Drama in Lakerland

This morning on ESPN radio, Kobe Bryant told Stephen A Smith that he is frustrated and wants to be traded from the Lakers. Kobe said there is nothing the team could do to change his mind. After reviewing the comments that Bryant made to Smith, I am still a little shocked about the whole situation. It seems to be a big mess of reports and leaks within the Laker organization that have upset Bryant. Los Angeles Times reporter Mark Heisler wrote that a Laker’s insider said that Kobe Bryant ran Shaquille O’Neal out of Los Angeles. This report seems to be the bulk of Kobe’s frustration.

Greg Anthony reported on ESPN’s Outside the Lines that he had spoken with Bryant after the Bryant/Smith conversation on the radio. Anthony claimed that Bryant had a conversation with Phil Jackson which calmed Bryant down. Anthony said that Jackson asked Bryant to sit back and evaluate the steps the Lakers organization takes to resolve the insider leaks and player acquisitions in the near future before demanding a trade. Anthony believes that Bryant will do just that. Kobe has reported that he wants to be traded, but most likely the Lakers will resolve the problem by firing the insider who leaked to the press. Then if West comes and the team gets some quality players, we will still be able to see Kobe in uniform next season in Los Angeles.

Kobe Demands a trade!

As soon as I finished writing my blog this morning, I turned on the news and saw that Kobe Bryant has demanded a trade. I find myself eating my own words. I would have never expected Kobe Bryant to demand a trade. I thought that he loved being a Laker. I guess I was wrong. As soon as I find out more about the breaking news I will be writing more on the subject.

Off-season Frustration from Kobe Bryant

Three years have passed and the Lakers have not made any progress. Kobe Bryant let his frustrations be known in the past couple of days and a lot of questions are coming to mind. Does Bryant want to be traded? Should the Lakers get Jerry West? Did the Lakers make a mistake when they traded Shaquille O’Neal? I will do my best to try to answer these questions.

Kobe Bryant does not want to be traded. He loves being a Laker and he wants to retire that way. Kobe’s comments were merely an attempt to get the Lakers front office to acquire some talented players this off-season. Bryant wants to be surrounded by players that are motivated and willing to put out the effort that he displays in practice and during games. Kobe remembers the days when Jerry West would make those risky moves to get the right group of players necessary to win a championship. Bryant has yet to see any trades being conducted to improve the team. He wants action, and he wants it now. Jerry West is his solution to the problem.

Jerry West has a great talent for finding and acquiring the right players necessary to win. He assembled the 1980’s Lakers Showtime team. Then he put together Kobe and Shaq to win three more championships. Since West left, the Lakers have not won. Trading Shaq was a decision made by Mitch Kupchak and the Buss family that raised a lot of questions. West is missed across the southland and the fans would love to see him back in the front office. The Lakers should definitely bring West back.

Should the Lakers have traded Shaq? Trading Shaq was a decision that was made and it cannot be changed. As far as I know, Shaq demanded he be traded if Kobe was going to remain a Laker. If that is the decision the Lakers were forced to make, then they made the right choice in trading Shaq. Kobe is younger and in order to make moves to benefit a franchise, going younger is always a safer bet. Bryant still has many great years of basketball left and Shaq is on the downside of a steep hill. I wish Shaq the best, but I am okay with the decision to trade Shaq.

The Lakers do need to make some changes in order to win. The players surrounding Kobe are not nearly talented enough to win.

Ducks Vs Senators

The Anaheim Ducks have finally made it to the Finals. They started the regular season as one of the favorites to win it all, and now they are in contention to win the Stanley Cup. The Ducks have never won a championship and are excited to bring the cup to Anaheim. They will be facing the Ottawa Senators who have played exceptionally well through out the post season. The Senators have won all three series in five games with out trailing once. The Ducks have not been as consistent as their finals opponent. The Ducks will have to rely on Teemu Selanne hot hand heading into the matchup. Jean-Sebastien Giguere must also play well defending the net in order for the team to have any success. It should make for an exciting series for Southern California sports.

Ducks defender will miss game 4

Ducks defensemen, Chris Pronger, suspended for crushing Thomas Holstrom Tuesday. The Ducks were outplayed on Tuesday against the Red Wings and Pronger let it be known that the Ducks were going to fire back physically. Isn’t hockey supposed to be a physical sport? Apparently the NHL allows checking and fighting, but when does it go too far? When a player maliciously slams another player into the glass? In other words, checking is not allowed any longer. At least, it is not allowed when victim spills blood.

Hockey is an interesting sport. When a team is losing, it must flex some power by playing physical. This is how every game turns out. If it is a blow out, expect to see fireworks! The replay clearly shows that the two Duck defensemen were merely checking Holstrom into the boards. They were playing physical, but I did not see malicious intent. Take a look at the video: (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2007/news/story?id=2872561 ). I still have a hard time seeing the elbow, but it’s a playoff game. Expect it!

Hopefully the Ducks can use this incident to gain some momentum on their side to tie the series. As of now, they are down 2-1.

Western Finals

In the quest to win the Stanley cup, the Ducks are now just four wins away from reaching their goal set at the beginning of the season. The post season play by the Ducks has not been spectacular on the offensive side of the ice, rather their success has come from their defense. The Ducks have the highest save percentage of the final four teams remaining. Jean-Sebastien Giguere has been the MVP of the Ducks team with a .952 save percentage. Giguere will need to continue his success in order for the team to beat the Red Wings. Six of the Ducks' eight playoff wins have been decided by one-goal margins (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270503025).

Raiders Mini Camp

The Oakland Raiders have a tremendous fan base in southern California. Therefore, discussing their amazing draft weekend is relevant.

There have been reports praising JaMarcus Russell’s presence in mini camp. He practices with intensity. He has a strong arm and has great footwork and the new coaching staff is excited. Lane Kiffin has also made a presence in the mini camp by running a tight ship with quick fast paced practices. Not only is Kiffin getting the team back into shape, but he is earning their respect as well. Some Raider players have even compared Kiffin to John Gruden.

Jerry Porter is coming into the season with a new attitude and a new number. He is now the number one receiver after the dismissal of Randy Moss. Porter is paying tribute to his mentor and Raider legend Tim Brown by switching to number 81. His new image and new attitude is what all the Raider players need adjust.

The Raiders are in a process of turning things around. It is good to see a new coach and a new attitude from the players. The Raiders might even be turning some heads and reaching the 8-8 mark in 2007.

Penny pitched well in win against Marlins

Aside from parking problems, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking good so far this season. Dodgers improve to 19-13 as Brad Penny pitched a great game. Penny had 14 K’s and no walks to improve to 4-0 on the season. Tonight Jeff Kent came through with a Home Run and scored twice, Penny and LaRoche batted in two runs each as well. Dodgers win easily, 6-1.

Season Over for LA

Another Lakers season ends in disappointment. The Suns, once again, dominated in game 5. Nash did not play his best, but the Suns played like a solid team. Stoudemire played well, Barbosa was huge off the bench, and Marion played his game. The Lakers came out soft. They looked defeated before they even tipped off. Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom came to play, but that was about it. Defense was lacking and the Suns took advantage. Bryant and the Lakers complained on every call which frustrating me. I am sick of seeing the players complain, especially when they have to get back on defense as fast as possible with the Suns running offense. It was a disappointing end to a frustrating season.

One can only hope the Lakers organization makes many personnel adjustments. Kobe needs another by his side or the Lake show is going to be in the same place next year. Phil's last season better end well or he might be gone and the Lakers may collapse with Mitch Kupchak in the front office. Jerry West is available...maybe a West/Laker reunion?

The Awakening

The last few weeks have been depressing. I have not been able to maintain my writing because of it. I was so sick to my stomach; the last thing I wanted to think about was the terrible play of the Los Angeles Lakers. Tonight, the Lakers have awakened which in turn created an awakening in me as well. Discussing the past would be pointless. The new team that emerged tonight was the team that has been on the side of the milk carton since late December. The deep and impressively ranked team that dominated has returned from hibernation. Kobe Bryant dropped 45, Lamar Odom threw in 18 points and grabbed 16 boards, and Kwame Brown had several crucial dunks in the 3rd quarter to add to his 19 points in the game. More importantly than the scoring from other players other than Kobe, the team defense is what allowed the Lakers to get back in this game. Holding the Suns to 89 points is incredible. Success in game three was crucial to shift the momentum.

Game four will be equally as important. In order for LA to win, they must continue to have balanced scoring and great team defense. I look to see Luke Walton come out and have double figures and Smush Parker will be looking to break out of his slump. Parker had some crucial fourth quarter minutes in game three that will boost his confidence for the rest of the series.

NCAA Tournament

Tim Floyd did an amazing job with the USC men’s basketball team this season. The players and coaches have nothing to be ashamed of. Southern Cal’s team was not expected to go this far, and they nearly upset the number one seeded North Carolina. SC has a young team that could be stacked next season if the junior starters stick around for their final year. Not to mention freshman Taj Gibson will be even better next season. I expect USC to be a very competitive team next season.
UCLA, southern California’s remaining team will be playing a tough match up tonight against a tough Kansas team. I would like to see the UCLA upset but they will have their hands full this evening. If they are going to win we will need to see great games from their stars Afflalo, Shipp, and Collison. Mistakes will kill UCLA with their average 12 turnovers a game. Rebounding and free throws will be keys to their victory tonight.

In the Midst of Greatness

Kobe Bryant is performing at a higher level than any player I have ever seen. I’ve seen Jordan, Magic, Bird, Wilkins, Malone, Iverson, and many others since I can remember watching basketball. None of which have been as impressive as Kobe Bryant is right now. What is even more amazing about Bryant is that this is expected. Kobe has been playing at such a high level for the majority of his career, that these last three nights have not even shocked me. I watch his games, marvel at his abilities and turn off the TV as if it was a re-run. Simply put, I have seen it before, and I know I will see it again. We are so lucky to live in Los Angeles and have the privilege to watch KB play night in and night out.
Don’t get me wrong, it is such a thrill to watch Bryant take over the game and dominate every aspect of the other team offensively and defensively. It is great watching him take three point shots from the parking lot. When he is on fire, there is nothing more exciting in the world to watch. He is the ultimate entertainer and the best basketball player alive. It is just something that I have come to expect. Kobe’s greatness is something I expect, because he is so amazing! Take a look at the chart from ESPN.com (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270322029 )…Kobe’s name among some elite company in the history books. I expected this!

Carpe Diem

The Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant has finally seized the day. Bryant is utilizing his favorite phrase Carpe Diem just in time for the Lake show to make the final push into the playoffs. Since the All-Star break the Lakers have been playing terrible basketball. Lakers are 15-21 since the New Year (http://www.nba.com/lakers/stats/team_splits.html). Twice the team has hit slumps of six or more.
Injuries and poor play are the two reasons for garbage play. Brown, Odom, and Walton are all very important players in the starting line up that have been injured. Finally these players are all back and ready to make a run at the playoffs. Poor play from Smush Parker is the other reason for the losing streaks. Take a look at Smush’s numbers for March, http://www.nba.com/playerfile/smush_parker/game_by_game_stats.html.
I am happy to see that Kobe Bryant is taking over the game. Bryant played exceptionally well the last two games making Laker history as the second player ever with 50 or more in consecutive games. Kobe lit up Portland for 65 and Minnesota for 50 points. Bryant now leads the league in scoring at 30.0 points per game (NBA.com). Bryant also has the best selling Jersey in the US and in China. Kobe is the most popular player in the world!

Ducks playing tough – finishing season strong

The Anaheim Ducks are tied for second in the league in points after Sunday’s win against the Vancouver Canucks. Anaheim is finishing the season strong with the help of Teemu Selanne’s 2 goals. Selanne scored his 40th and 41st goals of the season Sunday to help the Ducks get their 42nd win of the season (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270311025). Anaheim goalie, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, finished with 24 saves. The Ducks won five straight and have the next three games at home against Columbus, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Kobe’s Suspension

Kobe Bryant has been hit twice this season already for suspensions coming after he shoots and “accentuates the foul.” Manu Ginobili and Marco Jaric the two players on the receiving end of an elbow to the nose. The question in everyone’s mind is whether or not Bryant’s intent was to cause harm to the opposing player. As much as I love Kobe, sometimes I wonder.
Bryant is the most competitive player in the league. When Bryant is taking important shots in the closing seconds of games, he does not want anyone contesting his shot. When it is contested well and Bryant cannot get a good look, he flails his arm. Ginobili and Jaric played good D against Kobe. Bryant knew he was contested well and was not going to get a good look at the basket. The result is that Bryant ends up throwing up a low percentage shot. In order to try to get to the foul line he flails his arms hoping to draw contact. I think Kobe Brant flails his arms out of frustration in hopes he gets a lucky call. I do not think he is seriously trying to injure a player, but he is definitely trying to make hard contact.
In order to avoid these situations, the Lakers coaching staff needs to draw up better plays in the closing seconds of games. Phil Jackson need to write up plays that free Kobe up for a more open look with options to pass if necessary.

Odom Out: Adjustments needed to hang on in the West

Odom leads the Lakers in rebounding, second in scoring and assists (http://www.nba.com/lakers/stats/). It will be a difficult challenge for the Los Angeles Lakers squad to overcome Odom’s injury. Several players will need to step up.
First and most importantly, Kwame Brown will need to play above his skill level. Brown is now back from injury and can easily replace Odom’s rebounding numbers. The question in mind is whether or not Kwame can score and move the ball. Secondly, Brian Cook can shoot the ball well, but if he could rebound more and play better defense, he could be a great starter on the Lakers team. Third, Smush Parker will be challenged to score more and limit his turnovers. The fourth and deciding player that can help the Lakers overcome Odom’s injury is Luke Walton. Walton knows the triangle second to Bryant and he will be the most important player in replacement of Odom as soon as he is healthy again.
The key for the Lakers is to be able to overcome their many injuries this season. It will be tough, but if number 24 wants to be considered for MVP, he’s going to have to take over and dominate. Carpe Diem (http://www.kb24.com/).

Going Pro: The NBA D-League Experience

What is the incentive for the several hundred players that compete in the NBA Development league? Most people have never even heard of the NBA-DL let alone the DL players and teams. The players are not competing for stardom and fan support. Since working for the Anaheim Arsenal organization I have come to the conclusion that the NBA D-League players compete for three reasons: Playing time, love of the game, and lack of other options.

Playing time is the first incentive for many of these NBA hopefuls. The majority of the players in the DL are athletes who are not quite ready for the NBA at the beginning of the season. Players are sent down to the DL by an NBA team because of roster issues in hopes that the player will receive more playing time and become a more developed basketball player. No matter how the player ends up on a DL team, the player will receive substantially more playing time in the DL. Jawad Williams of the Anaheim Arsenal is a prime example of a good player that is yet to get his chance playing on an NBA team. The former North Carolina player is now competing with the Arsenal’s getting plenty of playing time and leading the D-League in scoring. Williams, 6’9 guard, is having a difficult time getting called up into the NBA simply because his position is not high in demand. After seeing Williams play first hand, he has a legitimate chance in the NBA when he does get called up.

Sheer love of the game is the second reason these players compete. The D-League salary is $30,000 for nine months of playing basketball with some living arrangement expenses paid. The salary of a DL player is not comparable to NBA salary let alone an entry level position in the corporate world. Some of these players love the game of basketball and are giving it one last attempt at going pro. Tyler Smith of the Anaheim Arsenal’s, is a forward who has a degree from Penn State, the brains, and the abilities to make a name for himself wherever he goes. Yet he plays in the minor leagues because he loves competing and playing basketball. Smith is by far one of the hardest working players on the team on and off of the court. Smith spends a good deal of his time working in the community in the surrounding areas of Anaheim.

Lack of other options captures a good amount of players in the NBA development league. The sad truth for some of these players is that this is there only shot at making it. If they do not hear from an NBA team, their career in basketball is over and they have nothing to fall back on. Guys like Majic Dorsey, second string point guard for the Arsenal’s is a D-leaguer who jumps around from one minor league (And-1 basketball) to the next keeping his hopes and dreams alive. Unfortunately for these athletes, poor work ethic, bad attitudes, and lacking athletic abilities eliminate them from a chance at the NBA or anywhere else for that matter. Sour attitudes sometimes ring in the locker room because of poor performers with everything to lose.

The NBA Development League will only see a handful of its players actually make it in the NBA. Those that do love the game of basketball and work hard; Tyler Smith and Jawad Williams of the Anaheim Arsenal do just that.

San Diego Chargers: Bad moves?

The coaching changes for SD Chargers can go either way. Southern California’s has so much talent with the best tailback in the league in LT. Not to mention the team has a great defense. With so much talent, how can a coach not win with this team?

Coaches are the leaders who keep these players in line. Look at last season for the Chargers. Marty Schottenheimer and Wade Phillips (both coaches not returning to SD next season) were able to make light of a cheating steroid using line backer (Marion) and maintain the team’s chemistry. When Norv Turner was coaching the Oakland Raiders, he couldn’t even develop chemistry on the talented Oakland squad (Sapp, Moss, Jordan, Porter). Schottenheimer was 14-2 last season and has an overall coaching record of 200-126-1 and 5-13 in the playoffs while Turner is 58-82-1 with only one playoff appearance. Schottenheimer’s only problem was his inability to win in the playoff’s.

San Diego should have replaced Schottenheimer because of the front office quarrels and poor playoff performance. The only area of concern in my mind is the replacement coach. There are many candidates that I would have considered before Turner. Maybe that is why I am blogging and not coaching. I guess we’ll see next season.

Six game slide

The Lakers lose six straight. It amazes me that this has happened under Phil Jackson’s reign. In fact, it’s the first time it has ever happened to Phil since he has been an NBA coach. How can the Lakers end their slump? The solution in my mind seems to be rubbing some magic healing potion on Luke Walton’s ankle. Luke has transitioned from a spark off of the bench to a reliable and consistent starting player on this Lakers squad. The team needs its great white hope! Luke, get well soon!

Recap of the All-Star weekend

There are only two things worth talking about and that is Kobe’s MVP performance and the West’s dominance.
Kobe played exceptionally well during the game throwing down several reverse dunks. Kobe had 31 Points, six assists, to go along with six steals putting him third on the all-time All-Star game list for steals.
Did the West dominate or is the East players just conditioned to lose? The eastern conference is so poor that it amazes me that the Eastern stars get talked about as much as they do. The East barely showed up to play in the All-Star game. Wade had a dismal performance and the only players worth discussing were Lebron’s solid game and Vincanity’s dunking abilities. The funny thing is that two of the West starters did not even play, Nash and Iverson.