NBA

The Return of the King?

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The King returning to his former kingdom

The King returning to his former kingdom

The Cleveland Cavaliers have hit the jackpot. For the third time in four years the dismal franchise will have the number one pick in the NBA Draft. With the most talented draft class in probably the last decade, the Cavaliers could be poised to be a playoff team in the near future. However, the true jackpot may not be in this draft, but possibly in the homecoming of their former savior.

With a strong young nucleus, this years number one pick could be the final key to luring back Lebron James from South Beach. Many Clevelanders might not want their former king to return to Cleveland as the wounds from his departure are still fresh and deep. Still, if Lebron James was to come back the Cavaliers would be favorites to win the title.

It may only be speculation at this point, but Cleveland has put themselves in a great position to entice James. Miami may win a third title this year, but their future is in question. Despite great ownership and a talented roster, the Heat are getting older and may only have one or two true title runs left. Despite this, James may choose to stay in Miami because of the lifestyle it has to offer and the larger market available there rather than Cleveland. Los Angeles and New York are long shots to get James in the future, but at least they provide the market for the Lebron James brand. Even though the end goal will be to attract James back to Cleveland, it will still depend on what Lebron James wants to do. Either way, the Cavaliers have made themselves as attractive a destination as possible. If they can add a legitimate coach, it will be hard to imagine that James could turn down a young talented nucleus with a great head coach. He’s in the business of winning, and that’s a winning formula.

King James may not return to his former empire, but even without James the Cavaliers now have the young pieces to become a competitive basketball team. With a young and upcoming roster they could soon become a perennial contender and maybe even a championship contender. However, in a perfect world the King will return to his people and bring them the championship they so rightfully deserve.

Clipped: Why LA is done

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An organization divided

An organization divided

They stood there in defiance. A team against an owner. The basketball team with no name, but with a loud message. “We do not support our owner”!

There is no question that the LA Clippers are in the center of a storm of controversy. In the past 24 hours, Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling has been accused of making racist remarks towards African-Americans. He even went so far as saying that he didn’t want them to attend Clippers games! This isn’t even the first time this has happen. In 2006, the U.S. department of justice sued Sterling for 2.75 million dollars for not allowing blacks to rent his apartments.

The fact that this man could make these comments is revolting. Nobody, and I mean nobody should judge others based on race. Excuse me Mr. Sterling. Aren’t you a business owner? You shouldn’t care if a person is black, white, blue, purple, or clear if they pay premium money to support your team!

After this bombshell it is clear that the title hopes for the Clippers have pretty much gone out the window. Now I know that many of you will say they are still one of the most talented teams in the league with a great head coach, and I would agree. However, it’s hard enough to win with any distractions especially one of this magnitude. Besides who wants to play for this man? Would you really risk your body for a man who clearly does not feel that way about other people? Even with the team still intact and beyond the fact that the team is protesting the owner, the big question is what next?

When the playoffs are over and if Sterling is still the owner  of the franchise, I have a strong feeling that there is going to be problems within the organization. I cannot see Doc Rivers wanting to work for this organization if Sterling is still in charge. Don’t forget the players. Would Deandre Jordan and Chris Paul want to play for a racist? I can’t see it.

While the Clippers still are in the playoff race and could potentially compete for the title, the next few months will without question be trying. With a team that was smacked in game four 118-97, and who protested the game by refusing top wear the Clippers logo in warm ups, it is clear this team does not want to play for Sterling. With a distraction like this, I see no way that the Clippers will make the finals, let alone make a run in the postseason. While the fallout from this incident still remain to be seen, there is no question that there is no fun in the sun for the Los Angeles Clippers organization right now.

 

What Could Have Been? Michael Jordan’s Baseball Career

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What would have happened to the sports world if MJ had succeeded?

What would have happened to the sports world if MJ had succeeded?

It’s been twenty years since Michael Jordan shocked the sports world by announcing his retirement from basketball in order to pursue a career in baseball. People were shocked and outraged, but most of all confused. Why would the greatest player in the NBA hang up his sneakers after winning his third championship in a row? We all know what happened next. Jordan rode the bus in the minors with the Chicago White Sox Double A affiliate Barons for one season before returning to the hard wood. After his return to the game, Jordan won three more titles and cemented his legacy as the greatest basketball player of all time. However, one can only wonder what would have happened if Jordan continued playing baseball? What impact would that have had on the sports world?

Many people look at Jordan’s baseball career as a failure but was it really? Despite lackluster stats in his first season, his manager Terry Francona has said that Jordan showed steady improvement throughout the season and raised his batting average by fifty points in the Arizona Fall League. Had there not been a baseball strike at the end of the season

Despite early struggles, had Jordan continued playing he could have maybe made it

Despite early struggles, had Jordan continued playing he could have maybe made it

there was a good chance Jordan would have continued his baseball career. While it is unlikely he would have been the star player he was in the NBA in baseball, with his world-class athleticism and work ethic Jordan could have developed into a solid major league starter. Had he made it to the show, Jordan would have been one of only a few athletes who successfully played two professional sports. His popularity could have helped baseball’s popularity because people wanted to see Jordan. While he might not have been the missing piece to a world series, Jordan’s impact on the game could have been huge in regards to the exposure and attention he would bring to a franchise. If Jordan had continued his baseball career what would have happened to his basketball legacy?

What would the NBA be today if Michael Jordan was successful at baseball? The murder of his father in 1993 played a major role in Jordan’s decision because his father always wanted Michael to be a professional baseball player. Would Jordan’s legacy be remembered as fondly as it is today?

Think about it. Without Jordan the Bulls probably don’t win three more championships, Phil Jackson doesn’t become one of the greatest coaches in league history, and Jordan doesn’t add more stats or moments to his resume. No more game winners, no flu game, not another three peat. Lebron James is viewed as a traitor would walked out of Cleveland. Can you imagine if Jordan never came back? All of those NBA fans would have viewed him as a traitor to the game. Chicago fans surely wouldn’t remember him as fondly, that’s fore sure. The Bulls and Jordan built the NBA’s future in the 90s by making the sport more popular and making basketball one of the most popular sports in the world. Would the NBA be what it is today if Michael Jordan never came back?

Thankfully Jordan would return to NBA and cement the sport’s popularity. But it is hard to fathom a world without Jordan holding a basketball. We will never truly know the ramifications if Jordan had continued to play baseball. The repercussions across the sports world have dramatically changed the landscape of professional sports in America had Jordan been successful in his baseball career. Who knows? For all we know Jordan could have built up baseball or maybe decided to play both at the same time. Either way, its hard to imagine a world where Michael Jordan played baseball. All we can do now is ask ourselves what could have been if Air Jordan became Jordan in the outfield instead.

 

Sad Melody: Why the Knicks need to trade Anthony

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After another year of frustration, it's time for a change in New York

After another year of frustration, it’s time for a change in New York

Trade Carmelo Anthony! These three words will ignite anger within an already frustrated fan base, and rightfully so. Trading the biggest star the Knicks have had since Patrick Ewing may seem blasphemous, even crazy, but it needs to be done. While the Knickerbockers star is still in the prime of his career and having one of his best seasons ever, the harsh reality is that this is the perfect time to break down this lackluster basketball team.

If the NBA has taught us anything this past decade, it’s that you can no longer win with just one star player on your basketball team. Look at all the last 10 champions, they’ve had at least two usually three superstar players.

Melo's frustration in New York might make him go somewhere else this summer

Melo’s frustration in New York might make him go somewhere else this summer

The league is changing. Unless you are one of the few elite teams in the league, you just mill around in mediocrity. Let’s face it. Even when this team played well the previous two seasons, they weren’t serious title contenders. Sure they might win a round in the playoffs, but this is New York, that doesn’t cut it. With Carmelo in his prime, and a stocked Draft class coming up, the Knicks should try to make a deal.

Am I saying the Knicks have to trade Melo? No, but if a team gives them a good deal with either draft picks or young talent, the Knicks would be foolish to pass it up. Let’s face it, the Knicks are nowhere near contending for an NBA title and need to reload. If anything shouldn’t the Knicks get some value before Melo leaves? As an unrestricted free agent this summer, there is a good chance Melo will leave. He’s already hinted that he will test free agency and there will be more attractive offers and situations out there for him. If LA calls, why wouldn’t Melo go? Instead of losing him and not getting anything in return, the Knicks need to maximize this opportunity and restart the rebuilding process. Knicks fans may not want to hear it, but it needs to be done.

Jingle Balls: The NBA’s Christmas Jerseys Disaster

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It's beginning to look a lot like a Christmess

It’s beginning to look a lot like a Christmess

Christmas is here! The trees, decorations, and yuletide spirit are everywhere this time of year. On the 25th of December the NBA will be unwrapping some presents that frankly should have a sticker that reads “Do not open ever”! That’s right, the NBA has established a new merry tradition that is the equivalent to the gifting of a holiday fruitcake. Nobody wants it, but we get it anyways. Talk about a mess. The NBA has tried to establish Christmas day as it’s own holiday. What I mean by this is that football has Thanksgiving, so naturally the NBA wanted it’s own holiday in the spotlight, in this case Christmas. Now the NBA has five games for 2013 and like all great Christmases decided it needed its own traditions. However, whoever came up with this idea should receive a mountain of coal for Christmas.

The NBA has made it a tradition to wear new uniforms on Christmas day. Last year I thought the NBA couldn’t do worse than hideous one color uniforms with just outlines of the team’s name. Well one thing I can say about the NBA is that it never ceases to surprise me. When the new uniforms were revealed I laughed thinking oh they must have gotten the pictures mixed up. Those are ten-dollar t-shirts from the gift shop. Boy was I wrong. Ok are you sitting down? Because I am about to go on a rant about these eyesores.

Where to begin? Hmm let me see I know I’ll start of with the sleeves. Why do you need sleeves in the NBA? You play indoors! Why do you guys need freaking sleeves are you really that cold inside an NBA arena? Come on these aren’t NFL linemen who have rolls of arm fat or baseball players trying to avoid the sun. If it was just the sleeves on awesome uniforms I could give these a pass, but it’s more than just the sleeves.

Next it’s the colors. True these colors are not as terrible as last years, but certain team colors don’t make sense. The Lakers, who have a great white home uniform, don’t need a white Christmas jersey. They have purple and gold. Where is it? The Knicks, for the love of god stop wearing all orange. First this isn’t Halloween, and second you look like a bunch of pumpkins. If there was more blue then maybe, but these uniforms are just plain orange. The Knicks chant should be no new york no new york no. The spurs plain grey? or the Rockets all red? Come on guys I bet a five-year old could come up with something better. Sure the colors are bad, but it’s also that these uniforms are just one color. There are no accent or secondary colors to add some details to these uniforms. Even minor accent colors or designs would offset the main colors nicely. However, with just one color except for around the collar and sleeves. Without these other colors these jerseys just look like plain t-shirts from the NBA store that I could easily buy.

The final nail in this uniform coffin has to be the logos. These are the worst logos on a uniform I have ever seen. Sure they are the team’s regular logos, which are great, but for some reason they thought forget the script or original let’s put a giant silver logo on the chest. Come on why silver? Are you just trying to put a bullseye on what makes these jerseys awful. Sure it looks good on the Nets jersey, but who else has silver in their color palette? These look like metallic versions of each logo. It as if they decided let’s put a futuristic logo on the plainest jersey possible. That makes no sense.

In conclusion the only good thing these jerseys have given us is this fantastic commercial (link here). Other than that these uniforms are just an awful representation of the NBA. Come on these look like pajamas. Hey maybe that’s what they were going for the pajama Christmas morning look. If not for the so-called “Christmas morning pajama look” these uniforms are some of the worst to ever be presented on the hardwood. Maybe Santa will make a last-minute stop and give these teams new uniforms, unfortunately I think he’s a little too busy. Dear NBA, please get new Christmas uniforms next year. Heck, do green and red uniforms. Those would be better than these atrocities. Either way let’s hope the NBA delivers on Christmas. Happy Holidays!