Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Hammond Has A Plan



The last week has been a wild one for John Hammond, Scott Skiles and the Milwaukee Bucks. There was the trade of Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs. The NBA Draft followed two days later with the selection of point guard Brandon Jennings with the tenth overall pick.

These two moves represent change, which some people in Bucks Nation seem to have a problem with. There is a portion of Bucks fans, and the media that cover this team as well, that fell Hammond and company have 'raised the white flag' and conceded the season. These fans (and media personalities) are about winning now. Don't get me wrong - winning now would be nice, especially for a franchise that hasn't won in a long time. But there is also something to be said for building a team that can win year after year.

Under Larry Harris, the Bucks were a team that tried to put Band-Aids on their problems. They were a team that wanted to get into the playoffs - even if it was only as the eighth seed in the eastern Conference. Harris was more about winning now. There wasn't a whole lot of thought put into winning on a year in, year out basis.

To be totally fair, Hammond thought he could turn the team into a playoff contender right away as well. You don't make the Jefferson trade with the Nets if you aren't trying to win now, especially if you keep Michael Redd around the way the organization did a year ago.

The problem was that Hammond's best laid plans didn't exactly work out. No one saw all of the injuries coming. The injuries turned the Bucks from a playoff contender into a team that was on the outside looking in. But it also gave Hammond and Skiles the chance to see what the future might look like.

The injuries (and the MASH unit included Luke Ridnour at times) gave a player Ramon Sessions a chance to show what he could do with consistent playing time - something he hadn't had during his first two years with the Bucks. All Sessions did in sharing the point with Luke Ridnour was put up better numbers - both points and assists, than the veteran from Oregon. Not bad for a second round pick out of Nevada that had more than his share of doubters.

The bottom line was that Hammond saw a young player who was starting to emerge in this league. Sure the club fizzled down the stretch and finished five games out of the playoffs. But, for the first time since maybe the 2001 season, Bucks fans saw something unfamiliar - light at the end of the tunnel.

Don't think that Hammond and Skiles didn't see it either. It's one of the reasons they decided to clear cap space and make a run at re-signing Sessions, who is just 23 years old.

The plan last year was to try and turn the Bucks around as quickly as possible. Plan A didn't work. But, in the process, Hammond came up with Plan B, and it's a plan that will probably pay off on a much larger scale in the long run.

It's a simple plan, really. Build a consistent winner. Build a team that doesn't just go to the playoffs one year and then takes a step back to Lotteryland for the next four years. Build a team that can not only get to the playoffs, but make a run in the playoffs. You know, the way the Bucks of the 1980's used to be.

In order to do that, some tough decisions have to be made. The first decision that was made was to commit to the young players like Sessions. They did that by dealing Jefferson to the Spurs and making him a qualifying offer. They will be able to match anything Sessions can find on the open market.That's more than they could have said a few months ago.

Yes, it hurts to lose Jefferson, but what were you winning with Jefferson? Were you going to the playoffs? There was no guarantee of that, none at all. And, considering the moves that Cleveland (Shaquille O'Neal) and Orlando (Vince Carter) made last week, was Jefferson really the difference between being a lottery team and a team that could not only make the playoffs, but maybe win a series as well? Probably not.

Trading Jefferson is a gamble, no doubt about it. Letting Villanueva go might be a gamble as well. And the pick of Jennings isn't something that's going to pay off right away either. It will likely take a year or two before Jennings can emerge as a real player in the league.

But, for the first time in a long time, the Bucks have a plan. The plan is to go young and build around center Andrew Bogut. Don't be shocked if Hammond isn't done making moves. That's not to say that Michael Redd will be traded during the off-season. He's coming off that knee injury, so he will be difficult to move. But, if he comes back healthy and proves that his knee is sound, don't be surprised if he is an ex-Buck come February.

It seems to me that the Bucks want to go young. If Sessions returns (and you have to assume he will), he could make for a nice tutor for Jennings. He knows Skiles' system and might be just as good of a tutor for Jennings as Ridnour would be.

The Bucks also seem to know what they want to do without CV. It's not like they don't have options. They love Amir Johnson's game, and don't forget that Hammond was in Detroit when the Pistons got him. If anyone knows what he can and cannot do, it's Hammond. Luke Richard Mbah a Moute showed everyone a few things last season. You have to hope that Joe Alexander will improve upon what was a lost rookie season. And, it looks like Ersan Ilyasova might be a real option after refining his game overseas the last couple of years.

There can be no doubt that the Bucks are in a rebuilding mode. Sometimes, when you rebuild, you have to take a step or two back before you take a step forward (the Brewers are a good example of this). And my level of trust in Hammond is higher than it ever was in Harris.

They aren't raising the white flag on the upcoming season. They're trying to build a consistent winner. A team that become a contender in the NBA. A team this city can be proud of.

What's wrong with that?

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Rubio Doesn't Deserve The Star Treatment Yet



Before the hype for the NBA Draft began six plus weeks ago - when the Los Angeles Clippers won the lottery - how many of you out there knew about Ricky Rubio? Sure, some NBA writers wrote a couple of blurbs about him being the next Pete Maravich. And, yes, there were some grainy videos of Rubio that were getting a lot of hits on Youtube. But, really. How many of you out there really knew all about Ricky Rubio?

I'd venture to say not many.

Over the years, European players have been hyped like they were the next best thing since sliced bread. Six years ago, Darko Milicic was supposed to be the man. He's been anything but - Detroit, Orlando and Memphis have given up on him. The Knicks think they can turn him into something, but I doubt that will happen.

There are many others who have tried to come over from Europe. Most have them have failed. Dirk Nowitzki is the exception to the rule. Pau Gasol is the exception to the rule as well.

So, while there is hype surrounding Rubio, there are plenty of question marks as well.

"I don't see Rubio being that dynamic player now," said Danny Ainge, general manager of the Boston Celtics. "I think he's got a lot of potential. He's a flashy player. I don't see him -- just physically, and because he doesn't shoot the ball very well -- I don't see him having an impact as a rookie."

Ainge isn't the only one who has his doubts. Some players - including those in Rubio's draft class, do as well. Milwaukee's first round pick - Brandon Jennings - has seen Rubio up close and personal. Jennings is the kid who decided to spend a year in Europe as opposed to going to college for a year before entering the league. To say he's not impressed with Ricky doesn't even begin to clue you in to how he feels about Rubio's game.

"The only thing I've seen him do sometimes is when he has a home run pass or something like that. I think the dude is just all hype," Jennings said recently. "I can't even front. I'm just going to be real with you guys."

There were other questions surrounding Rubio before the draft last week. They included his willingness to come to this country if the team that drafted him wasn't to his liking (his camp had already informed the Memphis Grizzlies he wouldn't play for them). Then there is the buyout of his contract, which might be more expensive than some teams want to talk about considering the economy right now.

That's why Rubio fell to Minnesota at #5. The T-Wolves never thought he'd be there. They made the trade with Washington before the draft so they would have ammunition to go and get Rubio with the second overall pick. It turns out they didn't need that ammo. It also turns out that they might never see Rubio put on a Minnesota uniform. The kid wants no part of Minnesota, just like he wanted no part of Memphis.

"It's too cold," he said, a day after announcing that his mother also thinks the city is too cold. "I have to think about that ... I'm going to talk with my agent about that and we are going to see."Rubio also told a Spanish newspaper, "I wouldn't rule out at all returning to Spain.''

His father also has been quoted as saying that Rubio could remain in Spain for the next couple of years.

Then the Knicks went public and said they were going to try and trade for Rubio. Rubio is reportedly going to meet with Minnesota officials to talk about his NBA future amid reports he has offers to play in Spain and Turkey as well. Something tells me those two options - much like the Minnesota options - are not what Rubio or his people have in mind. The Big Apple, though, is a different story.
New York is a team that Rubio would love to play for. It's not even really about the team. It's the city. Rubio and his camp want to be in a city that's slightly more cosmopolitan than Minneapolis is. It doesn't matter how bad the team is (and the Knicks are far from being good). It's all about money. Rubio and his advisers believe playing in New York will bring more endorsement deals than playing in Minneapolis. Kevin Garnett might beg to differ.

Rubio doesn't realize this, but he actually has to produce before that endorsement money starts rolling in. No one in this day and age is going to hand this eighteen year old question mark millions of dollars if he doesn't become the next Maravich. No one handed money to Nowitzki until he became a star.

Rubio thinks he's special. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. We'll all find out over the course of the next few years. Right now, the only think you can say about Rubio is that he's acting like a spoiled little brat.

The NBA doesn't allow kids to enter the league and pick and choose which team they want to play for. That's one of the reasons they have a draft.

Rubio and his advisers obviously think they can control the situation here. They might want to talk with Yi Jianlian of the New Jersey Nets.

Yi was drafted by the Bucks two years ago, and this was after he and his camp told Milwaukee they didn't want to come to Wisconsin. They wanted to go to New York, Houston, or Golden State. The Bucks ignored Yi's request and drafted him anyway.

Yi never really warmed up to Milwaukee. He came for one reason on one reason only. The Bucks told him he either played for them or he stayed in China. It wasn't long afterwards that Yi decided to drop his attitude and signed with the Bucks.

It didn't necessarily work out for him - he was traded to the Nets after one year - but you had to like how the Milwaukee organization drew a line in the sand (ok, snow) and told Yi that they weren't going to be told what to do.

It's exactly what Minnesota and GM David Kahn should do with Rubio. There's a good chance that it's exactly what he will do.

There was a reason Minnesota drafted back to back point guards last week (they took Syracuse's Jonny Flynn at #6). Flynn is insurance against a Rubio boycott. And, if Rubio gets off his high horse, takes the silver spoon out of his mouth, and signs with Minnesota, the T-Wolves will move Flynn somewhere else and get a pretty good haul in return. It wasn't clear what Minnesota was doing when they drafted Rubio and Flynn back to back on Thursday night. It is clear now.

So, Minnesota doesn't have to give in to an eighteen year old that hasn't done anything in the league to warrant special treatment. If Rubio wants to play and make his mark in the NBA, it's going to have to be in Minnesota. Rubio needs the NBA more than the NBA needs Rubio. Sure, there's money to be made overseas, but it's not the kind of money to be made here. The stage is nice overseas, but it's bigger here. If I were advising him, I'd tell him to drop the brat act, sign with Minnesota, and prove that he's worth the hype.

And if I'm the T-Wolves, I don't give in. Just like Milwaukee didn't give in to Yi two years ago.

It's one thing to be a star and have a sense of entitlement. It's another to be a spoiled brat with a sense of entitlement.

And Rubio - at least as of now - isn't a star. Yet.




Friday, June 26, 2009

The Lebron-Shaq Show Might Have A Limited Run



The sports fans of Cleveland are more hopeful now than they were immediately after the Orlando Magic eliminated their beloved Cavs in seven games to win the Eastern Conference Finals. That's because Cleveland GM Danny Ferry is bringing The Original Superman, The Big Diesel - Shaquille O'Neal - to ride shotgun with Lebron James.

Ferry didn't have to give up much to get Shaq - just Ben Wallace, Saha Pavlovic and a pick. The pick is almost a throwaway. Wallace and Pavlovic have expiring contracts - so who knows if either one will ever suit up for Phoenix. The Cavs got one of the best centers in history for nothing. It wasn't highway robbery. It was a salary dump by a Phoenix team that knows Shaq - at the age of 37 - won't fit with the return to their old run and gun scheme under coach Alvin Gentry.

Shaq might have been a bad fit for the Suns, but he might very well be just what the doctor ordered for the Cavs.

He might be 37, but he played 75 games last year and was very effective. His 17.8 points per game was the highest number he'd put up since the 2006-07 season. And the 75 games he played in were the most he's suited up for in a long time. It seems like Shaq has a handle on how to prepare himself for a full season at his advanced age.

His addition to the Cavs gives them something they have been lacking for years. A bona fide big man. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao (both of whom have player options for next season) are okay, but no one will ever confuse either one of them with being any kind of threat. Shaq may not be the same player we saw in Orlando and Los Angeles, but he has more than enough left in his tank to be Robin to Lebron's Batman. Mo Williams becomes the third threat on this team, which is probably the role he is best suited to playing (although he was an All-Star last season, he disappeared at times in the playoffs).

Shaq is also smart enough to keep his large ego in check. Yes, he took Stan Van Gundy and Dwight Howard to task during the playoffs, but consider that a lot of people have had their 'issues' with Van Gundy, and Howard - who I am a huge fan of, hasn't become as dominant as Shaq was at the same age. Shaq didn't need time to develop when he came to the NBA in the early 90's. Howard needed a couple of years - he still has a ways to go before he can be rightly compared with O'Neal. I can overlook Shaq's outbursts and tweets because I know he's smart enough to realize he isn't what he used to be.

He knows there isn't as much sand in the hourglass as there once was. He knows that he isn't a go to guy anymore - at least not the way he used to be. He deferred to Dwayne Wade without any problems in Miami. He knew where he stood in Phoenix (behind Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash). He knows what his role will be in Cleveland. He won't rock the boat to satisfy his ego.

All of that being said, I'm not sure how long the Lebron-Shaq Show will be running with the Cavs. My gut tells me it's a one year thing. The Cavs are doing everything they can to show Lebron some love in the hopes he will stick around after next season. They know they have weaknesses they need to address. That's why the trade was made.

But I don't see this as a long term venture. Shaq has one year left on his deal. He'll make $20M next season. I doubt the Cavs will give him the extension he reportedly would like. They - at the end of the day - are a small market team, and while they have enough money to try and keep Lebron around, they don't have unlimited resources. And, by the time O'Neal's contract expires, he'll be thirty-eight and not worth the money he once commanded - especially in this economy.

So, to me at least - and I admit I could be totally off-base here - this is a one year deal for Shaq on Lake Erie. Which puts more pressure on the Cavaliers than they've ever faced before.

Make no mistake, the Cavs need to win the NBA Championship next season for this to be a success. Anything less will be considered a failure. Anything less, and Lebron leaves as a free agent next summer (which he might do even if they win). Anything less and coach Mike Brown - who has reportedly been on the hot seat over the last month - will be off the hot seat and on the unemployment line.

It's an all or nothing gamble for the Cavs. And there isn't a big window of opportunity here.

The clock is ticking.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Don't Feel Bad For Blake Griffin




Blake Griffin made the right decision to leave Oklahoma for the NBA a few months ago. There were those that thought he should have left a year ago, but there was no way he was going to be the top pick in a draft that included Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and O.J. Mayo.

Griffin doesn't have to worry about that this time around. He is the closest thing to a sure thing in this draft. Every other player that will be chosen tonight has questions that have to be answered.

* Ricky Rubio - Will he live up to the hype or will he be yet another European import that falls short of expectations?

* Hasheem Thabeet - Will he ever be an offensive force or a liability?

* Tyreke Evans - Did he come out too early?

* James Harden - Why is a player whose game is said to be the most well rounded (outside of Griffin) not slated to go higher than some of the mocks have him?

* Stephen Curry - Is he a point or a shooting guard?

* Brandon Jennings - Is a year of European ball enough to get him ready for the NBA?

* Jonny Flynn - Is he big enough?

I think you get the point. There are questions about every player other than Griffin. That's why the plethora of mock drafts that are out there look as different as they do. No one knows what's really going to happen tonight, except for the fact that the Clippers will take Griffin shortly after the picking begins tonight.

And speaking of Griffin, the only negative thing if you're in his shoes today - and a big one at that - is the realization that he's going to play for the Clippers.

The Clippers aren't just a bad franchise. They are a laughably bad franchise. This is nothing NBA fans haven't known for the last twenty-five years.

The Clips are the NBA's version of the Washington Nationals. They are the NHL's New York Islanders. They are the NFL's Detroit Lions. They are that bad. Coaches have come and gone. The one guy that owner Donald Sterling kept around - former GM Elgin Baylor - is suing Sterling over his dismissal. ESPN The Magazine just did a profile of Sterling that was less than flattering.

The Clipper have had the top pick in the draft before. Danny Manning was ok, but never the superstar he was at the college level. Most of that isn't Manning's fault - he wasn't the most durable player we ever saw. Michael Olowakandi was one of the biggest busts in the history of the league. I'm not saying Griffin is going to bust out or have injury issues. I am saying is the L.A.'s history with the number one pick isn't really all that good.

So you couldn't necessarily hold it against Griffin if he (at least on the inside) isn't thrilled with the prospect of playing for a team with such a colorful history.

But, I'm not here to pile on the Clippers. A million people already have done that. I'm here to give Griffin five good reasons that playing for the Clips won't be that bad.

1. There's only one way for the Clippers to go - up. L.A. was 19-63 last season. It would be very hard for the Clips (even for them) not to improve on that record. Especially with injured center Chris Kaman - who is more important to the team's success than anyone realized - returning from injury.

2. The Clippers actually have some talent. Baron Davis - when his mind and body are right - is a game changer. Davis wants to prove that last season was a fluke. Eric Gordon and Al Thornton can score. Kaman is returning. It's not like the cupboard is totally bare in Clipperland.

3. He'll be in Los Angeles. He might not play for the Lakers, but L.A. isn't a bad place to be. It could have been a lot worse. Memphis could have landed the top pick. Oklahoma City could have won the lottery as well. He could be playing for Sacramento. Even if the Clippers don't improve on what they did last year, L.A. isn't a bad place to be considering the alternatives.

4. Griffin will be well compensated. Those millions he will make for being the top pick overall will help him get over losing more in his rookie season than he did in all of his time at Oklahoma.

5. He doesn't have to play for the Clips his entire career. There is something called free agency. If things don't improve for the Clippers, Griffin will be able to go somewhere else - probably to a team that has a better chance of winning than the Clippers do.

So you see, playing for the Clippers isn't all bad. Right??



I'm Done Ripping Players Who Use Steroids



Manny Ramirez returned to the field last night, playing for the Dodgers' top minor league team - the Albuquerque Isotopes. It was obviously huge news in New Mexico, where the game was a sellout. Tickets, according to reports, for the remaining games on their homestand are selling like wildfire too. A young fan - fifteen year old J.J. Gutierrez - was quoted by the Associated Press as saying "he's a cheater, but I still want to see him play." Many other fans in Albequerque agree with the teenager.

It's just another piece of evidence that fans have gotten over the steroid mess baseball has found itself in for the last several years. It's clear that fans won't demonize players who use steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. When was the last time Alex Rodriguez got razzed by fans for his steroid use? Not only has it not happened very often, in many ways, his steroid use isn't even an issue anymore as far as fans are concerned.

The national media knows this. They strive to give the fan what he or she wants. And today, the fan wants Manny. They want news about Manny. They want to see the hilites from his return. Check out some of the big websites today. They all have stories on Manny's return. Sportscenter was all over the story. National radio shows were all over the story. Part of the reason is that there isn't much else going on, but the main reason is the media knows there is an appetite for Man Ram, and they are doing their best to satisfy that hunger.

I'm not sure about you, but I'm starting to believe that my fellow media colleagues are being somewhat hypocritical here. On the one hand, writers, radio guys, television talking heads - they are all taking Ramirez to task for getting caught using steroids and the subsequent fifty game suspension. Yet, at the same time, their papers, websites, radio stations, networks, and television outlets are covering his return to Triple A as if the Lakers had just won the NBA championship. Why else would ESPN send Colleen Dominguez to New Mexico to cover a minor league rehab stint?

Would ESPN have done the same thing had a player of lesser talent and popularity - say a journeyman - made a minor league rehab appearance after getting caught using illegal drugs? Hell no. But it's Man Ram. It's Manny being Manny. It's Mannywood. He's a popular guy. So, of course he's going to get more coverage.

I'm not sure about you, but I think there are media people who are being hypocrites here. I'm not going to tell them what to do. I'm not going to demonize Ramirez for using juice.

In fact, I'm not going to demonize anyone for using PED's anymore. Mark McGwire used? No big deal. Barry Bonds broke baseball's most hallowed record while using? That's okay. Roger Clemens won his 300 plus games and multiple Cy Young awards thanks to the help of some steroids? I'll give him a pass.

And I'm not being sarcastic.

It's a battle that I'm just not going to fight anymore. I've always known that fans were willing to overlook steroid use, especially if it was helping their team win ballgames. I've always maintained the players accepted what was going on for any number of reasons - chief among them being money. The more money one guy made meant there was more money for everyone. And speaking of money, the MLB clubs made it by the truckloads during the height of The Steroid Era. Everyone knew. No one did anything to stop it until it was pretty much too late.

And now you've got national media outlets doing big time coverage of a steroid user making a minor league rehab start. For me, that's just too much.

I won't speak for anyone else who may want to rip apart the next player that gets caught with his pants down, so to speak. I'm just speaking for me.

I'll fall in line with the fans from now on, especially when it comes to this issue. I won't get upset with the next star that gets caught using juice. And, If it were my vote, all these guys who got caught - McGwire, Clemens, etc. - they all would be voted in to the Hall of Fame.

I just can't fight the good fight anymore. And I'm no longer going to try.


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Flynn Would Fit The Bill For The Bucks


We are two days away from the NBA Draft, which will be GM John Hammond's' second with the club. There can be absolutely no doubt that Hammond is the polar opposite of the guy he replaced, Larry Harris. Don't get me wrong - Harris knows his basketball and did his best to turn the Bucks into a playoff team. In that respect, Hammond and Harris are alike. But the big difference is how they go about doing their jobs.

Harris was a media guy's dream. He was always available for interviews. He always had something interesting to say. And he had a knack for dropping hints to the media as to what he was doing with the basketball team. I'll never forget that Friday in July a couple of years ago when Tom Enlund reported that the Bucks were working on a big trade, and less than twenty-four hours later the Bucks shipped T.J. Ford to Toronto for Charlie Villanueva.

Hammond, like Harris, gets the media game. He used to be part of Detroit's pregame show when he worked for the Pistons. He also makes himself available to talk almost anytime you want to sit down with him. But, other than that, Hammond is a closed book. And you have to like that. Hammond won't give you much in an interview. You can try to get him to say something juicy, and he just won't do it.

Hammond also will never tell you about any move he might be on the verge of making. Let's face it. On draft day one year ago, Hammond sent Yi Jianlian, and Bobby Simmons to the Nets for Richard Jefferson. No one saw that move coming. The only person that wasn't surprised by the move was Hammond. Fans were blindsided. We in the media were stunned. We were all used to this organization telegraphing the moves they were about to make. The fact that no one had a clue that Hammond was even working on this deal signaled that a new era was on tap for the team that Senator herb Kohl purchased almost twenty-five years ago.

Why am I writing all of this? It's really simple. The draft is two days away, and I honestly don't think anyone has a handle on what Hammond and the Bucks are going to do with their first round pick - the tenth selection overall.

Take a look at the mock drafts that are out there. There isn't a consensus as to who the Bucks are going to take. You see DeJuan Blair's name mentioned. You see Jonny Flynn's name connected to the Bucks. Jrue Holiday has been thrown out there as well (though I think he'll wind up going higher). Other names I've seen for the Bucks include Arizona's Jordan Hill and Stephen Curry of Davidson (though, like Holiday, I don't see him being available at number ten).

I won't sit here and tell you that the Bucks will definitely do this or that. I don't think anyone knows for sure what they will do, except for Hammond and his assistants. Sure, there may be a writer here or a radio guy there will will claim that they know what Hammond is thinking right now, but I wouldn't bet the house on what those guys say.

Since I can't tell you what the Bucks are thinking, the only thing I can do is tell you what I'd like them to do.

And that would be to draft Syracuse's Jonny Flynn.

In the end, I think Blair, Flynn, and Hill will get heavy consideration from Hammond (remember, I said think, not know). And, I'll be honest, all three would fill a need for the Bucks, who face the possibility of losing both Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva to free agency this summer. But if it were me, and they don't pay me to make the pick, I'd take Flynn.

Don't get me wrong, I like Blair. I know he has worked hard to shed some weight as we get closer to the draft. But he's 6-6. That's relatively small for a power forward. I know people will say that Charles Barkley was similar to Blair in size, but the league was a lot different when Barkley broke in with Philly. I look at Blair and see a good college player, but a guy who is a tweener in the NBA. And, his weight will always be a concern. I'm not saying Blair is Tractor Traylor, but can the organization really afford to find out?

Hill has a lot of upside, and he would provide the toughness that coach Scott Skiles demands, but I just think Flynn is the guy they should go with.

My gut tells me they will lose one of the two young guys to free agency. With the way the economy is right now, and the fact that the league is considering lowering the luxury tax threshold, I don't see Sessions and Villanueva getting the kind of money that was out there just a few years ago. Of the two, I think Sessions is more likely to get what he's looking for because young point guards who can dish and score just don't grow on trees.

The Bucks will then be looking for someone to groom behind Luke Ridnour. I think Flynn is that guy. Unlike some of the other point guards that have come into the league recently (Mike Conley Jr. comes to mind), Flynn wouldn't be trusted to run the franchise right away. In my mind, that can only work to his advantage. Ridnour isn't spectacular, but he is solid (especially when he is healthy). He'd be a good teacher for Flynn.

And anyone who watched Flynn against Marquette this past March knows he's for real. He took over that game, plain and simple. He was the reason the Orange beat MU, scoring 20 of his 24 after halftime.

He fits a need for this team. And I think he's more likely to succeed than either Blair or Hill. After Joe Alexander's rookie year, and with free agency threatening to take two of their contributors away, the Bucks don't need someone who is a gamble. They need someone they can count on.

For me, that guy is Jonny Flynn


Monday, June 22, 2009

The Real Reason Boxing Is Dying A Slow Death



As a kid, I spent many weekend afternoons watching boxing on free television. Back in the seventies and eighties, ABC, CBS, and NBC all had championship fights on every couple of weeks or so. And, if they weren't championship fights, they were fights involving guys that would go on to become big stars in the sport. Of course, that was when the sport actually mattered.

I grew up at the tail end of Muhammad Ali's career, so the guys I grew up watching were Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini, Thomas Hearns, Hector Camacho, and of course, the heavyweights. Ali would pass the torch on to Larry Holmes. Holmes was the man until being beaten by puffed up light heavyweight champ Michael Spinks. Spinks might have been the next big thing in the heavyweight division, but he decided to fight stiffs like Gerry Cooney after beating Holmes in a rematch. While he was fighting stiffs, Mike Tyson emerged as the baddest man on the planet. Tyson was boxing's biggest star, and when he finally got Spinks in the ring, he disposed of him in less than 90 seconds.

That was twenty-one years ago. Boxing hasn't been the same since Tyson was in his prime. In fact, it's pretty much on its deathbed as we speak. Oh, don't get me wrong. There are great fighters out there these days - Manny Pacquiao being at the top of the list. But unlike the 70's and 80's these guys fly much lower on the radar.

Why is this? What happened to boxing?

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why boxing isn't spoken about as often as it used to be. It's only talked about these days when there are big fights on Pay Per View. And, PPV is actually part of the problem. The purses for the 'superfights' are so huge - so outrageous - that promoters charge over fifty dollars (sometimes) for people to watch the fights. In the economy we are in these days, there aren't many people that have that kind of cash sitting around just to spend on a fight.

There are other problems boxing has faced. Don King and other promoters being one of them. Too many organizations giving fighters championship belts that they don't deserve was another. The rise of MMA (which I don't get into but I don't rip on people who do) hasn't done the sweet science any favors.

But the biggest problem boxing has these days is in the heavyweight division.

There really is no true heavyweight champion. There is no dominant fighter. There is no Ali, Holmes, Tyson, Lennox Lewis, or anyone else that you could consider dominant. Wladimir Klitschko, who owns two of the numerous belts that are out there, just knocked someone named Ruslan Chagaev out Saturday night in ten rounds. Sure, the fight drew 61,000 to a soccer stadium in Germany, but how many people here in the U.S. even knew that there was a heavyweight championship fight? Not many, that's for sure. Back when I was a kid - heck - even six years ago when Lewis was the champ - if there was a heavyweight title fight, you knew about it.

Klitschko might be a good fighter, but he hasn't faced anyone that could really do anything to him. One of the reasons for that is that when he was coming up and actually faced someone who punched back - he was knocked out. In fact, he was knocked out twice. If this guy is considered 'best in class' as many experts believe, it's not saying much.

It also isn't saying much that Klitschko's brother Vitali was out of the sport for a few years then came back and won a belt without really working his way up the ladder. The WBA champ - Nikolai Valuev - is a bear of a man at seven feet tall and over 300 pounds. But, he's not the most skilled guy in the world, and for a guy that big, actually has very little punching power.

This is a division that allowed Evander Holyfield to fight for a belt (Valuev's) about six months ago. Yes, the same Holyfield who is in his mid forties, and hasn't been in his prime since beating Mike Tyson eleven years ago.

If you take a look at the rankings, you also notice something that hasn't been the case before - a lack of American heavyweight contenders. None of the champs are from the United States. Eddie Chambers is regarded as the best American heavyweight, but most people wouldn't know him from Adam. This is a division in which John Ruiz is still seen as a contender. Ruiz was the guy Roy Jones beat for the heavyweight title years ago - in Jones' first fight as a heavyweight!

People want a heavyweight champ they could recognize. People want a heavyweight champ with some personality. One who can punch and knock guys out. It's why Tyson was viewed as a contender when he met Lewis in Memphis six years ago - which may be the last heavyweight title fight anyone cared about.

The division is in shambles, and boxing is in shambles as a result. Pacquiao is the best fighter in the sport, but he can't carry the flag for boxing. Neither can Floyd Mayweather, who had to postpone his comeback fight because of injury.

Boxing needs not only a dominant fighter, but a dominant personality. And, it would help if he was a heavyweight. Preferably an American heavyweight. One who can knock guys out. One who will get the average boxing fan in the country to care as they did a couple of decades ago, when Tyson ruled the division and the sport.

Until then, boxing will continue to die a slow death.

It's a shame. A damn shame.


Friday, June 19, 2009

Three Day Weekend


I'll be back with a brand new blog on Monday. I've decided to take a day off and have a three day weekend for a change.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Why I'm Rooting For Lefty This Week



The U.S. Open begins today at Bethpage Black just outside New York City. Tiger Woods seems to be the favorite by those who take the gamble and predict these things (predicting who will win any golf tournament is one of the hardest things to do as far as predicting goes).

Would I like to see Woods win his fifteenth career major? Sure I would. I'm a big Tiger fan. I've talked about it in the past. The only reason I got into golf was because of Tiger. The only reason I even make an attempt (though a feeble one) to play golf is because of Tiger. I have two Tiger hats. If I ever got the chance to go to a PGA event as a fan, I'd walk the course with Tiger.

But I won't be rooting for him this week.

I will be rooting for Phil Mickelson.

I understand that it's strange. Most golf fans are either a Tiger guy or a Phil guy. It's not that they hate one or the other. It's just that they have their guy, and that's that.

I've been - and will continue to be - a Tiger guy. First of all, he's a winner. Second of all, I admire the intensity the guy has. And lastly, he doesn't accept anything less than winning. It doesn't matter if it's a major, or any other tournament. If Woods doesn't win, he isn't happy with himself. Anyone who is in a competitive business can understand that mentality. I can. Radio is a competitive business, and if I lost to my competition in any given ratings period (and to be up front I did), I was very hard on myself.

Mickelson - to me - was always a little soft. I didn't have a problem with him saying he would leave the U.S. Open ten years ago if his 'baby pager' went off. In fact, I would have done the same thing. I know a lot of people who didn't give Phil any crap for saying what he said at Pinehurst in '99. That wasn't the reason I considered 'Lefty' soft.

I thought he was soft because he had a knack for grabbing defeat out of the jaws of victory. I thought he was soft for taking chances he didn't have to take (for instance - the Open at Winged Foot a few years ago). I considered him soft because of the way he looked (Tiger has always been in prime shape; Phil - that's a different story).

But the biggest reason I thought Mickelson was soft was the way he handled defeat. It always seemed - at least publicly - that Phil wouldn't mind losing. He'd crack a couple of jokes (the "I am such and idiot" line is particularly memorable), smile for the camera, and walk off into the sunset with his wife and kids.

Tiger has never been like that. if he loses a tournament, there is no smile. There's no joking. Tiger just wants to fix what went wrong in time for the next tournament. I related more to Tiger than I ever did to Phil.

But, as I said before, I will root for Mickelson this weekend.

It's not going to be easy for Mickelson. First of all, The Black Course at Bethpage isn't a walk in the park. If you can't keep it in the fairway, you're screwed (I know - great analysis). It's twice as hard when you have something weighing on your mind like Mickelson does.

By now, you know the story. Phil's wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she is getting ready for surgery next month, and the treatment that is required after that. She will not be at Phil's side this weekend. It will be a little strange to see Mickelson without his wife and kids waiting for him at the 18th green.

I know that I couldn't do what Mickelson is about to do. You have to have a high degree of mental toughness to play while your wife - the woman you've built your life with - is in the fight of her life. No one would have been surprised if Mickelson had decided to skip the Open (as he will do next month when he bypasses the British Open). Many golfers in Mickelson's position would have done the same thing.

I'm fortunate. I haven't had anyone in my family who has had to deal with breast cancer. I worked with one woman - The Fabulous Sports Babe - who went through breast cancer over ten years ago. I cannot imagine what is going through Mickelson's mind as he begins his round today.

But I am rooting for him. And I don't think I'm the only 'Tiger guy' who is.


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Real Problem With 'Joe Buck Live'


I wanted to take a full day and gauge the reaction of the media critics who would write reviews on Joe Buck's new HBO show "Joe Buck Live" before giving you my thoughts.

After watching Monday night's show, I've come to the conclusion that it was only okay. I mentioned in yesterday's column that Bob Costas - who Buck was replacing - is the gold standard when it comes to sports interviewing. Buck - a great play by play man - is no Costas when it comes to his interviews.

I thought Buck did a decent job of getting Brett Favre to open up. Not only did Favre tell everyone what was going through his mind as far as his playing future is concerned, but he had the veteran quarterback so comfortable that he (accidentally) dropped a word you can't use on free television. As an interviewer myself (and someone who has had to work at it), one of my goals was always to have my guest comfortable enough that he would tell me things without really realizing it. From that standpoint, Buck did what he was supposed to do.

Chad Ochocinco provided some light moments, and Michael Irvin was Michael Irvin. HBO should have ended the show right there.

The segment that killed the show was the segment that included Howard Stern sidekick Artie Lange, Paul Rudd, and Jason Sudeikis . If you missed this, take a look right here. But I warn you, it isn't for the faint of heart.

Lange was at his raunchy best, taking shots at almost everyone, including Buck. Everyone on that panel, including Buck, was clearly uncomfortable with what Lange was doing. The segment led to reviews like this one from USA Today, and this one from the New York Daily News. The reviewers weren't kind, and they pointed the finger of blame at Lange.

I have a problem with Buck's show (which I will get to later), but it has nothing to do with Lange. I thought he was funny at times on Monday night, and there were times that I thought he was trying too hard, which led to most of the uncomfortable moments.

Lange isn't everyone's cup of tea. He has a colorful life (I'm being kind) off the air, and it has an influence on his act. He's funny, but he's also the guy that you hang out with once in a while that you kind of wish would shut the hell up. Think Andrew Dice Clay in his prime twenty-something years ago.

The critics want to say Lange's segment sunk the show. Why not point blame at either Buck or his producers?

Buck's producers had to know who Lange was and what he was capable of doing. He never should have been booked on the show. Buck clearly wanted to give his buddy Rudd a plug, and he wanted to pump up Sudeikis for his work on SNL. There was no need for a third comic on that stage, especially someone who can be as destructive as Lange can.

Buck also deserves to take a little bit of the blame as well. I can't say for sure, but I honestly don't know how familiar Buck was with what Lange can do. He seemed surprised by many of Lange's haymakers (he shouldn't have been). Had Buck been ready for it, he might have been able to put a stop to it before it got out of hand.

Not only did Buck seem unprepared for Lange, but he doesn't have the presence - as an interviewer - to keep Lange in line. That's because he hasn't done this kind of show long enough to build that presence. Doing this kind of show is much different than doing play by play, and Buck found that out on Monday night.

That being said, the biggest problem I had with the show was the fact that it tried too hard to be a combination of sports and pop culture. HBO tried to emulate what Costas had done for them, and if the first effort was any indication, they need to re-think their strategy.

Costas was able to get away with talk to athletes, coaches, and celebrities from all walks of life because he had the experience to do that. He did a late night show for NBC which didn't always focus on sports. Costas also filled in for Larry King on CNN, where his subject matter was rarely sports.

In other words, Costas was well rounded enough to pull it off. Buck, who has a long resume in the sports world, does not.

HBO made a mistake here. They need to go back to the drawing board and figure out what Buck does best. Once they do that, they need to play to his strengths.

It's like any other talk show, whether it's on radio or television. The producers and programmers are charged with directing the show and playing to their man's strengths.

HBO did not do that Monday night. The good news is they can fix this. The bad news is it might be too late.


Tuesday, June 16, 2009

It's Over For Chicagosportswebio.com


On Saturday, I wrote about the problems at the new sports talk radio venture in Chicago - Chicagosportswebio.com. At the time I wrote that column, the financial backer of the venture - Chicago area businessman David Hernandez - fired Mike North and two others after they questioned why he was bouncing checks to employees.

The situation has only gotten worse. North and Hernandez went at each other through the media over the weekend. The FBI is investigating Hernandez' business practices. The SEC is involved. It's a mess.

And then, this morning, the other shoe dropped. According to Ed Sherman of Chicagobusiness.com, it's over for webio.

I'm not surprised that Chet Coppock is doing one last show to close it down. The guy is a pro. And, he's a better man than I am - I wouldn't do what he's doing today. But that's what a pro does - and I told him so in an email earlier today.

I feel bad for the people who are losing their jobs because of the shady business that Hernandez was allegedly operating. Most of those guys left good jobs at either The Score in Chicago or ESPN 1000 - jobs they could have kept if they so desired - to make a go at what they thought was a better opportunity.

Part of the reason most of these guys jumped was because they were recruited by North. North is a veteran radio guy who has had big success - ratings-wise - in the past. Unfortunately for him, that success did not extend to his time doing morning drive at The Score. That's one of the reasons he was let go last summer (the other was his refusal to take a pay cut).

North is also a guy who has made money for the people that advertised on his show. He always has. That's why many clients followed him to the internet venture when it launched in April.

But, unfortunately, North didn't do his homework on this one. He has claimed in reports that he did a background check on Hernandez. But it must not have been a thorough one, because if it had been, it would have turned up a felony conviction on fraud charges and three bankruptcy filings in three years. This is not someone most people would want to do business with.

But, North took a chance on Hernandez (for reasons that could only be speculation, and I won't do that right now - though keep in mind that North's leaving The Score was not a mutual parting of the ways; you can take it from there). He personally recruited talent to his website. Now that talent is out of work because North seemingly failed to practice due diligence.

Unless North can convince another investor to back him financially - which he'll try to do - the venture he started just two months ago is dead. I have serious doubts that North can find someone to bail him out. It's a bad situation, and when the FBI and SEC are involved, not many people would be willing to take a financial risk.

So, a bunch of good people are out of work. There is a lesson to be learned here, and I'm sure it's something that everyone at webio is saying this afternoon. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

From everything I have read in recent days - including a blog by one of webio's daily talents - there was thought - for just a second - that it might be too good to be true. But at the end of the day, they took a chance because the money was good, and because it was a better opportunity than what they had before North, Hernandez, and webio came along.

As for North, I don't think this will affect him very much. Even though Hernandez was a main sponsor to his television program on Comcast Sportsnet in Chicago, I would think there are other sponsors lined up. Television is a better bet for people who want to advertise as opposed to the internet. And, like I said before, North has a bunch of clients he's always made money for. I'm sure they'll help him out now.

So, he will probably keep doing his television show and not miss a beat. Meanwhile, the people he recruited to jump on board with him are wondering how they are going to make ends meet.

Somehow it doesn't seem fair, does it?

I Understand Why Favre Is Planning A Comeback


Now we know. There is no need to speculate anymore. There is no need for ESPN to lead Sportscenter with news that a Minnesota Vikings trainer went to visit Brett Favre to suggest a routine that will help make his surgically repaired shoulder stronger. There is no need to take every little detail - however minute it may be - and turn it into a huge story.

Why? Because we now know what Favre's plans are. He told Joe Buck on HBO last night that he'd like to play this coming season. He told Buck that the only team he's considering is the Vikings. he told Buck the only thing that would stop him from un-retiring again would be his arm.

If you listen to the medical experts (and ESPN has had a number of them on to analyze this situation), it takes about five weeks to fully recover from the kind of surgery Favre had. So, it's no surprise that he isn't throwing at 100% yet. None at all. If he's still not where he wants to be in another three weeks, then there will be reason for Favre and the Vikings to worry.

Somehow, I don't see that happening. Favre's surgery was performed by one of the best surgeons in the business - Dr. James Andrews. The guy has saved more than one career before. And Favre is getting additional help by having the Minnesota trainer suggest a way to get the shoulder where he and the team want it to be by the time the Vikes open up training camp next month.

So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Favre will be wearing Minnesota Purple when the 2009 season kicks off. It my not look right, just like it didn't look right when Brett wore the Jets colors last season, but as he said last night "It is what it is."

As far as the rest of the interview on Buck's show is concerned, there really was nothing earth shattering. Favre was as relaxed as I've ever seen him in that setting. His explanation as to why he didn't show up for Minnesota's OTA's certainly made sense. Why show up when there's no guarantee that his arm will let him play in the first place? Why go through two media frenzies when you only need to go through one?

It's also not like Favre has to digest an entirely new offense - the way he did with New York last season. Minnesota's system is the exact same one he ran with the Packers for so many years.

As I said, there was nothing earth shattering about Buck's interview. At the same time, though, it wasn't the best interview I've ever seen. Buck replaced Bob Costas - who left to concentrate on his NBC and MLB Network jobs. Costas is the gold standard when it comes to conducting interviews. Buck is an excellent play-by-play guy, but not necessarily the best interviewer I've ever seen.

The one thing that I wanted Buck to ask Brett was why he was coming back again. What was his motivation? It's a question that begs to be asked. It's a question that Costas certainly would have hit Favre with. In that respect, Buck came up short.

Not that we all didn't know what the answer would be to that question, but it would have been nice to hear Favre say it. It doesn't take a Mensa member to figure out that Favre wants to stick it to the Packers for what he thinks they did to him last summer. The best way to do that is to sign with a division rival. This gives him two chances to beat Green Bay - the team he feels did him wrong. It doesn't hurt that Minnsota - with Favre under center - would be considered a Super Bowl contender. It's a bonus, but I don't think it's the reason Favre is (likely) coming back.

He is doing this because of the acrimony that remains between him and GM Ted Thompson. Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. It is also one hell of a motivator.

Some people have a problem with why Favre is coming back. Take FOX Sports' Mark Kriegel, who wrote last week that Favre was coming back for the wrong reasons.

I've done a lot of thinking about this. A year ago, I believed that Favre was coming back because he wanted to play. I never said he couldn't play. I always maintained that he had to play somewhere besides Green Bay because they had moved on and committed themselves to another quarterback.

This year, I think the motivation is different. Sure, Favre wants to show that last December was nothing more than a fluke, and yes, it would be great to win another Super Bowl. But I do believe that Favre's main reason for un-retiring this time around is to stick it to the Packers. Again, there are a lot of people that have a problem with that. I don't.

I know, that shocks you considering what I've said about Favre over the years on the radio. But it's true, I don't have a problem with Favre coming back just to stick it to the Packers. And I have a very simple reason.

While not many of us can imagine ourselves as Favre, we certainly can relate with what's going through his mind. He feels he got done wrong by the Packers. That he wanted to play for them but they decided to go with a younger guy. It's something we all can understand.

How many of you reading this has ever been fired from a job? I would venture to guess that a lot of you have. Heck, we all have. How many of you would love to stick it to your old boss - the boss that told you to clean out your desk? Again, I'd venture to guess a lot of you would.

I know I would. I've been fired from a radio job more than once in my career (and I guarantee it will happen again). If I had the chance to 'stick it' to my ex-bosses, I would. Sure, I'd love to show my old bosses they were wrong in moving on without me. It's a natural reaction. No one wants to be cast aside for someone younger and cheaper.

That's what has been going through Brett's mind for well over a year now. At the end of the day, he is human. He puts his pants on one leg at a time just like we all do. Even though he has millions of dollars, he has the same emotions that we all do. So it's actually easy (for me at least) to understand what is driving Favre right now.

Some people may not like it. But anyone who has ever lost a job can relate.

I can relate.


Monday, June 15, 2009

The NHL Just Can't Get A Break


Last week I wrote about the NHL and why I think Commissioner Gary Bettman needs to go. If you missed it, here's your chance to get caught up.

Game Seven went off without a hitch on Friday night. Pittsburgh, to the surprise of most, won the game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit to win The Stanley Cup. It was a huge upset, actually. Here was Pittsburgh - a team that fired their coach midway through the season, winning Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals on the road. And not only was it on the road, it was in Detroit - not the easiest place to play if you aren't wearing the home sweater.

The Penguins winning gave Sidney Crosby a chance to skate around with the Cup (and by the way, can the Wings stop complaining about Sid the Kid's supposed snub? He shook their hands. It was later than it should have been, but jeez, he just won the freakin' Stanley Cup!). Crosby is the NHL's version of Lebron James, and by winning on Friday night, Sid has a leg up on Lebron because he actually won a title.

Make no mistake, Friday night was big for the NHL. Pittsburgh is a young team. Not only do they have Crosby, but if you didn't know who Evgeni Malkin was before this series, you sure do know who he is right now. Marc Andre Fleury is one of the better young goaltenders in the game. All three are signed for the next few years. It might be early to suggest, but a team this young and talented could very well become a dynasty, like the Red Wings have done. Again, it might be too early, but you wouldn't be that off base to compare Pittsburgh's trio of Sid, Gino and Fleury to a trio that reeled off a bunch of Cups a couple of decades ago - Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Grant Fuhr. Pittsburgh's trio is that talented.

As I said, Friday night was big for the league. But, as is usually the case with the league under Commissioner Bettman's stewardship, it wasn't big enough.

The Penguins winning should be something the league can build on. It should be something that a lot of people are talking about this morning, even outside of Pittsburgh. But it isn't.

My bet is that most of the talk during your coffee break this morning - when it gets to sports - will be about the NBA Finals and the Lakers beating the Magic in five games.

The reason for this is pretty simple. The NBA game took place last night - a Sunday night. Most of America was a captive audience for it. Let's face it - most of us don't go out on Sunday nights. Sunday nights are when you wind down from a long weekend and prepare for the work week ahead.

The NHL played Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals over 48 hours ago. Sure, your local sports radio guy may bring it up for a couple of minutes, but it certainly isn't top of mind anymore. That's because the game took place over two days ago. Sure, the ratings were good. It was a Game Seven. I expect them to be good. But it isn't what people are talking about this morning.

I'm not saying that the league should have gone up against the NBA Finals again. We've already seen how that turns out for the league (not good). What I am saying is that Bettman & Company should have scheduled this series a lot better.

So you don't play the game Friday or Saturday. Stretch the series out a couple of extra days (it's what the NBA is great at doing, by the way). Get the hype going. Play it on Monday night.

Not many people are going out Monday night, either. Like the NBA did last night, the NHL would have had a captive audience. People would be talking about it for a full day afterward. It would have created - and maintained - the buzz that the league has been lacking for over a decade now.

It's not rocket science. Any marketing guy would make the same suggestion. There is an appetite - though not on the scale of Kobe Bryant or Lebron James - for Sidney Crosby. He's been hailed as The Next Gretzky, etc. He's the kind of player you build up. And the league hasn't done a great job of building him up.

There would have been no harm into stretching the Cup Finals out a few extra days - especially between Games Six and Seven. It would have given the league a chance to build up Game Seven. As it was, the hype for Game Seven came (strangely enough) from ESPN for the most part (because NBC did a poor job of promoting the NHL, too). The Worldwide Leader was all over it Friday - on all of their media platforms. I guarantee you it won't be like that today. The simple reason is because the NBA Finals (which ESPN/ABC holds the rights to) took center stage last night. It's top of mind. It's what everyone is talking about.

The NHL had a couple of good weeks during the playoffs thanks to the Crosby-Alexander Ovechkin series in the second round. They got a seven game series in the finals. And the new face of the league won the Cup. But there won't be a lot of talk about it outside of Pittsburgh and Detroit because it just isn't top of mind. The NHL almost never is.

How many times can a league manage to shoot themselves in the foot?


Saturday, June 13, 2009

Chicago Sports Radio Venture In Trouble


A few weeks ago I wrote about the state of Sports Radio (as I saw it) in 2009. As part of that blog/column, I wrote about a trend that was starting in the industry - internet sports radio stations.
There are a number of them around the country. One of the more high profile ones is Chicagosportswebio.com. The idea for this was the brainchild of former WSCR/Chicago host Mike North, who was let go by The Score after a contract dispute about one year ago.. North hooked up with his old partner - former NFL player Dan Jiggets - to re-create their old radio show on Comcast Sportsnet in Chicago.

The television show led to the birth of the radio station on the internet. North proceeded to pretty much raid The Score and ESPN 1000 of personalities and behind the scenes workers. Among those he brought over to his internet venture included:

* Fred Huebner - formerly of The Score

* Matt Weber - formerly of The Score

* Jonathan Hood - formerly of ESPN 1000

* Chet Coppock - formerly of ESPN 1000

* George Offman - formerly of The Score

* Jesse Rogers - formerly of The Score (the PD at the new station)

* Tim Bock - formerly of The Score

To be totally upfront with you, I have worked with every person on this list with the exception of Weber. I worked with Hood, Huebner, Offman, Rogers, and Bock while I filled in at The Score a few years back. I worked with Chet in a number of different capacities when he and I were both at Sporting News Radio.

Each of these talents were either being under used where they were at, or in a similar position that I'm in - looking for that next gig. I was happy at first when the news broke that these guys had moved on to the new venture, but I was also concerned about whether or not it would succeed.

You see, sports radio is (for the most part) something that people listen to in their cars on their way to or from work. The technology that would bring internet radio stations into your car is only partially here (you have to have the right phone, etc.). Most people cannot listen for eight hours a day while they are at their jobs.

The people at Chicagosportswebio.com quickly realized that and were trying to make a deal with one of the local stations in Chicago to bring their programming to a wider audience. Had they been able to do that, they had enough talent and recognizable names to make an impact on the Chicago sports radio scene. They might not have beaten The Score or ESPN, but they would have made an impact.

That's probably not going to happen now. Reports in Chicago late last night indicated that North, his wife, and the venture's General Sales Manager - Jeff Schwartz - had been fired. According to the report, the firings took place after North questioned his business partner's finances. Apparently checks were being bounced.

If the reported financial problems are true, then I just cannot see this venture lasting too much longer. I understand North - who personally recruited a lot of the people that joined him - is trying to take it over, but he needs a financial backer. The economy is still not in good shape, and that might be easier said than done.

This is only speculation on my part, but I think this new venture's days are numbered. It's a shame.

A lot of good people - specifically the ones I mentioned before - are going to be out of work. This is not the time to be looking for a job (trust me on this).

These people left good radio jobs - ones they were in no danger of losing - to join North as he tried to shake up the Chicago radio scene. It seems as if North put his trust in a business partner that didn't have the cash to keep this thing going.

I doubt that North will be affected a lot by this. Even if his business partner pulls out of the television show (which you have to assume he will), CSN in Chicago will find someone else to pony up the advertising dollars. North's ratings weren't great at The Score, but the guy brought a lot of business to the table. He goes all out for his clients. Chicago businesses love the guy. So I don't worry about him.

I worry about the other people I told you about, who went to bed last night not knowing what their futures looked like. In this day and age, that's a scary proposition.

Trust me - I know.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

The NHL Needs New Leadership





Game Seven of the NHL's Stanley Cup Finals is tonight in Detroit. The Red Wings have home ice as they try to capture back-to-back Stanley Cups. And yes, for those of you wondering, the game is on NBC, not Versus. You don't have to go looking through every channel on your system to find it. If you know what your local NBC affiliate is, you're set for tonight.

The league finds itself in a position they aren't used to this evening. They have the spotlight. There is no NBA Finals game to go up against (by the way, why didn't they change their schedule so they wouldn't go head to head with The Association?). Either the Red Wings - an Original Six team with some of the best players around whose names you cannot pronounce - will win, or the Penguins and the NHL's version of Lebron James (because he hasn't won anything yet) - Sidney Crosby - will skate around the ice at Joe Louis Arena with Lord Stanley's Goblet.

Tonight is a win-win situation for the NHL. The Red Wings have a following in other cities besides Detroit and Sid The Kid - in just a few short years - has become one of the faces of the league, if not the sole face.

It's what the NHL does after tonight that will determine whether or not they can make a comeback in this country (remember, they still rule in Canada) or fade away once again - as they have done numerous times over the last fifteen years.

A good way to start would be by parting ways with Commissioner Gary Bettman, who has been in the job for sixteen years now.

I know some people will disagree with this. But, exactly what has he done do make the league more popular in the U.S.? You can tell me about the attendance and ratings in Canada all you want, but the league isn't called the Canadian Hockey League. It's the NHL, and it needs to be successful in this country if it ever hopes to return to the level of popularity they enjoyed a couple of decades ago.

Honestly, can anyone tell me what Bettman has done to improve the league? Sure, NHL fans will say The Winter Classic has been a huge success, and I won't deny that. But the buzz it creates every January fades immediately after the game ends. It's actually the story of the league's history, if you really think about it.

Every time the NHL seems to be on the verge of something big it manages to shoot itself in the foot. The league had a tremendous opportunity when the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994. They were more than just a New York team. They were a national team. Instead of trying to ride the success of one of their flagship franchises, the league and Bettman decided it would be a good idea to lock the players out. A lockout which lasted for more than a couple of months. By the time it came back - in early 1995 - many fans (who also were burned by the baseball strike and cancellation of the World Series the previous fall) - stayed away, disgusted with the whole situation.

It was a move the league has never recovered from.

Under Bettman's leadership, the NHL has turned into a second and maybe even a third tier sport. Teams like Ottawa and Buffalo suffered through financial problems and almost didn't survive. The same story goes for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had to be rescued by one of the league's greats - Mario Lemieux, and his business partners. The financial problems continue today. Just do a Google search and you'll find out how dire the situation is with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Bettman also spearheaded the lockout which wiped out an entire season. His goals might have been admirable - as the league needed to streamline operating costs. But losing an entire season? Fans discovered there were other things they could do with their time. The league hasn't recovered, even though Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are doing their best to carry it. The league hasn't recovered, despite new rules designed to rid itself of ties that make most fans sick.

But, of all the things Bettman has done, nothing was as bad as leaving ESPN. The Worldwide Leader wanted to retain the television rights, but not at the cost the NHL was demanding. Instead of working out a compromise, the NHL decided to take its product to Versus. You know - what used to be OLN (Outdoor Life Network for those of you that don't know).

Sure, the league also struck a deal with NBC to get back on over the air television, but it has never been promoted correctly. Unless you look it up you don't know which Stanley Cup Finals games are on NBC or Versus. When the league was on FOX and ESPN/ABC, you knew when the games were, and what channel they were on. That isn't the case now.

Some will say ratings are up. Of course they are. There was nowhere to go but up. Even so, the numbers are awful.

Take the case of what happened on Tuesday night. The NBA Finals were on ABC and drew 9.8 million viewers. The Stanley Cup Finals were on NBC and drew 3.9 million viewers. That's more than a 2-1 margin. And the NBA's numbers were down from a year ago, to boot!

When the league hired Bettman sixteen years ago, it was thought that he would turn the NHL into a mini-NBA because of his background as an NBA executive. That simply hasn't happened.

It's time for new leadership for this league. Someone who knows how to get a product out there and in front of people. David Stern took over the NBA in the early 1980's, when drug use was a major problem and Finals games were carried on a tape delay basis by CBS. He took that product, and combined with the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird rivalry (along with some guy named Jordan), made it a major sport once again.

I'm not saying the NHL should try to get Stern away from the NBA. He would never abandon the empire he has built. But, the league's owners need to find someone like Stern. Someone who knows how to market. Someone who can get the games back on ESPN (the contract with Versus isn't up for a couple of years). Someone who has a track record of running businesses and having success with those businesses. Not someone who will run the league into the ground.

I like Gary Bettman. I've had the opportunity to speak to him on a few occasions. He has only good intentions with everything he does. But, his run as commissioner has been anything but successful. It's time for new blood.

Some of you probably think I hate the NHL. Nothing could be further from the truth. I grew up rooting for the Rangers. I took pride in winning the Stanley Cup fifteen years ago. I still watch the game today, even if it looks nothing like the league I grew up watching. The league has stars that have the ability to keep it going. But it needs new leadership.

When women's college basketball is deemed more popular than the NHL, it's time for change.

Without change, the league will remain as unpopular as it is right now, and may not survive the next ten years.



Ibanez Is Blaming The Wrong People



Raul Ibanez of the Philadelphia Phillies is not a happy camper right now. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

It's hard to see why. The thirty-seven year old outfielder, who toiled in Seattle and Kansas City in relative anonymity for years, signed a big money free agent deal with Philly this past off-season. All he's done since is go out and prove what many hardcore baseball fans already knew. That he was good. Damn good. Not great, like Ken Griffey Jr. But good enough that you put him in the outfield every day and you don't worry.

Had Ibanez played in a bigger market, he probably would have been a bigger name. But for whatever reason, he did not. Until this year.

Philadelphia isn't Seattle or Kansas City. It's one of the top ten sports cities in this country. Philly fans are passionate (an understatement). If you don't believe me just check out one of the two sports radio stations they have - WIP and WPEN. Both are online. You'll hear the passion come through your computer speakers.

Since Philadelphia is big league, it really isn't a surprise that Ibanez' great start is getting some attention right now. After all, the guy is hitting .327 with 20 HR's and 55 RBI in 56 games this season - easily the best start of his long career.

It also isn't surprising that some would question that start, as a blog did just a couple of days ago. What was surprising was the way Ibanez reacted.

"I'll come after people who defame or slander me," he said on Tuesday. "It's pathetic and disgusting. There should be some accountability for people who put that out there."

Ibanez also went on to say that he wasn't surprised the steroid question was brought up.

"Unfortunately, I understand the environment we're in and the events that have led us to this era of speculation," he said. "At the same time, you can't just walk down the street and accuse somebody of being a thief because they didn't have a nice car yesterday and they do today. You can't say that guy is a thief."

Then the veteran outfielder laid down a challenge.

"You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my stool - anything you can test," Ibanez said. "I'll give you back every dime I've ever made" if the test is positive.

"I'll put that up against the jobs of anyone who writes this stuff," he said. "Make them accountable. There should be more credibility than some 42-year-old blogger typing in his mother's basement. It demeans everything you've done with one stroke of the pen.

"Nobody is above the testing policy. We've seen that."

Again, surprising stuff from Ibanez. But his reaction was out of line.

Ibanez may very well be clean. I can't say for sure because I don't know. I do know he hasn't failed any Major League baseball mandated steroids test. But until there is a test for Human Growth Hormone, who really knows who is clean? Remember, the chemists and the cheats always seem to be one step ahead of the people trying to stop them. If you don't believe me, just go back and remember that it was years before anyone knew anything about the cream or the clear. Years. Who is to say that there isn't some new synthetic steroid out there that we don't know about? Who is to say players aren't taking HGH?

I'm not saying they are. I'm not saying Ibanez is. What I am saying is that I don't know for sure. And since I don't know, I will presume guilt before I presume innocent. It might not be the American way, but history tells me I would be foolish to assume that anyone is clean.

If you don't believe me, just go back to the day that Sports Illustrated broke the news that Alex Rodriguez used steroids. He was pretty much promoted by baseball as the anti-Barry Bonds. A lot of people were in some form of shock when they found out A-Rod had been using PED's.

Then came the Manny Ramirez suspension. At that point no one was shocked that Ramirez used steroids. People were just shocked that Man Ram was stupid enough to get caught.

The biggest names in the game have been exposed as cheaters. Many other names also came to light thanks to The Mitchell Report. Hundreds of names - big and small. And those names were supplied by just two people - Kirk Radomski (a former employee of the New York Mets) and Brian McNamee (who worked with the Yankees). Two people from one city gave up hundreds of names. Do you think they were the only ones employed in Major League Baseball selling players and other trainers steroids and HGH?

If you do, you are incredibly naive. There are probably more names than MLB will care to admit to using steroids. Had they gotten more of these trainers to flip, we'd probably have a lot more names to talk about. Both big ones and small ones.

Fans - as I've said many times before - have gotten over the steroid issue. It's the media that harps on it more than anyone else. And lately, even the media seems to realize that there isn't much use in screaming your head off when someone tests dirty. The fans will still come to the ballpark. They will still shell out money for jerseys, shirts, and hats. The numbers over the last few years prove it.

Ibanez can be angry all he wants. But if he had been smart, all he would have said was "I've never tested positive." Instead, he got defensive and promised to go after the people who raised the question.

It's not a blogger's fault that people seem to bring up these questions about players and their use of steroids and HGH. If Ibanez wants to be angry with anyone, he should be angry at all the players who cheated, a union which didn't care what their rank and file were putting into their bodies, and management that didn't want to see there was a problem because they were making money hand over fist.

Those are the people Ibanez should blame. Not a fan who brings up a legitimate question.


Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Why The Media Goes Nuts Over Favre



The NBA Finals are going on as we speak. The Stanley Cup Finals are as well (if you can find them on television). The Yankees and Red Sox are going toe to toe. Roger Federer just tied Pete Sampras. Tiger Woods won The Memorial and played eighteen at Bethpage Black on Monday. These are all great stories. These are all things that people are talking about at the bar or water cooler.

Yet Brett Favre seems to trump them all.

In case you haven't been paying attention - something that's impossible to do when it comes to this story - Brett retired (again) following a disastrous December with the New York Jets. Soon after the draft, the rumors started that Favre was getting the itch to play, and that if he did un-retire again, it would be to sign as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.

Ever since then, sports fans have been treated to an almost daily update on the Favre situation, whether it's on ESPN or somewhere else (yes, there are others besides The Worldwide Leader reporting on Favre).

The reporting has been at a fever pitch this week. First there was the report on Sunday that Favre had surgery but won't commit to the Vikes just yet because he's not throwing at one-hundred percent. Then came the report that the Vikings told Favre they wanted an answer from him this week (not the first time we have heard of a deadline).

Up next was this. The Green Bay Press Gazette has reported that someone close to Favre has reserved a block of hotel rooms for the week of the Packers-Vikings game in Green Bay. Let that sink in for a second. A newspaper is reporting that someone close to someone might have called some hotel and made a reservation. Are we sure that this someone really was a Favre family member? Could it be that this person - whoever he is - was just playing a joke on this hotel (which is possible). Could it be that the hotel manager quoted in the story is making the whole thing up in an attempt to get some publicity (or business) for his establishment? Or, could it be that the report is accurate?

The only thing I know is that the guy reporting this - Pete Dougherty - is as fine of a reporter as there is. That being said, even good reporters get a hold of bad information.

And late yesterday a report from ESPN saying the Vikings were temporarily putting their pursuit of Favre on hold because he failed to show for Organized Team Activities yesterday. However, the team wants Favre to continue rehabbing from shoulder surgery, and he could still wind up wearing purple after all is said and done.

Here's the bottom line We don't know ANYTHING as far as what Favre's mindset is. We don't know if he wants to play. We don't know because the man himself hasn't said anything (and he doesn't have to right now either, though it would be nice if he let everyone know what was going on).

The only other thing I know about this situation is that we have reporters trying to scoop each other on a story. As a result, there are a lot of things that are out there that are being blown out of proportion. It's happening at ESPN, other national outlets, and in the Wisconsin media as well.

A lot of people have a problem with this. Some say this whole thing is a non story until Favre actually makes up his mind. But, there are others who are just asking a question in response to the breathless reporting on Favre that has been going on for about six weeks now. Why is this happening? Why is there so much speculation that is being reported as fact?

It's really simple. Everyone wants to be first with this story. Everyone wants to be the guy that breaks the story. Everyone wants to be the guy that reports that Favre is either coming back or staying retired.

There is pressure being put on these reporters from their bosses to get the story (and believe me there's more pressure on the reporters not employed by ESPN).

As a result, there are a lot of bits and pieces of information being reported. No one has the story locked down. No one knows for sure what Favre is going to do. But these little bits and pieces of information that come out are being blown up because there is a demand for it.

NFL fans want to know what Favre is going to do. Packer fans want to know what Favre is going to do. Viking fans want to know.

Add all of this together and you start to understand why media outlets like the Green Bay Press Gazette are going to great lengths to either get the story or get as much of the story as they can. That's why a hotel reservation that may or may not be real is being reported and being treated as if it is a key piece to the Favre puzzle.

Since I used to do sports radio in Milwaukee, I get plenty of emails from people who want to know what I think of the media circus going on right now. I tell them all the same thing.

If it's me, I'm leaving this story alone as much as I possibly can. Other than the original report that he was considering coming back again, there has been nothing new with Favre to talk about. If I'd have been on the air I probably would have talked about it for a day and then leave it alone.

I understand that some of you reading this might not believe me. But, I ask you - what is there that's new to talk about? Nothing. He's still retired. He had surgery. Great. I'll get juiced up for this story if and when he makes a decision. And, once that decision is made, the only way I'd really talk about it on the air is if he came back. If he decides to stay retired, it's as much of a non story as it was before all of this speculation started.

I know that some of my colleagues in the media are probably shaking their heads at this and wondering why I wouldn't talk about it. Wondering why I wouldn't try and put someone on the air who could shed some light on the situation (does it make sense to bring an analyst on until he does come back?).

The answer is real simple. I'm a radio talk show host. My first job is to entertain. If I break a story or two along the way, great. But, it's not my main purpose as a radio host. In this situation, I'd rather be right than first. Let someone else have the glory, if there is any to be had.

I say this because of a couple of reasons. I once went on the air and broke a story about a trade. It turns out my information (from a fellow host who read it on a message board) was bad. It was a low point in my career.

Others have made the same mistake. Just within the last six months I heard a radio host in Kansas City report that TCU's Gary Patterson had been signed to come on board as the next coach of Kansas State. It was a message board thread - and a bad one at that. Patterson never got the KSU job (Bill Snyder actually came out of retirement at the age of 69), and the radio host was eventually replaced (it was for more than just the erroneous report).

Have I blogged about Favre over the last six weeks? Yes I have. Have I podcasted about it? Yes I have. But, before you go calling me a hypocrite, consider that before this week I had not written about Favre in about a month. I have only podcasted about Favre twice. I have not been guilty of going overboard on this situation.

Do I want him to make a decision? Sure I do. I'd like to know. We all would. But, because he's so unpredictable, and because no one knows for sure what he's going to do, I'll sit back and wait until he says something definitive before I start talking or writing about it non stop.

My colleagues should too.