Daily Roundup- Saturday, Febuary 14th

Got some Hall of Fame discussion, got some steroid discussion and we got some QB controversy discussion. Let's get it started.

Hall of Fame possibilities are in and the list is quite good. Stockton, Jordan and the Admiral are the headliners of a list that should include a few more names when all is said and done.

I’m sure that everyone was wondering when it would be time for Jordan to finally head off into Springfield Mass and be inducted in the Hall of Fame. But the names I want to focus on are the Admiral, David Robinson and John Stockton. David Robinson was my mom’s favorite player for a time because he looked like he was a nice guy which is also the same reason that she likes Tim Duncan. Don’t get it twisted, my mom knows her basketball and she’s not an average female fan that fancies jersey colors. She knows her players and she admired David Robinson for always appearing classy in a league that was very physical back when.
I remember John Stockton for two reasons. One, when I initially started watching basketball, it was after the Fab Five and Michael Jordan had introduced baggy shorts to basketball, yet there was this white guy in Utah still wearing low cut skinny shorts. I made fun of him for that, until I realized how great of a player he was. He was a great passer, loyal teammate, steals king and on and on. Gary Payton once said that the hardest guy he ever had to play was John Stockton. This was the “Glove”, the guy who in those days was the premiere defender. He could’ve said Jordan, Magic, or any one of those guys, he picked Stockton because of the mutual respect that John earned over the years. He’s like that white guy that comes on to a court filled with black guys, gets picked last, while the other guys laugh but he remains quiet knowing he’s good. He comes in, plays and the rest of the guys realize he’s the best player on the court. He walks away with the respect and admiration of the other guys. That was John Stockton. He may have walked into my living room with tight shorts, a source of mockery for me, but he walked away from the game being the best point guard I’d ever seen play.


He warns the reader in the beginning of the story which is for good reason because everything Jason Whitlock writes is centered around some sort of black/white discussion and this time he writes a two part piece about the steroid dysfunction. Part One is about why this steroid mess is such a big deal. Second part is about where the myth of black athletes being better than white athletes came from and where the PED epidemic really exists.

I’m a huge fan of Jason Whitlock but this is what worries me about him. While I understand his point, I think it’s a bit far fetched to believe that white players only used steroids to keep up with black athletes. I do agree that it’s a myth that black players are naturally better athletes because that’s just not the case. During the years before racial integration and the Civil Rights movement, the only forum for which black people were accepted in was sports. It was the only place where black people could be on the same floor as white people without it causing a ruckus and it was the proving ground that black people used. It meant more to black people to be better athletes and show their white counterparts that they were owed just as much respect as they were getting. Today? While racism doesn’t affect every single colored person, it still exists. But its not a motivating factor that drives these black athletes to perform better. It was still an interesting read and I encourage anyone willing to think a bit deeper about the role of race in sports to read more of his columns because more than anything he promotes discussion which is always the key for any journalist anywhere.

Back to the insane. Jim Leyritz, who was charged with killing a woman while driving drunk is now facing serious jail time after he continued to get in front of the wheel after having a few drinks. According to court orders, he had a high tech system installed into his car that he had to blow into before getting into his car and driving.

The story shouldn’t start off with troubled star Jim Leyritz, it should start off with dumbass Jim Leyritz. I’m sorry but if you just killed a person by driving drunk, don’t you think the last thing you need is a drink? What about the lawyer who defends his client by saying he was under the impression that he could drink and drive. Umm, buddy, that’s illegal no matter how you look at it. Still, just using simple logic, why would they force him to blow into the machine before he started driving? Just throw this loser into prison for a few years then get him out and put him in rehab, because we all know the justice system can’t do much else.

All Star festivities began last night but really don’t get into full swing until tonight when the 3 point shoot out and the skill competition and the dunk contest play itself out in Phoenix. Michael Wilbon is writing about how the new generation has arrived for the NBA and it is good.

The dumbest discussion the NBA ever had, was the heir apparent to Michael Jordan. Anyone who had a decent jump shot and could dunk pretty well was the next MJ and it pissed me off to no degree. Basically they were snuffing out any kind of new ness to the game and wanting just clones of what we enjoyed. But the new NBA is pretty rock solid with good prospects. As talked about in Bill Simmons’ latest podcast with Mike Breen, we are headed towards quite possibly the most entertaining NBA playoffs in recent memory. The talent level is pretty even between the top tier teams in both leagues. I feel like the Cavs, Lakers, Celtics and Spurs could just about beat anyone and beat each other which means the Western Conference and Eastern Conference Championship and the NBA Finals should be a pretty good one.


This was in the NY Times archive by the time I picked it up but the article is a good one from Harvey Araton. He writes about the possibility that a QB controversy is brewing in New England.

While the thought of the Pats even remotely considering letting Brady go for Matt Cassell is beyond absurd I agree with Harvey that its not out of the realm of possibility because it is Belichiek after all and you have to go with who’s hotter. Do I think the Pats will get an offer for Cassell? Sure, but look at the teams that would need QB’s. Can the Vikings afford to give up two first rounders and pay him a long term contract? Sure, but I don’t know about the first rounders as the Vikings are pretty good drafters and usually know what to do with the draft when they get their hands on one. Let’s not even get into Chicago since they have had years and years to get one and they have passed every time. The Lions are looking at the draft and well the Jets, I guess its safe to assume that the Pats won’t be lending a towel to the Jets anytime soon. So you figure if all those avenues are not there, why then would the Pats keep Cassell at such an inflated salary? Unless they know that Brady is not ok and they desperately need a solid alternative. I do think that when Brady gets back, Cassell is going to have to park himself on the bench but until then, Cassell can assume that he is the starter as he should.