THE LEAGUE^©

D-Wade has dropped out of contention on MeanD’s Big Board.  He’s not playing bad: He’s just not playing championship-level good. 

PREDATORS
(VVS-1, ALL-WORLD GAME)

Rabbit - Kobe Bryant (Philadelphia)

Won; 2-1, a selfless rabbit with a mean strak. Go figure.

Fox – Lebron James (Akron)

Won; 2-1, Machiavellian even “travels” like royalty.

Wolf - Vince Carter (Daytona Beach)

Won; 2-2, vicious, irreverent.  When’s the next full moon?

HUNTERS
(Suspect Arsenal)

Chauncey Billups (Denver) - L; 2-1, status quo effort, thought you were a killer?

Tony Parker (Bruges) - L, 2-1, Viva La France!  I think it means softy in French.

Jason Kidd (San Francisco) - L; 2-2, There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here!

Smush Parker (New York) - W; 2-1, So this is how New Yorkers do it …

Jason Terry (Seattle) – W, 3-0, Wow, he can actually hunt …

BLOODHOUNDS
(AKC certified, but questionable pedigree)

Sam Cassell (Baltimore) - L; 3-1, weeee-doggie, old boy still knows a few tricks!

Dwyane Wade (Robbins) - L; 2-1, show this dog he doesn’t need tricks

Manu Ginobili (Bahia Blanca) - L; 2-1, this old boy got a lotta mileage on him

Ben Gordon (London) – L; 1-2, dead-eye spotter, suspect nose

Kirk Hinrich (Sioux City) – L; 1-2, hard-nosed and consistent, top dog potential

Jason Williams (Belle) – W; 2-1, big dogs protect their turf

Gilbert Arenas (Los Angeles) – L; 1-2, okay, so he can hunt, just can’t kill

Caron Butler (Racine) - L; 1-2, acts like he’s from Missouri

Steve Nash (Johannesburg) – L; 1-2, great spotting skills, weak closer

Mike Bibby (Cherry Hill) – W; 1-2, that a boy, Yeller, you can take ‘em!

DOG POUND
(Need to be more integral)

Michael Redd (Columbus)  - W; 1-2, ready to join the hunt?

Richard Hamilton (Coatesville) – W; 2-1, reliable all season, now nursing worrisome injury.

CASUALTIES
(Killed in Action)

Andre MIller (Los Angeles) - L; 1-3, (R.I.P.)

RANDOM THOUGHTS

NBA

How great was it to see ‘Money’ cherring the BUlls from his luxury suite at the United Center.  Yo, Money, get back in the game.  Phil’s got Kwame playing really well.  You’ve been vindicated.

NHL

5 seconds of silence – for defenseman Wade Redden of the Ottawa Senators.  One day after attedning his mother’s funeral, Redden assited on both first period goals in the Senator’s series-clinching victory over defending Stanley Cup Champion, Tampa Bay.  Having father Doung and brother Bart at the game was undoubtedly great support for Redden who, under the circumstances, played one of his best games of the post season.

MORE NBA

Note to D’Antoni.  Look Mike, I normally don’t offer unsolicited advice, but you’re starting to make the reigning MVP look more like the NBA’s “Most Valuable Posterchild.”  Me and Phil, we go way back — to his Chicago days.  Check it out.  Phil — he’s a pretty smart cat.  Without giving you his complete gameplan, I’l offer you a few clues:

Physics: For every action there is an equal but opposite reaction.

Math: The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Judo: Use an opponent’s momentum against him.

Thus said, Nash must get the ball to his teammates above the Lakers’ aggressive ball denial.  His teammates must meet the pass one step quicker to overcome the Lakers’ extended defense into the passing lanes.

Sorry Phil, you ant in Chicago no more.

GOLD-PLATED?

“Tighten up, that’s the term.  Let’s tighten up a little bit … all right?  Not you, [Shaquille], loosen up!”
                       - Phil Jackson (Game 5: 1991 NBA Finals — Bulls vs. Lakers)

_________________________

Chicago is crazy about its sports.  The United Center crowd wil push the young Bulls to their best effort.  Like Jackson, Riley must clam his team.  It will be no small task exorcising the ghots of Chicago Bulls’ past.

Shaq
- Footwork must be agile and definitive
- Presence must be dominant
- Attitude must reflect lessons of playoffs past
- Feed early, often, and late
- Has $25,000 reasons to deliver monster game

Wade
- Serve as utility man, step in and plug holes
- Stay away from weaknesses (fancy dribble, operating outside 12 feet)
- Move without the ball
- Help everyone to contribute
- Championship-level play is not just physical, it’s psychological as well
- Stay out of your head: Forget you’re in the house that Mike built

Walker
- Must negate play of Deng
- Resist point guard tendencies
- Employ quick, one dribble, mid-range jumpers
- Stay out of your head: Forget you’re in Chicago

Haslem
- Mouthpiece incident is past: Stop apologizing  and get on with it
- Carve out personal lane space and own it
- Hit mid-range jumper w/high efficiency

Williams
- Remain effective back-court scorer
- Be a Doberman defensively

Payton
- Bring blue collar work ethic to floor
- Employ aggressive on-ball defense
- Provide veteran leadership: Encourage team to act, not react

Mourning
- Fight through it
- Improve one rebound and one block at a time

Riley
- Solve issues over team poise and confidence
- Push Heat to confront the ghosts of Bulls’ past
- Instill team identity: who are the Heat?

BEST DAMN GUARD © 2006.  All rights reserved

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D-Wade has been thrust into the role of Fox sooner than expected.  Does he have the smarts and skill to stay ahead of the pack on MeanD’s Big Board.

PREDATORS
(VVS-1, ALL-WORLD GAME)

Rabbit - Tony Parker

Won; inherited status, didn’t seize it; possible misnomer.

Fox – Dwyane Wade

Won; must now prove just how sly he is; tendency to lose focus with big leads.

Wolf - Chauncey Billups

Won; always poised for a “big” kill; licking his chops; hare he comes.

HUNTERS
(Suspect Arsenal)

Kobe Bryant - W; took lead in irreverent fashion, but will his team follow

Manu Ginobili - W; joined hunt late, still solid reputation

Steve Nash - L; out of character leadership has team second guessing

Lebron James - L; unwelcomed addition to team, must prove he can hunt

BLOODHOUNDS
(AKC certified, but questionable pedigree)

Jason Kidd - L; Best nose to lead the pack

Gilbert Arenas - L; reprieved, still not convinced this dog can hunt

Jason Williams - L; make me a believer

Caron Butler - L; injury appears fully healed, still not sure he belongs

Vince Carter – L; found way back to pack

Richard Hamilton – W; injured leg, must tough it out

DOG POUND
(Need to be more integral)

Sam Cassell – W; virile, but a bit too old?

Jason Terry – W; only rarest of mutts make good hunting dogs

Kirk Hinrich – L; needs to pick up a scent, and quick

CASUALTIES
(Killed in Action)

Mike Bibby - L; per usual, disappeared again, but is he dead or alive?

Andre Miller - L; friendly fire, knew damn well he couldn’t hunt.

Ben Gordon – L; too inexperienced, got eaten alive

RANDOM THOUGHTS

NBA

San Antonio strikes me as a team better built for a 60-minute game, so unless they plan on playing multiple overtime games, Popovich needs to shorten his rotation by two.  Otherwise, the only way Spurs beat Detroit is by attrition.

NASCAR

So, Dale Jr.’s going black.  Careful, Dale!  Y’all know what they say, “Once you go back, you never go … ”

MORE NBA

With no Artest, there’s no way “Sacto” should have been in Game 2 so late.  Popovich must find a way to energize hi steam’s killer instinct.  Slap somebody … something …

ALL THAT GLITTERS AINT GOLD

Both Shaq and Wade have a tendency to lose focus with big leads, which causes team to follow suit.  Heat must play a fully-focused, 48-minute game to match Chicago’s 48-minute, never-give-up tenacity.  Game 3 is first meaningful measuring stick for Heat this post season.

Shaq
- Keep footwork agile and definitive
- Maintain stamina
- Remain dominant
- Stay on current diet.  Eat early, often, and late

Wade
- Absorb relentless contact while maintaining composure
- Must will his way inside of 12 feet
- Continue to move without the ball
- Remain tenacious down the stretch
- Kill early, and without impunity
- Encourage Payton

Walker
- Must negate play of Deng
- Resist point guard tendencies
- Consistency from ‘3′
- Employ quick, one-dribble, mid-range jumpers

Haslem
- Hit ‘em high, and hit ‘em low, but hit ‘em.  Physically that it.
- May need to take one (flagrant foul) for team to protect Wade
- Forget mouthpiece incident, just do it

Williams
- If you’re going to flash game, then do it consistently
- Remain effective as a secondary back-court scorer

Payton
- Assume junkyard dog role

Posey
- Needs to commit to great on-ball defense
- Keep perimeter defenders honest as effective deep threat

Mourning
- Should be on the horizon

Riley
- Phil did his thing.  What you ‘gat’, Pat?

NOSTALGIA & NOVELTY

Coming soon!  A look at the career of the great, Hubie Brown.  From coaching to broadcasting, is he the last of a dying breed?

BEST DAMN GUARD © 2006.  All rights reserved.

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Of course, y’all know D-Wade is my pick to win “Best Damn Guard.”  Here’s where he currently stands on MeanD’s Big Board.

PREDATORS
(VVS-1, ALL-WORLD GAME)

Rabbit - Lebron James

Won; magical against Wiz; likely to get caught in second round.

Fox – Tony Parker

Won; exposed Kings as mere serfs; hunters better stay on his scent; likely to attain rabbit status after first round.

Wolf- Dwyane Wade

Won; smell blood, but with left leg in question, let’s hope it’s not his own; will have tough time attaining rabbit status unless Heat win East.

HUNTERS
(Suspect Arsenal)

Steve Nash – W; admitted team could have played better; has sight set on Fox

Chauncey Billups – W; loves playing possum; has rabbit right where he wants him

Ben Gordon – L; everything but the win; likely to quit hunt after round one

Kobe Bryant – L; picked peculiar time to leave arsenal at home

Andre Miller – L; wasn’t invited, but thinks he can hunt

BLOODHOUNDS
(AKC certified, but questionable pedigree)

Gilbert Arenas – L; somebody please teach this dog to hunt

Mike Bibby – L; too much like old yeller, mean but wayward

Caron Butler – L; wasn’t invited but another dog went down late

Jason Kidd – L; likely his last hunt?

Vince Carter – L; picked up wrong scent, got lost

RANDOM THOUGHTS

NBA

If New Jersey advances against Indiana, it will likely be with a major injury.  This is not to insinuate anything dirty about Indiana: They are just too big and physical for New Jersey.  By the way, is Lawrence Frank holding the choke chain so tightly that Jason Kidd can’t redirect in-game offense?  Doesn’t J-Kidd have the liberty to redirect shots away from Vinsanity when his shot aint failing?

BOXING

I have never seen a fighter bludgeoned so viciously, effortlessly, and decisively as Kilitschko busted open Byrd.

MORE NBA

There’s rumor that Jim O’Brien might take over the Heat.  Perish the thought.  Jim O’Brien doesn’t have the skill to coach thoroughbreds.  Whatever favoritism is at work down on South Beach needs to be reminded of the Heat’s policy against nepotism.  They do have one, don’t they?  If O’Brien joins the Heat, I hope Wade opts out then signs as the “air” apparent to Steve Nash in Phoenix.

NOSTALGIA & NOVELTY

How can anyone question the greatness of Phil Jackson?  Consider the impact of the Chicago Bull’s dynasty on today’s NBA.  In all fairness, Jerry Krause and Jerry Reinsdorf deserve mentions as well.

Toni Kukoc – Player, Milwaukee Bucks
John Paxson – G.M., Chicago Bulls
Tex Winter- Asst. Coach, Los Angeles Lakers*
Phil Jackson- Head Coach, Los Angeles Lakers
Ron Harper – Asst. Coach, Detroit Pistons
Frank Hamblin - Asst. Coach, Los Angeles Lakers
Bill Cartwright – Asst. Coach, New Jersey Nets
Pete Myers – Asst. Coach, Chicago Bulls
Jim Cleamons – Asst. Coach, NOK Hornets
Scottie Pippen – NBA Analyst & Print/Broadcast Media
B.J. Armstrong – NBA Analyst & Print/Broadcast Media
Steve Kerr – NBA Analyst & Print/Broadcast Media
Will Perdue – NBA Analyst & Print/Broadcast Media
Scott Williams – NBA Analyst & Print/Broadcast Media
Stacey King – NBA Analyst & Print/Broadcast Media
Bill Wennington – NBA Analyst & Print/Broadcast Media
Michael Jordan – Continued imprint on the NBA brand, Merchandising, and Advertising

*Tex Winter deserves a special category unto himself as he isn’t technically a product of Phil’s legacy as much as an architect.  Nonetheless, he is a crucial part of Phil’s staff.

PYRITE or GOLD?

The Heat put a much better brand of team-oriented ball on the floor in Game 1 against Chicago.  With in-game roles more clearly defined, look for Wade to demonstrate even more prowess as a decision-maker with eagle-eyed court vision.

Shaq
- Footwork was agile and definitive
- Stamina surprising and impressive
- Presence dominant
- Fed early, often, and late

Wade
- Displayed brilliance as a setup man
- Generally stayed away from his weaknesses
- Catlike with and without the ball
- Tenacious down the stretch
- Could learn a thing or two from Payton defensively

Walker
- His play must negate that of Deng

[Note: There are no teams left in the Heat's bracket to the Finals that will allow 'Toine uncontested ball penetration off the dribble.  He must streamline his game by employing greater 3-point efficiency and quick, one-dribble, mid0-range jumpers.]

Haslem
- Thought he needed to play more like Rodman, but mouthpiece indiscretion wasn’t it

Williams
- Effective as a secondary back-court scorer

Payton
- Excellent teamwork.  Was tremendous help defensively

Posey
- Played great on-ball defense
- Kept defenders honest by being an effective deep threat

Riley
- Reticently masterful

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