Running Through My Mind

A few random musings (I wrote this several days ago and just never got around to posting):

1) NBA firings are apparently at an all-time high for this point in the season. Six coaches have been given their walking papers and we're barely 1/4 into the season. The chopped list includes: Reggie Theus by the Sacramento Kings, Maurice Cheeks by the Philadelphia 76er's, Eddie Jordan by the Washington Wizards, Sam Mitchell by the Toronto Raptors, Randy Wittman by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and P.J. Carlesimo by the Oklahoma City Thunder. I agree with cutting off the head sometimes, but for most of these, I really think they coach was a scapegoat, covering up the real, massive problem: the team sucks. I won't elaborate on which coaches I think needed to go (to protect the innocent) but suffice it to say that this is a short term solution to a problem that goes way deeper than the head coach. Almost all of these teams are underachieving, and one literally just started a few months ago. Is it the economy? Lack of fans? Whatever the reason, firing the coach this early is akin to throwing in the towel for the year, and, frankly, it's just not very creative . . . especially the Kings who waited for five other heads to roll before he got the boot in the back. What followers.

2) Have I ever mentioned how much I love Stephon Marbury? He is the only guy in the league who would buy a front row ticket to a game in which he is being paid to play but the team doesn't want him. Seriously, the only one. Maybe Latrell Sprewell would have pulled such a move back in his day but other than that, I can't think of anyone. I caught his interview at the game, and he did one of my favorites: "me, myself . . ." I never understood what that means, I guess it's sort of like "um" for the urban set. He really keeps things interesting.

3) Allen Iverson was fined for "making inappropriate comments" to a fan during a Detroit Pistons visit to the Charlotte Bobcats, a game which the Pistons eventually won. I wonder if these guys budget for fines and suspensions . . .

4) So the Atlanta Hawks weren't a fluke and really do have something close to a legitimate response to the Boston Celtics. I will admit that the Celtics have really been impressive. I didn't like the idea of throwing a bunch of superstars together just to win a championship, but by golly, it worked. Two stars may not be enough, but three is solid, especially if one of them is a 7 foot shooter. But the Hawks almost beat them and looked good doing it. I'll have to continue to monitor this as the season develops . . .

5) I've been saying this for a long time, and now I'm finally going public with it. Twins?

Stuart from Mad TV:




Tyler from UNC:

Happy Anniversary, Denny!

Thursday, October 16 is the second anniversary of the Rant Heard 'Round the World . . . . and of some really great sound bytes. (Hence the commercial).

On October 16, 2006, Arizona Cardinals then-coach Dennis ("Denny") Green truly exemplified what it means to "go nuts." We've all felt like he feels, where the frustration builds to the point where you just can't take it anymore, and then you snap. Who wouldn't be furious after losing a game in which you were leading 23-3 in the fourth quarter? That's what makes his rant so funny - because we do know what he's feeling, we're just thankful that no one was around to film us feeling that way.



So in honor of this occasion, I thought I'd post my top five favorite coach rants (In terms of a rant I might go so far as to condone, though, I'd have to go with this one.) You might be familiar with some of them, but hopefully there's at least one you haven't seen. These are nothing short of amazing.

5. Beyond not wanting to talk about playoffs, Jim Mora keeps it real, again and again - and again. Not many coaches will tell you the truth, that "we got our a** totally kicked."



4. John Chaney going for John Calipari. This a classic example of when keeping it real when goes wrong.



3. This is the best entry into a post-game press-conference I've ever seen.



2. "But here's my point" - just when you think he's going to whisper . . . I have to try this sometime. It seems effective.



1. Which brings us to #1. I love how none of the reporters actually leave the room because they are NOT about to miss this story . . . but they're also not about to get knocked in the head with a phone.






And just because no good rant list is complete without Mr. "I know I 'sposed to be there, I know I 'sposed to lead by example," even if he's not a coach. (With "practice" counter)



Happy Friday!!

Yes, Vacancies

If you've been on the site for any amount of time, then you know I don't typically do college football stories.

That's mainly because I don't usually have too much to add that you couldn't already find on ESPN.

Today, though, I was intrigued by the number of college coaching positions that have suddenly opened up (voluntarily or otherwise):

Houston Nutt (pictured above - but not a mascot) from Arkansas

Chan Gailey from Georgia Tech

Ted Roof from Duke (yes, they have a football team)

Jeff Bower from Southern Mississippi

Bill Doba from Washington State

Joe Novak from Northern Illinios Univeristy

BUT one position has been filled: Mike Sherman was hired as head coach at Texas A&M.

I guess this is the result of all of their seasons ending last week. Add to this list the vacancy left last Monday by Lloyd Carr at Michigan and that's a lot of potential coaching positions. I might have to submit my application . . .

Hitting Below the Belt . . . Literally

Everything in the sports world these days seems to be a variation on the same theme:

• A player is injured, may not play this week/weekend
• A college athlete violated the NCAA rules and will be made to suffer
• Some college team has been ranked in something by someone
• Some team is sooooo good
• Another team is sooooo bad
  
• An NFL player is being suspended and/or is returning from a suspension
• An athlete tested positive for a banned substance and has now or will be suspended
• An athlete signs a multi-million dollar contract to re-join the team
• Where is Kobe going to be traded?

You get the deal.

And then, there's a story that makes you go what in the h-e-double hockey sticks has this world come to? (Otherwise known as "what the _____ was s/he thinking?")

From the land of Colorado comes that story. Former high school basketball coach Gregory Lynn Burr is on trial for hitting players in the groin area with various objects, including basketballs, tennis balls, clipboards, among other things, perhaps. He's being charged with sexual assault, but the judge has emphasized to jurors that the conduct is related to physical abuse, not sexual gratification.

Incredibly, one student had to have surgery after Burr's assaults. Gee whiz. He's also being accused of showing them porn at his house, and of dousing them with water and then exposing them to cold weather. Sounds like someone forgot to tell him that he's not their teammate, he's their coach.

I really hope that this guy has some other skill because if he loses this case, I can't see too many places beating down his door to hire him. The most he can hope for is that time makes everyone forget. I think he'll probably need to leave Colorado, at the least.

I don't know personally, but I have been told that hits to the groin are "breathtaking." I can't imagine that a man hitting another man in the groin with such force that it requires surgery. I thought this was just a case of over-sensitive (pun accidental) litigation until I heard the surgery bit. That's ludicrous.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that jury room.

No pun intended.

Broncos, Schmoncos. It's All About the "Creek"

Jack Elway, son of John Elway, the Super Bowl winning, likable former quarterback for the Denver Broncos, is going to have an interesting year. It turns out his famous pops will be his QB coach this upcoming season. Apparently the apple didn't fall far from the tree when it came to talent. This season can go one of two ways for young Jack: really fun or suck miserably.

I recall one time, among many, when my dad took an active interest in my sports. He took it upon himself to build an apparatus in the front yard for me to practice on at 6 in the morning. Now, I am not a morning person; never have been, not sure I ever will be. So that lasted about three days, and I think my mom got more use out of it than I did. We have since moved out of that house but that apparatus still lives on. At the same time, I was also receiving pages of barely legible legal pad scribbles which he slid under my door, detailing (and hyperbolizing) the status of my "game." Just recently, he has been telling a story about how he would take my TV out of my room if I lost, but it seems I'd remember if that ever happened (that goes for having my TV taken - and losing). If he had been my coach, too, I'm not sure we would be speaking today.

I don't know what kind of kid Jack is, but somehow, I think this could be way more cool to other kids than it will be for him.

Then again, how many people can say they were coached in high school by one of the best there ever was? Despite my comments above, I realize now that my dad was just teaching me the discipline and work ethic that enabled him to be successful at everything from Division I basketball to winning cases. He may not be John Elway, but in my eyes (and in his own eyes, if you know him), he was better. And let's be honest: if he didn't come to every match and write me a note afterward, I would have been looking for him to get his feedback. Hey, teenagers are complex people.

So the moral of the story is this: Just suck it up, Jack! Suck it up! It'll all be worth it when you get that Super Bowl ring . . . or pass the bar.