Sports

Am I the only one that’s interested in the goings-on of the ever entertaining former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury? Guess so…well for the few that may care I ran across this tidbit of information today from InsideHoops.

The Associated Press is reporting that Mr. Marbury has agreed to three or more years with a Chinese basketball team.  But the real catchy part is that the teams owners are also planning to set up a company to produce and sell his line of athletic apparel and shoes.

In 2009:

Marbury played 15 games last season with Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association. The point guard was a fan favorite in the rustbelt city of Taiyuan, showing none of the defiant personality that had alienated management, teammates and fans in the U.S.

According to Inside Hoops, Marbury, 33, will play two more years and may be asked to become an assistant coach in the third.

Fascinating!  This man has parlayed his antics in America into a lucrative financial and athletic deal for himself.  I’m impressed!

Source

From ESPN

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Relatives and friends of Lorenzen Wright gathered Wednesday and grieved for the former NBA player who has been missing for 10 days, as police investigated the discovery of a man’s body outside of Memphis.

Wright’s uncle, Curtis Wright, told The Associated Press that police called the player’s father, Herb Wright, on Wednesday afternoon with the news he had died.

Sgt. Alyssa Macon-Moore of the Memphis Police Department wrote in an e-mail to the AP that police were investigating the death of an unidentified man beside a wooded area about 15 miles south of downtown Memphis. Asked if the man was Wright, she wrote they could not confirm the victim’s identity Wednesday night.

The family issued a statement through a cousin of Lorenzen Wright, Camella Logan: “Lorenzen’s family has come together to mourn his loss and honor his legacy. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and condolences as they are comforting at this very difficult time. Additionally, we ask that you please respect our privacy as we try to cope with his sudden loss.”

Wright’s mother, Deborah Marion, arrived at the scene Wednesday night with a handful of family members. She crossed the crime scene tape and tried to talk to police when she was told to move back. She sat in a TV van before returning to the tape. Two officers then let her through.

The distraught Marion then started running down the road toward the crime scene before being stopped by an officer. She spoke with officers and then walked back past reporters without speaking straight to a van.

The 34-year-old Wright was last seen July 18 when he was expected to fly out of town. His family filed a missing person report July 22.

(Continue reading…)

Well, well, well! Terrell Owens finally got a job, 2 days before NFL training Camp starts. The Cincinnati Bengals signed T.O. to a one year, two million dollar contract (less than half of what he was asking for at the beginning of free agency). Why the Bengals didn’t sign Owens four months ago when he first visited, leaves room for speculation.

From the beginning I’ve always thought they should’ve signed healthy, proven producer Owens over Bryant who was coming off a knee injury. No bias in regard to either player, TO just seems like the smart choice from a winning standpoint. As I said back in March they both have “attitude problems” so why not take the healthy player. Turns out Bryant may be on his way to the PUP list.

All I can say is that if Marvin Lewis hasn’t earned his check any other season he certainly will this year. As a matter of fact, from now on I will be referring to him as Joe Clark. The 2010 Bengals squad this year has me wondering if they should change the name of Paul Brown Stadium to fair Eastside High. If Marvin Lewis, Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Antonio Bryant, Tank Johnson, Cedric Benson, Adam Jones, and Frostee Rucker don’t sound like a great cast for the NFL remake of Lean on Me then I don’t know who does.

With Chad Ochocinco , Dhani Jones, Owens  and the rest of that cast of characters on the roster, I’m not sure if I want to see the Bengals play football or tape a reality show this season. The reality show MIGHT be more entertaining. Hard Knocks came a season too early.

Lewis seems to do a great job with all of his players, and from what I’ve seen and heard they respect him a great deal. He is one of the few coaches out there willing to give guys a fair shot, I hope they recognize and appreciate that.

I hope Marvin can keep the boys in line, otherwise his team meetings may go a little something like this.

ESPN is reporting the Terrell Owens (former San Francisco 49er, Philadelphia Eagle, Dallas Cowboy and Buffalo Bill) has now agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Bengals.

ESPN

Terrell Owens has agreed on a one-year, $2 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

According to the source, the deal also includes another $2 million in incentives.

Owens spent last season with the Buffalo Bills. He caught 55 passes for 829 yards and hauled in five touchdowns as the Bills finished the season 6-10.

The St. Louis Rams dropped out of the bidding for Owens on Monday and a source told Schefter earlier Tuesday the New York Jets expressed interest in the 36-year old wide receiver.

Owens was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round in 1996 out of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. He has split his 14-year career between San Francisco, the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo.

Source

Image Source

From MKRob Sports

First it was Cincinnati Bengals tackle Andre Smith, now its Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody.

Cody was recently put on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list because he couldn’t pass the conditioning test in Baltimore and that leads me to question the conditioning and weight program that Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide football program have implemented.

Saban has been known to produce some quality NFL players but issues like this don’t make him look good at all. I wonder if high school football players considering Alabama are keep these two players in mind when it comes time to decide on a school to continue their football playing days.

Is Alabama preparing these guys to play in the NFL or just getting them ready from week to week so they could compete at a high level for the Crimson Tide?

There was a lot of noise made about Urban Meyer not getting former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow’s throwing motion NFL ready, how about Saban’s conditioning program?

Smith and Cody are two very good players that have been failed by the Alabama program. Even if the players refused to work out, Saban and the Alabama conditioning coach should be in their butts about keeping themselves in shape for the season and for the possibility of playing in the NFL.

What is Nick Saban doing?

The New York Giants have FINALLY seemingly answered the question at middle linebacker, by signing former Tennessee Titan Keith Bulluck.

From ESPN

Free-agent linebacker Keith Bulluck officially joined the New York Giants on Saturday, after nailing a private workout Monday in the oppressive Meadowlands heat.

But he unofficially joined them in March in the cold Manhattan rain.

Coming off ACL surgery just seven months ago, with no team to supervise his recovery, Bulluck spent most of his spring rehabbing in New York. In the process, he fell back in love with the city of his youth — and agreed Saturday to an undisclosed contract with the Giants, making it the city of his immediate future.

“Just walking the streets of New York gave me my edge back,” said Bulluck, 33, a former Pro Bowl player who has spent his 10 NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans. “Some of those walks were tough, man. Like when it’s raining or sleeting or it’s just cold out. And your knee aches. I wasn’t 100 percent at the time. But the energy of it all helped me. Just the people, the good attitudes, the bad attitudes, just the whole vibe of the metropolitan area. If you’re from there or have ever been there, you definitely know what I’m talking about. I’d have to say this is a dream come true.”

A native of New City, New York — about 20 miles from the Meadowlands — Bulluck fills a huge need for the Giants, who released middle linebacker Antonio Pierce in February and were trying to replace him with Jonathan Goff and Chase Blackburn.

But the Giants also fill a huge need for Bulluck, who’d been twisting in the wind ever since he blew out his left knee Dec. 20 — two weeks before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

“It’s just hard when you’re a free agent with an injury,” he said. “You kind of feel like after all you’ve done, you’re being abandoned.”

Following the 2009 season, Bulluck was only allowed to rehab at the Titans facility through Feb. 28 — because, as of March 1, he was no longer a member of the organization. And he left town miffed, because management seemed ambivalent about re-signing him.

“I asked a couple coaches, and I actually asked the general manager what was up with me,” Bulluck said. “And I never got any clear answers. So that told me right then and there what was up. And I understand. It’s a business thing. They’ve got to see how I’m going to be in six or seven months when my injury’s healed.

Continue reading here…

Impressing MJ

Michael Jordan’s words carries a lot within the basketball community. Considered the greatest to ever handle the rock by many, MJ still holds numerous records. So it’s only natural that when anything monumental happens in the NBA, Jordan’s opinion is highly sought. Hence, it was only matter of time before his thoughts on the “Miami Thrice” of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh would appear. When asked about the teaming of the three superstars, this is what MJ had to say:

“There’s no way, with hindsight, I would’ve ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, ‘Hey, look, let’s get together and play on one team. But that’s … things are different. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. It’s an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys.”

Jordan is known as an assassin when it comes to competition, so his comments should come as no surprise. In fact, his comments are an example of the backlash that LeBron has been receiving from basketball purists that didn’t care one way or the other if James left Cleveland. It’s seeing him join Wade in Miami that has left them sour. Having two of the top three players on one team has somewhat taken some of the competitive edge out of the game. It’s quite fair to say that Wade and James along with Kobe Bryant can be seen as the Bird, Magic, and Jordan of today’s game. Could you honestly imagine how boring the game would have been watching any of those three teaming up and running through the league? All of the classic Lakers/Celtics games erased. The seven years of watching Jordan mature and come into his own, non-existent. Apart of those great players’ legacies is that they had to go through one another to win. With James joining Wade, who has already won a ring, his road has become a lot easier. From a legacy standpoint, James would have been better off joining the Chicago Bulls where he would have had a better supporting cast than he ever had in Cleveland. His pairing with Wade puts him in the supporting role to many who argue he needs Wade to win a ring.

Jordan’s comments ultimately calls out James competitive edge. When “the decision” of James leaving Cleveland was announced, many spoke out on his competitiveness. One Orlando Magic official even questioned his desire, saying he thought James had more fight in him. However, I don’t feel that was Jordan’s only purpose behind his statement. Since James entered the league he has shown nothing but admiration and respect for Jordan. Jordan himself doesn’t seem as taken with the young star. In many ways it feels as if Jordan is making him work thrice as hard for any type of respect due to the reputation that preceded James. While his new running mate Wade shares a business relationship with Jordan, he was chosen to spearhead the Jordan brand for the next generation. Wade also has a budding relationship with the legend; he was quoted in the June issue of VIBE magazine as saying:

“Everyone that’s part of the label, he takes time to build a personal relationship with. I can talk to him about anything. I hit him up and within minutes he’s calling me back.”

Jordan doesn’t seem impressed with the talents of James as many other greats have been. At a recent camp Jordan was caught on tape declaring Kobe Bryant the better of the two players. When it comes down to it, Jordan’s words are the thoughts that millions share, particularly in Cleveland. So here’s what’s really good? The situation down in Miami is both intriguing and disappointing. The question of the trio winning is a no brainer. The real question is how many? However, the intrigue is evenly matched with disappointment. The thought that the league could possibly become monopolized by a team that holds two of its top three players, does remove a bit of excitement from the game. In the end, can you really fault James for leaving to chase a ring? It seems that even the great one forgets that he did not win six all by himself. While he may not have had a Wade, somehow I don’t think anyone would argue against the importance of his running mate Scottie Pippen.

Image Source

Image Source

Image Source

I’m sure that the latest news of your native son, Lebron James, choosing to leave Cleveland is a devastating blow. For the past seven years you have trusted and placed the franchise on his golden shoulders and for the most part, he has delivered. While in Cleveland, he led the franchise to the playoffs five times, even sneaking in a finals appearance. He is the reigning MVP of the league for the second straight season.

He gave the city of Cleveland, notorious for its unluckiness in sports, hope. You affectionately referred to him as “The King” with billboards and banners all around the city, claiming all as witnesses.

He became not only a hometown hero but also marketing gold. The value of your franchise almost doubled and he made the Cavaliers a primetime team. The homegrown kid was the “chosen one” and he could do no wrong. That is until now!

After making a decision, that seems solely stemmed from a professional viewpoint, he is now the anti of all that is holy. His once city anointed title has been reduced to self-proclaimed. The confidence, in which he touted around Cleveland with, is now deemed as selfishness, narcissism, and most of all disloyal. But LeBron’s decision to leave in pursuit of a championship does nowhere near the amount of damage to his character as your little rant has to yours. Forget that it is beyond unprofessional and the comic sans font you chose to cry in makes it look even more so like a prepubescent boy whining because he didn’t get his way. No, it’s because LeBron is not the one who betrayed the city and Cavs fans first.

LeBron gave you a good seven years to surround him with a championship caliber team and not just one that delivers in the regular season, and becomes non-existent in the post. But what did you do? You continually surrounded him with decent role players and superstars’ way past their primes.  You failed to deliver proper help. Not only did you not get your superstar the help that he needed but you placed the heaviest of burdens on his shoulders. You entrusted decades of a city’s hope unto him and did nothing of substantiality to help him. That my friend was and is the ultimate betrayal! You should actually consider yourself lucky that he never demanded a trade in the media and stood behind the organization for as long as he did.

Now instead of crying to the media about how you didn’t do your job to hang on to him, I suggest you start trying to rebuild your team. After banking on such a huge declaration of landing a championship before LeBron and his new running mates Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh down in Miami, you need every second you can get!

Samone Bland Sportswriter Team XI

Source

If you’ve been comatose for the last few days maybe you haven’t heard that LeBron James is going to Miami to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. It’s a historic joining of forces rivaled only by the Superman and some buddies deciding to form the Justice League. On paper that is the best top three of any team in NBA history. Think about this: Bosh is clearly the third option and he’s a 26 year old, 5 time all-star who is leaving Toronto as the best player in their franchise history. (Miami is also adding former 2001 Rookie of the Year Mike Miller as 6^th man so they’re starting to round out the rest of that roster.) The Heat should be able to get a couple more solid veterans to join this team at the minimum salary for a chance to get a ring. The most intriguing part of this whole story, at least on the basketball court, is that the “Miami Thrice” are all in the prime of their careers.  The most recent Big Three in Boston were all on the wrong side of thirty when they got together. In Miami, Dwayne Wade is the greybeard of the group at the ripe old age of 28. You’ve got a two time MVP in LeBron James. You’ve got an NBA Finals MVP in Dwyane Wade. Both of them have led the league in scoring as well. Oh and Bosh? He only averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game last season. Fans are going to line up to jump on the bandwagon or to root hard against this group and everything they think it stands for. Either way the NBA wins.

Expectations are going to be high and they’ll only get higher as the rest of the roster starts to round out. One question that people ask is “whose team is it?” LeBron is the best player of the three but Wade is as close as they get. They both have completely well-rounded games and are great rebounders and passers as well as guys who can get you 30 points on any given night. They both love to handle the ball but LeBron is a better decision maker and Wade is a better shooter. I expect to see LeBron as the de facto point guard. The guy taking the last shot? Not as big a deal as you’d think. Wade and LeBron are both unselfish enough that it’s not going to be an issue of either one demanding the ball, but instead they’ll look for the best shot, the open shot.  Expect the two of them to push each other and keep each other sharp all season. The 2010-11 MVP race will be tight but they might very well cancel each other out with parallel spectacular seasons but if they win a championship there will be plenty of credit to go around to the biggest contributors.

The free agent frenzy that built up to Thursday night’s shit show was an exercise in ego for LeBron, but so what? It was entertaining and sports are all about entertainment. Let’s face it millionaires– who are used to having their egos coddled from their preteen years- don’t always have values that are in line with everyday folks and that’s the fun in following their antics.

Part of the chatter that is out there is that LeBron took the easy way out.  As a New Yorker my only problem with him is that he didn’t sign with the Knicks and help improve my team. But the unbiased observer hidden deep down thought Chicago made a great situation for him because there seemed to be a great chance to win multiple championships. LeBron said all along he wanted to win more than anything else. In Chicago, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah and newly imported Carlos Boozer already make for one of the best teams in the East. If they added LeBron they’d at the very least be the favorites to come out of the East. Miami just didn’t seem like the right play to me. There were only three guys signed to the Heat for next season when LeBron decided to go to Miami. James actually made his winning curve a little steeper by going to a team with so many question marks, but you can definitely see what he saw when he looked down 95 South. There’s potential for greatness but this is not LeBron James joining the Lakers and piggybacking his way to a championship. The reason Miami had so much salary cap space to begin with is because there was nobody on that roster that Miami’s front office felt compelled to keep besides Dwyane Wade. Miami was out in the first round of the playoffs this year and would have been swept by Boston if not for Wade having a 46 point game and carrying his awful teammates on his back in their lone win. That’s saying a lot about where they are starting from. You can see why James would sign, but you can see why he’d pick another place as well.

As much as the NBA is a stars’ league, championships aren’t won without role players doing their jobs. Shaq and Kobe in L.A. and Tim Duncan in San Antonio would all have different legacies if not for a guy named Robert Horry. The Kobe and Pau Gasol one-two punch wouldn’t be so staggering if not for Derek Fisher taking and making big shots when those guys were facing double teams.

Another thing people are saying is that he should have been loyal to Cleveland.  Loyalty has no place in the business that is pro sports. Organizations are rarely loyal to players, they’re loyal to wins and dollars so why do we expect different from the athletes? LeBron’s hour long announcement special was an exercise in ego but was ultimately harmless. Sports are entertainment after all and last week has made for a lot of great internet speculation and water cooler chit-chat.

Dan Gilbert’s letter lambasting LeBron to Cleveland season ticket holders is more entertainment. It casts LeBron as the villain who burned the village and rode off into the night. This notion that James was somehow beholden to Cleveland or making Gilbert richer is ridiculous. Athletic skills at a professional level are a commodity that one only has a small portion of life to market. Some guys are just thrilled to be pros. Others have plans and priorities beyond just putting up numbers. LeBron has reportedly said he wants to be a global icon and he realizes that championships are a part of that blueprint.  He also seems to realize that making the best big three ever is a visionary career move -if you can finish up with the rings.

Rewind back a month or so to when Boston eliminated LeBron and the Cavaliers and you may recall Kevin Garnett pointedly telling anyone who was listening that loyalty is overrated. KG intimated that he wouldn’t have stayed in Minnesota for so many years had he known as a young man what he knew in his thirties. One lesson: it takes more than big name to win a championship. The Big Ticket became a part of The Big Three in Boston and a ring followed. The Celtics were 12 minutes away from another one this spring until Kobe Bryant and his teammates managed a Game 7 comeback in the Finals to win Kobe his 5^th ring. That would be Mister Laker, Kobe Bryant. The same Kobe Bryant who demanded to be traded from the Lakers a few years ago before the Lakers managed to swindle Pau Gasol away from Memphis. Even the now ecstatic Dwayne Wade made some noise this year about leaving Miami if he didn’t get some help this offseason. Let’s not fool ourselves. It’s not about staying in one city or choosing the media approved landing spot if you decide to leave town.

If you really want to be a King then the ring’s the thing.