Thursday, May 31, 2012

The NBA lottery selection is fixed

OK. Since no one will say it...dammit I'll say it. The NBA lottery selection is fixed! We have been bamboozled, lead astray, well...you get the idea. At best you have to admit the NBA has been extremely..."fortunate" when it comes to those bouncing ping pongs.
In 2008 the Chicago Bulls had a 1.70% chance of landing the number one pick. They "overcame all odds" and drafted Derrick Rose, who was an NBA ready can't miss prospect. The Bulls got their post Jordan superstar. And the league restored one of their trusted cash cows. Coincidence.....

March 2010, Gilbert Arenas is suspended for pulling a gun on a teammate (we wont even rehash the lunacy of that last statement). Arenas at the time was a great player, and the Wizzards were routinely making the playoffs. The fallout was a public relations nightmare for the league. May 2010, the Wizzards are awarded the number 1 pick with a 10 % chance of getting it. John Wall was drafted and the image of the team has been restored. Coincidence....

July 2010, LeBron James announces his "decision" to leave Cleveland. The Cavaliers immediately went from one of the best teams in the league the past several years to the worst. May 2011, the Cavaliers are awarded the number one pick with a 2.8% chance of getting it. Kyrie Irving goes on to become rookie of the year. Cleveland fans haven't said a word about LeBron since. Coincidence.....

May 2012, the New Orleans Hornets pull off the upset to snag Anthony Davis from the really horrible teams. Wait...didn't the league own the Hornets the past season or two? Didn't the league sell the team just this year? Maybe even throwing in the number one pick to seal the deal? I'm not sayin...I'm just sayin.   follow @plcolter



Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Smith could learn from Cam Newton

Alex Smith...can you please explain to me why you would call out Cam Newton of all people? When asked why the 49ers were 29th in the league in passing, Smith took offense. “I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you’re losing games in the second half, guess what, you’re like the Carolina Panthers and you’re going no-huddle the entire second half. Smith continued..."Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That’s great. You’re not winning, though.”

Mr. Smith had to be speaking on emotion, because the stats suggests that Newton is far more advanced at this stage of his career than Smith. Men lie...women lie...numbers don't lie.

Both San Fransisco and Carolina were 2-14 prior to selecting Smith and Newton number one the following draft. Smith lead the 49'ers to a 4-12 record, throwing for one touchdown and 11 interceptions. Newton lead Carolina to a 6-10 record, throwing for 4,051 yards and 35 total touchdowns. Newton broke 9 nfl rookie records on his way to becoming the 2011 rookie of the year. Um...Alex? Not only did Newton's stats obliterate yours, but he won more games as well. Sounds like someone is sipping the red hater-ade.

Newton exhibited a different approach with his recent self evaluation, and it made Alex Smith look even worse. Cam was quoted as saying...."I was very immature. I'll be the first one to tell you, the pouting and the moping, I kind of overdid it. I know that. I was a bad teammate. I shut off to some people who gave unbelievable effort. That's where I have to mature."

Why does this quote make Smith look even worse? With all of Cam's accomplishments, he still held himself accountable to mature and improve. Not once did I hear Smith acknowledge there were areas to improve. And please...don't throw 13-3 around either. Most of Smith's career starts were mired in losing and ineptitude. Ask any 49ers fan if they would trade Smith for Newton...right now. I am sure the answer would not surprise you.   follow @plcolter

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

NBA wants Heat in finals

The NBA wants the Miami Heat in the finals. And no...I am not talking about superstar treatment or bad officiating. During the 2004 playoffs, NBA Commissioner David Stern was asked who the league would like to see in that year's finals. His response? The Los Angeles Lakers vs.....the Los Angeles Lakers! Stern's devilish grin indicated he was dead serious, and for good reason. If you recall, the Lakers turned the regular season into must see tv....and it had little to do with their play on the court.

For starters, the Lakers signed Carl Malone and Gary Peyton. Along side Kobe and Shaq, these new look Lakers were called the best team ever before they scored one point together. And speaking of Kobe and Shaq, ESPN made a living off their well publicized and contentious beef. Sprinkle in a rape trial for Kobe Bryant that same year and BAM...you have ratings gold! People could not look away, and everyone tuned in to see that finals match up between L.A. and Detroit. We all remember the scandals, but no one outside of those two cities could tell you how many games Detroit won the series in. The NBA doesn't care either way...they still hit their numbers!

The next two seasons San Antonio represented the west in the finals. The Spurs won both times, in what turned out to be two of the lowest rated finals (in terms of viewing) in the history of the league. Advertisers had to be disappointed their top dollar ads did not reach the projected amount of viewers. Did I mention that San Antonio is just as boring now? Did I also mention they have a more than legitimate chance to win it all again? Advertisers must be nervous.....

Fast forward to present day and Stern has got to be sweating bullets. The Miami Heat are his 2004 Lakers team now, and he needs them in the finals. We already saw Derick Rose, Carmello Anthony, Chris Paul, and Kobe Bryant eliminated. Stern can not afford to have LeBron James out of these playoffs. Once he's gone, so are the casual fans. San Antonio vs Philadelphia or Indiana? Stop playin! Or even Oklahoma City vs either one of those teams would be a disaster for the league. Advitisers pay top dollar for those commercial slots, hinging on the fact they will reach a mass audience. Love him or hate him, LeBron can do that all by himself.

If you are a fan of Lebron you will be watching every minute of every game to see if he can finally get it done. If you hate LeBron, you will enjoy every minute of every second of another choke. Casual fans will tune in to see what all of the fuss is about. Every one is happy. Don't be surprised if you see Stern in the stands for the Heat's pivotal game 6 tilt with the Pacers. It's still a business.....  follow @plcolter

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

NBA was right about Chris Paul trade

Remember when you were a teenager? And your parent or guardian told you that you couldn't do something....that you really wanted to do? And their only reasoning was..."because I said so!"? Nine times out of ten our parents (and those of you that are parents) were right all along. Well...NBA commissioner David Stern pulled a "because I said so" when he nullified a potential trade to send all world point guard Chris Paul to the Lakers. Stern never gave an official reason why, he just basically said no. Instead, he approved a revised trade to send CP3 to the lowly cross town Clippers. Everyone was up in arms, including myself. It was another power hungry commissioner putting the players in their place. David Stern must be smiling from ear to ear now, because like it or not...he was absolutely right.

Let's say that Paul does go to the Lakers. What would we have? The eastern conference! Two or three dominant teams, and a scrap heap of below average teams with players you've never heard of. The Clippers would have been all but irrelevant, and their fans would have to suffer through yet another lottery pick season. Instead they were treated to the birth of Lob City. We watched the maturation of budding superstar Blake Griffin under Paul's guidance. And we saw a balanced, competitive race in the western conference with plenty of star power from teams one through ten. And guess what, both teams are still alive in the playoffs!

And let's not forget about the financial impact of Stern's decision. Two of the most exciting teams in the league now reside in the country's second largest media market. If you look back, not a week went by without the Lakers or Clippers  (or both) being on espn or tnt. The Lakers kept their big three, and the Clippers became contenders. It was a smart move and a good look all the way around. The only ones who didn't benefit was Dallas, because they wound up with Lamar Odom. But I digress.    follow @plcolter

Monday, May 7, 2012

Favorite all time press conference rants....

I was listening to Hill and Schlereth on the way home and found out that today is the 10 year anniversary of Allen Iverson's infamous "we're talking about practice" rant. If you have not seen or heard this rant, do yourself (and your funny bone) a favor and you tube it. He said the word practice at least 40 times.....and with each one it got funnier and funnier. In honor of AI's press conference meltdown, I will share my fab five press conference meltdowns.

5. Momma Iverson: Speaking of the Iverson's, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Momma Iverson had her SUV surrounded by reporters, and they were bombarding her with questions about her son's marital problems. Why did they do that? Simple text won't do this justice. You have to see for yourself. All I can say is..."Did Tawanna tell you that?" lol   www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSM9pqoXV5A

4. Dennis Green: On a nationally televised Monday night in October 2006, Dennis Green's Arizona Cardinals held a 23-3 lead over the Chicago Bears in the 4th qtr. Well...in true Cardinals fashion they squandered the lead and lost to Chicago. Green's post game press conference lasted all of 42 seconds, but he struck gold when he coined the famous line...."The Bears are who we thought they were!!". What's so hilarious about this rant? Green was referring to a week 3 preseason game between the Bears and Cardinals. C'mon Dennis Green. You were reaching on that one.....  www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_N1OjGhIFc

3. T.O: One of my favorite meltowns was Terrell Owen's infamous defense of Tony Romo after being knocked out of the playoffs in 2008. Who could forget his tearful plea: "It's not fair" and "That's my quarterback". Why did this clip make the list? Because less than a year later Owens accused that same quarterback of colluding against certain receivers to get his friend and tight end Jason Witten more catches. It ultimately cost Owens his job in Dallas. In case you forgot...... www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwEihRd7fKA

2. Mike Gundy: I'm a man...I'm 40!!!! This meltdown will go down as one of the best in college football history. Apparently, a news reporter wrote a less than flattering story on one of Oklahoma State's quarterbacks. The article even went as far as to accuse the quarterback's mother of "feeding him lunch". Not buying him lunch...but FEEDING a college student lunch. I agree with Gundy, that part was over the line....but his meltdown made him look unprofessional instead. Keep in mind while you're watching this....the reporter who wrote the article has a front row seat to Gundy's rant. And he never addressed her specifically. Hilarious......  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZU5AnxwIAg

1. Don't wanna be like Mike: My favorite meltdown of all time rarely gets mentioned, but Michael Jordan's hall of fame speech was historically awkward. I remember getting that embarrassed uneasy feeling when I watched it live. You know...that feeling you get when someone on stage isn't funny...and you start feeling bad for them. Michael Jordon took the mic and dropped a gem of a sucker punch to many unsuspecting people in the audience. And he wasn't playing either..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwU04FkI0CE     follow @plcolter

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Can't win with Rudy, can't win without him

If you live long enough you will most likely encounter the feeling summed up in an age old saying: "Can't live with them, can't live without them". This slogan is synonymous with married couples, as the love that binds them and draws them closer is also the same divisive force that drives each other crazy at times. In plain English the slogan should read...."I need you, but the fact that I can't change you frustrates me to no end!!"(silent amen from all who have felt this way). As it is in relationships, the same also applies in sports. And Memphis Grizzlies fans are feeling that way today about our very own Rudy Gay. We can't win with him, but we can't win without him either.

If not for two last second misses by Gay, the Grizzlies would be up 3-0 over the Clippers and looking to sweep them out of the playoffs Monday night. Instead, the Grizzlies face a near must win game to avoid a 3-1 deficit. What's so maddening is the fact that without Rudy Gay playing lights out, the Grizzlies could very well be looking to avoid a sweep on Monday night themselves. Gay has carried the offensive load for Memphis all season and thus far in the playoffs. He just cant seem to bury that career defining buzzer beater. Or at the very least, a game winning one.

In all fairness, Gay shouldn't bear the brunt of the blame. I mean...it's only his third career playoff game right? WRONG! Fair or unfair, Rudy Gay is the star of this team and should be held to a higher standard. And it's not like we haven't seen this before from Rudy this season....

In back to back games Rudy Gay missed the game winning shot, but was bailed out by teammates. Dante Cunningham tipped in a Rudy Gay miss to edge Denver 103-102 on February 17. The very next night, Tony Allen tipped in a Rudy Gay game winning miss for a 104-103 victory against Golden State. Rudy Gay was the leading scorer in both games....anyone noticing a trend here?

Yes, Memphis fans know that we need Rudy to be Rudy to have a chance to win this series. We just pray that Rudy is not Rudy when we're down one and he has the last shot. So far we can't win with him, and can't win without him. Follow @plcolter