Random Rants

3/17/07— Charles Dunson Jr.

· How has the value of superstars depreciated so drastically since the turn of the millennium? (The argument could be made: Would you rather have Tayshaun Prince, Billups and Webber or Kobe Bryant. What would at one time be considered a boneheaded trade, is now considered a steal.) In this era of dynasties, such as the Patriots, Spurs and Pistons the concept of collecting superstar athletes has taken a back seat to the overall team concept. even the leagues newest powerhouses (Jazz, are founded on this principle.)

· For all the complaints about their smashmouth slow style of play, the Big 10 is 6-0, through the first round of the tournament. – 3/17/07

· I pray Reggie Miller makes the comeback Karl Malone declined. For those who don’t remember Malone was offered contracts with the Heat and Spurs midway through the 04-05 season. The Spurs would go on to win the title while the Heat fell short following an injury to D-Wade. And well you know the rest… —3/17/07

· It’s getting harder and harder to believe Kobe does not own an MVP award. It’s even more difficult to imagine Lebron beating Kobe to his first! –3/15/07

· After watching the Cleveland Cavaliers 24 point drubbing of the Milwaukee Bucks to improve the Cavs record to (3-0) this season without Lebron James in the lineup I half-expected the weekly Lebron bashing to immediately recommence. It just seems regardless of what he contributes, and despite being younger than 74.9% of this season’s rookies, his critics heave superman expectations upon him. However, one has to wonder if the problem in Cleveland isn’t the lack of production from the role players but from Lebron James instead.

While I am not insinuating that the Cavs are a better team without Lebron, perhaps King James could do more to appease his royal court . Let me explain. While management has equipped the team with pieces to accommodate Lebron James, I am convinced that the Lebron should adjust his style to benefit the team. I’v noticed that on teams with star players, the role players tend to stand and gawk at Lebron when he has the ball in his hands.

Remember the Nike commercial from Lebron’s rookie season when he receives the pass and just pauses? Well.that is a perfect microcosm of the of the stagnant Cavalier ffense when Lebron is on the floor. Put simply, as unselfish as Lebron is, he is a ball-stopper. Similar to the predicament which has arisen in Lakerland. With Walton and Oden absent due to injuries, Kobe has felt the burden and reverted to his old ways. As a result, they are no longer playing as a cohesive unit, and have slid in the Western Conference standings. —3/15/07

· While the Florida Gators have become the USC of the East in football, the Trojans are emerging as the Gators of the West in basketball, too. Despite losing their standout freshmen point guard in a senseless shooting USC managed to earn a #5 seed in the NCAA tourney. The future is even brighter. Next season, The Prodigy arrives in the form of OJ Mayo & in 2008 the #1 rated junior point guard in the nation, Brandon Jennings. With the commitment of OJ Mayo, I wonder, has any athletic program ever assembled the top HS recruits in both basketball and football in one year. And no it doesn’t count if he’s the same person. –3/17/07

· Which brings me to my next topic of Duke and Greg Paulus… I know he’s just a sophomore but in this day and age of “one and done” or “two and I’m through” college basketball players… Paulus is considered a veteran. I know he’s got to be wonderin’ “Hmm… if I wanted to lose this much at Duke, I shoulda stuck to football.” After watching him and the rest of the Blue Devils clank free throw after free throw, it was only fitting that they lost. In a day devoid from first round upsets of any kind, the Colonial Athletic Association struck again. That’s right VCU derives from the same conference as last year’s Final 4 Cinderella, George Mason. This game also convinced me that free throw shooting really is the most crucial statistic for predicting NCAA tournament success. VCU’s time per possession was much shorter than Duke’s because of their suffocating full court pressure which they implemented the entire game. As the second half progressed and Duke wore down VCU chipped at what seemed like an insurmountable 11 point lead you could sense the momentum shifting. The game took a turn for the worse after the offensive rebound where Nelson allowed a pass get between his hands with the score at 66-67. Turnover. As VCU took the lead on the ensuing possession following two FREE THROWS the momentum was on their side. VCU was flat out in better shape physically and in the second half they were whizzing past Duke defenders on fast breaks. Scheyer was not given any space to shoot his signature j.

We may have watched the top point guard battle, not in terms of talent but in terms of competitiveness of the NCAA tournament between Eric Maynor and Greg Paulus . Paulus finished with 25 points and 5 assists Maynor, the CAA Tournament MVP, had 22 to go along with 8 dishes. including the game-winning shot with 1.9 seconds later. Anytime, Paulus made a play, Maynor responded right back to swoop in and revive VCU. Time after time, in the final 90 seconds Maynor drove the lane to hit floaters over the outstretched arms of Josh McRoberts as he closed in from the weakside to no avail. On Maynor’s fadeaway jumper to win the game it was only fitting he layed down the dynamite to Duke’s season over Greg Paulus.

That said, the Duke mystique is gone and good riddance. Now we get to see what Coach K has as a coach. I already realize he is an outstandig recruiter but the college game has evolved in recent years, and with Duke’s rigid academic standards, it is no longer considered the holy grail of college basketball to the top recruits who now consider college a temporary stepping stone to the League. Much like Phil Jackson is now doing the same without a superstar laden or championship ready team in L.A,, Coach K must now face his greatest challenge; winning a championship without the most talented players in college basketball. –3/17/07

· Regarding LBJ vs. Durant: While the next three weeks will determine the Kevin Durant’s place in college basketball lore, and a national championship as far fetched as it may seem would make the greatest tall tale since Paul Bunyan. Lebron James is already living a fairy tale. When these two stories end up in the same book(the NBA) next fall the Lebron James comparisons will be inevitable. However, just like the comparisons between James and Jordan, these two players have totally different styles.

1) Lebron is one of the most gifted passers in the NBA who posseses. One of his most overlooked attributes has been his unparalled vision on the floor. In fact, he began his career as the starting point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers. While Durant is a great passer for his size he’d never handle the point guard responsibilities for an NBA team.

2) He is what Rudy Gay was supposed to be. As a freshman at Texas he has developed a killer instinct at the end of close contests. In lebron’s case I don’t believe he doesn’t have the mindset to deliver in the clutch I just don’t believe his jumper is that

3) While James is a better ball-handler, Durant already possesses a purer post game and a NBA ready jumper in his repatoire.

4) Durant- ‘6-9 217’, James- ‘6-8 240’ Durant’s lack of strength is his one true weakness that is evident thus far in his career. The above weight was Lebron James as a rookie, he’s up to about 245 now, Enough said…

5) He is a freakish hybrid of Dirk Nowitzki and McGrady as well as possessing shot-blocking ability T-Mac and Nowitzki could only dream of. Lebron James style of play is more reminiscent of Magic Johnson and Bernard King. –3/16/07

· With the further disclosure of his gambling exploits as manager of the Cincinatti Reds, the Hall of Fame discussions for ‘Charlie Hustle’ Pete Rose will cause a new firestorm. For ignorant observers to compare his betting on baseball to Shoeless Joe Jackson’s “throwing the entire World Series would be wrong and irresponsible. While I believe he was definitely in the wrong whether or not he bet on or against his own team, the facts are this; at the time of his ban he was not worthy of the Hall of Fame because of his feats as a manager, but because of his accomplishments as a Hall of Fame player. Were he in the NBA, Pete Rose would have received a similar ban with one stipulation; not before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Take for example, Lenny Wilkens who in 1989 was inducted into the Hall of Fame following a 15 year NBA career which consisted of nine All-Star performances. 9 years later he was subsequently inducted as a head coach after surpassing the record for most wins in NBA history. Which brings me back to the case of Pete Rose. Why is the While the Hall of Fame will soon be filled with a bevy of past steroid violators who while they were still active in Major League Baseball, it will forever be void of the all-time hits leader because his post-retirement transgressions. Meanwhile, the stiffest penalties facing the true cheaters is an asterisk. Is the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio truly better off with O.J. Simpson than Cooperstown would be with Pete Rose? Better yet are the Cooperstown cognoscenti really better off with a known KKK clansman in Ty Cobb, who Rose relegated to second place on the all time hits list, than a former repulsive gambler? However, I do have an ulterior motive . While a short 10-15 year ban would have been acceptable, a lifetime ban seems a tadbit excessive. The key term is of course the lifetime portion of the ban. Does this mean our lifetime or Pete Rose’s? Listening to his words, I believe 16 years later, that time has healed all wounds and Pete Rose at 65 years old realizes he may never experience the euphoria of his long-anticipated Hall of Fame induction. To honor him while he’s living would not only bestow upon Cooperstown the most extravagant celebrations in it’s illustrious history but also allow Ol’ Charlie Hustle to enjoy his old age with grace and dignity. Moreover, this should be the only choice because to wait until he passes away, whenever that may be and honor him posthumously would be simply disgraceful. --3/17/07

· What I’m looking Forward to In 10 Years: Shaq’s aspirations of owning the Orlando Magic could strip Mark Cuban of his title as the NBA’s Most Visible/ Entertaining Owner. --3/20/07

· What’s with the recent string of five-star All-American basketball recruits from the local Maryland area, including rebuking on scholarship offers from the Terps. Over the last five years the Terps have been rejected by Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Carmelo Anthony, Micheal Beasley and Ty Lawson. Someone’s got to begin questioning Coach Gary William’s recruiting tactics, especially when considering Durant and Gay were considered foregone conclusions to sign with the Terps. In that span the Terps have recruited only one All-American in sweet-shooting guard Mike Jones, who didn’t even make an impact until his senior season. The biggest wave he made as a Terp was dropping the ball out of bounds on the final play of the NCAA Tournament game versus Butler to end the Terps season and his college career. -- 3/20/07

A little Revisionist History (What if…)

· … Bill Walton had Stayed Healthy

· … Len Bias had lived to play for the Celtics

· Would Loyola Marymount Have Won The 1992 NCAA Championship with Hank Gathers?

· … Kobe Had Stayed A Hornet?

· ... The Colts Had Drafted Ryan Leaf?

· … If Deion chose Baseball?

· … Cheryl Miller (of 20 years ago) played In the WNBA? —3/20/07

I’m not sure I understand why the Knicks wore green against the Hornets or why the Chicago Bulls wore green … against the Celtics. Why do the Red Sox wear green jerseys during their spring trainings. Should every team wear alternate black jerseys during Black History Month or pink jerseys for Breast Cancer Awareness? --3/17/07