Chris Humpherys's NBA Basketball fan blog

Football season is upon us and, once again, Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators field a team with national championship aspirations.  While they’ll only admit to setting their sights on an SEC crown, a BCS bid would likely go hand in hand with that accomplishment.

Last year, only one year removed from winning the second national championship in school history, the Gators (9-4) had what, by their standards, could be considered a disappointing season.  While featuring a quarterback who had arguably the most productive season in college football history, the Gators were still saddled with several weaknesses, including a porous and inexperienced secondary and an inconsistent rushing attack.

The 2008-9 season brings another year of promise to the Gainesville faithful as the Tim Tebow-led Florida Gators have as good a chance as anyone to bring home a conference and potentially national title.

Continue reading "Your (Unofficial) 2008-2009 Florida Gator Preview"

Why Team USA Almost Lost....

Defense: Going into these Olympic games, there were a few basic concerns for Team USA on the defensive end.  How would an undersized US team defend the post with only one and a half centers (Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh) and how would they effectively defend the perimeter against hot shooting European or Latin American teams?  In the gold medal game against Spain, Team USA’s defense was horrific.  While it seemed this team had gotten progressively better defensively throughout the Olympics, Team USA allowed Spain to shoot over 60% from the floor in the first half.  Marc Gasol was having his way on the inside.  Spain repeatedly ran alley-oop, pick and rolls which the U.S. was unable to stop.  Juan Carlos Navarro scored at will with running jump shots, breaking down whoever was covering him.  And future NBAer Rudy Fernandez, 7-13 from the floor, looked like he could have started for the Americans.  In the final game, rather than rely on their defense, which to date had been their staple, Team USA counted on their offense to bail them out.

Continue reading "Redeem Recap: How USA Almost Lost The Gold... And Why They Ultimately Won"

When the original Dream Team tore through the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, it was like the Beatles reunited.  With the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Clyde Drexler suiting up, the team touted so much star power that opposing teams didn’t mind getting drubbed by over forty points a game.  Although a gold medal for Team USA was a forgone conclusion before the games even began, the team was still a joy to watch.  It was arguably the greatest sports team ever assembled. 

It became clear to marketing wizard David Stern that the NBA could significantly expand its fan base, and revenue, by actively promoting itself overseas.  As fans worldwide became more enamored with the game, the NBA soon found out that young Americans were not the only ones who wanted to ‘be like Mike.'

Continue reading "How David Stern and Michael Jordan May Have Destroyed The Game"

We have been patient the entire summer and September means we are finally rewarded with football… glorious football.  This season brings new hope for thirty-two NFL teams and while San Diego, New England, Indianapolis and Dallas are overwhelming favorites to win a championship, the Giants proved last year that the Super Bowl winner can be anyone’s guess.

AFC East:  The chances the Patriots lose this division are about as good as George Bush becoming our next president.  Although the Pats won their first eighteen games last year,  this year they should come out with a chip on their shoulders after losing their last.  The Dolphins begin the Bill Parcells era and the Bills are also loaded with question marks.  Not much is expected from either of them.  The Jets, however, will have a significantly new look.  Brett Favre traded one green uniform for another and has decided to continue his career under center for the Jets.  This move, at a minimum, will make a Patriots-dominated division slightly more interesting.

Continue reading "A 2008 NFL Preview (in 750 words or less)"

I was spending time at my special lady friend’s house not all that long ago.  She had family and friends in town visiting from Columbus, Ohio (yes, Gator dates Buckeye… riots ensue).  While watching television, one of her younger houseguests was having difficulty recalling the name of “that heavyset guy” that used to be on Saturday Night Live way back in the day.  She was in her early 20s, so I figured she couldn’t possibly be talking about John Belushi, although he was the first person that came to mind.  I blurted out the other obvious answer, Chris Farley, to which she responded ‘Oh Yeah!’

Suddenly, I felt old.  I thought to myself, had it been that long ago that Farley was on SNL (1990-95) and is this generation even familiar with Belushi’s humor as one the Not Ready For Prime Time Players.

Continue reading "Brett Farve, Chris Farley And A Longing For Yesterday"

The 2008 Beijing Olympics is upon us and decorated swimmer Michael Phelps is not the only recognizable American hoping to return home with gold.  There are twelve other American athletes, the men who comprise Team USA Basketball, who this time travel to China with a chip on their shoulders, for they are no longer considered the best in their sport.  On August 10th, Team USA Basketball officially begins their quest for Olympic gold, a shot at redemption and the right to once again proclaim that America’s brand of basketball is the best on the planet. 

Over the past eight years, Americans have been flat out embarrassed in international competition.  Team USA finished sixth in the 2002 World Championship.  They finished 3rd in both the 2004 Olympics and the 2006  World Championships.  Despite underachieving recently, Team USA is once again considered the favorite to win the gold medal.  By all accounts, they should live up to those expectations.  This team and coaching staff, under the guidance of Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, was assembled differently than in years past, embracing a team concept over emphasis on the individual superstar.  While this current ‘Dream Team’ still features Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, only one player on this roster, Jason Kidd, owns a gold medal, hopefully leaving eleven more with the desire to join him in that honor.

Continue reading "LeBronze No More: The American Quest To Regain Olympic Gold"

Let’s face it.  When was the last time you talked about the WNBA, or even bothered to read a post about it?  David Stern’s decade-long project, known as the Women’s National Basketball Association, has provided hundreds of female athletes with a means to professionally pursue their basketball careers.  It has generated immeasurable interest among young females.  However, it has also been subsidized by the NBA since its existence.  While not entirely devoid of talent (the WNBA has seen the likes of Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Diana Taurasi and Lisa Leslie), most sports fans would rather watch paint dry than attend a WNBA game.

Rarely will highlights from the WNBA lead a sportscast, never mind be reported.  That was until this week.  In Tuesday night’s Los Angeles Sparks – Detroit Shock game (yes, I had to look up the names of those two franchises), a brawl broke out involving both players

Continue reading "When Violence Is Good"

"The banishment for life of Pete Rose from baseball is the sad end of a sorry episode. One of the game's greatest players has engaged in a variety of acts which have stained the game, and he must now live with the consequences of those acts. By choosing not to come to a hearing before me, and by choosing not to proffer any testimony or evidence contrary to the evidence and information contained in the report of the Special Counsel to the Commissioner, Mr. Rose has accepted baseball's ultimate sanction, lifetime ineligibility." 

Statement by then Commissioner
of Baseball, A. Bartlett Giamatti,
August 24, 1989

It’s been nearly twenty years since late baseball Commissioner Giamatti uttered those fateful words.  And during that period, few sports stories have drawn as much media attention or polarized a fan base as the Pete Rose gambling scandal.  Hardcore Cincinnati Reds or Pete Rose fans will have you believe that Rose, because of his performance on the field as a player, should be allowed admittance into the Hall of Fame.  Rose was undoubtedly one of the greatest hitters of his generation.  He holds countless major league records.  His on-field legacy is undeniable and no one can take that away from him.  Those opposing his induction argue that Rose, as a major league manager, wagered on the outcome of baseball games, including those he was involved in, and thus violated the most basic and ethical rules of the sport.  As it stands right now, Rose is still banished from the sport and there are no indications he will be invited back any time soon.

Continue reading "A Rose By Any Other Name Should Smell As Sweet"

Bobby Knight’s coaching legacy is undeniable.  Last year, he became the winningest coach in college basketball history.  He has led three University of Indiana teams to national titles.  In 1975-76, he coached the last team to go undefeated for an entire season, an effort that seems more and more unattainable with time.  Dating back to his first years coaching at Army in the 1960s, Knight has won an astonishing 71% of the games he has coached.  In his over forty years of coaching at the highly competitive college level, the man known as ‘The General’ has won nearly 900 contests and his graduation rate is as high as anyone’s in the NCAA.  He is a three-time national coach of the year and at a six-time Big Ten coach of the year.  Needless to say, his resume speaks for itself.

Continue reading "Would You Allow Your Kid to Play for Bobby Knight"

It was late Friday evening when Chicago Bull and former Florida Gator superstar, Joakim Noah was (pa)trolling the streets of Gainesville where he once reigned supreme.  At about 1:50 am, a local police officer spotted Noah (hard to miss a seven-footer with a long, flowing mane) carrying a cup which he suspected contained an alcoholic beverage.  For those of you unfamiliar with Gainesville, Florida, walking around with an open container is at best discouraged and at the very worst illegal.

After being spotted, Noah ditched the cup, but was later questioned by the police.  After finding that the cup did contain alcohol, they took a cooperative Noah to the local annex and found a marijuana cigarette in his possession.

Continue reading "Joakim Noah Busted for Marijuana Possesion: A Case of Bad Judgement"