Iverson vs Favre

                                       

It’s easy to say that Iverson pulled a Brett Favre by coming out of retirement so soon, but the comparison would have been even more similar if Iverson would have signed with the Knicks and not his former team.  Iverson signing with the Knicks would have been on par with how Favre signed with his long time rival Minnesota Vikings after a great career as the star and captain of the Green Bay Packers.  I know it’s a difficult comparison because though the Knicks and Sixers are indeed rivals, they are the bottom feeders of the NBA’s Eastern Conference where as the Vikings and Packers are at the top of their division.  Also, Iverson was passed over by the Knicks and the only team that showed interest in signing him was the team that helped make his legacy for over a decade, the Philadelphia Seventy Sixers.  Iverson signing with the Sixers this week was the greatest thing he could have done and if all goes well his career will end on a similar note that it began and he will be remembered as one of the greatest guards to ever play the game.

As a sports fan I am thankful that Iverson didn’t disappear into the night as the great Barry Sanders when he retired so shockingly ten years ago.  Though Iverson is 34 years young and not the explosive guard he was a few years ago, he is still good enough to have an impact on this young and struggling Sixer team and with it only being a month into the NBA season, his team does have a shot at making the playoffs which would instantly make this one of the best stories of the year in sports. I know I am getting way ahead of myself since AI has yet to play a game this season, but the writing is on the wall and the stage is set for a Monday night showdown between Iverson and the Denver Nuggets which is the team the Sixers sent Iverson to during his tumultuous exit from Philly in 2006.  Two nights later, Iverson and the Sixers will host the Pistons which is the team the Nuggets sent him to in exchange for Chauncey Billups in 2008.

The suspense and excitement builds as Iverson tries to prove that he is still the competitive force that he once was, who can change the face of the game with a blink of an eye with the hopes of retiring in good standing, just as Favre is proving in Minnesota as he is on pace for another MVP and Super Bowl trophy. Though AI will probably not have the impact of a Brett Favre this year, ending his career as a Sixer should seal his legacy, as one of the greatest guards (for his size) of all time.  On the other hand, if the pattern of selfish behavior does come out as it has so drastically since his departure from Philly in 2006, we could be looking at a long and painful season in Philadelphia which would tarnish his legacy as one of the most selfish players to ever play the game.  For the sake of the game I hope we will see a story book ending for Iverson and his Sixers, but for now all we can do is enjoy the moment as it unfolds before our very eyes.

Sir Charles Spoke the Truth

                            

In 1993 All-Star power forward Charles Barkley made a statement that drew considerable controversy around the sports world and made national headlines as well.  Sir Charles exclaimed in a Nike commercial words that stung the superficial culture that this country lives by, but at the same time his upmost honesty and truth will be recounted for generations to come. “I am Not a Role Model” will forever be remembered as the first time a star athlete expressed his desire to be treated like a human being and not the hero or villain that the media makes our athletes out to be. Many critics believed that Barkley and other star players had an obligation to their communities in which they played for and therefore had to live up to the great expectations which were placed on them from an extremely young age.  The fact of the matter is that children look up to these star athletes over their teachers and parents and one can make a case that adults look up to these stars as well. Children and adults alike admire the bling, the game, and the fame, which define pro athletes today and they tend to become our role models.

Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire saved the game of baseball by belting homeruns and chasing history hand in hand, but behind the scenes they injected themselves with performance enhancing drugs to make these moments come alive.  These heroes of yesteryear lied under oath in 2005 when asked if they used performance enhancing drugs and their legacies are forever tarnished because of their actions. As a sports fan we want more than anything to look to our star athletes as our role models and heroes, but time and time again they disappoint us by making critical mistakes, proving that they are human beings just like everyone else.  The icons of sports history such as Babe Ruth, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and countless others all engaged in off the court lifestyles that role models should not possess.  At the end of the day they will be remembered for what they did on the court and the rest will be a side note to the impact they had on Sport.  Just last week we learned that the best golfer of all time isn’t perfect after all, and it is so hard to accept that even Tiger Woods has made critical mistakes off the golf course, but there is a guarantee that when he returns to the golf course in a few months all his past transgressions will indeed be forgotten for his dominance of the game will prevail over his character defects.

Controversial Laker star Ron Artest just revealed that he drank Hennessey cognac during halftime of games he played as a member of the Chicago Bulls early on in his career. This only leaves us to wonder why in the world he felt the need to reveal this information and why now?  Is the pressure of being a star athlete so great that one must rebel by acting out on and off the court?  Do we, the public, set expectations too great for our star athletes, which in turn sets them up for failure?  It seems that the media only has a story when our star athletes accomplish a feat on the field or when they break the law off the field.  Unfortunately, the middle ground is not news worthy, and if you are indeed a sports star you carry the burden of living under a microscope with your every move over examined and documented until the story comes out. The story which for the moment strips the title of role model or hero from their jersey, the title which they never asked for, but accepted as the pinnacle of their profession; These iconic titles return ever so quickly with a hole in one, a game winning shot, or a championship ring and at the end of the day we will remember what our athletes accomplished on the field. The question is whether we can call them our role models or heroes any longer?

Iverson has had Enough Practice

Allen Iverson still thinks he’s good enough to lead the league in scoring and is not willing to accept a leadership role which he’s avoided his entire career.  The ten time NBA all-star and four time NBA scoring champion feels that he should start in the NBA even though he’s past his prime and his skills have diminished somewhat in the last couple seasons.  From the beginning of his career Iverson has only been about the “I” in his name and it is only fitting that his career could end over his selfish mentality as well.  Some may have thought that AI may have learned something from his terrible experience in Detroit last season as he complained about his role of coming off the bench, but the superstar still cannot come to grips with making millions to come off the bench in Memphis either. When Iverson called it quits in April of last year with a back injury many believed that maybe, just maybe, the often times controversial superstar would retire and never be heard from again.  During the off season however, Iverson signed with Memphis and apparently did not make it clear that if he played in Memphis he must start each and every game without a question of what might be best for the team.  Iverson, through his words and actions has repeatedly shown that being a leader is not a priority and that being an example for his young teammates and other newcomers to the league is not his cup of tea.  No one is asking AI to be a role model for the NBA youth movement or even show a few pointers to future stars such as  O.J. Mayo or Michael Conley,  all they are asking AI to do is to play a different role than he has in the past.  Coach Hollins asked Iverson to be a veteran spark off the bench who could infuse a new confidence into his young nucleus and all AI could do was say “NO!”  One might have some sympathy for the perennial all-star because he was once a dominant scorer who battled larger guards each and every night,  often times playing through painful injuries, showing a toughness unmatched for his size and position. With that said, it has always been about AI and his legacy is now forever tainted as one of the most selfish players to ever play the game.  Everyone remembers Iverson’s infamous ”we’re talkin’ about practice” press conference in November of 2006 when he stormed out of the Sixers’ practice facility and it’s difficult for Sixer fans to forget when he showed up a few minutes before tip off of fan appreciation night in April of 2006 which was the Sixers final home game of that season.  There is no question that AI had a phenomenal career on the court, but we are all tired of his off the court antics and selfish attitude that will only hurt his legacy in the end. AI, thank you for your blood, sweat, and tears, but it is time to hang it up and call it a career because maybe, just maybe your practice has gone on a little too long for all to bare.

Reid it and Weep

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid has trouble managing close games and one has to wonder if he’s overstayed his welcome in Philly.  As a football fan I was appalled by his coaching decisions during the second half of  Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys.  Reid used two horrific challenges which left the Eagles with no timeouts when they needed them most  and proved to be a major reason why the Eagles lost to the Cowboys at home on Sunday night.  The first challenge flag that he threw was on a third and short which the replay clearly showed could not be overturned by the officials. Not only was the call not overturned, but the Eagles then lined up to go for it on fourth and short but were forced to punt the ball away due to a false start on left tackle Jason Peters. So instead of lining the offense up immediately while the Cowboys defense was on their heels in pursuit of a first down the Eagles lost a timeout and had to punt the ball away due to Reid’s ineptitude.  The second challenge Reid used proved to be even more of a problem because it was toward the end of the fourth quarter and if it wasn’t overturned, the eagles would be left with no timeouts with five minutes left in the game. The replay was of course inconclusive and the Eagles gave the ball back to Tony Romo who completed a 49-yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin which proved to be the game winning touchdown.  Andy Reid needs serious help in deciding which plays are worth the risk of challenging  and must realize that there must be conclusive evidence for a play to be overturned.  Challenging the spot of the ball is an extremely difficult challenge to win and the Coach must take into consideration the negative affect that losing a challenge has on the outcome of a game.  In his last five seasons, Andy Reid has only won 5 of 26 challenges which is an extremely poor 19.2 pct conversion rate.  This is an awful bullet point on Coach Reid’s resume and that fact that the Eagles are  1-8-1 in their last ten games that were decided by less than six points shows that Reid cannot get the job done managing close games. Andy Reid is in his 11th season as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Eagles owner Jeff Lurie should be weary of bringing him back for another painful season.

London Lidge Has Fallen Down

Brad Lidge was the best closer in baseball and helped lead the Phillies to a World Series Championship in 2008 and now a year later he’s one of the most unreliable closers in baseball and is responsible for the Phillies being a game away from the ultimate defeat.  Lidge is not the only reason why the Phillies may not repeat this fall, but a closer’s job is to get three outs to secure a lead or a tie and Lidge did a great job of getting the first two outs of the 9th inning on Sunday night, but the third and final out proved to be devastating to Phillies fans as they headed to the bottom of the ninth down three runs and destined for defeat. The Phillies are not down 3-1 in the World Series only because of Lidge’s poor performace in Game 4, there are a few other factors including the fact that the Yankees an extremely talented team with incredibly clutch hitters and a strong pithing staff. Charlie Manuel may have wanted to take a chance by starting Cliff Lee on three days rest on Sunday night instead of ” The Farmer” Joe Blanton who gave up four runs in six innings in what was a must win for the Phillies down 2-1 heading into game four. The public is still confused why Manuel has so much faith in Cole Hamels who has had a down season overall and gave up five earned runs in Game three which helped set up the huge hole the Phillies are in right now. Why would Manuel want Hamels starting Game 7 when he hasn’t been a clutch performer all season long? How could Manuel start Blanton over Lee in arguably the most important game of the Series? Did it really matter that Cliff Lee hasn’t pitched on three days rest before? Why didn’t Manuel bring Lidge in the 8th or 9th inning of Game 3 to get his closer some work because he hadn’t pitched in 10 days? The Manager will always take the most heat especially during a World Series but much of the blame must be attributed to the Phillies top hitters who have been silenced throughout the series. Howard, Rollins, and Ibanez  have had awful performances so far and every Philly hormerun has been a solo shot which hasn’t helped either. The Phillies demise in the World Series has been a total team effort, but at the end of the day Lidge and Manuel will take the most heat for their mistakes. The Yankees are definitely the better team in ‘09 and it seems the Phillies are content with their World Series win in 2008…..maybe a little too content.

Not the Same Old Torre

Joe Torre did a phenomenal job in his second season as the Dodgers skipper, but for the second straight year his team was not able to compete against the world champion Phillies. Charlie Manuel and the Phillies deserve most of the credit for disposing of the Dodgers in five games once again this year, for they are an incredibly dominant team with the best lineup in the NL backed up by a strong pitching staff. The Dodgers still do not have an excuse for not being a formidable opponent as they led the NL with 95 wins and swept the Cardinals in the division series.  Though much of the blame could be placed on All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton, who could not secure the final out which would have tied the series at two games a piece, Joe Torre could have made a decision earlier in that game which could have helped secure the much needed victory for his team. In the top of the sixth inning of game four the Dodgers had surged ahead of the Phillies by a score of 4-2. With runners at the corners and two outs Torre decided not to pinch hit for Wolf as he appeared to be satisfied with a two run lead against an incredibly potent Phillies offense. Wolf made the final out in the top of the sixth inning and proceeded to unwravel  in the bottom half as he gave up a run while leaving the game after recording only one out.  Joe Torre did not have the killer instinct during this game and throughout this dissapointing series which is what this young and hungry Dodger team desperately needed.  In the top of the sixth I found myself screaming at the TV (even though I’m not a Dodger fan) when Torre did not use Jim Thome as a pinch hitter for Wolf. This was a perfect situation with runners at the corners to build on a small lead against a ferocious offense, and in my mind there was no better time to bring Jim Thome (the long time Phillies icon) to the plate against his former team. Even if the Phillies decided to pitch around him, it could have extended the inning further, and the drama of that moment could not have been matched. Unfortunately not only was Thome not used in that moment, but he was not used as a pinch hitter at all in Philadelphia.  Joe Torre, with his four World Series Championships and eleven division titles will go down as the one of the greatest managers of all time, but in the NLCS 2009 he did not manage in the moment and though the Dodgers probably would have lost the series anyway, he did not give his team a fighting chance.

Holliday Jeers

Christmas did not come early for Matt Holliday on Thursday afternoon, as the usually sure handed left fielder dropped a line drive with two outs in the ninth inning which would have given the Cardinals home field advantage heading back to St. Louis for games three and four. Instead the Cardinals left L.A. in disbelief as they are only one game away from being eliminated from the 2009 MLB playoffs.  Holliday came over to the Cardinals in a trade in late July and has been arguably the National League’s hottest hitter since he put on a Cardinal uniform and his defense has been stellar as well. The 3-time All-Star and 2007  National Championship Series MVP only committed one lone error in 62 games with the Cardinals and only committed three errors in all of 2008 with Colorado.  Holliday’s error will go down in history along side Mookie Wilson’s dribbler that went through the legs of  Bill Buckner which cost Boston the 1986 World Series and Bartman’s fatal grab that prevented the Cubs from advancing to the World Series in 2003, but the 2009 Dodgers proved once again why they may be a team of destiny. 

The Dodgers led Major League Baseball with 12 walkoff victories and they won five games this year in which they trailed in the ninth inning or later. The fact that they did it once again on Thursday should not come as a surprise to anyone as this is something they have done all season long.  They are a team of destiny because Ronnie Belliard was only 4-17 against the Cardinals star closer Ryan Franklin before he singled in Juan Pierre (who represented the tying run) on a first pitch rope to center field, and Mark Loretta was 0-15  against Franklin before he singled in the winning run, which sent Chavez Ravine into hysterics as the Dodgers pulled off the unthinkable once again. These  are the moments that should be remembered as even more memorable than the Holliday scape goat, because the left fielder’s error only allowed the game to continue and the improbable was still in question. The Dodgers still had to come through in the clutch multiple times to steal the victory away from St. Louis, which is why they are one game away from the National League Championship Series and more proof that maybe, just maybe, Joe Torre’s 2009 Dodgers are destined to make a trip to the World Series.

The Price is Right

The Tampa Bay Rays had the best record in the AL East, and as they celebrate their AL Championship victory over the World Series champs of yesteryear, they still head into their first ever World Series as none other than the underdog. All season long the Rays were the headline because “somehow” they went from worst to first.  ALCS MVP Matt Garza summed it up perfectly at his press conference when he said “people have been doubting us (the Rays) all season long and people kept on saying; ‘you guys will falter in August and September, you guys will falter against Chicago, you guys don’t match up well against Boston in Boston,’ We proved people wrong this entire time and we told each other to keep believing, keep fighting, keep playing the way we’ve played all year.”

Garza in only his first season with the Rays could not have summarized their triumph any better as the Rays solidified their case for the respect they truly deserve. The credit this time around cannot be given to the GM who landed Manny, Sabbathia, or Harden, for a playoff run. This October, the credit goes to the team that created their franchise from nothing only ten years ago, and stuck with their talent, while nurturing the stars of the future with patience and guidance.

There is no doubt that Joe Maddon deserves the coveted Manager of the Year award, and his precision in decision making during game seven of the ALCS only reemphasizes that claim. The way he boosted the confidence of his relief pitchers, who looked as though they had just seen a ghost after the 2nd greatest collapse in post season history, (the first being those lovable losers on the north side of Chicago) is proof that he is the best in the game. Joe Maddon’s decision to turn to Wheeler, Bradford, Howell, and Price for the final two innings, is testament to his brilliance, for his continued faith in his pitching staff, that had been so strong all season long, is the number one reason why the Rays are headed to their first World Series.

Maddon took the word “Panic” out of Tampa as swiftly as the franchise removed “Devil” from their team name. When their rookie all star third baseman Evan Longoria went down with a wrist injury in August the Rays continued to win and never showed signs of panic. When the Rays lost closer Troy Percival to injury before the playoffs, Joe Maddon didn’t have to worry because all season long he prepared his relief pitchers by throwing them into the fire for all important game deciding save situations. So what gave Maddon the audacity to send David Price, the first pick in the ‘07 draft to the mound to decide the fate of the Rays’ season? How did he have such insight to trust in this phenom, fresh from the minors, fresh off his first major league victory in game two, and thrown into his first ever save situation with the World Series on the line? Maddon’s belief in his players and his players’ belief in him are why he didn’t hesitate to call upon “the kid” to close out the defending World Series champs, who thought they were destined for another magical comeback. On this night the Price was right and the Rays shone bright through the clouds of the past as they continue to make history, as their future is now.

The Rays going to the World Series gives hope to other franchises out there, young and old alike, in any sport, that championships don’t have to be bought, and can indeed be attained through patience, belief, perseverance, and strong leadership. The Rays are a team of players who have checked their egos at the door, who don’t gripe about playing time or contract extensions, but instead they are a cohesive unit in pursuit of redefining their name by achieving the ultimate goal. They are the Cinderella story of Major League Baseball and after an awe-inspiring series with Boston, they now await the oh-so-hungry Phillies who bring with them their own dreams of glory. The critics can say what they want about how bad the ratings will be, but the true baseball fan will tune in for what could be one of the most exciting World Series in a long time, a Fall Classic to remember.

Final Four Fever

 

 
UCLA, Kansas, Memphis, and North Carolina: When one hears these names uttered during tournament time, its music to the ears of college basketball fans everywhere. Three of these four schools come from powerhouse conferences and the only team with one loss on the season (Memphis) may very well be cutting down the nets a week from today. All of these teams have one thing in common with one another; they have the best coaches in the game. Ben Howland, Bill Self, John Calipari, and Roy Williams are the best at their profession and this final four will be one for the ages.

Bill Self feels only ten percent of what Roy Williams felt when he took Danny Manning to the final four, only because Kansas had not been on the NCAAB map before Williams took the helm at Kansas. Bill Self inherited the Kansas name which Roy Williams built with his own two hands, but now coach Self has put himself where every coach wants to be come April: In the final four for the first time with his new team. Kansas was a 1 seed entering the tournament, and the critics hollered that Self wouldn’t get passed the Elite 8 which has been the norm for his teams leading up to Sunday’s nail-biter against Curry and the Davidson Cinderella men. Self said that he felt this was the most prepared squad he’s ever coached and even remarked before the tournament began that his team would definitely advance (finally) to the Final Four.

Ben Howland knows a little something about advancing to the Final Four as he has done so with UCLA for three seasons in a row. Howland has single handedly revived the Wizardry of Westwood and when he’s all set and done coaching the Bruins, his name could be mentioned in the same breath as Wooden, Rupp, Dean Smith, Bob Knight, and Coach K. He may very well be better than some of the aforementioned because of his commitment to defense. It’s a joy to watch how he maximizes on the strengths of each of his players with a focus on his precise evaluation of talent i.e. freshman sensation Kevin Love. Love is the best freshman power forward in the game and may very well be the top center in college basketball right now, because he can also hit the three-ball consistently.

The Final Four match up between UCLA and Memphis may go down as one of the greatest games in NCAA history and it’s just unfortunate that only one of these coaches will advance to the Championship game next Monday night. Who wouldn’t pay to see a best of seven series between Memphis and UCLA? But they will do their very best to fit in the same drama of a seven gamer in forty minutes of gut-wrenching, jaw-breaking, hard-nosed and at the same time silky smooth basketball which may jar memories free of the days of Maravich, Lew Alcindor, Walton, Jordan, Laettner, Isaiah, The Fav 5 (Not a funny Barkley and D-Wade T-Mobile commercial), just to name a few. The legends of the game will be watching in awe this coming weekend as the Nation’s best are put to the ultimate test.

It’s too bad Ben Howland’s Bruins who have won fourteen straight games must face the Memphis Tigers, a team that could probably take it to the Memphis Grizzlies and win by ten or twelve. After seeing The Tigers steam roll through this tournament, one may second guess the overall number one seed, considering Memphis only lost one game this season and that was at Tennessee. They are bigger than you, stronger than you, and better than you. That was how it felt watching them destroy Texas in the Elite 8. We may very well witness a Memphis vs. UNC championship game which would be the icing on the cake for Calapari’s greatest success since Marcus Camby destroyed his opponents at UMASS. Memphis may have kept DJ Augustine at Texas for another season and freshman sensation Derrick Rose may go top five in the draft with Chris Douglas-Roberts not far behind. Calapari’s composure and confidence has set the tone for his team who play with those exact same emotions which makes their opponents feel like saying “I want what they have” and that thought comes well before the coach’s pep talk after being down by double figures at halftime. Memphis and UCLA will exchange blows and it should shape up as the best game of the decade, a game that will be talked about for years to come.

Most people think that UNC will be too much for Kansas to handle and if the great Roy Williams can coach through the excitement and torment of coaching against his former team, then UNC might have a shot at making history next Monday night. Roy Williams is already there at the top of the list and his place in NCAA history can only get richer as his team has lived up to the hype and find themselves exactly where experts predicted they would be in the pre-season. Tyler Hansborough quieted his critics (if there are any still left out there!) by silencing Rick Pitino and a Padgett brother (you might remember his brother, former choke artist for ironically Roy Williams’ Jayhawks Scott Padgett) as Williams taught Pitino a lesson in Defense and that the only way to get to the Final Four is by having a solid point guard which Pitino did not have this time around. So Hansborough broke Padgett’s knee caps (though the fact that Padgett came back from a broken knee cap in six weeks time this season makes him a warrior) and now Roy Williams chases his predecessor while playing his successor in what should be a great affair, though Brandon Rush must bring his sweet jumper for the entire game if Kansas wants to pull off the upset.

The excitement of the Final Four is contagious and even though your team got bounced early on or never even made it to the big dance; one can’t help but tune in for the fight to the finish. It’s just too bad I will miss the championship game next Monday night because once you book with Orbitz or Cheap tickets you then must pay an arm and a leg to adjust the itinerary that was accidentally booked for the entire duration of the championship game. The only lessons that can be derived from this debacle is 1) never book a flight during the NCAAB championship game and 2) its about time to invest in DVR!

Down With the East

There has been a lot of conversation as of late about how the NBA Eastern Conference is absolutely awful, and now that Gasol is a Laker and Kidd is a Maverick (again!) it is safe to say that besides Boston, Detroit, and sometimes Orlando, the east should not be represented by eight teams in these upcoming playoffs. I never thought I would say this but the NBA should just take the top sixteen teams and seed them accordingly weening out the terrible teams that don’t have a chance against the high powered west. It is such a shame that April and May nights will be wasted on watching Orlando vs Washington or New Jersey vs Toronto. It is so sad that Denver with AI and Melo are on the outside looking in at the playoff picture when if they were in the East they would be sitting comfortably in fourth place with third place Orlando in their sights.

No one has been saying that there is too much competition in the West, but maybe just maybe that is the case. Spread the wealth you guys, or are the ownership in the east just too cheap beyond belief? The Knicks need to fire Isaiah Thomas just as bad as the Atlanta Hawks want to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Just as Isaiah doesn’t deserve to be an executive on any level in the NBA anymore, the Hawks don’t deserve to get in over Denver, Golden State, or Portland. The Hawks are an abysmal 24-33 which is not close to a being at or over a five hundred winning percentage and yet they are only one game behind Eastern Conference “powerhouse” New Jersey.

A Chicago land local sports historian Henry Bernstein once remarked that for the NBA Playoffs this year all Eastern Conference first round games should be a best out of five series instead of seven. “Therefore we wouldn’t have to suffer through the pain of watching pathetic east coast playoff games as much as in the past!” Though a bit unrealistic, Henry has a novel idea and this could only happen if David Stern had not already collected on the TV rights for this summer’s playoffs games. Its all about the Benjamin’s and I don’t mean long time NBA vet Benoit Benjamin who played for nine teams in fifteen seasons!

I see my light come shining from the West down to the sewer which is the NBA Eastern Conference.

Any day now, any day now, the NBA will do away with the current playoff structure and institute a more polished one. A Playoffs which seed the teams in order of their success on the basketball court. It could include the same amount of sixteen teams, or experiment with an eighteen team playoffs…why the heck not? This new structure would look more like a Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tourney, but with a seven game series where fans would want to watch the entire playoffs (where all games would be televised on TNT), even if it does go into the middle of June.

It is time to make some changes in the NBA and I’m not talking solely about taking Super Man’s (Dwight Howard’s) advice by raising the rim to twelve feet. The fans are demanding to see the best teams compete, but with the state of the decrepit Eastern Conference, thousands of fans out west will not be tuning in to the NBA come late April. Instead, their teams and ownership who made the commitment to winning, will be denied the chance once again to compete won the world’s greatest stage.