It’s obvious that in every era of baseball, you have your great pitchers and future Hall of Famers. Ten years ago, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine were at or near the primes of their career. Today it’s more of the same. CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, and Justin Verlander continue to put up fantastic numbers and Tim Lincecum could also be on his way to Cooperstown. But it’s the 2nd tier of pitchers that are also dominating nowadays. Currently 22 pitchers have an ERA below 3.00, and while some of this year’s pitchers may be having just a good start to a season i.e. Jeff Karstens, Jhoulys Chacin, Alexi Ogando, most of the pitchers are names that we have come to know and appreciate. Josh Beckett, Jair Jurjjens, Jered Weaver, Clayton Kershaw, James Shields, Cole Hamels, Tommy Hanson, Cliff Lee and Anibal Sanchez are all-star caliber pitchers and can throw no hitters on any given night. It is these guys who have helped America appreciate pitching again. We still like to see the tape measure blasts. Carlos Beltran just hit one that went something like 460 feet. However, those 2-1 pitchers duels such as Tim Lincecum vs Clayton Kershaw on Opening Day is what baseball is all about. Those pitcher’s duels keep the strategy in baseball. You follow the game as if a manager, do we pinch hit here? Do they bunt? Should we warm up the lefty? All of this is a result of great pitching. While the homerun may have saved the game of baseball in the past, Babe Ruth or Bic Mac and Sammy Sosa for example, it’s pitching that keeps baseball what it should be, a thinking man’s game at its purest. Long live the first pitch fastball, the 3-2 back door curve, the Trevor Hoffman change up, the Mariano Rivera cutter, no hitters, brush back pitches and in the name of Sandy Koufax, long live the complete game.
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Monday, June 27, 2011
Chicks Dig the Pitchers too
Think back ten years ago, June 25, 2001. Barry Lamar Bonds was in the midst of an unprecedented season, crushing long ball after long ball. On this day he had 40 homeruns, well ahead of Mark McGwire’s record pace just three years earlier, and embarrassing the pace of Roger Maris back in 1961. Fast forward ten years to June 25, 2011 and the homerun leader in the clubhouse is Jose Bautista with 23, still a nice big number but nowhere near 40. Not even close to 30. What’s that big, pink elephant in the room? Oh yeah, steroids. It has become apparent this season and the last that steroids have been all but eliminated from the game. In 2010, Bautista finished with 54 homeruns, far ahead of anyone else in the game. 2nd was Albert Pujols with 42. Those were the only two players who hit above 40. Flash back to 2001, Bonds finished with a record breaking 73 homeruns. 2nd was Sammy Sosa with 64. Can you imagine hitting 64 homeruns and finishing nine behind the leader? In all, twelve players hit at least 41 round trippers. Among those were Richie Sexson, Phil Nevin, Shawn Green and Luis Gonzalez. Gonzalez finished 3rd in the MLB, with 57!!! In 2010, Paul Konerko finished 3rd in homeruns, with 39. However, it’s not just the elimination of steroids. It’s the guys these homerun hitters are now facing. In 2001, only two pitchers finished with an ERA below three runs, and not surprising to see that it was Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Even the great Greg Maddux had an ERA of 3.05. In 2010, R.A Dickey was tenth in the MLB in ERA with a 2.84 mark. Other names in the top 10 of earned run average were Jaime Garcia, Adam Wainwright and Clay Buchholz.
It’s obvious that in every era of baseball, you have your great pitchers and future Hall of Famers. Ten years ago, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine were at or near the primes of their career. Today it’s more of the same. CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, and Justin Verlander continue to put up fantastic numbers and Tim Lincecum could also be on his way to Cooperstown. But it’s the 2nd tier of pitchers that are also dominating nowadays. Currently 22 pitchers have an ERA below 3.00, and while some of this year’s pitchers may be having just a good start to a season i.e. Jeff Karstens, Jhoulys Chacin, Alexi Ogando, most of the pitchers are names that we have come to know and appreciate. Josh Beckett, Jair Jurjjens, Jered Weaver, Clayton Kershaw, James Shields, Cole Hamels, Tommy Hanson, Cliff Lee and Anibal Sanchez are all-star caliber pitchers and can throw no hitters on any given night. It is these guys who have helped America appreciate pitching again. We still like to see the tape measure blasts. Carlos Beltran just hit one that went something like 460 feet. However, those 2-1 pitchers duels such as Tim Lincecum vs Clayton Kershaw on Opening Day is what baseball is all about. Those pitcher’s duels keep the strategy in baseball. You follow the game as if a manager, do we pinch hit here? Do they bunt? Should we warm up the lefty? All of this is a result of great pitching. While the homerun may have saved the game of baseball in the past, Babe Ruth or Bic Mac and Sammy Sosa for example, it’s pitching that keeps baseball what it should be, a thinking man’s game at its purest. Long live the first pitch fastball, the 3-2 back door curve, the Trevor Hoffman change up, the Mariano Rivera cutter, no hitters, brush back pitches and in the name of Sandy Koufax, long live the complete game.
It’s obvious that in every era of baseball, you have your great pitchers and future Hall of Famers. Ten years ago, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine were at or near the primes of their career. Today it’s more of the same. CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, and Justin Verlander continue to put up fantastic numbers and Tim Lincecum could also be on his way to Cooperstown. But it’s the 2nd tier of pitchers that are also dominating nowadays. Currently 22 pitchers have an ERA below 3.00, and while some of this year’s pitchers may be having just a good start to a season i.e. Jeff Karstens, Jhoulys Chacin, Alexi Ogando, most of the pitchers are names that we have come to know and appreciate. Josh Beckett, Jair Jurjjens, Jered Weaver, Clayton Kershaw, James Shields, Cole Hamels, Tommy Hanson, Cliff Lee and Anibal Sanchez are all-star caliber pitchers and can throw no hitters on any given night. It is these guys who have helped America appreciate pitching again. We still like to see the tape measure blasts. Carlos Beltran just hit one that went something like 460 feet. However, those 2-1 pitchers duels such as Tim Lincecum vs Clayton Kershaw on Opening Day is what baseball is all about. Those pitcher’s duels keep the strategy in baseball. You follow the game as if a manager, do we pinch hit here? Do they bunt? Should we warm up the lefty? All of this is a result of great pitching. While the homerun may have saved the game of baseball in the past, Babe Ruth or Bic Mac and Sammy Sosa for example, it’s pitching that keeps baseball what it should be, a thinking man’s game at its purest. Long live the first pitch fastball, the 3-2 back door curve, the Trevor Hoffman change up, the Mariano Rivera cutter, no hitters, brush back pitches and in the name of Sandy Koufax, long live the complete game.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The NBA's Top 10
First of all, let me say congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks, earning their first NBA championship. As I said in the last installment, I felt that LeBron James is a great player, but not among the all time greats. He seems to be more on par with the Scottie Pippen’s and Kevin McHale’s of the basketball world. That being said, who are the NBA’s all time greats? In 1997, the NBA released a top 50 list and for the most part, the list was very accurate. However, a lot has happened in the last 14 years. Perhaps current stars have cracked this cream of the crop list. What’s needed to be in this company? Statistics need to be weighed, preferably in more than one category. You need to win, not necessarily in football or baseball to be considered the best. But in the NBA, when there are only 5 players on a court, one player can almost dominate by himself and can affect the outcome most often. It isn’t just winning that is important, but also who you beat along the way. No brownie points will be awarded when dominating the Clippers, we need to know what you did against other great players and teams. So before I submit the top 10, with perhaps a surprise down the line, here are a few names that are just outside the best of the best list, in alphabetical order:
Tim Duncan, Julius Erving, Elvin Hayes, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Jerry West
And here it is, the top 10 players in NBA history:
10. Oscar Robertson – Ok, so we all know what comes to mind when we hear the Big O’s name. He did average a triple double for the entire 1961-62 season at 30.8 points per game, 11.4 assists per game and an astounding 12.5 rebounds per game… as a point guard. Here are the other two big things to remember. One, he had this amazing, unmatched season in just his 2nd campaign. And second, his 9.9 rebounds per game the following season were what kept him from back to back triple double average seasons. The only reason he is not higher on this list is the sole championship in 1970-71.
9. Hakeem Olajuwon – Some of you may remember me saying a couple weeks back that “the dream” was one of the most underrated athletes of our time. So this is me campaigning for that underrating to end. Let’s get this out of the way, he won back to back Finals MVP’s in 1994 and 1995, not to mention he is the NBA’s all-time leader in blocked shots. What keeps him in this top 10 is the list of centers that he competed against: Kareem, Robert Parish, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O’Neal, all of whom were in the NBA’s top 50. Over his prolific career, Olajuwon averaged 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks, and who could forget that “Dream Shake.”
8. Shaquille O’Neal – Also from my past blogs, I mentioned that Shaq’s prime did not have any other dominant center at or near their prime so he doesn’t deserve to be any higher. However, here is why he deserves to be eighth: 5th all time in points, 12th all time in rebounds, 7th in blocks. Now throw in the playoff numbers, 4th all time in points and 3rd all time in rebounds. Shaq could have absolutely been higher had he and Kobe Bryant coexisted longer, and don’t forget how many points he could have had with some better free throw numbers. He finished with four championships and the three Finals MVP’s.
7. Larry Bird – I bet Larry would be the first to say that his numbers alone do not measure up to the others. However, I bet he will say that no one wanted to win more and no one worked harder to win. Larry Legend won three consecutive MVPs, two Finals MVPs and three NBA championships. Bird also wins the award for the greatest trash talker. Magic Johnson once said, “I fear no one but Larry Bird.” Ironically, it’s because of Magic that Larry is not higher on this list, with the Celtics losing the head-to-head Finals battle.
6. Kobe Bryant – I imagine this is where I will get most of my criticism and I’m absolutely ready, and may even show that he can get higher on this list. How many current or future Hall of Famers have five championships and two Finals MVPs? Now let me say that Kobe Bean Bryant has four All-star game MVPs, been named to the NBA’s all defensive 1st team nine times, and four times has led the NBA in points in a season. Here is why Kobe may still be climbing the list, assuming that he will average at or near his career numbers, Kobe will be in the top 15 all-time in steals, top 5 in points, top 12 all-time in 3 point field goals… in his next season! Looking at playoff numbers, Kobe will be in the top 5 in steals, top 3 in three point field goals, top 5 in ASSISTS!? If the Lakers go deep in the playoffs next year, he has a chance at being second in points. Again, all of this by the end of next season. The Mamba belongs at number 6.
Now here is the twist, you can make a case for these next five names topping the list. It’s not clear cut and I dare anyone to say anyone is the hands down number one.
The case against Kareem Abdul Jabaar: It would be somewhat fair to say that Jabaar’s career might have ended and at the very least diminished some had it not be for the Lakers drafting Magic Johnson. Those other big men were not blessed like Kareem to have point guards such as Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson getting them the ball and taking the load off at times.
The case for Kareem Abdul-Jabaar: He is the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, 2nd in the playoffs. He’s 3rd all-time in rebounds, 4th in the playoffs. He was named to nineteen all-star teams. Six times he was named NBA MVP, twice in the Finals. Here is the kicker, while accumulating these eye popping numbers, he competed against Wilt Chamberlain, Willis Reed, Dave Cowens, Bill Walton, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, Robert Parish, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing. Each of those names belong to centers on the NBA’s top 50 list. Kareem bests or rivals their careers.
The case against Wilt Chamberlain: Yes, Wilt won two championships. His main rival, Bill Russell, won eleven. Enough said.
The case for Wilt Chamberlain: A larger than life figure that may only be topped by Babe Ruth or Muhammad Ali, Wilt the Stilt is synonymous with domination. As for numbers, Wilt is the all-time leader in rebounds, averaging 22.9 rebounds per game. He is 2nd all-time in the playoffs and upping his average to 24.5 rebounds per game. By the slimmest of margins, he is 2nd in career scoring average at 30.07 points per game. Let’s not forget that Wilt scored 100 points in a single game, the same season where he averaged an unbelievable 50.4 points per game, two records that will probably never be broken. Additionally, during that season, he averaged 48.5 minutes per game. Wait, aren’t there only 48 minutes in a game? Wilt also led the league in assists for a season, as a center.
The case against Earvin “Magic” Johnson: What helps him also hurts him. A 5-4 record in the Finals is just better than average. Plus, Magic wasn’t doing it alone. James Worthy and Kareem also are among the NBA’s top 50.
The case for Earvin “Magic” Johnson: He won at every level. In four years he won championships at the high school, college and NBA level. He is the first and only rookie to win Finals MVP at this point. That was the first of three times he won that award. That three matches his regular season MVPs, but let’s go back to those NBA Finals. Magic appeared in nine finals, winning five, but look at the teams he beat to win the championships. He beat Dr. J’s Philadelphia 76ers, twice. He beat Larry Bird’s Celtics, twice. He beat Isiah’s Bad Boy Pistons once, and he was at the end of his career when he lost to MJ’s Bulls. Now playing fantasy NBA champions, what player or team could have had that much success against legendary teams year-in and year-out? Johnson is also 4th all-time in assists, and 1st in the playoffs. His triple doubles are also #1 in the regular season and the playoffs.
The case against Michael Jordan: As great as he and those Bulls were in the 90’s, the teams he beat in the Finals were far from all-time great teams. He got the Lakers in 1991 instead of the mid eighties. He faced Clyde Drexler’s Blazers, Barkley’s one-year wonder Suns and the flash in the pan Seattle SuperSonics. It wasn’t until the late 90’s when Jordan and the Bulls faced the clear cut 2nd best team, the Utah Jazz, beating them twice. His gambling issues were also rumored to be the real reason Michael walked away after the 1993 season.
The case for Michael Jordan: He has the highest scoring average in NBA history at 30.12. He has a record ten scoring titles. He has more points than anyone in playoff history. However, here are Jordan’s main arguments: Six for six in the Finals, six Finals MVPs and never letting his team get to a game 7 in those Finals. He was also the best player on the team with the best single season record in NBA history, 72-10. MJ was also a nine time member of the NBA’s all-defensive first team and a five time regular season MVP.
The case against Bill Russell: He also benefited from having the best talent around him. He also played under Red Auerbach, who was the visionary who invented the fast break and coached the Celts to nine rings. While a great defender, Russ only averaged 15.1 points per game in his career, easily the lowest of these top five names.
The case for Bill Russell: If winning is all that matters, Russ could be the best of them all. He had eleven championships in thirteen seasons with a record breaking eight in a row. Who did he beat along the way? Bob Petit’s St Louis Hawks and countless Lakers teams consisting of Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. Russell is 2nd all-time in regular season rebounds, 1st all-time in the playoffs. However, it was Russell’s defense that puts him on the list, perhaps the first superstar in any sport that put defense first. This is probably what helped create the phrase, “Defense wins championships.”
Monday, June 13, 2011
Knocked Off His Throne
He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a high school basketball player. He was the #1 overall pick in the 2003 draft. He dropped 25 points against Sacramento in his first NBA game. LeBron James was the chosen one and he had arrived as the next NBA all-time great. LeBron James deserves a lot of credit. Very seldom does a young phenom meet and exceed expectations at an early age and for an extended period of time. By James’ 4th season, despite being swept by the veteran San Antonio Spurs, he had led his no-name Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA Finals in history. The road back to the Finals got a little tougher each season in Cleveland. They were stopped by the eventual champs, the Boston Celtics, in 2008. In the off season, an unprecedented countdown began in New York, Miami, Chicago and around the nation. LeBron would become a free agent… in 2 seasons! In 2009, the Cavs were upset in the conference finals by the Orlando Magic. In 2010, they were beaten in the conference semis, again by the Celtics. Here is where LeBron’s legacy starts to change.
It was in a six game series that Boston eliminated LeBron’s Cavs in 2010, but it was game 5 that we may always remember. Plain and simple, LeBron checked out. He was absolutely disengaged. The series was even at 2 games each and the NBA’s reigning two-time MVP took it upon himself to play completely flat. 3-for-14 from the field, 15 points total, getting nine of those points from the free throw line while settling for jumper after jumper and not attacking the hoop. The Cavs lost games 5 and 6, both blowouts. As bad as that felt in Cleveland, it got even worse when LeBron decided to take his talent to South Beach, joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, becoming the next and perhaps most dangerous Big 3. It should be noted that LeBron took less money to join the Miami Heat in pursuit of a championship. We would like our favorite athletes to put winning before making more money, so for that James should be applauded. But the way he made this “Decision” was very poor. Can you imagine being married to someone for seven years, seven relatively happy years, only to find out your spouse is leaving you for another? It would probably feel like a constant punch in the stomach. Now imagine that you find out on national television and the whole nation gets to watch your divorce. That’s what the city of Cleveland experienced and that’s how the “King” treated his people. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert did act like a spoiled brat, but the issue was LeBron, acknowledging that he couldn’t do it alone, leaving for greener pastures.
Fast forward to the 2011 playoffs. Miami Thrice takes care of the young 76ers in five games. Then, the Big 3 eliminates the big 4 Boston Celtics, also in a relatively easy five games. LeBron states that he couldn’t have gotten past the Celtics while still in Cleveland, almost in an apologetic “I told you so” way. In the conference finals, LeBron outplays MVP Derrick Rose and sends the Bulls packing, also in five games. LeBron, Wade and company are in the NBA Finals and it seems like it’s all falling into place according to plan. They even draw the Dallas Mavericks, a team that Dwyane Wade dominated in 2006, earning Finals MVP along the way to his 1st ring. Game 1 of the 2011 Finals, a very solid performance by LeBron, 24 points on 9-16 shooting, although only 1-3 in the 4th in a 92-84 win. The Mavericks even the series in an historic comeback, down 15 in the 4th to win Game 2, 95-93. James, 20 points on 8-15 from the floor but 0-4 in the 4th quarter. As the series moves to Dallas, Dwayne Wade asserts himself in a hostile environment, scoring 29 points, this after scoring 36 in a Game 2 losing effort, leading the Heat to a 88-86 nail biter. From James it was more of the same, 17 points on 6-14 shooting but just 1-3 in the 4th. Are we seeing a pattern yet? If anyone was expecting a big bounce back game from LeBron in game 4, they were utterly disappointed. The Mavs once again even the series, 86-83 but the story is clearly LeBron James. Only 3-11 shooting for a meager 8 points, again disappearing, avoiding the 4th quarter shooting 0-1 from the field. Sports radio and television shows are going crazy, not to mention all the stories on the Internet. LeBron is not clutch. LeBron can’t get it done. LeBron this, LeBron that. He is getting killed by the media, deservedly so. So what happens next, LeBron states that Game 5 is probably the biggest game of his life. And in the biggest game of his life, James does record a triple-double, 17 points on 8-19 shooting, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Yet again, he shrinks to the pressure in the 4th quarter, shooting 1-4 in the final period. Final score of LeBron’s biggest game of his life, 112-103 Mavericks, taking a 3-2 series lead going back to Miami.
Where do we go next? Let’s start off by summarizing that in the five 4th quarters of these NBA finals, LeBron James is 3-15 from the field and the majority of his 4th quarter attempts are outside the paint around the perimeter. When you add his free throw totals for the entire series 11-16, getting to the charity stripe on an average of 3 times per game, you can conclude that LeBron is just not being aggressive. Remember, this is a two-time regular season MVP we’re talking about here. Dallas has not one, but two guys, coming up big in the series as well as the 4th quarter. Has anyone in NBA history shot as well as Dirk Nowitzki for a stretch of two months? He is a big shot making machine in the 2011 playoffs and Finals. He is also getting a lot of help, especially from Jason Terry, who is backing up his big boasts and hitting big shot after big shot. Miami’s only Finals MVP, Dwyane Wade, is playing like an MVP, a go to guy. His point totals: 22, 36, 29, 32, and 23 for a per game average of 28.4. LeBron is averaging 17.2 points per game, well below numbers you might expect for the so called “chosen one.” Dare I say that LeBron James is the 4th most effective player on the court, especially in crunch time? The Mavericks go on to beat the Heat in game six to earn their first NBA Championship, Dirk being the Finals MVP.
No doubt LeBron James is getting tons and tons of criticism, some exaggerated and some warranted. After all, he was supposed to be among the all time greats. He still is, but his performances in these Finals align him with Kevin McHale, James Worthy and Scottie Pippen. Of course there is nothing wrong with that. Those 3 names each won multiple championships and had prolific Hall of Fame careers. However, those names are not Larry Bird, Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan, the NBA’s best of the best. LeBron is a great all-around talent and a great teammate much like Bird, Magic and Jordan. However, no way is Larry Bird only taking just 3 shots per 4th quarter of crucial NBA Finals games. Magic Johnson was involved in every play down the stretch, whether it was leading the legendary Showtime fast break or hitting the junior sky hook. And you know Jordan would put an exclamation on a game and a series. Looking at more recent times, the Black Mamba Kobe Bryant has been a killer in the Finals over the past decade, never afraid to succeed or fail. Perhaps the most important thing the all-time greats have that LeBron doesn’t is the fact that when they take the big shot, they expect to make it. When LeBron attempts the big shot, albeit few and far between, he hopes to make it. LeBron may have a few big moments and hit some big shots, but it’s more likely that he will always defer to Miami’s go to guy Dwyane Wade. Being the second option is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, even Batman needed Robin.
It was in a six game series that Boston eliminated LeBron’s Cavs in 2010, but it was game 5 that we may always remember. Plain and simple, LeBron checked out. He was absolutely disengaged. The series was even at 2 games each and the NBA’s reigning two-time MVP took it upon himself to play completely flat. 3-for-14 from the field, 15 points total, getting nine of those points from the free throw line while settling for jumper after jumper and not attacking the hoop. The Cavs lost games 5 and 6, both blowouts. As bad as that felt in Cleveland, it got even worse when LeBron decided to take his talent to South Beach, joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, becoming the next and perhaps most dangerous Big 3. It should be noted that LeBron took less money to join the Miami Heat in pursuit of a championship. We would like our favorite athletes to put winning before making more money, so for that James should be applauded. But the way he made this “Decision” was very poor. Can you imagine being married to someone for seven years, seven relatively happy years, only to find out your spouse is leaving you for another? It would probably feel like a constant punch in the stomach. Now imagine that you find out on national television and the whole nation gets to watch your divorce. That’s what the city of Cleveland experienced and that’s how the “King” treated his people. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert did act like a spoiled brat, but the issue was LeBron, acknowledging that he couldn’t do it alone, leaving for greener pastures.
Fast forward to the 2011 playoffs. Miami Thrice takes care of the young 76ers in five games. Then, the Big 3 eliminates the big 4 Boston Celtics, also in a relatively easy five games. LeBron states that he couldn’t have gotten past the Celtics while still in Cleveland, almost in an apologetic “I told you so” way. In the conference finals, LeBron outplays MVP Derrick Rose and sends the Bulls packing, also in five games. LeBron, Wade and company are in the NBA Finals and it seems like it’s all falling into place according to plan. They even draw the Dallas Mavericks, a team that Dwyane Wade dominated in 2006, earning Finals MVP along the way to his 1st ring. Game 1 of the 2011 Finals, a very solid performance by LeBron, 24 points on 9-16 shooting, although only 1-3 in the 4th in a 92-84 win. The Mavericks even the series in an historic comeback, down 15 in the 4th to win Game 2, 95-93. James, 20 points on 8-15 from the floor but 0-4 in the 4th quarter. As the series moves to Dallas, Dwayne Wade asserts himself in a hostile environment, scoring 29 points, this after scoring 36 in a Game 2 losing effort, leading the Heat to a 88-86 nail biter. From James it was more of the same, 17 points on 6-14 shooting but just 1-3 in the 4th. Are we seeing a pattern yet? If anyone was expecting a big bounce back game from LeBron in game 4, they were utterly disappointed. The Mavs once again even the series, 86-83 but the story is clearly LeBron James. Only 3-11 shooting for a meager 8 points, again disappearing, avoiding the 4th quarter shooting 0-1 from the field. Sports radio and television shows are going crazy, not to mention all the stories on the Internet. LeBron is not clutch. LeBron can’t get it done. LeBron this, LeBron that. He is getting killed by the media, deservedly so. So what happens next, LeBron states that Game 5 is probably the biggest game of his life. And in the biggest game of his life, James does record a triple-double, 17 points on 8-19 shooting, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Yet again, he shrinks to the pressure in the 4th quarter, shooting 1-4 in the final period. Final score of LeBron’s biggest game of his life, 112-103 Mavericks, taking a 3-2 series lead going back to Miami.
Where do we go next? Let’s start off by summarizing that in the five 4th quarters of these NBA finals, LeBron James is 3-15 from the field and the majority of his 4th quarter attempts are outside the paint around the perimeter. When you add his free throw totals for the entire series 11-16, getting to the charity stripe on an average of 3 times per game, you can conclude that LeBron is just not being aggressive. Remember, this is a two-time regular season MVP we’re talking about here. Dallas has not one, but two guys, coming up big in the series as well as the 4th quarter. Has anyone in NBA history shot as well as Dirk Nowitzki for a stretch of two months? He is a big shot making machine in the 2011 playoffs and Finals. He is also getting a lot of help, especially from Jason Terry, who is backing up his big boasts and hitting big shot after big shot. Miami’s only Finals MVP, Dwyane Wade, is playing like an MVP, a go to guy. His point totals: 22, 36, 29, 32, and 23 for a per game average of 28.4. LeBron is averaging 17.2 points per game, well below numbers you might expect for the so called “chosen one.” Dare I say that LeBron James is the 4th most effective player on the court, especially in crunch time? The Mavericks go on to beat the Heat in game six to earn their first NBA Championship, Dirk being the Finals MVP.
No doubt LeBron James is getting tons and tons of criticism, some exaggerated and some warranted. After all, he was supposed to be among the all time greats. He still is, but his performances in these Finals align him with Kevin McHale, James Worthy and Scottie Pippen. Of course there is nothing wrong with that. Those 3 names each won multiple championships and had prolific Hall of Fame careers. However, those names are not Larry Bird, Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan, the NBA’s best of the best. LeBron is a great all-around talent and a great teammate much like Bird, Magic and Jordan. However, no way is Larry Bird only taking just 3 shots per 4th quarter of crucial NBA Finals games. Magic Johnson was involved in every play down the stretch, whether it was leading the legendary Showtime fast break or hitting the junior sky hook. And you know Jordan would put an exclamation on a game and a series. Looking at more recent times, the Black Mamba Kobe Bryant has been a killer in the Finals over the past decade, never afraid to succeed or fail. Perhaps the most important thing the all-time greats have that LeBron doesn’t is the fact that when they take the big shot, they expect to make it. When LeBron attempts the big shot, albeit few and far between, he hopes to make it. LeBron may have a few big moments and hit some big shots, but it’s more likely that he will always defer to Miami’s go to guy Dwyane Wade. Being the second option is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, even Batman needed Robin.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Is now the time?
It’s a beautiful day at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The two teams are lined up and ready to play. The best team in the world against the underdogs. Today, however, it isn’t the Superbowl or the World Series. In fact, today, it’s not called a field, it’s called a pitch. The current World Cup champions and the number one team in the world, the Spanish national team, versus the United States. Pause for the baseball, football and basketball fans to say that soccer is not a real sport.
9th minute – Spain was robbed of a goal, a questionable offside call. The Spaniards have dominated play thus far controlling the ball while the Americans stand and watch
28th minute – GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! Santiago Cazorla, 1-nil Spain. It was a beautiful sequence that led to a blast in the upper left hand corner of the net. In terms others can understand, Kobe fed Chris Paul who gave a cross court pass to LeBron for a 2 hand slam dunk.
I use that analogy because the equivalent of the Spanish soccer team in their country is the US men’s basketball team here in America. The difference is that while Spain’s basketball team gave our basketball team all we could handle in the gold medal game in 2008, it seems more of a dream than a goal for the US men’s soccer team to wind up in the World Cup final versus a team like Spain.
32nd minute – 2-nil Spain, Alvaro Negredo. It’s hard to imagine that the US team defeated Spain 2-0 just two years ago. Ian Darke, the play-by-play man just added that the “Spaniards are toying with the Americans.”
40th minute – The first shot of the match for the US, wide right, but a decent scoring opportunity nonetheless.
41st minute – Its becoming a blow out, 3-nil Spain, Cazorla’s 2nd of the match. Using a baseball analogy, A-Rod’s grand slam gives the US a commanding 10-0 lead in the World Baseball Classic.
Mercifully, halftime…
Let’s review where US soccer has gone in the past 20 years.
1990 – The US qualifies for the World Cup only to get embarrassed in round-robin play.
1994 – The US hosts the World Cup for the 1st time. Thanks to Escobar’s own goal, the American’s advanced past Colombia and into the round of 16, only to fall 1-0 to the eventual champions, Brazil. Soccer in America is on the rise and popularity is at an all-time high. Names like Tony Meola, Alexi Lalas and Cobi Jones are becoming favorite athletes of 9-year-olds across the country. But then…
1998 – The US team embarrasses themselves, finishing dead last in the Cup. To add more salt to the wound, they lose to Iran.
2002 – The US advances to the knockout round, upsetting Portugal along the way, although we needed South Korea to beat Portugal for us to advance. As fate would have it, we drew our rivals to the south and outlast Mexico to get to the quarterfinals, but lose to world power Germany. Names like McBride, Donovan and Ramos are popular around the country.
2006 – The US team embarrasses themselves again, scoring only 1 goal on their own in this Cup and fail to advance out of round robin play.
2010 – We know this story, Landon Donovan scores in stoppage time to beat Algeria and advance to the knock out round, only to lose to Ghana.
Do you see the pattern of inconsistency?
And finally, back to the game, 73rd minute – 4-nil Spain, Fernando Torres knocks one off the right goal post and it trickles in. I’m sure goals 2, 3, and 4 were more of just workouts and practice than serious play, as if they were saying to each other, “Here you go pal, knock that in the back of the net, will ya?”
Final score, 4-nil
In a time where baseball has provided virtually no positive headlines in 2011, a time where the only thing you hear regarding the NFL is how there may not be a season in 2011, a time where the NBA Finals are of great interest but another work stoppage is lingering and hurting the chances of a 2011-12 season, this was a grand opportunity for American soccer to make a statement and give us a chance to say something like, “Well hey, at least there is soccer. I guess that Landon Donovan guy is ok.” Yet the US team fails to create any excitement. To make it more frustrating, the world has caught up to the United States in other sports. In both the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics, Japan has come away as the champion. In fact, the US was not even in the final game in either tournament. What’s worse, in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, our men’s basketball team was upset by Argentina, who eventually won the gold medal. ARGENTINA?!?!?!?! Aren’t they a soccer power? We had to settle for the bronze. With all the resources and finances our great country has, the only question to ask is, “Why aren’t we better?” The easy answer is we just don’t care as much about soccer as the other sports. True, but doesn’t Argentina care more about soccer than basketball? The US men’s soccer team is currently ranked 20th in the world. That is embarrassing. Are we as good as Spain or Italy or Brazil or Argentina? Of course not, but we should play well enough to be ranked higher than 20th. We will never be the world power in soccer that they are, but we should consistently be in the top 10. It’s on you men’s soccer. If you want the public to follow, give us something more than one good run. Give us something more than one player to follow. Give us a chance to root for soccer. The United States is a land of winners. People like winners. People need winners. We don’t need soccer, but with American football and basketball struggling to have a next season, we need something to watch.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Underrated and Underappreciated
In today’s sports, there is overplaying of highlight reels and players making millions of dollars. A lot of the time, players really don’t deserve the fortune or fame. On the other hand, there are plenty of players who seem to get overlooked for most if not all of their careers. The list below is a group of team-sport athletes of our era who fit the description of underrated and/or underappreciated. There are no set criteria or perfect outlines, just guys who didn’t get the love they deserved. This list of athletes, made up of current Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers, and some who may never make the Hall of Fame, are great players who won more often than not, were great teammates, and yet are underrated.
Here are a few players who just missed the cut: Derrick Brooks, Adrian Dantley, Clyde Drexler, Kevin Greene, Rickey Henderson, Barry Larkin, Mike Mussina, Robert Parish
Here are a few players who just missed the cut: Derrick Brooks, Adrian Dantley, Clyde Drexler, Kevin Greene, Rickey Henderson, Barry Larkin, Mike Mussina, Robert Parish
So without further ado, the list:
20. Tim Hudson – It is hard to believe that a pitcher that is currently 2nd among active pitchers in winning percentage and has won at least 17 games per season 5 different times has only made the all-star team 3 times. Hudson is the ultimate competitor who would be higher on this list if his post-season record was a little better.19. Mitch Richmond – Richmond’s bad luck was that he was one of the best players in the league while playing for generally bad teams, and then in his last season, he rode the bench for a Lakers championship. Take that last year away, Richmond averaged around 23 points per game for a 12-year stretch and shot nearly 40% from 3-point range. He even averaged around 23 points in post-season play. Michael Jordan once called him the best shooting guard in the league.
18. Tony Gonzalez – That Tony Gonzalez is the best tight end in NFL history is undisputable. That Tony Gonzalez is one of the best receivers of all time is absolute. In his 14 year career, he is 10th all time in TDs, 15th all time in receiving yards and 6th all time in catches. He has fumbled only six times in his career and just once in the last 10 seasons.
17. Hakeem Olajuwon – Who are the greatest centers of all time? The usual answers are Wilt, Russell, Kareem and then… either Shaq or Olajuwon? It should be almost indisputable that Olajuwon belongs in the top 5. Yet every time you hear talk of the NBAs all-time greats, we forget that “the Dream” led the Rockets to back-to-back titles, averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds for his entire 18-year career and when the spotlight was on in the playoffs, he raised his game to 26 points and 11 rebounds. I guess he settles for the title of greatest foreign player in NBA history.
16. Dennis Johnson – His career numbers aren’t that great. He was top 50 all-time in games played, assists and steals. Yet it was his durability and tough defense that paved the way for DJ’s Hall of Fame career. Johnson played on 3 NBA championship teams and was the teams’ defensive stopper. A seven-time all-defensive 1st team member, it would have been great to see him guard Jordan during his prime years. RIP
15. Champ Bailey – He also doesn’t have the numbers to suggest he is among the all-time greats, but after watching him cover a receiver it is clear that the other teams won’t be throwing his way anymore. Only Ed Reed and Darren Sharper have more INTs among active players. Even though he is a ten-time Pro Bowler, his name seems to go unmentioned.
14. Cris Carter – Chris Berman says, “All he does is catch touchdowns.” This is true, he is 4th all time. But Carter is also 8th all-time in receiving yards and 3rd all-time in catches. Add 9 Pro Bowls, 144 straight games started and a class act, do you think the Eagles regret releasing him after his 3rd season?
13. Steve Yzerman – The token hockey player, Yzerman is 8th or better all-time in the three major categories of goals, assists and total points. He was also the captain of three Stanley Cup Championship teams.
T-10. David Cone, Jack Morris, Dave Stewart – Each of these three pitchers had similar careers, and wherever they went, they won. They were gamers and at many times of their career, a dominant ace. Stewart went 4-0 during the 1989 post-season, winning LCS and World Series MVPs. Morris had a career World Series ERA under three and pitched one of the greatest games in history, a 10-inning shutout in game 7 of the 1991 World Series. Cone went undefeated in four different World Series with a 2.12 ERA. Combined these guys have 11 rings.
9. Fred McGriff – He has one of the best nicknames in history. The “Crime Dog” hit 493 homeruns in a time when that number actually meant something. He hit 30 homeruns per season in 8 straight seasons, 11 times overall. He also hit 10 HRs and batted .303 in 50 career post-season games, helping the Atlanta Braves to their only championship.
8. Robert Horry – In other sports, you have specialists elected to their respected Halls of Fame. In baseball, relief pitchers get in. In football, kickers and punters are in. So why not Robert Horry? Credit that argument to Colin Cowherd. Throw out his per game numbers, here’s all you need to know: 4th all-time in post-season 3-point field goals made, as many big, clutch shots as Jordan and Bird (maybe more), and seven rings. Enough said.
7. Dennis Rodman – Forget that he had dozens of hair colors. Forget all of his technical fouls, fines and suspensions. Forget that he married himself. Dennis Rodman is hands down the best defensive NBA player ever at his position. Seven straight years he led the NBA in rebounds per game. Seven times he was 1st team all-defense. Don’t forget the five rings.
6. Craig Biggio – 3000 hits is great. It pretty much ensures a Hall of Fame berth. Also, only Lou Gehrig scored more career runs as an infielder than Biggio. But when you add that to the fact that Biggio played three different demanding positions, was an all-star as both a catcher and 2nd baseman, and won 4 gold gloves, it is remarkable. Then, the icing on the cake is that spanning a 20-year career, only once did Biggio fail to play at least 134 games (throwing out the strike season).
5. Tim Brown – Talk about a guy who did so much with so little, Brown is 6th or better all-time in the 3 major receiving categories. The quarterbacks who threw to him? Steve Beuerlein, Jay Schroeder, Donald Hollas, Jeff George, Vince Evans and Jeff Hostetler. It wasn’t until Rich Gannon arrived that Tim Brown finally had a good quarterback. But Gannon is no Joe Montana or Steve Young, just ask Jerry Rice. Never has an NFL player done so much with so little.
4. Warren Moon –Warren Moon not getting to a Super Bowl was absolutely not his fault. He played on teams with subpar defenses, to put it nicely. Warren Moon is the quarterback who does not get the recognition he deserves. He’s 6th all-time in touchdown passes and 5th all-time in both passes completed and yards. This doesn’t even take into account the numbers he put up in the Canadian Football League. A nine-time Pro Bowler, Moon was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
3. James Worthy – How many players in their sport can be named top 50 in NBA history, be inducted into the Hall of Fame, earn a Finals MVP and still be the team’s 3rd option? That’s what Big Game James gave to the Lakers in helping them to three NBA championships. It is also what makes Worthy so great and why he is ranked so high on the list. Could he have scored more and put up numbers on other teams as their go-to guy? Sure, but he just did the job he needed to do to win. He did not need the glory. He came to play every night and was one of the greatest teammates in any sport.
2. Curtis Martin – Name the top 3 running backs in rushing yards. That’s easy, right? Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. Fourth is Curtis “my favorite” Martin, the most underrated football player of our generation. Only once in 11 seasons did Martin fail to rush for 1000 yards in a season. When you count RBs who played at least 10 seasons, Martin’s 83.9 rushing yards per game is 5th all-time. These stats are often overlooked, but the one thing that may always stick with him is the nickname given to him by his head coach Bill Parcells, who dubbed him “boy wonder.”
1. Roberto Alomar – He hit over .300 in nine seasons. He stole 30 bases or more in eight seasons. He drove in 90 runs in four seasons and also hit 20 plus HRs in four different seasons. Did I mention he did this from both sides of the plate? However, that’s only the half of it. Roberto Alomar won 10 Gold Gloves and was the best defensive 2nd baseman maybe of all time. In 12 World Series games, Alomar posted an on-base percentage of .407 and hit .347 while helping the Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series championships. He was the total package and that makes Roberto Alomar the most underrated player of our generation.
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