Yardbarker: Anaheim Ducks

Camby Deal Signals The Beginning of the End of the Iverson Era in Denver

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:01:07 -0500

Any Denver fans who entertained notions that Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson would ever lead the Nuggets to playoff glory received a very rude awakening when Nuggets management "traded" starting center Marcus Camby to the L.A. Clippers for the right to swap second round draft picks in 2010. Camby is 34 years old but he is still a highly productive player: he won the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year Award and he has led the NBA in blocked shots the past three seasons and four times overall during his 12 year career. Last season, Camby averaged a career-high 13.1 rpg to rank second in the league. He has been selected to the All-Defensive Team for four straight seasons, including First Team nods in 2007 and 2008. Contending teams do not simply give away a valuable asset like Camby--and that is precisely the point: the Nuggets are not a contending team and their management is painfully aware of that fact. Much like the Memphis Grizzlies got rid of Pau Gasol to clear salary cap space and essentially hit the "reboot" button, getting rid of Camby was the first step in what will soon be a total makeover of Denver's roster. Iverson will either be traded this season or allowed to walk in 2009 when his contract ends, thus freeing up even more salary cap space. The Nuggets are deep into luxury tax territory--paying a dollar for dollar penalty for exceeding the salary cap--and that is the last place a team wants to be when it cannot even get out of the first round, let alone meaningfully contend for a title. From an intellectual/economic standpoint it is very easy to figure out what the Nuggets are doing--but this still has to be hard for Denver fans to accept, particularly those who have spent a lot of money on season tickets. Without Camby anchoring the paint there is a good chance that the Nuggets won't even make the playoffs in 2008-09 and even though Denver will soon have money to spend there is no guarantee that when the dust settles the new look roster will be substantially better than the recent Denver teams have been. It seems like half of the teams in the NBA are clinging to the pipe dream that if they clear enough salary cap space that they will be able to sign LeBron James or Dwyane Wade in a couple years; meanwhile, these teams are intent on spending as little as they can until that time, essentially writing off this season. There is not much that the league can do about this now but an economic system that encourages teams to not spend money--and thus field a mediocre or worse product--while hoping to hit the "jackpot" and sign a big-time player is not good or efficient. Moreover, these teams are going to have a lot of explaining to do if they subject their fans to 82 games of bad basketball and then fail to sign a franchise player with all of the money that they have sitting around. As for the Clippers, adding Camby and free agent Baron Davis goes a long way toward making up for the loss of Elton Brand. In fact, since Brand only played eight games last year, the Clippers could significantly improve on their 23-59 record if Camby and Davis both stay healthy. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK MLB Authentic Collection Partners With "Music For Relief" - The Biz of Baseball MLB.com Smashes Online Ticket Sales Record - The Biz of Baseball A-Rod Jumps to William Morris Agency to Boost Image - The Biz of Baseball Rays Minor Leaguer Suspended 50 Gms for Amphetamines - The Biz of Baseball Sunday MLB on TBS: Comments from A's/Yankees Game - The Biz of Baseball Chicago's Wrigley Field to Host Next Outdoor Classic on New Years Day - The Biz of Hockey Jaromir Jagr First Major NHL Player to Crossover to Continental Hockey League - The Biz of Hockey Free Agent Signings - July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey NHL Free Agent Listing As of July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey Commissioner Roger Goodell to Be First American Sports League Exec to Visit Iraq - The Biz of FootballDan Patrick and Keith Olbermann to Reumite for NBC's "Football Night in America" - The Biz of FootballXM Satellite Radio Locks Up SEC. Adds Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Vanderbilt - The Biz of Football Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones and Media Correctness - The Biz of Football 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports David Friedman is a weekly contributor to the Business of Sports Network. To read more of his basketball articles, just take a 20 Second Timeout. His general sports commentary can be found at Best Ever Sports Talk, where "Favre May Discover That 38 is Not So Special for Quarterbacks," "Michael Young Helps Major League Baseball Avoid its Worst Nightmare: Another All-Star Game Tie," "Morneau Wins Home Run Derby but Hamilton Steals Show" and "Eric Davis: 'Like Having an Atomic Bomb Sitting Next to You in the Dugout'" are among the subjects that have been recently discussed.

Giggy Still "With It" In Anaheim

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:17:50 -0500

Anaheim had yet another somewhat successful season in 2007-2008, winning 47 games, but the loss in the first round to the Dallas Stars must disappoint them. They did not get affected by any "Stanley Cup hangover" which was good, but they also did not get the result they were looking for. Brain Burke has one thing he can relax about this off-season, and that's his goaltending situation. J-S Giguere had fantastic year posting a 2.12 goals against average, and a .922 save percentage. Those are his best statistics in the post-lockout era. Giguere is right in the middle of his prime at 31 years-of-age, and still has some great seasons ahead of him. Some goalies hit their prime later than skaters, and since it took Giguere years to work his way through the minors, his best may be yet to come. Anaheim can rely on Giguere's steadiness until his contract expires in 2011. He is a top-tier goaltender, and will likely continue his successes into next season. Ilya Bryzgalov was sent to the waiver wire in order to make room for Jonas Hiller, who fits the backup role nicely. The facts that Bryzgalov was too good to be used as a backup to Giguere, and that they had a capable backup in Hiller waiting in the wings led to Bryzgalov's demise in Anaheim. Hiller is good at starting once or twice a month. You know what you are getting with him, and can expect that each time out. That's a tough skill to find, but Anaheim has found one in the young Swiss netminder.

American goalie Mike McKenna saw most of the action in Portland last season, and will likely do the same this year in Iowa, since the Ducks changed their affiliation. (Side note: who names a team the "Chops"?) The younger Jean-Phillippe Levasseur may give McKenna a run for his money, but they will likely end up splitting time in a 70/30 fashion. Although inconsistent so far at the professional level, Levasseur has talent unmatched by anyone else in the Ducks' minor league system. With Giguere locked up on the big team, look for Anaheim to take their time with Levasseur, if not eventually trade him.

Further down the depth chart we see Bobby Goepfert who spent his first year out of college with the Augusta Linx of the ECHL last season. He did not see as much action as he probably would have liked, mainly because he was splitting time with J-P Levasseur, but impressed when called upon. Goepfert plays an all-out style of goaltending, and has great reflexes and reactions. He should be given the reigns in Augusta, and is hopeful of a call up to Iowa if he plays well enough.

On the European side of things, Anaheim has two noteworthy goalies. Mattias Modig and Sebastian Stefaniszin. Mattias Modig, drafted in the 4th round in 2007, had a slow year appearing in 47 games for Lulea HF of the Swedish Elite League. He posted an undeniably bad 3.53 G.A.A, and hopes to bounce back next year, or else he may see his shot at coming over to North America fade. Sebastian Stefaniszin had an absolutely terrible season, playing in only 19 games all year, and in 9 games with Iserlohn of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga of Germany he posted a 4.50 G.A.A, with a 0.881 save percentage. He'll need to really bounce back in order to bring his status in the organization up.

Overall, Anaheim is set in net. They have nothing to worry about unless Giguere has some kind of disastrous injury (knock on wood) that knocks him out of the equation. Keep up the good work, Giggy!

Oh Canaduh! Van City

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:36:38 -0500

Well Canucks fans got what they wanted, their two under-producing stars Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison are gone and they can no longer take up large dollars against the teams' salary cap. Unfortunately in a shallow free agent talent pool finding adequate replacements hasn't been easy. So far they have signed Ryan Johnson, Kyle Wellwood, Darcy Hordichuk and a few players from last years team. They also acquired Steve Bernier from Buffalo in a trade. It looks as though their fourth line is getting crowded. Kyle Wellwood has been plagued by injuries since his impressive rookie showing and many believe his lack of a fitness regimen is the culprit. Having broken his foot in the offseason it looks as though he will yet again be recovering from injury and may struggle as a result. Ryan Johnson is a third or fourth liner with minimal production. He will help their depth but they're not really lacking low caliber role players. Hordichuk will provide some toughness and help fill the void left by Cooke. Steve Bernier is a plus as he's filled with size and potential and may develop into a top line player. With Naslund, Morrison and Cooke off to new teams the Canucks are putting a load of pressure on unproven players. They've thrown far too much money at Sundin into an attempt to land a star but really what does he have to gain from joining Vancouver? The money certainly is good but he can almost make the playoffs on the Leafs and not have to move. If Sundin signs outside of Toronto you'd think it would be with a contending team. The big question I see is how long will Luongo be willing to carry a poor team. He left Florida for the same reasons and with a wife still living in Florida one could see the convenience of living closer to home. There's still plenty of time before the season and with rumors of Demitra signing in Vancouver they're still actively looking. Demitra would be helpful but certainly that's not enough and he certainly wont fill the shoes of Naslund and Morrison. They will have to orchestrate a trade to greatly improve the offense of this club. I'm not so sure they can do so without subtracting alot in terms of future. I think a Canucks rebuild may be imminent if the team starts poorly this season. Lets hope the demitra rumors are just the beginning of .what will be a busy offseason for Vancouver. Otherwise it may be a long year for Canucks fans

Where Do Gilbert Arenas and Baron Davis Rank Among Elite NBA Point Guards?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:12:23 -0500

Baron Davis led the Golden State Warriors to one playoff appearance in three seasons and he has been injury-prone for most of his career, so the Warriors understandably declined to offer him a long term contract extension--but they inexplicably are reportedly willing to pay more than $100 million to pry Gilbert Arenas away from the Washington Wizards. Fortunately for Golden State fans, the Warriors apparently will not have a chance to overpay Arenas because the Wizards and Arenas have reached a verbal agreement for $111 million over six years (contracts cannot be signed until July 9 when the precise amount of next season's salary cap is calculated). If that deal goes through it will be the sixth largest NBA contract signed since the implementation of the 1999 Collective Bargaining Agreement. While the L.A. Lakers--who signed Kobe Bryant for $136.4 million in 2004--and the San Antonio Spurs--who signed Tim Duncan for $122 million in 2003--are undoubtedly pleased with the return they have received on their sizable investments, the Indiana Pacers (Jermaine O'Neal, $126.6 million in 2003) and Sacramento Kings (Chris Webber, $122.7 million in 2001) surely have experienced serious buyers' remorse. It remains to be seen what the Orlando Magic will think of the $126 million investment they made in Rashard Lewis in 2007 but that seems to be an awfully steep price for a player who has made one All-Star appearance in 10 NBA seasons. Arenas missed 69 games due to injury last season, was a shell of his former self during the playoffs and missed the entire 2007 postseason due to injury. He has led the Wizards past the first round of the playoffs once in five seasons. The word "elite" is poorly defined in reference to NBA players and it is thrown around far too casually. Bottom line: if you are not on one of the three All-NBA Teams--or a player who deserved to be there but clearly got snubbed--then you are not an elite player. An All-Star is not an elite player; every year there are 24 All-Stars plus another 5-10 players who could just as easily have made the cut. An elite player must be no worse than one of the top five players at his position and one of the top 15 players in the NBA. Even when fully healthy, Davis and Arenas operate at the fringes of elite territory: Arenas made the All-NBA Second Team in 2007 and the All-NBA Third Team in 2005 and 2006, while Davis made the All-NBA Third Team in 2004. Of course, the most relevant issue is the likelihood that they will be elite players in the future. Let's compare Arenas and Davis to the truly elite NBA point guards. 1) Chris Paul is the gold standard for current NBA point guards. He scores, passes, rebounds and defends. His main weakness is that because he is only 6-0, 175 he can be posted up by bigger point guards and in certain situations he can be taken advantage of defensively when switching pick and roll plays. His shooting touch was a bit suspect prior to this season but Paul largely put those concerns to rest by putting up career high numbers in field goal percentage (.488), three point field goal percentage (.369) and free throw percentage (.851); however, in the playoffs he shot poorly from three point range (.238). Key 2007-08 numbers: 21.1 ppg, 11.6 apg (first in the NBA), 4.0 rpg, 2.7 spg (first in the NBA), .488 FG%, .369 3FG%, .851 FT% in the regular season; 24.1 ppg, 11.3 apg, 4.9 rpg, 2.3 spg, .502 FG%, .238 3FG%, .785 FT% in the playoffs while leading Hornets to the second round. Finished second in MVP voting, made the All-NBA First Team. 2) Steve Nash won the 2005 and 2006 MVPs. It should be obvious that he was not in fact the best all-around player in the NBA during those seasons but it is equally obvious that he was the best point guard in the league during that time and that is all that is relevant in this discussion. Nash finished second to Dirk Nowitzki in the 2007 MVP voting but was still the best point guard in the NBA. Last season, Paul ended Nash's three year reign as the assist champion and Paul also took the crown as the best point guard. Nash is the best pure shooter among NBA point guards and he is a tremendous passer, particularly in pick and roll situations. Nash is a poor one on one defender and his weakness in that area has really hurt Phoenix during the playoffs. Key 2007-08 numbers: 16.9 ppg, 11.1 apg (second in the NBA), 3.5 rpg, .7 spg, .504 FG%, .470 3FG% (second in the NBA), .906 FT% (fifth in the NBA) in the regular season; 16.2 ppg, 7.8 apg, 2.8 rpg, .4 spg, .457 FG%, .300 3FG%, .917 FT% in the playoffs during a 4-1 first round loss. Finished ninth in MVP voting, made the All-NBA Second Team. 3) Deron Williams will likely be battling with Paul for many years to earn recognition as the NBA's best point guard. The 6-3, 210 Williams is significantly bigger and more physically powerful than Paul but he is not as explosively quick and is a surprisingly poor rebounder considering his size and strength. I'd give Nash a slight edge over Williams in 2008 based on Nash's shooting prowess and his greater amount of experience but I expect Williams to be the superior player starting next season. Key 2007-08 numbers: 18.8 ppg, 10.5 apg (third in the NBA), 3.0 rpg, 1.1 spg, .507 FG%, .395 3FG%, .803 FT% in the regular season; 21.6 ppg, 10.0 apg, 3.6 rpg, .6 spg, .492 FG%, .500 3FG%, .773 FT% in the playoffs while leading the Jazz to the second round. Finished 12th in the MVP voting, made the All-NBA Second Team. 4) Tony Parker has yet to make the All-NBA Team even once but he is worthy of being considered an elite point guard in light of his 2007 Finals MVP performance and the fact that he has been a vital contributor to three championship teams as the starting point guard. Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili divide the scoring load pretty evenly and Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich limits their regular season minutes to preserve them for the playoffs, which means that none of the Spurs' "Big Three" put up huge regular season statistics. Parker is not as good of a pure shooter as Paul, Nash or Williams, nor is Parker quite as adept as those guys in terms of playmaking, but Parker's blazing quickness and ability to finish strongly at the rim make him very difficult to contain. Parker has wisely slashed his three point attempts from a career-high 243 in 2002-03 (his second season) to 36, 38 and 66 the past three seasons. Nash had better regular season numbers than Parker but Parker completely outplayed Nash in the Spurs' win over the Suns in the first round. Key 2007-08 numbers: 18.8 ppg, 6.0 apg, 3.2 rpg, .8 spg, .494 FG%, .258 3FG%, .715 FT% in the regular season; 22.4 ppg, 6.1 apg, 3.7 rpg, .9 spg, .497 FG%, .350 3FG%, .753 FT% while leading the Spurs to a 4-1 loss to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Paul, Nash and Williams were the only point guards on this year's three All-NBA Teams. The other guards (Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Manu Ginobili) are shooting guards, as is Denver's Allen Iverson, who received the most points (116) in the voting of any player who did not make the team. Chauncey Billups and Baron Davis received slight consideration, amassing 38 and 32 points respectively; Ginobili, the last guard on the All-NBA Third Team, received 123 points, while Williams--who had the lowest total of the three point guards who made the cut--had 228 points. Billups could perhaps be granted "elite emeritus" status based on his 2004 Finals MVP, his fifth place finish in the 2006 MVP voting and a pair of selections to the All-NBA Team (Second Team in 2006, Third Team in 2007), but he is a level below Paul, Nash, Williams and Parker now. In the 2007-08 regular season, Billups put up these numbers: 17.0 ppg, 6.8 apg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 spg, .448 FG%, .401 3FG%, .918 FT%. His performance declined across the board in the playoffs.Davis had an excellent season, perhaps the best all-around campaign of his career when you consider both production and durability, but I would not take him over Paul, Nash, Williams or Parker. Davis averaged 21.8 ppg, 7.6 apg (sixth in the NBA), 4.7 rpg, 2.3 spg (third in the NBA), .426 FG%, .330 3FG% and .750 FT% in 2007-08. Davis settles for jumpers and three pointers far too frequently, a flaw that he shares with Arenas, who played in just 13 regular season games and four playoff games in 2007-08. At his best, Davis is an explosive talent who can physically dominate bigger players but his shot selection, subpar shooting ability and inconsistent defense render him a less reliable player than the truly elite point guards. Similarly, Arenas is a streak shooting talent who can be dazzling when he is hitting his shots but his shot selection is poor, his defense is worse than Davis' and he often seems to be more concerned about being the center of attention than winning games.Davis and Arenas are not better than Paul, Nash, Williams or Parker and thus it is very difficult to objectively justify awarding a maximum contract to either of them. I say "objectively" because there are many other considerations that come into play: marketing, ticket sales, the reaction of the fan base of their respective teams, etc. However, purely on the basis of their individual skill sets and their ability to lead a championship contending team, neither Arenas nor Davis are worthy of receiving maximum contracts. Arenas is being lauded now for "giving back" $16 million instead of insisting on receiving the absolute maximum deal from the Wizards--I put "giving back" in quotation marks because you cannot really give something back that you never had in the first place; Arenas said, "You see players take max deals and they financially bind their teams. I don't wanna be one of those players and three years down the road your team is strapped and can't do anything about it." That is a laudable sentiment but even at this supposedly "discounted" rate Arenas is still vastly overpaid and it is questionable how much the Wizards will be able to do with that $16 million, an amount that could do a lot of good in the real world but does not necessarily give the team that much ability to significantly upgrade the roster. I commend Arenas for making that gesture but I still maintain that with him as the featured--and highest paid--player the Wizards will not get past the second round of the playoffs.OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK The First Six "Governors" of Red Sox Nation Announced - The Biz of Baseball MLB TV Ratings Down. Networks Look Past All-Star Game - The Biz of Baseball XM Satellite Radio Has Complete Coverage of All-Star Gm - The Biz of Baseball MLB Names Jacqueline Parkes as CMO - The Biz of Baseball Linkin Park, MLB Properties Hook-up For 3rd Year - The Biz of Baseball Wrigley Field It Is: NHL Outdoor Classic in Chicago Jan. 1 - The Biz of Baseball Passing Gas? Rays, Hess to Give Away $5 Cards on July 18 - The Biz of Baseball All-Star Game Starters, Reserves, and Pitchers Announced - The Biz of Baseball Is the Ed Wade/Shawn Chacon Altercation a First? - The Biz of BaseballYou Really Like Me! Rays See Highest TV Ratings Ever - The Biz of Baseball Chicago's Wrigley Field to Host Next Outdoor Classic on New Years Day - The Biz of Hockey Jaromir Jagr First Major NHL Player to Crossover to Continental Hockey League - The Biz of Hockey Free Agent Signings - July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey NHL Free Agent Listing As of July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey Commissioner Roger Goodell to Be First American Sports League Exec to Visit Iraq - The Biz of FootballDan Patrick and Keith Olbermann to Reumite for NBC's "Football Night in America" - The Biz of FootballXM Satellite Radio Locks Up SEC. Adds Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Vanderbilt - The Biz of Football Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones and Media Correctness - The Biz of Football 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports David Friedman is a weekly contrinutor to the Business of Sports Network. To read more of his basketball articles, just take a 20 Second Timeout. His general sports commentary can be found at Best Ever Sports Talk, where "Rafael Nadal is Coming for That Number One Spot," "Torres' Tough Training Pays Off," "Brett Favre's Selfishness" and "Dara Torres Turns Back the Clock in Bid to Make Olympic Team for Fifth Time" are among the subjects that have been recently discussed.

History Made: First D-League Player Drafted by the NBA: Mike Taylor, Idaho Stampede

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:19 -0500

A little bit of history happened tonight at the NBA Draft when you weren't lookinmg...Idaho Stampede guard Mike Taylor was selected with the 55th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers becoming the first player from the NBA Development League to be drafted by an NBA team. A member of the 2008 NBA D-League Champion Stampede, Taylor was then traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for a future second round draft pick. "Everyone at the NBA D-League joins me in congratulating Mike on his history-making achievement," said Dan Reed, NBA D-League President. "Mike is a shining example of the NBA D-League's core mission – to develop top prospects into NBA players." In 39 games for the Stampede this past season, Taylor averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists primarily as the team's sixth man, scoring 20 or more points on 11 occasions, including during the deciding Game 3 of the NBA D-League Finals presented by Delta. During that game, Taylor connected on four three-pointers in a three-minute span in the fourth quarter to solidify the Stampede's first NBA D-League Championship. "Mike brings a tremendous amount of ability and quickness to the NBA," said Idaho Stampede head coach Bryan Gates. "He really is a spark of energy and a breath of fresh air whenever he enters a game."Source: NBA D-LeagueOTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK SEE IT: Red Sox/AAA Ford Fusions to Run Sat. and Sun. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - The Biz of Baseball Deadline Pushed Back to July 31st for Cubs/Wrigley Field Sale - The Biz of Baseball Dunkin?' Donuts Promo Features Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Papelbon - The Biz of Baseball Astros GM Ed Wade Attacked by Pitcher Shawn Chacon - The Biz of Baseball Dodgers Surpass 3 Million Tickets Sold for 2008 - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football Big Ten Network Nearing First Major Cable Deal with Comcast - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Analyzing Team USA's 12 Man Roster

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:17 -0500

Last Monday, USA Basketball announced the 12 man roster that will comprise the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball team. Five of the 12 have participated in the Olympics previously (Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, LeBron James, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade); the only U.S. team that had more Olympic veterans was the 1996 squad--the so-called "Dream Team II" that welcomed back six players from the first Dream Team, the 1992 U.S. Olympic team that is the only group that truly deserved the "Dream Team" designation. Eight members of the 2008 team played in the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament, which Team USA won with a 10-0 record; here is a list of those eight players, along with some of their statistics from the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament. Carmelo Anthony (21.2 ppg, .613 FG%, .578 3Pt FG%, 5.2 rpg, 1.4 apg in nine games) LeBron James (18.1 ppg, .760 FG%, .622 3Pt FG%, 3.6 rpg, 4.7 apg in 10 games) Kobe Bryant (15.3 ppg, .548 FG%, .459 3Pt FG%, 2.0 rpg, 2.9 apg in 10 games) Michael Redd (14.4 ppg, .530 FG%, .453 3Pt FG%, 1.4 rpg, 1.5 apg in 10 games) Dwight Howard (10.0 ppg, .814 FG%, 5.3 rpg, 18 blocked shots in 10 games) Tayshaun Prince (7.3 ppg, .481 FG%, .357 3Pt FG%, 5.0 rpg, 2.1 apg in nine games) Deron Williams (4.7 ppg, .613 FG%, 5-10 3Pt FG, 1.0 rpg, 4.6 apg in 10 games) Jason Kidd (1.8 ppg, 6-10 FG, 5-8 3Pt FG, 3.3 rpg, 4.6 apg in 10 games) Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups played in 2007 but withdrew their names from the selection process this time around. Tyson Chandler played the fewest minutes on the 2007 team and Mike Miller had the second lowest field goal percentage on the 2007 team. Those four players have been replaced by Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade. In addition to the Olympic and international experience listed above, the current roster has the 2008 NBA MVP (Bryant), four of the five members of the 2008 All-NBA First Team (Bryant, James, Howard and Paul) plus a 2008 All-NBA Second Team selection (Williams) and a 2008 All-NBA Third Team selection (Boozer). Since the debacles for Team USA in 2002, 2004 and 2006, USA Basketball has emphasized that it wants a three year commitment from players so that the team can develop cohesion and chemistry. That is why the fifth member of the 2008 All-NBA First Team, Kevin Garnett, is not on the roster. USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said of Garnett, "We never got any positive feedback of his interest. It was more about 'I've been there, I've done that and it's time for someone else to do it.' I had a number of conversations with his agent just to check the temperature of the water, and there was never any positive response. We would have loved to have had him...but obviously, it wasn't in the cards." The key additions to the 2007 team were Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd; they quickly emerged as team leaders because of their professionalism, work ethic and defensive intensity, three qualities that had been noticeably missing on recent editions of Team USA. U.S. Coach Mike Krzyzewski said, "Kobe is unbelievably committed to representing his country. Last summer playing for our team, the first time he saw his uniform, he got emotional...The first thing he did for us last summer, he was our best perimeter defender--and that's a role he wanted...I think we'll start out with the same thing because he knows he can play that way and expend the energy on defense because of the offensive talent of his teammates...We usually put him on the best perimeter player on the opposing team whether it be a point guard or a wing, and that's how we started the game. And that's how I want to start our practice sessions with that in mind." Bryant sacrificed some of his offensive game to concentrate on defense but still managed to finish third on the team in scoring and fourth in assists.In a December 5, 2007 post, I mentioned some things that Suns General Manager Steve Kerr told me that then-Suns Coach Mike D'Antoni--a Team USA assistant coach--had said about Bryant's role on Team USA:Prior to each game in last summer's FIBA Americas tournament, Bryant asked the coaching staff, "Who do you want me to take out?" In other words, Bryant wanted to know who was the toughest perimeter threat on each team so that he could study his tendencies on film and then completely neutralize him on the court. I said to Kerr, "That sounds like a sniper zeroing in on a target" and Kerr replied, "Yeah--and he was serious." Kerr went on to say that Bryant's "focus" and "bravado" added an essential missing element to the squad and elevated everyone else's play. Kerr noted that the previous Team USA squad had performed reasonably well other than the infamous loss to Greece but that it lacked a certain "swagger," as he termed it, and that Team USA did not have a "player who everyone feared." Kerr literally shook his head in wonderment as he described Bryant's impact on Team USA. Kidd's leadership came in a much subtler form; there is virtually no statistical evidence of it, other than the fact that he ranked second on the team in assists--but make no mistake that he played a very key role on the team. He has never lost a game while wearing a Team USA jersey and he made it clear that he does not intend on ending that streak now. The usual starting lineup of Bryant, Kidd, James, Anthony and Howard generally led the team to such big early leads that players like Redd, Stoudemire and Williams put up a lot of their numbers in de facto garbage time. Though casual fans probably assume that Chris Paul will be the starting point guard, I expect Coach Krzyzewski to use the same starting lineup during the Olympics that he employed during the FIBA Americas tournament; Kidd only ended up playing 15.9 mpg because Team USA won so many blowouts but I think that it is important to start the game with a group that has played together before in FIBA competition. This is not some All-Star exhibition in which Team USA can rotate who starts. Paul may end up playing more minutes than Kidd, particularly if Team USA builds big leads, but I would be surprised if Coach Krzyzewski changes his starting lineup. The main early criticism of the 2008 roster is the supposed lack of big men but I disagree with that assessment. Chandler hardly played at all in the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament and although Stoudemire rebounded well he was not much of a defensive presence (six blocked shots in 10 games). Boozer and Bosh should be more than able to replace them, so this team is deeper and more versatile up front than the 2007 squad. Furthermore, the most effective style of play for Team USA in FIBA events is to go small, play pressure defense, force turnovers and score in the open court. Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James can easily play power forward in such a lineup, so on this team they are essentially "bigs" also. As for the perimeter players, Billups and Miller were two of the least productive members of the 2007 team, so it is difficult to believe that there will be any drop off by replacing them with Paul and Wade. Thus, the 2008 team should be even better than the 2007 squad, though it is also true that the competition at the Olympics will be much tougher than the competition at the FIBA Americas tournament. Anthony will almost certainly be Team USA's leading scorer. He feeds off of the open court scoring opportunities provided by the pressure defense of Bryant, Kidd and James and he is also a tough cover in the half court for most FIBA forwards. If anything, Anthony plays even worse defense in FIBA competition than he does in the NBA but he is such an efficient scorer--and the other four starters defend so well--that his offensive output outweighs his defensive liabilities (which was not the case in the 2004 Olympics, when Bryant and Kidd were not on the team and James did not defend nearly as well as he does now). Some quotes from Anthony and Wade give an indication of why they failed to lead the 2004 and 2006 teams to gold medals. Anthony said that he joined the 2004 team expecting to have "some of the best workouts in the summertime with the best players in the world" and he assumed "the USA is supposed to win everything." Wade candidly admitted that being an Olympian had never been a dream of his, adding, "I didn't have a clue what I was getting into...Now, we respect the game so much. We respect the team basketball that they play internationally so much." You don't have to read too far between the lines to understand that in 2004 Anthony and Wade underestimated the competition that they faced and did not realize how much hard work and intensity would be necessary to win the gold medal. Now, they know better and the team has a much better leadership structure--with Bryant and Kidd on board no one will be taking any shortcuts in practice or at the defensive end of the court (well, Anthony probably will still take some shortcuts there but the team can survive that as long as he keeps shooting over .600 from the field). The prevailing myth about Team USA's failure to win gold medals in the 2002 FIBA World Championship, the 2004 Olympics and the 2006 FIBA World Championship is that a lack of outside shooters proved to be fatal. However, as I demonstrated in a September 4, 2007 post titled The Real Story Behind Team USA's Losses in Previous FIBA Events, what really killed those teams was poor defense, particularly regarding the short three point shot (20'6" as opposed to 23'9" in the NBA) that FIBA teams love to launch. It is absolutely vital that Team USA shut down the three point shooters on opposing teams and that they do so without leaving the lane open to cutters; shooting well from the three point line would certainly be a nice bonus but perimeter defense will be the linchpin of Team USA's success. Good perimeter defense will fuel transition offense that will result in open three pointers and fast break dunks; the gaudy field goal percentage posted by Team USA in 2007 was largely the result of great defense leading to high percentage scoring opportunities in transition. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK FInal AL All-Star Game Voting Update has Tight Races - The Biz of Baseball DC and Virginia Lotteries Team with Nationals For Scratch-It - The Biz of Baseball Aw, Tapioca! Kozy Shack the Official Pudding of the Mets - The Biz of Baseball MLB.com Releases 3-D Enhancements to Gameday - The Biz of Baseball Take in an Orioles Game, Win $50,000 or $100,000 - The Biz of Baseball SEE IT: Red Sox/AAA Ford Fusions to Run Sat. and Sun. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - The Biz of Baseball Deadline Pushed Back to July 31st for Cubs/Wrigley Field Sale - The Biz of Baseball Dunkin?' Donuts Promo Features Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Papelbon - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports David Friedman is a weekly contributor to the Business of Sports Network. To read more of his basketball articles, just take a 20 Second Timeout. His general sports commentary can be found at Best Ever Sports Talk, where "Smokin' Joe Frazier Fires Off One Liners in Guest Appearance on Friday Night Fights," "Old School Video: Hagler Versus Hearns, The War," "Why Steroid Users Should be Banned for Life" and "Tiger's High Stakes Gamble Pays Off—For Now" are among the subjects that have been recently discussed.

Minnesota Timberwolves Unveil New Updated Logos

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:18 -0500

In anticipation of the 20th season of Minnesota Timberwolves basketball, the Timberwolves primary logo, featuring the wolf's head amidst the tree line, has undergone a facelift. Additionally, the Timberwolves have unveiled a new, re-designed secondary logo. The new-look logos, designed by adidas, usher in a new era of Timberwolves basketball as the franchise celebrates its 20th season in the Twin Cities with the upcoming 2008-09 NBA campaign. The modification to the Timberwolves primary logo includes the incorporation of white on the wolf's head as well as a cleaner and sleeker design of the tree line and the script "Minnesota Timberwolves." The intent of the adidas design group was not to replace the well-known logo, but rather let it "evolve" into something that would mark the next era of Timberwolves basketball. The wolf's head and tree line were introduced as the team's primary logo prior to the 1996-97 season, and had remained unchanged for the past 12 seasons. The Timberwolves secondary logo has been completely re-designed. The new logo features a Timberwolf in front of a treeline howling at the moon, which is depicted as a basketball. The new secondary logo pays homage to the original Timberwolves logo with the return of a basketball in the logo's background. Prior to a basketball being incorporated in the new secondary logo, the Wolves were one of only five teams in the NBA which did not have a basketball depicted in either their primary or secondary logo. The newly-designed secondary logo will make its public debut tonight at the 2008 NBA Draft as it will adorn the hat of the Timberwolves' first-round draft pick. The Wolves NBA Draft cap, with the team's new secondary logo, and t-shirts are available for purchase at The NBA Store online at www.nbastore.com or by calling 612-673-1303. "With our 20th season upcoming, we believe it is the perfect time to re-brand the look of Timberwolves basketball," said Timberwolves President Chris Wright. "The new-look logos and soon-to-be-introduced uniforms are part of a year-long re-branding process around our franchise. In the last year, our on-court product has changed as we have re-built the team, and these off-court changes sync up with this new era of Wolves basketball." Wolves New Logos June 26, 2008 Page 2 of 2 Yesterday's introduction of the new logos is the latest step in the re-branding campaign of the Timberwolves as the team approaches its 20th season. The Wolves will also introduce newly-designed uniforms in August. Attached are jpeg copies of the Timberwolves new-look primary logos and secondary logos.Source: Minnesota Timberwolves OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Aw, Tapioca! Kozy Shack the Official Pudding of the Mets - The Biz of Baseball MLB.com Releases 3-D Enhancements to Gameday - The Biz of Baseball Take in an Orioles Game, Win $50,000 or $100,000 - The Biz of Baseball SEE IT: Red Sox/AAA Ford Fusions to Run Sat. and Sun. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - The Biz of Baseball Deadline Pushed Back to July 31st for Cubs/Wrigley Field Sale - The Biz of Baseball Dunkin?' Donuts Promo Features Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Papelbon - The Biz of Baseball Astros GM Ed Wade Attacked by Pitcher Shawn Chacon - The Biz of Baseball Dodgers Surpass 3 Million Tickets Sold for 2008 - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football Big Ten Network Nearing First Major Cable Deal with Comcast - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Record Sales of Merchandise Set for 2008 NBA FInals

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:18 -0500

The Boston Celtics' victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of The Finals was the culmination of the most successful sales season in NBA history, including the best post-clinch day in history at the NBA Store and NBAStore.com. During The Finals, multiple merchandise sales records were set: Sales records set at the NBA Store in New York City and on NBAStore.com include: Largest post-clinch sales day in the history of both stores on June 18, with sales from NBAStore.com up 82 percent, and at the NBA Store up over 30 percent versus the previous best post-clinch day (2006 Miami Heat and 2002 Lakers, respectively).June 18 was the largest sales day in the history of NBAStore.com.The NBA Store and NBAStore.com each had its best sales year during the 2007-08 season. Arena Sales records for the Celtics and Lakers during The Finals include: Highest Finals average game-night sales up 10 percent from previous best (2004).Lakers set a new league single-night merchandise sales record for a non-clinching game at Staples Center's Team LA shop during Game 3 (June 10).Celtics had their highest single-night sales in history at the TD Banknorth Garden during Game 6 (June 17). Most Popular Merchandise from The Finals includes: Boston Celtics 2008 NBA Champions Locker Room tee shirt and hat from adidas sold out within minutes at the TD Banknorth Garden and have been top sellers at Modell's, Sports Authority, Dick's Sporting Goods, Champs and JCPenney.The "Beat LA" T-Shirt was the most successful team tagline tee shirt ever.Spalding Limited Edition NBA Finals Matchup basketballs sold out at the Celtics and Lakers team stores. For the first time ever, game-worn jerseys were auctioned off on NBA.com during Game 1 and Game 3.Limited Edition Kevin Garnett NBA Finals shoes from adidas sold for $1,107 a pair with all proceeds going to NBA Cares. Source: National Basketball Association OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Aw, Tapioca! Kozy Shack the Official Pudding of the Mets - The Biz of Baseball MLB.com Releases 3-D Enhancements to Gameday - The Biz of Baseball Take in an Orioles Game, Win $50,000 or $100,000 - The Biz of Baseball SEE IT: Red Sox/AAA Ford Fusions to Run Sat. and Sun. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - The Biz of Baseball Deadline Pushed Back to July 31st for Cubs/Wrigley Field Sale - The Biz of Baseball Dunkin?' Donuts Promo Features Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Papelbon - The Biz of Baseball Astros GM Ed Wade Attacked by Pitcher Shawn Chacon - The Biz of Baseball Dodgers Surpass 3 Million Tickets Sold for 2008 - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football Big Ten Network Nearing First Major Cable Deal with Comcast - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

A Drop in the Bucket: Why the Settlement between the Sonics and Seattle will See Bennett Making $$$

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:15 -0500

That laughter you're hearing is the owners of the Seattle SuperSonics. Or rather, the owners of the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics as a settlement has been reached between ownership and the City of Seattle for as much as $75 million. The deal allows the Sonics to get out of the last two years on the KeyArena lease and relocate the team this off-season to Oklahoma City. How soon will they move? Principle owner Clay Bennett said the move begins Thursday. The deal calls for an immediate payment of $45 million, and an additional $30 million paid to Seattle in 2013, should the Washington State legislature pay $75 million in funding to renovate KeyArena by the end of 2009. The City Council still has to approve the settlement. See the MOU of the settlement agreement (PDF) If it sounds odd to say that Bennett and his minority owners are laughing after shelling out $45 million, consider… Bennett claimed during the trial that the Sonics would lose $60 million if forced to fulfill the last two years on the KeyArena lease. Let's say for all intents and purposes, it's $50 million, as opposed to the $60 million the Sonics were saying they'd lose. The Sonics owners made a sweetheart deal in Oklahoma City for the upgrades to the Ford Center arena, and on top of that, will be the only major league team in Oklahoma. Profits will surely be higher during at least the two years that Sonics might have been forced into playing in Seattle.$45 million is a drop in the bucket. For one thing, Oklahoma City has done everything but sell off their first born children to get the attention of the NBA. Opened in 2002, the Ford Center hosted New Orleans Hornets for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina. If a six-year old, barely used facility weren't good enough, voters passed a 15-month, one-cent sales tax in March to add $120 million in renovations to Ford Center, with plans to upgrade the facility with restaurants, clubs, suites and new locker rooms. So, the Sonics move from Seattle, where the market is certainly bigger, but they had to compete with the Seahawks, Mariners and UW colligate sports, to Oklahoma City where they will be the only big league show in the State, and a deal with the Ford Center that maximizes profit for ownership. David Stern, whether pressured to grant a small olive branch, or not, offered the slightest of opportunities for the NBA to return Seattle in the near future. "We understand that city, county, and state officials are currently discussing a plan to substantially rebuild KeyArena for the sum of $300 million," Stern said in a statement. "If this funding were authorized, we believe KeyArena could properly be renovated into a facility that meets NBA standards relating to revenue generation, fan amenities, team facilities, and the like." However, Stern added, "given the lead times associated with any franchise acquisition or relocation and with a construction project as complex as a KeyArena renovation, authorization of the public funding needs to occur by the end of 2009 in order for there to be any chance for the NBA to return to Seattle within the next five years." The $45 million will cover lost revenues and fulfill other obligations for KeyArena. Taxpayers uninterested in paying for sports facilities for wealthy owners win the day. Fans get the sucker punch. Well, that and the name, and team colors stay in Seattle. Welcome to the consolation prize. Seattle's case turned out to be weaker than one expected. It certainly didn't help that Slade Gordon, Steve Ballmer and Mike McGavick tried to "drive a wedge" between the Sonics and the NBA. Try this Powerpoint presentation given the now infamous name the "poisoned well" for details. Lawyers for the Sonics also discredited sports economist Andrew Zimbalist, who was a witness for the City. Bennett, on the other hand, was able to dodge damning emails showing that the new owners of the Sonics were planning on relocating the team to Oklahoma City. In emails between minority owner Tom Ward and Bennett on April 17, 2007, there seems clear evidence that the owners were looking to relocate. "Is there any way to move here for next season, or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?" Ward wrote. "I am a man possessed!" Bennett responded. "Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys. the game is getting started!" "That's the spirit. I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here next year," said Aubrey McClendon, another minority owner of the Sonics. Under oath in the case, Bennett said of the email, "I am not responding to moving to Oklahoma. I'm reiterating my commitment to the process to stay in Seattle." Somehow he did this with a straight face. His face is certainly not straight tonight. There is surely backslapping and high-fives going around. $45 million? Easy money. They'll make that back in short order. So, the team will move, and the honeymoon will begin in Oklahoma City. Chances are that attendance will be average after the honeymoon is over, but that's not what the NBA or the soon-to-be-former Sonics owners are focusing on. They're looking at the increased revenues. Or, if you're Bennett and Co. profits. 41 years of NBA history in Seattle has been passed over for the almighty dollar. Seattle's worse for it, and the NBA and one of its owners come off as petty thieves. Remember... It's just business.OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK You Really Like Me! Rays See Highest TV Ratings Ever - The Biz of Baseball Cellphone to Throw Away at the All-Star Game - The Biz of Baseball Six GMs on the Hot Seat - The Biz of Baseball Eck, Reynolds, Ripken, Jr. Conference Call Highlights Online All-Star Voting: Popularity Contest or "Balanced" - The Biz of Baseball Ecko Gives Bonds' 756 HR Ball to HOF After Confusing Day - The Biz of Baseball Harold Reynolds and Dennis Eckersley Added to All-Star Selection Show on TBS - The Biz of Baseball Derek Jeter Joins "Gillette Champions" Ad Campaign - The Biz of Baseball MLB, NYC, Bank of America to Host Free Concert by Bon Jovi - The Biz of Baseball Free Agent Signings - July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey NHL Free Agent Listing As of July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey XM Satellite Radio Locks Up SEC. Adds Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Vanderbilt - The Biz of Football Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones and Media Correctness - The Biz of Football 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

NBA Opening Stores in China Next Month. Using Olympics to Boost Interest

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:17 -0500

The NBA is preparing to open two stores in China this month, with 500 to 1000 planned in the future. The first two stores will be smaller versions of the NBA's flagship store in New York and will be located in downtown Beijing. According to NBA China Chief Executive Officer Tim Chen, sales of NBA goods at the 50,000 current licensed outlets may rise 40 percent this year, buoyed by the Aug. 8-24 Olympics. As reported by Bloomberg News: "We've had super growth in the last couple of years and when we look at the potential, it's just amazing,'' Chen said in an interview today. "After the Olympics, people in China will know more about our players and that widens the fan base for the NBA.''Lifted by the success of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and booming basketball participation, the NBA has come a long way in China since the days when it didn't charge for its television feed two decades ago. Chen said 450 million viewers watch the NBA in China and the Chinese Basketball Association estimates 300 million people play the sport.Numbers like that helped persuade investors including Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN and Hong Kong mogul Li Ka-Shing to pay $253 million together for an 11 percent stake in NBA China in January. Growth may continue because the league's commercial partners are concentrated in Beijing and Shanghai, Chen said. The NBA will lend their flair to the Olympics, as well. Beijing organizers asked the NBA to assist in entertainment aspects. From pumped up music, high-tech scoreboards, even cheerleaders. "We're bringing in 35 people from NBA USA to help with game presentation, to make it more fun,'' Chen added.OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Online All-Star Voting: Popularity Contest or "Balanced" - The Biz of Baseball Ecko Gives Bonds' 756 HR Ball to HOF After Confusing Day - The Biz of Baseball Harold Reynolds and Dennis Eckersley Added to All-Star Selection Show on TBS - The Biz of Baseball Derek Jeter Joins "Gillette Champions" Ad Campaign - The Biz of Baseball MLB, NYC, Bank of America to Host Free Concert by Bon Jovi - The Biz of Baseball Fukudome and Braun in Tight Race for All-Star Game - The Biz of Baseball Oakley and MLB Properties Enter Agreement for Eyewear - The Biz of Baseball MLB Sets New Interleague Attendance Record - The Biz of Baseball Free Agent Signings - July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey NHL Free Agent Listing As of July 1, 2008 - The Biz of Hockey Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey XM Satellite Radio Locks Up SEC. Adds Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Vanderbilt - The Biz of Football Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones and Media Correctness - The Biz of Football 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Blazers Sign Spanish Guard, Rudy Fernandez

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:17 -0500

The Portland Trail Blazers reached an agreement to sign Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, it was announced today by general manager Kevin Pritchard. "I am so excited about joining the Trail Blazers and the NBA," said Fernandez. "The whole staff did a tremendous job making me feel like a very important team member to them and made me forget about the economic issues because of the rookie scale. "My dream has been to play in the NBA and Portland is giving me this opportunity. I was amazed about everything that Mr. Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Coach McMillan and the rest of the guys did to show me how much they wanted me. Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, I can't wait to play with them. We will do nice things!"Fernandez, 23, spent the past seven seasons playing for DKV Joventut Badalona in the Spanish ACB League, and is a regular member of the Spanish National Team. "We are thrilled to finally have Rudy Fernandez in a Trail Blazers jersey," said Pritchard. "Rudy is a tremendously talented player who has achieved great things in Spain and Europe. His work ethic and character will fit well with the culture we've created here, and we're very excited to get him on the floor after the Olympics."Portland acquired Fernandez in a 2007 Draft Day trade with Phoenix that was finalized July 11, 2007. The Trail Blazers received the draft rights to Fernandez (selected by the Suns with the 24th overall pick) and James Jones in exchange for cash considerations.The 6-6 guard is coming off his best professional season to date in 2007-08, when he averaged 21.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.2 steals and shot 41.0% from 3-point range in 30 league games. DKV Joventut Badalona won both the ULEB Cup and The Copa del Rey this season, with Fernandez taking home MVP honors in both competitions.A longtime member of the Spanish National Team, Fernandez played a key role for his country in the 2004 Olympic Games (7th place), 2006 FIBA World Championships (Gold Medal) and 2007 FIBA European Basketball Championships (Silver Medal). He is scheduled to play in the 2008 Olympic Games this summer. With the move to Portland, Fernandez will become the eighth Spaniard to play in the NBA and the third for the Trail Blazers, joining Fernando Martin (1986-87) and Sergio Rodriguez (2006-present). Source: Portland Trial Blazers OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Derek Jeter Joins "Gillette Champions" Ad Campaign - The Biz of Baseball MLB, NYC, Bank of America to Host Free Concert by Bon Jovi - The Biz of Baseball Fukudome and Braun in Tight Race for All-Star Game - The Biz of Baseball Oakley and MLB Properties Enter Agreement for Eyewear - The Biz of Baseball MLB Sets New Interleague Attendance Record - The Biz of Baseball Aw, Tapioca! Kozy Shack the Official Pudding of the Mets - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones and Media Correctness - The Biz of Football 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football Big Ten Network Nearing First Major Cable Deal with Comcast - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:30:11 -0500

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, the NFL is "exploring a possible partnership" of the NFL Network and ESPN. As reported by The Sacramento Business Journal:The report says that NFL Network president and chief executive officer Steve Bornstein has been engaged in "high-level discussions" with Disney executives in recent months. Among others rumored to have been involved with the talks are NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Robert Iger, president and CEO of the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS), ESPN's parent company.The report offers one possible scenario in which the NFL Network would combine with ESPN Classic. ESPN could then add to the number of games broadcasted on the NFL Network, which is currently eight per season. This would help the network increase subscription fees. Although the report does confirm that talks have been on-going, it adds there is no reason to believe a deal is imminent. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Rays May Delay Referendum on New Downtown Stadium - The Biz of Baseball MLB/MLBPA Committee Holds First Meeting on Bat Safety - The Biz of Baseball Biz of Baseball Organizational Report - LA Dodgers - The Biz of Baseball Portable, Battery-Driven CT Scanner for Bats to Be Unveiled - The Biz of Baseball MLB Launches "Welcome Back Veterans" Initiative - The Biz of Baseball Sunday MLB on TBS: Comments from Red Sox/Cards Game - The Biz of Baseball The 2008 Playoffs: Where the Revival of the NBA's Two Flagship Franchises Happened - The Biz of Basketball Olympic Free Agents? - The Biz of Basketball Tim Donaghy's Tales - The Biz of Basketball Ex-Ref Donaghy Claims NBA Playoff Games Were Altered. See Video of David Stern's Response - The Biz of Basketball Pistons Name Michael Curry as Head Coach - The Biz of Basketball Judge Rules on Motions Filed in Sonics Trial - The Biz of Basketball AEG Reaches 5-Year Agreement with Blazers to Run Rose Garden Arena - The Biz of Basketball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Nick Kappel is a staff member for the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network's Author Profiles

Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones and Media Correctness

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:30:11 -0500

Don Imus is at it again.The controversial shock jock was fired last year for referring to the Rutgers women's basketball players as "nappy-headed hos." Last week, Imus effectively immersed himself in hot water again as a result of what some are calling a racist interchange. In a discussion of the legal misfortunes of Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, Imus asked on air, "What color is he?" When sports announcer Warner Wolf responded that Jones was "African-American," Imus replied, "Well, there you go. Now we know." Imus later denied that his question was intended to be disparaging. He insisted that he was referring to the fact that blacks in this country are arrested for no reason. But given his previous comments, many observers, the Rev. Al Sharpton among them, were reluctant to cut him any slack. Fortunately for Imus, WABC, his new employer, stood by the embattled talk guru. And no wonder. Imus' ratings on WABC are higher than they were on WFAN, his former employer. For now, Imus' job seems safe, even as criticism of his comments continues. Imus isn't the only media personality who has managed to cram both feet in his mouth, nor is he likely to be the last. The same week that Imus tripped over his tongue, NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller was forced to issue an apology for comments he made about Rocco Mediate, the golfer who lost to Tiger Woods in a playoff for the U.S. Open title. Miller said that Mediate "looks like the guy who cleans Tiger's swimming pool." Miller later said he was trying to convey his "affection and admiration for Rocco's everyman qualities and (my comments) had absolutely nothing to do with (Rocco's) ethnicity." Mediate is of Italian heritage. Miller, like Imus, got off with neither a reprimand nor a suspension. But not every talking head who talks before using their head is as fortunate. Earlier this year, another golf analyst, Kelly Tilghman of the Golf Channel, was reprimanded and suspended for two weeks after suggesting that the only way Tiger's competitors could beat him was to "lynch (Woods) in a back alley." Woods, class act that he is, dismissed Tilghman's remarks as a "non-issue," knowing full well that, while her comments were insensitive and inappropriate, they were made in jest and weren't intended to be malicious or mean-spirited. The recent spat of on-air "political incorrectness" brings to mind Rush Limbaugh's brief tenure as an NFL commentator on ESPN's football show in 2003. Limbaugh suggested that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was "coddled" by the media because he was black. Fearing a media and fan backlash, ESPN quickly severed ties with Limbaugh. But the "World Wide Leader" could hardly plead innocent in the affair. Limbaugh was hired specifically to stir controversy and to increase ratings, both of which he did. Even though ESPN got what it bargained for, it couldn't take the heat and turned on the delivery person. Perhaps the most politically incorrect commentator working today is Charles Barkley, the former NBA star and long time basketball analyst for TNT. Barkley has uttered comments that could be interpreted as racist and insensitive by virtually every sex, color and ethnic group in the universe. Examples include, "People have a right to be gay, but after seeing Beyonce, why would you want to be?" Barkley, who is black, also referred to the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson as "race-baiters," conservatives as "fake Christians," and once responded to a reporter's question by commenting, "This is why I hate white people." Yet Barkley not only remains employed, but almost universally loved and respected. Why? Perhaps it's because Barkley is an equal-opportunity offender. Maybe it's because he doesn't take himself too seriously. Or maybe it's because he refuses to blame others for his own faults and accepts the blame for his short-comings, as he did recently in admitting that an unpaid gambling debt at a Las Vegas casino was solely his responsibility. Whatever the reason, Barkley appears to be insulated from the political correctness standards to which other media personalities are held. Whether that's good or bad is an open question.OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Black and Latin Red Sox Players Threatened - The Biz of Baseball FInal AL All-Star Game Voting Update has Tight Races - The Biz of Baseball DC and Virginia Lotteries Team with Nationals For Scratch-It - The Biz of Baseball Aw, Tapioca! Kozy Shack the Official Pudding of the Mets - The Biz of Baseball MLB.com Releases 3-D Enhancements to Gameday - The Biz of Baseball Take in an Orioles Game, Win $50,000 or $100,000 - The Biz of Baseball Deadline Pushed Back to July 31st for Cubs/Wrigley Field Sale - The Biz of Baseball Dunkin?' Donuts Promo Features Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Papelbon - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of SportsCommentary and Interviews from NASCAR on TNT Live: Lenox Industrial Tools 301 from New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Maury Brown's Biz of SportsJordan Kobritz is a regular contributor to the Business of Sports Network. He is a former attorney, CPA, and Minor League Baseball team owner. He is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Eastern New Mexico University, teaches the Business of Sports at the University of Wyoming, and is a contributing author to the Business of Sports Network. Jordan can be reached at jkobritz@mindspring.com.

15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min.

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:30:11 -0500

The 15,000 tickets made available in the second general admission sale for the NFL's overseas regular-season game on October 26 at Wembley Stadium in London, England sold Friday in 30 minutes. Last month, the first 40,000 tickets for the game between the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints sold out in 90 minutes. "Once again this demonstrates the huge interest in the sport in the UK," said Alistair Kirkwood, managing director of the NFL's UK office. "Fans here are excited to be able to see two teams of this caliber playing in the UK, and with a full Wembley Stadium, we expect the atmosphere to be electric when the Saints and Chargers take the field." The NFL has committed to playing at least one game in the UK for each of the next three seasons, beginning with this year's matchup of teams who have each come within one game of reaching the Super Bowl in the past two seasons. The New York Giants and Miami Dolphins played the NFL's first regular-season game outside North America last year, when a sellout crowd of 81,176 packed Wembley Stadium on Sunday, October 28. The Giants earned a 13-10 win en route to capturing a Super Bowl title.Source: National Football LeagueOTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK FInal AL All-Star Game Voting Update has Tight Races - The Biz of Baseball DC and Virginia Lotteries Team with Nationals For Scratch-It - The Biz of Baseball Aw, Tapioca! Kozy Shack the Official Pudding of the Mets - The Biz of Baseball MLB.com Releases 3-D Enhancements to Gameday - The Biz of Baseball Take in an Orioles Game, Win $50,000 or $100,000 - The Biz of Baseball SEE IT: Red Sox/AAA Ford Fusions to Run Sat. and Sun. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - The Biz of Baseball Deadline Pushed Back to July 31st for Cubs/Wrigley Field Sale - The Biz of Baseball Dunkin?' Donuts Promo Features Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Papelbon - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Minnesota Timberwolves Unveil New Updated Logos - The Biz of Basketball Record Sales of Merchandise Set for 2008 NBA FInals - The Biz of Basketball History Made: First D-League Player Drafted by the NBA: Mike Taylor, Idaho Stampede - The Biz of Basketball The 2008 Playoffs: Where the Revival of the NBA's Two Flagship Franchises Happened - The Biz of Basketball Olympic Free Agents? - The Biz of Basketball TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:30:11 -0500

Newsday reported on Wednesday that New York Giants' play-by-play announcer, Bob Papa, will be named to the same position with the NFL Network. Papa will replace Bryant Gumbel, who resigned after last season. As reported by TICKER:He [Papa] will work next to Cris Collinsworth, who will continue to serve as the color analyst for the NFL Network's package of games, which begins on November 10 when the Cleveland Browns host the Denver Broncos.The NFL Network games will not conflict with his job with the Giants, which will allow him to stay with the team as their play-by-play announcer. Papa beat out current NFL Network anchor Spero Dedes and Tom Hammond for the job.OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Rays May Delay Referendum on New Downtown Stadium - The Biz of Baseball MLB/MLBPA Committee Holds First Meeting on Bat Safety - The Biz of Baseball Biz of Baseball Organizational Report - LA Dodgers - The Biz of Baseball Portable, Battery-Driven CT Scanner for Bats to Be Unveiled - The Biz of Baseball MLB Launches "Welcome Back Veterans" Initiative - The Biz of Baseball Sunday MLB on TBS: Comments from Red Sox/Cards Game - The Biz of Baseball The 2008 Playoffs: Where the Revival of the NBA's Two Flagship Franchises Happened - The Biz of Basketball Olympic Free Agents? - The Biz of Basketball Tim Donaghy's Tales - The Biz of Basketball Ex-Ref Donaghy Claims NBA Playoff Games Were Altered. See Video of David Stern's Response - The Biz of Basketball Pistons Name Michael Curry as Head Coach - The Biz of Basketball Judge Rules on Motions Filed in Sonics Trial - The Biz of Basketball AEG Reaches 5-Year Agreement with Blazers to Run Rose Garden Arena - The Biz of Basketball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Nick Kappel is a staff member for the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network's Author Profiles