Quick hit on the Panthers selection of Boston College LB Luke Kuechly.
I like it.
At the 9 spot, Carolina would have been hard pressed to find a player with the skills, athleticism, and football smarts of Kuechly. He will be a good fit to the Panthers linebacking corps. Sure, there are questions about whether Kuechly will start, but in the NFL, to me anyway, starts are immaterial. The 11 guys who start on defense do not play every single defensive snap. Kuechly has versatility to move from the weakside to the strong, and of course has the middle in his repertoire as well.
The Panthers questions are more about how soon Jon Beason will be back up to speed (last week, he pronounced himself 80% back), and if Thomas Davis will be able to stay on he field. Davis is coming off of his 3rd ACL surgery on the same knee, so the odds are long that he will be able to contribute. Davis had a solid pre-season as well as season opener in 2011. He re-injured the knee in week 2 against Green Bay, but if he looks anything like he did before the Packers game, Davis will be a factor in the LB corps.
Two more days of the draft remain for Carolina, and it will be interesting to see which way they go to plug some areas of need on their roster.
Mike Solarte
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Madness of the NFL Draft
First off, let me remind you, I am Mike Solarte, not Mel Kiper.
His job is to study the draft, and all things connected to it. Me? I try and worry about everything from football to hoops to golf....well, you get the idea.
I will admit, right off the bat, I have no clue who the Carolina Panthers will select with their first round pick (9th overall). As of this blog, I am pretty sure even they don't really KNOW. They have ideas and scenarios, but to think they are locked in on one specific player would be inaccurate.
Who do I THINK they will take? BC linebacker Luke Keuchly or UNC DE Quinton Coples. Those are the guys I THINK they would select. And it would take two different scenarios for each of them. Keuchly at 9, if the Panthers don't trade down. Coples at 16 if they work a deal with the NY Jets. Keuchly's resume is solid, and Carolina could use a guy like him as both depth and insurance. The Panthers are watching for Jon Beason and Thomas Davis to return from season-ending injuries in 2011.
As for Coples, there is the now-famous knock on him, that he takes plays off. He doesn't try hard all the time. I would like to remind the Court of Public Opinion, the same was said of Julius Peppers when he came out of college. He was so terrible with the Panthers, that many fans hated him when he left after spending 7 seasons in Carolina, and refused to sign a long-term deal. Yes, I know he wasn't terrible.
The NFL Draft is as inexact a science that you will find. For every 6th or 7th round gem, there are 1st and 2nd round washouts. Tom Brady, Terrell Davis come to mind as late round gems. Ryan Leaf and Eric Shelton come to mind as early pick washouts.
My advice: on draft night, whether you watch at home, or at a sports bar with buddies, enjoy the ride, and the night. The Draft signifies one thing: the new season is rapidly approaching.
Had to add this in. Former Charlotte Bobcats Head Coach Larry Brown took to the airwaves of the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday and basically told anyone listening that while Michael Jordan was brilliant, he is surrounded by idiots. The idiots are also "yes" men who can not tell His Airness "no."
OK, so if that is the case, why is it Bobcats fans had to wait for Brown to be fired before seeing Gerald Henderson get quality minutes? Not saying Henderson is a star, but how do you know what you have if you don't play him?
Why did Brown lobby so hard for Tyrus Thomas to get the big contract he got? Thomas has proven nothing in this first year of the big deal, other than a reported altercation with Head Coach Paul Silas. Maybe Brown was hoping for a tussle with Thomas himself. Who knows.
For every gripe of Brown's, there are questions that can be fired back in his direction about his run in Charlotte. In the end, Brown sounds like a jilted girlfriend. While his knowledge of the game is tremendous (he's forgotten more about the game than I will ever know), this instance makes him look petty, which is sad. Brown is the ONLY coach to win both the NBA Title and an NCAA Championship.
You can add Travelling Whiner to that list as well. Is there one spot that Brown left in better shape than when he got there?
Mike Solarte
His job is to study the draft, and all things connected to it. Me? I try and worry about everything from football to hoops to golf....well, you get the idea.
I will admit, right off the bat, I have no clue who the Carolina Panthers will select with their first round pick (9th overall). As of this blog, I am pretty sure even they don't really KNOW. They have ideas and scenarios, but to think they are locked in on one specific player would be inaccurate.
Who do I THINK they will take? BC linebacker Luke Keuchly or UNC DE Quinton Coples. Those are the guys I THINK they would select. And it would take two different scenarios for each of them. Keuchly at 9, if the Panthers don't trade down. Coples at 16 if they work a deal with the NY Jets. Keuchly's resume is solid, and Carolina could use a guy like him as both depth and insurance. The Panthers are watching for Jon Beason and Thomas Davis to return from season-ending injuries in 2011.
As for Coples, there is the now-famous knock on him, that he takes plays off. He doesn't try hard all the time. I would like to remind the Court of Public Opinion, the same was said of Julius Peppers when he came out of college. He was so terrible with the Panthers, that many fans hated him when he left after spending 7 seasons in Carolina, and refused to sign a long-term deal. Yes, I know he wasn't terrible.
The NFL Draft is as inexact a science that you will find. For every 6th or 7th round gem, there are 1st and 2nd round washouts. Tom Brady, Terrell Davis come to mind as late round gems. Ryan Leaf and Eric Shelton come to mind as early pick washouts.
My advice: on draft night, whether you watch at home, or at a sports bar with buddies, enjoy the ride, and the night. The Draft signifies one thing: the new season is rapidly approaching.
Had to add this in. Former Charlotte Bobcats Head Coach Larry Brown took to the airwaves of the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday and basically told anyone listening that while Michael Jordan was brilliant, he is surrounded by idiots. The idiots are also "yes" men who can not tell His Airness "no."
OK, so if that is the case, why is it Bobcats fans had to wait for Brown to be fired before seeing Gerald Henderson get quality minutes? Not saying Henderson is a star, but how do you know what you have if you don't play him?
Why did Brown lobby so hard for Tyrus Thomas to get the big contract he got? Thomas has proven nothing in this first year of the big deal, other than a reported altercation with Head Coach Paul Silas. Maybe Brown was hoping for a tussle with Thomas himself. Who knows.
For every gripe of Brown's, there are questions that can be fired back in his direction about his run in Charlotte. In the end, Brown sounds like a jilted girlfriend. While his knowledge of the game is tremendous (he's forgotten more about the game than I will ever know), this instance makes him look petty, which is sad. Brown is the ONLY coach to win both the NBA Title and an NCAA Championship.
You can add Travelling Whiner to that list as well. Is there one spot that Brown left in better shape than when he got there?
Mike Solarte
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Panthers schedule and Pucks
First things first, Carolina Panthers schedule was released at 7pm Tuesday night, and here's how it looks:
Sun. Sept. 9 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium 4:15 p.m. FOX
Sun. Sept. 16 vs. New Orleans Saints Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Thu. Sept. 20 vs. New York Giants Bank of America Stadium 8:20 p.m. NFLN
Sun. Sept. 30 at Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 7 vs. Seattle Seahawks Bank of America Stadium 4:05 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 14 Bye
Sun. Oct. 21 vs. Dallas Cowboys Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 28 at Chicago Bears Soldier Field 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Nov. 4 at Washington Redskins FedEx Field 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Nov. 11 vs. Denver Broncos Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. CBS
Sun. Nov. 18 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Mon. Nov. 26 at Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Sun. Dec. 2 at Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 9 vs. Atlanta Falcons Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 16 at San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium 4:05 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 23 vs. Oakland Raiders Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * CBS
Sun. Dec. 30 at New Orleans Saints Mercedes-Benz Superdome 1:00 p.m. * FOX
* - Subject to flexible scheduling.
Two national TV games, one at home, one on the road. And those only the guaranteed ones. A hot start would make Carolina eligible for the flex scheduling in the back end of the campaign. Two divisional games highlight the final month of the season, which means the Panthers will have to make hay early on in the NFC South. Also of note, the 4:15 start times while on the east coast, one against Tampa on Sept. 9, and one at home against Seattle (of course that is for the west coast audience benefit).
Next, the Stanley Cup playoffs have been riveting, and making headlines, but not for the hockey. The headlines are being made for the after-the-whistle stuff. Read, the fights.
Folks, I'm here to tell you, this is the round that this sort of thing takes place. It will happen like this every year. This year, it is amped up because there is a rivalry series in Pittsburgh v. Philadelphia, and there are a couple of teams trying to assert themselves against members of the NHL's Original Six (Nashville v. Detroit, and Ottawa v. NY Rangers).
Winning a championship isn't supposed to be easy. It is supposed to be difficult, and in hockey, a game where emotions are on the razor's edge every second of the game, it is going to boil over. Having been on both sides of the on-ice equation, as both a player and referee, I get it. I understand what it means to be playing in those games, and understand what it means to be officiating those kinds of games (not at the NHL level, but to hockey players, the stage doesn't matter).
For those folks complaining about it, I offer you this: give it a week. The rough stuff will go away, as teams are a step closer to winning a title. Fighting becomes more of a hindrance than a help for teams chasing the ultimate prize. It will stop.
For me, I'll watch whether they duke it out, or skate it out. It's just hard for me to sit and listen to people who have NEVER played that game (or any other in some cases), constantly trash it. If only they could experience the joys of teamwork, and camaraderie. What it is like to know the player next to you on the bench is with you, working for the common goal. Sometimes, especially in hockey, it gets rough and it gets messy. It's just part of the gig.
Mike Solarte
Sun. Sept. 9 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium 4:15 p.m. FOX
Sun. Sept. 16 vs. New Orleans Saints Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Thu. Sept. 20 vs. New York Giants Bank of America Stadium 8:20 p.m. NFLN
Sun. Sept. 30 at Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 7 vs. Seattle Seahawks Bank of America Stadium 4:05 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 14 Bye
Sun. Oct. 21 vs. Dallas Cowboys Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 28 at Chicago Bears Soldier Field 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Nov. 4 at Washington Redskins FedEx Field 1:00 p.m. FOX
Sun. Nov. 11 vs. Denver Broncos Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. CBS
Sun. Nov. 18 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Mon. Nov. 26 at Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Sun. Dec. 2 at Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 9 vs. Atlanta Falcons Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 16 at San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium 4:05 p.m. * FOX
Sun. Dec. 23 vs. Oakland Raiders Bank of America Stadium 1:00 p.m. * CBS
Sun. Dec. 30 at New Orleans Saints Mercedes-Benz Superdome 1:00 p.m. * FOX
* - Subject to flexible scheduling.
Two national TV games, one at home, one on the road. And those only the guaranteed ones. A hot start would make Carolina eligible for the flex scheduling in the back end of the campaign. Two divisional games highlight the final month of the season, which means the Panthers will have to make hay early on in the NFC South. Also of note, the 4:15 start times while on the east coast, one against Tampa on Sept. 9, and one at home against Seattle (of course that is for the west coast audience benefit).
Next, the Stanley Cup playoffs have been riveting, and making headlines, but not for the hockey. The headlines are being made for the after-the-whistle stuff. Read, the fights.
Folks, I'm here to tell you, this is the round that this sort of thing takes place. It will happen like this every year. This year, it is amped up because there is a rivalry series in Pittsburgh v. Philadelphia, and there are a couple of teams trying to assert themselves against members of the NHL's Original Six (Nashville v. Detroit, and Ottawa v. NY Rangers).
Winning a championship isn't supposed to be easy. It is supposed to be difficult, and in hockey, a game where emotions are on the razor's edge every second of the game, it is going to boil over. Having been on both sides of the on-ice equation, as both a player and referee, I get it. I understand what it means to be playing in those games, and understand what it means to be officiating those kinds of games (not at the NHL level, but to hockey players, the stage doesn't matter).
For those folks complaining about it, I offer you this: give it a week. The rough stuff will go away, as teams are a step closer to winning a title. Fighting becomes more of a hindrance than a help for teams chasing the ultimate prize. It will stop.
For me, I'll watch whether they duke it out, or skate it out. It's just hard for me to sit and listen to people who have NEVER played that game (or any other in some cases), constantly trash it. If only they could experience the joys of teamwork, and camaraderie. What it is like to know the player next to you on the bench is with you, working for the common goal. Sometimes, especially in hockey, it gets rough and it gets messy. It's just part of the gig.
Mike Solarte
Monday, April 9, 2012
Augusta National. My first trip.
Wow.
Having only seen the Augusta National track on TV, I was amazed at how much television makes the course bigger than it really is. The fairway on 18 on my TV looks to be some 90 yards wide. In person, it was far narrower. The 18th green? Not nearly as big as it appears in the coverage.
The beauty? Well, TV doesn't do that justice either. The place is incredible. It is the perfect mix of man and nature. The way that the golf course is manicured, and maintained, is hard to believe. The practice areas are in better condition than the course I grew up playing on. Everything about the golf at Augusta is first class. Everything.
If you follow me on twitter (twitter.com/MikeSolarte) then you know I am attached to my iPhone. I tweet a lot. However, phones aren't allowed outside the walls of the media center. Makes it tough to tweet. I was forced to unplug. A little unnerving at first, but after a while, it was rather liberating. It forced me to look around and fall in love with the game of golf all over again. And I was only there for the weekend.
Bubba Watson's win of the Masters is one for the ages. Watson's run of birdies on the back nine created a new set of roars, ones which are reserved for Georgia's favorite sons. And by way of his college days, he is a Georgia son. Bubba is the every man golfer, that the every man wants to be. He swings for the fences, he wears his hair long all over (a rather impressive salad if you enjoy long hair), but most of all, he wears his heart and his emotions on his sleeve. Wide open, for all the world to see, Bubba Watson is exactly who you see on TV. He is fun, funny, a self-proclaimed 33-year-old child. He is a devoted husband, a doting new father of an adopted son, and a man deeply rooted in his faith.
Bubba represents a lot of good in the game of golf, and it hard not to root for him. You don't have to, of course, but you would be forgiven if you got a little choked up watching him after he realized he had won his first major championship.
I had the honor and privilege to see that drama unfold, and I was about 30 feet away from Watson as Charl Schwartzel slipped that green blazer over Watson's shoulders. As a journalist, I got to witness Watson realize his dream.
As a golfer, I got choked up wishing it were me.
Mike Solarte
Having only seen the Augusta National track on TV, I was amazed at how much television makes the course bigger than it really is. The fairway on 18 on my TV looks to be some 90 yards wide. In person, it was far narrower. The 18th green? Not nearly as big as it appears in the coverage.
The beauty? Well, TV doesn't do that justice either. The place is incredible. It is the perfect mix of man and nature. The way that the golf course is manicured, and maintained, is hard to believe. The practice areas are in better condition than the course I grew up playing on. Everything about the golf at Augusta is first class. Everything.
If you follow me on twitter (twitter.com/MikeSolarte) then you know I am attached to my iPhone. I tweet a lot. However, phones aren't allowed outside the walls of the media center. Makes it tough to tweet. I was forced to unplug. A little unnerving at first, but after a while, it was rather liberating. It forced me to look around and fall in love with the game of golf all over again. And I was only there for the weekend.
Bubba Watson's win of the Masters is one for the ages. Watson's run of birdies on the back nine created a new set of roars, ones which are reserved for Georgia's favorite sons. And by way of his college days, he is a Georgia son. Bubba is the every man golfer, that the every man wants to be. He swings for the fences, he wears his hair long all over (a rather impressive salad if you enjoy long hair), but most of all, he wears his heart and his emotions on his sleeve. Wide open, for all the world to see, Bubba Watson is exactly who you see on TV. He is fun, funny, a self-proclaimed 33-year-old child. He is a devoted husband, a doting new father of an adopted son, and a man deeply rooted in his faith.
Bubba represents a lot of good in the game of golf, and it hard not to root for him. You don't have to, of course, but you would be forgiven if you got a little choked up watching him after he realized he had won his first major championship.
I had the honor and privilege to see that drama unfold, and I was about 30 feet away from Watson as Charl Schwartzel slipped that green blazer over Watson's shoulders. As a journalist, I got to witness Watson realize his dream.
As a golfer, I got choked up wishing it were me.
Mike Solarte
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Masters Week...and more
A tradition unlike any other...The Masters.
You'll be hearing that phrase a bunch over the next four days. The Masters tees it up on Thursday, and Phil Mickelson predicts a "birdie-fest," if rains continue to soak the golf course. Still, the first major of the year always seem to bring out the very best play, from the very best players on the planet.
Tiger Woods is the pre-tournament favorite, but there are about 30 other players in this field that can be slipping on a green blazer at the end of the week. Rory Mcllroy likely feels like Augusta owes him one, Hunter Mahan won last week in Houston, Webb Simpson, Bill Haas, and others could be the ones taking advantage of soft greens, thanks to the rains that have fallen there already.
On a personal note, I'll be making my first ever trip to Augusta for this event. Will try to capture my visit with words, as photos are not allowed to be taken on tournament days.
NASCAR gets this weekend off for Easter, and that's a good thing, since so many drivers were unhappy with David Reutimann in Martinsville. It's a tough spot to be in. Reutimann is driving the Cup series ride on weeks when Danica Patrick is not, so keeping that car in the top 35 in points is vital to keep it locked into each week's field. Reutimann was doing all he could to nurse a wounded car around the 1/2 mile track, but it finally gave out. Should he have been sent to the garage for not maintaining minimum speed? Absolutely, but he tried to make it. His breakdown (the car just stopped on the track) ended a dream scenario for Hendrick Motorsports, as 3 of their 4 cars were in the top 3 with just a few laps left.
Ultimately, NASCAR should have stopped Reutimann when he wasn't maintaining minimum speed. Period. It's not NASCAR's job to keep a car in the top 35, that falls on the team and driver. To an outsider, it would look like NASCAR bent as much as they could to try and help Reutimann stay on the track, but not for himself, but for the chance to keep Patrick locked into the field when she runs in Cup again. NASCAR knows the bang Patrick brings to racing. They realize the coverage NASCAR gets when Patrick is there, and her missing the race is bad for business. Business, however, should never overtake the competition side of NASCAR. I can understand why someone would accuse NASCAR of trying to keep Patrick's in the field. I don't think that's what happened here, but only NASCAR knows for sure.
A couple observations on the baseball season:
1-It started last week in Japan. Yeah, I know you missed it too. Sadly, the start of a professional league season went completely unnoticed by everyone except the two teams that played. It was Seattle and Oakland, by the way.
2-The Miami Marlins unveiled their new ballpark Wednesday night in the stateside MLB opener. What a building. Absolutely gorgeous on TV. I didn't like the pre-game though. Here's why.
Muhammad Ali was brought out in pre-game in a golf cart. The champ's health has been in decline for years. Seeing him sitting there, shaking uncontrollably is not the way I wish to see one of America's greatest sports icons. I was sad watching him. I don't want him to be put away or anything, but teams trying to capitalize on their big events by bringing Ali out just seems wrong to me. I remember Ali as the original trash talker, and as one of the most amazing heavyweights ever. He'll always be The Greatest.
Another thing that "struck out" with me, the National Anthem, as performed by Jose Feliciano. Wonderful artist, but the song wasn't written like that. Same goes for "The Fray" at the NCAA final. C'mon people, ya gotta have some respect for the song that represents the country in which you live. I know I have railed on this in the past, but two bad ones in a week? There is only one, and I mean ONE artist that is exempt from my criticism of Anthem performing.
Jimi Hendrix. Period.
Mike Solarte
You'll be hearing that phrase a bunch over the next four days. The Masters tees it up on Thursday, and Phil Mickelson predicts a "birdie-fest," if rains continue to soak the golf course. Still, the first major of the year always seem to bring out the very best play, from the very best players on the planet.
Tiger Woods is the pre-tournament favorite, but there are about 30 other players in this field that can be slipping on a green blazer at the end of the week. Rory Mcllroy likely feels like Augusta owes him one, Hunter Mahan won last week in Houston, Webb Simpson, Bill Haas, and others could be the ones taking advantage of soft greens, thanks to the rains that have fallen there already.
On a personal note, I'll be making my first ever trip to Augusta for this event. Will try to capture my visit with words, as photos are not allowed to be taken on tournament days.
NASCAR gets this weekend off for Easter, and that's a good thing, since so many drivers were unhappy with David Reutimann in Martinsville. It's a tough spot to be in. Reutimann is driving the Cup series ride on weeks when Danica Patrick is not, so keeping that car in the top 35 in points is vital to keep it locked into each week's field. Reutimann was doing all he could to nurse a wounded car around the 1/2 mile track, but it finally gave out. Should he have been sent to the garage for not maintaining minimum speed? Absolutely, but he tried to make it. His breakdown (the car just stopped on the track) ended a dream scenario for Hendrick Motorsports, as 3 of their 4 cars were in the top 3 with just a few laps left.
Ultimately, NASCAR should have stopped Reutimann when he wasn't maintaining minimum speed. Period. It's not NASCAR's job to keep a car in the top 35, that falls on the team and driver. To an outsider, it would look like NASCAR bent as much as they could to try and help Reutimann stay on the track, but not for himself, but for the chance to keep Patrick locked into the field when she runs in Cup again. NASCAR knows the bang Patrick brings to racing. They realize the coverage NASCAR gets when Patrick is there, and her missing the race is bad for business. Business, however, should never overtake the competition side of NASCAR. I can understand why someone would accuse NASCAR of trying to keep Patrick's in the field. I don't think that's what happened here, but only NASCAR knows for sure.
A couple observations on the baseball season:
1-It started last week in Japan. Yeah, I know you missed it too. Sadly, the start of a professional league season went completely unnoticed by everyone except the two teams that played. It was Seattle and Oakland, by the way.
2-The Miami Marlins unveiled their new ballpark Wednesday night in the stateside MLB opener. What a building. Absolutely gorgeous on TV. I didn't like the pre-game though. Here's why.
Muhammad Ali was brought out in pre-game in a golf cart. The champ's health has been in decline for years. Seeing him sitting there, shaking uncontrollably is not the way I wish to see one of America's greatest sports icons. I was sad watching him. I don't want him to be put away or anything, but teams trying to capitalize on their big events by bringing Ali out just seems wrong to me. I remember Ali as the original trash talker, and as one of the most amazing heavyweights ever. He'll always be The Greatest.
Another thing that "struck out" with me, the National Anthem, as performed by Jose Feliciano. Wonderful artist, but the song wasn't written like that. Same goes for "The Fray" at the NCAA final. C'mon people, ya gotta have some respect for the song that represents the country in which you live. I know I have railed on this in the past, but two bad ones in a week? There is only one, and I mean ONE artist that is exempt from my criticism of Anthem performing.
Jimi Hendrix. Period.
Mike Solarte
Monday, March 26, 2012
St. Louis sends UNC home empty
I had to recall a conversation I had with our very own Brad Broders after UNC's exit from the NCAA Tournament in 2011, and I told him these exact words:
"If UNC can stay healthy, they will be a Final Four team in 2012."
Sadly, prophetic.
UNC's guards were decimated by injuries with Leslie McDonald out before the season even started, Dexter Strickland's knee injury, and then Kendall Marshall's wrist. Then add in John Henson dealing with a wrist issue, and then an ankle issue against Kansas. That's a lot to overcome.
Before you start saying I am making excuses, I am not. UNC had to go with the bodies they had, and while Stilman White performed very well, the vibe with Marshall at the point is just different. In the end, injuries cost UNC their Final Four shot, and leaves many to wonder "what if."
They will also wonder "what's next?" The only senior Carolina loses of substance is Tyler Zeller (which is a major loss), but Marshall, Henson, and Harrison Barnes are all able to come back. Will they try to do it one more time? I think this group enjoys playing together, but the NBA beckons. All three would be selected, but would they be lottery picks? I am always an advocate for staying in school, but I also understand the reality that a pro sports career window is not guaranteed to be a big one. Personally, I would love to see the underclassmen all return, and watch this team play one more year together. Even if they don't win it all, their NBA stock would be through the roof. If they decide to go pro, I wish them well.
Austin Rivers has decided to head to the NBA, he will hire an agent, and thus end his college career. How ready for the next level is Rivers? Between now and the draft, the word "upside" will be (over)used to describe every underclassman worth anything heading to the Draft. I am not sure Rivers body is ready for the rigors, but he won't be thrust into a starters role right out of the box (at least that is my guess). He needs to add some muscle to his frame, but if you ask his father, Doc Rivers, Austin's game is ready. Doc telling our cameras on Monday night that the decision could have gone either way, and that he is proud of his son. He should be.
Back to the NCAA Tourney, as for the remaining teams, I had Kentucky winning it all before the dance started, and after watching them blitz through their first four games, I see no reason to think they won't be cutting down the nets next Monday in New Orleans.
Hope to see you contribute to our new segment on Ford Sports Night. We call it point and shoot, and here's how you do it!
Mike Solarte
"If UNC can stay healthy, they will be a Final Four team in 2012."
Sadly, prophetic.
UNC's guards were decimated by injuries with Leslie McDonald out before the season even started, Dexter Strickland's knee injury, and then Kendall Marshall's wrist. Then add in John Henson dealing with a wrist issue, and then an ankle issue against Kansas. That's a lot to overcome.
Before you start saying I am making excuses, I am not. UNC had to go with the bodies they had, and while Stilman White performed very well, the vibe with Marshall at the point is just different. In the end, injuries cost UNC their Final Four shot, and leaves many to wonder "what if."
They will also wonder "what's next?" The only senior Carolina loses of substance is Tyler Zeller (which is a major loss), but Marshall, Henson, and Harrison Barnes are all able to come back. Will they try to do it one more time? I think this group enjoys playing together, but the NBA beckons. All three would be selected, but would they be lottery picks? I am always an advocate for staying in school, but I also understand the reality that a pro sports career window is not guaranteed to be a big one. Personally, I would love to see the underclassmen all return, and watch this team play one more year together. Even if they don't win it all, their NBA stock would be through the roof. If they decide to go pro, I wish them well.
Austin Rivers has decided to head to the NBA, he will hire an agent, and thus end his college career. How ready for the next level is Rivers? Between now and the draft, the word "upside" will be (over)used to describe every underclassman worth anything heading to the Draft. I am not sure Rivers body is ready for the rigors, but he won't be thrust into a starters role right out of the box (at least that is my guess). He needs to add some muscle to his frame, but if you ask his father, Doc Rivers, Austin's game is ready. Doc telling our cameras on Monday night that the decision could have gone either way, and that he is proud of his son. He should be.
Back to the NCAA Tourney, as for the remaining teams, I had Kentucky winning it all before the dance started, and after watching them blitz through their first four games, I see no reason to think they won't be cutting down the nets next Monday in New Orleans.
Hope to see you contribute to our new segment on Ford Sports Night. We call it point and shoot, and here's how you do it!
Mike Solarte
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Saints apparently have dirty halos
The NFL came down on the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, penalizing them for running a "bounty" program. Defenders were paid for hits that knocked players out of games, or had them carted off the field.
Those are the crimes. The punishment was stiff:
-Head Coach Sean Payton suspended without pay for a year (beginning April 1).
-GM Mickey Loomis suspended for the first 8 weeks of the season, also without pay.
-The Saints were fined $500,000 dollars.
-Former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the alleged architect of the program, was suspended from all NFL activities indefinitely.
-The Saints had 2nd round draft picks in 2012, and 2013 taken away from them.
Steep sanctions to say the least.
Good for the NFL.
I say that, because the idea of placing a bounty on the head of another player in pro sports is ridiculous. The same players that know full well they are one play away from possible death are going to put money in a pot to see who can injure another player? The mere notion of that is disgusting.
Football is a violent enough game when players are simply trying to play the game hard. Reading posts from players and former coaches on Twitter made me scratch my head. Former Head Coach Jimmy Johnson tweeted (through his verified account): "Bounties have been around for years throughout the league on a much smaller basis...lot of hypocrites out there." So that makes it ok?
The players that I have been in contact with in my days covering the NFL seem to be the kind of guys that would not take part in a program like that. I may be wrong, and if I am, then so be it, but the guys I have spoken to are players that value their careers, and respect the careers of others. Sure, they play hard, and they play tough, but they play fairly. Injuries occur on their own, and do not need to be helped by guys trying to be RoboCop on the football field.
Again, good for the NFL.
Elsewhere, the Charlotte Bobcats finally parted ways with forward Boris Diaw, after he and the team agreed to terms on a buy-out of his contract. It had been a rather stormy 2 weeks for the two sides in this. Nuts and bolts of it, Diaw wasn't playing hard enough for Head Coach Paul Silas' liking, Silas benched him (eventually deactivating him). Diaw is loaded with talent and ability, but it means nothing if it isn't applied. I liked Diaw, and wish him well, but the ending of this marriage was messy, to say the least.
In the end, everyone is happy. The Bobcats are out from under a big contract, Diaw will likely sign with a playoff-bound team for a bargain price, and the drama is removed from a locker room that needs to focus on hoops, and nothing else.
Mike Solarte
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