Big Names Missing From NBA All Star Game
Posted by Ross Everett | Filed under 1
The NBA All Star game was played without a couple of high profile participants this year as the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson would not play due to injury. Kobe and ‘AI’ were the latest in a string of injuries to All Star players that also claimed Portland’s Brandon Roy and New Orleans’ Chris Paul.
Kobe Bryant has been plagued with minor injuries all year, but missed the Lakers’ last three games prior to the All Star contest due to an ankle sprain. Los Angeles is hopeful that by not playing in the game that Kobe will be able to return to action immediately after play resumes following the All Star break. Bryant did travel to Dallas to participate in All Star game festivities. Kobe is always the center of attention wherever he goes and presided over the annual slam dunk contest as well as a benefit appearance for retired racing wombats.
Iverson has missed Philadelphia’s past five games due to an illness suffered by one of his young children. Unlike Kobe, Iverson wasn’t expected to be in Dallas this weekend due to the nature of his situation. It’s debatable that Iverson deserved an All Star game nod in the first place. He quickly wore out his welcome in Memphis to start the year, and eventually landed back in Philadelphia where he’s averaged 14.4 points per game since his return. He was voted in to the starting lineup by NBA fans, and this renewed calls from the media to revise the procedure for selecting All Star game participants.
Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks was chosen to replace Bryant in the Western Conference lineup, while New York’s David Lee was the East’s fill in for Iverson. The West already had two ‘fill ins’ named to their roster as Denver’s Chauncy Billups and the LA Clippers’ Chris Kaman took the place of Chris Paul and Brandon Roy respectively.
NBA betting enthusiasts had several options on the menu beginning with the annual ‘rookies vs. sophomores’ game on Saturday. The Sophomores were a -12 point favorite with the total set at 245′ but were crushed by the rookie team. As usual, defense was in short supply at both the ‘rookie v. sophomores’ game and the actual All Star event.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
Tags: basketball, Business, entertainment, Leisure, marketing, NBA basketball, recreation, Recreation & Sports, sports
Blazers Pick Up Camby
Posted by Ross Everett | Filed under Recreation & Sports
The Portland Trailblazers have needed a big inside presence ever since starting center Greg Oden and backup Joel Pryzbilla went down with season ending injuries. They finally found one on Tuesday as they acquired veteran Marcus Camby from the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers received forward Travis Outlaw and guard Steve Blake.
The transaction also served to answer the nagging question about Portland’s point guard situation. Steve Blake and Andre Miller have shared time running the offense, but Blazers’ management apparently felt that Miller was a better fit with superstar shooting guard Brandon Roy. Ironically, until Miller picked up a lot of the offense slack lately with Roy on the shelf with a hamstring injury the presumption was that he’d be the one heading elsewhere as the NBA trade deadline approached.
All three players involved are in the final year of their current contract, meaning that barring anything unforeseen Camby’s career in Portland will probably last only 23 games plus the playoffs. Outlaw and Blake may or may not fit into the Clippers longterm plans-assuming that one of the NBA’s most consistently underachieving teams actually has ‘longterm plans’ in the first place.
Camby was introduced to the Rose Garden crowd during Portland’s rout of his old team, the LA Clippers receiving a standing ovation. Earlier, he’d indicated that he was excited to be going to the Blazers:
“I think it’s a great situation for myself. It’s a first-class organization that really takes care of their own. I hope I can bring my knowledge of the game, and blend in these last 27 games. I’m really excited to be here.”
He talked about the strange situation of actually being in Portland when the trade went down:
“I only brought one change of clothes. It’s been a real rough, rough 24 hours for me, but real exciting at the same time.”
Camby also said that he’s interesting in staying in ‘Rip City’ longterm:
“Hopefully things work out for myself and work out for the team. Hopefully they have plans for me in the long term.”
Portland GM Kevin Pritchard added:
“We are very excited to bring an experienced big man of Marcus’ caliber to the team and we feel he’ll help us a great deal down the stretch run. He’s a fierce competitor and has been one of the league’s best defensive players for quite some time.”
The 35 year old Camby has long been considered one of the NBA’s best defensive big men. Despite playing on a LA Clippers team well off the playoff pace in the Western Conference, he’s second in the league in rebounds with 12.1 per game.
Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer experienced in travel, casino gambling and sports handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and scuba diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.
Tags: basketball, Hobbies, marketing, NBA basketball, recreation, Recreation & Sports, sports
LA Clippers Relieve Mike Dunleavy Of Coaching Duties
Posted by Ross Everett | Filed under Recreation & Sports
In one of the stranger front office shakeups in recent NBA history, the Los Angeles Clippers have ‘relieved’ Mike Dunleavy of his head coaching duties effective immediately. He’ll remain on board as the Clippers’ general manager, and both he and the team cited the demands of the forthcoming trade deadline and free agent market as a catalyst for the change. Dunleavy leaves as the most successful head coach in the team’s less than distinguished history.
Not surprisingly, there is much speculation as to the back story behind the move. Some with knowledge of the situation suggest that Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling wanted to fire Dunleavy altogether, but relented due to the $5 million the team will owe him in the final year of his contract next year. More recently, a bizarre rumor has been circulating that Sterling has approached Isiah Thomas about taking over Dunleavy’s coaching position and becoming team president. While Isiah would bring a level of fabulousness never before seen on the Clippers’ sidelines, he hasn’t had much success either as a coach or executive in the NBA.
Dunleavy issued this statement, playing along with the team’s insistence that the decision to give up coaching was ‘mutual’:
“I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the ideal time for me to direct my efforts toward the many personnel opportunities that lie before us, such as the trade market, the draft and the free-agent process. We fully expect to be active and productive on all those fronts.”
Team President Andy Roeser gave this statement:
“We fully agree with Mike that this is the right time to make this change. It just seems clear that the team needs a fresh voice and we hope that our players will respond in a positive way.As we approach the trade deadline, the NBA draft and the upcoming free-agent period, our team is very well positioned from a salary-cap standpoint. Mike’s experienced input will be vitally important as we continue to develop our young talented nucleus and shape our team’s future.”
Dunleavy’s agent Warren LeGarie didn’t deviate from the script:
“This is something we’ve been contemplating for some time. There’s a shelf life to coaching sometimes. So you constantly have to keep measuring whether [the team's inconsistency] is because of injuries, because of you, or something else. And at some point you have to make a judgment call about what’s best for the team, and that’s what Mike did.”
The Clippers have lost 7 of their last 10 games to fall to 21-29 on the year. They’re 17 games behind the Western Conference leading Los Angeles Lakers and 8 games out of the final playoff spot. The schedule won’t get any easier for the Clippers after the break as they head to Portland’s Rose Garden Arena to take on the Blazers.
Ross Everett is a highly respected cheerleading coach and a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports. He provides Internet and broadcast media outlets with daily free sports picks when not working with Olympic bound ice skaters. He is a widely published writer specializing in sports handicapping, falconry, auto racing and wombat breeding. He lives in Las Vegas with his Asian houseboy, three dogs and a wombat.
Tags: basketball, entertainment, Hobbies, marketing, NBA basketball, recreation, Recreation & Sports, sports
Blazers Sign All Star Guard Roy To 5 Year Contract Extension
Posted by Ross Everett | Filed under Recreation & Sports
After a summer of negotiational back and forth during which both sides indicated at various points that they were far apart and then making progress, the Portland Trailblazers have inked All Star shooting guard Brandon Roy to a five year contract extension. Roy will be in the final year of his rookie contract in the forthcoming NBA season, and securing the services of a player that did no less than turn around the franchise was the teams top summer priority.
Some suggest that the emergence of Roy actually saved the Portland NBA franchise. After a run during the late 1980s behind Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter, the team went a long way toward alienating their passionate fan base. They had a competitive team at times, but Blazer management was tone deaf to the desire of the community to have a franchise that they could be proud of off the court as well as on it. Instead, the Blazers pulled together a roster consisting of character challenged reprobates that earned the moniker JailBlazers for their frequent legal transgressions.
With the Blazers fans staying away from the arena in droves, team owner Paul Allen had finally had enough. In the late 1990’s, he gutted the franchise management and cleaned house. The new management was given the charge to put together a roster that would not only win games, but win back the Rose City fans. The acquisition of Roy will likely be looked at as the turning point for this effort. The Blazers acquired Roy on draft day 2006 for Randy Foye, and would go on to win the NBAs rookie of the year award.
Since that point, Roy has become the face of the franchise. The Blazers”who were 21-61 the year before Roy arrived”posted a 54-28 record last season. Roy has become the centerpiece of a talented young team had has not only become a force in the NBAs Western Conference but has gone a long way to winning back the Portland fan base. The current crop of Blazers is more likely to be found in the aisles at Home Depot or at Starbucks than in the police blotter, and the team seldom puts forth a substandard effort on the court.
Roy will earn $4 million dollars in the last year of his rookie season, after which his five year $82 million dollar contract will kick in. The first four years are guaranteed, while the fifth is at the players option. Roys agent Bob Myers strongly suggested that Roy wanted to remain with the Blazers for his entire career, noting that he “is one of the unique players to have a chance to have that sort of relationship with one team.”
The team will now turn its attention to signing a long term deal with forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is also in the final year of his rookie contract and a key component to the teams recent success. At last report, talks between the two sides are progressing.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer specializing in casino gambling, fine dining and sports betting. He has appeared on a number of TV and radio programs offering strategies for successful NFL football betting. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a pet llama. He is currently writing a biography of former NFL quarterback Jim Plunkett.
Tags: basketball, Business, Hobbies, marketing, recreation, Recreation & Sports, sports
The Jump Manual Review Teaches Anyone How To Jump Higher
Posted by Steve Wygant | Filed under Recreation & Sports
The Jump Manual is an information packet that can help anyone jump to higher levels during physical activities. If you play sports, then you are likely searching for the best exercises to keep yourself in the best shape possible for your activity. The Jump Manual Review will be able to show you information for jumping higher.
Most people using the Jump Manual, who apply what they learn, are seeing dramatic rises in the height they are capable of jumping. Results are often achieved within a few weeks of starting. After a few weeks, you start getting results from the recommended exercises and you will be seeing your abilities improve when performing the strategies the manual gives you. Your overall body strength will be greatly improved by these tasks too. By following this guide, and doing the recommended exercises, anyone can achieve great improvements in their ability to jump to new heights.
Improving your fitness level can be one of the most important parts to increasing your ability to jump. By improving your fitness level, you increase your strength and decrease the amount of weight you are carrying around with you. Some people have been able to improve their fitness levels enough to the point they are now able to dunk on professional sized basketball courts. People who have successfully applied the strategies of the jump manual, feel a sense of accomplishment when they are able to jump higher than anyone else they know.
This is one of the most comprehensive guides available on increasing a person’s ability to jump. If you want to reach the rim when you are playing basketball, then you should look into the jump manual.
This guide will show you the proper techniques to apply to every factor affecting your ability to jump and stay fit. You will be guided in your choices involving nutrition, exercises, and even discipline to maximize your results. By keeping your exercise regimes in order, eating the right foods, and applying all of these techniques consistently, you will see large improvements in your ability to jump and achieve your sports goals.
There are other ways to improve your ability to jump, but the truth about these programs is they are not effective. You can hire a personal trainer to target a specific area of athletics, but they will not be able to give you the secrets to jumping higher. Most trainers do not have very much knowledge about this skill. With the jump manual, you will be getting the best information available today on this topic.
There are other methods that people can use to help them improve their jumping abilities. Many of these programs are not as effective as this strategy though. There are other manuals available, but most of them are just sales pitches without any substantial help available for people. Then, there’s always the option of hiring a personal trainer. These can be great for overall fitness, but they often lack the expertise required for jumping higher. If you want to jump higher than ever before, then you will want to look into the jump manual created by experts in the art of jumping.
You may be concerned that this is a scam, but there is an easy way to prove this is real. Take a look at the testimonials sent in by actual users of this program. There is video of people after successfully applying the methods presented in the Jump Manual. These videos show how anyone can go from being an average jumper to jumping to super star heights.
The Jump Manual Review and The Vertical Project Review will show you the tricks to getting a higher jump. If you’re trying to improve your jump, you need to check this out!
Tags: basketball, increase vertical jump, increase vertical jump programs, jump, Recreation & Sports, sports, vertical jump, vertical jump programs
Read Three Excellent Plyometric Training Workouts That Help In Increaing Vertical Jump
Posted by Blake Helton | Filed under Recreation & Sports
Increasing your vertical requires a lot of motivation, effort, and doing the exercises the right way. Use these three plyometric exercises to help you improve your vertical jump. If you want to reach your main goal of jumping higher then set smaller, simpler goals of performing the exercises right the first time.
The following plyometric exercises are all very different and effective ways to improve your vertical. They are push-up jumps, drop jumps, and deep lunge jumps. Make sure that you do all three and not just one of them.
A push-up jump involves a few simple steps. First you should start standing straight up with your feet shoulder-width apart. As quickly as you can get down into a push-up position and do one push-up. Once you have done the push up bring your legs back under your body and jump up as high as you can. Continue this for a certain number of repetitions.
A drop-jump is one of only a few plyometric exercises that uses a box that is two feet or higher. Stand on top of the box and step off. When you land try and bend your knees as little as possible when absorbing the impact. When you land stay in the same position for a few seconds, and then step back on to the box and repeat.
If you really want to improve your vertical, then this is the exercise for you. It is called a deep lunge jump. You will be sore next day so make sure you do not do this exercise the day before you have a big game or something like that. All you have to do is get into lunge position and push off with both feet so you jump forward. When you land, land with the same foot forward. Go all the way down the court using that same forward foot. Then come back the other way using a different foot.
All three of these exercises are simple and easy to learn, but will help yield great results. Do not be fooled though, just because they are simple does not mean that they will not be tough to do and strain your muscles. Because you will most likely end up sore the next morning.
The only time you should not feel sore after these exercises is if you have done them before. If you have not done them before and you are not sore the next day then you are either not performing the exercises correctly or you are not doing them enough.
Use these plyometric workouts to help you increase your vertical inches. Follow the instructions exactly and you should be dunking in no time.
You can find out more about how to jump higher on various articles written by Blake Helton on improving vertical leap.
Tags: basketball, exercise, exercises, how to jump higher, increase vertical jump, jumping exercises, plyometrics, Recreation & Sports, recreation and sports, team sports, vertical jump, vertical jump program, volleyball
NBA Set to Impose Twitter Policy
Posted by Ryan Lacioca | Filed under Recreation & Sports
As twitter grows, the number of people using the microblogging service has grown as well. Celebrities of all kinds use the service on the daily basis, especially athletes. Fans actively follow their favorite celebrities via Twitter.
One set of celebrities using the service religiously happens to be NBA athletes. NBA players love the service, and the widespread use of Twitter by Shaquille O’Neal has prompted many other players to use the service themselves.
Athletes enjoy the service very much, and possibly too much in fact. The NBA plans to curb players’ use of the service, putting a ban on any tweets when games are in progress or about to start.
The NFL currently limits any use of Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media device during any instances that occur between the 90 minutes before the beginning of a game, and the end of press conferences after a game.
The policy will be implemented by NBA commissioner David Stern, who claims that the news is no cause for concern, and the restrictions will be relatively minor. There’s a little uncertainty as to how a league policy may conflict with any team-specific policies though.
Twitter has been huge in the NBA world. Players like Shaquille O’Neal have used it to make jokes about players and coaches, give tickets away, and more.
Players like Michael Beasley have used it in more controversial manners, as Beasley recently allegedly posted pictures of bags of drugs, shortly before he was admitted to rehab.
While the presence of Twitter in the lives of NBA players has its ups and downs, it probably does more good than harm. Fans get the inside scoop on many of their favorite athletes from the best source possible - the athletes themselves. A responsible policy will maintain a healthy balance between what’s right and wrong.
Come and experience the best sports atmosphere online. Win awesome prizes by playing NFL pick em contests and be a part of an awesome NBA pick ‘em challenge too.
Tags: basketball, Communications, Computers, entertainment, facebook, internet, nba, recreation, Recreation & Sports, social media, sports, twitter
Basketball Equipment Reviews
Posted by Phil Jones | Filed under Recreation & Sports
Training for basketball is very difficult. You put in hours of practice to get better. When you are putting in those hours, you are always asking yourself, “Is there a way for me to bring it to the next level,” or “Can I get better any faster.” That is why here are the top three basketball training supplies on the market today.
1. THE GUN: The Gun is priced at $4,500 dollars, but do not let that scare you. It is well worth the money you will spend on it. On top of that, it is not an individual person who would buy. You would buy it as a basketball program so that many people could use this amazing piece of equipment. What it does is catch every ball you shoot in a net, and then shoot the ball back out at you. It can also count the amount of shots you take and your percentage which is nice to know how much you are getting better.
It helped me out immensely. I went from a JV player who just took it to the hole and out muscle people one year, to one of the top shooting threats on varsity the next. One year not shooting wide open 3’s to taking contested 3’s. This piece allowed me to get off a couple hundred quality shots in a hour. It made me a much better player and nothing else out there can do what this machine can, so I would advice you to try to get one.
2. Jump Shoes: These will bring you to a new level athletically. Basketball is athleticism plus talent. With these shoes you will not only be able to jump higher, but you will be able to jump higher faster. You do not want to be that person who takes the longest time to be able to jump high. You want to be able to jump high right away and that is what these shoes will do for you. They will train you to be a fast person.
3. Tennis ball: This one might sound funny to you, but you will need one. This tennis ball will bring your dribbling to the next level. When ever you are doing dribbling drills. Have the tennis ball in the other hand. Throw the ball up and catch it. If you are doing a cross-over. You will throw the ball up, and then catch it with the other hand. This will force you to not only look up, but to be doing something else while dribbling. This is because while you dribble you need not only to be able to see the court, you have to be able to be thinking about what is going on on the court.
In the end, you still need a gym and court, a basketball, and a hoop with and net.
For more reviews on basketball equipment from basketballs to basketball net visit shoes.
Tags: basketball, basketball and net, basketball net, chain basketball net, exercise, fitness, metal basketball net, mini basketball net, pool basketball net, recreation, Recreation & Sports, sports
