Draft Week : Looking for answers in the Fountain of Youth

One down... One to go.

Honestly with the draft class in the NBA this year one could come up with a different mock draft for every day from the end of the NCAA tourny all the way to a couple hours before the draft. All the talks leading up to the draft have involved players from Allen Iverson to Luther Head to Ray Allen and inevitably most of this will not happen. We are 2 hours from the draft and there is still no consensus #1 ...That's just how crazy it's been!!
I have been trying to do this version 2.0 for a week now but both Lincoln and I had a different list pretty much every hour to the point we just went with a gut feeling in the end. This is a follow-up from the first mock we did a couple of weeks ago.
I hope to be back tomorrow with Lincoln and another guest Zack Cooper for a post draft analysis blog. So until then here goes...

My last shot at a mock draft...
1. Andrea Bargnani
2. LaMarcus Aldridge
3. Rudy Gay
4. Adam Morrison
5. Tyrus Thomas
6. Brandon Roy
7. Marcus Williams
8. Randy Foye
9. Patrick O'Bryant
10. Shelden Willams

Lincoln made some adjustments...
1. Andrea Bargnani
2. Tyrus Thomas
3. Rudy Gay
4. LaMarcus Aldridge
5. Brandon Roy (Sent to Houston)
6. Adam Morrison
7. Cedric Simmons
8. Shelden Williams (sent to Atlanta with Luther Head)
9. Randy Foye
10. Partrick O'Bryant

=============================================
NHL DRAFT: A quick roundup

The NBA Draft is on Today but the NHL draft took place over the past weekend and went ahead without much hype. Living in Canada I have come to expect most media outlets heavily covering the NHL but in the case of the draft there wasn't much thunder as the grueling 8 rounds took place in Vancouver this past Saturday. The NHL draft is unique that all the GM's are in one place and the setup is very interactive as you can watch whets going on leading up to each selection and the draft was full of trades and swaps for positioning.

There was a lot of talk during the NHL playoffs about the lack of interest for the sport from our neighbors down south but this draft points the trend going in the other direction. 10 players drafted in the first round are from the Unites States and that takes into account Erik Johnson who was drafted #1 overall by the St.Louis Blues. There was no Sidney Crosby type player in this draft and so maybe that was the reason not much was said pre-draft but it is definitely something to note the changing trend of where the top players are coming from and that the American grass roots systems are stronger and are producing some great hockey players.

Ahh...I cant focus on hockey when all I can think of is LaMarcus Aldridge?? Rudy Gay??
I need this draft to happen already before I start losing my mind...

NBA: "Where there's a will there's a WADE"

"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill"- Muhammad Ali

Promises are meant to be kept: 2006 NBA Champions - "Miami Heat"

Two teams that were built for the playoffs but the paths taken to build these teams completely different.

The Dallas Mavericks were assembled through the draft and strategic additions of key free agents to complement their lineup. There was a good balance of youth and veterans on this team. Newly appointed head coach Avery Johnson implemented a defensive coaching method and added this to the philosophies already in place set by the departed Don Nelson. Mark Cuban is part of the new breed of NBA owners who are more active in the daily happenings of the team and he has been their biggest fan as they have slowly put together a team that is going to compete for years to come.
Miami used more of the "Yankees" approach to building a championship team. Getting a player like Dwayne Wade through the draft and then just buying the rest of the players. When Pat Riley joined the Heat he made a promise to the fans and when Shaq came on board that promise was seconded by him. They vowed to bring the Cup to Miami and the rest just fell in place. It helps having Shaq on the roster as every player in the league wants a chance to play with the Diesel. With Shaq and Wade at the helm, the team was comprised of players who wanted a shot at winning a ring even if it meant having a reduced role on the team and/or receiving smaller paychecks. I don't see any kind of Dynasty happening here with the way this team was put together but stranger things have happened.

The NBA playoffs this year were an absolute thrill. Game 7's galore and the matchup in the Finals promised to build on an already historical playoffs. Game 6 came around and it was apparent... This was not the Shaquille O'Neil show, not the Dirk Nowitzki show it was the Dwayne wade show as he broke down defenses and moved around the court with such smoothness that it made believers of the non believers. Dallas had Miami with their back against the wall as they were less than a quarter away from going up 3-0 and then it all came crumbling. Dirk Nowitzki is a great player but he was not aggressive enough towards the end of games they way he showed he could be - a la game 7 against the Spurs. Dwayne Wade had a supporting cast with a ton of experience and when the pressure was on they came through - a la Gary Payton in game 3 and game 5. As Wade showed his fearless attitude and will to win through the series mumblings began around the NBA world that he may be the next coming of your "Airness" but Wade was humbled and just played on. Shaq played second fiddle but his presence is felt without him touching the ball and all this led to a historical collapse by the Dallas Mavericks. The Miami heat led by Dwayne Wade had brought the cup to Miami as they won their first NBA championship in franchise history.

There was a big mark (pun intended) put on the finals this year in regard to officiating but I am going to avoid blaming the outcome of this series on the Zebra's with the whistles. There is no love lost between outspoken owner of the Mavs, Mark Cuban and NBA commissioner David Stern. Cuban was fined repeatedly this playoffs (each time he matches a fine with a donation to charity) but it wasn't just him calling foul. I don't really want to get into this much as its been talked out on many websites and blogs... But I do hope this situation is fixed to some extent come next year and we can appreciate the game on the court rather than having the focus be on the Suits in their box seats.

I called this outcome in my Finals prediction (read)
Zack Cooper isn't too thrilled with the way the team was put together... (read)
Henry Abbott over at True Hoop live blogged game 6 (read)
The Coach looks at what lies ahead for the Heat players (read)


In the words of Dave Chappelle, "It's a celebration BITCHES!!" (Pat Riley = Instant TV Classic)

NHL : Stanley likes it south of the border

Carolina Hartford Hurricane Whalers = 2006 Stanley Cup Champions

A year ago the Stanley Cup was sitting in a box at the Hockey Hall of Fame homeless due to the NHL lockout. Then on Monday night a Cinderella story came to an end and one teams long time quest for the cup was realized. The Carolina Hurricanes became the first Stanley Cup champions in the post lockout era and to boot this is the first major sporting title the state has won. Raleigh, NC has always been associated with NASCAR and Basketball but for now its a hockey town. This Cup is not just for the fans in Carolina but those who stayed loyal to the team all through the times when they were the Hartford Whalers.

"Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character" - T. Alan Armstrong

An owner who believed, a coach who implemented a family feel to the team and made adjustments for the new style of play, a captain who had waited 17 years to reach this point, a young superstar who took the league by storm with his offense and a rookie goaltender got on the same page and brought to North Carolina one of the most prestegious trophies in professional sports. Not much was expected from the Hurricanes this season... but those who donned the jersey expected much from themselves and believed in this team. Backed by fans who are still new to the game, these players gave themselves the chance to reach the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup.

Rod Brind'Amour waited 17 years, Glen Wesley waited 18, Bret Hedican and Dough Weight over a decade to have their dream realized but it was on the backs of a rookie goaltender that this feat was accomplished. Cam Ward, the first rookie since Patrick Roy to win the Stanley Cup, was also the MVP for the series and deservedly so. He made the big plays as the last line of defence behind a group of defenceman, none of whom were all-stars but as a team they came together. Eric Staal did what he could but it was the veterans who stepped up big in the series. Hockey is afterall a team sport and it took contributions from the entire Carolina Hurricane's team to get through the season and the playoffs and ultimately come out victorious in the all or nothing game 7.

- I had predicted Carolina in 5 ... Hey atleast I got the team right (link)
- Out of Left Field live blogged game 7 (link)
- Videos of the Hurricanes home game entrances (video 1 and video 2)
- A funny spin on the travels of the Stanley Cup (link)

GGGGoOoOoAaAaAaLLLLL!!!

I just had to put in that video 'cuz it features clips from one of the coolest soccer movies, "Shaolin Soccer"(If you haven't seen it add it to you must watch list NOW!). The song also happens to be on the official soundtrack for FIFA World Cup '06 which is the reason the world has come to a standstill and people everywhere are coming up with inventive ways to get out of going to work so they can cheer on their countries and consume an obscene amount of beer in the process.
"Football" to the rest of the world but "Soccer" to us in North America, is by far the most watched sport in the world and to give you an idea 153 million people watched the Euro Cup final 2 years ago while Superbowl that year drew 95 million. I essentially divide soccer fans into two groups, where group 1 is all the fans of the game who follow the game through many soccer leagues (La Liga, English Premiership, Italian League, MLS) year round and group 2 are all those fans who jump aboard during the World Cup. Soccer brings out patriotism like no other sport will ever manage to do and living in Toronto, (one of the most diverse cities in the world) I have had the opportunity to observe this fanatical behaviour displayed by Soccer fans from all parts of the world.
Before moving to North America, Soccer and Cricket were the only sports I was exposed to on television. My early memories of being a sports fan do not include Magic and Jordan in the NBA but rather Diego Maradona and Pele dancing down the soccer field. My entire family is obsessed with the game and even though I am not a soccer fan who falls into group 1 of my definition, come World Cup time my daily schedule is planned around the games and my living room now doubles as my bedroom.

Enough about the past... Lets fast forward to Germany 2006. First let me state that I am supporting two teams Italy and Portugal and I like any team that beats England. (Beckham may be super hot but he is waaaay overrated - sorry Arthur) The groups have been set up really well this time around and the level of competition up to now has been pretty even spare a few games. Its for certain no one could have predicted Ghana taking down the Czech's or that Poland would suck this bad. From my experience it is the nature of sports fans to root for the underdog and come Sunday I am sure the number of Ghana flags on cars will increase greatly. The "Soca Warriors" from Trinidad were a great story as well as they came in and managed to pull out a tie with Sweden but now that they have been eliminated I am sure those fans will jump on the Ghana bandwagon for now.
Looking ahead to the next round even though nothing is settled for groups D through H, teams to look out for are Brazil, Argentina, France and Portugal. I expect these 4 to go deep and thus far Argentina has shown the most offensive power in the tournament but Portugal is still warming up and Brazil is always going to be a favourite.
Speaking of... What on earth is going on with Ronaldo! He looks seriously out of shape and is close to being benched if he doesn't produce I think but as long as Brazil has Ronaldinho in green and gold they should see themselves in the semi-finals and anything less than that would be a complete upset.
There was a time back in the day when Italy was always the team to beat but since the last world cup they haven't made the adjustments. Their defense is not the same powerhouse it used to be and until they realize that 1 goal in the game is not going to cut it they are going to have a tough time making it deep into the tournament. Their coach has them relying on protecting the goal and playing defense rather than being aggressive and I don't think that approach is going to work against the likes of the French, English and the other frontrunners.
Ahh I was going to avoid mentioning the English team altogether but its hard to when talking Soccer. They were lucky last game getting a goal in the closing minutes and they have yet to show any dominance compared to teams like Argentina, Brazil, Italy and France who have a history of success in this game. I have always found this team to be overrated but I gotta give them credit for having some of the most intense fans ever.

Anyways the Japan v/s Croatia game is about to kickoff soon (Mike for the sake of your sanity I hope the Croats win it) so I shall end here. I will blog more on the subject when we are into the round of 16 until them leave me a comment on who you are rooting for...

Links: Some of my daily reads during the world cup and a little bit of homour...
- A hilarious e-mail I was forwarded by Brucki (Get it here)
- The Mighty MJD is a new fan of the game... (read more here)
- The sun : World cup for women
- Fox Sports brings to you pics of several soccer wives and girlfriends (link)
- Strange advertising approach: Soccer Urinal by ESPN in Brazil
- Live blogging for the world cup can be found at Deadspin
- Jabs from the Toronto Star is over in Germany and he has the daily roundup

Bonus: Here are a couple of ringtones I put together for you soccer fans...
Brazil (unknown)
Forca (Nelly Furtado)
Iran (thanx Ramin)

A shot at the future: NBA Mock Draft

This years draft is full of players with great nicknames...We have the JJ, the TT, the Bargs and the Ammo but there is no sign of any of the above being the next Lebron or Shaq. With the top 10 as they are right now there isn't even one guy who stands out with enough of that "upside" factor that makes him the consensus #1 pick in this years draft. I have enlisted a fellow basketball junkie Lincoln to help me out with a mock draft of the top 10 picks which further will show how much of a crapshoot this draft. Draft day is exactly two weeks away as I write this (Lincoln gave his picks a while ago...) and I hope to have us both back on June 28th live blogging with an analysis on each pick as we hear Stephen A Smith go on his rants from Madison Square Garden. So without further adieu here goes....

#1: Toronto Raptors - LaMarcus Aldridge (Natasha)
The Raptors have had some good luck drafting Dallas products and I think if the Raptors utilize this draft pick they are going to go with Aldridge. He is passionate, he solid fundamentals, will be a solid pick and make the Raptors frontline a nightmare for opposing teams to defend. LaMarcus already has a good back to the basket game and can play the finesse game that seems to be more in demand for NBA centers now. All this said I of the thinking that the Raptors are going to trade down so they can acquire a veteran to go along with a top 10 draft pick.
#1: Toronto Raptors - Andrea Bargnani (Lincoln)
All signs coming out of Colangelo's camp is that he's going Euro with this pick. He's scouted Bargnani extensively for years, has numerous connections and is being fairly public about this preference. This is just the sort of unorthodox pick that I can see BC making.

#2: Chicago Bulls - Andrea Bargnani (Natasha)
To be honest I think Tyrus is too much like Tyson Chandler but the bulls need another rebounder and if the Raptors go with Aldridge then the Bulls are going to grab Bargs. The need a scoring big man more than the Raptors do and even though there have been rumors that they will go with Brandon Roy I don't see Chicago going for a guard in this years draft.
#2: Chicago Bulls - LaMarcus Aldridge (Lincoln)
Makes too much sense not to happen. There's been talk of them preferring Tyrus, but they need the low-post scoring and a power forward, Aldridge is the best fit for that. They'd be hoping he's Bosh version 2.0.

#3: Charlotte Bobcats - Rudy Gay (Natasha)
Wow this guy who was almost everyone's #1 pick at the start of the year is barely hanging in the top 5. I think the Bobcats will end up taking Rudy Gay because he is a scorer who can play defense. Felton is going to be solid and a healthy Oakafor will be good but Rudy Gay would be the perfect pick for them at SF and with a good amount of salary cap space they can rely on his "upside" factor and give him time to develop while still investing in one or two vets.
#3: Charlotte Bobcats - Rudy Gay (Lincoln)
Call this a hunch. Rudy Gay is due for a resurgence. Now that the big tournament has left its mark, it's time for workout sessions. He should crush those. Bickerstaff has all but shot down the Morrison rumors (while defending Gay), and who can blame him. Who would you rather have, a one dimensional hustle player who's going to have to squeeze blood from a stone just to get a shot off at the NBA level, or a two-way player who's undeniably far more talented and whose biggest knock has been that he might not reach his maximum on-court assertiveness? Asking if you'd rather have 100% of Morrison or 65% of Rudy Gay's potential is like asking if you'd you rather have 100% of $100 or 65% of $1000.

#4: Portland Trailblazers - Adam Morrison (Natasha)
Portland needs something to give them a boost and Adam Morrison might just be the answer. He is a scorer and he has a passion for the game rarely seen in many over-paid NBA players. His breakdown in the tourney wasn't really the best idea but Portland needs someone to come there and bring something real back to this team. If they want to shed the Jailblazers image they need to ship out the Darius Miles and Zach Randolphs and bring in some passion and skill that Adam Morrsion displayed all year in the NCAA.
#4: Portland Trailblazers - Adam Morrison (Lincoln)
Scoring + college hype + model citizen = Blazers pick? Really who knows what's going on in Portland, but if anyone in the top 5 was going to pick Morrison this is the one team where it might actually make some sense. Rumor has it the team is up for sale. If they dump salary this off-season they may want to add a name in Morrison to sell a few tickets. I guess Morrison has appeal.

#5: Atlanta Hawks - Brandon Roy (Natasha)
Roy is probably the most complete and ready player in this years draft. He is a combo guard who can do a lot of things well. Atlanta right now needs every position that is not a Small Forward and even though Lincoln sees them picking Tyrus Thomas, I see Tyrus eventually being more of a SF Gerald Wallace style. Brandon Roy will give them a scorer who can play the point and will be able to contribute immediately. (I am hoping the Raptors grab this guy though)
#5: Atlanta Hawks - Tyrus Thomas (Lincoln)
Height jokes aside, they could use someone with some defensive potential for the front court. Besides, with no point guards worth taking this high, picking up the best asset they can makes sense.

#6: Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyrus Thomas (Natasha)
Kevin Garnett's contract is straight up ugly! Minnesota has almost half their salary cap tied up with his contract and have not had too much success with the draft and/or lack of draft picks in the recent years but I think they are going to have to starting building a team around him through the draft or if they can trade him then they will manage to put together a decent team. I am still not sold on Tyrus Thomas but he has shown enough of the "upside" to know he can be a force. If Minnesota cant move up in the Draft I am sure they will be happy to take him unless Rob Babcock steps in then we might see them draft J.J Redick!!
#6: Minnesota Timberwolves - Brandon Roy (Lincoln)
Minnesota wants to keep trying to put a team around Garnett. I'm sure they'd love to trade the pick for some immediate veteran help, but assuming the right opportunity doesn't present itself, Roy seems ready to contribute right away on an NBA level plus he gives something in the back court.

#7: Boston Celtics - Marcus Williams (Natasha)
The celtics might not have Paul Pierce as the face of the franchise at the start of next season but they do need to look to get a pure point guard and at this spot I think Marcus Williams is the best option. Sure he has the whole "stealing the laptop" thing going against him and some said he was out of shape but he has great court vision and during this years tournament was by far the best point guard. He might need some developing but I think he would be a good fit for this young Celtics team.
#7: Boston Celtics - Rajon Rondo (Lincoln)
Everyone's had this guy's stock in freefall for much of the season for no reason it seems other than the fact he was ill-suited for Kentucky's style of play. Sobriety time. Boston loved their workout with him, and they could use a pure point. Two bold predictions at this time for Rondo: 1) he's going ahead of Marcus Williams because he is actually the best point guard prospect in the draft (though it does depend what style you want your team to play); 2) he's going lottery and probably top 10.

#8: Houston Rockets - Randy Foye (Natasha)
Going into last season we all thought the Rockets were going to be great and it all came crashing. T-Mac had a rough year and the team was riddled with injuries. Luther Head was a pleasant surprise but the Rockets need some help in the back court and I think Randy Foye can be a combo guard and will be able to fill the role of a SG/PG. Its really not known how T-Mac will be next season but Foye was solid in his time at college and will be able to contribute right away like Luther Head did this past season.
#8: Houston Rockets - Shelden Williams (Lincoln)
Size (well he's not all that tall, but he plays up front... You get my meaning) tends to start to win out in a lot of GM's minds this time of year, especially when there's a lot of parity otherwise. Assuming he doesn't just totally suck, Houston could put Shelden to some potential use up front (especially given that the Swift experiment didn't work out).

#9: Golden State Warriors - Patrick O'Bryant (Natasha)
The big man with upside factor starts creeping in the top 10 at this point. O'Bryant had an amazing tournament and he might be a project and he admits it himself but Golden State could use a solid big body and they would be stupid to pass him up. Shelden is available but I don't see him being as strong as O'Bryant in the NBA.
#9: Golden State Warriors - Rodney Carney (Lincoln)
Why not? Golden State doesn't really need more junk and spare parts at any position since they have plenty already, but Mike Dunleavy really sucks so they might as well take a run at trying to do better while figuring out what to do with the rest of the junk and spare parts.

#10: Seattle Supersonics - Shelden Williams (Natasha)
I really believe Shelden Williams is the next coming of Antonio Davis (Davis of 5 years ago albeit). His physique, his aggressiveness, he was solid in college and will be productive for a long time in the NBA and the Sonics will be happy to take him here. He isn't quite tall enough compared to most of the C's in the league but he has a NBA body and he seems to show a great grasp of the game in terms of position on the floor to grab rebounds and has a consistent offensive game in the paint. It might help him to increase his shooting range but he is a solid pick for the Sonics at #10.
#10: Seattle Supersonics - Patrick O'Bryant (Lincoln)
Again size. Since he's the only centre anyone cares about in this draft (and even then, barely), I figure that should keep pushing his stock up and up until it creeps into the top 10. It's a vicious cycle. Basically a centre is projected to go, let's say, 20-25. But there's no one projected ahead of him who plays his position. So a couple teams with the 17th pick and the 16th pick start saying "Meh". It's not that much of a reach, and we need a centre. Suddenly his draft range is 16-20. But there's still no one ahead of him and so some teams with the 15th and 14th picks start thinking "We need a centre..." and so on. This continues until some idiot just says "Screw it! I'm taking him top 10". Hey did I mention Babcock is back in the Minny front office?