Greg Oden's season over before it starts

ESPN is reporting that Oden "went in for an exploratory procedure on his right knee and ended up having microfracture surgery, which means he will sit out the season."

Oden's knees were described in an earlier pre-draft MRI as "pristine." Make no mistake, this is one quality kid who appeared to have single-handedly turned around the franchise even before preseason camp. Hopefully he'll have a good rehab and come back next year ready to dominate.

Shaq Files for Divorce

MIAMI (AP) - Shaquille O'Neal has filed to divorce his wife after nearly five years of marriage, his attorney said Tuesday night.

Attorney Ira Elegant said the petition was filed on behalf of the Miami Heat center in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear who is representing Shaunie O'Neal in the case.

The Heat did not have an immediate comment, and Shaquille O'Neal did not respond to a request for comment made through the team.

According to the filing, which was first reported by The Miami Herald on its Web site Tuesday night, Shaquille O'Neal is asking Shaunie O'Neal to provide a "correct accounting of all money, funds, stocks, bonds, and other securities" that she had access to or obtained during the marriage.

They are the parents of six children; Shaquille and Shaunie O'Neal had four together, and each had one other before their Dec. 26, 2002 wedding.

Shaquille O'Neal makes $20 million annually in his contract with the Heat, plus endorsement deals that are estimated to be worth several million more each year. The couple has also listed their home on Miami Beach's posh Star Island for about $32 million, or roughly $13 million more than they paid for it after O'Neal was traded to the Heat by the Los Angeles Lakers before the 2004-05 season.

The Kobe Transcripts

I have been waiting to see the video that was supposed to be released later this week showing Kobe trashing the Lakers, but I found something just as good. The transcripts.

Here it is from Shout Fan:

“Andrew Bynum? What the f—?” Bryant says in disgust. “Are you kidding me? Andrew Bynum? F—ing ship his ass out. Are you kidding me? We’re talking about Jason Kidd. But they didn’t even want to do that. Now we’re here in this f—ed up position.”

The “Kobe Video Guys” then asked Bryant what he thought about Bynum’s potential. Bryant smiled and started to shake his head as if he was about to go on another tirade.

“You know what man? Let me tell you something. Mitch Kupchak had the nerve to ask me…”


The video ends there but the “Kobe Video Guys” say that Kobe goes on to say:

“How good do you think Andrew Bynum is going to be in 10 years? Are you f—ing kidding me? I’m trying to win this s— now.”

The full conversation with Kobe was supposedly 15 minutes long, too bad the video is only 24 seconds. When the video comes out we will post it immediately.

Wanted: Good Set of Testicles -Kobe Bryant

Kobe needs to shut and play. Apparently another instance has been filmed of Kobe Bryant trashing the Lakers and teammates. The video that will supposedly be released at the end of the week and depict Kobe criticizing the team’s management and the Lakers center Andrew Bynum.

Here's a teaser I found


Seriously Kobe needs to nut up. KG has been in the abyss of Minnesota his entire career and you don't see him wining. Next Jordan my ass.

Grow a pair.

Spurs Spank Cavs

I can't wait for football season. This has got to be one of the most uninteresting, lopsided NBA Finals in history. The NBA is in serious need of some resuscitation and its savior is choking.

Lebron has one good game, I'm sorry, one good half in the playoffs and all of the sudden he is Jordan material. Last time I checked Jordan didn't have to chang his huggies at half time.

This series is a joke.

Lebron is a joke.

The NBA is a joke.

David Stern has ruined the NBA.

Spurs a dynasty? Let's win the trophy first.

I would like to tag Timmy's Spurs as being the next great sport dynasty as much as the next guy, but I think we need to wait until the trophy is in the bag. Guess what? There's this dude named LeBron who's going to get a vote.

Donovan to Magic..... NOT!!!!

Apparently Billy had second thoughts mostly due to my prediction of a 2011 firing. Billy was quoted by a close anonymous source:

"I read NFL Scores Blog and after much internal conflict, decided that getting run out of the NBA in Pitino-esque fashion was not right for my family."

Donovan Fired as Head Coach of Orlanda Magic

At least that's what the headline is going to read in 2011 after four years of disappointing production in the playoffs. Great college coaches don't go to the pro ranks to flourish, they go there to die. The NBA game has changed since the 80's. Ever notice how the best NBA coaches come from NBA benches? Rick Pitino, Lon Krueger, John Calipari? Outstanding current college coaches that were lured to the NBA with epic money only to get beaten out of the league after three to five years of mediocre wallowing. You can't recruit talent in the NBA. Salary caps and free agency tend to keep the marginal teams marginal (see Eastern Conference). Count on getting help in the draft? Hell no, look how Boston, Memphis and New York fared in Lottery. In the NFL, if you have the worst record you can end up with a Reggie Bush, in the NBA you end up gambling on some no-name next-Yao Ming from China.

If he stayed at Florida, they would have cast him in bronze. But in 2011, Donovan gets a pink slip.

Kobe Bryant Demands Trade

From Fox Sports

"I would like to be traded, yeah," Bryant told ESPN radio. "Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative. It's rough man, but I don't see how you can rebuild that trust. I just don't know how you can move forward in that type of situation."

Bryant, who helped the Lakers win three consecutive NBA championships, has four years left on the seven-year, $136.4 million contract he signed July 15, 2004. That was a day after Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat.

Bryant became infuriated Tuesday when a Los Angeles Times columnist quoted what he called a Lakers insider as saying it was Bryant's insistence on getting away from O'Neal that prompted the trade to Miami.

Bryant, the NBA's leading scorer the past two seasons, said he spoke with Phil Jackson on Tuesday, and the coach told him he was being let go because the Lakers were committed to reducing payroll and rebuilding long term.

"They said nothing to me about a long-term plan - absolutely nothing," Bryant told KLAC radio, the Lakers' flagship station. "They told Phil one thing and they told me another. Actions speak louder than words."

"It's a trust thing," he added. "They're in a long-term plan that I had no idea about."

The Lakers and Bryant's agent, Rob Pelinka, did not immediately respond to messages left by The Associated Press.

Bryant, an 11-year veteran who turns 29 in August, urged the team at season's end to do what it takes to get back into contention. He essentially repeated those comments last weekend in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

On Sunday, he suggested former Lakers general manager Jerry West should return. West left the team in the summer of 2000 and was succeeded by current GM Mitch Kupchak.

Why the Spurs will beat the Jazz

Any guy that will let this type of embarassment occur will not beat the Spurs.

What Happened to the NBA

With all the rule changes to increase the score, increase the sales, make it a more fast paced action packed ticket selling event; somewhere in the midst of all the hoopla, the game got lost.

No more defense, no more hard fouls, no more spectacular players= no more fun.

What happened to the good ol days?

Next Avery Johnson or the Next Kwame Brown?

Michael Jordan has hired Sam Vincent to take over the Head coaching job for the Charlotte Bobcats. When asked about his decision Jordan replied that he was looking for the next Avery Johnson, former NBA player and court general who knows how to manage his players.

Vincent has never been a head coach on the NBA level and isn't the lead assistant with the Mavericks.

Did Jordan watch the playoffs?

I am a Jordan fan so I hope this decision doesn't turn out like the one to draft Kwame Brown. They can't run Jordan out of his home town, can they?

Allen Iverson Playing Football, Enough Said

Durant vs. Oden....You Decide

The NBA draft lottery is upon us, which spurs debate over who will be drafted first i this year. It's obvious it will be either Kevin Durant or Greg Oden. To me you can't really go wrong with either.

On one hand you have a stump in the middle that can throw anyone that comes in the lane and scores recklessly on the block. On the other hand you have a athletic swing man that can play 4 positions and shoot from anyone on the court with ease.

I would take Oden simply because he has proven his poise in big games. In the title game against Florida, he was 10 for 15 from the floor with 25 points. I believe he will have more of a immediate impact than Durant.

Greg Oden and Kevin Durant aside, I can't wait to see what Acie Law does in the NBA. The guy is a stone cold killer.

Spurs Draw First Blood

When they win, its experience. When they loose, they are getting old.

No matter how you shake it, the Spurs showed they are capable of keeping up with the run and gun offense of the Suns.

What I can't figure out, is why everyone was so quick to jump on the Suns bandwagon this year. Hasn't anyone else watched the Suns in the playoffs the last several seasons?

When ever someone argues that the Suns are going to win the Championship I always tell them what I have been told my entire life. Offense wins games, defense wins championships. Offense will come and go night to night. One night you may shoot the lights out, the next, you can't it the broadside of the barn. Defense can be there every night.

Bottom line the Spurs will eat the Suns lunch.

Choke of the Year? Easy, it's the Mavericks.

I had notion that the Mavericks could pull the comeback. When Baron Davis pulled up in the second quarter with a bad hammy I thought the deal was sealed. After all, the Mavs were the FREAKING OVERALL NUMBER ONE SEED FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. But 111-86??? Are you kidding me? I can't think of a bigger chokejob since Jason White from OU in a BCS bowl. Nowitzki goes 2 for 11 for a whopping 8 points. MVP? Oh hell no. Cue up the Nash band. So what did coach Avery Johnson have to say following the crushing loss:

"We just didn't have the confidence."

Seriously. I can think of some other quotes to cover things that might have been lacking that particular night:

"We just didn't have the defense."

"We just couldn't make any shots."

"We just didn't have a gameplan."

"We just didn't make any in-game adjustments."

"We just couldn't overcome the inury of their star player."

"We just didn't have the league MVP tonight."

Cue franchise meltdown.

Tonight! Mavs vs. Warriors! Who is going to get it done??!!

So, today is the day, tonight is the night, carpe diem, the future is now, the time is right, git 'r done, all that crap. There aren't enough cliches to cover the hole that the Mavs have managed to dig. All week I've been saying that tonights game will mark a key moment in the history of the franchise. It's win or go home. Realistically, the Mavs shouldn't be in this predicament. They're one of the greatest regular season teams in the histoy of the NBA. It's not like they didn't have competition along the way. There are two other team in their own conference capable of winning it all. This is a team that is supposed to blow the Warriors right off the court.

Anyone want to make a prediction? I will. Mavs by 11, staving off armaggedon by another day.

Can Golden State Seal the Deal?

The Golden State Warriors are human.

Although it seemed at times during this series (including last night) that Golden State was the number 1 seed and Dallas was the number 8, I believe we will see some more human like mistakes from the Warriors come Thursday. I think they will have trouble closing this series out even with the uber emotional Oakland crowd cheering them on.

The youth, and inexperience showed last night when Golden State began to unravel after a 9 point lead with 3 minutes left.

Not only did they loose the game, they allowed Dirk to regain his confidence. Had any other player on Dallas stepped up and made the shots Dirk did, I don't think they would be in as much trouble going back to Golden State.

Do you think Dallas can steal one at Golden State?

NBA Refs Racist?

From The New York Times:

The study, conducted over a 13-season span through 2004, found that the racial makeup of a three-man officiating crew affected calls by up to 4 1/2 percent.

The NBA strongly criticized the study, which was based on information from publicly available box scores, which show only the referees' names and contain no information about which official made a call.

"The study that is cited in the New York Times article is wrong," president of league and basketball operations Joel Litvin told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. "The fact is there is no evidence of racial bias in foul calls made by NBA officials and that is based on a study conducted by our experts who looked at data that was far more robust and current than the data relied upon by Professor Wolfers.

"The short of it is Wolfers and Price only looked at calls made by three-man crews. Our experts were able to analyze calls made by individual referees."

Litvin said the NBA's study, using data from November 2004 to January 2007, included some 148,000 calls and included which official made each call. The Times said the NBA denied a request by Wolfers and Price to obtain that information, citing its confidentiality agreement with the officials.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that white refs usually call more fouls on black players because.......THERE ARE MORE BLACK PLAYERS!!!!

This is ridiculous.

Again for Big Shot Bob

Last night Robert Horry put game 4 of the Spurs/Nuggets series away with yet another cliched clutch three pointer. Can a guy get into the Hall of Fame with 6 rings, countless clutch shots, and no All-Star Appearances? Let's look at his resume (courtesy Wikipedia):

• "He is second on the all-time list of three-pointers made in the playoffs, behind only Reggie Miller, which is an amazing feat for someone of his height. He also holds the record for three pointers all-time in the NBA Finals, passing Michael Jordan's previous record of 42, and finished 2005 with 53 career Finals 3-pointers.

• Horry collected his sixth championship as a member of the Spurs in 2005. That year he joined John Salley as the only players to win NBA rings with three different teams. Horry has also played in more NBA playoff games than any player except Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, having passed Scottie Pippen for 2nd place during the 2006 NBA playoffs. He joined Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan and Pippen as the only non-Boston Celtics to be on six championship teams.

• He holds an individual NBA Playoffs record for most three-point field goals made in a game without a miss (7), against the Utah Jazz in Game 2 of the 1997 Western Conference Semifinals."

If and when Robert Horry decides to finish his NBA career, he could have SEVEN rings over a 14 year career (don't kid yourselves, the Spurs could win it all). I'm thinking HoF.