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Philadelphia Eagles Draft Buzz: Trading Down, or Staying Put?

Wednesday, April 24th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

The rumor mill was hot with speculation about the upcoming NFL draft and the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday.  ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that five teams, including the Birds, had expressed interested in trading down from their current first round positions in the draft.

“Teams that have made calls about moving back in draft include PHIL, DET, CLEV, BUFF, MIA. Doing what they should.”

Then came a report from the NFL Networks’s Albert Breer that Philadelphia had selected their targets for the first round to four players.

 “Eagles down to 4 players they feel good about at the 4th pick. Good bet they’re all line-of-scrimmage players. The tackles, Star, Jordan …”

Does Breer’s report contradict Schefter’s?  Probably – if the Birds are interested in trading down they certainly better have their sights on more than four players as targets for their first round selection.  Breer later noted that he couldn’t see the Eagles trading too far down unless they got an incredible offer.

To further add clarity to the situation, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio notes, in an article commenting on the rumors now covering almost every possible liklihood for Philadelphia, that

“Sources close to me tell me that the Eagles also could become interested in trading up.  Which again should cover the entire universe of possibilities.”

It’s not surprising that reports are all over the place.  An important aspect of teams’ draft strategies is to not reveal their hand too soon so as to give others around the league an opportunity to complicate the desired scenario.  Any of the names Breer mentioned – Lane Johnson, Dion Jordan, Star Lotulelei by name, and presumably includes Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher – are logical guesses, as all represent the top talent in this year’s draft.  But CB Dee Milliner is still thought by many to be a logical fit for the Birds.

All  of which is to say what we’ve known all along: we’ll have to wait until the draft starts tomorrow to find out what the Eagles truly plan on doing.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Philadelphia Eagles 2013 regular season schedule features Monday Night Opener against the Redskins, return of Andy Reid

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

The Philadelphia Eagles 2013 schedule.
(Image via the Eagles’ Facebook page)

 

We’re in the heart of the long, cold, lonely offseason but there are signs that the light that is professional football will one day return.  That light on Thursday night came in the form of the release of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2013 schedule.

The first helping of regular season Eagles football will come on September 9 via a Monday Night matchup against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field.  That will be one of only two primetime games for the Birds, which is a marked decrease from recent seasons.

The Eagles will have an intense opening to their schedule, featuring three games in the first ten days.  That stretch will be highlighted by a huge game: Andy Reid’s return to the Linc with the Kansas City Chiefs on September 19.  How “Big Red” is greeted upon his big return to his former home will surely be the major storyline of that game.

Other highlights include a matchup with the Denver Broncos in the Mile High City on September 29 and versus Aaron Rodgers at the Green Bay Packers on November 10.

The team has a late Week 12 bye, the latest since 2000 when Philadelphia’s bye week feel on Week 16.

NFC East action continues after the opener on October 10 against the Cowboys at the Linc, with the regular season ending at Dallas on December 29.

Ready to make your predictions?  I’ve seen some out there.  But for now, here’s the full schedule for your perusal:

How much longer until September 9?  Oh wait.  Nevermind.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman on the Draft: We’re Not Going to Force Anything

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

With a little over a week to go until the 2013 NFL draft begins, Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman met with members of the press on Monday.  The media hoped to discover inklings of the team’s strategy heading into the draft.  Not surprisingly, little was definitively revealed by Roseman, including the question of who ultimately calls the shots within the organization at the draft.  Will the Eagles trade down from their current number 4 overall pick?  That’s certainly a possibility, but Roseman played the team’s cards close to his chest.  What was absolutely clear is the fact that the enormity of that decision — and more specifically, getting it right – has not been lost on anyone within the organization.

Said Roseman,

“Like anything in this draft, you want to be sure.  You don’t want to take someone because you ‘think’ . . . We’re not going to force anything.”

In one sense, it’s a basic decision.  Who is likely to be the best player on the board when the Eagles make their choice?  But that player must immediately be an impact player for the team.  No if, ands or maybes.  No overthinking or trying to force a player into a role where it will be a stretch for him to succeed.  But that leaves little certainty as to how the Birds will proceed.

It’s no secret that the question of who will be the Eagles’ quarterback, both for the 2013 season and longer term, is one of the most pressing questions for the team.  It’s also not new news that that position is not featured in the strength and abundance category as it was in 2012.  Roseman spoke to that issue, saying that this year’s draft is actually the norm regarding quarterback talent, with last year being the exception.

That’s all fine and good, but what does that mean for the team’s picks at number 4 and beyond?

West Virginia QB Geno Smith is still on the Eagles’ radar.  The team traveled to West Virginia to work out Smith, as well as hosted him for a visit at the NovaCare.  Smith’s leadership and focus have come under fire recently, which may very well impact his draft stock, but if that’s not the Eagles’ own analysis those questions may not hold much weight.

Roseman noted that this draft was deep with talent along the offensive and defensive lines, noting that some of the top prospects at offensive tackle are attractive possibilities, such as Luke Joeckel, Eric Fisher, and Lane Johnson, as that position is more straightforward in projecting success from the college to the professional level.  Defensive end Dion Jordan is another pick that might entice the Eagles, particularly given head coach Chip Kelly’s familiarity with the Oregon player.

But Roseman noted yesterday that their strategy and selections are not his decision, or Chip Kelly’s choice.  They are organizational decisions.

So there you have it.  Clear as mud as we head ever closer to the draft.  It may be frustrating now, but in less than two weeks we will have the clearest set of information regarding the Philadelphia Eagles’ possible focus and direction under Chip Kelly yet and have plenty of information to parse, dissect, and analyze.

FYI…

You will be shocked to know that the Eagles released veteran quarterback Trent Edwards on Monday.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Shogun Fights VIII Recap

Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

by Tommy Comeau

 

 

 

 

 

An historic Shogun Fights VIII took place on Saturday April 13, 2013 with the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, MD playing host to Maryland’s first sanctioned female bout in MMA history.  Promoter John Rallo put on quite a show for those in attendance and War Room Sports captured the action live from Press Row.

The first bout of the evening featured Baltimore representative and Team Ground Control prospect Ratioender Melo against Spencer Strube of Urbana, MD’s Clinch Academy in a 150lb contest to kick things off.  Melo struck first with a nearly successful Kimura attempt, but Strube survived the onslaught, took control of the cage with superior wrestling, and finished Melo with a first round Rear Naked Choke.

Fight number two was contested at 170lbs and had Tactical Combat MMA and Chambersburg, PA’s Craig Hight square off against Evolve Academy’s Dameron Kirby of Gaithersburg, MD.  This fight would turn out to go the distance, a three round war with Hight’s hand being raised in the end thanks to his striking defense, superior wrestling, and overall command of the cage.

“Adi 5000”

Fight number three, a 145lb bout, met its end not long into round one as Ground Control representative Adi “Adi 5000” Alic finished The Cave MMA and Stafford, VA’s Charles Kessinger with a vicious armbar.  Kessinger was visibly injured from the brutal submission, the crowd roaring with approval for the hometown Alic’s victory.

The fourth bout of the evening, another 170lb matchup, featured Crofton BJJ’s Micah Terril taking on Cheron Gregory of Smyrna, DE’s Team Roc.  Unfortunately there wasn’t a great deal to report on this fight as Terril ended Gregory’s night early via knockout 4:03 into the very first frame.

Fight number five didn’t take much longer and by this point it was clear that the Baltimore faithful were receiving their money’s worth and then some. Dan Chacon, representing Beta Academy of Washington, DC survived a spirited stand up effort early to defeat Berlin, MD’s OC Fight Club 145lb fighter Rubin Martinez via Triangle Choke in a hotly contested 145lb matchup.

 

 

 

Fight number six saw Dave Daniecki, another Ground Control standout receive a unanimous decision nod over Williamsport, PA and Team Vicious MMA export Lewis Rumsey in a three round, 205lb battle.  Daniecki immediately took control with a takedown and Americana attempt early, spending the majority of the round raining down punches from Rumsey’s half-guard.  This would indeed prove the “tale of the tape” for the duration of the bout, with Daniecki securing another victory for the Ground Control crew.

The seventh bout of the evening, a 125lb affair, would prove to be the shortest in duration of the evening.  Greg Saumenig of Infinity MMA and Ocean City, MD took out Glen Burnie, MD and Practical MMA product Nelson Moody just 1:07 into the very first round with an impressive guillotine choke stoppage.

Fight number eight was a 135lb showdown which pit Umaer Haq, representing Mikido MMA out of Bailey’s Crossroads, VA against the likes of Rob Sullivan, a Team Balance fighter and hometown guy from Baltimore, MD.  Haq would control the bout with a potent mix of punches and elbows on the feet, and technical grappling to secure the unanimous decision victory.

Christian Leonard

Fight number nine, a 155lb bout saw Conquest BJJ and Crofton, MD’s Nate Grebb square off against Tech Top Team’s Christian Leonard who made the trip up from Christiansburg, VA.  This bout was fast-paced action from start to finish.  Leonard was dominant standing, but took things to the ground and claiming victory with a well executed guillotine choke victory.

Fight ten was history in the making as Evolve Academy and Gaithersburg, MD product Rosanna Garcia took on Culpepper, VA and Zamora Boxing’s Gabby Holloway in a 135lb contest that was the first sanctioned women’s bout in MMA history in the state of Maryland.  In a fashion much like that during bout that took place between the two as amateurs a few years back, Holloway put her wrestling pedigree to work taking a decision victory.

 

 


The 155lb Shogun Fights VIII Main Event saw yet another Team Ground Control prospect in Dan Root make quick work of Star City Fight Team and Roanoke, VA’s Noe Quintanilla.  Root secured a takedown early and didn’t relent from that point forward, winning the bout via first round Rear Naked Choke.

John Rallo puts on another great event

Overall John Rallo and company provided a high quality offering with Shogun Fights VIII.  Solid production and entertaining fights made for quite an event.  Stay Tuned to War Room Sports for future coverage of Shogun Fights and other MMA events in the region!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tommy Comeau of “MMA in The War Room”, for War Room Sports

 

Post-fight excitement filled the air, as you can see in the video below:

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Philadelphia Eagles Acquire LB Emmanuel Acho, Say Good-bye to RB Dion Lewis in Trade with Cleveland Browns

Monday, April 15th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

New Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho

The Philadelphia Eagles had a  busy Thursday making changes to their roster, making one player-for-player trade and cutting four others.

Running back Dion Lewis, acquired in the 2011 draft by Philadelphia, was traded to the Cleveland Browns.  In exchange, the Birds acquired linebacker Emmanuel Acho in another move to prepare for the widely expected shift to a 3-4 scheme by Philadelphia.

Lewis’ loss is one the team could easily afford, as the former Pitt RB did not see much playing time in 2012.  He made a total of just 13 carries for 69 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Eagles elected to acquire Acho (6-1, 240) based on his collegiate achievements, as he saw no playing time last season after being drafted by the Browns and suffering a knee injury that placed him on Injured Reserve.  During his career at the University of Texas, the 22-year old linebacker appeared in 48 games, where he recorded 280 tackles, eight sacks, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions.  Among his achievements, Acho started 13 games as a senior in 2011, garnering All-Big 12 first-team honors after leading the Longhorns with 131 tackles, while adding three sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble.

The following players weren’t so lucky as to find themselves traded to another team and instead were cut by the Eagles: LB Ryan Rau, LB Marcus Dowtin, WR Ron Johnson, and CB Chris Hawkins.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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DeSean Jackson’s Stunning 65-yard Punt Return Against the Giants Voted Greatest Play in NFL History

Monday, April 15th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

It is a moment that will never be forgotten by any Philadelphia Eagles fan, and it has now been voted the best play in NFL history on NFL.com.

Picture it: a game against the hated New York Giants, on their home turf, and the Birds were being beaten.  Badly.  On that December day in 2010, with 8 minutes in the game remaining, the Eagles trailed the Giants by a score of 31-10.  Stick a fork in ‘em — these Birds were done.  Even the most die-hard fans knew the game couldn’t be salvaged and were waiting for the misery to end.

But then everything changed.  Fans, who a moment before had been squinting at the game in pain, were treated to what has become known as a miracle.  It was another Miracle at the Meadowlands.

The final moment that capped off that miracle — a stunning 65-yard punt return by none other than DeSean Jackson with 14 seconds left in the game – has now been voted the greatest play in NFL history.  With that moment, the Eagles completed a 28-point comeback that enabled them to beat Big Blue 38-31.

Voting was based on 64 plays, based on NFL.com’s own version of March Madness, until a winner was proclaimed.

Like any vote, the winning play was met with controversy, but the fans have spoken.

I’m sure it’s a moment Giants fans won’t soon forget, either.  Thanks so much for that little gift, Matt Dodge.

Let’s face it — there is no way you can hear that play referenced without wanting to watch it.  So watch it again and again below.

Go Eagles!

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie Brown

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

by Chuck Modiano

Part III of Bernard King: The NBA’s Invisible Genius

“Hubie, do I have the right to take the ball myself?” – Bernard King

For Knick and Golden State Warrior fans, King’s 1984 rise from star to sublime was not surprising or meteoric. Don’t call it a hot streak, Bernard had been there for years.

Lost Prime (1980-1983):

During King’s first three years in the NBA (1977-79), his only barrier was himself (see alcoholism and drugs). During his next 3.5 prime years (1980-83), his barrier was only 33 minutes and 16 shots per game. Bernard the Warrior needed a sacrificing point guard like Tiny Archibald or Dennis Johnson, but he got gunslinger World B. Free[1].  Bernard the Knick needed a coach like Phil Jackson, but he got superstar stopper Hubie Brown[2]. King should have been treated like Michael Jordan (23 shots per game), but until 1984 never got the scorer’s respect of Monta Ellis.

Lost Warrior (1980-1982): 

Outside of Golden State, Bernard rarely gets credit for two fantastic seasons with The Warriors. Despite being led the previous year by Robert Parish [HOF 2003], the team was pitiful, and Parish was traded. King was named “Comeback Player of the Year” in his first year, made the All-Star team in his second, and shot an astonishing 58% over both. Each year, the Warriors missed the playoffs by a single game. Why? King never took the most shots (see Free). Just how good was Warrior King? When San Francisco columnist Bruce Jenkins made up his all-time Warriors team a few years ago, his forwards were Rick Barry and Bernard – not Chris Mullin [HOF 2012].

“Bernard turned the Warriors franchise around. We went from 24 wins in ’80 to a winning record in ’82, the year Bernard became a starter.” — Pete Newell [HOF 1979]

Lost Knick (1982-1983):

When it comes to squeezing every last drop from mere mortals, Hubie Brown is a coaching genius. When it comes to teaching the game, there is none better. When it came to stopping superstars, he made Dean Smith’s North Carolina teams seem like the Showtime Lakers. Our greatest strength often doubles as our greatest weakness, and Brown was a unwavering “system coach” who called every single play, walked the ball up, and refused to budge from his signature 10-man rotation which he played every quarter. Yes, every quarter. What if Bernard was on fire? Too bad. Here comes Louis Orr!

“[King] was absolutely devastating in transition, which made it such a shame that he was stuck on Hubie’s plodding Knicks teams for those peak years.” – Bill Simmons, ESPN Writer

How Louis Orr Scored 100 Points:

On the day David Stern became the NBA commissioner, Bernard completed his famous back-to-back 50 point games. With two Knicks sidelined, Brown was finally forced to abandon his 10-man rotation, and Bernard dropped his 100 point combo meal on 40-58 shooting (note: Wilt’s shot 36-63 on his 100).  Had Bernard’s back-up Louis Orr not caught the flu, 50-50 would have never happened. Had Orr caught mono, the record books would have been shredded. King’s flu in Game 5 of The Showdown in Motown has become part of his legend, but Louis Orr’s flu is also a reminder of legend lost. Golden State and Knick fans knew that 1984 could have been happening for years. And now Hubie Brown knew: some birds you just can’t cage.

“The 50-50 games were the turning point as far as being noticed”.  – Bernard King

The Turning Point (January 1984):

Bernard began January 1984 by being named Knick captain and ended it with a 50 point game. While both dates are significant, the biggest turning point came in between. On January 13th, King took only nine shots – the Knicks fourth close loss that season where King had no more than nine shot attempts. The very next night King would score 42 points on 18-26 shooting, and Bernard would never shoot less than 10 times again (save injury). After 3.5 prime years, King would finally receive 40 minutes and 20 shots. January 14 is also the very same day when King’s 30 points @60% for 40 games was born. The turning point wasn’t 50-50, it was 40-20.  Bernard didn’t really change — Hubie did. But there would be flashbacks.

“Put Bernard back in the game!” and “Get the ball to Bernard!”
– This author and 10,000 fans at my first Knick game in 1983

Hubie’s Last Stand (April 1984)

Scene:           1984 Playoffs, Knicks vs. Pistons, Knicks Huddle
Act:                 #5 – The deciding game of historic series
Time:              36 seconds left in regulation, Knicks ball
Score:             Knicks 112, Pistons 111
Context:         Bernard King is Shredding History

This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy. Via Dennis D’Agostino’s must-read “Garden Glory”, let Bernard tell it:

“We were in a timeout, and the play was designed for Billy Cartwright. I’ve never questioned the coach’s authority… You just don’t question the coach. The coach is the coach, and you’re a player. But Hubie was designing a play for Billy Cartwright, and the game was on the line…. Well, I had a problem with that [King laughs.] Here I am playing with two dislocated fingers and I’ve averaged 40 points a game for five games, so if the game is on the line, give me the ball. That’s always been my history as a player, so I couldn’t understand in that intense moment how the play could be designed for anyone else.”

So… I said: ‘Hubie, do I have the right to take the ball myself?’ And he didn’t answer me. Then I spoke up even louder, ‘Hubie! Do I have the right to take the ball myself?’ I was emphatic. Finally, he looked up at me and said, ’Yeah’.  Because what I was saying… was ‘Hubie, I’m gonna break your play’. But I had to ask first; I’m not the type of guy to break a play in my professional career. I always did what was designed for me to do, so I had to ask the question before I could actually do it.”

These were Bernard King’s working conditions.

Imagine if Michael was denied that chance to shoot over Craig Ehlo? Would that ever happen? With Jordan gone in 1994, Scottie Pippen [HOF 2010] was averaging just 24 points on 41% shooting in his playoff series when coach Phil Jackson called the last shot for Toni Kukoc. Pippen famously refused to go back in the game.

In contrast, the surreal huddle exchange reveals both a phenomenal handling by Bernard, and a glaring flaw within Hubie. But it also arguably exposes a lesser flaw within King. For Bernard – who learned his work ethic and coach deference under legendary Brooklyn take-no-crap disciplinarian Gil Reynolds [see Genius Explained] — it took King until that moment in that huddle in that series to respectfully demand to be treated like the superduperstar he had been for years.

When Phil Jackson joined the Bulls, Michael Jordan was just a little less deferential. Jordan said:

“He’s the coach, I’ll follow his scheme, but I don’t plan to change my style of play. I’m sure everything will be fine if we win, but if we start losing, I’m shooting.”

Just how long would Jordan have lasted in Hubie’s 10-man rotation?

Today, Bernard and Hubie have a great mutual respect for one another, and Brown often speaks with great reverence for King’s “professionalism” and how he “never broke a play”. But what if King didbreak more plays? What if he was a little less professional, and a little more like Mike? Would his teams have won more games?  When does “playing the right way” become the wrong way?

One clue is when your star is shooting 60% and can’t be stopped. For younger Knick fans, it is when coach Mike D’Antoni asks Carmelo Anthony just to “fit in” as stretch spot-up shooter while he hands Jeremy Lin the keys to the Knicks. Had Anthony just went along to get along, he and the Knicks would likely not be flourishing today. Bernard’s growth cannot be separated from Brown changing, and  Carmelo’s can’t be separated from D’Antoni leaving (and Mike Woodson arriving). Sometimes the boss is wrong.

That Game 5 playoff timeout huddle has been the story of Bernard King’s career. He has been kindly asking for permission for his genius to be recognized ever since, and this week the Hall of Fame looked up and said “yeah”.

Oh yes. Back to Game 5.

After the timeout, King took the pass, demonstratively waved off Bill Cartwright from the post, and went down the left side for one of his patented baseline jumpers for his 40th point. Isiah’s subsequent 3-pointer would now only send the game into overtime instead of sending the Knicks home.

“In that 4th quarter and into the 5th quarter, Bernard King would just not let us lose”
– Hubie Brown

 

Chuck Modiano of POPSspot, for War Room Sports

 

I.   “Who is Bernard King”: The NBA’s Invisible Genius
II.   Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah, Larry, and History 
III.  Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie Brown
IV.   Genius Explained: Bernard King vs. Youtube (coming Wednesday)
V.     The King of Peers: Bernard King vs. Media (coming Thursday)
VI.   The Jordan Rules: Bernard King vs. Michael Jordan (coming Monday)

 

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Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah, Larry, and History

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

by Chuck Modiano

Part II of Bernard King: The NBA’s Invisible Genius

“What he did to us I had never seen before. We caught him in the middle of a three-year stretch where he was playing better than any small forward in the history of the game.” –Isiah Thomas

Bernard King — The NBA’s Invisible Genius —  is also playoff legend. In his first two seasons, he led the Knicks to back-to-back first round upsets. In his very first Knick playoff game against the Nets in 1983, King scored 40 points on only 21 shots, and when he took at least 20 shots he scored 40 points seven times in eleven chances. Only once did Bernard exceed 27 shots. His two epic 1984 series against the Pistons and Celtics caught the NBA nation by storm, but the local explosion began in January.

King’s 40 game-stretch of 30 points on 60% shooting highlighted by back-to-back 50 point games was the result of an offensive genius who was finally given permission to display his artwork [see Genius Contained]. At a time when ESPN was covering rugby, King’s 40 game stretch got little attention, but his legendary post-season work is well-known. Instead, King’s playoff legacy has been hijacked.

Isiah Hijacks Bernard in 94 Seconds: You have seen the video clip. Isiah Thomas puts on a 94-second performance for the ages by sending the deciding game into overtime. Even though Isiah lost the duel (44-35), game (127-123), and series (3-2), he still won the war. Today, “16 points in 94 seconds” trumps Bernard’s historic series average of “42 points on 60% shooting”. Only Jerry West and Michael Jordan have ever surpassed 40 points in a playoff series, but neither could approach 60% shooting.

“I’ve never seen any one player dominate a team like King. There is no way to stop him.” —Dave Bing [HOF 1990]

Michael Hijacks Real Flu Game: What if you wrapped up the “Flu Game” by Jordan, “The Duel”  by Bird and Wilkins, and added a dash of Willis Reed? Then you get Bernard battling Isiah in Game 5 with a 102 fever and mangled hands that were getting freeze-sprayed throughout the game. In Jordan’s famous 1997 “Flu Game”, he scored 38 points on 48% shooting. In Bernard’s Flu/Duel/Freeze-Spray Game he topped Jordan with 44 points on 65% shooting. There would be no pictures of an old-school King bending over or being held up by his teammates — only his legendary game face. Jordan’s game ranks #2 in ESPN’s 25 best playoff games since 1978. King missed the cut. On to the Celtics.

“He had splints on both of his middle fingers, both dislocations… Bernard is ill and can’t come to the shootaround. They’re feeding him intravenously… Now, we can’t hit him on the break because he can’t dribble with the pain in his hands. So we’re thinking, how the hell are we going to win with this guy?”  – Hubie Brown [HOF 2005, Contributor]

Celtics Hijack Bernard: Watch the tapes: they literally hijacked him. They fouled him. They smacked him. They mugged him. You don’t think those Celtics played rough? Watch tape of Larry Bird leveling Bernard just a couple of years earlier. Lebron couldn’t relate, and Kevin Durant would snap in two. Now watch Larry just walk away. Not even a “my bad”. Watch Bernard dust himself off. No problem. That was basketball in the 1980’s before sports media turned every minor NBA scuffle into The Watts Riots.

“One guy would foul you, and the foul is already called, and then two other guys would hit you.  And that’s a fact.”  – Bernard King

 The Bitch Is Back: Before and during the series, those Celtics talked smack:

“He ain’t getting 40 on us. We’re going to stop the bitch.” — Cedric Maxwell [Retired Jersey, 2003]

“They’re in the grave, and we’ve got the shovel in our hands”.  — Kevin McHale [HOF 1999]   

King would drop 43 and 44 in Games 4 and 6 and bring some humility back to Boston for Game 7:

“Nothing Max and I tried to do worked.” – McHale

“We held him. We pushed him. We were draped all over him. The guy was just unreal.” — Maxwell

King vs. Hall of Fame East Wing: The 1984 Celtics played four Hall-of-Famers in their prime and their 5th best was a former NBA Finals MVP [Maxwell]. All of Bernard’s fellow starters would have been Celtic back-ups. That’s not conjecture. Guard Ray Williams — the Knicks third leading scorer at 15 points per game – became a Celtic backup the very next season and averaged only 6.4 points. Larry Bird couldn’t make Ray better.

In Game 7, Bird would turn in a stellar 39-point triple-double, King would get leveled early by Robert Parish, and the Celtics would move on and beat The Lakers for the championship. Bird’s Game 7 and series was treated by media as proof of Bird’s edge over King while few asked: “What if Bird and King swapped teammates?”

 “The best thing about having that series over was saying goodbye to Bernard King… If they had gotten by us, they would have had a good shot at a championship” – Larry Bird

King vs. Bird: Before Lebron James was born, Bernard King and Larry Bird were raising the small forward position to new heights. Both were named Most Valuable Player in a split-decision: the media chose Larry and players and coaches chose Bernard [see King of Peers]. So it was fitting they would meet. Well, they sort of met.

For seven games Bernard can be seen chasing Larry all over the court while King received tag-team beat-downs from Maxwell and Mchale.  Bird was left to “guard” an aging Truck Robinson, and float like a free safety.  Anyone who has ever played a hard game of pick-up basketball – let alone a grueling NBA series — understands this advantage.  Often missing from media analysis was how Bird’s hall-of-fame teammates made him better – especially defensively [see King of Peers]. Few asked: “What if Larry had spent his energy guarding Bernard?”

“I didn’t guard Bernard. I knew I had no chance guarding Bernard.” – Larry Bird

King vs. “The Winner Myth”: In their first five seasons, Wilt, Michael and Lebron all put up prolific numbers – except for wins. During his only five seasons without Oscar Robertson or Magic Johnson, same goes for Kareem.  Kobe after Shaq had a 3-year hangover before help came. ALL these legends had losing seasons, and only once during those 23 seasons was 50 wins exceeded. As for the Knicks, Willis Reed and Walt Frazier were definitely winners (must read: When the Garden Was Eden), but they needed each other. In their six seasons apart, the Knicks never had a winning record.

“At the end of the day, rings don’t always define someone’s career.” – Lebron James

King vs. Ewing’s Ghost: Patrick Ewing is also a winner and owns a phenomenal unsung achievement: his Knicks advanced in the playoffs for eight consecutive years. The handful of legends to match this all had superior teammates. Sadly, King and Ewing would only start one game together — the 1991 All-Star Game. Bernard’s astonishing return to All-Star status with a new knee, new team, and new game (post-up to face-up) came six years later. Think about that.

Just how many Knick championships were lost during that time? In his senior year at Georgetown, a swarmed Ewing opened up the floor for his teammates while averaging only nine shots per game –fourth most on the team. We already know how close King came with Billy Cartwright as his #2. With Bernard, Ewing gets to keep his Russellesque role, and both men experience career firsts: single-man coverage. Today, HBO would be running Knick documentaries called “When the Game was Theirs”. After finally getting The Hall call today, King reflected:

“The only regret I have is that [Ewing] and I didn’t team together. Because I believe in my heart of hearts that we would have won a championship.”. — Bernard King

 

Chuck Modiano of POPSspot, for War Room Sports

I.   “Who is Bernard King”: The NBA’s Invisible Genius
II.   Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah, Larry, and History 
III.  Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie Brown
IV.   Genius Explained: Bernard King vs. Youtube (coming Thursday)
V.     The King of Peers: Bernard King vs. Media (coming next Friday)
VI.   The Jordan Rules: Bernard King vs. Michael (coming next Saturday)

 

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Who is Bernard King?: The NBA’s Invisible Genius

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

by Chuck Modiano

G – Magic 
G – Isiah
F – Larry
F – Bernard
C – Kareem/Moses

No last names are necessary.

These men make up the 1st team All-NBA stars in Bernard King’s last two Knick seasons before he blew out his knee in March 1985 – the same year he led the NBA in scoring. This is the company King kept.

In 1984, King would produce a half-season scoring tear never duplicated in NBA history; upset the Pistons in the greatest playoff series performance in NBA history, and almost single-handedly upend the 1984 Celtics — one of greatest teams in NBA history.  In 1984, Bernard could be found in dated Converse commercials, rap songs, and Sports Illustrated covers which bowed to “His Royal Highness”.

With an unstoppable Carmelo Anthony balling like its 1984, and reports of Bernard’s induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, The Invisible King will receive another bow this week.

While starving King fans will naturally celebrate, something just isn’t right. King’s 15 minutes of crumbs come too little, too late – 15 years to be exact.

We could only hope this week will help jump-start the only real NBA debate. Bernard’s rightful place in the Hall of Legends.

Where did The King stand amongst the greats? Let’s ask them

“Bernard King was the toughest matchup of my career. And I say that from the heart.” – Julius Erving [HOF 1993]

“Bernard King… is the best forward in the league, hands down”.  – Larry Bird [HOF 1998]

“We are just in awe of Bernard” — Isiah Thomas [HOF 2000].

Now consider that Larry and Isiah’s praise came before the 1984 playoffs and epic Showdown in Motown where

KING AVERAGED 42 PLAYOFF POINTS ON 60% SHOOTING!

No other player in NBA history has ever averaged over 40 playoff points on 60% shooting in the playoffs – not Wilt in ‘62, not Jerry in ‘65, and not Michael in ‘88.  Not Kareem, Shaq, Kobe, or Lebron.

Only Bernard King.

King also did it while battling Isiah, the flu, and mangled hands.

Afterwards, King was asked about his “hot streak”. Bernard asked back:

“At what point is it no longer considered just a roll?”

Answer: The rest of your life Bernard. The rest of your life.

King’s perceived eruption on a national stage was no hot streak.

What happened right before it was even more historic, but never documented until now:

IN 1984, KING AVERAGED 30 POINTS ON 60% SHOOTING FOR 40 STRAIGHT GAMES! [1]

Lebron and Carmelo, please read that again.

No other player in NBA history has likely ever matched this half-season stretch [2].

In the playoffs, the unstoppable King simply took more shots. That’s all.

For the few mesmerized souls who watched those games on WWOR Channel 9, King’s “30@60for40” validates that we aren’t suffering from nostalgia gone wild.

Bernard King was who we thought he was.

Unlike Knick legends Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, and Willis Reed, no one more than Bernard transforms grown Knick fans into babbling children, gets stuffy 50 year old accountants to jump around like Spike Lee, and elicits reactions of: “I swear I saw Jesus in shorts”. No, not “Black Jesus” ala Earl Monroe’s other nickname — just “Jesus”.

Truth be told, here is what many Knick fans in bars swear to this very day: at his pre-injury peak Bernard King was a better small forward than Larry Bird and a greater scorer than Michael Jordan.

If that sounds crazy to you, please consult his peers again:

“I have never feared anybody that I’ve played against – Bird, Magic, Doctor, Michael – and I respect and love all of those guys… Bernard King is the only guy that ever scared the hell out of me.”  – Dominique Wilkins [HOF 2006]:

Listen to Dominique. Few in media will publically utter such words for fear of ridicule or straight-jacket. But we are not the crazy ones.

It is the rest of the sports universe that has gone insane.

Unless long dead, there is no other athlete in any sport whose gap between greatness and recognition is larger — even after this week.

The humiliations are endless.

Will Bernard make the Hall of Fame this year? Should King have made the NBA’s 50 greatest players list? Will the Knicks finally retire his iconic #30 jersey?

The questions themselves demean NBA history. What about media?

In February, Lebron had six straight games of 30 points on 60% shooting, and ESPN.com lost their efficient minds, but no mention of King. Last year ESPN issued its 25 greatest playoff performances since 1978, and no King again. Sorry B, your 42 @60% and legendary Game 5 just weren’t dominant enough.

In 1984, The New York Times closely chronicled King’s nuanced brilliance in “Mysterious Moves” and “Never a Knick Like Him””, but on the 25th anniversary of that magical season, another small forward stole the show with a 10,000 word profile: Shane Battier:  “The No-Stats All-Star”.

What about the greatest player in Tennessee history, half of the famed Bernie and Ernie Show, and legendary Kentucky killer? When Kentucky coach John Calipari told his 2010 team that Bernard was talking pre-game trash in Tennessee’s locker room, the youngsters responded:

“Who is Bernard King?”, ”What number is Bernard King?”, and  “I’m guarding him?”

Ouch!

How did we get here?

Is there some vast hide-King conspiracy? Not quite, but corporate interests have reduced the NBA’s Golden Era to “Magic vs. Bird”, and lesser victims include Kareem, Julius, Moses, Isiah, and the great small forward of the 1980’s.

Bernard’s knee injury alone doesn’t explain it either. No one adds up career stats for Sandy Koufax, Gale Sayers, Earl Campbell, or Bill Walton. We know what happened to them.

Reasons for King’s vanishing includes playoff-lore hijackings by Isiah, Larry, and Michael [see II: Genius Unchained]; his unspectacular style, his early-career substance abuse, his forgotten Warrior years, his teammates, and his plodding coach Hubie Brown [see III. Genius Contained].

It also involves a dysfunctional Hall of Fame and sports media largely incapable of recognizing historic greatness without historic teammates. Despite being voted Most Valuable Player by their peers, King (1984), young Michael (1989), and Lebron (2006) were all denied those awards by media, and had their status as “winners” questioned. Where players see lack of support, media perceives lack of maturity, but only a lack of imagination could deny King as champion beside Patrick Ewing [see V: The King of Peers].

King’s past has been forgotten, a healthy future rarely imagined, but most of all, his present genius was never fully realized too far beyond his own peers, local fans, and a few journalists [3].

Bernard’s game was historically unique, but he often gets lumped into a sea of history’s high-volume scoring forwards. While The Tennessee Terror stormed on the NCAA scene with 42 points in his very first game as a freshman, his truer legacy can be found in his nation-leading 62% shooting.

Lebron James is receiving great credit for shooting 56% this year, but King shot 56% over a 5-year pre-injury prime (1980-85) and did it without any all-star teammates. The playoffs are where shooting percentages go to die (see Karl Malone), but King shot a stunning 58% in 18 Knick playoff games. Only the greatest ones maintain accuracy against playoff defense — our very best test for “unstoppability” across eras.

King also defied every selfish scorer stereotype. He was not a one on one player, never needed isolations, never took bad shots, and did it all within the game’s flow. He was a scoring scientist whose quick release, midrange mastery, and disciplined shot selection have gone the way of Kareem’s skyhook [see IV: Genius Explained].

King also suffered from a pre-Jordan era where it was thought impossible to score like Mike, but win like Magic. If Jordan is any indication, Bernard was too unselfish. Jordan had more athleticism, style, and shot attempts, but not accuracy [see VI: The Jordan Rules].

Today, Bernard is mostly remembered for his 60 points on Christmas Day, and scoring 50 points on back-to back nights in 1984. Mr. Hot Streak has now become Mr. Hot Game, and The King of Efficiency has been largely reduced to Jamal Crawford – a career 41% chucker.

Before Lebron’s February outburst, the last great scoring streak came from Kobe Bryant in 2004. Back then, Scoop Jackson tried to educate the youth when he asked the obvious:

“What’s up with the love? [Bernard] had scoring stretches that lasted seasons, not just games.”

Jackson continued:

“He was a genius interrupted… The universal love that evaded his career was found scrolled inside a book penned by his peers.”

Jackson’s question was ignored, so a decade later the kids want to know:

“Who is Bernard King?”

Have a seat son and move over Mr. Battier, King’s invisible genius must be explained.

II.   Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah and Larry (coming Tuesday)
III.  Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie (coming Wednesday)
IV.   Genius Explained: Bernard King vs. Youtube (coming Thursday)
V.     The King of Peers: Bernard King vs. Media (coming next Monday)
VI.   The Jordan Rules: Bernard King vs. Michael (coming next Tuesday)

Or you can always just ask his peers:

“Man, Bernard King, he was the truth.”  — Bob McAdoo [HOF 2003]

 

Chuck Modiano od POPSspot.com, for War Room Sports

[1] Beginning on January 14, King scored 1219 points (482-808) over the next three months spanning 40 regular season games (ending right before regular season’s final meaningless game before the playoffs)

[2] It is highly unlikely that King’s 40 games of 30 points on 60% shooting has been duplicated – even when factoring eFG. The highest FG% for a 30 PPG season is Kareem Abdul Jabbar who scored 32 points on .577 shooting in 70-71 and an incredible 35 points on .574 shooting in ’71-’72. Adrian Dantley also scored 30.3 points on 57% shooting in ’81-’82.

[3] Many journalists have helped keep King’s memory alive. Special thanks to Ira Berkow,  Dennis D’Agostino, Bobbito Garcia and Ali, Alan Hahn, John Hareas, Scoop Jackson, Bruce Jenkins,  Bill Simmons, Dave Zirin, and others.

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Did Being Asian Work Against Jeremy Lin Pre-NBA?

Monday, April 8th, 2013

by B. Austin

 

 

 

 

 

Houston Rockets PG Jeremy Lin said that if he wasn’t Asian he would have been offered a Division 1 basketball scholarship.


There is absolute validity to what Jeremy Lin is saying.  Lin is addressing the social lens and perspective with which people generally view him and people of his ethnicity through.  That isn’t preposterous, groundbreaking, or shocking.  This is just the reality of the American social landscape and the larger narrative of human nature and racial prejudices.  There are two things that I think would serve us well to acknowledge and address:
 
1) Professional sports is one of the only places where racism, prejudices, and social rifts can be mended because of the closeness of a team and a locker room.
 
2) Also the fact that competitive professional sports is the ultimate meritocracy.  It’s based on competitiveness and greed.  Once you realize the dude CAN play, all the other shit becomes irrelevant.  But let’s not act like that huge “white elephant” or “8000 pound gorilla” isn’t in the room.  “White men can’t jump”, “Asian people aren’t athletic outside of martial arts”, “Black guys are superior athletically and aesthetically in sports and porn”, “Black guys don’t score well academically and are almost all ‘gangbangers with speed'”.  These are all dumb generalizations and stereotypes that are a part of the social and (at times) morally corrupt social fabric.  We have almost all at times heard them, and we may even have allowed them to creep into our psyche.  To act as if Lin is crazy or off-base for addressing this is delusional.  The road to the NBA had to be damn-near impossible for this kid.  He started from the bottom, but now he’s here…and the NBA is going to capitalize on the international appeal and the large following in Asia (particularly China) because at the pinnacle of this thing, it’s about revenue, profits, and economics.  Lin drives revenue, increases profitability, and is economically viable – all the social issues are in the rear view mirror.  I like the fact that he’s willing to still address them and talk about his journey, and we’d do well to heed his words and look at what he’s addressing.
 
 

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