Bleacher Report - Articles by javon

Raging Bulls: Can Boston Avoid Being Caught In Rose's Thorns?

javon — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:33:43 -0400

Thus far, the Boston Celtics have had every opportunity to make their series with the Chicago Bulls a quick one. Which is most likely why, even though being tied at two games a piece, the Celtics don't feel the need to panic, especially given that tonight's game 5 is at home.

But, is the Celtics swagger about to come undone? After all, we are talking about a Chicago Bulls franchise that had never defeated the Celtics in the playoffs, and that includes a 63 point performance by his air'ness-Michael Jordan.

Combine that with the fact that after a couple of sub par showings following his electrifying game 1 performance, Rookie of the year Derrick Rose showed signs in game 4 that he is indeed up for the playoff challenge.

The bad news for Boston is that by letting this series stretch to this point, they've given a young Chicago Bulls team, that is full of raw talent a chance to congeal, and find itself.

The key for the Bulls is obviously for Rose to be aggressive with the ball, and avoid turnovers. If the Celtics can't keep the rookie of the year from scoring in the paint, i don't care how pumped up the Boston faithful will be at home tonight, they may just find themselves at the hands of a blowout the likes of which they themselves handed the Bulls last week.

The emergance of Derrick Rose in Chicago is giving hope to Bull's fans world wide who've been clamoring for another superstar in the windy city, and what better way to have a breakout performance as the leagues newest superstar than by taking a closer look at Rose's amazing opening round game. Maybe that's what Rose himself should do, after all with a supporting cast that can pull their own wait when asked to do so, it is ultimately up to Rose to fully accept, and believe in the caliber of player he is.

Perhaps by doing so, Derrick Rose can use his swagger to both elevate, and lead his team not only past the Celtics, but deeper, and much farther into the playoffs than anyone would have dreamed.

Battle Tested: Flyers Still Fighting For Respect

javon — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 02:43:17 -0400

As a Dayton Flyers fan, I'm sure you could imagine the excitement that I felt in the moments following the Flyers' victory over sixth seeded West Virginia Friday afternoon.

It was the Flyers' first tournament win in almost 20 years.

Finally, the Dayton fans can celebrate. For the city of Dayton, it's about time! It was a year where auto plants closed and the unemployment level continued to rise. Forbes magazine even named Dayton one of its 10 fastest dying cities.

Finally, a bright spot. Finally, another reason to yell out..."WE are U.D!"

In the midst of all my joy, I then made the mistake of tuning into ESPN's Sportscenter, where instead of congratulating the Flyers on a tough win, the analyst proceeded to both downgrade West Virginia, while simultaneously kissing the overrated asses of the higher-ranked Big East Teams.

Talk about a buzz-kill.

Instead of hearing about Dayton's Chris Wright soaring over the Mountaineers for thunderous dunks, Digger Phelps just wanted to talk about how West Virginia beat themselves. He also wanted to talk about how Dayton needs to continuously beat Big East opponents if they want to be taken seriously.

You're right Digger, all Dayton's done against Big East competition the last three years is beat Louisville (twice), beat Pitt (by 25), beat Marquette(by 14) and now West Virginia (by eight, in THE BIG DANCE)!

So, feeling a bit robbed of my special Sportscenter moment, I turn to Dick Vitale to stick up for the little guy. His response, "Let's face reality here, West Virginia's just the seventh seed in the Big East conference!"

Well, thank you Dick!

Oh well.

Don't worry about a thing, Flyers fans. Simply enjoy the journey of the tourney, and let those so-called professionals continue to argue over their favorite overrated seeds.

As for the Dayton Flyers themselves, just remember you've got the whole city of Dayton rooting for you. Who knows, maybe along the way you'll make Digger & Dick proud, and beat a few Big East teams...again.

2001: A Sports Odyssey

javon — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:08:03 -0500

I never enjoyed watching NASCAR until I began working for GENERAL MOTORS. It was the 2001 Daytona 500, and I was asked to be part of a pool on who was going to win Daytona.

I confessed i didn't know much about the sport, but it didn't seem to matter so i just picked Rusty Wallace because everyone else had taken either the Earnhardts' or Jeff Gordon. Rusty became my driver up until the day he retired. He had fought hard for a third place victory that day.

I remember the excitement going into the last turn as Rusty and a mob of other cars were fighting hard for position. The atmosphere was electric, and the adrenaline was pumping. All was right in the world of NASCAR.

That was, until the sports biggest star, DALE EARNHARDT, was sent crashing hard into the wall during the final turn, on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

The death of Dale Earnhardt had several ripple effects, only one of which being the extra interest generated by the tragedy translating into record ratings for NASCAR, as well as the mandatory use of head and neck restraints, the likes of which could have probably prevented Earnhardt's death had he been using one.

This action alone has probably saved the lives of many drivers over the past eight years.

The next morning, when I arrived at work, I found the plant to be drowning in the tears of so many. Grown men, woman, and supervisors alike were balling like babies in a burning building. I knew i'd never look at NASCAR the same way again, as I watched fathers and sons weep together as if they'd just lost a family member, and in a way they had.

Earnhardts' funeral was the following Thursday, and something happened that day that I thought i'd never see. General Motors shut down the production line for a whole thirty minutes so we could all watch and give our final respects to the Intimidater.

It was at this point that I had began to realize just how much money Earnhardt had actually made GM. Which further lead me to question whether or not the powers at be at GM only valued your worth in dollars.

Of course, I didn't share my opinion with many people, mostly because they wouldn't have cared anyway, but GM did have a chance to prove me wrong seven months later.

On Sept. 11, 2001 the world watched in terror as America was attacked.

Once more I arrived at work to the sight of co-workers in tears. Once more I see people consoling one another. Once more I see a Plant filled with more than three thousand employees, united through both grief, and an overwhelming sense of the unknown.

We worked all through the night that night, and every other night and day after Sept. 11. As a matter of fact, after Earnhardts' funeral, we never had another non work related break at the plant again, including the day of, and the day's following the events of 9/11.

Now, don't get me wrong. I fully understand what Earnhardt did for GM, and why they allowed us to get paid to view his funeral. He made himself, and a lot of people around him a lot of cash, and not just with his abilities on the race track, but with who he was as a person as well.

A part of me just wishes that the same "powers at be" that found justification in allowing us to honor Earnhardt, had shown that same kind of enthusiasm for those brave souls killed on Sept. 11.

Some of whom probably purchased vehicles from GM, or rooted heavily for CHEVY while watching NASCAR races, but more so than anything deserved our love, compassion, and respect simply for dying doing what we all do each and every day, living life.

Maybe if General Motors were more in-tune with the average person they wouldn't be begging for money from congress as we speak.

Regardless of what happens to GM from here on out it is obvious to me, that when it comes to loyalty and respect in their workplace...It's definitely all about the Benjamins!

Redemption Song: Should the Cleveland Browns Go after Michael Vick?

javon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:12:12 -0500

Imagine the irony...

Michael Vick playing at home for the Cleveland Browns, and scoring the game-winning touchdown off of a 60-yard sprint to the end zone against division rival and Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh!

The atmosphere is electric! The opposing team is stunned, and in a moment that could live in infamy, we'd watch as Vick, in all of his joyous momentum, thrusts himself up, head first into the air and into the wide awaiting arms of "The Dawg Pound"!

Wikipedia says:

The Dawg Pound is the name of the bleacher section located behind the east end zone in Cleveland Browns Stadium, the home field of the Cleveland Browns. It is known for having some of the most dedicated and zealous fans in the NFL.

So, would The Dawg Pound pound Vick for pounding dogs? Or would forgive and forget be the name of the game as Browns' fans usher in a new era of Vick?

Let's be honest: Both the Cleveland Browns and Vick need extreme makeovers—Vick, obviously, much more so!

I mean, here is a man who once sat on top of the world and had it all; a man with the talent and ability to grow and possibly become one of the greatest pro football players of all time, but instead, he lost everything because he wanted to play Pokemon with puppy dogs.

What a waste! Fortunately for Vick, he has time on his side. He is only 28 years old, and though obviously not in the best shape of his life, I'm convinced that once again, he's gotten access to the top-notch equipment that the NFL provides for its athletes.

He'll physically return to his pro football standards. My question is, is he mentally ready for the obvious circus that would follow his eventual return?

I, for one, feel this will be Vick's Achilles heel in his effort to attain even just a piece of what he once had, which is why I believe that the quarterback position is out of the question for Vick in his return.

Why not bring him back in on special teams and give him a chance to prove himself to his new teammates, as well as allow his body to get caught back up to the speed of the NFL?

Let's face it, the only drills Vick's been getting over the past few years have been courtesy of being clumsy with the soap on the rope.

Speaking of waste, watching Braylon Edwards attempt to catch a pass last season made me want to toss out my five-hour energy drink and go buy a Red Bull.

What a terrible '08-'09 season for Edwards and the Cleveland Browns. It was a season in which anything that could go wrong probably did. The Browns finished the season 4-12 with one very impressive victory over the previously undefeated New York Giants on Monday Night Football.

It was a win that truly showed what the Browns are capable of when properly motivated but was sadly not the spark that many Browns' fans had hoped for.

The season soon fizzled shortly after that, leaving Browns' fans with that same sour feeling that we have gotten in the pits of our stomachs at the end of each season; a sour feeling that is soon followed by the ceremonial burning of Art Modell's picture in effigy.

From the outside looking in, it seems like a match made in heaven. The Browns are a team capable of lots of electricity, but they lack a spark, while Vick is a man capable of delivering a spark but also a man in search of a home.

If anything, the extra press should help lift the Browns' exposure, and let's not forget that this would be a perfect challenge for the legend, Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown (who still works with the Browns), who's already on record as stating that Vick should be allowed to return to the NFL.

So, as of right now, both Michael Vick and the Cleveland Browns have nowhere to go but up! The problem is, for both Michael Vick and the legions of Browns' fans across the country, that right now "up" seems so very far away!

Does Dayton Have What It Takes To Dance?

javon — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:36:09 -0500

Like them or not, the Dayton Flyers seem to be on their way to lacing up their dancing shoes for the first time since the 2005 season. The Flyers are currently sitting in first place in the Atlantic 10 with a healthy 23-3 record going into this Saturdays game at St. Louis.

They have significant wins over both Marquette, and division rival Xavier on their resume (both still ranked in the top 20), as well as being undefeated at the University of Dayton arena this season.

Dayton Coach Brian Gregory (a former assistant of Tom Izzo's at Michigan State when the Spartans won the National championship), continues to stress to his team the importance of staying focused, noting that being ranked in the top 25 is good, (which the Flyers are for the first time this season #25) but being ranked in the top 25 isn't going to play defense for them.

However, it's the Flyers three losses that continue to both puzzle the Flyer faithful, and add serious steam to Dayton's detractors. The Flyers found themselves looking ahead not too long ago and fell hard to Atlantic Ten cellar dweller Charlotte. The 9 - 15 49ers dominated Dayton in what had to be the Flyers most pathetic performance of the season. The ill timed loss kept Dayton from taking advantage of division foe Xavier's surprise loss to Dusquesne the night before.

The Flyers also opened league play with a stunning loss to the University of Massachusetts that left fans struggling not to think about the late season collapse that rendered the Flyers very NIT worthy last season.

The Flyers only other loss was to Creighton, but unlike most i do not consider this a bad loss. Creighton is closing in on first in the Missouri Valley Conference as we speak so I move to strike the Creighton loss from the dreaded list of "BAD LOSSES" which is the term most connected with the three losses out of the Flyers first 26 games so far.

The key to Dayton's success this year has no doubt been their dominating defense. The Flyers held Xavier to their lowest point total of the season, and Dayton is 9-0 this season in games decided by five points or less.

Dayton definitely does not win pretty. In fact, sometimes they win just plain old ugly, but they win, and in the end winning is the name of the game. So barring a complete collapse within their final games of the season, go right ahead and finish lacing up those shoes Flyers. In March, when you find yourself bustin' a move in the biggest dance around, just remember what you've already learned from the regular season, and what the Flyer fans already know: No matter how ugly, ...Just Win!