Bleacher Report - Articles by Chase Sanford

Pau Gasol Injured Playing For Spain: Where Should His Allegiance Lie?

Chase Sanford — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:18:15 -0400

Pau Gasol, injured.

Easy Laker nation, don't have a heart attack! Repeat do not have a heart attack!

This is not a career-ending injury. This is not even a season-ending injury. It is only a mere few weeks injury.

The Championship center recently injured his left index finger while practicing with Spain's national team and is recovering from minor surgery now.

While he should only be out a few weeks, this brings up a very important question in my eyes: Where does his allegiance lie?

Should it be with his NBA hometown team Los Angeles, or for his nation of Spain?

I think each team should be allowed rights to him, but since he is at a high-risk of injury when playing for two teams is that right?

Maybe not.

I would take this into consideration: Since Los Angeles is paying him the big bucks he is receiving, that is where his main focus and allegiance should be.

I understand it is great the patriotism he is showing by going back to his country where it all began to show his respect by playing for them.

But when Los Angeles is paying you, cheering for you, and loving you, you must keep them in the front of your mind concerning your health.

Sure this was only a minor injury.

What if it was a major one, though?

Imagine all the uproar it would not only cause in LA, but with every Laker fan in the nation. Or world.

Gasol plays a pivotal role in the Lakers chances of becoming a dynasty, and he should always remember that no matter where he is playing at (or should not be playing at) that the Lakers are his main focus.

Getting more rings for Laker nation should be his main focus.

So what do you think bleacher report?

Should he keep his main focus in Los Angeles by limiting his play strictly for LA? Or should he continue playing for other teams in the offseason away from Los Angeles?

A Personal Experience at MSG: Knicks Going After LeBron and Wade

Chase Sanford — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:06:36 -0400

You are probably asking yourself right now who is that beautiful person in the picture? Well that is me, and I'm with a New York Knicks dancer inside Madison Square Garden (haha).

Last week, my family and I took our yearly Griswold vacation to New York City.

About halfway through the trip I was getting tired of seeing buildings upon buildings and never-ending pavement.

That's when I decided to do something I have always wanted to do, visit Madison Square Garden.

Residing in Georgia, I didn't know when my next opportunity to visit the historic arena would be and knew this was my chance.

Although I am only 18, I have been a huge sports fan all my life and remember the classic battles Michael "Air" Jordan had against the Knicks at The Garden during his amazing career.

I remember seeing re-runs of the very first fight between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali taking place at MSG.

The first WrestleMania was even held there.

Not to mention all of the incredible entertainers and bands/singers that have come through The Garden to play their biggest hits including Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and the late Michael "King of Pop" Jackson himself.

I wasn't going to pass this chance up.

I made my way through the always busy New York City to get there and hustled inside the building.

Little did I know, they offered tours of The Garden and took you to the upper level suits, down right next to the court, into the Rangers and Knicks/Liberty locker rooms, and many other places inside the arena.

For a small fee, sounds like a good deal right?

So I jumped on it.

Next thing I knew I was being whisked away in a small group led by a hired employee of MSG and thrust into places I never imagined being.

First was the upper-level suits. For only around half a million dollars, anyone can own one of these box suits and receive 12 tickets to every single event that takes place in The Garden.

I'm still thinking on that deal.

Next, we went court-side.

Although the court wasn't orange and blue with the Knicks logo at half-court like I was accustomed to, being the huge basketball fan I am, it was still a sight to behold (the New York Liberty's floor was down).

To look up in the rafters and see the likes of Patrick Ewing and all of the other great New York Knicks players' jerseys hanging from the rafters and knowing you are standing on the same spot they played their profound careers is quite the feeling.

Not to mention Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all-time, finished his career there at the same very spot.

After that, we checked out the New York Rangers and the New York Knicks locker rooms.

The locker rooms were custom-made for each team.

The Rangers locker room had a small but wide door allowing the goalies to fit through it. Its lockers were much smaller, yet much wider.

The Knicks locker room had a narrow but tall door allowing the 7 foot or so freakish athletes to fit through it as well. Its lockers were very tall so the XXXL jerseys could hang in them without dragging to the ground.

I actually got to hold a game-worn size 19 sneaker of Eddy Curry's.

It was a orange, blue, and black Nike shoe with the word "E-City 34" embroidered on the side of it.

Meanwhile during the tour I am talking to our tour guide, a hired employee of Madison Square Garden, about the Knicks the whole time.

I'm not even a Knicks fan, but boy do I love basketball.

Knowing it was my opportunity to get some great knowledge about the Knicks future plans, I asked him about the future of the New York Knicks organization.

He said two names to me.

LeBron James.

Dwyane Wade.

No kidding.

Listen, I know I am not talking to the General Manager by any means, nor a player, nor a coach.

He was just an employee, but I figured what is said by the organization eventually runs down to everyone working there.

And what he told me should give Knicks fans hope.

He said the New York Knicks are looking to land both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade next summer.

Is this reasonable?

Probably not.

I doubt the salary cap would allow it, but since they are going after both players could they possibly get one?

Yes.

LeBron has already been spotted wearing New York apparel, including the infamous picture where he is holding up a Yankees cap and smiling.

He talks to Spike Lee every chance he gets before and after games.

The King knows the legacy of Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks franchise.

Is that enough to send him to NYC?

We will see.

D-Wade has shown less evidence.

The only thing we have heard from Wade is that if the Heat aren't ready to contend for a championship next season, he is ready to leave.

I am not saying the Knicks will land both premier players.

What I am saying is that, from my knowledge, they are planning on landing at least one.

Our tour rapped up by being able to meet and interact with a New York Knicks City Dancer (hints the picture). She was a sweet, beautiful young lady and was fun to be around.

Overall, that tour gave me a whole new appreciation for Madison Square Garden and the history of basketball in general.

To walk down the hallways towards the locker rooms and see old pictures of the great New York Knicks teams to go through that arena really made me appreciate the game of basketball. Not only in my generation, but to appreciate the generations passed on before my time.

To see Phil Jackson in a picture made in 1973 in his tight Knicks uniform and bushy mustache standing next to a NBA Championship trophy won as a player is a totally different approach on Phil, me being used to just seeing him win Championships as a coach.

Overall, it was a great experience and I learned a lot of great things.

I hope I was able to share some of those things with the Bleacher Report community!

Dwyane Wade Leaves Converse To Join Team Jordan: A Hint He's Going to Chicago?

Chase Sanford — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:15:42 -0400

Dwyane Wade, fresh off winning his first NBA scoring championship, has decided to leave the brand he has been sporting since his college days at Marquette University and join forces with one of the most elite basketball brands on the market—Team Jordan.

Team Jordan is a Nike-owned brand, but is specifically made for Michael Jordan and is his own company.

Wade attended college at Marquette University who is sponsored by Converse, so it was only natural for him to sign a deal with Converse whenever he was drafted into the NBA.

Although Nike bought out Converse in 2003 for $305 million, there is a huge difference between a Nike and a Converse sneaker or the brands in general.

Nike is known to be sleek, trendy, and innovative. Converse is thought to be more of a retro-type shoe in this era. Honestly, who doesn't think of the classic Chuck Taylor's whenever they think of Converse?

Wade decided to leave the classic Converse brand last Friday to join the highly-regarded Jordan brand.

D-Wade grew up in the south side of Chicago idolizing arguably the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan, playing on his hometown Chicago Bulls court.

So when the opportunity came for him to work and do business with his idol, he made the most of it by joining the 12-year-old division of Nike called "Team Jordan."

And could you blame him?

Look at what the Air Jordans alone have done for not only basketball shoes, but also basketball in general.

Who could forget the time when Michael Jordan was getting fined by the NBA every game for wearing his first signature Air Jordans, yet he kept wearing them and eventually they stopped the fines.

When asked about the split with Converse, Wade said, "I didn't want to be in the Converse brand anymore because it seemed like they didn't know what to do with me."

Wade also said he wants his name and brand to go global and thinks Jordan himself can help him with that.

No one can argue the enormous success MJ has had in the business world after seeing his brand continue to dominate basketball year after year once he retired.

Wade also currently has contracts to endorse Gatorade and T-Mobile.

Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony are already a part of Team Jordan, and now the Wade signing will give the Jordan brand a three-headed monster of advertisement in the game of basketball today.

Here is the question of the day, though—is Wade signing with Jordan strictly as a business move, or is he planning on being in Chicago soon?

It makes sense to me for him to play there.

Why not? He grew up in Chicago. He admired Michael Jordan playing in the United Center when he was a kid.

That is the place where he fell in love with the game.

It would be like a fairy-tale ending for Wade's career for him to go to Chicago, lift them from mediocrity to the top of the NBA mountain again, all while wearing the Jordan brand in honor of the one who did it before him.

I'm not saying he will become the next Michael Jordan, but Dwyane Wade could become the Chicago Bulls' modern-time Savior while wearing the Jumpman logo on his feet drawing comparisons to Jordan.

I'm sure D-Wade wouldn't mind that.

Why The 2010 NBA Season Will Be Worth The Wait

Chase Sanford — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:15:38 -0400

Oh the effect LeBron, Kobe, and D-Wade have on today's game.

It is mid-July, and as a NBA fan I am already getting psyched up for the 2010 season!

I know the season doesn't start until November. Some would even argue to say the 82 games during the regular season are just glorified exhibitions and that the real season doesn't start until April, during the Playoffs.

It is true that the Playoffs have a different intensity about them than the regular season. They very well should though, considering a lot more is at stake from April-June rather than from November-April.

While I was anticipating this upcoming season, I thought about all the questions surrounding this year in the NBA and how they could effect many different organizations. Here are just a few of the teams with questions to be answered this upcoming season that I thought of:

First, you have the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers trading a vital role player in their route to the NBA Title, Trevor Ariza, for a very talented (yet controversial) player in Ron Artest. How will that work out? Will Artest be able to co-exist with Kobe in LA? Will it help them to defend their title? This season will give us the answers!

How about the Eastern Conference champs giving up their beloved Hedo Turkoglu for an explosive player like Vince Carter?

Will Carter give them the scorer who his able to create his own shot like they need? Will he fill the outside scoring void whenever the three-ball isn't falling for them that night? How will his game compliment Dwight "Superman" Howard's game? Only time will be able to answer those questions.

What about the team with the NBA's best regular season record from last season? The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Shaquille O' Neal in the offseason, so will that ultimately help or hurt them? Does Shaq still have enough in him to "win a ring for the king"?

How will it effect LeBron's game to have a post-up first center on the block while he is used to having his teammates clear out when he gets the ball on the perimeter? Questions, questions, and more questions.

Then, of course, you have the Boston Celtics signing Rasheed Wallace to compliment "The Big Three" in B-Town. Will that get the 2008 NBA Champions back on top?

What about the Spurs acquiring Richard Jefferson? Will that get one of the most consistent teams in the NBA back over the hump again?

How about this Finals projection:

Kobe and Gasol vs. Shaq and Lebron? How incredible would those ratings be?

Those are just some of the questions this offseason has left us to answer, with plenty more to come.

I was actually inspired to write this article while I was on YouTube earlier today. I ran across a video of LeBron James delivering a massive dunk on Kevin Garnett in Game Four of the 2008 NBA Playoffs with a minute and a half left in the game to eventually even the series 2-2 (Celtics ended up winning the series, obviously).

I replayed the video over and over to watch the fans jump up out of their seat in excitement, to see how the arena rocked at James' feet, to notice the amount of intensity on the court, but to mainly appreciate the true passion of the game.

After seeing that video, I realized how much I missed watching the pro-basketball game. I missed seeing the high-flying dunks. I missed seeing the game-changing block. I missed seeing the hustle plays like when a guy dives out of bounds to save the "rock." I missed seeing the game-winning shot. I missed seeing the no-look pass.

But most of all, I missed the pleasure of witnessing the greatest basketball players on earth on a nightly basis.

The NBA players are so smooth and graceful, but also so powerful and dominant. The National Basketball Association has arguably the greatest athletes in the world, and we have the pleasure of watching them for eight straight months.

As a basketball fan I reminisce over seasons past, and look forward to many more in the future. Breaking down the 2010 NBA season and also reviewing the 2009 season keeps me occupied for now, only looking for November to get here again.

After my breakdown of this upcoming season, here is what I came up with:

I'm not completely sure as to how this season will turn out, but I am sure that the 2009-2010 basketball season will be worth the wait and a memorable one for all NBA fans!

One successful month of the offseason down, only four more to go!

Hawks Re-Sign Mike Bibby And Zaza: What About Williams And Flip Murray?

Chase Sanford — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:25:32 -0400

The Atlanta Hawks filled a spot in their roster by adding Jamal Crawford this offseason. However, questions surrounding a couple of their free agents were still swirling around them.

Would the Hawks let the veteran point guard Bibby walk? How about their energizing reserve post player Zaza Pachulia?

Well, get used to seeing Bibby and Zaza in a Hawks uniform because both have recently re-signed with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks reportedly re-signed Mike Bibby for three years worth $18 million. He made $14.9 million this past season while averaging 14.9 points and 5 assists per game.

Bibby's agent, David Falk, said that Atlanta has been a very good environment for him to play in. Also, he said he enjoyed playing for Coach Woodson and the way he is able to lead a young team. Woodson said that the team would not have made the Playoffs in 2008, the first time since 1999, without Bibby.

It has been reported that other teams were interested in Bibby, but he decided to stay in Atlanta and build on the growth the team has seen in the past couple of years. He also wanted to be on a team that was striving to improve every year and had a commitment to get better.

Then after re-signing Bibby, the Hawks made another move to keep together the team that has made two straight Playoff appearances.

The Atlanta Hawks have also re-signed backup center Zaza Pachulia, as he received a four year contract extension the day after they re-signed Bibby.

Zaza is a tough player who brings energy, determination, and all-out-effort on the court every night. He started 26 games last year, although he is mostly known to come off the bench now.

The 7-foot Pachulia averaged 6.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 77 games last season.

The Hawks have now assured Bibby and Zaza back in Atlanta, but all business is not done.

They still have restricted free agents Marvin Williams and Flip Murray to attend to. Williams, a starting wing player, and Flip Murray, a top bench player, both play important parts for the Atlanta Hawks organization.

In my opinion, I think the Hawks should try to keep both of these players. Atlanta has showed strong signs of improvement over the past few years, making it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals last year (only to get bashed by The King). Even if they did get swept by the Cavs in the Semis, the point is the Hawks were there (which is much improvement from years past).

If the Hawks can sign back Murray and Williams, the core group of guys will all still be there. Plus, Atlanta will have talented Jeff Teague learning from Bibby at the guard position and Jamal Crawford added to the roster.

Atlanta does need a center, so if the Hawks could trade either Williams or Murray (or both) for a big man to contribute to Horford and Zaza in the post, I would not object.

We currently have no information as to which way the Hawks want to go with Williams and Murray, though. All we can do now is wait and see which direction the Hawks organization chooses to go in.

As for now, Bibby and Zaza are re-signed and ready to help Atlanta continually improve for the next few seasons.

Allen Iverson: Time To Bid Farewell To The NBA

Chase Sanford — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:17:48 -0400

As we all know, Allen Iverson is a potential future hall-of-famer.

Yes, he was just voted an All-Star (due only to popularity) this past season.

So why am I telling A.I. to wave farewell to the NBA?

Well, he said himself he would rather retire than come off the bench in the NBA just last April. So I say, Iverson tell the league goodbye and cherish some of the great moments you had in it.

If he is not willing to take a smaller role to a title contending team, then he has nothing left to prove. We all already know the huge numbers he can put up.

I know he was an explosive player. He was a dynamic scorer. He used to be able to lead a team. But those days are gone, and it is time for him to realize that.

After leading the Pistons to a losing record and the eighth-seed in the Playoffs last season, Iverson proved his playing days like a star are over.

Oh wait, they have been over since he called it quits on April 3 due to a "bad back."

Lame.

Now, after having the worst NBA season of his career, he is a free agent and expects to get a starting job for someone else?

Not happening.

Also, he is made it clear he doesn't believe in practice. I cannot deny the fact during the game he plays hard. Very hard. But if you are wanting to go to a new team, that will require practice to get familiar with the things that certain team does.

Iverson publicly and deliberately skipped a practice last season and denied to say his whereabouts or his reason for missing the scheduled practice.

He is used to making the big bucks, and now he is no longer worth the big bucks.

With the economy like it is and many teams struggling financially, not very many of them could afford to take a risk on Iverson even if they wanted to.

Iverson is currently a free agent, and it seems like it could stay that way.

A.I. has scored more than 23,000 points in 13 seasons in the NBA. The man has a 27.1 scoring average a game. He was a great player. He needs to realize he is no longer that player and, if not willing to be a role player off the bench to help a contending team, needs to retire with pride and dignity.

P.S. Why did Joe Dumars and the Pistons trade Chauncey Billups for Iverson in the first place?

'Sheed Going To Be a Boston Celtic (Breaking News)

Chase Sanford — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:38:14 -0400

If you are a Boston Celtic fan get used to seeing the face above the article you are now reading!

It has been reported that Rasheed Wallace has agreed to join the Boston Celtics in hope of returning to the Promise Land once again.

'Sheed may be getting older, but the guy can still play and will play a valuable role for the Celtics this upcoming season. He averaged 12 points a game last season in what looks like could be his final year as a Detroit Piston.

Wallace also earned $13.68 million playing for the Pistons last season.

Rasheed is looking to get a two year deal from the Celtics, worth about 5.6 million to 5.8 million per year.

Quite the pay cut, huh? It is obvious the man wants another title and wants to be apart of a winning team again and also a winning tradition.

With Chauncey Billups gone, the Pistons lost some of their firepower and Wallace decided he didn't see them going in the direction he wanted to go towards the end of his career (he is 35 years old).

With this addition the Boston Celtics seem to be countering the moves in the Eastern Conference that several teams have already made.

The Celtics didn't hold anything back to get him in Boston, either.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen (aka The Big Three) all went to meet with Wallace. Plus, owner Wyc Grousbeck, coach Doc Rivers, and president Danny Ainge all made a point to meet with the forward as well.

The signing cannot become official until free agents are allowed to sign on Wednesday, June 8.

So is Rasheed Wallace the player the Celtics need to get on top of the mountain again? Or will he just be a big, funny Leprechaun in Boston?

Shaqtastic: Shaq Nicknames Through the Years (Shaq's New Nicknames?)

Chase Sanford — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:56:56 -0400

Shaquille O' Neal has arguably been the best media personality in the entire NBA for around a decade now.

O'Neal is generally liked by the media for his humorous tone in interviews.

Through his playful antics, his joking and cutting up with reporters, and always making his interviews appear on SportsCenter due to his humor, he has acquired many different nicknames through the years.

His nicknames all started out with Shaq, short for his real name Shaquille O' Neal (which means Little Warrior in Arabic). That opened the door for many more to come.

Next, it went from Shaq to Superman, due to Shaq's obsessiveness with The Man of Steel himself. He has a Superman logo tattoo on his arm and many of his cars also have Superman emblems on them.

After that came the Diesel. The nickname is supposed to suggest that he has the power and endurance of a diesel engine.

M.D.E. was the next nickname he gave himself, standing for Most Dominant Ever. He gave himself this nickname after leading the Lakers to three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002.

Another nickname, similar to M.D.E., he gave himself was L.C.L. which means Last Center Left. He believes he is the last true NBA center in the league today.

Wilt Chamberneazy was the next one up aboard the Shaq Nickname Express. This is a nickname paying homage to former NBA center Wilt Chamberlain and is considered to be Shaq's favorite nickname so far.

Osama Bin Shaq, my favorite of the nicknames, is a name which he gave himself after terrorizing Keith Van Horn under the boards in the 2002 NBA Finals.

Another very humorous one is The Big Deporter. Why did he gain that nickname? Because in 2000, after eliminating Arvydas Sabonis and Rik Smits from the playoffs, Shaq dubbed himself The Big Deporter since both players gave up NBA basketball and went back to their native countries to stay!

The Big Aristotle is a nickname he gave himself as a reference to the consistent greatness that won him the 2000 MVP award.

Another "big" nickname is The Big Felon after a game-winning steal Shaq made against the Orlando Magic.

The Big Sidekick is a name he has acquired since he has helped guards like Kobe Bryant or Dwyane Wade win the Championship (LeBron next?).

Last "big" nickname mentioned will be The Big Cactus which he acquired when he went to the Phoenix Suns (he has approximately two million nicknames beginning with "The Big").

Those are just a few of the Shaquille O' Neal nicknames he has either gave himself or has acquired to date; the man has a never-ending supply of nicknames for himself.

Now that Shaq is with the Cavaliers, here are a few nicknames that could be possible for Shaq to either be dubbed with or dub himself with soon:

The Remake on the Lake
The Cleveland Steamer
Shaqer Heights
The Big O'hio
Witness Protection Program
Shaqalier
The Ring Bearer
The Big Journeyman

So lets hear it B/R! What has been your favorite Shaq nickname so far? Which is your favorite of the possible Cleveland Shaq nicknames? What do you think his new nickname should be?

Kobe Ready For Change of Scenery?

Chase Sanford — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:42:21 -0400

Fresh off his fourth NBA championship, Kobe Bryant had until Tuesday, June 30, to opt out of his final two years remaining on his current Los Angeles Laker contract. If he chose to do so, he would make himself an unrestricted free agent shocking the entire NBA.

He has spent his entire 13-year career in LA. He has been there since he was 18 years old. So is Kobe ready for a change of scenery?

Not even close.

Kobe Bryant announced he has no plans to go anywhere, that the Lakers have no plans for him to go anywhere, and we as basketball fans would be wasting our breath talking about it.

I believe you Kobe.

It was confirmed on Wednesday, July 1, by team spokesman John Black of Bryant's decision to remain a Laker. The Lakers and Bryant's agent are currently negotiating a contract extension, but if somehow they cannot agree, he can opt out as soon as next June.

Not any serious basketball fan expected him to jump ship on the Lakers, but now with Bryant staying in LA for sure under their belts, the Lakers can turn their attention towards resigning free agents Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom and keeping the core group of guys they have together.

I'm not a huge Lakers fan, although I do not have anything against them either, but as neither a Lakers fan nor a Lakers hater I can say if they get Ariza and Odom back next year, look for them to repeat.

Nobody in the NBA matches Kobe's intensity on and off the court, and his teammates respect him and listen to him like a coach. They have plenty of star power but also enough role players who do their job to continue winning championships.

Kobe Bryant currently has four NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. If they keep this team together, along with Phil Jackson, who knows how many he could end up with.

Kobe is winning again, and he seems to like that type of scenery pretty well.

Dirty Bird Flies Again: Why the Falcons Are Here To Stay

Chase Sanford — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:27:04 -0400

Attention all Falcons Fans!

Attention all Falcons Fans: last season was not a fluke!

The Atlanta Falcons have emerged from the depths of the NFL to be not only a team on the rise, but a team here to stay.

Two years ago, all was doom and gloom for the Atlanta Falcons. Their Franchise quarterback, the one who they spent all their money on, the one they pretty much gave a key to the city to, the one who was here to lead the Falcons to glory, got arrested because he was spending his ridiculously high salary to fund a dog-fighting program.

Classy guy, right?

As if those hints wouldn't give that away to the entire country, Michael Vick was gone and his era was over here in Atlanta (thankfully).

After a season where we lost Vick, we lost our new head coach, and (most importantly) lost 13 games, we wound up with the No. 3 pick in the 2008 Draft.

Who knew all this was just a blessing in disguise?

With it, the Atlanta Falcons selected QB Matt Ryan out of Boston College.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed with the pick at first. I wanted McFadden's blazing speed in our backfield.

Then the wins came.

Ryan started to show leadership and matured into what the Falcons needed. Then he went on to win the NFC Rookie of the Month. Wins were still coming in and Ryan continued to improve.

Then we ended the season on a three game win streak and found ourselves in the Promise Land again (a.k.a. NFL Playoffs). We had a date with the eventual NFC-Champion Arizona Cardinals in Arizona, and showed the league this team was no fluke, even if we did come up a little short.

So, here we are about to start the 2009 NFL season, and the Falcons have vastly improved during the offseason.

Matt Ryan is a stud.

He has proved to be the best Rookie QB since Peyton Manning and "Big" Ben Roethlisberger.

Sophomore Slump for Ryan?

Doubt it.

Ryan will continue to grow as a decision-maker and a passer. He will become more comfortable being a vocal leader for this team with the year of experience in the NFL under his belt.

Also, with Roddy White emerging as a star Wide Receiver and the addition of a veteran Tight End like Tony Gonzalez, Ryan has a deep threat and a short threat to throw to.

Not to mention the experience and leadership Gonzalez brings to this team.

Don't forget about the backfield, though.

With Michael "The Burner" Turner pounding yards and Jerious Norwood blowing by defenders at the RB positions, teams cannot concentrate only on stopping Atlanta's passing game.

With a defense showing it is still improving and a solid offensive line ready for this season, one can believe there is a new era taking place right now in Atlanta: the WINNING era. Even ESPN analysts are saying the Falcons are a football team on the rise and looking like they could be around for awhile.

The Dirty Bird has taken off into the atmosphere and is beginning to soar above the competition!

And that's here to stay.

Amar'e Stoudemire to Atlanta? Hawks Offseason Update

Chase Sanford — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:22:21 -0400

After Draft day, the Atlanta Hawks look better than they did the day before it considering they now have acquired Jamal Crawford, a player who averaged 19.7 points for the Golden State Warriors last season, for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton.

Atlanta managed to get a scorer who is excited about being in Atlanta for only 2 backup point guards (one unproven and one getting older by the minute).

Which brings me to the Draft.

With the 19th pick in the NBA Draft, the Hawks selected Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest.

Teague is a point guard who has proven he has the playmaking ability to be a starter one day in the NBA and become the player we all hoped Acie Law would be. Hopefully, the Hawks can keep Bibby for another year or two to show him the route, then he should be ready to handle the Hawks offense himself.

With their second round pick, Atlanta took Sergiy Gladyr. Most people would ask who on this earth is that?

Gladyr is actually a 19 year-old kid from Ukraine. He is 6'5" with a tremendous shooting ability (last year he made eleven 3's in a game in Europe). Also, he has been reported to be a very good athlete as well. If he can develop into a pure NBA shooter, that could stretch the defense for the Hawks offense.

Now for the exciting news. It has been rumored that Atlanta may have a chance of getting Amar'e Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns. Trade talks have been surrounding Stoudemire for the past few months now, and with a little luck he could end up in Atlanta.

The Hawks would have to give up Josh Smith and either another player or some cash for an All-Star center who can take over a game with scoring, defense, and rebounding, which I would consider to be a worthy price.

With Stoudemire providing them with a true center presence, they now can move Al Horford to his natural position at power forward.

With Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, possibly Bibby and Flip Murray, and an upcoming player in Teague to compliment them on the perimeter, the Hawks could make some noise.

Don't forget about Zaza coming off the bench to bring the hustle and energy that he always brings.

The key between making the Playoffs next season and having a chance to contend in the Playoffs for Atlanta lies with Amar'e Stoudemire. The Hawks need to be willing to give what his necessary to bring Stoudemire to "Hotlanta".

So Hawks fans, lets cross our fingers and hope Amar'e comes to Atlanta, Teague develops into the player Acie Law never did, and Crawford finds his niche in Atlanta to get the Hawks another top-four finish in the Eastern Conference and confidence heading in the post-season knowing they can win.

Atlanta Hawks Prepare for Busy Offseason

Chase Sanford — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:26:04 -0400

With the Atlanta Hawks continuing to improve over the past two seasons in the NBA, the outlook is bright for the Joe Johnson-led team for the 2009-10 season.

After taking the eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics to seven games in the first round of the 2007-08 playoffs, the Hawks advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals this past season (only to be slammed by King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers).

Sensing the continuing improvement by Atlanta should leave Hawks fans hopeful for the upcoming season.

Here are some things the Hawks need to take care of before next season begins: See what offers they can get for Josh Smith (his game is exciting but his jumper is weak and his ball-handling skills need more than just work); convince Johnson to be a more vocal leader and also to be a more consistent player; continue to develop Al Horford; have a productive draft; find a point guard (not Acie Law IV) to replace and learn from Mike Bibby and Flip Murray as they are getting older; and most importantly, find a post player who can score from the block in late-game situations.

With a few offseason moves to add a little more depth and scoring power, the Atlanta Hawks have a chance to continue to build on their experience and become a more dangerous team.

If they can finish in the top four in the East this year again, look for them to make some noise this postseason and possibly make a run with more experience.