Gswede - Sports

My Lakers - Disappointed YET excited about 2012.

2011-05-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a moment that put a dagger in my heart. A dear woman friend (Swedish) in the USA who has never critiqued my Los Angeles Lakers wrote:

"They didn't even bother to show up.... Bunch of ??????? (except Fisher);

I purposely left out the derogatory word as it's painful to read. Her "spot on" comment hit me like a ton of bricks. As a die-hard Lakers fan, that was a big dose of reality about their pathetic play.

Another moment that aptly describes this series was early in the 3rd quarter of Game 4. Laker Ron Artest had an open layup that would have cut the lead to 17 points. The momentum was in LA's favor as Dallas came out lazy in the 2nd half after a glorious first half of basketball. Artest missed the terribly easy shot and in an instant, the game was back to a 25 point Dallas lead.

Game and series over.

There was still a glimmer of hope when Artest choked yet his failure exemplified the consistently poor play of the Lakers throughout this series.

Magic Johnson (NBA Hall of Famer) couldn't explain the complete collapse of his beloved team. I can't. I don't think anyone can. There must be some underlying issue as I have never seen any legendary franchise compete this poorly in a playoff series. Is someone in the Laker organization dying and we don't know about it? That might explain a collapse of this proportion.

Whatever the reason, let's not forget that this Dallas team played extraordinary basketball. When two players hit 15 of 16 three-point shots as Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic did in game 4, it's nearly impossible for an opposing team to get a victory.

For my Lakers to get blown out in this pivotal game 4 is embarrassing. As a fan who has been bleeding Purple and Gold for 32 years, it was painful to witness. It's happened to us before (Memorial Day Massacre) when Boston crushed us in Game 1 of the 1985 NBA finals although it was only one bad game. The Lakers recovered after that terrible defeat and went on to capture the 1985 NBA championship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIja-CPHfUI&amp

Am I angry? A bit.

Am I disappointed? A lot.

Does it hurt? Sure does.

Am I excited for the 2011- 2012 season and beyond? Absolutely!

We have a proud and long history of success - namely 16 NBA titles and we will be back.

Mitch Kupcheck (Lakers GM) will have to make some tough choices in the coming months. In my opinion, every player except Kobe Bryant is expendable. I would love to see them make a serious effort for Dwight Howard of the Orland Magic and we have the players that others teams desire ( Gasol, Odom or Bynum) to make a deal like that happen.

After this disaster, we need new blood and that includes the coach.

Brian Shaw has been a faithful assistant to Phil Jackson for 6 years. In addition, he played on some great Laker teams and was a strong player and leader on and off the court. I hope they are smart enough to give the reins to him.

As for Dallas, the way they are playing gives them a great opportunity to win an NBA title. If they don't get their first championship, the heavy sweep of the Lakers won't mean much. It will just be another playoff failure for this solid organization. I wish them well as I am a fan of their owner, Mark Cuban.

For all the Laker Haters (and there are many), enjoy your time in the sun as it won't be long. The Lakers will rise again and compete for the 2012 NBA championship.

A personal thanks to the greatest coach of all-time, Phil Jackson. He guided this Lakers franchise to 5 thrilling championships in the last decade including last year's stunning victory over Boston - my personal favorite.

Kobe, get re-focused. NBA teams, watch out.

Laker Doubters, I look forward to smiling down on you with the NBA's O'Brien trophy glistening in the air as we hold it up for our 17th NBA title.

Gswede

Butler Basketball - Still a Minor

2011-04-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

What we witnessed tonight in the NCAA College Basketball Championship was an incredibly bad performance from the Butler Bulldogs against the University of Connecticut Huskies (UConn).

In their "Moment of Truth", they put on one of the worst displays ever in a title game. It was brutal to witness. UConn was a big reason why Butler suffered tonight, playing an intense and focused 2nd half of basketball to seal the victory. They deserve a hearty congratulations!

Therein lies the difference between a MAJOR and a Mid-major. Butler shot 18%, lowest OF ALL TIME in a championship game. Would that horrible shooting performance happen to a Major university? Everyone should know the answer to that question.

The mid-majors had a glorious run with the success of VCU and Butler, both making it to the Final Four in 2011. Since these institutions lack the resources of the major colleges and don't get the most talented players, their success this year was remarkable.

Being a former Division 1 player of a mid-major (University of Vermont), I'm happy to see the smaller colleges prevail in this great tournament. But, on the Grand Stage (Championship), I think it will be a long time before victory comes to one of these programs.

Butler has a great program and they should be proud of their success in the last two years - making it to the Championship in 2010 as well, losing to Duke. In addition, they have given hope to the likes of VCU, a team that has no doubt gained inspiration from them.

The Bulldogs may once again get to the main event of college hoops although in terms of capturing the top prize, they are still a "Minor" - which was made crystal clear tonight.

Gswede

The Pressure was too Much for this Kid

2010-12-20T22:21:00.000-08:00

In college sports, moments which I call "moments of truth" happen frequently although usually not with this much money on the line.

Kyle Brotzman missed as easy field goal that would have assured his team a place in the Rose Bowl and brought millions of dollars to his college.

A few paragraphs from the NY Times article:

On the last play of regulation in a tie game against Nevada in Reno on Nov. 26, with a chance to keep Boise State’s national championship hopes alive and with a fallback spot in the Rose Bowl virtually assured, Brotzman pushed a 26-yard field goal a smidge to the right. In overtime, still shaken, he pulled a 29-yard attempt left. Nevada won, 34-31.

Benson is a Boise State alumnus. He is sympathetic to what Brotzman must be going through. He is also a pragmatist.

“Eight million dollars would have come to the WAC if he makes the kick,” Benson said. “That’s the reality of it.”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/sports/ncaafootball/21boise.html?_r=1&ref=sports)

Here are the financials from the same article for both school and coach:

The Rose Bowl, like other Bowl Championship Series games, touts a per-team payout of $17 million. For teams like Boise State and others in one of the five conferences without an automatic bid, the payout is $12 million, Benson said. Boise State figured to gain $3 million, the other WAC teams would have split $5 million, and the four other second-tier conferences would have split $4 million.

Instead, Texas Christian of the Mountain West Conference is going to the Rose Bowl. Boise State will get part of the $1 million payout in Las Vegas, and the WAC will get a fraction of T.C.U.’s reward.

The missed kick also cost Boise State Coach Chris Petersen a $125,000 performance bonus due if his team reached a B.C.S. game, according to details of his latest contract. (The bonus for reaching a certain level in the N.C.A.A.’s Academic Progress Rate: $20,000.)

The most difficult loss to measure is the intangible of exposure. Last season’s Rose Bowl, between Oregon and Ohio State, had nearly six times the number of viewers as the Las Vegas Bowl between Oregon State and Brigham Young. That could affect things like Boise State’s alumni donations, application numbers and recruiting.

Should that kind of presurre ride on the shoulders of one player? Yes. BIG big time sports are for BIG time players. This was his chance to shine and he failed to make a kick he probably prepared for his whole life.

Here's some of the backlash from the story:

Yet when Brotzman missed the kicks against Nevada, the fallout was immediate and disturbing. Talk-show and bulletin-board chatter was nasty. Fans established ridiculing Facebook pages. (A counter-campaign in support took hold, however, and by the end of last week about 45,000 people had signed on to a Facebook page called “The Bronco Nation Loves Kyle Brotzman.”) A man who gambled heavily on Boise State reportedly made threatening phone calls to the family home.

“There was definitely an immediate backlash: ‘This kid cost us a chance at the national championship,’ ” the Idaho Statesman sports columnist Brian Murphy said. “It helped that Oregon and Auburn kept winning, so it didn’t really lose a spot in the championship game. And then there was the backlash to the backlash.”

At the end of the day, it's just a football game yet this kid will have trouble forgetting this day. I'm glad someone showed Kyle Brotzman some compassion as he will need plenty more.

“I just went up and hugged him and said: ‘You got a great future ahead of you. You’ve got to let that thing go by you,’ ” Hill said. “He was in good spirits. But that’s something that will be with him his whole life. I think he understands that’s part of the game. He’s a great young man. He had a 50-yarder the week before against us in the freezing cold. Right down the middle.”

Gswede

"White Shadow" couldn't help Turkey as USA wins World Championship Gold

2010-09-12T23:55:00.000-07:00

It was very interesting to read how one of my favorite TV shows (White Shadow), helped the popularity and expansion of basketball in Turkey. Their dedication to the game helped them to reach the Finals of the World Championships.

Though the show had modest USA ratings, in Turkey it was a BIG hit.

I implore you to read the article titled, "Turkey Channeled "White Shadow" as Basketball Caught On". A few paragraphs and the link are below:

Turkey’s rapid rise as a basketball power can be traced, in part, to “The White Shadow,” whose 54 episodes appeared on black-and-white TV here from 1980 to 1982.

“It made people aware of basketball in Turkey,” said Alper Yilmaz, a former national team player who works in the front office of Efes Pilsen, a club in Istanbul that has won 13 Turkish League titles since its founding in 1976.

“There was already basketball in Turkey,” Yilmaz added, “but after that show, everyone started playing.”

“ ‘The White Shadow’ effect is real,” Aytac Erenler, a former player at Middle East Tech in Ankara wrote in an e-mail. “It immediately influenced crowds and even made parents look more positively to their children’s passion for shooting a ball to a rim attached to the electric pole on the street for hours.”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/sports/basketball/10whiteshadow.html?scp=1&sq=white%20shadow&st=cse)

The inept attitude and play of the USA over the years at these championships was never surprising to me as we were lazy, unfocused and had a lousy structure. Not any more.

To see our dominance not only in these games but in all areas of basketball (USA holds every world title) is not surprising either because we finally have a system in place that gives us the opportunity to play our best basketball despite the differences in international rules and style of play.

The paragraphs below (followed by the link) tell the story of how times have changed:

Durant’s dominance underscores the larger theme of this American victory. The team came here without a single member of the 2008 gold-medal-winning Olympic team but won in part because of the larger infrastructure Jerry Colangelo has built at USA Basketball since 2006, in the wake of several embarrassing performances in the past decade.

American basketball now holds every major world title — Olympic, world championships, FIBA Under-19, FIBA Under-17, FIBA Americas Under-18 and FIBA Americas Under-16. The United States also qualified for the 2012 Olympics in London and overtook Argentina for the No. 1 world ranking, sealing a renaissance that had been years in the making.

“It’s a tribute to the structure and foundation we have for USA Basketball that we can turn over as many players that we have and be as successful as we’ve been,” said Colangelo, the organization’s managing director.

Krzyzewski’s international record in the period since taking over the team again in 2006 is now 49-1. He completed an impressive triple crown by winning the world championships gold to go with an Olympic title in 2008 and an N.C.A.A. title at Duke in 2010. After losing in his two previous tries at the world championships, Krzyzewski appeared emotional after the victory.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/sports/basketball/13fiba.html?_r=1&ref=sports)

Over the past 16 years, some of my European friends would tease me or give that sly proud smile when the USA went down in defeat time after time. I don't think any of them are laughing now.

I tried to explain to them that if we ever truly cared, got focused and put a plan in place with the proper players, it would be EXTREMELY difficult to beat us despite the location. Being a former Division 1 basketball player, I hope they took my words to heart as my background should have elicited a bit of credibility.

Coach Ken Reeves from the "White Shadow" did a wonderful job of molding his kids and teaching them the game of basketball. Turkey gained a great deal of inspiration from the show and that is a beautiful thing. The rest of the world will need a bit of that "White Shadow" magic in order to take away our title as the World's best.

I wish our competitors well although I have a feeling that we will reign supreme for many years to come.

Gswede

NBA Finals 2010 - A Kobe to Remember

2010-06-03T00:41:00.000-07:00

As many people know, I'm an unabashed Los Angeles Lakers Fan. Magic is my favorite player although I have great respect for Kobe's skills and drive despite his childish behavior in the past - arrogance which could have cost us a championship between 2000 and 2002.

It's Kobe's time now and I expect him to deliver another title to LA - his 5th which would equal the great Magic Johnson. The Boston Celtics will be an extremely tough opponent but the Lakers will prevail. If the Celtics get into the psyche of the players around Kobe, things could get very tough for the Lakers.

As the wonderful article (portion below) from the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy points out, Magic beat the Celtics twice in the NBA Finals and Kobe never has. The title of the piece is "Bryant in a must-win situation".

Kobe will give Phil Jackson his 11th championship ring (Sorry Red) and it will be a Kobe performance to remember.

The fun starts tonight!

Gswede
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In succession, we’ve seen the Celtics expose and demolish Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard in the first three rounds of the playoffs.

Now it’s all about Kobe Bryant. Do not forget this.

The Celtics and Lakers tap off in Game 1 tonight, and it’s impossible to understate the Kobe factor. Bryant won’t admit it, but he is on a mission to solidify his legacy by winning a championship against the hated Celtics. He has won with Shaq and without Shaq. He has beaten the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets, and the Orlando Magic in the Finals. But he’s never beaten Boston.

You can’t be the best player in the world if you lose two championship series to the Celtics. You can’t be the greatest Laker of all time if Magic can say he beat the Celtics twice in the Finals and you never beat them.

Kobe has had one shot at beating Boston, and he remains haunted by 2008, when he shot only 40 percent in the six-game loss to the Green. He made only 7 of 22 shots in the humiliating clincher and walked off the court in silent fury after the 39-point drubbing. Now he is back and he is a man on a mission.
(http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2010/06/03/bryant_in_a_must_win_situation/)

Comparing Lebron to Jordan MUST End Now

2010-05-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

It has never failed to insult me when someone tried to compare Lebron James (LJ) to Michael Jordan (MJ).

Yes, he has the physical tools and talent for the comparison although I NEVER thought he would be able to win the 6 Championships like MJ. In addition, I've never felt that LJ had the KILLER attitude of MJ. It didn't matter what situation he was in or who the Bulls were playing, MJ always came to destroy the opponent - Always.

Even a single performance by LJ and the Cleveland Cavaliers on their home court, like game 5's pitiful display against the Boston Celtics should stop any future comparison. Did you ever see MJ have a performance like the description below? I'll answer the question for you - NO!

The reigning two-time MVP missed 11 of 14 shots Tuesday while settling for jumpers at an alarmingly ineffective rate. His Cavs lost 120-88 in Game 5, which trends historically as the crucial game of any tight series. James was 0 for 4 at the half and did not score his initial field goal until the 30th minute when he leaked away for a soft two-handed dunk that nicked at Boston's ascendant 65-52 advantage. As he ran back to his teammates he heard cheers tinged with about-time sarcasm.

"We played awful," said James. "They got every right to boo us if they want to."
(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ian_thomsen/05/12/celtics.cavs5/)

This statement by Lebron from the same article above is very telling:

"I put a lot of pressure on myself to try to be great, to try to be the best player on the court. And when I'm not, I feel bad for myself because I'm not going out there and doing the things that I know I can do. I'm not going to hang my head low or make excuses about anything that may be going on. That's just not the type of player and the type of person that I am."

Can you imagine MJ feeling bad for himself? When that happens, confidence is shaken and the focus goes away from the goal on the court - namely winning.

In all my years of basketball (including Division 1 at UVM) I never felt bad for myself even when my play was less than stellar or a coach performed poorly. My confidence stayed high as I knew what I was capable of bringing to the basketball court. In my opinion, "feeling bad for yourself" is a sign of weakness in many areas not just basketball - something that should worry the Cavaliers.

Keep in mind that I like Lebron and the way he has carried himself and the NBA to new heights. He seems to be very team oriented and his personal life has not become tabloid fodder. What really matters in the end is how many championships he wins, not the numerous MVP awards (two so far) he will win in the future.

Kobe Bryant's legs and body are hurting now at the age of 31 because he has put so much wear and tear on them after coming to the NBA directly from high school as a teenager. It wouldn't surprise me to see LJ in that same predicament in 6 years as he came to the league in the same fashion as Kobe.

I'll be kind and give LJ ten more healthy seasons in the NBA - years he will be lucky to get. In those 10 years, he needs 6 Championship rings to equal the mighty MJ. With his past performances and numerous chances to win an NBA title including this year, would you put your money on him getting 6 rings? I wouldn't and he won't. 6 MVP's maybe.

Let's hope he can bounce back from this recent negativity. This criticism should make him stronger. If not, the all important NBA championships could remain elusive.

Now at 25, he is on the verge of being defined negatively for the first time in basketball. What he may not realize now, but will learn to appreciate at the far end of his career, is that he needs this criticism. Each of the biggest winners before him failed in his own way -- Michael, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird -- and each was driven by that failure to succeed. The question for James is whether this failure is put to an end with victories in the next two games, or whether it is carried forth throughout the long summer ahead, carrying him like a flooding tide away from Cleveland and to a new home entirely.
(from same article as first quote above)

Having lived in Manhattan for a decade along with working at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in the mid 1990's, I hope LJ is brave enough and wise enough to take his talents to the "World's Most Famous Arena". The Big Apple would love to have him!

Being a free agent this year, I don't know if he is ready for the bright lights of New York City but it would sure give him the test of a lifetime and if he succeeds, the Cleveland years will be an afterthought.

Jordan loved to play at MSG and had some of his most memorable games there including a game 5 victory over the NY Knicks in the 1993 Conference Finals on route to a third championship. I enjoyed that game 20 rows from the court.

Lebron just wasted a game 5 victory versus Boston and his team will be hard pressed to recover and win the series if he doesn't stop "feeling bad for himself"

Kobe - Great Player who Plays with Pain

2010-01-23T13:07:00.000-08:00

Kobe Bryant is truly one of the greats in NBA history although many people are unaware of his endurance. In addition, he often plays despite serious injuries.

He's no Michael Jordan in this department as you will see from the following paragraphs but he's gritty:

Bryant has played a full complement of regular-season games four times in his career, including playing in all 50 games during the lockout-shortened 1999 season. That falls far short of the threshold established by Michael Jordan, who played 82 games in nine different seasons, including his final one in 2002-3.

Tim Grover, Jordan’s former trainer, has worked with Bryant for the past few years to address what Bryant felt were physical weaknesses, which he declined to specify. With age, Bryant has defied the significant injuries that nagged him earlier in his career.

In the 1999-2000 season, he missed the first six weeks with a hand injury. He missed games with a cut finger in 2003-4 and 14 games with an ankle injury the next season. He has had two knee operations during his career.

The entire NY Times article can be found at the following link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/sports/basketball/23kobe.html?ref=sports

Happy Gswede Saturday!

Montana, Gretzky and Smith on Same Team (not Joe, Wayne or Will)

2009-10-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

All 3 sons seems to have a good future. The link to the full story is below.

Happy Gswede Wednesday!
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Quarterback Nick Montana is the son of Joe Montana, who led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. His backup is Trevor Gretzky, whose father, Wayne, won four Stanley Cups and proceeded directly to the Hockey Hall of Fame after retiring as the N.H.L.’s career leading scorer.

One of Nick Montana’s favorite receivers is Trey Smith, a junior who is developing into a Division I prospect, Redell said. Trey’s father is the actor Will Smith, who has cleared his schedule so he can attend every game.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/sports/14oaks.html?emc=eta1

The Greatest Team You Never Heard Of

2009-10-01T01:38:00.000-07:00

Kareem has always been an ispiration both on and off the court - this story is one of the reasons why. A few paragraphs and the link to the entire NY Times article are below.

Happy Gswede Thursday!
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Abdul-Jabbar’s Labor of Love

By HOWARD BECK
Published: September 30, 2009

Based on Abdul-Jabbar’s book of the same name, the documentary summons the musical, cultural and intellectual history of the Harlem Renaissance to tell the story of the Rens, an all-black New York team and, as Abdul-Jabbar calls it, “the greatest team you never heard of.”

The book was published in 2007. Abdul-Jabbar has been working on the film since then, with an expected release in February, during Black History Month. His mission is to convey the rarely told story of professional basketball’s roots.

“Everybody thinks it started in 1947, with the N.B.A., and they have no idea what professional basketball was like prior to the N.B.A.” Abdul-Jabbar, a Hall of Fame center who is now an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, said during an interview at the Armory. “In that era, it was a time when sports were segregated. A lot of people I talked to, interviewing them for the documentary, didn’t even know that the N.B.A. itself was segregated for its first three years of existence.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/sports/basketball/01jabbar.html?emc=eta1

Becoming President easier than Head College Football Coach?

2009-02-20T03:32:00.002-08:00

You wouldn’t think that in 2009 it would be more likely for an African-American to become president of the United States than to be hired as head coach of a top-20 football program. But that seems to be the case.

Of 120 teams in the N.C.A.A.’s Bowl Subdivision, the top tier of play, only seven have black head coaches.
(Above is from the NY Times link below)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/opinion/20dungy.html?ref=opinion

Two African-Americans have won the Super Bowl in recent years yet the top level of college football has a weak record of black head coaches.

Why?

This paragraph, written by former Indianapolis Colts Coach and Super Bowl champion Tony Dungy sums up the why: (full article is on link above)

With the progress that has been made in terms of diversity in politics, in other collegiate sports and in professional football — Edwards, Smith and Tomlin all got top jobs in the N.F.L. — why is college football hiring so far behind? At a seminar last spring in Indianapolis with other N.F.L. and college head coaches and university athletic directors, I asked that very question, and was enlightened by the responses of those directors. The biggest factor, they said, was the involvement of other people associated with the universities. It was not just the president and the athletic director who made the hiring decisions — alumni and boosters were involved, and the presidents often felt pressure to hire coaches the boosters would support.

One reason colleges should improve in this area comes from the same article:

February is also the month that high school football players choose the colleges they will attend in the fall. While it’s an exciting day for those seniors, it’s a disappointing day for me. You see, many of those players who choose the top schools are African-American and yet almost none of them will get the opportunity to play for an African-American head coach. Of 120 teams in the N.C.A.A.’s Bowl Subdivision, the top tier of play, only seven have black head coaches.

Will they bold enough to do the right thing? I hope so as we don't want to see the great strides made in racial relations begin to go the other way.

Gswede

73 and Still Shooting Hoops!

2008-12-10T02:45:00.000-08:00

One thing that I WILL NOT be doing is playing basketball (heck, I don't play now) at 73 but this story is inspiring for those who do wish to be active at at any age.

This man has obviously taken tremendous care of himself and he is reaping the "Hoop Dreams" fruits of his labor!

Remember, it is never too late to exercise and get that body moving. Since my half-marathon on September 6 in Sweden, I have been less than stellar in my running workouts. That will soon change.

A few paragraphs from the article are below. You can click on the link for the full story.

Gswede
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/sports/ncaabasketball/10player.html?ref=sports

For a guy Mink’s age, two-a-days are a likely reference to multivitamins, not double practices. But while shooting around in a neighbor’s driveway in the summer of 2007, he realized he still had his shooting stroke. So he sent e-mail messages to eight tiny colleges near his home in Knoxville, Tenn. Perhaps a small school could use a guy with an old-school push shot.

Mink said he joined the Air Force in November 1956 and played regularly in military tournaments for four years. He then went on to a career as a newspaper editor, continuing to play basketball in recreation leagues. Since retiring in 1999, he and his wife said, Mink has kept active by playing golf, walking, hiking, skiing, even hang gliding. He has published a book, “So, You Want Your Kid to be a Sports Superstar,” and along with his wife, edits an online travel magazine

Late in that game, Mink entered and found himself open in the corner. He gave a pump fake, and the defender ended up draped over him like raccoon coat. Calmly, he hit both free throws. The Hack-a-Mink strategy had failed.

Boston Celtics - Right Frame of Mind

2008-10-05T05:10:00.000-07:00

Last year was the right TIME

This year, they seem to have the right FRAME OF MIND

Will there be a 2nd Consecutive NBA Title for the Celtics in June 2009?

I wouldn't bet against them although I hope my Lakers can battle their way back to the NBA Finals.

Below is a paragraph (and link) from a NY Times article on the cohesiveness of the Celtics.

Gswede
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Garnett also reminded the team of ubuntu, a South African concept introduced by Coach Doc Rivers last season to underline the importance of selflessness, unity and teamwork: When the team is elevated, the individual is elevated; when the team is diminished, the individual is diminished.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/sports/basketball/05rhoden.html?ref=sports

The Bradyless Bunch

2008-09-09T00:22:00.000-07:00

This is sort of like going to a Springsteen concert, waiting for the Boss, then hearing a bow-tied announcer tell you, "Bruce cannot be here tonight. Someone else will be fronting the E Street Band."

Dan Shaughnessy from the Boston Globe head the nail on the head with the above paragraph. "Sunday, Sept 7, 2008 goes down as the day the music died at Patriot Place", as he so honestly put it. The full article can be found on link: (http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2008/09/08/welcome_to_life_without_tom/)

Brady's injury immediately made me think of the time my golfing buddy (16 handicap), lost his swing for an 8 week period. I (27 handicap) had never beaten him before but I seized on his unexplained weakness and battered him relentlessly 6 straight times and made sure he never forgot it during those wonderful weeks. After he regained his touch, I never came close to winning again but those times were awfully sweet.

Opponents of the Patriots should have a similar mindset and take the opportunity to put a profound beating on the Bradyless Bunch and let them know in no uncertain terms just how mortal they now are. In football, all that matters is winning so "kicking someone when they are down" is okay in this instance. An NFL career is short, and opportunities like this are rarely gift wrapped with a silver bow like this one.

I like Tom Brady and feel for him but the bad karma around Bill Belichick and the videotaping has now come back to bite them. As I believe, when you do good, good things usually happen but when you deliberately do bad or illegal things, it is just a matter of time before fortune frowns on you.

Fortune may not smile on the Patriots again for a long, long time.

Patriot Fans, don't for one minute think your team is going to be any good this year! Not a chance. Emotion and Loyalty may cloud your judgment but you know in your heart that this team will be lucky to be a shade above ordinary.

I played college sports at the highest level, (Division 1 basketball ) and the MAIN reason were my shooting skills. If not for my wicked jump shot, I would have played no higher than Division 2. Like me, Brady's Patriots had the luxury of playing at the top of their sport, the NFL. Without him, the Bradyless bunch has zero possibility of wearing that championship ring.

I am sure fans of the Patriots will rally around the new sheriff in town, QB Matt Cassel.

Matt may even have these thoughts about himself:

When Drew Bledsoe was injured, Tom Brady got his chance and became a star. Why can't I?
I have always been a leader and I can lead this team.
I am a good friend and people will respect me.

I have a better thought for you Matt:

I have seen Tom Brady play,

Tom Brady's leadership skills and greatness are unquestionable,

Tome Brady seemed to be a friend to everyone,

Matt Cassell, you are no Tom Brady.

Gswede

4 -2 Celtics - Correct Games, Wrong Team

2008-06-19T01:19:00.000-07:00

In the early 90's, Dave Cowens at one of our events in Boston

I predicted a Patriots Victory. Wrong.

I predicted a Celtics Loss. Again, wrong. The only thing I got right were the games, 4-2.

Can it get any better for the BEST sports city in America? Almost 3 in a row with the Red Sox winning last year.

The way MY Lakers crushed the Spurs and cruised through the playoffs, I had no doubt that Boston would be a similar victim. Waking up at 5am during the third quarter of Game 6, I nearly turned off the tv. 30 points down. I was as angry as I was stunned.

The Lakers were woefully bad on defense during the series (game 4 with a 24 point lead was one display) and Kobe couldn't get into that Jordan 64 Chevy level.

Don't dare compare Kobe to Jordan especially after his uninspired play. I hear and read talk of this constantly and it is an insult to MJ. For those that think Kobe is better, just imagine for a minute if Jordan had Shaq during his career! And Kobe barely won 3 rings with Shaq, one of the greatest centers in NBA history. (Portland in the 2000 Western Finals should have beaten them with a double digit lead in the 4th quarter of the 7th game).

The Celtics showed everyone what is essential to winning a championship. Red Auerbach would be extremely proud.

a) Talent - Kevin, Paul and Ray. A luxury to have those three scorers that put TEAM first.

b) Bench and Rondo - Boston's bench was clearly superior. Aggressive and unafraid. Rondo came alive in game 6.

c) Team - Like the 1985/86 club with Larry Bird, this is a well-rounded TEAM and that is quite special being together for only a year.

d) Coach & GM - Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge were exceptional in molding this team into a cohesive unit.

e) DEFENSE - They mauled the Lakers in Game 6. The score is embarrassing to print.

The Atlanta series gave doubters reason to criticize but they bounced back in Game 7 and thumped them vigorously. Boston probably gained a lot of confidence from that battle.

The Celtics actually got better as the playoffs progressed. That can take many years with a new cast of players but they were on a mission.

The Spurs might have played the Celtics tougher because their defense would have been better.

Below is analysis of the finals from two friends that grew up in Boston. The first comes from a former Division 1 basketball player and the 2nd comes from an athlete that is knowledgeable about many sports including hoops.

One of my favorite sports writers from the Boston Globe, Bob Ryan, called the #17 team the 2nd greatest to ever wear the Green and White. The first is below and I remember them well. 50-1 at home says it all! Click on the link for Ryan's top 10 Celtics teams.

1985-86
Record: 67-15
Playoff record: 15-3
Result: Championship

Bird was at his peak. The greatest team ever if you consider no other club has ever brought anything resembling a healthy Bill Walton off the bench. This squad was 50-1 at home, regular season and playoffs combined. This Lost Generation of Celtics fans need no longer slap on their headphones and begin rolling their eyes when the smug followers of champions 1 through 16 begin rhapsodizing about the virtues of their favorite Celtics squads of yore. Their team, No. 17, can compete with any that has ever worn the Green and White.
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/06/19/greatest_of_the_green/

I welcome your analysis. Feel free to post it below.

LA and Boston in 2009? Would love to see it.

Gswede
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Thoughts about The Celtics winning #17

1. Kevin Garnett – if he is not on the team, they don't win it.
2. Ray Allen – needed to end his slump. He did.
3. Paul Pierce – Mr. Consistency. When it counted, he played well throughout the playoffs.
4. Role players – across the board the role players played extremely well. Brown and Posey in particular.

I don't think I have seen a finals game so thoroughly dominated. It was over about mid way through the second period. This is the best defensive team I have ever seen – possibly rivaled by the Pat Riley Knicks…

Regarding the Lakers – I emailed this thought to you before – not sure if it is Kobe but the team looked disjointed to me. They didn't look together – small things like communication looked strained – Bryant barely opened his mouth to speak to other players or the coaches… what is that about?

The spirit was gone quickly when they went down 0-2 and didn't really recover – they were broken for good when the Celtics won the game in LA…

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Here's my analysis on the series.

A major turning-point was the Paul Pierce 'Rocky' style comeback after the knee. Whether it was staged or real, it was significant because it was emotional. This lifted the team, the city and changed the tone of the team. It ignited them because while he was off the court, they came together and still maintained the lead and intensity. Add to him coming back and they knew with him they could do it, but they now knew without him they could do it.

Rondo was the best kept secret. I've always wondered if Doc gave him the green light or not. At times the kid just plain took over. But then it was as though he was told not to be aggressive at times. So I was a bit confused, but knew he was the real deal even while reporters were questioning his ability.

I believe everybody got duped by the Atlanta series. Every opponent Boston faced in the series believed after the Atlanta series they were vulnerable. What nobody knew, which we now know, is that there were more than just the big three that can contribute. What people have to realize and the Lakers know it best, is that when the starting five for the Celtics DECIDE to lock you down, there is nothing you can do about it.

Their offense is always going to be there for them because they have four legitimate scorers. You may think Rondo can't score, but he's quicker than most guards he faces. When he wants to penetrate he can. But more importantly he can defend. Billups is the only guard who really got physical with him. But Rondo never really backed-down.

So in this particular series it was made evident that when they decided to play defense it was a wrap. You can criticize Phil or Gasol etc, but the reality is that this is one of the most dominating defensive team in the NBA. The Pistons were like that when they won their championships. Even San Antonio has good defense. But I guess on top of all of that, they were a team. These guys are 10+ in the league and they won all the personal accolades they could win. They have basketball knowledge, so as mature individuals they were able to put that basketball knowledge together and forego the egos to win an NBA Championship.

The only thing that really could have stopped this team from winning it all was injuries.The interesting thing about them versus San Antonio as a team concept type organization is the passion shown by Pierce and Garnett. If those two were more like Rondo and Allen, they would've been boring like San Antonio, but still won. These guys were emotional, but they played like a team.

Kobe keeps receiving all these accolades for being the greatest player and he has won his rings. But he nor can anybody else, including MJ win a championship without a team. And of course, without defense. Utah is the perfect example with Stockton and Malone. They looked great but there's no defense. Look at Nash and Phoenix. It ain't brain surgery. The Lakers lost because it's all about Kobe and they don't play defense. That drive by Ray Allen in game four at that time in the game with that much on the line is absurd. Rondo did it last night when he drove the length of the court and nobody picked him up.

Doc gets a lot of credit for making that the mantra of the team. Pitino tried doing that with them but was only playing full court press the entire game with guys who couldn't play defense. KG is personal when it comes to defense. That's why he blocks shots from going into their hoop after the whistle is blown. He's letting you know we will defend this rim. The offense is guaranteed after the defense because they can all go to hole.

And one last thing, I'm sick and tired for hearing how Garnett is soft inside. What people don't understand is that he doesn't have to go inside to score that's what makes him great. It's equivalent to saying Sugar Ray Leonard couldn't take a punch. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO BECAUSE HE WAS SO QUICK!!! When Sugar fought Duran and lost it was because he tried to prove to critics he could take a punch. Then he realized the error of his ways and beat Duran so bad we started saying 'No Mas' as a joke. KG went inside last night to let the critics know he could go inside, but why shorten your NBA career to prove a point. The critics don't know because they never competed on any level.

There you have my analysis. Red Sox 4-0 sweep, Patriots the undefeated regular season, 18-1 OVERALL, Celtics 4-2 with a championship game slaughter of all time. It's been a lot of fun, gentlemen. A lot of fun.

The Man, The Legend, The Monster

2008-06-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Rocco Mediate said that he was "playing a Monster today". He was right!

Let's give Rocco serious credit for actually having a chance to beat Woods. We all knew that he wouldn't make that put on the 18th for victory. Having never been in that position before and playing the world's best, his nerves got the best of him. He was man enough to admit it afterwards.

By all accounts, Rocco is a great guy and popular with his peers. Being loose on the course and having fun is his tradmark. Most importantly, he has never been intimidated by the Tiger mystique or been afraid to talk about TW's, greatness. The other tour professionals could learn a thing or two from Rocco on how to deal with the Monster.

Tiger Woods roared loudly and showed the world once again how mentally and physically tough he is.

14 for 14 when leading or sharing the lead in Major Championships.

"He has won four Masters titles, the first one by 12 strokes. He has won three United States Opens, the first by 15 strokes. He has won three British Opens, the first by eight strokes. He has won four P.G.A. Championships, one of them by five strokes."
(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/sports/golf/17golf.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin#)

It is near miraculous what he did today and all weekend with a knee that was obviously hurting. Broadcaster Johnny Miller indicated that Tiger looked like he was close to packing it in yesterday during the 4th round of golf's US Open.

I don't think people realize what a dominant force he is. There is no other athlete in their sport even close to doing what he has done. After this win, one could make a case for calling him the BEST EVER regardless of sport.

If you haven't read my article from last year, take a moment to do so. You can click on the Blog Archive (August 13, 2007) on the bottom right. It will tell you all you need to know about why "No Athlete can Compare".

Even though I don't like the US Open 18 hole playoff format, this Tiger moment was an absolute thrill to watch.

Will we see similar drama at the next Major, the 2008 British Open?

I hope so.

Gswede

Lakers vs Celtics - Kevin Garnett is no Larry Bird

2008-06-01T04:56:00.000-07:00

My favorite player is Magic Johnson although nothing about his game has ever resembled mine other than the fact that we both played Division 1 basketball.

The Bird/Magic era was special and the NBA will never see years like those when everyone seemed to play for the love of the game and not the money! (See quotes and link from a good article about the history of the LA/Boston rivalry below)

I will always fault Kobe Bryant for pushing Shaq out of LA. Magic, the ultimate team player would have never done that.

No one is happier than me about the Lakers (my favorite team) being back in the NBA Finals! Mr. Bryant is the reason why.

Since MJ retired, we have not seen anyone come close to taking his place either in dominating games or marketing. In terms of talent, drive and ambition, Kobe is a close second. Even if he ends up having more NBA titles than Mike's 6 (not likely), he will never be on the same level because of his arrogance and desire to be the center of attention.

If he could have co-existed with Shaq, he would probably have 5 rings like Magic instead of 3.

Kobe will be the difference in this series since I cannot see the Garnett (will he shine in his first "moment of truth"?) Celtics beating the Lakers. Winning a NBA title with a brand new nucleus is never easy and these Celtics have not paid their dues. The Lakers are younger, more athletic and have strong reserves. In addition, Kobe is in a league of his own and has been here many times before like his coach, Phil Jackson!

The late Red Auerbach was not fond of Phil Jackson's coaching:

Critics — notably Red Auerbach — used to chide Jackson for taking over ready-made teams, rather than developing them. But Jackson has reached this point with an overhauled, decidedly youthful roster. His rotation has featured five players drafted since 2003 — guards Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar, forwards Luke Walton and Ronny Turiaf and center Andrew Bynum. The Lakers lost Bynum, 20, to a knee injury in January.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/sports/basketball/29lakers.html?ref=basketball

Phil should get a little more respect now for his 2007/08 work of art. Passing Red's 9 titles as coach with a victory in this year's NBA finals should be enough to silence any critic.

For Boston , the Big Three (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) have only watched the NBA Finals up until this point. That inexperience will hurt them. Any comparison to the "real deal" BIG THREE, Bird/Parish/McHale is a insult to that magnificent trio.

My prediction is 4-2 Lakers.

The Lakers will be back on top once again and with their youth, a few more titles before Kobe's 34th birthday wouldn't surprise me.

Gswede
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From 1970 through 1983, Boston-L.A. went into cease-fire mode. Then in 1984 the league's newest mega-stars, Bird and Magic, turned the Finals into an event, with Bird winning a classic seven-gamer. The next June, Magic got the better of Bird, celebrating on the famed parquet, just 13 days after the Lakers suffered a 34-point trouncing at Boston Garden on Memorial Day. Two years later, Magic again claimed victory, hitting his legendary junior sky-hook in the final seconds to win the series-changing Game 4 in Boston.

Just like the Finals matchups in the '60s, the games of the Bird-Magic Era were memorable, and so were the players. Bird anchored what is considered the greatest front line in league annals, playing alongside fellow future Hall of Famers Kevin McHale and Robert (Chief) Parish. Magic's Lakers countered with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had arguably the greatest weapon in league annals in his skyhook; along with James (Big Game) Worthy.

"We came along at the right time," Johnson recalled. "I needed Larry and he needed me. We pushed each other, we meant so much to each other and we meant so much to the game. It was a fun time."

And since they're again chanting "Beat L.A." in Boston, you know the fun times are back.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/2008/05/31/2008-05-31_after_21year_hiatus_boston_la_renew_nbas.html?page=0

Western Kentucky - Thanks

2008-03-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard the story of Western Kentucky, see the quotes and link below.

As an ex Division 1 player, I am thankful that they had the courage to break racial barriers.

Even though my college coach (fired my senior year) made my 4 years draining and joyless, I realize that it was easy compared to what the players and coaches went through in the 60's.

We need more courage like that in the world!

Gswede

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/sports/ncaabasketball/27western.html?pagewanted=1&ref=sports

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — With 20 N.C.A.A. tournament appearances, a Final Four berth and a spot among the top 10 in victories by a Division I program, Western Kentucky has an unusually strong résumé for a team regarded as a tournament darling.

The No. 12 Hilltoppers play No. 1 U.C.L.A. in a West Region semifinal Thursday night, a matchup of two of the most storied programs in college basketball.

U.C.L.A.’s history with John Wooden, Lew Alcindor and 11 national titles is often romanticized, but memories of Western Kentucky’s run of dominance in the 1960s seem to have faded with the set shot and canvas sneakers. In part, the run came about because of Western Kentucky’s willingness to integrate its team at a time when such a policy was still taboo in the South. Those involved with Western Kentucky still take great pride in the university’s breaking of racial barriers.
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And another: “I can also tell you that Western will never advance to any high finish in the upcoming N.C.A.A. tournament simply because you can’t win the big games with five Negro players. They don’t possess the intelligence nor stability to meet such a challenge.”

Tiger........Let the Legend grow

2008-03-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

I was way off point when I predicted the Patriots would beat the Giants although having lived in NYC for over a decade, I was happy for the Giants stunning victory.

One thing that was ON POINT was the article I wrote last summer (a must read, see below called "Tiger - No athlete can compare") which is even more telling now with Mr. Woods winning another title, his 5th in a row.

Do you realize that some golfers have not won 5 times in a career?

As a good friend told me recently, "Woods is the most dominating force in any major professional sport to date". No argument there.

What he is doing is bordering on the miraculous. My favorite golf announcer and major title winner Johnny Miller said, "The guy is not even human". Those of you who play golf understand that. If you don't play, you probably have no clue how great this guy is.

Let's look at some facts courtesy of the NY Times article on March 17 (link is below) :

"Woods continues to defy belief. He has won 16 of his last 25 PGA Tour events.
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At 32, he has as many victories as Hogan had at 46, which is unbelievable even to him.
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"Yeah, well, tying Mr. Hogan, when I first started my career, there's no way I could have ever dreamt I would be here right now," said Woods, who now trails only Jack Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (82) in career victories.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/sports/golf/17golf.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin
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Another article I read this week has some interesting points (link below) about Tiger's dad:

YOU THINK of that comment by Earl Woods, a long while ago, and maybe everything starts to make sense, the way his son is doing in golf what nobody, not Bobby Jones, not Ben Hogan, not Jack Nicklaus ever has done.

He's taken the game over, Tiger Woods has, body and soul, getting into his opponents heads and no less significantly getting the ball into the cup. He has us reaching into the past for comparisons, peering into the future for possibilities.

"I wanted to make sure," Earl Woods said shortly after Tiger turned pro, "he'd never run into anybody who was mentally tougher than he was."

Earl left us two years ago. The words never will leave.

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Tiger has reached that most intriguing point in his career, where having caught Hogan and Palmer, having stepped ahead of Nicklaus at a similar age, the only competition is from Woods himself. It is a game he dare not lose. And will not lose.

He's done everything before. He will do everything again. As Earl Woods somehow understood.

When in 1994 Tiger left the clubhouse for his first U.S, Amateur final, Earl whispered to him, "Let the legend grow."

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_8610291

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Even though Jack Nicholas has more major titles, I now call Woods the BEST EVER. Jack's record may be shattered by the time Tiger is 35 (only in his prime by the way). One thing is clear, it will be passed sooner rather than later.

Enjoy this ride. Like MJ in basketball, you will never see another like him.

Gswede

NY Knicks - Sad, very Sad

2008-02-27T03:27:00.000-08:00

Having worked at Madison Square Garden in the 90's (Van Gundy and Pat Ewing era), it saddens me to see the Garden these days.

Back then, the ticket was hot and the electricity in the arena was powerful especially when MJ came to town!

Unfortunately, the Knicks have become a joke and it is sad that the powers that be don't seem to care.

For any NY Knicks fan, the phrase "wishing for the good old days" has never been more appropriate.

Enjoy the article below by Dave Anderson of the NY Times. He is one of my favorite writers. (NY Times link is at end of article)

Gswede
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February 24, 2008
Sports of The Times
Better Days for the Knicks? Dream On
By DAVE ANDERSON
I had a dream the other night, a dream that was too good to be true.

I was in an otherwise empty Madison Square Garden that was set up for a Knicks game, only me and a rumpled little man sitting in the front row who looked like James L. Dolan, the cable guy, and he was babbling about what he had finally decided to do about his alleged professional basketball team.

“I’m returning the New York franchise to the National Basketball Association,” he said. “As of now, the Knicks no longer exist.”

I was tempted to tell him that the Knicks have not really existed for several seasons, not the Knicks that New York knew and loved, the Knicks of Red Holzman and Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett and Earl Monroe that won two championships, or even the Knicks of Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy and Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, John Starks, Allan Houston and Larry Johnson that twice went to the finals. But he kept babbling.

“As of now the Knicks no longer exist,” he repeated.

I told him that a pro basketball franchise and a team can’t simply cease to exist in the middle of the season.

“I don’t care. I’m canceling the rest of the season.”

You mean you’re forfeiting the remaining games?

“Home and away,” he said. “Anybody who bought tickets for any of those games will get refunds. Home and away.”

•

What happens to the players?

“I’ll pay them whatever millions remain on their contracts for whatever number of years, and they’ll be free to go anywhere else.

“If any other team wants them,” he added, with a smirk.

“The last time I watched them play, whatever five guys were on the court, they looked like they were five strangers we had hired off Eighth Avenue that night. No teamwork on offense, no rebounds, no defense.”

What happens to the assistants?

“The assistant coaches and everybody in the front office get all the money that’s coming to them, too.”

What happens to Isiah?

“Who’s Isiah?” he said.

Isiah Thomas, your coach and president for basketball operations.

“Oh, that Isiah.”

Yes, that Isiah.

“I thought Isiah was his last name. When all those fans were yelling, ‘Fire Isiah,’ I thought they were cheering for him. I thought Fire was his first name.”

But what happens to Isiah?

“He’s on the Cablevision payroll now. I thought about using him as a repairman, but that’s what I thought I was getting when I hired him to fix the Knicks more than four years ago. If he couldn’t fix the Knicks, I doubt he could fix somebody’s cable TV if it’s not working. So maybe I’ll just let him work off the rest of his contract as a consultant.”

Will you consult him?

“Not if I can help it.”

Does all this mean that there won’t be a New York franchise in the N.B.A. next season?

“No, somebody probably will buy the New York franchise by then.”

In returning the franchise to the N.B.A., does that mean you’re putting the Knicks up for sale?

“Not me.”

Then who?

“Commissioner David Stern told me he’s willing to broker the sale. When we didn’t settle that sexual-harassment case before it went to trial and we lost, eventually settling it for $11.5 million, he said that the Knicks were ‘not a model of intelligent management.’ Imagine that. Doesn’t he know that Cablevision is a billion-dollar business?”

But on your watch, the Knicks have been nowhere near as successful as Cablevision?

“Let me remind you that, according to Forbes magazine, the Knicks, with a net worth of $608 million, are pro basketball’s most valuable franchise.”

But that $608 million hasn’t bought a playoff berth in what will be seven seasons, much less a championship.

“Playoffs, championships. They’re not the bottom line. The dummies who kept buying Knicks season tickets at ridiculous prices, they’re the bottom line. And in returning the Knicks franchise to the league, David Stern has assured me that he’ll start the bidding for the franchise at $608 million. Now that’s a bottom line.”

•

Will you let the new owner’s team play in the Garden?

“Under the deal I made with David Stern, the new owner can rent the Garden for every home game for the same amount that the Knicks paid. Whatever amount that was. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what it was.”

To tell me the truth?

“Of course,” he said.

With that, I woke up. Not wanting to forget anything, I hurriedly wrote down everything that this rumpled little man who looked like James L. Dolan had told me in the dream. And as crazy as that dream was, the next night, I dreamed that I had to tell the commissioner about it. When I did, he laughed.

“I’ve had the same dream,” he said.

Link is http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/sports/basketball/24anderson.html?ref=basketball

Why Pats will be 19-0 soon!

2008-01-28T03:34:00.000-08:00

See article below which will give you great insight on why the Pats will be 19-0 on February 3.

In my book, the Giants simply have no chance unless Brady is hurt. If Bill Parcells (Tuna) was coaching the NY team, they might present a challenge.

I don't think the game will be as close as some believe. I look forward to the kickoff which will be around midnight here in Europe!

It has been a remarkable run. Everyone (business, individuals,etc) can learn from the results- focused Patriots.

Like I always say, "Life is all about Results".

Gswede
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Eighteen reasons why the Patriots are a perfect 18-0
By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY

Is it their talent, their chemistry or is it just their time? A variety of factors help to explain why the New England Patriots are 18-0 heading into Super Bowl XLII on Sunday against the New York Giants. USA TODAY identifies 18 of them:

1. Ownership: Success always starts at the top. Robert Kraft rolled the dice when he hired Bill Belichick before the 2000 season after the former defensive coordinator went 36-44 with the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95 in his only previous head coaching stint. Kraft is a supportive owner who wants to win but doesn't meddle.

2. Coaching: Belichick can tie former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll by winning his fourth Super Bowl. His .833 postseason winning percentage (15-3) trails only Green Bay Packers legend Vince Lombardi (.900, 9-1). Belichick might not win any popularity contests in the NFL, but he gets results.

3. Quarterbacking: More than a GQ cover boy and the boyfriend of supermodels, Tom Brady is putting up Hall of Fame numbers. He set an NFL single-season record with 50 touchdown passes and franchise marks for passing yards (4,806), completion percentage (68.9) and passer rating (117.2).

4. Leadership: New England is loaded with veterans who buy into Belichick's insistence on an unwavering next-game focus and who refuse to allow a letdown. Brady, safety Rodney Harrison, running back Kevin Faulk and linebackers Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Junior Seau are all praised as exceptional leaders.

5. Ball security: No team in the league was stingier with gifts to the opposition. The Patriots set a franchise record by committing only 15 turnovers — nine interceptions and six fumbles. That represented the fifth-lowest turnover total in franchise history. Belichick regards turnovers as the most important number after the score.

6. Record-setting Moss: Although Randy Moss has been held to one catch in each of two playoff games, his enormous contribution in the regular season cannot be overlooked. After two dismal years with the Oakland Raiders, Moss showed the difference he can make with 23 touchdown receptions, one more than the previous single-season mark set by Jerry Rice in 1987.

7. Record-setting Welker: With teams forced to give Moss so much attention, the undersized Wes Welker (5-9, 185-pound) capitalized with 112 catches during the regular season, most in NFL history by a player with a new team. New England all but swiped Welker when it acquired him from the Miami Dolphins, who had him in a limited role, for second- and seventh-round draft choices.

8. Outstanding offensive line: The big boys up front are the ones responsible for giving Brady the time to pick apart defenses for those 50 touchdowns and Moss the chance to get deep for many of his 23 scores. They allowed just 21 regular-season sacks. The reward: Center Dan Koppen, tackle Matt Light and guard Logan Mankins will all enjoy the sun and sand in Hawaii as selections to the Pro Bowl.

9. Outstanding defensive line: With so much attention paid to an oldie-but-goodie linebacking corps, linemen Richard Seymour and Ty Warren and space-eating nose tackle Vince Wilfork tend to be overlooked. They are the ones, however, who create so much havoc up front that the linebackers are free to swoop in and make tackles.

10. Scoring threats everywhere: An NFL-record-tying 21 players reached the end zone at least once en route to league marks for points (589) and touchdowns (75). The 2000 Denver Broncos are the only other team to have so many players score in a non-strike year.

11. Omnipresent Harrison: Even at age 35, punishing safety Rodney Harrison sets the defensive tone. He is the only player in league history to record at least 30 sacks and 30 interceptions in his career (30½ sacks, 33 picks). He owns seven interceptions in eight playoff games since joining the Patriots in 2003.

12. Maroney's surge: Second-year running back Laurence Maroney was hurt early in the season and started slowly. But he has come on to surpass 100 yards in four of the last five games, including 122-yard efforts in both postseason games. He enters Super Bowl XLII having scored at least one TD in each of his last five starts.

13. Bringing the heat: The combination of talent and defensive creativity allowed New England to produce an AFC-high 47 sacks, five more than the runner-up San Diego Chargers. The Patriots trailed only the New York Giants (53) for the NFL lead. It was the Patriots' highest sack total in 21 years.

14. Fast starters: New England scored a league-high 71 points on their opening possessions while allowing only 10 points. They outscored opponents 134-41 in the first quarter and never looked back.

15. Strong finishers: New England has won 22 of 25 games played between Christmas and the end of the postseason since Belichick became head coach in 2000, including a 14-2 postseason mark.

16. Vinatieri's replacement: When the Patriots allowed clutch-kicker Adam Vinatieri to leave for the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent two years ago, there was much hand-wringing among fans about how whether he could effectively be replaced. Stephen Gostkowski, a fourth-round draft choice in 2006, provided the answer. He hit 21 of 24 regular-season field goal attempts and finished third in the NFL in scoring with 137 points. He's 9-for-10 in the postseason.

17. Ball control: The Patriots converted a first down when faced with third-and-3 or fewer yards 71.9% of the time. They put together 41 drives of at least 10 plays. They had 38 drives that consumed five minutes or more. It's called moving the chains.

18. Continuity: The Patriots have had a core (Brady, Faulk, Seymour, Bruschi) through their run of Super Bowls.

Tiger's year to win a Grand Slam?

2008-01-24T01:30:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods has always been a confident player but he is super smart when it comes to sending a message and putting more fear into his fellow PGA players.

His quote below that he could possibly win all 4 Golf Majors in 2008 was a great first move. As we all know, it is only possible for him to do it and I believe he will one day.

I am looking forward to seeing one of the greatest athletes of any generation compete this year. It is always a treat!

Gswede
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By LARRY DORMAN
Published: January 24, 2008

This scenic golf course set on the cliffs above Black’s Beach, believed to be the only municipally approved nude beach this side of the French Riviera, takes on added significance because it is also the site of the United States Open in June. Coming off a seven-victory year, Woods recently wrote on his Web site that he believed sweeping the four major championships during the 2008 season was “easily within reason,” serving notice to his already beleaguered Tour colleagues that he has penciled in another undoable feat on his to-do list under “Win Grand Slam.”

“Well, he’s obviously a very confident player, and he should be,” Mickelson said. “He’s won countless events and double-digit majors — how many is it? — 13, there you go. So he should be confident.”

“I’m certainly stronger,” Woods said. “I can’t run five-minute miles like I could in high school, but everything feels pretty good. It’s just a matter of getting out here and competing again. I’ve been playing and practicing to get my speed back and just really look forward to teeing it up. Playing money games back home isn’t quite the same as being out here with the best players in the world".

Click on Full article below

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/sports/golf/24golf.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin

Todd Bozeman - Irresponsible mistake cost him a career

2007-12-30T01:46:00.000-08:00

Todd Bozeman had it all but wanted more. (see quote and link below for full story)

He was one of the top coaches in college basketball especially after he defeated Duke, the defending NCAA chamption.

A BIG mistake cost him dearly. He paid money to the parents of of top high school player which is illegal. The pressure of being the best and winning at any cost was probably on his mind at the time.

In life, one must make responsible mistakes, not irresponsible ones. His mistake derailed a promising and most likely lavish career.

It is a good lesson for anyone. There are no shortcuts to success just hard work. One must "put in the time" to get ahead.

I am happy he is back in basketball and seems to be ready to do what he loves, teaching basketball and education young men about life.

I wish him well.

Gswede

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/sports/ncaabasketball/28bozeman.html?ex=1199509200&en=38722713eb057b7a&ei=5070&emc=eta1

December 28, 2007
For Bozeman, Road to Redemption Winds Slowly
By JERÉ LONGMAN

As clearly as any coach, Bozeman, 44, understands the consequences of decisions. In 1993, he was the upstart at California whose team stunned the defending champion in the N.C.A.A. tournament. His star player made the cover of Sports Illustrated, shooting a jumper over Bobby Hurley, vaulting over a headline that read: “Jason Kidd and Cal Dethrone Duke.”

Bozeman was 29 at the time, the youngest coach to reach the Round of 16. He would become the first to win three straight games over U.C.L.A. at Pauley Pavilion. He was going places, all right, just not the places everyone expected.

Seeking a replacement for Kidd at Cal, Bozeman admitted paying $30,000 to the parents of point guard Jelani Gardner. “I knew right away that wasn’t good,” Bozeman said. “But the wheels were already going.”

Eventually, those wheels crushed his career.

Upset about Gardner’s playing time, his parents went to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and told about the payments. By late 1996, Bozeman was gone from Cal. The N.C.A.A. imposed an eight-year show-cause ban, meaning that any university wanting Bozeman had to show just cause why he should be hired.

Why I never played American Football

2007-09-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

What many don't know about me is that I really enjoy the game of football. On television, there is no better sport.

I actually considered playing football in high school but decided against it for these reasons:

1) I would never love the game the way I loved basketball
2) An injury would hurt my scholarship chances for basketball
3) I didn't want an injury that made me permanently disabled

Injuries like the one to Kevin Everett (see NY Times article below) reminds everyone of the serious danger with football. One moment a young man is healthy, the next his life is forever difficult.

If your kids want to play football, make sure that they have the LOVE and DESIRE for the game. If not, it may not be worth it.

Gswede
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September 11, 2007

Chance of Recovery for Bills’ Everett Is ‘Bleak’

By MATT HIGGINS
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y., Sept. 10 — Kevin Everett’s Buffalo Bills teammates are accustomed to his silence. On Monday, they described Everett, a third-year tight end, as quiet. So they would have gladly settled for a simple gesture, like a thumb’s up, as he was carted off the field with a spinal cord injury Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Buffalo quarterback J. P. Losman said he thought, “Show me a sign of something,” as Everett was loaded into an ambulance.

“Something” never came. And that turned out to be a grim sign.

On Monday, team doctors said Everett was paralyzed from the shoulders down and his condition was potentially fatal after he was injured while covering the second-half kickoff in the Bills’ 15-14 loss to Denver.

Click on the following link below to read entire article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/11/sports/football/11everett.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin

Tiger - No Athlete can Compare

2007-08-13T00:57:00.001-07:00

No one is more dominant in his or her sport.

Tiger Woods has inspired me from the moment I saw him play over a decade ago. His dedication, preparation, talent, focus and performance are as the poet John Keats says "A Thing of Beauty". I enjoy watching him just as much today as I did when I saw him annihilate the competition at the 1997 Masters.

In our generation, Tiger is the most dominant athlete in his sport, period. MAYBE ever.

Here's why:

Arnold Palmer is an icon and a big reason why golf is so popular. He won 7 Majors to Tiger's 13. If we compare Woods to Palmer, the latter becomes irrelevant.

Two of the best golfers of all time, Gary Player and Ben Hogan each won 9 Majors.

Tiger's contemporaries, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson have 9 Majors combined. They are in their prime or beyond. Tiger has not even reached his prime.

There are pro golfers that make a good living like Rory Sabbitini (who famously said that "Tiger looks as beatable as ever") that have won less than 5 PGA tournaments in their career. Tiger has 59 victories. After the comment, Rory is 0-2 in final rounds against Tiger including an 8 stroke thrashing the week before the PGA.

As much as I have enjoyed other greats like Jordan, Gretzky, Magic, Montana, Bonds, Brady, Federor, Bird, Borg, Jeter, Payton, McEnroe, Ali, etc- they don't even begin to compare in their sport.

Let's look at one of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jordan. Midway in his career, he had 3 championships. For someone in golf to compare, they would need about 4-5 Majors at the midpoint (No current golfers are close except Tiger who has blown that away). Even if you consider Jordan's entire career, Tiger is more dominant NOW in his sport. Jordan has 6 total championships. The equivalent in a golf career would be 8-9 Majors. 13 is Tiger's number.

No one has accomplished what Tiger has 1/3 or halfway into a career. Can you make a case for Roger Federor (11 tennis majors at 26)? Sure, but tennis is void of ANY serious contenders for Roger and the sport has sunk to pathetic levels of interest.

Tiger could play until he is 50 if Jack Nicklaus (never in shape or fit) was able to win his last Major, the Masters at age 46. Realistically, he might be only 1/3 into his career.

At age 35, Jack won his 13th Major. Tiger has done it at age 31

A CLOSER. This is his best characteristic. 13-0 when leading or sharing the lead in a Major tournament. Has there ever been a better finisher or "moment of truth" athlete?

For those of you that don't consider golf a sport, it sure helps to be IN SHAPE when there are 100-degree days like the ones in Oklahoma last weekend.

Here's a paragraph on Woods from Reuters (August 13 by Mark Lamport-Stokes):

The championship at Southern Hills featured some of the hottest conditions in major history, with temperatures reaching 102 degrees (39 Celsius) during the final round. The ability to maintain focus for all four days was paramount and Woods believes his renowned fitness has always given him an edge in golf's biggest events. "Physical fitness is always a huge advantage, especially when you play any sport and you have heat and anything that wears you down mentally and physically," he said."When I walked up 18, I felt the same way as I did going off the first tee. I felt great. Other guys may have gotten tired and you see their shoulders slumping and dragging a little bit."You should always train hard and bust your butt. That's what a sport is, (it) is to do that. And not everyone considers golf a sport and they don't treat it as such." Woods already has 10 more major titles than any of his contemporaries. The prospect of an improved, fitter Woods over the next seven years can only enhance his aura of dominance.

I thought a classic and crucial Tiger moment occurred at the 2007 PGA when he made the 25-foot birdie on the 8th hole that gave him a 5 shot lead at the time. Big moment, Big result. He has done it time after time. Without that shot, Els or Austin might have tied him as they were playing terrific golf. Tiger never gave them that chance. The great ones never do.

Jack Nicklaus always speaks fondly of Tiger and I admire that about him. He should know greatness in golf better than anyone. Tiger will easily break Jack's Major championship record of 18 as long as he stays healthy. Keep in mind, that Jack's most impressive record may be that he came in 2nd place in Majors a record 19 times!

My prediction is that Tiger will have won 26 Majors when he hangs up the clubs. Over 30 would not surprise me but life and kids could mellow his desire.

Finally, like yours truly...he is married to a Swedish woman. He even hits great shots off the course!

Next stop for Tiger, Masters 2008. The other golf pro's are already trembling.

Can't wait.

Gswede

Reggie Miller and Celtics - Worth a Shot!

2007-08-09T04:13:00.000-07:00

Once a shooter, Always a shooter.

And not many can put it up like Reggie! Ask Spike Lee and the NY Knicks.

Reggie Miller can definitely help the Celtics and as a true sportsman of the game, I hope he comes back for that elusive ring. No one thought that he would be such a top quality player coming out of UCLA but he proved everyone wrong. He might just do it again.

Bob Ryan has always been one of my favorite sportswriters. A snippet of his article is below.

The entire article can be found at http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/bob_ryan_blog/

Bob is not to sure about Reggie's ability to help the Celtics. I am. With Garnett, Pierce and Allen around him, he could be deadly once again.

They have maybe 4 years to get that championsip if Ray Allen stays healthy.

With or without Reggie, one thing Bob and I agree on is that the Celtics have the SIZZLE back

Gswede
-------
By Bob Ryan, Globe Staff
August 08, 2007 03:44 PM

What? Hal Greer wasn't available? (Had to get the cheap shot out of the way quickly).

Reggie Miller, huh? Makes sense on one level. If you recall, when Danny Ainge was bombarded by assertions that old shooting guards never die, they merely fall apart at age 32 or so, he cited Reggie Miller as an example to the contrary. And Reggie did retire after 18 seasons with his head pretty high, averaging 14.8 points a game in the 18th and final season of a very distinguished career coming off picks to drill jump shots, spotting up for threes, and banking in patented wrong-legged leaners.

Lebron - Living up to the Hype

2007-06-01T02:53:00.000-07:00

Lebron has shown EVERYONE what he is about.

He scored 29 of team's last 30 points in the game last night! And he is only 22.

"It was very Jordanesque," the Pistons' Chauncey Billups said. "That kid was on fire, it was crazy. He put on an unbelievable display out there. It's probably the best I have seen against us ever in the playoffs." (www.nytimes.com)

Lebron is no "moment of truth" infant (see article below) like Dirk Nowitzki.

This year, he is the Dwayne Wade of the playoffs although I don't think the Cavs can beat the Spurs.

Not many teams especially one as bad as the Cavs over the years, have won a championship that quickly (except Bird's Celtics and Magic's Lakers) and Lebron will have to wait and earn it just like Jordan did. He will get one soon though, trust me.

The NBA needs more star power like Lebron. It is unfortunate that he shines in Cleveland and not a major city.

Gswede

Dirk Nowitzki - A "Moment of Truth" Infant

2007-05-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Moment of Truth (1980 NBA Finals and 1987 NBA Finals) – 1) Magic Johnson in game 6 plays center with Kareem injured and scores 42 to win the series against Dr. J and the Sixers. 2) Magic makes a stunning 12 foot hook shot over Kevin Mchale with seconds remaining to win game 4 of the finals. The Lakers beat the Celtics in 6 games. Magic has 5 rings.

Moment of Truth (1987 Eastern Conference Finals) – Game 5, Larry Bird steals the ball from Isaiah Thomas and passes to Dennis Johnson with seconds remaining to win by 1 point. The Celtics go on to win that series in 7 games. Larry has 3 rings.

Moment of Truth (1988 NBA Finals) - Isiah Thomas scores 25 points in the 4th quarter with a sprained ankle to help keep his team in game 6 against the Lakers. Although the Pistons lost the game and the series, I have seen few single game efforts to match his. Isiah has 2 rings.

Moment of Truth (1994 NBA Finals) – Down 3-2 to Pat Riley and the NY Knicks, Hakeem Olajawon leads his team to two straight victories to beat Pat Ewing’s team. Hakeem has 2 rings.

Moment of Truth (Any Year, Michael Jordan) – No need to list his achievements as MJ or Air Jordan ALWAYS performed when it mattered. 6 rings.

Moment of Truth (2000 Western Conference Finals) – Down by 15 points with just over 10 minutes to play in the 4th quarter of game 7 to Portland, Kobe and Shaq rally back to win the game. They go on to win their first NBA championship. Kobe and Shaq have 3 consecutive rings.

There are many more of the aforementioned moments but one thing they have in common is that GREAT players perform in the clutch.

Let’s look at Dirk:

Moment of Truth (2006 NBA Finals) – Up 2-0 on an unimpressive Miami team and leading by 14 points in the 4th quarter in Game 3, Dirk does NOTHING to help his team close out that game. If they win that game, the series is essentially over and Dallas becomes NBA champions. 0 for 1 in his quest for a ring.

Moment of Truth (2007 First round playoffs) – After winning 67 games and stampeding through the league, Dirk ALLOWS his team to lose to a Golden state team that only qualified for the playoffs in the last week of the season. He makes only 2 shots in the final game. 0 for 2 in his quest for a ring.

Can you imagine MJ’s bulls losing round one after their 72 -10 season in the mid 90's?

I like Dirk’s game but his "Moment of Truth" moments cannot be ignored.

In an era with no supreme player like MJ, Bird, Moses, Kareem or Magic, Dirk had his chance last year to put a Greatness stamp on an already impressive career. What did he do? Allowed his team to get swept in the last 4 games of the 2006 NBA championship! Infancy.

This year, I expected Dallas to at least be in the finals as they had one of the best regular seasons in modern times. What did he contribute? Not much and made hollow remarks about being frustrated or disappointed! Infancy.

How about this remark Dirk? “I let my team down and played horribly this year and last year and I take total responsibility for it”. Next year, I guarantee that we will win the championship.”

Even if one has only a single "Moment of Truth" moment in a career, one must seize it. Dwayne Wade has had only one so far, but he annihilated it like a man on fire last year in the NBA finals. That is what CLUTCH players do.

To be fair there are many Dirks out there (past and present NBA) including Pat Ewing, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson and John Stockton just to name a few. They get a little more leeway since most faltered in the MJ era but they still had chances to perform and WIN in their "Moment of Truth". They didn’t and will forever be ringless. Iverson and Kidd will never win an NBA title unless they sign on with a Tim Duncan type team when they are over the hill and hanging around only for a ring.

Dirk is an infant now but he is fortunate in that he has time to DELIVER unlike the mailman Karl Malone. He has time to make his mark and BARK loudly unlike Sir Charles Barkley. He can even GLIDE into greatness unlike Clyde “The Glide” Drexler.

Will he?

He should being surrounded by a strong owner with a winning organization. Mark Cuban has done a wonderful job taking that team from nothing and making it work superbly. Maybe Mark needs to loan Dirk some of the fire and energy that has made him successful in technology and sports.

Dirk has talent around him.

Dirk has a good coach.

Dirk is tremendously talented.

The GREAT players perform when it matters most. Dirk has had relatively easy “Moment of Truth” moments thus far and failed miserably. The road never gets easier.

Maybe he should watch and learn from the Accenture advertisement with Tiger Woods.

It says simply “Go ahead, Be a Tiger”.

Gswede

Life after Sports

2007-02-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

The coach below is a breath of fresh air for the young men at the University of Miami. I hope that he will able to stick to his guns in the WIN,WIN,WIN attitude of college football.

One of my mentors says this to youth all the time:

"What about life after sports"

That question is and should be the most important.

Gswede
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February 04, 2007

Coaching Players For Life
By George Will

MIAMI -- Occasionally -- very occasionally -- a football person says something that punctures the fog of George Patton-style rhetoric that football people emit. Before a Super Bowl in the 1970s (the MCMLXXs, for those of you in a Super Bowl frame of mind), Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas asked a subversive question about the game: "If it's the ultimate, how come they're playing it again next year?"

But most football people, and especially football coaches, are of the "Football Is Not a Matter of Life and Death -- It's More Important Than That" school of thought. However, when Randy Shannon, recently named head coach of the University of Miami Hurricanes, says that football can be a matter of life and death, that is not hyperbole, it is autobiography.

Shannon, 40, grew up in Miami's Liberty City, which is what sociologists and other refined thinkers call a challenging urban environment. Shannon was 3 when his father was murdered by one of his friends. "They had an argument," Shannon says matter-of-factly. Two of Shannon's brothers and a sister died, from cocaine and AIDS. By age 16, Shannon was a father. He could easily have been on a path to a prison or a cemetery. Instead, because of football, he went to the University of Miami and became the first member of his family to earn a college degree.

After a brief NFL career with the Cowboys, he went into coaching, and now he is hopscotching around the country recruiting high school seniors, many of whom think college football is a certain path to the NFL. "That," says Shannon, "is the mentality that has to change." Fewer than 2 percent of even Division I college football players will have NFL careers, and most of those who do will be out of the game by the time they are 30 -- the average NFL career lasts less than four years.

The Post's Amy Shipley reports that the University of Miami has more players -- 42 -- on NFL rosters than any other school. Miami's main rival -- the Florida State Seminoles (a T-shirt favored by Miami students reads: "I think, therefore I am not a 'Nole") -- is second with 41. The University of Florida ranks seventh with 35. But in the past 10 years, those three teams have had, combined, more than 1,000 players, all of them exceptional athletes but most of them not of NFL caliber. Which is why Shannon says that when visiting the home of a potential recruit, "I talk to the parents about everything but football."

On a recent day, Shannon was in the Palm Beach area recruiting a wide receiver and then was off to Omaha to make sure that a very large lineman was still eager to be a Hurricane.

Because South Florida is the incubator of so much high school talent (skill positions, Shannon says; for linemen, look to the Midwest, hence the Nebraska trip), during the off-season many NFL players come home to train at the University of Miami's facilities. Shannon says his players "see the fancy cars, the gold chains," so as he takes over Miami's football program, he plans to "come in with a stern attitude."

Stern adults got Shannon to the peak of his profession at age 40. A fourth-grade teacher told him, "You're very smart -- don't let anyone tell you different." A fifth-grade teacher, disapproving his choice of clothes one day, said, "Don't ever come to school like that again." When he was in junior high school, his football coach took the team to play a team in a juvenile detention center, a sobering experience.

Shannon's rules for his players include: If you miss a class, you don't start the next game. Fall below a certain grade-point average, you can't set foot off campus. A conservatively dressed man, with the elegant hands of a surgeon or pianist, Shannon wants his players to learn "how to respect life," so when "they leave the university and the football program, they will go with confidence." They will go, all of them, having taken a public speaking course.

Duffy Daugherty, who coached Michigan State from 1954 through 1972, was an aphorist ("Football is not a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.") and a realist. Because of alumni demands for football perfection, Daugherty said: "A football coach's main problem is that he is responsible to irresponsible people." Shannon, who like 80 percent of his players is African American, feels responsible to, and for, them.