Philadelphia Eagles Prove Money Doesn't Buy NFL Love

The Philadelphia Eagles face the Washington Redskins this Sunday in a game that can only be described as an encounter where their 2011 season is on the line. If this team has any Super Bowl aspirations, a fifth defeat could cripple their dreams.

Philadelphia is fighting history this weekend as well. If they finish the weekend at 1-5, the team must realize only the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals reached the playoffs after starting a season as poorly.

That Bengals team started the season 1-6 before rattling off seven straight wins behind Pro Bowl players like Lemar Parrish and Bob Trumpy. They would lose the first playoff appearance in franchise history against the eventual champion Baltimore Colts.

The offense has yet to really click for the Eagles yet this season. While ranking third best in the NFL in total yards gained, they have been struggling to consistently score touchdowns and rank 11th in total points scored. The offensive line, an issue that mostly has haunted head coach Andy Reid since he took the job in 1999.

It has to burn Reid's heart at this issue. He has won 60 percent of the 197 regular season games with Philadelphia, which makes him the winningest head coach in franchise history, but blocking is an area he is supposed to be an expert in.

Reid played offensive tackle in college, then got into coaching immediately upon graduating after his 1981 senior season. He coached the offensive line until the end of the 1996 season. His Eagles teams have produced just five Pro Bowl blockers since he took the helm, with only one that Reid drafted and developed, not something the head coach probably foresaw.

Philadelphia looked smart last year by trading quarterback Donovan McNabb and going with Michael Vick in his place. Vick, though known for a mobility that made him the NFL's top rushing yards leader by a quarterback in league history last week, has taken a tremendous pounding in 2011 because of Philadelphia's offensive line woes.

Vick has battled injuries and missed time this year, something the Eagles thought they had a contingency plan for by signing free agent Vince Young. Young has been to the Pro Bowl quarterback twice since being drafted in 2006, but he was not healthy enough to play when Vick went down.

Blocking isn't the only reason Vick has suffered. Though he is still learning how to be a pocket-passer, Vick has a propensity to hang onto the ball too long and take many unnecessary sacks.

The Eagles rushing attack is led by an excellent 5.8 yards per carry average from halfback LeSean McCoy, yet the Eagles still are ineffective in short yardage situations where a powerful running game between the tackles is needed. None of Reid's teams have ever excelled in this critical area.

If the offensive trenches weren't enough of an issue for Reid, his defensive lines haven't been much better in his Eagles career. Philadelphia has had a habit of getting tiny pass rushers who were weak against the run, often contributing to the reason Reid has yet to win a Super Bowl despite 119 regular season victories and nine playoff appearances in his previous 12 years.

Jeff Lurie has been a great owner since buying the Eagles in 1994. He is known for his loyalty as much as the generosity he has displayed to charitable causes. Reid's coaching staffs have shown a solid continuity for the most part, which can be seen with defensive coordinator Juan Castillo.

Castillo has been with the Eagles since 1995, holding jobs in many areas. After coaching the offensive line since 1998, he moved over to defense this year. Critics are not only pointing to Philadelphia's poor run defense, others are looking at a secondary that has yet to meet expectations.

After spending a ton of money to sign free agent cornerback Nnamde Asomugha, as well as trading for Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Lurie bit the financial bullet by retaining the services of Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel. Not only has the secondary given up way too many touchdowns on so few passing attempts, ranking 30th in that category, the group is not creating turnovers.

The Eagles tried to address the long-standing issue in their trenches by signing two high profile free agents in Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins. While the duo has already racked up a combined 12 of the teams 16 total sacks, they are also a reason the team ranks 30th in rushing yards allowed and last in rushing yards per attempt up the middle of the defense.

The team took a gamble this year by going with a bunch of underwhelming or unproven linebackers this season, and are losing big so far. Not only has the group mostly stunk in run support, they have been even worse in pass defense.

The fact the Eagles safeties haven't played great hasn't helped either. Kurt Coleman has struggled at free safety, which hurts more due to the fact Nate Allen has yet to play as well as he did in his 2010 rookie year.

Despite Lurie shilling out millions to Vick, Young, Asomugha, Babin, Bryant, Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown, and others, the results have yet to be met by a group trying to get acclimated with each other on the fly in a season truncated because of a players strike. Yet history shows pouring money into players does not equate to championships.

Whether it is the 2010 Miami Heat, the Ted Stepien Era with the Cleveland Cavaliers, or even the 2011 Boston Red Sox, the examples are plentiful. Sometimes the angle of spending a lot of money works, as George Steinbrenner showed by winning seven titles in his 37 years of owning the New York Yankees.

The season is not yet lost for the Eagles, especially if they defeat a division rival that Reid has triumphed over 15 times in 24 attempts. The Redskins, who are coming off their bye week, need this game to stay on top of the NFC East while trying to increase their lead with their second division win in as many attempts.

Washington will probably attempt to run the ball down the Eagles throats with their trio of excellent running backs. If they succeed, Philadelphia could see their 2011 season begin to end as the game clock expires.

The City of Brotherly Love is starving for a football title in the NFL, having not seen their team win a championship since 1960. They are known as passionate fans, so a let down by their beloved Eagles may lead to a large insurgence of fans calling for the firing of Reid.

With their season on line, let alone the Eagles careers of guys like Reid and Castillo, the team has their backs against the proverbial wall and must begin to come out swing like Philly legend Rocky Balboa. Hopefully their thrust will not be fictional like Rocky was.



Yooooooooooo! For doze of yous dat forgots about me, I iz 7thStoneFromTheSun, da distant cuzin of 3rdStoneFromTheSun Yo, I did suck las weak in my procrastinashuns. I went 7-6, and I now iz 46-31 overall.

Lets get too it!




Saint Louis Rams @ Green Bay Packers

OK, I know a lots of yous mugs tought da Rams mite go two da playoffs dis yeer. But dey will now bee 0-5, sumfin not many saw cummin.

Packers 37 Rams 21






Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Da Jags never shuld have gone da cheep route and dumped quarterback David Garrard, cuz it iz cleer Blaine Gabbert aint reddy. Da Steelers will expose dat truth even more.

Steelers 23 Jaguars 7







Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins

As 3rd says, dem Igglez have spent like a billion dollars and iz 1-4. I'm picking da Skins running game hear, but dont bee shocked if suckass Rex Grossman trows da game away two Philly.

Redskins 27 Eagles 24







San Francisco 49ers @ Detroit Lions
Game of the Week

Yo, dis aint 1950 so dont rub yer eyes in disbelief. Dis iz da game of da weak! Both teems got good defenses and quarterbacks picked furst in dere drafts. I tink it mite cum down too who runs da ball best, if dat iz a hint.

But Yo! Who hear saw dese teems a combined 9-1 cummin into dis game?

Lions 23 49ers 21






Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

I'm not in love wit Matt Ryan or da Falcons pass defense so far dis yeer, but they can win if dey run da damn ball. Cuz Carolina sure as fuck don't.

Falcons 30 Panthers 28







Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals

Da Colts blow chunks yo. Dey couldnt even beet da shitty Chiefs. Put dem down at 0-7.

Bengals 34 Colts 17







Buffalo Bills @ New York Giants

Eli Manning cemented his spot as one da most overrated players ever las week. Da Bills are a helluva lot better den da Seahawks, and dey will go downstate and leave 5-1.

Bills 34 Giants 24






Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens

Derrick Mason just joined da Texans, who iz strugglin all of da sudden, and iz facing a teem he spent six seasuns wif. Da Ravens will enjoy da fact star linebacker Mario Williams wont play for Houston again dis yeer.

Ravens 27 Texans 20






Cleveland Browns @ Oakland Raiders

Just keep winning baby! R.I.P. Al Davis

Raiders 31 Browns 23






Dallas Cowboys @ New England Patriots

Tony Romo mite trow four 400 yards against dis crappy Pats secondary, but his teem has no answers for Tom Brady.

Patriots 37 Cowboys 28







New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Just when it looked like da Bucs was turning da corner, they laid a egg of shit las week. Dis alloud da Saints two sit on top of da NFC South. New Orleans iz ranked 28th in yards given up per rushing attempt, but rank fourth best in rushing attempts against dem cuz teems are trowing so much trying to play catch up.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees should enjoy facin a dissappointin Buccaneers defense, whose seasun mite be on da line hear.

Saints 34 Buccaneers 23







Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Get out da No Doz Sunday nite. Dat iz if you dont like smash mouth football in da Black and Blue division. Da Bears knead dis cuz da Packers and Lions are starting to run away in da race for da NFC North title.

Bears 24 Vikings 17







Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

Dis piece of crap MNF game iz a perfect reasun da New York City media kneads to shut da fuck up about dere overrated talent and why we knead to start ignoring dese boobs. Capeesh?

Da Jets suck! Mark Sanchez sucks dirty donkey balls and dat Jets defense looks old. Rex Ryan has been gettin his fat mouth closed a lot dis yeer so far. I dunno if he iz puttin his foot in his mouth or his wife's, but he should STFU until he has a reesun to talk.

Da Dolphins basically got Matt Moore and Sage Rosenfels as dere quarterbacks, which aint awesum. Both is sound reserves at best, but we will sea. I tink Miami better run rookie halfback Daniel Thomas 25 times against dat suspect Jets defense.

But da Jets will put 8 in a box cuz dey dont respect da Dolphins quarterbacks, which iz da rite move.

Jets 23 Dolphins 14






Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Detroit Lions
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Buffalo Bills
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. New Orleans Saints
7. San Diego Chargers
8. New England Patriots
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Washington Redskins
11. Tennessee Titans
12. Atlanta Falcons
13. Oakland Raiders
14. Houston Texans
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Chicago Bears
17. New York Giants
18. New York Jets
19. Dallas Cowboys
20. Philadelphia Eagles
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Seattle Seahawks
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Arizona Cardinals
25. Miami Dolphins
26. Carolina Panthers
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
28. Cleveland Browns
29. Saint Louis Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. Kanas City Chiefs
32. Indianapolis Colts



OK, I iz outta dis peace! I iz gunna lay down wif dis hunny I met at da bar and have her feed me grapes as I watch da games.

As dey say in Ol' Messico = A.M.F.

NBA in Review: 10 Moves That Changed the Landscape of the 2010-11 Season

Carmelo Anthony


When the Knicks replaced Isiah Thomas with Walsh, Dolan never parted ways with Thomas. He reassigned him under the ideology that Thomas would be was banned from having contact with any Knicks' players under the rationale that he could willingly or unwillingly undermine general manager Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D'Antoni.

It looked good on paper at least.

Anthony had already said he was wanting to be a Knick well before the big trade that acquired him. He had been a Denver Nugget since he came into the NBA in 2003, but the four-time All-Star grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and has family in New York City.

Another reeason for his interest in the Knicks is the realty television show "La La's Full Court Wedding", since his wife, La La, is a television personality based in New York City. Putting his needs ahead of his team is nothing new for Anthony, known as a player who did little more than shoot the ball while in Denver.

The Knicks had a young team with promise before the trade. Amar'e Stoudemire was the unquestioned leader already, despite being barely halfway into his first year with the team, and an assortment of role players were complementing him. Point guard Raymond Felton was having the best year of his young career, looking like a brilliant signing by Walsh.

While Anthony spent much of his time in Denver politicking for getting traded to the Knicks, word was Walsh and D'Antoni were not interested in giving up what it would require to attain his services. Then rumors of Thomas getting back into Dolan's ear grew louder and louder as the trade deadline approached.

Then, in a move many say Walsh was not in full agreement with, the Knicks pulled off a blockbuster deal to get Anthony and a pair of very old point guards named Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter. Denver got four young players, a first-round pick, a pair of second-round picks, and $3 million in cash.

"I'm glad it is over." is what Nuggets head coach George Karl said.

Since the trade, New York has gone 6-10. Anthony's need to toss up 10-20 shots a game has taken away from D'Antoni's system and Stoudemire's game. Factor in his unwillingness to pass, rebound, or play defense, the trade looks like a bigger mistake with each day that passes.

He has recently been seen sulking, hiding from the media, and sniping at teammates for not passing him the ball. Where Stoudemire took on the bright New York lights head on to reinvent himself, Anthony appears to be wilting already.

“He has a career worth of bad habits. They weren’t going to change in a month.” said one NBA coach.

This move has appeared toxic to the Knicks so far, and it appears to have evolved from Thomas. A man whose whole Knicks career can be termed as toxic.

Anthony is where he wanted to be. He is not the only NBA player right now who maybe should have been careful in what he wished for.




Dwyane Wade


When Wade became a free agent at the end of last season, he said he would stay with the Miami Heat if they showed a commitment to winning a championship. The owner of the Heat heard him loud and clear.

On the day Miami re-signed Wade, they also signed free agent Chris Bosh. The next day saw LeBron James sucker ESPN into broadcasting his announcement that he was taking his talent to the Heat.

While the season has been filled with various results, the Heat have already won more games than they did last year. Yet it hasn't been the 82-0 record many ran off at the mouth predicting the days of the signings.

Wade still scores at about the same rate as he always has. All of his stats seem the same, except he is rebounding the ball a little more. James has his lowest scoring average since his 2004 rookie year, but the rest of his game is accumulating about the same statistics. Bosh is having his worst season statistically since his 2004 rookie season, but is still putting up more than respectable numbers.

Yet with all the offensive output, something appears to be missing with the Heat at times. That something is any semblance of a post game. While the Heat's big three is great crashing towards the basket off the wing, they have no players who can just sit in the paint while rebounding and blocking shots. If they had this now, they might be even more unstoppable than they are already.

Wade had a chance to go home to Chicago, where he could have paired up with Derrick Rose in the Bulls backcourt while guys like Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah provided the paint work. He chose to stay with the team where his NBA career started in 2004. A team he has already won one championship with.

Though money bought some of his loyalty, Wade should be commended for staying in South Beach. Heat owner Micky Arison deserves a major pat on the back for opening his wallet and gambling that overpaying his three stars will get the team more championships.

It is a move that does not always work out. Some brought back memories of Ted Stepien, the Cleveland Cavaliers owner who made similar gamble that destroyed the team when the moves failed to work, when Miami signed their three stars. While Arison's gamble has not tumbled yet, the trio will be responsible for a lot more than winning a few regular season games.

The playoffs usually slow the game down to the point a post game becomes a necessity. If Miami can overcome their hole in the middle and win it all, Wade's plea to Arison will have been just what was needed.






LeBron James


No one questioned the talents of LeBron James. His ego and IQ? That is debatable.

When the Miami Heat coaxed James to leave the state of Ohio for sand and surf, as well as playing next to All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

He went to a posh neighborhood in Connecticut, set up by ESPN, and took part in an overblown ceremony to pamper his ego which made his look more asinine that ever before with the opening sentence, "In this fall, this is very tough, in this fall I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat."

It really should have come as no surprise from a guy who once belittled Stephon Marbury for selling shoes and clothing at an affordable price, saying he would "never have a discount line".

The move to Miami may give him the rings he seeks, but it has ended his chances of a legendary legacy reserved for few NBA stars. His image has been sullied to the point that the stuff he hocks has lost market value in big portions.

NBA legends were unhappy with his move, but it is a move James will have to live with. Yet he was so embarrassed at one point that he tried to play the race card. This move was met with resounding criticism. So the excuses are now out of the way.

Now he approaches the playoffs and anything less than winning the title will get him ridiculed. While he brought all of this upon himself, these next few weeks may interest more than just LeBron James.





Kendrick Perkins


Perhaps the most underrated trade at the deadline this year is when the Oklahoma City Thunder got their hands on Kendrick Perkins. The one thing the young team had been missing was a post presence. Perkins provides it.

While he is still recovering from an injury suffered before the trade, the Thunder are bringing him along slowly. He has averaged about 23 minutes in his four games, but Perkins is pulling down almost nine rebounds per contest.

Giving up Jeff Green wasn't easy for Oklahoma City wasn't easy, but the prospects of securing the post was too tempting. James Harden has also stepped up his game since the trade.

With the driving force of point guard Russell Westbrook and the nearly unstoppable scoring ability of small forward Kevin Durant, a healthy Perkins could all the Thunder needs to make a serious run at the title.




Amar'e Stoudemire


Stoudemire came out of the 2010-11 blocks as a front runner for the MVP Award. The Knicks were well above .500 and he was an All-Star setting team records.

He went nine straight games with scoring 30 or more points, as well as nine consecutive games of shooting 50 percent or better.

He had come to the Knicks with questions about his leadership and defense. Stoudemire quickly quieted his critics, and is scoring the most he had since the 2005 season. After he hurt his leg in 2006, having to have a then-experimental micro fracture surgery, no one thought he could do this again.

Now he will have to change his approach to the game with the addition of Carmelo Anthony. Where he was once the first scoring option, his looks will lessen drastically by the always ready to shoot 'Melo.






Addition By Subtraction


Ever since the Denver Nuggets dumped Carmelo Anthony, they have been on fire.

Where before the strategy was give it to 'Melo and watch him shoot, Denver is now pass crazy. Nuggets are making sure everybody in a Denver uniform touches the ball and contributes to the team. The four newcomers they got in exchange for Anthony gives Denver 43 points, 14 rebounds, 9.4 assists, and two blocks per game.

Since the trade, the Nuggets have gone 10-4. All losses have come by six or less points, meaning they have been competitive each contest. They are also now playing the type of basketball head coach George Karl always wanted from the Nuggets.

Where they go in the playoffs will be fun to watch because they are a versatile bunch. They have a large group of players who can handle the ball and shoot jumpers from anywhere. They also still have enough in the paint to where they are not pushovers at the post.

If there ever is a darkhorse who could shock the NBA universe in the playoffs, it is the Denver Nuggets.

If they actually do go out and win their first ever title this year, flowers of thanks must be sent to Isiah Thomas.





Stay Cool


Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal played much of their careers getting hacked as the games were nearing their end, especially if the opponent was trying to catch up on the scoreboard. It worked at times because neither big man was great at the charity stripe.

Now Dwight Howard, of the Orlando Magic, is not nearly as big as Chamberlain or O'Neal. He is more of a power forward than center, but there are less than a handful of centers in the game today so he can dominate at the position. One thing he does have in common with Wilt and Shaq is that he struggles with free throws.

Come playoff time, we will see the old time tested strategy. Howard, who already has been reprimanded by the league for losing his temper over these extra hard fouls, will need to keep his composure. The deeper in the playoffs Orlando advances, the harder the hits will come.

Orlando retooled their team at the trade deadline, so they are hoping everything gels by playoff time. They won't match their 59 victories of each of the last two seasons, but they have won seven of their last 11 games and are a team no one wants to face.

Howard has expressed his dislike for the hacking. One way to solve it is to hire a Calvin Murphy or Rick Barry this summer and shoot free throws daily the entire time the NBA is off.




Gil Shoots Himself To Save Nick


Since being a first-round draft pick of the Washington Wizards in 2007, Nick Young spent most of his first three seasons riding the bench. He had 30 career starts, with 23 coming in the third year. It was easy to see the 6'6" shooting guard could score, he just spent most of the time buried on the depth chart.

Gilbert Arenas knew he had worn out his welcome with the Wizards before the start of this year, especially with longtime owner Abe Pollin having passed away last season. He had a huge contract the Wizards didn't want to pay him and no other teams wanted to touch. He was coming off micro fracture surgery that limited him to 47 games over the last three years.

During a summer league game, before the start of this season, Arenas told the team he was hurt when he was not. He then told the media of his actions, explaining he wanted Young to get more minutes on the floor. After averaging over 17 points in his first 21 games, Washington got the Orlando Magic to accept a trade for him.

In order for the trade to happen, Arenas would have to give up a ton of money because the Magic didn't want to pay it. He accepted the paycut for a chance at a title, something he had little chance at winning in Washington this season.

That opened the door for Young again, though coach Flip Saunders initially hesitated initially. Finally given a chance, Young has taken hold of the opportunity and shined. He is first in the team in points scored and second in minutes played. His 17.7 points per game average also leads the team. He has scored over 30 points eight times and over 20 points 30 times with a high of 43 points.

Still just 25-years old on a young team, he could be an important cornerstone on a rebuilding team. At least the Wizards finally found out all he can do, even if it did take Gilbert Arenas faking an injury so they could find out.




A New Star Is Born


Kevin Love was drafted in the first round of the 2008 draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, he soon found out Memphis preferred O.J. Mayo. The problem was that Mayo was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves two picks earlier. Yet the Grizzlies were so intent on Mayo, they orchestrated an eight-player trade that subsequently swapped the rookies.

The move has turned out to benefit Minnesota much more than Memphis so far. Mayo is now coming off the bench and Love is the leader of a young Timberwolves team that could be on the verge of winning soon with a few extra players.

Love was first a backup to Al Jefferson, but stepped in when Jefferson got hurt and was named Rookie of the Month in February. This play eventually allowed the Timberwolves to trade Jefferson to the Utah Jazz for two first-round draft picks before that start of the season.

Love had already played steady, averaging a double-double in points and rebounds, in his first two years. With Jefferson now gone, his game has exploded on the league. Love currently leads the NBA with 15.4 rebounds per game and is also scoring a career best 20.3 points each contest.

He went on a historical run this year where he had 53 consecutive double-doubles. It was the longest streak since Elvin Hayes had 55 for the Washington Bullets, then known as the Capitol Bullets, in 1974 and the longest streak since the NBA merged with the ABA in 1976.

One of the key ingredients in the surge in Love's play is the work he does with assistant coach Bill Laimbeer. Laimbeer is just about the same size of Love and played a similar game that led to two championships and four All-Star games as a player.

Like Love, he had an excellent outside game. He led the league in rebounds twice and averaged a double-double in six seasons. Yet Love has more range to his jumper. Laimbeer made 202 three-pointers in his career, with a season best shooting percentage of .361. Love has already drained 125 three-pointers and is shooting an impressive .423 percent this year.

If having Laimbeer, a WNBA Coach of the Year Award winner who won three titles, wasn't enough, Love has Kurt Rambis as his head coach. Rambis was a hustling overachiever who won four titles with the Los Angeles Lakers as their tough power forward.

Before him, Love had Kevin McHale as a coach. McHale won three titles as a power forward for the Boston Celtics and is listed as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Then there is his own father teaching him.

Stan Love was a first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Bullets in 1971. It was no surprise to some that his son's outlet passes have drawn comparison to Wes Unseld, one of only two men to ever be named NBA MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season, because he played next to Unseld for two years.

Ironically, he also played with Elvin Hayes. After leaving the Bullets, he played with such legends like Jerry West and George Gervin as a member of the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. When he retired, he had a wealth of knowledge to pass on to his son.

With all of these legendary mentors in his corner, Kevin Love could be on the verge of a career that ends up in the Hall of Fame. He has a support system not many people in the history of the game can claim, and one can only guess his game will get even better.



Flushing The Dunk Contest


One of the worst moments of the 2010-11 NBA season was watching the fans hand media darling Blake Griffin the All-Star Dunk Trophy. It helped Griffin that he plays in Los Angeles, is loved by the press, and is a spectacular athlete.

But he did not win the contest.

After the first three rounds were scored by real dunking experts like Julius Erving and others, the NBA decided to let the morons watching at home text in on the final round to decide a winner. All it proved it that the viewers have a short attention span and an even shorter memory.

Griffin won by jumping over the roof of a toy car that was as tall as a child's tricycle. Sadly, it was probably the best dunk he had in the entire contest. Most of the event droned on, because fans only were familiar of Griffin.

Yet JaVale McGee pulled off dunks never seen before. Dunks that maybe the greatest dunkers in the game could not have duplicated in their primes because McGee stands near seven-foot tall and has a wingspan that gets him close to 7'5".

After dunking with two balls in two baskets at the same time, the trophy should have been given to McGee then. Yet he wasn't done. On a dunk that, in retrospect, he should have saved for his final attempt, his mom helped.

Pam McGee is one of the greatest women basketball players ever, a fact that probably escaped most of those viewing on television. She gave her son, already holding two balls, a special ABA-style ball. JaVale then proceeded to dunk three balls at one time, a feat never attempted before.

But there was one more round. The one that involved the "fans". The round that undeservedly handed the trophy to Griffin for jumping two feet in the air over a car most grown men could not fit comfortably into.

The NBA Dunk Contest is in trouble. It already was looking iffy when Nate Robinson won it or Dwight Howard wore a cape and won without actually dunking the ball. Why the league wastes the time of legends like Dr. J when his work will get ruined by the television viewer makes no sense.

The NBA MUST let the experts judge the ENTIRE event and leave the television viewer where they belong. Plopped on a couch watching the event on television.

The NBA only needs to look at the NFL to see where the event is headed. The Pro Bowl was once an event players wanted to play in. Those honored wore it like a badge and played as hard as they could. Players and coaches, the ones who best knew who was worthy of the honor, were the ones who did the voting.

Then the NFL made the mistake of letting the "fan" get involved in the voting process.

Pretty soon you saw guys going because they ran their mouths, perpetrated clownish antics like signing balls or placing phone calls during the games, or just shooting commercials. Soon guys were piling up Pro Bowls in huge amounts too because the fans had no idea who was the best. Positions along the line of scrimmage certainly saw this spike.

Now the game is ruined. No one plays hard in it. No one wants to go or even get honored. The game has become such a disgusting joke that it is played before the Super Bowl, which means the best are not represented in this game and it is not a Pro Bowl anymore.

The NBA needs to make a choice. Kill this event or let those who know decide. Otherwise it becomes just a popularity contest based on commercial image. Just as it was this year.

Heatles No More : Hey, Hey, They're the Heatees

Here They Come

Crying Down The Street

Shooting Plenty Of Commercials

While They Steadily Get Beat


The only surprise going on in the city of Miami is finding those sheep who actually once believed the team Pat Riley bought could win. As these fair weathered fans hide for cover, it is apparent Heat owner Micky Arison allowed Riley to purchase the "Marx Brothers of Basketball".

Desperation is flying over the franchise like a vulture who thrives off the scraps of hot air and pop references. Ready to swoop when the inevitable conclusion appears much faster than expected.

This vulture has been around since day one, knowing a steady meal will always be readily available unless the team wakes up and humanely kills this Frankenstein they created.

While at Riley has enjoyed success as a coach, his general manager skills need to be questioned. Putting three ball hogs who abhor defense and rebounding on one team is recipe for disaster. Never before in the history of the NBA has this formula worked.

Some teams have tried. The Philadelphia 76ers found this out in the 1970's when George McGinnis and World B. Free fought for shots, while Julius Erving was doing what Dwayne Wade is doing now in trying to make it work by sacrificing parts of his own game for the sake of teamwork.

Instead of whining for help last year, perhaps Wade should have packed up his talents and gone home. Though Chicago has less women in bikinis running around their streets than Miami, the duo of Wade and Derrick Rose probably would have worked much better than things are now with Wade and LeBron James.

Arison and Riley wanted Wade happy for good reason. He is the leader of the team who pours his heart and soul into the game. He has been beat up throwing his body in the paint, but it did help the Heat win a title in 2006.

Some critics think those aches and pains have caught up to the 29-year old, but Wade has adjusted his game to appease two newcomers who were missing the key phrase "winner" on their resumes. This strategy may pay off down the road, but the holes the team has widens each time Wade takes a back seat.

When James pompously stated he was "taking his talents to Miami" in an overblown production number thrown by paparazzi instead of journalists, this group of media immediately anointed the Heat champions and went as far to predict the team would set records yearly for wins in a season.

This noise increased because Chris Bosh had gotten on board the day before James right as Wade committed to staying in Miami. Yet through all the blustering hype, no one chose to look at the obvious weaknesses.

Not the weaknesses of the rest of the roster, though some paparazzi liked to say it didn't matter who filled those roles for the new unstoppable force in the NBA, but the deficiencies on their three highly paid players. Especially meshed together.

The problem with the signings is that Miami basically hired three shooting guards. Though Wade and James, who love to caress the ball for long periods of time, can do an average job in short spurts at the point, both are at their best crashing the paint off the wing.

Bosh might be near seven foot tall, but his game is far away from the rim to avoid contact to his slight frame. He can help rebound on defenses in inconsistent stretches, but he is not the guy a team wants posting up in the blocks.

While Bosh probably has the best jump shot, none of the three are exactly good shooters. James and Wade thought they would spend this year crashing into the rim, but the good teams just pack the defense in and wait.

The desperation mode in Miami has gotten so bad that Mike Bibby was recently brought in. He can join Juwan Howard, Erick Dampier, Eddie House, Zydrunas Ilgaukas, Jamaal Magloire, and Mike Miller on the long list of Heat players who best days were long, long ago. If this was 2001, instead of 2011, the Heat would have quite a team.

While the fair weathered fans point the blame at the helpless Erik Spoelstra, no head coach could get these three to mesh without at least a season under their belts together. Though a strong return by injured power forward Udonis Haslem would be a big help for Heat rebounds, it may not be enough.

Yet Haslem may end up being the real leader of the Heat. He was a free agent before this season, being offered upwards to $10 million more by other teams, yet he decided to remain in Miami in hopes of winning a championship.

Meanwhile the media will keep calling them the "Heatles", an obvious reference to the legendary musical band The Beatles. But the Beatles were fresh, creative, flexible, and ever changing. They always sought new avenues despite reaching a level of stardom never seen before or since.

Miami has the "Heatees", which is in reference to Beatles rip off band The Monkees. A quartet that late comedian Sam Kinison liked to say,"wasn't even a real group!"

The Heatees aren't even a real team. They are swimming in fluff and unearned hype concocted by a few greedy P.R. men. While not everyone was buying into the image day one, more jump off the rickety band wagon by the day.

The best thing for the Heatees is for their season soon so the superstars can go look in the mirror and decide to dedicate themselves to winning a title by working on their weaknesses in the offseason so they can be at their best and fulfill all expectations next year, including their own.

Washington Wizards JaVale McGee : NBA Player Of The Week With Little Fanfare

If you were to wonder who was leading the NBA this season in shots blocked per game and was third in offensive rebound percentage, as well as fourth in field goal percentage, you may turn on ESPN and get fed on a constant loop how great LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard are instead.

JaVale McGee quietly goes on his way to the basketball court, allowing his play speak volumes for him. In the Wizards 116-114 overtime victory against the Philadelphia 76ers last night, McGee led all his teammates in minutes played with a career best 46 minutes. Minutes the Wizards desperately needed to extend the game into overtime, let alone win it.

The seven-foot first round draft pick, who has been on a roll this week, punctuated his magnificent performance with career high matching total of 24 points and a career best 18 rebounds, 10 of which came on the offensive end. He also found time to block four shots and steal two balls.

While Wizard fans are happy to see this type of explosion, none can deny pleasant surprise either the past several days. The past five games have seen him increase his rebound total each appearance, including three straight double-doubles.

After getting 20 points and 16 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons three nights ago, his exceeding those totals in a guard-oriented offense caught the 76ers by surprise to the point of frustration. Elton Brand saw McGee about to dunk home another rebound, so he shoved McGee hard into the ground and was promptly ejected. Brand, who had 19 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes, was sorely missed by Philadelphia the rest of the way.

McGee is putting Wizards owner Ted Leonsis in a precarious position in just his first full year as Wizards owner. Leonsis, who took over the team from the legendary Abe Pollin after Pollin passed away a year ago, is a big supporter of the team. He sits courtside at many games rooting the team on.

The two-year contract McGee signed as a rookie will expire at the end of the season. Though he weighed just 237 lbs as a rookie, a year he was known mostly for shot blocking skills, McGee is maturing and is up to 265 lbs this year. He won't turn 23-years old for almost two months, so he is just beginning to scratch the surface of all of his abilities.

He came out of college as a sophomore two years early, and would have been a lottery pick if he had stayed in school even one more season. His decision was a lucky stroke for Washington, providing the first legitimate center the team has not had in decades. He led the NBA last season in shots blocked percentage, a statistic he currently ranks second in this year.

McGee also set a legacy mark by making the Wizards. His mother, a two-time NCAA Champion and Olympic gold medal winner, was the second player chosen overall in the 1997 WNBA draft. Pamela McGee was 34-years old then, after years of starring overseas, showing just how highly she was thought of as a player. His dad was drafted in the second round of the 1985 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, ahead of such future stars like John "Hot Rod" Williams and Gerald Wilkins, but did not make the team.

While he can play both forward positions, Washington has no one on their roster able to play center but McGee. He spent his first years being brought along slowly, averaging under 15 minutes player per game in the 135 contests he appeared in. His previous career high of 45 minutes played saw him score 14 points and grab 12 rebounds before fouling out in a contest against the Chicago Bulls last season. He now is averaging over 28 minutes per game so far this season.

Even coming off a career best game, it went unnoticed by many of the media. They seemed more concerned with the return of rookie phenom John Wall from an injury that had him sit out a few games. ESPN triumphed Wall's return, as well as Gilbert Arenas chipping in 17 points and seven assists, rather than notice it was the dominance in the paint by McGee that allowed Washington erase a 14 point deficit.

While the Wizards play in a division where the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks get a bulk of the kudos from the press, they have to feel positive about their young nucleus of players like Wall, Nick Young, Andray Blatche, Al Thornton, and McGee. Savvy veterans like Arenas, Kirk Hinrich, and Josh Howard, expected to return from injury next month, add to the mix offering leadership and the wisdom of experience.

Yet there may be no more important player on the Wizards right now than JaVale McGee, and certainly none have had the week he has had. While it may be unreasonable to expect his continue his streak of improved rebound totals, he is showing an aggression and confidence the team truly needs. With him being their only true post player, his progression could make the difference as to whether or not the Wizards make the playoffs.

America Needs The Miami Heat To Lose The NBA Championship

Arrogant. Lazy. Weak minded. Cop out. Traitor. Ignorant. Spoiled. Prima donna. False idol. Overrated.

These are just a few expressions millions of people across Earth have used to describe LeBron James after he egotistically announced he was "taking his talents" to the Miami Heat on July 9, 2010.

Critics immediately pointed to how he bailed on the Cleveland Cavaliers to band together with All-Stars like Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh to form a Miami Heat team expected to compete for NBA championships for several years to come. While some criticism came in unclassy form, like from Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert attacking the manner of James departure, others pointed out the obvious.

Michael Jordan, who James claims is his idol, said he would not have contacted his rivals to play with him. "I wanted to defeat those guys." Jordan stated.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson concurred those sentiments, and Charles Barkely has stated James departure of Cleveland has forever tarnished his image to the point he will never be mentioned in the same breath of the upper echelon NBA legends by his path and how he handled it.

"He grew up close to Cleveland. He put the city in the forefront by his mere presence. Now Cleveland is back to just being Cleveland again. He owed the city and organization the first word of his decision instead of the way he ultimately did it."

Barkely point of telling Cleveland first, instead of broadcasting "The Decision", has resounding truth. Some thought, since James is just 25-years old, he should have stayed in Cleveland and signed a short-term contract to try to bring the franchise their first title.

The Cavaliers bent over backwards trying to surround James with talent the past few years. Men like Antawn Jamison and Shaquille O'Neal were just a few All-Star players the Cav's grossly overpaid to desperately build talent around him in hopes of attaining a championship.

James responded to those dedicated efforts by saying, I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat. I feel like it's going to give me the best opportunity to win and to win for multiple years. I want to be able to win championships and I feel like I can compete down there."

When the backlash of his perceived cowardice led to many in Cleveland burning his jersey, destroying any reminder of his time there, and other outrageous methods to show disgust, James reportedly imtimated bigotry over the color of his skin was the real factor for the outcry. Sports writers like J.A. Adande and Jason Whitlock disagreed, pointing out his callous actions towards Cleveland, and "an excuse to avoid dealing with his own bad decision."

Now he is in Miami, where Wade already helped carry a team to a title in 2006. Wade is the heart and soul of the Heat, and his body has taken a pounding trying to win. Bosh, a shooting guard stuck in a 6'10" frame, also joined Miami after years of failing to get the Toronto Raptors anywhere significant.

Miami faces the same problem many NBA teams do these days. They have power forwards as their best post option, and the question of where consistent rebounding will come from is a quandary they will face all year. Dexter Pittman is a 290-lbs rookie who dropped almost 100 pounds in college. Miami will hope he can help, or if journeyman Jamaal Magloire can find a time machine to take him back to 2003.

Otherwise the Heat will depend on Wade to get the rebounds and take the clutch shots, much like he has been doing the past few seasons. That or James will have to adjust his game to banging in the blocks and passing more than shooting, if his ego allows it.

There was a time the New York Yankees could just buy a roster by overpaying for top-tier talent to get a title in Major League Baseball. It worked in 2009, but the formula has generally fallen short of expectations. The Dallas Cowboys have been trying the same thing in the NFL to no success, and most likely saw their 2010 season ruined by another loss recently.

The Miami Heat is another one of those bad examples of trying to buy a ring. The easy path as opposed to building something special. One of the big reasons why Jordan and Johnson are so adored and respected in NBA lore is how they built their once lowly teams into champions and upper echelon teams throughout their careers. They earned their rings without it being bought for them by hiring superstars from other teams.

Oscar Robertson says James needs to win a ring to define his career, like he did when he went to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970, and considers James one of the best players in NBA history regardless of his switching teams.

"I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today." Jordan said.

An opportunity perhaps not to respect full heartedly. Though it will take sweat to win, it will maybe almost anticlimatic if Miami actually does win it all. There will be few pins and needles from fans watching them get there, and the term "front runner" will come to mind.

Society today expects it handed to them, preferring to rest on laurels set by predecessors. It is an egotistical approach that has garnered more wrath than envy from the rest of the planet. The term 'achievement' no longer holds the same definition to the modern genre as it once did.

If Miami falls short during James stay, the city of Cleveland will not smile alone. There is a reason he is ranked sixth on a "Most Disliked Athlete" list put together recently. Some view him a follower with the false label as leader. Others find him uneducated, immature, and clueless.

Examples range from his having a video of his being dunked on confiscated by handlers per his instructions, his refusal to sign a petition regarding genocide in Sudan, or his belittling Stephon Marbury as a player by saying his cheap shoe was an indication of his worth. Marbury sold a shoe for $15 so kids could afford it, as opposed to the shoes James represents that get sold by Nike for $160 and get built by sweat shop slaves with less than $2 of materials.

But this is what LeBron James is some. An image with little substance nor depth. Much like how the Miami Heat roster appears to the naked eye. So root on the dime store squad, because it is bought and paid for. That is "The Decision" the leagues corporate headquarters desires, while the rest of the planet will quietly wait for failure.

A failure James tired of and is now clearly ready to join the ranks of champion so that in a few months all can hail the king finally.