SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE EYE-TO-EYE

SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE EYE-TO-EYE
Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

AREA CODE 650 ... HARBAUGH NOW OR NEVER

Time to make the call?
The University of Michigan football program was never this suspect under Lloyd Carr and yet, he was forced out the door like an aging sheriff who could no longer protect the townsfolk.

At least under Carr the Wolverines were competitive.  This current product on the field every Saturday for the maize and blue is at times head shaking.  Let's face facts, this isn't Purdue we're talking about where every blue moon you get good.  This is about a storied program that used to be part of the conversation when talk centered about a national title run.

SHOULD HE BE WORRIED?
This is not column calling for Rich Rodriguez's dismissal.  It's more about being in place when opportunity knocks and whether someone gets up to answer the door.  In order to be fair, a coach should get a full recruiting class to prove his value, to implement his style of play, with his kind of players.  Rodriguez has been at the helm for three years.  His record is unimpressive at 15-21.  He's 0-3 against both Ohio State and Michigan State -- huge measuring sticks for survival.  Earle Bruce lost his job at Ohio State because he couldn't win that last game of the regular season.  Jim Tressel has beat Michigan in seven straight games and is 9-1 all-time.

The Wolverines were 7-5 this season, but they came up short in big games to Iowa, MSU, Wisconsin and Ohio State, all ranked teams within the conference.  The offense has at times been exciting for Michigan, but the defense, once built upon immense pride, now has more holes than Swiss cheese.  And then there is the embarrassment of NCAA investigations and probation -- not the way Michigan does business.

So what's a program to do?  Stay the course, hoping as Rich Rod said after today's 37-7 loss that "I think the worst is behind us. I know it is."

Or is it time to roll the dice and look elsewhere?  Is it time to get a Michigan man in Schembechler Hall?  If that's the case, former Wolverine quarterback Jim Harbaugh should be on speed dial.  After blanking Oregon State 38-0, the coach of the Stanford Cardinal guided his team to an 11-1 regular season record.  Caution though.  Remember I mentioned a coach often needs a full four years.  In his first three seasons at Stanford, Harbaugh was 4-2, 5-7 and 8-5.  But, it's Harbaugh's resume that also merits attention.  His brother has achieved success coaching the Baltimore Ravens and Jim was a starter for several teams in the NFL.  Harbaugh is a solid recruiter and his players seem willing to run through a wall for him.  If the call isn't made this year, he might not be available and even now, it could be a long shot because he is a hot commodity.

I'm just happy I don't have to make the decision or make the call.  I went to Purdue and last I checked, this isn't a blue moon year.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

A FRONT ROW SEAT


LORD OF THE RINGS
The curtain rises tonight for the debut of The Three Basketeers!

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, together for the first time, ready to conquer the world for "Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five... "

Whew... not even Richard Pryor could have pulled that joke off.  Ease off the hype throttle a little big fella. The fact that James and Bosh have to date won "Not one, not one, not one..." championship, makes me hold off on getting the popcorn ready.  They're used to the heat in Miami, but fans have been drinking SPF 70 ever since James and Bosh decided to join Wade.

Tonight's game at Boston needs no introduction.  The Celtics have added the Big Leprechaun in Shaquille O'Neal to fill a void in the middle that clearly cost them a championship last season.  That's the same O'Neal who won three championships with Kobe Bryant, one with Wade and zero with James.  The Celtics are long in the tooth with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, but they are all battle tested veterans who've tasted the ultimate prize as a unit.  You don't have to convince James that experience matters down the stretch.

One of 82.  That's really all tonight's matchup means.  The outcome won't give either squad an edge over the other for later matchups.  Only a number of games will reveal if the Heat's bench is adequate enough to give The Three Basketeers a lift.  Injuries have to be avoided for both the Heat and Celtics.  The same can be said for other contenders.  The Lakers can't lose Paul Gasol and the Bulls can't have Carlos Boozer or Joakim Noah sidelined for any measurable length of time.

It should be an interesting race to the finish and if the Heat manage to pull of a championship, they will have done so before packed arenas and the best even the lowly Timberwolves can muster night in and night out.

So I have a front row seat for tonight.  The beer is perfectly chilled, not six dollars a bottle and there is no line to the men's room.  Bring on the 2010-11 season!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

IS IT TIME TO SHUT IT DOWN? A TIGER WOODS INTERVENTION

Woods at British Open

Muhammad Ali was toward the end of his career when you just couldn't stomach to look anymore.  He should have shocked the world and walked away after the 1975 'Thrilla in Manila.' 

For Tiger Woods,  there has been no Joe Frazier.  Sergio gave it a run and Phil continues to chase.  Unfortunately, Woods has proven to be his own Trojan Horse, imploding from within.  No one was allowed into his private sanctuary until he C4'd his own fortress, leaving a gaping wound for the entire world to see.

2010 has been brutal.  Seven tournaments.  Zero wins.  His wife and children moved out, sponsors moved out, his swing coach exited and Woods' golf game is better on EA Sports.

Prior to the start of the British Open at St. Andrews, a course Tiger has tamed twice (2000 & 2005), he switched from long-time ally Scotty Cameron to a Nike Method putter.  His reason?  The greens were too slow.  On the course for the final round, guess who was back in the bag.  So now we have a Tiger Woods that is second guessing himself.  Who is this guy that is not remotely in contention on red shirt Sundays?

I made a $30 bet with a co-worker before the British Open.  Not to win the Open per se, but for Tiger to win any tournament for the rest of the year.  I was dancing like Mr. Bojangles when he accepted the conditions.  Tiger not win at all in 2010!  Get real! I jumped all over that wager.  I'm a little less confident now, but there's still plenty of time.

However, Tiger Woods and Eldrick Woods need to have a sit down.  When you've lived on top of the mountain known as Tiger for so long, Eldrick tends to get lost.  Eldrick can't get a word in.  Magic Johnson experienced the same thing during the heyday of Showtime in L-A.  He said Magic was a whole different person than Ervin.

Happy Days
For Woods, I can relate to one of the most difficult times in his life.  I'm not talking about right now-- I'm talking about losing his father Earl.  When you're that close, when you lose the one person in the world whose opinion carried a great deal of weight, you wake up a little broken.  Tiger went on to handle the golf part easily enough.  It was the one place he could find peace, the one place he could continue to make his dad proud.  It was the off the course stuff that Tiger handled badly.  For that, perhaps he needed to be more like Eldrick, the man few of us know.  With Earl gone, there was no one to keep Tiger grounded, no one to remind him how hard the journey to now was, and what it still could become. 

To some degree, I imagine Tiger thought marriage would help keep him grounded, but by then, it was probably too late.  As Woods admitted himself, it seemed as if Tiger could do whatever he wanted without there being any consequences.  It's a hard to lesson to learn that we all put our pants on the same way.  Some pockets are lined with more stuff, but the process is the same.

So how can Woods recover?  Clearly there is a ton of stuff on his mind.  Reports and details of his marital status, true or fabricated, make the headlines.  He has to sit and at least listen to questions never before asked by the media at golf tournaments, knowing full well the deck is stacked against him.  How he answers is scrutinized just as much as club selection on a tricky hole.  Woods has to get his personal life in order and decide what kind of man he's going to be.  He should know all too well the importance of being a father.  Doing it right can enrich one's life beyond words.  It makes all the superficial stuff seem ridiculous and mundane. 

In other sports, when a great player is in a slump, they manage to work it out.  A shooter in basketball is told to keep shooting, it will come back.  A baseball player in a hitting slump has to keep swinging, take extra batting practice in fact, and maybe even take a day off to analyze.

For Tiger, with no swing coach, he's trying to figure it out all by himself.  Eventually, he'll get there.  His DNA will see to that.  It's just painful to watch at times now.  On some level, maybe he feels this is part of his penance, to painfully fail before the masses.

When the pain finally subsides, Tiger will be back.  I'll bet you $30 on that.

Monday, June 14, 2010

GOING TO NEED MORE THAN ZEN... or how the Lakers can beat the Celtics

NOT JUST AN X's & O's GUY

The Motrin challenged Boston Celtics are primed to deliver a knockout blow right at the doorstep of Hollywood's elite.  For Game 6 in LA, I wouldn't be surprised to see Homer Simpson sitting courtside.  For the Los Angeles Lakers, the finals have certainly reached the "D'oh" point.

So far, Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers has not only out-coached The Zen Master, he's won the motivational battle as well.  The Celtics have bought into the team concept, content to live with contributions from whichever player in green and white steps forward to capture the moment.

For the Lakers, no matter how much he tries to get his teammates involved, it seems to always come down to Kobe Bryant time.  The bad news is, Bryant can't do it alone and the Celtics are making him work very hard for the majority of his points.

As each game passes, the Celtics seem to expose more and more of Ron Artest's basketball IQ.  He has mental lapses and lacks confidence in his shot.  His free throw shooting has become almost Shaq-like.  For Game 5, Paul Pierce made him look like the Invisible Man on defense.

Rajon Rondo's athleticism has been a nightmare for the Lakers.  He pushes the ball up the floor, plays sneaky tough defense and his rebounding skill for a 6-1 point guard is just sick.  Bryant gives him a license to kill from the outside but somehow Rondo still manages to make it to the hoop, giving the Lakers bigs all kinds of problems. 

JACKSON NEEDS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
The Lakers are certainly a different team with 7-footer Andrew Bynum in the lineup, but his bum knee limits his time and production and drastically changes the method by which LA can attack and defend.

So what is Phil Jackson to do?  First off, he has to get more comfortable playing his bench.  To mix it up and give the Celtics a different look, I would start Lamar Odom in favor of Artest and let the agile 6-10 forward chase Pierce around.  Pierce is not overly quick and when he tries to back a defender down, it's effective but not pretty.  That step back or turnaround jumper would have an added degree of difficulty over the outstretched arms of Odom.  At the opposite end, I'd either clear room for Odom to take the 6-7 Pierce to the hole or post him up.

How to handle Rondo?  He's an excellent leaper as well but the Lakers have 6-4 Shannon Brown who can get up as well.  If nothing else, I'd combine him with Jordan Farmar in order to throw bodies at Rondo to wear him down.

The Lakers also need to clear space in the middle.  Boston only respects Bryant and Derek Fisher from the outside, but Sasha Vujacic has demonstrated confidence in his long range shot and Brown and Farmar have been known to nail a 3-pointer.  With the Celtics spread out, Pau Gasol becomes a dangerous piece down low and if Bynum can play through the pain, the Lakers would be in position to exploit the inside.

Spell Odom with Artest and then let him get physical with Pierce.  Also, to get Artest going offensively, the Lakers need to set back screens so he can break free for layups.  Artest hurling up trays only reduces the Lakers effectiveness in the paint.  He's a space eater as well and should be playing more inside where his physical nature will have more of an impact.

Now add in a lethal dose of a not so worn out Bryant and the Lakers have a blueprint for winning back-to-back titles.

That, at least, is my two cents worth for getting the Lakers over the top.  Is the Cleveland job still open?

LeBron lets talk...

Friday, June 11, 2010

KOBE BRYANT - THE GREAT DIVIDE

Where is the love?

When discussing the NBA's best player over the past several years, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground.

You either love or hate Kobe Bryant.

I can understand the love.  Bryant is fiercely intense, always engaged on the court.  He demands the best of himself on both ends of the floor.  At times, he makes the incredible look routine.  With each postseason appearance and NBA Championship ring, he creeps ever so softly into the Jordan discussion.  He may never be crowned with the "Best Ever" label, but Bryant definitely owns property in the neighborhood.

You'd expect a player with those attributes and drive to be cherished and admired by all who claim to be students of the game. You don't necessarily have to root for Bryant, but you should  at the very least, respect his talent.

So why the hate?  Especially it seems from women.  Is it totally based on the 2003 Colorado incident when he was accused of sexual assault?  A case that prosecutors dropped after his accuser was unwilling to testify.  Of course, she later brought a separate civil suit against him that was settled out of court.  One only needs to read the details of the case to make a judgement on what possibly happened that night.  But since there was no one else in the room that night except for Bryant and her, it became a he said, she said regrettable moment in their lives.

I would like to know how many women would stay with their man if they truly believed he was a rapist?  Sure, the financial cost to Kobe was astronomical.  There's never been an account of how much the civil suit was settled for.  He lost a number of endorsements (only to eventually either gain most back or get new ones).  Bryant also did what all guys do when they really have to apologize to the wife.  Nothing says I love you like a 4 million dollar ring.  To this date, Vanessa is still Mrs. Bryant.  Guess Kobe had to wait on purchasing the big screen TV that year.   

Is the hate because Kobe isn't outwardly fun loving as say Dwight "Superman" Howard?  If that's the case, and he's judged as being unapproachable, too bad.  There's no law that says Kobe has to kiss babies and pose for photos.  If he isn't on Facebook or didn't accept your friendship request, get over yourself.  If Kobe doesn't Tweet, perhaps he realizes he doesn't have to brag or boast or let you into his world.

Is it that Bryant sometimes gets on his teammates for not giving more when they should be leaving everything on the floor?  Michael Jordan certainly required the best from his supporting cast and they were better for it.  A lot of people and players in the league didn't like Jordan either.  Six rings and the Hall of Fame later, guess we know who dominated that era. 

When Kobe Bryant walks through the tunnel to take the court, I wonder if the lyrics of a popular song are   looping through his head.


So hate on but guess what
I feel like I can't miss
I know they want me to fall
But ain't nothing bigger than this
So just pass me the ball
You know you looking at a...
Winner
Winner
Winner

Monday, May 24, 2010

MIDNIGHT RUN

WHEN WINNING ISN'T ENOUGH
Late last night, Mike Brown learned two things. 

One, it ain't easy being Cinderella.  Like the babe with the glass slippers, Brown had to hit the road before midnight.  Though in this economy, I wish someone would send me packing with a severance check of over two million dollars.  If the Cavs had let the clock tick to midnight, they would have been on the hook for 4.5 million.

Brown guided the Cavs to the ball in each of his five seasons at the helm, making it to the big dance in 2007.  Brown's record of 317-177 makes him the most successful coach in Cavs history and he was tabbed coach of the year in 2009.  Guess he forgot how to coach in one season.

The second thing Brown learned is why Phil Jackson is so revered.  It ain't easy coaching superstars.  Jackson has handled and gotten the respect of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant -- no small order.  But championships don't lie, and Jackson has run out of ring fingers.

Understanding that James was one of the prominent faces of the new NBA, Brown was careful not to publicly criticize the franchise.  That street didn't run booth ways.  James had no problem in past years questioning Brown's offensive strategies and during the recent Boston series, when O'Neal sat on the bench except for 49 seconds in the fourth quarter of a Game 4 loss, James openly wondered why.

Knowing Brown was being evaluated by owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager Danny Ferry, James elected to have no input, which in itself was an indictment.  If James wanted Brown back, all he had to do was pick up a phone or in this social networking age, even a tweet would have been sufficient.
 
Again, don't feel too bad for Brown. He'll certainly get another job and has a nice down payment toward the purchase of another house.  And there were times in the series against Boston when he seemed clueless as to how to combat the cohesiveness of the Celtics veteran squad.  Remember, it wasn't long ago that critics said Doc Rivers couldn't coach either.  Talent has a funny way of paving the way for success.  To that end, how much responsibility falls on Cavs management?  They tried to surround James with workable pieces but the Cavs have learned the hard way deficiencies show up in the playoffs.  Why didn't the Cavs for instance go after Pau Gasol when the Lakers snapped him up from Memphis?  I can tell you for a fact the Cavs never thought they had a shot to get the All-Star center, but somehow the Lakers found a way.

While the James sweepstakes chatter continues, perhaps he has learned one lesson.  Magic Johnson did it.  Jordan did it.  Kobe went through it and DeWayne Wade endured it.  All either had coaches fired or sat on the sideline while management figured it out.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

WHERE IS THE BROTHERLY LOVE?

TIME FOR CHANGE?


If Donovan McNabb was a prima donna, I wouldn't care so much.

If Donovan McNabb was out smacking or abusing women, assaulting law enforcement or threatening reporters, I wouldn't give him a second thought.

If Donovan McNabb was taking shortcuts by using steroids or a habitual drug user, I'd write him off.

If Donovan McNabb finally gave a press conference and criticized his head coach or the Philadelphia Eagles front office, I wouldn't hold it against him.  But, I know he won't do that or any of the things above because Donovan McNabb is a class act.

It's a darn shame that the City of Brotherly Love can't show that brother any love. 

If you seriously think backup quarterback Kevin Kolb is a better option for the Eagles at the moment, congratulations on being able to see into the future.  If the Eagles are willing to unload McNabb because they think Kolb is ready and believe it's a good financial move to boot, it's their money, their right to decide the future of their franchise.

The reality of being a professional athlete is that few teams reward life-long performance.  The Bulls let Michael Jordan walk, the Philadelphia 76ers got rid of Wilt Chamberlain, Willie Mays ended his career in New York, Joe Montana in Kansas City.

Entering his 12th NFL season, McNabb's tenure in Philadelphia has never taken on that 'Take your coat off, stay awhile' feel.  He was booed by fans when the Eagles selected him second overall in the 1999 draft, right behind Tim "Ouch" Couch.

All McNabb has done in return is lead the Eagles to five NFC Championship games, four consecutive NFL East Division Championships (2001-2004) and a Super Bowl appearance against the New England Patriots in which the Eagles came up short.

The rap on McNabb is that he can lead you to water, but can't quite fill up the glass.  The unfairness of it all is that the bulk of criticism falls on his shoulders.  It has often been debated that the fault lies with head coach Andy Reid's pass first, pass often philosophy.  Would the Eagles have enjoyed better success if more emphasis had been placed on establishing a running game?

At 33 years old, a banged up McNabb is no longer the running threat he used to be which makes the presence of Michael Vick an intriguing window to the past.  On some level, Vick must remind Reid of that young stud out of Syracuse, fleet of foot with a strong arm.

Do you really unload the team's all time leader in career wins, pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing TDs, so easily?  Banish him to a team like the Oakland Raiders?  McNabb on the Raiders equals what, maybe two or three more wins (They were 5-11 last season)?  In return, if the Eagles get cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, they'd counter the talented bunch of receivers that reside in the NFC East.

A better fit for McNabb?  The San Francisco 49ers.  Bring his 216 career TDs under center and the 49ers immediately solve their QB woes to become the favorite to win the NFC West.  It would be a fitting place for McNabb to play out his career, joining the legendary names of Montana and Steve Young. 

The 49ers are in great shape to make such a deal too.  They possess the 13th and 17th pick in the first round of the upcoming draft.  Add a veteran to the mix and maybe the Eagles would bite.

For McNabb, it would be a strange feeling.  Imagine actually being somewhere where you're wanted and appreciated.



 

Sunday, March 28, 2010

CAST A GIANT SHADOW

Simply the best

It's not exactly pump your chest out time if you reside in Michigan.  The state leads the nation in unemployment at over 14 percent.  Michigan is not far behind in pacing the country in foreclosure rates, and its auto industry needed costly government bailouts in order to survive.  Oh, and the Detroit Lions have been the laughing stock of the NFL for years.  Not exactly the kind of stuff that instills confidence.

There is one thing Michigan can be proud about.  Forget the accolades bestowed upon Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Rick Pitino and that crowd.  It should be obvious by now that the best college basketball coach in all the land resides in the thumb state.  There is no one better roaming the sideline than Michigan State Spartans Head Coach Tom Izzo.

If you hardliners need proof, chew on this.  Since 1999, no school has amassed more NCAA tourney games than the Spartans, a terrific 33-10 record -- so far.  Add to that, 6-1 in regional finals, six Final Fours and a national title .  And yeah, State was just there last year in the championship game against North Carolina.  Sick!  Just sick!

Making his his annual run through the tourney, Izzo has had to do it this year after losing Kalin Lucas, his starting point guard, in first half against Maryland.  This has arguably been one of Izzo's best coaching jobs considering this team provided a number of aspirin moments during the regular season.

If Izzo were to get close to the talent that regularly lines up around the corner to wear a Tar Heels or Blue Devils jersey, he'd be cast in stone by now.  I've learned my lesson.  From now on, I'm just going to automatically pencil in the Spartans to make it to at least the Elite 8.

In a day and age where so many youngsters lack discipline, Izzo leaves no doubt as to who is in charge.  Late in the regular season, Lucas bailed on the media after a game, offering no comment.  The next day, he was in front of the cameras, apologizing for his exit the night before.  That's the way things get handled in Izzo's world - take responsibility for your actions.  There's room for healthy discussion, for airing out differences.  The coach is willing to sit down and listen to reason.  When it comes time to perform on the court though, Izzo is darn near a dictator.  He expects and demands that his players leave it all on the floor.

The pro game has come calling to East Lansing more than once and I'm sure other collegiate programs have offered Izzo his own Brinks truck, but so far, thankfully, his response has been 'Go Green. Go White.'

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Bracketology (Or, I Really Have No Clue)



The madness hasn't officially begun yet and my head is already spinning.  Did I really watch and record over three hours of a show called "The Experts" on ESPN Sunday night?  This after watching Selection Sunday on CBS, the commercial volume criticism of Dick Vitale (that upset over Virginia Tech not getting in!) and the seemingly running for office analysis of Digger Phelps.  I'm down to 28 percent space left on my Directv HD DVR.  How many more episodes of Burn Notice are left?