Is today's NBA game really "watered down"... (Part 1)

Charles Barkley sits across from me leading up to game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Might remote in hand, like before every game, he is once again hammering in on the fact the Warriors can not compete with the Thunders front court which to him is an essential key to the game. Me being me, begins to hysterically laugh and it wasn't because of the comments he was making. Once again another NBA legend was throwing salt on a bad womb.

I find it interesting how the legends of the NBA in comparison to other professional sports league in the U.S. always disparage the skills of the current players. Charles Barkley is just one of the many former stars of the league who believes small ball exist simply because guys just "don't play defense". After Steven Adams comments about how difficult it is to guard the Warriors "front court players" Barkley might reconsider his initial comments.

"Man there just quick little monkeys", said Adams.

The Warriors love to run high ball screens for all of their players including their front court player, Draymond Green. For Adams coming out to the three point line just to chase Green back into the paint is similar to you trying to catch a mice underneath you cabinets in your kitchen. It's going to continue to run around whether you like it or not ... you're just along for the ride. You have to keep up other wise you'll lose him.

So again Sir Charles, is it really that easy to chase around "their bigs", more athlete and quicker as they come off of screens and shoot threes.

Are they really chasing 73?

Won't they get to 73 wins .. will they get there ...?

This question has been swirling around the Warriors organization and Sports media for the better half of 6 months...or since they started the season 24-0. Since the team started the season 24-0 something has changed.

Something is very apparent, the team just doesn't play as hard as they did under Coach Walton. It could be equated to a number of reasons, Steve Kerr's laid back style, the teams lack of focus, anticipation for the playoffs,... what ever the reason is this team is not the same mentally
Opening the season the Warriors had something to prove, their championship was not a fluke nor was it luck, "they were simply the best team". Feeding off the negative comments from the Clippers and other teams and players around the league the Warriors entered the season with a rage. The comments made by Hall of Fame Coach, Doc Rivers, ignited the frustration on the Warriors behalf. "You need luck in the West," was the center of it all.

Today we see a team unbothered as the disrespect has slowed and the compliments continued to rain until last Friday. Last Friday the Warriors received their eighth loss of the season to the Boston Celtics. This was the Warriors first loss at home since the end of last season which raised a lot of eyebrows. Yes, no team is invincible but the way they loss was concerning. Their nonchalant body language following the loss was the most concerning.

Then came Tuesday. The Warriors during the fourth quarter against the Timberwolves defined "choke" in their way, in a way they only knew how. The team had a 17 point lead mid way through the 3 rd quarter but entered the fourth quarter with an emotional boost from their leader. Draymond Green screaming in the huttle to all of his teammates ,"Alright its time to put them away we have let them stick around ", but  this message has little to no impact. The Warriors were outscored by 8 in the fourth quarter which led to overtime... and we know the rest.

Typically when it's one week left in the regular season playoff teams begin to rest players. We've seen it with the Spurs, Cavs and all of the top contending teams in the playoffs. Who we haven't seen this from is the Warriors and it for obvious reasons regardless if they want to admit it or not. Chasing the Bulls 95-96 record and an opportunity to leave your mark in history is appealing to everyone...but... maybe Greg Popovich. Besides that, this team continues to express their desire for the post season which could mean multiple things. The first, they are tired of the regular season and are ready to get to more meaningful games. Or they are burning themselves out and they know they practically have another 1/4 of a season left if they were to advance all the way to the finals. In other words, their either excited or their thinking "when is it over, when can I get my second ring?"

The only point I'm making here is... This team has to get back to the team that had a bitter taste in their mouth following the disrespectful comments regarding their 2014-2015 championship run. That's the team who was focused and won 24 straight games and that's the team that can win another championship. The team that played Tuesday night will likely be ousted by the second round if something doesn't change. That might mean resting players the final four games of the regular season to mentally clear minds and body's and to get away from it all. Whatever it is it needs to be done quick fast and in a hurry because the playoffs begin next weekend.

Passion for one sport has withstood the test of time...

One month out of the year is dedicated to uniting the country and its due to one collegiate sport...basketball. Coach K reminded us to stay focus on the madness and the triumphs because it is simply "To damn good". The emotional highs from buzzer beaters and the collapses are all a part of the game. It brought the game full circle and showed the sports world, the Cleveland Cavaliers versus Golden State Warriors finals match-up can't touch the 30 second 12 point comebacks and the half court buzzer beaters.  

College basketball is about more then lay-ups and half court shots it requires a level head. Emotions run high on the part of the players as well as the spectators and fans...From personal experience, the city of Syracuse is brought together by the game of college basketball. The tears of sadness and the stunning buzzer beaters are the heartbeat of this city. Students and residents scampering into the streets to celebrate the Men's and Women's teams run to the Elite 8 have been the highlight of my weekend thus far. After all, despite the times and the losses of businesses to this city the passion and excitement for Syracuse basketball has not wavered. .. If it wasn't for 'Cuse basketball I'm not sure Syracuse would still be a city in Central New York.

 While the fans are emotionally invested in the sport, the players understandably are also battling their own personal victories and slumps over the course of the ball game...

Emotions run high on the part of the fans as well as the players, after all the players live and breathe the emotional roller coaster throughout the course of the game. Just imagine the mindset of the UNI players as they watched their 12 point lead dwindle to zero over the final 38 seconds against the Aggies. The UNI players couldn't comprehend what they were watching. The last time they saw a team making a miraculous comeback they were on the receiving end. Then imagine after a gruesome loss having to face your critics explaining arguably one of the worst collapses in sports history. The heavy flow of tears down your face as you try to hold it together knowing you could have done more to prevent this outcome, but you were just living in the moment.

While UNI players rattled with their emotions after a heartbreaking loss, the Miami Hurricanes were ousted out of the tournament in a different type of heartbreaking way.

It wasn't a buzzer-beater or a 12 point comeback in the final 30 seconds of regulation it was a cold hearted beat down to put it lightly. The first weekend intelligibly was filled with blowouts but by the round of 16 you expect your sanity to return. Villanova had other plans. The Hurricane's did not score the first 3 1/2 minutes of their sweet 16 match-up against Villanova. The tone for this game was set from the opening tip which was won by Villanova. Kris Jenkins toyed with the Hurricane defense from three and his shot making ability just trickled down to his teammates. And well... the Hurricanes didn't have an answer.


College basketball has connected teams, families and even cities. It's amazing how one game can draw so many emotions negative and positive. This year's tournament has been a little different than in years past. Not because of its lack of connectivity but because there isn't an overarching dominant team. You could make the case for Oklahoma, Kansas and even Virginia but the problem is we truly don't know. The dominant programs like Kentucky , Duke and to a certain degree Kansas haven't had a strong showing in the tournament.

Well...I mind as well...  rock back and forth in my rocking chair and patiently wait for the final four teams to stamp their ticket to Houston.

An Open book to the start of March Madness

Whew... a wild first two rounds to the NCAA tournament...As much as I am looking forward to the second weekend of match-ups my head is still spinning from what I witnessed Sunday night. The 30 second-12 point come back and the wild buzzer beaters... I'm opening the book to it all!

I'm going to try to create a "sentence summary"for the Biggest upset thus far in the tournament ... Ready SET GO!!!!!!

Day 1:
Purdue vs Little Rock - "We were David and you were Goliath (Literally)..." if you're Little Rock

Wichita State vs Arizona- "Arizona looked defeated before the ball even tipped..."

Gonzaga vs Seton Hall - "Two words..... 'Domantas Sabonis'"

Baylor vs Yale - "Brain-e-acks can ball too, especially when the opposing team is more concerned with "squaring up" with each other... then actually balling."

Texas Tech vs Butler - "Butler is not a one and done Cinderella team... They are here to STAY" !

Providence vs USC - "The game isn't over until the clock hits 0:00"

Day 2:

Syracuse vs Dayton -"You got us 2 years ago... but you caught me slippin" ...if you're Syracuse

Middle Tennessee vs Michigan State- "Don't stop believing"

UT vs UNI - " UT slips up... AGAIN in the NCAA tournament..."


Day 3:

Kentucky vs Indiana - "Man, if we had our 2015-2016 team... this would've been a cake walk"... if you're Kentucky.

Gonzaga vs Utah- "Welp, Gonzaga is a dangerous team in the tournament, again... SHOCKER !"

Tobias Harris Headlines Round 1 of the Trade deadline ...

The Trade deadline is approaching so let the game begin... ha right ?

1st deal:              
Tobias Harris----->Detriot Pistons
                       for
Brandon Jennings-----> Orlando Magic
Ersan Ilyasova------->Orlando Magic

2nd deal: (three team deal)
Courtney Lee------> Charlotte Hornets
                       for 
P.J. Hairston------->Memphis Grizzlies
Chris Anderson------>Memphis Grizzlies
                       for 
Brian Roberts------> Miami Heat

Why the Media needs to be Sensitive to the Emotional aspect of sports ...

SPORTS INVOLVE EMOTIONS ... As a member of the media we need to do a better job in embracing and welcoming the humanistic aspect of sports ... I understand were suppose to be unbiased but at the same time ... we cover sports which are driven on at least 50% emotion...It's not a maturity thing...its a SENSITIVITY issue... Its not Biased to be Sensitive! ...Adding to that as a journalist you don't get Great responses during these post game loses anyways ... no matter how you word the question.. so... It's a lose lose situation ... lets as a collective group (media) be a little more sensitive to our expectations of our subjects following a huge lose or a tough play/quarter....

"The Match-up" of Race in Society vs Sports

 Previous Article Continued ....

Gosh Race? Again Race? (sarcastically)Well yes, Race unfortunately is a huge part of how we see individuals in American culture and thus has translated to being a huge focal point of the quarterback match-up for this years Superbowl.

We as people, African Americans, carry a lot of emotions and wear our hearts on our sleeves similarly to athletes. Cam Newton, an African American man and football player relates to both the emotional history of African Americans in this country and the emotions over the course of a game. In Cam Newtons case, his comments suggest he doesn't want to step on any toes because of his true feelings surrounding how the African American quarterback is viewed by the media.

With his platform, he can address anything he wants and it doesn't have to be purely racial issues. If you imply race is an important part of who (Cam) you are (rightfully)... you shouldn't shy away from giving some context of the history of your people at that position... the good and bad...regardless if people will use your personal experiences against you.
 
I want to EMPOWER him, with the platform he has... he shouldn't care about what the white, purple, or green man will say about his personal feelings because they will have something to say regardless! If he were to speak directly from his heart about the way African American males are looked at by society and at the quarterback position people would be forced to shut up and listen and take note.

The issue I have with the comments he made last week, he left it up to the readers discretion to analyze the importance of him mentioning "African American" vs. the fact he is "6'5" or "Athletic". Think about it this way...

"I am a SHORT person, and some people might feel some type of way". *Puts on Journalist hat* the first thing I would ask is... why are you just mentioning one aspect of your physical being and not any other. Why didn't you say "I am a writer" that is also one facet of you. The importance of "SHORT" being in caps and mentioned explicitly instead of any other attribute is left to be interpreted by the reader.

  And so ...

Many African Americans knew exactly what he meant but many African Americans are not the majority of NFL fans. If you're going to specifically mention race in your statement you have to give context and background on the importance of mentioning it over your other attributes. If people pick you apart because you explain the importance of mentioning you are African American then so be it... at the end of the day there is no grey area or area in which they can assume anything.

I have no problem with the statement because I feel the statement itself is true. What I do have an issue with...is the context of the statement. As I stated before, Cam Newton knows better then anyone else in the NFL... he has been given an opportunity that many black quarterbacks would have loved. To have a coach and owner that backs you 100 % since day one is something Vince Young would have loved. The context of the statement wasn't "clear cut" it was left up to the fan, writer, journalist... whomever...to interpret the importance of the mentioning "African American" to their choosing. That is what I challenge him and any others that have the platform and willingness to express themselves to do...EXPLAIN...