Bleacher Report - Articles by Tha Edita

2008-2009 NBA Season Awards

Tha Edita — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:52:31 -0400

It's that time of the year again! Let's throw out our predictions before the Associated Press and all the other writers make the final decision (which sometimes causes controversy). Clearly, they hand out these awards before the playoffs get all nail-biting because they are trying to emphasize that these are SEASON awards. The only playoff awards any player wants is a ring...

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Top Three Things Wrong With The NFL: Collective Bargaining Agreement Renewal

Tha Edita — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:21:01 -0500

The Super Bowl is now over and congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Eventhough, the Birds lost the big game they gave us one of the most entertaining playoff runs in NFL history.

However, it is now back to business...

The National Football Leagues's Collective Bargaining Agreement is up for renewal this year, so I guess it's safe to say that the league can expect a few changes. Commissioner Roger Goodell has been doing a great job running the league so far, but unfortunately it isn't perfect.

There are few things that need to change. Eventhough I feel that there is much more, I've decided to narrow it down to the top three, so just to keep you readers from falling asleep before reaching the end of the article. Drum roll, please:

3. The Tuck Rule:

My mind was having fistfight deciding whether to go with this or the referees new calls on roughing-the-passer. So, I decided to go with the Tuck Rule, because the latter has good intentions with regards to protecting players and avoiding injuries.

The Tuck Rule is nothing but a scapegoat for a quarterback screwing up. Think about it, how times have you watched a game with your boys and had that rule bail your buddy's team's quarterback out after you were gloating in their face a minute prior to the ruling?

That rule needs to go. If a quarterback fumbles the ball, stop trying to look for ways to say that he didn't fumble the ball. Stop penalizing good defense. This rule has caused too much controversy for too many years, and I can bet anything the referees are sick and tired of looking like the bad guy.

2. Awards:

I'm not going to hop on the bandwagon and say that they needed to be handed out after the playoffs, because I feel that's not necessary. Those are awards are for regular season play.

Peyton Manning was the MVP for the regular season. I do, however have beef with how they are handed out and this is why, in NFL history, there has never been a wide receiver MVP; there has been one kicker, one linebacker, one defensive tackle MVP, and all the rest have been quarterbacks and running backs.

The way things are, an offensive lineman, a position that I feel is most valuable to any team, will never win a MVP trophy ever, and that's wrong. All these voters care about are the Tom Bradys, the Mannings, and the Tomlinsons.

No one care about their blockers who fight off these crazy freak-of-nature linebackers every Sunday. No cares about those receivers who held on to the ball so you can have that high QB rating. They should at least do like the Madden video game and have like a "Offensive Lineman of the Year" award or something, but it's just ridiculous how these big fellas get no love.

1. Rookie Contracts:

To some it up in one word, ridiculous. There is no reason why Jamarcus Russell should have the right to hold out until midseason, then end up becoming one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league before he steps onto the field.

These unproven kids are demanding salaries that credible veterans should be asking for. Not to mention that teams are getting penalized for being given the opportunity to draft the top prospects.

I love how the NFL runs their salary cap, and I would love it even more if they would cap these rookie salaries. You can't fault the rookies for asking for this money. Hey, get what you can get in life.

It's the NFL that needs to put an end this nonsense. Money teams could be using to sign worthy players during free agency, instead they're using to give to these kids who half of them end up being busts anyway (well, maybe not half, but you know what I mean).

It needs to stop as every year GMs cry after the NFL Draft. Then the media has the nerve to hate on them for not surrounding the team's stars with better players. "Well maybe if our backup quarterback who was drafted 3rd overall wasn't taking up one-third of the team's salary, I might actually be able to sign more players."

Kevin Garnett Gets What He Deserves

Tha Edita — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:59:10 -0400

It's hard to hate Kevin Garnett. As a matter of fact, I don't believe that there are any true Garnett haters out there. So I guess it's safe to say that no matter who you were rooting for in the 2008 Finals, you can't help but be happy for KG.

Now, I'm not a fan of the whole "surround me with better players or trade me to a team with better players" movement players at starting these days. Star player whines, gets traded (or team acquires another superstar or two at the trade deadline), team becomes super-team, storms through the playoffs, wins championship, then GMs around the league try to mimic the exact same scenario for the following season.

The thing with Kevin's situation is that he NEVER whined, complained, or asked to be traded.

KG played every game for the Minnesota Timberwolves with 110 percent energy and intensity. He gave that franchise the best years of his career despite the fact that the T'Wolves head office was run by a bunch of gerbils on wheels.

They surrounded Garnett with a ridiculous amount of garbage players and a few mediocre players. The reason why his nickname is "The Big Ticket" is because his teammates were so bad that if he wasn't on the roster, Minnesota would have less fans in their arena than Atlanta.

Latrell Sprewell was the most talented player that Garnett ever played with in Minnesota, and I feel that even he fell into that small group of mediocre players during his stint there.

Never complained. Not once.

We never once read in the media about Kevin Garnett bashing his team, his coach, or general managers. Not once. He had every right to. If anyone in the league could have said something, it should have been him. But he remained quiet.

As a matter of fact, he actually put more effort into making his garbage teammates better. Imagine that! Continuing to play all 82 games like you actually have a chance to win it all, even though you know deep down that your team sucks and that only a miracle could save you all, and understanding that if you don't set an example for the rest of the team, no one else will.

We all knew he was frustrated. He just chose not whine about it.

T'Wolves GM Kevin McHale definitely knew he was frustrated. He also knew that he has been a horrible GM and felt the need to put Kevin Garnett out of his misery. He traded The Big Ticket to the team that brought him glory as player, the Boston Celtics.

Paul Pierce got his birthday wish and then some. Kevin Garnett: probably the best all-round player in the NBA. Think about it; there is no other player in the league that score, rebounds, passes, blocks shots, and steals balls all at a high level.

Completely satisfied with joining Pierce and newly acquired Ray Allen, Garnett brought his Minnesota intensity to Boston. He impacted the franchise in way that made the team roster better players and earned a Defensive Player of the Year award, the best regular record, and his very first championship title along the way.

Sure, many of us probably would have like to have seen KG finish his career with the Wolves, and earn that ring with the roster that was there, but we all know Kevin McHale would never let that happen.

So we can forgive him for winning it the easy way (by joining a team with two all-stars), because he didn't whine or ask for the easy way out. He just did what he was paid to do... give it your all in every game until the final buzzer sounds. Congratulations, Kevin. You deserve it.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: Kobe Bryant will never be the Next Michael Jordan, Period.

Tha Edita — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:37:19 -0400

Before I further expand on this message, I would like to begin by saying that Kobe Bryant is currently my favorite basketball player, and has been since I witnessed him drop 33 points in his sophomore season in an insignificant regular season away game against the Orlando Magic.

I would also like to mention that I am not a bandwagon ticket holder, meaning, unless Mr. Bryant decides to pull Mr. Vince Carter, he will continue to be my favorite hoop-star.

Now, back to the important message I'm sending to the sports media...

Kobe Bryant will never be the Next Michael Jordan.

Even if he manages to get a ring with the Lakers next year, he can only establish himself as the first Kobe Bryant. Enough with these ridiculous comparisons, please.

I know I'm not the only person who feels this way.

Y'all know what I'm talking about. How many nonsense articles were we forced to read in the our sports sections prior to the 2008 NBA Finals, that featured writers trying to compare the two NBA superstars; some even going as far to say that Kobe was better is Jordan!

I honestly laughed at that one, out loud, at work, and my co-worker glanced at me with a strange facial expression.

The only thing that writer mentioned that Kobe had over MJ was range (which is true. Kobe's range is much further than Jordan's).

In my opinion, Bryant would have to win a total of 5 Championships, 5 Finals MVP Awards, 3 more Regular Season MVP awards, at least another scoring title, average 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists a game and make the All-NBA and All-Defensive team every year from now until his retirement before anyone can even consider placing him on the same boat as His Airness.

And given the fact that KB will be 30 years of age this August, it's very unlikely that this will happen.

They are similar in some ways, but not enough to flood the web with comparison articles. Jordan was a fierce competitor who was one the most dominant players in the league for his entire career (like most Jordan fans, I don't count the Washington Wizards stint as part of his career).

Kobe developed into the league's best over time. Jordan refused to lose. Kobe would sometimes disappear in games to prove a point. Jordan had his own shoes without Nike logos all over them. Kobe had to rebuild his reputation before Nike would even give him his own signature shoe.

Conclusion? Michael Jordan remains the greatest player to ever set foot on an NBA court, hands down.

Kobe Bryant will never carry that title before his name (unless the scenarios I mentioned in the previous paragraph occur, and then some).

Now, don't get me wrong, just because Kobe will never be the greatest, does not mean he is not great.

Dude, 81 points speaks for itself.

This 2007-08 NBA season marked the beginning of the Bryant legacy. I firmly believe that he will win another ring before he calls it quits, and it won't be done by joining a team that is already stacked with superstars.

He is a future Hall Of Famer who will forever be remembered as one of the league's greatest scorers. His story is a fascinating one. Just as many people hate him as that of those who love him (couldn't say that about Jordan, though).

And even though he was spanked by the Celtics in this year's finals, no one can take away his amazing season and that awesome run to the Finals he orchestrated with the Lakers.

The sports media eventually runs out of things to write about, so they come up with bogus articles that will attract readers and generate a buzz around the league.

This is this perfect example: "Hmmm. Kobe finally made it to the Finals without Shaq. Even though the numbers tell a different story, let's compare him to Jordan. Readers want that!"

My goodness. Enough is enough. Jordan is Jordan, Kobe is Kobe.

PLEASE, talk about how great Kobe is as a player instead of measuring him up to the greatest of all-time.

Like I said, I love Kobe. My favorite player in the game. But he's got a long ways to go before he'll be on MJ's flight, and I honestly don't believe he'll ever get there.

So let's just allow him to be Kobe; number 24, the number after Jordan. Bryant won't be the greatest, but he is definitely one the of the greatest. Nothing wrong with that.