Five columns I won't be writing in July

Channing Frye, Blazer savior
"In an offseason that has featured big-name free agent rumors, trade proposals for superstars, and the overwhelming desire to desperately make the Blazers better, Kevin Pritchard once again showed that he has the guts to make all the right moves. Pritchard made a bold statement to Blazer fans: that he was committed to bringing in the best talent and making the Blazers a championship contender.

That's why today, Portland celebrates the re-signing of Channing Frye.

The missing piece was sitting on the Blazers' bench all along, and now fans are giddy with excitement over the future with a core of Roy, Aldridge, Oden, and Frye."

The Chicago Way: How a team of malcontents can re-take the division
"Another broken Gatorade cooler was all the Cubs needed.

It seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Cubs would implode this season. Milton Bradley was connecting more with clubhouse equipment than with pitches, Carlos Zambrano was having his yearly meltdown, and Lou Piniella seemed to be wishing he was back relaxing in Tampa Bay.

So how did a team with so many internal problems suddenly leapfrog the Cardinals, Brewers and Reds in the National League Central standings? By playing to their strengths: anger, fear, and intimidation.

The brass knuckles in the dugout didn't hurt either."

72 hours with David Kahn
"I knew it was a risky idea when I came up with it, after all, the Timberwolves GM was notorious for taking big risks and putting his own livelihood in peril. Rumors that, while he was working at NBC Sports he personally hired Isaiah Thomas as an analyst didn't help to quell my concerns.

Nevertheless, I felt that I could handle my own with him over the course of the next few days. I packed my tape recorder and notebook and met up with him in Las Vegas.

And that's when things got weird."

Budden vs Jay-Z, the battle is on
Lost in the commotion of the Brandon Jennings/Joe Budden chat transcript was the little tidbit by Budden that he wasn't particularly fond of Jay-Z.

Well, Lebron caught wind of these statements, passed it along to his good friend Mr. Carter, and hip-hop's next great feud had begun."

NFL Preseason Countdown
Only a month away!!!

The disappearing local sportscast, and what can be done to save it

Go watch your local news, wait for the sports segment, and pay close attention.

It's OK, do it. I'll be fine until you come back. Just make sure you intently watch the sports segment. Any local news will be fine, I don't care if they sports guy's name is Joe or Bill or Skip or Big Dogg, it makes no difference (more on that later).

So go watch. I'll be waiting right here.

...

Back so soon? That was quick. All right, now tell me what you remember about it. And not just bland descriptions of the anchor or the set, tell me what really jumped out at you during the sports segment. What story really grabbed your attention?

Hey, don't lie to me! The MLB scores didn't interest you, you already saw those on ESPN.com before coming here (thanks for visiting!). And don't tell me you were mesmerized by basketball highlights from the same angle as when you saw them on FSN earlier.

The fact remains that, for the most part, there is nothing memorable about the sports segment of your local newscast. You know it, I know it, the viewers know it, the TV producers know it, hell, even the sports anchors know it.

It's no secret within the TV industry that the sports segments are being scaled back further and further, resulting in smaller segments of only two minutes, or in some extreme cases, no regular sportscast at all. In fact, in some markets with stations that each broadcast 4 newscasts a night, sports is often only featured in one or two of them.

Sports on local newscasts is disappearing, but it's only because of the domino effect that news stations themselves created. There have been, and still remain, opportunities to make the sportscast relevant on local news again, but it is because of an unwillingness to embrace change, or financial woes, or a decidedly wrong approach by stations, that will make the return of a sportscast an uphill battle.

Local newscasts make their living off the weather.

Nowhere else can people of a given city get such in-depth analysis of their conditions; not on the Weather Channel (which must focus on a whole country), and not online (which doesn't devote itself to hyper-local weather). So, because of this, viewers turn their eyes and advertisers turn their dollars toward the local evening news because of the weather. Ratings and money are made there.

So naturally, a news station will want to maximize off of that fact, putting three weather segments into a half-hour newscast. This, in turn, takes away time for other segments, most likely sports. Sports segments get the lowest ratings, and therefore make the least money, and therefore are the first to get the axe.

BUT, sports segments are routinely low-rated because of the choices made regarding their content.

Looking at multiple sports segments from various local newscasts across the country, it's hard to distinguish one from the other. The stories, the look, and the feeling of the segment never seems to change. In a world that offers more options for sports news that ever before, local sports seems stuck in neutral, doing the same-old, same-old.

First, the stories: As I mentioned earlier, sports segments are getting shorter, which doesn't leave much time to devote to stories anymore. As such, sports departments seemingly give up and pick from the usual, tired stories they tend to recycle. MLB scores and highlights, two plays from a high-school football game, sound bytes from a prearranged press conference or media day. Basically, there's nothing you haven't already seen hundreds of times before. Because of smaller sports blocks or less desire for good stories, sports segments don't do much to make things unique.

Second, the anchors: The stereotype, and often real template, of sportscasters is the loud, brash, cocky type. You know those guys - they usually have a nickname or a catchphrase, but mostly they just have a general smugness about them. Stations want their sports guys to be someone you would "want to have a beer with." Why do stations insist on having these be the guys to give us our sports stories? I wouldn't want to be in a room with one of these guys for more than five minutes, let alone watch their sportscast. What's really important in a sports anchor isn't personality, it's about being able to tell a story through the lens of sports. A good sports anchor makes you care about what you're watching, and thankfully, many stations are moving toward legitimate reporters being the sports anchors.

But again, because of content, there is nothing that viewers will find unique and interesting. Sports segments are short, and there doesn't seem to be a genuine need for in-depth stories anymore.

I spoke once to a sports anchor, and he told me that when he first arrived at his current station, he wanted to do the profile pieces, the in-depth stories, things that people might care about or find interesting. But within months of his arrival, he found that there wasn't time or money to devote to those in-depth pieces.

But would you abandon intelligent, in-depth stories for news? Of course, not. News' essential function is to make the public more informed. So why deprive the public of information about sports?

THERE ARE IMPORTANT SPORTS STORIES OUT THERE, they just need to be found. Of course viewers won't tune in if all you do is scores and highlights, that's why you need to give them something useful and informative, something that shows how sports affects the local community.

In Portland, for example, the topic of the minor-league baseball stadium relocation became an extremely divisive issue among citizens. And yet, the local news limited its coverage into when town hall meeting would take place, or where the proposed sites were. What was missing were stories about the Beavers' history in Portland, stories about the successes and failures of past attempts at building stadiums, stories about residents who would be affected by any relocation attempts.

There are stories out there. Galen Rupp is the biggest star at the biggest track school in the country, let's learn more about him and his upcoming decisions as a professional. Use the medium of TV to show this kid in ways that newspapers can't, like where he gets his extra kick in tight races.

There are stories out there, but dedication and commitment need to be shown by sports departments and news directors to allow those stories to be told.

As it stands right now, in many markets the local sports coverage is limited. These local stations can get closer to their hometown teams and players than any other media outlet can, but we don't see anything unique come out of that access.

I've seen it firsthand, how reporters will go through the weekly grind, asking the same athletes the same questions and framing their responses the same way on TV that night. These reporters, so tired of doing the same thing every day, latch on to any sound byte outside the mundane, not realizing that it is their questions and disinterest that spawns the banal responses. Interesting stories aren't sought out, jettisoned in favor of the easy, the predictable. It's a pattern that continues on and on.

And if the pattern continues much longer, something else will be predictable: the continued decline and disappearance of the local sportscast.

But all it takes is someone with the courage to move forward and embrace the progress of the medium. If local sportscasts want to become relevant again, they must break the pattern of sameness. Take risks on unique stories.

It couldn't hurt.

Makes sense, Portland

Finally, someone with an outside perspective can address the Portland stadium fiasco:

A stadium lesson from 3,000 miles away - The Oregonian

Draft Notebook 2009

I really wanted to write a running diary on the 2009 NBA Draft. I really did. Thursday night I sat down with my notebook, flipped on ESPN, and began recording my thoughts on the festivities.

And at the beginning, there were some great moments: David Stern looking a little tipsy but unafraid to play around with the crazy New York fans, the awkward kiss/hug James Harden received from a sleazy agent-looking guy, Hasheem Thabeet's platinum-colored suit.

But after a while, something happened - it got kind of boring.

After Stephen Curry was picked by the Warriors at no. 7, the talent level seemed to drop off, and I had a hard time finding any enthusiasm to muse about Gerald Henderson to the Bobcats or Terrance Williams to the Nets. The weakness of the draft class became more evident after the Curry pick, and you found yourself wondering if most of the guys would even make an impact next season.

The league was grasping at straws trying to hype the Draft anyway. Blake Griffin is a great player, but he has the personality of a two-by-four and his selection at no. 1 by the Clippers was more ho-hum than exciting (mostly because Griffin seems like a guy Zach Randolph will turn into a wingman when he goes out to Club Exotica). Ricky Rubio is a young kid who might not even come over to the US. Other than those two and Curry, there wasn't much to be excited about, and it finally became apparent as the Draft went on.

Overall, this will be a forgotten draft in a few years. We all knew there wasn't much star power going into it, but it's hard to see some of these guys even contributing in the future. Rubio might be something, Griffin and Curry will be something, but other than that, most of the rest of the field will probably become fringe role players or out of the league altogether.

DeMar DeRozan and Terrance Williams can't shoot; Jonny Flynn is too short for a legit point guard, let along a shooting guard like Minnesota plans; and I don't know why, but Jordan Hill seems like the type of player who will become mediocre simply because he plays for the Knicks.

The analysis of the picks further showed how weak they were: Shooting guards were being described as needing to improve their shooting. Big men were needing to improve their rebounding. I don't remember the last draft where so many players who averaged less than 10 points a game were picked in the first round.

And on top of that, many teams were picking international players simply to stash them overseas, just so they wouldn't have to pay money to a weak crop of American players. That has to say something.

It was stronger than the 2000 Draft, but not by much.

So eventually, I abandoned my plans for a diary due to boredom, laziness, and my desire to not seem like a Bill Simmons rip off (his diary is better, anyway). But along the way, there were a few entertaining moments.

-When the Kings took Tyreke Evans at no. 4, I wrote "looks like the race for Rubio is wide open!" In my mind, there was no way that Minnesota was going to take Rubio, because he would have no one outside of Al Jefferson to pass to. Who else is there, Ryan Gomes?

The Wolves has just traded their only perimeter threats in Mike Miller and Randy Foye, so I thought that it was a no brainer that they would take Stephen Curry and either a big man or swingman with picks 5 and 6. Curry would've easily be an upgrade over Foye because he is a better shooter. Either way, though, I thought Minnesota was in great position with two consecutive picks.

Then they picked Rubio.

Who was he going to pass to? Unless they traded for a scorer, Rubio's talents would go to waste. Rubio even knew it, too. The way he looked as he walked across the stage, you know he was thinking "hell, Memphis doesn't seem so bad."

Then they picked Jonny Flynn.

"What???" I wrote at the time. Who was running the show in Minnesota? The Wolves were trying to be clever and original, it seemed, but in reality a team cannot be successful when both players in their backcourt are 6-foot or shorter. I think Flynn got too much hype because of the big multiple-overtime game for Syracuse, but he especially won't be able to score with NBA 2-guards on him. Minnesota screwed up two consecutive picks as badly as they could have.

- David Stern was at the top of his game that night. Sure, he was sloshed, but he didn't seem to care at all, which made it even better. He bantered a little bit with the crowd, screwed up the same pick announcement cadence he's been using for 25 years, and I think he even hiccuped once.

He's also stil trying to link the NBA and WNBA, stating that Madison Square Garden was the "home of the Knicks and Liberty." Oh David, you keep trying so hard...

- Tyler Hansbrough had the look of a man who had just pulled one over on the entire country when he was picked by the Pacers at no. 13. He just duped a franchise into paying him 1.5 million guaranteed while be slaps, claws, and bites ankles in garbage minutes. He should feel proud.

- Brandon Jennings! I knew one of the kids from "Hoop Dreams" would make the NBA someday!"

- Austin Daye ended up being the only Zag drafted Thursday, which was expected. In retrospect, I, like every other Zag fan, overvalued the other Gonzaga entrants in the draft. Micah Downs really didn't have the talent to compete, Josh Heytvelt lacks the toughness of a true post and the athleticism of a perimeter big man, and Jeremy Pargo was low on the totem pole in a point guard-heavy draft.

Somewhere out there right now there's a Zag fan throwing a fit on an online message board because he thinks Heytvelt would be a sure thing, and he knows for sure that he'll make a summer league roster and find his way to the NBA. But I just don't see it happening for him or the other two. Pargo doesn't give you anything different from any other point guard in the draft, and Heytvelt would be eaten alive by the big, strong, athletic bigs in the NBA. Omar Samhan is not good practice for the NBA.

- Poor Knick fans. They miss out on Rubio, they miss out on Curry, and they're stuck with a guy in Jordan Hill who isn't going to make the team all that better next year. I don't blame them for getting drunk and heckling Adam Silver. He seems like the type of guy who needs to be heckled, anyway.

There were plentyy of quality moments this year, but nothing that is going to stick in fans' minds for years to come. There was no Penny Hardaway and Chris Webber switching hats, no bold statements in the interviews, no crying (sad or happy), and really, no personaloty. Like the draft class itself, the moments won't be leaving any lasting impressions.

By the way, myself and Kevin O'Brien of The Ex-Call Taker were going to team up for a live draft chat, but those plans fell through. Instead, he sent me 10 questions to answer about the draft, which you can check out right now over at his site.

Gone Draftin'

I lack wireless Internet or a long enough Ethernet cable, so I'm not even going to attempt trying to blog while watching the NBA Draft. So from 4:30 Pacific time on, I'm going to be glued to the TV, and you'll just have to wait until later for my thoughts

A bit of bad news first, Kevin O'Brien of The Ex-Call Taker got called out on emergency business, so unfortunately we won't be getting together for a live Draft Chat. My apologies for the dozens of you out there who were gleefully looking forward to it. We will be teaming up later, though, as Kevin is going to send me 10 Draft Questions after everything is all said and done. I might just throw out a draft diary tonight as well.

I will be checking my e-mail throughout the day, so feel free to send me your draft questions (or questions on anything else) at stevensandberg@hotmail.com, and I will be happy to answer them. The best of the best will be featured on the site throughout the day.

But before we look toward the future that the NBA Draft represents, we need to look at the past ... week.

Here's everything in linked form, just to get you caught up on what's happened around here and elsewhere in preparation for the NBA Draft.

-Meet Your Longshot NBA Draft Prospects:
Josh Heytvelt
Jeremy Pargo
Micah Downs
Austin Daye

-The worst NBA Drafts since 1995

-The Ex-Call Taker's look at prospects for Golden State

Blazer's Edge is run by more competent people than me, so therefore they will be running open Draft Threads.

Have at it!

Portland Trail Blazers' draft history, 2000-present

With Draft Day 2009 rapidly approaching, I thought I'd take a look back in time at the Blazers' draft picks. I've decided not to talk much about jobbers like Nedzad Sinanovic, Ha Seung-Jin, or Sergei Monia, despite how hilarious they were, and focused simply on the first-round or high-profile picks.

Nowadays, it seems that the Blazers use the draft to make trades to retool the roster, rather than relying on their draft potision alone. But before Kevin Pritchard took the GM job, the Blazers had a dubious draft history in the 2000s, picking duds and missing out on stars like Chris Paul. It took two special GMs to screw up as many opportunities as they did. Bob Whitsitt and John Nash, everybody!

2000 - Erick Barkley, St. Johns
Sat on the bench for two years, then shipped out for nothing. What a throwaway pick! In college the guy shot less than 40% and averaged only 4.5 assists per game, he also had an assist/TO radio of 1.8! Who thought this guy would even turn out OK?


2001 - Zach Randolph, Michigan State, and Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, Georgetown
After breaking out in the 2003 playoffs, Randolph won the Most Improved Player award in 2004. But, like so many other young, up-and-coming Blazers at the time, he developed a fondness for trouble (and in Randolph's case, strip clubs). If someone wants to go to a strip club on occasion, that's their business. Just don't do it when you say you are on leave to attend a funeral.
He was also fat, unathletic, and became a black hole on offense, more concerned with his own stats than his team's play. As New York and Los Angeles found out, old habits die hard.
Boumtje-Boumtje is most known for getting a basketball thrown at his head by Rasheed Wallace in practice.

2002- Qyntel Woods - Northeast Mississippi CC
HE WENT TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE! AT LEAST HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS STILL HAVE PROMISE!
Woods was supposed to be the shooting guard of the future, based on his play against washed-up never-will-be's at community college. Oh, he also staged dog fights and once presented his basketball card as identification when he was pulled over.

2003- Travis Outlaw, Starkville (MS) High School
The guy is a human question mark. He's gone from benchwarmer, to bust, to The Future, to inconsistent, to clutch performer, to trade-bait, in six years. The jury's still out on if he really is the right small forward for the Blazers.


2004- Sebastian Telfair, Lincoln H.S (Brooklyn, NY)
New York high school basketball prodigy + insane hype + book deal - shooting ability - ability to run offense = traded in 2 years.



2005 - Martell Webster, Seattle Prep, and Linus Kleiza, Missouri So.
Webster apparently has a great shooting touch, but because of injuries, minutes, and inconsistency, we haven't seen the whole package yet. Webster was predicted to have a breakout year in 2008-09 but hurt his foot and played only 1 game (and re-injured his foot). Will we ever see him put it all together?
Kleiza was traded to Denver for Jarrett Jack, a move that looks worse and worse as the years go by. Jack never ended up fitting in the Portland system and was traded, while Kleiza turned into a decent role player and 3-point shooter for the Nuggets.

2006 - Tyrus Thomas, LSU, and Randy Foye, Villanova
Through wheeling and dealing, were turned into rookie of the year Brandon Roy and rising star LaMarcus Aldridge. So essentially, the Blazers' most successful draft picks! Sergio Rodriguez was also acquired through a draft-day trade, but aside from some glimpses of promise, he doesn't seem to be in the Blazers' plans.

2007 - Greg Oden, Ohio State
(Laughs nervously)









2008 - Brandon Rush, Kansas
"Great," I said on draft day. "We drafted a young shooting guard to play behind our young superstar shooting guard (Roy) and our Spanish import shooting guard (Rudy Fernandez). Great move." But then on draft day, the Blazers shipped Rush and Jarrett Jack to Indiana for the rights to Jerryd Bayless. It's still to early to tell with Bayless. He's got the determination, but he never got the consistent minutes to showcase his game. One thing's for sure, if he can't learn to run the show as a passing point guard on occasion, he's going to find life with the Blazers very difficult.

As for 2009, no one seems to know what the Blazers are up to. Some sources say they're looking to trade out of the first round. Others say they're trying to move up in the draft. Whatever way the draft turns out, one thing is clear: if the Blazers decide to draft or acquire another young point guard, they'd better be sure that the sixth time's the charm!

Sandberg on Sosa

Ryne Sandberg that is. The Hall of Fame second baseman and former Cub told ESPN Radio that he doesn't think that Sammy Sosa belongs in the Hall of Fame.

This coming in the wake of the news that Sosa was revealed to have tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs in 2003.

As a quick side note, someone once said that one of the best ways to be credible is to identify your inherent bias, understand that it's there, and try to work your best with that understanding. Yes, Ryne Sandberg shares my last name (no relation), and yes, I've been a big Cubs fan. I've attempted to place those aside as best I could.

When I first heard of Sandberg's comments today, I was taken aback. Ryno was never an outspoken guy; he always went to the ballpark, did his job, and went home without much fuss. So to hear him flat out say that he doesn't think Sosa belongs in the Hall, it came as a bit of a surprise.

But Sandberg was never a guy to speak just to stir up controversy, which makes me view his statements as more credible and objective. To have him come out and speak against Sosa like this means that Sosa's misdeeds are something he takes seriously.

If there was one thing about Sandberg that defined his personality as a ballplayer, is that he understood and embraced the integrity simplicity of the game. In his autobiography "Second to Home," he spoke at length about how hard work and dedication meant more to him and benefitted him than anything else.

In 2005, at the height of the steroids scandal with BALCO, the Barry Bonds case, and more, Sandberg was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and in his induction speech he talked about what the game meant to him, and how it should be treated by every player:

"My managers like Don Zimmer and Jim Frey, they always said I made things easy on them by showing up on time, never getting into trouble, being ready to play every day, leading by example, being unselfish. I made things easy on them? These things they talk about, playing every day, that was my job. I had too much respect for them and for the game to let them down. I was afraid to let them down. I didn't want to let them down or let the fans down or my teammates or my family or myself. I had too much respect for them to let them down.

...But Harry, who was a huge supporter of mine, used to say how nice it is that a guy who can hit 40 homers or steal 50 bases drive in a hundred runs is the best bunter on the team. Nice? That was my job. When did it become okay for someone to hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game?

...A lot of people say this honor validates my career, but I didn't work hard for validation. I didn't play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that's what you're supposed to do, play it right and with respect.

If this validates anything, it's that learning how to bunt and hit and run and turning two is more important than knowing where to find the little red light at the dug out camera."

There are always people who will spew endless talk about steroids. Talk show hosts, TV personalities, columnists can drone on and on about PEDs what what should be done, who belongs in the hall, etc.

But I respect Sandberg's words over all of them

It seems like the people who's words would truly matter on the subject of steroids - the former and current players and managers - routinely clam up on the subject, when in fact their opinions would be valid, both in defense and opposition.

So when Ryne Sandberg - someone who played with these players, understood baseball, and shown immense respect for the game - speaks his mind on the subject, that's an opinion I take seriously.

The ever-optimistic Bucks

ESPN just reported that the Spurs have traded for Richard Jefferson.

But my favorite part of the article comes at the end, when the Bucks reveal a silver lining in losing thier best player:

The move also opens up some playing time for the Bucks' lottery pick last year, Joe Alexander.

Whew, that was a close call. Good thing they have someone who averaged 4.7 PPG to fill that gap.

Congratulations, Milwaukee Bucks! This is officially your franchise savior:

No one likes the Grizzlies

In the 1999 NBA Draft, Steve Francis was selected second overall by the sad-sack Vancouver Grizzlies. Not wanting to play for such a horrible franchise, Francis cried, pouted, and said it wasn't it God's will to play in Vancouver. The Grizzlies finally got fed up with his antics and essentially gave him away to Houston for little in return.

10 years later, and nothing's changed. Draft prospects still don't want to play for the Grizzlies, only now they're being slightly more mature about it.

Spain's Ricky Rubio, perhaps the most highly touted guard in the draft, has made it abundantly clear through his agent that he has no desire to play in Memphis, and he's got leverage to ensure it: Maybe he'll just forget about negotiating that buyout with DKV Joventut and stay overseas, thereby wasting a draft pick.

Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet, who has seen his name fly up the draft boards thanks to what some are calling "Mutumbo-esque" potential, did not work out for the Grizzlies last week, citing a mysterious sore shoulder. The Grizzlies, desperate at this point, flew four team officials to Los Angeles just to meet with the center.

It says something about your franchise when it becomes known for players not wanting to play there.

No franhise should be in this position of begging players to come there. If any other NBA team had this problem, they would pick the player anyway, say "deal with it" and move forward instead of buckling under the pressure of rookies and agents. Do you think the Celtics would have ever had to deal with this?

But the Grizzlies brass is soft, because of the awful precedent set with Francis in the '99 draft. That move, coupled with the normal financial challenges of a small-market team, made it easy for players to leave town, or not come there altogether.

In business moves akin to the Pittsburgh Pirates, many star players for the Grizzlies were traded because there was no hope of keeping them in free agency, either because of money or because of a lack of will to tell someone "you're our guy, stay here and we can build something."

In another life, the Grizzlies may have been a successful franchise. Memphis has a great arena in the FedEx Forum. They've got pieces in Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo. They're located in a cultural landmark of a city.

But they've got no money, no will, and no backbone.

And no chance.

Meet Your NBA Draft Prospect part 4: Austin Daye

Note- With the June 25 NBA draft poised to be the weakest in years, it seems like every player has a shot of being picked. With the help of some special guests, we're going to take an in-depth look at some players whose names NBA GM's might not have heard about.

He's such a talent that I took the word "Longshot" out of the series title for this post. Daye will be drafted.

Without a doubt, Austin Daye has been the most analyzed and criticized of any Gonzaga player in this year's NBA draft. In fact, he's been that way since the moment he stepped onto the floor for the Zags.

The son of former NBA player Darren Daye. One of the top recruits from the West Coast. Seemingly limitless game and the ability to play multiple positions. In my mind, this kid was the most highly touted recruit in Gonzaga history.

You could see the potential for greatness in him. The way he made it seem so effortless driving to the basket. The way his arms stretched for yards to make an impossible block. His ability to make his jump shots seem so smooth. A player with his kind of talent and physical tools doesn't come around often. Give him time and hand him the reins, and this kid could be something special.

But for every moment of pure talent, there was a flash of immaturity. The complaining after foul calls. The eye rolls. The whining to coach Mark Few when he was taken out of the game. And every so often, even with all his superior skills in a weak conference, he would disappear: 5-15 shooting in a loss at home to Portland State, or a meager six points against Memphis on national TV.

You got to thinking when this kid finally grows up, he has the talent to dominate.

But after his sophomore season in which he averaged 12.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.1 blocks, Daye felt that he had proven himself enough to make it in the NBA. We never saw him fully grow up. We never saw him put on muscle. And we never saw just how good he could've been. So from now until his rookie season begins, Daye will leave everyone wondering just how great he can become.

For an expert opinion on Daye, once again I've turned to my go-to source: Kevin O'Brien of The Ex-Call Taker:

On potential and upside alone, there is no better candidate in this draft than Austin Daye. He’s a 6-foot 11-inch small forward that can put it on the floor, hit from beyond the arc, block shots and is a matchup nightmare for even the best small forwards in the NBA. On paper alone, how can you defend him? You take your chances with a small forward or do you put a less skilled but stronger power forward? Either way you are going to get hurt in one way or the other. That is how difficult it is to game plan a guy like Austin Daye.

But the knock on Daye has never been his God-given skills. Rather, it has been his mental game that has frequently been put in question. He is more known around Spokane circles for his constant complaining to the referees during games than his ability to make inbounds plays downright hellish for opponents. He is more known for being skinny and “soft” than blocking shots and making big ones on the offensive end. The negatives of Austin Daye’s career have somehow outshone his positives and it’s safe to say, that there may be a majority of Gonzaga fans that are actually glad the highly touted forward is gone.

Granted, whether or not he was beloved as a Zag, really has no merit on his future NBA career. On skills alone, Daye can compete at the next level. If anything, his style of play would excel in the NBA. He excelled in one-on-one matchups, and has good touch around the rim in addition to an excellent long-distance shot. Furthermore, the guy has a keen sense when it comes to blocking shots and not fouling. He knows how to come and swat a guy from behind, even if he gets beat off the dribble. I would like to see another player in the college game today that can recover as well as him after getting beat. Maybe one, two guys at most could even be put in the conversation (Vanardo from Mississippi State is the only candidate I can think of). And unlike guys like Dwight Howard or even Josh Heytvelt, Daye has that Bill Russell-esque awareness to block shots and keep them in play to set up the transition offense (something Vanardo doesn’t do). IQ wise, I think Daye has what it takes to play in the NBA, and I’m sure a boat load of that credit goes to his dad Darren Daye who made a career with NBA champion Boston Celtics.

Unfortunately, his IQ doesn’t always show from time to time. The knock on him and most frustrating image for Zag fans has been Daye shaking his head after missed shots, jogging back down on defense, not picking up his man or getting into position on the zone. The guy has more brain farts on a consistent basis than Miss Teen South Carolina had at the Miss Teen USA pageant. The thing about Daye is that at times, he has the confidence and the swagger that can produce a winning attitude, but at the same time, he exhibits the selfishness and immaturity that can bring down even the most talented teams. You know when Daye isn’t happy out there or not playing his best, and it is not only a frustrating trait for fans to watch, but it is also a humongous weakness strategically. I guarantee on many occasions, the opposing coach was saying to his players in the timeout “You see Daye? He’s out of it mentally. Drive it on him every chance you got!” And that’s just college. Imagine what they would do to him in the NBA.

There is no question Daye can be successful at the next level and that is why his draft stock is going as high as Top 10. He’s a special player, the kind of player that you don’t see very often. But for all the endearing qualities about him there are plenty of knocks: lack of good competition in college, needs to gain weight, not that fast, maturity etc. How will those things affect his draft status? Who knows. Despite the warnings though, some team will take a waiver on him. You just can’t pass him up considering his pedigree and what he brings to the table skill wise. If I was a GM, I certainly would use a first round pick on Daye. He has that much upside in my eyes.

The only sad part of this is how he departed GU. There was great hope when Morrison left for the NBA. Same thing with Ronny Turiaf, Dan Dickau and even Blake Stepp. But you can’t get the feeling as if somehow a majority of fans are almost glad that Daye is leaving for the NBA. Like I said before, that has no impact on how good of an NBA player he will be, but considering this guy was considered the best recruit ever to come through Gonzaga, well…you can’t help but feel this was a bitter breakup between Zag fans and Daye, eerily similar to Shannon Doherty leaving an Aaron Spelling show.

Once again, huge thanks to Kevin for helping with this series. I can't thank him enough for the hard work he put in to his contributions. Go read The Ex-Call Taker and see why he's one of the best in the biz.

Something tells me that Daye is going to turn out well. He has too much talent and too much potential to not end up being a successful NBA player. Sure, there are valid criticisms, it still remains to be seen when his talent will truly come to ths surface, if at all.

But that's the thing I learned from two years of seeing Austin Daye play. Love him or hate him, he always keeps you watching.

Best Case Scenario: Given time and a gym membership, has the potential to be in the mold of Dirk Nowitzki.

To my Dad, thanks for teaching me the two-handed reverse layup

This one is for my Dad, who perfected the art of standing on your foot so you couldn't rebound the ball. He still does that trick, and the refs never notice.

Here's a little something I wrote a couple years ago that I figured I'd repost in honor of Father's Day. Enjoy it, then go play catch with your dad.

My Dad, My Coach

Meet Your Longshot NBA Draft Prospect part 3: Micah Downs

Note- With the June 25 NBA draft poised to be the weakest in years, it seems like every player has a shot of being picked. With the help of some special guests, we're going to take an in-depth look at some players whose names NBA GM's might not have heard about.

Micah Downs is the kind of player that my Dad loves.

Back in March when Gonzaga was in town for the first round of the NCAA Tournament, I took my Dad down to the Rose Garden to watch the Zags' open scrimmage. My Dad had watched a few Gonzaga games here and there, but he had never seen them in person, so when we sat down in our seats, he immediately started assessing the players, based on his first impression.

Matt Bouldin was "goofy-looking." Austin Daye was "the skinny kid." Will Foster was "the big oaf."

And then he watched small forward Micah Downs as he drained 3-pointer after 3-pointer. As other players joked around and goofed off, Downs wore a look of steely determination as he hoisted up his shots.

"I like that guy. Who's he?" My Dad asked.

"That's Micah Downs. Transferred from Kansas," I said.

"Micah Downs..." he said. "Well they should have been getting the ball to him all season!"

I started to protest, saying that it was Heytvelt and Daye and Pargo who were our main options, but then I stopped. Why hasn't Micah Downs been getting the ball all season?

Downs is tall, at 6-foot-8, and he's got some muscle on him (a much better small forward frame than Daye). He could slash and jump out of the gym. But during his time at Gonzaga, Downs' role was to stand in the corner and shoot 3-pointers.

Except during flashes, the Gonzaga system didn't showcase what Downs had the potential to offer.

Downs is perhaps the most intriguing of all of the Zags in the 2009 NBA Draft. Daye will be drafed on potential alone. Pargo and Josh Heytvelt have been disected enough over four years. But Downs is different; his game says one thing, his stats say another, and at this point, the jury is still out.

His numbers aren't very exciting: 9.6 PPG, 1.1 Assists, 4.6 rebounds. But he was a decent enough 3-point shooter, hitting at a rate of .387%, and considering the fact that over half of his shots were 3-pointers, you have to like that number.

The thing that most intrigues me about Downs is that he seemingly has all the physical tools to be an effective small forward. He showed his athleticism by skying for dunks. He showed his ability to defend on the perimeter one-on-one. And of course, there was his 3-point shooting. The trend in the NBA is to have small forwards who can camp on the perimeter and knock down 3's, and be able to slash on occasion. Downs can give you some of that.

His size also translates well to the position. With the exception of someone like Ron Artest, many NBA small forwards are most like converted shooting guards. They're long, lanky and quick. Downs has the correct body type that the position is moving toward.

Of course, let's be honest, Downs doesn't have the skills to be a star in the NBA, but where I'm going with this is to show that Downs does have the physical tools necessary to be a serviceable small forward. But can he fully utilize those tools consistently and effectively? That still remains to be seen. But Downs has shown that he is willing to alter his game to fit the system.

One of the biggest problems I had with Downs when he first showed up at Gonzaga was his over-willingness to launch unnecessary 3-pointers. During his first year with the team, Downs had one move: Catch, jab-step, launch a contested 30-footer. When it went in, it was spectacular, but it still drove me crazy. I remember thinking that he can shoot his team out of a game like that, and every once in a while, he did.

But he seemed to understand his problems and tried to correct them. As his career went on, he started to move without the ball more, which provided more open looks for 3's. He also started to cut to the basket and take advantage of his height as he caught lobs from Jeremy Pargo.

If nothing else, he's willing to adapt.

One player I often compare him with is Adam Morrison. Both had similar frames (they both are 6-8, Morrison weighs 204, Downs is listed at 198), they both didn't rebound often, and had poor assist numbers. But they had different games. Morrison created his own shots and controlled the ball. whereas Downs was a role player with the same role every game. And yet, Downs could possibly end up more successful as an NBA small forward that Morrison, because Morrison's game didn't translate over to being an NBA small forward, where he had to be a spot-up shooter who didn't control the ball. Morrison wasn't built for that. At the very least, Downs has the advantage of already having been in the role of a spot-up, 3rd or 4th option.

But he still needs a lot. He needs to play better one-on-one D against faster swingmen, he needs to dare to venture inside the paint, and he needs to prove he can consistently put the ball on the floor. The good small forwards in the NBA make you respect their outside shooting, then burn you with the good extra pass or the good drive and kick. Downs hasn't shown that knack.

He may not get drafted, and based on his stats and the number of other talented swingmen in the Draft, he probably won't be. But he could end up being a summer-league or D-league surprise. He just seems like the kind of guy you bring off the bench to hit a couple 3's while the starters rest.

Best Case Scenario: He's a more athletic Sasha Pavlovic or Kyle Korver, possibly an 8th or 9th man off the bench.

"Dad, want to have a catch?" "No! Go practice your corner kicks!"

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again.But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come. " -Terrance Mann, Field of Dreams

You've never heard anybody say that about soccer.

Yet we are suddenly faced with a battle between soccer and baseball in Portland, and it looks more and more like it is baseball that will be forced out of town.

All because we so desperately want an MLS soccer team.

Let's go over this again: when Portland was granted an MLS expansion franchise to begin play in 2011, the agreement was that Portland would renovate PGE park to make it soccer-only, while also building a new stadium for the Portland Beavers. Two proposed sites were put on the table: Memorial Coliseum and Lents Park. But then the public didn't want to tear down the Coliseum, even despite how old and dilapidated it is. Then, the public lashed out against building a stadium in Lents Park, and the city officially took the site off the table.

So now, suddenly there are no options for a baseball stadium in Portland and a Sept. 1 deadline looming. If nothing can be found, baseball leaves town.

All because we so desperately want an MLS soccer team.

We were told my Meritt Paulson that building for soccer would not come at baseball's expense, but now it appears like it will. For the record, I was on board with the option of putting the stadium at Lents Park, but not as an end-all option. It was completely unfair for the city to put residents in a position of "It's Lents or nothing," but the poor planning brought it to that.

Now baseball might be leaving, and for what? Soccer? Let's get one thing straight right now:

Soccer is a fad.

At least it is in Portland. Residents love the Timbers and the MLS and the European leagues because it is the trendy thing to do at the moment. Portlanders love what other cities have, and right now Portlanders are looking at Seattle with their Sounders and thinking that looks fun, I want that. But Seattle is only enamored with the Sounders because the Sonics left and the rest of their teams suck. Seattle had a natural need and love for the Sounders that is genuine. Beyond the initial excitement with the green scarves and the Timber Army in the MLS, do you honestly think soccer is going to have a lasting popularity in Portland?

For that matter, will the entire MLS even still be relevant in a few years? It wasn't that long ago that the MLS was viewed as a fringe league trying to stay above water.

The Beavers have been in town since 1903. Think soccer would have that kind of longevity in Portland?

Paulson and mayor Sam Adams were so caught up in the newness of MLS soccer that they let it cloud their judgement and planning, and in doing so they now risk letting a franchise with ties to multiple generations leave town without a fight. Their eyes were solely on soccer that they lost sight of baseball until it was too late.

Baseball is everything soccer is not. It's historic. It has ties to Portland. Baseball has stuck around throughout the trends and appeals to the masses. Ask any kid and they'll tell you they'd rather take their glove to a baseball game. Soccer, on the other hand, is a sport that appeals to Portland's elitist, 21-30 crowd because it is so anti-sport. But in a choice between baseball and soccer, it's soccer that seems poised to stay in town. It isn't a genuine love for soccer in Portland, it's just that it's trendy! It's European! It appeals to our Keep Portland Weird mentality!

But Portlanders are a fickle bunch, and unlike in real soccer cities, in a few years the fad of soccer will wear off and Portlanders will move on to whatever is in style then.

And when the Timbers are playing before empty crowds in five years, Portland will realize how important baseball really was.

Meet Your Longshot NBA Draft Prospect part 2: Jeremy Pargo

Note- With the June 25 NBA draft poised to be the weakest in years, it seems like every player has a shot of being picked. With the help of some special guests, we're going to take an in-depth look at some players whose names NBA GM's might not have heard about.

We're going to jump right into things today as we discuss Gonzaga guard Jeremy Pargo. Once again, I've enlisted the aid of Kevin O'Brien of The Ex-Call Taker, who provided his perspective on the polarizing Zags point guard.

No point guard in the history of Gonzaga garnered as much hype as Jeremy Pargo did when he arrived on campus four years ago. And that’s not exactly a small measurement either, especially considering this is a program that produced Hall of Famer John Stockton and All-American Dan Dickau.

Guys like Pargo simply didn’t come to Gonzaga. Guys who come from hoop meccas such as Chicago and have NBA family pedigrees (his brother played for the New Orleans Hornets before opting to go to CSK Moscow this year for more dough), usually go for the bigger schools in the nation, but lo and behold Pargo came to Gonzaga and the talk about him was that he could be the most explosive and athletic guard the school ever produced.

In some ways, Pargo accomplished what people expected from him…somewhat. He displayed incredible feats of athleticism that many fans hadn’t seen in the McCarthey Center and brought a swagger that was not typical to your usual Mark Few-coached Gonzaga team. Pargo brought hype, Pargo brought that Chicago-flair to Spokane and Pargo brought a highlight show that made you check ESPN every night just in case you missed the game.

But in terms of substance and not style, Pargo is a disappointment. We thought we were seeing flashes of greatness his sophomore year. Sure, you could look at the stats and say he averaged 12. 1 ppg in his first season as a starter, but in reality, the hope came at MSG against North Carolina (which ironically was the stepping stone for two other guys as well: Matt Bouldin and Josh Heytvelt). Pargo showed explosiveness to the hoop. Pargo showed game savvy. And surprisingly, he outplayed a more hyped, and more lauded point guard in Ty Lawson. Check out this highlight reel and try to convince yourself to say he didn’t make you think that he was going to be something beyond special.

However, like Heytvelt, Pargo peaked sophomore year. He had less turnovers and more assists his junior year en route to being WCC Player of the Year, and put up balanced numbers his senior year, but in no way was his third or fourth year dramatically different from his sophomore year. He didn’t have any big games. He didn’t have any performances that made you say “This guy is going to be big.” Morrison had those. Dickau had those. Turiaf had those. Pargo on other hand? Nada.

And the reason why? For as much good as he did, he always followed it up with something bad…in the same game. The guy was more schizophrenic than Jim Carrey in “Me, Myself and Irene.” For every massive dunk, there was a stupid play he made where he coughed the ball up. For every big shot, there was that time when he drained the clock only to chuck up a bad shot twenty feet out with one second left. You see…Pargo may have had great performances statistically, but stats only tell so much. Just look at his stat line his senior year when they played No. 2 Uconn: 16 points 7 assists. Good huh? Until you see the other stat: five turnovers and that doesn’t count that all his turnovers seemed to come in the fourth quarter and overtime. The stupid halfcourt pass. The ridiculous drive he made at the end which got blocked. If Gonzaga had won that game, we may have said that was Pargo’s breakout performance, because statistically it looks great. But because he made bonehead play after bonehead play, fate denied him that great performance truly excellent players have.

And that is what makes him so lost in this draft. Sure he is athletic. You could argue that he is just as athletic as any guy in this draft. Jeff Teague? Pargo’s more experienced and stronger. Brandon Jennings? You think Pargo’s jump shot is bad, Jennings is worse. Ty Lawson? Great, but when you have Wayne Ellington, Danny Green and Tyler Hansbrough in the lineup, even Pargo would look as good.

But the problem with Pargo is nothing physical (even though he has lost a step speed-wise since sophomore year) but all mental. He can’t play 30-plus minutes of consistent ball. He just makes too many dumb decisions, makes too many mistakes and just can’t handle it in the crunch. People will argue “Well, people make dumb mistakes all the time in the NBA,” but that’s at the NBA level. Sure, Jameer Nelson was making error after error in the Finals, but he wasn’t doing that at St. Joe’s. In fact, he was one of the most efficient guards in St. Joe’s history and he is struggling to be consistent at the NBA level. You think Pargo can be an efficient NBA player if he can’t be consistent at the collegiate level?

Pargo came back another year because scouts wanted him to improve his efficiency. Unfortunately that didn’t happen and now he may have gone from fringe first round pick to fringe pick altogether. It’s a sad story because you know Pargo, even if he makes the NBA, won’t be anything more than an eighth man-type. His brother had a good NBA career, but his brother could shoot. Pargo can’t. His brother Jannero had no hype at Arkansas and thus went under the radar. Jeremy has been in the spotlight since freshman year. Granted, this isn’t a rare thing. It happened to Keith Bogans from Kentucky, who sophomore year worked out for scouts, came back and massively underachieved the following year.

But Bogans actually got drafted in the second round. It’s hard pressed to believe that Pargo will be that lucky.

My big thanks to Kevin once again for helping me out with this series. Again, if you haven't checked out The Ex-Call Taker yet, you're missing out.

I have to add in my 2 cents before we go. Like Kevin and other Gonzaga fans, I found myself perplexed by Jeremy Pargo because of his inconsistency. On more than one occasion after a bad pass or a forced shot, I found myself saying that Pargo "was the worst point guard Gonzaga has ever had."

Obviously that was a bit much, and a total exaggeration, but you can see just how crazy he drove fans at times.

But I will say this about Pargo: the guy was a leader, and always wanted to win. Over his time at Gonzaga, we saw him evolve into the outspoken team captain; the unquestioned leader of the team. It was always Pargo who spoke on behalf of the team to the media. It was always Pargo who rallied the troops when things fell apart.

As I found out during the NCAA Tournament, Pargo took losing very hard, and put it on his own shoulders to try to carry the team when they needed him. Say what you want about his skills, but I will always respect Jeremy Pargo for his drive and determination.

But then he turns the ball over while trying to throw a jumping, cross-court pass, and it makes you realize that, sadly, desire alone won't do it for you.

Best Case Scenario: Jarrett Jack's build, Jarrett Jack's desire, none of Jarrett Jack's skills.

Special Thanks to Hanne Zak Photography for use of the photos.

Sammy Sosa proves that no one cares about steroids anymore

Six years ago, if it had come out that Sammy Sosa was using steroids, I would have been devastated. Sammy was always my favorite player (once Ryno retired) on my favorite team, and in the summer of 1998, I was cheering him on as he chased Roger Maris' home run record. So if any allegations or proof of steroid use were to come to light, it would have hurt a lot.

Fast forward to today. Sosa is revealed to have tested positive for steroids in 2003.

I barely bat an eyelash.

Such is the feeling among baseball fans after years of being jaded, thanks to a seemingly endless onslaught of steroid-talk.

Once upon a time, if a major slugger is accused of taking performance enhancing drugs, we would've reacted with shock and awe. How dare these cheaters defame the innocent world of baseball? we shout on television. Books like "Game of Shadows" and "Juiced" would be published, providing evidence on superstars who took PEDs. It was all new and scary. Baseball fans had never had to endure something as foreboding as this before.

Players would eventually go before Congress and testify about the issue. And that's when everything started to change.


Rafael Palmeiro wagged his finger and said he had never taken steroids. Period. Shortly thereafter, he tested positive for PEDs.


A shriveled Mark McGwire dodged questions about his own steroid use, saying that he was "not there to talk about the past.

Even Sosa acted like he struggled with English, avoiding questions while maintaining his innocence.

It was after that, that people stopped caring.

News of steroid use by a star player doesn't shock fans anymore. If anything, they respond with a scoff and a "what else is new?" attitude. After five-plus years of neverending steroid talk, fans just want to finally get back to baseball again.

But it seems like they never will, because baseball, its players, and whomever is leaking all of this steroid information have molded the situation into a managable system: Allegations from anonymous sources come out saying that Superstar A used PEDs a few years ago, based on tests that were supposed to be confidential. Superstar A initially denies comment for two days while setting up the right media outlet to spin in. Superstar A goes on TV to apologize, saying that it happened a long time ago and he was young and stupid/injured/a victim of the culture. The public then accepts it and moves on.

Why? Not because they really accept a fake apology, but because they want to get back to baseball.

It keeps going on and on. Andy Pettitte. Jason Giambi. Alex Rodriguez. They spun the coverage, made "apologies" and the baseball-starved public moved on. Hell, look at Manny Ramirez. He gets suspended for taking a hormone supplement and people still react as if it's just Manny Being Manny. Meanwhile, someone like Roger Clemens continues to defend his reputation to the death, and everyone shouts that he should "just admit it already."

Baseball is embracing the "repentant cheaters" and lambasting the ones to deny it.

Again, why? Because everyone is sick to death of steroids. If you create too much of an ongoing controversy, at some points the fans will stop caring. As well they should. Baseball is supposed to be a game, something where fans can go to the ballpark or sit on the couch and take in the excitement and drama of it all. It's entertainment. Sure, steroids provided a dramatic boom at first, but by now everyone is sick of that storyline and wants to get back to the good stuff. After 5 long years, why should we care anymore about what these guys put in their bodies?

That's the biggest shame of all. The steroid problem has become so saturated into baseball that it's become almost commonplace.

And the fans don't even make a sound.

Meet Your Longshot NBA Draft Prospect part 1: Josh Heytvelt

Note- With the June 25 NBA draft poised to be the weakest in years, it seems like every player has a shot of being picked. With the help of some special guests, we're going to take an in-depth look at some players whose names NBA GM's might not have heard about.

Believe it or not, at one point Josh Heytvelt was a can't-miss NBA prospect.

That was two years ago, when Heytvelt was in the midst of a stellar sophomore season at Gonzaga. He was averaging 15.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, and was the breakout star for the Zags.

What was most impressive about Heytvelt was how well the Zags played when he was the focal point of the offense, and how dominant he was becoming because of it. 19 points and 7 rebounds against North Carolina. 27 points and 22 rebounds against Pepperdine. The 2007 Zags were stacked with shooters like Derek Raivio and Jeremy Pargo, but the Zags were only effective when they fed Heytvelt the ball in the post.

The kid was a star.

But then, it all came unraveled. Heytvelt was arrested for posession of psychedelic mushrooms and suspended for the rest of the season. He tried to return the next season under heavy scrutiny, only to drop a weight on his foot and miss 11 games. Since then, he hasn't been the same.

The dominance was gone. The aggression was missing, replaced by a fondness for jump shooting.

What was worse, he seemed like a shell of his former self both on and off the court. He never opened up to reporters, and even as his team swept WCC play and cruised into the NCAA Tournament, he just seemed bored with it all. In the Sweet Sixteen against North Carolina, when the Zags needed him most, Heytvelt responded with a measly 14 points and 0 rebounds. In the locker room after the game, you wouldn't have been able to tell the Zags lost, based on Heytvelt's generic, indifferent expression.

Why did Heytvelt turn out the way he did? For the answer, we turn to my friend Kevin O'Brien, author of The Ex-Call Taker. If you haven't checked it out, do it right now, it's one of the best sports blogs out there. Kevin and I both covered the Zags for The Gonzaga Bulletin, so we got to see the Zags up close. He recently wrote a piece for The Ex-Call Taker diagnosing Heytvelt's problems:

So what happened? Truth be told, it is hard to determine. There are so many "ifs" and variables that there probably is no direct reason why Heytvelt was never the same player he was his sophomore year when many weren't only talking about him as a bonafide draft pick, but a possible first rounder. His sophomore year he could block shots, had great touch around the rim and could step back and hit the three pointer with ease. He had such a great all-around game that many Bulldog fans during his sophomore season felt that he could have been one of the best big men in the history of Gonzaga basketball.

And then toward the tail end of his sophomore season he got in trouble with the law. His junior year he was hurt, not to mention got in the dog house from Mark Few (he was forced to come off the bench midway through the year). And his senior year, well...he just kind of became a perimeter player. His senior year shows it statistically. In the big games, when they needed him in the post, he settled for threes. The games he shot the most three pointers were against Washington State, UConn and Memphis. They beat Washington State, but lost to the other two. Heytvelt was needed to bang, but instead was pushed out to the perimeter, forced to settle for outside jumpers and three point shots.

...One possible explanation for Heytvelt becoming the settling jump shooter he was last season? Gonzaga had no traditional big men for the first time in his tenure there and he had grown so accustomed to his role as the jump shooting center that when he was asked to be a center, he just wasn't ready nor accustomed to do so. His redshirt freshman year he played with Batista. His sophomore year he played with Sean Mallon. Junior year, it was Abdullahi Kuso and Robert Sacre. Heytvelt didn't have that big guy help his senior year. Kuso graduated, Sacre was hurt, and Foster didn't play nearly enough or was as competent down low either. Austin Daye, the starting four man, in reality is not a power forward. He's tall enough to be one, but his game is one of a small forward. It always has been. Thus, Heytvelt didn't have someone to make up for and hide his inadequacies on the court. In the past, it would have been Mallon or Kuso banging and hacking against Samhan or Bryant. He didn't have that guy this year and the guy we were enamored with sophomore year suddenly was not only shown as mortal, but filled with flaws. Senior year showed he didn't have the strength or the post game to bang against the better centers. Senior year showed he wasn't as great a defender or rebounder as we once thought he was. That possible first rounder, two years later became just a possible draft pick, no longer bonifide.

It's hard to dispute the evidence. Heytvelt may have the physical tools to become a good power forward, but based on his track record, it would be hard to imagine him putting it together to step away from his perimeter game.

With NBA teams moving back to the traditional, banging post player, Heytvelt has his work cut out for him in order to make it. The fact it, there isn't a big market out there for a big man who doesn't rebound or play down low.

Best case scenario: He's Channing Frye without the personality.

Morrison: "Suck it, Stockton."

Adam Morrison.

Sure, you may have been the biggest bust of the 2006 NBA draft. And OK, you may not have seen any playing time in two months. But look at it this way: you got paid millions of dollars to sit courtside and give awkward high-fives to your teammates as they won an NBA championship without you.

Which, somehow, makes you the most successful former Gonzaga Bulldog, ever.

Somewhere in Uzbekistan, Richie Frahm is banging his head against a door.

Lents Park can still give back with a stadium

I've lived down the street from Lents Park for most of my life, and I've garnered my share of great memories there.

Lents had the only nearby baseball field with lights, giving kids a chance to experience playing in a night game (provided you were able sneak in under the fence after the little leaguers left).

Lents provided many an opportunity for football on its 100-yard gridiron, complete with goalposts, something no other park in our neighborhood had.

Lents was my home for picnics, low-budget movie shoots, and was the place where I first started dating my now-fiance.

But despite all of that, I feel that the park, the area, and the surrounding neighborhood would be better off if Lents was the new site for Portland's minor league ballpark.

With the MLS Portland Timbers set to be the sole tenants of downtown's PGE Park in 2011, Portland had been busy trying to find a site to build a new baseball stadium. The field has been narrowed down to two options: tear down Memorial Coliseum and build the stadium there, or build it at Lents Park. Portlanders have been adamant that they don't want to tear down the unused eyesore that is the Coliseum, and yet, they also don't want to build it at Lents Park, saying that it would ruin the comfy, relaxed feel of a nice little neighborhood.

But those people are turning a blind eye to what the neighborhood is really like.

Anyone who has lived in or been to the Lents/Foster-Powell neighborhood knows that the area is deteriorating. Longtime businesses are closing their doors. Longtime residents are moving away and their homes are being replaced with low-income housing. The area, as far as economic or cultural advancement, has been stagnant. I went away to college for four years and when I got back, things had only gotten worse.

Lents Park is not a safe little haven isolated from what is happening to the surrounding neighborhood. If drugs and poverty keep affecting the neighborhood as it had, then keeping a park is not going to help it.

That's why this baseball stadium could be the thing that puts the neighborhood back on track. It could provide business that the area sorely needs, with the stadium providing jobs, a kick start to nearby businesses, and an incentive for new business to come to the area. The new North-South MAX transit line will help the businesses even more.

It also gives an influx of culture, and gives the area something to feel proud of. Regardless of what Portland west-siders and affluent downtown dwellers might say, Southeast Portland is still Portland, and it deserves to feel like it is a part of the city. If the stadium is built at Lents, Southeast families wouldn't have to plan a whole day around taking the kids downtown to see the Beavers play, or transversing traffic to get to the Rose Quarter, they could just take a stroll to Lents to catch a game. Kids in Southeast Portland wouldn't feel do distant from their sports teams; as soon as the final bell rang at Marshall or Franklin High, Binnsmead middle school, or Marysville Elementary, they can head straight to the game. Sure, the west-siders may have to make a trip out there, but now they would know how the other half lived.

The stadium would be a great way to bring a neighborhood together, and it doesn't have to be an eyesore, either. Let's keep the elements that made Lents Park so accommodating: a place for families to visit, play, spend quality time. Give the kids a play area, or a grassy hill to watch the game from outside the fence. Embrace the neighborhood by sponsoring activities with nearby schools, and make kids and families welcome. PGE park was tucked away so far downtown that it felt it was detached from kids, but Lents can give kids a feeling that the park is theirs.

It can be done, and it must be done in order to begin to rebuild a neighborhood that is going backwards. A stadium may not the the end-all solution to the problems, but it's a start in the right direction, and no amount of traffic hassles is worse than letting the area slip away.

I love Lents Park, and a huge part of me would be sad to see it go. It would be hard to see a baseball stadium in place of the fields, trees, and paths that have provided families with so many memories. It would hurt to know that I could never sit on the swings where I first asked out my fiance.

But I care too much about my neighborhood as a whole to see it continue to suffer as it has. There are still other great parks in the area (although, in my mind, none will ever compare to Lents), such as Essex and Mt. Scott, and my hope is that the new stadium will be designed as a place for all types of families to come together and make memories.

But with the neighborhood hurting big time, we need to step up to rebuild it. The Stadium at Lents Park would be a great place to start.

For Your Viewing Enjoyment: Booziers

Official trailer for the upcoming Crossbones Productions release!

When a disgraced former coach takes a new job as coach at a small town school, he finds out that he, like his new players, just needed a second chance to finish first.

From the studio that brought you Jesuit House, Monopoly, The Notebook, and Writer's Block.

Starring
Steven Sandberg as Norman Dale
Sara Sanchez as Myra Fleener
Nate Coombs as Shooter
James Churchill as Jimmy Chitwood
John Brian Condon as Ollie
Andy Paris as Ray
Dan Seibert as Strap

Looks like Orlando wants to lose

The Orlando Magic, down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals, faced a must-win game 3. A loss on their home floor would most likely doom the Magic to a finals loss.

In order to get the crowd pumped up and motivate the team, the Magic brought in a guest speaker during pregame introductions.

That person ... Nick Anderson.


Yes, the same Nick Anderson whose missed free throws in the 1995 NBA Finals demoralized his Magic team and led to them being swept by Houston.

Good call...?

POSTGAME UPDATE: Wow, I guess it didn't matter. Magic 108, Lakers 104. The series is now 2-1. Maybe they can get Horace Grant and Dennis Scott for Game 4...

ESPN Los Angeles - or - how ESPN fakes viewers into thinking they care about the West Coast

ESPN, like many other sports media institutions, has long been accused of having an East Coast bias.

That's certainly understandable. Naturally, as a network located in Bristol, CT, they are going to have better access and insight into the New Yorks, the Bostons, the Philadelphias simply based on geography alone. I don't care about how far technology has come, if you are closer to the action, you will be able to report on it better.

But a difference in geography, time zones, and market size led to ESPN neglect the West Coast.
-Geography: It's harder to care about something when it's 1,000 miles away.
-Time Zones: "We East Coast types have to stay up so late to catch the end of West Coast Games."
-Market Size: The biggest markets are in the East. Who really cares what San Jose did tonight?

And so, in a supposed attempt to make reporting on West Coast sports easier, ESPN created a studio in Los Angeles. The goal was to provide a West Coast presence on ESPN, so that coverage could be focused less on the Yankees and more on the Dodgers.

But in reality, ESPN Los Angeles is a big, fat waste of a studio, and an excuse for ESPN not to pay time-and-a-half.

In the broadcasting world, a network like ESPN must employ countless people to gather video, log it, edit it, and get it on the air. To do this, you need editors, scriptwriters, and anchors for Sportscenter.

The problem that arises is that many West Coast games end after midnight Eastern time, which means that ESPN is put between a rock and a hard place: either they pay employees overtime to stay at Bristol and cut, write, and read highlights of a Padres game, or ignore the games altogether and fear the stigma of having an east coast bias.

So ESPN chose the former. They built a studio in Los Angeles, flew Neil Everett and Stan Verrett out there, and promised viewers a more West-Coast oriented Sportscenter.

Of course, behind the scenes, the brass at ESPN was thinking "that ought to shut them up for a while."

Watching Sportscenter-LA, it is indistinguishable from its Bristol counterpart. There's nothing inherently West Coast about it. The set looks the same, the graphics are the same, and worst of all, the stories are the same.

On the June 8, 2009 edition of Sportscenter-LA, the A-block opened with highlights of the Yankees and Rays. After a discussion on the amount of home runs at the new Yankee stadium - gee, where have I heard that before - they moved on to their longest highlight of the night: Braves and Pirates, two East Coast teams under .500!

Their first highlight from anything on the West Coast didn't come until after the first commercial break.

What's the point?

The Changing of the Guard

Note - This column will appear in the 2009 edition of Gonzaga Spires.

At 5-foot-11, freshman guard Demetri “Meech” Goodson wasn’t exactly the biggest player to ever grace the basketball court for the Bulldogs. There were certainly larger players with larger-than-life personalities. But for a generation of Zag fans, it was the image of Goodson saving the day that will forever stay with them when they think of Gonzaga’s run through the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

With the Zags tied with Western Kentucky in the second round with only seven seconds left, Goodson received the inbounds pass, took it the length of the court, and put in a running jumper, giving the Bulldogs the win and sending them to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2006.

It was oddly fitting: Here was a 2009 team that featured two seniors – Jeremy Pargo and Josh Heytvelt – who were on the last Zag team to reach the Sweet 16 in 2006, and yet, the moment and the glory went to a young freshman. Those seniors received a shot at redemption for the 2006 heartbreaker, but it took the efforts of someone who wasn’t there to suffer that misfortune.

Goodson’s shot made a statement: A new chapter in Gonzaga basketball had begun.

The Zags entered the 2009 NCAA Tournament as a 4-seed, and were on a roll after cruising through the West Coast Conference season. This Zag team had been hailed as one of the most talented in school history, and expectations were high as the team traveled to Portland for the first two rounds.

But it wasn’t Gonzaga’s talent that would define their Tournament run. For all the accolades, highlights, and awards, it turned out none of it mattered. As it turned out, what would define this tournament was something that belonged to the Zags of old, the immeasurable quality of teams that never had the talent of this 2009 squad.

Heart.

Almost before anyone could blink in the first round, Gonzaga found itself trailing to 13-seed Akron at halftime 38-35. Suddenly, it was obvious that talent alone would not carry the Bulldogs to victory.

Pargo wore a look of anger, frustration, and focus as his team came out for the second half. He was the senior leader, and he was determined to not let another opportunity slip away. The Zags fought back, cheered on by the thousands of Zag fans who made the trip down. In the waning moments of the second half, Pargo threw down a vicious slam, turning the tide and pushing the Bulldogs to a 77-64 win.

As a senior, it was perhaps Pargo’s final defining moment as a Bulldog, because in a poetic changing of the guard, it was a freshman who would capture glory two nights later in the second round.

Against Western Kentucky, Gonzaga trailed again at the half, but found the strength to make another comeback. They retook the lead late in the second half, but WKU refused to go quietly and staged a comeback of their own, scoring nine straight points to tie the game with only seven seconds left.

“Meech” raced up the floor as the clock ticked away. Pargo was screaming for the ball, but the freshman refused to let rank be pulled. That moment belonged to Goodson. He nailed the runner and sent the Zags into a pandemonium.

But that moment proved to be the final happy moment for the Zags in the 2009 Tournament.

They traveled to Memphis for the Sweet 16, facing possibly the best team in the country: North Carolina. There were no glorious moments in that game, only two heavyweights trading punches back and forth. In the end, though, the Tar Heels proved just how elite they were, building a big lead over the Zags and never letting up.

After all the emotion of their first two games, the Zags just didn’t have another comeback in them.

The locker room after the game was a mixture of frustration and sadness. Seniors like Heytvelt and Pargo knew they would never play another game in a Bulldog uniform; their careers were book ended by disappointing finishes in the Sweet 16.

But the loss overshadowed another successful run in the Tournament – one filled with heart and determination. Those have always been the defining characteristics of Gonzaga basketball. The Zag legacy was carried on by a team that refused to quit.

So when a freshman who had never known those past teams took the ball coast to coast and scored an unlikely game winner, it became perfectly clear:

The torch had been passed.