Butler Bona Fide : Why America Needs Good To Defeat Evil

When Butler University takes the floor Monday night, they will be playing in their second consecutive NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

Few expected them to get this far again, but few bet against them because the Bulldogs have been defying the odds for about a decade. But the early exit of sophomore star Gordan Hayward to the NBA this season had many think they might not even get to the tournament.

Butler is far from being called a gateway to the NBA. Before Hayward, only three players in school history had any NBA or even ABA experience. Bob Evans was a fourth-round pick in 1950 that played one season, Ralph O'Brien was a sixth-round pick who played two years, and Billy Shepherd was an undrafted guard who played three years in the ABA.

Their most famous basketball alumni happened to be an inspiration in the "Hoosiers" movie that Butler was compared often to last year. Bobby Plump was Indiana's Mr. Basketball in 1954 and went on to be a two-time MVP for Butler. His high school coach, Marvin Wood, had played basketball for the Bulldogs a few years earlier.

Butler's coach now is Brad Stevens, the youngest ever to coach a team to two Final Fours. He also has the NCAA record for the most wins in his first three years. He has been tied into Butler since his days as a college athlete when Stevens taught at summer camps on the Butler campus.

Stevens took a job as an assistant with the Bulldogs a year out of college in 2000. He worked under Thad Matta, now the head coach at Ohio State University. When Matta left in 2001, Stevens worked under Todd Lickliter until Lickliter left to coach at the University of Iowa in 2007.

Since then, Stevens has run a program that has the admiration and respect of his peers. His teams are often called smart, tough, and well prepared. This mirrors their coach, who is calm, fierce, and studied.

The young coach could make a serious run at the legacy of Butler legend Tony Hinkle if he so desires. Hinkle coached at Butler for 41 years and win two national championships. Winkle was called "Dean of Indiana College Basketball Coaches" and is enshrined into several Hall of Fame's.

Since Butler last won their national championship in 1929, they have remained competitive for the most part as other schools grew in size and financial status. Despite being a small school of about 4,500 students, they have no problems trying to compete with the bigger schools in basketball because the sport in huge in the state of Indiana.

They face the University of Connecticut, a school that has 21,000 students. Despite being over four times larger than Butler, their athletic success didn't really start to blossom until Jim Calhoun was hired in 1986.

Of the 30 players who went from the school to the NBA, 23 played under Calhoun. He has also overseen two teams to national championship victories The woman's team won it all in 2004 with Calhoun's squad, becoming the first men's and women's basketball programs win the national title in the same year.

A key to this success is the aggressive recruiting of Calhoun, where he was able to lure players to a town with less than half of the population as the University itself. Able to procure talent for a school with little historic pedigree somehow.

How Calhoun has done this has been long scrutinized. While his supporters say it was Calhoun's past of bringing Northeastern University out of Division II to Division I after building a winning program. Critics say he built the program like many other schools with under the table actions.

It is the route of the NCAA today. With a committee willing to turn a blind eye if their pockets are sufficiently filled, schools compete for top talent today by offering cash, cars, sexual partners, or whatever the pursued desires.

The big money typically wins tournaments, which is why the underdog squads gets so much adoration from the press. These are schools who can only offer their players four years of free education, which is what an athletic scholarship is supposed to entail.

Those rules have been out the door for over 30 years, so the institutions left to compete this way truly define "old school" in the purest form. Though it is certainly conceivable a few smaller schools could sweeten the pot to entice, it typically is for talent the bigger schools have no interest in.

When 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush was discovered to have accepted monies that were "against the rules", the NCAA and several members of the media tried to feign surprise. Bush was stripped of his award even if many Heisman winners since at least the 1970's was given more than a scholarship.

While the University of Southern California was conveniently discovered to commit improprieties after years of their upper echelon success began to wane, they certainly are not the only school guilty and the Pete Carroll Era was not USC's only shady regime.

In men's basketball alone, schools like Kentucky, the University of North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, and any school that hired John Calipari have long been suspected of dirty pool. Watching a Calipari leave each school behind with infractions bring the question as to why the NCAA allows him to slither back into employment.

From this scribes personal standpoint, I had a friend long ago living in near poverty in a single parent household where the parent was unemployed. Dean Smith gave him a scholarship, a big wad of cash, a car, and his parent a job with the North Carolina government that somehow allowed the parent attend each game no matter where it was held.

This was several decades ago, but it certainly proved the theory of Smith running a dirty program to be true. His student, Roy Williams, has carried on those learning's his entire coaching career.

Schools like Butler cannot afford to even offer jobs, even if Steven's appearances on television last year increase enrollment by 67 percent this year. This novel idea of getting a free education as reward enough for playing may seem outdated, but it is a truer definition of amateur athletics,

The world of college athletics is changing to the point amateur status seems almost as ancient as the days of James Naismith nailing a pair of peach baskets to railings. When the U.S. Olympic basketball team eschewed the amateur baller for the pro athlete in 1982, the shark had been officially jumped.

So enjoy Butler University. Root them on too. They are amongst the last of a dying breed. A breed that will soon be extinct and long forgotten in the NCAA world.

The player who went to college for the free education, not the fee for playing a child's game. In between the nine minute commercial breaks, enjoy the athlete that no one heavily recruited try to stand up to a group of players a hundred schools tried to sign up.

No matter what the end result, Butler wins because they earned this doing it the right way. They didn't pay their way to this point. Seldom as it does happen, it would be good for evil to fall to this tiny college so the youth can learn every success is not driven by a fiscal bottom line.

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.

BYU Hypocrisy Jams Jimmer's Jubilate Jackpot Journey

As the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament gets underway, the madness of March had already been in full swing at Brigham Young University weeks ago. A school founded by, and named after, a well known adulterer and bigot.

Brandon Davies was an important post player on the basketball team that was ranked third at one time. The school suspended Davies for a violation of an honor code the school claims they live by. Few members of the media questioned the ruling, and none even acknowledged who spawned these guidelines. Guidelines he hardly lived by while alive.

Students at BYU are required to "live a chaste and virtuous life." Students are also required to be honest; abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee and substance abuse; and attend church regularly."

While no one has said how the school found out initially, Davies was suspended from the team for the rest of the season for having premarital sex with his girlfriend. Davies, who grew up in nearby Provo, future at BYU beyond this year is also in doubt.

His girlfriend is from Lindon, Utah. She plays volleyball at Arizona State University. Her private life has been exposed to the media now by a school who is crying this is all about an honor code. Other athletes have gone through what Davies has. Reno Mahe, who played in the NFL, also was once suspended for an honor code violation.

Brigham Young founded the school in 1875. He lobbied for the "Act in Relation to Service." This law made slavery legal in the territory of Utah. It also made it illegal that "any white person guilty of sexual intercourse with any of the African race," regardless of their being married, consenting adults."

The law was in effect in Utah until the 1960's. Young also once announced a priesthood ban which prohibited all men of black African descent from holding the priesthood. This rule stood until 1978.

Davies is, how Brigham Young worded it, from the African race. His girlfriend is a white person, It seems obvious that, though these laws were repealed 30-40 years ago, Brigham Young University still enforces them in remembrance of their bigoted founder.

This is a school that was amongst the first to tap into the Tongan and Samoan communities to get athletes to keep their programs competitive. Vai Sikahema was the first on 13 Tongan players to play in the NFL. In 1978, the same year the banning of black men from priesthood was repealed, Mekeli Ieremia joined Mosi Tatupu of USC to become the third and fourth of 29 Samoans to get to the NFL.

Davies had offers to play basketball at schools like Gonzaga, Utah State, Cal Berkeley, Washington State, Penn State and Santa Clara. It seems likely he decided to stay in Provo to stay close to his family.

The Church of Latter Day Saints were spinning expressions like BYU is "special." One On Faith panelist said, "I've always shared this with people, that it was probably one of the best things that had happened to me. I appreciate what BYU did to me. I appreciate the honor code and what it stands for. I appreciate that they enforce it. You get a lot of schools that say they have codes, but I don't think anyone enforces it like BYU does. It's a great school. It's a one-of-a-kind school."

Yet this is a code of conduct drawn up by hypocrites who rarely lived the code themselves. Let alone the dismal reality that bigotry is smeared all across the "honorable tradition". But hypocrisy didn't just start with Brigham Young.

Joseph Smith is the founder of the church that runs the school His son, Joseph Jr., took over when his father died. He was not the bigot that Young was, but he fathered children out of wedlock just as Young would later. When Joseph Smith Jr. was murdered, Young was named the successor and started calling himself "American Moses".

He started his school almost 30 years later. Young was also a rabid Polygamist, marrying at least 55 women in his lifetime. While he had 56 children with 16 wives, historians note he had children with women he did not marry. He was viewed as a autocratic ruler.

Young died in 1877, and his school seems still set in that year on many issues. Some think the school has views on interracial relationships much like Young did over 134 years ago. Davies has seemingly fallen from this point of view.

This hypocrisy BYU carries as a proud banner will now hopefully be noticed by future prospective students now that the school has shown their true colors. Those rules of "do as I say, not as I do" should have someone think twice.

Rules that may keep star basketball player Jimmer Fredette from at least duplicating the successes Danny Ainge had for the school in 1981. Though Fredette is not as tall as Ainge was, he can score at will seemingly.

Yet BYU has struggled since their moronic suspension of Davies. Losing the 6'9" power forward, on a team that wasn't rich with height and athleticism in the first place, has been a tremendous blow. The Cougars are young, with guards Fredette and Jackson Emery as the only seniors on the squad. They also have just three juniors.

Before the school somehow discovered Davies was doing what billions of people his age have tried, fans were excited about BYU's prospects. With opponents getting "Jimmered" with such regularity that whispers of comparisons went beyond Ainge to a certain player that Ainge had played with in the NBA.

In 1979, Larry Bird was a senior averaging over 28 points per game. Fredette is averaging over 28 points in his own senior year. Bird took a small school called Indiana State University to the NCAA Finals before losing.

Like BYU now, Indiana State was not full of talent. The only other player on that team who was drafted by the NBA was guard Carl Nicks. Nicks also happens to be, so far, the last player drafted out of Indiana State by the NBA.

Some scouts think Davies has the talent to play at the next level eventually. While Nicks helped Bird by chipping in 19 points a game in 1979, Davies was helping Fredette by leading BYU in rebounds while being third on the team in scoring.

If someone were to open a history book in front of the BYU elders now, perhaps Davies could be reinstated? Yet it appears the great season Jimmer Fredette has had will end up somewhere in the realm far behind a "Pistol" Pete Maravich as the great gunner who was never able to do all he was capable of.

Unlike Maravich, Fredette can look at the flawed hogwash of a small group of blind hypocrites in a leadership role as the reason his team is circumcised before they get started.

Kevin Love Is Special in Knowing He Is No Dipper, Big E, or Moses

He can sink a shot from far away, well past the three-point line. He can drive past many of the power forwards of today for easy scores. He can post in the blocks and score on anyone in the game.

All those parts of his young game are still developing, but Kevin Love has always been able to gobble up rebounds by the bushel since he got on either an NBA, collegiate, or high school hardwood. On both ends of the floor with a steady consistency not seen for years.

After averaging over 15 rebounds in high school, Love stopped by UCLA for just one season. The 6'10" power forward was an All-American who was named Pac-10 Player of the Year after averaging over 17 points and 10 rebounds in 2007. He also had 23 double-doubles as the Bruins reached the Final Four before losing.

He seemed on his way to finding his name next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, and Gail Goodrich on the long list of Bruin legends who are long considered amongst the best basketball players in NCAA history. Yet Love was looking ahead, so he eschewed his last three years of college in favor of the NBA.

Four NBA teams decided not to draft him in 2008. Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, and UCLA teammate Russell Westbrook were chosen before him. While Rose is having an MVP caliber season right now, and Westbrook is an All-Star, both Beasley and Mayo have been traded and Mayo was almost traded again recently.

The Memphis Grizzlies selected Love, but wanted Mayo. They traded Love to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Mayo. While Mayo scores 16 points a game for his career, the Grizzlies were recently trying to trade the shooting guard, now coming off the bench, after he fought with teammates and was suspended for steroid use.

Beasley is now Love's teammate, having been a salary cap casualty of the Miami Heat's signings of LeBron James and Chris Bosh. With Love handling the post, the athletic Beasley is currently averaging a career high 19.2 points per game.

Beasley still gets his average of just over five rebounds per game, but the Timberwolves do not ask him to circumcise his game by staying in the blocks the way Miami did. On a roster were just two players are older than 25-years old, most are trying to find their niche under the guidance of head coach Kurt Rambis.

Love just broke a doubles-double record set by the incomparable Moses Malone, who set the record in his 1979 MVP season. Malone, who led the NBA in rebounds five times in his career, was coming off a 1978 season where he had an amazing career high of 1,444 rebounds. He was credited with 51 straight double-double games in 1979, the most since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976.

One of the 50 Greatest Players of All-Time, Malone was a 13-time All-Star who never fouled out of a game in his career despite being an upper echelon defender and unstoppable force on the offense end and all over the boards.

Love says his new record should be respected as far as the post-merger modern game, but he certainly understands the history of the game extends well beyond 1976. He understands his place as well.

Now Love has his eyes set on yet another member of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players of All-Time. Elvin Hayes, considered by most the greatest power forward in the history of the NBA, had 55 straight games of double-doubles on 1973.

Hayes was a 12-time All-Star who led the league in rebounding twice and scoring once in his superb career. Though most might recall how no one could prevent the "Big E" from scoring his patented turn-around jumper that had him score 47 or more points five times in his career, Hayes was a great defender with seven games of 10 or more blocked shots as well.

The 1973 season where Hayes had his 55 games, he averaged over 18 rebounds a game. It is the third best average ever by anyone since Wilt Chamberlain retired. Hayes would take his teams to the finals three times in his career, winning once.

“Whether you put it as a modern-day or an ABA-NBA merger, I would say yes (his new record should be respected),” Love said. “But if you’re looking at the grand scheme of things, you’ve got to look at that 227. The Big Dipper. Wilt the Stilt. He’s something special. You’ve got to look at that. Why not go for Elvin then?”

When one tries to describe the greatest player in NBA history, words are not enough to encompass Wilt Chamberlain. Those 227 straight double-double games are a minimum mark that could be doubled, but there are some scorecard issues stretching back that far.

While fans quickly recall the "Stilt" scoring 100 points in a single game in 1962, some forget he averaged an astronomical 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game the season before. It wasn't an anomaly, because Chamberlain averaged 44.8 points and 24.3 rebounds per game in 1962.

The "Big Dipper" led the league in rebounding 11 times in his 15 seasons, including his last year. Chamberlain also led the league in points scored seven times. When people tried to say all he did was score, the legendary "Stilt" quieted critics by leading the NBA in assists in the 1967 season.

What set Chamberlain far and apart from any other fans choice for "Greatest Player Ever" is the fact the NBA desperately tried to stop him with a mountain of rules changes that were directly aimed at him in hopes of slowing Chamberlain down.

Love knows it is highly unlikely he will come anywhere near Chamberlain's 227 games, but passing Hayes on the double-double list would be amazing in itself. Unlike Hayes, Malone, or Chamberlain, Love is accomplishing his feat on a team with 16 wins in 66 games on a team that gets very little media coverage.

He is just 22-years old and in his third season. Love is on pace to get over 1,200 rebounds this year after averaging over nine and 11 rebounds per game in his first two seasons. He is the leader of a young team filled with talent that will only get better with experience.

Love has been playing on a sore knee, but it has not stopped him from trying to do his best. Love said,"Nothing’s really changed about how I feel about the double-double streak or the situation. I just go out there and play hard.”

Maybe when his career ends, fans will still be speaking of him in the same breath as Moses Malone and Elvin Hayes as they are now. Yet Malone and Hayes certainly have to proud of this youngster continuing the legacy of hard work that isn't seen much in the game anymore.

What Love has accomplished is historic, but the most impressive part is seeing a young man grounded in knowing his place and the trail-blazing players before him while not running around with the bloated ego of a pampered prima donna thinking his feces doesn't stink like so many have before him.

A young star who isn't a head case thinking he is the team. These are the players the NBA needs to promote. Especially one who understands, respects, and revels in the history of the game.

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.

The Five Best NBA Coaches Not In The Hall Of Fame

Gene Shue


Shue was a legend at Maryland University as an All-American guard before the Philadelphia Warriors made him the third overall pick in 1954. He was traded to the New York Knicks after just six games, then was traded to the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1956.

He became a star with the Pistons, being chosen an All-Star six straight years while always being amongst the league leaders in minutes played. He returned to the Knicks in 1962, then joined the Baltimore Bullets in 1963 before retiring.

Getting into coaching, the Bullets asked him to take over for Hall of Famer Buddy Jeannette in 1967. The Bullets were a bad team, but Shue got them to improve their win total by seven games in his second year. It improved an additional 21 games in 1969, as the Bullets won their division.

Wes Unseld, one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, was a big reason why in 1969. He became just the second man in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Hall of Famers Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and Gus Johnson joined Unseld and Shue was named Coach of the Year.

In his last five years with the Bullets, the team won over 50 games three times. One of the years they didn't saw them reach the NBA Finals before losing to the Milwaukee Bucks and former Warriors teammate Larry Costello.

Shue was replaced by Hall of Famer K.C. Jones in 1973, but he immediately got a job with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers were struggling during this time. They had won just nine games the season before.

It wasn't long before they started to improve greatly under Shue, and Philadelphia made the NBA Finals in 1977 before losing to a red-hot Portland Trail Blazers. Shue was fired six games into the 1978 season, replaced by Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham. He was back in the NBA the next year, leading the San Diego Clippers to a 16 win improvement over the season before when they were the Buffalo Braves.

He left the Clippers after the next season to take the helm of the Washington Bullets. Lasting six years there, the Bullets made the playoffs three times before he was replaced by Kevin Loughery, the man he replaced in Philadelphia.

Shue was named Coach of the Year again in 1982, making him the second coach to win the award more than once. Don Nelson, Bill Fitch, and Cotton Fitzsimmons duplicated the feat since, but the 12 year gap between winning the award is still a record.

He joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 1988, lasting two years before retiring to become the general manager of the 76ers for two years.

He ended up with 784 wins, which was the second most in NBA history then. It is still the 12th most today. It is amazing Shue has yet to be inducted. Let alone the fact he won two awards for coach of the year, Shue turned around the program of almost every team he took over.

Factor in his six All-Star games as a player, his contributions are unmatched by many and worthy of being honored with induction.





Bill Fitch





















Fitch started his coaching career in the college ranks for several years after first becoming a drill instructor for the U.S. Marine Corps.

In 1970, he got his first NBA head coaching job with a expansion Cleveland Cavaliers team that won just 15 times in his first year. Staying there nine years, the team improved each season.

In 1976, known as the "The Miracle of Richfield" to Cavaliers fans, the team made an unexpected playoff run that was also the first postseason appearance in franchise history. Fitch won the Coach of the Year award for his efforts.

Leaving Cleveland in 1979, he was immediately hired by the Boston Celtics and won a league best 61 games with rookie Larry Bird as the star of the club. Boston had won just 29 games the year before, and the 32-win improvement was a record at the time. Bird, who won Rookie of the Year, cites Fitch as a huge influence on his own personal work ethic.

Boston then won the NBA Championship the next year, and Fitch was named Coach of the Year for the second time. Only three other coaches have ever won this award more than once ,and Fitch was the first coach to accomplish this.

After winning a career best 63 games the next year, Fitch left the Celtics after a 56-win year in 1983 and joined the Houston Rockets. After 29 wins in his initial season, Houston won 48 the next year and appeared in the NBA Finals in 1986 before losing to the Celtics in six games.

Fitch left Houston in 1986 despite 46 wins, but resurfaced as the coach of the New Jersey Nets in 1988. The team won 17 games his first year, 26 the next, then 40 in his third and final year before being fired.

After being out of the game several years, the Los Angeles Clippers hired him in 1995. After 17 wins his first year, the Clippers won 29 then 36 over the next two, which also included a playoffs appearance. The Clippers reverted to 17 wins in 1998, and Fitch retired from the game with 944 wins.

Though his win total is the sixth most in NBA history, critics point to his 1,106 losses without looking at his career. Every team he coached was lousy the year before he got there, except the expansion Cavaliers. Every team he coached improved dramatically under his guidance.

Bill Fitch should be in the Hall of Fame for more than his Coach of the Year awards, or his championship ring. The man took franchises out of the graves and into the playoffs. He is the epitome of what a coach should be, which should be more than enough to get him inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.





Cotton Fitzsimmons


















Fitzsimmons first tasted coaching success in college. He once replaced Tex Winters, the man who perfected the Triangle Offense and mentored Phil Jackson, at Kansas State University.

He joined the Phoenix Suns in 1970, replacing interim coach Jerry Colangelo. Colangelo was the general manager of the Suns, and would later buy the team in 1987. Fitzsimmons won 97 games in two years before moving on to the Atlanta Hawks in 1972.

After almost four years with the Hawks, he took over as coach of the Buffalo Braves for one season before joining the Kansas City Kings in 1979 for six years. Fitzsimmons was named Coach of the Year in his first year, the only one where his team won a divisional title, then led them to the Western Conference Finals two years later.

The San Antonio Spurs hired him in 1985, then fired him after 1986. Phoenix hired him in 1989, and the Suns won no less than 53 games over the next four seasons.

He won the NBA Coach of the Year Award in his first season, making him just the fourth coach ever to win it twice. He retired after 1992 to do television, but was coaxed out of retirement during the 1996 season for 49 games. After the team lost the first eight games of the next year, Fitzsimmons turned the team over to Danny Ainge and retired for good.

The 832 wins he had are still the 11th most in NBA history. The only reasons I can think of his still being excluded for the Basketball Hall of Fame is because none of his teams ever reached the finals, and only one won their division.

It is evident to see Cotton Fitzsimmons was a winner, having won 57 more games than he lost, on a lot of teams not many expected much from.

Excellence in coaching comes from getting the players to maximize their talents. Fitzsimmons did that yearly with mostly positive results, having ten seasons of 45 wins or more. He is certainly worthy of induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.





Dick Motta






















Despite never having played organized basketball in high school or beyond, Dick Motta got into coaching the game and first worked his way through the college ranks that culminated in six years at Weber State University.

The Chicago Bulls hired him in 1969, and they improved their win total in each of his first four years with the club. Motta won Coach of the Year in 1971, then a career best 57 games in 1972. In his eight years, the team won more than 50 games four times.

He was fired after the 1976 season, but was immediately hired by the Washington Bullets. The Bullets had already been to the finals twice in the decade, but had failed to won in either year. Led by Hall of Famers Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes, the team had talent but had nothing to show for it. That changed under Motta.

The 1978 season saw the Bullets deal with injuries, but they still won 44 games and got into the playoffs. They faced opponents who were favored to defeat them, but the Bullets stormed through the playoffs despite sportswriters continuously predicting their impending end.

While up three games to one against the San Antonio Spurs, a beat writer for the Spurs named Dan Cook wrote "The opera isn't over 'til the fat lady sings". Motta loved the phrase and adopted it for his Bullets as they faced the heavily favored Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

After defeating Philadelphia in six games, they faced the favored Seattle Supersonics for the championships. In a closely played battle, Seattle went up three games to two as they headed to Washington. Motta came into town proclaiming "Wait for the fat lady!"

His Bullets responded with a 35-point victory that was a record in margin of victory until 1998. Buoyed by this, Washington then went to Seattle and became become the third team to win the championship in a seventh game on the road.

It was the first championship for the city of Washington D.C. in 36 years, and is the only title the Bullets franchise has ever won.

The Bullets won 54 games the next year, winning their division. They then won two exhausting playoff series against both the Spurs and Atlanta Hawks that went seven games. They reached the finals for the fourth time in the 1970's, but lost to Seattle.

Motta left Washington after 1980 to become head coach of the expansion Dallas Mavericks. After 15 wins in the first year, the team improved each year and won 55 games in his seventh and last season in 1987. It was the most wins in Mavericks history until 2001.

The Sacramento Kings hired Motta in 1990. He lasted just over two years there, then rejoined the Mavericks in 1995 for two more years. The Denver Nuggets hired him in 1996, his last in the NBA before retiring.

The 935 wins that Dick Motta has is the eighth most in NBA history. He showed he could win with a talented team like the Bullets, as well as showed he could improve the Bulls, and take a fledgling Mavericks to new heights. He deserves entry into the Basketball Hall of Fame.





Larry Costello






















Costello was a great player before he was a coach. A former second round draft choice of the Philadelphia Warriors in 1954, right after Gene Shue was taken in the first round, the point guard went to six All-Star games and won a championship in a 12 year career.

When he retired after winning it all in 1968, he was coaching the Milwaukee Bucks the next year in their expansion season. The Bucks drafted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the next season, then got Oscar Robertson in a trade the following year and won the NBA Championship over Shue's Bullets after winning 66 games and setting a record with 20 straight wins.

He led Milwaukee back to the championship three years later, where they lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics. Jabbar requested a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers and Robertson retired, so the Bucks won less games. After two consecutive 38 win seasons, Milwaukee fired Costello 18 games into the 1977 season.

Costello joined the Chicago Bulls in 1979 and went 20-36 before being fired. After coaching in women's pro basketball, he later coached at Utica College and improved their program greatly before retiring.

In the 730 regular season games he coached, Larry Costello won 430 of them. He also won 37 of 60 postseason games, and won one of two championship appearances.

When you factor in his six All-Star games, two championship wins as both a player and coach, along with a .589 winning percentage, it is evident that Costello belongs in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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.

JaMarcus Russell Remains Dazed and Confused About His NFL Return With Week 7 Picks

In a modern day society where short-term memories are prevalent, JaMarcus Russell walks around it each day with the label "bust" on him like a permanent tattoo.

"Biggest NFL Bust Ever" is probably used a lot more than even he realizes, even if is a tag unfair and living in the moment too much. History shows there are many men, drafted first overall like Russell was in 2007, who did not nearly have the career many had hoped for.

While Russell carries the term of biggest bust now, relieving Ryan Leaf of that title, it mainly comes from the fact he held out for more money before ever playing a down professionally. He got $61 million with $32 guaranteed, then proceeded to win just seven of 25 career starts.

Those unaware or unconcerned with NFL history fail to realize his seven wins actually exceeds many other former first overall picks in terms of career production. Russell, however, walks around with the label and unemployed.

He was given the label of drug addict too, thanks to a concoction called "Purple Drink". He was caught in possession of the elixir, that contains the narcotic codeine, when the police raided his home over the summer. Though a friend of his took responsibility for making the drink, the damage was done.

Russell is now under the tutelage of former NBA player John Lucas, whose own professional career was derailed by drugs until he sobered up. Lucas has gone on to have success as an NBA coach, yet he still tries to help others kick substance abuse addictions.

While working out under the watch of Lucas, Russell went on record saying he would never play for the Arena Football League or Canadian Football League. Calling Lucas an angel sent by God, he also said,"Guys in the NFL that came back had some things more serious (than his situation). I think that's a minor setback."

Lucas, who was the first pick of the NBA's 1976 draft, played for six teams over 14 seasons. He played with the Houston Rockets, the team that drafted him, three different times over his career for five of those years. He said, "What I saw in him was me 33 years ago when I was out in Golden State. His troubles started there and so did mine after I left the Rockets."

What Russell now expects is a second chance in the NFL, thinking his time with Lucas will serve as his penance. There is a huge pool of unimpressive quarterbacks like him in the NFL today, making is feasible a team will invite him to a training camp in 2011. Russell is confident about his eminent return.

"I know for a fact it's going to happen. I can't say when, but until it happens I am going to stay here in Houston and continue to work out each and every day no matter how long it takes. I need to be there (in the NFL)."

What any NFL general manager can read from Russell's message is he is a man content resting on laurels basted in nonachiement. He seems to feel he is owed a tryout because he was the first overall draft choice in 2007, instead of proving his worth. Men like Steve Howe and Roy Tarpley were given several "second chances", thus making it reasonable he is given his too.

He had a chance to do so immediately after the Oakland Raiders released him a few months ago. The United Football League was right there to be joined, thus showcasing his skills and desire to the many NFL teams in need of an upgrade at quarterback. He decided he was either above the UFL or not ready to play professional football at the moment.

One of the biggest complaints about Russell was that he showed little desire in the NFL, while seeming content on cashing his paychecks and counting his money. He seems oblivious to this complaint, or perhaps there is more truth to that thought than he would lead one to believe.

Though it is admirable of Lucas to try and help another lost soul, this might be a case where the soul is as confused as it was during the days that brought it here to this point. Instead of buckling down, intent on proving the critics wrong and proving to himself that he can be a great NFL quarterback, Russell seems content on finding another team that will give him more paychecks to cash in.






Week Seven Picks :


Cincinnati Bengals @ Atlanta Falcons

The Bengals are one of the more disappointing teams in 2010. Some call it the T.O. effect, as they rarely lean on the ground game that brought them the successes they had last year despite the fact halfback Cedric Benson has been effective when given the ball.

While quarterback Carson Palmer tries to sooth the cancerous egos of drama queens T.O. and Ochocinco, the team heads towards a losing season.

That works for Atlanta, who needs to get back on the winning track after losing to Philadelphia last week. Their secondary might be missing their best player, which bodes well for Cincinnati.

The key to this game is how effective Atlanta's seventh ranked running game does against the 18th ranked run defense of the Bengals, keeping Cincinnati's passing game on the sideline griping and preparing for talk shows.

Atlanta 27 Cincinnati 23






Pittsburgh Steelers @ Miami Dolphins

The big news was that "Big Ben" had returned to be the Steelers quarterback until linebacker James Harrison told a bunch of unathletic reporters how defense was played so they could feign surprise.

Miami loves to run the ball, but this will not be easy against a Pittsburgh defense that gives up just 63 yards on the ground each game. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne must face a fierce Steelers blitz if his team wants to win this game.

Though Roethlisberger is still rubbing off rust, Pittsburgh might lean on halfback Rashard Mendenhall and the ninth ranked rushing attack against Miami's 16th ranked run defense.

Steelers 24 Dolphins 13





Buffalo Bills @ Baltimore Ravens

Things are ugly for the Bills right now. Not only are they without a win this season, but a former NFL coach claims they couldn't beat a UFL team.

Shades of the AFL, where the Bills came from.

Baltimore is upset from their loss last week. They look to vent their frustrations this weekend.

Ravens 34 Bills 13






Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs

Jacksonville might be the most erratic team in the NFL, and that says a lot in a season known for its erraticism from the commissioner to the gridiron.

Kansas City is the Cinderella of 2010, and everything is falling into place for them to possibly win their division behind a sound rushing attack and underrated defense.

Chiefs 24 Jaguars 13





Cleveland Browns @ New Orleans Saints

While Cleveland struggles in every facet of football, New Orleans spent the first five weeks of 2010 battling with struggles of their own.

The Saints played like defending champions last week, and look to keep that momentum.

Saints 31 Browns 16





Washington Redskins @ Chicago Bears

Chicago loves to pass the ball. Perhaps too much, considering star halfback Matt Forte leads the team with just 80 carries after six games. They will pass more this weekend, facing a Redskins defense last in the league in yards allowed and second to last in passing yards allowed.

Washington ran the ball well last week, but not enough times. They rely heavily on quarterback Donovan McNabb, who faces the 18th ranked pass defense this week. Chicago is also very stingy on run defense, ranking 3rd best, so McNabb will have to be perfect this Sunday if Washington wants to win.

Though the Redskins pass rush is wildly inconsistent, they are exceptional in the red zone. What Chicago does inside the 20-yard line will be worth watching extra closely.

Bears 19 Redskins 17





San Francisco 49ers @ Carolina Panthers

Both teams are good against the pass, but inconsistent at passing the ball themselves. Carolina will look to win their first game of the season by running often against the 19th ranked run defense in the league.

San Francisco, fresh off the first win this year, has the 27th ranked rushing attack even after halfback Frank Gore exploded for 149 yards last week. They need to continue riding his back against the 26th ranked run defense this week.

49ers 21 Panthers 17





Saint Louis Rams @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Both teams have been pleasant surprises so far, winning three games each. Some thought that would be the win totals for both the entire season.

Neither team is particularly excellent on either side of the ball statistically, though the Rams do give up about 45 yards less per game. That might make difference in this evenly matched mediocrity that has found success.

Rams 23 Buccaneers 21





Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans
Game of the Week

Both of these teams run the ball extremely well. Tennessee is fourth best in the NFL, Philadelphia is eighth by averaging just six yards less.

The Eagles passing attack ranks fourth, while Tennessee is fourth from the bottom. With Philadelphia's eighth ranked pass defense, it shouldn't matter if Vince Young or Kerry Collins plays. Both will feed the pill often to Chris Johnson and Javon Ringer against the 22nd ranked run defense.

Even though Kevin Kolb is showing why Andy Reid traded Eagles legend Donovan McNabb in favor of him, some fans eagerly anticipate the return of backup Michael Vick. Kolb will be missing his best receiver in DeSean Jackson, recovering from a clean hit that gave him a concussion off a whiplash effect.

If Kolb can dissect the 23rd ranked pass defense, it may quiet the Vick murmurs more. Tight end Brent Celek is due to bust out a big game and rookie receiver Riley Cooper might help in the red zone.

It comes down to Kolb's arm against Johnson's legs, but the key really is if the Eagles offensive line can keep an aggressive Titans pass rush away from Kolb long enough to fire away.

Eagles 34 Titans 31





Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Though rookie quarterback Max Hall was statistically unimpressive last week, no one can take away the fact he won in his debut against the defensing champion Saints..

Besides Arizona's second ranked run defense, both teams rank near the NFL bottom in every offensive category, total defense, passing defense and happen to have winning records.

Cardinals running back Tim Hightower holds the key this week, yet he hardly touched the ball last week, Beanie Wells, the oft-injured running back they think has a world of ability, carried the ball 20 times for 35 yards. Hightower leads the team in carries and yards, while averaging almost two yards per carry more than Wells.

Seattle will try to attack Arizona in the air. Mike Williams and John Carlson are quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's favorite targets, but youngsters Deon Butler and Golden Tate can stretch the field so Carlson can work underneath.

Arizona 23 Seattle 17





New England Patriots @ San Diego Chargers

It is utterly amazing Norv Turner is still an NFL head coach. His return this year was maybe a worse move by general manager A.J. Smith than re-signing Vincent Jackson or re-signing Marcus McNeil right away.

The Chargers have been slow starters under Turner, which is somehow acceptable to Smith. Yet no one saw the Bolts at 2-4, as they are right now. Maybe that is why critics call Smith "The Lord of No Rings". It is time for both Smith and Turner to go, as they have wasted talent and produced no championships.

New England is on a roll, as they have shown the past few weeks. They face a Chargers team first in offense and defense, so victory will not be easy against a team so deep in despair.

Patriots 27 Chargers 23





Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos

This is a bitter rivalry that stretches back to the AFL, and only holds importance to their fans this year. Both teams are at 2-4 with lots of holes in their games.

Oakland's biggest hole is at head coach, where Tom Cable joins Turner on the list of guys you won't see next year with the same job probably. Cable also has yet to names his quarterback this week, as rumors fly that journeyman third-stringer Kyle Boller might get the nod.

The Raiders need Darren McFadden, but he is not at full health. Denver does not run the ball well, which helps the Raiders because they cannot stop the run well.

This games comes down to the Raiders run game against Denver's passing attack led by Kyle Orton. Orton is quietly having a Pro Bowl season.

Broncos 24 Raiders 18




Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

Before the season began, fans thought these two teams would be battling for first place in this game. Yet both are actually struggling right now just to have a shot at winning their division right now.

Green Bay got off to a hot start until injuries began to crumble their roster. Minnesota has struggled since day one with injuries, an over-the-hill quarterback and the drama he brings. Yet a win here keeps both very much alive in their division.

Though Minnesota is best served to lean on running back Adrian Peterson, they also need to test the Packers 17th ranked pass defense. What hurts Green Bay is that their best running back is gone for the year, so they will need to attack a passing defense that is sixth best in the league on the fifth ranked overall defense.

This might be another notch in the Favre Legacy, his returning to Lambeau Field for another win. Peterson might actually have more to do with it, but the media will put the lore on Favre to help distract folks from his issues off the field.

Vikings 31 Packers 23




New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys

From the 1960 to 1984, there was little going on between these two teams. Since then, it has been quite a fight twice a year. Dallas has won 17 more games in this rivalry, though the 1970's is a big reason why.

Dallas has just one win, and their dreams of hosting a Super Bowl representing the NFC are just about gone. They have a good defense and pass the ball well, but they neglect their running game too much to hold a lead.

Why offensive coordinator Jason Garrett keeps his job is a mystery to some, nepotism is the answer. His dad was a scout for the team for 18 years, until 2004, and his two brothers also work for the Cowboys. One coaches the tight ends, who are vastly underused, while the other is the Director of Pro Scouting.

New York relies on a balanced offensive attack that is led by a veteran offensive line. Their defense is the second best in the NFL right now, echoing the time when the Jints won Super Bowls in the past.

This game might not remind long-time fans of the past, because the Cowboys are not a smash mouth team. Yet New York is expected to try to force their will down the Cowboys throats, starting at the line of scrimmage.

Giants 23 Cowboys 21







Power Rankings
1. Steelers
2. Jets
3. Patriots
4. Giants
5. Ravens
6. Colts
7. Titans
8. Falcons
9. Texans
10. Saints
11. Bears
12. Chiefs
13. Eagles
14. Dolphins
15. Redskins
16. Buccaneers
17. Vikings
18. Packers
19. Chargers
20. Broncos
21. Bengals
22. Jaguars
23. Cowboys
24. Cardinals
25. Raiders
26. Seahawks
27. Rams
28. Lions
29. 49ers
30. Browns
31. Bills
32. Panthers

Thank You George Michael, Rest In Peace

The Washington D.C. area lost one of their broadcasting giants today when sportscaster George Michael passed away from complications due to cancer.


Michael is known nationally for his Sports Machine, which broadcast every Sunday night from 1984 to 2007. It also could be heard in the movie "There's Something About Mary", where the character played by Cameron Diaz could be seen watching it.


His Sports Machine had tremendous influence on ESPN, and the network implemented many of his ideas for use on their own network. The show, as did his nightly newcasts on NBC WRC-TV, would cover all sports. Ranging from pro wrestling, hockey, most auto events, rodeo, and equestrian, Michael made sure his viewers were entertained and educated.


He started his career as a disk jockey, working in places like Philadelphia for years until moving on to New York City. He became very popular there, and even did color commentator work with Tim Ryan on New York Islanders telecasts.


Michael came to Washington D.C. in 1980, when the late Glenn Brenner was the most popular sports anchor in town. Brenner was likeable, and known for his humor. Michael worked hard to get his station, the last place network in town, to get more viewers. By the mid-80's, he was gaining as many, if not more, viewers than the legendary Brenner.


The Sports Machine was not the only reason he gained such notice. He also hosted shows that would cover local teams in the area on a weekly basis throughout the seasons. The broadcasting careers of John Riggins, Tony Kornheiser, David Dupree, Michael Wilbon, and many more started under Michael's wing. Sonny Jurgensen, the Washington Redskins Hall Of Fame quarterback, was always his main partner on all Redskins related telecasts, and their friendship made the show even better to watch.


George liked to tell it like he saw it, and he never held back. He toughened up Kornheiser and Wilbon, which enabled the pair to parlay that gained wisdom to hosting a popular television show on the ESPN network. Riggins, a local hero, also sharpened himself under the tutelage of Michael.


After winning a Sports Emmy in 1985, he was on his way to legendary status. Brenner passed away from brain cancer, so most of the locals all then tuned into Michael. Sports like NASCAR and hockey got a lot of publicity from him, which greatly helped each sport increase in popularity.


When WRC decided to have budget cuts in early 2007, they wanted cut much of his staff from the payroll. Michael opted to retire as a sports anchor, in hopes he could save people their jobs. He also stepped down from the Sports Machine, which was off the air within weeks of his departure. He kept doing the weekly shows on the Redskins and Wizards until they also were taken off the air because of budget cuts in December, 2008 in spite of their being amongst the networks most popular shows.


Watching George Michael work was like watching a master take his craft to another level few could reach. He was so respected that he could score the interviews that no one else could. He was the only sportscaster allowed to broadcast within the Redskins stadium for years as well.


His death on the day before Christmas is one of mixed emotions, in a way. Knowing death is part of life still does not make his departure any less sad, yet we were all treated to a gift of having him a part of our life that will be remembered and honored each time ESPN goes on the air to try to replicate his brilliance.