Sports Blog » 2008 » July

Teams in the NBA’s Western Conference let out a collective moan earlier this week when small forward Ron Artest was traded to the Houston Rockets.

Artest was already in the Western Conference last season – although on the playoff irrelevant Sacramento Kings – but by pairing him with All-Stars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, the mighty west just got a lot more difficult.

The move wasn’t exactly a shocker. Artest had publicly admitted he regretted not opting out of the last year of his contract after watching marquee free agents like Elton Brand and Baron Davis decide their own fate. Rumor mills have been turning all summer, especially at the idea of a trade that would have sent Artest to the Lakers for Lamar Odom.

Kings GM Geoff Petrie settled on Houston though, receiving back up Bobby Jackson, first-round pick Donte Greene and next year’s first-round pick in return. Not quite the coup the Lakers pulled off in getting Pau Gasol, but a nice trade for the annual first-round-exit Rockets.

The question now is whether or not T-Mac and company can finally abandon their perennial above average status and finally join the Lakers, Spurs and recent juggernaut Hornets in the battle atop the west. The answer is … well there isn’t exactly one.

McGrady has never been able to claw his way out of the first round, and both he and Ming have a reputation of being soft. Artest will bring with him a tenacious attitude that should shore up any questions of the Rockets toughness.

Artest is also known as a defensive stopper, which coincidentally, is the one thing that the Rockets can say they are already pretty good at. They ranked second in the NBA last year on defense and also have Shane Battier on their roster – who isn’t exactly a slouch on the perimeter.

The biggest perceived challenge is Artest’s large personality and sometimes volatile emotions. We all remember the brawl at the Palace, but Artest has played for Rockets Head Coach Rick Adelman before and put up some of his best numbers in his career under Adelman’s guidance.

Regardless of how it turns out, you can’t fault the Rockets for trying. They weren’t going to win a title with the roster they had last year, and while I still don’t put them above the Lakers, Spurs, and Hornets, at least they’re taking a risk and shaking things up.

Now, for the Rockets sake, let’s hope Artest doesn’t decide to shake things up again.

I try and I try, but NBA general managers just don’t seem to listen.

The Detroit Pistons pulled off a move of McHalean proportions Monday, signing Kwame Brown to a contract believed to be for two years and eight million dollars.

I have just one question … what in the heck are you thinking Joe Dumars?

First of all, one of the Ten Commandments in basketball operations is to never give money to anyone drafted by Michael Jordan. Secondly, while Brown came into the league as a number one overall draft pick with no ceiling, he is now a journeyman at best.

When did it become a good idea to give a NBA journeyman who will never be one of the seven best players on a championship team four million dollars a year? I know teams usually pay a premium for big men, but let me run down a list of overpaid centers and forwards that teams are currently wishing they didn’t have on their books (salaries rounded off):

Nazr Mohammed, $6 million; Ben Wallace, $14.5 million; Rasho Nesterovic, $8.4 million; Mark Blount, $8.5 million; and I could go on and on.

When the Lakers traded away Brown, it was one of the greatest moments in the life of a Lakers fan. Brown was an underperforming player who all too often played small in big moments. He was allergic to the rim, had poor hands, and left much to be desired.

At the same time I can’t help but feel sorry for him. After all, it isn’t his fault that he was drafted too high and put in a situation where it was nearly impossible to succeed. It’s not his fault that he wasn’t forced to play at least one year of college ball, which may have shown him that he needed more time to develop or at the very least let scouts know he shouldn’t have been a number one pick.

Still, I can’t help but hate the move. The Lakers tried desperately to move Brown and were lucky enough to land Pau Gasol. The Grizzlies, who gave away Gasol to get him, dropped him faster than you can say salary dump.

The Pistons, well, apparently they believe in charity. The only kudos I will give to Brown; apparently he is smart enough to take it.

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I know I wasn’t the only one who was a bit freaked out last night from the Yankees and Red Sox pregame show on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

I couldn’t understand why I was not paying attention to the commentators, then it hit me. It was because I was trying to figure out what was going on with Orel Hershiser’s nose. Then last night I woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare from Orel’s haunting, Satanic face. I swear the man looks he’s going to jump up and bite my ankles.

With the high angle ESPN was using to shoot these guys, it made me think of Orel as a little rottweiler and Jim Miller kind of looked like the little Keebler elf without his little, funny hat.

Great, now I want a cookie. Be right back.

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This week in sports blogs and news:

• Girl ejected from tennis match. Dad was coaching through earpiece - Larry Brown Sports
• Anquan Boldin says he won’t resign with the Cardinals - Fox Sports
• Warriors sign Monta Ellis to $66 million - SI
• The True Life of Reilly - Deadspin
• Photos of CFL Cheerleaders cause coach to quit - SportsByBrooks
• NBA to offer more European trends next year - The Sports Hernia
• Army keeps Lions draft pick from playing - Yahoo Sports
• Get your New York Yankees updates here - Yankees Chick
  

This week on the Smarter Sports Blog we covered:

• “If you yell, it will fall”
• Dolphins to Trade Jason Taylor to the Redskins
• Carson Palmer Cannot Stand Ohio State Fans
• NBA Rumors: Carlos Boozer to Sign a Extension
• Josh Childress Goes to Greece for More Money

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Apparently playing with the best in the world doesn’t mean much when a team throws you a ton of cash.

Even if it means going to Greece.

Josh Childress, now formerly of the Atlanta Hawks, gave up millions in the NBA to only get more millions in Greece to play for the Olympiakos.

Despite being a solid player in the NBA, Childress was never a star after being chosen sixth overall by the Hawks in 2004 out of Stanford. With the Hawks offering him a contract that was over the mid-level amount, which is at $5.5 million, Childress opted to go overseas for lesser competition and a three-year, $20 million contract. The contract also allows him to opt out after each year if he chose to do so.

Good move for Childress. Why not go to Greece and make a bigger name for yourself and get paid more in the process? If he doesn’t like it, then come back over to the states, still get paid millions and pick up where you left off.

Oh the hard decisions some people have to make in life. Athletes have it so rough.

Childress averaged 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Hawks last season.

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Utah Jazz fans would love to see Carlos Boozer stick around.

But not everyone in life get what they want. Just ask Cleveland.

Carlos Boozer has hinted at Team USA camp that he will be signing a contract with the Jazz next season when he is eligible. His Jazz and fellow Olympian teammate Deron Williams recently signed a $70 million contract with the Jazz, now everyone is wondering if Boozer will jump ship like he did in Cleveland or head to warmer climates. Miami?

Here is what Boozer has said:

“He’s going to be smiling for the next four years” because of his new contract worth up to $70 million, Boozer said. “And we will, too, because we’ll have him on our side.”

“We”, Carlos? As in you and the Jazz?

“We’ve been talking about our combination . . . for two years already,” Boozer added, “so we already have our thing lined up.”

There is that “we” word again.

This man likes to play with people’s emotions. Just spit it out already!

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

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It’s always fun to listen in on pro athletes and where they stand on certain topics.

Global warming. Natural disasters. Paris Hilton. All have been touched. Literally.

But for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, he lets us know on a recent radio show just where he stands on THE Ohio State and its fan.

“I cannot stand the Buckeyes.”

Short and sweet. The USC alum probably could have left it at that. But of course he didn’t.

“It’s amazing to hear what those guys think about that university and what they think about that football program and Tressel and all the crap I gotta put up with being back there.”

“I just can’t wait for two years from now when SC comes to the ‘Shoe and hopefully we’ll have a home game that weekend and I can go up there and watch us pound on them in their own turf”

“I’m really getting sick of it and I just can’t wait for this game to get here so they can come out to the Coliseum and experience LA and get an old-fashioned Pac-10 butt-whoopin’ and go back to the Big Ten.”

I still sense a touch of bitterness in Carson’s tone from when the Buckeyes were handed the national championship over USC when Palmer was in LA. I’m not sure how Palmer is still going to make it to camp after those kind words about a college they worship more than God.

Maybe he’ll make mends with Chad Johnson and Ocho Cinco can lend him some of his outfits for a disguise.

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It looks like Jason Taylor won’t be dancing on South Beach this season.

The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year looks to be on his way to the Washington Redskins after after agreeing to terms with the Miami Dolphins.

The Redskins receive one of the elite pass rushers in the league, where the Dolphins will receive a second round pick in the future.

The Skins were in need of another pass rusher after defensive end Phillip Daniels went down with a knee injury the first day of training camp. It’s been said that he has torn the ACL in his left knee and will miss the entire season.

Taylor, if you didn’t know, was also a hit on the reality show Dancing with the Stars. I’m not sure how the dance clubs are up in D.C., but I’m sure it can’t be any better than the salsa down in Miami.

Source: Fox Sports

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Tell us what you’d say!

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