posted: Feb. 23, 2006 | Feedback
You knew it was coming … that's right, it's a special edition of the "I Can't Believe Isiah Traded For Steve Freakin' Francis!" reader rants!
Without further ado …
"Oh happy day! Isiah just made one of the worst trades in NBA history and I couldn't be more excited. The prospect of Marbury and Francis in the same backcourt could be its own reality TV series. I can't wait for Marbury to bring up the ball and The Franchise to start jawing at him followed by Steph hurling the rock at Francis' head and a brawl ensuing. This is too exciting for words. LONG LIVE ZEKE!!!"
Nathaniel, New York, NY
"I've gotta say, I'm totally in favor of the Knicks' trade for Francis. Larry Brown is a master motivator and a great coach, so if anyone can make the tandem of Francis, Marbury, and Rose work, it's him. It's like the Fab Five at Michigan … all that talent in one place is destined to win. What? The Fab Five didn't win any titles? Oh.
Jeff, Seymour, IN
"Steve Francis to the Knicks -- unbelievable. I've been trying to think of an analogy that equates to what Isiah is doing to the woeful Knicks and I've got it. The Knicks are his scab and he keeps picking at it. He looks at it, knows it's not healed, picks it … and it bleeds again. Unfortunately, now it's infected, beyond repair, and it's time to amputate."
JCA, Richmond, VA
"Isiah just brought Stevie Franchise to the Knicks. Has Isiah reached the point where we can't make fun of him anymore because it is too easy? I think he has joined two-man luge, Tori Spelling, Dr. Scholl's Gellin' commercials, and Tom Cruise in an elitely pathetic group. Should there be a hall of fame for such people?"
Phil, Richmond, VA
"Is there any team in the NBA who would take $120 million (roughly the Knicks' payroll) and the Knicks' first-round pick every year from now until Stephon Marbury retires to trade GMs with the Knicks? Would anyone really want Isiah running their team?"
Jared Dubin, Coral Gables, FL
"I think you should give an annual award for the biggest idiot in sports. The only problem is that Isiah Thomas would win every year. Seriously, does that guy even understand what a salary cap is? I'd like to thank Isiah and all NBA GMs for being ridiculously stupid and making me feel better at night. It's nice to watch the NBA and realize that I could do a better job than at least half of the GMs in the league."
Andy, Milwaukee, WI
"I'm not a Knicks fan, so this is REALLY funny to me. Isiah takes on ANOTHER huge contract that has years left on it and trades away one that comes off the books at the end of the season. Not only that, he's traded for one of the top five selfish players in the league! It's incredible. You just gotta love this."
Mike, Long Beach, CA
"After witnessing Isiah's actions over the past three years with the Knicks, I demand that the SEC carry out some sort of investigation to figure out what the hell is going on. Do the Knicks' luxury tax payments go to an Isiah Thomas offshore account? There is no logical explanation for what he is doing. Is Stern just sitting in his office laughing his head off every time he sees a Knicks trade, or is he somehow involved with Isiah in a plot to destroy the game of basketball in New York City? MC Hammer, even in his prime, was more fiscally conservative than Isiah, yet he is currently unemployed. I demand a reality show involving Robert Downey Jr, Tom Sizemore, Kate Moss, and Gary Busey, among others, just to prove that no matter how many drugs you consume, you are still capable of outperforming Isiah as a GM. In no other indsutry are you allowed to fail beyond comprehension so many times (CBA, Raptors, Knicks … God only knows what's next) and still be employed, nonetheless in a position of such authority. I need answers soon and I feel nobody could do a better job providing them to me than you. Please help me Sports Guy! This has to be a sign of the apocalypse."
Seth Collins, Dallas, TX
"How can Isiah top trading for Steve Francis? He is like Jason and Michael Myers rolled together -- just when you think the carnage is over, he does something even more spectacular."
Kirk, Saskatoon, Canada
"My friend Ryan and I were talking about the Stevie Francis trade and we're pretty sure that some day we are going to find out how Isiah Thomas and the team owners are profiting from this, and it's going to retroactively become the great sports scandal in history. Our current theory is that it all comes back to MJ somehow. It all stems from the gambling ring Gretsky and Jordan started when they were doing voices for the "Superstars" cartoon show in the '80s. Miffed at the physical beating he would take in the playoffs from the Knicks, MJ set a diabolical plan in motion which has spanned decades. Each of his retirements somehow furthered this plan, but we're not sure how. Although the conspiracy was originally formulated for revenge the ring now has one ultimate result: the return of Bo Jackson. I mean, it sounds crazy, but not as crazy as actually wanting the most expensive worst team in the league. Bo knows conspiracies. Do you have any theories?"
Patrick McGuire, Washington, DC
"Is it possible that what Isiah Thomas is doing to the Knicks right now is really some kind of sick revenge that goes back to his playing days with the Pistons? I don't know, maybe the Knicks wronged him so badly that he has been scheming for the day when he can land the GM job and destroy any chance of them ever being competitve again. This Francis deal definitely has me thinking that he is just trying to do as much damage as possible before the ownership gets wind of his plot and fires him. This really is the only theory that makes any sense anymore."
Joseph McGowan, California
"So, here's the reason that Steve Francis will never succeed in New York: Stephon Marbury has his number. That means that the moment he gets to New York, ol' Franchise is going to have to wear a different number. Can't you just see the drama here? He'll be stealing shots from Marbury to prove that HE'S the real #3 in New York. Has there ever been an on-court brawl between two teammates over a number? It could happen. I'm going to TiVo all the Knicks' games now, just to see if this happens. Can we make this happen? It would make this whole trade worth it."
Cory, Raleigh, NC
"Hahahahaha! I think Isiah should trade for Jason Williams and Damon Jones so that the Knicks can become the first-ever team to start five despicable shoot-first point guards. Also, then New York could play their all-point-guard team against Atlanta's all-small-forward team and we could finally see which position is better."
Petey, Chicago
"At what point do you feel some random fan can waltz onto the court at Madison Square Garden, blow Isaiah Thomas' brains out, and there wouldn't be a jury in New York that would convict him. And how are they going to decide who is the Alpha dog on this team? Is Marbury and Francis going to have a Cage death match before every game? And when, exactly, does Larry Brown snap? And how will that snap manifest himself? Will he start wetting himself and pretending he has bladder problems again? I really need to know these things. (Well, not so much the last one.)" Tom Fina, New York, NY
"(Surely this is 1 of 10,000 e-mails on this subject, but ...) The Steve Francis trade: thoughts? Where does it rank in the pantheon of Isiah's Campaign to Kill the New York Knicks? First? Second? Is there some part of you that thinks IT pulled this trade specifically to lure you out into the open to criticize him so he can make good on his Stephen A. Smith show threat?"
Matt, New York, NY
"A few weeks ago, you wrote about how Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis should be traded for each other every few months, since they both wear out their welcomes with new teams so quickly. Do you think Isiah Thomas read this and totally misunderstood it to mean that he should put them both in the same backcourt? I can't think of any other explanation as to why he would make this move. To that end, what do you think Isiah has to do to finally get fired? Can you imagine the ridiculous trade he will have to make to finally get the Knicks' front office to realize they have the worst GM in the history of sports? Because they seem to be the only people unaware of this."
Dave Sugarman, Brooklyn, NY
"Does traffic in New York slow down as it passes Madison Square Garden so people can get a better look at the car wreck?"
Chad Watson, Prince Albert, Canada
"Sadly, I am an ex-New Yorker who is still a huge Yanks and Knicks fan. How long before Stephon is throwing bullet passes at Stevie's head for taking 15 shots in a row, followed by Stephon taking 16 shots in a row, followed by Eddy Curry walking off the court to grab some slices of pizza followed by Jerome James just laughing hysterically at the far end of the bench as he realizes for the umpteenth time he is making $8 million a year for the next 4 years. Dude, this might be "Lost" on a basketball court. There is something deeper behind this madness."
Jermaine, Eugene, OR
"Does the Steve Francis trade put Isiah Thomas in a class by himself in terms of all-time front office incompetence? Can Isiah possibly trade any more picks and expiring contracts for any more me-first, undersized, no-defense, ball-hog guards with atrocious contracts? Is he just trying to give Larry Brown a coronary? If so, is the next trade going to be Mo Taylor, Channing Frye and a (sure to be lottery) first-rounder in 2010 for Baron Davis? If you were Isiah, wouldn't you beef up security when you're planning to be anywhere near Larry? Does the whole sports world owe a debt of gratitude to Isiah and Kobe Bryant for destroying the most hated basketball teams in the nation for a decade?"
Matt Ivaliotes, Chicago, IL
"Please just be honest … is Isiah Thomas just trying to sabotage the Knicks and make things easier for his Pistons? He is looking pretty suspicious … taking away their biggest distraction, Larry Brown; trading for the highest-paid, most overrated backcourt in the WORLD … what else can he do?"
Matt Gordon, Chicago, IL
"Remember you old column in which you renounced your allegiance to the Boston Bruins? Well, I want to thank you for inspiring me and helping me miss the agony of the Isiah Thomas Era. You see, I was once a Knicks fan -- and not just any Knicks fan. I had the California license plate NY KNIKS. I lived and died with that team. But, after living through the nightmare that was the Scott Layden Era, I nearly toppled over when I found out that Isiah Thomas would be replacing him. On that fateful day, I officially suspended my alligiance to the Knicks. Three years later, I think it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. My question is this, what is the movie-world equivalent of just walking away from something you love and feeling great about it for the next three years? I literally have not watched a single Knicks game since Isiah became GM."
Jonathan, Hollywood, CA
"Is Isiah Thomas now making ridiculous trades just to mess with you or what? It seems that every move he makes is to provide you with fodder for your next NBA column. Perhaps he's a closet SG fan and is paying you the ultimate tribute -- he's deliberately demolishing the Knicks so that you might write more hilariously scathing columns. Either that or you've totally gotten in his head now and he is totally incapable of making a sensible NBA GM move. Way to go, Simmons. You've turned Isiah into a head case."
Nitin Sharma, Raleigh, NC
"I was driving, listening to the radio, when the disc jockey was talking about the Steve Francis trade. The DJ is a Knicks fan and was on a rant about what a debacle the Knicks have become under your dear friend Isiah Thomas. He compared the Knicks under Thomas' reign to your first high school party. Parents are out for the night and you haven't figured out how to buy beer yet, so you raid your parents' bar. You think you are in heaven drinking some high quality alcohol, but in the end everyone is throwing up all over your house. I would say he is dead-on with the Knicks getting Marbury, Francis and so on."
Rob Findlay, Berkeley Heights, NJ
"On behalf of all Knicks fans, and perhaps fans of the NBA, I would like to file a Professional Malpractice lawsuit against Isiah Thomas. Can anybody argue with the fact that he has committed errors in judgment that have no precedent when the entire pattern is considered? If the Knicks had a stock, I guarantee you that shareholders would do this by now … wo why can't ticket-holders? Or anyone who pays for cable to watch them? Help me spread the word Sports Guy."
Paul, Brooklyn, NY
"Why, for the loved of god, WHY???!!!"
Knicks Fan, Rochester, NY
"Watching the Knicks is like watching your friend poke a sleeping animal with a stick to wake it up, only you know that it's acutally dead. It's like Brown and Isiah are playing No-Limit Hold 'em and Thomas keeps going all-in on every hand and LB folds every time. I think Zeke has accidentally mixed his fantasy basketball account with his Knicks GM account."
Kevin Botti, Brookyn, NY
"You have to write something about Steve Francis to the Knicks. I'm absolutely dumbfounded. I've got nothing. The stupidity of this is just mind-blowing. I'm not a big conspiracy guy, but something is just not right about this. No legitimate GM thinks, 'My team is crap, and my only hope is to shed these albatross contracts that have been killing us for the better part of a decade. I know, I'll trade an expiring contract so I can lock up a total headcase WHO PLAYS THE SAME POSITION AS ANOTHER HEADCASE WHO'S ALREADY ON MY TEAM.' And by the way, we're locked into Stevie Cancer's contract for four years. How does some person in the organization not drug this guy and stuff him in a broom closet in MSG until the trading deadline passes?"
Joel T., San Diego, CA
"I know that you couldn't possibly explain the Francis/Hardaway and Ariza trade from the point of view of the Knicks. Isiah is clearly suffering from some sort of degenerative disorder that is affecting his reasoning. Perhaps the Knicks should have given him a physical before signing him?
Tony, Durham, NC
"Isn't the Knicks' acquisition of Steve Francis a little bit like what adding Jackie Chan and Steven Seagal to the cast of "Walker, Texas Ranger" would have been like for viewers? The Knicks now have three guards who should probably never be on the court together because they need constant attention. Chuck Norris and the other two need the camera on them at all times as well, or else they'd probably pound the crap out of each other. Though judging by the faces Larry Brown was making at the press conference yesterday, maybe those three on the court at the same time will happen sooner rather than later. He realizes he took the Knicks home from the bar, slept with them, and now that it's morning, he doesn't want to cook them breakfast."
Joe, East Lansing, MI
"I know you mentioned this in your conversation with David Stern, but what more is required for the commish to apply the Ted Stepien Rule and seize control of the Knicks organization away from Isiah Thomas? Will he have to kill someone? No mentally competent executive would trade Penny Hardaway and his "I-can't-believe-it's-finally-expiring" contract for Stevie Francis! Apparently when Isiah said he wanted Larry Brown to help him with roster moves, he didn't mean this one. After about a week of working with the nightmarish tandem of Marbury and Francis, Brown will undoubtedly be feeling nostalgic about those stress-free days with Allen Iverson."
John M., San Diego, CA
"Can we please get Buffalo Bill from "Silence of the Lambs" to abduct Isiah Thomas and put him in a well in his basement. I honestly think that is the only way for him to stop trading for bad contracts. IT PUTS THE LOTION IN THE BASKET!!!"
Ryan, New York, NY
"Let me start off by saying that I am not a big pro basketball fan. I have never had any alliegance to a particular team. However, I have decided to become a New York Knicks fan for the sole purpose of hating Isiah Thomas. All week long sportswriters have been joking that Isiah is such a bad GM that he would trade for Steve Francis … and he did. What the (expletive)! I know nothing about how to run a professional sports team, or about how a salary cap works, but this is a completely brain-dead move. Is he trying to incite a riot in New York? Is he working for Bin Laden? There is no logical explanation. I honestly fear for Isiah Thomas' life. The entire city of New York should show up to every game out of pure protest and I'll be there as a new Knicks fan."
Justin Mattingly, Frederick, MD
"Are you going to apologize to Isiah Thomas now that he has put together possibly the first backcourt in league history to regularly put up 50 shots and scream at each other on court every night?"
John, Atlanta, GA
"Can you please write a eulogy for all Knicks fans? I think after today's debacle of a trade, we are all going to commit a mass suicide by jumping off of the team's payroll stacked up in the air in all single dollar bills. Isiah has to be the worst GM in the history of sports. You couldn't pick two less compatible players in the league than Marbury and Francis. (Other than anyone and Kobe.) I feel like this is worse than not winning a World Series for 86 years, because at least the Red Sox had hope some years. Us Knicks fans know it's over. I have lost the will to watch, follow, and root for this team. If Isiah is still running this team when you're running ESPN6 I hope you refuse to play Knicks games on that channel becaue of his personal bias against you and his complete stupidity."
Jared Dubin, Coral Gables, FL
"Oh god, oh god, oh god, Isiah, oh my god, why? Why? Why? Why? Why? I can't even type anymore. I want to like my Knicks, I really do, but oh god, Steve Francis for three years and we still are stuck with Crawford? Oh god oh god … Bill help me!
Justin Touretz, Jericho, NY
"OK, I'm officially on suicide watch at this point. I'm e-mailing you because I have no one else to turn to. I'm a lifelong Knicks fan. I remember being thrilled that we got Rory Sparrow to significantly upgrade the point guard position! Where, exactly, would you say Isiah falls on the list of incompetent sports executives? Should he get the Ted Stepien Award? And what would that award look like? Would they actually give you an Oscar or a Heisman trophy and offer to trade you a People's Choice Award, an Arena League MVP trophy and the rights to Bode Miller's next ESPY, knowing that you could never turn it down?"
Fred, New York, NY
"Bill, Isiah Thomas aquiring Stevie Franchise is another in a long line of baffling moves. He continues to make trades that boggle the minds of any knowledgable NBA fan. My only conclusion at this point is that he is involved in some secretive plot similar to the '80s late-night cable classic "Brewster's Millions." He is acting as a modern-day Montgomery Brewster as he continues to shed the expiring contracts of Penny and Antonio Davis, and take on the huge financial burden of the likes of Jalen Rose and Stevie Franchise, in an effort to bankrupt the team in exchange for some much larger prize. At this point it is the only possible explaination. Your thoughts?
Derek Cuff, Baltimore, MD
"Please tell me that Isiah Thomas has plans to trade for Antoine Walker. Please, for the sake of my amusement …
Chris Juvinall, Sacramento, CA
"I just read about the Knicks acquiring Steve Francis. Admit it: You are funneling money to Isiah Thomas. You are giving him part of your salary (or, knowing Isiah, maybe your NFL picks) in exchange for him making incredibly dumb moves, which provides you with lots of material. His apparent beef with you is simply a cover for this arrangement. He gets cash, and you get the easiest columns money can buy. It's time to come clean."
Matt B., Alexandria, VA
"I just read that the Knicks acquired Steve Francis from the Orlando Magic. Is it just me or do you wish that Isiah Thomas was the GM of all New York franchises? I think New Yorkers would be just a little more outraged if he was throwing unnecessary millions away to make the Yankees the highest paid 60-102 team ever. Imagine him running the Jets … trading away all their 2007 and 2008 draft picks, trading for Daunte Culpepper, signing Jamal Lewis to a ludacrous multi-year deal, then hiring Pete Carroll as their head coach. The possibilities are endless."
Josh H., Hamilton, MA
"My name is Josh and I'm 29 years old. I was a Knicks fan. Tell my parents that I love them and please make sure my cat finds a good home."
Josh R., Jersey City, NJ
"Hey, I was just looking at the front page of ESPN.com with Isiah, Stevie Franchise, and Larry Brown as the picture for the front page story. It is really funny if you look at the facial expressions of each guy. Isiah is the only one talking, trying to explain having the two biggest shoot-first point guards in the NBA in the same backcourt on a 15-win team. Stevie's thinking, "What am I doing here? Isn't Stephon on this team? Damn it." And then there's Larry, who looks like he is borderline suicidal and he's got to be thinking, "These two are both almost as bad as Iverson … but there's two of them. I hate myself." Anyways, I just thought you would like that picture."
Patrick Forquer, Durham, NC
"My conspiracy theory is that Isiah Thomas made the Francis trade just so you could write another column about his complete ineptitude. It's almost like he's baiting you to take a shot at him so that he has a reason to kick your ass. Please don't fall for it, as it would suck if you were dead."
Drewby, Pittsburgh, PA
Basketball
Moderator: mods
Can Isiah possibly trade any more picks and expiring contracts for any more me-first, undersized, no-defense, ball-hog guards with atrocious contracts?
Are you going to apologize to Isiah Thomas now that he has put together possibly the first backcourt in league history to regularly put up 50 shots and scream at each other on court every night?
My name is Josh and I'm 29 years old. I was a Knicks fan. Tell my parents that I love them and please make sure my cat finds a good home.
:worshippy:NBA-samenvattingen bij NOS
HILVERSUM - Met ingang van komende zondag gaat NOS Studio Sport samenvattingen uitzenden van NBA-wedstrijden. Het gaat om duels, die niet door Sport 1 live zijn uitgezonden. De eerste keer zal als opwarmertje een samenvatting van de All Star Game te zien zijn, gevolgd door Cleveland-Chicago. De uitzending begint om 16:00 of om 17:30 uur. Er komt binnenkort een vaste aanvangstijd.
HILVERSUM - Met ingang van komende zondag gaat NOS Studio Sport samenvattingen uitzenden van NBA-wedstrijden. Het gaat om duels, die niet door Sport 1 live zijn uitgezonden. De eerste keer zal als opwarmertje een samenvatting van de All Star Game te zien zijn, gevolgd door Cleveland-Chicago. De uitzending begint om 16:00 of om 17:30 uur. Er komt binnenkort een vaste aanvangstijd.
De beste periode van het jaar is aangebroken voor Basketball-liefhebbers all over the world; March Madness!
Tevens staat er hier een leuk verslagje met bijbehorend filmpje over de verrassende overwinning van Florida State op no.1 Duke.
ESPNSo many players, so little hardware to give outBy Pat Forde
PATS ON THE BACK, KICKS IN THE RUMP
The conference tournaments are the madness before the Madness, the little dance before the Big Dance, the first audition for Cinderella. They should be watched and enjoyed on a level only slightly below the actual NCAA Tournament -- especially in the one-bid league, where winning the title is as big as winning a first-round NCAA game.
But before we dive into Championship Week like Kyle Lowry (1) in pursuit of a loose ball, let's take a moment to appraise what we've seen during the four-month prelude to March. Winners and sinners from the major conferences:
ATLANTIC 10
Player of the Year: Steven Smith (2), La Salle. George Washington's powerhouse-by-committee approach leaves the POY award open for the guy who has keyed the Explorers' unexpected bounce-back season. Six-foot-9 Smith, who took his name out of the NBA draft last summer, is averaging 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists for a La Salle team that won seven straight late and sits a surprising fourth in the A-10.
Coach of the Year: Karl Hobbs (3), George Washington. At 24-1 and 14-0 in the A-10, this is merely the best season in school history. Credit the former Jim Calhoun assistant with building a great program the right way. In his fifth year, Hobbs has a veteran, balanced team that does just about everything well (the free-throw shooting could be better). The question is whether Hobbs is headed for a bigger job when this season ends.
Bust of the Year: Xavier (4). Five weeks ago, the Musketeers appeared well on their way to a Top 25 season and an NCAA Tournament berth. Today, they're 17-9 overall and 8-7 in the league, having lost seven of their last 12. Losing big man Brian Thornton five games ago to a season-ending injury sure didn't help, but this team was in the tank before Thornton went down.
Minutes Moment of the Year: When Saint Louis finally got off its supernaturally long win-loss-win-loss streak by winning two in a row. It took until the 19th and 20th games of the year, but once the Billikens got it done? Look out. They've won seven of their last eight and have moved into a tie for second in the league.
ACC
Player of the Year: J.J. Redick (5), Duke. You were expecting Patrick Davidson?
Coach of the Year: Roy Williams (6), North Carolina. Of all Williams' great coaching jobs at Kansas and Carolina, you're looking at the best. This was supposed to be the year the rest of the ACC got its shots at the Tar Heels, after they lost their seven leading scorers from the 2005 championship team. Instead, the Heels could wind up second in the league and owning a top-four NCAA seed. Amazing.
Bust of the Year: Wake Forest (7). This was a team that began the year in most Top 25s and could finish it with two ACC wins. Skip Prosser's teams are never obsessed with defense, but this has been ridiculous: In league games, the Demon Deacons are last in points allowed, field goal percentage defense and 3-point percentage defense.
Minutes Moment of the Year: If you're a Dookie, it was Redick's setting the league's all-time scoring record. If you're not, it was the day the ACC suspended the officiating crew that gave Duke a break with a bad technical foul call on Florida State center Alexander Johnson.
BIG 12
Player of the Year: P.J. Tucker (8), Texas. He's Adrian Dantley reincarnated: a 6-foot-5 low-post power averaging 16.4 points and 9.2 rebounds. On a team flush with talent, he has been the most consistent performer (10 double-doubles and counting), showing impressive development after being sidelined by academics midway through last season.
Coach of the Year: Bill Self (9), Kansas. Roy Williams' replacement had his own Roy-style rebuilding job this year, replacing four key players with a cast of raw rookies. After some early wobbles, the Jayhawks went on a 10-game winning streak that solidified their NCAA bid -- and solidified Self as the COY.
Bust of the Year: Iowa State (10). Early on, the Cyclones beat the other two state powers -- Iowa and Northern Iowa -- and they probably should have packed it in right there. They've been a washout in league play (6-9, including a 17-point loss at cellar-dwelling Baylor). The backcourt of Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock has largely lived up to the hype, but hasn't gotten enough frontcourt help.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Jan. 11, 2006. The day Baylor finally got to play a game. The punishment for NCAA rules violations was severe. And you know what? It should have been.
BIG EAST
Player of the Year: Randy Foye (11), Villanova. It's awfully hard to go against Connecticut forward Rudy Gay, especially after Gay's length helped force Foye into a 4-for-18 shooting day in Storrs this past Sunday. But over the season, The Minutes has been more impressed with Foye's killer instinct, compared with laid-back Gay. At 6-4, Foye never backs down from his matchups with post players standing half a foot taller. At 20.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game, Foye delivers more than all but a few players anywhere.
Coach of the Year: Louis Orr (12), Seton Hall. This could have gone to Tom Crean, Andy Kennedy, John Thompson, Jamie Dixon ... the list goes on. But consider this: On Big East media day, the Pirates were picked to finish 15th in the 16-team league. After defeating Cincinnati on Tuesday night, they clinched a first-division finish and a .500-or-better league record and greatly enhanced their NCAA Tournament hopes. Orr entered the season under heavy speculation that he'd be fired, and that only intensified after Seton Hall opened league play 1-3. He coached through it without a Mike Davis-style meltdown and turned his team's season around.
Bust of the Year: Louisville (13). And then there are the Cardinals, picked third on media day and now scrambling to make the 12-team league tournament. Moving into this meat-grinder league with a young team was tough. Suffering a string of injuries to key players made it tougher. But nobody could have foreseen a Rick Pitino team that (a) has failed to beat a ranked team all year and (b) has played at such a laborious, boring pace.
Minutes Moment of the Year: When West Virginia center Kevin Pittsnogle rolled out of labor and delivery on a Friday and hit four 3-pointers against Cincinnati on a Saturday. Who's your daddy, Kwynsie James Pittsnogle? The guy wearing No. 34.
BIG TEN
Player of the Year: Dee Brown (14), Illinois. The Minutes was sorely tempted to cast this vote for Ohio State point guard Jamar Butler, whose play has been vital to the Buckeyes' breakthrough season and who misses far fewer shots than Brown. But even Dee's tangible assets (a team-leading 14.9 points per game in conference play, a Big Ten-leading 5.8 assists, a Big Ten-leading 38-plus minutes per game) are not as important as his intangible assets. You can almost feel his will keeping the Illini among the national elite this season.
Coach of the Year: Thad Matta (15), Ohio State. In October, the program slogan should have been "Wait 'til next year," when Greg Oden comes aboard. Today, it should be "the future is now," as Matta's second Buckeyes team stunningly has roared to the top of a very, very tough Big Ten.
Bust of the Year: Michigan State (16). You know the world has gone haywire when Rick Pitino's team can't run and Tom Izzo's team can't guard. Welcome to the new reality. The Spartans were a popular Final Four pick before the season, but now they're an underdog to reach the final four of the Big Ten Tournament.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Mike Davis' calling in sick when Steve Alford came to Bloomington. Indiana even produced a note from his doctor saying the coach was really, truly, honestly sick ... but did anybody check the handwriting on that thing?
CONFERENCE USA
Player of the Year: Rodney Carney (17), Memphis. By the time the season is over, Carney should be the No. 3 scorer in the rather excellent history of Memphis basketball. He can beat you with 3-pointers, alley-oops or running the floor from the wings. And yes, the NBA will be calling his name come June.
Coach of the Year: John Calipari (18), Memphis. Calipari always has been an excellent college coach, but he showed his flexibility this year. With a roster full of athleticism, Calipari took off the restrictor plates and let his guys push the tempo full throttle. Result: Memphis (26-2) ranks third nationally in scoring at 83.1 points per game. Calipari also deserves credit for an aggressive nonconference schedule that has kept C-USA from weighing down his team's power ratings. That's why the Tigers still have a shot at a No. 1 seed.
Bust of the Year: The Bottom Eight (19). It's understandable for this to be the Memphis Show in the league, but UAB, UTEP and Houston should not be miles better than the octet of sorriness beneath them. The lower two-thirds of the league ranks between 194th and 289th in the RPI, which just about puts that group on par with the Atlantic Sun. Nice work.
Minutes Moment of the Year: When the refs T'd up Houston's Tom Penders for having the temerity to collapse during the Cougars' game against UAB. Even when Penders was treated by medical personnel, officials refused to rescind the call. You're all heart, guys.
MISSOURI VALLEY
Player of the Year: You'd have an easier time getting Ashley Judd (20) to wear Tennessee orange in Rupp Arena than selecting the POY in this league, but this is no time to cop out. The pick here is Northern Iowa guard Ben Jacobson (21). He showed classic signs of trying to do too much this season (decreased field goal percentage, increased turnovers, with much of the trouble coinciding with the injury to teammate Erik Crawford). But his all-around game (14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals), maturity and competitive fire will be essential to the Panthers' postseason.
Coach of the Year: Mark Turgeon (22), Wichita State. In his five years on the job, Turgeon improved the program but couldn't get into the NCAA Tournament -- until now. The Shockers won the MVC regular-season title in what was supposed to be a transition year after Wichita State lost three four-year starters.
Bust of the Year: State of Indiana (23). The Minutes remains flabbergasted at the extended suffering by the Valley's Hoosier State delegation. Evansville and Indiana State are a combined 9-27 in league play. Coaches Royce Waltman (Indiana State) and Steve Merfeld (Evansville) beat Big Brother this year (see below) and have worked a bit of March magic in their pasts, but they enter this March wobbling.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Say hello to my little friends. Creighton beats the in-state BCS school, Nebraska, by 26. Northern Iowa beats Iowa. Indiana State beats Indiana. Evansville beats Purdue. Bradley beats DePaul by 15. Makes you wonder what might happen if Kansas would play Wichita State, Missouri would play Missouri State or Illinois would play Southern Illinois, doesn't it?
MOUNTAIN WEST
Player of the Year: Marcus Slaughter (24), San Diego State. Fourteen double-doubles on the year and averages of 16.8 points and 10.7 rebounds for the low-post leader of the league's regular-season champs. After spending his first two years dabbling with a perimeter game, Slaughter has parked himself on the low block, taken just one 3-pointer, shot a higher percentage and gotten to the line more often.
Coach of the Year: Dave Rose (25), BYU. Nobody could have envisioned the Cougars would have entered the final week of the regular season with a chance to tie for the league title, but here they are, 10-4 and just a loss behind the league-winning Aztecs. Under first-year coach Rose, BYU has won eight of its past nine to keep faint at-large hopes alive.
Bust of the Year: Utah (26). The Minutes knew the Utes would take a step back without Andrew Bogut, but this has been a full-fledged backslide. An early loss to 200-level RPI opponent Rice and a 27-point beatdown from a lousy Washington State team were signs of the struggle to come. Tuesday night's loss at bottom-dweller TCU shows things haven't improved much. At 12-14 overall, Utah is scrambling to avoid its first losing season since 1988-89.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Jan. 28, 2006, when San Diego State gave Wyoming the Lorenzo Charles Treatment (plus one) in Laramie. The Aztecs were down two in the final seconds when leading scorer Brandon Heath air-balled a 3-pointer. But Trimaine Davis grabbed the ball and put it in while being fouled, then dropped in the free throw for the win with .8 seconds left.
PACIFIC-10
Player of the Year: Brandon Roy (27), Washington. With sincere apologies to Leon Powe, who joins Rudy Gay on the list of guys The Minutes cannot believe are not getting its POY awards. But the fact is, Roy has played wonderfully versatile basketball all season -- averaging 19.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 51 percent from the floor -- and has brought his game to a late-season crescendo. He has scored 20 or more points his last nine games.
Coach of the Year: Ben Howland (28), UCLA. Nobody in the country has had to work harder at keeping a team together through every sprain, strain, fracture and tear imaginable. Not only have the Bruins survived, they've thrived. They lead the Pac-10 heading into the final weekend.
Bust of the Year: Oregon (29). A third consecutive season of .500-or-below play in the league, plus some off-court issues, could cost Ernie Kent his job. For a team that returned three double-digit scorers from last year, seventh place in a weak Pac-10 is not what anyone was hoping for.
Minutes Moment of the Year: The offensive agony that is Washington State basketball. In their last three games, the Cougars have scored 37, 41 and 37 points. And don't forget the 30-point masterpiece against UCLA a couple of weeks earlier. Yes, in fact, it is time for Dick Bennett to retire at Wazzu.
SEC
Player of the Year: Glen "Big Baby" Davis (30), LSU. Eight straight double-doubles by the SEC's Round Mound of Rebound Redux have led the Tigers to the overall regular-season title. During this streak, he's averaging 20.5 points and 13 boards, and nobody has the faintest idea how to handle him in the paint.
Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl (31), Tennessee. The record (20-6, 11-4) speaks for itself, but how about the psychology behind the record? This was a soft program when Pearl arrived last spring -- indifferent defensively, uninterested in mixing it up inside and always willing to back down against a tough opponent at crunch time. Today, Tennessee is 180 degrees opposite. That's great work on the mental and physical toughness front.
Bust of the Year: Kentucky (32). Remember when the Wildcats were going to be saved by the return of Randolph Morris from NCAA suspension? Here's how that has worked out: They were 10-4 without Morris, and they're 9-6 with him. Bottom line on this Kentucky team: It beats bad teams and loses to good ones (last night's win at Tennessee being a notable exception). Even if the Wildcats hadn't beaten the Vols -- and regardless whether they win at Florida this weekend -- they would have made the NCAAs on name alone.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Pearl's wardrobe malfunctions. The orange blazer? Well, at least it's popular in one arena. The orange suspenders? Again, he's appealing to his audience. The sweated-through gray suit at Florida. Uh, no. And then there was the postgame locker room scene when the Volunteers beat Kentucky in Rupp Arena. Point guard C.J. Watson reported it thusly: "Coach was ripping his shirt off in excitement. He told us before the game to act like we've won here before."
WAC
Player of the Year: Nick Fazekas (33), Nevada. By a whisker (not that the baby-faced junior has many) over Louisiana Tech's Paul Millsap. How do you decide between a pair of guys who rank 1-2 in the league in scoring (Fazekas-Millsap) and rebounding (Millsap-Fazekas)? You look at head-to-head. Nevada swept the season series, and Fazekas had a slight edge in production (35 points and 25 rebounds to 33 points and 21 rebounds).
Coach of the Year: Reggie Theus (34), New Mexico State. The former NBA star and Louisville assistant is more than just a pretty face and a sharp sideline suit. He can coach. Picked to finish near the bottom in their first WAC season, the Aggies instead are 10-5 in league play. They're riding a six-game winning streak and have won eight of their last 10, with the only losses to league champ Nevada.
Bust of the Year: Idaho (35). The Minutes had no expectations of glory from the Vandals (4-23, 1-14) this season. Even so, an 0-13 road record and an average defeat margin of 20.5 points in those games is ugly.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Dec. 1, 2005: Nevada 72, Kansas 70. In Allen Fieldhouse. The Wolf Pack's RPI has been boosted significantly by that win ever since.
Tevens staat er hier een leuk verslagje met bijbehorend filmpje over de verrassende overwinning van Florida State op no.1 Duke.
Ik had eigenlijk wel verwacht dat jij als LA'er zou inzien hoe ontiegelijk groot college-sporten in de VS zijn. Het is werkelijk ongelofelijk hoeveel mensen er mee leven met hun plaatselijke universiteitsteam. Het college Basketball is zo veel puurder en spannender dan NBA wedstrijden. Ik volg veel liever March Madness dan de NBA playoffs. Helaas is dat in Nederland sinds het verdwijnen van NBC van de Nederlandse buis niet meer mogelijk via de televisie. Maar ieder zijn eigen voorkeur. :xyxthumbs:
Je zou als je de mogelijkheid hebt eens naar een wedstrijd van UCLA moeten gaan :yes: (Daar speelde Dan Gadzuric overigens ook).
Je zou als je de mogelijkheid hebt eens naar een wedstrijd van UCLA moeten gaan :yes: (Daar speelde Dan Gadzuric overigens ook).
Dat is voor mij ook moeilijk te bepalen. Ik kan het alleen via wat sites op internet volgen. De spelers in het stukje hierboven zijn iig top in hun conference.
Misschien heb je hier nog wat aan:
Ook wel een interessante pagina.
Misschien heb je hier nog wat aan:
Deze voorspellingen waren echter wel pre season.Top Teams
Duke – JJ Reddick and Sheldon Williams are back and ready to vault Duke back into the Final Four. There is a great mix of experience and young potential for this team. This looks like another tremendous Duke team. Newcomer Josh McRoberts is reportedly the real deal, and will add big minutes for the Devils.
Oklahoma – Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout form the best front court in the Big 12 and maybe the country. Gray will have a huge year and Oklahoma has turned Norman into one of the toughest places to play in the country. Samson always has killer non conference schedules which get his teams ready for Big 12 play. The Big 12 is down a bit this year and this looks like Oklahoma’s to lose.
UCONN – Same old story for the Huskies in 05. This team is extremely talented and will get deep into the tournament one more time this season. Gay is a great player in the making and Boone is a big time post player. The role players are very solid. One question that has recently surfaced when discussing the Huskies is their defense. They seem to play half-assed at times which kills them in the big games.
Villanova – Nova is loaded this season with four top tier players in Allen, Sumpter, and Fraser. If they can stay healthy, and there are already questions about Allen’s health, this will be a very good team. It will be interesting to watch the Big East however, and see if teams can survive such a brutally deep schedule. It will be great for fans but not as much for the muscles and joint of the players.
Top Players
JJ Reddick, Duke. The best shooter in the country, and maybe the best shooter of all time. It’s hard to believe that Reddick is still around but he is, and he’ll lead the way for the Dukies this season. Has the ability to rain threes, and should average well over twenty per outing this season.
Sheldon Williams, Duke. The hardest working player in college basketball. His skills get better every year. He is a force on the low block on both ends of the court, and should excel in his senior season. Foul trouble has been a problem for him, but he’ll get more calls that benefit his talent this season.
Taj Gray, Oklahoma. This JUCO transfer took the Big 12 by storm last year and the conference can expect more of the same this year. He is extremely athletic for a man his size and runs the court very well.
Josh Boone, UCONN. This is the year when Boone explodes. Villanueva is gone so the spotlight will be on Boone and Rudy Gay in Storrs. Boone’s numbers went up to 12.5 a game last season and they should increase this year as well. He is one of the top post men in the country.
Jason Fraser, Villanova. Fraser’s stat lines are not overly impressive but if you watch him play, it becomes evident that he is the heart and soul of the Wildcats. He is a big physical player that does not allow opponents to muscle him down low. Nova will only go as far as Fraser this season as Nova fans pray for injury and foul trouble avoidance.
Curtis Sumpter, Villanova. This is the do-everything player for a very talented Nova squad. He has battled injuries of late and Nova will need him healthy if they are going to live up to their preseason hype. Originally from New York City, he averaged 15.5 points last season and is a big time shooter.
Daniel Gibson, Texas. A poor man’s TJ Ford, but may be more flashy than his predecessor. Struggled at times last season but UT will be back with a vengeance this season and this ultra quick playmaker will lead the way.
Adam Morrison, Gonzaga. Burst on the scene last season and is the next great Zags player. Long frame and deft touch make him tough to defend. He is an excellent player who will parlay another big season into big bucks.
Hassan Adams, Arizona. Double digit scorer in each of the last two seasons for the Cats. With the departure of Frye and Stoudemire, Adams will see his touches explode and has the talent to put up some huge numbers this winter.
Teams That May Surprise
Colorado – Colorado has a ton of experience which showed towards the end of last year when they made a run in the Big 12 tournament. They lost no players off their roster from one year and added the leading scorer from JUCO in Coleman. Roby is back as well, but losing Ashby to academics until January will hurt.
LSU – Glenn Davis or baby Shaq, leads the Tigers into the season. They have been stockpiling talent for three years, and while the loss of Brandon Bass hurts, there is ample talent all along the roster. LSU will surprise once again in the SEC and should be dancing come March.
Biggest Disappointment
Kansas – This could be a frustrating year in Kansas. Self is recruiting lights out, but they have had the benefit of experience the past couple of seasons which does not appear to be the case this season. Gone are their seniors, who were much ballyhooed, but never really did anything special. Gone is Giddens, who was stabbed in an altercation and then transferred to New Mexico. Also gone is Galinda. They will be relying heavily on young kids, so they'll struggle at times and are probably a year away. That being said, they still finish in the top seven in the Big 12 but they’ll take some lumps away from home.
Ook wel een interessante pagina.
Vriend Kobe Bryant is toch wel een fascinerende speler. Hij was vanavond zo ziek als een hond. Rode neus, hoestend en proestend speelt hij toch het grootste deel van de wedstrijd en scoort doodleuk boven de 40 punten. Respect. Morgen, tegen de betonbasketballerij uit Detroit, zal hij naar verwachting ook gewoon spelen. Het is natuurlijk wel roofbouw plegen maar, zoals gezegd, wel fascinerend om te volgen.
Iemand vorige week nog de belachelijke aktie van Rasheed Wallace op Zydrunas Ilgauskas gezien? :redcard:
Dat zeiken heeft hij volgens mij juist wel aardig ingeperkt in vergelijking met zijn Portland tijd. Toen was hij echt compleet losgeslagen. In de NBA delen ze sowieso erg snel technische fouten uit. Wanneer iemand fuck zegt krijgt hij al een technische fout om zijn oren.
Ik snapte de actie van Rasheed Wallace niet omdat het vroeg in de wedstrijd was en totaal onnodig. Ook lag het er nogal dik bovenop dat het expres ging. Maar het was dus blijkbaar een wraakactie. :nooo:
Ik snapte de actie van Rasheed Wallace niet omdat het vroeg in de wedstrijd was en totaal onnodig. Ook lag het er nogal dik bovenop dat het expres ging. Maar het was dus blijkbaar een wraakactie. :nooo:
Geweldig stukje op ESPN.com:drecul2: Gelijk een zijstraatje naar het voetbal:
The Art Of The Flop
If the NBA wants to spruce up All-Star Weekend -- and judging by sagging ratings, a little sprucing is overdue -- two moves are in order.
If the NBA wants to spruce up All-Star Weekend -- and judging by sagging ratings, a little sprucing is overdue -- two moves are in order.
Dump the dunk contest. Add a flop-off.
Operatic, halfway-to-Valhalla howls. Exaggerated, banana-peel pratfalls. Contrived, yet compelling competition. With the Oscars upon us, it's time to give basketball's master thespians their due. Year after disappointing year, the dunk contest promises an "American Idol"-esque exhibition; make the switch, and a flop contest would deliver.
Honestly, what would you rather watch? Nate Robinson, needing 57 attempts to throw down a slam? Or a flop artiste such as Vlade Divac, taking a glancing blow from Robinson before pinwheeling into the second row a la Lindsey Kildow on the slopes of San Sicario?
I think you know the answer.
Of course, some purists are bound to object. Floppin' is cheatin', after all, a way for the sneaky to sucker the skilled. It's also phony, as bogus as joinbode.com. And it might be the surest sign yet that we are becoming a Soccer Nation, in thrall to cough-and-they'll-collapse strikers such as MLS' Carlos Ruiz, flapping and logrolling our way to basketball Gomorrah.
Mention flopping to Atlanta guard Ty Lue and he wrinkles his nose, disgusted, like Pauline Kael at a Pauly Shore film festival.
"I hate that, man," Lue says. "Hate it. I would never want to do that. If you're able to beat somebody to the spot on the floor, just go ahead and cut them off. Play good defense."
Lue has a point. But he's missing the bigger picture. As a fan, I enjoy good defense. I adore a good flop. While few would confuse Dennis Rodman with Sir Anthony Hopkins -- or even baller-cum-"Kazzam!"-star Shaquille O'Neal -- there's no denying that faking a fall to get a call makes for great theater, basketball's answer to … well, if not Shakespeare, then at least Moe, Larry and Curly.
Indeed, like the lowbrow Stooges and lower-brow "Dancing With the Stars," flopping has two saving graces: it's both wildly entertaining (man fall down -- funny!) and a whole lot harder than it looks.
"Flopping is an art," says former All-Star Dominique Wilkins. "You have to go home and practice it in the mirror. I don't fault guys for it. Especially against great big guys. It's a smart move. For an older veteran, it can be the only advantage you have."
Speaking of advantages, flopping has a big one over dunking: The NBA's fall guys already are accustomed to performing before discerning judges -- that is, game officials -- on a nightly basis.
For a flop-off, then, why not replace the refs with a three-man panel of retired experts -- say, Divac, Reggie Miller and Bill Laimbeer? Just picture the possibilities:
Phoenix Suns guard Raja Bell stands before the judges …
MILLER: (grinning) I like your style. Simple physics tells me that Earl Boykins would never be able to send you flying with a slight push from his forearm. Yet somehow, you convinced me. You're on to the next round.
DIVAC: (puffing a cigarette) Next time, more head snap. I want to see whiplash! (More puffing). Otherwise, way to take … (snickering) the charge.
LAIMBEER: (smirking) That was dreadful. No scream. No wince. And you got up way too quickly. Remember: You've just been shot (shaking head). I've seen better stuff from Shane Battier. And that's when he was in college.
"Some guys have it and some guys don't," Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood says of flopping. "Some guys are believable, some guys aren't. I think it's just a gift."
More than a gift, flopping is a craft. As such, it can be scored accordingly. What to look for? Try the following:
Preparation
A good dive appears spontaneous, unscripted. Then again, so does most reality TV. Former Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson reportedly taught flopping in practice. Chris Whitney, an accomplished fall guy who played 12 seasons in the pros, says he learned his tricks from Doc Rivers.
In the manner of a Hollywood stuntman gearing up to jump a dynamite-laden passenger bus over a golden retriever and a hole in the Golden Gate bridge -- c'mon, what are the real-life odds? -- the master flopper leaves nothing to chance.
"Certain guys have made a science of it," says Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. "The same way that guys in the 1980s like Moses Malone made a science of offensive rebounding."
The cardinal rules? Limit your pratfalls to aggressive opponents. Never let on that you're faking. When possible, take an early charge. Don't bother flopping at the end of a close game.
Above all, study film. Really.
"You pick up on little things," says former player Tree Rollins. "For example, when Juwan Howard posts up, he always throws his left arm out. So a flopper knows that whenever that arm comes out, it's time to go down."
Degree of Difficulty
Going down isn't easy. Bell might be an accomplished flopper, but he's also a hard-nosed defender. According to unofficial statistics at 82games.com, the Suns guard is one of the top charge-takers in the NBA -- which means he absorbs plenty of real shoulders and elbows to go with the phantom ones.
While playing with the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State guard Derek Fisher was a pesky charge-taker/reverse-tucker in the mold of Bell. Lue, a former Lakers teammate, recalls Fisher coming to practice with sore hips and a smarting tailbone.
Floppers suffer for their art. Outside of Chris Andersen, can anyone involved with the dunk contest say the same?
"If you're known as a flopper all the time, you're not going to get any calls," says Los Angeles Clippers guard Sam Cassell. "You have to stand in and take some hard shots, too. You earn it."
Creativity
A first-rate flop has many elements: positioning, body control, sliding along the floor just so. Still, it's the personal touches that stand out. Dallas guard Jason Terry admiringly calls Laker guard Kobe Bryant a "verbal flopper," able to coax a call out of a single well-timed scream. Michael Jordan once likened Miller's trademark habit of initiating hand and arm contact to "chicken fighting with a woman."
A few years back, I asked Denver guard DerMarr Johnson to demonstrate Miller's technique. Linking elbows with an imaginary defender, he pulled back with a yell, his arms spinning like windmills.
"You make the first attack," says Whitney. "And when your guy is trying to dislodge himself, you fall down. The ref sees it, and he thinks you're the one getting fouled."
Milwaukee center Ervin Johnson says Divac favored a similar move.
"He'll grab your shirt, flop back," Johnson says, shaking his head in frustration. "Grab your arm, fall back and hit the ground. He stands out like a sore thumb. He should get an Oscar for best actor. Beat out Jack Nicholson."
Emotional Impact
Nicholson starred in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Floppers such as Divac drive opposing players cuckoo.
"You try to get guys off balance," Cassell says. "You try to get into their minds. That's to your advantage."
Is it ever. Even the best dunk counts for only two points, same as a layup or jump shot. A well-timed flop, on the other hand, can be worth so much more. It's demoralizing. Distracting. On offense, it makes power players less aggressive; on defense, it makes shot blockers think twice.
During Game 1 of last year's NBA Finals, Detroit center Ben Wallace earned a technical foul after being called for a block on what he thought was a flop by San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili. The exasperated Pistons were outscored 18-4 over the next five minutes and went on to lose the game.
"It's the worst thing when you're working so hard, and the next thing you know a guy is on his back," Wilkins says. "But you never try to let it piss you off to a point where it affects your game. Guys like Shaq get so mad. That just plays into a flopper's hands."
With a scoring system based on the above categories in place, an All-Star flop contest would be easy to institute. The only roadblock? Getting players to participate. Never mind the potential for injury: The first rule of Flop Club is pure Chuck Palahniuk. Don't talk about Flop Club. Sports Illustrated once asked Divac about flopping. His response was incredulous: Flopping? I don't call it flopping. I call it letting the ref know there is contact.
Two years ago -- a decade after his retirement -- Laimbeer sounded a similar note. Informed that both Wilkins and Patrick Ewing described him as diving's Dark Prince, the former Bad Boy wrinkled his brow, lifted an eyebrow and assumed the puzzled, who-me? countenance of an Iranian nuclear scientist.
"I disagree," he said. "No comment. Why are you coming at me?"
Sigh. Fans of the long-defunct North American Soccer League once rewarded particularly flamboyant dives by holding up cards reading "9.9, 9.8, 9.9." Give floppers the same sort of recognition -- the same sort of respect -- and perhaps they would be less reticent. In the meantime, I'll be watching this weekend's Academy Awards, crossing my fingers for an NBA equivalent. Cinephiles can keep "Crash" and "Brokeback Mountain"; give me the theatrical flourish of Ginobili, shamelessly faking a broken back after crashing Wallace.
Hey, if spurious man-on-man contact is good enough to net Heath Ledger and Jake what's-his-name Oscar nominations, it's good enough for All-Star Weekend.
"[Flopping is] part of the game," Rollins says. "The officials sometimes know you're flopping. But it looks so good, they'll give you the call."
Manu , I wish I could quit you.
