Author: Dave Ettinger

Dave is a Trending News Sports Writer for Athlon Sports, covering breaking and trending news across major sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, college football and basketball. With over 10 years of experience in sports media, Dave’s versatility extends to television, radio, and journalism. In addition to his role at Athlon Sports, Dave works in TV Production at ESPN, where he manages the production, editing, and processing of shows and events that re-air across ESPN's network of channels. Prior to joining ESPN, Dave served as an Executive Producer at WFAN and CBS Sports Radio, further solidifying his expertise in sports media. Dave earned his bachelor’s degree in Media Communications from SUNY College at Old Westbury, bringing both his education and extensive industry experience to his roles across various platforms.

Serena Williams Points Finger At The Wrong Person

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

serena mac

Serena Williams is the best female tennis player of all-time. I know that. You know that. And John McEnroe knows that. McEnroe, however, does not believe she is the best tennis player of all-time. On Sunday, while promoting his memoir, “But Seriously”, McEnroe explained himself in an interview for NPR. McEnroe said, “If she played the men’s circuit, she’d be like 700 in the world.” He continued by saying, “That doesn’t mean I don’t think Serena is an incredible player. I do, but the reality of what would happen on a given day is Serena could beat some players, I believe, because she is so incredibly strong mentally.” “But if she just had to play the circuit — the men’s circuit — that would be an entirely different story.”

McEnroe’s comments have received harsh criticism, and Monday evening, Serena responded. These are her actual tweets:

✔ @serenawilliams

Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based.

6:27 PM – 26 Jun 2017

Hey Serena,

He was asked his opinion in an interview. What was he supposed to do..plead the 5th??

✔ @serenawilliams

I’ve never played anyone ranked “there” nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I’m trying to have a baby. Good day sir

6:27 PM – 26 Jun 2017

Hi again Serena,

Everyone respects the fact that you are having a baby. It is a beautiful thing. But what does that have to do with this interview?? You are Serena Williams. People talk about you. That’s like posting a pregnant picture of yourself on social media, and then asking for privacy…………..

serena pregnant

 

I can understand why Serena and women in general would be bothered by this, but in order to analyze something, we must take a step back and see the whole picture. During McEnroe’s interview, NPR correspondent Lulu Garcia-Navarro brought up Serena Williams. In his book, McEnroe labeled Serena as the best female tennis player of all-time. Here is the exchange that led to McEnroe’s comments:

Garcia-Novarro: Some wouldn’t qualify it. Some would say she’s the best player in the world. Why qualify it?

McEnroe: Oh! Uh, she’s not, you mean, the best player in the world, period?

Garcia-Novarro: Yeah, the best tennis player in the world. You know, why say female player?

As you can see, Garcia-Novarro brought up the subject, and then pressed McEnroe for a clear-cut answer. McEnroe, a tennis commentator and former tennis player gave his honest opinion (as always). What was he supposed to do, decline to answer questions on Serena Williams??

Garcia-Novarro didn’t ask if Serena is the best athlete or the most accomplished tennis player of all-time, she asked if she is the best. Asking who is ‘the best’ poses the question, who would win?? That’s where McEnroe’s answer came from. And as much as I would root for Serena to beat the 700th ranked men’s tennis player, she would lose. And I don’t think it would be close.

The advantages a men’s player of this caliber would have over Serena in terms of power, speed, and quickness would be too much for her to handle. But, that is not the issue. The issue is why ask McEnroe such a question in the first place?? While I understand Serena wants to be left out of the conversation, maybe Serena’s frustrations should be directed at the interviewer, Lulu Garcia-Novarro, rather than John McEnroe.

 

What do you think?? Were John McEnroe’s comments out of line, or was Lulu Garcia-Novarro simply fishing for controversy??

Post your strong opinions in the comment section below. Don’t hold back now!!

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

Jared “Flash” Gordon Wins UFC Debut

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

gordon

To kick off the week, we bring you a special, comeback story. There are comeback stories of many varieties. Some from poor performance, and some from injury. But there are none greater than literally coming back from death. Such is the inspiring comeback story of Jared “Flash” Gordon.

Gordon made his UFC debut last night at UFC Fight Night 112 in Oklahoma City. Gordon was originally scheduled to make his debut at UFC 211 in Dallas on May 13th but had to withdraw due to food poisoning. This was the final hurdle en route to the fulfillment of his dream; fighting in the UFC.

Originally from Long Island, Gordon attended Wheatley High School in Old Westbury, NY. It was there, where he was introduced to a life of addiction. It is often too late when someone realizes they have an addictive personality. This was almost the case for Gordon. He always had a passion for mixed martial arts, as he was drawn to the action inside the octagon. His first amateur fight came nearly 10 years ago, at the age of 19 (he won a unanimous decision). After an injury early on in his MMA career, Gordon was prescribed pain medication. Right then and there, his addiction became a reality. A Vicodin prescription was parlayed into an addiction to OxyContin and Percocet.

Looking to kick his addiction, and take his fighting career to new heights, Gordon relocated to Florida. Unfortunately, his addiction to drugs, rather than fighting, was taken to new heights. Gordon found himself addicted to heroin. His addiction became a daily habit, a choke-hold he simply could not shake. And one fateful day, Gordon overdosed and was rushed to the hospital. After flat-lining, doctors were able to revive Gordon, brining him back to life. In television and movies, this is the “wake-up call” that turns it all around, but reality isn’t always so pretty. Gordon found himself, on the couch of his dealer, that very night, feeding his heroin addiction once again….

After 3 overdoses, Gordon finally rid himself of his drug addiction in a rehabilitation facility. This was the moment his addiction transferred to a life of fighting. Gordon’s addictive personality, I believe, is what makes him such a successful fighter. The hard-work and dedication required to succeed in MMA is astounding, and it showed last night on the grandest of stages.

“Flash” Gordon fights out of Astoria, Queens. He stands at 5’9″ tall and weighed in at 149 pounds for Sunday night’s fight. Gordon’s debut was against another UFC first-timer, Michel Quinones. This bout was fought at a catch-weight rather than featherweight (145 pounds). Quinones came out of the gate with flashy, spinning kicks and punches, however, Gordon was not phased. After several take downs by Gordon, he took control of the fight. And at 4:24 of the 2nd round, referee Keith Peterson had seen enough. It was a TKO (strikes) by Jared “Flash” Gordon!! Gordon now holds a 12-1 record in his MMA career, and is 1-0 in the UFC. With such an impressive performance, Gordon has put the UFC on notice.

While his performance inside the octagon is inspiring, it is his actions outside the octagon that are a true inspiration. Gordon took the time, this past Father’s Day, to speak at the last rehab facility he attended. His audience, 22 men, drug addicts who were recently released from prison. Gordon has nobly decided to use his platform to be a positive influence in other people’s lives. In a recently written article by Damon Martin of Fox Sports, Gordon spoke of his advice to these men, “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. So the main thing for me is to be an influence and to lead by example that you should never quit and no matter how hard your life is or what you’re going through, there’s always a way out.”

 

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

2017 NBA Draft Review

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

nba-draft-2017-scelte-squadre

13 words. These 13 words are now the favorite words of the 60 young men who were drafted into the NBA on Thursday night:

“With the 1st pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select_______________.”

It is the culmination of a dream. It is the prize at the end of a long road. A long road often filled with blood, sweat, tears and sacrifice. Now these players must take their level of commitment and desire to a whole new level. Before they start all that hard work, let’s meet them.

The 1st overall pick was Markelle Fultz (Washington), by the 76ers. Fultz, a point guard, was unanimously recognized as the top prospect in the draft. I refuse to talk about the next guy. Sorry. You can see every draft pick by clicking here. At #3, the Boston Celtics brought us the first semi-surprise by selecting Jayson Tatum over Josh Jackson. Tatum (Duke) brings excellent outside shooting to a Celtics team badly in need of shooters. Jackson (Kansas) fell into the happily out-stretched arms of the Phoenix Suns at #4. And to round out the top 5, the Sacramento Kings selected who I think will be the best player in this draft, De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky).

As exciting as the NBA Draft was, it was completely overshadowed by a monster trade:

Minnesota Timberwolves Get 

Jimmy Butler and the 16th pick

Chicago Bulls Get

Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn, and the 7th pick.

In other words, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CHICAGO BULLS?!?!

Zach Lavine was having a good season until he tore his ACL this past February. Kris Dunn is a young point guard who still has potential, but I don’t see him as more than a career back-up. The Bulls went on to select Lauri Markkanen, a 7-footer who can shoot out of the University of Arizona. This is a fantastic trade for the Timberwolves, and a really, REALLY bad trade for the Bulls.

Jimmy Butler is now reunited with his old coach, Tom Thibodeau. He now has the luxury of starting Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Jimmy Butler. WOW!! Watch out Western Conference. With the 16th pick they grabbed a big man from Creighton, Justin Patton. The Timberwolves will make some noise in the West, and don’t be surprised if they leap into the top-half of the Western Conference come playoff time.

Now, we can sit back, relax, and wait for free agents to relocate (possibly). This will help teams round out their rosters, and the right to lose to the Golden State Warriors picture will become clearer. The coming weeks and months are still fun, as the NBA is attempting to remain in the spotlight all year round.

I think I’ll call the NBA, NFL Jr. from now on.

What did you think of the NBA Draft?? Did your team select the player you were hoping for?? Tell me about it in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

The Knicks’ International Affairs Are In Order

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

NBA: Draft

Bonjour! Comment-vas tu? Bon.

“Oh, this isn’t France. Is this France? This isn’t France, is it? I didn’t think so.”

The New York Knicks selected 18 year old Frank Ntilikina of France with the 8th overall selection in last night’s NBA Draft. Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I’ve watched his whole career and can fairly predict his future, but I AM going to tell you about the last time the Knicks selected a player from France. Anyone older than 25 should remember this one. Ah yesssss, the 15th pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, Frederic Weis. Let’s just say that one didn’t work out so well.

I know, I know. It’s unfair to compare this kid to a player who was drafted 18 years ago just because they’re from the same country. It is fair, however, to point out that France hasn’t exactly produced a plethora of NBA talent. Tony Parker is the best French player of all-time, but he’s technically not even French. He grew up in France, so apparently that counts. It is also fair to be skeptical of any draft pick the Knicks make. I mean, they are ALL-TIME BAD at drafting. Don’t believe me?? Click here to see this list of mediocrity. But they drafted Kristaps Porzingis, and he’s a good international player. Yes, they did, but 1 pick doesn’t change 69 years of poor drafting.

Everyone who has seen this kid play has said he’s the real deal. He’s 18. He’s 6’5″. And he actually likes playing defense. Did you hear that Derrick Rose?? We found a player who likes playing defense. The ‘machine’ is also telling us he’s been playing professionally since the age of 15, so he’s an experienced 18 year old. Well, someone is going to have to define playing for me. At the age of 16, he played in 3 games (8 mpg). At 17, he played in 26 games, but only averaged 9.2 mpg. And at 18, he has finally received regular playing time of 18.2 mpg. The only problem is he’s averaging just 5.2 points and 1.4 assists per game. While he’s 18, with room to grow, and scouts universally projected him as a top-10 draft pick, it concerns me that this is the sample size they are using. 5.2 points and 1.4 assists????

I really hope I’m wrong about this kid.

If I were running the Knicks (a man can dream), I would have gone with Malik Monk out of Kentucky. Today’s NBA is filled with long-range shooters, and Monk was, without question, the best shooter in this year’s draft.

The Knicks also had 2 picks in the 2nd round. They selected Damyean Dotson (44th), a 6’6″ shooting guard out of the University of Houston. Dotson is an athletic guard who can shoot baby shoot. He averaged 44.3% shooting from 3-point range last season. And with the 58th pick, they selected Ognjen Jaramaz out of Serbia. At 21 years old, Jaramaz is a 6’4″ point guard.

Back to Ntilikina. Did you know his team is in the midst of a playoff run in Europe?? Immediately following the draft, he had to fly back to France to reunite with his team. ESPN reported he was scheduled to arrive at the game just in time for warm-ups. That’s nuts, but good for him! My only concern is, what if Ntilikina gets hurt playing overseas?? I know anyone can get hurt walking down the stairs, but the majority of last night’s draft picks are currently nursing hangovers in a New York City hotel room, not traveling halfway across the world to play for someone else.

Let’s collectively knock on wood.

Are you happy with the Knicks draft?? Give them a grade in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

“I Think We Know What We’re Doing”

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 7 Comments

Phil-Jackson

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Phil Jackson is craz….AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Sorry. I’m having a hard time controlling myself after RE-watching Phil Jackson’s interview from last night with Al Trautwig. It is hard to sit through 4:59 of non-stop insanity. Try it..I dare you. You can click here to see the entire interview. I do not know where to start, but I’m going to try….

With any good story, you must establish the setting. Ya know, that word you learned back in elementary school. So it’s June, and we are leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft (which is tonight). Trades are happening, rumors are flying around, and teams are doing their final evaluations of the talent in the draft. We are in New York, and the Knicks are in complete rebuild mode. That means working toward the future. Which leads me to the craziest thing Phil Jackson said last night.

Phil was asked why he would consider trading Kristaps Porzingis. His response was a 1-word answer; FUTURE. As in, trading Porzingis (who is 21 years old) would somehow help us build toward the future. PORZINGIS IS THE DEFINITION OF FUTURE!! What else could you possibly want in building toward the future than a 21-year old with so much potential they need to raise the ceiling in Madison Square Garden?? Now let’s rewind to Al Trautwig’s first Porzingis question. Trautwig asked if the trade rumors were true surrounding Porzingis. Phil took that as an opportunity to stress how upset he was over Porzingis skipping an exit meeting last season. Phil continued by misremembering his own history as a coach. Phil said, “I’ve never had a player skip an exit meeting in my 30 years of coaching. Nope. It’s never happened to me. It happens to other people but not me.”

Enter Shaquille O’ Neal, ummm, twice PHIL!! Shaq skipped not 1, but 2 exit meetings with Phil Jackson (in 2003 and 2004) when he was with the Lakers. I love the part where he says it happens to others but not me. As if he’s special. Oh he’s special alright.

Maybe Phil is legitimately going senile.

Phil was also asked if he planned to re-sign Derrick Rose. His answer should have been a knee-jerk reaction NO. Instead, he hit Trautwig with an “it depends”. It depends on what Phil?! If you are wearing depends by the time Rose blows out his knee for the 14th time?! Give me a freakin’ break!!

And this last one takes the cake….

Al Trautwig appropriately pointed out that Knicks fans are “uneasy” with what’s going on with the Knicks. There’s the understatement of the century. He then asked Phil what he would say to fans who feel this way?? His unbelievably smug response was, “I think we know what we’re doing.”

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING?!?!

Did you know what you were doing when you gave Joakim Noah the worst contract in NBA history? Did you know what you were doing when you hired and fired Derek Fisher after YOU put the team in tank-mode? Did you know what you were doing when you ripped Carmelo Anthony publicly and THEN tried to trade him?

So why the hell should we think you know what you’re doing as you try to trade the Knicks’ best draft pick since Patrick Ewing???? It only took 30 years by the way, of occasionally drafting in the 1st round, to find Porzingis. Yeah, we should trade him for a bag of peanuts.

Hey Phil, stop trying to get fired, and just quit already. You have enough money, and you’re driving me insane.

What did you think of Phil Jackson?? Is he the worst General Manager of all-time??

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

VEGAS BABY!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

vegas baby

The NHL is growing. I’m not sure how since no one watches hockey, but evidently they think they need another team in their silly league. The NHL has added a 31st team, because having an odd number of teams sounds like a good idea. They’ve decided to set up shop in Sin City, and we will be forced to call them the Las Vegas Golden Knights. I can picture that conversation now:

Golden Knights Owner: “Hey, if we’re going to add another hockey team we should put it in the hottest place on earth, like Vegas.”

NHL Commissioner: “Yes!! We should also make sure the players have easy access to get in a lot of trouble. Because everyone loves a team of bad boys.”

Golden Knights Owner: “Should we pay off the NFL to move the Oakland Raiders to Vegas too?? This way our players won’t look so bad when everyone’s getting arrested for soliciting prostitutes.”

NHL Commissioner: “Good idea!! Now you’re using that big brain of yours!!”

I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how it went.

Anyway, last night, the picks were announced for the Expansion Draft. This draft allowed the Golden Knights to select 1 player from each of the 30 teams currently in the NHL. They were allowed to select from a list of unprotected players as provided by each team. Most notably, the Golden Knights added Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal. You can check out their entire roster by clicking here.

Fleury is a three-time Stanley Cup Champion goalie who has played his entire career for the Pittsburgh Penguins. There are worse goaltenders to start a franchise with. They also added left-winger James Neal from the Nashville Predators. Neal has been with the Predators since 2014 and most recently helped lead them to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Golden Knights will play their home games at T-Mobile Arena (right on the Vegas strip baby). And they will don the ugliest uniforms known to man. I mean seriously, scroll back up and drink those things in one more time. It looks like communism invaded the medieval times. But seriously, the Golden Knights will join the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. The last time the NHL expanded they added the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild prior to the 2000-2001 NHL season. They each finished in last in their respective divisions. The question is, how will the Golden Knights fare in their first season??

Post your prediction in the comment section below. Thanks for reading, and check back later today for my thoughts on Phil Jackson’s interview from last night. You won’t want to miss it!!

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends about me!!

 

 

 

Let The Trades Begin!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

kristaps

The NBA offseason is more entertaining than the ACTUAL NBA season. The NBA Finals ended 9 days ago, and I ‘ve already had more fun discussing possible trades and the upcoming draft than I did watching the Golden State Warriors embarrass the league. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers kicked off the fun Monday with their trade of picks, but that was just the snowball at the top of the mountain. Tuesday had us wondering if that snowball would turn into an avalanche.

Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers traded D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in Thursday’s draft. This trade makes sense for both teams, however, the Lakers got the better end of the deal. Yes, they lose Russell, who was the 2nd overall pick just 2 short years ago, but his time in L.A. has been rocky to say the least. More importantly, the Lakers rid themselves of an atrocious Mozgov contract. His original 4-year, $64 million contract has 3 years left, so the Nets will eat the remaining $48 million. The Lakers receive the expiring contract of Brook Lopez, which will create oodles of cap-space come this time next year (aka the push for Lebron James). And they receive a draft pick. It’s always good to receive draft picks rather than give them (ahem, Brooklyn, ahem New York, ahem). Lastly, this leads to the assumption that the Lakers will select the walking distraction, Lonzo Ball, with the 2nd overall pick on Thursday.

In their own version of a salary dump, the Atlanta Hawks sent the albatross contract (3 years, $70.5 million) of Dwight Howard and the 31st pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, and the 41st pick in the draft. There’s not much of a story here, as Dwight Howard is a shell of himself. Charlotte shouldn’t expect Howard to bring any Defensive Player of the Year trophies to Charlotte anytime soon.

And then there’s the New York Knicks. My beloved Knicks. Just when you think they’ve hit rock-bottom, they whip out the sledgehammer and drill through the floor. How is it possible that Phil Jackson is shopping Kristaps Porzingis?!

Kristaps Porzingis should be virtually untradeable.

The Knicks are in total rebuild mode. I’m sorry, let me try that again. The Knicks SHOULD be in total rebuild mode. It’s hard to rebuild when you don’t (or can’t) trade Carmelo Anthony. And it would be impossible if you trade the 21-year old, building block that is Kristaps Porzingis. IF, Phil Jackson wants to entertain trade offers for Porzingis, his price should be so obnoxiously high it causes rival general managers to throw up in their mouths. I’m serious.

For example, if Celtics’ General Manager Danny Ainge calls, Phil Jackson should ask for the 3rd pick in this draft, next year’s 1st round pick, and Jaylen Brown. Oh and they’d have to take on Joakim Noah’s contract (quite possibly the worst contract in NBA history). I know exactly what you’re thinking, “that’s crazy, that’s way too much!!” EXACTLY!! Because you SHOULDN’T trade Porzingis!!

Here’s a point I haven’t heard anyone suggest. We all know Phil Jackson is doing a horrible job as the President of the Knicks. All I keep hearing is, “when Phil Jackson is gone, and in 2 years when we aren’t being force fed the Triangle.” Yeah, well why do we assume James Dolan won’t extend Phil Jackson’s contract???? Maybe Dolan thinks Phil is doing a great job. You and I, and anyone who knows anything about sports, would think that’s insane, but our opinion doesn’t matter.

James Dolan’s opinion is the only one that matters.

SOOOOOOOO, imagine a world where James Dolan extends Phil Jackson’s contract 3 more years. That may cause fans to jump ship and root for a new team………..

 

What would it take for you to trade Kristaps Porzingis?? Who got the better deal in the Lakers/Nets trade?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

Why Use Your Head When You Can Use Your Feet??

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

mike trout

If I told you something you did everyday was dangerous, would you stop doing it?? Oh..you wouldn’t believe me?? Okay, okay. Well, what if I could prove it, ya know with facts?? Okay, so then you’d stop?? Cool. So why do baseball players still slide headfirst into a base or home plate?? Other than players thinking it looks cool, I have no freakin’ clue.

Seriously though, players believe it is faster and more effective than sliding feetfirst. Wrong. And wrong again. In 2011, Al Figone performed a study for Collegiate Baseball. He diagnosed all injuries (in MLB) caused by sliding, both headfirst and feetfirst. He found sliding headfirst caused nearly 40% more injuries than sliding feetfirst. The study also proved sliding headfirst only shaved .01 seconds (on average) off each slide. Also, in case of an errant throw, it is far easier to pop-up from a feetfirst slide. This would allow the runner to advance to the next base, while the headfirst slide leaves the runner busy wiping dirt off the front of their jersey. Your honor, the defense rests.

In certain cases, depending on the throw, will sliding headfirst be beneficial?? I’m sure it will be. But, the overwhelming majority of the time, the base-runner is playing with fire. Now kids..do you know what happens when you play with fire?? That’s right..you get burned. Very goooood. Take the most recent, headfirst slide casualties; Mike Trout and Gleyber Torres.

Mike Trout is the best baseball player in the whole wide world. He decided a long time ago he wouldn’t be sliding feetfirst, ummm, ever. He said, “it never felt comfortable”. It’s hard to argue with Trout, as talented as he is, but his latest headfirst slide did land him on the DL (for the 1st time in his career). On May 28th, Trout tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, as he stole 2nd base (as pictured above). He had successful surgery, and his recovery is ahead of schedule (obviously). When asked if he will change the way he slides, he simply responded, “I’ll need to have more control when I dive headfirst from now on”.

And then there is New York Yankees’ top prospect, Gleyber Torres. Senor Torres will be undergoing Tommy John Surgery after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. I’ll give you one guess as to how that happened….

You got that right!! He tore up his elbow sliding headfirst into home plate on Monday. It is sad to see a player sustain this type of injury at anytime, but it is especially triste (that’s Spanish for sad) since Torres was on the fast track to the Majors this season. He was playing everyday for Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate Scranton Wilkes-Barre, and he was tearing it up. No pun intended. The reports say he’ll be ready for Spring Training in 2018. Hopefully he learns his lesson faster than Mr. Trout.

Habits are formed. New information surfaces. Habits evolve….hopefully.

Do you think players should slide feetfirst more?? Or do you enjoy watching headfirst slides?? Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

NBA Trade Rumors Swirl Around Super-Team Tornado

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

jimmy butler

Apparently this is what it’s all about. Who can build the most Super, Super-Team of them all?? As the dust settles from the Golden State Warriors steamrolling through the NBA Playoffs, en route to their 2nd championship in 3 years, everyone is trying to ‘keep up with the Joneses’. And since Kevin Durant declined his player option on Monday in order to re-sign with the Warriors, the dynasty is in full effect.

According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, Durant will take a $4 million “pay cut” to give the franchise the flexibility to keep their roster intact. So, why doesn’t everyone just play for free?? Players make so much money in endorsements their NBA salaries are fairly insignificant anyway. Then the NBA can rename the East All-Stars the Cavaliers and the West All-Stars the Warriors. Isn’t that where we’re headed anyway?!

Side Note: Who fires their General Manager 3 days before the NBA Draft?!

2nd Side Note (?): Who fires their General Manager without consulting their superstar, Lebron James?!?!

Oh, that would be Cleveland Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert. Ya know, the guy who ran Lebron James out of town 7 years ago. Well evidently he had so much fun running the best player of this generation out of town the first time, he plans to do it again. Really, really smart….

Lebron had reportedly been lobbying for Cavaliers’ General Manager, David Griffin’s job prior to his firing. So now, it looks like the Cavaliers are trying to make amends. We must build a Super-Team so powerful that Lebron James will never leave again. Fasten your seat belts and lock your doors because we’re entering Rumor Town.

The latest rumor in the NBA Super-Team Saga is the Cavaliers are looking to complete a 3-team trade for Jimmy Butler. Reportedly, the Cavaliers don’t have enough assets to complete this trade with the Chicago Bulls, so they’ve gotten the Phoenix Suns thrown into the mix. If this rumor holds true (which rarely is the case), the trade would look as follows:

  • The Suns would receive Kevin Love (and I’m assuming something else)
  • The Bulls would receive Eric Bledsoe and the 4th overall pick
  • The Cavaliers would receive Jimmy Butler

These talks are preliminary, as their are many other teams involved in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes. This is assuming the Bulls are even looking to trade Butler in the first place. I know it’s hard to believe, but some reporters will make up trade rumors just to get attention. Crazy, right??

Jimmy Butler is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. If the Cavaliers can pull off a trade of this magnitude, they would be a few role-playing big men away from being real contenders for a championship. *Not fake contenders like they were last year.

Another big name, who’s actually on the trading block, is Paul George. George informed the Pacers he would become a free agent following the 2017-2018 season. While I can’t imagine the Indiana Pacers are thrilled about losing a top-20 talent, they should appreciate George saying, “trade me now, so you don’t get left empty-handed”. Because no one wants to lose Shaquille O’ Neal to free agency……

Nice work Orlando Magic.

Paul George has expressed his desire to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. They have young prospects and draft picks to offer, so it is a plausible scenario. However, the rumors now involve the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics, and the Cavaliers. George will undoubtedly be dealt sooner rather than later. The only question is; Where??

Thursday’s NBA Draft should be exciting, as many players could be on the move. No matter what each team does, they will operate with only one thing in mind; create the next Super-Team.

How do you feel about Super-Teams in the NBA?? Like them, love them, or hate them?? Let your feelings out in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

2017 NBA Pre-Draft Fireworks

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

markelle fultz

Two teams couldn’t wait for draft-day to make some noise. The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers got the ball rollin’ today, finalizing a trade. A high-profile pick swap if you will. The Celtics will trade the 1st overall pick to the 76ers for the 3rd overall pick and their 1st-round pick for 2018. The 76ers pick is actually courtesy of the Los Angeles Lakers (but is protected). Meaning, if this pick falls outside of the top-5 in 2018, the Celtics will receive a 1st-round pick in 2019. Either way, the Celtics are moving in the right direction, yet again, days before the draft.

The 2017 NBA Draft, aka The Right to Draft Markelle Fultz, is on Thursday, June 22nd. Barclays Center in Brooklyn will play host for the draft this year. The 76ers will pick #1 overall for the 2nd consecutive year and will mark the 5th time they’ll select in the top-10 in the last 3 years. Which begs so many head-scratching questions:

  • How inept is the 76ers organization?!
  • How many years can you tank in a row?!
  • How is it that the entire front office hasn’t been fired by now?!
  • At what point does the owner throw in the towel and sell the team?!

I could keep going, but my head is starting to hurt. All I keep hearing out of Philadelphia is “Trust the Process”, “Trust the Process”. Yeah, well how about you trust me when I say, “fire everyone”. It is time to start fresh in Philadelphia. If you don’t know who to hire, give me a call. I’ll have you in the playoffs in 2 years, and I’ll win you a championship within 5 years. I guarantee it!!

Anyway, enough of the stupidity, let’s talk about the genius that is Danny Ainge. See, I can be positive. I’m not always negative and critical all the time..just most of the time.

Danny Ainge is the General Manager and President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics. He continues to make all the right moves. Granted, he took advantage of the Brooklyn Nets in ways I can’t describe here, but I guess it’s true what they say, ‘there’s a sucker born everyday’. Danny Ainge’s Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals this past year. At the same time, they still owned the #1 overall pick in the draft. I’d say Ainge deserves a raise.

The question now is: Who will Ainge draft at #3?? My guess is they’ve liked Josh Jackson of Kansas this whole time. And since they don’t ‘need’ a point guard like Fultz, they’ll get ‘their’ man anyway. This is exactly the same as what John Lynch and the 49ers did to the Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft. They traded down for extra picks and got the guy they wanted anyway. As the old Guinness Beer commercials used to say, “Brilliant!!”

As for my team, the Knicks, they don’t often collide with the word brilliant very often. I imagine they will draft the best point guard available at #8, but at this point, who knows what the hell that egomaniac Phil Jackson will do. Man, I can’t wait to see him pack his bags. Hey Danny Ainge, after you finish bringing an NBA Championship to Boston, you wanna come on down to New York and help us out?? That’d be great, thanks!!

Tune into ESPN on Thursday night @ 7:00 P.M. to see how the draft plays out.

Who do you think the Celtics will take at #3?? Who should the Knicks take at #8?? Share your wisdom in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!