Bleacher Report - Articles by yo know

Wade a Minute: NBA MVP Race Might Not Be as Clear Cut as You Think

yo know — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:56:07 -0400

With two rookies on the starting roster and a revolving door at every other position, one thing has remained constant in Miami—the dominance of Dwyane Wade.

The most common argument you hear in the MVP debate concerns who Kobe and LeBron are playing with. Kobe has Gasol and Odom. LeBron has Mo Williams, Big Z, and Delonte West.

Wade? Well, he has rookies Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley. He is also coming off a 15-win season. He leads LeBron and Kobe in every major category except rebounds, and has three more 40-point games than LeBron.

All these stats are trivial compared to what Wade means to the Miami Heat and why he is the MVP. He makes two rookies and two second-year players that much better—B-Easy is averaging almost 14 and six. Without Wade, the Heat would lose more games than they did last year.

And as for the Big Shaqtus—forget my ass, tell me how watching the playoffs from home tastes. It looks like Kobe and Dwayne can do without you.

If Wade continues to play like this and his PPG gets over 30, not giving him the MVP would be a travishamockery.

By the Numbers: Why D-Wade Is the MVP Hands Down

yo know — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:08:50 -0500

Move over LeBron and Kobe, Dwayne Wade is bringing home the hardware this year and the numbers speak for themselves.

There is the ever so popular points per game, which is in no means a true sign of ones value to the team, but Dwayne decided just to clear up the confusion. He would lead that at 28.4 a game. (Note: tied with LeBron at 28.4, Kobe has 27.9.)

The next few stats are what makes him the MVP of the league, his all around play.

Assist per game 7.1 (also tied with LeBron for ninth in the league, Kobe a mere five per game, good enough for 29th.)

Blocks per game, 1.42 (Lebron sits at 1.25, and Kobe doesn't even average half a block per game .45).

Steals per game, 2.15 (LeBron has 1.83, and Kobe when he plays D has 1.3).

What really makes Wade the MVP thus far, is that fact that his team is two wins away from doubling their wins from last year. Going from being the laughing stock of the NBA, to having a top 10 record and being playoff bound.

If it keeps up it would be a shame if he is not given that honor.

Oakland Raiders Could Flourish in the Spoiler Role this Season

yo know — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:35:52 -0400

Let's face it, no one is expecting the Raiders to come out and win a championship, or even make the playoffs. But what makes this Raiders team so intriguing is the star power on offense and the defensive reconstruction that has gone on.

Even without Hall of Famer Warren Sapp, the Raiders are going to be a force against the run. Last year, they couldn't stop my nine-year-old brother on his way to the ice cream truck.

What the 4-12 Raiders have gone from in one offseason is a pleasure to host to a potential nightmare for teams trying to make the playoffs.

McFadden has the ability to run past anyone if he gets the right blocking and spacing. When teams start having to focus on him, watch a healthy Javon Walker catch bombs all day from slinging QB JaMarcus Russell.

Let's face it, the Raiders have a chance to win some games since they get to play the Chiefs twice, as well as the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets.

Teams that should be weary of that black and silver on their schedule are the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Bucs, who play the Raiders in the last two games of the season and both teams hope to be in Wild Card contention.

Leap Year To Do: Suggested Activities for Sports Figures

yo know — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:33:44 -0500

Once every four years we are blessed with an extra day. It's a great day for those whose birthdays fall on this forgotten day, but for those not having such a great year, they could do without it.

Let's take a look at what some people in the spotlight should be doing on their extra day.

Roger Clemens

Call Christopher Lloyd, get the car from Back to the Future, and just say you did it.

Shaq

Get in the gym.

Tiger Woods

Skip the Honda classic, go home to your smoking hot wife, and count trophies and money.

Kobe Bryant

Lay low, everything is going great and almost everyone has forgotten about that girl in Colorado.

Miami Heat

This day only happens once every four years, kind of like your wins, try to make it happen.

Darren McFadden

Keep running, fast, and call every good team in the league and convince them to trade up for you.

Miguel Cabrera

Mix in a salad.

Brett Favre

Take a Prilosec OTC and think about retiring with your dignity.

Pacman Jones

Avoid guns, strippers, strippers with guns, and inviting Roger Godell for reinstatement negotiations during the all you can eat buffet at platinum showgirls.

Ian Poulter

Call the only person in the world that likes you right now, Rory Sabbatini.

If I have left anyone out, please feel free to give some advice to some of our sports heroes on what to do with their extra day this year.

Zach Thomas: One Less Headache for Bill Parcells?

yo know — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:04:37 -0500

The Dolphins released who?

Sure, Zach Thomas is 35 years old and coming off a season peppered with neck and concussion injuries.

But the truth of the matter is, 'Fins fans are having trouble sleeping these days, after the last undersized player they decided to dispose of tied the NFL record for receptions in a Super Bowl.

The intangible is Bill Parcells. He has sent a message to the few veteran players left on the team: it's not what you've down for me, or what you've done for me lately, it's what can you do for me now. The only thing about the past that the Tuna cares about is 1-15, a place he never wants to go.

Parcells wants a young, large, and fast defense. Zach Thomas and Keith Traylor each only meet one of the criteria. With free agency looming in the next few weeks, Parcells is like Santa Claus for the Dolphins—except his big red bag is now full of cash.

What more could anyone want to rebuild a team? He already has a franchise running back, a bag full of loot, and the number one pick in the draft.

Shaquille O'Neal: Diesel in the Desert

yo know — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 05:48:58 -0500

The big man has come to Phoenix with a mission: to prove naysayers wrong and build on the already impressive legacy that is the Diesel.

With people all over the country questioning the Suns’ move and how it will affect the Heat in years to come, one thing is for certain:

It's going to be sink or swim for both teams.

Both had interesting games on the eve of the biggest trade of the year.

Miami was competitive for the first time in over a month, against the Pistons of all teams. They were down one with as little as three minutes left in the game, and the Heat ran the ball up and down the floor—mirroring the game about to start on the West Coast.

Wade was just being Wade with 30 points and 12 assists, and Ricky Davis, whom Heat fan's have yet to see reach full potential, had 20 points on a night he shot over 60 percent from inside and outside the arc.

The Suns played in one of the most exciting games of the year. Even without Shawn Marion, Stoudemire had 26 points and 20 boards to go along with Steve Nash's 32.

It was a double overtime loss that could have gone either way, but for one unresolved factor: the Hornets out-rebounded the Suns 15-8 on the offensive boards. Enter Shaq.

So how will these trades affect both teams in the future?

Miami obviously gets the 330-pound weight of $20 million a year off their back, while still getting a great player in Shawn Marion. The second half of the season should be a trial period for Marion to see how he fits into Pat Riley’s "my way or the highway" system. It’s quite probable that the Heat’s tenacious defense and hard work on and off the court will work well with Marion’s skills.

Another factor no one has been speaking about at all is the acquisition of point guard Marcus Banks, who could replace the Heats overpaid, under-producing Jason Williams. Don't be surprised to see the Heat go to a run and shoot two PF line up with Udonis Hasslem and Marion. Both these large, physical PF can guard almost anyone.

A lineup with D-Wade, Ricky Davis, Marion, a healthy Udonis Haslem, and their choice of point guards will be a great defensive team.

Everyone knows what the Suns get: the Diesel. The former one-man show who used to break down rims was only portrayed better in NBA Jam. He has the ability to demand two defenders and open things up for a great shooting Suns team. He gives them the piece they need to compete with the machine of Duncan, Ming, and Gasol.

The flip side is that Shaq has averaged only 28 minutes a game over the last two seasons, and Phoenix gave up a large power forward that was giving them a solid 38 a night. To make it work, Phoenix is going to have to learn to play two different games: when Shaq is on the floor, and when he is off.

But here’s a better question: Who benefits more from the trade now, and who benefits more from the trade one year from now?

Super Bowl Fallout: Are Boston Sports in Trouble?

yo know — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:03:25 -0500

Two months ago Boston was the most hated city in all the sports land.

The Red Sox were world champs, the Patriots seemed unbeatable, and the Celtics were beating the snot out of teams in a way Boston hadn't witnessed since Larry Bird.

Things have changed for Bostonians over the last few weeks. The only man who can make Stetson cologn smell good, Tom Brady, was smacked around for three hours and Boston's hopes of an eternal shining star in football was destroyed.

There beloved Celtics, although still a great team, got a few knocks in the the mouth in January as well. Going 7-5 in the latter half of the month, including a 1-4 stint with Kevin Garnett in the lineup. Pay close attention to the playoff preview on Tuesday night when they head over to the Palace.

As for the Red Sox, with other team's making large splashes in the off season, it's hard to know what to expect next year. They are having good success resigning players, but the Tigers and Mets are making big moves to put themselves in the lead entering next season.

Don't expect Boston to end up like South Florida (side note: the Florida Atlantic Owls were the only Florida team to win a bowl game)—but there may be trouble in paradise.

Can the Miami Dolphins Return to Winning Football?

yo know — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:27:06 -0500

Since the departure of the great Dan Marino, Dolphins fans have had little to smile about.

Outside of a standout, pot smoking, running back, one defensive player of the year and some shades of greatness out of Ronnie Brown, there haven't been many bright spots for Miami Dolphins' football.

So far, Bill Parcells has only hired his coaching staff and has yet to make the moves that Dolphins fans are expecting out of him.

With all the rumors swirling regarding Marion Barber III and Chad Johnson coming to the 'Fins, Parcells is faced with the the task of pleasing his following while still bettering the team.

The Dolphins haven't been too successful using their draft picks in recent years (please see Jason Allan, John Beck and what-could-have-been Brady Quinn).

So these are the questions circling in Dolphins fans' heads leading to the start of next season:

1. Will the Dolphins try to use their draft position to acquire big names around the leauge (Chad Johnson, Marion Barber), or will Parcells roll the dice on the draft?

2. Can a 1-15 team make enough changes in one offseason to be a team worth fearing any given week?

3. Will our love for an aging MLB keep Zach Thomas on the ,or will he be the first casualty in a Dolphins defense that couldn't have competed in the SEC last year?

4. Will Parcells give the fans what they want, instilling a Jerry Jones-type fear in players' eyes by pacing the sidelines late in games?

5. Will we ever wake up from the nightmare hangover that was the departure of Dan Marino?