Archive for NBA
Heat Wave: King James Signs for UDA
Posted by: | CommentsThis past Saturday, July 31, was a special day in Upper Deck’s history. It also marked a significant day for yours truly. You see, Upper Deck Authenticated (UDA) had secured an autograph-signing session with company spokesman LeBron James during his King’s Academy Basketball Camp, which was being held at nearby Rimac Arena on the campus of UC San Diego. The meaningful part for me was the fact that I got to interview LeBron, face-to-face, on camera. I was pumped.
THANKS FOR SITTING: Properly miking up King James was my first assignment of the day, after hanging the Upper Deck signage, that is.
As we’ve done exclusively since 2003, our mission was to nail down authentic, eye-witnessed signatures from “The King” for fast-approaching UDA product launches. But what made this particular meeting historic was the fact that it was LBJ’s first official “Miami Heat” signing for the company. He would autograph Heat-emblazoned basketballs and multiple photos showing him sporting his new No. 6 uniform.
STRANGEST SURFACE? LeBron chuckled when I asked him what's the strangest surface he's ever been asked to sign. "Body parts," he said. "Many body parts."
The signing went smoothly; the products he autographed should be available to purchase on the UD Online store toward the tail end of next week. But the exciting part of the equation for me came right at the start, when I was able to ask LeBron several questions about his new team; new jersey number; whether or not he likes signing for the fans; and even a question or two about his personal collection. He was cooperative, informative and even shared a few sound bites that none of us had heard before. For instance, did you know his most prized autograph is a signed TIME magazine cover by the reigning Commander-in-Chief, Barack Obama? And exactly how many fans out there already knew that LBJ is a lefty when he signs his autograph?
EN FUEGO: According to LeBron, his plan is to turn the Miami Heat into perennial contenders every year. "It will mark a new beginning for me," he said.
I asked him what he’d like to say to his new fans in Miami; the most unusual surface he’s ever been asked to sign; and would he continue his pregame talcum powder routine beside the scorer’s table each night.
The process of landing the LeBron Q & A was relatively easy, thanks to the orchestration efforts of Upper Deck’s Athlete Relations team. Landing a capable videographer for the Saturday afternoon shoot was not hard either; I only had to mention that LeBron James would be on the other side of the lens. Since making his well-documented “Decision” back on July 8 regarding his departure from Cleveland and impending arrival in South Beach, LeBron has endured his fair share of criticism, especially from the hometown crowd. A native of Akron, Ohio, and former three-time Ohio State Basketball Player of the Year while attending St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, he understood the backlash that would occur once he made his announcement. In seven exciting seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron averaged 27.8 points per game and led the Cavs to the NBA Finals for the first time ever in 2007.
LEGIBILITY IS KEY: LeBron took his time when signing UDA's new "Welcome to Miami" 16 x 20's.
But this day, three weeks after his announcement, he was more eager to discuss his newfound plans about winning a championship in Miami alongside the likes of perennial All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
‘It’s gonna be exciting,” he said. “It will mark a new beginning for me. Most of all, it’s gonna be fun.”
As will the unveiling of his new uniform number for memorabilia collectors. A longtime admirer of Hall-of-Famer Julius Erving, who sported the same number during his days with the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron mentioned that the number brings with it some good Mojo as well. It’s the number he wore during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games when Team USA brought home the gold medal, its first since 2000. LeBron scored 14 points, pulled down six rebounds and added three assists in “The Redeem Team’s” 118-107, gold-medal-winning game against Spain.
SLOW AND STEADY: LeBron autographed several Spalding basketballs during the UDA signing, which will be available next week at Upper Deck's online store.
“Right now, it’s all about starting over,” he said. “And that’s what the No. 6 will allow me to do in Miami.”
LeBron doesn’t turn 26 until December 30. He’s a 6’ 8” basketball phenom who’s about to embark on a whirlwind tour with more on-court talent surrounding him than he ever had in Cleveland. With apologies to an aging Shaquille O’Neal, that’s simply the way it is. The world is LeBron’s oyster; the NBA title remains his elusive pearl.
As for his responses to some of those other questions I posed? I guess you’ll just have to wait for the video to see how those came out.
Popularity: 5% [?]
What a Difference a Year Makes
Posted by: | CommentsOnce or twice a year I get a really great phone call from my brother. It usually starts off with him asking if I can make it up to LA either that night or the next night and after that, a tidal wave of elation hits me as I know he’s about to ask me to go to a Lakers playoff game with him.
Now it is fun to spend time with my brother and going to a playoff game is cool, but that’s not what makes the experience so awesome. He gets these seats that are just ridiculous where we sit in the first row behind the sports writers who cannot stand during the game. You are on eye level with the players throughout and it’s just a different type of experience. As a lifelong Lakers fan, this is just the best.
When the writers can't stand to cheer, you get a pretty darn good view of the game.
With the Lakers squaring off against the Suns, and having gone to school in Arizona, last night’s outing to the Staples Center in L.A. was a just reason to incite some fun text battles with old friends.
Here are a few excerpts:
AZ Girl: How was Amare’s dunk under the net? In your face?!
Me: Missed it, must have been looking up at the SCOREBOARD!
AZ Girl: Down by 6 – Gonna be a good 4th!
Me: Not if you’re a Suns fan. Never too late to come to the purple and gold.
AZ Girl: OMG – never! I just had a gag reflex!
Me: Your Eurotrash is worse than our Eurotrash. (after Sasha Vujacic and Goran Dragić got into it)
AZ Girl: Love Goran! Your Euro is a Serb!!
Me: He just Serbed Dragic!
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AZ Guy: Please tell Kobe to shut up and stop whining!
Me: He can’t stop winning.
AZ Guy: He whines like Duncan.
Me: He’s passionate, unlike boring Nash.
AZ Guy: Nash has a bigger heart than your fourth chin.
Hey, it was all in good fun. I did notice after the contest ended with a last-second Laker basket for the victory, all their text bombs stopped rather abruptly. Odd…or maybe I was just too busy celebrating to notice any that may have come in.
When Ron Ron made that bucket, the place went nuts, what a great moment!!!
What makes this whole experience interesting however is that the last time my brother called, it was to attend the Lakers/Rockets playoff game. That game was almost equally as memorable as the game last night, especially since it was the game where Ron Artest got right in Kobe’s face and everyone in Staples thought there was about to be a full-fledged brawl between the two stars. As Artest made that amazing last-second shot to seal the Lakers’ victory last night and Kobe ran to embrace him, I thought about that. What a difference a year makes, huh?
A year ago they were on the brink of killing each other...
And now it's a lovefest in Lakerland!
Artest is a galvanizing character to say the least. Nobody was sure how this guy would fair in a major media market like L.A. He’s done all the right things though. He’s quirky to say the least, but as stories start to sprout about Artest giving fans his personal cell phone number, having them meeting him through Twitter and appearances like this on Jimmy Kimmel Live, it’s tough not to like the guy.
That’s why it was such a cool moment in Game 5 last night. He had not been having a good night at all, and in particular, he was not having a good fourth quarter. But there he was, when the Lakers needed him most, in the right spot, at the right time, with the world watching. You couldn’t help but feel good for him and think, “What a difference a year makes.”
Popularity: 2% [?]
My Fellow Americans, Promise Me You Will Watch
Posted by: | CommentsAs a sports fan living in United States in May, you’ve got some really great options in terms of what to watch on television. The good news is that I’m here to help. I’m not talking about whether to watch “American Idol” or “Law & Order,” I’m talking about what you should be watching if you’ve got testosterone pumping in your veins and team jerseys hanging in your closet.
You could watch baseball, but really, it’s just a few weeks into the season. It’s way too early to believe anything you’re seeing. I mean the San Diego Padres have the best record in the National League. Do you really think that’ll be true in September? I’m a Padres fan and even I know this is an anomaly. So unless you are hitting the ballpark, you don’t need to watch baseball right now.
What about the basketball playoffs? I’ll be honest; although I’m a huge hoops fan, unless I’m at a game, I have a hard time actually paying attention until the fourth quarter. When I do zone back in, chances are it’s a blowout anyway. And then they take three or four days’ off at times, I’m not even sure the Lakers have played in May. There is something better out there.
My fellow Americans, promise me you’ll watch the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. I’m fairly certain the NHL is the reason why God invented High Definition television. I’m not after those of you who know who the Original Six are; I’m after those of you who think the Original Six is a breakfast special at Denny’s or an old Lee Marvin film. I’m calling out those of you who can’t name one player on your nearest NHL team. And to do it, I’m bringing out one of my favorite tools to convince you. That’s right; it’s the Top 10 list for why you should watch the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs.
#10 – Embrace the goalies. The guys in the net have got so much game they should just have a referee cruising around with them 24/7. From the awesome designs on their helmets to the catlike reflexes they exhibit when pucks are fired at them like they’re being shot out of a cannon, goalies are just awesome. And there is nothing cooler than watching a hot goalie. You’ve got to see Jaroslav Halak on the Montreal Canadiens. Here’s a guy who almost got traded during the season and is now playing out of his mind, especially when his team is on the brink of elimination. If he stays hot, you are in for a real treat.
Jaroslav Halak has been on fire when the Montreal Canadiens have been on the brink of elimination.
#9 – Take five minutes and find the Vs. channel on your TV. Why do you need to know where the Vs. channel is? Because it’s a testament to everything a true sports fan wants, which is more sports channels. We need more than the four-letter network can provide us. Learn where they are at and find hockey bliss. And hey, you may even fall in love with bull riding while you’re at it.
#8 – The players are the ultimate role models for men. I mean these guys can grow a full beard while driving to the rink! They’re crashing into the boards and dropping the gloves to scrap more frequently than you hear Lindsay Lohan’s name on TMZ. And have you seen the girls these guys date? They are off the charts…I mean God bless the puck bunnies!
Here I am with Tobias Enstrom and Nicklas Backstrom. It’s not hard to spot who the two professional hockey players are in this picture. They look like the cool European villains from the first Die Hard.
#7 – If your team makes the NHL playoffs, they have a chance to win. You can’t say that about other sports. The Chicago Bulls didn’t have a chance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Atlanta Hawks didn’t have a shot of beating the Orlando Magic. In the NHL though, #8 seeds can beat #1 seeds and even advance further. Anything can happen in the playoffs for the NHL and that’s what makes it awesome.
#6 – Zdeno Chara. You may be asking yourself, “What’s that?” That’s exactly my point. He’s a 6’ 9” defenseman for the Boston Bruins from Slovakia. Yeah, he’s as tall as some NBA forwards, and oh yeah, he skates. I met him last year and have been having nightmares about the encounter ever since. He’s playing in a huge Game 7 match against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight, so you won’t to miss it. Your TV may shake when he checks Philly’s players.
Much like Ivan Drago, whatever Chara hits, he destorys.
#5 – Fighting. Mind you, I’m not condoning violence, but there’s something really cool about seeing a couple guys let out their frustrations by throwing punches while on ice skates. And these guys know how to rumble. If you ever see a fight in the NBA, it’s just pushing and shoving. If they do throw a punch, they are so lanky, they never connect. Watching the NBA players fight is more awkward than watching that forced Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie kiss at the MTV Awards Show from years ago. Hockey players however know what they are doing when it comes to a brawl.
Fights in the NBA never really work out leaving you feeling much like you felt when you saw this; really, really confused as to what you were just watching.
#4 – Don’t you remember playing hockey video games when you were younger? There was nothing better. Do you remember Blades of Steel? What about NHL 93 on SEGA where you could lay out a player making their head bleed and then watch it on replay? You loved that right? Don’t tell me the rules are too hard for you, because you know what icing is, that’s why you always turned if off on the settings when you played the video game. That hockey lover is still somewhere inside you. I can feel it. Give him the remote control; he’ll be able to find Vs.
Don't you remember this? How great was this game???
#3 – The games are more exciting than anything else you’ll see on TV this May. There is seldom a blowout in playoff hockey and if there is, they’ll pull the freaking goalie and really make things fun. The players never phone it in and are always out there giving 100% during the playoffs. It’s just hardcore action from start to finish. And when the home team wins a series, well people go crazy. Check out some of the images of the party that took place in Montreal two nights ago after the Canadiens beat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
#2 – Power plays and the penalty box. How great is the concept of one- or two-man advantages in sports? Imagine if basketball or baseball had that? That would just be awesome. And don’t get me started on the penalty box. You’re basically putting grown men in timeout. I love the concept so much I remember incorporating it at parties in college. If people got out of control we had an area taped off where they were only allowed bread and water until they regrouped and were ready to join the party. The penalty box is a concept I never get tired of.
#1 – Remember the Olympics. Come on, you remember that right? They just happened a couple months ago. Team USA almost won the gold medal. Remember Ryan Miller? Remember Team USA pulling their goalie to score that late goal sending the gold medal game into overtime? You liked that, nay, you loved that. And instead of playing for medals this time around, they’re playing for the best trophy ever made: the Stanley Cup. Can you even name the NBA Championship trophy? I can’t, and neither can half the NBA. The Stanley Cup is the Bentley of sports trophies. You don’t believe me? See it for yourself in the weeks to come and just promise me, promise me you’ll watch.
Who will hoist the Cup this year?
Popularity: 7% [?]
Grizzlies Don’t Think Rudy Gay is Worth the Money
Posted by: | CommentsBecause he could not come to a contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies, Rudy Gay will now become a member of the much anticipated 2010 offseason free agent shopping spree. Gay was looking for a contract in the range of the 5 year – $65 million extension that Portland gave Lamarcus Aldridge. Apparently, Memphis didn’t agree he was worth that high of an extension. Was this a good move for Gay or the Grizzlies?
Gay, by turning down Memphis’ best deal, obviously hopes to cash in on the much hyped free agent frenzy of next summer, when as many as 8-10 teams have been stockpiling cash in hopes of landing one of the “big fish”. Could Gay and his agent have overvalued his talents? In my opinion, Rudy would probably be in the third tier of players available next summer.
He obviously is not on the top tier, which includes LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. He isn’t even in the category of the next best grouping of possible game changers like Nowitzki, Ming, or Joe Johnson. He probably fits in the third group of available players who are more complimentary like Michael Redd. I don’t even think that Gay is of the same caliber of Rajon Rondo, who just resigned for five years and $55 million in Boston.
As for his comparison to Aldridge? Although they are different types of players, their offensive numbers are very similar. Both have averaged around 17 ppg for their careers with Aldridge averaging almost 8 rebounds to go with the scoring. While Gay has probably become the Grizzlies’ #1 scoring option, Aldridge plays second fiddle to Brandon Roy in Portland. There is always a sense of uncertainty about how good a player really is when they are the high scorer on a bad team.
I’m sure the Knicks are kicking themselves now for trading their top two selections in the ‘06 and ‘07 NBA Draft to the Chicago Bulls in 2005 for the rights to Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis, and what would become Wilson Chandler. Those two picks turned out to be Aldridge (‘06) and Noah (‘07). Even though Chicago would send Aldridge to Portland, their consolation prize would have been Tyrus Thomas. Rudy Gay also switched teams before setting foot in an NBA arena. Houston, who traded Gay to Memphis for Shane Battier, sure could use a promising player like Rudy right now.
In my opinion, Rudy should have taken the money and ran, especially since his continued development may be stifled in Memphis with the addition of the ball-hogging Iverson. I think that ultimately, OJ Mayo and Zach Randolph will put up a ton of shots as well. The jury is out.
What do you think? Let us know which player (Aldridge or Gay) will have the better career, and if Gay should have taken the money.
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously. He also coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckBlog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven (hoopsworld4.wordpress.com).
Popularity: 2% [?]
Is Atlanta’s Joe Johnson a Superstar?
Posted by: | CommentsAlthough Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks is regarded as one of the NBA’s most feared shooters (and one of best all-around talents by opposing players and coaching staffs alike), he has never been considered a superstar by the fans. But if he helps lead the Hawks back to the playoffs and improves on his All-Star caliber numbers, Johnson stands poised to make superstar dollars as a free agent during the 2010 off-season. While upwards of 8-10 teams are slashing payroll in hopes of landing one of the prized free agents like Lebron, Wade, or Bosh, Joe Johnson could be a viable fallback solution for those teams who lose out on one of “The Big 3″, and are looking for their next franchise player.
Even though on the surface it is sometimes hard to understand how or why a player would turn down another multi-million dollar deal, sometimes the move could turn out to be a good one, as in Johnson’s scenario. Turning down and extension worth four years at $60 million is actually a good move considering he should command a deal around five years at $100 million.
Which begs the question: Is Joe Johnson worthy of a max free agent deal? Let’s look at the numbers.
At 6′7, 240 pounds, and 28 years old, he is entering his prime years and is the perfect size for a two guard or even the small forward position at times (on a team with a small lineup). Although he started off slowly by never averaging more than 9.8 ppg in his first two seasons, Joe upped his game while in Phoenix, averaging 17 ppg, and became an All-Star caliber talent since the trade to Atlanta in ‘05 by averaging 20+ ppg every season for the Hawks. He had a career year in ‘06-’07 when he was among the top scorers in the league, going at a 25 ppg clip.
His last two seasons have been identical with Johnson showing his all around game by posting 21 ppg, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. He has also been very reliable, playing in 77 or more games in seven of his eight seasons. Add being a principal participant for USA Basketball in the ‘06 World Championships and captaining an Atlanta Hawks squad into the playoffs the past two seasons, and Johnson possesses a basketball resume that many players would dream of.
So I’ll ask again: is he worthy of a max free agent deal next Summer? Probably not, but considering his age, durability, and phenomenal skill set, some team will shove a boatload of dough in Johnson’s direction if they lose out on LeBron, Wade, or Bosh. In my opinion, he would be a great second banana, in the Scottie Pippen-to-Michael Jordan mold. It’s not impossible for Johnson to be in that very scenario next summer, since a few teams like the Knicks and Nets have enough cash freed up to sign 2 players to max deals. Imagine LeBron and Johnson both playing at MSG for the Knickerbockers thru 2015!
The future looks bright for Johnson since most GM’s have him in ranked within their second tier of free agents next year, along with Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, and possibly Carmelo Anthony, who will all have the Brinks truck backing up to their front door with bags of money.
Ultimately Johnson holds all of the cards concerning his future. He can chose to shoulder the burden of being the new face of a franchise, or take the role of a supporting sidekick to a 30 ppg scorer in an attempt to win a championship.
Check out some of Joe Johnson’s best highlights:
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously. He also coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckBlog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven (hoopsworld4.wordpress.com).
Popularity: unranked [?]
