Few Thoughts

I can't believe how fast time flies when work comes a callin'. It has been a full 7 days since my last post and crap has piled up in my brain that needs to be written.

Timmy - Lincecum has earned another Cy Young, 2nd straight, and for all of you who have him on your keeper list in fantasy baseball think Johan time. I love this guy! Tiny little man who throws like the big power pitchers before him, think Big-Unit, Schilling, and Clemens (does he count?). The one thing I am questioning is his choice for a 1-year deal in arbitration. This maximizes earning potential, which is great, but seems a little risky for a pitcher. I'm not 100% sure on the salary structure under the agreement between MLB and the MLBPA but heading into an off-season with two consecutive Cy Young's should break the bank either way.

Jays Fill SS - The Jays have signed two free agents and both are SS's, Alex Gonzalez and John McDonald. Nothing that can compare with the big free agents like Bay and Holliday but roster filling moves that should keep the Jays moving forward...slowly. Went digging to see who we have in the minors to fill the SS position in the coming years and I found nothing worth truly smiling about. Remember Russ Adams, how about Angel Sanchez? I have accepted a losing season from the SkyDome for the next, ummm, 5 years.

The Answer - Holy crap, this guy just doesn't get it. From my last post about Iverson, he has found a way to piss me off even more. Come on man, retiring in the middle of the season because no team wants to give you a starting gig and infect their organization with a brutal disease called your ego, arrogance, the list could go on forever. Buddy, you are good but not good enough to suck up all the shots on the court. You are good but not good enough for a team to put up with your shit. Wake up and read the papers, read the blogs, and the read the sports pages because you need to come to the realization that you are not going to be the focal point on any team that is going to be successful in the NBA. Why is it, people who have all the skill the in world have nothing else but that skill?

Federer - He finished the year at number 1 but couldn'd find a way to win the final tournament. He is not the old unbeatable Federer and everyone in the world knows it. Once the veil is lifted and we find out what things look like people usually say, "He's human just like me." It is always nice to see Federer win but with young guns coming from behind everyone will be hearing about early exits from tournaments in 2010 and beyond.

Taste of Revenge

Isn't it great playing against your old team and leaving with a victory at the end of the night. I have never had to play against my old team but I have played against a team that cut me from their roster. Oh did it feel great when I left the field and shook the coaches hand at the end of the game after every win. Yes, there were multiple wins. If my memory serves me correctly, I don't think I have ever lost to that team. A few of those games were for championships too.

Ray Emery had a chance to play his former team, the Ottawa Senators, and he almost shut them out winning his 5th straight contest. The feeling Emery had when he skated off the ice after the final buzzer must have been amazing. Leaving the Senators after the 07-08 season in a less than an amicable split, which resulted in no contracts being offered to Emery except from a team in Russia added fuel to the fire.

Looking back, the Senators had to let Emery go because of his tendency to live his life on his own terms and basically not give a rats ass about everyone else around him. There are some players out their that are allowed to be assholes but Emery isn't one of them. He just isn't good enough to be one of those players. So far this season, Emery has actually proven to be a solid #1 goalie in the NHL after his return from the KHL over in Russia. The Flyers goalie has posted strong numbers (10-3-1 with a .924SV% and a 2.18GAA) this season in a strong Atlantic division.

Guys like Emery seem to be a virus that brings teams down to their knees just like Allen Iverson is on the court. The Senators were right to let him but it does hurt a little when Emery comes back into the picture and leaves with a W at the end of the night.

Time to Grow Up

The Answer (a.k.a Allen Iverson) made his Memphis debut in a loss to the bottom feeders commonly referred to as the Kings. AI came off the bench to play around 17 minutes and scored 11pts. This wasn't the big news of the day that caught my attention.

When AI signed with the Grizzlies in the off-season, I was a little surprised a team like Memphis would offer him a contract. A team going nowhere soon signing a troublesome guard, who has proven to sink teams faster than Isiah sinking entire organizations, completely boggled my mind. NBA teams are businesses and for a business to succeed they need revenue and with AI dressing, jerseys and tickets would be sold. We all know AI can still draw a crowd.

When Iverson met with reporters after the loss, he voiced his displeasure with what was happening, AFTER HIS FIRST GAME!!! He came off the bench and was pulled when it was crunch time. AI needs to wake up and learn that he is not going to win a championship ring if he continues playing like he's been playing over his entire career. Just listen to what he said.

"In all the other years of my career, it’s never come up. I’ve been a starter on All-Star teams, Olympic teams and NBA Finals teams. It’s just a big deal now. I think it is something people should let go. To answer your question, no, I’m not a bench player or the sixth man. Go look at my resume, it will show you that I’m not a sixth man."

AI, listen to me...seriously, listen to what I have to say. What you just said summed up everything everyone wants to say to your face but doesn't have the balls to say. Yes, you were all those things on all those teams but they all have ONE thing in common, no one hoisted a big time trophy at the end of any of those teams. You are an individual playing in a team sport. You are a great individual player. You are a scoring champion. But you are NOT a champion. You drag your teams down and with your attitude, no team you play on will EVER win a championship.

You have made the money most people would die for. You have the life people can only dream of. If you want to continue to be that selfish AI we all know and don't love, go ahead. But don't complain about winning games and championships because you are the only one that can control where your team goes.

AI, sit your ass down and shut your damn mouth. Play the system your coach implements and be a team player. I know this is completely foreign to you and you might need to practice this but look at some great individual players who finally grew up and became a man and what they achieved. Look at Randy Moss and Dennis Rodman.

The season is still young and you only have a 1-year contract. If you want to continue to play in the NBA you need to grow up because no team will ever consider signing you for the 2010-2011 season.

Iverson Apologizes

Allen Iverson was back with the Pistons after skipping a team practice on Thanksgiving Day. Apparently, Iverson is very sorry for his actions and said it would not happen again.

Things always sound rosy and swell when it happens the first time or when it happens to someone who doesn't have the background and history of an AI. But this is AI we're talking about, the word baggage always comes along as his entourage. He is facing a big fine but who cares, a guy who gets paid millions of dollars a year doesn't care about fines especially since they never reach a point that actually affects the player's wallet. Ten thousand or one hundred thousand is big for me but for them, it's like me ordering a beer at dinner, nothing to think twice about.

On a side note, the practice on Thanksgiving Day was only for an hour but come on, a practice on Thanksgiving Day?!

Practice? Practice?

Allen Iverson skipped practice on American Thanksgiving. Not so long ago, when the Pistons traded for AI, did he proclaim he would do anything, including practicing, that was asked of him. I guess that was a lie.

If I was one of his teammates I would be pretty pissed off right now because not only was AI absent he was the only one that didn't make it to practice during the holiday. His teammates made it to the practice court and were forced to leave their Thanksgiving plans and family, why didn't AI have the decency to do the same. Kind of sad how quickly things can sour and turn when it comes to personnel.

I don't know the exact details of when the practice was but what were the Pistons thinking. Unless the practice was fairly early in the morning and was short in length, why would you schedule a practice on a holiday. Just because they are professionals doesn't mean they don't have a family to sit down with and eat turkey. Yes, they have a game tomorrow and they aren't smoking hot since the trade but it was one of the bigger holidays in the year.

I'm not defending AI and it doesn't give AI an excuse to skip practice but come on guys, it's Thanksgiving.


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports.

Practice?!?!

AI, the newest member of the Pistons joking about practice.





Remember this little interview he had about "practice".

AI Now...LBJ Later?

The Detroit Pistons have just put themselves into a rare position that might allow them to sign a coveted 2010 free agent, Mr. LeBron James.

Today, Joe Dumars, Pistons GM, made a trade for Allen Iverson. In return the Nuggets will receive Billups and McDyess.

The bigger news is Dumars is making a competitive team for years to come. This is absolutely crazy how many people are trying to clear cap room and, also in the case of Dumars, build a strong supporting cast for LeBron. If LeBron decides to sign a contract and play for the windy city he would have the likes of Rip, Prince, Stuckey, Maxiell, and Amir Johnson. Basically, Dumars is hoping the young guys grow and mature into guys who can support James and maybe build a dynasty in Detroit, again.

Everytime I hear news about teams trying to secure cap room and try to be free for LeBron I always think how shitty the Cleveland fans must feel. The Cavs were nothing before LeBron and now it doesn't seem like they even have a chance to sign him in 2010.

Think about the GM of the Cavs, this guy must feel the pressure everyday of the year because if he doesn't find a way to bring in players to help James out on the court he will definitely leave for greener pastures, which includes both money and players who can bring him the elusive NBA championship.

I would sign some big time talent and make James feel like I was here to do whatever he wants. In the end, if James leaves, you won't be looked as the guy who didn't do anything to keep him. You can only do so much with the salary cap in place plus the fact James will get the maximum contract no matter where he goes.