sunday wrapup: Roll of the ‘Dyess’

…when injuries derail a season!

by Guichard Cadet

·For the Knicks, it started with the 2002 NBA draft, when management gambled and traded its first round-pick and the injured Marcus Camby for Antonio McDyess.

In hindsight everyone criticizes this trade and then-GM Scott Layden never recovered from that transaction, because McDyess was never healthy enough to contribute. A similar thing happened in Orlando when the Magic signed free-agent Grant Hill who was coming off ankle surgery.

The Knicks’ most recent loss came at the hands of reigning NBA champions, the Detroit Pistons, McDyess’ new team.

The losses are adding up because the Knicks are not healthy, where they need it most. So far, this season, the injuries have mainly hit at two positions, shooting guard and small forward…. Allan Houston, Jamal Crawford, Anferne Hardaway, Tim Thomas, and possibly, Trevor Ariza, who twisted an ankle against the Pistons.

Unlike recent seasons, the Knicks have suitable backups at each position. But, with the injuries confined to their main perimeter offensive threats, it shows sometimes winning and losing is just a roll of the dice.


·Would the Pistons have won the championship had Jason Kidd not been hobbled and go “O-For” in the deciding game of the East Semi-Finals?

In the off-season, Nets management stuck to their belief of Kenyon Martin not being worth a long-term “max contract”, and shipped him to Denver. Subsequent trades and free agent signings pointed the way to the new owners’ wish of bottoming out.

The season started with Kidd on the injured reserve list. As the team compiled losses, injuries piled…Ron Mercer, Zoran Planinic, Alonzo Mourning, and Richard Jefferson. RJ’s season-ending injury came on the heels of a trade that sent Mourning to the Toronto Raptors for Vince Carter.

Proving that he is the clog that makes the machine run, Kidd has synchronized the team to three straight victories, as they end a five game west coast trip.

Offensively Vince Carter has carried the load, scoring over 20 points in 8 of the last 9 games. He may have to do more, if the ankle injury suffered by Rodney Buford is serious.

The injury came halfway in the fourth quarter, in a blowout win, against a Utah Jazz team that saw its season railroaded by an early season injury to All-Star Forward, Andrei Kirilenko.

Though we often hear ‘injuries are not an excuse’, it is clear they are a major factor…


· …unless you’re the New England Patriots. This season, the Patriots have won with a decimated secondary corps, including the loss of Pro-Bowler, Ty Law.

The talk during super-hype week has been whether Philadelphia Eagles receiver, Terrelll Owens should play, though his doctor has not cleared him medically.

With the game a week away, the Eagles are not going to tip their hand. They want the Patriots to spend time preparing as if Owens will play.

Owens is a tremendous factor in the Eagles’ success, as exhibited by quarterback Donavan McNabb posting career numbers in nearly every statistical category, except rushing.

The question for Owens: is he willing to roll the dice and re-injure his ankle, risking career-ending harm?

No Love for Serena!

…sounds from the Australian Open

by Guichard Cadet


Serena vs. Sharapova in a Grand Slam tennis semifinal needs no special build-up, no villain. Last night, listening to the commentary provided on ESPN2, Mary Carrillo and Dick Enberg, one would think Serena stole something, and did not deserve to be there.

A day after defending her sister and family’s name with the statement, ‘we have nothing to prove’, Serena Williams found herself playing an error-filled first set.

Throughout this first set, viewers had to hear Carrillo commenting how Serena’s forehand and serve were not technically correct. Though the analysis was not totally unfounded, Carrillo clearly showed her agenda when she stated: the days of just being able to overpower opponents has passed.

She made it sound as if the Williams sisters’ brand of tennis was simply beast, and had no beauty.

In a match that Williams won 2-6; 7-5; and 8-6, at no time did either commentator note, perhaps Serena was over-hitting the ball due to the pressure of having to beat not only her opponent, but also outside forces.

The telecast was one of the most absurd sports cheerleading sessions I’ve ever witnessed. It left no room for the average fan to simply watch and marvel two spectacular championship level players.

Coming into any tournament, I have my preference – Serena. But, that is not to say, I cannot appreciate the smooth yet powerful efficiency of Sharapova’s game.

Dick Enberg usually provides a balance account of events, which could have neutralized Carrillo’s glee of seeing Serena struggling so badly in the first set. Enberg was not able to do so because his eyes and ears were solely focused on Sharapova’s grunting, each time she hit the ball.

At one point, Enberg even stated that if we turned off the visuals…it would sound like a torture chamber. They obviously were not considering the viewers listening to their reporting.

Serena’s comeback had effectively silenced Carrillo, perhaps sending her to a bathroom break, like the one the players took to get some relief from Australia’s heat and humidity.

The third set started with the players exchanging breaks, and Sharapova’s sound effects had calmed. Dick kept questioning her silence, barely linking it to fatigue; and that perhaps she was saving energy, knowing this final set would go to the wire.

When the match was over, sideline reporter Pam Shriver had the honors of interviewing a joyous Serena.

Shriver had been filling the dead space of the telecast with gems like Sharapova was clearly in Serena’s head. Her body language spoke volumes, the muted silence of someone who could not eat all the words she had served in writing Serena’s (and Venus) tennis obituary.

Asked which of the other semifinalists she’d rather face, Serena showed true grace. She lauded Lindsay Davenport because she was a fellow American, great player and someone who has always been nice to her on the tour.

It should be a great match.

KNICKS & NETS - Midway Predictions

by Guichard Cadet


Make your midway projections!

Simply go to nba.com and look for your team's schedule!


With 41 games left for both the Knicks & Nets, I have the balance of the schedule as:

KNICKS

Wins = 25 Losses = 16 for a final record of 42 Wins and 40 Losses!!Will this be enough to make the playoffs? TBD... to be determined!!!

NETS

Wins = 17 Losses = 24 for a final record of 32 Wins and 50 Losses!!I have ended my boycott of the Nets, and will occasionally do postings on their state of affairs.


*Send me your prediction for your teams and will compare notes in April. Simply send an email to admin@lcnpub.com, or post a comment.*

Will the Sun set on Marbury’s Knicks’ Tenure?

by Guichard Cadet


Consider yourself lucky that print columnists are there to sell advertisements, and are not financial research analysts, telling you which stock to pick.

With the Phoenix Suns in town to play the Knicks, the coverage is all about Steve Nash vs. Stephon Marbury. Reading today’s New York daily newspapers and Chad Ford’s espn.com column, you’d get the idea that the Knicks should trade Stephon Marbury, so next year’s team can win 50 or more games, make it to the playoff, and win (WAIT) a championship.

Though I agree Lenny’s resignation puts more pressure on Marbury and GM Isiah Thomas, the Knicks organization should be prudent if they're even thinking of jettisoning either of these two men, especially Marbury.

Most of the Knicks’ misfortunes started with trading top point guards (Mark Jackson and Rod Strickland), when they were in their primes.

In defending his track record, quoted in the dailies, Marbury simply said, "The times when I was there, the main guys had gotten hurt…Amare got hurt. Shawn got hurt. Kenyon Martin got hurt. Keith Van Horn got hurt. So I don't look at that aspect."

Statistically one can make a case for Jason Kidd, Steve Nash and Stephon Marbury as the NBA’s best point guards. The emphasis should be the type of players you put around your point guard.

Recall why Jason Kidd asked for a trade after the Nets failed to re-sign Kenyon Martin – he needs someone of high caliber to pass the ball.

Everyone’s marveling at this year’s Phoenix Suns team, but talent-wise, one cannot compare it to last year’s, or even the one Stephon led to a near first round knockout of eventual league champion San Antonio Spurs.

That season, Steph had only two bona-fide players, Shawn Marion, and Amare Stoudamire won Rookie of the Year – so Stephon could not have hampered his game that much.

Unless you have a dynamic duo, a la “Shaq & Kobe” or "Duncan & Robinson", you need a complete team to win a championship.

And, teams take years to develop, by keeping players with expiring contracts until the term is done, and drafting well. The Knicks are on the right track, ever since Isiah made the first move – getting Marbury.

"Not the herb you're looking for…"

by Guichard Cadet

Recent reports out of the New York papers hint that fireworks could be in the horizon for the NY Knicks, because new head coach Herb Williams is not one with whom players should fool.

Williams has been labeled a “player’s coach”, yet is not beyond publicly stating who messed up at any given time during the game.

Though he has a new contract in hand, Herb is not expected to coach the team next year.

This scenario tells how coveted a head coaching position is – the interim tag is often sticker(ed) on a person’s lapel, but in reality it’s more like a sign on the back that reads, “Kick me!”

Herb does not get as cozy a situation as Jeff Van Gundy did when he took over after Don Nelson’s firing (34-25).

This is an opportunity for Herb to showcase his player management skills, which is essentially this team’s shortfall.

sunday wrapup: The Buck Stops Here…

by Guichard Cadet


In this first edition, I intone on three topics: NY Knicks, NFL Playoffs, and the “reality” show, Strange Love.

· JAMAL CRAWL before you… jack up three-pointers and other ill-advised shots to start the game.

Until the Feb. 24th trade deadline passes, I can start every Knicks’ column commenting on Nazr Mohammed spotting the opponent’s starting center with 2 quick, first quarter fouls. I will not because once the deadline passes, Nazr will either be gone, or play better because he's comfortable that he wasn’t traded or that expectations have been lowered since he is now coming off the bench or earning his DNPs.

In today’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, on some shots, Crawford displayed the tentativeness of a citizen living in a totalitarian state who had recently been physically abused in attempt to make him conform. For the Knicks to win, Jamal must understand that everyone wants him to shoot 20 to 25 times a game, especially with so many veteran offensive threats (Houston, Hardaway and T. Thomas) injured.

While getting his shots, he must become an all-around player.

Fundamentally, Crawford’s game needs only one major adjustment: 3 dribbles then take steps toward the basket. From there, he can penetrate for a layup (score and/or foul shots), shoot a short jumper, pass to a player who’s in a better position to shoot, or kick it back out to the perimeter to restart the offense.

· E-A-G-L-E-S’ fans are scary…

As we do most Sunday morning, the wife and I watch ESPN’s Outside the Lines, As New Yorkers and Giants (she, more) and Jets (me, more) fans, we have mixed emotions rooting for the Eagles and Patriots. After seeing this morning’s OSL program, we badly wanted Donavan McNabb to win…because Eagles’ fans are scary.

I have friends from Philly and Pittsburgh. The Steelers’ fans are comfortable, cocky, loyal, in a familial way, and fun folks to discuss football. The ones from Philly, all they ever say is how they’re going to beat you…sort of obnoxious, right? But, for Donavan, we rooted, though I still have flashbacks of Randall Cunningham leaping over Giants defenders, attempting to ruin championship seasons. So, congrats, Donavan…!!

It’s hard to look at the New England Patriots because I always go back to one day: WHEN BELICHICK WAS OUR COACH!!!! and Charlie Weis was still the Jets’ offensive coordinator.

A lot of folks were upset with Bill Belichick for “quitting” on the NY Jets. I wasn’t because I also had been sandbagged to take a “promotion” in which I was not able to negotiate and earn my true market value. At that time, 1991, I did what Bill did.

I wish he had done his first. My move didn’t turn out so well. I could have learned from him.

Though I had picked both these teams to advance to the Super Bowl, I didn’t post because I had no preference in these games. I preferred Patriots vs. Eagles because they play in my NY teams’ division.

Side Note to the Atlanta Falcons: please explain the logic of executing the “west coast offense” when your QB excels in throwing the deep ball, and running when nothing is open. By using this offense, the linebackers are never too far from scrimmage; thus his runs are not very effective, and blitzes are hard to recognize for the wide receivers and him.

· of faded blonde bombshells and black “boys”

In this week’s episode of VH1’s Strange Love an Italian-speaking, party guest commented that Flavor Flav acts like he’s 13 years old. Perhaps knowing Flav would have ill’ed, the man, next to them, translated it to “you look 13”. Flav thanked the woman, and after the translation, the Italians were astounded that Flav took it as a compliment.

That was the ultimate insult! You don’t know what I’m talking about … Strange Love , you ask? Good for you!

Last Sunday, I was unfortunate enough to be channel surfing, when I stumbled upon this travesty which for me is the latest, and currently the most potent effort to assassinate the black male image. Since I am not a white blonde female, I will not speculate as to what they feel when they watch this. Nor will I say that I speak for all black males.

I must not, since Flavor Flav is a willing participant. My all-time favorite rap album is Public Enemy’s, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. I have always substituted the ‘back’ for ‘black’, and in a proud way. Within the PE family, I always defended Flav when folks around me debated him as no more than a minstrel.

When Chuck D said “this is what I mean by an anti-nigger machine…if I come out alive then they won’t come clean…” It spoke directly to his union with Flava Flav – “rock the hardcore and reach the boulevard”, in effect the bourgie!

Most blacks find themselves between a rock and hard place – Chuck & Flav! And, back then, to me, Flav was not hard to defend.

Now, his only saving grace for this Strange Love fiasco: some (young) person will think it’s a PSA from a Partnership for a Drug-Free America , of "this is your brain on drugs" fame.

Lenny and the Sword

by Guichard Cadet


After a heartbreaking, last-minute loss to the Houston Rockets last night, Lenny Wilkens decided it was time to resign as NY Knicks head coach. The first I heard of it was on television channel ESPNnews nearing (or shortly after) midnight.

The reporting was credited to Stephen A. Smith, as ‘Wilkens expected to resign’. Though the Knicks’ organization was said to have given Wilkens the night to mull it over, the word was already out; thereby making it impossible for him to change his mind.

Had he changed his mind, he simply would have been a “dead man walking”. The sports environment has become treacherous because, in addition to the actual participants, we (fans and media) put a lot of time, energy and money into the industry.

As outsiders looking down into the arena, like roman citizens viewing lions vs. Christians, we want constant excitement. We fail to see the ‘privilege’ which NY Jets QB Chad Pennington spoke of to the NY media. We desire instant gratification and balk at the very notion of NY Knicks GM Isiah Thomas’ realistic expectations that this current Knicks team is a 43-39 team.

In saying that, Thomas was essentially saying everyone gets to stay the season, even Wilkens. Yes, being offered a proven, year-in year-out All-Star caliber player could have forced him to trade one of his well-paid veterans. Unfortunately, with the Knicks losers of their last 9 out of 10 games (5 straight), change was in the air.

The media was calling for it in a murmur, and the fans were about to start filling Madison Square Garden with chants of “Fi-re Len-ny”, like a séance to summon the invisible lions.

From the moment of his NY hire to hours after his resignation (some say firing), Wilkens has had to endure absurd questions about his energy, capabilities and fit for this team (and the league). A coach expects to be second-guessed in the typical Monday morning quarterback fashion, the media and fans’ one way of indirectly participating in the decision-making aspect of sports.

But, there was no way Wilkens was going to endure the chanting. Not with his credentials: 1 of 3 people to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both player and coach.

The league’s actual participants, past and current, are well aware of Wilkens’ stature. He carries himself with the dignity we look for in every human being.

He has lost enough to show that he was not a fair-weather coach, the kind who shows up once the championship foundation is set. He is also the NBA’s leader for ‘most wins by a coach’, so he knows the game on so many levels.

The NBA is often called a “player’s league” which basically means the coach gets fired first, because most trades often involve players of equal value and caliber.

As an experienced leader, and one with NY roots, Wilkens realized the cannibalistic cries would soon come – ‘Fi-re Len-ny’, and become more of a distraction for the team. So, he did the honorable thing and took one for the team. He fell on the sword.

Is this a sign of things to come – trades and firings? Or, will this force an underachieving team to toughen up and start winning those close games and the ones against teams they’re expected to beat?

That Familiar Feeling...

...of loyalty, rigidity, and stability

by Guichard Cadet


The Houston Rockets will be in New York tonight, but it seems like New York is always in (or with) Houston.

When GM Carroll Dawson hired Jeff Van Gundy to coach, I don’t think he knew JVG was going to be such a ‘homer’and bring all these folks with Knicks' ties to the franchise.

Another aspect that Dawson never anticipated: JVG’s rigidity in his coaching style. Though the GM bears the ultimate responsibility for trades and transactions, weeks into the 2004 season, JVG’s style clashed with All-Start point guard Steve Francis. This rift led to a summer trade of three starters - Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato - to the Orlando Magic for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue.

As a coach, JVG always implements a slow-down, grind-it-out system, no matter the talent at his disposal. Though he cannot be faulted for wanting to run an offense that focuses on center Yao Ming’s strength, at the start of the 2005 seasons, JVG found himself in a quandary. The Rockets were losing more than they did last year.

Dawson orchestrated more trades, which focused on trying to find a point guard to fill the void left by the departed Francis. Currently, with no true all-star caliber point guard in the rotation, the Rockets have signed former Knick, Rod Strickland, the 17-year veteran, to the roster.

For the Rockets it boils down to this: what effect is all this instability having on the franchise’s main focus: Yao Ming? Now, in his third season, Yao has not had the opportunity to form his NBA family, as JVG had the opportunity to do while part of the Knicks coaching staff.

This lack of stability and familiarity could become a major factor when (and if) Yao becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season.

DEAD(line) that talk!

a message to underachieving NBA teams

by Guichard Cadet

The day after the Knicks fell apart in the fourth quarter versus the Toronto Raptors, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News wrote trade prospects Donyell Marshall and Jalen Rose may have ruined that deal, due to their spectacular performance.

I’ve been hearing about various Knicks’ trades involving these two players for weeks, and want no parts of it. Though Marshall’s length and outside shooting would be a great addition to a frontline that cannot consistently score in the perimeter, he is a defensive liability; thus you can’t trade any of the Knicks “4” or “5” position players for him, so you have to include Jalen Rose in the trade.

By doing this, the best move for the Knicks would be to give up Tim Thomas and Penny Hardaway, thereby relegating Marshall to the bench as a backup, and Jalen Rose as a starter. It sounds good on paper, as does any trades involving well-traveled veterans such as Rose and Marshall.

The call of many is to fire coach Lenny Wilkens, trade this and that player, and that the GM does not know what he is doing. WRONG!!

Right now, Knicks GM Isiah Thomas is doing precisely the right thing but it is having an adverse effect on his team.

NBA players are well aware of the trade deadline, and do either of two things. They play to their highest capabilities or taper their performance, so they can escape dungeons like Toronto, or entice big market (or playoff caliber) franchises like New York.

Knicks’ players, except for Stephon Marbury, do not know whether they will be traded. This fear has subconsciously crept into their game, hindered their performance and undervalued their worth on the market – same can be said for the coaching.

Once the trade deadline passes on Feb. 24, players with expiring contracts will play to their maximum effort and talent level, and their respective teams will reach the goals they set at the start of the season.

When it comes to veterans with expiring contracts, the question for the Knicks and other underachieving NBA teams: will this one trade make you a championship contender NOW, like Rasheed Wallace’s did for the Detroit Pistons a year ago?

‘Soft in the Middle’

by Guichard Cadet

Those words came from Eddy Curry of the Chicago Bulls in describing the NY Knicks, after Saturday’s (01/15/05) game. Though I knew why he would say such a thing, I still felt it was an odd statement from a player who had very little success in the game.

Yes, he did hit the winning layup, and scored 17 points; but as they often say in sports, “the numbers lie.” Most of Curry’s success came early in the first quarter and, only, when matched against Nazr Mohammed. Saddled with fouls, Mohammed sat and in came Michael Sweetney, who basically bodied and frustrated Curry, sending the Bulls’ center to the bench.

The key to the Bulls’ victory was the play of their perimeter and bench players, specifically Luol Deng and Tyson Chandler, who provided the interior defense.

Lately, playing through injuries, the Knicks have been slumping, losers of their last 7 out of 8 games. It is no secret why they continually underachieve. http://www.knickerblogger.net/ odds & ends 1/14/05

Their overall defense is horrible, mainly because it is not emphasized from the coach to the team leader, point guard, Stephon Marbury up to the center position, Mohammed.

IS IT TOO LATE TO SELLOUT?

by G. Dan Buford
12/06/04


We live in a generation where people think of a crossover as Iverson on the perimeter giving Jordan a few reasons why he should have stayed retired.

Twenty years ago, in high school, a crossover was what we called that lone minority kid in a clique of 10 to 20 whites. If my school had been in suburbia, perhaps he could have gotten a pass. What bothered us most about students like him were how his mannerisms mimicked the others in the group in which he traveled, as if clearly stating his desires to be the other.

Our school had a very balanced mix of nationalities and ethnicities, much like today’s national landscape. We were deeply divided along racial and cultural lines, as to what was cool. Our differences led to two separate proms and senior trips.

Technically our differences were kid-stuff. Yet, this past presidential election reminded me much of that period. I now understand the difference between being ‘for’ something as opposed to being ‘against’.

The Republicans framed their campaign as being FOR: God, morality, and national security.

Simply put there was no way for Kerry to denounce any of these principles. He followed the party line and placed emphasis on the need to fight for libertarian ideals, of individual freedoms. In the end his campaign was essentially an ‘anti’ campaign.

That was the nature of his support base: those who were anti-Bush.

True to democratic ideals in a pluralistic society, the Democratic Party believes each group should send their representative to address their specific issue. National elections continue to show the flaw of this approach.

Whereas the various voting blocs stand side-by-side with other democrats, they do not champion each other's cause.

This is best illustrated by observing how celebrities and mainstream artists made their political stance. They rallied around their individual issues, or voiced their anti-Bush sentiments. Did any of them back what was deemed the most unfavorable issue: same-sex marriage?

How powerful would it have been had a heterosexual male singer made a song or statement supporting this issue?

Politicians reach across voting blocs and hold hands with everyone: women, minorities, gays, pro-choice groups, etc... Yet, few top artists or celebrities asking voters to support politicians ever come out and say I am FOR...

The two major parties have different, albeit underhandedly offensive ways of dealing with minorities. Democrats are the party of majority rule where it's truly a number's game. Since no individual minority bloc will ever constitute the party’s majority, the upper level positions will continue to be manned by those from the centrist base.

Though the Republican Party’s membership is less than 20% minority, Bush’s past and upcoming cabinet includes Blacks, Latinos and Asians. This makes the old question, how come there are no black people on the wall, obsolete.

We can opt to call these representatives crossovers, but I bet their high school pictures will show they were never in our clique.

G. Dan Buford's first novel, "My Baby's Father" was
published by La Caille Nous Publishing. His next
novel, "Separate But Equal" is due out this year.