Fantasy Play

By Bryan Jeon

(Our very first fantasy sports post. Hopefully, many more posts to come regularly. All fantasy sports posts will be directly relevant to Yahoo! fantasy sports, which is seemingly the predominant choice among fantasy managers nationwide. (My apologies to those who play on Sportsline, Sandbox and other whack sites. Just kidding, but really.))

Who’s Hot:

Guard – Sam Cassell (PG), Los Angeles Clippers – The loss of an injured player opens the door for another to step in big fantasy-wise. Cassell (13.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.2apg in 26.8 min.), who split time with Shaun Livingston all season, finally can control the floor for the majority of games. Livingston has only missed 2 games all season and in his absence, Cassell is averaging 22.0ppg, 3.5rpg and 13.5apg in 37 min. Expect this 17-year veteran to help his team make a push for the playoffs the rest of the way.

Forward – Charlie Bell (PG, SG, SF), Milwaukee Bucks – This 6’3” cat has measly season averages of 13.0ppg, 2.9rpg and 2.8apg. However, he has improved in these three categories every month throughout the season and in February, is averaging 16.2ppg, 4.3rpg and 2.7apg. Bell is a hot pickup from the FA over the last week and is still only owned in 2/3 of leagues.

Center – Shaquille O’Neal (C), Miami Heat – With the loss of Dwyane Wade, O’Neal (14.8ppg, 6.7rpg, 53.8FG%) has stepped up his game offensively, being the center of the offense again as he was accustomed to throughout his career. In three games post-Wade, O’Neal has elevated his stats to 18.7ppg, 7.3rpg and is shooting 24-42 (57.1%) from the field. Look for The Big Diesel to play aggressively from here on out, as Wade decides whether to end his season with shoulder surgery by the end of this week.

Who’s Not:

Guard – Randy Foye (PG, SG), Minnesota Timberwolves – It appeared that with the eventual change of Foye replacing Mike James in the starting lineup by head coach, Randy Wittman, Foye (9.1ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.7apg) was primed to breakout finally. In 7 games as the starter, Foye has done nothing to help his team win (3-4 since starting) nor his stat line. He improved to a marginal 10.3ppg, 3.7rpg and 5.1apg in that span. The Villanova guard has yet to find consistency in his shots, as his comfort might not be found this season.

Forward – Tayshaun Prince (SF), Detroit Pistons – Overall, Prince is having one of his better years in the NBA at 14.3ppg, 5.5rpg and 2.9apg. But since the addition of Chris Webber, Prince has just been awful to his standards in his new, decreased role with the offense. In the month of February, Prince is averaging just 11.3ppg, 2.3apg and has shot a miserable 41.3% from the field with no signs of improvement.

Center – Boris Diaw (PF, C), Phoenix Suns – This 6’8” cat with center eligibility still provides an all-around game, as he did last year. Obviously, Diaw’s numbers (9.9ppg, 4.6rpg, 5.1rpg) fell accordingly with Amare Stoudamire’s return this year, but it’s just tough to like a guy who averages under 10ppg. Not to establish 10 points per game as a threshold of FA fodder, as he certainly is not at that point yet but with the recent return after missing 6 games due to back spasms, I’m not holding my breath for Diaw to return to form anytime soon.

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Stay tuned for SportsCouch’s Big Board for fantasy baseball set to come out in a couple of weeks.

Livingston Out For Year

By Bryan Jeon

Shaun Livingston dislocated his left knee Monday night while on a fast break against the Charlotte Bobcats, as the Los Angeles Clippers won 100-93. Livingston has had an injury-riddled career since coming straight out of high school in 2004, including dislocating his right knee his rookie year. He had just come off of tying his career high in assists with 14 against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Livingston was splitting starts at the point with Sam Cassell, who will have to fill the void despite being limited by a pulled abdominal muscle.

Update: Livingston tore his ACL, MCL, PCL and dislocated his left knee, ending his season as the Los Angeles Clippers make their push for a playoff spot. The Clippers hold the 8th and final spot by just a 1/2 game.

Before Robinson, There Were Johnson and Louis – Part One

By Chris Le

As February comes to an end, so does Black History Month. In these short 28 days, classrooms and communities across the nation have commemorated the determination and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and of course, Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. There’s no underestimating Robinson’s impact on sports and American culture as he undoubtedly paved the way for future athletes and changed the general perception of African-Americans. But early pioneers such former heavyweight champions, Jack Johnson and Joe Louis, tend to be lost in Robinson’s enormous shadow. I believe it’s time to bring them into the light along with one truth: without Jack Johnson and Joe Louis, there is no Jackie Robinson.

In the early to mid-1900s, boxing was the sport in America, well ahead of football, basketball, and even baseball, which is now considered the nation’s pastime. Title fights were front page material, super fights literally stopped traffic and the Heavyweight Championship was the most coveted title in all of sports. So needless to say, white America didn’t want it’s most revered champion to be a black man. White titleholders such as Jim Jeffries avoided black contenders like the plague, refusing to fight them as they were “unworthy” of such an honor, while nothing was further from the truth.

If anyone deserved a title shot in 1908, it was Jack Johnson, who even before his reign as champion was clearly a proven great fighter. As he climbed the ranks, Johnson was avoided by the majority of good white boxers, but still solidified his status as the number one contender by defeating other avoided, black fighters likes Sam McVea, Joe Jeannette, and the incomparable Sam Langford, whom Johnson knocked down twice in the first round. It wouldn’t be too far fetched to say that his resume prior to gaining the title was Hall of Fame worthy.

But the greatness of Jack Johnson isn’t just encapsulated in who he beat; one has to see him in action to appreciate how he elevated the sport. Always calm and collected, Johnson never lost control of a fight even when it didn’t always appear so. Seemingly every move he made, no matter how subtle, turned the tide of the bout in his favor. Watching him on film, underneath his somewhat boring and slow clinching style, one can’t help but marvel at his skill level, particularly his defense, which was decades ahead of its time. The way he parried opponent’s jabs, his use of feints, and unparalleled footwork helped evolve the sport into what it is today. It is even said that he was able to dodge an incoming punch and land one of his own in the same move. Considering his uncanny skill and gargantuan size for the time (around 6’1” and 205 pounds), you’ll get no arguments from me if you say that Jack Johnson was the best defense heavyweight in the history of boxing (yes, even better than Muhammad Ali).

Seeing how utterly dominant Johnson was during his rise, a title shot was unavoidable. He was too good not to get a chance at the championship. It also didn’t hurt that Johnson followed then champion, Tommy Burns, everywhere he went, publicly goading him into a match. So it was set up—on December 26, 1908, Jack Johnson was to face Tommy Burns for the heavyweight crown. And on this date, Johnson changed the course of American sports by stopping Burns in 14 rounds to become the first black heavyweight champion in history. This momentous feat, to no shock at all, caused quite a stir around the country. Though it wasn’t just that a black man held the belt, it was that a black man like Jack Johnson was champion.

In and out of the ring, whites resented the way “The Galveston Giant” conducted himself. They hated how he mocked his vastly inferior and mainly white opponents, frequently refusing to quickly knock them out in order to prolong their beatings. However, as much as whites disliked Johnson’s in-ring antics, it was nothing compared to how enraging his personal lifestyle was. Crass and crude, he lived life as if there was no tomorrow, partying day and night, and candidly denigrating whites everywhere he went. But aside from his flamboyant arrogance, what really got underneath the skin of many was the fact that he openly fooled around with white women. This pushed the hate to immeasurable proportions, as it was seen as the worst violation a black man could do.

Clearly, whites wanted nothing more than to regain the heavyweight crown; and from this desire sprang forth the search for “The Great White Hope,” the one that could dethrone the current champion who was all too black. Johnson detractors believed they found the answer in former champion Jim Jeffries, who at the time was viewed as the greatest heavyweight in history before he retired with an undefeated record of 18-0-2 (15 KO). The bout was billed as “The Fight of the Century,” but fell short of expectations when those in attendance witnessed a one-sided beating. Johnson toyed with the over-the-hill Jeffries, taunting him on his way to a 15 round TKO victory. Riots and lynches quickly ensued.

Looking past his controversial lifestyle, it’s undeniable that Johnson altered sports forever. Even contemporaries in a racially torn time acknowledged his true worth. Nat Fleischer, founder of Ring Magazine, who saw everyone from Jeffries to Ali, said Johnson was the best heavyweight of them all. In the end, Johnson instilled hope in the heart of the black community. His accomplishments and influence were acts to look up to. And because of him, blacks aspired to be great despite resistance. That in itself makes Johnson worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame.

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Stay tuned for Part 2

The Daily Rundown

By Chris Le

• Ohio St. (26-3) clinched the Big Ten title and avenged a previous loss to top ranked Wisconsin (26-4), defeating the Badgers 49-48. The game involved two leading candidates for the Naismith and Wooden awards, Greg Oden and Alando Tucker, but neither was overly impressive.

Tucker found himself in foul trouble in the first half and was held to just 12 points on 5-15 shooting. He had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds, but was blocked by Ron Lewis as time expired.

As usual, I was expecting a lot from Oden, and he had a decent game by his lofty standards. I noticed that his offense is getting better, and that he has developed a go-to move—a fairly effective jump hook. The problem is, it seems to be his only post shot he has in his repertoire. He seriously needs to beef up his arsenal, especially his face-up game; but the bright side is that Oden has the athleticism, footwork, and balance to be a diverse scorer in the paint.

Two things I love about Oden: his blocking ability and the way he boxes out. I can see the similarities between Oden and Bill Russell, in that Oden utilizes his left hand to alter shots as much as he does his dominant right hand. Oden also never swats at the ball, but instead keeps it in play, directing the rock to a teammate, essentially starting a fast break on his own.

Then there’s his boxing out. If you watch Oden underneath the boards, you’ll notice that he fights as hard as anyone in the country; this is a big reason why he leads the Big Ten Conference in rebounding with 9.7 a game. Yet, Oden’s ability to box out isn’t limited to boarding. I loved how he sealed off his man, providing his teammates with huge, uncontested lanes for lay-ups. Very Tim Duncan-like.

It was also nice to see Oden get on the floor, fighting for loose balls. This was the first game in which I’ve seen Oden do this, and he did it twice!

• Ohio St. has all the ingredients of a championship team, but I still wouldn’t call them a lock for the Final Four. Though there’s no doubting the potency of their offense or Oden’s defensive impact, they’re awfully young and prone to mental errors. What worries me more than their inexperience, though, is their inconsistent perimeter shooting. From all the OSU games I’ve seen, they’ve been too reliant on the predictable formula of feeding Oden in the post, who after a double-team dishes out to an open teammate. Will the Buckeyes nail their shots when the pressure of March Madness is on the shoulders of their young guards?

• Preceding the OSU-Wisconsin game, Duke (22-7) easily dismantled St. John’s (15-14) 76-50, limiting the Red Storm to 10 first half points. It appears that the Blue Devils are back in tournament form with a resurgence in offense due to the efforts of Greg Paulus (19 points, 5-7 from behind the arc), DeMarcus Nelson, and Jon Scheyer. Sophomore, Josh McRoberts, remains content on being a secondary scorer, contributing only 9 points, but it’s impossible to ignore his all-around ability. With 6 blocks, McRoberts played particularly well on defense—an aspect of his game that I believe to be very underrated.

All season, Duke has played exceptional defense. It’s just now that their offense is catching up. Don’t count out the Blue Devils in the tournament just yet. They could shock some people. That is, if you even consider a Duke run in late March a rarity.

• LeBron James and his Cavs were duds once again in losing to the Wade-less Miami Heat 86-81. As a team, the Cavs shot .360 from the field.

It was good to see Shaquille O’Neal (19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists) as active as he was. If Shaq continues to play like he gives a damn, perhaps the Heat are playoff bound.

I also loved how, in the final minute of the game, ABC quickly cut to the Oscars’ red carpet special. They couldn’t wait 30 seconds for the game to finish? Was it that imperative to discuss red carpet fashion two hours before anyone of real importance showed up?

Latest Japanese Import Set to Disappoint in Boston

 

By Jason Fukao

On November 14, the Boston Red Sox bid $51 million for the rights to negotiate with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka in hopes of luring one of Japan’s most heralded superstars from his native country. After almost a month of anticipation and deliberation between the BoSox and Matsuzaka, the two sides agreed on a six year, $52 million contract.

Now the MLB is ready to see the pitcher the Japanese nicknamed, “The Monster.” The sports world was buzzing with news on the signing as everyone tried to figure out how to properly pronounce his name. “Dice-K,” as one news reporter labeled him, had created a frenzy that no other Japanese player had brought, even before his first game in a Major League uniform. The Red Sox, as well as Bud Selig, are expecting the type of mania that Hideo Nomo created 12 years ago. But will he be the next Hideki Matsui? Or even the next Ichiro?

I am sorry my friends, but be ready to think more along the lines of Hideki Irabu and Kazuhiro Matsui.

Matsuzaka seems to have chosen one of the worse predicaments that any foreign player could have been placed in. Firstly, he is pitching for the Boston Red Sox. He did not join the Texas Rangers or the Florida Marlins. These are the Red Sox, arguably one of the most spotlighted teams along with their hated rivals from New York. In addition, the city of Boston is not known to be one of the most patient and understanding cities. Their fans are used to having a competitive team each year and they are going to expect Dice-K to produce from the beginning.

Granted, the organization is only 3 years removed from their last World Series title, but they did fail to make the playoffs last year. Worst yet, they have not won a playoff game since their title, and the Yankees have made it each year. The Sox are going to have an unreasonable expectation on Matsuzaka to turn their team around, especially with a questionable pitching staff led by an aging Curt Shilling, an injury prone Josh Beckett, and Jonathan Papelbon who will most likely be moved back to the bullpen to fill the void at the closer position. Dice-K is not going to be able to hide behind other pitchers and is going to have all eyes on himself.

The Red Sox were out of their minds to bid $51 million for a pitcher that is all made up on hype. Matsuzaka is primarily a power pitcher with an average splitter and slider. He also has his gyroball, which has almost created as much interest as himself. He has a career ERA of 2.95 with three seasons posting consecutive ERAs of 3.97, 3.60, and 3.68, repectively. That is not going cut it in America.

Albeit, Matsuzaka did everything right to market himself properly in the steps leading up to his signing. Last March during the inaugural World Baseball Classic, he was awarded the MVP title. He did win all three of his starts, struck out 10 in a total of 13 innings, and did claim a team best 1.38 ERA. Also, in his last season with the Seibu Lions of Japan he posted career highs of 17 wins, a 2.13 ERA, and 200 strikeouts in only 186.1 innings. Those are strong numbers, as Dice-K is in his prime at the age of 26.

However, his arm has to be that of a 35 year old.

One of the classic stories of Matsuzaka is his 250 pitch, 17-inning game that he completed back in high school during the Koshien Summer Tournament. He may be a freak of nature, but most pitchers do not do that, especially in high school. Taking into consideration that he is a power pitcher with a slider and a fastball that tops at about 96 mph, his arm is bound to tire out. Also, he is only 6 feet tall weighing a modest 187 pounds, and those are not the typical dimensions for a power pitcher.

I am not saying that he is going to be a straight out bust in the major leagues. He is probably going to be the number four starter in the BoSox rotation and should pick up some wins against weaker number fours of other teams. It should take some time for hitters to get accustomed to him, so Matsuzaka should get the advantage during the early parts of the season.

If the Red Sox are looking for a one year wonder who will keep their rotation afloat while younger guys like Papelbon and Jon Lester develop, then they have their guy. If they are looking for an ace to anchor the staff, then they were better off saving that $100 million for someone else.

But don’t worry guys, even if he totally tanks we can still look forward to the gyroball.

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All images courtesy of NY Times

The Daily Rundown

By Chris Le
• I finally got a chance to see high school basketball phenom, O.J. Mayo, in action when his 6^th ranked Huntington High (WV) took on St. Patrick (NJ), the top team in the country according to USA Today. Huntington lost 78-76 in overtime, but Mayo did not fail to impress on the national stage, showcasing a wide variety of moves and some nice range (9-17 from three-point land) on his way to scoring 47 points. The Mayo highlight for me, though, was a sick one-handed bounce pass through traffic to a teammate for an easy dunk. It was Magic-esque.

With his dynamic scoring ability, there’s no denying that Mayo is a star in the making. However, I’d like to see him involve his teammates more. Fellow teammate, Patrick Patterson—ranked the 11^th best recruit in the nation by scouts.com—barely touched the ball. Granted, Mayo had some sweet dishes, but it looked like a one-man show way too often.

He could also stand to learn some defense. Too many times I saw Mayo’s hands at his waist, not running out to contest an open shooter. And aside from a few attempts to make a steal, he’s way too nonchalant on defense, willing to conserve his energy for when he has the ball in his hands. But it’s high school basketball. Why pass the ball when you’re unstoppable? Why play defense when you can simply outscore your opponent?

• Another standout was the previously mentioned Patrick Patterson, who posted a quiet double-double (10 points and 12 rebounds), but made his presence known on defense with at least 5 monster blocks. Huntington should’ve utilized him in the paint with more regularity, as it was obvious they couldn’t stop St. Patrick, especially PG, Corey Fisher (37 points). Posting up Patterson would’ve slowed the pace, giving Huntington a better chance of winning.

I hope PatPat goes to Duke, seeing how they could really use a low-post presence. If the Blue Devils do land Patterson, they will have one of the best incoming classes in the nation, with Kyle Singler—a consensus top-5 recruit who has been described as a more well-rounded version of Adam Morrison—Nolan Smith of Oak Hill Academy, and Taylor King from Mater Dei.

• Watching the Cavs take on the Bulls, I confirmed two things: 1.) LeBron James’ teammates are terrible, and 2.) he really isn’t trying as hard as he did last season.

Larry Hughes plays like a less athletic, unskilled version of LeBron, and his shot is just as erratic. Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao hustle, especially in trying to nab offensive boards; but in reality, they’re no more than glorified garbage men. The Cavs need a reliable perimeter shooter and a respectable post player. Seriously, though, who is LeBron’s most dependable outside shooter, Sasha Pavlovic? And I don’t think Zydrunas Ilgauskas instills fear in the hearts of many opponents.

With Cleveland’s personnel, I think they need to push the pace, run the floor like the Phoenix Suns. Of course, they don’t have the likes of Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire, but the Cavs are more equipped for that style of play as opposed to a half-court offense.

• It appears that the awfulness of King James’ teammates is rubbing off on him. Many around the league (and certain fantasy owners) have been disappointed with LeBron’s play as of late. I used to disagree, thinking “how could a stud who gives you 26.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists a game be underachieving?” Then I actually sat down and watched the Cavs play.

Like many have harped on, he settles way too much for long jumpers. I simply don’t understand your rationale, LeBron. You’ve proven to be the most unstoppable force in the league when driving to the rim; why don’t you do that every single time down the court?

Is he tired from last season’s playoff run, followed by a long summer playing with the U.S. National team? Has he given up on his teammates? Is he fed up with Coach Mike Brown?

Who knows? But what I do know is that LeBron needs to step up his play and the play of his teammates if he wants to make a push in the postseason.

Wade Dislocates Shoulder

By Bryan Jeon

D-Wade considering season-ending shoulder surgery

For a team flirting to even make the playoffs and holding the eight seed by just 3 games as of Wednesday, the loss of their star player in Dwyane Wade has all but doomed any hope for the defending champs. And leave it to Shane Battier to dismantle a star player’s shoulder - on a pass. Check out the article on ESPN.

The Daily Rundown

By Chris Le

• Last night against the defending champion Miami Heat, Tracy McGrady dropped 32 points and 8 assists, leading his team to another victory, improving their record to 34-19. As I was watching, I couldn’t help but think, my goodness, T-Mac is playing outside of his mind, possibly even better than his days with the Orlando Magic when he led the league in scoring. I couldn’t keep count of how many ridiculous, in-your-face, jumpers he nailed.

Obviously, the scoring ability is still there, but he’s much more of a facilitator nowadays. He’s running the offense, which pretty much revolves around him since Yao is out, and is making his teammates better, which is the mark of a truly great player.

To sum things up, I think it’s about time T-Mac got some MVP love. He has only kept Houston afloat and led them to the 5^th best record in the league without their franchise player, Yao Ming. And look who he’s playing with: a street baller in Skip, a 100-year-old Mutombo, and Juwan Howard. How many other teams would these guys start for? Honestly, did anyone think the Rockets would still be this dangerous without Yao? The only decent player on the team is Battier, which brings me to my next point…

• Man, I love Shane Battier. From his wrinkly ass head to his uncanny ability to take charges. It’s plain and simple—he’s a winner. Aside from being a lockdown defender, he doesn’t do any particular task too well, but he’ll always make the right play. He’ll do anything to win, whether it is diving for a loose ball, drawing a charge, or nailing a corner three. (Plus he’s a stat-stuffer for fantasy play.) He’s hands down one of the smartest players in the league with the mind of a coach, and I’m steadfast in the belief that any team would be ecstatic to have Battier.

• Also during the Heat-Rockets game, Miami shooting guard, Dwyane Wade, suffered a dislocated shoulder. The agony was so unbearable, he wasn’t even able to walk back to the training room; he needed a wheelchair. The tear-inducing injury made me think: is there crying in sports?

D-Wade has this persona of a scrappy, tough guy. Fall down seven times, get up eight. What happened to that guy? I can’t imagine Brett Favre shedding a tear.

And it’s not only restricted to injuries. I’m confused every time I see Roger Federer break down emotionally after winning a grand slam. Roger, you’ve won 10 grand slams. Is it really necessary to cry after each and every one of them?

But who am I to talk? I cry like a bitch and require a 30 minute break after getting a calf cramp.

• It was announced that former IBC and WBO heavyweight “champion,” Tommy Morrison, who several years ago tested positive for HIV, is returning to the ring. Morrison, scheduled to fight John Castle tonight, claims that he received a false positive and was misdiagnosed.

Tommy, what’s the point of this comeback? You sucked in your prime, and at 38, it’s likely you’ll suck even more. You’re remembered for two things: co-starring in “Rocky V” (the crappiest of all the Rocky movies) and being viciously knocked out by Ray Mercer. Please don’t be remembered for giving another boxer HIV.

Jordan, a Narcissist, as He Should Be

By Chris Le

I agree with my esteemed colleague, Bryan, in the fact that the Michael Jordan-love has been a little excessive. History has been all too kind to MJ, who can seemingly do no wrong. This is an athlete who manufactures his brand of shoes in sweatshops, had a child out of wedlock, a possible gambling addiction, and on numerous occasions been unbearable to play with, according to former teammates. Yet as time goes by, his legend appears to only grow and become more mythical.

On the court, he is seen as the undisputed greatest of all-time, a peerless player without a single weakness. Off the court, he is a globally revered icon, whom any parent would be proud to have their kid model him or herself after. But it’s not only that people worship him, they yearn for him. They crave another Jordan so badly that they are quick to anoint any player bearing any resemblance as the heir to His Airness. Jordan is so liked, one of him just isn’t enough.

So it’s not hard to see why Jordan has a big head. He’s Michael-freakin’-Jordan for crying out loud! The man, or should I say deity, is the epitome of cool and a consummate professional. (Can you tell that I’m a Jordan nut-hugger?)

And when you’re that good, you better be cocky.

Take the two most dominant athletes today—Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. You better believe they have a swagger in their step. They, like everyone else in the world, know just how good they are. The separation between them and their competition is so great that they realize that they’re no longer competing against other athletes, they’re battling history for a place among the immortal. To be great at what you do, you must realize how great you actually are. But here’s the catch—you can’t be satisfied with that.

Jordan certainly wasn’t.

In his prime, Jordan controlled the NBA with such utter dominance, he seemingly toyed with opponents. It was almost boring for him because he was so much better than anyone else. To motivate himself, he found, created his own challenges. Why do you think Jordan always played his best when people doubted him (or when he thought people doubted him)? MJ loved nothing more than proving people wrong. But Jordan didn’t just prove you wrong, he destroyed you to the point where you were too embarrassed to fight back. And in order to do so, he had to break you down physically and emotionally. This is where his famous trash-talking and finger waving, in the case of his dunk on Dikembe Mutombo, come from. It’s pretty disheartening when someone drops 40 points on you, and on top of that, verbally and physically mocks you.

The basketball court was his personal sanctuary, and he viewed the fact that anyone would step onto his court to challenge him as disrespect. But the court was the court. Off of it, he was all class…at least seemingly.

But that doesn’t even matter. Jordan could literally piss on opponents, get caught doing drugs, pull a Britney Spears, and he still would be on the box of Wheaties and sell a billion pairs of shoes, because the dude could ball like no other. He’s Michael Jordan! Nothing else needs to be said.

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All images courtesy of ESPN.com

Jordan Thinking Too Highly of Self

By Bryan Jeon

 

Michael Jordan is hands-down the greatest player ever to play in the NBA. He was someone we all could look up to and played with such style and poise no one could hate him. He deservingly won multiple championships, MVP’s, numerous other awards and rewrote the record books. I loved the guy myself, being able to watch him on TV, as he played in our generation. We will never forget the memories of his postseason buzzer beaters and high-flying dunks he provided for us. I never had a problem with the guy. That held true until right around All-Star Weekend ’07 in Las Vegas.

Things all went downhill from there. Jordan, being one of 5 former dunk contest winners as judge, had the great honor of using scorecards to show how much he liked the dunks from this year’s Slam Dunk contestants. Throughout the entire contest up until Gerald Green’s perfect 50 on his last dunk, Jordan never raised that nice, yellow and blue ‘10’ card that he certainly was capable of holding. Instead, he opted for a very negatively, red ‘8’ card he frequently used throughout the contest while the other four judges consistently gave 9’s and some 10’s. Something in my mind was telling me Jordan was thinking all the dunks were mediocre compared to his liftoff from the free throw line. He was not impressed at all, and that was unfortunate because there still was a handful of creative and powerful dunks thrown down to make up for the lack of big names in the lineup.

Then, there followed the barrage of best dunker propositions. During the Slam-Dunk contest, there was a text message voting on best in-game dunk with four options. Jordan was a clear winner here at 44%, with his memorable jam in the playoffs over Patrick Ewing. On the contrary, based on the clips they showed I couldn’t help but to wonder how Julius Erving’s rock-the-cradle dunk came in last at 12%. Not to downplay Jordan’s epic dunk nor to persuade everyone to believe Erving’s dunk was the outright best in-game dunk, but give Dr. J some love here. That move was so graceful and sweeter than anything I’ve ever seen, I’m positive over half of the fans who voted couldn’t mimic Erving’s dunk with a real basketball on a Fisher Price set.

So I guess it is with the help of SportsNation (the general population of the U.S. who is involved in the voting for ESPN) and ESPN analysts themselves boosting Jordan’s ego, as I caught a playing of “Who’s No. 1?” on ESPN Classic last night. Not to my amazement, MJ was picked as the best dunker ever. Let me reiterate that MJ is the best player ever, but the best dunker ever as well? Seems a little coincidental. And watching those clips of MJ wagging his index finger after dunking over opponents put a new light on the fact that he thought better than others while he was still playing. How could we miss the huge significance in these actions? I always thought the world of MJ and knew why no one hated him – he was flat out classy. He would never talk bad about any individual player (which I am beginning to doubt now), and I would always put him in the group with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and a select few of just good all-around players in that regard. All this venting makes me so mad I almost want to call him the ‘n’ word. Michael Jordan is a narcissist. There I said it.

I hope Jordan follows in the trails of Scottie Pippen only to get burned in action with his slow steps, chipping away at his own legend. Did I mention Jordan was the best player ever and that I love him?