#22 No Fair Weather Fans Podcast – NCAA Tourney, Mariners and More
Posted: March 28, 2013 Filed under: Podcasts | Tags: azteca, brandon, Bulldogs, chris, coast, costa rica, fgcu, Florida, Gonzaga, gulf, Hansen, heat, hitting, Ibanez, Kings, Mariners, maurer, mexico, miami, michael, morse, NCAA, pitching, raul, Sacramento, seattle, snow, soccer, sonics, tournament, tourney, university, usa, zags Leave a comment »
All these upsets are making this tournament fun! Relax, everyone’s brackets are wrecked. Dunk U. (FGCU) has won everyone’s heart, not Hart. Mike Hart and the Zags are out, much to the pleasure of Ben. The Mariners made a few moves and we are torn on whether they are good or not. Watch out of all the innuendos!
Other topics touched on:
- Hansen swoops another 7% on the Kings.
- Heat streak is stopped at 27.
- USA soccer win in the snow and “win” a point in Mexico.
Gonzaga Won’t and Shouldn’t be #1
Posted: February 27, 2013 Filed under: NCAA Basketball | Tags: #1, blue, Bulldogs, butler, conference, devils, duke, Golden, Gonzaga, gophers, Hoosiers, hurricanes, indiana, miami, Michigan, Minnesota, number, ranked, rankings, rpi, state, strength of schedule, wolverines, zags 2 Comments »
By now, I am sure most of you have heard the Minnesota Golden Gophers beat the #1 Indiana Hoosiers, last night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. This has fans in Spokane getting really excited at the chance at having that “#1″ next to Gonzaga in Monday’s rankings. I am here to tell you Gonzaga not only doesn’t deserve to have the top ranking, but they won’t be sitting on top come Monday.
Let’s first start with the last time Indiana lost as the top ranked team in the land. They lost at Illinois, 74-72 and won at Ohio State, 81-68, before the next poll came out. At the time they held 58 of the 65 first place Associated Press votes. After the loss, there was a four-way split for the first place votes between Indiana (26), Duke (20), Miami (17) and Gonzaga (2). This will most likely be the case again. With Indiana holding all but one (Gonzaga) of the AP first place votes in the current poll. The votes will again be split between multiple teams come Monday, which will likely include: Indiana, Read the rest of this entry »
LeBron is a Better Player Than Jordan
Posted: February 21, 2013 Filed under: NBA | Tags: best, Bulls, cavaliers, chicago, cleveland, ever, greatest, heat, james, jordan, lebron, miami, michael Leave a comment »
LeBron has become the best player in the last 40 years.
People have been debating more and more who is a better player between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. The defining differences people always bring up are the championships and the willingness to take a shot at the end of a close game. Neither of these define whether a player is better than another. Otherwise we would be saying Robert “Big Shot Bob” Horry is better than both of them. He has as many championships as both of them combined and was always willing to drain a dagger three.
Another factor people forget comes into play is the fact that the popularity of the NBA grew leaps and bounds with Jordan. He was marketed like no other by all kinds of companies, such as, Nike and Gatorade. People were told through advertising that Michael Jordan was the greatest player of all time. LeBron hasn’t gotten the same advertising. There is a really good chance the popularity of Jordan will never be passed by Lebron. Again though, this doesn’t make him a better player.
Let’s start to break down why Lebron James is a superior basketball player to Michael Jordan. A lot of people like to bash LeBron having to go to the Miami Heat to be part of a super team to win a championship. This is just the way the league is now. Free Agency is way more of a factor nowadays than it was in Jordan’s era. Jordan didn’t exactly carry his teams to championships like people think. The year before Jordan retired for the first time, the Chicago Bulls went 57-25 and won the NBA Championship over the Phoenix Suns in six games. The year he was retired the Bulls went 55-27 and were one game away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Looking at LeBron with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his final season they were 61-21 and made it to the second round of the playoffs with their second best player being Mo Williams, not, top 50 Player of All-Time, Scottie Pippen. The next year the Cavs went 19-63, 18 games out of a playoff spot and 43 games out of their division lead. This just shows how much more talent LeBron has over Jordan. LeBron clearly has a bigger impact on the court as a player.
This picture made me smile.
In overall stats LeBron has the upper-hand over Jordan, as well. I will say Jordan is a better scorer, but that is about all he has on LeBron. Jordan averaged 2.5 more points per 36 minutes than LeBron has. When it comes to assists and rebounds, LeBrons averages more than an assist per 36 minutes more and a half rebound more a game. LeBron has also been a better three-point shooter than Jordan over his career. Even being on a “super team”, LeBron is averaging more points, assists, rebounds, steals and has a better field goal percentage than any other player on the team. He is also has a better three-point shooting percentage than anyone on the team, a team that includes the best three-point shooter in NBA history, Ray Allen. I am pretty sure, Jordan never did that.
LeBron is just now coming into the prime of his career. His stats are only going to get better. Face it folks, we are witnessing the best basketball player since Oscar Robinson (LeBron vs. Oscar is a debate for another day). You can dislike LeBron because of “The Decision” , but you can’t argue how good he is. Move aside Jordan, LeBron is a better overall player than you.
Kevin Garnett, YOU MAD
Posted: October 31, 2012 Filed under: NBA | Tags: Allen, Boston, Celtics, Garnett, handshake, heat, ignore, Kevin, Mad, miami, Ray, You Leave a comment »Last night, before the Boston Celtics took on the Miami Heat, Ray Allen went over to the Celtics bench and gave handshakes to the players and coaches. Kevin Garnett decided to get his ignore on and didn’t even acknowledge Ray Ray. I don’t have any issue with his decision to do that, nor do I take issue with Allen leaving the Massholes to take his talents to South Beach. From what I have heard and read, there was plenty of behind the scenes factors that went into Allen going to Miami. Boston tried to trade him a few times and actually had him traded for about 30 minutes for O.J. Mayo, but the trade fell through for some business reasons. There was also the fact that Rajon Rondo and Allen had some beef. Allen hasn’t spoken to any of the current big three in Boston; Paul Pierce, Rondo or Garnett. I am sure that happens a lot in the offseason with players. Garnett seamed to take offense to the fact that Jesus Shuttlesworth decided to go take his old legs to an easier team to play for.
This transaction on the floor in Miami made a big splash in the news. People have been debating on whether or not this was the right thing to do or not. This is a serious debate in the sports world, today. I can’t believe this is really news, let alone, taking up multiple segments on radio and television shows. There is a simple answer to this debate.
Kevin Garnett is mad!
Garnett seems to be mad all the time. He is too mad to shake hands, give daps or fist bump. Who got dirt on you, doggy?
NBA Finals: Who to Hate More? Be Positive.
Posted: June 12, 2012 Filed under: General Sports, NBA | Tags: bosh, chris, city, dwayne, Finals, harden, heat, james, lebron, miami, NBA, oklahoma, russell, seattle, sonics, Supersonics, Thunder, wade, westbrook Leave a comment »
If you are from Seattle, like I am, then you may be torn on who you want to win the NBA Finals. Let me say it the way most of you are probably thinking about it. Which team do you want to lose more? A lot of people in the Northwest do not want the Oklahoma City Thunder, formally known as the Seattle Supersonics, to win a championship that should be theirs. On the other side, a lot of people can’t stand LeBron James and the way the Miami Heat were put together and want them to never get a championship.
I am here to give you some, as Pete Carroll would say, “stuff” to help you view the Finals with more of a positive perspective.
The NBA playoff have a way of making your emotions swing from complete jubilation to being completely dejected. The emotional swings can go from game to game, quarter to quarter and even minute to minute. Which is what makes sports the greatest entertainment on the planet. Look at both conference finals. The Spurs won the first two games to extend their winning streak to 20 games. No one gave OKC a chance to win that series. Turns out, everyone and their mom were wrong. The Heat jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Boston, as well. Everyone had chalked up the series to being over. The old men in Boston had something to say about that. Winning the next three games, including a win on Miami’s home floor. Miami jumped on LeBron James’ back and rode him to a matchup against a much younger and almost as talented Thunder team.
I will be the first to tell you, I was rooting hard for the Spurs, which is the first time that has ever happened in my life. Staying on the positive, the Thunder’s youth and athleticism proved to be too much. The Thunder’s core of players are children, all four are 23 or younger. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are two of the most electrifying stars in basketball. The best beard in the league, James Harden, comes off the bench and contributes more than the starters. Even being from Seattle, its hard to not like this team. If they weren’t the Sonics previously and they came from another city, I would be all about them. Durant was the league’s leading scorer and is a class act. I think Sonics fans hate not being in the position to win a title, you can’t hate these guys on a personal level.
As for the Miami Heat, they have the best player since Michael Jordan with LeBron James. Some would even say he is better than Jordan (That might just be me). The Heat also have Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. These three have combined for one of the most talented teams of all time. It is rare to see this amount of skill on a basketball floor, playing together, at one time. Back to LeBron, he complete basketball game is incredible. He will guard the Heat’s opponent’s best player for a majority of the game, no matter what their position is. Against the Celtics, he shut down Paul Pierce. Last year, it was Derrick Rose getting shut down. LeBron is the most versatile player in today’s NBA.
This series will feature five players that are some of the biggest stars in the NBA. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade, Russell Westbrook, and Chris Bosh will all bring great performances on the court and will also bring fashion to another level in the post game interviews and pregame tunnel walks. There is no telling who will win this series and that is what makes a great series. You can expect close games with the stars of the teams battling it out down the stretch. Overtime is definitely a possibility and outside of the NHL overtime, there might not be anything more exciting in sports. This series won’t be short, which brings on the chances of a Game 7. Game 7′s bring the most pressure and bring the most determination and skill to the forefront.
Even if you have completely tuned the NBA out, this is a series you must watch. Put your hatred for either of these teams aside and enjoy the best of what the NBA has to offer.
Matt Flynn – Let’s Get Real
Posted: March 17, 2012 Filed under: NFL | Tags: dolphins, flynn, Free Agency, matt, miami, NFL, packers, qb, seahawks, seattle Leave a comment »
Matt - beards and beanies go hand in hand here in Seattle. You can't wear that on South Beach!
Hey Matt -
Miami sounds nice. The idea of it, Miami Beach, South Beach, the sun, the ladies – it all sounds very appealing. I completely understand as to why you would want to take a trip to see what the Dolphins have to say when it comes to playing football in Florida.
Word around the campfire is that they have offered you the starting position, straight up. Wow, that’s quite an offer. However, what is good in life when it just handed to you like that? Wouldn’t you rather have to earn it against a worthy foe like Tavaris Jackson and possibly Josh Portis? Imagine how you will feel when you topple those giants to lead a team like the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaking of the Hawks, let’s take a quick glance between the two teams here. Without a question, the Fins have been a very successful franchise. However, when putting them up against the Hawks, who is the better choice now?
- Miami has won 2 Super Bowls, with wins in 1972 and 1973. Seattle, well has none. However, the Seahawks didn’t really exist until 1976. That’s not fair! The Hawks didn’t have a chance to even beat them then. Advantage? – Seattle.
- Miami last won their division in 2008. Seattle last won their division in 2010. Seattle did that by being even under .500 with a 7-9 record, then started an earthquake when they toppled the New Orleans Saints. Imagine when Seattle finishes above .500! The Olympic Peninsula could be an island. Be a man who can literally move mountains, Matt. Miami is going to be underwater anyways in a few years at the rate we are ripping through fossil fuels. Advantage? - Seattle.
- You are only as good as your team around you. Miami just traded Brandon Marshall, a sure-handed target, away to the Bears for a few 3rd rounders. Who’s left, Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess? Here in Seattle, the Hawks have Sidney Rice, Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, a fat Mike Williams, Ben Obamanu and lastly, the best player you have never heard of in Ricardo Lockette. We hear that Lockette is basically one of the fastest humans ever. We know you are accurate, but who cares? Time to chuck it! Advantage? - Seattle.
- You can’t throw the ball 60 times a game. That’s not good for your arm or good for a game plan. You have to be able to rely on the line and also the running back behind you. Seattle just resigned Marshawn Lynch, coming off a 1,200-yard season and 12 rushing touchdowns. He even caught a touchdown pass. Reggie Bush on the other hand, barely got over a 1,000-yards, only scored 6 rushing touchdowns and had one receiving touchdown. Marshawn caught as many TD’s as Reggie. I thought Reggie was supposed to be a crazy good back for the pass. Numbers don’t lie, Matt! Plus, Marshawn eats Skittles on the field. He puts them on his shoes and gets fined. Reggie gets his cleats from one of the Kardashian’s clothing stores. Advantage? - Seattle.
- Paul Allen owns the Seahawks. The guy basically prints money, has yachts all over the place and for the most part can buy and sell your family. Sure, You can’t sneeze at Stephen A. Ross, but Paul has $10 billion more dollars. Paul Allen might just buy the Dolphins if you sign with them and then fold them, essentially forcing you to be a member of the Seahawks. Advantage? - Seattle.
- Pete Carroll is your coach in Seattle. He is a really cool guy. Joe Philbin? Sure, he might have been your OC in Green Bay, but variety is the spice of life. Advantage? - Seattle.
- The guy that drafted you in Green Bay is now in Seattle. He is a really cool guy too. The guy who runs football operations in Miami has the last name Ireland, sounds like a drunk. Not responsible. Advantage? - Seattle.
Matt – I think I could go on for a few more paragraphs, but this seems pretty solid to me. Seattle. It snowed today and now it is sunny. It’s like Green Bay and Miami at the same time!
Go Hawks.
