2010 Summer of Change

from left to right: LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Stoudemire

There are three things that I have learned so far this summer.  One, Soccer still sucks.  Yes, I was watching the United States play their games, but not going crazy like the drunks at the bars who just want to get on TV.  I've come the conclusion that this country sucks at Soccer (it's not Football) and the referees don't want to see the United States succeed.  Two, Toy Story 3 is the best movie to see this summer.  Not a crappy re-make or a high budget film will dethrone what Disney and Pixar have created with one of the best trilogies of all-time.  Yes, I said it.  And three, no one knows what the hell the top free agents of the NBA will do this summer.

To help ease the suspense I will settle once and for all what I believe the NBA's 10 best free agents should do.  Not believing that three of them will end up on one team, but at least two will be on the same team.  Here's the list from 10 to 1.

10 - F David Lee

This guy is a double-double machine.  The Knicks were reluctant to give him a big contract last season as was everyone with cap space last year.  Funny how it will still work out for him.  He could have shut it down since he didn't get his big contract, but he kept working hard and will get rewarded.  The Knicks have plenty of space to keep him, but they have bigger fish to catch.  Lee will find a nice place to land and have the contract he deserves.

Likely destination: New Jersey Nets

9 - G Ray Allen

It's amazing how one game in the NBA Finals can instantly make you a hot commodity.  Unfortunately it will hurt him in the long run because he seemed to have worn himself out after Game 2.  He won't get a max contract, but teams in need of a big shooter will have him high on their lists.  Boston will make an effort to keep him, but can they ultimately afford him?  He will be the first of the "Big Three" to leave beantown.  Will he ever come close to another ring is another matter.

Likely destination: Chicago Bulls

8 - F Carlos Boozer

He took a lot of heat when he bolted Cleveland for Utah.  Now he is being shown the door with no chance of being brought back to Salt Lake City.  The Jazz would've loved it if Boozer had opted out of his contract last year, but he wasn't going to leave 16 million dollars.  He was going to be one of the top 3 free agents available last summer, but he is now on the back burner in 2010.  He can still rebound like a man possessed, but is susceptible to the injury bug.  Detroit would've grabbed him last year, but doesn't have enough cap space this year.  He will still land in a comfortable place.

Likely destination: Dallas Mavericks

7 - F Paul Pierce

The reason Pierce isn't any higher is because of the likely hood he leaves Boston.  He is a talented albeit streaky All-Star, but he has a championship ring.  A lot in his case will depend on if head coach Doc Rivers returns to coach the team.  Boston might have a better chance of bringing back Ray Allen if Doc decides to stay, but Pierce is priority number one.  If he decides to opt-out all hell will break loose in the front office.  Ultimately I don't see Pierce leaving 16 million dollars like Boozer didn't last year.  

Likely destination: Boston Celtics

6 - G Joe Johnson

This is where I think it could get interesting.  Johnson is a great play-maker and ball-handler.  It showed in his time in Atlanta as they slowly made their way back to contention.  Nonetheless Johnson also showed that he isn't much of a team leader with Atlanta's poor showing in the playoffs this past year.  He has two likely places to land.  One is New York and the other Miami.  New York's head coach Mike D'Antoni helped to start up Johnson's career in Phoenix and Miami will Dwayne Wade most likely to lead the show.  The Clippers seem appealing to him for whatever reason, but this is the most intriguing guy to watch besides LeBron.

Likely destination: New York Knicks

5 - F Chris Bosh

For Bosh it would help both him and Toronto out if Bosh were dealt in a sign and trade.  Toronto gets some value for him and Bosh gets the max contract he's coveted.  However, those possibilities are limited.  New York and New Jersey have nothing to offer.  Miami has only Wade and the Clippers will not mortgage whatever future they have for one guy.  That leaves Chicago and they are willing to take their chances on him leaving without a trade.  Bosh is a one of a kind forward who can spread the floor and post-up against smaller defenders.  Injuries have been an issue for him of late, but he is a missing piece to a lot of teams puzzles.

Likely destination: Chicago Bulls

4 - F Dirk Nowitzki

It came as no surprise that Dirk was planning on opting out of his 20 million dollars for one more year.  With a new CBA pending he like everyone else is going to take advantage of the salary cap structure the way it is setup now.  Does that mean he will leave Dallas?  Maybe.  Miami wouldn't look too bad with Wade and Nowitzki being paired.  How about a Steve Nash reunion in Phoenix.  New York wouldn't mind having another shooter to their offense.  The possibilities are limitless in his case, but he has shown loyalty to the Mavericks and it would uncharacteristic for him to just show his back to them now.  Dallas has made many efforts to surround him with talent and this will be the final chance to get it right.

Likely destination: Dallas Mavericks

3 - F Amare Stoudemire

He's been the story of trade rumors for two years now and he has apparently had enough.  Phoenix is ready to start a new without him and after his suspect play for half of the 2009 season, it won't be a total loss in Phoenix's eyes.  New York and Miami are the only two suitors for this unorthodox power forward.  Mike D'Antoni was his coach in Phoenix when he first arrived in the NBA.  D'Antoni would love to bring back those high scoring days to the Garden with Johnson and Stoudemire.  Miami needs a side kick desperately for Dwayne Wade should he stay.  Stoudemire would be the perfect wing man for Wade in the fast break.  Like Johnson, Stoudemire holds the keys to two franchises.  Does he go with what he knows or try a new approach to winning a championship?  

Likely destination: New York Knicks

2 - G Dwayne Wade

The way everything has setup so far is that Wade will be without a partner.  Miami has sacrificed so much in salary and effort to lure one of the other top free agents to play with Dwayne Wade.  Wade has now put himself into a corner of sorts.  Saying that he plans to stay in Miami if they can get another star player here.  Since it has setup to be no one coming to Miami, what is Wade to do?  Miami has the upper hand, but there isn't much to show for a team that has thrown away everything since winning the title back in 2006.  Pat Riley should retire immediately if this scenario plays out.

Likely destination: LA Clippers

1 - F LeBron James

And now the million dollar question is about to be answered.  Where will LeBron go?  New York has been waiting it seems like since LeBron was a sophomore in high school for this.  Miami will desperately need a star to be paired with Wade.  New Jersey wants to build for the future in Brooklyn.  The Clippers would be happy to settle with him over Wade, but it won't matter for them.  But it would be ludicrous for any of these teams to think that signing three max guys let alone two would guarantee you a championship.  With that said the Chicago Bulls played this perfectly.  They have the point guard in Derek Rose.  Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson provide the rebounding.  If you bring in Ray Allen and Chris Bosh to provide the backup to LeBron you have yourself a perfect pitch to acquire the ultimate prize.

Likely destination: Chicago Bulls

I don't consider this to be at all what will happen in the next month, but rather an observation.  I've seen enough off-seasons to know that most likely these players will stay put for the money over everything else, but it doesn't hurt to think big.  Remember, if they bolt for other teams, they leave an extra year and 30 million dollars on the table.  Tell me that won't creep into the back of their minds when it's decision time.

An Epic Series

It truly was a great series.  Everything you would've expected from a Lakers-Celtics championship series.  There was no way it was going to end up like the '08 Finals.  The Lakers established the theme of the series by pounding it in the paint.  The Celtics made their adjustments and turned the focus back on the Lakers.  Rumblings started of another Lakers meltdown that would give Boston another title against the Lakers in both their storied histories.  History won't always be repeated though.

There were so many great players involved that it's almost hard to keep track.  The Celtics had their big four in Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.  The Lakers to start had only Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.  However, the Lakers showed that they too had a "big four."  Derek Fisher and Ron Artest emerged as great complements through different parts of the series.  With Lamar Odom coming off the bench, the Lakers had an immediate impact player to which the Celtics struggled to match.

Boston couldn't get Kevin Garnett involved until Game 3 in Boston.  Ray Allen was present for only Game 2 with a record 8 3-point shots made in a Finals game.  Paul Pierce was on and off for most of the series, but that can attributed to Ron Artest's defensive presence.  The only consistent player was Rajon Rondo. 

Rondo would've easily been the top candidate to be MVP for the Boston Celtics.  Game 2 was his highest scoring game of the series (19).  But he had a triple-double in that game and nearly a second in Game 7.  His skill level is still not at its peak yet, but he has established himself as a force in the league as a top 3 point guard.

The Celtics did miss Kendrick Perkins during games 6 and 7, but the Celtics had him for 1 and 3 and lost those games.  Perkins was not a scoring machine, but a defensive wall that bothered Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.  Great defense can lead to good scoring offense, but in the Celtics case they were winning until the fourth quarter of game 7.

Kobe Bryant earning his second MVP of the NBA Finals and 5th championship is well deserved.  He was a facilitator through the first three games and became a one man show in games 4 and 5.  Did it hurt the Lakers?  Not really.  The Lakers lost game 4 by seven points and game 5 by six points.  It could have easily gone in the Lakers favor, but it became apparent that others would need to get involved in order for the Lakers to win a second consecutive championship.

Ron Artest, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom combined for 40 of the Lakers 89 points in game 6.  The home court advantage had now shifted toward the Lakers side with the "win it or go home" game 7 at Staples Center.  Boston had a 3 games to 2 lead going back to LA, but now had what seemed to be an impossible situation, beat the Lakers in Los Angeles in a game 7. 

Kobe didn't have a fantastic game (6-24, 23 points), but his 15 rebounds were essential to the rebounding advantage the Lakers had throughout game 7.  Kobe also did something that Jordan had done during two of his championship runs.  Passed to a teammate for a game clinching shot.  Who would be the one to make that shot?  Ron Artest made it with 1:02 left in the game to put the Lakers back up by 6. 

Artest finished with 20 points and Pau Gasol added 19 points and 18 rebounds.  Artest's hustle and Gasol's toughness, yes toughness, proved valuable to the Lakers in their run.  Derek Fisher made only two 3-pointers in the entire series.  Both were in game 7.  His 10 points were probably the biggest of them all.  He too wanted a 5th ring just as bad as Kobe Bryant.

Kobe was the MVP, but this series proved that opposites attract.  The Celtics played selfish when they were supposed to play like a team.  The Lakers were deemed selfish, but played like a team when it mattered.  Can this team be beat?  Yes, but I only see them beating themselves.  No one can beat the Lakers when they play like they did in the 2010 NBA Finals.

USC - Untimely Sanctions by Carroll

The sanctions against the University of Southern California are pretty brutal.  A two year ban from playing in bowl games.  The forfeit of wins from the 2005 season, including the National Championship against Oklahoma.  Plus the loss of 30 scholarships for three years.  Pretty harsh when you consider the accusations/findings the NCAA found had to do with a player (Reggie Bush above) and head coach (Pete Carroll above) who are both no longer around the school. 

To break it down as simply as I can, the NCAA says Reggie Bush during the 2004-05 season had received gifts from people during his stay at USC.  His family received a house in San Diego.  Reggie was driving a new car.  Money was alleged to have been exchanged as well.  To put it simply, Reggie had accepted these offerings.  A big no-no says the NCAA. 

Now because of these sanctions, the University football team will suffer for the next 3 years at least.  They will eventually bounce back, but the damage is done.  It's official that the University is synonymous with recruiting players who could care less about academics.  The school also appears guilty of not caring and instead raking in the money the football program brings to them.  Just look at the basketball program and what the recruitment of O.J. Mayo brought upon them. 

The question then becomes how can you punish the school for what someone did five years ago?  There is no easy answer.  Yes, Reggie Bush should have said no.  Knowing that this would have been discovered eventually.  Nothing like that is ever kept secret for long in this day in age. 

"Obviously, with the current penalty, it sucks because the kids there now have to deal with that and you never want to be in the position where you've affected a kid's career or the future of a high school player who has a dream to go to USC." - Reggie Bush

Yes it does suck.  He gets to keep playing football while the school and its current players have to suffer the wrath of the NCAA.  I have a feeling that Reggie will no longer be a welcome figure around the university for quite some time.  USC alumni have only one person to put most of the blame on and that's Bush.  What else can he say though?  Gee, I should have known better and said no, but what's done is done.  I have to focus on defending our Super Bowl title in New Orleans.  That's what he really thinks. 

Pete Carroll's position I think is more important.  He deserves just as much the blame as Bush and the entire athletic department at USC.  I tweeted and discussed it on the radio six months ago when Carroll accepted the head coaching job with the Seattle Seahawks.  He's leaving USC with a clean slate before the NCAA hands down punishment. 

Of course he will deny it left and right, but it's hard to believe him.  You built a powerhouse football program in a city where they have no NFL team.  Then you leave for the head coaching job in Seattle?  Hardly the dream job we thought you would go after when you decided to go.

"I thought I would never leave USC, but this is just too good an opportunity to pass up" - Pete Carroll

The opportunity to coach the third best team in the worst division in the NFL.  I liked Carroll for the longest time.  He was never given a real chance in the NFL.  One year coaching the Jets, then three years as the head coach of the New England Patriots.  Soon after Bill Belichik turned the Patriots into a dynasty.  He landed in USC bringing excitement and title contending teams to Los Angeles. 

There was no need for a NFL team when you had one at USC.  But looking back at it now, it was all a rouse.  Carroll was truly looking for a better opportunity, but knew he had it made in LA.  When the NCAA started to creep closer and closer to revealing their findings, the time was right to bolt.  He would've been looked at differently had he left a year or two ago.  Everyone knew he wanted to go back to the NFL.  It just looks like he bailed when he didn't want to deal with the consequences of his and Reggie Bush's actions. 

He's the head coach.  When you're player is driving a new car and his family are attending road games without your help, something must be wrong.  Take action next time if you get the "opportunity" to coach in college. 

The entire athletic department should be replaced.  They brought this upon themselves.  They knew something was wrong and are now letting it effect student athletes that had nothing to do with it.  Bush and Carroll are gone and can't be punished.  Bush could lose his Heisman, but that doesn't mean anything to anyone else.  The athletic department are the only ones who need to be punished, with their jobs. 

This by no means will be the last major program to be hit with these kind of sanctions, but it saddens me that none of them will ever learn from others mistakes.

A Dynasty in the Making?

Behold the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.  One of the "Original Six" will hoist a banner in the rafters of the United Center.  For too long they have stared at the 1961 banner and were constantly reminded of what the Chicago Bulls did in the 1990s.  Now the tide has turned.  There is already talk of a dynasty brewing in the Windy City.  Is that premature to think that?

Not really.  The core talent will be around for the foreseeable future.  Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Dustin Byfuglien and Antti Niemi will be around.  Every single one contributed to their Stanley Cup run throughout the playoffs. 

Toews was aggressive, physical and made key assists.  Kane made timely goals, including the game winner to win the Cup.  Hossa scored the game winning goal against Nashville in overtime in Game 5 to give them momentum to win that series.  Hossa's constant pressure since took pressure off Toews and Kane to play their game.  Keith and Seabrook were sound defensively.  Deflecting shots and helping Niemi numerous times.  Sharp was a great veteran presence that a lot of teams covet, especially Chicago.  They wouldn't have gotten here without him.  Byfuglien destroyed Vancouver and San Jose.  His size was a problem for the Flyers and Chris Pronger specifically throughout the Finals.  Niemi turned a weakness into a strength.  No longer will Chicago have to worry about who's in net for them.  It's Antti Niemi's job. 

The Salary Cap age in the NHL will make it difficult to create a dynasty the likes of which the league hasn't seen since the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders of the 1980s.  Also the parody in the league is up there with the NFL.  Every team has a chance.  Just look at the Montreal Canadiens who knocked out the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in succession.  Philadelphia came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins in route to beating the Canadiens to play for the Stanley Cup.  The Flyers took the Blackhawks to six games and it could have easily been seven. 

Those two factors will make it difficult to say it's a dynasty.  So many other things could happen, but for now the city of Chicago has a championship.  The drought ended for the Blackhawks.  Just before it hit the 50 year mark mind you.  The only thing left now is to wonder what next?  They have the offense, defense, goalie and coaching staff in place to go after it again.  But like with the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins the last two years, it probably won't happen that way again.  It's very rare to see the same teams, even the defending champions make an appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals again. 

Celebrate the championship as long as you'd like Chicago.  You earned it and deserve it.  They were the best team and weren't given it by any means thanks to the play of the Philadelphia Flyers.  A colleague of mine said, "Chicago is a Hockey Town again."  Very true.  The White Sox and Cubs are going no where.  "Da Bears" stink.  The Bulls are praying to get LeBron James.  Chicago is wearing those awesome Blackhawks jerseys proudly once again.

The Great Right Handed Hype

The stat line: 7 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks and 14 strikeouts.

That is the first major league start for 2009 first overall pick Stephen Strasburg.  I being a huge fan of baseball love seeing those kinds of numbers from any pitcher.  Strasburg, fair or not, has been anointed the savior of the Washington Nationals franchise.  One pitcher as we all know doesn't make a difference unless your name is Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan, Walter Johnson, you get the idea.  Regardless of expectations one thing is certain.  I will hold back in getting caught up in the hype.

Or I could just point out that he struck out 14 major league hitters in his first start!  Forgive me, let me take it down a notch.  Yes it was scripted by the Nationals to call him up during a home stand.  Yes his first start was against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  I don't have to, but I will point out the Pirates as a team have the worst batting average in baseball (.238).  Overlooking all that and saying Strasburg is the real deal after only one start is hard to believe.

However, if you've seen just a handful of highlights of him at San Diego State or in the minor leagues, you would've started to buy into it a long time ago.  His stuff is filthy.  None that I've seen since Kerry Wood burst onto the scene.  Yes, the same Kerry Wood who as a Chicago Cub struck out 20 Houston Astros in his rookie season.  Not saying Strasburg will do the same, but this is the time for him to rack up the K's.

A fastball that ranges from 91-101 mph.  His changeup can reach 92 mph.  His breaking ball clocked at a nasty 85 mph.  The break on it was just as impressive.  Imagine being the hitter.  You somehow see the fastball whizz by down the middle.  Strike one.  Next pitch is his changeup which you weren't expecting, you let it pass, it catches the corner.  Strike two.  Now being that Strasburg is a rookie, he will probably want to blow you away with a fastball.  You ready yourself for the heat, but here comes a pitch that for a split second heads for your head, then takes a major turn for the inside corner of the plate.  Called strike three.  Sit down good sir.

That is what is separating Strasburg from a lot of pitchers right now.  He has the stuff and will hopefully learn how to pitch quicker than most.  The Nationals are counting on that right arm of his to help get their heads into the light of contention.  He won't get them out of the hole, but at least they will get to see the sun rise and set from now on.  They've already decided to bring him along slowly which is the right call.  There have been too many phenoms who tire and wear down further into their careers.

He reminds me so much of Kerry Wood.  Lets just hope he isn't reduced to being a banged up closer for a losing franchise to finish his career.

The Expansion of Instant Replay in MLB

I was shocked, dumbfounded, wondering how it could happen.  The 21st perfect game and 3rd this season was about to be completed.  I should point out that I did predict at least two more perfect game/no-hitters would be accomplished this year in a previous post, "MLB Review - 2 Month Edition."  Mind you, I wasn't being 100 percent serious about it, but I will take credit for it.  Regardless, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was about to make not just MLB history, but Tigers history with the teams first perfect game.  Alas, it will never be written as happening, but rather should have happened.

There it was.  A ground ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.  Galarraga ran on contact towards first beating Jason Donald, who hit the ball, to the bag.  The throw by Cabrera wasn't perfect, but Galarraga caught it with his foot on the bag.  Donald's foot about half a step from stepping on the bag, but it clearly showed Galarraga had completed the 21st perfect game ever.  I'm not even going off replay.  That's how I saw it in real time.  Donald is out.  Game over.

I'll say that being an umpire, referee, official whatever they're called in their respective sport is a hard job.  One that many wouldn't be able to do.  Jim Joyce is now a household name as the man who took away a perfect game.  I like many who saw the play reacted with disgust, as the call was ruled "safe" wanted quick action as to punishing the umpire.  It's one of those, I hate to say it, "unwritten rules" with umpires.  You don't make that call in that situation.  Taking away a perfect game is near or right at the top I'm sure.

However, letting time pass to think about it and what this ultimately means for the sport that I love and appreciate more than any other.  I've come to the conclusion that this will help in the long run.  Making that call, umpire Jim Joyce will go down as the umpire that took away a perfect game and will usher in the expanded use of instant replay in MLB.  As much as I'd like to fight more instant replay in baseball, I can't argue against it anymore.  Yes, I'm putting away my challenge flag.

The biggest argument I've made against having instant replay is the time factor.  How long will it take to review 2-4 close plays a game?  Baseball is trying to speed up the game, but by adding more opportunities for review will only slow the game down more.  Momentum will be affected and so on and so forth.  The other argument against it is what to review.  Will you want to review ball and strike calls?  Was the ball fair or foul down the line or on the bag?  Was the guy out trying to steal?  Where do you draw the line?

The likely scenario for expanding replay right now is for plays like we saw with Jim Joyce in Detroit.  Right now they can only review if a ball was a home run.  Whether it went over the wall, was inside the foul pole or if a fan interfered.  Now it will include close calls at every base.  There needs to be limits though; time to review the play, who decides to review the play(s)?  Limit the amount of reviews you can do during the game.  I don't want the constant back and forth of checking and double checking these calls.  Put a cap on how often it's done and leave it.

It won't get any further than that.  Commissioner Bud Selig doesn't want a lot of instant replay, but he does have to implement it for plays like this.  It takes an extraordinary event like a perfect game to wake baseball up and force them to take action.  Jim Joyce couldn't feel more terribly about his mistake.

"It was the biggest call of my career, and I kicked the (bleep) out of it," Joyce said, looking and sounding distraught as he paced in the umpires' locker room. "I just cost that kid a perfect game."

Armando Galarraga couldn't have been more sympathetic than he was.  When the call was made, all he could do was smile.  Not a single word, just a smile.  Galarraga received an apology after the game from Joyce and was very gracious about the whole situation.

"You don't see an umpire after the game come out and say, 'Hey, let me tell you I'm sorry,' " Galarraga said. "He felt really bad. He didn't even shower."

The way that both Galarraga and Joyce have handled this historic event, has been nothing short of amazing.  Galarraga has every right to be upset, but knows being angry won't help anyone.  Joyce has every right not to talk about it and knows without saying it that he blew the call.  He's done the opposite though in the 24/7 news age we live in to get out in front of it, own it and move on.  Admitted steroid users should take a page out of Joyce's playbook.

It was a perfect storm that was brewing for a long time in baseball.  It would take a historic time in the sport, with the potential of 3 perfect games in a month happening to force baseball's hand.  They have to act and whether it will work in the long run is yet to be determined, but one thing is for sure.  What should have been a great moment turned into a spectacular moment.  Showing that the human spirit is to forgive and forget.  It was a game.  A game that children are playing.  Jim Joyce and Armando Galarraga handled an explosive situation with class and dignity.  Turn the page and expand instant replay already.