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JORDAN'S 44TH BIRTHDAY, PIPPEN'S COMEBACK?...NCAA UPDATE by YAZID...
CLASSIFIED: THE SCOTTIE PIPPEN PROJECT..
Say it ain't so, Scottie
LAS VEGAS – Here was Scottie Pippen in the big room off the entrance to the Palms Casino, sitting at a table as part of an All-Star weekend skills competition promotion, and the living, breathing league legend was reducing himself to something so beneath his stature.
"I'll sit back and let (NBA executives) call me," Pippen said Friday. "I know this is a stage that I can use to get my name back out there."
Yes, Pippen has thrust his name out there, throwing out his candidacy for a comeback in the NBA. Out of basketball for 2˝ seasons, the 41-year-old Pippen somehow still holds out hope that there's a market for him. As one of the 50 greatest players in league history and a six-time world champion with the Chicago Bulls, he's unnecessarily set himself up for a public embarrassment.
"It's a SHAME that he's out there selling himself to people this way," one Eastern Conference executive said.
Said another league official: "I know it only takes one team, but it's kind of sad to see him doing this. He had too great of a career to put himself out there like this."
ROOKIES vs. SOPHOMORES 114:155, MVP: DAVID LEE, KNICKS..
Pippen insists that his body feels better than it has in five years, but of course, it does. It hasn't been subjected to the grind of a sport that slowly, surely eroded his prodigious talents in the final, fruitless seasons of his 17-year career.
He's been working out in Fort Lauderdale where Pippen became convinced that he could be useful to a contender. Someone mentioned the Cleveland Cavaliers, where, after all, everyone keeps saying that LeBron James' championship aspirations require a Pippen-esque running mate.
Well, the real thing is threatening to climb down out of the trophy case and get back into the game. Of course, it would be a good decade too late to truly help LeBron.
"I feel there are some strong opportunities out there for me," Pippen said. "I'm basically looking for a contender. I look at teams like Miami, Cleveland, Dallas, San Antonio – I just feel like if you're those teams, I can go in and help. Whether I'm able to get into the roster in the next month or so, I definitely feel like I can break in and make some contributions."
Around the room, the next generation of NBA stars were polite in responses to Pippen hypothetically joining them as a teammate. Kobe Bryant insisted that there's always a spot in Phil Jackson's triangle offense for Pippen, LeBron said that he could bring "leadership" to a team and Dwyane Wade decided that, well, it would be interesting to play with another teammate that he marveled over in childhood video games.
ZAR JE ZABRANJENO IMATI STAV? TIM HARDAWAY MIX by KBLAZE..
"I know it's hard when guys leave the game," Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas said. "They're sitting there analyzing and they're getting itchy."
If Pippen is so determined to play again, he could've had his agent quietly check around the league, gauge interest and report back to him. The fact that Pippen didn't handle matters that way tells you this revelation of a possible comeback has been as much about him reaching for attention as much as it is an opportunity.
When All-Star weekend should've been about today's stars, it turned out that two of yesterday's – Pippen and Tim Hardaway – made much of it about themselves. Of course, you can easily forgive Pippen for it. He's having a hard time letting go, and hey, it happens in sports. Pippen happens to be one of the most unique and versatile talents to ever play the game, one of the forefathers of the point forward. But this isn't going to end well.
Nevertheless, it's hard to imagine that this long of a layoff into his 40's leaves Pippen with enough game to upset a roster and rotation for his arrival. What's more, the idea of Pippen as the sage presence in Portland never worked out that way. The Bulls brought him back for the final few games in 2003-2004, but his body had broken down, if his spirit hadn't. It's hard to bring leadership to a basketball team when you're no longer bringing any game.
MICHAEL JORDAN ALL-STAR REMIX by KHALID (SOUTH KOREA)..
For a time, Pippen had been one of the players leery of Michael Jordan's reincarnations with the Wizards that pushed past his 40th birthday. Now, Pippen sounds like he's drifting a little himself, unsure what's next in life, saying that outside of some cable television work he's mostly been "just watching the game, just working out."
Pippen says he's going to contact some teams that interest him. Remember, it only takes one to give him a shot. At this point, you'd have to wonder: What would turn out to be potentially more embarrassing for Scottie Pippen.
If no team will give him a chance to come back and play, or, maybe worse, if one does.
By Adrian Wojnarowski
Yahoo! Sports
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NCAA UPDATE by YAZID
Prije svega, lipo je opet biti tu na najjačem košarkaškom blogu u Hrvata a i šire. Sad, jel bolji blog ili čitatelji, to je teško odrediti jer jedno drugog motiviraju na djelovanje.
Anyway - kako to već govore nadobudne hr wannabe glumice u sapunicama – krećemo s pregledima događanja u NCAA i svemu ostalom okolo. Sredina je veljače, još ima nekoliko kola za odigrati i nakon toga slijedi March Madness koji u SAD ima podjednak značaj kao Superbowl.
Dosta ljudi pohađa visokoškolske ustanove te se ostatak života identificiraju sa svojom ekipom, pa se može kazati kako osim nekoliko tisuća u dvorani ima još i kojih desetak tisuća košarkaških zaluđenika (i sami smo takvi) ispred malih ekrana.
Zahvaljujući uvedenom NBA pravilu o starosti igrača profitirala je NCAA, jer je sigurnih 5 izbora prve runde prošlogodišnjeg drafta - i još barem toliko eventualno izabranih u drugoj rundi – završilo u studentskim momčadima i učinilo natjecanje posebno zanimljivim. Prošlogodišnja srednjoškolska klasa se pokazala iznimno talentiranom, te ponukala medije da skrenu osjetan dio pozornosti s Lige na Division I.
NCAA liga je ove godine posebno zanimljiva, jer ima pet sastava koji s pravom pretendiraju na titulu te još desetak favorita iz sjene. Prošlogodišnji prvak Florida na čelu najsnažnije konferencije Southeastern je u novu sezonu ušao s četvoricom glavnih igrača iz prošlogodišnjeg pohoda na titulu Noahom (13p/8s/3a/2bl), Horfordom (13p/9s/2a/2bl), Taureanom Greenom (13p/4a) i Coreyem Brewerom (13p/4s/3a/2ol), i prvi je među jednakima.
Otišo si Džordane ostala je tuga, uvek će te voleti jusielejci sa juga mogli bi zapjevati prekodrinski navijači finalista UCLA koji je izgubio Lakera Jordana Farmara i centra Ryana Hollinsa ali su njihove role uspješno nadomjestili mladci predvođeni povratnikom Aaronom Afllalom (17p) te prošlogodišnjim novakom Darrenom Collisonom (13p/5a).
North Carolina je lani preživjela gubitak sedam igrača iz pobjedničkog sastava 2005, uspjela u Tyleru Hansbroughu (19p/8s) dobiti najboljeg freshmana i vođu na parketu te vse opet oplemeniti dobrom freshman klasom u kojoj se učinkom i zrelom igrom ističu krilo Brandan Wright (15p/7s) i bekovi Wayne Ellington (12p/3s/2a) te Tywon Lowson (10p/5a/3s).
Priča godine ipak pripada Fab Five 2K6 sastavu tj Ohio Stateu za kojeg osim prvog izbora drafta čim se odluči na izlazak Grega Odena (15p/9s/3bl) igraju igrači prve godine po kvaliteti usporedivi s onima Michigana iz 1991/92 (Webber, Howard & Co) Daequan Cook (12p/5s) i Mike Conley Jr (10p/6a/3s), inače sin uspješnog istoimenog troskokaša otprije 20ak godina.
Stare kosti iz Wisconsina predvođene swingmanom Alandom Tuckerom (20p/5s/2a) - početkom tjedna nedostajalo mu je 98 poena za srušiti rekord u broju postignutih poena kojeg drži Michael Finley - i bekom Kammronom Taylorom (13p) su javno obznanile kako im je cilj Final Four pa što košta da košta.
Kansas je lani na iznenađenje svih izgubio u prvom kolu unatoč dobroj freshmen selekciji bek Brandon Rush (14p/6s/2a) – play Mario Chalmers
(11p/3s/3a/3ol) – post Julian Wright (12p/8s/2a/2ol/1bl), koja je uspješno nadograđena proteklog ljeta i s pravom pucaju na nešto više.
Razočaravajući nastupi na predraft kampovima i slijedom toga odustajanje od NBA snova na godinu dana rezultiralo je stečenom zrelošću u igri playa Mustafe Shakura (13p/7a/4s), što je očito bio faktor X u uspješnim nastupima Arizone za kojeg uz krilo Marcusa Williamsa (17p/7s/2a) zapažene nastupe bilježe novak Chase Buddinger (16p/6s/2a) – vjerojatno najeksplozivniji bijeli igrač od Boba Sure naovamo – i srbijanski post Ivan Radenović (16p/8s).
Na popisu favorita su i perjanice do prošle sezone najsnažnije konferencije Big East Pittsburgh, Georgetown i Marquette - nakon zapaženih nastupa Flasha sveučilište iz Milwaukeeja postalo je jedna od traženijih destinacija za nadarene srednjoškolce.
Tu su još i Texas predvođen Kevinom Durantom, koji bi u bilo kojoj drugoj klasi u kojoj nema Odena bio daleko najpraćeniji igrač budući drži konstatan nivo igre od čak 25p/11s u prosjeku a dobro mu pomaže drugi novak DJ Augustin s 14p/7a; Texas A&M je lani bio neželjen protivnik za većinu snažnijih sastava a ove godine su im ambicije vrlo izražene, isto kao i Washingtonu u čijim redovima igra dugi najbolji centar među novacima Spencer Hawes te Oregonukojeg predvodi play Aaron Brooks(17p/5s/4).
Na visok plasman pucaju mid majori (srednje jaki košarkaški programi koji opet imaju određen nivo kvalitete i koštaju neko jako ime dubljeg ulaska u turnir) Virginia Tech, Butler, Air Force, Nevada, Creighton, Southern Illinois i Washington State – njihov motiv je u činjenici da pojedinačnom kvalitetom možda mogu zaostajati za velikim programima ali s druge strane umjesto 10 jakih utakmica u regularnoj sezoni oni zbog međusobne izjednačenosti sastava u konferencijama poput Missouri Valley ili Western Athletic odigraju barem dvostruko više takvih susreta i steknu prijeko potrebnu rutinu za neizvjesne momente.
Pored Tuckera, Duranta, Odena, četvorke s Floride i Hansbrougha, kandidati za studentskog igrača godine su još i
•krilo Jared Dudley (20p/9s/3a/1ol) koji i bez pomoći sadašnjeg profija Craiga Smitha uspijeva voditi Boston College na ruti prema glavnom turniru;
•180 cm visoki play Dominic James s Marquettea (15p/5a/3s) čije je obilježje igre ultrabrzina i eksplozivnost, za sada ga uspoređuju s Jameerom Nelsonom s laganom prednošću za studenta po pitanju atleticizma;
•211 cm visoko krilo Nick Fazekas s Nevade (21p/12s/2a/2bl i 49% za 3p), budući poor man's Nowitzki;
•krilo Florida Statea Al Thornton (19p/7s/1bl), igrač za velike utakmice – protiv Floride 26p/9s, te Marylanda 27p/8s, North Caroline 29p/12s i Virginia Techa 27p/13s
•undersized krilni centar (201 cm) Mario Boggan s Oklahoma Statea (21p/8s), koji je mnoge scoute natjerao na razmišljanje nakon učinka protiv Texasa s 37p/20s;
•swingman Morris Almond s Ricea, pure shooter (28p/6s, 49% ukupan šut i 46% za 3p)
•NCAA's Best Kept Secret bek šuter Rodney Stuckey s Eastern Washingtona (25p/5s/5a/3ol);
•play Virginije Sean Singletary, čiji sastav dobro brodi u zeznutoj konferenciji Atlantic Coast (tu su još i NC te Boston College uz uvijek opasnog Dukea) u prvom redu zahvaljujući ovom treneru na terenu (18p/5a/4s/1ol);
• centar Aaron Gray s Pittsburga, koji uz dobru građu (213cm/122kg) kao temelj za uspjeh u NBA – stara je maksima You can't teach height - posjeduje i evidentan talent (15p/10s/2bl uz 59% šuta).
Zasad toliko, da vas ne udavim za prvi put nakon povratka. Kako bi rekao Sir Mix-A-Lot: Baby's Got Back.
Pozdrav iz STa,
Ivica Ž aka Y
nba.blog.hr
Post je objavljen 17.02.2007. u 09:03 sati.