Posts Tagged ‘WRSPN’

KD and Kawhi’s Revenge

Friday, June 28th, 2019

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

kevin-durant-kawhi-leonard

He came out blazing!

For the opening minutes of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, you would have never known that Kevin Durant (KD) was dealing with what could be a career-ending injury.

He looked every bit the basketball phenom we have come to know. That is a combination of Bob McAdoo, George Gervin, and Dirk Nowitzki…only a better defender than either (did you see him at 7-foot stay in front of 6-foot guard Fred VanVleet?). Among non-centers, I consider KD to be the most difficult matchup for a defender in NBA history.

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Then Achilles arose and that is where we are today. This week, Durant declined his $31.5 million option to remain with the Warriors, which makes him an unrestricted free agent. While it is still in doubt whether or not Durant will ever be what he once was, make no mistake that multiple NBA teams will be willing to roll the dice that he will and offer him a super max contract.

KLLast year at this time, when Kawhi Leonard refused to play due to his injury, his basic interest in the game of basketball was being questioned. As a result, the San Antonio Spurs, which many consider to be among the most stable franchises in all of sports, traded him. Today, after leading the Raptors to an NBA title, he has a legitimate claim to be the best player in the game. He is also now an unrestricted free agent and will get a super max deal.

Overall, both KD and Kawhi get the last laugh…good for them. However, why do so many feel that it is their place to decide if someone is or is not hurt, and when a player should or should not play?

There are so many factors to be considered when it is determined if a professional athlete, less than 100%, should or should not play. Yet, rarely is there a narrative from us fans/media that considers all of those factors.

The most common line of thinking is something like this from a recent talk radio caller; “KD knew the risks and chose to play anyway. Professional athletes are obsessively competitive and always want to play, otherwise they likely would not have made it to this level. It is what they do. Those reading any more into this are over-analyzing. After all, one can walk outside and be struck by lightning”.

This vacuum analysis is based on the false premise that the decision to play was ultimately KD’s. That simply was not true. The ultimate decision maker is the organization. The vacuum of which I speak assumes that nothing external to KD’s line of thought drove the decision. The ridiculous and insulting notion that the Warriors are better without him was not a factor. Toxic masculinity, which exists in varying degrees on all male sports teams, that says, “You tough it out and play through injury”, was not a factor. The fact that the Warriors were down 3-1 and KD was their only viable hope of getting back into the series was not a factor. Finally, his pending free-agency option was not a factor.

Anyone that believes any of this is delusional beyond imagination.

Without going into the thinly-veiled homophobic tone of “he is soft”, there is the condescending arrogance that we know their bodies better than they do. Even the “ok” from team doctors is suspect because…he/she is the TEAM’S doctor and thus has an inherent conflict of interest. Also, just because people would have played hurt “back in the day” does not mean they should today. Once upon a time people worked without wages. That does not make it a valid consideration for labor today. Finally, there is the notion that because they make a lot of money, they should play short of being on a deathbed. In fact the opposite makes more sense. If we speak in terms of the professional athlete’s body being his most valuable commodity, then why would he risk compounding an injury by playing hurt?

One thing about the journey of KD and Kawhi is that they were both once considered low profile personalities. They were the humble, anti-showboat type of athletes that fans wanted to root for…that is until they did not provide the labor that was expected. Today, both are cautionary tales that despite all the fame and money, many fans, media, and especially owners see professional athletes as chattel.

Speaking of “owners”, this mindset is why NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, to his credit, is paying attention to the designation of “owner”. In a country where Black men were once literally property, and in a league where they make up nearly 75% of the players, referring to their “bosses” as owners should be more than a dog whistle. Of course, formal Chattel Slavery that once existed in America is no more. But as long as so many feel it their place to tell a grown man when he is and isn’t hurt, should or should not play, it will be a reminder that the slave owner’s mentality is in the present, alive and well.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

The Cesspool of CREAM called College Football

Tuesday, August 28th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

UM

The investigation about the domestic abuse of Courtney Smith by her then husband, a receivers coach, institutional bystander behavior and attempts to cover up both at Ohio State is complete. As disturbing as the actual findings are, is the fact that the outcomes and “sanctions” or lack thereof, were so foreseeable?

The simple explanation for what did and did not happen is C.R.E.A.M., the acronym many of you know to mean, “Cash Rules Everything Around Me!”

To that end, the fact that there were 115 deaths statewide due to domestic violence in Ohio in 2017 played little to no role in the decisions about accountability. The fact that the football program generates about $90 million per year and is deemed by the Wall Street Journal to be worth about $1 billion if up for sale on the open market, is seemingly all that mattered. Simply put, short of Aaron Hernandez-like murder charges, there was NEVER a time when Coach Urban Meyer was in danger of losing his job. A 73-8 record with a National Title in College football is the equivalent of Teflon.
Speaking of the late convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez, Meyer actually coached him at Florida, where Hernandez was one of 31 different players arrested during Meyer’s tenure…a tenure that included two national titles. Therefore, it is safe to say that at two different venues, Urban Meyer has presided over a football culture that would seem to be relatively permissive at best.

It is hard to know where to start with this episode of ‘The Cesspool of CREAM called College Football’, but for contextual understanding, let us talk about Title 9. It was established in 1972 and largely deals with the issue of gender equity on college campuses. It has been instrumental in expanding athletic opportunities for women. Study after study has shown that women who participate in sports tend to have higher self-esteem and are less likely to find themselves in abusive relationships. It also charges a college to provide a safe and abuse-free environment by requiring any college employee to report instances of alleged abuse to the college’s compliance office. There are exceptions to this requirement called confidential reporters, which typically are counselors, health care professionals, attorneys, and their staff.

No coach or athletic director ever falls under that umbrella, and both Meyer and Athletic Director Gene Smith knew this.

As for the “punishment” of a three-game suspension for Meyer, think of it this way: when former Ohio State QB Terrell Pryor and several of his teammates traded memorabilia for tattoos, they were suspended for five games. But in a state where nearly 20 people a month die from domestic abuse, the University saw fit to sanction an enabler of such abuse with a three game suspension?

Let that sink in for a moment.

There are at least two things that Ohio State and other such programs can do about this issue immediately; 1) in the hiring process, never ignore the red flags of an abuser. Human behavior is relatively predictable IF we review the history and resist cherry picking or denying information. While there are exceptions to every rule, abusers largely do not change. Meyer knew more than enough about this assistant when he was with him at Florida, to know the risk, and even if he didn’t, a program with a $109 million budget can surely do a thorough background check…if it wants to; and 2) immediately began a college-wide ‘Bringing in the Bystander’ training sessions, which show bystanders how to effectively intervene in cases of intimate partner abuse. I am proud to say that my employer, Montgomery College, conducts these trainings for all incoming athletes and as many other students as our volunteer resources allow. But the reality is that Montgomery Community College is not generating $90 million a year through its athletics, which bring us back to the primary culprit: the Cesspool of CREAM.

In some ways, big-time college sports, like mega religious institutions, have the best of both worlds in that they can generate enormous amounts of money without being accountable in the ways commercial for-profit entities are. They pay no taxes. Short of a ‘death penalty’, such as what was endured by Southern Methodist University in the 1980’s, I do not see any deterrent or incentive for big-time college football programs that will counter the profit motive. This challenge is beyond sports and manifests itself on all levels of society, from Wall Street to Health Care. There are two kinds of verifiable power in America: organized money and organized people. Ohio State and other big college football programs are a part of organized money. It is our responsibility, be we sports fans or not, to organize as people to counter organized money interests by insuring, among other things, that the provisions of Title 9 are adhered to within the college setting. Otherwise, who will intervene on behalf of the Courtney Smiths of the world?

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

The Crap Shoot Called the NFL Draft

Tuesday, May 1st, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

2011 NFL Draft

That annual rite of sports passage is mercifully over.

I am referring to the National Football League draft, which is quite possibly the single most over-analyzed, unscientific spectacle in American society.
Without even going into the aspect that has an undeniable slave auction feel and optics, can you think of any other event in America that has produced more self-appointed experts with less reliable outcomes than the NFL draft?

It’s not that the Mel Kipers of the world don’t do their homework. Most of them do. It’s not that the information provided is useless. Some of it is valuable.

The reason why the draft is largely a crap shoot is because no matter how sound the information gathered about a player, it is impossible to predict, with any degree of certainty how a 21-22 year old man will react to the NFL cultural environment. It’s bigger than just the football itself. First round picks become instant millionaires. In college, none have an abundance of expendable cash. In college, he must study subject matter he may not care about for the sake of staying eligible. In college, he did not have a multitude of parasitic people around him, some of whom are his own family. He will have that in addition to opportunistic women in the NFL. Lottery winners twice their age do not have a good track record of handling such a situation and we actually believe that we can forecast how a 20-something who has not even reached full brain maturity will?

Human behavior and performance is actually relatively predictable based on past behavior and performance. The wildcard caveat to such forecasts is that one must be able to replicate the environment and circumstances under which that past behavior and performance occurred. The best college football programs cannot replicate the NFL culture for their players.

This is why so few teams have a long track record of quality drafting. As a matter of fact, only one team comes to mind that has mastered this process over multiple generations and it is not the New England Patriots. The Patriots’ success is almost exclusively a function of the Tom Brady/ Bill Belichick era and let’s be honest, they got lucky with Brady. How else can you describe it when they waited until the 6th round to pick him? Do you really believe they would have waited that long had they had any inkling he would be what he has been? The other side draft benefit to having this sustained greatness for nearly 20 years at OB is that they have not had to take a QB in the first round. First round QBs are the most expensive picks and therefore the Patriots have had more cap space to pursue other players.

Call it “homerism” if you’d like, but the team that has had the most sustained draft success since the 1970 merger has been my own PITTSBURGH STEELERS!

That year was the last time the Steelers had the overall number 1 pick, which the team used on Terry Bradshaw. He is now in the Hall of Fame! Since then:

  • The Steelers have been the only team that has won at least 5 games every year. The Cowboys have hit rock bottom (4-28 in 1988-89). The 49ers have hit rock bottom (4-28 in 1978-79) and recently. The Patriots hit rock bottom on multiple occasions (9-39 from 1990-92 and 2-14 in 1981) prior to their current run. The Steelers have never hit rock bottom;
    • Four of their first 5 picks in 1974 (Swann, Lambert, Stallworth and Webster) are all in the Hall of Fame. Safety Donnie Shell was a free agent from that same class, signed out of HBCU South Carolina State and went on to become a perennial Pro-Bowler and may have his Hall of Fame name called soon;
    • The entire 1979 Super Bowl Champions roster were made up completely of their own draft picks. That had not happened before or since; and
    • The Steelers have won the most post season games (36), games overall, and of course Super Bowls (6) since the merger in 1970.

The term we card-carrying members of Steeler Nation use to describe our draft acumen is “STEEL CERTAIN!” And still yet, even with our great history and success, in 1983 we took Gabe Rivera out of Texas Tech instead of homegrown Dan Marino. It took the organization about 10 years to become a consistent playoff team again and about 20 before Big Ben’s arrival put us back on the top. No team is above blowing it in the draft.

So the next time you find yourself watching the draft “analysts” pontificating about the grades of each team’s draft before any of the picks have put on the team pads and uniform, take it with a grain of salt. Enjoy it for the entertainment it may be and nothing else.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

 

Dusty Baker is a Hall of Fame Manager

Friday, September 29th, 2017

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker looks on from the dugout before a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker looks on from the dugout before a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

As the Washington Nationals prepare for the post season, it should be noted that this is old hat for manager Dusty Baker. In fact, it’s as good of a time as any to make the case that Dusty Baker should one day be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

That’s right, I said it, and the reasons people resist this idea are as interesting as the case that he is, so let’s start with those reasons.

Not only has Dusty Baker never managed a World Series winner, but he has presided over some of the most infamous pennant race and post season collapses in recent baseball history.

He has been the Marty Schotenheimer of major league baseball managers.

The list is as follows:

  • 1993 Giants had an 8 game lead over the Braves in August. Though the team would win a franchise record 103 games, they would lose the Western Division on the last day of the season (losing to those damn Dodgers). That team would not make it to the post season. Many consider that season’s outcome to be the primary basis for the development of the wild card in baseball, giving the best second place team a place in the post season;
  • 2002 Giants have a 3 games to 2 lead over the Angels in game 6 of the World Series and are 5 outs from winning their first world series since 1954. Then it all fell apart and the Angels go on to win in 7 games;
  • 2003 Chicago Cubs and the infamous Bartman game and series. The Marlins win that game 6 and eventually game 7 in Chicago, and beat the Yankees in the World Series.
  • 2012 Reds win the first two games in San Francisco of a best of 5 series, only to lose 3 straight to my Giants in Cincinnati. The Giants go on to win their second World Series of 3 in a 5 year span.

As sports fans, we tend to remember individual failure more than cumulative success.  Ask any fan what they remember most about Billy Buckner and they are likely to cite the 1986 World Series error rather than the 2700+ career hits and 1980 NL batting title.  The same is true of Ernest Byner in football.

It is fair to cite Baker as the only common denominator in all of the above noted collapses.  My primary response is that only an exceptional manager would continually be in these situations.

The case for Baker is as follows:

  • His 1800+ wins are more than Earl Weaver, Tommy Lasorda, or Dick Williams, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame;
  • He is one of only 4 managers to take 4 different teams to the post season, along with Williams, Billy Martin, and Davey Johnson. Martin and Johnson each have their own Hall of Fame cases;
  • He has ten 90 win seasons. All managers with this number or more are in the Hall of fame;
  • He managed Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent over multiple 162 game seasons, which is every bit as difficult as coaching Shaq and Kobe.

So exactly what factors most impact a manager’s success? I say 4, which are communication skills, baseball tactics, instincts, and situation. The manager actually only has control of the first three.  By all accounts, Baker is a great communicator. The problem is that this skill is the least observable to fans and even the sports writers who vote for the Hall of Fame.  So Baker’s greatest skill is the least measurable. His baseball tactics and instincts would have to be above average to win nearly 2000 games. Sure, anyone can find a decision on bullpen or bench management here or there, to dispute over the course of 23 years and 162 game seasons. But surely not enough to question his deserving of Hall of Fame status. The last factor would be the situation, and the manager has little to no control over that factor.  Situation includes the owner, timing, talent, etc. Let’s be clear about this, Joe Torre managed 3 different teams before he took the reins of the Yankees.  In the years before he got there, notoriously meddling owner George Steinbrenner was suspended from the day to day operations of the team.  His history was to win now, future be damned.  What this resulted in was young talent being traded away for veterans.  Due to his suspension, this did not happen in the mid-90s, and thus, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Petite, Mariano Rivera, and Derek Jeter remained in their system and awaited Torre’s tutelage.  The rest is history.  From 1996-2000, the Yankees would win the World Series four times.

Joe Torre did not suddenly learn how to manage in New York with the Yankees.  But the fact is, if you take away his Yankees tenure, his career managerial record is sub-500.  Situation matters.

Dick Williams found working under A’s owner Charlie O Finely so difficult, he resigned from a 2-time defending champion team after the 1973 season, in a similar way that Jimmy Johnson left the Cowboys. Situation matters.

Regardless of the situation, Dusty Baker has won and he has won a lot. This should earn him a bust in Cooperstown someday.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Bob Dandridge Visits The War Room!

Thursday, June 8th, 2017

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Milwaukee Bucks’ legend, Bob Dandridge will be in The War Room this Thursday, June 8th, to discuss a myriad of NBA topics, past and present!

Tune in Thursday, June 8th at 6pm EST to hear our conversation with the NBA Champion/SHOULD-BE Hall of Famer!  To tune in, go to www.WarRoomSports.com and click the “Listen Live” button…or dial 323-410-0012 to listen live by phone.  If you can’t catch us live, listen to the replay at ANY time after the live show on the War Room Sports Podcast Network, at www.WRSPN.com.

In the meantime, join the War Room Sports Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/WarRoomSports to talk sports 24/7 and follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/WarRoomSports (@WarRoomSports)!

Finally, if you own an Android phone or tablet…an I-Phone, I-Pad, or I-Pod, please go to your Google Play Store or Apple App Store and download the FREE War Room Sports mobile app, or get it from the links below!  It’s the VERY BEST way to stay up on all of our media content!

Android: http://bit.ly/WRS4Android
Apple: http://bit.ly/WRS4IOS

Quick Slants – 8/4/16

Thursday, August 4th, 2016

by Fred Perdue

FP

 

 

 

 

QS

 

College Football season is approaching quickly. Throughout the year the coverage of college football will span on and off field issues, social media, and much more. Stay tuned to the latest in the Quick Slant.

Michigan Reveals Jumpman Apparel

Tennessee Wants to spearhead sexual assault

Oregon and Texas Tech agree on future meetings

LSU and Rice Agree to future meetings

The AP Released Their All Time Top 25 Poll

Woman takes stand and urges NCAA to do the same for players convicted of Sexual Assault.

Baylor isn’t out of the woods yet after firing former head coach Art Briles.

 

Fred Perdue for War Room Sports

Follow and Interact with Fred on social media @FPerdueSports

 

S.P.O.R.T.S. The Book Coming Soon!!!!!

Friday, October 23rd, 2015

Described as The “ILLMATIC of Sports Books”. (By Jimmy himself of course).

Available November 2015

Birthed from the EXTREMELY “real” (and sometimes warped) mind of Jimmy “The Blueprint” Williams, everything he says is definitely from the “IDGAF” section of his brain. But all-in-all, the way he looks at sports, culture, and life in general will keep you wanting more, and will definitely keep you laughing.

WarRoomSports.com

JIMMY BOOK COVER 3

Available November 2015

Contact Jimmy “The Blueprint” Williams at JW@WarRoomSports.com or @JWTheBlueprint

After Further Review (#662)

Friday, February 13th, 2015

by Christopher Dinkins

Mayor Blog

 

 

 

 

After Further Review

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW #662 SHOUTOUT to you JIM LANGER…((NBA)) BULLS 113(rose 30) CAVALIERS 98(james 31)……its ALL STAR WEEKEND so AFTER FURTHER REVIEW 2.0 will make prediction for post ALL STAR break…..one of top 8 teams in EAST will not make playoffs…((difference between 7-12 spot is 2 games))…..and in WEST all ima say is watch MEMPHIS….((difference between 8-10 spot is 1.5 games))…..((NHL)) ISLANDERS 3 MAPLE LEAFS 2….DUCKS 2 HURRICANES 1….OILERS 4 CANADIENS 3(ot)….PENGUINS 5 SENATORS 4(so)….BLUES 6 LIGHTNING 3….WILD 2 PANTHERS 1….PREDATORS 3 JETS 1….RANGERS 6 AVALANCHE 3….KINGS 5 FLAMES 3….CONGRATULATIONS to JIM GREGORY…SERGE SAVARD…PAT QUINN for being named to ORDER of HOCKEY in CANADA….((NCAAHOOPERY)) GONZAGA 80(wiltjer 21/10) LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 51(humphries 11)….UTAH 75(wright 15) STANFORD 59(allen 13)……GONZAGA first team to 25 wins…..watch them in tourney…ladies side SOUTH CAROLINA 86(wilson 26) LSU 62(ballard 16/12)….TENNESSEE 69(harrison 21/14) MISSISSIPPI 49(sessom/frizzell 9)….NORTH CAROLINA 71(grey 21/14) FLORIDA STATE 63(slaughter 15)….LOUISVILLE 81(dyer 20) CLEMSON 49(davenport 10)….KENTUCKY 92(epps 42) MISSISSIPPI STATE 90-2ot (vivians 39)….DUKE 71(greenwell 22) VIRGINIA 45(imovbioh 14)….IOWA 69(disterhoft 14) NEBRASKA 61(laudermill 18)….TEXAS A&M 59(williams 15) ARKANSAS 55(jackson 19)…..((MLB)) not gonna do any “spring rankings” but AFTER FURTHER REVIEW 2.0 MLB preview will be a good one……ummm MLB QUESTION TO PONDER——-> how many AB’s can we truly expect from ALEX RODRIGUEZ ???…..its DOUBLEHEADER FRIDAY…..you already know——–> NHL GAMEs of the day BRUNIS(63pts) v CANUCKS(63pts) / PANTHERS(59pts) v STARS (58pts)…..NCAA HOOPERY GAMEs of the day M-ARIZONA(20-3) v WASHINGTON(14-9) W-ARIZONA STATE(21-3) v OREGON STATE(21-2)…….TRUE SCHOOL JAMs of the day “SPARKLE”-CAMEO / “JAZZY SENSATION” -JAZZY FIVE EMCEES….its FRIDAY….its brickalicious….mad cold…dumb cold…nipsey russell…frosty freeze…ohhh you know what it is bundle up…..and double check the shorties okay…..the BALLISTICS have been kicked !!!!!!……..AFR.

 

Christopher “The Mayor” Dinkins of the After Further Review Podcast, for War Room Sports

Peter King Drops By The War Room!

Wednesday, November 19th, 2014

PK Ad

 

SI.com MMQB’s Peter King will be in The War Room this Thursday, November 20th, to discuss several pressing issues in the NFL!

Tune in Thursday, November 20th at 6pm EST to hear our conversation with the accomplished journalist!  To tune in, go to www.WarRoomSports.com and click the “Listen Live” button…or dial 323-410-0012 to listen live by phone.  If you can’t catch us live, listen to the replay at ANY time after the live show on the War Room Sports Podcast Network, at www.WRSPN.com.

In the meantime, visit Peter King’s MMQB website to read he and his team’s latest articles at www.mmqb.si.com

…and follow Peter King on Twitter at: @SI_PeterKing

And while you’re at it, join the War Room Sports Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/WarRoomSports to talk sports 24/7 and follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/WarRoomSports (@WarRoomSports)!

Finally, if you own an Android phone or tablet…an I-Phone, I-Pad, or I-Pod, please go to your Google Play Store or Apple App Store and download the FREE War Room Sports mobile app!  It’s the VERY BEST way to stay up on all of our media content!

Tracey Lee to Co-Host The War Room!

Monday, October 27th, 2014
It's "Party Time" in The War Room this week!

It’s “Party Time” in The War Room this week!

Hip-Hop Recording Artist Tracey Lee will be back in The War Room this Thursday, October 30th, this time as a special guest co-host.  We’ll discuss his hiatus from the rap game, his long-awaited, newly-released album “ESQ. The Revelation”, and of course his thoughts on the latest in the world of sports!

Tune in Thursday, October 30th at 6pm EST to hear “T-Lee” chop it up at the round-table with the “War Room Generals”!  To tune in, go to www.WarRoomSports.com and click the “Listen Live” button…or dial 323-410-0012 to listen live by phone.  If you can’t catch us live, listen to the replay at ANY time after the live show on the War Room Sports Podcast Network, at www.WRSPN.com.

In the meantime, visit T-Lee’s website to get info on how to get his latest album at http://traceyleemusic.com/

…and join the Tracey Lee Facebook Fan Page at:

https://www.facebook.com/TraceyLeeFanPage

And while you’re at it, join the War Room Sports Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/WarRoomSports to talk sports 24/7 and follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/WarRoomSports (@WarRoomSports)!

Finally, if you own an Android phone or tablet…an I-Phone, I-Pad, or I-Pod, please go to your Google Play Store or Apple App Store and download the FREE War Room Sports mobile app!  It’s the VERY BEST way to stay up on all of our media content!