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NFL Free Agency Couldn’t Have Gone Better For Seahawks

March 12th, 2010

No. This is not a rant about the departure of Seneca Wallace. Or about any of the moves that the Seahawks have made. In fact, Seattle has stood rather pat during the past few days.

But the Detroit Lions have not been quiet. And they may have saved the defense in Seattle with their flurry of moves.

Over the last week, the Lions have signed Kyle Vanden Bosch and traded for DT Corey Williams.

The Seahawks are now in prime position to land one of my favorites, Gerald McCoy, in the upcoming draft.

While I have spent my time bagging on names like Taylor Mays, CJ Spiller, Sam Bradford and Eric Berry (to a lesser extent), Gerald McCoy is atop my list with OT Russell Okung.

As I've stated before, Brandon Mebane is a beast, but he needs a capable teammate to reap the rewards of his work. Gerald McCoy is that someone. He IS a Kevin Williams/Warren Sapp–type player, and should succeed barring laziness or bad coaching.

And now he could ours.

Detroit has commited quite a bit of resources to the defensive line this offseason, and appears unlikely to add another massive contract to the line.

Tampa Bay will then choose Ndamukong Suh, Washington will pick either Jimmy Clausen/Sam Bradford, and Kansas City will most likely take a tackle.

The Seahawks would be wise to take McCoy here. As their defense lacks a true three-technique tackle. The Hawks lack someone with incredible quickness who blows up runs in the backfield, and is in the back of the quarterback's mind on every dropback.

With McCoy, this could be one of the better defenses in all of football. Darryl Tapp and Lawrence Jackson are entering their prime years, and would benefit greatly from a Mebane/McCoy/Other (Tyson Alualu and Lamarr Houston are both options in the third, if Seattle could obtain a pick) rotation.

Throw in a corner (Brandon Ghee, Chris Cook and Donovan Warren are all available in rounds 2-3) and you have a playoff defense.

Bottom line, my realistic dream would be for Gerald McCoy and Charles Brown to both be Seahawks in May.

Make it happen Pete & John.

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Posted in Football, NFL, Preview/Prediction, seattle seahawks

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Arizona State’s Quest To Earn A Bid To The Big Dance Starts Tonight

March 12th, 2010

If your allegiance stands with the maroon and gold, and the beloved Sun Devils, the position that Arizona State is currently in has to put a smile on your face. ASU tips off against Stanford tonight, as the Sun Devils begin their quest to reach their second consecutive NCAA tournament.

So, how does it feel to control your own destiny? Well, according to ESPN's Joe Lunardi, the Sun Devils are currently one of the last four schools included in the 65 team field. However, ASU coach Herb Sendek would rather be officially invited to the Big Dance this Sunday, and ignore all the "bubble watch" talk on various media outlets. 

Arizona State, would rather play quality, tough, and disciplined basketball with the mindset of taking the decision out of the selection committee's hands, and win the conference tournament and the Pac-10's automatic bid. Although that is easier said than done.

Up first will be the Stanford Cardinals, a team that the Sun Devils beat twice during the regular season. Herb Sendek's squad beat the Cardinals 88-70 in Tempe and then completed the regular season sweep at Maples Pavilion by eight points. 

In both games against Stanford, Arizona State had performers step up in the clutch and would not settle for anything less than victory. In both games, ASU fell behind Stanford early only to regain the lead and secure the win. That mentality has to be the same in a short tournament such as this. 

Arizona State has had some big time performances this season by star players like Ty Abbott and Rihards Kuksiks, role players such as senior point guard Derek Glasser, and in many cases players coming off the bench like Jerren Shipp. A win tonight and beyond will have to follow the same suit.

ASU's top scorer this season has been Ty Abbott (12 ppg), and his breakthrough game came against these same Stanford Cardinals. Abbott made 11 of 14 shots from the floor, including seven of nine from three-point range.

Abbott finished the night with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists. A stellar showing tonight would come in handy for the Sun Devils to advance to the semifinals of the Pac-10 Tournament.  

The Sun Devils have coupled Abbott's shooting from the perimeter with a new dominant presence inside the paint with Eric Boateng. When the Sun Devils hit the road in Palo Alto, CA, Boateng was the role player to step up and play up to his size. The Duke transfer not only controlled the glass with eight rebounds, but also added 24 points to propel the Sun Devils past Stanford 68-60. 

The upcoming battle with Stanford is paramount for ASU's hopes of making the tournament. As the calendar has flipped to March, top teams have fallen to Cinderellas, bubble teams have seen their bubble burst, and teams that were thought to have no shot at making the tournament are now hungrier than ever. 

Tonight, ASU has to be the tougher team and not settle into complacency. The mentality that the maroon and gold should exude, is win one game at a time.

If Arizona State overlooks the Cardinals, and a potential bubble popping matchup against the Washington Huskies tomorrow night, Stanford will be moving on, and ASU will be playing in the National Invitational Tournament, also known as "Not in the (real) Tournament". 

Stanford has the firepower to pull of the upset tonight, and at this point in the season anyone can beat anyone. Just look at national powers Syracuse and Georgetown losing early in the Big East Tournament. Anything can happen in March Madness. 

This is no longer the regular season, each time you step on the floor, it could possibly be the last game of the season. It is win or go home, and it certainly will not be easy. Herb Sendek pointed out, "Just like the regular season, we expect a great challenge." 

The Pac-10 Tournament will be a battle of wills and effort. Who will want it more? Derek Glasser stated that, "At this point, we've played each other twice. We kind of know what they're going to do, and they kind of know what were going to do. There are no secrets. It's just about playing hard."

Playing hard will be a good starting point for any team trying to earn a shot at the big dance, but for ASU, the quest begins tonight and wins are at a premium. An opening round loss for ASU will undoubtedly put the nail in the coffin on their tournament hopes. 

 

 

 

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Posted in Arizona State Basketball, College Basketball, Derek Glasser, Eric Boateng, Herb Sendek, NCAA, Preview/Prediction, Rihards Kuksiks, Ty Abbott, ncaa tournament

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Losing One Win Shy of Making the Field: At-Large Chances Done? Not Quite

March 12th, 2010

Entering championship week, there were about 20 teams fighting for the final eight spots. Realistically, all these teams needed a win to either get into the field or ensure their spot, however not all of them could win out. 

If you're a fan of Seton Hall, Memphis, UAB, and USF I feel for you—it's tough.

I bet you're thinking, "Is there any way we can miraculosly still make it?"

All that work, coming so close. Was it all for nothing? 

It may have been all for nothing at the current moment, but here is why you should still have hope.

Seton Hall lost their biggest game in the past four seasons to Notre Dame on Wednesday, which if they won, would have put them in the field. The result of losing put them a few spots back, but they still remain a "last four in" team.

So that's it right? Nope. Even though Seton Hall is currently out, it depends on what the other bubble teams do in their next games. This applies for Memphis' situation as well as UAB, USF, and all the other bubble teams that will be ending their seasons one win shy of making the field. 

Here is a look of the next games for the "last four in" teams:

Illinois plays Wisconsin on Friday at 2:25 p.m. That looks to be a loss for the Illini.

Washington plays Oregon State tonight. That should be a win for the Huskies.

Arizona State plays Stanford. That game can go either way.

San Diego is leading Colorado state 25-22 with 6:27 remaining in the first half. Anything can happen there.

So you can see that if these "last four in" teams lose just as your team has, things can change.

We saw this today when Memphis, who was a "last four in" team, lost to Houston 66-65. Washington, who was idle, was pushed into the field after being a "first four out" team. 

Keep hoping that these bubble teams can lose just like your team did, and you never know, maybe your team can find itself a place in the field. 

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Posted in College Basketball, NCAA, Opinion, seton hall basketball

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Are the San Antonio Spurs Too Young to Win a Title?

March 12th, 2010

Stop slapping yourself in the head. You did not misread my headline.

 

Cancel the ophthalmologist appointment and stop hitting “refresh” on your Internet browser.

 

The question I posed above deserves serious consideration. Since losing to the L.A. Lakers in the 2008 Western Conference Finals, the Spurs have dropped almost three years in average age.

 

Brent Barry signed with the Houston Rockets that summer. Jacque Vaughn retired. Damon Stoudemire skipped town almost as soon as he had arrived.

 

General Manager R.C. Buford sent Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen, and Fabricio Oberto to Milwaukee in a trade for Richard Jefferson. When Bucks' G.M. John Hammond bought out the expiring contracts of Bowen and Oberto, freeing them to re-sign with the Spurs, Buford and Gregg Popovich passed.

 

No, thanks.

 

Bowen called it quits, preferring to remain in San Antonio with his wife, and Oberto now plays for the woebegone Washington Wizards.

 

Peter Holt—er Buford—donated Theo Ratliff to the Charlotte Bobcats to lessen his luxury tax bill. Ratliff did not garner significant minutes while in the Alamo City.

 

Michael Finley asked to be waived so he could sign on with another contender. The Celtics brass dangled the promise of more playing time and a greater role. He has played in two games for Boston.

 

Popovich has griped about his team’s loss of corporate knowledge. With Michael Finley gone, just four players remain from the 2007 championship roster.

 

Matt Bonner was a garbage-time player then.

 

The Spurs' average age of 27.6 ties the L.A. Lakers and trails four other title contenders.

 

The Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic boast a higher average age than the Spurs. The Dallas Mavericks are the oldest team in the league.

 

Three players on Popovich’s roster—Antonio McDyess, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili—are older than 30.

 

Four players on the Lakers are older than 30. The Nuggets will employ five ballers in their 30s. Every Maverick not named Caron Butler, Roddy Buckets, or J.J. Barea should keep his NBA-ARP card handy.

 

I'm kidding, but you get the point.

 

No one thinks the Spurs are better than any of the above outfits. Too old? Popovich wishes.

 

Those who insist young high-flyers win titles missed Derek Fisher in last year’s Finals. Yes, championship hopefuls need spry athletes to survive the 82-game season. They need experience and veterans—old guys—to win when it matters most.

 

Does San Antonio boast enough experience to win it all?

 

Kobe Bryant has not drained six game-winners this season because he can jump high. As a 12-year veteran, he has sniffed every late-game situation imaginable. Ditto for Fisher.

 

Why do you think Lakers' G.M. Mitch Kupchak was so willing to swap 24-year-old Trevor Ariza for 30-year-old Ron Artest?

 

Magic G.M. traded for 34-year-old Vince Carter. Mavs’ Owner Mark Cuban traded away young speedster Devin Harris for Jason Kidd two years ago. This summer, Cuban tendered the 36-year-old point guard a three-year, $25 million deal.

 

Kidd made the oddball, but genius, play on Atlanta Coach Mike Woodson to send a recent Mavs-Hawks game into overtime.

 

Carmelo Anthony may be Denver’s go-to star, but the Nuggets will go as far as 33-year-old Chauncey Billups can take them.

 

The Celtics will not taste playoff success without a productive 35-year-old Kevin Garnett. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are as important.

 

With Parker out, Popovich is starting a 23-year-old at point guard. George Hill has established himself as an ever-improving, two-way athlete, but he was still in high school when the Spurs secured the 2005 championship.

 

Dejuan Blair, 20, makes great plays. He helped the Spurs out-rebound the New York Knicks 53-34 on Wednesday. He also makes rookie mistakes, the kind a seasoned Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, or Nene Hilario might not.

 

Malik Hairston does good things every time he plays, but how can Popovich expect a year old to deliver on the NBA’s biggest stage when his greatest career moments have come as a D-Leaguer.

 

Bonner, 29, was never an elite athlete. Popovich loves the forward-center’s defensive tenacity, his hustle, and his stroke from long range. Last week, Bonner defended David West and Zach Randolph and held both to well below their season averages.

 

Anyone who thinks 29-year-old Jefferson has lost a step should watch highlights of last night’s Spurs-Knicks joust. Jefferson, despite scoring zero points, sent a Toney Douglas layup attempt into the first row. Geriatric players cannot do that.

 

He can still catch overthrown lob passes for alley-oops. His age has little to do with his struggles as a Spur. My views differ from most.

 

Mason has not bricked 10 straight three-pointers because he’s getting older. He may not be capable of the consistency or accuracy the Spurs need with Parker sidelined.

 

Keith Bogans has produced like he did in his stints with Milwaukee and Boston—one game of brilliant defense sandwiched by three listless showings ripe with offensive ineptitude.

 

The team has slipped defensively, but that slide can be seen across the league.

 

The Lakers allow opponents to shoot 44.4 percent from the field. Last year’s one round-and-done Spurs allowed teams to make 44.1 percent of their shots.

 

The squad that surrenders the fewest points, the Cleveland Cavaliers (95 per game), would have ranked fifth or sixth in that category for most of the 2000s.

 

Couldn’t lackluster defense be attributed to the increased number of championship hopefuls stacked with scoring threats?

 

Does age alone explain the league-wide decline? No chance.

 

Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard played in different cities in 2005. Pau Gasol could not have dreamed then he would team with Odom and Andrew Bynum.

 

Could any team in NBA history limit the current edition of the Lakers, Cavs, or Magic to 80 points with any consistency?

 

Defense still wins titles, but how elite foes stack up offensively is as important as ever.

 

The Spurs need to improve defensively and find another seven-foot difference maker— Tiago Splitter?—to pair with Duncan.

 

San Antonio’s franchise star isn’t getting any younger. His years of prime production are numbered. Ginobili could squeeze out two more seasons worth of Manu magic.

 

Does two-thirds of the “Big Three” boast enough moxie to make up for the prosaic experience at other key positions?

 

As I repeat the question that probably surprised you, do not laugh.

 

Are the Spurs too young to win it all?

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Posted in Basketball, NBA, Opinion, San Antonio Spurs

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Georgetown-Syracuse: Hoyas Nip No. 1 Seed in Big East Tourney

March 12th, 2010

After trailing 40-37 at halftime, Georgetown overcome several attempts of shooting themselves in the foot to advanced to the Big East tournament semifinals. The Hoyas beat top-seeded, No. 3 Syracuse in the quarterfinals Thursday, 91-84, at Madison Square Garden.

 

This game was evenly matched throughout, unlike the two previous regular season games that Syracuse won both at home and on the road.

 

However, the game probably only turned in the Hoyas favor after Syracuses' starting center Arinze Onuaku bumped knees with Georgetown’s Greg Monroe. Onuaku fell down and was taken out of the game permanently with four minutes left in the second half.

 

Also, key shots made by Monroe (15 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists), guard Chris Wright (game-high 27 points on 10-of-16 field goal shooting), and guard Austin Freeman (18 points) were enough to get past pesky Syracuse. The Orangmen didn't go down without a fight, however, after a Kris Joseph three-pointer off a Georgetown turnover put them within four points of tying the game, 85-81, with 51.5 seconds left.

 

The Orange maintained their lead from the first half on good transition baskets and timely inside-outside plays by Joseph (18 points), fifth-year senior Andy Rautins (14 points, 4-of-9 on three-pointers), and 2010 Big East Player of the Year Wes Johnson, who finished with 24 points, but fouled out close to the end of the game.

 

A shift in the overall outcome of the game occurred when the Hoyas locked down on Rautins. The Syracuse guard was unable to score on the perimeter at will, forcing the Orange to rely on their swingmen (Johnson, Joseph, and Scoop Jardine) and big men (Onuaku and Rick Jackson) to get by the battle-tested Hoyas.

 

That strategy worked, with the Hoyas scoring 54 points in the second half and the Orange only scoring 44. Georgetown seemed to capitalize on rare turnovers by Syracuse, avoided Syracuse’s vaunted half-court press and converting on easy layups and three-pointers as well.

 

The Washington, D.C. school showed poise and patience in their second Big East tourney game, riding on the good fortunes of yesterday’s 69-49 blowout over star Dominique Jones and the South Florida Bulls.

 

Their composure was necessary today, as it erred in the last 300 seconds, either by failing to make some critical free throws or by turning the ball over. They gave the upstate New York team too many chances to close in on their lead down the stretch.

 

The win gives the Hoyas validation for earning a high spot in next week’s NCAA Tournament. The game marked their third win in a row after the team rebounded from the temporary sidelining of Freeman, who was recently diagnosed with diabetes.

 

Despite the diagnosis, Freeman’s play has not seemed extremely affected since his return in the regular season finale against Cincinnati—he has averaged 19.3 points in the last three games.

 

The loss casts doubt though on the Orange, who barely had time to stay at the top of college basketball’s Top 25 rankings when they was defeated in the farewell game at Freedom Hall in Louisville, five days before the Big East tourney.

 

With Onuaku injured for perhaps a while, plus the possibility of not earning a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday, Syracuse might have to manage with just Rautins, Joseph, and Johnson for the next few games.

 

Georgetown plays the winner of the Villanova-Marquette game on ESPN Friday evening at 7 PM Eastern.

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Posted in Big East Basketball, College Basketball, Game Recap, Georgetown Basketball, NCAA, Washington DC

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