Not again.

Sean Taylor, safety for the Washington Redskins, a man I never knew, died yesterday. When the horrific news got to me, shock gave way quickly to an all too familiar emotion – despair. And one relentless thought.

Dammit, not again.

You reach for words, and profanities come to mind. Some days, nothing is as eloquent.


Another player from “The U” (of Miami) dies young.

Again.

Another senseless homicide of a young black man. A daughter left fatherless.

Again.

“I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan
I shouldn’t have to run from a black man,
‘Cause that’s sel####estruction…”

- Kool Moe Dee, “Self Destruction” (1988)

It is a statistical fact that the leading cause of death for black men ages 15-24 is homicide. It is also a fact that the killer is likely to be another black male.

I am a black male. I know the numbers too well. As Jemele Hill points out, we are SIX times more likely to be killed than a white male in the same age bracket.

Like a sick, twisted, Indiana Jones movie, growing up as a young black man seems to involve avoiding death traps on a regular basis, except that all too often, if it isn’t the big, huge boulder (gang-life) running you down, or the poison-tipped darts (drugs), or a broken education system (over 65% of all black college students are female), it is the guns. There are even more reasons and factors, but that is a discussion for another day.

Worst of all, your friends – yes, your friends can drag you down.

“Friends” who are jealous of your success, or demand that you keep it real by being involved in their foolishness. The road to hell is an 8-lane highway paved with best intentions of proving that you haven’t forgotten your homies.

After all of that, institutional racism – in all it’s forms - doesn’t have to pick off many men.

I can’t pass judgment on what happened Sunday night in the Taylor home. And you know something? It’s really immaterial.

Sean Taylor was 24, and had by all accounts had truly turned his life around from a rocky start, which makes this all even more painful. Sadly, he probably should have moved out of Miami, as there is a fairly good case that can be made that he knew his assailant.

Already, much has been made about Taylor’s past somehow still catching up to him, but it really doesn’t matter. Ask the late Broncos cornerback Darrant Williams who had the misfortune of getting killed by a bullet meant for someone else. Case still unsolved.

Ask the Timberwolves’ Antoine Walker, or the Knicks Eddie Curry. Both men were the victim of savage home invasions, like the one that killed Sean Taylor. Neither man has been in any trouble whatsoever with the law.

Neither story got more than a brief mention when it happened. Somehow, I have to believe that if Brett Favre was the victim of a home invasion, if Deanna Favre had a gun shoved in her face and terrorized, the story would have rated slightly more press no?

Clearly, judging by the overkill of the Michael Vick scandal, we know what would have happened if, heaven forbid, that Curry and Walker were holding guns, rather than facing one.

Our media has a much easier time (and makes more money) envisioning black men as perps rather than victims of violent crime.

We live in a society that is increasingly violent. We also live in a society where even wealth and success guarantees no real escape for some unless they are willing to make real changes in associates and even geography. Perhaps if Taylor had made his full-time home in D.C. instead of near his old haunts in Miami, life would have been different. It is tragic that that would even have to be an option. But it is fact.

The deepest feeling I have today is pain. I feel his loss the same way I felt the fall of Maurice Clarett. The same way I may feel when I hear about the senseless loss of a young brother locally. We can't afford to lose any black men. It is hard enough already.

It is the reason why I have contempt for writers and talking heads that wallow in barely concealed schadenfreude when a Vick or Clarett blow their chances to escape their environments.

Yes, I know it is good business, low hanging fruit, and easy copy, but there is a bigger story and far bigger issues.

It is far, far too personal for me. Today, yet another young black man lies dead at 24.

A father, a soon-to-be husband.

A friend and a teammate.

Another luminous life, a world of potential snuffed out too soon.
Again.

Damn.

OK, listen up people: The prohibitive favorite to win the NFL MVP plays for the New England Patriots.

His name should be Randy Moss.

Yes, Randy Moss.

Yes, I know, I know. Tom Brady is allegedly playing at an “elevated level” (love those cliché’s that seems to proliferate among announcers). Brady is on a pace to shatter the NFL record for completion percentage (74%), rating (134.0!), and touchdown passes. In fact, if Brady maintains his pace of 60 TD passes, it will rank with the home run record or Wilt's 50 pomts a game - stupefying and next to unbreakable.

Toss in the relentless John Madden man-crush on Tom Terrific (transferred from Brett Favre) that has been copied by every damn announcer (and you thought Favregasms were bad), and Brady looks like a lock.

Except that it would be wrong.

Go beyond the raw numbers, as impressive as they are for Randy: 66 catches for 1,052 yards and 16 touchdowns, a pace that will threaten the single season yardage record, and obliterate Jerry Rice’s TD record of 22 TD catches in a season. It is even beyond the freakish combination of 4.3 speed, the greatest ball skills in NFL history, and his superb hands that have terrorized every secondary he has faced.

Moss is the only receiver in football that can actually out run a Cover Two. Just ask his former coach Dennis Green as he says here.

"Teams might be in a two-deep [zone, with safeties splitting the back half of the field] but I always said Randy would run through the two-deep. To stop Randy Moss, you needed a deep two-deep."

The normal rules don’t apply to Randy Moss, because even when he’s covered, he’s dangerous, and a bad ball is still catchable.

Not since Bob Hayes frightened the NFL into developing zone defenses has any receiver impacted the league to this magnitude. And the lengths defenses go to contain him open the field for the entire Pats offense.

I know, you still want the MVP to go to Brady. After all, if Troy Aikman says it, it must be true, right? And a receiver is only as good as his quarterback after all.

Ok, try this on:

Exhibit A: Pats at Miami: These two TD catches against the Dolphins. Who else could come down with these balls? Does Brady even throw this pass before this season?

Exhibit B: Pats v. Colts. Colts lead 20-10, Brady is struggling. Brady tosses one deep, Moss beats the Cover Two for a momentum-changing 55 yard play. Pats score soon after to cut it to three, and then score again to preserve their undefeated season.

Exhibit C: These numbers: 92.6, 63.8, and 7.9.

Those are Tom Brady’s previous career highs in passer rating, completion percentage and yards per attempt.

This year those numbers are 134.0, 74.0, and 9.1

Coincidence?

The Pats are on a pace to destroy the season record for points set by the 1998 Vikings led by… Randy Moss.

More coincidence? Come on; say it is, I dare you.

Yes, Brady has Wes Welker, who is having a career season of his own. But Brady has had a Welker in the past – Troy Brown. Nice receiver, but neither he nor Donte Stallworth (2007’s Deion Branch) give cornerbacks and defensive coordinators night sweats.

And Tom Terrific has never had a year like this with Brown and Branch.

As to why Moss is not getting enough love from the press, well, he isn’t loved. Some of that he’s brought on himself. He didn’t cover himself in glory last year in Oakland, but frankly, that was not a professionally run franchise last year. Sorry, but I can’t drop all of the blame at Moss’ feet.

Besides that, many of the same people voting for the MVP love Brady and trashed the trade (including Pats Cheerleader Peter King). It may be too much to ask humbled Moss critics to see the light.

First, they’d have to wipe the egg off their faces.

1. I believe that I will spend the rest of my natural life kicking myself for not drafting Adrian Peterson in the 2nd round like I considered. Me, the Super Genius, like Wile E. Coyote figured that Ned Flanders, uh I mean head coach Brad Childress would be married to the dreaded Chester Taylor/Peterson time-share, and I chose the legendary Tatum Bell instead.

(Insert the Florida Evans, "Damn! Damn! Damn!" right here.) Mind you, this was AFTER I told everyone that A-Pete had Canton potential.

2. While I’m on the subject, I also believe that A-Pete just moved into the Top 3for MVP consideration.

3. I believe that Randy Moss should be ranked higher in the MVP voting than Tom Brady. Yeah, I said it.

Two plays sum it up for me – those two ridiculous TDs against the Dolphins. Don't listen to Ron Jaworski's babble about Brady's placement of the ball - he threw it up into double coverage, and Moss hauls it in. No other human being can make that catch. Randy Moss did it twice. Then on Sunday Moss beats Indy's vaunted Cover Two (designed to stop the deep ball) for a momentum-changing 55 yard pass.

4. I believe I found common ground with Jason Whitlock. Randy Moss is the most physically gifted wideout - EVER. Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, and Fred Bilitenkoff had better hands. Bob Hayes may be faster. Steve Largent ran beautiful routes. But none of them combined 4.28 speed, the 6-4 height, the vertical and the  ability to adjust to the pass in midflight.

5. I believe that Jason Whitlock needs to end the Chad Johnson madness. Chad’s endzone celebrations have nothing to do with the Bengals inability to stop the run. Ocho Cinco’s Hall Of Fame jackets have nothing to do with Odell Thurman’s unwillingness to obey the law.

I had a huge problem with the silly gold teeth (since removed), to all but call Chad an Uncle Tom (“Mr. Bojangles”? Come on Jason…) is hitting low. Yeah, I know that being The Black Scold is good business – especially with an organization as conservative as Fox, and it is sometimes necessary. But I despise hypocricy, and Keyshawn Johnson attempting to condemn The Chad – well, Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle. It is NOT ok because Keyshawn is in the media. Shame on you Jason.

6. I believe that no good quarterback has every possesed the hideous body language that Peyton Manning displays in clutch siutations.

I’m sorry, but when the pressure is on, he looks like Rex Grossman on caffine overload looking for a fix. No one who is so allegedly cerebral as Manning should be as frenetic. When the Colts started that last drive, and Manning dropped back, his body language screamed “Gottathrowitfast gottathrowitfast”…and those two fumbles while being sacked? Grossman-esque.

7. I believe that we can expect more media heads to experience multiple Farvegams in the second half of the season. Brett Favre is experiencing a renaissance because he’s shown consistently better judgement than I have seen from him in a few years.

Simply put, for the first time in years, coach Mike McCarthy has gotten Brett to limit his boneheaded throws that are always ALWAYS glossed over by the media (i.e. “Favre-gasms”) with “Brett is a gunslinger”, “Brett sure is having fun…”

By the way, why wasn’t the game stopped when Brett threw his record-breaking 277th pick? 

8. I believe that the San Diego Chargers lost their first November game in four years on Sunday, and it won't be the last. Marty has got to chuckling.

9. I believe that Hines Ward is a man's man. He blew up Ed Reed and Tom Scott in the SAME GAME? Tell me the last time you saw a 190 pound receiver drop a couple of All-Pro head-hunters in the same CAREER, much less the same game?

10. I believe that Brian Billick has lived off his offensive genius rep for at least five years too long. Blame Randy Moss. Remember, Billick was the offensive coordinator for the record-setting Vikings with the rookie Randy Moss catching 17 TDs, and the team scoring a record 556 points, which may go down in flames to this year's Pats squad.

Since The Offensive Guru moved to B-more, the Ravens have ranked 26th, 21st, 31st, and 24th in yardage the last four seasons. They've never been higher than 14th in the Billick era in any offensive category except once.

Bonus belief: Sebastian Janikowski just missed a would be NFL record 64 yard FG, hitting the upright on a bomb that would have been good from at least 70 yards. And unlike Jason Elam's kick, the stadium in Oakland actually sits BELOW sea level. 

Yet, when or if  the record gets broken, I believe there is something about Tom Demsey’s record-setting kick in 1970 – perhaps it was the posts on the goal line (which meant that Dempsey launched it from his own 37 yard line), the old-school kicking style, or the NFL Films shot from the side…it will always be number one in my book.

Until the next time friends...

I 'm not here to bury Michael Vick. He's done that to himself.

And too many people are getting a kick out of doing it.

This morning, I was listening to WFAN in New York, and the noted writer John Feinstein was on with the hosts. and at some point he noted that "in technical terms, Mike Vick is SCREWED!"

And then he and the hosts laughed. Heartily.

Must be nice to see the black boy go down in flames huh?

For the last two weeks, the drumbeat to ban Vick for life has reached proportions that should have been reserved for Ted Bundy and sexually deviant Catholic priests. Last week, I double-checked all of the stories on Vick to confirm that their wasn't some human bodies found on that Virgina property Vick owned.

Listening to the hue and cry from all of these "animal lovers", it is easy to conclude that if 3,000 pitbulls had died from the insurgencyand IEDs, the US would have been out of Iraq by now, and Dubya would be facing impeachment.

Cleary, it isn't enough for some people that he has trashed his reputation, will lose close to 80 (yes, EIGHTY) million dollars from the Atlanta Falcons, not even counting the endorsement money that he'll never see.

It isn't even enough that he will serve more jail time than Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, or Martha Stewart.

Or that the QB AKA Ron Mexco will do more jail time than those two friends of Ray Lewis who knifed two men to death in Atlanta on Super Bowl week five years ago.

It isn't enough for many people that Vick will do more time (and have a longer NFL suspension) than Leonard Little, who committed vehicular manslaughter.

It isn't close to enough for many that Vick will suffer more than even Robert Blake, who all but put an ad on Craig's List and eBay begging someone, ANYONE to wack his wife.

No, this #### mob (which is showing more passion about animals than their fellow man in most cases - not that is anything new) will not be happy with anything but the utter destruction of Michael Vick. Man, it is good to know I live in such an enlightened society.

We get upset about cruelty to animals - and rightly so. What happened was horrible. What Vick has done to his life is terrible. I take no pleasure in either dog fighting or in what has happened to Number Seven, but it seems that many in the media (not coincidently mostly white members) seem to.

It is the ugly, only partly hidden part of the racial divide that kicks in here. Dan LeBatard wrote a brilliant piece displaying it. "...the black athlete with...demons usually isn't permitted the kind of embrace that rehabbng white 'characters' often receive. Can you name a black equivalent to John Daly?" 

GIven that climate, there is always a desire to not just criticize, or condemn, but to demonize and destroy wrong-doing knuckleheads who happen to be black. And God forbid you actually have the gall to show any human kindness to the demon. Donovan McNabb said he would support his friend Michael Vick - and got ripped for it.

Why?

Deion Sanders made several valid points in explaining Vick's mindset while not condoning is actions - and what did he get for it? The NFL Network telling Prime Time, please kindly check your First Amendment rights at the door.

Isn't there something wrong with that?

Being as guilty as Vick appears to be seems to help matters immensely in the minds of some folks. All you have to do is look at how the name of O.J. Simpson has been invoked -repeatly - a full decade after the so-called Trial Of The Century in the hopes that Vick "doesn't get off". 

Oh, and somebody call me the next time a white celebrity gets linked with O.J.

Therein lies the difference between black and white fans here. Many whites - in and out of the media - seem to take a sort of perverse glee in The Fall Of Vick, just listen to the hysterical screams for a lifetime ban. You listen to many a black fan, media figure, and the disappointment (as opposed to vitrol) and hurt is tinged with a hope of redemption some day. There is no doubting that Michael Vick brought this on himself, whether he "merely" bankrolled Bad Newz Kennels (and left his "friends" to do the heavy lifting), or particpated in the execution of the dogs. Getting too much too soon, being coddled way too much can have that effect. But unlike Mike Tyson, Vick seems (and that is a big word) to have it in him to fix his life. What he does with what remains of his NFL career is a distant priority at this time.

These times will truly test him. People he thought were his friends have, are, and will abandon him. Celebrity is truly proving fleeting as self-righteous moral outrage has made PETA appear nearly mainstream. (Scary isn’t it?)  Media people who supported him are forced to condemn him. You can only imagine what those with an axe to grind are saying. Actually, you don't have to imagine. They are screaming the loudest and most piously of all.

Clearly, a lifetime ban on Vick for his transgressions (and don't even try to use gambling as the wedge issue - Vick didn't bet on football, much less his own team) in light of everything else he has and will lose, is nothing more than overkill. Even a two year suspension rates that way. For all of the strained comparisons to Pacman Jones, Jones is likely to be back in a year despite his transgressions against human beings.

One can only hope that Rodger Goddell doesn't take the David Stern path of The Big Grandstand Punishment, but it does play well with some.

Overall, I do not hold a lot sympathy for Vick’s predicament (even though I suspect given his background, he had no idea that dog fighting would be viewed this way).

What I do have is compassion for the young man. That he can rise and redeem and learn from this. And hopefully, so will some of us.

Thanks for being patient!

Wrapping up the Legend's Draft Analysis!

And now on to the breakdown (I decided to leave the previous comments in smaller type)...

     

xphoenix87 New Picks  - Wes Unseld, Bruce Bowen, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, John Stockton

Wesley Unseld. 6-7... by 6-7... went 270, and could set a pick on Mount Rushmore. And put Rushmore on the IR. While he may not finish like Karl Malone, you may actually see John Stockton grin in anticipation. With this the question becomes, does KG move to the 3, with Moses at the 4? This may mean LeBron off the bench. Enviable. Now with the 7th round pick...

BRUCE BOWEN? Remember that Sesame Street song, "One of these things just doesn't belong here..."?

As someone put it, it is a sign of a diluted NBA. Bruce is a pitbull defender that Michael Vick would love. Dirty sometimes for sure, but can guard 3 positions. But he is an offensive near-zero, who once shot better from 3 point range than from the foul line. For an entire season. Michael Cooper was just as good a defender and better offensive player. Not feeling that pick, which took a tad bit off of a well balanced, physical lineup.

Question to the GM: What do you plan to do with LBJ? And why Bowen?

dehbashi - Jason Kidd, Jerry Lucas, Paul Arizin, George Gervin, Tim Duncan, Nate Thurmond, Clyde Drexler

'Bashi went and got one of the few players in the history of the game who can dominate and only take 3 shots in Jason Kidd. Of course, you may want to call him "Ason Kidd" with that poor excuse for a jumper. Still, Kidd is clutch and his defense gives this team three lockdown defenders. The next pick netted another underrated baller in Jerry Lucas. One of 4 men NBA history to have a 40 rebound game. Two Area Code shooting range. Could play the 4 or 5. This team will rate as an interesting chemistry experiement. Kidd and Clyde on the break, with Nate and Duncan on the glass. Ice providing creative scoring. This team is still a bit light on 3 point shooting (don't be surprised if Lucas is his team's best 3 point shooter), but should be pretty good on defense. And I wonder against some of the better inside teams if this crew can get post scoring from someone other than Duncan.

Deh-bash looked to fill a need for pure shooting by getting the late, great (RIP) "Pitchin Paul", one of the first great jumper shooters in the NBA, and sweet as sugar on the break pulling up. Tough, but may be a tad slow in certain matchups. I love giving props to the Old School, but you can get P.A. at least two rounds later.

In the 5th round... cue up Queen (or Vanilla Ice, if you're under 30)...doo doo do doo doo do...Ice Ice Ice baby... Nice pick here in getting one of the most dynamic scorers ever. Bar none. Ice can score from inside, outside, finger rolls, bank shots, jumpers, runners...but defense? I guess if you score 40, as long as your man doesn't get 35, you're ok. I guess...

Of course, it is permissible to ask - where in the hell is the point guard? Clyde The Glide can hold it down in spots, but a purer ball handler is needed. And Arizin would have kept - some good point guards were there for the taking. Three shooting guards? Er....um....

   
joshQpublic - Dave DeBusschere, Nate Archibald, Elgin Baylor, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Bill Russell, Jerry West, Kevin McHale.

Dave D. was considered one of the greatest defensive power forwards ever, and it means that there will be no defensive dropoff when Russ or Mchale need a breather. I'm not sure where Tiny fits on a team where Frazier and West get the burn. But the only man to lead the league in assists and points in the same season will make a spot, and can also turbocharge the fast break. In fact, this team can start five All-League defenders in Russell, West, Frazier, McHale, and DeBusschere if it so desired. Tight...

G-Central Question to the GM: Who starts up front? How do you work Baylor into the offense?

He was once described as "the Father" in the Father/Son/Holy Ghost Trinity of Hang Time. Elgin Baylor goes 30th - at least 15 spots lower than he should have. How???

Now Josh gets a guy who averaged 35ppg twice, and averaged 15 boards a game regularly. There may be a problem with defense here, but Baylor already has experience working with West. Will McHale be able to move out of the post to give Elgin some operating room?

In the 5th, Josh nabs Clyde, merely the greatest defensive guard of his era. In fact the West-Frazier backcourt is the best defensive backcourt in this field. This team should be able to run all night with Russell triggering the break to Clyde and The Logo, and then Baylor and McHale can deal in the half-court. Tough crew. He's making it hard for me to be too critical.

genez13 - Pete Maravich, Patrick Ewing, Rick Barry, Allen Iverson, Magic Johnson, Shaq, Karl Malone

Huh. Genez certainly doesn't believe in karma. The controversial Pistol Pete finally goes off the board, and now you have three guards who need the ball in Magic, Iverson, and Maravich. You thought Marbury and Francis would be a hassle! He adds Patrick Ewing, the star-crossed Knicks center who Never Won The Big One. Nice backup for this crew. Of course, the real question is this- Will the combined 10 rings of Magic, Shaq, and Barry overcome the baggage of Ewing, Maravich, AI, and Malone? This team may be the most likely to scoe 160 points in a game. And if I'm a tabloid writer, this is where I want to be. Maybe The Four Letter Network will produce a show about this locker room called "When Genez Is Burning".  

Recently, Rick Barry said that he could teach Shaq to shoot underhand and turn him into a 75% foul shooter. Shaq said, in effect that it wasn't manly to shoot underhand, and he couldn't do it.. Sigh...

On court, this team has everything - in theory. Magic can allow AI to be a shooting guard, which he is despite his 5-11 frame. Slick Rick can bomb from outside to ease any double-team pressure, and watching Barry and Magic move the ball will be breathtaking.

It's the part above the neck that you have to worry about with this crew. Few players could set off a ref - or a teammate - forget an opponent - the way Rick Barry could. The Answer is known in some parts for The Question - as in: "PRACTICE? We're talking about PRACTICE..." Karl Malone had his diva moments, and Shaq's ego was a big reason why he couldn't finish his career as a Laker.

Magic will have his hands full with this crew if they have a losing streak. Yet, show me a player EVER who has the heart of AI, or the will of Magic. This is the most volatile team in the field. Moreover, Shaq is an indifferent defender on pick and rolls, Magic is an OK at best defender, and Barry and Iverson are better at playing the passing lanes. This five can be exploited on occasion.

Hmm, I can see an opponent bodily picking up Barry and using him to commit Hack-A-Shaq. In fact, I'd pay to see that...

ricko - Alex English, Joe Dumars, Steve Nash, David Robinson, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Elvin Hayes

Two understated, underrated guys go to ricko. Quick, who scored more points than anyone in the 1980s? More than Jordan, Wilkins, Kareem, Issel, Malone? That's right, Mr, Smooth, Sir Alex English. Of course, on a team with so many scorers, I'm not sure quite where he fits. Joe D makes more sense. Perennial All-Defensive selection will make up for Nash's shortcomings, and he can play both guard spots and knock down jumpers.

This team has varied scoring, but again, chemistry and the absence of a true bruiser on the glass may be a problem. Hayes needed Unseld, Robinson needed Duncan. Now both men have each other. Hmmm...

Ricko grabs the real Stevie Franchise in the fourth, followed by The Admiral in the 5th. Nice pick this deep, but the pressure will be on David to prove that he has the steel to play in THIS league.

Question: Can Larry Bird learn to live with Nash controlling the ball as much as he does? Can Kobe? There will be some adjustments (sorry Kobe, but I don't think they'll run the triangle here), but it will come down to two factors:
1. Can Robinson and Hayes #### enough when they need to? Maybe.
2. Can  Kobe and The Big E keep from slugging each other in the locker room?

Probably not.
You also have two very good defenders in Kobe and Robinson, and three guys who can get torched. Hell, Bird and Nash couldn't guard ME - and I can't go to my left very well...This team may want to play some zone now and then...


GR8ONE54 - Bill Walton, Dwayne Wade, Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Scottie Pippen

The NBA's answer to Gale Sayers gets nabbed by GR8. Bob Ryan once said that if he had to play one basketball game for planetary supremacy, he'd pick Bill Walton, even over Bill Russell. (Ryan was always prone to bouts of irrationality.)

Trouble is, Walton would probably trip over the foul line, break a bone, and I'd have to learn to speak Klingon-ese.

Having said that, Walton is a great pick here. He would HAVE to start at power forward next to Wilt, and could take care of any dirty work that Wilt couldn't do. Interior defense just got a major upgrade. D-Wade is pretty good value here despite his youth. He'd have to upgrade his defense, and this team only has Reggie Miller as a proven consistent 3 point threat. But Wade is already a transcendant talent.

Reggie Miller?

Ahead of Elgin Baylor (who could play the 3 or the 4)? Ahead of Scottie Pippen for that matter? Ahead of Rick Barry (who you could put at the two)? I realize character concerns (or was it the salary cap?) that probably caused some guys to drop pretty far, but

 [my inner Stephen A....is...fighting...to ...get ...out]

THAT IS UN-ACCEPTABLE! THIS WAS NOT A GOOD PICK!

Sorry.

Reggie is a great jumper shooter who stopped driving to the basket in the late 80s and couldn't lock down his sister Cheryl on defense. Nice niche player. And he'll may double-teams pay. He'd better. Now this was followed with the incredibly underrated Human Highlight Film. Of course, he plays the same position as Pippen. It is possible we may see a team that has Wilt dominate the glass and kicks it out to Cousy who feeds Pippen and Wilkins for some Posterizing/YouTubing of some poor schmoe... but there is still a hole at PF, and Miller is the only truly consistent outside shooter.

                     

Hoffman - David Skywalker, Chris "Moon" Mullin, James "He's Not" Worthy, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas

Somebody at The Barbershop asked me once who was better at 23 - Kobe or MJ? My answer was David Thompson. I got some looks, to put it nicely. But anyone who saw Thompson his first 4-5 years knows what I'm talking about. He was Jordan before Jordan. MJ was taller, but Thompson had a better jumper. Wow. Chirs Mullin will drop that lefty J from the deep corners all night to open the middle for the Muslim Connection inside. Slow afoot? Perhaps, but one slower guy can be compensated for considering the defense they have inside. I wonder how much offense would the two big men give up to allow Thomas, Thompson, and Monroe to take it to the rack?

Questions to the GM: Who starts with Thomas, Thompson or Monroe? How do you plan to funnel the offense, through Kareem or Hakeem?

Big Game James takes over at the three to swoop to the basket, play nasty wing defense, and stick the mid-range jumper. It helps that he played with Kareem. Isiah will be glad to be on the same side as a guy who put up 36-10-10 in a Game 7 against his Pistons.

Having said all of these nice things, I think Worthy could have been had a few picks later. Barry or Baylor would have been better picks at this spot - Barry because of his phenomenal range, and Baylor because he could do everything Worthy could, and was a better rebounder. 

The 5th round featured a mild surprise with the selection of Black Jesus. Kareem loved him from the Rucker Park days, and probably influenced this pick. Isiah had better not try to pull a Dantley on The Pearl and get him traded. Besides, Earl showed that he could blend his Divine Game with Clyde Frazier, a mature Thomas will be looking forward to this.

Alas, this backcourt can be exploited somewhat on defense. And 3 point shooting may be questionable.


AK47Spiderman - George "99" Mikan, Dikembe Mutumbo, Bob Pettit , Charles Barkley, Oscar Robinson, Julius Erving, John Havlicek

I have to have a soft spot for the first great pivot man in NBA history. I assume we can pass Mikan through a processor that would upgrade him to play in the 21st century? Mikan did not adjust well to the shot clock in 1955 - what happens in 2007? I'll tell you, you have a poor man's Illgasukas. He takes up room, will block shots, and can play physical. So can Deke. A great defender in his prime, I still think he takes a back seat to Willis Reed or Artis Gilmore. Heck, I'd even consider Zelmo Beatty, Bob Lanier, or Dave Cowins. None of them were quite as good on D, but all of them could score and board.

Question to the GM - Why two slow centers?

This team had some major issues on the front line, and clearly drafted solidly for need. Pettit the first great power forward in the league, could also play some center (but not for long against some of these front lines!), Bob will draw fouls and clear the glass (he, Lucas and Wilt are the only players to average 20-20 for a season). Then the next pick was Sir Charles...now there were fewer more awe-inspiring sites than The Breadtruck in his prime on the break going coast to coast...yes, especially impressive in those little shorts.

But AK drafted TWO power forwards? Or is that 3 small forwards? Or do I count Barkley 1.5 times? If AK47 really wants to channel Don Nelson and play smallball, you put Pettit at C, Barkley at the 4. But we're now talking a front line that is 6-7, 6-4, and 6-9. Lord help you in a half-court game. Wilt won't... :-)

Best Value Picks - Thompson, Walton, Mullin, Lucas

OK Value Pick - Mikan, Archibald

HUH?! Pick - Bowen, Mutumbo, Ewing

(Some Of The) Best players on still on board: Dennis Rodman,  Bob McAdoo, Dave Bing, Sidney Moncrief, Alvin Robinson, Dirk Nowitski, Gus Johnson, Dolph Schayes

Continuing our live coverage from G-Central, David Stern and Larry O'Brien have taken turns stepping to the stage and announcing draft picks.

Let's take a look at how each team has done, through the 3rd round (2nd and 3rd round picks are bold-faced):

xphoenix87 - Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, John Stockton

Alrightly then...after picking Be Like, Phoenix pairs His Airness with the ground-bound Ultimate Blue Collar force in Moses Malone. Imagine the second shot ops with Mo working underneath. After years of Medical Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley, Jordan has to be salivating over a guy like Moses (who could also pound Jordan into the floor if he tried some of his intimdation tactics). In the 3rd, John Stockton gives this team the purest of point guards, but he still needs a pick and roll buddy. Got to love the backcourt defense on this team.

dehbashi -Tim Duncan, Nate Thurmond, Clyde Drexler

His first pick put Stephen A.'s blood pressure at 460/290. As nice as Timmy D is, do you take him with Kareem and Wilt on the board? In the second, dehbashi makes Bill Walton's thighs shudder with Nate The Great. Arguably the best defensive center other than Russell, and a decent - but not great offensive player. Defensively, Thurmond and Duncan can wreak havoc with the best of them. In the 3rd the name Clyde Drexler draws derisive cheers as a perimeter offensive player is picked. Clyde is wonderful in the open court, but the jumper is somewhat shaky. Still the shot of offense and flash is welcome. Now, when will we see some scoring?

joshQpublic - Bill Russell, Jerry West, Kevin McHale

Russell was always an admirer of Mr. Clutch, and now gets to play with a guard greater than Cousy or Sam Jones. Nice steal of a pick here. Low-post scoring was addressed with the addition of Lurch himself, The Human Coat-Hanger, Kevin McHale. His variety of  low-post moves will be welcome, and again, some serious low-post D in effect.  Of course his peak value was great, but his durability is in question. So far, nice balance...

genez13 - Magic Johnson, Shaq, Karl Malone

Somebody knew what they were doing. Genez gets Magic, then is still able to get The Diesel in the second round, and then a younger Mailman to run the floor with Magic. Not even Charlie Rosen can knock this pick. No clutch woes for Karl here. You have to wonder if Shaq can run with Magic over 82 games, but there is plenty of muscle on this crew.

ricko - Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Elvin Hayes

Huh... Ricko passes on Shaq to take Kobe. Kobe is smiling, Shaq promises revenge. I don't think Elvin Hayes is the defensive answer to Shaq. And a locker room with Kobe and Elvin will be...hmm..interesting. This team is set on the wings if Kobe stays at the 3. Or maybe you have a Hayes and Bird tandem at forward. We're still short a Big Man. And some Prosazc.

GR8ONE54 - Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Scottie Pippen

For most of Wilt's career, he played with guys who couldn't match his incredible level. Now it will happen again in fantasy land. BOB COUSY OVER JERRY WEST AND KOBE BRYANT? Feeding The Dip is imporant, but this was a reach pick. Heck, forget reach - a brother could separate a shoulder making this pick. Jerry West makes much more sense here. Not a 38% career shooter at PG. Heck, take John Stockton (who WIlt has always liked for his no frills efficiency. Not to mention that Cooz could get torched on D. In the 3rd GR8 nabbs Scottie Pippen, who can play the point forward and provide stout wing defense. But he isn't a pure shooter, and can be roughed up.

Hoffman - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas

Yet another nasty Twin Towers in the making here. Hakeem will take some of the physical role that Kareem isn't always comfortable doing. Unbelievable offensive agility in the low blocks. Plenty of weakside blocked shots here too, and Hakeem will run the floor. I asked earlier, "Who will Hoff get to feed Kareem?" Ask no more. Isiah at this point is an absolute steal. Able to run, play the halfcourt game, shoot...amazing that Stockton and Cousy went ahead of this guy. Great pick!

AK47Spiderman - Oscar Robinson, Julius Erving, John Havlicek

This doughnut is almost complete. The Big O gets teamed with The Doctor, and believe me, if this is the ABA Erving, LOOK OUT. Able to play the 3 or the 4, the greatest finisher in league history will love playing with O - and vice versa. Hondo will split time between the 2 and 3 slots. But where O where are the big men!?Pettit is a pretty good value at power forward, and can play center if need be. But this team may have some half court problems against the bigger teams.

Best Value Picks - Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Hakeem

OK Value Pick - Scottie Pippen

HUH?! Pick - Cousy

Best player on still on board: Elgin Baylor

Over in the "Ramblings Of A Sports Nerd Blog", we have the Ultimate Fantasy Draft taking place, where the greatest players in NBA history can be drafted. Which owner will be Red Aurebach? Which owner will be Ted Stepien?

I've decided to channel Mel Kiper and Stephen A. Smith and give you

ULTIMATE NBA FANTASY DRAFT ANALYSIS

Let's get this party started right away:

FIRST ROUND:

xphoenix87 - Michael Jordan.

Upside babybee!  Live body, great at slashing to the hole, strong finisher. Deadly in the clutch...but don't you build titleson pivot men?

dehbashi -Tim Duncan

HUH?! with all of the talent on the board? At center alone, we have Wilt, Russell, Jabbar, Hakeem, Shaq...and dehbashi takes The Big Fundamental? What gives? Me and the fellas here at G-Report Central just don't get this one. You have 5 Top-50 big men, and he takes a healthy Sam Bowie?

joshQpublic - Bill Russell

The best defensive center in the history of the game goes off the board. Undefeated in Game 7's (10-0).  "He couldn't hit a bull in the ####" as Tom Heinsohn fondly recalled to me. Very good passer and playmaker from the post, and the defense and rebounding seem to be there. Now, he'll need some offense.

genez13 - Magic Johnson

Interesting pick here. The only player on the board who could play all five positions, clearly we're looking at the triggerman for an explosive running game. Can score from almost anywhere, never misses an open man. Not as much a force on D, but no one will notice. We need to see who is paired with the Magic Man.

ricko - Larry Bird

Larry Legend can hit the 3, #### inside, pass as well as a point, and get you 10 boards a night. Probably the second best clutch shooter after Jordan. This pick will play great in New England.

GR8ONE54 - Wilt Chamberlain

Who thought that the Big Dipper would free-fall to 6? Seven time scoring champion, 11 time rebounding champ, and even led the league in dimes one year. Can play a devastating defense as well. Oh, his foul shooting stinks. Be ready for Hack-A-Wilt. Great value pick at 6. (Yes, I'm using value pick in the 1st round.)

Hoffman - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Captain Skyhook takes care of the post scoring and defense. Rebounding may be an issue. Who will Hoff get to feed Kareem?

AK47Spiderman - Oscar Robinson

The Big O is Magic before Magic. Better scorer, strong leader. AK follows this up with The Doctor. This will be the best fastbreak on the planet with O as the trigger, and Doc finishing. But who gets the ballboards?

Hey, if chicks dig the long ball, then call me a Man-chick.

I dig the long ball.

I REALLY dig the long ball.

Yes, pitch selection and OBP is important. Speed kills. But in baseball, the power IS the glory. Forever and ever amen.

If it's not a 100MPH heater getting blown by an Ichiro or Ryan Howard, then it's Howard turning on said heater and terminating it with extreme prejudice. During the flight of said projectile, I know what a woman feels like while having a Death By Chocolate dessert - on my tab. 

(Pardon me while I regain my composure.)

Last night, I could overlook the absence of Barry Bonds while understanding just how good he is. Last night, you had Howard, Prince Fielder, and Justin Morenau - three lefty bombers capable of sinking a few kayaks in McCovey Cove. And they combined for zero, nada, zippo..nary a single Splash Shot. And that's with a friendly serving up meatballs.

His Barryness has 34 in actual game competition. There have been 58 total.

Barry has 34 of them,

You can't write all that off to HGH homeboys.

(And Barry, you should have taken some swings. With the crowd going nuts, Bud Selig would have had to have shown up for 755 and 756. The coward.)

...and why was not Ken Griffey Jr. invited?

Meanwhile, Vlad Guerrero did what he does with a swing that can stir the breeze on your High-Def screen. And Phat Albert Pujols launching bomb after bomb into the deep LF stands, once coming close to dropping a shot into the giant glove (and yes, it is made out of leather) about 500 feet from home plate.

And the Rockies Matt Holiday turned SBC into his personal Coors Field in Round 2 - Park effects you ask? Say it with a Jim Mora pitch - "PARK EFFECTS!?" It was sweet.

And mad props to Big Papi's showmanship by loaning Vlad The Impaler (of Baseballs) his special bat in a special case (no, not a violin case, that would have been perfect though). Only thing missing was Papi telling Vlad "This was your father's lightsaber..."

Sound and Fury are optional for Alex Rios. He was jacking 'em with a swing as effortless as Vlad's was violent. Yeah, I'm envious. I swing that smooth, and it's a groundout to short. Rios seemingly just went swish...and 470 feet later...

And overseeing it all was The Man. Stretch McCovey himself taking it all in, turning an ordinary plastic chair into a well-earned throne just by his immense presence. 

Yeah dammit, I dig the Long Ball.

See you next year - in left field with my glove. Don't get in my way.

It is chic, and sometimes justified, to rip on Isiah Thomas in his career as an NBA executive.

Now, I know Isiah earns a lot of his eminity. Some people can't reconcil the Two Zekes. Psychology isn't my field, but from where I sit, Isiah wears The Mask well - I'm talking DuBois, not Jim Carey.  Outside, we get the baby-faced, doe-eyed face, soft voice with the Jell-O pudding smile. Inside, he's straight Michael Corelone. Grow up the way Thomas did, and you better have it.

That core, that life cred makes him able to relate to a Stephon Marbury. Kind of hard to pull nonsense of a man who's won two title on the court. Pity parties won't work on a brother who escaped a Chicago project (and on to a NCAA, two NBA titles, and the Hall Of Fame)that made Coney Island look like Disneyworld.

Celtic Nation still hold the "Larry Bird would be just another good player." line against him - and forget that it was Dennis Rodman who actually mouthed the phrase. Some Piston fans still feel that he shanked a great player and teammate in Adrian Dantley, and got him run out of Motown in favor of his lifelong pal Mark Aguirre.

And we won't even get into the whole CBA mess.

Since taking over as the Knicks GM in late 2003, Isiah has presided over 25 trades, five coaches (including himself), gone through moved more bodies than Tony Soprano (and Tony had a 4 year head start), and it has gotten the Knicks... what?

Well, after the Larry Brown "Reign Of Err", the Knicks actually looked like a playoff team at times, winning 33 games - 10 more than the year before under Brown - and holding down a playoff spot deep into March until injuries to Jamal Crawford, Stephon Marbury, and David Lee proved too much to overcome.

Along the way, the astute fan had to take note of something: For all of the Thomas trades and free agent signings that got rightly panned - my personal favorite was signing fat underachiever Jerome James to a 30 million dollar contract based on one good playoff series against a Kings team minus Chris Webber - Isiah's draft picks have been spot-on:

In 2004, he drafted Trevor Ariza late in the first round. Sought after by several teams after his rookie year, he became trade bait in the Francis trade.

2005: A pretty fair windfall. Channing Frye, who turned in a solid rookie season, and possessed enough promise that Portland welcomed him in the Zack Randolph deal. Isiah also plucked Florida's David Lee at number 30, already acknowledged as one of the league's best rebounders, and a big-time "energy" player off the bench. When he isn't being a knucklehead (or winning dunk championships), Nate Robinson has created a niche as a high energy 6th man, a fan favorite who packs a two-guard mentality into a 5-7 frame.

In 2006, well, do I have to remind anyone of Renaldo Balkman? From personal experience, I can tell you that the best part of attending the NBA Draft are are angry Knicks fans, and they absolutely...cut..LOOSE! The experts echoed the fans with universal disbelief and derision.

Then a funny thing happened - Balkman turned out to be a solid NBA player. He brought defense, passion, and reckless abandon to a team in dire need of all of it. The second Knicks pick, Mardy Collins, made it very easy for the Knicks to move Steve Francis (and his cap-strangling contract) on to Portland, which should tell you a lot.  Note that other than Frye, the above mentioned players were drafted at number 20 or later. How many teams can claim even one decent NBA player acquired at similar spot in the draft?

And now that the dust has settled, Isiah can breathe a huge sigh of relief over the Eddy Curry deal. After foolishly not lottery-protecting either first round pick in the deal, it turns out that the Knicks got Curry for Joakim Noah and Ty Thomas. While both young Bulls are promising talents that will defend and run the court, Curry could very well outscore both men this year - combined. Meanwhile, the Bulls are still in dire need of a low-post presence. Curry had a breakout season last year as a low-post scorer - the scarest commodity in the league, almost making up for his criminal lack of rebounding.

Not such a bad deal after all, eh?

Looking back at the trades Thomas has made, Crawford is on the verge of developing into a prime-time scorer. Quinton Richardson will either start at small forward, or be a may be a valued trade chip. The Malik Rose for Nazr Mohammad deal was panned as a big win for the Spurs. Mohammad has since washed out with both the Spurs and Pistons, and Rose is a valued locker room presence, which was why he was acquired in the first place.

Francis came over for Ariza, and while that deal never worked for all of the obvious reasons, he did net the Knicks a 20-10 player in Randolph.

Above all else, give Zeke credit for trying. In a league where too many executives are scared to pull the trigger on a trade, Thomas is probably too aggressive. His trades have often been poor, and cap-hostile, but he makes them. And some of them do work, once we get past the Isiah-bashing.

And be honest - whose roster would you rather have right now? The Knicks with Curry, Randolph, Marbury, Lee, et al. or the Larry Bird's Pacers? Or the Celtics or T-Wolves?

How about the Knicks' roster versus the Lakers - sans Kobe Bryant?

Yeah, I thought so.

Now, if Isiah would just stay away from Ron Artest...

The Jeopardy Answer Of The Day is... "Whoopy Dee Damn Do." - Derrick Coleman

The Question?

What is "Hey, Paris Hilton was released yesterday!"? DING!

--------------------------

Every damn June, I tune into the NBA Draft and get reminded how I'm making money the hard way.

I mean, people get PAID to draft J. J. Reddick 11th overall....what is that [insert profane gerund here] GM thinking about? There are few certainities, but here is one: There is some genius who will pass on a Josh Howard to take a Brian Cook. (Yeah, I'm still ticked about that one.) 
 
You get the idea. NBA drafting isn't rocket science. (Yes, I know something about rocket science - this ain't it.) Yet, almost every year, at least 2 or 3 GMs fall on their face. You could spend the next hour reading technical reasons - and NBA sabermetrics are still dicey. But in a nutshell?

No one uses their common sense. If GMs did, the (L)eastern Conference wouldn't get their heads handed to them every year by the West. Then again, the draft wouldn't be half as much fun.

Anyhow, here are some Drafting For Dummies tips for all of you:

• Upside is wonderful for dating a significant other. If she's 35, no kids, a tight body and can tie a cherry stem into a knot with her tongue - she has mad upside.

Alas, upside does NOT work very well with most NBA players. Look for at least five players to be drafted higher than they ought to be because of "upside". Expect one of them - if we're all lucky - to work out. (See DeSanger Diop, Rodney White, etc) If you hear "upside" attached to a player, odds are that he'll either be a 9th or 10th man 4 years from now, or he'll find some game with a different team.

• The NBA Draft makes men sound, uh, less "manly" than they ought to be. You'll hear Jay Bilas or Hubie Brown talk about a prospect being "long" and having a "great body", the same way Peter Graves asked little Robbie if he had ever seen a grown man naked in "Airplane!" All that's missing is some oiled male torsi... Put away your copy of "Roadhouse" and "Top Gun" - it just so happens that there are only so many ways to talk about the potential athleticism of a NBA prospect without having a Brokeback Moment.

But seriously, does Bilas watch gladiator movies? Heh heh heh...

• If you are a GM, and the opportunity presents itself to draft a center - if the center in question is not being compared to an All-Star - PASS. This especially applies to 1) Slow, white American-born college centers and, 2) centers with very difficult to pronounce names (such as Mouhamed Saer Sene). For a while, it seemed that any brother from The Motherland (that's African for the hip-imparied) over 6-10 was being drafted in case they turned into the next Dikembe or Hakeem.

We're still waiting. This year, it will be Spencer Hawes.

• Avoid drafting a player who played poorly against lesser players with better athleticism, especially guards who lived to shoot against zones (see Reddick, J.J., Drew, Bryce). It doesn't get much easier in the NBA ya know. The average player may be poor in the basics, but I'll bet my Tony Parker bachelor party tickets that he's an good "at-uh-lete", as we say in the South.
• By the way, a good GM should look for a guy who played well at the best conferences. (See Howard and Chris Paul.) Production does count you know.
• Avoid players who set the cruise control in college despite prodding. Tim Thomas is the poster boy here for living heart donors. He was a Poster Boy in college. Surprise! He's a pro Poster Boy too.
• And to think, Tim had such upside. He was long...and a "live" body...I wish I could quit him. 
• This one is real important: If a very good player fills a big need - take him. Simple. The Atlanta hawks needed a point guard. They passed on Deron Williams and Chris Paul, to take Marvin Williams. Marvin was such a stud that Atlanta is now looking at Al Horford who plays... the SAME POSITION!

Funny thing is, Atlanta is looking like the Detroit Lions. Every year the Lions passed on other needs to take a wideout. Finally, they HAD to take a wide receiver this year, because Calvin Johnson was too damned good to pass on, no matter what their other needs were.. Same thing will probably happen this year with the Hawks. And it will be the right move...and Mike Conley will haunt the Hawks for the next decade.

OK...now that you are primed on what to look for, here is WHO to look for. No fancy ratings, simple. Best case and worst case. Don't ya love it when I keep it simple?

The G-Report Player Ratings:

Greg Oden - Ohio State
Hope: That he is the next Bill Russell. Or at least Ben Wallace Squared - with some offense.
Fear: That his wrist has the karma of Grant Hill's ankle.

Kevin Durant - Texas
Hope: He's Kevin Garnett with handle.
Fear: He steps into an open manhole.

Mike Conley Jr. - Ohio State
Hope: He's Mo Cheeks and Mike Bibby, but much quicker.
Fear: He's Jamal Tinsley, but much quicker.

Spencer Hawes - Washington
Hope: He's Bill Laimbeer or Vlade Divac.
Fear: He's Big Country Reeves

Al Horford - Florida
Hope: He's Karl Malone.
Fear: He's Tito Horford.

Yi Jianlian
Hope: He is the next Bob McAdoo.
Fear: He's the next Tim Thomas.

Jeff Green - Georgetown
Hope: He's Scotty Pippen, with some low-post game.
Fear: He never learns to shoot.

Joakim Noah - Florida
Hope: Noah is a young Paul Silas.
Fear: Noah is Mark Madsen with a ponytail.

Corey Brewer - Florida
Hope: He's another Scotty Pippen.
Fear: He's a poor man's Larry Hughes. You expect so much more.

Brandan Wright - North Carolina
Hope: That three years from now, Wright looks like Shawn Marion.
Fear: Three years from now, his nickname is "Brenda".

Acie Law - Texas A&M
Hope: Law becomes another Chauncey Billups one day.
Fear: Law is a not-so-Speedy Claxton.

Nick Young
Hope: Nick shoots it like Peja Stojakovic.
Fear: Remember John Salmons?

Julian Wright
Hope: He's a bigger, better Boris Diaw.
Fear: He forgets that taking over a game is not illegal.

Morris Almond - Rice U.
Hope: He is the next Ricky Pierce (It's a Rice thing.), or better, Michael Redd.
Fear: He's the next Steve Kerr.

Jared "From Subway" Dudley - Boston College
Hope: He develops into a poor man's Shane Battier.
Fear: The real Shane Battier isn't making anyone's All-Star team.

Nick Fazekas - Nevada
Hope: He's been likened to Keith Van Horn with a better inside game.
Fear: Anybody likened to Keith Van Horn isn't hitting on much.

Glen "Big Baby" Davis - LSU
Hope: He's a taller Charles Barkley who keep his weight down and his game up.
Fear:  Either he'll 1) Eat a teammate. or 2) He'll single-handedly cause the NBA to add food to their substance abuse list. 

Jarvis Crittenton - G-Tech
Hope: He can play the point like Reggie Theus
Fear: He plays the point like Earl Watson.