Heat On Miami

The SEVEN

June 12, 2011

I. The Best?

The NBA Finals are usually very good and often excellent, but this year is on another plane. I almost wish this were best of 17 as opposed to 7.

II. Be Careful What You Ask For

Not that DeShawn Stevenson asked for a LeBron James resurgence, offensively speaking, when he stated that James had "checked out" during the fourth quarter of Game 4 - but the possibility exists that it could occur as the series returns to Miami with the Heat down 3-2. Then again, this is not the first instance of talk from Stevenson to or at LeBron, so the singular motivation factor may not be there.

III. Pip, are you sure?

Naturally a lot has been said about Scottie Pippen's statement about James with respect to Michael Jordan, but as I thought about it I wondered if, in the words of Barry Manilow, "could it be Magic?"

I recently pulled up stats from the career of Magic Johnson, a player that I feel was the greatest leader and winner on the court in my remembrance and one whose stats, I also believe, did not tell the entire story. Looking at the years of 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1991, Magic's averages during those years were about 20 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds, right around his career averages of 19.5, 11.2, and 7.2. In 1983 Magic only averaged 16.8 points per game, and of course in the 1980 championship game he scored 42...which is to say that he scored what was needed when needed, but his game was a well-rounded game.

So while the airwaves have been buzzing these last few days about the lack of production by LeBron - even in the midst of his recording a triple-double in game 5 - the question is whether he and his natural game should be compared to Jordan or to Johnson.

IV. Advantage On The Sideline

One reason the series returns to Miami with the Heat down is that Rick Carlisle has out-coached Erik Spoelstra so far. From the usage of the zone which has helped keep games from becoming a dunk-fest, to his manipulation of his roster (such as the usage of Barea and seating of Peja Stojakovic), Carlisle has taken the edge and this edge has made the difference in these so-close games.

V. Disadvantage On The Sideline

I truly loved Mike Bibby and Peja during the Sacramento Kings years - but the fact of the matter is that they aren't money like they used to be. Carlisle has shut Peja's minutes down, but meanwhile Bibby continues to start for the Heat. Bibby ought be down to spot duty in favor of his brother-in-law, Eddie House. Meanwhile, if the Heat were to utilize Big Z for some minutes, they would be in position to benefit from Ilgauskas knocking down the 18-footers that would make the Dallas bigs come out, loosening up the middle somewhat for some more drives by Dwyane Wade and James. I realize Joel Anthony is a tremendous defensive player, but he will only score a very few points, tempting his man to let him go totally and be in place to help on those two guys. With Z out there that cannot happen.

VI. Going Forward

With all the money committed to James, Wade and Chris Bosh for years to come, the Heat may be very competitive for all these years - but just as in this year, the rest of the roster may continue to be patchwork.

VII. Prediction

Not about this series...I predict that if they can keep it together personnel and ego-wise, the Thunder will be hoisting the trophy at some point in the near future.

Celebrations Galore

The SEVEN
June 7th, 2011


I. Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to all of you whose birthday is today - especially one of the world's greatest writers, my mother, Winnie Williams. She's "internet-free" at this point and, as such, is unlikely to read this...but if you know her, hit her up with a birthday call!

II. Celebration!

Another person with reason to celebrate today is ex-New York Giant wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who was released from prison yesterday after serving almost two years for shooting himself in the leg (and his team in the behind) with a firearm he was unlicensed to carry. Those who now only associate Plaxico with prison forget that he was one of the great receivers in Giant history, and of course, the man that caught the game-winning touchdown pass in their incredible and almost unbelievable Super Bowl victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.

Michael Vick has shown that two years off - even in prison - is not a death sentence to one's career, so we can be almost certain Plaxico will get a look from some NFL team...and why not the Giants?

That is, if there is an NFL.

III. In Case You Missed It

The NHL finals continue, with the Vancouver Canucks leading the Boston Bruins two games to one. Not that I will be gravely upset with either outcome, but due to the love of the sport that Canadians have as opposed to that of Americans, I hope Vancouver wins. Vancouver and Canada will be overjoyed if they win, and if the Bruins lose...well for their fans, there's still the Red Sox and the Patriots and the Celtics.

IV. Congressman Weiner

With all the uproar over Anthony Weiner's now-acknowledged tweets, can you imagine what would be happening if there were really any truth to the birther argument?

V. Election Day

This is a primary election day in a number of places, and while I hope those of you in these areas exercise your right to vote that so much blood, sweat, and tears were shed for you to have, my soapbox today is about the MLB All-Star ballot. Go online and vote for Jose Reyes...because my contention is that Met management will be unable to trade him with the year he's having and his being an All-Star.

VI. Celebration Again!

Congratulations to Mark Jackson, one of the great point guards in NBA history and now the newly-named coach of the Golden State Warriors. If he leads his team from the bench the way he led the Knicks and Pacers on the court, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

VII. Game Four

The Mavericks will have their collective backs to the wall should they lose tonight. I am envisioning a great performance from Jason Terry and a Dallas win to tie the series up at two games apiece.

NBA Finals - Game 1 & More

The SEVEN

June 2nd, 2011

I. The Biggest Two

Here's the skinny on Tuesday night's game...although it's the exact same recap you could have read any number of times throughout these playoffs: Led by a fourth-quarter charge by Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, the Miami Heat took a 1-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks with a 92-84 win in Miami. A month ago you could have filled in the blank with "Philadelphia 76ers;" two weeks later, "Boston Celtics;" last week, "Chicago Bulls."

This Miami-Dallas series presents yet another compelling matchup. Obviously the up-and-coming Sixers were a little over-matched, but both the Heat-Celtics and Heat Bulls series promised to be exciting contests, each in their own way...and naturally the Heat-Celtics may have proven to be even more exciting had Rajon Rondo finished the series with two good arms.

Can Dallas win: Yes, they can. Any team that can sweep the Lakers off to vacation and Phil Jackson off to retirement in the way that they did can beat anyone...but they must be able to get the same type of contributions from their bench as they have against their Western Conference foes - and on Tuesday, sixth-man Jason Terry, their number two (and sometimes number one) scorer had but 12 points on three of ten shooting, while super sub J.J. Barea shot one for eight for 2 points, and Peja Stojakovic had a donut. Those three will have to do better in order for Dallas to be successful.

II. Shaq

The last time Miami played Dallas in the finals, the Mavericks' efforts were thwarted, in part, by Miami's Shaquille O'Neal who, in helping series MVP Wade lead the Heat to victory, won his fourth ring. This year, had Shaq not been injured and Rondo gotten injured, he may have thwarted the Heat's efforts coming off of the Boston Celtics bench.

And now he's hanging up the jersey after nineteen seasons. Was he as skilled as some other centers? No, he wasn't. Was he more dominant than most? In the words of one former governor, you betcha!

Rate them where you would, but when talking really great centers, you have to include him in the discussion with Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Olajuwon, and David Robinson. As far as personalities are concerned, he's numero uno. Truly he will be missed...but then again, I have a feeling we havedn't seen the last of Shaq Diesel/The Big Aristotle/Shaq Fu/ The Big Shamrock, etc.

III. Pip

Another retired player has made news, this being Scottie Pippen after stating that LeBron James might be a better all-around player than Michael Jordan. After any number of people swore Pip is crazy, he tried to walk it back to what he should have said at first, which is that James has a chance to become better than Jordan.

But let's just say that Pippen was right, and that LeBron is a better all-around player than Jordan. In that case, I would make the claim that Kobe Bryant is the greatest player ever. I always told people that folks needed not look to the distant future for the heir apparent to MJ; he was, in fact, right here wearing number 24 - and now, perhaps Scottie has proven this for me. Pippen is speaking about James at his best, which is now - but I would submit that James' best play to date has not reached the level of Bryant's best years, say 2005-2009. Therefore, if James is better than Jordan, and Kobe was better than James, then Kobe is the G.O.A.T...except for Magic.

IV. Chris Christie

For those of you who don't know, Chris Christie is the governor of New Jersey, and one of the "flavors of the month" of the conservative Republican set. I'm neither conservative nor Republican, but I am a father - and I must give Christie his props for taking time out of his busy schedule to watch his son's baseball game earlier this week. Being the governor is important, but being an active father is important as well. Good job, Mr. Governor.

V. Chris Christie Again

All is not well with that, however. Governor Christie flew a state helicopter directly to the game. I don't know where he was coming from, but I do know that ride was more expensive than taking New Jersey Transit. At a time in which Christie says that New Jersey is without resources to do or continue various things, perhaps that mode of transportation could be scrapped next time. Oh, and then after leaving the game Christie went to meet with potential donors from Iowa that want him to get in the presidential race. Iowa donors, before you spend any more of your hard-earned cash, ponder this: If Christie can't see the value - on any number of levels - of beefing up mass transportation in the state, how can he be counted on to make rational decisions on behalf of the entire country?

VI. Vancouver Up 1-0

No, the Grizzlies aren't moving back and didn't get a second life in the playoffs. The NHL finals have begun as well, and the Vancouver Canucks took a 1-0 lead over the Boston Bruins in game one for the Stanley Cup. NHL fans on this side of the border must be crazy over the relative lack of coverage their league receives.

But I have an idea for the NHL, which I shared in full in an earlier blog, Making "The Coolest Game" Cooler.

In a sense, my idea has its' roots in the old ABA, a league that in its' infancy was not at all 

averse to trying anything to garner attention.  One such thing was the establishment of the three-point 

shot.  Though ridiculed by basketball traditionalists, the three-pointer was loved by fans and 

now a vital part of the game and its' strategy at all levels.  When a crowd sees a player prepare

to take an open three-pointer, the noise level rises in gleeful anticipation if the shooter is 

on their favored team - or in fear if the shooter is an opponent.   So my idea is for the NHL to 

place a semi-circle within the offensive end - similar to the three-point line in basketball - 

behind which any shots on goal would be "two-point shots." I'm sure there aren't that many goals 

scored from out by the blue line, but I can also imagine the excitement as a great slap-shooter

 lines up a two-point shot.  And what about the team down a goal with a minute or so to go...now 

they pull the goalie to get a sixth skater on the ice to give them a better shot at getting the 

tying goal, but with the two-pointer available, they may try a couple of shots for the win.  

The way I see it, the two-pointer has a lot of potential.  Gary Bettman, you've got a NBA 

background...the ball's in your court...or should I say the puck's in your rink.

VII.  Macho Man

Both of these series, should they go the distance, will end close to Father's Day, 

and as it turns out, I recently was thinking about a Father's 

Day gift I got for my father some years back.  I thought about the many Saturday evenings 

at midnight that we watched Championship Wrestling

on Channel 9 - and to that end, I bought him a subscription to WWF Magazine.  Some of those very 

issues remain at my mother's house, and as I think back on those times and the era, I

 have to say RIP, "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

NBA Finals - Game 1 & More

The SEVEN

June 2nd, 2011

I. The Biggest Two

Here's the skinny on Tuesday night's game...although it's the exact same recap you could have read any number of times throughout these playoffs: Led by a fourth-quarter charge by Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, the Miami Heat took a 1-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks with a 92-84 win in Miami. A month ago you could have filled in the blank with "Philadelphia 76ers;" two weeks later, "Boston Celtics;" last week, "Chicago Bulls."

This Miami-Dallas series presents yet another compelling matchup. Obviously the up-and-coming Sixers were a little over-matched, but both the Heat-Celtics and Heat Bulls series promised to be exciting contests, each in their own way...and naturally the Heat-Celtics may have proven to be even more exciting had Rajon Rondo finished the series with two good arms.

Can Dallas win: Yes, they can. Any team that can sweep the Lakers off to vacation and Phil Jackson off to retirement in the way that they did can beat anyone...but they must be able to get the same type of contributions from their bench as they have against their Western Conference foes - and on Tuesday, sixth-man Jason Terry, their number two (and sometimes number one) scorer had but 12 points on three of ten shooting, while super sub J.J. Barea shot one for eight for 2 points, and Peja Stojakovic had a donut. Those three will have to do better in order for Dallas to be successful.

II. Shaq

The last time Miami played Dallas in the finals, the Mavericks' efforts were thwarted, in part, by Miami's Shaquille O'Neal who, in helping series MVP Wade lead the Heat to victory, won his fourth ring. This year, had Shaq not been injured and Rondo gotten injured, he may have thwarted the Heat's efforts coming off of the Boston Celtics bench.

And now he's hanging up the jersey after nineteen seasons. Was he as skilled as some other centers? No, he wasn't. Was he more dominant than most? In the words of one former governor, you betcha!

Rate them where you would, but when talking really great centers, you have to include him in the discussion with Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Olajuwon, and David Robinson. As far as personalities are concerned, he's numero uno. Truly he will be missed...but then again, I have a feeling we havedn't seen the last of Shaq Diesel/The Big Aristotle/Shaq Fu/ The Big Shamrock, etc.

III. Pip

Another retired player has made news, this being Scottie Pippen after stating that LeBron James might be a better all-around player than Michael Jordan. After any number of people swore Pip is crazy, he tried to walk it back to what he should have said at first, which is that James has a chance to become better than Jordan.

But let's just say that Pippen was right, and that LeBron is a better all-around player than Jordan. In that case, I would make the claim that Kobe Bryant is the greatest player ever. I always told people that folks needed not look to the distant future for the heir apparent to MJ; he was, in fact, right here wearing number 24 - and now, perhaps Scottie has proven this for me. Pippen is speaking about James at his best, which is now - but I would submit that James' best play to date has not reached the level of Bryant's best years, say 2005-2009. Therefore, if James is better than Jordan, and Kobe was better than James, then Kobe is the G.O.A.T...except for Magic.

IV. Chris Christie

For those of you who don't know, Chris Christie is the governor of New Jersey, and one of the "flavors of the month" of the conservative Republican set. I'm neither conservative nor Republican, but I am a father - and I must give Christie his props for taking time out of his busy schedule to watch his son's baseball game earlier this week. Being the governor is important, but being an active father is important as well. Good job, Mr. Governor.

V. Chris Christie Again

All is not well with that, however. Governor Christie flew a state helicopter directly to the game. I don't know where he was coming from, but I do know that ride was more expensive than taking New Jersey Transit. At a time in which Christie says that New Jersey is without resources to do or continue various things, perhaps that mode of transportation could be scrapped next time. Oh, and then after leaving the game Christie went to meet with potential donors from Iowa that want him to get in the presidential race. Iowa donors, before you spend any more of your hard-earned cash, ponder this: If Christie can't see the value - on any number of levels - of beefing up mass transportation in the state, how can he be counted on to make rational decisions on behalf of the entire country?

VI. Vancouver Up 1-0

No, the Grizzlies aren't moving back and didn't get a second life in the playoffs. The NHL finals have begun as well, and the Vancouver Canucks took a 1-0 lead over the Boston Bruins in game one for the Stanley Cup. NHL fans on this side of the border must be crazy over the relative lack of coverage their league receives.

But I have an idea for the NHL, which I shared in full in an earlier blog, Making "The Coolest Game" Cooler.

In a sense, my idea has its' roots in the old ABA, a league that in its' infancy was not at all 

to trying anything to garner attention.  One such thing was the establishment of the three-point 

shot.  Though ridiculed by basketball traditionalists, the three-pointer was loved by fans and 

now a vital part of the game and its' strategy at all levels.  When a crowd sees a player prepare

to take an open three-pointer, the noise level rises in gleeful anticipation if the shooter is 

on their favored team - or in fear if the shooter is an opponent.   So my idea is for the NHL to 

place a semi-circle within the offensive end - similar to the three-point line in basketball - 

behind which any shots on goal would be "two-point shots." I'm sure there aren't that many goals 

scored from out by the blue line, but I can also imagine the excitement as a great slap-shooter

 lines up a two-point shot.  And what about the team down a goal with a minute or so to go...now 

they pull the goalie to get a sixth skater on the ice to give them a better shot at getting the 

tying goal, but with the two-pointer available, they may try a couple of shots for the win.  

The way I see it, the two-pointer has a lot of potential.  Gary Bettman, you've got a NBA 

background...the ball's in your court...or should I say the puck's in your rink.

VII.  Macho Man

Both of these series, should they go the distance, will end close to Father's Day, 

and as it turns out, I recently was thinking about a Father's 

Day gift I got for my father some years back.  I thought about the many Saturday evenings 

at midnight that we watched Championship Wrestling

on Channel 9 - and to that end, I bought him a subscription to WWF Magazine.  Some of those very 

issues remain at my mother's house, 

and as I think back on those times and the era, I have to say RIP, "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

It's Over

The SEVEN
May 23rd, 2011


I. Slam Dunk

Often during the telecasts of the NBA Slam Dunk Competition - held each year during All-Star Weekend - one of the competitors will pull off an unbelievable dunk, after which commentator Kenny "The Jet" Smith will proclaim, "It's over! It's over! Let's go home. It's over!" Soon after the news broke that Osama bin Laden had been killed, I began to think about Kenny Smith's call...and the 2012 presidential campaign. More on that later...but it's over.

II. NBA Power Struggle

I'm not a gambler and don't know anything about placing sports wagers - legal or otherwise. But now I'm led to wonder what kind of odds I could have gotten on, say, April 1st had I proffered a wager that by mid-May...

-the Los Angeles Lakers, two-time defending champions and winners of five titles since 2000, and

-the San Antonio Spurs, Western Conference regular season champs and winners of four titles since 1999, and

-the Boston Celtics, winners in 2008 and finalists in 2010 who came within a couple of plays of winning again

would all be eliminated.

III. Texas Hold "Em?

What has been a most compelling plot throughout these playoffs is the virtual coming-out party of the up-and-coming teams as they attempt to stake claim to the league's upper echelon, while the old guard has frantically tried to hold on...and now are currently only represented by the Dallas Mavericks. This battle has made the 2011 playoffs particularly exciting, all the while bringing a level of anticipation and hope to fans of teams like the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Hornets, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and Philadelphia 76ers - whose play indicated that their futures are bright.

If anyone involved with the league's labor negotiations has seen either these playoffs or the tremendous p.r. hit the NFL is taking with respect to their lockout, they should be thinking very seriously about sitting down to get a deal done.

IV. It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday

I seem to remember both of my parents receiving a nice send-off when they retired from work in New York City. Unfortunately, there is now a group of New Yorkers whose paths to the ending of their careers is being paved with hot coals.

Those people are the New York Yankees.

Of course this reference is to the situation the previous weekend in which veteran Yankee catcher Jorge Posada, who is currfently batting under .200, shared some pre-game words with manager Joe Girardi in the midst of asking out of the lineup for the evening. You wouldn't have to have been in the room with the two of them to know the frustration the proud Posada is feeling due to his early season slump. You would, however, have to have been there to know some of the details, that he allegedly tossed some F-bombs, etc. - unless management, in the person of general manager Brian Cashman, shared that with the media in order to diss him and virtually portray him as being the devil's cousin. Cashman went on the national TV broadcast during the game to more or less air his side - which might have led me to ask him what it was about a 39-year-old player desiring a day off that was of "breaking news" importance.

One way to keep drama happening in your house - or in this case, clubhouse - is to violate the principle of airing family/team differences outside of the house. As in a Shakespearean drama, this was the climactic third act, the second being when Posada was told he would not catch - and only DH - this season, and the first being Cashman's previous desire not to give Posada this long a contract in the first place (but getting overruled by the Steinbrenner brothers).

Meanwhile Derek Jeter comes to Posada's defense and gets called on the carpet by Cashman and company. Brian's recent history with The Captain includes last winter, when he basically encouraged the Yankee icon to find himself a better deal if he could. And of course we cannot forget the Bernie Williams travesty, in which the still-productive centerfielder was essentially let go. If you play for the Yankees, don't get old.

V. Civil Rights Game

On May 15th the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies played in MLB's annual Civil Rights Game, held this year in Atlanta. Don't get it twisted just because Obama's in the White House (and about to be re-elected next year...which I'm getting ready to address); the fact that many young people do not know why the pioneers would need to be honored in this manner is why my book on the Negro Leagues will be coming out.

VI. Nothing To Run On

During the 2008 campaign then-candidate Hillary Clinton released a campaign ad which implied that Barack Obama did not have enough experience within the foreign policy arena to adequately answer the "3:00 a.m. call." After losing the nomination to Obama, Mrs. Clinton showed that that was all in the heat of the battle, as she campaigned for Obama during the general election and subsequently accepted the position of Secretary of State within the Obama administration. And as the news from Pakistan broke a couple of weeks ago, President Obama showed that he could, in fact, answer that call. When Republicans don't have an edge in the "keeping America safe" debate over the Democrat, their chances are much slimmer than usual. Or putting it this way, if war hero Sen. John McCain couldn't beat Obama, how can someone else after the Obama administration has eliminated the country's greatest enemy of the era and taken national defense off the table?

VII. No You Can't

Part II of that is that the Party of No has no one worthwhile warming up in the bullpen. Two individuals thought of as leading candidates, former Governor Mike Huckabee and Governor Mitch Daniels, are out, while Newt Gingrich is in and Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Gov. Sarah Palin may want to get in. With a field and prospective field like this, it seems to me the only question is whether the Democrats will maintain the Senate and retake the House.

They won't tell you this publicly, but many Republicans are seeing the handwriting on the wall - and one such individual is Donald "Birth Certificate/Great Relationship With Blacks" Trump. He may say he just wants to continue to raise money for charities, but let's not kid ourselves...if a person with that type of ego is certain he can become the President of the United States, he ain't gonna forego that for "Celebrity Apprentice."

Second Season - or Last Season?

The SEVEN
April 21, 2011


I. The "F" Word

Kobe Bryant has a little less "pocket change" - 100K, to be exact - as a result of being fined by the league and commissioner David Stern for calling a referee the "F-word" right in front of the TNT cameras. Not that that would have been any more excusable had it been the last guy on the Timberwolves bench, but my sense is that the amount of the fine rose due to the status of the offending player. Instead of bashing the referee in such a nasty manner, if the truth be told, Kobe and the Lakers better be careful before they are faced with another f-word: Freetime.

II. "The Blacks"

Unfortunately there's no commissioner of life to fine Donald Trump - or fire Donald Trump - for the crazy things flying out of his mouth of late, one of the latest being the statement about how he has "a great relationship is with the Blacks." First of all, Mr. Trump, using that phrase makes "the Blacks" sound like we are like the dogs, the cats, or some creatures in the zoo.

You know, if you want to be president, one of the qualities you should have is the ability to recognize what is wrong and how to fix it. To that end, I would suggest that before The Donald says any more about his "great relationship" or files any paperwork indicating a candidacy, he should apologize to the group of boys wrongly accused and convicted of a rape in New York's Central Park some twenty-two years ago. Trump took out full-page ads calling for the death penalty for the boys, but has not - at least not publicly - admitted that he was wrong to do so after DNA evidence (and the confession of the rapist) showed those boys were not guilty. Mr. Trump, try saying this: "I'm Sorry."

III. The Playoffs

The NBA playoffs have begun, and they are off to a tremendously exciting start, with drama in almost all of the first round matchups. I made predictions for this round before the round started...and while I might want to make some adjustments now, here they are:

Eastern Conference
Miami over Sixers in 6
Chicago over Indiana in 5
Boston over New York in 5
Orlando over Atlanta in 6

Western Conference
San Antonio over Memphis in 6
Lakers over New Orleans in 5
Dallas over Portland in 7
Denver over Oklahoma City in 7

IV. MMA

Went to my first MMA card last weekend to see a young man I used to coach during his baseball-playing days - Shedrick "Chocolate Thunder" Goodridge - fight for a regional title. I wound up leaving there with good news and bad news. First, the good news - Shedrick won the belt.

The bad news is that aside from the one match that I had a specific rooting interest in, the action was not exactly riveting - and I was at ringside. I guess the fact that I kept waiting or hoping that the guys would do some pro wrestling moves shows I wasn't particularly going crazy with excitement...except for "Chocolate Thunder." UFC , keep your eyes on him!

V. Bedtime for Bonzo

By the time Shedrick fought it was around 1:00 a.m...but despite the lateness of the hour and my lack of total excitement, I remained awake...unlike a few people in the news of late. I know some people would consider it almost blasphemous to put forth anything that even hints at criticism of Ronald Reagan...but with that said, is there any connection between President Reagan's firing of the air traffic controllers in 1981 - and the changes that brought - and these controllers falling asleep on the job in 2011?

VI. The End of a Reign?

As the playoffs are beginning, I find myself thinking back to some outstanding playoff matchups between the Lakers and the Sacramento Kings and, as such, truly saddened at the prospect of the Kings leaving Sacramento. We all know that sports franchises move from time to time; some, like the Indianapolis Colts, move in the middle of the night, while others just seek a better site. Indeed, the Kings moved from Kansas City...where they had moved to from Cincinnati...and I have have no real connection to Sacramento, having spent maybe three hours there in life. I just wonder if there could be a solution to keep a once-great franchise where it is.

VII. The End of a Life?

As passionate as sports fans are about their teams, sports, and games, we are periodically reminded that other things are of more importance. Troy Davis is facing execution in Georgia for a murder that it seems very likely that he did not commit. Various groups are attempting petition drives to spare his life, one such group being the NAACP. Please visit NAACP.org ASAP for more information, so that you can do your part to help justice prevail in this situation.

The Departure Board

The SEVEN
April 10th, 2011


I. Glenn Beck to leave FOX News

This week it was announced that Glenn Beck's FOX "News" program will come to an end by the end of the year...although they failed to announce that his outlandish and racist statements led to the mass exodus of advertisers from his broadcast. When thinking about Beck's none-too-soon departure, I am reminded of the words of William Shakespeare from "Macbeth":

Out, out, brief candle
Life's but a walking shadow
A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.

Good riddance!

II. Cathie Black to leave NYC Schools Chancellor Post

Actually she has already left the position she should have never held. Having a successful career in publishing does not make you qualified to walk in off the street and run the largest school system in the nation. Make better decisions, Mayor Bloomberg, in this, your final term.

III. Kevin Boyle to leave St. Patrick's

Kevin Boyle, the legendary New Jersey high school basketball coach and three-time national coach of the year who has coached players such as Sam Dalenbert and Al Harrington, is leaving his Elizabeth, NJ powerhouse St. Patrick's HS
to take a similar job at Montverde Academy near Orlando, FL. Good luck to him!

IV. Kyrie Irving to leave Duke

Another superstar player previously coached by Kevin Boyle is Duke's star freshman Kyrie Irving, soon to be an NBA rookie after the announcement that he will be entering the NBA draft and - to that end - hiring an agent. Irving, due to injuries, played a total of eleven games during his one year at Duke. Wow...even Julius Erving stayed three years at UMass.

Hey, I've never had any issue with athletes going pro at whatever age they feel is right - and, of course, hardly anyone says anything about tennis players - but there are only so many players like Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James - people who can step into the NBA as stars with one or less years of college. Hope it works out for Kyrie...but really wish he wouldn't hire the agent so that he could have the option of changing his mind and returning for at least one more year.

V. Morris Twins to leave Kansas

Speaking of collegians leaving early, Marcus and Markieff Morris of the University of Kansas have also decided to leave school, forgoing their senior seasons to enter the NBA draft. For my take on that, see number four...I mean, I know Markieff and Marcus were the leaders of the Big 12 conference in field goal percentage, but I remember a young lady from one of my favorite movies saying "I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." I can envision them saying that as they go up against the big men of the NBA. Markieff averaged 13.9 in college; is there the thought that that will become 23.9 in the NBA?

VI. Manny Ramirez to leave MLB

I remember picking up a New York Times and reading of a local high school senior from Washington Heights who was a phenomenal baseball player...and I've been following the career of Manny Ramirez ever since. What a career it has been - and what a shame it comes to an end under the cloud of a banned substance. Whether you were a member of Red Sox Nation, Yankees Universe, or a general baseball fan, those years he spent in Boston were among the greatest in the storied Yankee-Red Sox rivalry.

"Manny being Manny," as the saying goes, should have been enough to punch his ticket into the Hall of Fame...and I'm truly sorry that probably will not be the case.

VII. Taking leave of his senses...

What you may have seen leaving the building are the brains of Donald Trump, as he supposedly flirts with a run for the presidency while joining the ranks of the "birthers." Or maybe he just enjoys hearing himself speak...or is it that he wants to try to spike the ratings of "Celebrity Apprentice?"

Who knows...and quite frankly, it's almost like who cares...but in the event that he really intends to seek the Republican nomination, I would share the following with him:

Most Americans look for a certain level of common sense and ability to reason in elected officials, especially in the President. So when someone questions whether President Obama was born in the United States, what they are essentially saying is that in 1962 - at a time when African-Americans were unable to vote in several southern states; unable to get hired in numerous situations; unable to live in certain neighborhoods and just becoming able to attend integrated schools in many areas - there was a group of civil servants or bureaucrats in Kenya and Hawaii that felt that this baby named Barack Obama needed a Hawaii birth certificate, and conspired to get him one. Could they in 1962 have forecast all of the varied events - over 46 years - that would lead to this Black man's run for the presidency in 2008?

If this was true, and the Kenyans saw such potential in young Barack, why would the newly-independent country have wanted to pass his citizenship on to the United States?

I couldn't even go to Canada last year without proper documentation; what would make anyone think that in this post-9/11 era someone can easily create that type of document? The bottom line is that anyone whose powers of reasoning are no better than those folks screaming "birther" theories at town hall meetings is not qualified to lead our nation. And no one whose racism leads them to scream such theories should lead our nation. So Donald, I'd leave that line of questioning alone were I you. Otherwise...you're fired.