NBA Trade Deadline Round Up

NBA Finds New Way to Disappoint

NBA Trade Deadline Round Up

Friday, February 23, 2007

So the NBA trade deadline came and went without much fanfare…less fanfare than the opening of Cruel Intentions 2. Not only could you hear a pin drop at the trade deadline, but all the big names that were supposed to be changing uniforms: Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, possibly Kevin Garnett and Raja Bell (yeah, I know big name is a relative term) ended up staying put. What a tremendous disappointment. I know I would have liked to have seen Jason Kidd in a Lakers uni, or the Knicks give up two draft picks so Vince Carter could spend the next three months in orange and blue. I got on ESPN’s useless “Trade Machine” trying to swing a three way deal that would have sent KG and Andrew Bynum to the Nets, Vince to the Knicks and Kidd and Frye to the Lakers. Needless to say, I would’ve had better luck swinging a cinder block doubling as a tetherball.
Since we last got together the Tim Hardaway story came and went faster than Hardaway leaving Chelsea. In case you’ve been under a rock or stuck on the slide at Club USA, then you’d know that Timmy came out and said he hated gay people in the wake of former NBA player John Amaechi stating that he is gay in a new book. Timmy didn’t stop there however, he went on to say that he wouldn’t want Amaechi on his team and that if they were teammates he would distance himself from him and wouldn’t want to be in the locker room at the same time. Rather than give this story any more legs, lets just say Tim said a stupid thing that he’s going to end up paying for, for the foreseeable future.
In non-boring a/k/a non-NBA related news, pitchers and catchers reported to teams and wouldn’t you know it, the Yankees seem to be returning to their glory days (circa 1981 when every member of the team hated someone else, George was threatening to fire the fans, Utz Potato Chips were rampant and a hot dog only cost $2.75). ARod is in another hissy-fit, and I’m starting to think maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to ship him to parts unknown. Jeter is doing his best not to lay the smackdown on manicured former best friend, Bernie Williams is refusing to show up unless he is guaranteed a roster spot, Mariano Rivera is making contract demands when he knows full well the Yankees are going to pay him whatever he wants and the Boss is frighteningly silent. Suffice it to say, the Yankees have looked better going into a season and seem to be doing their best to compensate for what was a fairly quiet off-season, sans shipping Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson out of town…two guys who never really were “Yankee guys” anyway. I never really wrote about the departure of Gary and Randy, but while I could care less where Randy Johnson, his bad back, knees, hip, temper and foot go; I actually like Gary Sheffield and always pulled for him to do well in a Yankee uniform. Truth be told, I’m more than a little apprehensive about Sheff showing up with the Tigers with a grudge. I’m sure, in the end, things will work themselves out and then Yanks will once again be working towards a Championship.
In NFL news, the Combine started this week in Indy, giving about 330 college kids the chance to showcase their skills in front of all 32 teams. The big news, of course, centers around which players can help themselves and which players can hurt themselves. Obviously, its easier for a little-known player to help himself, but more often than not, a highly touted player shows up, doesn’t have a good workout and all of a sudden people are questioning the work ethic of a 21-year old. Sometimes teams are off base, other times they can be right; like in the case of Maurice Clarett who showed up to the Combine fatter than Rosie O’Donnell and twice as surly. Before long, the potential 2nd Rounder was going in the 4th Round to Denver, followed by a stint at a Cleveland-area bar and an extended stay at Maximum Security Prison. I’m going to be breaking down the Draft in the coming weeks, because I get giddy for the April like the Taxman on the 14th. It doesn’t get much better than the beginning of baseball season and the NFL Draft. So far, the buzz at the Combine is that there really isn’t any buzz. Ted Ginn, Jr. isn’t going to run on his ankle, Brady Quinn thinks blowing leads and not winning a National Championship should get him selected first, and Wisconsin Guard Joe Thomas is a beast…but we knew all that already.

Random Observations:
Fresh off of his win in that kiddie tournament, Phat Phil blew a three stroke lead last weekend and then got bounced in the Second Round of the Accenture Match Play Championship, ha!
Seriously, without D-Wade the Miami Heat are screwed…screwed like Dreamgirls and the Best Picture nominations.
How can you have a mock draft or rate prospects until you see what kind of shape they show up to the Combine in?
Last month’s GQ article about Shawne Merriman made me sicker than a trip to Quizno’s.

Next Week:
I’m counting down my Top 32 Prospects, and will follow it up with my very own mock draft.
Mock draft aside, I will continue to mock Phil Mickelson.
Beansy might go three straight weeks without a shoutout…