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Miami “Thrice” Destined To Make History

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

trinasty

Associated Press photo

Yes. We. Did.

It’s as simple as the slogan.

The Miami HEAT made history on Thursday and it had nothing to do with anything on the hardcourt.

They won the Summer of 2010 Free Agency and, ultimately, the next half-decade of gluttony, pride and (hopefully) championships in the NBA.

Now, let me preface this column by saying I was born and raised in Miami. I’ve grown up a fan of South Florida sports and have been a follower of the HEAT through the best of times (the 2006 Championship) and the worst (a league-worst 15 wins in 2008). I’ve never seen a team set up this well to make history.

Not a team of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

No Boston Celtic teams of the 80s.

Not even the combo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are teaming up to play for the Miami HEAT for the next five years.

Let that sink in for a minute.

The Miami HEAT will have a two-time MVP, two NBA scoring champions, an NBA Finals MVP, one of the best power forwards in the league, three of the top 15 scorers in 2009 and three of the top five draft picks from the 2003 NBA Draft.

If the Los Angeles teams of the past were Showtime, Miami will be Cinemax.

I’m tired of “analysts” and “experts” saying that this trio won’t work. Saying that there aren’t enough balls on the court to go around or that these three can’t share the spotlight.

That’s all semantics brought about by the idea that, in basketball, greatness can only be achieved as an individual in solitude.

Jordan had help. Bird had sidekicks. Kobe has Gasol.

So why can’t three of the best players in the NBA give up dollars and statistics for the chance to be etched in the record books as the BEST 1-2-3 combo in the NBA? Why must three best friends swallowing their pride and proving the entire sports world wrong become an enigma for a franchise?

Look, I agree this might not be the best thing for the NBA. James’ move ruins Cleveland’s economy and takes them out of the picture in the East. The LeBron-Wade-Bosh rivalries of the past won’t be telecasted and the “competition” won’t be there, but who cares? Tell me you won’t be tuned into your television screen when the HEAT kick off their season. Kinda like you were tuned into “The Decision” on ESPN after making a mockery of the spectacle.

You can thank one man for all of this: Pat Riley.

He got all three players to come to Miami at a discount. He convinced these guys to exchange pride for glory. He made LeBron okay to the idea that he is coming to play in Wade’s town and convinced Bosh that being a third option isn’t too bad of an idea. Oh yeah, and they are all in their prime too.

“It’s still surreal, man,” Wade said of all three playing in Miami. “Me, Chris and ‘Bron. We ready. We want to go to the gym now.”

Does that sound like an ego-driven all star? The same all star who took less money than both James and Bosh and has allowed them to share his city and his stage.

Forgive me for being excited. Any hardcore fan would.

The HEAT will be hated in every town they play in. So be it.

Take that, L.A.

See you in June.

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The Aftermath of LeBron-Mania

Monday, July 12th, 2010

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BY: ROBERTO BERRIOS

Can you imagine Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on the same team? Michael Jordan and Charley Barkley? Jordan and Karl Malone? Jordan and John Stockton? Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson? Kobe and Paul Pierce? Can you? No? Neither can I and that’s because it would never happen.

MJ did not talk a great deal about how good he was in interviews or how he put on a show for Bulls fans or how he gave them a lot – he showed you every single night with his game. Hence the phrase “let your game speak for itself.” Michael reveled in the opportunity to showcase his skills on the court and the best way to do that was by dismantling the best players and the best teams night in and night out. There was never a consideration that he should seek another team because he had not won yet. There was no issue over how good the coach was (granted Phil Jackson would go on to become the best coach ever). There was never any concern over how many titles he had with his first team by age 25 (he was actually 28 when he got his first one). He wasn’t concerned with getting the title of “best player ever” or becoming the first billionaire athlete – at least not publicly. The way that Jordan was raised was to understand that you are only the best at something when you have defeated all of the best competition around you. Sadly this is something that today’s basketball superstars do not comprehend. By today’s stars, I mean LeBron James.

Chicago was nothing when Jordan got there. Today, despite him being gone for 12 years, it still has the 3rd most titles of any NBA franchise. Even with the dominance the San Antonio Spurs had for the better part of a decade, they only managed 4 titles. Jordan made it what it was. LeBron had that opportunity and then some in Cleveland because it was the team in his home state and only an hour away from his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Imagine if LeBron won 6 or more titles in Cleveland without the help of the other best player in the league. Apart from the cultural impact, there would not be much room left for argument that Michael was much better than him. Instead he has opted to play alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat next season. It doesn’t matter if he wins 10 rings in Miami – they will mean nothing because he will have gotten them with the only guy that is even nearly as talented as him in Wade and with a big man who is an all-star in Bosh.

Somehow they are being called unselfish. Indeed, they are not getting contracts of $120 million each. The multimillionaires are instead settling for something in the neighborhood of $100 million each as if they will spend or need every penny they make either way. In reality they could not be more selfish. They will not win the title this season because the estimated $10-15 million they will have in cap space to sign 7 players is not going to make them better or experienced enough to beat the likes of Boston or Los Angeles in a 7 game series. But after this season, all bets are off: they will be unstoppable; so unstoppable that they will get 3 or 4 rings easily with little effort and certainly with even less competition. They will do so without Kobe in the picture because he only has a few years left. They will do so with Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant on separate teams battling it out for second place. They will force us to look back on an era where LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Durant, Howard, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, Brandon Roy, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose played but only the first three won rings. The National Basketball Association has become the Miami Heat Association…and it’s not a good thing.

Is Pat Riley a genius? Absolutely. Is this great for the city of Miami who has some of the world’s most reliable band-wagoners? Definitely. Will it be the greatest show on earth? Literally, you better believe it. Along with that, Miami will become the most hated city in all of sports. At least Yankees fans, Knicks fans and Mets fans have the world’s largest metropolis to brag about on the off chance their team isn’t dominating or at the very least selling out. Miami has no similar history to brag about and has little more than a few sandy beaches that are appealing. Yankees fans can revel in the fact that they have almost 30 championships. Knicks fans can boast at length about all the hall-of-famers they have. Mets fans will find anything to boast about. Miami will be hated because the 2 best NBA players of its era teamed up with another dominant big man to take over the NBA for a short period of time. There is no “dynasty” here because these guys will not dominate the decade; they will dominate 6 years at most. Dynastys last much longer like the Lakers and Celtics who are still battling it out for titles in 2010 after doing it 30 years ago.

Part of what drove MJ was the competition factor. He wanted to be able to look himself in the mirror wearing a ring and think to himself that he earned that ring by beating the best guys in the league. These gentlemen will not have the chance to say that. Moreover, there can be no comparison to the legends. LeBron and Wade’s titles cannot even be stacked up against today’s best in Kobe Bryant. It’s true that Kobe won 3 rings alongside the game’s most dominant big man but he was not a top 3 player by any stretch of the imagination at that point. Even when he was in his prime in those years between Shaq and his fourth title, he could not win the title – he couldn’t come close. It’s also true that he flirted with leaving the Lakers too but the difference is that he realized how foolish it would have been. The same way that Michael and Kobe waited, LeBron could have waited. This whole thing revolves around him. He could have easily stayed in Cleveland and waited a season until Chris Paul was a free agent. He could have gone to Chicago and set up a rivalry of epic proportions with a Miami Heat team having Wade, Bosh and a brutal supporting cast. Ultimately, he chose not to. He could have had a true shot at individually facing his equal, Kobe Bryant, in the finals but he didn’t want to wait. Trust me, it would have meant the world to him to get rings beating any of those guys. The problem is that he couldn’t see past tomorrow.

More than anything, my heart goes out to the city of Cleveland. If you believe that LeBron is a phenomenon around the country or around the world, it is but a tiny indication of what he is in Cleveland. I spent a few hours there during a playoff game last year. The word obsession comes to mind. Cult is another word. Bloodline is probably the best word. The city instantly lost its only reason for hope and they lost it in an hour long special where “the chosen one” gave them the finger and was unapologetic about it. Almost as if to say: “I warned you that I didn’t care about you guys and I would leave if we didn’t win now but you didn’t get it done for me; sucks for you.” He did not even have the courtesy to tell them he was not coming back – they found out when everyone else did. As much as I dislike LeBron for his ego and his obvious interest in conquering the world over being a good role model or I don’t know, having some vague sense of humility, this one really takes the cake. How Wade and Bosh managed to share the TV screen from separate locations at an abrupt moment to announce their decision is admirable even if their desire to conquer the league with LeBron is not.

There’s one detail missing here that makes my stance eternally more puzzling: I am a lifelong Miami Heat fan born and raised in Miami. To me, basketball is more important than the success of a franchise, a city, a player or all of them combined. Sadly, I am one of the few who feels that way. Note to Mr. James, Mr. Wade and Mr. Bosh: Kobe Bryant is counting down the days until he faces your team and will not sleep until he conquers you. He will remind you next June why he is the best and why the three of you will ultimately regret teaming up. He will also make you remember why you can never be better than him while playing on the same team.

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Lebron James should run the point in Miami

Sunday, July 11th, 2010

rooney

By Jonathan Ramos

There is a reason Lebron James lined up off the basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Playing the small forward position, James essentially was an elite ball handling wing who’s responsabilities were to score a lot of points (lead the team every night), and be the primary playmaker for the Cavs.

Similiar to what Dwyane Wade did and still will do at times, and what Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant have done as superstars of their generations. Versatile phenomenons who take over the point when needed and carry a heavy load of scoring as well. That’s what their teams needed them to do, and those teams won titles largely because of it.

During his first seven NBA seasons James filled that role wondefully for Cleveland, although they fell short of a title. The whole time, however, James was arguably the best passer in the game. Already blessed with tremendous intangible instincts and ability like Wade and Jordan, James is a 6′9″ savage who also has the vision to see the floor better than any other ball handler in the game today.

Lebron James was asked to be Larry Bird in Cleveland.

But Miami should ask him to be Magic Johnson.

He can do it. He’s that gifted. He essentially has the ability to be a more athletic Johnson, and with Wade and Bosh, he arguably has a better pair of teammates than Magic ever had. That equates to the most devastating offensive attack this league has seen since the showtime Los Angeles Lakers.

MAKES BASKETBALL SENSE

This is more than just toying with the idea of James using his abilities to play a new position in Miami. It makes sense from a schematical basketball prespective.

This move allows Miami to open the floor up and lets their talents roam more comfortably. If the Heat played James at small forward, with a point guard like Mario Chalmers bringing the ball past halfcourt every play before giving it up to James or Wade, it clogs up the wing considerably.

James and Wade are almost the same player. James is just a bigger Wade. They will clash if they are both off the ball, because they will have to get in sync with who will come up for the ball, when they should make cuts opposite from each other, etc. And they shouldnt be setting any pics for each other.

The solution is to put James on the ball full time. If he is going to come up and grab the ball from a fill-in point guard all the time anyway, he may as well have it from the moment its inbounded.

With that taken care of, it completely frees up Wade to be a terror on the wing with James on the outside, potentially drawing extra help from opponents. James can push the tempo or run a half court offense, and be the primary playmaker he excels at doing. James has admitted in the past that he played point guard growing up, and that he would enjoy not fighting for scoring titles every year.

He is, along with Wade, one of the most unselfish superstars the game has seen in terms of their approach to the game.

We have seen Wade grow into a complete offensive player who can be as devastating off the ball as he is on it, with our best sample size coming from his olympics play in 2008. Wade will be extremely efficient and lead the team in scoring while James’ scoring would probably drop five buckets, but his assists could go up by five.

This is also helpful to Bosh, because it will give him more scoring opportunities with James racking up double digit assists on a nightly basis.

BEST LINEUP

More importantly, this just gives the Heat their best lineup, offensively and defensively. The Heat are far better off with Mike Miller’s elite shooting in the starting lineup than Chalmers, or any other cheap point guard they will bring in.

And James, with his athleticism and work ethic, will surely be able to defend opposing point guards. Sure, elite ones with too much quickness (Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose) will torch him from time to time, but won’t they torch a Chalmers-esque everyman as well?

Wade could also handle the point guard duties, but the point here is that one of them should unclog the wing and be the primary passer. My choice would be James.

Jonathan Ramos is the Sports Director of FIU Student Media, which provides content to the Beacon newspaper, fiusm.com, and Radiate FM. You can listen to Ramos and/or his staff on ‘Panther Sports Talk Live’ every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10-11 a.m. on Radiate FM by clicking on the live stream link on fiusm.com.

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OT: Story on Fox 35’s website: Lightning safety tips

Monday, June 7th, 2010

This story was published on Fox 35 News’ website and can be found here.

Updated: Monday, 07 Jun 2010, 12:02 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 07 Jun 2010, 11:47 AM EDT

RYAN BASS | FOX 35 News

(WOFL FOX 35) – If you’re outside in Florida when a thunderstorm is approaching, you might want to take cover. That’s just a small bit of advice from National Weather Service Lightning Specialist Matt Bragaw, who spoke with FOX 35 on Monday about the dangers of thunderstorms. He said that thunderstorms are especially imminent during the summer months, causing a lot of lightning to rumble through the state.

“In the state of Florida, thunderstorms are pretty much a daily occurrence during the summertime,” Bragaw said. “In fact, the state of Florida receives 90 percent of its lightning between the dates of June 1 to Sept. 30.”

Bragaw suggests that every person have a safety plan to avoid getting struck and to stay out of range of danger. If you are prepared, the chances of you getting struck decrease tremendously.

“When you have a lightning safety plan, that means you have an idea of what you are going to do should thunderstorms threaten,” Bragaw said. “If you are going to be involved in outdoor activities in the summertime in Florida, you need to have a lightning safety plan because the storms are going to be there [and] they are going to threaten you. If you know what to do and where to go beforehand, and you know where to go once the storm has started to threaten, the chances of you getting struck go down dramatically.”

The irony behind thunderstorms and lightning is that most people are struck before the storm even hits.

“A study that was done several years ago took a look at when people were struck with respect to the peak of a thunderstorm and, ironically, most people are not struck at the peak of the storm, but after before the storm hits and after the rain is gone,” Bragaw said. “Most people have enough sense to come out of the rain, but they don’t take shelter quickly enough or they leave shelter too soon because lightning can struck way outside of the rain shaft.”

Lightning is so dangerous that it can strike more than 10 miles away from it’s parent thunderstorm, according to Bragaw.

“It is the only weather phenomenon in a thunderstorm that can strike outside of the periphery of the storm itself,” he said. “Tornadoes, winds, hail, heavy rains — those are all confined to the storm itself … so if you hear thunder, you are within striking range of a thunderstorm and need to be taking safety precautions immediately.”

What about the old myth that you shouldn’t take a shower during a thunderstorm? Well, Bragaw says there is truth to the tale and you can get struck directly through your water pipes.

“It is not recommended [to take a shower] because the water within the metal pipes is a very good conductor,” he said. “There have been instances where people have been taking a shower or taking a bath. Indoor pools are also not safe because the plumbing is usually connected to outdoor systems and if that system is struck than the electricity could very easily travel through the plumbing system and into the water and strike you.”

As far as your outdoor plans during the summer, Bragaw suggests that you at least plan accordingly and have a strategy come time when the storm rolls in.

“They are going to be here. They have been here before we were settled, they are here now and they are going to be here after we are gone,” Bragaw said of thunderstorms. “We have to plan our activities around them. We can’t expect the weather to conform to our activities.”

More lightning safety tips from the National Weather Service: www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov

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FIUSM: The Superstitious Garrett Wittels

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

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A story on some of Wittels pregame antics that was published on fiusm.com

By Jonathan Ramos

When FIU shortstop Garrett Wittels stepped into the box for his first plate appearance against FAU on May 22, he was promptly hit by a pitch from Owl Freshman R.J Alvarez.

He didn’t get a chance to extend his nation leading hit streak his first time up, but he didn’t immediately make anything of it and walked to first base.

When Wittels noticed that he forgot to follow through with one of his pregame routines, however, the frantic sophomore raced to the dugout after the top of the first inning and sought trainer Gabe Casanova so that he could put one more strip of tape on his wrist.

The next time Wittels was up to bat in the third inning, he laced a double to center field to extend his streak to 48 games that day.

And he hasn’t stopped since.

“He ended up fixing me and I got a hit after that,” Wittels said.

Wittels tapes his wrists in advance of every game with Casanova before batting practice, and goes back to the trainer for one more strip before he head butts him and takes the field. It has been one of his many superstitious habits throughout the season-long hit streak, which is at 53 games as of May. 29.

The streak is the second longest ever in the NCAA, trailing only former Oklahoma State standout Robin Ventura, who got a hit in 58 straight contests in 1987. In the chase of Ventura, Wittels believes the slew of pregame antics he takes part in have something to do with his success.

“One of the most superstitious people I have ever met,” FIU right fielder Mike Martinez said of Wittels. “We have our own little handshake before every game. God forbid we forget to do it, he would run all the way into right field if he has to.”

‘DON’T MESS WITH JOBU’

As the streak began to gain steam, some of Wittels’ family and friends who regularly attend games began to don “Don’t Mess With Jobu” T-shirts for good luck. The theme with Jobu, a voodoo character from the movie Major League, continued when Wittels’ uncle, Edgar, created an original mimic of the doll and started bringing it to games.

It doesn’t end there.

In addition to his taping procedure, Wittels listens to the same song every time he pulls up to the ball park. His course head of hair hasn’t been cut since before the season. He makes sure to follow through with handshakes with Martinez, infielder Junior Arrojo, and other teammates. And he jogs to center field with outfielder Pablo Bermudez and third baseman Jeremy Patton for a prayer before each game.

“I’m just trying to stay on the same routine, not change anything up,” Wittels said. “My hair is the biggest thing.”

PRESSURE

For some of his teammates, the angst begins to build if Wittels hasn’t extended the streak in a particular game. There have been a slew of close calls for the Sun Belt Conference player of the year, something FIU coach Turtle Thomas doesn’t look far into.

“If you’ve ever been a baseball player, you know it doesn’t work like that,” Thomas said. “As long as you hit the ball well three times [that game], you did ok.”

Many of Wittels’ teammates are just as emotionally invested in the streak as him.

“It’s awesome,” Arrojo said. “It’s also scary because I want him to get it done early because then I can chill for the rest of the game.”

But even those who are around him every day cannot put their finger on every part of Wittels’ routine.

“He has too many things to count,” FIU pitcher R.J Fondon said with a grin. “I really can’t explain it.”

As long he doesn’t forget any of it before a game, there won’t be a need to.

Jonathan Ramos is the Sports Director of FIU Student Media, which provides content to the Beacon newspaper, fiusm.com, and Radiate FM. You can listen to Ramos and/or his staff on ‘Panther Sports Talk Live’ every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10-11 a.m. on Radiate FM by clicking on the live stream link on fiusm.com.

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Who are these Boston Celtics? How are they winning?

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

by Evan Ross (www.EvanRoss.NET)

Before the season began, the Boston Celtics were arguably the best team in the NBA on paper. But as everyone said, that is on paper. Paper does not win games. Athletes win games. And the consensus on the Celtics was that they were too old and injury prone to be able to compete.

Over the course of the season, the Celtics dealt with plenty of injuries. Going into the playoffs, it appeared the Celtics would sneak by a Miami Heat team that was lacking talent to support Dwyane Wade, and then lay down to the LeBron James lead Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs were the best team in the NBA. They had the best player in the NBA. And they had finally put a team around him that could help him win a championship. Beating the Celtics was nothing more than an assumed step on the road to the Larry O’Brian trophy.

And then it happened. The Celtics came out in game one and looked like the team to beat in the first half. But they could not hold on. The Cavs dominated the second half and survived game one with a win. Again, everyone said it was a fluke. The Cavs were rusty. The Celtics were rested. Game two would look like the second half of game one. Or not… The Celtics came out and showed the world that they were coming to play. That anything less than a championship was a disappointment. That they were not going to bow down to King James. The Celtics stole game two in Cleveland and took over home-court in the series. Yet the Celtics were still dismissed.

It did not take long for the Cavs to come back strong. They went into Boston and took back home-court with a game three win. The Celtics tied the series with a win at home in game four, and were ready to head back to Cleveland.

And then it happened. The Celtics left no doubt. They went back to Cleveland and wiped the floor with the Cavs, winning game five 120-88. The Celtics now lead the series 3-2, and the Cavs had their backs against the wall. They had to go on the road and steal another one in Boston to force a game seven.

The picture says it all…

LeBron James and the Cavs were going back to Cleveland. Not to play a game seven, but to clean out their lockers. The Boston Celtics had knocked off the best team in the NBA.

But there was more to come. With the Cavs out of the playoffs, the Orlando Magic instantly became the team to beat in the East. They had won fourteen straight games including sweeping the first two rounds of the playoffs (eight games). They had not only won those games, but dominated them the way a championship team should.

The Magic had a long rest before their series with the Celtics, while the Celtics had a few days to prepare. And it showed. The Celtics came out and looked like a team on fire, while the Magic looked rusty, and unready to compete. The Celtics stole game one in Orlando.

Most of us wrote it off as rust, and again, assumed the Celtics had finally met their match. There was not way they were knocking off the Orlando Magic. As game two approached, the Magic knew it was pretty much a must win game. They took the floor, and found themselves down 2-0 when  it was over. The Celtics took not one, but both of the first two games of the series in Orlando.

Tonight they go back to Boston up 2-0. If they can win game three, I don’t think anyone would be able to doubt them any longer. In the history of the NBA, no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. But Orlando is still a tremendous team. When they are at their best, they can beat anyone.

I think you know who the Boston Celtics are by now. But how did a team that struggled down the stretch and fell to the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference come out and win the way that they have? How did they suddenly become a contender again? The answer is very simple. The NBA wanted them to.

The NBA did not ask the referees to call the games in Boston’s favor. They did not do anything to directly affect the games the Celtics played. They gave everyone a level playing field. That level field just favors the Boston Celtics far more than any other team.

During the regular season, teams regularly play multiple games the the same number of nights. They go on long road trips, and have to tough out game after game. In the playoffs, teams always have at least one day of rest between games. They never play back to back games. With the oldest team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics took advantage of the rest. After a long and tiring season, the older teams have to find a second win for the playoffs. Their almost out of gas. The NBA give that to them with the way that they schedule games. If the games were played back to back, you could very well be watching the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The NBA is set up for veteran teams to win in the playoffs. A team like the Thunder could have done very well without the rest that was afforded to them. The Lakers and Celtics would have likely crumbled from the wear and tear of back to back games.

I don’t mean to take anything away from the Celtics. They have earned every win. And at this point, it looks like they will be matching up with the Lakers for what will be a very veteran NBA Finals.

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Updated LeBron James Percentages

Thursday, May 20th, 2010


by Evan Ross (www.EvanRoss.NET)

Cleveland Cavaliers: 40%

The Cavs chances took a bit of a nose dive just days into their off-season. But they still have to be the favorite to retain their superstar forward. That could change quickly though.

Miami Heat: 25%

The Heat can offer LeBron something that no other team can… Three Max Players. The Heat could potentially end up with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and either Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire. And if Pat Riley has to come back to the bench to make it happen, you better believe that he will.

Chicago Bulls: 25%

The Bulls are in a great position to land LeBron. They could pair LeBron with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and potentially Chris Bosh as well. The question is, does LeBron want to play in the house that Michael built?

New York Knicks: 9%

The Knicks suck! They have very little talent. But they do have cap space for two max free agents. If LeBron wants to go to the biggest media market, New York is a no-brainer. New York is the only place where a superstar can be more than a superstar.

Los Angeles Clippers: 0%

The Clipper have no chance of landing King James. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Zip. Any questions?

All Other Teams: 1%

The Nets will make a run at LeBron, but after not securing the first pick in the draft, their chances are slim to none. They don’t have much of a team, and they don’t have John Wall coming in. Their new owner and Jay-Z will give it their best shot though.

Marc Cuban could move some players to make cap space for LeBron, but it is just not likely to happen.

Any other team signing LeBron James would be a total shock. But you never know…

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NBA Free Agency: The Battle for LeBron

Friday, May 14th, 2010

renovations

Courtesy Associated Press

by EvanRoss (www.EvanRoss.NET)

When LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers went down in six games to the Boston Celtics, it potentially changed the landscape of the NBA for years to come. It is no secret that every team with even the slightest prayer to land LeBron James will be trying to do so in the off-season. He very well could be the most coveted free agent in the history of pro sports. And to make it more interesting, this could be the best free agent class to ever hit the NBA market. The question is… Where will LeBron James end up? And what impact will it have on the rest of the premier free agents?

What could keep LeBron James in Cleveland?


LeBron James found himself in an unusual situation when he came into the NBA. Not only was he touted as the next Michael Jordan before he was old enough to sign a contract, but he was drafted by his hometown team. Having the chance to play in his hometown was a great opportunity for LeBron, and it still is. It is hard enough to leave the only team you have ever played for. For LeBron, he not only would have to leave his team, but his hometown too.
There is still something to be said for playing your entire career for one franchise. LeBron James knows that. Is it enough to keep him in Cleveland? Only he knows. I still think the odds have to be on LeBron staying in Cleveland. When I thought the Cavs would cruise to the Eastern Conference Finals, I said the chances of LeBron staying in Cleveland were 75%. Now that they have gone out in the second round, I think that number drops to 55%.

What would push LeBron out of Cleveland?

LeBron can play anywhere he wants. And while money is important to him, he is going to make insane amounts of money no matter where he plays. What LeBron wants more than anything is to win.
He pushed the Cavs front office to make moves to build a contender. They did that. They went out and got Antwan Jamison. Here is the problem… Jamison is past his prime. But the problem is not Jamison. The problem is that Cleveland is full of key players who are not getting any younger, and have proven that they are not good enough to win a championship. The core of the Cavs right now is LeBron James, Antwan Jamison, Mo Williams, Shaq and Anderson Varejao. Shaq is a free agent who may or may not be back with the Cavs. Mo Williams is a very good player, but he is not going to carry a team. Varejao is a very good defender, but that is about it. Jamison is a very good player, but he is showing signs of slowing down. The Cavs are not in a position to go out and add a big free agent signing to their team. With that in mind, LeBron James has to consider that the team around him in Cleveland is just not good enough to win a championship.

If he leaves Cleveland, where could LeBron end up?


New York:

The city of New York has set the bar in a very simple place for this off-season. LeBron or bust. Sure they would be okay if they landed two other big free agents. But that is not what they want. And that is not what they have been planning for. Donnie Walsh unloaded every contract that he possibly could in order to make cap space to sign LeBron James and another max free agent this off-season.
New York offers LeBron something that no other team can offer him. The chance to play in New York presents tremendous opportunities. It is the largest media market in the world. New York is the only place where a superstar can be more than a superstar. And playing there would make LeBron James millions of dollars that he can not make anywhere else. But can the Knicks win?
If LeBron goes to New York, Chris Bosh will likely follow him there. But what kind of a team would they really have? You can’t knock any LeBron James team. And you certainly have to consider a team lead by LeBron and Bosh as a contender. But what else do they have? Danillo Gallanari has shown that he has the ability to shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor, but he has not developed into the overall player the Knicks were hoping for. They thought they were drafting Dirk Nowitzki. They have Eddy Curry there for one more year, but he is not a major factor. The point here is very simple. If LeBron James and Chris Bosh choose to go to New York, they better plan on carrying 99% of the load, because the Knicks will not have much of a supporting cast for them.

Miami:

I think the Heat have the best shot of any team (other than Cleveland) of landing LeBron James. They present a few things that no other team does. First, they give him the chance to play with not only one other superstar, but two. The Heat are the only team in the NBA that has the ability to sign three max free agents (including Dwyane Wade). They can put a team on the floor that would have the best one-two-three punch in the league. A core of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and either Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire would have to be considered that favorite to win championship after championship for years to come. LeBron could join up with Dwyane Wade in Miami, add another max free agent, and potentially dominate the NBA landscape for the rest of their careers. Miami would also have the room to bring back Udois Haslem with their mid-level exception, and piece together a very good team with guys who are hungry for a championship. The chance to be living a few minutes from South Beach certainly sweetens the pot of LeBron too.
That is what Miami can offer LeBron on the surface. But Miami also has an ace in the hole. They have a proven winner who is without question one of the best coaches in NBA history. If Pat Riley has to come back to the bench in order to land LeBron James, you better believe that he will. And that may be what puts Miami over the top. Any other coach that LeBron will have the chance to play for can not even attempt to compare their resume with Pat Riley’s. Do you smell a dynasty emerging in Miami?

Chicago:


The Bulls are a very interesting option for LeBron James. They have a solid young core that can continue to grow. But does LeBron want to play in the house that Michael built? Does he want everything he does to be measured against Jordan? Does he want to play in a place where he would have to go so far above and beyond what he could reasonably expect to accomplish just to be able to be mentioned in the same sentence as Michael Jordan?
There is a lot of talk about the Bulls enticing John Calapari to leave Kentucky and come coach the Bulls. And part of the reason for it is the close relationship that LeBron James and John Calapari have. I just don’t see it happening. I don’t see John Calapari leaving Kentucky after one season. And I don’t see LeBron wanting to play in Michael Jordan’s shadow forever. Bull fans should prepare themselves for a great free agent signing that won’t be LeBron James.

New Jersey:


LeBron James would love to play in Brooklyn. He would love to play for Jay-Z. But the Nets won’t be playing in Brooklyn for at least a couple of years. And the Nets don’t exactly have the greatest team. They flirted with the worst record in NBA history this year. And though Devin Harris, Terrance Williams, and Brook Lopez are all very good young players, their not Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, or Amare Stoudemire. Their not even Joe Johnson. I just don’t see LeBron choosing New Jersey when he can go anywhere.

What do I think LeBron will do?


LeBron will opt out of his contract in Cleveland and become a free agent on July 1, 2010. LeBron will visit the Knicks, Heat, Nets, Bulls and probably others. The Cavs still have to be the favorite to land LeBron, but I could see their hopes of retaining him diminishing very quickly. If he leaves Cleveland, the teams with the best chance of landing LeBron James are Miami, New York, Chicago and New Jersey in that order.

Stay tuned for my full free agency blog. It will be posted following the NBA Finals.

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CFF Sports: UCF collects the most athletic fees in NCAA

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

BY: CARLOS PINEDA – Staff writer

UCF has the largest collection of student athletic fees in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, according to an online database released by ESPN Dec. 17.

The database details the “arms race” college athletics progams go through in order to earn money for their programs and the ways in which they spend it.

UCF students paid a total of $14,608,022 in fees to the UCF athletic department over the course of the 2008-09 year.  For the 2009-10 period, UCF students paid a $12.68 fee per credit hour.

“The reason we’re the largest is because we have the third largest enrollment in the country,” said David Chambers, executive associate athletic director at UCF. “The biggest thing is to look at the individual student.”

The large amount of money comes from such a large number of students paying an otherwise normal fee.

When looking at just the per-individual fee among other public universities in the state, UCF is the fourth behind Florida Atlantic University with $14.30 per credit hour, the University of West Florida with $14.22 per credit hour, Florida International University with $14.51 per credit and ahead of the University of South Florida, which charged $11.76 per credit hour.

Both FIU and USF charge a $10 flat per-student fee per term in addition to their per credit fee.

Comparing UCF to other  institutions with high enrollment shows the most noticeable difference in how athletic programs are run.

Institutions like Ohio State, Arizona State, Penn State, Texas and Michigan State have football teams with large, dedicated followings that have other ways of earning money.

“It is not a fair comparison to compare UCF to Texas, Florida or Ohio State,” Brad Stricklin, associate athletics director and chief financial officer at UCF,  said. “They have a much more established alumni base. They’re wealthier because they have the legacies.” 
College football has become a billion dollar business evident of the television deal the Southeastern Conference signed with ESPN and CBS in 2008. According to the Sports Business Journal, the deal is worth $2.25 billion over a 15-year period.

“When you look at baseline level, in order to be competitive and run a Division I program, there is funding and the resources that are necessary in order to compete,” Chambers said. “Because we lack the conference distribution that the BCS schools get, student fee funding is critical for us. It keeps us in the game. It gives us the ability to have a future in college athletics at the highest level.”

Chambers said student fees are the lifeblood for UCF Athletics. Without the aid of student fees, the Knights could be competing at the I-AA or Division II level.

This year, C-USA distributed roughly $2 million among its members, while the Big East distributed roughly $6 million and the ACC allocated about $8 million, according to Stricklin.

The Big Ten and the SEC are on a different lucrative level, ranging from $12-18 million. Both have network deals and each school in the SEC could get as much as $15 million a year.

Chambers said that without fees, the athletics department would run on a $15 million budget and break even, hoping to make the tournament once every 10 years.

Chambers said that the large number of students who attend UCF helps the athletics department benefit from the money received and still be at competitive level with other “non-BCS” schools.

The student fees go toward funding student-athletes’ scholarships and athletic operations. Chambers said that none of the money goes toward salaries or paying off debt.

“We look at our budget, we look at how much are scholarships, how much are support operations,” Chambers said.

The 2.5 percent increase that athletics asked for recently was to keep in-line with the increase in the cost of living, Stricklin said.

Chambers added that the    athletic department is hoping to get to a point where it can keep the athletic fee a constant amount and eventually reduce the fee as the program grows.

“I can envision that at some point,” Chambers said about lowering the fees. “But right now we’re just trying to keep up and stay competitive.”

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LeBron James and his biggest weakness

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

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Let me make it crystal clear that LeBron James is an immensely talented athlete that could probably excel at any sport with considerable ability. His weakness is not his athleticism, his average free throw shooting, his non-existent low post game, his proneness to shoot three-pointers when he’s not great at it or even his fear of playing with even a paper cut — it is his character.

Recently, James said that he would like to try out for the 1-8 Cleveland Browns. Instead of telling him to worry about his own team, Brown Head Coach Eric Mangini said he’d welcome him. After that he expressed his unhappiness with the Bobcats getting Stephen Jackson before the Cavs could. So in a span of 10 days, the title-less “KING” has hinted that he could be a star wideout and star small forward at the same time and also again slapped his teammates in the face. He once said he wanted to become an international icon and the first athlete-billionaire. Then he decided that everyone should give up Michael Jordan’s number 23 just because he thought it would be nice. Jordan, always the classy individual, said that if you retire his number, you must retire several other players’ numbers including Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. A lack of maturity doesn’t begin to describe Mr. James yet barely anyone seems to chide him for it.

The smaller, less dynamic yet still amazing Dwyane Wade (who happens to be in the same draft class as James) already has an NBA Championship and a Finals MVP to his credit. Kobe Bryant got his 4th ring last year without the help of Shaq. Interesting that both players were criticized for having their championships with Shaq yet Shaq has now left the Magic, Lakers, Heat, and Suns on bad terms. We always assumed it was Kobe being selfish in LA and Dwyane wanting his own spotlight in Miami. Now Shaq joins LeBron and we’re supposed to believe this is it. How about realizing that Shaq has never won a title without a superstar on his team either? Everyone seems to make excuses for LeBron and rationalize why he hasn’t won a title yet. Why??? His team, which was superior heading into the Eastern Conference Finals last year, was destroyed by the Magic who live and die by the three-point line. He was given the MVP last year for playing on a team that is a 7 or 8 seed without him. D-Wade’s team will win 14 games without him. He also refuses to shake hands with the Celtics the year before after losing to them and then does the same thing to his Olympic teammate Dwight Howard this past year after the Magic beat them. He misses games for having a jammed finger on his non-shooting hand. He wears a Yankee fitted cap to a Cleveland Indians home playoff game against the Yankees. He openly and endlessly talks of playing with Chris Paul or Jason Kidd. He constantly disses his own teammates by engaging in this behavior. Let’s not even mention the fact that the city of Cleveland is actively holding its breath hoping and praying LeBron doesn’t bolt the Cavs to win more titles in another city. He wasn’t even humbled by playing on the Gold Medal Team USA. He didn’t learn anything from the selflessness of D-Wade coming off the bench in the Olympics or the fact that everyone on that team was a superstar playing a non-superstar role. Why do people defend this guy?

To his defense, it’s not entirely his fault. Since LeBron was 16, he was the next Michael Jordan. High school games nationally televised, number 1 draft pick in the NBA, his best friend became Jay-Z and the entire video of Drake’s song Forever is full of LeBron footage. I have never seen America celebrate someone so much who has never won a championship. Allen Iverson gets so little respect because he never won a title. Same goes for Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, and even Jason Kidd. They are all exceptional players but they have never won a title so they are not considered as good. Imagine if Duncan never won a title…nobody would consider him the best power forward ever. Somehow, LeBron is one of the greatest ever even though he won an MVP for being on a great team, won All-Star MVP’s for purposely dominating the game and for losing in conference finals after cruising to the best record last season. If anyone dares to say they won the Olympic Gold Medal because of him, that person just doesn’t know basketball.

I respect talent but in sports you are ultimately judged for your accomplishments because nobody can measure talent. So why are there only a handful of people who will stand up and acknowledge that the media has created one of the most arrogant athletes ever whose ego actually outweighs his freakishly high level of talent? Next time we defend him for missing a game with a jammed finger on his left hand remember two events. Kobe Bryant played with torn ligaments in his pinkie finger (on his shooting hand!!!) for almost 2 years en route to an Olympic Gold Medal and an NBA Championship. Michael Jordan’s best game might have been the “flu game” where he was unstoppable on the court but had to be carried to bench during timeouts because he was very sick with the flu. He is not tough, he is not well-coached, he has a mentor who is a self made multi-millionaire and has a massive ego of his own, and he thinks he has no competition. MJ, Kobe, Kareem, Russell, Bird and Magic never operated in this way and that’s why they were so successful. When LeBron grows up and matures, there will no absolutely no limit to what he can accomplish. The question is will he ever gain an inch of humility? Imagine what will happen if he wins titles with the same cocky attitude…then he will proclaim that people should retire number 23 because LeBron James wore it. Let’s stop praising him until he actually accomplishes something.

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