2010 NBA Preview
Eastern Conference
Cavaliers vs. Bulls
Cleveland has too much speed, size, athleticism and depth for the Chicago Bulls to hang with them. Chicago doesn’t have a “true” defender to keep James honest. The Bulls’ inconsistency shooting from the outside will hurt them the most.
Prediction: Cleveland in 5
TEAMS SPLIT SERIES 2-2
104.5 Off. Eff. 96.7
93.6 Pace 93.6
96.5 PPG 96.5
45.5 RPG 42.5
21.8 APG 22.0
.453 FG% .436
.350 3PT% .327
.680 FT% .716
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 3:00 PM - Saturday, April 17 (Cleveland)
Game 2 8:00 PM - Monday, April 19 (Cleveland)
Game 3 7:00 PM - Thursday, April 22 (Chicago)
Game 4 3:30 PM - Sunday, April 25 (Chicago)
*Game 5 TBD - Tuesday, April 27 (Cleveland)
*Game 6 TBD - Thursday, April 29 (Chicago)
*Game 7 TBD - Saturday, May 1 (Cleveland)
Magic vs. Bobcats
Orlando’s inside-outside is going to be way too much for Charlotte to endure. Their 3-pointers better than all but three other teams, and if they shoot a high percentage, the other team is toast. Charlotte only has two really good players in Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace.
Prediction: Orlando in 5
MAGIC WON, 3-1
103.9 Off. Eff. 96.9
90.8 Pace 90.8
96.3 PPG 90.8
40.3 RPG 41.3
19.5 APG 18.0
.448 FG% .450
.352 3PT% .294
.636 FT% .716
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 5:30 PM - Sunday, April 18 (Orlando)
Game 2 7:00 PM - Wednesday, April 21 (Orlando)
Game 3 2:00 PM - Saturday, April 24 (Charlotte)
Game 4 TBD - Monday, April 26 (Charlotte)
*Game 5 TBD - Wednesday, April 28 (Orlando)
*Game 6 TBD - Friday, April 30 (Charlotte)
*Game 7 TBD - Sunday, May 2 (Orlando)
Hawks vs. Bucks
It will be very difficult for Milwaukee to be victorious in this series without Andrew Bogut, but expect Milwaukee to put a supreme effort regardless. Atlanta has tremendous size and athleticism for Milwaukee’s will and determination.
HAWKS WON, 2-1
111.8 Off. Eff. 105.7
89.0 Pace 89.0
101.7 PPG 98.7
43.7 RPG 40.0
17.7 APG 20.7
.492 FG% .428
.370 3PT% .351
.714 FT% .847
Prediction: Atlanta in 6
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 5:30 - Saturday, April 17 (Atlanta)
Game 2 7:00 - Tuesday, April 20 (Atlanta)
Game 3 7:00 PM - Saturday, April 24 (Milwaukee)
Game 4 TBD - Monday, April 26 (Milwaukee)
*Game 5 TBD - Wednesday, April 28 (Atlanta)
*Game 6 TBD - Friday, April 30 (Milwaukee)
*Game 7 TBD - Sunday, May 2 (Atlanta)
Celtics vs. Heat
This will not be as simple as it appears to be for the Boston Celtics. The aging Celtics is just that and some would be blinded by their remarkable talent. Just like everything else that slows down by aging, players slow down especially while running up and down the 94 foot floor for approximately two and a half hours. Expect Miami to turn up the “heat” by playing up tempo. However, like a solid team that Boston is, expect them to counter with their fourth best defense in the league.
Prediction: Boston in 6
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 8:00 PM - Saturday, April 17 (Boston)
Game 2 8:00 PM - Tuesday, April 20 (Boston)
Game 3 7:00 PM - Friday, April 23 (Miami)
Game 4 1:00 PM - Sunday, April 25 (Miami)
*Game 5 TBD - Tuesday, April 27 (Boston)
*Game 6 TBD - Thursday, April 29 (Miami)
*Game 7 TBD - Saturday, May 1 (Boston)
*If necessary. All times ET.
Western Conference
Lakers vs. Thunder
When they tip-off this series, it will be business as usual for Los Angeles. Experience wins this alone.
Prediction: Los Angeles in 5
LAKERS WON, 3-1
97.9 Off. Eff. 96.7
96.4 Pace 96.4
97.0 PPG 95.5
42.8 RPG 42.5
17.8 APG 21.0
.437 FG% .433
.276 3PT% .218
.768 FT% .821
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 3:00 PM - Sunday, April 18 (Los Angeles)
Game 2 10:30 PM - Tuesday, April 20 (Los Angeles)
Game 3 9:30 PM - Thursday, April 22 (Oklahoma City)
Game 4 9:30 PM - Saturday, April 24 (Oklahoma City)
*Game 5 TBD - Tuesday, April 27 (Los Angeles)
*Game 6 TBD - Friday, April 30 (Oklahoma City)
*Game 7 TBD - Sunday, May 2 (Los Angeles)
Mavericks vs. Spurs
This will be a very intriguing series to say the least. The Mavericks have a revamped line-up since the trading for Heywood and Butler. However, the lack of continuity sometimes slows the team up and that maybe their Achilles heal in this series. In stark contrast, San Antonio is back at full strength after sustaining injuries all season long as they played their best ball at the end of the season.
Prediction: San Antonio in 7
MAVERICKS WON, 3-1
102.3 Off. Eff. 98.7
93.1 Pace 93.1
97.5 PPG 94.5
45.5 RPG 45.3
19.3 APG 20.8
.416 FG% .446
.344 3PT% .349
.781 FT% .690
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 8:00 PM - Sunday, April 18 (Dallas)
Game 2 9:30 PM - Wednesday, April 21 (Dallas)
Game 3 9:30 PM - Friday, April 23 (San Antonio)
Game 4 7:00 PM - Sunday, April 25 (San Antonio)
*Game 5 TBD - Tuesday, April 27 (Dallas)
*Game 6 TBD - Thursday, April 29 (San Antonio)
*Game 7 TBD - Saturday, May 1 (Dallas)
Suns vs. Trail Blazers
The Phoenix Suns have been playing championship brand of ball since the All-Star break not just because of their offense but due to their drastically improved defense and outstanding play by their second unit. Injuries and the lack of depth spells trouble for Portland in this series.
Prediction: Phoenix in 6
BLAZERS WON, 2-1
104.4 Off. Eff. 109.7
92.8 Pace 92.8
98.7 PPG 100.0
39.7 RPG 40.3
19.7 APG 18.7
.446 FG% .461
.379 3PT% .326
.821 FT% .735
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 10:30 PM - Sunday, April 18 (Phoenix)
Game 2 10:00 PM - Tuesday, April 20 (Phoenix)
Game 3 10:00 PM - Thursday, April 22 (Portland)
Game 4 4:30 PM - Saturday, April 24 (Portland)
*Game 5 TBD - Monday, April 26 (Phoenix)
*Game 6 TBD - Thursday, April 29 (Portland)
*Game 7 TBD - Saturday, May 1 (Phoenix)
Nuggets vs. Jazz
Both teams had “jekle and hyde” season. Due to the unclear status of Kirilenko and especially Boozer, it's tough to project who will win this series.
Prediction: Denver in 6
Game Schedule/Result
Game 1 10:30 PM - Saturday, April 17 (Denver)
Game 2 10:30 PM - Monday, April 19 (Denver)
Game 3 10:30 PM - Friday, April, 23 (Utah)
Game 4 9:30 PM - Sunday, April 25 (Utah)
*Game 5 TBD - Wednesday, April 28 (Denver)
*Game 6 TBD - Friday, April 30 (Utah)
*Game 7 TBD - Sunday, May 2 (Denver)
Projected Finals: Phoenix at Cleveland
Prediction: Phoenix in 7
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Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Medal Game
According to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the Olympics is a measure of many enduring characteristics -- even masculinity:
"The people responsible, or some of those responsible for the preparations, should do the manly thing and make the appropriate announcement. If they're lacking in decisiveness, we'll help them."
Medvedev is referring to Russia's Olympic officials following what the Russian government considered to be a weak showing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games (Russia finished with 15 medals, it's lowest output since 1956). The head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Leonid Tyagachev, resigned two days later, citing the team's "unexpectedly" lackluster showing in Vancouver.
Ah, there's the Olympic spirit.
There's no shame in tracking the medal count in the inset of your morning paper and beaming in pride at your country's latest bronze medal in underwater basketweaving, but at what point did the collective hardware haul of each nation become the barometer of success?
The Olympics should be defined by moments -- Dan Jansen's victory lap with his daughter, Kerri Strug's one legged vault, or my personal favorite, four limping Jamaicans carrying their rickety bobseld to the finishline.
The idea that the number of medals a nation wins has any correlation to the greatness of a nation (or genetic superiority) is backwards -- Olympic success has and always will be the direct result of the amount of time and money a nation puts into developing athletes and building top notch facilities. The best example of this is the evolution of the Chinese Olympic program over the past couple decades: the government took proactive measures to start investing in events outside of its traditional strengths (diving, table tennis, gymnastics) in anticipation of hosting the 2008 summer games. They targeted niche events (rowing, beach volleyball, shooting) by outsourcing the best coaches and plucking prospects from each respective sport at an early age. What the Chinese Olympic program did was akin to creating a AAA farm system to nurture and develop their athletes and in the end, they were rewarded: 51 gold medals, including their first medals of any color in obscure sports such as windsurfing (how is this an Olympic event?).
So what's wrong with these so-called medal factories (by the way, you're delusional if you think the United States doesn't run its own). The real danger lies in how they shift the focus of the Olympics from celebrating sportsmanship and the lifetime achievement of selfless athletes to a rogue 'me against the world' mentality.
We've seen the Olympics used as a pedestal for bigotry (Hitler's '36 games) and terrorism ('72 Munich). It's been used as a political chess piece (The USA's boycott of the 1980 Moscow games) and as a platform for social justice (Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the '68 Mexico City games). The international stage the Olympics provide have always left the games vulnerable to extracurricular agendas. This will never change.
While history assures us that there will always be turmoil in the world, there's no reason why the Olympics have to reflect reality. As Russia scrambles to engineer the ultimate medal machine program for the 2014 games in Sochi, their driving motivation for the games needs to lie beyond repairing a bruised ego.
Don't be surprised if the Russians dominate everything from the iditarod to curling in four years. The best thing Americans can do is focus on genuine moments of Olympic joy, regardless of nationality. If you get too wrapped up in the medal counting game you might just miss four Jamaicans in a bobsled.
"The people responsible, or some of those responsible for the preparations, should do the manly thing and make the appropriate announcement. If they're lacking in decisiveness, we'll help them."
Medvedev is referring to Russia's Olympic officials following what the Russian government considered to be a weak showing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games (Russia finished with 15 medals, it's lowest output since 1956). The head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Leonid Tyagachev, resigned two days later, citing the team's "unexpectedly" lackluster showing in Vancouver.
Ah, there's the Olympic spirit.
There's no shame in tracking the medal count in the inset of your morning paper and beaming in pride at your country's latest bronze medal in underwater basketweaving, but at what point did the collective hardware haul of each nation become the barometer of success?
The Olympics should be defined by moments -- Dan Jansen's victory lap with his daughter, Kerri Strug's one legged vault, or my personal favorite, four limping Jamaicans carrying their rickety bobseld to the finishline.
The idea that the number of medals a nation wins has any correlation to the greatness of a nation (or genetic superiority) is backwards -- Olympic success has and always will be the direct result of the amount of time and money a nation puts into developing athletes and building top notch facilities. The best example of this is the evolution of the Chinese Olympic program over the past couple decades: the government took proactive measures to start investing in events outside of its traditional strengths (diving, table tennis, gymnastics) in anticipation of hosting the 2008 summer games. They targeted niche events (rowing, beach volleyball, shooting) by outsourcing the best coaches and plucking prospects from each respective sport at an early age. What the Chinese Olympic program did was akin to creating a AAA farm system to nurture and develop their athletes and in the end, they were rewarded: 51 gold medals, including their first medals of any color in obscure sports such as windsurfing (how is this an Olympic event?).
So what's wrong with these so-called medal factories (by the way, you're delusional if you think the United States doesn't run its own). The real danger lies in how they shift the focus of the Olympics from celebrating sportsmanship and the lifetime achievement of selfless athletes to a rogue 'me against the world' mentality.
We've seen the Olympics used as a pedestal for bigotry (Hitler's '36 games) and terrorism ('72 Munich). It's been used as a political chess piece (The USA's boycott of the 1980 Moscow games) and as a platform for social justice (Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the '68 Mexico City games). The international stage the Olympics provide have always left the games vulnerable to extracurricular agendas. This will never change.
While history assures us that there will always be turmoil in the world, there's no reason why the Olympics have to reflect reality. As Russia scrambles to engineer the ultimate medal machine program for the 2014 games in Sochi, their driving motivation for the games needs to lie beyond repairing a bruised ego.
Don't be surprised if the Russians dominate everything from the iditarod to curling in four years. The best thing Americans can do is focus on genuine moments of Olympic joy, regardless of nationality. If you get too wrapped up in the medal counting game you might just miss four Jamaicans in a bobsled.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The United State(s) of Hockey
The results are in: 27.6 million redblooded Americans watched Sunday's USA-Canada gold medal hockey game. The overtime classic pummeled the 2002 Salt Lake City USA-Canada gold medal match ratings by over 10 million viewers. This number surpasses both the highest rated individual game of the '09 World Series (22.8) and the '09 NBA Finals (16.0). Still not impressed? It's overnight rating tops any Final Four basketball game since 1998, any NBA finals game since '98, or any World Series game since 2004.
Move over, Lebron. It's time to make way for Leclaire. Forget Yankees-Red Sox, have you heard about the heated Caps-Senators rivalry?
OK, so we're getting a little carried away. Before puck purists prematurely crown hockey as the next great American past time, the sport must first overcome the following obstacles:
1. Olympic and NHL hockey are two entirely different brands. Yes, both can market the supreme talents of Ovechkin and Crosby but the similarities end there. The Vancouver Olympics provided the perfect storm for Americans to watch the finale: they were fresh off the most prolific medal count in Winter games history, the game was broadcasted live mid-day on a weekend preventing word of mouth or internet spoilers, and it was the last medal event of the games (which is not always the case). Finally, let's be honest -- a lot of Uncle Sam backers were licking their chops at the prospect of beating Canada at it's own game. Americans had more incentive to tune in for this game than they ever will for a domestic NHL Stanley Cup playoff game. One more thing -- the game was actually on regular TV. Which brings us to the NHL...
2. It's not on TV. In the age of HD television and network sponsored internet broadcasts, an overwhelming majority of fans are enjoying games from their armchairs. The NHL has had several stints on major networks (does anyone remember the flaming puck on FOX?), each ending without a contract renewal due to abysmal ratings. At it's lowest point, Americans were more likely to watch re-runs of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman than a budding regular season rivalry such as Red Wings-Avalanche. Ouch.
It's no coincidence that the NFL was the sole professional sports league that the gold medal game could not surpass in viewership. The $20 some billion dollar TV contract the league boasts is the result of savvy marketing campaigns promoting couch potato services such as real time fantasy stat trackers, the Redzone Channel, and NFL Sunday Ticket. Meanwhile, the NHL toils in obscurity on second tier cable networks such as the Versus channel or the Outdoor Life Network (anyone up for some curling?). The fact that the Stanley Cup playoffs aren't broadcasted on a major network immensley hurts the league. Unforunately, the ugly ratings precedent has networks unwilling to make a leap of faith that the Olympic finale will carry over even a minute fraction of it's audience over to the NHL.
3. Accessibility. Hockey is an specialized sport -- from ice rental time to expensive equipment, it's an activity that requires planning and deep pockets. Outside of the occasional frozen lake in Duluth, pick up hockey in the States simply cannot exist because it's a logistical nightmare for penny pinching parents. Kids in warm weather climates can't be expected to pass up the outdoors on a sunny day for the chilly confines of a local ice rink they share with other ice-related sports. Poor attendance for franchises residing in cities absent of sub-zero winters reflect this disconnect.
I'll give the NHL credit for countering this with its annual outdoor game: it's a unique idea that appeals to both diehard and casual fans. Having the stones to place franchises in the south was an admirable attempt to widen the NHL's fan base, but four of the five teams on the brink of collapsing reside in sweet tea country (Atlanta, Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville). Again, this is no coincidence. An unnamed executive hypothesized that as many as 15 NHL teams would bite the dust in the next two years. This is likely an exaggerated prediction, NHL commish Gary Bettman would sooner slash payrolls by 50% before he allowed half of the league's teams to contract. Still, the fact that the NHL has to even consider such a scenario doesn't bode well for the league's future.
Finally, we have to wonder what kind of boost a United States victory would have provided for the sport. There's no doubt the David and Goliath storyline would have inspired feel good Disney remakes for years to come but beyond that there's little evidence to suggest such an improbable triumph would have solved hockey's long term problems. While the Olympics creates a new wave of Wheaties Box heroes every two years, the NHL struggles to find sponsorship on the side of your local ice cream truck.
Sidney Crosby erased any potential speculation American hockey had surpassed their northern neighbors with a quick overtime goal. The universe was restored -- hockey was still Canada's game. You can't help but feel it's better off in their hands.
Move over, Lebron. It's time to make way for Leclaire. Forget Yankees-Red Sox, have you heard about the heated Caps-Senators rivalry?
OK, so we're getting a little carried away. Before puck purists prematurely crown hockey as the next great American past time, the sport must first overcome the following obstacles:
1. Olympic and NHL hockey are two entirely different brands. Yes, both can market the supreme talents of Ovechkin and Crosby but the similarities end there. The Vancouver Olympics provided the perfect storm for Americans to watch the finale: they were fresh off the most prolific medal count in Winter games history, the game was broadcasted live mid-day on a weekend preventing word of mouth or internet spoilers, and it was the last medal event of the games (which is not always the case). Finally, let's be honest -- a lot of Uncle Sam backers were licking their chops at the prospect of beating Canada at it's own game. Americans had more incentive to tune in for this game than they ever will for a domestic NHL Stanley Cup playoff game. One more thing -- the game was actually on regular TV. Which brings us to the NHL...
2. It's not on TV. In the age of HD television and network sponsored internet broadcasts, an overwhelming majority of fans are enjoying games from their armchairs. The NHL has had several stints on major networks (does anyone remember the flaming puck on FOX?), each ending without a contract renewal due to abysmal ratings. At it's lowest point, Americans were more likely to watch re-runs of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman than a budding regular season rivalry such as Red Wings-Avalanche. Ouch.
It's no coincidence that the NFL was the sole professional sports league that the gold medal game could not surpass in viewership. The $20 some billion dollar TV contract the league boasts is the result of savvy marketing campaigns promoting couch potato services such as real time fantasy stat trackers, the Redzone Channel, and NFL Sunday Ticket. Meanwhile, the NHL toils in obscurity on second tier cable networks such as the Versus channel or the Outdoor Life Network (anyone up for some curling?). The fact that the Stanley Cup playoffs aren't broadcasted on a major network immensley hurts the league. Unforunately, the ugly ratings precedent has networks unwilling to make a leap of faith that the Olympic finale will carry over even a minute fraction of it's audience over to the NHL.
3. Accessibility. Hockey is an specialized sport -- from ice rental time to expensive equipment, it's an activity that requires planning and deep pockets. Outside of the occasional frozen lake in Duluth, pick up hockey in the States simply cannot exist because it's a logistical nightmare for penny pinching parents. Kids in warm weather climates can't be expected to pass up the outdoors on a sunny day for the chilly confines of a local ice rink they share with other ice-related sports. Poor attendance for franchises residing in cities absent of sub-zero winters reflect this disconnect.
I'll give the NHL credit for countering this with its annual outdoor game: it's a unique idea that appeals to both diehard and casual fans. Having the stones to place franchises in the south was an admirable attempt to widen the NHL's fan base, but four of the five teams on the brink of collapsing reside in sweet tea country (Atlanta, Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville). Again, this is no coincidence. An unnamed executive hypothesized that as many as 15 NHL teams would bite the dust in the next two years. This is likely an exaggerated prediction, NHL commish Gary Bettman would sooner slash payrolls by 50% before he allowed half of the league's teams to contract. Still, the fact that the NHL has to even consider such a scenario doesn't bode well for the league's future.
Finally, we have to wonder what kind of boost a United States victory would have provided for the sport. There's no doubt the David and Goliath storyline would have inspired feel good Disney remakes for years to come but beyond that there's little evidence to suggest such an improbable triumph would have solved hockey's long term problems. While the Olympics creates a new wave of Wheaties Box heroes every two years, the NHL struggles to find sponsorship on the side of your local ice cream truck.
Sidney Crosby erased any potential speculation American hockey had surpassed their northern neighbors with a quick overtime goal. The universe was restored -- hockey was still Canada's game. You can't help but feel it's better off in their hands.
Monday, February 22, 2010
What Athletes Can Learn from Tigergate
It's official: Tigergate has reached nauseating levels of overexposure.
So why dignify the latest chapter of this tireless saga with this entry? Frankly, Woods has given us little choice by how poorly he has handled the fallout. Rather than examining whether Woods is sincere in his apology (I'll leave that up to Barbara Walters and The View), we need to warn future athletes who stray off course on precisely how to avoid the next ad nauseum nightmare. The lesson here is simple: in the wake of an extramarital sex scandal, athletes need to learn from Woods' unintended tutorial on exactly how not to deal with the media.
Newsflash: Woods isn't the first athlete to cheat on his wife. Adulterous sports idols are a dime a dozen and we're rarely surprised when news leaks regarding multiple extramarital affairs with cocktail waitresses half their age. Their behavior is expected and arguably condoned in the culture of modern sports machismo.
Need examples? One Michael Jeffrey Jordan was slapped with paternity suits and extortion schemes from alleged mistresses throughout his career. His wife ultimately filed for divorce and was awarded with a record nine-figure alimony parting prize. Despite Jordan's meteoric status this news barely made a ripple in the sports world.
Alex Rodriguez's wife very publicly filed for divorce on the grounds of her husband's repeated infidelities. Yet her public smear campaign garnered little attention beyond local New York tabloids.
So why has Tigergate so transcended his high profile predecessors in infamy? Possible theories include the idea that golf is more an individual "gentlemen's game" which holds it's athletes to higher moral standards. Hogwash. If this is true how can someone such as John Daly continue to be granted sponsors exemptions? Another argument is that evolution of media and blogging enable more platforms for cross-pollination between a gossip based company such as TMZ with the once beloved ESPN. I'll concede that the line between sport and pop culture is blurry nowadays, but let's not forget that "Stray-Rod" tabloids ran less than nine months ago and didn't reach one-hundredth the decibel the Woods story has.
The real reason why Woods has reached Gosselin status is because of the way he's unintentionally baited the media. The silent treatment is an ageless method for flying under the radar but Tiger has rendered it useless because he consistently promises the media he will return and address them again. To make matters worse, he does this after vaguely admitting infidelity, leaving the door open for wild conjecture on the nature (and number) of his affairs.
Woods doesn't owe us a return ticket in front of a million flashbulbs. He doesn't need to provide us juicy details on whether he prefers blondes or brunettes. Drifting in and out of the public eye in any other capacity is hurtful for both him and the sport because he is only attracting more non-sports related media by addressing us off the greens. What he needs to do is come back to the sport when he feels he's ready and face the music back where we got to know him: on the golf course. Sports media will still feel compelled to write about how he's performed post Tigergate but the basis of these stories will center around golf rather than his former mistress landing the lead in the sequel to "Debbie Does Dallas."
It's easy to preach that monogamy is the best way for athletes to avoid future scandals such as these. The reality is many will continue to succumb to temptation and stray from their marriages. The lesson learned is that in the event that you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, do both yourself and sports fans a favor and keep the ball in play. Don't hire clueless PR firms who employ a juicy game of hide and seek with the mass media. Keep it in house in the sports world and as far from the paparazzi as possible.
It's probable that when Woods finally decides to call it quits, Tigergate won't be the first thing we remember about him. But it's important to remember moments like these because we see how vulnerable the sanctity of sport has become. We can all play our part by pretending to look the other way but the ultimate welfare of sport is in the hands of the athletes, not the peanut gallery. Keep your fingers crossed that Woods can pitch himself back onto the fairway so we can enjoy the Masters TMZ free once again.
Tigeragate is brought to you by your loyal friends of Cooper's Sports Picks. Thanks for reading.
So why dignify the latest chapter of this tireless saga with this entry? Frankly, Woods has given us little choice by how poorly he has handled the fallout. Rather than examining whether Woods is sincere in his apology (I'll leave that up to Barbara Walters and The View), we need to warn future athletes who stray off course on precisely how to avoid the next ad nauseum nightmare. The lesson here is simple: in the wake of an extramarital sex scandal, athletes need to learn from Woods' unintended tutorial on exactly how not to deal with the media.
Newsflash: Woods isn't the first athlete to cheat on his wife. Adulterous sports idols are a dime a dozen and we're rarely surprised when news leaks regarding multiple extramarital affairs with cocktail waitresses half their age. Their behavior is expected and arguably condoned in the culture of modern sports machismo.
Need examples? One Michael Jeffrey Jordan was slapped with paternity suits and extortion schemes from alleged mistresses throughout his career. His wife ultimately filed for divorce and was awarded with a record nine-figure alimony parting prize. Despite Jordan's meteoric status this news barely made a ripple in the sports world.
Alex Rodriguez's wife very publicly filed for divorce on the grounds of her husband's repeated infidelities. Yet her public smear campaign garnered little attention beyond local New York tabloids.
So why has Tigergate so transcended his high profile predecessors in infamy? Possible theories include the idea that golf is more an individual "gentlemen's game" which holds it's athletes to higher moral standards. Hogwash. If this is true how can someone such as John Daly continue to be granted sponsors exemptions? Another argument is that evolution of media and blogging enable more platforms for cross-pollination between a gossip based company such as TMZ with the once beloved ESPN. I'll concede that the line between sport and pop culture is blurry nowadays, but let's not forget that "Stray-Rod" tabloids ran less than nine months ago and didn't reach one-hundredth the decibel the Woods story has.
The real reason why Woods has reached Gosselin status is because of the way he's unintentionally baited the media. The silent treatment is an ageless method for flying under the radar but Tiger has rendered it useless because he consistently promises the media he will return and address them again. To make matters worse, he does this after vaguely admitting infidelity, leaving the door open for wild conjecture on the nature (and number) of his affairs.
Woods doesn't owe us a return ticket in front of a million flashbulbs. He doesn't need to provide us juicy details on whether he prefers blondes or brunettes. Drifting in and out of the public eye in any other capacity is hurtful for both him and the sport because he is only attracting more non-sports related media by addressing us off the greens. What he needs to do is come back to the sport when he feels he's ready and face the music back where we got to know him: on the golf course. Sports media will still feel compelled to write about how he's performed post Tigergate but the basis of these stories will center around golf rather than his former mistress landing the lead in the sequel to "Debbie Does Dallas."
It's easy to preach that monogamy is the best way for athletes to avoid future scandals such as these. The reality is many will continue to succumb to temptation and stray from their marriages. The lesson learned is that in the event that you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, do both yourself and sports fans a favor and keep the ball in play. Don't hire clueless PR firms who employ a juicy game of hide and seek with the mass media. Keep it in house in the sports world and as far from the paparazzi as possible.
It's probable that when Woods finally decides to call it quits, Tigergate won't be the first thing we remember about him. But it's important to remember moments like these because we see how vulnerable the sanctity of sport has become. We can all play our part by pretending to look the other way but the ultimate welfare of sport is in the hands of the athletes, not the peanut gallery. Keep your fingers crossed that Woods can pitch himself back onto the fairway so we can enjoy the Masters TMZ free once again.
Tigeragate is brought to you by your loyal friends of Cooper's Sports Picks. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Delaware: the true state of sports betting
It's official: the 2009 August decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals that left Delaware with only parlay bets on NFL games will stand. What does this mean for American sports bettors?
1. Bettors in Delaware remain restricted to minimum three team parlay wagers in the NFL. This is similar to the 1976 sports lottery which lasted just one year in Delaware. The 2009-10 NFL season brought in a modest number of sports bettors into Delaware casinos but history suggests without the presence of single game wagers there won't be enough traffic to sustain will eventually
2. The Delaware ruling will serves as a significant precedent for other states hoping to pass future legislation allowing sports betting. Nevada remains the only legitimate state in the US which allows sports betting (Oregon recently revoked their status and the sparsely populated Montana's sports lotteries are rarely used). Rival states concerned about losing gaming revenue to Delaware kept a close eye on the results of the federal appeals court ruling. Had Delaware won it's appeal a domino effect of state lawsuits would have followed (starting with New Jersey and New York) and likely opened the doors to sports betting across the country.
3. Professional sports leagues have flexed their muscles in a hypocritical effort to stop legalized betting. The NFL, NBA, and NHL filed an injunction in Washington challenging the Delaware sports lottery. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spearheaded the opposition, claiming that "State promoted gambling not only adds the pressure on our coaches and players, but creates suspicion and cynicism toward every on-the-field mistake."
The consensus among professional sports leagues is that gambling threatens the integrity of competition. If this is true why are stadiums plastered with local Casino and gambling-related advertisements? Why are there countless online poker and indian casino commercials during their broadcasts? How can these partnerships not create the same suspicion and cynicism that commissioner Goodell claims to fear?
The reality is that leagues such as the NFL are wary of state-sponsored wagering because they have no way of regulating the money coming in. Huge corporations such as the NFL simply have nothing to gain by allowing a cash strapped Delaware the opportunity to raise funds for he higher purpose of trying to put a dent in it's ten figure deficit.
So what does this ultimately mean for sports bettors? It means they'll have to continue to navigate through a minefield of crooked locals, opportunistic middle men payment processors, and scheming overseas bookmakers. It's inevitable that Americans will continue to bet on sports regardless of legislation. The real travesty is the uncertainty that honest bettors must continue to face due to the lack of domestic regulation protecting their funds.
1. Bettors in Delaware remain restricted to minimum three team parlay wagers in the NFL. This is similar to the 1976 sports lottery which lasted just one year in Delaware. The 2009-10 NFL season brought in a modest number of sports bettors into Delaware casinos but history suggests without the presence of single game wagers there won't be enough traffic to sustain will eventually
2. The Delaware ruling will serves as a significant precedent for other states hoping to pass future legislation allowing sports betting. Nevada remains the only legitimate state in the US which allows sports betting (Oregon recently revoked their status and the sparsely populated Montana's sports lotteries are rarely used). Rival states concerned about losing gaming revenue to Delaware kept a close eye on the results of the federal appeals court ruling. Had Delaware won it's appeal a domino effect of state lawsuits would have followed (starting with New Jersey and New York) and likely opened the doors to sports betting across the country.
3. Professional sports leagues have flexed their muscles in a hypocritical effort to stop legalized betting. The NFL, NBA, and NHL filed an injunction in Washington challenging the Delaware sports lottery. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spearheaded the opposition, claiming that "State promoted gambling not only adds the pressure on our coaches and players, but creates suspicion and cynicism toward every on-the-field mistake."
The consensus among professional sports leagues is that gambling threatens the integrity of competition. If this is true why are stadiums plastered with local Casino and gambling-related advertisements? Why are there countless online poker and indian casino commercials during their broadcasts? How can these partnerships not create the same suspicion and cynicism that commissioner Goodell claims to fear?
The reality is that leagues such as the NFL are wary of state-sponsored wagering because they have no way of regulating the money coming in. Huge corporations such as the NFL simply have nothing to gain by allowing a cash strapped Delaware the opportunity to raise funds for he higher purpose of trying to put a dent in it's ten figure deficit.
So what does this ultimately mean for sports bettors? It means they'll have to continue to navigate through a minefield of crooked locals, opportunistic middle men payment processors, and scheming overseas bookmakers. It's inevitable that Americans will continue to bet on sports regardless of legislation. The real travesty is the uncertainty that honest bettors must continue to face due to the lack of domestic regulation protecting their funds.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
George Karl Diagnosed with Canccer
With a form of cancer that is treatable none the less it is sad to say that the Denver Nuggets head coach as of Tuesday February 15th has publicly announced to the public about his diagnosis and how he will cope and deal with the cancer while still staying on as head coach of the Nuggets.
"The treatment began today, and in general it's about a six-week treatment," Karl said. "There could be a possibility throughout the six weeks that I could miss games and practices, depending on my pain and fatigue levels. My hope is that it is a curable and treatable disease. I hope to be as close to 100 percent as I can come playoff time in April."
"My family has battled cancer, but it is something that has to be treated immediately," Karl said. "I think I'm very blessed to have great family and an organization that has supported me throughout this. I will need them in different ways, but I don't think I'm a guy that needs sympathy, but I do need support. The major desire for me is to kick this cancer's butt and to stay with a team that I think can win a championship."
Karl went on to say that he will likely miss two games in the near future: at Golden State on February 25 and at Minnesota on March 10. In those instances where Karl is unable to coach, assistant coach Adrian Dantley will serve as the head coach.
Karl's 968 career wins over 18 seasons, with Cleveland, Golden State, Seattle, Milwaukee and the Nuggets, are the seventh most in NBA history.
"The treatment began today, and in general it's about a six-week treatment," Karl said. "There could be a possibility throughout the six weeks that I could miss games and practices, depending on my pain and fatigue levels. My hope is that it is a curable and treatable disease. I hope to be as close to 100 percent as I can come playoff time in April."
"My family has battled cancer, but it is something that has to be treated immediately," Karl said. "I think I'm very blessed to have great family and an organization that has supported me throughout this. I will need them in different ways, but I don't think I'm a guy that needs sympathy, but I do need support. The major desire for me is to kick this cancer's butt and to stay with a team that I think can win a championship."
Karl went on to say that he will likely miss two games in the near future: at Golden State on February 25 and at Minnesota on March 10. In those instances where Karl is unable to coach, assistant coach Adrian Dantley will serve as the head coach.
Karl's 968 career wins over 18 seasons, with Cleveland, Golden State, Seattle, Milwaukee and the Nuggets, are the seventh most in NBA history.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Dalembert Delivers
Dalembert delivers
By John McMullen, NBA Editor
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Samuel Dalembert isn't the most popular athlete in Philadelphia.
In fact, Sammy D. and his massive contract, have turned the player into a bit of a pariah in the City of Brotherly Love. Despite possessing the length and natural instincts to be an excellent rebounder and top-tier shot blocker, Dalembert has always been something of a disappointment.
A lack of basketball IQ and disdain of the weight room made Dalembert the poster boy for underachievement in a moribund era of Philly basketball. His six-year contract that dwarfs the deals of other sports stars in the city like baseball's Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, football's DeSean Jackson and hockey's Mike Richards, has caused many fans to label him as overrated.
Any perceived deficiencies on the basketball floor were dwarfed this week by Dalembert's work in the real world, however.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dalembert spent the first 14 years of his life in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country before moving to Montreal. He may have moved on and moved up, parlaying a couple of seasons at Seton Hall into a shot at the NBA, but he never left Haiti behind.
Currently the only active Haitian player in the NBA, Dalembert is scheduled to make $12.12 million this season. The average per capita income in Haiti is $1,300.
The Sixers' center understands he rose from the depths of poverty and has taken a keen interest in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program, traveling all over the world to expand the game's reach and help the poorest among us. In the last offseason, Dalembert returned to Haiti to scout locations for a children's academy.
In fact, Dalembert has done so much for the same community that often boos him, he was awarded the NBA Community Assist Award last February in recognition of his outstanding efforts in the Philadelphia area for his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work.
Understandably, Dalembert was devastated as news trickled in of the catastrophic earthquake in his homeland earlier this week a disaster that has killed up to an estimated 50,000 people and left thousands more homeless, hungry and in despair.
Although most of his family has moved to the United States, Dalembert thought of his many friends and more distant relatives and wanted to charter a flight to Port-au-Prince, but it just wasn't feasible.
Instead, he did what he could, using his power as an NBA player to educate many of us on the history of Haiti and encourage anyone who could to pledge their support, after he scored 12 points and pulled down a season-high 21 rebounds against New York on Wednesday.
Dalembert himself is scheduled to present a personal check of $100,000 to Caryl M. Stern, the President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, before the Sixers host the Sacramento Kings at the Wachovia Center on Friday.
A long-time NBA partner who has been on the ground in Haiti since 1949, UNICEF is currently providing support to the victims of this unfolding humanitarian crisis. Funds are being used to provide safe water, temporary shelter systems and essential medical supplies and additional services to the estimated three million victims, at least half of whom are thought to be children.
"My heartfelt thanks to Samuel Dalembert and the Philadelphia 76ers for their generous contribution," said Stern. "This will help provide essential life- saving supplies to the people of Haiti, especially for the thousands of children most in need without shelter, clean water, nutrition, and those separated from their parents in this disaster."
In addition to his personal contribution, Dalembert has also pledged to match the amount of money donated by Sixers fans at the UNICEF table on the concourse during the game on Friday.
"While I cannot begin to imagine what my friends and family are going through as they deal with this terrible tragedy, I will do everything that I can to help raise funds to aid in the relief efforts," said Dalembert.
Overrated?
Not today.
-Those who would like to help in the Haitian relief effort can text GIVE to UNICEF (864233) to donate $5.
01/15 12:35:45 ET
Powered by The Sports Network.
By John McMullen, NBA Editor
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Samuel Dalembert isn't the most popular athlete in Philadelphia.
In fact, Sammy D. and his massive contract, have turned the player into a bit of a pariah in the City of Brotherly Love. Despite possessing the length and natural instincts to be an excellent rebounder and top-tier shot blocker, Dalembert has always been something of a disappointment.
A lack of basketball IQ and disdain of the weight room made Dalembert the poster boy for underachievement in a moribund era of Philly basketball. His six-year contract that dwarfs the deals of other sports stars in the city like baseball's Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, football's DeSean Jackson and hockey's Mike Richards, has caused many fans to label him as overrated.
Any perceived deficiencies on the basketball floor were dwarfed this week by Dalembert's work in the real world, however.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dalembert spent the first 14 years of his life in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country before moving to Montreal. He may have moved on and moved up, parlaying a couple of seasons at Seton Hall into a shot at the NBA, but he never left Haiti behind.
Currently the only active Haitian player in the NBA, Dalembert is scheduled to make $12.12 million this season. The average per capita income in Haiti is $1,300.
The Sixers' center understands he rose from the depths of poverty and has taken a keen interest in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program, traveling all over the world to expand the game's reach and help the poorest among us. In the last offseason, Dalembert returned to Haiti to scout locations for a children's academy.
In fact, Dalembert has done so much for the same community that often boos him, he was awarded the NBA Community Assist Award last February in recognition of his outstanding efforts in the Philadelphia area for his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work.
Understandably, Dalembert was devastated as news trickled in of the catastrophic earthquake in his homeland earlier this week a disaster that has killed up to an estimated 50,000 people and left thousands more homeless, hungry and in despair.
Although most of his family has moved to the United States, Dalembert thought of his many friends and more distant relatives and wanted to charter a flight to Port-au-Prince, but it just wasn't feasible.
Instead, he did what he could, using his power as an NBA player to educate many of us on the history of Haiti and encourage anyone who could to pledge their support, after he scored 12 points and pulled down a season-high 21 rebounds against New York on Wednesday.
Dalembert himself is scheduled to present a personal check of $100,000 to Caryl M. Stern, the President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, before the Sixers host the Sacramento Kings at the Wachovia Center on Friday.
A long-time NBA partner who has been on the ground in Haiti since 1949, UNICEF is currently providing support to the victims of this unfolding humanitarian crisis. Funds are being used to provide safe water, temporary shelter systems and essential medical supplies and additional services to the estimated three million victims, at least half of whom are thought to be children.
"My heartfelt thanks to Samuel Dalembert and the Philadelphia 76ers for their generous contribution," said Stern. "This will help provide essential life- saving supplies to the people of Haiti, especially for the thousands of children most in need without shelter, clean water, nutrition, and those separated from their parents in this disaster."
In addition to his personal contribution, Dalembert has also pledged to match the amount of money donated by Sixers fans at the UNICEF table on the concourse during the game on Friday.
"While I cannot begin to imagine what my friends and family are going through as they deal with this terrible tragedy, I will do everything that I can to help raise funds to aid in the relief efforts," said Dalembert.
Overrated?
Not today.
-Those who would like to help in the Haitian relief effort can text GIVE to UNICEF (864233) to donate $5.
01/15 12:35:45 ET
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