Some Big Time NBA Draft Prospects have Big Time Question Marks

On the eve of the 2018 NBA draft, and yes, I will have a mock draft up tomorrow, I want to point out a few question mark prospects, in my mind. When the draft order was released, I wrote a piece about who I thought the Suns should take at number one, Colin Sexton. But today, I have a few players that I either, don't get why they are so high on everyone else's board, or guys that I feel are much to risky to take in the lottery, or even the first round.

The first player that gives me pause, and this guy was included in my Suns story, is Mo Bamba, and I really like Bamba, I'm just afraid he will never fully form into a dominant NBA player. First off, he is rail skinny. I know guys like KD and Damien Lillard were also deemed too skinny when they entered the league, but both of those guys had jumpers, and were far more polished offensively coming into the league. I do not doubt the defense, and I love the 7 foot 10 inch wingspan, but man is this kid rail thin. He can always gain muscle, especially in an NBA training program, but it is going to take some time. What gives me real pause is that he, right now, is much more Willie Cauley Stein than say a Joel Embiid or even a Johnathan Allen. Both of those guys, and I know Embiid is a star, can finish around the rim against current NBA talent. Cauley Stein cannot do that yet. He is great defensively, and I think Bamba will be even better right away, but his offense leaves so much to be desired. He is going to go in the lottery, probably no later than 5. But, the team taking him should know that it is going to take some time before he is a fully developed all around NBA player. His offense is going to take awhile to come around. I hope he has a very long and successful career, but he is the definition of a "project", just like Cauley Stein.

The next player that I am very hesitant on is a guy that I openly rooted for in college because he played for Michigan. Mo Wagner can shoot the ball, that cannot be denied. But, what else can he do right now? I watched him for three years, and my thoughts on him fluctuated between happy and angry constantly. He would hit some of the most improbable threes I have seen, then get torched on defense. He would get a thunderous dunk, then get out rebounded by a guard. He would be the catalyst to get the Wolverines going, but then he would be immediately gassed. All of this is going to rear its head in the NBA. Wagner can shoot, and having an almost 7 footer that can hit threes is crucial nowadays, but he is a real liability on defense right now. He is a bit too slow, and he gets pushed around by guys bigger than him. He can put on muscle, just like Bamba, but that will only make him slower. He will most likely be a late first round pick, but if I were a GM, I'd wait until the mid second round to take him. He is going to need to work a ton on his defense and footwork. But, his shooting will get him drafted.

The next guy I want to talk about is another big man, Robert Williams. Robert Williams would come and go his 2 years at Texas A&M. Sometimes, see the UNC game in the tournament last season, he would be completely dominant. He was a total force on both ends. He would grab rebounds and throw jams in other players faces. He would also protect the rim as if his family was under it. Then though, look at the very next week in last year's tournament game against Michigan, and he was a total non factor. He should have pushed Wagner and any big guy Michigan threw at him, but as soon as Michigan built up a 15 point lead, he just seemed to stop caring. Sure, he put up decent numbers in that game, but it was all basically garbage time. Michigan was in total control, and when they built that big lead, he just kind of dunked and quit on defense. Will that happen in the NBA? Probably, because when a player is already 20, it is hard to break bad habits. He is also more of an old school center, and that won't work in the NBA right now.

The last player I want to talk about today is the biggest question mark in this draft, and I have seen him mocked as high as number 2 overall in the draft. That player is, and I'm sorry to RD and my older brother Ross, Michael Porter Jr. The fact that he is being discussed as a lottery pick, that the Kings are considering him at 2, that the Bulls are trying to trade up for him, that Dallas is said to like him, that the Cavs really want him, all of this blows my mind. All of those teams are picking in the top 10. What did Porter Jr show last year, and during the pre draft stuff, that have pushed him this high? I really don't get it. I watched him sit pretty much of all of last season after having back surgery. I then saw him come back for 2 games, both losses, where he shot poorly, got exposed on defense, and just looked kind of overcome by the better competition. He has also canceled pre draft workouts based on doctors orders. He still has back problems. I think his knees, or maybe his hips, have been bothering him. But then he comes out and calls himself a mix of KD and Giannis. He comes out and says he is the best prospect in this draft. He claims that the injury stuff is overblown. He seems like he may be a bit too cocky, especially for someone that hasn't proven anything since high school. And I know, he won all the major awards as a high school player. I know he was the consensus player of the year, I know he was the McDonald's game MVP, I understand that he was rated by most publications as the top high school player. So was Dajuan Wagner. So was Eddy Curry. So was, insert name here of many a bust in the NBA. The fact that multiple GM's are considering this kid in the top 8 because he was so great in high school baffles me. Sure, he dominated the high school game because he was playing against kids much smaller than him. I say again, look at his 2 games at Missouri. I know he was coming off an injury, a big time injury, but he was dreadful. He didn't take over the game like many, myself included, thought he would. He was a problem for Missouri when he came back for those 2 games. They had something decent going, but then they had to shoe horn Porter Jr in, and it blew up in their, and his, face. His brother, who is going back for his sophomore year at Missouri, is a better prospect than him, at least in my opinion. I'm shocked that he is going to be a lottery pick. I'm shocked that some stupid GM is going to fall for this. I hope he ends up in Sacramento, because that is what he deserves. Michael Porter Jr may turn out to be great. Maybe all the stuff in high school wasn't a fluke. Maybe the 2 games at Missouri were the fluke. But, I feel like he is going to be an Anthony Bennett level bust in the NBA. I just don't see it with Porter. I'd take a good 10-15 guys before even considering him. That is just me though.

Come back tomorrow to see where I have all these "questionable" picks in my mock draft. They will all, most likely be first rounders, I'm just not sold on them yet.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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Where, Oh Where, is Kawhi Leonard Going?

It seems like Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio. This story broke last week, and just about everyone has given their take. Now it’s my turn.

First off, this bums me out. I love Kawhi as a basketball player, and I loved him playing for the Spurs. It seemed like a perfect fit. He grew with this team. He was a Finals MVP with this team. He worked on his jump shot with this team. He has the best coach to ever coach in the NBA with this team. He was going to be the next in line, if he wasn’t already, to lead this team for the next decade. It was meant to be. But, after last season, he has decided he’s had enough. Last year was a very weird season for him and the Spurs. He only played 9 games. He barely traveled with the team. There were times when he was cleared by team doctors, but he chose to sit. He never seemed fully healthy. He is normally a very quiet guy, but he was extra quiet this year. It was bizarre. And now, he wants out, and he wants to be in a big market. I’m not down with this. I still think the Spurs are the best place for him.

The Spurs are not big enough for Kawhi. He apparently wants to be in LA. I’ve also heard that his camp wants him in New York. Since the reports have come out that Kawhi wants out, he’s been rumored to a bunch of different places. The Lakers seemed like the front runners, but recently, it appears they’ve cooled. The Clippers are supposedly putting together a package for him, but a lot of people, me included, don’t think they have the players or picks. Boston has been announced as someone that can get him, but will Danny Ainge part with his valuable assets? I don’t know. He also may have to get rid of Kyrie or Gordon Hayward for this trade to happen. I’ve heard the 76ers as a possibility, but do the Spurs really want to take on a player like Markelle Fultz or Dario Saric? I think if the 76ers are for real, a player like Robert Covington, or dare I say, Ben Simmons, would have to be included. A new report came out yesterday too, saying the Spurs want to meet with Kawhi face to face, and they won’t trade him to any team in the West, which I think is very smart. They can’t just give up on a top 10 guy in the league right now that’s only 26. And, if the damage has been done, trade him to the other conference so they’d only have to face him a handful of times during the regular season, and only in the Finals in the playoffs.

Whatever happens though, wherever Kawhi ends up, I don’t think it will matter in the long run. LeBron is still the needle pusher, especially if he stays in the East. He is still the best guy in the league right now. And, if the Spurs get an offer from a West team they can’t turn down, will the addition of a Kawhi make that team better than the Warriors, or even the Rockets? I don’t think so. Even if he teams up with LeBron or, say a Paul George, the Warriors are still better, and know how to play off one another. Also, if Chris Paul stays in Houston, I still think the Rockets are better than Kawhi’s future team. If I had my way, he’d stay in San Antonio and he and Aldridge and Poppovich will figure all this out. But, if he’s traded, it may take some time for him to be as highly regarded as he was one season ago.

I hope Kawhi stays, but it looks like he has one foot out of the door. I wouldn’t be shocked if we get a definitive answer during the draft on Thursday night. We shall see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The NCAA Made a New Rule for College Football, and It is Awesome

College football just made a very big, yet very little talked about, rule change this past week. The council decided that a player does not have to burn a year of eligibility if they play in at least 4 games in a season. This is a very big deal, and it is a very good thing. For once, the NCAA is doing something right. This is a great rule for everyone involved. Now, if a player gets hurt, or has to sit for other reasons, but they have already played in 4 games, the school, and the player, does not have to burn a redshirt on them.

Awesome.

This would have been great last year for my team, Michigan. Tarik Black got hurt in the third game of the year, and at the time, he was leading the team in receiving. He was the only real threat, although Donovan Peoples Jones emerged later in the year, that the offense had, outside of the run game. But, he broke his foot, needed surgery, and he had to redshirt the season and sit out. He still has his 4 years of eligibility left, but with this new rule, Michigan wouldn't have had to use a redshirt on him. They could have used it on someone else, possibly an offensive or defensive lineman, that really needed it. Black was already contributing and putting up numbers, the redshirt felt wasted. Now, colleges don't have to worry about that.

I'm sure there are other freshman or sophomores who went through the same thing as Black last year, and I'm sure their fans are just as happy about this rule change as I am. This is a game changer. These players, these emerging freshman and such, don't have to fear injury taking a year away from them. This is also great for established starters who might be pushed from incoming highly regarded recruits to not play through minor injuries that could turn into a major injuries. The juniors or seniors who have been starting since they set foot on campus won't feel pressured now to play through a sprain, or tweak, or a concussion for fear of losing their spot. Colleges and players can now be more careful how they tend to injuries. We all know that these kids play through some horrible stuff, and this new rule will, hopefully, rectify this. I know this won't fully stop kids playing through bad injuries, but now there is an incentive to maybe sit a game or two to get yourself back to full health before going back out on the field. 

Like I said at the top, this is, finally, the NCAA seeming to care about these kids. The NCAA, even though it is an evil and corrupt corporation, has at least on the surface, taken a step in the right direction to make it seem like they care about these kids. That is more than I can say for the NFL right now. The NFL would rather hide concussions and throw their "star" players back on the field ASAP. Look at what happened to Russell Wilson last year. He got exploded on a play, was clearly concussed, went to that little blue tent for about 30 seconds, and he was cleared to return to the field. That was insane. There is also the guy that started ahead of Deshaun Watson for some unknown reason, I can't remember his name, but he was hit so hard in a game that his hands were shaking, and he missed one series. That was so dangerous. And the NFL could care less. Now, in the NCAA, they will handle these injuries will more caution than their professional counterparts.

I'm so glad that they are going to, again, at least on the surface, try to make these players think twice about rushing back onto the field. And when you look at it, these are kids that we are talking about. Sure, they are super star athletes, and they are the stars of their schools, but they are kids. And, a lot of them are not going to play professional football. That is reality. So, for the majority of these kids, the ones that will not be pros at football, they can preserve themselves. They can have a life outside of football when their college careers are over due to this new rule. They can be more cautious. They can take better care of their bodies and their minds.

I LOVE this new rule. I think it is going to be great, and it furthers proves my extreme love for college football. College football proves time and time again that they are much further ahead of the curve than the NFL. Now, they just have to pay these players, and it will become that much better.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is currently sit out his 12th year of college football due to injury/age. How many redshirts does a man need?

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Anthony Davis to the Warriors Would Also Make the NBA Unwatchable

A week ago I wrote, pleading to LeBron, to not join the Warriors. It looks like that is a pipe dream, as it should be, but the Warriors are in the mix for another superstar, and they wouldn't really have to give up too much to get him.

I have read and heard rumors that the Warriors are going to go hard after Anthony Davis this summer. First off, please, please, please do not let this happen. This would be just as bad as if LeBron joined the Warriors. I would be very hesitant to watch any of the regular season, or the playoffs, if this happened. And as I said last week, and on Monday, the NBA is only second to college football as my favorite sport to watch. But, if the Warriors are able to acquire Davis, without having to give up one of their 4 All Stars, what would be the point of watching? This would give them an actual center, even though Davis claims to be a 4, and a center who is entering his prime and was an MVP candidate last year.

The proposed package that I have seen would be Andre Iguodala, Jordan Bell and some picks for Davis. That is one of the most one sided trades that I would ever see in basketball, if it were to happen. I know that Iguodala is extremely important to the Warriors, but they can win, right now, without him. Hell, they did that for the first 3 rounds and the first 2 games of the playoffs. I know that he is their lock down defender, and one of the few guys that can "slow down" LeBron, but he is old in NBA terms. I know he is a sometimes shooter who can sometimes be lethal, but not anymore. He passed up tons of open looks in the 2 finals games he played because I think he thought he didn't have the legs. As far as Bell goes, he will be a second year guy that hasn't done much. I know he was a spark off the bench for the Warriors, and he was a solid rebounder, but isn't that is ceiling? I don't really think, as much as I like him, that Bell is ever going to become an All Star, and he will only be a starter on a team that is either tanking, or a fringe playoff contender. And I know he had his moments in the finals, but so did JaVale McGee. I think the team around him made him much better as a rookie than many thought. Then we have the picks. I know draft picks are very valuable in the NBA, but that is only lottery picks. Will the Warriors ever be in the lottery? Not unless something really terrible happens. So, that means that they will be in the 28, 29 or 30 range. There aren't too many superstars or even fringe all stars that get picked that late in the first round.

That is all the Warriors would have to give up, in this reported purposed deal, to get Anthony Davis. That is insane. The Pelicans would be insane to do this. The NBA would be stupid to let this happen. This would totally dampen down the game very, very much. The West, and this is even if LeBron goes to a West team, would be pointless. The Warriors would run ramshackle through the conference. The James thing was a rumor, but this Davis thing feels real.

Say it happens, I know that some will say this will crush their chance at depth, but I disagree. First off, a starting 5 of Davis, Draymond, KD, Steph and Klay is more than enough for this team to win 75-78 games, even if they go 50 percent. Then, I feel like they can poach ring chasers, at the league minimum, to fill out the rest of the roster. They can go out and get guys that have made money, been starters and now, just want rings. Look at David West. He was an all star before signing with the Warriors 2 years ago. Now, he is a 2 time champion who barely saw the floor in the playoffs this year. They could easily get guys like Trevor Ariza, JJ Redick, Brook Lopez and Serge Ibaka, just to name a few. These guys have been in the league long enough, that by now, all they should want are rings. They don't need the money either.

I really don't want this to happen from an esthetic point of view too. This would be, like I said, just as bad as LeBron joining, but it might be worse. Davis would fit ideally in with the Warriors. He isn't ball dominant like LeBron. He is a true center, which the Warriors need. He is young. He is entering his prime. He is a great scorer with, or without the ball. He is a great rim protector and rebounder. He has everything that the Warriors "need". But, like I said Monday and last week, it would be pointless to even watch. The outcome would be easier to pick than it has the past 4 years. I wouldn't tune in to watch a midseason game between the Warriors and Rockets. I wouldn't care about the first 3 rounds of the playoffs. I would tune in just to see who the Warriors would sweep in the Finals, but that would be about it.

I don't like where the NBA is headed. I don't like these guys jumping on the bandwagon of teams they cannot beat themselves. There is no competition anymore. Guys just want to play with their buddies. This would be like a pickup game where one team is clearly better than the other because they got all the height and skill because they all teamed up on the other players. I'm not a fan of the super teams. I'm not a fan of ring chasers. I want these players to stick it out and win a title the "right" way.

I'm pretty sure Davis will stay in New Orleans, but the fact that I am writing about it today means that this is a real thing that could really happen. Lets hope it doesn't.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Terrible 2018 NBA Finals Were the Conclusion to a Terrible 2018 NBA Playoffs

The NBA Finals ended last Friday night, and like almost everyone predicted, including myself, the Warriors swept the Cavs. Game 4 was an absolute joke in fact. But, when reflecting back, this whole Finals, and besides 2 rounds, the NBA playoffs were, as a whole, pretty rough.

I love the NBA, but this past month plus of playoff basketball was not very fun to watch. The first round was pretty rough, save for the Cleveland-Indiana series, and that wasn't even top notch basketball. I mean, the Warriors beat the hobbled Spurs in 5, Houston dismantled Minnesota in 5, the Pelicans stomped on the Blazers and Utah blasted OKC. The first round in the West was pretty bad, and mostly predictable. In the East, we have the Cleveland-Indiana series, but, even though it went 7, only LeBron and Victor Oladipo were worth watching. Everything else about that series was rough. Toronto lost 2 to Washington, but we all knew that the Raptors would win that series with ease. Boston had little to no problem with the Bucks, even though Giannis did get 2 wins, and the 76ers, who it was very nice to see them back in the playoffs, dispatched of the Heat with relative ease.

The second round was not any better. In the West, the Rockets easily handled the Jazz in 5, all but showing the rest of the world that Donovan Mitchell was still a rookie. The Warriors gave Anthony Davis one game, but when they decided to care, they hammered the Pelicans. In the East, the Cavs, who clearly own this team, swept the shit out of the Raptors and the Celtics, fully without Kyrie Irving now, surprisingly, and with ease, beat the 76ers in 6.

The conference finals were the only good thing about the playoffs this year. Both series were hard fought and contested. Both series went 7 games. LeBron was amazing in the East. Even though they got beat, I thought James Harden played much better than he ever has this deep in the playoffs. But, the Warriors, after going down 3-2, reminded everyone how great, and how stacked, they really are.

Then we got the fourth straight year of Cavs-Warriors. On paper, and in reality for that matter, this was the most lopsided matchup of these teams since they have faced each other in the Finals. The Cavs are just not a good team. They were not nearly as good on offense this year as they were last year, when the Warriors beat them in 5 games. Losing a player of Kyrie Irving's talent will do that though. This year, probably since only his first couple of years in the league, LeBron had to do EVERYTHING for the Cavs to even have a shot at winning one game. And boy oh boy were they a historically bad defensive team. That showed tenfold these past 4 games. They were just horrendous on that end of the floor. And for the Warriors, this was a cake walk compared to every team they faced in the West playoffs. This is of no disrespect to LeBron, but that Cavs team, and I honestly believe this, would have gotten beat by the Pelicans in the Finals. They were so bad.

With that being said, the Cavs did have a shot to win a game, game one. I wrote all about that monstrosity of officiating and JR Smith and the lack of calling a timeout when you had one and wasting a 50 point plus performance in the Finals from LeBron last week. You can go check out my full thoughts on that. Game 2 was pointless. Steph came out, lit up Oracle Arena and set a record, making 9 threes in a Finals game. Oh, and Klay and KD did their usual thing. I also thought it was hilarious that people thought Klay was going to miss time with a minor injury. That nonsense made me laugh. The Cavs had another shot at a win in game 3, leading by double figures the first half. But KD took over, scored 43 and the Warrior won by 8. Oh, did I mention that they only got 21 points combined from Steph and Klay in that game too? Well, they did. And where has Draymond been all series you may be asking? He played fine defense, but he was a zero on offense. That is how stacked, and almost unfair, this Warriors team is. Three of their four main guys can have a terrible game, but never fear, KD will play the best game of the series, and they will win. Then game 4 was just stupid. RD even texted me at one point, and this was early in the fourth quarter, that this game was gross. I couldn't have agreed more. Game four was a funeral. It was one of the worst closeout games I have ever watched. The Cavs gave up, surrendered, and it showed. Hell, LeBron would only shake hands with the Warriors starters when he checked out, and no one called him out on his poor sportsmanship. People praised him for leaving the floor, as to not show too much emotion. And his "injury" news was some of the fakest shit I have ever seen. LeBron is a masterful basketball player, but all this "woe is me" stuff needs to stop. No one feels sorry for you LeBron.

When the final buzzer sounded, and the Warriors were "celebrating", I was left with a very hollow season. It was what we all expected, but it just felt weird. I wasn't excited. I knew this was coming. I knew KD was going to be the MVP. I knew that the players would talk about how this season was "tougher", and this "journey was different". None of that is true. They knew they were going to win a bunch of titles 2 years ago when they lured KD there. They are a real life cheat code, and it has made the playoffs kind of a drag. We all know now who is going to win, or at least, who should win. And going into next season, surprise surprise, the Warriors are the odds on favorites to win again. This NBA Finals were really a snap shot of how predictable and dull the Finals are going to be in the future.

I guess congrats are in order for the Warriors, but it is getting kind of boring being able to easily predict this stuff every year. I guess this will just make it even sweeter when someone finally knocks them off, whenever that may be.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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If LeBron Joins the Warriors there Will Be No Reason to Watch the NBA

Yesterday a report, coming from Stephen A Smith so take it with the biggest grain of salt you can find, came out that LeBron James will meet with the Warriors this offseason. If this happens, and I'm speaking of the meeting, I will be very, very pissed off. If it goes any further than a meeting, there will be absolutely no point to even watch the NBA next season, a sport I adore.

It is not new news that LeBron is a free agent when this season ends, probably tonight, and he is free to go anywhere. The speculation has been all over the map. At first, it was only the Lakers. He was seen spotted in LA looking at private schools, and he owns a very nice home there. But, doesn't every NBA player, or major NBA players, live in LA in the offseason? All the big time guys have outside interests, mostly in the entertainment industry, and LA is the best place to be to develop connections and make the most money you can. I take zero stock in the fact that he was looking at schools, and he has a home there. Since the middle of the season, the Lakers have kind of fallen off. There is a bit of a resurgence recently, but the Lakers seem unlikely.

After them, it was the Rockets. He was going to go play with his best friend in the league, Chris Paul, and they would finally be able to challenge the mighty Warriors. The three headed monster of LeBron, CP3 and Harden would be more than enough. But, they realized that they would have to get rid of some important people, mainly Clint Capela, and those talks have died down. I know that Vegas still thinks the Rockets have a good shot at getting him, but recent reports have said they will need a max deal to keep Paul, that shouldn't happen, and Capela is going to get paid by someone, and the Rockets better hope it is them because he is about to become a multiple All Star.

Recently it has been the Cavs and 76ers at the front of all the talks. In Cleveland he can do whatever he wants. He is Thanos, he is all powerful. He can snap his fingers and anyone he wants gone, they are gone. He can also bring in whoever he wants. He has carte blanche. He was instrumental in bringing in Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, JR Smith, and countless other veterans that he wants to have on his team. He is also the guy that runs everything on the floor. He controls the offense and he makes the decisions. He calls the timeouts and he picks when and where he wants to come out ad rest, or if he wants to play all 48 minutes. He controls the Cavs. As far as the 76ers goes, he could go to a young, but hyper talented team, and easily lead them to the finals every year. Me personally, I am not a fan of this, but if he wants that easy path to a shot at a title every year, the 76ers are in the East, they have the best young players in the league, and he could come in and be the super duper star that they need to push them over the top. Philadelphia, in theory, makes the most sense outside of him staying in Cleveland.

If all LeBron wants is an easy path, and to spend the rest of his career playing 28 minutes a game, and not having to worry about competition, then by all means, join the Warriors. This would be a brutal blow to the NBA. But, as I said, if LeBron doesn't want a challenge, and just wants to be one of the guys, not "the guy", then join the Warriors. If he were to do this, that Warriors team, even if they only had their 5 starters and 2 bench guys, could easily win 80 games, and sweep their way to a title. The starting five would be Steph, Klay. KD, LeBron and Draymond Green. All five All Star starters. They could throw RD and I on their bench and we would win the title. It would make for must see TV for about a week, but after that, watching games would be pointless. Would anyone really want to go see a midseason game between Golden State and say, I'll even pick a decent team, the Rockets? Not anyone outside those 2 cities. And I think even the Rockets fans might pass on that game. The great thing about sports is how dramatic it can be, but if LeBron were to join the Warriors, all that dram would be gone. The Warriors would easily win every game, even if they only gave 50 percent.

I also think it is terrible because LeBron is used to being the alpha. He is used to being the guy with the ball in his hands. He is used to getting every big shot. He is used to being catered by his teammates. That would destroy everything that Golden State has built these past three seasons. While I don't like the Warriors, I love their style of play. They are a newer, better and younger version of vintage Spurs. They play pure basketball, getting the ball to open shooters for the best possible shot. LeBron would halt all of that. He needs the ball in his hands to be as effective as he can be. Also, this is Steph's team. Sure, some may say that KD has taken over, but he hasn't. Steph is who the fans come to see. Steph is the one with the ball in his hands at the end of the game. More kids have Steph's jersey than any other player in the NBA. Then, second is KD. Then third is Klay. If LeBron signs there, he would be fighting with Draymond as the fourth most important player. Can he handle that? No freaking way.

This is a horrible idea on so many levels, and I really, truly hope it doesn't happen. I don't think it will, but I also didn't think that KD would join the Warriors 2 years ago. If the NBA gods have any sense, they won't let this happen.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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John Beilein is Staying at Michigan. That is Great News

Yesterday John Beilein confirmed that he is returning to coach the university of Michigan men's basketball team. Today he even said that he wants to finish his coaching career at Michigan. All of this comes about a week after he was made the odds on favorite to land the open Detroit Pistons head coaching job. I had very mixed emotions about all of this.

First off, I am not a Pistons fan, but I do not have the same visceral hatred for them as I do the LA Clippers. I am very indifferent when it comes to the Pistons. But, I know that there were many, many fans in Detroit that were very shook up by this news. They have love for Beilein, but I also think they thought that he would have been a good choice for the Pistons. It had to be hard for them to choose between their love for their pro team and their college team. I get it in the college sense, but as I said, I don't really care either way about the Pistons.

I was also feeling very odd about the news because it isn't Michigan's basketball coach that is always rumored to be going to the pros, it is their football coach. Every year since Jim Harbaugh has taken over Michigan's football team, some journalist or talking head has said that he will be leaving for the NFL. This has been going on for four years now. I'm used to the rumors, and to be quite frank, I always expect him to bolt. But, for John Beilein to be the one that was going to jump to the pros, it kind of shook me.

Coach Beilein has done wonders at Michigan. When he took over around 11 years ago, that team was a mess. They were still reeling from the Fab Five and Robert Traylor sanctions, and they were at the bottom of the Big Ten. Since then, they have slowly crept their way to, at least, being in the top half of the Big Ten, ranked in the top 25 every year and pretty much always an NCAA tournament team. He has also taken Michigan to 2 Final Four's and 2 title games. He has done all of this with, mostly, guys that were under recruited in high school. Yes, he pulled in some big time guys, Mitch McGary, Glenn Robinson III and Tim Hardaway Jr all come to mind. But, he has done most of his damage with the less heralded recruits. Trey Burke was Mr. Ohio basketball, but not even the University of Ohio State would recruit him. They said they didn't have space for him. And look at what Burke did in his 3 years at Michigan. He led them to a national title appearance, won NCAA player of the year, hit that spectacular shot against KU and was a lottery pick. I give Burke most of the credit, but it was Beilein's system and coaching that really made him a great college player. There is also a guy like Nik Stauskas. No one knew much of this scrawny kid out of Canada. But, he came to Michigan, became a lethal three point shooter and he also became a lottery pick. Again, I give a ton of credit to Beilein for doing that. Or take someone like Jordan Morgan, Beilein's first real big man. For those that know, Beilein likes to run a space and pace offense with shooters everywhere, and one big guy to rebound. Well, Morgan could rebound and defend, but he also became a very capable scorer under Beilein's tutelage. He now has a successful career overseas. And we have guys like Darius Morris, who was kind of a big time recruit, came to Michigan, struggled his freshman year, learned the offense, had a great sophomore year and turned that into a pro career. Manny Harris is another guy that thrived under Beilein.

I then look at the team from last year. After the plane crash, then going on to win the Big Ten tournament, and make a run to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament. That was amazing, and he did it with very unheralded recruits. Zak Irvin was a big time contributor on that team. Mo Wagner was still learning the college game. DJ Wilson blossomed in the tournament. Muhammed Ali Abdur Rahkmann was still figuring it out. And Derrick Walton, I don't think I have ever trusted a player with a coach's system since the Fab Five guys, as I did with Walton and Beilein's system. Walton Jr was incredible at running the super intricate plays that Beilein puts in there, and they had a great run.

Then we have last season. After Walton Jr and Irvin graduated, and DJ Wilson declared for the draft, I did not expect much from Michigan. I figured they would be a tournament team, and maybe make it to the second round, but that was it. But, with Wagner finally playing well and Abdur Rahkmann easily stepping into the Derrick Walton role, and Zavier Simpson doing great things and Jon Teske being a great back up center, and all those freshman, Isiah Livers and Jordan Poole come to mind, this team pushed all the way to the title game. Yes, they got throttled, but they made it there, and I give all the credit in the world to John Beilein for that. He turned these 3 and 4 star guys into a great team. Michigan doesn't need the "one and done" guys with Beilein there. He will develop guys.

So, that was why I was a little shook when he was interviewing for the Pistons job, and then especially when everyone thought he was going to get it. He just feels like a college coach to me. He is where he belongs. And hey, I would have not blamed him for one second of he took the Pistons job. I fully understand wanting to compete at the highest level to see if you can hack it. I have heard numerous people say it, and it is very true, there are only 30 head coaching jobs in the NBA, so if someone wants you, you must be doing something right. He has earned the right to have his choice. But boy am I glad he stayed at Michigan. I truly do hope he stays there for the rest of his career because he has made me care about their basketball team once again. I still love their football team with all of my heart, when it comes to sports, but I am starting to get there with the basketball program too. That is all due to John Beilein.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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Any Good American Needs to Celebrate the Philadelphia Eagles

Not once, but twice I have found myself rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles this year. First was the Super Bowl, when they defeated the New England Patriots, thus not only winning for their city, but for the majority of NFL fans out there. Now, I cheer for them because of what they have made that repugnant, disgusting, racist, amorphous blob that currently resides in the White House release yesterday.

In a statement, the "president" (not my president), rescinded their invite to the White house today to celebrate their Super Bowl win. Every team, pretty much every year, that wins a title in a major sport goes to the White House to celebrate. This is supposed to be a big deal. It is supposed to be an honor. It is supposed to be something that we all see and say, hey, these athletes did something special. But, ever since that racist, pile of garbage, dip shit of a person took over as "president", more and more title winning teams are refusing to go and visit him and his cronies, and it is getting under his skin now. Sure, the Cubs went last year, but no one of real importance was there, with the exception of Joe Maddon, and he looked absolutely miserable. And yeah, the Penguins went a year ago, but hockey is stupid, and who really cares. But, the Warriors didn't go last year. The UNC Tarheels skipped their trip a year ago. I'm pretty sure Villanova won't be visiting any time soon. And now we have the Eagles. It was pretty much common knowledge that none of them were going to go. Well, scratch that, I think less than 10 of the players on the roster were willing to visit.

When you look at some of the guys on the team, you knew they wouldn't go and give that monster the time of day. Malcom Jenkins is one of the biggest protesters in the NFL, and he also happens to be a big time guy in the NFLPA, and we all knew he wouldn't go. Same with Chris Long. He has been very outspoken about his political beliefs, and I love that. He also played this past season, and he gave all of the game checks he made to random charities. That is a true American. I know Nick Foles had zero intentions of going to the White House after the Eagles won. He said as much. And I'm pretty sure guys like Brandon Graham, Jay Ajayi, Legarette Blount, Corey Clement, Alshon Jeffrey, hell, 99 percent of the roster, had no real intentions of going to see those pricks in D.C. As I said, they have been very outspoken on how much they despise and are concerned by what is going on in Washington, and I love that about them.

So, for this piece of white trash to come out and basically say, I'm taking my ball and going home, or you were never invited in the first place, shows how immature and unfit he is for the position he cheated his way into "winning". If I've said it once, I have said it a million times. You cannot rescind an invitation that was already declined. The Eagles, the majority of them that is, already came out weeks, hell, months ago and said they wouldn't go. Now, this nonsense comes out. Oh, and for Fox News to put that story out that they did, the one with a picture of Zak Ertz kneeling and praying before a game, saying he was protesting, do your god damn research. Even me, a blogger from Saint Louis, knows that he prays before every game. How can an entire company be so off base? And good for Ertz to come out and chastise them and call them "fake news", which is their favorite term to use. Mad props to him for going public and letting them know that they were wrong.

You can see how all of this is starting to really goad the "president" and his cronies. They are really starting to lose their shit because famous pro athletes, that win without cheating, are not going to "kiss the ring". They want to stay as far away from all that nonsense as possible. They don't want to be seen with that "person". They loathe him and what he has done in less than 2 years. This is what a racist deserves. They don't need to be praised, they need to chastised. They need to be held accountable for their wrong doings. They need to be shunned. They need to be shown for the monsters they are.

To really hammer home their point, that athletes are people too, both LeBron James and Steph Curry came out today and said that neither team, whichever one wins the NBA Finals, will be visiting the White House any time soon. LeBron went out there and spoke his mind once again, and much like the Eagles players, I love him for that, Steph too. Kids are seeing this. My kids are seeing this, and seeing that they can stand up to bullies, and that makes me so very proud.

I hope star athletes and more famous people continue to speak their minds. We are fed up. There are monsters "running" the country right now, and we need more and more people to continue to speak their minds. Thank you Steph, LeBron, and most importantly for today, the Philadelphia Eagles. Thank you for what you are doing. You are the real patriots. You are the real Americans.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He wants all Eagles players and fans to know they are welcome at his house anytime. Just please leave the batteries at home.

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Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals Was One for the History Books

Game one of the NBA Finals was great last night.

It surprised me very much. I did not see this effort coming from the Cavs. I figured LeBron would be great, as he has been his entire career, and especially in these playoffs, but I did not expect his supporting cast to play as well as they did. Larry Nance provided that spark that he is so good at doing. Kevin Love finally showed up. George Hill was solid. I mean, the players LeBron has surrounded himself stepped up, for the most part.

Before I really dig into the game, LeBron's performance last night was otherworldly. He was absolutely amazing. He was so efficient and played hard and did everything that he could do to push his team to a victory. My problem with LeBron last night, I hate that fake ass tough guy he tries to be when the game is over. He blocked a Steph layup attempt with less than a minute left in overtime, and proceeded to shit talk him. Steph came right back and him, and Klay joined in as well. What I loved is that Steph didn't back down, he held his own, and seeing Klay laugh in his face and shrug his shoulders at him was amazing. LeBron is a sore loser. I get it, I hate losing too, but that fake tough guy bull shit needs to stop. We all know you are the best player in the game right now, but stop it with the fake tough guy attitude. It is tiring and annoying and looks really bad, especially when you let a game slip away that you should have won. LeBron was great, amazing and dominated, but he is a very, very sore loser and fake tough.

The Warriors did last night what they have done all year. They dicked around for the entirety of the game, until it went into overtime. That was when they locked in, and they dominated. But, the first 4 quarters had to be so frustrating for all the Warriors fans out there. They just seem to go out there, disrespect the opponent and expect to win. KD was awful on offense last night. I know he had 28 or so, but it was not at all efficient, and he took way too many jumpers. Steph had a good scoring game, but he was throwing bad passes and dribbling way too much. He was also exposed time and time again on defense. Klay had a rough scoring night and he was hurt early on in the game. You'd never know because he is so even keeled, but he needs to score more. Draymond was probably the only Warrior that really showed up last night, and he had a very solid game, and kept his shit talking to a minimum. The rest of the team, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, Nick Young and Patrick McCaw, were all non factors, as expected.

Now, we have to go to that final minute or so of play last night. First thing, the block/charge call. When I saw it in real time I thought it was a block. LeBron's feet looked to be shuffling over, and KD was not out of control on his drive. The refs initially called it a charge, and I thought, okay, he is a super star, and he has earned those calls. When they overturned it, I was shocked. I never, ever expected that, especially a call to go against LeBron in the Finals. It was very surprising. Even with that call going the Warriors way, the Cavs kept scoring and took a lead very late in the fourth, like under a minute left. Then, Steph hit a floater and was fouled, or maybe not, and made the free throw to grab the lead for the Warriors. I figured that was it, the Warriors were going to close it out in the fourth quarter up 1 point with about 25 seconds left. Well, George Hill made a fantastic cut, and while cutting he got fouled by Klay, and it was definitely a foul. So Hill, who is around an 80 percent free throw shooter went to the line for a chance to win the game with 4 seconds left. He easily sunk the first free throw, and then the second one happened. Hill left the shot very short, but JR Smith, somehow, got the rebound over KD, and instead of shooting or kicking it out to LeBron, he dribbled out the clock.

I have never, ever seen anything like that. It ranks right up there with Webber calling timeout in the title game when Michigan didn't have any timeouts. When pushed, Smith said he thought the Cavs were winning. If he thought that, why was LeBron yelling at him? Why didn't he check the clock or scoreboard? Why did he think everyone was yelling at him? Why would the Warriors not foul him? I have so many questions for JR Smith. This will be one of those infamous plays that will be showed on highlight shows for eternity. And even after the game, Smith tried to say that he knew the game was tied, but we all know that is some bull shit. He blew it.

After Smith's blunder, overtime started, and that was when the Warriors finally woke up. They dominated every second of overtime, scoring the first seven points and eventually winning the game by 8. But, it wasn't without drama. We had the fake tough LeBron show up. Tristan Thompson, who is a scumbag, also became fake tough. Draymond started to yap more. Steph and Klay laughed in LeBron's face. And KD was quiet as usual when it comes to this type of stuff.

For as well as the Cavs played last night, they really blew a golden opportunity, and they are more doomed now than I thought they were at the start of the Finals. The Cavs will not play any better than they did last night, and they still lost. LeBron may have another game or 2 like he had last night, but will Love show up again? Are they really going to count on Nance to give them spark minutes? How will JR Smith react to his horrible end of game blunder? Where was Kyle Korver last night? Are they going to give Clarkson another 20 minute game? Will Ty Lue ever outcoach Steve Kerr again?

My simple answer to all of these questions, no. Hell, the Warriors may still come out and dick around, but they are so, so, so much better than the Cavs, and I think they will want to brutalize them now. And for the Cavs fans blaming the refs today, take that heat and put it towards JR Smith or George Hill. They each had a chance to win that game, and they both blew it big time. Game one was awesome, but I do not think we will see another one like it. The Cavs don't have it in them to play like that once again.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The 2018 NBA Finals and Our New Basketball Normal

We all knew it would come to this, and starting tomorrow night, the Cavs and Warriors will face off for the fourth straight NBA Finals matchup.

I think most of us knew this was going to happen, but at the very least, there was a teeny tiny bit of drama. Cleveland had to survive a very tough fight from Indiana in the first round. In reality, I thought the had a real chance to win. I would not have been shocked if they beat Cleveland in Cleveland. But, they just aren't there yet. The Raptors put up nothing. They looked awful. The Cavs must really be in their heads. They were the one seed, and it was so lopsided, LeBron was clipping his fingernails during one of the games. It was one of the easiest sweeps I have ever seen in the playoffs. And while the Celtics put up great effort minus their 2 best players, I don't think anyone in their right minds really thought this particular Celtics team would beat LeBron in a game 7. All that being said, what LeBron has done this playoffs is remarkable. The team around, much of it his doing, is awful, and he dragged them to his 8th straight Finals appearance. That is incredible. He is clearly the best player in the game right now. He did a wonderful job with a bunch of too young or too old or just flat out scrubs around him. My hats off.

The Warriors kind of just dicked around the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, like they have done all year. They drew the Spurs, who didn't have Kawhi Leonard all year, and their 3 best guys were Tony Parker, who is a million years old, Manu Ginobli, who is even older, and LaMarcus Aldridge, who I like, but he is not equipped for the modern NBA. They won that series pretty handily in 5. They then drew the Pelicans, who were coming off a thrashing of the Blazers, and everyone said this was the one team no one wanted to face, and disposed of them in 5. Anthony Davis was great, but the Warriors made everyone else beat them, and everyone around Davis is not that good. They did have a hell of a fight from the Rockets though in the West Finals. Sure, some of the games were blow outs, but games 4, 5 and most of game 7, were all close. It may not have been pretty, but they were close. But, in the end, KD and Steph stepped up, and Harden disappeared and Chris Paul got hurt. That is their destiny. This was probably their best shot to beat the Warriors, and they just couldn't do it. And to miss 37 threes, 26 in a row, that is downright embarrassing. Just stop shooting them for awhile. Man, that was brutal.

All of this led to the inevitable. We all picked this before the season. Sure, there were moments during the season when the Cavs were questioned, but they don't play for the regular season. Sure, the Warriors dicked around all year, but when you have 2 MVP's and 4 All Stars you can get away with that. There was never a doubt in my mind. I know that I wrote the Warriors were in trouble a week ago, but I didn't pick them to lose. In fact, I doubled down. I figured they would start to care, and when they did, they provided that knock out punch. I was more skeptical of the Cavs, but LeBron did what he does, and here he is again. My son has only been alive for 6 years and he knows no one other than LeBron always in the Finals. It is starting to get that way with the Warriors too. He asked me this morning if we will see the same 2 teams he saw when he was three, and I told him yes and he sighed. This is the NBA now. This will continue to be the NBA. These are the 2 teams that everyone else will have to look up to until LeBron leaves and the Warriors can't afford their team anymore.

Since the Finals start tomorrow, I figured I would give a pick. If the Warriors don't sweep, I will be very, very surprised. They are so much better in every aspect of the game than the Cavs. The Cavs do have LeBron, who is the best player, but they can let him get his and make the rest of the Cavs beat them, just like the Pelicans series. The Cavs have no one around to help LeBron. Kevin Love is a shell of himself, and he is hurt. JR Smith has admitted how tired he is. Kyle Korver cannot hit the ocean right now. Jeff Green is Jeff Green. Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance are non factors. Tristan Thompson is a scumbag, and he is too slow to play in this series. George Hill comes and goes. They just don't have the horses to keep up with the Warriors. KD, Steph, Klay and Draymond are going to destroy the Cavs. This series is so lopsided, it should be on NBA TV. And I'm sorry saying this because LeBron is so great. He is so gassed though from carrying this team, and if he continues to play defense in the Finals like he has the entirety of the playoff, it will offset anything he does on offense. This is going to be a bloodbath, and I wouldn't be shocked id the Warriors win the first 4 games of the series by 10-15 points a piece.

Warriors in 4, no question.

Editor's Pick: LeBron gets one, Warriors in 5.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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How the Rockets are Beating the Warriors

Last night the Rockets took a 3-2 series lead on the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

I have to admit I was wrong first of all. After game one I wrote that the Warriors were locked in, and that should run away with the series now that they were actually trying. Well, the Rockets have muddied up the game, James Harden and Chris Paul, and the Rockets bench, are playing much better, and they have total control of the series. They can close it out on Saturday night, and it would not surprise me. I know that Chris Paul is officially out of game 6 with a hamstring pull, but I do not think it will matter much. I also realize that the game is in Oracle, but again, I don't think it will matter much.

The problem, after game one, the Warriors returned to how they have played this entire season. They have only really showed up when they need to, and they have played bored and careless almost all season. It is all coming back to haunt them now. After game one, they have only played one other game, game 3, where they have looked like the team that they are supposed to look like. In games 2, 4 and 5, the Warriors have looked helpless and lost. They are playing way too much isolation basketball. They are playing right into the Rockets hands. They are doing everything that the Rockets want them to do. The Warriors are letting the Rockets shoot threes. They are letting Harden get to the hoop unimpeaded. They are letting Clint Capela constantly burn them on pick and rolls. Their bench, or lack there of, is hurting them. Their old school centers are pretty much unplayable. And the Rockets are taking total advantage of all this, and more. Props to Mike D'Antoni for letting his team play like they have all year, and letting Harden run the show. Props to Harden for getting the playoff choking moniker off his back. Even if the Warriors wake up and win the series, Harden has been very solid. Props to Chris Paul for going out there, playing his game and not letting the moment get to him. I'm actually a little bummed that he is out of the next game because I want both of these teams at full strength. This series has gone the exact opposite of how I thought.

Maybe I should have seen this coming. As I said, the Warriors have lacked the killer attitude all year long. They do not seem to care, no matter how big the moment. Steph is playing better, but he is still getting exposed on defense. Every night there is a highlight of him getting shook by Harden or Paul. Klay Thompson is hurt, and has gone ice cold from the field. He cannot hit the ocean, and he is getting torched on defense. KD has been scoring a ton, but that is really it. He has a very small amount of assists. Besides game one, his defense has been mediocre at best. And he is playing far too much iso ball. Dare I say, he has become the Warriors version of Russell Westbrook. Draymond Green has been horrendous in this series. He cannot score, he is getting dunked on every night, and he keeps talking shit as if he is doing something. Even his own mom called him out on Twitter for his poor play.

The most egregious performance, at least to me, is Steve Kerr's coaching. He is being wildly outcoached by D'Antoni. His willingness to let his players play through big runs is shocking. His decision to not call timeouts has been Andy Reid bad. Then his attitude, for example his, "I feel like we are in a great situation" quote after last night's game, has shocked me. This team is on the brink, and he is acting as if it is game 30 of the regular season. And I say again, that has been the problem all year. They just do not seem to care. They look like they will be just fine going on vacation after tomorrow night's game, if they do not win. They just seem disinterested. And the Rockets are taking full advantage of it all.

Hopefully the Warriors find their mojo again, because I'd love this series to go 7. But, the way the Warriors have come out the last 2 games, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Rockets end it tomorrow night. We will just have to wait and see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Clippers Continue to Be One of the Worst Franchises in All of Sports

I want to start off today with a question.

What in the hell are you doing Los Angeles Clippers?

Look, I know that I have written about my extreme dislike for this team, but to give Doc Rivers an extensions, that is bananas. Yes, he was an okay coach at one time, although I think he gets a little inflated with his one title when the Celtics acquired KG and Ray Allen. Before that though, the Celtics wanted to fire him because he wasn't winning. And even before that, I'm pretty sure he was let go by the Magic. Rivers is a very, very middle of the road NBA coach. He has that one title, but that can only take you so far. Since he took over the Clippers, my mind has not changed on him. He had some very talented teams there, and the furthest he got in the playoffs, the second round. He had a team that had a prime Chris Paul, a never better DeAndre Jordan, and a healthy Blake Griffin, and they blew a 3-1 lead against the Rockets. And before that, there is the epic Chris Paul meltdown against the Thunder. There is the plethora of injuries that have this team bounced in the first round. There is his horrific instincts as a GM that has cost this team any semblance of a bench. His go to move as a GM was to sign guys that played the Celtics well when he coached there, but they were far out of their prime, or give his son a ridiculous contract because he's his son. Last year they got bounced by a Jazz team that was not that good in the first round, and I blame the majority of that on his coaching. They had game 7 at home, and his team laid a total egg. Chris Paul looked disengaged. Deandre Jordan wasn't being played hardly at all in critical moments, and Blake Griffin, well, he has been a shell of himself since the blown 3-1 series lead. Then this offseason, after losing Chris Paul, which Rivers did not handle well publicly, they gave Griffin a max deal. They said he would be a Clipper for life. They then went out and signed Danilo Galinari and some other dudes off the scrap heap, and the offseason chatter was that this team may be good. Well, they traded Griffin halfway through the year, Galinari was constantly injured and the guys they acquired from the Pistons, Avery Bradley and Tobias Harris, they were either hurt, Bradley, or didn't do much of anything, Harris. And they were out of the playoff picture before the year was close to done.

So, I assumed, much like everyone else, that the Clippers would relieve Rivers of all his duties, head coach included. They stripped him of player personal development and his GM duties, and I figured head coach was next. But today, they totally flummoxed me. Not only did they retain him, but they gave him a decent extension. I believe his deal lasts into the 2020's. That is insane. Do they really think this team, led by Austin Rivers and Deandre Jordan, if he sticks around, and coached by Doc Rivers will be a viable option in the West? Do they think Doc Rivers will be the guy to lure free agents like Kawhi and Paul George and LeBron to the Clipper over the Lakers or 76ers or any other team that is currently better than them? Do they really think they can reach the Finals being coached by Doc Rivers? None of that is going to happen. As long as Rivers is the coach there the Clippers will continue to be mediocre. He hasn't adjusted his coaching style to the modern game. He still lives in the past, and as I said earlier, signs guys that were once great against him, but are now trash. He will continue to give the keys to the team to his son, and his son is not a great NBA player. His teams will always hover around 38, 39 or 40 wins, but that will never be enough to be a playoff team in the West.

This is a dumb decision by a historically dumb franchise. I've been impressed with a lot of the offseason coaching moves, but this one is a head scratcher. Teams in the West will continue to pass by the Clippers, and the Clippers will return to being a laughingstock of a franchise. This move makes zero sense.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet. He also does think it is awesome how LeBron handled the MAGA hat wearing douche in his last game.

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The NFL is Filled with Cowards

If that ball does not stand up, it will be kicked out of the Backyard Football League

The NFL is cowardly and stupid and the owners and the people in charge only care about money.

I had to say it.

Today it was announced that there will be some rule changes involving the anthem protests that have been all over the place for 2 years now. This is so frustrating and makes me so very angry. The rules that they will most likely implement are, if a player is kneeling during the anthem, the team will be penalized. But they say that teams can stay in the locker room if they want during the anthem.

Excuse the hell out of me, but aren't these protesting players just expressing their right to free speech? This is a right given to us all, and the mouth breathing rednecks that voted for this current "government" are now getting their way. That is bull shit. Whenever the mouth breathers want to say whatever they want, they claim free speech. But, if a professional athlete decides that they want to kneel for the anthem, they are traitors. What a load of garbage.

Also, why does the NFL care so much about the protests? Why is it such a big deal? The NFL has much, much bigger fish to fry, but they focus on under inflated footballs and players exercising free speech. This is truly appalling. It is sickening and gross. This makes me hate a sport that I love so very much. Stuff like this makes me not want to watch the games anymore.

I fully support the players that have decided to kneel or sit down for the anthem. I am 100 percent behind Colin Kaepernick. He did it due to police violence, and now this thing has grown into something that I am proud to stand with. I don't stand for the anthem at sporting events anymore. I was just at my son's school the other day, and they played the anthem and I sat down next to him the whole time. Did the school scold me, or fine me, or put my son in the principal's office? Nope. They let me exercise my right to free speech. But, pro football players now will penalize their whole team for standing up for social injustices.

Jesus Christ this is depressing.

Roger Goodell is a spineless joke of a commissioner. He will go down as the worst commissioner in any sport ever. He always bends over backwards for the wrong people. I know, he works for the owners, but so does Adam Silver, and he takes stands with the players every time over the owners and coaches. The NBA is light years ahead of the NFL as far as supporting players and their right to express their beliefs in non violent ways. Major League Baseball is getting better than the NFL with this too, and that sport is almost as white as golf. College sports have even allowed kids to take a stand anyway they seem fit, so long as it is non violent, and none of those kids get chastised or kicked off the team. So why is the NFL so ridiculously in the bag with the owners and the people in power right now? I don't get it. The NFL is the most popular sport in the country, but people like Roger Goodell are doing everything in their power to destroy the fans will to watch the game anymore.

I said it before and I will say it again, I love football, but I am growing to despise the NFL. These proposed rule changes are so dumb. They are old school in all the wrong ways. This will make the owners feel like they are gods, like they can do whatever they want. I'm sickened by this. The fact that they are going to penalize teams for using freedom of speech is so, so, so stupid. And how have the anthem protests effected the game, or the ratings? Again, the NFL is thriving. The games are almost always sold out, at least for the top teams. During the fall, football is on most televisions across the country. I don't see many ad companies pulling from CBS, Fox or ESPN because of the protests.

What it all really boils down to, in my opinion, the owners and Roger Goodell are trying to show who is supposed to be in charge, and that is a crock of shit. I hope players still protest on the field. I hope big time guys come out and kneel during the anthem. If the NFL wasn't absolutely filled with collusion, I would hope that when/if Kaepernick got signed, the first game back, he would kneel. These players have all the right in the world to continue with their anthem protests. A 10 yard penalty shouldn't change that. And, if a coach or GM or owner thinks a minuscule little penalty is going to change the way the players protest, I think they are stupid.

The NFL is becoming awful, and it will only get worse with these proposed rule changes. This makes me so angry. Please get into the 21st century NFL. These players are people, and they have minds of their own, and they are allowed to express their freedom of speech. What an awful decision by the NFL today.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. 

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LeBron James is Not Michael Jordan Great

With his exceptional play in these NBA playoffs, the talk of "is LeBron better than MJ" has started up again. I'm here today to put a stop to this nonsense as best I can.

First off, I never thought I'd say this, listen to what Scottie Pippen has been saying. These guys are 2 different types of players in 2 different eras of the NBA, so they cannot be compared favorably. If we had done this in the past, why not bring guys like Bill Russell, George Mikan, Kareem Abdul Jabaar and Oscar Robertson, just to name a few legends, into the debate. Those guys are never brought up because of the eras they played in. So, like Pippen says, this whole MJ vs LeBron debate is moot. LeBron plays in a much softer, score as many points as you can and lets all be friendly era of basketball. Jordan played in a rough, gritty, knock you down and make sure you are hurt era of basketball. While I like the current NBA more than the 80's or 90's, I think there is no question that the 80's or 90's was tougher, with better players. Names from that era include Jordan, Pippen, Ewing, Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Magic and Bird, Karl Malone and John Stockton and Reggie Miller. If I'm not mistaken, all of those guys are in the Hall of Fame. And while there are great players now, Steph, LeBron, KD, Westbrook, Dwayne Wade and Tim Duncan, they do not hold the same weight, not yet, as the guys I mentioned from the 80's and 90's. They are, without question, better players. And while the current guys can become great, none of them, and that includes LeBron, hold the same aura as these guys from the 20th century. I'd rather have any of those guys on my team than anyone from the 21st century of NBA basketball. Yeah, I said it. So we can throw the eras out of the conversation immediately. Also, if prime MJ played in this current age of the NBA, he would average anywhere between 50 and 60 points a game, easily. Imagine MJ, with all the restrictions on defense, and his will to get better, adding the three point shot to his game, how much he would dominate. He would absolutely be a killer right now in the NBA. No question about it.

When I sit down and really think about it, really hard, there is no way that LeBron is a better basketball player than MJ. I love LeBron. I think he is great. He is definitely top 5 of all time NBA players. He has had a monstrous, and highly successful career. He has molded his game and gotten better every year. He is like a fine wine, except better. The things he is doing right now, after 15 years in the league, is undoubtedly one of the best things I have ever witnessed. So yes, I realize his greatness, but he is no MJ. LeBron has gotten fat off of horrific competition. When you look at the "toughest" teams he has had to face, teams like the Pacers, led by Roy Hibbert, before Paul George was great, or the Celtics with the rotting corpses of KG and Paul Pierce, or a super young, not yet ready Thunder team, when they had Westbrook, KD and Harden, are all over it. This isn't nearly the competition that MJ had to face. He had Starks and Ewing and the Knicks led by Pat Riley. Or, earlier in his career, the Bad Boy Pistons led by Thomas and Dumars. Or the Lakers with Magic and Kareem and Byron Scott. He faced the likes of Barkley in the Finals with the Suns. He dominated the Jazz, led by Stockton and Malone. He had to beat up on the Trailblazers when people thought that Clyde Drexler was as good as him. He dominated the Sonics led by Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton. I mean come on, the competition is not even close. Jordan had the much stiffer players and teams he had to beat, and he not only beat them, he dominated them.

Which leads me to another reason why this isn't even a debate. LeBron is friends with every other current star. Sure, he may play tough when he blocked one of Steph's shots 2 years ago, but off the court, they are buddies. This I am sure of. He has also openly admitted that some of his best friends are Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. In fact, I think the only guy he doesn't like is Dan Gilbert, and that is for good reason. I bet you he even thinks Lance Stephenson is an okay dude. MJ hated everyone, including his teammates. You may read that and think, well that makes him a miserable person. I see it differently. He expected the same amount of greatness out of his teammates, which was impossible, and not only wanted to beat his opponents, he wanted to embarrass them. He was a killer on the court through and through. He wasn't friends with Ewing or Malone. People say he and Charles Barkley were friends. I just think they gambled together. People say he was friends with Charles Oakley. No way. He just needed a body guard. Case in point of his need to embarrass players, look at the Dream Team, and what he did to Toni Kukoc in the 92 Olympics. Kukoc was the Bulls new guy that would usher in a new era of Bulls basketball, and not only did Jordan take this personally, but he convinced Pippen to as well. And boy oh boy did they dominate and frustrate Kukoc in the one meeting. It is a thing of beauty. So, while LeBron wants to befriend everyone, Jordan just wanted to win. I'll take the winner over the friendly guy any day.

Finally, back to the Pippen thing, they are 2 different types of players. LeBron wants to involve teammates and only take over when it is absolutely needed. LeBron also only goes hard on defense when there is an opportunity for a highlight play. LeBron whines a bunch, just like most other modern players, constantly to the refs. And LeBron, I say again, I think he is one of the greatest, might be the most uncoachable player in the history of the NBA. LeBron is more Magic, but a better, and much, much bigger scorer. Jordan took over from the start. Jordan did everything on the floor. Jordan was a bulldog defender. Jordan, while he veered from time to time, holds Phil Jackson and Doug Collins in high regard. But most importantly, Jordan never lost when it mattered the most. He was undefeated in the Finals. He won those Finals for the Bulls. He was the guy they went to when they needed it most. He never took games, let alone plays, off. Jordan was the perfect basketball player.

This is a pointless debate started for pointless reasons. We all want to say that we saw the best, so we will hold onto anyone at the current moment that we might think is the best. Hell, I hear people now saying that Mike Trout is the greatest baseball player ever. Slow down on that. I also hear that LeVeon Bell is the best running back ever in the NFL. Or even crazier, back to basketball, that Steph or Westbrook are the greatest point guards ever. That is all nonsense. Maybe my kids will look back and think that LeBron was the best ever, but I know that Jordan is, was and always will be the best NBA player ever. There is no debating this.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet. He also does think it is awesome how LeBron handled the MAGA hat wearing douche in his last game.

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Mike Budenholzer is the Perfect Coach for the Milwaukee Bucks

Another day, another basketball story.

It was reported yesterday that Mike Budenholzer is about to become the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. I think this is going to a great fit. The Bucks now have a coach that is really good at the X's and O's, can draw up solid offensive plays and will get them to play better defense than they already do. Budenholzer comes from the Spurs/Poppovich coaching tree. Those guys seem to do pretty well in the NBA when they become head coaches.

Budenholzer was also very successful in Atlanta until they decided that they needed to blow it up because they couldn't beat any team that LeBron James was on in the East. He had great success with guys like Kyle Korver, Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Paul Milsap and some also rans that are still in the league. Hell, he won 60 games and had 4 All Stars and was the one seed in the East one of his seasons. But, they ended up running into the LeBron buzz saw, and we all saw it coming. All those guys are gone, and so is the majority of the players he cultivated and won with. As I stated, the Hawks went into full tank mode this year. A season ago, it started, especially when they let Al Horford go to Boston. But, they still had Milsap and some other dudes, and they still made the playoffs. Then, this past offseason, they let Teague walk to Minnesota, Milsap was traded to Denver, Korver got traded midseason last year to the Cavs and they let all their youth play. That wasn't good for Budenholzer, and it showed in the play and record. The Hawks were awful this past season. They weren't as bad as Dallas or Phoenix, but they were bad. And now, they are trying to offload even more players and go full youth movement. That clearly didn't sit well with Budenholzer, and the front office mercifully let him go.

Now that Budenholzer is in Milwaukee, I think he is going to be happier, and that the Bucks are going to be very, very happy with his coaching. The one thing people keep pointing out about Milwaukee's past coaches is that they don't know how to best utilize Giannis. Well, Budenholzer will have no problem with that. As I mentioned before, he made guys like Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague All Stars. That is one hell of an accomplishment. Sure, Paul Milsap and Al Horford are very good NBA players, but they are not as good, or as young, as Giannis. Giannis is going to greatly benefit from Budenholzer's coaching. He is going to find so many ways to utilize all of his wonderful athletic tools. Giannis is on his way to being a consistent All Star and always in the MVP talk, and Budenholzer is only going to make his growth that much faster and better.

You look at the rest of the roster, and this team should thrive under his tutelage. Eric Bledsoe is a much better version of Jeff Teague. He is a better defender and just as good a point guard. I think he will finally be happy with his place in the NBA now. Thon Maker will finally be used properly, and he is going to shine. Giannis and Maker is a better duo than Horford and Milsap. Come at me. If he stays, Jabari Parker can be a much, much better version of Kyle Korver. He is not the three point shooter that Korver is, but he is a better driver and a more athletic scorer. And I have to say it again, Budenholzer turned Korver into an All Star. Think of what he will do with a player like Parker. The rest of the guys on the Bucks reads like the older Hawks roster, but the players are younger and hungrier.

Mike Budenholzer is probably the best choice that the Bucks front office could have done when hiring a new coach. He is perfect for the NBA, he knows the terrain and he has had a very good amount of success. If I were Giannis I would be thrilled. I know they met the other day to have a talk and it must have went well because Budenholzer is about to be named their next head coach. This is a big time get, and the Bucks seem like they are trying to do everything they can to keep Giannis around for a long, long time.

Great hire Milwaukee.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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With the Number One Pick, the Phoenix Suns Should Take...

The NBA had its draft lottery last night and the Phoenix Suns “won” the first pick. I did some research and found out this is the first time in the franchise’s history that they’ve ever gotten the first pick. I will do a mock draft when we get closer to the draft, but today, I just want to focus on what I think the Suns could, and should, do.

First off, there are maybe 5 guys that could be real good NBA players in this draft. The rest, some will be fine, have solid careers or be busts, as with every other draft. The 5 players that I think can be great are DeAndre Ayton, Jaren Jackson, Luka Doncic, Collin Sexton and Mo Bamba. I feel like these are the 5 guys the Suns should focus on. Also, they should not trade this pick for veterans. This team is young and building through the draft, and that is what they should continue to do. So, let’s take a closer look at these 5 guys.

First off, Mo Bamba. I like Bamba a lot. He is long and athletic. He is already a very good rim protector. He has the tools to get better on offense. But, he reminds me a little too much of Nerlens Noel. Now, Bamba will be better, he’s not so injury prone, but he is super skinny. He needs to bulk up, and to be honest, Josh Jackson is better, thicker and has a year under his belt. While I like Bamba, I do not think the Suns should take him first overall.

Next, Luka Doncic. Doncic is the European sensation that everyone loves. I don’t know much about this kid, but by all accounts, he has it all. He has also been playing professionally overseas for the past couple years. He has been playing against grown men, and playing well. He, by all accounts, is ready for the NBA right now. The problem in Phoenix, they already have Devin Booker, who plays the same position, and he is on his way to stardom. Booker is already awesome, can improve defensively and is an elite scorer. The Suns don’t need Doncic because they already have Booker. 

Number three guy, Jaren Jackson. He is the “safest” pick in the draft. He has an NBA body, can play defense, has a good high low game and is a solid rebounder. He is ready for the NBA. He has been prepping his whole life for the NBA. But, the Suns have a glut of guys at his spot. They could get rid of some of those guys, but why give up on them now? Dragan Bender hasn’t been great, but he’s like 20 years old. Marquiss Chriss is out of shape, but an offseason can change that. Josh Jackson had a solid rookie year and will continue to get better. It feels like I can go on and on. So, while Jackson is safe, the Suns don’t need him.

Number 4, DeAndre Ayton. Ayton is my personal favorite player in this draft. I know there’s questions about his defense, but this kid is an elite scorer. He is so big, so long and can stretch the floor. He is going to be a 20 plus point per night guy the moment he steps foot on an NBA floor. He is that good already. He is the new generation’s Patrick Ewing. I love Ayton. But, much like the case for Bamba, the Suns don’t need another big man. They have plenty. They make regret not taking him, but they don’t need him.

Which brings us to my last guy. He’s my dark horse. He won’t be drafted number one overall, but I think Collin Sexton is the best fit, by far, for the Suns. Sexton is an explosive point guard, who likes to pass as much as he likes to score. He’s also a solid defender. He is this year’s De’Aron Fox. He has all the tools to be a starting point guard right off the bat. And who do the Suns have at point guard you may ask? Outside of Tyler Ulis, who I like, I don’t know. So, why not take a chance on Sexton? He fits in perfectly with what they’re doing in Phoenix, and I feel like they’d love him there. Collin Sexton is who I think the Suns should go with number one overall. I know it won’t happen, but I think it’s what should happen.

Those are my thoughts on what the Suns should do with the number one pick.. We will have to wait until draft night to find out who they pick. I cannot wait.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Golden State Warriors are Pretty Damn Good

Last night was the matchup we’ve been waiting for in the NBA. The Rockets and Warriors started the West Finals. The game was good for a half. Both teams traded threes. Harden and KD were both trying to one up each other. The lineups on both sides were kind of funky. Chris Paul did his usual cheap shot nonsense. Draymond Green got a tech one minute into the game. It had the makings of what we all wanted to see.

Then the second half started and Golden State did what they do. They pushed the gas pedal and didn’t let up. Any time Houston would try and make a run, the Warriors did something to slow them down. Harden had a good offensive game, but if he plays defense like last night all series long, he’s going to get exposed. Chris Paul played fine enough. He tried his dirty tactics and made some floaters, but it wasn’t enough. Clint Capela started very fast, but looked super gassed midway through the third quarter. The Rockets bench was okay, Eric Gordon and Gerald Green hit some threes, but they could have been better. Hell, even Mike D’Antoni coached an okay game. But, the Rockets still lost by double digits, at home. That is frightening.

Golden State is almost too good. Steph Curry didn’t even have to do much of anything because of how well KD and Klay played last night. They didn’t need Draymond to score, so all he had to do was focus on defense. Guys like Javale McGee and Zaza Pachhulia barely saw the floor. Kevon Looney got more time than them, and held his own playing one on one defense against Harden and Paul. It does need to be said, KD was amazing last night. He got anything he wanted at any time he wanted. He made those pull up jumpers look easy. It was basically practice for him. He also played solid defense. Klay did what he does, and knocked down open three after open three, and played lock down defense.

I know, it’s only one game. I know things can change come game 2. The Rockets have the best record in basketball this year. They have the MVP. They have 2 sure fire future Hall of Fame players. But, if I were a Rockets fan, game one would have me terrified. The Warriors only needed 2 guys, granted it was 2 of their best, and they won with ease in Houston. That’s another thing too, Houston didn’t play all that bad, and they still got smoked. Just wait until Steph starts unloading threes, and Draymond decides he needs to score a bit, and Iguodala locks down Harden and hits open threes. It’s going to be a massacre if that happens.

I still have hope that this can be a good, hard fought, fun series. I still think it can go 6 or even 7 games. The Rockets are too good to just roll over like the Raptors. But, last night should have been a big wake up call to the rest of the NBA that the Warriors are here, they've decided it’s time to give maximum effort and they have won 2 of the last three titles. Man were they dominate and scary last night. When this team is engaged, my god are they nearly unbeatable.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Raptors are a Frustrating, and Predictable, Playoff Team

I feeling embarrassed that I had faith in the Raptors going into the playoffs this year. They had a great regular season, got the one seed in the East, changed their style of play to be more modern and just looked like a real threat. And even though Washington took 2 games from them, I was impressed by how they closed out that series. They were matched up with Cleveland, who was coming off a rough 7 game series with Indiana, and I figured they had a chance. I know I picked the Cavs, but I thought it would go 6 or 7 games.

Once the games started, and the Raptors reverted to being the Raptors. It was tough to watch. They stopped doing what was so successful all year long, and they let LeBron get in their head. They haven’t been able to beat him, and that has stuck. LeBron was amazing in this series. He had one “bad” outing, game one, but other than that, he was incredible. The Raptors had zero answer for him. They had a rookie on him, OG Anounoby, but he’s a solid defender. What was so frustrating though, they gave him zero help. He was one on one with the best player in the game right now, a rookie, and the Raptors never adjusted. I’ll never understand that as long as I live. And LeBron carried that team for those first three games. He did any and everything that was asked of him. He scored at will. He made amazing buzzer beaters. He got to the rim with ease. He was amazing.

Then, last night in game 4, he got the help he’s been waiting for. Everyone, be it JR Smith, Kevin Love or George Hill, they all contributed last night. What helped them was how poorly the Raptors came out and played last night. They were an embarrassment. They phoned it in. They gave up. They bought into the fact that LeBron owns them. Kyle Lowry was horrendous all series, and he was horrible last night. DeMar DeRozan decides it would be better to watch from the locker room and got himself ejected in the second quarter. Jonas Valenciunas was unplayable in this whole series. Same for Jakob Poertle. Serge Ibaka was a no show. Hell, the only guys who seemed to be trying where Anounoby and Fred Van Vleet. That shouldn’t be the case in a potential season ending game. They needed their best players, and none of them showed up. In fact, they all gave up. That’s sad. To lose that game, by that much, that’s pathetic.

I don’t know where the Raptors go from here. They can’t run it back because it will be fools gold again. But they also can’t really trade anyone because they won’t get a good return. I wouldn’t fire Dewayne Casey because he’s a good coach, but man does he choke in the playoffs. The Raptors are the 21st century’s version of the Sonics, but even they made a Finals appearance. This team needs to really look within and find out what they can do to compete at a higher level. After last night, they need to do a deep soul search.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Knicks Make a Surprisingly Smart Move by Hiring Good Coach David Fizdale

There were some other things that I was going to talk about today, but finally, mercifully and thankfully, the New York Knicks made a right, and proper, decision.

The announcement of the hiring of David Fizdale as their new head coach might be the best news Knicks fans have heard since they found out they were going to be able to draft Patrick Ewing. This is a big deal. This is a great hire. This is the exact guy that the Knicks need to make them relevant again. Fizdale is a great NBA coach. He has proved that at every stop. How he got fired in Memphis was a raw deal. He didn't deserve that. He did more with that team than anyone, myself included, thought. He had them deep in a series with a very good Spurs team. He made Zach Randolph better. He got Marc Gasol to fully buy in. Mike Conley became a should be All Star under him. He took marginal players, like Tony Allen, and turned them into quality players. He was also a bench coach for the Heat when they had their big three, and he did wonders with them. He and Spoelstra really figured out how to work with those three guys, and I give Fizdale a ton of the credit. He convinced Dwayne Wade that it was LeBron's team. He got LeBron to be highly efficient. He had Chris Bosh do all the little things that the Heat needed at the time. These guys listened to him because he is a players coach. He makes himself available and works with their strengths.

Now, what the Knicks have in Fizdale is a great coach that can squeeze the best out of his players. Now, they have to get more guys around him. Fizdale will do wonders with Kristaps Porzingis when he returns to full health. Porzingis is already great, but Fizdale will tweak his game ever so slightly, and he will be that much better. Frank Nkilitina will become an even better defender, at which he is already very good, and his offensive game will grow. Nkilitina is also super young, so he has a ton of room to grow. Those are the 2 guys I feel like Fizdale should build around. And, until they get some big name guys, he will squeeze the best out of the players currently on that team. Tim Hardaway Jr will become much more efficient. Fizdale will get him to stop taking so many dumb threes, and he will become a better passer. Trey Burke, who was lighting it up at the end of the year, should thrive under Fizdale. He will never be lottery pick good, but he will become a capable NBA backup, which is his best case scenario. Kyle O'Quinn can become a very poor man's Zach Randolph. He has a similar game, he just isn't as good offensively. That could change. Courtney Lee is going to be a dynamite shooter and defender under Fizdale.

The Knicks will be much better, and have a much better record in Fizdale's first season. I know that may sound crazy, because this team was awful, but they were also in tank mode at the end. They were playing guys that had no right to be on an NBA floor. Fizdale won't go for that, and he will get guys that can play. If you get a starting five out there for him that consists of Porzingis, Ntilikina, Hardaway Jr, O'Quinn and either Burke or Emmaunel Mudiay, I wouldn't be shocked at all if they are fighting for a playoff spot, especially in the East. I'd go so far as to say they could even push for a 6 or 7 seed. I could see Fizdale getting 40 plus wins out of that group.

Then, in year 2 or three, watch out. As I mentioned before, guys, stars, want to play for someone like David Fizdale. He has a very tight bond with LeBron James. Now that Fizdale is in New York, I wouldn't be shocked if they become a possible destination for him. He likely wouldn't join the Knicks, but they are now a factor after hiring Fizdale. Say LeBron chooses to stay or go elsewhere, that doesn't mean the cupboard of stars that would want to play for him would be bare. I wouldn't be surprised if Marc Gasol would go there to reunite with him. I see the Knicks as a spot for Kawhi now. I feel like he'd love to play for Fizdale. I could see a young guy that has all the tools, just needs the coaching, Julius Randle, joining to learn under a great head coach. The possibilities are endless.

I love this hire. I haven't said much good about the Knicks since this website started, because they haven't done much right, but this hiring of Fizdale is an absolute homerun. I can finally, without hesitation say, good job Knicks front office. You finally did something right, and you will reap the benefits much sooner than expected. What a solid move.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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Happy Retirement to Ichiro, the True Hit King

Ichiro Suzuki retired from professional baseball today.

I love Ichiro Suzuki. The guy was pure class, poise and one hell of a baseball player. I vaguely remember when he came into the majors how big a deal he was. He was this great hitter and had a laser arm. Right off the bat he proved that both of those things were true. The guy might be the best base hitter since Tony Gwynn, my all time favorite baseball player. He would stand at the plate, take pitches until he got one that he liked, and he'd smack it into the outfield. He was never a homerun hitter either. This guy was all about getting on base and letting his teammates knock him in. Not only was he a great hitter, he was a smart hitter. He knew what to do, when to do it and how to do it. His running hits were amazing. By this I mean, he would start to run as the pitch came in, smack it to the opposite field and almost always reach base. It was a thing of beauty.

As far as his laser arm, that was proven true immediately. I vividly remember one of his first games seeing him throw out a guy that was on second, from deep right field, with ease while that player thought he could walk to third base. The throw was an absolute dart, and the base runner was out by a mile. I was astonished. I had never seen anything like that before. It was amazing. I'm sure he used to throw guys out at first too, slower guys, who would hit liners to him in right, and he would throw another dart to the first baseman for an easy out. It has been said about pro baseball that they put some of their best, and hardest throwing players in right field, and Ichiro proved this tenfold. He was amazing to watch play defense, and that is saying something when talking about baseball. To be excited by an outfielder making a throw means that player is transcendent. That was Ichiro.

I remember when he was on that Mariners team that won something around 115 games, then getting beat in the first round of the playoffs by the Yankees. It wasn't his fault. He did everything he could to get that team as far as they could, but he is only one guy. That was the problem in Seattle, he never really got the help that he needed. He was a great leadoff guy, but that can only take a team so far. The Mariners never helped him out. Sure, they would bring in guys here and there, but it was never a guy or guys that could help. They were all at the end, or never really had it.

When Ichiro left Seattle, and I didn't know what to make of his career from there. I still loved him as a baseball player, but I thought he may have been done. But, in true Ichiro fashion, he goes to Miami, at around 40 years old, and still was banging out hits and making great throws. He, along with Giancarlo Stanton, were the only reasons to watch that Marlins team. Sure, they had other guys, but Stanton was the long ball guy, and Ichiro was the old vet on his last run. And they both had the Marlins in the playoff race for a long time during last season. Much longer than they should have been in it.

When Derek Jeter and company came in and started to dismantle the team, I didn't know what Ichiro would do. In fact, I was more interested where he would go as opposed to where Stanton would go. When he decided to return to Seattle, I was stoked. It was so fitting. It made too much sense. I loved that he was going back where it all started in America for him. Now, the Mariners aren't world beaters, not by a long shot, but it was awesome to see Ichiro in that uniform one more time.

I assumed he was going to finish this whole season out, but with him retiring effective immediately, it gave me conflicted feelings. I'm sure he is toast, but I wanted to see of he could get 100 plus hits again. I wanted to see him throw darts. I don't like MLB, but I should have watched him a bit more this first quarter of the year, had I known he was going to walk away during the year.

Ichiro Suzuki is a great, Hall of Fame player. He is the hit king. He was a classy pro baseball player. He let his game do his talking. He was never over the top or acted like he was bigger than the game. He never was a problem on any team he was on. Ichiro was a good dude. He will go into the Hall of Fame right away, deservedly so, and I think hard core baseball fans will miss him. Hell, I'm not even a hard core fan and I miss him. Ichiro was one of a kind. Enjoy your retirement.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Ichiro joins a list of great Mariners who never reached the World Series. Welcome to the club that includes Ken Griffey Jr and Edgar Martinez, two of the best ever.

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