As a superstar athlete, you have a cycle you go through with your respective franchise. Most of the time, you come in through the draft, when the team is somewhat down. The losses are a little heavy that first year, but you definitely see the star shine through, as the team has fed off his talent and energy enough to truly develop. Sophomore season rolls along, and the team makes a breakthrough, making the playoffs. An early exit occurs, and the team promises to get the star some help. So when the team promises to get you help over these next years, but the same result keeps happening, your star reaches a breaking point. This is where Chris Paul is at.
You saw the same type of cycle with LeBron James, but the King got to be a free agent. CP3 does not have such a luxury; he has to request a trade from a team currently owned by the commissioner and the other 29 NBA owners. As anyone can see from David Stern's blockage of the trade to the Lakers and overwhelming asking price for Paul to go to the Clippers, this is quite a feat to pull off. Chris Paul is a prisoner with David Stern as his warden; and it is an injustice that he is not in a Laker or even Clipper uniform.
First, look at the trades from a basketball standpoint. The Lakers dealt Lamar Odom (the reigning 6th man of the year) to the Hornets, while New Orleans also gained Luis Scola (One of the up and coming power forwards), Kevin Martin (one of the best scoring guards), and Goran Dragic (a solid backup point guard). Los Angeles would of course get Chris Paul, while Houston gained forward Pau Gasol from the Lakers. Basically, the Hornets, while losing their best player, gained four good ones, and also snagged a first round pick. This was the best kind of trade NOLA could have asked for; but not according to David Stern.
Maybe the Clippers' offer would be better? Let's give the Hornets one of the rising guards in the league in Eric Gordon, a solid 6th man with Chris Kaman, and a talented young forward in Al-Farouq Aminu, along with a 1st round pick for the coveted Paul. Once again, the Hornets are gaining players that can help now and possibly even more for the future. But for Stern and his gang, this was still not enough. They wanted young guard Eric Bledsoe too. I mean, why not just ask for Blake Griffin too?
The main question on everybody's mind is this: Why is David Stern and the other owners making a deal for Chris Paul seem impossible? There is the argument that the owners have been pushing Stern to prevent another player leaving a small market team to go to a larger market like LeBron and Carmelo did. The small market owners believe nobody will ever want to come play for them or stay with them, so they're putting their foot down. While I see their point here, I think this has been taken a bit too far. Preventing some stars from playing together is not going to change anything. To prevent it is actually hypocritical to the history of the NBA.
Think about the great NBA teams that were essentially superteams. The Lakers had Kareem Abdul-Jabar, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson on one team at a point, and even Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor back in time. The Celtics had their trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish. There have been countless power duos, from Jordan and Pippen, to Stockton and Malone, to Kobe and Shaq, and even Penny and Shaq. I could go on and on here, but the point is that this concept is nothing new. It actually provided the NBA with its most glorious years.
But the real motive behind Stern's actions has nothing to do with the concept of superior teams. He knows that the NBA is still the owner of the Hornets, and there must be someone to buy the franchise. His method of thinking is that he needs Chris Paul to sell the franchise, a face to advertise to a bidder. So if he's going to give up the main selling point of the franchise, he wants everything and Tim Tebow in exchange. So it's not Chris Paul holding back the franchise; it's the franchise holding back Chris Paul.
Paul deserves to be able to do what every basketball player dreams of doing; playing under the biggest lights as one of biggest names. He tried to make it happen in New Orleans, giving his heart and soul to bring New Orleans to the playoffs. His performance last year against the Lakers in the playoffs was nothing short of remarkable. The most gifted point guard in the league did everything in his power to win, and it still was not enough. New Orleans was not going to do anything to help Paul's chances at a title or any further success, so he decided he wanted to leave, which he has every right to do.
There is not another player in the NBA as worthy as Chris Paul of having a shot somewhere else. He has been nothing short of sensational on the court, but he has also been one of the game's most cordial and giving ambassadors. You would think such actions would eventually be rewarded, let the good guy have his day. But all that really matters is the Hornets need to be sold, which mans Paul is its best shot. Stern is requiring Paul to give even more to a franchise he's already laid it all out for, and it's simply not right. The commissioner is slowly ruining his once pristine reputation with this whole situation, but he can save it with one action; let CP3 be free. Whether that's to New York, Boston, or Los Angeles, it's time to let the best point guard in the league shine somewhere else.
Monday, December 12, 2011
I'm Back And More Tebowed Than Ever
First off, let me just say that I apologize to anybody who has come back to this blog for frequent posts. The first semester of college got the best of me, as I was a bit too busy to continue to write often. But I'm going to try and write more next semester and stay current. I love writing about sports too much to stay away from it for too long. On that note, on to one of many topics I plan on addressing this week: Tim Tebow.
On Sunday, the fabulous Florida man led another terrific game-tying drive to send the Denver Broncos' game against the Chicago Bears into overtime. Even before that, Tebow went 7-7 on a drive to bring the Broncos within three, hitting Demaryius Thomas on a touchdown pass, after not completing a pass in the second and third quarter. He would eventually lead Denver down the field in overtime to put them in position for the game-winning field goal, sending Bronco nation into what seems to be their umpteenth frenzy after another exasperating comeback by their team.
Now I just told you everything Tim Tebow did at his position of quarterback to help the Broncos win that game. But what I left out were the vital contributions that everybody else on Denver made to bring home the victory, most notably the Bronco defense and Matt Prater. The Bronco's defense has been resembling the old Orange Crush glory days of Tom Jackson, consistently stifling teams every week, and the Bears offense faced the same treatment. And when it finally seemed like they were going to be broken in overtime, they pulled out another clutch play, stripping Marion Barber right before he was going to take off and score.
It's about time this defense got the credit it deserved. They have one of the most formidable pass rushes in the league, with imminent Rookie of the Year Von Miller and stud Elvis Dumervil. They are led by veterans like Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins, and most of all? They have bought into their play and truly believe.
The other hero of the day was obviously Matt Prater. After being set up by his quarterback, Prater still had a pretty tough kick to drill, even in the thin Rocky Mountain air of Denver. But from 59 yards, with the division lead on his foot, Prater rocketed the ball through the uprights with as much poise as a Jordan jumper. You didn't even need to watch him attempt the 51 yard game winner in overtime; it was through before he kicked it.
So how does this all tie back to Tebow? Well it shows that obviously, Denver's renaissance is a complete team effort. The credit cannot go solely to Tebow. But I will give the man all the credit in the world for contributions to that team that go further than any stat; he's gotten them to believe. Tebow is easily one of the best leaders I have ever seen. His positivity, constant faith, endless drive, and never-say-die mentality are qualities that every coach dies to have in their quarterback. I believe those behavioral traits of him has truly infected the entire team with the same ideas and thoughts. After they've seen him escape more pass rushes and come up big at the end, how could they not buy into it?
As any player would tell you, football is a game where your mental stability and determination has to be at 100% the entire time to be successful. If you're not motivated or let your guard down for one second, you will lose. Letting your guard down does not include making a few negative plays; it comes down if you let those plays tear your confidence down. That's what Tebow has exemplified this season; keeping your confidence for four quarters of football. As long as you have confidence in yourself and others, you will come through when it matters.
That mindset is now the staple of this Denver Bronco team, and head coach John Fox has done a beautiful job of continuing to preach it after seeing his quarterback show why it can be successful. I know so many people who wake up every Monday, see that the Broncos pulled it out somehow, and go on a ridiculous rant about how they are not a good team and that this will die soon. They pull out every excuse in the book to make their case against Tebow. My question to the hater nation is simple; why can't you just enjoy?
I've never been a Bronco fan in my life, but I have had an absolute blast watching this team continuously find a way to win. It can be the ugliest style of football ever played, but the plays these guys are making in clutch-time can be nothing but admired. I cannot recall another team that has recorded so many wins of this kind, and if it continues somehow into playoff success, then you will have the best NFL story in a long time. They are the definition of a true team, and I think can respect that more than simply throwing for 400 yards and putting up 40 points every week. I enjoy watching Denver football more.
Will this dream eventually end? I do think so. There comes a point where a complete game must be played, and you can't just wait until the fourth quarter. But this is all part of a developmental process. Teams start out doing this, and eventually, they figure out how to have the same intensity throughout the entire game. The Broncos have the toughest quarter down to a science; they just need the other three.
At the end of the day, after all of the heated arguments and continuous bashing, all the Broncos need to do is point to their record with Tebow as a starter: 7-1. The guy is winning and has turned the belief of an entire organization around with his demeanor, work ethic, and belief in his teammates. When you can be an inspiration point to other grown men, some who have been in the league for much longer than you, and encourage them to play to their potential, you have done something more worthy than any award. I applaud the Denver Broncos for bringing back something to football that many people always forget; it's a team sport that needs leaders and examples. Keep your eyes on them, because there is one fact I don't think any hater can try and preach; they're the most exciting story in the league until their run ends.
On Sunday, the fabulous Florida man led another terrific game-tying drive to send the Denver Broncos' game against the Chicago Bears into overtime. Even before that, Tebow went 7-7 on a drive to bring the Broncos within three, hitting Demaryius Thomas on a touchdown pass, after not completing a pass in the second and third quarter. He would eventually lead Denver down the field in overtime to put them in position for the game-winning field goal, sending Bronco nation into what seems to be their umpteenth frenzy after another exasperating comeback by their team.
Now I just told you everything Tim Tebow did at his position of quarterback to help the Broncos win that game. But what I left out were the vital contributions that everybody else on Denver made to bring home the victory, most notably the Bronco defense and Matt Prater. The Bronco's defense has been resembling the old Orange Crush glory days of Tom Jackson, consistently stifling teams every week, and the Bears offense faced the same treatment. And when it finally seemed like they were going to be broken in overtime, they pulled out another clutch play, stripping Marion Barber right before he was going to take off and score.
It's about time this defense got the credit it deserved. They have one of the most formidable pass rushes in the league, with imminent Rookie of the Year Von Miller and stud Elvis Dumervil. They are led by veterans like Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins, and most of all? They have bought into their play and truly believe.
The other hero of the day was obviously Matt Prater. After being set up by his quarterback, Prater still had a pretty tough kick to drill, even in the thin Rocky Mountain air of Denver. But from 59 yards, with the division lead on his foot, Prater rocketed the ball through the uprights with as much poise as a Jordan jumper. You didn't even need to watch him attempt the 51 yard game winner in overtime; it was through before he kicked it.
So how does this all tie back to Tebow? Well it shows that obviously, Denver's renaissance is a complete team effort. The credit cannot go solely to Tebow. But I will give the man all the credit in the world for contributions to that team that go further than any stat; he's gotten them to believe. Tebow is easily one of the best leaders I have ever seen. His positivity, constant faith, endless drive, and never-say-die mentality are qualities that every coach dies to have in their quarterback. I believe those behavioral traits of him has truly infected the entire team with the same ideas and thoughts. After they've seen him escape more pass rushes and come up big at the end, how could they not buy into it?
As any player would tell you, football is a game where your mental stability and determination has to be at 100% the entire time to be successful. If you're not motivated or let your guard down for one second, you will lose. Letting your guard down does not include making a few negative plays; it comes down if you let those plays tear your confidence down. That's what Tebow has exemplified this season; keeping your confidence for four quarters of football. As long as you have confidence in yourself and others, you will come through when it matters.
That mindset is now the staple of this Denver Bronco team, and head coach John Fox has done a beautiful job of continuing to preach it after seeing his quarterback show why it can be successful. I know so many people who wake up every Monday, see that the Broncos pulled it out somehow, and go on a ridiculous rant about how they are not a good team and that this will die soon. They pull out every excuse in the book to make their case against Tebow. My question to the hater nation is simple; why can't you just enjoy?
I've never been a Bronco fan in my life, but I have had an absolute blast watching this team continuously find a way to win. It can be the ugliest style of football ever played, but the plays these guys are making in clutch-time can be nothing but admired. I cannot recall another team that has recorded so many wins of this kind, and if it continues somehow into playoff success, then you will have the best NFL story in a long time. They are the definition of a true team, and I think can respect that more than simply throwing for 400 yards and putting up 40 points every week. I enjoy watching Denver football more.
Will this dream eventually end? I do think so. There comes a point where a complete game must be played, and you can't just wait until the fourth quarter. But this is all part of a developmental process. Teams start out doing this, and eventually, they figure out how to have the same intensity throughout the entire game. The Broncos have the toughest quarter down to a science; they just need the other three.
At the end of the day, after all of the heated arguments and continuous bashing, all the Broncos need to do is point to their record with Tebow as a starter: 7-1. The guy is winning and has turned the belief of an entire organization around with his demeanor, work ethic, and belief in his teammates. When you can be an inspiration point to other grown men, some who have been in the league for much longer than you, and encourage them to play to their potential, you have done something more worthy than any award. I applaud the Denver Broncos for bringing back something to football that many people always forget; it's a team sport that needs leaders and examples. Keep your eyes on them, because there is one fact I don't think any hater can try and preach; they're the most exciting story in the league until their run ends.
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