MBrady was an exceptional young man.  He was the valedictorian of his high school class, won several scholarships and became the first person in his family to attend college.

He worked tirelessly for over a month posting blogs on the NBA, NFL and MLB and quickly became one of the Sweet 16 Finalists in FoxSports Next Great Sportswriter contest - ending a cycle of dangling modifiers and run-on sentences that plagued his family for generations. 

He was just about to heat up some left over pizza when he decided to check his Hotmail account for the latest news on the contest.  That is when he saw an email from the judges with the subject "Sorry, you got the boot!"

MBrady provided feedback to other bloggers, engaged in give in take with those who commented on his blog and had sent in several valuable ideas in email to the folks running the contest. In his heart of hearts this made him feel like a kiss up. 

Though he could have ignored the tone and tenor of this email, MBrady decided to keep it real...

Just kidding everybody -

MBrady
 

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The FoxSports Next Great Sportwriter contest announced its Sweet 16 finalists on December 30th with a #### and two days later it followed it up with the first assignment - preview a game, any game, and do it in any format you want.

For those who survived it was like the contest started all over again, went in a different direction and the clock started ticking.  Writing an article under time pressure is standard operating procedure for both staff and contributing writers at FoxSports.com but this time the writers' work would be critiqued and directly compared to 15 other fine writers.

All the writers did a great job, elevating their game, posting well written pieces on time but one post grabbed our attention.  MBrady posted a preview o####ame that happened nearly 27 years ago and did it in response to some of the chatter that was happening inside Fox's new blogland.

I caught up with MBrady as he drove around town arranging various logistical consideration in preparation for his upcoming move to Los Angeles once Fox makes its offer official on February 8th.

Interviewer: First of all, congratulations.  Your spot in the Sweet 16 was well earned.  

MBrady: Thank you very much.

Interviewer: Before we get into your assignment piece from the editors at FoxSports we wanted to get your take on what happened after the Sweet 16 announcement.  There was a lot of activity after the judges made their selection and it seemed like some lines were drawn in the sand.  Feelings were hurt and people were upset and then, like that, it sort of passed and the contest just continued.

MBrady: It was interesting.  I had never blogged or been in a writing contest before.  I had no idea.

Interviewer: Besides the drama there was an idea that surfaced - that there is a difference between blogging and writing.  Does that strike a chord with you?  And if so, what do you make of it?

MBrady: Nobody ever said it to me, but I believe that where there is smoke there is fire.  Who's blowing smoke, who’s fanning the flames, and who is speaking the gospel – for me - I haven’t decided yet.

Interviewer: As for your post  - a preview o####ame that already passed?  And almost 27 years ago?  Pretty risky.  What were you thinking?

MBrady: I was thinking that I wanted to stretch my writing.  For me, it was two posts combined into one that addressed a matter that came up during the contest and involved a subject that I had wanted to write about.

Interviewer: But you posted your piece at the last minute.  Surely you saw the feedback other finalists were getting.  They did their piece straight up and some of the more vocal and critical bloggers were ripping into them for not even doing the assignment correctly.  You had to assume that your post would push some serious buttons with that crowd.  It could possibly lead to a negative momentum shift that you would not have time to recover from.

MBrady: First, I cannot know for sure because we don't have access to any stats on how many people view of work, but I suspect that very few people are reading my stuff.  Second, I'm not afraid.  I stand by my work.

Interviewer: You always project this air of confidence.  In fact, I am driving around with you as you set up reservations for a moving company and plane tickets and a bunch of other stuff in preparation for a move to Los Angeles because you are convinced that you are going to win and FoxSports is going to make you a job offer.  Your bio even make mention of a February 8th party in celebration of this. And you mention aspects of the party on some of your posts.  Is this for real?

MBrady: My confidence is real.  It's simple.  I just know that I will work at FoxSports.  It is the place to be.  It is only a matter of time until they completely take over ESPN’s market share.  ESPN is riding on an old brand name.  The writing is on the wall.  Like this contest – did ESPN come up with this innovative idea?  No.  It was Fox Sports. 
 
Interviewer: Before I let you go I have to ask - who won the big game – the game that you previewed - the 1979 St. Ignatius boys tournament?

MBrady: If I told you that I won - would you believe me?  And if I told you I lost - would it take something away from the story?  I thought as much.  

----------

Interviewer is Mike Brady, a contributing writer at FoxSports and one of the Sweet 16 Finalist in the FoxSports Next Great Sportswriter contest. 

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Basketball
“This is the second most exciting indoor sport, and the other one shouldn’t have spectators.” #### Vertlieb

I love this game.  Basketball is basketball for me - whether it's the NBA, college, high school or grade school hoops. 

During the contest I have occasionally written posts for the MLB and NFL sections but those areas are not mine.  I have carefully crafted the pieces, silently posted them and then I have quietly gone on my way.  So you can imagine my surprise over the last two weeks when I saw several posts in the NBA section bemoaning the state of the game – claiming it’s boring, it’s worse than soccer and definitely not FAN-tastic, no matter what Chevy Chase says.

My initial reaction to these anti NBA posts was – not in my house!  

I am certain that I can find people who think NASCAR and driving in circles for hours on end is less than exciting. I am certain I can find people who think Major League Baseball is too slow and doesn’t contain enough action.  And I am certain I could even find people who think the NFL end zone celebrations are silly and the mandatory dumping of Gatorade on the winning coach is both unoriginal and boring. So I wondered, what gives?  Why the disrespect?   

But as I thought about it more, I realized that many of the writers in this contest probably didn't come of age watching Larry Bird and Magic Johnson duel it out in the NCAA - and dream about being them.

I also realized that most people weren’t fortunate enough to grow up in a hotbed of basketball, and very few people ever got to play in a championship game of the St. Ignatius tournament.

It is for these reasons that I wrote a preview for a game that took place nearly twenty-seven years ago - the 1979 championship game of the St. Ignatius boys’ basketball tournament.  It was never written, but if it had been, it would have read like this.  


CHICAGO – April 15, 1979

Championship Night
It will be a cold and wet night but that won’t stop anyone from St. Ignatius parish, a stone’s throw from Loyola University, from braving the winds and rain and making their way to the gym.  

Climb the three stories of stairs at 6:30 and you will hear the screeching of the gym shoes on the hardwood floor as Brian Wrenn and his Georgetown Hoyas get ready to take on Jerry Ranalli and his North Carolina Tar Heels for the consolation game.  If you hurry, you will get a place on the bleachers and a hot dog before tip-off. By 7:30, at the start of the second game – featuring Matt Connelly’s Boston College Eagles against Danny Roti’s Marquette squad - the balcony will be filling up.   And by the time warm-ups start for the championship match-up between Paul McMahon’s Duke Blue Devils and Mike Brady’s UNLV Running Rebels it will be standing room only and you will be feeling the pulse of this old gym pounding through your body as the fans continue a chant that was started in the last round – “UN” stomp stomp, “LV” stomp stomp.  

The Anticipation
It is hard to imagine the excitement that courses through the school this time every year when the basketball tournament comes around again and the championship night is approaching unless you have been there or have been lucky enough to play in it.  Third and fourth graders will sit in the stands with their friends and dream about the day they make it to fifth grade and can finally start to play.  Everyone will be there.

The tournament has been a tradition in this Chicago north side neighborhood since 1945.  Many of the players competing tonight can scour the program and see when their father and uncles won Best All Around, MVP, Sportsman, Free Throws, Best Seventh, Sixth and Fifth Graders, and the various team trophies.  It's the kind of thing you would see in an old movie - how the whole town looks forward to this one week of basketball.

An Unexpected Game
But this is not the championship game everyone expected when they first saw the brackets.  It was supposed to be Brian Wrenn, the leading scorer on the varsity Wildcat team that went to CYO championship, taking the top bracket and either Matt Connelly or Jerry Ranalli – the second and third options on the same varsity squad – emerging from the bottom bracket.  

And then a funny thing happened – Paul McMahon’s Duke Blue Devils beat Brian Wrenn and his Hoyas in the quarter-finals and Mike Brady’s Running Rebels ran roughshod over the field – winning their first round game and then surprising everyone with big victories over both Jerry’s Tar Heels and Matt’s Eagles in the following rounds.

The Blue Devils have been lead by center Paul McMahon - averaging 18 points and eight rebounds a game. They have also gotten solid performances from Richie Levenhagen who handles the ball, safely feeds it in the low post, and has added 12 points per game. Both of Duke’s games were close but they sealed victories by finishing very strong – combining key baskets with tenacious defense.  “We have gotten stronger and more confident each game and I feel that if we can just stay in it, then I like our chances, ” stated Victor Pena, coach of the Blue Devils.

But just staying in it will be their challenge.  The guard tandem of Mike Brady and Danny Delpoza has confounded their three opponents thus far.  Either player can play point, penetrate and finish or dish out to the other for the open jumper. When fouled, both hit over eighty-five percent from the line.  With this style of play they are averaging 32 points a game.  "These guys have been on fire.  One more game.  That's what I told them.  Just one more game," said Dan Kascher, coach of the Running Rebels.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Duke’s strengths, scoring in half court setups from down in the post and controlling the boards, are the weaknesses for the UNLV.  The strengths for the UNLV, running and gunning, expose Duke’s lack of speed and perimeter defense.

Key Match-up
UNLV will need another huge night from their sixth grade center Matt Murphy.  He will get help guarding Paul McMahon when the defense collapses but he will still need to hold his own down low and control the defensive boards.  Rarely in this tournament is so much asked of someone so young.

The X Factor
Mike Brady showed flashes of brilliance three years ago when he won best fifth grader the same year that his brother Joe won best seventh grader and his brother Dan won the tournament and walked away with Best All Around.  On championship night, with the pressure on, his previous success and family history will account for a Running Rebel edge.

Prediction
UNLV 30  -  Duke 26

Regardless of the outcome, you can count on three things; the gym will be packed, it will be rocking and you will witness another incredible championship night – one that will surely be remembered for years and years to come.

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When I win this contest I will openly and admittedly plagiarize for my acceptance speech.   I will stand up there and say, sin verguenza,

“I feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my work--a short span of work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of all for profit, but to create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before. So this award is only mine in trust. It will not be difficult to find a dedication for the money part of it commensurate with the purpose and significance of its origin – like a weekend in Boston this summer for a Yankee game at Fenway with my two boys. But I would like to do the same with the acclaim too, by using this moment as a pinnacle from which I might be listened to by the young men and women already dedicated to the same anguish and travail, among whom is already that one who will some day stand where I am standing – in the future NGS contests.

“Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only one question: When will I be blown up? Because of this, the young man or woman writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat. He must learn them again. He must teach himself that the basest of all things is to be afraid: and, teaching himself that, forget it forever, leaving no room in his workshop for anything but the old verities and truths of the heart, the universal truths lacking which any story is ephemeral and doomed--love and honor and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice. Until he does so, he labors under a curse. He writes not of love but of lust, of defeats in which nobody loses anything of value, and victories without hope and worst of all, without pity or compassion. His griefs grieve on no universal bones, leaving no scars. He writes not of the heart but of the glands.

“Until he learns these things, he will write as though he stood among and watched the end of man. I decline to accept the end of man. It is easy enough to say that man is immortal because he will endure: that when the last ding-#### of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny inexhaustible voice, still talking. I refuse to accept this. I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet's, the writer's, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.”

And it would be without shame because how can I possibly ever do any better than William Faulkner? 

p.s. I had no idea how many people were in this contest when I chose the venue for the February 8th bash.  I am going to have to change it.  It will be at the El Jardin in the Glen.  We'll clear out the tables in front of the bar and get a great mariachi band.  The margaritas were coming from there anyway.

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Reaching the Sweet 16 of the Fox Sports Next Great Sportswriter contest has changed my life.  Now that I am a role model I feel a great responsibility to all the kids out there who dream to one day stand on the sidelines with pencil in hand racking their brains for a fresh angle as the clock ticks away.

So, let me begin by stating for the record, "I have never used steroids, period. I do not know how to say it any more clearly than that."

That might seem hard to believe, especially with my 20 plus quality posts and with BALCO head Victor Conte claiming that I injected myself in the leg with human growth hormones in an interview for "20/20," to be aired Friday - but I assure you that I am clean.

Sure, I have been using a hand cream called “the clear III” from BALCO for the past month of the competition but they told me that it is basically aloe vera in a tube and I believe them.

So with that out of the way let me get to the meat of this post – who are the 16 finalists?  

I can best be described as someone who writes primarily about the NBA but also about the NFL and MLB – especially as it related to Chicago or a hot topic.  My approach is to try and find something unique to say and to say it concisely and with a twist.

Since I hadn’t written about sports for a long time my first few posts were just OK as I struggled to get my footing.  That day finally came with Enough “D” in Da Bears?  I am sure that most people didn’t see it or read it but I knew after I had written it that I was hitting stride.  It revealed something about me, it was concise  and prophetic and it all came together at the end.

A few post after that, I came up with a new type of article that I think could be on FoxSports.com or ESPN entitled Reading Between the Lines. Although it needs more development it demonstrated an innovative nature to my writing.

Ron Just Wants to Be Like Mike is still one of my favorite posts and I think it is most indicative of my writing style.  I followed that up with several more posts that shared many of the same qualities.

Just before Christmas an idea that had been germinating in my brain for the month finally came out.  NBA 3 on 3 is, in my humble opinion, my best idea – although not my best post.  It a whole new way of looking at the NBA and evaluating the strength of the organization.  I should have been more concise and ended stronger but the content is solid.

After all of that, with the clock ticking away, I attempted to push myself and committed to three more posts in the The Brackets are Being Filled that captured some of what it felt like to have the first phase of the contest winding down.

As for the other 15 finalists – I finished reading most of their posts late last night and I considered writing up a summary of each finalist – including the sports covered, team and city affiliations and my general impressions.  I thought it would add something to the competition – a way to get to know the contestants before the voting that will determine this whole thing gets under way.  But knowing that my summary might not faithfully represent the other writers’ work I decided to do the next best thing – highlight my favorite post from each one.

arabchickencurry
hey maybe Joe Gibbs really does know what he’s doing

crookdnose
I don't hate basketball; I just don't love it anymoreg

DC_Domer
Girls Who Watch Football

detpak
Quotes, Play Calls, Players, Coaches, Storylines, and Anything Else In Sports That Makes You Go Hmmn?--(Rated PG-13)

DrMidnight
NFL Sack Artists and why Elliott Kalb missed the boat

Forgotten_Fan
2005 TEXANS: GROWING PAINS OR JUST PAIN-awFUL

HiPlainsDrifter
How the Cubs Stole Christmas

jdeppa
A Big Blue Monday spent in Seattle

Jon_Mano
Curse of Johnny Damon? Only if we're lucky

JWatters
Rodney Carney - Lottery Pick or Track Star

mustandj17
No Arguments Here Michigan Got Raw End

Norcalfella
Interest from A's ownership in MLS team could lead to San Jose Athletics

sportstraveler
'Monday Night Football' ends, but life goes on in cable era

The_Doc
4th Down -- Where Games are Won and Lost

tyhildenbrandt
The Eleven

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After tonight the contest changes dramatically - with only 16 writers going on to compete for the ultimate prize – becoming a contributing writer at FoxSports.  In another five weeks it will all be decided.  But what’s next, after that?

Assuming FoxSports wants this community to grow and mature it is in everyone’s interest to open up the lines of communication.  Below are my initial thoughts and suggestions.

Blogs.FoxSports.com As the Farm System for FoxSports.com  
The first step is for Blogs.FoxSports.com to be transformed into an online magazine just like FoxSports.com.  It would look and feel just like FoxSports.com but be populated with articles and posts from us.

Which posts would be included?  This could be handled in any number of ways and may require that writers categorize their posts but the main idea is that we would all vote on our favorite writers and the top ones would be included.  This would give writers a chance to hone their skills and create a following and give the editors at FoxSports a good way to farm new talent.
 

I also think the Blogs.FoxSports.com site could be a little different than the main site – swapping out modules for our own creations.  Instead of the Free Video module that is on the home page maybe the new site could create a different module - devoted to humor, or the odds and gambling, or something more blog-like and interactive.  We could establish modules that map well to the different styles of  the various writers. 

A Little Love on the FoxSports.com Home Page
On the home page of FoxSports.com the farm system could take over one Feature slot – like the far right one that I circled in red – and a feature article from the Blogs.FoxSports.com site could be highlighted there daily.  This would give everyone who continues to write a chance to get on the main site in a real way.

 

Good night and good luck to everyone.

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It's a sunny day at Camden and there is a pop fly to short left center.  Brady Anderson has got a good jump on it.  He is running full speed in as the ball keeps falling faster and faster until finally he jumps, flies, or whatever and he is completely stretched out, flat on the ground from his wrist to his waist, with his feet whipping wildly behind him, his face tense and his eyes locked in on the ball that is heading straight into his open mit.

The Best All Around goes to your Jordan-types - the guys who take on the brunt of the ball handling and scoring.  The MVP goes to your Shaq-types - big, dependable, dominating guys you feed it down to.  With an MVP and a Best All Around we can finally argue about the players and their merit and quit comparing apples and oranges.

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I played basketball in grade school.  We were taught to play much like the old highlights of Bob Cousy dribbling in circles with his right hand only.

By the time I hit high school the pro game was changing.  It was getting much faster, more aggressive and closer to the rim.  

When Michael Jordan came of age and began winning championships the game officially changed. The transformation started by Dr. J was completed and basketball became a game that is won and lost based on how aggressively you play it – how hard you fight for the ball, how desperately you hit the glass and how forcefully you take it to the rim.

And with that – our way of looking at the game needs to change.  

Take Francisco Garcia from last night. He was 1-7.  Our initial reaction is to think – bad night.  But he ended up with 11 points.  He had to be taking it to the hole.

How about Michael Redd? He went 4-14 last night.  He ended up with 21 points.

You see the same thing with players who have a good night as well. Tony Parker went 8-16 and ended up with 27 points.  Wade went 10-14 and ended up with a whopping 35 points.

You can get a feel the value of a player with a quick read of their Field Goal Yield – field goals made compared to total points.  Games like Garcia, Redd, Parker and Wade are very good games.  You need those to win in the NBA.  Those Yields are usually an indication of a player who is consistently taking it to the rim, getting fouled and hitting free throws.

But the Field Goal Yield is just a rough estimate of a player’s productivity.  If you want to complete this you will need to factor in all the other stats - but be careful how you weight them.

Positives stats
Points
Free throws made
Rebounds
Assists
Steals
Blocks
Fouls

You will notice that fouls are a positive.  The old school of thinking is that fouls are a negative but in this “take it to the rim" game fouls are necessary and useful – both offensively and defensively.

Negative stats
Turnovers
Missed field goals
Missed free throws

Be careful here.  In the Bob Cousy game, missed field goals and missed free throws meant a lot.  In this new game it is way over-valued.  Don’t deduct much for them.

The only negative stat you need is a stat that isn’t recorded.  It is the points scored by the person you are guarding when you are on the floor.  Think Toni Kukoc.  He was the poster child of this stat when he was on the Bulls.  Since he played a very weak defensive game his counterpart usually scored as many if not more points than he did. So did he have a great game scoring 24 points if his counterpart scored 32?

So go forth and view the box scores with a new perspective and make sure you give those Francisco Garcia’s their due - they earned it.

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It's tourney time. The committee is filling up the brackets. You can bet that some bloggers are definitely in, while some look good as many more rest on the bubble.   This last day is going to be big - especially for the bubble bloggers.

How are we going to respond?  We talk a good game - or at least write a good one.  We sit at our keyboards late at night with the glow of the monitor radiating on us while our loved ones are fast asleep - and we judge.  We judge this shot and that pass and this trade and that draft pick.  But now it's us and it's our time.

Isn't this great and isn't this why we joined the Next Great Sportswriter competition in the first place?   We are not only fans - we are competitors.

How am I going to respond?  I have to assume that I am on the bubble - even if I am so far away that the judges have yet to see my blog.  It is the only course of action since we have no standings. 

I have a lot of ideas.  I want to write a piece about how the NBA needs to either add a Best All Around to go with the MVP or they need to eliminate the award altogether.  Aren't we tired of the same old stale arguments every year?  With an MVP that is the most valuable person to his team and a Best All Around that is the best athlete, we could be spared countless future meaningless arguments.

I also want to write a piece and introduce a new offensive productivity stat for the NBA - the field goal yield.  Looking at players' productivity in terms of shots made to total points has a way of uncovering who is a valuable contributor and who is not for a game that just demands you take it to the rim. 

And I would like to end on a real ####.  I would like to combine my ideas on how FoxSports could turn this new blog space into its own farm system for up-and-coming sports writers with a much overdue calling out of my favorite fellow writers.

Sure, you are thinking, everyone want to dribble left at the top of the key, fake out Craig Ehlo, jump and hit the winning shot at the buzzer.  Everyone wants to think that they will dig deep down and pull it out.  Everyone wants to think that they are a winner. 

But we all know that only 16 move on and I can't help but sit here and wonder - will I be one of them?  And I think to myself, I could wait like everyone else for the judges make their big announcement but maybe there is better way.  From the corner of my eye - sitting on the dining room table - I see it - the ultimate authority - the Magic 8 Ball. 

And so, I pick it up - begin shaking - and say out loud "Am I moving on to the Sweet 16?" And with one last shake I look down only to see - Ask Again Later.

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You can think about the NBA in any number of ways.  It can be superstar versus superstar - Kobe versus Shaq.  It can be team versus team - Pistons versus Spurs.  It can be coach versus coach - Riley versus Jackson.  How about the NBA as a 3 on 3 -  with GM, coach, star.  It is not too far fetched.  Think about it.
 
Detroit - Dumars, Flip, Billups
You have to like Dumars, Flip, Billups.  It's rock solid.  It is machine-like in its efficiency.  It is perfect spacing and execution.  It is Dumars and Dumars was always great - even if it wasn't ever flashy or more than it needed to be.  I like this team.
 
Indiana - Bird, Carlisle, ONeal
Bird, Carlisle, ONeal is good but you have to think this organization is still suffering some sort of bird flu that they caught last year.  With the upcoming trade they will likely have finally kicked it but it will take a little more time to regain their strength and fully compete.
 
Miami - Riley, Riley, Shaq
Riley, Riley, Shaq is really with Wade too but you know showtime has many moving parts - and in this case even includes a reinvigorated Alonzo Mourning - so you gotta like what you see.  The talent is there and the coach is on the bench.  If it wasn't for Wade I would be rooting against these guys out loud, but with Wade I am very intrigued and ready to jump on the bandwagon.
 
Chicago - Paxon, Skiles, Hinrich
Paxon, Skiles, Hinrich.  I could play on this team.  I am a short white guard who understands the value of playing with the most intensity and grit and I make smart shots and most of my free throws.  They have established the work ethic and style of play.  The next step is hanging out the Help Wanted sign and signing some offensive stars.
 
New York - Isiah, Larry, Marbury
Isiah, Larry, Marbury.  I tend to root against Isiah - not as any firm rule but somehow I always find myself rooting against him. He signed all of this talent - based on his keen eye for the stuff - and then hoped that it would come together.  When it didn't, he called somebody who knew how to clean up a mess.  The problem in NY is that Marbury needs to go. It will take time and, as such, can only be done if Isiah can follow the coach long enough.  All that is needed is patience in New York - good to see him struggling.
 
Cleveland - Ferry, Brown, LeBron
Ferry, Brown, LeBron.  If I repeat the names of this team out loud five times I always have the same thought -  Brown will be gone before this team hits its stride.  With LeBron you can copy the Jordan path to championships that the Lakers will be taking or you can come up with a new way - but you need a way that LeBron buys into because you will hit bumps along the ways.  My bet is that the Brown system falters before the glory that is coming hits LeBron in all its gold and glitter and, at that point, there is a high profile coach on the Cav's bench.
 
Boston - Ainge, Doc, Pierce
Ainge, Doc, Pierce.  What is this?  I always admired Ainge's competitiveness and style of play.  I always liked Doc.  And Pierce looks like a real star.  What is going on here?  From a distance I thought they were purging their malcontents.  They should be doing better, shouldn't they?  Somebody please fill me in.
 
Lakers - Kupchak, Jackson, Bryant
Kupchak, Jackson, Bryant.  Wow.  It will be a fight with the Pistons, Spurs, and Heat but they could do it.  It wont be hard to attract top talent to play Kobe's supporting cast - no matter how much bad press he gets. Some of the new talent needed grew up watching and dreaming of being like him winning all those championships and playing in L.A.  Every star loves sunshine, girls, movies, the recording business and money?  It is a good bet that Phil can teach Kobe how to be Jordan and Mitch can bring in the missing pieces.  I like this bet.  Buy now.
 
Memphis - West, Fratello, Gasol
West, Fratello, Gasol.  I don't know what to make of that.  Seems to be working.  I would enjoy seeing it work.  I am just not a true believer yet.  There is a weakness in the spine or something.  Not that they won't dazzle us at times but the frailty will make itself felt eventually.  They also score lower than you would expect when you look at them with my handicapping.  I guess what I am saying is - I am not afraid of this team. 
 
Denver - Kiki, Carl, Melo
Kiki, Carl, Melo.  I don't know what to make of it but I basically like what I have seen from all three - when they were on their own.  This one is better for me to hear from people who are closer to these guys.
 
Clippers - Baylor, Dunleavy, Brand
Baylor, Dunleavy, Brand.  Interesting.  Seems to be working ok.  Worth keeping an eye on even though it is usually hard to imagine the Clippers as a good team or organization.  Brand brings a lot to the equation.  An argument could be made that he is the best player over the last 5 years.
 
Dallas - Donnie Nelson, Avery, Dirk
Minnesota - McHale, Dwane Casey, Garnett
New Jersey - Thorn, Frank, Kidd
Philidephia - Billy King, Cheeks, Iverson
Washington - Ernie Grunfeld, Eddie Jordan, Jamison
San Antonio - Buford, Popovich, Duncan...
 
The Book's Hot Tip
Keep an eye on this no name team - Larry Harris, Terry Stotts, Michael Redd.
 

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Oh what a relief Rex is.

With the most dominating defense in the league falling on their face last week in Pittsburg and an offense that could only be described as offensive - the Bears had two major hurdles to overcome when the Atlanta Falcons came knocking at Soldiers Field last night if they wanted to hold out any hope of winning it all this year.

1. Re-establish the defense

2. Show life on offense and score some points

Although Michael Vick has a quarterback rating in the low 70s, his ability to pass and run (he averages over 5 yards a carry and has more than 500 yards on the ground this year) creates headaches for any defensive unit - even the most confident and capable.  And with little anticipation that Kyle Orton was going to wake up Sunday morning and be someone he isn't - a highly qualified professional quarterback that strikes fear into NFL defensive coordinators - re-establishing the defense was priority number one.

When the public address announcer shouted in the second quarter, ''The wind-chill is 7 below zero," a huge ovation came right back at him from the Bear faithful, some bare chested.  That must have sent a chill up Michael Vick's spine because that is Bear's weather.

It is not easy to move the chains when they are frozen but it turned out to be impossible for Atlanta when combined with the fact that Brian Urlacher and company felt pressured to prove a point - that they are the most dominant defense in all of football.  They held Vick to 122 yards passing and 35 yards rushing while limiting the Falcons to just 3 points on a total of only 231 yards. No question about it - the defense re-established itself.

But the story of the night came at the start of the third quarter when coach Lovie Smith finally replaced Kyle Orton with Rex Grossman.  In the end, the coach Smith had little choice. With weeks of media pressure and grumblings from all corners of Chicago, Orton forced the coach's hand by going 2/10 for a whopping 12 yards in the first half.

It turned out to be the perfect decision at the perfect time.  Rex came in and threw a beautiful pass to a streaking receiver on his very first play and proceeded to move the ball up the field like - like a professional quarterback.  With a little luck on his side (a interception at the one yard line that was forced into a fumble and immediately recovered)  Rex Grossman helped the Bears overcome their second, and more difficult hurdle - showing life on offense and scoring points.  And just like that, with a 16-3 victory, the collective indigestion that had been forming over the last few weeks in Chicago disappeared.

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Who am I?

I average just over 17 pts on 44% shooting, 6 assists and nearly 4 rebounds a game.

                                                   
I could be Peja Stojachovic and you would be close but Peja shoots a slightly lower percentage and doesn't have as many assists or rebounds.

I could be Baron Davis but I am not. Baron has more assists at 10 a game but only shoots 34% from the field. 

Now you think you've got it - Chauncey Billups. Sorry. After Thursday night's career game his pts per game is slightly higher and his assists up at 8 a game. But very close.

No, I am not Peja Stojachovic, Baron Davis nor Chauncey Billups. I am Stephon Marbury.

What does this tell us?

It tells us that intangibles are real otherwise the Kings and Warriors would consider a straight up trade for Stephon Marbury to be a good deal and the Pistons would see it as a wash.  But we know that is not the case.

It was reported today that Donnie Walsh has talked with representatives from 15-20 teams and in most cases, he took the call rather than placed it.

That is a lot of interest for Ron Artest. At 19 pts, 5 assists and 2 rebounds per game it almost seems reasonable.  In a sport where you need at least two stars on a team to win, one is currently available.  But is this star a wise choice or should these eager buyers beware? 

It is not to say that whatever team gets Artest will immediately suffer but it is to say that whatever team gets Artest will eventually suffer.  His intangibles ultimately make him a negative impact on a team and organization.

Many teams will convince themselves that Artest is worth the risk because many teams have only one and some have no superstars.  To illustrate the point let's consider one possible destination that seems just too tantalizing to completely ignore and where Artest could possibly gel just long enough to win a title before imploding again. 

Entertain the thought of Artest, Iverson and Iguodala.  Or Artest, Iverson and Weber.  How would you like to walk into Phili and play those guys?  In this one case, the crazy intangibles from all players involved just might combine and create some sort of explosive mixture that  has enough power to win one title.  If you were Billy King you might just try and convince yourself that Artest is worth the risk.  

But buyers beware - this sale is "as is".  No refunds.  No returns.

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But my focus is on something altogether more positive.  I am wondering if Riley didn't just assemble a group of athletes that he thinks could be molded into some modern day swampy version of Showtime. 

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“To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve.” Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan has had the greatest impact on the game of basketball since I began watching (1970s) - a remarkable talent and a legacy of championships.  His sense of the basket and his knack for game winning shots has inspired the armchair and professional athletes like nobody else. Who, under the age of 40, has not wanted to be like Mike – at least a little?  

But there are two Mikes.  There is the incredibly talented “on court Mike” who managed six championships and completely dominated the sport at the end of his career.  And there is the “off court Mike” – the commercial Mike - who smiled that insincere smile at every turn and demanded that the “Jordan rules” open every door and pick up every check.

Although us armchair athletes desperately covet his six championship rings and the glory that accompanies being “the man” on the court, the real athletes desire the off court Mike – the commercial Mike – the fake Mike – the rich and famous Mike.  After all, it is much easier for them to achieve.

When Kobe entered the league I could not believe how much he was like Mike.  The potential of his talent was obvious but what stunned me more was how much he seemed to be imitating the commercial Mike.  Kobe took on Mike’s smile and mannerisms like a master mime. But he is not the only one.  LeBron, Dwayne, Tracey, ‘Melo’ - and now Ron.

"Here I don't think I'm going to have a chance to maximize my opportunity for my potential," Ron said. "When I first got here, all I wanted to do was play defense. I never really cared about offense, but what I see is players like Kobe, Tracy, Arenas and Jermaine getting the opportunity to maximize their potential on the court and to get paid.”

With a perennial malcontent like Ron Artest it can be difficult to understand his moods and motives but this much is obvious – he just wants to be like Mike – the commercial Mike that is. 

Related Links

Artest ready to roll...Perhaps it's showtime

Artest Should Join T.O. On the Inactive Roster

Why Ron Artest will work for the Cleveland Cavaliers

Artest, You Are So Right and So Wrong

Yes, Ron Artest, go play for Larry Brown!

Artest's Latest Antics Add to a Growing Legacy

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Kobe leads the league in field goal attempts per game.

"I have to be assertive, and if the ball doesn't go in, it gives us a good rebounding opportunity," Kobe said. 

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