The Wells Report

She Taught Me To Love Again.

2010-02-13T17:25:00.004-05:00

I wrote this article while I was in college. I didn't use her name because she didn't like the attention. I still talk to her from time to time. I'll forever owe her a debt, for, She taught me to love again.

As an aspiring sports journalist I make it my business to involve sports in my life, in some way, everyday. Perhaps I over-saturate.

This being the case, I sometimes take my love of sports for granted. I will slack off on reading box scores of basketball games or I will fall away from watching SportsCenter highlights periodically in the name of alternate recreation.
This trend was forever destroyed when I met a member of the University of Minnesota Women’s Volleyball team in a class last semester. Her quiet personality and thoughtful insight did not scream “student athlete” but she would eventually prove that both parts of the word described her well: especially the athlete part.

The most exciting sporting event I have witnessed in person occurred at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) representative Georgia Tech traveled to the “U” to compete in an NCAA Tourney Sweet Sixteen match to determine who would advance to an Elite Eight match up with the Ohio State University.
In sports there is a quote that says “the best players shine on the biggest stages.” The stage was certainly set on this night. Every point was hard-fought and every pass, spike and dig was coaxed with “ohhs” and “ahhs” from the crowd. A game with so much at stake could only be won in grand fashion. Someone would have to shine on that night and provide a performance worthy of the occasion. Filling the role of a true “go to” offensive player she tallied a career high kill total and led her team to victory. I will always remember that performance as that of a true athlete rising to a challenge and succeeding. She trusted in her preparation and produced when her team needed her.

I learned valuable lessons from her that night. For the length of the semester, I witnessed her dedication to school and athletics. I noticed her passion for her sport, her willingness to dive, scratch, or fight for the next point. That passion completely redefined to me what it means to have heart, what it means to give your all. It means that no matter how sore your knees, ankles, or shoulders are due because of a grueling preseason, regular season, and NCAA tournament games, as soon as the lights come on and sneakers hit the floor winning is all that matters.

In every person, a great degree of affection lies inside for a myriad of different things. While we do not all have the same interests, we as people should all know what it is to love. We should all know what it is to enjoy an activity so much that it consumes you. For some people it is a hobby, for others it is a sport.

My passion is sports and I’m glad that she showed me how to love again.

Week in Review

2009-08-14T17:16:00.001-04:00

1. Yankees complete sweep of the Red Sox.

The Yankees/ Red Sox rivalry is the most interesting in baseball. The combination of two well run, well funded, historically relevant teams makes for drama each and every time they take the diamond. This meeting was no different. Boston punked New York early in the season and this time the Bronx Bombers returned the favor.

The Yankees won big (the shellacking of John Smoltz) and won small (the extra innings thriller capped by an “A-Bomb from A-Rod”). While I’m sure this sweep of the hated Sox felt good at the moment, the postseason will tell which of these teams is truly superior.

2. Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomes new members.

Randall McDaniel, Rod Woodson, Derrick Thomas, Bruce Smith, Ralph Wilson Jr., and Bob Hayes comprised the newest round of Football Hall of Famers. Since this class was heavy on defense I’ll focus there.

Rod Woodson was the perfect combination of football player and athlete. It’s rare to have a man combine a “get your nose dirty” mentality with the ability to produce a highlight worthy play at any time. He was finesse and he was powerful all at the same time.

If not for Reggie White, I believe that Bruce Smith would be considered the greatest defensive end of all time. His combination of size, quickness, and strength made him the NFL’s all time leader in sacks. Buffalo’s early 90’s defense was littered with All Pro’s but they all benefited from playing alongside Bruce Smith.

I lived in Kansas while Derrick Thomas roamed Arrowhead Stadium and witnessed his dominance firsthand. He was truly larger than life. Thomas was the football progeny of linebacker/ sack artists like Lawrence Taylor and a precursor to current stars like Shawn Merriman and Demarcus Ware. Thomas still owns the record for sacks in a single game. If you wanted to design the prototype for a pass rushing line backer, your end product would be Derrick Thomas. He was that good.

3. Twins sign Carl Pavano.

I wondered aloud why the Minnesota Twins didn’t make a move at the trade deadline for a frontline starter. Francisco Liriano has yet to regain the form that made him a dominant starter and if this team wants to compete down the stretch they need a stud at the top of the rotation. Good pickup by the Twins front office.

4. Michael Vick signs with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He's baaaaaaack. As it became apparent that Michael Vick would indeed return to the National Football League I started to think of situations that would benefit him as a player. I figured that a strong organization with a starting QB in place and an environment for Vick to hone his craft under the tutelage of quality football instruction would fit best. I thought Pittsburgh, San Diego, New England and Philadelphia.

Kudos to Andy Reid and the Eagles for taking a chance on what still remains the most electric quarterback in football. If Vick can salvage his career, Philadelphia is a great place to start.

5. Rick Pitino gets his freak on.

The lurid details of Rick Pitino’s affair with a Louisville woman that occurred six years ago were forced upon us this week. I am not a proponent of infidelity and take every opportunity to say so. Morality and personal responsibility have their place.

To me the bigger issue here is that Pitino is in charge of the well being of young men. Every year young men look to him for leadership and guidance. This goes beyond basketball. How does one hold others accountable when they fail to police themselves? One of the burdens of leadership is holding one’s self to a standard of living that is beyond reproach. Yes, mistakes are made. Forgiveness must be sought. Most importantly, Rick Pitino should look every one of his players in the eye and apologize because he let them down.

6. Tiger dominates.

Tiger Woods enters the last Major Tournament of the year playing at a level few can match and none can surpass. Woods won the previous two tournaments that he entered and is showing the focus, ability and tenaciousness that makes him the premier player in the world. He is the best player in golf and if he continues on this type of hot streak then the question changes all together. It goes from “can he win” to “how much will he win by.”

7. Brady impresses in preseason.

All of the lingering questions about Tom Brady’s ability to bounce back from a devastating knee injury were answered in New England’s first preseason game. All of the whispers about New England’s return to offensive juggernaut status ceased. Aside from the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning, no team depends on a player the way that the Patriots depend of Brady. With him they are Super Bowl contenders. Without him they are like a sports car in need of a tune up; it looks nice but it just doesn’t quite run the same. If Brady stays healthy this team will challenge Pittsburgh for AFC supremacy and a spot in the Super Bowl. Yeah, he’s that good.

8. Roddy White signs extension.

Atlanta Falcons WR Roddy White reports to camp with the extension and pay raise that he coveted. Great move by the Falcons on rewarding White for his improvement and acknowledging his value to the offense. I believe this move also shows the rest of the Falcons roster that hard work and production will be rewarded. White played like one of the premier wide outs in the league last year and now he’s getting paid like one too.

Week in Review

2009-08-14T17:15:00.002-04:00

1. McCutchen goes crazy.

Andrew McCutchen busted out this week in a huge way by going 4-5, with 6 RBI. Such success at the plate would bode well for the Pirates center fielder but hitting 3 home runs makes his performance historical.

This young man is apart of baseball's future hope. His aggressive approach at the plate and on the bases and the combination of skill and promise are rare. If we look through the rose colored glasses, perhaps we see the next Eric Davis, Darryl Strawberry or a young Barry Bonds. At the least we have the very first Andrew McCutchen. That, my friends, is nothing to sneeze at. For all of the Pirates perceived dysfunction, the play of McCutchen certainly gives fans a reason to come to PNC Park.

2. Burress indicted on weapons charges.

The powers that be in New York seem intent on making an example out of Plaxico. Carrying a weapon is nothing to sneeze at especially if said weapon isn't registered properly. Having it in a crowded night club isn't a good look either. It's looking like Plaxico is going to have a rough go of it as far as these charges are concerned. Burress is 32 and doesn't need anything to take away from the precious few years of his football prime.

3. Rashard Lewis tests positive.

Drugs and sports seem continue to mingle at an alarming rate. Regardless of sport it seems as though performance enhancing drugs are engrained into the fabric of the sports that we hold dear. Rashard Lewis’ positive test for a banned substance is both surprising and expected at the same time. Basketball doesn’t seem like the type of sport that would lend itself to drug use in the same way that baseball, football, track or even cycling would. Still we have an athlete taking something that he shouldn’t for the sake of gaining an edge. Again, when drug culture is addressed properly then maybe a suitable solution to the problem will appear. Until then hope your favorite athlete isn’t the next to be “exposed.”

4. San Francisco draft pick still holding out.

First and foremost holding out IS NOT a big deal. Let’s not pretend that holding out is some type of scarlet letter which brands said athlete a failure in the NFL. It doesn’t. I find it amusing that analysts and talking heads feel the need to attack Michael Crabtree for holding out to get what he feels he deserves. Future Hall of Famer Woodson missed half of his first season and he turned out ok. I’m not saying that Crabtree is anywhere near what Woodson turned out to be. I am saying that the young man may turn out to be a player despite the time he is missing.

Now to this “advisor.” Michael Crabtree’s cousin made some statements that can be called posturing at best. Nothing more nothing less. The attention that his comments have garnered is already too much. It’s only a big deal because people continue to report on it. Enough already.

As for the contract situation I do feel that Crabtree was the best available receiver in the draft. I do think that he’ll have a better career as a 49er than Heyward-Bey will as a Raider. I also think that San Francisco should pony up the dollars here. I understand the draft slotting system and that first round draft picks are essentially paid on a sliding scale. Here’s why Crabtree should get the money he’s asking for. In drafting a Wide Receiver as high in the draft as they did, San Francisco showed their approach. They want a game changer, an impact player, a legit # 1 receiver. They felt that guy was Michael Crabtree. His career at Texas Tech showed that he has a flair for the dramatic. He can make the electric play. If you want quality, you have to pay for it.

5. Eli gets paid.

Eli Manning is balling in a recession. I don’t believe he’s the best QB in his family and as such I don’t believe he should be the highest paid pass thrower in the NFL. That being said the New York Giants have secured their franchise player, playing in the prime of his career. I’m not mad at Eli for getting paid but I question the Giants wisdom in paying Manning like the best quarterback in the league when he’s not even in the discussion.

6. Smoltz gets rocked.

John Smoltz was assigned to the minors after being rocked by the New York Yankees in the second game of a pivotal four game series. Playing in Boston, in the thick of a pennant race takes the best that one can muster. Sadly I believe that Smoltz best days, and pitches, are behind him. If this were ten years ago I have no doubt that John Smoltz would shut the Yankees down. Alas, it’s not 1999. It’s 2009 and this version of future Hall of Famer isn’t up to par.

7. White still not in camp; Douglas out for the season.

Roddy White is playing hardball with the Atlanta Falcons in hopes of securing a deal that would pay him like one of the elite receivers in the NFL. The fact of the matter is White broke out in a big way last year and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Whether or not White is top five is up for discussion. Is White a better receiver than Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson or Andre Johnson? I would not take him over any of them. Is he better than Brandon Marshall, Reggie Wayne, Chad (Johnson) Ochocinco, Marques Colston, or Anquan Bolden? I think he fits squarely into this conversation.

Regardless of your opinion of his talent and how he stacks up against the best at his position, he does have value to the Atlanta Falcons. It’s up to them to determine that value and see if it matches up with what White believes he is worth.

Meanwhile, at camp, second year receiver Harry Douglas tore an ACL and is out for the season. Douglas was a pleasant surprise last year and provided a nice target on check downs for fellow rookie QB Matt Ryan. Injuries are an unpleasant part of the game but you never like to see a player get hurt.

Week in review.

2009-07-31T19:12:00.003-04:00

1. Vick released.

Michael Vick is a free man. Commissioner Goodell has conditionally re-instated the former Falcons QB and he's free to sign with any team that is brave enough to sign him. There is clear historical precedent of players being suspended from the NFL and returning to play again. Think Alex Karras and more recently Tank Johnson. What's more important here is that a game changing quarterback is available.

This man is in his prime. I'm going on record as saying he should sign with a very good team (Pittsburgh? New England? San Diego?) and sit out this year. Hone his craft, study the QB position. Vick version 1 was an electric play maker. His speed, mobility and ability to improvise were unprecedented. With the time off let's say Vick has slowed to a 4.5 forty. I'm pretty sure that still makes him the fastest QB in the league, easily. Combine the necessary QB progression with the God given ability that is surely still there and you have a most formidable weapon at the most important position on the field. Who wouldn't want that?

There are three other reasons that I think Vick should sit this year out. Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher. Holmgren and Shanahan in particular have had incredible success molding quarterbacks into stars. Cowher would build the type of defense that could compliment Vick as an offensive juggernaut. How surreal would it be for one of those head coaches to assume the reigns of a team with Michael Vick as starting QB? I'm just saying.

2. Trade Deadline Passes.

Big names joined big teams as power players gear up for the stretch run. I have to admit, I'm not really a baseball fan until after the trade deadline passes. Players are tested in that they have to prove their real value from August to October. Managers are tested in that they have to control incoming players, assign roles, and deal with the pressure of creating a finished product from varied parts.

In the American League the Boston Red Sox (C/1B/DH V. Martinez), Chicago White Sox (P Jake Peavy), Detroit Tigers (P Jarrod Washburn) and Minnesota Twins (SS Orlando Cabrera) all made moves intended to make their rosters as formidable as possible. In my opinion the teams that made moves for starting pitchers did the most to improve themselves. If you can't get quality innings from your top 3 starters this time of year then you're in big trouble.

In the National League the Philadelphia Phillies (P Cliff Lee) and Los Angeles Dodgers (RP George Sherrill) made the most noteworthy moves in what could only be considered the rich getting richer. Both teams have to be the class of the NL are probably made the aforementioned moves with each other in mind. Advantage Phillies. Hamels and Lee form a duo that could be indomitable.

3. Manny and Ortiz tested positive in '03.

Okay, and? Look steroids are a tired story. Alot of guys used. Right now it seems as if the powers that be only care to out the "stars." To me what's truly damaging to the game has to be the prevalence of drug use in the sport itself. From the utility infielders to the relief pitchers everyone was looking for an edge.

Baseball doesn't seem to have lost it's luster. It's still popular and the game remains beautiful to purists. If the holier than thou baseball people hope to clear baseball's tarnished reputation then it'll take more than big names. It will take an honest portrayal of the drug culture that infiltrated America's pastime. Everyone that was at fault will have to be made accountable. Let's see what happens.

4. Favre stays retired.

The courting of Brett Favre by the Minnesota Vikings died this week. I'm not shocked that the Vikings attempted to improve their team. I am however shocked and appalled that they felt the answer was a 39 year old QB and not a complement to Jared Allen at the opposite defensive end position. Or maybe a game changer at linebacker to match the star power in the division. Wait, how about a big play wide receiver to complement the running game?

In short Favre wasn't the answer anyway. I'm glad the fiasco is over.

More sports stories will drop next week and I'll have more first class analysis. Tune in again, same time, same station.

Better than Kobe

2009-06-03T16:17:00.003-04:00

Better than Kobe?

Who?

When you talk about best player in the NBA, there are a few guys in the conversation. But there’s nobody better than Kobe Bryant.

No current player has been through what Kobe has. Walk a mile in his low top Nikes and it will destroy your feet. Who has the talent to play for one of the league’s most storied franchises and relish the spotlight. Who played for a title contender before 21, had the zeal to launch game altering shots, AIR BALL THEM, and come back for more?

Who had the skills and the drive to emerge from the shadow of “His Airness” only to dominate in a similar fashion? Who comes with the ability to improve year in and year out, holding off all comers to his throne. Kobe Bean Bryant has dominated the post Jordan era and this just may be the time for him to seal his legacy.

“Kobe Doin’ Work” wasn’t a documentary. It was a snippet of the man’s life. He does this. Kobe is unlike most players in that the game is all he really cares about.Combine that passion, with his skill set and you have the best thing going today.

Kobe Bryant has won and lost. He’s been the hero and the pariah. The post Shaq years have been lean. Think about it. The Lakers have had the best record in the regular season and lost in the post season. He’s endured playing with teams ill equipped to match up with better constructed, team oriented squads. They’ve lost to teams they shouldn’t have. They’ve failed to live up to the hype.

Each time Kobe shouldered the blame. He’s suffered enough at the hands of the basketball gods to curse them without ceasing. Despite the pitfalls he comes back for more. He continues to grow; he continues to play.

How fitting was it that the road back to the NBA Finals went through Denver. Kobe exorcised some demons ya’ll. One bad decision in Colorado almost took away what no man could. On the court Kobe seemed perfect. Outside the lines he proved to be a flawed human being. By going there and winning he showed the world that he had overcome that situation and that place. He faced it and grew as a man.

What happened on the court symbolizes his continued basketball maturation. Sure the Lakers beat Denver last year but this was a more potent challenge. After being pushed, tripped, and roughed up Kobe emerged victorious. Previous Lakers teams might not have been able to beat a “team” like the Nuggets. They found a way to do. Kobe led them.

I think the Lakers have the better team in the NBA Finals. I think it will be harder for Orlando to defend L.A. than the opposite. The Lakers size and versatility is difficult to prepare for. That being said you can’t coach heart. Eventually you have to man up. Even Mike got over the proverbial hump once Scottie retook his manhood from the Bad Boys.

You can’t coach size. Gasol is maxing out. Don’t expect 35 and 20 form him. That’s not his game. He’s rebounding and scoring in the paint. He’s doing his job. Lamar Odom is playing for his future. What happens to talent unrealized? Mitch Kupchak trades it away, that’s what happens. Andrew Bynum is still tentative due to his knee injury. Maybe he’ll show up and maybe he won’t. Pre injuy he played well against Orlando.

The Shannon Brown/Derek Fisher/Jordan Farmar triumvirate will need to show and prove. Ariza will be huge in this series as a defender and secondary scorer. Then bench will have to give help in stretches. If they turn the ball over and allow Orlando to overwhelm them then there could be more drama than necessary.

That being said, if the best remaining team emulates the best remaining player, they’ll be alright. Learn from your mistakes, show the heart to rebound. Show the drive to outlast the competition. The last two times Kobe Bryant played in the NBA Finals, he lost to better teams. Detroit and Boston did what they could to contain Bryant but the supporting cast couldn’t step up to the challenge. I think the group around Kobe is better equipped to handle the task this time around.

Dwight Howard poses a serious threat to L.A.’s title hopes. I think his having to defend two legitimate post players will make him less daunting defensively. His willingness to help on drives will be much more costly against the Lakers than it was against the Cavaliers.

Odom/Ariza can give Lewis/Turkoglu problems on the perimeter. I don’t see the versatility of the Magic frontline creating nearly as much havoc for the Lakers as it did for previous Orlando opponents.

Then consider this. There isn’t a defender playing for the Magic that can defend Kobe Bryant. The low post threats are in place to keep the defense honest. LeBron didn’t have Gasol, Bynum or a motivated Lamar Odom. Shooters are in place to punish over aggressive help defense. He didn’t have guys like Fisher and Ariza.

The stage is set for Bryant to perform. He’s going to hug that trophy and cry like Mike did, watch. It means that much to him. Just wait and see.

Lakers in 6.

Interview with Atlanta Hawks Beat Writer Sekou Smith

2009-06-02T11:46:00.004-04:00

There are things about a new place that stick with you. Perhaps you despise it because of what you left behind. Maybe you love it for the same reason. The possibilities of resting your head in a fresh location are endless. For me, moving to Atlanta introduced me to the practice of following a sports team through the eyes of a beat writer. Reading his words and sharing in his carefully crafted experiences allowed me to visualize a team in a way I hadn’t before. His knowledge has allowed me to extend the dreams of what I could do and be. I can tell stories, I can give insight and I can make an impact. I know this because I’ve witnessed it firsthand. I know this because I read Sekou Smith.

Enjoy.

Jerold Wells Jr., The Starting Five.net: “What made you want to be a Sports Journalist?”

Sekou Smith., Atlanta Journal – Constitution: “I don’t think it was a Sports Journalism thing at the time that I was choosing a career path. It was more a matter of me being introduced to journalism my second year in college at Jackson State. A professor of mine, Professor Stringfellow, he opened the door for me. He asked me if I wanted to learn more about the business. He invited me to come down to the local paper and see how it worked. He paired me with a man named Dewey English who was the managing editor at the paper. We talked about how the newspaper fit into the larger society and really the world. He wasn’t a sports guy; it wasn’t about sports to him. He was just explaining to me how the paper fit in with the city and its people and how the paper had influenced them historically. That’s where my interest in journalism came from. The sports aspect was already in me and in my mind. Growing up my father read papers like you couldn’t believe. I grew up in between Chicago and Detroit so we’d have six or seven papers in the house on a Sunday morning. All the Chicago papers, all the Detroit papers, the local papers, whatever. I was exposed to newspapers at an early age. We always had them around so I was always conscience of what was in them. Sports was an interest of mine that married in with the journalism much later in my life."

JW: “What makes a good sports writer?”

SS: “First and foremost you have to be inquisitive. I think it’s the same thing that makes a person good at anything. You have to be a person that wants to know why this thing ticks the way it does. I’ve come across all kinds of people in this business who were really good writers. There are a lot of good writers out there. That’s totally different than being a good reporter. I didn’t understand that when I was younger. They aren’t the same thing. Some guys are good writers and some are good reporters. So I would ask people, ‘how do you know?’ Or, ‘how can you distinguish?’ After years of being in the business you realize that some people are good at making contacts and cultivating relationships. They can find things out and dig up dirt. Others are fantastic wordsmiths. They can take next to nothing and write it up to amaze you. It’s a totally different craft and a totally different aptitude. The best are those that can combine those two disciplines and make them work together."

JW: “Who has influenced you professionally?”

SS: “You know it’s tripped out, when I first broke into the business my goal was to be a college beat writer. I thought the college beat was where it was at. When I was in college I used to follow Michigan football from almost a 1,000 miles away. I’m a big Michigan fan and everybody that knows me knows that. This was when the internet was still young so not all newspapers had good websites. I used to be locked in reading about Michigan football on the Detroit Free Press website. I also started studying newspapers and columnists about that time. Now by studying I don’t mean studying in school because I was an English major. I mean studying newspapers, sports writing and sports writers to really hone my craft. I read a lot of Sports Illustrated at that time as well. I didn’t read bylines though. The only byline I read consistently was a woman name Paula Bovin, she covered Arizona State for the Arizona Republic. Now she’s a columnist out there. I’ve actually seen her, met her, talked to her, sat next to her in press row before but I never told her this. She was the person I modeled my career after. I would read her stuff about Arizona State and I had no interest in them at all. I think I came across one of her stories on a message board and I started following her after that. I wanted to get a feel about how you should follow a college beat. Not just the basketball team and football team but the entire athletic department. I wanted to know how to come up with stories in the spring and summer that were relevant to the reader, and that made sense in regards to the bigger picture of beat you were covering. To me she was the ideal model of what a college beat writer should be and I followed her work until she stopped covering Arizona State and started with her column. I still read here today. I think she had a good handle on how to comprehensively cover the beat. In every sport, from every possible angle, she always had that program covered."

JW: “What brought you to Atlanta to cover the Hawks for the AJC?”

SS: “It’s funny, I had a few people here that I knew already. Steve Wyche is a good friend. He came from the Washington Post to cover Georgia. Mike Lee, who used to cover the Hawks, is a good friend of mine. When he left to cover Washington he gave me a call and said, ‘I’m leaving, the Hawks will be looking for a beat writer.’ I told him, nah, I’m good. I loved my job. I was working for the Indianapolis Star covering the NBA and I loved it. I didn’t have a ton of interest in moving. Not only did Steve and Mike mention it to me but Mike Nobla, my first boss after I graduated from Jackson, was here. He was a college editor at the time. I don’t know why my name kept coming up to these people here but I talked to them all and at one time or another told them I wasn’t really interested in moving. So on opening night of the ’04 – ’05 season I was driving to the arena in Cleveland before the Pacers – Cavaliers game and Mike called me. He said he wanted me to talk with the sports editor down here because they were looking for someone to cover the Hawks. The conversation with the editor escalated into some further opportunities and I came down for an interview a few days after the Pacers – Pistons brawl at the Palace. Yeah, I was there. I went home for a day and then flew down here, interviewed and the rest is history. The strange thing about coming here was that in Indianapolis the Pacers were such a big deal that we didn’t have to fight to get them coverage or for the resources needed to properly cover a team. Coming here I knew it would be a little different. The Hawks were relegated to the back of the sports page and weren’t really a priority. For me it became a challenge. I figured I would find a way to make the Hawks a big deal. I kind of juiced myself up to make them relevant. I knew they were bad but I figured I needed a challenge to get myself going. I wanted to prove people wrong about Hawks basketball. Plus city wise you can’t go wrong with the city of Atlanta. My wife is from a place about four hours from here so for her it was an easy sell. It was a good move family wise. The decision really came down to covering an established team with a huge fan base and national attention or coming here and figuring out how to make this something people want to pay attention to. It’s been a challenge but it’s been rewarding as well in terms of creating something out of nothing.”

JW: “How hard is it to cover a bad team?”

SS: “You know it’s funny I’ve found that covering a good team is tougher. I say that because when someone is good it’s harder to find openings. Guys are guarded and nervous about keeping things on an even keel. They don’t want to rock the boat at all. It’s difficult to find any openings. Loose lips are not common on a really good team. Now when you’re bad, guys are unmasked. Guys will say anything. You’re inhibitions are gone. When you’re horrible you don’t think anything else can really go wrong. When a team is 13 -69 what is there to really worry about? What else can go wrong? On a winning team there’s a different dynamic in terms of the guys being nervous and guarded because they don’t want to mess things up. That helped a lot when I came here. I came in and got with this team when they were at their lowest. My coverage of this team has evolved as they’ve gotten better. I’ve chronicled them from the 13-69 days up until now with the back to back playoff appearances.”

JW: “Talk about the evolution of the Hawks. They are a legitimate franchise now. How did they go from the laughing stock of the league to a team that can compete with any team on the league on any given night?”

SS: “It’s funny, I’ve taken so many lumps from other writers and people in the business about this team it’s crazy. People would approach me on the road and tell me straight up, ‘your team is horrible.’ It’s not like I picked the team or coached them but I knew what they meant. They were that bad. I don’t think people understand what it’s like to be the worst team in the league unless you’ve covered it. Think about the guys who covered the Nuggets before Carmelo or the Cavaliers before LeBron. They understand where I was at. When you win between 14 and 17 games in a season that’s as bad as it gets in this era; add to that not everybody gets that magical get out of jail free card. Every team won’t get Carmelo or LeBron. Now the Hawks could have drafted some pretty good players. Maybe the Hawks wasted their get out of jail free card by not drafting Chris Paul or some of the other players they missed on. I think they’ve taken the longest hardest road possible. The Hawks have gone against the grain in nearly everything they’ve done. Fighting the power in the draft, taking guys everybody said they shouldn’t. Then the ownership situation in the midst of signing Joe Johnson to a free agent contract happened. It’s been a professional boom though. I say that because even when the team wasn’t very good they got attention due to the drama and soap opera. You have an appreciation for better times now when you think of the horrible times. If you want to know something that’s hard to do in this business try writing a ‘this team is bad and got the snot beat out of them’ 69 times in a season. Your creative juices start flowing when you have to recreate the ‘this team is awful’ story that many times. Plus, you don’t want your writing to read stale and lose the interest of your readership. I learned a lot about myself during that time though. I couldn’t let how bad they were influence the quality of my work. After the year I go back and read my work and try to follow it to guard against that. That’s where having a blog is helpful because you go back and look at how critical you were when they were bad as opposed to when they are playing better. My coverage has definitely changed. Whereas before there was really sharp criticism and almost sympathy to a more constructive thing now. I’m analyzing how to piece things together to keep moving forward. The evolution isn’t just for the team. It’s for ownership and the fans too. Going from horrible to respectable is a journey for everyone involved.

JW: “Let’s talk a little the Hawks in terms of draft picks. Look at this team. Josh Smith is still here. Sheldon Williams is gone. Josh Childress is overseas. How close do you think the organization is, or should be, to parting ways with Marvin Williams?”

SS: “That’s a good question. I don’t think they should be close at all. They only way I would say consider it is if they know they have a sure thing coming in. The value of that asset should match or be better than Marvin. I think too many times, teams want to wash away a mistake just for the sake of washing it away. Sure the Hawks took Marvin when there were point guard options that needed to be addressed in that draft. The thing is I wrote at the time that I could live with not drafting a point guard as long as they addressed that need in free agency. They didn’t do that. They brought in Speedy Claxton. That wasn’t the answer. They didn’t go out and find a top shelf starting NBA point guard. They found a guy that was basically Chris Paul’s backup. That’s not good enough. What I’ve learned watching the NBA over the last decade is that the good teams fix their mistakes quickly. They don’t compound them by adding another one. Sometimes you don’t know you made a mistake until after. Most people had Marvin ranked as a top five prospect in that draft, he and Bogut. It just so happened that he and Bogut were the first two off the board. I know everyone talks hindsight like they knew Chris Paul and Darren Williams would be this good. Who knew those two would the transcendent point guards of their era when they came out in that draft? If there was a consensus on that they would have gone 1-2. The worst thing you can do if you’re the Hawks is scapegoat Marvin because you picked him when maybe you shouldn’t have. It’s not like he’s been a bust in the NBA. It would be different if he were like Sheldon (Williams), where you realize quickly that this dude can’t play. Add to that, I said this too: the more egregious mistake to me was taking Sheldon the next year instead of Brandon Roy. I’m not sure you can make that kind of mistake twice. How do you come back the next year and stare Brandon Roy in the eye and not take him? It was a consensus that Brandon Roy was the most pro ready prospect in that draft. That wasn’t a debate. People knew that if you picked him he could come in a play meaningful minutes. So you take a Sheldon Williams, a guy nobody was going to pick before ten at best. To me that mistake, after missing on the point guards, is ridiculous. Can the Hawks get equal value in a sign and trade for Marvin over the summer? If they can, good. If not you better be very careful of throwing away an asset. This is a guy that’s averaged double figures the last three years and been a starter. You can’t always get a good return on the time and money you’ve invested in Marvin thus far."

JW: “There’s been a lot of criticism of Mike Woodson. It’s been aimed at coaching style, player management, and maybe even his personality. He didn’t get a contract extension. The GM, Rick Sund will be here. How closely tied to you think the performance of the team and the impact of draft picks/ free agent acquisitions will be with him being retained or dismissed?”

SS: “I think they colored his future before that. I think that the draft picks and free agents, as well as the team dynamic in training camp, will determine if he even completes next year. He doesn’t have the security of a contract beyond this year. A lot of times you’ll see GM and coaches tied together. When you’re someone else’s coaching hire and you don’t have the security of a contract that’s not good. And even if you do, look at Sam Mitchell, there are still no guarantees you’ll be around past a bad start to the season. They started this season 6-0 and that really set the tone for the rest of the season. Say they have a rough start next season; what if they go 0-6? What if they struggle until around Christmas and they’re still under .500? I don’t know if Mike Woodson survives that. That’s the predicament he’s in. I don’t think that’s foreign to him, having been around this league as long as he has. He’s had longer than a lot of people would have imagined. I don’t think he feels sorry for himself or anybody else. It’s a hell of a challenge for him. You basically have to re piece half a roster before training camp and be ready to rock when the season starts. That’s daunting. The guy lived through one rebuilding project during his tenure and survived it. I don’t know if he, or any other coach, could survive another one. Sure it won’t be as drastic because you have Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Josh Smith who are here and ready to move forward. Still, you have to address the point guard situation. You have to get some more pieces and solidify a bench this summer. By anyone’s estimation those factors are going to affect Mike Woodson’s future with this team.”

JW: “I was looking at the draft. Mike Bibby, if he comes back, is getting older. The team could use some point guard help. They could also use help up front to rebound and defend alongside Al (Horford), Josh (Smith) and Zaza (Pachulia). Who do you see in the draft that can help the Hawks?”

SS: “First and foremost you look at the draft as who picks ahead of you and who may fall to you. At pick number 19, in a draft that’s light on bigs/top shelf power forwards, it becomes a guard draft. So the one need you know you can address is the point guard issue. It might be a backup for Bibby or an eventual replacement. It might be an immediate replacement. Based on draft position and need, there’s a point guard in this draft with the Hawk’s name on it. That’s if they decide to go that route. I don’t know how you would find immediate help on the glass. That’s a skill that requires more proficiency than a college guy might have right away. That’s when you scour the free agent ranks. Maybe you trade for it. That’s a skill. For example, Chris Anderson’s NBA skills are rebounding and blocking shots. You’d have to go find a guy with that skill set and make him a part of the rotation. I think Zaza Pachulia, who’s a free agent, brings that element to this team. I think Al does and I think Josh, who led the team in rebounding in the playoffs, does. I think you have half of what you need. Half the battery of players you need to rebound and defend at a high level are already on the roster. I wrote this on my own blog yesterday actually. I don’t think you can get to the conference finals without five to six serviceable big men on your roster. You need those 6’8 to 7’ players that can go out and play extended quality minutes. That’s just a fact. Look at who’s still playing right now: L.A., Orlando, Cleveland, and Denver. Run down the list of frontcourt players those teams have that can play. Those teams have the quality up front. I think you go into the summer comparing yourself to the teams that made it to the conference finals the year before. They set the standard and you set the bar for your team by them.”

JW: “It’s funny you mentioned that. Look at the team that’s having the most trouble right now, Cleveland. They don’t have that aspect. They don’t have five cats, they don’t have four cats. Ben Wallace and Joe Smith are old. Ilgauskas can’t move. That leaves LeBron, he rebounds like a power forward anyway and Varejao. Essentially they only have two of the five or six you need when it comes to the rebounding and defending aspect.”

SS: “Exactly. It’s funny how the league shifts. I was talking to one of the Hawks assistant coaches before this interview and we were talking about the direction the league is going. I’ve also discussed this type of thing with other guys in the business that do not cover the NBA. I remember when Jordan kind of vacated that spot as the #1 player in the league and guys were debating if it would be Kobe or Vince Carter that would be the heir apparent. Allen Iverson was obviously there to doing his thing. We knew there wouldn’t be another Shaq so our argument went along the lines of who would be the next Jordan type player? Who would set the standard? I personally thought it would be the Allen Iverson type of player that would dominate the league going forward. After the Bad Boy era, some of those Knicks teams and some of those physical Miami Heat teams the league started to move away from the rough and tumble physical style. After Shaq, I didn’t see another big man being able to dominate the league. Focus on the end of games. It’s guards and forwards dominating games. Kobe’s going to work, LeBron, Carmelo. Hybrids like Rashard and Tukoglu. Those guys are taking and making shots to decide the outcome at the end of games. You have to judge your team based on these standard bearers. Kobe is the man right now with LeBron following very closely. When it comes to your team you have to ask yourself, how do I match up with this type of player. For the last six or seven years the league has been one where you have to match talent for talent at two guard and small forward. Now, this is not to discount the contributions in this era of Shaq, Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan. The thing is that talent doesn’t come along every year. There isn’t a KG in every draft. You know there will be a plethora of 6’4 to 6’7 two guard types coming in and out of the NBA forever. That’s not going to change. When you’re building a team that’s going to win a championship I think that changes. What Dwyane Wade did was rare. Having a 6’4 guy as your catalyst is almost unheard of. Traditionally you build around a point guard like Chauncey Billups or a post. Now that formula is all over the place. There is no set formula anymore. Even the two star system is out as a way to build a championship team. For years teams tried to emulate the impact of two guys like Mike and Scottie or Karl Malone and John Stockton. Now I think it’s three or more. Boston won with the three headed monster of KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. If you ask yourself about the teams still playing what do you get? Well Cleveland doesn’t have three. They don’t have three guys on that level. The Lakers definitely have two in Kobe and Pau Gasol but who’s the third? Lamar Odom? Who’s the third guy? Denver has Carmelo and Chauncey. Who’s the third guy there? If you look at Orlando they have three. Dwight, Hedo and Rashard come the closest to that formula. They have three legitimate guys that can carry you on any given night. That’s what I love about the NBA. There’s so much more than just rolling the ball out. Before I covered the pros I used to complain that it was scripted, the same thing happens every night. When you cover it you get a sense of the history of the game. You realize how intricate the game is and the trends that influence the game. You would think that after the success of the triangle that more teams would try to run that offense. That’s when you realize that the system really is based on the talent that you put inside it. You can’t duplicate that. This is a pick and roll league, much like it’s always been. Basketball basics baby. It’s the foundation of just about every team’s offense. It’s amazing how complex a thing can be that should be so simple. There’s so much more to the pro game than what you see on TV.”

JW: “Weigh in on this debate. Joe Johnson or Josh Smith. I’ve watched the growth of Joe Johnson from High School phenom to college star. I watched him blossom in Phoenix after the trade from Boston. I’ve watched him play here. When I see Joe Johnson I see star. I’ve also watched the growth and promise of Josh Smith. I see the physical tools, the potential, the skill set. I’ve watched his growth. That being said, whose team are the Hawks and whose team should they be? ”

SS: “I don’t think the Hawks are either one of their team and I don’t think it should be. There is a clear tug of war here as to what style of basketball to play. I don’t think its conscience or even spoken but it’s there. I think this team needs that same thing Denver needed when Chauncey Billups came. Sometimes you need a guy that eliminates the friction from a situation. To me Chauncey is the consummate point guard. He’s the model in this era. You want a guy that’s not so overcome with being a star that he overshadows the team. You want a guy so overcome with winning that the will to win supersedes egos. Look at this. It’s a little different but in Denver there was confusion about their style of play. Would they play George Karl’s way or would they play a style that complemented Carmelo Anthony and the rest of that roster? Billups was a guy that came in and was the go between. A.I. came and that didn’t work. They could run all day but they couldn’t win. Chauncey showed them how to have backbone and play a certain way in order to win. That can’t come from a coach or a scheme. Sometimes its about a guy being a moral compass for a team; some people around here think it may be Al Horford to fill that role. They think he could be the guy to be the skeleton to build your culture and identity around. I think that’s a lot to put on a guy that’s been in the league for two years. I’ve been here all of Josh Smith’s career. I’ve watched his growth. I was covering the SEC when Joe came up. I remember before he started playing, Nolan Richardson was excited about a kid he had that was a Prop., so he wouldn’t be eligible until Christmas of his freshman year. People had expectations for him then and he lived up to it. Since then he’s become an All Star here. For me that background is unique when it comes to this situation. I think it’s vastly overblown. I’ve talked to the players about it. I’ve talked to the coaches and the agents. It’s a complete non factor if the organization is committing to winning. The team doesn’t have to belong to either one. Plus I don’t think either one of them is good enough to have that hanging over their heads or define them. I don’t think either one is that kind of superstar. I think that era is done in the NBA as well. I really don’t believe we have that cache of superstars in the league anymore. People say the league is down but there are so many good players in the NBA right now. Why not be a part of a conglomerate? Why not contribute to a team that can win for a long time? Who knows, Joe may continue his All Star ways. Josh and Al may rise up and become All Stars. It’s up to them and how they improve year to year. Whose team it is should be the least of their worries. Hell they need to be working together. Think about this. I had this stat from last season: when Joe and Josh both score 20+ points in the same game they were 11-1. So the question around here should be how do we get both of these guys scoring 20+ more often. I’d key in how to get these two guys playing better together, not which guy should be the focus. I see that as one of the valid criticisms of Mike Woodson. Running everything through Joe may be an old theory. That’s the way he wanted to play but if they want to keep getting better they have to figure out how to incorporate the other guys into what they do. If Mike likes it or not, that’s on the money. It’s not hard to notice that the Hawks play better when they have threats outside of Joe Johnson."

JW: “Talk about the demise of the newspaper industry. Where do you think newspapers are headed?”

SS: “Man that’s a horribly good question. For a guy like me who has been doing this since 1994 it’s a little frightening. I have no clue man. For years I’ve been working on things other than the traditional newspaper model. When I came into the business message boards and other internet tools were just taking off so I’ve always had a basic understanding of other things outside of print. I knew the role that your brand played in what you do and your success. I know there’s a place for the gathering of this information and the repackaging of this information. I’m not sure where that fits in regards to the traditional newspaper model. I’d love for there to be a clear cut answer so the industry could stabilize. That’s a part of evolution though. Some time ago, I remember the so called traditionalists would bash the USA Today. They would say it wasn’t a real paper or that it wasn’t this or that. Now, in a few years it may be the only hard copy paper you can get outside of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times or the Washington Post. This is an ideas business and an innovation business. You have to be on the cutting edge of that as opposed to chasing the tail of it. I think the newspaper industry lost sight of that for a while. People figured folks would just always pick up a newspaper. Then again I’ve heard from people a lot older and wiser than me that we’ve been through this before. Think about it. Newspaper’s demise was predicted when radio took off and again when television news went through the roof. We’re still here. I would like to think that we’re resilient enough to reconfigure and stay relevant for a long time, certainly as long as I’m in the business. I don’t know exactly where we fit in the traditional model. I know there’s a place for what we do. It’s just a matter of finding that place."

Interview with Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter

2009-05-30T22:35:00.003-04:00

The success we have in attaining our goals is often directly related to the company we keep. The people that we choose to leave behind represent our freedom from the tyranny of negativity and the weight of doubt, depression and ill will. The people we choose to associate with at present represent the strength found in a multitude of friends and smiling faces. Lastly, those that we place as role models and set their examples as those to emulate serve as the gasoline which powers our destiny flight.

D. Orlando Ledbetter fits squarely into the last category for me. The Atlanta Journal – Constitution Falcons beat writer is a wonderful example of what success in this business looks like.

Sit back and takes notes……….

I asked Mr. Ledbetter a series of questions ranging from the obvious (How did you get into Sports Journalism?) to the slightly controversial (Is Matt Ryan for real or are people down here just trying to get over Michael Vick?). I found this man to be insightful, funny, full of knowledge, and incredibly giving. It’s nice to see a lion that’s had his fill not intimidated by a young lion attempting to eat as well.

Enjoy.

Jerold Wells Jr., The Starting Five:
“When did you get into Sports Journalism and what made you want to be a sports writer?”

D. Orlando Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal - Constitution:
“I first started writing at my Jr. High School student newspaper, I played on the basketball team, and we needed a story so I did a Q&A with one of my teammates and that was my first sports article. I didn’t know if I really wanted to do it but I stayed with it and kept writing at the student newspaper. Then I went to Howard University I majored in Journalism because I already knew a little about the field and I figured I could switch over at some point if need be. I started writing for the student newspaper there and began to consider it as a career. I got an internship after my sophomore year at the Newport News Daily Press in Virginia. After that I got more newspapers that wanted to talk to me every year. I did another internship with a paper in Greensboro and finally another one in Cleveland after I graduated. Then the Charlotte Observer hired me for my first job after college. From writing in middle school and staying with through college that led me to a career in sports journalism.”

JW: “From your experience, what do you think makes a good sports journalist?”

DOL: “Professionalism is the first thing. Everybody is going to be able to write. Being able to be professional and elicit the stories from your subjects have to be your biggest strengths. Getting people to tell their innermost secrets, their strategic movements, why they do this or why they do that is the key. Why did you throw the curveball in that situation? What were you thinking when you made that block? You have to get intimate with them but not in an unprofessional way. Your credibility and your professionalism are vital to your success. What I’ve found is that people just want you to tell the truth, especially football guys. They don’t want you to write or tell them how great they are. They want to deal with what happens and why it happens. One instance of that was when I was in Milwaukee covering the Packers during Randy Moss rookie year, the Vikings played the Packers and Moss torched them during a Monday Night game. So after the game Tyrone Williams, the cornerback that got abused, is there and I just walked up to him and said ‘you had a pretty rough game out there’ and from there we just had a conversation. Of course then everybody else wants to come and talk to him as well and get in on that. You have to be able to deal with guys on their level. You have to be sensitive yet be real with them. Again football guys are different because, in my experience, they’re easier to approach and talk to. Baseball and basketball guys tend to hide in the clubhouse or avoid you when things are going bad. Then when they’re doing well they are available again.”

JW: “It’s funny you mention Randy Moss in his rookie year. I’m from Minnesota and am also a huge Vikings fan. I remember Randy in his rookie year and all of the praise he got during his tenure. I also remember the criticism. When I moved to Atlanta, I felt the exact same thing in relation to Michael Vick. People were amazed; they’d never seen anyone like him. I personally make the parallel between Moss and Vick in that people were so attracted to his prodigious talent that they wanted to make him into something that he wasn’t. I just don’t think the maturity was there early on to be a team leader or a role model with either player. Both paid the price for poor decisions; Moss by being banished to Oakland and wasting years there and Vick by being put in jail and humiliated. That being said, do you think Michael Vick will play again in the NFL?”

DOL: “Yes. He will get a chance to play again and redeem himself in the NFL. I think it’s just based on the history of all the players that have been suspended before him. This is going all the way back to Jim Taylor and Alex Karras, those guys got suspended in the 60’s. Gambling is considered a more egregious crime but nobody could have predicted dog fighting, you know? The league just started to suspend players for unlawful behavior and personal conduct, you know, guns/weapons charges and such. The Tank Johnsons and Pacman Jones type situations. The league put up with that for a long time. If you weren’t incarcerated then you were ok. If you think about it, he (Vick) has already been out for close to two years, it’s close to 24 months already. This has been longer than any of the other cases."

JW: “Do you think it’s the gambling aspect of dog fighting that has people coming down so hard on him (Vick)? Is this another sports and gambling scenario?”

DOL: “No, it’s the humanitarian aspect. There are a lot of people who love dogs. I didn’t know that the Humane Society receives almost $20 million a year in donations, that’s a lot of money and this organization has been around since 1860’s. So the importance of animals and people’s love for them adds to the undercurrent of opposition for Michael Vick. I have a friend that teaches law in the city, single lady with two dogs, and she won’t even mention his name. The thing is really about the animals.”

JW: “What brought you to Atlanta and the AJC?”

DOL: “I was in Milwaukee with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and I took my wife up there with me when we got married. My wife accepted a marketing position with Suntrust Bank and with her also being career minded I didn’t want to stand in the way of that opportunity. I came down here and worked in the legal field, practicing employment law, and eventually the AJC had an opening. I covered the Olympics in Sydney and originally interviewed with the AJC in 2000 but the opportunity did not come through at the time. We stayed in touch and by 2003 I was brought on staff.”

JW: “Why do you cover football?”

DOL: “I’ve had a chance to cover everything. In Charlotte I did High School and small colleges. In Cincinnati I covered High Schools and Ohio State as well as college basketball with the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, that’s a big thing there. I also did some work on the Bengals. In Milwaukee they wanted me to take over the Marquette basketball team beat, with Kevin O’Neil kind of building the program back up. One of my buddies was already there covering the Packers and he asked me to add a little to his coverage. For those six years I was able to catch the Holmgren Era there and witness the success they had. I also did a column. By the time I got here I kind of figured that I liked the pace of football more. The travel is not as invasive and I really do think that football players are easier to deal. Definitely more so than baseball players who will run and hide in the clubhouse. I’ve been a fortunate NBA guy. I was able to cover Michael Jordan and the Bulls. They were a good group. You get so much time with basketball players. You have the 45 minutes before the game, then interview time after and then your deadline so if you hustle and build up your relationships you can end up with pretty good stories. I made sure to be in with the best players and the players that were intelligent enough to share information with you. I had to fill in a little for Sekou (Smith, Atlanta Hawks Beat writer, AJC) this year and he doesn’t really have a tough locker room. I guess Bibby can be somewhat of a diva, but otherwise that’s a good group. Half the battle is being there; going to shoot around and practice. Sekou is the only guy there everyday with those cats. I’m the only guy there for the Falcons so that helps.”

JW: “Who influenced you professionally? Who are the people that had an impact on your career?

DOL: “My dad, Albert Ledbetter Jr. and my uncle Gerald Ledbetter. There was just a passion for sports in our family. All of us played at some level. That carried over into my career. At Howard University that person was the head of the Journalism Department, Dr. Lawrence Kaggwa. He helped a lot of people at Howard and Norfolk State get into the Journalism field. Curtis Bunn, myself, Sean Powell, Darryl Richards are just a few of the people that learned under Dr. Kaggwa. Professionally it’s been more of my contemporaries. Again, Sean Powell has always been there for me, Clifton Brown with The Sporting News, Mike Wilbon is a good friend. He was covering Georgetown when I was editor of the student paper at Howard, The Hilltopper. Mike came and spoke to my staff back then. He doesn’t remember it but I know that staff does. The best advice I ever got in this business was from Sam Lacy, the old black sports writer for the Baltimore African American. He said ‘Use a period.’ It was simple but true. Write short, tight, crisp sentences and don’t belabor your point. Sam is definitely a legend in the sports writing field dating back to his work covering Jackie Robinson helping to integrate baseball. “

JW: “Now that we’ve done some of the background questions I’d like to transition into some other topics. The Atlanta Falcons have a history of being an up and down franchise. They’ve never had back to back winning seasons. Do you think this is the year that they break that curse? How good can the Falcons be in the ’09 – ’10 season?”

DOL: “The tradition is that the franchise has been around 44 years and they’ve never had consecutive winning seasons. I guess that tells you this year isn’t going to be a winning year. I mean last year some people picked them to win one game. I believe I picked them to win four. A lot of stuff can go your way in this league. Some teams are built to be powerhouses. Think of the Pittsburgh’s and Dallas’ in the 70’s. I believe that’s a thing of the past. You don’t really have the dynasty teams anymore. I think of the NFL like this. Everyone is 8-8. If two or three things go your way then there you are with 10 or 11 wins and a playoff berth. Some teams don’t manage their 8-8 correctly. They don’t take advantage of the parity that the Commisioners have created. For one reason or the other they just don’t get there. Now the Falcons do have a history of bizarre injuries and drama. Think about Jamal Anderson blowing his knee out after they went to the Super Bowl. Think about the team going 7-9 after an appearance in the NFC championship game and the coach saying he wants to be in Washington. After that your franchise quarterback is in jail and your coach leaves to coach in college. I don’t know what going to happen. One thing is certain, if it’s a smooth sailing type season, the coaching staff and new administration are really talented people. Even so, they can’t control everything that may happen. If they can get a clean run at it (in the upcoming season) good things can happen. Look at last year. There were no major injuries, well Sam Baker got hurt a little bit and John Abraham played hurt.

JW: “But he played, that’s huge for him.”

DOL: “Right. And he set the franchise single season record for sacks. If everything goes right they can be back in the hunt for the playoffs. They are going to be awfully young. To expect them to go to the playoffs may be a little premature. 8-8 may be about right.”

JW: “That was actually my follow up question. Talk a little about the maturation of this offense with a new, younger, and better offensive line. Talk some about the emergence of a top notch, Pro Bowl receiver. The ability at the quarterback and running back is there. How will this offense impact the Falcons chances next season?”

DOL: “Well, I think the offense will be there but the fact remains that the Falcons will be very young on defense. Five projected starters are new to the team. Only one of those guys can be considered a veteran (LB Mike Peterson). About 1/3 of the roster have been in the league 3 years or fewer. They got rid of a lot of veterans, so if they do come back from that and have a winning season it would add to overcoming the history of not winning in back to back seasons. It would definitely be unprecedented.”

JW: “You walked into my next question. With the turnover at linebacker, bringing Peterson in as well as Michael Boley and Keith Brooking leaving and considering the youth in the secondary how good can this defense be this year? I think the scheme is there, but is the personnel? Can this be a top 10 type defense in the NFL?

DOL: “No. Not yet. They were ranked 24th last year with the veterans they had last year. Those guys just got old and they looked old in the playoff game. Now are these young guys going to come in a bump them up into the top 10? No. Now can they make it to 14? Maybe; if they can get into the top half of the league that’s progress. They have to progress in increments. Plus I don’t think the talent is there at cornerback. That goes back to D’Angelo Hall. Sure I personally like the guy but you don’t just trade a cornerback away in this league. I don’t care if you have problems with him or not. You need football players, this is a football game. You’re supposed to be trying to win games, not the humanitarian of the year award. The guy could play football. Now if you can’t communicate with a player that’s your fault. Get guys in there that can communicate with him and get through to him. If you don’t have that then you need better coaches, which I think they have in place now.”

JW: “How much do you think the Petrino year set this team back? That was really a lost year. I’m talking about the veterans that soured on the organization, the players that left, the horrible on field performance. How much did that hurt the Falcons? How much did it set the team back?”

DOL: “I originally thought it would have a lasting impact, but the new regime has done such a good job of changing the culture that the negative impact was minimal. One good thing that came out of that season was the emergence of Roddy White as a legitimate NFL threat. Warrick (Dunn) is gone, Michael (Boley) is gone. We still have Jamal (Anderson, DE) he’s hanging in there. That whole team is pretty much blown up. On the offensive line, McClure, Forney and Blalock are still there, but again, that’s a different type of unit. What the new administration has shown is that they’re not afraid to purge. Last year with Dunn and this year with cutting Keith Brooking loose they showed that. I think the Brooking move came a year too late.

JW: “Was his (Brooking) release a surprise?”

DOL: “Oh no. Not with what happened in the playoffs last year. You know, it’s 3rd and 17 and he blows coverage. Add to that he really hadn’t been covering anyone all year so, no, I’m not surprised.”
JW: “Is being the hometown guy what kept him around this long?”
DOL: “No. He was a good player. I didn’t think he made any impact plays last year. The organization had chances to part ways with him and just didn’t do it right away. When Dan Reeves left, Jim Mora chose to stick with him instead of moving him out. Petrino’s people moved him to the middle and finally Smith moved him back outside. He could actually be in the perfect situation now though playing inside in the 3-4. He should do well down there (in Dallas).

JW: “What type of impact to you think Tony Gonzales will have on this offense?”

DOL: “Huge, no question. Substantial impact. It’s pretty clear in watching him in OTA’s and minicamp that he still has plenty in the tank. Just look at last year. He had no established NFL quarterback, Tyler Thigpen got most of the snaps with Croyle and Huard hurt, and he still had a 1,000 yards with at least 80 catches. Consider this: this may be the best quarterback he’s ever played with. If you go back and look the quarterbacks Kansas City has had, with the exception of Montana of course, I think Matt Ryan will be the best he’s ever played with.”

JW: “With all the fanfare around Matt Ryan, I was skeptical. I didn’t know if people were praising Ryan for being a good young quarterback or if they were just trying to fill the void that a star like Michael Vick left. Is Matt Ryan the real deal?”

DOL: “Well he rewrote the book on what a rookie could do. I think he’s a top level quarterback. How he gets it done is different. He’s definitely more traditional. But what he did last year was come in and not lose the games for them. They were carried by a 1,700 yard back. That makes playing quarterback easier, a lot easier. I didn’t know this during the season but I was talked to a friend that is an offensive coach at the combine and I asked him the same question. He said yes, Ryan was for real, but that the Falcons were able to make the game very easy for him. Here’s how. When Ryan comes off of a play action fake all he has to do is read the safety and throw to the other side. There had to be eight in the box to stop Turner so that means there’s only one safety back. If he cheats over to Roddy then Jenkins is open. If he shades Jenkins then Roddy is open. Plus consider this; the opposing team’s safeties never had to worry about the tight end because that threat wasn’t there last year. That’s why it was so important to get a big time tight end because it will further simplify his reads. Plus, he’ll have another weapon to spread the ball around to. What Ryan did last year wasn’t all that complex but it was effective, it won them eleven games, got them in the playoffs and almost won them the division title. ”

JW: “You mentioned some things about your experience on a basketball beat. I was able to cover the Hawks first round series with the Miami Heat. I felt I witnessed the growth of a team. I saw the impact a few key signings and stability within an organization could have. You filled in some for Sekou and did some work with the Hawks. What do you think it will take for the Hawks to continue progressing and not fall back into irrelevance? What are they missing that separates them from the top level teams?”

DOL: “If you look at them and Denver, they basically have the same parts. What’s missing for the Hawks are those 6’9, 6’10 board crashers. Birdman, Nene, Kenyon Martin, they go 3 deep at the 4/5 spot. Shoot you can add Carmelo in there, he’s rebounds like a power forward. You can never have enough tall guys to hit the boards and dunk. Never. Look at the Hawks, they weren’t in the Cleveland series rebounding wise. And that’s Cleveland; look at the trouble they’re in right now. Illgauskas is being exposed. We see how stationary he is. If he’s not hitting his jumper he’s a liability. He doesn’t fill that void. You used to be able to find that guy in the CBA or overseas. You don’t even have to score. All you need is a little five foot offensive game. Again, look at the Birdman. He’s making a living hitting the offensive glass. They just throw it up and he goes and gets it. LA is making him look like an All Star. If you’re not going to body a guy like him, he’s going to make a killing. He’s not an offensive threat so of course you help off of him then he hits the glass hard and gets a bunch of layups. It’s not hard but every team needs players like that. What does Atlanta have? Horford is good. Zaza is limited, plus he’s only a 20 minute a game type guy. They need some 6’9, 6’10 guys that can hit the boards and set screens for shooters and not let your team get pushed around. If you can stick a jumper fine. Think Ben Wallace in his prime. Also people in the business say they may be looking to make a move on Jarrett Jack to help them out in the backcourt.”

JW: “After the series with Cleveland ended there was some discussion on TNT about the Hawks and the direction they should go in the future. The discussion turned to the idea of whose team the Hawks should be, Joe Johnson or Josh Smith. The consensus before the season was that Joe Johnson is the man. In that discussion though, the physical ability, potential, and promise of Josh Smith sort of made an argument for him to be that guy. What do you think?”

DOL: “Wow. Both players are flawed. I don’t think Joe is a go to guy. I mean Michael Jordan would have never scored 13 points in a crucial playoff game. He’s a nice player. But if you’re a superstar you get your 25 -30 every night, regardless. Josh just isn’t basketball savvy enough to put a team on his shoulders. I mean he’s still shooting 20 foot jumpers and he doesn’t have a jumpshot. He doesn’t know when to go inside and when to play outside. I remember a sequence in the Miami series where they fought like the dickens to force a turnover and he immediately tries to throw a full court pass. Stuff like that just doesn’t make the case for him. I think you stick with a team concept to take the Hawks to the next level. Look at Cleveland. They traded and traded until they found a formula that worked for them. There are some pieces on the Atlanta roster that could bring in value. I think that’s the way for them to go.”

JW: “How do you feel about the decline of newspapers as an entity and as a business?”

DOL: “It’s rather depressing. I don’t see newspapers just going away. I do see them changing the business model. We’ll still deliver news, just in a different form. The day may come when you only get an actual paper on Sunday and the rest of the week the paper is delivered digitally. Or the situation could get like the one in Detroit where the newspaper is available but it doesn’t come to your house. You have to go get it at the gas station or something like that. I see the operations becoming leaner, more aggressive and multi platformed with the paper being one part of that platform. I’m selfish in wanting a seven day paper to remain but that might not be a reality. The Sunday paper makes money so I don’t see them throwing that out. I’m not sure if the paper can remain profitable during the week. There will be a newspaper. There will still be news so it will still be delivered. I don’t think you can just be a newspaper person anymore. You may have to shoot video, edit it and post it to the website. It doesn’t take 475 people to run a paper anymore, we’re seeing that.”

JW: “To me that question is important because young people like myself coming into the business need to know what the climate is and what to be prepared for. That being said, if you were to talk with a young person that wants to get started in this business what would advice would you give them?”

DOL: “The buzz word is convergence, multi mediums. When I went to Howard we had a Journalism department print and broadcast as well as public relations. It was focused. Now you have to be able to do everything. Look at Michael Wilbon he’s doing his column and he has a show. Look at Tony Kornhieser being on Monday Night Football. On a smaller level, look at Jemele Hill. She does a great job writing and appearing on TV. She’s also excellent with her Twitter account and Facebook stuff, keeping you aware of her work and any new things she may have going on. You have to be able to work in depth as far as communication goes. You have to move in between the different mediums and converge your skills. Look at Mark Bradley (sports columnist with AJC) he tweeted, ‘would anyone care if the Thrashers left Atlanta? Tweet back with responses’ and got a whole column out of that. I just did ‘Sports Extra’ with Sam Crenshaw (local television personality). Maybe you have to go on ‘The Two Live Stews’ (local radio personalities) and chop it up with those guys some. I would make myself as open and diverse as possible so that I could succeed on multiple platforms. Again, the academic buzzword is media convergence. I taught a convergence as Clark Atlanta University just last month. We went out and shot some footage; we setup a blog and posted our story. We also did a podcast. In that we showed the ability to write, do video, and showcase the work properly. I think that’s the direction of the business.”

It's over baby.

2009-05-13T15:29:00.003-04:00

I didn't get access to Atlanta's playoff series with Cleveland. I'm not quite big time like that. Not yet anyways. Here's the recap I wrote after Game 4. Enjoy.

The NBA is an open canvas right now. An entire league is waiting for an uber talented artist to take control a create a most beautiful work of art. There is no dominant force, no undeniable power. No Jordan, no Shaq (young Shaq, I'll dunk on you and you'll like it Shaq) no Olajuwon, Isaiah Thomas, Bird or Magic. Coming into this season, smart money was on Kobe and the Lakers taking the leap. Some said that the Celtics Dynasty was back and that KG would not be denied the sting of champagne a second time. The experts didn't consider this option though.

Consider exhibit A; LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The stone that the builders rejected has become chief cornerstone. Two rounds, no losses. Maybe we should have known. Lord knows I didn't have a clue. Cleveland's Game 4 victory over the Atlanta Hawks helped them advance and secure a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron played like an All Star the first three games and none of them were close in the fourth quarter. Business as usual I suppose.

Something happened in Game 4 that was a little unexpected. Atlanta came to play. Josh Smith (26 points, 8 rebounds) and Joe Johnson (18 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds) set the tone for the Hawks and kept the game's outcome in question until the final minutes of the 4th quarter.

Then the inevitable began to happen. James (27 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) began to impose his will on the game. Total Player 2000 (That's what I call James, thanks R. Kelly I owe you one) started to engage himself. Watching the game you felt that if it was close at the end, the Cavaliers would find a way to win it. Delonte West (21 points, 6 assists) and Mo Williams (12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists) proved themselves capable of shining, even in spite of James' enormous glare, and made play after play when Atlanta attempted to stage a rally. In the end though it was the play of the 2009 MVP that relegated this series to a tune up for the Eastern Conference Finals.

Atlanta had no answer for LeBron's scoring in the first 3 games and no answer for his all around game in the 4th and final game.

Part of being a man (or woman) is knowing when to admit you were wrong. I surely thought this series would go farther and be more competitive. Faulty prognostication aside, I guess I wasn't a believer. At this point the Cleveland Cavaliers look the part of the prohibitive favorite, throw me on the bandwagon.

Oh what a beautiful portrait they are painting.

Cavs - Hawks Preview

2009-05-05T18:54:00.001-04:00

Perhaps this is just a bump in the road. Maybe the challenge isn’t really much of a challenge at all. It seems as if ever sports outlet is proclaiming how badly the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to smash the Atlanta Hawks in their playoff match up.

Not so fast.

I’m not ready to call the upset but I can confidently give 3 reasons why the Hawks will compete.

Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, and Flip Murray can score against the Cleveland back court.

Mo Williams, Daniel Gibson, and Delonte West will never be mistaken for Gary Payton or Mookie Blaylock as perimeter defenders. They’ll score points but they’ll also give up points.

Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Zaza Pachulia have the size and athleticism to challenge Lebron at the rim.

If this front court triumvirate can successfully defend the rim and keep Lebron from scoring at the basket at will then half of the defensive battle is won. It’s way too much to ask of Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, or Mo Evans to defend James one on one so the help has to be consistent.

Atlanta’s home court advantage is as formidable as Cleveland’s.

Atlanta will give Cleveland everything they want at Phillips Arena. I expect games the caliber of last year’s Boston series in terms of quality of play and excitement. Atlanta is an elite team at home and has played like it this year.

There you have it. Cleveland looked like the best team in the league for stretches this year. Remember though, a less talented, less experienced Hawks team pushed a more complete and equally dominate Boston squad to seven last year.

Sure Cleveland has the MVP. Sure Mo Williams gave Atlanta fits this season. Yes Cleveland plays more consistent defense. That being said the Hawks aren’t afraid and they’ll bring the fight.

Sometimes not being afraid only hastens the knockout blow. Other times it makes for an epic battle.

Cavs in 7.

Who's Next?

2009-05-03T21:02:00.003-04:00

Atlanta is a star obsessed city. When Fortune 500 CEO’s, Hip Hop and R&B royalty, and numerous athlete’s across the sports spectrum call a city home the residents become numb to celebrity. That being the case, it takes the biggest, brightest and most amazing to bring Atlanta’s influential out of seclusion and into daylight’s gleam. Dwyane Wade is a star. There was a fair number of Miami Heat #3’s in the crowd, and for good reason. The Olympian, All Star, and MVP candidate is one of the premier players in the league and he flashed that talent many times over. This game, and ultimately this series however, belonged to someone else.

Joe Johnson claimed his spot amongst the league’s elite this Sunday afternoon and showcased a skill set that makes him the kind of singular talent teams long for. He showed basketball nation that Atlanta has regained her status as an NBA town. He made it apparent that the lineage of Atlanta Hawk All – Stars like Lenny Wilkens, Lou Hudson, Zelmo Beaty and Dominique Wilkins is alive and well. He put himself on center stage and performed with grace and distinction.

When travelling from one place to another, there must be a goal. The voyage would be pointless without the benefit of a destination whereby progress could be measured. These Atlanta Hawks named securing home court advantage for the playoffs and advancing past the first round as goals before this season started.
The season long direction of PG Mike Bibby did wonders for this team. Coach Mike Woodson and Joe Johnson raved about the Arizona product and NBA veteran.

MW: “Mike’s a huge difference maker for this team. He’s our quarterback out there and he makes us go. He just does so many good things for us from an offensive standpoint. He promised me that he would be in great shape for training camp and he’s been excellent for this team from the beginning of the season until now.”

JJ: “He’s been great. From training camp to now in the playoffs he’s leading us. He’s a great teammate and a great friend.”

The exponential growth and maturation of Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Al Horford cannot be understated. The off season acquisitions of Flip Murray and Mo Evans also made a world of difference in the bench play (Murray) and defensive identity (Evans) of the squad. The seasoning of the Coach Woodson and his staff bears mentioning as well. I asked Woodson to comment on the growth of this team.

MW: “First I want to give credit to every player in that locker room because we’ve grown as a team. I go back to the Boston series last year because they taught us how to play playoff basketball. We had a bitter taste in our mouths after losing Game 7 in Boston last year and we knew that if we got another chance this year that anything was possible. This team set goals and they came true. That’s huge for this team.”

As important as those factors are, this voyage from obscurity to the second round of the playoff does not happen without the leadership of Joe Johnson. I asked Joe to comment on this series in retrospect. He went on to address a great number of positives for this team.

JW: “You guys won a first round series; you won on the road and played very well at home. What did you learn about your team from these games?

JJ: “Well to me it means we grew as a team. We responded when our backs were against the wall. Even when they won a game here we were able to go down to Miami and get a win to regain home court and then close it out here in Game 7.”

JW: “Joe you played like a star defensively. What does this kind of performance mean to you?”

JJ: “It means a lot. It’s tough guarding a guy like Dwyane because he put so much heat on us the entire series. I just tried to be aggressive with him and make him take a lot of tough shots. I was able to do that and get some steals and get the crowd into it. That also helped us.”

For all of the credit Atlanta deserves for progressing to the second round, the Miami Heat deserve just as much credit for being a worthy foe. Coach Eric Spoelstra expressed optimism for this team’s future in spite of the disappointing loss.

ES: “This series will only benefit our team. It will help the young guys. We start a rookie point guard (Mario Chalmers) and he just got better month to month. Michael (Beasley) as well. The fact that we were able to turn around a 15 win team and win 43 games this season says a lot about the guys in that locker room.”

No player has done more to command the respect and admiration of a fan base this season than Dwyane Wade. From the Olympics, to an MVP caliber season, to a grueling first round playoff series, Wade has repeatedly showcased his immense physical skills. He re-established himself a bona fide superstar. Don’t call it a comeback people; he’s been here for years. Wade talked about his ridiculously lengthy 2008 – 2009 season in retrospect.

DW:“It’s definitely been a long season. This week makes a year that I started working out for Beijing (and the 2008 Olympic Games). I’ve been going strong since then, first, trying to win a gold medal and then to exceed the expectations that people had for me and for my team. We’re very encouraged by this season. We won 15 games last season and we came back to win 43 games and took Atlanta to seven games. We definitely have something to build on.”

The second round brings none other than Lebron James and the mighty Cleveland Cavaliers. As one MVP candidate retreats back to South Beach, another waits on the shores of Lake Erie. The Hawks are aware of the challenge that awaits them and they welcome it. From Boston last year in seven, to Miami this year in seven, the Atlanta Hawks have proven that they will not back down from a challenge. Instead they have shown the propensity to rise up and be counted. Success is sweet but exceeding expectations are what people remember. I think Joe Johnson’s words express it best.

JJ: “I envisioned that we’d be playing in front of a packed house and the crowd would be going crazy (when I signed to play here). I wanted this when I came here and it’s good to see it happen.”

Do not doubt these Hawks. They have a star and when you have a star you have a chance.

Game 5 Triumph

2009-05-02T12:20:00.002-04:00

The Atlanta Hawks are transforming before our eyes. They are becoming aware of themselves. With that knowledge of self performances like the Thursday’s 106-91 thrashing of the Miami Heat will become more commonplace. The words of Nelson Mandela ring true here, “ Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, it that we are powerful beyond measure.” These young Hawks are realizing just how powerful they are.

Like all of the other games in this series this contest ended early. Atlanta was able to wrestle control of this game away from the Heat early as a result of Mike Bibby’s hot shooting hand (17 points) and Dwyane Wade’s relative absence (6 first half points). A combination of stingy Hawks defense and a stiff back rendered Wade a mere mortal and allowed Atlanta to play their particular brand of suffocating man to man defense. I asked Joe Johnson about the effort on Wade in the first half.

JW: “You guys, combined with the injuries, held D. Wade to 6 first half points. Talk about your defensive effort against him.“

JJ: “We were aggressive with him. It’s important for us to look to make plays out there. That’s on both ends of the court. We tried to keep a hand in his face and give a complete team effort against him. He (Wade) puts pressure on our defense because he’s also a good passer. Limiting him is always the plan.”

Flip Murray (23 points) and Joe Johnson (25 points) provided much of the offensive firepower that turned this game into a route and led the Hawks scoring attack. The effectiveness of the bench players for both teams is usually an indicator of success. Flip Murray converted on his first six field goals and seemed to answer ever Heat mini run with a bucket. His presence in this game was enormous. I asked Flip about his Game 5 performance.

JW: “Flip, you converted on your first six shots. Talk about your spark tonight and your role with this team.”

FM: “As a team we kept the ball moving side to side to find our shooters. We attacked their rotations and got into the paint to create shots for ourselves and each other.” (In reference to his role with the team) “I have to be aggressive. Coach (Mike Woodson) doesn’t want me passive out there.”

For all of the weaknesses that the Atlanta Hawks harbor (inconsistency, immaturity, lack of discipline) their strengths so overshadow them that, at times, we forget they exist. The thing that makes this team so formidable is their incredible capacity to absorb the energy from the home crowd and sustain it for long periods of time. They are a walking time bomb waiting for a spark, any spark, to ignite them.

On this night that spark came in the form of a few hard fouls during the second quarter. Solomon Jones applied one to Dwyane Wade and the ensuing gathering of players seemed to jostle the embers of the capacity crowd. Wade’s hard foul on Mo Evans nearly set fire to Philips Arena and the young Hawks were certainly ignited thereafter. Not even a stellar second half by Wade, who finished with 29 points, could derail the Hawks on this night.

Coach Eric Spoelstra talked about the Hawks frenzied home crowd and overall performance.

ES: “They (the Atlanta Hawks) did what they had to do tonight. They defended home court. They embarrassed us and pretty much turned the end of the game into a highlight show. One good thing about this is that we have that same opportunity (to defend home court). We’re very confident and we look forward to going back to Miami.”

To their credit, the Heat certainly do not look at this game as a sign of things to come. They seemed almost excited about getting the opportunity to take this series back to Southern Florida. I asked Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers what they would do to get their confidence back for game six.

JW: “How will you look to get back on track after this loss?”

MC: “First of all, our confidence is not shaken. We know they will make runs. We have to get stops. Also, we have to keep our momentum when we get going offensively. We have to match their intensity.”

DW: “The Hawks play with alot of energy at home. They feed off of the crowd, so will we. We have to do the same thing at home. I can’t wait to get back to Miami. It will be a blackout (for the game Friday). I can’t wait.”

The Hawks appear to be one of the leagues elite; capable of holding court with any team on any given night. At times they look unbeatable. They may not be an elite team like a healthy Lakers, Cavaliers or Celtics squad but is there any doubt that this group of men can contend with the 2nd tier teams like Orlando, Denver, or Houston? I think not.

There are those that feel it’s better to let sleeping dogs lay. Some critics would contend that the Hawks youthful exuberance and willingness to rub the Heat’s collective face in the dirt late in the game was uncalled for. Right or wrong isn’t my argument here. Instead I contend that the Hawks have crashed the party and although they may seem a little out of place at times, they are partying just the same.

Atlanta Falls Short in Game 2

2009-04-23T11:35:00.004-04:00

Game 2 of the best of 7 series between Atlanta and Miami quickly turned into the Dwyane Wade show and a Hawks loss. Atlanta will look to bounce back for game 3 in Miami.

The most difficult aspect of success lies in the attempts to replicate it. Once I’ve succeeded, I have to do it again. The mental toughness needed to beat a team twice in 4 days is not innate. It is learned. It is developed. The young Atlanta Hawks stubbed their collective toe on this night and there is a great lesson to be learned from it.

The atmosphere at Phillips Arena was more jubilant than that of the first game. Casual fans shed their “fashionably late” routines and filled thier seats in anticipation of another Hawks victory. Every early basket elicited roars and every early Heat possession the requisite boos. That friskiness soon turned to concern as the Hawks fell behind by as much as 18 points. The team that dominated on Sunday did not take the court and neither did the team that they so completely manhandled. This would turn out to be a whole different ball game.

The types of things that Atlanta thrives on: energy from the home crowd, emotional highs from alley oop dunks or power slams, backbreaking three point bombs, were far too few on this night. The visitors from Miami were able to take the air out of the ball, dictate a slower, more methodical tempo and thus stymie the high flying offense of Joe Johnson (16 points on 5-13 shooting with 4 turnovers), Mike Bibby (18 points and 4 assists) and Josh Smith (17 points and 10 rebounds).

I asked Miami Heat Head Coach Eric Spoelstra to comment on the differences in approach from Game 1 to Game 2.

Jerold Wells Jr., TSF: “The turnaround from Game 1 was immediate. How did you slow the Hawks down?”

Coach Spoelstra: “Our spacing, execution, and shooting all improved this game. Jermaine O’Neal also played a big part in what we did tonight as well. He was patient, made good decisions with the ball and trusted his teammates. We were able to control tempo and pace by playing through him and making some shots.” “We played our normal pace. I think in Game 1 we may have been too juiced and got out rhythm, even on defense. And, again, we made shots tonight and that helps our fast break defense.”

I also asked Coach Spoelstra about the job his defense did against Joe Johnson and Josh Smith.

JW: “The defense on Joe and Josh was much better. How did you approach them differently?”

ES: “We have a guy on our roster (Dwyane Wade) that was 3rd in the DPOY voting. I think he’s a good choice to guard any perimeter player in this league. We made a decision to spend the majority of the minutes with our best player on thier best player and I think he rose to the challenge. Some late foul trouble interrupted that but Jamario (Moon) filled in very nicely after that.”

The referees (Dan Crawford, Jason Phillips and Ken Mauer) were very much involved in the game, blowing their whistles early and often. As a result both Joe Johnson and Dwyane Wade found themselves in foul trouble but only the Hawks would feel the bite of playing without thier best player. Wade would score enough points while he was one the floor to offset any potential Hawks advantage while he sat. The foul situation also helped keep the game at what seemed to be a snail’s pace. Whenever Atlanta did find a spark, Miami would answer right back; more times than not those sparks were doused by Dwyane Wade.

I also asked Dwyane to talk about the turnaround from Game 1 to Game 2.

DW: “We got into the fight early. We were physical. Udonis and Jermaine did a good job getting rebounds and playing tough. At one point I think someone even dove on the floor.” “Also, our offense helped our defense. We limited turnovers and made some shots tonight. I personnally focused on making the shots that they gave me in the first game.”

The Miami Heat took a step in the right direction. Falling is nothing. Getting back up is difficult. Game 2 presented an opportunity for the Heat to correct wrongs, start new, and revisit the strengths that carried them to the postseason. They met that challenge and passed with flying colors.

Coach Eric Spoelstra spoke a great deal after Game One about the ways his team needed to improve before the nest contest. He talked about patient offense, more support from shooters and posts, and better team defense. After Game 2 those words seemed almost prophetic.

It also helps when you have a player capable of raising his game and leading his teammates. Dwyane Wade’s supreme confidence and permeates this entire team. Jermaine O’Neal played well, Deaquan Cook made six three pointers, and Udonis Haslem made his presence felt in this contest. Coach Spoelstra gives instruction, Wade translates, and this team follows. As he goes, they go.

If this contest shows anything it shows us that nothing is guarenteed. Each game of this series is going to be a battle of wills. Both teams have players capable of erupting for large scoring, rebounding or assist totals. Both teams have the ability to lock in defensively and completely befuddle the other. Entertainment is certain for the duration of the series. I asked Wade to give me one thing that they would take home to build off of after this win.

JW: “Give me one thing you would like to carry over into the next two games in Miami.”

DW: “Our start. We do well as a team when we start well, play smart and play with energy. We have to have passion and fight also. There are no guarentees (because of home court). We have to play hard and earn those wins.”

Hawks/Heat, Game 1

2009-04-20T09:41:00.005-04:00

I had the privelege of covering Game 1 of the Atlanta Hawks/ Miami Heat first round playoff series. Here's the recap.

One extremely impressive win does not define this season. One win does not guarantee this series. In the grand scheme of things this wins means very little. It is a means to an end. Advancing to the next round is the goal. This victory is merely a stepping stone.

The leaders of this Atlanta Hawks team are cautious. They understand that while the victory is huge, Game Two presents a different set of challenges. The mood following Atlanta’s 90 – 64 thrashing of the Miami Heat was a reserved one. It is clear to this bunch that there is still plenty of work to be done.

I asked Coach Mike Woodson to talk about the Game 1 performance.

Jerold Wells, TSF: “You couldn’t have had a better start to this series. Talk about your performance offensively and defensively. What did you see in practice and on film that made you and your team so confident?”

Head Coach Mike Woodson: “We expected to play well but I didn’t know it would turn out this well. Our focus was there tonight. Our defense was there. We shared the ball and made shots.” (In reference to preparation and team confidence) “We have guys that are hungry. They are playing for something. The Boston series last year taught us how to play playoff basketball. I told the guys that if we give consistent defensive effort and don’t take possessions off that we’d give ourselves a chance to win.”

Atlanta executed their offensive and defensive plans to perfection in the first half. Offensively, the Hawks practically lived in the paint and scored on a variety of lay ups, dunks, short jumpers and put backs. Joe Johnson (15 points) and Mike Bibby (10 points, 9 assists) facilitated the offensive sets effectively and the Hawks transition game was nothing short of spectacular. Josh Smith (23 points, 10 rebounds) was especially effective in transition, scoring on a variety of alley-oop dunks, put back dunks and fastbreak jams.

I posed the same question to Josh Smith as I did to Coach Woodson but I added a 2nd part about the team’s hot start, the contributions of Marvin Williams specifically, and their aggressiveness offensively to start the game.

Josh Smith: “Marvin means alot to this team. Having him makes us better and you could see that tonight. He was aggressive and it definately spread through the whole team.” (In reference to gameplan and focus for this game.) “We were definately focused tonight. We still feel as though nobody is giving us a shot to win. We just focused on leaving all the distractions behind and ignoring the critics. We feel that if we play together we can beat anybody.”

Neither team looked terribly interested in playing any defense in the early going. The 7:30 mark of the 2nd quarter proved to be a key moment for the Hawks defensive momentum. Marvin Williams forced a Daequan Cook turnover off of an attempted inbounds pass and the proverbial flood gates were opened. Atlanta used the spark from that play to stifle the Heat and essentially put the game out of reach in the first half.

The home team was also successful when it came to slowing down Dwyane Wade. The MVP candidate finished with 19 points on 8-21 shooting. He also contributed 5 rebounds and 5 assists but his 8 turnovers were the most telling sign of the Hawks defensive effectiveness. Wade never really found a groove in this game and without his normal input the Heat lacked the firepower to compete.

I also asked Coach Woodson about that impressive accomplishment.

JW: “Talk a little about the defensive job you did on Dwyane Wade.”

MW: “Our gameplan was to keep bodies in front of him at all times. We focused on getting back in transition and keeping a wall of bodies in front of him at all times. Our personnel also allows us to switch when he’s in pick and roll situations. I told the guys to take pride in defending when you’re on the ball. I think they did that tonight.”

Game 2 of this series should be much more competitive. Atlanta will look to carry over their positives and defend home court. Miami will look to bounce back from a disappointing showing.

I asked Miami Head Coach Eric Spoelstra what went wrong and how they would improve for the next contest.

JW: “How was Atlanta able to bottle up your offense tonight?”

ES: “Atlanta’s athleticism and size bothered us tonight. Also, we didn’t show the patience to get the results we wanted offensively. Our energy wasn’t there and our spacing on offense wasn’t consistently where it needed to be.”

JW: “Wade didn’t have a good game but I think we’re all pretty sure he’ll bounce back. Where will you look for scoring outside of Wade going forward?”

ES: “We’ll look the same places we did all year. Our 3 point shooting will have to improve (the Heat shot 4-23 for the game) and we’ll need some inside scoring as well from Jermaine (5 points), Udonis (6 points) and Michael (10 points). Also, a faster pace and more energy will help us a lot as well.”

Whatever the case, we should anticipate two teams with something to prove. We should be certain tha neither squad will be thinking about this contest. The next game is simply the opportunity to move closer to the ultimate goal.

Post Season Awards

2009-04-17T14:25:00.003-04:00

Here are my choices for the NBA Postseason Awards.
Enjoy.

MVP: Kobe Bryant, SG, Los Angeles Lakers

To me this is an easy choice. It's Kobe Bryant. (26.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.9 apg) The (much deserved) clamour seems to be about Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. Both have put forth excellent seasons and neither would be a bad choice. Both are top tier talents and the trio comprises the cream of the NBA crop. My argument would be that as James and Wade stake their claim to be king of the mountain, they should follow the tracks that Kobe walked to get there.

Dwyane Wade (30.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 7.5 apg) did an awesome job taking his team from oblivion to 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. His on court improvements (increased 3 pt accuracy, more assists, fewer turnovers, team leading block total) mirror his overall return to prominence. The road from injury riddled former Finals MVP to league MVP candidate (by way of an Olympic Gold Medal) is an amazing one. Some called Wade a has been, a quick flame out, a product of Shaq’s last hurrah in Miami. He’s proven that the Heat are his team and that with him they are a contender. That’s an admirable performance. Trouble is we’ve watched that film before.

Kobe was the star of that film.

Lebron James (28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg) did yeoman’s work in supplanting the Boston Celtics as the #1 seed in the East. His Cavaliers are a vicious bunch at home and took the battle for the top overall seed in the league into the final moments of the regular season. Thier rise into the league's elite is a testament to the will and drive of Lebron James, as well as, how he transfers that energy to his teammates. This is nothing short of incredible; but again this script is familiar.
Kobe did that too.

What we're seeing are various renditions of the brilliance that is Kobe Bryant. Lebron James and Dwyane Wade both bring unique qualities to the court in the way that they play the game. They are both stars in their own right. They will probably win MVP awards in the future. This year though, I say Kobe.

ROY: Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls

One of the most difficult things in sports is to play in your hometown. Very few can handle the burden of being as great as people think you are. Derrick Rose (16.8 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.9 rpg) has handled it and shown flashes of brilliance. He also led his team to the playoffs. Give the young man this award already.

COY: Rick Adelman, Head Coach, Houston Rockets

A combination of injuries (Carl Landry, Yao, Tracy McGrady, Ron Artest) could have eliminated this team from contention in the West. Instead they've played unbelievably consistent basketball and finished as the #5 seed in their Conference. He keeps that team steady and he's the reason they are a playoff team.

Sixth Man: Flip Murray, SG, Atlanta Hawks

Flip Murray (12.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.0 apg) is instant offense and a stabilizing force off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks. He's the solitary reason that the Hawks have any scoring punch off the bench. The biggest difference between last year's team and this years version is the ability of the second unit to keep them in games. Flip is a major par of that. He may not be a glamour pick like some other favorites for the award but he's a major contributor for a playoff team. I think that makes him more than worthy.

DPOY: Dwight Howard, C, Orlando Magic

I think the most impressive thing about Dwight Howard's (13.8 rpg, 2.9 bpg) game is his commitment to rebounding and blocking shots. There are plenty of players in the league that have comparable physical tools (quickness, jumping ability, etc) and they do much less with them. Rebounding is the forgotten element of defense. Howard ends countless possession by blocking shots but he ends so many more by rebounding missed shots. He's a game changer in this regard.

Most Improved: Danny Granger, SF, Indiana Pacers

Danny Granger (25.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.7apg) took the leap from good player to All-Star this season. He's become the type of player you have to game-plan for. He also guards his position which, often times, matches up with some of the league's elite perimeter players. Granger was pretty much the lone bright spot for the Pacers this season and gives them a rock to build on in the future.

Hawks/Pacers Game Story

2009-04-11T14:09:00.006-04:00

I had the privelege of seeing the Atlanta Hawks clinch the fourth seed and home court advantage for the first round of this years playoffs. The following is my game story. Enjoy.

Like it's 1999....

Growth is measured in many ways. Kitchen walls accross the country are tick marked by youngsters who cannot wait to increase another inch or two. Maturity in spirit and mind enable people to withstand the trails and tribulations life presents. Pronouncing and praising a person’s inward expansion, saying that they did better, is an outstanding compliment. On Friday night, the Atlanta Hawks (46-34) secured homecourt advantage for the first round of the ’09 playoffs with a thrilling 122-118 victory over the Indiana Pacers (34-45). The night’s performance showed the results of growth and development. Last year’s cinderella slippers no longer fit this team. These are no longer the city of Atlanta’s ugly stepchildren. Call them kin to T.I.

They’re Kings.

The territory these Hawks are flying through is foreign and uncertain. They remain a youthful team and while the taste of last year’s playoff run is still fresh, the second round lies beyond the realm of thier collective imaginations. As a franchise, the Hawks have not advanced to the Conference semi-finals since the strike shortened ’98-’99 season. This is ten years in the making.
Some pundits wrote last year’s success off as an accident. They said that abnormalities may occur when the five (5) through eight (8) seeds in the east tend to be average at best. Sometimes a team can emerge and play well for a two month stretch after being average for the first part of the season. Last year’s Hawks were described as a glitch in the matrix. Experts predicted a return to futility, dispair and disapointment. Yet, instead of folding and falling back into the crowd, this group separated themselves from the conference cellar dwellars and proved to be a contender in the East. The road from bottom feeder to contender was completed. The win loss record shows this much.

As the end of the regular season approaches, Atlanta is habitually showing why they are a top tier team in the Eastern Conference. They possess a dependable All Star performer in Joe Johnson and backcourt mate Mike Bibby has been brilliant all season. They have a nucleus of young talent in Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Al Horford. The bench is strong with Flip Murray, Mo Evans and Zaza Pachulia. They can certainly score the basketball, but they also rebound and defend well enough to compete with any team on any given night.

This game is microcosm of what has to happen for Atlanta to win a playoff series and make good on the promise that homecourt advantage provides. Joe Johnson (24 points) is the heart and soul of this team. He is the defacto leader, and has shown a propensity to show up big in big games. A number of his shots over the course of this game came in response to an Indiana basket, or stopped a Pacer hot streak. Whether attacking via dribble drive, shooting the 3 point shot or backing opponents down on the block, Johnson is as dangerous as any other guard in the league within the confines of Phillips Arena. I asked Joe to compare his previous playoff experiences with what he sees in this team.

JW: “You’ve been on playoff teams.” “What do you like about this team that gives your confidence for advancing into the second round.”

JJ: “We’re a young team but at the same time we’re experienced.” “The guys know what to expect because of what we did last year against Boston.” “We understand how to win playoff games and we know that we have to protect this house.”

Flip Murray (15 points) continued his season long habit of bringing offense off the bench. Murray gives the aggressiveness and proven shot making ability as a sixth man that was absent last year. He is a tremendous boost for this team. I posed the same question to Murray.

FM: “The record speaks for itself, we got the 4th seed tonight.” “We have home court.” “That’s big for us because as a team (at home) we’re very confident.”

Mike Bibby (15 points, 9 assists) and Josh Smith (30 points, 10 rebounds) showed an incredible feel for each other over the course of this game. I counted five passes from Bibby to Smith that led directly to baskets, either by means of alley oop or nifty bounce passes after screens. Understand folks: these were easy, pure point guard type passes that almost invite the player recieving the pass to score. Mike Bibby is still cold blooded people. He ended the first half with a pull up jumper that almost seemed too easy.

This connection is definately worth watching because there are not many players as physically gifted as Josh Smith. When points are being spoon fed to him the way they were in this game, combined with his offensive rebounding ability, he can be a game changer. Head Coach Mike Woodson spoke about the duo in glowing terms when I asked him about thier effectiveness.

JW: “Mike Bibby and Josh Smith were huge tonight.” “Talk about that connection.”

MW: “Smooth’s (Josh Smith) been consistent for us down the stretch. I’m happy with his progress.”

“Bibby runs this ship for me.” “He gets guys in position on the court and finds guys when they’re open.” “The impact of those two shows directly in the wins and losses.”

Al Horford (22 points, 15 rebounds) showed why he is one of the premier young power forwards in the game. His offensive skill set has progressed nicely from last year and he showcased nice touch facing up from 10 feet as well as a nifty jump hook. Even more, he runs the floor like a man possessed. Al routinely beat the Pacer’s bigs downcourt and finished when he touched the ball in the paint. Horford also connected on 6 of 7 free throws. Such accuracy bodes well for any big man in the NBA. Al also spoke about Bibby in glowing terms.

AH: “It’s great to have a point guard that can score and distribute.” “It really helps this team and makes our jobs easier.”

Homecourt advantage does not guarentee anything. Until the game ball goes up and wins are earned, this accomplishment is nothing. Right now, all of the delight and bliss are carefully reserved. This is for the longsuffering fans of a once proud franchise. I asked hometown products Randolph Morris and Josh Smith about what it means to them personally having a home series in Atlanta.

JW: “With you being from this area, what does homecourt advantage mean to you personally?”

RM: “It means alot.” “Family and friends will be a nice boost against whoever we play in the first round.” “I think we match up well against Philly and Miami (potential first round opponents), but being here at home will definately help.”

JS: “We know what we can do at home.” “The Boston series showed us how good we can be.” “Plus, it’s great for the city and the people who have supported us from day one.” “It gives the city something to brag about.”

Good times are back again.

Game Notes:
It’s uncanny how bad things happen to bad teams. Indiana’s point guard play was spotty in the playmaking department. TJ Ford and Jarrett Jack took turns looking pretty bad distributing the ball. Unforced errors, missed layups, and the inability to get good looks at the end of the shot clock pretty much cost Indiana this game.
On the bright side, Danny Granger is a monster. He scored 35 and should have had more. He’s the best player on the team and yet the Pacers went long stretched without him touching the ball. His free throw line jumper was a thing of beauty in the second half. One dribble pull ups, off screens, off the pick and roll, he was money.

Hawks/Timberwolves Game Story.

2009-03-25T14:29:00.003-04:00

I was blessed to attend the Atlanta Hawks - Minnesota Timberwolves contest as a credentialed writer. This is my game recap and article that was posted on TheStartingFive.net, my employer. It's the first of many.

In sports, talent equals hope. So long as you have plenty of the former you will always have the latter. A team that fills its roster with brilliant athletes gives life to its fan base. These teams allow for the possibility of success; they give credence to the ethos “maybe next year.” Monday night at Phillips Arena, the Atlanta Hawks showed exactly how the equation talent equals hope is formulated.

The Minnesota Timberwolves did not offer much by way of resistance during the course of this romp and the outcome was decided after the Hawks closed the first half mightily to take a 58-36 lead. The backcourt depth of this Hawks team, and an indicator of just how much talent this squad has, was on full display as 6th man Flip Murray (who led all scorers with 30 points) converted basket after basket over the shorter and lighter Timberwolves guards. Murray provided a spark with his scoring and the Hawks followed suit. The game marked the 43rd win of 2009 and guaranteed the Hawks a winning season this year, their first since the strike shortened ’98-’99 season.

There are some who will look at this game and mark it as no more than another win towards this team’s goal of 50 for the season. The Timberwolves are a young team and as Coach Woodson lamented in his post game remarks, “Young teams don’t win consistently in this league.” Not very much is expected of Minnesota and they certainly performed up to (or down to?) those low expectations with an assortment of careless turnovers, poor execution, and spotty defense. Couple youth with the absence of starting power forward, Al Jefferson, and you have a team teetering on the edge of irrelevance.

This was a game that the Hawks were supposed to win. Not only did they win but they did so convincingly. That is the difference between last year’s Hawks and this year’s edition. Last year’s team may have played down to their competition. They may have allowed the Timberwolves to hang around, creating a little more drama than necessary. This year potential and discipline have intermingled to create a team that is both style and substance. They beat bad teams, defend the home court and play with a sense of entitlement. The Atlanta Hawks do not lack for confidence and it shows on the court.

I asked Coach Mike Woodson to comment on what he would like to take from this game into the next three home games against San Antonio, Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers. He said that “the team needs to focus on protecting home court, establishing an identity in games, and continuing to build on the wins they already have.” Such tasks seem simple enough but there are still times when the Hawks allow good teams to dictate to them how they will play instead of imposing their will and staying in their comfort zone. This game was played at the Hawks pace and every set seemed to render an open shot. In essence, the Hawks played to their strengths and won the game handily. Consider Coach Woodson pleased with the effort.

Perhaps the most ironic thing about this game is that not too long ago these Atlanta Hawks were the very team that they defeated. They were not closely following every win, eyeing the differences between a fourth or fifth seed in the playoffs and home court advantage. They were not looking forward to playing three of the league’s elite teams. They were not searching for ways to prove their mettle to those who doubt there validity as an elite team in the Eastern Conference. Not too long ago they were searching for positives while sleepwalking through the torturous ’04 – ’05 13 win season. They were young and inexperienced. They were searching for answers.

It is of special significance to both Coach Woodson and Josh Smith since both are holdovers from that disastrous year. When queried about the significance of clinching a winning season this year, both men pointed back to that 13 win campaign in reflection. Coach Woodson said that “the process of going from that season to this one really mirrors the growth of our team. These young men have endured the growth process and really bought in to what I’m trying to teach them.” Josh Smith responded with “The wins and losses mean a lot. To go from 13 wins to a playoff team trying to get home court in the playoffs shows just how much we’ve improved.”
Perhaps the most satisfactory thing about this win is that it allows the Atlanta Hawks to see themselves at their best. The offense scored points in bunches, the defense produced turnovers in abundance, and the coaches called all the right plays and the players executed with precision. Newcomer Flip Murray proved his worth and showed a small wrinkle that the Hawks have added since last year.

What then for the future? I asked Joe Johnson what he thought the team could take from this game going forward. He said that “We have to concentrate on being intense and focused from the opening tip. We can’t afford slow starts against the better teams in the league.” This type of performance will surely serve them well against the league’s elite.

The chasm between hope and results is bridged with talent. That is, at base, what wins and championships come from. Maturation, focus, and good coaching take that talent and turn it into victories. We witnessed that concoction first hand in this contest. A solid backcourt can carry you in this league. Mike Bibby (20 points), Flip Murray and Joe Johnson (20 points) are exceptional players and they proved it. Combine that with a solid frontcourt and you have the makings of a playoff contender. ZaZa Pachulia (10 rebounds) and Al Horford, (12 points, 13 rebounds) give enough by way of hustle and grit to make this team legitimate.

These Hawks are supremely talented. The players and coaches are gifted enough to make a post season run.

That is more than enough reason for hope.

What do we know?

2009-03-18T15:58:00.003-04:00

I'm a sportswriter. I know more about sports than most and probably more than many people who get paid to do what I do pro bono. (For now anyways, lol.) The thing is, as the years go by I am reminded that I really don't know much. Prime example: Take a look at my Conference Tournament previews. Genius.

Campus Connection

All the hype this week will be about the conference tournaments and the automatic bids that come along with winning them. Here's a look at each major conference and my favorite to punch their respective tickets to the big dance.

ACC - North Carolina

The senior leadership of Tyler Hansborough and Danny Green coupled with the stellar play of Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington make this team very hard to beat. I think this tournament and the National Title is theirs to lose. They really present alot for teams to match up with.

Wake Forest and Florida State could challenge but I'd be shocked if the Tar Heels didn't win easily.

Big Ten - Michigan State

That Spartans are the class of this conference. Coach Tom Izzo has perfected the "dominate in conference then win nationally" mantra and it should show this week. They are finally healthy and eager to prove that they belong among the nation's elite. I see them as too physical and too talented to lose here.

If Purdue is healthy they can challenge on a neutral site but Michigan State should prevail.

Big East - Pittsburgh

I'm going to go with the most confident team and the one with a true point guard here. Pitt has a lot of momentum after handling UConn last week. They are a complete basketball team. This may be a shocker to some seeing as Louisville won the regular season title but their lead guard situation really bothers me.

I'm probably splitting hairs with this pick because the reality is that any of the top four teams in the conference could easily win the tournament.

Big Twelve - Kansas

I want badly to pick Oklahoma here but Kansas won't let me. The Sooners haven't been the same dominant team that we saw in the begining of the year. Bill Self has some answers to the Blake Griffin equation and it starts with the front line depth he has on his roster. Even though they split in the regular season, I think Kansas showed more in thier win.

Watch out for Missouri as well. The pressing style they employ can cause problems for teams in a tournament setting.

Pac 10 - Washington

Lorenzo Romar's work this season is nothing short of incredible. UCLA seems to be the favorite every year, most notably after the last couple of Final Four appearances. The Bruins just don't seem thier usual defensively capable selves. As such, I think that is the year of the Huskie. Washington's combination of experience and youth, size upfront and versatility in the backcourt should translate into win here.

I really like Arizona State as well. James Harden is the best player in the conference and I feel that gives them a chance.

Campus Connection

2009-03-06T16:04:00.004-05:00

Hide the co-eds and take a study break. Here's the campus hype for this weekend.

I've listed the teams that are looking the most championship caliber at this very moment. Game tight, swagger right, and ready for March Madness. I've also included why they appear that way as well as some potential weaknesses. Feel free to chime in.

Connecticut Huskies, 27-2 (15-2)

The biggest reason, literally, that this team is a title contender is because of 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet. He is the core of what this team does offensively and defensively. He hasn't shown the meanness to intimidate all comers and consistently dominate but, as is, he takes this team deep into the tourney. The team has proven scorers at guard, wing, forward and coming off the bench. Defensively, I've seen them pressure full court and devastate teams without good ball handlers. They can also drop back into a stifling man to man or give trapping zone looks, both of which channel people right into Thabeet. I like their chances. The Big East is the best conference in college basketball and this appears to be the best team in said conference. I think the upcoming game against Pitt will give us an idea of where UConn is in terms of readiness. Pitt has had success against Connecticut and they certainly don't fear Thabeet. Teams nationwide will be watching this game intently for ideas about neutralizing the strengths, and exploiting the weakness of Jim Calhoun's Huskies.

Next game: March 7th @ Pittsburgh (Get ready for a thriller.)

Michigan State Spartans, 24-5 (14-3)

This team is starting to round into form. Year in and year out Coach Tom Izzo puts together a group of players that are tried in non-conference ( Maryland, Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Kansas, and Texas this year) and tested in conference. Izzo's best teams rebounded hard, defended harder, and made teams work on defense. This team has the potential to do those things and do them well. Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan are flat-out players who will give any team fits, especially in transition. One potential weakness could be the bench play. The drop off in experience and readiness is significant after the top 8 players.

Next game: March 8th vs. Purdue

North Carolina Tar Heels, 26-3 (12-3)

This is the best offensive team in college basketball. They bring firepower from every position 1-5 and the bench is also lights out as far as scoring the ball goes. This team gets plenty of second chance opportunities, scores inside, scores outside,scores in transition, scores off turnovers..... they don't lack in ways to put the ball in the basket. That, in and of itself, makes this team a threat to advance deep into the tourney. Where, however, will the defensive intensity come from. For the most part this team has been exposed in conference by aggressive, play making guards. Greivis Vasquez, Jack McClinton, Tyrese Rice, and Jeff Teague all pretty much had their way with the North Carolina back court. This is important because there will be a wealth of talented guards in the tourney. However, none of them will have the luxury of familiarity with Carolina that the aforementioned in-conference rivals enjoyed and exploited. Film study will only get you so far.

Next game: March 8th vs. Duke (The Dean Dome is gonna be rockin for this one.)

Oklahoma Sooners, 26-4 (12-3)

Oklahoma boasts the best power forward in the country in Blake Griffin. Some are even prepared to name him the best player in the country. I'm not sure of that but I will say top 3. That makes him, and this team, a serious threat in March. Griffin's ability to score in the half court, rebound the ball, run the floor, make free throws and finish around the basket make him a serious match up problem for most teams in the country. Add to that the fact that his teammates, especially guards Willie Warren and Tony Crocker, continue to improve and this possibilities for this team seem endless. Griffin's health was a concern but he looks to have completely recovered from the concussion suffered vs. Texas. I think the bigger concern should be whether or not this team can win games against tournament caliber squads should Griffin be neutralized by a quality defensive scheme.

Next game: March 7th vs. Oklahoma State (Don't sleep on this one, OK State only lost by 8 the first time around.)

Pittsburgh Panthers, 27-3 (14-3)

Of the truly elite teams in college basketball, this is the best defensive team out there. They harass ball handlers, disrupt offensive flow and execution, block shots and rebound to end possessions. They physically and mentally shut teams down. This team has an intimidation factor that can't be understated. Pittsburgh scores in much the same way that they play defense. Forward Sam Young leads an attack that starts inside and builds on really dominating the paint area. That being said, Pitt is not without weakness. When either point guard Levance Fields or power forward DeJuan Blair are on the bench this isn't the same team. I think that really speaks to their depth at those key positions, or maybe the lack thereof. That could be problematic.

Next game: March 7th vs. Connecticut

Things Fall Apart

2009-02-28T14:32:00.005-05:00

To be honest, this year has been a trying one. Yeah I know it's only March but sometimes hardship doesn't wait for you to be ready before it strikes. It just kind of sets up and tells you to get ready.... if it says anything at all.

Allen Iverson is fast approaching the end of a fabulous career. Time waits for no man and it seems that the years of relentless play are finally starting to catch up with him. How fitting that the man who carried the dreams of a city night in and night out has to deal with back issues. I'm really not sure what the future will bring for A.I. Detroit is playing pretty good ball without him. His game doesn't really seem to fit in with the style that the Pistons are accustomed to playing and they don't really seem to excited about making him fit in. For the successes that his brief stay in Denver produced, the tenure is viewed as a failure because of the homecoming of Chauncey Billups and the post exit remarks of George Karl.

What we really need here is perspective. How much does A.I. have left? The man's track record speaks for itself. We know what he's done. We know what he's accomplished. We know how he reacts when faced with hardship. He leads and he wins. Plain and Simple.

In this last chapter though, what story will Iverson tell? What should we look for? I for one can't wait to find out.

I wrote this piece a few years back. Enjoy.

To try and to fail the two things I hate, succeed in this rap game the two things that’s great. H to the Izz-o, V to the Izz-a, what can I say about dude I gets bizz-a.
-Jay-Z

………to succeed and this rap game the two things is great……..

To succeed and basketball are two things he loves, we know that. You can see it in his crusades to the basket, sometimes by, through and over players a foot taller. You can see it when he explodes into a passing lane to turn some unbeliever’s poor pass into a basket for his team. You can see it when he draws two and sometimes three defenders then dishes to a teammate for an easy basket. Allen Iverson loves this game. He loves to play this game so much that he gives everything he has. He loves this game so much that he played in 75 contests this year, at a time when critics say his body should start to break down. He loves this game so much that he chooses to feed his family doing this. We all laughed when we heard Georghe Muresaan confess his love for basketball; that commercial should have included Allen Iverson…..and there would not have been a damn thing funny. You’ve got to respect him.

Jim Brown believed that “if you hit a person hard enough, enough times, that they would quit.” It’s seems as though the NBA is taking the approach with the Philladelphia 76ers star point guard. Well Allen Iverson hasn’t quit yet and because he loves this game, and succeeding, he won’t quit anytime soon. The performance of Allen Iverson this season should be ingrained into the fabric of every true basketball players psyche. He was in a word: Brilliant. To describe the foundation shaking performance he offered up this season could take an hour, but I will curtail my excitement. 30 ppg over the course of the regular season, a career high 8 apg average while making the switch to point guard, and lifting his team from out of playoff contention at the All Star Break to a 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. This regular season started out with undersized forwards (Corliss Williamson, Kenny Thomas), an inexperienced center (Sam Dalembert) and a rookie to act as his backcourt running mate (Andre Iguodala). For mere mortals the preposition of starting out the season with such factors as “facts of life” for the upcoming season would have been reason enough to embrace low expectations and play down to the publics prediction. But that’s not Allen Iverson. Instead of taking that route, Allen led….his…..team. He led them physically, mentally, and emotionally. There was never a night that the players of the Philadelphia 76ers could look up and not see the focused face of #3 ready and willing to do whatever it took to get a win on that night. He scored, he passed, and he defended. Most of all he provided the needed inspiration for his teammates to be a playoff team.

To try and to fail the two things I hate………

Watching Allen Iverson labor valiantly only to succumb to the machine known as the Detroit Pistons should inspire every basketball fan in the world. His daring, his bravery, his fearlessness cannot be overstated. To genuinely display valor is to know victory will not come easily, if at all, and still battle. Iverson was the Gladiator and even in defeat he received a standing ovation from the masses in the Coliseum.

One day the Hall of Fame will include a plaque inscribed with the name of Allen Iverson. Philadelphia’s favorite son and the rightful heir to the throne of Dr. J will be enshrined forever as one of the greatest to ever play the game. The query worth posing is this: what will his legacy be? Iverson went to the Finals earlier in his career and fell victim to the most dominant force our generation knows (Shaquille O’Neal)……along with his (trustworthy?) sidekick. This year he was eliminated by the defending world champions and even if he would have defeated them, Shaquille again waited in the wings……not to mention Tim Duncan later on down the line.

Truthfully, the odds of Allen Iverson winning a title before he retires are slim. He knows that and as fans of the game we know that too. To me one of the signs of a great player is that even if we don’t think he can win, we still watch. We watch because we know he will not fall short of our expectations. He will not succumb to the temptation to be an also ran. Allen Iverson will give 100% because that’s all he has. We are watching one of the greats and I just hope we comprehend his fervor, appreciate his exertion, and truly love his game.

Pure Passion

2009-02-18T15:13:00.007-05:00

After watching the #1 ranked UConn Huskies fall to the #4 Pitt Panthers on Monday I was left with a couple relatively simple revelations.

1. The Big East is a BEAST. A monster, a behemoth, a snarling, raging, savage of a basketball conference. Georgetown, Notre Dame and West Virginia are all good teams. All are .500 or below in this conference and hanging on to very slim chance at the Tournament. For my money I say it's the best in the nation. (This coming from a Big Ten man, mind you.)

2. Now and forever heart, passion, and determination will always trump size, strength and agility. Always. The dismantling of Hasheem Thabeet by Pittsburghs frontcourt, Dejuan Blair in particular, should serve as an example to every child athlete, male or female. Pitt took it to UConn in a physical manner and then they took the game from them. It should show those young people that wanting it, I mean really wanting it, means more that wingspan, vertical leap, or height.

Don't get me wrong this isn't a Thabeet bashing session. The kid is a phenomenal talent. His shot blocking and rebounding skills are NBA caliber right now. At this moment his skill set could impove the front court of at least 5 NBA teams in either conference.

That being said he's been exposed. Every other potential tournament team with a legit post man saw Blair's performance and is salivating. Please believe Tyler Hansborough, Blake Griffin, Patrick Patterson and Wayne Chism want thier opportunity to do the exact same thing that Blair did.

What then does this mean for UConn? For Thabeet? For the Huskies title hopes?

For UConn it means that the team has to rally around thier star and encourage him. Respect is not given it's earned. Where were they during the in game pounding? They were there but they did not make thier presence known. I'm not insinuating retaliation. I'm suggesting fighting fire with fire. Desire with even more desire. I'm asking them to defend thier home court. I'm asking them to throw proverbial counterpunches instead of absorbing shot after shot. Because of what happened Monday night teams want a shot at UConn, not just Thabeet.

For Thabeet this serves as the biggest reason why I think he should stay another year. When I watch him play I don't see the aggression, the drive to really dominate night in and night out. I'm not talking about bad shooting nights or poor match ups. I'm talking about consistently imposing his will on the opposition. If this doesn't push the young man then I'm really not sure anything will.

UConn's title hope rest squarely on the lithe shoulders of thier 7'3" center. I think the backcourt, even without Jerome Dyson, and thier bench are talented enough to compete with any opposing guards/wings in the nation. I think Coach Calhoun can still coach 'em up. The question in most need of an answer is about the man in the middle.

For a 6 game stretch in March can Hasheem Thabeet be dominant. I mean Patrick Ewing, Danny Manning, Glen Rice dominant. I mean this team won't lose because I won't let them. Does he have it in him? Does he really want it like that? I can't wait to see.

Let me hit that.......

2009-02-11T17:14:00.006-05:00

There are times when you need someone, I will be by your side.
There is a light that shines special for you and me.

It's been six months since my last post. Yeah I know I'm trippin. Thing is life doesn't play fair. Thing is I feel as though for all my running I'm only moving steady backwards. Thing is in spite of the talent, the promise and the immense pressure to succeed I ride the bench.

That being said, the biggest story on TV right now is the A-Rod steroid scandal. Rodriguez' admitting to using banned substances produced seismic tremors throughout major league baseball and the sports community at large.

I for one am shocked. I thought A-Rod was clean. I really did. He is (was) the natural. A throwback to the days of Carew, Mantle, DiMaggio, Aaron and Mays. He was the antithesis of the doping era. He would set a new standard for a new kind of player. Now, he is just another in a line of drug using athletes.

Damn.

Here's an article I wrote about steroids a few years back. Enjoy.

The essence of sport is competition. Winning or losing, succeeding or failing. From the first time any of us picked up a ball, we knew that victory was a goal….it was THE goal. Gaining life lessons such as discipline, teamwork, and trust were optional (although integral) in fostering that competition and finding our purpose within the world of sports.

That said, competition relates to victory. Winning is the reason to play. My father often says that the person who coined the phrase,” It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, but how you play the game”, probably did not win much. To win proves all the work done for the sake of competition was not done in vain; it justifies you.

The steroids discussion is beginning to die down as the lawmakers of this country wind down questioning sessions with the leaders of the four major American sports. (Football, Basketball, Baseball and Hockey.) Allow me to add a little wood to this fading fire.
Why would an athlete use performance enhancing drugs? Why would a young man or woman choose to endanger their career at most or their reputation at least in jeopardy by using illegal steroids? Why? Because they want to win that’s why. They want to be the best. Let’s see what some athletes around the world of sports have to say.

John Malone, College Football Player, Big State University

I use steroids because I have to. That’s the bottom line. If I don’t, somebody else is going to, outperform me and then I’m one spot lower on the depth chart. There is always an edge in my sport. It’s just a matter of who has it. I need to have the edge. Who can get that bench press up fastest, who can improve their squat fastest, and who can consistently shave time off their 40 yard dash?

For the simple fact that I play at Big State I am talented, but after my talent I’ve got to have drive…..and my drive tells me to do whatever it takes; Even if that means a few needles and some cream. I didn’t come to Big State to be a nobody. I came here to play, play well, and get to the NFL. Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. I lift and do so religiously. I run extra wind sprints before and after practice. I watch film. I’m a good citizen, I stay out of trouble and I go to class. Hell I even keep a 3.0 GPA. But when it’s time for scouts to decide if I can play in the NFL none of that matters.

All that will matter is whether or not I can cut it. Can I make the tackle? Can I break up that pass? Can I get off blocks consistently? I can if I have an edge. I can if I have a little bit more than the guy who’s in back of me and wants my job. I don’t use because I want to, I do it because I have to. Bigger, stronger, and faster baby, that’s what the league wants. You had better believe that what I’m going to give them.

Allen Wallace, Professional Basketball Player, Iowa BearKats

I use steroids because I don’t have a choice. Every year this league is getting younger. Kids are coming in and playing at a high level at 22, 23 years old. I’m an All-Star, an established star in this league but there’s a kid we drafted last year who jumps higher, runs faster, and moves quicker than I do. All I have on him right now is experience, but how long will that be enough?

Take for example Eddie Jones in Miami. He’s a good guy, a solid player and a former All-Star. He’s provided veteran leadership and timely scoring for that team consistently during his time with the team. In spite of all his wonderful contributions, the Heat drafted his replacement (Dorrell Wright) and will no doubt look at him in training camp next season to see if he has developed enough to fill Eddie’s role with the team. Not only is Wright a cheaper option but soon he’ll have the experience and maturity to pair with his talent and promise. When that happens what is Eddie to do? How does he delay such a transition?

I’ll tell you what I would do; better yet I’ll tell you what I’m doing. I’m putting this needle in my butt that’s what I’m doing. I’ll stay on the top of my game, both physically and mentally, for as long as I can. I don’t blame the organization. Basketball is a young man’s game. If I had to choose between a 23 year old and a 31 year old with similar skills I’d take the 23 year old without hesitation. Loyalty is a commendable trait to possess but smart business doesn’t always recognize loyalty. I know that and I do what I have to do to remain the best player at my position on my team.

I don’t have an off-season. I work out when the season is over to make sure I have a job when the season starts. It just so happens that I can make a phone call or two and give myself a little more. That little bit more is going to help me keep the kid we drafted out of my spot. For that reason, the little bit more is ok.

Derek Hunter, Major League Baseball Player, Oregon Foresters

First, let me say this: I haven’t been using for that long. I never had to. I was taught that if you work your tail off and do the right thing, good things will happen to and for you. In high school, college, and during my years in the minors I was clean. I’ve always been able to field and I have a strong arm so my skills as a shortstop were never questioned. I could always cut it. In addition, I’m a switch hitter who bats for average and spreads the ball to all fields. To compliment that, I used to hit the occasional home run. (Emphasis on occasional.)

In college, the minors, and my first 4 years in the league I never hit more than 15 home runs. I was told I was good, but I wouldn’t be great unless I could hit for power. Today’s league isn’t for the .345 hitter who hits 10-15 homeruns a season. As great a hitter as Tony Gwynn was how much better would he have been had he consistently hit 35 homeruns a season? Some might have referred to him as the best hitter ever.

I want to be great. I want my name mentioned with Rodriguez, Helton, Pujols, and Chipper Jones. To reach that level I must complete my game: so I use. When I hear people criticize steroid use in the game, I die laughing inside. They say it’s ruining the sport because it’s dishonest and illegal. I don’t care about that. I do this because I want to take my game to the next level. If you want a promotion at your job, you get there early and you stay late. If you want to be a good cook, you read a book or take a class or watch Emeril. In my profession all the overtime in the world won’t do. Some of the hardest working ball players I’ve ever come across I knew in college and the minors. Guess what? They’re still there.

For whatever reason, I’m here in the majors. I had the tools needed to get here and I work hard to maintain them. The next step for me is to cement my status as a superstar. I feel that juicing can do that for me. It works for other guys. I’m talking 35-40 home run guys created in one summer. Fans see it and they don’t complain because they know that a big hitter in the clean up spot for their home team is the answer to beating the reigning division champion and going to the post season. They know that if the home team can get a little run production then their pitching and defense can get them to the ALCS.

You take the bad with the good. Personally, I strike out more, but on the other hand I score more runs for the team. Injuries tend to stay a little longer but there’s no problem with me taking off a game every other week. Because I am a great baseball player I get the love of the best fans in the world, I live an awesome life, and I make good money. Steroids are a small price to pay for that. The investment is nothing compared to the return. Moreover, if you ask me next week I’ll say the exact same thing.

Greatness

2008-08-07T15:06:00.004-04:00

I wrote this article in 2005 at the request of a friend. Travis Bledsoe was a point guard at De La Salle High School in Minneapolis, MN. I gave him a call and did an interview for this article. I guess the real purpose of it was to shine a light on someone who more than deserved the attention and accolades. I'm not really sure where life led Travis, but for that moment in time he was Greatness.

In addition, I think that certain elements of this piece resonate with every person that feels unappreciated, unrecognized or just plain irrelevant. Regardless of the blood, sweat, and tears you may give in pursuit of your dreams, we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent.

Don't ever stop. Don't ever give up. Don't ever quit. Part of the journey is struggle and the view from the top is much better than the one from the bottom.

In due time we shall reap, if we faint not.

How do you define greatness? Is it by the points scored or minutes played?Is it by rebounds collected or assists handed out? How do you characterize a person’s legacy? Is it by his leadership qualities, his heart, or his phenomenal talents? To truly know the greatness of a player you have to examine him. You have to take a look at his strengths and weaknesses. To really see greatness you have to focus because sometimes it hides under the blinding brightness that pomp and circumstance radiate. Oftentimes greatness does not come from the most obvious places. Sometimes you have to investigate; you have to look behind buildings and under bridges until your search brings you to De LaSalle Senior High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

You have to explore until your search brings you to Travis Bledsoe.

Greatness is an exceptional quality. Oftentimes, it takes unique circumstances for greatness to unravel itself completely. Travis Bledsoe has been a varsity level talent since the 9th grade. Sadly, it took the combination of an injury and ineptitude for Bledsoe’s formidable talents to shine through. The masses now have exposure to the phenomenon DeLaSalle coaches and players have been privy to for years. He is a player of singular focus. One who plays to win but knows that it is harder to defend five players than one. Somewhere along the line, this young man learned the necessity of family, of togetherness. Therefore, he shares the ball and the spotlight. For the humble where does praise come? He will not praise himself but rest assured praise is due.

A few years ago a meeting took place that formed the scenario that we have today. Bledsoe met his coach when he was in the 8th grade. Call it fate. Call it a helping hand. Call it yet another young man saved by the game. The focus of a youth completely consumed by the game of basketball is rare for someone like Travis. His life and neighborhood aren't really breeding grounds for exceptional athletes. For all the Hard Knock Life stories that have been uttered, know that they are real, they are genuine, and they are tangible. Know that hearing another should make you appreciate what it is that you see before you.

The north side of Minneapolis serves as a proving ground for young men every year. Some survive and make lives filled with the attaining of goals and reaching beyond the city limits to greater heights. Others fall victim to the allure of the familiar and walk down the boulevard of broken dreams. One road, two paths and Travis Bledsoe made a choice when he was 13 years old that would take him somewhere he could only imagine then. Travis left his place of familiarity for a location where he could display his refined talents for an audience with a little more to offer. Minneapolis North or Henry would have been a great place for the homegrown youth to take ahold of and carry the torch of the next great Minneapolis guard. Instead, he went where his heart led him.

The time it takes a choice to be made and for the brilliance of that choice to be uncovered can sometimes be trying. Four full years later Travis Bledsoe is not known as the high school phenom he should be. Opponents and opposing coaches know him. High school beat writers know of his exploits. Some might say he gets respect in the “hood” but not a foot outside of it. Moreover, this is where we arrive at the true travesty. Writers will soon bestow the title of Mr. Basketball for the state of Minnesota upon some deserving prep player. The recipient should, without a doubt, have been a distinguished guard out of DeLaSalle Senior High School. For him, Mr. Basketball was not a player of the year award; it was a lifetime achievement award.

Greatness is a characteristic that displays itself in the most trying of situations.When a team from Compton, California descended upon the Twin Cities to add a victory to their overall season record and add miles to their frequent flyer total, they met resistance from greatness.They left with the miles and not the victory. A recent city All-Star Game provided the best competition that the Twin Cities could provide and again greatness stole the show. The state of Minnesota has decided that Travis Bledsoe is only fit to be a finalist for Mr. Basketball. Let us now resolve that he is the “real” Mr. Basketball.

He is the personification of hard work, determination and persistence.

Congrats, Mr. Travis Bledsoe.

We see you.

Black Man Lost

2008-07-31T17:00:00.004-04:00

I wrote this article 2 years ago when the Celtics were suffering through a terrible season. Celtic pride has been rekindled. Pierce, Garnett, and Allen are now all apart of Celtic lore and are probably the odds on favorite to win it all next year too. Funny what a couple of years can do.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way for him, drifting aimlessly in a sea of confusion, mad at the world for the situation thrust upon him. It was supposed to be different. It was supposed to be better. Paul Pierce was supposed to be more than the next Celtic great, he was supposed to be the next Celtic champion.

Red started the dynasty and has lived to see the death of it. Cousy, Russell and Havliceck, Jones and Cowens, Bird, McHale and Parrish, Bias, Walker and Pierce. The line of Celtic greats was supposed to continue. The tradition of drafting players to sit and learn the Celtic way under the watchful eye of the great Red Auerback wasn’t supposed to be cut off in a hotel room with too much cocaine and not enough self-control.

Boston Celtic history is filled with superstars. Every decade from 1960 to the present has been defined by one, two, or even three players that were among the best in the league during their prime. Exceptional selections in the draft kept that tradition alive until the selection of the Maryland All-American Len Bias in 1986. The selection of Bias would have given the Celtics the complementary perimeter player Larry Bird needed to win another title or two and would have guaranteed a continuance of Celtic supremacy well into the 90’s. Len Bias was that special.

If you listen to coaches, commentators or analysts speak about ACC greats past, the name Bias always comes up. Sure they’ll mention Dawkins, Worthy or Sampson but they will take care to point out the fact that Len Bias was one of the greatest forwards in ACC history. Bias’ creative post play, explosive leaping ability, quickness, and power combined with a legit 6-9 frame and sweet shooting touch proved to be a lethal combination. He was Darius Miles with muscle and a jump shot, Shawn Marion with back to the basket game, Marvin Williams with 4 years of ACC seasoning.

Sadly, Len Bias’ life and career ended prematurely due cocaine overdose. A nationwide epidemic struck the infallible Celtics dynasty. Because of his death the Celtics was forced to satisfy their hunger for a superstar worthy of the mantle Bird left with glorified role players such as Dino Radja, Rick Fox, Dee Brown, Antoine Walker. Meanwhile a certain special player was looking to make the final eastward move into his destiny.

Inglewood, California. Lawrence, Kansas. Boston Massachusetts. The road to destiny was a long one for Paul Pierce. Thing is the team destiny granted him was not very good. Truthfully it should have been a lot better. It ought to have been a piece or two away from revisiting the glory days. You see with Len Bias winding down what surely would have been a Hall of Fame career and still available to usher in a talent such as Pierce, the Celtics would have provided a potential foil to Jordan’s Chicago reign of terror in mid to late 90’s. Instead Paul Pierce was forced to lead a team reeling from Rick Pitino’s frenetic college style NBA experiment. Talk about more than one man can bear.

Luckily “The Truth” refused to let circumstance thwart providence. The Celtics were his team to lead and lead did he ever. He led them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002 before falling to New Jersey in 6 games. So often when the names premier swingman are thrown around in debate as to who is the best pound for pound in the game today Pierce is omitted. Wade, Bryant, Allen, McGrady, James, Carter, Hamilton and Ginobilli are all great in their own right but Paul Pierce is most definitely their equal.

As an exceptional shooter, passer, rebounder and defender Pierce can do everything you want a wing player to do. He feasts on smaller defender due to his size and strength and frustrates larger ones with his quickness and willingness to move without the ball. Pierce is perennially among league leaders in minutes played and free throws attempted as well. In a nutshell the man is the real deal. And therein lies the struggle. Paul Pierce’s exceptional ability to play the game, natural aptitude for leadership, and top-flight representation of the Celtics organization are on par with Celtics legends past.

Thing is a championship is not in his immediate future. This years version of the Celtics are a promising bunch, but with young players at PG, in the pivot, and in key back up positions inconsistency has been their calling card. Inconsistent teams don’t win titles in any league.
Since a championship is the only thing that can put Pierce in the company of Celtics legends past in the minds and hearts of Boston faithful his jersey may never hang in the rafters of the Fleet Center along side those of greats he toils under during every home game. Sadly, it’s not entirely Pierce’s fault that he’s still ring less.

The Celtic way is for the elder to lead the younger from inexperience to greatness. Paul Pierce’s mentor never arrived and ever since he’s been in the league, he’s had to find his own way. The result has been a great career and he’s also in the middle of a career year. Perhaps it was supposed to be this way. That Paul Pierce, mentorless for so long, would rekindle the Celtic tradition. That Delonte West, Tony Allen, Gerald Green, Kendrick Perkins, and Al Jefferson would have a bona fide superstar to look up to, learn from, and emulate.

Perhaps the Black Man Lost has found his calling, realized his destiny, and found victory in the midst of defeat.

Thoughts

2008-07-30T11:19:00.000-04:00

I like to think of myself as a sports writer who has occasional opinions about life. I guess today is one of those days where I'll step into my social commentary role. Can you dig it?

Life is full of choices. There are times when we as people come to a fork in the road and must choose which way we'll travel. For better or for worse we choose our own path. The ability to choose is, in and of itself, a virtue. Some lack the ability to reason between the better of multiple options. It takes a man or a woman of character to look at situation as it is and decide what suites them best.

So what happens when we don't choose wisely? What happens when the path we travel is the wrong one? What happens when we realize we can't escape our actions?

We suffer.

We suffer as a result of our proceedings. Sometimes we feel hurt or disappointed. At other times we do those very things to other people. I learned some time ago that energy is never lost. It's simply transferred. When I give out pain that person in turn gives out distrust and cynicism, either to me or to another person. Either way that Energy is being exchanged. I've started a cycle of dysfunction that is indefinite. Sadder still that negative vitality I passed out will be repaid to me. It's karma baby, what you reap you will sow. Know that what you give out, you'll most surely recieve.

Matters of the heart and soul cannot be taken lightly. As men and women we often find ourselves in a position where doing what's best for me may come at the expense of someone else. We must tread lightly.

We must tread lightly because when I use you for my gain you will inevitably come to feel the loss. When I take for an indefinate time the source of my taking will eventuallybecome depleted. Eventually I'll have to give. In time I'll have to become the source of something instead of the taker of it. That realization is one that is not always met with enthusiasm. With giving comes a level of openess, dare I say vulnerability. If I open up to you then you can take from me what you will. You may not be grateful, you may not be thankful, hell you may be downright abusive. The harsh reality is that nothing in life is guarenteed, least of all a persons intentions or actions. At times we may at times be disapointed. There is a way to avoid these uncertainties, trust me I know.

Run.

Run as fast as possible from the situations, circumstances, and people that pose the most ardent of problems. Instead of being vulnerable, be stealth. Running does ease your mind. It does address your problems. It does make you feel better..... for a moment.
As hard as you try you cannot escape the situations you create for yourself. Every man and woman is accountable.

Again, life is full of choices.

Just as easily as you chose a path, suffered in its wake and ran from its results you can do better. We live in a world where change is possible. None of us are slave to uniformity. The mature person examines his shortcomings and makes himself the better as a result. In the solitude of suffering he finds strength. He endures. Instead of running he stays and commits himself to providing answers to each and every question that may arise.

Making this life one worth living is a series of quality decisons. Hopefully this helps your process.

C.R.E.A.M

2008-07-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

I think being a star is where it's at. The money, the attention, the love, the hate.

To have people completely involved in what you are, what you do and what you think is amazing to me. I want that. I want to be Hollywood. The paparazzi, the gossips columns, the tabloids, bring it. I swear I'm ready.

In spite of such wanting, I also know that there's more to being famous than the glamour. Along with such a blessing comes responsibility.

One you have to be accountable. There is a reason you got to where you are. Be true to the talent that elevated you. If you write then refine that talent. It you ball then continue to develop your skill. If you act then hone your craft.

Two you must always remember the circumstances surrounding your rise. There was a reason you made it. Someone or something helped facilitate the ascent to super stardom. Show your appreciation.

Lastly, you must make every performance one to remember. Play with heart. Play with passion. Perform with the grace of the greats that came before you. I'm fully aware that all of the above rhetoric probably makes me a dreamer. I may not see this world as it is. Perhaps I wear the rose colored specs. Whatever the case may be, it's how I feel and I tend to carry that when I observe those who are already in the limelight.

Maybe that's why I don't understand contract squabbles, holdouts, and the like. I hear people talking about fair market value and maximizing your window of opportunity. With me wanting to be famous and all I can't fathom doing something once I get famous (and paid) that may jeopardize it. Then again maybe being broke doesn't give me the best perspective.

In addition, my parents are conservative folks and they taught me to respect the things you put your name on. They kinda felt like Tony Montana, "All I got in this world are my word and my balls and I don't break them for no one." If you say you'll play for "x" amount of years at "y" amount of dollars then do that. Make your word mean something. Make that signature valuable.

What's really funny to me is that I've never heard of a ballplayer offering to give money back when they have a particularly bad season. When production goes down, when injuries flare up, when others are outplaying you the sense of fair play isn't brought up. I'd wager that there are more guys making $10 mil and playing like $2 mil than there are guys make $500 K and playing like $3 mil.

With that being said, there's always more to a story than what you think. Much is made of the business side of sports and entertainment. It's often uttered that there is no loyalty in sports. The owner is all about the bottom line, the player is all about getting paid and very often that leads to somebody getting screwed.

I'm far from a professional at anything but I've got some experience with contracts and it ain't good. The only three contracts I've ever signed, I broke prematurely. The end results of those being debt, repossession, and eviction for my troubles and a below average credit rating to boot.

Say I had a chance to break free of those contracts. When I signed them I was extremely happy with the situation I found myself in. I had money for school, I had a car to drive and I had a nice place to stay.

Because life happens, situations will always evolve. They (the situations) may even have the audacity to change without notice. So I lose a job, or have unexpected expenses arise, quite naturally I'd want out of those contracts. The value of my pocket book (income) decreased so I have to make a move before my value (credit rating) drops too far. The thing is I'm not a pro athlete so once I sign my name I'm bound. I can't jump in and jump out because my situation or the thought that I'm being treated unfairly.

What's the point here?

I guess it's that everyone is looking out for someone and more times than not, that person is THEM. Mr. or Ms. number 1.

Joe Ball Player and Jessica Athlete do your thing and get paid. If this is really strictly business and nothing personal then Pro Team Owner won't mind you working him over for a few extra million.