Category Archives: david stern

2012 NBA Draft: First Round Diary

David Stern is about to me busy shaking hands and calling out draft picks’ names…don’t expect him to give out 30 ‘bro hugs’ like NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

I am keeping a running diary of the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft tonight. You should expect pick and trade analysis, fashion critiques of draft suits (I’m hoping for some hideous suits), and a lot of snarky comments throughout the night.

I’m expecting a lot of trades tonight with many teams owning multiple top 40 draft picks. Cleveland, Houston, and Boston could shake things up if they can unload their draft picks for a big return.

My running diary begins after the jump… Continue reading

I’m Sorry, Ohio…Lebron Gets His First Ring

I really hate posting this picture because Ohio is my second home. I have no idea how the citizens of Ohio are rioting due to Lebron James winning his first NBA championship. I’m fairly certain that there are no more Lebron jerseys to burn and no one will boycott Nike.

I just want to point out the look on David Stern‘s face in the background. He is not happy the Miami Heat won and he has to be worried that the NBA will suffer if all of the league’s talent is concentrated on only a handful of teams. This could be the beginning of the end for a few franchises that already have trouble with attendance.

This is the start of a new era in the NBA. The Miami Heat is an example of a team that X’s & O’s didn’t matter. They ran constant isolation plays and teams could start copycatting. The need for an offensive-minded coach could no longer be needed and Phil Jackson’s Triangle offense will be extinct like the dodo bird.

I hope the people of Northern Ohio keep their chins up today. You have one thing going for you, Lebron is going bald.

By: TwitterButtons.com

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Udonis Haslem & Dexter Pittman Both Suspended, Flagrant Fouls (VIDEO)

The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers are fighting like the basketball court  in the middle of an octagon. The fifth game of this series was a battle. Both teams tried to hold their ground, but frustration started to set in and the play started to get chippy.

This series is one of the most physical in recent memory. The tension is starting to build and players are taking their aggression out on each other.

Miami won Game 5 and lead the series 3-2, but they could end up without two of their big men. Udonis Haslem and Dexter Pittman committed moronic fouls that will cost them games. Haslem will be suspended for Game 6 and Pittman received a suspension of three games.

The video of these fouls are below…after the jump.

Tyler Hansbrough started the foul contest after he was too physical with Dwyane Wade. The play was borderline, but Wade sold it by laying on the court for nearly thirty seconds. The Heat answered when Udonis Haslem put both hands in Hansbrough’s face and pushed his head back. In most cases, this would have been a Flagrant Two, which would eject Haslem from the game. He was only cited for a Flagrant One, the same level of Hansbrough’s foul. During the second-half, Marv Albert and Steve Kerr mentioned that Commissioner David Stern would review Haslem’s foul on Wednesday.

Possibly the most aggressive foul was committed by the Heat’s Dexter Pittman in the final minute of the game. Lance Stephenson was coming in the paint to rebound the ball, but Pittman jumped over to his side of the paint and put an elbow right in Stephenson’s throat.

Why would two back-of-the-rotation guys go at it like this? It started when Lance Stephenson held up the “choke sign” when Lebron missed a couple late-game free-throws. Miami didn’t take kindly to that and believe that Stephenson needed to learn to respect other players. Before Game 4 in Indianapolis, the Heat’s Juwan Howard crossed the half-court line and confronted Stephenson.

Pittman’s foul was planned and it has no place in the NBA. The Heat can survive without him. He is expendable and this is why he was chosen to commit the hard foul.

Nearly ever major player in this series have been close to fighting each other. Danny Granger and Lebron James have been talking trash to each other and it nearly came to blows twice. Because their team leaders are going at it, it is open season for the rest of the roster. It didn’t help when Wade tackled Darren Collison in Game 2. Wade was not suspended for Game 3, in which infuriated the Pacers and their fans.

The Heat will need to activate Eddy Curry, who has not played a single minute in these playoffs. Game 6 of the series is on Thursday in Indianapolis at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse.

Here are the videos of the Miami Heat’s flagrant fouls and a video breakdown from Newsy.com…

Game 5: Udonis Haslem’s flagrant foul on Tyler Hansbrough

Game 5: Dexter Pittman’s flagrant foul on Lance Stephenson

Game 2: Dwyane Wade flagrant foul on Darren Collison

By: TwitterButtons.com
A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Could Columbus, Ohio Support an NBA Team?

The mayor of Columbus, Ohio, Michael B. Coleman, thinks that his city is ready for an NBA team. He sent a letter to the NBA Commissioner, David Stern, and wanted him to know that “Columbus should be on the league’s radar.” The city just finalized the public purchase of Nationwide Arena, which is the home of Columbus Blue Jackets, an NHL team. The Columbus Dispatch reported the letter today and adds some strong reasons why the city could support three professional teams, if you count the Columbus Crew, an MLS team.

Do you think Columbus could support an NBA team? Is it even the best option in its own state? We’ll dive deeper and look at teams that are in financial trouble and need to move. Continue reading

NBA Draft Coverage

I will have live coverage and commentary during the 2009 NBA Draft. This is one of my favorite non-physical sporting events. I love that even the Thunder and Grizzlies fans can feel good about their team for at least one day a year. My favorite part is the horrible draft day suits. I want to leave you with two of my favorites to quench your thirst until tonight.

I love this picture. Hakeem Olajuwon looks like he’s either going to a prom or parking cars outside the event. I also like how David Stern looks like he’s a stand-in from Accounts Payable for the real commissioner.

Joakim Noah’s look is kind of a newer version of Olajuwon’s attire. He adds some extra flare with the unkept fro and jumbo bowtie.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Suit Up! – The 2008 NBA Draft Analysis

The NBA Draft is now officially over and every team has forgotten about the disappointment of last season and are excited for a new season. A new trend may have started this year, I didn’t see any funky suits. What happened to the Jalen Rose and Hakeem Olajuwon? The only suit that I could take a swing at was the suit O.J. Mayo wore. It was a 3-piece suit, but it was super tight and appeared to be a bit short on him.

Also, I would like to note that this year’s “Best Hair Award” goes to Robin Lopez. Any hair that is barely dented by a hair, gets a trophy. Here is my recap of this year’s lottery selections.

1 – Bulls – Derrick Rose, Memphis , PG – No surprise here, we’ve known that he was going here for awhile. He should have a decent season this year, but the team still needs a few more pieces to compete with Boston and Detroit.

2 – Heat – Michael Beasley, Kansas State,PF – I am still a little shocked about this one. All the news you heard from Miami pre-draft was how this guy wasn’t their guy, but they still picked him. I guess it still seems a little fishy, unless it was all political and was trying to bait a trade. Beasley will fit well with Wade and Marion and they will have a much better season this year.

3 – Grizzlies – O.J. Mayo, USC, G – Minnesota did a good job in picking Mayo, but maybe a move was trading him away. The T-wolves received Kevin Love and Mike Miller, which will help a young team. Mayo can play the 1 or 2 and is a very versatile player, but with Mike Conley at the point, Mayo will look to fill the 2 spot. Look for Mayo to do well out of the gate and make Memphis, but they are still a few drafts away from filling the void that Pau Gasol left.

4 – Sonics – Russell Westbrook, UCLA, G – Westbrook was the perfect pick for the Sonics. He can defend, which was a serious need for the Sonics, plus he can help run the offense and get the ball to Durant.

5 – Timberwolves – Kevin Love, UCLA, PF – I didn’t think Love would go this high, but Minnesota finagled a trade with Memphis for the big man who can hit full-court shots. Kevin McHale still needs a lot for the T-wolves to be competitive, but this move looks like a smart one. Minnesota knows that they have a lot of work ahead of them, but for now, the Love/Jefferson combo in the post will drive defenses crazy. Good move McHale, it will take about ten of these moves for the people of Minnesota to forget about KG.

6 – Knicks – Danilo Gallinari, Italy, SF – Time will only tell if this pick will be a good one. His success depends on his ability to handle the pressure of playing in New York. The analysts are comparing Gallinari with Toni Kukoc and Dirk Nowitzki, but don’t they usually compare any big European who has a jumpshot with those guys?

7 – Clippers – Eric Gordon, Indiana, G – As you may already know, “America’s White Boy” have been critical of Eric Gordon in the past. Gordon reminds us of Sam Cassell-type of player who can score in bunches. Cassell had success with the Clippers, in the short time he was there. If Gordon can put together a full season, the Clippers made a good pick here.

8 – Bucks – Joe Alexander, West Virginia, SF – The Bucks were in love with Alexander for a long time now. This pick didn’t come as a surprise to anyone. They drafted three small-forwards in this year’s draft. Tou have to think that they will be good at that position for a few seasons. By the way, “Vanilla Sky” is the best nickname of any draft prospect since Fred Hoiberg’s “The Mayor.”

9 – Bobcats – D.J. Augustin, Texas, PG – A definite surprise here from the Bobcats. Charlotte is trying to trade Raymond Felton and by selecting Augustin, you have the exact opposite of Felton. Augustin isn’t going to be a big-time scorer, but he can handle the ball and run the offense much better.

10 – Nets – Brook Lopez, Stanford, C – “I know the Nets really like Brook Lopez,” that is how I started out my preview for this pick, but I never thought Lopez would be undrafted at this point. The Nets have had a really good day. They picked up Bobby Simmons and Yi for Richard Jefferson, which is making them much more physical. The Nets have needed a frontline scorer since Kenyon Martin left, Lopez fills the need.

11 – Blazers – Jerryd Bayless, Arizona, PG – The Pacers originally picked Bayless, but traded the pick with Ike Diogu to Portland for the #13 pick (Brandon Rush), Jarrett Jack, and Josh McRoberts. The GM for Portland has looked like a genius the last couple seasons, so I can’t really second-guess any of his decisions at this point. Portland will be a contender in the West next season, with or without a healthy Greg Oden.

12 – Kings – Jason Thompson, Rider, PF – Thompson is one of those under-the-radar type of guys, so this was surprising that he would be picked this high. They really needed a point guard, but without Bayless or Augustin available, they had to go with Thompson’s upside. I don’t see him being a factor the next season or two.

13 – Pacers – Brandon Rush, Kansas, SG – (see Pick #11) The Pacers have been in need of a shooting guard since the retirement of Reggie Miller. Rush is a good defender and is a proven winner. He has great size (6’7) and should give other guards troubles with defending his shot. The Pacers traded Bayless for Rush and gained a player that seemed more NBA-ready.

14 – Warriors – Anthony Randolph, LSU, PF – I thought the Warriors would pick Mario Chalmers with this pick, but NBA teams seemed to fall out of love with him. Instead of picking for need, the Warriors picked the next best prospect on the board with Randolph. I don’t understand the logic behind this pick since they drafted a clone of Randolph last season (Brandan Wright). They both are tall, but both need to get much, much stronger. Randolph is 6’10 and only 197lbs, he will end up in the D-League the next two seasons and it would still take a lot of hard work for him to live up to being a lottery pick.

After all the trades shake out, look for a “Draft Winners and Losers” post.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Predictions – 2008 NBA Draft

The NBA Draft is Thursday night and like everyone else, I’ve made my predictions. I am getting ready for the horrible suits, the draft picks making David Stern look like Verne Troyer, the analysts faking amazement, a foreign guy being selected in the 2nd round that no one knows, and the New York Knicks making a mockery of the entire process. The talent in the draft is very deep this year, so I am looking for a lot of trades.

1. Bulls – Derrick Rose, Memphis , PG – I don’t see any other scenario that the Bulls will not select Rose. Unless some offer comes available that they can’t refuse, Rose will be back home in Chicago.

2. Heat – Michael Beasley, Kansas State,PF – I know the Heat have been baiting the #2 pick out there to tempt a trade. Whoever ends up trading the Heat for this pick, will pick Beasley. If the Heat decide to keep it, look for either O.J. Mayo or Jerryd Bayless’s name to be called.

3. Twolves – O.J. Mayo, USC, G – Minnesota was unlucky during the Lottery draft, but they could end up with something really nice here. Mayo is a scorer and will help distribute the ball to Al Jefferson, who is bound to have a break-out season.

4. Sonics – Jerryd Bayless, Arizona, G – Bayless is one of those names that is on the rise the week before the draft. He did well in the individual workouts

5. Grizzlies – Eric Gordon, Indiana, G – I was a huge fan of Gordon at the beginning of the college season last year, but then he fell off. I know he had a wrist injury that bothered him, but I think he has a bit of an attitude and didn’t take to Dan Dakich after Sampson was dismissed. He could end up being a Gilbert Arenas-like player, but he could also end up being Shawn Respert.

6. Knicks – Danilo Gallinari, Italy, SF – I know there is history between D’Antoni and Gallinari’s father, but it would be hard for the Knicks to pass up on Russell Westbrook here too. Gallinari would be playing David Lee’s position and we like Lee a lot.

7. Clippers – Russell Westbrook, UCLA, G – The Clippers are in need of a point guard and this seems to be a pretty good fit. They need someone to distribute the ball to a healthy Elton Brand. If Bayless is still here, I could see them taking him or moving up to acquire Bayless.

8. Bucks – Joe Alexander, West Virginia, SF – I know the Pacers would love to have Alexander, but he will not fall to #11. Alexander is a high-energy guy that should play well with Andrew Bogut and Yi.

9. Bobcats – Brook Lopez, Stanford, C – I know Kevin Love is still available, but Lopez would fit with Emeka Okafor a little better. The duo of Okafor/Lopez would be a defensive show every night. I could see them being a David Robinson/Tim Duncan-like duo defensively, but I can see the Bobcats trading this pick since they already have a roster full of young guys.

10. Nets – Kevin Love, UCLA, PF – I know the Nets really like Brook Lopez, but Love isn’t bad for a consolidation prize. His offensive skills could stretch the defense and help Carter and Jefferson get some much-needed points in the paint (We know those boys like to dunk).

11. Pacers – Kosta Koufos, Ohio State, C – The Pacers could be stretching a little with picking Koufos this high, but like him, from what I hear. He had some really good workouts and he finished the season strong for Ohio State with being named NIT MVP. This also fills the “white boy” quotient for the Pacers.

12. Kings – Roy Hibbert, Georgetown, C – The Kings would like to move Brad Miller to PF and by drafting Hibbert, it would help them solidify their front court. In the Western Conference, it is important to have some big bodies clogging the lane, Hibbert is wide enough to cover it himself, as long as Stephen Curry isn’t driving to the hole.

13. Blazers – Anthony Randolph, LSU, PF – The Blazers are not going to keep this pick, so I am picking Randolph to go at the #13 spot. A team that can afford to let Randolph sit on the bench of spend two seasons in the D-League will jump up and pick him. If the Blazers actually keep this pick, they will most likely go International and pick Alexis Ajinca from France. They already have a roster full of young big men and they can wait a few seasons before he comes to the U.S.

14. Warriors – Mario Chalmers, Kansas, PG – By picking Chalmers, the Warriors are saying bye-bye to Baron Davis. They are in need of a point guard since it is very unlikely that Davis will re-sign with the team.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

David Stern Just Got A Boner!

The Boston Celtics just defeated the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 Of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight and everyone will have the Lakers/Celtics Finals that they hoped for. The NBA Finals ratings have been down over the last five years, even with Lebron James in it last year. David Stern must be in an euphoric state with these two basketball franchises playing for the championship. There are so many storylines that will carry this series. Will KG finally win a championship? Can Kobe win a championship without Shaq? Can Phil Jackson pass Red Auerbach as the coach with the most rings, against the very team Red loved so dearly? Can Doc Rivers actually coach?

It’s a good time to be NBA Commissioner. The New York Knicks can only get better, the Bulls have the #1 pick, and the young stars of the league don’t seem to be getting into trouble as much as NFL stars. He probably even takes vacations in the offseason, something the NFL, MLB, and NHL leaders can’t afford to do.

Let’s hope the Lakers/Celtics will rekindle the rivalry that carried the league in the 1980s. I was a fan of the Celtics/Pistons rivalry, but that only happened in the Eastern Conference Finals, maybe Kobe/Garnett will become this generation’s Magic/Bird.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.