Image of the Week

The Minnesota Vikings all-pro defensive tackle Jared Allen, has recently made headlines for his announcement that he has cut his mullet. For most people a haircut is not a big deal but Jared Allen's mullet was his trademark. If you remember this is the same guy that told Jim Rome of ESPN, that a mullet is not a hair style, it is a lifestyle. His reasoning for sporting a new look is his upcoming wedding. He was quoted as saying, "The things men do for love." Jared Allen is quite a personality and while his new cut looks nice, it just isn't the same. I'll be happy when he grows his mullet back.

Draft Controversy

As we approach the 2010 NBA Draft, things are beginning to heat up with the recent combine and group workouts. There is a consensus that this draft is very talented and much better than last year’s class. That statement shouldn’t be over looked, considering last year’s class wasn’t as bad as many projected.

John Wall is the head of this class and believed to be a lock for the number one pick that the Washington Wizards possess. While I’m a huge fan of Wall’s, he is not my favorite player in the draft. I have been telling people since last summer to watch out for Evan Turner and if you didn’t know who he was going into this past season, you definitely know who he is now. He is the complete package and to me, he is a better player than John Wall. I would never argue with anyone if they drafted John Wall number one because I recognize that he possesses the unique skills and athleticism needed to be a dominant franchise type player at probably the most important position (point guard) in the NBA right now. With all that being said, Turner may not be as physically appealing as Wall, but his statistics show he has plenty of game.

In his third season at Ohio State, Turner posted averages of 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. He displayed his versatility as he played point guard, shooting guard and both forward positions throughout the season. He is 6’7 and will be able to defend at least three positions at the next level. Evan’s game often draws comparisons to Brandon Roy. He has the ability to create his own shot whenever he’d like but most importantly, he creates shots and opportunities for his teammates.

At the recent draft combine, his wingspan only came out 6’8”, which is surprisingly small for someone of his height but looking at his average of nine 9 rebounds a game this year, his wingspan should not be a problem at the next level. In fact, Turner snagged at least 11 rebounds, 12 times this season, so rebounding should not be an issue no matter what position he is plays.

Although he is not known for his outside shooting, he has the range to shoot from anywhere on the court; literally anywhere, just ask Michigan, who Turner sent home with a last second shot from just across half court. Durability is not an issue, even though he did suffer a broken back mid way through the season that kept him sidelined for six games. If anything that should prove his toughness, commitment and value. With a broken back you expect someone to miss more than two and a half weeks of basketball. He also could have easily taken more time off to rest his body to make sure he was not risking anything that would scare NBA scouts, but instead he showed how much of a leader he is and how committed he was to his college team. Ohio State finished with eight losses this season and three of those eight came while Turner was injured. That is a testament to his value and what he brings to the table.

A trending topic during the scouting process is the evaluation of a prospects character. Evan Turner is a high character guy with zero off the court issues. Recently he was interviewed at the draft combine and his competitive nature came out as he respectfully gave his case for why he should be just as likely to be the number one pick as John Wall. There really isn’t much not to like about Evan Turner. He possesses the desire to win and be successful. Many would argue he is a valuable player but not a franchise player. I personally believe he is a franchise player but if he is not, he should be able to fill the Scottie Pippen role on a team.

Only time will tell here Turner lands, but ho ever selects him in the upcoming draft, will be investing in a gem.

Tampa Draft Recap

Before I get too involved in the upcoming NBA draft, I would like to take a step back a moment to this year’s NFL draft. If you know me, you know I covered the draft pretty thoroughly and gathered as much information as a person could without any real inside connections. I did the mock drafts, I watched NFL Network, I watched ESPN, I followed Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, I read the blogs, I did everything I could to further my knowledge about the prospects and the draft process.

With all that being said, on draft day, like most people, my mock draft was far from accurate. To be truthful mock drafts are fun but they are a complete waste of time. It would be one thing if each team was locked into whatever draft picks they have but with the ability to make trades it is virtually impossible to be accurate when creating your mock drafts. For this reason...I would love to have Mel Kiper’s job in the future. Who wouldn’t want to have a job where you do a lot of research, influence others to believe you know exactly what you are talking about, competitively argue with other people of the same profession about why you are right and then at the end of the day you are far from being right but yet you are an expert. The only other job I can think of off the top of my head where you can do similar things, be wrong and still be an expert is a weatherman (no offense). Anyway for now, does anyone know how I could become Kiper’s intern?

Sorry, back to the football. If you read my mock drafts you know I was praying to the football gods that they would bless my Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Ndamukong Suh. Sadly, my prayers were not answered but I suppose Gerald McCoy isn’t a bad consolation. He fills a huge need and many “experts” thought he was probably a better fit for Tampa’s defense anyway. As much as I’d love to believe the “experts,” I go back to my weatherman example and remember them calling for rain two days ago and I never saw one rain drop all day. But hey, they are the experts…

Going into the draft my Bucs needed to upgrade many positions. The defensive line, cornerback, outside linebacker, and receiver were all positions of need. I know your probably thinking that sounds like a whole roster but hey, we did only win three games last year.

We recognized a need on the defensive line, which is why McCoy was the pick. Unfortunately, we ranked dead last in the NFL in rush defense, giving up 158 rushing yards per game. One defensive tackle wouldn’t be the solution to this enormous problem. So in round 2, we drafted another defensive tackle, Brian Price, out of UCLA. Not that I’m an expert but prior to the draft I thought Brian Price was worthy of a 1st round pick and in my early mocks had him going as high has the New York Giants. This is a great situation for him because he has one job, stuff the run. All the hype and pressure is on Gerald McCoy, so hopefully Price will play to his max potential and we could soon be watching the rebirth of the Warren Sapp and Booger McFarland tandem (I apologize to Warren Sapp, I hate when people compare rookie prospects to him, but I couldn’t help it).

Thanks to the Bears for trading us their second round pick for the late Gaines Adams, we were able to draft wide receiver Arrelious Benn out Illinois. Benn is a very talented athlete that physically reminded many people of Terrell Owens. He has good speed for a receiver his size and has a knack for racking up yards after the catch. With the loss of Antonio Bryant, Benn will step in and start day one.

In the third round we selected cornerback Myron Lewis out of Vanderbilt. Lewis is not a household name, but he is quite a player. He is very instinctive and at 6’2, he covers a lot of ground. I don’t see him as a starter this year, but in the nickel and dime packages he is a major upgrade. Ronde Barber will be able to mentor him for one or two more years before he calls it quits. I think Myron will excel in the Tampa 2 defensive scheme.

I usually don’t get excited about 4th round picks unless it is someone that is blazing fast but this year wide receiver Mike Williams out of Syracuse has me intrigued. He is known as a special talent but was plagued with off the field issues, consequently quitting the team this past season. Williams doesn’t have blazing speed, but he has a lot of talent and is a high ceiling pick. As much as he could be a playmaker in the NFL, he could just as easy be out of the league soon because of off the field issues. I hope his experiences at Syracuse have forced him to mature because if he pans out, we could have a very nice tandem with Williams and Benn. Quarterback Josh Freeman should have been all smiles at the end of this draft. Hopefully his two new targets will make life easier for him.

Overall, I think the Bucs had a very good draft. We addressed major needs and added young talent to our core. I don’t expect a winning season next year but we have definitely taken a step in the right direct. The defense should be improved and the offense has a few more playmakers. As our young core continues to develop the future looks bright in Tampa. Raheem’s Regime lives on.

2010 NBA Mock Draft 1.0

2010 NBA Mock Draft 1.0

1. Washington Wizards – John Wall PG Kentucky
2. Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner SG Ohio State
3. New Jersey Nets – Derrick Favors PF Georgia Tech
4. Minnesota Timberwolves – Al Farouq-Aminu SF/PF Wake Forest
5. Sacramento Kings – DeMarcus Cousins C Kentucky
6. Golden State Warriors – Greg Monroe C/PF Georgetown
7. Detroit Pistons – Cole Aldrich C Kansas
8. LA Clippers – Wesley Johnson SF/PF Syracuse
9. Utah Jazz – Patrick Patterson PF Kentucky
10. Indiana Pacers – Ekpe Udoh PF Baylor
11. New Orleans Hornets – Daniel Orton C Kentucky
12. Memphis Grizzlies – Ed Davis PF UNC
13. Toronto Raptors – Hassan Whiteside C Marshall
14. Houston Rockets – Donatas Motiejunas C/PF Lithuania
15. Milwaukee Bucks – Xavier Henry SG Kansas
16. Minnesota Timberwolves – James Anderson SG Oklahoma St
17. Chicago Bulls – Gordon Hayward SF Butler
18. Miami Heat – Paul George SF Fresno St
19. Boston Celtics – Avery Bradley PG Texas
20. San Antonio Spurs – Luke Babbitt SF Nevada
21. Oklahoma City Thunder – Solomon Alabi C Florida St
22. Portland Trailblazers – Larry Sanders PF VCU
23. Minnesota Timberwolves – Jerome Jordan C Tulsa
24. Atlanta Hawks – Damion James SF Texas
25. Memphis Grizzlies – Eric Beldsoe PG Kentucky
26. Oklahoma City Thunder – Stanley Robinson SF/PF UConn
27. New Jersey Nets – Willie Warren PG/SG Oklahoma
28. Memphis Grizzlies – Dominique Jones PG/SG South Florida
29. Orlando Magic – Terrico White PG/SG Mississippi
30 Washington Wizards Devin Ebanks West Virginia

King James Dethroned

This past week the NBA world had a rude awakening when the Boston Celtics dismantled the Cleveland Cavaliers, in six games. Although the Celtics shouldn’t have been doubted, the series outcome became a shock to many and could almost be considered an upset. After all, the Cavs held the NBA’s best regular season record at (61-21) and held home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The story was written before the season had even started that this was the Cavs year. Lebron James was coming off a grueling summer that started with a bitter taste, after the Orlando Magic sent the Cavs home early last year, but ended with the fulfilling feeling of winning a gold medal in the Olympics. It appeared that his game had been taken to another level and he was ready to lead the Cavs to a championship. As we all know and have learned, the NBA championship is not won by a one man show, which is why Cleveland Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry did the best he could to surround Lebron with a feasible supporting cast. They brought in a sharp shooting starting shooting guard Anthony Parker, they brought in an athletic wingman, who can defend and shoot from long range, in Jamario Moon, they signed a one legged Leon Powe, and the biggest (literally the biggest) free agent acquisition the Cavs made, was signing what I like to call a poor mans version of what used to be called “The Diesel” aka Shaquille O’Neil. These additions don’t sound like much, but to a team that appeared to be one player away last May, these additions filled many holes.

Even after dominating the majority of the season, there was just a vibe surrounding this Cavs team, that even with the off season additions, it was not going to be enough. So, Danny Ferry did what any good GM would do, he made trades to make his team better and kept his superstar happy. Out went fan favorite Zydrunas Ilgauskas and in came Antawn Jamison. Jamison was having a great year in Washington before being traded to the Cavs and it was thought that he would fit right in. He was supposed to cancel out Rashard Lewis, if the Cavs met the Magic again. He was supposed to be the x- factor. He can shoot from anywhere on the court, he has size, he rebounds and he can defend the pick and role. He was the last piece to the first championship team Cleveland would have since 1964.

Everything went as planned until the playoffs (the games that actually matter) started. In the first series, Cleveland dominated the Chicago Bulls, but showed signs that they were a little rusty. During this series, Lebron James made it public that he had a nagging elbow injury (the most famous elbow the world has ever seen…Yes, more famous than “The People’s Elbow”) that would plague him throughout the playoffs. Even with the elbow injury, Lebron appeared to be iron man as he averaged 31 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists per game, while shooting 56% from the field and 54% from 3 point range in the series. The Cavs talent was just too overwhelming for the Bulls and the series ended in five games.

Boston was Cleveland next and unfortunately final opponent. The team that was built for greatness and had seemingly gotten over the hump was no match for the Celtics tenacious team defense and the extraordinary play of Rajon Rondo. Even King James looked confused at times and showed signs that he had lost confidence in his team. Outside of game 3, when the Cavs looked to their leader in desperate times, he showed us something we had never really seen from him before…He disappeared. Typically, it is Lebron that leaves it all on the court and his teammates let him down but this time was different. I consider myself a big Lebron James fan but in this series he left me asking, “What happened?” Was he tired? Was his elbow that bad? Did the Celtics frustrate him that much? I was left with a weird feeling and pondering questions that will never be answered. This feeling has left myself and many others assuming that the Celtics series will be the last we see of Lebron James in a Cavaliers uniform. I wonder if after game 3, he realized that if he did not score 38 points in every game, his team would struggle and that this team was not as good as many of us had believed.

Regardless of what he may have been thinking, it shouldn’t have been anything new. We all knew he would have to carry that team but from my view of the six games, it appeared that he didn’t want to this time. The Cavaliers inability to win the big games may cost them their homegrown superstar this off season, as Lebron may be in pursuit of a greater opportunity. He should do what is best for him and his family but if obtaining an NBA championship is his ultimate goal then I’m afraid he should leave the city he loves.

Whatever he chooses, I hope he comes back next year with a mean streak because his scoring title was taken from him and his dream of winning the NBA championship. The king has been temporarily dethroned until next season.

Interesting Quote

Sports Illustrated published an interesting quote by Lions coach Jim Schwartz, take a look:

"Some people watch adult videos on their computer. I go to Youtube and watch Jahvid Best highlight clips. That's what gets me aroused."

Image of the Week

I officially have a new found respect for Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, after he took an elbow from Tim Duncan, received six stitches and then returned to the game, to lead his team to victory.

Mayweather vs Mosley

This past weekend we were all able to witness the “fight of the decade,” aka the consolation to not seeing Mayweather vs Pacquiao. The fight featured two prominent boxers,” Sugar” Shane Mosley and arguably the best boxer of all-time Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The fight generated a lot of hype but I never really bought into it. I’m a firm believer that there is only one boxer on the planet that has a chance to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr, and that is Manny Pacquiao. Note I said chance, if they ever do fight, I have my money on Mayweather, but at least Pacquiao has a chance.

Shane Mosley is an accomplished fighter and I respect what he has done throughout his career (46-6), but to be honest he is old. Anyone that honestly thought Mayweather was going to suffer his first loss to a 38 year old boxer is a fool in my opinion. I know Mosley won his last two fights against Antonio Margarito and Ricardo Mayorga by KO and TKO and showed that he can still compete at a high level but neither of those fighters are anywhere close to the caliber of fighter as Mayweather. I’m not even sure that Shane Mosley would have had a chance when he was in his prime, but regardless there isn’t really anyone else out to fight, so Mosley got his shot.

If you didn’t see the fight, you didn’t miss much. For the most part it was a typical Mayweather fight. Mayweather controlled the fight, dissected his opponent, and out classed his opponent, reassuring the viewers that he is the best boxer on the planet. Mosley showed signs of life in the initial first two rounds, as he pressed Mayweather and hit him with a few powerful blows. During these first two rounds, anyone that ordered the fight just knew they were going to get their money’s worth…Wrong… In the third round Mayweather woke up and did what he does best. As the fight went on, Mosley looked more and more fatigued and could not handle Mayweather’s speed or counter defense.

The bottom line is that boxing should not have any more pay-per-view fights until they give us what we really want, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. If they aren’t going to give us the fight we want, I just ask they don’t tease us with these mediocre consolation fights, just so we spend our money.

Mo Will

In case you missed it, Cleveland Cavaliers guard, Mo Williams, surprised everyone, maybe even himself, with his fast break dunk on Paul Pierce Saturday. Take a look at the dunk and head coach Mike Brown's reaction.

By the way...This was Mo Williams first dunk attempt as a Cav. Not bad for a first dunk.