Off the Field with Marcus Washington

 

Marcus Washington

The past few years have been trying years for Marcus Washington of the Redskins. Washington, who is clearly one of the most energetic players on the team, had to deal with his fair share of adversity and injuries in the past two seasons. The Defensive leader continues to bounce back. Whatever the challenge is, he is always able to respond. In 2007, Washington was awarded the Ed Block Award for maintaining a high level of sportsmanship & professionalism on and off the field. And as we look ahead toward the 2008 season, this powerhouse on defense is looking forward to a new year full of endless possibilities. Last week, I had the opportunity to speak with the Redskins linebacker and we discussed what he’s been up too during the off-season.

So what is a typical day like for you during the off season?

I usually watch a lot of TV (mainly Sports Center) and play PlayStation. Depending on what’s going on thru out my day; I may go fishing. I like to fish, so I do that toward the evening. I hang out with my family and friends a lot. If something good is playing at the movies, I may go check out a movie. I love to watch movies; if I’m not going to the movies, I’ll rent a couple of DVD’s and just kick it at the house. I don’t do anything too extravagant; I’m just a pretty laid back, chill guy.

During the off season, what is your typical work-out and diet regimen?                               

I’ve been training down in Pensacola, FL at the Andrews Institute. When I’m training, I normally get up early & go to Starbucks. I love Starbucks (laughing)…then I’ll go to the facility where they’ll have breakfast (an omelet & nuts) ready for me. Then I’ll go out on the field and do speed & agility work. After that, we’ll do conditioning, and Pre-Hab which is just stretching and taking care of my problem areas. I had surgery on my hip, so I’m doing a lot of hip flexibility, movements, and things like that. Finally, I’ll do about two hours of weight training. I normally finish up around 5pm. The next day, I’ll start that whole process all over again.

When do you start preparing for the Upcoming season? And how do you prepare your mind for Training Camp?

I don’t think you can ever prepare for training camp (laughing)…but with me, I usually try to watch all the games from the past year and try to keep a list of my problem areas as well as keep track of the good things I did in the past year. I focus on getting my weight down to the weight that I’m most comfortable playing at. Getting your mind right for training camp is pretty tough because it’s hard getting back into football shape.

Where do you spend most of your time during the off-season; In the DC area or Alabama?

During the off-season I spend a lot of my time in Alabama. This year, I got to spend a lot of time at home because I didn’t have any serious injuries that required surgery or rehab.  I try to go home during the off-season as much as I can because a lot of times you don’t really get to see your family quite as much during the season.

Aside from football, what does Marcus Washington do for fun?

I love music. I’m always downloading the latest songs and burning CDs. I can spend a couple hours doing that. I love to play PlayStation. I always have the latest version that’s out. I like to fish. My Pops and I go fishing a lot…and I like to do a little bit of traveling here and there. I try to get to the beach as much as I can. Even if I don’t get in the water, just being around the water is very relaxing to me. I also like to play pool in my spare time.

What’s the most exciting thing you’ve done during your break? (trips, charity work, etc.)

I went to Puerto Rico during the off-season and that was pretty neat. The water was so clear and blue; it was beautiful. I got to visit a few casinos even though I am not really a big gambler. It was just fun to watch everyone else. As for charity work, I donate to the Boys and Girls Club in the Lee County area of Alabama.  Every year I host a basketball game and have a few of my friends from different teams come out. It has a big impact on the kids. Most of the time, they use the money for field trips to get the kids out of the neighborhood. They do things like take them to the Aquarium & the Zoo.

Speaking of charity work, do you have a foundation?

No, I don’t have a foundation. I just like giving back by donating to a good cause. Anytime you can donate, I think it is a good thing.

You’ve been playing professional football now for 8 years; at what point in an athlete’s career should they start thinking about life after their respective sport?

Well in football the average career really isn’t that long. So you really need to start thinking about it as soon as you start playing. You want to definitely start putting money away so that you won’t have to work as hard when you’re done playing. In this profession, you have to start thinking ahead as soon as you enter the league. The average career is so short; you definitely want to be prepared.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I don’t know. I just try to take it one year at a time. I know that when I finish playing, I don’t want to do a whole lot; I’m really interested in History. I don’t know if I’ll ever teach it but I think it would be fun to join a History Club or something like that and expand my knowledge a little more. Maybe I’ll coach on the high school level, but not on the collegiate or pro level.

Do you hang out with any of your teammates during the off-season? And if so, who?

Yeah…I hang out with Ladell Betts, Fred Smoot, Demetric Evans and some of those guys. I normally hang out with the guys that crack jokes all the time because I like to laugh a lot. So most of the time, I hang out with the silly guys and spend time with them.

What type of things do you all do?  

We go out to clubs, go out to eat, or we’ll just go to someone’s house and just kick it. A lot of times it’s about building that camaraderie and just being able to spend time with each other off the field because as we saw in this past year with loosing Sean, you just never know when it’s going to be your last time seeing someone. So you definitely want to take advantage of the time you guys have and create good memories.

Speaking of the late Sean Taylor, how is the team coping with his lost and moving forward from this point on?

The guys are coping with it pretty well. Of course we’ll always remember him, whether it’s passing his locker or watching film from last year’s games. We’re constantly reminded of him, but that’s a good thing. We definitely hold on to those good memories. I think everybody can take something away from that, you really want to take advantage of the time you have with your friends, family, and teammates because you just never know when it’s going to be your last time.

Do you keep in touch with his family?

I haven’t really kept in touch with his family but I know some of the guys speak with his dad a lot. Clinton and Santana know his father really well because they all went to Miami together. They tend to keep in touch with him more than the rest of the guys.

Last year was a very disappointing year for the Redskins. What can we expect from the Redskins in 2008, and what do you think you guys can do this year to make the team better?

Last year was last year, and everything we get this year we’re going to have to earn as we start over. It will be nice to start off winning games early this year. We need to play on the same type of level we played last year during the last four games of the season. We’re going to have to really work for it this year. We have to learn from the mistakes that we made and improve on those things. We have to give it everything we got this year.

What are your thoughts of Coach Zorn thus far?

I like Coach a lot. He’s not really a screamer; he’s very calm and mellow. He has sort of a quiet confidence about himself, and I like that. It kind of makes us more confident. He does things in such a way where he doesn’t have to curse or scream, you can just look in his eyes when he’s talking about the game and see how excited he is about football. As a football player, I can tell that he really loves the game and he knows what he’s talking about.

Do any of the rookies stand out in your opinion?

As a matter of fact Curtiss Gatewood, who’s a rookie in the linebacker position, stands out to me. He’s a kid that kind of reminds me of myself when I first came into the NFL. He’s a guy who went from a Defensive End to a Linebacker and he goes full speed in everything. You definitely don’t have to slow him down and that’s a really good thing for a rookie. Justin Tyron is also doing very well; he has a little swagger about himself. We definitely need that at Defensive Back. I can tell he’s a competitor; he’ll compete. Not a real big kid, but very feisty.

Have you taken any of the rookies under your wing? And what advice have you given to the younger guys?

I talked to Gatewood a little bit. I try not to talk to them too much because I don’t want to over coach a guy. You kind of just want them to use what God gave them. To be a success in the NFL you only get out of it what you put into it. When you first get into the league, as a young guy you want to party and do all the things that don’t pertain to football off the field, but that time you spend in the film room watching tape, the time you spend asking your coaches questions, the time you spend conditioning, and eating right; that’s what’s going to show up on the field. And that’s exactly what I tell them.

People have so many nice things to say about your character; with so many players being caught up in the hype & getting into trouble these days, how do you stay grounded?

I don’t take myself too seriously. I think that is one of the main things…I try to lead by example. It’s easy to talk about stuff, but it’s hard to be a Doer. I try to go hard when I play, work hard in the weight room etc. Don’t just talk about it; be about it. That’s my motto and that’s how I try to live my life. The younger guys tend to listen more when they can see your actions. They’re not going to listen to the guy who’s just talking but not going hard in the weight room or working hard in practice giving it everything he got. It’s all about setting an example thru your actions.

And Finally, How do you plan on spending the remainder of your time off?

I’m going to continue to work out; training camp is right around the corner. I may try to take one more vacation before we start up. We’re one of the teams reporting to training camp early this year; so I’ll just continue to get ready, continue to train, and continue to work out hard and get my body in the best possible shape I can. I’ll probably do something with my family right before camp starts so that I can be ready to hit it full speed.  And that’s about it. 

Osi Umenyiora Host 2nd Annual “Strike 4 A Cure” Celebrity Weekend in Atlanta

                 

 May 16- 18th 2008                                                                                                      

         Defensive End Osi Umenyiora of the Superbowl Champion New York Giants recently hosted his 2^nd annual “Strike 4 a Cure” Charity Weekend in Atlanta, GA. Last year, Umenyiora teamed up with Terrell Owens for the inaugural launch of the event to raise money for Alzheimer’s and HIV awareness for minorities. Mutually, both causes are dear to both NFL players; Umenyiora has an uncle that died from AIDS in Africa and Owens has a grandmother that battles Alzheimer’s disease. But this year, Owens’s did not participate and his presence was missed as the event was not an overall success for Umenyiora compared to last year’s event.  With a number of lavish events and parties, full of athletes and local celebrities, Osi’s foundation had hoped to raise $1 million for his foundation. Instead, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports his efforts raised less than $10,000.

             NFL players Adewale Ogunleye of the Chicago Bears, Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers, Julian Peterson of the Seattle Seahawks, Takeo Spikes, Carlos Emmons, and LaVar Arrington came out to support Umenyiora’s event. The weekend kicked off on Friday with a Black Tie Affair at the new W Hotel downtown Atlanta. U.S. Senate hopeful and local city official Vernon Jones gave a speech at this year’s event. Radio personality Ramona Debreaux of Atlanta’s V-103 FM co-hosted the event and was on hand to give out the first award from “Make Plays for Africa” (Osi’s foundation) to rapper T.I.’s Grand Hustle’s Organization for their community work. Then on Saturday Umenyiora and friends headed over to 300 Bowling Alley for a celebrity bowling challenge. The event wrapped up on Sunday. A private event was scheduled to be held for invited guest and sponsors at Umenyiora’s mansion in Atlanta however it was canceled for undisclosed reasons. Throughout the weekend Osi and his celebrity friends hosted many parties at the hottest nightspots around Atlanta, but at the end of the day all of the events and celebrity guest failed to raise money for the cause; how disappointing.

             Osi Umenyiora and his brother Jim Umenyiora founded the event 2 years ago and wanted it to become one of the most reputable charities to raise money for AIDS and Alzheimer’s research & awareness programs. The brothers spent more than $40,000 on the event this year and were dissatisfied with the outcome. Seemingly, the brothers’ goal was to raise money for a great cause but instead they wasted thousands of dollars on lush events that turned out uneventful. The goal now, an apparently censured Jim Umenyiora said, is to refocus on good works, not good times. “The parties did nothing. They didn’t help anybody,” said Jim Umenyiora, a 31-year-old financial planner. Jim Umenyiora said in a statement to AJC that he and his brother have canceled future charity events as they plan to regroup. He said the charity eventually is going to succeed. “Hopefully in the next three years, we will get there,” he said. “My brother and I want this to work.” The brothers donated all money raised to the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and to the National AIDS Education & Services for Minorities Inc..Both organizations are based in Atlanta. 

Lakers vs. Celtics – Rivalry Renewed?

Russell vs. Chamberlain. Magic vs. Bird. Garnett vs. Kobe? Does that seem to fit? Or perhaps Pierce vs. Kobe? Or just the Big 3 vs. Kobe? How does this Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals stack up with those of the past?

Starting with the 1969 NBA Finals, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics were at the end of their large dynasty. On the flip side, the Los Angeles Lakers had the newly acquired Wilt Chamberlain along with Hall-of-Fame players Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. The Lakers were the heavy favorite with the younger, more athletic team and Russell was at the tail end of his career. However, the Celtics managed to make it all the way to the Finals after being seeded 4^th in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers took the first 2 games at home, then the Celtics bounced back to win games 3 and 4. The Celtics and Lakers then split games 5 and 6, leading up to the always dramatic Game 7. A huge 3^rd quarter and a game-ending injury to Chamberlain allowed the Celtics to prevail and win the NBA Title.

The 1984 NBA Finals would be the next time the Lakers & Celtics would meet, this time with completely different teams. The Lakers were led by Earvin “Magic” Johnson and James Worthy and the Celtics had a farm boy named Larry Bird. Bird ended up winning MVP and the Celtics won the NBA Finals in 7 games. These two teams would meet again in the 1985 NBA Finals, this time with the Lakers winning the series in 6 games and Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar received MVP honors. Then again, 1987 gave way to another Lakers-Celtics NBA Final with the Lakers winning again in 6 games.

Now, 21 years later, the Lakers and Celtics meet again. The Celtics are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since that 1987 defeated at the hands of the Lakers, while L.A. has been much more successful winning a few championships since then.

So with all those great players mentioned in the 1969 NBA Finals and the Finals in the 1980’s, does 2008 really compare? Kobe Bryant is this year’s MVP and is certainly a future Hall-of-Famer. Other Lakers players like Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher will be remembered as great players, but are not necessarily Hall-of-Famers. On the flip side, the big three of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are all potential Hall-of-Famers. But with no championship to their names, they are not yet considered to be locks to enter “The Hall” like Kobe.

This is the time to shine for Boston and the big three. It’s time for the Celtics to revive their storied franchise and it’s time for Garnett, Pierce and Allen to put a cap on their great careers.

With that said, can it be done? The Lakers are playing great basketball and have the MVP on their side. They also have head coach Phil Jackson, who is running out of fingers on which to put his championship rings. It will be a tough task for Boston to beat L.A. in a 7-game series, but it can be done.

The Celtics do technically have the home court advantage. But if they lose one of the first two in Boston, then L.A. can win the next 3 games at home and take the series and the championship.

There were two things that allowed the Boston Celtics to beat the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals: Good defense on the road and Ray Allen playing like Ray Allen. If those two things happen again in this series, the Celtics could win. But Boston also needs to control the defensive glass and not allow Gasol and Odom to give the Lakers a ton of second chances.

My personal prediction is the Lakers in 5 games simply because of Kobe, Phil Jackson and the way the team is playing. But Boston certainly has the talent to get it done. They just need to put it all together. It’s now or never.

My Weekly Sports Journey for the week ending April 5, 2008

ARE BATHROOMS THE NEW CONFERENCE ROOMS?

Remember Sen. Larry Craig? You know the guy who made an airport bathroom into a tourist site after his arrest? Well, we were told at the time that nothing good goes on in restrooms if you stay past your time, so to speak, that you need to be there; “wide stance” or not. Today, reports that I have a hard time understanding, tell me that MLB investigators went to a book signing to get a meeting with Jose Canseco and asked that he be ushered into the men’s room so that they could speak in private. Hell, can you imagine all those coffee drinkers at the little tables set around in those places now, trying to get into the room to do what comes naturally and being told that it had been booked as a meeting room? Or maybe someone just put up one of those grungy yellow plastic signs that say that the place is being cleaned at the moment which is a riot since the condition of the sign should tell you everything you want to know. Nonetheless, it seems that the meeting took place and boy was Canseco happy and proud.

The glee in his voice comes through the quotes of both he and his attorney. Oh yeah, he travels with one which I guess is the newest spring accessory for men; better than a jaunty scarf or one of those hats that Tom Brady seems to favor. And the attorney sounds like a girl who didn’t think she was going to be asked to the prom and is saved at the last minute by a gorgeous guy. Canseco? He’s giddy with glee, flabbergasted that he is being taken seriously by the lords of baseball who wanted him to disappear after the first book. Having seen him in action in front of Congress during the first hearings that drove McGuire into oblivion, Palmeiro into a lie and Sosa into speaking only Spanish, they were just pissed off that Canseco could make such bold accusations and not seem upset about them. It took 2 years and federal drug busts to get baseball to organize the Mitchell Report when they could have done it sooner if they had listened to Jose.

This is all Canseco ever wanted…well not really, he also needs some dough and maybe he’ll get a full time gig out of this. His attorney hypothesized that he could be their permanent steroids snitch with an office in NY just like any baseball executive. Laugh if you want to but here’s what I’ve got to say: MLB officials put their heads in the sand, got bullied by the union and hoped it would all go away. What makes them any more righteous and less sleazy than Canseco? OK, this second book is full of innuendo rather than hard core facts and first person accounts of him seeing guys juicing or helping them do so by exchanging butt shots. But maybe he’s got the goods on A Rod, right? And maybe not but MLB knew it missed something that could have been learned short of Congress poking its head into all this and they are trying to avoid that again. Notice, by the way, that A Rod is NOT taking the Clemens route to Congress by hiring a lawyer and denying everything written by Canseco in front of a press conference. But watch out for more bathroom meetings since no one wants to get caught short, or with their pants down, when the heat is on to get to the bottom of the steroids story. Did I just say that? Yeah, and sorry.

Want more? Read my Daily Dose of Duffy column at www.incidentalcontact.com and listen to me on the Sports Journey radio show on Saturday mornings at www.sportsjourney.com.

© 2008 Incidental Contact, LLC

My Weekly Sports Journey for the week ending March 29, 2008

Kobe better just shut up

The scene is the Lakers locker room on Wednesday night after a sorry looking performance against the Charlotte Bobcats in which the pattern of the last week continued: get down early playing virtually no aggressive defense and claw back in a frenzy hoping to maintain the right energy to win. They are now 1-2 in games like that but last night’s comeback was made even more difficult without Kobe who got thrown out with a bit more than 3 minutes to play. You never count the Lakers out if Kobe goes into overdrive in the 4th quarter, focuses like no one but Tiger Woods, takes over the game by finding those that actually can make outside shots and then drives to the basket to absorb hard fouls just to get 2 points that he couldn’t get any other way. That wasn’t gonna happen last night. He had a scowl from the beginning of the game and started barking, as the Lakers radio TV broadcaster Stu Lantz, likes to say, early in the game at the officials. His beef? The refs aren’t giving him the love he wants and thinks he deserves as the superstar he is. Why aren’t there Kobe rules the way Jordan had his? Well, Jordan understood that if you bite the hands that feed you the doggie treats don’t keep coming. Kobe has a sense of entitlement that used to plague Shaq when he was here in LA. If you took a close camera shot of O’Neal and opponents under the basket you’d see multiple fouls every time he jumped up for an offensive rebound or a put-back bucket. Did he get those calls? Usually not since the typical decision of the league refs was to allow him to absorb contact that wasn’t too obvious or hurtful…in their opinion. He got the benefit of that on the other end however since when he was aggressively making his move to clear a path for himself to put the ball up he would swing those elbows around and more than one NBA guy lost teeth or had lumps under his eyes.

Lately Kobe isn’t getting the benefit of the doubt and it is starting to show. He gets elbowed in the face by Baron Davis that opens a gash under his eye but no foul is called, which is the Shaq rule on the receiving end, but he’s getting called for ticky tack reach ins or taps on the arm as he goes up to defend. After a while the build up from that has gotten to him. He had almost reached this boiling point a few weeks ago when he had 3 fewer technicals and Phil took him aside to tell him that it was unseemly. While Phil appreciated the unfairness of the situation he believed that Kobe’s bellyaching on each ticky tack called on him as well as the “barking” when he is obviously fouled on his end of the court was getting the officials sick of it all. Unfair yes, but a fact of life as well. As a team leader and a top candidate for MVP you’ve got to man up and realize there is a bigger goal at stake here: home court for the playoffs and a championship once your 2 star centers get back. You can’t be a baby and get treated like a man. Hey, I like that for a tee shirt that they sell on the streets outside Staples. Acceptance of the situation is needed here and for some reason Kobe is losing it without taking into account the consequences of being 1 more technical away from being suspended for a game. That game could come next week against Dallas or New Orleans and with Pau expected back, how would that play if the team lost with the Western Conference race as tight as my skinny jeans. He knows the rules, the risks and the consequences; who will step up and rip him a new hole where the sun don’t shine? Anyone?

Want more? Read my Daily Dose of Duffy column at www.incidentalcontact.com and listen to me on the Sports Journey radio show on Wednesday and Friday.

© 2008 Incidental Contact, LLC

It’s Never Too Early to Get Suspended…Ever.

Even though spring practice for college football is still three weeks away, it makes no difference.  You would think that student-athletes would be gearing up for what is to come by hitting the weight room, making the grade and enjoying the last of that thing they call life while spring break comes and goes…but no.  Arrests and suspensions are the name of the game while coaches prepare for the upcoming 2008 season.  The list will get longer as the weeks go on, but since there isn’t any football being played on the field lets drink to those who’ve been getting their fill of trouble off the field as well by being suspended or arrested in the past few months. Cheers.

Clemson – Starting middle linebacker Cortney Vincent is suspended for all of spring practice for violating an unspecified team policy. The State reported that this violation has no connection to his December DUI arrest where the junior was charged with first-offense driving under the influence. Coach Tommy Bowden said there is a possibility that Vincent could be kicked off the team and will re-evaluate the situation once spring practice is over.

Nebraska - Junior offensive lineman Andy Christensen was arrested early Saturday and accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a bar. Coach Bo Pelini suspended Christensen from the team after he was accused of first-degree sexual assault, resisting arrest and failure to comply.  Christensen started the first three games at left guard before a season-ending knee injury.

Indiana – Junior quarterback Kellen Lewis was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.  Coach Bill Lynch said Lewis needs time away from the program and they look forward to his return at some point in the future.  Team spokesman Jeff Keag would not give details about what rules Lewis violated.  Last year Lewis broke single-season records for attempts (442), completions (265), yards passing, TD passes, total touchdowns (37), total yards (3,709) and completion percentage (60.0)

Iowa – Both receiver James Cleveland and backup quarterback Arvell Nelson have been dismissed from the team.  Cleveland, a sophomore was Iowa’s second leading receiver last season and was arrested in February after campus police found 21 units of the prescription pain killer oxycodone and 24 doses of the muscle relaxant carisoprodol.  He was charged with a tax stamp violation, a Class D felony and two counts of unlawful possession of prescription drugs.  His preliminary hearing is set for March 14^th.  Nelson, also a sophomore was arrested on the same night on marijuana possession charges.

Oklahoma – According to the Journal-Constitution Josh Jarboe, an Oklahoma recruit who was No. 13 on the ESPN list of the top 150 players last season and No. 3 wide receiver overall has been accused of receiving stolen property and having a weapon on school property.  In addition to the felony charges Jarboe could be expelled from school.

Rutgers – Sophomore defensive tackle Justin Francis was suspended last Friday after being arrested a day earlier.  No details of the arrest have been made, but Coach Greg Schiano has confirmed the report of the arrest.  He said he would wait for the legal process to run its course before commenting.  Francis played in seven games last season and made seven tackles.

South Carolina – Defensive back Carlos Thomas was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules, although Coach Steve Spurrier’s report did not elaborate on what rules the senior broke.  Thomas started seven games at cornerback last year and made 20 career starts over the past three seasons.  Running back Mike Davis also has been suspended for one game for missing too many classes.

My Weekly Sports Journey for the week ending March 14, 2008

Are they real games or exhibitions?

When I dared to call the MLB All Star game an exhibition after Bud Selig ended the thing in a tie because it was past everyone’s bed time I was yelled at and told I didn’t know what I was talking about. Well, now I’m gonna say the same thing about all spring training games. On top of being exhibitions they are ways for managers to try out all their farm team payroll to see who is ripe for the picking when the first guy on the roster goes down to injury or goes into a slump. How do I know? The Yankees taught me. Within less than a week, Joe Girardi said that no one should have barreled into his minor league catcher in a spring training game that resulted in a broken wrist for the kid.  He further enforced my belief when he treated a filthy rich Hollywood star to the equivalent of a Make A Wish Foundation trip by inserting Billy Crystal into his starting lineup as a DH; just to show Billy some love and help him celebrate his 60^th birthday. THAT’S WHY Girardi can’t have it both ways by ordering some minor league pitcher to retaliate for the catcher’s broken wrist by throwing at someone. And the spikes-up slide by Shelly Duncan was stupid as well. So Joe…do the games mean anything or don’t they? 

John Daly finally got some tough love 

Butch Harmon, golf instructor to the stars finally said out loud what many have said privately and more often than not wouldn’t even dare to whisper about: John Daly is in trouble of killing himself by being an unrepentant drunk. Harmon who gave all props to his raw talents and his personable charm ended the short relationship with Daly after he realized that John would rather get drunk than learn to sharpen his golf game. At least that’s what he said. To further buttress that opinion, the previous week at a PGA event that yet another sponsor gave him permission to attend (he hasn’t qualified based on his performance in a couple of years) he sat out the rain delay in the Hooters tent, emerged with Jon Gruden as his caddy, told his caddy to take the afternoon off and laughed his way to a 77. The next day he shot 80 and he missed another cut. Sponsors aren’t doing him a favor or themselves for that matter by thinking that he’ll play through the weekend and draw crowds. I know that events at which Tiger doesn’t play need all the help they can get but if Daly plays as he has been plus isn’t there for the weekend, the sponsors don’t get what they want and some poor schnook on the Tour who deserves an opportunity just got hosed. Daly will only hit bottom when he runs out of money to keep living the way he has for some time now. Tim Finchem, commissioner of the PGA should be ashamed of himself for refusing to insinuate himself into this and get an intervention going with Daly’s many pals on the Tour, sponsors and whoever is left in his family. Otherwise Finchem better be writing a eulogy for the guy because this can only end one way if it isn’t stopped.

Want more? Read my Daily Dose of Duffy column at www.incidentalcontact.com and listen to me on the Sports Journey radio show on Wednesday and Friday. 

©  2008 Incidental Contact, LLC

The Wizards buck Milwaukee

Despite squandering a 15 point half-time lead, the Washington Wizards held on last night to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 105-97.  

Coach Eddie Jordan pleased overall with his team’s efforts was disappointed in their inability to defend the rim during the second half. 

“I wasn’t happy with the way our bigs protected the rim,” explained Jordan. The Bucks opened the third quarter by embarking on a 19-6 run, shooting 70.6 percent for the quarter and outscoring the Wizards 33-22. But the Wizards fourth quarter defense held the Bucks to 36.6 shooting. 

“We just played harder,” Jordan said. “We got some more steals. We got some more deflections.” 

The Wizards executed the aggression expected by Jordan. Jorda, in his pre-game conference, stated that he expected his team to be “rejuvenated,” “be on attack mode” and to “play with a lot of energy.” 

The Wizards shot 55.3 percent from the field and scored 42 points (a season high) in the paint during the first half, and dished out 16 assist. They finished the game with 66 points in the paint.   

Antawn Jamison led the Wizards scoring 23 points, but it was a collective offensive output by the Wizards. Brendan Haywood and Andray Blatche each scored 15 and Darius Songaila and Antonio Daniels each scored 11 points. Nick Young, who excited the 14,755 Verizon Center crowd in the second quarter with a thunderous slam dunk over the seven foot Andrew Bogut, scored a career high 22 points on 9 of 15 shooting.

 

Six-foot-six-inch Nick Young (1) dunks over the Milwaukee Bucks seven-foot Andrew Bogut to score two of his career high 22 points. Photo credit Ned Dishman NBAE/Getty Images.

Becoming more productive as the season wears on Jordan said Young, the rookie from the University of Southern California, “is getting use to the NBA game.” With a smile Jordan added that Young is probably, “Tired of me screaming at him and giving him the quick hook.”   

Jamison exited the game in the final minutes and headed to the lockerroom because of lower back stiffness. He is expected to play Thursday against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers; game time is 7 P.M.   

Reggie Williams, an award-winning editor and journalist, serves as Senior NBA Analyst for Sports Journey Radio. You can listen to his analyst Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 4:40 P.M. and 4:54 P.M. on ESPN 1240 in Delmarva, Maryland and Saturday’s on The US Sports Radio Network.    

Caron, one step away

The only debate that might be more hotly contested than who should become the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party is whether Caron Butler should return to action to help his team or should he shut it down for the remainder of the season.  

While it remains unclear whether Sens. Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton will be the elected/chosen nominee, it is absolutely clear that Butler will return to action this season; sooner rather than later.  

Despite missing the last 19 games due to a left hip flexor Butler took one additional step to his eventual return. Last night before the Washington Wizards contest against the Milwaukee Bucks, Butler participated in pre-game shooting drills. Although he has participated and performed well in practice, partaking in a pre-game workout was a first since being out with the injury. Incidentally Butler suffered his injury against the Bucks in Milwaukee on January 27th after notching a career high 40 points. 

For approximately 20 minutes Butler (the Racine Wisconsin native) and Wes Unseld Jr., the Wizards’ assistant coach, ran through a series of shooting drills. Butler began by taking a series of three foot jumpers and continued to move out to beyond the arc. Most of his shots were smooth and vintage Butler, but there were a few flat shots, proving there’s still a little rust to work off.  

It’s a safe bet to believe that not only will Butler return this season, but he will do so tomorrow against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he will be in the starting lineup.  

Reggie Williams, an award-winning editor and journalist, serves as Senior NBA Analyst for Sports Journey Radio. You can listen to his analyst Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 4:40 P.M. and 4:54 P.M. on ESPN 1240 in Delmarva, Maryland and Saturday’s on The US Sports Radio Network.     

Kobe is the best, Paul is most valuable

Hands down, it is Paul

Make no mistake Kobe Bryant was, is and will probably be the best player in the NBA for a few years to come. However, Bryant was not nor is he the League’s Most Valuable Player. Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets is. 

Bryant will win the award, but here’s why he should not.  

Did we forget just eight months ago Bryant threw Andrew Bynum, his teammate, under the bus; this, after a season of lobbying for Bynum’s relocation to Secaucus to suit up for the Nets [New Jersey]. And when Bynum’s zip code didn’t change Bryant demanded that the Los Angeles Lakers change his.  

Now I’m not rehashing old wounds, but boy how winning causes folks to come down with severe cases of Alzheimer’s. 

Bryant is elated that he didn’t need to hire a moving company and the world, maybe except for me and the state of Louisiana, believes he is the League’s MVP.  

Yes, the Lakers now are arguably the best team in the West. And yes, it’s Bryant’s MVP play that plays a large role in the Lakers’ number one seating. Bryant isn’t the most valuable player, but a more valuable player. His assists are up; his shots are down and most importantly he is a better teammate. But the Lakers didn’t become the one of the best teams in the League solely on Bryant’s play.  

The Lakers became the best in the West on Feb. 1 when they acquired a Mercedes (Pau Gasol) in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for the price of a lemon (Kwame Brown) – oh, the Grizzlies did receive an excellent warranty (Javaris Crittendon) in the trade.  

George Karl, coach of the Denver Nuggets, call the trade a “gift,” adding that “Christmas came early,” for the Lakers.  

At the time of the trade the Lakers were 28-16 and fifth in the conference. They split the last 10 games leading up to the trade. Since the trade they have taken over the top position in the Western Conference and have won 13 out of their last 15 games. They’ve won 14 out of 17 games since acquiring Gasol.  

Prior to the trade the Lakers played winning basketball because Bynum – you remember that guy Bryant didn’t want – was ballin’. When Bynum injured his knee on Jan. 13, he led the League in field goal percentage, was 11th in rebound and 13th in block shots. The Lakers lost five of their first eight games playing without Bynum.  

Jordan Farmar has performed well off the bench. This season he has not had to spend time in the D-League. Ronny Turiaf’s energy and presences in the paint is a huge plus for the Lakers and Sasha Vujacic (19th in League in 3-Point shooting) is probably the most consistent reserve; scoring in double figures in the last 15 games. Then there’s the return of Derek Fisher, a phenomenal leader on the court and in the locker-room, whose presence has played an instrumental role in the development of Bryant’s leadership and the Lakers’ winning ways.   

While everyone attempts to bestow the MVP Trophy on Bryant or LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), it’s Paul’s valuable play that has the Hornets standing in the Lakers’ shadow (a game and half behind the Lakers).  

Paul has supplanted the Phoenix Suns’ Steve Nash as the best point guard in the League, and statistically his play is right in step with Bryant’s. He’s averaging 21.3 points and 11 assist per game (second in League) and contributes 43.3 percent of the Hornets’ offense. Bryant, averaging 28.1 points (second in League) and 5.3 assist, supplies 38.7 percent of the Lakers offensive output.  

Paul shoots better from the field, earns more steals (League leader), commits fewer turnovers and grabs about two fewer rebounds than Bryant. Paul is tied with Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs in sixth place with 38 double-doubles; 13 more than James and 25 more than Bryant.  

Under Paul’s MVP play the Hornets have earned their best start (42-20) in franchise history and surpassed their win total from last season. New Orleans possesses the best road record in the Western Conference and has earned more victories against Western Conference rivals than any other Western Conference team. They have swept the season series against the Suns and split a pair of games with the Lakers.  

Paul is on pace to become the first player in 15 years to average at least 20 points and 10 assist per game. And if he finishes the season averaging three steals per game along with his per game point and assist total, he will be the first player in the history of the League to complete a season averaging 20 points, 10 assist and three steals.  

In Paul’s first All-Star game last month, he scored 16 points and dished out 14 assist in a reserve role. Paul is the fourth player in All-Star history, joining Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas and Oscar Robertson, to score 14 plus points and assist in the game. Most analysts have made the MVP award a two horse race with James and Bryant, but the most valuable horse is Chris Paul.   

Reggie Williams, an award-winning editor and journalist, serves as Senior NBA Analyst for Sports Journey Radio. You can listen to his analyst Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 4:40 P.M. and 4:54 P.M. on ESPN 1240 in Delmarva, Maryland and Saturday’s on The US Sports Radio Network.