A hush went over the sold-out United Center early Saturday afternoon when Derrick Rose hit the floor. No one wants to see their star player go down, but especially under these circumstances. All was well in the city of Chicago. Rose was finally healthy, and over the conglomerate of injuries that had plagued him all season long. The Bulls were up by 12 with 1:22 to play in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs. Most coaches will tell you that no lead is safe with that kind of time on the clock.
I also guarantee you that every coach in the league has their best players on the floor in that situation. Derrick Rose dribbled left, drove to the right and without any contact from another player, landed so awkwardly on his knee that you felt your lunch leap into your throat.
The United Center was quiet. There were no celebrations of the game 1 victory in order. Each and every fan left the arena Saturday afternoon wondering if Rose would be alright. Sure, the Bulls probably didn't need Rose to finish off the 76ers in the first round. After all, the Bulls went 18-9 without Rose during the regular season. But their chances of winning an NBA title without the MVP? Not good.
The headline on ESPN Chicago says it all, "A Lost Season." Rose was having a fantastic game when he went down, leading his team with 23 points, 9 dimes, and 9 rebounds. It is a sad win for Bulls fans. However, this injury might have been inevitable. Rose went down with no contact from another player, probably a product of the fatigue from an expedited regular season.
We likely will not see Rose again until January 2013. The Bulls aren't the only team affected by the injury to Rose. Team USA has now lost 4 of its potential players for this summer's Olympics in London: Dwight Howard, Lamarcus Aldridge, Chauncey Billups, and now Derrick Rose. That run at back to back gold medals may look a little bit tougher now in Mike Krzyewski's mind.
More importantly, the entire league is aching for Derrick Rose. Twitter blew up yesterday with thoughts and prayers from players around the league reaching out to Rose. It is going to be a long road back for the league's MVP. Rehabilitation for a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament usually is 6-8 months. The good news is that Rose is only 23 years old. The likelihood of a full recovery is much better for a player of his age compared to say a 33 year old. I just hope that we see the Derrick Rose that dominated the league in 2010-2011 return to the hardwood in a judicious fashion.
--GM
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
NBA Playoff Preview
The NBA Playoffs begin tomorrow afternoon and there are a lot of things to look forward to. I am going to breakdown each first round matchup and then give my prediction for the series.
Eastern Conference:
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
-This is an intriguing matchup under one condition: Derrick Rose aggravates one of the many lingering injuries that he has faced throughout the season. The 76ers have talent and were able to take the Heat to 5 games in last year's playoffs, but I just don't think they have enough to give the Bulls a legitimate run for their money. Andre Iguodala will likely matchup with Luol Deng, and I really can't find a player on their roster that could stop Derrick Rose. Evan Turner or Jrue Holliday will likely get that difficult job. I like the Bulls in 5.
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
-What a series this is going to be. Heat-Knicks used to be a huge rivalry in the late 90's, however, this will be the first time that these two teams have met in the playoffs since 2000. Both teams are filled with big name players including 6 All-Stars between the two. This will be a tough series for the Heat. I think if the Knicks had a point guard, they could upset the Heat. With Jeremy Lin out, Mike Bibby and Baron Davis will do most of the work at the point guard position. The Heat struggle against teams that have a solid facilitator. The Knicks just don't have one. The Heat swept the season series 3-0, and I boldly believe they will make a statement in the first round and SWEEP the New York Knicks.
(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
-Have you fallen asleep yet? I sure have. This series would have been much more exciting had Dwight Howard not needed surgery on his back causing him to be unavailable for the playoffs. Ryan Anderson and JJ Redick are the only thing standing between the Indiana Pacers and a trip to Miami. The young core of talent that Larry Bird has put together in Indiana is impressive. Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, Paul George, and George Hill are all 25 or younger. This team will be strong into the future. I like the Pacers in 5.
(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
-Even though Boston is the 4 seed, the Hawks have homecourt advantage in this series because they have a better overall record. I think this series will be one of the best in the first round. We saw the Hawks take the Celtics to 7 games back in 2008 and I think we are on the verge of another thrilling series. The Celtics are back for one final shot at a title and Kevin Garnett may be playing the best basketball he's played since he won the NBA title back in 2008. I think the Celtics will move on just because of the experience on their roster. Celtics in 6.
Western Conference:
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Utah Jazz
-The Spurs have the top spot in the West for a second consecutive season. We all remember them bowing out early to the 8 seeded Grizzlies last season and they have another difficult matchup on their hands. The Jazz have enough talent to play with the Spurs. Gordon Heyward, Al Jefferson, and Paul Millsap can flat out play with the Spurs. Utah also has the veteran Raja Bell, who is a lock down defender that could guard either Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili. But, I just don't see the Spurs going out in the first round 2 years in a row. I like the Spurs in 6.
(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
-This is a rematch of the Western Conference Finals from a year ago. The Mavericks won that series in 6 games and went on to win the NBA title. The Thunder will not have forgotten that. This is a tough draw for the Thunder having to play the defending champions in the first round as a 7 seed, but the Mavericks just aren't the same team they were last season. They lost 6 players from that championship team and took a wild card in Lamar Odom that turned into a major bust. The Thunder have their eyes on a title and won't lose this series. I like the Thunder in 6.
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
-George Karl's team has over-achieved this season. I don't think many people saw them as the 6 seed in the West a year after trading away Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets have a solid young core of talent led by Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson, but I just don't think they have enough to beat the Lakers. Particularly, the matchups in the frontcourt just don't add up. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum make up one of the best duos inside in the league and you're telling me JaVale McGee or Timothy Mozgov is going to shut one or both of them down? YEAH RIGHT. Oh yeah and the Lakers have a guy named Kobe Bryant, if you didn't know. He's pretty good. Lakers in 5.
(4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
-This is going to be one hell of a series. I don't care what supporting cast the Clippers have. Any team with Chris Paul on their roster is going to be a tough out. And then add Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Kenyon Martin, Randy Foye, Caron Butler, and Mo Williams and you have a damn good team. But lets not forget about the Grizzlies. Tony Allen will likely get the call to guard Chris Paul, which should be a fantastic battle in the backcourt. I think Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol stack up well against the bigs from the Clippers. Don't forget the Grizzlies have playoff experience. They were a game away from the Western Conference Finals last season. This to me, is going to be the best series in the NBA playoffs. There's no question in my mind that it goes 7 games, and homecourt advantage pays off for Memphis. Grizzlies in 7.
It's going to be an exciting month and a half so buckle up. In June, there will only be two teams standing and I believe they will be the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Man, what a finals that would be. In the end, I like the Miami Heat to take the NBA title. Lebron James will finally break through and get his first championship. Can't wait to watch it all unfold.
--GM
Eastern Conference:
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
-This is an intriguing matchup under one condition: Derrick Rose aggravates one of the many lingering injuries that he has faced throughout the season. The 76ers have talent and were able to take the Heat to 5 games in last year's playoffs, but I just don't think they have enough to give the Bulls a legitimate run for their money. Andre Iguodala will likely matchup with Luol Deng, and I really can't find a player on their roster that could stop Derrick Rose. Evan Turner or Jrue Holliday will likely get that difficult job. I like the Bulls in 5.
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
-What a series this is going to be. Heat-Knicks used to be a huge rivalry in the late 90's, however, this will be the first time that these two teams have met in the playoffs since 2000. Both teams are filled with big name players including 6 All-Stars between the two. This will be a tough series for the Heat. I think if the Knicks had a point guard, they could upset the Heat. With Jeremy Lin out, Mike Bibby and Baron Davis will do most of the work at the point guard position. The Heat struggle against teams that have a solid facilitator. The Knicks just don't have one. The Heat swept the season series 3-0, and I boldly believe they will make a statement in the first round and SWEEP the New York Knicks.
(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
-Have you fallen asleep yet? I sure have. This series would have been much more exciting had Dwight Howard not needed surgery on his back causing him to be unavailable for the playoffs. Ryan Anderson and JJ Redick are the only thing standing between the Indiana Pacers and a trip to Miami. The young core of talent that Larry Bird has put together in Indiana is impressive. Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, Paul George, and George Hill are all 25 or younger. This team will be strong into the future. I like the Pacers in 5.
(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
-Even though Boston is the 4 seed, the Hawks have homecourt advantage in this series because they have a better overall record. I think this series will be one of the best in the first round. We saw the Hawks take the Celtics to 7 games back in 2008 and I think we are on the verge of another thrilling series. The Celtics are back for one final shot at a title and Kevin Garnett may be playing the best basketball he's played since he won the NBA title back in 2008. I think the Celtics will move on just because of the experience on their roster. Celtics in 6.
Western Conference:
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Utah Jazz
-The Spurs have the top spot in the West for a second consecutive season. We all remember them bowing out early to the 8 seeded Grizzlies last season and they have another difficult matchup on their hands. The Jazz have enough talent to play with the Spurs. Gordon Heyward, Al Jefferson, and Paul Millsap can flat out play with the Spurs. Utah also has the veteran Raja Bell, who is a lock down defender that could guard either Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili. But, I just don't see the Spurs going out in the first round 2 years in a row. I like the Spurs in 6.
(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
-This is a rematch of the Western Conference Finals from a year ago. The Mavericks won that series in 6 games and went on to win the NBA title. The Thunder will not have forgotten that. This is a tough draw for the Thunder having to play the defending champions in the first round as a 7 seed, but the Mavericks just aren't the same team they were last season. They lost 6 players from that championship team and took a wild card in Lamar Odom that turned into a major bust. The Thunder have their eyes on a title and won't lose this series. I like the Thunder in 6.
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
-George Karl's team has over-achieved this season. I don't think many people saw them as the 6 seed in the West a year after trading away Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets have a solid young core of talent led by Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson, but I just don't think they have enough to beat the Lakers. Particularly, the matchups in the frontcourt just don't add up. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum make up one of the best duos inside in the league and you're telling me JaVale McGee or Timothy Mozgov is going to shut one or both of them down? YEAH RIGHT. Oh yeah and the Lakers have a guy named Kobe Bryant, if you didn't know. He's pretty good. Lakers in 5.
(4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
-This is going to be one hell of a series. I don't care what supporting cast the Clippers have. Any team with Chris Paul on their roster is going to be a tough out. And then add Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Kenyon Martin, Randy Foye, Caron Butler, and Mo Williams and you have a damn good team. But lets not forget about the Grizzlies. Tony Allen will likely get the call to guard Chris Paul, which should be a fantastic battle in the backcourt. I think Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol stack up well against the bigs from the Clippers. Don't forget the Grizzlies have playoff experience. They were a game away from the Western Conference Finals last season. This to me, is going to be the best series in the NBA playoffs. There's no question in my mind that it goes 7 games, and homecourt advantage pays off for Memphis. Grizzlies in 7.
It's going to be an exciting month and a half so buckle up. In June, there will only be two teams standing and I believe they will be the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Man, what a finals that would be. In the end, I like the Miami Heat to take the NBA title. Lebron James will finally break through and get his first championship. Can't wait to watch it all unfold.
--GM
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Bobby Petrino's no good, very bad week.
1,578 days of Bobby Petrino's career at Arkansas went according to plan. He had the Arkansas football program at a level of prominence the program hadn't dreamed of in nearly 50 years. Petrino had just about everyone coming back for the 2012 season including Heisman candidate Tyler Wilson and a host of others fit to make the offense a juggernaut and the team a national title contender.
Bobby Petrino, however, isn't going to get the chance to find out what his team would've done this season. Petrino was fired from Arkansas on Tuesday evening amidst a scandal involving 25 year-old co-worker Jessica Dorrell. The affair was uncovered after Petrino wrecked his motorcycle nine days earlier. Originally, it was reported that Petrino was alone at the time of the accident. Just four days later, it was discovered that he was not the only one involved and that Jessica Dorrell, the student athlete development coordinator for the football team, was with him at the time of the accident.
There are so many problems with that last tidbit of information. What the hell was Bobby Petrino thinking? It was bad enough that he was having an affair with a girl half his age, but to do it with a girl that he had hired to his staff just weeks before? Come on man.
The worst part about this was how much Petrino defended Dorrell when he hired her stating that she was the best applicant for the job, praising her work. Little did we know that he had been carrying on an affair with her since September and that he had given her thousands of dollars under the table.
It gets worse. Petrino's phone records were released a couple of days ago. The record's showed that Petrino and Dorrell exchanged more than 4,300 text messages (some of which were video and picture messages) and over 300 phone calls. I'm sure they were just sending each other pictures of their dogs.
Petrino clearly thought that he was above the law. Jeff Long, the Arkansas AD, had no choice but to fire him even amongst discretion from the fans. However, I believe Long made the right decision. How can you endorse and promote a man that cheats on his wife? Not to mention with an employee of the University of Arkansas. I cannot imagine how his four kids are handling the situation, but I would think not well. Jeff Long stood tall and made a difficult decision to fire a man that had brought Arkansas football to its highest level nationally. That takes some guts.
Things were going so well for Petrino. Most believed that Arkansas was on the right path to an SEC title and even a national championship in the coming years. The Razorbacks finished the 2011 season ranked in the top 5 for the first time in 35 years. The pitch of football in Fayetteville was certainly at its highest going into the 2012 season.
Petrino made a mistake that may have cost him his family, and ultimately his career. I don't know how long he thought he could get away with his transgressions, but it is now clear that Petrino was April's biggest fool.
--GM
Bobby Petrino, however, isn't going to get the chance to find out what his team would've done this season. Petrino was fired from Arkansas on Tuesday evening amidst a scandal involving 25 year-old co-worker Jessica Dorrell. The affair was uncovered after Petrino wrecked his motorcycle nine days earlier. Originally, it was reported that Petrino was alone at the time of the accident. Just four days later, it was discovered that he was not the only one involved and that Jessica Dorrell, the student athlete development coordinator for the football team, was with him at the time of the accident.
There are so many problems with that last tidbit of information. What the hell was Bobby Petrino thinking? It was bad enough that he was having an affair with a girl half his age, but to do it with a girl that he had hired to his staff just weeks before? Come on man.
The worst part about this was how much Petrino defended Dorrell when he hired her stating that she was the best applicant for the job, praising her work. Little did we know that he had been carrying on an affair with her since September and that he had given her thousands of dollars under the table.
It gets worse. Petrino's phone records were released a couple of days ago. The record's showed that Petrino and Dorrell exchanged more than 4,300 text messages (some of which were video and picture messages) and over 300 phone calls. I'm sure they were just sending each other pictures of their dogs.
Petrino clearly thought that he was above the law. Jeff Long, the Arkansas AD, had no choice but to fire him even amongst discretion from the fans. However, I believe Long made the right decision. How can you endorse and promote a man that cheats on his wife? Not to mention with an employee of the University of Arkansas. I cannot imagine how his four kids are handling the situation, but I would think not well. Jeff Long stood tall and made a difficult decision to fire a man that had brought Arkansas football to its highest level nationally. That takes some guts.
Things were going so well for Petrino. Most believed that Arkansas was on the right path to an SEC title and even a national championship in the coming years. The Razorbacks finished the 2011 season ranked in the top 5 for the first time in 35 years. The pitch of football in Fayetteville was certainly at its highest going into the 2012 season.
Petrino made a mistake that may have cost him his family, and ultimately his career. I don't know how long he thought he could get away with his transgressions, but it is now clear that Petrino was April's biggest fool.
--GM
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Masters Preview
Less than 12 hours away from the first strike of the 2012 Masters Tournament, the anticipation is as high as I can remember. Here's my preview:
--All of the world's best players have played well so far in 2012. Rory McIlroy won the Honda, Luke Donald won the Transitions, and even Hunter Mahan, now the highest ranked American in the world, has won two times including last week at the Shell Houston Open. Then of course, the big guys. Phil and Tiger. Both players have won already in 2012 and have a combined 7 green jackets. Tiger won two weeks ago at Bay Hill, and Phil earlier in the year at Pebble Beach. I certainly don't remember in past years this many good players winning this early in the PGA Tour schedule. That to me, is a great sign that we are about to witness Masters history on Sunday afternoon.
--Golf has been waiting for a new rivalry to emerge. Most of the old-timers got to experience the good ol days with Nicklaus, Player, Watson, Palmer and then into the 90's with the Norman-Faldo-Ballesteros rivalry that made every major more exciting. Although Tiger and Phil has been a "rivalry", Tiger has certainly won more majors and more tournaments. We have never really had the Tiger-Phil head to head duel in a major. There have been a few where they were in a separate groups, but never the final group on Sunday. But now, most believe that the next major rivalry is on the horizon: Tiger and Rory. McIlroy won the 2011 U.S. Open and certainly had the 2011 Masters in his grasp before a back nine meltdown that I don't think any of us will ever forget. Tiger and Rory are what golf needs. We need our own modern day version of the "duel in the sun" between Nicklaus and Watson. I think there is a very good chance that happens this weekend. Both Tiger and Rory are playing too well for them not to be in contention.
--There are a lot of top level guys who are certainly flying under the radar this week at Augusta. Most notably, no one seems to be talking about Luke Donald (currently #1 in the world) or Lee Westwood (currently #3 in the world). Donald finished 4th in the 2011 Masters and as I mentioned earlier, has already won on tour this year. Westwood has yet to win in 2012, but has played solidly. He finished 2nd in Dubai, 4th at the Honda Classic, and 21st last week in Houston. A player from Great Britain hasn't taken home the green jacket since 96' (Nick Faldo), but I have a feeling these two guys could be in the mix late Sunday evening.
Every golfer loves the Masters. Its like a religion. When Masters week arrives, there is just a different feeling in the air. I am expecting a great week and a leaderboard filled with big names from the beginning. There is nothing quite like Masters Sunday, and I believe this particular Sunday, will be one for the ages.
Picks:
Winner: Tiger Woods- He hasn't finished outside of the top 10 since I was in middle school. A bad finish for Tiger at Augusta these days is 4th. Tiger has shown that his game is sharp with the win two weeks ago, and seems very confident in his ability to win majors again. I think Tiger ends his nearly 4 year major drought and takes home the green jacket.
Dark Horse: Steve Stricker- He is traditionally one of the best putters in the game. He finished T-6th back in 2009, and plays a draw that fits the mold of a lot of holes at Augusta National. I could see Strick making some noise this weekend at Augusta.
--GM
--All of the world's best players have played well so far in 2012. Rory McIlroy won the Honda, Luke Donald won the Transitions, and even Hunter Mahan, now the highest ranked American in the world, has won two times including last week at the Shell Houston Open. Then of course, the big guys. Phil and Tiger. Both players have won already in 2012 and have a combined 7 green jackets. Tiger won two weeks ago at Bay Hill, and Phil earlier in the year at Pebble Beach. I certainly don't remember in past years this many good players winning this early in the PGA Tour schedule. That to me, is a great sign that we are about to witness Masters history on Sunday afternoon.
--Golf has been waiting for a new rivalry to emerge. Most of the old-timers got to experience the good ol days with Nicklaus, Player, Watson, Palmer and then into the 90's with the Norman-Faldo-Ballesteros rivalry that made every major more exciting. Although Tiger and Phil has been a "rivalry", Tiger has certainly won more majors and more tournaments. We have never really had the Tiger-Phil head to head duel in a major. There have been a few where they were in a separate groups, but never the final group on Sunday. But now, most believe that the next major rivalry is on the horizon: Tiger and Rory. McIlroy won the 2011 U.S. Open and certainly had the 2011 Masters in his grasp before a back nine meltdown that I don't think any of us will ever forget. Tiger and Rory are what golf needs. We need our own modern day version of the "duel in the sun" between Nicklaus and Watson. I think there is a very good chance that happens this weekend. Both Tiger and Rory are playing too well for them not to be in contention.
--There are a lot of top level guys who are certainly flying under the radar this week at Augusta. Most notably, no one seems to be talking about Luke Donald (currently #1 in the world) or Lee Westwood (currently #3 in the world). Donald finished 4th in the 2011 Masters and as I mentioned earlier, has already won on tour this year. Westwood has yet to win in 2012, but has played solidly. He finished 2nd in Dubai, 4th at the Honda Classic, and 21st last week in Houston. A player from Great Britain hasn't taken home the green jacket since 96' (Nick Faldo), but I have a feeling these two guys could be in the mix late Sunday evening.
Every golfer loves the Masters. Its like a religion. When Masters week arrives, there is just a different feeling in the air. I am expecting a great week and a leaderboard filled with big names from the beginning. There is nothing quite like Masters Sunday, and I believe this particular Sunday, will be one for the ages.
Picks:
Winner: Tiger Woods- He hasn't finished outside of the top 10 since I was in middle school. A bad finish for Tiger at Augusta these days is 4th. Tiger has shown that his game is sharp with the win two weeks ago, and seems very confident in his ability to win majors again. I think Tiger ends his nearly 4 year major drought and takes home the green jacket.
Dark Horse: Steve Stricker- He is traditionally one of the best putters in the game. He finished T-6th back in 2009, and plays a draw that fits the mold of a lot of holes at Augusta National. I could see Strick making some noise this weekend at Augusta.
--GM
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