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Sorry, I've been out with a sore Cutler. Updates galore coming soon.

Heat Crunch Time Highlights!

LOL.

LOL.

25-years ago, Len Bias did this.

Get me this out-of-bounds play!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Butler to the Heat, Ebanks to the Lakers. Ebanks in LA? Yikes.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Da’Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks were selected in Thursday night’s NBA draft held in New York City. Butler was the 42nd selection in the second round by the Miami Heat while Ebanks was taken one pick later by the defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers.

“I’m so happy right now, you don’t understand,” Ebanks said. “The world champions … I get to play with the best player in the world, Kobe Bryant … I don’t really have too many words to say. I’m just happy.”

Butler is also pleased.

When he injured his knee midway through the second half of West Virginia’s Final Four game against Duke there were doubts that Butler would even get drafted despite once being projected as a first-round choice.

Butler worked hard to rehabilitate his knee and the Heat thought enough of his potential to make the call.

“I was literally just overwhelmed,” said Butler. "I started to cry for a second.”

Butler was one of three players selected by Miami in the second round joining Texas center Dexter Pittman and Mississippi State forward Jarvis Varnado. Last year Miami had a 47-35 record and finished third in the Southeast Division before losing in the first round of the playoffs to Boston.

Ebanks was one of two players taken by the Lakers; Texas El-Paso forward Derrick Caracter was taken 58th.

Ebanks averaged 12 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in helping the Mountaineers to their first Final Four appearance in 51 years.

Butler averaged 17.2 points per game and became only the third player in school history to score 2,000 career points. The other two were Hot Rod Hundley and Jerry West.

“I feel good, I mean you hear so much, ‘he doesn’t do this, he doesn’t do that,’ ” Butler said. “I mean I have a lot more work and a lot more things to accomplish to prove everybody wrong about me so I’m just looking forward to the season, that’s about it.”

West Virginia made the NCAA tournament during three of Butler’s four seasons playing for the Mountaineers and the other year they won the NIT when he was a freshman.

“It’s been a long, long journey,” Butler said.

The selections of Butler and Ebanks marks the first time in school history West Virginia has had two players taken since the draft was paired to only two rounds. The last time two Mountaineer players went in the draft was 1983 when guard Greg Jones was selected in the third round by the Indiana Pacers and forward Russel Todd was drafted in the sixth round by the Milwaukee Bucks.

It also represents the second and third Bob Huggins-coached players taken in the draft since Huggins has been at WVU; Huggins has had 18 players drafted during his coaching career.

“I’m willing to learn,” Ebanks said. “They just won the NBA championship, so I have a whole bunch of stuff to learn about the NBA and what better team than the Lakers?”

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Miami Heat get the steal of the draft in Da Sean Butler

With all the hoopla over John Wall being a superstar, Kentucky getting five in the first round and underclassmen dominating again, the Miami Heat may have gotten the best bargain in the NBA draft with the 42nd pick.

The team's selection of West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler, a 6-7 guard, may pay off bigger for Miami than any other pick last night.

There were questions of whether Butler would even get drafted after he tore up his left knee (who can forget the sight of coach Bob Huggins cradling him on the floor) in the NCAA playoffs.

But prior to his injury, Butler was thought of as a sure first-rounder and his play last year (he scored more than 2,000 career points) was superior to almost every other player picked.

While college stardom doesn't always transfer to the NBA, if Butler, expected back on the court in the fall, is anywhere near the player he was pre-injury, other executives may wonder how Heat president Pat Riley pulled off grand theft robbery without a mask and a weapon. -- Reid Cherner for USA Today.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Random Musings: Vida Blue, the Cleveland Izzos and More

So I’ve been watching the NBA Finals and I was wondering. Why do so many players have to have these stupid pre-game rituals? It’s getting ridiculous. Kevin Garnett, who I used to love before he became a chest thumping, screaming, preening prima donna, walks to the basket support and slams his head into it. Wow, that’s pretty cool, except not at all. Dwyane (my mom couldn’t spell) Wade walks over under the basket, jumps up and does a chin-up while putting his head through the rim. Awesome. And don’t get me started on LeBron and his whole powder routine. I don’t know, I mean who is entertained by all this? Bueller? Bueller?

I was highly amused the other night when the ESPN talking heads were all ga-ga about Big Baby Davis and Nate Robinson showing “emotion” and “joy” on the floor and being so “energized.” Nate said they have to show emotion like that to get themselves and their team “into the game.” So, playing in the NBA Finals for the sport's highest honor and making millions of dollars a year to play basketball isn’t enough incentive for you to play hard and, hell, care?

Sigh.

Speaking of LeBron, I’d like a show of hands for anybody else getting sick of all the drama. How many times have you heard that the city of Cleveland will be emotionally and economically destroyed if he leaves? You know what? I’m to the point of saying just go if you don’t want to be here. Cleveland will survive. That said, I still think he’s staying. I heard from a pretty good source that the Cavs expect him to re-sign for a 3-year extension. I also heard that Danny Ferry left because he didn’t want to fire Mike Brown but Gilbert overruled him and is now calling all the shots. Ruh-roh. Hope we don’t have another Jerry Jones on our hands.

Thought on the coaching situation. Can you picture Tom Izzo standing there while LeBron and Co. go through their whole picture taking routine before games, just smiling? Me either. Then again, for 30-million he just might think it’s hilarious.

When did height become length? I’ve been involved in basketball for over 40-years and I never heard the term “length” used until a few years ago. I never heard an announcer say, “Boy, that Wilt Chamberlain causes a lot of problems out there with his length” (insert Wilt sex joke here). Also, apparently fast breaks are now run-outs. Go figure.

Final NBA thought. The refs control the series. L.A. wins game six and Game 7 will go as the referees call it. Let ‘em play, Celts win. Call it tight, edge to L.A. In addition, Joey Crawford’s an ass.

OK everybody, settle down. Stephen Strasburg’s had a couple great games. Let’s not induct him into the Hall of fame just yet (I’m talking to you, Bob Costas). Hey, I’m old enough to remember one of the last great phenoms. Had a poster of him on my wall. He went 17-3, before the All-Star game, in 1971. He finished 24-8 and had a good career, winning over 200 games. His name? Vida Blue. How many of you can tell me who he played for? Probably everybody because that’s his picture up there, but you get the point. Nolan Ryan he wasn’t, though everybody thought he was in the beginning. Listen, I don’t wish any ill will on the Strasburg kid but I predict arm troubles. He throws too much with his arm and not enough with his legs. Just sayin’. Call me in 3-years.

For the life of me I can’t watch the World Cup, and Lord knows I’ve tried. My son played soccer, loves it, and watches it all. He knows the best players from Slovenia and South Africa and knows the difference between a Flick Header and a Front Header (I had to look those up – Googled "soccer terms"). All I see is a bunch of guys running around scoring no points. Case in point – the Americans are thrilled with a 1-1 tie against England. Huh? That’s foreign to me, and I mean that literally. If they got rid of the goalies they might have a pretty cool game, but right now it’s like a basketball game with a guy on a chair in front of the rim, swatting away 99% of the shots.

Finally, does anybody still watch Pardon the Interruption? I do, and I've done a complete 180 on Wilbon and Kornheiser. I use to think Kornheiser was an ass and that Wilbon was pretty cool. Now Wilbon has become such a name-dropping, self-important blowhard that I can't stand him. He has to preface every comment with, "When I spoke to Shaq the other day . . ." or "Hey, Ray Allen's a friend of mine but . . ." I'm telling you it's disgusting. Meanwhile, Kornheiser's crusty old man act has become somewhat endearing.

That’s all I got. The Outer Banks, and a Chillipepper's Oyster Po' Boy, await.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

West Virginia Hoops Recognized by NCAA

This isn't juicy and won't make headlines, but . . .

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University men’s basketball team recently received public recognition by the NCAA for their latest multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. The team posted multiyear APRs in the top 10 percent of all NCAA basketball programs.

Each year, the NCAA honors selected Division I sports teams by publicly recognizing their latest multiyear APR. This announcement is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams who demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sports.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.

Multiyear APR scores for all of WVU’s athletic teams, including the teams receiving public recognition awards, will be announced by the NCAA at a later date. More detailed information is available at www.ncaa.org.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Nation undecided on who it hates more, Lakers or Celtics?

Man, I love The Onion.

WASHINGTON—The NBA Finals have thrown the nation's basketball fans into a state of angry confusion this week, as the bitter debate over whether they despise the Celtics or Lakers more rages on. "Kobe is such an egotistical prick that it's really easy to detest the Lakers, especially with that clenched-jaw face he makes, but come on—you have to hate the Celtics because the Big Three are so much more fucking annoying," said Jeff Connor, a St. Louis native. "I'll admit that I can't stand Pau Gasol, just because the guy rubs me the wrong way, maybe due to his disgusting greasy hair. Phil Jackson is a pretty huge asshole with all that loud whistling he does, but Rondo is the most irritating little shit, and I loathe that fat sweaty hog Glen Davis. Ray Allen is actually okay. That dick Kevin Garnett, though, is a chest-pounding idiot." After much discussion, a consensus appears to be near, as Americans are agreeing to hate the Lakers and Celtics equally.

Man, that chick beside me is smokin'.

Imagine waking up and seeing this on ESPN. I look like I'm having a stroke back there. Good Lord.

Imagine waking up and seeing this on ESPN. I look like I'm having a stroke back there. Good Lord.

3:30 AM, after the Louisville game.

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