Cleveland You Have A Problem ….
Expectations were high in 2014, when the Cleveland Browns drafted Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel . After a successful college career with the Aggies, within many circles it was felt if Manziel could reproduce the form seen with Texas & AM and then the Browns’ future would be secured with a franchise quarterback. In the ensuing years Johnny Manziel’s notoriety around the NFL has more to do with his off-the field antics than anything achieved on the field for the franchise. Granted, Cleveland Browns are now on their second head coach during Manziel’s short career with the Browns , but the players lack of maturity , sobriety issues and his having been dropped by his agent the LeBron James’ owned sports management company , should indicate the ongoing problems of the player and the fact he hasn’t shown the propensity to change his behavior.
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Even in light of the front office upheaval, with the firing of former GM Ray Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine , it became abundantly clear, the Browns’ issues stemmed beyond Johnny Manziel’s inconsistency and the incompetence shown by Mike Pettine and his coaching staff. During the 2015 season, at no point was Johnny Manziel able to lead the Browns with any degree of success , where the team’s best player either on defense and offense, were Karlos Dansby and Gary Barnidge being the team’s best option on offense. Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel shared the quarterback duties for much of last season , but neither player truly proved to be productive when called upon to lead the team.
The Cleveland Brown’s financial commitment thankfully, has been nothing more than Johnny Manziel’s rookie contract and their likely releasing the player as of the 1st March , provides them with the chance to move forward without the troubled quarterback. Seeking to resurrect the fortunes of the Cleveland Browns will be the team’s new head coach Hue Jackson and his coaching staff . Jackson’s tenure with the Oakland Raiders was well-chronicled and the sheer ineptitude shown by the front office of the AFC West based franchise led to his being blamed for the Raiders’ misfortunes and subsequent firing . From my own perspective , I believe the Cleveland Browns wasted a draft pick on Johnny Manziel when they were far better options for the Browns at the time of making their choice. Such was the hyperbole over Manziel , that forgotten in this all, was the player’s lack of maturity , intelligence and temperament. I certainly don’t believe it would be in a team’s best interest to acquire Johnny Manziel as a backup or a as a third string starter on the roster of any NFL franchise. There are far too many distractions which come along with the player as well as his lack of command and skill-set as a player in the league.
LeBron James is not a coach-killer ? Well it remains to be seen , but with the firing of David Blatt , and the subsequent promotion of Tyronn Lue , leads me to believe things were not smooth as first thought. Cleveland Cavaliers’ team owner , Dan Gilbert and GM David Griffin made the decision to fire the embattled head coach. What may well have brought about Blatt’s demise were the recent performances and the Cavalier’s embarrassing loss to the Golden State Warriors . During a brief spell in mid-January , the Cleveland Cavaliers struggled as they lost to Golden State and the San Antonio Spurs , the top-two teams in the NBA. The real issue for the Cavaliers I believe , is the very fact they are not getting any real productivity from their bench and we have also seen a real lack of productivity from Kevin Love throughout much of this regular season.
If the Cavaliers are to have any chance of making a successful return to the NBA Finals , then their record against their conference rivals as well as the Western Conference will have to be considerably better than their current record indicates. The return of Kyrie Irving to the Cavaliers’ lineup should help the team a great deal and add to what Tyronn Lue will be seeking from his players in the lead-up to the All Star Break . Cleveland will be back on-court tonight when they face the Charlotte Hornets on the road in an Eastern Conference clash .
David Griffin may well seek to keep the Cavalier’s roster intact rather than perhaps move an impending free agents or make an ill-advised salary dump , or simply look to bolster the lineup , but the one thing I believe which cannot be denied, will the LeBron James’ ‘ factor ‘ as to his wants and needs for this team. f the Cavaliers do take the plunge and make a play for a marquee free agent , then we could see Cleveland make a big play for one of the presumed elite players likely to be on the open market. With a payroll currently set at $109.2 million the highest in the NBA , the Cavaliers also find themselves $39 million over the NBA salary cap and they are likely to be taxed at the league mandated $1-50 for every dollar the franchise remains over the cap . A luxury tax bill of $53 million could make a serious dent in the operational costs and profits of the Cleveland Cavaliers. It is something I am sure Dan Gilbert and the members of the front office are keenly aware of.
Terry Francona seems to have settled in nicely as the manager of the Cleveland Indians , but last season had to be seen as a tremendous disappointment for a team with postseason ambitions . The Indians came up short , playing ‘second fiddle’ to the likes of the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins within the AL Central this past season. Fortune favors the bold and the Indians have not waded into the water to make any major moves , but the front office know the fans of the Cleveland Indians will be expecting more from their team this season. It will be interesting to see if team owner , Lawrence J Dolan seeks to fulfill their wishes of bringing a World Series title to the city of Cleveland and this respected franchise . Postseason appearances for the Indians have been rare in recent seasons and their last appearance in the Fall Classic was in the 1997 World Series which ended in a 4-3 series’ loss to the Florida Marlins, later to become the Miami Marlins .
Indians’ GM Mike Chernoff has expectations too and he expects Terry Francona and his managerial staff have this team ready and prepared for the onslaught of a rigorous regular season schedule . Granted, before entering the fray , the Cleveland Indians’ coaching staff will be assessing the team’s strengths and weaknesses during their Spring Training schedule , as they pour over their forty-man squad as well as their non-roster invitees. The team additions which have come by way of free agent signings and waivers will be seen as beneficial for the ball-club.
The Cleveland Indians ended last season on a losing streak , but had won six of their last ten games to close out the regular season. Cleveland’s final game of the season would result in a 3-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox , with the Indian’s record for the year being 80-81 , with one game being postponed due to bad weather and never fulfilled as part of their regular season schedule. The players on the Indians’ roster who Terry Francona believes can lead the team to success will be seasoned veterans , Mike Napoli , Carlos Santana , Rajai Davis, Josh Tomlin and Corey Kluber. This roster is very young at its core , but great things are expected from this team over the course of the season. Whether or not the Cleveland Indians can contend against their divisional rivals will be based on the mindset of the players and the coaching acumen shown by the managerial staff.
Over the past two seasons the Kansas City Royals have proven to be the cream of the crop and I believe they are the team to beat within the AL Central this year ! As the defending World Series’ champions the title remains theirs to lose and while I believe there will be a spirited challenge from the Cleveland Indians , I do not believe it will be enough to derail Royals divisional or postseason aspirations ! The Indians will begin their regular season schedule with a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park , Arlington , Texas on 1st April , but their home opener for the regular season will be on the 4th April against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio,. Both games should prove to be interesting contests for the Cleveland Indians.
The Cleveland Browns have not been able to bring a Superbowl title to the city of Cleveland , the NBA franchise within the city in spite of the superstar status of LeBron James , as the Cleveland Cavaliers remain nothing more than an alluring attraction, while the presence of the Cleveland Indians within MLB , seems to be that of a franchise longing to belong , but repeatedly failing to meet expectations. Suffice to say, Cleveland , “ you have a problem “ , because other than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame there is absolutely nothing on show to offer the visiting sports’ fan by way of real entertainment.
Tophatal ……. 02/03/2016 By clicking on an individual image below you can view the picture in a reformatted size alongside a narrative.
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Tophatal's Blog 
Three professional sports’ franchise owners struggling to get their teams on the map. What more needs to be said about Jimmy Haslam of the Cleveland Browns. Dan Gilbert of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Lawrence ‘ Larry’ Dolan of the Cleveland Indians ?
Jimmy Haslam .
Dan Gilbert
Larry Dolan .
Front offices of the Cleveland Browns , Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Indians . Value for each of the franchises , Browns , Cavaliers and Indians .
Well if you see something like this (image above) in Cleveland , then the visit might well have been worthwhile .
Tophatal ……………..
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Wednesday’s results in the NBA . Home teams fared roughly the same as those on the road in the contests played .
The most exciting game of the night took place when the Cleveland Cavaliers got manhandled by the Charlotte Hornets in a nine-point loss . The Cavaliers’ defense in the contest left a great deal to be desired and over their last four games one could suggest Tyronn Lue’s players are struggling and it was self-evident with turnovers especially during the second-half of the game .
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Tophatal ……………. 2016/02/03 05:45 am
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Chicken soup for the soul , but whatever the Washington Wizards are now serving up for their fans leaves a great deal to be desired . Wizards’ point guard John Wall was seen as the face and leader of this team for years to come , but is now becoming apparent Wall’s talents are being wasted on a franchise which has been aimlessly heading nowhere over the past five years.
John Wall.
The front office of Washington Wizards have struggled over the years to put together a team capable of winning a title , never mind a division or conference championship. This season the Wizards have struggled and it’s reflected in their record within Southeast Division , conference , against the West and the league overall .
From left to right, Randy Wittman, Ted Leonsis , John Wall and Ernie Grunfeld .
Washington Wizards’ head coach Randy Wittman and his coaching staff have been hard-pressed to get the team to play with any degree of consistency to date .
Randy Wittman will prepare his players for their next game when they face the Philadelphia 76ers in a home game at the Verizon Center in Washington , DC on the 5th February. In the Wizards’ last game when facing the Golden State Warriors , Washington happened to be on the wrong side of red-hot Warriors’ team as they succumbed to Golden State in a lopsided loss high-scoring contest.
Washington Wizards’ owner Ted Leonsis through his company, Monumental Sports , a multi-purpose sports’ conglomerate and entertainment company will be seeking to have the Wizards compete at the highest level this season , but the issue may well now be predicated upon whether or not GM Ernie Grunfeld will make the decision to revamp the roster with a possible trade of a cap-hit victim or an unwanted free agent .
Washington Wizards news
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We know the Western Conference to be entrenched with a great deal of talent among the starters and bench , which is why the conference is far superior to its Eastern counterpart. Two teams with opposing fortunes within the West are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers .
The Thunder guided by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are one of the primary reasons why Oklahoma City has one of the best records in the NBA , whereas , for the Lakers their season have simply descended deeper into mediocrity with only the Minnesota Timberwolves , Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets having a worse record over their last fifteen games .
Billy Donovan and his coaching staff have guided the Thunder to an impressive start to their season . In the Oklahoma City Thunder’s last game they got by the Orlando Magic by the score of 117-114 .
Billy Donovan (center) surrounded by players from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Byron Scott has been completely devoid of coaching acumen as the Los Angeles Lakers have stumbled and continue stumble in the run-up to the All Star Game . Scott’s Lakers performed poorly in their most recent game though they managed to get the better of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Byron Scott and players from the Los Angeles Lakers .
I certainly believe with the Los Angeles Lakers likely to finish the season with perhaps their worst regular season record since 2005 and it seems highly probable GM Mitch Kupchak will make the decision to fire Scott , relieving him of his duties with the franchise.
Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak , background and the team’s head coach Byron Scott.
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In the run-up to the Superbowl (SB50) all of the surrounding talk seems to be encompassing the future of Denver Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning and whether or not this will be his last career game in the NFL . Manning will be making his fourth appearance in the big game , with this being his second time with the Broncos.
Cam Newton (1) and Peyton Manning (18) .
The Broncos’ opponents the Carolina Panthers are led by their presumptive League MVP , quarterback Cam Newton . For the Panthers’ quarterback this will be his first appearance in the Superbowl and his third postseason appearance for the Carolina Panthers with his record being not exceptional , but clearly where Ron Rivera , believes the player will be good enough to lead this team to their first victory in the NFL’s big postseason event.
Carolina are likely to viewed as a two-touchdown favorite in the game and the odds-makers may well view this contest as being a great deal closer. Cam Newton , I believe could very well be the X-Factor in this contest because of his natural athletic ability and as a double threat for his team.
Am I mistaken, but is Gary Kubiak the luckiest head coach in the NFL ?
Having succeeded Jon Fox , Kubiak finds himself in the enviable position of leading the Denver Broncos to the Superbowl in his very first attempt with the franchise .
Carolina Panthers’ head coach Ron Rivera (left) is seen here with counterpart from the Denver Broncos , Gary Kubiak .
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I know the death of Flip Saunders had a massive impact on the organization with several executives and players within Minnesota Timberwolves'(15-36) franchise mourning his loss. The team I believe are now running on empty , with their emotions somewhat disheartened and the very fact they have struggled both on and off the court indicates how bad things are for the franchise .
Flip Saunders former head coach and minority stakeholder in the Minnesota Timberwolves. Saunders who died late last year , passed away after his year-long fight battling Lymphatic cancer of the lymph nodes.
Having just stopped a fourteen-game losing streak , it remains to be seen if the Timberwolves can completely rebound and make a great run in the lead-up to the All Star Game.
Timberwolves’ head coach Sam Mitchell is seen here with Kevin Garnett.
Sam Mitchell and his coaching staff have three elder statesmen on the roster with Kevin Garnett , Tayshaun Prince and Andre Miller . With a younger contingent led by Ricky Rubio , Karl Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins who are likely to be seen as the future of the franchise moving ahead. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ next game will see them lock horns with the Chicago Bulls at the Target Center in Minneapolis , Minnesota on the 6th February, 2016.
Minnesota Timberwolves news
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Thursday night’s results in the NBA and how the teams stand after the contests and their current overall positioning in the league .
As if to further emphasize why I believe the hype over the New York Knicks and their season can now be put to rest as the team goes out and lays another embarrassing loss against a conference opponent on their way to a six-point defeat , suffered at the hands of the Detroit Pistons who they played at the Palace of Auburn Hills , on Thursday night .
The New York Knicks are struggling to stay in touch with their divisional and conference rivals as they seek a playoff berth within the Eastern Conference .
Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills will have to look long and hard at the makeup of this team and whether or not it’s now best to cut ties with Carmelo Anthony , albeit , he is not due to become a free agent until 2019. New York’s front office have been been bedeviled by wasted draft picks over the past five years with the exception of last year (2015) when they were fortuitous with their choice of Kristaps Porzningis who is now having a solid rookie season . Carmelo Anthony for his part remains the same one-dimensional player being nothing more than a scorer with a consistent weakness being his lack of defense witnessed throughout much of his career .
Trade scenarios are likely to arise concerning Carmelo and it would be foolish for the New York Knicks not to pursue such a deal , while looking to off-load the player’s remaining contract and salary for this year .
Courtesy of New York Daily News
With Blake Griffin currently out of the Los Angeles Clippers’ team’s starting lineup , while such a trade would make a great deal of sense on paper, because of their closely matching salaries . Griffin’s return to the league is not expected for at least another four or five weeks. Clearly the Knicks would be at a disadvantage with Carmelo Anthony not there to provide them with offense . Yet, any such deal would have to involve either a multi-player or multi-team deal involving a third team beyond the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks.
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This is all going to end badly for Johnny Manziel, Al. It’s only a matter of time.
And once again the Browns will pick a quarterback early in the draft.
Ah, the circle of life.
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Chris Humpherys (SportsChump)
It started and ended badly for the Cleveland Browns , because the front office led by former GM Ray Farmer and the coaching staff of Mike Pettine had no frigging idea what they were doing when it came to the Cleveland Browns’ draft in 2014 . Johnny Manziel may well have had a great collegiate career , but it was abundantly clear from the outset . the player lacked maturity , stability and above all a keen understanding of the game at the professional level . Now we have idiots surmising that Manziel’s problems are solely his and the blame should be all apportioned on his shoulders? That is the type of nonsensical stupidity I have come to expect from clueless @ssholes !
Mike Pettine and Ray Farmer were aware of the player’s issues while at Texas A & M , but they chose to ignore it all , because for the franchise all they saw were dollar signs and the expected windfall with the drafting of Johnny Manziel . Instead, all the Cleveland Browns received was a malcontent and fu#king dumb @ss .
Mike Pettine and Ray Farmer (right) , who are no longer with the Cleveland Browns in their respective capacities as head coach and general manager.
Throughout his college career Johnny Manziel proved to be a constant headache and his college coaches simply let things slide , because of the success at the Texas A&M program while he was there.
The face of a petulant immature moron. Johnny Manziel and his hopeful departure from the NFL !
Come full circle in the NFL and what has Manziel’s record got to show for it all ? You even came out with this idiotic rationale , that he showed flashes of brilliance in a couple of games for the Browns. Flashes of brilliance means absolute bull#hit if the team isn’t winning and under Johnny Manziel the Cleveland Browns failed to win.
Cleveland Browns news
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Beyond closely following the San Antonio Spurs , who I believe might be the only team along with the Oklahoma City Thunder who will prove to be enough of a challenge to the Golden State Warriors within the Western Conference this season ! San Antonio have been on an incredible tear as of late winning their games by double-digit margins (13.3) per-game , best in the conference and the NBA .
Gregg Popovich , the Spurs’ front office and the coaching staff are now in a position to create of a handy margin within their division to concentrate on the post All Star Game break for the league’s mid-season showcase event .
Spurs’ GM RC Buford has assembled this season a solid group of players with veterans , Tim Duncan , Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli being the core of the team’s lineup .
From left to right, San Antonio Spurs’ executives , team owner Peter Holt, GM R C Buford and Gregg Popovich.
Over their last eight games and since 28th December the San Antonio Spurs , Golden State Warriors , Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder have been the best performing teams in the NBA . With the addition of top-tier free agents LaMarcus Aldridge and David West to the Spurs’ roster this past off-season it could be reasoned San Antonio had the best off-season of any team delving into the free agency market. Aldridge and West have been beneficial to the team’s lineup which has been borne out by the results for the franchise.
Pictured are , LaMarcus Aldridge (center) , Tim Duncan (third from the left), Tony Parker (second from the left) , Manu Ginobli (left) , Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard (fourth from the left) .
In their last game the San Antonio Spurs were victorious in taking down the New Orleans Pelicans , defeating their conference rivals 110-97 . Next up for San Antonio will be a road game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas , Texas on the 5th February .
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Last season the New Orleans Pelicans’ forward Anthony Davis was setting the NBA alight while proving himself to be one of the most effective players and offensive minded forwards in the entire league .
The Pelicans for their part , finished off with an uninspiring 45-37 mark for eighth place in the Western Conference last season , where they would make the NBA Playoffs which ended in a first round series defeat suffered at the hands of the Golden State Warriors . Pelicans’ head coach Alvin Gentry , who has a wealth of coaching experience along with his coaching staff will be looking to make this team all the more competitive this season as New Orleans seeks to make real inroads within their division and conference .
Anthony Davis (23) and Alvin Gentry.
At 18-31 the New Orleans Pelicans find themselves currently out of contention for a playoff berth within the West . Alvin Gentry and the team will be preparing for their next game when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon at the Quicken Loans Arena , in Cleveland, Ohio,.
Tom Benson , owner of the New Orleans Pelicans and the New Orleans Saints.
Though the New Orleans Pelicans organization is not in complete disarray , behind the scenes there is a great deal of discontent among the Benson family , where team owner , Tom Benson’s family members are contesting the patriarch’s mental capacity and his ownership of the NBA franchise as well as the ownership of the New Orleans Saints . A case in now pending within US District Court Southern District (Probate) as the family tries to resolve what is turning out to be a very unsavory matter for all of the parties concerned .
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Mark Cuban has always lived by the credo whatever it takes within reason and he has been lucky enough to have seen the Dallas Maverick win an NBA championship while they have made several postseason appearances. The Mavericks have been perennial playoff contenders over the past ten seasons , while Rick Carlisle has been the only coach to have led the team to win Dallas’ sole championship. Dirk Nowitzki , perhaps the franchise’s best player and certainly its most honored is now in the twilight of his distinguished career . That career beyond his NBA championship win , has been multiple All Star appearances for the German as well as a League MVP Award and Finals’ MVP Award .
Rick Carlisle and Dirk Nowitzki (41) .
This season the Dallas Mavericks are sitting pretty and appear to be poised for another postseason appearance. Dirk Nowitzki has now moved up the career points’ ladder and is now the sixth all-time leading scorer in NBA history .
From left to right , Rick Carlisle, Mark Cuban Rajon Rondo , Dwight Powell and Mavericks’ GM Donnie Nelson
Rick Carlisle has a group of players quite capable of making themselves a credible contender as the teams lead into the final few games before the All Star Break and interval .
Dallas will next take to the court where they will meet the San Antonio Spurs on Friday evening . San Antonio currently leads their regular season series against the Dallas Mavericks 2-0
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As if we really need to see the hypocrisy of the NBA and the fact that this league along with its union and the players will sink to the lowest common denominator , while idiot fans with about as much intelligence as piece of dried up turd , continue with their insipid stupidity . We now have Los Angeles Clippers owner and billionaire entrepreneur Steve Ballmer claiming their will be consequences as to the actions of Blake Griffin after the player was involved in altercation which led to Griffin suffering a broken hand and likely to miss five weeks of the Clippers’ schedule . Whether not this means Ballmer will instruct Doc Rivers , who as head coach and President of Basketball Operations to seek a trade of Blake Griffin remains to be seen. What I do feel however , has been the very fact the league hierarchy and the Clippers have been slow to deal with the incident involving Griffin and an altercation which took place between the power forward and equipment manager with the organization , Mathias Testi .
This fight between Blake Griffin and Mathias Testi took place in a restaurant in-front paying customers and spilled over into the streets. What might be even more unfathomable , if the claims are to be believed , the two individuals have let this feud now enter into the inner sanctum of the Clippers’ organization.
Doc Rivers, left and Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer .
Doc Rivers in what can only be deemed a rather inane statement has admitted his angst at Blake Griffin’s actions , but seems to be more concerned, as to the adverse effect on the team and their season’s aspirations. This is the sort of bull#hit stupidity that remains ever present within the NBA and further indicates the league , it owners , general managers and NBPA (union) seem only concerned with money , greed and glossing over an image which in reality has lost its luster .
Chris Paul (3) and Blake Griffin (32) .
Even the NBA’s most recent social initiative has to be seen as nothing more than window dressing, with the players bringing their attention to the issue of gun violence. Much as in the same way , their wearing of hoodies to show solidarity after the shooting death of Trayvon Martin caught the public’s attention . The PSA’s (public service announcements) concerning recent gun violence was simply momentary and for all sense and purpose, achieved nothing of note. It was simply a way for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA Union President Chris Paul trying to place the league in the public eye.
The Los Angeles Clippers this year are having a very good season , likely to be among the leading contenders within the Western Conference by season’s end. In their last game the Los Angeles Clippers dropped a decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves before rebounding back to take down the Orlando Magic , pushing the Magic’s once ambitious season to where they are now fighting for their very existence within the East as a playoff contender .
Gathering one’s thoughts and mulling over the issues concerning Blake Griffin and his long-term future with the Los Angeles Clippers. It now seems Steve Ballmer is not afraid to send the player packing , even if is to the detriment of the team’s offensive capabilities . As things now stand, if the right offer comes along , I do believe if the offer were made , then there would be no hesitation to trade the player , even if the Los Angeles Clippers are said to be reluctant to make such a deal !
Los Angeles Clippers news
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Johnny Manziel’s father , Paul Manziel , is now revealing his son twice refused to enter into rehab over the past ten days , further fulfilling the notion the Cleveland Browns will undoubtedly cut the player rather than keeping him on their roster. As of the 1st March 12:00 am the front office of the Browns can simply cut the player from their roster and are not committed to any financial obligations for Johnny Manziel . This whole sad saga proves once again , hype over substance is something the general managers around the NFL will continue lap up crap , like a cat drinking milk. Manziel just like another Heisman Trophy winning quarterback , Tim Tebow , were essentially busts in the NFL .
Courtesy of Dallas Morning News
Johnny Manziel is seen here with his father , Paul Manziel (right).
So now we know Johnny Manziel is not only a chronic alcoholic , but he also has anger management issues , he is immature and also abuser of women and a misogynist . Nothing more needs to be said on the matter , other than the fact the coaching staff of the Texas AM Aggies let things slide with the player while the program thrived and they showed little concern over Manziel’s behavioral issues.
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Enough already , as far as , the Johnny Manziel story because , this fu#king slime ball is now an embarrassment to the NFL as he is to himself and the Cleveland Browns’ franchise, who bought into the hype over a player who clearly has mental health issues being a chronic drunk.
Now unto the things that really matter and that is the NFL’s showcase event the Superbowl and the two combatants the Denver Broncos apparent underdogs against the favorites the Carolina Panthers led by presumptive League MVP candidate Cam Newton . It Newton is able to pull of a remarkable triple by winning the Superbowl and Superbowl MVP to go alongside the League MVP Award then he joins a select group of players to have won all three awards in the same season. The feat has been accomplished by players who have won these awards in different season or at least two of the awards in the same season (details can be seen below).
Cam Newton’s counterpart , Peyton Manning enters the game in what might be the final contest of an amazing NFL career .
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Not hard to envisage how the Miami Heat can go from winning back-to-back NBA titles while making four consecutive appearances in the NBA’s biggest postseason event.
Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra (right).
This season however, the Miami Heat have seen their ups- and-downs in something of a roller-coaster year .
Dywane Wade , Chris Bosh and Luol Deng are the mainstays on the roster of head coach Erik Spoelstra and his coaching staff . Over their last ten games the Miami Heat have been fairly impressive (6-4). For Pat Riley as Head of Basketball Operations & SVP this has been something of a work in progress as he seeks to assess the rookies on the roster. Justise Winslow , Josh Richardson and Hassan Whiteside , a three-year starter are seen as the fruits of labor as the franchise moves forward.
Justise Winslow and Dywane Wade (right).
In their last two contests the Miami Heat faced the Dallas Mavericks which resulted in a victory and then the team followed the win with a second consecutive positive result , taking down the Charlotte Hornets. Sunday provides the Miami Heat fans with the chance to witness the team at home when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers .
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For the Miami Heat fans with time on their hands as they pray for the return of LeBron James .
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Some of Steve Nash’s biggest achievements came while playing for the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks , but with his retirement it seems this future Hall of Fame bound player will have simply exited stage left, without an NBA title , but having won two League MVP Awards .
The Phoenix Suns under the ownership of Robert Sarver has done little to improve the competitiveness of the franchise over the past ten years. General Managers have come and gone during the time-span in question, with the current position being occupied by Ryan McDonough and Lon Babby being a senior adviser and Special Consultant.
Steve Nash .
This season the Phoenix Suns have not been as competitive as their fans might have hoped . For the Suns’ coaching staff seem to be at a complete lost as head coach Earl Watson tries to steer his players with some semblance of success. Eric Bledsoe might well be the best player on the roster. For the most art , the Suns’ financial commitment to their players can be seen through the reluctance to lure marquee free agents to the franchise. Phoenix’s last game saw the team fall in an 111-105 loss to the Houston Rockets . The Phoenix Suns will be back on the court on Saturday night when they face the Utah Jazz at home .
Eric Bledsoe (2) of the Phoenix Suns.
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The firing of Jim Tomsula ensured the San Francisco 49ers would be on their third NFL head coach inside of three years. Mutually agreeing to leave the Niners in order to return to his Alma-mater , Jim Harbaugh pretty much left the organization and franchise in a complete state of disrepair .
From left to right , GM Trent Baalke, Jim Tomsula and San Francisco 49ers’ CEO & owner Jed York.
Jim Harbaugh may well have lost control of the team while GM Trent Baalke and CEO Jed York have made a complete shamble of things , concerning the assembling of a team for last season. Colin Kaepernick whose exploits in the first two seasons of his NFL career , pretty much raised the level of the bar , before the player simply lowered it with his arrogant behavior and inconsistent play , in particular last season .
It’s now or never for both Chip Kelly (left) and Colin Kaepernick .
Chip Kelly will either prove to be an inspirational move or end up being an utter disaster. What we do know however, is the very fact the roster will have to be completely be overhauled. Aging veterans will certainly have to make way for younger talent and there are several free agents who will not be re-signed by Forty-Niners during this off-season.
After Chip Kelly’s disastrous season with the Philadelphia Eagles and their failing to gain a postseason berth , having only to win their last three games . It pretty summed up why the team was overrated and the fact Kelly was clueless and had no propensity for the team to play an iota of defense throughout last season.
Colin Kaepernick has failed to live up his contract , given the fact there were rumors circulating the San Francisco 49ers were prepared to trade the quarterback , left everyone feeling such a move was inevitable. Chip Kelly will enter into next season looking to get the best out of his team and in particular his incumbent starting quarterback .
Steve Young , Joe Montana and Jerry Rice are considered to be three of the greatest players in San Francisco 49ers’ history .
Steve Young (foreground) and Colin Kaepernick .
Though Montana and Rice often appear at games, it is Young who as an analyst on network television , who who has voiced his biggest concerns with regard to Colin Kapernick and the recent hiring of Chip Kelly.
NFL news
San Francisco 49ers news
NFL transactions
NFL transactions (March 2015)
NFL free agents
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As a resident living in Polk County , Florida the three major professional sports’ franchises within the Central Florida area are the Orlando Magic , Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Rays . All three teams within their respective sports are or were mired either in mediocrity , have been less than average or simply struggling make some semblance of success.
Kevin Cash manager of the Tampa Bay Rays .
With their season having ended , the Tampa Bay Rays never made their presence felt within the AL East or even as a wildcard entrant for this past postseason . Suffice to say , with the only piece of now concerning the franchise has been the Pinellas County’s vote in allowing the ball-club to leave Tropicana Field . St Petersburg , Florida , its home for the past two decades.
Stuart Sternberg owner of the Tampa Bays is seen here with Team President Brian Auld , to his rear , standing , hands in pockets
Rays’ team owner Stuart Sternberg finally has his wish , but it remains to be seen if the Tampa Bay Rays remain in the local vicinity or move entirely out of the state of Florida . Beyond that. but for the excuse of a new managerial regimen and the fact the team were just awful and there wasn’t much to commend the Rays on at all.
Dirk Koetter is seen here with Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback Jameis Winston (3)
Lovie Smith’s tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can be best described as trying to roll a cart filled with $hit , uphill . Smith won a total of eight games in his two years with the Buccaneers. This past season Tampa tried as hard as they could to prove their doubters wrong , but it was all to no avail . Sorry to say this , but Jameis Winston has done nothing yet . to suggest he will become a franchise quarterback. He’s good but nowhere near impressive or even a game changer .
With Lovie Smith having been fired , his successor Dirk Koetter was named . Buccaneers’ GM Jason Licht . Koetter has wasted no time in assembling his coaching staff with a view to assessing the roster and making the necessary cuts envisioned and looking towards free agency acquisitions . Those moves are not expected to start until midnight on the 1st March as was the case at the end of the 2014 season.
I expect the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make some moves with the franchise expected to have cap room making some inevitable signings . In the lead-up to the 2016 NFL Draft it will be interesting to see how the franchise seeks to assess their needs .
Right off the bat Dirk Koetter has been forced to take the plunge at the deep end of the pool knowing full well the preseason might not be off an emergency but getting a good start right out of the gate will be the key to the Buccaneers’ being able to have a great season in 2016.
Orlando Magic ownership under Rich Devos has been mired in mediocrity over the past five seasons . This year appears to be no different as Scott Skiles takes to the reins as the head coach of the team .
Nikola Vucevic (9) of the Orlando Magic is seen here on court while in the background is team head coach Scott Skiles .
GM Alex Martins has provided Skiles with all of the resources needed in order to have the Magic be competitive this season in terms of their divisional and conference standings .
The Orlando Magic this season have seen several players step up to the plate ,but none actually providing the consistency sought over the long haul of their schedule . Nikola Vucevic has been the Magic’s most consistent player this season and perhaps the best player on their roster. Vucevic has been the sole reason to watch the Orlando Magic play . His being snubbed as an All Star starter for the Eastern Conference might well be seen as an oversight .
Tyronn Lue will be the coach Eastern Conference’s All Stars and he could very well come to the decision having Nikola Vucevic added to his roster , but it would be highly unlikely with his probable preference being a player on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ roster who was overlooked by the voters.
The Orlando Magic were last on the court when they faced the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night in a home game . On Superbowl Sunday Nikola Vucevic and the Orlando Magic will host the Atlanta Hawks in an Eastern Conference clash .
NFL news and NFL honors (awards)
Orlando Magic news
Tampa Bay Buccaneers news
Tampa Bay Rays news
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So can someone explain to me how neither the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors be competitive within their conference, but then during the playoffs both of these teams are like a deer caught in headlights ? The Raptors and Hawks have met this season with the record between the two being as follows , with Raptors leading the series 1-0. Their first meeting of their regular season series took place on December 2nd , 2015 with the Toronto Raptors being the victorious team in the contest . Atlanta will be looking
The Atlanta Hawks will be back in action when they take on the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center , in Orlando, Florida on Sunday afternoon . Atlanta will be looking to their high-profile players Al Horford , Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague to provide them with the offensive firepower to take down the Magic in this contest. Mike Budenholzer and his coaching staff will likely have his team ready to play with a view to making sure the Orlando Magic’s woes continue .
Hawks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer (center) is seen here with Al Horford (15) and Paul Millsap (4).
I’ve no doubt Dwayne Casey is a good coach and he has proven that by making the Toronto Raptors competitive this season , with the team having one of the best records in the East , as well as any division within the conference.
DeMar DeRozan and Raptors’ head coach Dwayne Casey.
DeMar DeRozan remains the focal point of the team . Something with which Dwayne Casey has to be pleased alongside the front office of the franchise. The Toronto Raptors’ parent company MLSE is one of the most influential and recognized companies of its kind in the world. MLSE with its branding and brand name recognition is worth upwards of $2.5 billion , putting it alongside some of the value professional sports’ conglomerates in the world (Most valuable teams hockey , football , soccer , baseball , and basketball) .
Larry Tannenbaum who heads up the Board of Directors for MLSE is also the largest stakeholder on company. Tannenbaum obviously would like nothing better than to see the Toronto Raptors win an NBA title , while also seeing the value of the Raptors appreciate. The Raptors are a draw , but nowhere near being one of the most popular franchises in the NBA by way of attendance.
Canadian billionaire and business mogul Larry Tannenbaum
Dwayne Casey and the Toronto Raptors will be preparing for their next game when they take on the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills , Auburn Hills , Michigan on Monday evening.
2016 NBA All Star news
Atlanta Hawks news
Toronto Raptors news
Tophatal ………….. 02/07/2016 3:36 am
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The 2016 Hall of Fame Class of inductees have been announced and the honorees are thoroughly deserving of the honor ! And among the notable honorees are Brett Favre , /biography> Marvin Harrison , Ken Stabler , Kevin Greene , Orlando Pace , Tony Dungy and Eddie DeBartolo Jr .
From left to right , Orlando Pace, Kevin Greene, Brett Favre and Tony Dungy .
Favre’s induction was not unexpected and his career with the the Green Bay Packers is a testament to his achievements .
For Tony Dungy , as the architect of the Superbow winning roster of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then his own victory with the Indianapolis Colts has created a legacy which is respected by his peers and players alike.
Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning. Also pictured is Jim Irsay .
Marvin Harrison and his relationship with Peyton Manning was synonymous with success and greatness.
In the case of Eddie DeBartolo and his purchasing of the San Francisco 49ers , who knows if the success achieved by the franchise would ever have come into being ? His relationship with the late Bill Walsh remains a lasting legacy within the game and Forty-Niners’ folklore.
Eddie DeBartolo Jr (center) and Bill Walsh (left) and Joe Montana .
NFL honors and NFL news
2016 Hall of Fame Honorees
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So another NFL season has come to a close and history was made in numerous way as the Denver Broncos won their third Superbowl in franchise history. The Broncos’ defense was stellar , with Vonn Miller having one hell of a game. Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers couldn’t do anything right on offense and they were made to pay with several turnovers during the game leading to loss suffered at the hands of the Broncos , end result Denver winning 24-10 .
Peyton Manning may not have played his best game in a Superbowl appearance , but this game simply wasn’t about Manning alone , as it was a collective team effort , a real team effort as mirrored in the Broncos’ statistics and how this game panned out. Now the questions will be raised , does Peyton Manning bow out as a winner or will he return for one more season ? He has the rest of the off-season to mull things over with his family and close friends , before coming to the decision he feels is necessary.
Peyton Manning is all smiles after the Denver Broncos’ 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers for Manning’s second Superbowl title win of his extraordinary career. The game was also one of the ` lowest-scoring Superbowls over the last fifteen years .
For Ron Rivera and the Panthers’ coaching staff , this has to be seen as a tremendous disappointment , but as he so rightfully said in his post-game interview , ‘ this was a learning experience ‘ and the team will bounce back from it all . Cam Newton led this team all season long , as the Carolina Panthers rolled to the best regular season mark in franchise history , but at the end of day , what was within their grasp they were unable to hold unto.
Vonn Miller now has a Superbowl ring and Superbowl MVP to add to his list of achievements and will now be likely seen as the ‘ heart and soul ‘ of this Denver Broncos’ defense . What more needs to be said about John Elway as a player and now as a front office executive ? He was the architect of this team , having drafted well and acquired players to make this team what it is .
Vonn Miller (58) of the Denver Broncos made Cam Newton’s day a living nightmare throughout much of the game.
For Denver’s defensive coordinator Wade Phillips this has to be a special moment and one which likely seal the deal for him to be seen as one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history . Coaches tend to get all of the praise when their teams win a Superbowl , but praised should also be heaped on the shoulders of their assistants. For Gary Kubiak , he now adds a Superbowl title , AFC championship to his list of coaching achievements . Where the Denver Broncos now go from here is just about anyone’s guess at this juncture , but there can be no denying they rose to the occasion and got the job done ,
NFL news and Superbowl 50
Game statistics
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Sunday’s results in the NBA and how teams fared in those contests . Some good wins were witnessed as the teams eked out their results .
Once again there appears to be no apparent signs of life from the New York Knicks as they fall to the Denver Nuggets by a five-point margin 101-96. Inconsistency appears to be the norm for the Miami Heat as they fall to the Los Angeles Clippers in a home loss .
If comparisons can be made as to how things stood at this point last season . It could indicate what we are likely to see for the remainder of the season .
Games scheduled for Monday should prove to be interesting for number of reasons . There are ten games on Monday’s schedule , with the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets getting together in a conference clash . Hornets’ owner and former Bulls’ player Michael Jordan whose greatest accomplishments were as a member of the Chicago Bulls will be seeking to place his former team in front of another obstacle with a loss .
Charlotte Hornets’ executives , Rich Cho (foreground) , Michael Jordan (right) and Fred Whitfield .
The most intriguing match-up of the night features the Portland Trailblazers meeting the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum Arena in Memphis , Tennessee ,.
NBA news
NBA results
NBA standings (divisional)
NBA conference standings
NBA playoff picture
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NBA player stats rookies
Tophatal ………..
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Johnny Manziel is an alcoholic. He has big time problems. he needs help. Manziel is a sick man. Sports are full of ne like this. They crash and burn out. Force him to look for help. LeBron James is turning into one of the greats in the NBA. He can do it all. He is the smaller version of Wilt Chamberlain. Both could do it all -rebound, score, and dish out the assist. Both are monsters of men. No one roots for Goliath.
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Bobby Gee
Not only is Johnny Manziel an alcoholic, but he’s also an abuser , misogynist and a liar . Kevin Sumlin his coach at Texas A&M allowed him to get away with a great deal , based on the fact the program was winning and the press and fans were lapping it all up .
Now with Manziel in the NFL , we are also getting to see the true nature of the beast (Manziel) and the fact he’s a repugnant , immature , little cretin, who is vastly overrated and not good enough to lead a team. It’s not as if the Cleveland Browns were good enough to win their division much less competitive enough within the conference or the NFL for that matter . Now we have idiots suggesting he showed flashes of brilliance . Momentary brilliance counts for absolutely nothing , when your team isn’t winning. Manziel was never going to be a winner in spite of his defenders trying to suggest otherwise.
Johnny Manziel and Tim Tebow were cut from the same cloth and proved all that glitters isn’t gold and football acumen and substance do matter.
Johnny Manziel and Tim Tebow.
LeBron James can’t do it all by himself and his no Michael Jordan . James is trying to model every aspect of his game on Jordan , even as far as their personas.
LeBron James (6) and Michael Jordan .
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he is sick and needs help. James is the modern day Wilt Chamberlain
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bobby gee
Wilt’s Chamberlain’s problem, apart from his drinking , was his love of being with a throng of women, but at least his backed up his claims with being a phenomenal athlete . What has Johnny Manziel actually achieved so far ? Other than his being constantly on a police blotter he has been a waste of time and money as a player.
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Look I used Chamberlain in comparison to James. Manziel is in need of help. If this continuous he Manziel will wind up being dead athlete.
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bobby gee
I understand and stand corrected . Here’s my final thought on Johnny Manziel and it is this, his issues were well-chronicled when he attended while at Texas A& M and it was plain to see he lacked maturity and had a clear disrespect of authority. So why the hell is anyone at all surprised by this present situation ?
Manziel was given a wide latitude , simply because of the fact the Aggies were winning and as long as the victories were there with frequency the school never really gave a damn and that was clearly true, even after they sat the player for a game and a half for a transgression for a serious violation of school rules . So let’s not kid ourselves at all about Johnny Manziel and his problems .
Johnny Manziel was being enabled , as most star athletes are . Think Kobe Bryant before and after the events of Eagle, Colorado . Same applies with Jameis Winston while he was at Florida State (rape allegations) .
Your thoughts on the firing of Derek Fisher by the front office of the New York Knicks ? Long overdue given their record last year and now ?
NBA news and New York Knicks news
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yes he was and this is the problem. This should have been addressed by his parents, coaches, and those in charge since high school. The problem is Manziel. no one forced his to drink or take drugs or gamble. he wasn’t forced at gun point to do this. Manziel did this himself. No it is time for force him to get help. Manziel is not just ruining his life but those around him
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bobby gee
Unfortunately , at times neither the fans or the media want to dig deep enough unless they believe there is a salacious and sensational story and when the press does seek to delve deeper they rarely report the entire truth. This is the side of the journalism industry and bad news’ reporting as a whole !
Johnny Manziel wasn’t forced down the path he took, as he chose it himself and perhaps never consulted with a peer , much less with a parent. His father it’s been alleged repeatedly reached out to his son, but it was all to no avail. In all likelihood , his career in the NFL will come to an abrupt end with him having not proved a thing at the professional level , with it being a sad state of affairs for Manziel .
Tophatal …….
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the career is the least of his worries. It is about saving his life. No one can do that accept Adonai Elohim and Yeshua
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bobby gee
That’s so true ! We all have a moral compass , but the belief in a higher being and the love of one’s family is not only profound but also needed . Johnny Manziel had the love of his father , yet, he thought to eschew it thinking he can now deal with his issues all by himself. He is as much to blame as are his enablers and to a lesser extent the NFL in not providing some sort of guidance for rookies once they enter into the league . I know they have rookie symposiums prior to Draft Day , but once that’s over with, is there any follow up by the teams , much less the veteran players who provide the advice at these events ?
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I would sure hope so. When one thinks he can go it alone with Adonai Elohim this only leads to disaster. Manziel in the end is responsible for his actions-no one else.
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Bobby Gee
If LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers make this season’s NBA Finals I do not believe they will not have what it takes to beat either of the top four teams in the > Western Conference ! He hasn’t got the support and defensively the Cavaliers are not particularly good in spite of what the statistics might well suggest.
On a side note , the big story in the NBA is Phil Jackson making the decision to fire Derek Fisher as the New York Knicks’ head coach. Kurt Rambis will now succeed Fisher as the new head coach. It’s a sad state of affairs concerning the Knicks’ situation where they are a sub.500 team within the Eastern Conference as well as the league overall .
NBA news
New York Knicks news
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Monday’s results in the NBA and how they . altered the divisional standings . While the league is still gathering its thoughts on the firing of Derek Fisher , let’s not fool ourselves this wasn’t expected given the New York Knicks’ record to date and over their last twelve games .
Phil Jackson had no other choice, but to fire Derek Fisher in the lead-up to the All Star Break .
From left to right, James Dolan , Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills .
Kurt Rambis becomes the Knicks’ interim head coach until the end of the season, at which point some kind of decision will be made as to a permanent successor to Derek Fisher.
Kurt Rambis (left) and Derek Fisher .
The New York Knicks’ record since the 15th December . Is there really anything else which we need to know ?
Courtesy of New York Daily News
There would appear to be a slew of candidates Phil Jackson could wish to choose from with something of a proven track record and they are Scott Brooks , Tom Thibodeau . Brian Shaw , Vinny Del Negro , Mike Brown and Patrick Ewing.
NBA news
NBA results 8th February
NBA standings (divisional)
NBA standings (conference)
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bobby gee
The press will continue to treat the NFL rookie players with ‘kid gloves’ while some fans will continue to show their own damn ignorance and up with answers such as , their too young and simply don’t know what they are doing, having ran afoul of the law. My answer to their stupidity , if the athletes are not not responsible for their own actions and decisions , then who the hell is ?
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Tuesday’s results in the NBA and where teams now stand divisional , conference and league-wise . There were several games which in part provided the fans with a surprise . Teams taking to the court last night , with the winning being teams being named only, Golden State Warriors , San Antonio Spurs , Washington Wizards , Milwaukee Bucks and finally the , Utah Jazz .
There were conference as well as intra-conference games played on Tuesday night.
With Kurt Rambis now taking over as head coach of the New York Knicks after the abrupt firing of Derek Fisher the new Rambis era began a home loss to the Washington Wizards in a game , which has been highlighted by the poor defensive play of the Knicks over their last five games .
In the run-up to the All Star Game Weekend , it is abundantly clear the New York Knicks’ hopes of claiming a playoff berth are fading fast with their being no real signs of improvement to be seen at all .
NBA news
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NBA results 9th February
NBA schedule 10th February
On this day in February
News archive last year
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Wednesday’s results in the NBA where the teams have performed admirably over their last eight games . If you thought the recent coaching changes announced by Phil Jackson would have brought about some change in the play of the New York Knicks (23-32) then think again as to the premise.
At this stage last season the team was still horrendous. All of the optimism in the world cannot change the fact the Knicks’ front office executives are far more clueless than their obnoxious fans . Knicks’ head coach Kurt Rambis may well be under the belief accountability, levity and sternness will be enough to see the team through and with the ambitions of a playoff berth. Playing sub 500 basketball will not provide the New York Knicks with the goals being set .
NBA news
NBA standings (divisional) and conference standings
Projected playoff picture
NBA results 10th February
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If there’s a better young coach in the NBA than the Boston Celtics’ youthful Brad Stevens , then I have yet to see one ! Stevens has shown that having real credentials rather than the idiocy witnessed with the hires of David Blatt by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks’ hire of Derek Fisher shows the likes of David Griffin and Phil Jackson have about as much acumen in their search for coaching talent than Sarah Palin might have when it comes to her knowledge of the US Justice System , the US Supreme Court Justices , Foreign Policy and the economy in general. I might add with Palin throwing her support behind Donald Trump only further heightens her lack of intelligence .
As to the likes of the Knicks and Cavaliers and how their seasons now seem to be faring might appear on the face of it to be great. Yet , consider the fact the Cavaliers fired Blatt because of the team’s poor defensive failings over their last eight games.
For the New York Knicks , it’s best to suggest their fans who continue to show optimism about their making the playoffs seems to be about as serious as Chris Christie’s belief he was a noteworthy GOP Presidential candidate. Christie’s campaign was inert and simply never resonated with the electorate at large.
NBA Eastern Conference stats (last fifteen games) & teams stats (victories last fifteen games) .
East vs West stats (last twelve games )
NBA stats last twelve games
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