Mets Chop Chipper-less Braves

The Mets started their mini-Southern road trip by doing the Braves “dirty”. The three-game sweep played to the same script on consecutive days. The Mets would jump out to a big lead then the Braves either tied or came close to tying, then the Mets would score more runs. For the Braves, the injury to the insult: Chipper Jones’ re-injuring his Oblique.

Jones’ absence essentially ended any real chance the Braves had in the series, to catch the division-leading Mets or possibly a Wild Card spot.

The sweep allows the Mets to put a history of Braves’ dominance behind, even if only for the year. With today’s looming trade deadline, the series confirmed NY has three dominant pitchers for the post-season. After rocky early innings for Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez, both settled down and threw to form, confounding hitters with a combination of placement and speed.

Tom Glavine had the opportunity to do the same in yesterday’s finale, but he seems to be in dire need of the rest granted (or ordered to) Pedro. Glavine’s pattern of pitching for half of the year seems to be repeating itself, but unlike last year, the poor half is occurring in the second half of the season.

The Mets have the luxury of allowing Glavine to skip two turns in the rotation.

• A huge lead in the division
• Consistent, productive hitters
• Five other quality starting pitchers, of which two youngsters (John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey) needing more tests to determine whether they're ready for the post-season spotlight.

Though the Mets have shown versatility and power in their hitting, pitching is the key to post-season dominance. After knocking the chip off Atlanta’s shoulders, they need to rest Glavine’s for a real chance at making it to the World Series.

Knicks Not Rich Enough To Afford Butler

The Butler Did It…

Jackie Butler did IT in…on the surface that is the look of things, as far as Isiah Thomas not matching the San Antonio Spurs’ offer sheet to this up-and-coming player. For the Spurs the cost is reported at $7 million over 3 years, but because of ‘luxury tax’ implications the Knicks would have shelled out double that amount. And, not signing him amounts to that – a shell game.

On what level does not guaranteeing the team the services of a 21-year old Center at such a low cost make sense? Conspiracy theorists state it has to do with Butler’s agent being the son of Larry Brown’s agent. For some, even though Brown will no longer coach the team, they are intent on using his name for the duration of the contract.

Roster Spot?

· By letting Jackie Butler walk, the Knicks have the flexibility in making a trade of one of their higher-priced players and bringing in two players. This has yet to happen during Thomas’ tenure.

· A glut of “big men” which would leave little playing time for Butler behind Eddy Curry and Jerome James, especially with Channing Frye getting spot minutes at Center.

New Style of Play

With the Knicks going up-tempo, does this suit Butler’s game? Though Butler has shown flashes of effectiveness, does he have the physique and stamina to play a run and gun style. Last season he displayed the ability to execute offensively 10-feet in, not bog down the offense by taking unwise shots, being a decent passer, and an average defender.

Jackie Butler did IT in, not due to any particular sense of loyalty that he should have to Thomas for rescuing him from the CBA. NO, not in the cut-throat business of sports. Butler was rumored to have received other more lucrative offers, but chose the Spurs offer.

This proved to be a double-edged sword, in that the contracted amount is low enough to demonstrate the predicament Thomas is in, as far as “salary cap and luxury tax hell”. If the contract was for, what many deem to be the fair market value for a decent or unproven NBA Center, somewhere in the range of $5million for 3 years then the Knicks not matching would be more palatable.

If one edge is pointed at the Knicks, who is the other pointed at? Butler himself!

Due to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, Butler could receive a yearly amount no more than the MLE (mid-level exception), which starts at about $5.2 million this year. Who is the last Spurs Center to improve his game or reputation while playing next to Tim Duncan? This is not a knock against Duncan. It is a fact that dominant, offensive NBA big men need the player next to them to be defensive show stoppers and / or rebounding machines.

Is Jackie that type of player? In his limited NBA experience he has not been. This is not to say that Butler will be a liability to the Spurs. When he gets his offensive touches, he will have to show that he deserves them – the reason why Malik Rose with picks was traded for Nazr Mohammed.

The reason Rasho Nesterovic was traded to the Raptors.

The reason Nazr was only able to garner the MLE in a market starved for experienced big men. A market where Ben Wallace gets $60 million over 4 years. Nene is expected to sign for a similar amount. Same with Tyson Chandler last year.

Had the Knicks matched the “offer sheet”, Butler would have had the opportunity to supplant James (this season) and possibly Curry (in 2 more years). He would have had the opportunity to develop offensively while being accepted for not being a defensive giant. WAIT! Is that the reason the Knicks did not match?

See, the Spurs have shown the ability to overcome their Center not being an all-defensive force. Being that the Knicks are at the other end of the championship spectrum, all Thomas can do is smile for proving once again he has an eye for young talent, and wish Butler the very best.

The WNBA Lifestyle?

This past week the WNBA hosted its annual All-Star game and is currently celebrating its tenth year of existence. After a promising start in which the Houston Comets, along with Cynthia Cooper’s Air Jordan-like finesse, established a dynasty by winning the first four championships, the league has floundered, continually changing its slogan in hopes of cementing its worth in the American sports landscape.

The league’s problem is not that it lacks an identity or relevance, to the point where the predominant post-commentary on the All-Star game was an impromptu dunk contest, where most of the players failed to get it in. If lack of interest for such an exhibition game was the death knell to a league, then the NFL would be in great peril, as probably would MLB.

The answer lies equally in what is exhibited during the competition, as much as what female athletes do in their private lives. Last year, Sheryl Swoopes announced that she was in a lesbian relationship. That type of story could have served - and probably was hoped to become – a beacon into the WNBA life. Instead after a few weeks of minor discussion it faded because the viewing public made a distinction between lifestyle and personal space.

When it comes to the WNBA, one’s not sure what we should be discussing. What make sports intractable from our lives: the spirit of competition coupled with the lifestyle of those who excel at the highest levels. The key word is lifestyle not necessary lives. In this consumer culture, fans want the players to give them a reason to be like them. In this instance, to grab the much-heralded male sports fan, the WNBA has to create envy among women in their demographic. Peak Age in 3 women’s sports:

• Gymnastics – 14 to 18
• Tennis – 18 to 25
• Basketball – 23 to 35

Many would have you believe the WNBA’s lack of mass appeal is linked to a fan’s ability to watch the “physically superior” NBA game. If so, why are women’s tennis and gymnastics much more popular than the male version, even with the men having the same upper-hand physically?

Women in sports - that have captured male attention - are able to carve out distinct identities that show off their superior physical ability and form (when compared to other females) by their play and the outfits (uniforms) they wear. A perfect example of such: track and field, and team volleyball. Female athletes in other sports are also encouraged to share their passions off the court, whether in other career interests, fashion or love life.

Such was the case for the WNBA in the early days when it showcased Lisa Leslie’s aspiration to be a model. The league has had a myriad of slogans, including:

• We Got Next!
• Have you seen her?
• Basketball is Beautiful.

…each embracing different aspects of womanhood. It is now time for a new slogan, one that embraces not only all of their players but also their fans. A Woman’s Right To Defend…all of those traits that make her the best at what she does.

...now that’s a slam dunk!

Will Knicks Quit on the Quick?

The New York Knicks completed the 2006 Las Vegas Summer League season with a record of 4-1. During the competition the team unveiled its offense termed “the Quick” by its creator Isiah Thomas. I first heard of the new offense when MSG TV commentator Gus Johnson described the offense as embodying the principles of 3 very successful offenses:

• John Wooden’s UCLA High Post Shuffle Cut
• Bobby Knight’s Passing Philosophy
• Tex Winter’s Triangle Offense

Thomas employed the same offense when he coached a young and rebuilding Indiana Pacers team to three straight playoff appearances, bowing out in the first round each time.

Since it is only summer league it is hard to gauge whether the Knicks will be as or more successful with Thomas as their coach employing this offense. The Vegas SL success was clearly a function of having better talent on the floor, as it relates to the Knicks younger players. In the two games where the other team had superior talent – Amare Stoudamire (Phoenix Suns) and Ron Artest (Sacremento Kings) – the Knicks lost to the Suns, and trailed big in the first half, only to rebound and win against the Kings because Artest did not play in the second half.

The major factor in the team’s success was the steady play at the Point Guard position by Nate Robinson and Walker Russell, Jr. Although during an on-air, in-game interview, Thomas stressed that the offense is not predicated on the PG being “the brain”, it was apparent that summer league head coach Mark Aguirre felt differently. In the first two games, he pulled Robinson at key intervals and by the third game Robinson ran the offense to perfection, which enabled other players to carry the offensive load.

Can this success carry over into the regular season? This brings us back the question of talent and where exactly the Knicks are. Did they quit on their coach last season? By all accounts and specifically because of the results of the Larry Brown era – I mean season, of 23 wins and 59 losses.

From now until the start of training camp, the team might make some moves but in the meantime, I will provide a series of articles to pick-up where I left off - Who’s Zooming Who?