1. The release and indefinite suspension are absurd. Not because he didn't deserve it, but because he'd already been punished, and nothing changed. We knew (or at least had a pretty darn good idea) what happened in the elevator. Goodell and other NFL officials did know what happened because he told them. So to think that the video coming out was new information and warranted further persecution is insane, bordering on double jeopardy.
2. If they were both drunk, and I'm assuming they were, then I don't really think anything less of him. They have both been very honest and upfront about the whole thing, compliant from the very first moment information came out, and saying and doing all of the right things. People do stupid things when they're drunk. If they break the law, they deserve to be punished for it. Rice WASN'T EVEN CHARGED. If the law and Janay herself are allowing themselves to work it out, then I'm okay with siding that way, too.
3. We should not be surprised when professional athletes, especially football players, act in violent ways in their daily lives. We expect them to push their bodies to breaking points, be supremely aggressive and exhibit animalistic instincts on the field, THEIR ENTIRE LIVES, and then suddenly have the ability to turn that off when they're not playing? Yes, a lot of people can handle it, but I'm not shocked when that side comes out because it's what their body and mind have been trained to do since they were young. And it's our fault.
BY NO MEANS AM I CONDONING OR EXCUSING RAY RICE'S BEHAVIOR IN THE ELEVATOR.
What he did was atrocious. But since this ordeal began, Rice has said and done everything we can reasonably ask of him. He has shown great remorse, wants to move forward in a positive direction as well as he can, and has expressed an understanding of the much bigger picture that involves a future in which his daughter will ask questions. Janay has forgiven him (in public, anyway), and seems more than willing to be moving towards a brighter future with him. She is the victim, has seen a lot of support, and has made her own decisions about her future. The best we can do is show them love and attempt to guide them forward.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
10 Reasons This Guy Doesn't Know What He's Talking About
You can either read the article all the way through and then read mine, or go back and forth between the two. But here's the article: 10 Reasons The Little League World Series Needs To Go Away
Somebody somewhere decided this was a good measurement for these kids. The writer says, "When I was playing little league only about 2 kids in the league could hit an actual home run." For the most part, there are usually only a couple kids on each team, coincidentally representing just one league, who routinely hit home runs. Yes, some teams have more, but some teams have less. The game has not deteriorated to the point where it's determined by home runs quite yet, so I think we're doing ok. Additionally, "Also the outfielders play like 5th, 6th & 7th infielders because of it." Wait, so, hitters hit the ball too far, so the outfielders are going to play further up? I haven't seen that strategy implemented, um, ever...
5. Inclusion in Top Plays
This is just pure pessimism in my opinion. This is the ONE shot most of these kids ever have to have a cool thing they do be on television. And can we not forget that THEY ARE JUST KIDS! Yes, those plays are easy and routine for professionals. And yes, they just might be easy and routine for kids, too. But these are the only two weeks during the entire year where these amateur athletes have the opportunity to be applauded. There's only so many times I can tolerate watching Yasiel Puig highlights and the absurd propensity of walk-off hits everyday before I get bored.
4. The Umpires
Umpires know what a strike zone is. And they know that if they called exactly what they were supposed to there would be walk after walk after walk. And NOBODY wants that. I can guarantee it would be mind-numbing to watch on television, or in person as a parent, or in the dugout as a coach, or in the field as a player. Umpires must have a forgiving strike zone in order for the game to keep moving. That's the way it is, and has been for a long time.
Umpires don't generally have outlandish strike calls. Some of them are over the top, some of them are indecipherable, but most are right in the middle. Calling out all umpires for this is like calling out all football players as domestically violent. Some are, most aren't.
As for dramatic calls of safe and out in the field, let's get something straight here: EVERY UMPIRE IS A VOLUNTEER. NONE OF THEM ARE PAID. They are normal people, with families and everyday jobs, who have this as a hobby in which they are generally attempting to help and provide a much-needed service. Some of them happen to be good enough to help and provide at the highest level. Most of them DO NOT feel the pressure of thousands of attending eyes (and hundreds of thousands on television/internet) on a regular basis. So if it takes them an additional 0.75 seconds to make sure they're getting a call right (even if they mistakenly get it wrong) I'm gonna let that slide. Because I know what it's like to referee in front of 30 people, and that was the most nervous (and least appealing) situation I've ever experienced in my athletic life. Is it easy for us to make quick judgment calls watching on TV? Yes, because we won't instantly be blasted with anger and outrage upon making said judgment calls. But let me know the next time you go do some volunteer work, and I'll be happy to come down and criticize every little thing you do wrong. See how easy the rest of your day is from there.
3. The Bats
I also have no counter argument here, other than I hope this guy also hates watching golf, hockey, tennis, swimming, and every other professional sport that is greatly enhanced by the improving technology of equipment.
2. Not Even the Best Age for Little League
That seems rather objective. But he recycles arguments he made earlier, so I'll move on without doing the same.
1. These Aren't Going To Be Major League Players EVER
I mean, do I even have to argue this point? You're telling us you're less inclined to watch because they will never reach the absolute pinnacle of what they are doing? That's preposterous. And it sounds like he's pushing for support of AAU-type teams. He must not realize how money-driven that gets, and how nobody cares about academics, and it's only about exposure and catering to the players, and players transfer teams and schools frequently if they're not in a situation they think suits them. Which feeds into the over-fed, under-developed psyches that create immature, poor-decision-making professionals. But sure, go with that. Seems to be working out for basketball.
Bonus 1: Uniforms
From what I understand, teams are supplied with a uniform as they advance through the ranks. The All-Star team from individual leagues gets a uniform that they sport through their district tournaments. I'm not sure if that same uniform is kept into the State tournaments. When teams get to Regional tournaments, they get uniforms representing which state they are champions of. When they get to the World Series, they get to represent which region they are champions of. That seems like a pretty logical progression. And if you really want to know which league, city and state they are from, you merely have to pay attention to the broadcast for a couple of minutes. Every player who steps up to the plate has his state abbreviation shown to the side of his info box. Announcers name leagues and cities constantly, because THEY KNOW YOU WANT TO KNOW that information. Lastly, I'm pretty sure kids love receiving new, cool stuff just as much as showing off old, dirty stuff.
Bonus 2: Radar guns
He misses the point. Especially considering his cat joke. Adam Dunn recently pitched in a game for the White Sox. He's been a pro for a long time, played in the outfield for a while, and was a top high school quarterback recruit (would have started at Texas) when he was younger. In his pitching performance, his fastball "topped out at 83 mph." Sir, if Adam Dunn is barely getting over 80, I highly doubt you yourself would reach 75. So if 12 year old kids are reaching 70, I'm impressed. Also, when showing the "MLB 99" speed, ESPN is not suggesting that this kid will one day reach that velocity, or any other foreshadowing. They are equating reaction times. A ball moving at 70 mph from 46 feet away takes the same amount of time as a ball moving at 92 mph from 60 feet away. Therefore, a little league hitter has the same amount of time to react to a pitch as a major league hitter, in this situation. It's simple math, nothing more than that.
"And when I say it needs to go away, they can still play it. It's great for the kids. I would have loved to have that experience."
Woah, woah, woah! After all the bickering and complaining, you're actually okay with all of it? And completely support it? What was the point of the article, then?
Did I miss anything? Let me know.
10. It's Not Really Even Baseball
BECAUSE THEY'RE KIDS. Leading off creates a HUGE advantage at this age. There are a ton of stolen bases or runners advancing already. If they could steal, singles and walks would become triples almost every time. The fence distance will be addressed later. Everyone "has" to play? He's mad because everyone gets the opportunity to be in the field for ONE at bat (out of what is ususally three) and ONE inning in the field (out of 6)? I'm sorry, you don't get to be mad about that. Parents/families travel thousands of miles for weeks on end supporting these kids. Sometimes they lose their jobs as a result. If you were following your kid around the continent and didn't get to see him get on the field, you'd be PISSED. And it's not like the backups are scrubs. Every one of these kids was an All-Star from their local league. Yes, there's a drop off from the 1 or 2 best players, maybe even 3 or 4, but 5 through 13 are usually pretty interchangeable.
9. Stop With the Breaking Balls
This one I can't argue with too much, though I'm not sure where his 65% statistic comes from. I agree, there should be way more fastballs (60-70% at least) and changeups (15-20%) with only occasional (if not altogether dismissed) curveballs for the sake of young, developing arms. But throwing off speed pitches is almost as damaging as the year-round play that most kids do, instead of taking time off to do other sports and help arms develop in more well-rounded ways like they used to before the specialization we see now; in addition to the amount of traveling, year-round teams. As for learning to throw a fastball over the plate: THEY'RE 12! It's hard. And none of them are full-time pitchers. If you're not practicing that over and over again like, say, professional players, then it isn't that easy. There's a reason there are no position players that are also considered pitchers in the pros, whereas EVERY little league pitcher also plays at least one other position, if not 2 or 3.
8. Horrible Catching
He didn't even address that the actual level of skill at the position is lacking, he just said the job is much harder because of all the pitching inaccuracy. Thanks for not making your heading confusing...
7. The Wall is the Same Distance All the Way Around
When I mentioned this to my roommate, he was confused as to why it WOULDN'T be the same all the way around. Every other sport has dimensions that are uniform. Admittedly, this is a uniquely baseball characteristic: for field dimensions to be abstract by design. I do not have an actual counter-argument to this one. I just don't think it's that big of a deal.
6. It's Only 225 Feet to the Wall
Somebody somewhere decided this was a good measurement for these kids. The writer says, "When I was playing little league only about 2 kids in the league could hit an actual home run." For the most part, there are usually only a couple kids on each team, coincidentally representing just one league, who routinely hit home runs. Yes, some teams have more, but some teams have less. The game has not deteriorated to the point where it's determined by home runs quite yet, so I think we're doing ok. Additionally, "Also the outfielders play like 5th, 6th & 7th infielders because of it." Wait, so, hitters hit the ball too far, so the outfielders are going to play further up? I haven't seen that strategy implemented, um, ever...
5. Inclusion in Top Plays
This is just pure pessimism in my opinion. This is the ONE shot most of these kids ever have to have a cool thing they do be on television. And can we not forget that THEY ARE JUST KIDS! Yes, those plays are easy and routine for professionals. And yes, they just might be easy and routine for kids, too. But these are the only two weeks during the entire year where these amateur athletes have the opportunity to be applauded. There's only so many times I can tolerate watching Yasiel Puig highlights and the absurd propensity of walk-off hits everyday before I get bored.
4. The Umpires
Umpires know what a strike zone is. And they know that if they called exactly what they were supposed to there would be walk after walk after walk. And NOBODY wants that. I can guarantee it would be mind-numbing to watch on television, or in person as a parent, or in the dugout as a coach, or in the field as a player. Umpires must have a forgiving strike zone in order for the game to keep moving. That's the way it is, and has been for a long time.
Umpires don't generally have outlandish strike calls. Some of them are over the top, some of them are indecipherable, but most are right in the middle. Calling out all umpires for this is like calling out all football players as domestically violent. Some are, most aren't.
As for dramatic calls of safe and out in the field, let's get something straight here: EVERY UMPIRE IS A VOLUNTEER. NONE OF THEM ARE PAID. They are normal people, with families and everyday jobs, who have this as a hobby in which they are generally attempting to help and provide a much-needed service. Some of them happen to be good enough to help and provide at the highest level. Most of them DO NOT feel the pressure of thousands of attending eyes (and hundreds of thousands on television/internet) on a regular basis. So if it takes them an additional 0.75 seconds to make sure they're getting a call right (even if they mistakenly get it wrong) I'm gonna let that slide. Because I know what it's like to referee in front of 30 people, and that was the most nervous (and least appealing) situation I've ever experienced in my athletic life. Is it easy for us to make quick judgment calls watching on TV? Yes, because we won't instantly be blasted with anger and outrage upon making said judgment calls. But let me know the next time you go do some volunteer work, and I'll be happy to come down and criticize every little thing you do wrong. See how easy the rest of your day is from there.
3. The Bats
I also have no counter argument here, other than I hope this guy also hates watching golf, hockey, tennis, swimming, and every other professional sport that is greatly enhanced by the improving technology of equipment.
2. Not Even the Best Age for Little League
That seems rather objective. But he recycles arguments he made earlier, so I'll move on without doing the same.
1. These Aren't Going To Be Major League Players EVER
I mean, do I even have to argue this point? You're telling us you're less inclined to watch because they will never reach the absolute pinnacle of what they are doing? That's preposterous. And it sounds like he's pushing for support of AAU-type teams. He must not realize how money-driven that gets, and how nobody cares about academics, and it's only about exposure and catering to the players, and players transfer teams and schools frequently if they're not in a situation they think suits them. Which feeds into the over-fed, under-developed psyches that create immature, poor-decision-making professionals. But sure, go with that. Seems to be working out for basketball.
Bonus 1: Uniforms
From what I understand, teams are supplied with a uniform as they advance through the ranks. The All-Star team from individual leagues gets a uniform that they sport through their district tournaments. I'm not sure if that same uniform is kept into the State tournaments. When teams get to Regional tournaments, they get uniforms representing which state they are champions of. When they get to the World Series, they get to represent which region they are champions of. That seems like a pretty logical progression. And if you really want to know which league, city and state they are from, you merely have to pay attention to the broadcast for a couple of minutes. Every player who steps up to the plate has his state abbreviation shown to the side of his info box. Announcers name leagues and cities constantly, because THEY KNOW YOU WANT TO KNOW that information. Lastly, I'm pretty sure kids love receiving new, cool stuff just as much as showing off old, dirty stuff.
Bonus 2: Radar guns
He misses the point. Especially considering his cat joke. Adam Dunn recently pitched in a game for the White Sox. He's been a pro for a long time, played in the outfield for a while, and was a top high school quarterback recruit (would have started at Texas) when he was younger. In his pitching performance, his fastball "topped out at 83 mph." Sir, if Adam Dunn is barely getting over 80, I highly doubt you yourself would reach 75. So if 12 year old kids are reaching 70, I'm impressed. Also, when showing the "MLB 99" speed, ESPN is not suggesting that this kid will one day reach that velocity, or any other foreshadowing. They are equating reaction times. A ball moving at 70 mph from 46 feet away takes the same amount of time as a ball moving at 92 mph from 60 feet away. Therefore, a little league hitter has the same amount of time to react to a pitch as a major league hitter, in this situation. It's simple math, nothing more than that.
"And when I say it needs to go away, they can still play it. It's great for the kids. I would have loved to have that experience."
Woah, woah, woah! After all the bickering and complaining, you're actually okay with all of it? And completely support it? What was the point of the article, then?
Did I miss anything? Let me know.
Monday, March 3, 2014
The Answer is The Answer
With the Philadelphia 76ers retiring Allen Iverson's number 3 jersey into their rafters the other night, it got me to pondering:
In my basketball-watching lifetime, who has been the most influential player of my generation?
Hint: If your immediate response wasn't Allen Iverson, your skills of observation and deduction need polishing.
Mind you, "pondering" is not in my nature. And I am very stubborn about two basketball items: First, that Michael Jordan is the best, most important basketball player ever. I'm not going to defend that now, nor do I feel the need to defend it, but I know exactly what the opposition will say and I will not disagree with any of it. But it will not change my mind. Second, Kobe Bryant has been the best basketball player in the world since Jordan. LeBron James is the best right now, and has been for the last year or two, but that's it. Again, I know what the other side will say, but those points I WILL disagree with. Just not now.
Moving on. Kind of.
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If your definition of moving on is talking about the very thing
you just said you weren't going to talk about.
|
Iverson influenced the game in a similar way to Jordan in that he changed the way the game looked. Before Jordan, the league was dominated with short shorts and fundamentals like running, passing and shooting. Take my word for it, that's not quite what the game is about anymore. Julius Erving may have been the breakthrough for playing above the rim, but Jordan took it to another level. Dunking, or at least flying through the air and attacking the rim, went from being an occasional occurrence to a way of life. Posterizing wasn't a thing until Jordan started doing it to everyone. The way the game was played underwent a drastic, fundamental change that resonates harder today than it ever had previously. He also took the game global. There's a reason the 1992 Dream Team was so successful, and (no offense) it wasn't because of Charles Barkley and David Robinson, or even Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. It was because the entire world knew who Michael Jordan was. Gatorade and Nike (and Hanes, for that matter) would not have the market share they do without Jordan's involvement. He single-handedly, no exaggeration, turned both companies into the hands-down leading brands in their respective fields. Because of how he played the game. And players started wearing baggier shorts. Thank God for Michael Jordan.
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| If I just alienated the demographic of people reading this who supported this look, I am not sorry. Not even a little. |
Did Iverson, then, take the game to another level? Do other solar systems rep his jersey and buy his shoes? No. But how often do guys in pickup games across the country get clowned for getting their ankles broken by a nasty crossover? More importantly, how many small-ish dudes attack the basket with full force and little fear? The answers are very often, and more and more every day, respectively. The reason for those answers is The Answer.
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Did you know there was a band called The Answer? Me neither. Now this is confusing.
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Of the 50 players with the most free throw attempts per game all-time, only 5 of them are under 6'4". Jerry West and World B. Free were 6'2", Lenny Wilkens and Nate "Tiny" Archibald were 6'1", and Iverson was 6'0". There's a reason the other 45 players on the list are bigger, and that's because getting to the free throw line requires getting fouled, and getting fouled usually involves being close to the basket, and being close to the basket usually involves running into very large people, and running into very large people is something usually only other very large people can sustain for a long enough time to rack up all those free throw attempts. To this point in the 2013-2014 season, you only have to go through the top 20 to find 7 players under 6'4", and 2 of them are under 6 feet. Last year 5 of the top 20 fit the under-6'4" demographic. If you go back to early in Iverson's career (as far back for these stats as I could find), in the 1999/2000 season, the only such players in the top 40 were Iverson, Stephon "Starbury" Marbury and Sam Cassell. Iverson's determination to get to the hoop, take a pounding, pop right up and do the same process again the next time down the court became an inspiration to smaller basketball players all over the country. Plus, how cool does it look when short guys dunk? Especially in crowds and over big guys:
Note: The accompanying music is explicit, so mute the sound if that will bother you.
Do you think Nate Robinson would have been able to do any of this without the influence of watching Allen Iverson fly towards the rim over and over again? I don't think so. And that wasn't even Iverson's biggest contribution to the game.
The And1 Mixtape Tour (now referred to as the And1 Live Tour) began the streetball trend when it released its first mixtape in 1999. Featuring Skip 2 My Lou aka Rafer Alston, a future NBA player with a short-lived career, the mixtape became very popular and led to a quickly growing tour and fan base. Iconic players such as Hot Sauce and The Professor took off in name and image recognition, not because of their high-flying abilities, but because of their slick, chaotic ball-handling skills. All of the sudden, it became just as cool to embarrass somebody by breaking their ankles or dribbling circles around them as it was to dunk over them. It's no coincidence that Iverson's career started in 1996 and that his first All-Star game appearance was during the 1999-2000 season, the same year the first And1 mixtape came out. All it takes is watching these last 15 moves (skip to the 11:30 mark) to see where those guys probably got their inspiration from:
Then take a couple minutes to peruse this video of some of the other best crossovers over some recent span of time in the NBA:
How many of those look like they were before 2000? Very few. How many of them look like they were probably influenced by moves Iverson himself pulled off in the previous video? Almost all of them.
Did I want to grow up to be like Allen Iverson? No. To this day I've never really understood cornrows or guys wearing earrings. That's not a criticism; I don't understand running cross country or eating vanilla ice cream, either. But I digress. I'm 6'7", 225 lbs, slow, with no leaping ability. I'm Mike Dunleavy Jr. You laugh, but you wish you were an 11-year NBA veteran with a career averages of 12 points and 28 minutes per game. Where was I. Oh yeah. No, I didn't want to be Iverson, but I sure didn't mind watching him on a regular basis. It was like watching David versus Goliath, except every day there was a new Goliath, and every day David found a new way to beat him and embarrass him, all the while changing how people went about slaying giants. That's a thing, right?
Looking back on all of the sports I watched when I was younger, I realized that I missed the opportunity to really take in some phenomenal players. Allen Iverson is near the top of that list. Putting some of his numerous off-court troubles aside, Iverson was one of the most dynamic, compelling characters the NBA ever put on the court, and he left a lasting impact on the game that will not fade soon. His presence will be missed.
An article about Iverson would be incomplete without referencing his "practice" habits, so here you go:
Friday, February 21, 2014
6 of the Most WTF Moments in Sports (That Counted)
Sports are awesome for a lot of reasons. With the recent completion of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, we are reminded how people from all over the world, from different cultures, belief systems and training habits, can come together in the spirit of competition and coexist peacefully. We also get to watch the most incredible moments of drama play out on fields, courts, rinks and pitches across the world; athletes overcoming personal tragedy and physical limitations to excel at the highest levels. And there are no two better words in the English language than "Game Seven" for excitement and intensity.
Sports also allow us to see the most physically gifted people in the world perform the most amazing feats of athleticism that us common folk can only dream about. Sometimes they leave us in awe, dumbfounded by what we just witnessed. But some plays are so far out of the realm of normalcy that we are left pondering, "What the ----?"
June 6, 1999
"Love The Glove"
Orlando Hernandez
The Yankees are hosting the Mets in an afternoon game at Yankee Stadium. The Mets are already up 1-0 in the top of the 2nd, having just scored a run that inning and threatening for more. Mets third baseman Robin Ventura is the runner on third as shortstop Rey Ordonez comes to the plate. On an 0-1 count, Ordonez hits a sharp one-bouncer back to the mound, where Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez is the Yankees' starting pitcher for the day. (El Duque, roughly translated, means "The Duke." I doubt Hernandez actually has governing power over any body of constituents, but you never know.) Hernandez quickly stabs at the ball. Then something I've never seen before or since happens.
The best part about this play is, as you can see at the end of the video, Hernandez is completely focused on the play from start to finish. When he first fields the ball, he takes a split second to check Ventura back to 3rd base. As he makes his move towards first, he becomes aware of his odd situation and without a moment's hesitation references in his mind the words of Sherlock Holmes: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Ok, that's not exactly relevant, but the idea is something crazy just happened so the only logical thing to do is go along with it. He then proceeds to launch the ball as is, lodged tight in the webbing of his glove, over to Yankees' first baseman Tino Martinez to record the out. Martinez is similarly professional about the situation, which makes this slightly less entertaining. (Or more so if you're announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, because they are clearly VERY entertained.) Hernandez being able to consider all of this in his mind in mere microseconds, (that's a thousandth of a thousandth of a second for you non-sabermetricians) is impressive. Actually getting the blob that was the ball and glove over to first base is even more impressive. Making weight calibrations on the fly isn't the easiest thing in the world; that's why the players warm up before every inning. But the first thing Hernandez does after ridding himself of the mitt-ball monstrosity is look back at Ventura to make sure he hasn't tried to take advantage of the strange situation and advance home for a run. Awareness win. Strangeness double win.
January 4, 2007
"Open Net Bungle"
Patrick Stefan
There are 12 seconds left against the Edmonton Oilers when Dallas Stars centerman Patrik Stefan controls the puck after an Oiler turns it over at the Edmonton blue line. The Stars currently have a 5-4 lead, and Edmonton has already pulled their goalie for an extra attacker in hopes of tying the score. This means there is literally nobody between Stefan and scoring a goal for an insurmountable 2 goal lead and effectively ending the game. Things didn't turn out as he'd expected:
There are bad bounces, there are really bad bounces, and then there's just bad luck. Stefan experienced a bit of the latter, because of multiple things. First, the ice at the end of the period becomes pretty rough. With all the skating and stoping and sliding and chipping, the ice gets beat up, especially in the crease where the goalie normally is. That's why Zambonis have to work on the ice at the end of each period, to smooth the ice for premium playing conditions. Stefan had the unfortunate circumstance of the puck lying perfectly flat on the ice one second, then doing it's best jumping bean impression right over his stick the next second. Now, this normally would not have been a big deal. Mishandled puck, there's only a few seconds left, just suck it up, collect yourself, and let time run out. Instead, Stefan has a mental freakout and reacts instinctively with the mindset of absolutely having to score a goal. In his desperation to right the ship and still get a shot on goal, he completely wipes out and goes sliding into the boards. The Oilers are on it and immediately start a fast break the other way. After some deft passing and a slick maneuver by Alex Hemsky past the goalie, in a process that takes about seven seconds, the Oilers tie the game and both teams go into overtime. Dallas ended up winning the game, but you can bet Patrik Stefan will be reliving that moment in his nightmares.
March 20, 2005
"The Greatest Basketball Shot Ever"
Blake Hoffarber
Some kids spend a good amount of time in their driveways or at their local parks pretending to count down the seconds at the end of a basketball game and throwing up a crazy shot that miraculously goes in for the fictional win. Most of us can only dream of one day being in a position that lives up to that wild fantasy. Others of us are Blake Hoffarber, competing in the 2005 Minnesota High School State Basketball Championship tournament, fulfilling this destiny to an unprecedented degree.
Hoffarber's Hopkins High team is down by 2 to Eastview High with time winding down in the first overtime period. Hopkins has the ball, trying to force another overtime or go for the win, when their possession goes awry and a mad scramble occurs. Enter Blake:
What you saw there was a moment that won the 2005 ESPY Award for Best Play, keeping some incredible company with the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, David Tyree, Derek Jeter, and another entry later in this article. Hoffarber fancied himself a liking to these types of situations, earning another Best Play nomination (to this point the only individual to receive two such nominations) a couple years later for this game-winning shot against Indiana University while playing for Minnesota in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Unlike his play against the Hoosiers, Blake's high school shot did not win the game in that singular moment. It did send the game into double overtime, however, where Hopkins High team eventually prevailed over Eastview High. Crazy plays and buzzer-beaters happen all the time, but it's not often they combine in this fashion AND win you a state championship.
December 22, 1994
"Play of the Decade"
Isaiah (J.R.) Rider, Jr.
As insanely good plays are want to do, this one started with a bad pass from Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Winston Garland. What appears to be a miscommunication between Rider and Garland results in the ball being passed behind Rider. In his desperation to recover, Rider knocks the ball away from himself towards the sideline. He launches off of his right foot, corrals the ball in his right hand, swings it across his midsection and flings the ball way into the air, all while soaring towards the scorers table. Multiple players from the opposing Sacramento Kings take off towards their own offensive basket, anticipating a quick fast break opportunity. Much to their chagrin, and the shock of all 17,000+ people in attendance, the ball sails directly through the net. Kings guard Mitch Richmond can't help but come over and high-five Rider in congratulations afterwards. It's not often you get to witness that kind of play in person. Well, if the announcer is to be believed, once in a decade.
September 10, 2005
"The Catch"
Tyrone Prothro
This bears less explanation and more revelry, but for my own selfish conceitedness (and redundancy?):
Alabama is down by 11 to Southern Mississippi with halftime quickly approaching. That's important because Crimson Tide quarterback Brodie Croyle isn't just roaming around throwing up hospital passes for no reason. This is Alabama's second game of the season, and they're losing to a Conference USA team. That's not how Alabama rolls. (See what I did there?) He's trying to make a play and avoid a humiliating loss.
The Southern Miss defender has nearly-perfect coverage, though you could argue he was face-guarding and deserving of a pass interference penalty. Prothro has to adjust back to the ball, but has almost nowhere to put his hands to have a legitimate shot at catching the ball. So, he puts his hands around the defender, and manages to close them on the ball at the exact moment that the ball hits the defender in the back. For those curious, this does qualify as having possession of the football. The amazing thing that follows is Prothro manages to maintain that possession through falling to the ground and FLIPPING OVER THE DEFENDER ONTO HIS HEAD. Enough said.*
*It's also important to note that those were the first 7 points in an unanswered 20-point run to eventually win the game 30-21 and create some major momentum for the rest of their season.
January 16, 2006
"When It Was No Longer Possible"
Alexander Ovechkin
As if it's even necessary, though it's clearly not, I'm going to point out a couple things from that play:
-He's sliding ON HIS BACK.
-He can't see the net, goalie, other defenders, or his teammates, because he's ON HIS BACK facing the boards.
-He finishes ON HIS BACK with one hand on his stick.
The icing on the cake, or cherry on the sundae, or whatever your favorite metaphor for pinnacle is, is that Wayne Gretzky, the greatest goal scorer in the history of hockey (and the single most dominant athlete ever) is sitting on the Phoenix Coyotes' bench as the opposing team's head coach to witness this play. Nothing could be more perfect. Well, maybe if Ovechkin's Washington Capitals weren't already winning 5-1 in the 3rd period, so adding a sixth goal didn't really do much for them, but who's counting?
Sports also allow us to see the most physically gifted people in the world perform the most amazing feats of athleticism that us common folk can only dream about. Sometimes they leave us in awe, dumbfounded by what we just witnessed. But some plays are so far out of the realm of normalcy that we are left pondering, "What the ----?"
June 6, 1999
"Love The Glove"
Orlando Hernandez
The Yankees are hosting the Mets in an afternoon game at Yankee Stadium. The Mets are already up 1-0 in the top of the 2nd, having just scored a run that inning and threatening for more. Mets third baseman Robin Ventura is the runner on third as shortstop Rey Ordonez comes to the plate. On an 0-1 count, Ordonez hits a sharp one-bouncer back to the mound, where Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez is the Yankees' starting pitcher for the day. (El Duque, roughly translated, means "The Duke." I doubt Hernandez actually has governing power over any body of constituents, but you never know.) Hernandez quickly stabs at the ball. Then something I've never seen before or since happens.
The best part about this play is, as you can see at the end of the video, Hernandez is completely focused on the play from start to finish. When he first fields the ball, he takes a split second to check Ventura back to 3rd base. As he makes his move towards first, he becomes aware of his odd situation and without a moment's hesitation references in his mind the words of Sherlock Holmes: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Ok, that's not exactly relevant, but the idea is something crazy just happened so the only logical thing to do is go along with it. He then proceeds to launch the ball as is, lodged tight in the webbing of his glove, over to Yankees' first baseman Tino Martinez to record the out. Martinez is similarly professional about the situation, which makes this slightly less entertaining. (Or more so if you're announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, because they are clearly VERY entertained.) Hernandez being able to consider all of this in his mind in mere microseconds, (that's a thousandth of a thousandth of a second for you non-sabermetricians) is impressive. Actually getting the blob that was the ball and glove over to first base is even more impressive. Making weight calibrations on the fly isn't the easiest thing in the world; that's why the players warm up before every inning. But the first thing Hernandez does after ridding himself of the mitt-ball monstrosity is look back at Ventura to make sure he hasn't tried to take advantage of the strange situation and advance home for a run. Awareness win. Strangeness double win.
January 4, 2007
"Open Net Bungle"
Patrick Stefan
There are 12 seconds left against the Edmonton Oilers when Dallas Stars centerman Patrik Stefan controls the puck after an Oiler turns it over at the Edmonton blue line. The Stars currently have a 5-4 lead, and Edmonton has already pulled their goalie for an extra attacker in hopes of tying the score. This means there is literally nobody between Stefan and scoring a goal for an insurmountable 2 goal lead and effectively ending the game. Things didn't turn out as he'd expected:
There are bad bounces, there are really bad bounces, and then there's just bad luck. Stefan experienced a bit of the latter, because of multiple things. First, the ice at the end of the period becomes pretty rough. With all the skating and stoping and sliding and chipping, the ice gets beat up, especially in the crease where the goalie normally is. That's why Zambonis have to work on the ice at the end of each period, to smooth the ice for premium playing conditions. Stefan had the unfortunate circumstance of the puck lying perfectly flat on the ice one second, then doing it's best jumping bean impression right over his stick the next second. Now, this normally would not have been a big deal. Mishandled puck, there's only a few seconds left, just suck it up, collect yourself, and let time run out. Instead, Stefan has a mental freakout and reacts instinctively with the mindset of absolutely having to score a goal. In his desperation to right the ship and still get a shot on goal, he completely wipes out and goes sliding into the boards. The Oilers are on it and immediately start a fast break the other way. After some deft passing and a slick maneuver by Alex Hemsky past the goalie, in a process that takes about seven seconds, the Oilers tie the game and both teams go into overtime. Dallas ended up winning the game, but you can bet Patrik Stefan will be reliving that moment in his nightmares.
March 20, 2005
"The Greatest Basketball Shot Ever"
Blake Hoffarber
Some kids spend a good amount of time in their driveways or at their local parks pretending to count down the seconds at the end of a basketball game and throwing up a crazy shot that miraculously goes in for the fictional win. Most of us can only dream of one day being in a position that lives up to that wild fantasy. Others of us are Blake Hoffarber, competing in the 2005 Minnesota High School State Basketball Championship tournament, fulfilling this destiny to an unprecedented degree.
Hoffarber's Hopkins High team is down by 2 to Eastview High with time winding down in the first overtime period. Hopkins has the ball, trying to force another overtime or go for the win, when their possession goes awry and a mad scramble occurs. Enter Blake:
What you saw there was a moment that won the 2005 ESPY Award for Best Play, keeping some incredible company with the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, David Tyree, Derek Jeter, and another entry later in this article. Hoffarber fancied himself a liking to these types of situations, earning another Best Play nomination (to this point the only individual to receive two such nominations) a couple years later for this game-winning shot against Indiana University while playing for Minnesota in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Unlike his play against the Hoosiers, Blake's high school shot did not win the game in that singular moment. It did send the game into double overtime, however, where Hopkins High team eventually prevailed over Eastview High. Crazy plays and buzzer-beaters happen all the time, but it's not often they combine in this fashion AND win you a state championship.
December 22, 1994
"Play of the Decade"
Isaiah (J.R.) Rider, Jr.
Isaiah Rider's career had it's series of ups and downs, peaks and pitfalls. The greatest of which might have been his 1994 Slam Dunk Contest championship. But even better than his between-the-legs, self-titled "East Bay Funk Dunk," the moment that he may be remembered for in history is this:
As insanely good plays are want to do, this one started with a bad pass from Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Winston Garland. What appears to be a miscommunication between Rider and Garland results in the ball being passed behind Rider. In his desperation to recover, Rider knocks the ball away from himself towards the sideline. He launches off of his right foot, corrals the ball in his right hand, swings it across his midsection and flings the ball way into the air, all while soaring towards the scorers table. Multiple players from the opposing Sacramento Kings take off towards their own offensive basket, anticipating a quick fast break opportunity. Much to their chagrin, and the shock of all 17,000+ people in attendance, the ball sails directly through the net. Kings guard Mitch Richmond can't help but come over and high-five Rider in congratulations afterwards. It's not often you get to witness that kind of play in person. Well, if the announcer is to be believed, once in a decade.
September 10, 2005
"The Catch"
Tyrone Prothro
Football players make ridiculous plays all over the place. Whether they're doing backflips, front flips, or stopping on a dime and using one hand, the athleticism and hand-eye coordination of wide receivers is remarkable. Then sometimes they do things that make no sense and have no explanation and you just have to accept that he scored a touchdown and move on. This is the best catch I've ever seen, and Tyrone Prothro couldn't even see it himself:
This bears less explanation and more revelry, but for my own selfish conceitedness (and redundancy?):
Alabama is down by 11 to Southern Mississippi with halftime quickly approaching. That's important because Crimson Tide quarterback Brodie Croyle isn't just roaming around throwing up hospital passes for no reason. This is Alabama's second game of the season, and they're losing to a Conference USA team. That's not how Alabama rolls. (See what I did there?) He's trying to make a play and avoid a humiliating loss.
The Southern Miss defender has nearly-perfect coverage, though you could argue he was face-guarding and deserving of a pass interference penalty. Prothro has to adjust back to the ball, but has almost nowhere to put his hands to have a legitimate shot at catching the ball. So, he puts his hands around the defender, and manages to close them on the ball at the exact moment that the ball hits the defender in the back. For those curious, this does qualify as having possession of the football. The amazing thing that follows is Prothro manages to maintain that possession through falling to the ground and FLIPPING OVER THE DEFENDER ONTO HIS HEAD. Enough said.*
*It's also important to note that those were the first 7 points in an unanswered 20-point run to eventually win the game 30-21 and create some major momentum for the rest of their season.
January 16, 2006
"When It Was No Longer Possible"
Alexander Ovechkin
What I could do is present you with a long list of impressive goals scored by talented hockey players. I could even just show a highlight reel consisting of nothing but Alexander Ovechkin, and that would be fairly satisfying. But this is the single greatest goal I have ever seen scored in my life, and there's no point trying to stack it up with anything else out there, because they all fall laughably short:
As if it's even necessary, though it's clearly not, I'm going to point out a couple things from that play:
-He's sliding ON HIS BACK.
-He can't see the net, goalie, other defenders, or his teammates, because he's ON HIS BACK facing the boards.
-He finishes ON HIS BACK with one hand on his stick.
The icing on the cake, or cherry on the sundae, or whatever your favorite metaphor for pinnacle is, is that Wayne Gretzky, the greatest goal scorer in the history of hockey (and the single most dominant athlete ever) is sitting on the Phoenix Coyotes' bench as the opposing team's head coach to witness this play. Nothing could be more perfect. Well, maybe if Ovechkin's Washington Capitals weren't already winning 5-1 in the 3rd period, so adding a sixth goal didn't really do much for them, but who's counting?
Sunday, February 16, 2014
The 5 Most Productive Current NBA Players You've Probably Never Heard Of
For every LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony, there is an Alan Anderson, Lavoy Allen, Nate Wolters, and Mike Harris. In other words, for every superstar player with national name recognition, there is another player that nobody has ever heard of. And by "nobody" I mean casual basketball fans. Some of these players are incredibly productive, All-Star caliber players who have the misfortune of playing in small markets, or with huge names, or just fly under the radar for no reason at all. To test my theory I mentioned the five names in this list to two friends of mine who happen to be casual basketball fans. One didn't recognize any of them, even though he's a Laker fan, and the other had only heard of one, and that's only because he is from Detroit and keeps an eye on the Pistons.
As statistics get mentioned, a few are not the usual ones you would see in a normal box score. Sabermetrics, gotta love them. A break down of some of these stats (ex: Player Efficiency Rating/PER, Value Added/VA) can be seen at the bottom of this page.
5. Kendall Marshall - PG, Los Angeles Lakers
I know "productive" doesn't really match up with the Lakers current situation, but give them a break. Their most well-known players are either really old or injured. Now, they are led by the castoffs/rejects/non-producers of other teams. Which is funny, because they just played, and won, one of the strangest games you'll read about for a while. And Kendall Marshall has filled in remarkably well during these trying times.
Who?
6'4", 195-pound Point Guard. Drafted out of North Carolina in 2012, 1st round, 13th overall by the Phoenix Suns. Spent one year there, then signed in mid-December with the Lakers this year.
The Credentials:
Marshall was the starting point guard on consecutive North Carolina teams that lost in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament. During those two years, Marshall averaged a combined 7.2 points per game and 8.0 assists per game. Those numbers were 8.1 and 9.8, respectively, in his last year. Averaging almost ten assists per game is quite an accomplishment at the NBA level. Doing it in college is almost unheard of. Since the '97-'98 season, a total of 5 players have averaged at least 9 assists per game. Only two of them averaged more than Marshall's 9.8, and those averages were 9.91 by players from Long Island University and Iona College. Those schools aren't exactly playing the best opponents the country has to offer.
In his first season in the league he didn't get many opportunities to play, averaging only 14 minutes per game in the 48 games he played. This year with the Lakers he's started 15 of the 22 games he's been in, and made the most of it. Averaging around 31 minutes per game, he dishes out 9.2 assists. Coupled with his 2.5 turnovers per game, his 3.63 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 5th in the league, 3rd amongst players with at least 200 assists. Only Chris Paul (perennial best-point-guard-in-the-league) at 4.47 and Jose Calderon (whom you also probably haven't heard of because he plays in Canada) at 4.12 are more generous per mishap. Pretty good for a guy who hasn't even played enough games to account for a full season in the league, yet. Did I mention he's Steve Nash's backup? He'd be higher on the list if not for his low 14.9 PER.
4. Ryan Anderson - PF, New Orleans Pelicans
Wait, you didn't know the Pelicans were a thing? Don't worry. You're not alone. They're 22nd in the league in attendance, so their own fans barely know they're an NBA franchise. And with such household names as Al-Farouq Aminu, Alexis Ajinca, Brian Roberts, Greg Stiemsma, and Jeff Withey populating their sideline, it's a wonder anybody shows up at all. Even the players are sometimes baffled. Watch their rookies get interviewed last year. Darius Miller looks just as confused at the start of the interview process as I am. "There's really a team named the Pelicans? And I'm on it??" Despite the soul-stealing vortex that is created by a team named after a bird who's only claim to fame is having a bigger mouth than Avery Johnson, there are a couple players who actually know what they're doing. Ryan Anderson is one of them.
Who?
6'10", 240-pound Power Forward. Drafted out of Cal in 2008, 1st round, 21st overall, by the New Jersey Nets. One season there followed by three in Orlando. This is his 2nd in New Orleans.
The Credentials:
After starting in only 49 of the 193 games he played in his first three full seasons, averaging less than 23 minutes per game over that stretch, Anderson started all 61 games he played in for the Magic during his 4th year, and has averaged at least 30 minutes per game since then. It's up to 36 this year. If I asked you to name the only player to rank first or second in the league in 3-pointers made per game in each of the previous two years, the only reason you'd answer with Ryan Anderson is because that's who I'm talking about right now. (He's also top 2 this season, too.) His normal per game averages are decent: 19.8 points, 6.5 rebounds this year; 16.2/6.4 last year, 16.1/7.7 the year before. But the fact that he is so prolific from behind the arc makes him valuable not only for his point production, but it forces the defense to stretch out, leaving more room for plays in the middle. It's no mistake that this "highlight" video is mostly outside shots:
Even with my general opposition to the 3-pointer, the level of Anderson's production cannot be ignored. I mean, setting aside the fact that he's on the Pelicans.
3. DeMar DeRozan - SG, Toronto Raptors
Yes, there's still an NBA team in Canada, even after the Grizzlies ditched Vancouver for Memphis. Yes, they're actually kind of good. Their 28-24 record heading into the All-Star break is the best mark of any team in the Eastern Conference that doesn't have LeBron James or Paul George on it. And they have a history that includes Air Canada, T-Mac, and sweet jerseys. DeMar DeRozan is doing his best to continue the legacy... Err, tradition... Err, nevermind.
Who?
6'7", 216-pound Shooting Guard. Drafted out of Southern California in 2009, 1st round, 9th overall by Toronto. This is his 5th year in the league and with the Raptors.
The Credentials:
In his one year at USC, DeRozan averaged 14 points and just under 6 rebounds per game. With teammates Taj Gibson, currently in his 5th and most productive year with the Bulls, and Nikola Vucevic, in his third year in the league and second as a full-time starter for the Orlando Magic, the Trojans managed to make it to the second round of the NCAA tournament before bowing out to Michigan State. DeRozan definitely had star potential back then, seemingly filling the lofty, offensive-oriented shoes of Nick Young. But the one-and-done scenario has claimed many a college standout, and DeRozan jumped ship as soon as he was eligible. Can you tell I'm a bitter USC fan?
DeRozan has been a starter in the league pretty much since day one. Of his 352 career games played, only 12 have been off the bench. And while his numbers during his first 4 years are nothing to scoff at, he has risen his game to a whole new level this year. DeRozan is averaging career highs in minutes (37.7 per game), points (22.3), rebounds (4.6), assists (3.9), steals (1.2), blocks (0.5) and multiple other categories. He ranks 3rd in the league in Value Added amongst shooting guards, and 23rd overall. He's also 14th overall in Usage Rate. Essentially, he makes things happen when he's on the court; which happens to be the 7th-most in the league in terms of minutes per game. DeRozan's points and rebounds per 40 minutes have gone up each of the last three years, as have his turnover and rebound rates and his player efficiency rating. His assists per 40 minutes and assist ratio have increased every year he's been in the league. And he brings it:
This being his fifth year in the league, his name is becoming more well known by the day. But the best player on the 3rd-best team in the conference got his first All-Star selection this year. He probably won't be included on this list for much longer.
2. Andre Drummond - C, Detroit Pistons
In the six years from 2002/2003 through 2007/2008, the Detroit Pistons made it at least as far as the Eastern Conference Finals every year, winning the NBA Championship once and losing in the Finals once during that stretch. In the four years from 2009/2010 through 2012/2013, their record was a combined 111-201, for a winning percentage of .356. That's not just bad, that's real bad. And then Andre Drummond started his second year in the league.
Who?
6'10", 270-pound Center. Drafted out of Connecticut in 2012, 1st round, 9th overall by Detroit. This is his second year in the league and with the Pistons.
The Credentials:
In his one year at Connecticut, Drummond averaged 10 points, 7.6 rebounds, and just under 3 blocks per game. On a team featuring sophomores Jeremy Lamb (drafted 12th overall pick in the same year, key contributor off the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder) and Shabazz Napier (now a senior averaging 17 ppg for an 18-5 UConn team), freshman Drummond was a major asset and contributor despite an early loss in the NCAA tournament. Drafted mostly on his potential (athleticism for days, with impressive mobility and touch for a big man, as evidenced by the highlight video below of his one year at UConn) instead of what he'd accomplished in that one year, Drummond had a modest rookie year for the Pistons last year. Averaging 7.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 20 minutes per game off the bench, there was clearly room for improvement.
In this, his second year, Drummond has exceeded any possible expectations laid out for him. Averaging 13 points, 13 rebounds (3rd in the league), 5.3 offensive rebounds (1st; 2nd is 4.2), and nearly 2 blocks per game, Drummond has proven that he can fill a full-time role as both an offensive and defensive anchor down low for a long time. He ranks 4th in PER for centers, 16th overall. He ranks 3rd in Value Added for centers, 14th overall. Those are massive numbers for a second year big man on a mediocre team. To that point, the only centers ranked ahead of him are DeMarcus Cousins, Brook Lopez, Al Jefferson, and Dwight Howard. All established, big-time players. Off the court issues notwithstanding. (*Cough* Dwight *Cough* *Cough* DeMarcus.)
It should be noted that Andre Drummond may be a little more well-known after posting 30 points and 25 rebounds in his MVP-winning performance in the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend a couple days ago. But then again, nobody watches those things.
1. Goran Dragic - PG, Phoenix Suns
From 2004/05 through 2009/10, also known as the "Prime Steve Nash Years", the Suns were the most prolific team in the NBA. They led the league in scoring every year but one (when they were 0.9 ppg behind the leader), only twice failing to reach 110 ppg, but never averaging less than 108. Along the way they compiled a 332-160 record, equating to a win percentage of 67.5%. Then Amar'e Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa left. And they added an old Vince Carter to a roster with also-old Nash and Grant Hill.. Things went downhill as fast as things that old can move. Luckily for them, Goran Dragic is a significantly younger piece of the puzzle.
Who?
6'4", 180-pound Shooting Guard. Drafted out of Slovenia in 2008, 2nd round, 45th overall by San Antonio. A draft day trade sent him to Phoenix, where he played 2 1/2 seasons before being traded to the Houston Rockets. He played 1 1/2 seasons with them before signing with the Suns again and is in his 2nd year in his second stint with them.
The Credentials:
Born and raised in Slovenia, Dragic spent the early part of his adult life as a star player on multiple professional teams in leagues in Slovenia, earning All-Star accolades and league championships, in addition to playing for the Slovenian national team in multiple European and World Championship tournaments.
At the age of 22, Dragic made the jump to the NBA. His first three years in the league, split between time with Phoenix and Houston, saw limited production in less than twenty minutes of playing time per game. During his fourth year in the league, and last with the Rockets, he profited from a significant increase in playing time. Starting in 28 of a lockout-shortened 66 games, Dragic posted career highs across the board that earned him a new, lucrative contract back with the Suns. As a full-time starter for the first time last season, he averaged more career highs in points (14.7 per game), rebounds (3.1) and assists (7.4), establishing himself as a real playmaker and improving as the season went on. During his last 26 games of the year, Dragic had 15 double-doubles of points and assists. Some of these performances were greater than others: 16 pts, 18 ast; 17/16; 31/12 (and 9 rebounds); 21/13; and 21/14.
This year has only been another step up for Dragic. In the 48 games before the All-Star break, he averaged 20.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 51% shooting from the field and 41% shooting from behind the arc. And his Hollinger stats are astounding. He ranks 1st among all shooting guards in True Shooting percentage, Player Efficiency Rating, Value Added, and Estimated Wins Added. And he doesn't rank lower than 13th in any of the last three categories league-wide. In other words, Goran Dragic has established himself as one of the most valuable players in the league. In a Dick Vitale voice: "That's productivity, baby!" And yet, he couldn't get a spot on the All-Star team this year. If that's not a sign of being under-appreciated throughout the league, then I don't know what is. Also, here's a compilation of some of his highlights from the first half of the year:
And in case any of you want to know what kind of training goes into making all of those plays, here's a small glimpse:
In case you are one of those people who are delusional enough to think you can hang with the paid professionals you watch on television, that video should change your perception drastically. As a side note, Dragic is one of my favorite players in the league right now, if only because he's who I believe I could have been had I even a small amount of drive to be a good basketball player when I was younger. We're the same age (I'm 39 days older), and even though I'm 3 inches taller and 40 pounds heavier, we have similar playing styles. Except he does it 100 times better than I do. So I will continue to live my NBA dreams through him and be his personal cheerleader so that he will eventually no longer need to be on this list.
As statistics get mentioned, a few are not the usual ones you would see in a normal box score. Sabermetrics, gotta love them. A break down of some of these stats (ex: Player Efficiency Rating/PER, Value Added/VA) can be seen at the bottom of this page.
5. Kendall Marshall - PG, Los Angeles Lakers
Who?
6'4", 195-pound Point Guard. Drafted out of North Carolina in 2012, 1st round, 13th overall by the Phoenix Suns. Spent one year there, then signed in mid-December with the Lakers this year.
The Credentials:
Marshall was the starting point guard on consecutive North Carolina teams that lost in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament. During those two years, Marshall averaged a combined 7.2 points per game and 8.0 assists per game. Those numbers were 8.1 and 9.8, respectively, in his last year. Averaging almost ten assists per game is quite an accomplishment at the NBA level. Doing it in college is almost unheard of. Since the '97-'98 season, a total of 5 players have averaged at least 9 assists per game. Only two of them averaged more than Marshall's 9.8, and those averages were 9.91 by players from Long Island University and Iona College. Those schools aren't exactly playing the best opponents the country has to offer.
In his first season in the league he didn't get many opportunities to play, averaging only 14 minutes per game in the 48 games he played. This year with the Lakers he's started 15 of the 22 games he's been in, and made the most of it. Averaging around 31 minutes per game, he dishes out 9.2 assists. Coupled with his 2.5 turnovers per game, his 3.63 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 5th in the league, 3rd amongst players with at least 200 assists. Only Chris Paul (perennial best-point-guard-in-the-league) at 4.47 and Jose Calderon (whom you also probably haven't heard of because he plays in Canada) at 4.12 are more generous per mishap. Pretty good for a guy who hasn't even played enough games to account for a full season in the league, yet. Did I mention he's Steve Nash's backup? He'd be higher on the list if not for his low 14.9 PER.
4. Ryan Anderson - PF, New Orleans Pelicans
Who?
6'10", 240-pound Power Forward. Drafted out of Cal in 2008, 1st round, 21st overall, by the New Jersey Nets. One season there followed by three in Orlando. This is his 2nd in New Orleans.
The Credentials:
After starting in only 49 of the 193 games he played in his first three full seasons, averaging less than 23 minutes per game over that stretch, Anderson started all 61 games he played in for the Magic during his 4th year, and has averaged at least 30 minutes per game since then. It's up to 36 this year. If I asked you to name the only player to rank first or second in the league in 3-pointers made per game in each of the previous two years, the only reason you'd answer with Ryan Anderson is because that's who I'm talking about right now. (He's also top 2 this season, too.) His normal per game averages are decent: 19.8 points, 6.5 rebounds this year; 16.2/6.4 last year, 16.1/7.7 the year before. But the fact that he is so prolific from behind the arc makes him valuable not only for his point production, but it forces the defense to stretch out, leaving more room for plays in the middle. It's no mistake that this "highlight" video is mostly outside shots:
Even with my general opposition to the 3-pointer, the level of Anderson's production cannot be ignored. I mean, setting aside the fact that he's on the Pelicans.
3. DeMar DeRozan - SG, Toronto Raptors
Who?
6'7", 216-pound Shooting Guard. Drafted out of Southern California in 2009, 1st round, 9th overall by Toronto. This is his 5th year in the league and with the Raptors.
The Credentials:
In his one year at USC, DeRozan averaged 14 points and just under 6 rebounds per game. With teammates Taj Gibson, currently in his 5th and most productive year with the Bulls, and Nikola Vucevic, in his third year in the league and second as a full-time starter for the Orlando Magic, the Trojans managed to make it to the second round of the NCAA tournament before bowing out to Michigan State. DeRozan definitely had star potential back then, seemingly filling the lofty, offensive-oriented shoes of Nick Young. But the one-and-done scenario has claimed many a college standout, and DeRozan jumped ship as soon as he was eligible. Can you tell I'm a bitter USC fan?
DeRozan has been a starter in the league pretty much since day one. Of his 352 career games played, only 12 have been off the bench. And while his numbers during his first 4 years are nothing to scoff at, he has risen his game to a whole new level this year. DeRozan is averaging career highs in minutes (37.7 per game), points (22.3), rebounds (4.6), assists (3.9), steals (1.2), blocks (0.5) and multiple other categories. He ranks 3rd in the league in Value Added amongst shooting guards, and 23rd overall. He's also 14th overall in Usage Rate. Essentially, he makes things happen when he's on the court; which happens to be the 7th-most in the league in terms of minutes per game. DeRozan's points and rebounds per 40 minutes have gone up each of the last three years, as have his turnover and rebound rates and his player efficiency rating. His assists per 40 minutes and assist ratio have increased every year he's been in the league. And he brings it:
2. Andre Drummond - C, Detroit Pistons
Who?
6'10", 270-pound Center. Drafted out of Connecticut in 2012, 1st round, 9th overall by Detroit. This is his second year in the league and with the Pistons.
The Credentials:
In his one year at Connecticut, Drummond averaged 10 points, 7.6 rebounds, and just under 3 blocks per game. On a team featuring sophomores Jeremy Lamb (drafted 12th overall pick in the same year, key contributor off the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder) and Shabazz Napier (now a senior averaging 17 ppg for an 18-5 UConn team), freshman Drummond was a major asset and contributor despite an early loss in the NCAA tournament. Drafted mostly on his potential (athleticism for days, with impressive mobility and touch for a big man, as evidenced by the highlight video below of his one year at UConn) instead of what he'd accomplished in that one year, Drummond had a modest rookie year for the Pistons last year. Averaging 7.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 20 minutes per game off the bench, there was clearly room for improvement.
In this, his second year, Drummond has exceeded any possible expectations laid out for him. Averaging 13 points, 13 rebounds (3rd in the league), 5.3 offensive rebounds (1st; 2nd is 4.2), and nearly 2 blocks per game, Drummond has proven that he can fill a full-time role as both an offensive and defensive anchor down low for a long time. He ranks 4th in PER for centers, 16th overall. He ranks 3rd in Value Added for centers, 14th overall. Those are massive numbers for a second year big man on a mediocre team. To that point, the only centers ranked ahead of him are DeMarcus Cousins, Brook Lopez, Al Jefferson, and Dwight Howard. All established, big-time players. Off the court issues notwithstanding. (*Cough* Dwight *Cough* *Cough* DeMarcus.)
It should be noted that Andre Drummond may be a little more well-known after posting 30 points and 25 rebounds in his MVP-winning performance in the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend a couple days ago. But then again, nobody watches those things.
1. Goran Dragic - PG, Phoenix Suns
Who?
6'4", 180-pound Shooting Guard. Drafted out of Slovenia in 2008, 2nd round, 45th overall by San Antonio. A draft day trade sent him to Phoenix, where he played 2 1/2 seasons before being traded to the Houston Rockets. He played 1 1/2 seasons with them before signing with the Suns again and is in his 2nd year in his second stint with them.
The Credentials:
Born and raised in Slovenia, Dragic spent the early part of his adult life as a star player on multiple professional teams in leagues in Slovenia, earning All-Star accolades and league championships, in addition to playing for the Slovenian national team in multiple European and World Championship tournaments.
At the age of 22, Dragic made the jump to the NBA. His first three years in the league, split between time with Phoenix and Houston, saw limited production in less than twenty minutes of playing time per game. During his fourth year in the league, and last with the Rockets, he profited from a significant increase in playing time. Starting in 28 of a lockout-shortened 66 games, Dragic posted career highs across the board that earned him a new, lucrative contract back with the Suns. As a full-time starter for the first time last season, he averaged more career highs in points (14.7 per game), rebounds (3.1) and assists (7.4), establishing himself as a real playmaker and improving as the season went on. During his last 26 games of the year, Dragic had 15 double-doubles of points and assists. Some of these performances were greater than others: 16 pts, 18 ast; 17/16; 31/12 (and 9 rebounds); 21/13; and 21/14.
This year has only been another step up for Dragic. In the 48 games before the All-Star break, he averaged 20.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 51% shooting from the field and 41% shooting from behind the arc. And his Hollinger stats are astounding. He ranks 1st among all shooting guards in True Shooting percentage, Player Efficiency Rating, Value Added, and Estimated Wins Added. And he doesn't rank lower than 13th in any of the last three categories league-wide. In other words, Goran Dragic has established himself as one of the most valuable players in the league. In a Dick Vitale voice: "That's productivity, baby!" And yet, he couldn't get a spot on the All-Star team this year. If that's not a sign of being under-appreciated throughout the league, then I don't know what is. Also, here's a compilation of some of his highlights from the first half of the year:
And in case any of you want to know what kind of training goes into making all of those plays, here's a small glimpse:
Monday, February 3, 2014
Not-So-Super Bowl XLVIII: A Run Down
This was probably the second-worst Super Bowl experience of my life, behind the Patriots beating the Rams what seems like eons ago. Going into the game, I was hoping with all of my heart that the Broncos would win. If Peyton Manning isn't my favorite football player of all time, he's right up there with Marshall Faulk, London Fletcher, LaDainian Tomlinson and Calvin Johnson. The fact that Eli, who I also am a fan of, has more rings than Peyton is heart-wrenching. And I hate the Seahawks. I love Pete Carroll, and Russell Wilson is a strong brother in Christ, but I'd be beside myself if I had to watch Richard Sherman and Golden Tate hoist the Lombardi Trophy. All of that being said, I fully expected Seattle to win. Defense wins championships, even against record-breaking offenses. I wrote down some thoughts during tonight's game. As you can tell, I became less interested and critical as the game wore on.
Pregame:
-Who was part of the meeting that decided Kurt Russell would do the team intro videos? I mean, he was great, but what exactly was the relevance? Has he done anything of note in the last 10/15 years?
-Seattle's video had Metallica in the background, and Denver had Led Zeppelin. Epic, yes. Confusing as well.
-Seattle ran onto the field to the music of "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve. Um. Lyrics include: "Try to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die", and "I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me". I love that song, but it would not pump me up before the biggest game of my life.
-Some operatic, Grammy-winning singer sang the national anthem. (Upon researching, her name is Renee Fleming.) She was great, but Joe Buck said "Have you ever heard it sung better?" Two words: Whitney Houston. (http://youtu.be/Z1QmeEdFOSc) She doesn't even put any effort into the song until halfway through, and it's spectacular. NO comparison.
-Joe Namath and Phil Simms were present at midfield for the coin toss, to the point where Namath himself was doing the actual tossing of the coin. He stood. He tossed. The coin flipped. And... the referee had to snag it out of midair because the Seahawks hadn't called heads or tails yet! Some great moment would have ensued had the coin actually reached the ground, but the savvy of the referee prevented any kind of major fiasco. It would be too easy, and probably disrespectful, to make a drinking joke about Broadway Joe at this venture, so I'll move on.
1st Quarter:
-The fastest score in the history of the Super Bowl occurred when a miscommunicated snap sailed past Peyton into the endzone, where Knowshon Moreno thankfully recovered and was downed for a safety. Dating back to last year, the last two scoring plays in the Super Bowl were both safeties. Strange and ominous beginnings indeed. And very quickly upsetting any balance of Denver starting the game with the ball and Seattle getting the ball at the start of the second half.
-Around the 11:00 minute mark, Russell Wilson scrambled to his left, dove for the first down, and was marked a yard short. Seattle challenged the ruling. Upon review, the ball was moved forward at least half of a yard, yet the challenge was ruled unsuccessful and the Seahawks lost a timeout. Wait, what? If they challenged the spot of the ball, and the ball was moved after a review, didn't they win the challenge? Regardless of it being a first down or not? Strange. They kick a field goal to go up 5-0.
-The ensuing kickoff bounces out of the back of the endzone, ending the play. Somebody forgot to tell one of the Seahawks, because he came flying through and ran a Bronco over at the goalline. I'd never seen that actually happen before. I've always anticipated it, but never seen it. Yay for instant field position! That is, until Denver goes 3-and-out and gives the ball right back, feeding the early momentum.
-It is clear early on the Champ Bailey, a Bronco cornerback, is no longer capable of stopping anyone, let alone anyone good. Doug Baldwin is torching him left and right, which is hard to watch because there was a 6-8 year period where Bailey was the single best cornerback in the game. It sucks getting old.
-With two and a half minutes left in the quarter, Seattle throws a pass out to the left flat that falls incomplete. A small scramble for the ball occurs when there is confusion as to the possibility of the ball having traveled backwards and therefore being considered a lateral and a live ball. Upon looking at the first, quickest replay, it is VERY CLEAR that the ball traveled forward and was, indeed, incomplete. For reasons unbeknownst to me or any casual observer with a brain, Denver challenged the ruling on the field, hoping to be awarded possession of the ball. With no chance of an overturn happening, not only did Denver lose a timeout for the first half, but they lost the ability to gain an extra challenge should they successfully challenge any plays later. As the game played out, this was clearly a non-issue. But in that moment, idiocy reared its ugly head. Seattle kicks another field goal to go up 8-0.
-On Denver's next possession, Peyton throws a floater over the head of Julius Thomas that is intercepted. One can't help but start down the path of "Oh no; here we go again" in their minds regarding Peyton in playoff games.
2nd Quarter:
-Seattle capitalizes on this drive with a Marshawn Lynch touchdown run. As always happens, Skittles are thrown onto the field in celebration. He picks one up off the ground to show his teammates. Whether he ate it or not is unreportable. Seattle 15, Denver 0. 12:00 left in the first half.
-Denver's next possession nets them their first 1st down of the game. The drive itself sees 15 plays, amassing 49 yards over an 8 1/2-minute span. Until Peyton is hit as he throws in the direction of Moreno and the ball becomes a complete duck in the air. Know-help-shon hesitates and is caught flat-footed just long enough for Seattle linebacker Malcolm Smith to snatch it from the air and return it for a touchdown. Peyton has now thrown a pick-six in consecutive Super Bowl appearances. First time for everything, huh? 22-0 Seahawks.
-It is also during this drive that the Broncos attempt a swing pass to the right side. This play falters when no blockers are in site, to which Nick erupts, "It's not a screen pass if there's no screen!" I concur.
-Trindon Holliday is a 5'5" sparkplug galavanting as a kick returner, and an electrifying one at that. He operates at both ends of the spectrum, possessing the ability to break one off at any time. He also possess the unfortunate ability of FUMBLING THE BALL REGULARLY, which he proceeds to do on the kickoff return. Luckily, his knee was down and Denver maintained control of the ball. Unluckily, Denver has a drive that gets them into Seattle's redzone, only to fail to convert on a 4th and 2. I imagine conventional wisdom says take the points and kick the field goal. I would not have been mad with either decision, even in hindsight. It was a risky call that didn't pay off. Seattle allowed the game to stay where it was, taking a 22-point lead into halftime.
Halftime:
-Bruno Mars is a brilliant performer. I've had the pleasure of witnessing his exploits at past events, so I knew what kind of dancing, singing performance to expect. He did not disappoint on any level, clearly having fun along the way.
-I wish the Red Hot Chili Peppers could've lasted longer than one song. And I wish the one song was something I actually understood the lyrics to. But, of course, "Give It Away" lends itself to this atmosphere very well.
3rd Quarter:
-As the second half begins and the Seahawks wait to receive the kickoff, Nick calmly offers that Seattle wide receiver Percy Harvin, himself recently recovered from various injuries, will return the kickoff for a touchdown. Which he does. Ugh. 29-0. These are no longer minor atrocities but instead are gaping holes to expansive to overcome. At this point, Seattle's offense has scored 13 points, its defense and special teams have scored 16 points, and Denver's entire team has still refrained from getting on the scoreboard.
-With 5:55 left in the quarter and the Broncos putting a drive together, Demaryius Thomas caught a pass across the middle and turned upfield. With a defender approaching, he changed hands with the ball to set up a stiff arm, which would have been successful had the defender not placed a well-aimed punch on the ball and knocked it loose. If there was any hope in Denver turning its fortunes around, they were lost when Seattle fell on the ball.
-Broncos defensive end Robert Ayers generally performs at a high level. Early on this game, it was obvious he was pressing too much and not fulfilling his assignments. He constantly lost containment on Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, allowing for some big plays. With 5:40 left in the quarter, I heard his name said in connection with a positive result for the first time.
-When Jermaine Kearse scored a touchdown 2:58 left in the quarter, it is clear the Broncos defense has completely given up. Five Bronco defenders bounced off of him on his way to the endzone, with little effort towards actually bringing him down. We have now reached a point where history can be made, with a score of 36-0. The largest margin of victory in a Super Bowl is 45, and no team has ever been shut out.
-Infinite history is averted when Demaryius Thomas makes quite a remarkable catch as time expires in the quarter for Denver's first score. They follow with a successful 2-point conversion to Welker. 36-8.
4th Quarter:
-Three minutes into the quarter, Seattle has driven into Denver territory, and the Broncos prove again that their defense has checked out when Doug Baldwin sheds several defenders on his way to the endzone, supplying the last score of the game. 43-8.
Postgame:
-If I had a dollar for every piece of green and blue confetti that was cannoned into the air, I'd be a very happy individual.
-The stage for the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation and owner/coach/player interviews was ridiculous. Small, inaccessible, and goofy-looking, the structure created a very strange atmosphere.
-How many times could the 12th man be acknowledged? That would have been a dangerous drinking game. Gotta give credit to the Seattle fans, though. Every time they were acknowledged, the place went crazy, so they were definitely representing their team at the game.
Final Reflections:
All in all, it was a disappointing game. While I expected the Seahawks to win, I did not expect one of the most thorough trouncings in the history of the Super Bowl. And I was definitely rooting for the Broncos. I really wanted Peyton to get another one. But the old adage rings true: Defense wins championships. Of course there are exceptions, but it's an old, tired cliche for a reason. This entire NFL season was fantastic. There were high scores, down-to-the-wire thrillers, exciting plays, and record-setting performances left and right. It's too bad the season ended without any such game. However, I must offer my congratulations to the Seahawks, as much as that pains me. They were routinely referred to as one of the best teams in the league, from start to finish. They played great when it was needed most, and will go down in history as the champions of Super Bowl 48. See you next year.
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