To all my loyal followers, interruptionhasbeenpardoned.blogspot.com has been bought out. I will now be writing for trueball.wordpress.com, a true pioneer in the game and a site I have aspired to be like since entering sportsblog industry. I look forward to working with professionals and hearing your thoughts on the new page. It's been a slice!
www.trueball.wordpress.com
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Tom Brady: The Most Underrated Player in Football
I hate to publish this article because it kind of hints to the good pals in my fantasy football league how high I value the guy, but Tom Brady IS the most underrated player in fantasy football this season, and in turn, football alone.
Lets talk facts. Everyone knows about the three superbowls, everyone knows about the near perfect season and the superbowl disaster, but it really seems to me lately like people forget that the last time this man played a full season of football, he broke the touchdown record. Threw fuckin 50. Everyone said Randy Moss would be a big bust and do just what he did in Oakland, but no. He ALSO broke the touchdown record. 23. This is the exact same offense taking the field next season, the only difference being a year of experience under their belt. Here's a fitting picture.
The haters? Well the haters like to talk about how a big injury like the one Brady suffered last season from Chiefs defensive linemen Bernard Pollard changes a QB's comfort level in the pocket and mentally puts him on edge. Sure, I can buy it for some. But come on people, this guy stepped in midseason his first shaving virtually no starts under his belt and won a superbowl. He's won two more since then. He's arguably the best quarterback to ever play the game of football (unarguably in my mind but whatever). Do you really think he's going to be mentally "on-edge" from this knee injury? Doubtful. Tom Brady's middle name is clutch, I don't care how many times he tells you it's Kenneth.
That said, am I really supposed to take Drew Brees over Tom? Really? Granted, Brees almost broke 5000 yards last season and Marino's record, but he has no go to receiver (check your stat sheets if Marques Colston just popped into your head). The run game seems to be improving in New Orleans with the emergence of Pierre Thomas as well and Sean Payton has said publicly he would like to see Drew's passing numbers come down a little bit as long as the rushing ones shoot up in return. Take the load off Ol' Drew.
Brady did just acquire Fred Taylor and the Pats running game is looking stronger than even the Corey Dillon days, (especially if they can sign Benjarvus to an extension), but this only serves to open up Moss and Welker more. This argument does not apply to the Saints because I said so.
I have even seen some Fantasy mock drafts where Brady is behind Peyton Manning. Now Brees I can understand, but why don't you just go ahead and draft Jamarcus Russell before brady too you idiots.
In his personal life, Brady gets to be the horse in the picture below, every night.
Sooo. Yeahhh.
To all my fantasy football friends: I value Brady really low and don't like him, won't even take him probably.
Orlando Drowning in the Nonexistent Lakes of L.A.
The Magic are in trouble. I know, I know, it has only been one game, and they say a series doesn't start until you lose a game at home. But my trouble with that is that it is then possible for a series to end without ever starting. Regardless, back to the current situation. Dwight Howard seems to have finally met his match in the post in a young, tough and big Andrew Bynum and a long, smart Pau Gasol. The opposing styles of these two guys gives Dwight a variety of defensive styles to try and contend with and he never really seemed to get a rhythm going in L.A.'s dominant game 1 victory.
I have counted the magic out once before in these playoffs, I know, but I'm doing it again. They are outmatched it seems in two critical areas, both non-technical (not to mention the techincals). First, solidified team experience. Kobe has played with Pau and Lamar now for a couple years, and this exact squad went to the NBA finals last year and took it to 6 games (minus Bynum and plus Turiaf of course). Pau's big man IQ mixed with Kobe's experience of knowing his teammates like Fisher and Farmar and Lamar, seems too much for the Magic defense. Also, simply put, Michael Pietrus nor Courtney Lee could really do SHIT to Kobe last game (the 40, 8 and 8 sums that up though) Second is sheer motivation. Kobe's alone seems outmatch that of the entire Magic squad.
Bryant lost an opportunity to claim NBA royalty just last year despite taking home the season's MVP. The media is getting him fired up about this Shaq thing again. LeBron (the reigning MVP) aint around to steal his glory. The Black Mamba is drooling with venom, and as long as the Lakeshow can keep Orlando's three balls to a respectable number like they had no trouble doing in Game 1, he should have no problem sinking his teeth into another golden basketball.
Prediction: As my boy K. Jensen said, the Lakers will take it in 5. Jensen understands the low-post and rebounding game particularly well and he doesnt see Dwight taking charge against this tough post d that Phil Jackson's team is supplying. Enjoy game 2 friends!
I have counted the magic out once before in these playoffs, I know, but I'm doing it again. They are outmatched it seems in two critical areas, both non-technical (not to mention the techincals). First, solidified team experience. Kobe has played with Pau and Lamar now for a couple years, and this exact squad went to the NBA finals last year and took it to 6 games (minus Bynum and plus Turiaf of course). Pau's big man IQ mixed with Kobe's experience of knowing his teammates like Fisher and Farmar and Lamar, seems too much for the Magic defense. Also, simply put, Michael Pietrus nor Courtney Lee could really do SHIT to Kobe last game (the 40, 8 and 8 sums that up though) Second is sheer motivation. Kobe's alone seems outmatch that of the entire Magic squad.
Bryant lost an opportunity to claim NBA royalty just last year despite taking home the season's MVP. The media is getting him fired up about this Shaq thing again. LeBron (the reigning MVP) aint around to steal his glory. The Black Mamba is drooling with venom, and as long as the Lakeshow can keep Orlando's three balls to a respectable number like they had no trouble doing in Game 1, he should have no problem sinking his teeth into another golden basketball.
Prediction: As my boy K. Jensen said, the Lakers will take it in 5. Jensen understands the low-post and rebounding game particularly well and he doesnt see Dwight taking charge against this tough post d that Phil Jackson's team is supplying. Enjoy game 2 friends!
Monday, June 1, 2009
What a Dwightmare
A few weeks back when the Orlando Magic were on the road in a game 7 situation against the Celtics, I said that if the Magic were gonna beat the obnoxious Celtics, Dwight Howard would have to put the team on his cantaloupe shoulders, rebound, block, defend, but most importantly my friends, D12 had to score like channel 29 (whattup Shaw cable). I also said I didn't think he had it in him to do this and that the Celts would continue their run. Oh how pleasantly surprised I was.
You know how the rest of the story goes, Big Dwight and his sharpshooters did military presses with the measley Celts in game 7, winning by 20 pts. Dwight then took some of his magic into Cleveland and shocked the King and his Cavaliers in 6 games. D12 and the boys now have a ticket to Los Angeles for June 4th (which happens to be the same day as game 1 of the NBA finals). Shockingly, a playoff media frenzy that was dominated by the, well, dominant Cavs, suddenly switched to the Magic, and more significantly, from Lebron James to Dwight Howard.
There's no arguing that LeBron is the more talented, versatile player. But like many (including myself) say time and time again, it's all about winning, and that is what Stan Van Gundy's squad is doing. The way the Magic play with Dwight Howard, the way he frees up the perimeter shooting so drastically for such potent jump-shooters like Pietrus and Lewis to knock down their treys, is a championship formula. Leaving Dwight one on one always results in a backdown to dunk (usually a posterizing one) and he's quickly picking up a barrage of other post-moves. His foul shooting, which was not great in the regular season, has greatly improved when it has needed to also, in the playoffs. Oh did I mention defense by the way? Yes, he was the defensive player of the year easily leading the league in blocked shots and rebounds, and no surprise this trend is continuing in the playoffs.
While LeBron and Kobe and D-Wade are all unblockable players in a sense, no players are as unblockable as the Howards and the Shaqs. LeBron and Kobe can spot up for that jumper or drive through the lane at will it seems, but never can they body someone physically in the way Dwight can. He stands 7 feet tall, weighs over 270 lbs and bench-presses a mindblowing 365 pounds!!!! (Don't believe me? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lek3aSbUsUM). Think Shaq in his prime, times ten! Think most of Shaq's weight turned into muscle. Upper body muscle. Post and pivot and dunk the fuck outya muscle! Dwight is a freight train and when Anderson Varejao tried to hack-a-shaq him in game 5 of the conference finals by basically strangle-holding him, Howard finished the bucket. Brute strength was exhibited, plain and simple.
The comparisons to Shaq are fair, but Howard is just better. He is the quickest player ever to reach 10,000 rebounds, throws down more vicious dunks, (Dwight skipped breaking the backboard and went right to bobbling the shot-clock over with one). He is a better free throw shooter, in much better physical condition, has quicker feet, and in 2 years, should have a much more daunting post-game. But hey, that's just my opinion, and I'm just a guy. Let's just hope for the Magic's sake that the duration of his stay in Orlando also outdoes Shaq's.
What about the way Dwight has been marketed? Has he been done justice? Sure, he is one of the NBA's superstars, but he doesn't have endorsement contracts like LeBron and Kobe. I read a quote the other day saying that not signing Dwight Howard when they could have gotten him out of high school like LeBron will be one of Nike's greatest financial regrets. The Nike execs now have to sit back and and watch some of the most vicious dunks in NBA history (outside of Shawn Kemp) be thrown down in a crispy pair of size 17 Adidas!!!
So here's my forecast: Ten years plus of Dwight Dominance. He will be as dominant as Tim Duncan is with his fundamentals, he just might never get a Parker and Ginobili (although his current supporting cast is nothing to sneeze at). I see 2 or 3 championships barring injury in his career. LeBron will not be the only one in his career to suffer from a playoff episode of Dwightmares. Oh, by the way, I'm not posting this article until the Magic win the championship in 2 weeks. Whoops. Whatever...
You know how the rest of the story goes, Big Dwight and his sharpshooters did military presses with the measley Celts in game 7, winning by 20 pts. Dwight then took some of his magic into Cleveland and shocked the King and his Cavaliers in 6 games. D12 and the boys now have a ticket to Los Angeles for June 4th (which happens to be the same day as game 1 of the NBA finals). Shockingly, a playoff media frenzy that was dominated by the, well, dominant Cavs, suddenly switched to the Magic, and more significantly, from Lebron James to Dwight Howard.
There's no arguing that LeBron is the more talented, versatile player. But like many (including myself) say time and time again, it's all about winning, and that is what Stan Van Gundy's squad is doing. The way the Magic play with Dwight Howard, the way he frees up the perimeter shooting so drastically for such potent jump-shooters like Pietrus and Lewis to knock down their treys, is a championship formula. Leaving Dwight one on one always results in a backdown to dunk (usually a posterizing one) and he's quickly picking up a barrage of other post-moves. His foul shooting, which was not great in the regular season, has greatly improved when it has needed to also, in the playoffs. Oh did I mention defense by the way? Yes, he was the defensive player of the year easily leading the league in blocked shots and rebounds, and no surprise this trend is continuing in the playoffs.
While LeBron and Kobe and D-Wade are all unblockable players in a sense, no players are as unblockable as the Howards and the Shaqs. LeBron and Kobe can spot up for that jumper or drive through the lane at will it seems, but never can they body someone physically in the way Dwight can. He stands 7 feet tall, weighs over 270 lbs and bench-presses a mindblowing 365 pounds!!!! (Don't believe me? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lek3aSbUsUM). Think Shaq in his prime, times ten! Think most of Shaq's weight turned into muscle. Upper body muscle. Post and pivot and dunk the fuck outya muscle! Dwight is a freight train and when Anderson Varejao tried to hack-a-shaq him in game 5 of the conference finals by basically strangle-holding him, Howard finished the bucket. Brute strength was exhibited, plain and simple.
The comparisons to Shaq are fair, but Howard is just better. He is the quickest player ever to reach 10,000 rebounds, throws down more vicious dunks, (Dwight skipped breaking the backboard and went right to bobbling the shot-clock over with one). He is a better free throw shooter, in much better physical condition, has quicker feet, and in 2 years, should have a much more daunting post-game. But hey, that's just my opinion, and I'm just a guy. Let's just hope for the Magic's sake that the duration of his stay in Orlando also outdoes Shaq's.
What about the way Dwight has been marketed? Has he been done justice? Sure, he is one of the NBA's superstars, but he doesn't have endorsement contracts like LeBron and Kobe. I read a quote the other day saying that not signing Dwight Howard when they could have gotten him out of high school like LeBron will be one of Nike's greatest financial regrets. The Nike execs now have to sit back and and watch some of the most vicious dunks in NBA history (outside of Shawn Kemp) be thrown down in a crispy pair of size 17 Adidas!!!
So here's my forecast: Ten years plus of Dwight Dominance. He will be as dominant as Tim Duncan is with his fundamentals, he just might never get a Parker and Ginobili (although his current supporting cast is nothing to sneeze at). I see 2 or 3 championships barring injury in his career. LeBron will not be the only one in his career to suffer from a playoff episode of Dwightmares. Oh, by the way, I'm not posting this article until the Magic win the championship in 2 weeks. Whoops. Whatever...
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