A Good Draft

Brow Down.

HOLY $#!! I’M ALIVE!!!

It’s been a minute I know but I had to come back on the night of the biggest draft since 2003.

I’m not into basketball like I used to be, but I’ve been looking forward to this draft since last May when the Cavaliers got lucky in one of the worst drafts in recent memory. The possible names that were available for this draft were like a basketball purist’s wet dream. Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones, Terrance Jones, Harrison Barnes and Jeremy Lamb were just the tip of the iceberg. These guys were sophomores that we knew were coming out and after seeing them in their first year in college we thought that they could all get better.

Add that to the McDonald’s All-Americans that had the possibility of being one and done (Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal) and we were looking at the deepest draft since 2003 where we had three superstars (Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade), several other big contributors (Chris Bosh, Nick Collison, David West and Kirk Hinrich) and a gaggle of role players that can make a difference on any team in the league.

A funny thing happened on the road to the Prudential Center though, not that we should be surprised. Perry Jones became fragile, Barnes fizzled, so did Lamb, Sullinger’s back cost him, oh and Dion Waiters, Tyler Zeller and Damian Lillard balled out.

The sure things don’t look so sure anymore, the draft doesn’t seem like it has the cant miss players that we all thought. There are question marks all up and down the draft once we get past Anthony Davis (who still needs a refined offensive game to match his foolish defensive skills) all the way into the late first round.

Some players have fallen farther than anyone could’ve thought and some guys are rising that we had no idea could rise.

One thing is for sure, man there are no foreign players anywhere to be found.

Outside of Evan Fourier the foreign expansion is bleak. The boom in foreign expansion that came in the 2000’s looks like it’s all dried up. It’s so bad I haven’t even seen ESPN’s Chad Ford hyping up a guy that we nothing about from some third world country… WHAT’S THE DRAFT COMING TO?!

So now that it’s finally here, how do I think it’s going to go? You all know me, I’m not conventional, so keep that in mind as we go through picks 1-30 and even throw in the Knicks 48^thpick for fun. (Because you know in the deepest draft in 10 years the Knicks don’t have a first round pick thanks to Isaiah Thomas who hasn’t even worked in the organization in close to 4 years… I hate the Knicks.)

Who are you?

1. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS: ANTHONY DAVIS, PF, KENTUCKY

The NBA rigged pick (oops, did I go there?) is the only real no brainer in the first round. Anybody that watched 2 seconds of college basketball knows that Davis is the real deal. He’s tall with a huge wingspan, can run the floor, pass and well there’s his defense. Led the nation in blocks and made it look easy. Davis instantly becomes one of the best interior defenders in the game and helps the Hornets add 10-15 wins in year one. He needs to develop more of an inside offensive game but so did Lebron James and… well… look what happened.

2. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: BRADLEY BEAL, SG, FLORIDA

Yeah, the Hornets trade this pick for more picks (because they need help everywhere) and the Cavs get the type of guard that will take some of the offensive pressure off of Kyrie Irving. Beal is one of the big risers who started off as a late first rounder at the beginning of the season but his stock just kept climbing.

He has an NBA ready body and a Ray Allen type of game. He needs to improve defensively but you can’t pass up a guy who can possibly score 23 points a game.

3. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: HARRISON BARNES, SF, NORTH CAROLINA

He’s not, the second coming of Kobe Bryant like we thought, he can’t find his own shot and he shrunk in big moments at UNC. But Barnes has a high IQ, super athletic and brings some sort of continuity and stability to a team that desperately needs it.

4. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS: THOMAS ROBINSON, PF, KANSAS

Man… I love T-Rob. He’s big, strong, can rebound, score face up and back to the basket and is a leader. Man… I love T-Rob.

5. SACRAMENTO KINGS: MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST, SF, KENTUCKY

So apparently being a poor shooter overlooks the fact that, a. he’s a gym rat and a psychotically hard worker, b. has won on every level that he’s played, c. is the best on ball defender in this draft, d. can get to the rim at will and runs the floor better than anyone in this draft. That’s enough reason to drop him from number 2 to number 5 or lower… ok, gotcha.

6. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS: DAMIAN LILLARD, PG, WEBER STATE

I’m not even going to lie to you, I know nothing about him, haven’t seen him play and don’t know why he’s ranked this high when he’s never played in the NCAA tournament, never played a top 25 team and is apparently a 6-1 shoot first point guard. Good luck Portland!

7. HOUSTON ROCKETS: ANDRE DRUMMOND, C, CONNECTICUT

Yeah this seems like a reach I know, but Houston is hell bent on getting into the lottery to try and entice Orlando into a trade for Dwight Howard (which by the way is completely stupid on Houston’s part) so once that fails why not fill a need and draft Andre Drummond. Drummond at one point was considered the top pick in the draft. However, questions about his motor and offensive game have soured scouts on him.

Let’s be real though, Drummond is a shot blocking machine in the NBA. He can rebound like crazy and who doesn’t need an improved offensive game in this league. Drummond to me can become a great center and pairing with Kevin McHale, who was a pretty good big man in his day, can help him reach that potential really fast. It’s a risk but hell, go for it.

8. TORONTO RAPTORS: DION WAITERS, SG, SYRACUSE

I’ve heard people say he has a lot of D-Wade in his game, some say that he is a glorified sixth man. I think Waiters is the second sure thing in this draft after Davis. Waiters is the type of player that lives for the big moment and excels in crunch time. With Waiters in Toronto I think they could become a playoff team… once they start playing defense.

9. DETROIT PISTONS: MEYERS LEONARD, C, ILLINOIS

This has bust written all over it. Leonard has risen up the boards recently but he doesn’t seem ready to bang down low with big boys yet until he puts on some weight and rebounds better.

10. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS: AUSTIN RIVERS, SG, DUKE

Go ahead and pass on him… you’ll be sorry.

 

Ok, so I’m a Duke fan, I watched “Sub-Zero” play all year, nothing about him impressed me at all. He’s a ball hog, who shoots too much, plays no defense and due to his size is going to have to play some point guard in the league, which I don’t think he can do because he doesn’t pass. I understand that the Duke team he played for was offensively challenged to say the least but he’s not the type of guy that makes his team better. He’s a streak shooter that’s a liability in numerous areas.

But New Orleans needs a scorer with Eric Gordon leaving so what the hell? Try him out.

11. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: TYLER ZELLER, C, NORTH CAROLINA

I think people are sleeping hard on Zeller. He’s not the most athletic guy in the world but he can be asset on defense and block shots and rebound. He’s not a stiff like Leonard.

12. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: TERRANCE JONES, PF, KENTUCKY

Is he a 3; is he a 4, will his on court body language improve? Look, he’s a good defender; the Warriors need defense, badly. Start him at the 3, let him roam with David Lee and Andrew Bogut and win a few more games because you don’t allow 106 a night. Makes sense?

13. PHOENIX SUNS: JEREMY LAMB, SG, CONNECTICUT

He disappeared in that dreadful end to UCONN’s season last year. By himself he can’t carry a team but when paired with a good point guard he can do wonders. If the Suns can bring back Aaron Brooks this will be a great pick.

14. MILWAUKEE BUCKS: JOHN HENSON, PF, NORTH CAROLINA

Congrats Milwaukee you get the cousin of Brendan Wright and the second cousin of Ed Davis, a tall lanky “power forward” would crack a playoff teams top 8 players. Good job.

15. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: PERRY JONES III, SF, BAYLOR

You all know how I feel about PJ3; he’s a complimentary player with the motor of a model T Ford. If Perry Jones wants to be great he can be, but it’s going to be hell to get him going. Maybe Doug Collins is the guy to do it, who knows.

16. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: MOE HARKLESS, SF, ST. JOHN’S

Picture a 3 on 1 break with Steph Curry running the break. Klay Thompson on one side and Moe Harkless on the other… no proceed to tremble with fear 6 or 7 times a game.

17. DALLAS MAVERICKS: TERRANCE ROSS, SG, WASHINGTON

6-7 wingman that can fill it up and bring energy… Dirk approves.

18. HOUSTON ROCKETS: QUINCY MILLER, SF, BAYLOR

When I saw him play in November I immediately fell in love. An ACL injury limited him after January but once healthy Miller is an asset on both ends of the floor.

19. ORLANDO MAGIC: MARQUIS TEAGUE, PG, KENTUCKY

Teague improved his stock in the NCAA tournament and looks like a very good starting  point guard that can average 15 and 9 in the league.

20. DENVER NUGGETS: KENDALL MARSHALL, PG, NORTH CAROLINA

At one point he was a top 10 pick, then we realized that he’s slower than molasses. He should be a good backup to Ty Lawson

21. BOSTON CELTICS: ROYCE WHITE, I DON’T KNOW WHAT POSITION HE’S GOING TO PLAY BUT WHATEVER IT IS HE’LL GIVE TEAMS NIGHTMARES, IOWA STATE

He’s big, strong, athletic and has anxiety disorder. Kevin Garnett can’t wait to get him into camp.

22. BOSTON CELTICS: JARED SULLINGER, PF, OHIO STATE

Have fun dealing with him the next ten years.

 

He’s red flagged for having a bad back and possible weight problems… so?

Sullinger is the best back to the basket player in this draft. He gets after it defensively, rebounds well and has more low post moves than Dwight Howard. He has a refined game that fits in the league and could average 17 & 10 a game. I know there are health risks, but look at his tape at Ohio State, he’s a gamer, a big time player no matter the situation. If you pass on Sullinger you’ll be sorry and if he falls here or further to a contender that needs low post scoring (OKC) you’ll really be sorry.

23. ATLANTA HAWKS: ARNETT MOULTRIE, PF, MISSISSIPPI STATE

Not the biggest fan of his game but he has size and can rebound. After losing Al Horford this year the Hawks need more insurance.

24. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS: JEFFREY TAYLOR, SF, VANDERBILT

The Bobcats continue to add pieces with the 6-7 athletic defender from Vandy

25. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: JOHN JENKINS, SG, VANDERBILT

Well O.J. Mayo, it’s been fun… here’s the door.

26. INDIANA PACERS: DORON LAMB, SG, KENTUCKY

The Pacers need outside scoring, badly Lamb is a great shooter with penetration skills and should be able to help Indiana immediately

27. MIAMI HEAT: FAB MELO, C, SYRACUSE

OH MY GOD, MIAMI ACTUALLY HAS A CENTER?! LET’S THROW A CELEBRATION!!

28. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: DREW GORDON, PF, NEW MEXICO

Kind of a reach but OKC needs another big body and even though he’s raw offensively he can be developed.

29. CHICAGO BULLS: TONY WROTEN JR, PG/SG, WASHINGTON

The Bulls need a fill in for Derrick Rose until he’s healthy. Wroten can play both guard spots and gets to the rim a lot.

30. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: DRAYMOND GREEN, PF, MICHIGAN STATE

Good size and strength for Golden State to play around with.

Well there you have it. Months of anticipation, speculation and revelation have brought us to this night. It’s going to be interesting to see where everyone goes and if this draft will be as good as we said it would be in years to come.

As for the Knicks:

48. NEW YORK KNICKS: KHRIS MIDDLETON, SF, TEXAS A&M

Last year he was a late lottery first rounder, this year thanks to injury he falls deep into the second round.

Even the Knicks could get a gem in this draft. Maybe it will be worth the wait and worth my first blog in a few months.

A Night To Forget

So how does it feel to be the number one pick in the worst draft ever?

My buddy Will and I were trying to convince ourselves that the 2011 NBA Draft was going to be ok. While every expert, critic and pundit was convinced that this would be one of the worst drafts ever Will and I saw hidden gems all over the place.

We liked both Morris twins’ talents in the paint and in the post, we thought Kenneth Faried was going to be a beast of a defensive stud, I had my man crush on Kemba Walker and he had his on Marshon Brooks.

Realistically Will and I knew that there weren’t any superstars in this draft. To us this was a key role player draft. If you are building a championship contender then this is the draft where you get your bench guys, your energy guys, players like that.

So while the entire world thought that this draft would be a complete dud, Will and I tuned in just to see how things would turn out and see what good things could come from each pick (that and Will is a Cleveland fan so you knew he was geared up regardless).

What did we get?… well?…

NO.1: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS- KYRIE IRVING, PG, DUKE

It made the most sense. The Cavs need a future point guard especially when Baron Davis loses interest again real soon. Is it a slam dunk? Well Irving played 11 games and there are still doubts about his injured foot… whatever. Will was happy… for the moment.

NO.2: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES- DERRICK WILLIAMS, F, ARIZONA

Do I like Williams? Yes, I mean did you see the Duke game in the NCAA tournament? Here’s what I don’t like; Minnesota’s forwards are currently Wes Johnson, Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, Williams, Anthony Randolph and Martell Webster. Plus there is the question of is Williams a 3 or a 4. Also there is Ricky Rubio… AAAAAHHHHH! HEADACHE!!!

NO. 3: UTAH JAZZ- ENES KANTER, C, TURKEY

Kanter is tall, skilled and cocky. He has a great offensive skill set (something Andrei Kirelenko doesn’t have) and can play defense (something that Al Jefferson doesn’t know the meaning of). Yet it doesn’t solve the issue at point guard there.

NO. 4: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS- TRISTAN THOMPSON, F, TEXAS

Jay Bilas says that Thompson needs to learn how to play and how to score… yet he’s the fourth best player in the draft… um?

(Will was so heated that he took a shot of Jack and stewed over the pick. I don’t know why though, they picked a game less, scoreless forward. You’d be happy about that right?)

NO. 5: TORONTO RAPTORS- JONAS VALANCIUNAS, C, LITUANIA

Hmmm, a 7’1” center that is soft, shoots jumpers and can’t play defense… don’t they have one of those already?

NO. 6: WASHINGTON WIZARDS- JAN VESELY, F, CZECH REPUBLIC

The number 6 pick in the draft, and that as your girlfriend... WINNING!!

According to the tapes the dude can ball. But who cares about that, did you see his girlfriend? Victory.

NO. 7: CHARLOTTE BOBCATS- BISMACK BIYAMBO, F, CONGO

He’s Serge Ibaka with no offensive game. However, Ibaka is a pretty good defensive player and judging from Biyambo’s tape so will he.

(Side note: did you notice that 5 of the first 7 players taken in the draft were foreign? Maybe those quotes about college basketball being at a low point were true after all.)

NO. 8: DETROIT PISTONS- BRANDON KNIGHT, G, KENTUCKY

I’ll be honest with you, I like Knight more than I like Irving. I think Knight is a clutch player who isn’t afraid of the moment (as shown versus Ohio State), and unlike Irving I saw enough of Knight to make this assumption. Getting Knight at 8 even though his jumper is sketchy is a steal for the Pistons.

NO. 9: CHARLOTTE BOBCATS- KEMBA WALKER, PG, UCONN

You doubt him, you say he’s too small, he has knee issues, can his body take a beating, after watch Kemba this season trust when I say there is not a thing that he can’t do. He’s going to kill it, just wait.

NO. 10: SACRAMENTO KINGS- JIMMER FREDETTE, G, BYU

The Kings expect him to save their franchise, is this before or after a) he and Tyreke Evans fight over who shoots the ball 30 times a game and only hit 35% of their shots, b) DeMarcus Cousins stabs him for taking too many bad shots (and not getting him the ball) and c) he gets owned by every, EVERY guard in the league? Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

NO.11: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS- KLAY THOMPSON, G, WASHINGTON STATE

1. I like the pick because he is so smooth offensively, but can he play defense?
2. Um… what about not trading Monta Ellis?
3. Don’t the Warriors have enough shooters?

(This draft just started to upset me right after this pick)

NO. 12: UTAH JAZZ- ALEC BURNS, G, COLORADO

Can’t play defense, can’t shoot, still a work in progress. You think Jerry Sloan is happy that he retired or is that just me?

(By the way… why hasn’t Kawhi Leonard been picked yet?)

NO. 13: PHOENIX SUNS- MARKIEFF MORRIS, F, KANSAS

He fits their offensive style of play and he can play defense. Plus the Suns continue their run of picking brothers. Robin Lopez in 08, Taylor Griffin in 09 and a Morris this year, maybe next year they get a Wear brother or a Plumlee.

NO. 14: HOUSTON ROCKETS- MARCUS MORRIS, F, KANSAS

Something is telling me that this won't work out for either side.

This facebook status is brought to you by my brother Kareem:

Isn’t the worst father’s day gift ever watching the kid you left 20 years ago

Get picked in the NBA draft?

NO. 15: SAN ANTONIO SPURS- KAWHI LEONARD, F, SAN DIEGO STATE

The Spurs start their rebuilding process with the super athletic forward who has hands the size of a cinderblock and a huge vertical. Plus they have someone to replace the corpse formerly known as Richard Jefferson.

NO. 16: PHILADELPHIA 76ERS- NIKOLA VUCEVIC, F, USC

The only thing I want to know is how much money he got while playing there. I’m joking… but seriously, how much?

NO. 17: NEW YORK KNICKS- IMAN SHUMPERT, G, GEORGIA TECH

So, let me show you how much everyone associated with the Knicks hated this pick:

The fans booed, loudly.

Spike Lee stared into deep space with an emotionless expression as if someone told him Denzel Washington just dissed him in a rap song.

Will sent me these texts messages:

Knicks on the clock.

Ummmmmm….ummmmmm… ummmmm… no comment

Wow. don’t talk.

Just be quiet and point to your mouth.

Wow I thought Tristan was a reach.

Carmelo Anthony tweeted: “Goodnight. I’m out.”

Now I don’t know what Carmelo was referring to, but I KNOW WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO!

Then there was me. All I could say was IMAN “F*****” SHUMPERT!

Yep. A two guard that can’t shoot. However he apparently is a good defender. So was Corey Brewer and look what happened to him after the Knicks got him. I hate the Knicks.

NO. 18: WASHINGTON WIZARDS- CHRIS SINGLETON, F, FLORIDA STATE

NO.19: MILWAUKEE BUCKS- TOBIAS HARRIS, G, TENNESSEE

NO. 20: HOUSTON ROCKETS- DONATAS MONTIEJUNAS, PF, LITHUANIA

Honestly I had to go back to look at picks 18-20 because I blacked out in a rage after the Knicks pick. Then when I went back and saw the Singleton pick I got mad again.

I hate the Knicks.

NO. 21: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS- NOLAN SMITH, G, DUKE

A nice pick for Portland especially with them about to show Andre Miller the door, now if they can find a consistent shooter.

NO. 22: DENVER NUGGETS- KENNETH FARIED, F, MOREHEAD STATE

So to recap; the Nuggets in the span of 4 months took the two shooters the Knicks desperately need (Danilo Galinari and Wilson Chandler) a center who could develop into a pretty good player (Timofey Mozgov) and drafted the player that I wanted the Knicks to get most in Faried. Shoot me.

NO. 23: CHICAGO BULLS- NIKOLA MIROTIC, PF, SPAIN

And this is the text that made both Will and I throw in the towel with this draft courtesy of Will himself:

This draft is awful.

Yep. We gave up. There were players going to teams in places that honestly made no sense not to mention that not many of these kids will have an immediate impact.

Valanciunas won’t be in Toronto for another year, the Kings have too many shooters, the Jazz still don’t have a reliable point guard, and the Cavs second pick was basically thrown away. This draft was pathetic. Even the biggest optimist has to admit this. Will and I tried to take this draft for what it was worth and we failed. Even the trades were bogus. Couldn’t the Lakers or Heat have traded for Dwight Howard or something to save this draft?

NO.24: OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER- REGGIE JACKSON, G, BOSTON COLLEGE

I hate the Knicks.

Insurance just in case Kevin Durant stabs Russell Westbrook in his sleep for taking too many shots.

NO. 25: NEW JERSEY NETS- MARSHON BROOKS, G, PROVIDENCE

Deron Williams just thanked god. He finally has an offensive threat to pass to.

NO. 26: DENVER NUGGETS- JORDAN HAMILTON, F, TEXAS

Wait, wasn’t he a better product at Texas than Thompson? How did he fall this far in this draft?

NO. 27: BOSTON CELTICS- JAJUAN JOHNSON, F, PURDUE

There’s that big man that Boston needed in the playoffs…

NO. 28: HOUSTON ROCKETS- NORRIS COLE, G, CLEVELAND STATE

If he cuts the flattop he should be demoted to the D League immediately.

NO. 29: SAN ANTONIO SPURS- CORY JOSEPH, G, TEXAS

Was it a reach? Yes. However, how many times have the Spurs found a diamond in the rough in the draft. just saying.

NO. 30: CHICAGO BULLS- JIMMY BUTLER, F, MARQUETTE

Feel good story and a guy that could give them an offensive lift off of the bench.

Why did I run through the last 7 picks? Well one Will and I stopped caring after no. 23 and honestly no one should blame us.

In the end the critics and analysts were right, this draft was terrible and it should be extradited from our brain cells forever and ever.

If only I could do that with the Knicks and their draft pick.

Your Wacky Week In Sports Recap

The Isner-Mahut match was one of the many crazy things to happen this week

And you thought that once the NBA Finals ended that sports would go into a deep sleep with the long slumber of the baseball season, oh what little you knew.

The annual conception of sports is that once David Stern’s rig-a-thon of a finals ends yearly in June that we just sit around and twitter our thumbs until the baseball trade deadline then football season begins.

Tennis isn’t as big as it once was, golf lulls you to sleep (Tiger or not) and NASCAR—well NASCAR isn’t a sport. So there is baseball and when you talk to people they all have complaints about the length of games, season, the lacking continuous wow factor and just the slowness of the sport in general. So honestly the 6 weeks between the end of the NHL and NBA playoffs and the beginning of NFL training camps are usually repetitive, slow and boring… then this week happened.

It looked like just a normal week for sports fans; two drafts (NHL and NBA), interleague baseball, Wimbledon Tennis, the U.S. Open and World Cup soccer. Nothing big, the names all match the faces, you know what happens, who wins, loses, etc. There was a huge curveball thrown this way this week, weird things were happening everywhere to the point that if you turned away from your TV you probably missed seven different things in an hour.

SUNDAY

Tiger was in striking distance at the U.S. Open as was Phil Mickelson yet Dustin Johnson was the headliner heading into the final round. At 6 under, Johnson held a 3 shot lead over Grahame McDowell and a 5 shot advantage over a lurking Tiger. Then he threw it all away in three holes on Sunday and finished with a final round 82. Johnson buckled under the pressure with triple and double bogeys on no.2 and 3. He was so bad the NBC golf analyst caught fire this week for saying that Johnson wasn’t using his brain during his meltdown… OOPS!

McDowell wasn’t exactly stellar either; he finished at even for the tournament after a final round 74 to become the first European golfer to win the open since Tony Jacklin 40 years earlier. Yep Colin Montgomery never did it, nor Nick Faldo, or Paddy Harrington.

It was also the tournament that may have ended the notion that Tiger Woods is the most feared player on the planet. That tends to happen when you go from totally focused to whining about the holes to anyone that listens, and blasting your caddie in public. Apparently Tiger lost some since of class when he lost half of his money.

MONDAY

The Federer fiasco.

If Federer wanted people to pipe down about his fading skills, then this was not the way to do it. His near collapse is only topped by his opponents. Alejandro Palla had Federer beat, twice. He had the opportunity to break Federer for the match twice in the third set and he blew it. He eventually went on to lose in five sets including a 6-0 beat down in set five. Palla could’ve pulled off one of tennis’s biggest upsets; instead he is a great dinner date for Dustin Johnson this week.

Then there was the Phil Jackson conundrum in L.A. during their parade. Jackson skipped out on the festivities for a previous doctor’s appointment that he said he couldn’t reschedule. Keep in mind that he’s Phil Jackson; he could do whatever he wanted when he wanted. You couldn’t get a doctor’s appointment rescheduled? I’m broke and I get appointments redone all the time.

There couldn’t have been a more telling sign that Jackson is on way to retirement. This might be his way of riding off into the sunset like a lone cowboy. He could’ve done it in a less discreet way, maybe.

In a side note, the Yankees continued their plan to kill their young starters by skipping Phil Hughes because he’s pitching too many innings. Ask Joba Chamberlain how that worked out for him.

(Also Hughes is 10-1 with a 3.13 ERA! He’s the best pitcher on the staff right now. Yet he gets skipped for a start and A.J. Burnett continued his implosion by allowing 7 earned runs on Monday for his umpteenth unimpressive start lately. I’m starting to wonder if Jeffrey Luria knew what he was doing when he fired Joe Girardi…)

TUESDAY

… Until he fired Fredi Gonzalez Tuesday after their win against the Orioles. Luria says that he feels that the Marlins have every necessary tool to compete in the NL East. Yes Jeff except that you have no bullpen, no reliable cleanup hitter and no reliable starters that are not named Josh Johnson. Very true.

WEDNESDAY

Landon Donovan Saved the U.S. yet again

Wednesday was exhausting. I had to start a new job Wednesday and the was the least exciting thing in my life on that day.

First off U.S. soccer almost got jobbed again by a ref in their game versus Algeria. Clint Dempsey got the Maurice Edu treatment when a phantom offside call robbed him of a goal early in their match. Added to that was the pressure that England placed on the Americans. Jermaine Dafoe’s goal in the 23^rd minute against Slovenia placed the U.S. squarely on the edge of elimination where it stayed until the extra time of the second half. Then after an amazing outlet pass from keeper Tim Howard Landon Donovan saved our hopes of a World Cup title with a rebound put back that put the U.S. up 1-0 and into the knockout round on Saturday against Ghana. Easily the greatest goal scored in U.S. Soccer history. The feeling was amazing for a nation that isn’t easily influenced by soccer but loves a champion. Even I was speechless as Donovan saved the U.S. in the second straight match when all hope seemed lost.

That reminds me; doesn’t this team reek of destiny? Let’s be real, the U.S. should easily be eliminated with one point as they are the winners of their group. Their slow starts against England and Slovenia could’ve easily been losses if not for Robert Green’s butter fingers or Michael Bradley’s right place right time goal. For all of the talk of the U.S. being screwed out of goals, we have just as easily lucked into two or three of them. Makes you wonder what will happen next on Saturday.

That brings us to after the match and the wonders of the American language. My buddy Will Whatley introduced me to a word called fooleywang a while ago. He uses it to describe certain instances of ridiculousness that you view on a daily basis. It’s a play on foolishness, and adjective, here it is used in a sentence; the match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut on Wednesday was pure fooleywang. How does that happen? When Wimbledon instituted that they would have no tiebreakers in the fifth set of their men’s matches they couldn’t have possibly expected this.

I began paying attention to the match at around 30-29 Isner. Which turned into 34-33, 38-38, 40-39 and then I began to wonder, is this ever going to end?

It was pure will and endurance by both Isner and Mahut. They just couldn’t break each other to take control of the match. When Isner pulled back for an ace, Mahut followed. Winner after winner, ace after ace neither man was budging. Isner had three chances at match point but each time Mahut fought back with a great first serve and winner to keep his hopes alive. The crowd at the 18^th court went from 100 people to 1000 with spectators stopping to watch the epic fifth set for hours, not budging for anything. They watched Isner and Mahut battle like prize fighters praying to make it to the next round.

The most telling point of the match came when Mahut dove for a ball well out of reach and watching his racket fly across the court in agony. He just wanted it so badly. He didn’t want to lose. Who would? When you’re on a court for ten hours and still at a draw you can’t lose. Both men took it to the extreme and both finally gave in as darkness set in and it was clear that they would need another day to settle this epic. 59-59 after two days, 150 aces and ten hours of tennis, still no winner. In other words I started a new job, wrote a blog, cleaned my room, Germany won soccer match, the Reds reclaimed first place and one tennis match didn’t end. Wow.

Then after that hockey just had to make no sense at all. The Blackhawks traded 3 of their most important role players due to financial restrictions Ben Eager, Brent Sopel and Dustin Byfuglien… DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN!?!?!?! You mean the guy that made Kane and Toews fly, the guy that scored eleven goals and five winners in the playoffs you traded him! Really?

I understand that the market isn’t great now and you have to save money, but to trade your third best forward and most important force on offense? Really Rocky? Byfuglien is going to command lots of money next offseason based on his clutch performing in these playoffs which meant the Hawks couldn’t afford him anymore. Byfuglien’s big body and presence will be missed but in these economic times you’ve got to do what you got to do to save money. I just don’t get trading one of your most beloved players. Makes no sense, sort of like Henrik Sedin winning MVP over Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby, but I digress.

Thursday

The sad afterlife of Lawrence Taylor continued.

Lawrence Taylor was officially indicted on felony sexual assault charges for having sex with a 16 year-old prostitute; if this wasn’t rock bottom for LT then I couldn’t tell you what it will be. Funny thing is that two months ago at the NFL Draft Taylor was all smiles speaking about what the Giants needed to get back to on defense, and his legacy. Now Taylor’s latest misstep just punctuates what has been a mess of a post career.

I’ll never understand why Taylor continues with this type of behavior when it has caused so many problems including his Hall of Fame selection. He never learned when it was a good time to slow down. Even when it seemed like he was getting it, he didn’t. You’ve got to wonder if the judge will put an official end to this behavior with a lengthy sentence that will all but end with LT being a shell of the person that we once knew as the most feared man in football.

Then there was a bore of a NBA Draft, well except Wesley Johnson’s pants those were the most exciting things of the evening. Except for Utah reaching for Gordon Haywood at 9 (insert racial joke here) and the Grizzlies reaching even higher for Greivis Vazquez at 28 the draft was highly irrelevant because it was just a set-up for free agency.

Think about it, Miami traded out of the first round to save money as did Chicago. The Knicks did their prep work by packaging deals out of the next two drafts for this year’s free agency period. Really all the draft was, was just an appetizer for July 1^st. teams close to contention clearing room for Bron and Wade or Bosh or Amar’e or Dirk. Teams don’t just want one star they want two because they believe that will put them over the top.

David Stern for all of his lauding about how he wants Bron to stay in Cleveland because it would be better for the league is facing a huge problem, and that is the competitive balance of the league. Really the league is just 6 good teams with everyone else there for fun factor. You don’t expect Golden State or Indiana to contend for anything anytime soon, it makes the league less relevant and makes the draft a sham.

Think about this for a second; Dwyane Wade and LeBron James set a precedent by signing shorter deals 3 years ago to get to free agency with no strings attached quicker, pretty much they now dictate who they want to play for. Who’s to say 6 years from now John Wall DeMarcus Cousins and Wesley Johnson won’t do the same and put Minnesota, Sacramento and Washington in similar situations like the one they are in now? Stern has to find a way to make the league more competitive so teams like New Orleans and Memphis won’t feel like they can’t compete with larger scale teams because of their attraction.

(But will Stern do it? Of course not. He’s more concerned with that $400 million dollar debt his league is in. not knowing that spreading the balance will help alleviate some of that debt.)

Oh and Isner-Mahut just ended 70-68 Isner. Eleven hours, 220 aces, 1000 points won, 183 games, an 8 hour 30 minute fifth set and finally a winner.

FRIDAY

• Quickies from weeks end: Clijsters-Henin match setup for Monday
• Rasheed Wallace retires. Referees rejoice.
• Carlos Zambrano threw a fit in the dugout after getting hammered in the first inning against the Chisox. He got suspended and rightfully so. I love Zambrano but his temper is ridiculous. The guy has to find a way to slow himself down and regain his form before he finds himself out of baseball.
• Taylor Hall was the number overall pick for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL Draft. Tyler Seguin was second for the Bruins.
• The Toronto Blue Jays host the Philadelphia Phillies… in Philadelphia. So you couldn’t play in another stadium in Canada, really? C’mon Son! You know that’s three extra home games for the Phils Bud. Don’t lie.
  

  Edwin Jackson threw another no-hitter, but who hasn't this year?

Oh yeah and Edwin Jackson threw a no-hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays— WITH 8 WALKS! Ok what should be the story here; a. the no-hitter itself, b. the fact that this is the fifth no-no of the season (yeah I’m still counting Armando Galarraga’s) or c. the fact that Tampa has been no hit three times in the last year?

I understand that no-hitters are a big deal, but come on 8 walks? That’s eight base runners plus a hit batter, that takes away from the luster of the no hitter big time. It’s still an accomplishment to not allow a hit over an entire outing but Jackson’s wildness makes it less of a big deal. The same goes for Ubaldo Jimenez’s 6 walk no-no in April. They weren’t great performances like the Halladay, Braden or Galarraga games because those guys were in complete control from start to finish. I think we make a big deal out of no-hitters because we never used to see them a lot, but now that were entering a pitcher’s era in the sport maybe we should hold up a higher standard of how to celebrate no-no’s because Jackson’s to me isn’t that big of a deal.

What is a big deal is the fact that there are all of these no-hitters flying around like hotcakes. With the steroid era being cleared away you have to wonder that the use of PED’s really did amp up the last 15 years of baseball’s run production, who knows how many more of these things we’ll have this year, 2? 4? It is highly possible.

And please Tampa, learn some plate discipline. 3 times in 140 games? You get a big Ed Lover C’mon Son!

Oh and today, Saturday there’s another A.J. Burnett start, U.S. versus Ghana, Rafa trying to avoid another five set meltdown and whatever else could possibly happen as a crazy happenstance in this crazy week of sports. Just stay tuned because you might miss something special.