Archive for June, 2011

We’ve sat through over 100 days of the NFL lockout, and it has been more boring than a Matthew McConaughey movie. I don’t know how to spell his name OK and I’m not looking it up because he is just that boring. I have had to sit through so many of those god awful chick flicks that is basically him walking around with no shirt on being a douche bag for 2 hours. Honestly I would much rather watch The Decision over and over and over again than anything to do with that idiot. Anyways the NFL lockout is boring [...]

Throw another two key names into the mix for the free agent pool for 2011. At least key names for the Miami Heat. The South Beach side are obviously targeting a few free agency coups and the position of the most importance is definitely center. Tyson Chandler has expressed no desire to leave the Mavericks, and even if he did I don’t think Miami would be an overly attractive place for him to play given his clear dislike of the team. Nene on the other hand is very intriguing. Obviously he is one of the top centers in the league, [...]

Earlier today I was watching an ESPN round table discussion between Brian Windhorst (who I find unbearable), Israel Gutierrez and Dan LeBetard (who I love). Most of it was the same old, same old, but towards the end of the footage they mentioned something that struck a chord with me. The reason I began watching the NBA was because a friend told me in mid 2003 of a guy called James LeBron who was going to be the next Michael Jordan. As an avid sports fan I was intrigued and began following the kid. I then learnt his name was LeBron [...]

Born and bred in Ohio, the Miami Heat’s first round draft pick and potential heir to the point guard throne is not accepting the LeBron James nor Miami Heat hate, regardless of his roots. “I’ve liked the Heat anyway,” he said. “I was cheering for them. Some people didn’t like the fact I was cheering for them, but they’re happy for me and my success. Some people have bad comments to say about LeBron, but I ignore them.” “I’m going to control what I can control, and that’s getting better on the court,” he said. “When I get the call [...]

With the 28th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat select Norris Cole, Cleveland State. Norris Cole is a pure point guard in every definition of the word, something Miami did not necessarily have last season. Chalmers improved exponentially throughout the season, particularly in the post season, and is a personal favourite of mine, but whether he has the tools to run this team has yet to be seen. Cole, who Jay Bilas (ESPN) believes would have been a definite lottery pick if not for the school he played for, was the 18th ranked player on the Heat’s [...]

In Riley’s post season press conference he identified Miami’s biggest need to improve on their destructive athleticism by ensuring the additions of youth. The Heat’s big men were embarrassingly old and below that of a championship contender as far as depth goes and it will be their off season’s main goal to improve in this categories. Riley mentioned the Heat’s incomparable ability to get out and run the court, obviously through James and Wade, and targeted the draft and free agency as the means of continuing the growth of this area of the game. “There’s going to be two roster [...]

“We will be a multiple championship-contending team. This was a great year. It was a disappointing ending.” Riley’s words were nothing out of the ordinary but he moved he quash many of the questions surrounding the team that underperformed in the Finals. Throughout the year and again following the anti climatic ending to their season, many people have questioned Eric Spoelstra and his ability to coach the Heat. Riley was much less affirmed. “No, I’m not going to,” Riley said of coaching. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t have the fire. But we’ve got a great young coach here, and [...]

The seldom used 7’3 Lithuanian who agreed with and followed in the footsteps of the LeBron James decision has agreed to the second optional year of his contract with the Heat in an effort to win a championship before his incoming retirement. Ilgauskas, who has suffered many career threatening injuries over his 13 NBA seasons, is one of the most liked players in the league and in a similar situation to many of the Mavericks players last season, on their last legs looking for that elusive ring. The emergence of Joel Anthony and constant rotation of Miami’s suspect center position [...]

The Heat have made their first roster move of the off season, making Mario Chalmers a restricted free agent, meaning they can match any offer the young point guard receives. Chalmers was one of the Heat’s best players throughout the playoffs, particularly the Finals, and a player I identified early in the season as one of the keys to Miami’s success. I said it then and I still say it today, Chalmers can be Miami’s Rondo. They have completely different games, but the effect can be the same. Rondo relished in the opportunity to play along side three All Stars [...]

Chicago Cubs affiliate the Peoria Chiefs held a LeBron James championship ring give away last Thursday night in an effort to bring in more fans. The Chiefs gave out replica championship rings at the gates to their 3300 fans and also displayed the Miami Heat’s championship trophy, to which many Chiefs fans took photos with. The Chiefs also wished to leave the fourth innings blank on their scoreboard, in reference to LeBron James’ failures in the fourth quarter during the Finals, but they were unable to do so. Has the world become so insane that minor league Chicago baseball teams [...]