Monday, June 09, 2008
Goodbye to blogspot. I'm moving
This is my last post at blogspot. Please visit my new home at http://daveramseysez.freedomblogging.com/
Friday, May 16, 2008
A Galaxy of possibilities
Major League Soccer is a secret to many Americans. David Beckham is not a secret. The league badly needs Beckham and his Los Angeles Galaxy to grow into a dominating, winning team.
And that's not happening. The Galaxy lead the MLS in scoring with 14 goals. Alas, the Galaxy also lead the MLS in goals allowed with 15. Beckham and sidekick Landon Donovan are playing superb soccer, but the team is lopsided, blessed with a powerful offense and cursed by a befuddled defense. The Galaxy is sadly mediocre with two wins, three losses and two draws.
The MLS offers decent if not dazzling soccer. Teams are filled with promising American stars along with fading international players.
Beckham, if his teammates will awaken, could push the Galaxy and the MLS to a higher place. No, he won't convert the masses to the wonders of soccer, but he could persuade a few million Americans to take a look at the world's most-popular game.
And that's not happening. The Galaxy lead the MLS in scoring with 14 goals. Alas, the Galaxy also lead the MLS in goals allowed with 15. Beckham and sidekick Landon Donovan are playing superb soccer, but the team is lopsided, blessed with a powerful offense and cursed by a befuddled defense. The Galaxy is sadly mediocre with two wins, three losses and two draws.
The MLS offers decent if not dazzling soccer. Teams are filled with promising American stars along with fading international players.
Beckham, if his teammates will awaken, could push the Galaxy and the MLS to a higher place. No, he won't convert the masses to the wonders of soccer, but he could persuade a few million Americans to take a look at the world's most-popular game.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Roy to return?
It's a tempting scenario. The Colorado Avalanche have been on a return-to-the-past kick. The team brought back Peter Forsberg and now there's talk - nothing serious yet - about the possibility of Patrick Roy returning to coach his old team.
It would kick start interest in the team, which is losing fan interest.
It wouldn't be a good idea.
Scott Owens coaches the Colorado College hockey team. He admires Roy, the player.
But he doesn't believe Roy is ready to coach an NHL team.
"I’m not sure he’s ready for that," Owens said. "I think it’s a really interesting situation. Patrick Roy is somebody who would help them with the excitement level, but he may need a little more professional coaching experience."
Exactly. Roy might be the man for the Avs sometime in the future.
Today?
No way.
It would kick start interest in the team, which is losing fan interest.
It wouldn't be a good idea.
Scott Owens coaches the Colorado College hockey team. He admires Roy, the player.
But he doesn't believe Roy is ready to coach an NHL team.
"I’m not sure he’s ready for that," Owens said. "I think it’s a really interesting situation. Patrick Roy is somebody who would help them with the excitement level, but he may need a little more professional coaching experience."
Exactly. Roy might be the man for the Avs sometime in the future.
Today?
No way.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Nuggets solutions
Here's the way to fix the Denver Nuggets.
Trade Marcus Camby for New Orleans guard Chris Paul.
And Kenyon Martin for Orlando center Dwight Howard.
Just kidding. The real solutions will be much more complex, but the way to energize the Nuggets is to keep potential and banish the high-priced, failed past.
Allen Iverson needs to go. J.R. Smith offers the Nuggets a taller, younger, cheaper version of Iverson. It's now clear that the Nuggets made a mistake in trading the solid, defensive-oriented Andre Miller for an over-the-hill version of Iverson.
Camby needs to go, too, and he should prove valuable on the trading block. If the Nuggets can find a team to take Martin and his too-big salary, that would be an added bonus.
The first priority should be a true point guard to pass the ball to Smith and Carmelo Anthony. Next, the Nuggets need a young, tough big man. If - and it's a big if - the Nuggets can discard Iverson, Camby and Martin, a mountain of money will be freed for the future.
Trade Marcus Camby for New Orleans guard Chris Paul.
And Kenyon Martin for Orlando center Dwight Howard.
Just kidding. The real solutions will be much more complex, but the way to energize the Nuggets is to keep potential and banish the high-priced, failed past.
Allen Iverson needs to go. J.R. Smith offers the Nuggets a taller, younger, cheaper version of Iverson. It's now clear that the Nuggets made a mistake in trading the solid, defensive-oriented Andre Miller for an over-the-hill version of Iverson.
Camby needs to go, too, and he should prove valuable on the trading block. If the Nuggets can find a team to take Martin and his too-big salary, that would be an added bonus.
The first priority should be a true point guard to pass the ball to Smith and Carmelo Anthony. Next, the Nuggets need a young, tough big man. If - and it's a big if - the Nuggets can discard Iverson, Camby and Martin, a mountain of money will be freed for the future.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Keep Carmelo
I know Carmelo Anthony has repeatedly revealed himself, on and off the court, as a brat who needs to grow up. He plays apathetic defense, declines to pass when he's double-teamed and has led the Nuggets to five straight ultra-rapid playoff exits. And we're not even going to talk about his long list of off-court shenanigans.
And yet ...
He's only 23. And there's no question he has the gifts to become a dominating NBA player, the kind who can lead a team deep in the playoffs. Sure, he may never grow up. In five years, we may be talking about the player Carmelo might have become. He could be, like Glenn Robinson and many others, a prisoner of his potential.
It would be a mistake, a big one, for the Nuggets to trade Anthony. For one thing, they would fail to get market value after Anthony's poor playoff performance and his recent drunk-driving episode in downtown Denver,
NBA history is filled with players who were discarded too early by impatient teams. The Dallas Mavericks dumped Jason Kidd, who later led the New Jersey Nets on two journeys to the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant, the current king of basketball, has endured his own wanderings and like Anthony those wanderings have happened on and off the court.
Trade Anthony?
No.
I'll talk tomorrow about the players the Nuggets should trade and keep.
And yet ...
He's only 23. And there's no question he has the gifts to become a dominating NBA player, the kind who can lead a team deep in the playoffs. Sure, he may never grow up. In five years, we may be talking about the player Carmelo might have become. He could be, like Glenn Robinson and many others, a prisoner of his potential.
It would be a mistake, a big one, for the Nuggets to trade Anthony. For one thing, they would fail to get market value after Anthony's poor playoff performance and his recent drunk-driving episode in downtown Denver,
NBA history is filled with players who were discarded too early by impatient teams. The Dallas Mavericks dumped Jason Kidd, who later led the New Jersey Nets on two journeys to the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant, the current king of basketball, has endured his own wanderings and like Anthony those wanderings have happened on and off the court.
Trade Anthony?
No.
I'll talk tomorrow about the players the Nuggets should trade and keep.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Forsberg blues
We wanted it to work. Anyone with a beating heart hoped Peter Forsberg could defy age and his creaky body and travel back in time to the days when he ranked as one of the world's greatest hockey players.
But it's not working. Forsberg is still trying to recover from a groin injury so he can aid his lagging Colorado Avalanche teammates. The Avs trail the mighty Detroit Red Wings two games to none in the NHL playoffs.
Comebacks by the greats follow a script. When Michael Jordan busted out of retirement, basketball fans in Washington, D.C. rejoiced as they hoped for the full return of His Airness. Instead, fans saw a broken-down, creaky version of one of the game's all-time greats.
No one should question Forsberg's desire. He badly wants to play.
But even Forsberg can't defy the clicking clock. He looks aged, beaten-down and virtually done.
But it's not working. Forsberg is still trying to recover from a groin injury so he can aid his lagging Colorado Avalanche teammates. The Avs trail the mighty Detroit Red Wings two games to none in the NHL playoffs.
Comebacks by the greats follow a script. When Michael Jordan busted out of retirement, basketball fans in Washington, D.C. rejoiced as they hoped for the full return of His Airness. Instead, fans saw a broken-down, creaky version of one of the game's all-time greats.
No one should question Forsberg's desire. He badly wants to play.
But even Forsberg can't defy the clicking clock. He looks aged, beaten-down and virtually done.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
NBA's image: Up in Smoke?
Poor David Stern. The NBA's commissioner-for-life keeps trying to polish his league's image, to return to the days when Michael Jordan grabbed the world's attention and propeled the NBA to fantastic TV ratings. Jordan was the rare basketball star whom virtually everyone admired and embraced.
Dallas Mavericks star Josh Howard said Friday that "most of the players in the league use marijuana" before adding, "I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason."
Whew. The NBA has installed dress codes and talked endlessly about how much players care for their communities and then along comes Howard to trash much of the good will.
Howard's words play into the simplistic - and inaccurate - view many sports fans take of the NBA. The league is inhabited by the best players in the world who play the most exciting, most jazzy version of the game.
Yet many fans prefer the more clean-cut, more disciplined and, yes, more boring version of the game played at the college level. These fans see the tatoos and the sometimes unbridled shooting patterns exhibited by NBA players and turn off the set.
The NBA is not, contrary to Howard's words, dominated by players who just want the game to end so they can rush back to their hotel rooms and light up.
Dallas Mavericks star Josh Howard said Friday that "most of the players in the league use marijuana" before adding, "I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason."
Whew. The NBA has installed dress codes and talked endlessly about how much players care for their communities and then along comes Howard to trash much of the good will.
Howard's words play into the simplistic - and inaccurate - view many sports fans take of the NBA. The league is inhabited by the best players in the world who play the most exciting, most jazzy version of the game.
Yet many fans prefer the more clean-cut, more disciplined and, yes, more boring version of the game played at the college level. These fans see the tatoos and the sometimes unbridled shooting patterns exhibited by NBA players and turn off the set.
The NBA is not, contrary to Howard's words, dominated by players who just want the game to end so they can rush back to their hotel rooms and light up.
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