I had a good sports watching day the other day.
FA Cup Final (Arsenal 3-0 Aston Villa). Yeah, never felt like Aston was gonna score. Arsenal didn't exactly dominate the game but they were more dangerous team from beginning to end. (Man, that second goal, yowza!)
French Open Tennis. Azarenka (against Serena) choked away a break in the 2nd and another in the 3rd, can't say anything other than she blew it. Matches like those (when you're on the verge of winning and then Serena effortlessly surges back into the lead), must hurt worse than other losses: Azarenka not only has to live with choking away a winnable match in a Slam but the way Serena let Azarenka feel like she had a chance of winning, just to snap it back, is just cold-hearted and hurtful. Serena Williams is probably my all-time least favorite athlete: I think she's an obnoxious snob on the court and her rudeness to her opponents is all the more egregious because she's clearly better than anyone else that has played in the last 15 years! When she wants to be the best she is clearly the best and has been pretty much since day one. And for her to be such a selfish, angry, demented little brat makes her the quintessential ugly American in my book. (Very rare for me to dis an athlete, the hero/villain dynamic in our entertainment culture rather bores me, that's not what I watch sports for, so I rarely pay attention enough to really dislike anyone; AJ Pierzynski and Bill Romanowski are the only other athletes I can think of that really struck me as awful people)
Rugby 7's. I used to cover rugby back in the day, so I have actually watched and paid attention to rugby in my lifetime, though not for long and not recently. Always liked the game, bummed Americans don't dig it a little more. Dude, we have minor league indoor football, can't we just get into rugby? Its a really cool game. And the way the NCAA plays it is much more fluid than 'real' rugby, much more like backyard football. 'Real' rugby is slower, chippier, more intense, the scrums are Road Warrior-like affairs, and pro rugby players are badass dudes, they've been beat up and stuff, they are not 'studio tough'. So watching these clean cut college kids with spiffy clean jerseys was fun, a bite-sized morsel of sugary rugby rather than a hearty meal of the real thing. I really do like rugby and I'd like to see USA get more competitive in it (its a college sport here, surely we're producing plenty of rugby players) and I'd like to see Americans embrace it more fully. The Rugby 7's is not great stuff but its pretty good stuff and that ain't bad.
Alvin Gentry to the Pelicans. I think Gentry is (or was until Saturday) the best coach in the world not coaching in the NBA. Steve Nash had his best years under Gentry, I think he can be a great coach with the right talent. Personally, I thought he was the best candidate for the Cavs job (if David Blatt should happen to get shivved during the post-game shower), but I guess Gentry wanted to lock up the gig as Anthony Davis's mentor rather than wait for the courtly intrigue to play itself out. Good move for the Pelicans, I think it'll be a good move for Gentry, too. (*sigh* Now Calipari is the only guy that can replace Blatt)
NHL Western Conference Finals (Blackhawks 5-2 Ducks). The Ducks didn't have a single slice of luck in the whole match. Reminded me of watching the Clippers game 7 against the Rockets: no lucky breaks, nothing to build on, felt like they'd lost before they even walked in the arena. The Blackhawks scored early and kept it on the Ducks all the way. Very tight game, thought the Ducks goalie played about as well as he could have (he got no help from that defense in front of him). The Ducks controlled the puck well enough but they're scoring chances (til the 3rd period) were never so scary. The Blackhawks pressed their chances and were able to keep the Ducks backpedaling the whole way.
Way to go, NBC Sports! I know where to go for my Tour de France fix.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Coaching Moves
Scott Skiles is the new coach in Orlando. Skiles is a legendary hardass but he's a well-respected man in the business, nails as a player and as a coach. The Magic are a young team, they probably need discipline and cohesion from the top down right now. Skiles seems like a pretty good choice to me. If he's successful tightening up this squad for the next 2-3 years, then the Magic could move on to a players' coach for the playoff push. Don't seem right but that's the business and Skiles knows exactly how it works; he's working the same side of the paradigm as the Magic management right now. The next phase is gonna be tough, they need a tough guy and they got one.
Thibodeau is out, Fred Hoiberg is in in Chicago. The rumors on this have been swirling for more than a year, right? It seems like Thibs was 'out' in Chicago numerous times in the last few years. Well, it finally happened. Is Hoiberg worth all this hubbub? I got no idea. Guess we'll find out. The Bulls are a conundrum: they spend roughly half the time underachieving and the other half overachieving. Good luck, Fred.
Where does Thibs go? Apparently not New Orleans or Denver (and definitely not Orlando). The rumor going around lately is that some NBA coach is going to get fired any minute--and no one sees it coming. Lakers? (Scott's just a well-paid caretaker, we all know that) Suns? (Hornacek seems to be doing a good job but Phoenix sounds like a treacherous place, never know what management has up its sleeve) Nets? (I see no reason to fire the coach...but I see no reason not to) Do any of these locales think they can lure Coach Thibs right now? Yeah, I reckon the Lakers could afford to quadruple up Byron's severance package just to overpay the next guy and Thibs is good enough to be there so the marriage doesn't seem farfetched.
Thibodeau is out, Fred Hoiberg is in in Chicago. The rumors on this have been swirling for more than a year, right? It seems like Thibs was 'out' in Chicago numerous times in the last few years. Well, it finally happened. Is Hoiberg worth all this hubbub? I got no idea. Guess we'll find out. The Bulls are a conundrum: they spend roughly half the time underachieving and the other half overachieving. Good luck, Fred.
Where does Thibs go? Apparently not New Orleans or Denver (and definitely not Orlando). The rumor going around lately is that some NBA coach is going to get fired any minute--and no one sees it coming. Lakers? (Scott's just a well-paid caretaker, we all know that) Suns? (Hornacek seems to be doing a good job but Phoenix sounds like a treacherous place, never know what management has up its sleeve) Nets? (I see no reason to fire the coach...but I see no reason not to) Do any of these locales think they can lure Coach Thibs right now? Yeah, I reckon the Lakers could afford to quadruple up Byron's severance package just to overpay the next guy and Thibs is good enough to be there so the marriage doesn't seem farfetched.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
The #14 Pick
The Thunder hold the #14 pick. Trade it? If its a piece of a really good deal (shipping out Novak to bring in JR Smith or something), then the pick could move. But that's not gonna happen and they're looking to add to the roster here rather than dump out (and again at #48). I really wanted to put PF Portis on OKC: something of a project but I think he could be really good in the right environment, (one year of tutelage from Kevin Durant would do this guy a world of good). But looking over the Thunder roster, they need ball-handlers not more shooters, they need fewer turnovers and more steals. So I think I'll give in to the conventional wisdom: Thunder take PG Payne.
Next year for the Thunder is all about one thing: health. If Durant and Westbrook and the gang are healthy, they're gonna play many many minutes and Mr. #14 pick is barely gonna see the floor; but if the big guys are hurt, then Mr. #14 is gonna get thrown in there. In case of emergency, I'd rather have a spunky PG than a lumbering PF project. Don't get me wrong: I think Portis can be really good but his maturation will take time whereas a guy like PG Payne already is what he is, so at least you feel like you can play him right away. The Thunder are lousy with scoring options, they need sure-handed-ness to minimize turnovers. I also liked PG Grant: he's a senior, little older, more seasoned, could be better sooner. And though he is graded pretty far behind Payne and Grant, I can see the Thunder reaching for Tyus Jones: some teams really respect going deep in the NCAA tourney (some don't), successful Duke players get reached for.
Thunder also have the #48 pick. They're likely looking to add size with the pick, which falls within a clump of C/PF types, a smattering of foreign players mixed with a few NCAA kids. I suspect OKC will aim for a NCAA player ready to play now as opposed to a Euro player that needs to marinate. They're looking to add to the roster now, this is not a pick for the future.
Next year for the Thunder is all about one thing: health. If Durant and Westbrook and the gang are healthy, they're gonna play many many minutes and Mr. #14 pick is barely gonna see the floor; but if the big guys are hurt, then Mr. #14 is gonna get thrown in there. In case of emergency, I'd rather have a spunky PG than a lumbering PF project. Don't get me wrong: I think Portis can be really good but his maturation will take time whereas a guy like PG Payne already is what he is, so at least you feel like you can play him right away. The Thunder are lousy with scoring options, they need sure-handed-ness to minimize turnovers. I also liked PG Grant: he's a senior, little older, more seasoned, could be better sooner. And though he is graded pretty far behind Payne and Grant, I can see the Thunder reaching for Tyus Jones: some teams really respect going deep in the NCAA tourney (some don't), successful Duke players get reached for.
Thunder also have the #48 pick. They're likely looking to add size with the pick, which falls within a clump of C/PF types, a smattering of foreign players mixed with a few NCAA kids. I suspect OKC will aim for a NCAA player ready to play now as opposed to a Euro player that needs to marinate. They're looking to add to the roster now, this is not a pick for the future.
The #13 Pick
The Suns hold the #13 pick. The Suns seem to be going all-in on the all combo guard lineup so while they should probably be looking for defense, they are addicted to guard that score. A few mock drafts I've seen have SG Booker going to the Suns. But on my board I still have SG Johnson available. Crossroads: the Suns love their Kentucky guards (Knight, Bledsoe, Goodwin already) but how can they pass up the local Wildcat with the top ten talent? Johnson has to go here: he grades higher than Booker, he's already a local hero, he fits in just fine with the Sun attack. And no thought of tradingout: unless they can flip this for 2016 1st rounder (or two) then their chances of hitting a nice player in the low teens is probably just as good as whatever they could get back in a trade.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
The #12 Pick
The Jazz hold the #12 pick. This one may be my first 'no-brainer': C Kaminsky. I think Kaminsky fits everything they're looking for in a player and if he's still there at #12, the Jazz would be foolish to pass him up. Yes, on my board SF Johnson is still out there and the Jazz, needing depth at every position, couldn't be faulted for taking the best talent available. But I think Kaminsky's size, outside shooting, team spirit, maturity and lunch pail vibe fit all of Utah's needs.
(I've got other thoughts on what the Jazz could do on draft night but I think I'll return to them in a later post)
(I've got other thoughts on what the Jazz could do on draft night but I think I'll return to them in a later post)
The #11 Pick
The Pacers hold the #11 pick. This past season the Pacers got 1000 minutes from 12 different players (none of whom were Paul George) but 2000 minutes out of only 1 player (Solomon Hill). The Pacers just missed the playoffs due to a coached-up rotation. I'm a believer in Coach Vogel and the nucleus of George, West and Hibbert. They could use some size off the bench but the Pacers have been offense-deficient recently and any scoring at all is a must. I thought PG Stuckey was the most underrated player in the league last year, not sure if the Pacers will be able to keep him at a reasonable price.
I think they'd love to grab either Cauley-Stein or Lyles but I think they'll both be gone. If the Pacers are set on getting size, they could reach for C Kaminsky but I think they'd be better off trying to get a big with the #43 pick (C Johnson and a coupla foreign bigs should be available in the 2nd round). SF Johnson will still be around, graded as a top ten pick by most but I think they'll take SF Oubre instead. (Or: West and Hibbert opt out and the Pacers are in desperate need of size down low, in which case they may have to trade up to get a PF (but I don't think that happens))
I think they'd love to grab either Cauley-Stein or Lyles but I think they'll both be gone. If the Pacers are set on getting size, they could reach for C Kaminsky but I think they'd be better off trying to get a big with the #43 pick (C Johnson and a coupla foreign bigs should be available in the 2nd round). SF Johnson will still be around, graded as a top ten pick by most but I think they'll take SF Oubre instead. (Or: West and Hibbert opt out and the Pacers are in desperate need of size down low, in which case they may have to trade up to get a PF (but I don't think that happens))
The #10 Pick
The Heat have the #10 pick (the Sixers were just a ping pong ball away from snatching this pick). If for some reason SF Winslow or SG Hezonja slip, the Heat would grab either of them but they'll both be gone by this point. SF's Johnson and Oubre should still be available; getting younger in the scoring positions isn't a bad idea but the salary cap may already be put in that direction: Wade, Deng and Dragic still need to be paid (and Whiteside next summer) to join Bosh, McRoberts and Napier as the future core.
I think the Heat should take C Turner right here. Yeah, they just re-signed C Bosh to a 4 year deal and this year oversaw the emergence of C Whiteside but PF's Andersen and Haslem are both entering their final years and I think Turner gives good stability in the paint (and the salary cap) over the next coupla years. Might not provide much as a rookie but they could bring him along slowly (seems to be working in Phoenix with Alex Len) and since they won't have a draft pick next year, the development period is stretched. They could draft a scorer and groom him here but I think going for inside size is the better play long term.
I think the Heat should take C Turner right here. Yeah, they just re-signed C Bosh to a 4 year deal and this year oversaw the emergence of C Whiteside but PF's Andersen and Haslem are both entering their final years and I think Turner gives good stability in the paint (and the salary cap) over the next coupla years. Might not provide much as a rookie but they could bring him along slowly (seems to be working in Phoenix with Alex Len) and since they won't have a draft pick next year, the development period is stretched. They could draft a scorer and groom him here but I think going for inside size is the better play long term.
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