NBA: Remember Steph Curry?

You know how the NBA markets their star players by filming them walking into the arena with headphones on before nationally televised games?

Well...if you're Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors then you've probably been listening to Janet Jackson's "What have you done for me lately" while strolling to the locker room this season.

Seriously...if you've been paying attention to the NBA this year then you've noticed that no one notices him anymore.

This time last year Chef Curry was the toast of the league. He was the reigning league MVP, reigning NBA champion, and reigning media darling in all of sports.

And in some circles he was considered the best player in the world. Yes...even better than King James himself.

Curry was on his way to the best regular season record in NBA history, the scoring title, and a second straight MVP award...the first unanimous MVP in league history.

He was everywhere...he was The Face of the NBA.

Fast forward to today and Curry is treated as just another good player on a great team.

How did this happen?

Blowing a 3-1 lead in last year's NBA Finals started his slide to anonymity, especially when you consider the fact that he was routinely targeted and torched on defense by Cleveland's Kyrie Irving during those all-important series clinching games.

And it all went downhill from there.

Curry's Under Armor shoe line was unveiled around that time, and was met with resounding criticism.

A month later Kevin Durant joined the Warriors in a move that dominated the headlines all offseason.

When the 2016-17 season started there was no talk of an MVP Three-Peat for Curry. In fact, that storyline couldn't even get coverage on the back pages of Oakland's local newspaper.

Instead, the NBA front page news has been reserved for LeBron James and his frustration with his critics and this year's roster, and the drama in New York with Phil Jackson, Carmelo Anthony, owner James Dolan, and former Knicks legend Charles Oakley.

In between those ever-evolving scenarios we have the ongoing feud between Durant and his former teammate Russell Westbrook.

And speaking of Russ, this year's MVP race has come down to him and fellow triple-double machine James Hardin of the Houston Rockets. No mention of Curry for the coveted award...

Not even a sniff.

It's gotten so bad that Curry rocked a red headband in last night's All Star game...knowing that it would ignite Twitter tolls worldwide. And for the record, the trolls didn't disappoint.

Even his little brother Seth, who has been relegated to less than second fiddle, chimed in with a troll of his own last night.

I guess if you're Steph, even if they are talking negatively...at least people are talking about you again.

Think about it, when it comes to newsworthy personalities on the Warriors this season Curry is fourth behind Durant, Draymond Green, and head coach Steve Kerr with his outspoken views on politics and marijuana.

And if Golden State goes on to recapture the title this season the overwhelming storyline will be Durant's first one...not Curry's second.

My how the mighty have fallen.

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The improbable week that saved Michigan's season

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Seven days ago the University of Michigan men's basketball team was reeling and all but eliminated from NCAA Tournament consideration. A devastating home loss to the lowly Ohio State Buckeyes on February 4th dropped the Wolverines to 4-6 in conference play and 10th place in the Big Ten.

Worse yet, the boys in Maize and Blue were staring down the barrel of an upcoming three game stretch against teams that have owned them the last few years.

Last Thursday the Wolverines hosted their arch nemesis, Michigan State, who they hadn't beaten since 2014. Michigan steamrolled the Spartans 86-57, their largest margin of victory in the series since World War II.

And I am not being sarcastic, the last time the Wolverines beat Michigan State by that many points was 1948.

Three days later the University of Michigan traveled to Bloomington Indiana, a place where they lost 17 of their last 18 games. The last time the Wolverines defeated Indiana in their place, Avatar was the number one movie in theaters.

The Wolverines jumped out to an early lead over the Hoosiers last Sunday afternoon and held on for a 75-63 victory, giving them an equally rare season sweep of the series that dated back to the debut of Tupac's classic album..."All Eyes on Me".

Yep...over 20 years ago. Wow...I'm old...

But I digress.

And tonight the Wolverines faced their toughest challenge to date when they hosted Big Ten leader and 11th ranked Wisconsin, who was 21-4 heading into the game.

After falling behind by eight points early in the second half Michigan turned up the defensive pressure to rally for a 64-58 upset of the Badgers, a team that has beaten them consistently over the last several years.

Michigan's surprising turnaround was led by senior point guard Derrick Walton Jr, who had scored at least 20 points in five straight games heading into tonight's contest.

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Struggling for most of the contest, Walton Jr was helped out by his fellow senior teammate in swing man guard Zak Irvin...who broke out of a horrendous month-long shooting slump with 18 huge points.

At 17-9 (7-6), squarely off the bubble now, and riding a three game win streak, the Wolverines must now hold serve with four of their last five games coming on the road...albeit against competition they have had much better success against.

It looks like March Madness came a couple of weeks early for Michigan, thanks to an improbable seven day run.

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Time for Melo to clap back on Phil Jackson

New York Knicks President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson is at it again, taking yet another passive-aggressive shot at his star player Carmelo Anthony.

Today the former 11 time championship coach took to twitter and sent this not-so veiled shot at Anthony, who he is desperately trying to unload before this year's NBA trade deadline later this month.

His tweet...

"Bleacher's Ding almost rings the bell, but I learned you don't change the spot on a leopard with Michael Graham in my CBA daze."

For those who don't know, Michael Graham played for Jackson back in his CBA days, and was known to be a ball-hogging shoot-first player. Jackson ultimately got rid of him.

For those who have been following this Melo-drama, which heated up last October, Jackson has made no secret of the fact that Anthony's isolation style of play doesn't fit the principles of his triangle offense.

I wonder how long after he re-signed Melo to a max deal that included a no-trade clause did he come to this epiphany?

But I digress.

Anthony, to his credit, has taken the high road all season. But when is enough...enough?

I say today.

Melo's close friend LeBron James has decided to fire back at his detractors. He recently took analyst and former player Charles Barkley to task for his non-stop criticism of his game and willingness to compete. And last night he called an article (and the writer of the article) trash for saying that he is pushing to force Kevin Love out of Cleveland for Anthony.

Its' time for Melo to take a page out of LeBron's book.

It's painfully obvious that Jackson is using Anthony as the scape goat for his failures as the Knicks' team president. He overpaid for an over the hill Derrick Rose and JoakimNoah. He shelled out 50 million dollars for Courtney Lee, who has done nothing to deserve such a deal prior to his arrival in New York.

And last but certainly not least, the Knicks are further away from playoff contention under Jackson's watch in the watered-down eastern conference than they were before hiring him.

And that's just the stuff that we know on the surface. I am sure that Carmelo has plenty of behind-the-curtain ammunition as well...and it's time to clap back.

Where has taken the high road gotten Anthony thus far? Jackson is not letting up, and neither is the media who constantly corner Melo for responses to the numerous body blows delivered by the guy upstairs.

With an iron clad no-trade clause in effect, it's Melo that has the upper hand...not the other way around.

Time for him to start acting like it before his self respect goes down the same drain as the Knicks' playoff chances this year.

Clap back Melo...you represent New Yorkers for goodness sakes.

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