The Miami Heat may have solved their point guard problems today with the signing of Smush Parker.  Many people are not very "high" on Smush, but he brings consistency to the point guard position as well as some pretty good numbers.  He is only one of three players to have over 110 steals and 110 3-point field goals in the past two seasons and he played in every game for the Lakers for the past two seasons.  The Heat have not had a point guard who could stay healthy for the past two years and that is a key problem.

Not having the same player bring up the ball in every game is problematic because a rhythm can not be established.  Parker should remain healthy and provide that much needed consistency to the Heat.  Smush also has options in Miami with Shaq and Wade so he will not be needed to score as much as he will be needed to distribute the ball.  In a free agent market with very few available point guards, the Heat have made a bold move.

I for one can't wait to see the NBA season start now because this adds a whole new element of drama to the season. If Miami wins with Smush, what does that say about Kobe?  If Parker wins an NBA title with Shaq, does that mean Kobe needed Shaq too? 

Unlike my Sunday Rants, I have too many this week to wait.  Here goes nothing:

Motorbikes and athletes:  Why do million dollar athletes insist on riding bikes?  They have ruined the careers of J Williams, Kellen Winslow, Ben Rothlisberger, and now Lavar Arrington.  If you ride a bike you will get into an accident.  It is not if, but when.

Tiger:  He is a daddy now and his career will take a turn for the worse.  He lost this weekend and I predict his win totals will diminish as he will play less and less over the next few years to watch his daughter grow.

Beckham:  Who really cares that David Beckham is coming to the US to play for MLS Galaxy?  I don't.  Sure he is a good looking British athlete married to former ####e Girl, but who watches soccer in the US?  MLS is in its 12th season but I couldn't tell you who won this year or last.   Seems I read somewhere the team in Texas won, but I don't know nor do I care.  It's almost as bad as the NHL which can't pay people to watch.

Orioles:  If they are lucky enough to land Joe Girardi, then more power to them.  Somehow I think Joe may wait for a better club, but I think he is the best managerial candidate out there.  WIth that said, a manager alone can not win pennants.  They need some hitters and bullpen help.

Norv Turner and the Chargers:  Heaven help us in San Diego because this season is going to turn brutal.  I think Norv will turn a 14-2 team into a 9-7 team next year, and that is if LT stays healthy.   Rivers will hit his sophomore jitters and then the Norv curse will set in and then we will see the fans start wishing Marty was back in town.

Kobe:  Please stop the madness.  Kobe can not be traded for anything equitably and therefore it will be nearly impossible to pull off a trade.  If Kupchak did trade Kobe, then it would only validate and magnify his hapless GM abilities.  Kobe needs to stay put and the Lakers need to bring in some talent.  Unfortunately, even if they do that Kobe will lose and his legacy will forever be stained with his incessant whining.  Nobody likes a cry baby. 

SoCalSportsFan

One might consider the Dallas Mavericks or the Phoenix Suns as the hottest team in the NBA, but it is actually the Miami Heat.  Winners of nine in a row, they now have the longest winning streak.  All of this without All-Star Guard Dwyane Wade.  Some of the naysayers said this team couldn’t win without Wade.  Some said that Shaq was no longer the leader of this team.  Many still believe it was Kobe that won those three championships at LA, but the truth is that Shaq is still the man.  When he is on the court he makes players like Jason Williams, James Posey, Eddie Jones, and Antoine Walker much better than they are without him.   Had Eddie Jones moved on to any other team he would not be playing this well, but because teams still have to double up on Shaq perimeter players like Jones and Walker get many open looks.  Jones’ stat lines have looked like those from a bygone era.  Each night one of the perimeter players steps up their game while Shaq is putting up 20 points a night and nearly double digit rebounds.  He has also led his team in assists in two of those nine games. 

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the Lakers are in a downward spiral even though Kobe is still playing well.  Sure he has lost Lamar Odom, but Shaq lost Dwyane Wade.  Which team lost more?  If Shaq can win with players like Gary Payton and Eddie Jones, can’t Kobe win with Brian Cook and Maurice Evans?  The true superstars elevate their teams as Nash did with their recent double over time win over Dallas.  The Lakers are in trouble as is their troubled star.  Meanwhile Shaq is positioning himself for another title run.  The Heat own the Nets.  They slaughtered them last year in the play-offs and they won against them again tonight without Wade.  What chance does NJ have once Dwyane is back?  NONE!

Riley has done a tremendous job with this team.  His coaching and the return of Shaq virtually assure they will not miss the play-offs.  Once they make it and Wade returns, the sky is the limit.  Dallas, Phoenix, and the Heat are the teams to beat.

SocalSportsFan

Simply put, Shaquille O'Neal is still the man.  I have often tried to make the case that O'Neal made Penny Hardaway, Kobe, and now Wade better than they really are.  Now don't misunderstand what I am saying because Wade and Bryant are two of the best players in the NBA today, but without Shaq or a similar low post threat they will never win a championship again.

What do the Magic, Lakers, and Heat all have in common?  They all had Shaq in his prime and all went to the NBA Finals with him.  In fact, if Nick Anderson could hit free throws the Magic would already have won one title and Shaq may have still been in a Magic uniform.  Shaq led the Lakers to three titles and again would have had a fourth if Kobe had decided to pass the ball when they lost in their last attempt at a title against the Pistons.  Unfortunately, Kobe decided to try and win that championship on his own and we all know what happened.  Shaq left town and Kobe signed a huge contract.  Even Phil left town because Kobe was uncoachable.  It took 10 million reasons a year to bring Phil back, and I do believe Kobe has learned his lesson.  Too little too late though.

WIthout Wade this year the Heat have gone 1-7 but in those first games Shaq was also out of the lineup.  Now that Wade is gone and Shaq is there the Heat have won 2 out of the last three.  Shaq led the team in scoring, rebounds, and assists last night.  He had 31, 15, and 6.  Not bad for an overweight, over the hill center.  Yes, Shaq's best days are behind him, but he can still bring it and he is showing why the Heat will be a force in the play offs even without Wade.  Should Dwyane make it back then I think they are still the team to beat.

SoCalSportsFan

I said it last year and I will say it again this year.  As long as Shaq plays the Heat will win.  He is back and the Heat have the longest current winning streak in the NBA at 5 games in a row.  The Mavericks are also working on a 5 game winning streak.  The point is that as good as Dwyane Wade is, Shaq makes him better.  He causes double teams down low and it opens up more looks for the other players.  Even an older, fatter, and slower Shaq demands more attention than a 100% healthy Chris Kaman.  People can minimize Shaq's impact all they want but the fact is that when he is on the floor he makes his team better.  He made the Lakers better and he led them to their most recent titles and not Kobe.  Shaq may not be able to win it all by himself, but he can lead any team to the promised land and with help bring home the trophy. 

Shaq has learned that he does not need to score 20+ points a game to help his team win.  His "mere" presence is all that is needed to force teams to play the Heat differently.  With Shaq on the floor a Jason Kapona looks like a super star.  Shaq distributes the ball, he rebounds, and he defends the lane.   Lastly, he has learned to praise his other players.  Shaq does not need all of the glory which is harder for some superstars to admit.  The East better look out because Shaq is back!

Now let's see how long it takes for all the Shaq haters to post comments.

SoCalSportsFan

Does anyone else see what I am seeing when I watch the Lakers play?  It appears to me that Kobe is injured.  He is moving at half speed down the court and does not appear to elevate on dunks or moves down the lane.  I can attribute some of this to a couple of things, but I am just not sure which one it is.

One, he could still be rusty from his lay off from having surgery and has not fully recovered.

Two, he could be injured and not able to make the moves that he once could.

Three, maybe he is out of shape and a bit overweight from the off season.  He appears to be about 20 lbs heavier to me, but then again the camera does add a few pounds or so they say.  Wouldn't that be ironic if Kobe was overweight and out of shape and everyone gives Shaq grief.

As for me, I am not a Kobe hater, but I am a Laker fan.   I want to see them succeed, but this is just an observation on my part.  Kobe still has some big games scoring over 30, but when he does it is mostly from long range and free throws.  But he has also had several low scoring games of late and his assists are up.  Either he is injured, rusty, or out of shape because I do not believe for one minute Kobe has bought into the pass first mentality.

SoCalSportsFan

Early in the season when the Lakers went on that big winning spree people were ready to crown them the champions of the west.  Then Phoenix went on a 15 game winning streak before the Wizards cut them down to size.  All the hype about the west being so much better than the East is just that, HYPE.  In the end, the best of the East will face the best in the West and if history is any indicator, the East has fared pretty well in the finals in the last three years winning two out of three times.

I for one do not subscribe to the theory that the Lakers are ready to be crowned champs nor do I believe Phoenix is exactly ready too.  The true championship teams have always had certain key elements in the mix which make them “contenders” for the crown while the “wannabes” usually have a superstar like a Kobe or a Nash.  The Lakers do have a true superstar in Kobe Bryant and the Suns have two time MVP Steve Nash, but what are both teams missing.

Both teams need veteran supporting casts.  The Pistons brought in Rasheed Wallace and they have Antonio McDyess who provide that veteran leadership that does not wilt in the heat of battle.  The Heat brought in Antoine Walker and Gary Payton last year and it seemed to get them over the hump.  The Lakers and the Suns are way too young in the supporting cast spots and by young I mean in terms of playoff experience.

True contenders also need a strong big man.  The big man does not have to be the main superstar, but it doesn’t hurt.  The Lakers of old had Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul Jabar.  The modern day Lakers and last year’s NBA Champion had Shaq on their team.  The Pistons had Ben Wallace who is a great defender and rebounder.   The Spurs had David Robinson and Tim Duncan.  To win without a great big man requires two superstars and a good supporting cast.   The Chicago Bulls never had a “superstar” at the center position, but they always had a serviceable big man and then they had Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen along with a strong supporting cast. The Bird led Boston Celtics had Robert Parish, aka "The Chief", but they also had Kevin McHale and DJ.   

Lastly, championship teams have to have great play at the point guard position.  The Spurs have had Tony Parker who is a great shooting point guard that is a complete player.  Quick to the basket, scores critical goals when needed, and dishes the ball out to his entire team.  The Pistons have had Chauncey Billups at the point guard position for their latest runs at the title and the great team of yester year was lead by Isiah Thomas.  The Lakers teams of the past had Magic Johnson running the show.  The Heat had Jason Williams at the point last year who has flashes of brilliance.  He is not consistent throughout the year, but when he is passing and shooting the ball well the Heat are unstoppable.

 

So who is a true contender this year?  The Spurs and Mavericks out West will be in the mix again because they both have good point guards and a superstar.  I think the Spurs have the edge because they have the better supporting cast, but health and luck will determine which one wins the crown in the West.

 

In the East, the Heat will be there along with the Pistons and the Wizards.  In the end, with a healthy Shaq the Heat will win the East Crown and play to repeat as champions.  Their one weakness is in the point guard position, but if Williams plays well they can win it all again. 

 

The Lakers will make it into the second round as long as Odom is healthy, but their center position is still to young and inexperienced.  Kwame Brown will not improve enough to ever be that great big man they need and Andrew Bynum is still too young.  Kobe can only take you so far alone and Smush Parker is not the answer for a point guard.  The Lakers will be fun to watch in one more year as I do think Jordan Farmar may be that great point guard they need to take them to the next level.  He can shoot and he is athletic.  He needs more playing time and I think Phil Jackson is realizing that as I see him playing more and more lately.  The Lakers are not that far away from being a great team, but they are not there yet. 

The Phoenix Suns have the great point guard in Nash and Stoudemire is a horse in the middle on offense, but no one on that teams plays defense.  They are all too busy cherry picking on the fast break to play decent defense.  In the end, this will hurt them when the playoffs start.  The Wizards proved that the Suns are beatable even when well rested.  If the Wizards who are second in their division behind the Magic can beat them, they are not ready to win it all.  Every year the Suns play this kind of ball only to lose in a best of 7 series.  Teams figure out how to stop them.

These are just my thoughts on what it takes and of course there are always exceptions. Feel free to chime in with your picks for this year's contender. 

 

SoCalSportsFan

 

New NBA Basketball:  It was a stupid decision to switch balls without consulting the players and I hope the league realizes this and just switches back.  It is beyond me to think that the NFL or MLB would switch balls without getting input from its players, but yet David Stern and his minions decided to do this without input.  It must be about money, but I am not sure how Spalding is making more money on this ball or its advertising.  I know we all played with all kinds of balls in pick up games, but as long as I can remember we used a leather ball in every organized league and it was always a thrill to get to use a game ball to shoot around.  Synthetic was fine for the pick up games on the play ground, but real leather was special.

BCS:  To be honest, I would like a play off system, but the BCS has done a fair job of getting the right two teams each year.  USC vs. Texas was the right match up last year and with the exception of by passing Auburn a few years back, I have had very few quarrels with the eventual champion.  Sure a case could be made that one team should have a shot at the title, but even with a play off there will always be a team on the outside looking in that might deserve a spot.  If you take four teams, it is the number five team out, and if you take eight teams, it is the ninth one that was considered that will have a beef.  How many one loss teams deserve a shot at this title game?  Boise State is undefeated and they will not even get a look at the title game or a BCS berth. 

 

NBA:  The Lakers are looking pretty good out in the west.  Is it suddenly because Kobe is sharing the ball more or is it because of Phil Jackson?  If it were up to me, I would say that both of those are contributing factors, but the biggest turn around is that Lamar Odom has become much more aggressive at looking for his shots.  Odom is finding ways to score and he is not passing up on his shots.  As long as Odom continues to be aggressive the Lakers have a shot at going deep into the play offs this year.

 

NFL: Look out for the Seahawks.  With the return of Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks have a shot at the Super Bowl again.  He was flawless last week against Green Bay and he looked to be in perfect form.  If he continues to run for 100+ yards per game, the Seahawks will come out on top in the NFC.  Hopefully everyone will not start saying the NFC is all that weak if they do win out because Dallas has played pretty well this year and so have the Bears and Saints.

 

MLB:  The Red Sox are idiots for paying 51 million just to talk to a player.  It’s that simple.  The Cubs are making the best moves in MLB to become a real contender.  Bonds will play somewhere next year and it looks more and more like it will be in Oakland every day.  Big Mac deserves to be in the HOF on his first ballot.  Being number 7 in home runs is enough in my book. 

 

Florida vs. Michigan:  Florida deserves the national title game and I believe the BCS will get it right.  Michigan did not win its own conference.  Michigan beat Wisconsin and Notre Dame while Florida beat LSU, Arkansas, TN, and Florida State in Tallahassee.  Say whatever you want, but Florida has found a way to win.  Last year no one gave Texas a shot at beating USC.  USC was the best team in the history of NCAA football, that is if you listened to all of the sports analysts, and then Texas came out and beat them.  Florida might do the same thing to OSU.  In fact, I would pick Florida to win that game.  By the way, Urban Meyer should get coach of the year. 

 

There you have it.  Just a few of my random thoughts on this Sunday morning.

 

SoCalSportsFan

Reports are out by the Arizona Republic that Steve Nash will be given the MVP for this year making two years in a row, the first such honor since Tim Duncan won back to back MVP honors in 2001-2002.  Michael Jordan won it back to back in 1991-92.  Nash is in good company and on his way to greatness.   Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and  Moses Malone each won it three times, Wilt Chamberlain winning it four times, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell  winning it 5 times, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar winning it 6 times. 

It should be pointed out that this is still just a rumor as it has not happened yet.  This report is citing sources close to the voting process, but it is not official.  Unfortunately, when things like this are leaked, they are usually true. 

Typically, controversy erupts with these types of announcements just as Jessie Jackson surrounds any national news event that he thinks he can introduce the “race” card.  We already have those who are saying LeBron or Kobe deserved the trophy more than Steve.  Certainly there will be pundits on the national sports networks who will argue in favor of one player over the other because that is their job, to present controversy.  Reporting of the news is no longer enough so each network has their own daily show such as Rome is Burning or The Best Damned Sports Show Period. It is here that talking heads regurgitate the weekly sports news and then proceed to rehash every decision that was made as if they were somehow gods on Mt. Olympus and we are mere mortals without any sporting knowledge at all. (Oddly enough, I do find Jim Rome has a strange resemblance to Hades and maybe that is why he is burning)  Luckily, I have the remote in hand and can change channels when they try get me to #### this unsavory mixture. 

This post is not to decide if Kobe Bryant, the regular season’s scoring leader at 35.4 points per game, is more worthy than Steve Nash, nor is it here to discuss the Greatness that is King James.  My point is that would we be discussing Nash's selection if he were a black man. 

The stars of the NBA are primarily black.  That does not mean that over the last 30 years that the NBA has not had its share of great white players because Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Pete Maravich, John Stockton, and Steve Nash are all great players.  The trouble is that in writing this post, those are the only obvious names that I came up with when contemplating the greatest white players in the short span that I have been following the NBA.  If you go back a few years you can list four or five more, but I can list many great black NBA players during this same time frame without much thought at all:  Kareem, Dr. J, Moses, Hakeem, Patrick Ewing, Shaq, Magic, Isaiah, Joe Dumars, MJ, Dominique, Iceman, Worthy, Iverson, Alonzo, Duncan, Mr. Robinson, Dwyane Wade, LeBron just to name a few.   

The question I have is if Nash were black, would anyone have a problem with his selection?  No one would have a problem with LeBron or Kobe winning based upon their statistics alone, so why does anyone have a problem with Steve Nash.  Certainly, 18.8 points per game, 10.5 assists per game, (Highest in the league), and his field goal percentage of 51.2% is unbelievable for a point guard.  He makes his team better and he does all of this without detracting from his teammates. Nash is the consummate professional.  He shows up for work on time, does his job without complaining about other employees, and above all he is a winner.  Phoenix will not make it past San Antonio or Dallas without Amare Stoudamire, but they won the Pacific division largely because of the presence of this year’s MVP, Steve Nash.  Race should have nothing to do with the selection of MVP nor should it be a reason for others to complain.  Nash has won two in a row now, and until LeBron or Kobe involve a few more team mates, he may win number three next year.