Kobe Bryant, Always The Victim!

A dirty player Kobe Bryant is not; provided you don’t count the retaliatory cheap shot forearm he threw under Mike Miller’s chin last year. What Bryant is – is an incredibly talented and gifted player with an intense desire to excel.

Oh yeah, and Kobe is an irritating crybaby.

After being suspended for the second time in two months for throwing, yet another forearm, or should I say back-arm, to the face of an opposing player, Kobe said he got a “raw thing” for his suspension.

I agree that Kobe got a raw deal when he slapped the snot out of Manu Ginobili in the January 28th game against the San Antonio Spurs. But tell me, what did Sir Kobe expect to happen when his subsequent slap against Marko Jaric (Orlando Magic) was a carbon copy of the slap on Ginobili?

Fool you once Kobe, shame on them; them being David Stern, NBA Commissioner and Stu Jackson NBA Executive Vice-President for Basketball Operations, for suspending you for that first offense. But Kobe, fool you twice – shame on you.

Jackson was justified in suspending Kobe a second time; not just because the precedent had been set, but because as Jackson explained, Kobe’s facial connections were the result of “unnatural basketball moves.” If Jackson set the precedent two months earlier, then it was only natural that, at least, the same sentence be handed down after Kobe “klocked” Jaric.

In the following days and weeks many analyst and NBA veterans have attempted to explain away Kobe’s infraction by claiming that he’s always doubled and tripled team, and as a result, inadvertently strikes opposing players in his attempt to secure some elbow room.

Sorry, but that’s bull.

First, Kobe is not the first gifted offensive player to draw major attention from opposing players. Highly touted offensive players who attract multiple defenders have pushed, sometimes sneakingly pulled and even coyly grabbed to create separation, but not many, if any, have struck defenders in the face with a back-arm. And if any former player has apparently they haven’t been as successful as Kobe’s strikes. In addition, on both incidents, Ginobili and Jaric played excellent defense – ain’t that the nature of the game – with minimal help from a teammate.

I guess the same Kobe supporters will attempt to convince me that the elbow to Kyle Korver of the Philadelphia 76ers was due to a double or triple team or maybe something dirty initiated by Korver.

But Jackson is right. Kobe’s follow through, as it related to Ginobili and Jaric, was unnatural.

In the movie “Love & Basketball,” Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan), a freshman shooting guard at University of Southern California was admonished by her coach for posturing – holding up her shooting arm – after making a jumper. The coach made Monica finish the remainder of practice with her in the shooting posture. The last image the basketball world had of Michael Jordan before he return to play for the Washington Wizards was the posture of his arm converting a jumper on Bryant Russell in the sixth game of the 1997-98 NBA Championship series against the Utah Jazz. Wright and Jordan are classic examples of what a natural basketball move is when is comes to shooting a jumper.

Although Kobe said it was no need in complaining about his suspension, the fact is he is complaining. He reminds me of the child whose always in the middle of a disturbance, and most surprised when caught.

In that December 2005 game against the Memphis Grizzlies when Kobe threw that blatant forearm at Miller’s throat, Kobe reacted by initially reaching down to help Miller up (he didn’t help Miller up) as if to say, “my bad dawg – I didn’t mean that.” Later he displayed his swagger and stated that he needed to send a message that no one could just drive down the lane. That forearm was about the fourth questionable forearm Kobe had thrown that season, but the first to earn him a suspension. When told he would serve a two-game suspension, the shocked Bryant, who just days earlier admitted it was an intentional blow with his protecting the lane doctrine said, “I’m very, very surprised about the suspension.”

Once again Kobe tried to create the illusion that he was fouled (when he smacked Jaric), but instead his futile attempts revealed, instead, it was he that fouled. And once again, Kobe is shocked because he received what he deserves – a suspension.

Phil Jackson, Kobe’s coach, reminds me of the parent who argues his child would never do wrong. Coach Jackson claims the League has implemented a “witch hunt” on the anointed one. That’s debatable, but Kobe’s strikes to the face are without defense.

Sir Kobe there’s a saying that goes ‘heavy is the head that wears the crown.’ You wanted to be the man; so much that you contributed to Shaquille O’Neal’s departure from L.A. and possibly Phil Jackson’s subsequent retirement from the Lakers. Now that you are the man, the light shines brightly on you. But there’s yet another saying, ‘be careful for what you wish for, you just might get it;’ and that you did. You wanted a little elbow room, and that’s what the League gave you – so stop whining by always playing the victim.

Brady vs. Bridget

Are you ready to rumble? In one corner we have the man, Tom Brady, the man men want to be and women just want….. In the other corner we have the woman, Bridget Moynahan, beautiful actress, who is pregnant with Brady’s child. OK, no rabbit punches, no hitting below the belt….although I think that was already taken care of, and no hair pulling. Round 1: Moynahan announces that she is 3 months pregnant, which coincidently matches up with the timing of the public break up of the couple after more than 2 years of being significant others. Round 2: At the time of the announcement, Brady is in Paris with his new squeeze, Giselle, the Victoria’s Secret model and is photographed in all manner of public displays of affection. Round 3: the public announcement is made, through a PR rep that Brady and his immediate family are so happy about it all. Round 4: Analysts start to speculate about whether or not she got pregnant on purpose just to “trap him”. Round 5: Other analysts just say, it’s no big deal since being a single Mom after a public break up with a quarterback is old hat (see for reference, Matt Leinart and his USC athlete ex-girl friend). Round 6: Brady doesn’t seem to understand that his image is taking a hit; especially among the ladies. Round 7: Moynahan is spotted with the co-star of her new TV series just in time to promo it all. Round 8: Oh, I don’t know. Do we really have to get into their motivation here? I hope not. The bumper sticker says it all: “S—-t Happens”. Rounds 9 and 10 are a draw and there is no winner. Not even the baby to be; what a shame.

 

The Combine

Never have so many been scrutinized for so little reason. Not that it doesn’t give me a tingly feeling all over to watch men in tight spandex and Under Armor run, jump, sweat and be measured….well their vertical leap at least. The Combine was underway and the fact that some men chose not to show at all while others limited what they were willing to display or have measured makes me realize that this is the last ditch hope for the hopeless or the ultimately hopeful. Or better yet, it’s a way for the teams to re-evaluate those that are willing to be poked and prodded as if they were being sent into outer space. If your career is there for all to see from your years in college and especially the season which just ended and you amassed great stats, what the heck is your reason for going to the Combine? Is it to move up a couple of numbers on the draft board? I guess that could be a reason with the contract money growing smaller as your number gets down lower on the draft board. Is it because you didn’t have the most stellar of years and you want to prove that it was a fluke…that you can be the star you think you are? That sort of works for me too except, why should your wing span, your vertical leap and your clocked time in relay races trump a so-so season? Isn’t the context more important than measurements; you know, the way you play on a football team? Maybe you’re hoping they’ll think your team mates stunk but that you were fabulous. Those that are sought after by teams can show up for a test or two and then tell scouts and coaches that they’ll show off in private work outs JUST for that team. Oh, how insider-ish and foxy have they become! And I’n not sure it’s worth it. But then again, it does make for some great TV.

 

Give Them Contracts for God Sakes

Mariano Rivera, Lovie Smith and Ichiro Suzuki are all in the same boat: the one without a contract extension after proving their worth to their respective teams. The Yanks and Mariners are just being prudent and doing what good business people do when they have aging superstars who still want boat loads of dough and multi year contracts. Suzuki is only 33 and shown no wear and team from his hard hitting and base stealing career. Rivera is getting more delicate but is still the best in the business and can have his innings cut a bit in wins that the Yanks aren’t afraid will evaporate. But the Lovie Smith situation just plain stinks. We all made a big deal about him being one of the first 2 African American coaches in the Super Bowl after a 3 year magical turn around he did for the Bears. And now they are nickel and diming him yet wouldn’t give Jerry Jones permission to even look at him for Parcells’ replacement. What does that say to the players who feel disrespected on behalf of their coach and mentor? I guess it says: Boys, just understand that this is nothing personal, it’s strictly business, except when you misbehave…then it’s personal. You reap what you sow and the Bears aren’t gonna be in for a good year in my opinion.

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

© 2007 Incidental Contact, LLC

It’s Vegas Baby, Vegas

The NBA somehow survived Sin City and we survived seemingly endless discussions about whether it was Ok to have a sporting event near the Strip and in the city that corrupts and titillates. We also saw what our sports stars really love to do: celebrate themselves. According to one NBA player in the All Star game, there were up to 10 parties a night with exclusive invitation lists. So many parties, so little time….you know how that can be, right? I will tell you that I was pleasantly surprised with the 3 pt. shooting contest and the Slam Dunk contest this year. Gerald Green brought back the class and the old school homage to Dee Brown which won the dunk contest for him despite MJ and Doc looking like disapproving parents or guys who are constipated. Come on now, as Lake likes to say: it’s fun guys and these youngsters don’t appreciate that you’re stingy with your points just to prove that you are still the best and invented it all. We get it. For the new kid, Jason Kapono to show up Agent Zero and Dirk Nowitzski in the 3 pt. contest was impressive. But the hoot of the night was the Charles Barkley/Dick Bavetta relay race. Bavetta looked like he was running in quick sand and Barkley can use the man-bra Phil Mickelson discarded recently after losing some LB’s. The kiss on the lips from Barkley to Bavetta just goes to show you that it’s OK to have a major star in the NBA come out as gay. Oh, that’s not gay? That’s right, it’s just metrosexual. Sorry Charles.

 

It’s Harvick By a Nose

OK, OK, I have now bowed to the inevitable and will discuss NASCAR. Hold your nose those of you who can’t believe it. But with ESPN covering and broadcasting the races AND on top of that, preempting my regular favorite daytime shows for NASCAR coverage, they forced me to pay some attention. I gotta’ tell you though, the run up to the race is so much better than the race itself. I know I’m a novice and those of you who are big fans must be spitting your beer out of your nose as I say that. But frankly, without crashes, caution flag laps and then photo finishes I’d rather follow the gossip. And man, was there a lot of that, right? Between “Little E” a/k/a Dale Earnhardt Jr. feuding with his wicked step mother for majority control of his Dad’s company and the cheating scandal that made steroid use in baseball look juvenile there was plenty to make the news. Don’t the crew chief suspensions, firings, deduction from the drivers of championship points and them being sent to the back of the pack like Jeff Gordon make you laugh? Ah….the poor drivers…..they paid for their crews trying to get them a snippet of an advantage by doing stupid things like using a Sterno-like substance mixed in with motor oil or lowering the body of the car a quarter of an inch. But all in all, when the crashes happened and the finish with.02 seconds difference between first and second place, the end of the race was fun. Oh well, I’m not gonna be doing this very regularly but for a day it wasn’t bad.

 

Lefty Melts Down Again

It was déjà vu all over again at the Riviera Country Club this weekend when Phil Mickelson blew a one point lead going into the 18th hole on Sunday and then after 3 playoff holes to the perennial bridesmaid, Charles Howell III. Actually Charlie wanted to lose less not win more. Their playoff looked like me and a girlfriend out on a par 3 course after we hadn’t warmed up at the driving range. Oy vey. What a mess but……this was how Phil lost the US Open last year: with one hole to go and the lead. That sent him reeling for 6 months and got him to lose 25 pounds and change his driver. He still needs to lose more weight and stop the choking on Sunday but other than that: gee Lefty, you’re back!

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

© 2007 Incidental Contact, LLC

Job Wanted

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Messier and Jim Mora Jr. all have something in common: they want new jobs. Mora got a new one but not the one he apparently covets; you know, the one that helped get him fired from the job he already had? These guys publicly, within the last month, have all basically looked at their bosses or at other guys’ jobs and said, “I want that one.” Messier says he wants to be the GM of the NY Rangers hockey team. Mora said that his “dream job” would be head football coach at the University of Washington and his then current boss, the owner of the Atlanta Falcons helped oblige him in one way: he fired him. The UW job wasn’t open so he is now an assistant on another team after messing up an opportunity to make Mike Vick into a star. Messier isn’t even involved in the Ranger organization in any capacity, like scouting or the front office. He’s just well….he’s just Mark Messier damn it and why shouldn’t he just walk off the street and get a GM job, huh? Earnhardt is looking to take over the company named for his late Dad which is owned and run by his step mom Theresa Earnhardt. There is no love lost between them and it’s gotten uglier after she gave an interview a couple of months ago, published in the Wall Street Journal, in which she threw the gauntlet down for him: he’s either a driver or a personality and he can’t be both. Well, you’ve heard of hostile take-overs, right? This one is as hostile as you can get. Dale Jr. isn’t happy with the way his father’s company is being run by Theresa and thinks he can do better. He’s also tired of being the hired help by merely driving for the company and getting paid handsomely. I’m sure he believes if Daddy-O were still around he’d have cut Jr. in by now. He has 0% of the company which is pretty shocking. So he went out publicly and said he wants majority ownership and maybe even the whole enchilada. I guess he’s got the dough to buy Theresa out or if not, will get investors to back him since he is one of the biggest names in racing. The question is, will she sell or say no. His contract as a driver is up at the end of the year and this time bomb is ticking right at the beginning of a new NASCAR season. With Daytona upon us this should be good for a week’s worth of gossip and interviews. The company is valued at up to $100 million depending on who you talk to. Wonder what it would be like with Dale Jr.?

 

Is This the Worst Sports Weekend of the Year?

On Friday’s show (Feb. 9th) Lake asked Serg and me if we thought it was the worst weekend for sports in the entire year. That meant there was no football, unless you count the pathetic Pro Bowl as a game which I’m sure Drew Brees is not happy he did. Lake asked how I’d fill my time without 16 NFL games and I said I filled in with golf and the Lakers. As I have previously said in these pages I don’t watch golf unless Tiger is playing but this weekend was an exception. The AT&T Pebble Beach tournament is one of the funniest weekends of golf you’ll ever experience. Through Saturday, celebs play with the pros and the hilarity of it all just tickles me. First of all, you see that you’re not the only one who shanks an iron in the fairway or sails a putt 10 feet past the hole. But you also get the interplay between the celebs, pros and fans. Bill Murray has been the clown prince of the tournament for years now and is being supplanted by George Lopez. But the crowds love of golf, celebrity and getting close to their golf heroes in one big party. In fact, prior to corporate naming rights, this used to be called the Bing Crosby Pebble Beach Tournament and good old Bing, nicknamed it The Clambake. It was the swinging 50’s and 60’s and Sinatra and Crosby always had a rivalry. Sinatra was the essence of cool and a swinger. Crosby decided to make golf and his Clambake The Place To Be one weekend of the year. He succeeded. By Sunday the celebs are gone and it’s just the pros and top amateurs. Lefty, formerly Hefty, Mickelson won this weekend and good thing since these guys have got to get their chances to rack up points towards the year end jackpot while Tiger’s taking a break. Oh yeah, and the Lakers dumped two games this weekend they should have won. They are fraying at the seams with the injuries just decimating their ranks and the guys left are plain tuckered out. They need an adrenaline boost. Well they are coming home this week after their longest road trip in more than 30 years. Let’s see if the famous “home cookin’” makes a difference.

Til next week, check out my daily Dose of Duffy columns at www.incidentalcontact.com and listen to me on the show Wednesday and Friday.

© 2007 Incidental Contact, LLC

Melo’s All-Star Snub: It’s Justified!

When the NBA’s Western Conference All-Star reserves were announced last Thursday and Carmelo Anthony, the League’s leading scorer, wasn’t among the chosen seven, I was absolutely sure that his snub was the result of an implied message sent by Commissioner David Stern to the League’s coaches.

Concerned about the League’s image, I believed Stern – reminding me of my dad when I was a child – didn’t have to say what he wanted (with regards to Anthony’s appearance on the team), it was just understood and coaches knew they needed to comply with the rule of David Stern’s University.

According to Adrian Dantley, Anthony’s Denver Nuggets assistant coach, Anthony’s snub is ridiculous. “The guy is having a heck of a year,” Dantley, said in an interview with the [Denver Post]. “He should be on it. His team is above .500. Plus, he is one of the top players in the league. As I said to someone else the other day, ‘How are you going to be third-team all-NBA last (season) and have a better year and you don’t make the all-star team?’ It’s ridiculous. Either the coaches don’t like him or it’s because of the fight because this has happened two years in a row.”

Although Anthony, paid the price (a 15 game suspension and the lost of more than a half-million dollars in salary) for his contributions in the Dec. 16th fight with New York Knicks, it appeared his omission from the All-Star team was an indication he was still paying for the ill-fated punch. Never in the history of the NBA has the League’s leading scorer not participated in the All-Star game; making it difficult to understand or agree with his absence.

But as I placed Anthony’s snub at the doorstep of Stern’s sternness, I discovered it’s not so inconceivable that Anthony didn’t receive an invite. The rules, as mandated by the League, requires the head coaches to choose seven reserves to go with the five players voted in by the fans – two guards, two forward, one center and any position player for the remaining positions. Allen Iverson (Denver Nuggets) and Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) filled the guard positions; Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks) and Shawn Marion (Suns) filled the forward requirements. Amare Stoudemire (Suns) was chosen as the center. With one of the two remaining spot, forward Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz was selected.

What looks like a snub against Anthony instead proved to be warranted selection for those chosen. This doesn’t suggest that Anthony isn’t worthy of being an All-Star, it just points out that the selection of the other players may not be as calculated as some may have suspected, including yours truly. Subsequently, maybe, just maybe, Stern can’t be charged with accessory in the missing of the League’s leading scorer not playing in potentially the NBA’s most marketed game.

Statistically, Nowitzki, Marion, and Boozer are performing better than Anthony, with the exception for his scoring. Each player has outrebounded him and shot for a higher percentage from the field. With the exception of Boozer, Anthony shoots for a lower percentage from the arc – Boozer hasn’t attempted a 3-point shot this year. Boozer also has a lower shooting percentage from the charity line. While Denver is winning just above 50 percent of their games, Nowitzki is playing on a team winning 81 percent of their games, with Boozer and Marion playing for franchises winning 65 and 78 percent of their games respectively. Combine the aforementioned with Anthony missing 15 games because of the ill-advised punch and it equates to a justified reason why Melo was left off the Feb. 18th game in the Las Vegas.

Anthony, standing on the outside wanting to get in, still has yet, one more opportunity to gain access to the elite club. Boozer, with a hairline fracture of his tibia, and Yao Ming (Houston Rockets) still recovering from a fracture of his right tibia suffered in December, may not be able to play in the game because of their injuries. If they don’t two replacement players will be chosen by none other than Commission Stern. This will be an opportunity for the basketball world to find out if Stern truly is packaging a message to Melo for dishonoring the image of the League.

If indeed Anthony has paid his “debt to the NBA,” Stern should reward Anthony for his All-Star play although his action last year may have been bush league. Arguably, Anthony didn’t deserve to be chosen among the initial 12, but with potentially two openings, there’s no way Stern can exclude him.

WILL LOVIE STILL HAVE USE FOR WAX GROSSMAN?

I unkindly called Rex Grossman “Wax” Grossman most of the season because of his whiter than white facial pallor but now there is a new reason to do that: he got waxed in the Super Bowl….and big time. What an awful way to lose. The ex-quarterbacks who have analyzed this game all were merciless on the guy. They gave him no excuses, despite the rain and the fact that it was the biggest game of his career. Steve Young, particularly, said that in the rain, any good quarterback knows you have to put some extra mustard on it so that, as Chick Hearn used to say, it doesn’t fall off the hotdog. The throw to Muhammad on the sideline that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown basically sealed the deal for the Colts and was pathetic. It was worse than a wounded duck; no one tipped it from the Colts nor was Waxy in the arms of a defensive guy. So where do we go from here? ESPN already had the poll up this morning about who should start next season for the Bears. Jeez, talk about instant gratification. And the Chicago journalists who were already hedging their bets and not happy about trusting their fate to Waxy had the opportunity to cry and crow simultaneously this morning. But how does that help the obvious problem that this guy is not ready for prime time. At best he is a back up; at worst he won’t get any better. That is Lovie’s dilemma for the off season as we slide into the Combine and the NFL Draft. Brian Griese isn’t an answer; he’s a body taking up space in a uniform. Is Waxy a project that can be salvaged? Is it worth it? I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision.

 

I GUESS DUKE DOESN’T GET ALL THE CALLS AFTER ALL

It was just a couple of weeks ago that Lake, Serg and me were talking about the Clemson/Duke game and the number of seconds on the game clock that failed to tick away at game’s end resulting in extra time for Duke to make a steal and comeback to win. We had a journalist on the show who believed like the guys that it just seems that Duke, at home especially, gets breaks just because they are Duke basketball. Well, let’s see where the guys stand this week. Duke lost 2, count them 2 games in a week and are behind 4 teams in the Conference with a record of 5-4. Has the earth tipped on its axis? Has Superman flown around the world counter clockwise to turn back time? Well something is up since the two losses are to the teams that are ahead of them now in the ACC standings. Of course, Duke lovers will point out that the 2 losses this week/back to back were by a total of 3 points combined; but aren’t those the games that Duke wins because of the favoritism, the fix, the good mojo? Hard to reconcile the fact that one of them, yesterday’s to FL State, a team that has lost 17 in a row on Duke’s floor was a one point loss. What is this world coming to?

 

I GUESS VEGAS WASN’T WRONG

“The Line” on the Super Bowl stayed hovering around 7 and with the 12 point win I’m not exactly sure if the bookies and the odds makers won more or less than they thought they would. On last week’s show we had Mike Konik tell us how sports gambling is set up and how the high rollers make the huge money. Lake and I guessed that the Bears would beat the spread but not by much. Well we were wrong although we picked the Colts. My pick was 23-17 and the final was 29-17. Not bad for someone forced to pick a score, which I hate to do. I think we’ll need Konik back to tell us how his company (www.thesmartmoney.com) performed and how the Colts winning big affected it all. I just know that most folks I know bet straight up or down for one team or another. Me, I don’t bet. I hate to lose a pick, never mind money on a pick. I’d rather have spent it on great beer, wine and food; but hey, that’s just me.

Til next week, check out my daily Dose of Duffy columns at www.incidentalcontact.com and listen to me on the show Wednesday and Friday.

© 2007 Incidental Contact, LLC