Shooting Around!

Have you ever paid attention to the way some NBA players shoot the ball? If you pay attention to some of them they have a funny way having getting the ball to the basket.

My friend, The Mad Jotter pointed out to me a few players that have a little different technique to their shots; Steve Blake, Shawn Marion, and Corey Brewer. So I decided to look these players up and see what they were working with.

Marcus Camby is one player that I have noticed that has a funny way of shooting the ball. He seems to cock his arm to the side when it goes up and it kind of has a slow motion to it. Like he has to slow down right before he shoots and he takes his time releasing the ball.

Shawn Marion has a shoot that looks like he is just throwing it up there. He seems to use both hands to guide him but he also hops forward with the ball. This shoot is working for him but very funny to watch. Never really paid close attention to it. Think I will be noticing every time I seem him now.

Now as for Steve Blake I did not see anything unusual about the way he shoots the ball. I could be missing something! But it looks pretty normal to me. Maybe Mad Jotter could let me know what I am not noticing when it comes to this guy.

I am going to have to further investigate this topic as the season prgresses! Have to get some more NBA games in and really pay attention. We will just call this the introduction to what will follow! 

College Game Day!

What a Saturday this was for college football! This was the time for teams to step up to get to a bowl game or to clinch their spot in a top one. The top five teams held their spots though with wins today.

Auburn finally got that win over Georgia after losing the last four match ups against the Bulldogs. Auburn also clinched the SEC West spot, which is one step closer to the BCS Nationals. They first have to get through Alabama who won their game today as well.

Other top teams that walked away with a win today were TCU and Ohio State winning over Penn State. Too bad Paterno could not get his 401 win. Boise St dominated over Idaho Friday. Oregon walked away with a 15-13 win over Cal, which I would have thought would have had a bigger win over them.

Bowl projections in week ten by Andrea Adelson has Auburn and Boise St going at it in the Allstate Sugar bowl. I like this match up and feel that it will be a good game because both teams are playing great. Boise St should have a tougher schedule and given a chance to play a SEC team.  Mark Schlabach has LSU and TCU going to the Allstate Sugar bowl. I do not want to see LSU at a bowl ranked that high. Guess it pays to be a big school in the SEC.

A team that has caught my attention this season is South Carolina! Where did they come from? They are just riding to the top and they deserve to be put in a top bowl. Being the first team to beat the 2009 National Champions and continuing to win deserves something. I was not expecting them to beat Florida and especially not 36-14. Funny how former Gator coach, who named the famous Gator stadium “The Swamp”, has clinched the SEC East. They have gotten their first division title, which was lead by Steve Spurrier. Florida has just taken a beaten this year. Since 1989 this was the first time the Gators have lost three-games at home. They must really be missing Tebow!

It will be interesting to see how the final weeks of football play out and to see who goes to what bowl. The best thing about this sport is that nothing is written in stone until the very end. Anything can change within seconds!

My prediction for the BCS National Champs will be Auburn if the Newton issue goes away and they take Alabama down. I love the roll they are on.

Kanter Gets No Play!

Its College basketball time! This is the time of year where it is just sports everywhere you turn and who could not love it?

Well as we kick off this college basketball season, it seems that #11 ranked Kentucky is already off to somewhat of a rocky start. After loosing one of their key players, DeMarcus Cousin to the NBA, Kentucky thought they had a guy who could step up and take Cousin’s role.  WRONG!

Enes Kanter was suppose to be the big freshmen on campus and on the court for the Wildcats this season. But the NCAA has cut those dreams short by permanently making Kanter ineligible to ever play for the school due to receiving benefits above his actual and necessary expenses while play for three seasons in a Turkish club. It is said that he received $33,000 over his due expenses.

Many players from overseas come to play in the NBA getting picked up in the first round of the draft without ever playing in the United States. Kanter on the other hand wanted to play for Kentucky for a year and then most likely enter the 2011 NBA draft. He will be picked up in the draft though so not too much for him to worry about. But no player has played on the pro level then went back to school to play in order to go back to the pros. And I do not see any player ever being able to do that if the NCAA has anything to do with it.

At first glance to the story I thought, why shouldn’t he be able to play on a college team in the US since he did not play in the NBA but only overseas? Also why would they even allow him to commit and sign to the school knowing from the start that he would not be able to play?

The NCAA made the right move here though because obviously Kanter broke a rule by going above his expenses. But also I do not think it is a good idea to let someone play on a collegiate team after competing on a higher level. The talent is unjust there.

Hopefully all will be well with the Wildcats this season with their returns and newcomers that have talent to be displayed.

Little NBA Talk!

My second favorite sport would be the NBA and this big season has arrived.  I have not been able to focus on basketball because of course the focus is still on football right now. But this season for the NBA is going to be an exciting one I feel.

Of course we have the Miami Heat, who have what I call the ‘Three Amigos”, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Everyone predicts that the Heat will be the best team in the East. I find it funny that they are 5-2 already and that the Hornets beat them last Friday. But they will be as dominate as everyone thinks. I said from the start that they were going to be tough but no championship for them this year. They have to adjust first with each other and stop trying to be unselfish and just shoot the ball. Then maybe some of these games they are losing will turn to wins. They are giving up shots that each could have had just to give the ball to the other.

I am proud to say that the Hornets and the Lakers are the only undefeated teams right now. Question on NBA.com is who will be the first of these two teams to lose first? I say the Hornets. The Hornets are playing well this season and coming off strong. The new head coach Monty Williams seems to be working out great. Might be a prefect fit for this beehive.  

But Hornets will lose before the Lakers because the Lakers are a better team with players like Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom. These two have been great for the team. Matt Barnes is stepping up for them as well. Steve Blake is also a great addition to the team along with Barnes.

The Hornets and the Lakers will meet on December 29 at the beehive and if they both are able to stay undefeated until then that will be a great showdown to see who can remain undefeated. 

Geaux Saints!!

Saints came out with the win today against the Panthers in their own home, leaving them with 34 unanswered points to their three points made in the first quarter.

After the Saints won the coin toss and got the ball down the field with big runs by Chris Ivory and Julius Jones, Carolina’s Richard Marshall intercepted and ran it back for 66 yards.  Good thing Marques Colston was there to get the tackle and prevent seven points on the scoreboard.

Saints defense was there to shut them down and forced a field goal. From there it was Saints game! The defense took out the Panthers top running back that they had left with an injury to Jonathan Stewart. Matt Moore  was taken out early in the game as well.

 The Saints’ running game is looking better and better each game. Ivory, Jones and Ladell Betts have showed up in the absence of Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas.  They have made some great runs down the middle getting the yards needed to score. Lance Moore and Marques Colston made passing plays when needed. Colston still leading as the best receiver on the team makes catches in any situation and gets the first down when they need it most.  Moore has stepped up with passing plays that normally Bush would be in for. The team is just full of talent.

The second half belonged to the Saints and their running game also. Imagine what the team will have once Bush and Thomas are back in the game. Bush was said to have warmed up a little on the field before the game so hopefully he will be back soon and back to himself by playoffs.

Saints did suffer with some minor injuries with Jeremy Shockey taken out the game after his 1yrd touchdown and Ivory and Darren Sharper were taken out with minor injuries. Hope the Saints do not lose any of these players. Good thing there is a bye next week for them to rest up and get healthy.

It was also good to see Chase Daniels get some playing time. Brees was sat out at the end of the fourth quarter. Daniels made a big run for it helping gain some yards but couple plays after was sacked. Daniels will be a great quarterback when his time comes and he is learning from one of the best coming in behind Brees.

Next week Saints have a bye then on to the Seahawks and the Cowboys. It will be nice to beat the Cowboys in their home. Geaux Saints!!

Who to Blame?

First it was Reggie Bush and now it is Auburn’s Cam Newton having accusations brought on that there may have been money exchanged with an agent and the school on the behave of recruiting Newton to Mississippi State.  Why is this surfacing now? Could it be because he is one of the best college players right now and is in the running to receive the Heisman?

Illegal recruiting is on the front burner in college sports as the Reggie Bush case just left the headlines and now the Newton case is coming up. Bush was accused of receiving money and gifts from two agents while he was at USC. There was evidence and the school was put on probation. Both Bush and USC gave back their Heisman that Bush won in 2005. My question is whom shall we blame for the actions of agents and athletes communicating before they are suppose to.

I think that the blame lies on both the athlete and the agents. Athletes are given the rules from the NCAA when they enter college on recruiting. The NCAA’s bylaw simply states that an athlete or their friends and family are not suppose to accept money or gifts from an agent while in school. Athletes are not to sign with an agent verbally or in writing while still playing for the school.

This can be a challenge for athletes when there are agents pouring gifts and money over these top players in order to have the first pick of these players when they enter in to the league. Agents do not get into trouble like the school or athlete when this rule is broken. I think this is wrong as well. Agents should have some consequences for breaking a law that they know exist. It’s all about money and media exposure for every party in the situation of college sports. Agents go after these top athletes and the athletes buckle under the money and gifts being thrown at them. Most athletes come from lower income families and yes they get a free ride to school but who does not want extra money. The athletes cannot work but are working for the school by winning them championships. The schools are making millions off of them but they do get any of it.  So when they get free stuff and extra money why would they not take it?  Most athletes live in the moment and do not think what could happen if they get caught. And really can they trust these agents? I do place blame on the athletes though because I feel they are adults and they know what is right and wrong. I feel that their time will come so they should just get their free education that they are lucky to be receiving, and work towards that next level being the League where they will make way more then what these agents are giving them to just sign a paper. Now the blame is mostly on the agent as well as the schools. The schools know what is going on especially the coaches but nothing is said because they do not want to have to sit their top player on the bench and take the chance of losing a game. It is sad that for most colleges it seems that sports, especially football and basketball are the important factors of the school. This is where their money comes from with games, fans, and apparel. This is where the school puts most their money as well, in the athletic departments. Agents need to be watched more by the coaches and school as well as the NCAA.  Agents need to feel the pain of breaking the rules just like the other parties involved. But it seems that these agents just slip under the rope and head to their next victim.

I hope that Newton is telling the truth that he had nothing to do with the accusations and that he can continue to focus on winning games and getting the Heisman.  Only time will tell.