Here's What People Think of Illinois College Basketball

With the NBA season starting tonight, don't forget that the junior circuit - college hoops - make their debut next Friday the 8th. Over the past season I got into the habit of following a lot of the Division I teams in my state. So with all the season previews and predictions dropping left and right, I figured I'd compiled a few of them and see what the experts are saying about the thirteen men's hoops programs from the Land of Lincoln.

The teams are ordered by their national ranking in Dan Hanner's projections over at ESPN Insider. The rankings were derived from 10,000 simulations of each player and each team's defense. Pretty cool stuff. To find out more go here. If you don't have an Insider account you'll just have to settle for the numbers I post here.

Under that is Hanner's rankings in relation to the conference the school is in, the projected conference finish of the school according to a separate preview ran by Insider using different writers, and their place in the conference-commissioned preseason polls.

BIG EAST (10 TEAMS)

136. DePaul

• Conf. Poll: 10th
• ESPN: 10th
• Hanner: 10th

BIG TEN (12 TEAMS)

Apparently the Big Ten is too good to put out a preseason poll, so I had to stick with the ESPN predictions here.

53. Illinois

• ESPN: 7th
• Hanner: 8th

108. Northwestern

• ESPN: 8th
• Hanner: 10th

HORIZON LEAGUE (9 TEAMS)

280. Illinois-Chicago

• Conf. Poll: 6th
• ESPN: 8th
• Hanner: 9th

MID-AMERICAN (12 TEAMS)

304. Northern Illinois

• Conf. Poll: 12th
• ESPN: 12th
• Hanner: 12th

MISSOURI VALLEY (9 TEAMS)

The MVC's preseason poll won't be released until October 30th. I will add it when it becomes available.

153. Bradley

• ESPN: 4th
• Hanner: 7th

183. Illinois State

• ESPN: 6th
• Hanner: 8th

199. Loyola Chicago

• ESPN: 9th
• Hanner: 9th

210. Southern Illinois

• ESPN: 7th
• Hanner: 10th

OHIO VALLEY (12 TEAMS)

274. Eastern Illinois

• ESPN: 7th
• Hanner: 9th
• Conf. Poll: 10th

317. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville

• Conf. Poll: 11th
• Hanner: 11th
• ESPN: 12th

SUMMIT LEAGUE (8 TEAMS)

246. Western Illinois

• Conf. Poll: 4th
• Hanner: 4th
• ESPN: 5th

WESTERN ATHLETIC (9 TEAMS)

286. Chicago State

• ESPN: 4th
• Conf. Poll (Coaches): 6th
• Conf. Poll (Media): 6th
• Hanner: 6th

TL;DR: A lot of middling to low expectations for the teams from Illinois. We'll see if any of these teams can prove the critics wrong. Stay tuned for more coverage of Illinois men's and women's college hoops during the season.

Random NBA Player of the Week: Dorell Wright

Dorell Wright is a Small Forward from Los Angeles. He entered the NBA straight out of high school, a graduate of South Kent Prep, a boarding school in Connecticut. He had originally committed to playing at DePaul, but instead was picked 19th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft.

He spent his first six seasons as a bench player for the Miami Heat. He won a championship ring with the team in 2006, despite not playing a single game in the playoffs.

In the summer of 2010, he signed with the Golden State Warriors, and 2010-11 was his breakout year. That season he played and started all 82 games, led the league in three-pointers made and attempted, and scored more points that season (1,344) than he did in his first six seasons in Miami combined (1,333). For his work, he placed third in the voting for Most Improved Player.

During the 2011-12 lockout season, Wright's production went down as he only averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 boards a game. In the following offseason he was a part of a three-team trade that sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers. With the Sixers he moved into a sixth man role, averaging 22.6 minutes and 9.2 points per game.

On July 10th, he signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers, and will look to be a huge contributor on a team that features stars Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge as well as rookie C.J. McCollum.

Deng Extension Talks Cool, What It Means For the Bulls

Luol Deng going in for a lay-up during the 2013 Playoffs

Wednesday will be the new day for my editorial columns, which were previously supposed to be on Tuesdays. This Wednesday, however, I've got nothing. While there are a few subjects I'm interested in, I didn't really do any deep research on those topics. And I wouldn't want to give you a bland, un-researched column. Who do you think I am!? [Insert sports columnist you don't like]!?

So instead, I'll link to a column about a topic that I do enjoy and would've considered writing about. Here, Blog-a-Bull's Rickey O'Donnell discusses the breakdown in talks between the Chicago Bulls and forward Luol Deng. They couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension for Luol, and Rickey brings up the ramifications for the Bulls for this year as well as heading into the 2014 offseason. A very interesting read, especially if you are a Chicago Bulls fan.

Coliseum Fantasy Insider

Happy Tuesday! I'm starting a new weekly feature in this slot, in which I discuss my sports fantasy endeavors. Y'know, my own fantasy leagues, my fictional leagues I kept planning but never really starting. Things like that. Currently, the only thing I'm actively doing is my fantasy football team that goes by the über-creative name "Team Simms" (Suggestions are welcomed). However, I have plenty of projects coming down the shoot. Or else I wouldn't be starting this feature!

My fantasy football team is a member of a league that is ran by my father and is entering its fifth season. Most of the members live in the Las Vegas area, so I'm a bit of a satellite member. I have been to the championship twice (I think), but never took home the crown. Every year brings new hope, but after my draft, I'm a bit on edge.

The problem is that I'm pretty light in the running back department. This league is a PPR league, so I was focused on getting the best receivers and a couple of good QBs. In turn I lost sight of the fact that running backs need love, too, and I came out with Reggie Bush, Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead, Knowshon Moreno. With super-slim pickings in free agency, these are essentially the guys I'm stuck with. I came in to Week 1 prepared for a long season.

But in the end, things actually worked out. Below was my starting lineup with their point total:

QB: Drew Brees (27)

RB: Reggie Bush (31)

RB: Ryan Mathews (13)

Flex: Marques Colston (17)

WR: Brandon Marshall (24)

WR: Roddy White (3)

TE: Brandon Myers (19)

D/ST: Chicago Bears (12)

K: Blair Walsh (8)

I can't get too upset with Roddy White's performance, as he was battling an injury. Everybody else did great. I didn't expect Brandon Myers to get me that many points, but he was able to pick up a touchdown towards the end of the game which really helped. The big surprise to me was Reggie Bush leading all scorers. He got a lot of carries and a lot of catches out of the backfield. I'm hoping he can stay healthy and will be a big asset to the Lions this season.

As my biggest concern was running back, I was really worried about how Ryan Mathews would do this first week. I picked him because he was the best available at the time, forgetting about his injury history. He was my only starter playing on Monday, and I was down 8 after huge performances for my opponent by Anquan Boldin, Andrew Luck, and Reggie Wayne. I kept my expectations low on Ryan, but he came through! I was able to win the week 154-149.

Heading into week two the projections say I have the upper-hand, but again I'm going to keep my expectations low. I'm going to substitute Steve Johnson for Roddy White and Knowshon Moreno for Ryan Mathews right now, but those situations will be fluid through the week.

Tune in next Tuesday to find out if I can improve to 2-0!!!

.....

Now, before I go, let me take this time to discus some of my upcoming sports fiction work. All of these projects will be posted on my blog for the Coliseum Sports Network. You can click the link here or the one located at the top of the right sidebar.

For one there's the United Basketball Clubs, a project of mine that I have worked on on-and-off for over a decade. I have tried to bring to the web in various forms over the past several years, but I'm looking to stick with it this time. I will begin posting events about the league October 1st.

Also in the vein of basketball I'm going to be doing a fantasy college basketball league called the Futures League of Professional Basketball. The idea from this league stemmed from the idea of having a professional league for college-aged ballplayers as refuge from the restrictions of the NCAA. At first I was going to make up the stats based off of player projections, but that would be too time-consuming. Instead, season play will be a Head-2-Head Points league while tournament play will utilize the SimMatchup engine on WhatIfSports.com. Posting for the FLPB should begin about early November.

Lastly, I have a baseball and football league in mind for the spring. The leagues will utilize the customization abilities of the MLB: The Show and NCAA Football franchises. Even though the football league won't begin until after the Super Bowl and the baseball league won't start until late May, I'm going to start working on those very soon.

I will continue to keep you posted on the development of these projects in this spot each Tuesday. But, again, don't forget to check out the Coliseum Sports Network site.

Illinois College Sports Report Vol. 2, Post 1

Eastern Illinois's Jimmy Garoppolo

Hello all, it's time for the second season of the Illinois College Sports Report. You may remember it as illisports and illihoops, but this year I decided to keep it simple. Every Monday until the last baseball team in the state plays their final game, I will give you scores and (very soon) news from each of the 13 Division I teams in the Land of Lincoln.

We join the Illinois college sports scene in Week 2 of college football season. Most of the seven pigskin-playing schools are off to good starts. Below are scores and summaries of last week's action. Ranking numbers are for the week of the games. FBS rank derived from AP Top 25 poll, FCS rank derived from The Sports Network Top 25.

SCORES FROM LAST WEEK

Football Bowl Subdivision

at #19 Northwestern 48, Syracuse 27: "Chicago's Big Ten Team" made slight work of the Orange in a 48-27 blowout at Ryan Field. The game was over by halftime, when the score was 34-7. The rest was academic. Quarterbacks Trevor Siemian and Kain Colter split passing duties and did equally well. Colter, the starter, 15/18 for 116 yards and a two TDs (one passing, one rushing). Siemian went 15/19 for 259 yards and three scores. Tony Jones had a huge day on the receiving end with 9 catches for 185 yards and a touchdown. The Wildcats didn't giveaway any turnovers in the game, but was able to snatch four interceptions against Syracuse's Drew Allen. After this dominant performance and the win at Cal, the schedule will get slightly easier for Northwestern, as they host Western Michigan and Maine over the next two weeks.

at Illinois 45, Cincinnati 17: It was another impressive aerial by senior QB Nathan Scheelhaase. After going for 416 yards and a couple of TDs against SIU, he went for 312 yards and four touchdowns against the Bearcats. Illinois got off to a hot start, reeling off 21 unanswered points to open up the first half. However, a one-yard pass from Munchie Legaux to Max Morrison with 8 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Bearcats the momentum to score 10 points in the third quarter. After three it was 28-17. However, things opened up in the fourth when Illinois were able to tack on a field goal and two touchdowns for the win.

Northern Illinois (1-0) was idle this week

Football Championship Subdivision

#14 Eastern Illinois 40, at Southern Illinois 37: It took two overtimes to put this thriller in Carbondale to rest, as a 36 yard Cameron Berra field goal helped EIU eek out the 40-37 win. While both teams were evenly matched, the more impressive came from the victorious Panthers. QB Jimmy Garoppolo took to the skies and pulled down 440 yards off of 34/56 passing along with four touchdowns and an interception. His two main targets were receivers Erik Lora and Adam Drake. Lora racked up 11 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown while Drake got 7 catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns. For SIU, Kory Faulkner went 28/50 for 294 yards and 4 yards while MyCole Pruitt paced the receivers with 8 cathces for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

The win is EIU's second straight 40-point performance, coming off of an impressive upset at San Diego State. SIU was once again on the losing end of a high scoring performance, falling 32-42 at Illinois last week.

at Western Illinois 34, Quincy 6: After a dominate defensive performance in Week 1 against Hampton that saw the Leathernecks force nine turnovers, it was the offense that got the job done in the 34-6 victory over D-II Quincy. WIU rounded up 549 total yards, distributed fairly evenly between the pass (278) and run (271). Trenton Norvell threw 24/34 for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Running back J.C. Baker lead the rushing attack with 14 carries for 144 yards and two touchdowns. If anything was glaring it was the penalties, as Western Illinois racked up 15.

Quincy was shut out for most of the game, but were able to get on the board at the fourth quarter buzzer when Nick Lonergan scored on a 4 yard keeper. It was the first time the Hawks scored at Hansen Field since 2004, when they scored on a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter in a 31-38 loss to the Leathernecks.

#19 Illinois State (0-1) was idle this week

THE NUMBERS ARE IN

With another week of games in the books, here are the new rankings from both the FBS and FCS poll:

AP Top 25 (FBS)

#17 Northwestern: +2 from last week

The Sports Network Top 25 (FCS) [Updated 9/9/13 12:48 PM CT]

#9 Eastern Illinois: +5 from last week
#18 Illinois State: +1 from last week

Game of the Week: Rangers vs. Orioles 8/22/07

Happy Friday! I figured this week I'd give you the textbook definition of an Avocado Beatdown. On a late summer day in Baltimore, the Rangers came to town and smacked up the Orioles to the tune of 30 to 3.

A few records were broken in the process. For Texas, they set the modern MLB record for most runs in a game. However, the all-time record is 36, which was set in 1897. Baltimore set a record for most lopsided victory in franchise history as well as most hits allowed in a game in franchise history (29).

Oddly enough, the O's started the game with the lead, going up 3-0 after three innings. Then the bottom fell out and the Rangers reeled off 30 unanswered. Marlon Byrd hit a grand slam in the 6th, Travis Metcalf - who had been called up from AAA earlier in the day - hit one in the 8th.

Here's the box score of the game and a recap from ESPN.com.

Footage courtesy of Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. Jim Palmer and Jim Hunter with the call.

Biogenesis UnNaturals, Game 1 (at Mariners)

Time to take this show on the road, and it begins in the Pacific Northwest. It was Bartolo and the Gang taking on King Felix and the Seattle Mariners at Safeco. Colon was able to pull off the complete game shutout, giving up only two hits and a walk while fanning six batters. King Felix had a decent day on the mound as well, giving up four hits in six innings of work.

With two maestros on the hill, it came down to run support, and Seattle offered Hernandez none. Biogenesis got theirs in the form of Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod went 2-4, including a 2 RBI double in the 4th and a solo jack in the 7th.

So the UnNaturals get their first win in their first game. They will now head south on I-5 to the Bay Area, where they will take on both the Giants and the Athletics.

Biogenesis UnNaturals at Seattle Mariners
Aug 8, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Biogenesis (1-0)	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	3	5	1
Seattle (0-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
W: Bartolo Colon L: Felix Hernandez

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			BIO	SEA
BIO	4	Rodriguez doubled to left. Cervelli scores, Braun scores.	2	0
BIO	7	Rodriguez homered to center.	3	0

Biogenesis UnNaturals
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Melky Cabrera, CF	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Francisco Cervelli, C	4	1	1	0	0	1	0	.250
Ryan Braun, LF	3	1	1	0	1	0	0	.333
Nelson Cruz, RF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.000
Alex Rodriguez, 3B	4	1	2	3	0	0	1	.500
Jhonny Peralta, SS	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Jesus Montero, 1B	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Yasmani Grandal, C	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	.333
Jordany Valdespin, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
BATTING: 2B: Alex Rodriguez HR: Alex Rodriguez RBI: Alex Rodriguez (3)
FIELDING: E: Bartolo Colon

Seattle Mariners
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Dustin Ackley, 2B	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Franklin Gutierrez, CF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.000
Michael Morse, LF	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Kendrys Morales, 1B	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Raul Ibanez, DH	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	.333
Kyle Seager, 3B	3	0	0	0	0	2	0	.000
Michael Saunders, RF	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Ronny Paulino, C	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.333
Brendan Ryan, SS	2	0	0	0	1	1	0	.000
BATTING: GIDP: Franklin Gutierrez

Biogenesis UnNaturals
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Bartolo Colon (W)	9.0	2	0	0	1	6	0	0.00

Seattle Mariners
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Felix Hernandez (L)	6.0	4	2	2	0	3	0	3.00
Shawn Kelley	1.0	1	1	1	0	2	1	9.00
Josh Kinney	2.0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0.00
PITCHING: WP: Felix Hernandez

Introducing: The Biogenesis UnNaturals

On Monday, suspensions were handed down by Major League Baseball to thirteen players that were connected to defunct anti-aging clinic Biogenesis of America. Through an investigation by MLB, Biogenesis was found to be distributing performance-enhancing drugs to players, including the thirteen suspended on Monday as well as four others that have already been punished for their involvement.

The seventeen players involved with Biogenesis run the gamut from superstar to impact player to minor leaguer. It made me wonder just how formidable a team of alleged PED users would hold up against their peers. Soooooo, I conducted an experiment of my own, utilizing MLB 13: The Show for the PlayStation 3.

I took all 17 Biogenesis players and placed them on the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (you see what I did there?), a AA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. While I had 12 position players, I only had 5 pitchers. Since I would only need one starter for this experiment I just filled out the remaining relief spots, using other pitchers that had been suspended by MLB for using PEDs.

After all the maneuvering, I came out with the following roster:

Starting Pitcher: Bartolo Colon
Relief Pitchers: Fautino de los Santos, Sergio Escalona, Daniel McCutchen*, Guillermo Mota*, Jordan Norberto, and J.C. Romero*
Closer: Antonio Bastardo

Catchers: Yasmani Grandal
1st Base: Jesus Montero
2nd Base: Jordany Valdespin
3rd Base: Alex Rodriguez
Shortstop: Everth Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta
Left Field: Ryan Braun
Center Field: Melky Cabrera
Right Field: Nelson Cruz, Fernando Martinez, and Cesar Puello
Designated Hitter: Francisco Cervelli

The three pitchers with asterisks by their name weren't involved with Biogenesis. Daniel McCutchen was suspended back in April for 50 games. Guillermo Mota has been suspended twice; first in 2006 for 50 games then for 100 games in 2012. J.C. Romero was suspended for 50 games in 2009.

The experiment is simple: I play each of the MLB's 30 teams at their home fields and record the results. It will be interesting to see not only how this team holds up against the rest of the majors, but how to other teams will fare without some of their players.

So will the (alleged) cheaters prosper? Results in the coming days.

Game of the Week: Mariners vs. Indians 8/5/01

Just thought I'd switch up this week and give you a baseball game. Ever since my stint announcing home games for my team at school I've really been into baseball. This number comes from the 2001 season, the year in which the Seattle Mariners won an AL-record 116 games. However, one of their 46 losses came on a midsummer night in Cleveland.

Coming in, the Mariners had won 8 of their last 10. This was the third game of a four-game series against Cleveland, with Seattle taking the first two games of the set. For 6 1/2 innings, it looked like they would take this game, too, as they led 14-2 entering the bottom of the 7th.

Then the bottom fell out, as the Russell Branyan lead off the half-inning with a home run to right on the first pitch. The Indians would go on to score 12 runs over the final third of regulation (3 in the 7th, 4 in the 8th, 5 in the 9th) and then eventually win in the 11th on a Jolbert Cabrera walk-off single to left.

John Rocker was credited with the win and Jose Paniagua got the loss. Marty Cordova went 4-5 with a 2-run homer and a double.

Footage courtesy of ESPN, with Jon Miller and Rick Sutcliffe on the call.

Random NBA Player of the Week: Rodney White

Rodney White is a 6'9" forward that was born in Philadelphia, but attended high school in suburban DC. White played collegiately at UNC-Charlotte. He spent one year in Charlotte, averaging 18.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while leading the team to a Conference USA tournament championship and  a run in the NCAA Tournament that ended in the Second Round. He was also named ESPN.com's National Freshman of the Year. Coming off of that great season, he entered the NBA Draft, where he was picked 9th overall by the Detroit Pistons. 

Though he began the season as a role player, Rodney quickly fell out of favor with head coach Rick Carlisle. He would only play 16 games in his rookie year, averaging 3.5 points per game. After one season, White was sent to Denver for Mengke Bateer, Don Reid, and a 2004 1st Round draft pick. Rodney would spend 2 1/2 seasons in Denver, but never became an impact player. In 186 appearances, he averaged 7.9 points and 2.4 per game.

Halfway through 2004-05 White was involved in a Trade Deadline deal that sent him and Nikoloz Tskitishvili to Golden State for Luis Flores, Eduardo Najera, and a 2007 1st Round draft pick. White finished out the season playing 16 games for the Warriors, averaging 3.6 points a game. He was then waived at the end of the season.

Rodney has now moved his career overseas, where he has been quite the journeyman. Since 2005 he has played for 11 teams in Spain, Italy, China, Puerto Rico, Israel, and the Philippines. He last played for the Petron Blaze Boosters in the Philippines Basketball Association.

Can the Southsiders Go Any Further South?

In case I haven't made it clear over the course of writing this blog, let me clear this up now: I am a White Sox fan. So if you've taken a look at the MLB standings lately you may notice that it hasn't been fun times for me this season. 

It was this time a year ago that the White Sox were in the discussion for the AL Central pennant. But after finishing the 2012 campaign with a 4-11 record over their last 15 games, it's been downhill. Chicago AL's bats have essentially had a power outage for much of the season. As of this writing, their .250 batting average is the 12th worst in the majors. Their .303 on-base percentage in the 4th worst. These numbers have rendered a lot of decent performances from the pitching staff - including Jake Peavy and Chris Sale - moot. Not that the pitching staff has been perfect either. Their 4.00 team ERA is only good for 19th in MLB. 

Now, the team stands at 39-57, and the big question is "Where do they go from here?" 

There are a lot of question marks on the horizon. With almost everyone on the trading block, who will actually be on there way out with two weeks remaining before the trade deadline? Guys like Alex Rios and Peavy, among others, have been talked about on rumor mills, but will Rick Hahn actually press the button on any deals? With 37 year-old Paul Konerko just coming off of an injury, are his days in black-and-white - or in baseball period - numbered? Rookie Josh Phegley is off to a nice start (.278 avg, 3 HRs). How does he figure into the team's long term plans? Personally, I am kind of excited to see how it all unfolds.

As a Chicago sports fan, I have experienced a lot of ups and downs with my teams, so some down years aren't going to to dampen my spirit. I feel that some bad times may be necessary before the team can make their way to the top again. Considering that the veteran talent and big contracts aren't producing, they may have to make way for young talent that will need time to develop. I am okay with that.

But ultimately, it falls on the front office to figure out which way they want to go. What will it take to make this team a contender again? Will it take big free agent signings? Minor league development? Maybe they stand pat and hope things get better. There are several ways the White Sox could go. But as they figure it out, it looks like things may get worse before they get better.

NBA 13: The Show Part 9 (The Finals, Game 7)

Thursday, June 20, 2013, 7:05 PM PDT at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, New York

Line Score

Angels: 3, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0; 4 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Error

Yankees: 1, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 1, 0, X; 5 Runs, 13 Hits, 1 Error

Win: Joba Chamberlain Loss: Scott Downs Save: Mariano Rivera

Home Runs

Angels: Mark Trumbo

Yankees: Derek Jeter

So the Yankees, as proxies for the New York Knicks, have won NBA 13: The Show.

It was another come-from-behind victory, but not quite in the same vein as Game 6. Things got going almost immediately with Mark Trumbo hitting a three-run home run into center field to put the Angels up 3-0 in the top of the 1st. The Yankees could only answer back wit a Derek Jeter solo shot to make it 3-1 after 1. In the 5th the Angels added on a run off of a Mike Trout sac fly that brought in Chris Iannetta. But in the bottom half of the fifth the Yankees were able to level things. First came Mark Teixeira's double to right, bringing in Derek Jeter to make it 4-2. Then Curtis Granderson grounded to right for a 2 RBI single that brought in Alex Rodriguez and Teixeira to make it 4-4. With things even again, it was just a matter of which pitching staff would fold first. The Angels' staff was the one to break, as they gave up a run in the bottom of the 7th. Derek Jeter came in to score as Mark Teixeira grounded into a double play. David Aardsma was able to hold off the Angels' batters, and Mariano Rivera came in the 9th inning to close things out.

For the Yankees, starting pitcher Andy Pettitte went 6 innings, giving up 6 hits, 4 runs (all earned), and one strikeout with a 6.00 ERA. Derek Jeter finished 3-4 with a home run and an RBI.

For the Angels, starting pitcher Jason Vegas went 5 innings, giving up 11 hits, 4 runs (all earned), and threw 3 strikeouts, finishing with a 7.20 ERA. Mark Trumbo went 3-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Mike Trout went 2-3 with an RBI.

Random NBA Player of the Week: Marcus Liberty

Marcus Liberty is a 6'8" forward from Chicago. In high school, he was legendary. His freshman year he led Crane High School to a frosh-soph title. He then transferred to King College Prep for the rest of his high school career, where he led them to a title in 1986 and a second-place finish in 1987. His 143 points in the '87 tourney set an Illinois Class AA record. In '87 Liberty was an McDonald's All-American, Illinois Mr. Basketball, and Parade Magazine Player of the Year. This illustrious high school career led him to being voted one of the "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament" in 2007.

After high school Liberty moved on to the University of Illinois. He was ineligible his first year, but his sophomore year he was a part of the 1988-89 "Flyin' Illini" squad that made it to the Final Four. After three years in Champaign-Urbana, Marcus entered the draft. He went 42nd overall in the 1990 NBA Draft to the Denver Nuggets.

Liberty was a role player for a 1991 Nuggets team that was known for scoring a lot of points (league-best 119.9 ppg) as well as giving up a lot of them (league-worst 130.8 ppg). Marcus would average 6.7 in his first year in 76 appearances. His productivity would go up his second year, as he averaged 9.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He even recorded five double-doubles, though they all came in losses. While Marcus saw improvement, his team did not. In two seasons the Nuggets went 44-120. Year 3 saw a new coach for the Nuggets: Dan Issel. The team - as well as Marcus - showed promise. Denver went 36-46 while Liberty average 8.1 points and 4.3 boards a game. Heading into 93-94, one would expect both the Nuggets and Liberty to continue the upward trajectory.

Well, the team did, eventually making it to the playoffs in '94 as an eighth seed and knocking off the top seeded Seattle Sonics. However, Marcus was traded at the beginning of the season, unable to enjoy the team's fortune. He went along with Mark Macon to Detroit for Alvin Robertson and a conditional 2nd round draft pick that was never used. Marcus would only play 35 games for the Pistons, averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds.

Liberty wouldn't make it back to the NBA after '94, instead embarking on a whirlwind eight years that saw him in the CBA, Greece, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Japan, the old IBL, the Philippines, the IBA, the Dominican Republic, and Chile. Marcus Liberty ended his basketball career in 1992.

NBA 13: The Show Part 8 (The Finals, Game 6)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013, 7:05 PM PDT at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, New York

Line Score

Angels: 0, 0, 1, 0, 2, 1, 0, 3, 0; 7 Runs, 10 Hit, 0 Errors

Yankees: 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 2, 0, 2; 8 Runs, 16 Hits, 0 Errors

Win: Clay Rapada Loss: Ryan Madson

Home Runs

Angels: Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton

Yankees: Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez

...and we'll see you Thursday night!

A roller-coaster ride ends with a walkoff 2-run RBI single that ties the series up at three games apiece and sets the stage for Game 7 in the Bronx.

The fireworks started early with Robinson Cano blasting a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the 1st, making it 2-0. It seemed like starting pitcher CJ Wilson would be in for a tough day. However, he would go on to post four scoreless innings before allowing two more in the 6th.

In the meantime, the Angels spent their next five innings clawing back into the lead. Mike Trout was the one to put the team on the map. First, things got going in the 3rd when he hit a line single to right, bringing in Alberto Callaspo and putting LAA on the board. He then came back up in the 5th and notched a two run homer, giving the Angels the lead. Josh Hamilton then came in the next inning and hit a solo shot of his own to make it 4-2 after 5 1/2 innings.

However, the Yankees bats knew what time it was a promptly responded. In the bottom of the 6th Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to right to level the score at 4. The next half-inning Derek Jeter hit an RBI double to bring in Kevin Youkilis and Ichiro and give the Yankees back, 6-4.

But the Angels just wouldn't go away. Pujols hit an equalizing home run to left field. Two batters later, Howie Kendrick grounded into a double play, giving Josh Hamilton time to advance home from 3rd base. Heading into the bottom of the 8th, the Angels had the lead back, and seemed to be on their way to winning the NBA 13: The Show Championship.

But the Yankees had just enough offense left in them in the bottom of the 9th. After a Brett Gardner groundout, Francisco Cervelli (who would be replaced by pinch runner Edgar Nunez), Ichiro, and Jeter were able to loaded the bases. Tasked with bringing in at least the tying run, Robinson Cano swung away. But he was unsuccessful, striking out while chasing a 1-2 low changeup. The Yankees were down to their last out, Alex Rodriguez. Down to his last strike, he hit a grounder that was just fair down the 3rd base line. This allowed Nunez to come in for the tying run and Ichiro to come in for the winning run.

Instant Classic.

For the Yankees, A-Rod finished 3-5 with a home run, 4 RBIs, and a strikeout. Derek Jeter went 4-4 with a walk, a double, a stolen base, and 2 RBIs. Starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda with five innings allowing six hits, 4 runs (all earned), a walk, posting 4 strikeouts, and finishing with a 7.20 ERA.

For the Angels, Mike Trout went 2-4 with a walk, a strikeout, a homer run, and 3 RBIs. Erick Aybar went 3-5. Starting pitcher C.J. Wilson went six innings, giving up 8 hits, 4 runs (all earned), a walk, and 4 strikeouts. He finished with a 6.00 ERA.

So there will be a Game 7 Thursday in the Bronx. Andy Pettitte and Jason Vargas will face for to determine which team will be the NBA 13: The Show champion.

NBA 13: The Show Part 7 (The Finals, Game 5)

Sunday, June 15, 2013, 6:05 PM PDT at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

Line Score

Yankees: 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0; 1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors

Angels: 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 2, X; 4 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors

Win: Jered Weaver Loss: C.C. Sabathia

Home Runs

Yankees: Mark Teixeira

Angels: Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Chris Iannetta

After allowing the Yankees to get back into the series with two wins in Anaheim, the Angels were able to regain control with a complete game pitching performance by Jered Weaver. In 9 innings, Weaver gave up only one run on one hit; a Mark Teixeira home run in the 5th inning.

For the Yankees, C.C. Sabathia put up a decent performance, but it wasn't enough in comparison to Weaver's mastery. C.C. went six innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Two of those three hits were homers. Chris Iannetta was the first to strike, knocking a solo shot in the 3rd. Albert Pujols took his own personal trip around the bases the next inning. Joba Chamberlain came in the 7th in relief, but provided none when Mike Trout hit a two-run home run in the 8th inning. David Aardsma was immediately brought in to close out the half-inning.

The Angels now have a 3-2 lead in the series, with a chance to close things out in the Bronx on Tuesday. CJ Wilson will face off against Hiroki Kuroda. When these two took the mound in Game 2, both pitchers were able to shut down the offense as only one run was scored between both teams. However, that one run was scored by the Angels.

NBA 13: The Show Part 6 (The Finals, Game 4)

Thursday, June 12, 2013, 6:05 PM PDT at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

Line Score

Yankees: 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 5; 6 Runs, 7 Hits, 0 Errors

Angels: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 2, 0; 5 Runs, 7 Hits, 2 Errors

Win: David Aardsma Loss: Ryan Madson Save: Mariano Rivera

Home Runs

Yankees: Robinson Cano, Kevin Youkilis

Angels: Albert Pujols

For the Angels, it was the longest 9th inning ever...

The Angels were unable to close out the Yankees to take a three games to one series lead, losing 6 to 5. Coming into the 9th down 5-1, the Bronx side bombed two homers in opposite directions to take the lead back. David Robertson and Mariano Rivera came in the bottom of the 9th to seal the deal and tie the series a two games apiece.

Early on, there wasn't much offense to be had with a Brett Gardner double in the 4th bringing in the only run in the first five innings. It was until the bottom of the sixth that the bats really got going. Albert Pujols hit a 2 RBI grounder to left to put the Angels ahead. This was shortly followed by a Mark Trumbo RBI grounder to center to pad the lead 3-1. Pujols would strike again in the 8th with a two run homer to center to make it 5-1. LAA looked like they were on the verge of taking a 3-1 series lead. All they had to do was close out the next half-inning.

But some things just aren't that easy.

Things started off with Sean Burnett walking Curtis Granderson then giving up a Kevin Youkilis homer run to left, closing the gap to 5-3 Angels. Ryan Madson was then brought in, and things seemed to be back to normal with two quick outs.

Then things fell apart. Ichiro grounded to Madson, who was able to corral the ball, but was too slow to volley the ball to first for the final out. Then Eduardo Nunez, who came in the 8th to pinch-run for Derek Jeter, hit a flying single to right. This set the table for Robinson Cano to knock a three-run shot to center field, giving the Yankees the lead back for good 6-5.

Albert Pujols lead the way in hitting for the fallen Angels. He went 2-4 with a homer and 4 RBIs. Kevin Youkilis lead the way for the Yankees, going 2-4 with a homer and 2 RBIs.

With the series level, it's now a brand-new ballgame. We'll see Jered Weaver and C.C. Sabathia return to the mound for a crucial Game 5 on Sunday in Anaheim.

Game of the Week: Nets vs. Spurs 6/15/03

Ten years ago tomorrow...

The Spurs were in the Finals, Jason Kidd was the floor general for the Nets, and ESPN/ABC was wrapping up its first season airing the NBA and the lowest-rated Finals ever (though that would be topped four years later).

Nowadays, the Spurs are in the Finals, Jason Kidd has become the bench general for the Nets, and ESPN/ABC is still airing NBA games, though the ratings and coverage seem to have gotten better. Funny how some things change and others stay the same after a decade......

Today's video brings up Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals between the New Jersey Nets and the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs lead the series 3 games to 2 after a 93-83 victory in East Rutherford two days prior. San Antonio manages to close out Jersey in the game 88-77, winning their second ever NBA title. The Boxscore can be found HERE.

For San Antonio, a then-young Tim Duncan messed around and almost got a quadruple-double. However, the Finals MVP had to "settle" for a triple-double, netting 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks. In what was his final NBA game, teammate and twin tower David Robinson put in 13 points and 17 rebounds. Stephen Jackson had 17 points.

For New Jersey, Jason Kidd lead the team (of course he did) with 21 points and 7 assists. Kerry Kittles was behind him with 16 points, while a then-spry-and-athletic Richard Jefferson added 13. 

The 2003 Finals would wrap up ESPN/ABC's first season airing NBA games (and ABC's first since 1972-73), taking the reins over from NBC. The 2003 NBA Finals would set a record low in ratings, with a 6.5 average rating share for the series. It was the first single-digit rating share since the 1981 Finals between the Rockets and Celtics (6.7). As bad as that was, the record would be bested (or worsted?) by the 2007 Finals between the Spurs and LeBron's Cavaliers (6.2). You could look at a myriad of reasons for the series' low ratings: bad play (the Nets' offense was deplorable), lack of star power, too much going on in the coverage department (such as having Joel Siegel on the halftime show reviewing summer movies). But since this series, the NBA on ESPN/ABC has seen better days.

Footage is from ABC with Brad Nessler, Bill Walton, and Tom Tolbert on the call; Michelle Tafoya and Stuart Scott on the sidelines.

Random NBA Player of the Week: Marty Conlon

Marty Conlon was a forward/center from White Plains, New York. He played college ball at Providence. The 1987 team he was on as a freshman went to the Final Four. He averaged 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds his senior year. Marty went undrafted in 1990 but found a training camp spot on the Sacramento Kings. However, he was let go before the season began. He spent the 1990-1991 season in LeMans, France and with the Rockford Lightning of the CBA.

That summer Marty signed with the Seattle Sonics, which would mark the beginning of a nine-year NBA journeyman career. Conlon would go on to play for the Sonics (1991-1992) Kings (1992-1993), Hornets (1994), Bullets (1994), Bucks (1994-1996), Celtics (1996-1997), Heat (1998), Celtics (1999), and Clippers (1999-2000).

Through it all, his best year came in 1994-1995 with Milwaukee, when he averaged 9.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and played in all 82 games.

After his season with the Clippers, Conlon finished out his career with five more years in Europe. He played for teams in Italy, Greece, Spain, and Ireland. He was also captain of the Irish national team. He last played for Carpisa Napoli of Italy in 2005.

NBA 13: The Show Part 5 (The Finals, Game 3)

Tuesday, June 10, 2013, 6:05 PM PDT at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

Line Score

Yankees: 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 3, 0, 0, 0; 5 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Error

Angels: 1, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 1, 0, 0; 4 Runs, 14 Hits, 1 Error

Win: Andy Pettitte, Loss: Jason Vargas, Save: Mariano Rivera

Home Runs

Yankees: Kevin Youkilis, Mark Teixeira

Angels: Mike Trout (2)

The runs finally came in for the Yankees, as they were able to stave off an 0-3 series deficit with a 5-4 victory in Anaheim.

After stressful bouts against aces Jered Weaver and CJ Wilson, Jason Vargas seemed like a change of pace for the Yankees. Vargas would go 5 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, four runs, and three walks. After 4 runs wasn't enough in Game 1 and being shut out in Game 2, it seems the Yankees got enough run support for Andy Pettitte to get him and the team a victory.

The game was a thriller, with the two ties and four lead changes. Things got going with a leadoff solo shot by Mike Trout. In the next half-inning, however, Kevin Youkilis responded with a solo homer of own, making the game level again. The Yankees then took the lead 2-1 in the next inning off of an RBI single to right. Things seemed to die down for a couple of innings until Mike Trout knocked a 2-run shot to left to give the Angels the lead again 3-2.

In the top of the 6th, however, the Angels would give up the lead as Mark Teixeira hit an equalizing solo shot to right. After a Granderson pop-out and a Youkilis double, the day was over for Vargas. Reliever Scott Downs was unable to stem the tide, as he would walk Brett Gardner then give up an RBI double to Francisco Cervelli. When the half-inning was over, the Yanks had taken a 5-3 lead.

The Yankees would hold the lead the rest of the way and were able to fight off charges in each of the Angels half-innings. Despite getting 6 hits and a walk in the final of third of the game, the Angels were only able to produce one run from it.

For the victorious Yankees, Kevin Youkilis went 2-4 with a home run and a double. For the Angels, Mike Trout paced the team with a 3-5 outing. He hit two home runs, bringing in three RBIs.

The Angels now lead the series two games to one. Game 4 will be in Anaheim on Thursday, with Phil Hughes and Tommy Hanson scheduled to face off.

Danny and Gary Took Over, and LeBron Just Watched

To those that aren't into sports, Gary Neal and Danny Green are names that would not seem mean much. But last night in San Antonio, those were names of two men that essentially set The World on fire and gave their team, the Spurs, a two to one lead in the NBA Finals.

The Spurs hit a Finals-record 16 threes, with Gary and Danny accounting for thirteen of them. This lead them to the third-largest margin of victory in Finals history, with the 36-point drubbing falling just behind Game 7 of the 2008 Finals and Game 3 of the 1998 Finals.

I was in awe of this performance by the Spurs, and more specifically by Danny Green. In these first three games, he just hasn't missed. Of the 30 shots he has attempted in this series, 23 of them have been threes, and he's made 16 of those threes. That new hotness has allowed Danny Green to become this series's leader in scoring with 56 points.

Now, Danny Green being really good at hitting threes isn't new, but it's always fun to see a given player get hot from outside. That is what has happened to Mr. Green, and you better believe I was going crazy last night by the third made three. The following four had me over the edge. At the end of the night I was shocked he only went 7 for 9, as I honestly thought he went 107 for 109.

Now, to the Heat. That performance was so sorry they should apologize to their fans, the city of Miami, and their family for it. Erik Spoelstra was rightfully disgusted (I like that he left the Big Three in the game for a little longer then you usually leave starters in a blowout), but the players also said the right things. "It's just one game, no matter how many points it's by", said LeBron. He's right. To say that this game is an automatic indictment on how the next game will go would be a false statement.

But, boy, did they look bad in this game. As a team, the Heat shot 40.8% from the field. But while the offense was down, the defense was really bad. Besides the obvious fact that they gave up 113 points, it just seemed like they weren't challenging shots or getting those key boards to give themselves the upper hand. Whenever a Spur put up a shot, Miami players wouldn't even close out on them, they would already start heading down the court. And the team was housed in rebounding 52 to 36.

With the team's lack of size, the ability to drive the lane cut out by the Spurs D, and the struggles of the Big Three, that small-ball is being heavily exposed. While essentially playing 4 on 5 worked against the Thunder, it won't fly with a veteran team like the Spurs.

Lastly, I live in a city where the hate for LeBron runs deep. Honestly, a good amount of the NBA Finals's ratings out of the Chicago market is mostly from people wanting to see the Heat lose. This dislike can lead many Chicagoan to spout untrue generalizations about him as a player and a person. And then in comes me, who looks at stats a lot, to seem like a LeBron caper (a person that defends, or "saves" a person. Like a superhero, who would wear a cape) by comparison.

But in this game, Game 3 of the 2013 NBA Finals, I think all the hate he gets is justified. LeBron James is the best active player in the NBA (don't argue, just accept it), and there was no reason for him to be as passive as he was in this game. The 7 for 21 he shot and the 15 points he scored that show up on the box score does not tell the story of how ineffective he was for this team.

I get that he wants to facilitate and get teammates involved in the game. But at some point, when your teammates aren't coming through, you as a great player need to take things into your own hands. Realistically, most players can't turn on that switch. If an opponents' defense shuts you down, then you're just going to have a bad game. But LeBron isn't most players, and we've seen him activate Beast Mode time and again. Why he doesn't do it more, and why he didn't do it in this game, baffled and annoyed me. I feel like the Heat would be better served if (they got a capable center in the offseason and) LeBron was just a little more selfish when the chips are down.

But we'll see what happens in Game 4 on Thursday. Will the Heat make the necessary adjustments? Or will the Anonymous Dynasty continue to reign on and rain threes?