Deeoriginal1's CBSsports Blog Archive

My motto is: Live ye long. But die ye must.

Tiger Wood's wins this year in both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament sparked a little dejà vu for me.

Back in March of this year, I wrote:

That conniving woman who screamed out loud... right in the middle of Tiger Woods' tee-shot on the 15th hole yesterday during the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida... causing him to flinch and mi**** the ball... meant to cause the disturbance that she caused in Tiger's game....


Well, it didn't work. The big timely shrill by the dame in the gallery during Tiger's tee-shot that caused the huge mi****... while causing a Tiger stumble... did not cause a Tiger fall.

Tiger maintained his lead after that round and went on to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Too bad that ol' Arnie hungout at the tournament aaaallll day long and had to leave to go to the hospital to check his blood pressure... 15 minutes before Tiger Woods sank his final putt to win Arnie's invitational.

But hopefully... Arnie got to see Tiger hoist his trophy up for the cameras... for the seventh time... on ESPN-TV or the GOLF Channel later on that day.

And Ninjaneer responded:

The scream by the woman during the 3rd Round of Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Tournament was unfortunate and indeed an accident. Not planned. From what I understand, a young boy near a concession stand fainted from the heat and passed out, the woman (I don't know whether she was his mother or not) then screamed. That's what happened. The incident did not affect the outcome of the tournament.

Thank you for your concern about Arnold Palmer.

Sunday's award ceremony for the Memorial Tournament made me realize how... even in retirement... Jack Nicklaus outshines Arnold Palmer.

As I watched Jack Nicklaus warmly congratulate Tiger Woods on winning his fifth Memorial Tournament at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Muirfield Village Golf Course in Dublin, Ohio, Sunday... I couldn't help but wonder, "Now, why couldn't Arnold Palmer have done the same thing when Tiger Woods won his Arnold Palmer Invitational back in March?"

Well... the answer to that question is simple.

The difference between the two living golf icons... Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer... is and always has been class.

Jack has ALWAYS been a class act!

He had to be.

As I recall... Jack Nicklaus wasn't exactly welcomed into the professional golfing arena with open arms.

Remember?

Jack Nicklaus was the virtual unknown... this young 22-year-old pudgy guy... who dared to challenge the ever-popular Arnold Palmer for the 1962 U.S. Open title.

Arnold Palmer was adored! Revered!

And during a sudden death 18-hole playoff for that 1962 major... it is well documented how throngs and throngs of Arnold Palmer fans in the gallery... Arnie's Army... badgered Jack Nicklaus with shouts during his backswing calling him "Fat Jack" and "Fatso"... in hopes of throwing **** of his game so that the #1 golfer on the PGA Tour could catch up to Jack and win the U.S. Open title.

And not once did Arnold Palmer step up and encourage his fans in the gallery to be civil and to respect the sport, the tournament and Jack Nicklaus.

Nooooo. Instead, Arnold used Arnie's Army's assaults to hold Jack at bay while he mounted one of his patented rallies. And his plan worked... for the most part.

But the young Jack Nicklaus... playing in his first-ever U.S. Open... managed to absorb the infamous barrage of insults from Arnie's Army in the gallery and defeated their hero... the #1 player on the tour... by 3 strokes to become the youngest U.S. Open winner at that time.

No. It was never inside Arnold Palmer to show a little class and do the right thing.

Just as it was never inside Jack Nicklaus to be bitter about the whole affair and carry a grudge. He had far too much class for that. Even at the young age of 22.

And even in defeat... after Jack Nicklaus had snatched the 1962 U.S. Open out of his grasp... all Arnold Palmer could taunt was, "Now that the big guy is out of his cage, everybody better run for cover." As if Jack Nicklaus was... well... a bear or something.

It was a tacky, classless barb. But it turned out to be prophetic.

Jack Nicklaus... the Golden Bear... not only out-classed Arnold Palmer then (and now)... but he dwarfed Arnold's accomplishments in golf... by leaps and bounds.

That was then. And this is now...

Tiger Woods not only won Jack's Memorial Tournament this weekend, but the win tied him with Jack Nicklaus with 73 wins in their careers. Only Sammy Snead has more wins with 82.

And Sunday as I watched Jack Nicklaus warmly smile, embrace and congratulate the once-young-up-and-coming-Tiger who has surpassed and challenged many of Jack's records over the past 14 years... I am so proud of the classy face that Jack Nicklaus puts on golf.

Jack Nicklaus is just a class act.

And that is refreshing.

Thanks, Jack.

With the Los Angeles Lakers AND the Los Angeles Clippers unceremoniously bowing out in the second round of the NBA playoffs... and the revamped Los Angeles Sparks getting off to a quick 2-0 start in the WNBA... it appears that the new "Showtime" team in Los Angeles might very well be the ladies in purple and gold. The Los Angeles Sparks!

And the fellas could stand to pull a page or two out of the Los Angeles Sparks' playbook and put 'em to good use.

Yeah, I said it!

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers were little more than traveling soap operas and TV reality shows throughout the NBA season and the postseason this year.

"Is Pau Gasol on the trading blocks?" "Is Kobe Bryant getting too old?" "Was Kobe's messy divorce a distraction?" "Is Andrew Bynum too immature?" "Is Mike Brown out?" "Did the Lakers make a mistake trading away Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher?" "Did Derek Fisher get the last laugh when his Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the Lakers this week from the playoffs?" "Who won't be back next year?" "Who do they need to trade for to win a championship? Superman Dwight Howard?!"

"Why is everybody hating on Blake Griffin?" "Chris Paul... so-called CP3... is hurt. That's why he was ineffective against Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs." "Blake Griffin is hurt. That's why his big 6'10" goofy-S could only get ONE rebound in 37 minutes of play... during a playoff game!"

"My leg hurts." "My knee hurts."

WAH WAH WAH WAH WAAAAAH!

If celebrities like Jack Nicholson and Billy Crystal are going to pay $5,000 to $14,000 to sit on the floor each home game... just to see the Lakers or the Clippers play... they don't want to hear all this whiny bullssshh!

They want to see SHOWTIME! And so do the rest of the Los Angeles fans seated in the cheap seats and out in TV land.

Now... the Clippers... I will excuse from further criticism... as winning is not something they're accustomed to doing.

But the Lakers?! The notorious purple and gold?!

Those purple and gold colors are known worldwide!

The Lakers are a flagship franchise of the NBA. They are the headliners... the world's best... perennial winners... with a tradition of raising championship banners.

But for the past two seasons... the Lakers have done nothing short of embarrass themselves AND the purple and gold they wear.

But wait a minute!

You don't have to be disappointed and tuck those purple and gold jerseys away for the summer, if you're a Los Angeles basketball fan.

If you're a Los Angeles basketball fan... BE a Los Angeles basketball fan!

Because the purple and gold is still running strong... in the same town... in the same arena... but coming out of a different locker room.

The Los Angeles Sparks are wearing the purple and gold. And they're representing, baby!

With a new coach. With a new team. With Candace Parker... the real CP3... headlining SHOWTIME in the STAPLES Center!

This year's Sparks are poised to compete for a title... something that the other purple and gold team in town won't be doing anytime soon... in my honest opinion.

The Sparks have jumped off to a 2-0 start... with the real CP3... Candace Parker... popping 21-and-10 Tuesday night against Team USA point guard Sue Bird and her Seattle Storm in L. A.'s home-opener to notch the win, 74-61.

And that guy impersonating CP3 with the Clippers...point guard Chris Paul... well... he could have learned a few things by checking out Sparks point guard Kristi Toliver... who has averaged 21.5 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 3.5 rebounds and 35 minutes per game in the first two games of the season... while shooting over 62% from the field (15-24)... and over 69% from behind the 3-point arc (9-13).

Yep... I said it!

What did Chris Paul do in the Clippers' final playoff series where they got swept by the San Antonio Spurs this weekend?

He averaged 12.8 points on 21-54 shooting from the field (37%). He hit a third of his three-pointers (4-12) for 33%... averaged 4 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 38 minutes per game... during this 4-game series. And his team went 0-4... and out the door!

And I'd rag-on the Lakers' point guard, too. But who is he?

Ramon Sessions?! ... 12-34 (35%), 6.8 pts, 0-4 three pointers, 3 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 30 minutes per game in L. A.'s 5-game series against Oklahoma City this week?

Or Steve Blake?! ... 7-18 (39%), 4.6 points, 4-13 three-pointers (31%), 1 assist, 3.4 rebounds and 23 minutes per game of the same series?

What a mess!

Both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers really have their work cut out for them this summer!

In the meantime... Los Angeles fans can get their basketball-jones on with the only SHOWTIME in town right now... the Los Angeles Sparks!

It's Derby Eve in the big Derby City!

Thought I'd take a break with the Kentucky Derby only hours away... and mull over the Kentucky Derby field in my official Kentucky Derby Program.

Hmmm... no scratches. All of the ponies will be running.

I guess I'll do what I usually do. Bet on all of the long shots... hoping that one of them will luck-up and win it all! Sorta like I'm hoping my Nicky Anosike and the Los Angeles Sparks will do in the WNBA this season!

But you know... looking at the names of these long shot Kentucky Derby entries... they're kinda hinting that I might have a winner... at least as far as the L.A. Sparks are concerned.

Check this out...

Prospective -- 69-1

Prospective! See what I'm talking about?! The Los Angeles Sparks are the "Prospective" 2012 WNBA Champs!

Alpha -- 22-1

Alpha! BAM! They're "Alpha" A-1! The Alpha dog, dawg!

Liaison -- 60-1

Liaison! They have a "Liaison" with destiny!

Optimizer -- 31-1

Optimizer! Man, you can't get any more perfect than that!

Rousing Sermon -- 19-1

Rousing Sermon! That could be a rousing locker room speech... that inspires the Sparks all the way to the title!

Done Talking -- 34-1

Done Talking! Yeah, baby! When you're all "Done Talking"... it's time to go out there and leave it all on the court!

Sabercat -- 38-1

Sabercat! That's what the Sparks have to fight and claw like... a "Sabercat"! Never seen one, myself. But I bet they're pretty fierce!

Daddy Long Legs -- 26-1

Daddy Long Legs! "Daddy", please let their legs be long enough to runaway with it!

El Padrino -- 33-1

El Padrino! "El Padrino" is the Latino Godfather! That's us, baby! And I'll be El-Padrino-macking all up and down Figueroa if we win it all!

Trinniberg -- 41-1

Trinniberg! Uh... ...I'm feeling nothing about this one here! But yeah! Trinniberg!

Went The Day Well -- 20-1

Went The Day Well! Well, if all of my long shots run well... my day will go pretty damm swell!

And if that happens... hailyeah! I'll Have Another (17-1)!

But with my bum luck picking Kentucky Derby winners... Take Charge Indy (8-1) is probably some kind of omen that the Indiana Fever are going to come up with some kinda Creative Cause (12-1) to nose-out my Los Angeles Sparks at the wire.

I guess Daddy Nose Best (14-1), Bodemeister (8-1).

Union Rags (6-1) may be our portion, if there's no Gemologist (8-1) in L.A.'s future.

All the luck always seems to go to the Irish guys like Hansen (7-1) and Dullahan (10-1) and gals like Indiana's Tammy O'Sutton, Tamika McCatchings, Katie Douglas and Lin Dunn'agan.

Jeepers... it's Derby Eve!

And it's raining so hard that the horses are going to have to swim across the finishline in the big Run for the Roses tomorrow!

But the party's on 'til dawn!

That would be great... if only I was on the other side of the bar.

But from behind the bar... with both of our bars are packed... it's all work! No sleep tonight. We're open 24 hours!

Great for the pocketbook! Bad for the feet... and the lower back!

Well, my break's over!

Got my picks. Gonna play my hunches.

Best of luck to you all!
Here's hoping your horse comes in... sooner or later! (lol)

Rick Pitino is what you call a NAME in college basketball.

And I think... sometimes that NAME overshadows his team and clouds his judgment.

NOW... this thread could end right here... because that's my point. But it won't... because there's so much more to be said on the matter.

Every Rick Pitino team at every school he's been at... in the last 27 years of his 36-year coaching career... has been all about him and his NAME.

It hasn't been about these schools' basketball programs nor the athletes he's coached over those years. It's been all about him... Rick Pitino... the NAME.

That's why none of his former players really burst out into the NBA and have Hall-of-Fame-like careers... with the exception of maybe Antoine Walker or Jamal Mashburn. And it would truly be a stretch to imply that either of those two will make it into the basketball Hall of Fame.

Rick Pitino seems to stifle the drive of any extraordinary basketball talent that he coaches in order to maintain the spotlight on himself.

When Rick Pitino gets his hands on great players, he steers them away from their own personal strengths and brow-beats them into taking-on the style of play that HE thinks they should have.

The end result is that great players don't become greater players under Rick Pitino. They regress to become mediocre players... who... once they get away from Rick Pitino and into the pros... struggle to regain the extraordinary talents that made them great players in the first place.

Many great players go into Rick Pitino's program... but very few come out. And he has had some really great players go into his system... like Ron Mercer, Winston Bennett, Kenny "Sky" Walker, Derek Anderson, Rodrick Rhodes, Francisco Garcia, Juan Palacios, Terrence Williams, Derrick Caracter, Earl Clark, Samardo Samuels and others.

But Rick Pitino... the NAME... wants to be seen as the king-maker. That's why Rick Pitino is credited with turning out great head coaches. Not great players.

Pitino wants to be credited as being the reason why his teams are so good. He does not want his team's success to be credited to the individual talent of his players. And it's little wonder that both Rodrick Rhodes and Derrick Caracter... once casted-out by Rick Pitino... found flourishing careers in other schools under very different coaches.

So, Tuesday night... as I watched as Rick Pitino benched Russ Smith... a prolific-scoring-guard out of Brooklyn, New York, who scored 30 points against the likes of the second-ranked Kentucky Wildcats on New Year's Eve... I listened to ESPN sports analyst Doris Burke speculate as to why Russ was not in the game as his Louisville team took a pounding from Providence. "Rick Pitino seems to be sending this young man a message," she mused.

Yep. And that message is: "There's only room for one star on this team. And that star is ME... Rick Pitino!"

It was quite clear that if winning was the name of the game for Rick Pitino... Russ Smith would have been in that game.

But winning is not the name of the game for Rick Pitino. Rick Pitino is the name of the game for Rick Pitino... polishing his brand... preserving his NAME.

Speaking as an SEC Kentucky fan... believe me... there is no love lost between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats... EVER! I'm a Gator hater... whenever and wherever they play the Big Blue!

And when it came to Tim Tebow at Florida... I really didn't care for the way Urban Meyer just shoved Tebow into his lineup in his freshman year... completely dousing any hopes that senior quarterback Chris Leak had of being considered for the Heisman Trophy in his final year in Gainesville, Florida.

Tebow was the freshman phenom who stole all of the headlines and credit from Leak in Florida. And maybe that's why it was kinda nice to see Leak... and not Tebow... be named the MVP of the BCS National Championship Bowl, as Leak placed the national title in Urban Meyer's lap in his final game as a Gator.

That was sweet... for Chris Leak!

But then there was Tebow's sophomore year at Florida... when he was the starting quarterback. He was named the Associated Press Player of the Year and the NCAA Quarterback of the Year. And he also won the Heisman Trophy that year.

And what did Tebow do in his junior year at Florida? Well... he won a BCS National Championship against Oklahoma! That's what!

So, by Tim Tebow's senior year at Florida... I think everyone everywhere-else had heard just about enough of Tim Tebow. And that's why I didn't mind it too much when Kentucky flattened his little haloed-S and gave him a concussion in his final year.

Sick? Yeah, I know. But it was kinda nice to see Tim Tebow knocked out of his element. Because when he was in his element...he was unstoppable.

At any rate... as far as I was concerned... thank God Tim Tebow was on his way OUT of the SEC!

And I really thought that Tebow would be welcomed into the NFL with opened arms... especially since the pros were trying to persuade him to enter the NFL draft after his sophomore year.

But like the piranhas we all know that they can be... the so-called pro football experts and sports pundits trashed Tim Tebow's draft prospects on some completely fabricated and trumped-up notion that his throwing motion was too slow or too low for the pros.

Now... mind you... this is the same throwing motion that had won Tim Tebow a Heisman, two national championships and countless player and quarterback of the year awards.

And there ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr., was... a man who had NEVER played an NFL game in his life... taking it upon himself to downgrade Tebow's draft status.

So-called experts like Kiper were hellbent on humbling Tim Tebow and shattering his golden boy aura. And they succeeded.

Tim Tebow... who should have been the #1 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft... slipped down to the Denver Broncos as the 25th pick of the draft.

And despite being haunted by all of this contrived mess about his throwing motion by Kiper and others... Tim Tebow's rookie stats were better than most other starting NFL quarterbacks' rookie stats... with very few exceptions. But yet... all of these so-called experts kept raising the bar higher and higher for Tebow to hurdle.

And finally... this year... after the Denver Broncos had dropped to a 1-4 record behind Kyle Orton... Tim Tebow finally got the nod to replace Orton as the Broncos' starting quarterback.

And again the so-called pro football experts and sports pundits piled on and said Tim Tebow would be an utter failure as Denver's starting quarterback... for this reason and for that reason. Even John Elway and others in Denver's own front office have been very vocal about their lack of confidence in Tim Tebow's playing style.

But all Tebow did was reel-off a 7-1 record for the Broncos and placed them at the top of the AFC West Division for Denver's first division title and playoff appearance since 2005. And in a year when my Indianapolis Colts lost starting quarterback Peyton Manning and managed to win only ONE game... what Tebow was able to do in Denver sounds pretty damm remarkable to me.

Week after week... game after game... soooo many of these so-called pro football experts and sports pundits have had to eat their words and wrong predictions about Tebow... on the air! But that has not stopped them from setting the bar higher and higher for Tim Tebow with each passing game.

In the playoffs... these experts predicted that the #1 defense in the NFL and a one-legged 2-time Super Bowl champion quarterback would be too much for Tebow in the first round of the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And they were wrong.

Tim Tebow threw a 80-yard touchdown pass in overtime Sunday night to send the #1 defense in the NFL and their one-legged quarterback home... back to Pittsburgh.

Completely stunned and apologetic for their wry Tebow critiques and predictions... AGAIN... these same experts' crow was barely down their throats before they began to predict Tebow's demise against the 31st defense (out of 32 teams) in the NFL and a 3-time Super Bowl champion quarterback next Saturday in New England.

Maybe they're right. Maybe they're wrong.

But however the game turns out between Tim Tebow's Broncos and the New England Patriots this weekend... it will not negate the fact that Tim Tebow has ALREADY proven all of his naysayers to be wrong... sooooo many times this year.

He has nothingelse to prove to them or to us as NFL fans.

The guy is legit. He has already proven that he is better than, at least, 22 other starting quarterbacks in the NFL... by advancing through to the second round of the playoffs.

Like it or not... he has arrived in the NFL.

And it's about damm time that these so-called pro football experts, sports pundits, fans and Denver's own front office stop dicking-this-kid-around by continually raising the bar for his acceptance, acknowledgement and respect in the NFL.

Tim Tebow has made it! He has proven himself!

So, they need to stop this pretense that there's somethingelse Tim Tebow needs to prove! There isn't!

And if his season should end tomorrow... Tim Tebow will have had a great season... by ANY standard!

Ain't it bad enough that poor dumb-S Kris Humphries had to run out and marry a selfish-ho like Kim Kardashian?

Now, why did Forbes.com have to go and name poor Kris "the most disliked player" in the NBA this year?

Last year, LeBron James earned the dubious distinction for being the league's "most disliked player" in a Forbes.com poll. That was soon after his nationally televised "Decision" turned the masses against him. This year? Kris Humphries takes the crown. Yes, the same guy who decided it was not only a good idea to marry Kim Kardashian but also star in her reality TV show.

But I ain't mad at him. Kris Humphries-Kardashian just signed with the New Jersey Nets for $8-million. And he gets to keep all of those expensive wedding gifts... even if he didn't get to keep his bride... the skanky Mrs. Kim Humphries-Kardashian!

But to be honest with you... Kris Humphries doesn't deserve to be on Forbes' list of "the most disliked players" in the NBA. He hasn't accomplished anything in the NBA. His only claim to fame is humping-on and hooking-up with Kim Kardashian... a renowned locker room slutt.

Kris Humphries is a nobody!

He's like... what's that guy's name who married recording superstar Mariah Carey? Or what's that guy's name who married WNBA superstar Candace Parker?

He's a nobody! So, who cares enough about him to even bother disliking him?

Not I!

C'mon, now... who would have ever placed Kris Humphries at the top of a list that included big NBA names like LeBron James (as the 2nd most disliked player), Kobe Bryant (the 3rd most disliked player), Tony Parker (the 4th most disliked player), Metta World Peace (the player previously known as Ron Artest and the 5th most disliked player), Chris Bosh (the 6th most disliked player), Carmelo Anthony (the 7th most disliked player), Paul Pierce (the 8th most disliked player), Dwyane Wade (the 9th most disliked player) and Lamar Odom (Kris Humphries brother-in-law, by marriage, and the 10th most disliked player)?

This guy definitely doesn't belong in this company.

Kris Humphries would probably fit-in better with wild-S-hoes like NeNe and Kim on The Real Housewives of Atlanta or with Gilbert Arenas battling fiance on Basketball Wives: LA.

In fact, it kinda irks me that Forbes would publish something that would make this guy matter in ANY conversation regarding the NBA.

Kris Humphries doesn't matter in the NBA for what he's done on the basketball court... but rather for who he's done off of the basketball court.

All of the players and coaches who participated in the Cincinnati-Xavier brawl Saturday should be suspended from NCAA competition... FOR LIFE!

And that would send out a stern enough message to any other would-be brawlers that the NCAA will not tolerate this krapp.

Basketball is a sport. Not a thuggerated street fight!

If the Xavier players wanted to prove that they weren't "no punks" and could not be bullied by the Cincinnati players... even though the Xavier players were 9 seconds away from thoroughly defeating the Cincinnati players... they should be given that opportunity to prove that they're not "no punks"... in the streets and not on the basketball court.

The NCAA should toss every last one of these players in the streets and out of the NCAA for the rest of their collegiate lives.

The NCAA is an association. And these student athletes and coaches are members of that association... by virtue of competing for their respective schools in an NCAA-sanctioned game.

This disgusting brawl that occurred Saturday is more than enough reason to ban all of the participants in this brawl from any future NCAA competition... in ANY sport.

Their memberships should be REVOKED!

And perhaps... this will remind all of the players and coaches throughout the NCAA that it is a privilege to compete in the NCAA. Not a right.

And it should also remind them that basketball is a sport... that requires sportsmanship. Not thuggery.

If the Cincinnati players wanted to intimidate the Xavier players... they should have done so by winning the game.

And if the Xavier players wanted to prove that they could not be intimidated... they should have finished the game... and notched the win.

This whole debate about whether two teams from the same conference should face-off for the college football national championship... especially since the two teams just recently met-up in a regular season matchup... seems vaguely familiar. Almost like deja-vu.

Yep... when LSU toppled Alabama, 9-6, on Nov. 5th in their much-publicized regular season matchup... they were ranked #1 and #2 in the nation, respectively. And the SEC looked pretty fierce up to that point... much like the Big Ten Conference looked 5 years ago with #1 Ohio State and #2 Michigan.

Back on Nov. 18, 2006... #1 Ohio State defeated #2 Michigan, 42-39, in their regular season matchup... just weeks before the final BCS pairings were to be announced.

Ohio State had been ranked #1 in the BCS rankings for 7 straight weeks... the entire length of the BCS ranking period. And Michigan had been ranked #2 in those same rankings for 5 straight weeks. The Michigan Wolverines even maintained their #2 BCS ranking for one week after their only loss to the Buckeyes that season.

But did Michigan get the BCS nod for the national championship game against Ohio State that year?

Hellnaw!

Some argued back then that it was because the two teams had already faced-off a couple of weeks earlier during the regular season... and a rematch would just be redundant. Nobody wanted to see that matchup again.

Yet, others argued that it was because the two teams were in the same conference... and it would be more like a conference champion. Not a national championship.

Sound familiar?

Whatever the reason... the BCS obviously caved-in to public opinion and selected 4th-ranked Florida to play Ohio State for the national championship that year.

Florida... a team that had not been ranked any higher than #4 in the BCS rankings and that had been ranked below Michigan for 7 weeks... all of a sudden was catapulted into the #2 spot in the final week... leap-frogging Michigan.

And of course, Florida's selection over Michigan was vindicated that year... simply because they defeated Ohio State for the national title.

Now... in light of how 2006 turned out... why didn't the BCS selection committee show a little consistency this year... and avoided an all-SEC matchup in the national championship game?

I mean... the BCS selection committee would have been more justified avoiding an all-SEC national championship matchup this season than they were in avoiding an all-Big Ten national championship in 2006.

LSU is undefeated... just like Ohio State was in 2006.

And just like Ohio State was in 2006... LSU was ranked #1 in the BCS rankings for 7 straight weeks... the entire ranking period.

Additionally, LSU defeated their conference rivals, the 2nd-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, just weeks before the final BCS rankings... just like Ohio State had defeated their conference rivals, the 2nd-ranked Michigan Wolverines, weeks before the final BCS rankings in 2006.

Alabama was ranked #2 in the BCS rankings for 5 of the 7 weeks of BCS rankings... just like Michigan was ranked #2 in the BCS rankings for 5 of the 7 weeks of BCS rankings in 2006.

So, why didn't #3 Oklahoma State get the same BCS nod to play for the national championship this year that #4 Florida got from the BCS selection committee back in 2006?

That is the question!

Oklahoma State was, at least, ranked #2 in the BCS rankings for two straight weeks prior to suffering their only loss this season. And Oklahoma State and Alabama have identical 11-1 records.

At least, Oklahoma State is this year's Big 12 Conference Champions. Alabama didn't even make it to the SEC Conference Championship game this year.

In 2006, Florida was selected over Michigan... despite never being ranked among the top 3 BCS teams throughout the BCS ranking period... that is... until they were selected to play for the national championship in the BCS's final rankings.

So, what gives now?

Why is it okay for two SEC teams to play for the national championship NOW... when it wasn't okay for two Big Ten teams to play for the national championship back in 2006?

Cronyism?

Payoffs?

Your guess is as good as anybodyelse's.

But anyone who thinks that Alabama deserves to play for the national championship this season is... uh... well... probably wearing crimson and white... and not wearing orange and black.

When I say I'm a Tennessee Lady Vols fan... I really mean that I'm a Coach Pat Summitt fanatic!

I mean... growing up in nearby Kentucky in the 1970s when the legendary Coach Adolph Rupp was ruling NCAA men's basketball with his Kentucky Wildcats... then-Coach Pat Head was more than his equal on the women's side of the ball.

There was nothing and nobody quite like Pat Head and her Tennessee Lady Vols.

All she did was win... year after year after year!

And everybody loves a winner... even if that winner is nestled in a remote little Appalachian town in eastern Tennessee... even if the school's colors are a gaudy orange, white and Columbian blue... and even if it is a girls' basketball team.

Yes... in a man's world of basketball, with good ol' boys hoarding all of the accolades, attention and respect... Pat Summitt is the exception. Hers is a name that instantly silences the good ol' boys and their lauders. For Pat Summitt set the bar for excellence in basketball so high over the past 37 years that none of her male counterparts can even imagine coaching long enough to match or surpass her achievements.

She is the winningest coach in NCAA Division I basketball... male or female... with 1071 wins (and 199 losses) in 37 years. The closest men's coach to Pat's record is Duke University's Mike Kryzewski... with 907 wins (and 284 losses) in 36 years.

Never mind that Coach Pat Summitt was the NCAA Coach of the Year 7 times or the SEC Coach of the Year 8 times.

But in April 2000... Pat Summitt was named the James A. Naismith Basketball Coach of the (entire) 20th Century!

And never mind that Coach Pat Summitt has won 8 NCAA Championships and 16 SEC Championships.

But in 1999... the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame located itself... not in New York... not in Los Angeles... not in Indiana, Michigan or North Carolina... but in Knoxville, Tennessee... simply because that's where Pat Summitt hangs her clipboard!

Coach Pat Summitt's steely blue-eyed glares... her quirky superstitions... her fierce competitve nature... and her insatiable desire for excellence... are all tempered by her class and impeccable integrity... her love for the game... her gracious ambassador-like demeanor... her warm, homespun sense of humor... and her desire to not only coach basketball but to teach basketball.

And more than any other coach in the South... Pat Summitt kicked the door wide open for black women basketball players from inner cities like Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York; Stratford, New Jersey; St. Louis, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Cleveland, Ohio, to excel... even in the SEC.

She placed these young ladies on a national stage and molded them into champions... forcing SEC sports commentators to have to awkwardly attempt to pronounce names like Chamique and Tamika and Semeka and Shyra... with their thick southern drawls. And all the while... Pat Summitt made sure her players looked and acted like ladies at all times.

Pat Summitt has done it all. And she has done it all the right way... all of the time.

Pat Summit is so immensely popular in the State of Tennessee that she could have been elected Governor of Tennessee or hired as the head coach of Tennessee's men's basketball team. But neither one of those titles or positions is greater than the one she holds.

And now that Pat Summitt has announced that she is in the early stages of dementia... I can't help but feel that the Pat Summitt that we all love, respect and admire is going to slip away from us. Somehow... 37 years is simply not long enough.

I feel like I don't want to blink... because I don't want to miss even a second of the time that I have left to see this special phenomenon called Pat Summitt.

Even the sports commentators who cover her games are more focused on what Pat Summitt is doing or not doing on the sidelines than what her 8th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols are doing on the basketball court. "Is she the main voice in her huddles during timeouts?" "Is she taking a backseat to her assistants?" "Is she coherent?" "Is she involved?" "Is she the Pat Summitt we all know and admire?"

Who knows?

Who cares?

All I know is that I could care less about the Lady Vols out there playing on the court! I want to see Coach! And I thank the University of Tennessee for affording me... and the world of Pat Summitt fans and followers... an opportunity to witness... grasp... every drip-drop of the remaining moments in Coach Pat Summit's fabulous career.

Never mind the score or the outcome of the Tennessee Lady Vols' games. I'm watching something truly special... something that comes along only once in a lifetime... a phenomenon. I'm watching greatness... the Coach... Pat Summitt.

Jeepers! What would the NBA be nowadays without Kobe Bryant or LeBron James or Dwyane Wade or Carmelo Anthony or Dwight Howard or Dirk Nowitzki?

And despite the current player-lockout in the NBA... NBA fans have never really had to try to grasp the notion of the NBA without its brightest stars... since the NBA is the biggest and best stage in men's professional basketball... in the world!

But the WNBA... well... that's another story.

The WNBA is neither the biggest stage nor the best stage in professional women's basketball... in the world.

And while the allure of playing professional ball in the United States may have been enough to attract the world's best players to the WNBA in its first 13 or 14 years... it's becoming increasingly apparent that playing pro ball in America is not enough to keep these players loyal to the WNBA.

Professional women basketball players playing abroad in Europe and Asia play 20-25 games over a 5- or 6-month period throughout the winter and spring.

In contrast... when those same players play in the WNBA, they are required to play 34 games in 3 months during the summer.

It's no wonder why the top players... especially Americans... flock to these overseas leagues every year... not only because they offer longer and less congested schedules... but because they offer the big bucks... mucho dinero... mo' money, mo' money, honey!

But for some inexplicable reason... all of America's best players and many of the world's best players usually complete their overseas obligations and hurry back to the States in time to kickoff the WNBA season... for much less pay... every year... that is... until now.

In recent years... it seems like more and more big-name-players in the WNBA just choose not to play in the WNBA... and choose, instead, to cater to their overseas teams during the European offseason.

And no matter how the fans try to shake off the fact that these players are choosing to do other things... instead of playing in the WNBA... it's becoming more and more apparent that the WNBA is losing both its swagger and the loyalty of its primetime players.

Already during the WNBA's offseason that began about a month ago... Australian-born Seattle Storm superstar center Lauren Jackson... a 3-time WNBA MVP and a 2-time WNBA champion... has announced the signing of her $1-million contract to play 3 years in her native-Australia. And although Lauren's contract will span 3 seasons in the WNBL in Australia... she will be paid for FIVE years!

So, what reason does Lauren Jackson have to return to the WNBA's Seattle Storm next season... where her salary is capped-off at $103,500 for the 2012 season?

What does this say about the WNBA?

A couple of years ago, American-born San Antonio Silver Stars superstar point guard Becky Hammon left her WNBA team for two weeks... right in the middle of the season... to play for Russia overseas. That's because Becky Hammon had signed a 4-year contract with the Russians in 2008 for $2-million to apply for dual citizenship and play for the Russian National Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Becky Hammon is capped-out at about $101,500 per season in San Antonio of the WNBA.

Even when former University of Tennessee standout Candace Parker entered the WNBA as the #1 pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft... after capturing back-to-back NCAA titles with the Lady Vols... and finished as the WNBA's 2008 Rookie of the Year and MVP, Candace's spectacular rookie season in the WNBA netted her little more than $44,064 for the entire season.

Candace Parker almost received as much in post-season bonuses ($30,000) for league MVP, Rookie of the Year and All-WNBA First Team honors than she did from her Los Angeles Sparks WNBA rookie contract.

So, it's little wonder that Atlanta Dream starting post players Sancho Lyttle and Erika De Souza would both decide to leave their WNBA team this season to join Spain's National Team overseas for a week or two for various FIBA European competitions. In fact... Erika De Souza opted to leave her Atlanta Dream team right smack in the middle of their run in this year's Eastern Conference Finals and the WNBA Finals!

But at least Erika and Sancho showed up this season, huh?

Connecticut Sun star forward Sandrine Gruda didn't even bother to show up for the 2011 WNBA season this year. The frenchwoman opted to stay in Europe... with the French National Team.

And while you can probably blame Sandrine Gruda's absence and Sancho Lyttle's and Erika De Souza's midseason breakaways from the WNBA on their loyalty to their countries' national teams... what is the excuse for American players like New York Liberty starting center Janel McCarville and Chicago Sky forward Mistie Williams who decided to stay in Europe and skip the WNBA season this year, as well?

It seems that the WNBA's high demands and low pay has finally caught up with it. And the players are no longer willing to put the WNBA's needs ahead of their own.

Money talks... a lot!

And the WNBA just hasn't had much to say to its star players in that regard. As a result... the WNBA is beginning to take a backseat to professional leagues and national teams overseas... in the minds of its primetime players.

The WNBA is at the complete mercy of these players.

And while the NBA fans are hoping that the NBA's player-lockout will soon end... the WNBA fans are hoping that the star players in the WNBA don't decide to lockout the WNBA and stay in Europe, altogether.

Man... there's nothing more unnerving than hearing footsteps in the dark... especially when you realize that they were your own.

That's got to be what Minnesota point guard Lindsay Whalen must be experiencing right now.

Here... let me explain.

Minnesota point guard Lindsay Whalen currently has her Minnesota Lynx team atop of the WNBA's Western Conference... having already clinched a spot in the playoffs... with the best record in the WNBA... so far... this season, with a 21-6 record.

Lindsay's Minnesota Lynx team touts four 2011 WNBA All-Stars and six members of the U. S. Olympics Women's Basketball Team.

The 2011 Minnesota Lynx is a team that most point guards in the WNBA dreeeeaam about leading onto the court... with players like rookie Maya Moore being named a starter for the Western All-Stars... and Lindsay... along with Minnesota teammates Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson... being selected as Western All-Star reserves this season.

Teams this stacked with talent only come along once in a lifetime for most point guards.

But not for Lindsay Whalen!

Lindsay Whalen... along with Taj McWilliams-Franklin... were on a team just like their current Minnesota Lynx team.

But it was even BETTER... MORE talented than Minnesota!

The 2006 Connecticut Sun had FIVE 2006 WNBA All-Stars on their roster... with a young Lindsay Whalen leading the way... being named to the Eastern All-Stars' starting lineup... along with teammates Nykesha Sales and Margo Dydek... while Sun shooting guard Katie Douglas was named as a Western All-Star reserve that year... along with Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who was selected as a replacement player.

Yep... the 2011 Minnesota Lynx have four current-year All-Stars.

The 2006 Connecticut Sun had five.

The 2011 Lynx get as tall as 6'5" in the paint.

The 2006 Sun had a 7-footer.

The 2011 Lynx's longest winning streak this season was 9 games.

The 2006 Sun had a 12-game winning streak.

The 2011 Lynx was the first team to clinch a playoff spot this season... after missing the playoffs for the last 6 years... and 10 out of the last 12 years.

The 2006 Sun won three straight regular season Eastern Conference titles... and entered the 2006 playoffs seeking their fourth consecutive trip to the WNBA Finals.

But that's when the waters got kinda murky.

Yep... 2006 All-Star Lindsay Whalen was the point guard for the 2006 Connecticut Sun.

And 2011 All-Star Lindsay Whalen is the point guard for the 2011 Minnesota Lynx.

Different bucking-broncos... same rodeo, huh?

Well... suffice it to say that Lindsay Whalen does not currently possess a WNBA Championship ring of her own.

Because Lindsay led her All-Star-laddened Connecticut Sun to an early exit in the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals... snapping the Sun's string of three consecutive WNBA Finals appearances... in the process.

It appears that not even five 2006 WNBA All-Stars... the 2006 Coach of the Year (Mike Thibault)... and a 7-footer (Margo Dydek) were enough for Lindsay Whalen to lead her Sun to a 2006 WNBA title.

I mean... this 2006 Connecticut Sun team was a team that completely dominated the league that year.

But they failed to win a title.

Now... Lindsay Whalen has a second stab at that WNBA title... with four 2011 WNBA All-Stars... the potential 2011 Coach of the Year (Cheryl Reeve)... and six current members of Team USA... half of the U.S. team.

Can Lindsay Whalen... the 2011 All-Star reserve... do what Lindsay Whalen... the 2006 All-Star starter... couldn't do?

Can she lead a WNBA dream team to a title?

Can she break her own WNBA title jinx... and redeem herself with the Lynx?

Or will the 2011 Minnesota Lynx stumble at the finishline under Lindsay Whalen's leadership... just like her mighty 2006 Connecticut Sun did under her leadership five years ago?

When the Connecticut Sun waived 6'3" DeMya Walker... I naturally thought it was because of a possible disciplinary problem... in particular... attitude. Because why else would a WNBA team get rid of a decent post player?

Well... my initial hunch couldn't have been further from the truth.

DeMya Walker doesn't have an attitude.

She has a little girl... a 4- or 5-year-old girl... that she takes with her EVERYWHERE she goes... to games, to practices and even on the team's bus.

I don't know about anybody else... but that would get on my nerve... if I were one of DeMya's teammates.

These are young women athletes who have chosen not to have their own babies or to hang around the house and babysit somebodyelse's babies.

And now... they're stuck with having this little kid crammed down their throats... at every turn... day-in and day-out.

And apparently... the Washington Mystics front office thinks DeMya's little bundle is adorable.

They have posted video of DeMya's little girl sitting atop a basketball in the middle of the basketball court... while the Mystics are practicing at the other end of the court. This little girl is also accompanying the team on the team's bus. And she is included in the team's media and fans engagements.

I mean... when does this little kid have a chance to be a kid?

But better yet... when do the Mystics players have a chance to be just players... and not babysitters?

Because that's what DeMya's choices and presence on the Washington Mystics team have forced her teammates to be.

Babysitters!

Now... which professional women basketball players signed-on in the WNBA for that?!

NONE OF THEM!

And it's just not fair... to the players... or this kid.

DeMya Walker's life choice to have a baby in the middle of her basketball career is HER choice.

But DeMya shouldn't go from team to team... saddling her teammates with HER life choices.

And how DeMya chooses to raise her kid is also HER choice.

But DeMya shouldn't be trying to raise her kid in the workplace... the basketball court... the locker room.

It simply isn't fair to the other employees... her teammates.

And having a little kid hanging-out in team situations during official team business makes the Mystics organization look like mama'nem's house... and not like a professional WNBA basketball franchise.

Yeah... the Mystics need DeMya Walker's height and veteran presence on the basketball court.

But not at this price!

In this situation... DeMya Walker is not being the best mother nor the best teammate.

And at the very least... DeMya is not being a professional.

She's being a distraction.

And her little baby-mama-drama is little more than a nuisance to her teammates... even if they are too polite to say-so themselves.

I could see evidence of this in a Connecticut Sun Media Day video narrated by Sun guard Renee Montgomery earlier this year... where DeMya's little girl is all throughout the video imposing herself on a couple of players (like Tina Charles, Asjha Jones and Renee) in the video.

And these players were not very maternal or amused by the young tot... despite having their reactions captured on video. And it showed.

And I recall wondering why this kid was all over the place in this Media Day video. I just assumed that she was Tina Charles' kid or Asjha Jones' kid... getting the run of the house... simply because Tina and Asjha are such crucial players for the Sun franchise.

I never imagined that this little girl belonged to a player that the Sun had only just picked up on waivers... a few days before that video-shoot.

Now... it all makes sense whyyyyy DeMya Walker was waived by the Connecticut Sun at mid-season.

Her little baby-mama-drama got on their nerves!

DeMya's benefits to the Sun team did not outweigh her distractions to teammates and team business.

If DeMya Walker is going to continue her professional basketball career... she needs to be a woman about it... and separate her business from her household.

DeMya needs to hire a traveling nanny for her little girl... who can actually babysit her little girl and attend to her little girl's needs... outside of her workplace.

This kid is clearly displaced as she shadows her mom to countless basketball practices, team meetings and engagements... with her little pink backpack strapped to her little back and play-things in her hands... with complete strangers tending to her while DeMya handles her obligations to the team.

And the Mystics players should be freed from having to watch their language or subject matter or behavior... simply because a young impressionable kid is in the room... especially a kid that shouldn't be there.

DeMya needs to woman-up and be a better teammate... by unsaddling her teammates with HER burden... her life-choice... her kid.

Then DeMya needs to be a better mom... by truly putting her child's best interests and well-being above what's more convenient and more cost-effective for DeMya.

Ironically... in a Washington Mystics video narrated by Mystics forward Monique Currie... DeMya Walker said this about her little girl: "She is my everything. And everything I do is because of her."

Well... clearly... DeMya's little "everything" shouldn't be drug-along on DeMya's job... especially practice sessions... every day.

And clearly... everything that DeMya does is not because of her little girl.

But rather... everything her little girl does is because of DeMya.

DeMya has failed to put her daughter's best interests ahead of her own.

But now is a good time for DeMya Walker to start... by doing "everything" she can do in the best interest of her little girl... and her team.

Can you name the 15 best players ever in the 15-year history of the WNBA?

Well... don't feel bad.

Neither can the WNBA... or its fans!

That's precisely why the WNBA widened the criteria for the selection process to include things like a player's contributions to the community.

Who can remember what a player did in their team's community 15 years ago?

Better yet... who cares?!

Do you think that the NBA cares how many nails that Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson ctually hammered into a Habitat For Humanity house in Chicago or Los Angeles throughout their remarkable careers?!

The 15 best players ever in the NBA are the 15 best players ever... based on what they did on the court!

And this should have been the only criteria that the WNBA should have applied to determine the best players ever in the WNBA's 15-year history.

As a result of the WNBA making a complete mockery of the selection process for this very special honor, the list of the WNBA's 15 Best Players Ever is more about who is not on the list than who made the list... and who was nominated for the list and who should not have been nominated for the list.

Candace Parker... one of the basketball gems out of the Tennessee Lady Vols' jewel box. Ever heard of her?

She was snubbed.

And Candace Parker was the first ever rookie to be selected as the MVP of the WNBA in 2008!
Now... just how do you get to be the best player of the year... in one of the WNBA's 15 years... and not be considered to be one of the WNBA's best 15 players ever?!

Huh?!

And get this!

When the WNBA selected its WNBA All-Decade Team in 2006... both Chamique Holdsclaw and Ruthie Bolton were given Honorable Mentions.

But neither Chamique Holdsclaw nor Ruthie Bolton were selected when the list expanded to the 15 Best Players Ever in the history of the WNBA this year.

How is that?!

They were great enough to be mentioned among the top 10 players in the WNBA ever... and not great enough to be selected among the top 15 best players in the WNBA ever!

Go figure!

Meanwhile, Dawn Staley made the list of the WNBA's Best 15 Players Ever.

And Dawn's only distinction is... 5th all-time in the WNBA in assists. That's all!

Dawn has no WNBA Championships! No MVP awards! No WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards! Not even a selection to the All-WNBA 1st Team... EVER!

And Dawn Staley was not only selected as one of the best players ever in the 15 years of the WNBA... but she was selected to the WNBA's All-Decade Team five years ago!

Why?!

Because she's so cute and cuddly... or the recipient of the Woman One Award for community service back in 2005?!

Aw, give me a break!

Had the WNBA not diluted their criteria for this honor to allow for less than the best players to be considered for this special distinction... the list for the 15 Best Players Ever in the WNBA would have been players who actually earned this distinction... on the basketball court:

Cynthia Cooper, 5'10" guard
All-time leading scorer of WNBA, 4-time WNBA Champion, 4-time MVP WNBA Finals, 2-time WNBA MVP, 4-time All-WNBA 1st Team

Sheryl Swoopes, 6'0" guard
4-time WNBA Champion, 3-time WNBA MVP, 3-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, 5-time All-Wnba 1st Team, 1-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP, 3rd all-time in steals, 10th all-time in points scored, 2-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team, 1 WNBA scoring title

Tina Thompson, 6'2" forward
Most points scored and minutes-played all-time in WNBA, 2nd all-time in field goals made, 3rd all-time in rebounds and 3-pointers made, 4-time WNBA Champion, 3-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 1-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP

Lisa Leslie, 6'6" center
Most rebounds, field goals made and freethrows made all-time in WNBA, 2nd all-time in points scored and blocks, 2-time WNBA Champion, 3-time WNBA MVP, 2-time WNBA Finals MVP, 2-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, 8-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 4-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP, 2-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team, 1-time WNBA leading rebounder, 1st to dunk in WNBA

Lauren Jackson, 6'6" forward/center
5th all-time leading scorer and rebounder in WNBA, 4th all-time in points scored and freethrows made, 3rd all-time in blocks and field goals made, 2-time WNBA Champion, 3-time WNBA MVP, 1-time WNBA Finals MVP, 1-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, 7-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 2-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team, 3 WNBA scoring titles, 1-time WNBA leading rebounder

Tamika Catchings, 6'2" forward
1st all-time in steals in WNBA, 3rd all-time in freethrows made, 6th all-time in points scored and rebounds, 10th all-time leading scorer, 9th all-time in assists and rebounds per game, 8th all-time in 3-pointers made, recorded the 1st and only quintuple-double (25 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, 10 steals and 10 blocks) in a WNBA game, 4-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, WNBA Rookie of the Year, 5-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 6-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team

Diana Taurasi, 6'0" guard/forward
2nd all-time leading scorer in WNBA, 4th all-time in 3-pointers made, 5th all-time in points scored, 2-time WNBA Champion, 1-time WNBA MVP, 1-time WNBA Finals MVP, WNBA Rookie of the Year, 6-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 4 WNBA scoring titles

Katie Smith, 5'11" guard/forward
All-time leader in 3-pointers in WNBA, 2nd all-time in minutes played and freethrows made, 3rd all-time in points scored, 5th all-time in field goals made, 10th all-time in assists, 2-time WNBA Champion, 1-time WNBA Finals MVP, 2-time All-WNBA 1st Team

Yolanda Griffith, 6'3" center
4th all-time in rebounds, 6th all-time in steals and freethrows made, 7th all-time in rebounds per game, 9th all-time in blocks, 15th all-time in points scored, 1-time WNBA Champion, 1-time WNBA MVP, 1-time WNBA Finals MVP, 1-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, 2-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 1-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team

Candace Parker, 6'4" center
3rd all-time leading rebounder, 8th all-time leading scorer, 1-time WNBA MVP, WNBA Rookie of the Year, 1-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 2-time WNBA leading rebounder

Deanna Nolan, 5'10" guard
3-time WNBA Champion, 1-time WNBA Finals MVP, 2-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 1-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team, 16th all-time in points scored, 22nd all-time leading scorer

Cappie Pondexter, 5'9" guard
4th all-time leading scorer in WNBA, 26th all-time in points scored, 2-time WNBA Champion, 1-time WNBA Finals MVP, 2-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 1-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team

Ticha Penicheiro, 5'11" guard
1st all-time in assists in the WNBA, 2nd all-time in steals, 6th all-time in minutes played, 1-time WNBA Champion, 2-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 1-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team, 1-time WNBA leader in assists, holds WNBA-record 10 steals in one game

Sue Bird, 5'9" guard
2nd all-time in assists in WNBA, 6th all-time in 3-pointers, 19th all-time in points scored, 2-time WNBA Champion, 4-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 1-time WNBA leader in assists

Teresa Weatherspoon, 5'8" guard
4th all-time in assists in WNBA, 2-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year


Honorable mentions:

Chamique Holdsclaw, 6'2" forward
8th all-time leading score in WNBA, 9th all-time in points scored, 10th all-time in rebounds, 6th all-time in field goals made, WNBA Rookie of the Year, 1 WNBA scoring title, 2-time WNBA leading rebounder

Cheryl Ford, 6'3" forward/center
2nd all-time leading rebounder in WNBA, 3-time WNBA Champion, WNBA Rookie of the Year, 1-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP, 2-time WNBA leading rebounder

Katie Douglas, 6'0" guard
5th all-time in 3-pointers in WNBA, 8th all-time in steals, 18th all-time in assists, 28th all-time leading scorer, 1-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP, 1-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 3-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team

Taj McWilliams-Franklin, 6'2" forward/center
1st all-time in rebounds, 7th all-time in steals, blocks and field goals made, 5th all-time in minutes played, 12th all-time in points scored, 1-time WNBA Champion

Becky Hammon, 5'7" guard
2nd all-time in 3-pointers in WNBA, 6th all-time in assists, 8th all-time in points scored, 10th all-time in freethrows made, 29th all-time leading scorer, 2-time All-WNBA 1st Team, 1-time WNBA leader in assists

Natalie Williams, 6'2"forward
6th all-time leading rebounder, 29th all-time leading scorer, 3-time All-WNBA 1st Team

DeLisha Milton-Jones, 6'1" forward
5th all-time in steals in WNBA, 7th all-time in minutes played, 8th all-time in rebounds, 9th all-time in field goals made, 11th all-time in points scored, 2-time WNBA Champion

Tangela Smith, 6'4' forward/center
7th all-time in points scored and rebounds; 4th all-time in blocks, field goals made and minutes played; 2-time WNBA Champion

Swin Cash, 6'1" forward
20th all-time in points scored in WNBA, 8th all-time in freethrows made, 3-time WNBA Champion, 2-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP

Nykesha Sales, 6'0" forward
20th all-time scorer in the WNBA, 17th all-time in points scored, 16th all-time in field goals made, 15th all-time in 3-pointers, 11th all-time in steals

Shannon Johnson, 5'7" guard
3rd all-time in assists in WNBA, 9th all-time in steals and freethrows made, 10th all-time in minutes played, 24th all-time in points scored

Tully Bevilaqua, 5'7" guard
4th all-time in steals in the WNBA, 1-time WNBA Champion, 4-time WNBA All-Defensive 1st Team

Margo Dydek, 7'2" center
1st all-time in blocks in WNBA, 9th all-time in rebounds, WNBA record 877 blocks in 323 games

Now... where on this list do you see DAWN STALEY'S name?!

Because Dawn Staley doesn't belong on this list! Neither does Seimone Augustus, Penny Taylor or Ruthie Bolton (to my surprise)!

With that said... here's the actual list of the WNBA's Best 15 Players Ever:

Cynthia Cooper
Tina Thompson
Sheryl Swoopes
Lisa Leslie
Lauren Jackson
Tamika Catchings
Diana Taurasi
Katie Smith
Yolanda Griffith
Cappie Pondexter
Sue Bird
Ticha Penicheiro
Teresa Weatherspoon
Becky Hammon
Dawn Staley


Honorable Mentions:

Candace Parker
Deanna Nolan
Chamique Holdsclaw
Cheryl FordKatie Douglas
Taj McWilliams-Franklin
Natalie Williams
DeLisha Milton-Jones
Tangela Smith
Swin Cash
Shannon Johnson
Penny Taylor
Nykesha Sales
Ruthie Bolton
Seimone Augustus


Con-grat-u-la-tions... to all of the 15 selectees!

Con-do-len-ces... to all of the those who should have been selected as the WNBA's 15 Best Players Ever!

All-Star games in any sport... in any league... are supposed to feature the best performers in that sport in that league... gathered together to perform in a single game to the delight of the fans.

It's a twofold occasion... where the players are recognized for their excellence on the field/court of competition... and the league and players show their appreciation to the fans who support their teams. Right?!

Wrong!

Take... for instance... this year's WNBA All-Star Team.

Twenty-two players were selected... 11 from the Eastern Conference and 11 from the Western Conference... 10 starters (five for each conference) selected by the fans and 12 reserves (six for each conference) selected by the WNBA coaches.

Now... you would thinnnnnk that... with only 12 teams in the WNBA and only about 132 players in the league... choosing the best 22 all-around players in the WNBA would be a snap. Right?!

Wrong!

Let's first agree that the best all-around players... the top scorers, the best marksmen, the best rebounders, the best assist-men and the best defenders... would... uh... would headline on our All-Star team. Right?!

Well... maybe... maybe not... if we're talking about the WNBA.

While... yes... 19 of the WNBA's top 23 scorers were selected to the 2011 WNBA All-Stars... the top scorer in the WNBA... Sylvia Fowles of the Chicago Sky... is not even a starter for the Eastern All-Stars... despite also being the WNBA's 3rd-leading rebounder.

In fact... none of the top performers in any of the main statistical categories... points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-point-shooting... will be starters on either of the two WNBA All-Star squads!

None of them!

Now... how did that happen?!

An All-Star Game where all of the absolute best players in the league are on the bench?!

The WNBA's top scorer (Sylvia Fowles)... top rebounder (Rebekkah Brunson, Minnesota Lynx)... top assist-man (Becky Hammon, San Antonio Silver Stars)... top shot-blocker (Sylvia Fowles)... and leader in steals (Epiphanny Prince, Chicago Sky)... will all be coming off of the bench in this year's WNBA All-Star Game in San Antonio, Texas, Saturday, July 23rd.

In fact, television commentators during recent WNBA game broadcasts were openly voicing their hopes that these league-leaders would be selected to the All-Star Team by the WNBA coaches... as reserves!

Meanwhile... the league's top 3-point-shooter didn't even get an invite.

Two of the top ten 3-point-shooters (ranked 5th and 9th) were selected to be All-Stars, instead.

Seven of the league's top 22 rebounders (5 of the top 10 rebounders) were selected to be All-Stars.

Ten out of the top 22 assist-men (9 of the top 10 assist-men) were selected to be All-Stars.

Now, the way I see it... if the 2011 WNBA All-Stars are supposed to be the best all-around players in the league... then the selectees should be the best scorers, rebounders and assist-men in the league.

So, wouldn't it be nice if the WNBA All-Stars actually consisted of all of the players who deserved to be there?

Now... that would be a switch!

Isn't that why the WNBA keeps stats... to determine who the best players are?

So, why don't they use those stats to ensure that more-deserving players are selected to their All-Star Team?

If the WNBA stats were actually used to determine the 2011 All-Stars... the rosters would look more like this:

(The "✔" indicates the players who have been selected for this year's WNBA All-Star Teams. The "✘" indicates the ranked players who were snubbed by this year's WNBA All-Star Teams.)



East

✔Sylvia Fowles, Chicago
(1st in scoring, 3rd in rebounding, 93rd in assists, 1st in blocks, 8th in steals, 1st in double-doubles)

✔Tina Charles, Connecticut
(3rd in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, 78th in assists, 7th in blocks, 57th in steals, 2nd in double-doubles)

✔Cappie Pondexter, New York
(5th in scoring, 37th in rebounding, 6th in assists, 79th in blocks, 8th in steals, 11th in double-doubles)

✔Crystal Langhorne, Washington
(4th in scoring, 9th in rebounding, 47th in assists, 37th in blocks, 23rd in steals, 8th in double-doubles)

✔Epiphanny Prince, Chicago
(6th in scoring, 70th in rebounding, 9th in assists, 28th in blocks, 1st in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✔Tamika Catchings, Indiana
(18th in scoring, 8th in rebounding, 9th in assists, 23rd in blocks, 3rd in steals, 8th in double-doubles)

✔Renee Montgomery, Connecticut
(15th in scoring, 61st in rebounding, 4th in assists, 69th in blocks, 13th in steals, 18th in double-doubles)

✔Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta
(9th in scoring, 28th in rebounding, 42nd in assists, 31st in blocks, 2nd in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✗Matee Ajavon, Washington
(14th in scoring, 82nd in rebounding, 17th in assists, 85th in blocks, 4th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✗Erika De Souza, Atlanta
(30th in scoring, 5th in rebounding, 74th in assists, 3rd in blocks, 30th in steals, 4th in double-doubles)

✗Nicky Anosike, Washington
(37th in scoring, 4th in rebounding, 59th in assists, 11th in blocks, 12th in steals, 5th in double-doubles)



West

✔Candace Parker, Los Angeles
(5th in scoring, 3rd in rebounding, 20th in assists, 9th in blocks, 25th in steals, 5th in double-doubles... prior to her injury)

✔Sue Bird, Seattle
(7th in scoring, 55th in rebounding, 5th in assists, 69th in blocks, 13th in steals, 18th in double-doubles)

✔Becky Hammon, San Antonio
(8th in scoring, 64th in rebounding, 1st in assists, 40th in blocks, 18th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✔Diana Taurasi, Phoenix
(2nd in scoring, 45th in rebounding, 13th in assists, 16th in blocks, 39th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✔Penny Taylor, Phoenix
(11th in scoring, 18th in rebounding, 3rd in assists, 36th in blocks, 5th in steals, 11th in double-doubles)

✗Sophia Young, San Antonio
(13th in scoring, 12th in rebounding, 27th in assists, 28th in blocks, 6th in steals, 11th in double-doubles)

✔Swin Cash, Seattle
(10th in scoring, 14th in rebounding, 26th in assists, 25th in blocks, 20th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✔Rebekkah Brunson, Minnesota
(24th in scoring, 1st in rebounding, 62nd in assists, 31st in blocks, 42nd in steals, 2nd in double-doubles)

✗Candice Dupree, Phoenix
(19th in scoring, 6th in rebounding, 37th in assists, 14th in blocks, 66th in steals, 5th in double-doubles)

✔Danielle Adams, San Antonio
(12th in scoring, 25th in rebounding, 87th in assists, 18th in blocks, 88th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✔Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota
(21st in scoring, 47th in rebounding, 2nd in assists, 85th in blocks, 22nd in steals, 18th in double-doubles)



Alternates

✗Michelle Snow, Chicago
(50th in scoring, 7th in rebounding, 35th in assists, 4th in blocks, 76th in steals, 11th in double-doubles)

✔Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago
(45th in scoring, 86th in rebounding, 7th in assists, 43rd in blocks, 53rd in steals, 18th in double-doubles)

✗Kia Vaughn, New York
(32nd in scoring, 10th in rebounding, 73rd in assists, 11th in blocks, 27th in steals, 11th in double-doubles)

✔Katie Douglas, Indiana
(17th in scoring, 33rd in rebounding, 25th in assists, 60th in blocks, 11th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✗Liz Cambage, Tulsa
(22nd in scoring, 19th in rebounding, 100th in assists, 8th in blocks, 19th in steals, 11th in double-doubles)

✔Maya Moore, Minnesota
(20th in scoring, 25th in rebounding, 23rd in assists, 51st in blocks, 30th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✔Seimone Augustus, Minnesota
(16th in scoring, 34th in rebounding, 45th in assists, 31st in blocks, 29th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✔Essence Carson, New York
(23rd in scoring, 48th in rebounding, 41st in assists, 20th in blocks, 30th in steals, 30th in double-doubles)

✗Danielle Robinson, San Antonio
(52nd in scoring, 89th in rebounding, 8th in assists, 65th in blocks, 42nd in steals, 30th in double-doubles)



So, actually... and stats-ually... five WNBA players made the All-Star Team that should not have been selected... Katie Douglas, Courtney Vandersloot, Essence Carson, Seimone Augustus and Maya Moore.

And four of those players were selected by the WNBA coaches. So, you can't even place the blame on the fans for these bad selections.

The WNBA fans... out of blind adoration... merely voted the WNBA's #1 draft pick, Maya Moore, into the starting lineup for the Western All-Stars... even though they knew that Maya's stats did not support her being selected to the All-Star Team... much less the staring lineup.

But fans are fans. And Maya's selection was understandable... if not expected.

But the coaches... the so-called experts... they snubbed Sophia Young, Candice Dupree, Matee Ajavon, Erika De Souza and Nicky Anosike... five legitimate All-Stars... putting up All-Star-like numbers this season.

What a shame... for these players... and for the WNBA!

Having spearheaded the movement to run Billy Gillispie's drunken-S out of Kentucky last year, this is a question that I have been ducking all season long in regards to Gillispie's replacement:

Coach John Calipari... is he a snake oil salesman or is he really a snake?

Man... believe me when I say that I am a Kentucky Wildcats fan... all the way back to the Adolph Rupp days when I was a youngster throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

And it certainly is exciting to see the 'Cats not just win but dominate their competition while positioning themselves among the top two or three teams in the country.

That's just frickin' awesome!

But the more I hear and see John Calipari on the radio and on television, the more I feel like something just ain't quite right.

I mean... this man just talks and talks and talks... nonstop... about everything and nothing.

And if you really listen to him, he never ever really speaks his mind. He just tries to say what he thinks people want to hear. It's almost like he's trying to keep you distracted or sell you something.

But why?

There are no more attentive fans than Kentucky Wildcats fans. And no one... not even Calipari... has to sell us on our Wildcats.

So, what is Calipari tap-dancing around about?

It can't be about his shady past as the UMass coach that left the UMass basketball program under investigation.

Kentucky fans knew all about that when we interviewed him to replace Billy Gillispie last year.

It can't be about his questionable recruiting practices at Memphis that drew the investigative eye of the NCAA shortly after he left Memphis this year.

Kentucky's President, Ahtletic Director and Trustees made sure that no incriminating trails in Memphis would lead to Calipari before we hired him as the new Kentucky head coach.

It can't be the countless sports commentators who openly questioned his integrity and loyalty to the programs he has coached under.... claiming that Calipari set these programs up for NCAA violations and left them once they were under investigation.

So what... if Coach Bobby Knight has stated that he thinks Calipari is a snake... who lacks integrity... and who should be held accountable for the programs he has left disheveled.

None of that matters... as long as the Wildcats are winning and are sitting atop of the national rankings.

Or does it?

Does it matter that no one (but the Wildcats faithful) wants to give Calipari credit for breathing life back into the Kentucky basketball program after losing its leading scorer, Jodie Meeks, to the NBA... all in one season?

Does it matter that all of the sports pundits openly challenged the legitimacy of Kentucky's #1 ranking every single time they rose to the top of the polls... even when they were the only undefeated team left in the country?

Does any of this really matter?

No... not really.

It's just that every single time I hear Calipari rattle on and on and on... continuously shifting his eyes from one side of the room to the other... I just can't seem to put my finger on it... but I feel like I'm being sold a bag of goods.

It's almost as if Calipari is like this old charismatic snake oil salesman who rides through town selling a special tonic that he claims will cure every ailment known to man... arthritis, snake bite, whooping cough... all in one single bottle.

And let's just say that Calipari has sold quite a few bottles of snake oil in Bluegrass country... to Wildcats fans.

But if the snake oil that Calipari is selling Wildcats fans is refreshing but cures absolutely nothing... does that mean that Calipari is just a good salesman with a bad product to peddle or does that mean Calipari is really a slithering, slimy snake with bad intentions, preying on the innocent town folks?

What say you?

Coach John Calipari... a harmless snake oil salesman with a gift for gab or a deceitful snake in the grass... just waiting to strike?

Yes... Tiger Woods had numerous affairs with single, beautiful women all over the world!

Yes... Tiger Woods cheated on his wife... and probably caused irreparable damage to his marriage!

But unless Tiger was endorsing marital fidelity...

Or unless Tiger had contracted-out the exclusive rights to his genitalia to Accenture, Gillette or AT&T... it's none of their damn business!

Tiger's extra-marital affairs have everything to do with Tiger's wife, Elin... and nothing to do with his petty-S sponsors like Accenture, Gillette and AT&T!

What does Tiger's sex life have to do with him endorsing business consulting, technical support, outsourcing, razors, cell phones and internet service?!

Not a damn thing!
What is Accenture trying to say by dropping Tiger Woods' endorsement deal... that if they continued on with his contract, their customers would think that Tiger's sexual liaisons were his way of "outsourcing" for some bootay?!

And Gillette... with "the best a man can get" as their slogan... what's their beef with Tiger?! Isn't that exactly what Tiger was doing... enjoying "the best a man can get"?!

And AT&T.. forget about 'em! Their leading competitor, Verizon, is slamming AT&T's butt left and right!

AT&T needs to hang on to Tiger Woods as a spokesman. At least Tiger gets better reception in homes all over the world than AT&T's line of second-rate products and services.

Besides... who are bigger pimps than Accenture, Gillette and AT&T in this matter?!

The bottom line is that ALL of Tiger's sponsors have pimped him all over every medium imaginable... television, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, brochures, letterhead, t-shirts, caps, shoes, jackets, banners (and all types of signage) and the internet... for sales and exposure for their products and services.

They USED Tiger... not to get into anyone pants... but to get into everyone's homes... and into their wallets.

Tiger made them popular... and very rich.

And now... all of these petty-S sponsors just make me sick!

What do the pimps (Accenture, Gillette and AT&T) look like thumbing their noses at the 'ho (Tiger)?

They look like HYPOCRITES!

And what's more nauseating is that sponsors like Accenture and Gillette -- whose target market is mainly males -- would have the audacity to gasp at Tiger with their hands over their mouths... like little bishes... like no other red-blooded, whisker-growing, businessman would leap at the opportunity to devour any of the beautiful women who practically threw themselves at Tiger Woods in all of his encounters.

Here are all of these sponsors trying to appeal to men... and then they turn right around and seize the first opportunity to publicly emasculate Tiger Woods... one of the biggest male images on the planet.

That's bull!

And men everywhere should communicate that to Accenture, Gillette... and AT&T... by switching over and patronizing their biggest competitors -- IBM, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Capgemini, Deloitte, Ernst & Young... Schick, Wilkinson, Bic, ASRCO (American Safety Razor Company), Merkur, Azor, Dorco, Treet... and Verizon, Sprint Nextel, Qwest, Vodafone.

Since these petty-S, hypocritical, pimping sponsors want to react like bishes... their target market -- MEN -- need to treat them like bishes... and hit 'em where it hurts... in their cute little pocketbooks.

In the meantime... Accenture, Gillette and AT&T can lean over and kiss Tiger's entire furry-S!

Sports fans... welcome to the Twilight Zone!

You are about to enter into the woefully-mismanaged front office of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and the locker room of its poorly-coached poorly-selected collection of professional players.

The Bucks are currently 19-25 and 15.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA's Central Division.

I must warn you... as we dissect the Bucks... what you're about to see may nauseate you.

$17,040,000 -- Michael Redd -- 11.9 pts 3.0 rebs 2.2 assists 0.8 turnovers 27.3 minutes 18 games
$10,000,000 -- Andrew Bogut -- 15.9 pts 10.2 rebs 2.13 blocks 2.0 turnovers 32.8 minutes 38 games
$6,749,260 -- Dan Gadzuric -- 2.7 pts 2.8 rebs 0.6 turnovers 9.9 minutes 20 games
$6,500,000 -- Luke Ridnour -- 11.7 pts 1.8 rebs 4.0 assists 1.4 turnovers 22.7 minutes 44 games
$3,800,000 -- Kurt Thomas -- 2.5 pts 3.5 rebs 0.56 blocks 0.8 turnovers 13.4 minutes 36 games
$3,602,960 -- Charlie Bell -- 7.5 pts 2.1 rebs 1.8 assists 0.8 turnovers 26.3 minutes 42 games
$3,500,000 -- Carlos Delfino -- 9.8 pts 4.8 rebs 2.3 assists 1.3 turnovers 26.7 minutes 41 games
$3,000,000 -- Hakim Warrick -- 10.4 pts 4.4 rebs 0.8 assists 1.2 turnovers 21.7 minutes 42 games
$2,583,360 -- Joe Alexander -- 0.0 pts 0.0 rebs 0.0 assists 0.0 turnovers 0.0 minutes 0 games
$2,168,520 -- Brandon Jennings -- 17.8 pts 3.5 rebs 6.3 assists 2.6 turnovers 34.3 minutes 44 games
$2,100,000 -- Ersan Ilyasova -- 10.8 pts 6.7 rebs 1.1 assists 1.0 turnovers 24.0 minutes 34 games
$1,700,000 -- Fransico Elson -- 0.9 pts 1.2 rebs 0.2 assists 0.1 turnovers 5.6 minutes 11 games
$1,350,000 -- Roko Ukic -- 3.1 pts 0.2 rebs 0.9 assists 0.5 turnovers 7.5 minutes 13 games
$736,420 -- Luc Richard Mbah a Moute -- 6.1 pts 4.8 rebs 1.2 assists 1.2 turnovers 26.9 minutes 35 games
$650,000 -- Jodie Meeks -- 4.7 pts 1.7 rebs 0.6 assists 0.6 turnovers 13.0 mintes 34 games
$422,460 -- Jerry Stackhouse -- 6.8 pts 2.8 rebs 2.4 assists 2.4 turnovers 19.2 minutes 5 games

Now... this is the payroll of the Milwaukee Bucks... over $62.5-million per year... and the Bucks' player production.

Over $40-million of Milwaukee's payroll goes to four players... who average 10.5 pts, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.6 blocks, 1.2 turnovers and 21.2 minutes in 30 games.

These four players average 42 of the Bucks' 98.7 points per game.

So, the Bucks are literally paying about $1-million per point averaged by their highest-paid players... $1-million per point averaged by their biggest contracted players!

Are you kidding me?!

Is this a joke or what?!

This is exactly what drives the price of NBA game tickets through the roof! And it's why the average NBA fan can't afford to bring his family to the game.

Why in the hell is Milwaukee paying $40-million for players nobodyelse wants?!

Hell... Milwaukee's crippled-S Michael Redd ($17,050,000) makes nearly $2-million more than Cleveland's LeBron James ($15,779,912). And LeBron is clearly the greatest player in the league!

How crazy is that?!

And Andrew Bogut... 56th in scoring and 13th in rebounding in the NBA... $10,000,000 per year? Pleeeeaase... he's definitely one of the weakest under-achieving centers in the NBA. What is Milwaukee thinking?!

And without a doubt... Dan Gadzuric is the biggest mistake on Milwaukee's sidelines... and payroll. This guy is getting $6,749,260 per year for what?! 2.7 points and 9.9 minutes per game?!

But in spite of all of this... with 38 games remaining on their schedule... the Bucks have a great chance of making the playoffs... if they play the players who can get them there... the players at the other end of their pay-roster.

Right now, 20-year-old rookie Brandon Jennings leads the team in scoring (17.8), assists (6.3), steals (1.18) and minutes (34) per game.

But rookie Jodie Meeks is another young Buck who can pull Milwaukee into the NBA playoff picture... and make them a legitimate contendor... if he gets the playing time.

Jodie Meeks was a prolific scorer at Kentucky... scoring 52, 48 and 42 points in games last year for the Wildcats.

And in games with the Bucks where Coach Scott Skiles gives Meeks over 20 minutes of playing time, Meeks has averaged 13 points, 4 rebounds and 1.2 assists as a 6'4" shooting guard.

Meeks scored 21 points against Portland (shooting 53% from the field)... 19 points against New York (while shooting 71.4% from the three-point arc, 5-7, and 63.6% from the field, 7-11)... 15 points against San Antonio (shooting 75% from three, 3-4, and 63% from the field, 5-8)... and 12 points against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers (shooting 63% from the field, 5-8).

What is this guy doing on the bench?!

Jodie Meeks is a bargain basement Michael Redd! And he's healthy... and ready to play!

So, why isn't he playing?

Probably because Milwaukee has wasted over $40-million this year on four players who... for whatever reason... have not been able to help the team win.

But what's worse for the Milwaukee Bucks... playing all of their big money players and losing... OR... benching some of those big money players and winning?

"I'll take benching the big Bucks for $800, Alex!" (lol) (lol)

The Bucks have to pay the big bucks whether they win or lose. So, why not bench these cash cows and WIN!

Scott Skiles needs to grow a backbone and coach to win... and don't just try to get the team's money's worth.

The Milwaukee Bucks' starting lineup should be:

Brandon Jennings (PG)
Andrew Bogut (C)
Ersan Ilyasova (PF)
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (SF)
-- WITH --
Jodie Meeks (SG)!

Bench Carlos Delfino!

Bench Charlie Bell!

Bring 'em off of the bench... along with Hakim Warrick, Luke Ridnour and Jerry Stackhouse!

Forget about the payroll! Play to win, Scott Skiles!

What the "Buck"! Play Jodie Meeks!

The Minnesota Vikings are currently 4-0. Undefeated!

The Vikings have a future-NFL-Hall-of-Fame quarterback in Brett Favre... the best running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson... a couple of decent wide recievers in Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian... and a pretty incredible defensive end and pass-rusher in Jared Allen.

But where in the hell is the rest of the Vikings defense... tucked away in some layaway somewhere in the Mall of America?!

Jeepers... how many touchdowns will Brett Favre have to pull out of his ass every week just to stay ahead of all of the touchdowns his weak-ass Vikings defense allows?!

The answer is... TOO DAMN MANY!

It's gut check time for the Minnesota Vikings defense.

If Brett Favre can get his old ass out there on the football field and find a way to get the football into the endzone for touchdowns... then the young bucks in the Vikings' secondary and on its defensive line had better start knocking down some balls, plugging up some holes, sticking their tackles, forcing some turnovers and keeping their opponents OUT of the endzone and off of the scoreboard!

That is... if the Minnesota Vikings intend to remain undefeated.

Now that I've exposed ol' Billy Gillispie and sent him packin'... I guess it's time for me to jump back into the water again.
This time, my target is former UConn Lady Huskie, U.S. Olympic team and WNBA forward Diana Taurasi.

It's not that I want to see Taurasi banished from the WNBA... but I would like to see her clean up her act... for the game's sake... her opponents' sake... and the thousands of her young fans' sake.

Check out these photos of Diana Taurasi's vicious attacks on her opponents on the court:
skylinesdesign.com/protectyourself.html (courtesy of richardrob)

On Wednesday night, June 17, 2009, former LSU standout and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Seimone Augustus was racing down the court on a breakaway for her Minnesota Lynx WNBA team... against the Phoenix LifeLock Mercury in Phoenix. It was a 1-on-5 break... where Seimone had only to get pass the Mercury's Diana Taurasi to score the basket. And she did!

Seimone Augustus went up against FIVE opposing players... by herself... and left them in her dust! There was no one inbetween her and the basket but air and opportunity!

What a fabulous play!

But the ball never reached the basket... neither did Seimone Augustus.

Just when Augustus beat Diana Taurasi on the break, Diana... the 3-time NCAA Women's Basketball Champion... the 2007 WNBA Champion... the two-time U.S. Olympic Team gold medalist... Diana Taurasi... threw her elbow and complete body weight into the back of a speedy Seimone Augustus who was about to plant her left foot to elevate toward the rim to score.

The mere thrust of Taurasi's shove into Augustus' back sent Augustus flying completely across the lane.
skylinesdesign.com/seimonegoesdown.html (courtesy of richardrob)
skylinesdesign.com/seimonegoesdown2.html (courtesy of richardob)

Upon impact... Augustus' left knee buckled... and she hit the floor clutching her knee to her chest in obvoius pain.

No foul was called.

Taurasi didn't even go over to Augustus... her U.S. Olympic teammate... to see if she was okay... or to even apologize for having caused her so much pain.

Oh... and did I mention that the two teams were vying for first place in the WNBA's Western Conference?

The next morning... the WNBA's website featured a split-frame photo of a triumphant Diana Taurasi and a fallen Seimone Augustus... with a headline that read something like "Taurasi's Mercury rises, Augustus' Lynx take a fall." (The WNBA has since removed this split-frame photo completely from their homepage and archives. Hmmmm... I wonder why?)

For two days, Augustus waited anxiously for her MRI results.

Torn ACL... surgery required... done for the season... was the word that came out on Friday, June 19, 2009.

Bummer!

No... more appropriately... what a BUM!

Diana Taurasi is exactly that! A bum! A dirty bum... who shoved an innocent player in the back... blowing out her ACL... and ending her season.

Why couldn't Taurasi have hustled her lazy ass into position to defend against Augustus? She was already in front of her.

Or better yet... why couldn't Taurasi have let the play gooooo? Her Phoenix team was in the lead. It was only two points!

Well... only Taurasi can answer those two questions.

Now... while Augustus is hopping around on crutches waiting on the swelling to go down in her left knee... so that she can undergo a season-ending surgery... the WNBA is doing damage control for their superstar forward, Diana Taurasi.

Even though it was a deliberate act by Taurasi that ended Seimone Augustus' season... the WNBA has not taken any punitive actions against Taurasi.

Instead... the WNBA has been cleaning up and covering up... by altering the audio-taped comments of Minnesota Lynx head coach Jennifer Gillom (Augustus' coach) from "the force that was pushed against [Augustus]"... and transcribing Gillom's comments to read "the weight that was pushed against her"... to negate the idea that Augustus was pushed hard by Taurasi.

And to add fuel to the flame... the WNBA... which makes complete game videos accessible to the public... has not made this particular game video available to the public.

I wonder why? Hmmmm...

At the very least, Diana Taurasi should be admonished by the WNBA for her dirty tactics on court... not protected.

The NBA holds its superstars accountable for their actions... Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard... Why not the WNBA?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hg-IRZk4D0


Posted on: March 10, 2009 11:43 am
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This message has been removed by the administrator.
After Kentucky's loss to Florida last Saturday, a reporter asked Jodie Meeks why he didn't shoot more. Jodie replied that Billy Gillispie told him not to shoot... but to pass the ball to Patrick Patterson.

The following Monday, Gillispie denied saying that to Jodie Meeks. He said that he would never say anything like that.

Who do you believe -- Jodie Meeks or Billy Gillispie?

Sure Jodie Meeks has been getting a lot of national attention for his scoring prowess... while Gillispie is catching a lot of flack for the Wildcats' current slump.

But why demoralize and frustrate your leading scorer?

Here's the facts, Blue Nation:

1. Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson were recruited by Coach Tubby Smith.

2. Jodie Meeks left Kentucky to attend his grandfather's funeral in Tennessee about the same time that Coach Tubby Smith left Kentucky for Minnesota. And the UK Athletic Department had originally thought that Jodie had left with Coach Smith... since Jodie was nowhere to be found. A week or two later, they found out that Jodie was with his family and had no intentions of leaving Kentucky. But for that brief period of time, Gillispie thought that Jodie had jumped ship.

3. Jodie Meeks got injured against Gardner-Webb in the second game of the season on Nov. 17, 2007 and Gillispie made him continue to suit-up and play (with a serious injury) through Feb. 16, 2008, until Jodie told him that he couldn't play anymore... he was in too much pain. And Gillispie felt like Jodie had let the team down for not playing through his pain... with his serious injuries... in the SEC and NCAA tournaments.

4. Jodie Meeks is a prolific scorer, leading not only his team in scoring this year, but the entire SEC... and he is among the top five scorers in the country. As a result of the media attention he has received as a NCAA Player of the Year candidate, Jodie Meeks' accomplishments have overshadowed his team's accomplishments (or lack of)... prompting Gillispie to make public statements to an ESPN sports analyst minimizing the importance of Jodie Meeks' contributions to the team.

5. Jodie Meeks has been benched and publicly humiliated on a national stage by Gillispie on more than one occasion... for no apparent reason. And Jodie watched Gillispie bench Joe Crawford (the Wildcats' leading scorer) for a good portion of the season in his senior year last year... for no apparent reason.

6. Jodie Meeks is told by Gillispie during the last game of the regular season not to shoot, but to pass the ball to Patrick Patterson.

7. Jodie Meeks needs only 13 credits to earn his degree from the University of Kentucky... this year... as a junior.

Now, if you were Jodie Meeks, would you return to Kentucky next year for your senior year... with Billy Gillispie at the helm?

I know that Gillispie has been arrested twice for driving under the influence of alcohol.

But this time... it's not alcohol he's driving under the influence of... It's insanity!

If Gillispie drives a good kid... All-American... like Jodie Meeks... off of his roster and right out of Kentucky, he should be rounded up and locked away... in a padded cell!

Speak up, Blue Nation!

Billy Gillispie must be STOPPED!

Posted on: February 26, 2009 6:23 pm
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It might have been the whiskey... It could have been the gin... It could have been 3 or 4 six packs... I don't know, but look at the mess I'm in...
Man, this could be Billy Gillispie's theme song... or at least his post-game comments at the press conference Wednesday night after South Carolina torched the Wildcats... and after Billy Gillispie decided to bench Jodie Meeks, the leading scorer for Kentucky (and the leading scorer for the SEC).

Jodie Meeks was perfect behind the threepoint line in the first half and had 13 points at the half. Kentucky was trailing by 18 points... with 16 turnovers at the half.

South Carolina not only dismantled the Wildcats' offensive attack in the lane, but they completely humiliated the Wildcats' point guards (eventually forcing Michael Porter to cry "Uncle" and request to come out of the game).

So, what's a coach to do in a situation like this?

Billy Gillispie chose to bench his leading scorer (and the only offense he had in the first half).

That drunken bum benched Jodie Meeks!

Watch out Blue Nation! This is the same pissing contest Billy Gillispie got into with Joe Crawford last year.

And EVERYONE knows that Jodie Meeks doesn't have a attitude problem.

And EVERYONE knows that Jodie Meeks hustles on both ends of the court.

Someone on a sports blog commented that Meeks was benched because he missed a defensive assignment.

But if your ass is getting torched by 28 to 30 points (like Kentucky was)... EVERYBODY on the team is missing their defensive assignments! Why bench the most productive scorer you have?

Take a poll and ask ANY coach in the NCAA if they would have benched their leading scorer -- for no apparent reason -- while their team was being completely manhandled... with an entire half left to play.

A coach is supposed to motivate his players to continue to fight... in the face of all odds.

A coach is supposed to put his best players out there in order to eat into the lead... to get back into the game.

A coach is supposed to do what's best for the team.

The players deserve it!

The fans deserve it!

And the UK Ahtletic Department should DEMAND it!

I've had it up to my ears with Billy Clyde Gillispie's drunken tirades and dysfunctional/destructive behavior towards his players.

The UK Athelic Department and its alumni need to stop Gillispie before he goes any further.

You only have to look back at Kentucky's roster last year to see how many players Billy Gillispie negatively-impacted and drove away.

Where's Alex Legion?

Happy at Illinois.

Where's Derrick Jasper?

In a wheelchair, released by Gillispie and rehabbing at UNLV.

Where's Mark Coury?

Who knows?

Gillispie needs to be STOPPED... before he adds Jodie Meeks to this list.

Posted on: February 10, 2009 8:53 pm
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Stop all the talk about Bobby Knight possibly returning to the bench in Georgia! The perfect spot for The General's return to coaching is Kentucky!

Yes... I said Kentucky!

Kentucky's two-year lab experiment with Billy Gillispie at the helm has bubbled-up... and exploded right its face.

Kentucky's storied basketball reputation is on a rapid and steady decline. Recruiting is down. The Wildcats' schedule is padded with powderpuff small college teams like Ouachita Baptist, Longwood, Lamar, Delaware State, Appalachian State, the Virginia Military Institute, etc. in an obvious attempt to orchestrate a winning record. Consequently, their strength of schedule is so bad that the Wildcats would have to win the SEC title to sneak into the NCAA tournament. And their coach, Billy Gillispie, is not only ineffective (unable to effectively utilize the talents of their two All-American-quality players, Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson), but Gillispie is a fall-down, emotionally-toxic, ill-behaved DRUNK!

KA-BOOM!

It's time for the Kentucky braintrust and alumni to take that big ol' fat "F" they deserve for hiring Billy Gillispie -- knowing that he was and is an alcoholic... and muster the courage to wrestle the grand legacy of Kentucky basketball out of the sweaty grip of the drunk, Billy Gillispie, and place it into the staedy legendary hands of The General, Bobby Knight.

Who... better than a coach who has sat on the opposing bench against the Kentucky Wildcats for nearly 30 years at Indiana... knows about the true Kentucky basketball tradition and reputation as a fierce competitor and champion?

Bobby Knight has a clear understanding of what goes into a GREAT basketball tradition and what goes into making an NCAA champion. He has three of them.

The General has expressed the desire to coach again. And there's no doubt that the fire still simmers in his belly to WIN.

Bobby Knight not only has the resumé to fill the huge shoes vacated by the five great coaches that preceded Billy Gillispie... but he has the fond affection and respect of the Kentucky-faithful... the Wildcats' fans.

His arrival to Kentucky and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) would equal -- and probably surpass -- the impact that former Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith's arrival at Minnesota had on the Big Ten Conference last year. It's still "Tubby Time" in Minnesota. And it could be "Bob-Cat Fever" in the Bluegrass... if Kentucky seizes this rare opportunity to commission and deploy The General, Bobby Knight.

Posted on: January 28, 2009 6:27 pm
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It's no secret to University of Kentucky (UK) fans in Lexington, Ky., that men's basketball coach Billy Gillespie's favorite pastime is pickling... himself. He's a real dilly!

Gillespie has a drinking problem. And the UK Athletic Department and alumni are well aware of it. But what's a school to do when it managed to run off Coach Tubby Smith -- one of the top coaches in the country who averaged 26 wins per year during his 10 years at Kentucky?

Tuesday night, Kentucky is battling Ole Miss at Ole Miss. The Wildcats trailed for much of the first half. Kentucky's leading scorer Jodie Meeks is being shut down by a special box-and-one defense -- holding him to 8 points from the freethrow line and no field goals in the first half.

During a halftime interview with an ESPN reporter who asked him what he planned to do to get Jodie Meeks more involved in the offense in the second half, Coach Billy Gillespie got real chippy with the reporter, stating "This is not a one-man team... This is a good team... everything is not centered around one player..."

He was actually bothered by the question... as if Kentucky doesn't need Jodie Meeks' gabillion points per game to be successful. Yeah... right.

What was he drinking before the game? It sure wasn't Gatorade.

Billy Gillespie is a drunk. And it was painfully obvious that he was full of IT Tuesday night.

What should have been a routine answer to an obvious question, turned out to be a telltale drunken stumble for Gillespie during a nationally-televised sobriety test.

Hell, yeah... Kentucky needed to figure up something at halftime to free Jodie Meeks up to get involved in its offense.

That's what coaches are supposed to say when they're asked questions like that. And that's what coaches get paid to do at halftime... figure stuff out.

Jodie is not just the Wildcats' leading scorer, but he is the leading scorer in the entire Southeastern Conference (SEC)... the third leading scorer in the nation... a candidate for NCAA Player of the Year!

What coach would not want to figure out how to get a player of that caliber into their offense?

Where else did Gillespie plan to get Jodie's 26.1 points against Ole Miss... from turnover-proned freshman backup point guard Deandre Liggins -- who had almost as many turnovers (3) as he had assists (4), while shooting 3-16 from the field for 8 points? Or from the two starters he benched in the first half, point guard Michael Porter (6 minutes) and forward Ramon Harris (9 minutes)? Or from center Patrick Patterson (nursing a finger injury) who (along with Meeks) already shoulders a great portion of the team's scoring, averaging 18 points per game?

The answer was painfully obvious by game's end. NOWHERE! No one filled Jodie's shoes.

Even though Jodie Meeks managed to score 21 points (10-10 from the charity stripe), Gillespie never figured out how to work Jodie free to get open looks against Ole Miss' box-and-one.

The only plays Gillespie TRIED to run for Jodie required him to run around the full halfcourt from the top of the key to try to outrun his defender to get open on the opposite wing... only to realize that the box-and-one quickly became a triangle-and-two to double-team Jodie.

There were no high post picks... no nothing... just a drunken look on Gillespie's face when Ole Miss -- minus three of their key starters -- sent in their bench-warmers for the bench-warmers who had put the game out of reach of Gillespie's 25th-ranked Wildcats.

Now, if that ain't a good reason for Kentucky fans to tie one on, what is?

Kentucky needs to admit that they made a mistake when they hired Gillespie... and get rid of him. The players deserve better than having to tolerate a drunken tyrant... a drunken bum.

Only a bum would minimize the value of one of his premier players... a player who is currently considered to be a candidate for NCAA Player of the Year. And only a drunk would do it on national TV.

While Gillespie is turning bottoms-up... the UK Athletic Department should be kicking his bottom out.

Now... I'll drink to that!

Posted on: January 24, 2009 12:41 pm
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Instant sadness came to me with the news... only an hour ago... that North Carolina State Coach Kay Yow has passed away.

Her courageous battle with breast cancer not only heightened breast cancer awareness... but it put a face of a dear friend on the disease that far too many of us were afraid to even think of. Because hers was a disease that claims our wives, our girlfriends, our sisters, our daughters, our aunties, our grannies, and... yes... our mothers.

Hopefully, this Hall-of-Famer's very public struggle with this disease has enabled us all to muster the courage to join in the fight... the fight of our wives, our girlfriends, our sisters, our daughters, our aunties, our grannies, our mothers... and every woman strickened with this terrible disease.

You may be saying to yourself... wearing pink ribbons and bracelets just ain't your thang. "Real men don't wear pink."

"Real men" may not wear pink... but real husbands, boyfriends, brothers, fathers, nephews, grandsons and sons do.

Here's to the tremendous life and the wonderful legacy of the leader of the 'pack... Coach Kay Yow.

The Wolfpack may have lost a great legend and a dear friend... but we've all gained a very special angel.

May God bless the soul and memory of Coach Kay Yow... and may she rest in eternal peace. Amen.