Why I would be the best right hand man an athlete could have

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/07/14/rose.bulls.ap/index.html

Bulls' Rose fined after pleading guilty to speeding charge

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bulls No. 1 draft choice Derrick Rose pleaded guilty Monday to driving more than 40 mph over the speed limit on an Illinois highway back in April.
Kane County Associate Judge Robert J. Morrow ordered Rose to pay a $1,000 fine and attend traffic school, according to the county's state's attorney's office.
The misdemeanor speeding charge happened in April, when Rose was pulled over after the Illinois State Police clocked him driving 106 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 88 in Kane County.
In June, the Bulls selected Rose with the overall No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
A Chicago native, Rose played one season at Memphis. He led the Tigers to this year's NCAA Division I title game before falling to Kansas.

Right Hand Man Speech:

Derrick. You just got yourself a brand spankin new Porsche 911 Turbo to celebrate your big new contract. I understand that. However, since your body is now worth millions and you're a public figure with an image to maintain here's what we're going to do.

I'm going to get you access to this racetrack and send you to BMW driving school. If you want to go fast go to the track and go bananas in this nice racing car with a rollcage and people waiting with fire extinguishers. When on public roads let's keep it to a relatively mild 20 mph over the speed limit like a normal person.

Go talk to David Wesley about what happened with Bobby Phils.

Billy King...competent?

I recently read an article on potential GMs for the Knicks being interviewed and read the name "Billy King" and the phrase "whose stock is on the rise" in the same sentence.

Now I know that scrapping to make the Leastern Conference Playoffs out of the Atlantic Division is not a monumental accomplishment, but the kids in Philly are looking alright. Can we safely remove Billy as keynote speaker of next year's atrocious GM summit and install Chris Wallace as his successor? Can anyone step into the Shaq-Size 22s shoes vacated by Isiah?

I posted this question to Bill Simmons. We'll see if it makes the cut.

It is an interesting question isn't it. How much of the 76ers current "success" can be attributed to Billy King?

Playoffs, here we come!

Somehow the Knicks had the good fortune to play a team whose defense is more porous than the Knicks efense. Much of the game looked like a layup line with guards Crawford, Robinson, and Jones getting to the hoop at will. Even Renaldo Balkman got into the act late in the game.

Random observations and questions:

- Wilson Chandler sighting. He got a whopping 6 minutes of burn along with Mardy Collins.

- Michael Jordan. G.O.A.T as a player, absolute mess as an executive. Isiah Thomas, arguably the best player at 6' tall ever, horrible executive, horrible coach.

Both were tremendous competitors, workaholics and extremely talented. It would seem they would also have a really good understanding of the game of basketball and what it takes to be a champion.

Perhaps the talent part of the equation was a much bigger factor in their success as players than all the other factors. Avery Johnson isn't in the same league as MJ and Zeke in terms of talent but it seems he is much better at getting his players to buy into a philosophy and preparing them to execute.

It does make complete sense that the skillsets and tempermant required to be a superstar athlete has only a little in common with what it takes to be a great coach or executive.

- The last rumour to emerge from the ever churning mill in NY is that James Dolan is considering installing Kiki Vandeweghe (I'm hoping I spelled that right from memory. Which would be kind of scary, no?) as GM while retaining Isiah as coach.

Why?

Throughout this season I have witnessed and heard about numerous things that would point to coaching being woefully inadequate:

1. 18 wins - 39 losses

2. Players unsure of what their roles are

3. Lackadaisical pre-game shooting routines. It's not like this team is in a position to take any part of pre-game preparation lightly.

4. A tendency to self destruct in the stretch..when execution counts

5. Too many incidents like 24 second violations AFTER a timeout.

6. Feel free to pile on here.

I would pay $500 to be on a televised panel of Knicks fans just asking James Dolan questions on live TV. There could even be a moderator to make sure the entire session doesn't consist of name-calling. One question to start with:

" With the highest payroll and one of the worst records in the league, how could you define this season as anything other than a disaster? If it is a disaster why does Isiah still have a job?"

There you go. Civilized question I would love an answer to.

Knicks Raptors II: Tussle In Toronto

I spent most of Sunday on my couch recovering from Saturday night. After watching the Pistons absolutely manhandle the Suns, it was time for a rematch of the two teams that gave us an exciting finish the last time they played.

What followed was a pretty competitive 2 quarters, followed by an absolutely atrocious 3rd quarter, highlighted by Q throwing a hissy fit on the bench following back to back to back 3 point makes by Toronto.

I was surprised by the fact that Isiah actually called a time out. Too many times this season I've been absolutely confused by the fact that Zeke doesn't call a timeout when the situation absolutely demands one. Forgive me for forgetting the details but I remember one game where the Knicks went from being up by double digits to down double digits without Zeke calling a timeout to stop the bleeding or make a substitution.

I know Phil Jackson ocassionally let's his teams play through their mistakes but Zeke is NOT Phil Jackson and these Knicks don't have veteran leaders with winning experience a la Shaq, Jordan, Pippen, etc.

I don't know what Isiah does during timeouts. He appears to scribble on a clipboard sometimes but last night there was one play following a timeout that resulted in..

a 24 second violation. Sweet.

Looking at the rest of the game:

- The Curry/Randolph mess continues. How do you add together a potential all star center (Various Knicks' players/coaches words from last season, not mine) and a 40 minute, 20-10 regular (not many of those in the league) and not find one player worthy of staying on the floor for at leat 30+ minutes a game?

- Nate and Jamal 8 assists: 2 turnovers. I like it. Nate's improved play has been one of the bright spots this season, towel throwing timeout fights aside...

- The young bucks get buried. Again.

Now I know that the Knicks coaching staff sees these players every day in practice. Minutes should go to those who deserve them. At the same time, this team isn't going anywhere this season. I can not fathom why Isiah's draft picks aren't getting any floor time. Isiah's supposed to be a brilliant drafter. Why not see what Randolph Morris or Wilson Chandler or even Renaldo Balkman can do over a full game? Why not at least insert them in the 4th quarter, down 84-67?

At this point in the season what reason do fans have to watch? I am genuinely curious about seeing what we have in the young guys. That would give me a reason to watch.

Next up: At home against Charlotte

Thing I'll have fun watching: Who tries to stop Jason Richardson AND Gerald Wallace. Will Eddy Curry take a look at Emeka Okafor and realize it's okay to play defense and rebound?

A few hours to go

If the Carter rumours and the Bucks rumours and Orlando rumours have any substance to them, I am in absolute disbelief.

I was of the opinion that the only reason Isiah still has a job is because Jimmy Dolan wanted him to lie in the bed he had made, knowing even Isiah wants out. Picture a weird version of chicken with Zeke and Dolan driving semis towards each other, only the Knicks faithful are smack in the middle. Also, Zeke is on drugs and Dolan is blindfolded.

How can this man still have trading priveleges?

Mindboggling. Seriously.

Vince Carter rumor.

"Another source said there had been preliminary discussions on a three-way trade that would include, among other things, Carter going to the New York Knicks, Eddy Curry to Miami and the expiring contracts of Jason Williams and Ricky Davis to New Jersey."

Source: The Internets

My intial reaction was...NO NO NO NO NO!

Reasons why:

- I would much rather have the expiring contracts of Williams and Davis. Why is New Jersey in this equation at all? Is Rod Thorn still so hyped up from getting everything but Cuban's ATM card from Dallas for ason Kidd, he decided to call Isiah because..hey! who knows?!.

- Vince Carter is a part time superstar. How motivated is he going to be with a long term contract playing for the worst team in the East's Atlantic division?

(Note: Miami has the worst record but they also have D-Wade and Marion to our...Marbury and Curry?..uhh..our Marbury and Randolph?..our Crawford and Randolph?..uhhh...uhhh)

- Would you not rather spend the money on another free agent? Someone who has the potential to be a TRUE franchise player who brings it every night on both ends of the court.

Facts:

1. Vince Carter:

'08-'09 Season: 15.2 M'
09-'10 Season: 16.3
'10-'11 Season: 17.3
'11-'12 Season: 18 (team option)

2. Eddy Curry:
'08-'09 Season: 9.7 M
'09-'10 Season: 10.5
10-'11 Season: 11.2
'11-'12 Season: 0


'09-10: Player option aka Curry takes this unless the Knicks are so bad, he doesn't want the money. I doubt any other GM gives him 10 mill per unless he learns to rebound and defend and not be fat. Yes, I'm promoting this as a fact.)


2011: Hallelujah praise the lord! Same year Zach comes off. Please let Zeke be gone and for there to be no more Allan Houston/Marbury/Curry type contracts. Please. I'm begging you.

So I guess with Vince Carter our cap situation only gets slightly more FUBAR. Do we even have any room to sign any FAs next season or the season after that?


Free agents:

ESPN's 2008 FA List

Significant restricted free agents:

Josh Smith (love him, except the rumoured 'tude problem)
Josh Childress (i like him)
Emeka Okafor (the anti-Curry)
Luol Deng
Ben Gordon
Monta Ellis
Ryan Gomes
Andre Iguodala
Jose Calderon

Significant unrestricted FAs:

Allen Iverson
Baron Davis
Jermaine O Neal
Elton Brand
Stephon Marbury (he used to belong on this list..funny huh)
Shawn Marion
Gilbert Arenas
Antawn Jamison
Ron Artest

I won't bother going through the 2009 class.

2010: Some guy named Lebron, must be french or something. After Frederic Weiss I don't want any more Frenchies. Also D-Wade. Ray Allen.

3/4s of goodness

It was a sweet game for 3 quarters. I'm happy we competed. Nothing really new comes out of this game for me. Old truths that were reaffirmed:

- The Knicks have enough weapons to be a pretty good offensive team. They're just not as good as the Phoenix Suns (but who is?) so they can't just rely on outscoring teams to get Ws.

- Eddy Curry CAN rebound.