Klein For Heisman

Let me start this by saying I have zero allegiance in this year’s race for the most coveted individual award of college football. I am from Kansas, but I do not have a horse in the race; I grew up cheering for the Jayhawks. So looking at the three choices with no bias, I am dumbfounded with how Collin Klein has now become a distant third behind Johnny Manziel and Manti Te’o. The reason is simple that the month of November is outweighing the first two months of college football. I am not saying Klein is your clear cut choice but I think it is unwise to not take a closer look.

I am going to move Manti Te’o and his case to the side for this. Notre Dame’s star linebacker is an absolutely tremendous story, especially the tragedy he overcame this year. Teo is extremely deserving, too. He is the leader of the undefeated team that sits #1 going into the national championship. He is the leader of a defense that has won many games for a team with an average offense.

I want to move forward to the “Johnny Football” and “Optimus Klein” comparisons. All of a sudden, a span of two weeks altered the course for these two men. First, Texas A&M’s redshirt freshman quarterback did what no one had been able to do for nearly a full year: beat Alabama. The 19 year old went from a great story propelling the Aggies to a competitive level in the SEC to the country’s number one player. Manziel did have a great day. He went into Tuscaloosa and completed 77% of his passes, passed for two touchdowns, and added 92 yards on the ground. Pretty incredible.
It was all capped off one week later by Collin Klein and Kansas State’s demise in Waco, Texas at the hands of a Baylor defense that many thought was the worst of any major conference. Klein, still dealing with a lingering injury from the Oklahoma State game, was off all night. He was errant with his passing, leading to three interceptions, and only rushed for 32 yards. In just three short hours, the Wildcats went from national championship front-runner to a great story that will wind up in a BCS bowl. Their star quarterback went from having the Heisman Trophy and having it be his to lose to a story we will remember from the beginning of the 2012 season. It took all of seven days…

Granted, the picture I have painted, makes it seem pretty clear that Johnny Football is the better candidate that Klein. However, it is no home run. Colin Klein matched up against NINE schools from BCS conferences who qualified for a bowl game (i.e. finished with at least a .500 record). Johnny Manziel played just five teams who qualified for the postseason. Before you start yelling at your computer that you cannot compare the SEC to the Big 12, can we at least take a second to look at something here? K-State played Baylor, the second worst defense in the country statistically, while Manziel had his second best passing day verse by far the worst defense in the country, Louisiana Tech. Now, there is no shortage of Big 12 teams that gave up huge amounts of yardage this year. However, I am willing to say that Auburn, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Missouri (all ranked below the top 50 in defense) was not that much better than what the Big 12 had to offer.
Furthermore, Collin Klein may have seen a few more transparent defenses during conference games, but he did not miss out on big games. Against the nine, BCS school teams Klein faced with at least.500 record he threw a total of six interceptions. Manziel accumulated five interceptions in his five games. In Manziel’s bad game he had no touchdowns and three interceptions with just an 82.5 QB rating against LSU.

If you look at a pure statistic standpoint, Manziel has Klein beat by quite a bit. Texas A&M ran everything through Manziel who put up 4600 total yards of offense. Klein had 118 less plays and amassed 3,390 total yards. When you look at the attempts difference, Manziel averaged 7.88 yards to Klein’s 7.27. The numbers are a lot closer. Johnny Football padded his stats verse the lesser competition and in their two losses, both at home, accounted for just one touchdown.

The difference between the two is not the large margin that seems to persist throughout the country’s media. Collin Klein led Kansas State to the Fiesta Bowl and a Big 12 Championship during an 11-1 campaign. Manziel is headed to the Cotton Bowl with his 10-2 record. This argument is not saying Collin Klein is head and shoulders above Johnny Manziel, it is me urging everyone to not forget about Collin Klein’s case before it is too late. Unfortunately, it seems too late. Johnny Manziel and his story is hot. He is the freshman that is transforming how football is played in the SEC. He is a little wild and seems to transform the idea of a “model” quarterback. Collin Klein’s story was done already. Tim Tebow already did the power running, devout Christian story in 2007. Klein became old news the second the clock hit zero on November 17th in Waco, Texas. Can we at least bring that story back up?

NBA Podcast 2: NBA Draft

I am joined again by Nick Schwerdt, as well as Spencer Anagnost to discuss the top ten picks of the NBA draft. Check it out at https://www.box.com/s/vqhcjyrpnje6ilf0svz0

NBA Podcast 1: NBA Finals

My colleague Nick Schwerdt and I discuss LeBron James' brilliance in the finals and how it has affected his legacy and what it will mean for next season. Check it out at https://www.box.com/s/4jbokbvxyatl9vubmgdb.

How the West Can Be Won (part 5)

In this five part series, we will look at those five teams in depth and why nobody wants to meet them in the playoffs. We will also discuss the flaws that could get these teams beat and trades they could make throughout the season to fill those holes. Without further ado, here is who I believe to be the best team in the Western Conference.

1.) The Memphis Grizzlies:

Why Nobody Wants to Play Them:
If you look at the Grizzlies, what are they’re major weaknesses? The only thing they really lack is a consistent spot up shooter. We saw glimpses of Wayne Ellington taking that role, but since his explosion he has returned to being who we thought he was. Look for the Grizzlies to trade for a J.J. Reddick/Kyle Korver type to sure up their rotation. Those kind of guys are usually not that difficult to find and or trade for.

If they do pull off a trade like that, I have no reason to think they would not be the favorite this season. They can pound you inside offensively and defensively with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. They have a weird situation to deal with when both big men can interchange from the low post to the high post and be effective. Pau’s younger brother is looking like the better brother and Z-Bo is becoming a household name is NBA circles. The duo is averaging 32.2 points, 19.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game. While the Grizzlies have arguably the best big man combination in the league, they are no slouches on the perimeter either.

Rudy Gay has the ability to score in a variety of ways and can go off for twenty any given night if he has the right match-up. At the point guard position they have Mike Conely that is averaging 15 and 6 assists this season and is a very above average personal defender. He can shut the water off of players that can seem unstoppable at times.

But if you want to talk about someone who can shut someones water off, look no further than Tony Allen who is a major reason I believe Memphis can be an amazing team.Look at how guard oriented the Western Conference is. Tony Allen has the ability to guard dynamic point guards like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook as well as dynamic wing players like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Manu Ginobli. They have a solid bench in Jerryd Bayless, Mo Speights, and Darrell Arthur – but if they could bring in a shooter this team’s limit is an NBA Championship.

How They Can Be Beaten: 
At the moment, the Grizzlies do not have a true spot up three-point shooter, which can sometimes lead to lack of ball movement on the offensive end. When the ball goes into the post, they get a little stagnant because the defense can suck in without the fear of getting drilled on from deep. Rudy Gay has shown much promise in his still young career, but he hasn’t shown to be the big game-changer that has been asked from him the last few post seasons. They seem to come up short, and a lot of that has to do with the late game shortcomings of Rudy Gay. If Conely isn’t on and Rudy Gay is shrinking under pressure, they cannot expect Tony Allen to be their offensive weapon on the perimeter.

Possible In-Season Trade:
The Grizzlies bring in J.J. Reddick and Kyle O’Quinn and trade away Mo Speights and Wayne Ellington and either a draft pick or cash considerations. They get a sharp shooter to add to the rotation and a fifth big that could possibly fill in if an injury occurred to Arthur, Gasol, Randolph, or Haddidi.
Barring injury, all five of these teams have an equal chance of making it to the NBA Finals to probably face the Miami Heat. It could all come down to seeding, because with how close these teams are and how some teams match-up well with some teams and badly for others – who plays who could be a big indicator of who escapes to the Finals.

How the West Can Be Won (part 4)

In this five part series, we will look at those five teams in depth and why nobody wants to meet them in the playoffs. We will also discuss the flaws that could get these teams beat and trades they could make throughout the season to fill those holes. Without further ado, here is my second best team in the Western Conference.

2.) The Oklahoma City Thunder:

Why Nobody Wants to Play Them:
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and honestly it is as simple as that. These two players can punk you in so many ways offensively and defensively; on the drive, on the catch, in transition, in the half court, getting in passing lanes, closing out hard, you name it. Yes, Serge Ibaka (shot blocking) , Kevin Martin (spot up threes), and Thabo Sefalosha (stingy defense) are great role player when they maintain their lane, but this team is scary because of their two stars.

Westbrook is still evolving as a player and right now is looking better than ever, especially in regards to his assist rate. Last season Westbrook averaged just 5.5 assists per game last season. To be fair James Harden split time as the primary ball handler when they shared the court. Now with Harden being replaced with sharp shooter Kevin Martin, Westbrook not only has the ball more often, he has a better spot-up shooter to kick it to after he penetrates and draws the defense. That’s the Thunder’s second best player.

Kevin Durant is hands down the best player in the Western Conference. I don’t want to hear any argument about it because there is no argument to be made. There has never been a seven footer, which he is, that has the coordination, athleticism, and basketball savvy that Durant has. He has expanded his game so much the last few seasons, he has practically become unstoppable. He can hit from anywhere on the court, he can drive past any player in the league, and he can defend an assortment of positions because of his dimensions and affinity for good positioning. Not only can he hit open shots from anywhere, but he has become a much better driver and finisher. Not only that, but when he doesn’t finish, most of the time you are hearing a whistle. He is currently second in the league in free throws attempted, trailing only Dwight Howard who teams put on the line for comedy sake.

How They Can Be Beaten:
The biggest problem with the Thunder is that the problems from last season still exist. They are still too jump-shot oriented, there is not enough scoring power in the post,  and Scott Brooks’ unimaginative late game play calling has hampered them before. It is going to take a certain type of team to finish off the Thunder in a seven game series. They need to be a team that can score on the inside against even the stout opposition in Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins.

They need to be a team that can throw many different defensive looks at Durant and Westbrook. They need to be a team that has a decently consistent perimeter punch to match with their inside game. There are not many teams in the league that match that description, but there is one in the West and that is why the Thunder currently sit second in my standings.

Possible In-Season Trade:
With the contracts that this team inhibits, it would be very tough for them to trade for someone in the five million dollar range and keep the majority of their current rotation. They could trade DeAndre Liggins or Daniel Orton to Atlanta for Anthony Tolliver. While Tolliver wouldn’t get much play in the rotation, he could fit into the fourth post spot and give them a stretch-big that can open up the lane for Durant and Westbrook in limited minutes.

How the West Can Be Won (part 3)

In this five part series, we will look at those five teams in depth and why nobody wants to meet them in the playoffs. We will also discuss the flaws that could get these teams beat and trades they could make throughout the season to fill those holes. Without further ado, here is my third best team in the Western Conference.

3.) The San Antonio Spurs:

Why Nobody Wants to Play Them:
The Spurs are a boring team to talk about, which is a major reason they are so difficult to beat. They aren’t flashy, they aren’t overpowering but under the guidance of Gregg Popovich this team just plays good basketball. They have a ton of pieces they can move around to match-up with different teams and different styles of play.

Tim Duncan has had a renaissance of sorts the last couple of seasons and has shown to have maintained when many thought he would be digressing. He is currently posting almost 19 points a night while averaging over 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Obviously Duncan will still be flanked by Ginobili and Parker, but with Kawai Leonard, Danny Green, Matt Bonner, Tiago Splitter, and Gary Neal – this supporting cast allows for the original big 3 to do what they do best and not have to over extend themselves.Every team has ebbs and flows in their game, but the Spurs are the best team in the league at keeping those to a minimum. They are hoping their consistent game comes every night and can force their opponents to play below average which has almost become a Spur staple.

How They Can be Beaten:
You have to take a page out of the Oklahoma City playbook and beat the Spurs with your athleticism. The Thunder were the perfect match up for the Spurs and just blitzed past them in the conference finals a year ago. Tony Parker disappeared in too many games during last years playoffs and if history repeats itself this team might be out a lot earlier than expected. They don’t play with speed, they play with positioning so if they come across a team with multiple player who can cause havoc by beating the initial defense, they might get thrashed at the rim and on inside-out threes.

Possible In-Season Trade:
They could send Steven Jackson’s 10 million dollar expiring contract along with Dejuan Blair and a draft pick to the Pistons for Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye. This would give them a player that could be a solid back-up small forward or power forward who can play solid defense and stretch out defenses with his three-point capabilities.

How the West Can Be Won (part 2)

In this five part series, we will look at those five teams in depth and why nobody wants to meet them in the playoffs. We will also discuss the flaws that could get these teams beat and trades they could make throughout the season to fill those holes. Without further ado, here is my fourth best team in the Western Conference.

4.) The Los Angeles Lakers:

Why Nobody Wants to Play Them:
On paper this Lakers’ team is one of the most formidable teams in the history of the NBA. It hasn’t helped that the only time we saw Steve Nash was during the Mike Brown era. Compounding that, Steve Blake also went down so what we have seen from the D’Antoni Lakers thus far is a team run by Darius Morris. Once Nash is back, there is somebody who can distribute the ball to Dwight, Pau, and Kobe as well as a stabilizing player to add to the lineup.

The biggest problem thus far is the porous defense from the Lakers who were supposed to be anchored by the best defensive center in the league who is currently not playing like the best defensive center in the league. Don’t forget though, Dwight had back surgery in the summer and hustled back to be ready for opening night and still is probably not at 100%. Kobe is still Kobe and has the ability to take over games without much help from anyone else if it comes down to it. Once this team gets completely healthy, they should look so much better than they look right now.

How They Can Be Beaten:
Unfortunately the game is not played on paper and so far there isn’t much good to take out of the Lakers’ season. Pau and Dwight’s defensive rotations under the basket are atrocious. Everyone knew going into this season that the Lakers were defensively slow on the perimeter  with Kobe, Nash, and World Peace (it still feels weird writing that) getting up their in age.

What they didn’t know was that Pau and Dwight would be unable to protect the rim when the perimeter guys got beaten off the dribble. Orlando just put up 40 points in the fourth quarter in the Forum while Jameer Nelson, Aaron Affalo, and Big Baby combined for 72 points. They let George Hill beat them at the buzzer with a weak one-handed scoop shot that Dwight Howard would normally swat to the parking lot like that stupid insurance commercial.

Not only is their defense struggling, giving up almost 103 points a game, but their bench has been invisible. Antwan Jamison has shown shades of being a great 6th man, but other than Jodie Meeks one explosion, the bench has done nothing for this team. If they meet a quick team that can get to the rim with their perimeter players – the Lakers might be in trouble once summer rolls around.

Possible In-Season Trade:
The Lakers need to find a power forward that meshes better with Dwight Howard’s game as well as a friend who could help keep Dwight in LA after his contract is up this off-season. The best looking trade they could make is adding Josh Smith who is more of a high post player who is a much better defensive player and rebounder than Pau. To make the salaries add up, they also would get sharp shooter Kyle Korver to add some depth on the wing and a little more punch on the second team. They would give up Pau and Earl Clark which would also help Atlanta because Pau could play a true center which would finally allow them to move Al Horford to his true position at Power Forward.

How the West Can Be Won (part 1)

This NBA season seems primed to be the greatest one of all time for many reasons. There has never collectively been this much talent in the NBA and I will argue that will any old coot who wants to talk about the “glory days” of the NBA. The abysmal Orlando Magic just beat the Lakers in L.A. Do you think the ’83-’84 Washington Bullets, whose five leading scorers were Jeff Ruland, Ricky Sobers, Greg Ballard, Jeff Malone,  and Frank Johnson, could walk into the Forum and beat this Lakers team? Zero percent chance. Wouldn’t happen. The Lakers would go 100-0 and not have a game in single digits.
Lets be honest, and it may be borderline blasphemous, but from Russell and Wilt to Bird and Magic and to a certain extent Jordan, these greats played in extremely diluted leagues that never fostered more than three or four true title contenders each season. Not only are there only a few contenders, they usually come from the same crop of teams. Did you know that since 1984 there have only been seven franchises that have won the NBA championship? From my calculations, there are five teams in the Western Conference that have a legitimate shot of representing their conference in the NBA Finals this year, and three of them are not apart of that list of champions.

In this five part series, we will look at those five teams in depth and why nobody wants to meet them in the playoffs. We will also discuss the flaws that could get these teams beat and trades they could make throughout the season to fill those holes. Without further ado, here is my fifth best team in the Western Conference.

5.) The Los Angeles Clippers:

Why Nobody Wants to Play Them:
The Clippers have a tremendous upside when they have everyone playing at full potential. Obviously CP3 is the floor general and the majority of the offense is based upon his play making abilities, but there has been other players that have stepped up this season at various times. DeAndre Jordan actually looks to have some semblance of a post game. He’s hitting baseline hook-shots now? How the hell did that happen? Is this the same guy who got a huge contract but his offensive disabilities allowed Reggie Evans (who isn’t exactly McHale in the post) to play almost all the crunch time minutes at Center last postseason?
With the acquisition of Jamal Crawford, there is now someone other than Paul to create his own shot in the crunch time, which can win this team games or lose this team games. At the moment it is winning a lot of games as Crawford is leading the Clippers in scoring at 17.5 points. Blake Griffin has been in a bit of a slump thus far and hasn’t seem to add much to his arsenal in the off-season. He is adding a very good 17-9-3 but has disappeared down the stretch in some of the games facing quality opponents. If Paul, Crawford, Griffin, Jordan, and either Bledsoe, Billups, or Butler have it going simultaneously, they can be quite a stingy defensive team as well as having the offensive firepower to take down any team in the league, which showed in their early season win over Miami.
How They Can Be Beaten:
This team can be very streaky. Whether it be shooting, help defense, or overall tenacity – The Clippers are prone to lulls throughout spurts of games which will get you beat in the playoffs. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan seem afraid to attack the basket or even touch the ball late in the game due to their fear of shooting free throws.
We already mentioned the hot-and-cold nature of Jamal Crawford and if he doesn’t have it, the Clips have nobody on the wing that can score off the bounce without going very small at the off-guard with either Bledsoe or Billups.
Their back-up bigs are pretty horrible and if Griffin and Jordan get in foul trouble, you don’t want to be finishing games with Ryan Hollins and Lamar “looks like he had to eat Khloe to get a divorce” Odom.
Possible In-Season Trade:
(Could not occur until January 15th) The Clips could add toughness, size, and shooting on the wing, as well as a banger inside by bringing in Wesley Matthews and Joel Freeland from the Trailblazers. The Clippers would send back a first round pick, Odom’s expiring contract and Grant Hill – a well-respected veteran who could add precious leadership to the young team from the Rose City.

NBA Chat: The Rarely Seen Double Interview (part 2)

Josh: Last time we were speaking of contenders in the west, so let's talk about San Antonio. What did you think about Pop resting his guys on a nationally televised game against the Heat and what did you think about the leagues reaction to it?

Dillon: First, I will start with my opinion of Coach Popovich's move to sit players. I hate it for the fans who wanted to see the Spurs big 3 match-up with Miami's stars. These teams do not play much and it was a nationally televised game as you mentioned. However, in terms of basketball sense, it makes sense. Spurs were in the midst of an absolutely brutal stretch of their schedule. The team was playing four games in five nights and the match-up with Memphis on Saturday was much bigger in the grand scheme of things. There is no question that an 82 game regular season is too much for Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, and Tim Duncan at this stage in their career. Coach Popovich doesn't care about TV ratings; he cares about pursuing another ring. The decision was not cool as a fan, but it was understandable as a fan of smart coaching moves.

Now, the move by David Stern to fine the Spurs a hefty sum is much more dicey. What kind of precedent does this set? The move was made with winning in mind. Teams with losing in mind do not play their best players all the time because they would prefer a high draft pick. It bothers me that a league commissioner feels he should be involved in coaching decisions for the team. Honestly, do you think Miami fans that attended the game really cared that much about watching Tim Duncan bank in a few shots over Bosh?

My final question for the day and it is a two parter: Can/when will the Lakers fix whatever the hell their problem is? With their struggles, is it now once again Western Conference goes through Oklahoma City?

Josh: I think it is difficult to say if the Lakers can turn this around at the moment. We saw a short sampling of how Steve Nash would be utilized in the Mike Brown offense, and it was not pretty. Will that change now with Mike D'Antoni leading the Lake Show? Probably. There is no arguement to be made that this team will be worse off when Darius Morris' minutes go to a two-time MVP. Pau and Dwight are not meshing at all on either end of the court, especially defensively. What happened to Dwight Howard? This never used to happen with Dwight anchoring the paint in Orlando and Gasol is a below average in regards to foot speed and rim protection. They just gave up 40 fourth quarter points to the Magic and allowed Jameer Nelson, Aaron Affalo, and Big Baby to combine for 72-22-20. That cannot happen. I think they need to move Pau for a better fitting four man, preferably a stretch four like D'Antoni had with Shawn Marion for all those years in Phoenix, and some depth because they're bench, other than Antawn Jamison, has been practically invisible.

Do I think Oklahoma City is the team to go through in the west? You have to say they are seeing as they got there last season. The teams problems from last season remain the same though; too jump shot oriented, not enough scoring power in the post, unimaginative late game play calling. Westbrook has looked great for the most part, especially in regards to distribution which has seen his assist rate raise to a career high clip. This is a weird year in the west because of how top heavy it is. There are five teams that have a legitimate shot at representing the west in the NBA finals between OKC, Memphis, San Antonio and both Los Angeles teams. The Lakers are struggling, but definitely have the players to compete once summer rolls back around. It could all come down to seeding, because with how close these teams are and how some teams match-up well with some teams and badly for others - who plays who could be a big indicator of who escapes to the Finals.

Last Question: Dunk of the Year? My nomination.

Dillon: Dirty.

Josh Jackson & Dillon Besser

@JoshJackson_TID & @DillonBesser65

NBA Chat: The Rarely Seen Double Interview (part 1)

In this two part column, I got together with my good friend and writing partner Dillon Besser to discuss what has already been a very exciting NBA season.

Dillon: We are starting to approach 25% through the regular season. New acquisitions should be comfortable with their new teams now and making a difference. Josh, who has had the biggest impact for their new squad?

Josh: It seems the obvious choice would be James Harden who is currently sitting as the number five scorer in the entire league. Not only has he been productive on the court, but he has brought relevancy to a team that had toiled in the middle since the Yao/T-Mac era. His work has not correlated into the wins, but it is hard to put that against a team going through so much turmoil after the loss of coach Kevin McHale's daughter. Another person to bring up would be the addition of Jamal Crawford for the Clippers. Their biggest problem last season was the inconsistency on the wing especially their lack of someone other than Chris Paul being able to manufacture their own shot down the stretch of games. He has come out of the gates blazing and is a major part of the Clippers looking like they could be for real this season.
Harden and Crawford have been great signings for their respective teams, but is there anyone that comes to mind who has been a disappointment to expectations or seem to have just stolen money?

Dillon: I agree Harden has completely changed the atmosphere around Houston. However, they still need plenty more to be taken serious. I am very intrigued by OJ Mayo in Dallas once Dirk Nowitzki is back as well.

Disappointments are harder to judge so soon. Dwight Howard's attitude hasn't been meshing with the Lakers so far but I am not going to rule that team out this quickly. Another piece to that trade has not seen the court yet and who know when he will. Andrew Bynum has acted about as immature as possible. Whether it is with his new look or his overall attitude of not showing much concern for when he is coming back. Philly gave up a leader and their defensive stud for a chance at an impact player that could propel the franchise. Instead, they have gotten nothing.

Moving on, which team is better equipped to sustain their hot start for the whole season: the New York Knicks or Memphis Grizzlies?

Josh: I would say Memphis because they have a very solid core put into place, and I have a feeling they will be making a splash in the free agent market before it is all said and done. The Knicks are a great story, but you cannot help but wonder what is going to happen once Amare comes back into the fold. Will he be satisfied coming off the bench because it has become clear that even though Carmelo would rather play the three than the four, he has been absolutely killing it in his time in the front court. They have a nice mix of offensive/defensive players but you have to question if J.R. Smith can continue playing as he has and if Tyson Chandler can continue scoring at such an efficient rate. Although they are looking good, I still think they couldn't keep up with Miami in seven games.
If you look at the Grizzlies, what are they're major weaknesses? The only thing they really lack is a consistent spot up shooter. We saw glimpses of Wayne Ellington taking that role, but since his explosion he has returned to being who we thought he was. Look for the Grizzlies to trade for a J.J. Reddick/Kyle Korver type to sure up their rotation. Those kind of guys are usually not that difficult to find and or trade for. They can pound you inside offensively and defensively with Marc Gasol and T-Dog, get after you on the wing with Mike Conley and Tony Allen and Rudy Gay is a player that can get you twenty a night with the right match-up. There is no team in the west like Miami which makes me think they have a better shot at reaching the Finals.

Joshua Jackson & Dillon Besser

@JoshJackson_TID & @DillonBesser65

Five Observations From an Early NBA Season

(This was supposed to be published 11/7, but somehow got stuck in the drafts)

5.) Andrei Kirilenko is playing like AK47.

• Kirilenko is off to a great start in his return to the NBA. Kirilenko, if you remember signed a contract with CSKA Moscow and was named the Euroleague MVP for the '11-'12 season. In his three games with the Timberwolves, AK47 is averaging 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.7 blocks a game all while guarding the opponents best wing player. Not only is he filling the stat sheet, he's doing those Kirilenko things that made you never want him in 2k but made the Jazz fans adore him for 10 seasons; getting past his initial defender and creating for others, playing in the passing lanes and deflecting balls, and being pretty steady from deep even with a shot that says he shouldn't (currently hitting 2/3 of his threes for the season). He and Nikola Pekovic are going to have to be catalysts for this T-Wolves team as they try to stay afloat with Love and Rubio out. That is especially true with the vast struggles of Derrick Williams and Brandon Roy early in the season.

4.) The Lakers look robotic.

• How do you begin talking about how stiff the Lakers have looked thus far? The offense has been solid, scoring 100 ppg (7th in the league), but if you just watch this team - they seem very rigid. The institution of the Eddie Jordon Princeton offense that they aren't calling the Princeton offense has been a nightmare to watch thus far. It is focused around cuts and screens while one person holds the ball for more time than necessary. This roster is made up of one-on-one ball stoppers who haven't made a living from scoring off cuts their entire career. The talent level is just so high on that side of the ball, even when they look bad they are still scoring at a high rate. What's been predictably putrid is their defense. Their help is inconsistent; their rotations are slow on the perimeter allowing for any team with good ball movement to get an open three in the corner and they over-help in the post which has allowed for many scores on drive and kicks and post to post passes. Not only are their starters struggling, their bench has been so punch-less that Mike Brown has decided to make Meta World-Peace the back-up two guard for his scoring abilities.

3.) The Knicks might be for real.

• Everyone looks at Carmelo Anthony for the Knicks' terrific start, but the credit should be spread throughout the entire roster. This team is currently the number two offensive rated team, a fact most people wouldn't be too surprised about. What is crazy is that the Knicks are also the number two defensive rated team. Just think back to last year when Mike D'Antoni was leading the team, they were less than good on the defensive side of the ball. With Mike Woodson inserted as the head coach, this team has bought in and played with a new defensive intensity. When Iman Shumpert comes back from injury, this team now has four above-average defensive players (Shumpert, Kidd, Brewer, and Chandler). Melo does deserve the biggest share of credit - he's playing like bulky George Gervin on the offensive end. If you get him isolated on the baseline - you can't guard him, you just have to hope he misses the shot himself. He can post you up 17 feet from the basket and can get by you by spinning either way and scoring at the rim or from pulling up. He can score facing up just by breaking you down or by jabbing or pump faking to get some space and bury a jumper in the defenders' face. If Amare comes back and fits in as he's supposed to, this team has the offensive punch and defensive grit to give Miami a fun little run in the playoffs.

2.) Kyle Lowry might be the most dynamic point guard in the league.

• The NBA has never had this many high quality point guards at one time, and to my surprise the most impressive one thus far has been Kyle Lowry. The first thing you notice when watching Lowry is the confidence he carries himself with - the same kind that CP3 carries. He thinks he's the best player on the court at all times, and he's going to use that talent to get his teammates buckets while picking good spots to attack and score. He is currently averaging 23.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 3.7 steals in games he did not get injured in the first quarter of. He's a Rondoesque™ rebounder with the ability to use his bowling ball body to bounce around the paint and either score and the rim or dish to a teammate for an open score. He may only be a 6'0", but he can get to anywhere on the court he wants on both offense and defense. He plays in passing lanes and has very quick hands which has led to his high steals total. He may play for above the border on a bad team but that shouldn't stop NBA fans from learning to love the way this guy plays.

1.) The Heat have the potential to enter the conversation of best team of all-time.

• Yes, they lost at New York in the Knicks season opener while playing for a city in tragedy. Ask the New Orleans Saints. What is terrifying for me is that finally, it seems Miami has figured it out. LeBron figured out he had to be the Alpha to Wade's beta and Spo's figured out that he needs to treat this team like the video game roster they have. They have the ability to play two shooting guards, two small forwards, and one power forward at one time and be almost unguardable on offense and menacing on defense (Wade, Allen, James, Lewis, Bosh). Did you see that game against Detroit? I know it was against Detroit, but did you see this team passing the ball around like the '87 Celtics. They were making five straight passes with the defense scrambling each time and ending up with uncontested dunks and three pointers. They have so many weapons that you have to keep their role-players in check which causes teams to play one-on-one defense with LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. There has never been a team in NBA history that had the pick your poison feeling this Heat team has. If LeBron continues to push his ceiling as he has from last years playoffs, through the summer, and to start this season - there might be something special here.

Joshua Jackson
@JoshJackson_TID

Washburn Men's Basketball Preview

This years Washburn Men’s Basketball team will be in a position to do something Coach Bob Chipman has been unable to accomplish in his illustrious career at Washburn – win a national title at the division II level. The 29th most winning coach in NCAA history does have a NAIA title under his belt from 1987 and a trip to the DII title game in 2000-2001, but this team may be Chip’s best shot as he nears the age most coaches begin contemplating retirement. And what a team it is to give him such a shot.

The preseason No. 2 ranked Ichabods return everyone but sharpshooter Jeff Reid from a team that won the MIAA season and postseason championships and reach the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament just a season ago. An upper-class latent team will start four seniors in Martin Mitchell, Will McNeill, Zack Riggins, and Bobby Chipman.

Mitchell, a Junior College transfer from Memphis will start at point guard and will apply pressure on opposing guards both offensively and defensively. Mitchell is a multifaceted player who will heat teams up full court and also beat teams down with his quick and elusive pull-up. Martin can light it up from deep on the reg while also having the ability to get past the initial defense and create for himself and others in the lane.

Alexandria product Will McNeill, an All-American and MIAA Tournament MVP from a season ago, will flank Mitchell in the Ichabod backcourt. McNeill already has the Washburn career record for steals and will only add to that total due to his tremendous on-ball pressure and affinity for disrupting passing lanes. His offensive game is nothing to scoff about due to his above the rim play during fast breaks and on the offensive glass. He uses his quickness and top speed to his advantage in the full court and on many occasions will lead successful one man breaks. McNeill also has a reliable mid-range jumper than he can drain off the catch as well as off the dribble.

Leavenworth product Zack Riggins may be the unsung hero of this team because he is a great player in the eyes of basketball fans and an average player in the eyes of statisticians. He may only average eight points, five boards, and two assists a game, but he is responsible for much more than that. If you see Will get a wide open look on a drive, look to see if Rigs sealed the help to allow it. If you see Bobby grab a board with no traffic, look to see if Rigs blocked out multiple guys to allow it. If you see the ball go inside out and swung for a three, look to see if it was Rigs with the hockey assist. It’s really simple, Big Rigs does the little things that win big games.

Topeka product Bobby Chipman will be a starter for the fourth consecutive season. The anchor of this impressive defense has the ability to bang around with the bruisers of the MIAA but also has the foot speed to step out and challenge the finesse bigs who are all the rage nowadays. He can play inside/outside on offense as well showing good touch around the rim off of post ups and offensive rebounds. He can also spot up from deep which draws most teams best rebounder and best rim defender away from the basket which opens up driving and rebounding opportunities.

Junior Alex North, from Topeka, will fill out the starting five as the small forward. North is an overall crafty player who is a very sneaky rebounder on both ends of the court. Watch him wiggle on the baseline and step in front of people at the last second to get the board. He can get very hot from deep and has shown consistency at scoring off the dribble from 18 feet and in.

The Ichabod starters rightfully get the most pub, but when healthy, their bench has shown the affinity to be one of the best in the league. After adding some necessary poundage in the offseason, 45 year old looking senior Joe Smith, also from Memphis,  is poised to get plenty of burn in the Ichabod big man rotation. He has had success going over both shoulders, good touch around the rim, and the ability to create spacing by stepping out 15 foot and hitting. He is a very capable defender and rebounder who uses his above average wingspan to his advantage. Sophomore Kyle Wiggins, also from Leavenworth, might be the most athletic player in the MIAA if not the entire nation. He possesses a slick crossover and an explosive first step which can lead to him finishing at the rim or pulling up from 12 feet. His athleticism allows him to heat players up like the starters in front of him so there is not a tremendous defensive drop-off when Wiggins enters the game. Junior Jared Henry from Olathe will get the majority minutes as the backup point guard. Henry flourishes on the defensive end specifically creating havoc in passing lanes and turning them into easy points on the other end. He has a decent stroke from deep but has the ability to light it up if his fingers start burning. Henry is also good at distributing the ball, especially in penetrate and kick situations. Sophomore Christian Ulsaker (McPherson) and Redshirt Junior Leon Flowers (Wichita) will fight each other for minutes as possible small forwards who can also play a stretch four against the correct opponents. They both are good rebounders for being undersized. Flowers does most of his offensive damage from the outside while Ulsaker does his from 15 feet and in. Both are capable offensive rebounders who can be exposed against quicker guards outside but overall can guard at either the three or the four positions. Redshirt Junior Bryce Simons, also from Topeka,  is looking to rebound from a knee injury that has kept him sidelined all season and will continue to keep him sidelined. Once he is healthy he will give the team even more firepower on the defensive end of the court. He is a good on-ball defender who uses his leaping ability to secure rebounds on both ends. On offense he can get to the rim and finish and has shown the ability throughout his career to hit open shots. The roster is rounded out with Redshirt Freshman Dalton Abel, a product of Carbondale. Although he has been the primary candidate for G-Love minutes, he always plays his ass off when he gets the opportunity.

This team’s identity is centered around their up-in-your-ass defense that causes teams to play defensive on offense and causes many points off of turnovers. They have threats to score on the inside and threats to score from the outside, but what makes them special is the amount of players who can not only do both, but have a game that connects the two together. They might not be the favorite to win it all, but you should believe that they will be a force to be reckoned with once we reach March. This might be the team Coach Chipman has been waiting 34 seasons for.

Joshua Jackson

@JoshJackson_TID

22 Days: Pistons & Trailblazers Preview

Team 28: Detroit Pistons

Projected Starting Lineup:

1.) Brandon Knight

2.) Rodney Stuckey

3.) Tayshaun Prince

4.) Jonas Jerebko

5.) Greg Monroe

Key Reserves:

-Will Bynum
-Charlie Villanueva
-Corey Magette
-Andre Drummond

On paper, this team does not look bad. In the early 2000′s, this would have been a playoff team. Unfortunately for the 2012-2013 Pistons, that was the most diluted time in recent NBA history and they are playing in the most stacked NBA the league has ever seen. Brandon Knight is a scoring point guard and did a decent job averaging 12.8 points during his rookie season. He still needs a lot of work on the rest of his game. He is a below average on-ball defender, and a horrible facilitator who does not do anything efficient on the court. He posted a 1.7/1 assist/turnover rate and only posted an 11.79 PER, ranking him 242nd in the league. Like I talked about yesterday, Rodney Stuckey has always been an undersized combo guard who switched between the off-guard and point-guard. Now that it’s becoming common place in the league, he isn’t as out of place, but he also isn’t any good. Tayshaun Prince may be getting up there in age, but he is still a very versatile player who can defend multiple positions and score from the inside and out. There has been a lot of movement up in the motor city, so don’t be surprised if Prince is shipped off to a contender before the trading deadline. Jonas Jerebko is a nice player, but is much more suited coming off the bench as opposed to starting. If rookie Andre Drummond can channel is potential and become a legitimate center at a point in the season, look at him starting and Greg Monroe moving over to the power forward position. Greg Monroe reminds me a lot of Brook Lopez; he has a smooth inside game that doesn’t involve much physicality, a decent on ball defender who can occasionally block. The difference is, Monroe actually competes on the boards – averaging close to 10 a game last season. Their bench has some punch, but it comes to show that the lack of a superstar in this day an age will not allow you to compete on a large stage in the NBA.

Team 27: Portland Trailblazers

Projected Starting Lineup:

1.) Damien Lillard

2.) Wesley Matthews

3.) Nicolas Batum

4.) LeMarcus Aldridge

5.) Meyers Leonard

Key Reserves:
- J.J. Hickson
- Ronnie Price
- Jared Jeffries
- Joel Freeland

What happened to the Blazers team that had everyone climbing over their bandwagon not two years ago. Oh that’s right, knees. Greg Oden and Brandon Roy were supposed to be two cornerstones to this franchise and were forced to the sideline due to chronic injuries to their knees. What is left, is one All-Star surrounded by rookies and decent role players. Damien Lillard tore it up in the summer league, but how much can be expected from a guy who never played a ranked team throughout his entire college career? Now he is going up against the most stout group of point guards the league has ever seen. I think he will be solid, but I do not think he will be able to carry this team to the places many other believe they can reach. Their wing play is alright, both Matthews and Batum are solid defensive players who are athletic, but tend to be streaky when it comes to shooting – especially from deep. They do still have one cornerstone with LaMarcus Aldridge who reached his first NBA All-Star game just a season ago. He is a deadly mid range shooter who is fluid around the rim. He can shoot over both shoulders and can fade and score from both baselines. He has continually improved on his rebounding skills averaging eight a game. He still needs to improve in that area, as the focal point of their inside game, he has to average more than two rebounds a quarter. Myers Leonard came into the NBA as a project and will now be the starting Center for a team that has a very demanding fan base. All of this change has been the after effect of the teams firing of GM Kevin Pritchard, the man responsible for getting this team to the playoffs just two years ago. This team has a high upside and a high downside. They could end up being a menacing team, but more than likely they will sink underneath their inexperience.


Joshua Jackson


JoshJackson_TID

23 Days: Orlando & Charlotte Preview

Team 30: Orlando Magic

 Projected Starting Lineup:


1.) Jameer Nelson

2.) Aaron Afflalo

3.) Hedo Turkoglu

4.) Glen Davis

5.) Gustavo Ayon

Key Reserves:
-Al Harrington
-J.J. Reddick
-Josh McRoberts
-Nikola Vucevic

Where do you even start with how bad this team is? Not only is their starting line-up filled up with maybe one legitimate NBA starter, their bench is just as pathetic. Jameer Nelson simply put, is not good. He averaged 11.9 points last season and couldn’t get an assist-turnover ratio of 3:1, which is a necessary stat for a good point guard to reach. A large part of the reason he has became a “name” in this league is due to Dwight Howard, who will no longer be his alley-oop muse. Not only that, but he’s the only PG on the roster not named Ish Smith. Aaron Afflalo is a good player. He is an excellent on ball defender and has the ability to guard bigger guards like Kobe and smaller guards like Eric Gordon. He has decent range, but is very streaky from deep and is at his best working off the ball making rim cuts and coming off picks. The only problem is, with this roster Afflalo will be forced to become the focal point of this offense. Hedo Turkoglu is a washed up shooter who cannot shoot anymore. While averaging 10.9 points last season, he only connected on 35% of his attempts from deep, the lowest percentage he’s had since his rookie season in 2000-2001. Glen Davis is an undersized power forward who has shown an incapability throughout his career to shoot 50% from the field, shooting a career low 42% from the field last year. He is a liability on the defensive end as well as a below average rebounder for his position. Davis is in the running for worst starting PF in the league this year. Gustavo Ayon, the 6’10″ Mexican will be asked to play out of position for a team that has nobody to fill the position. I literally mean nobody. According to ESPN, this team does not have a single Center on the roster. Ayon is an above average back-up PF, but will struggle mightily at the Center position. He is a solid rebounder, but nobody in this front court has the ability to protect the rim. Expect the Magic to be at the top of points given up at the end of the season. First time coach Jacque Vaughn will have a lot on his plate throughout the season with this roster.


Team 29: Charlotte Bobcats

Projected Starting Lineup:

1.) Ramon Sessions

2.) Ben Gordon

3.) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

4.) Bismack Biyombo

5.) Brendan Haywood

Key Reserves:

- Gerald Henderson
-Tyrus Thomas
-Kemba Walker
-Byron Mullens

Now, this team is nothing close to a good team that could be competitive this year. But my god, how much better is this team than last years team? It was well publicized that Charlotte was host to the worst NBA team in the history of the league last season. Michael Jordan has done a good job of making this team look more competitive, but not good enough to get them out of a chance at getting that lucky lottery ping pong ball. Ramon Sessions is a solid point guard who relieved Kemba Walker of his undeserved starting role. Sessions is much more of a pass first point guard who still has the ability to create off the dribble for himself. Ben Gordon adds a wing player who can stretch out the defense, shooting at a 43% clip from beyond the arc. He is a defensive liability, but with the league shifting towards smaller two-guards, he might have been ahead of his time. Either way, he takes the starting spot away from Gerald Henderson, the teams leading scorer from last year (I told you they were bad). The bright spot for Bobcats fans this year is watching the growing-up process for the youngest player in the league, the second overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The motor and competitive fire for this kid were unmatched in college last season and he was a large part in getting John Calipari his first national championship. He can guard three different positions, be a menace in both offensive and defensive transition, and is an excellent slasher who can get to the rim. His shooting stroke is going to need vast improvement, but the energy he brings to this team will also lead to the Bobcats vast improvement. Their inside game is still suspect at best with a Russian Roulette of posts. Bismack Biyombo is an above-average shot blocker, but his one on one defense and overall offensive game need vast refinement. Brendan Haywood is not good at anything other than claiming that he is good at everything. Their back up post situation is just as rough with Tyrus Thomas who is an athletic specimen and nothing else and Byron Mullens who couldn’t find a spot on OKC’s 15 man roster just a season ago. They will be better than last season, but it won’t get them out of the basement of the league.

Joshua Jackson


@JoshJackson_TID

NBA Preseason Power Rankings

With training camps just getting under way and most rosters nearing completion, we bring you the first of many NBA Power Rankings. As we move towards to beginning of the regular season on October 30th. What we give you now is a quick breakdown of where we feel the teams will fall into place, as well as giving you the date in which we will dive into much greater depths. Tomorrow we will bring you our first installment, where we will look at the Magic and the Bobcats.

30.) Orlando Magic – See 2010 – 2011 Cleveland Cavaliers. (October 7th)


29.) Charlotte Bobcats – When you were the worst team in league history a year ago, getting up 
to 29th in the league is an accomplishment.  (October 7th)


28.) Detroit Pistons – Still feeling the effects of spending $20 million on Ben Gordon and the cancer patient formerly known as Charlie Villanueva in the same off-season. (October 8th)


27.) Portland Trailblazers – A far cry from being the sneakiest good team in the league, a title they held for three years running not long ago. (October 8th)


26.) Phoenix Suns - Not only did they lose the face of the franchise, they got pennies on the dollar back for him. (October 9th)


25.) Toronto Raptors – I like the Kyle Lowry signing, but there is not enough talent on the roster for them to be a serious threat. (October 9th)


24.) Houston Rockets – Come July, Houston might be reconsidering their Luis Scola salary dump in a failed attempt at Dwight Howard. Have you ever seen a team with 12 seventh men? (October 10th)


23.) Atlanta Hawks – Josh Smith and Al Horford are still beasts in the paint, but they might be starting the worst wings in the league. (October 10th)


22.) New Orleans Hornets – A solid young core centered around Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon, but will have a tough time controlling the paint with no true enforcer. (October 11th)


21.) Washington Wizards – A starting five of actual NBA players will allow the dumbest named team in the league to work some magic. (October 11th)


20.) Sacramento Kings – Still a team full of black holes who play as if defense is optional, but the rest of the league better not forget to box out against an inside tandem of Robinson and Cousins. (October 12th)


19.) Golden State Warriors – If Bogut can stay healthy, which he won’t, the Warriors might be a dark horse for the eighth seed in the West. (October 12th)


18.) Cleveland Cavaliers – Although I’m not buying into their last two #4 overall picks (Thompson and Waiters), I will always trust in Uncle Drew. (October 13th)


17.) Milwaukee Bucks (East #8) – Their top two guards (Ellis and Jennings) can light it up and speed up teams, but their third and fourth guards are Beno Udrih and Marquis Daniels – Yikes. (October 14th)

16.) Utah Jazz – Any teams that think it is a good idea to trade for Marvin Williams doesn’t deserve to make the playoffs. (October 15th)


15.) Dallas Mavericks (West #8) – An absolute shell of the team that won the title two seasons ago – but that’s what happens when you have to tape Shark Tank instead of meet with Derron Williams. (October 16th)


14.) Minnesota Timberwolves ( West #7) – Brandon Roy with a healthy knee could finally bring stability to the Shooting Guard position which has been unstable since the supremely unstable Latrell Spreewell. (October 17th)


13.) New York Knicks (East #7) – Supremely talented in the back court with Anthony, Stoudemire, and Chandler but will falter due to a starting point guard who looks like Cedric the Entertainer. (October 18th)


12.) Memphis Grizzlies  (West #6) – Losing O.J. Mayo will not help the Griz, a team that already digressed a lot from the team that made it to the Western Conference Semi-Finals two years ago. (October 19th)


11.) Indiana Pacers (East #6) – Supremely athletic on the wings, but the Pacers were too quiet in the off season to better their position in the league. (October 20th)


10.) Philadelphia 76ers (East #5) – A solid team who could not find a go to scorer.  Add the most skilled offensive center in the league and that weakness has become a strength. Will he mesh with Doug Collins? Larry David says Eh. (October 21st)


9.) Denver Nuggets (West #5) -  I may be ranking them too high based on how fun they will be to watch, but with Lawson and Iguodala running the break, this team will be very fun to watch. With Javelle McGee finally being matched up with a real coach, he might give them unexpected toughness in the paint. (October 22nd)


8.) Chicago Bulls (East #4) – How fast does Derrick Rose return from injury? Will he be 100%? Those two questions could be the only thing that matters for a team that completely revolves around his play making abilities. They still suffer from Carlos Boozer crippling contract and a huge hole at shooting guard, but if Rose comes back healthy, this position might seem conservative. (October 23rd)


7.) Brooklyn Nets (East #3) – I usually hate teams that come together in one off-season, but the pieces Brooklyn compiled are very complementary. D-Will as the primary ball handler, Johnson as the off-ball scorer, Wallace as the pest on the wing, Humphries as the dominant rebounder, and Lopez as the scoring threat on the inside. There bench is one of the worst in the league, but their starters should negate that weakness. (October 24th)


6.) Los Angeles Clippers (West #4) – The Lamar Odom signing allows one of the more rigid teams of the past season to become much more versatile. They can play small with Odom and Griffin in the post and not lose much. While I think they over-payed for Jamaal Crawford, he still gives them much needed punch from the wing. This is not even mentioning Chris Paul, the best all-around point guard in the league. (October 25th)


5.) San Antonio Spurs (West #3) - A year older, the Spurs will once again fly under the radar as a team to contend with in the playoffs. Duncan may be a broken down Hyundai compared to the Bentley he once was, but if Tony Parker can play at last years’ level, this team is still one of the few teams that has a chance to make it out of the crazy west. They still have the best bench in the league and the veteran know-how to make a run. (October 26th)


4.) Boston Celtics (East #2) – This team gave the Heat the best series last season, and have added more fire power to the roster. Jason Terry will basically be a wash to what Ray Allen has given them the last few seasons, and will not complain about coming off the bench. Avery Bradley has come into his own as a Bruce Bowen-esque menace that can hit the corner three. Uncle Jeff Green is back from a heart condition that caused him to miss all of last season. With Rondo, Pierce, and Garnett still playing at a high level, this is the second best team in the East. (October 27th)


3.) Los Angeles Lakers (West #2) – The only reason this team in not number one on the rankings is the egos that will now try and mesh and create a juggernaut. With Nash and Kobe running the back court, teams will have a very difficult time stopping them, but at the same time, those two player are not exactly defensive savants. Luckily they have Dwight Howard, the best defensive center since the Dream, to clean up the mess they are more than likely to leave. Will Kobe, Dwight, Gasol, and World Peace (all divas in their own right) be able to coexist? I guess only time will tell. (October 28th)


2.) Oklahoma City Thunder (West #1) – OKC is home to the best pure scorer the league has seen since Jordan and an athletic freak that has the ability to score at will. Either can put up 30 in a game without breaking a sweat. That is without mentioning James Harden, who came into his own as a scorer last season, and Serge Ibaka who became a premier shot blocker who is slowly gaining an offensive game. Kendrick Perkins will anchor the team at the Center position – a player that morphed from an amnesty candidate to a bonafide asset the day Dwight went to the Lakers. He is one of the few centers that can guard Superman straight up, and I do not think the Lakers will be able to guard OKC on the perimeter. They should be the team to emerge from the West. (October 29th)


1.) Miami Heat (East #1) – Simply put, LeBron James made the leap to a bonafide all-timer last season. They’ve added depth in Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. Although they lack a true center who can tie his shoes, they are so good when they go small they force teams to shift to their game plan. Not only that, but in the words of D’Angelo Barksdale, “The king stays the king.” (October 30th)

Mona Lisa with a Mustache

What should we do with these replacement referees? I say shower them with love and give them all raises. “Are you serious?” you may ask. Absolutely. This is the best thing to happen to the NFL since the forward pass. For all of those bitching and complaining about the sanctity of football, that has been out the window for me ever since Goodell blatantly withheld information regarding players safety. When profit and financial interest trumps players being able to critically think at the age of 50, the game was morphed into a joke. The replacement refs are just the punchline.

When was the last time this much attention was given to a single regular season game? Not only that, but a regular season game in Seattle none the less. If the NFL cares more about ratings then the “sanctity” of the game, which it seems they do, didn’t they just hit the jackpot? I don’t have cable, but you can bet I dragged myself out to my parents house to watch this game. Was I disappointed? Hell no. That was the most entertaining football game I’ve watched in awhile – and who cares where the excitement came from, right? The NFL, and sports in general, are all about entertaining the customers and I think it is clear that those who watched the game were entertained.

After the Monday night game, Rick Reilly compared the replacement refs doing NFL games to painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa. The only problem is, have you ever tried to remove a mustache from a painting? It is practically impossible. So you know what I do when I screw up a painting? I continue screwing it up until it is something completely different than I originally intended it to be. The NFL shouldn’t bring back the regular officials, they should double down on the replacement ones. Even if Ed Hochuli is on the field next Sunday, does that really help the now 1-2 Packers and Patriots, two teams that  could easily miss the playoffs due to games handed to their opponents. It is weird to say that an entire NFL season is tarnished when we haven’t even hit a bye week, but it clearly is. The only option, in my mind, is to continue with what got you here. Hell, the NFL should go a step farther, and here is how they do it.

1.) Randomly select players on their bye week to officiate the games. If Triple H can be a special guest referee for the WWE, why can’t we have Roethlisberger as the back judge? A fun wrinkle would be that instead of revved up coaches like Jim Harbaugh throwing a puny red flag to challenge a play, they get to challenge the ref in question to a minute long fist fight in which the crowd decides the victor. How much would you pay to see Tom Coughlin call line judge James Harrison a pussy and then kick him in the shin?  Bank accounts would be cleared around the country.

2.) Women in bikinis. Why not mix Americas passions of sex and violence? What is the best way to do this you may ask. Poll the NFL players to see what the most frequented strip clubs used by them are, and then bring those girls in to officiate the games. The players would be less likely to blow up during a game at an official if they knew it would prohibit them from getting laid later that night. I can’t stop smiling thinking about a player blowing up on a stripperef in the moment and then immediately groveling and apologizing like a man whose wife just checked out his browser history.

3.) Death row inmates. I always admired George Carlin for his stance on public execution, and how this country needs more of it. Find me a better way to make the most violent sport in America even more violent. After each game, the crowd would be given a “ask the audience” type contraption they used on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. They get to choose who they believed to be the worst referee of the game. That ref is marched onto the 50 yard line while everyone in the stands gets to come on the field and throw stones at the guy. Plus, there’s a chance that these games would be officiated better if the officials lives were on the line.

Unfortunately for the NFL, you cannot just erase these last three weeks from the record books. Bringing back the regular officials now is already too late, you’d just be polishing a freshly pinched turd. So this your chance regular officials. Double your offer and try and stick it to Goodell. If there is one thing America loves it is a train wreck – just ask the Kardashians or Honey Boo-Boo. I don’t want the regular officials to come back and allow this train to stop on the tracks, I want the replacements to stay in the conductors booth and put this thing into a ravine.

Joshua Jackson

@JoshJackson_TID

The Sneakiest Wolves in the West

Photo Credit: http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/media/2.0/teamsites/timberwolves/media/roy17.jpg

The Minnesota Timberwolves have done a quick job of changing the culture and makeup of their locker room. With the additions of veterans Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko the Timberwolves look like a team that has transitioned away from a group of immature underachievers, to a well rounded team that seems poised to make the playoffs for the first time since Kevin Garnett’s MVP season, which coincides with the last time I balled up on my little tykes basketball hoop. The real question is, will this Wolves season mirror Ned Stark or Rob Stark. How long can this team stay in the NBA’s Game of Thrones?

Just two seasons ago, they had a roster filled with an assortment of young players who hadn’t – and still haven’t- lived up to their draft pick (Johnny Flynn, Sebastian Telfair and Wesley Johnson), players who did not have a definitive position who also never lived up to their draft pick (Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph) and the immortal Darko Milicic, a center who plays with as much emotion as Jesse Pinkman after his third rock of the day. All six of those players are no longer in Minnesota, and for the most part have been replaced with much more professional players with higher basketball I.Q.’s that have a track record of success. The Timberwolves biggest addition was also the sneakiest move of the off-season, bringing in Brandon Roy.

Two-years ago Brandon Roy was seen as the clear cut third best shooting guard in the league behind Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade. The reason for his downfall has nothing to do with play on the court, it was whether or not he could play on the court. A season ago, the NBA watched in sadness as a player with such talent and drive was forced to retire extremely prematurely due to knee issues. If you take away the knee problems, what do you have? You have a player who can put up 20 points on any given night and explode for 30 every once in awhile. The last wing player the Timberwolves had with that scoring ability was Latrell Spreewell, who was also a me first cancer in both the locker room and when the ball wasn’t in his hand. Roy is cut from a different cloth. He has the ability to score off the dribble, his driving and pull-up abilities are what made him a special player, but he can also work without the ball coming off of screens and setting other up to score. He is an above average passer from the off-guard position and is a very capable defender and rebounder. Not only that, but from all accounts he was a good leader in the locker room and good with the community of Portland. The final key to Brandon Roy’s success with the T-Wolves is that he has shown the capability to take over games late, and hit the big shot when it matters. He even showed the capacity for the clutch gene when his knees had abandoned him, just ask the Mavericks. With Roy and Kevin Love, the Wolves might have found a combination of players that can help cure them of the chronic late game woes that have plagued Minnesota for far too long.

Now, you may be saying to yourself, “that’s fine and dandy, but how did he magically regain the ability to feel his knees?” The answer is reginokine knee treatment from Dr. Chris Renna in Germany. You know, the same doctor who helped rejuvenate Kobe’s knees to the same extent as Sylvester Stallone’s mother has been rejuvenated by plastic surgery.

Do I honestly believe this team has a shot at the title? No. But I do think they have the ability to make the playoffs, and once they get there make themselves a very difficult team to push out. With Rick Adelman at the helm, who is BY FAR the greatest coach the Timberwolves have ever employed, this team has shades of the Oklahoma City team that pushed the Lakers in the opening round just a few years back. The whitest team since 1987 have all the pieces in place to finally get themselves out of the lottery, which is good because God knows they wouldn’t have ended up with the number one pick.


Joshua Jackson
@JoshJackson_TID

10 Things Learned in Week 1

Photo Credit: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2012/football/nfl/08/20/Miami-Dolphins-Ryan-Tannehill.ap/Ryan-Tannehill-1.jpg

1.) The Dolphins offense has mono: Ryan Tannehill had a rough day in his NFL debut, throwing three interceptions – all of which were tipped at the line of scrimmage. Not only does their first round franchise quarterback have terrible depth perception, but he has nobody to pass it to if he does find a pocket to throw it to. The Dolphins running game wasn’t horrible as Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas combined for 80 yards on the ground. The only problem is with a passing game whose go to receiver is Devon Bess and has Ryan Tannehill taking snaps, having only 80 yards on the ground is going to lose them a lot of games. It sounds weird actually seeing it on paper, but they may miss not starting Matt Moore.

2.) New England is not the same team as last year: New England’s achilles heel last season was an astounding lack of a pass rush. Sure, Vince Wilfork did his thing on the interior clogging up the holes, but that did not stop quarterbacks from having all-day to find a receiver – just ask Eli Manning. With the addition of first round picks Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower, the Patriots now have the ability to control the trenches on defense, which allows Jerod Mayo, Patrick Chung, and Devin McCourty to fly around the field and make big hits leading to big turnovers. If the Patriot defense can be come opportunistic along the lines of New Orleans on the championship run, they are early favorite in the AFC.

3.) Green Bay is the same team as last year: Green Bay was far and away the most dominant regular season team in the NFL last season. As we have come to see in the past few years, that does not always lead to post season success. The cause for Green Bay’s early departure from the playoffs at the hands of the Giants was two fold; their inability to control the trenches on either side of the football and their inability to establish any semblance of a running game. The Packers spent their first six picks on the defensive end of the ball, creating depth for a defense which has had trouble staying healthy over the past few seasons. Will those picks step in and make immediate impact against the best in the league? We will talk about that next. With the addition of Cedric Benson, many believed that the James Starks/Ryan Grant tandem of inadequacy was over and he would fit in like Corey Dillon did in his first year with the Patriots. After watching Sunday’s game, he seems to be washed up.

4.) The 49ers are really good: So how did the Packers new defensive additions look against one of the best teams in the league? Over- matched and outclassed. The 49ers offensive and defensive front towered over their Packer counterparts, which led to San Fransisco getting anything they wanted on either side of the field. The entire defense played masterfully against the NFL’s best maestro – negating any shortcomings in the secondary by making them cover for short amounts of time because their pass rush was rushing Rodgers into quick decisions. On the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers have the most talent around Alex Smith in his eight seasons at the helm. Mario Manningham and Randy Moss are noticeable upgrades at the second and third wide receiver position and they have an embarrassment of riches in running back depth with Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Brandon Jacobs, and LaMichael James.

5.) Michael Vick is no longer an elite player: This may not be a news flash to everyone, but Michael Vick is no longer a top notch NFL quarterback, even if he is getting paid like one. The thing that always stood out of Vick was his versatility, but in the opening match up against the Browns, Vick seemed afraid to exit the pocket – and inside the pocket he is a below-average passer. Much of the blame could be put on Andy Reid for making Vick throw the ball 56 times all while Shady McCoy averaged 5.1 yards per carry over twenty carries. Vick can still be effective, but he cannot be the focal point of this offense if the Eagles have any chance of getting to the playoffs.

6.) Peyton Manning might be back: It is easy to look at Manning’s numbers to point this out, but what was more interesting to me was the way he thoroughly impressed his own teammates. A good example of this was the before and after interaction between Manning and Eric Decker on Demaryius Thomas’ 71 yard touchdown. My guess at how the conversation went:

Manning: Eric, don’t even run your route, just immediately crack the cornerback on the outside and get out of the way.
Decker: Are you serious? What, are you going to do, run it?
Manning: Do I fucking look like Tim Tebow? Just do it. (Death stare)
Decker: Alright, fine.
(Thomas steaks for the touchdown)
Decker: Holy shit, I can’t believe that worked.
Manning: Did I mention I’m not Tim Tebow?

7.) Oakland’s offense is Darren McFadden: While Carson Palmer may have been an upgrade from Jason Campbell, the Raiders still don’t seem to have any offense that doesn’t involve Darren McFadden. Not only was he Oakland’s rushing leader, he was also their leader in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. Hell, they might want to think of hiring coach Yoast as their defensive coordinator, just so McFadden can play corner back too. Raider nation better pray this is the season McFadden stays healthy, because without Michael Bush waiting in the wings, a McFadden injury might lead to the ugliest looking team in the league.

8.) The Jets are not dead: They were just playing possum. I, being the over-thinker that I am, decided I would test their preseason inadequacies by starting the Bills defense for my fantasy team. It might have been the first time I’ve heard Mark Sanchez is taking advantage and it not being linked to his new contract. I can’t even talk any more shit, Sanchez was lights out in Week 1, completely negating the Bills “improved” front four which many (including myself) thought would give him trouble. If he keeps this up for the next few weeks, not only will Tebow talk decline, but he might be wearing the green and gold down in Jacksonville.

9.) Adrian Peterson is Superman: The guy tore both his MCL and ACL and is back on the field looking like someone who had turf toe. He only had surgery eight and a half months ago and was in the starting line-up for the Vikings. Not only did he start, but he was the only reason they won. Peterson rushed 17 times for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Honestly, this is one of the more amazing injury comeback stories I have seen in awhile and is just a testament to his hard work and overall physique.

10.) Chris Johnson is not: Are we sure it wasn’t Chris Johnson who tore his ACL and MCL? There really isn’t much to say about a guy who has been a headline nightmare the last few seasons starting the year off with four yards on 11 carries. Chris Johnson has become a track player wearing a running backs number. He has little ability to find a hole and his offensive line is not good enough to consistently give him a hole to run through. If he has a hole to run through, he has the ability go take it to the house every time, but those holes will not be there every time.
Joshua Jackson
@JoshJackson_TID

Where Loyalties Lie as a Sports Fan

Photo Credit: http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/common/medialib/270/609306.jpg

Being a sports fan can range from easy and fun to difficult and gut-wrenching. This gap can be attributed to such things as geographic location and teams your alliances fall with. If you live in New York and are a Yankees fan - you probably live a fulfilling sports life all while your neighbor, who's a Mets' fan, is currently tying a noose to his ceiling fan. Those who don't follow sports would just ask - "why the hell doesn't the Mets guy become a Rangers fan, they've gotten to the World Series back-to-back years?" Answer: If you live in the general vicinity of a professional sports team - you are contractually obligated to root for that team. "If that's the case, why doesn't fan number two become a Yankee's fan?" Well there are multiple factors for this;

1.) Familiarity: If you grow up your entire life rooting for a sports franchise, you consider yourself a part of the team. When they lose, you lose. Shit, there's times when the fans are more beaten up about a big loss than the players. It's like a Catholic Marriage; there has to be something astoundingly messed up for you to pack up your bags and change teams. It takes too much time to relocate and become accustomed with a new franchise. Plus, you have probably created a little-man's complex about your team that can only be satisfied with victory.

2.) Bandwagon Retribution: If you have publicly supported a team and then switch affiliations - be ready for a sandstorm of hatred from every person you know - and the entire city of Cleveland. If you think fame is a fickle food, sports fans are a fickle buffet. If you don't believe me, walk down a block filled with Pirates fans in a Bucco's jersey. When you've gotten everyone's attentions, rip it off WWE style until you are standing there in a Phillies jersey. Trust me, something will pop off.

3.) Playing the Stock Game: In the hipster culture of today, everything that can be conceived as art is kind of like a trading stock. In high school I discovered a mix-tape I really enjoyed called "A Kid Named Cudi." I had bought stock in Kid Cudi early. Less than a year later I heard "Day N' Night" on the radio and recognized his voice and thought - I know this guy. At that time I was able to cash in my stock for "cool points," because I had listened to Kid Cudi before anyone else. Although most of my friends enjoyed his music, nobody felt the same connection I did to hearing Cudi go commercial. It is the same way as a sports fan. A championship would taste so much sweeter to Royals fans who haven't "cashed out" these last twenty years than those who are jumping back on the bandwagon right as they've started to get exciting again. Everybody always feels their team is due, and they don't want to miss the opportunity to feel complete bliss after sticking it out through all the bad times.

I, however, live in Topeka, Kansas. You might have guessed that we do not have a professional sports team. However, just about an hour away are the Royals and the Chiefs so my loyalties must go towards them. I have only strayed from them being my teams one time each. I loved Pedro Martinez, so much so I spent $80 of my own money as a 10 year old to buy a watercolor painting of him in Niagara Falls. I became a Red Sox fan and cashed in my stock in 2004 with a smile - something that would have left me weeping in happiness if I had grown up a Boston fan.

Acceptability Level: 5/10 (Pedro was a transcendent player who played my favorite position better than anyone else. This was also during the era where the Royals got pennies on the dollar for Carols Beltran, Jermaine Dye, Johnny Damon and so on and so forth. There is always a push-and-pull effect of blame between the old team and the new team. At least, that's how we rationalize it.)

In 2003, I abandoned the Chiefs as my favorite team in the league. My new team - The Baltimore Ravens. I wish my reason for switching was something I didn't sound like a complete jackass for saying, like "I became a huge fan of The Wire and was enthralled with the city of Baltimore and saw how important the franchise was to such a devastated city and fell in love." Nope. Jamaal Lewis was my sixth round fantasy football draft pick and won me my league by rushing for over 2,000 yards that season. I bought the only J. Lewis jersey I could find with my birthday money and it still is, to this day, two sizes too big for me.

Acceptability Level: 0/10 (If we could dip into the negatives I would. Twenty-one year old me wants to bitch-slap some sports sense into thirteen year old me as I speak. If you change teams based on fantasy football - please go play hopscotch on a busy two-lane highway.)

As an avid NBA fan, and a citizen of the state of Kansas, my loyalties do not lie with any team based on geographic location. In situations like that, most people have a favorite player, and his team is your team. Kevin Garnett was and always will be my guy. I watched him put up a triple-double in person against the Blazers - all while yelling, flexing, beating his chest, and doing pushups after an and-one. I guarantee I was the biggest T-Wolves fan in Kansas history, but that all changed when KG was traded to the Celtics for Al Jefferson and three packs of Trident Layers. Overnight, I had become a Celtics fan.

Acceptability Level: 9/10 (I followed my guy through the muck in Minnesota for almost a decade and finally had the chance to watch him play for a contender. This is the reason I don't give LeBron fans trouble for trading their Cavs jersey in for a Heat one.)

As KG nears retirement, I looked to the newer generation for someone who would take his mantle once he hung his sneakers up. As fate would have it, he plays for the Timberwolves. I battled anyone who said Ricky Rubio would be a flop once he made it to the NBA. Now that he's had a successful NBA season, I feel vilified for the verbal stock I put into him for two years. I now have to clarify the Celtics are my favorite team in the East and the Wolves are my favorite team in the West to not lie to myself.

Acceptability Level: 6.5/10 (Negative points for going to the team I Left4Dead, especially now that they have a team that is on the up and up. A little bandwagon like, but hey, screw you and your Brooklyn Nets snap-back. Positive points for staying with Rubio through the tough years as well as falling in love with the most entertaining team in the league last year. If they can somehow get a healthy Brandon Roy, they might take over the Celtics' spot.)

Moral of the story: Love the one your with, and if you can't do that - figure out a good excuse.

Josh Jackson

@JoshJackson_TID

The NBA's Last Scraps

Photo Credit: http://cdn6.wn.com/pd/a2/5b/84f8260170caedfa6fa423ef2280_grande.jpg

As we near September, there are still a few free agents on the market that could come in and help a team in a variety of ways. Although these players will not start for the teams they are picked up by, they will be able to help fill a nine to ten man rotation or give much needed depth in their position.
These six players could make a difference on these six teams.

Leandro Barbosa: Minnesota Timberwolves - The Timberwolves were very active in the free agent market this summer - bringing in veteran wing players they desperately needed in Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko. At the moment, things look kind of shaky with no true shooting guard to back up Roy - a player who was forced to retire just a season ago due to lingering knee issues. They have J.J. Barea and Luke Ridenour, true point guards who played off the ball a little last year with Rubio at the point. Barbosa had a renaissance with Brazil in this years Olympics and seeing that Minnesota loves foreigners who can shoot from deep, Barbosa seems to be a good fit in the Twin Cities.

Louis Amundson: New Orleans Hornets - Most people saw the Gustavo Ayon trade for Ryan Anderson as a great deal for New Orleans. Although Anderson will help in spreading the court for the likes of Eric Gordon, Austin Rivers, and Anthony Davis - the loss of Ayon gives the Hornets exactly one player with above average ability in rebounding, shot blocking, and overall toughness (Davis). While Amundson is not the most skilled big ever, he is defiantly cut from the cloth of 80's big men. He is a good rebounder, a decent rim defender, and someone who would not back down to anyone. He does the dirty work, and on a team full of finesse players, he would have a spot to step in right away.

Dominique Mcguire: Charlotte Bobcats - This is the toughest one because it is impossible to guess what Michael Jordan is doing. Is he trying to get more lottery picks or is he trying to make a push for the playoffs? If the latter is true, McGuire is someone the Bobcats should look into. Tyrus Thomas is the only true Power Forward in Charlotte and he is undersized at that. According to NBAPostup.com, McGuire receives at least an A grade in three categories: offensive rebounding, defensive rebounding, and shot blocking - three things that would help the most porous team in NBA history get out of the gutter.

Derek Fisher: Portland Trailblazers - Derek Fisher is still in the NBA for two reasons - he is still a great spot up shooter and he is one of the smarter point guards in the game. You have to have discernible skills when you are still in the NBA and move slower than Gob Bluth on his Segway. The Blazers need help at back-up point guard and with the starting spot in the hands of a rookie who never played a top 25 team in college, his fatherly advice could be just what the city of roses needs.

Josh Howard: Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers are in desperate need of a wing off the bench that they could trust deep into the postseason. If I'm Mitch Kupchack, that player will not be Devin Ebanks. Josh Howard has not been a good player for awhile, but he is good enough to take Ebanks spot. With the loss of Matt Barnes, the Lakers bench is looking as bad as it ever has and Josh Howard would at least give the team some defensive toughness off the pine.

Michael Redd: Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks roster currently consists of four guards; Jennings, Ellis, Udoh, and Doron Lamb. Jennings and Ellis are players that do not have the greatest shot from the land of deep so why not bring back the shooter that once made Milwaukee forget about Ray Allen? Not only does he fit into position needs and actual needs on the court - it would also be a nice homecoming and a possible last go around for the player who will always been seen as a Buck.

Joshua Jackson

@JoshJackson_TID