Saturday, December 1, 2012

NFL Player Dead After Murder-Suicide


 


Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend Saturday, then drove to Arrowhead Stadium and committed suicide in front of his coach and general manager.
Authorities did not release a possible motive for the murder-suicide, though police said that Belcher and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Kasandra M. Perkins, had been arguing recently. The two of them have an infant child.
Belcher thanked general manager Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel before shooting himself in the parking lot of the team's practice facility, police spokesman Darin Snapp said. Police had locked it down by midmorning and reporters were confined to the street just outside the gates.
Belcher was a 25-year-old native of West Babylon, N.Y., on Long Island, who played college ball at Maine. He signed with the Chiefs an undrafted free agent, made the team and stayed with it for four years, moving into the starting lineup. He'd played in all 11 games this season.

Friday, November 16, 2012

WNBA: Chamique Holdsclaw Arrested For Shooting At Ex-Girlfriend

AP
Former WNBA and University of Tennessee star Chamique Holdsclaw is in custody after being accused of shooting into a an ex-girlfriend’s car after using a bat to break its windows.
Atlanta police said Thursday the incident happened Tuesday after Holdsclaw followed 29-year-old Jennifer Lacy to her car. No one was injured. Lacy identified the 35-year-old Holdsclaw as an ex-girlfriend. They were teammates with the Atlanta Dream in 2009. Lacy now plays for the Tulsa Shock.
Jennifer Lacy claimed that Holdsclaw approached her in a parking lot Tuesday and asked to put some things in her car. Lacy smelled gasoline in her Range Rover as she drove off and saw that Holdsclaw was following her. Lacy said she drove to a friend’s house, where Holdsclaw got out of her car and began smashing the windows of Lacy’s SUV with a baseball bat. According to reports, she pulled a handgun and fired inside the Range Rover, then left. Police said they recovered a 9mm shell casing at the scene and local news reports that police said she may have been trying to ignite gasoline in the car by firing the gun.
Holdsclaw was in custody Thursday night in Fulton County Jail. Her bond was set at $10,000 on one charge each of aggravated assault, second-degree criminal damage and reckless conduct.
Lacy issued a statement via twitter:
"I want to thank my family, friends, fans and Shock family for their concern during this difficult time," Lacy said. "I have never felt more love from my fans in supporting me."
Holdsclaw has been battling clinical depression, which included a suicide attempt during her pro career.
Holdsclaw attempted suicide in 2006 as a member of the Los Angeles Sparks by overdosing on the medication she was taking for clinical depression. She also wouldn't leave her Washington home for a few days in 2004, two years after the death of the grandmother who raised her.

Wozzers. Keep everyone involved in your prayers.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Welcome To Dallas Cowboyland: Where There's No Punishment For Your "Crimes"

What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Better known as...watching the Dallas Cowboys as an organization (not just players) and expecting different results. Don't be fooled (again) by the win over the Eagles this past Sunday. The offense only scored 17 points. Without the D...we would have lost to NICK FOLES! That is a once in a season, 3 TD game by any defense/special team. Changes have to be made and players who underperform or commit bonehead penalties need to be held accountable. Jerry puts on a facade at every post game conference he does saying he is all in on his QB, his team, and his coach. Even after repeated lackluster performances and coaching debacles. Well he could learn a little something something from the Atlanta Falcons top guns.

Regardless of their 8-1 record, the Atlanta Falcons made a promise to evaluate their team each week and get rid of those who weren’t getting the job done.

Well…if players thought they were just words, the release of Ray Edwards on Monday put those words into action.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Rock The Vote: Who Most Athletes Are Voting For

Not sure if you heard. Today is Election Day and believe or not, your favorite athletes are headed there as well.  Some of your favorite athletes are using their brand name and social media muscle to make their choice for president known.  NBA owners, players and coaches are taking sides in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, with players and coaches favoring Barack Obama and most owners supporting Mitt Romney.


New York Jets owner Woody Johnson said in an interview with Bloomberg TV that Romney winning the election is more important to him than winning the Super Bowl.

Who America’s athletes are voting for:

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

NBA Tip-Off: Lebron Gets His Ring

The 2013 NBA season tips off tonight with Heat v Celtics followed by the Dallas Mavericks on the road to the L.A. Lakers (Side note: the Wizards are also playing the Cavaliers but…).
The Heat will receive their rings tonight in front of the very team they beat in order to make it to the NBA Finals last year. Hooray for King James!  This will also be the first time that Ray Allen, who now wears a Heat jersey, will face his former team since leaving them over in the offseason, despite receiving a more lucrative offer from Boston (I wonder why no one burned his jersey?!). That plot line just adds to the rivalry between these two teams. I will be pulling for Boston…only because I don’t feel like hearing Heat fans mouthsJ
 The Heat/Celtic matchup will be followed by a Dallas Maverick/Lakers showdown, that may or may not actually be a showdown. Both teams have a new look as far as personnel go but the Lakers have the more loaded team AKA the better team. Most NBA fans are approaching this game as if the Lakers are the Harlem Globetrotters and the Mavericks are the team that chases them around for the ball.
The Mavericks basically have gutted their 2011 NBA championship team in favor of players with less expensive and shorter contracts. Not only that but they will be without the face of the franchise, Dirk Nowitki and former All-Star Center Chris Kaman. The Lakers, on the other hand, will star Steve Nash and the NBA’s best big man Dwight Howard alongside superstars Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.
Needless to say, that game may not be of much interest for an opening game but I’m sure the Mavs will keep it close..they may pull off the first upset of the seasonJ (yes, I am a Mavs fan).
Boston at Miami, 7:00PM (CST), TNT
Dallas at L.A.,  9:30PM (CST), TNT

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Did You Know: WNBA Finals Are On?!

Yup that's right!

Minnesota Lynx v. Indiana Fever. Tamika Catchings, Maye Moore.

The series is tied 1-1 in a best-of-five series . Game 2 was an exciting and very physical game. There were hard fouls, technocals and even coaches snatching off jackets in protest of the horrible officiating. Nonetheless, the Lynx were able to pull off the win after losing Game 1 in front of the home crowd.

"We'll get back home. We'll adapt to I-don't-know-what-to-call-it," said the Fever's Lin Dunn, who called it the most physical game she has been a part of in 42 years of coaching.

"I'm not going to call it basketball. Maybe basket-football or something. It was pretty rough out there, and we're going to have to adjust to that."

Indianas Tamika Catchings led the way as usual with 27 points and 8 rebounds. Erlana Larkins, who had 16 points and 15 rebounds in Game 1, was limited to 3 points and 5rebounds.The Fever's defense faded after a dominant start that forced the Lynx to miss 11 of their first 14 shots. They let the Lynx score 29 points in the third quarter and bring an already-loud crowd into the game even more

Maya Moore scored 23 points and the defending champion Lynx forced the Fever into 24 turnovers, 15 after halftime.
Games 3 and 4 will be played in Indiana at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday and Sunday. If the Fever win both home games, they will claim Indianapolis' first pro basketball championship since the Pacers won the last of three ABA titles in 1973.
Game 5, if necessary, would be at Minnesota next Wednesday.

Friday, September 28, 2012

NBA Will Fine Floppers

The NBA's decision to punish floppers after the fact -- by issuing penalties from the league office after the game has been decided -- is the best response to a difficult problem.

The ugly trend of faking physical contact began in soccer, a sport in which gamesmanship has given way to players writhing in false agony around the world. Soccer has been unable to fix its problem, but now the NBA will have an opportunity to deter players from trying to simulate violent contact in ways made famous by Vlade Divac, Manu Ginobili and Anderson Varejao.

Commissioner David Stern's original idea had been to punish floppers on the spot. But that was never going to work. The NBA game is already the most difficult to officiate in pro sports, and the block/charge call is among the toughest for NBA referees to gauge. It would have been asking too much of refs for them to deal with a block/charge play and at the same time judge the intent of the defender.

The NBA instead will outsource these calls to New York, where league officials can review all of the evidence before making what will often be viewed as the wrong decision. Of course this is going to be an imperfect solution: Think of all of the second-guessing that goes on whenever the New York office decides to fine or suspend players and coaches for altercations.

This new day-after system of flopper punishment is absolutely going to be controversial because there is as of yet no public agreement on what constitutes a flop. When Ginobili stands in front of a hard-driving power forward, is he showing bravery or cynicism? We will find out what the NBA thinks soon enough, and the league's rulings will create a definition that has never existed before.

.
How harsh will the penalties be, and will they be tied to the circumstances of the game? If a fourth-quarter flop is seen to have turned a win into a loss, will the punishment for the flopper be more severe? It is going to be difficult to divorce the infraction from the context of the game. And so, in a strange way, this new approach is going to make the game more interesting.

Written by: Ian Thomsen

Friday, September 21, 2012

TEXAS-bred QBs: 25% of NFL current starters


Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees is from Austin, TX

Football and Texas go together like birthday cake and ice cream.
In almost in equal supply, Texas produces cattle, cowboys and quarterbacks. If it seems as though most teams start a quarterback from Texas, it's because they do.
Twenty-five percent of NFL teams now start a quarterback who either played high school or college football in Texas -- sometimes both. Another 10 quarterbacks who played in Texas are NFL backups, one snap away from starting. And that doesn't include Carolina's Cam Newton, who spent one year of junior college at Blinn in Texas.
Texas used to be the main exporter of running backs. But somewhere along the way it shifted its emphasis, and now it exports quarterbacks.
Of players selected in the 2012 NFL Draft by state, Texas placed first with 32 players selected..
Texas' domination was helped by six players going in the top 20 of the draft, and three in the top 10. All three of those players — No. 1 pick Andrew Luck, No. 2 pick Robert Griffin III, and No. 8 pick Ryan Tannehill — were quarterbacks
In Week 2, Houston Stratford High School's Andrew Luck squared off against Colleyville Heritage High School's Christian Ponder. This weekend, Copperas Cove High School and Baylor's Robert Griffin III squares off against Katy High School and TCU's Andy Dalton. Almost every weekend brings a meeting of Texas quarterbacks.
If it's not Luck versus Ponder or Griffin versus Dalton, then it can be Westlake High School's Drew Brees, Big Spring High School and Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill, Highland Park High School's Matthew Stafford, Burges High School's John Skelton or Stephenville High School and University of Houston's Kevin Kolb. On it goes.
The list of Texas-bred backups also is compelling: Texas (Texarkana, Texas) High School's Ryan Mallett, Jim Ned High School's and Texas Longhorn Colt McCoy, Forney High School's Caleb Hanie, Westlake High School's Nick Foles, Ennis High School and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, Jacksonville High School's Luke McCown, Southlake Carroll High School's Chase Daniel, Robert E. Lee High School's Matt Flynn and Southlake Carroll's Greg McElroy.
Texas always has placed so much emphasis on football. But in recent years, it began emphasizing throwing the football even more. Not unlike young pitchers in California, Texas quarterbacks can and often do throw year round. They are tutored to throw more than ever. They leave high school more prepared than ever, play in college faster and enter the NFL more pro-ready than ever.
It's the reason we're seeing more and more young quarterbacks start -- and make their mark -- more quickly. Much of it can be traced back to the second most populous state in this country...the great STATE OF TEXAS!
Credit:  Adam Schefter  

Friday, September 14, 2012

10 Types of People In Your Fantasy Football League

10. The Complainer: This person starts their complaints even before the season begins. They complain about how the draft order is chosen. They complain about the draft process (if it’s snake, It shouldn’t be. If it isn’t snake it should be). They complain about how the order for the waiver wire is decided. They complain about the scoring system….they just COMPLAIN!
9. No Life: This owner is always posting topics, polls, and questions on the league home page. They comment on every post as soon as someone post a topic and they send trades at least once a week. Depending on the waiver wire process in your league, they are usually the ones who pick up the “handcuff player” because they were the only one awake when the news came that a stud was injured.
8. The Homer: This owner will go out of his way to get players from his home team or personal favorite team. They will pass on a better player just to pick up a player from their favorite team. They can justify every pick in their own mind, but when they tell you they picked up Sam Bradford in the 3rd round because he is going to finish the year ranked #1, it’s best to just let them waste their pick.   
7. The No-Show: Doesn’t matter how much trash talking they did before the draft or how many times they tell you how excited they are, this owner isn’t coming to the draft. Have fun watching some stud running back get auto-drafted right before it’s your turn to pick.
6. "Everyone’s A Sleeper" Guy: Every year there are players that have break out seasons that were low on the radar (if on the radar at all). Part of the fun in drafting in FFL is to be the person who snatches up the next big star in the late rounds. But to the “Everyone’s A Sleeper Guy” every player could be a sleeper so he spends his time scouring the depth charts of teams while everyone else sticks to players not on the practice squad.
5. The GirlJ: The lone female in the league is a tricky situation for most in the league. You’re not sure if she actually knows what she’s doing or if she just took the spot of her boyfriend because he was going to be too busy to participate. Chances are that if there is only one girl in your league….she knows what she’s doing and should NOT be taken lightly.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Pre-game Poem For The 'Boys

T'was the nite before the Cowboys game and all across the land everyone was excited even the opposing fans. The Giants were shivering and afraid to stare for they wanted to avoid the wrath of Demarcus Ware. Eli was nervous and for good reason of course, because Rob Ryan has shored up the defense using every resource. So we get ready to show up with cheer and gleem, because tomorrow guess who takes the field, America's Team. #CowboysNation!!!

My Fantasy Football Team

Today was the day that my Fantasy Football season officially began! I had the #1 overall pick and I was indecisive up until it was time to actual make my pick. I have participated in several mock drafts, prepared my cheat sheets, ranked my positional players… and then ranked them again. It has been a grueling few weeks but I must say…I am happy with the fantasy team I drafted.  
After telling myself to focus on the league with the money prize, I ended up in 4 fantasy leagues (2 prize leagues, 2 for fun but with a purpose). I am in a league with fellow female sports bloggers and then we have a league at the job that is pretty serious as well. Not to down play my other the leagues, but Necessary Roughness is the only league I pay to play in where the bragging rights mean more than the prize, therefore, I’m all in! From this point forward I am speaking only of Necessary Roughness (NR).

Thursday, August 30, 2012

She Got Game: Fantasy Football 101

There has been a recent boom in the number of woman participating in fantasy football. Some who  actually know what they are doing (like meJ) and others who  do it just because they have friends that play and said it would be fun to create a league. If you are reading this page, then you are at least thinking about joining the wonderful, addictive world of fantasy football. Brace yourself - you will never watch football the same way again!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Basketball Star Collapses After Receiving Prison Sentence

SMH….

A top 100 high school basketball recruit collapsed in court after he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Cameras in the courtroom caught Tony Farmer, 18, mouthing the words “Oh, no,” just before he collapsed as the Judge read his sentence.

In April 2011, Farmer was caught on tape assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Lane, in the lobby and parking lot of her apartment complex.


The judge sentence Farmer to prison, even though his victim asked the judge not to send Farmer to prison.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Gabby Douglas: I Am Not My Hair....

Gabby Douglas
As we all know by now, Gabby Douglas made history Thursday night. But instead of letting her (and her family) live in that moment and enjoy….many chose to focus instead on….her hair?!
It was a historic night for Gabby Douglas, but on social networks, her hair was just as hot a topic as her performance.
While Gabby was busy making her dreams come true and paving the way for other little girls by leading the U.S. to team gold and then off to a historic individual gold in the all-around competition, black folks (yea I said it) chose to debate her hair instead. The rest of the world didn’t notice….or at least didn’t care to make it an issue. However, 100% of the tweets or Facebook status’ that I read came from African Americans.
There were all types of jokes and mentions of how her mother should of combed her hair, and how the camera shouldn’t zoom in on her, she used too much gel, etc. I even had someone call me just to ask if I saw Gabby’s “kitchen” (that’s what black folks call the hair at the back of the head”. I could not believe that of all things to focus on in that moment they were calling to discuss her hair!

Friday, July 27, 2012

How To Fake It: 2012 Olympic Basics

I've received some request from ladies wanting more "Fake It Til You Make It” post. In these post I discuss the basics you need to know about a sport or sporting event in order to fake it with your "guy friend". This gives you the tools to impress him (because guys are attracted to women who know their sports;-). Football season is around the corner so I will have TONS of FITUMI post after that. But I thought about it and I think the Olympics are kind of a big thing right now and with the NFL season still weeks away, HE might decide to spring an Olympic conversation on you. I want you to be as prepared as possible so here are some basic things to know. Anything outside of the basics, you are save to say "Oh, I don't know.....". As long as you can drop one or two basic facts into an Olympics-related conversation during the next 17 days, you’ll be able to fool a lot of people -- or at the very least, some of your co-workers. Ok. Here we go:

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Beauties Cuties: Ryan Lochte


This handsome fella is Ryan Lochte, a 27 year old American swimmer . He was born in New York but his hometown is Daytona Beach, Florida.
After I watch Ryan swim, I delight in the look he has on his face as he looks up at the board to see the results….his slanted eyes, his smile.... gawwwwgeousJ  Ryan is also a six-time Olympic medalist so he’s got more going for himself than just a great smile, fantastic bone structure and perfectly chiseled abs. Oh, and he is 6’2!
Here are some of Ryan’s "favorites" that I snagged from his U.S Swim page:







Favorite international destination: Rome
Favorite musician: Lil Wayne (didn’t see that one coming did you!)
Favorite summer activity: beach volleyball
Favorite movie: Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke (uh-oh!)
Favorite TV show: The Simpsons
Hobbies Outside the Pool : Playing basketball, skateboarding, surfing
Follow Ryan at @ryanlochte

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Cowboys, Eagles Trash Talk Via Twitter

Are you ready for some footbaaaaaall?! Well, I am and apparently so are the Dallas Cowboys. I know it’s only June and training camp hasn’t even started, but you gotta love a little pre-pre-pre-pre season trash talk to get you amped for the upcoming season!
The Dallas Cowboys' official Twitter page wished Eagles quarterback Michael Vick a happy birthday Tuesday with a photo of DeMarcus Ware sacking him last year (in one of the 2 games the Cowboys lost might I add!). The Eagles came back with a #POW by responding on their twitter page “Did someone burn the tape from 2011?”.
Touché!  However, teams and fans of teams like this are easy to rub off because you can hit them with that one liner…”Ya’ll don’t have a ring”!
The teams meet Nov. 11 at Philadelphia and again on Dec. 2 at Cowboys Stadium. Will you be there?! #Witness
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Monday, June 25, 2012

Tie In 100 Meters To Be Broken By Coin Flip or Runoff

We use overtime and extra innings in most sports if there is a tie at the end of regulation. We use the coin toss to determine who kicks and who receives at the beginning of overtime in the NFL. We use the jump ball to decide who will get the ball when there is a “tie” for the ball in the NBA. In swimming, ties are settled with swim-offs between the two opponents. There are rules in place for instances like these and they are in place JUST IN CASE. Well….. USATF has found itself in a doosy after this weekend’s Olympic Trials. Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh finished in a dead heat for third place and the final U.S. spot for the women's 100-meter Olympic team. Both women leaned across the finish line in 11.068 seconds.

I said repeatedly after the race that there was no way they could call a winner on that..it was just to close. They were even (the decision is based on the torso).Track has tiebreaking procedures for many of its events, but in this case there is no written solution -- a tie for the last spot on the Olympic team.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Dear OKC, Beware of South Beach

The 2006 NBA Finals is one of those few events that I have avoided discussing in detail for the last 6 years. I considered the 2006 playoff run of the Dallas Mavericks to be one of the most exciting times of my sports life, but then the 8 days from Game 3 to Game 6 brought about the most depressing days of my sports life. The next week was a blur. I sat for days trying to figure out how in the heck did it come to this. They were so focused, so poised, so great in games 1 and 2. What happened?
......Then I took a trip to South Beach and had an epiphany. I had figured it out. The Mavericks were consumed by the topless tanning, thongs and night life taking place on South Beach. There was no way that a group of young men could compose themselves in such an atmosphere. I frequently saw many of the players out on the town here in Dallas and they always seemed to be having the time of their life so I knew that they were probably…no…they were on South Beach acting like a group of sheltered children who had finally been let out to play. Josh Howard, Marquis Daniels, Jason Terry, and Devin Harris were (are) all party boys. There was no way they weren’t going to indulge in ALL that South Beach had to offer them. Coach Avery Johnson was so upset with how the team played in game 4 that he had the team pack its bags and move from their downtown hotel in Miami to a hotel in Fort Lauderdale. He figured his players were having too much fun soaking up the appeal & temptation of South Beach and weren't focused enough on the business of basketball. Johnson made them eat, drink and sleep at their Fort Lauderdale hotel and not leave the property. If he knew Miami like I know Miami…that would have been his move before game 4. It was too late….they had already been bit by the South Beach bug and there is no coming back from that.
That brings me to my fair warning to the kidos of OKC Thunder. The Thunder are a lot younger than those 2006 Mavericks were. They are about to spend the next 7 days in a city that is nothing like where they spend most of their year….in OKC. Bricktown doesn’t have anything on South Beach! I see some maturity on the court from Durant. I can probably trust that he will stay focused. Plus Mama Durant looks like she don't play that. However, South Beach does not discriminate. It will take the most laid back guy on the team and bring out a side of him that even his teammates didn’t know he had. James Harden is dating female rapper Trina…who is a hottie from Miami. I’m sure she has some friends lined up to cop them an NBA star. Parties will be popping. Lil Wayne will have one (inspite of how OKC has treated him), then Uncle Luke, Trina will take them to King of Diamonds and OKC will official lose its mind!
Is this wishful thinking on my behalf? Am I hoping that OKC is consumed and distracted by all the beautiful women, the delicious food, the parties, the beach? Yes, somewhatJ
My advice to Scott Brooks is this….take a page out of Avery Johnson’s book but do it today. I know they’re adults and no one should be telling them what to do, but this is business. They have a boss and their boss is going to have to pull on the reins if he wants his young guns to have a chance to leave South Beach with another game left to play in OKC.

You have been warned!
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Monday, June 11, 2012

Dress to Impress With New NBA High Heel


Lala Anthony, Kim K, and Ciara are some notable names that we have seen on the sideline of an NBA game in some of the most fashion forward outfits and shoes that are strictly meant to be seen in and not walked in. Well, HerStar.com has created a high heel that will allow us all to turn heads when we show up to our favorite sporting event and rep our team. It’s ok to rock a jersey, but you can only do so much to make that look sexy. HerStar.com has combined the love of sports and footwear together, allowing female fans another way to display their passion for the game.
It's about time someone recognized that women love their shoes and that attending an NBA game is an opportunity to do more than watch basketball!
With the NBA finals this week, you can dress up your outfit with one of two different designs of high heels with your team's logo etched across it.
One pair has a 6.5-inch heel, sparkles in Middle Eastern crystals and cost about $250. The other pair has a lower heel — about 4.5 inches — and has the team logo designed in micro-suede. That design goes for about $100. Both styles are available for all 30 NBA teams, too!
“We're really excited about the launch and we're really hoping that the female fan is as excited as we are,” said Lisa Piken, vice president of licensing for the NBA, in a phone interview on Friday.
HERSTAR, the women's fashion footwear and apparel company, designed the shoes and approached the NBA about licensing the team logo heels.
“It was something we had never seen before,” Piken said. “Our women's fans are really fashionable and it made sense to partner with (HERSTAR).”
 In a news release, Holly Joffrion, founder and CEO of HERSTAR, called the partnership with the NBA a “slam-dunk.”
“We understand how much women love their shoes and recognize that going to an NBA game can be an event beyond the hardwood. We're able to combine the love of basketball and footwear together, allowing female fans another way to display their passion for the game,” she said in the release.
These heels are not only fashionable but also perfect for the savvy female sports fan. I can’t co-sign on how comfortable they are, but once I get my pair I will let you know!
To buy your heels, go online to HERSTAR.com

Monday, June 4, 2012

Quickie: All I Gotta Say Is

......That offensive foul against Lebron that fouled him out of the game was bogus as H.E double hockey sticks.. Amazingly it was only the fourth time in his NBA career and the first time since April of 2008, that LeBron James fouled out. And, understandably, he wasn't thrilled about it. Neither was I.
James got whistled for an offensive foul with 1:51 remaining in overtime as Mickael Pietrus stepped up and took a charge when Boston was clinging to a one-point lead.
First it was the double foul call which was horrendous. And then he gets called on an offensive foul because Pietrus was holding him around the waist and then tripped over his own feet and pulled LeBron down with him?
The officiating was whistle-happy all night but I won’t go down that well traveled road.
James summed it up like this….“It's very difficult because I know how to play the game of basketball and I don't need an advantage of holding somebody or pushing somebody down, but whatever, we lost."
I don't think he fouled him either. -David Stern
And, Chris Bosh face says it all (although it wasn't at the time of the foul...it was fitting)!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Choke On This

….Is what was being said in the head of King James on Sunday as he and Wade defeated the Indiana Pacers in  Game 4 on Sunday. This of course in reference to bench warmer Lance Stephenson (who has scored fewer points in his two years in the NBA than Lebron has in his last five playoff games AND received his sixth DNP-CD in the Pacers nine postseason games)  directing the choke gesture to Lebron as he missed a free throw in Miami’s Game 3 loss to the Pacers. I said bad move little one…bad move.
Since joining the Miami Heat, LeBron James has been labeled a narcissist, choker, flopper, overrated, etc etc.. But on most nights he should be called the best basketball player in the world.
During Sunday’s Game 4 win against the Indiana Pacers, James became the first player since Elgin Baylor to go for 40 points (with no 3 pointers and 12-16 from the field), 18 rebounds and 9 assists in a playoff game. He outplayed the entire Pacers team in the 2nd half. He lead the Heat in points scored, rebounds, assists, steals, and fell one short of leading in blocks.
James scored or assisted on 62 of the Heat's 101 points Sunday.
Lebron plays the role of Jordan, Rodman, Longley, and Paxson, and Wade plays Pippen.
With forward Chris Bosh out indefinitely, the James-Wade tag team saved the Heat.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade combined for 28 of Miami’s 30 points in the 3rd quarter (14 each), outscoring the entire Pacers team by 12 points in the quarter. The Heat seemed to be playing with two to Indiana's five.
Miami also got a huge lift down the stretch from Haslem, who has been a non-factor in the series but made four big jumpers in the final six minutes.
 The Heat now head home back with the matchup now coming down to a best-of-three series with two of the games in MIA.
I err on the side of caution…as amazing as James/Wade performances were, the Pacers hung tough, they wouldn’t go away…you wonder if Miami can win it all without an extraordinary performance out of James AND Wade every night. You can’t play 2 on 5 against San Antonio or OKC…. if they make it that far.

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Quickie: VY Signs with Buffalo Bills

Former Texas Longhorn quarterback Vince Young has agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Buffalo Bills.
The former Eagles and Titans signal caller agreed to a $2 million deal with an additional $1 million in playing time incentives, according to ESPN.com.
The former third overall pick out of Texas has had an up-and-down career since being selected third overall by the Tennessee Titans where he spent the first five years of his career, but eventually lost his starting job after falling out of favor with then-Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.
Young spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Young wasn't re-signed by the Eagles after completing his one-year contract. He played in 6 games (starting in three of those games) for Philadelphia last season, throwing for 866 yards and four touchdowns with nine interceptions
Young will compete for the backup quarterback spot with Tyler Thigpen behind starter Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Young has thrown for 8,964 yards and 46 touchdowns and rushed for 1,459 yards and 12 scores during his NFL career.
Information from ESPN.com was used in this post.
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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Oh, When The Saints Go Marching....Out

4 Players Suspended in New Orleans Saints Bounty Scandal

NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, continued  handing out red cards today as he suspended four current and former New Orleans Saints players for various lengths of time for their roles in a scandal involving bonuses for trying to hurt opponents. The league said the suspended players – Vilma, Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove and Will Smith – had leadership roles in the bounty program.
Defensive end Will Smith will sit out four games. Anthony Hargrove, a former Saints defensive end who signed with the Green Bay Packers in March, was given an eight-game suspension. Scott Fujita, now with the Cleveland Browns, was suspended for three games.Linebacker Jonathan Vilma, got hit the hardest with a suspension that will last the entire 2012-2013 NFL season. That suspension is effective immediately per league policy for season-long suspensions.

Monday, April 30, 2012

NBA Playoffs: They Did What?!

My, my, my how things can change in just two days! The opening round of the NBA playoffs gave the sport world lots of things to discuss on this Monday morning. Here is what the Beauty of Sports pondered on this morning over my cup of tea.

Rajon Rondo: Rondo wins the “dunce cap” award after he did the one thing no team wants to see from its leader in the postseason: He got himself ejected for something that shouldn’t have happened with 41seconds left in the game! Rondo tried selling that it was his momentum that carried him into the ref, but if we know anything about Stew…. we know he isn’t buying. Rondo finished with 22 points,11 assists. Where are the Celtics going to get that production for Game 2?
Kevin Durant: Lucky shot..next…
Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs gave the young, talented Oklahoma City Thunder all they could handle in their opener Saturday but fell short. With 2:20 to go Dallas held a seven point lead at 94-87. The Mavs have to close games out. Period. Serge Ibaka won’t score 22 again (or maybe he will…there is no inside presence). They need more JET in the 4th. The NBA Champs aren’t gonna go down without a fight. They’ll bite an ear if they have to!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Dallas Mavericks: Always the Underdog


I grew up in West Texas, where football is our thing. All I cared about was football; high school, Big 12, and the Dallas Cowboys. It wasn’t until I came to the Dallas area post high school in 2002 that I was introduced to the Dallas Mavericks and I have been a member of the elite society “MFFL” (Mavs Fan For Life) ever since. All I know is winning seasons, the Mavericks have won 50 or more regular season games in 11 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2001…..only owner I’ve ever known is Mark Cuban. Only coaches I know are Don Nelson, Avery Johnson, and Rick Carlisle. Ever since I joined the family, the Mavs have consistently had winning season, made the playoffs, and Dirk has been the man…ever year. Since their inaugural 1980–81 season, the Mavericks have won three division titles (1987, 2007, 2010), two conference championships (2006, 2011), and one NBA Championship (2011). Where is the R.E.S.P.E.C.T.?

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Draft Day: Dallas Cowboys

Picks: 14, 45, 81, 113, 135, 152, 186, 222
 
TOP NEEDS:

Safety – The Cowboys signed former NY Jet Brodney Pool, but they are still in need of a playmaker. The Cowboys have had ongoing issues on the back end, and they could be in perfect position with the 14th overall pick to draft Alabama SS Mark Barron, who is easily the best all-around safety in the draft, capable of making plays in the run game and against the pass and could be just what this defense needs.

Cornerback – The Cowboys signed former Chief Brandon Carr to replace the inconsistent Terence Newman, but they need more help. Mike Jenkins missed four games last year, and the depth behind him isn’t very good. Given that the Cowboys invested a lot of money into the CB position in free agency, I don’t expect them to draft one in the 1st round.

Wide Receiver – The Cowboys have two of the league’s most talented young WRs in Dez Bryant and Miles Austin, but after them….there is little depth. Laurent Robinson chunked up the deuces and signed with the Jaguars, leaving the Cowboys with Bryant and Austin, who both have been plagued by injuries. As of now, Kevin Ogletree is the #3 WR, with Dwayne Harris and Andre Holmes in the mix. The Cowboys could use Day Two to pick a WR .
 Notes: The Cowboys need to target depth at TE. Jason Witten is still effective but has lost a step, and backup Martellus Bennett signed with the NY Giants. John Phillips is a decent backup, but the Cowboys could look to add someone in the latter rounds.
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Pro Bowl....NO Bowl!

How many Pro Bowl parties have you hosted or attended? (I’ll give you some time to think about it)  I’ve never been excited to watch a Pro Bowl, never watched the whole game, and never understood the “why” behind it. There is no incentive for players to go out there and play even half-heartedly. Then on top of that, it’s the week before Super Bowl. What’s the point in me voting for a player to play in the Pro Bowl whom I won’t even get to see in the Pro Bowl because he’s in the Super Bowl???

Well…NFL commissioner Roger Goodell must have finally read one my many letters I’ve sent him over the years because serious consideration is being taken into suspending the Pro Bowl! Goodell has previously voiced his displeasure with the lack of competitiveness in recent Pro Bowl games and now he might be turning those words into action.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Quickie: U.S. Womens Basketball

Asjha Jones, was added to the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team on Monday to fill the final roster spot on the US London Olympic squad. This makes half the roster former UConn Huskies.
Jones joins Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Maya Moore and Tina Charles, who were among the 11 players originally announced at the Final Four in Denver. All six helped the U.S. qualify for the Olympics by playing on the 2010 world championship team that won the gold medal
Two-time Olympic champion Tamika Catchings and 2008 Olympic gold medalists Candace Parker, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles are also back.
The Americans will try to win a fifth consecutive Olympic women's basketball gold medal in August. The US women are on a 33-game Olympic win streak.
Most expected Baylor star Brittney Griner to be the 12th member of the team, but she took herself out of the mix, announcing Thursday she will not play, citing an unnamed family illness and her summer school schedule.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

2012 Dallas Cowboys Schedule

NFL fans everywhere are anticipating tonight’s 7PM release of the 2012 NFL schedule . So in honor of the NFL releasing its schedule tonight, I’m releasing my MOCK (meaning not official)look at who will be on the Cowboys 2012 regular season schedule (get ya popcorn ready…it’s a tough one!). 

Here is my projected list of teams the Dallas Cowboys will face during 2012 Regular Season (NFC East teams not included) 


Monday, April 16, 2012

Jackie Robinson: From the NLB to the MLB



As Major League Baseball remembered Jackie Robinson Sunday on the 65th anniversary of the day he broke baseball’s color barrier. As  players, managers, coaches and umpires all wore No. 42…. I wondered if they all really knew and understood the significance and history of where that moment began or were they just doing what was required of them from the league. That prompted me to dig through some boxes and find a program and book I had gotten when I visited the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City Missouri…..and I decided to provide you all with some history on how Jackie Robinson found his way from the Negro Leagues to the MLB.

Black history in the MLB has been filled with many successes and a struggle for equity. The resistant wall of the 19th century separated the races in virtually all areas of American society, but there have been a number of rather remarkable parallels in the maturation of baseball for both races.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Sweep Revenge

Remember that broom the Mavericks used to sweep the Lakers out of the playoffs last year? The Lakers used the same broom to sweep the regular season series versus the Mavericks this year. The games have been competitive for the most part and I have learned not to read too much into the regular season rather the team is on the winning side or not and I'm sure the Los Angeles Lakers are well aware a regular-season sweep means nothing compared to a playoff sweep... So.... I will not use today to vent about the officiating and the missed call on the Matt Barnes OBVIOUS goal tend. I will save that for when it matters the most...in the post season.


The Mavericks are currently in 6th place in the Western Conference and if the standings hold, they will face the Lakers in the first round. I have said repeatedly that if the Mavs don't finish in the top 5 of the Western Conference they will be eliminated in the first round....make a note of that! Here's a look at this years regular season Mavs/Lakers matchups...all won by L.A.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Lady Bears: 39 Down, 1 To Go

No. 1 Baylor (39-0) versus No. 1 Notre Dame(35-3)

Let me start by giving Baylor head coach and AP Coach of the Year, Kim Mulkey a shout out. . I loved her outfit on the sidelines on Sunday night! You go beauty!
Now that the important things are out of the way, let’s talk women’s bball …..
Even though the women’s college basketball tournament doesn’t create all the buzz and hype that the men’s tournament does… (for some) it’s still just as exciting! The thing about women’s basketball is…a #1 is a #1 and  a #16 is a #16. Upsets are few and far between and frankly….the games are slow. However, once it reaches the final four…I’m all in! So tonight we will crown the NCAA women’s basketball champion in Denver and determine who’s really number one.  

Monday, April 2, 2012

It's Here! NCAA Men's BB Championship

No. 1 UK (37-2) versus No.2 KU (32-6)


March madness comes to an end tonight when the Wildcats go after the Jayhawks in the battle of heavyweights. Over the past few weeks the mayhem of March has brought us first round exits by #2 Duke and #2 Missouri (who I had in the Final Four). It gave us the “what will the do next” with VCU as they made another attempt at making history as a #15 seed. We saw a Final Four that consisted of only one #1 seed in Kentucky as #1’s Syracuse, North Carolina both fell in the Elite 8 and Michigan State was eliminated in the Sweet 16.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Dear Mr. Kardashian,

Ok. After my last letter I thought I had gotten through to you. I tried to give you a chance. I didn’t want to be the ultimate naysayer….but now I must react. I’m fairly disappointed in you. Maybe it’s my fault for setting my expectations so high. I mean…..what was I thinking?!  However, at this point my expectations or zilch ,zero, nothing. This is my defense mechanism so that when you do nothing……I can say I expected nothing anyway.
So  I wasn’t surprised when you produced a quadruple-uno versus the Lakers on Wednesday. That’s 1 more point, rebound, assist, and steal than I had. Your effort was lackluster even by the low standards you have established this season.