Spread the Word Baby, Omar Back

It's been quite some time since my last post, and a whole lot has changed. I went from living on a couch in Battery Park City to a air mattress, then futon in Harlem, and now have a crib in the East Village. Unemployed to intern to full time employee. Cheering for Durant at the NBA Draft to Felix in the Bronx to the Seahawks in Green Bay. Added a few Facebook interests (cheese, Kenny Mayne hosting SportsCenter), found a few new bars to frequent (Lucy's, Mudville 9), got hooked on a few TV shows (The Wire, Lost). I missed over half of 2007 here in Cyberspace. I guess that's what happens when you get a job.

Despite my job, I still managed to get out and experience one of my favorite things in life: Live sporting events. Here's a rundown of what I've been up to:

• NBA Draft, Madison Square Garden: Sporting my Chris Wilcox t-shirt, I was in the front row of the back section of the MSG WaMu Theater, and was officially the first Seattle Supersonics fan in the world to shake the hands of Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. I also gave props to fellow Washingtonians Spencer Hawes and Rodney Stuckey. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.
• Yankees/Angels, Yankee Stadium: When a few of my buddies from Boston came to town and we had extra tickets to a Yankees game, naturally we all put on Red Sox gear and made a trek out to the Bronx. One of us had a few too many beverages beforehand and nearly instigated a riot, as the entire stadium booed us and tried to get us kicked out. It was arguably worse than it would have been had the Yankees actually been playing the Sox. Remind me not to do that again. I'm not even a Sox fan.
  
• Yankees/Devil Rays, Yankee Stadium: On a nice Friday night in July, I got to see the Yankees get crushed by Tampa 14-4. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
  
• Yankees/Mariners, Yankee Stadium: I got to see King Felix pitch for the first time in my life, and he delivered: 7 innings, 1 run, 5K in a 7-1 Mariners victory including an Ichiro! home run. The hopped on the subway to go to...
  
• US Open, Queens: Roger Federer defeating Feliciano Lopez, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4. We got hooked up with incredible seats. What a day of sports.
• BC/FSU, Chestnut Hill, MA: The beginning of the end for BC Football, this is when the wheels came off. I should have learned my lesson and not attended any other games.
• BC/Maryland, College Park, MD: If the wheels came off against FSU, the whole thing caught fire and burned to the ground at Maryland. Not even my Jesus piece could help us.
• Sonics/Knicks, Manhattan: Kevin Durant's first trip to the Mecca, and boy did he impress. Led the Sonics to a 117-110 victory with 30 points, including key buckets down the stretch and a thunderous jam right on David Lee. I loved it. Spike Lee would disagree.
• Blazers/76ers, Philly: After meeting Greg Oden and spending a day with reporters demoing College Hoops 2K8 (I love my job), we posted up 7 rows back on the baseline for the Blazers/Sixers game. I was excited to see my boy Brandon Roy play, and by halftime the game was an embarrassment: 45-27, advantage Portland. But the Sixers came out hot in the 3rd quarter and eventually completed the improbable comeback, winning the game by 4 points. It was the first time I had ever seen Louis Williams play. I added him to my fantasy team the next day. The kid is going to be good.
  
• Mavericks/Jazz, Salt Lake City: After I missed my connection in SLC back to NYC from Sun Valley, I rang up my one friend from Mormon Country and he had a spare ticket to the game. I have honestly never seen an NBA crowd quite like Utah--every single person was engaged, the place got LOUD, and everyone stayed until the finish. Deron Williams is going to go down in history as a great point guard. Mark my words.
• Seahawks/Packers, Frozen Tundra, Wisconsin: This trip truly deserves its own post, but I'm not sure that'll happen or not. The abbreviated story: 14.5 hour drive from NYC to God's Country, freezing weather, snowflakes as big as softballs, lots and lots of cheese, and the best experience you could ever have while watching your favorite team lose a playoff game on the road. Simply amazing. Until that 14.5 hour drive home.
• Clippers/Knicks, Manhattan: Typical Knicks game, they stayed in it for nearly 4 quarters before letting the game slip away with 3 minutes left. It was great seeing David Lee dunk on Chris Kaman, exclaiming "That was out of this world!" after a Sam Cassell drive, and discussing how he was an "All-Universe" guard, representing Mars.

The main staple of The Roundup has been sports, especially attending games live. Doing so is one of the things in life that I truly value. Sure, I grew up watching Michael Jordan on NBA on NBC, but I'll never be able to tell my kids that I saw him in person. But over the last 7or 8 months, I've added some good new ones to my list. Crawford, Felix, Federer, Ryan, Durant, Green, Roy, Igoudala, Louis, Dirk, Deron, Favre... and of course, the only extra terrestrial playing professional sports, Sam Cassell.

Luck Reigns in the Pacific Northwest - Mock Draft
This entry appears on BucketsMagazine.com

A year ago, the Portland Trailblazers were in position to get the top pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, but the lottery didn’t favor them. A year later, luck came back to them in the form (potentially) of a 7-foot franchise center named Greg Oden. A few hours north on I-5, the Seattle Supersonics were also counting their blessings, beating the odds and obtaining the second overall pick that will likely translate into Kevin Durant. In two other cities, Memphis and Boston, who were poised to take the top two picks, morale is low and GM’s are heated. But with all the talk about the Blazers and Sonics sneaking in to grab the top two picks, people have overlooked how lucky the Atlanta Hawks were.

The only way the Hawks were going to keep their top pick was if it was in the top-3, when they were likely to land just outside at 4 (otherwise it would go to Phoenix due to the Joe Johnson deal). They also obtained the top pick of the Pacers because of the Al Harrington trade, but only if it was outside of the top-10. The pick landed at 11. Already with a core nucleus of young, exciting players, Atlanta is poised to make a serious run in the East and have a legitimate shot at rebuilding their team.

This is the deepest draft we have seen in years, and every team has a chance to add an impact player who can step in right away and contribute. That said, this is how I see the first round going down:

1. Portland Trailblazers - Greg Oden, C, Ohio State - Although they may be gun shy passing up an explosive swingman for a center (Sam Bowie vs. Michael Jordan, anyone?), Greg Oden is the real deal. They should immediately contend in the West with a nucleus of Rookie-of-the-Year Brandon Roy and fellow 2006 lottery pick LaMarcus Aldridge.

2. Seattle Supersonics - Kevin Durant, SF, Texas - The Sonics have said they are going to re-sign Rashard Lewis, who plays the same position as Durant. This will be a very exciting team to watch next year, and should institute a game plan similar to the Golden State Warriors this season. A lineup of Luke Ridnour, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Kevin Durant, and Chris Wilcox would be tough to keep up with.

3. Atlanta Hawks - Mike Conley, Jr., PG, Ohio State - The Hawks most glaring need is at the point, and Conley is going to be great. A no-brainer.

4. Memphis Grizzlies - Al Horford, PF, Florida - Horford would be able to step in and help right away, and could contend for Rookie of the Year honors. A frontcourt of Pau Gasol, Horford, and Rudy Gay is a great way to move forward.

5. Boston Celtics - Yi Jianlian, PF, China - Bill Simmons called this the “worst case scenario” for the Celtics. It’s bad news in Boston, although Yi could shut everyone up if he lives up to his potential.

6. Milwaukee Bucks - Brandan Wright, PF, North Carolina - If the Grizzlies and Celtics pass him up, Milwaukee would be stupid not to select this explosive power forward.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves - Corey Brewer, SF, Florida - Brewer fits the bill as an explosive scorer and defensive stopper, exactly what Minnesota needs to add to their roster. He would compliment Kevin Garnett, Randy Foye, Rashad McCants, and Craig Smith extremely well, giving the Timberwolves a strong nucleus to win now as well as build for the future.

8. Charlotte Bobcats - Joakim Noah, PF, Florida - His stock dropped this season, but should still stick in the lottery. He would help the Bobcats in the frontcourt on both ends, as well as provide intangibles such as leadership and work ethic.

9. Chicago Bulls - Spencer Hawes, C, Washington - The Bulls most glaring need is low-post scoring, and Hawes may be the best low-post scorer in the draft.

10. Sacramento Kings - Julian Wright, SF, Kansas - This draft is stacked at the small forward position, and Wright is one of the best. Wright would fit in well in Sacramento as they are likely to try to move Ron Artest this offseason.

11. Atlanta Hawks - Al Thornton, PF, Florida State - Atlanta, like the draft, is stacked at the small forward position. Thornton would give them some needed help in the frontcourt, as their selection of Sheldon Williams last year continues to haunt them.

12. Philadelphia 76ers - Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown - If Green stays in the draft (70% chance he returns to school, he claims), Philly would be ecstatic if he dropped this far. I personally think that if Green is taken anywhere outside of the top-5, he is a steal. He plays both ends of the floor, his body is NBA-ready, he has range on his shot, and he is a proven winner and leader who can take the big shot.

13. New Orleans Hornets - Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech - With Desmond Mason likely out in New Orleans, the Hornets will look to reload with the best SF still on the board.

14. Los Angeles Clippers - Acie Law IV, PG, Texas A&M - With Shaun Livingston’s career up in the air after his gruesome injury, the Clippers will look to shore up the position.

15. Detroit Pistons - Sean Williams, PF/C, Boston College - The Pistons need to address the defense in the low post that they lost when Ben Wallace took off for Chicago. Williams, a projected lottery pick before his off-court issues, would be a great fit, but a bit of a stretch.

16. Washington Wizards - Jason Smith, C, Colorado - Even without Brendan Haywood requesting a trade, Washington needed to address the center position. Smith is a talented, athletic big man who would work well with the uptempo style of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jameson.

17. New Jersey Nets - Nick Young, SG, USC - Young has a smooth stroke and can rock the rim… sounds like Vince Carter, right? He isn’t quite on that level, but drafting Young will allow the Nets to not worry so much if Carter is gone next year.

18. Golden State Warriors - Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil - The Warriors don’t have much need except in the front court, and Splitter can run with the guards.

19. Los Angeles Lakers - Rodney Stuckey, PG/SG, Eastern Washington - The Lakers need to give Kobe another scorer, and Stuckey is as explosive as they come. Under the radar at Eastern Washington, he could really turn some heads in the spotlight of the NBA.

20. Miami Heat - Javaris Crittenton, PG, Georgia Tech - Miami needs to address the point, with Payton aging and Williams slowing down each year due to injury.

21. Philadelphia 76ers - Josh McRoberts, PF, Duke - I am not sold on McRoberts as an NBA player, but it may be because he played out of position at Duke. Billy King fits the bill as a GM who could make the mistake of drafting him.

22. Charlotte Bobcats - Daequan Cook, SG, Ohio State - Cook will be the third Buckeye taken in the first round this year, and would give the Bobcats a serious upgrade over Matt Carroll.

23. New York Knicks - Glen Davis, PF, LSU - With the 23rd pick, unless a lottery pick drops to the Knicks, I don’t see Isaiah Thomas doing anything but getting booed.

24. Phoenix Suns - Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy - He can shoot and play some defense, and would be a good pick in case the Suns lose anyone from their core backcourt in the next couple years.

25. Utah Jazz - Derrick Byars, SF, Vanderbilt - The Jazz could use to add another outside shooter. Byars stock soared after a strong senior season and stronger NCAA tournament.

26. Houston Rockets - Brandon Rush, SG, Kansas - If Rush slips this far, it would be a perfect fit for the Rockets, adding a scorer in the backcourt to play alongside Tracey McGrady.

27. Detroit Pistons - Marcus Williams, SF, Arizona - He can play the 2 and the 3, and would be a huge upgrade over Flip Murry in the “scorer off the bench” category.

28. San Antonio Spurs - Rudy Fernandez, SG, Spain - It is no secret the Spurs like foreign players. Fernandez could be another good one.

29. Phoenix Suns - Ante Tomic, C, Croatia - Everyone is searching for the next quality foreign big man. Tomic could be it.

30. Philadelphia 76ers - Gabe Pruitt, PG, USC - With 3 picks in the first round, I would be surprised if they keep them all. If they do, Pruitt would be a strong pick, as they need a young point guard. I don’t see Andre Miller on their roster next season.

Sports Icons of my Childhood

My dad recently mailed me an article from the Seattle P.I. about Sonics play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro, and it made me realize how much I loved watching the mid-90s Sonics play. As entertaining as Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Detliff Schrimph, and Sam Perkins were to watch, it would not have been the same without Calabro. I began to think about the sports icons I looked up to as a kid in Seattle… and here are my top ten:

1. Ken Griffey, Jr. – “Junior” as he was called burst onto the scene and took the Mariners from cellar-dweller to one of the most exciting teams in Major League Baseball. The "Refuse to Lose" 1995 season was one of the best summers of my life, going to games and listening on the radio as Griffey ironically had his first injury plagued and worst year of his young career. But he came up big in the playoffs, hitting .391 with 5 home runs against the Yankees. One of the great sports images in my mind is his picture-perfect swing. But the memory that will always stick with me of Junior was the image of him under a pile of teammates after scoring from first base on an Edgar Martinez double to win the ALDS. I’ve never seen someone run as fast around the bases in my life. It was the most amazing sporting event I have ever attended.

2. Marquis Tuiasosopo – The Washington Huskies option-quarterback from 1997-2000, he was one of the most exciting players I have ever watched. His freshman year he was forced into a game against eventual national-champion Nebraska due to an injury to the starting quarterback and threw for 270 yards and 2 TD, and that season became the first ever true freshman to start a game at quarterback for the Huskies. His career highlight came his junior year, where he became the only player in NCAA history to pass for over 300 and run for over 200 yards in a game, a 35-30 victory over Stanford. I remember watching that game, and I have never seen a performance like it. It was even more impressive than Vince Young’s Rose Bowl. No joke. In his senior season in 2000, Tuiasosopo led the Huskies to the Pac-10 title, an 11-1 record, and victory over Purdue and MVP in the Rose Bowl.

3. Shawn Kemp – The Reign Man, as Calabro called him, was a force to be reckoned with. He teamed with Payton to be one of the great guard/forward dynamic duos of all time. Like Payton, Kemp left Seattle on bad terms and ended his career even worse, but while he was in the Emerald City, he was king. I think only Ken Griffey, Jr. surpasses the excitement that Kemp brought to the Seattle sports scene. Like Griffey’s swing, Kemp’s dunks captivated an entire city during his reign.

4. Kevin Calabro – An amazing play-by-play announcer, with catch phrases such as “and Shawn Kemp takes it down THE BOULEVARD!” and “million dollar move, five cent finish.” His talents on air led to his simulcast of games on both TV and radio. Not many broadcasters can cater to both mediums at the same time.

5. Edgar Martinez – “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedgarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!” I’m not sure who started it, but some crazy fan decided he would yell Edgar’s name for as long as he could when he came up to bat. It caught on and every time he came to the plate, fast scattered throughout the Kingdome (and later, Safeco Field) would compete and try to have the longest yell. I remember one time I almost passed out from trying to yell so loud. I also remember Edgar Martinez hitting the double that drove in Joey Cora and Ken Griffey, Jr. to beat the Yankees in game 5 of the 1995 ALDS. Edgar was a clutch performer and a class act, as well as a pleasure to watch play.

6. Randy Johnson – The mullet, the slider, the fastball, and the intensity all took a major part in my love for Randy Johnson. A few Randy moments stick out in my mind above the others… the 500ft bomb he gave up to Mark McGwire while he was on Oakland, when he came out of the bullpen to face the Yankees in the 10^th inning of Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS, and even his first game back in Seattle at the newly opened Safeco Field in 1999, when he shut us out and struck out 10 in a complete game, and received a standing ovation after each inning.

7. Dave Niehaus – The voice of the Seattle Mariners, I would listen to him every night until we got satellite TV (cable couldn’t run out to our house). I could never ask for more than the Mariners loading the bases, because if someone hit one out of the park it was time to “GET OUT THE RYE BREAD AND THE MUSTARD, GRANDMA! IT’S GRAND SALAMI TIME!"

8. Gary Payton – The Glove burst onto the Seattle scene from Oregon State and quickly made a name and reputation for himself throughout the league as a trash talker and defensive stopper. He ran the Sonics of the 90s, who will probably go down as one of my favorite bunch of balers of all time. He left Seattle on poor terms, but while he was there, it was nothing but love for GP.

9. Jay Buhner – “The Bone” was famous for his bald head, high strikeout rate, power at the plate, “the catch” in Boston where he went over the wall in right, his rocket arm, and my favorite, Buhner Buzz Cut Night. One year as a promotion, the Mariners gave free tickets to anyone willing to have their head shaved. Each year, Buhner Buzz Night became more and more popular, even attracting women to participate. Every team needs a character and a tough guy. Buhner was both, and I loved him for it.

10. Cortez Kennedy – It is kind of sad that there is only one Seattle Seahawk on the list, and that he ranks tenth, but they were a straight AWFUL team throughout my childhood. Not to say I didn’t root for them and follow them, but there just were not a whole lot of players to become attached to. Shawn Springs was the only other guy who came close to making the list. Besides, the 1990s were a great decade for the Mariners and Sonics. Regardless, Cortez was a pleasure to watch, and was good enough to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 on a team that won only two games.

Seven Steps to Save the Supersonics
This entry appears on BucketsMagazine.com

The Sonics are not in a great place. They haven't been good at all in recent years, they have wasted their last 3 top picks on project centers (I wouldn't mind one... but 3?), and the threat that the team may pack up and move to Oklahoma City is becoming more of a reality. There are several steps that need to be taken to fix the problems of the Seattle Supersonics. Here is how I would do it:

1. Stay in Seattle. Somehow, some way, they need to stay in the Seattle area. Even if it's in the suburbs of Seattle, that's fine, but they've got to stay the Seattle Supersonics.

2. Let Rashard Lewis walk, or try to work a sign-and-trade. Lewis is our second best player, and with Ray Allen's deteriorating ankles, he may be our best building block for the future. But the problem with Rashard Lewis is that he isn't a leader, and neither is Ray. A team is not going to go anywhere with their two best players lacking leadership skills. You know your team has a problem when it's "leader" is a guy who doesn't even get consistent minutes. Earl Watson, ladies and gentlemen. But back to Rashard... simply put, he isn't worth a max contract. He is a great player, and I'd love to see him stay, but not at the price we would have to pay.

3. Draft Jeff Green. If Jeff Green leaves Georgetown and jumps to the NBA, and the Sonics have the #5 pick, they need to draft Green. Even if they are going to keep Lewis, the Sonics can play small with Green and Lewis at the two forward spots. Throughout his career at Georgetown, and especially this last season, he has proven to be not only NBA ready, but a player who could be an MVP down the line. This guy played in a Princeton offense. If he had played at just about any other school, he would've averaged a double-double. There are only two other choices that the Sonics could make with this pick that I would agree with: Corey Brewer (maybe a little more potential than Green, but I'm not completely sold on him yet) or Mike Conley, Jr. Conley would be an interesting pick, because we would be taking him a little too high. But he is the best PG in the draft and has loads of potential, and the Sonics second most glaring need is at point guard. But I would only be ok with Conley if the Sonics resign Lewis.

4. Use the second-round picks wisely. The Sonics own the second round pick of Memphis as well as their own. I wouldn't have a problem with packaging these two picks to move up to the late first round, but if they are going to keep them both, they should use one to strengthen the front court, specifically defensively, and the other depends on how they use the first pick. If they select Conley, this pick should be used on a swingman. If they draft Green or Brewer, they should use this pick on a point or combo guard. That being said, they should use one of these picks on Sean Williams of Boston College. The Sonics have zero presence under the basket on defense. Their starting frontcourt doesn't have a player over 6'10" and neither Nick Collison nor Chris Wilcox are shot blockers. Due to character issues, Williams should be available, and he may be the best shot blocker in the country. Assuming the Sonics draft Jeff Green, I would like to see the other second round pick used to select Aaron Brooks from Oregon or Rodney Stuckey from Eastern Washington. Stuckey might not go pro, but he is an explosive scorer with decent size (6'4"), but not a true point guard. Brooks is undersized (5'11") but is a natural leader and can run a team at different tempos. Both have local ties, and I would be ok with either of them in a Seattle uni. If the Sonics use their first round pick on Conley, then this pick should be used on a swingman or small forward. The players that appeal to me in this spot are Jared Dudley of Boston College and Alando Tucker of Wisconsin. Both of these guys proved to be leaders and posses great intangibles over the last four years. There's a better chance of Dudley dropping to this spot than Tucker, and I would be happy with either.

5. Revamp the point guard. Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson aren't getting it done. Whether the means are the draft, trade, or free agency, something needs to be done about this. If it takes trading a guy like Nick Collison in order to do so, I'm fine with it. I'm ok with either of them as a backup, but I'm not ok with either of them as a starter or using them both in a platoon situation.

6. Involve Chris Wilcox. The guy is a freak of nature. He gets most of his buckets in transition, but when the Sonics do use him in the half court, he has shown he can get the job done. The problem is, they don't use him in the half court. Many writers are calling him a bust and an underachiever, but I feel like he hasn't gotten a chance to backup the contract he signed.

7. Figure out which center you want to develop. Robert Swift was the leader in this category until he blew out his knee in the final preseason game and has since put on weight and struggled with rehab. Johan Petro and Mouhamed Saer Sene could both be solid players, but they could as easily both be complete busts. I'm not even sure which one of these guys I would rather see as the main guy, but Swift would be the most fun to watch.

So, there are my Seven Steps to Save the Supersonics. But in reality, there's only one way to save them... by keeping them in Seattle.

The NBA (National Brawl Association)

It was an exciting weekend in the NBA, to say the least.

Saturday night, as I was sitting in Pete's Tavern, enjoying a Sierra Nevada, my phone rang. I figured Casey was calling to see what I was up to for the night, to see where I was going, and if I wanted to join him at the bar he was at. The call wasn't about that at all. The brief conversation was similar to the following:

"Hey Casey, what's up."
"B. Are you watching the Knicks game?"
"It's on in the bar--"
"--there's a huge brawl, you have to watch this. It's insane."
"Shit. You're right, this is crazy--WAS THAT CARMELO ANTHONY?"
"Yeah, with a sucker punch."

There are plenty of nicknames already emerging from this altercation between two fired up franchises. The Malice in the Palace Part II. Fight Night at MSG. You get the idea. It wasn't as crazy as the Malice in the Palace last season in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Jermaine O'Neal was suspended 25 games, Stephen Jackson 30, and Ron Artest never again suited up for the Pacers after they were each involved in fights with fans, both on the court and in the stands. It was an embarrassing moment for the Indiana Pacers, the Detroit Pistons, the Detroit fans, and especially the NBA. In a league desperately trying to improve its image, there was now an enormous setback.

A dress code and a new code of conduct were a part of it. The NBA had also tried to improve it's image by marketing a new crop of players. Out were the likes of the rape-charged Kobe Bryant and practice-skipper Allen Iverson ("We're talking about practice. Not a game, practice."), and in was the new school. A crop of international superstars including Yao Ming (China), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), and reigning League MVP Steve Nash (Canada) are at the forefront of commissioner David Stern's global marketing strategy. Also featured prominatnly in NBA marketing is the cream of the 2004 NBA Draft class: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Carmelo Anthony.

Wade is coming off of an NBA Championship where he gained Finals MVP. James has the city of Cleveland thinking about a professional championship for the first time in ages. And Carmelo? He can throw one hell of a right cross.

Forget the fact that he proved the be the most clutch player in the NBA last season. Forget the fact that he has slowly but surely, all under the radar in Denver (or over the radar, as it is the Mile High City), has improved every aspect of his game. In his first two seasons, he scored 21ppg, then upped it to 26.5ppg last year, and is leading the NBA with an average of 31.6ppg. He is also averaging 5.6 rebounds and a career-high 4.1 assists per game. His scoring average has gone up 6 points a game, and he is still dishing out an extra assist and a half per game? Unbelievable. But perhaps the most impressive statistic to look at is field goal percentage. I haven't seen a high-scoring swingman shoot over 50% from the field since Michael Jordan. I'm too lazy to look it up to see if it's happened, but Carmelo has increased his percentage every season, from 42.6% to 43.1% to 48.1% to 50.3% this season. Only centers and power forwards, who take the majority of their shots inside of 8 feet, should shoot that high. The dominant scorers in the NBA (Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, Vince Carter) shoot in the low-to-mid-40% range. Kobe is shooting an impressive 48.9% this season, but has never shot over 47% in his career. Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks is shooting right at 50% this season. No offense, but it's Joe Johnson. Yeah, he may be scoring 28.4ppg, but I would put at least 10 other swingmen above him on the list of deadly scorers in the NBA, none of which shoot over 50% from the floor. Except Carmelo.

One thing Carmelo Anthonthy is 100% on, is sucker punching. Right as he is emerging as one of the NBA's favorite young stars to market, he does something that could (and probably will) taint his entire career. Yeah, he was sticking up for teammate J.R. Smith, who was flagrantly fouled by Mardy Collins of the Knicks on a layup with less than two minutes to play on Saturday night. And he wasn't the only player who's head got hot and made some bad decisions (Smith himself retaliating, Nate Robinson, Jared Jefferies), but there is no way he should have put himself or his team in this situation. Now they are without the NBA's leading scorer until mid-January after his 15 game suspension. They'll be without second leading scorer Smith for ten games as well. And they are right smack in the middle of the playoff race. 18% of the season the Nuggets are going to be without Anthony. It's time to pull the trigger on that Iverson deal, or their hopes of a championship will fade away faster than Carmelo ran away after he laid the smack on Collins.

A few other notes on the brawl: Was George Karl running up the score to avenge how Isiah Thomas treated his great friend and ex-Knicks coach Larry Brown? Did Isiah Thomas order a flagrant foul? Is anyone else as surprised as I am that only two players received an automatic one-game suspension for leaving the bench during the brawl? I would've expected at least three players per team to go join the melee. And finally, how did Marcus Camby make it through the whole fight without tearing a ligament or throwing out a shoulder? The guy is made out of glass.

But that wasn't the only exciting thing this weekend in the NBA. On Sunday night, the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers enjoyed an epic battle, resulting in a 147-141 overtime victory for the Wizards. But the subplot of the game was bigger than the score showed. Gilbert Arenas dropped 60 and Kobe Bryant had 45. But instead of tipping his hat to the great performance, Kobe criticized Arenas publicly about his shot selection and amount of shots he took following the loss. "First of all, he shot 27 free throws. We as a team shot 30. Think about that... Some of the shots he took tonight, you miss those, they're just terrible shots, just awful. You make them and they're unbelievable shots." Kobe Bryant has no right to criticize any player in the NBA for shooting too much or shot selection. He got lit up by one of the most explosive scorers in the NBA, and just didn't want to admit it was a great performance. This is one of the reasons I can't stand Kobe Bryant. That, and he always had a knack for putting up big numbers against the Seattle Supersonics.

I would've loved it if Carmelo had thrown that right cross at him instead.

Maiden Voyage to the Mecca

One of the things that got me excited about moving to New York was the sports scene. I anticipated trips to Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, and, of course, Madison Square Garden. Knicks, Rangers, and college basketball all occupy the latter. Before I even arrived in NYC, I had tickets to four events at MSG. Two Knicks games (Miami Heat, because I feel I need to see Shaq and Wade play, and the Seattle Supersonics, because I'd like to see them play as much as I can before they move to Oklahoma City) and two Rangers games (both against Ottawa, to see my boy Pat play). But on Wednesday, with the Wizards in town, Liz wanted to fill her fix for DC sports, and I wanted to see Gilbert, so we decided to catch a game at "The World's Most Famous Arena."

Madison Square. The Garden. MSG. It doesn't matter what you call it, say any of those to a sports fan and they know exactly what you mean. MSG may technically stand for Madison Square Garden, but in reality, it stands for a lot more.

MSG stands for New York City. The Garden that is standing now was built in 1968, but the history of Madison Square Garden goes back to the late 1800s. As New York City grew, developed, changed, so did MSG.

MSG stands for music. It isn't just a sports arena. MSG has been home to many non-athletic events as well, including music. The Garden is quite the concert hall, a stopping point of many major tours and big-time acts. In fact, Billy Joel has his number retired, the only non-athlete to gain that honor (he was honored with the number 12 after playing his record 12th concert at MSG in 2006). Bruce Springsteen must be pissed... he has played 11 concerts at MSG, but there is only one "11" hanging in the rafters (more about that later).

MSG stands for boxing. In it's earliest sporting days, boxing was what The Garden was known for. It has been home to many famous fights, but none more than the historic Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier bouts. Big time boxing may have moved to Las Vegas, but The Garden will always be known for the historic fights that took place in boxing's glory days.

MSG stands for hockey. The New York Rangers are one of the NHL's most known teams. Sure, they've got four of Lord Stanley's Cups. And they also have four retired numbers (including the "11" that Bruce will never have, but not counting the league-wide retirement of the Great One's "99"). But part of the allure of the Rangers is the fact that they play in Madison Square Garden.

But for me, most of all, MSG stands for basketball. As I walked into MSG for the first time, I heard the NBA on NBC theme song playing in my head. During the glory days of the NBA, or at least my glory days, so many of the great memories took place at The Garden. LJ. The brawl. The choke. MJ. Starks. Before my time, there were even greater moments and players that came through MSG. The Knicks, as awful as they are now (although there are few bright spots for the future), are one of the NBA's greatest franchises, with two titles in the 1970s, 9 retired numbers (including Clyde, The Pearl, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, and Patrick Ewing), 10 Hall of Famers, and one famous fan. But MSG is also home to college basketball, hosting the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, the occasional St. John's game, and countless NCAA Tournament games.

It wasn't Reggie, Smits, and the Davis's vs. Ewing, Starks, Mason, and Oakley. It was Arenas, Jamison, and Butler vs. Marbury, Francis, and Curry. Not quite the same appeal. But walking through those doors, looking at the banners, and seeing Spike Lee complain to the officials more than Isiah Thomas made me appreciate where I was. It was a great way to honor the nation's most famous arena. It may not have been MJ, and it may have been the least attended game in 14 years, but in a quirky way, it was a great look at sports history.