Monday, February 28, 2011
Ref tells Kobe Bryant to 'make the shot'
Even Kobe Bryant's(notes) most ardent admirers often chafe at the way he forces long two-point shots. With the man's ability to wriggle his way toward freedom closer to the hoop, and especially with his Jordan-esque gifts in the post, why does Kobe always want to seem to chuck those long two-point shots? And complain endlessly when they don't go in?
Apparently NBA referee Eli Roe is an "ardent admirer" of Kobe, because he was not happy with the Laker guard's chirping following another long miss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday
That's right, "make the shot." Kobe made eight of them, in the win, but on 22 attempts (36.3 percent from the floor). Luckily, Kobe's seven assists, sound defense, and double-doubles from both Andrew Bynum(notes) and Pau Gasol(notes) aided the Lakers in the team's win over the Thunder
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Jazz deal All-Star Williams to Nets
The Utah Jazz have agreed to deal All-Star point guard Deron Williams(notes) to the New Jersey Nets in a trade that will send Derrick Favors(notes), Devin Harris(notes) and two first-round draft picks to Utah, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
As reported Tuesday, the Nets are also close to receiving forward Brandan Wright(notes) and center Dan Gadzuric(notes) from the Golden State Warriors in a separate trade that sends the Warriors forward Troy Murphy(notes). New Jersey will also send $3 million to the Jazz.
The two picks the Jazz receive are the Nets’ 2011 first-round selection and a 2012 first-rounder the Nets had acquired from the Warriors, which is protected through the first seven picks.
After chasing Carmelo Anthony(notes) for six months – including three near-agreements with Denver – the Nets’ deal for Williams came together in 24 hours, sources said. The Jazz were involved with the Nets in October as part of a potential four-team trade that would have sent Anthony to New Jersey, but Williams had not been included in that deal.
A two-time All-Star point guard, Williams had been unhappy with the Jazz’s lack of progress this season and the organization believed that he would leave as a free agent in 2012. His deteriorating relationship with Jerry Sloan played a part in the Hall of Fame coach’s decision to retire earlier in the month.
Williams had seen several teammates leave through free agency or trades, and the Jazz struggled to gain traction this season while several players, including Williams, coped with injuries. Carlos Boozer(notes), Kyle Korver(notes) and Wesley Matthews(notes) all signed with other teams last summer.
Williams, 26, had no indication he would be traded to New Jersey, and hasn’t had time to even digest the deal – never mind consider an extension with the Nets.
Still, New Jersey will try to persuade Williams to sign an extension, but it remains to be seen how quickly, if at all, he’ll embrace the idea of a long-term deal with the Nets. The earliest he can sign an extension is this summer, provided the league hasn’t entered a lockout.
Nevertheless, Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has been determined to upstage the New York Knicks with something beyond clever quips and giant billboards. Finally, on the day of Anthony’s introductory news conference and possible debut at Madison Square Garden against Milwaukee, Prokhorov made his most dramatic statement as owner with the Williams trade.
Harris, meanwhile, had embraced the Nets’ efforts to try to trade him. After Harris pushed for the Nets to hire his former coach, Avery Johnson, the two had a difficult time working together, and Harris’ production declined across the season. The Nets discussed deals with multiple teams, including Portland and Dallas, sources said
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Why Bob Sanders can still provide value
A couple of notes on the Colts’ release of safety Bob Sanders on Friday …
• Sanders has played only nine games over the past three seasons. That eventually will get you cut. But, playing in the box as a strong safety (especially in the eight-man fronts of the Tampa 2 playbook) is hell on your body. Take on pulling guards, kick out blocks from the fullback and spend a lot of time absorbing hits. That adds up—just as it did for safety Mike Brown(notes) in Chicago in the exact same defensive scheme. That is the No. 1 concern with Sanders moving forward
• His current value? I think we are going to see some strong interest in Sanders once we get a new CBA signed and start talking free agency. The question is where do you play him? The talk will center on Cover 2 teams (Chicago, Minnesota) taking a look at Sanders. But even in those systems, he looks best suited as a free safety. Yes, you can roll him down to the weak side and play some Under 10 (weak side Cover 1), but he can have an impact in the middle of the field. We always talk about range with free safeties and Sanders can get outside the numbers and over the top of the deep vertical route schemes. Plug in another safety to play in the box and let Sanders line up at FS in your Cover 2 and Cover 1 schemes.
• The entire league should take a look. Sanders has the talent to play in a pressure scheme. Defenses that will walk the safety down over a slot in man situations, bring edge pressure and play some Cover 0 (man-to-man with no safety help). Don’t view him strictly as a Cover 2 safety. Those players don’t exist anymore. You have to be able to play man (and blitz-man) coverage to get on the field as a safety in the NFL today.
• The contract will be key (as will the physicals) and Sanders will find himself playing for far less money than he was due in Indy for the 2011 season. But, if he is healthy, there is no reason not to check him out. This isn’t 2007, when Sanders won the NFL Defensive Player of Year award, but if you have a need at the position, take a look into what he can provide. There is intrigue here.
• He is a football player. When Sanders is on the field, he can be discussed with some of the top safeties in the game. Teams need to do their homework on Sanders and see if he can provide an upgrade to their roster. The safety class coming out in this year’s draft is average—something to think about.
Terrell Owens: ‘We really didn’t have the coaching’
Veteran wide receiver Terrell Owens'(notes) blunt opinions didn't spare the Cincinnati Bengals' coaching staff or owner Mike Brown(notes).
“I think if you look at the talent we had in that locker room this year and we mustered four wins, that should let you know something is not right,” Owens said during an NFL Network appearance. “Throughout the year, I saw some things that really wasn’t right. I’ve made a comment about if you’re trying to win some championships, it starts from the top down. (Warren Sapp) mentioned Mike Brown.
"I think even before I got there, they said the owner was a little different. Obviously, I saw that. You start with the head coach, and then you start with the staff on both sides of the ball. Offensively, we really didn’t have the coaching that we really needed to muster what we had on the offensive side of the ball.”
Owens also weighed in on quarterback Carson Palmer's(notes) recent trade demands, which have been denied by the Bengals.
“What a lot of people really don’t think and really don’t understand about this situation with Carson asking to be out of there (is) he’s saying something without really saying something,” Owens said. “That’s what a lot of people should read (into). There is a line that needs to be read in there. He knows that there’s some things within that organization that just aren’t right.
"Obviously Chad (Ochocinco) tried to get out of there a few years back, and obviously that didn’t work well for him. Obviously if you have your franchise quarterback who is supposed to be that guy for your team (and) trying to get out of there, that’s kind of telling the organization something, and that’s telling a lot of people out there something as well.”
Demolition derby
Ten different leaders and a huge multi-car pileup have highlighted early action in NASCAR's premier race at Daytona
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