Video: LeBron James Blocks Ronny Turiaf Dunk Attempt

LeBron James takes a lot of criticism. Mostly because of his off the court persona. But #6 is still a spectacluar athlete and this block of Ronny Turiaf's dunk attempt validates that athletism:



Wow. Turiaf should be ashamed and embarrased, no matter how much boost LeBron has. Shoutout to @jose3030 for the HD video.

-ALR

Message To LeBron & Cleveland: Let It Go

You would think that after all this time someone would be mature enough to be the bigger person, but that clearly has yet to happen in the LeBron James vs. Dan Gilbert breakup.

Tuesday evening, while the Cleveland Cavs were suffering a 50+ point dismantling at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, #6 sent out this tweet during the fourth quarter:

First off, that tweet shows how little class LeBron has. It also shows that his PR team is failing miserably. Throwing God into the mix just made it worse. To top it all off, LeBron's explanation for the tweet shows us that he just may be as clueless as we think he is:

"It was just how I was feeling at the time," he said. Yet he added in the same breath, "It wasn't even a comment from me. It was someone who sent it to me and I sent it out."



It was a mixed message less than 24 hours after seemingly offering clear intent.

"I don't think it was no intent at all," he said. "I think everyone looks into everything I say. Everybody looked too far into it. It wasn't no intent at all"


"No hit toward that organization. I've moved on. Hopefully that organization has continued to move on. But I'm happy where I am as a Miami Heat player.


"It wasn't no hit at that franchise, no hit at that team, especially those players, at all."

Yo LeBron; WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU. Not only is he failing at public relations, he also has yet to grasp proper usage of the English language (but that's for another day). The tweet was sent via Ubertwitter so the "my twitter was hacked" excuse wouldn't be valid here. LeBron would be well served to learn that sometimes the best thing you can say is nothing at all.

Clearly Bron Bron is still trying to stick it to Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, who released this open letter to fans after "The Decision". Gilbert gets no pass for acting like the bitter ex who found out he got dumped thru the grapevine. But it looks like #6 hasn't quite let go either. It was evident by the way he showed out back when the Heat embarrassed the Cavs in Cleveland and also by the karma tweet. The Cavs suck this season. That should be enough punishment without #6 continuously rubbing their face in it.

The only solution to this spat is for both sides to simply move on. Yes, James was unprofessional with "The Decision" and "the tweet", as was Gilbert and Cavs fans for their reactions. I was taught as a child that two wrongs don't make a right. Someone has to start acting their age and not their shoe size here. In this case, why not both sides?

Ironic that right after that "karma" tweet, the Los Angeles Clippers snapped the Heat's 13-game road winning streak and #6 suffers an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

I guess karma shows no favoritism.

-ALR

Video: Amar'e Stoudemire Dunks on #6

I guess LeBron forget that Amar'e is 6'10 with a little bit of bounce. He got posterized.

-ALR

First Trimester NBA Power Rankings (Part 2)

Happy Kwanzaa!

Let's continue the first trimester NBA report card, this time looking at the upper crust of the league using Barkley-isms. Teams 30-17 can be found here.

"He [Kenny] said Yao Ming's gonna get 19 points. If he gets 19 points in a game, I'll kiss [Kenny's] ass."

16. Houston Rockets (14-15)

The Rockets have lost the services of Yao for this season, and in all likelihood, his career. Even if he manages to return from his latest ankle injury, it won't be with the Rockets. So Houston has been trotting out a starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin, Shane Battier, Luis Scola, and Chuck Hayes, with Brad Miller, Jordan Hill, and Courtney Lee providing bench depth (Aaron Brooks has missed most of this season with an injury). Absolutely no star power can be found on this roster, yet they are competitive night in and night out. After starting out 3-10, the Rockets are 11-5 since Nov. 24.

(Conspiracy Theorist in me thinks that Yao's people, aka the Chinese government, would like him to play out his career in either NY, LA, or Miami. They have ordered him to sit down this year while the foot and ankle injuries recover, since it is the last year of his contract. You read it hear first.)

"You've got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best looking guy in the world, and I might be right."

15. Indiana Pacers (13-15)

14. Denver Nuggets (16-13)

13. Portland Trailblazers (15-15)

These three teams are as good, or bad, as they want to be, depending on the night. The Pacers score exactly as many points per game as they give up (97.8). Within reason, the Pacers are a playoff team in the Eastern Conference led by a reliable scorer (Danny Granger, 21 ppg), a solid big man (Roy Hibbert, 14 ppg, 8 rpg, and 2 bpg), and solid defense. They've struggled recently, losing six of their last ten games, and similar to the Rockets, they are a team built without a superstar at any position.

The Nuggets are mired in the Carmelo Anthony will-he-or-won't-he rumors, and that has had a direct correlation to their mediocre play. But when they want to, they can play like one of the NBA's top eight teams. Still, from all reports, Anthony is going to take his 24 ppg out of town, and as soon as that happens, look for the Nuggets to bottom out.

The Blazers can't score, rebound, or stay healthy. That last part is probably the biggest reason for their struggles. Former number one overall pick Greg Oden will miss the majority of a season for the third time of his career. Franchise player Brandon Roy all but needs to sit out this season. But they still win games. LaMarcus Aldridge has come one strong in December (20 ppg, 9 rpg for the month), and Wesley Matthews (19 ppg 48 percent shooting in December) is the best of the second tier NBA offseason acquisitions. Seriously.


"Poor white people and poor black people just don't know how much they have in common. Rich people don't give a damn about either group."

12. Atlanta Hawks (19-13)

11. New Orleans (18-12)

Be honest, you do not believe in either of these two teams. The Hawks paid Joe Johnson $119 million to keep him as the leader of a team going nowhere. I don't blame him for signing, but I doubt his 17 ppg and barely 40 percent shooting is ideal for a player making $16 million this year. They are relying on the formula of Johnson scoring, Josh Smith and Al Horford rebounding and defending (32 ppg, 18 rpg, 3 bpg combined), and Jamal Crawford as sixth man (14 ppg, 35 percent from three). But the formula includes letting Marvin Williams (11 ppg, 5 rpg) be completely average, and letting Jason Collins start at center.

The Hornets started the season 12-3, Chris Paul looked rejuvenated (16 ppg, 10 apg), and first year coach Monty Williams looked like Coach of the Year material. Since then the NBA has taken ownership of the team away from George Shinn, the team has gone 4-9, and there is declining optimism that Paul will not be forcing a trade to greener pastures.

"The only difference between a good shot and a bad shot is if it goes in or not."

10. Orlando Magic (18-12)

9. New York Knicks (18-12)

Two teams that as presently constructed (key word) will have no problem finding shots they like. The Magic are presently 19th in the NBA in scoring, but that will likely improve with the additions of Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jason Richardson. Adding them to Dwight Howard in the middle of a career high scoring season (21 ppg), and points should come in bunches. After taking two post-trade losses, the Magic knocked off the two hottest teams in the NBA (Spurs and the Celtics), back-to-back.

The Knicks are the league's most lovable bandwagon team. Face it, if you're an NBA fan who doesn't like a high-scoring, winning team with a premier player (Amare Stoudemire 26 ppg, 9 rpg, 2 bpg) playing in New York, then you must hate life. They still aren't a viable title contender, but they can definitely play spoiler in the Eastern Conference playoffs. I asked via Twitter before the Knicks-Celtics game a couple weeks ago, "What if Amare had already changed the culture of NY basketball, and we just didn't realize it yet? What if he wins a title before Lebron?"

Not that it's bound to happen, but it's fascinating to think about.

"The main thing to do is relax and let your talent do the work."

8. Los Angeles Lakers (21-9)

This is a power ranking, not an end of the season ranking. The Lakers are still defending champs, but they are not playing well at all. Kobe Bryant looks a step slower. Pau Gasol looks overworked (39 mpg, only 17 ppg in December). Andrew Bynum looks overweight. Of course, there is little need to panic, because at the end of the day, they have the most talented roster in the Western Conference, and all their struggles can be attributed more to their interest in winning games, than the teams they're losing to being better.

Sometime between now and April, they'll decide to rev things up, and they'll "switch it on" like so many analyst are complaining about them doing. But as poorly as they've played, they are still number one in the Pacific, and if the playoffs started today, they'd be the third seed. Not exactly time to panic.

"Kids are great. That's one of the best things about our business, all the kids you get to meet."

7. Chicago Bulls (19-10)

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-10)

Two of the youngest teams in the league are performing among the most elite. The Bulls have battled injuries to Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, but Derrick Rose (24 ppg, 8 apg, 1 spg) has played MVP-caliber ball. First-year head coach Tom Thibideau has successfully brought his hard-nosed defensive philosophy from his days as a Celtics assistant over to the young Bulls, who are currently 9th in defense and 2nd in rebounding. The only thing keeping them from being a legit title contender is an elite two-guard teaming with Rose.

The Thunder in many ways are still riding the high from the first round Game 6 loss to the Lakers, but that's what happens when youth meets success early. They have the best under-25 roster in the NBA. Their two best players, Kevin Durant (28 ppg, 6 rpg) and Russell Westbrook (22 ppg, 8 apg) are arguably the best players at their positions in the division. They are coming on strong (10-3 in December), and will cause problems with their speed and length in the playoffs.

"Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is a train."

5. Utah Jazz (21-9)

4. Dallas Mavericks (23-5)

Both teams are great right now, and worthless come April. But this is right now, and that's how they'll be judged.

The Jazz are playing in the familiar roles of a Jerry Sloan basketball team. Deron Williams (22 ppg, 9.6 apg) plays the role of a beefed up John Stockton, while Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap combine to impersonate Karl Malone (32 ppg, 17 rpg combined). They've done a great job of coming from behind to win games against the Heat, Lakers, and Magic, and they've lost only two games to teams currently below .500.

Dallas is playing with the fire and intensity Laker fans were expecting to see in their team. But even that doesn't mean the Mavs early-season success will last. Dirk Nowitzki has played at an MVP level (24.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 39 percent from three), and Tyson Chandler's acquisition has been great for the team's defense and overall speed. Still, age (average starter: 31 years old) and injury are a big factor for this team, and moving forward it's hard to see how they won't be affected by both.

"I don't care what people think, people are stupid"

3. San Antonio Spurs (26-4)

2. Miami Heat (23-9)

1. Boston Celtics (23-5)

The Spurs are the 4th best scoring team in the NBA even though Tim Duncan is no longer an elite scorer. Aside from losing to the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back, they haven't had a bad game this season.

After a rough start (10-8 at the end of November), the Heat have rallied to win 14 of their last 15 games, and boast the best defense in the NBA. Lebron James (25 ppg, 7 rpg, 7 apg), Dwyane Wade (23 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg), and Chris Bosh (18 ppg, 8 rpg) have been highly effective in their first year together, after about one month of learning to play off each other.

The Celtics are off to their typical fast start in the Kevin Garnett era. Each of the last four seasons, they were the best team in the NBA from October to January. They're playing the same stout defense (91 ppg allowed, 2nd in the NBA). But they also have age issues, and the injury bug has struck their most effective young player (Rajon Rondo, 13.8 apg, 2.4 spg). They are a lot deeper this year than they have been in the past with the additions of Shaquille O'Neal, Delonte West, and Jermaine O'Neal, so we'll see just how long they will be able to sustain this high level of play.

Santa Monica B&G Club First To Benefit From "The Decision"

If you recall (and how could you not) back on July 7th virtually the whole sports world was on pins and needles waiting to find out where then free agent LeBron James (now referred to by #LTSB as #6) would be taking his talents for 2010-2011 season. Yes the show was egotistic in it's execution, but there was an underlying gesture of charity that was involved with the ESPN televised program. All advertising proceeds and revenue generated were to be allocated to rebuilding Boy & Girls clubs around the country.

Good to see that some of the proceeds have actually been put to use as the Santa Monica Boys & Girls Club will unveil the first completed project that was funded from the $3 million that was generated. The ribbon was cut for unveiling the court on December 16th. Here is some info from the press release:

Fox Sports radio host and anchor Deb Carson will emcee a ribbon-cutting event for the opening of the new basketball courts at the Santa Monica Boys & Girls Club (SMBGC). The courts will also be used for more sports, fitness and recreation programs including tennis, baseball, soccer and roller hockey.

As much as we all criticize #6 for the "The Decision" and the manner of the show and how it played out, I have to commend James' people for following through ad being committed to their pledge. Hopefully we continue to see more of these types of positive developments of the show. Maybe that will help most people forget the actual show and remember that despite the improper and selfish in execution, the intentions were at least charitable.
-ALR

LeBron James Return To Cleveland Draws 2nd Highest NBA Ratings

Unless you were stuck under a rock or still down in that Chilean mine you were aware of the heavily hyped return of now Miami Heat SF Lebron James to the home arena of his former team the Cleveland Cavaliers. Media was all over the event (from ESPN to CNN) which of course created a frenzy with the general public and fans of all types. Security was ramped up and there was even coverage of the Heat's flight issues en route to Cleveland (like airplane trouble NEVER happens -_-).

Cleveland fans who felt abandoned by the uncrowned "King" went as far as to organize synchronized taunt chants for #6 throughout various portions of the game. So it was kind of a a big deal to say the least, and the ratings for the game last night prove that to be true. TNT's telecast of the Cavs/Heat game drew it's second largest overnight of the season with a 5.0 rating, preceded only by the 5.8 overnight delivered by the season opener featuring the Heat & the Boston Celtics (which the Heat lost).

I'm curious to see the ratings trend from the first half of the game to the second, when the Heat pulled away in a 3rd quarter where the Heat outscored the over matched Cavs 36-25 (24 poured in by James alone). Miami cruised to a 28 point victory and #6 finished with 38, 8 assists and 5 boards.

The ratings show me one thing; people love drama. The Cavs were 7-10 coming into the game and were clearly out of their league in this one. Unless you live in the Cleveland area or have NBA League Pass, don't expect to see too much more of the Cavs this season as they only have 2 more nationally televised games, 1/9 @ the Suns and 3/6 vs. the Hornets. Oh joy.

I will say this; although many (including us here at LTSB) have been critical of #6 and his antics this summer, James put on quite a performance last night. He played with an aggression that we have not seen much of this season. If he can continue to harness that energy and bring it like that in every game he may be able to reacquire some of the fan support that was so quickly jettisoned in one off season.

But uh... where was Mo Williams? I expected more than 11 points on 2-8. Dah well. Oh and the DJ spinning Snoop's "Ain't No Fun" in the fourth quarter had to be somehow intentional (paging Delonte West).

-ALR

Spoelstra to LeBron, "I Can't Tell When You're Serious"

This has been brewing since the start of the season, when the high-profile Miami Heat lost their opener to the Boston Celtics. Everyone has speculated if Eric Spoelstra would be the right coach to lead this group of "superstars" to the NBA Finals, or if Pat Riley would relieve him of his whistle in a similar manner to the Stan Van Gundy situation (even Phil Jackson chimed in on it). It now looks as if the relationship between Speolstra and LeBron James is definitely shaky, according to this report from ESPN. There was already rumors of this after James allegedly accidently bumped Spoelstra with a shoulder during their loss to the Mavericks. Here's some of the story:

In contrast to the popular view that Spoelstra has been hesitant to jump on superstars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, sources say the Heat coach has shown no fear in criticizing them.

Exhibit A was a recent shootaround in which Spoelstra told James that he had to get more serious. The source said Spoelstra called James out in front of the entire team, telling him, "I can't tell when you're serious."

"He's jumping on them," one source said. "If anything, he's been too tough on them. Everybody knows LeBron is playful and likes to joke around, but Spoelstra told him in front of the whole team that he has to get more serious. The players couldn't believe it. They feel like Spoelstra's not letting them be themselves."

I have to side with Spoelstra on this one. Clearly "letting them be themselves" didn't work out so well for LeBron and Chris Bosh on their previous teams and Spoelstra's job is to coach them, not be a kindergarten moderator. Another sign that #6 needs to grow up and mature if he ever wants to win that coveted ring.

The Miami Heat so far are only 9-8. Spoelstra isn't the Heat's main problem. They have horrible point guard play, soft big men in the paint and no defined roles on the offensive end. Sure they can probably win 45-50 games on talent alone but to this point their weaknesses have been exploited by the other top teams in the NBA.

Would a change to Pat Riley make a difference? Maybe. Is he a tougher disciplinarian than Spoelstra? Definitely. Will it be enough for the Heat to win a ring this season? Unlikely.

We'll see how it all plays out, but until James and Bosh start to grow up and show some accountability instead of saying it's still early a coaching change might not make much of a difference.

-ALR

Now Kobe Wants to be the Grinch?

As if the MJ comparisons weren't enough, it seems Kobe Bryant is attempting to emulate another legend.

The Basketball Jones reports Kobe will be rocking Dr. Seuss-inspired sneakers for the Los Angeles Lakers Christmas Day matchup against the Miami Heat. Often accused by opponents and teammates of having a heart two sizes too small (ba-dum, ching!), Bryant will debut the Nike Zoom Kobe VI, and attempt to steal Christmas cheer from Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. (No word on whether Eric Spoelstra will be involved.)

Check em out.

"They Should Have Never Gave LeBron James Twitter!"

LeBron James just can't seem to catch a break. First, the media ripped him apart for "The Decision" and the way it was handled. Not too long after, #6 took to his newly opened twitter page proclaiming that he's taking notes on everyone taking "shots" at him (no Gilbert Arenas). Then James retweeted some racist rants directed towards him to let it be known to the public the type of hate he has to endure (which is really sad of society, but this is about race).

Then over the weekend, James lashed out via his twitter feed at urban gossip website media takeout for rumors of him and Kim Kardashian being somehow linked romantically (see here at blacksportsonline.com for more on that).

Something I think James needs to realize is that websites like MTO feed off of drama and the fact that society lavishes in it. By him blasting them via his twitter account, he pretty much sent a very portion of his 975,000+ followers to their website and making MTO a ton on money. Which is exactly what they wanted. It's tough to say he should have consulted with his PR people before lashing out as people make rash decisions when emotionally charged but James has to be a little wiser than that.

Here at LTSB we may be critical of #6, but mainly for his performance on the court. I really hope as James continues to mature as a basketball player (which he has shown signs of this season) he will also continue to grow as an adult and learn to make better "decisions". Now stop jacking up so many 3's and get to the rack like a 6'8, 250 monster is supposed to!

-ALR

NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division

I hope you didn't really think those guys hooping down in South Beach were the only contenders down in the Southeast. This division sent four teams to the playoffs last season, including the Orlando Magic (2nd seed), Atlanta Hawks (3rd seed), the pre-Lebron & Chris Bosh Miami Heat (5th seed), and the Charlotte Bobcats (7th seed). Every team seemed to come back a little stronger including the Washington Wizards, who have no. 1 overall draft pick John Wall now on the roster.

This division again may send 4 teams to the playoffs, but it may not be the same four as last season. There is tons of talent here, so if you only focus on the "Big 3" then you could be missing out on some really good basketball. Here's my forecast of the division standings, worst to first (including each teams odds to win the O'Brien Trophy)

5. Charlotte Bobcats 60 to 1

Although the Bobcats finished last season with 44 victories and the 7th seed in the East, they were swept in the first round by the Magic showing they were not yet ready to contend with the big guns. I'm not sure they can duplicate that regular season success after losing Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler in free agency. 3rd year PG D.J. Augustin had a hard time staying out of Larry Brown's dog house last season, but is now the starter. He will be pushed for minutes by Shaun Livingston (if he can stay healthy). Charlotte is still athletic on the wings with Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson but depth and lack of post play could haunt them all season. But we might be able to get a few laughs out of the travesty that is Kwame Brown (who has the distinguished title of Jordan's first draft "bust".. I wonder if MJ still thinks he's "soft", hmmm)

4. Washington Wizards 60 to 1

The Wizards may want a mulligan for last season, which saw their star player the DC Sniper aka Gilbert Arenas suspended for playing with fire(arms) in the locker room. But the season wasn't a total wash as PF Andray Blatche emerged as a nice scoring threat, young center Javale McGee came on late as a force rebounding and blocking shots and they won the draft lottery and the right to draft John Wall. Wall will make an immediate impact pushing the tempo and finding his teamates for easy baskets and looked very comfortable in the pre season. I think he and Arenas can make a dangerous back court combination (if Gilbert stays focused). The Wizards also traded for vet guard Kirk Hinrich and he should bring a leadership presence to the team. If they can keep Josh Howard focused (and away from the 'trees') and Gilbert returns to shooting the lights out (I couldn't resist) the Wizards should challenge for the playoff spot that will be vacated by Charlotte. Shoot 'em up Agent 0, er, 6!

3. Atlanta Hawks 35 to 1

With all the buzz surrounding free agency during the summer you may have forgotten that the Hawks won 53 games and were the 3rd overall seed in the East. I like to think of them as "Team Bipolar" as they can blow out a team one night then get blown out themselves the next. (Sidebar: If they added Delonte West they should consider changing their name to that; kidding). But what did the Hawks do to get better? Absolutely nothing. They failed to address their point guard issue (Mike Bibby is getting up there), but the Hawks did manage to retain star Joe Johnson. I just hope he saw the Wiz of Oz and asked him for some heart. Nonetheless Atlanta should still manage to win close to 50 games and be a top 4-5 seed in the playoffs before fizzing out in the 2nd round. Ho hum.

2. Orlando Magic 8 to 1

That "other team" in Florida, the Orlando return the same core group that made it to the Conference Finals two seasons in a row, losing to Boston in 6 last year. Reigning defensive player of the year Dwight Howard has been working out with Hakeem Olajuwon, so maybe he's learning a little touch instead of throwing the basketball at the hoop as hard as possible. The Magic retained shooter J.J Redick and added the other NBA nomad Quentin Richardson (who was traded FOUR times in 2009 before playing for the Heat last season) so they have weapons on the perimeter if teams choose to double Howard. Big key will be how Chris Duhon handles the back up point spot. Should be interesting.

1. Miami Heat 8 to 5

Pressure? The Miami Heat basically asked for it. They sacrificed their whole roster for free agency, landing LeBron James during "Decision" (we here at the Blog refer to him as #6) and also bringing in sidekick Chris Bosh to join Dwayne Wade in South Beach. Now they have to prove it. The whole roster is basically new except for Wade, Joel Anthony, Carlos Arroyo, Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem. They added a few shooters to spread the floor with Mike Miller (who is out until around January) and Eddie House, but there are a couple glaring issues. 1.) Depth. They have none. And 2.) who takes the big shot? Both #6 and Wade need the rock to be effective as neither is a spot up shooting threat. And Bosh, well A'mare he ain't. They may all win a title together, but I don't thing 2010-2011 is the season.

We'll see how it all play out...

-ALR

Game 1 for "Super Team" and the NBA

The NBA season is officially started and I cannot be happier. The Miami Heat will be under the microscope plenty this season, blowback from the summer of 2010. We all know what it is, so I'm not going to get into that. Instead, let's examine how they looked in the first game of the season. Yes, I know there are 81 regular season games to go, but the Boston Celtics did expose the Miami Heat superstar's vulnerabilities...

1) "6" absolutely can not shoot, but he can be streaky. There was a point in the 3rd quarter when he scored 8-11 straight. Hit a couple 3's and got to the free throw line a lot (at that point he was 50% from the line... superstar smh). 31 points is a great number and when he decided to take over, he was straight to the cup. When he decided to try to out-shoot Paul Pierce, however, Boston outscored them handidly. I'm just saying...

2) Chris Bosh, 3-11 shooting, is not the answer down on the box, offensively or defensively.

3) D. Wade gets a pass for his dreadful shooting night (4-16), since he was injured and did not have the opportunity to get much gametime in the pre-season.

As a team, the main issue here is if Wade or "6" are not getting fast break points or to the basket in general, how are the Heat going to consistently score? Key word in that is "consistently". The illustration of that is the 1st half of the game in which they put up 9 points in the 1st qtr and 30 points at the half as a team. Those are both franchise lows for anyone keeping count, smh. Again, I know it's Game 1 and I'd be willing to bet this poor performance will not happen again, but the Celtics D put up a blueprint. I hope the teams that are not as good defensively were at least taking notes.

- @lostherod

NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division

This may be the final National Basketball Association season in the history of the world (Of the world, Craig!). With the players strike looming at the end of the season, and 2012 right around the corner (which will be the end of mankind), its safe to say few if any NBA seasons have been anticipated as eagerly as the 2010-11 is.

Major story lines abound: the Los Angeles Lakers attempting a three-peat, Lebron James looking to prove his "Decision" was the right one, Carmelo Anthony allowing La La to wear the pants in the house and force a trade to the New York Knicks, Kevin Durant possibly stealing the MVP award from Lebron by swaying voters with his world class talent and "aw-shucks" personality, the Boston Celtics using the Smokey from "Friday" approach (The older the berry, the sweeter the juice)... and those are the mainstream stories.

Can't forget these gems for true NBA junkies: the Utah Jazz trading for Karl Malone 2.0 (Al Jefferson) and teaming him with Deron Williams' Ceasar, Steve Nash playing with some guys from the Phoenix area YMCA adult league, Blake Griffin leading the Los Angeles Clippers to the eighth seed in the west, John Wall doing the "John Wall Dance" in front of a half empty crowd and an awkward looking Russian billionaire, Dwight Howard possibly learning an actual post move from Hakeem Olajuwan, Derrick Rose looking incredibly uncomfortable in those Adidas commercials with the Asian dude from "The Hangover"...

Most importantly, J.R. Smith, Chris Anderson, and Kenyon Martin forming some sort of neck tattoo Voltron in the middle of a game, and using their powers to stop a terrorist attack at the Pepsi Center.

(And the All-Star game is in Los Angeles too? Sheeeeeeeeeeet.)

Without any further delay (or lame jokes), lets preview the Atlantic Division. We'll do power rankings from leas to greatest. Short and sweet, Las Vegas odds to win the title will appear next to the team name. Gambling is still illegal, along with prostitution and marijuana. Act accordingly.

5.) Toronto Raptors 200 to 1

They will be terrible. PG Jose Calderon is serviceable, and Demar Derozan will make a few highlight dunks, but their starting small forward is Linus Kleiza, and they paid Amir Johnson $34 million when no one else would have given him half that amount. I will pick them to win one big game this season: Wednesday, Feb. 16 2011 at home against the Miami Heat. Dwyane Wade may miss the game with an injury or a custody hearing. There may even be an "incident".

4.) Philadelphia 76ers 100 to 1

Doug Collins is the head coach (red flag number 1). Number 2 overall pick Evan Turner is suffering from maturity issues (red flag number 2). Elton Brand's knee (red flag number 3). Philly fans tortured by a Phillies NLCS upset, and the Eagles eventual January folding, will take all their anger and apathy out on this admittedly mediocre team (red flag number 4).

3.) New Jersey Nets 125 to 1

The fact that I predict they'll be better than the 76ers and the Raptors should be cause for celebration in New Jersey. That will be quite the improvement from last year's 12-70 season. Avery (Ayyy-VOR-EE) Johnson will lean heavily on his guards (Devin Harris, Terrence Williams, Jordan Farmar, and Anthony Morrow) who would all combine to make one better than average NBA point guard. Troy Murphy will also be a compliment as a rebounder alongside Brook Lopez. I predict a not-to-shaby 32 wins.

2.) New York Knicks 50-1

Amare' Stoudemire and Raymond Felton will indeed make that big of a difference, and once the trade for Carmelo Anthony is finally done (it's gonna happen) don't be surprised when you see the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs.

And for the record, if you don't want this Carmelo-to-NY trade to happen, you're one of those parity-loving socialist, you have abandonment issues, and you generally suck the life out of all fun things. Your friends hate you, and your father is extremely disappointed in the decisions you've made in life.

1.) Boston Celtics 8-1

Facts are facts. The Celtics had a lead in the 4th quarter of Game 7 of the NBA Finals just four months ago. This offseason they added a fourth future Hall of Famer (a motivated and in-shape Shaquille O'Neal), another O'Neal (Jermaine) to bang bodies, and one bad yellow mother shut-yo-mouth (I'm just talking about Delonte West). Not only did they make smart free agent signings, but they drafted well (guard Avery Bradley from Texas and forward Luke Harangody from Notre Dame). The Celtics are primed to make yet another deep playoff run, possibly challenging talented guys from South Beach.

Stack in Black (and Red)

The Miami Heat can now finally consider themselves legitimate title contenders.

The NBA season is just days away from beginning, and the Heat had built up a small amount of hype over the offseason. Today it was announced that the team has inked Jerry Stackhouse to a contract. Stackhouse was signed after it was previously announced small forward Mike Miller would be out until January with an injury.

The 36-year old Stackhouse played last season with the Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 8.5 ppg while shooting a very "Stack-esque" 40% from the field. The former NBA scoring leader will be the second player the Heat signed this offseason who at one time led the league in scoring.

The other was some guy named Lebron James.

No word on how much Stackhouse will be expected to contribute, given the Heat also have the younger James Jones who also plays the small forward position, and neither is expected to start. It's probable that Stackhouse will assume a team role similar to the one Gary Payton took on the team's last (and only) championship run; a veteran reserve who may be called on from time-to-time, but isn't expected to be an every game star.

Stackhouse was the third overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1995, and made the All-Rookie team averaging 19 ppg. But he was traded away to the Detroit Pistons following an unsuccesful attempt to team his talents alongside Allen Iverson.

Stackhouse rejuvenated his career in Detroit alongside Grant Hill. After Hill signed with the Orlando Magic in 2000, "Stack" led the league in scoring with 29 ppg in 2001, and led the team to the playoffs in 2002. He was traded by the Pistons to the Washington Wizards for Richard Hamilton that same offseason.

After two mediocre seasons in Washington playing alongside fellow North Carolina Tar Heel legend Michael Jordan, he traded again, this time to the Dallas Mavericks. Stackhouse spent five seasons in Dallas primarily as a 6th and 7th man. He played on the 2006 Mavericks who lost to the Heat in the Finals. Stackhouse was suspended for Game 5 of that Finals after a flagrant foul he committed against Shaquille O'Neal.

That Phil Thing He Do

The Zen Master is at it again.

When it comes to sneak-dissing in the NBA, Phil Jackson is king. Jackson met with the press today, and spoke about a number of topics ranging from a shot at a fourth 3-peat, Kobe Bryant's health, Andrew Bynum's knee, and of course, the Miami Heat. Here's his quote about the Heat:

"I think it's quite a surprise to all of us in the NBA that this was what happened... I think a lot of people have taken shots at Miami because of that, but I think its all fair game. Players can go out and recruit. General managers and coaches can't. They did a great job of recruiting these players. These players obviously wanted to collude together and do this. It's going to make for a very exciting season, I think, and its going to be something that players and people are going to look forward to seeing on the floor."

Translation; that's "Phil-speak" for "Kiss the eleven rings, b-----s. See you Christmas day."

LeBron James Finally Gets A Ring... For Savannah

Saw this over at www.blacksportsonline.com earlier today. According to Black Media Scoop's twitter, LeBron is finally engaged to his long time girlfriend Savannah Brinson, the mother of his two children. I guess the Miami weather and all the exposed skin running around South Beach was to much for 'Bron 'Bron to handle so he decided to get hitched and become a true family man (straight face). Congratulations, Prince James.

If this is true, someone in the James family will finally get a ring. Brinson will forever have bragging rights in the household.

Somewhere, Mo Williams is crying in the car.


-ALR

Los That Links 9-6-10

Happy Labor Day! America, (F--- Yeah)!

Speaking of "labor", its a tad bit ironic that the Labor Day Weekend coincides with the NFL Layoff Weekend. While America is celebrating the working man, the NFL is sending men to look for work elsewhere.

Every year, football fans sit back and watch the "Notable Cuts" list scroll across the bottom of their TV screen, and read the list of all-pro/high-priced veterans, former first-round draft picks who've underwhelmed, and college standouts who were looking to catch on with a team, who've all had their plans put on hold in the name of fiscal responsibility.

This year wasn't any different. The all-pro/high-priced veteran (TJ Houshmandzadeh cut by Seattle), the first-round pick who underwhelmed (Matt Leinart cut by Arizona) and the college standout looking to catch on (Colt Brennan, Pat White, Ian Johnson, and another Heisman winner, Troy Smith, were all let go by their teams).

Its all a part of the game. Some of the guys cut sign to new teams quicker than you can say "Houshmandzadeh" (Leinart was signed to a one-year deal with the Houston Texans, and TJ signed for the vets minimum to play in Baltimore). Some will try the same song and dance with a new team next year. Some will go to Canada, the UFL, the Arena League, or if they have no other options, will be playing in a flag football league near you.

We tend to hate on the guys who flamed out, but really, we should wish them the best. What makes a better story, Leinart never starting another NFL game, or him relocating his USC-swag enough to challenge Matt Schaub for a starting position (because we all know, by Week 5, Schaub is going down with an injury)? We love redemption stories in this country, the land of opportunity. This is still America, dammit!

(F--- yeah!)

Los That Links

- In other NFL labor news, Darrelle Revis agreed to terms with the NY Jets just in time for the "Hard Knocks" season finale. Coincidence? I have my doubts.

- Albert Hayensworth may never escape Mike Shanahan's dog house.

- The USA Men's basketball team is back to showing third world countries that despite our economic problems, we can still oppress them on the basketball court.

- 50 Cent is still trying to make a living off of dissing. This time his target is Lebron James. Rushing to James' defense... Perez Hilton?

- Don't look now, but the NL West leading San Diego Padres have dropped 10 straight (opening the door for my beloved Giants).

- College football came back into our lives this weekend. What better way to start off a season than with:

A Hail Mary TD pass to a 6'8" freshman?

How about a road win by an FCS team against an SEC team coming off back-to-back Sugar Bowl wins?

Or, what about a kid returning to play after a bout with cancer?

Even better, Michigan and Notre Dame looking like real football programs, and not washed-up shadows of their formerly dominant selves?

God still loves a sloppy Florida without a Tebow to be found?

Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City...

Quick story I just stumbled on over at Media Take Out. Apparently Jay-Z hit Prince James with the cold shoulder at a show in NY over the weekend. Check it out; you be the judge. I can't really say anymore about Bron Bron these days...

-ALR

Hi Hater!!

There seems to be an epidemic going around and it's been affecting a few young star athletes these days. It has recently struck the likes of LeBron "Prince" James, Carmelo Anthony, and to a lesser extent the Cowboys Martellus Bennett (who?). It is the ability to distinguish an opinion or constructive critism from "hate". It's as if they consider anyone who disagrees with what they are doing as a "hater". Here's why I disagree...

I think what these young players fail to realize is that they are public figures. In today's technology age anything they do and/or say in public is accessible to fans and the media. Critism is part of being a high profile celebrity. People look up to these players and when they do things that people don't agree with the people have every right to express their opinions. Disagreeing with the way LeBron handled free agency doesn't make a person a hater, it makes someone a critic (granted, Dan Gilbert did go overboard). Bomani Jones' opinion of Carmelo on ESPN "First Take" this morning doesn't make him a hater, it makes him a sports journalist with an opinion. He's doing his job. The entire fotball world calling Martellus Bennett a bust doesn't make everyone a hater, it makes them correct (#shotsfired).

What these players should do is use all the critism and opinions as motivation to prove all the naysayers wrong. Maybe talk to some veterans and learn what it means to truly be a professional and stop acting like children. You don't have to go out and be saints because stars are still human, but learn how to be an adult.

There's an old saying that goes "talk is cheap". You want to hush the critics? Prove it with you play and not your tweets and interviews.

-ALR

Los That Links 8-11-10

Greetings from the land of laziness. Your boy has been in Kauai, HI for the last three days, hence the slowness of the Los That Links. The world ain't stopped spinning though, and things are afoot that deserve your attention, so we'll gt some in before I go back to my Mai Tai.

- KC Chiefs wideout Chris Chambers (above) gives hope to groupies and gold diggers everywhere by marrying his stalker.

- Andy Reid is still a little sensitive over Donovan McNabb demanding for a trade to a division rival. Oh wait, McNabb didn't demand a trade? He wanted to retire an Eagle. Why are you tripping then, Andy?

- Lebron James is watching you. Meanwhile, Kobe is practicing.

- Are you ready for some football? The latest Madden was released. Are you ready for over 70 hours of Gus Johnson? I know I am.

- Speaking of Madden, that may be the only place NY Jets fans will get to see Darrelle Revis play this season.

- Brandon Phillips calls the Cardinals some "b*tch*s", helping spark a pretty gnarly brawl yesterday.

- The basketball gods are trying to drive home their disappointment in Trevor Ariza over last summer. But does it mean they aren't upset with Chris Paul?

- Is this the "Summer of Lebron", or the "Summer of Jim Gray Inserting Himself Into Major Stories in an Attempt to Restore Credibility, but Ultimately Failing"?

- Al Davis thinks Jason Campbell is the new Jim Plunkett. Seriously.

- ESPN's Scoop Jackson is taking Money May off of his ride or die list.

Top Ten Reasons To Love Skip Bayless

(Note: Please click on the links. It makes the article that much better, like watching "Fantasia" on acid.)

(Note 2: Just say "No" to drugs.)

Every morning I wake up at 5:30, and I have the same routine. Hit my snooze button for a half an hour, because it bugs my girlfriend. Stumble to the bathroom for the morning number one or two (a combo if I'm really lucky). Wash up. Head to the kitchen and start a pot of coffee. Turn on the television, check the DVR for last nights "Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (black nerd alert). Watch it and pretend I'm smart. Morning push-ups (for the ladies), prepare breakfast, drink coffee.

All this ends at 7 am.

At 7 am, I turn to ESPN2 for "First Take". Now, it's another story for another day, but just know that I'm aware the show is goofy. I know it used to be called "Cold Pizza". I know that a "real sports fan" would never watch the show. That's why most of you probably have never seen it.

Oh, what's that? You have? Let me guess why. Two words:

Skip Bayless.

Love him or hate him...well, more than likely you hate him. But that's cool. I'm gonna give you some perspective that'll change your mind in a second. Bayless is the polarizing, talking head who appears regularly (as in every damn day) on a segment of the show called "1st and 10" (here's a sample). A former journalist and author (a very good one, in fact), Bayless is supposed to represent the old-school, sports writer point of view on a variety of daily topics divided over, get this, four downs.

(Get it? 1st and 10? Four downs? Cliche' much?)

Anyways, Bayless has reinvented himself on this show as an entertaining curmudgeon who will often take positions on the debate topics that will leave you either A.) scratching your head, B.) wondering if he really believes what he's saying, or C.) yelling obscenities at your television. You'll rarely agree with anything he has to say, but you'll watch him as he says it.

And that, people, is what we in the business call "entertainment".

Whether its his ridiculous arguments, his passion, or his uncanny ability to look like a cross between Woody from "Toy Story", Ernest, and Heath Ledger's version of the Joker, he has that thing that makes people watch. Most who watch will say they hate him. I've even said it in the past. But I've realized the error in my ways. So, without further ado, the "Top Ten Reasons To Love Skip Bayless"

10.) He really was an excellent writer. Check out his Wiki page. He started out very young in the sports journalism business, and has carried a bit of that "young mentality" with him, even in his old (58) age. Hell Bent was a classic book about the crazies within the Dallas Cowboy locker room and front office.

9.) His brother, Rick Bayless, is a world renowned chef with a television show on PBS. He's even won a Humanitarian award. How can you not like someone who's related to someone like that? Did Hitler have a brother that did anything cool or nice? No, he did not.

8.) He usually argues against black people. Check out here, here, here, and here. That's harder than you think. We live in a very "PC" wold these days. Given the variety of topics, and the sensitivity of the issues, he navigates the whole "white guy yelling at black people" thing pretty well.
That's not to say that I've never questioned if he harbored some racist feelings at one time or another. And I'm not alone.

7.) He listens to hip-hop. Not like those old white guys who try and sound cool by saying they listen to hip-hop. He actually does, and has had Lil Wayne, and Bow Wow (amongst others) come on the show to debate him. He's had a rapper AND a sound a dog makes, debate him on TV. That's pretty damn cool if you ask me.

6.) He's made Chad Ochocinco's career ten times more relevant than it ever should be. Bayless first started critiquing Ochocinco for his behavior back in 2005-06, when he was known as "Chad Johnson", a pretty good wide receiver on a crappy team (Bengals) in a city no one cares about (Cincinnati).
What started as a few comments made on a small cable program quickly grew when Johnson/Ochocinco, a media-whore by nature, used multiple venues to respond to things Bayless said. Their war of words continued, and then this little thing called "Twitter" was created. Johnson/Ochocinco lobbed a few grenades, and Bayless did so as well. Before long, Johnson/Ochocinco was a guest on "1st and 10". Shortly after that, Johnson/Ochocinco appeared on "Dancing With the Stars". This summer, Johnson/Ochocinco debuted his own reality show on VH1 called "The Ultimate Catch".
I call this the "Bayless Bump". Johnson/Ochocinco has been on the downside of his career for three years now. The numbers don't necessarily show it, but his team hadn't been in the playoffs since 2005 prior to last season, and that was only the other time his team had done so. Meanwhile, Johnson/Ochocino's self-promotion now had "marketing" in the terms of Bayless making his actions conversational topics for each of the past 5 years.
But at least Bayless seems to like Johnson/Ochocinco. That's more than I can say for...

5.) Terrell Owens must have done something terrible and personal to Skip. Because, atthis point in time, there really seems to be no other logical reason that Bayless saves his most vitriolic critique for Owens. If you're reading this blog, you know enough about sports to know the name Terrell Owens. All-pro wide receiver with Hall of Fame numbers who's burned his fair share of bridges on different teams he's played for.
Well, that's putting it lightly. Owens (allegedly) called one former teammate "gay", said his team would've won the Super Bowl if not for another quarterback (watch this starting at 4:30), and cried for a quarterback, then claimed he was conspiring against him.
What's not to like?
Still, Bayless has never let up on Owens. He refers to him as "Team Obliterator", among other names. He claims that he is a real life cancer in a locker room. He "poo-poos" his great plays and accentuates his dropped passes. Unlike other athletes, he doesn't seem to want Owens to appear on "1st and 10". At times, I get the feeling that he really wishes harm on Owens. And that makes for good television. Here's a classic example.
He even goes in on T.O. on Twitter. Check this out from @RealSkipBayless today:

"Bill Walsh once told me 1) T.O. was as smart as any player ever had in meetings 2) psychological issues made him unreachable, uncoachable."
"Walsh, then a 49er advisor, loved Jeff Garcia. T.O. criticized his arm. Yet Garcia-to-T.O. led NFL in TDs 2 yrs before Niners said enough."
"My challenge stands: I will debate Ocho AND Owens on live TV. Any time, any place. But Owens is afraid of me because I know too much."

What does he know? I want to know.

4.) Again, he usually argues against black people. This is something extremely unique to this. Think about it. Hoe often do you get to see black people in sports media? Now, subtract the number of those who are former athletes, musicians, or actors promoting a new movie. Now who comes to mind?
See, not as many as you think.
Bayless gives a lot of black journalist/media a platform to show their face on a pretty popular program. He's been able to raise the profile of people like Michael Smith, Jemele Hill, Rob Parker (who regularly gets his ass handed to him), Scoop Jackson, Howard Bryant, Doug and Ryan Stewart (The 2 Live Stews), Terrence Moore, and a host of others. This is a big deal to me, because I'm black, and I'm not above playing the race card if it'll get me some face time. Works for Jesse and Al.
Seriously though, there is something to be said for Bayless providing his stage, since most who come on will be in disagreement with what he has to say. I know for a fact that it is what pulled me into watch so many years ago.
But... when Stephen A. Smith is on there with him, I sometimes want to stab my eyes out.

3.) Charles Barkley HATES him. See this, and this. Enough said.

2.) He'll never concede an argument, even when he's been proven wrong. The proven wrong part gets him the most. Watch him squirm as Jalen Rose counters his argument and breaks down his hatred T.O. of a certain player we'll talk about in a sec. These are the best moments of the show to me. Not because I like to see a grown man squirm, but because I love to see it. Especially when it's someone who has taken extremely critical stances on people and situations without being called to task on their own shortcomings, or the error in their judgment. (Note: please do not show this post to any children I may have in the future. I'm a hypocrite. Sue me.)

1.) He was absolutely right on Lebron James. You may not remember this, but it was only about a month ago that Lebron James was the most beloved athlete in all of the NBA, and the highest approval rating of celebrity athletes according to a Sports Illustrated Poll. The day after "The Decision", James saw that approval rating dip from 78 percent positive, to 81 percent negative.

There was one person, though, who never had their opinion changed. Mr. Skip Bayless.

The "Diabolical Hater", as he's sometimes known, has been railing full force against "Prince James" for a full five years now. He actually began to let up once James made his announcement that he'd be going to join the Miami Heat, citing James recognizing his inability to come through in the clutch. Scoop Jackson summed up those of us who'd watched Bayless bash James over the years waiting for James to prove him wrong in a recent blog post titled, "LeBron James, you've proven Skip Bayless right". If you're like me, you read it, you remember everything he'd said, you nod your head, and shake it off. Basically, you now know how Bayless feels every time he gets owned on "1st and 10".

And in my opinion, you gotta love it.