I get the playing with Legos-- because, well, Legos rock-- but the rest is. . .

Like any other baby, Stanley sleeps in a crib, wears diapers, and loves nothing better than being comforted by his mother as she bottle feeds him.

Except Stanley Thornton is 30-years-old - and his 'mother' is really his room-mate.

Mr Thornton seeks comfort in being treated like a baby, a condition known as paraphilic infantilism.

The 'adult baby' lives out his fantasies at his California apartment, where he has built himself a giant crib, play pen and even a man-sized high chair.

Wait, it gets better.

In 2000, he started website for other 'adult babies', where members can find 'mothers or 'babies', and tips on where to buy diapers.

According to his website, he used to work as a security guard, but had an accident and now claims disability benefit for a heart condition.

He first began his return to childhood when he was 14, as a way of coping when he started wetting the bed after being abused as a boy.

He was abused as a boy so to retreat, he pretends to be a baby again? I think he's past therapy at this point. On one hand, I feel a little bit sorry for him because abuse can mess someone up in the head. Obviously. But on the other. He didn't confront what happened to him, he ran and hide from it. And is still running.

As the Queen starts making her own Windsor wine, the industry enjoys a record year

✒ It's been a tremendous year for English wine with our vineyards producing an amazing 4m bottles, a record. And it turns out that the Queen is going to start making her own wine at Windsor, though you won't be able to buy it for three years and will, of course, have to wear a ridiculous hat while drinking it.

I popped along to English wine's annual show this week and tried as many as I could without falling down. The days when a French vigneron could say to me "yurr English wine, eet tastes of rain" are long gone, and some of the sparklers are now quite exceptional – far better than champagnes selling at the same £20-24 mark. In fact, some, such as Camel Valley, Ridgeview and Nyetimber, strike me as being just as good as the premium brands from famous names being sold to footballers and rock stars for more than £100 in shops and at even sillier prices in clubs and restaurants.

It's a matter of prestige. People still feel that for really special occasions, the wine must have the word "champagne" on the label. Soon, however, I'm sure people will say: "We're laying this aside for our daughter's engagement; it's from Cornwall…"

✒ I really enjoyed the royal wedding. I know most people didn't – the viewing figures were comfortably less than half the population – but I saw no point in leaving the country as some did. You could always keep the telly switched off.

But here are the seven worst things about it, aspects of the event that were actually quite annoying:

• Tony Blair and Gordon Brown not being invited. Whether Blair "cashed in" on Princess Diana's death (he didn't), or because Cherie refused to curtsey, or because Blair's memoirs said too much about his dealings with the royals, the snub was to all of us and to democracy. And it gave what should have been a national celebration a nasty, class-bound, party political tinge.

• Beatrice's fascinator, or "repulser" as it should have been called. As if Medusa had gone to Nicky Clarke.

• The fly-past. A miserable six planes! A real, eardrum-rattling, fly-past would have looked like an RAF raid on Schwenningen.

• Prince Harry's speech. Obviously we only have press reports, but a proper, traditional best man's speech would have been packed with disgusting jokes and filthy allusions to the groom's previous girlfriends. That is Prince Harry's role in life and he let us all down.

• John Rutter's specially composed anthem. Sounded like Coldplay.

• Elton John's hissy fit when he asked to be moved to a more prominent seat. Calm down, dear, as we say these days.

• The kiss. Call that a kiss? A bit of tongue, please, Will.

✒ Why does the BBC insist on calling the soldiers and police employed by various tyrants in the Middle East and north Africa "security forces"? For example: "In Syria, security forces are said to have killed up to 60 demonstrators…" Security is the last thing these people provide. The Beeb wouldn't say: "A bomb planted by IRA freedom fighters has caused at least 10 deaths…" Just say, "government troops".

✒ I've been watching some of the host of new cop shows on TV. (The BBC says it has scrubbed Zen because it wants more women detectives. Well, many of the women I know think that Rufus Sewell is quite all right to be going to on with. You might as well say: "Men aren't interested in watching Scarlett Johansson. They want to see burly chaps pouting on TV…")

The new crop of women detectives are real people, damaged and with problems. If they get on well with their male deputies, then they have a terrible relationship with their male superiors. As my colleagues in the Guardian have pointed out, the more realistic the cops, the more fanciful and improbable the murders. And the cliches remain the same, whether in Vera, Lewis or Case Sensitive.

Here are some more recent ones I've spotted: the first murder is usually the weirdest and is unexplained at the end. Any group of children having a boisterous outing will always stumble on a body. All mobile phone calls come at the worst possible moment. When the sidekick searches for a crucial clue on the internet, he invariably finds it immediately, usually with a cry of "bingo, boss!"

✒ Labels and notices, continued: Suzan Carter bought a pack of "whole almonds" from Sainsbury's: "allergy advice – contains nuts". David Voas also went to Sainsbury's, for a steak. The label gives instructions for cooking rare: "2 ½ to 4 minutes each side… Always check that the product is cooked throughout, and no pink colour remains." Thanks, paranoid lawyers!

Les Herbert bought some fish in his local posh supermarket, the one that pushes up house prices by just existing: "plaice fillets in a bespoke Waitrose crumb". A bespoke crumb? Sounds like a very annoying tailor's assistant in Jermyn Street.

Vic McLellan photographed a sign mounted on a fence by a stream near his home: "Kew Angling Society. Strictly No Fishing."

A reader who requested anonymity to spare his wife encloses a leaflet for the Estring brand vaginal ring, used to replace oestrogen for post-menopausal women: "The Estring vaginal ring is not recommended for use in children," it says. Into what bizarre mind could that warning have wandered?

Linda Paramor bought some limnanthes seeds for her garden. "Handy tip," it says on the packet, "plant carefully as they can be evasive." I love the idea of the flowers coyly hiding when anyone tries to admire them.

I didn't love the leaflet that came with Dick Tuckey's penicillin prescription: "Unwanted side effects can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and black hairy tongue." No, please!

✒ David Scott startled me with a tale of a merciful guard on, of all services, Virgin. He was on a London to Manchester train sitting near two Norwegian tourists. One of them said he had lost his ticket and the ticket inspector let him off! "I won't tell you which train it was," David says, "because he would be sacked."

"If you doubt his quickness, or you doubt his ball-handling ability, you just saw it right there." Truer words were never spoken, Hubie Brown. Yikes-a-daisies.

Hiccup-quick crossovers and eventual detonations weren't all Derrick Rose did right in the first half of Game 3 of his Chicago Bulls' Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. After appearing a step slow due to his nagging left ankle sprain in Games 1 and 2, Rose looked none the worse for wear in the first two periods at Philips Arena, scoring 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting, notching three assists with no turnovers, and generally dominating in a manner befitting the league's Most Valuable Player.

Fresh off a fawning piece by some jerk, Hawks point guard Jeff Teague got off to a fast start as well, hitting his first five shots and finishing the half with a team-leading 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting, one assist and one turnover.

Poor shooting by Teague's mates spurred by solid Bulls defense (the other Hawks were a combined 12-for-31 from the field) and hot shooting by Rose's spurred by not-so-solid Hawks defense (the other Bulls were just a tick under 50 percent at 14-for-30) helped tell the tale, as Chicago took a 56-43 lead into halftime.

International readers ("Int'l read'rs"): If the clip above isn't rocking for you, please feel free to check the cross-and-crush elsewhere.

It was obvious from the living room, the stands, and both benches. The Atlanta Hawks were not prepared to match effort levels with a desperate Chicago Bulls team in Friday's Game 3, and as a result Chicago pulled away for a one-sided win. Hawks coach Larry Drew was forced into calling a timeout less than one minute into his team's home game to try and wake his players up, but the Hawks never responded, and ended up losing by a 99-82 mark. As a result, Chicago has taken back the home court advantage in this series.

Though Atlanta's lack of motivation and dodgy execution helped guide him toward a career-high in points, a springy pair of legs and accurate touch from outside also shepherded Derrick Rose toward 44 needed points for Chicago. The Bulls, ever the constant in this regard, came out and played stifling defense throughout the win, and when paired with Rose's brilliance and Atlanta's apathy, a blowout resulted.

Drew could tell right away that things were off.

"When I called that timeout 47 seconds into the game," the Hawks coach said following his team's loss, "I saw then and there that my team had not made that commitment that we made in Game 1. I knew. I saw an energy level, and that right away I knew we were in trouble. You have to come out and match energy and effort. Forget about Xs and Os."

Chicago's Xs and Os were on point, all night. The team's coaching staff was able to clear the strong side of the court easier in order to aid Rose in finding both clear lanes to the rim, or making it so the Hawks had to over-commit to the lanes he suddenly seemed able to drive into. Because Atlanta's defense was so lax, Rose was able to both get to the rim, or scare Hawks guard Jeff Teague into giving him room on a jumper that just wasn't there in Games 1 and 2. Rose hit for just 20 percent of his three-pointers before Game 3, but he nailed three of six in Friday's win.

Atlanta had no answers offensively either. Luol Deng was an absolute dominant force defensively, chasing around Joe Johnson and then Jamal Crawford (who combined to miss 12 of 19 shots) through screens and around the baseline, and catching up with the two in transition when other Bulls were lost on cross-matches.

Chicago's guards also made life hellish for Al Horford as he received passes in his wheelhouse -- spotted up 18-feet from the basket -- helping and swiping as he unsteadily rose for flat-footed jumpers that he had made with greater statistical regularity than any other big man in the NBA during the regular season.

With those three options gone mute, and Atlanta's transition game taken away by all the Bulls makes on the other end, the Hawks had no choice but to limp to just 82 points despite hitting 47 percent from the field.

Chicago wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders offensively, but it was clear from the start that they were going to have good chances from the field if Atlanta continued to defend as listlessly as they were in the first quarter. The Bulls had several good looks in the first quarter that would not go down; the Hawks failed to ramp up the defense, and the result was a fantastic 125 points per 100 possessions mark for Chicago once the nice looks started falling.

Though the Bulls talked about pushing the pace after Game 2, and insisted on it before Game 3, this was actually a slow-paced game overall (don't listen to the newspapers that tell you otherwise tomorrow) and finished with just 79 possessions. The team just moved the ball with expert precision and Rose had the touch. He absolutely could not be stopped from anywhere on the court.

The MVP had 44 points on 27 shots, with eight made free throws, five rebounds, and seven assists. He had just two turnovers despite dominating the ball for nearly 38 minutes, with a block and a steal. And anytime Rose or his cohorts missed, the team's offensive glass work was good enough to put Atlanta away. The Bulls picked up offensive rebounds on a dominant 42 percent of its chances in that area, a ridiculous number created almost entirely by Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson's combined 15 offensive rebounds.

The Hawks, frankly, seemed comfortable in just standing around and watching. Atlanta wasn't letting Chicago waltz to the basket or beat them badly to open spots, but it was significantly easier for Chicago to get where they wanted in Game 3. Atlanta's coach, for whatever it's worth, seems beside himself at his lack of options in that area.

"There has to be a genuine excitement when playing in front of our home fans." Drew said postgame. "There has to be a self-motivation. When I called that timeout [in the first quarter], I just wanted to make them aware that 'Hey guys, we are not ready to play.' "

Atlanta, as is usually the case in disappointments like this, did not shock with their middling effort. There wasn't any overt laziness or refund-worthy play. The Hawks just seemed happy with letting the game happen, rather than matching Chicago's intensity long enough to try to make an impact that goes beyond merely showing up.

"They play hard," Jamal Crawford pointed out following the loss. "That's how they won 62 games, they compete and they play hard all the time. They don't take rests in the regular season, and they don't take rests in the playoffs."

That's Atlanta's problem. The Hawks treated this game like one of 82, instead of the most important game of their career. Chicago saw its own season flash before its eyes, got desperate, and did what it needed to do.

The Hawks had no such worries, and the team is now forced to win three out of their next four. With two games left to play in Chicago against a Bulls team that has beaten them four out of the six times they've played this season, that's no small task.

And if the Hawks came out with the same attitude we saw on Friday night, they've got no possible chance. Take it from their coach.

ATLANTA – They say bad habits from the regular season carry over, and apparently that’s true. For instance, just because it’s the playoffs doesn’t mean the Hawks have stopped mailing in games.

In a season full of baffling home blowouts, the Hawks added another to the list in a 99-82 loss to Chicago in Game 3. It was the eighth time this season Atlanta lost at Philips Arena by 15 points or more, falling behind almost immediately as Derrick Rose eviscerated them for 44 points. The Bulls lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday.

While Rose’s brilliance meant Atlanta was unlikely to win this game no matter what they did, the Hawks felt the lopsided nature of the defeat was more a result of apathy than execution or Xs and Os. Few in the audience disagreed.

The turning point? How about the 49-second mark. Hawks coach Larry Drew called as early a timeout as you’ll ever see after two easy baskets gave the Bulls a 4-0 lead. What set him off was an easy transition lay-up for Rose after a defensive board, a bucket that opened the floodgates on his career-high performance.

“I saw an energy level that, right away, I knew we were in trouble,” said Drew. “When you play an explosive guard like Derrick Rose, you have to make a commitment to getting back and making sure you try to keep him out of the paint. He’s too fast and too explosive.”

“I saw right then and there my team had not made the commitment we made in Game 1. We know he’s so good and explosive that he can get in there. But when I don’t’ see the effort on getting back in transition, not getting there and allowing them to get to the basket without a contest, I knew that we were not committed like we were in Games 1 and 2.”

The only energy in the arena, in fact, came from the Bulls fans chanting “MVP” after most of Rose’s 16 field goals. For the third time this season, the arena had a heavy sprinkling of Bulls fans, adding insult to injury as Atlanta’s “home” crowed cheered its demise.

And it should be noted that Rose foiled the Hawks even when their efforts were up to snuff. The most crucial instance was coming out of a timeout after the Hawks had cut the Bulls’ lead to 11 points early in the fourth quarter. On Chicago’s possession, Atlanta’s Jamal Crawford played great denial defense to eliminate a play the Bulls had diagrammed for Kyle Korver. No matter; Rose improvised and hit a difficult shot on the other side of the floor to end the Atlanta rally.

“That’s frustrating, for sure,” said Crawford. “Plays like that kind of stick the needle in the balloon, because you’re fighting so hard to get back and then he makes an incredible shot.”

There were subplots for Atlanta that were equally disheartening, however. While Rose was having his way on the perimeter, the Hawks were also getting destroyed on the glass. The Bulls had 18 offensive rebounds, nearly matching the Hawks’ total on the defensive glass (25); the board dominance gave Chicago a nine-possession edge.

“They completely beat us up,” said Drew. “My big guys didn’t show up tonight and I told them that at halftime. You have to play this team with energy, you have to match their physicality, you cannot complain to the officials, and you have to be ready to make it a war for 48 minutes. Tonight we did not do that.”

One option for Atlanta to deal with the board disparity is returning Jason Collins to the starting lineup, something Drew said he will consider based on what he finds when he watches the tape. That lineup has its own issues – scoring immediately becomes a concern, especially against the league’s top-ranked defense – but if it can stem the bleeding on the defensive end it might be worth it.

And obviously, having Kirk Hinrich would have helped. With Rose appearing back at full strength after struggling with ankle problems in the first two games, Teague’s general inexperience and his lack of size to contest Rose’s shot became much more glaring shortcomings.

Nonetheless, to a man the Hawks admitted that the greatest remedy is to simply play harder.

“It’s just disheartening to come out and start the game like that,” said Crawford.

It’s a sight the locals have witnessed far too often this year; as was the case with this game, usually right after they’d been sucked in by a recent burst of success. The glass-half-full approach is to say the Hawks weren’t winning this one anyway with Rose going off as he was, so perhaps it’s best to get it out of their system now.

But based on recent history, there’s little assurance the Philips Arena crowd won’t get an encore performance on Sunday.

Chicago point guard scores 44 in 99-82 Game 3 demolition of Atlanta

In a little more than two years since making his UFC debut, Stefan Struve has steadily risen through the ranks of the organization’s heaviest division. Although Struve insists that he isn’t feeling the pressure, the fact of the matter is “The Skyscraper” is on the brink of becoming a bonafide contender in the UFC's heavyweight division.

An established star on the European mixed martial arts circuit, before making his UFC debut in February of 2009, Struve has since claimed five wins in seven Octagon appearances—including victories over Paul Buentello, Christian Morecraft and, most recently, Sean McCorkle.

Right now, Struve is preparing for his next bout—a heavyweight tilt on May 28th against Travis Browne at UFC 130.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Stefan Struve about, among other topics, the joys of home-ownership, what he's been able to accomplish in the UFC so far and his upcoming bout against Browne later this month.

How are you doing today?

Good. I just finished training; I had grappling this morning with my training partners and had strength and conditioning in the evening and I just came home from my new house—I bought a new house. So, I’m doing really good.

You’ve got a new house?

Yeah, I just bought a new house a couple days ago—I just got the key yesterday.

How does that feel?

It’s awesome; it’s really nice. I bought my house with the money I’ve made in the UFC so far, so it’s been excellent.

That’s got to feel good.

Yeah, it feels really, really good. That’s another reason why I love my job.

The money?

Well, it’s not only the money that makes you happy, but the things that you can do with it; I bought a home for myself and that’s really nice. I’m really thankful for the way my career has gone so far.

Did you think, in the beginning, that you would be able to buy your own home with your talents as a mixed martial artist?

At first, I didn’t think about that. When I first signed my deal with the UFC, I didn’t think things would go this fast. That’s the truth.

Were you surprised to get that call from the UFC so early in your career?

Well, I was young—I was 20 years old—but to be honest, I was doing really, really good in Europe; I won 14 fights in a row and then I lost one and then I won five straight. For someone that’s 20 years old and fighting in the heavyweight division at 220 pounds, I think that’s pretty good, you know? We heard that Dream was following my fights and we heard that the UFC was following my fights and Affliction was following my fights, but when the offer finally came, of course we were very proud and a little surprised. The UFC is the biggest stage there is.

Was there any hesitation on your behalf to sign the contract?

To be honest, there was. At first we thought, if we signed with the UFC, then we would only be fighting three or four times a year. When I wasn’t fighting in the UFC, I was fighting seven-to-nine times a year. I really liked that rhythm, but to be honest, three or four times a year is good enough for me. With the way that I’m getting paid, it’s better because I can let my injuries heal and I can take more time to work on technical training instead of going back to strength and conditioning right after the fight, you know?

At this point, you prefer the three or four fights a year?

I think I will fight three times this year because this will be my first fight in May. I was supposed to fight in March against [Brendan] Schaub, but it got canceled because I had a small injury that I had to let heal and I needed some more time.

Do you think, looking back, it was a positive thing for your career that you got the opportunity to come to the UFC so early?

Yeah, of course I think it was. I was pretty much done fighting lower-level competition in Europe; there were no more big tests for me, to be honest. I’m getting tested in the UFC and I think Travis is another big test for me.

Did you have a “welcome to the UFC” moment, where it all kind of hit you that you were in the major league?

When it hit me? Yeah; fight-week, with all of the media attention and the attention from the crowd and the fans at the weigh-ins at the stage with all of the people in the audience. When I finally stepped into the Octagon I realized that I had to fight in the UFC for the first time and I thought, “Okay, now we’re here and now it needs to happen.” And it didn’t happen [laughs].

Was that at all overwhelming?

Yeah, everything was a little overwhelming; the media, the audience—everything. And then a guy like Junior Dos Santos is standing in front of you—who didn’t really have a big-name back then, but was coming off a big win over Fabricio Werdum—so he felt really good in there. I think I jammed; I couldn’t move, I didn’t do my thing, but losses happen and it made me stronger.

After a loss, do you ever question why you compete?

No, not really; I love my sport and I couldn’t be more thankful for the way my career has gone so far. Of course, after a loss you’re disappointed, but I never think, “Why am I doing this?” That never happens, no. 

How do you feel about what you’ve been able to accomplish so far in the UFC?

I’m pretty proud of what I’ve accomplished so far; I’ve already got five wins—I’ve won five out of my last six—and my only two losses are against guys that are doing really well right now in the UFC. In the fight with Roy [Nelson], there were some things that were happening fight-week that—and you wish that those things didn’t happen—but they happen. For the future, it will be nice to get a rematch with both guys, but there’s no rush; I’m only 23 and, like I said, I’ve very proud of what I’ve accomplished so far and I plan on winning my sixth fight in the UFC in a couple of weeks.

How much better do you feel you are now than when you first came into the UFC two years ago?

A lot, a lot, a lot better. I’ve worked on everything; my ground-game has improved a lot and especially my stand-up—if you look at my fights, I’ve improved so much. I think I weighed in at 239 pounds, and I’m at 260, 262 right now, so I’ve improved a lot.

You’re at 262, you said?

260, 262 or something like that; around 260.

Do you usually walk around that heavy?

No; I got a little heavier. I had some more time off after the fight, so I did more strength and conditioning to get bigger, you know? That was good. I did a lot of technical training after the fight with [Sean] McCorkle; a lot of BJJ and technical kick-boxing. I’ve improved a lot since my last fight.

Do you feel a lot stronger with that added weight?

Yeah. I’m feeling it a lot—especially when I’m hitting somebody with a punch. In the gym, I’m afraid to hit people with full-force, because I know that if I hit someone it’s good-night—that’s a good feeling. On the ground, as well; I’ve got a lot more strength. It’s really good.

What do you think you will weigh come fight night?

Somewhere around 260—I don’t know. When I started my camp, after my fight with McCorkle, I went to L.A. for two weeks and when I came back I was at 280. It’s pretty big, but I didn’t train a lot and I ate a lot of pizza and shit like that in L. A. Like I said, I think around 260.

What motivated you to put on the extra weight?

Look at who’s running the heavyweight division; Brock [Lesnar], [Shane] Carwin, [Cain] Velasquez and Dos Santos—those are big guys for their frames. I need to put more muscle on my frame. On my frame, I can easily go up to 280 or 290, in my opinion, and cut down, weigh in at 265 and weigh 280, 285 in the cage.

Is that something that you would be interested in doing in the future?

Yeah—in the future. I’m getting bigger every single fight and for my next fight, I may even have to cut a little bit before the fight. That’s for the next fight; I’m under the 265-limit right now.

Did you think, when you started your career, that you would ever be that heavy?

Of course I knew that I would get bigger eventually. Especially with the people in the gym, when I was young, they would say that if I did the right things—if I ate correct and kept on training—it will all come by itself. If I continued to do the right things, they said I’d become a monster. I said that sounded cool, but I was 16 years old when they said that, but they had it right [laughs].

I remember, I think it was in one of your first bouts in the UFC, Joe Rogan said that when you grow into your body and physically mature, then you would be a real force to be reckoned with. Now that that is becoming a reality, how confident are you?

I’m really confident for my next fight. Like I said, I’ve improved a lot. My kick-boxing and my ground-game was already really technical, but because I’m getting bigger and stronger right now, I feel that my technique is really starting to work; when I give someone a push-kick or a jab or something, it has impact and I can feel it. Like I said, when I spar, I’m afraid to hit somebody with all of my power, because I know, if I hit someone on the chin then it will be good-night [laughs]. That’s a really good feeling.

What does that mean to you?

[Laughs] To me, it means that Travis Browne is going to have a bad night at UFC 130, that’s for sure.

What problems does Travis pose to you?

He’s a big test; he’s got solid power in his fists and he’s got some powerful kicks. He’s a tall guy, he’s a good striker, but I feel that my ground-game is far ahead of his. He’s got some good wrestling, but I’m not really afraid of wrestlers because my ground-game is good and my guard is good—they don’t really want to be in my guard, in my opinion. You saw that in my last fight, when McCorkle took me down because he didn’t want to stand up with me, so he decided to take me down and after a couple minutes I reversed him and he didn’t have a chance on the ground against me.

Do you feel Travis has anything to offer that you haven’t already seen?

I’m not underestimating him; he’s a good fighter. He’s four inches smaller than me—that’s a lot—but, he’s still 6’7” and he’s got a lot of power in his hands.  In my opinion, it’s going to be an awesome fight. He always comes to fight and I always come to fight; we both love to throw leather. It’s going to be an awesome fight for the fans, for sure. He puts it all on the line and I put it all on the line...I like to be in a brawl and I just like to fight. It’s been too long; I wish I could just close my eyes and be in there [laughs].

What do you think Travis’ game plan will be going into this fight?

I think he’ll want to put pressure on me and, maybe, take me down to try to ground-and-pound me, but I don’t think he will succeed with that [laughs].

Do you have a prediction for how it’s going to end?

I don’t really do predictions for fights, but I always come to finish my fight—it’s the same thing with this fight at UFC 130; I’ll be coming in to finish the fight and he’ll be coming in to finish the fight. Of course I’m confident and I feel that I’m going to win this fight. Either by submission or knock-out—I don’t care—wherever the fight goes, it’s fine with me. I’m going to be in there to finish.

What would a win at UFC 130 mean to you?

A win at UFC 130 would be my sixth win and my third straight, so that’s a good feeling. I want to put another streak together and maybe go up against the bigger boys—we’ll see. There’s no rush; I’m only 23 years old, so I’m going in there without any sort of pressure—I’m just going to fight my ass off and I’m going to do it with a good feeling, that’s for sure.

Assuming you win, where do you see yourself in the UFC’s heavyweight division?

If I win, I’ll be top 10. I think I’m around top 10 now—maybe in it, but maybe not yet. I think being in the top 10 in the UFC for someone who is only 23 years old and fighting in the heavyweight division isn’t that bad. With the future ahead—like I said, no rush and no pressure—I’m just going to keep on giving awesome fights to the fans. When I get bigger and learn more, I’m going to make a run for the belt, but there’s no rush for that. This fight is the first fight that I’ve had coaches for every single thing, you know? At first, we did almost everything in our own gym, but now I’ve got a BJJ coach, I’ve got a strength and conditioning coach, I’ve got a coach for the stand-up, I’ve got new guys to train with. It’s been an awesome camp and I can’t wait to go show how much I’ve improved.

What inspired you to make that move?

All the guys do it that way, you know? I figured that I should give it a try and see how it works. You need people who are the best in their discipline; for the stand-up, ground-game, wrestling, strength and conditioning, nutrition. You need people who know everything about all of those things and it has been really good. I’ve learned a lot about every aspect. Especially for the mental aspect of the game; I’ve learned so much and I know for myself that that’s good. Like I said, I can’t wait to show all of the technique that I’ve learned.

Do you feel that everything is really coming together at this point?

This is just the start, in my opinion. If I can keep going like this for five or six years, then I see myself being one of the best in the UFC. Also, with the strength and the weight that I added, my wrestling has been going very good, I’ve been throwing people around easier than before. Like you said, it’s coming together a little bit, but for me it’s only the start.

What are your goals in the sport at this point?

At this point? Right now, the only goal is to win my fight at UFC 130. For the future, I still have at least 12 or 13 years of competition in me—and maybe ever more. Of course I want to have the belt around my waist at some time. I’m only 23 and doing really good in the UFC, so I see myself with a belt in a couple years.

Is that what motivates you to train every day?

Every single fight motivates me to work hard. It’s my job—I need money—and I get paid for delivering exciting fights. Another motivation is the appreciation that I get from my fans. I’m not a big contender yet; it’s not like people are talking about me fighting for the belt after my next fight or anything, but I get fan mail. I read things on the Internet and people talk to me on Twitter and Facebook—it’s very motivating. People love my fights and there are a lot of people that really appreciate the way I fight—that motivates me, too.

What do the fans mean to you?

A lot. Of course, without the fans this sport wouldn’t be this big. I always want to deliver a good fight and give the fans what they came to see and what they paid for.

Have you thought about what you might like to do in 12 or 13 years when you’re doing fighting?

Well, I can’t see myself involved in anything but sports, so I think owning a gym or anything related to sports; making people better, making people stronger. Maybe something related to nutrition. I want to learn about everything that has to do with my sport. I want to start studying again so I will learn even more about my body. I want to be the best with everything, you know?

Are you excited to see what the future holds for you as a mixed martial artist?

Like I said, I can’t wait for the future, but right now I love my job, I love my life, I love Holland—things are going very well. The future can wait, and I’ll just do my thing. You never know what will happen—you might get injured—so, I enjoy every second of this and I try my best to improve every day.

A game removed from an ankle tweaking that had Chicago fans concerned, Bulls point guard Derrick Rose rebounded with perhaps the best game of his young career. The reigning MVP put up a career-best 44 points in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and the Bulls beat the Hawks by a 99-82 score.

Rose scored his 44 points within 38 minutes on the court, shooting 16-for-27 with four three-pointers. He also dished seven assists and pulled down five rebounds. Joakim Noah was terrific in a supporting role; though he only scored two points, he was good for 15 rebounds and five blocks in a huge defensive effort.

The Hawks couldn't find an answer for either man, as Rose's shots kept falling and Noah's presence made inside scoring a tough undertaking. Jeff Teague added 21 points and Josh Smith added 17, but the Hawks were out-rebounded 47-34, and center Al Horford wasn't a serious scoring threat until the game was effectively out of reach.

The Bulls now lead the best-of-seven series, two games to one. Game 4 will tip off in Atlanta at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.

For more on these teams, check out SB Nation's Bulls blog, Blog a Bull, and our Hawks blog, Peachtree Hoops.

Point guard Ryan Harrow has been looking for a new basketball program since he got his release from North Carolina State, and he will visit Texas among others, a source close to the Longhorn program said Friday. The 6-0,

Brett Dawson of the Courier Journal reports: University of Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight will remain in the NBA draft, he announced Friday morning, becoming the fifth one-and-done player in John Calipari’s two seasons as the Wildcats’ coach. Knight said he “strongly considered” returning to UK for his sophomore season but ultimately couldn’t pass on the opportunity [...]

The Count: The Celtics point guard isn't a threat from outside even when left open, which has made him an anomaly among NBA guards and endangered Boston's title hopes.

For the second straight season, the Kentucky Wildcats will lose the star point guard to the NBA Draft after only one year at school.

Conclusions from the 7/7 verdict suggest the institutions guarding people's safety are not as good as they could be

London is one of the great cities of the world, an ethnic and cultural hub, a tourist magnet. In 15 months' time, it will host the Olympics, attracting hundreds of thousands more visitors in a glare of global publicity. The institutions that guard the safety and well-being of the capital have to be world-class too. Yesterday's conclusions of the long and careful inquest into the 7 July bombings suggest they are not as good as they should be. Worse, they suggest a reluctance in MI5 either to acknowledge or to address the weaknesses the terrorists exposed.

Lady Justice Hallett has proved a compassionate and feisty coroner, allowing survivors and witnesses the space to recall their experiences in a way that may, perhaps, have helped them and certainly allowed the rest of us to honour the extraordinary courage of ordinary people on an ordinary day caught up in extraordinary and unforgivable events. She has illuminated shortcomings in the emergency services' response. Even more significantly, she has brought a senior MI5 officer to the witness box and exposed what has been at best a shameful negligence of the truth, at worst a deliberate intention to mislead members of Westminster's intelligence and security committee. Not surprisingly, some of the victims' families believe a public inquiry might uncover more MI5 lapses. A long history of inadequate (and until recently non-existent) scrutiny has fostered a dangerous culture of arrogance.

The coroner believes the bombings could not have been prevented. But her inquest was restricted by rule 43, under which she could only make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths. It is not a substitute for a fuller probe into the competence of the intelligence agencies. While seven of her nine recommendations relate to the emergency response, on the central issue of whether the bombings might have been prevented Lady Justice Hallett is able to demand just two reforms. All the same, although she acknowledges the scale of the complex challenges facing the security services and recognises that the clarity of hindsight can be misleading, there is no mistaking that she is deeply concerned about MI5's conduct in the years leading up to July 2005, even in the truncated narrative she allows herself.

Her call for the best available photographs to be shown to witnesses for possible identification and her proposal for proper recording of the reasons for not putting an individual under surveillance seem elementary. That either point needs to be made suggests the security services were overwhelmed in the face of mounting evidence of home-grown terrorism. Indeed there is a litany of weekly resource allocation meetings that hint at the struggle for the necessary share of an inadequate pot. Surveillance is costly, time-consuming and labour-intensive but it is also indispensible. Much has changed in the past five years: MI5 is both much bigger and much better-resourced. But that only increases the need for proper accountability.

From Iraq to torture allegations to the London bombings, intelligence failings have been a recurrent part of the story that is matched by a reluctance to accept accountability. It has taken successive inquiries to extract an accurate picture. Lady Justice Hallett details the discrepancies between what she learned in evidence and what the ISC was told in its two earlier inquiries – most significantly that far from believing two of the bombers, Mohammed Siddique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, to be "small time fraudsters", desk officers knew they were in contact with others against whom there was more compelling evidence. Given the opportunity to correct the ISC's misapprehension, MI5 ignored it. Others also went unchallenged. "Unfortunate," Lady Justice Hallett remarks – all the more so since, when she began, she was assured there was nothing new to learn. The ISC had already conducted an exhaustive inquiry. Yesterday's report should embarrass MI5. It is mortifying for the ISC.

Despite the shortcomings, the coroner concludes MI5 could not have prevented the attacks. The 52 innocent lives could not have been saved. But if the same mistakes are not to be made again the security services must be properly held to account for their failures. If a public inquiry is what it takes to change the culture, then a public inquiry must be held.

 

Sorry for the delay between posts. I got busy with college visits and high school work and this slipped through the cracks. The final post should be out by the end of the weekend.

The dust is beginning to settle on the 2011 NFL Draft, which for me only means time is ticking for me to go about giving initial grades to each and every pick, as well as all 32 teams. These grades will be revisited around this time next year. The AFC West and South was done here and the AFC North and East was done here. First, a word on my subjective evaluation process once more. The basic grading rules are...

Individual Player Grades

A+: Designated for players that provide incredible value at a position of need, and have Pro Bowl potential

A: Designated for player that provide great value at a position of need, OR for players that provide  incredible value at a position that is not a huge need

B: Designated for players that provide good value at a position of need, OR for players that provide great value that is not a position of need

C: Designated for players player that provide good value at a minor need, OR for players that provide great value at no need, OR for players with clearly identifiable potential at a position of future need

D: Designated for players that provide decent value at a position of no need, OR for players that fall short in addressing positions of need, OR for solid players that were taken significantly earlier than their talent suggested they would be.

F: Designated for player that provide no value at positions where there's no immediate need, OR for players that most agree are a huge reach at a position of need, OR a player that has no means being in the draft.

Al Davis: A player with great speed that is over-drafted by 1 to 2 rounds (usually would grade out to a C)

Note: In the 6th round the lowest grade you can get is a D. In the 7th round regular picks, the lowest grade you can get is a D+. In the 7th round compensatory picks the lowest grade you can get is a C-

 

Team Grades:

A: A team filled all/most of their needs without reaching at any pick and got one or more steals

B: A team filled most/all of their needs but reached on some of their picks and failed to get a major steal

C: A team did not fill most of their needs or reached to fill those needs with less than two major steals

D: A team filled none or very few of their needs and reached to do those and failed to draft good players at non needs

F: A team filled no needs, reached for players, picked bad scheme fits, and traded away future picks.

Even though it goes without saying....As we all know, grading a draft immediately after it is mostly useless so this is just speculation on my part.

Without further ado, let's get to the individual and team grades for the NFC East and NFC North

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

2010 Record: 6-10

Round 1 Pick 9: Tyron Smith, OT, USC

Grade: B+   Smith was projected to go the the Cowboys by a lot of people. Smith is suited as a RT right now (played it in college) but could eventually transition to LT.

Round 2 Pick 8: Bruce Carter, LB, UNC

Grade: B-   Carter is an extremely talented LB but is very injury prone. If he can stay healthy, this pick could become an A.

Round 3 Pick 7: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma

Grade: C+    RB was not a huge need for the Cowboys and Murray was not the best RB available. He is also extremely injury prone.

Round 4 Pick 13: David Arkin, OG, Missouri State

Grade: C+   Arkin is a under the radar prospect who was probably over-drafted by one round. He should provide solid depth at guard.

Round 5 Pick 12: Josh Thomas, CB, Buffalo

Grade: B-     Thomas is a sleeper pick that could make this draft very good. He has good ball skills and decent size and speed.

Round 6 Pick 11: Dwayne Harris, WR, East Carolina

Grade: B+   Harris is good value in the 6th round and provides depth at WR. He could eventually become a #2 WR to complement Dez Bryant.

Round 7 Pick 17: Shaun Chapas, FB, Georgia

Grade: B-   Chapas is decent value in round 7 but does not fill a need. The Cowboys have stockpiled backs and will likely need to cut one to two backs this off season.

Round 7 Pick 49: Bill Nagy, C, Wisconsin

Grade: B    Nagy is a solid pick that should be a very solid backup center.

Team Grade: B-

The Cowboys had no really impressive picks but no really bad picks. They found a starting tackle in the 1st round. The health of their 2nd and 3rd round picks will make or break this drat. If Murray and Carter stay healthy, this draft could be an A. If not, this draft could be a D or F.

Washington Redskins

2010 record: 6-10

Round 1 Pick 16: Ryan Kerrigan, OLB, Purdue

Grade: B   I, unlike many others, think Kerrigan can play 3-4 OLB in the Redskins system. If it turns out that he can't than this grade plummets.

Round 2 Pick 9: Jarvis Jenkins, DT/DE, Clemson

Grade: B-    Jenkins was a slight reach at this point in round 2 but he can play multiple positions and will provide a pretty good pass rush.

Round 3 Pick 15: Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami

Grade: A    I had Hankerson going in the 2nd round and so did many others. He is a potential #1 wideout so this is a huge steal.

Round 4 Pick 8: Roy Helu, RB, Nebraska

Grade: B-   Helu has a decent skill set that fits in the Skins offense but this is a reach.

Round 5 Pick 15: Dejon Gomes, SS, Nebraska

Grade: C   Gomes is a good all around player but not great at anything. He was mocked by many in the 7th round so this is a reach.

Round 5 Pick 24: Niles Paul, WR, Nebraska

Grade: B-   3rd straight Nebraska player. Paul fits the range and will provide good depth and a possible slot receiver.

Round 6 Pick 12: Evan Royster, RB, Penn State

Grade: B-    Royster fits the range and could team with Helu and Terrain to form a good trio of backs.

Round 6 Pick 13: Aldrick Robinson, WR, SMU

Grade: C+    Robinson is an explosive receiver that could provide a good 4th WR.

Round 7 Pick 10: Brandyn Thompson, CB, Boise State

Grade: B    Thompson fits the range and could become a good nickel corner.

Round 7 Pick 14: Maurice Hurt, OG/OT, Florida

Grade: B    Hurt is a very good pick here and should provide great depth at both guard and RT spot.

Round 7 Pick 21: Markus White, DE, Florida State

Grade: B+     White is a very good pick here. He can play 3-4 DE and will provide a good backup on the DL.

Round 7 Pick 50: Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia

Grade: B    Neild is another good pick that fits the range.

Team Grade: B-

The Redskins draft could be graded in many ways. It is tough to evaluate the 1st round pick because he might not be able to play in a 3-4 scheme. If their 3 DL picks pan out, they could have fond their 3 starting DL for the next decade. The best pick of this draft was 3rd round pick Leonard Hankerson.

New York Giants

2010 Record: 10-6

Round 1 Pick 19: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

Grade: A+   Amukamara is a huge steal and was by far the BPA. He has pro-bowl potential and although it does not fill a huge need that is not a big deal because Prince will likely start this year.

Round 2 Pick 20: Marvin Austin, DT, UNC

Grade: A    Austin is a late first round talent so picking him up in the middle of the 2nd round is a good value. He did not fill a big need at DT but could provide a good pass rush.

Round 3 Pick 19: Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy

Grade: A-    Jernigan will provide an explosive slot receiver and kick returner and fits the range in the 3rd round.

Round 4 Pick 20: James Brewer, OT, Indiana

Grade: A-    Brewer will provide a backup to both tackle spots and could be the eventual starting RT. Also, he is good value in the 4th.

Round 6 Pick 20: Greg Jones, ILB, Michigan State

Grade: A    Jones is an absolute steal in round 6. Mocked by many in rounds 3 and 4, getting him in the middle of round 6 is incredible. Should provide a very good backup to Goff at ILB.

Round 6 Pick 33: Tyler Sash, SS, Iowa

Grade: A   Sash, like Jones, was mocked in the 3rd and 4th round of many mock drafts. He should provide a very good backup SS.

Round 6 Pick 37: Jacquian Williams, OLB, South Florida

Grade: C+    This was the only pick I did not love. Williams could contribute on ST but is unlikely to provide any depth at the OLB spot.

Round 7 Pick 18: Da'Rel Scott, RB, Maryland

Grade: A-    Scott is a great pick in round 7 and gives the Giants a 3rd back to pair with Bradshaw and Jacobs.

Team Grade: A

The Giants had one of the best drafts of any team. Every pick was great value and they filled some needs at LB, S, and OT. Also got some luxury picks at CB, DT, RB, and WR.

Philadelphia Eagles

2010 Record: 10-6

Round 1 Pick 23: Danny Watkins, OT/OG, Baylor

Grade: B   Watkins is a very talented player so that is not the problem. The problem is that he is already 26 years old.

Round 2 Pick 22: Jaiquawn Jarret, S, Temple

Grade: B+    Jarret is a huge hitter who has great instincts. He fits the range in the 2nd round and could start at safety next to Nate Allen.

Round 3 Pick 26: Curtis Marsh, CB, Utah State

Grade: B   Marsh is a slight reach but fills a huge need at corner. Could compete for the #2 corner spot.

Round 4 Pick 19: Casey Matthews, ILB, Oregon

Grade: B    Matthews fills a minor need at backup ILB and is a good value in round 4.

Round 5 Pick 18: Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh

Grade: B     Lewis and McCoy makeup the Pittsburgh backfield. Lewis is a good value and should make an impact in his rookie year.

Round 5 Pick 30: Julian Vandervelde, OG, Iowa

Grade: B    Vandervelde is a good pickup in the 5th round and could become a starting RG one day.

Round 6 Pick 26: Jason Kelce, OT, Cincinnati

Grade: B-    Kelce could become a LT if he gains 20 pounds. He is a project but could end up being a great pick.

Round 6 Pick 28: Brian Rolle, OLB, Ohio State

Grade: A-    Rolle is great value and fills a huge need at OLB. He should be able to compete for a starting spot at OLB.

Round 7 Pick 34: Greg Lloyd, LB, Connecticut

Grade: B+   Lloyd projects as an OLB in the Eagles scheme and can provide depth at all 3 LB spots of the Eagles 4-3.

Round 7 Pick 37: Stanley Havili, FB, USC

Grade: B-    Havili is a good lead blocker that can also run the ball and catch passes.

Team Grade: B+

The Eagles did a good job filling their needs at OT, OG, OLB, CB, and S. They got a bunch of talented players and took no major risks. Very solid draft for the Eagles.

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings:

2010 Record: 6-10

Round 1 Pick 12: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State

Grade: C+    Ponder is a reach at #12 but you can't fault the Vikings for trying. They tried to trade back but could not find a partner. Once that happened, they decided to take their potential franchise QB. Smart move but still a reach.

Round 2 Pick 11: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame

Grade: A-    Rudolph missed the 2010 season but is a great receiver none-the-less. He has to improve his blocking to become an every down TE.

Round 4 Pick 9: Christian Ballard, DE, Iowa

Grade: A-    Ballard was over-shadowed by Clayborn but Ballard had an equal season this year. He is an adequate pass rush that excels stopping the run.

Round 5 Pick 8: Brandon Burton, CB, Utah

Grade: A   Burton was mocked in the 3rd round by most mock drafts. He is a steal here and fills a need at corner.

Round 6 Pick 3: DeMarcus Love, OG, Arkansas

Grade: A-    Love will provide great depth at guard for an aging Vikings OL.

Round 6 Pick 5: Raymond Mistral, CB, South Florida

Grade: C    Mistral was not projected to be drafted and with Burton already drafted, does not fill a need. Bad pick.

Round 6 Pick 7: Brandon Fusco, OC, Slippery Rock

Grade: B+   Fusco has good potential and will provide depth at center and could eventually start.

Round 6 Pick 35: Ross Homan, OLB, Ohio State

Grade: A-    Homan is a steal here. He could start at OLB this year opposite Chad Greenway.

Round 7 Pick 12: D'Aundre Reed, DE, Arizona

Grade: B-     Reed is a good situational pass rusher that provides good value in the 7th round.

Round 7 Pick 33: Stephon Burton, WR, West Texas A&M

Grade: B      Burton dominated his lower level of competition and could be a solid contributor for whoever the new QB is.

Team Grade: B

The Vikings made good use of their many draft picks. They found a QB, TE, multiple DL, multiple OL, and some other very good selections.

Detroit Lions

2010 Record: 6-10

Round 1 Pick 13: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

Grade: A    No denying Fairley is a great player but his work ethic leaves a lot to be desired. He does not fill a need though.

Round 2 Pick 12: Titus Young, WR, Boise State

Grade: A    Young has great speed and is an explosive player. Fills a need and should start opposite Calvin Johnson.

Round 2 Pick 25: Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois

Grade: A     Leshoure is great value here and will be a great complement to Jhavid Best.

Round 5 Pick 26: Doug Hogue, OLB, Syracuse

Grade: B    Hougue has good potential and could be a solid backup at OLB.

Round 7 Pick 6: Johnny Culbreath, OT, South Carolina State

Grade: B-    Culbreath has to do a lot of work to become anything more than a  backup tackle but is worth the 7th round pick.

Team Grade: B+

Everyone is saying how great the Lions draft was. Yes they got great players but they failed to fill their biggest needs until the 5th and 7th rounds and ignored their other big need. Everyone knew the Lions needed multiple OLB's, a OT, and CB in the draft and they failed to get any good players at those positions.

Chicago Bears

2010 Record: 11-5

Round 1 Pick 29: Gabe Carimi, OT/OG, Wisconsin

Grade: A    Carimi should have gone much higher than 29 and is great value here. He can probably play 4 positions on the line and will help this terrible OL.

Round 2 Pick 21: Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

Grade: A   Paea was mocked in the late 1st or early 2nd and fills a need at the 3-tech/1-tech DT for the Bears.

Round 3 Pick 29: Chris Conte, CB/FS, California

Grade: B-    Conte is a reach in the 3rd round and does not fill a big need. Shaky pick.

Round 5 Pick 29: Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho

Grade: B-     Enderle is a good project QB and if they trade Hanie he will probably be the backup.

Round 6 Pick 30: James Thomas, LB, West Virginia

Grade: B    Thomas is a good late round pickup that can play ST and backup at LB for the Bears.

Team Grade: B+

The Bears had two great selections in the 1st 2 rounds. Their last 3 selections were all solid but could have been used better.

Green Bay Packers

2010 Record: 10-6

Round 1 Pick 32: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State

Grade: A-      This fits Sherrod's range. I had him as the 5th best OT and he was the 6th one picked so it is a slight steal and fills a big need at tackle.

Round 2 Pick 32: Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky

Grade: A-     Cobb is an explosive, multi-faceted play-maker that provides another weapon for Rodgers and fits the range at the end of the 2nd round.

Round 3 Pick 32: Alex Green, RB, Hawaii

Grade: C+    Green is a very shaky pick. He fills a need at 3rd down RB but might have still been available in round 5 or 6.

Round 5 Pick 10: D.J. Williams, TE, Arkansas

Grade: A     Williams is an excellent selection in the 5th round. He has the versatility and athleticism to be another great weapon for Aaron Rodgers.

Round 6 Pick 14: Caleb Schlauderaff, OG, Utah

Grade: B+      Schlauderaff fits the range and fills a need at backup OG.

Round 6 Pick 21: D.J. Smith, LB, Appalachian State

Grade: B      Smith is a decent pick and could be solid depth at ILB.

Round 6 Pick 32: Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona

Grade: A-      Elmore is a very good late round selection. He is a fierce pass rusher that can probably rotate in the Packers DE group.

Round 7 Pick 15: Ryan Taylor, TE, UNC

Grade: C+    Taylor is one of two shaky picks in this draft. He is a good blocker but they did not need another TE.

Round 7 Pick 30: Lawrence Guy, DE, Arizona State

Grade: A      Guy is a big steal in round 7. He has great skills and could rotate in on passing situations.

Team Grade: A-

The Packers did a good job with their 1st two draft picks. All of their picks were ok but their 3rd and 1st 7th round picks could have been better.

That ends the 3rd part of this series. Sorry for the wait and look for the 4th part on Sunday or Monday.

The NBA official announced the winner of 2010/11 NBA Sportsmanship Award on Thursday, which went to Stephen Curry from Golden State Warriors. There were five final candidates while Curry received 88 of 347 votes. Curry was transited into a point guard from an outside performer this season. There were many troubles at the very beginning, but [...]

After Maryland fans said goodbye to Gary Williams and cheered the coach off into the sunset, Athletic Director Kevin Anderson said he had spoken to the Terrapins’ incoming recruits and that they would wait to see who is hired as the team’s next coach.

What that means, however, is unclear.

The travel-team coach for New Jersey point guard Sterling Gibbs said Thursday that Gibbs will ask for and expect a release from his scholarship so that he can pursue other options while waiting to see who the Terps hire. Gibbs said that Baltimore forward Nick Faust also will ask for a release.

Read full article >>

By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Columnist

On Friday May 6, former WEC fighter Dan Downes, currently under UFC contract, will be fighting outside of the UFC under the NAFC banner. Last week Downes took time out of his training schedule to talk to MMA Torch's Rich Hansen about his mindset going into this fight, the mentality of a fighter, Ben Askren and Anthony Pettis, and much more.

MMA TORCH: Last time I talked to you was before your fight against Zhang Tie Quan. The first round of that fight didn't go exactly how you wanted it to go. When you were sitting on the stool in between rounds, were you able to block out everything else and just focus on what you had to do in the next two rounds, or was your mind going all over the place thinking about the UFC contract that was on the line and other factors like that?

DAN DOWNES: During the Zhang fight, the first round I knew I was terrible. But I finished that first round feeling good, which sounds kind of weird but I remember that I survived. But near the end I got a small reversal and once I got that and I was on top of him briefly, I felt good. And then also when we got up and I could look at him, I could see in his eyes that he blew his load. I knew he was done for.

Obviously if I got up and he was calm and cool and everything I would have felt different, like, "Ah shoot, that didn't go well." And like I told people, if you go 0-2 to start [with Zuffa] you don't have to worry about going 0-3 because you don't really have that chance. So I saw him and I got that spring of hope and I felt pretty good, which seems pretty weird considering how bad that first round went.

I even watched [the fight] today and I swore I was going to lose, but then I was like, "Oh wait, I know how this ends." But yeah, I felt really good about it, and I thought I got [the rest of the fight]. And then the second and third rounds went smoother. But when I fight, I just concentrate on that one moment. You have to do that, focus on that once thing, or else you're going to get punched in the face.

MMA TORCH: As a result of that victory you're now under UFC contract, and you're going to be fighting for Duke Roufus' NAFC promotion on May 6 here in Milwaukee. It's pretty rare for the UFC to allow their fighters that are under contract to fight outside of the UFC, even for smaller organizations like the NAFC that aren't in direct competition with them. Were you given the chance to take a UFC fight in the aftermath of the Zhang fight, or were you told by them that they didn't have a fight for you and you should look outside the UFC for a fight? Essentially, was this their idea or your idea?

DOWNES: It was hard, because the lightweight division is so deep. Obviously if I wanted to sit around and things like that I could have. But I know I have a lot of improving to do so I'm really appreciative that they're giving me an opportunity to do this. It's a calculated risk. But it's a risk every time you get into a cage to fight another grown man. But yeah, it's real deep and I didn't want to stay on the shelf that long.

MMA TORCH: Originally Michael Johnson was scheduled to fight in the main event of this card. When did you find out that you were going to be on the card instead of Johnson?

DOWNES: I found out maybe a week or two ago. And I was in really good shape. I felt like if anything came up on short notice I would be ready to take it. So I'm in really good shape, not just not-fat shape. I was actually in shape for this since we weren't really sure when I would go. We were thinking maybe end of summer and I was like oh my gosh, I have to keep up my pace for three more months, it would be terrible. The timing was right the way things worked out.

MMA TORCH: When you take a fight against an opponent you don't know a whole lot about, how do you prepare for that? Do you try to figure out as much as you can about him and tailor your game to his skill set, or do you just work on what you do and whatever happens happens?

DOWNES: Whenever you first start out, you don't have a lot of information. You can try to... YouTube only goes so far. Watching a fight he had two years ago won't do me much good. At the end of the day, a fight's a fight, so I have to get out there and do what I do. A lot of these guys, you know, are pretty good at some things but not at other things. So you kind of have to do it by feel. Even the same thing happens in a fight. You know, I could have game planned and watch hours of film on this guy, but I go there and what I game plan for might not work. And then I've got to adjust. You have to have a broad skill set. If you're only good at one thing and they shut down the one thing you're in trouble.

MMA TORCH: Are there any similarities comparing this fight with the Horodecki fight (which Downes also took on short notice), or are they two totally separate things?

DOWNES: They're two totally separate events. Obviously other than the short notice thing, I mean. Other than that I'm in a lot better shape, I'm a lot stronger, and a better fighter. I mean if anything the one big thing would be my mindset. Going into Horodecki I was the underdog. I had everything to gain and he had everything to lose. But now the roles are kind of reversed. I have everything to lose; I'm the headliner now, I'm the favorite, so the pressure is more on me.

MMA TORCH: Are you feeling any pressure?

DOWNES: Just the normal pressure of every other fight. I'm actually kind of surprised how calm I've been, considering. But it's like, even Pat Barry says the same thing; "It's like man, I always want to fight until I find out I have a fight. Then oh man, I'm not ready…" That's the thing. Even before I was like, "I want to fight right now. I'm in such good shape. I want to show everyone what I've got." And then they're like, "So do you want to fight that guy," and I'm like, "Uh, yeah. I guess..." So there's always the normal nervousness of anything in the fight. But by the time you get your hands wrapped and all ready to go, that will all go out the window.

MMA TORCH: I want to change course a little bit and get into the mindset of being a fighter. Georges St. Pierre talks consistently about how he feels fear. Of course he's talking more about fear of losing than just primal fear, but what about yourself? Like you said, your job is to go into a cage to fight a grown man. Do you ever just feel fear.

DOWNES: Oh yeah. Definitely.

MMA TORCH: How do you get around it?

DOWNES: Um, I guess you know it's just a basic adrenaline, fight or flight. So you've got to pick one or the other and once you're locked in the cage that kind of eliminates [flight].

MMA TORCH: Fear of pain; fear of losing; fear of looking bad?? What is it you're feeling?

DOWNES: Yeah. There're all those things. Part of it is... this is a very ego-driven sport. That's what I tell people. Losing a fight is different than, say, losing a basketball game. If we go out there and we play a basketball game and lose, it's like oh well, big deal. Even in the NBA, you can say it's your livelihood and all that…

MMA TORCH: Unless you're Andrew Bogut, you're going to walk away in one piece.

DOWNES: Yeah. And at the end of the evening you have your teammates and everything else. If I go out there and have a bad basketball game and didn't shoot well or something, I have 81 more games in a regular season to go do it right. But with this, if I lose, not only did I get beat up, physically beat up in front of my friends and family, I might not be able to fight for another four months. So there's a blessing and a curse. If I look awesome, everyone loves me for four months. You're only as good as your last fight. And if you do bad, nobody will give you any credit. So there's that fear.

And then there's the physical. I guess you worry about the guy hitting you and stuff. But I don't have that fear of... I don't think I'm going to get hurt. That's why with sparring and stuff you get used to it. I don't want to get cut or my nose broken or my face bashed in or anything. But that's just vanity; that's not really a fear.

My last fight, you could say my career was on the line. And now with this [fight], you could say that it's the same kind of thing. So it's a lot of pressure. Try to think of another sport, there's never really one [where an athlete] gets [released] based on one bad game or anything like that, so that's always out there [in fighting].

MMA TORCH: One other mindset question here that I want to touch upon. Have you ever walked into the cage against someone you really didn't like and really wanted to beat them up for personal reasons, or have you not experienced real distaste for an opponent yet?

DOWNES: I've never had like a personal reason... The one thing I have noticed is that the more I have been fighting..... I remember my first few fights it was like, hatred. And a lot of that, it's good in some sense because you have to have some mindset. But it's bad because it's that aggression that is not focused... Unfocused aggression isn't any good in a fight. I'’s good when you're 0-0 or 1-0 or something. But as you get better, you can't just go mindlessly out there swinging. So as I've gotten better that aggression and dislike is still there... It's kind of how Nick Diaz does it. I'm just trying to hate you right now. But he respects a lot of the guys, but he fights the same fight every time. So sure you have to get in that mindset; you can't treat it like a sparring session.


MMA TORCH: If you were to fight someone that had an active dislike for that, would fight him differently than you would fight someone you had no feelings about?

DOWNES: I think that would be a hard fight because you'd want to... Obviously you always want to win, but you'd want to hurt them. But then you'd end up doing dumb things.

MMA TORCH: It would change your proper mindset.

DOWNES: Yeah, exactly. You know sometimes you get guys who come to spar and they don't know whatever etiquette or something. And they're kind of a jerk, or ignorant people who come in here visiting, thankfully not the regular guys. You try so hard to beat them up. And even like, you get some guy coming in trying to cock off, and I'll [want to] knock him down, but it doesn't work too well because it'll go worse than you want in the first place. So you've got to find that proper balance. I think it would be really hard to fight someone that I actually, like, personally dislike.

MMA TORCH: Which is why you're the nicest guy in the sport.

DOWNES: (laughs) Yeah.

MMA TORCH: Going back to the fear thing for a second here... What's scarier, sparring with Anthony Pettis, or actually fighting?

DOWNES: (long pause) Well, it's like (when sparring with Pettis), it's like, "What in the hell is he going to do now?" That's the thing. It's like fear of the unknown. After going with him, I can see it in his eyes. I don't get caught off guard as often as his [real] opponents because when you spar with someone enough you can learn their tendencies. But I can see it. I can see the way he'll just do something with his eyes or move his shoulders, and I'm like, "Ah shit! He's about to do something, and then he spins three times, backflip, and kick me in the head." And then I'll be like, "Damn it! I knew it (was coming), but I didn't know what to do!"

MMA TORCH: So he's Jaden Smith?

DOWNES: (laughs) Yeah, that's it. But that's the thing. When we go out there (to spar), he's just a cold blooded killer. But not me. You get the knots in your stomach and your heart elevates. The thing is, you've just got to harness it. You can let it take you over. Or you can try to harness that energy and kind of use it to your advantage. I guess it's like the ultimate adrenaline rush. Some people jump out of planes. Or maybe do coke. Whatever. Like this is just that feeling of, everything is heightened, you know. Everything just kind of slows down, and you're full aware of everything. It's a strange kind of, I don't know, physical response.

MMA TORCH: Since your last fight in December, Ben Askren has moved back up here and joined your team full time. Have you been able to roll with him yet? And if so, what has he brought to the team and to your individual game?

DOWNES: He's been busy setting up his new wrestling academy (in Hartland, WI), so I'll be training with him more soon. But it is the most frustrating thing I've ever done. Because he'll take me down and then he'll be twenty different places. You'll try to move and then he'll be all over you. To see that level of wrestling, it's kind of scary. If I could even get a tenth of what he's got, it will definitely open up things even more for me. And the same thing [for Askren] when he gets his striking up.

The nice thing about being well-rounded is that it lets you be more aggressive. If you get put on your back and you're dead on arrival, then you can't strike as aggressively, you can't open up. That's why Anthony [Pettis] can do so many creative things, because even if you get him on his back he'll submit you. I'm just trying to get to that point where no matter where I'm at, I can be more aggressive with my jiu-jitsu and stuff. I'm definitely looking forward to working more with Ben.

MMA TORCH: Where do you see yourself in your career two years from now? Five years from now? Or don't you have those kinds of goals yet?

DOWNES: I don't. The best laid plans go to waste. There's not a whole lot of security in this. Whether it be your own performance, you get cut, injuries, you know? Thankfully Alan Belcher (who is recovering from a near career-ending eye injury) is able to come back from his thing. But you never know what can happen. I hope that doesn't happen but who knows. I could take a fight and something really bad happens like I tear my Achilles [tendon] or something and you just never know. Look, I wouldn't be doing this, and I know Duke wouldn't let me be doing this if he didn't think I had a shot. This isn't like some pipe-dream or anything. It's still weird for me too. I'm just going to try to enjoy the ride as long as I can.

The sight of Kentucky freshman Brandon Knight sitting alone at a podium Friday morning announcing he's NBA-bound undoubtedly raised an obvious question in the mind of every Wildcats fan doubling as an amateur detective.

Does the fact that Terrence Jones and DeAndre Liggins weren't alongside Knight suggest they're both leaning toward returning to school?

Many programs would hold a joint news conference if multiple prospects were ready to announce they were remaining in the draft, so at the very least this suggests that Knight and Liggins truly are still undecided. Jones confirmed as much Thursday night when he addressed via Twitter whether he will pull out of the draft by Sunday's deadline, telling Kentucky fans he's "still 50/50 at this point."

The prospect of Jones and Liggins potentially returning next season must have Big Blue Nation salivating at the possibilities. If the high-scoring forward and defensive-minded wing join returners Doron Lamb and Darius Miller and the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, Kentucky could easily challenge or even overtake North Carolina for the top spot in the preseason polls.

It's no surprise that Knight won't be joining his teammates in Lexington again, especially after coach John Calipari said after the Kentucky combine earlier this week that his point guard received the confirmation he was looking for from NBA executives. Knight will likely become the latest Calipari point guard to become a lottery pick after his freshman year, an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

"My main goal was to be a top-10 pick. Nothing's for sure in the draft, but I wanted to hear something like that," Knight told reporters in Lexington on Friday. "A lot of feedback was in that area. Coach Cal basically said whatever my decision was, he'd have a lot of confidence in me and he told me to test the waters, and the feedback was great."

Jones is also regarded as a potential lottery pick, so it certainly wouldn't be a surprise if he followed Knight out the door. Liggins likely won't be selected until the second round, but it would be understandable if he left since he might be fearful that he won't get the chance to showcase his abilities with all the younger talent set to arrive in Lexington next season.

The fact that Jones is "50/50" so close to Sunday's deadline is a bit frightening considering his track record making big decisions like this. The McDonald's All-American famously donned a Washington cap at his news conference to announce his college choice last spring before experiencing second thoughts and signing with Kentucky a few weeks later.

Hopefully Jones will be more secure in whatever decision he makes this time. Either way, we should know for sure in the next 48 hours.

Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight will remain in the NBA draft, becoming the fifth one-and-done player in John Calipari's two seasons as the ...

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Accurately predicting a draft project's growth is tricky business, though oddly enough we should feel relatively comfortable at Ernie Grunfeld's ability to do so, given his track record with the Wizards.  Of course, he's never drafted that way in the mid-to high-lottery, but that's your 2011 rookie class.  Opinions have varied almost as widely as the number of available choices, so let's have a quick and dirty recap.

The Kyrie Irving crowd will point to the possibility of Nick Young leaving and needing the back court help.  But even if he stays; a backcourt of John Wall, Jordan Crawford, Kyrie Irving, and Young Sushi?  Good NIGHT!  And no less than THREE on rookie contracts for at least THREE more years??  Maybe Brandon Knight fans run the same argument.  But then you run into the Portland Trail Blazers problem: an intriguing rotation, but can you find minutes for all of them?

More below the jump.

And of course, the Wizards still have a few piddling issues elsewhere.  The Derrick Williams crowd says he can play the 3 or the 4, it's Trevor Booker with three-point range!  It's Danny Granger on rollerskates!  Another tweener, the others groan.  Not quick enough to defend the 3 or big enough to defend the 4.  Nonsense, they reply!  His frenetic offense will take away their defensive legs and how many true 4s are left in the NBA anyway?

The Enes Kanter crowd screams low post scoring that doesn't involve putbacks or twisting fadeaway layups that get blocked by opposing point guards!  Maybe he'll rebound, too!   Uh huh, the others say.  Based on the mountain of available evidence and the domination of Josh McRoberts in braces?  AND he's a Euro.  [Editor's note: I might be willing to do it just to stick it to Josh McRoberts.]  Not like any you've seen, they reply.  If the Ottoman Empire had him back in World War I, we'd all be speaking Turkish.

The Harrison Barnes crowd wonders why the hell he skipped the draft.

Terrence Jones fans agree he's no first option, but also argue we don't need him to be.  If there's any team that will develop him and find the time to build his confidence back up on the floor, it's Washington.  While you hope for a feature player drafting this high in the lottery, sometimes you just have to hold your breath, and hope for a Gilbert Arenas-like work ethic.

Chad Ford believes the Wizards should take Jan Vesely because he's pogostick AND he STARTED in the Euroleague.  Let's hope Ernie is listening ... so what if he can't shoot?  Hey, the Wiz need someone who can run with John Wall and jump!  I guess Chad Ford forgot we already drafted a quicksilver forward with leaping ability who can't shoot ... except Trevor Booker plays defense AND has a super kewl nickname.

The Bismack Biyombo crowd says they did that weird bone test to figure out his age and he could be as young as sixteen!  He has ferocious energy and a lunch pail work ethic!  I'm sure a mentor that hosts Lap Dance Tuesday will be a solid influence on a teenager.  Yay for his first words in English: "Champagne Room!"

No more than one volume shooting combo guard, Kemba Walker fans.

Jonas Valanciunas fans may post below, so Rook may ban you.

Poll

Regardless of draft position, which player do you feel best projects to fill the needs of a burgeoning Washington contender? If you want a different option, post it below and I'll throw it up here.

• Kyrie Irving/Brandon Knight
• Derrick Williams
• Enes Kanter
• Terrence Jones
• Jan Vesely
• Bismack Biyombo
• Kemba Walker
• Jonas Valanciunas

  94 votes | Results

Welcome to the eighth piece of the 2010-11 Phoenix Suns Player Evaluations. We here at Bright Side ofthe Sun have assembled somewhat of an All-Star cast of writers to put together alternative views on the players, front office, and coaches. Your favorite and least favorite Suns will no doubt get plenty of attention, and the compliments or criticism they deserve.

 

It's easy to like Garret Siler. The undrafted rookie from Augusta State, by way of Shanghai, fits the profile of the lovable underdog who is making the most of his chance to play in the NBA through hard work, commitment and coachability. He has a handsome smile. He sings. By all accounts, including his Twitter feed, he's a sincere, down to earth, nice young man and a hard-working, solid teammate. On the court, he's a big 6'11" body with a long wingspan and, in the NBA, there are few substitutes for size. He has raw power and a few nifty low post moves. Sounds like just what you want out of a backup big man prospect, doesn't it? So, how much can be expected of the player given the nicknames "Silo" and "Pudgemonster" by fans here, but who refers to himself simply as "Big G"?

The winding road from Augusta, GA to Phoenix, AZ.

Being an All-America 7 footer (Siler's height with shoes) would normally get a player drafted, unless he's from Division II Augusta State University in Georgia and has, as Draft Express put it, "obvious physical limitations." At the conclusion of the 2009 NBA draft, Siler was left undrafted but also undeterred. He participated in the NBA summer league for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Then, when no NBA roster spot was offered, played in the Chinese Basketball Association for the Shanghai Sharks, averaging 14.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. In 2010, Siler played in the summer league again, this time for the Nets and Heat. Here, he was so impressive that Scott Schroeder of SB Nation's Ridiculous Upside asserted that Siler has.....ridiculous upside. The Suns were intrigued as well, inviting him to training camp and eventually signing him to a 2-year contract. Except for the 4 games he spent with the Iowa Energy of the NBDL, Siler was on the Suns roster all season, earning playing time in 21 games. He's signed with the Suns for a $789K salary for next season, according to Hoopshype.

His strengths and weaknesses

NBA statistics won't tell us much about a player who scored only 45 points in 101 minutes of play for the Suns in 2010-2011. Obviously, there's not much game film to watch either, and when Siler did play it was in garbage time. Nevertheless, there are scouting reports galore, and we can judge the validity of what they say based on what we've seen from Siler. His biggest strength is his size, not just his height and strength, but also his wingspan, which measures 7' 6.5". That size allows him to work well in the post, despite possessing only basic post moves. His jump shot is a work in progress, but isn't close to being effective yet. He shot a ridiculously high .745% from the field in his college career, but that was mainly the result of using his size to gain superior position against much smaller opponents, and then making easy, short shots. That works in Division II college basketball against teams like Flagler and Francis Marion (colleges in the same Peach Belt Conference as Augusta St), not so much in the NBA.

On defense, Siler is prone to committing fouls, as he lacks the quickness and experience against more skilled players to be able to keep up. He can guard the post, but has trouble when he has to step out to cover a shooter. His foot speed running the floor is surprisingly decent for a man his size, more so late in the season after he lost weight and worked himself into shape. Siler was clearly overweight when he joined the Suns in September, but worked the weight off and by season's end actually had the build of a legitimate NBA player. Check out the progress he made.

Before:

And after:

(For those Siler fanboys and girls out there who would like to judge his weight loss by how he looks shirtless, I'm sorry to report I have no such pictures.)

His weight loss was impressive. It showed he's serious about earning an NBA career, and is willing to put in the work and commitment that is necessary. However, being in shape vs. out of shape and being athletic vs. unathletic are two different issues. While Siler now appears to be in shape, he still doesn't look athletic. As one contributor here noted upon watching him in late season action, "he still runs like a fat guy." Siler can run wind sprints and eat salads with lean protein every day, but it still won't give him quickness, agility or leaping ability.

Will he get the chance to make the rotation next year?

Suns' brass seems to like Siler's potential, and he even moved ahead of Lopez for a couple of games late in the season when Lopez' struggles hit a boiling point. Lopez' status is uncertain due to his poor season; the coaching staff sounds willing to continue to work with him and give him another chance, but he might be a valuable trade chip in the quest to upgrade other parts of the roster. Or, the Suns might think they've simply seen enough of Lopez and want to move on without him, getting back whatever they can. While I think this would be a mistake, it could give a fit, more polished ("less unpolished" might be more precise) Siler a chance to get some regular rotation minutes.

You don't have to look far to find holes in Garret Siler's game, but a big man with a long wingspan who is willing to work, learn and improve should never be counted out. It would be risky to depend on Siler to be a contributing member of a winning team's rotation next year, but if he shows that he's making strides in summer league and preseason, it might be a risk the Suns are willing to take. My position is that Siler isn't ready for significant minutes next year. He might never be, but I think he's worth keeping around as a developmental project 3rd center. What say you?

Jeff Teague played a few more minutes per night as a second-year man during the 2010-11 regular season than he did as a rookie the year before. He scored more points per 36 minutes, improved his field goal and 3-point shooting percentages, showed an improved touch out to about 15 feet, and rebounded a little more often. He assisted on a slightly lower percentage of his Atlanta Hawks teammates' baskets, but he also turned the ball over a bit less.

On balance, then, the numbers say that Teague got better this year; this is to be expected as a player moves from Year 1 as a professional to Year 2. But whether you like your measuring sticks advanced — a regular-season Player Efficiency Rating of 14.6 put him below the league average of 15 — or, um, unadvanced, I guess ("Larry Drew must have seen something he didn't like to only give the kid 14 minutes a night!"), you were hard-pressed to argue that Teague is really a key piece for the Hawks right now.

Sure, he'd had a couple of nice late-season games — 24 points, five steals, three assists and three blocks against the Portland Trail Blazers in March, for example, or 21 points on 10 shots in just 21 minutes against the Indiana Pacers just before the start of the playoffs. But the consensus opinion seemed to be that, whether he deserved a crack or not, he wouldn't really be a player to be reckoned with this postseason.

Then, starting point guard Kirk Hinrich hurt his leg as the Hawks closed out their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Orlando Magic. The severe right hamstring strain would render him a spectator for at least the start of Atlanta's second-round matchup with the top-seeded Chicago Bulls, and there were no other legitimate options for Drew at the one, so Teague was pushed into the starting lineup for just the 11th time in 150 career NBA games.

The smart money (and dumb money like mine, too) pegged Teague's insertion as unfavorable for Atlanta. The thinking was that Derrick Rose, Chicago's MVP trigger-man, would eat the still-ripening Wake Forest product for breakfast (no LeBron), pacing the Bulls to a blitzkrieg of the Hawks en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.

But a funny thing happened on the way to a too-easy blowout: Jeff Teague has played like a man bent on making a reputation for himself. And he's actually doing it.

In Atlanta's stunning Game 1 upset, Teague hustled for nearly 45 of the game's 48 minutes, using his quickness and athleticism (and, as Zach Lowe noted at The Point Forward, quite a bit of help from Josh Smith and Al Horford) to hound Rose into some early misses. Combine the defensive effort with his not-eye-popping-but-steady-enough contributions on the offensive end — 10 points on 5-for-11 shooting, five assists and, most importantly, just one turnover — and the series' most glaring mismatch turned into a much more even affair than most expected, helping the Hawks wrest home-court advantage from Tom Thibodeau's team.

The Bulls evened the series Wednesday night with an ugly Game 2 victory, but Teague turned in another strong performance. As Bret LaGree wrote at Hawks blog Hoopinion, he again "did as good a job on Derrick Rose as can reasonably be expected" defensively, and stepped up his offensive game, making 50 percent of his field-goal attempts and going 6-for-7 from the foul line to score 21 points, and posting three assists, three rebounds, two blocked shots and no turnovers in just under 40 minutes of run.

At times on Wednesday, Teague looked like the steadiest, most collected player on the court for Atlanta. Admittedly, that's not saying a ton when you consider how scattered the Hawks played. But it's damn sure not nothing, especially for a second-year bit-parter making just his second playoff start against the league's newly minted "it" boy.

The showing impressed CBSSports.com's Royce Young:

Teague's effort in the first two games of this series is probably the second best thing the Hawks are taking back with them to Atlanta (a win being the first). [...] In Game 2, he outplayed the guy that was just handed the MVP trophy by David Stern before the game.

That, along with the snatching of homecourt in Game 1, means the Hawks have a chance.

It also drew the comedic ire of Matt McHale at Bulls blog By the Horns:

Oh, and could somebody, anybody, do something about Jeff Teague (21 points, 7-for-14, 6-for-7 from the line, zero turnovers)? Teague is playing so well that the Bulls are praying for Kirk Hinrich to miraculously heal overnight.

While Hinrich works on getting back on the court, the staunch defender, cerebral player and former Bull is doing what he can to prepare Teague for what he'll see on the court, according to Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Drew's decision to bring Kirk Hinrich to Chicago despite not having hopes of playing him because of his hamstring injury proved fruitful. Hinrich, a former Bull, offered Jeff Teague and others insight on the Chicago roster.

"He's always in my ear, every timeout, telling me things I can do, how I can guard Derrick Rose on a certain play or what he sees on offense, plays to call, things like that," Teague said.

To be fair, this reservoir of goodwill and positive impressions could dry up in the space of 12 hours. It's possible that Teague has difficulty sustaining his sound, careful offensive play and turns in a less-than-stellar performance, as inexperienced point guards often do in the postseason. That wouldn't be shocking at all; in fact, it's what many of us probably expect to happen sooner or later (and more likely sooner).

More to the point, it's very possible that Rose, after some rest and a couple of days of treatment on his ailing ankle, comes out tonight and plays like the MVP we watched for the last six months. If he's that aggressive, that sharp, that quick and that adept at finishing, there's very little that Teague (or anyone else, for that matter) can do to stop him, no matter what advice Hinrich gives or how much help the Hawks' bigs can offer. If that happens, Chicago will probably win Game 3, re-take home court advantage, and once again be viewed as the team in the driver's seat.

But irrespective of how tonight's game turns out, it's immutable fact that Jeff Teague has made an awful lot of people stand up and take notice of his talents over these last two games. Where many non-Hawks fans once looked in his direction and saw a slightly below-average first-round pick who has yet to bear fruit, a national audience is now seeing what more ardent Atlanta backers like the guys at Peachtree Hoops have long argued was really there:

Sure, Jeff Teague is inconsistent offensively and probably would be for a while in an offense where he'd be the 4th option at best, but the ability to hold his counterpart to a minimal carnage vs. the Hawks has been long undervalued.  Of the 9 games he's started as a Hawk, I recall at least 3 that he was the BEST HAWK on the floor.  [...] Teague has proven that he belongs on the court with the best players in the league in all situations (starting, closing, clutch, defensive stops, etc).

If the coming-out party came in a series that wasn't widely considered to be one of the uglier second-round matchups in recent memory, maybe more people would've shown up and taken note of just how impressive Teague's been. Oh, well. More punch and pie for the rest of us.

In celebration of the Diversity in YA Fiction Tour, enter to win a copy of two, randomly selected books by participating authors!

Join the authors this month in San Francisco, Austin, Chicago, Cambridge and New York. See schedule and details!

To enter the giveaway, comment here or email me (scroll and click envelope) and type "Diversity" in the subject line. Deadline: midnight CST May 27. Note: author-sponsored; U.S. entries only.

Cynsational Giveaway Reminder

Enter to win a signed copy of The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones (Delacorte, 2010). First prize: a hardcover copy. Second and third prize: paperback copies. To enter the giveaway, comment at this link or email me (scroll and click envelope) and type "Owl Keeper" in the subject line. Deadline: midnight CST May 27. Note: Author sponsored; U.S./Canada entries only. See also Christine on Writing Scary But Not Too Scary for Tweens.

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An Address and a Map Discovering Your Genius as a Writer by Tim Wynne-Jones from The Writers' League of Texas. Peek: "...I’m talking about the genius that each of us possesses to some degree: a natural ability or capacity or quality of mind; the special endowments which fit each of us for our work."

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Attention New Yorkers: anticipated budget cuts in NYC would effectively shut down many libraries, reduce hours and staff. Please stop by your local library or click to your local library website to sign a petition to save the libraries. See Queens Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and New York Public Library.

Pay-It-Forward ARC Giveaway Contest from Dawn Metcalf. Enter to win advanced reader copies of Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando and Luminous by Dawn Metcalf (both Dutton, 2011). Deadline: May 7. See more information.

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Author Advances: How Much You'll Get and When by Author/Agent Mandy Hubbard. Peek: "If you sell a book to one of the big six publishers, and it's a single book deal, and it's something deemed more quiet or literary, you may see $7,500-$10,000. if it has a bigger commercial hook, but still seems a little risky, you may get $15,000." Note: keep in mind that authors also make money from royalties, sub rights sales, public speaking, etc.

Career Insurance: Five Ways to Sell Your Next Book Before Its Written by Roni Loren from Fiction Groupie. Note: emphasis on series writing. Peek: "Unless you're writing the next blockbuster of the century, one book does not a career make. One book is just the gun going off at the starter gate." Source: QueryTracker.netBlog.

2011 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards from Mitali Perkins. The younger children's category winner is Emma’s Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty by Linda Glaser, illustrated by Claire A. Nivola (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and the older children's category winner is A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park (Clarion). See honor books. Note: "Since 1953, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award honors books published in the U.S. during the previous year that engage children in thinking about peace, justice, world community, and/or equality of the sexes and all races. The books also must meet conventional standards of literary and artistic excellence."

From Publishers Marketplace: "Brian Yansky's Fighting Alien Nation, the sequel to Alien Invasion and Other Inconveniences, which continues the story of the survivors of an alien invasion, again to Candlewick, with Kaylan Adair to edit, by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger (world English). Congratulations, Brian!

For Writers: Race and Science Fiction and Fantasy by Mary Anne Mohanraj from Whatever. Peek: "...it’s easy to be paralyzed by that fear, to retreat back to only writing characters who are just like you, or so vague that they can’t possibly be mistaken for anyone real. But again — that makes for bad fiction. If you’re going to write well, you have to get past those fears." See also Your Process of Creating Characters Across Culture or Class from Mitali Perkins from Mitali's Fire Escape.

Point of View in Picture Books in Celebration of National Picture Book Writing Week from Paula Yoo from Write Like You Mean It. Peek: "Look at picture books that are written from different points of view. Compare a picture book written in first person versus third person limited. What are the differences?"

"Birthing a Book: Revelations about the Publishing Process," the transcript of a chat with Bonny Becker from the Institute of Children's Literature.

I Live in the Middle of Nowhere. How Can I Promote My Book? by Kristina Springer from Author2Author. Peek: "...it's hard to get a book faced out at the book store for more than a couple of months. So what can I do?"

Hunger Mountain Critique Auction

Hunger Mountain Critique Auction: Bid for a chance to win critiques from authors, illustrators, and agents from picture books to YA and beyond. See details on:

• 50-page YA manuscript critique with author Holly Cupala;
• illustrator's portfolio critique with Julian Hector;
• picture book critique with agent Jill Corcoran;
• full childrens/YA manuscript critique with agent Elena Mechlin; 50-page middle grade/YA manuscript critique with author Sara Zarr;
• picture book/poetry for children critique with Janet Wong;
• 30-page middle grade/YA critique with agent Joan Slattery;
• newly listed 50-page middle grade critique with agent Erin Murphy;
• 50-page middle grade/YA critique with agent Ammi-Joan Paquette;
• children's/middle grade/Y​A critique with agent Emily Van Beek;
• YA novel (20-page) or poem/story critique with author G. Neri;
• 50-page children's literature critique with author Sara Pennypacker.

Note: Hunger Mountain is the Vermont College of Fine Arts Journal of the Arts, featuring an in-depth focus on children's-YA literature.

Cynsational Screening Room

Check out the book trailer for Bats at the Ballgame by Brian Lies (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010).



Edit Letter Fun: Butcher or Coddler? from lynnekelly2000.



More Personally

This week I turned in my revision of my upcoming YA Gothic fantasy novel, which will be the next fully prose addition to the Tantalize series.

To the left, we see Bashi in the guet room, helping to guard the manuscript as I read through it, tweaking text.

To the right, we see Leo, lounging on Greg's copy of the draft in the parlor. Greg, the kitties, and I read the manuscript out loud to catch typos, missing words, and other minor issues. I'm especially include to skip right over two-letter words like "to," "of," "on," and "so."

See also Official Writer Cat Bios.

I'm pleased to announce that actress Kim Mai Guest will be reading as the character Quincie P. Morris for the audio edition of Blessed for Listening Library/Random House.

Kim Mai also performed as Quincie in the audio production of Tantalize (Listening Library, 2008).

Reminder: all blurb requests must come from editors or agents. Never authors. No exceptions.

Tantalize Reviewed by Anna from Troublingly Good Teen Lit. Peek: "This book could help teens who find themselves with more responsibility than they can handle, or whose parents/guardians are absent. It could also help teens who feel they may have a drinking problem."

Holler Loudly Reviewed by Becca Huttman from South Sound Book Review Council. Peek: "This is a cute story that is just fun. It has lots of action, adventure and fun illustrations."

Holler Loudly Reviewed by GAHome2Mom from Loving Heart Designs. Peek: "...a wonderfully humorous book to share with any young child."

Check out the Holler Loudly Teacher Guides by Shannon Morgan for PreK, Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2!

Personal Links of the Week:

• The Beginning: Or As Nike Advertises: Just Do It from Bethany Hegedus
• Possibly the Best Thing About My Job from Jennifer Ziegler
• The Right Word from Brian Yansky
• Look for the "No" to Find the "Yes" by Lindsey Lane from The Meandering Lane
• Interesting Stats on Librarians by Naomi Bates from YA Books and More
• Look for Susan Salzman Raab's latest "To Market" column, "Social Media: Time Well Spent - and Time Consuming" in the May/June 2011 SCBWI Bulletin.
• Cynthia Leitich Smith at Wikipedia

Cynsational Events

Diversity in YA Fiction: Austin Tour Stop 7:30 p.m. May 9 at BookPeople. Featuring authors With authors Bethany Hegedus, Malinda Lo, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Cindy Pon, Dia Reeves, and Jo Whittemore, and moderated by Varian Johnson.

Chris Barton will be signing Can I See Your ID? True Stories of False Identities, illustrated by Paul Hoppe (Dial, 2011) at 7 p.m. May 14 at BookPeople in Austin. See discussion guide. See also Chris on Unbridled Silliness and Carefully Researched Truth-telling.

The Chills and Thrills Book Tour will be stopping at 2 p.m. May 15 at BookPeople. Turn out for authors Mari Mancusi, Tera Lynn Childs, Sophie Jordan, Jordan Dane, Lara Chapman, Jennifer Archer, and Tracy Deebs.

The First Annual BooksmART Festival will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 11 as part of Arts & Letters Live from the Dallas Museum of Art. Peek: "Come spend the day with authors, illustrators, musicians and actors, and enjoy talks, workshops, gallery tours, and entertainment, designed to appeal to every member of the family and every age group." Featured children's-YA book creators include Rick Riordan, Norton Juster, Laurie Halse Anderson, David Wiesner, Jerry Pinkney, Gene Luen Yang, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Duncan Tonatiuh, Antonio Sacre, Joe McDermott, Jan Bozarth, and Ann Marie Newman.

Authors Jennifer Ziegler and Cynthia Leitich Smith will speak to YA readers at 2 p.m. June 18 at Bee Cave Public Library in Bee Cave, Texas. Mark your calendars for book talk and pizza!

Austin Bat Cave Offers YA Writing Workshop with Margo Rabb from May 31 to July 5. See more information.

The 2011 Euroleague Final Four tips off at noon ET on Friday in Barcelona, bringing together the four top teams in European basketball for a weekend in which nearly all of the NBA will be represented in the Old World. The Final Four offers a good opportunity for NBA personnel to gauge prospects playing in the games, as well as do some digging on other players whose teams didn't make it.

Euroleague is a tournament held in addition to the normal league seasons for these clubs, much like soccer's Champions League. Thirty-two teams are whittled through group play and a knockout tournament until we have a Final Four. This year's edition features teams from the continent's top three leagues -- Spain's Real Madrid, Italy's Montepaschi Siena and Greece's Panathinkaikos -- and Maccabi Electra from Israel.

Interestingly, none of the 2010 Final Four teams made it back this year. Ricky Rubio's Barcelona club, which holds the 2010 Euroleague title, was knocked out by Panathinaikos in the quarterfinals. Olympiacos, the 2010 runner-up, was knocked out by Montepaschi in the same round. CSKA Moscow and Partizan Belgrade, the two other 2010 finalists, didn't survive group play.

The games will be shown on NBA TV beginning at noon ET on Friday. Here's a quick look at the teams.

REAL MADRID

Madrid features a few players known to NBA fans, led by Sergio Rodriguez, the former Blazers, Kings and Knicks point guard affectionately known as "Spanish Chocolate" for his bombastic style. Madrid also have Sergio Llull, a Rockets point guard prospect who could transition to the NBA within a couple of years, and Ante Tomic, a Croat 7-footer whose rights belong to the Jazz.

The important Madrid player in terms of prospects, though, is Nikola Mirotic. The 20-year-old Montenegrin power forward has declared for and will likely remain in the 2011 NBA Draft, but is considered a threat to remain in Europe for a few years, dropping him from lottery consideration.

MACCABI ELECTRA

Maccabi is coached by American David Blatt, who led the Russian national team to some rousing success and is considered one of Europe's finest young coaches. The roster includes Jeremy Pargo, Richard Hendrix and David Blu, formerly known as David Bluthenthal, a memorable USC forward about a decade ago. (And yes, he changed his name to "David Blu.") West Virginians will recognize D'Or Fischer.

NBA scouts will be watching 21-year-old Serbian center Milan Macvan and also legend Greek center Sofo Schortsanitis, but only because he's impossible to look away from.

MONTEPASCHI SIENA

NBA fans can rekindle their deep love affairs with Marko Jaric and Malik Hairston. Others can enjoy the stylings of Greek guard Nikos Zisis, whose nickname is "Lord of the Rings." Montepaschi also boasts aging Lithuanian legends Rimas Kaukenas and Ksistof Lavrinovic. But the player NBA scouts will be watching -- and should be signing -- is Bo McCalebb, who led Partizan to the Final Four last year. The University of New Orleans product is among the best guards in Europe.

PANATHINAIKOS

One of Greece's superlative powers -- Olympiacos is the other -- has no shortage of Greek stars, led by Dimitris Diamantidis. This team is built more to win than to showcase young talent, but Nick Calathes, who played at Florida and whose right belong the Mavericks, is someone to watch. Other than Calathes, Mike Batiste, an Arizona State product, is the top American.

***

Montepaschi and Panathinaikos tip off at noon ET on NBA TV; Maccabi and Madrid will follow. The winner will play Sunday for the Euroleague championship.

As the N.B.A. has gotten more and more obsessed with fast guards, pick-and-roll play, 3-point shots and “stretch” fours, the Lakers have simply played the way they have always played — and kept on winning. The Lakers’ starting point guard is almost certainly the slowest in the league. The ...

• Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "For wisdom, maturity and leadership, our new basketball hero is... Dirk? Rick? No. Mark Cuban, you the man. The man who went to LA for four days, was the center of Southern California media attention, particularly since the Dodgers need a new owner, and basically zipped it for his entire stay out there. Didn't say spit. The only way we knew Cuban was still alive was when the TNT cameras picked up a big smile that kept popping up behind the Dallas Mavericks' bench at the Staples Center. I'm wordless over this development, being someone who spent the last decade telling Mark to shut up. He finally did, and improbable stuff has happened to his Mavs. Never thought I'd say this: Everyone needs to now take a behavioral cue from Cuban. Lay low. What you say now can be used against you later. Let Dirk handle it. Let Rick handle it. And even Little J.J. ... Mr. Cuban, what has gotten into you? 'Lot of work still to do,' was his brief and to-the-point e-mail answer on Thursday. Wisdom, maturity and leadership prevails. And I thought 2-0 was a shocker."
• Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times: "About two weeks ago, Derek Fisher gathered together his teammates and told them to look around the room. He warned all the Lakers that if they don't reach their goal of winning a third consecutive NBA championship, next season the faces on the team could look quite different. Fisher pointed out that the possibility of the Lakers' management making changes was realistic because it happened to him during his first tour with the Lakers. 'We discussed that buttons will be pushed,' Fisher said after practice Thursday. 'That's the reality, and it's business with this team. You have to understand it and appreciate it for what it is. I think guys understand it.' The Lakers began the season as the favorites to win the title, but their hopes are fading because of the 0-2 deficit they face against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals. Games 3 and 4 are in Dallas this weekend. It's already a given that Lakers Coach Phil Jackson will retire after the season."
• Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register: "For a Lakers team that truly needs everyone to come together now, here was the start. Kobe Bryant strapped it up and actually practiced with the team Thursday. There was no heavy scrimmaging, but there was a lot of work to do -- a lot of teamwork -- in defending Dallas' spread offense, especially. It was Bryant's first practice since his April 15 cameo two days before the playoffs even started, and every Laker reported afterward Thursday what a productive session this was. Then again, if you were out there sweating through practice every day for the past seven months and the league's glamour boy and game-ball dominator wasn't, you'd probably think this is more like it should be, too. In any case, there was a noticeable good vibration about the team as it came off the practice court Thursday, far different from the stink that emanated from them on the Staples Center court just hours before Wednesday night. It was like your dad who is too busy working on his own big deals stopping to take the time not just to help with your homework, but really sharing the experience. By being on the court learning with them instead of lording over them, Bryant was better able to convey to his teammates his personal lack of panic, his trust that they together should stay confident about their capabilities and their corrections."
• Herb Gould of the Chicago Sun-Times: "The controversy about whether forward Carlos Boozer should be given a diminished role in light of his diminished offense might be raging to outsiders. But there’s no debate within the Bulls’ camp. 'He’s nicked up,’ coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday at the Berto Center. 'He’s giving us everything he has, and that’s all we’re asking him to do. The rebounding hasn’t dropped off at all. He’ll score. He’s scored his whole career.’ After struggling on offense in front of a United Center crowd that turned on him Wednesday, the veteran admitted the turf-toe injury to his right big toe was hampering him. Taj Gibson, who started last season before yielding when Boozer was signed, said he’s not expecting an increased role in light of Boozer’s injury -- and that’s fine with him. 'Thibs knows what he’s doing,’ Gibson said. 'Whatever minutes he gives me, I’m going to go out there and do my job. Carlos has been doing a phenomenal job. ... He’s playing through an injury. People have to recognize that.’ "
• Lacy J. Banks of the Chicago Sun-Times: "With his great energy and athleticism, Joakim Noah strikes me defensively as a poor man’s Dennis Rodman without the freak-show antics. Offensively, it’s no contest. Despite his ugly shooting style, especially from the free-throw line, Noah is a better shooter than Hall of Famer Rodman, who won seven consecutive NBA rebounding titles and helped the Bulls win their last three championships. 'Rodman was my hero when I was growing up,' Noah said. 'He was one of the greatest rebounders ever. I liked the way he played with passion, got into his opponents’ heads and entertained the crowd. I draw a lot of inspiration from him.' Rodman made rebounding sound simple. 'There’s nothing complex or scientific about rebounding,' he once told me. 'You’ve just got to want it more than the other guy. I look at each missed shot as my rebound. So I jump with the intention of keeping anybody else from taking away what’s mine. Rebounding is more will than skill.' ... As for Noah’s competitiveness, it is first-rate. He takes on all comers. How could we expect any less from a guy who even talked a little trash with President Obama last summer when they played in a pickup game Obama scheduled to entertain some injured troops? 'One time he went up and scored on me,' Noah said. 'I told him, ‘You know, you’re lucky you’re the president because I could have blocked your shot.’ But he said, ‘If you would have gone for the block, I would have pulled a reverse move on you.’ I liked that. The president even talks trash. He’s a cool dude. He’s a man of the people.' So is Noah. Just ask Bulls fans."
• Ken Sugiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "At the Hawks’ Thursday practice and video session, rebounding was not the only item on the agenda. Shot selection, winning 50-50 balls and response to the Bulls’ aggressive double teaming of Johnson and Jamal Crawford were others. 'We worked [Thursday] to adjust to that,' Crawford said, speaking of the double teams. 'If we get in the right spots, we can take advantage of what they’re doing.' The Hawks successfully walked this road in the first round. The Orlando Magic were second only to the Bulls in rebounding margin in the regular season — the Hawks were 22nd — but the Hawks thwarted center Dwight Howard with a diet of Collins and Zaza Pachulia. In their Game 1 win in Chicago, the Hawks’ hot shooting served to limit rebounding chances for the Bulls. On Thursday, Hawks coach Larry Drew said the coaching staff considered returning Collins or Pachulia to the starting lineup to add bulk, but sounded committed to keeping Horford at center. That leaves the Hawks to try to match Chicago’s activity on the backboards and keep bodies on Noah and Boozer. Either that or don’t miss any shots."
• Dan Le Batard of The Miami Herald: "The Celtics can’t let Miami’s youth get in the open court. The advantage is too obvious and overwhelming there. Boston’s age not only gets beat but shamed there, as Allen trips and Garnett gets twisted and even Boston’s only young starter (Rajon Rondo) has to flop and fake to avoid a spinning tornado of LeBron. Boston will allow Bosh to have all the defensive rebounds in its zeal to get back after misses, to get a head start, an obvious-to-the-eye, white-flag concession that age can’t keep up in that part of the game. So the Celtics will keep trying to drag the fight into the half-court mud, trying with all the experience and will and pride they have to ward off so many opponents at once: They aren’t merely trying to slow down the Miami Heat or the Miami Heat’s speed. They are trying to slow down their own aging and decline. They are, impossible as this is, trying to slow down time."
• Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Chris Bosh was introduced as a member of the Big Three when he and James signed with the Heat last July, joining Wade. That lasted a few months before it was evident Bosh didn't belong in the club, on and off the court. It started when James and Wade began conducting interviews together after practices and games while Bosh spoke alone. It was never a show of disrespect toward Bosh, but a way for James and Wade to display the friendship they had built over the years. For Bosh, it was an easier way to distinguish his preference of standing alone. 'With me, I've always just been different,' Bosh said. 'I've never tried to fit in. I'm one of the fellas, great. I get along with everybody, great. But if I'm going to read my book, I'm going to read my book and this is what I'm doing.' "
• Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe: "The Celtics are down, two games to none, and searching for answers against a team that’s as fast and strong as it is skilled. There will be frustrations in such a situation, but getting through the fiery moments quickly and staying on the same page is critical. 'Emotional hijacks, you can’t have them,’ said Doc Rivers. 'And they happen. When they happen, they always happen when you’re down or you’re in the heat of battle. They happen because it’s an emotional game, but once you let it get to a point where it’s hijacking the team, that’s never good.’ To an extent, conflict is a part of the Celtics’ DNA. They’ve bickered over defensive assignments, disagreed over play calls and ball movement. They’ve argued over the strength of earthquakes and the best backup point guards of the 2000s. 'If I had a tape recorder on me or a video camera on me over the time that I’ve been here, you would see a lot,’ Ray Allen said. 'I’ve always said about this team, we’ve argued and debated more than I’ve argued or debated in my whole NBA career. I’ve been on teams where you never communicated, you never argued about anything. This team, somebody will tell me I didn’t have pancakes for breakfast this morning and they didn’t even have breakfast with me.’ "
• Ronald Tillery of The Commercial-Appeal: "In all that surrounded Game 2, the Oklahoma City Thunder held a players-only meeting. It began1 at Kevin Durant's house and ended in the paint with the Thunder crowded around Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph. Game 3 will be a test of how well Randolph and the Griz took notes. By their own admission, the Griz didn't handle the aggressive infiltration of their offense with the intelligence that's guided them to this point. Memphis watched film Thursday morning and the popcorn-less viewing only confirmed what the team already knew: Oklahoma City did nothing special. The Griz had poor spacing. They made bad decisions passing the basketball and settled for jump shots. 'They packed it in on us and clogged the lane, but we worked on our spacing and ball movement,' a stone-face Randolph said. 'We'll be prepared for Saturday.' Griz coach Lionel Hollins didn't use practice Thursday to browbeat his troops. It was a refresher course mainly to remind the Griz that smart basketball will prevail.'
• John Rohde of The Oklahoman: "When Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti included a $6.5 million signing bonus with Nick Collison's four-year contract extension last November, the extra cash essentially was a reward for services rendered. This is the only franchise the 30-year-old Collison has ever known as a pro. Since being drafted 12th overall in 2003, the Kansas product has endured double-shoulder surgery his first season, franchise relocation from Seattle, four straight losing seasons, and all while busting his tail without making a peep. 'He embodies what we're trying to do,' Presti said of Collison. 'A lot of things we're always talking about, he's been that.' Collison is still rendering his services, particularly during this Western Conference semifinal against the Memphis Grizzlies, a best-of-7 playoff series that figures to be a shoving match until the final bell. The series stands 1-1, largely because Collison still works hard for his money. If not, the Thunder very easily could be trailing 2-0. ... At a salary of $13.25 million this season thanks to the signing bonus, Collison makes at least twice as much as every teammate except Nazr Mohammed ($6.88 million) and roughly $7.2 million more than Kevin Durant ($6.05 million). 'We really value him,' Durant said of Collison. 'He's a big part of our success. For us to keep getting better, Nick is going to have to be an important piece. He's playing well for us.' "
• Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star: "Frank Vogel might want to be coach of the Indiana Pacers, but he's not waiting for an interview. Vogel interviewed for the Houston Rockets' coaching position Thursday, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation. He is one of many people to show an interest in the job. The Rockets and Rick Adelman parted ways last month. Since then, former Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson, who starred at Broad Ripple High School and Indiana University before an 11-year NBA career; Bucks assistant Kelvin Sampson, a former IU coach; former Nets coach Lawrence Frank, who was an IU student manager; Mario Elie, Kevin McHale and others have interviewed. Vogel and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey worked together with the Boston Celtics. Vogel said during his season-ending news conference last week that he would like to return as Pacers coach. Indiana's coaching situation likely won't be resolved until after team president Larry Bird and owner Herb Simon meet Tuesday to discuss Bird's future."
• Joe Davidson of The Sacramento Bee: "The idea of the Kings filing for relocation and actually heading south hit a nerve across the region. It brought out the best in panic-stricken fans and inspired an already determined Mayor Kevin Johnson, but it brought out the competitive worst in the local media. Every regional TV outlet and some radio stations proclaimed at one point to have an 'exclusive' interview or 'a source' with some stunning update. All of it was designed to make fans rush to tune in, but it often left viewers clamoring for substance rather than more wild speculation. TV folks forgot -- or simply ignored -- what 'exclusive' means: to have the only access to an interview subject. Yet the stations touted having 'exclusives' with the Maloofs on relocation filing day when the owners talked extensively to everyone -- print, radio, TV, Internet and news services. What's more, all local media and some national Internet news services drove the word 'sources' into the ground. Electronic media especially chose not to mention names or specifics. The source could have been your buddy at the bar, waving a foam Kings finger, for all we know."
• Michael Lee of The Washington Post: "John Wall hasn’t made a final decision about returning to Kentucky to take summer school courses, but his former coach, John Calipari, has already extended an invitation for the Wizards point guard to work out in Lexington if the league, as expected, has a lockout. 'I told him, if there is a lockout. You come back with us,' Calipari said. 'I said, ‘Use our building. We’ve got facilities here. Whatever you want, if you need to, if there is a lockout, stay here. Be here in the mornings.’ ' Wall finished out his studies after his only season at Kentucky and was a member of the Southeastern Conference freshman academic honor roll. Calipari added that if Wall were to re-enroll at Kentucky -- which one of Wall’s representatives, Dwon Clifton, said on Thursday was unlikely but 'still a possibility' -- he could practice with the Wildcats as well to stay in basketball shape."
• Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel: "The National Basketball Association is working to extend its reach in India, and it has chosen Milwaukee Bucks' guard Brandon Jennings to help make it happen. The NBA is expected to announce Thursday that Jennings will travel to India from May 13-18 to conduct a series of events to promote and grow the game in Mumbai and Pune. Jennings was chosen because of his youth and his experience playing internationally. Jennings, 21, played overseas in Italy before coming to the Bucks. 'Having played in Italy, I have seen firsthand how the sport is growing globally and I am excited to visit India with the NBA to help continue the growth of the game,' Jennings said. 'The NBA has the best basketball players from around the world and it is amazing to think that one of the kids I teach in India could one day play against me in the NBA.' Jennings will be part of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Nationals Skills Challenge Finals on May 15 in Mumbai. The event is the culmination of the largest school-based initiative ever conducted by the NBA in India."
• Justin Rogers of Booth Newspapers: "When the NBA conducts its draft lottery on May 17th, the Detroit Pistons will be represented by their first-round selection from the previous draft, Greg Monroe. The Detroit Pistons enter the draft lottery with the exact same odds as last season, and although the ping pong balls didn't fall their way, many would say the organization was fortunate to land Monroe. Pistons vice president Scott Perry, who was the team representative at last year's lotter, agrees with that sentiment. 'The fact we remained at seven in the lottery process and were able to draft a guy we believe is going to be one of the cornerstones for your team,' Perry commented on the Pistons official website, 'now to have him go back there the following year, hopefully, his presence there will bring the same type of good fortune during this lottery.' "

Denny Hamlin's crew chief was on the Thursday edition of SPEED's Race Hub program. Mike Ford was being interviewed by reporter Danielle Trotta when she brought up a sore subject.

John Nevins is a NASCAR fan from Daytona Beach, FL. Under the name Captain Thunder, Nevins produces the CaptainThunderRacing.com website and several other NASCAR-related projects.

The Wednesday, April 27 headline at CaptainThunderRacing.com read "Hamlin and Logano to Swap Crew Chiefs."

Here is part of the story published on that topic:

Sources confirmed to Captain Thunder Racing.com that a crew chief swap has been discussed and is imminent between the #11 and #20 teams. The swap would send Denny Hamlin's crew chief Mike Ford to the #20 garage, and Logano's crew chief Greg Zippadelli to the #11 garage.

Zippadelli, once the crew chief for two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart, will bring the championship experience to the #11 team that JGR feels Hamlin needs at this point in his career.

The very next day, a spokesman for Joe Gibbs Racing quickly denied that this story was true. The interesting part wasn't that he denied it. It was that the mainstream NASCAR media was using the Nevins story as the source for asking the question.

The response from Nevins was also swift. This on Friday, April 29:

We stand by our story - if both teams do not improve quickly, a change will be made. According to our sources, that decision has been made by Joe and J.D. Gibbs.

Ultimately, it was JD Gibbs who was sitting beside Kyle Busch in the Richmond Infield Media Ceter on the following Saturday night. Busch had won the race. Hamlin was second. Gibbs was once again asked about the Nevins story.

Yeah, you know, it was frustrating in a way. At times kind of comical. I think the website was Captain Thunder. I didn't know that website. C'mon, (if you) listen to that for your information, we're in trouble.

It was nice to put it to bed. Our guys did get a kick out of it. It's one of those things that when you're running not as well as you're used to, people are used to seeing you up front, they start asking questions, leap to crazy conclusions.

During the early part of this week, Gibbs also made the NASCAR TV rounds and used the interview opportunities to confirm that there had never been a discussion, even among JGR senior management, of swapping the Logano and Hamlin crew chiefs.

Thursday, it was Ford's turn to address the topic. His words bring-up a growing debate among hardcore fans. The question is, just who these days is a NASCAR media member?

"I feel like the (NASCAR) media has an obligation to report the truth," Ford told Trotta. "You get a guy who reports a non-truth. I think the media ought to bring him to the forefront so that others don't do that in the future."

Ford's words are interesting. On one hand, he sees a blog like CaptainThunderRacing.com as a member of the NASCAR media. On the other, he wants the "old guard" mainstream media to expose his verson of reality. That is that Nevins simply made the entire story up.

On the same Race Hub show as the Ford interview, Jeff Burton cooked burgers on the lawn of the SPEED studios, Jimmy Spencer delivered his weekly rant in a sombrero for Cinco de Mayo and Hermie Sadler said cooler temps at Darlington will make it more comfortable for fans in the stands. It's not rocket science.

What is upsetting to many is that Nevins seems to be using this type of innuendo as a promotional tool for his website. The parties mentioned by Nevins as the ones making the potential crew chief swap said it never happened. Meanwhile, Nevins continues to fish for new fans on his website, Facebook and Twitter pages by using the denials from JGR as his own red badge of courage.

Where do you draw the line? Should an amateur blogger's story using mystery sources and innuendo send the mainstream NASCAR media running to cover it like breaking news? Was the mainstream media used? In journalism terms, that is called the tail wagging the dog.

That expression is used when suddenly the parts of an equation thought to be the least important become the most important. Suddenly, veteran NASCAR reporters are asking questions based on a report from a website created by a fan. It kind of makes one wonder what this weekend holds in Captain Thunder land?

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A Washington point guard recruit got his high school athletic director fired after tweeting that his Spanish class only had three students in it. Can you say preferential treatment?

A regular fixture of the North American UFC Fan Expos, Grapplers Quest was present promoting a series of No Gi grappling matches that featured a 'Superfight' tournament for fans in Toronto, Canada this past weekend starting on the Friday and ending on the Saturday. Among the participants of this tournament was UFC Welterweight Diego Sanchez who will take on Matt Hughes at a yet to be announced UFC event later this year.

After a close opening match against Andrew McInnes on the Friday in which Sanchez pulled off a last minute kneebar, he faced FIFTY / 50 BJJ founder Ryan Hall in the final on Saturday. Another close battle ensued with both competitors struggling from a 2-2 stalemate, Hall threatening with his trademark Inverted Heelhook from 50/50 guard until eventually he was able to get Sanchez's back taking him to a 4 point lead and winning the match on points 6-2.

Interestingly though it appears Sanchez has donated his purse to Autism and Autism Radio, as per Grapplers Quest founder Brian Cimmins:

Diego Sanchez is one of the greatest people I've ever met, not just for his beliefs and love for mma and grappling, he is also a world class philanthropist, as he impressed the entire audience donating his entire UFC Fan Expo 4-Man Purse to Autism and AutismRadio.org

Learn more about Autism and make donations at: http://AutismRadio.org/Donate

A great gesture and another example of the largely positive athletes that gravitate towards a career in MMA.

Grapplers Quest Fan Expo Highlight:

Sanchez vs McInnes video after the jump

In an attempt to lever myself out of my post-fight funk I’ve been listening to lots of hair metal, so that’s the post title and you can laugh all you want. But while hair metal might address the out-of-the-ring blues, it can’t cure it. There’s only one cure, and that’s to get back in. I had been lamenting via email to my fight sister in Ireland, Niamh, and she reminded me that down time is good and necessary after a big fight, and she recommended wine and chocolate cake (don’t tell your coach, she said) for the depression. Her gym mate calls the week or two after a fight “fat time” for obvious reasons. But I still seem to be losing weight and my appetite for chocolate cake is minimal, although I did have a drink when I went to see a favorite band perform live over the weekend. So it felt pretty good to get an email from one of the owners of a gym nearby me last week, while I was stewing in my misery. She has two women training at her gym (Two! Can you believe it?) and she invited me to come spar with them. As we exchanged emails and set up the date, I could feel myself perking up a little. When the night approached I started to feel the normal anxiety of going to spar with strangers. Boxing can be dangerous, and it’s just smart to approach an unknown fighter with caution. However, my first trainer Bonnie had been unreserved in her favorable opinion of this particular gym and had told me I could trust the coaches there, and that counts for a lot with me. Still, I found myself dialing Jay’s number that afternoon for reassurance. I knew he had to be at work soon. He didn’t answer, so I told myself to buck up and I drove through downtown and out to the warehouse district where the gym is housed. About the time I got there my phone rang. It was Fury. “Talk to me,” I told him. “I’m parked across the street from the gym and I’m not ready to go in yet.” “Hey, this is what you want,” he reminded me. “You are completely capable of handling anything you find there.” I took a deep breath. (Jay was supposed to tell me to breathe, but somehow I remembered this time.) “Yeah. I am.” “You just need to keep a jab out there. Keep your feet and head moving, that’s all. Basics. If you find yourself badly outmatched or getting injured, roll out. There’s no point in getting your ass kicked.” He paused, and let me have a moment to digest that. It’s always the biggest fear in boxing, getting slaughtered in the ring. And it does happen. All of us have been through it at one time or another. “And let me remind you that you’re not there to kick anybody’s ass, either,” he continued. I can’t tell you how good it feels to hear this. I’m capable of kicking someone’s ass. It’s true, and it’s exactly what I’ve worked for. But you save that for a fight. Which is where his speech — which I was shamelessly luxuriating in — would go next, I knew. I closed my eyes, propped my feet on the dashboard, and focused on his voice. “This is sparring, and you want to get work and give it. Lower your punch count and power if your partner isn’t as good as you are. Match what you find. And remember, if you tee off on someone you’re gonna get it back, so make a smart decision on that.” I know all these things. But it’s the second-greatest gift of boxing to have a trainer who knows what’s in your head and can help you win the mental battle of boxing as well as the physical game. The greatest gift of boxing is doing well in the ring. I signed off with Jay, drove across the street to the gym, and hauled my gear into the warehouse. NBS Gym is gloomy, cavernous, and cluttered with the detritus of three sports. There are a dozen or more wooden fencing strips down the center of the gym, a regulation boxing ring, a kickboxing ring, heavy bags in all stages of repair, a small free weight pit, some tractor tires with sledgehammers nearby, and shelves and stacks and piles of epee swords, jackets, masks, boxing gloves, kickboxing pads, and headgear. It smells like concrete and canvas and sweat; wonderful. I had hardly wandered in before I saw an arm raised and waving; they were watching for me. I tried to smile, remembered to relax my shoulders, and walked over to get the lay of the land. My sparring partners were obvious — outside of the coaches, they were the only two women in the gym. I picked them out of the milling group of athletes quickly, and we exchanged nods and waves. I was vibrating with nerves, but was reassured that neither of them weighed significantly more than me, so I would probably be fine. There are at least two kinds of scary boxers. New fighters are tough because they’re scared as shit, and throwing shots wild and hard. They can be unpredictable, and you can easily get caught if you don’t stay on your toes. But even worse are the heavyweights. No matter what they land, you’re gonna feel it. Twenty, thirty, forty extra pounds is huge in the ring, huge. And if they don’t control their power you are going to suffer, and the next day you’ll have a solid boxing headache, and maybe more than a few aches and bruises. Part of the deal. But these two women were closer to my weight, thankfully. The first, Amber, was my height (I’m 5’8″ or so) and I think pretty close to my weight, which is currently hovering at 143. Amber, I found out, had good reach, too. Maybe better than mine. The second, Amy, was shorter than me and also light. This would be okay. I took out my jump rope and found an empty patch of concrete between two fencing strips and their accompanying cables. I shut my eyes and tried to let the varying rhythms of my rope warm-up soothe me. I shadow-boxed a couple of rounds, worked the heavy bags. The trainers periodically glanced my way, but otherwise gave me space and let me find my own pace and timing. Amy and Amber both smiled generously when our eyes met or our work patterns intersected. I pretended Jay was lounging ringside, watching with his usual calm demeanor. When I was ready to gear up and spar, Amber was waiting. We touched gloves, and began to sound each other out. The first round was a little spooky — two women not sure what their fight plan is going to be, trying to determine how this would go. I felt stiff and nervous. I know I was leaving my guard down even though I was fresh, because her jabs were tapping my headgear with regularity. She had some combos in her, too. Body shots, yep. We were a reasonable match. This is going to be interesting! I thought, feeling my heart rise. On the bell I was intensely pleased to have one of the trainers walk over to my corner. Good coaching is so incredibly valuable, and sometimes ridiculously hard to get. “Your guard’s down,” she mentioned, without belaboring the point. Gotta fix that or risk embarrassing myself, I thought. “Get your jab out there more,” she continued. What, did Jay phone her? “Don’t worry if it doesn’t drive home, just keep it out there and make her think. You’re moving nicely underneath her shots, keeping your head going, that’s good. Try some body shots.” She was calm, professional, helpful. The second round was more intense. I was still shedding the last of my anxiety and boxing a little woodenly. I found myself impressed with her ferocity, and waited for my body to start operating in a better fashion. This wasn’t a match so I knew we could have as many rounds as we wanted, and I wanted. I took my time. My right hook came out before I could stop it. On Amber, it had no chance because we were both fighting outside. It was pure slop, wide and ugly. I gritted my teeth, and sure enough I heard a ringside comment, coach to coach, but not to me. But I knew anyway. I will straighten that damn thing out, I vowed. “Try a right cross instead,” was the only comment made about it during the interval. And it was perfect advice, of course. The third round finally started to feel good. I started to tap down her jabs and return an overhand right. We had that precise exchange about six times in a row before she determined how to stop it. I felt myself grinning. My brain was starting to operate, and hers was too. She landed a smart solid right to my chin and I nodded. “Nice,” I commented, both of us appreciating the beauty of a punch perfectly timed and weighted. And we both laughed when she tossed out a wide and ridiculous right hook. Just us women, being crazy, loving our work. “You can hit harder, you know,” one of the trainers mentioned from below the ring after the third round. “She’s doing fine and you are too. Go ahead and box.” I was starting to feel a little weary but also quite happy. “Also try a few uppercuts. She’s coming in low for those body shots.” Uppercuts are so hard to land, but I thought it was worth working toward. She also told me to try punching off my retreats. Jay had been working on that with me too. It’s awkward, moving backward and throwing a jab at the same time, it takes a shift of balance and the exact right timing. I suck at it so far. She was still fast on her feet during the fourth round and incredibly game, but her punch count was dropping precipitously. I started waiting on them, and worked to redeem the tired final round from my last fight in Atlanta, where I wanted badly to return at least one more shot than was thrown by my opponent in every exchange. I did okay on that this time. It was good, it was all very good work. We rolled out after four and took a short break. I sat on the apron of the ring, leaned against the ropes, and relaxed into the pleasure of a warehouse filled with working fighters and waited for the next session. This is so much better to me than many things life has to offer, so much more encompassing. I wish I had discovered boxing years ago. I hope more women will find it early on, too. Amy, like Amber, was instantly likeable. She has such an open smile, and freely chatted with me both before and after I sparred with Amber. In fact, she cornered a bit for me, and had very well-reasoned, calmly delivered, and effective advice. I was looking forward to our session. And I wasn’t disappointed. She brought game, even though she had a difficult time landing a lot of her shots. I have height and reach on her, and was still able to fade off most of her punches. If she had been a better boxer I would have had trouble for all that damned fading. It’s a bad habit of mine, and I need to slip to the sides more, rather than fade backward. If you’re in with an aggressive boxer, they can surge forward as you fade and set you on your ass right quick. After the first couple of rounds I could feel her frustration rising. She was having trouble getting inside on me, and I’m quite sure she experiences the same thing when she spars Amber. She shook her head a few times but relentlessly pushed her attack. I stayed primarily on defense and threw mostly jabs. Miraculously, my guard stayed high and tight. Now why couldn’t I have done that in the earlier session? I felt comfortable, and coasted far more than was appropriate. But I was relishing my joy at being back in the ring, being pressed by fighters so full of game, coached by trainers so confident and at ease. Amy and I did three or four rounds, I can’t remember. But I do remember how happy I felt leaving the warehouse. Driving home, singing songs by Warrant and AC/DC and King Kobra. I have it all, don’t I? I have it all. Image by BinaryApe on Flickr.               Related posts:Back in the Ring Three-Way Death Match in the Ring 3 New Lessons in the Boxing Ring

What a difference ten years makes? On September 11, 2001 America was attacked by Al-Qaeda. In that moment Bin Laden succeeded in initiating a series of events that would eventually kick over the delicate house of cards that was the American Empire. On September 14, 2001 President Bush would stand triumphantly over the rubble of the World Trade Center where he would proceed to beat the drums of war and blow the trumpets of patriotism. A fews later, speaking to the best impulses of Americans as citizen-consumers, Bush told us that to defy the terrorists that we should all go shopping.

Ten years later, President Barack Obama would return to the site of the World Trade Center and bring some closure to the events of that horrific day. Obama put the hit on Osama. The bogeyman was dead. Now we can move forward as a nation. The symbolic politics are powerful here: The President is our national cheerleader, an informal Head of State, and the embodiment of America's hopes and dreams. Thus, the fixation by the Birthers and the New Right in denying America's first Black President the legitimacy of his position as Commander in Chief precisely because the white racial frame cannot accept a person of color as Chief Executive.

The President's return to the hallowed grounds of 9-11 is also pregnant with no small amount of irony in how the politics of race are punctuated by occasional deviations from the script in the Age of Obama. Black folks have always been loyal patriots. We loved a country that did not love us back.

However, our patriotism is also sophisticated and qualified for we are suspicious of power and are keen to the lies (both big and small) that leaders tell--and how American democracy was exclusive of people of color. Moreover, the flag waving drums of war moments that accompany America's call to battle and triumphalism are often moments of violence, where white Americans renew the brotherhood of citizenship by shedding the blood of black and brown folk.

The Zoot Suit Riots, the lynching of African American GI's while still in their uniforms, the Bloody Summer of 1919, and the acts of discrimination both subtle and gross by the Greatest Generation against black and brown folk in the Age of Jim Crow are testimonies to this ugly history. History is not dead. It lingers in our collective consciousness. For a Blues People, history's echoes run deep. By comparison, one of the historical advantages of Whiteness is the ability to be ahistorical--a people without roots, origins or responsibility.

Thus, when black and brown folks hear chants of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" we are right to be suspicious and fearful, for those nationalist orgasmic utterances have often accompanied a trip to the lynching tree or a bloodied blow to the head as the imagined fraternity of white men was reinscribed and renewed at our expense. The Birthers, White Populism and the Tea Bag GOP's embrace of real American White Nationalism is one more reminder of this exclusive club's continued existence into the 21st century. But for a moment, Obama's trip to Ground Zero has--for a few days--upset this dynamic.

Here is one from the archives (wow, four years have gone by?). Today, we have quite a few new visitors curious of the kind people at Crooks and Liars, so it always fun to reach back and bring out a classic piece. The following post is on John Horn's shooting of two burglars in Texas a few years back. This essay remains one of my favorite pieces of all time for a variety of reasons.

There is a nice synergy here: the post speaks to the noxious brew of racialized Patriotism and nationalism that is channeled through those old howls of "U.S.A.!"; the coveted shit-huffer award was introduced here; and there is no small dose of ghetto nerdness on display. Good stuff...at least in my opinion.

****

We are a Nation of Liars, Crooks, Fools, Thieves, and Idiots

A few months back, a story circulated regarding a drug called, "jenkem." Apparently, this "new" drug, a product of Africa of course--where those poor natives do nothing but fight famine, suffer under genocide, live in failed States, and huff shit--consists of human feces and urine in a bong. Here, the "user" would take a "hit" by inhaling the noxious fumes generated by this ungodly concoction:

ESPN's Chad Ford has released his first official 2011 NBA Mock Draft of the season. He places a player already mentioned by at least one Sacramento King (Tyreke Evans), star guard Kemba Walker.

The Kings have finally come to two realizations in the past year. One, Tyreke Evans isn't a point guard. Two, character and leadership matter. Enter Walker. Not only does he play the right position, but no one in college basketball showed more heart, leadership or a desire to win than Kemba this past season. He has his weaknesses, but he should give the Kings something they really haven't had in a while -- a winner.

None of Ford's testimony is necessarily true; the Kings certainly haven't announced that Evans will not play point guard going forward, given that 'Reke played with Marcus Thornton (a true shooting guard) a lot in the final weeks of the season, with Beno Udrih on the bench. I'll also note that it's unclear Walker will be any more of a point guard than Evans is.

But that said, while I'm not completely sold Walker can translate to the NBA in terms of a high-usage guard, it's a solid pick that would seem to have a serious chance of coming true. The Kings have said they need another guard, and Walker's the No. 2 guard on the board behind Kyrie Irving.

Two years ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves and their general manager David Kahn shocked the NBA world by taking point guards with consecutive lottery picks. The second, Jonny Flynn, has been a disappointment. The first, Spanish wunderkind Ricky Rubio, refused to play for Minnesota and has since seen his development stagnate while playing for Barcelona.

Still, Rubio is a valued prospect, particularly by the Wolves executives who drafted him. That's why, for the next week, they'll make their yearly pilgrimage to Spain to try to convince him to come to the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

This time, they think they have a pretty good chance of getting the job done. Take it from Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (via PBT):

[H]is team still has Spanish league play left during a European season that, like the NBA, never seems to end.

That fact could complicate the timing of a completed deal because Rubio must exercise a $1 million-plus buyout with his Barcelona team and because Rubio and his family don't want it to appear as if he already has a foot out the door to the NBA before his team's season concludes. [...]

Here's why he just might be ready to make the move to the NBA -- and thus to the Wolves, who own his league rights for as long as he continues to play professionally without sitting out an entire season -- now:

* His playing time and development has regressed rather than developed playing for a veteran-filled, championship-caliber team in his hometown.

* A provision in the NBA's soon-to-expire labor agreement with players allows him to sign under the current rookie scale by May 31 rather than gamble on what a new Collective Bargaining Agreement might look like for rookies, whenever they might be hammered out.

Zgoda also notes that Rubio has rarely had a break due to long European seasons and Spanish national team commitments, so the prospect of a lockout might not be so bad. On the other hand, a lockout will ensure that he'll miss significant development time with his new teammates and coaching staff.

That's an issue for a 20-year-old point guard who will need time to get acclimated to the speed of the NBA game. Rubio has great court vision, but he's proven to have very few ways of scoring -- his jumper needs work and he struggles finishing at the rim. Will sitting out a few months really help him improve his strength and skill?

Money is a factor, to be sure, but Rubio can make a decent buck in Spain. Since being drafted by Minnesota, he's made it abundantly clear that he won't cross the Atlantic just to play in the NBA. He wants a good situation, and the Wolves just don't qualify as such: They still seem somewhat interested in developing Flynn, and their triangle offense is a poor fit for Rubio's talents. What, exactly, is the lure for Rubio?

It may be that he wants to go to America before he's no longer a developing prospect. Still, all NBA opportunities are not created equal. Kahn may think he can convince Rubio to come to Minnesota. But it's also likely that Rubio's uneasiness rests in the current problems with the franchise, not some personal reluctance to play in the NBA.

The Japanese (of course) offer a lesson in trust to U.S. brands and their failing, faux eco-friendly marketing: Let consumers visit your home, meet your family.

Take a stroll through the aisles in a supermarket this week. In the time it takes you to count to hundred you'll likely be bombarded with as many brands claiming eco-friendliness.

Companies are piling on the new trend, selling everything from eco friendly baby powder to shaving cream to batteries. And consumers are noticing these brands among the 300,000 new products hitting the shelves worldwide every year. But behind the flashy labels and TV commercials guaranteed to show windmills, solar panels, and endless green fields lies a rotten truth.

TerraChoice, a market research company revealed the results of a study of 1,018 products randomly tested to see if they lived up to their eco-friendly claims. The results were startling. Of all the products surveyed, all but one failed to support their green boasts. The offenses ranged from products that advertised themselves as nontoxic but, frighteningly, just replaced old toxins with new ones that were still banned years ago to, more commonly, products that claimed so-called green status that could never be substantiated.

But the list of lies and techniques aimed at seducing the consumer seemed never-ending. There were hidden trade-offs--one aspect of the product was promoted as environmentally friendly while the negative ingredients' impacts were obscured. There were irrelevant claims--ones that were technically but unimportant for the planet. There were lesser-of-two-evils claims that were narrowly true but ignored larger environmental problems--the supermarket equivalents to “green SUVs.”

All of these falsehoods and obfuscations take a toll on consumers--and it can be seen in Japan, home to vibrant innovation, where residents' trust was put to the ultimate test during a food scare in late 2007/early 2008. Japanese people tend to trust a lot (perhaps explaining why there was no widespread looting in the days after the recent earthquake). It is one of those societies where you still can leave your umbrella unlocked in the entrance to the supermarket--and it will actually be there when you return. But the tradition of trust was put to the ultimate test when dumplings, a classic Chinese dish produced in China, packed, frozen and imported to Japan, suddenly caused the death of seven Japanese and sickened thousands of others. It was the first time in Japan's history anyone had faced such widespread or fatal food poisoning. It created shock waves throughout the country. The sales of dumplings dropped to zero, and the effect trickled into almost every other category of frozen food. Consumers were in despair, unsure of what to trust.

And then something unusual happened.

I noticed this when taking a stroll through a Japanese supermarket. As I passed by shelf after shelf, cartoon drawings of people--like the ones you might see in the Wall Street Journal, appeared on brands. The sugar had one, the fresh salad, the fish--even the dumplings. Next to the head was a name of a person, his title, age, and home address. The title stated: "I’m responsible for this product." Was it a joke--had Japan once again come up with another cartoon craze, or was this the next big marketing trick? Anywhere else in the world, maybe. Anywhere else, there would at least be a small disclaimer on the back of the product explaining the ruse. Here was a QR code next to every face. It took me to a site where the actual person I’d seen as a cartoon appeared as a real person--in video. He explained how he handpicked the particular product I was holding in my hand. I saw the production line, the transportation, and just in case I still suspected something dodgy about him, I could click on a link to learn more about him and his family

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen something like this (although it was the first time I'd seen it done with humans). About two years ago, I ordered a luxury version of Kobe beef, a grade even higher than the already fashionable and highly tender Japanese meat. The chef placed a seven-page report about the meat next to my plate in the restaurant. At first it seemed silly, but as the cow's entire history unfolded, along with a detailed list of all the food it had eaten throughout its years of life, the entire history of its family, a description of the farmers family (with pictures of course) and--okay here it comes--a nose print of the cow, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The dumpling bios grew out of the same trend.

Trust-earning just jumped to another level. People have become so skeptical about fake promises and longwinded explanations that promises on labels have become the equivalent of waving in a darkroom--pointless--and brands are struggling to survive. So real people have now entered the arena--people we can quickly come to rely on, people who are prepared to put their name on the block--and the names and histories of their entire family, too--to convince consumers of their earnestness.

As companies desperately search for ways to promote their products in smarter ways--or as being eco-friendly--a steady increase of cynicism grows on the consumer side. It has not yet hit the tipping point, and the local ombudsman, The Advertising Standards Authorities and in the U.S. Federal Trade Commission fight an uphill battle to guard the flood of claims made by everyone. In the U.S., governments even are holding hearings to define the difference between genuine environmental claims and empty greenwashing.

Where does it all end? You'd hope the good brands may indeed secure some credit for their hard work--and the liars get punished. In the real world, this could be wishful thinking. Instead the scenario is likely to begin where my journey ended in Japan, with yet another layer of communication, which may, at first, even convince the most cynical consumers. But over time, this trust, too, begins to fade.

Come to think of it, who knows if that farmer I saw exists at all--he looked convincing, and so did his mother, but didn’t I see him in another ad the other day for chewing gum? There are 120 million people in Japan. I probably mixed him up.

Martin Lindstrom is a 2009 recipient of TIME Magazine’s “World's 100 Most Influential People” and author of Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy (Doubleday, New York), a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best–seller. His latest book, Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy, will be released in September. A frequent advisor to heads of numerous Fortune 100 companies, Lindstrom has also authored 5 best sellers translated into 30 languages. More at martinlindstrom.com.

Read more by Martin Lindstrom: The 10 Most Addictive Sounds in the World

[Front page image: Flickr user richardwitt74]

 

WASHINGTON--The controversial levee breach to prevent Mississippi River flooding in southern Illinois was the major topic Thursday at the Illinois delegation lunch in the Capitol hosted by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

Durbin has been receiving briefings on the Southern Illinois flooding situation by the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), Jonathan Monken and the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard Major General William Enyart.

Said Durbin in a statement: News has been promising since the breach of the levee at Birds Point by the Army Corps of Engineers. In Cairo, the Ohio River has dropped to 60 feet, more than a foot and a half lower than it was at the time of breach. This morning, in Metropolis where sandbagging continues, the river measured 54.7 feet. Without that breach, the river was forecast to have steadily crept up to a crest of more than 58 feet in Metropolis.

At the lunch: Mark Kirk (R-IL) and seven members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation attended today's luncheon including: Representatives Jerry Costello (D-IL), Danny Davis (D-IL), Bob Dold (R-IL), Randy Hultgren (R-IL), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Don Manzullo (R-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Bobby Schilling (R-IL).

A Federal Reserve official says the central bank should raise interest rates this year to guard against inflation.

Narayana Kocherlakota, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, is part of a vocal minority that thinks the Fed will need to reverse course this year and start tightening credit.

Mr. Kocherlakota says the Fed should raise its key interest rate, now near zero, by one-half percentage point. He says even with the increase, rates would still be considered low by historical standards.

The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia also has said the Fed may need to raise rates this year. And the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has said the Fed may need to tighten credit but hasn't specified when or how.

While the SIU basketball family has to be pleased with adding T.J. Lindsay, a solid point guard who helped lead JUCO powerhouse Monroe College in New York to a NJCAA Final Four bid, it simply can’t be pleased that the total number of defections since Chris Lowery became coach has hit 18. Sources have indicated that Troy Long and/or Mykel Cleveland will be leaving Carbondale to make room for Lindsay. Southern Illinois had no scholarships available prior to this week. In Tom Weber’s most recent DawgBlog, he all but sets in stone that both Long and Cleveland won’t be suiting up in maroon and white next season. “Lowery said Lindsay is a good enough ball handler that he can play all three guard spots, and he will push the team’s three incumbents — Kendal Brown-Surles, Justin Bocot and Diamond Taylor — for playing time.” No mention of Long. No mention of Cleveland. Last year’s JUCO transfers were two of the most frustrating Salukis to watch las...

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Timberwolves brass chasing Ricky Rubio in Spain CBSSports.com (blog) The Minnesota Timberwolves are visiting point guard Ricky Rubio in Spain in an attempt to bring him to the NBA. Posted by Ben Golliver. It's the NBA's version of Groundhog Day: Every six weeks or so, a report out of Minnesota indicates that the ... Rubio finally signing with Timberwolves?Yahoo! Sports Minnesota Timberwolves Continue to Chase Ricky RubioSLAM Online Timberwolves' Kahn headed to SpainUSA Today ProBasketballTalk -SB Nation Minnesota -Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog) all 46 news articles »

It’s not uncommon for rappers to showcase their love of sports by paying tribute to their favorite teams or players, and now Yung Berg is the latest MC to do so. The Windy City native penned a track for Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who recently became the league’s MVP. The aptly titled ‘Derrick... [Read More...]

Pau Gasol is sad...
...AND BRIAN CARDINAL LIKES IT!
The Los Angeles Lakers: I'll admit it. I wrote off the Mavericks before this series even started. Lots of people did. Including, it seems, the Lakers.

But here we are. Not on Planet Earth. I'll tell you that much. It's Bizarro World. The Nuggets are better off without Carmelo Anthony. Danny Ainge willingly busted up a potential championship contender midseason. The Bulls have the best record in the league but look like poop in the playoffs. The Pacers became tough guys. Zach Randolph became superclutch. The Grizzlies dominated the Spurs before sending them home early. And the Lakers are down 2-0 to the Dallas Mavericks.

Despite having homecourt advantage.

Said Dirk Nowitzki: "If you would have told me before that we were going to win both games, it would have been hard to believe."

No kidding.

The situation is both shocking and...not all that shocking. L.A. has been turning it on and off all season. On some nights, Kobe looks like Kobe. Other nights, it appears he's lost half a step. When the season started, Pau Gasol was playing like an MVP candidate. After a month and a half of 40+ minutes per game, he looked like The Old Guy in a pickup league, exhausted and barely getting by on experience and instinct. The bench started off so hot Kevin McHale started calling them "The Killer Bees" but their production dropped off dramatically.

And Ron Artest still looks absolutely lost in Phil Jackson's Triangle.

No, the problems didn't start today, and Andrew Bynum knows it.

Said Bynum: "It's deeply rooted at this point. It's obvious that we have trust issues, individually. All 13 of our guys have trust issues right now. I think it's quite obvious to anyone watching the game -- hesitation on passes, and defensively we're not being a good teammate because he wasn't there for you before -- little things. And unless we come out and discuss them, nothing is going to change."

Countered Kobe: "I think the trust that he's referring to is being able to help each other on the defensive end of the floor. You saw a lot of layups. He gets frustrated when he supports a guard coming off the screen-and-roll and nobody supports him."

The Lakers can talk about defense all they want, but it's not like the Mavericks were setting the world on fire. They went 12-for-21 at the rim, which is good, but not great. Nowitzki was fantastic (24 points, 9-for-16, 2-for-3 from downtown), but Jasons Kidd and Terry combined to shoot 6-for-22. And Peja Stojakovic was flashing back to 2002 with his 2-for-9 (and 0-for-5 on threes) night.

As a team, Dallas shot 42 percent, went 8-for-25 from beyond the arc and got outrebounded 44-39.

L.A.'s defense did a credible job. Their offense, on the other hand, did not. Talk about way off: The Lakers converted only 41 percent of their field goals, shot 2-for-20 on threes and bricked nine of their 20 free throws. Kobe had one of his classic 9-for-20 nights (including 1-for-5 on treys). Gasol (5-for-12), Artest (4-for-10) and Derek Fisher (2-for-7) couldn't have located the basket with a police dog. The bench went 6-for-23, and that was despite Shannon Brown's 3-for-4 performance.

If it wasn't for Bynum's 8-for-11 shooting and 7 offensive rebound, the Lakers might have lost by 20.

You know what it was? The Mavericks were the aggressors. They had no fear. They attacked the Lakers on offense and defense. They never got rattled. Never backed down. They displayed a toughness nobody outside of Dallas believed they had.

Now ESPN's J.A. Adande says the three-peat ain't happening:

The Lakers are done. I say this despite their championship pedigree, their coach's ability to guide teams through apparent calamity and a direct warning from a certain 6-foot-6 guard.

"Be careful what you write," Kobe Bryant said, knowing full well that I and the rest of the media pack walking through the Staples Center corridor were about to type the Lakers' death notice as soon as we returned to the Chick Hearn Press Room.

"Be careful what you write," Bryant repeated. He added an admonition for my ESPN.com colleague. "You too, Stein."

I told Bryant that the Lakers don't have the energy.

"True," he said.

And if you don't have energy, then the schemes or the intent or the pride don't matter.

"True," he said.

There's no way he was leaving it at that. I tried to draw more out of him.

"But?"

"But," he replied with a smile. "But. Dot-dot-dot. "

Kobe's defiant. You expected that. But are any of the other Lakers feeling it?

Said Jackson: "It looked like Dallas had more energy out there on the floor than we did. That's a concern. ... We really got dispirited."

Now the Lakers have to be feeling the dreaded "D" word.

Said Kobe: "Desperate? That's a strong word. I think when you play desperate, you don't play your best basketball. What we need to do is relax, focus on what we're doing wrong and the mistakes that we're making, and we have plenty to review and lock in on that."

If you say so, Mamba.

Said Bynum: "If we go to the root of what's really hurting us and not candy-coat things and not talk around issues, then we'll be fine. If not, then we won't. I think we've addressed them before, but now is the time to really sit down and ask yourself the tough questions."

Good luck with that, Andy.

Stephanie G: "The ship be sinking."
Ron Artest: L.A.'s "defensive stopper" was dispatched on Dirk Nowitzki. And it didn't matter. Dirk still got whatever he wanted. What did you expect? That Artest could really guard a seven-footer? Really?

Still, that's not why Ron is getting a WotN. No, it's because your 2011 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award winner did this:


As Basketbawful reader Peter asked: "Tru Warrior or Ultimate Warrior?"

Now that's the Crazy Pills we've been waiting to see. Artest was ejected and will likely be suspended for Game 3. Although, the way he's been playing, that might actually be good news for the Lakers.

Shawn Marion: Rewatch that Artest video and notice how Marion reacts to his teammate getting clotheslined across the face.

Bonus video: Basetbawful reader Cetti writes: "I do not have words for that." And by "that," Cetti is talking about this:


The Atlanta Hawks: Spider-Man's balls! The Dirty Birds really laid an offensive egg last night. I could eat Vinny Del Negro's offensive playbook and crap out a better game plan than Atlanta had last night. You know it's bad when, during those Mic'd up segments, the coach is bitching out his team for taking stupid shots.

And he wasn't wrong.

The Bulls held the Hawks to 73 points on 33.8 percent shooting and forced them to miss 10 of their 13 three-point attempts. Atlanta finished with a miserable Effective Field Goal Percentage of 35.7 and an Offensive Efficiency of only 81.1. As in points per 100 possessions.

The Hawks missed 11 of their 23 field goal attempts at the rim and went a gag-reflex-testing 6-for-30 from 16-23 feet. They were as cold last night as they were hot in Game 1. Dr. Jekyll, meet Mr. Hyde.

Chicago's D did a number on Josh Smith (4-for-14), Al Horford (3-for-12 and zero free throw attempts), Jamal Crawford (2-for-10) and Marvin Williams (2-for-9). Moreover, the Bulls contained Joe Johnson, who finished with 16 points on 7-for-15 shooting and made only one trip to the foul line. And, outside of Crawford, the Atlanta bench managed only 2 points.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Atlanta had the lowest FGP of a Bulls playoff opponent since the Michael Jordan era...and the third-lowest since 1995-96.

Seriously, the Hawks couldn't have located the basket even if they'd had help from the CIA agents who tracked down Osama Bin Laden.

The Bulls also outrebounded the Hawks 58-39 and had an 18-10 advantage in second-chance points.

The only reason the Bulls didn't win this one by 30 is because their offense was almost as dreadful as Atlanta's. Derrick Rose had a case of the MVP yips: 10-for-27 from the field, 1-for-8 from downtown and 8 turnovers. Carlos Boozer kept shooting directly into the hands of Smith. Kyle Korver (1-for-9) led a Chicago bench attack that produced a combined 5-for-20 brick-a-palooza.

Noah was the hero of the night, scoring 19 points (6-for-8 from the field and 7-for-8 at the line) to go with 14 rebounds, including 7 big-time offensive boards. Jo also had three steals and countless hustle plays. There was no question he felt a sense of urgency. Still...Noah twice gave up three-point plays by swiping at an Atlanta player who was about to make an easy layup. The second time Noah did that -- fouling Smith with 4:56 remaining -- allowed the Hawks to pull to within six points (75-69).

That was the kind of night it was. It seemed that for every two positive players, somebody on the team made a negative one. Yes, the Bulls won by double-digits. No, it did not feel like a commanding victory even though it probably should have been.

The Bulls need to get their offensive act together. Pronto.

Carlos Boozer: Last night, Boozer went 3-for-8 at the rim, 0-for-1 from 3-9 feet, 0-for-1 from 10-15 feet and 1-for-2 from 16-23 feet. Four of his shots were blocked. Felt like twice that many.

And Booz got booed by the home crowd. Noah wants them to stop.

Said Noah: "Sometimes our home crowd is a tough game to play. We've got a lot of love for our crowd, but through tough times, we got to stick together. I've been in that position before, my rookie year, where I've been booed. It's tough to be booed in your home crowd. With Carlos, people have to understand he's playing through an injury, and he's giving us what he's got. He's somebody who has an unbelievable presence, and he opens up a lot of things for a lot of us. I think sometimes people are quick to bash one player. But this is a team, and we know we need Carlos to get to where we want to go."

Added Ronnie Brewer: "If you know how turf toe is, if you have any injury [like that], anything he can go out and give us is a plus. I think he did a phenomenal job on both ends of the floor."

Further added Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau: "Carlos is giving us everything he has. The rebounding is huge. His offense will come around."

The Bulls better hope so.

Said Boozer: "Obviously I want to make the shots that I missed, or the ones that got blocked. But for the most part, I'm just going to keep playing."

That's all he can do, really.

I just hope he doesn't keep playing the way he has been.

Chris' Playoff Lacktion Report:

Jason Collins fouled once in 3:16 for a +1 and a 1:0 Madsen-level Voskuhl...

...while fellow dirty birds Josh Powell, Hilton Armstrong, and Pape Sy went 55 seconds as MARIO TRIPLETS! (Armstrong checked a board in and avoided true lacktivity).

In 15 fewer seconds, steakhouse master Omer Asik matched Collins's not-so-big-man numbers to a tee.

For the next two days, the Los Angeles Lakers will stew in their own juices after dropping the first two games of their Western Conference Semifinals series with the Dallas Mavericks in the comfort of their own home, conceding home-court advantage and digging themselves a dangerous 0-2 hole. When they take the court to right the ship in Game 3 on Friday night, they may well do so short-handed, because Ron Artest chose to take a shortsighted swipe at J.J. Barea in the closing seconds of a since-conceded game, providing an ugly ending to a two-game homestand that didn't really need any more ignominy from the Lakers.

Artest actually started to get rough-and-tumble before the play that's drawing all the highlight attention. With two minutes remaining and the Mavs holding an 11-point lead, Artest and Dallas forward Shawn Marion chased down a long rebound of a Derek Fisher 3-pointer. As the ball traveled to the short corner, Artest reached for the ball with his right hand and shoved Marion into the Mavericks bench with his left, picking up a loose-ball foul and sending Marion to the line for two shots, extending the Dallas lead to 13.

A little over a minute later, with Los Angeles trailing 90-76 and 28 seconds of garbage time remaining, Artest hit a pull-up 3-pointer in transition to cut the eventual margin of victory. On the ensuing inbounds, Mavericks reserve J.J. Barea attempted to beat Lamar Odom off the dribble and make his way into the frontcourt to dribble out the clock. His path to the timeline crossed Artest's. Artest's right arm crossed Barea's face and neck. The referees, in turn, crossed Artest's name off the list of players who'd be allowed to finish the game, ejecting him for the clothesline and sending him to the locker room to watch the final half-minute of the Mavericks' 93-81 road victory.

The league office will review the play, which places Artest's status for Friday night's Game 3 in serious jeopardy. TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith initially took opposing views when discussing the play after Game 2, with Barkley adamant in the belief that Artest will be suspended for Game 3, while Smith thought the Lakers forward would merely receive a fine. (Later in the postgame show, Smith changed his tune and said he thinks Artest will be suspended, although he disputed Barkley's argument that Artest essentially punched Barea in the face.)

In his postgame comments, Lakers coach Phil Jackson agreed with the Chuckster's assessment. From Mark Medina at the Los Angeles Times:

After watching a clip of Lakers forward Ron Artest clothesline Dallas guard Jose Barea in the closing seconds of the Lakers' 93-81 Game 2 loss Wednesday to the Mavericks, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson conceded there's a "good chance" Artest will be suspended for Game 3 on Friday.

"It's uncalled for," said Jackson, a rare admission considering he often argues on his players' behalf when certain ejections shouldn't result in a suspension. "It's a good chance he'll be suspended, but I hope not."

Artest's late-game outburst came after two games of rough sledding in which he failed to contribute much of anything to the Lakers cause, even on defense. It's understandable that he's not having much success when matched up against Dirk Nowitzki — at this point, who the hell is? But he's just 5-for-18 from the floor in this series, including a 1-for-7 mark from long range (his only make being the garbage-time triple that preceded his crossface on Barea), and he's been outperformed at the three-spot thus far by Shawn Marion. Playing with an edge when you're also giving your team tangible contributions is one thing; playing over the edge when you're giving your team next to nothing is unforgivable.

From a non-partisan fan standpoint, the saddest thing about Artest's swat on Barea is that it enables the easy reversion to the long-dominant narrative of Ron Artest as an unbalanced loose cannon who mostly just visits violence on other people.

Immediately following the foul, TNT color commentator Steve Kerr said that Artest, "at the end of these games, is always a fuse just waiting to be lit." After the game, Barkley claimed to have predicted in the green room that Artest was "about to do something crazy" several minutes before the play unfolded. And of course they did; it's easy to say that, especially when you've got something that just happened to point to and say, "See? I told you so!"

But while I think we can all agree that this particular brand of reaching out and touching somebody is not OK, all the recent evidence — before this two-minute stretch, at least — seems to point to the contrary.

Artest had six technical fouls, one flagrant and one disqualification during the regular season, a lower number in each category than such noted psychopaths as Aaron Brooks and David Lee. We've talked at length about his efforts to improve his own mental health and convince others that it's OK to try to improve theirs. He won the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award this year, for cripes' sakes.

Now, though, because he did a dumb, unnecessary thing in a nationally televised game during the postseason, the lion's share of onlookers are likely to go on thinking that you can't change your stripes, that Ron Artest is a simple-and-plain thug, and that the last six-and-a-half years haven't actually seen any progress. And that's seriously a shame.

Most of the time, Ron Artest ranks among my favorite things. But sometimes, your favorite music ... well, it just makes you sad. I'm betting there are some Lakers fans that feel the same way this morning.

Original video via Ben Golliver.

Art "Chief Reason" Goodrich commented on Frank Ricci's blog post 'Time to Double the Guard'

Maneuvering through a minefield of salary cap issues and beating out a number of other teams to bring together LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, the Miami Heat's Pat Riley has been named Executive of the Year by the Sportings News. Riley received 14 of 37 votes from NBA general managers, assistant GMs and head coaches. He edged out Chicago Bulls G.M. Gar Forman (11) and Denver Nuggets VP of basketball operations Masai Ujiri (five). After leading his team to an NBA-best 62-20 regular season record, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has been named NBA Player of the...

Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the Minnesota Timberwolves believe they can sign Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio to his rookie contract by the end of May, almost two years after making him the No. 5 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Wolves executives will visit Spain next week to check up on the team's drafted prospects, including 2010 pick Nemanja Bjelica, and could meet with Rubio.

For those rolling their eyes (cough cough), Zgoda offers a few new reasons as to why this could be real this time.

* His playing time and development has regressed rather than developed playing for a veteran-filled, championship-caliber team in his hometown.

* A provision in the NBA's soon-to-expire labor agreement with players allows him to sign under the current rookie scale by May 31 rather than gamble on what a new Collective Bargaining Agreement might look like for rookies, whenever they might be hammered out.

The first point is strong -- Rubio's value is falling; it's not clear many teams would their 2011 No. 5 pick for the point guard, and this is among the worst drafts in decades. The second is less convincing. Rookies have already been pummeled in collective bargaining, and productive players on their rookie contracts remain the most cost-effective players in the NBA. If changes are made to the rookie scale, they will be minor reductions in salary at the top level.

Zgoda misses the biggest reason Rubio would be expected to remain in Europe for one more year: after his third season after being drafted, he's no longer subject to the rookie scale. In Rubio waits until 2012 to join the NBA, he can sign a contract in excess of the rookie scale with Minnesota, just as 2008 pick Tiago Splitter did with the Spurs last summer. Minor decreases in the rookie scale are completely irrelevant if the choice for Ricky is between coming over now or in another year, because (unless the NBA changes its rule -- and this is not a priority point in labor negotiations) he wouldn't be subject to a decreased scale in a year.

Zgoda also reports that Rubio's agents are working on American endorsement deals to help cover the buy-out with Barcelona, but neglects to mention that Ricky has American agents and European agents, and it's assured that the American agents are working on the American endorsement deals. These agents don't stand to make a dime unless Rubio comes to the NBA. It is in their best interest to exude the attitude that Rubio is coming.

That said, Ricky's NBA arrival has never looked more likely. That's not saying much, but it's saying something.

Via SB Nation Minnesota.

On one level, today's referendum closes the political cycle that started with the eruption of the expenses scandal in 2009. That scandal brought forth a set of demands for political reform which found outlets in different channels.

On the one hand, there was limited institutional reform in Westminster itself (the creation of IPSA and the Wright Committee reforms, in particular), coupled with the deselection, resignation and even prosecution of MPs caught up in the scandal. This was mirrored at the grassroots by a rebirth of interest amongst politically engaged young people in democratic reform groups, like the Purple People who gathered in Smith Square to put pressure on Nick Clegg during the Coalition negotiations. But it was not more widely mirrored in the public, whose revulsion at the expenses affair did not translate into concerted political pressure for change - a fact which lies at the heart of the failure of the Yes to AV campaign's messages to connect with the electorate.

Within the political parties, there were attempts to harness the popular outrage about expenses to different political objectives, both substantive and tactical. Labour sought to revalorise its constitutional and democratic reform project, which had stalled since Gordon Brown's initial statements as prime minister in 2007; the Liberal Democrats used it to press for long-held reform commitments; while Cameron ruthlessly used the crisis to outmanouevre both the Conservative old guard and the Labour government, promising little by way of substantive reform but achieving a lot by way of political positioning.

The AV referendum became a fulcrum point in this set of processes when Gordon Brown announced his commitment to it to a surprised Labour Party conference in 2009. (It was something he had spent the summer thinking seriously about, and finally decided to announce it on the day itself, with some pushing from pro-reformers in the Number 10 team.) That set off a chain of events which led to the ultimately unsuccessful attempt to amend the constitutional reform legislation which was then passing through the Commons to allow for a referendum at some time before October 2011. For reasons that now rebound on Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrats argued that Gordon Brown's unpopularity was such that if he were Labour leader and prime minister at the time of the referendum it would fail, and thus that it should not be held on general election day, which would have been impossible in the time left to the government anyway.

Nevertheless, the upshot of all this was that Labour included a commitment to an AV referendum in its manifesto, which meant that two parties went into the Coalition negotiations on the reform side of the argument, forcing the Conservatives to shift ground.

As it happens - and as Andrew Adonis confirmed this week - Labour negotiators were sympathetic to the idea of a referendum on three options: proportional representation (PR), the alternative vote (AV) and First Past the Post, albeit that they would not commit to supporting PR in a referendum, which the wider Labour Party would never accept. In the days leading up to the general election, I and others in the Number 10 team advised Gordon Brown to offer a two-part referendum, on the New Zealand model, with a yes/no question about whether to change the system at all, followed by a further ballot on which reform option to pursue, should the electorate have chosen reform. In the end, there was no final agreement on these issues in the negotiations, as it became clear that once the Conservatives had moved on the AV referendum question, any prospect of a Labour-Liberal Democrat deal was remote to the point of vanishing.

Why then has the Yes campaign apparently fallen so short? The important point about all these events over the last two years is that no significant popular mobilisation has taken place to underpin, nourish and channel energy into political and democratic reform. Nothing akin to Charter 88 or the Scottish Constitutional Convention in the late 1980s and early 1990s has animated recent reform efforts. There has been little in the way of intellectual meeting of minds in the broad penumbra of supporters on the reform side. The public has simply not been engaged, despite the best efforts of the Yes campaign.

In contrast, the No camp, which is essentially the right of British politics combined with Labour tribalists, has pulled all its forces together. Indeed, what I believe to be the intellectual weakness of the contemporary right in Britain is offset by organisational strength and campaigning effectiveness across a range of inter-related groups. It does not command ideological hegemony, as it did in the 1980s, but makes up for it in unashamedly hardball political mobilisation - almost as if an ideological insecurity, and the wound of failing to win an outright majority in 2010, has been sublimated into concerted political aggression. It's rough stuff, but progressive opponents need to learn how to respond to it, not complain about it.

More importantly, however, lessons need to be learnt about the politics of reform. In other parts of the world - notably Canadian states - citizens have been directly involved in randomly selected deliberative assemblies with the task of framing questions and potential referendum options on electoral reform. Popular legitimacy can be built into the process from the start, not sought at the end.

For progressive political forces, the referendum experience must also be taken as an opportunity to reflect on how to marshall deeper forces for change. The Liberal Democrats are now too weak to drive change on other issues, like party funding, without broader progressive support. They have to reach out - not just within the Coalition on things like Lords reform, but beyond it. For its part, Labour remains too divided on these issues, and needs to go through a process of renewal akin to that undertaken between 1987 and 1997. Civil society needs to be engaged, as it was in Scotland prior to devolution. And wider intellectual groupings need to be formed, to sit alongside campaigning organisations. Even if electoral reform for the Commons is now off the agenda for the foreseeable future, momentum for wider change must begin afresh.

This piece was originally published on Nick Pearce's ippr blog. 

Is Armon Johnson the point guard of the future for the Blazers?

After a disappointing first-round elimination at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trail Blazers are exploring their options for moves to make in the offseason.

Wes Matthews and Gerald Wallace have played absolutely exceptionally this season, and LaMarcus Aldridge was more deserving of being an All-Star than Derrick Rose was as the MVP, but something's still missing.

With the Draft and the Free Agency coming up, questions are being asked about what direction the Blazers are headed moving forward.

First on the priority list is saying their prayers and re-signing Greg Oden. He may have fallen prey to a severe knee injury (what else is new in Portland?) but there's no way they can let their superstar center walk away without at least one more stint in a Blazers jersey.

He would have to sign an $8.8 million qualifying offer, which can only be done at the end of the postseason, but it's a move the Blazers have to make in order to solidify their interior defense.

In the team's final press conference of the season, General Manager Rich Cho said, "“As long as he’s [Oden] working hard and his rehab is going well, he'll be a priority... Greg is 23, 7-feet, 280 pounds. It’s something to consider.”

Re-signing a healthy Greg Oden would provide stability on defense, while providing a double-digit rebounder and, possibly, another option on offense. It would also allow Marcus Camby to rest his old legs.

Next on the list, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge need to become more synchronized as a dynamic duo. Roy missed so many games because of his dual arthroscopic knee surgery that he lost whatever chemistry he had with L.A.

And now that Aldridge has become the primary option, B-Roy seems to be trying to fit himself in wherever he can. That is not the answer.

Roy can still perform at a high level, and Aldridge is just beginning his All-Star-caliber career. The two need to take time out, every practice, to work on learning each other's tendencies and hot spots.

Pick-and-rolls between the two were scarce in the playoffs, and Coach McMillan should encourage them to practice together. They're both players who know how to put the ball in the basket, but developing better chemistry can only help them in the long run.

Another player whose knees were blown out this season is rookie Elliott Williams, who had to undergo knee surgery as well. Williams was cleared to resume light basketball activities in late March and will be a key player for Portland next season.

Cho said that he expects him to be a "player in this league" and that "his athleticism is off the charts." Who was the last rookie that sat out an entire season because of a knee injury and turned out to be an inhuman athlete the next year?

Could Elliott Williams be the next Blake Griffin? Most likely not, but in his shootarounds, his teammates said "he was making everything" and that he looked great on the court.

As for the NBA Draft, Portland's options are limited at the 21st pick. They haven't stated any players that they would be interested in, but Nolan Smith, the point guard from Duke, wouldn't be a bad choice if he lasts that long.

In case he doesn't, the Mack Truck, Shelvin Mack, would be another great option for Portland to explore. He's built like a Ford F-150 and can create his own shot with his vast array of moves.

Finally, Portland needs to address their bench depth. At first, hearing Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum, and Rudy Fernandez coming off the bench sounds like sweet chin music. But when Fernandez goes ice cold from three, and Roy scores two points in 20 minutes, the Blazers become heavily reliant on their starting lineup.

Batum will always put in solid minutes on both sides of the court, but Portland needs a definite sixth man, preferably at the point guard position. Fernandez is a pretty good passer and an underrated defender, but he went arctic from downtown against Dallas in the playoffs.

Patty Mills has played mediocre for the majority of the season, and the rest of the bench is full of players that can't find the basket in an open court.

Greg Oden and Elliott Williams could be the answer to Portland's problems, but they also need a solid draft pick and a backup point guard.

If Roy and Aldridge can become like Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire (yes, it's a stretch, but that's the ideal combo) and Oden can play 70 games in a season, Rip City will rip cities apart come next season. 

• Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: "The Mavericks officially have the Los Angeles Lakers’ attention. And the rest of the NBA’s, too. Announcing themselves as serious championship contenders, the Mavericks took down the Lakers for the second time in three nights at the Staples Center. Dirk Nowitzki was a beast, the reserves dominated their LA counterparts and the Mavericks pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 93-81 victory Wednesday night. They took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven conference semifinals. The Mavericks have never been up 2-0 in a series that they started on the road. Only once in franchise history -- the 2006 NBA Finals -- have they lost a playoff series after going up 2-0. The Lakers’ series record when falling behind 2-0: 2-16. Theoretically, it could have been the last home game of the season for the two-time defending NBA champs. The next two games are at American Airlines Center and while the series is a long way from over, the Mavericks are in wonderful shape going into Game 3. The two-time defending champions clearly are on the ropes."
• Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "If this season turns into the special one the Dallas Mavericks hope it will be, they're going to look back at Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers as the turning point. With an opportunity to put the two-time defending NBA champions on their heels, the Mavs seized the moment in a big way with a convincing 93-81 victory at Staples Center. With the win, Dallas took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series after it stunningly won both games in LA. The Mavs will host Games 3 and 4 Friday and Sunday at American Airlines Center, opening the door for them to sweep the series without having to come back to the West Coast. And who would have imagined that happening before this series started? 'We're a great road team because we're resilient,' center Brendan Haywood said. 'We're a family -- everybody roots for each other. And we have a lot of different guys that can hit big shots. So on the road usually when we're down, we never feel that we're out of it.' "
• Jeff Miller of The Orange County Register: "Ugly, empty and quiet. It was so silent in Staples Center on Wednesday that you could hear a champion drop. That was the Lakers hitting the floor, ironically on a night when they couldn't hit anything else. They fell stunningly and meekly, 93-81, now trail Dallas two games to none and face a mudslide of history and statistical data that suggests their survival is in dire jeopardy. 'It's unfamiliar,' Derek Fisher said of the feeling of being in a 0-2 hole. 'It's not a great place to be. (We have) a big uphill climb to make from here, but the opportunity is still there. We have to clean up a lot of things and get a lot better in 48 hours.' We're not burying the Lakers, yet. But in a postseason that already has made the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics (for the past two games, at least) look like graying, bygone champions, the Lakers appear mighty creaky at the moment. And before it was over Wednesday, Ron Artest brought even more embarrassment to the prouder franchise, hammering Dallas' J.J. Barea and getting himself booted from the game in the final seconds. Gotta give Artest credit, though. He found a way to do something the Lakers failed to do all night -- discourage Barea. Among other things in Game 2, the Lakers were beaten by a man who stands 6 feet tall but might as well have been a 7-footer while twirling through all those motionless Laker bodies."
• Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times: "When the story of the end of the Lakers' attempt to win three consecutive championships is written, it will begin, and end, with Pau Gasol. You want a scapegoat for a 93-81 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals? You want to attach a name to a two-games-to-none deficit that will be historically improbable to overcome? Gasol is, sadly, your man. He has a great smile, a warm personality, two rings' worth of skills, and the love of Lakers fans who will forever link the team's three-year resurgence to his arrival. He is also disappearing before our disbelieving eyes. The melting that began in the first round against New Orleans ended in a puddle on the Staples Center floor Wednesday when Gasol was once again pushed, shoved, and battered into the sort of submission that the other Lakers could not overcome."
• Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times: "The last time the Bulls had the coach of the year and MVP in the same season, it was 15 years ago, and Hall of Famers Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan received the honors. Now it’s Tom Thibodeau and Derrick Rose’s turn. In the last 72 hours, they received the coveted individual awards. And their futures look pretty good, if still a little unsteady. And that’s mostly because the Bulls have an uneven team with some holes in the lineup and a number of dents. After the 86-73 victory Wednesday, the Bulls even seemed a bit downcast, perhaps angry and resolute. This is not a larger-than-life team. And they know it. This is not West-Chamberlain-Baylor. Not Magic-Kareem-Worthy. Not Bird-McHale-Parish. And certainly not Jordan-Pippen-Rodman. This is a team of one superstar and fill-in-the-blanks. Some darned good fill-in-the-blanks, mind you. But will anyone else on this team ever even be an All-Star? Luol Deng? Maybe. And the once-stellar Carlos Boozer? Injured and blocky, he seems to be disappearing before our eyes."
• Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Truth to tell, the Hawks saw nothing in Game 2 that should make them think they can’t beat the Bulls a few more times. They shot poorly. Horford was badly outplayed by his college roomie Joakim Noah. Johnson needed 15 shots to score 16 points, Smith 14 to score 14. With all that, this still was in doubt inside the final four minutes. And that, conveniently enough, is where this series stands: Tied at 1, very much in doubt."
• Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Through the series’ first two games,  Chris Bosh is averaging 12 points on 40-percent shooting and 11.5 rebounds. For the Celtics, Garnett is averaging 11 points on .379 shooting and 7.0 rebounds. Both can do better. Both teams would appreciate if they did. But if the Heat can offset Garnett and keep Rajon Rondo in relative check, it positions LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to be the difference-makers, which has been the case in the first two games of this series. So far, Bosh is pleased with the effort against Garnett. 'He is a great shooter from outside,' he said. 'We need to keep a body on him and make him work for everything in the post. When he shoots a turnaround jump shot, over his head fading away, he is going to make some of them. We just wanted to limit his easy baskets, push him out, and not let him get those easy post touches.' So far, there has been little easy offense in the post, with backup center Joel Anthony offering a secure second line of defense. Bosh said he has no issue being positioned to merely offset Garnett. 'Our defense is always going to be our backbone,' he said."
• Howard Beck of The New York Times: "As partners, James and Wade have indeed seen their stature erode. James received only four first-place votes for most valuable player, after winning the award in 2009 and 2010. Wade appeared on 10 ballots. In securing a better supporting cast on his own terms, James invited a harsher spotlight. Once he was cheered in nearly every arena. Now the Heat might be the most hated team in the league. Critics contend that James took the easy way out. But James’s experience -- the jeers, the profane taunts, the off-color signs -- indicates otherwise. In a society that is eager to forgive and forget the transgressions of its sports stars -- from Pete Rose to Alex Rodriguez, Ron Artest to Ray Lewis -- James seems destined to rise again. He is no expert in Q scores, but he seems to sense as much. As he considered the antipathy, James said confidently, 'I think it’s going to die down in the next couple years, of course.' "
• Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "Kevin Garnett isn’t the problem in the Celtics Eastern Conference semifinal series against Miami. There is too much competition for that title to pick a clear winner. But Garnett needs to be a major part of the solution if their season is to extend beyond Monday. Shaquille O’Neal didn’t walk through that door for Games 1 and 2. Well, he did, but he was limping. Therefore, even if he does play in Game 3 Saturday, he won’t be left out there for long. Garnett simply must be a larger factor on both ends of the court. The fact that he hasn’t been all the Celtics need him to be has the club concerned. The numbers scream and shout. The Celtics took just 40 free throws in the first two games while the Heat were attempting 68. Considering Miami also hoisted a total of 35 treys in its two wins, the fact that the Heat got 28 more shots from the line is stunning. And so, too, is the fact that Garnett didn’t attempt a single free throw. Joel Anthony, meanwhile, is 6-for-6 from the line. Chris Bosh has taken 13."
• Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe: "After several years of discussion and debate stretching from sports talk radio to the White House, Bill Russell, the Celtics’ legend and civil rights activist, will be honored with a statue in Boston. In February, when President Obama invited Russell to the White House to award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, he could not help but ask a simple question: How was it possible that a city that had honored so many of its sports legends had yet to commemorate the legacy of one of its most transcendent ones? 'I hope that one day in the streets of Boston, children will look up at a statue built not only to Bill Russell the player, but Bill Russell the man,' Obama said. The words will ring true. The Celtics announced plans yesterday to build a statue of Russell, the player who not only helped bring 11 NBA titles to Boston but also served as a symbol for the racial tension in the city during the civil rights movement and the progress ever since."
• Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "On Wednesday, Scott Brooks came as close as he'll ever come to lashing out on a topic. It was no surprise it had to do with the growing criticism and scrutiny surrounding point guard Russell Westbrook. 'With Russell, we analyze ever possession,' Brooks started. 'I do that myself when we break down the films. But it seems like everybody's breaking down the film. They're like, in my meetings or in my head. It's not fair to him.' Brooks then brought up Westbrook's achievements and how far he's come in such short time, developing into an All-Star and helping to lead the Thunder to back-to-back playoff appearance despite playing mostly at off guard in college. 'He gets criticized for every bad game,' Brooks said. 'He's not the only player that has a bad game. He's not going to be the only player in the future that has bad games. But the only thing I can say about that is Russell knows what he needs to do. And we talk to him and he's coachable and he wants to get better.' ... When asked if Westbrook is the most overanalyzed point guard in NBA history, Brooks didn't hesitate to put him near the top of the list. 'Maybe not the history,' Brooks said. 'But for what he's accomplished in three years, absolutely. He's right up there.' "
• Ronald Tillery of The Commercial-Appeal: "The Grizzlies began round two of the NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a similar fashion as their opening series against the San Antonio Spurs. After stealing Game 1 on the road, the Griz lost their identity for most of Game 2 and returned to Memphis with a split. Perhaps the only difference in the early stages of both series is the Grizzlies' reaction after Game 2. Memphis seemed angry after losing to San Antonio because of a prevailing attitude that it was a game it gave away. The team displayed a more solemn mood following its defeat Tuesday night at Oklahoma City. The Griz had been beaten. Yet the series shifts to FedExForum for Game 3 on Saturday night with the Griz owning an edge, even if it appears that the Thunder now have momentum. Memphis left Oklahoma City having accomplished its goal of stealing home-court advantage -- with the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals series tied at 1-1, the Griz could win just their home games to advance. So far, the Griz are 3-0 in FedExForum during their eye-popping postseason run but are sure to be challenged more in this series than in their waltz with the Spurs."
• Vincent Goodwill Jr. of The Detroit News: "New Pistons owner Tom Gores sat courtside at Game 2 of the Lakers-Mavs series on Wednesday night at Staples Center. In the first half, Ron Artest, who people around these parts are more than familiar with, acquainted himself with the new guy when he dove into the stands after a loose ball. Gores, in a blue shirt and seated next to his brother Alec, didn't seem to flinch when Artest came his way. On the other side of Gores? Jack Nicholson, perhaps the biggest celebrity fan in the NBA. While the deal transferring ownership from Karen Davidson to Gores isn't expected to become official for another two weeks or so, seeing Gores courtside at a big game should make Pistons fans smile. He recognizes the severity, even from a fan's perspective, of the playoffs. Don't forget, he was courtside during Game 7 of the Finals last year, so he is a fan, which should equate to passion."
• Bob Kravitz of The Indianapolis Star: "This is a term you rarely hear in French Lick, but it applies to Larry Bird: The man has chutzpah. How else do you explain his statement that he would consider returning as Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations if owner Herb Simon, who has always been generous with Bird and the franchise, is willing to spend the cash necessary to improve the team? It's OK to have those private concerns; it's not OK to go public with them. It's wrong from a personal standpoint -- Simon has been extraordinarily good to Bird -- and it's wrong from a business standpoint, sucking the air out of the room after the team's energizing late-season improvement. I like Bird immensely, appreciate his accessibility and honesty, but when did his team play in the Eastern Conference finals? Did I miss something? In the last year of The Plan, Bird's team won a sub- mediocre 37 games and only made the playoffs because the Eastern Conference stinks. The truth is, if the Pacers were in the West -- in which case, they probably wouldn't have won 37 games -- Indiana would have missed the playoffs and everybody would be calling for Bird to pack his bags. Now he's talking like he's Pat Riley or even Memphis' Chris Wallace: I might think about coming back, but only if you give me some assurances. Really? Even if Bird's concerns are valid -- though it's never been my sense that Simon is hiding the checkbook -- this isn't something you drop on your owner in a public setting."
• Mike Jensen of The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Of the Sixers top seven players, a majority of respondents wanted only Andre Iguodala gone. Makes sense to me. Let's get rid of the team's top perimeter defender, the guy who often handled the ball down the stretch in tight games. Collins figured out how to use him, Iguodala bought in, the team took off ... and now, goodbye? I'm more than fine with trading Iguodala for value, preferably a shooting version of himself. If this season turned him into a tradable commodity, fantastic. But despite obvious flaws, Iguodala remains the best basketball player in this city and will be next season. Just because he wants to go doesn't mean the Sixers should let him."
• Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press: "The Pistons are not commenting on the recent comments Grant Hill made about the foot injury and subsequent treatment he received from the Pistons and Orlando Magic medical staffs during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons. Robert Teitge, the team's orthopedic surgeon when Hill was a Piston, did not return two phone calls from the Free Press, and Arnie Kander, the team's strength and conditioning coach, was advised not to speak on the matter by current management with the potential sale of the team pending. 'The health of our players is and always has been the No. 1 priority of our organization,' said Kevin Grigg, the team's vice president of public relations."
• Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News: "Most wait to say these things, but there’s no reason to. Mike Mitchell deserves to hear them now. He deserves to hear what was lost in transition from franchise to franchise, and in translation from America to Italy. He deserves to hear he was one of the best basketball players San Antonio has seen. Because he was, and because he hasn’t heard that enough. Mitchell is 55 years old now. He has some good days, but mostly bad ones. His wife, Diana, says he rarely leaves his bed in San Antonio, comforted by hospice care and family. His 6-foot-7 body has betrayed him, when it had always been a reliable ally. No current Spur has the combination of power and touch that Mitchell had. ... Mitchell occasionally played charity golf tournaments, and he sometimes made appearances at various Spurs functions. But he lived as he played, quietly going about his business. Then came November of 2009, when he went to see a doctor because of neck and shoulder pain. The diagnosis was staggering -- he has an unusual form of lung cancer, one that takes place outside the lining of the lungs. Treatments followed, as did moments of hope. But the cancer returned last September. Now, at this stage, he needs assistance to stand. When the pain medication doesn’t overwhelm him, he can be awake and alert. He was last week, when he and his family stayed up to watch the Spurs. So, during these times of clarity, he deserves to hear a few things, about how he played, and how his basketball career is remembered. There’s no reason to wait for that."
• Bob Finnan of The News-Herald: "The Cavaliers are accepting applications to be their next radio play-by-play announcer. Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Tait retired at the conclusion of the 2010-11 season, having been the radio voice of the Cavaliers for 39 seasons. 'We'd like to invite all qualified candidates to apply,' Cavs president Len Komoroski said. '(We have already received) a great mix of impressive broadcasters, but we'd like to also officially encourage anyone that is interested to now apply as we start this important process. We will undergo a deep and thorough review as we search for just the right person to be the new radio play-by-play voice of the Cavs.' "