In the words of Derek Andersen, the atrocious QB of the Arizona Cardinals, "I'm Done...Sorry!".
What am I "done" with? That is simple, the remainder of the college football season.
Yep, that's right, I AM DONE!
After hearing about the ineligibility and the sudden reversal of that ruling in a little over 24 hours of Auburn star QB Cam Newton, I am officially out on this college season. It doesn't mean that I won't watch games, or even enjoy the great plays that occur. It does mean that I won't care. The final scores, the awards that they give out and the build up of these athletes "draft stock" will mean nothing.
This one simple situation shows everything that is wrong with college athletics. I always new that the game was about money, that was not a surprise to me. What surprises me is the control, the dictatorship, that is the BCS conferences and the NCAA.
It took the NCAA 4 years to reach a conclusion about the Reggie Bush case at USC. Both Reggie and his parents were found guilty, as a result the team was punished. The school lost scholarships, which doesn't punish the school but rather punishes the students, the very life-blood of college sports. The NCAA, rather then air on the side of caution decided to do what benefits their wallets and media attention.
This story reminds me much the O.J. Simpson murder trial. In the 90's we only knew O.J. as a great athlete. We all fell in love with him, his style, his star power. The 90's were a different time. Reality TV didn't fill television sets. Gossip blogs and massive amounts of paparazzi didn't follow stars from location to location like the 2nd coming. The lack of personal knowledge gave all of his fans the ability to project on him what the fan wanted him to be, in this case the fans wanted a hero. No one wanted him to be a murderer. It was this desire and self brainwashing that made the fans ignore the facts. It wasn't until O.J.'s most recent run-in with the law that 99% of people realized that he was in fact guilty.
The difference between O.J.'s story and Cam Newton's story is that the college football landscape is divided. Nearly 50% of fans are against the current BCS system. This means that 50% of the country have convinced themselves that Cam is guilty and that he shouldn't play. The NCAA can adjust the record books all they want, they can be as inconsistent in future rulings as they have been in this ruling with Cam and it still won't change one thing...
You can't fight culture. As much as America has changed and become corporate driven, eventually some oppressed person will use their God given rights to stand up for themselves. They will rally the troops and the oppression will eventually fall. The BCS and the NCAA have a flawed system, for some desperate programs looking to regain national prominence it is in their benefit to schedule a ranked non BCS school. It is this simple inconsistency that will eventually create "super-conferences" and the ultimate fall of the NCAA.
The NCAA can do everything they can to keep TCU out of a BCS title game, but they still can't change the outcome of the game. They could change the rules, literally tipping the scales to favor one team drastically over another. This doesn't change the fact that the "suits" don't actually play the games. Their will always be a chance for a great trick play to bring down a perennial powerhouse in OT. I just hope that I am alive to watch the day it happens in a BCS title game and to see in the next days paper- "SEC Athletic Directors in favor of Playoff".
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Fair Weather Fans
Being a Lakers fan I have been accused of being a fair weather fan. This used to bother me and I would spout off stats and history of times in the Lakers history that they were not a great team. This never worked, people just could never accept my Lakers fandom. I eventually got used to this sports bigotry and have since come to enjoy this term. Here is why?
The big team in the NBA this year that will get all the "true" bandwagon fans will be the Miami Heat. Some people are appalled by this as seemingly die-hard fans abandon their teams for a newer hotter team (sounds like a sports soap-opera, we just need someone to come back from dead). The only issue with being a real "bandwagon" fan is that there is no down side. The Heat and the Lakers will both win. Isn't this the best part of being a fan, being a fan when your team wins. Now lets look a little at why the teams with fans that are often called bandwagon fans win most often.
First of all, these teams are in large cities with multiple sports franchises. They almost always have great weather year round and are in urban areas with a roaring night-life. It is this competition that makes these teams winners. If you are the owner of one of these franchises and hope to make money, you have to put a winner on the court or field. If you don't, people will jump onto whichever team is winning in that city and ignore yours. When teams get ignored, the owners don't make as much money. Don't get me wrong they almost all make millions of dollars even if they own a bad team, but to turn your team into a 800 million dollar asset versus a 300 million dollar asset has to do with winning.
There is little to no downside of being a fair-weather fan if you live in that city. If you live in a state full of other fans it can be more difficult. The only real advantage is that your team, even if they have only been your team for a month, will be a winner.
Am I the only one that notices this? If this is really as common knowledge as I think it is, why are people "die-hard" fans? A great example is Jazz fans. The Jazz have never won an NBA championship. In the existence of the Jazz in SLC, they have sold out over 600 games at home. They are passionate fans and I commend them as such, but if they want a team to really win a championship the fans need to STOP GOING TO GAMES. Is it really hard to see that there are few owners that genuinely care about winning in the NBA and are willing to take a financial loss to win? The Jazz are not one of those teams. They care about money more than winning. Because of the loyalty of Jazz fans, the ownership group takes advantage of them. They cut salary knowing that they are losing good players, sign other players while hyping the team to be something that it isn't and they continue to trick fans that they have a chance to win. Many teams, not just the Jazz do this. The Golden State Warriors functioned the same way for many years. Just this off-season the team was sold after the previous owner could no longer trick the fans. The new owner brought in a new coach, and a high quality free agent. Early projections show that the Warriors are going to make more money this year than last year.
You can call me a "fair weather fan" if you want, but I can say something about my team that a die-hard fan can't always say. We win.
The big team in the NBA this year that will get all the "true" bandwagon fans will be the Miami Heat. Some people are appalled by this as seemingly die-hard fans abandon their teams for a newer hotter team (sounds like a sports soap-opera, we just need someone to come back from dead). The only issue with being a real "bandwagon" fan is that there is no down side. The Heat and the Lakers will both win. Isn't this the best part of being a fan, being a fan when your team wins. Now lets look a little at why the teams with fans that are often called bandwagon fans win most often.
First of all, these teams are in large cities with multiple sports franchises. They almost always have great weather year round and are in urban areas with a roaring night-life. It is this competition that makes these teams winners. If you are the owner of one of these franchises and hope to make money, you have to put a winner on the court or field. If you don't, people will jump onto whichever team is winning in that city and ignore yours. When teams get ignored, the owners don't make as much money. Don't get me wrong they almost all make millions of dollars even if they own a bad team, but to turn your team into a 800 million dollar asset versus a 300 million dollar asset has to do with winning.
There is little to no downside of being a fair-weather fan if you live in that city. If you live in a state full of other fans it can be more difficult. The only real advantage is that your team, even if they have only been your team for a month, will be a winner.
Am I the only one that notices this? If this is really as common knowledge as I think it is, why are people "die-hard" fans? A great example is Jazz fans. The Jazz have never won an NBA championship. In the existence of the Jazz in SLC, they have sold out over 600 games at home. They are passionate fans and I commend them as such, but if they want a team to really win a championship the fans need to STOP GOING TO GAMES. Is it really hard to see that there are few owners that genuinely care about winning in the NBA and are willing to take a financial loss to win? The Jazz are not one of those teams. They care about money more than winning. Because of the loyalty of Jazz fans, the ownership group takes advantage of them. They cut salary knowing that they are losing good players, sign other players while hyping the team to be something that it isn't and they continue to trick fans that they have a chance to win. Many teams, not just the Jazz do this. The Golden State Warriors functioned the same way for many years. Just this off-season the team was sold after the previous owner could no longer trick the fans. The new owner brought in a new coach, and a high quality free agent. Early projections show that the Warriors are going to make more money this year than last year.
You can call me a "fair weather fan" if you want, but I can say something about my team that a die-hard fan can't always say. We win.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
NBA Preview 2010
Is it time for me to venture into something that might be too large of a task for me to tackle all at once. I tried to think of whom I could call to get me through this if I get too tired and feel like giving up but no one came to mind. I will rely instead on a small pizza and a Weinhard’s Black Cherry Cream soda. Here is my attempt at an NBA preview. Not just a preview of the big story lines, but EVERY team. Even the soon to be contracted ones like Toronto. Wish me luck.
We begin with the Eastern Conference.
1. Washington Wizards- They are a team in flux. With a new owner and a new #1 overall point guard expectations are higher than they should be. John Wall instantly became a must watch player when he entered the league. Imagine a version of Rajon Rondo with a better jump shot and you have John Wall. What people forget about with this team is that they are guard heavy. Picking up Heinrich was a good move, but even his presence in the locker room is not enough to cancel out Gilbert. I believe that Gilbert still has something left in his career, just not for the Wizards. The fans are sick of him and if he doesn’t shape up he will be out the league with AI and Marbury overseas. Flip Saunders is a below average coach who will only make it through this season if John Wall is fantastic. As improved as this team is talent wise with the addition of Wall, Heinrich, Yi, and Thorton this team plays in the toughest division in the NBA. They will be lucky to get 25 wins.
2. Orlando Magic- Have you see the video of Dwight Howard working Hakeem over the summer? If he can even remember and use just one of those new post moves in an actual game, he might take his game to the next level. Besides Howard, this team is still very deep. Bass and Gortat are capable back-ups on defense and when healthy Jameer Nelson is a catalyst for the three point shot explosions this team is capable of. The two big issues for this team are its two highest paid players, Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis. They no show more often than any other tandem in the league and they shrink in big moments. This being said, if Howard can be the leader and get those crunch time minutes then this won’t be a problem. This team is deep and talented and could easily challenge the Heat, but only if they can stay healthy. Howard and Nelson have to play 65+ games together for this team to live up to its potential.
3. Miami Heat- This might be my shortest section. Pat Riley deserves the credit for a great roster; now the question is…will it be enough? The Heat will smoke in the regular season as long as they can stay healthy, but playing 7 games against the Magic, Celtics, and Lakers might reveal their weakness. They can’t score in the middle and as good as Anthony is of a defender, Gasol and Howard will eat him alive. This will require help from D-wade or Lebron and against the Magic, Celtics, and Lakers with accomplished outside shooters the game will get out of control. I respect that this is a great team and that the players on it are fantastic, but I also want to see them lose.
4. Charlotte Bobcats- This team surprised a lot of people last year. I expect a big fall off. They lost the cog to the Gerald Wallace machine when they lost Felton to the Knicks. Felton created angles for Wallace to crash the boards and get easy put-backs. As good as Larry Brown is, Kwame Brown is still a bust. This team reminds of the Land of Misfit Toys. When Desanga Diop is your starting center, be prepared for a fall. As rumors speculate about contraction of 1 or 2 teams in the league is the luster of a Michael Jordan owned team enough to save a team that goes 30-52.
5. Atlanta Hawks- I will try to be nice, but that Joe Johnson is a horrible signing. I don’t want to hear owners complain about not making money when they offer 120 million to someone that you can’t build around and chokes in clutch moments. I fully expect Bibby to die on the court and to watch his rotting corpse cause more turnovers and play better defense than he does alive and mobile. Watch for Teague to take his spot in the starting line-up. It is hard to find a team that could push the ball and score in the fast-break better then the Hawks bench players. The two Crawfords can flat out score and Powell loves to crash the boards. This is a middle of the road team on the way down because of that horrible contract to Joe Johnson.
6. Milwaukee Bucks- I love this team, on paper anyways. Find a hole in this squad? I dare you? My only concern is ego. Jennings is a rising star who was benched often last year when he made bad choices. Will he let Skiles to that again this year? Maggette is the only bad signing I see on this team, he falls in love with the three and it is hard to get him off it. He is also trouble in the locker room when unhappy. This leads me to my next concern, Bogut. Bogut might be the most undervalued big man in the league. He isn’t flashy, but is fundamentally sound and plays well in the half-court. Can he stay healthy and can he be the leader in the locker room? If he can, this team might just sneak up on the Bulls.
7. Indiana Pacers- This team is a mystery to me. They have multiple wingmen that can score in bunches, but their team defense is suspect and the obvious lack of athleticism is a disadvantage. If either new additions Paul George or Lance Stevenson can develop some chemistry with Collison, this team might be able to steal a game or two from some unsuspecting teams coming off the first game of a back to back. Can Hibbert come back from injury and provide the inside threat they desperately need? Granger will only carry this team to 35 wins.
8. Detroit Pistons- Greg Monroe better be ROY material for this team to make something from this season. This team is full of jump shooters; no one on this team can create off the dribble. How will they score any points? I have a feeling that Dumars is going to regret taking Monroe over Cousins. The only thing this team has to look forward to is the idea that Magic Johnson, a Detroit native, just sold his Lakers shares.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers- This roster is the biggest challenge of Byron Scotts coaching career. If he can get 1 player into the All-Star Team and if the team can make the playoffs, then it will be a miracle. I hope that all of the angry Ohio fans vote in Mo Williams and Delonte West into the All-Star game. I would love to see how Lebron will react. This team has no hope remaining unless Scott can give them some, along with some talent. Good luck.
10. Chicago Bulls- This team is going to be considerable better, do you know why? It is not because it got Boozer, but because it got Brian Scalabrine. He defines what it means to be a team player. No one has been as good of a bench cheerleader since Mark Madsen. In all seriousness, Lebron made the wrong choice. He should have gone to Chicago. They are a great basketball town and the roster is loaded. Rose is the real deal at PG, Boozer is a legit 20 pts, 10 rebound guy and Noah loves to play defense. This team could be as high as a 2 seed in the East heading into the playoffs. Don’t forget their depth, with Korver and Kurt Thomas coming off the bench. They can match up with any team and any style of play.
11. Toronto Raptors- Mail it in Toronto, mail it in. Your best players are DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani. I wouldn’t be surprised if your 1st round pick walks out of a game at half-time and never comes back. I wouldn’t come back. Don’t worry Toronto fans you will soon be removed from your Raptors torture as this team will be destroyed in the new CBA.
12. Philadelphia 76’ers- This year’s biggest draft bust is….Evan Turner. A slow, below average shooting wingman will not make it in this league. He looks out of place on the court and playing alongside Iguodala makes this pick even worse. The saving grace for this team is that Holiday looks really good and if Brand can stay healthy this team might be the 2nd best in its division.
13. New York Knicks- I am not as high on this team as some others are. I loved David Lee. He was on a team with no real help and averaged 15 pts/9 boards in his last two years. You let him go to get an Injury prone forward that is a defensive liability in Amare. How is he an upgrade? On the other hand I do like the other moves they made. Felton will be great in that system and both Turiaf and Roger Mason are great hustle players. In a weak division and conference, expect this team to put up fun numbers just to lose in the first round of the playoffs.
14. New Jersey Nets- This team has built a nice core of players. Even though they paid too much for him, I like Outlaw. This team needs Harris to step up to his previous All-Star self in order for the skill players on this team to succeed. Lopez is better than most people think and enjoys an up-tempo style of play. Because of this, I think that Favors is a great fit for this team if they are willing to push it. Either way, Favors is raw and might not be a huge factor. For this purpose, trading him for Melo would be a great move. With a scorer like Melo, this team could be a top 5 Eastern Conference team.
15. Boston Celtics- Doc Rivers is an awesome coach. Has anyone else seen this team’s bench during games? No one could write a story about a basketball team with as much character as this team has. This is the real question of this team; can all these egos coexist? Will Shaq be ok losing minutes when Perkins comes back? Either way, the core is still there and if Garnett can get back to 08’ level then the Heat better be careful to not lose by 25 in the first game of the season. Also note that they signed Delonte West. They finally have someone that can shoot to come in and replace Allen when he gets into a shooting slump.
Let us move to the Western Conference
1. Dallas Mavericks- Rick Carlisle had real issues managing the egos on this team last season. Can he step up and put some of these aging stars in the correct spots in the rotation? Will Shawn Marion be willing to play 15-20 minutes off of the bench? Will Kidd die trying to cling to every minute he doesn’t deserve as both Jose Barea and Rodrique Beaubois develop into exciting and competent players? Rumor has it that Tyson Chandler has found new fire watching the dedication of Dirk to personal development. If Tyson can stay healthy and if Haywood will treat this season as another contract year, then this team can have a barrage of post players to threaten the Lakers.
2. Houston Rockets- This is one of the youngest teams in the NBA. 10 of the 15 players on the roster have been in the league for 5 years or less. With a brittle Yao Ming, the team has announced plans to limit his minutes to around 25 a game. I question how a team in the Western Conference can compete for a playoff spot if your most skilled post player is not playing crunch time minutes. Can Kevin Martin relieve the pressure of off Aaron Brooks to carry the team in the back court? Louis Scola played at a new level in international play this summer, will it translate to the regular season? This is a team with young assets in Scola, Patrick Patterson, and Kyle Lowry. Combine this with cap space and they could be the big winners before the trade deadline for Melo. The only issue with this trade is if Melo would sign an extension in Houston. All early signs point to no.
3. Memphis Grizzlies- This is my second choice for a team to be contracted. Tennessee is a football state and attendance would be low even if the team was competitive. This team might just be the youngest team in the league. 12 of 15 players are under 5 years in the league. The youth of this team shows in one way-they will run anyone off of the floor. Rudy Gay, Tony Allen, Acie Law, O.J. Mayo, and Xavier Henry are all amazing athletes but lack the polish to score easily in the half-court. If Marc Gasol proves to follow in the same path as his brother, he might be the silver lining of this roster. Pau was a late bloomer as most European big men are. If Marc improves to this level expect the Grizz to trade him to a contender for a 2nd round pick in 2012-when the team doesn’t exist.
4. New Orleans Hornets- How good is Chris Paul? This season will prove it. The owner of this team is bankrupt and is trying to cut costs but dumping young talent. The bulk of the pressure falls on Paul. Can he turn Ariza or Pondexter into a viable wingman? Can David West put in the effort to rebound as he does in his 13 foot jump shot? I expect very little of this team and if Paul suffers a rash of injuries like last season, expect this team to get a lottery pick as it barely wins 20 games.
5. San Antonio Spurs- The most underrated player pick-up this year is Tiago Splitter from Brazil. Like almost every big man coming from international play, they have amazing skills on offense. He has a consistent jump shot and is a great touch passer. His defense is a concern, but with the presence of Duncan and McDyess he should learn quickly. Expect to see more of DeJuan Blair and the resurgence of Tony Parker as the team’s best point guard. If the veteran players can stay healthy this team will annoy everyone in the western conference because they just won’t stop being competitive.
6. Denver Nuggets- This team went through a tough year with George Karl sitting out most of the year fighting throat cancer. Now that Karl is back, he should gut this team and start over. What did I learn from this team when Karl was away from the team? There is no leader on this team, Billups can talk all he wants but the team crashed in the playoffs and he shrunk in every major moment. Kenyon Martin is a distraction, and Melo wants out. George Karl is a good coach, but this team is poisoned. I still expect this team to make the playoffs but I think that they could make it just as easily trading Melo and Martin to the Rockets for Lowry and Battier. Basketball is a chemistry sport and this team is radioactive.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves- Minnesota could be the most depressed sports state in the country in 2010-2011. The Twins choked against the Yankees. The Vikings are on the outside looking in for the NFC playoff picture. The Gophers fired their football coach last week after starting the year 1-5. Tubby Smith is on his way out as the Gophers basketball coach after bumping heads with the AD. The Wild didn’t sell out a game for the first time since the Target Center opened and David Kahn is the worst GM in all of sports. Kahn gave away their best player for nothing in Al Jefferson and the team is comprised of 13 guards/small forwards with Darko Milic the starting center after publicly saying that he prefers playing in Europe. Ladies and gentlemen give a warm round of applause for the worst team in the NBA.
8. Portland Trailblazers- Looking purely at talent, this team is in the top 5 in the league. The problem they have is that they can’t seem to get all of this talent to play at the same time. I still believe that Oden is due for a healthy season. If the new addition of the “35 million dollar man”, Wes Matthews is actually as good of a signing as both Jazz fans and Portland fans say it is then this team could overachieve by my standards. Andre Miller needs to retire and let someone else play point. With a capable point guard, Aldridge is a top 5 power forward. He is great with his back to the basket and can finish with both hands. The next two years are invaluable for this team. With Kevin Pritchard (general manager) leaving the team, it is destined to fall apart.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder- I am as high as a kite on this team. Durant has done and said everything right in the off-season and proved he can dominant when it matters while playing for team USA this summer. He also showed a more developed post game and post defense. Look for him to play considerable time at the four spot this year leaving Russell Westbrook alone up top to destroy opposing overmatched point guards. This team is the definition of a team in sync. Durant is league MVP this year and his entire bench will be nominated for the sixth man award.
10. Utah Jazz- This team gets the award for best new jersey design. Bringing back the note is a great move. The Utah Jazz fan base is in high hopes for this year even though they lost 4 big names in the off-season. Boozer, Korver, and Brewer left for Chicago and Wesley Matthews signed with the Blazers. What seems like a rough off-season was forgotten when they robbed the great (sarcasm) David Kahn in MN for Al Jefferson. When you combine this with a motivated Deron Williams, they might not miss a beat. They still have some holes at SG but with successful roster management they might be able to find a matchup that works to their advantage in each game. If this team starts slow, look for them to move the perpetually underachieving AK-47 and his horrible contract. He belongs with the Nets.
11. Golden State Warriors- This team is still looking for an identity. With Nelson gone, coaching is going to be more important with this team than any other in the league. Curry is a great young talent, but is in a battle with turnover prone Monta Ellis for the starting role. David Lee had a career year with the Knicks last year. Will shooting the ball less affect his desire to rebound at the same level? Udoh and Amundson are scrappy players that provide great defensive presence but have no offensive upside coming off the bench. This team is one big question mark. On the bright side, the new logo might finally help people know that they are in San Fran.
12. LA Clippers- Isn’t it amazing what one player can do for a team. Blake Griffin is a beast. He plays like his hair is on fire and is my favorite for ROY. The big question is if his reckless style will get him hurt again. This team has three legit players in Bledsoe, Griffin and Kaman. After these three, good luck picking any real lock as a contributor off the bench. This is where I love Del Negro as their new coach, while in Chicago he got that team to play as team. If he can do the same here and if Griffin stays healthy, this team could make the playoffs.
13. LA Lakers- Not much needs to be said about this team. They have Kobe, the league’s best player. They have Gasol, the league’s best big man. They have Artest, Blake, Barnes, and Odom as role players. If they can stay healthy this team is my pick for the NBA championship. No one matches up to them, not even the Heat. Odom would be a 20/10 guy on every other team in the league and he is coming off of the Lakers bench. Watch for them to move Bynum before the trade deadline. They have Ratliff and their newly drafted forward Caracter is full of potential.
14. Phoenix Suns- I want this team to do well, but I just don’t see how it happens. They have 5 small forwards, an aging point guard and NO scoring threat in the post. They lost Kerr as a GM and then overpaid for Frye. As much as I don’t care for Amare, he was important to this team. I love Nash, but I don’t see how even he can get this team to the playoffs.
15. Sacrament Kings- They got the steal of the draft in Cousins. He was the most complete post player of the draft and should take enough pressure off of Evans that his shot selection should improve. Udrih should be playing the point in that offense, setting up Cousins. Eventually Cousins will face multiple double teams in each game. When this happens Landry can clean up the boards for easy put-backs. This team is in on the rise. I just hope that the Maloof’s don’t mess it up.
We begin with the Eastern Conference.
1. Washington Wizards- They are a team in flux. With a new owner and a new #1 overall point guard expectations are higher than they should be. John Wall instantly became a must watch player when he entered the league. Imagine a version of Rajon Rondo with a better jump shot and you have John Wall. What people forget about with this team is that they are guard heavy. Picking up Heinrich was a good move, but even his presence in the locker room is not enough to cancel out Gilbert. I believe that Gilbert still has something left in his career, just not for the Wizards. The fans are sick of him and if he doesn’t shape up he will be out the league with AI and Marbury overseas. Flip Saunders is a below average coach who will only make it through this season if John Wall is fantastic. As improved as this team is talent wise with the addition of Wall, Heinrich, Yi, and Thorton this team plays in the toughest division in the NBA. They will be lucky to get 25 wins.
2. Orlando Magic- Have you see the video of Dwight Howard working Hakeem over the summer? If he can even remember and use just one of those new post moves in an actual game, he might take his game to the next level. Besides Howard, this team is still very deep. Bass and Gortat are capable back-ups on defense and when healthy Jameer Nelson is a catalyst for the three point shot explosions this team is capable of. The two big issues for this team are its two highest paid players, Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis. They no show more often than any other tandem in the league and they shrink in big moments. This being said, if Howard can be the leader and get those crunch time minutes then this won’t be a problem. This team is deep and talented and could easily challenge the Heat, but only if they can stay healthy. Howard and Nelson have to play 65+ games together for this team to live up to its potential.
3. Miami Heat- This might be my shortest section. Pat Riley deserves the credit for a great roster; now the question is…will it be enough? The Heat will smoke in the regular season as long as they can stay healthy, but playing 7 games against the Magic, Celtics, and Lakers might reveal their weakness. They can’t score in the middle and as good as Anthony is of a defender, Gasol and Howard will eat him alive. This will require help from D-wade or Lebron and against the Magic, Celtics, and Lakers with accomplished outside shooters the game will get out of control. I respect that this is a great team and that the players on it are fantastic, but I also want to see them lose.
4. Charlotte Bobcats- This team surprised a lot of people last year. I expect a big fall off. They lost the cog to the Gerald Wallace machine when they lost Felton to the Knicks. Felton created angles for Wallace to crash the boards and get easy put-backs. As good as Larry Brown is, Kwame Brown is still a bust. This team reminds of the Land of Misfit Toys. When Desanga Diop is your starting center, be prepared for a fall. As rumors speculate about contraction of 1 or 2 teams in the league is the luster of a Michael Jordan owned team enough to save a team that goes 30-52.
5. Atlanta Hawks- I will try to be nice, but that Joe Johnson is a horrible signing. I don’t want to hear owners complain about not making money when they offer 120 million to someone that you can’t build around and chokes in clutch moments. I fully expect Bibby to die on the court and to watch his rotting corpse cause more turnovers and play better defense than he does alive and mobile. Watch for Teague to take his spot in the starting line-up. It is hard to find a team that could push the ball and score in the fast-break better then the Hawks bench players. The two Crawfords can flat out score and Powell loves to crash the boards. This is a middle of the road team on the way down because of that horrible contract to Joe Johnson.
6. Milwaukee Bucks- I love this team, on paper anyways. Find a hole in this squad? I dare you? My only concern is ego. Jennings is a rising star who was benched often last year when he made bad choices. Will he let Skiles to that again this year? Maggette is the only bad signing I see on this team, he falls in love with the three and it is hard to get him off it. He is also trouble in the locker room when unhappy. This leads me to my next concern, Bogut. Bogut might be the most undervalued big man in the league. He isn’t flashy, but is fundamentally sound and plays well in the half-court. Can he stay healthy and can he be the leader in the locker room? If he can, this team might just sneak up on the Bulls.
7. Indiana Pacers- This team is a mystery to me. They have multiple wingmen that can score in bunches, but their team defense is suspect and the obvious lack of athleticism is a disadvantage. If either new additions Paul George or Lance Stevenson can develop some chemistry with Collison, this team might be able to steal a game or two from some unsuspecting teams coming off the first game of a back to back. Can Hibbert come back from injury and provide the inside threat they desperately need? Granger will only carry this team to 35 wins.
8. Detroit Pistons- Greg Monroe better be ROY material for this team to make something from this season. This team is full of jump shooters; no one on this team can create off the dribble. How will they score any points? I have a feeling that Dumars is going to regret taking Monroe over Cousins. The only thing this team has to look forward to is the idea that Magic Johnson, a Detroit native, just sold his Lakers shares.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers- This roster is the biggest challenge of Byron Scotts coaching career. If he can get 1 player into the All-Star Team and if the team can make the playoffs, then it will be a miracle. I hope that all of the angry Ohio fans vote in Mo Williams and Delonte West into the All-Star game. I would love to see how Lebron will react. This team has no hope remaining unless Scott can give them some, along with some talent. Good luck.
10. Chicago Bulls- This team is going to be considerable better, do you know why? It is not because it got Boozer, but because it got Brian Scalabrine. He defines what it means to be a team player. No one has been as good of a bench cheerleader since Mark Madsen. In all seriousness, Lebron made the wrong choice. He should have gone to Chicago. They are a great basketball town and the roster is loaded. Rose is the real deal at PG, Boozer is a legit 20 pts, 10 rebound guy and Noah loves to play defense. This team could be as high as a 2 seed in the East heading into the playoffs. Don’t forget their depth, with Korver and Kurt Thomas coming off the bench. They can match up with any team and any style of play.
11. Toronto Raptors- Mail it in Toronto, mail it in. Your best players are DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani. I wouldn’t be surprised if your 1st round pick walks out of a game at half-time and never comes back. I wouldn’t come back. Don’t worry Toronto fans you will soon be removed from your Raptors torture as this team will be destroyed in the new CBA.
12. Philadelphia 76’ers- This year’s biggest draft bust is….Evan Turner. A slow, below average shooting wingman will not make it in this league. He looks out of place on the court and playing alongside Iguodala makes this pick even worse. The saving grace for this team is that Holiday looks really good and if Brand can stay healthy this team might be the 2nd best in its division.
13. New York Knicks- I am not as high on this team as some others are. I loved David Lee. He was on a team with no real help and averaged 15 pts/9 boards in his last two years. You let him go to get an Injury prone forward that is a defensive liability in Amare. How is he an upgrade? On the other hand I do like the other moves they made. Felton will be great in that system and both Turiaf and Roger Mason are great hustle players. In a weak division and conference, expect this team to put up fun numbers just to lose in the first round of the playoffs.
14. New Jersey Nets- This team has built a nice core of players. Even though they paid too much for him, I like Outlaw. This team needs Harris to step up to his previous All-Star self in order for the skill players on this team to succeed. Lopez is better than most people think and enjoys an up-tempo style of play. Because of this, I think that Favors is a great fit for this team if they are willing to push it. Either way, Favors is raw and might not be a huge factor. For this purpose, trading him for Melo would be a great move. With a scorer like Melo, this team could be a top 5 Eastern Conference team.
15. Boston Celtics- Doc Rivers is an awesome coach. Has anyone else seen this team’s bench during games? No one could write a story about a basketball team with as much character as this team has. This is the real question of this team; can all these egos coexist? Will Shaq be ok losing minutes when Perkins comes back? Either way, the core is still there and if Garnett can get back to 08’ level then the Heat better be careful to not lose by 25 in the first game of the season. Also note that they signed Delonte West. They finally have someone that can shoot to come in and replace Allen when he gets into a shooting slump.
Let us move to the Western Conference
1. Dallas Mavericks- Rick Carlisle had real issues managing the egos on this team last season. Can he step up and put some of these aging stars in the correct spots in the rotation? Will Shawn Marion be willing to play 15-20 minutes off of the bench? Will Kidd die trying to cling to every minute he doesn’t deserve as both Jose Barea and Rodrique Beaubois develop into exciting and competent players? Rumor has it that Tyson Chandler has found new fire watching the dedication of Dirk to personal development. If Tyson can stay healthy and if Haywood will treat this season as another contract year, then this team can have a barrage of post players to threaten the Lakers.
2. Houston Rockets- This is one of the youngest teams in the NBA. 10 of the 15 players on the roster have been in the league for 5 years or less. With a brittle Yao Ming, the team has announced plans to limit his minutes to around 25 a game. I question how a team in the Western Conference can compete for a playoff spot if your most skilled post player is not playing crunch time minutes. Can Kevin Martin relieve the pressure of off Aaron Brooks to carry the team in the back court? Louis Scola played at a new level in international play this summer, will it translate to the regular season? This is a team with young assets in Scola, Patrick Patterson, and Kyle Lowry. Combine this with cap space and they could be the big winners before the trade deadline for Melo. The only issue with this trade is if Melo would sign an extension in Houston. All early signs point to no.
3. Memphis Grizzlies- This is my second choice for a team to be contracted. Tennessee is a football state and attendance would be low even if the team was competitive. This team might just be the youngest team in the league. 12 of 15 players are under 5 years in the league. The youth of this team shows in one way-they will run anyone off of the floor. Rudy Gay, Tony Allen, Acie Law, O.J. Mayo, and Xavier Henry are all amazing athletes but lack the polish to score easily in the half-court. If Marc Gasol proves to follow in the same path as his brother, he might be the silver lining of this roster. Pau was a late bloomer as most European big men are. If Marc improves to this level expect the Grizz to trade him to a contender for a 2nd round pick in 2012-when the team doesn’t exist.
4. New Orleans Hornets- How good is Chris Paul? This season will prove it. The owner of this team is bankrupt and is trying to cut costs but dumping young talent. The bulk of the pressure falls on Paul. Can he turn Ariza or Pondexter into a viable wingman? Can David West put in the effort to rebound as he does in his 13 foot jump shot? I expect very little of this team and if Paul suffers a rash of injuries like last season, expect this team to get a lottery pick as it barely wins 20 games.
5. San Antonio Spurs- The most underrated player pick-up this year is Tiago Splitter from Brazil. Like almost every big man coming from international play, they have amazing skills on offense. He has a consistent jump shot and is a great touch passer. His defense is a concern, but with the presence of Duncan and McDyess he should learn quickly. Expect to see more of DeJuan Blair and the resurgence of Tony Parker as the team’s best point guard. If the veteran players can stay healthy this team will annoy everyone in the western conference because they just won’t stop being competitive.
6. Denver Nuggets- This team went through a tough year with George Karl sitting out most of the year fighting throat cancer. Now that Karl is back, he should gut this team and start over. What did I learn from this team when Karl was away from the team? There is no leader on this team, Billups can talk all he wants but the team crashed in the playoffs and he shrunk in every major moment. Kenyon Martin is a distraction, and Melo wants out. George Karl is a good coach, but this team is poisoned. I still expect this team to make the playoffs but I think that they could make it just as easily trading Melo and Martin to the Rockets for Lowry and Battier. Basketball is a chemistry sport and this team is radioactive.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves- Minnesota could be the most depressed sports state in the country in 2010-2011. The Twins choked against the Yankees. The Vikings are on the outside looking in for the NFC playoff picture. The Gophers fired their football coach last week after starting the year 1-5. Tubby Smith is on his way out as the Gophers basketball coach after bumping heads with the AD. The Wild didn’t sell out a game for the first time since the Target Center opened and David Kahn is the worst GM in all of sports. Kahn gave away their best player for nothing in Al Jefferson and the team is comprised of 13 guards/small forwards with Darko Milic the starting center after publicly saying that he prefers playing in Europe. Ladies and gentlemen give a warm round of applause for the worst team in the NBA.
8. Portland Trailblazers- Looking purely at talent, this team is in the top 5 in the league. The problem they have is that they can’t seem to get all of this talent to play at the same time. I still believe that Oden is due for a healthy season. If the new addition of the “35 million dollar man”, Wes Matthews is actually as good of a signing as both Jazz fans and Portland fans say it is then this team could overachieve by my standards. Andre Miller needs to retire and let someone else play point. With a capable point guard, Aldridge is a top 5 power forward. He is great with his back to the basket and can finish with both hands. The next two years are invaluable for this team. With Kevin Pritchard (general manager) leaving the team, it is destined to fall apart.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder- I am as high as a kite on this team. Durant has done and said everything right in the off-season and proved he can dominant when it matters while playing for team USA this summer. He also showed a more developed post game and post defense. Look for him to play considerable time at the four spot this year leaving Russell Westbrook alone up top to destroy opposing overmatched point guards. This team is the definition of a team in sync. Durant is league MVP this year and his entire bench will be nominated for the sixth man award.
10. Utah Jazz- This team gets the award for best new jersey design. Bringing back the note is a great move. The Utah Jazz fan base is in high hopes for this year even though they lost 4 big names in the off-season. Boozer, Korver, and Brewer left for Chicago and Wesley Matthews signed with the Blazers. What seems like a rough off-season was forgotten when they robbed the great (sarcasm) David Kahn in MN for Al Jefferson. When you combine this with a motivated Deron Williams, they might not miss a beat. They still have some holes at SG but with successful roster management they might be able to find a matchup that works to their advantage in each game. If this team starts slow, look for them to move the perpetually underachieving AK-47 and his horrible contract. He belongs with the Nets.
11. Golden State Warriors- This team is still looking for an identity. With Nelson gone, coaching is going to be more important with this team than any other in the league. Curry is a great young talent, but is in a battle with turnover prone Monta Ellis for the starting role. David Lee had a career year with the Knicks last year. Will shooting the ball less affect his desire to rebound at the same level? Udoh and Amundson are scrappy players that provide great defensive presence but have no offensive upside coming off the bench. This team is one big question mark. On the bright side, the new logo might finally help people know that they are in San Fran.
12. LA Clippers- Isn’t it amazing what one player can do for a team. Blake Griffin is a beast. He plays like his hair is on fire and is my favorite for ROY. The big question is if his reckless style will get him hurt again. This team has three legit players in Bledsoe, Griffin and Kaman. After these three, good luck picking any real lock as a contributor off the bench. This is where I love Del Negro as their new coach, while in Chicago he got that team to play as team. If he can do the same here and if Griffin stays healthy, this team could make the playoffs.
13. LA Lakers- Not much needs to be said about this team. They have Kobe, the league’s best player. They have Gasol, the league’s best big man. They have Artest, Blake, Barnes, and Odom as role players. If they can stay healthy this team is my pick for the NBA championship. No one matches up to them, not even the Heat. Odom would be a 20/10 guy on every other team in the league and he is coming off of the Lakers bench. Watch for them to move Bynum before the trade deadline. They have Ratliff and their newly drafted forward Caracter is full of potential.
14. Phoenix Suns- I want this team to do well, but I just don’t see how it happens. They have 5 small forwards, an aging point guard and NO scoring threat in the post. They lost Kerr as a GM and then overpaid for Frye. As much as I don’t care for Amare, he was important to this team. I love Nash, but I don’t see how even he can get this team to the playoffs.
15. Sacrament Kings- They got the steal of the draft in Cousins. He was the most complete post player of the draft and should take enough pressure off of Evans that his shot selection should improve. Udrih should be playing the point in that offense, setting up Cousins. Eventually Cousins will face multiple double teams in each game. When this happens Landry can clean up the boards for easy put-backs. This team is in on the rise. I just hope that the Maloof’s don’t mess it up.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Are Vicious Hits Concussing the NFL?
This past Sunday saw a barrage of violent hits in multiple NFL games resulting in multiple concussions. Years ago this problem was called "getting your bell rung" or "seeing stars". In a more modern time, some research points to the fact that frequent concussions have connections to early, onset dementia and ALS in former athletes. Just yesterday the league started handing out severe fines for these hits and warned of potential suspension in loo of avoiding a fatality on the field. The league paints that the players delivering the hits are the criminals in these crimes. The players in question might have pulled the trigger, the changes in the NFL loaded the bullet into the gun. Let me explain.
The NFL is a cash cow. The Monday Night Football game between two small market, slow paced teams out rated a Rangers/Yankees playoff games. Move over baseball, a new king is in town. What sells football? Offense sells football. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rogers are the top draw of football ratings. Are these players great? Of course they are, but why are they the most popular? They score points.
During the past ten years we have seen the acceptance and even the dominance of a spread offense used in the NFL. We see 4 or 5 wide receiver sets, plays with no running backs and 7 step drops. If you could rank your top ten NFL moments, how many would be great jukes, one-handed catches, or a Devin Hester punt return for a touchdown? The NFL is perpetuating the growth of offense with multiple rule changes to help the offense score points more easily. As a result of these changes, more players are getting hurt. Why?
Certain teams can't run the ball. They pass 35-45 times a game. When you do this, you put more and more pressure on wide receivers and defensive backs. There is a direct increase in concussions in wide receivers due to the increase in the number of pass attempts per game. At the same time QB play has gone down. With 5 WR in on a single play and a ball is thrown over the middle, often times the wrong WR streaking across the middle will jump and catch the ball when it really was meant for a WR further down the field. QB's are also leading receivers into bad situations with high passes and passes they the QB knows are going to leave his WR open to a vicious hit. Manning and Brady earn the most respect from their WR's because the WR knows that they aren't being hung out to dry unless it is a due or die moment. Ultimately, NFL coaches are responsible for this lapse in quality quarterbacking.
My last point has to do with being an athlete in general. Athletes want to win, they love a challenge and most will attempt to rise to the occasion when challenged by either a rival team or even a new rule. When you create these rules that limit contact, when an opportunity arrives to actually show what you are made of the player might get overly excited and give it more than is necessary. This is human nature. Imagine getting married, enjoying sex on your wedding night and then being told that you won't be able to have sex for 10 years. What is going to happen when the 10 years is up?
I agree that something has to be done about these hits and a deliberate hit to cause bodily harm should be punished by a fine or possibly suspension. At the same time, it is football and it is a contact sport. Give defenders a little more slack, allow for more aggressive play on the line of scrimmage against wide receivers. Loosen the reigns a little on players like James Harrison because I can tell you this much, just like most men who would be asked to abstain for 10 years...most would cheat...just like what happened this weekend. The NFL needs to take the bullet out of the chamber, otherwise someone will die on national television.
The NFL is a cash cow. The Monday Night Football game between two small market, slow paced teams out rated a Rangers/Yankees playoff games. Move over baseball, a new king is in town. What sells football? Offense sells football. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rogers are the top draw of football ratings. Are these players great? Of course they are, but why are they the most popular? They score points.
During the past ten years we have seen the acceptance and even the dominance of a spread offense used in the NFL. We see 4 or 5 wide receiver sets, plays with no running backs and 7 step drops. If you could rank your top ten NFL moments, how many would be great jukes, one-handed catches, or a Devin Hester punt return for a touchdown? The NFL is perpetuating the growth of offense with multiple rule changes to help the offense score points more easily. As a result of these changes, more players are getting hurt. Why?
Certain teams can't run the ball. They pass 35-45 times a game. When you do this, you put more and more pressure on wide receivers and defensive backs. There is a direct increase in concussions in wide receivers due to the increase in the number of pass attempts per game. At the same time QB play has gone down. With 5 WR in on a single play and a ball is thrown over the middle, often times the wrong WR streaking across the middle will jump and catch the ball when it really was meant for a WR further down the field. QB's are also leading receivers into bad situations with high passes and passes they the QB knows are going to leave his WR open to a vicious hit. Manning and Brady earn the most respect from their WR's because the WR knows that they aren't being hung out to dry unless it is a due or die moment. Ultimately, NFL coaches are responsible for this lapse in quality quarterbacking.
My last point has to do with being an athlete in general. Athletes want to win, they love a challenge and most will attempt to rise to the occasion when challenged by either a rival team or even a new rule. When you create these rules that limit contact, when an opportunity arrives to actually show what you are made of the player might get overly excited and give it more than is necessary. This is human nature. Imagine getting married, enjoying sex on your wedding night and then being told that you won't be able to have sex for 10 years. What is going to happen when the 10 years is up?
I agree that something has to be done about these hits and a deliberate hit to cause bodily harm should be punished by a fine or possibly suspension. At the same time, it is football and it is a contact sport. Give defenders a little more slack, allow for more aggressive play on the line of scrimmage against wide receivers. Loosen the reigns a little on players like James Harrison because I can tell you this much, just like most men who would be asked to abstain for 10 years...most would cheat...just like what happened this weekend. The NFL needs to take the bullet out of the chamber, otherwise someone will die on national television.
Friday, October 15, 2010
LeBrenius
This was a historic summer for the NBA. This was the summer of historically idiotic moves by NBA general manages. The Knicks and Nets got what they deserved for selling out for an elite free agent during the previous season-nothing (you can argue that the Knicks got Amare, but guess who they didn't get...Steve Nash...the reason Amare got his 100 million). The Blazers spent 33 million for an untested player that will play 10-15 minutes a game. The Hawks spent 120 million on Joe Johnson. They should have spent that 120 million giving away free tickets and hoping that 40 games were packed full of crazy Southerners that drank enough booze that they made a profit. Why is this a better idea? Joe Johnson's career is a result of the Nash Theory- the idea that Steve Nash is so good that he makes everyone not just better, but great,220 million dollars great. I just nope that Nash is asked to be a pallbearer at each of those guys funerals, that is the least that they can do.
Do you want to know what was NOT an idiotic move? "The Decision".
Lebron is a genius, or for the sake of this column, LeBrenius.
First I should explain my biases, I don't like Lebron. I never have. He showed me anything but squandered potential as an elite athlete. He cared too much about being better than MJ, and having friends than he did about winning. Did Lebron not realize that MJ had no friends and that winning was the only way he could get his kicks. Lebron finally put it all together this summer. Here is why going to Miami via "The Decision" make him the LeBrenius.
MJ is the only MJ. Do you see how pissed Kobe gets in press conferences when he gets asked about or compared to MJ? No one in a 24/7 media culture can ever be MJ. While no one can be MJ, someday someone will be as big of an icon as MJ is. It will take a long time, but it will happen. Lebron has no time to become this icon. MJ is still relevant. He is always in the news. This year he became the majority owner of the Grizzlies. Two weeks ago he graced the cover and is the primary theme of NBA2k11. Until MJ is exiled to the back of our memories, no one can beat him as the icon he is. Lebron's style of play will limit his career. He is half way through with his career. MJ will still be relevant in 8 years. It was this realization that forced Lebron to take a page out of the Kobe playbook...make people hate you.
Kobe lost millions of dollars in sponsorships during his rape trial. He settled out of court and his wife stayed with him. He became the most polarizing figure in all of professional sports at the time. King James now wears this crown. What made people change their minds about Kobe? He won, not only did he win, but he lived in a city full of "Fair Weather Fans" that were willing to ignore his mis-deeds because he gave thousands of middle-aged men an excuse to bring their augmented, mistress/nannies to a sporting event that the mistress could tolerate because in only LA can your order an appletini from a traveling stadium vendor. LA has no past, only a present and a future.
NBA fans tune in to watch Kobe win, or to watch Kobe lose. For Kobe, this is a win-win situation. Kobe has the best selling NBA jersey on the planet despite his troubled past. He takes a helicopter to games and is going to be making 30 million dollars a year for the next 3 years. All in all, he currently is the closest to MJ.
Does Kobe's situation sound all that different from Lebron's? Lebron alienated a city and fan base to move to a city of "Fair Weather Fans" that instantly accepted him and forgot completely about "The Decision". Think of all the press that they received in training camp? Imagine what will happen when the Heat lose? Is this the first time in history that a team will get more press for losing any game than for winning a championship? It might just be.
I hold out hope that someone, someday, will upstage MJ. Not because I don't appreciate what Jordan did for basketball, but because I know that his memory will fade and I hope that my children get the chance to watch basketball history and basketball magic for themselves.
Do you want to know what was NOT an idiotic move? "The Decision".
Lebron is a genius, or for the sake of this column, LeBrenius.
First I should explain my biases, I don't like Lebron. I never have. He showed me anything but squandered potential as an elite athlete. He cared too much about being better than MJ, and having friends than he did about winning. Did Lebron not realize that MJ had no friends and that winning was the only way he could get his kicks. Lebron finally put it all together this summer. Here is why going to Miami via "The Decision" make him the LeBrenius.
MJ is the only MJ. Do you see how pissed Kobe gets in press conferences when he gets asked about or compared to MJ? No one in a 24/7 media culture can ever be MJ. While no one can be MJ, someday someone will be as big of an icon as MJ is. It will take a long time, but it will happen. Lebron has no time to become this icon. MJ is still relevant. He is always in the news. This year he became the majority owner of the Grizzlies. Two weeks ago he graced the cover and is the primary theme of NBA2k11. Until MJ is exiled to the back of our memories, no one can beat him as the icon he is. Lebron's style of play will limit his career. He is half way through with his career. MJ will still be relevant in 8 years. It was this realization that forced Lebron to take a page out of the Kobe playbook...make people hate you.
Kobe lost millions of dollars in sponsorships during his rape trial. He settled out of court and his wife stayed with him. He became the most polarizing figure in all of professional sports at the time. King James now wears this crown. What made people change their minds about Kobe? He won, not only did he win, but he lived in a city full of "Fair Weather Fans" that were willing to ignore his mis-deeds because he gave thousands of middle-aged men an excuse to bring their augmented, mistress/nannies to a sporting event that the mistress could tolerate because in only LA can your order an appletini from a traveling stadium vendor. LA has no past, only a present and a future.
NBA fans tune in to watch Kobe win, or to watch Kobe lose. For Kobe, this is a win-win situation. Kobe has the best selling NBA jersey on the planet despite his troubled past. He takes a helicopter to games and is going to be making 30 million dollars a year for the next 3 years. All in all, he currently is the closest to MJ.
Does Kobe's situation sound all that different from Lebron's? Lebron alienated a city and fan base to move to a city of "Fair Weather Fans" that instantly accepted him and forgot completely about "The Decision". Think of all the press that they received in training camp? Imagine what will happen when the Heat lose? Is this the first time in history that a team will get more press for losing any game than for winning a championship? It might just be.
I hold out hope that someone, someday, will upstage MJ. Not because I don't appreciate what Jordan did for basketball, but because I know that his memory will fade and I hope that my children get the chance to watch basketball history and basketball magic for themselves.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Going Indepedent
BYU is going independent in football while joining the MCC in all other sports. This move received national attention for one day, then fell into obscurity on the national level. On a purely personal level I hope it fails, but I want it to fail because the BYU program is unsuccessful and for no other reason. I fear that this move to become independent has different motives from the obvious ones.
Lets mention the obvious advantages. First, the MWC was falling apart with the loss of Utah to the PAC-10. This move almost guarantees that the MWC will not receive an automatic qualifying bid for a BCS bowl game. Secondly, this is a move about money. College football is a business, a very successful business. Recent moves by the Big-10 has taught us that the money is found most abundantly in TV revenue. BYU is using this new trend to its advantage. BYU has all the technology available to create its own sports channel and no longer have to share this revenue with the other members of the MWC. Most you knew these two reasons that played as the biggest motivators for them to become independent. Lets address my conspiracy theory.
Three years ago I wrote for the Scroll, the school paper at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg. I wrote both in sports and campus activities. During the course of the semester we were privileged to be able to have a sit-down interview as a collective staff with the President of BYU-I, Kim B. Clark. Each staff member was allowed to ask two topical questions with an appropriate amount of follow-up. The following exchange occurred, in paraphrase.
Me: Will we ever have an athletics program beyond intramural's?
President: I find it highly unlikely. We would probably see the dissolving of sports at BYU-Provo before we ever see a similar sports program exist at BYU-I.
Me: Why is that?
President: There are many reasons, but the one of highest concern to the Brethren is the obvious corruption becoming more and more prevalent in college sports. As the scriptures say "The worth of souls is great in the sight of the Lord", they are even more important than the BYU football and basketball teams. Anything that might jeopardize the values of the athletes will only be tolerated as long as it can be controlled within the BYU program itself.
I couldn't believe he said this! It was fantastic! I was so excited to write the story. Before printing the story I was told that I had to turn in my story and my notes to the Presidents office for approval. My story was denied, my notes were not returned and I was told that I should write a story about the intramural program rather than dwelling on an athletic program that we don't have.
A story that made no press nationally is the dismissal and confession of BYU running back Harvey Unga over the summer. He admitted to a sexual relationship with a fellow student. This might be considered normal and expected for your typical star athlete, but not at BYU. They take these matters very seriously and luckily this story was overlooked by most.
I see BYU going independent as a last attempt to keep BYU from filling the sports-ticker in the off-season with stories similar to that of Harvey. A story that taints not just the image of the school but also the Church that funds it. BYU now has the ability to run its own broadcasts. The HD signal will be coming out of their trucks, not The MTN, or ESPN's. They will have ultimate control during broadcasts. They will be able to create their schedules as they see fit to play fewer games in prime-time. This protects them from playing on Sunday and traveling to cities and locations that put their players in higher risks of temptation.
I speculate that they are hoping to remain independent until the day that super-conferences govern themselves outside of the NCAA and the money-grabbers at its head. If this happens, I suspect they would join a conference with the ability to have increased governing control of contact with agents and sponsors. In the mean time BYU will probably fly under the radar on the national level for the next couple of years, missing BCS games waiting for things to change so that the risk on the BYU student-athlete is reduced and controllable. The real question is this:
What if nothing changes in the land of college athletics? Will BYU be willing to risk it? Will the Church be willing to risk it?
No. No they won't.
Lets mention the obvious advantages. First, the MWC was falling apart with the loss of Utah to the PAC-10. This move almost guarantees that the MWC will not receive an automatic qualifying bid for a BCS bowl game. Secondly, this is a move about money. College football is a business, a very successful business. Recent moves by the Big-10 has taught us that the money is found most abundantly in TV revenue. BYU is using this new trend to its advantage. BYU has all the technology available to create its own sports channel and no longer have to share this revenue with the other members of the MWC. Most you knew these two reasons that played as the biggest motivators for them to become independent. Lets address my conspiracy theory.
Three years ago I wrote for the Scroll, the school paper at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg. I wrote both in sports and campus activities. During the course of the semester we were privileged to be able to have a sit-down interview as a collective staff with the President of BYU-I, Kim B. Clark. Each staff member was allowed to ask two topical questions with an appropriate amount of follow-up. The following exchange occurred, in paraphrase.
Me: Will we ever have an athletics program beyond intramural's?
President: I find it highly unlikely. We would probably see the dissolving of sports at BYU-Provo before we ever see a similar sports program exist at BYU-I.
Me: Why is that?
President: There are many reasons, but the one of highest concern to the Brethren is the obvious corruption becoming more and more prevalent in college sports. As the scriptures say "The worth of souls is great in the sight of the Lord", they are even more important than the BYU football and basketball teams. Anything that might jeopardize the values of the athletes will only be tolerated as long as it can be controlled within the BYU program itself.
I couldn't believe he said this! It was fantastic! I was so excited to write the story. Before printing the story I was told that I had to turn in my story and my notes to the Presidents office for approval. My story was denied, my notes were not returned and I was told that I should write a story about the intramural program rather than dwelling on an athletic program that we don't have.
A story that made no press nationally is the dismissal and confession of BYU running back Harvey Unga over the summer. He admitted to a sexual relationship with a fellow student. This might be considered normal and expected for your typical star athlete, but not at BYU. They take these matters very seriously and luckily this story was overlooked by most.
I see BYU going independent as a last attempt to keep BYU from filling the sports-ticker in the off-season with stories similar to that of Harvey. A story that taints not just the image of the school but also the Church that funds it. BYU now has the ability to run its own broadcasts. The HD signal will be coming out of their trucks, not The MTN, or ESPN's. They will have ultimate control during broadcasts. They will be able to create their schedules as they see fit to play fewer games in prime-time. This protects them from playing on Sunday and traveling to cities and locations that put their players in higher risks of temptation.
I speculate that they are hoping to remain independent until the day that super-conferences govern themselves outside of the NCAA and the money-grabbers at its head. If this happens, I suspect they would join a conference with the ability to have increased governing control of contact with agents and sponsors. In the mean time BYU will probably fly under the radar on the national level for the next couple of years, missing BCS games waiting for things to change so that the risk on the BYU student-athlete is reduced and controllable. The real question is this:
What if nothing changes in the land of college athletics? Will BYU be willing to risk it? Will the Church be willing to risk it?
No. No they won't.
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