Rajon Rondo Skips Game to Party in L.A.

If you have been reading my Celtic’s blogs over the past season you will know I am one of the biggest Rondo supporters out there, but this really irritates me. Now I know Rondo was most likely not going to play as he does not usually play in back to back games. But Rondo was just named captain of this team and has expressed how he wants to be the face of this franchise. Well Rajon, captains of teams who want to be faces of the franchise do not skip games for parties. I can not even imagine Pierce pulling a move like this.

I do not care if you were not going to play, you make millions upon millions per year to play a game. And now you are getting paid millions upon millions to play half of those games and sit in street clothes for the other half and you skip a game for a party? Absolutely atrocious. People literally kill other people for the type of money Rondo is making and he skips a NBA game to go to a party. You have to wonder what was going through Rondo’s head when he makes a move like this. This is one of those moves that makes other teams so hesitant to make a move for him. And if you don’t think Stevens will come down on him hard for this than you do not know Brad Stevens.

Rondo is going to have to change his attitude towards the game if he ever wants to be taken seriously in this league. Rondo will need to learn from this and be a leader in the future which is something I still think he can do. Even though he has given the people every reason to doubt him.

Jimmer Fredette to the Celtics?

Multiple sources have been reporting Jimmer Fredette will be bought out by the Sacramento Kings by the end of the day, leaving him a free agent. Now if you are not familiar with Jimmer, he is just a snip it of what he can do to a game.

Now I know the NBA is a completely different monster and Jimmer has not been the same player he was in college, but the guy can still play. Jimmer has a 3pt field goal percentage of over 40 percent this season. I think he can be a very effective role player with the Celtics. Also, with Bradley likely heading for free agency and Bayless being a mid to low level at the best type guard why not take a chance on Jimmer? Also with the style of offense Rondo runs in the drive and dish, Jimmer could get a lot of open looks from three point land and I would only expect his 3pt percentage to rise on the Celtics. If that is not enough to convince you Jimmer could wind up a Celtic, Danny Ainge was also a stand out guard at BYU, just like Jimmer. Jimmer will wind up on the Celtics and it is going to be fun to watch.

Openly Gay NBA Player Jason Collins Sign with the Brooklyn Nets

For those of you who have never heard the name Jason Collins he is a 7’0 big man that has played on multiple teams throughout his career. His most recent stop was in Boston with the Celtics. Collins was let go at the start of last summer by Boston. Then Collins did something bold, he came out to the world via an SI Cover Story and told everyone he is a gay man. Since then, Collins has remained a free agent… until now.

Collins has reportedly inked a 10 day contract with the Brooklyn Nets. This is a historic move in the United States Of America because this will make Collins the first active openly gay athlete in America. Collins is breaking down the wall on something that should be a non issue this day in age. Collins will give the Nets a 11th or 12th man that can anchor a defense with his size alone. But Collins will also bring a media fire storm with him which may be why teams were so hesitant to sign him in the first place. Will Collins remain on the Nets after his 10 day contract expires? Only time will tell. But today is a historic day for the NBA and the United States of America.

The Battle of North America; Olympic Hockey Preview

Team USA and Team Canada face off at noon tomorrow for what can be considered the “Battle for North America”. This should be a national holiday across the country. Work should be called off, schools should be canceled. I mean we cancel for days that no one cares about (Presidents Day) so why not give America a holiday where we can watch America kick the life out of Canada? Dominate them in their number one sport. And yes I do believe the U.S of A will put Canada in their place tomorrow and leave them with more self-doubt 40 year old Market Basket Bagger who really never did live up to their potential.

Team USA is led by Chicago Blackhawks All Star Patrick Kane. Alongside Kane is former Bruins star and current day Toronto Maple Leafs player Phil Kessel. In case you missed it earlier in the week Kane said Kessell is “probably the best guy I have ever played with”. These guys like playing alongside each other and it is fun to watch. Unsung hero of these Olympic Games for Team U.S.A Johnny Quick will be minding the net for this one. Quick has only let in 6 goals through 4 games during the span of these Olympics and played a huge role in the win over Russia but it was over shadowed by TJ Oshie’s historical shootout performance. Quick saved 5 of 8 shootout goals he faced and also had 29 saves on 31 shots he faced.

Team Canada comes stumbling in after avoiding a major upset by the hands of Lativa. Their offense is led by Sidney Crosby (Jabroni). There net is protected by Roberto Luongo, otherwise known as “Lebrongo” because he always chokes in key moments.

The stage is set. This is the game everybody across North America and the world wanted to see. Time to put Canada back in their place. And remember my fellow Americans: Rock, Flag, and Eagle.

Prediction: Team U.S.A wins 3-2.

Who Stays and Who Goes? Celtics Trade Deadline Preview

With the trade deadline only two days away, Celtics fans have to be wondering what this team is going to look like after Thursday, the 20th. The Celtics are in clear full blown rebuilding mode this season and are going to be sellers at the trade deadline. Who is staying, who is going? Lets get into it.

Rajon Rondo- Stays

There is no doubt in my mind Rajon Rondo is staying in Boston. Ainge has already came out and said he wants to build around Rondo, Sully, and Green. Ainge understands the importance of having a premier point guard in this league and he will throw as much money as possible at Rondo to keep him in the green.

Brandon Bass- Goes

With the Celtics being in full blown rebuilding mode, it does not make sense for the Celtics to hold onto Brandon Bass and his 6 million dollars he is owed by the end of the year? Rumors have it Bass and a pick may go to the Bobcats, where the name Michael Kidd-Gilchrest has been thrown around as a player we could receive. Bass could also end up in San Antonio and the Celtics would receive Matt Bonner. Bass may also end up on the Suns or Warriors. Bass will be moved by the trade deadline.

Jeff Green-Stays

There has been a lot of rumors swirling around Uncle Jeff and his trade value, but at the end of the day I see Jeff still bleeding green after this Thursday. Why? Because he has so much upside. Jeff drives Celtics fan crazy with his inconsistent play but Ainge and Stevens know he has the potential to be a very solid player in the NBA.

Gerald Wallace-Goes

Wallace has a 2 year 20 million dollar contract which is something the Celtics can just not afford at this point in time. Wallace has expressed frustration with the Celtics over the first half of the season. There is just no scenario where Wallace stays a Celtic. Teams who are making a playoff push would love to have his veteran leadership coming off their bench. A rumor has surfaced is the Celtics trade Wallace and Humphries to the Knicks for Amare Stoudemire. We could be sending off two massive contracts for one. I like this deal because I still feel like Amare can be a successful player in the NBA, he just needs to find the right role. Coming off the bench as a role player may be the right role for him.

Kris Humphries- Goes

Hump has played well this year, well enough to draw interest throughout the league. I have actually enjoyed watching him play this season after hating him for the first part of his career. He is a high volume rebounder who plays with a ton of energy. I will be sad to see Hump go but his 12 million dollar contract is just too much for the Celtics to eat. Like I said previously with Wallace Hump could end up as a New York Knick by Thursday. Another rumor is he could end up as a Bobcat as the Cats are trying to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The Bobcats sit in the 8 seed at this moment.

Avery Bradley-Stays, For Now.

The main reason I believe Bradley will stay a Celtic is his trade value has gone down due to his new reputation as being “injury prone”. I am happy that the Celtics will be keeping him on board though. I do believe Bradley can stay healthy over a course of a season. He has just had bad luck in the past. The Rondo-Bradley guard duo will continue to grow throughout this season. What the Celtics will eventually do is let Bradley’s trade value grow and then eventually trade him in the offseason to make room for the new rookies the Celtics just drafted.

Keith Bogans- Goes

Bogans will most likely be thrown into one of the deals I discussed earlier as a contract dump as he has no real role on the Celtics at this time or in the future.

My NBA Mount Rushmore

If you have not watched Sports Center in the past few days you may be wondering where this is coming from. To fill you in LeBron James chose his top four players in NBA history, or his “Mt. Rushmore of NBA Greats.” LeBron chose Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, and Michael Jordon. Naturally if you saw Sportscenters segment you probably found yourself asking yourself ” Who is Ian’s Mount Rushmore of NBA players?”. Well talk to yourself no more, because here they are (going in descending order from 4th best to best of all time).

4. Jerry West

Now I may catch some heat for this pick but hear me out. Jerry West averaged 27 points and 6 assists from the Point Guard position. That type of scoring is almost unheard of from the point guard position in the NBA. To put it in perspective Magic averaged 19 points per game. That Lakers also won 6 NBA titles with him at the reigns. Oh and if that is not good enough for you he is also the man on the logo for the NBA.

3. Larry Bird

Of course Larry Legend was going to be on this list. The second best Celtic of all time (spoiler alert). For those of you who don’t know that is a good thing to be categorized in. Larry Bird averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists over his historic career. Bird was named to 13 straight all star games during his career. He was a 3 time MVP and won 3 NBA titles. The dead-eye shooter Larry Bird coming in at number 3.

2. Bill Russell

When you hear the name Bill Russell you think of one word, and that word is winner. Bill Russell won a NBA record 11 championships with the Celtics in 13 seasons. Russell averaged an eye opening 22 rebounds per game to go along with 15 points. He was the big man of the past and he could very well be the best big man to ever play the game, at least by the end of our lifetime. He is better than Wilt, Hakeen, and Ewing. Bill Russell coming in at number 2.

1. Michael Jordon

Well this is was kind of obvious wasn’t it? Michael Jordon is hands down the best player to ever step foot on the court. Between his clutch shooting, his memorable dunks, and is desire to compete and win, Michael Jordon is the best to ever play the game. If you need the numbers Jordon averaged 30 points per game over his illustrious career to go along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Jordon won 6 championships in his career and won 5 regular season MVPS and 6 Finals MVPS. He also averaged 37 points per game in the 86-87 season. Michael Jordon is without a doubt the best player to ever play the game.

Honorable mentions: Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, Shaq, LeBron James (Will be top 2 after his career is over).

Michael Sam Becomes First Active Openly Homosexual NFL Player

At first I did not want to even write about this because to me it is such a non story. But the mass media is having a field day with it so I thought I mine as well chime in. Anyone who still has a problem with a persons sexual orientation in 2014 needs to grow up. The only people who actually care Michael Sam is homosexual are religious wackos and downright intolerant people.

Unfortunately something like this can and I believe will hurt Michael Sam’s chances of making an NFL roster. Not because he is homosexual, but because the media firestorm he will bring to the locker room. We saw how fragile a monster an NFL locker room is this year with the Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin scandal. After that story broke loose the Dolphins basically imploded. So every team will look twice at drafting Michael Sam due to the off field distractions he will bring. But that is not on Michael Sam, he did the right thing. It will be on the mass media who are already making a bigger deal than this is.

Should the NFL Allow the Use of Medicinal Marijuana?

If you did not watch either video above commissioner Roger Godell said the NFL will start to look into the benefits of Medical Marijuana. He wants his team to look into the possibility of Medicinal Marijuana being beneficial for concussions, an injury that is so common in the NFL.

Do I like this idea? Of course I do. If it is going to help players nurse injuries and stay away from pharmaceutical drugs that are addictive then it couldn’t hurt. But do I see it happening in the next 10 years? Absolutely not. There are still a few obstacles to overcome. The first being that Medicinal Marijuana is not legal throughout the country. For example if a Houston Texans player wanted to use Medicinal Marijuana to help with an injury, he could not at this time even if the NFL did allow it. It would still be illegal in the state of Texas therefore he could be apprehended for it. But a player in Seattle could because Marijuana is legal in the state of Washington. Secondly there is no evidence that Medicinal Marijuana can actually help heal injuries. I feel like some people over estimate the power of Medicinal Marijuana. Can it help ease an injured players pain? Yes it can. Is it going to magically repair Navaro Bowman’s torn ACL? No it will not. But if Medicinal Marijuana will keep players away from dangerous pharmaceutical drugs and help ease the pain of their nagging injuries, then there is no reason Medicinal Marijuana should be banned from the NFL, or illegal in any state across the nation.

Sorry Pey-Pey; Super Bowl Recap

Well that was a tad bit disappointing. Sure it was great seeing Pey-Pey get his face stomped in by the Seahawks D aka the Legion of Boom but I was hoping for a closer game than that. Just complete and total domination by the Seahawks on both sides of the ball. Wilson made the big throws when the Seahawks needed them and the defense put pressure on Manning which forced him to throw the ducks that I have become accustomed of seeing from Manning as of late.

Unless Manning comes out and wins two Super Bowls in his what will most likely be his final two years Peyton will never be considered the best quarterback of all time. He will never be considered better than Tom Brady. Peyton is 1-2 in Super Bowls and 11-12 in the playoffs. He simply can not win when it matters most. Every record he broke means diddly squat now because he could not win when it mattered most. Peyton got embarrassed tonight.

Joe Namaths coat was on point.

Another thing, how bad were the commercials this year? I thought they were absolutely horrible. There was maybe one commercial I laughed at and that was when Rudy was doing the slow clap. That’s it. They were all emotional. Don’t get me wrong some of them were really cool like when the soldier returned and the town greeted him and what not. But others like the one about Detroit were just awful. Uh your city is bankrupt who the hell is paying for this? And saying Asians can make our phones and we can make the cars was borderline racist as well. Terrible effort on the commercials today. After awhile I don’t really want to see emotional commercials on what is supposed to be a fun event. I watch football because I enjoy it and have fun doing it, not because I want to be sad. Grade F-.

Budweiser commercial with the horse and the dog was great though.

The halftime show was brutal as well. I will still never get why they continue to bring in pop singers when the NFL’s main demographic is men. So stupid. I’d don’t want to see Bruno Mars on stage jumping around. I want to see some real music. Give me a classic rock band any day over these jabronis. Or give me some country. Please stop shoving guys like Bruno Mars down our throats, its sickening.

All in all the Super Bowl was still fun to watch and its still the best day of the year. Too bad we have to wait 8 months to watch another game. Life sucks again.

The Best Day of the Year; Super Bowl XXLVIII Preview

It’s finally here folks, our last serving of football for 8 months. It is a bitter sweet day really. Life just isn’t as sweet when you don’t have every Sunday to look forward to. But at the same time its the best day of the year. You have the best two football teams playing against each other. You have good company, good food, good commercials. Even people who have not watched a football game all year can enjoy this day. And if you don’t you are either a psychopath or a hipster and you need to reevaluate everything you stand for.

Now on to the actual game. The Broncos roll into New Jersey with the best offense in the league, and one of the best offenses in recent memory. They are led by MVP quarterback Peyton Manning. What Peyton Manning has done this year is nothing short of magnificent. He has broken Tom Brady’s passing touchdowns in a season record and broke the passing yards in a season record. If Peyton Manning wins tonight he has a legitimate case to be called the best quarterback of all time.

The Seahawks come into today with the best scoring defense in the league. Their defensive unit is led by cornerback Richard Sherman who has recently been in the national spotlight after his postgame remarks about San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree. But this is not what Richard Sherman should be known for. He should be known for his play on the field, because he is the best cornerback in the NFL and it really isn’t even close. Sherman had eight interceptions this year and can make a play on the ball unlike any other defensive back in the league. And he is right about Peyton Manning throwing some ducks on occasion. Peyton does have a tendency to do this, I saw it two weeks ago when the Patriots played the Broncos. If there is one guy who can capitalize on this it is Richard Sherman.

An interesting match up to watch will be Marshawn Lynch vs the Broncos rush defense. The Broncos surprisingly have the 7th best rush defense in the league. But can Marshawn activate “beast mode” and break this trend? I believe he can.

All this talk about Peyton Manning has overshadowed the year Russell Wilson has had. Wilson has been great this year. He has thrown for 26 touchdowns and only 9 interceptions. He does not turn the ball over. The thing I love about Wilson is he has the ability to run and make plays with his feet, but he looks to throw the ball before taking off. This is different than guys like Colin Kaepernick who are primarily rush first quarterbacks. This is why I believe Russell Wilson is better than most people think and he will continue to be very successful in the NFL.

This is going to be a game to remember. Teams don’t match up like this often. Best offense vs. the Best Defense? Its almost like story book. Who do I like to walk away with the Lombardi trophy? I like the Seattle Seahawks. I think they will be able to move the ball on the ground with Lynch and force Peyton Manning into some mistakes which a guy like Richard Sherman will capitalize on. The Seahawks will win Super Bowl XLVII 23-17.

Enjoy today while you can folks, because this is our last bit of football for 8 months.