Leon Halip/Getty ImagesTeams: No. 19 Michigan Wolverines 4-0 (0-0)vs. Indiana Hoosiers 3-0 (0-0)Place: Memorial Stadium (The Rock), Bloomington, IndianaTime: 3:30 P.M. EasternTV: ESPNUThe Line: Michigan -10.5It is that time of year again. The Big Ten football season gets started this Saturday and Michigan will open up their Big Ten schedule against Indiana for the second consecutive year. This year the Wolverines travel to Bloomington in what may be a high-scoring game.Last year Michigan went 1-7 in Big Ten play. TheBuffalo Bills jersey
lone win was against...Indiana. Michigan will be looking to make strides to improve in the Big Ten this season, so will they get started out on the right foot against Indiana?Michigan Rush Defense vs. Indiana Rush OffenseYou remember last year right? Yeah, that wasn't too fun. Watching Indiana running backs take it outside and pick up huge chunks of yardage because the Michigan defense seemingly forgot what outside contain meant.Well, don't worry too much, that should be better this year. For starters, Indiana has not run the ball well this year at all. The Hoosiershave onlymanaged 113 yards per game this year on the ground. That is good for 96th nationally.Darius Willis is a decent back, so what's the problem?Well, the offensive line is bad. For a Big Ten offensive line Indiana is very small. Not only are they small, they aren't really even very quick or athletic. When you dig deeper you notice this offensive line has struggled to push around defenses on football teams people don't even know exist.That's right, Indiana has failed to establish an effective run game against Towson, Western Kentucky, and Akron.I don't see them getting any better now. Ryan Van Bergen, Mike Martin, and Greg Roh should have a field day in this one.Advantage: MichiganMichigan Pass Defense vs. Indiana Pass Offense OK, here is where it gets a little tricky. Indiana can actually toss the football around a bit. Quarterback Ben Chappell has led the Hoosiers to some pretty nice early season numbers.Indiana is averaging 304.33 yards per game through the air so far this year, which is good for 11th nationally. Chappell has completed 72.4 percent of his passes so far for nine touchdowns and no interceptions. That is pretty impressive.Should we take that with a grain of salt considering who they have played? Yeah, probably.However Chappell is still pretty good. He is accurate and very good at reading the defense and making good choices. However, the offensive line isn't very good. If Michigan has any hope of stopping the Hoosier aerial attack they will have to put pressure on the quarterback.Expect Mouton to get a lot of chances to blitz. Michigan will also hope Martin and the rest of the defensive line can put pressure on Chappell to force some mistakes.Advantage: IndianaMichigan Rush Offense vs. Carolina Panthers jersey
Indiana Rush DefenseThis is where it should get fun for Michigan. We all know what Michigan features on the ground.It starts up front with an offensive line that has been playing great football so far this year. With the way the offensive line has been playing, Michigan doesn't even need a star in the backfield to gain yards, but they have one anyway.Denard Robinson has been the biggest star in college football early this season and it is easy to see why. Robinson leads the Big Ten in rushing, despite only playing half a quarter last week against Bowling Green. Robinson is leading a rush offense that averages 331.25 yards per game. That is good for the second best rushing offense in the country.On the other side of the ball Indiana is 96th nationally in rush defense. Yes, 96th in the country, against the largest of all cupcake schedules in the Big Ten. Advantage: MichiganMichigan Pass Offense vs. Indiana Pass DefenseIf you take a quick look at the numbers you might not be impressed with the Michigan passing attack. After all Michigan has averaged 231.50 yards per game through the air, which is only good for 50th in the country.However a deeper look shows that Michiganis 11th nationally in pass efficiency. Michigan completes a high percentage of its passes because teams are so caught up trying to stop the Michigan running attack.Just face it though, Michigan hasn't needed to throw the ball that often, but when they do it's effective.Indiana features a defensive backfield that is pretty slow and frequently out of position. Look for more of the same as Indiana brings players up to stop the run, only to get burned through the air.Advantage: MichiganSpecial TeamsBy default this area of the game goes to the Hoosiers. Michigan has been reduced to going for it on fourth down because well, a field goal just isn't an option anymore. Replacing Zoltan Mesko at punter has been a problem too.Don't even get me started on the problems Michigan has had fielding punts. Michigan actually pulled out a new punt return formation against Bowling Green, which was better but still.Advantage: IndianaInjury ReportMichiganOut: LB Mike Jones (leg), RB Michael Shaw (knee), RB Fitzgerald Toussaint (shoulder), S Jared Van Slyke (clavicle), S Mike Williams (concussion), CB Troy Woolfolk (ankle)Questionable: John Ferrara (hand)Probable: LB Brandon Herron (ankle), LB/S Carvin Johnson (knee), QB Denard Robinson (knee)IndianaOut: S Chris Adkins (ankle), K Nick Freeland (hip)Probable: S Donnell Jones (knee)WeatherHigh of 65 degrees with a Chicago Bears jersey
30-percent chance of rain. Winds 13 MPH.Final ThoughtsI expect this game will be pretty high-scoring. Both teams feature high powered offenses and below average defenses. I think the key to this game will be whether or not Michigan can get pressure on Ben Chappell. If they do, Michigan can get a couple of key stops.Prediction Michigan 42, Indiana 27
2011年1月24日星期一
24 Jan 11 Notre Dame Football: Elite Defensive End Recruit Stephon Tuitt Commits to Irish
Stephon Tuitt, the no. 1-ranked strong-side defensive end in the 2010 class, committed to Notre Dame over Georgia Tech over the weekend. After his first visit to campus, Tuitt was blown away by the South Bend atmosphere and could not wait any longer to pull the trigger. With this commitment, the Irish now hold arguably Atlanta Falcons jersey
the best defensive line class in the country, thanks to the already committed Aaron Lynch. Rated as the 22nd best prospect in the country, Tuitt calls Monroe, Georgia home and formed some great relationships with the coaches near home. In what was the hardest decision of his life, Tuitt had to inform the Georgia Tech coaches of his decision, but ultimately felt Notre Dame was the best choice for him. In addition to Tech, he had a lead group of Auburn, Miami, and Tennessee. He had originally thought of taking officials to Miami and Georgia Tech before deciding, but ultimately felt that he wanted to be no where else except Notre Dame. Spending time with him over the summer at the Top Gun Camp in Virginia, I was able to get the true read on this 18-year old. Not only is he one of the best players in the country, but he is also one of the best kids out there. With academics truly a top priority in his life, it's no surprise that Tuitt ended up with the Irish. However, it is a shock to some that he chose Notre Dame over Georgia Tech in the end as the Yellow Jackets seemed to be a favorite for quite some time. Tuitt is a perfect fit for Brian Kelly's 3-4 defense. Coming off the edge, you can expect him to make an immediate impact at Notre Dame come next fall. With an ideal frame and pass rushing skills, Baltimore Ravens jersey
Tuitt is exactly what the Irish have been lacking in their defenses as of late. With this news, only a few more spots are left in this now star-filled Notre Dame recruiting class. Thanks to a few transfers in 2010, a couple of more spots have been opened up, but expect Kelly to take around 3 or 4 more players to round out his first recruiting cycle.
the best defensive line class in the country, thanks to the already committed Aaron Lynch. Rated as the 22nd best prospect in the country, Tuitt calls Monroe, Georgia home and formed some great relationships with the coaches near home. In what was the hardest decision of his life, Tuitt had to inform the Georgia Tech coaches of his decision, but ultimately felt Notre Dame was the best choice for him. In addition to Tech, he had a lead group of Auburn, Miami, and Tennessee. He had originally thought of taking officials to Miami and Georgia Tech before deciding, but ultimately felt that he wanted to be no where else except Notre Dame. Spending time with him over the summer at the Top Gun Camp in Virginia, I was able to get the true read on this 18-year old. Not only is he one of the best players in the country, but he is also one of the best kids out there. With academics truly a top priority in his life, it's no surprise that Tuitt ended up with the Irish. However, it is a shock to some that he chose Notre Dame over Georgia Tech in the end as the Yellow Jackets seemed to be a favorite for quite some time. Tuitt is a perfect fit for Brian Kelly's 3-4 defense. Coming off the edge, you can expect him to make an immediate impact at Notre Dame come next fall. With an ideal frame and pass rushing skills, Baltimore Ravens jersey
Tuitt is exactly what the Irish have been lacking in their defenses as of late. With this news, only a few more spots are left in this now star-filled Notre Dame recruiting class. Thanks to a few transfers in 2010, a couple of more spots have been opened up, but expect Kelly to take around 3 or 4 more players to round out his first recruiting cycle.
2011年1月22日星期六
22 Jan 11 UCLA Bruins Vs. Houston Cougars Football: Live Blog and Instant Analysis
UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince will have to step up his game against Houston tonight.Harry How/Getty ImagesHello, college football fans! Josh Martin, UCLA football featured columnist here. I'll be covering tonight's tilt between the Bruins and westward-traveling Houston Cougars at the Rose Bowl.The Bruins have struggled in their first two games, as indicated by their 0-2 record, and even more so by last week's 35-0 beating at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal...at home, no less.Houston, meanwhile, is back in the rankings after putting a sound whooping on the UTEP Miners, 54-24 last Saturday.The Cougars are certainly favored in this game, especially considering UCLA's performance thus far this season.Stay tuned to see how things shake out in Pasadena! 01:44 AM ETFinal score, UCLA 31, Houston 13. Cleveland Browns jersey
Can't overstate just how important this win is for the program, and coach Neuheisel in particular, after such an abysmal performance last week. Big improvement by the Bruins this week, but still much to be done going forward...and fast. Blue-and-Gold should have some positive momentum heading into Austin next Saturday against the fourth-ranked Texas Longhorns. Thanks for tuning in. I'll be back next week with real-time reactions for the big match-up. 01:40 AM ETHow about neither. Prince takes a knee, so looks like the Bruins are content to let the clock wind down. 01:39 AM ETJones picks up another Bruin first down on a 12-yard run. First-career touchdown to come for Jones, or will Franklin get a shot at his fourth on the night? 01:38 AM ETBruins go for it on fourth-and-one, and convert on a quarterback keeper by Prince. Clock keeps winding, all the way under two minutes remaining now. 01:35 AM ETJones gets another shot at redemption, keeps both hands on the ball, and doesn't fumble. Now, step two. 01:33 AM ETBall to Franklin again, who skis his way out to the Houston 35 for a 26-yard gain. Excellent burst, and good lateral evasiveness. 01:32 AM ETNice, patient run by Franklin on first down for a nine-yard gain. He'll see plenty of action against Texas next week. 01:32 AM ETMorrell Presley fair-catches the short Cougar kick to start UCLA's next drive at the 30. More ground game to come. 01:30 AM ETEdwards makes the catch, but out of bounds. Kevin Sumlin sends his kicking unit onto the field. Matt Hogan punches through a 32-yarder to bring the score to 31-13. Bruins D holds up to preserve a three-score margin. 01:29 AM ETBruins burst the bubble screen to force third-and-11 for the Cougars. 01:25 AM ETHouston starts the drive with an incomplete Broadway pass and a one-yard run, followed by a great pass and an even better run after the catch by Cleveland to get the Cougs back in the red zone. Special thanks to the "tackling" of the UCLA defense. A touchdown here and it's still a game. 01:21 AM ETPrince gets the ball to Marvray for a modest gain on third down, but not enough to avoid a punt. Ball goes back to the Cougars, who will start their next drive with pretty good field position. 01:20 AM ETUCLA picks up holding penalty on second down, Franklin makes up a good chunk on the ground. 01:18 AM ETBruins get the ball back with 11 and a half minutes left, and Jet Ski picks up two yards on first down. Expect the Bruins to keep it on the ground, wind down the clock til the game is officially over. 01:15 AM ETCougars convert on the extra point to narrow the margin to 31-10. Meanwhile, Holmes comes up with another unnecessary late hit and heads straight to the locker room, where he's sure to get an earful from the coaching staff after the gameDallas Cowboys jersey
. Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb...did I mention dumb? 01:13 AM ETBeautiful throw to Cleveland by Broadway in the back of the end zone. Freshman Anthony Jefferson gets burned by the team captain. 01:11 AM ETOn first-and-goal, the Bruins drop Broadway for a big loss. Toughening up in the red zone again. 01:10 AM ETAnother first down for Houston, added onto by a roughing-the-passer call against Damien Holmes. Neuheisel doesn't look to happy, as expected. 01:09 AM ETCougs pick up another first down, with Beall getting the ball inside the Bruins 20. 01:08 AM ETFirst throw for Broadway goes way past his man and out of bounds as he escapes toward the sideline. Third-and-nine for the wide-eyed freshman, and he completes a poorly-covered screen that goes for a first down. Nice composure by the youngster. 01:07 AM ETHouston keeps the ball on the ground, now into Bruin territory with a second-and-9. 01:05 AM ETBroadway, the freshman, picks up five yards on a nice run for a Houston first down. Looks like the future starts now for the Kevin Sumlin and the Cougars. 01:02 AM ETTerrance Broadway in at quarterback for Houston, the fourth guy in for the Cougars thus far. Two running plays to start. Houston will have third-and-three to start the final period. 01:00 AM ETSecond-and-seven for the Bruins. Jones fumbles again. Late-hit by Marvray gives the Cougars another 15 yards. 12:58 AM ETBruins force a fumble. Damien Holmes comes up with it, giving the ball back to the Bruins' offense with spectacular field position (the Houston 16). Credit Larimore for causing the fumble. 12:55 AM ETBruins go three-and-out, all on the ground. Pretty good punt by Jeff Locke, made even better by a block-in-the-back penalty by Houston, but worse by an injury to David Allen. 12:53 AM ETFranklin gets the hand-off, ups his rush total on the evening to 102 yards. Great game for Jet Ski so far. 12:52 AM ETTurner pitches the ball to Hayes for a three-yard gain. Ball back to the Bruins on fourth. Turner's currently getting worked on by the trainers on the sidelines. Another huge blow for the Cougs? 12:51 AM ETHouston starts off the drive in hurry-up mode, with a quick pass for a first down followed by a run for zilch and a pass for six, both wrapped-up well by theDenver Broncos jersey
UCLA D. 12:49 AM ETOn first down, Jet Ski gets the hand-off and cashes it in for his third touchdown of the night. Great blocking up front by the line for the Bruins. UCLA now up HUGE, 31-3. Can't let up now, though. Gotta keep up the effort until the clock is down to double zeroes. 12:47 AM ETDefense steps up again, first with a sack/forced intentional grounding by Ayers, and then an excellent tackle by former walk-on Andrew Abbott. Cougars punt out of their own end zone, and Embree runs the ball inside the 15 on a 31-yard return. Your welcome, Kevin Prince. 12:45 AM ETSheldon Price battles Edwards for the ball downfield. No one comes up with it, but excellent coverage and use of length by Price on the edge. 12:42 AM ETPrince rips off a nice five-yarder, but then throws to high for Barr to pull down. Ball goes back to Houston on the punt. 12:40 AM ETUCLA Band busts out "Sweet Caroline", but Prince isn't so sweet, missing Anthony Barr by a mile. 12:37 AM ETTurner can't get it to Cleveland on a short, third-down route, so Houston will punt the ball off to Embree. The ball bounces into the end zone. Bruins will start at the 20, looking to widen the score board gap. 12:36 AM ETAnother great play by a UCLA youngster. MLB Pat Larimore with a backfield stop on Beall. 12:35 AM ETBeall picks up six yards on second down, and Turner converts to Edwards on third down to move the chains. Hurry-up is in effect. Can the Bruins keep up? 12:34 AM ETHouston begins the half with a false start, then Turner nearly gets picked off on first-and-15. 12:32 AM ETCarrier gets cracked on the kick-off. Houston takes over on the field, minus Case Keenum. 12:30 AM ETPrince hangs onto the ball for waaaaaaaay too long and gets taken down for a sack. Forbath punches through a 42-yard field goal to put the Bruins up, 24-3. 12:28 AM ETThe return of Stone-Hands, this time by Taylor Embree in the end zone. 12:27 AM ETBruins keep it on the ground, with a couple of solid runs by Franklin and a nice scamper by Prince. 12:25 AM ETFranklin skis up the middle for nine yards on first down. He's got some great burst to go along with the patience of a veteran. 12:24 AM ETPrince starts off the second half with a quick hand-off to Franklin and a nice toss to Rosario for the first down. Bruins already into Cougar territory. 12:23 AM ETBack in action for the second half. Cougs kick the ball out of bounds, so the Bruins, once again, get fantastic field position to start. Let's see if UCLA can keep the good times rollin'. 12:04 AM ETTurner takes a knee to end the half. UCLA goes into the half with a surprising 21-3 lead. On the one hand, UCLA should be up more, if not for a couple of turnovers deep in Houston territory. On the other hand, the Bruins' D hasn't exactly shut down the Cougars' attack, surrendering 213 yards in the first half but getting rescued by Moore and Ayers on picks. The offense has looked pretty good, thanks in large part to Kevin Prince, but the defense is going to have to be stingier in the second half, lest it tire out and allow Houston's potent passing attack to catch fire. 12:00 AM ETThat is, until Prince sails the ball over the six-foot-five and gets picked off. 19 seconds until half time. 11:59 PM ETAnother quick first down on a throw to Taylor Detroit Lions
Embree, 44 seconds to go. Kai Forbath is warming up on the sidelines, but there's certainly enough time for a trip to the end zone here. 11:59 PM ETDamien Thigpen on the reverse, picks up 21 yards and gets out of bounds to save the clock. Simple, but effective. 50 second til the half. 11:58 PM ETThird-and-fifteen for the Blue and Gold, and Jet Ski picks up the first down on an 18-yard draw play. Great job by the O-line opening up some great running lanes for Franklin. 11:56 PM ETJones gets the ball again, gets another loss. Jones tried to cut it outside, but he's much more of an inside runner, doesn't exactly have the speed to break it to the outside. 11:55 PM ETFirst down at the 33 for the Bruins, but Jones gets taken down in the backfield for a two-yard loss, setting up second-and-12. 11:54 PM ETTurner misfires on third-and-seven. Bruins will get the ball back with less than three minutes until the half. Let's see if UCLA can do something with it... 11:53 PM ETOn second down, Turner hangs on to the ball long enough for freshman linebacker Jordan Zumwalt to shed his blocker and take him down for a sack. Nice job by the youngster. 11:53 PM ETCotton Turner in for Keenum, hands the ball off to Hayes on his first snap for a six-yard gain. 11:51 PM ETFirst down, the freshman Jones rumbles, stumbles, and then fumbles it away to the Cougars. Bruins D comes back on the field after getting pushed around on Houston's previous drive, but at least they get a little extra breath thanks to a Houston time-out. 11:49 PM ETOy, looks like a knee injury for Keenum, goes down a bit weird. He's up and putting some pressure on it. Here's hoping he can come back and play. 11:48 PM ETFirst-and-goal for Houston, Keenum gets picked off by Akeem Ayers, who takes it back inside the 30! Woooooooooow! Meanwhile, Case Keenum is shaken up on the field, again in pursuit of an interceptor. 11:45 PM ETKeenum runs it deep into Bruin territory to the two. Poor tackling, anybody? Keenum's not exactly a burner on the turf. 11:43 PM ETBruins get pressure on Keenum, who gets the ball away too high to his running back in the flat but sticks around for a personal foul on UCLA. Bullet 1, foot zero. 11:41 PM ETCougs pick up a penalty for first-and-15. Keenum overthrows Edwards on first down, but his man had the step. 11:40 PM ETSecond-and-20 for the Cougs, Keenum makes a nice throw on the run to Carrier to set up a third-and-15. Bruins D has to deliver here to keep mo' on its side. 11:39 PM ETGood pressure by the Bruins, but Keenum gets Green Bay Packers jersey
the ball off...thanks to a holding call on his offense line. 11:38 PM ETIn and out of Tyron Carrier's hands on first down, hung in the air for a bit, but no Blue-and-Gold was there to pick it up. 11:37 PM ETExcellent coverage by Tobi Umodu on the kick-off, bringing down Houston's Carrier at the 20. 11:34 PM ETFranklin is rewarded for his work with an easy touchdown scamper to put UCLA up, 21-3. Is anyone else surprised? Something tells me Houston coach Kevin Sumlin wouldn't say he's surprised, and neither would Neuheisel. 11:33 PM ETFranklin sure is getting some work tonight, picking up the first down and giving the Bruins a first-and-goal at the two. 11:33 PM ETCory Harkey gets his first catch of the game, eight yards. Bruins have second and two inside the 10. 11:32 PM ETFranklin gets another carry and picks up the first down and then some. The O-line is getting some good push against Houston's front seven. 11:31 PM ETGreat catch-and-run by Jet Ski on first down, breaking out of a tackle and getting the Bruins back in the red zone. UCLA is three-for-three in the red zone this year, picking up touchdowns each time. Just short of the first, but second and short ain't bad. Watch for a quick strike. 11:28 PM ETMarvray's hands go cold, but Bruins get a first down on a roughing-the-passer call against Houston. Whatever keeps the chains moving. 11:26 PM ETThird-and-six for the Cougars, Keenum throws, ball skips off his receiver's hands and is picked off by...you guessed it...Rahim Moore. His first pick of the year, and he brings the ball back 42 yards. Way to bail out the D, Rahim. 11:24 PM ETRahim Moore picks up a horse-collar penalty, giving Houston another 15 yards. C'mon, man! 11:24 PM ETBeall goes straight up the gut on first down for eight yards, follows that up with another solid run for a Houston first down. Cougars are in hurry-up mode. UCLA better keep up. 11:23 PM ETHouston takes the ball out of the end zone on the kick, gets the ball out to about the 20, then the Bruins pick up a late hit out of bounds.
Can't overstate just how important this win is for the program, and coach Neuheisel in particular, after such an abysmal performance last week. Big improvement by the Bruins this week, but still much to be done going forward...and fast. Blue-and-Gold should have some positive momentum heading into Austin next Saturday against the fourth-ranked Texas Longhorns. Thanks for tuning in. I'll be back next week with real-time reactions for the big match-up. 01:40 AM ETHow about neither. Prince takes a knee, so looks like the Bruins are content to let the clock wind down. 01:39 AM ETJones picks up another Bruin first down on a 12-yard run. First-career touchdown to come for Jones, or will Franklin get a shot at his fourth on the night? 01:38 AM ETBruins go for it on fourth-and-one, and convert on a quarterback keeper by Prince. Clock keeps winding, all the way under two minutes remaining now. 01:35 AM ETJones gets another shot at redemption, keeps both hands on the ball, and doesn't fumble. Now, step two. 01:33 AM ETBall to Franklin again, who skis his way out to the Houston 35 for a 26-yard gain. Excellent burst, and good lateral evasiveness. 01:32 AM ETNice, patient run by Franklin on first down for a nine-yard gain. He'll see plenty of action against Texas next week. 01:32 AM ETMorrell Presley fair-catches the short Cougar kick to start UCLA's next drive at the 30. More ground game to come. 01:30 AM ETEdwards makes the catch, but out of bounds. Kevin Sumlin sends his kicking unit onto the field. Matt Hogan punches through a 32-yarder to bring the score to 31-13. Bruins D holds up to preserve a three-score margin. 01:29 AM ETBruins burst the bubble screen to force third-and-11 for the Cougars. 01:25 AM ETHouston starts the drive with an incomplete Broadway pass and a one-yard run, followed by a great pass and an even better run after the catch by Cleveland to get the Cougs back in the red zone. Special thanks to the "tackling" of the UCLA defense. A touchdown here and it's still a game. 01:21 AM ETPrince gets the ball to Marvray for a modest gain on third down, but not enough to avoid a punt. Ball goes back to the Cougars, who will start their next drive with pretty good field position. 01:20 AM ETUCLA picks up holding penalty on second down, Franklin makes up a good chunk on the ground. 01:18 AM ETBruins get the ball back with 11 and a half minutes left, and Jet Ski picks up two yards on first down. Expect the Bruins to keep it on the ground, wind down the clock til the game is officially over. 01:15 AM ETCougars convert on the extra point to narrow the margin to 31-10. Meanwhile, Holmes comes up with another unnecessary late hit and heads straight to the locker room, where he's sure to get an earful from the coaching staff after the gameDallas Cowboys jersey
. Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb...did I mention dumb? 01:13 AM ETBeautiful throw to Cleveland by Broadway in the back of the end zone. Freshman Anthony Jefferson gets burned by the team captain. 01:11 AM ETOn first-and-goal, the Bruins drop Broadway for a big loss. Toughening up in the red zone again. 01:10 AM ETAnother first down for Houston, added onto by a roughing-the-passer call against Damien Holmes. Neuheisel doesn't look to happy, as expected. 01:09 AM ETCougs pick up another first down, with Beall getting the ball inside the Bruins 20. 01:08 AM ETFirst throw for Broadway goes way past his man and out of bounds as he escapes toward the sideline. Third-and-nine for the wide-eyed freshman, and he completes a poorly-covered screen that goes for a first down. Nice composure by the youngster. 01:07 AM ETHouston keeps the ball on the ground, now into Bruin territory with a second-and-9. 01:05 AM ETBroadway, the freshman, picks up five yards on a nice run for a Houston first down. Looks like the future starts now for the Kevin Sumlin and the Cougars. 01:02 AM ETTerrance Broadway in at quarterback for Houston, the fourth guy in for the Cougars thus far. Two running plays to start. Houston will have third-and-three to start the final period. 01:00 AM ETSecond-and-seven for the Bruins. Jones fumbles again. Late-hit by Marvray gives the Cougars another 15 yards. 12:58 AM ETBruins force a fumble. Damien Holmes comes up with it, giving the ball back to the Bruins' offense with spectacular field position (the Houston 16). Credit Larimore for causing the fumble. 12:55 AM ETBruins go three-and-out, all on the ground. Pretty good punt by Jeff Locke, made even better by a block-in-the-back penalty by Houston, but worse by an injury to David Allen. 12:53 AM ETFranklin gets the hand-off, ups his rush total on the evening to 102 yards. Great game for Jet Ski so far. 12:52 AM ETTurner pitches the ball to Hayes for a three-yard gain. Ball back to the Bruins on fourth. Turner's currently getting worked on by the trainers on the sidelines. Another huge blow for the Cougs? 12:51 AM ETHouston starts off the drive in hurry-up mode, with a quick pass for a first down followed by a run for zilch and a pass for six, both wrapped-up well by theDenver Broncos jersey
UCLA D. 12:49 AM ETOn first down, Jet Ski gets the hand-off and cashes it in for his third touchdown of the night. Great blocking up front by the line for the Bruins. UCLA now up HUGE, 31-3. Can't let up now, though. Gotta keep up the effort until the clock is down to double zeroes. 12:47 AM ETDefense steps up again, first with a sack/forced intentional grounding by Ayers, and then an excellent tackle by former walk-on Andrew Abbott. Cougars punt out of their own end zone, and Embree runs the ball inside the 15 on a 31-yard return. Your welcome, Kevin Prince. 12:45 AM ETSheldon Price battles Edwards for the ball downfield. No one comes up with it, but excellent coverage and use of length by Price on the edge. 12:42 AM ETPrince rips off a nice five-yarder, but then throws to high for Barr to pull down. Ball goes back to Houston on the punt. 12:40 AM ETUCLA Band busts out "Sweet Caroline", but Prince isn't so sweet, missing Anthony Barr by a mile. 12:37 AM ETTurner can't get it to Cleveland on a short, third-down route, so Houston will punt the ball off to Embree. The ball bounces into the end zone. Bruins will start at the 20, looking to widen the score board gap. 12:36 AM ETAnother great play by a UCLA youngster. MLB Pat Larimore with a backfield stop on Beall. 12:35 AM ETBeall picks up six yards on second down, and Turner converts to Edwards on third down to move the chains. Hurry-up is in effect. Can the Bruins keep up? 12:34 AM ETHouston begins the half with a false start, then Turner nearly gets picked off on first-and-15. 12:32 AM ETCarrier gets cracked on the kick-off. Houston takes over on the field, minus Case Keenum. 12:30 AM ETPrince hangs onto the ball for waaaaaaaay too long and gets taken down for a sack. Forbath punches through a 42-yard field goal to put the Bruins up, 24-3. 12:28 AM ETThe return of Stone-Hands, this time by Taylor Embree in the end zone. 12:27 AM ETBruins keep it on the ground, with a couple of solid runs by Franklin and a nice scamper by Prince. 12:25 AM ETFranklin skis up the middle for nine yards on first down. He's got some great burst to go along with the patience of a veteran. 12:24 AM ETPrince starts off the second half with a quick hand-off to Franklin and a nice toss to Rosario for the first down. Bruins already into Cougar territory. 12:23 AM ETBack in action for the second half. Cougs kick the ball out of bounds, so the Bruins, once again, get fantastic field position to start. Let's see if UCLA can keep the good times rollin'. 12:04 AM ETTurner takes a knee to end the half. UCLA goes into the half with a surprising 21-3 lead. On the one hand, UCLA should be up more, if not for a couple of turnovers deep in Houston territory. On the other hand, the Bruins' D hasn't exactly shut down the Cougars' attack, surrendering 213 yards in the first half but getting rescued by Moore and Ayers on picks. The offense has looked pretty good, thanks in large part to Kevin Prince, but the defense is going to have to be stingier in the second half, lest it tire out and allow Houston's potent passing attack to catch fire. 12:00 AM ETThat is, until Prince sails the ball over the six-foot-five and gets picked off. 19 seconds until half time. 11:59 PM ETAnother quick first down on a throw to Taylor Detroit Lions
Embree, 44 seconds to go. Kai Forbath is warming up on the sidelines, but there's certainly enough time for a trip to the end zone here. 11:59 PM ETDamien Thigpen on the reverse, picks up 21 yards and gets out of bounds to save the clock. Simple, but effective. 50 second til the half. 11:58 PM ETThird-and-fifteen for the Blue and Gold, and Jet Ski picks up the first down on an 18-yard draw play. Great job by the O-line opening up some great running lanes for Franklin. 11:56 PM ETJones gets the ball again, gets another loss. Jones tried to cut it outside, but he's much more of an inside runner, doesn't exactly have the speed to break it to the outside. 11:55 PM ETFirst down at the 33 for the Bruins, but Jones gets taken down in the backfield for a two-yard loss, setting up second-and-12. 11:54 PM ETTurner misfires on third-and-seven. Bruins will get the ball back with less than three minutes until the half. Let's see if UCLA can do something with it... 11:53 PM ETOn second down, Turner hangs on to the ball long enough for freshman linebacker Jordan Zumwalt to shed his blocker and take him down for a sack. Nice job by the youngster. 11:53 PM ETCotton Turner in for Keenum, hands the ball off to Hayes on his first snap for a six-yard gain. 11:51 PM ETFirst down, the freshman Jones rumbles, stumbles, and then fumbles it away to the Cougars. Bruins D comes back on the field after getting pushed around on Houston's previous drive, but at least they get a little extra breath thanks to a Houston time-out. 11:49 PM ETOy, looks like a knee injury for Keenum, goes down a bit weird. He's up and putting some pressure on it. Here's hoping he can come back and play. 11:48 PM ETFirst-and-goal for Houston, Keenum gets picked off by Akeem Ayers, who takes it back inside the 30! Woooooooooow! Meanwhile, Case Keenum is shaken up on the field, again in pursuit of an interceptor. 11:45 PM ETKeenum runs it deep into Bruin territory to the two. Poor tackling, anybody? Keenum's not exactly a burner on the turf. 11:43 PM ETBruins get pressure on Keenum, who gets the ball away too high to his running back in the flat but sticks around for a personal foul on UCLA. Bullet 1, foot zero. 11:41 PM ETCougs pick up a penalty for first-and-15. Keenum overthrows Edwards on first down, but his man had the step. 11:40 PM ETSecond-and-20 for the Cougs, Keenum makes a nice throw on the run to Carrier to set up a third-and-15. Bruins D has to deliver here to keep mo' on its side. 11:39 PM ETGood pressure by the Bruins, but Keenum gets Green Bay Packers jersey
the ball off...thanks to a holding call on his offense line. 11:38 PM ETIn and out of Tyron Carrier's hands on first down, hung in the air for a bit, but no Blue-and-Gold was there to pick it up. 11:37 PM ETExcellent coverage by Tobi Umodu on the kick-off, bringing down Houston's Carrier at the 20. 11:34 PM ETFranklin is rewarded for his work with an easy touchdown scamper to put UCLA up, 21-3. Is anyone else surprised? Something tells me Houston coach Kevin Sumlin wouldn't say he's surprised, and neither would Neuheisel. 11:33 PM ETFranklin sure is getting some work tonight, picking up the first down and giving the Bruins a first-and-goal at the two. 11:33 PM ETCory Harkey gets his first catch of the game, eight yards. Bruins have second and two inside the 10. 11:32 PM ETFranklin gets another carry and picks up the first down and then some. The O-line is getting some good push against Houston's front seven. 11:31 PM ETGreat catch-and-run by Jet Ski on first down, breaking out of a tackle and getting the Bruins back in the red zone. UCLA is three-for-three in the red zone this year, picking up touchdowns each time. Just short of the first, but second and short ain't bad. Watch for a quick strike. 11:28 PM ETMarvray's hands go cold, but Bruins get a first down on a roughing-the-passer call against Houston. Whatever keeps the chains moving. 11:26 PM ETThird-and-six for the Cougars, Keenum throws, ball skips off his receiver's hands and is picked off by...you guessed it...Rahim Moore. His first pick of the year, and he brings the ball back 42 yards. Way to bail out the D, Rahim. 11:24 PM ETRahim Moore picks up a horse-collar penalty, giving Houston another 15 yards. C'mon, man! 11:24 PM ETBeall goes straight up the gut on first down for eight yards, follows that up with another solid run for a Houston first down. Cougars are in hurry-up mode. UCLA better keep up. 11:23 PM ETHouston takes the ball out of the end zone on the kick, gets the ball out to about the 20, then the Bruins pick up a late hit out of bounds.
2011年1月18日星期二
18 Jan 11 Big East Football: Thursday Morning One-Liners
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesWith rain and lightning, Cincinnati headed indoors for yesterdaypractice in preparation for No. 8 Oklahoma.Randy Edsall is still waiting for a leader to prevent himself for Connecticut.One Louisville tight end has earned himself the name Mr. Reliable.Pittsburgh was able to prepare for No. 19 Miami perfectly because the two schools run the same offense and defense.Rutgers knows they will be facing North Carolinasecondary, um, secondary, but the Scarlet Knights are aware of how good it is. (My note: Check out Greg Schianobeard.)With a New York Giants jersey
game against Western Kentucky this weekend, South Florida and head coach Skip Holtz are ready for the Hilltoppers powerful offense.How did Hofstra hurt Syracuse this year when the two teams did not even play? (I am aware the Pride do not have a football team.)In West Virginiamatchup with LSU, which No. 7 will have the better game, Noel Devine or Patrick Peterson?
game against Western Kentucky this weekend, South Florida and head coach Skip Holtz are ready for the Hilltoppers powerful offense.How did Hofstra hurt Syracuse this year when the two teams did not even play? (I am aware the Pride do not have a football team.)In West Virginiamatchup with LSU, which No. 7 will have the better game, Noel Devine or Patrick Peterson?
2011年1月15日星期六
15 Jan 11 2006 NFL Draft: Detroit Lions Draft Picks
Here , we don't believe in grading the NFL draft just a few days after it has occurred. That makes no real sense to us, because the players haven't even laced up their cleats yet.In fact, it could take years to properly gauge the impact of a draft pick on his particular franchise, so putting little letter grades (complete with the all-too-popular +'s and -'s) next to each draft pick just seems ridiculous to us. However, what you will find here is a quick-reference listing of each draft pick, their position, their school, and when they were selected.In addition, if you browse around a bit, you will also find that our site is filled with original opinion and analysis (including draft breakdowns) for all 32 NFL teams. If you still want letter grades and a bunch of + and - signs, go back to school.Sincerely,The staff (1) The King has been slain, leaving the Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
Detroit Lions' brand-new, post-Harrington quarterback situation a bit easier to handle. The Lions yesterday announced the release of Shaun King, placing the quarterbacking duties squarely on Jon Kitna and Josh McCown while ending all speculation of playing time for the erratic former Buccaneer/Cardinal.Even Detroit's King loyalists (c'mon, I can hear you breathing out there) have got to like the way the staff has been willing to break with the Lions' ignominious past. Last year, the Detroit roster featured that first-round pick gone horribly wrong, a.k.a. Joey "The Albatross" Harrington, and departing coach Steve Mariucci's metaphorical dying gasp, a.k.a. Jeff Garcia. Both are gone now. The Lions then picked up King in March, right around the same time team brass rounded up Kitna and McCown. Poor King was a Lion for just under two months, a bit of a surprise, considering coach Rod "Almighty" Marinelli's loyalty to former Bucs (e.g. Damian Gregory, Cleveland Pinkney).King was a second round pick in 1999 and has mostly served scrub duty for the Tampa Bay Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
Buccaneers. In his rookie year, the Buccaneers crushed all comers with their stifling D and labeled Tony Dungy a genius. When Trent Dilfer went down late in the year, King led the low-watt offense all the way to the NFC championship, essentially missing the Super Bowl by one Warner-Proehl connection. Despite leading the team to a 10-6 record in 2000, King was subsequently buried on the bench for years. Last year, King did the same in Arizona.Number three on the depth charts is currently - surprise! - Dan Orlovsky, the guy who occupied the same position at season's end. Last year's fifth-round draft pick, Orlovsky made two appearances in 2006, a season in which he appeared twice for a total of seventeen attempts.Joining the squad (at least for the time being) will be free-agent guard Ross Verba. Verba is a nine-year man in a career spent with Green Bay and Cleveland. After a season in which he was the starter, Verba didn't play in 2005 after publicly criticizing Browns management.More roaringly good stuff on the Detroit Lions at Realfootball365! (0)
Detroit Lions' brand-new, post-Harrington quarterback situation a bit easier to handle. The Lions yesterday announced the release of Shaun King, placing the quarterbacking duties squarely on Jon Kitna and Josh McCown while ending all speculation of playing time for the erratic former Buccaneer/Cardinal.Even Detroit's King loyalists (c'mon, I can hear you breathing out there) have got to like the way the staff has been willing to break with the Lions' ignominious past. Last year, the Detroit roster featured that first-round pick gone horribly wrong, a.k.a. Joey "The Albatross" Harrington, and departing coach Steve Mariucci's metaphorical dying gasp, a.k.a. Jeff Garcia. Both are gone now. The Lions then picked up King in March, right around the same time team brass rounded up Kitna and McCown. Poor King was a Lion for just under two months, a bit of a surprise, considering coach Rod "Almighty" Marinelli's loyalty to former Bucs (e.g. Damian Gregory, Cleveland Pinkney).King was a second round pick in 1999 and has mostly served scrub duty for the Tampa Bay Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
Buccaneers. In his rookie year, the Buccaneers crushed all comers with their stifling D and labeled Tony Dungy a genius. When Trent Dilfer went down late in the year, King led the low-watt offense all the way to the NFC championship, essentially missing the Super Bowl by one Warner-Proehl connection. Despite leading the team to a 10-6 record in 2000, King was subsequently buried on the bench for years. Last year, King did the same in Arizona.Number three on the depth charts is currently - surprise! - Dan Orlovsky, the guy who occupied the same position at season's end. Last year's fifth-round draft pick, Orlovsky made two appearances in 2006, a season in which he appeared twice for a total of seventeen attempts.Joining the squad (at least for the time being) will be free-agent guard Ross Verba. Verba is a nine-year man in a career spent with Green Bay and Cleveland. After a season in which he was the starter, Verba didn't play in 2005 after publicly criticizing Browns management.More roaringly good stuff on the Detroit Lions at Realfootball365! (0)
2011年1月13日星期四
14 Jan 11 Detroit Lions "Hallelujah! Or, Fans react to Millen firing"
“This story’s going to have a lot of legs as it moves on.” – Chris Mortensen on ESPN.Not since the days of Salome has a head been wanted on a platter this much. And so today, on Day 1 of a potentially bright future, we can proclaim R.I.P. to Detroit’s Matt Millen era! (By the way, the “P” there stands for “Punchlines.”) And a moment of silence for the imminent demise (at least in name and/or theme) of the wonderful FireMillen.com.Commentary: In a story broken by FoxSports.com and reportedly spilled by Millen’s wife, the decade’s Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
worst sports GM outside of maybe (maybe!) Isiah Thomas was finally given his walking papers from the Detroit Lions. Except for the 53-man roster, most of the far-subpar coaching staff, and a sharply honed culture of losing set more firmly into place, Millen’s touch is at last off the Lions, leaving a million talk-show hosts, NFL fans and blogging fanatics with a little bit less to joke about in 2008.Fan Pulse: To send the Millen era off in style, RealFootball365.com turns this one over to a few representative fan postings from ESPN.com (which recorded 900 humorous comments within two hours of the story’s post), one of surely thousands of Web sites bogged down with hilariously pithy and/or sarcastic remarks from Detroit and elsewhere: Never have so many united to produce so many LOLs for one cause. This one, as they say in the glow of a tremendous victory such as this, is for the fans!sports_r_fun_24_7: So it finally happened. For the first time in a long time, the Lions have something to look forward too. Congratulations, Lions fans.kellerj1986: Just like when Isiah left the Knicks front office, this is a sad day for sports fans who love ineptitude in teams they don't care about. BGlu24: This might be the lack of winning talking...but this might be better than a win. I wish this would have happened later in the week so drinking would be allowable.ISTAUTZ: This is like the ’68 and ‘84 Tigers and the Wings of ‘97, ‘98, ‘02, and ‘08 all wrapped into one!!!!! I don’t care about Xmas this year: Mine came early!!!!! BranQuan21: This is my best Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
birthday yet, all because Millen is finally GONE! Thank you so much!!!DaggerHawk: This is better than my wedding day. JoshHaggerty85: There is a GOD! Sallyshark72: Thank you, Lord! Raidafann: I never thought I'd say this, but the Raiders need to follow in the Lions footsteps and fire Davis. ChowdaHead08 (clearly a poorly disguised New England Patriots fan who, despite displaying an excellent sense of northeasterly sarcasm, really should be picking on someone his/her own size): Good move! The Lions can finally return to their pre-Millen success! Johnny_Cage12: I'm a Vikings fan, but that is not the main reason I am bummed by this news. I just had a T-shirt made for a lady friend that reads "Fire Millen!" on the front and "Go Lions" on the back for the October 12th Vikings-Lions game. Now the real dilemma: Should I give her the shirt anyway so she can continue to wear it proudly or should I just get rid of the T-shirt and act like it was never made? (She doesn't know about it yet.) Please help!!! jeff_johnson25: I understand they are looking at Jerry Rice as a possible replacement. He'll be looking to get quality receivers in right away.afaitel1: I like Bill Cowher. I'm a Lions fan, but I would feel bad for him to come here. He deserves better. earn88hardt: Finally. One down, one to go. Marinelli, you’re next. Give Cowher a blank check. afaitel1 (again): Can he take Marinelli with him? If I hear him at a press conference saying, "Well ... we're gonna go back to work. There's a lot of leadership in the locker room. We know what he need to focus on now in Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
practice," then I will shoot myself in the face. bknowledge: He's only resigning because there isn't a top five WR worth drafting in the 2009 NFL draft and he has no idea what to do. WeirdBaldGuy: Don't go crazy, Lions fans (assuming there are any aside from myself). The doddering, old fool Ford Sr. is the guy that will choose Millen's replacement.Who do you think we'll get? Lou Holtz? John L. Smith? George W. Bush? BigDog48506: We still suck!
worst sports GM outside of maybe (maybe!) Isiah Thomas was finally given his walking papers from the Detroit Lions. Except for the 53-man roster, most of the far-subpar coaching staff, and a sharply honed culture of losing set more firmly into place, Millen’s touch is at last off the Lions, leaving a million talk-show hosts, NFL fans and blogging fanatics with a little bit less to joke about in 2008.Fan Pulse: To send the Millen era off in style, RealFootball365.com turns this one over to a few representative fan postings from ESPN.com (which recorded 900 humorous comments within two hours of the story’s post), one of surely thousands of Web sites bogged down with hilariously pithy and/or sarcastic remarks from Detroit and elsewhere: Never have so many united to produce so many LOLs for one cause. This one, as they say in the glow of a tremendous victory such as this, is for the fans!sports_r_fun_24_7: So it finally happened. For the first time in a long time, the Lions have something to look forward too. Congratulations, Lions fans.kellerj1986: Just like when Isiah left the Knicks front office, this is a sad day for sports fans who love ineptitude in teams they don't care about. BGlu24: This might be the lack of winning talking...but this might be better than a win. I wish this would have happened later in the week so drinking would be allowable.ISTAUTZ: This is like the ’68 and ‘84 Tigers and the Wings of ‘97, ‘98, ‘02, and ‘08 all wrapped into one!!!!! I don’t care about Xmas this year: Mine came early!!!!! BranQuan21: This is my best Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
birthday yet, all because Millen is finally GONE! Thank you so much!!!DaggerHawk: This is better than my wedding day. JoshHaggerty85: There is a GOD! Sallyshark72: Thank you, Lord! Raidafann: I never thought I'd say this, but the Raiders need to follow in the Lions footsteps and fire Davis. ChowdaHead08 (clearly a poorly disguised New England Patriots fan who, despite displaying an excellent sense of northeasterly sarcasm, really should be picking on someone his/her own size): Good move! The Lions can finally return to their pre-Millen success! Johnny_Cage12: I'm a Vikings fan, but that is not the main reason I am bummed by this news. I just had a T-shirt made for a lady friend that reads "Fire Millen!" on the front and "Go Lions" on the back for the October 12th Vikings-Lions game. Now the real dilemma: Should I give her the shirt anyway so she can continue to wear it proudly or should I just get rid of the T-shirt and act like it was never made? (She doesn't know about it yet.) Please help!!! jeff_johnson25: I understand they are looking at Jerry Rice as a possible replacement. He'll be looking to get quality receivers in right away.afaitel1: I like Bill Cowher. I'm a Lions fan, but I would feel bad for him to come here. He deserves better. earn88hardt: Finally. One down, one to go. Marinelli, you’re next. Give Cowher a blank check. afaitel1 (again): Can he take Marinelli with him? If I hear him at a press conference saying, "Well ... we're gonna go back to work. There's a lot of leadership in the locker room. We know what he need to focus on now in Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
practice," then I will shoot myself in the face. bknowledge: He's only resigning because there isn't a top five WR worth drafting in the 2009 NFL draft and he has no idea what to do. WeirdBaldGuy: Don't go crazy, Lions fans (assuming there are any aside from myself). The doddering, old fool Ford Sr. is the guy that will choose Millen's replacement.Who do you think we'll get? Lou Holtz? John L. Smith? George W. Bush? BigDog48506: We still suck!
2011年1月12日星期三
13 Jan 11 Samuel Dalembert: Great Performence Bitter-Sweet For Haiti Native
Nick Laham/Getty ImagesAs you probably know, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 earthquake this week. Around 50,000 people are estimated to be dead. The earthquake is the worst in Haiti'shistory. Towns and even the presidential palace are destroyed. It is a tragedy.What you may not know is thatPhiladelphia 76ers' centerSamuel Dalembert was born in Haiti. After he heard the news of the quake, he attempted to call family in Haiti. He couldn't get through. Dalembert was distraught."You're going out of your mind," he said. "You feel like you're in a cage. You cannot move. You cannot do anything."Fortunately, Sammy later received an e-mail from his father saying that he and two of Dalembert's siblings were safe. Sam's mother and onesister were safe in their home in Canada. However, Samuel does not know Miami Dolphins jersey
other things. I can only imagine what must be running through his mind right now. What happened to other family members? What about friends? Is his old home still intact? No one ever wants think about those types of things.Samuel must have been fueled by the emotions he felt. Last night in a game against the Knicks, Dalembert put up one of the best performances in his career. Hewent 6-for-8 with12 points and 21 rebounds. He was just three rebounds shy ofa newcareer-high.I'm not a personal fan of Samuel and his playing style, but to go through something like this and have such a great performance is mind-blowing. It is reminiscent of Brett Favre on the night his father passed away. I have to tip my hat to Dalembert. My thoughts and prayers are with Samuel and any of his family and friends in Haiti.
other things. I can only imagine what must be running through his mind right now. What happened to other family members? What about friends? Is his old home still intact? No one ever wants think about those types of things.Samuel must have been fueled by the emotions he felt. Last night in a game against the Knicks, Dalembert put up one of the best performances in his career. Hewent 6-for-8 with12 points and 21 rebounds. He was just three rebounds shy ofa newcareer-high.I'm not a personal fan of Samuel and his playing style, but to go through something like this and have such a great performance is mind-blowing. It is reminiscent of Brett Favre on the night his father passed away. I have to tip my hat to Dalembert. My thoughts and prayers are with Samuel and any of his family and friends in Haiti.
12 Jan 11 Unspoken Truth: The NBA Trade Deadline Is Highly Overrated
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe past few weeks have been rife with speculation on possible trade destinations for numerous players, and the impact their presence will have on their respective teams.In truth, few of these proposed deals will involve any of the franchises that have a legitimate shot at competing for a NBA Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
championship and the others will have more to do with finances than success on the court.There are only a handful of teams which are truly contenders and the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, and Atlanta Hawks are among their ranks.A few other teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets have an outside shot at a title, but are there really any players available which will thrust these teams into the upper tier of title contenders? Probably not.Various deals are made around the deadline, but there are only a few instances which I can think of that enhanced a team's status, and were responsible for deep postseason runs.In 2008 the Lakers made a trade with Memphis for Pau Gasol, which was arguably the biggest deal to materialize in years, and one the Lakers only made due to an injury suffered by Andrew Bynum.Gasol transitioned seamlessly into the Laker scheme and was a major factor in Los Angeles reaching the NBA Finals in 2008, but it's important to note this deal was done out of pure necessity.Had Bynum not been injured the Lakers would probably not have made the deal, which means the biggest trade in recent history was more happen stance rather than strategic maneuvering.Last season the Orlando Magic made a deal for point guard Rafer Alston under similar circumstances due to an injury to starting guard Jameer Nelson, a move which stabilized the Magic and helped them reach the 2009 Finals.But once again this was a move the Orlando Magichad to make in order to remain a viable contender, Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
not one which upgraded their roster in any particular way.Cleveland is the only team among the contenders facing injury concerns at the moment and the Cavaliers may be reluctant to make a deal because the team has thrived in the absence of guards Mo Williams and Delonte West.Why would the Cavaliers tamper with their chemistry anyway, considering their current status as the NBA's number one team, coupled with the fact that help in the back court is the least of their concerns.Cleveland was done in last year by a lack of versatility at the forward position, so the rumored deal involving Amare Stoudemire makes more sense, but is still not likely to happen.I'm willing to bet that each of the contending teams will stand pat with their current rosters and the real deals around the deadline will be confined to a number of low level deals whose impact will be restricted to financial concerns.Money will likely be the main motivation for many teams as franchises scramble to dump expiring contracts and position themselves for the assumed free-agency bonanza of Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
2010.So, don't anticipate any block buster deals that will alter the landscape of the NBA and thrust anyone on the edge of contention into the title conversation, because it probably won't happen.The trade deadline is reserved for fans of fringe teams who have dreams of NBA championships but often wake up to the harsh reality of their team ending up in pretty much the same condition after the deadline has passed.
championship and the others will have more to do with finances than success on the court.There are only a handful of teams which are truly contenders and the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, and Atlanta Hawks are among their ranks.A few other teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets have an outside shot at a title, but are there really any players available which will thrust these teams into the upper tier of title contenders? Probably not.Various deals are made around the deadline, but there are only a few instances which I can think of that enhanced a team's status, and were responsible for deep postseason runs.In 2008 the Lakers made a trade with Memphis for Pau Gasol, which was arguably the biggest deal to materialize in years, and one the Lakers only made due to an injury suffered by Andrew Bynum.Gasol transitioned seamlessly into the Laker scheme and was a major factor in Los Angeles reaching the NBA Finals in 2008, but it's important to note this deal was done out of pure necessity.Had Bynum not been injured the Lakers would probably not have made the deal, which means the biggest trade in recent history was more happen stance rather than strategic maneuvering.Last season the Orlando Magic made a deal for point guard Rafer Alston under similar circumstances due to an injury to starting guard Jameer Nelson, a move which stabilized the Magic and helped them reach the 2009 Finals.But once again this was a move the Orlando Magichad to make in order to remain a viable contender, Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
not one which upgraded their roster in any particular way.Cleveland is the only team among the contenders facing injury concerns at the moment and the Cavaliers may be reluctant to make a deal because the team has thrived in the absence of guards Mo Williams and Delonte West.Why would the Cavaliers tamper with their chemistry anyway, considering their current status as the NBA's number one team, coupled with the fact that help in the back court is the least of their concerns.Cleveland was done in last year by a lack of versatility at the forward position, so the rumored deal involving Amare Stoudemire makes more sense, but is still not likely to happen.I'm willing to bet that each of the contending teams will stand pat with their current rosters and the real deals around the deadline will be confined to a number of low level deals whose impact will be restricted to financial concerns.Money will likely be the main motivation for many teams as franchises scramble to dump expiring contracts and position themselves for the assumed free-agency bonanza of Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
2010.So, don't anticipate any block buster deals that will alter the landscape of the NBA and thrust anyone on the edge of contention into the title conversation, because it probably won't happen.The trade deadline is reserved for fans of fringe teams who have dreams of NBA championships but often wake up to the harsh reality of their team ending up in pretty much the same condition after the deadline has passed.
2011年1月10日星期一
10 Jan 11 Orlando Magic Look to Dominate Following All-Star Break
Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesFollowing another great All-Star Weekend, the Orlando Magic will have three home games this week to try and get off to a fast start to the post-break season.The first game on tap for the Magic is a "rivalry" game with the Detroit Pistons that's finally started to favor Seattle Seahawks jersey
Orlando recently. Although the Magic have dominated recently, Detroit handed the Magic their first loss of the season in an upset back in November.After what should be a win Wednesday night, the Magic will face a tougher task in the new-look Mavericks on Friday night. The game will be televised on ESPN live from Amway Arena.Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, the two new Mavericks' additions, will surely up the talent level in Dallas. Haywood finally gives Mark Cuban the inside presence he's been looking for. You may remember the Mavericks took a big swing for Magic center Marcin Gortat this past summer.Caron Butler has stepped into the starting lineup right away, as Jason Terry voluntarily put himself back into the sixth man position in which he's excelled in the past. Watch for Butler to be a key, as he helped the Wizards to a win over Orlando a few weeks back with a dynamic 31-point performance.The Magic could struggle a bit against the Mavericks as they have some good defensive players. Look for the key player to be Vince Carter on both sides of the ball, defending and going against Caron Butler.This could be a contest that's decided by the Orlando bench, so pay attention to J.J. Redick, Ryan Anderson, Mickael Pietrus, and Jason Williams when they come into the game.I'm looking for a strong second half of the season from Pietrus, as he's struggled recently. If Pietrus returns to form it would establish the Orlando bench as the best in the NBA heading into the playoffs.I would consider the Magic to be the deepest team in the league right now, but they have struggled with inconsistency from their starting five, mostly due to injuries and taking time to develop chemistry on offense.Look for more consistency in the starting five, namely with Vince Carter and Jameer St. Louis Rams jersey
Nelson to be key factors in the success of the Magic in the latter part of the season. The team's defense has been stellar of latesurprisingly, most of the woes have come on the offensive end.Stay tuned for my coverage of all things Magic and look for recaps, as well as a preview, of the ever-important matchup with the Cavaliers this weekend.
Orlando recently. Although the Magic have dominated recently, Detroit handed the Magic their first loss of the season in an upset back in November.After what should be a win Wednesday night, the Magic will face a tougher task in the new-look Mavericks on Friday night. The game will be televised on ESPN live from Amway Arena.Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, the two new Mavericks' additions, will surely up the talent level in Dallas. Haywood finally gives Mark Cuban the inside presence he's been looking for. You may remember the Mavericks took a big swing for Magic center Marcin Gortat this past summer.Caron Butler has stepped into the starting lineup right away, as Jason Terry voluntarily put himself back into the sixth man position in which he's excelled in the past. Watch for Butler to be a key, as he helped the Wizards to a win over Orlando a few weeks back with a dynamic 31-point performance.The Magic could struggle a bit against the Mavericks as they have some good defensive players. Look for the key player to be Vince Carter on both sides of the ball, defending and going against Caron Butler.This could be a contest that's decided by the Orlando bench, so pay attention to J.J. Redick, Ryan Anderson, Mickael Pietrus, and Jason Williams when they come into the game.I'm looking for a strong second half of the season from Pietrus, as he's struggled recently. If Pietrus returns to form it would establish the Orlando bench as the best in the NBA heading into the playoffs.I would consider the Magic to be the deepest team in the league right now, but they have struggled with inconsistency from their starting five, mostly due to injuries and taking time to develop chemistry on offense.Look for more consistency in the starting five, namely with Vince Carter and Jameer St. Louis Rams jersey
Nelson to be key factors in the success of the Magic in the latter part of the season. The team's defense has been stellar of latesurprisingly, most of the woes have come on the offensive end.Stay tuned for my coverage of all things Magic and look for recaps, as well as a preview, of the ever-important matchup with the Cavaliers this weekend.
10 Jan 11 NBA Trade Deadline: Antawn Jamison's Impact on the Cleveland Cavaliers
Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesThe Cleveland Cavaliers finally made their move Wednesday evening, but it wasn't the one most people expected.Instead of waiting for the Phoenix Suns to make their minds up on whether or not to deal Amar'e Stoudemire, the Cavs turned to the Washington Wizards and acquired 33-year old power forward Antawn Jamison.In a three-team deal also involving the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cavs got the stretch PF they've coveted for years. The Wizards acquired Zydrunas Ilgauskas and his $11 million expiring contract and a Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
first-round draft pick from Cleveland, and swapped Drew Gordon for Al Thornton with Los Angeles.The Cavs also acquired point guard Sebastian Telfair from L.A., who is the final year of a two-year, $3.5 million contract, with a $2.7 million player option for 2010-11.Earlier today, it was reported that the Suns were close in giving the Cavs an answer on a deal that would have sent Amar'e Stoudemire to Cleveland in exchange for Ilgauskas and second-year power forward J.J. Hickson.However, the Suns wanted to wait as long as possible to see if other offers (specifically, one from the Miami Heat) would blossom and improve.According to Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cavs put the pressure on Phoenix to give an answer by Wednesday afternoon. When none came, the Cavs moved on to Jamison, who has been on their wish list since the beginning of the season.On The Mike Brown Show (WTAM 1100, Cleveland), Windhorst also pointed out that the Cavs waited until the final minutes leading up the deadline last year for the Suns to decide whether or not the wanted to part with Shaquille O'Neal.When they didn't, the Cavs were left with no deal, which ultimately hurt them in the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando.Enter Antawn Jamison.The Wizards were originally steadfast in their demands, hoping to not only bring in Ilgauskas' expiring contract, but J.J. Hickson as well. Rumors swirling around the Internet yesterday had the Cavs sending Ilgauskas, Hickson, and swingman Jamario Moon to Washington in exchange for Jamison and Mike James.But the Wizards trade of Caron Butler earlier in the week to Dallas, coupled with the Cavs interest in Stoudemire, forced the Wizards to somewhat lower their demands. Adding a third team in the deal allowed the Cavs to nab Jamison by only giving up Ilgauskas and a draft pick.Ilgauskas' role on the Wizards is yet to be determined. One would assume that the Wizards want to see the current bigs on their roster get significant minutes down the stretch, meaning Washington could very well buyout Z's contract.If that were the case, Ilgauskas could return to the Cavs in 30 days. Cleveland still has their bi-annual exception left, meaning they could offer Z about $2 million for the remainder of the seasonmore than most other teams around the league.Moving back to Jamison...how does he fit in Cleveland's system?Will he be the missing piece of the puzzle for the Cavs?Let's breakdown Jamison's pros and cons and examine his potential role in finally bringing a championship to Cleveland.ProsAn Athletic, Stretch Power ForwardIf other Cavs fans are like me, then they occasionally are jolted awake in the middle of the night having vivid nightmares of Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu burying threes when the Cavs attempted to double-team Dwight Howard.Now, the shoes on the other foot.If you watched the Cleveland/Orlando game last Thursday, you saw Orlando double-team Shaq in the post and leave J.J. Hickson unattended. Hickson got most of his points rolling to the Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
bucket and attacking the rim, but when he was left open for that 15-foot jumper, he couldn't knock it down.That won't be the case with Jamison. An unorthodox power forward, Jamison has the ability to stretch the floor with his jump shot, and even has three-point range. Jamison takes about four three's a game and averages 34.5 percent from beyond the arc.Breaking it down even further, from 10-15 feet, Jamison shoots 35.1 percent, and from 16-23 feet, he's at 38.0 percent (stats courtesy of HoopData ). Compare that to J.J. Hickson and Anderson Varejao, who have only knocked down a handful of jump shots outside of 15 feet all season.I don't rely like to rely on stats (especially field goal percentage, considering Jamison has had to be relied on so much to produce offense for Washington), but you can figure out what to take from this: Jamison can make outside jumpers, while the Cavs' current power forwards cannot.So when Orlando, or Boston, or Los Angeles, or whoever comes with a double-team on O'Neal inside, or throws multiple bodies at LeBron James, the Cavs can put any combination of Jamison, Jamario Moon, Mo Williams, Delonte West, Anthony Parker, or Daniel Gibson out on the perimeter.That's a plethora of shooters to choose from.Bench RoleI might be in the minority here, but I still think J.J. Hickson should remain in the starting lineup and Jamison should come off the bench.Here's my reasoning: Hickson's productivity has skyrocketed since his insertion into the starting five. And with his name being floated around in about every trade rumor over the last week, he needs a vote of confidence from the team and coaching staff.Jamison, on the other hand, should be able to handle coming off the bench. He'll still get about 25-30 minutes a night, and he'll be doing so against other bench players for a majority of those minutes while still working his way into the Cavs offense.Imagine the Cavs current starting lineup, then having a bench consisting of Delonte West, Jamario Moon, Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejao, and Daniel Gibson.That's not even mentioning Leon Powe (could return tomorrow), Jawad Williams (another athletic power forward), and Zydrunas Ilgauskas (assuming he's bought out by the Wizards and returns).The Cavs would legitimately have 13 players that can make an impact on a game. And if you're coming with the counter-argument that you only need eight guys or so in a rotation in the playoffs, the Cavs can pick any one of those bench players to plug in and get significant minutes, depending on tReebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
he matchup.Lineup VersatilityThe Cavs were already one of the more versatile teams in the league.Guards Mo Williams, Delonte West, and Daniel Gibson can all handle the ball at the point position, or they can be used as outside shooters when LeBron is attacking off the dribble or Shaq is working in the post.Guard/forwards Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon are athletic enough to keep up with smaller, quicker guards, while long enough to bother smaller power forwards on the perimeter.And then there's LeBron James, who can play any position on the floor (yes, he could play center in the right lineup if necessary). Not since Magic Johnson has the NBA seen a player that can fill any spot on the floor.Adding Jamison only adds to the Cavaliers' depth and versatility. Like I previously stated, they now have 13 guys that can step on the floor and make an impact.They can play any style they want, or any style an opponent wants. They can have a small lineup, a big lineup, an athletic lineup, a scoring lineup, a defensive lineup, a rebounding lineup, a passing lineup...there's no end to their dynamic.This might not seem like a big deal, but remember that the only reason the Cavs didn't make the finals last year was their inability to match up against Orlando.This year?
first-round draft pick from Cleveland, and swapped Drew Gordon for Al Thornton with Los Angeles.The Cavs also acquired point guard Sebastian Telfair from L.A., who is the final year of a two-year, $3.5 million contract, with a $2.7 million player option for 2010-11.Earlier today, it was reported that the Suns were close in giving the Cavs an answer on a deal that would have sent Amar'e Stoudemire to Cleveland in exchange for Ilgauskas and second-year power forward J.J. Hickson.However, the Suns wanted to wait as long as possible to see if other offers (specifically, one from the Miami Heat) would blossom and improve.According to Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cavs put the pressure on Phoenix to give an answer by Wednesday afternoon. When none came, the Cavs moved on to Jamison, who has been on their wish list since the beginning of the season.On The Mike Brown Show (WTAM 1100, Cleveland), Windhorst also pointed out that the Cavs waited until the final minutes leading up the deadline last year for the Suns to decide whether or not the wanted to part with Shaquille O'Neal.When they didn't, the Cavs were left with no deal, which ultimately hurt them in the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando.Enter Antawn Jamison.The Wizards were originally steadfast in their demands, hoping to not only bring in Ilgauskas' expiring contract, but J.J. Hickson as well. Rumors swirling around the Internet yesterday had the Cavs sending Ilgauskas, Hickson, and swingman Jamario Moon to Washington in exchange for Jamison and Mike James.But the Wizards trade of Caron Butler earlier in the week to Dallas, coupled with the Cavs interest in Stoudemire, forced the Wizards to somewhat lower their demands. Adding a third team in the deal allowed the Cavs to nab Jamison by only giving up Ilgauskas and a draft pick.Ilgauskas' role on the Wizards is yet to be determined. One would assume that the Wizards want to see the current bigs on their roster get significant minutes down the stretch, meaning Washington could very well buyout Z's contract.If that were the case, Ilgauskas could return to the Cavs in 30 days. Cleveland still has their bi-annual exception left, meaning they could offer Z about $2 million for the remainder of the seasonmore than most other teams around the league.Moving back to Jamison...how does he fit in Cleveland's system?Will he be the missing piece of the puzzle for the Cavs?Let's breakdown Jamison's pros and cons and examine his potential role in finally bringing a championship to Cleveland.ProsAn Athletic, Stretch Power ForwardIf other Cavs fans are like me, then they occasionally are jolted awake in the middle of the night having vivid nightmares of Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu burying threes when the Cavs attempted to double-team Dwight Howard.Now, the shoes on the other foot.If you watched the Cleveland/Orlando game last Thursday, you saw Orlando double-team Shaq in the post and leave J.J. Hickson unattended. Hickson got most of his points rolling to the Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
bucket and attacking the rim, but when he was left open for that 15-foot jumper, he couldn't knock it down.That won't be the case with Jamison. An unorthodox power forward, Jamison has the ability to stretch the floor with his jump shot, and even has three-point range. Jamison takes about four three's a game and averages 34.5 percent from beyond the arc.Breaking it down even further, from 10-15 feet, Jamison shoots 35.1 percent, and from 16-23 feet, he's at 38.0 percent (stats courtesy of HoopData ). Compare that to J.J. Hickson and Anderson Varejao, who have only knocked down a handful of jump shots outside of 15 feet all season.I don't rely like to rely on stats (especially field goal percentage, considering Jamison has had to be relied on so much to produce offense for Washington), but you can figure out what to take from this: Jamison can make outside jumpers, while the Cavs' current power forwards cannot.So when Orlando, or Boston, or Los Angeles, or whoever comes with a double-team on O'Neal inside, or throws multiple bodies at LeBron James, the Cavs can put any combination of Jamison, Jamario Moon, Mo Williams, Delonte West, Anthony Parker, or Daniel Gibson out on the perimeter.That's a plethora of shooters to choose from.Bench RoleI might be in the minority here, but I still think J.J. Hickson should remain in the starting lineup and Jamison should come off the bench.Here's my reasoning: Hickson's productivity has skyrocketed since his insertion into the starting five. And with his name being floated around in about every trade rumor over the last week, he needs a vote of confidence from the team and coaching staff.Jamison, on the other hand, should be able to handle coming off the bench. He'll still get about 25-30 minutes a night, and he'll be doing so against other bench players for a majority of those minutes while still working his way into the Cavs offense.Imagine the Cavs current starting lineup, then having a bench consisting of Delonte West, Jamario Moon, Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejao, and Daniel Gibson.That's not even mentioning Leon Powe (could return tomorrow), Jawad Williams (another athletic power forward), and Zydrunas Ilgauskas (assuming he's bought out by the Wizards and returns).The Cavs would legitimately have 13 players that can make an impact on a game. And if you're coming with the counter-argument that you only need eight guys or so in a rotation in the playoffs, the Cavs can pick any one of those bench players to plug in and get significant minutes, depending on tReebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
he matchup.Lineup VersatilityThe Cavs were already one of the more versatile teams in the league.Guards Mo Williams, Delonte West, and Daniel Gibson can all handle the ball at the point position, or they can be used as outside shooters when LeBron is attacking off the dribble or Shaq is working in the post.Guard/forwards Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon are athletic enough to keep up with smaller, quicker guards, while long enough to bother smaller power forwards on the perimeter.And then there's LeBron James, who can play any position on the floor (yes, he could play center in the right lineup if necessary). Not since Magic Johnson has the NBA seen a player that can fill any spot on the floor.Adding Jamison only adds to the Cavaliers' depth and versatility. Like I previously stated, they now have 13 guys that can step on the floor and make an impact.They can play any style they want, or any style an opponent wants. They can have a small lineup, a big lineup, an athletic lineup, a scoring lineup, a defensive lineup, a rebounding lineup, a passing lineup...there's no end to their dynamic.This might not seem like a big deal, but remember that the only reason the Cavs didn't make the finals last year was their inability to match up against Orlando.This year?
2011年1月9日星期日
9 Jan 11 Knee Issues Could Potentially Hinder Future of NBA All-Star Chris Paul
The human knee is quite possibly the most important part of the body in any form of physical athletics. Notice how I said physical, as poker is not a sport, regardless of whether it is on ESPN or not. Football, basketball, and soccer may be the three most demanding sports on the knee.When you think about it, the elements and function of the knee are quite amazing: four bones operating together within an area of tendons, ligaments and cartilage.However, think about how many high-profile athletes that have either had their careers shortened by knee injuries, or suffered a severe, or somewhat-severe knee injury and just weren the same player since.Penny Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
Hardaway, Chris Webber, and even Gale Sayers comes to mind. All three had knee issues in their career, and saw their careers spiral downwards as a direct result.Recently, in the NBA weve seen leading assist-man and best point guard in the league Chris Paul sustain a knee injury that could potentially put him on a path similar to Penny or C-Web later in his career.While he is under the age of 25, the injury still leaves reason to be concerned for future effects.Surgery removed torn meniscusThe six-foot Paul of the New Orleans Hornets is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after his Feb. 4 successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee by the infamous Dr. James Andrews. However Andrews removed the torn meniscus , he did not repair it.This is not as serious as the dreaded micro-fracture surgery, but there is a possibility that this could lead to more knee surgery just a few years down the road.The meniscus plays a key part in helping the knee function. The meniscus is a pad of cartilage that acts like a shock absorber, absorbing the knee. The meniscus is also vital for knee stability.When the meniscus is damaged or is surgically removed, the knee-joint can become loose, or unstable. Without the protection and stability of a healthy meniscus, the surfaces of the knee would be bone-on-bone, essentially the same problem that leads to micro fracture surgery.Paul game is heavily reliant on his quickness and explosivenessbeating his opponent with his first step. Paul will most likely have to alter his game a bit after the surgery, and while he still be able to ballReebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
against several players in the league, he will lose some explosiveness due to the surgery(ies)There are two menisci in each knee however Paul now only has one in his left knee, creating a partial bone-on-bone grinding situation in the knee. Paul may very well fully recover this year, and may not feel the effects for a few years.Im not suggesting that Paul will become a below-average player. However, with bone-on-bone in the knee, surgery could indeed be needed again at some point, only this time Paul is not going to be 24.Micro fracture surgery is a possible combatant for high-shock bone-on-bone scenarios in athletes, as the procedure involves digging microscopic holes in the bone, prompting blood flow and the stimulation of bone marrow. This leads to the growth of fibrous cartilage, which is the shock absorbing cartilage present in menisci.Not only will Paul be playing without part of his meniscus in his left knee (therefore over-stressing the remaining portions) but he could possibly undergo micro-fracture surgery down the road to help in the creation of cartilage in the knee.Paul will have to change his game a bit, to more of a set jump-shot instead of dribble-penetration, and creating offense from sheer athleticism.Paul is easily one of my favorite players in all of the NBA, and it possible he makes Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
a full recovery.However, with the importance of the knee in professional basketball and the style of game that Paul plays, the injury he suffered back on Jan. 29 could end up hindering his performance and career to somewhat of a significance beyond just this season as he attempts his comeback.However, great players are able to find ways to adjust and make it work.And make no mistake about it, Chris Paul is great.
Hardaway, Chris Webber, and even Gale Sayers comes to mind. All three had knee issues in their career, and saw their careers spiral downwards as a direct result.Recently, in the NBA weve seen leading assist-man and best point guard in the league Chris Paul sustain a knee injury that could potentially put him on a path similar to Penny or C-Web later in his career.While he is under the age of 25, the injury still leaves reason to be concerned for future effects.Surgery removed torn meniscusThe six-foot Paul of the New Orleans Hornets is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after his Feb. 4 successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee by the infamous Dr. James Andrews. However Andrews removed the torn meniscus , he did not repair it.This is not as serious as the dreaded micro-fracture surgery, but there is a possibility that this could lead to more knee surgery just a few years down the road.The meniscus plays a key part in helping the knee function. The meniscus is a pad of cartilage that acts like a shock absorber, absorbing the knee. The meniscus is also vital for knee stability.When the meniscus is damaged or is surgically removed, the knee-joint can become loose, or unstable. Without the protection and stability of a healthy meniscus, the surfaces of the knee would be bone-on-bone, essentially the same problem that leads to micro fracture surgery.Paul game is heavily reliant on his quickness and explosivenessbeating his opponent with his first step. Paul will most likely have to alter his game a bit after the surgery, and while he still be able to ballReebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
against several players in the league, he will lose some explosiveness due to the surgery(ies)There are two menisci in each knee however Paul now only has one in his left knee, creating a partial bone-on-bone grinding situation in the knee. Paul may very well fully recover this year, and may not feel the effects for a few years.Im not suggesting that Paul will become a below-average player. However, with bone-on-bone in the knee, surgery could indeed be needed again at some point, only this time Paul is not going to be 24.Micro fracture surgery is a possible combatant for high-shock bone-on-bone scenarios in athletes, as the procedure involves digging microscopic holes in the bone, prompting blood flow and the stimulation of bone marrow. This leads to the growth of fibrous cartilage, which is the shock absorbing cartilage present in menisci.Not only will Paul be playing without part of his meniscus in his left knee (therefore over-stressing the remaining portions) but he could possibly undergo micro-fracture surgery down the road to help in the creation of cartilage in the knee.Paul will have to change his game a bit, to more of a set jump-shot instead of dribble-penetration, and creating offense from sheer athleticism.Paul is easily one of my favorite players in all of the NBA, and it possible he makes Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
a full recovery.However, with the importance of the knee in professional basketball and the style of game that Paul plays, the injury he suffered back on Jan. 29 could end up hindering his performance and career to somewhat of a significance beyond just this season as he attempts his comeback.However, great players are able to find ways to adjust and make it work.And make no mistake about it, Chris Paul is great.
2011年1月8日星期六
8 Jan 11 Golden State Warriors: How To Give Fans Hope For Next Year
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesEver since the We Believe season, fans have seen the Warriors come up short. First barely missing the playoffs and now a shell of their former selves. Others have proposed changes, but I have some that are achievable and specific.1. Hire Tom ThibodeauI know that as much as we would like to show Nelson the door, he is going to get that record. If he gets the record this year then we can part ways. Otherwise, Thibodeau has been desperate enough that he might be willing to wait a few games for Nelson to get his record and move or Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
be swept aside.Thibodeau can instill in the Warriors the same amazing defensive tenacity he has created with the Boston Celtics. We have many young athletes many of whom are dedicated to improvement. The right schemes could make them outstanding. We don't need another retread like Avery Johnson who made defenses seem better by just slowing the tempo. We need a coach with results.2. Make a 3-way trade with Memphis and MinnesotaThe Warriors give up Monta Ellis, Andris Beidrins, and Brandan Wright. They receive OJ Mayo, Ryan Hollins, and Al Jefferson. Why we do it? This trade finally gives us the post presence we need. Biedrins and Randolph are not capable enough offensive players. Having them together is not going to work. Al Jeffersonis a strong post presence. His biggest defensive weakness is weak-side defense, which is Randolph's strength. They will compliment each other well with Jefferson taking scoring duties and Randolph picking up the slack on defense and creating mayhem.A big guy like Jefferson ensures the Warriors will not get pushed around any more by big forwards and centers. The knock on Jefferson is that he is inefficient, but that inefficiency is most likely based on the fact he has not played with a good point guard.He will greatly enjoy playing with Curry.Finally, OJ Mayo will be more likely to defer to Curry and pick up more of the slack defensively. The improvement in our frontcourt means sacrificing Ellis, who has played hard, but if he is our best player we are not going anywhere.The Grizzlies give up Hasheem Thabeet and OJ Mayo. They receive Monta Ellis. Why they do it? The Grizzlies covet Ellis and want to wash their hands of Thabeet, this achieves both desires. Plus they already offered us the deal.The Timberwolves give up Al Jefferson and Ryan Hollins. They receive Andris Biedrins, Hasheem Thabeet, and Brandon Wright. Why they do it? The Timberwolves get Biedrins who is a better fit with Kevin Love, their franchise player. He will instantly be popular in Minnesota.In addition, Minnesota gets two prime prospects who at the very least could be sold as ready for the arrival of Rubio. Let's face it, hope saves Kahn's job.3. Don't overpay Raja BellSome people are arguing that we should re-sign the defensive veteran Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
neglecting the fact that he is 33 and perimeter defenders do not age well. We do not need another Corey Magette signing where we overpay some veteran that we never really needed and is not worth near what we paid.Summing upThe Warriors are left with a new defensive purpose with a dynamic coach anda new post presence. Without the draft, we are looking at a lineup ofPG Stephen Curry/ CJ Watson?SG OJ Mayo/ Anthony MorrowSF Magette/AzubuikePF Randolph/ TuriafC Jefferson/Hollins
be swept aside.Thibodeau can instill in the Warriors the same amazing defensive tenacity he has created with the Boston Celtics. We have many young athletes many of whom are dedicated to improvement. The right schemes could make them outstanding. We don't need another retread like Avery Johnson who made defenses seem better by just slowing the tempo. We need a coach with results.2. Make a 3-way trade with Memphis and MinnesotaThe Warriors give up Monta Ellis, Andris Beidrins, and Brandan Wright. They receive OJ Mayo, Ryan Hollins, and Al Jefferson. Why we do it? This trade finally gives us the post presence we need. Biedrins and Randolph are not capable enough offensive players. Having them together is not going to work. Al Jeffersonis a strong post presence. His biggest defensive weakness is weak-side defense, which is Randolph's strength. They will compliment each other well with Jefferson taking scoring duties and Randolph picking up the slack on defense and creating mayhem.A big guy like Jefferson ensures the Warriors will not get pushed around any more by big forwards and centers. The knock on Jefferson is that he is inefficient, but that inefficiency is most likely based on the fact he has not played with a good point guard.He will greatly enjoy playing with Curry.Finally, OJ Mayo will be more likely to defer to Curry and pick up more of the slack defensively. The improvement in our frontcourt means sacrificing Ellis, who has played hard, but if he is our best player we are not going anywhere.The Grizzlies give up Hasheem Thabeet and OJ Mayo. They receive Monta Ellis. Why they do it? The Grizzlies covet Ellis and want to wash their hands of Thabeet, this achieves both desires. Plus they already offered us the deal.The Timberwolves give up Al Jefferson and Ryan Hollins. They receive Andris Biedrins, Hasheem Thabeet, and Brandon Wright. Why they do it? The Timberwolves get Biedrins who is a better fit with Kevin Love, their franchise player. He will instantly be popular in Minnesota.In addition, Minnesota gets two prime prospects who at the very least could be sold as ready for the arrival of Rubio. Let's face it, hope saves Kahn's job.3. Don't overpay Raja BellSome people are arguing that we should re-sign the defensive veteran Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
neglecting the fact that he is 33 and perimeter defenders do not age well. We do not need another Corey Magette signing where we overpay some veteran that we never really needed and is not worth near what we paid.Summing upThe Warriors are left with a new defensive purpose with a dynamic coach anda new post presence. Without the draft, we are looking at a lineup ofPG Stephen Curry/ CJ Watson?SG OJ Mayo/ Anthony MorrowSF Magette/AzubuikePF Randolph/ TuriafC Jefferson/Hollins
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