Author Archives: Kent Sterling

2013-2014 NBA Position Rankings – Top 10 Wings

by Ryan Sterling

With the point guard position taken care of it is time to move on to wing position. I believe basketball has evolved to the point where the shooting guard and the small forward positions are interchangeable. If you are a shooting guard who cannot play small forward or visa versa you are not valuable to your team and most likely are relegated to a bench role.

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These wings are some of the best athletes in the world. All of these players are either listed as SG or SF on their rosters even though some of them do and can play power forward (Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James). Let’s take a look at the rankings:

1 – LeBron James, SF

Do I really have to write anything or try to justify this ranking. Four-time MVP, back-to-back NBA titles and Finals MVP awards, 255 double-doubles, 36 triple doubles and 2 Olympic Gold Medals. If there is one player who has any chance to match Oscar Robertson’s triple-double average for an entire season, it is James.

He has the ability to completely take over a game in any aspect he chooses. Critics told him he could not shoot and what does he do. He shoots over 40% from three. Critics said his post game was unpolished. He went to work and developed an above-average post game. I say we tell him he cannot average 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists in a season. Let’s see if he can.

2 – Kevin Durant, SF

The only player in the league right now who has the raw ability to match James blow for blow is Durant. No one is more fun to watch play than Durant. Until this year he played with emotion held in check, but he started to show cracks in 2012-2013 receiving 12 technicals and getting thrown out of the first game of his career.

Durant has started to show an ability to get teammates involved in the game, upping his assist totals each of the last three years (2010-11 – 2.7 apg, 2011-12 – 3.5 apg, 2012-13 – 4.6 apg). He also notched all three of his triple-doubles last season. If Durant can continue to improve assist totals and show a complete game (career highs in both steals and blocks last year) he will be the player who will take the throne has the best player in the NBA from James.

3 – James Harden, SG

Just think how good the Thunder would be, go ahead think about it. The number two PG and the number two and three wings in the game. I am going to go out on a limb and say that would be the best backcourt in the game. Harden got his chance to be the main weapon for the first time last season and he did not disappoint. He averaged 25.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, and 5.8 apg all obviously career highs.

What some people will point to is the fact that while Harden’s usage rate went up, his overall efficiency was the worst of his career. But that is to be expected. The more a team relies on a player, the lower his efficiency. Look for Harden’s efficiency to improve with more experience being the first option, the addition of Dwight Howard, the continued improvement of Chandler Parsons, and the draft of PG Isaiah Canaan.

4 – Paul George, SF

Some people will not agree with this selection, but I think George is primed for a breakout season. Yes, he was an All-Star last year and had career highs across the board, but I think George has another All-NBA team written all over him this year. With Danny Granger out last season Frank Vogel threw George into the fire making him the go-to guy and George responded well. The bad news is George turned the ball over way to much at nearly three per game and that number went up to four per game in the playoffs. The good news is George is a year older and that only makes him 23. The youngest player on this list.

What separates George from the majority of the players on this list is his ability to go one-on-one with every player on this list. On the defensive end, George needs no help. He allows the Pacers to play straight up defense and gives Roy Hibbert the ability to play under the rim and not shade help to elite wings. Look for George’s efficiency to greatly improve with the experience gained last season and the expected return of Danny Granger in a support role.

5 – Carmelo Anthony, SF

Carmelo is a professional scorer and there is nothing wrong with that. He has the most complete offensive game of anyone on this list. He can shoot from three, he has the best post game of any wing, and has a mid-range game to keep defenders off balance. People unfairly criticize Anthony for his inefficiency, but his shooting numbers over his career are 45.6% from the field while shooting 33.4% from deep (his season-to-season numbers from three vary wildly).

His efficiency numbers in 2012-2013 were his best while being in New York, and second best of his career. He has the ability to take over games on the offensive side of the ball, and almost single-handedly willed the Knicks to force a game seven in the conference semis last year. Anthony has holes in his game, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, but he makes up for that with superior offensive output. The next step for Anthony is to cut down on his three attempts and get to the line with a little more consistency.

6 – Dwyane Wade, SG

Balky knees have dropped Wade from a player that would have been top three on this list before the start of last season to number six this season. He is a career 28 percent shooter from deep and if his knees cannot hold up this is definitely a serious problem for an aging Wade. This is a selection I might come to regret as the talent is still there to be a top three guy and Wade could have one or two more All-NBA first team years left in the tank. He still put up 21.2 ppg to go along with five apg and five rpg.

If Wade can improve to become a mid-thirties percentage three point shooter his career will extend a few more years. The picture I just cannot get out of head was watching a non-explosive Wade struggle in the playoffs. I will chalk that up to playing all summer on the Olympic team. With a full off-season to get healthy, we could see a rejuvenated Wade in the beginning of the season, but can he still bring it night in and night out for 82 games plus 20 or so in the postseason? Only time will tell.

7 – Paul Pierce, SF

Pierce has been on the downside of his prime for the past three years, but somehow has been able to hold it together. Let’s take a look at Pierce’s numbers since the last championship the Celtics won in 2008:

2008-09 ppg – 20.5 apg – 3.6 rpg – 5.6 Double doubles – 7
2009-10 ppg – 18.3 apg – 3.1 rpg – 4.4 DD – 1
2010-11 ppg – 18.9 apg – 3.3 rpg – 5.4 DD – 7
2011-12 ppg – 19.4 apg – 4.5 rpg – 5.2 DD – 6
2012-13 ppg – 18.6 apg – 4.8 rpg – 6.3 DD – 12

Pierce is seemingly defying age holding his scoring numbers steady while improving both his rebounding and assists the last five years. The twelve double-doubles were Pierce’s most since the ’05-’06 season. Pierce will turn 36 during this upcoming season, but his game is not about explosiveness or athleticism. He will be valuable as long he can still bury a 17 footer in a defender’s face and knock down open threes. Look for Pierce’s numbers to drop in the scoring department as he joins Joe Johnson and Deron Williams in New Jersey, but also look for his efficiency to improve as he will not be looked upon to score nearly as much.

8 – Rudy Gay, SF

This was a struggle as there are a group of guys who could go from 8-15 (really 9-15 once you see number 10) and there really is not much of a difference. I go with Gay because his ceiling is just a little higher than the others. He has all of the tools to be top five guy on this list and at one point most people would have had him higher on this list. Let’s look at Gay and a mystery player on this list from the 2012-13 season:

Gay ppg – 18.2 rpg – 6.1 apg – 2.7 fg% – .416 ft% – .814 spg – 1.5
Player #1 ppg – 17.4 rpg – 7.6 apg – 4.1 fg% – .419 ft% – .807 spg – 1.5

Player #1 would be the number four man on this list, Paul George. Gay is not far behind. He has everything required to an All-NBA selection he just needs to put it all together again. Before the Gay trade the Raptors were 17-30. After the trade they went 17-18. I think Toronto has a real shot to grab one of the lower seeds in the East and with Gay playing the type of basketball people expect from a man making nearly 18 million dollars, they can make some noise. The potential is there, the only question is can he live up to it again.

9 – Andre Iguodala, SG

I give Iguodala an edge on this list because he is a defensive stopper. Like Paul George, Iguodala is a player you can stick on an elite wing and not have to slide help over. He is quick enough to guard shooting guards and big enough to take on small forwards. Iguodala saw his numbers take a serious hit last year, but the Nuggets asked him to be someone he is not, a three point shooter. Only once in his career has Iguodala shot better than 36 percent and that was during his last year in Philadelphia What you should see from him this year are straight line drives and fast break jumpers.

With the space provided by sharp shooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson look for Iguodala to have much better numbers and to be far more efficient from the floor. The defense will always be there, but it is time for Iguodala to get back to what he does best on the offensive end.

10 – Kobe Bryant, SG

I might have to re-write this come November. If the rumors are true and Kobe will be ready for the start of the regular season he will be placed at number two on this list. A few years ago I was not a Kobe fan – even through the majority of this season I was not a Kobe fan. But when you rupture an achilles, knock down two free throws, and then walk off the floor you get my vote of approval (something I am sure Kobe would be very proud of).

Last season was Kobe’s most efficient year on the offensive side of the ball as he had a career high in assists and his best shooting year since the ‘08-’09 season. He has transformed his game much like Jordan did when age started to wear away at his athletic prowess becoming a jump shooter who has the ability to take you to the rim. There are very few players you can add to any roster and instantly make them a playoff team and Kobe is one of them. The only time the Lakers did not make the playoffs was in 2004-05 – the last year Kobe missed more than 10 games. As long as his achilles does not give him any issues look for Kobe to be Kobe.

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2013-2014 NBA Position Rankings – Top 10 Point Guards

by Ryan Sterling

My criteria for this list has nothing to do with analytics and everything to do with how we as fans perceive who is the best. I look at these players at their best (injuries aside) and see how they stack up. Players who are good analytically who you will not see on this list: Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry, Kemba Walker, and Damian Lillard.

While these are good players they do not in my opinion have the ability to lead a team to the NBA Finals (with the possible exception of Conley). Without further ado here is my list of the top 10 point guards in the NBA.

1. Chris Paul

Paul is the gold standard for playmakers at the point guard position in the NBA. Since coming into the league in 2005 Paul has accumulated 5,449 assists averaging 9.8 assists per game. To put that in perspective, Jason Kidd, number two all-time in assists in NBA history, had 5,409 over his first 8 seasons.

Paul is the best pick-and-roll playmaker in the NBA with the ability to finish at the rim or drop dimes to players whose only skill is throwing the ball in the basket. Let’s be honest, DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler have no discernible skills on the offensive side of the ball, but with Paul each have given teams fits. On the defensive end Paul creates major problems with his active hands.

What he does better than any other PG (with maybe the exception of Rondo) is anticipate off-the-ball to create deflections and steals. The only “weak” spot in his game is his 3-pt shooting (35.8% career) and to be honest this is above average and Paul has vastly improved his jump shot since entering the league. With the ability to either score 40 points, have 20 assists, or get 10 steals in any given game makes Paul the most complete package at the PG position.

T-2. Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook

I give Westbrook and Rose the same grade because they are built in the same mold, are both 24 years old and are both coming off knee injuries. Lets take a look at the career numbers for Rose and Westbrook:

Rose PPG – 21.0 RPG – 3.8 APG – 6.8 3-pt % – .310 ft% – .815
Westbrook PPG – 19.9 RPG – 4.8 APG – 6.9 3-pt % – .302 ft% – .814

I’m inclined to give Rose the nod at the number two spot because he shoots a better percentage overall (.464 – .432) and averages over a turnover less per game than Westbrook. Westbrook is the only player at the point guard position who can match Rose’s athletic ability on the floor. They both can slash to the rim and have underrated mid-range games to keep defenders honest. Both Westbrook and Rose are two of the most exciting players with the ball in the open floor in the league and each can create shot opportunities for others.

Rose has looked explosive in the preseason, and if that translates to a full season of regular season play, he might wind up at the top of this list.

The only thing that keeps Westbrook from putting up 2011 Rose numbers is the fact he plays alongside Kevin Durant. Look for both players to bounce back from knee injuries to have good seasons and if either can up their 3-pt percentage to around 35 percent, look out.

4. Deron Williams

Deron Williams is in a career defining year with the additions of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Williams has had successful playoff runs in the past with the Utah Jazz making one Conference Final, but with the team the Nets have assembled Williams will need to show he can lead a team to a Finals appearance. His numbers are very similar to Paul’s and their track records in the playoffs are eerily similar.

Paul PPG – 18.6 APG – 9.7 RPG – 4.4 3-pt % – .356 DD – 263
Williams PPG – 17.8 APG – 9.0 RPG – 3.2 3-pt % – .356 DD – 252

The numbers are there for Williams to be in the top three PGs in the league. The only thing separating him from Rose and Westbrook is his athleticism and his numbers are just below what Paul has been able to put up in the same amount of time. With a Championship ring Williams will jump up this list and the team the Nets have will give him a real chance at getting that ring.

There is no denying Williams’ playmaking ability, but his relationships with coaches and the early exit to a undermanned Bulls team have tarnished his reputation. This season can go one of two ways for Williams. Compete with the elite of the NBA and become one of the top two PG in the NBA or bust and see his position on this list fall. Like it or not the success or failure of the Nets season will fall onto Williams shoulders.

5. Tony Parker

Who thinks Tony Parker is old? For those of you who just answered yes, you are wrong. Parker is only 31 and while at the tail end of his prime he is still every bit the player he was four seasons ago when he averaged 22 points and 7 assists per game. His numbers dipped after that season, but have climbed every year since. He took last summer to play for the French national team at the Olympics in London and that might have had an effect on Parker’s ability to play a full season. Injuries have slowed him down a little over the past two seasons, but with a full summer off look for Parker to continue to see his numbers climb.

Defensively Parker can be a liability when matching up with some of the elite guards in the league. The three reasons he is so high on this list despite his poor defense and 3-pt shooting are the rings on Parker’s fingers. The only other player on this list with a ring is Rajon Rondo and Parker is the only player on the list with a Finals MVP award. Until Parker shows signs that he is slowing down offensively or someone else below him on this list wins a ring Parker is a top 5 PG in the NBA.

6. Stephen Curry

One PG who does not have to worry about upping his 3-pt percentage or ability is Stephen Curry. Curry is arguably the best 3-pt shooter the NBA has to offer. He made nearly 45 percent from three this past season and hit an NBA record 272 threes. Those numbers are video game-esque.

Curry’s playmaking ability was put on display during the Playoffs and hopefully people begin to see Curry for being more than a shooter. He is a playmaker. His comparison from a statistical outlook are very comparable to Westbrook and Rose the only difference is in the athletic ability each player displays. What I love about Curry is his ability to get into the lane and finish below the rim. He is the new Steve Nash in that he can get shots to the rim in ways most people would not even dream. Curry also has the ability to create turnovers averaging 1.7 steals per game over his career.

Of the players on this list Curry is my favorite, because with his ability to shoot the three and the fact that he has the ball in his hands the majority of the time, Curry can put games out of reach in a matter of a few possessions. With the addition of Andre Iguodala and as long as his ankles hold up look for Curry to move up this list.

7. Kyrie Irving

The former number one overall pick has the complete game. Look at his numbers and he is every bit the player as the top 5 guys on this list. With career numbers of 20.6 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 39.4 percent three point shooting Irving is among the top young offensive playmakers in the league.

What he has lacked in his first two seasons is the supporting cast to get him to the level of the other elite PGs in the NBA. We have not been able to see what he is able to do against the league’s best over a playoff run – and his turnover numbers are a bit too high. That is why we see him at number six on this list. With the addition of Anthony Bennett and Andrew Bynum (if he actually plays) and the continued progression of fellow lottery picks Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson, Irving could get the opportunity to showcase his talent in a playoff series this season.

Irving is only 21 years old and has yet to play a full season, so he may only be scratching the surface of what we could see in the years to come. I would not be surprised if in three or four years we see Irving at the top of this list.

8. Rajon Rondo

The only other player on this list who has an NBA Championship comes in at number 8 on this list. Rajon Rondo has enjoyed playing with three future Hall of Famers for the majority of his career, but that comes to an end this year as the Celtics look to rebuild.

Rondo appears to be the centerpiece of the rebuilding project along with Jeff Green. What we see this year from Rondo will greatly determine how he is viewed in the minds of NBA fans. Another PG coming off of a knee injury, Rondo will have to prove he is more than a great distributor and defender. He needs to prove he possesses a consistent offensive arsenal.

He is a double-double machine and has led the NBA in assists per game the past two seasons. If Rondo can come back strong from injury and prove his offensive game is more than complementary, he can move up this list. Even with a sub-par year looming for the Celtics, the addition of Head Coach Brad Stevens will be beneficial to Rondo. Look for scoring numbers to improve, but watch for his assist total. With less talent around him, dimes might be harder to come by. If Rondo can keep his assist total in double digits, we will know just how special he is as a playmaker.

9. Ty Lawson

Lawson’s inclusion on this list is due in large part to his performance in the playoffs last season. His play was spectacular even though the Nuggets were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors. Lawson paid his dues by sitting the bench for the majority of his first two seasons, but when he got his chance to start in 2011 he made the most of it putting up two seasons with 16 ppg to go along with nearly 7 apg. Lawson has upped his game in the playoffs the last two seasons averaging 20.1 ppg with 6.9 apg in 13 games.

His rebounding numbers will never be anything to write home about given his size, but his ability to change ends of the floor is at or near the top of the NBA. His style of play was perfect for the Nuggets up and down style of basketball. Lawson shoots it well from downtown (.380 for his career) and can pressure the basketball in the backcourt.

This season will be a test for Lawson as Danilo Galinarri will be rocovering from a knee injury and Andre Iguodala has gone to the Warriors. He needs to show he can be the go-to offensive weapon for the Nuggets and if he can help the Nuggets repeat the success of last season he has the game to be higher on this list.

10. Jrue Holiday

The 76ers made a surprising move trading All-Star PG Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans. This move can do nothing but help Holiday as he moves to a team with a young core of talent that will look to compete for the playoffs this season in the Western Conference.

Holiday gets the nod on this list over Damian Lillard because he has been in the league for four seasons and has a lengthy playoff run (albeit a run helped by Derrick Rose being hurt) under his belt. His numbers have improved each season he has been in the league and we should look for those numbers to get even better playing alongside Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans. Holiday has a chance to grow into a premiere playmaker in this league.

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2013-2014 NBA Position Rankings – Top 10 Centers; Where Is Roy Hibbert?

by Ryan Sterling

With the league turning to small ball line-ups the traditional center position was taken over by hybrid big men, who keep the floor spaced for slashing wings.

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These ten players are the exception to this new style of basketball. They must have the ability to defend the rim, play with their back to the basket, and rebound both offensively and defensively. Here are the final rankings:

1 – Dwight Howard

With the media circus Howard creates and the expectations fans of the NBA have for him was a disappointment for Howard in many respects, but he still the best center in the league. He still put up 17.1 ppg and grabbed 12.4 rpg, which was the best in the NBA. He blocked 2.2 shots per game which was the third best average in the league. Howard did all of this with a bum shoulder and if I am thinking correctly the shoulder is huge part of playing basketball. Howard takes criticism for some of his behavior, but the fact of the matter is he can play and is a difference maker on both sides of the floor.

The Rockets will be better with Howard in the middle, but I do not believe they are championship level just yet. Howard can sway people’s opinion of him this year by playing MVP level basketball and taking the Rockets deep into playoffs. He needs to put in work at the free throw line and become more of a dominate force on the offensive side, but as far as centers go in the NBA Howard has the throne.

2 – Brook Lopez

Lopez has all the tools to be the best big man in the game. The Nets would be wise to make him the vocal point of their offensive game plan. Lopez has the offensive game that can dominate opponents. Lopez also was seventh in the NBA in blocked shots (2.08) and his blocked shot per foul was second best in the NBA, so not only does Lopez block shots, but he does so without fouling. Lopez averaged 19.4 ppg last season, which is best among centers in the league (espn.com has him behind Aldridge, but I have Aldridge as a PF). The only place where Lopez needs to improve is on the glass. His rebounding numbers throughout his career are pretty terrible. If Lopez can get those numbers up he has a slight chance to pass up Howard.

With the new additions to the Nets roster Lopez will have more room to roam on the offensive side. Having shooters such as Paul Pierce and Jason Terry and a big man the quality of Kevin Garnett around him will only serve to help Lopez get one-on-one match-ups and very few in the NBA can handle that defensively.

3 – Roy Hibbert

Hibbert showed fans around the league just how good he can be during the Pacers playoff run. I understand that his regular season numbers left something to be desired. He struggled to put the ball in the hole, but Hibbert has claimed he was playing with an injured wrist and I tend to believe him. Hibbert has shot nearly 50 percent from the field in every other season except last year and his shooting percentage from inside ten feet was atrocious.

As he showed later in the season and in the playoffs those numbers did not reflect the real product. During the regular season Hibbert averaged 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds, not premiere big man numbers. But in the playoffs Hibbert put up 17 points, 9.9 rebounds, and blocked two shots. Those blocks do not count the number of shots he affected. Hibbert leads a Pacer defense that is the best in the NBA in a number of categories and with a full season of consistent offensive play look for Hibbert to get back in the All-Star game.

4 – Marc Gasol

Gasol could go as high as number two on this list, but I have him at four becasue I do not think he can dominate a game on the offensive side of the ball like the top three on list. Do not get me wrong, I think Gasol is a fantastic player with a skill set very few big men have. He can handle the ball, he sees the floor well, and he was the defensive player of the year.

The only thing I see lacking in his game is the ability for the Grizzlies to throw him the ball and have him dominate. Hibbert showed he could do it against the Heat, Howard led his team to an NBA Finals where the second best player was either Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, or Rashard Lewis, and Lopez has done it in the regular season for a Nets team that has in the past been terrible. I love Gasol’s game and he is one of the best big men in the world, but I cannot see him moving up this list without a dominate playoff run. This could be that year.

5 – Greg Monroe

Greg Monroe will be the best center in the NBA in five years. Each season his numbers have gotten better and better and he is only 23 years old. Monroe scores (16.0 ppg), he boards (9.6 rpg) and he can pass (3.5 apg). His offensive game is well rounded as the stats prove. Defensively Monroe needs to improve. He does not block shots at the rate of the centers above him and as a young player he needs to refine his positioning. In his defense Andre Drummond is playing with him and Drummond averages 1.6 blocks per game, so that number probably will not go up without Drummond getting hurt.

The signing of Josh Smith will hurt Monroe’s growth in terms of numbers. I think Monroe is a twenty and ten type guy, but with Smith on the roster I do not believe his numbers will match the skill. His current numbers stack up with every center in the league and with a few more years of NBA coaching and experience Monroe will be a force to be reckoned with.

6 – Joakim Noah

Noah is a player fans everywhere but Chicago love to hate, except for Bulls fans. Noah is a double-double nearly every night and without Derrick Rose this past season Noah upped his assist numbers from 2.5 per game to 4 per game. Impressive for a player going into his seventh season in the league. Noah is not an offensive presence by any stretch and his jumper is the most hideous looking thing this side of Shaun Marion, but for he lacks on the offensive end he makes up for on defense. Noah led the Bulls last year in rebounds (11.1), steals (1.2) and blocks (2.1). Noah was third in the NBA in offensive rebounding with 3.7 per game. So lets take a look at the stat line:

ppg – 11.9 rpg – 11.1 apg – 4.0 spg – 1.2 bpg – 2.1 off rpg – 3.7

These are the numbers of a man who plays the game with reckless abandon and will do anything to help his team win, despite his downfalls as an offensive player. His numbers dipped in this year’s playoffs, but Noah was playing through plantar fasciitis. Look for typical Noah-like numbers this season and with the return of Derrick Rose, I see a career year coming.

7 – Al Horford

Another big man who I really like, but has some struggles offensively. Last season was Horford’s best in terms of numbers. He put up 17.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg, and dished out 3.2 apg. For his career Horford is a 54 percent shooter from the field, but his jumper outside of fifteen feet is not good. He lives off of slashing guards dumping the ball of to him in places he can score. If Horford can develop a mid-range game he will jump up this list. Horford also blocks 1.1 shots per game and grabs 1.1 steals per game.

The block numbers will go up because of the absence of Josh Smith’s 1.8 blocks per game. Look for Horford to have an even better year statically this season with Josh Smith moving on and the addition of Paul Milsap. Horford will be relied upon to put up numbers on the inside. Horford needs a playoff run to get higher on this list. His game matches up well with the other players on this list; unfortunately, he has not been able to show a national audience.

8 – Al Jefferson

This is a prime example of a one-way center. Offensively Jefferson might be the best big man in the league. He can score from anywhere on the floor and is capable of putting up 40 in any given game. He has had two seasons of 20 and 10 and with a Bobcats team that will depend on him to play outstanding basketball he should be in line for a few more seasons. Jefferson averaged 17.8 ppg last year and unfortunately has seen his scoring numbers fall since he was traded from Minnesota.

The only thing keeping Jefferson out of the top three on this list is his defense, which is not good. He struggles to handle one-on-one match-ups in the post and is ineffective as a rim protector. Hopefully with the addition of a shot blocker in Cody Zeller, Jefferson will not be asked to block shots or play one-on-one in the post. If Jefferson can improve defensively he hop far up this list. Remember Jefferson is only 28 years old and there is room for improvement.

9 – DeMarcus Cousins

If Demarcus Cousins can get his head on straight he will be a premiere big man in the NBA. Seventeen technicals and four ejections are too many for a key player. Take a look at the numbers from Cousins compared to Jefferson, who is only spot ahead of him:

Jefferson ppg – 17.8 rpg – 9.2 apg – 2.1 bpg – 1.1 fg% – .494
Cousins ppg – 17.1 rpg – 9.9 apg – 2.7 bpg – 0.7 fg% – .465

Those are similar numbers from two players who play have the same game. The only difference is Cousins is 23. Cousins needs a veteran to come in and show him what it means to be a professional basketball player. Consistent effort night in and night out is necessary and if Cousins can pair that effort with his skill set he will be unstoppable. Unfortunately for Cousins it does not look like Sacramento is a place where many veterans are looking to end their career so Cousins will have to figure out the mental aspect of the game through his own experience. As stated above with Jefferson, if Cousins can complete his game on the defensive side and get his head on right he will shoot up this list.

10 – David Lee

David Lee can play. He is not normally what you think of as an NBA center, but in the absence of Andrew Bogut, Lee stepped in and gave the Warriors a boost at the five. Lee has been a 20 and 10 guy in the past and while those days are probably over with the emergence of Stephen Curry, Lee can still bring it and be effective. Lee was right behind Lopez at third in scoring among NBA centers (18.5) and he was tied for fourth in the NBA with 11.2 rpg.

The one area where Lee cannot stack up is he is not a rim protector. He has averaged less than half a block per game for his career and it does not appear as though he will be upping those numbers anytime soon. Lee has a nice mid-range game and can play back-to-the-basket, which makes him a great offense weapon at the center position. Look for Lee’s numbers to drop off a little due to the style of play the Warriors will be playing, but Lee is still a top center in the league.

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For Kentucky Basketball Fans – Why I Can’t (or Won’t) Respect John Calipari

by Kent Sterling

Kentucky fans are relentless in their love for Big Blue Nation, and their wild proclamations of physical and moral superiority are beyond debate. If you try to explain in a rational way why Kentucky’s winning should ring hollow, they lose their minds.

Arguing gun control or abortion is more fun than engaging with Kentucky fans in a conversation about the merits of Kentucky hoops, and how its coach builds its roster, but in an effort to be clear, I step back into the abyss of illogic and blue blindness.

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The circuitous logic from Kentucky fans is much fun that of New Yorkers explaining why they live in the best city in the world, which is very similar to an Abbott & Costello routine.

Me: What’s the best city in the world?
New Yorker: New York
Me: Why?
New Yorker: Because it’s the best!
Me: What makes it the best?
New Yorker: Being New York makes it the best.
Me: So New York is the best city because it’s New York?
New Yorker: Yes!
Me: What about Los Angeles?
New Yorker: No, it’s not the best.
Me: Why not?
New Yorker: Because it isn’t New York.

With Kentucky, it’s the same thing. Kentucky is the best because it’s Kentucky. Anyone who dislikes the methodology that causes the success is an idiot, anyone who writes about it is a troll, and anyone who doesn’t worship at the alter of John Calipari is a hater.

Kentucky fans took exception to a lack of respect I articulated on Twitter today, and I promised I would provide the kind of explanation that can’t be expressed in 140 characters.

Let’s begin with a short recitation of those things for which I do not hold Calipari accountable:

The one-and-done rule is bad for kids, so I don’t like it. The rule forces young men who have no interest in college to attend, unless they are willing to head overseas like Brandon Jennings and a couple of others have. The rule is for the benefit of NBA owners who were tired of paying first rounders to work out rather than play. They were even more disappointed when they had to pay max money to players a year before they would with the age limit as it currently exists. Calipari had nothing to do with the rule being enacted, but he has exploited it to his great benefit.
I don’t blame Calipari for one and done kids not caring one way or another about their education. They are only in college because it leads to the NBA. Learning at the college level is not in the DNA of many of these kids. Let’s face it, most men on their way to millions aren’t concerned with Finite Math or East Asian Studies. That’s not an issue whose blame can be assigned to Calipari.
Big Blue Nation wants wins. You win – heroic status is conferred. Lose – they come after you with torches. That dynamic existed with Rupp, Hall, Sutton, Pitino, Smith, and Gillispie. Calipari is just the latest to be held to a standard that has nothing to do with academics.

Okay, now we know what he isn’t accountable for – what are the things that rubs me the wrong way?

Calipari “earns” $5.2M + bonuses as the head coach of a bunch of 19 year-olds who do his bidding while their professional aspirations are on hold. Is that against the rules? No. Is it Calipari’s fault that he is wildly overpaid, while his players can’t get a tattoo for an autograph? No. I didn’t say it’s his fault. I said it rubs me the wrong way.
A disproportionate number of NBA bound players choose to attend Kentucky. That annoys me. Not because I don’t want Kentucky to win, but because there is no logical reason for it. No offense to Kentucky, but there is nothing that separates it from Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan State, or any of the other top dozen programs. All those players decide to go to the same place. What motivates that choice is the question I keep asking. I believe I know the answer, but as is the case with many annoyances, I have nothing but anecdotal evidence – which isn’t really evidence at all.
There is a trail of tears in the wake of Calipari’s stops at both UMass and Memphis. He was not cited nor disciplined in the NCAA decisions that led to two separate Finals Four appearance being vacated, but he was there. Does that make him guilty? No. What it probably makes him is real smart.
Eric Bledsoe had some high school transcript issues that showed he took two algebra courses out of sequence, and despite being a poor math student, scored an A in Algebra 3 prior to taking Algebra 2. That’s a hell of a trick. Did Calipari have anything to do with that? No, but the NCAA didn’t find enough evidence to bring a penalty anyway, so what the hell is the problem. The problem is that lack of evidence doesn’t mean screwy things didn’t transpire. Again, annoying, not actionable. Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans wrote another report about the NCAA’s look into Bledsoe’s eligibility.
There is also the friendship that exists between Calipari and World Wide Wes, the former runner who is now a consultant for Creative Arts Agency. He’s friends with a lot of NBA players, and other famous people. He’s a guy who gets things done for people. Wes is an interesting man with interesting connections. He was banned from the 2013 Midwest Regional by the NCAA. They even printed flyers with Wes’s picture on them for security personnel. Wes befriends college prospects at LeBron James Skills Academy. What he does after that, draw your own conclusions. Is there a rule that prohibits Calipari from counting Wes as a friend? No. Does it raise a reasonable level of suspicion? Depends on your perspective.

I could go on and on. The plantation mentality of college athletics is at the crux of my problem with Calipari. He profits greatly from a system that won’t provide a student-athlete a small stipend to pay for he and a date to grab a sandwich and see a movie. He operates within the rules, and then claims that because he’s within the rules, he is absolved of all blame for a system run amok. Very convenient, and I don’t like that either.

Kentucky fans on Twitter wanted to know what my problem with Calipari is. There it is. Just because the NCAA is unwilling or unable to find the reasons for which Calipari should be banished from college athletics doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Today, those Twitter folks in Big Blue Nation said that they wanted to know how Calipari exploits the people he turns into millionaires. I would argue that the only person John Calipari has turned into a millionaire is John Calipari.

Kent’s Krumbs – London Games Waste of Time, Cardinals Are Just Fine, Rams Call Favre, and Cubs Still Looking

by Kent Sterling

This was my perspective among the baffled Englishmen at the 2012 American Bowl in London. "Hurrah! For whom are we cheering? Did you touch me bum? Hurrah again!"

This was my perspective among the baffled Englishmen at the 2012 International Series game in London. “Hurrah! For whom are we cheering? Did you touch me bum? Hurrah again!”

Too much going on to dig in deep about any right now, so here are some mini-posts about the big stories that are trending now:

The NFL will stage three events in London next year, and in today’s announcement of which six teams will play in those games, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell overstated the NFL’s position in the British consciousness, “Our fans in the UK continue to demonstrate their passion for more football. The growing enthusiasm for the NFL internationally is exciting and we look forward to continuing to respond to this interest in our game.”

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I was in London one year ago this week for the Rams vs. Patriots debacle (for the Rams; it was a coronation for the Pats), and the correct word to describe the interest in American football is curiosity. The complete lack of knowledge about how the game functions makes for hilarious conversations with Londoners.

The overall vibe during my four days there was indifference, but that’s not entirely different from what I experienced in St. Louis when talking about the Rams, so who knows whether the NFL can survive full-time at Wembley Stadium.

****************

The national media is in full hyperbole mode as the Cardinals were blitzed 8-1 last night in Boston. They are like the nimrods who read the first chapter to a novel and feel they know exactly what is going to follow. If this series was “Gone with the Wind,” Rhett Butler just kissed Scarlett O’Hara. There is no way to know whether Atlanta will burn, Scarlett will prosper in business, and that their daughter will die.

Chapter two will be played tonight, and even after this game, fans won’t be able to guess accurately what will happen through the rest of the series. In Game Six of the 2011 World Series, the Cards faced elimination down 7-5 with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the 9th and 9-7 with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the 10th. They rallied both times, won the game in the 11th, and cruised in Game Seven.

We watch because we don’t know, and guessing the direction of this series after one game is ridiculous. In the 1991 NBA Finals, the Lakers won Game One, and then lost the next four.

There is no way of knowing. If it makes your Thursday go by more quickly, go ahead and prognosticate. By the way, Michael Wacha is going to dominate tonight, and with Buccholz 50-50 to pitch at all in the series, the Cardinals will win in six. I can’t help myself either.

****************

The St. Louis Rams finally found a way to be a little bit relevant in the national media. They reportedly told Adam Schefter of ESPN that they reached out to Brett Favre to gauge his interest in making a return at the age of 44. Favre reportedly declined, but on a day when the big stories are a blowout win by the Red Sox, and a game preview of tonight’s drab Carolina vs. Tampa Bay tonight, Favre leads.

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If the Rams goal was to inject some life into coverage of the team, mission accomplished. If they really had a serious thought about Favre leading the team on Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks, COO Kevin Demoff should call a hazardous materials crew to test the water in the building.

No one in their right mind would project Kellen Clemens as a winning starter, but to exhume Favre would have been like the Cardinals calling Bob Gibson to start Game Three if Wacha fails tonight.

****************

The Cubs continue to search for their next sacrificial goat. Whomever Theo Epstein hires is almost certainly doomed to be fired after the 2015 season. Dale Sveum did a good job with shoddy tools, but was sent packing after two years. The talent – if anything – will be even worse in 2014 for the new guy.

Why a first time manager would even consider accepting this gig is beyond me. Only misery lies ahead. For a two time loser like Manny Acta, I get it. No one with a chance to win would ever put Acta in charge of their team. He is to baseball what Rich Kotite was to the NFL. Their is no risk for Acta as he has nothing to lose.

The Cubs will hire the best of the candidates who would accept this certain journey of woe on the North Side’s most predictable trail of tears.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Columnist Bernie Miklasz Continues to Be Baseball Thought Leader

by Kent Sterling

Breakfast with Kent is a daily homage to Breakfast with Bernie. If you don’t watch it already at stltoday.com, you should.

After spending a good portion of yesterday consuming national media reports looking for some unique information about the World Series, I went to the source where I should have started, St. Louis Sports Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz.

As I expected, Bernie gave me a whole lot of what I got nowhere else. He talked about the way Boston tries to wear out pitchers by working deep counts. They don’t bite on pitches out of the strike zone. You want to get the Red Sox out, strikes are required. These guys aren’t Alfonso Soriano waving at sliders low and away until the umpire tells them to sit down.

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He spoke on his always enlightening “Breakfast with Bernie” about how the Red Sox led baseball through the regular season in pitches per plate appearance, and how they forced Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer to work so hard for outs that the bullpen was called on early, and that exposed the Tigers greatest weakness.

Now, that’s not brain surgery, but Bernie was the only guy who spoke or wrote about it. That’s what makes Bernie a must read and a must watch.

This morning, everyone is talking about the patience of the Red Sox – how they made starting pitcher Adam Wainwright miserable by not swinging at the pitches that other teams can’t lay off. Bernie had it yesterday.

Bernie gets it right before everyone else because he works harder than anyone else. Preparation for Bernie doesn’t involve watching Sportscenter and reading other columnists’ work. He forges a trail through hundreds of statistics and his many years of watching the game to arrive at a destination of unique enlightenment.

The perspective he offers is always unique, and sometimes flies against the prevailing wind. That makes Bernie what doesn’t exist in many places – a resource that will make readers and viewers better informed and more likely to enjoy the game.

Baseball is revered in St. Louis, and Bernie is a big part of the reason. It was a baseball town long before Bernie came for good in the late 1980s, and it will be a baseball town 100 years from now when we are all dust, but Bernie has crafted a legacy through his consistent diligence that makes St. Louis a town filled with better informed baseball fans.

Because of Bernie – in large part – when you see a game in person at Busch Stadium or sit in a sports bar in Soulard, you will hear conversations that reflect an unusual depth of knowledge about the details that make baseball fascinating.

At a game in 2011, Tony LaRussa made a defensive switch in the top of the seventh that brought in Daniel Descalso to play third in place of David Freese, whose range has been limited because of foot and ankle injuries. The Cards were up two. The timing of the switch meant that Freese’s spot in the order would be due in the bottom of the ninth if the opponent was able to tie or take the lead in the game. I heard three sets of fans surrounding me talking about the timing of the switch. I’ve been to Wrigley Field 100s of times, and have never heard a similar discussion of a granular aspect of a game.

That’s the influence of Bernie Miklasz. He’s taught an entire city how to evaluate baseball strategy in the same way he does.

People don’t know Bernie nationally because he doesn’t travel to Bristol anytime he’s asked to be on ESPN. His reward for great work isn’t in watching his Klout or Q score rise; it’s in going to bed every night secure in the knowledge that he busted his ass to get it different and get it right.

I worked with Bernie for two years at 101 ESPN in St. Louis. (He left the radio business two weeks after I came back to Indianapolis – coincidence? Yeah, it was a total coincidence. I couldn’t have argued Bernie into staying – nor would I have tried. He’s in a place that makes him happy, and allows him to enjoy life at a higher level.) There are those in the sports perspective business who glide through life, using cleverness to mask a lack of work ethic, but Bernie is the polar opposite of those mopes.

Bernie loves the investigative work needed to find a rare nugget that leads to an enlightened take, and St. Louis sports fans correctly love and respect him for it.

Idiot Parent Files Bullying Complaint After Son’s High School Team Beaten 91-0

by Kent Sterling

Tim Buchanan was accused of bullying by a parent who just doesn’t get it.

Most parents of high school athletes are morons who can’t help but intertwine their feelings of worth with the successes and failures of their children. They are the absolute worst part of youth sports – for the kids, coaches, and other fans.

And it’s getting worse.

Back in the day, it wasn’t easy to get parents to show up for games. Now, you can’t keep them away, as much as the coaches and kids might like to.

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One such parent was so outraged at the butt kicking her son’s Fort Worth Western Hills team took at the hands of top-ranked Aledo High School that she went online and filed a bullying form as a result of the 91-0 loss. School administrators were forced to waste time by investigating the charge – as is mandated by state law.

The findings were that the coaches played second and third teasers throughout the second half, and the opposing coach applauded the class with which the Aledo kids comported themselves. Case dismissed.

Absorbing that kind of beatdown is miserable for the team on the losing end of a 91-point loss, but there is no lasting mark left. Despite parental loyalty, not everyone should get a participation medal each time children don uniforms.

One team wins, another team loses, and then you get something good to eat. As long as the kid worked hard in preparation, he has nothing to be ashamed of.

The obsession moms and dads have with mitigating every single little bit of adversity suffered by their kids is misplaced. The best parenting teaches children that adversity is fleeting, and that character is determined by the reaction to adversity.

Winning and losing high school sporting events should be important to the players, not the parents.

Supporting kids should not include completing a form on an opposing school’s website to file a formal complaint in an area that should be reserved for kids who feel the dread of being bullied on a regular basis, but even that gives me reason for worry.

The very best advice I ever got from my Dad was to punch a kid in the face the next time he picked on me. I was a seventh grader, and walked out of the school rather than deal directly with a kid who enjoyed whacking me on the head with a pencil repeatedly. Dad drove me back to school, sought out the principal, and said, “I told Kent the next time this kid touches him, his response should be to punch him in the face as hard as he can. I understand you might have a problem with that, but I will have a problem with it if he doesn’t, and I’m his father.”

Next time, I cracked the kid in the mouth. Problem solved. No further problems.

Obviously, those who bully the weak or challenged need to be dealt with in an entirely different way, but solving that problem on my own without a parent filling out a form to complain served me very well. It gave me confidence, and resulted in my being a dad who consistently empowered my son to solve his own problems.

If a kid doesn’t want to get hammered 91-0, get in the weight room. Work out. Find an advantage. Solve the problem.

Now, because a parent went rogue and decided to file a form, this is a national story, and everyone in the country knows Aledo trampled Fort Worth Western Hills 91-0. The kid whose parent decided to take matters into his or her own hands is now responsible for the national media attention they would rather avoid.

If you are a kid with an overbearing sports parent, confront him or her head on. Don’t let them ruin the experience for you. Tell them to back of. If you are a parent and you catch yourself not smiling and giving your kid a hug after the game, back off and reassess.

No parent is perfect. None who care for and loves a child can avoid taking it too seriously on occasion. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll share my worst three sports parenting moments:

My son was a sixth grader playing a 7:30a game at a local tournament in 2000. There was a party at the home of a co-worker the night before and I was a little rough around the edges after getting up at 6a to make sure Ryan was ready and on time. My son and the rest of his team were playing like they were underwater. The thought that kept popping into my head was, “I’m the one who shouldn’t want to be here, and they’re playing with less energy than I’m expending as I watch!” That percolated through most of the first half until I couldn’t take it anymore. I walked down the bleachers at mid court and on to the court, “If that’s all the effort I’m going to see out here this morning, to hell with it. I’m going to get breakfast!” I walked across the middle of the floor, and as soon as I left the gym, I realized what a boob I was. I returned with several dozen doughnuts for the other parents.
My wife can get me into trouble. While Ryan’s team played O.J. Mayo’s team at a national tournament when the kids were seventh graders, Julie and an elderly relative of Mayo’s barked at each other briefly about a foul that was called before the guy yelled, “Shut the hell up, bitch!” Uh-oh. No way for a husband to sit this one out. The guy was in the second row, and the ref was right in front of him as I moved toward the guy. I looked at the ref and said loudly enough for the old man to hear, but softly enough not to freak out the ref, “This guy just called my wife a bitch, and if you don’t take care of it right now, I’m gonna stick my foot up his ass.” The ref looked at the guy, and the guy got up to leave without a word. Winner? Not quite. He returned a couple of minutes later with a significant bulge in his pocket. Another parent walked up and confirmed that he thought he had retrieved a revolver. The rest of the game was played in silence – mostly.
A year later, my son’s team is playing against the Arkansas Hawks in the semifinals of a national tournament. With 12-seconds left in the first half, another dad and I (without any planning) started counting down from seven. The kid hustled up a shot with what he believed to be two seconds left. It missed, and our team rebounded into a fast break the other way. The buzzer sounds, and we lead by eight instead of six. We high-five each other and laugh, then look at the Arkansas fans. They don’t look angry, just sad – like they pity us. The parents of our kids had the same look. My wife looked horrified, but that was nothing new. I turned to Mike Miller, who then was the basketball coach at Lawrence Central High School. He said without the hint of a smile, “That wasn’t good. That was terrible.”

So there you go. We all make mistakes. We tell our kids all the time to work hard to improve. Some of us can use some of that advice too. As for that parent in Fort Worth – let your son fight on the football field for his own self-respect. You can’t earn that for him.

Chris Collins Awards Scholarship to Northwestern Basketball Walk-on – on Video

by Kent Sterling

Northwestern’s James Montgomery tells his mom and sister that he earned a scholarship.

Two things we learned yesterday about shiny new Northwestern basketball coach Chris Collins – he appreciates the work of the unheralded, and he is pretty sharp at crafting an image.

Collins announced to his team yesterday that walk-on James Montgomery earned a scholarship for the year. The moment was videotaped and posted on youtube. They also videotaped and posted the moment when Montgomery told his family about the award.

Basketball walk-ons are interesting people. At big time programs, there are guys hoping for a shot at the NBA, and others who just want to shot to play meaningful minutes for the team they belong to because they chose it – not because it chose them.

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They work tirelessly to maximize their comparatively meager gifts, with their only reward being the best seat in the house, and the friendships that can only blossom among teammates. Walk-ons aren’t playing for tuition, room and board, or books. They play only because they love basketball and want the best for their brothers in arms.

Most were outstanding high school players who lack an attribute needed to be seen as a valuable cog on a college team. Many could have played at a lower level, but want the opportunity to prove their value on the biggest stage.

Basketball players dream of playing in the NCAA Tournament, and giving up on that dream comes hard, so they report to campus, do all the work, set a positive example, and support teammates who are going to carry the load as they compete in games.

My son was a walk-on at Loyola of Chicago after some bad fortune kept him from accepting two offers to play in the Ivy League. The coaches for Harvard and Princeton left their schools as Ryan was a senior at Cathedral High School. There was a scholarship offer from Indiana State, but there was little doubt that Royce Waltman would lose his job before Ryan would report, so that was out.

He accepted an offer to be a preferred walk-on at Loyola, and worked hard there to help his teammates improve with minimal tangible reward for four years. The adversity he faced and overcame at Loyola has helped shape the young man he has become. Ryan is now a first-year law student at IUPUI, and I am certain that he will be successful in every way – in large part because of the experiences that challenged him in Rogers Park.

While we always selfishly hoped that Ryan’s coach would award him the scholarship he earned – after all who can’t use $32K after taxes every year – but knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Being a walk-on is a thankless job only if the short-term reward is assessed. The occasional hardships involved for the player and family are irreplaceable character builders. Those who accept the challenge learn very quickly about the need for relentless hard work in life, and develop an ability to push others to improve. Nothing made Ryan happier than when he pushed others to perform at their best during practice, and he became very adept at enforcing a level of effort among teammates.

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I have no idea what challenges lie ahead for Ryan, but I am certain that his four years of disciplined effort at Loyola will serve him well throughout his life. When you look down the bench at the kids you only get to see play during blowouts, don’t feel pity for them. Their rewards don’t come obviously or early, but they will come.

Walk-ons will never play in the NBA, but the maturity they develop during their long hours of work will serve them exceptionally well down the road.

A reward did come for Montgomery, but he should also understand that in 10 years, he is going to be very happy that he spent two years as a walk-on because he learned that his passion for basketball and pride in his own work ethic were enough to fuel his daily participation in an all-comsuming activity.

For all the morally corrosive crap that pervades college football and men’s college basketball, there are people who play only because they love their vocation. You don’t have to look too far to find a reason to love college sports – they are just a little further down the bench than the guys you recognize.

Instead of reading another dissertation about the O’Bannon lawsuit or watching the video of a self-serving athletic director like Tom Jurich talk out of both sides of his mouth, take a minute to watch a kid share a dream come true with his teammates and family. We need reasons to remember why we love college athletics. This is a pretty good one.

Louisville AD Tom Jurich Defies NCAA While Claiming to Have Great Respect for Them

by Kent Sterling

Louisville football assistant Clint Hurtt has a show cause and a job. That doesn’t happen everyday.

I love bureaucrats – not really.

They say one thing while doing the opposite leaving everyone confused as to what they really mean. That confusion is the centerpiece of their professional strategy.

Today, University of Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich told the media that he has decided that 2011 ESPN.com recruiter of the year would remain on U of L’s football staff despite today’s announcement of the NCAA’s show cause order earned through Hurtt’s cheating when at the University of Miami and failure to cooperate with the investigators.

The NCAA wants Clint Hurtt out of college football. Jurich doesn’t. Hurtt keeps his job.

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A show cause order does not mandate that a school terminate employment, but it does require a school attempting to hire him show cause as to why that coach should be allowed to work for an NCAA member university. What a show cause really means is that the NCAA doesn’t believe that coach is a force for good in collegiate athletics, and should have no place on a staff.

Jurich’s stance leaves me conflicted. I don’t know Jurich, but he ran a very good guy off of Louisville radio through his relationship with that radio company’s management. The guy I’m talking about isn’t a flame thrower, but a thoughtful and very friendly host/man. Jurich, in effect, did to my friend what the NCAA is trying to force him to do.

At the same time, I kind of like the display of disrespect for the NCAA that Jurich is showing. If the NCAA had any sack at all, it would do something – anything – to get the attention of coaches who see the risk/reward of cheating to favor them at such a wild proportion that they cheat in plain sight, and brag to the media about it.

Books and investigative pieces that detail the brazen corruption so pervasive in college athletics are being published at a dizzying pace. Sports Illustrated worked for months putting together a five-part indictment of Oklahoma State Football that was so mundane, I stopped reading it after the first three parts. As I read, I kept asking myself, “So what?”. We all know that recruiting violations occur, that hostesses bed recruits, that tutors complete homework assignments for nonmotivated students/game changing athletes, that players do drugs occasionally, and that agents find a way to get cash to student-athletes.

The NCAA’s enforcement staff has been relegated to the role of high school rent-a-cop. Back when I was in high school, there were enough people getting stoned in their cars during lunch that the school hired a short and squatty 35 year-old cop to patrol the lot. At first, he wore a uniform. He was easy to spot and avoid. Then, he tried to get clever, dressing in tie-dyed tees and jorts to blend in. Yeah, real clever. The only chance he had to catch anyone was that their laughter would betray them.

The NCAA inspires so little fear that Jurich refused to fire a coach who was issued a show cause order. I can’t remember that ever happening. One minute during today’s media event, Jurich said that he has great respect for the NCAA and the enforcement staff, and in the next he said that his refusal to fire Hurtt was due to a disagreement as to whether Hurtt cooperated fully with the NCAA enforcement folks.

Jurich believes Hurtt was cooperative, but the NCAA doesn’t. Jurich wins.

This is like getting a speeding ticket, refusing to pay, and having the court throw up its hands and say, “Oh well! Fine, don’t pay then.”

The NCAA has been so thoroughly marginalized since the heavy handed Ohio State penalties and the Penn State sanctions that lacked any measure of due process that a big shot AD like Jurich is basically ignoring them. The NCAA acted almost instantly in eviscerating the Nittany Lions, but took 2 1/2 years from the beginning of the Miami investigation to today’s announcement of its penance.

Jurich was arrogant enough today to tell the NCAA to go squat, but also arrogant enough to force a friend of mine out of the radio market. The enemy of my friend who is also the enemy of my enemy is a source of confusion for me.

2013 World Series – St. Louis Cardinals Ready to Dispatch Boston Red Sox and Hang 12th Banner

by Kent Sterling

I just watched ESPN’s Nomar Garciaparra give the advantage to the St.Louis Cardinals lineup and rotation, call the bullpen a draw, and hand John Farrell the nod over Cards manager Mike Matheny. He then picked the Red Sox in six. Makes a lot of sense.]

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Asking a guy whose perspective is so clouded by a love for all things Red Sox to analyze the series in the first place is a good question, so let’s a harder look at the 2013 World Series piece by piece:

Catcher – Yadier Molina vs. Jason Saltalamacchia – Advantage Molina

Molina is the best defensive catcher in the game as well as the best handler of pitchers. Saltalamacchia hit 14 home runs in 2013, but his 139 Ks in 425 ABs is a late inning problem against the Cardinals strikeout happy bullpen. Molina might be the most valuable player in the game considering all phases. He is a manager on the field, and more and more dangerous at the plate.

First Base – Allen Craig/Matt Adams vs. Mike Napoli – Advantage Craig/Adams

Craig would have likely gotten some MVP love from voters if not for his late season foot injury. He hit over .450 with runners in scoring position. Adams filled the Craig role, and gave the Cards more power. Craig and Adams combined to hit 30 HRs and post 138 RBI. Craig’s OPS was .830 and Adams’ was .839. Napoli is no stranger to the Cardinals, as he was the first baseman for the Rangers during the 2011 World Series going 7-20 with two home runs, eight RBIs, and six walks. He was pretty damn good.

Second Base – Matt Carpenter vs. Dustin Pedroia – Advantage Carpenter

This is closer. Carpenter commited nine errors, which Pedroia committed five, but Carpenter has an edge in range. Offensively, the 27 year-old Carpenter led the National League with 126 runs, 199 hits, and 55 doubles. He hit .318 with an OPS of .873. Pedroia, 30, was productive but five years removed from his 2008 season that was very similar to what Carpenter did this season – leading the AL in the same three categories Carpenter did this year.

Shortstop – Pete Kozma vs. Stephen Drew – Advantage Drew

Kozma is a better fielder, but Drew is a much better offensive player by default. Kozma hit only .217 this season with no power nor speed. His OPS of .548 was .229 beneath Drew’s .777.

Third Base – David Freese vs. Will Middlebrooks – Advantage Draw

Neither is an outstanding defender. Freese has a slight advantage, just as Middlebrooks has better power as a hitter. Middlebrooks OPS is .696 and Freese’s is .710. In late game situations, Middlebrooks can be a bomb machine who changes games, but who wants to bet against Freese after his magical run during the 2011 postseason.

Left Field – Matt Holliday vs. Jonny Gomes – Advantage Holliday

Matt Holliday is a professional hitter with some pop hitting .300 with 22 HRs, 86 RBIs, and an OPS of .879, and Gomes is a bit of a poor man’s Holliday with an OPS of .771. He played roughly half a season and totaled 13 HRs and 52 RBIs. Not as good an average or power numbers, and they are equally average defensive outfielders.

Center Field – Jon Jay vs. Jacoby Ellsbury – Advantage Ellsbury

Ellsbury’s offensive value is going to bump up against the Cardinals best defender, as Ellsbury provided the spark to the Red Sox with 52 steals while being caught only four times. Few run against Molina, but you can bet that Ellsbury will test him. Ellsbury is a better defensive center fielder too.

Right Field – Carlos Beltran vs. Shane Victorino – Advantage Beltran

It’s hard to pick against Beltran in the postseason, as he is one of the best hitters in MLB Postseason history. His numbers in 2013 were Beltran-esque – but a little bit off 2012 as he is now 36 with balky legs. He can still rake though with a .296 average, 24 HRs, 84 RBIs, and an OPS of .830. Victorino still has his wheels, but can’t measure up with Beltran’s power, hitting .294 with 15 HRs, 61 RBIs, 21 steals, and an OPS of .801. Fielding, it’s a draw. Beltran has the superior arm, but Victorino has much better range.

DH – Allen Craig/Matt Adams vs. David Ortiz – Advantage Ortiz

A little closer than you might guess, but Big Papi’s OPS of .959 is easily the highest among players on either team, as is his 30 home runs. One of the factors in this series will be the Cardinals pitchers ability to mitigate Big Papi’s influence on the game. The Red Sox need him to hit the ball hard with men on in order to compete.

Rotations – Wainwright/Wacha/Kelly/Lynn vs. Lester/Lackey/Buchholz/Peavy – Advantage Cardinals

Wacha is the key. Without his emergence, the Cardinals would lose two match ups, win Wainwright vs. Lester, and draw between Lynn and Peavy. There is a reasonably good chance that Wainwright and Wacha sweep games one and two in Boston, and Buchholz and Peavy win three and four in St. Louis.

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Bullpen – Advantage – Draw

Trevor Rosenthal is an unhittable fastball machine, and Carlos Martinez and Kevin Siegrist are solid components, but Koji Uehara has been incredible as a closer. He has allowed two earned runs since the beginning of July in 49 1/3 innings.

Manager – Mike Matheny vs. John Farrell – Draw

This is an admission of ignorance more than anything else. I might have watched the Red Sox play a total of 20 games this season, including the postseason, so I have no feel for Farrell’s quality as a leader or strategist. Hard to argue with a guy who won 28 more games in his first year than his predecessor in 2012, but that likely has as much to do with Bobby Valentine’s idiocy as Farrell’s genius. As for Matheny, I’m not a huge fan. Without Molina behind the plate, I think Matheny would be exposed. His use of the bullpen has evolved throughout the season, but I’m still not a Matheny guy.

Prediction for the series – Cardinals in six. I think it comes down to the starts by Wainwright and Wacha. I think the Cardinals hold serve in those four games, and the Cardinals front office will have to figure out the structural issues at Busch Stadium needed to accommodate a 12th banner.

I can’t help but wonder what would have happened to this team had the Cubs Carlos Marmol not walked three and thrown the wild pitch on September 24th to give the Cardinals hopes for a wild card some life. What if Rafael Furcal dosn’t hit the leadoff triple in Game Five of the NLDS Game Five against the Phillies? The Cardinals believe because they succeeded and succeeded because they believed.

Predicting what magic will transpire beginning tomorrow night is impossible, but there seems to have been some divine providence in the results of the Cardinals three year run of excellence. How else to explain the infield fly call in the wild card game last season?