I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen a crowd take as emotional of a swing as the Cibona crowd in the NBL (Adriatic League) finals.
First, the team in white (Cibona) hits a shot from the corner to take the lead, but watch as the team in black (Partizan) hits a half court shot before the buzzer to win the game.
The crowd is quite literally stunned.
It’s the fourth-straight time that Partizan has won the NLB title.
Speaking for the first time since commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for six games next season, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said that he would not appeal the suspension and would comply with what is asked of him.
From ESPN.com:
“The Commissioner’s decision to suspend me speaks clearly that more is expected of me,” Roethlisberger said in a statement posted on the Steelers’ website and e-mailed to media. “I am accountable for the consequences of my actions.
“Though I have committed no crime, I regret that I have fallen short of the values instilled in me by my family. I will not appeal the suspension and will comply with what is asked of me — and more.”
“Missing games will be devastating for me,” Roethlisberger said in the statement. “I am sorry to let down my teammates and the entire Steelers fan base. I am disappointed that I have reached this point and will not put myself in this situation again.
“I appreciate the opportunities that I have been given in my life and will make the necessary improvements.”
Some have painted Roethlisberger as a rapist, which is unfair given the details that have emerged from the story. The victim can’t even given an account of what happened that night, so how can anyone else draw conclusions without it being speculation?
But whether or not he committed a crime, he needs to learn that he can’t put himself in these situations. This is the second time in under a year that he’s been accused of sexual assault and if there’s a third time, he can all but be assured of his exit in Pittsburgh. (He would no doubt face a stiffer punishment from the league, too.)
Only time will tell if Big Ben has learned anything from this ordeal.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that the Phillies are close to signing slugger Ryan Howard to a new five-year, $125 million extension. Howard’s current salary is $19 million and he’s set to make $20 million in 2011 before he becomes a free agent in 2012.
Howard has 16 RBI and three home runs in 18 games this year and showed his commitment to staying in shape by dropping weight in the offseason. He used the same trainer that Derek Jeter did before the shortstop went on to produce a career year in 2009 and the extra agility training has done wonders for Howard’s defense. (He’s not quite J.T. Snow at the one-bagger, but his defense has certainly improved.)
As long as he stays committed to working out in the offseason, the Phillies won’t be burned by this deal. That said, it’s a little perplexing that they didn’t wait to sign him to the extension next year, seeing as how they already have him locked up for the next two seasons. Sluggers’ power numbers have a tendency to drop once they reach their mid 30s and thus, the Phillies could have waited to see how Howard (30) performs this season before committing to him long term.
But again, with Howard’s new approach to offseason conditioning, this should be a deal that works out well for both sides. (Especially Howard, who will sign one of the few $100-plus million deals in baseball.)
Photo from fOTOGLIF
After the season, I like to tackle questions like these. To me, a good three-point shooter has to shoot a high percentage and make a good number of threes per game, so I put a few requirements on the eligibility of players:
1. They must have played in a minimum of 60 games during the season.
2. They must make a minimum of 38% of their 3PT attempts.
3. They must make a minimum of 1.0 threes per game.
Here are the results:
(As always, click on the graph for a larger version.)
Most impressive shooter? It has to be the rookie Stephen Curry, who quickly adjusted to the longer distance in the NBA and finished with the fourth-highest percentage of eligible players. He was also in the top 10 in makes per game.
Biggest surprise? Probably Jason Kidd. A career 35% shooter from deep, Kidd has been well over 40% since joining the Mavs. He’s hitting more of his threes because he’s able to play off of Dirk Nowitzki and can spot up instead of trying to hit threes off the dribble.
Best big man shooter? Channing Frye, who hit 2.12 threes a game at a 44% clip.
So who is the best shooter in the NBA? Well, it depends on your criteria. Accuracy and number of makes are important, but it’s even more impressive when the player in question is the first or second option on his team (like Aaron Brooks, Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce, John Salmons, Steve Nash — or Jason Richardson — and Stephen Curry), and can still make a lot of threes at a high percentage when the defense is game-planning against him.
You be the judge.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
It was only a matter of time before the Patriots gave outside linebacker Adalius Thomas the boot. He was already stealing money from them with his poor play before he became a distraction last season, thus leading to his release on Monday.
One team’s trash is sometimes another team’s treasure, as the Packers could emerge as serious contenders for Thomas’ services. Even though GM Ted Thompson insists that the left outside linebacker position in Dom Capers’ 3-4 defense isn’t a dire need, it is.
2009 seventh round pick Brad Jones saw a fair amount of playing time last year when Aaron Kampman went down with an injury. But while he was decent against the run, he’s not the pass-rusher that Clay Matthews is on the other side. And in Capers’ system, both outside linebackers have to be able to get after the quarterback.
That’s where Thomas comes in. While the 33-year-old has lost a step over the past couple of years, Thomas can still get after the quarterback when he’s motivated. And seeing as how Thompson did nothing to upgrade the outside linebacker position during the draft, the Packers could use someone to push Jones for the starting job.
The Packers could upgrade their LOLB spot by adding Thomas to a one-year deal and still groom Jones for the future if they wanted. If Thomas turns out to be a bust, then Jones has already shown that he’s a capable starter and the team could rid themselves of Thomas after the season.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
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