Knicks Announce Official Hiring of Mike Woodson as Assistant Coach

Per NY Post

"The Knicks on Monday hired Mike Woodson as an assistant coach but Mike D'Antoni pointed out that the move was not made only to shore up the team's defense.

In fact, D’Antoni made a reference to needing another strong voice because of the potential short training camp due to the NBA lockout, wanting someone with head-coaching experience.
D'Antoni also referred to his status with one year left on his contract. If D’Antoni does not make it through the season, Woodson is the only Knicks assistant who has been a NBA head coach before."

No surprise as this report first surfaced last week.     My initial stance on the potential of this hiring and what it would mean for the Knicks hasn't changed.     Would love for someone to convince me otherwise. 

Derek Jeter Splits w/ Minka Kelly

Via Foxsports.com

"Yankees superstar Derek Jeter has reportedly separated from his actress girlfriend Minka Kelly after three years, the New York Post reported Friday.

Kelly's rep confirmed the split to People Magazine early Friday.

"They care about each other and it was amicable," a source told the magazine. "They're still friends."   "

The streak continues for El Capitan!!

What Hiring Mike Woodson Would Mean for Knicks

Reports surfaced this week that the Knicks are prepared to hire Mike Woodson as a defensive assistant.   This led to speculation as to whether or not Woodson could be a possible candidate to replace current Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni who’s entering the final year of a four year contract, which will pay him $6 million next season. 

My reaction….     Who cares?   

Whether he's the head coach or not, the team has alot more issues to worry about when it comes to being more effective defensively.

Let’s stick with the here and now if you’re a Knick fan.  Play it year by year.  Those are the cards the team has been dealt.   No superstar, sure fire head coaching candidate is available NOW or rumored to be available by the end of the 2011-12 season (and please stop the nonsense with the Phil Jackson rumors unless you can GUARANTEE that Dwight Howard will be a Knick uniform).  No Dwight Howard means no Phil Jackson.     

Will Mike Woodson help the Knicks defensively?   It certainly can’t hurt, but I don’t expect any dramatic results until I see some dramatic changes to the ROSTER of the team; particularly in the frontcourt.   

I’m of the opinion that regardless of schematics, game-planning, adjustments, etc. a team will NOT be good or solid defensively unless it has:

1.        Size to be able to rebound and defend the paint area, and

2.        Their best players dedicated to putting in the EFFORT on the defensive end (and not the "fake hustle" that those of us who know the game can see with one eye)

There are obviously a lot more on these two bullet points, but I highlight these two as it relates to the Knicks because even if the greatest defensive coach in the history of basketball was on the bench for THIS roster that the New York Knicks have, you’re not going to see a substantial change in the results on the defensive end of the floor.  

Is a package of Mike Woodson coming along with Tyson Chandler or a Robin Lopez?    Samuel Dalembert? 

If not, the D will continue to be underwhelming for the ‘Bockers regardless of who the head coach is, or what genius defensive Einstein is by his side.

 

Knicks to Add Former Hawks Coach Mike Woodson as Defensive Assistant?

Via The Daily News

"In the past few days, Woodson had told two confidantes that he expects to join the Knicks. The move might become official next week, according to sources, when Garden and team executives return from vacation. Woodson had what he called a good meeting with D'Antoni earlier this month, but he had people above D'Antoni in his corner from the start."

I'll be more happy the day the team adds a defensive CENTER to the team.    But that's just me.  

Panthers Owner Says No Ink or Piercings for Cam Newton

It’s one thing for a commissioner of a league to institute a league-wide dress code for its players (something I was in favor of with the NBA).  It’s a totally different thing to demand that a grown man can or can’t have tattoos or piercings if he chooses to do so.   This is crossing the line for an owner who already doesn’t have the fuzziest of relationships with the public.

Jerry Richardson is not Cam Newton’s father (and to my knowledge, a Maury episode hasn’t been scheduled).   However, this isn't the first time the Panthers owner was accused of acting like in a 'parent-like' manner towards NFL players.  

I don’t recall any controversial statements from Richardson last year around this time about his THEN face of the franchise, Jimmy Clausen a guy who didn't exactly enter the league with the cleanest of reputations.  

 Guess there's no fear of a guy who hangs out at a bar past 2:30am on a Saturday night ever getting a Mohawk or some ink on his body, right?   Right. 

Somewhere, Jeremy Shockey is laughing. 

Hate the NCAA All You Want, But....

....once the ball is kicked off, you'll be watching.  

Thursday afternoon in March when the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament tips off, you'll be watching.  

Saturday night September 3rd, when LSU squares off against 2010 BCS National Title runner up Oregon and Heisman hopeful LaMichael James, you'll be watching.    

Fans, media, and blogger-types alike can scream and moan all they want about the injustices and hypocritical nature associated with the NCAA (and for good reason).  However, the best way to get your message heard is to hit ‘em where it hurts:  the wallet. 

   

How?

Easy.    Just don’t watch.

Turn the clicker off when the BCS Bowl games begin.  Boycott Bracketology.   

How many of you passionate fans of a particular school or conference, avid sports gamblers, or just plain die-hard football junkies, have enough discipline to boycott an entire college football or basketball season?   Would you honestly be willing to do that?  

If your goal is to see a corrupt system changed, your answer should be yes.  The system will not readjust itself to 'appropriate standards of integrity' as long as the powers that be continue to cash checks that are 9-10 digits long.

The "It's just an amateur game" line doesn't apply to college athletics anymore.  That's just reality.  Not when the University of Texas signs a 20 year contract worth $300 million with ESPN to launch its Longhorn Network.     Or when the BCS took in over $680 million in revenue from their bowl games and sponsorship deals from 2004-08.

The gullible nature of sports fans combined with the realities of underprivileged 18-22 year old young men with families struggling back home at the poverty line, and the greed of conference commissioners and university presidents, will continue to perpetuate the never ending cycle that is ‘fans complaining about the NCAA’s hypocrisy” followed by “fans watching college football on Saturdays”.

How many of you are planning NOT to watch LSU vs. Oregon the night of September 3rd because of your outrage over the scandals at Miami and Ohio State this summer? 

So the next time you’re in mid-sentence slandering the NCAA, stop in mid-expletive and ask yourself “Am I willing to turn off the next marquee college football game on the slate to get back at those greedy NCAA and BCS bastards?"  

The ratings will answer the question for you.

Welcome To The Sports Lab

It's been a long time coming, but there's no time better than right now to open The Sports Lab, the long-awaited sports/entertainment blog.  Many know me as Dr. Sports, Three60 (my emcee moniker), Dr. Strange, etc.   Oh yeah.  And Ian Cooper too. All names and titles that were given to me.   

As a guy with a life long passion for sports, (and a propensity to run his mouth unprompted), combined with a talent for writing, it made perfect sense for me to create a forum for die-hard sports fans as well as casual sports fans interested in a spot to visit for informed sports knowledge, and also a place to share their own opinions as well.   

I plan on having a nice list of contributing writers helping to make this the best sports blog on the net!   We'd like for you, the viewers, to take ownership of the blog by introducing topics of your own interest for us to discuss and to decipher.    

My specialty is NFL, NBA, MLB, and also College Football and Basketball ON the field/court.  However, off the field issues are also of keen interest of mine when it comes to media coverage (or lack thereof) of certain topics, the oversaturation of certain sports/entertainment subjects, racial issues in sports, agents and player relationships, unintelligent commissioners, winners of the genetic lottery also known as sons and daughters of rich people who happen to be owners of sports franchises, etc.

I’m a lifetime fan of the New York Knicks, New York Yankees, and San Francisco 49ers, but I’m a REALIST when it comes to all of my teams.   I’ve been accused of being too negative or too picky when it comes to my team and its players.  All I can say is I’m honest.    I don’t let my fandom stop there.  I follow all three leagues and sports on a daily basis and have a very informed opinion on players and teams throughout all three leagues.   

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love to debate sports.  They also know my track record against them is pretty much flawless on some of the most heated discussions we've engaged in over the years (whether they admit it or not!).   I'm giving them, and anyone else who dares to challenge me, a chance to catch up and even the stakes.  It'll all be on record, and as always will all be in good fun.  Nothing here is personal.  We’re just a bunch of people who love talking sports.  

 Sports is healthy.