'The Sixth Element'

Jack is like thunder to Curry's lightning.

At times, it looks like Jarrett Jack actually enjoys contact.  If he played in the NFL, he'd probably be a wide receiver; the guy you can count on to make the tough catch over the middle on 3rd & long.  Physical guy, but can really handle the rock and hits at around 40-percent from 3-point range.  Best thing that happened to him is playing on the Golden State Warriors, because his hard nosed style compliments backcourt mates Steph Curry and Klay Thompson very well, because those guys are finesse players.

J. R. Smith, he never met a shot he didn't like.  If he crosses the half court line and no one is guarding him, trust and believe he feels like he's wide open.  No pressure playing under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks either.  Straight fearless shooter that can miss 10 shots in a row and still have the absolute confidence that number 11 will go down pure.  And don't dare challenge him at the rim.  Jadakiss already told us in the song, only he gets higher than J.R. does.

When Crawford is on the floor, no ankles are safe.

The term 'nutmeg' became mainstream when Jamal Crawford put on a Los Angeles Clippers jersey.  Combine Lob City catalysts Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan with the sick ball handling ability of Crawford and it's like watching the dopest And 1 mixtape ever made, right there at Staples Center.

If you were in a time capsule for the past five years, then came out and watched highlights of all three of these guys from the 2012-13 NBA season, there's no way that you would think any of them were not starters.  Of course, you would be shocked and amazed to find out that all three guys actually do come off the bench. 

Just to be clear, no one is saying that having a star player come off the bench is a new phenomena in the NBA or anything like that.  Guys in the 1980s like Kevin McHale and Vinnie 'The Microwave' Johnson really popularized the role, while John Starks, Detlef Schrempf, and Manu Ginobili would carry on the tradition in later years. 

Smith can put the team on his shoulders with his scoring ability.

However, this 2013 class of NBA sixth men is the most dynamic we've seen at any point in the history of the game.  Furthermore, the argument can be made that this decade (the 2010s?) has changed the game to the point where teams are opting to have that electrifying type player start the game on the pine; even if he might be well qualified to be in the starting line up. 

James Harden, the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year Award  with the Oklahoma City Thunder, is now the focal point of the Houston Rockets offense as the starting 2-guard.  Jason Terry (2009 SMOY) was huge for the Dallas Mavericks when they won the 2011 NBA Championship.  Nate Robinson does work for the Chicago Bulls.  Even Chris "Birdman" Andersen is receiving huge hype coming off the bench for this year's defending champion Miami Heat, stealing some of the spotlight from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. 

Smith won the award this year, but it wouldn't have been an outcry if Crawford or Jack would've won.  All three guys are about as explosive as it gets in the NBA, and their teams don't mind starting the game without them on the floor...as long as they finish.

ADEDS All-Stars: 'Fernando Rodney and the Magic Platano'

No team has more fun playing the game than DR.

S/O to the World Baseball Classic and the Dominican Republic National Team for playing the game the way it should always be played.  From the bat flips after home run balls to the elaborate group celebrations, the excitement and joy that comes from playing team sports is written all over this team.  In regular MLB baseball all these antics would be frowned upon and looked at as showing up the opponent.  Nevermind all that.  Baseball is a game that most casual sports fans find dull, even during it's most dramatic stretches.  These guys are loose and having fun and that's what makes games fun to watch.  Fernando Rodney is the catalyst of them all.  The Tampa Bay Rays closer -- known for rocking his fitted with a slight sideways lean and for shooting off an imaginary arrow into the sky after the final out in the 9th -- introduced the world to the secret weapon to the DR's success: a magic plantain that speaks to him.  Rodney, the 2012 AL Comeback Player of the Year and Delivery Man Award winner, tucked the platano into his beltline for pregame introductions and wielded it for everyone to see when his name was announced.  No one knew what it meant at the time; which only added to the level of hijinks and intrigue.  Purists will call it silly and nonsense but I'm all for it.  Keep doing what your doing DR, because we probably won't be seeing anything like this again until the next WBC...#TATO.

ADEDS NCAA Basketball Update 2-27-13: 'From Me To U'

The 'Canes look to tackle the NCAA tournament field.

Pretty soon South Beach could be known for great weather and scenery, night spots, and championship basketball.  Not only are the defending NBA champion Miami Heat doing their thing in the pro ranks, the University of Miami (FL) Hurricanes in 2012-13 have a squad that has all the makings of a contender for a NCAA National Championship.  What makes this team special is their combination of size, speed, and veteran leadership, all under the tutelage of head coach Jim Larranaga; who famously led mid-major George Mason to an unpredictable run to the Final Four in 2006.  The size in the frontcourt starts with 5th year senior Kenny Kadji; a seven-footer with NBA potential that can grab boards and initiate the fastbreak off the bounce and also has range extended beyond the collegiate 3-point line.  Senior forwards Reggie Johnson (6-10, 292 lbs.) and Julian Gamble (6-10, 250 lbs.) are like a couple of bookend tackles protecting the Miami paint on the defensive end, and making themselves available for easy finishes off pick-and-roll on the offensive end.  The guy that really gets the mojo going for the U is sophomore point guard Shane Larkin.  His defensive ball pressure on opposing guards is nearly unparalleled in the country (2.1 spg, leads ACC) and turnovers forced by him usually turn into quick transition buckets.  Not to mention, Larkin is a whiz in the pick-and-roll offense with his ability to penetrate past defenders for layups and his efficient perimeter shooting (41.6% 3-point).  Add in four-year starting senior guard Durand Scott (13.3 ppg. leads team), and a pair of athletic wing guards in junior Rion Brown and senior Trey McKinney Jones, and the Hurricanes have a strong chance of making Miami the championship basketball capitol of America.

Rising up.
Georgetown

No moment is too big for Porter, Jr.

Second leading scorer Greg Whittington was ruled academically ineligible for the season in January, but that hasn't stopped the Hoyas from putting together a 10-game win streak, including a 57-46 win at rival Syracuse Feb. 23 in the final scheduled Big East game between the two schools.  Otto Porter, Jr. is a future NBA lottery pick that does his best work in crunch time.  Freshman guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera is coming into the limelight after dropping a career-high 33 points Feb. 20 vs. DePaul.

Oklahoma State
Freshman guard Marcus Smart is on the rise on NBA draft boards and has Travis Ford's folks poised to make a run at the Big 12 Title.  Markel Brown's team leading 15.9 ppg and 38.9-percent 3-point shooting prove that he's more than just an elite dunker.

Michigan State
Tom Izzo has yet another brawlic frontcourt in the likes of Branden Dawson, Adreian Payne, and Derrick Nix.  Keith Appling and Gary Harris, Jr. form a backcourt that can run circles around you once they get hot.

Gonzaga
Mark Few has never had a squad ranked this high, but the talent and depth of the roster remains.  Eight guys average over 15 minutes per game.  Kevin Pangos (44.8% 3-pt) can knock down the 3 with the best of 'em.

Kansas needs Tharpe to contribute key minutes.

Falling off.

Kansas

Bill Self's team might not be the worst to ever suit up in Lawrence, but recent lack luster performances in conference against TCU and Oklahoma are major cause for concern.  The insertion of sophomore guard Naadir Tharpe into the rotation may be the key for the Jayhawks turnaround.

Florida
When the 3's aren't falling, the Gators are rather mediocre.  They went 5-3 in February when it looked like they would dominate the conference in a down SEC year.  Still, this is a dangerous team when Kenny Boynton, Mike Rosario, and Scottie Wilbekin are hitting from the perimeter.  Patric Young is a grown man in the paint.

Louisville
The lack of depth at guard means the Cardinals have to rely heavily on Russ Smith and Peyton Siva to varying degrees of success.  Smith leads the team in scoring at 18.4 ppg but is only shooting 40.2-percent from the field and 31.8-percent from 3-point.  Gorgui Dieng and Chane Behanan will have to be huge in games where the guards get in foul trouble.

Kentucky
This was a shaky team even before Nerlens Noel went down with the season ending ACL injury.  Considering that, the rebuild-and-reload Wildcats of recent years look like they are in danger of missing the NCAA tournament altogether.  What's more troubling for John Calipari is that this losing probably won't affect the decision of players such as Noel, Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress, and Willie Cauley-Stein from putting their names into the 2013 NBA draft.  Which means Cal will have to start with basically a new starting five yet again in 2013-14.

Oladipo is like Tony Allen with better ball skills.

ADEDS Players to Watch:
Jared Berggren - Wisconsin
Markel Starks - G'Town
Gary Harris, Jr. - Michigan State
Jeran Grant - Notre Dame
D.J. Richardson - Illinois
Tim Hardaway, Jr. - Michigan
Victor Oladipo - Indiana
Shane Larkin - Miami (FL)
Marcus Smart - Oklahoma St.
Pierre Jackson - Baylor
Victor Rudd, Jr. - South Florida
Markel Brown - Oklahoma St.
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera - G'Town
Richard Howell - N.C. State
Zeke Marshall - Akron
D.J. Cooper - Ohio
Kelly Olynyk - Gonzaga

Throwbackz: 'The Shot'

Imagine if, after winning another chip this year, LeBron James left the NBA to go and try to play football...then comes back from that hiatus, only to win THREE MORE CHIPS...that's the only way he could ever replicate Michael Jeffrey Jordan's GREATNESS.

NBA Trash Talk: 'Bad Person' of the Week; 1st Edition

Known in the NBA for being a punk, Stiemsma had this coming for a while now.

Who's deserving of the ADEDS NBA Trash Talk 'Bad Person' of the Week?  Is it Matt Barnes for taking out his tough guy aggressions on obviously the most threatening big man in the NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves F/C Greg 'The Steamer' Stiemsma?  Is it Metta World Peace for once again disturbing the peace with his QB-manhug and chin inspection of Detroit Pistons G Brandon Knight?  Maybe DeMarcus Cousins being T'd up for the 732nd time this season on his way to being ejected for arguing a call while both teams were walking towards the lockerooms for halftime?  I got it; it has to be Kobe Bryant for calling out Dwight Howard for missing games while nursing a torn labrum, very unsurreptitiously telling 'Superman' that AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!  All of those people, make no mistake, are very bad people, and they should feel bad, but they do not win the ADEDS NBA Trash Talk 'Bad Person' of the Week award.  That honor goes to former NBA point guard and current Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson.
You see, Jackson's Warriors were getting lit up from 3-point by the Rockets in Houston last week, to the tune of an NBA-record tying 23 makes from distance that contributed to a 140 spot on the scoreboard. Towards the end of the game, however, when Coach Mark caught wind of Houston being one 3 shy of setting the record, told his players to intentionally foul the Rockets so as to put them on the line and avoid getting the record set against them.  After the game, Jackson had this explanation to offer:

"We're not going to lie down," Jackson said. "I was an old-school basketball player. I'm an old-school coach. If you can't appreciate that, that's on you.
"If you're going to try to get the record, we're going to stop you. ... I would expect nothing less if I was on the other side."

Jackson signalling Draymond Green to injure a Rockets player.

Okay, I can't disagree with any of that. You can't 'lie down' against anybody. Gotta play hard to the end. And if guys are jacking up 3's trying to set the record on you, especially when you're already down by 30, you just can't let that happen.  But the way you stop them from getting that record is by playing hard defense throughout the ENTIRE GAME; not intentionally fouling at the end so that the other team has to shoot free throws.  That's not 'old-school basketball' Mark, that's bush league.  That's like if a guy is coming up to bat in a blowout with 4 homeruns already and then you intentionally walk him.  Can you imagine Chuck Daley ordering Bill Laimbeer or Dennis Rodman to intentionally foul at the end of a game to stop a team from setting a 3-point record?  No, you can't imagine it.  Why? Because those Detroit Pistons never would have let you sniff the record to begin with.  Because they played 'old-school basketball' the whole game.  Mark Jackson, you're a bad person for what you did, and you should feel bad.

'8 Things We Learned From the 2012-13 NFL Season'

-You can be the most talked about person on your team, even if you participate in less than 3% of your team's plays.

I'm here to be the backup QB.  And by backup, I mean Greg McElroy's backup.

-Refereeing is hard.

I already signalled touchdown...don't embarass me like this!

-Frank Gore being fined more money for wearing his socks too low than Tom Brady was for his spikes-high slide on Ed Reed goes to show that in the NFL, when it comes to player safety, wearing your uniform properly is a must.



Good thing Brady's socks were up, or someone could've been seriously injured.




-The game ain't over, until Greg Schiano says so.


Some coaches preach: 'play all 60 minutes'.  Schiano lives it.

-If you're hurt and can't work -- forget AFLAC.  Get you some deer antler spray.


Are the DEERS in da house!?!? HOOF-HOOF-HOOF-HOOF!!!

-The only things guaranteed in life: Death, taxes, and Tony Romo choking in the playoffs.

Must...wake up...from this...recurring nightmare.

-Some people take the phrase 'play like a man possessed' way too literally.

Not even Thanksgiving Day can calm the demented imp that lives in Suh's brain.

-Jim Harbaugh's facial expressions...priceless.

The faces change...the black 'SF' sweater and khakis do not.



-Butt fumble.

Let's face it.  We're gonna be telling our grandkids about this play.