Malcolm Andreoli https://blog.dnevnik.hr/andreoli
subota, 25.06.2011.
Magic make a trade, selection on draft night
The Orlando Magic used the second round of the NBA Draft Thursday night to acquire forward Justin Harper from Richmond and guard DeAndre Liggins from Kentucky.
They traded two future second-round picks to Cleveland to acquire Harper, the 32nd pick in the draft, then used their own pick at 53 to snag Liggins.
Harper played four seasons at Richmond, averaging 17.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in his senior season when he shot 53 percent from the field. At 6-10, 225 pounds, Harper is expected to play both small and power forward if he can make the Magic roster, which already is filled with veterans.
Liggins averaged 8.6 points and 4 rebounds in his third and final season with Kentucky. He is known more for his defense and toughness.
The Magic did not have a first-round pick Thursday, trading it to Phoenix in December as part of the deal that sent Marcin Gortat, Vince Carter and Mickael Pietrus to the Suns in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson. The Suns then dealt the Magic pick (No. 23) to Houston in another trade. The Rockets used the pick Thursday to take forward Nikola Mirotic of Spain.
The Magic are hoping Liggins can give them some defensive help at shooting guard if they don't resign free agent Jason Richardson.
"He's a tough kid who isn't afraid to work," said Magic general manager Otis Smith. "He was one of those guys who was a little unnoticed at Kentucky, but he came up big when he was called upon."
The Magic are coming off a disappointing, first-round playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks, a sharp drop from back-to-back seasons playing in the Eastern Conference final.
They are hoping that Harper can give them some flexibility in the front court. They compared him on draft night to Rashard Lewis, a big man with good outside shooting skills.
"I'm thrilled to be coming to a good, established team," Harper said. "I think I can help them. It should be a good fit."
The Magic considered trading into the first round, but they didn't find what they liked. Smith said he was more interested in acquiring veteran help to improve the team. He said there is a chance of a trade could come before July 1.
They will try to build a better team around All-Star center Dwight Howard, who has said he will exercise an option in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2011-12 season.
Howard still is eligible to sign a contract extension until July 1, but has declined, looking forward to free agency after next season.
He also has said several times since the season ended that he wants the Magic to find him more teammates who are focused on winning a championship.
The Magic do not have a good history with second-round picks. Since the team's inception in 1989, the Magic have not had a second-round pick spend more than two seasons with the team.
They are hoping that last year's first-round pick, Kentucky center Daniel Orton, can contribute for the first time. Because of knee problems, Orton did not play a single game last season.
They had hoped this summer to finally sign their 2005 first-round pick, Fran Vazquez, bringing him to Orlando for next season. Vazquez, who has been playing in Europe since the Magic drafted him, was eligible to sign this summer, but he was scared off by the NBA's labor uncertainty. He recently extended his contract with FC Barcelona in Spain for one more season.
petak, 17.06.2011.
Rep. Anthony Weiner resigns in sexting scandal's 3rd week
WASHINGTON — Disgraced New York Rep. Anthony Weiner resigned his House seat Thursday, after a nearly three-week Internet sex scandal that has left his political career in tatters and Democrats on the defensive ahead of the 2012 elections.
Weiner, 46, said he had hoped to continue representing his district, but the "distraction that I have created has made this impossible."
"I am here today to again to apologize for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarassment I have caused," Weiner said during an announcement at a packed Brooklyn, N.Y., senior citizens' center. His statement was interrupted several times by hecklers. "I make this apology to my neighbors and my constituents, but I make it particularly to my wife."
Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin was not with him at the announcement. Abedin, a senior aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, is pregnant with the couple's first child.
BLOG: More from Weiner's news conference
PHOTOS: Rep. Weiner scandal
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who called for Weiner's resignation nearly a week ago, said the seven-term Democrat "made the right judgment."
The departure marks an dramatic fall for Weiner, who ran for New York City mayor in 2005 and talked about seeking the office again in 2013. The controversy, splashed across the front pages of New York City's tabloids for weeks, has been a distraction for Democrats who have sought to promote a jobs agenda and gain momentum ahead of the 2012 elections.
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"Democrats have been off message since it happened," said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report. But the Weiner scandal is unlikely to shape an election that's nearly 18 months away, he said.
"The election is going to be about the president and the Republican nominee and unemployment and the war in Afghanistan and lots of other topics," he said. "It's not going to be about Anthony Weiner."
Across Capitol Hill, Democrats expressed relief and regret.
"It's difficult to watch the self destruction of a friend and to witness the breaking of hearts over what can only be categorized as reprehensible behavior and bad judgment," said Connecticut Rep. John Larson, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus.
Weiner's troubles began last month after a lewd photograph of him that he intended only for a Seattle college student was posted briefly on his public Twitter account. At first, Weiner issued angry denials, saying he was the victim of a computer hacker. But in a tearful news conference June 6, he recanted and confessed to sexually charged Internet exchanges with at least six women during the past three years.
Still, he refused to resign. Party leaders, however, ramped up pressure as more damaging material surfaced, including an X-rated photo. Democrats had prepared to hold a meeting Thursday afternoon to consider taking away Weiner's committee assignments.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, is expected to call a special election to fill the seat, the second such House election this year in the Empire State. (Former representative Chris Lee, a Republican, created the first vacancy in February when he quit abruptly after he sent a photo of himself, shirtless, to a woman.)
Weiner's district, which spans Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods, is traditionally Democrat, but was in jeopardy as New York lawmakers worked to redraw congressional districts. The state is slated to lose two seats as a result of the 2010 Census.
"There was already talk of redistricting Anthony Weiner out of Congress before he resigned," said Christopher Malone, an associate professor of political science at Pace University, who is active in New York Democratic politics.
A House ethics investigation launched last week into Weiner's actions likely will close because the panel does not have authority to police the actions of former lawmakers.
But what of Weiner's political future? He has spent his entire adult live in politics, serving as congressional aide before his election in 1991 to New York City Council at age 27. In Congress, he was best known as a brash defender of liberal Democratic policies during combative floor speeches and appearances on cable television.
Weiner did not offer many clues on his future Thursday, saying only, "I'll be looking for other ways to contribute my talents."
Fellow New Yorker, Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel, said, "I don't know if he has a future in politics," but suggested Weiner might still find a second act as a public figure.
"Eliot Spitzer is now on TV," Engel said of former New York governor who resigned 2008 after admitting to sex with prostitutes. Spitzer now hosts a CNN talk show.
"I would not take anything away from Anthony," Engel said. "Anthony's got a way of moving up and doing things. … I think he'll land on his feet."
subota, 11.06.2011.
Coming to own defense
DALLAS — He already had been downplaying his return home, and the decisive play of Game 2 of the NBA Finals encouraged Chris Bosh to talk even less about it.
Bosh led Lincoln High School in Dallas to a 40-0 record and a Class 4A state title in 2002, and a year later was the fourth overall pick of the NBA draft, taken by the Toronto Raptors. He has come to Dallas several times during his career but never under the circumstances he dealt with last night.
Bosh said he was never a Mavericks fan growing up, “more a fan of the NBA,’’ and none of his family members are fans of the home team. His homecoming became a bigger story line after Dirk Nowitzki scored the winning basket against Bosh in Game 2.
After the Heat’s 88-86 victory last night, with Bosh scoring 18 points and hitting the winning jumper in the final minute, the story line changed again — to Miami being two wins away from the NBA title.
“It’s not what happens, it’s how you react,’’ said Bosh, who is shooting 31 percent (16 of 52) in the series. “We knew this was not going to be easy. I think it’s just symbolic of our season. You just have to keep overcoming. If you lose Game 2 at home, blow a 15-point lead, and you’re out on the road and everything is against you, you have to get it done.’’
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was heavily criticized for allowing Bosh to defend Nowitzki, who simply drove past his defender and kissed a lefthanded layup off the glass with 3.6 seconds left in Game 2, capping Dallas’s rally from a 15-point deficit. Last night, with the game on the line, Udonis Haslem was on Nowitzki when the Mavericks star missed a long fadeaway at the buzzer.
Bosh said he has kept potential distractions at arm’s length and handed out only four tickets to Game 3.
“I’ve done a job of just keeping everything where it’s supposed to be,’’ he said. “As I said before, we have all summer to kick it and do what we want to do. It’s all about basketball.’’
Haywood sits out
Dallas center Brendan Haywood was inactive for last night’s game after injuring his hip in Game 2, forcing coach Rick Carlisle to use little-used Ian Mahinmi as the primary backup to Tyson Chandler.
Haywood, who signed a six-year, $55 million contract last summer, is considered an offensive liability but can block shots and grab rebounds.
“It will change our rotation, obviously,’’ Carlisle said. “He’s one of our biggest guys, we all know that.’’
Haywood is hoping to be available for Game 4 tomorrow night.
Frank a contender
Celtics assistant Lawrence Frank is a candidate for the head coaching job with the Pistons, who fired John Kuester yesterday. Frank was beaten out by Celtics legend Kevin McHale for the Rockets vacancy, and doesn’t appear to be a serious candidate in the Warriors’ search . . . LeBron James attempted six free throws in the first two games, a frequency he said he would change by being “more aggressive in the paint.’’ Last night, James matched his Game 2 total with four attempts, making them all. The Heat went to the line just 15 times, the Mavericks 27.
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