August 5th, 2008 — ESPN, NFL, National Basketball Association, National Football League
HardCore Hitting
Off-Topic: Enough with the Erin Andrews comments!
NFL: Brett Favre is back, but the Vikings don’t want him, or so they say!
NFL: A bit of this and a bit of that, let’s look around the league shall we!
NBA/Olympics: Team USA is ready to win it all, but will they?
Olympics: Is it sports, business, politics, all of them or none of them?
… All of this and maybe some more, on today’s HardCore Hitting!
July 31st, 2008 — MLB, Major League Baseball, NCAA, NCAA Football, National Basketball Association, National Football League
Lo stile di allenamento: Guardando un po “l`angolo tecnico” che c’e’ sul NFL thread di PlayitUSA ho deciso di parlare un po di come alleno io e di spiegare un po delle cose parlate sul thread.
Domanda: Il nome della squadra di Oklahoma: Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls, Thunder and Wind. Io ne ho un altro!
Domanda: UNC prima di Dean Smith. Era già una delle prime università d’america per il programma sportivo? Esisteva già la “carolina way”, ecc.ecc.?
Domanda: Da quando tu ti ricordi di aver cominciato a guardare la NFL, fra tutte le squadre che hanno vinto il SB, quale di queste aveva la difesa peggiore.
Domanda: Se avessi la possibilita` di lavorare come un Athletic Director, lo faresti? In piu` lavoreresti mai per la NCAA?
Domanda: A parte i tifosi Duke e quelli di NC State ci sono altre tifoserie che non ti vanno giu?
Tutto questo e quanto altro posso fare, oggi, sulla VS radio, nello show “A Slice of America”.
July 22nd, 2008 — 2008 NFL Draft, MLB, Major League Baseball, NCAA, NFL, NFL Draft, National Basketball Association, National Football League
HardCore Hitting
MLB: Why the Yankees won’t be in the Playoffs, plus why I can’t stand most Yankees fans in the USA or abroad!
NCAAFB: Why OSU won’t win the title again this year, so root for someone else!
NCAAFB: My College Football Show (starting in August).
NCAAFB: My Heisman Trophy leaders (pre-season)
NFL: Taylor and Shockey, are the trades good or not? I will give you my opinion!
NFL: Some big name players are yet to be signed, could this make a difference?
NFL: Time is running out on these QB’s, listen to find out which ones I am talking about.
NBA: The reasons why the NBA Summer League makes no sense!
… all of this and much more, all right here, tonight, on HardCore Hitting!
July 15th, 2008 — MLB, Major League Baseball, NBA Draft, NCAA, NFL, National Basketball Association, National Football League
HardCore Hitting (Today 3 pm USA – 21 Ore Italiane)
NFL: Brett Favre and his mess
NCAABB: Lute Olson/Brandon Jennings and their mess
NCAABB: Jimmy V Foundation and what I think needs to be said
NCAAFB: What needs to be changed
NBA: The impact of the “One & Done’s”
MLB: All Star Game and what I think of it
… This and much more on [b]H[/b]ard[b]C[/b]ore [b]H[/b]itting!
July 8th, 2008 — MLB, Major League Baseball, NCAA, NFL, National Basketball Association, National Football League
HardCore Hitting – Show di Oggi:
NFL: Brett Favre, should I stay (retired) or should I go (back to Green Bay or somewhere else to play)
NCAAFB: My Top 10 teams (Pre-Season) {URL}
NCAAFB: My frosh QB/WR/RB to watch this season
NBA: The Summer League has started, and yet the good basketball is somewhere else
MLB: C.C. Sabathia trade, yet another reason why I can’t stand baseball
… All of this, and much, much more!
July 1st, 2008 — ESPN, NBA Draft, NCAA, National Basketball Association
HardCore Hitting Podcast: Show Seven (Today @ 3 pm EST 9 pm Italian time)
ESPN: Titletown USA, I like the concept, I don’t like the way they set it up!
NBA Draft: The winners and the losers (both teams and players).
Court Rivals: It is a cool game and if you like basketball it is even cooler!
Golf: With Tiger gone for the season can the PGA roar or will it just fade away?
NCAABB: How I would have a three man team doing the play by play (along with a courtside reporter).
Tennis: Wimbledon is going on, and does anyone really know? Or worst yet, does anyone care?
… That and much more on the HCH Podcast today!
See you then!
June 26th, 2008 — ESPN, MLB, NBA Draft, NCAA, NCAA Baseball, NFL, National Basketball Association, National Football League
A Slice of America (Oggi alle 22:00) – Dopo: NBA Special per il Draft!
MLB: Cosa farei per aggiustare il gioco!
NBA: Solo per dirvi che faccio con lo show di stasera! E vi dico questo, non e` poco!
NFL: Progetto Separista, che stanno facendo, secondo me e’ troppo bello!
NCAABSB: E finita la CWS, diro` la mia su come e` andata!
NCAABB: Indiana sta veramente in una brutta situazione!
NCAAFB: Notre Dame, che deve succedere quest’anno!
June 24th, 2008 — NBA Draft, National Basketball Association
With the NBA having invited its sixteen “future stars” to Madison Square Garden for the upcoming draft (see list below) it is time for me to do my last mock draft for the year. Of course if you believe what Jay Bilas has to say in an interview with Brent Axe my (or anyone else’s) mock draft are all worthless. But since I enjoy doing this, and because most people would think all of my blogs are worthless, I am going to give you V 4.0 of the 2008 draft and hope that I do okay with it.
1) Chicago: Derrick Rose, Guard from Memphis
I have had Rose as the number one pick from my first mock I am going to ride this pick all the way through. The comments he made after a work out a week ago about how he would love to be a Bull sealed the deal for me, the team would be foolish not to take him as the number one overall pick.
2) Miami: Michael Beasley, Forward from Kansas State
I still think this is going to become a trade bait position for Miami unless Chicago let’s Rose go for someone else. If the Heat do keep the pick it has to be Beasley to go here, even if Mayo is the rising star and he is rising truly quickly.
3) Minnesota: O.J. Mayo, Guard from USA
The more work outs he does the more teams like this player. A lot of GMs might be trying to work out a deal to get him. If those deals don’t work out and the first two picks stay as is Mayo is going to be the third player to be chosen in this draft.
4) Seattle: Russell Westbrook, Guard from UCLA
Another rising star in my book and the first of two players to go from UCLA. He is going to be a great floor leader and work well with Durant. Without a doubt if the draft stays the same Seattle will think about him or Bayless, but I just see more and more people talking about Westbrook than the guard from Arizona.
5) Memphis: Kevin Love, Forward from UCLA
The most NBA ready of the players so far, what you see is what you get with this young man. I do not see Love being the All Star or highlight reel maker, but he will do his part to help any team he plays for. He might slip if the Grizzlies think about Lopez instead of him.
6) New York: Jerryd Bayless, Guard from Arizona
In that mess called the Knicks here comes someone that is going to begin to give the team some sort of shape. Bayless will be a good floor general for a team that needs someone to guide them. Hopefully the new management of the team will also be able to cut some of the overpaid/underachievers to give the young man some help.
7) L.A.Clippers: Eric Gordon, Guard from Indiana
If you needed a scorer you got him. I think Gordon is going to be a good player, however he needs the batman, cause for now (at least) he is going to be the Robin of a dynamic duo. Just like in college he needs someone to take that pressure off of him in order to be at his best.
Milwaukee: Joe Alexander, Forward from West Virginia
I think that Alexander is a stretch as a top ten (even though he will definitely go in the top 10, if not top 5). I think the young man from WVU is still raw in some areas, but if he can refine his game he will be a good players for years to come for the Bucks. He isn’t the only big man that the team is looking at, and if he isn’t chosen look for him to slip into the teens picks.
9) Charlotte: Brook Lopez, Center from Stanford
The big man from Stanford did fall some in my draft, and that is because I think that I see more guards going in the beginning of the draft than most of the so called experts. Even if this is not Charlotte’s dream player for this draft, they will go for the big man if he is on the board.
10) New Jersey: Anthony Randolph, Forward from LSU
One thing is for sure, the Nets want a big man. If others are on the list before Randolph the LSU power forward will slide down, if not he might just be a top ten pick. I have read that Robin Lopez is being looked at, and that to me is a true bad pick since I do not see him that high.
11) Indiana: D.J. Augustin, Guard from Texas
For being outside of the top ten this is a perfect choice for the team and the player. The Pacers liked Westbrook and Augustin, but it is becoming more and more evident that either the team moves up with a trade or the guard from UCLA will be gone by this time. Augustin will be just as good for the Pacers and should be the players that leads the team for years to come
12) Sacramento: Kosta Koufos, Center from OSU
This is a pick where the team is looking for one of two things. Either go for what they need right now, which is a point guard, or go for someone with plenty of potential. Most people here believe the Kings will go for need, I say they go for the potential since the top two point guards have gone by now.
13) Portland: Danilo Gallinari, Forward from Italy
The more I watch this young man the more I think he is falling and falling. By all means he might be taken in the top five for all I truly know of the NBA Draft, but on the other hand his skills have been high, but not as high as the hype surronding him. We will see what happens but at this point I could see this young man from Italy to drop out of the lottery picks (while some of the so-called experts have him in the top 5 or 10 picks).
14) Golden State: Donte Greene, Forward from Syracuse
I have to say that this pick is a pride pick more than anything. Everyone seems to have Greene falling like a lead baloon, and I don’t see why, unless something happened that no one has leaked. I just don’t see why someone can fall that much from one mock to another, and yet that is exactly what has happened to the forward from SU. I will keep him here because I think he is going to be in the 12 to 16 area.
15) Phoenix: Brandon Rush, Guard from Kansas
This pick for the Suns is due to the fact that they need one of those players that can step in and play now, this year, and be good enough to be solid. For once the theory of potential in 2 years doesn’t work in the NBA! For Phoenix a player that can hit the jumper and play some defense is what they need and Rush can do both.
16) Philadelphia: Mareesse Speights, Forward from Florida
In this spot, on a team with good talent and very young, any of the big men on the board could do. So while I put the Gator forward there is a pretty long list that could be inserted here, such as Brook Lopez, Darrel Arthur and at least 1 or 2 more. This is one pick that has “potential” written all over it.
17) Toronto: Robin Lopez, Center from Stanford
The Raptors need a big man, Lopez is the right fit for them. He will not give the team huge numbers when it comes to scoring, but he will play defense, get plenty of rebounds and fill in a spot that has been a pretty big hole for Toronto.
18) Washington: Darrell Arthur, Forward from Kansas
If this is the pick for the Wizards it is mainly because the front office has figured out that Jamison is gone. Getting Arthur is basically getting a rawer (and younger) Jamison for the team to work with for seasons to come.
19) Cleveland: Alexis Ajinca, Center from France
The Cavaliers need someone that can work inside. The center from France can certainly do that. LeBron James needs someone to help him as much as possible. Once again I think that Ajinca is going to fill that role perfectly. If this player is gone by the time that Cleveland picks look for the team to go after another big man such as Hibbert or Thompson.
20) Denver: Mario Chalmers, Guard from Kansas
A lot of people (including me) had the point guard from UNC in this slot for all the drafts before Lawson decided to return to Chapel Hill. Chalmers is a great player and I think he will fit the position just fine for head coach George Karl. Now that the rumors of Melo being traded the team is going to fill the team with players that are going to help him win, the guard from Kansas will do just that.
21) New Jersey: J.J. Hickson, Forward from N.C. State
The Nets might want to go for a Center, but if they decide to take the toughest player of the bunch Hickson is going to be their choice. He is going to help out the core of this team by being a good inside/outside scorer and staying out of the way of the leaders of the team.
22) Orlando: Jason Thompson, Forward from Rider
He might have slipped a bit too far for some, but I have to say that without all the hype that most others big men have had this year Thompson is going to be a early to mid 20 pick in my opinion. Magic need both a big man (who Thompson is a very good one) and a shooting guard. If they go with the guard look Thompson to slip some more.
23) Utah: JaVale McGee, Forward from Nevada
Another player that has had major dropping on all (or most) mock drafts. From what I have read this is due to the weak work outs he has had. This is the situation of where teams are going to have to decide is the upside more important than what they have seen with their own eyes. I think that with the way some big men have been busts McGee is going to fall victim to that and fall to the Jazz.
24) Seattle: Nicolas Batum Forward from France
Batum might be too low (if you are going on talent) but way too high if you think about his health (heart problems from what I have read). Giving the young man from France a guaranteed contract if he has health issues might be a stretch, on the other hand if he is ok, this is a steal so low.
25) Houston: Serge Ibaka, Forward from Congo
I have no doubt that if this young man had played one season in the college ranks he would be a lottery pick, he has that much talent. However he hasn’t and with the fact that only the first round gets contracts he just might be lucky to get into the first round.
26. San Antonio: DeAndre Jordan, Center from Texas A&M
One thing is for sure, the Spurs want a big man. Now, there might be a lot of things happening on how they get one. Some say that if Robin Lopez slides a bit San Antonio will go for him by trading up. If some others are sliding some the Spurs might just wait it out and get the best one available. And if all the ones that are gone they might just trade for a veteran (if there is anyone out there).
27) New Orleans: Chris Douglas-Roberts, Guard from Memphis
The Hornets get another piece of the puzzle to make the team better for the new season. If CD-R does slip this far there is no way that New Orleans passes up on him.
28) Memphis: Ante Tomic, Center from Croatia
Some say that Tomic is a clone of Pau Gasol. Take that for what it’s worth. I think that he is a player that can be a good player in the league and this low he will be a steal for the Grizzlies.
29) Detroit: Bill Walker, Forward from Kansas State
Detroit is going to have this pick and not sure what they can do with it. The team needs a big man in the middle to compete with the rest of the league. However, the second to last pick in the first round might just not get the player that they wanted. I think that either the Pistons move up in a trade or go for the best player on the board, which to me is Walker.
30) Boston: Courtney Lee, Guard from Western Kentucky
The three amigos need some help, all depending on what you think the help is, you have to think where the team will go. Big men aren’t available that can help in the time frame that the Celtics can stay on top. On the other hand Lee can help from day one and give Allen some extra rest on the bench for the playoffs run that they will have in 2008-09.
Here is the list of the players invited to the NBA Draft:
Joe Alexander, West Virginia
Darrell Arthur, Kansas
D.J. Augustin, Texas
Jerryd Bayless, Arizona
Michael Beasley, Kansas State
Danilo Gallinari, Italy
Eric Gordon, Indiana
DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M
Brook Lopez, Stanford
Robin Lopez, Stanford
Kevin Love, UCLA
O.J. Mayo, USC
Anthony Randolph, LSU
Derrick Rose, Memphis
Brandon Rush, Kansas
Russell Westbrook, UCLA
June 24th, 2008 — ESPN, MLB, Major League Baseball, NBA Draft, NCAA, NFL, National Basketball Association, National Football League
HardCore Hitting (Lo show di oggi – alle 21 ora italiana):
NBA: My mock draft (just cause Jay Bilas says I can’t do it)
NBA: My show on PlayitUSA for the Draft on Thursday
NFL: Don Imus and Adam Jones, right or wrong?
MLB: How to fix baseball (Yes fix it!)
NCAABB: Indiana has one scholarship player on their roster
NCAAFB: The hot seat of the HCs is warming up, and I have one that should be really hot already!
… And much more including a couple of words about my father in law and some apologies for the guys on the mock draft!
June 20th, 2008 — NBA Draft, National Basketball Association
Notes: To me this is a no brainer, even though the more I read the more it seems it might not be so easy for the Bulls front office. I am going to keep Rose at the number one position, but he might fall in the next one. However I see it as a huge mistake if the Bulls do not go after a home town hero who can be a floor general and a good defender.
Notes: Here too, just like with Rose, it seems that the team and the player might not be as sure fitting as it was when I did V2.0 of my mock draft. Again I am going to keep this one the same for this time, but I have a feeling that here to there might be a switch come V4.0. Again, just like with the top pick, I see not taking Beasley as a mistake, since this young man can score on each and every possession and can do so from inside or outside.
Notes: It seems that Mayo has been catching fire with his work outs. It also seems that whatever happened off the field is not going to affect him come June 26th one bit. It is hard to believe that the Timberwolves will draft the guard out of USC, but that is what I am reading more and more. I have to believe that when it is said and done this is going to be a trade bait of sorts. And by that I mean either they are hyping this up so that someone comes and makes a trade for their pick or they are going to draft the young man to then send them elsewhere for some veteran top player.
Notes: Bayless seems to be bound for this spot, one that fits him and the Sonics well. Of the top five picks in this year’s draft I am starting to believe that this one is the closest to being a lock, but with what is going on above them, I wouldn’t be surprised if Seattle moves out of this spot. As I said in the first mock he might not be the pure point guard, but he will do a great job for this team.
Notes: One thing is for sure, Memphis needs a presense inside. The unsure part of this is who they are going to pick. Love is pretty much NBA ready and that is why I have him in this spot, but do not count out Brook Lopez or Anthony Randolph from going here. If I was the Grizzlies I would take the big man from UCLA because they know what they will have for years to come, but if this team is looking for the magic word (potential) Love might just slip from this spot.
Notes: The rising star of my mock draft has to be Westbrook, as he went from out of the lottery pick all the way to sixth. I think that the Knicks need a leader, and with the way that team is all messed up it only makes sense that an East coast squad would find a West coast player to lead it!
Notes: This is another pick that could be a lock if not for the fact that the team is looking to move up at all costs. Gordon is going to be the “fall back” player if the team can not move up with a trade of sorts. I think that Gordon can do a good job for them, since this LA team need a scorer and the young man from Indiana fits that bill well. Look for the Clippers to trade at all costs from this spot, to either move up for a point guard or move down to get a veteran and someone else.
Notes: The team needs a small forward, the top two available are Gallinari and Alexander. I put Alexander here because from what people are saying too many people figure that getting Gallinari would be just having another Yi Jianlin. On the other hand, while Alexander is good, he does not seem to be ready for the NBA right away and will Milwaukee want to wait having a top ten pick. This is definitely a pick I could change in the next mock draft.
Notes: While Westbrook has risen in every draft, Lopez has slipped for me. Not to say that he couldn’t be a top five pick, because when you get right down to it a good big man everyone wants. If Lopez does slip this far down, which I think he might, Michael Jordan and Larry Brown won’t hesitate to bring him to Charlotte.
Notes: The Nets are set in the backcourt and need someone in the front court to do something for them. How can you let go of a player like Randolph, with the upside that he has? I think that this would be a great fit for both the team and the player, however I would not be surprised if the Nets go after someone like Gallinari as well. For now I am going to stick with Randolph since I think that he will be one of the players that five years from now people will think “we shouldn’t have passed up on him”.
Notes: Again, another lock pick I think, as the Pacers need a point guard and the top one on their list (Westbrook) will be long gone. The second one, Augustin, will be there for them to bring to Indianapolis. If the Pacers do not go for this point guard it is because they are planning to trade whomever they draft (or someone on their roster) for a veteran guard. I think they will go for D.J. though, and they will be very happy for it.
Notes: A player that in my opinion needs time to develop, but in time he can be a force inside and all the way out to the 3 point line. The biggest problem for Koufos is that his defense is not that good, even for the NBA standard. If a team believes that he can improve that part of the game he is definitely a lottery pick.
Notes: The young man from Italy has been slipping on my board, mainly because I think that has he works out a lot of GMs are seeing that maybe there is plenty of US born players just as good as this one from oversea. Portland can use someone that can do it inside and out, and Gallinari is called a point forward, making me feel that the this could be a good fit for both teams.
Notes: As I have said in the two mock drafts before this one, Don Nelson loves big men that can shoot. Donte Greene fits that to a tee. I think that if he can work a bit on his paint offense he will become a very good pro player.