This blog is basically my thoughts on anything and everything involved with one of the first loves of my life...basketball. I will try to keep it within the realms of college because that's my expertise, but you will see the NBA pop up here and there.
As I was preparing to publish my next post here on the letter of intent, I was approached by a couple guys starting up a new college basketball blog/website. The creator had a great vision and some great ideas, so I decided to get involved. The website is benchpoints.com and I really think it's gonna do big things. So from here on out, I will be posting on there primarily. Not sure what I want to do with this website...but I guess things will be clearer in the coming weeks. For now, support the site, give comments, and let me know how you guys feel!
Everybody gets hurt...at some point...eventually. It doesn't matter what sport you're playing, or how long you've played it. At some point you are probably gonna turn an ankle. Or sprain something. Or God Forbid, break something or tear something. It's a part of the game and it makes us as viewers cringe as we watch, and anxiously debate what the aftermath will be.
For the record, I tore my left ACL this past week playing my beloved sport of basketball. It was painful, it was disheartening, and it was expected. I tore my right one last July. An ACL tear may be the worst injury in all of sports. It requires a strenuous surgery, a tumultuous and long rehab period, and often times the player becomes a shell of their former self. But there's nothing as athletes we can do about injuries. Shit happens! I will be undergoing some serious rehab and alot of down time, so expect the blog to pick up a little more than it has.
Anyways, back to the topic...
Injuries happen to the best of the best, and the worst of the worst. It can be a freak accident, or a hereditary plague that never goes away. I'd like to take a look at some of the more memorable injuries in recent memory, and play a little game called "What If?"
(Side-Note: I'm gonna venture into other sports for this one. Sue Me.)
Tiger Woods: Tiger Woods tore his ACL and played through the 2008 US Open with it...and won. Doctors claimed that throughout the entire tournament, he was doing irreversible damage to his knee and that he should've sat out the entire thing. For someone who knows a thing or two about a torn ACL, this is nothing short of a miracle. And it just goes to show you just how much torque he puts into those 300+ yard bombs off the tee.
WHAT IF: Woods hadn't torn his ACL? Well, it's tough to talk about that now because quite frankly, it seems like he's coming right back into his own and is poised to win at least 2 majors every year for a while.
Unfortunately, injuries began to pile up for Penny starting in 1998, a series of left knee injuries sidelined him until he left for Phoenix. In Phoenix, he ended up hurting his foot a number of times, and in New York he topped it off with arthritic knees. He became a shell of his former self, and many wondered what his career would have been without the injuries...
WHAT IF: Penny would have stayed injury free? Assuming the deal to Phoenix stayed in place, you would have seen Anfernee line up alongside the incredible Jason Kidd. If injuries don't step in, you have arguably the most dynamic backcourt in the entire NBA. Maybe the Suns go a little farther in the playoffs with a healthy Penny and maybe with the addition of a couple pieces, Penny and Kidd would have gotten that elusive title...
Grant Hill Barring injuries...Grant Hill may have gone down as the greatest basketball player of all-time.
Let that sink in for a second. Barring Injuries...he could have been the greatest ever. Forget Jordans, we would all be wearing Filas right now! In his prime he was averaging 26 ppg, 9 rpg, 7 apg.
He won the rookie of the year award, and was the first rookie to ever lead in all star voting. In his second year he led the NBA in triple-doubles and won a gold medal in the 96 olympics. The following year he again led the NBA in triple doubles, finished 3rd in MVP voting AS A SOPHMORE and became the first player since Larry Bird to average 20-9-7 in a season.
NO PLAYER HAS DONE THAT SINCE.
After the first six seasons of his career, before his ankle injury, Hill had a total of 9,393 points, 3,417 rebounds and 2,720 assists. Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird are the only two players in league history to do this after 6 seasons.
Hill was primed for a hall of fame career, until a slight ankle injury led to his downgrade. In 2000, towards the end of the season, Hill sprained his ankle. No big deal, right? 3 years later, Hill had surgery to realign his ankle with his leg bone. 5 days after that, Hill fell into convulsions and had a 104 fever and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors determined he had an MRSA infection, and he nearly died that day. Hill was never the same after that with the Magic. He now plays for the Phoenix Suns, and their incredible medical team has somehow brought him back to decent shape. He averaged 12-5-2 last year, a far cry from his earlier numbers, but he is a decent contributor nonetheless.
WHAT IF: Grant never had that ankle injury? What if he never had MRSA? I think Hill and Stackhouse take the Pistons to new heights and give real competition to the Spurs after MJ retires in 98. I could have seen a real dynasty assembled later with Joe Dumars. You know Grant is loyal, and he would have stuck it through in Detroit. Considering the numbers he put up in his first 5 years, he would have ended up a 1st ballot hall of famer, and at least a 3-time NBA champion. The scary thing about the Grant Hill story is that his injuries and problems came through in the prime of his career. We never got to see the best that Grant Hill had to offer...and that my friends, is downright scary.
That's gonna be it for now. I know I hadn't updated the blog in a while and I'm sorry. This is just a teaser really, there's gonna be some big things coming for the Letter of Intent. College Basketball starts practicing in a couple weeks, and it should be a hell of a year. In the meantime, I will be rehabbing and try and write as much as I can.
So without further ado...here's your LOI Clip of the Day.
(A couple things about this. First, notice how Tiger needs Steve the caddy's help getting over the hill after hitting his chip. Second, notice how gingerly he walks across the green, he's clearly trying to hide the fact that he can't depend on his left knee. Third, I'd like to just point out that the fact that he was able to win this tournament with no acl should and will go down in the pantheon of greatest moments in sports facing adversity along with MJ's flu game, and Brett Favre throwing for 4 TDs and 399 total yards the day after his father died.)
"Go out there and get some strange ass!" -Jeremy Grey in Wedding Crashers
Everybody needs strange ass once in a while. Everybody. Even the great Rick Pitino. Because there comes a day in every man's life when he gets approached by a woman in a restaurant and says, "Hey big boy, you were so hot coaching in the 1996 championship game. We close at 10, you wanna do me on this table?"
Well...maybe it didn't quite happen like that.
But the fact remains. In 2003, Rick Pitino had sex with Karen Sypher on a table in a restaurant in Louisville, KY after closing time. He was 50 years old at the time, married, with 5 children. It was a severe breach of fidelity, and one that may cost him in the long run. Two weeks later, Ms. Sypher called Pitino and told him she was pregnant. (Side Note: Rick Pitino is still making sexy time at 50 years old? And he's apparently a straight shooter...Impressive?) Pitino proceeds to give her 3 G's to keep her mouth shut...I mean go get an abortion...I mean "help her get medical coverage." 6 years later, she gets "nailed" by the cops for extortion. Apparently over 10 million, along with cars and tuition for the little ones. Then this upstanding female decides to scream rape, over 6 years after the act and only once the police have "slammed" her with extortion. Funny how that works out, huh?
I'd just like to give a couple thoughts on the topic...
First of all, this story is a prime example of what news has become here in 2009. We as sports enthusiasts are given these juicy breaking news updates over a man's personal business. What does Ms. Sypher have to do with Louisville basketball? Anything at all? Matter of fact, why is this even on ESPN? It's not like Pitino was having a sex party in the restaurant with potential recruits, was he? Now THAT would be newsworthy. And John Calipari would have probably thought of it before him.
The truth is, this is personal. And I don't really want to hear about it. Keep it in the courts where it belongs. I don't want to know about Ben Roethlisberger's hoes. Nor that Stephon Marbury is having a public breakdown over ustream.
People have gotten far too obsessed with things we have no business dealing with. Obviously this is a tough time in Coach Pitino's life. He had a moment of weakness and is working with his family to try and repair what has happened. He sounds remorseful. And as far as we know, he has told the truth to police and reporters the whole time.
So what now? Will Louisville pull the trigger? According to the AD, and University president, they understand that this was a lack of judgment on Pitino's part, but they have no intentions on letting go of the championship-winning coach.
Let's move on. We've all had encounters with strange ass. And sometimes, we've succumbed to the temptation. But what happens in a man's personal life should stay there. We don't need this paraded around ESPN and expose him for what he is...
A married man who had a moment of weakness and is now paying the price to his wife, and his 5 children.
Considering I didn't even have this blog up and running when the NBA draft happened this past June, I decided to go back in time a little bit and give my thoughts on the picks. I am one of the few people who look forward to the draft every year, and this year was no different. Something about watching college studs, and unseen euros finding their new homes in the NBA is always intriguing to me. (Not to mention all the unintentional comedy that happens when you put David Stern on a stage with big, tall, black dudes)
While I think there were less stars in this draft, I believe the talent level was deeper. You had guys being picked in the late first round that will not only stick with teams, but make significant contributions.
In the interest of time, We'll stick with just the lottery...
So without further ado, we go to the Los Angeles Clippers
#1- Los Angeles Clippers...Blake Griffin (Oklahoma)
Surprised? I don't think anyone really was. Blake Griffin was a stud at Oklahoma and probably could have come out after his freshman year. Maybe if he knew he was being drafted by the clippers he would have. But either way, he's headed to la-la-land. It's no secret if you ask my friends, I think the kid is a stud. Throughout the year, I found myself watching Oklahoma games just to see him play. I could care less if they were winning or losing, I was intrigued by #23 and his ridiculous skill set. He took home all the hardware for NPOY, Averaged 23 and 15 throughout the season, and recorded a downright stupid 30 games with a double-double. Don't look now, but the Clips all of a sudden have a VERY intriguing team. Opening night, they're trotting out Marcus Camby, Blake Griffin, Al Thornton, Baron Davis, and Eric Gordon.
DAMN. That is a scary team. And they're bringing Mardy Collins, Ricky Davis, Sebastian Telfair, Chris Kaman, and Deandre Jordan off the bench. Look out folks, the clips might make the playoffs this year...
#2- Memphis Grizzlies...Hasheem Thabeet (UCONN)
That's right the big boy from Tanzania/UCONN goes second, proving that big men will always be drafted ahead of guards when given the option. It's in the unwritten rules of the NBA draft. Good luck getting him the ball with Mike Conley running the point. Hasheem is, however, my cult favorite in this draft as he has taken somewhat of a Chuck Norris personality between me and my friends. Prompted by the shouting of his name as THAAAABEEET. For the record, Apple pays Hasheem THABEET 99 cents every time he listens to a song...
#3- Oklahoma City Thunder...James Harden (ASU)
Ehhh, not a fan. Color me a hater, but I feel I could suit up for ASU and average what he did last year. (20, 4, and 5 for the record) Every time I caught him on TV, he really seemed quite average. Yes, he got his points, but he didn't blow me away. And he certainly didn't seem like he was worth the 3rd pick in the draft. But Jay Bilas apparently thinks this pick was genius. Oh well. When he disappoints, don't forget me.
#4- Sacramento Kings...Tyreke Evans (Memphis)
Ahh yes, no draft lottery would be complete without the one year wonder from Calipari. Tyreke "The Freak" Evans was a 6'6' 220 lb. guard that was a mismatch all season for the Tigers last year. Nobody questions his talent, but quite frankly, nobody cares in Sacramento. That team is straight up AWFUL. At least he and Rashad McCants can hit up strip clubs with Spencer Hawes next year!
#5- Minnesota T-Wolves...Ricky Rubio (Europe)
I must confess...I have a mancrush on Ricky Rubio. He is very very good. If you don't believe me, ask the 2008 USA national team. This kid came off the bench in the gold medal game and was dropping dimes around Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. Oh yeah, he was just 17 years old. Some think he will be another frail euro, but anybody that has watched alot of basketball will tell you, some people are just GOOD at it. They may not be the tallest, or most athletic, but they can play. Ricky Rubio is one of these people, and IF he decides to come play for Minnesota, he will turn heads.
#6- Minnesota T-Wolves...Jonny Flynn (Syracuse)
Wait...what? Did they just pick 2 straight PG's? Why? I mean, no offense Jonny. You were awesome in that game against UCONN. I came away from that game praising your toughness, and your will to win in such pressure filled moments. But really Minnesota? You couldn't have gone after somebody else? A Big man? A swingman? Anybody?? Oh well, I wonder how that experiment will fare next year...
#7- Golden State Warriors...Stephen Curry (Davidson)
Remember how I mentioned about people that are just flat out GOOD, no questions asked? Stephen Curry is that dude. Literally. Son of sharpshooter (And Charlotte Hornet legend) Dell Curry, Stephen has spent the past couple of years electrifying people all over the country. He made Davidson relevant, and was a primetime player in the NCAA tournament. He will play, and he will be very good in this league. Not quite sure why he's going to GS, considering they have an identical player in Monta Ellis, but if he could have somehow made it to the Knicks, look out!
#8- New York Knicks...Jordan Hill (Arizona)
Let's look at the numbers here. 6'10. 235. Averaged 18 and 11 last year for an atrocious wildcat team. Ehh, I can see what they were trying to do here. D'Antoni needs athletic big men who can run the floor in the new system. He will fit in, and odds are he is probably gonna have a very nice career. I just can't get over the fact they couldn't pull the trigger for Curry. He would've energized that team like non other. And believe me...the Knicks need energy.
#9- Toronto Raptors...Demar Derozan (USC)
Averaged 13 and 6 as a freshman forward for the trojans. Pac-10 tournament MVP. Can't really see any flaws here. Maybe he was taken a bit early, but he's got all the right tools to be a good player in this league. The question is whether he will be motivated enough in Toronto. I think not. Expect him to blossom once the raps deal him somewhere.
#10- Milwaukee Bucks...Brandon Jennings (Europe)
I've been a Brandon Jennings bandwagonner for a long time now. Ever since I saw the kid play with the SC All stars at the Bob Gibbons AAU tourney with Kevin Love, I thought he was fantastic. Kid had some of the best court vision, and speed that I'd seen in a long time. Couple that with the fact that he's been playing the past year in Europe against pretty good competition, and I think he will be the steal of this draft. And he rocked a flat top in the Mickie D's Game. Props. The question is whether jumping to Europe for a year will be a trend now that B-Jenn did it. Honestly, why not? If a kid is in a bad neighborhood (Compton) and his family needs money (Yes) then why not go to Europe, make bank, and prep for the NBA against really good competition? I love the college game, but I can't say I'm surprised about people jumping overseas. Expect more of it in the future.
#11- New Jersey Nets...Terrence Williams (Louisville)
Rick Pitino's latest product from Louisville finds himself in the NBA's version of purgatory, the NJ Nets. This is a team that is building around Rafer Alston, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Brook Lopez. Word. Oh and I forgot (MAYBE) Lebron James. That is, if Jay-Z is able to pull some serious strings and get him to come to the Nets and basically start from scratch with trying to win a 'chip. Williams is a good kid, and played really well for the 'cards this past year. I just can't see him making any waves next year, or for the next couple of years for that matter.
#12- Charlotte Bobcats...Gerald Henderson (Duke)
Ahh, the hometown Bobcats. The product of a somewhat loyal fanbase, one of the worst owners in the NBA, (Bob Johnson) the greatest player in the game who is becoming one of the worst front-office members in history. Throw in their knack of drafting local talent and trying to create a Tar Heel/Blue Devil all star team, and it's no surprise they haven't won anything yet. This pick...however was a very good one. They needed an athletic swingman who can guard the other team's best player, and can jump out of the gym. Yep, they're gonna love G. Kid was incredible at Duke, and is really coming into his own. Sky's the limit for this kid, he could be a star one day, or a very important cog on a championship team. We will see.
#13- Indiana Pacers...Tyler Hansbrough (UNC)
I should preface this by saying I despise Tyler Hansbrough. Everything about him. From his eyes that are about to pop out of his head, to his impressive knack of doing the cha cha slide every time he gets the ball in the paint without getting a traveling call. Couple that with the infatuation that ACC refs had with him, and I did celebratory shots when he played his final game. I will admit though, he is in the pantheon of players you hate with a passion...except if he played on my team, along with J.J. Redick, Alex Rodriguez, and Sidney Crosby. The thing about alot of these guys is that they are talented. And Psycho T is talented in his own way, I must admit. He will have a good career for the Pacers, who in other news will be sponsored by Bic Wite-Out!
#14- Phoenix Suns...Earl Clark (Louisville)
A 6'9 225 lb stud for the Cardinals, many argued that he was better than Terrence Williams who went a few spots before him. I think he will stick around in this league for a long time. You can't really argue with his pedigree, and I'm sure he will get his fair share of touches in Phoenix considering they're blowing that entire team up. Won't be the last we hear of Mr. Clark, that's for sure.
Alrighty then, that's gonna be it for my breakdown of the 2009 NBA Draft. I could have gone on and done the rest of the 1st round, but I feel like I've done enough writing and researching for one day. This blog thing gets pretty tough! Thanks to everyone who texted/emailed/commented me about the blog. It means alot knowing that people are actually reading this.
I'll try and do some more entries here soon, but I'm running out of ideas! Hit me up if you got something interesting for me to write about.
Well folks, here's post 2 for The Letter of Intent, and I've gotten a lot of props for post 1 so thanks to all who showed feedback. I've had this on my mind for a while, and I've argued day and night about it so I thought I'd bring it to the LOI.
Kentucky. Home of the Wildcats. Home of Adolph Rupp, one of the winningest (and most racist) coaches of all time. Home of the infamous Ashley Judd. Home of 7 National Titles. Where Jamal Mashburn, Antoine Walker, Tayshaun Prince, and Rajon Rondo donned the blue and white.
There is no doubt Kentucky has it's place in history. They've been known for their winning...and for other things as well. After the 1989 season with Eddie Sutton, UK was slapped with NCAA sanctions stemming from their involvement of extensive payments to recruits and improper assistance on college exams.
They were also the "other team" in the infamous 1966 National championship game that lost to the all-black starting 5 of Texas Western. Ultimately cementing themselves in the pantheon of other teams you love to hate including, the 1980 USSR hockey team, the 2004 Lakers, and the 2009 New York Yankees. Well actually, make that just the New York Yankees period.
That's right Kentucky has their fair share of pride and history, but also a history of turning an eye to questionable practices.
Enter...John Calipari.
Now regardless of your stance on John Calipari, the one thing you must admit is that the man wins ball games. At UMASS he finished with a 189–70 record overall, 3-time A-10 coach of the year, a NPOY in Marcus Camby...
...And sanctions from the NCAA for Camby receiving $28,000.
At Memphis he was equally as successful, acquiring a 252-69 record overall, 3-time C-USA coach of the year, 2008 National Coach of the year, and a record 4 STRAIGHT 30-WIN SEASONS...
...And potential sanctions from the NCAA for a certain 2007-08 player who got a little "help" on his SAT's (Cough, Derrick Rose, Cough, Cough). Not to mention a certain little job he got Dajuan Wagner's Father as Coordinator of Basketball Operations in 2001 so that his son would show up on campus.
Catching onto the pattern here?
This guy is the ultimate slime ball. A coach who literally will do anything it takes to win, even if that means crossing the line. When you start paying players, and you turn a blind eye to tampering with entrance exams you develop this reputation yourself. Many of the coaches I have found myself surrounded with all laugh when they hear his name come up. He's a JOKE. In every sense of the word. But what does he do year in and year out? Top 5 recruiting classes. Easily.
#1 PG ***** John Wall #2 C ***** Demarcus Cousins #4 C ***** Daniel Orton #6 PG **** Eric Bledsoe #10 SF **** Jon Hood Juco SF *** Darnell Dodson
That incoming class is downright silly.
The fact of the matter is, this is what the state of recruiting is in 2009. This slime ball has finally gotten the job that he has wanted in one of the premiere hoops programs in the country and look what he does. How do classy programs with no NCAA blemishes keep up with this?
"Well, Son. You could come to (Insert Big 10 School here) and work your butt off in the classroom, earn your way onto the floor by beating out upperclassmen, and go through the rigors of the big-10 season...OR..."
You could go to Kentucky. Where no one expects these kids to go to class. No one expects these kids to graduate, or even give anything back to the community. They are expected to WIN, at any and all costs. And after a year of showcase, you tiptoe to a lottery pick in the NBA and a career of making millions.
It's disgraceful. And as a passionate lover of the game of basketball it sickens me to see what he is able to accomplish. To let him off the hook at UMASS and Memphis, and allow him to just do what he wants is despicable. the NCAA needs to crack down on this, and soon.
And to add insult to injury, I logged into my twitter today to find this gem from Coach Cal,
"...Create relationships that go beyond your family and take pride when good things happen to others as if it were your own success."
W. T. F.
I hope that one day Coach Cal finally gets his due. I hope that every single time he makes it to the championship game he chokes it away ala 2008.
I once asked a close friend of mine that if I were offered a job in Kentucky's program under John Calipari, should I take it?
His Response...
Never. Once you become associated with that clown, you become forever tainted. You represent all that is wrong with college basketball, and you'll never live it down.
I know...I know...it's pretty ridiculous. I never thought I would actually have an interest in one of these, but I've been reading blogs from some of the people that inspire me, so I figured...why not? I don't expect many people to read this, but it should be an interesting way for me to post some thoughts at least for the season. I will try and cover as many teams as possible but certain ones will creep up more than others, and there's really nothing I can do about that. I blame the media!
So without further ado...my first batch of thoughts...
-I've been attending the NC Pro Am over this summer, and I must say that some of the incoming talent here in the ACC is gonna be IN-CRE-DIBLE. The fact that they have this tournament...free of charge...to people here in the triangle is a welcome addition. I think the turnouts speak for themselves, people in this area love their college basketball. To get a sneak peek of incoming freshmen, returning underclassmen, and seasoned vets is a great way to spend any weekday night. Kudos to them.
-CJ Leslie (#3 Ranked PF in the country according to scout.com) will be a force to contend with down the road. He is a lean 6'8", but he makes up for it with some aggressive play, especially around the basket. Some of the major players in his recruitment are UNC (obviously), Kentucky, NC State (where he decommitted from), and Tennessee. You could see Oregon and Wake Forest get in the mix, but it's doubtful at this point. After a recent visit to UNC, Leslie was asked if there were any negatives to the visit, to which he responded, "no...no negatives at all." I think it's safe to say this is gonna be a UNC-UK battle. We'll see if CJ wants to stay home or if he will be one of the many kids flocking to Lexington with the rest.
-Duke bigs coming in: Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly will be a welcome addition in Durham. They both provide quality skill sets and talent at the post position, and will probably quickly pass a disappointing Brian Zoubek and an under performing Lance Thomas quickly. While they will be very good players on the next level, the question still remains, who is gonna bang down low and get dirty for the blue devils? They don't have anyone to fit the bill. And there is that whole problem with not having a reliable PG too... Should be an interesting season for the dukies, but I will touch on that in later posts.
-UNC's got some players coming in too, but I will mainly touch on the one I've seen the most of thus far: John Henson. Now, Mr. Henson is generously listed at 200 lbs. on his scout.com profile, but I must say, That can't be right. This kid is super frail. I mean, I feel like he might get broken in half if there were some sort of collision at the basket. The problem is, there isn't. This kid is incredible. He glides through the lane, dunks EVERYTHING, and cheeses on his way back on defense like a 13 year old. Because well...he LOOKS like a 13 year old. A 6'10" one that is. There was one point in the game I watched where it seemed like he was missing shots on purpose to go dunk-tap them in. He's already got incredible timing on the defensive end and sent a couple shots FLYING. Kid's gonna be a stud. Enjoy him folks, because you'll likely only see him on the ACC hardwood for one season.
Well, I think that's a pretty successful first post. I'll try and cover some more topics soon, but I mainly just wanted to bang the first entry out. In closing I wanted to thank everybody who's ever supported any of my basketball endeavors, and also Jimmy Bowen for talking me into this blog finally. Good Looks, Jimbo!
I also will admit, I'm stealing Mark Titus' idea of a youtube clip at the end of every entry. So if you're reading this Mark, thanks for the inspiration. And If you're not Mark, you should go to his blog. It is pretty sweet.
So here it is, your Letter of Intent clip of the day...
(Of course I'm gonna start with the greatest college basketball shot of all time!)
I am...the ultimate college basketball fanatic. I love the sights, smells, and sounds of the game. I fell in love as a 4 year old on tobacco road watching some of the greatest players in the world in my backyard. I am currently the manager of a high-major D1 basketball program and aspire to one day do this for a living.
Well, this kind of came out of nowhere...
