Amidst a crazy day of sports — that included the top team in college football losing on a last-second field goal return for a touchdown — one of the top stories circulating on the Internet Saturday was that of the untimely tragic death of actor Paul Walker. Walker, 40, who was best known for his iconic role as Brian O’Conner in The Fast and the Furious films, died in a fiery single-car crash in Santa Clarita, California. The combination of TMZ having
BROOKLYN – Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts doesn’t run any crazy offensive scheme. He just tries to get the most out of his talented players. Often this season, that has meant letting his shooters shoot with the rest taking care of itself. So far, that has been a major key to the success of the NBA’s hottest team. It seems simple, but in a sporting landscape where coaches like to exert influence or control, sometimes giving individuals freedom can get
In a teleconference last week, we asked NBA analysts Chris Webber and Greg Anthony to pick a Western Conference team which missed the playoffs last season but will make the playoffs this season. “Dallas, mainly because of Dirk Nowitzki,” Webber said. “He’ll be back healthy. What he does, with spacing, getting guys involved … We take his game for granted.” “I would go with the Pelicans,” Anthony said. “I think that’s a team that could make sizeable leaps and surprise a lot
There are many tragedies in life that many hope to never have to experience. One of the saddest realities in life is that of a parent outliving their child. There are also many things—evil, terrible things—that no one should ever have to bear in life. The worst of which, perhaps for a parent, is harm inflicted on their child at the hands of a criminal—whether verbal, physical or sexual abuse or even abduction or death. The burden of knowing that your child suffered such
It was 12 years ago today that the horrors of 9/11 were etched into the annals of history, yet the events of that day still seem so recent. Two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City causing them to collapse and two other planes flew towards targets further south—one crashing in a field in Pennsylvania, the other hitting the Pentagon in Washington. Today, as many across the United States take time to reflect on the tragedy that
The 2012-13 season was not a kind one to the Portland Trail Blazers. Forget the NBA Rookie of the Year Award given unanimously for only the fourth time in history to Damian Lillard. Forget, too, the second straight All-Star nod for LaMarcus Aldridge. Also forget that Aldridge, Lillard, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews comprised the top four-man lineup in the league. Portland finished the campaign on a franchise-worst 13-game losing streak and wasn’t competitive in a game for more than a month. This season is shaping
College football, it seems, is in a realm unto itself among sports. It evokes pride and intense passion—particularly among fans. The passion for college football is evident in sheer numbers. Don’t believe me? Let the attendance of the big game between Michigan and Notre Dame tell the tale. [Read more…]
Damian Lillard, last season’s Rookie of the Year, led the NBA in minutes played. To put that into perspective, over the last five seasons, only two rookies – O.J. Mayo and Derrick Rose in 2008-2009 – even placed in the top 15 in minutes played. That comes out to three rookies among 75 players, a minuscule 4 percent. It is beyond a tremendous burden to put on a rookie, much less one who is handling the ball. That burden extended to the