Performance of the Week (POTW) 5/5-5/11

With the Jazz down two love to the Lakers, and Carlos Boozer looking pretty average for the first two contests, the Alaskan native gave a yeoman’s effort Friday night as he poured in 27 and grabbed 20 boards to lead the Jazz to victory.

Who gets your POTW?

On the brink of milestones

When the San Diego Padres host the Colorado Rockies today, Greg Maddux will take the hill for the home nine. The 42-year-old right-hander will be looking for career win 350.

Begs the question: who is the best pitcher of the last twenty years?

Maddux is not the only major leaguer looking to surpass a milestone.

Ken Griffey Jr. is sitting on 597 career home runs. Junior’s Cincinnati Reds play against the Mets at Shea Stadium today. Junior was out the lineup last night with an illness, and his time in Cincy seems to be coming to an end. The slugger has alluded to a return to Seattle. Time will tell.

Then there’s Manny. The man of dangling locks is perched on 497 home runs.

Our very own Thrilla, known to the rest of the world as Mike Kelly, has started what will be a career of milestones. In his first year as head coach Thrilla led Monroe Community College to the Region III Division II title. In doing so Thrilla earned coach-of-the-year honors. This weekend the Tribunes go for the East District title with a trip to the Junior College World Series on the line.

Friday Flick 1.5

Worth listening to even if your first language is not French.

Give it up for Buck O’Neil

Blogger over on Sporting News has started a petition to get Buck O’Neil into the Hall of Fame. Go here and follow the prompts to sign your name.

Open Thread Thursday (5/8)

The NBA-MVP discussion has been great. What other topics do we want to discuss? Post it here. Get us started.

Rebounds & Put backs (5/7)

Sit back and let Casey be your guide. Find yourself an article or two of your fancy. Don’t forget to tell ‘em who sent ya.

dougvantyle: Negro League Heroes-A Tribute To Buck O’Neil

Boston Sports Rants: How the Yankees Became the Red Sox

Babes Love Baseball: The Barry Bonds Conspiracy

Home Run Derby: The Reds are Blotto About Votto

The Cub Reporter: NL Central Smackdown: The Aces

Sox and Pinstripes: Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is intense, but not hate-filled

Shut Up Tim McCarver

Left Field: Chicago 1998: The Ultimate Doubleheader

Center Field: Come On Now

Sox and Dawgs: People in Detroit Don’t Like The Lions

Tuesdays with Smitty: Winning the MVP award and other ramblings

All weekend, I have been listening to probably one of the worst kept secrets – Kobe Bryant is the 2008 NBA’s Most Valuable Player. While I don’t discount Kobe as one the top, if not the best player in the NBA right now - I have a hard time making myself believe that he is the “Most Valuable Player” this year. What I found troubling, was hearing the comments: “It is his turn” or “look at his body of work”. Huh? Is this for the 2008 season, or is this a Lifetime Achievement Award. So I decided to compare the Top 3 candidates in my book for the MVP award this year: Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Kevin Garnett. I didn’t include LeBron James in this conversation because while I consider him a candidate – I don’t consider him to be in the Top 3. So here we go:

Kobe Bryant:

For the first time, has really bought into Phil Jackson’s system and is playing some of the best team basketball in his career. Has the unique ability to completely take over a game and win a game outright by himself. But Bryant has been doing that for years. Besides Bryant’s play, the timely “steal” of Pau Gasol, as well as the development of some of the younger players (Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmer and Sasha Vujacic) have been a catalyst in thrusting this team to the top of Western Conference with a 57-25 record. But isn’t this the same Kobe Bryant that not only threw his GM and Owner under the bus during the off-season, but also demanded a trade because he didn’t like the direction of the team? It wasn’t until a couple of weeks INTO the season that he changed his mind and said he wanted to remain a Laker! Is it legit to demand a trade before the season and then receive the MVP award? What standard does this set? Will guys think that by complaining about their team and then raising the level of their play gets them a MVP award?

Chris Paul:

What can you not say about Chris Paul? Paul may be the best PG currently in the NBA – if not in the Top 3. Has been a willing face of a franchise and has helped save basketball in New Orleans – for now. With a cast of David West, Maurice Peterson, and Tyson Chandler, Paul has led the Hornets to the 2nd best record in the Western Conference at 56-26. He is the leader in pts (21.1 ppg), assists (11.6 pg) and steals (2.7 pg) of the Hornets, who have a 2-0 lead against the Spurs and are in position to dethrone the champions. While the question is worthy in Kobe’s case, where would the Hornets be without Paul? Maybe even a lack of controversy hurts him.

Kevin Garnett:

The man has helped change the direction of a franchise and has made the team relevant in a city that is dominated by the Red Sox and Patriots. With the addition of Garnett and Ray Allen, the result was the greatest turnaround in the history of the NBA – finishing with the best record in the NBA at 66-16. His intensity and passion for the game has gotten players like Pierce and Allen who have been more offensive minded in their careers – to play defense. The result: the best defense in the NBA and a “Defensive Player of the Year” award for Garnett. Garnett averaged nearly a double-double with 18.8 ppg and 9.2 assists pg. on a team where there was multiple offensive threats and used its defense as more as a catalyst for its offense.

So when I take a look, and I ask myself – is Kobe Bryant really the MVP this year? My thinking is no – that Chris Paul and Kevin Garnett had more of an impact on their teams. Furthermore, I believe that Garnett’s arrival to Boston changed the ENTIRE organization. It changed its fan base. The Boston Celtics became relevant again. So my vote: Kevin Garnett.

And yes, while my vote may be a little biased, I think it is valid. But let’s hear who your vote is and why? Who is your MVP for the 2008 NBA season?

Other Ramblings:

→ After watching Mike Bibby come up short against the Boston Celtics – do you think the Atlanta Hawks regret not taking Chris Paul instead of Marvin Williams? Williams is turning into a nice NBA player, but great PGs are hard to find. Can you imagine a team of Paul, Joe Johnson and Al Horford? Wow. Actually come to think of it – I am glad they took Marvin Williams.

→ For now the Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy plan is on hold with Hughes on the DL and Kennedy in the minors. Is it possible that the Yankees overrated these guys? Or maybe they just weren’t ready yet. Here is hoping that Hank Steinbrenner doesn’t get impatient and trade both away. Or for that matter – move Joba to the starting rotation. Even as a Red Sox fan, I don’t see either move helping the Yankees.

→ This past weekend’s Kentucky Derby was marred by the fatal injuries to Eight Belles. In talking with a friend who is into horse racing – injuries to horses during a race is rare – and to have it happen twice in recent high publicized races is unfortunate. Even he worried that people would get the wrong idea and think the sport is cruel.

PETA’s calling for the suspension of the jockey – without knowing the facts was ridiculous and irresponsible. I am all for animals not being treated cruelly, but get your facts straight before you go after someone. However, their claims have brought to light some practices within horse racing that I hope are changed in the near future:

1. Whipping of the horses. In listening to Mike and Mike this morning, it was mentioned
that this is a practice that provides NO advantage for the racers. So what’s the point? Leave the whip at home and practice your S&M in the bedroom.

2. The use of painkillers or other masking drugs before a race. Essentially this is doping up
an animal - regardless of injury or defect to allow the horse to race. Now some of our athletes have done this with cortisone shots or other meds. But it is done by choice and they obviously have a means to say “when”. I find this disturbing. Not to speculate that this happened with Eight Belles, but how many other horses are out there with that risk?

→ Roger Clemens apologized for “personal flaws” yesterday, but denied having an affair with 15 year old Mindy McCready. Huh? So there are other personal flaws? Do I really want to know about this? Roger do us a favor and drop the defamation suit. The longer the suit is out there, the more personal history that will continue to come to light. Please Roger, I am begging you – STOP!!

→ Chase Utley for the Philadelphia Phillies has 11 Home Runs already. Is this a product of being the best 2nd baseman in the Major Leagues or hitting in a sandbox ball field? Better yet, hitting in front of Ryan Howard can do wonders for how many fastballs you see in an at-bat.

→ Jim Leyland attempted to jump start his team by making personnel moves and lineup changes. The result? A 4th consecutive loss; this time at the hands of the Red Sox. So what is ailing the Tigers? After watching 10 walks last night issued by Red Sox pitchers, hitting with runners in scoring position seems to be an issue. But so does starting pitching. Verlander has yet to look like an ace. Bonderman and Rogers have been erratic. Willis was terrible before going on the DL. Don’t be surprise if the Twins and Indians surge past the Tigers.

→ Mike D’Antoni is still the Suns coach per Steve Kerr’s comments. Yet, he is allowed to speak with other teams about open coaching positions (Bulls and Knicks). Seems like they are going to fire him, but didn’t want to have it lumped in with the Avery Johnson firing. Which leads me to…

→ Why are NBA analysts suddenly hot choices for open coaching position? No offense to Kenny Smith, but what has he done to make himself a candidate for an NBA position? Mark Jackson is also a candidate. If these guys are candidates, then why is our own Casey not a candidate? Charles Barkley running for Governor is a different story.

That’s it for now. Remember guys – it is Mother’s Day on Sunday. Be good to your Mom.

Queston Du Jour

How many seconds does it take to advance a basketball 70′ while taking three dribbles, then making a pass, having a teammate dribble the ball, and making another pass before shooting?

The West is a Point Guard Lovers Paradise

NBA fans have to enjoy the point guard match ups playing out in the Western Conference. Chris Paul and his Hornets vs. Tony Parker and the Spurs, Deron Williams and the Jazz vs. Derek Fisher and the Lakers – does it make me Captain Obvious to suggest these guys are the top four at their position?

Chris Paul has been dazzling fans in this his third season in the NBA. The Wake Forest grad averaged over eleven and a half assists per game to go with 21 points. His lithe movements on the court leave opponents back on their heels as they try to figure out what he is going to do next. Hopefully Paul doesn’t have to pay for playing on a team with little if any playoff experience. While the Hornets average age of 27.6 is second only to the Spurs, those players that bring up the average age – Bonzi Wells, Ryan Bowen, Morris Peterson, and Melvin Ely know little about winning a playoff series.

Paul’s agility is matched by Deron Williams’s physicality. Williams is easily able to lower his center of gravity as he drives the lane making it near impossible for defenders to stop the 6’3”, 208lb. point guard’s dribble. Couple that with a nasty step back and finish from behind the arc, and defending Williams is a tough task. It will be interesting to watch Jerry Sloan develop the pick ‘n’ roll with Williams and Carlos Boozer.

Tony Parker has been the oft-overlooked point guard in the West. Don’t know if it’s because he plays with maybe the best power forward the game has known – Tim Duncan, or people want to heap too much credit on to Manu Ginobili. Maybe it’s because Parker gets lost behind those three rings in seven years he has accumulated. This guy gets the job done as evidenced by the way he toyed with the Suns in the opening round.

Derek Fisher is not the ‘sexiest’ of point guards, but he may be the most effective. Playing alongside Kobe, Fisher’s goal is to not screw things up. Sometimes not screwing things up can be a formidable task. Fisher’s nickname should be Elmer because the guy has been glue for the Lakers. While Kobe was doing all his belly-aching last summer, Fisher came to town and settled into to work. While Steve Nash and the Suns couldn’t figure out how to incorporate Shaq into their lineup, Fisher made Pau Gasol right at home in a Laker jersey.

Enjoy the games.

Performance of the Week (POTW) 4/28-5/4

This week’s POTW comes from college softball.

Central Washington’s Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace earned POTW by helping an opponent to victory.

Huh? Did you read that right?

Yes, Holtman and Wallace get this week’s honor by assisting the opposition.

When Western Oregon University’s Sara Tucholsky tore her ACL celebrating her first career home run, Holtman and Wallace did the right thing and carried the opposing outfielder around the base paths.

Had one of Tucholsky’s teammates helped, the home run would have counted as a single.

Cheers to the Wildcats of Central Washington.

Who gets your POTW?