What Now? The Day After for Ohio State

The Jim Tressel era has come to an abrupt and premature end. Say what you will, you don't just up and resign on Memorial Day because you woke up (in Florida by the way) and thought, eh I better do it today. Tressel's days in Columbus have been numbered for the past month or so. What is done is done and now it's time to move on.

Ohio State said that they will not seek a new coach for the 2011 season. Again, no shocker there. June is not the month to go out and get a big name coach. Not to mention that the NCAA has yet to rule on the Ohio State situation. Ohio State is a top 5 job in the realm of college football, but no one will jump this late in the year before the NCAA ruling has come down. It's too risky. Eventually, Ohio State will get hammered by the NCAA- once that happens, they can go out and see if any coach wants to take the reins of a battered program.

Ohio State was able to save face today- kind of. They upheld their proud tradition by getting rid of Tressel. It shouldn't have stopped there. A change in athletic director needs to happen. It probably won't. Regardless, Ohio State did what it had to do, the same as they did with legendary coach Woody Hayes.

So who's willing to take on this gig? Here are my candidates in no particular order. Remember, the head coach will not be chosen until after the 2011-2012 season.

1. Urban Meyer- ESPN Analyst

Urban Meyer is the most popular name on the list right now. He has a stellar record (104-23) at Bowling Green, Utah, and Florida. He has won two national championships in 4 years time. He is an Ohio boy. He played at UC and was an assistant at Ohio State. He said in his own book that OSU is a "dream job" for him. I personally don't think that Urban Meyer is going to jump at this. He has health issues and has stated publicly that he wants to spend time with his family. He has won at the highest level, what else does he have to prove? Will he take a chance and come home...?

2. Bo Pelini- Head Coach University of Nebraska

This name has been thrown around a lot today. I highly doubt it though. Bo is also an Ohio boy who played at Ohio State. Bo is also the coach at the University of Nebraska which is too an elite program. If Nebraska was still a Big 12 school, I could see it possibly happening. Now that Nebraska is in the Big Ten, I don't see Bo jumping to Columbus. It would be an ugly move. Bo has a good thing going in Lincoln now, and seems to be at the top of the new Big Ten. Ohio State will be ugly for the next couple of years. He can rule the Big Ten at Nebraska.

3. The Stoops Brothers- Head coaches at Arizona and Oklahoma

The Stoops brothers are also from the state of Ohio and grew up watching the Buckeyes. Out of the two, you want Bob Stoops. Bob has won a national title at Oklahoma and consistently has them in contention. He is a flashy name that brings some umph to the job. Mike Stoops is a little slower. He has built a steady program at Arizona, but doesn't have the resume of his brother. Both could make the jump to Ohio State, but I doubt Bob would do it. Bob is the coach at a power program in Oklahoma, it would be hard for him to head to Columbus. Then again, out of all the coaches listed here, Bob Stoops could easily be the one. He has been at Oklahoma for a decade. He has won it all at Oklahoma. Rumors have been swirling that he may be looking at a change in venue. This may be his chance. The question is, how comfortable are you in Norman?

4. The Little Sisters of the Poor

TCU's Gary Patterson and Boise State's Chris Petersen would be likely targets. Who wouldn't want their services after the seasons they've put together? Ohio State's President may not. Everyone remembers when OSU President Gee mocked their schedules by calling their opponents the "little sisters of the poor". Patterson has a good thing going at TCU, and is about to move into a putrid BCS conference. His TCU team beat the Big Ten Champion in the Rose Bowl last season. Patterson may also not want to come to Columbus, a final slap in the face to the crazy President. Besides, if he can keep up the recruiting, he can run the table in the Big East. Peterson on the other hand may have to think about this. He has turned Boise into a brand name. He has had great success over the past few seasons. His team is also moving into a power conference, albeit not a BCS conference. He will have to decide if now is the time to finally take a "better" job, even with the sanctions coming. Before he decides, he should call up former Boise State coach Dan Hawkins and ask him about the move to an elite team....

In the end, all of these coaches will have their names put through the ringer over the course of the year. We also can't count out interim head coach Luke Fickel. He is a long time assistant and former star player for the Buckeyes. They should be careful with that though. Remember, WVU hired Bill Stewart (a long time assistant) to replace Rich Rodriguez in order to keep the team together. Stewart will be "retiring" after the end of the 2011 season. Coaches have great success when emotions are high. Those emotions will wear off and success levels usually drop. Ohio State needs to go out and make a smart hire, someone who can rebuild a proud tradition. In the end, they could just do what they did when they hired Tressel; go find someone up and coming and snatch him up.

Maybe that person will kick Terrell Pryor off the team. He has caused enough damage to Buckeye nation....

Tresselgate- Why Ohio State Should Fire Jim Tressel

Jim Tressel and Ohio State have been good for each other. Ohio State gave Tressel the opportunity to compete for multiple BCS Titles while winning one. Tressel gave Ohio State domination in the much ballyhooed Michigan series. Tressel and the Buckeyes were a match made in heaven. For the better part of a decade, Coach Tressel has run a spotless program. He has won and done so the "right" way. We won't talk about the easy non conference games and gracious rankings given to Ohio State over the years. Tressel seemed to be doing everything right- until recent stories regarding tattoos, cars, and gold pants started to emerge.

By now we all know the accusations, so I won't waste time going into them. Instead, I will spend my time asking this question: Why hasn't Ohio State dismissed Jim Tressel?

In an age where good PR means everything to big time programs, Jim Tressel has brought negative PR and has tarnished a proud university. Forget what OSU President Gee said about TCU and Boise State. Forget about what OSU AD Smith did in the NCAA selection process for the basketball tournament. Forget it- Jim Tressel has done far more to damage the Ohio State brand.

Tressel's players were the ones who committed the violations that are currently being investigated by the NCAA. Tressel only gets talked about thanks to the emails he exchanged with a Columbus based attorney and potentially other individuals. None of these individuals appeared to be anyone from the Ohio State administration. That's why Tressel should be fired. He may be correct and he may not have done anything wrong. The fact of the matter is that Tressel appears to have covered up damning information reagarding some of his players.

A cancer that has grown out of all this centers around all of the"flip flopping" going on in Columbus and the Big Ten. First Tressel didn't know, then he knew, but didn't really know. Then the Big Ten and Ohio State fought tooth and nail to get the suspended players eligible for the Sugar Bowl where they played the fourth best team in the SEC West (which by the way OSU was 0-10 or something like that agaisnt the SEC in bowls) then later they came out and said that they shouldn't have done that. Then there are the new allegations regarding cars and players. Some players came out and said one thing before coming back later and changing stories. There is too much chaos going on in Columbus right now, and something must change.

When Bruce Pearl told the NCAA one thing then did another, he was fired. His case is more severe than Tressel's. Pearl lied to the NCAA and coahced his coaches to lie as well. He committed a cover up. Tressel is in this alone, and his allegations aren't as severe. He still appears to have committed a cover up. When coaches damage the university, they resign or get fired. Lane Kiffin got out of dodge before the NCAA came down on UT for violations he committed. Pete Carrol left USC before the NCAA came down hard on them. Coaches need to know when to leave, and if they don't, then the AD must step in. The AD should know when their coach is becoming a distraction and turning their school into a mockery. See Below...

Jim Tressel has put Ohio State in the news for all the wrong reasons. No one knows what the NCAA will do. No one knows if firing Tressel will soften the blow. No one knows. We all do know that Tressel is a distraction for Ohio State. They need to part ways with him. You are THE Ohio State University. You can have any coach you want. You are also better than this. You have enough evidence to prosecute and sentence. Do the right thing and clean house and start over. Will you be down for a couple of years? Probably. Don't let that be the only reason for keeping him. Ohio State is better than that.

Besides, the little sisters of the poor would love to play a "clean" Ohio State team.

A Sprint iPhone? Yes please?

Rumors are flying in tech circles that Sprint and Apple may be close to a deal that will bring the iPhone to the Sprint lineup of phones as early as this fall. This rumor has been around for the past two years ever since Verizon and Apple agreed to a partnership. Personally, I hope this is true seeing as how I am a Sprint subscriber. I am happy with my Android device, but come on, it's the iPhone. With all the glitz and glamour that comes with the most popular mobile device in history comes some negative baggage. In the end, I am in the camp that wants the iPhone on the Sprint network.

Pros

Sprint needs a big hit. It has been doing well over the past year or so with their impressive Android lineup. The Android device has been giving Apple a run for its money over the last two years. The addition of the iPhone will only bolster Sprint. Sprint also offers some of the lowest priced data contracts in the nation- it could provide a great price compared to AT&T and even the low priced Verizon network.

It's also a boost for Apple. AT&T is rumored to be going after T-Mobile which will add a plethora of new customers that could purchase their product. Adding Sprint to the mix is a great PR move for a company that is notorious for wanting to be in full control of their products. The iPhone is a revolutionary device that is used worldwide by millions of people. If given the chance to get an affordable contract and device, Sprint customers would jump at the chance to purchase an iPhone.

Cons

Sprint has a decent network- key word on decent. I personally have never had a problem with Sprints service. I have been able to use my Android device easily in Baltimore, Washington, Chicago, New York, rural Northern Wisconsin and many other U.S. destinations. The iPhone carriers have had many reports, most of which negative, that blast the iPhones calling and data abilities. Cities like New York, Chicago, and tech savvy San Francisco have been ranked as the worst cities for iPhone customers. AT&T has worked to correct the problem by adding more cell towers in the New York and San Francisco areas.

The problem is that the iPhone is constantly requesting data from towers. The purpose of an iPhone is to be able to have your life in your pocket. The addition of the Verizon iPhone has added to the number of iPhones on the market. No reports have surfaced relating to Verizons vaunted network taking hits. But one can assume that if Sprint adds the iPhone to their lineup, it will create more demand on cell towers- especially at a time when Americans are turning towards mobile lines instead of traditional land lines.

The truth of the matter is that we live in a smart phone/tablet world. Our traditional cell phones and computers are being phased out and replaced with iPhones, iPads, Android, and other smart devices. Carriers will get better at bolstering their mobile data networks. Cell phones have actually digressed in terms of phone talking technologies. Most mobile users use their phones for text, SMS, Email, Facebook, Twitter, and other text based communications forcing mobile phone manufacturers to create better text devices. There is nothing wrong with that. Our phones have become Star Trek like in terms of what they can do. Working in the restaurant industry has allowed me to see that. The customers that come in to our store spend most of their time on their smart phone devices. Even couples who are out on dates have their smart phones on the table or in their hands (guilty). We live in a high tech world that demands competition. To me, it's a no brainer to add the iPhone to as many carriers as possible. This forces companies that are aligned with Android to create the next best thing, and then Apple creates the next best thing....

Eh, who am I kidding- I just want a freaking Sprint iPhone. Sorry HTC Hero.

Resurgent Tide

Pardon the usual sports pun, but the hiring of Anthony Grant was a slam dunk by the University of Alabama. The longtime Donovan assistant had a nice thing going at Virginia Commonwealth up in Richmond. Grants name had been on the short list of several AD's in case a position opened up at their institutions. In 2007, Billy Donovan announced that he was leaving the University of Florida to accept the head coaching position with the Orlando Magic. The move made sense to Donovan who had spent the last decade in the state of Florida. Fresh off dual national championship seasons, the move to nearby Orlando presented him with the best scenario imaginable- a pro coaching job close to "home". Florida AD Jeremy Foley of course had to begin the search process. As we all recall, the search process did not last very long. Soon after, Donovan had a change of heart and announced his return to UF. However, during the small window that the captains chair was open, Foley reached out to a former Donovan assistant. Anthony Grant was finally being presented with his first big time job.

With Donovan back at Florida, Grant was forced to remain in Richmond. In his three seasons atVCU Grant put together a 76-25 record including two trips to the big dance. Grant also recruited many of the players featured on the 2011 VCU Final Four team. Grant also has one NBA first round draft pick on his resume. Grant certainly had VCU on the right path, as to did his predecessor and future successor.

Meanwhile in Tuscaloosa....

Mark Gottfried had built a lot of goodwill in Tuscaloosa after many successful seasons as the head coach of the Tide. However his last two years were anything but successful. His team declined an invitation to the third tier post season CBI tournament before completely collapsing in his final year. Gottfried left Alabama mid season and joined ESPN before becoming the next head coach at NC State. The good news for Alabama is that they had ample time to search for a new head coach. They found their man in VCU's Anthony Grant.

Grant's first year wasn't too terribly bad. The club was very competitive despite their 17-15 record. The 2010-2011 season was a breakout season for Alabama. Led by JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell, Alabama roared through the SEC on their way to the SEC West title. A late season loss to Florida cost Alabama an SEC title. Grant's recruiting brought in Kansas frosh Trevor Releford and a slew of other young stars to bolster a veteran squad. Alabama defeated Georgia twice in 8 days only to be delegated to the NIT.

The future for Alabama is strong. They have secured a decent recruiting class which was bolstered earlier this week with the signing of Trevor Lacey. The Huntsville, Alabama native chose Alabama over Kentucky, Kansas and local Auburn. It might be safe to say that had Alabama not had they year they had, Lacey would not have chosen to stay home. Going to Kentucky did not make sense for Lacey. He would have been slotted behind Doron Lamb on a team drowning in talent. Going to Auburn would have been a suicide move (see CJ Leslie at NC State). Alabama and Anthony Grant provide Lacey with an opportunity to shine on the college stage and play right in his own backyard. Alabama fans should be excited about the future of Alabama basketball. They will most likely never surpass Kentucky as long as Calipari is the coach, but they can year in and year out compete for silver in the SEC. Heck, they beat UK last year in Tuscaloosa. Anything can happen I guess.

Roll Tide.

God Save the King (but what name?)

Last month the world was glued to Westminster Abbey as HRH Prince William married Catherine Middleton. In royal culture, the Abbey is primarily used for three things:

1. Weddings

2. Funerals

3. Coronations

The wedding of HRH The Duke of Cambridge to HRH The Duchess of Cambridge could be considered a dress rehearsal for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of Prince Charles as king. Of course no one expects those event to happen any time soon. The Queen is 85 years old and maintains a full schedule that has never been hampered by her age. However resilient the Queen seems, she is indeed mortal. A monarchy does not have the luxury of grieving after the monarch dies. It, like the nation, marches on with the next in line ascending to power.

HRH Prince Charles is next in line to the British throne. Earlier last month, Prince Charles set a British record as the oldest living heir apparent. Charles has lived his entire life in the shadow of his mother and has been educated and trained to succeed her. It's a burden that Queen Elizabeth II knows all too well. King Edward VIII's abdication forced Queen Elizabeth's father King George VI onto the throne in a move that many say led to his early death. The role of monarch is one that is inherited, but one that is taken very seriously.

One thing that Prince Charles has to consider is his official title. Many people have already titled him King Charles III. Many Britons aren't as eager to pronounce him as such. Charles I was a victim of regicide which led to the formation of the Cromwell regime. Once the interregnum came to an end, Charles II became king. His policies caused a lot of problems in the realm, so much so that he dissolved parliament and ruled the realm by himself. He spit in the face of his nation and church by converting to Catholicism on his death bed. Prince Charles is in a bit of a pickle...

Luckily, Charles isn't his only name. His full name is Charles Phillip Arthur George. King Charles carries a lot of historical bad luck. King Phillip sounds too foreign (Spain). King Arthur makes him seem more comical than he already is- someone might compare Camilla to Merlin. The only name left is that of George. If he takes the name of his grandfather he will become King George VII. George is a strong name in British history. Americans know the name of King George III who was the last King of America. Charles would most likely not be a King George III. King George V and King George VI were both great war time leaders who were revered by Britons and other citizens of the empire.

Charles would not be the first monarch to switch his name. His grandfather (and possible future namesake) had the birth name of Albert Frederick Arthur George. He chose the name George VI to patch up the wounds left over from the abdication crisis. Ultimately the choice is Prince Charles. George VI did not grow up in the new media era. Charles would be sacrificing a lot of name recognition with his name change. To be honest though, if you're the King of Britain, do you really need to worry about people not knowing who you are?

You Cannot Be Serious?!?! American "Tennis"

The United States of America has produced some of the best tennis players in history. Sampras, Aggasi, Tilden, Connors, McEnroe, Sears are just a few of the successful American male tennis players. On the female side, we have given the world Evert, Navritalova, the Williams sisters, King, Davenport and Capriati. The United States is home to the largest tennis stadium in the world, Arthur Ashe and home to one of the most popular of the slams- the US Open. American tennis rivalries have been fierce. None more fierce than McEnroe and any line judge that gets in his way. The United States has been at the forefront of international tennis for years. Yet in the new poll released last week, no American male or female is ranked in the top ten for the first time since the 1970's. USA, USA, USA?

The causes for American downfall are too complex for my meager mind. One thing that is very clear is that the men are in more trouble than the women. Both Williams sisters have been dealing with serious medical issues for much of the past two seasons forcing them to miss tournaments. Missing tournaments doesn't allow you to collect points necessary to be highly ranked. No one can argue that the Williams sisters have been the dominant force in womens tennis for the last decade. Hopefully they will be back on the court soon and will continue their dominance for a few more years.

The mystery lies on the mens side. Looking at the latest rankings you find that the Americans highest ranked player is Sam Querry. Young up and comers appear in the rankings as well including Donald Young and John Isner (who played in the longest tennis match in history at Wimbledon). These players are known throughout the American circuit, but globally the one American who carries real weight is Andy Roddick. Roddick's career has been one of ups and major downs. Roddick rose to world number one in 2003 following his win at the US Open (his only slam). Roddick has been in the top ten for a better part of a decade, reaching 4 other slam finals. He fell to Federer in a memorable Wimbledon match back in 2009. Roddick has had success, but his career is becoming more known for his antics and misses.

McEnroe made a career out of being the bad boy of tennis. His tirades were dealt with because he was winning. Roddick's antics often times appear to be childish. Roddick is known for his temper and misdirected rage (see the multiple broken racquets). Roddick is a world class player with a lot of potential, if he can harness it. Roddick has dealt with a series of injuries that has forced him to miss time on tour. All the greats go through this, it's how you bounce back that defines you. Nadal made amends for missing nearly a whole season by coming back and dominating slams. 2007-2009 Roddick dealt with injuries that cut into his time on tour. He was still able to put together a decent resume. 2009 really saw the return of Roddick. That was the year of Wimbledon. He came so close to knocking off Federer in very, very,very long tiebreak in the sweltering London heat. He underperformed at the US Open but came out swinging in Australia in 2010. The rest of 2010 was a nightmare for Roddick. Poor showings in smaller tournaments mirrored into poor showings at the slams. Roddick can hang those poor outings on illness and injury. After all, he won 2 tournaments in 2010.

He cannot blame illness or injury on his 2011 campaign. He has been stunned in the first round of several tournament, most recently by an Italian qualifier in Rome. Roddick performs better in the later stages of the season. His worst tournament is the French Open and his overall clay court performance is certainly nothing to brag about. 2011 is young, and by all accounts Roddick is healthy. Wimbledon and the US Open (including the US Open hardcourt series) is where he has the most success. We can't write off Andy Roddick just yet. He isn't James Blake. Roddick has won the US Open and has been to the finals of other slams. Roddick must have a decent performance at Roland Garros in order to get into a good position for Wimbledon. I am not a fan of Roddick personally, but I am hoping that he can put together one last run at a slam. It has been almost ten years since an American has won a slam, it would be nice to see Roddick win another.

*He better not be playing against Andy Murray.

Launching Braintree

After nearly a year of tinkering, I think it is officially time to roll out "Braintree". I have always been impressed with President John Adams. David McCullough's biography of Adams showed this nation what an asset he was in the fight for independence. Adams had many flaws that hopefully will not show their way onto the pages of this blog. One of his strengths was his love of free speech. That is exactly what Braintree will be. It will be a place to comment on the news of the day- both sports and world events. For the summer months, we will mainly focus on the NBA Playoffs, Grand Slam Tennis, The first GOP debate, MLB, and any other events that suddenly transpire. Moving into the fall we will turn our attention to college football, MLB playoffs, the NFL (maybe), and the off year elections here in the commonwealth of Kentucky. I don't claim to be an expert on anything. I only hope to present news in an analytical yet witty way that is different from what you see everywhere else. Stories that fall through the mainstream cracks will also be looked at. Feel free to submit ideas, events, pictures or whatever you wish. The more input the better. I hope that you enjoy Braintree. Enough self promotion, lets do this.

There is No Place Like Nebraska

To many people, the months after a college football season ends consists of NFL playoffs, NCAA hoops, NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs and the start of the MLB season. To the few folks who live and breathe college football, the months after that over-hyped BCS Championship Game consists of coaching changes, recruiting scandals and of course next years schedule release. The 2011 off-season gave college football fans something else to muddle over- new conference affiliations!

The most talked about move during the "realignment" period was the move that started it all. It was no secret that the University of Nebraska was unhappy in the Big 12. Suspicions mounted early on that the Big 12 only benefited the southern members of the conference, specifically Texas schools. This suspicion can be explained in many ways. One way is that Nebraska was put in a division that was "weak". That is accurate, but only if you look at the last 2 years of the Big 12. Colorado, Kansas State, Mizzou and even Kansas had their moments of glory in the Big 12 conference. Nebraska clearly was THE school in the north division, but its power in the conference was in fact diminished, but not because of the way the conference was divided.

Another way to explain the suspicion is that the north inhibited Nebraska from getting big money games- I.E. a yearly game with Oklahoma/Texas. The overall power was in the south. Texas and Oklahoma HAD to play each other every single year. Nebraska was robbed of its annual rivalry game with Oklahoma so that the Red River Shootout could take precedent. Nebraska was also losing out on exposure thanks to the Big 12 media rights. Texas and Oklahoma got a lot more in terms of national publicity much to the chagrin of Husker nation.

Suspicions are usually developed to take fans minds off of the brutal truth- that truth is that Nebraska just wasn't competitive overall in the Big 12. Fans will fire back, hey we have to play a weak schedule and that makes us weak. The 'weak because of our schedule' bit doesn't add up. Nebraska won the last 4 Big Eight championships (and some national titles) before switching over to the Big 12. The trend didn't stop there though. Nebraska won the second Big 12 championship game on the way to winning national title number 3 for Coach Tom Osborne. Under Frank Solich, Nebraska won the conference title two seasons later. Solich even coached the Huskers to the 2002 BCS Title Game where they got thumped by Miami.

Nebraska's problems began after that BCS title game. Solich was fired as head coach in 2003 after his team went 9-3 (losses to Mizzou, Kansas State, Texas). Nebraska panicked after the short success of Bob Stoops at rival Oklahoma. They needed to make a splash and abandon the the things that made Nebraska "Nebraska". They went out and hired Super Bowl runner up Bill Callahan. His arrival in Nebraska was similar to that of Billy Clyde to Kentucky. Callahan promised change. AD Steve Pederson promised that Nebraska would not tolerate mediocrity any longer. His promise was kept. Callahan only had two winning seasons during his time in Lincoln. Callahan had lost games, the fan base, and even the beloved black shirts. Callahan was fired in 2007 and Bo Pellini was brought in to right the ship.

Pellini had instant success in Lincoln. He brought back the black shirt defense of the past (and the actual black shirts) and brought some much needed attitude to the head coaching position. Nebraska's offense hasn't been terribly flashy during his tenure. The most notable names during Pellinis tenure are Ndamukong Suh and Prince Amukumara, both defensive beasts. Nebraska appeared in the Big 12 championship game 2/3 years Pellini has been head coach. The attitude was back in Lincoln.

Nebraska used to be the top dog before going through a period of stagnation. Nebraska could still be a player in the Big 12. Competitiveness on the field isn't why Nebraska left. They left for greener pastures financially. Nebraska is a mid-west state which seems foreign in the Texas dominated Big 12. The Big Ten has something that the Big 12 doesn't- the Big Ten television network. Nebraska will be given permanent exposure to a large television audience in all sports, not to mention the added revenue. Entering the Big Ten allows Nebraska to strengthen its recruiting force in the Mid-West. Head Coach Bo Pellini is an Ohio native, and often dips into Ohio to snatch recruits. Nebraska will keep its Texas recruiting ties at least for a few years until the Big 12 dries those pipelines up. Recruiting to Nebraska will be easier when you look at the schedule- Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State and in 2016-2017 Tennessee. You will be playing in the largest stadiums in the nation week in and week out. The move to the Big Ten is a move that brings Big Red home.

In the end, it makes sense for Nebraska to be the twelfth member of the Big Ten. Is Nebraska the power it was in the 90's? Absolutely not, but neither is Michigan, Florida State, and Penn State. Powers go through periods of transition. Nebraska seems to be coming out of that recession. Nebraska never was at home in the Big 12. No longer will Nebraska have to worry about that. The fans too get what they want- a "tougher" schedule. The Big Ten is not the SEC, but by adding Nebraska, they easily become the second best conference in the nation. Nebraska will force the Big Ten to evolve. Michigan has a new coach that brings some west coast flare to Ann Arbor. Tressel will likely be run out of town paving the way for a young new mind to come in while Joe Pa's days in Happy Valley are coming to an end. Perhaps the addition of Nebraska will help to resuscitate the image of the Big Ten nationally. It will never surpass the SEC, but maybe one day the Big Ten can compete toe-toe with the SEC at the highest level. I guess we will just have to sit back and watch.

Beat Ohio State.

The Decision and the Apology: The Maturation of LeBron James

Last summer LeBron James made "The Decision". He did so on ESPN during primetime. The event was hyped and full of promotion. LeBron did one noble thing that night. He donated all of the proceeds of his primetime spectacle to charity. The Decision marked the end of his time in Cleveland and ushered in the new era in Miami. James teamed up with Team USA teammate Chris Bosh and headed to South Beach to bolster a revamped Heat with Dwayne Wade leading the charge. Of course the city of Cleveland was angry at this decision. They were mad that the hometown boy left home. Many people around the country were mad at how the decision was made.

No one has any objections to a professional team adding powerful components to their lineup in order to win. Winning teams bring in money, and all pro teams are out to bring money. The New York Yankees have been called the evil empire by many of their critics. It's an unfair nickname. Granted, I am not a Yankee fan. I do not get mad over the fact that they load up with all stars every season. Baseball lacks a salary cap. They are doing what they can to win- which is the purpose of professional sports. I have nothing against the Heat. They have proven in this postseason that they can win with 3 really good players and a cast of secondary players. The team has gelled and they are fun to watch. My problem lies with LeBron James.

LeBron James isn't a one man show. We all learned that during his time in Cleveland. LeBron wants to win. The ownership in Cleveland wasn't listening to its star player. Many could argue that LeBron always gets what he wants. That he has been coddled as a player. That certainly wasn't the case in Cleveland. Cleveland got greedy. They built a team around LeBron. However, they didn't give him the keys to win it all. The money they gave him was justified because of the money coming in (how many Cavs games were sold out this season?). Cleveland could have kept LeBron had they made more of an effort in the last 2 years to build a winning ballclub. Firing the best coach you have had in a while to keep LeBron was a selfish move. Obviously it didn't work.

So where is the problem? Cleveland seems to be at fault in all of this. They had every oppurtunity to keep James. They chose not to. They chose to milk the cash cow that is LeBron Inc. The problem lies with LeBron's attitude in all this. He dragged out the most obvious of decisions. Instead of simply announcing that he was leaving Cleveland, he decided to go for the throat. But the throat of who? He went for the throat of Dan Gilbert. It worked though. Everyone remembers Dan Gilbert's outrageous letter he released once James left town. I can understand why Gilbert wrote that letter. He never should have published it. The letter was written out of anger.

The Decision was dramatic in the sense that we all had to watch the event unfold. Cities like Chicago, New York and Miami took out huge ads in the local papers. When I was in Chicago last summer, a private citizen put an ad on a billboard on Michigan Ave. begging James to come. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared in a youtube video begging James to come. The problem is "The Decision". He didn't just hold a press conference in Akron that was open to all the media. Instead he flew to Connecticut and held a private ESPN only event that gave the worldwide leader exclusive access to the news. The hour long special dragged on and on and on as they showed highlights of LeBron's career. Then at the end, he said- Miami.

So here we are- May 11, 2011. Redemption day for LeBron. In beating Boston (with Miami) he is able to put to bed some of his demons. For LeBron to fully apologize, all he needs to do is win a title. Once he wins it, he can freely admit he could never have done it alone. That's all I want. I want for him to stop "Witnessing". Professional sports is about winning. Beating a beliguered Boston team in the second round isn't winning. You are an NBA All-Star and the "heir apparent" to Jordans crown. Don't collapse at half court and act like you just won the title when all you did was to vindicate old demons from your past. Professional sports is about winning as a team. Superstars always play with emotions. Sometimes those emotions make them look foolish. Think Rooney or Rodman.

What's my point? My point is that LeBron James is quite possibly the best professional player in the game right now. He commands enourmous audiences and has put a brand on this generation of NBA viewers. For him to reach the next level, he has to win an NBA title. Winning it this year would go a long way in changing my opinion of him. I still think he acts like a child sometime. Coming pro out of high school does not allow for much maturation. LeBron has matured, but his quest for a ring has crippled his maturation. The media (and people like me) are to blame for this. He has been under enormous pressure since entering the league. Winning a title will silence his critics. Winning it with the Heat will show that he can be a team player. The LeBron of Cleveland will be dead. The new LeBron (that he himself talked about in "The Decision" )will take flight as the LeBron of Team USA that envisioned joining forces with Wade and Bosh and reaching for their collective dreams together. Win it this year, and "The Decision" will be forgotten. No apology will be needed. Winning a title as a team will show the world that LeBron James isn't the best player in the league. It shows the world that LeBron James is the next Michael Jordan. Jordan couldn't win it alone. He had the help of Rodman, Pippen and others. Win the title this year and no one will remember the James of Cleveland, just like no one remembers the Jordan of Washington.

Basketball. Basketball. Basketball. Thank God.

They say that time makes the heart grow fonder- or something like that. Indeed, it has been a long time since I have posted on the blog. It's safe to say that a lot has happened. Let's get to it....

Kentucky goes to the Final Four

No one could seriously have predicted this outcome. Sure last years team was a good pick and next years team is all but a shoe in. The 2010-2011 squad was certainly not final four caliber. Forget about it. The Cats put together an impressive postseason romp through the SEC Tournament that carried over all the way to Houston. The wins against Ohio State and UNC were impressive. I think that the Newark bracket sweet 16 and elite 8 games were more entertaining and challenging than final four. The Cats of course came up short against a UConn team that walloped them in Maui back in November. All in all, it was a great ride for the Cats. JORTS!

Jorts is joined in the draft by Knight and Liggins

Josh Harrellson enters the draft as the only senior on the team. Joining him are freshman PG Brandon Knight and junior swingman Deandre Liggins. Jorts is an interesting pro prospect. He probably won't get picked in the draft. He will more than likely be allocated to the free agency market and take his chances with the summer workouts. Knight will most certainly be a top 5 if not top 10 pick. The wildcard is Liggins. I like Liggins, but he NEVER struck me as a pro prospect. He has an upside- his defense. However he only really has one year of work. The argument could be made that Knight only has one year of work too. The difference is that Knight has talent. Liggins has talent too, but he doesn't have "it". Liggins will probably be taken in the late second round or left to test the free agent market. Either way, he will be making money pro somewhere in the world.

I know I just defended Knight in comparison to Liggins. The truth is, I am not convinced that Knight will be "explosive" in the NBA. Don't get me wrong, I think he will do just fine in the league. Kentucky fans should not get delusional and think that this is going to be the second coming of John Wall.

The NBA Playoffs

I have always been a huge fan of the playoffs. This year is different. This is the first season that I have followed wire to wire. I've become addicted. Thanks to my Chicago girlfriend, I have adopted the Bulls as my "team". I wish I wouldn't have been corrupted by her because I have also developed a crush on Indiana. We were able to go watch the Bulls play the Pacers in Indy. If you have never been to an NBA game, you need to go. It was my first NBA game and I absolutely loved it. This years NBA Playoffs has been exciting to watch because of all the "other" teams stepping up.

Dallas has had a crazy post season run that includes a beatdown of the Lakers. Memphis went from being winless into the playoffs to being tied 2-2 and 2 games away from going to the west finals. Oklahoma City is on a mission after being bounced by LA last season. Rondo dislocated his elbow and came back to try and take down the mighty Heat. Then there is the Bulls. The Bulls Pacers series was nerve-wracking and exciting to watch. The fun continued as the tenacious Hawks pestered the Bulls into a game 6 tomorrow night. A lot of great storylines to follow which makes me think- who needs football? NFL that is....