NBA Financial woes

By now I know you are aware that the NBA Owners locked its players out last week. What most may not know is that the league is running strong and damn sure profitable. While listening to all the current reports about how many millions the league lost or that 23 team’s lost money this season-See Milwaukee Bucks-.  I had to offer my opinion about this topic. But, first I must quote Mr. Empire of State himself Jay-Z, “men lie, women lie numbers don’t”. Using that line as a guild your eyes might blink twice as mine did after viewing the numbers.  

This chart, cited in Nate Silver New York Times article, highlights the NBA Financial Performance from 1989-2010

Okay, okay it might not make a whole lot of sense to you. Allow me to clear it up for you it comes down to Billionaire looking to make more money while spending less. Business class one on one people!  I honestly feel like the NBA got big too fast, just think in the 70’s and early 80’s no one cared about this game, let alone the money Owners and Players were making. I thank Bird, Magic, and Jordan and now Kobe, Lebron, and Wade who brought more eyes to the game which meant more dollars. Now the Owners want to capitalize from it even more. Scary thought, the entire season might be lost. Word of advice to the both parties involved-- be careful what you ask for you just might get it “mo money mo problems” Biggie Smalls said it best… Until next time live out your DREAMS with some Determination, put forth Real Efforts and given your Abilities; Mean you will have Success.  

Super Friend Team vs. A Strong Deep Team

This past season all the chatter was about Miami’s Big Three, well not everyone believes a collection of Superstars is the only way to win a championship. In a recent interview with Hoopshype New York Knicks point guard Chauncey Billups offer his thoughts about the Knicks building a team…

“I think that in any situation you got to get a team,’’ Billups said in a wide-ranging interview at his basketball camp in suburban Denver. “It’s not about names, how many people on your team can make the All-Star Game. It’s not about that at all. It’s about putting the right pieces together. You got to have a cohesive unit. You got to have guys that know to play off of one another, guys that are going to be unselfish on both ends of the floor. Those are things that win championships, and we’ve seen that clear as day in the Finals.’’

“It’s not about that,’’ Billups said of collecting big names on a team. “We got two of the biggest names in basketball already (in Anthony and Stoudemire). It’s not about that. It’s about getting somebody that can play with the talent that you have… You look at the Mavericks, and they just share the basketball every time down the floor… Dirk is one of the best the game has ever seen. But he couldn’t do it by himself… So it’s all about the team….

I agree with Billups, who is a five-time All-Star who averaged around 17 points and 5 assists a game this last season, and so did the Dallas Mavericks. Building a team and not just a group of Superstars will ultimately be the way to hoist the gold ball at the end of the season. Until next time live out your DREAMS with some Determination, put forth Real Efforts and given your Abilities; Mean you will have Success.

Lockout!

Okay, okay, and okay we’re heard this all before please tell me something I’ve haven’t heard before about this NBA lockout.

This lockout will happen. They’re meeting to save face in the public eyes, as a fan how much should I care about them meeting just to meet, players with their “STAND” t-shirts and the owners with their weak proposal. My guess is the NBA wasn’t educated by the NFL and NFLPA CBA battle.

Thursday will roll around and nothing new will have happen, and we will see the commissioner, David Stern, with the sad look on his face announcing that the owners have no other option but to lock out the players, starting at midnight. How long will it last, if it’s anything like the NFL, which is over 100days in their lockout, my guess it will go deep into the summer months.  

The big problem is that teams are losing money or not even making money. With the players taking home 57% of all revenue the Owners’ are looking to prevent this from happening next year. One way the Owners are looking to solve this problem by rolling back players salaries and have a lower salary cap. The players on the other hand, solution is to open the conversation with a more equal revenue-sharing pie and leave the salaries alone!

Well I know one thing is for sure that come Thursday I’ll be watching a lot of the NBA Classic, NBATV, and heck I might even pop in some VHS, okay I might be reaching with VHS but as a NBA fan I’ll truly miss what my Milwaukee Bucks new cast of players will do next season. Hopefully, whenever this battle over millions is all done there will be great games for us to sit back and enjoy just like this past season. Until next time live out your DREAMS with some Determination, put forth Real Efforts and given your Abilities; Mean you will have Success.

My NBA Awards 2011

DreamsByGriffin 2011 NBA Awards

MVP: Derrick Rose-After all the stories were about those three in Miami Heat, James, Wade, and Bosh, Derrick came up all Roses and stole the show in the East in my book that’s a MVP  

Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin-Anyone with Griffin as their last name will be great! 20pts, 12rebs, and 3assist not bad in his official first year   

Sixth Man Award: Lamar Odom-Mr. Consistence in L.A.  

Coach of the Year: Most difficult award to give out this year. George Karl is my pick. Overcoming personal health issues and the Melo drama still coached the Nuggets in the playoffs without a big-time star is great coaching  

Defensive Player of the Year: AKA the Dikembe Mutombo award. Will be Dwight Howard for a third straight year! If every NBA team had Howard there wouldn’t be much scoring in the paint.

Most Improved Player: Kevin Love-“Mr. Double Up” 53 straight double doubles is enough for me.  

3...2...1...March Madness!

Yep it’s that time of the year once again March Madness basketball junkies’ selection Sunday is less than a week away. This year March Madness is sure to bring us some more memorable moments. I have selected my top ten buzzer beaters. Enjoy them and watch for next year’s top ten list. Until next time live out your DREAMS with some Determination, put forth Real Efforts and given your Abilities; Mean you will have Success.     

Number 10: 2003 Maryland vs UNCW

Number 9: 1992 Georgia Tech vs USC

Number 8: 1990 UConn vs Clemson

Number 7: 1982 UNC vs Georgetown

Number 6: 1987 Indiana vs Syracuse

Number 5: 1998 Valparaiso vs Ole Miss

Number 4: 1998 UConn vs Washington

Number 3: 1983 NC State vs Houston

Number 2: 1995 Missour vs UCLA

Number 1: 1992 Duke vs Kentucky

What will this year bring...

Three pointer to you Ray!

So what Walter Ray Allen shown me his entire career that practice and consistence will result in great performance.  Arguable the best pure shooter the NBA has to offer, and maybe we will ever see, has done the same pregame warm-up for 15years.  Showing up to the arena three hours before game time day in and night out, shoot I can’t even get to bed at the same time 15days in a row; I guess having two kids under  5years old would do that too you, think about that could you show up to work three hours early.  2,561 3-pointers made… and counting might not ever be broken.  And I thought that Reggie Miller, the New York Knick killer, had the best shoot until I saw Ray.  Now I have watched Ray Allen back when he was making game-winning shot against Allen Iverson and Georgetown in 1996 for the Big East Championship, and his shooting release looks the same. Talk about Déjà vu. I don’t think the record couldn’t have been broken against a better team the Los Angeles Lakers. We all know the Lakers-Celtics rich history so why not against them. 

Unlike most, who’s ever watched Ray play and only view him as a three point shooter.  I must refresh your memory Ray dunks!, him and Kobe went dunk for dunk in 97’s NBA All-Star Dunk contest; okay maybe not Ray, who finished fourth, but he has the midrange shot, however behind the 23 feet 9inch arc is where he ended up on most nights.  I recall in one interview Ray was asked if you had to compare your shot to a woman who would it be he said Halle Berry.  I guess even looking at Halle Berry doesn’t get old. His shot won’t either.  I would have said Sannaa Lathan.  Now that he’s in the fourth quarter of his career, who knows the number of three pointers he will continue to hit, but one thing is for certain every shot will look like the last one.  Perfect!  Throughout his 1,076, and counting, games played Ray Allen has shown us that kids, marriage, trades, tragedy, parenthood, life, life’s challenges made him more than a three pointer shooter.  Water Ray Allen here’s a 3-pointer to you for your approach on the game I love and life.  Until next time live out your DREAMS with some Determination, put forth Real Efforts and given your Abilities; Mean you will have Success.

         

SUPER BOWL XLV

If you would ask Aaron Rodgers how you spell closure he might say S-U-P-E-R B-O-W-L M-V-P! After an outstanding performance in Super Bowl XLV in Dallas against Pittsburgh Steelers there shouldn’t be much more talk about a Brett Lorenzo Favre for some time now if you ask me. I might be reaching a little bit by saying Bart Starr “Mr. Rodgers” might be moving into your neighborhood very, very soon as the Packers greatest QB-barring no major injuries. Let’s, ask General Manager Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy how you spell closure too, they might say A-a-R-O-N R-O-D-G-E-R-S. Those two are smiling from Arlington to Green Bay, and I don’t blame them. With Rodgers three touchdowns and 304 yards passing his name will be the second in Packers history to be named MVP of the biggest football game the National Football League has to offer. That is something a particular number 4 will never do! The road to Super Bowl MVP wasn’t easy. Drafted 24^th overall in 2005 by the Packers seating behind Favre for three years, and coming up short in a few times during the playoffs only makes Sundays victory much more rewarding. Look at what Rodgers did this playoff season over one thousand yards passing and nine touchdowns. That has only been done once before by Kurt Warner. Not even Joe Montana, Tom Brady, or Payton Manning accomplished those numbers.

Can anyone tell me where the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu was? He was a non-factor throughout the game. I hope that Polamalu don’t use his Achilles tendon injury as a way to escape from his lack of involvement in Sundays game. No lifelines here sorry. At least Greg Jennings, who score both of his touchdowns against Polamalu, wasn’t about to give any lifelines too him. So much for who’s hair, Polamalus’ or Clay Matthews’, would provide more strength in Super Bowl XLV. Clay Matthews came up with arguably the biggest play of the game with the force fumble on Rashard Mendenhall. While Polamalu guessed wrong with his aggressive play.  

Now can we all please put to rest the talk about Super Bowl experience having meaning? It should never be mention again after this year Super Bowl. Thank you Green Bay Packers. The team with the most championship experience committed three costly turnovers which end result was 21 Packers points. It’s all about playing in the moment and the Packers did just that!

So Rodgers, Ted Thompson, nor McCarthy might never win a spelling bee contest however, they showed you, me, and the world how to win a Super Bowl Championship. Go Pack Go! Until next time live out your DREAMS with some Determination, put forth Real Efforts and given your Abilities; Mean you will have Success.