USA Men's Basketball & The Great Debate

Earlier this month while practicing in anticipation of this year's Summer Olympics in London, England, USA Men's Basketball team captain Kobe Bryant opened up a can of worms by saying the 2012 squad could take the 1992 Dream Team. "It would be a tough one but I think we could pull it off," Kobe told reporters in Las Vegas just days before the team took the court against the Dominican Republic. Those comments came much to the dismay of Michael Jordan and his former teammates who didn't hesitate to fire back with comments of their own.

While Jordan questioned Kobe's intelligence by saying, "For Bryant to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done," it was Charles Bakley who really put the stake in the heart of Team USA by stating other than Kobe, LeBron, and Durant, the rest of the team wouldn't even make the '92 squad. And while I would make a case for Chris Paul who's already been touted as one of the greatest point-guards of all-time, I'd agree with Sir Charles. Regardless of whether or not Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were already past their prime when the two joined forces to bring home a gold medal in the summer of '92, the depth and size of the Dream Team would eat this 2012 team alive in the paint. The trio of Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and David Robinson would out-rebound this current squad and punk Tyson Chandler for his lunch money while Patrick Ewing filmed it. Insert a healthy Dwight Howard into the lineup, however, and this team might stand a chance in the rebound department.

With the Olympics yet to begin, Kobe's comments may have come a bit prematurely as it would take only two games for them to prove this 2012 team is no Dream Team. After winning easily against a John Calipari coached Dominican club by a final of 113-59, they'd have a close call against the Brazilians who almost made it a single-digit loss before eventually falling 80-69. After getting back on track with a 118-78 romp of an inexperienced Great Britain team, the Americans would have another scare, this time against Argentina with the U.S. escaping with only a six-point victory (86-80). Finishing their exhibition schedule against Spain who's ranked #2 in the world only behind the United States and is expected to be the toughest opponent coach K's squad will be up against this summer, Kobe Bryant and co. would have little trouble against his Laker teammate Pau Gasol who witnessed the Americans finish a perfect 5-0 after their 100-78 victory over the Spaniards despite playing on Spain's home turf.

It's no secret that the Dream Team which consisted of 11 Hall of Famers routed their opponents by an unheard of average of 44-points, but the competition back then wasn't as talented as it is now with the exception of a few countries. To the defense of Kobe, since 1992, the rest of the world has only improved on the game of basketball. Not to say the Dream Team wouldn't have won gold with ease in his day and age, but teams would have been a little bit more competitive. Something the Dream Team can't argue as the sport was basically looked upon as extraterrestrial outside of the U.S., as much of the world was still new to the game of basketball. Even Kobe said of team USA's competition, "Look, they are just as competitive as we are, they want to win, they believe that they can win - which is different from '92."

Having earned the distinction of arguably the greatest team ever assembled in the history of sports, MJ and the boys of the '92 squad in Barcelona have reason to be upset. But unless someone hires the dude who put the Tupac hologram together which performed during April's Coachella Music Festival, we'll never hear the end of it and will never truly see how a game played between the two teams would play out. One thing that's certain, however, is that all eyes will be on the Americans. Never has the pressure for a U.S. Men's Basketball team to bring home the gold been this high after Kobe's asinine comments. Hey Kobe, you're my boy and all, but lets see how this team fares during Olympic play before we begin comparing teams to the greatest of all-time, shall we?

Kobe, LeBron, Durant and the rest of the 2012 U.S. Men' Basketball squad will begin their quest for the gold medal on Sunday July 29 against San Antonio's Tony Parker and team France which can be seen on NBC.

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Ichiro bids a Sayonara to Seattle

For 12 seasons, baseball fans in Seattle witnessed Ichiro Suzuki become a fixture, manning the outfield and breaking records on more occasions than one. Donning a Mariners uniform as recent as yesterday, M's fans were treated to a sight they were unfamiliar with on Monday night as the Japanese star took the field on the opposing side for the first time since he broke onto the big league scene in the U.S.. After helping the Mariners win games for over a decade, Ichiro would turn the tables and help beat them only a day later. With the Mariners fighting to avoid logging the worst record in the American League and most likely on their way to their third straight last place finish in the AL West and this season likely to be his last, Ichiro requested to be traded to a ball club currently in a much better position to make a push for the playoffs. A request Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik would fulfill by shipping him from the last place Mariners (42-56) to the first place Yankees (58-38) who currently boast the best record in the Major Leagues. Though the 10-time All-Star will now shift from playing on the west coast to playing on the east coast, for Ichiro, the move from his old ball club to his new one was as simple as walking from one dugout to the other.

With the New York Yankees in Seattle preparing to kick off game 1 of a 3 game set against the Mariners, there was no plane ticket or bus ride needed as Ichiro traded in his old M's uniform for Yankee pinstripes. And in his first game playing with his new ball club, plugged in as the number eight hitter, he would go up against the only other Major League franchise he's ever known. After being announced over the intercom by the public address announcer for the first time as a visitor, the 38-year old future Hall of Famer was given a standing ovation from the 29,911 fans in attendance at Seattle's Safeco Field before taking a bow and waving his helmet to the Mariners faithful. Those cheers would eventually die down as Ichiro singled in his first at-bat and stole second before finishing the ballgame 1-for-4 as the Yankees went on to win by a final of 4-1. 

Having struggled last year as well as the the first half of the 2012 season, hitting a career-low .261 thus far, Ichiro and the Yankees are hoping that plugging him back into a pennant race will help revitalize him at the plate. And while Yankees GM Brian Cashman isn't expecting the 38-year old to turn into the Ichiro of old who was winning batting titles in 2001 and 2004, his addition into the lineup is one the Bronx Bombers could definitely use with their speedy outfielder Brett Gardner likely to remain on the shelf for the remainder of the season as he's scheduled to undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery next week and Nick Swisher temporarily sidelined with a hip injury. In the final year of his contract with a Mariners ball club that was going nowhere but down, Ichiro sought a brighter future for the organization by helping them rebuild and get younger with right-handed pitching prospects D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar as well as cash considerations in exchange for himself as well as allow manager Eric Wedge to give playing time to another player in the outfield.

The deal is one that benefits both parties as Ichiro lands in a position to finally add a World Series ring to an already impressive resume which includes 2 American League batting titles, 10 Gold Glove Awards, 10 All-Star appearances, 1 All-Star Game MVP Award, 3 Silver Slugger Awards, 1 AL MVP Award and an AL Rookie of the Year Award. And that's not including all of his achievements in the nine years he played prior to the big league while in Japan.

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From Red to White, The Return of Youkilis

One team's trash is another team's treasure. That could simply be said for former Boston Red Sox third baseman and fan favorite Kevin Youkilis who when healthy this season didn't quite produce the way first year skipper Bobby Valentine had envisioned. Hitting a dismal .233 with 4 home runs and 14 RBI's in 42 games for the Boston ball club, it was no secret that Youkilis was in a funk, nor was he seeing eye to eye with his manager as the two shared a rocky relationship. After losing his starting job to the hot-hitting rookie Will Middlebrooks, the once upon a time spark plug for the Red Sox was at an all time low. And not far behind was his stock. With nowhere else to go on the baseball diamond after a failed experiment at first base which seemed to only make him struggle more at the plate, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington had no other option than to trade him. 

With several ball clubs interested in the 33-year old veteran in his ninth season, it was the Chicago White Sox who landed Youk in hopes of solving their problem at third base in exchange for pitcher Zach Stewart and utility man Brent Lillibridge with the Red Sox agreeing to pay $5.5 Million of Youkilis' salary. In his final at-bat as a member of the Red Sox, Youkilis would treat the Boston faithful to the perfect farewell, hitting a triple before being pinch ran for, leading to a standing ovation and a curtain call which served as a storybook ending for what was a memorable nine-year tenure with a Red Sox franchise he helped win two World Series titles. And after only a few games and a handful at-bats in a White Sox uniform, it appeared that a change of scenery and a different color of sox was all the 3-time All-Star needed to be rejuvenated at the plate as he made his presence felt with an immediate impact.

Having hit .353 with 4 homers, 15 RBI's, 13 runs scored and 11 walks over 13 games in July, including 5 hits in 14 at-bats in Boston against his former team where the return was just as welcoming as it was emotional, White Sox GM Kenny Williams and the South Siders appear to have struck gold with their most recent addition. With the White Sox currently atop the AL Central in a tie with the division-rival Detroit Tigers who were expected to run away with the division coming into the season, Youkilis' bat just might be Chicago's key to making the postseason where they haven't been since 2008. That'll all depend on whether or not he can stay healthy. With trip after trip to the disabled-list it seems, Youkilis, a career .286 hitter, has averaged just 119 games from 2009-2011.


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Melky's Memorable First Half

Since the Giants ball club has been around dating back to the late 1800's as one of baseball's oldest teams, there's been few players to play for the franchise who've had a better first half of a season than Melky Cabrera. Instead of hitting home runs left and right, Cabrera instead awed fans by collecting hits at a torrid pace. After logging one of the best months by a Giant in franchise history by surpassing the great Willie Mays' mark of 49 hits in the month of May before later tying Randy Winn the very next day for the most hits in a single month by a Giant (SF era) with 51, Cabrera was named to the 2012 All-Star Game where he led all National League outfielders in votes with more than 7.5 Million.


Having led the Major League in hits with 119, while most players cooled off during the All-Star break, the 27-year old native from the Dominican picked up right where he left off in Tuesday's Midsummer Classic by collecting the game's first hit in the top of the first inning, lacing a single to left-center field off of Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander. After coming around to score on an RBI double by Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun later in the inning, Cabrera watched his Giants teammate Pablo Sandoval get in on the action by hitting a triple off the wall in right which cleared the bases and gave the NL All-Stars a commanding 4-0 lead before adding another run in the inning thanks to an RBI single from St. Louis' Matt Holliday which scored Sandoval. Having piled on 5-runs against last year's reigning AL Cy Young and MVP Award winner after only the first frame, the game was well over and decided. But Melky wouldn't abandon the fans of Kansas City who watched him have a breakout season the year before in a Royals uniform without giving them a show. 

After tacking on another run in the fourth inning, Cabrera put the finishing touches on the ballgame by launching a 2-run homer to left field off of Texas' Matt Harrison, giving the National League an 8-run lead they wouldn't surrender or even allow the American League to bite into. Finishing the game 2-for-3 while driving in and scoring 2 runs, Cabrera was named All-Star MVP as voted on by the fans, edging out fellow San Francisco teammate Pablo Sandoval (1-for-2, 1 Run, 2 RBI) and Milwaukee's Ryan Braun (2-for-3, 1 Run, 1 RBI). With his mother and grandmother in attendance to catch his very first All-Star appearance, the two got to share the field with Melky as he was awarded his MVP hardware along with the keys to a new car. 2012 marks the sixth time a member of the Giants was named All-Star MVP, including Bobby Bonds who took home MVP honors for his performance in the 1973 Midsummer Classic which was also played in Kansas City, tying the Baltimore Orioles for the most All-Star MVP Awards.

Joining Melky in this year's All-Star Game was Giants pitcher Matt Cain who started the game and threw 2-shutout innings before being awarded the win, catcher Buster Posey and the aforementioned Pablo Sandoval, tying the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals for the most players named to NL All-Star team with four. Having amassed a robust .353 batting average which trails only Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen for tops in the league, Cabrera's currently on pace to tie if not set a career-high in Home Runs, RBI's, Runs and Stolen Bases set last year with KC. And in case everything he's done during the first half of the season was somehow missed, showcasing his talent at the All-Star Game in front of a national audience should be enough to open the eyes of Giants GM Brian Sabean and convince him to sign the outfielder to a multi-year deal before he hits the free-agent market when his contract expires this coming winter. Melky and co. will begin the second half of the season on Friday night at home against the Houston Astros, trailing the arch-rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Western Division by only 1/2 a game. 

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Lakers fill Point-Guard void with veteran Nash

With the Lakers' Ramon Sessions fleeing Los Angeles by deciding not to exercise his $4.5 Million player option for the 2012 season in hopes of signing a more lucrative contract elsewhere, the Lakers were left on the outside looking in at the point-guard position with the exception of Steve Blake. Refusing to lose sleep over the matter, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak wasted little time to work his magic as the franchise has appeared to have now found their man as long-time rivals Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant will now join forces in Tinseltown.

Having  faced one another for well over a decade now in the Western Conference since both being drafted in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft, there's very few players currently in the league who've become as well acquainted with one another than Bryant and Nash. And until this past Wednesday, fans would have to wait until the All-Star Game to see Kobe and Nash playing alongside one another. That is no longer the case as the Lakers have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns which will send Steve Nash to L.A. where he'll ink a three-year deal worth an estimated $27 Million in exchange for first round picks in the 2013 and 2015 Draft as well as second round picks in 2013 and 2014. Though the addition of Nash makes the Lakers look that much older on paper and fails to fit the ideal description of head coach Mike Brown's defensive-minded ball club, he brings with him a dribbling and passing ability that hasn't been seen in L.A. in decades. He's also pretty good at shooting. Not since the Showtime Lakers which featured a backcourt ran by a guy named Ervin Magic Johnson have the Lake Show had a point-guard of this magnitude.

Many skeptics have already begun to question if Kobe and Nash can co-exist and believe the two sharing the floor on the same squad won't necessarily work. They're wrong and here's why; Not in the history of his tenure with the Lakers (16 seasons) has Kobe had a point-guard capable of distributing the ball, not to mention draw attention and run the offense quite like Nash can. With Bryant aware now more than ever that he can no longer put the team on his back and carry them to another NBA title, he'll do everything it takes to get that sixth ring. Even if that means handing over the keys to the offense to a 38-year old guy that has made 8 All-Star teams and has won 2-NBA MVP Awards. If the Lakers had acquired any other 38-year old I would've opposed, but Steve Nash has proven that he still has enough juice left in the tank to fill L.A.'s point-guard needs as he still managed to average 12.5 points and 10.7 assists per game last year which ranked second in the league despite being among the oldest active players in the game today.

With the roster the Lakers currently have, Nash will have plenty of options to dish to on offense with both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in the post. And while the deal gives Laker fans something they've been without for far too long -- a legit point-guard, what it doesn't give them, however, is the right to be dubbed the team to beat in the Western Conference. At least not until they can prove that they can go toe to toe with a much quicker and younger Oklahoma City Thunder squad that will remain the consensus favorite to represent the Western Conference in next year's NBA Finals, something they'll be even hungrier for this time around having now tasted defeat. That could all change, however, if the Lakers are able to finally land Orlando's Dwight Howard who they've flirted with on numerous occasions and are once again surfacing in the trade-o-sphere as a possible destination. 

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