I know I don't talk about this a whole lot, but I've reffed WAYYYY too many games over the past 10 summers or so. I'm sure that I'll have multiple reffing posts over the next few months, but I gotta post my first one based on a game that I didthis past weekend.
I was in Fort Wayne reffing a Run N Slam tournament, which are sponsored by the Spiece Fieldhouse. The Spiece is an 8-court mega gym in Fort Wayne which also has a great AAU program for boys and girls in Fort Wayne as well as in Indianapolis.
Generally speaking, the teams in the Spiece-related tourneys are approximately 4,123 times better than in any AYBT tourney, largely because the Spiece tourneys get AAU teams from across the country--in fact, I did 25 games this weekend in age groups from 6th to 11th graders and reffed teams from Wisconsin, Florida, Utah, and Iowa. Now, I'm not going to say whether or not a bunch of Utah 8th grade kids need to play in a tournament in Indiana, or why their parents think that's a good idea--not my kid, so I guess they can do what they want with their money.
The game I'll talk about was a game involving 9th graders between C-BIZ. a group of kids from the Columbus, OH area, and Indiana Elite, a NW Indiana AAU club's offshoot branch in the Fort Wayne area. The Elite team had a 6-7 lefty named DeShawn Thomas, who is rated as a top-3 freshman IN THE COUNTRY and has already been offered from a number of D-I's, including Ohio State. He is a flat-out stud with an advanced offensive game, but didn't defend very well in this game.
Elite's coach ended up being one of the classic overcoaching AAU screamers, and Thomas complained about EVERY call. My partner T'd the Elite's coach up (we were playing by HS rules), which meant he had to sit down the rest of the game. Of course he had never heard of the rule and thought we were making it up, because we have nothing better to do with our weekends than torture mediocre AAU coaches.
And needless to say, the Elite's parents were screaming fools. In fact, they actually have a reputation ALREADY as 9th grade parents as a group that has to be dealt with, so our site supervisor was lucky enough to sit in the stands and deal with their tired act all game long as well. I'll deal with this at length in a later post, but I simply don't understand why parents like that don't get the fact that the more they yell about EVERY SINGLE PLAY, the more their coach gets worked up, and the more their kids get worked up. To illustrate that fact, after the Elite's coach got T'd, he was quiet for roughly 10 minutes, just long enough for his kids to go on about a 20-4 run during which they just pounded the C-BIZ.
Well, Elite won the game by 5 or 6 points. Directly before the next game started, I see a large gentleman walking out of the stands toward me. At this point in the day, usually its a parent ready to direct their misplaced anger and ignorance toward the ref who made his kids' team miss all their free throws and layups.
But in a COMPLETE surprise, it ends up being CBS college basketball expert Clark Kellogg! His son played on the C-BIZ team, and completely unprompted, he came out of the stands to tell Ryan (my partner) and I how great a job we did in handling the game. His direct quote, "If I say something to anyone in the stands or at the event about the other team's parents, it's just like pouring gasoline on the fire."
It was my own personal One Shining Moment during a weekend of forgettable ones. Clark Kellogg is now my new favorite college basketball studio analyst.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Play the Lottery
I was absolutely transfixed by the lottery last night. My favorite part was watching nutjob Tommy Heinsohn's facial reaction when the Celtics' envelope was chosen at the #5 slot. At that spot, they are likely going to have to take a chance on a foreign dude, or an athlete with "tremendous upside" like Brandan Wright from UNC or Rush from Kansas.
I was also happy that the Pacers, Bucks, or Grizzle didn't get the top 2 spots for a variety of reasons, especially the fact that the Bucks, Celtics and Grizzle went into full-on tank mode late in the year.
Spurs may sweep the series. The Jazz simply aren't good enough perimeter defenders to slow Parker and Ginobili. No surprise that the Jazz (Giricek and Harpring) and Cavs (Pavlovic and Snow) have perimeter players that the other team can take advantage of, which will be both team's downfalls. Utah needs to address that position somehow if they will ever get the best out of Boozer-AK-Millsap-Deron Williams.
That's where the Pistons are so good--Tey Tey and Billups are great defenders at their positions, they can go to the zone, and Lindsay can come in and defend perimeter guys as well. Rip is, well, Rip, but at least he is someone that the other team has to account for on offense and he can make up for his below average defense by knocking down jumpers.
Busily packing for my trip home this June...lots of reffing, a pair of weddings and other very enjoyable things to do and see. Postings will become rather random, and the podcasting will happen when I get back to Cincy. Looking forward to coming home for awhile!
Today's Insane Person Award...
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2880144
Elijah Dukes, Devil Ray OF, reportedly broke into his girlfriend's middle school classroom last month and threatened to kill her.
My favorite quote..."I'm just going to play ball, that's it," Dukes told the newspaper. "I've got to go. I've got a video game to finish."
I've used this quote before on the phone, just never with a national sportswriter in answering whether or not I threated to kill a middle school teacher.
I was also happy that the Pacers, Bucks, or Grizzle didn't get the top 2 spots for a variety of reasons, especially the fact that the Bucks, Celtics and Grizzle went into full-on tank mode late in the year.
Spurs may sweep the series. The Jazz simply aren't good enough perimeter defenders to slow Parker and Ginobili. No surprise that the Jazz (Giricek and Harpring) and Cavs (Pavlovic and Snow) have perimeter players that the other team can take advantage of, which will be both team's downfalls. Utah needs to address that position somehow if they will ever get the best out of Boozer-AK-Millsap-Deron Williams.
That's where the Pistons are so good--Tey Tey and Billups are great defenders at their positions, they can go to the zone, and Lindsay can come in and defend perimeter guys as well. Rip is, well, Rip, but at least he is someone that the other team has to account for on offense and he can make up for his below average defense by knocking down jumpers.
Busily packing for my trip home this June...lots of reffing, a pair of weddings and other very enjoyable things to do and see. Postings will become rather random, and the podcasting will happen when I get back to Cincy. Looking forward to coming home for awhile!
Today's Insane Person Award...
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2880144
Elijah Dukes, Devil Ray OF, reportedly broke into his girlfriend's middle school classroom last month and threatened to kill her.
My favorite quote..."I'm just going to play ball, that's it," Dukes told the newspaper. "I've got to go. I've got a video game to finish."
I've used this quote before on the phone, just never with a national sportswriter in answering whether or not I threated to kill a middle school teacher.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
David Kircus representing GVFU well
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2878625
Apparently the former Laker blasted a dude in the face at a party after having 3 too many. Good for him...something tells me he won't be the last Brian Kelly product on the police blotter anytime soon.
My favorite sentence in the article...Kircus, who resumed his NFL career last season after spending a year away from football working in a fast-food shop, is free on $6,000 bail.
I hope that Helly somehow gets into shape and gets a spot on the Muskegon Indoor Arena Professional League (or whatever it's called) so I can read the following sentence in the Chronicle next year, "Helsen, who resumed his football career last season after spending 4 years away from the field balancing budgets and doing his friends' taxes,..."
LOTTERY TALK
My love for the NBA is well-known. I honestly am very much looking forward to the lottery, broadcast tonite at 8:30 on ESPN.
Simmons already brought up the best potential moment of the draft--when the #10 envelope is opened. If it says Bulls, then they've fleeced Isiah and the Knicks for a mid-lottery pick. If it says anything else...then the Bulls are in the top-3 of the lottery, which means Oden, Durant, or someone else who should immediately be a stud for them.
I'm not sure which one I'm rooting for. I think I want to see a non-Bulls logo, just so Isiah's face can be broadcast on every sports outlet for the next 24 hours.
Pistons have 2 first-round picks in the draft--theirs and Orlando's, which is the first pick outside of the lottery.
Apparently the former Laker blasted a dude in the face at a party after having 3 too many. Good for him...something tells me he won't be the last Brian Kelly product on the police blotter anytime soon.
My favorite sentence in the article...Kircus, who resumed his NFL career last season after spending a year away from football working in a fast-food shop, is free on $6,000 bail.
I hope that Helly somehow gets into shape and gets a spot on the Muskegon Indoor Arena Professional League (or whatever it's called) so I can read the following sentence in the Chronicle next year, "Helsen, who resumed his football career last season after spending 4 years away from the field balancing budgets and doing his friends' taxes,..."
LOTTERY TALK
My love for the NBA is well-known. I honestly am very much looking forward to the lottery, broadcast tonite at 8:30 on ESPN.
Simmons already brought up the best potential moment of the draft--when the #10 envelope is opened. If it says Bulls, then they've fleeced Isiah and the Knicks for a mid-lottery pick. If it says anything else...then the Bulls are in the top-3 of the lottery, which means Oden, Durant, or someone else who should immediately be a stud for them.
I'm not sure which one I'm rooting for. I think I want to see a non-Bulls logo, just so Isiah's face can be broadcast on every sports outlet for the next 24 hours.
Pistons have 2 first-round picks in the draft--theirs and Orlando's, which is the first pick outside of the lottery.
I'm glad I never gave Clinton Portis a puppy
I don't have a lot to say at this point about Pistons-Cavs, other than I nearly called the score at halftime (said 78-74 on the phone, you can look that 19 up)
It was an incredibly hard game to watch. Billups has problems against the Cavs because they can put Hughes (a taller, quicker defender) on him, and the Pistons' post players (except Cram Max) never actually roll to the rim on screen rolls. When this happens, Pavlovic guards Rip (which is why Hamilton actually looked aggressive offensively in the first half). And Eric Snow doesn't count as a good defender--there was a play in the 3rd quarter where Snow was aboot 7 feet away from the rim and Rasheed was BACKPEDALING away from him because he knew Snow was absolutely no threat to score.
Pavlovic was also at fault for the Pistons' last FG of the game--looking at replays, you can see him barely moving toward Billups as he teed up a wide-open wing 3 in front of a screaming Mike Brown.
I can't imagine the Pistons playing worse offensively and winning a game. Not sure why they didn't give Flip Murray a chance in the first half, especially when they were so stagnant on offense. Also completely unclear why Bron Bron wouldn't at least look at the rim on that last play before kicking it out to Luda--I mean Donyell Marshall.
"I know a lot of back roads that have the dog fighting if you want to go see it,"
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2878099
Wow. With those words, Clinton Portis has blabbed his way into Hall of Fame enemy status for animal lovers everywhere.
Now, I'm all for letting a man do what a man wants to do inside his four walls. But seriously, dog fighting may not be the best hobby for an NFL QB to be a part of. Come on Mr. Mexico, how about playing the XBox? Landscaping? There have to be many other things to do with your time rather than (reportedly) letting your live-in cousin breed dogs for fighting.
It was an incredibly hard game to watch. Billups has problems against the Cavs because they can put Hughes (a taller, quicker defender) on him, and the Pistons' post players (except Cram Max) never actually roll to the rim on screen rolls. When this happens, Pavlovic guards Rip (which is why Hamilton actually looked aggressive offensively in the first half). And Eric Snow doesn't count as a good defender--there was a play in the 3rd quarter where Snow was aboot 7 feet away from the rim and Rasheed was BACKPEDALING away from him because he knew Snow was absolutely no threat to score.
Pavlovic was also at fault for the Pistons' last FG of the game--looking at replays, you can see him barely moving toward Billups as he teed up a wide-open wing 3 in front of a screaming Mike Brown.
I can't imagine the Pistons playing worse offensively and winning a game. Not sure why they didn't give Flip Murray a chance in the first half, especially when they were so stagnant on offense. Also completely unclear why Bron Bron wouldn't at least look at the rim on that last play before kicking it out to Luda--I mean Donyell Marshall.
"I know a lot of back roads that have the dog fighting if you want to go see it,"
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2878099
Wow. With those words, Clinton Portis has blabbed his way into Hall of Fame enemy status for animal lovers everywhere.
Now, I'm all for letting a man do what a man wants to do inside his four walls. But seriously, dog fighting may not be the best hobby for an NFL QB to be a part of. Come on Mr. Mexico, how about playing the XBox? Landscaping? There have to be many other things to do with your time rather than (reportedly) letting your live-in cousin breed dogs for fighting.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Dump Day Pride!
Ahhh, there's nothing like small-town traditions. Ravenna in May brings post-season high school tournaments. Prom & graduation day. Getting the clubs out and playing the Creeks. Yardwork and the fresh smell of manure wafting through the air.
For about the last 10 or so years, another tradition unlike any other (TM) has taken hold of Ravenna---DUMP DAY. To the untrained eye, Dump Day would simply be a chance for the village residents to throw out anything that they don't want that they garbage man won't take--washers, furniture, roofing tiles, you name it.
That, however, would be selling the night short. What Dump Day provides, besides the ability for people to throw out anything and not feel bad about overloading the Muskegon County landfill, is the chance for "normal" people to file thought people's junk and add to their own personal junk piles.
And don't for a second get a picture in your mind that the Dump Day shoppers are the unwashed types. There are many college graduates living in the greater Ravenna metro area who enjoy trolling the mean streets looking for anything that they might use. My sister was on the lookout for a "3-legged chair, a mattress without springs, or a table with no legs" for my next birthday present.
My mother, on Sunday, was a bit depressed after this year's Dump Day, as her junk was actually rejected by the garbage men. It wasn't that it was junk that wasn't good enough to be called junk, but rather she found out that they wouldn't take her half-used cans of old paint.
Helly and Al went out on the town on Friday night and came back emptyhanded, but Jason had a great theory regarding DD07, "It was a down year. I think everyone's pile was the stuff that they had taken from everyone else's piles over the past few years, so we need a year to recycle that stuff out and get some fresh stuff out there for next year."
That incredibly warped logic (which I understand completely) is what DD is all about--you gotta get out there and put in the leg work to fully experience what the tradition is all about.
Pistons-Cavs open tonight. Time for 2 solid weeks of me talking about how much I detest Varajeo and Damon Jones. Bring on the worst offensive sets in the NBA dressed in the ugliest road jerseys!
For about the last 10 or so years, another tradition unlike any other (TM) has taken hold of Ravenna---DUMP DAY. To the untrained eye, Dump Day would simply be a chance for the village residents to throw out anything that they don't want that they garbage man won't take--washers, furniture, roofing tiles, you name it.
That, however, would be selling the night short. What Dump Day provides, besides the ability for people to throw out anything and not feel bad about overloading the Muskegon County landfill, is the chance for "normal" people to file thought people's junk and add to their own personal junk piles.
And don't for a second get a picture in your mind that the Dump Day shoppers are the unwashed types. There are many college graduates living in the greater Ravenna metro area who enjoy trolling the mean streets looking for anything that they might use. My sister was on the lookout for a "3-legged chair, a mattress without springs, or a table with no legs" for my next birthday present.
My mother, on Sunday, was a bit depressed after this year's Dump Day, as her junk was actually rejected by the garbage men. It wasn't that it was junk that wasn't good enough to be called junk, but rather she found out that they wouldn't take her half-used cans of old paint.
Helly and Al went out on the town on Friday night and came back emptyhanded, but Jason had a great theory regarding DD07, "It was a down year. I think everyone's pile was the stuff that they had taken from everyone else's piles over the past few years, so we need a year to recycle that stuff out and get some fresh stuff out there for next year."
That incredibly warped logic (which I understand completely) is what DD is all about--you gotta get out there and put in the leg work to fully experience what the tradition is all about.
Pistons-Cavs open tonight. Time for 2 solid weeks of me talking about how much I detest Varajeo and Damon Jones. Bring on the worst offensive sets in the NBA dressed in the ugliest road jerseys!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Random thoughts on a Friday...
Tigers enter an interesting 9-game homestand today...struggling Cardinals come back to a chorus of boos, followed by the Angels, then the Central-leading Indians, who suddenly have the best starting staff in the division. The D managed to score a whopping 2 runs in a game yesterday in which they had seven doubles. That's tough to do.
Astros peed down their leg in the 12th last night, giving Lidge yet another loss. They have suddenly (kind of) righted the ship, thanks largely to a solid bullpen and the play of rookie CF Hunter Pence, and hopefuly Jason Jennings and Brandon Backe can get healthy soon. They host the Rangers in "Rivalry Weekend", then leave for 2 four-game road series with the Giants and Diamondbacks.
Let me again restate something--if Chauncey doesn't re-sign, the Pistons should blow it up. Period. They have built it nicely with some long-term deals for Rip, Tey-Tey and Sheed, but if Chauncey doesn't come back, they might as well get Cram Max in the lineup right away and draft VERY smartly with their 2 first-round picks this year. If the Cavs win tonight, then the East Finals begin on Monday, if it goes to a seventh game, then the East Finals begin on Wednesday.
Bulls, with Durant or Oden thanks to Isiah, are going to be tough...maybe. They still have MULTIPLE choices to make with their free agents. PJ Brown and Nocioni are both unrestricted free agents after this year, and after next season, Thomas, Deng, Gordon, Thabo Sefalsha, and Duhon will ALL be free agents. While Brown and Nocioni are likely both gone, especially if the Bulls luck their way into a top-2 pick, they will have some decisions to make next year, and if they don't trade Gordon, they'll still have a smallish backcourt which big guards like Billups can take advantage of. And the fun part of the Bulls' cap--Ben's contract is nearly ONE THIRD of their total salary!
Looking forward, as always, to new episodes of Charm School and Fit Club on Sunday. Not going to lie--I LOVE both shows, can't get enough of the Charm Schoolers, they continue to amaze me with their ability to say and do ignorant things. Fit Club will be fun this week because Screech is on the verge of a beatdown from Harvey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in-bKq1vQQo&mode=related&search
Relax, watch, enjoy.
Tigers enter an interesting 9-game homestand today...struggling Cardinals come back to a chorus of boos, followed by the Angels, then the Central-leading Indians, who suddenly have the best starting staff in the division. The D managed to score a whopping 2 runs in a game yesterday in which they had seven doubles. That's tough to do.
Astros peed down their leg in the 12th last night, giving Lidge yet another loss. They have suddenly (kind of) righted the ship, thanks largely to a solid bullpen and the play of rookie CF Hunter Pence, and hopefuly Jason Jennings and Brandon Backe can get healthy soon. They host the Rangers in "Rivalry Weekend", then leave for 2 four-game road series with the Giants and Diamondbacks.
Let me again restate something--if Chauncey doesn't re-sign, the Pistons should blow it up. Period. They have built it nicely with some long-term deals for Rip, Tey-Tey and Sheed, but if Chauncey doesn't come back, they might as well get Cram Max in the lineup right away and draft VERY smartly with their 2 first-round picks this year. If the Cavs win tonight, then the East Finals begin on Monday, if it goes to a seventh game, then the East Finals begin on Wednesday.
Bulls, with Durant or Oden thanks to Isiah, are going to be tough...maybe. They still have MULTIPLE choices to make with their free agents. PJ Brown and Nocioni are both unrestricted free agents after this year, and after next season, Thomas, Deng, Gordon, Thabo Sefalsha, and Duhon will ALL be free agents. While Brown and Nocioni are likely both gone, especially if the Bulls luck their way into a top-2 pick, they will have some decisions to make next year, and if they don't trade Gordon, they'll still have a smallish backcourt which big guards like Billups can take advantage of. And the fun part of the Bulls' cap--Ben's contract is nearly ONE THIRD of their total salary!
Looking forward, as always, to new episodes of Charm School and Fit Club on Sunday. Not going to lie--I LOVE both shows, can't get enough of the Charm Schoolers, they continue to amaze me with their ability to say and do ignorant things. Fit Club will be fun this week because Screech is on the verge of a beatdown from Harvey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in-bKq1vQQo&mode=related&search
Relax, watch, enjoy.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Mean Mr. Mohammed
On the eve of what will hopefully be the Pistons finally taking the smaller and younger Bulls out, I thought I'd share some Nazr thoughts.
Outside of Darko (don't even get me started there) this is the worst move that Joe D has made during his time in the front office. Looking back, having lost Ben and unsure what Dale Davis/Dice/Maxiell could give them up front, he felt as though he had to make a move for a steady post player. Fair enough...but this is a guy who has NEVER averaged more than 26 minutes a game during his career.
Also, to be fair, the Pistons aren't the first team that Nazr has fooled into taking a chance on him. After his career-best 2003-04 season in which he averaged a whopping 9 points, 8 rebounds, and less than a block a game while shooting a sizzling 52% from the free throw line for the Knicks, he was traded to the Spurs for Malik Rose and 2 (two) first-round picks.
So Nazr, who puts up 6 points and 5 boards a game for the Spurs last year, manages to spin those gaudy numbers into a 5-year deal with the Pistons. His contract isn't a terrible one for a player of his nature, but look around the league--there are many extra-mediocre centers parked squarely on the bench with large price tags. Maybe the best example of a bad signing was prominently displayed during the past few weeks, when the Warriors were making noise with their "athleticism" on the floor, Adonal Foyle was right next to the towel boy for virtually every second. However, Foyle has the 3rd BIGGEST contract on the team (8.125 million this year). Again, Nazr's contract doesn't hamstring the Pistons' future moves a tremendous amount, especially with Rip, Sheed and Tey-Tey each signed for at least the next 3 seasons.
It wasn't that Nazr didn't fit in with what the Pistons wanted to do--it's that he doesn't fit in with the rest of the league. There were a number of games that he started that the Pistons were simply too slow to keep up with other teams. He only scored in double figures in just 2 wins against playoff teams--the Cavs and Nets. Detroit struggled MIGHTILY with him in games aginast the best of the West early in the season. He averaged 7 points and 6 boards during November, and 9 and 6 in December. He had only 2 double-doubles all season, against league powers Atlanta and the Knicks. I also won't take this time to tell you that the Pistons could have Memo for the combined contracts of Nazr and Darko's rookie deal.
What is the future of Nazr? The Pistons have SEVEN players in the last year of their contracts (Webber, Dice, Will Blalock, Amir Johnson, Ronald Dupree, Dale Davis, Flip-Mode) along with Chauncey having a player opt-out option in his. Nazr is still on the hook for another 4 years. With all those free agents, it's extremely likely that he'll be virtually untradeable this off-season as the Pistons make a number of decisions on other players. Nazr turns 30 in September. Here's hoping he can find a productive role on the team. Dice and Dale Davis are getting no younger, while Sheed and Cram Max need help up front. The Pistons will be under the cap with Davis and Dice's combined 9 million coming off, but they have a decision as to re-signing Dice and Flip Murray, and the Pistons have 2 first-round picks this year to occupy some of the cap as well.
As for tonight...hoping the Pistons wake up, start getting the ball to Webber and Tey-Tey on post ups early in the game, get easy baskets in transition, and STOP TALKING TO THE REFS!!!!
Outside of Darko (don't even get me started there) this is the worst move that Joe D has made during his time in the front office. Looking back, having lost Ben and unsure what Dale Davis/Dice/Maxiell could give them up front, he felt as though he had to make a move for a steady post player. Fair enough...but this is a guy who has NEVER averaged more than 26 minutes a game during his career.
Also, to be fair, the Pistons aren't the first team that Nazr has fooled into taking a chance on him. After his career-best 2003-04 season in which he averaged a whopping 9 points, 8 rebounds, and less than a block a game while shooting a sizzling 52% from the free throw line for the Knicks, he was traded to the Spurs for Malik Rose and 2 (two) first-round picks.
So Nazr, who puts up 6 points and 5 boards a game for the Spurs last year, manages to spin those gaudy numbers into a 5-year deal with the Pistons. His contract isn't a terrible one for a player of his nature, but look around the league--there are many extra-mediocre centers parked squarely on the bench with large price tags. Maybe the best example of a bad signing was prominently displayed during the past few weeks, when the Warriors were making noise with their "athleticism" on the floor, Adonal Foyle was right next to the towel boy for virtually every second. However, Foyle has the 3rd BIGGEST contract on the team (8.125 million this year). Again, Nazr's contract doesn't hamstring the Pistons' future moves a tremendous amount, especially with Rip, Sheed and Tey-Tey each signed for at least the next 3 seasons.
It wasn't that Nazr didn't fit in with what the Pistons wanted to do--it's that he doesn't fit in with the rest of the league. There were a number of games that he started that the Pistons were simply too slow to keep up with other teams. He only scored in double figures in just 2 wins against playoff teams--the Cavs and Nets. Detroit struggled MIGHTILY with him in games aginast the best of the West early in the season. He averaged 7 points and 6 boards during November, and 9 and 6 in December. He had only 2 double-doubles all season, against league powers Atlanta and the Knicks. I also won't take this time to tell you that the Pistons could have Memo for the combined contracts of Nazr and Darko's rookie deal.
What is the future of Nazr? The Pistons have SEVEN players in the last year of their contracts (Webber, Dice, Will Blalock, Amir Johnson, Ronald Dupree, Dale Davis, Flip-Mode) along with Chauncey having a player opt-out option in his. Nazr is still on the hook for another 4 years. With all those free agents, it's extremely likely that he'll be virtually untradeable this off-season as the Pistons make a number of decisions on other players. Nazr turns 30 in September. Here's hoping he can find a productive role on the team. Dice and Dale Davis are getting no younger, while Sheed and Cram Max need help up front. The Pistons will be under the cap with Davis and Dice's combined 9 million coming off, but they have a decision as to re-signing Dice and Flip Murray, and the Pistons have 2 first-round picks this year to occupy some of the cap as well.
As for tonight...hoping the Pistons wake up, start getting the ball to Webber and Tey-Tey on post ups early in the game, get easy baskets in transition, and STOP TALKING TO THE REFS!!!!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Preview
For anyone who may be directed to this site...welcome, and this likely means that I've either coached you, or you know someone who has spent time listening to me spout off at the mouth. I hope to be able to embody in words what many of you hear in your minds when you think of me.
I'm not going to bore everyone with my resume--I will say that I did recently earn my Master's Degree in Education from Heidelberg College and, along with my B.A. in English, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with either one of them at this point in my life, other than think back on all of the papers that I wrote and Tim tried to copy.
I'm not exactly sure what this blog will have in it every day. I plan to mix up what gets typed down on it, from Kevin Smith-inspired thoughts to NBA talk to thoughts of Muskegon County days, while keeping it PG-13.
Good luck and good scores, gentlemen.
I'm not going to bore everyone with my resume--I will say that I did recently earn my Master's Degree in Education from Heidelberg College and, along with my B.A. in English, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with either one of them at this point in my life, other than think back on all of the papers that I wrote and Tim tried to copy.
I'm not exactly sure what this blog will have in it every day. I plan to mix up what gets typed down on it, from Kevin Smith-inspired thoughts to NBA talk to thoughts of Muskegon County days, while keeping it PG-13.
Good luck and good scores, gentlemen.
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