Rants and Ranks

I've revised drafts in the past.  Now I'm looking at specific picks and how not only were they busts, but the very next pick ended up being a big time player.  For argument's sake, we are only discussing the very next pick, even if there were other future all-stars still on the draft board.  We're going to call it the "Whoops Factor," and we're starting with Darko. Darko Milicic went 2nd overall in the 2003 draft.  The '03 draft is considered one of the greatest NBA drafts ever.  That fact alone makes Darko under extreme scrutiny considering he was in fact that number 2 pick.  Thankfully he wasn't picked above LeBron, but he was picked right before Carmelo Anthony.  (Yes Bosh and Wade were still available, and Wade had a better career than anyone not named LeBron in that draft, but that's not what we're going for.  Remember it's all about what went down in consecutive picks.) Carmelo has been one of the most prolific scorers since b...

One of my favorite rotations ever in the NBA was the 7 seconds or less Suns.  Specifically the 2007 season.  Let me set the stage for you. At center was Amar'e Stoudemire.  He was coming off a lost season the previous year, and he had something to prove in '07.  He made his first and only All NBA 1st team this season. At power forward was Boris Diaw.  Diaw had won Most Improved Player the year before, and was called upon to play numerous positions and help fill the void that was left when Stoudemire went down with injury.  This particular season he got to play alongside Stoudemire, and had less responsibilities, but was no less important to the team's success. At small forward was Shawn Marion who was pound for pound possibly the most well-rounded player in the NBA at the time.  (Despite his hideous looking jump shot that was somehow effective.) The previous year he had a career season, which was to be expected, for the same reasons that Diaw di...

I've been a Kevin Love fan since the day he entered the league.  The moment I read an article after the Timberwolves played the Spurs early in Love's rookie year, where Duncan essentially told Love after the game that he "was going to be something special," I knew I needed to pay attention to this kid. Coupled with the fact of being a fantasy basketball nerd and seeing Love's rebounding numbers in limited minutes at the time (he had to split time with Al Jefferson) I knew he was someone to take note of.   So what's the conundrum?  I'm not worried about how he will coexist with LeBron, I know he will do fine even if he has a rocky start.  My main concern is much more selfish.   Will I even still like Kevin Love by the end of the season?   Let's face it, the hype machine isn't as much as it was for Miami in 2010, but it's still there.  The Eastern Conference is absolutely putrid, and with Paul George probably out the entire season the Pacer...

In a very shocking turn of events, Jay Briscoe upset Michael Elgin for the ROH title at Saturday's big show in Toronto.  I call it an upset because Elgin has been destined for the championship since his big breakout during Wrestlemania weekend in 2012.  They may have waited too long to put the belt on him, but at least they finally did, and presumably would let him run with it.  Or so we thought. My first thought (aside from "Why have him lose?") was "Why Briscoe?"  He's a tag team guy.  That's what he's known for.  Yes, he's a former champion, but that didn't exactly work out so well for ROH the first time now did it? I naturally needed more info, and started scouring the web for reasons why they would prematurely end the reign of their "golden boy."  The first story indicates that Elgin had been interviewed recently saying he would like to try his hand in professional baseball.  That's interesting to say the least.  Somewh...