Mr. Everything

Ohio State Buckeye junior standout Evan Turner may be the best player in college basketball. There are players such as John Wall, Wesley Johnson, Damion James, and Scottie Reynolds that are potential All-Americans, but none of the names above possess the all-around game that Turner has. You need rebounds, assists, defense, scoring, leadership, and intangibles Turner is the answer to all of your needs on the court. Turner does everything on a night in and night out basis. Sometimes his numbers are unreal for a 40 minute collegiate game. Turner's demeanor labels him as a silent assassin, but as soon as he steps on the hardwood he becomes a totally different person. The Bucks are in the top 10 and are one of the hottest teams in College Basketball due to the superstar play of Evan Turner. Postseason awards are coming up soon and there shouldn't be a question who should win the Big Ten Player of The Year. We all know that award should be a given, but when it comes to the Naismith Player of the Year Turner would be in a dog fight with many other players. Memo to the voters take a look at Ohio State's six games without Turner this season, and compare those six games to the team that is playing now. Thad Matta found a gem in Turner coming out of high school and it shows how college can develop your game if you put in the time.

Coach Who?

The Cleveland Cavs have been in the upper echelon of the NBA for the past 5 years or so. Lebron James is the headliner of the organization and has been the franchise savior since 2003. Playing with Lebron James is a dream for some players around the NBA and coaching him is also a luxury. Mike Brown the Cleveland Cavaliers coach has been successful year in and year out, but shows many flaws as a coach. Brown has won 50+ games every year as coach. He also has a coach of the year award, and led his team to the NBA Finals. Those accolades are great and you can't take them away from him, but it is not hard to coach Lebron James. The Cavs offense is very stagnant and it relies on one person. Lebron is great but he needs an offense where he can utilize all of his abilities in a traditional set. Take one moment and visualize Lebron James in the triangle offense......pretty scary huh. Mike Brown is known for his defensive coaching, but his lack of offensive creativity and late game mangement could hurt Cavs this season as it happened in seasons past. I have yet to see Mike Brown get in Lebron's face to question late game three pointers instead of driving to the hoop or using the mid range jump shot. Coaches such as Larry Brown, Phil Jackson, Greg Poppovich, and Jerry Sloan all critique their star players without question. Mike Brown seems intimidated by Lebron, because he knows he is more expendable than James and he has no credentials without James. Brown may need to hire an offensive guru as an assistant similar to what Phil Jackson had in Tex Winter. The Cavs has all the tools to win the Championship but they may be missing the driver to the car. Lebron may have to double as player coach similar to what Bill Russell did in his Celtic Days for the Cavs to reach the promise land. Mike Brown please say your prayers and hope you get a ring because of the King!

Dont Forget About Me

Here is a video of Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder. A lot of analyst and sports gurus rant and rave about young talents such as O.J. Mayo, Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings, but they tend to forget about Westbrook. Westbrook was overlooked as a point guard coming out of UCLA due to the fact Darren Collison handled the bulk of the point guard duties. Westbrook has silenced the critics and is on his way to a great career.

Can He Bounce Back?

The New York Knicks made headlines by acquiring seven time All-Star Tracy McGrady. The deal was a move to create more cap space for the Knicks, but it's an interesting situation to see Mcgrady showcase his talents for 29 games. Tracy McGrady was once a prolific player in the NBA. He has accomplished many individual accolades during his time in the NBA. McGrady was once in the same breath as Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, and Carmelo Anthony. A lot has changed since then. After multiple issues with his ailing back and a micro fracture injury we do not know which T-Mac will show up in the Big Apple. T-Mac has a great skill set and is entering a system that can showcase what he has left in the tank, well that's if he has anything left. The former All-Star seems to be motivated and ready to silence his critics. This is also a contract year for McGrady so he will have no choice but to show up on the court and play with a new found motivation. This can be risky to see a player come from a crucial injury and show enough value that will reward them another contract. Elton Brand put up good numbers in about 30 games after tearing his achilles tendon. In those few games the Philadelphia 76ers were convinced that they were getting a 20/10 guy. Since offering Brand a max deal he hasn't lived to worth of his contract. I am not calling McGrady Elton Brand but the situations are similar. I am not doubting McGrady's ability, but we all know he has the back of Betty White(Golden Girls) and a heart that pumps kool aid. Guards usually flourish under Knicks coach Mark D'Antoni and Tracy will have every opportunity to silence his doubters. This is another chance for him to come back in the good graces of the NBA and regain some respect around the league. Don't blow it! I do no want to see Spike Lee chasing you out of MSG.

Im Sorry!

Tiger Woods made his first public appearance since his "transgressions"fiasco. Tiger Woods addressed the media with a public apology to fans, parents, and his family. Mr. Woods did state he will return to the golf course, but there is not a specific date. Stay tuned for more information on Mr. Woods.

Slam "Dump" Contest

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest was once the highlight of All-Star weekend. With the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Jason Richardson, Harold Miner, and Spud Webb were all names who put on memorable shows at the Slam Dunk Contest in years past. Now you have players such as Nate Robinson, Shannon Brown, J.R. Smith , and Demar Dorozan are the new blood who have competed within the last few years. The dunk contest is watered down and needs to be taken out of the NBA. I doubt fans in China, Europe, and Germany want to see Nate Robinson dunk they would rather see Lebron James or Kobe Bryant dunk. The dunk contest has lost its luster and it is far from exciting. There are players such as Lebron James, Dwight Howard, Rudy Gay, Derrick Rose, and Josh Smith that could bring the dunk contest back, but the risk of injury is not wise and who wants to compete with marginal players in a contest with so much rich tradition. Winning the dunk contest holds no true value or bragging rights as it did in years past its similar to winning a fat man's relay race. Commissioner Stern is good at doing away with things and instilling new ideas. I believe it is time to dump the dunk contest and time to create a competition that the stars will be willing to compete in. Memo to David Stern please do not let the marginal players of the NBA tarnish something that was so legendary!

More Than A Historic Win

The Saints beat the odds and defeated the high powered Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl 31-17. Drew Brees outdueled MVP Peyton Manning in a showdown between two of the games top teams. The Saints slowed down Peyton Manning and made him look human for the first time this season. In football timing is everything and Peyton Manning threw a key interception in the 4th quarter and Tracy Porter scampered 74 yards for the game clinching touchdown. The Saints were down early but they kept their composure and fought hard for 60 minutes and it resulted in a victory. This game means a lot for the city of New Orleans and long time Saints fans. Not too long ago tragedy struck New Orleans in a horrific manner. Hurricane Katrina took the lives of many and dismantled the city in a way one can't even imagine. Families were torn, businesses were torn into shreds, houses were flooded, and the whole town was in disarray. The Superdome where the Saints call home became the temporary home of some residents that were effected by the tragic storms. Since then the city has been under construction new developments are in the works, but there are also many parts of New Orleans that have not received the proper help or funding to rebuild. Despite tragedy the residents of "N'awlins" spent their Sundays cheering for the beloved Saints. The Saints delivered for the city in the best way possible by winning the Super Bowl. The feeling of joy will be temporary, but its a few moments that the New Orleans faithful can cherish something positive rather than thinking about the squandering economy or the rubbish that is still left behind from Hurricane Katrina.

Last of A Dying Breed

In recent news San Diego Chargers RB Ladanian Tomlinson made headlines pertaining to his future as a Charger. Tomlinson stated that he believed that he will be released by the organization during the off-season. Tomlinson is due a $2 million dollar roster bonus along with his yearly salary . The future looks very cloudy for the future Hall Of Famer and it may be the end to an illustrious career. If the Chargers decide to cut him and Tomlinson lands on another team he will not be the same LT who torched the NFL for seven strong seasons. Running Backs such as Edgerrin James, Fred Taylor, Jamal Lewis, Ladanian Tomlinson, and Clinton Portis are the last batch of running backs who played in the glory days when it was a one back system. A lot of these guys careers came to an end or nearing an abrupt end due to the massive amount of carries year in and year out. Running backs tend to wear down around age 27 the same age when the Colts let Edgerrin James sign to Arizona. The number 370 is a scarry number for running backs. Backs such as Eddie George, Larry Johnson, Shaun Alexander, and Terrell Davis eclipsed 370 carries in a season and never returned to their All-Pro form. Emmitt Smith is the most durable running back in history(not the best) and that is one of the reasons why he is the all-time record holder. Out of the present day players only James, Tomlinson, and Taylor come in reach of Emmit's record and those players are past their glory days. There are few backs that play in today's league that will exceed 10,000 career rushing yards. The NFL is a pass happy league and running backs are more of a 1-2 punch to keep one another fresh. Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore, Chris Johnson, and Steven Jackson are great backs, but cherish their greatness while it lasts. Reality strikes fast when you play running back just ask Shaun Alexander!

Velvet Hoop!

Kevin Durant may be the only person from his famous NIKE commerical that is having a breakout year. Kevin Durant has his Oklahoma Thunder en route to make the playoffs in the brutal Western Conference. Durant is a pure scorer with a killer instinct to take over games. Do not let his demeanor and smallish frame fool you Durant is a pure BEAST on the court. Durant was recently selected to his first All-Star game. This is a trend that will be happening year in and year out. Other than Melo, LBJ, and Kobe there are few players that can put the ball in the hole as well as Durant. Oklahoma City Thunder is a young team with bright future and will continue to get better as their younger players continue to develop. It may be a stretch to give Durant MVP considerations, but he does deserve some credit. If Durant can lead his team to 40 plus wins and continue his scoring path he may deserve some votes. Hey look at D-Wade last season 30ppg, 40 plus win season for the Heat, and I forgot to mention he plays in the Eastern Conferece. People forget that Durant is just a youngster he may be in line for several scoring records for years to come. I know Portland Trailblazer fans are disappointed that they passed up on the opportunity to Draft KD. While Kevin Durant is tourching defenses around the league his draft mate Greg Oden who was selected before is making headlines on http://www.mediatakeout.com/. KD keep up the good work young man you are on your way!