Bleacher Report - Articles by Eric Dorman

Why the Magic Are Not Done Yet

Eric Dorman — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:10:48 -0400

We all know there have only been so many teams that have come back from being down 3-1 in the NBA Finals, but don't count out the Orlando Magic quite yet. The Magic have played good to start every game in the series; it just seems when it gets to be three minutes left, they start to fall apart and have no chemistry.

In Game Four, was it really Howard's fault that the Magic lost the contest, or was it because of Nelson not covering Fisher? One could go either way on this topic. So what do I think is the problem with the Magic?

Well, it's the defense down the stretch of the game. The Magic didn't guard the Lakers three-point shooters at the end of the game or in OT. Orlando needs to make sure that they have a body on Derek Fisher or anyone who tries to hit a three with that time left on the clock, for that matter.

I have no clue what Nelson was thinking when Fish hit that three at the end of the fourth quarter. If anything, Jameer should have fouled before Derek could get the shot off and make him shoot three pressure free throws. That way he at least wouldn't have gotten set up to shoot the three where he likes to shoot it.

If the Magic make sure they cover everybody that's a threat on the floor and make them shoot tough shots, then they will win Game Five and possibly the rest. The Lakers are a tough team to beat, and the Magic have to win every game from here on out including the games in L.A. But I have hope that the Magic will come back and at least force a Game Seven away from home.

That being said, the Lakers could win it in Orlando if they do everything right. But the Magic can't give up now; they have to make sure their defense is superb tomorrow night and the other (possible) contests. Dwight will have to knock down pressure free throws, as well as everyone else on squad that comes to the line at the end of the game.

Just play great D and contest every shot, and the Magic have a good chance.

Sorry David Stern: No LeBron James in the NBA Finals

Eric Dorman — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:03:13 -0400

The Orlando Magic are now the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

After the Magic won Game Four Tuesday night in Orlando, a lot of people, including me, are thinking the Magic might just win it all.

After the amazing three-pointer from Rashard Lewis at the end of the game, the Magic now look like they are the team to beat.

The defense was great in Game Four—OK maybe no great, but you get my point. Dwight Howard had a great game, and when he needed to step up in overtime to make two three throws, he made them.

Now the series heads back to Cleveland, and while many may think it might be over, it's never over when you are playing against the Cavs.

Mo Williams said the Cavs would win this series, but it just goes to show you that no one can become overconfident in the playoffs, no matter how good the team might be.

The Cavs will now have to step up if they want any chance of bringing a championship back to Cleveland. LeBron will need support from his teammates if they want to pull this miracle out.

Only eight teams have come back from being down 3-1 in a series.

Question is can the Cavs do it?

One Heel Away From a Championship

Eric Dorman — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:18:15 -0400

Well we are set for a great title game tonight with two of the best teams in the country. Could this be the day that the Tar Heels win a championship? Not a lot of people expected Michigan State to be in the title game against North Carolina, but upsets happen.

The last time North Carolina played Michigan State they beat them by at least 20 points or more. Although a lot of people might think Michigan State will not be a threat to NC tonight, they might very well be a big threat.

We have seen time and time again where upsets happen in the tournament, but could MSU really upset North Carolina?

Although North Carolina beat them in the regular season, it does not mean they will beat them again. In my opinion Michigan State is a way different team in this year's tournament than the regular season.

Ty Lawson and Hansbrough will be big threats to the Michigan State Defense. If Michigan State does, in fact, beat UNC then that will be quite a shock for a lot of us. I personally don't see Michigan State beating North Carolina just because I think UNC is too fast and too tough for them to beat, but I could be wrong.

Like I said earlier in this article, upsets can happen and Michigan State is not the same team we saw when they played UNC in the regular season. When the tournament comes around, it's not about how you played in the regular season, it's about who wants a championship more!

Did the Chicago Bears Make the Right Call?

Eric Dorman — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:46:40 -0400

The Chicago Bears pulled off quite an upset Thursday afternoon getting Jay Cutler from the Broncos. The Redskins were in pursue of Cutler, but now that the Bears made a deal with the Broncos, is there anything the 'Skins could do in trying to persuade the Bears to trade Cutler to the 'Skins?

Bears have always been a team of defense,but the bears have needed a good system quarterback for while now, and I think they have found that in Jay Cutler.

Cutler even said himself that he would like to go to the Bears.

By receiving Kyle Orton did the Broncos get a good deal by trading Cutler? Well, my opinion on that is yes. The Broncos have a system that Orton will fall great into. Orton will have a new playbook and team to get used to, but I think he will be quite an asset to them.

The only thing that makes me a little concerned about Cutler is that he might not get along with Bears Offensive Coordinator Ron Tuner.

Coming out of high school Cutler thought he had a scholarship to the University of Illinois, where Turner was the head coach. Cutler said Turner pulled the scholarship after he was already in the recruiting process.Resulting in him going to Vanderbilt.

The bears were Cutlers favorite team while he was growing up in Santa Claus, IN.

So will this in fact be a good fit for Cutler and the Bears? We will have to find out.

Top 3 Most Insane Cubie Curses, Who Will Be The Next Billy Goat?

Eric Dorman — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:27:32 -0400

By the early 40s, Cubs fans were growing frustrated with their favorite teams repeated failures. We have all seen the the poor and frustrating years that the Cubies have put up with. The post season is already here and now the only question is will the Cubies reverse the curse?

1. The Curse Of The Billy Goat

Back in 1945, a man by the name of William "Billy Goat" Sianis attempted to bring a goat into Wrigley Field during Game 4 of the World Series.

Sinais and his pet watched the game until late in the game when they asked to leave. The orders came directly from Cubs owner P.K Wrigley, asking both Sianis and his pet goat to leave the stadium immediately. As Sinais left he was heard saying "The Cubs ain't gonna win no more." Diehard cubs fans still think that curse still lives on today.

2. The Curse Of The Black Cat

With a late season lead of 9 1/2 games over the Mets, the Cubs looked like they were going to win it, when the curse popped out it's head again on September 9th, 1969 when a black cat came onto the field as the cubs played a Crucial Series game at Shea Stadium.

After the cat ran circles around Ron Santo the Black Cat mysteriously dispeared under the stands.

3. Steve Bartman 2003 Cubs

On Tuesday October 14, 2003 during the playoff game against the Florida Marlins, Steve Bartman became "the latest goat" when he attempted to catch a foul ball near the left field wall. When Moises Alou, attempted to grab the same very ball, Bartman and the others could also be seen deflecting the ball.

If Alou caught that ball it would have been a momentum killer for the Marlins. After that Bartman caught the ball, Cubies Fans started to get angry. Which in return would make Bartman leave the game and become the most hated man in Chicago.

So now that the postseason has begun, will the Cubs finally reverse the curse or will there be another billy goat in stands this October? The Cubs have seen their share of curses, no doubt, but in my opinion I think the Cubs will finally break the curse this post season and maybe, just mayb,e win the World Series.

From the Billy Goat of the 1940s to Steve Bartman in 2003, There is no doubt that Cubs fans have been frusterated by all of these insane curses, if that's what you call them.

Although this is October and we have not seen any curses so far this season for the Cubs one thing might be certain, the curse might pop it's ugly head out just at the right time.

Miami Hurricanes Quarterbacks: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Eric Dorman — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:59:39 -0400

The past few years for the Miami Hurricanes have been bad, although in 2001 we had our share of great games and a National Title to top it off.

Then things started to go down after the 2003 season. QB Ken Dorsey left the team to go into the NFL Draft, and the Canes started slipping from there.

Brock Berlin in my opinion was one of the best quarterbacks after Ken Dorsey left, and Berlin led us to a few bowl games. I remember watching him in the Chik-Fil-A Peach Bowl against our rivals, the Florida Gators.

Now Kyle Wright wasn't one of my favorites at all. He had bad timing on his throws and that's one of the reasons why the Canes started to go downhill.

I am not saying that it was all Kyle's fault, but much of the years that Miami was in a slump and unranked was during Wright's era.

A lot of the blame was brought onto Larry Coker just because of how bad Miami's season was going, and I don't blame Miami fans for blaming him for the consecutive losses they received.

After Coker was fired, a new era started for Miami. Randy Shannon took the reins, and now I can say this is the kind of coach we needed all along to lead us back to where Miami once was: in the battle for the National Title.

Although we had some great years during the Coker Era, we are now starting to get back to who we are supposed to be.

College Football Shakeup Means Alabama Should Be No. 1

Eric Dorman — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:14:23 -0400

Well this past weekend has been a quite a shakeup in the polls and one of the reasons why is...well, because first ranked USC fell to Oregon State which had a big effect in the polls.

Second, Florida lost to a team that is just plain easy to beat, but I have to give Ole Miss credit for have the pride and determination to beat such a high-powered offense.

Georgia lost embarrassingly to Alabama, who I might as well say is the best damn football team in College Football and will most likely make it to the national title.

The reason I say this is well because if you look at the Tide’s Offensive Line, they gain bigger advantages than most Offensive Linemen do.

Is this good for Alabama? Well…yes, because one of the main reasons why Alabama is so good on the line is because Nick Saban is a great recruiter when it comes to picking the right linemen to cover John Parker Wilson.

Two, Nick Saban has had his share of great years of experience in recruiting top offensive linemen and Saban is one of the most talented coaches in college Football.

So how will Alabama do the rest of this season well, I don’t think there is a team in college football right now that could beat them. so look for them to undefeated and possibly make it to the National Title.

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The NIT's Sleepers and Winners

Eric Dorman — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:23:11 -0400

With Florida, Virginia Tech, Dayton, Ohio State and many others getting rejected out of the NCAA Tournament.

What teams should have been in the NCAA Tournament and what teams should have been in NIT, not the NCAA Tournament? Well...one of the teams that come to mind is Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech played a great game against North Carolina, but lost. Virginia Tech had the talent to be in the NCAA Tournament because they can play defense well, they can compete well against top ranked teams and their RPI is decent.

Since the Gators released Noah, Hortford, Green, Brewer and many others.

The Florida Gators this season have struggled to beat top ranked teams and top teams in the SEC.

With the gators adding freshmen Nick Calathes, Jay Lucas, Dan Warner, and Adam Allen.

Whats next for the gators? Well I think the Gators can win the NIT if they play like they played when they versed Tennessee.

The other question that also remains is will the gators win a national title again in a couple of years? Maybe, but the young gators will have to gel before that happens.

The Dayton Flyers are one of those teams that could have very well made it into the Tournament, but just like Virginia Tech, Florida and some others...they had the ability to, but with a couple big losses could not manage to get in.

Dayton had a great season and they had a great run in their conference tournament. I personally think they are a better team than Baylor, who got selected into the NCAA Tournament.

Dayton will win the NIT if they can beat big schools like Ohio State, Virginia Tech and others.

Now getting to Ohio State. Ohio State lost two big contributors to their team last year, Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Jr.

None the less the Buckeyes struggled this season and just like the Gators, struggled to win big conference games.

Ohio State will play hard in the NIT, but they will lose despite all their effort.

So this year's NIT Tournament will be an exciting one, even if some of the teams in the tournament should have been selected into the NCAA Tournament.

My NIT Champion Prediction is the Florida Gators or Virginia Tech, depending on how well they play.

March Madness: NCAA Tournament's Sleepers And Winners

Eric Dorman — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:32:20 -0400

With Pittsburgh winning over Georgetown in the Big East tournament, how far will they really go?

Well since Fields is back for them, I think Pittsburgh will go until they reach the Sweet Sixteen.

As for Georgetown, since Roy Hibbert is a key star for the Hoyas, then they might be able to go all the way to the Elite Eight, but I highly doubt they'll get past the Elite Eight.

Now my sleeper picks for the tournament are: Saint Josephs, Georgia, South Alabama, Butler, Baylor, and Sienna.

With Kansas winning over Texas in the Big 12 tournament, Kansas is one of those teams that can go as far as Tennessee. They are experienced in close games and they know how to knockdown free-throws when a game is on the line.

Now with North Carolina winning the ACC Championship, one of the questions that stands out in my mind is, how far can they go in the tournament?

Well, with North Carolina's RPI, their great free-throw percentage, and Tyler Hansbrough being a big benefit to them.

North Carolina in my opinion is going to be the Champs when the Tournament is all said and done.

The other teams that might win it all are maybe Kansas, Memphis, Tennessee, UCLA, and possibly Duke.

Now, I really like the way UCLA plays the perimeter and also how they can comeback and win close games.

With Love being a key contributor to UCLA's victories and comebacks this season, the Bruins can win it all if they keep Kevin Love healthy and also keep their other stars out of foul trouble.

So basically the two teams that I have in the Championship Game are UCLA and North Carolina—if they both can stay alive against all the great top-ranked teams in the tournament.

Hopefully the next three weeks will be quite a fun and emotional time for many teams, a lot of teams will lose and others will continue their road toward becoming the Champs of College Basketball.

The one question that always remains when we enter March Madness is:

Will a top ranked team win it all, or will a team that is not favored to make it far in the tournament become the champs, like for example the Florida Gators last year?

Tyler Hansbrough: Among North Carolina's Greatest Players

Eric Dorman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:28:23 -0400

With Tyler Hansbrough leading the way for North Carolina, how far will the North Carolina Tar Heels go in the NCAA Tournament?

I think the Tar Heels are going to be the champions when the NCAA Tournament is all over with, but that is only if they can keep on winning games in the NCAA Tournament.

Tyler Hansbrough will soon take his place among North Carolina greats. Hansbrough was honored as a National Player of the Year by Sporting News on Tuesday.

Ensuring he will become just the eighth Tar Heel to have number retired.

When Tyler Hansbrough leaves the school he will join the list of NC's most famous basketball players that include Phil Ford, Michael Jordan, and James Worthy in the front row of jerseys that hang in Smith Center.

In an interview Hansbrough said, "It truly is something special to have accomplished. In fact, it's kind of hard to sit here and talk about how it feels to be put in the same category as the players who are up there already."

The 6-foot-9 Hansbrough led the ACC in scoring with 23.1 points and rebounding 10.5 this season for the number one Tar Heels (29-2, 14-2 ACC).
North Carolina coach Roy Williams said "I am so lucky to be his coach. For the rest of my career, I will be able to look up into that first row and see his jersey ... and I know that will bring a big smile to my face."

Hansbrough also said, "I feel like you're either getting better or you're not. I'm always the guy trying to get better. Those little things, it seems like they stay with me and it's one of those driving factors."

Though Hansbrough is one of the greatest players ever to wear a Tar Heels uniform, the real question is, how good will he be in the NBA? Or better yet, can he lead his team to an NCAA Championship?

Colorado Avalanche: Getting Peter Forsberg Back

Eric Dorman — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:17:24 -0500

With Peter Forsberg reuniting with his former Stanley Cup Championship team, the Avalanche get back a key member to their team.

No doubt GM Paul Holmgren felt a bit chagrined when he heard that Peter Forsberg had decided to go back to the mountains.

Blackhawks' GM offered three years for Forsberg's services; no doubt he wonders how Peter ended up in Denver.

Was it good that Peter came back to the Avs, or not?

In my opinion, I think it was a great decision for him to come back to Denver, but hey, that's just my opinion. Forsberg said he chose Colorado for the comfort and because it seemed like a good fit. He knows the coaching staff, the trainer staff, and the city.

As for the Avalanche, it was a great day on Monday when Peter Forsberg singed with them.

Giguere said that he believed that the Avs were in the best position bring Forsberg back to the Rocky State. He said, "no matter what happens moving forward, that legacy is going to stand."

Maybe this was enough for Peter to chose Denver as the place for Foppa's last ride. Maybe Forsberg will lead the Avs into the playoffs, but that would be some sight to see.

Steroids and MLB: It's Time To Move Forward

Eric Dorman — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:45:34 -0500

It's time to move forward. Everywhere you go you hear about all the steroid allegations that is happening in baseball.

With Andy Pettitte having his press conference on Monday, everyone has their own opinion about why he did it, but at least he was honest and said he took human growth hormones (HGH), when Rodger Clemens is denying he never used steroids.

Now I am not calling Rodger a cheater, all I am saying is that if he did do it or if McNamee is lying. One of them should tell the truth so we can get on with Spring Training and look forward to the 2008 season.

It is just a shame that baseball and other sports have come to this, but we should move on from the past and worry about what we are going to do in the future to try and eliminate this growing problem.

Baseball is America's past time and now it is being given a bad reputation and we need to get back to the way it was before all of this happened.

But let’s get real, steroids will always be around and some players will always try to gain an advantage by taking them.

I do respect Pettitte about being honest and telling the truth about taking HGH.

Sorry, but baseball owes its fans an explanation or an apology. I personally think we need to forget about the past and move ahead, but that’s just my opinion.

Indiana Hoosiers: Kelvin Sampson's Clock Is Ticking

Eric Dorman — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:48:38 -0500

With Indiana winning a big Saturday night against Michigan State, one of the things that stood out to me was that Indiana looked so explosive in their offense and were able to shut down the Spartans, holding them to just 61 points.

The win for the No. 12 Hoosiers, fresh off being swept by Wisconsin, who was swept by Purdue, Puts IU right behind Boilermakers when they meet on Tuesday night (ESPN, 7 ET).

Maybe head coach Kelvin Sampson thinks he truly will be coaching IU for the rest of season, but with the same allegations happening at Oklahoma State, I doubt he will be back to coach Indiana, but you never know.

Indiana plays Purdue Tuesday night and they will need Eric Gordon to be at the top of his game in order to pull this one out.

When March Madness comes around look for Indiana to be in for a long time, until either one of the nations best teams beats them. Indiana won against Michigan State without senior forward D.J. White, who missed most of the game with a left knee injury.

Regardless what happens with Sampson, the Hooisers are headed for a hearing with the NCAA Committee of Infractions in Seattle in June.

Sampson likely will attend, as an unemployed coach or fired coach. Firing or removing a coach from a school headed for an NCAA Tournament is rare, but none the less Sampson has had a great run this year with his Hooisers.

But the clock is ticking.

Baby Bulls: Joakim Noah Has Much to Learn in Chicago

Eric Dorman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:25:38 -0500

When the Chicago Bulls selected Joakim Noah in the 2007 NBA Draft, Florida coach Billy Donovan told the Gainesville Sun that Noah needed to learn a lot more in the NBA.

I am a big Florida Gator fan, and just like every other Gator fan, we didn't want Joakim to leave. Now the real question remains—was skipping senior year a good choice for Noah?

Maybe not.

Since Joakim has been in the NBA he has had to learn a lot from his new teammates. In addition, he has also needed to learn a lot about how the Bulls ran their offense and defense.

Nevertheless, he is still a contributing player when it comes to defense—blocking shots, setting up screens, and guarding opponents.

Joakim Noah will not be as great as Kevin Durant or Shaquille O'Neal. He is just not that type of player.

In the future, I see Joakim Noah being a good player.

Gators Basketball: The New Faces of Florida

Eric Dorman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:51:24 -0500

With the Florida Gators winning the National Title last year, Billy Donovan has had to let his seniors go.

Those seniors include: Joakim Noah, Lee Humprey, Al Hortford, and Torrian Green.

Now most of his seniors are in the NBA; Al Hortford got picked by the Atlanta Hawks, Noah got picked by the Chicago Bulls, and Green got picked in the final round of the NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. It has been a tough road for Noah and Green, but Hortford is an amazing rookie NBA star player. I knew that Hortford would be a great NBA player, but not this early on in his career.

As far as Billy Donovan, Florida's head coach, he has had to do some major recruiting to get talented freshman from around the nation.

The surprising thing is, there are only two remaining players on the Gators—Walter Hodge and Spatties. The new guys are: Nick Calathes from the McDonalds' All-American Team, Lucas, and Warner.

This new group of Florida freshmen has already made an impact in the NCAA with the Gators beating Kentucky in OT. The one great thing about this Florida team is that they can win games in the final minutes of any tight ball game.

The Gators are not ranked in the Top 25 yet, but they are certainly proving to be a favorite down the road to maybe win it all in the coming years.

As for right now in college basketball, well...North Carolina is still my pick to win it all, or maybe Kansas. But with Florida getting so many talented freshmen, it's no wonder this group of young Florida Gators seem to be the next rising team in college basketball for years to come.