Legendary Observations

Another Edition of Some Simple Observations

One-upmanship?

This past NBA season, Lakers star Kobe Bryant changed his uniform number from the usual #8 to #24. Many people were curious about his motivation behind the change in digits, as it made him recognizable across the NBA with his classic numeral. Some thought it was meant to drive up jersey sales (which it did with Bryant leading all NBA players in that category) and one reporter asked him if he was inspired by Jack Bauer of Fox's hit television drama, 24. Bryant said the numeral was from his high school days, even though he changed it back then to #33 the year his Lower Merion HS team won the state championship.

Others thought it was a tribute or, dare I say, a challenge to Michael Jordan's legacy. Jordan's #23 plus one equals Bryant's new #24. Silly, yes, but this is sports and we're supposed to have fun with this stuff.

Now Bryant has been issued his Team USA jersey this summer and he will wear a different number because of the National team's rules to only issue numbers from 4-15. Bryant will don the #10 jersey this summer instead of the #24 he wore for the Lakers this past season. Quite coincidental is the fact that Michael Jordan wore #9 for the 1992 Gold medal winning Dream Team. Jordan's #9 plus one? Coincidence . . . ?

Penny Pinchers

The Phoenix Suns sure have made quite an impact this offseason . . . at least for other NBA teams. After selling one of their top picks in June's draft (which resulted in Spanish stud Rudy Fernandez), the Suns traded Kurt Thomas, their best interior defender, to the Supersonics. The Suns also figured to save time on selling first round picks in the future and gave two up in the deal, receiving only a 2nd rounder and a trade exception as compensation.

Phoenix's owners are trying to avoid the NBA's insane luxury tax but are costing themselves the present and future in the process. New GM Steve Kerr is going to have a tough time giving this team what it needs to compete for a championship this season.

Sip it while its Hot

Philadelphia's beloved baseball team surpassed the 10,000 loss mark earlier this month and has been on a tear since. With the exception of one brutal beating by the LA Dodgers in the first game of their west coast swing, the Phightins' have been getting quality pitching from their starters and bullpen. While the Mets have kept their short distance in the same span, the Phillies are quickly building confidence.

Sports radio talk show host Big Daddy Graham suggested earlier in the season, during the Phillies' April struggles, that the Phillies should tryout some young arms from the minor leagues instead of bringing in expensive non-star pitchers like Freddy Garcia (One win for every $10 million dollars he made this year) and Adam Eaton (who has shown promise but remains the consistently inconsistent pitcher that he has been for most of his career). When Garcia and Jon Lieber fled to the disabled list, the Phillies had to dig deep and come up with some emergency arms.

Kyle Kendrick has been one of the best stories in his short stint, going 4-1 thus far and keeping the Phillies in every game that he has pitched. All of Kendrick's starts went at least 6 innings until last night when he only lasted 5-2/3 against the Washington Nationals. An even bigger surprise has been former first round pick J.D. Durbin, who has excelled recently as the 5th starter. I felt good about the kid in his first start against the Mets when he struck out the first three batters he faced. That was before New York shelled him with 6 runs and rushed him off the mound. Since then, he pitched well in the bullpen, earning a second chance and relishing in the opportunity. Durbin held the Dodgers to one run in his first start since his disaster against the Mets and then threw his first career shutout against the San Diego Padres.

Big Daddy Graham noted the excitement fans have when they get behind a young pitcher, the way we did for Hamels a year ago, and it was something that could fuel excitement for the town and the team. Graham couldn't have been more right as you couldn't help but have a huge smile watching the young Durbin jump up and down after Aaron Rowand secured the final out in his shutout on Sunday. Baseball experts are saying that you'd be dumb to expect this from Durbin and Kendrick all season. My thoughts are maybe this is the boost this young Phillies team needed all season.

Jokes on you, Vick

I just wanted to share a few jokes I heard from Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. Stewart was beginning the show talking about Michael Vick and his federal indictments with the dogfighting case.

One: "I'd like to cover him (Vick) in liver and let the dogs see if he's as fast and elusive as they say he is . . . "

Two: "And I have to say, Michael Vick, being a two-sport athlete, football and dogfighting . . . not as impressive as the Bo Jackson thing!"

Our 42 of the DayOne good thing for the Suns this summer,
Marcus Banks scored 42 points in a
summer league game against the Cleveland Cavaliers

Are You Willing to Give Soccer a Chance?

This weekend marked the beginning of a new era in US pop culture. David Beckham has arrived on the west coast and is prepared to bring soccer to the forefront of American sports.

HEY! Stop laughing! I'm being serious here!

The arrival of David Beckham and his "Spice-Wife," Posh, marks soccer's latest attempt to try and sweep us charming Americans off our feet to boost the popularity of the nearly non-existent American life of "fútbol." Unfortunately, all of the other attempts failed and generic sports fans from coast-to-coast are simply not interested. Sports talk radio show hosts have stated that we don't care who David Beckham is because we don't care about soccer!

Allow me to be the voice of reason.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Those who have read my stuff before know that I have a firm belief that sports can help our children grow. Something as simple as your daily gym classes in grade school help give you the various motor skills you need to help developing into the capable adults we all claim to be. Sports give us a wide range of variables that help us excel.

For one, it gives you the fuel for your competitive fires to burn on. The sense of teamwork also are instilled in our youth and help us in and out of sports. Another key lesson we learn is the rules and restrictions in any given sport. You are told what you can do, what you can't do and how the rules affect you. You have to dribble the ball in basketball, you have to swing the bat in baseball and you cannot use yours hands in soccer.

Many of the gripes against soccer is that you can't use your hands and most men disagree with this restriction. The use of your feet in soccer and the restrictions of the use of your hands frustrates kids but also teaches you discipline. This characteristic alone can help a kid mature a little faster as he begins understanding boundaries outside the world of sports. Maybe this is why so many mothers become "Soccer Moms" and soccer is one of the most popular youth sports in our country.

Ignoring Greatness

The one person who could've changed soccer in America was Pelé. I never had the privilege of watching Pelé because I simply wasn't alive to do so. Watching clips of Pelé leave me searching for breathe because he just takes it away. His feet are too fast for your eyes to keep up with and his athletic ability is astonishing. Pelé was mostly an international talent who thrived in his native Brazil but later made his way stateside to try and raise America's soccer enthusiasm. Unfortunately, Pelé wasn't around long enough to establish soccer's staying power. However, America and our media have done him an injustice by barely acknowledging his existence.

In 1999, ESPN showcased several athletes in their Sportscentury program that counted down the 50 greatest athletes of our time and eventually expanded to 100. Pelé, who was proclaimed the Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee, was not on the list nor was any other soccer player. Comprising mainly of football, baseball and basketball players, the list also contains two swimmers, two speed skaters, three auto racing drivers and five horses.

Yes, HORSES! I'm not one to criticize the sport of thoroughbred horse racing and I actual enjoy watching the Triple Crown races (I was on the Smarty Jones bandwagon years ago). I do not, however, agree with horses being put into the same category as human beings. Sure, what the horses do is wonderful but they pale in comparison to the feats Pelé performed for sports fans around the world. The only excuse for Pelé not being included is because most of his accomplishments came on foreign soil. But he still belongs in the company of greatness.

And if you choose to ignore Pelé because he spent his prime in South America, there are American soccer players that deserve at least an honorable mention. American "footballers" like Landon Donovan (new teammate of Beckham) and Eric Wynalda are both tied for Team USA's goal scoring record. There is also Michelle Akers, one of the top-scorers in Women's National Team history and helped Team USA win gold in the 1996 Olympics and the 1999 World Cup (you remember that key victory when Brandi Chastain scored the winning goal and ripped her shirt off in celebration). Mia Hamm, a teammate of Akers, holds the Women's National Team record for goals scored and has won two Olympic gold medals and a World Cup Championship. Hamm was the face for Women's soccer and is an ambassador for the game. Someone who is sure to inspire more people than a horse would (no offense Barbaro lovers).

The Savior?

Flashbulbs lit up the Home Depot Center, home of the LA Galaxy, and the crowd noise grew in anticipation of Beckham finally entering the game. Beckham was running and stretching along the sidelines and finally tore off his warm-ups. In the 78th minute, he walked onto the field, or the pitch as it is called, and made his debut for the Galaxy.

Although he entered the match late, it was still close and there was still hope that he could make an impact. Plenty of hype surrounded him as well as they used two views, a regular shot of the match and the "Beckham Cam," to cover the action and not to mention constantly showing his wife so much to the point that Posh ended up figuring out she was being watched and ducked in the latter moments of the match. There was little excitement except for a brief scare when he took a hard tackle and then later he took aim on a corner kick that ended up being the last play of the match. However, the crowd roared everytime he was close to the ball and a part of the action.

After the 1-0 loss to Chelsea, Beckham saluted the crowd for their support and made his way to the media circus that was ready to eat him alive. Is soccer's next step to try to attract new fans going to be a successful one? We question whether this latest step is hope or hype. There is certainly a lot of both floating around with Beckham's arrival. Perhaps attracting more media coverage and more people open to watching a match or two will help soccer's popularity.

I'm willing to give soccer a chance. Are you?

Our 42 of the Day Speaking of Youth Sports, Little Leaguers
Gathered on the South Lawn of the White House
this Month to Honor Jackie Robinson

More than just a Baseball Story

This summer is being treated to a slew of new movies and TV shows for people to keep them away from the deadly mixture of heat and humidity. I have already caught the sequels to Spider-man, Fantastic Four, Pirates of the Caribbean and Die Hard, not to mention the action-packed Transformers film. USA is offering a great new summer spy dramedy, Burn Notice, that stars Jeffery Donovan and the comical Bruce Campbell to accompany summer series like Monk and Psych. ESPN is taking the biggest leap with a show that not only revolves around sports, but examines society as well.

After watching the first episode of The Bronx is Burning, I am not sure where ESPN is going to take this completely. The show is about the 1977 New York Yankees attempts to recover from a devastating World Series loss, swept by the Big Red Machine the year before, by bringing in flamboyant star outfielder Reggie Jackson. We, as baseball fans, are sucked in to see the drama unfold between Jackson, Yankees manager Billy Martin, owner George Steinbrenner and the rest of the men in pinstripes.

But this isn't the only angle ESPN is taking with the miniseries. Director Jeremiah Checic said that he wanted to create an atmosphere that brings you back to New York in 1977, experiencing what the players go through with everything that is troubling the city. Episode one introduced us to the Yankees and an apparent serial killer (the Son of Sam if anyone is not too keen on their history). We are also going to be introduced to New York's Mayoral race, the massive blackouts that occurred, and the city going bankrupt.

There is one issue that I'm curious if the producers will introduce us to. Even though its' beginning dates decades before 1977, New York had a massive economic problem and the Bronx was being torn apart by greedy business men and an ignorant vision. After WWII, the New York Regional Plan Association envisioned Manhattan as a center for future business and wealth. The plan was to establish an immediate connection between the island with suburbs in New York and New Jersey by way of highways, something that President Eisenhower wanted to establish in America after our engineers observed and envied Adolf Hitler's creation in Germany.

Historian Robert Caro described the project massive as it covered "113 streets, avenues, and boulevards; sewers and water and utility mains numbering in the hundreds; one subway and three railroads; five elevated rapid transit lines, and seven other expressways or parkways, some of which were being built by [Robert] Moses simultaneously." The "Moses" he refers to is Robert Moses, a powerful urban planner who was given the power to construct this monstrosity.

In the process, the production of the Cross-Bronx Expressway supplanted the South Bronx of its businesses, giving Moses reason to usher many of the Irish and Jewish families out of the area and resulted in most of the white population to flee from the South Bronx by the end of the '60s. Left behind were Black and Latino families who took over the slums that occupied the torn-up neighborhoods. The South Bronx saw declining property values, increases in crime and more businesses escaping the area. The worst had yet to come.

Over 600,000 jobs were gone and housing was in the hands of men who were more eager to exploit their tenants than provide a roof for them. First by withholding heat and water to save money and then ultimately burning down the buildings to collect on insurance money. The practice grew into a vicious cycle of insurance companies selling more policies and more apartment buildings going up in smoke. This resulted in 43,000 housing units lost in the South Bronx. Upon his retirement in 1973, Moses pronounced the South Bronx and many other areas in New York "unreparable" and suggested leveling the areas to the ground.

These events led to the social and economic problems that the Bronx faced from the moment Moses dug his shovels in the ground that last to this day. The arson problems were present all through the '70s and were witnessed when the Yankees were trailing in Game 2 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. NBC cut to a five-alarm fire in a nearby neighborhood to which broadcaster Howard Cosell proclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, there is it. The Bronx is burning."

(Moses is believed to also have helped chase New York's other baseball teams, the Dodgers and Giants, to the west coast. Dodgers' owner Walter O'Malley had selected a site he envisioned for his team's new stadium and was denied by Moses. O'Malley later spoke to representatives in Los Angeles and needed a second team to commit to the west coast, thus convincing Giants' owner Horace Stoneham to relocate as well.)

Leading us back to the series, this is the material that Checik is interested in capturing. During an interview with ESPN, he said that in 1977 "New York is breaking down politically" and economically. Erik Jenson, who plays Yankee captain Thurman Munson, described that the "social fabric of the city was disintegrating. That reflected in the team and when the team started to find itself, thats when the city came together."

Reggie Jackson, the man and not the actor playing him, may have been the catalyst who was the missing piece of the puzzle (not necessarily "the straw that stirred the drink"). Jackson may have had the best look on his situation. With so much pressure on him to perform, he hit three home runs in the decisive Game 6 of the '77 World Series and was quoted saying that his play gave him the advantage where he "always had the last word."

Our 42 of the Day


Jackson requested number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson
However, Billy Martin brought in friend and
Pitching Coach Art Fowler and gave him the number
Jackson choose number 44 in honor of Hank Aaron

The $120 Million Dollar Man

The Seattle Supersonics just drafted two up and comers in the June draft and have a great foundation to build their future. The best news for them came when Rashard Lewis opted out of his deal and decided to retire in Florida.

Lewis is a unique talent in the NBA and many people are measuring up new Sonic Kevin Durant to be a long lost twin of his as they both have similar size, frame and game. But the Orlando Magic, who have not been making smart trades since Tracy McGrady's departure (bringing in Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley, then separating the two love birds when Mobley was traded for aging guard Doug Christie), are hoping Lewis is a move in the right direction.

Now the Magic opened up their purse for Lewis, but it wasn't enough for the 6'10 tweener. Lewis' agent somehow convinced the Magic to give up a conditional 2nd round pick to add another year and higher annual pay increases (10% versus 8%) . Let's examine what the Magic are receiving.

The Good
Before anyone blasts me, I think Lewis is a remarkable NBA player. Instantly, Lewis makes the Magic a contender in the Eastern Conference and, if they add more bulk to their front court, they could be serious favorites to win the East.

What Lewis gives the Magic are match-up problems across the board. With his height, he can shoot over most perimeter defenders and has the quickness to drive past bigger forwards to collect his points in the paint. With the young core in Orlando, Lewis will only be 28 at the season's start and can grow with the Magic.

Lewis is also a great athlete and can fit into a running offense if new coach Stan Van Gundy chooses to unleash his hounds. His athleticism and the range on his jump shot allows him to play the three in most offenses, while his height can allow Orlando to go big and play him down low at the four. He could even run at center if Howard is on the bench and Van Gundy goes with a quick line-up.

The most promising aspect is giving the Magic a devastating line-up with Howard dominating the paint. Lewis should draw more attention away from Howard and this could help Howard develop his offensive game. Orlando also has some great shooters on the team and they have the potential to be a top scoring team in the East.

The Bad
There are several aspects about Rashard Lewis that would scare off a few suitors. For one, he is a one-tool player. He does one thing well and everything else is somewhat mediocre. Lewis will score 20+ points per game but he'll still have problems matching-up with premier defensive players. Long, quick guards can give Lewis problems because he has a tendency to take what the defense is giving him. If there isn't much room to create, he takes a bad shot.

The most troubling aspect is that for a 6'10 forward who played several years on a Seattle team with no dominant big man, he only pulled down about six rebounds per game. He isn't a good rebounder on either end of the floor and his defense is non-existent. When you are labeled as a tweener, it may be attractive for the offensive end, but it could kill you defensively. Lewis is an athletic forward but isn't quick enough to guard most small forwards and, while Lewis is a long forward as well, he is not capable of being immovable on the block against big bangers playing the four.

He is not a shotblocker, he is not a player who roams the passing lanes and he is not a presence of the defensive end. Whether he will be a player to be reckoned with in Orlando remains to be seen.

The Ugly
The last time a contract like this was made, Kevin Garnett received $126 million and the league's owners forced a lockout. Since then, there have been several $100 million dollar deals for some of the league's best and brightest stars. But Lewis is, as some would put it, a "Robin" type player and not "Batman." The best he has shown is playing second fiddle to more prominent stars like Ray Allen and Gary Payton.

Lewis is a nice player who was already making a sum of money that defines his worth, but for him to be given max money like he was a top-10 player in the league is ridiculous. If Orlando would have gone through with their original 5-year, $75 million dollar deal, there would not be as much criticism. The sign-and-trade
nearly destroyed their cap status and will hinder them from getting involved with next season's free agency period, that promises to be a beauty.

In the short term, Orlando will threaten for the Southeast division title and hope to make headlines in the playoffs. And they should, this is a team that can compete to make the finals and that is whats important in the NBA. The long term implications are troublesome and Magic GM Otis Smith better hope he didn't strike enough fear into the NBA's league of owners to cause an uproar with the same impact as Garnett's mega deal years ago.

A bit of New Magic and Old Magic

Darko going to Graceland

Darko Milicic is moving in with Elvis and Pau Gasol after agreeing to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Basketball wise, this is a smart decision for both parties because Darko has the ability to shoot, block shots and run the floor for new coach Marc Iavaroni, a disciple of Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni's run and gun offense the Suns execute. You know the Grizzlies with Mike Conley Jr., Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick are going to sprint on every possession and Darko fits in with that.

The southpaw is still an enigma as a ball player in the NBA and has made strides since getting out of Detroit. But his price tag, reportedly more than the $5.3 mid-level exception tag, is a bit high for a player who has yet to prove he can grow to even be a valuable role player in the league.

If Darko excels in Memphis, he will have come relatively cheap in the process but that is a question that can only be answered on the basketball court.

Our 42 of the DayMavericks held onto the only player who showed up
in last season's first round flop to the Warriors

So What's Plan B ??

Yesterday I labeled the Philadelphia 76ers as one of my losers from last week's draft. I wish to elaborate on that as I promised.

Here's the issue, this is the first draft since the Sixers jettisoned Allen Iverson to Denver for two first round picks, an expiring contract and the services of point guard Andre Miller. Andre Miller and the rest of the leftovers for Philadelphia made great strides at the end of the season to keep playoff dreams alive but ultimately kill any luck in the NBA draft lottery.

There's a good and bad side to that story. The good is that you help develop a young team against NBA talent and give them confidence for the following season. Young players like incumbent A.I. (Andre Iguodala), Louis "Baby Louie" Williams and Rodney Carney were put in a more prominent role to show that they deserve to stick around for the franchise. Meanwhile, the Sixers won meaningless games and their hopes of nabbing college stars like Greg Oden or Kevin Durant were erased.

I admit, I was one of the people hoping they would tank games and eventually cussing in disgust when I caught a glimpse of the boxscore after a Sixer victory. The two picks they netted from Denver were going to be in the later part of the draft and their league worst record was later the #12 pick instead of top 6. Some fans would have preferred to see Andre Miller rerouted to a contender for a first round pick and, as we seen in the playoffs, plenty of teams could've used a reliable point guard.

Enough of my ranting, its all in the past. My column on the draft hoped that the Sixers would pick up either Al Thornton or Julian Wright, both solid forwards with their own identity. You see what you get from both of them althought Wright had a high ceiling for his potential. I also hoped for the Sixers to dive into the international waters and pluck one of the foreign prospects in the later stages of the draft. The last time the Sixers had an International guy in their locker room was when they had a Greek sharp shooter (who wasn't so sharp at shooting) named Efthimios Rentzias who was later nicknamed "Effin' Stiff" by 610 AM's Al Morganti. I already ranted, raved and drooled all about Marco Belinelli, Rudy Fernandez and Tiago Splitter, all of whom will begin their NBA careers in a city not named Philadelphia.

So on draft night, the Sixers went with (drumroll please) Georgia Tech freshman forward Thaddeus Young.

"Who ?"

My thoughts exactly. Thad Young is labeled as another pet project for the Sixers. It will take some time before he develops into the supposed star the Philly front office foresees him becoming. According to NBA scouts, the 19-year old Young needs work on everything! Ballhandling, shooting, strength, assertiveness, aggressiveness, algebra, parallel parking, you name it.

Why were the Sixers impressed? The "Mike Mamula" syndrome. For those who don't know what this is, its when a player has a great individual workout and impresses teams enough to spend high draft choices and big dollar figures on unproven talent (like former-Philadelphia Eagle and scouting combine stud Mike Mamula). When asked what he liked about Young, the first thing Sixers GM said was "I liked his age, ..." believing that Young is mature at this point in his life.

Ok, Thaddy is in the league now and he might grow into a nice player. But I believe the other two available forwards fit the Sixers better now and for the future. Thornton could come in and score the ball now and would be more poised to dominate for the Sixers as soon as the 2008 season after he gets some notches on his belt now that he's in the NBA. Julian Wright needed to develop a better long range jumpshot, but can come in and defend as soon as tomorrow. Young's main issue is that he has to grow into the player the Sixers want him to be. Literally.

The Sixers are envisioning Young as their future power forward and hope he can pack a few pounds and inches on his 6'8 frame. The southpaw has already been thrown into the fire, so to speak, to defend post players in the summer leagues. So far, he's been abused pretty good by no names and your next door neighbor's cousin.

With their second pick, the Sixers flip-flopped with Miami to get seven-footer Jason Smith from Colorado State. Smith has gained some acclaim in recent weeks with his workouts. But Smith reminds me of that tall kid playing pick-up games who tries to be a jump shooter throughout the entire game and never abuses the smaller kids with his size. Smith is a guard in a center's body as he possesses some quickness, finesse and a nice touch on his jump shot. Hopefully the young Smith familiarizes himself with the painted area of the basketball court. The Sixers also picked up Derrick Byars (who looks like a steal in the second round) and Herbert Hill out of Providence.The plan we all heard about pre-draft was that the Sixers would not rely on need and draft the best player available, yet chose Young over better prospects. They also wished to finagle with their picks, trying to move around and were adamant on not bringing in four rookies to training camp. They moved up, down and around and still came up with four players. The Sixers were also keen on finally getting into the international market for foreign talent and hopefully keeping someone overseas to continue developing and not wasting a roster spot. They did draft two international players but were only doing so for other teams as they gave up the rights to Finland PG Petteri Koponen and Ukrainian center Kyrylo Fesenko, who really looks like a great high-energy player.

The Sixers also had a three-year plan in place after Allen Iverson's trade, with several phases involved. The first was removing Iverson and Chris Webber, the second was the draft. But with some of their selections, the Sixers won't be ready to compete by year three if Young doesn't grow three inches or these youngsters simply don't grow up into the players the Sixers need them to be.

As Philly fans have grown to say after disappointments:
"There's always next year . . . "

Our 42 of the Day The 42nd pick of the draft
Derrick Byars could be quite the steal for the Sixers

Legendary Observations

New Edition to Column

This is an idea for my column when I either have several stories I want to discuss or various thoughts to cover and do not need an entire column to carry them.

Let's see how this works . . .

Boys of Summer

As some may or may not know, the NBA's summer league has begun. I was fortunate to catch Kevin Durant's pro debut with the Supersonics against the Dallas Mavericks' squad of youngsters. Durant showed that, even though he is too young to drink or gamble, he is going to make an impact right away for the Sonics. Durant struggled at times with his shot but quickly grew comfortable in the low post against smaller defenders, showing off his fancy footwork and collection of post moves to the Vegas crowd. Despite hitting his first jumper, fellow Supersonic rookie Jeff Green looked timid in his debut.

Here are my three favorites thus far from the Summer League in Las Vegas:

Yi Jianlian: Was I wrong in my draft column to say that this guy could be a bust? Absolutely. But Yi, playing for Team China rather than the team who drafted him (Milwaukee) has impressed many this weekend and had his own variety of go-to moves against the Memphis Grizzlies. Yi scored 23 points, showed an aggressive side that Chinese players don't normally show (as we have seen with Yao Ming and his growth in the NBA) and battled with second-year forward Rudy Gay, who had his own way of welcoming Yi to the league. Yi had a bad game the next day against the Sacramento Kings and then played well against the Cleveland Cavaliers, including hitting a buzzer beater for the win. Yi is making headlines that don't involve how he's playing but rather where. There is an ongoing dispute between his representatives and officials with the Bucks because it has been made known that China (and perhaps the NBA as well) wish for Yi to play in a market with a large Chinese population, which the Milwaukee area sorely lacks.

Jose Juan Barea: Throughout the entire game, NBA TV's broadcast team kept discussing how this kid played in eight different leagues in five countries over the last year. Now I know very little about the point guard from Puerto Rico, but Jose Barea made a quick impact on me Friday night. Against Durant's Sonics, Barea was easily the most active of all the game's participants. He was similar to those college guards who never seem to stay still when they touch the ball, forcing his defenders to backpedal whenever he ran the Mavericks' offense. Jose ended the night with 14 points, 9 assists and left a few guards for Seattle gasping for oxygen.

Marco Belinelli: When looking at the Sixers options for their #21 pick in last week's draft, two international guards caught my attention. Rudy Fernandez was my favorite of the two because he was 6'6, athletic and with a great shooting touch. He also has a difficult buyout that would require him to stay overseas for another season, which would have been in the Sixers' best interest where they don't have him included in next season's salary cap space and save a roster spot, while the young gun develops his game for another season.

Belinelli made me sorry for choosing favorites. An inch shorter than Fernandez, Belinelli is a young shooting guard from Italy with many of the same characteristics as the Spaniard. Belinelli was selected before the Sixers pick at #18 by Golden State and is ready to play for the Warriors this season. In Saturday's Summer League game against the New Orleans Hornets, check out Marco's line:

40 min. (the max in Summer League), 14-20 fg, 5-7 3pt, 4-6 FT, 5 rbds, 2 ast., 3 pfs, and 37 points!

Sure, its just summer league competition, but Marco showed off his athleticism with his flashes to the basket and incredible abilities shooting the basketball. He creates his own shot, demonstrated when he faced his man up and took a quick dribble and spun into his fade away jumper, and shows he can catch and shoot with quick reflexes. Most bullets don't fly out of pistols the ways the ball jumps off his fingers. His range is ridiculous as he caught a quick pass on the fast break about 5 feet beyond the arc and wowed the crowd with a simple swish of the basket.

And just think . . .its just the summer!! Imagine what he is going to do when he is groomed by Warriors coach and offensive guru Don Nelson. Marco hasn't shown what he is capable of when receiving the ball after running through multiple screens or catching a pass from a penetrating Baron Davis.

NBA Draft Recap

Well, I got the first four picks right. That's worth something? I want to break down my winners and losers.

Winners
Sonics: The number two selection was the easiest decision of the draft because Durant seemed to drop there (drop is such a cruel word). The Sonics made a big splash by going after the Celtics draft pick and picked their pockets of young guard Delonte West, giving up sharpshooter Ray Allen in the process. They selected Jeff Green with the #5 pick from Boston and while I stated that I was weary of Green being selected by the Sixers because he seemed prime to bust (which I stand by had he ended up in Philly), Green is in a great position. Green shows that he is better suited to be a distributor and all the attention will be on Kevin Durant, not him. The two can grow together and be quite a force in a few years.

In the end, the Sonics were interested in resigning forward Rashard Lewis but Lewis opted for Florida sun instead with the Orlando Magic. Whether Seattle was trying to fool us into believing they wanted him back or not, Rashard not sticking around is the best thing for the Sonics. He would have eaten up a chunk of salary for Seattle for the next 5-7 years and there would be egos clashing in the locker room as Lewis and Durant would battle for Alpha dog status (stole that one from Bill Simmons). Now, Seattle can grow with their two young talents and they have Delonte West to really add a great dimension to their offense. Next season, they will have the money to make a splash in free agency and bring a big name in ready to help them compete for a championship. People argue that Oden will be the first so see a championship, but its possible that Durant will see the playoffs before him.

Trailblazers: Yes, I know I just said I believe the Sonics will make the playoffs before the Blazers. But Portland did very well in the draft. Besides grabbing Oden at #1, Portland Owner Paul Allen spent money buying draft picks enabling GM Kevin Pritchard to bring in multiple talents such as Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, Finland's dazzling point guard Petteri Koponen, Florida's Taureen Green and Duke's Josh McRoberts. He also pulled off a trade to get disgruntled forward Zach Randolph out of town to the Knicks and brought in another young chip in forward Channing Fry as well as Steve Francis. Portland has an incredible amount of young talent and will be deep in a few years with the level of talent they will own.

Other winners: Celtics for making a push for the playoffs and bringing in Ray Allen while jettisoning Wally Szczerbiak's contract and not losing any of their premier trade assets. While they still have Al Jefferson to build around, they can become an instant contender in the Eastern Conference and can still make a trade with Theo Ratliff and any of their young players. They also have money to play with in the offseason to bring in a veteran. Imagine Steve Blake running the point for them, or even better - Derek Fisher (Fisher and the Utah Jazz came to a mutual agreement to release him from his contract so he can be in an area better suited for his daughter's medical needs).

I also see the Hawks as winners by doing something sensible in the draft for once and drafting two players who can play right away. Al Horford and Acie Law join a deep core and could help Atlanta pierce the very fabric of the Eastern Conference and, GASP!, make the playoffs. I think Atlanta can make the post season if they don't collapse, but then again . . .

Losers:
Suns: I think the Suns tried desperately to grab Kevin Garnett or land in the lottery. But, despite their misfortune, they still held three first round picks and passed up Rudy Fernando, opting to sell the pick instead. The Suns have done this the past several years, selling picks to avoid the luxury tax and focusing on free agency instead. Last season, they opted not to draft UConn's Marcus Williams and instead signed Marcus Banks. Even though the Suns had a good run, Banks was hardly a part of it and Williams was a quality player for the Nets.

Rockets: The Rockets had a dire need for a power forward and a crowded backcourt. So with their first round pick, they selected 6' point guard Aaron Brooks from Oregon. The Rockets have two scoring point guards in Mike James and Rafer "Skip To My Lou" Alston, so Brooks not only enters a crowded position, but is only unique because he'll be the smallest player in the group. They also drafted undersized power forward Carl Landry from Purdue. There were reports that Indiana wanted their pick and were willing to depart with Ike Diogu. Whether true or not, the Rockets had more dire needs in the first round and could have selected from a larger pool of talent with the 26th pick.

Sixers: Not so fast! This deserves a full column. Coming soon...

Hockey Anyone? ANYONE!?

For the record, I am not a hockey fan. I was not phased when the NHL went away for a year. I was not heartbroken when my hometown Flyers were one of the worst teams in the NHL last season. I am also not excited for their upcoming Stanley Cup run (Philly fans found something to hang their hopes on while the Phillies are one loss away from 10,000 and Eagles' training camp is weeks away). However, I am saddened by the news that Jeremy Roenick is retiring after 18-seasons in the NHL.

Roenick was the first player I enjoyed watching in the Orange since Brian Boucher was in net while the Flyers made a run at Lord Stanley's Cup. Never afraid of the media, Roenick walked out or rather texted out of the game by messaging the Philadelphia Inquirer "I'm retiring; is that still news?"

One of my most memorable moments of Roenick was him having his jaw shattered by a speeding puck and then rushing back to join the Flyers playoff run. He was a tough S.O.B. and Philly has missed his presence since his departure a few years ago. When all the buzz was surrounding the Flyers making a big splash into the NHL's post-apocalypse era of free agency with the signing of Peter Forsberg, Roenick knew immediately that he was going to have to be ousted to free up money.

Hockey hasn't been the same in Philly since. It won't be the same for the NHL now that he has faded into the shadows. Coming from a non-enthusiasts of the NHL, it may not be much. But if I'm upset over his departure, imagine the frozen expressions on the faces of real hockey fans.

Our 42 of the DayRyan Howard wearing the blessed number
on Jackie Robinson day.
Howard will try to defend his Home Run Derby Crown
tonight in San Francisco

Oh Say Can You See...

Before I get started with today's article, watch the following video courtesy of YouTube:


For those unfamiliar with the what you just watched, back in April of 2005, Natalie Gilbert was put center stage in front of thousands of fans at the Portland Trailblazers' Rose Garden arena to sing the national anthem. The night was reserved for a huge playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks, but we all remember for what we witnessed before the tip-off.

Natalie Gilbert started off beautifully and the crowd was very hush-hush, which is typical during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, until Gilbert started to stutter a bit and then ultimately stopped singing. Gilbert stood speechless in front of thousands at the Rose Garden and millions watching across America as she could not recall the words to this storied theme for our country. Maurice Cheeks, who was the head coach in Portland at the time, has always been known as a clutch player and a hall-of-fame point guard during his playing days, but he had his greatest assist that night for Ms. Gilbert.

Mo (as most know him in the sports world) walked over and quickly reassured her of the situation, calming her down in the process. Very softly, Cheeks spoke the lyrics of the song slowly by Natalie's side, encouraging her to continue. Still struggling, the 13-year old girl rose her voice to the occasion and sang the acappella of our anthem. Natalie continued tripping over the words but now everywhere the camera turned, players and coaches alike were singing along and the entire crowd at the Rose Garden joined in like a church choir and captured the hearts of those who witnessed the moment.

We wind down the moment with Natalie belting out the final lyrics and walking off the court to a standing ovation, but not before giving Coach Cheeks a hug of appreciation for saving her from what could've been a very embarrassing moment. For this, and many other things, Mo Cheeks has been one of the all-around "Good Guys" in the NBA and sports in general. Fans in Philadelphia, where he currently coaches the Sixers, echo the quote from Allen Iverson when he said "if you got a problem with Mo Cheeks, there must be something wrong with you."

The point is that we witness these events that are close to our hearts that connect with sports. With Independence Day approaching this Wednesday, I am reminded of Mo Cheeks' assist to young Natalie Gilbert as a defining moment for what people stand for in America. You might have one thing get you down and then, not only is there one person there for you, but thousands stand and pick you up. Not just Natalie Gilbert, but all of us.

There is a great connection between America and the sporting world. Can you think of another place where we hear our national anthem besides sporting events? Maybe you'll hear a remix rendition at your 4th of July celebration. I have stated before that I see sports as America's playground. Sports can also be defined in so many other ways.

The Definition of Passion: When broken down, each city, state, school, college campus or band of buddies come together to cheer on their team. And I say their team because these teams do belong to us. We may not invest the same amount of dollars that these owners do, but the countless hopes and dreams of a championship and the agony that breaks our hearts with every defeat is nothing that you can put a price on.

On a national level, the Olympics and World Cup are unprecedented in the competitive wars between nations for whatever prize we seek, whether it be a gold medal or simply the thrill of victory.

Tension Breaker: In 2001, after the catastrophic events of 9/11, everything in this country stopped. We had to take a moment to take in everything that just happened. Reruns ran on television, airplanes were grounded, offices and schools were closed and everyone stopped doing what they were doing. Two moments stand out to me that marked us as ready to move on. The first was when one of my coaches in high school looked up into the sky during practice and noticed a plane finally gracing the Philadelphia sky again when he remarked "that's a sight for sore eyes."

The second was when baseball resumed. Play had stopped for a week and the number one thing people needed was a distraction. Something to take our mind's off of the events and turn off CNN and tune into the ball game. I still remember the Phillies sending Robert Person to the mound for a huge game against the Atlanta Braves as they battled for the division under first year skipper Larry Bowa.

Did that night change what happened? Did it take away the pain we felt for our loved ones or the people suffering in front of the cameras from this terrible attack? No, but it gave us something else to keep us occupied and even gave fans a rooting interest while we cleaned up the country.

Stepping Stones for the Future: Movement is one thing that is not taught but is more so interpreted by infants as they get older and frustrated with the rug burn from all the crawling. You cannot teach children in a classroom how to work together to accomplish a goal the way sports can. Heck, what classroom atmosphere helps us understand how to throw a ball? Simply throwing a ball! No math, reading or science offers us this explanation in grade school. We depend on our gym classes for these responsibilities.

Now is it necessary for a child to learn how to throw a ball if he is to become an accountant or something other than an occupation dealing with sports or physical education? No, but its these actions that help our children develop the motor skills that they will rely on a adults. Sports and physical education shows us how to establish structure, rules and strategy to the games or activities we participate in, yet more and more schools are cutting Phys.Ed. from their curriculum in order to meet standards in other areas. Those in the decision making positions fail to acknowledge the need for our kids to go through this type of course work every year, as well as ignore informing children how to take care of themselves by observing what they put in their bodies.

There is a reason we are one of the largest nations in the world.
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But Wednesday for us is more than just barbecues and baseball. Coming together and celebrating America with our loved ones is what makes this holiday special every year. No one goes down to Penn's Landing or the Art Museum just to see fireworks. Its an all day event that allows us to get together and enjoy the freedoms this country offers us.The fireworks are simply the icing on the cake.
Happy Birthday America!

Our 42 of the Day A Rare Flag with 42 Stars
The 42nd Star signified the Entry of
the State of Washington into the Union in 1889