Silver, NBA Explore Midseason Tournament Possibilities

A midseason tournament means more primetime matchups

News broke last week that NBA commissioner Adam Silver is exploring the league's options about implementing a midseason tournament into the NBA schedule. As many have noted, there is only one trophy that a team can win. In fact, in American sports, there is only trophy in each league. The MLS and the soccer leagues overseas have multiple cups and trophies that can be won.

Here in the States, the MLS has their postseason playoffs with the winner being awarded the MLS Cup, but in the middle of each season they hold the MLS Open Cup, which is another tournament for the league. The NBA is smart for considering this option in their own league and would be wise to implement it. However, there are a few issues that the league would need to overcome first.

The biggest issue with Silver's proposed idea is that the NBA season is already packed with 82 games and potentially 28 more in the playoffs. Factor in the national team games for the World Cup and Olympics, practices, summer workouts, etc. and the NBA player never really gets a break. Money always wins though, so don't shorten the season by much, but perhaps a 76 game schedule. This takes six regular season games off the slate so the midseason tournament could only allow a team to play a total of 81 games.

That brings us to the layout of the tournament. If I were Adam Silver then this is what I would consider. Do the tournament in a single-elimination format. Seed the teams based on the current standings with the top two teams getting a first round bye. Forget conferences for the tournament and just seed them 1-30. The bracket above shows what the tournament would look like with the final 2013-14 NBA standings.

Beyond the layout of the tournament things could get interesting. Since David Stern was commissioner, the NBA has focused on growing the game all around the world. For the midseason cup I would suggest growing the game right here in the United States. All the games should be hosted in cities that do not have an NBA team. Seattle, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, St. Louis and Pittsburgh would all be viable options with arenas large enough to hold an NBA contest. Other sites such as Kansas City, Raleigh, Anaheim, Omaha and Buffalo could also be considered. The neutral sites means a neutral crowd just like the NCAA Tournament and it draws a crowd in cities that aren't in the league.

Lastly, the NBA should look at holding the tournament in late-January through mid-February. Every game leading up to the title can be held at the venues listed above, similar to the NCAA Tournament. However, the championship should be held on Friday night to kick off All-Star weekend. The Rising Stars Game could be the opening act for the title game, which would be held in the All-Star host arena.

After the Christmas Day games the league goes into a lull. All-Star Weekend isn't the exciting event it once was. The Dunk Contest is weak and many people complain about the playground-style All-Star Game. Inserting the cup championship would be huge for the league and make at least one part of the weekend must-see television.

The league has a great idea here. Without a doubt there are many things to sort out, but it's a possibility and it has the opportunity to be great for the league. Silver continues to show that he is the right man for the job and moving forward with this idea would bring a fresh new event to an already successful league.

MLB All-Star Break Swings and Misses

Another Midsummer Classic has come and gone for Major League Baseball and it is always hit or miss when it comes to the All-Star festivities. Minneapolis seemed to be a great host in a great ballpark, but there was plenty that went wrong. It is clear that there needs to be a change if the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are going to continue as must-see television. Here are a few of my thoughts on the happenings this weekend.

1. The Home Run Derby was awful
Normally, the Home Run Derby is the most fun part of the All-Star festivities, but this year it was a complete disaster. The weather, which is beyond anyone's control, caused the Derby to start an hour late. Once the competition finally began the league had tinkered with the format, which was regrettable to say the least. Rather than eight competitors, the event had ten with five players from each league. To combat the extra two players, MLB decided to give hitters only seven outs in the first round instead of the usual ten.

This hardly seemed to work as many players had low home run totals and the event still took hours. That brings me to my next point: the event is too long. The Home Run Derby lasted nearly as long as the entire All-Star Game. The new format may have been the cause of this, but whatever MLB decides to do, they need to limit the Derby to only eight players.

The new bracketed format worked against the MLB as Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Bautista each had to wait nearly two hours before they hit for the second time. Consequently, fans were hardly given the show they came to see and hurt the event. Low home run totals at a Home Run Derby is nothing to brag about and MLB will have to go back to the drawing board before Cincinnati in 2015.

2. Adam Wainwright did nothing wrong
There always has to be a story and sometimes the media has to dig pretty deep and blow something way out of proportion to make a story. This is exactly what has happened with Adam Wainwright's "pipe shot" to Derek Jeter when he led off the first inning. Before Jeter came to bat Wainwright performed one of the classiest gestures by stepping back off the mound and dropping his glove to join in the standing ovation for the soon-to-be retired Jeter. It was a beautiful moment.

To make it even more beautiful, Jeter sent a leadoff double down the line and would finish the game 2-2. Shortly after Wainwright exited the game he made a comment to reporters that he basically threw the ball right down the middle for Jeter to hit. So what? Perhaps he shouldn't have said that, but who cares if he did? It doesn't take away from the fact that it was a great night in honor of Jeter and it doesn't take away from Wainwright's classy move before the inning began.

In fact, here's why what Wainwright said is awesome: it shows that All-Star Game counting for World Series home-field advantage is the stupidest thing. That is a rule that has to go as soon as Bud Selig gets out of office. This is a fun exhibition game that is for the fans and for the players to have fun. It shouldn't count for home-field advantage and it's time to realize how silly that rule is. Props to Wainwright for a great moment and for shedding light on the fact that the game counting is dumb.

3. ESPN and FOX struggled
The coverage of the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game wasn't terrible, but there were silly mistakes and omissions in both telecasts. During ESPN's broadcast of the Derby they messed up graphics three different times. They listed Jose Bautista as a Yankees player, Troy Tulowitzki has an American League player and referred to the Marlins as the Florida Marlins. These are small things, but not mistakes you want happening with all eyes on your network. In addition, when MLB did their Stand Up To Cancer moment, Chris Berman and John Kruk's mics were still on and during what should have been a moving moment, the whole world could hear Berman say, "Should we stand up for this?" and then grunt while getting out of his chair.

The next night FOX did a decent job with the broadcast as Joe Buck always delivers. However, the night had some glaring omissions. Amid all the Jeter talk, FOX never once honored Tony Gwynn, Ralph Kiner or Don Zimmer who all passed away in the past year. The three legends of the game couldn't get a mention, but Jeter was the subject of talk all night. Not taking anything away from Jeter, but it certainly would have been a nice tribute if FOX would have honored the other three or at least mentioned them.

Lastly, CBS sent out a tweet that said it was Michael Jeter's last All-Star Game and Sports Illustrated tweeted that Mike Trout had won the MVP after going 3-2. That truly is an MVP-type game for Trout if that's the case.

All in all, it was a poor All-Star break and MLB has work to do to fix the Midsummer Classic. A change in commissioner could bring about new ideas and new life and that would certainly be welcomed. Improvements are needed across the board.

LeBron's Latest Foray into Free Agency Much Better

A lot has changed for LeBron James in the last four years. On July 8, 2010 James made the worst mistake of his career, announcing his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami with the slimy Jim Gray as host on what was dubbed The Decision. Televised on ESPN, The Decision set off jersey-burning in Cleveland and has guaranteed that James will be booed mercilessly in every city that he spurned.

Now in 2014, James has two rings on his fingers, two more MVP awards (which brings the overall count to four), is the undisputed best player in the league and has taken the Heat to four straight Finals. But free agency has come calling again and James is still undecided on his future. Twitter has never been more abuzz with speculation and poor reporting. The need to "get the scoop" has usually-credible journalists losing some of that credibility every day.

Some people are mad at James. Make a decision and keep us from waiting any longer, they say. His every move is followed and documented by a basketball paparazzi. Everybody and their mother seems to be a source these days and that includes the Akron police force. Akron's finest set the Twitter nation in motion the other day, telling reporters that they were asked to station a few men outside James' home and expect a 3:30 announcement. That announcment never came, but Clevelanders came out in droves to park their cars in front of James' home. What were they waiting for? Who knows -- James was in Las Vegas at his annual basketball camp.

People seem to be growing angry at James for not announcing his decision. He is made out to be the villain again if he chooses against Cleveland. Yet there is no need for animosity towards LeBron this summer. He has done everything right.

Amid all the tweets, all the speculation, all the propaganda put out by ESPN, remember this: LeBron James has not said a word. He has not led any fan base on nor has he really given any team hope. If you have hope of James returning to Cleveland then it wasn't he who gave it to you. It was ESPN and the rest of the basketball reporting world.

I don't particularly like LeBron James. I appreciate his greatness and understand I will probably never watch another player with his set of skills and size. I don't think he's the greatest player ever and I don't think he ever will be. However, I do appreciate his maturity in this case and it clearly shows he has learned from his mistakes.

Chris Sheridan, Frank Isola and whoever else can keep on giving false reports from their "sources." LeBron is entitled to make a decision when he sees fit and he has handled it correctly. Why don't we all get off the guy's back and slow down with the Twitter reports.

Stop calling this "Decision 2.0" because James has never called it that. ESPN has. The network has employed all the best gossip journalism tactics and has set up James to be the villain once more. However, be smart enough to really look at the situation and see that LeBron James has handled this round of free agency with much more maturity than he did last time. He shouldn't be the villain this time.

So don't make him one.

Ann Coulter: Out of Line and Ignorant

The World Cup is now in full swing as the knockout round begins today with Brazil taking on Chile. It has been the most entertaining collection of soccer that I have been alive to watch and, quite frankly, this is the most exciting month in sports aside from the Olympic games. The significance of the World Cup is due largely in part to the fact that it happens once every four years which allows the anticipation and excitement to build over an extended period of time. However the most obvious reason for all of the hype surrounding the World Cup is that soccer is the world's sport. It always has been and it always will be. Yet here we sit, with the round of 16 just minutes away from beginning, and one American journalist doesn't have the slightest idea just how special this tournament is.

Ann Coulter wrote a scathing article about the sport of soccer, saying that the increased interest for the game is a sign of "moral decay". Coulter went on to give multiple reasons about why she believed soccer is over-hyped and, essentially, not worth even noticing. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that doesn't mean that said opinion deserves respect. So to counter the blasphemy that Coulter felt the need to publish to the world that is surely laughing at her, here's a look at why this particular journalist is nothing short of uneducated.

Coulter says: "Individual achievement is not a big factor in soccer. In a real sport, players fumble passes, throw bricks, and drop fly balls - all in front of a crowd..."

Being in shape to battle for 90 minutes is underappreciated

Two things: Her first problem is that she turned everyone off to whatever else she was going to say when she failed to recognize soccer as a "real sport". Ann Coulter, please go get in shape to run/sprint for 90 minutes while having the footwork to have the perfect touch on a ball, to be able to make a 40 yard pass straight to your teammate's chest, and to be able to bend in a free kick from 30 yards out. The finer necessities of the game of soccer go unappreciated because the average ignorant American (in this case it's Ann Coulter) doesn't take the time to actually study the game. They see the flopping and the constant complaining from the players and immediately write off soccer as something that's not to be taken seriously. I pity those people.

The second issue of this statement is that she believes there is no individual achievement or failure? I didn't even feel frustration at this comment because the humor of this display of ignorance trumped anger. No individual achievement? Ann Coulter, have you never watched a player take a penalty kick? Have you never watched a player redirect a header into the net off a corner kick? Have you never watched a keeper make a save in a one-on-one situation? While it takes 11 players to give the team a chance to score, individual success is what drives the sport! In her article, Coulter says that when a baseball player makes an error they have to stand there as the whole stadium recognizes their mistake. Well I can honestly say I would rather have 30,000 people in one stadium voice their displeasure with me for dropping a fly ball than to miss a crucial penalty kick in the World Cup and have my entire country cursing my name. No individual achievement or failure? Oh, Ann Coulter, you make me laugh.

Coulter says: "No other "sport" ends in as many scoreless ties as soccer."

You say that like it's a bad thing? Sorry that every soccer game isn't scoring in the 30's and 40's like football, or the 90's and 100's like basketball. Sorry that scoreless ties in soccer means that for 90 MINUTES the two teams were evenly matched and both teams refused to let up. Sorry that, in a game where one bad touch by a midfielder, or one missed marking assignment by a defender could result in a goal, both teams stood their ground and played beautiful soccer for the duration of the match. Are goals exciting? Absolutely, any type of scoring is. But how can you complain when scoring in soccer is as intense, if not a little more, than scoring in hockey is? Goals can be hard to come by, and that's the beauty of the sport. In some games it takes one goal to decide the game and a 1-0 final is MUCH more common than a 7-0 final in football. My point is that letting up a touchdown in football is not as hard of a mistake to overcome as letting up a goal in soccer is.

Coulter says: "Baseball and basketball present a constant threat of personal disgrace. In hockey, there are three or four fights a game -- and it's not a stroll on beach to be on ice with a puck flying around at 100 miles per hour. After a football game, ambulances carry off the wounded. After a soccer game, every player gets a ribbon and a juice box."


I'm not quite sure what the fighting in hockey has to do with soccer? Hockey is the only sport where fighting is tolerated to a certain degree. If you fight in any other sport you're looking at an ejection, suspension, and possibly a fine as well. So, nice try Ann Coulter, the hockey argument is relevant only to hockey. As for soccer not presenting a constant threat of personal disgrace? I'm a collegiate keeper and in past games I've been scored on by my own teammates. I've watched other keepers whiff while attempting to clear a ball only to have the ball roll into the back of the net. I've seen forwards put moves on a defender that send them to the ground in more embarrassing fashion than a basketball defender having his ankles broke by a crossover. I've seen players trip and fall over their own feet when it's a one-on-one situation with the keeper. No threat of personal disgrace? That comment is yet another testament to your unwillingness to do your research and watch a game. And to think you're supposed to be a journalist with credibility?

Also, to glorify a sport for needing ambulances to carry players off a field during a game? That's an issue in itself. If you're going to determine if something is a sport based off the type of/severity of the injuries the game inflicts then I'm genuinely concerned for your mental well-being. You say that watching soccer is a sign of moral decay yet you believe soccer is not a sport because you believe it doesn't need ambulances to be on-call? Oh, the irony.

Coulter says: "The USA-Portugal game was the blockbuster match, garnering 18.2 million viewers on ESPN. This beat the second-most watched soccer game ever: The 1999 Women's World Cup final (USA vs. China) on ABC. (In soccer, the women's games are as thrilling as the men's)."

USA vs. Portugal was as exciting as any game in this year's Cup

I need some help understanding this. So, Ann Coulter, what you're saying is that it's a BAD thing that the women's games are as entertaining as the men's? You're essentially saying that sports are better when the men receive more attention and are viewed as superior to the women? Men's sports receive more attention in every sport yet when there is finally equality between the two genders and their World Cup TV ratings, you get upset? After all these movements for gender equality over the past few centuries you scoff at the fact that people actually pay attention to both the men's and women's US national teams? You're setting your entire gender back a step with comments like that. 

Coulter says: "Run-of-the-mill, regular-season Sunday Night Football games average more than 20 million viewers; NFL playoff games get 30 to 40 million viewers; and this year's Super Bowl had 111.5 million viewers."

That's a quality stat. It's good to know that the most popular sport in America is getting the most TV ratings because, quite frankly, I never would have guessed. Football is an American sport, it's obviously going to attract the average American more than a sport that originated in a different country. Hockey originated in Canada, is the growing interest in that sport a sign of moral decay? Actually, I want to retract that question. It's not a sign of moral decay because, as you said in your article, there are fights in that sport, so that definitely puts it higher up on the totem pole than soccer.

Here's an idea, Ann Coulter. Go to London or Manchester and ask people how they feel about American football. I guarantee you get laughed at. Both my brother and I have been to Europe and the Europeans laughed at us for supporting a sport like American football. The point is that different countries have different native sports. For Europe and most of the world it will always be soccer. For America, football looks like it's here to stay as our nation's most hyped sport. Just because a sport is not popular somewhere else in the world doesn't mean it's not a sport.

Ann Coulter, your article was very nicely structured. It provided a beginning, a middle, and (praise the heavenly God above) an end. You were also able to bring out multiple emotions such as frustration, anger, humor, and pity. Never in my life have I read something so unintelligent and unwarranted. The ignorance of that entire article is something to behold. You're entitled to your opinion but, quite frankly, I'll never respect anything you said. Ignorance is bliss. And nobody does ignorance better than you, Ann Coulter.

"Princess Lacey" Passes At Age 8

The Michigan State Spartans enjoyed plenty of success this season despite dealing with numerous injuries throughout the year. Keith Appling, Branden Dawson, and Adreian Payne all missed an extended streak of times, causing Tom Izzo's squad to appear out of sync at times. When March rolled around, however, Sparty hit its stride and made a run to the Elite 8 before losing to the eventual champions: the Connecticut Huskies. Though a Final Four run was statistically expected (every senior before this year's class made a Final Four run under Tom Izzo), the season was nowhere near a disappointment. And while Michigan State had its struggles this season, there was always a bright spot in the toughest of times.

Payne and Lacey cut down the net together after the B1G championship

Her name was Lacey Holsworth and she was in an ongoing battle with a form of nerve cell cancer called neuroblastoma. Yet along the way she had befriended a familiar face to anyone who watches college basketball: Michigan State's Adreian Payne, the 6'10 senior who will surely hear his name called this June in the NBA Draft. Payne met Lacey while visiting the children's hospital earlier in his career in East Lansing and the friendship began quickly. While it's not uncommon to see big-time athletes visit hospitals or help those in need, Payne and Lacey shared a different kind of bond. Lacey began to attend the Michigan State games due to invitations extended to her by Payne and she became part of the program. The entire team embraced her and she became a huge part of the Spartan's success.

Nobody outside of the Michigan State program could possibly imagine just how much she meant to Payne or the team, but from a spectator's view it was clear to see that she had a major impact. She was an eight year old girl offering inspiration to a roster of 18-22 year old young men. To say that that's touching might be an understatement. And it's because of how much of an influence she had on Payne and his teammates that today is the toughest day this team has had to face this year. Lacey Holsworth took her last breath this morning in her home, a heart-breaking and tear-jerking loss for not only the Michigan State program, but for basketball fans in general.

Payne and Lacey on Senior Night

There are plenty of things that made Lacey Holsworth special and the fact that Adreian Payne helped her along the way is a reason to believe there are still great individuals in sports. This friendship was not a one-time thing, it wasn't something Payne did to improve his image, and it wasn't something that Payne did to feel good about himself. The heart of the Michigan State forward and the determination and fight of the eight year old girl can teach everyone numerous lessons. Together, these two taught us that friendship can be found in the most unlikely times, with the most unlikely people. It didn't take Adreian Payne carrying "Princess" Lacey around the court on Senior Night to realize that these two individuals were sincere towards one another, and while the Spartans were wonderful in including Lacey in their program, it was Payne who played the biggest role. He brought Lacey up the ladder to help him cut down the net after the Spartans won the Big Ten Tournament and he even brought her down to Dallas for the dunk contest he participated in. Before one of his dunks, he had Lacey touch the ball for good luck before throwing down a ridiculous reverse.

It was great to see Lacey smiling on the sidelines when Payne walked over to her before that dunk, and it was easy to see that Payne was sincere. Nothing Payne did for or with Lacey was done for the cameras or to make himself look like a hero. This was bigger than basketball and it was bigger than Payne's senior season. This was a future NBA player and an eight year old cancer patient sharing a bond that some people don't ever experience. It's unbelievably sad to hear the news of Lacey's passing but at the same time it's a celebration of just how big of an impact she made not just on her family, but the college basketball world in just eight short years. It's never easy to stomach someone passing well before we believe they should, but Lacey will forever be remembered in positive light. RIP Lacey Holsworth. Thank you for the lessons you taught us and for inspiring us to never stop fighting. And thank you, Adreian Payne, for teaching us that not every athlete is a thick-headed thug like so many people stereotype them to be. God bless the Holsworth family and the Michigan State team as they mourn the loss of their biggest fan.