Baron Davis Selling His Beard
It’s 2010 and if aren’t sporting a beard already I’ve gotta ask, what’s wrong with you?
Can’t grow one? Have no fear as because the illest don dada Baron Davis is here to help you step your game up. The don dada is hooking you up with a recession special by slashing the $5,000 price tag by practically giving it away for only $29.99 plus shipping and handling. Mark that down Kate.
Acting now and you’ll receive a free Deron Williams Texturizer kit too!
So where’s your beard at already?
Seattle Mariners Go Revolutionary & Abandon The Use Of Weights
Will It Work?
The Seattle Mariners are completely overhauling their approach to fitness and training this spring training. The Mariners have abandoned the use of weights in the teams facilty in Arizona and back in Seattle for the next three years. They are applying muscle science to particular movements instead of workout programs designed decades ago.
The Mariners have signed a three-year contract with Dr. Marcus Elliott of Santa Barbara, Calif., founder of the Peak Performance Project (P3). Elliott has been working with Mariners trainers the past couple of months to overhaul the team’s entire approach to fitness. The idea is to focus on reducing injuries and making the Mariners players more athletic through a series of workouts that have little to do with traditional weightlifting.
“If you’re going to build athletes, you have to do athletic things with them,” said Elliott, 44, who has trained many elite athletes on an individual basis, as well as worked with the U.S. Olympic Training Center and the Australian Institute of Sport and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. Elliott has also worked with the New England Patriots and Utah Jazz.
The team will focus on strengthening the movements used in baseball like the ability to generate force through a player’s hip rotation. They also have players doing specific workouts designed to increase lower body strength and make that translate into an ability to hit a baseball and react more explosively to balls hit in their direction.
Workouts like 30-minute cardiovascular “flush run” that pitchers do after a start which have long been a part of baseball tradition already been scaled back dramatically. Elliott feels such runs are a waste of time. He says it’s like training a marathon runner when pitchers and ballplayers have to be worked like sprinters.
Each player has received an extensive physical evaluation upon arriving at camp. There are computer printouts of each player’s strengths and weaknesses in the areas that are going to be targetted by the new training regimen.
The team isn’t forcing the big league players to completely abandon their prior fitness regimens if they really don’t want to. They instead are working the new system in slowly at a base level to introduce players to it and the players have been receptive.
The farm system of the Mariners won’t have a choice as the team is making this system mandatory at every minor league level of the organization. Trainers are being taught the system and weight rooms adapted at the various minor league sites.
No team in baseball is doing this but I have no idea what sort of conditioning really works the best since I don’t do any myself.
Kevin Love Stuffs NBA Jam Ballot Box For Kevin Love
Excited?
NBA Jam officials are excited on their decision to return franchise later this year to the Nintendo Wii and NBA players are no different in this regard. Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Love expressed his love for the game so much that he went online to stuff the ballots for his inclusion,
“I went online and kept refreshing my computer and voting myself into ‘Jam,’ I’m not going to lie,” said Love. “‘NBA Jam’ was my favorite game growing up, so I was on there all day voting for myself. I used to play as Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton or Karl Malone and John Stockton. I never even imagined that I could be in ‘Jam.’ I just want to get that team fire, get that blue ball … it’s going to be cool.”
Other players like Carmelo Anthony said he used to always use the New York Knicks with John Starks and Patrick Ewing. Anthony also can’t wait to see himself in the game saying that he’s not a high flyer, but they’ll have to have the ball on fire when he shoots.
To Golden State Warriors rookie Stephen Curry, just the mention of “NBA Jam” brings back special memories of playing as his sharpshooting dad, Dell, in the game. “I remember in ‘NBA Jam’ and ‘NBA Live 95,’ those were the two games where my dad just couldn’t miss.”
Ronnie Brewer Traded To Memphis Grizzlies
Moving Day
The Utah Jazz have traded shooting guard Ronnie Brewer to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future first-round draft pick. The deal came together just before the trade deadline on Thursday.
The Jazz have depth at Brewer’s position, so they could afford to trade their first-round pick from the 2006 draft. Brewer is making $2.7 million this season and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
Jazz: Losers/Grizzlies: Winners
NBA Announces All-Star Reserves
February 14, 2010
The NBA is set to announce the All-Star reserves during tonight’s TNT games but Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski got a hold of a leaked list of the 2010 NBA All-Star reserves
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics
Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls
Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics
Chris Bosh – Toronto Raptors
Gerald Wallace – Charlotte Bobcats
Joe Johnson – Atlanta Hawks
Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference Reserves:
Deron Williams – Utah Jazz
Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets
Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks
Zach Randolph – Memphis Grizzlies
Brandon Roy – Portland Blazers
It will be the All-Star debuts for seven players: Williams of Utah, Chicago’s Rose, Boston’s Rondo, Charlotte’s Wallace, Memphis Randolph, Atlanta’s Horford and Oklahoma City’s Durant.
Among the notable candidates left off the team are the Los Angeles Clippers Chris Kaman, New York Knicks David Lee and Denver Nuggets Chauncey Billups.
A Game Winner & It’s Not Kobe
Sundiata Gaines who was operating on his second 10 day contract and his fifth NBA game ever hit a last second three pointer to help the Utah Jazz in those ugly green uniforms defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-96 last night.
I apologize right now to your hears for having to listen to Reggie Miller during the video, he blows.
Dick Vitale To Announce Another NBA Game This Season
Do You Care?
Last season NBA season ESPN pulled the whole switch a roo with announcers Dick Vitale and Dan Shulman in announcing a Miami Heat-Denver Nuggets game while the three-man team of Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Mike Tirico called the Duke-Davidson game.
Well the swap was nothing special for the viewers but apparently it went well for the heads at ESPN and have planned on doing it again this January 20th. Vitale and Shulman will call Utah Jazz-San Antonio Spurs while the trio will head tobacco road for the Wake Forest-North Carolina.
Mark Cuban Speaks The Truth In Describing The NFL
O No You Didn't
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is upset that the NFL and its television partners has scheduled the Cowboys home playoff game for Saturday night.
The timing conflicts with the Mavericks home game that night. The ‘Boys take on Philadelphia Eagles at 7 p.m. (CST) in Jerry’s World while his Mavericks play at home against the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m. and he anticipates a high number of no-shows. The Mavericks play Friday night at San Antonio, which eliminates the possibility of moving Saturday’s game up earlier in the day.
“I know we’re just little pissants compared to the NFL, but seriously, the NFL is turning into the ugly American when it comes to sports leagues,” Cuban said before Tuesday’s home game against Detroit. “They don’t give a crap about anybody but themselves.”
Word! Speak the truth Cuban!
Cuban continued to make his point on Twitter, pointing out that the Boston Celtics host the Toronto Raptors at 12 p.m. (CST) on Sunday, while the New England Patriots open their playoffs at home against the Baltimore Ravens… at the same time!
Cuban also made it clear that it’s not a shot at owner Jerry Jones but the league itself, a league that has never shown any interest in developing a scheduling cooperative with the NBA so each league can try to avoid overlapping.
“It’s not a Jerry Jones issue – Jerry’s great,” Cuban said. “But at some point in time, that will catch up to [the NFL] and hurt them in a big way.”
I love the NFL too but some of the NFL’s actions disgust me at times and I’ll gladly repeat myself in saying speak the truth Cuban!
Eric Maynor & Matt Harping Traded For Peter Fehse Rights
Moving Day
The Utah Jazz have traded guard Eric Maynor and forward Matt Harping to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rights to 2002 draft pick Peter Fehse. The Thunder have had Maynor on their radar since draft night and have finally gotten their wish but had to take on the contract of Harpring, in making everything fit financially the Thunder waived guards Mike Wilks and Shaun Livingston.
Maynor joins Russell Westbrook and veteran Kevin Ollie at the point guard spot, and the rookie gives the Thunder another young point guard to develop moving forward. The 6-3 Maynor was the 20th pick out of Virginia Commonwealth and has been averaging 5.2 points, 1.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and just 1.1 turnovers in 14 minutes per game as the backup to Deron Williams.Oklahoma City also agreed to take on the $6.5 million contract of injured veteran Harpring, who won’t actually join the Thunder. Harpring, an 11-year veteran, hasn’t played this season while recovering from an infection that developed after he had surgery on his ankle in the summer of 2008.
The Jazz will get the rights to 2002 second-round draft pick Peter Fehse 6-11, who has never played in the NBA and is currently playing in the German League.
Jazz: Losers/ Thunder: Winners
Help Deron Williams Become 2010 NBA All-Star
Utah Jazz Deron Williams has hit the 2009-2010 campaign trail in trying to becoming a NBA All-Star at this years game in Dallas. Williams marks the second NBA player, behind Amare Stoudemire, to hit the campaign trail in trying to get to the great state of Texas. If you know of any other players on the trail, drop us a line.
D-Fish Forever Linked To Corey Brewer
Los Angeles Lakers Derek Fisher has had his fair share of memorable moments, er 0.4, but that’s not the case for Minnesota Timberwolves Corey Brewer. That’s all changed now for Brewer as he’s gotten his million dollar moment. How do you rank the three million dollar moments we already had in the 2009-2010 NBA season?
My order:
- Heats Dwyane Wade over Cavaliers Anderson Varejao
- Timberwolves over Lakers Derek Fisher
- Nuggets Carmelo Anthony over Jazz’s Paul Milsap
Matt Harpring Done For The Season & Possibly Career
BYE
Matt Harpring NBA career might be over, although it’s not official, one thing is and that’s his season is. Harping has fought through a lot of injuries throughout his career and lingering ankle and knee problems makes it extremely difficulty to physically perform at an NBA level.
The Georgia Tech product anticipates some day needing total knee replacement surgery as well as total ankle replacement. Not filing official retirement paperwork with the league allows him to collect the $6.5 million owed to him this season, and keeps open the possibility of his expiring contract getting used in a cost-saving trade.
Harpring who also played for Orlando, Cleveland and Philadelphia during his NBA career has been with the Jazz since signing as a free agent in the summer of 2002.
During seven seasons with Utah, he averaged 11.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 25.8 minutes in 474 games. His best statistical season was his first with the Jazz, when he started 69 of 78 games and scored 17.6 points per game on 51.1 percent shooting and pulled down 6.6 rebounds per game.
Jerry Sloan Signs Extension Through 2011 With Utah Jazz
1,148-758
The longest tenured coach in American professional sports will have his choice to stay on for another couple of years, at least until the end of the 2011 NBA season.
The Utah Jazz announced that head coach Jerry Sloan has signed a contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2010-11 and it It will be Sloan’s 23rd season after taking over as head coach of the Jazz on December 9, 1988, when Frank Layden stepped down. There have been a total of 236 coaches in the NBA since Sloan took over in 1988 and every team has made at least two changes.
Terms of Sloan’s newest deal are not known, but his current annual salary is $5.5 million. Sloan is the fourth-winningest coach in NBA history and his record stands at 1,148-758. Last season, the 67-year-old Sloan became the first coach to win 1,000 games with one franchise.
In September, he was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, along with former Jazz star John Stockton. Sloan’s teams have made 18 playoff appearances, won at least 50 games 12 times, won seven division championships and reached the NBA Finals twice.
NBA Attendance Only Down 2% Despite Economy
Est. 1946
It’s fairly earlier so don’t shoot the messenger but the numbers are out for early attendance in the NBA and despite the economy and the earliness of the season they are only down 2% from this point last year. Also the statistic is skewed by two teams, the Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies, who are drawing less than 70 percent.
The 76ers averaged 15,802 in 2008-’09, in five home games this season they’ve averaged 11,377, and are down more than 20 percent of capacity from last year. The Memphis Grizzlies ranked 29th in attendance last year only filling 70 percent of their arena are now only filling 66 percent, only outdrawing the 76ers. The Detroit Pistons have cause for concern, dropping from first in average attendance to 16th, falling 19.6 percent. The Spurs, a team retooled and trying to avenge their first round playoff exit rank 12th but are down 8%
Not all is doom and gloom as the Chicago Bulls are up over 100 percent of capacity after filling 97.7 percent of the United Center last season. The Cleveland Cavilers are in a similar boat, selling out each home game so far after drawing 97.3 percent last season. The Atlanta Hawks have seen significant gains, rising from 89.4 to 95.4 percent. Even the Minnesota Timberwolves fans are showing support no that Kevin McHale is ruining their team by filling their stadium by 8% more than last season.
Source: SportsBusiness Journal
Average attendances and percentage for each team:
| Rank | Team | Average Attendance | % (+/-) from year prior |
| 1 | Chicago | 21,111 | +3.3% |
| 2 | Cleveland | 20,562 | +2.7% |
| 3 | Portland | 20,350 | -.8% |
| 4 | Dallas | 19,823 | -1.4% |
| 5 | New York | 19,625 | +1.7% |
| 6 | Utah | 19,611 | -1.5% |
| 7 | LA Lakers | 18,997 | (no chg) |
| 8 | Boston | 18,624 | (no chg) |
| 9 | Toronto | 18,131 | -3.2% |
| 10 | Denver | 18,039 | +4.3% |
| 11 | Washington | 17,975 | +6.7% |
| 12 | San Antonio | 17,957 | -.8% |
| 13 | Oklahoma City | 17,882 | +.5% |
| 14 | Atlanta | 17,862 | +6% |
| 15 | Golden State | 17,827 | -5.7% |
| 16 | Detroit | 17,541 | -19.6% |
| 17 | Orlando | 17,541 | +2.4% |
| 18 | Miami | 17,421 | -4.1% |
| 19 | Houston | 17,130 | -2% |
| 20 | Phoenix | 16,771 | -9% |
| 21 | Minnesota | 16,088 | +8.2% |
| 22 | New Orleans | 15,156 | -10.5% |
| 23 | New Jersey | 14,919 | -1.4% |
| 24 | LA Clippers | 14,748 | -7.4% |
| 25 | Milwaukee | 14,636 | -4% |
| 26 | Charlotte | 14,633 | +.4% |
| 27 | Indiana | 14,439 | +1.4% |
| 28 | Sacramento | 12,422 | -.9% |
| 29 | Memphis | 12,095 | -3.5% |
| 30 | Philadelphia | 11,377 | -23.7% |
Paul Milsap Forever Linked To Carmelo Anthony
A good way to start off the 2009-2010 NBA season but I’m sure we will see better million dollar moments. Utah Jazz’s Paul Milsap is forever linked to Nuggets Carmelo Anthony.
Scabs Do Just Fine In Front Of 18,114
Scabs Get No Faces
The first NBA preseason game got underway last night in Utah between the Jazz and the Denver Nuggets. It was first in more than one area it announced the NBA 2009-10 season is officially here and it also the first game played under scabs.
The Jazz beat the Nuggets 103-87 in an exhibition game that featured 69 fouls and very little debate to any of them. The scabs where made up of Tre Maddox, Deldre Carr and C.J. Washington.
“All refs are going to make good calls, make bad calls, miss a few, make a few. That’s just the nature of the beast,” said Denver’s Chauncey Billups.
Head coach George Karl seemed less concerned with the officiating than he was with the Nuggets’ mistakes in the preseason opener. Denver had 27 turnovers and was out rebounded 44-37.
The Nuggets were also called for 39 fouls to the Jazz’s 30. Other than the quantity of calls, there was not much to note about the officiating as the league called upon replacements during its lockout with the referees union.
