streaky play up, Dennis Rodman kept rebounding and playing tight defense deep into the fourth quarter. The Jazz began to attempt to pull away at the five minute mark of the fourth, and then number 23 had enough. He pulled up for a pair of three pointers and had a crucial block on Jazz forward Chris Morris. The game came down to 25 seconds and the ball was in the hands of future Hall of Famer John Stockton and he did what everyone knew he would…he passed it to their superhero number 32.

Future Hall of Fame forward Karl Malone caught the ball on the left block and posts up Dennis Rodman. All of a sudden a red streak slaps the ball and takes it away. The clock is at 15 seconds, and Michael Jeffrey Jordan, born in Brooklyn, but raised in Charlotte, North Carolina brings the ball up the court. Apparently the Jazz thought that Jordan had used up all his magic against them last year as they did not double team him as soon as crossed the half court line. The Utah Jazz small forward Byron Russell slid over in anticipation, hoping to stop Jordan from doing to the Jazz what he had done to the Knicks, Pacers, and Cavaliers. Jordan drives to his right, and Russell is with him every step of the way. All of a sudden…bam. Jordan stops on a dime and crosses over to his left and pulls up for a jumper. Silence as the ball gracefully floats through the air. It is too late for Russell to jump as Jordan has just put him in the same class as John Starks, Patrick Ewing, Craig Ehlo, and Reggie Miller. Grown men who have been reduced to tears and had their dreams taken away by his greatness.