Hurray July 4th, the most underrated of holidays...that and Arbor Day of course.
On what other day do we get to stuff our faces, be lazy, listen to patriotic songs, watch baseball, and fireworks?
Went to the Ranger game, and it was surprisingly good times! No rain AND good baseball! I'm glad these crazy bizarro Rangers have replaced the team we all saw for the first couple months of the season.
A team starting, STARTING!, Jerry Hairston Jr, Ramon Vazquez, Marlon Byrd, Sammy Sosa, Kenny Lofton, AND Jerad Wright actually won a game in the majors...against a pretty good team no less. I really can't say anything else... I think after the game the Halos really felt like the Rangers pooped in the refrigerator and ate the whole wheel of cheese.
Sat front row, center field so I got to see GMJ up close. One thing that vexed me thoroughly, plenty of people shouted "HGH!!! Gary!" at Matthews, but then cheered Sosa and Hairston (who made 3 great defensive plays at 2nd...he can't hit but dude can pick it!) Really, we're all just shouting for laundry.
I only had 65 fewer hot dogs than Joey Chestnut...the greatest American hero of all time!
**** The SportsBullies are about to take a baseball road trip to the Show Me State to see the Cards/Giants and the greatly anticipated Royals/D-Rays game (tickets were crazy cheap...they're actually paying us to go) So we'll be back in after the weekend with details of the frivolities. Anyone who knows the St Louis/KC areas, please leave info in the comment section about good places to grub/drink/talk to intelligent upstanding young ladies****
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
Board at Work
Just at work, staring at my computer screen...it looks like I'm working... and I stumbled on a tidbit from Marc Stein on ESPN.com that got my little basketball pants excited.
"The Mavericks' No. 1 target in free agency? Folks in Dallas might have been expecting Mavs killer Matt Barnes, but I'm told it's actually Charlotte's Gerald Wallace. ..."
Wow!
I know it'd take an arm and leg to get him, he's def worth more than the Mid Level Exception, and we'd have to work out a sign-and-trade, and those never happen, but wow!
Imagine Wallace and J-Ho on the floor at the same time! Let the Suns get KG, I don't care. We'd kill the Spurs, 82-0 baby!! My fav Gerald Wallace stat; Since the league started tracking blocked shots in 1972-73, only three players have averaged at least two steals and two blocks per game. The first two were Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson ... and the third was Gerald Wallace!
Matt Barnes isn't in the same ballpark as this guy, aint in the same league, aint the same f---ing sport!
*****
Speaking of the Mavs, here's more on my love affair with Nick Fazekas. On our running draft recap, from which Bill Simmons stole everything!, I said this about Fazekas: Absolutely love this pick, we'll have more about it later but this a steal and a half! Of the 33 players taken ahead of him, he's def better than 10, maybe half! He's Keith Van Horn, but at a tenth the pay.
I really like the KVH comparison, and mean that as a good thing. Van Horn was a dominate, polished college player...like Fazekas. Both were big white power forwards with good inside-outside games, good shooters, good rebounders, very fundamentally sound. Heck both were even 3-time WAC POY's!
I know a lot of Mavs fans my remember the 8 point 3 rebound guy the Mavs had a couple seasons ago who made a billion dollars. Lest you forget, KVH has a 17/7 guy for his career, with highs of 22/8.5...that's a pretty darned good player.
Here's Van Horn's college stats, courtesy of BasketballReference.com
------------------MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
93-94 Utah ---29.6 51.6 44.3 77.5 8.3 0.8 2.2 1.6 0.8 18.3
94-95 Utah ---30.1 54.5 38.6 85.6 8.5 1.4 2.3 0.8 0.8 21.0
95-96 Utah ---30.9 53.8 40.9 85.1 8.8 1.0 2.3 0.7 0.7 21.4
96-97 Utah ---31.5 49.2 38.7 90.4 9.5 1.4 2.5 1.2 0.7 22.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----TOTALS ---30.6 52.2 40.1 85.1 8.8 1.2 2.3 1.0 0.7 20.8
Pretty darned good!
---------------------MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
03-04 Nevada ---26.9 52.8 35.8 77.1 7.6 0.5 0.9 1.3 0.5 12.6
04-05 Nevada ---31.5 50.2 32.7 78.9 9.4 0.9 2.2 1.6 0.6 20.7
05-06 Nevada ---31.8 52.9 29.0 84.6 10.4 2.1 1.8 1.5 1.1 21.8
06-07 Nevada ---30.3 56.8 43.1 84.8 11.1 1.8 2.0 1.5 0.8 20.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------TOTALS ---30.1 53.2 34.1 81.5 9.6 1.3 1.7 1.5 0.7 18.8
Pretty darned good!
Fazekas is a much better rebounder/shot blocker and has much better ball skills, far fewer turnovers, and a bit better passer. Maybe he's not as good an athlete as Van Horn was coming out of Utah, and KVH was a much more consistant shooter...but if Fazekas is actually a 43% three point shooter, or close to it he's going to be stud! At the worst he's a good backup for Dirk.
Hollinger, who I hate, had Fazekas rated as the 7th best college prospect this year. Nick's college bio lists his personal info as "enjoys swimming and playing Nintendo...hopes to surf one day...an avid collector of Jordan brand basketball shoes." Nice to know about the former Colorado Mr. Basketball.
"The Mavericks' No. 1 target in free agency? Folks in Dallas might have been expecting Mavs killer Matt Barnes, but I'm told it's actually Charlotte's Gerald Wallace. ..."
Wow!
I know it'd take an arm and leg to get him, he's def worth more than the Mid Level Exception, and we'd have to work out a sign-and-trade, and those never happen, but wow!
Imagine Wallace and J-Ho on the floor at the same time! Let the Suns get KG, I don't care. We'd kill the Spurs, 82-0 baby!! My fav Gerald Wallace stat; Since the league started tracking blocked shots in 1972-73, only three players have averaged at least two steals and two blocks per game. The first two were Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson ... and the third was Gerald Wallace!
Matt Barnes isn't in the same ballpark as this guy, aint in the same league, aint the same f---ing sport!
*****
Speaking of the Mavs, here's more on my love affair with Nick Fazekas. On our running draft recap, from which Bill Simmons stole everything!, I said this about Fazekas: Absolutely love this pick, we'll have more about it later but this a steal and a half! Of the 33 players taken ahead of him, he's def better than 10, maybe half! He's Keith Van Horn, but at a tenth the pay.
I really like the KVH comparison, and mean that as a good thing. Van Horn was a dominate, polished college player...like Fazekas. Both were big white power forwards with good inside-outside games, good shooters, good rebounders, very fundamentally sound. Heck both were even 3-time WAC POY's!
I know a lot of Mavs fans my remember the 8 point 3 rebound guy the Mavs had a couple seasons ago who made a billion dollars. Lest you forget, KVH has a 17/7 guy for his career, with highs of 22/8.5...that's a pretty darned good player.
Here's Van Horn's college stats, courtesy of BasketballReference.com
------------------MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
93-94 Utah ---29.6 51.6 44.3 77.5 8.3 0.8 2.2 1.6 0.8 18.3
94-95 Utah ---30.1 54.5 38.6 85.6 8.5 1.4 2.3 0.8 0.8 21.0
95-96 Utah ---30.9 53.8 40.9 85.1 8.8 1.0 2.3 0.7 0.7 21.4
96-97 Utah ---31.5 49.2 38.7 90.4 9.5 1.4 2.5 1.2 0.7 22.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----TOTALS ---30.6 52.2 40.1 85.1 8.8 1.2 2.3 1.0 0.7 20.8
Pretty darned good!
---------------------MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
03-04 Nevada ---26.9 52.8 35.8 77.1 7.6 0.5 0.9 1.3 0.5 12.6
04-05 Nevada ---31.5 50.2 32.7 78.9 9.4 0.9 2.2 1.6 0.6 20.7
05-06 Nevada ---31.8 52.9 29.0 84.6 10.4 2.1 1.8 1.5 1.1 21.8
06-07 Nevada ---30.3 56.8 43.1 84.8 11.1 1.8 2.0 1.5 0.8 20.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------TOTALS ---30.1 53.2 34.1 81.5 9.6 1.3 1.7 1.5 0.7 18.8
Pretty darned good!
Fazekas is a much better rebounder/shot blocker and has much better ball skills, far fewer turnovers, and a bit better passer. Maybe he's not as good an athlete as Van Horn was coming out of Utah, and KVH was a much more consistant shooter...but if Fazekas is actually a 43% three point shooter, or close to it he's going to be stud! At the worst he's a good backup for Dirk.
Hollinger, who I hate, had Fazekas rated as the 7th best college prospect this year. Nick's college bio lists his personal info as "enjoys swimming and playing Nintendo...hopes to surf one day...an avid collector of Jordan brand basketball shoes." Nice to know about the former Colorado Mr. Basketball.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Crazy Athlete of the Week
I know it's only Tuesday but check out this story! We have a winner and a record setter for fastest in the week to win the award. Also of note, this is the first non NFL player to win this award... Somewhere Roger Goodell is wetting his pants with excitement.This is a really tragic story so I won't make any (more)jokes about it.
Check back for more NBA Draft coverage, all the latest on baseball and why we're not fooled by the Rangers hot streak, more crazy athletes and whatever else we feel like bullying you about.
Crazy Athlete of the Week!
Congratulations to Fred Evans of the Miami Dolphins for winning the coveted crazy athlete of the week award. There were many worthy submissions this week but Evans managed to blow them all out of the water. According to police reports, Evans was riding in a cab when he vomited all over the cab and became engaged in an argument with the cab driver. Eventually police arrived on the scene and Evans refused to get out of the cab. He then bit a police officer on the wrist and got tasered....twice. Hey Fred Evans, Pacman Jones called he wants his life back. Now I have a lot of experience riding in a cab while drunk, and I know that if you ever feel like your going to be sick you just ask the driver to pull over and you do your business of the side of the road and then continue home. It works out a lot better for everyone involved. Evans apparently thought differently and he ended up tasered and in jail. Well Evans, with the league-wide crackdown on douche bag behavior like this, you might need a new line of work soon. Your in luck, with biting skills like that Michael Vick just might allow you to join his dog fighting ring! Hey at least they're house broken.
Mavs 2007 Draft
J.J. here to take a quick look at some guys the Mavs should focus on as well as the perfect realistic draft for them. I'll break it down by position.
First, PG. Mavs don't have a real need but in the NBA you can never have enough talented PG's. 3 guys catch my eye that I think the Mavs have a shot at. In order they are, Taurean Green from Florida, Jared Jordan from Marist, and Aaron Brooks from Oregon. Previously, we had Taurean falling to the Mavs at the 50th or 60th pick but after a very impressive workout, he is a probable first rounder. I'm not as high on Jordan as some others but he does have real talent. Great ball handeling skills and a ton of speed. He is just very unpolished and I don't want the Mavs to spend their first pick on him, which is what they would have to do to get him. That leavs us with Brooks, who's name scares me off a little. All jokes aside, the kid would be a great fit here. He has speed to burn, and is a pure scorer. Think of a less refined Devin Harris. Being able to throw out Harris and then Brooks would wear any team out. A great boost off the bench. Most drafts have him going anywhere from 55 to undrafted, my hope being the later, because he would be a steal for free. The Mavs, depending on their first 2 picks could justify taking him with pick 60.
Next, the PF. Also not a huge need, but a decent scorerer or defender off the bench behind the big German would be nice. 5 guys I like that the Mavs have some possible shot at are in order, Glen Davis, Josh McRoberts, Nick Fazekas, Ali Traore, and Stephane Lasme. It is hard to project who goes where in this crazy deep draft. Some have Davis as high as #17 to the Nets. My gut tells me he goes somewhere between picks 28 and 32, just ahead of the Mavs. If he is there though, they have to grab him. He is the most NBA ready PF in the draft, and would be a steal. McRoberts and Fazekas are also guys I think go just before the Mavs pick but again if they are there, they are great value guys. That leaves Traore, a Frenchman who would stay in France a year or two refineing his game. When he gets done, think of a simular version of the Cavs Varejao. Not bad for the 60th pick if they can land him there. Stephane Lasme; who I know Lincoln would love to have here just to get wasted and scream at for haveing a girls name, is an intreguing player. He should be there right at pick 60, possibly undrafted. While he is nothing to write home about offensively, he is a top 3 shotblocker in this draft and is crazy athletic. I would love to have this guy on the Mavs.
SF is a position locked up by the great Josh Howard, but athletic 3's are what make champions. The 7 guys I like are, Jared Dudley, Marcus Williams, Alando Tucker, Demetris Nichols, Dominic McGuire, Sun Yue, and Reyshawn Terry. While Dudley is very good, the Mavs only chance at him is with pick 34, and there are more pressing needs. Williams won't slip to pick 50, but if he does they have to take him. The Big 10 player of the year and runner up to Kevin Durant for POY, Alando Tucker, would also be a steal at pick 50. Pretty sure he doesn't fall that far though, plus he isn't the shooter the Mavs need. Nichols has everything I like in a 3. Athletic, tall and rangy, and is the best shooting SF in the whole draft. Mavs steal him at 50 and look out. A combo of him and J-Ho is scary. Both shoot the trey very well. That leavs McGuire, Yue, and Terry. One of these guys will go undrafted because of the depth of this draft. My money is on McGuire and I sure hope the Mavs scoop him up then. He is a poor man's Kirilenko, enough said.
Finally, SG. This is the position the Mavs need to improve on. A big, physical shooter, who can also defend is a must. Enter Arron Affalo, perhaps the best fit on the Mavs out of the whole draft minus the top 2 guys. He has a great mid-range game, is working on the trey and isn't afraid to D-up anyone. A dream for the Mavs at pick 34. The Mavs could also take a SG at pick 50, especially D.J. Strawberry. I love his combo ability and the fact that he is a shutdown defender. Tuff not to take, but if they go with a SG with pick 34, and have Ager from last year they can't justify it. 2 guys I didn't mention that I would love at pick 34 if they make it are Morris Almond and Daequan Cook. Neither make it in my opinion, they are too good. One last guy I think might go undrafted is J.R. Reynolds from Virginia, and if he does he has to be the Mavs #1 undrafted priority. He can shoot from anywhere, is super athletic, and is also a tweener that can help out at both gaurd spots. A real great fit for the Mavs.
Here is the best realistic draft for the Mavs. With pick 34 they take Affalo. With pick 50, they take Nichols, and with pick 60, they take Lasme. The 2 undrafted guys they should focus on are Reynolds and Brooks. The lineup would look like this.
PG's. Harris, Terry, Barrea.
SG's. Affalo (r), Stackhouse, Ager.
SF's. J-Ho, Nichols (r), Buckner.
PF's. Dirk, Lasme (r), Pops.
C's. Diop, Damp, Mbenga.
Guys they wouldn't have spaces for on the 15-man roster; Brooks, Reynolds, and Deavon George.
If they make the Abdur-Rahim trade which is Buckner, George, Barrea, and a 2nd rounder next year for Abdur-Rahim, the lineup would look like this.
PG's. Harris, Terry, Brooks(r).
SG's. Affalo(r), Ager, Reynolds(r).
SF's. J-Ho, Stackhouse, Nichols(r).
PF's. Dirk, Abdur-Rahim, Lasme(r).
C's. Diop, Damp, Mbenga.
Pops wouldn't be on the 15-man roster, but could possibly crack it with continued development. A very athletic young lineup that has what it takes to win it all would be what was left. And yes, there would be 6 rookies, but 4 would be third stringers, with Nichols and Lasme getting the bulk of the time on the 12-man active roster.
First, PG. Mavs don't have a real need but in the NBA you can never have enough talented PG's. 3 guys catch my eye that I think the Mavs have a shot at. In order they are, Taurean Green from Florida, Jared Jordan from Marist, and Aaron Brooks from Oregon. Previously, we had Taurean falling to the Mavs at the 50th or 60th pick but after a very impressive workout, he is a probable first rounder. I'm not as high on Jordan as some others but he does have real talent. Great ball handeling skills and a ton of speed. He is just very unpolished and I don't want the Mavs to spend their first pick on him, which is what they would have to do to get him. That leavs us with Brooks, who's name scares me off a little. All jokes aside, the kid would be a great fit here. He has speed to burn, and is a pure scorer. Think of a less refined Devin Harris. Being able to throw out Harris and then Brooks would wear any team out. A great boost off the bench. Most drafts have him going anywhere from 55 to undrafted, my hope being the later, because he would be a steal for free. The Mavs, depending on their first 2 picks could justify taking him with pick 60.
Next, the PF. Also not a huge need, but a decent scorerer or defender off the bench behind the big German would be nice. 5 guys I like that the Mavs have some possible shot at are in order, Glen Davis, Josh McRoberts, Nick Fazekas, Ali Traore, and Stephane Lasme. It is hard to project who goes where in this crazy deep draft. Some have Davis as high as #17 to the Nets. My gut tells me he goes somewhere between picks 28 and 32, just ahead of the Mavs. If he is there though, they have to grab him. He is the most NBA ready PF in the draft, and would be a steal. McRoberts and Fazekas are also guys I think go just before the Mavs pick but again if they are there, they are great value guys. That leaves Traore, a Frenchman who would stay in France a year or two refineing his game. When he gets done, think of a simular version of the Cavs Varejao. Not bad for the 60th pick if they can land him there. Stephane Lasme; who I know Lincoln would love to have here just to get wasted and scream at for haveing a girls name, is an intreguing player. He should be there right at pick 60, possibly undrafted. While he is nothing to write home about offensively, he is a top 3 shotblocker in this draft and is crazy athletic. I would love to have this guy on the Mavs.
SF is a position locked up by the great Josh Howard, but athletic 3's are what make champions. The 7 guys I like are, Jared Dudley, Marcus Williams, Alando Tucker, Demetris Nichols, Dominic McGuire, Sun Yue, and Reyshawn Terry. While Dudley is very good, the Mavs only chance at him is with pick 34, and there are more pressing needs. Williams won't slip to pick 50, but if he does they have to take him. The Big 10 player of the year and runner up to Kevin Durant for POY, Alando Tucker, would also be a steal at pick 50. Pretty sure he doesn't fall that far though, plus he isn't the shooter the Mavs need. Nichols has everything I like in a 3. Athletic, tall and rangy, and is the best shooting SF in the whole draft. Mavs steal him at 50 and look out. A combo of him and J-Ho is scary. Both shoot the trey very well. That leavs McGuire, Yue, and Terry. One of these guys will go undrafted because of the depth of this draft. My money is on McGuire and I sure hope the Mavs scoop him up then. He is a poor man's Kirilenko, enough said.
Finally, SG. This is the position the Mavs need to improve on. A big, physical shooter, who can also defend is a must. Enter Arron Affalo, perhaps the best fit on the Mavs out of the whole draft minus the top 2 guys. He has a great mid-range game, is working on the trey and isn't afraid to D-up anyone. A dream for the Mavs at pick 34. The Mavs could also take a SG at pick 50, especially D.J. Strawberry. I love his combo ability and the fact that he is a shutdown defender. Tuff not to take, but if they go with a SG with pick 34, and have Ager from last year they can't justify it. 2 guys I didn't mention that I would love at pick 34 if they make it are Morris Almond and Daequan Cook. Neither make it in my opinion, they are too good. One last guy I think might go undrafted is J.R. Reynolds from Virginia, and if he does he has to be the Mavs #1 undrafted priority. He can shoot from anywhere, is super athletic, and is also a tweener that can help out at both gaurd spots. A real great fit for the Mavs.
Here is the best realistic draft for the Mavs. With pick 34 they take Affalo. With pick 50, they take Nichols, and with pick 60, they take Lasme. The 2 undrafted guys they should focus on are Reynolds and Brooks. The lineup would look like this.
PG's. Harris, Terry, Barrea.
SG's. Affalo (r), Stackhouse, Ager.
SF's. J-Ho, Nichols (r), Buckner.
PF's. Dirk, Lasme (r), Pops.
C's. Diop, Damp, Mbenga.
Guys they wouldn't have spaces for on the 15-man roster; Brooks, Reynolds, and Deavon George.
If they make the Abdur-Rahim trade which is Buckner, George, Barrea, and a 2nd rounder next year for Abdur-Rahim, the lineup would look like this.
PG's. Harris, Terry, Brooks(r).
SG's. Affalo(r), Ager, Reynolds(r).
SF's. J-Ho, Stackhouse, Nichols(r).
PF's. Dirk, Abdur-Rahim, Lasme(r).
C's. Diop, Damp, Mbenga.
Pops wouldn't be on the 15-man roster, but could possibly crack it with continued development. A very athletic young lineup that has what it takes to win it all would be what was left. And yes, there would be 6 rookies, but 4 would be third stringers, with Nichols and Lasme getting the bulk of the time on the 12-man active roster.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Random Musings
Sorry I haven't been able to write as much I would like too...crazy job. Anywho, I've got some down time and just felt like hitting a few topics.
- Just started reading, "The Juice" by Will Carroll. If anyone wants to get the real story on steroids in baseball, it's a must read...much like my column (scroll down.)
- NBA Draft is fast approaching! I remember the days when I wondered who the Mavs would get with their top 5 pick, glad I don't have to worry about that (now it's the Rangers... Pedro Alvarez ??) We haven't written much about the roundball picking fest, but we will have in depth post draft coverage...bullying your fave teams crappy picks (Greg Oden...really?)
- A few very underrated guys going into this thing: Acie Law IV!!! Most mocks have him going in the double digits or even out of the lottery all together. I know GM's fall in love with UPSIDE in the draft (in any sport) and Law IV, the fifth year senior is seen as having limited upside. But to me he's virtually Chauncey Billups. I think he's a top 15 PG in the league right now. Conely Jr has a ton a talent and is crazy fast, but you also don't know how much of his success comes from the fact that he's played with Greg freaking Oden his entire life. I take Law right now as the best value of any pick in the draft.
- I take Corey Brewer over any of the Florida guys...but I'd be very happy with any of them.
- Brandon Wright has a chance to battle Law IV for the best value pick of the draft, riskier than Law but higher upside. Maybe I just caught him on his good nights but I watched him play 7-10 games last year and was impressed every time. He'd be #1 in some years.
- Glen Davis has slimmed down and gone up draft boards... hope he's still there when the Mavs have their first 2nd rounder.
- Another guy I'm sure the Mavs have their eyes on and hope he lasts till they pick is a Texas kid.
- Also interesting rumors floating around the world wide interweb about the Mavs trying to trade up into the top 10 for Joakim Noah, with Boston and Minny as potential trading partners and Jet Terry as ammo.
- Tank Johnson was JUST RELEASED by Da Bears...the Cowboys have a big need at DT, he's crazy but he's really good too...I'm just sayin'
- The NFL Supplemental Draft is July 12th and guys taken in there have a really bad track record of working out, BUT Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver is very interesting. He left school because of grades...not a good sign...but he's a real big strong physical corner with great technique and cover skills...that some would go so far as to call skillz. If he had a good senior season for the Dogs he likely would have been the first senior corner taken in the draft, low-mid first round. I'd def take a 5th round pick on him, it might take a 4th to get him though...something to keep an eye out on.
- Congrats to Oregon State for winning the College World Series...Hurray Beavers!!
- Sosa hit 600 but I don't think he's a Hall of Famer. He was only dominate for 5 years. Other than that he's a .320 OBP guys with good pop who was bad on the base paths and horrible in the field. He's got great aggregate totals, but that's it. He wasn't a Hall of Famer before the season started, hitting 12 homers while hitting .250/.300 shouldn't be seen as an accomplishment. In his prime he was as good as anyone, but it just wasn't long enough. The bar is really high for rightfielders: BABE RUTH, HANK AARON, MEL OTT, FRANK ROBINSON, AL KALINE, ROBERTO CLEMENTE, PAUL WANER, DAVE WINFIELD, REGGIE JACKSON, SAM CRAWFORD, ENOS SLAUGHTER. It has nothing to do with steroids.
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