Lord Of The Rings:::::American Major Sports History:::::Phil Jackson & Bill Russell

LOS ANGELES -- In the circus known as the NBA, Bill Russell has long been considered the ring master for the unprecedented 11 bands of championship jewelry he won in his 13-year playing career.

But when you think about it, Phil Jackson should be known as the league's true lord of the rings. The 13 rings Jackson earned -- two from his 13-year career as a player with New York and New Jersey, and 11 from his 20-year run as head coach in Chicago and Los Angeles -- outshine the rings of Russell, who is widely acknowledged as the greatest winner in team sports.


(Russell also won two championships in his eight seasons as a head coach, but they came in his final two seasons with the Celtics when he was player-coach, hence his ring collection wound up at 11 rather than tied with Jackson at 13.)


But Jackson's status at the top isn't something to celebrate completely for LOTR. Just like in J.R.R. Tolkien's tale, there's a bit of a dark side to a particular piece of Jackson's jewelry. Each ring for Jackson was special in the moment, but not all of them have served him well down the line.


RUSSELL'S RINGS


There's an iconic photo of Russell holding all of his rings in his cupped hands as if they were gold coins and he was basking in his good fortune of just having discovered a leprechaun's pot o' gold.


The photo was snapped by the NBA's East Coast-based senior photographer, Nathaniel S. Butler, who was able to perfectly capture Russell's proud gap-toothed grin while holding the fruits of his labor in the league.


The NBA's West Coast-based senior photographer, Andrew D. Bernstein, told me during the Lakers' first-round playoff series against New Orleans that he would like to get a similar shot, perhaps with 14 rings from another triumphant three-peat, featured in the photo with that signature wry smile of Jackson.



It hasn't happened yet. The Lakers were unceremoniously swept out of the second round by the Dallas Mavericks, fast-tracking Phil's retirement with the sharp shooting of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and the rest of the Mavs.


The Lakers already had the deck stacked against them in Game 4 of the conference semifinals, as they were attempting to become the first team in league history to recover from a 3-0 deficit to win a seven-game series. But it wasn't the series record that did them in.


It was the ring that Jackson wore on his right hand to American Airlines Center that Sunday afternoon.


Call it the Curse of the Clown Ring.


THE RING KEEPER


Before we get to the curse, it's important to recognize just how much Jackson's persona is connected to the notion of the ring in both the literal and symbolic sense.


The ring is an accessory as synonymous with Jackson as the cape is to Superman.


Jackson's 11th championship ring as a coach coming from the Lakers' Game 7 win over the Celtics inspired blogger Taylor Voeltz to create this T-shirt design for Phil's "one for the toe."


On the opening night of the 2010-11 season, the Lakers received the rings they earned by beating Boston. When Jackson was handed his, he raised it into the air and proclaimed over the P.A. system to the Staples Center crowd that "This is what we play for!"


Even when Jackson is not wearing one of his championship rings, he still wears a ring every day. And it's not a wedding ring, either. He's not married to his longtime companion Jeanie Buss. He wears a flat-faced green stone ring on his left pinkie finger that looks kind of like a mood ring. Maybe it's a Zen thing.


What Jackson values the most when coaching a team is the community aspect. He relishes the opportunity to bring a group of guys of different ages and races from different backgrounds together to form a tight circle -- or the shape of a ring -- based on a common belief in one another and sacrifices made for each other.



NBA CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS



It's all about the ring. THE RING ROUTINE


For the most of the year, Jackson's ring collection sits idly in his home and the homes of family members, the future heirlooms staying close to his lineage at all times.


He would put them to use two months every year, at NBA playoff time, when he would traditionally wear the ring of the last championship he won around the team during the postseason to remind his players what their goal should be.


This spring, Jackson curtailed tradition, opening his "last stand" playoff run against the Hornets by wearing his 1973 Knicks championship ring rather than the 2010 ring presented to him by commissioner David Stern on opening night.


"I think I'm starting at the beginning and working all the way through," Jackson said, explaining why he switched up his routine.


Actually, Jackson's initial ring as a player came in the Knicks' 1969-70 championship season, but he said that ring didn't fit his hand anymore. When a reporter suggested that he could have worn it on a chain around his neck, Jackson joked that that would be like he was "going steady with myself."


The Lakers opened the playoffs with a loss to New Orleans with Jackson wearing the '73 ring. They won the next two games with Jackson sporting his 1991 Bulls ring in Game 2 and his 1992 Bulls ring in Game 3.


Noticing Phil's change in jewelry became a recurring pregame question when Jackson addressed the media. Before Game 4, I realized that when the Lakers went on the road for two games, Jackson had to pack two rings. Talk about precious cargo. When the scrum dispersed, I asked him if he kept his rings in a safe at the hotel. "I just keep them in my room," he said, before adding "Don't print that, please." He didn't want to give potential thieves any ideas.


The Lakers lost Game 4 with Jackson wearing his first Chicago three-peat ring. They closed out the series with consecutive wins -- Phil wore the '96 and '97 Bulls rings -- and the Lakers were on to the second round.



Of course, that's where L.A. met the Mavericks' buzzsaw.


Four games. Four rings. Four losses.


Since we've shown you the rest of the rings, we'll show you those too. Game 1 was the 1998 Bulls; Game 2 was the 2000 Lakers; Game 3 was the 2001 Lakers; and Game 4, the end, was the 2002 Lakers.


Even though Jackson started one ring into his collection, he never made it all the way through. The Lakers only played 10 playoff games, total. He had 12 rings on the docket.


Which brings us back to the Curse of the Clown Ring.


The Lakers designed their 2002 championship ring in homage to the triangle offense. Even though it was a tribute to Tex Winter's system, Tex joked that it looked like the face of a clown, with the purple triangle in the middle representing the nose and the three triangle-shaped diamonds that surrounded it looking like the eyes and mouth.


Jackson wore the '02 ring when L.A. lost to San Antonio in 2003, he wore it when L.A. lost to Detroit in 2004 for his first Finals loss, he wore it in 2006 when L.A. lost to Phoenix in Game 7 of the first round after blowing a 3-1 series lead, he wore it in 2007 in another first-round loss to Phoenix and he wore it in 2008 when L.A. lost in the Finals again, this time to Boston.


When the 2009 playoffs rolled around, he showed up to Game 1 of the first round against Utah not wearing any championship ring at all.


"I was tired of wearing that ring," Jackson said of the 2002 ring. "I've been wearing it for seven years now, the same one."


He wore a variety of other rings in the 2009 postseason, avoiding the Curse of the Clown as he won ring No. 10 of his career on the sidelines by beating the Orlando Magic, passing the legendary Red Auerbach for most rings as an NBA coach.


The next year, he wore the 2009 championship ring en route to winning lucky ring No. 13 against the Celtics.


This year, the Clown Curse got him before he ever got to his '09 or '10 rings in his rotation.


THE ICONIC PHOTO


After the season was over, I sent Andy Bernstein an email to ask him if he remembered our conversation about capturing all of Jackson's hardware accomplishments in single photograph.


"I know I'd love to get a shot of Phil with 11 championship trophies grouped in a circle on the beach --very Zen-like," Bernstein wrote.


I hadn't told Andy about my findings regarding the Clown Curse. He had come up with the plan to shoot Jackson's iconic glory shot without the 2002 ring on his own, thus saving the photo the stigma.


But notice how he wants to arrange the trophies.


In a circle.


Or a ring.

Will there ever be another player or coach or both to be draped in such jewelry and symbolism of success and major accomplishments??? You can never say never but it's unimaginable in our lifetime but so was a Black President,so was a Million Man March, and hundreds of other unimaginable accomplishments worldwide that we've been blessed to see come into fruition. So we can never say never but its definetely hard to imagaine any one athlete or coach surpassing what Phil Jackson and Bill Russell has been blessed to do.......(THACHILLONE)Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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"All Hail The Queen Or King"??? Will The Real KING JAMES Stand Up!!!

It hadn’t been seen for a while. In fact it had nearly disappeared for good. James himself had tried to bury it, some said he’d even run from it. Now, though, it has attached itself like a stain to his permanent record. Again, like before, he’s probably going to have to live with it for some time. James has certainly played some bad games during his career, bad big games, too. But this was different. This was an evil outlier.

If James and the Miami Heat don’t end up winning these NBA Finals -- the series is tied 2-2 after the Dallas Mavericks’ struck back with a 86-83 win -- what happened on Tuesday night will be attached to him with a simple moniker: “Game 4.”

It will be talked about it for years to come. Fair or not, because of both James' polarizing persona and the gravity of this season, what happened has the potential to ultimately define James’ entire playoff run that until recently had been superb.

He’d spent the past 13 months trying to eliminate the stigma of the other game that dogs him, what they just call “Game 5” in Cleveland, in reference to last season’s series with the Boston Celtics. That one had special circumstances that, to this day, are debated in James’ home state. But that dark night for James and this one shared the same DNA, which made it all the more chilling. James’ performance -- if you can call it that -- Tuesday was as unexpected and hard to explain as what happened to him a year ago.

Let's get the fairness qualifier out of the way: Every player is entitled to and even expected to have a dreadful game at some point. This game happened to be James’ 99th of the season and it was certainly like no other. In fact, it was like no game for him in more than four years. That was the last time he scored in single digits as he did on Tuesday night with his eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. These things happen, even to prolific scorers. Earlier this season Dwyane Wade had a three-point game when he shot 1-of-13. Chris Bosh had a game in which he shot 1-of-18.

But for James, Game 4 enters a new realm because of the way it happened. He lapsed into detachment, which seems like a severe sin for a game of this magnitude. It was eerily like a year ago in that game against the Celtics, an emotion that appeared so out of character that rational people started doing and saying irrational things to try to explain and justify it.

It wasn’t that James didn’t deliver in a clutch moment. That is excusable. It was that he looked like he didn’t even want to be in the moment. For a player of his stature without an injury, that is highly uncharacteristic.

James seemed to want to be away from the ball at times in the fourth quarter. He took one shot in those final 12 minutes. With the Heat desperately trying to hang on to a lead that was slipping away, James didn’t even touch the ball on almost half of the team’s possessions in the quarter.

Often he stood in the corner as if the game was still in a television timeout. When Dirk Nowizki drove to the lane to score what turned out to be the biggest basket of the game, James stood a few feet away and watched with that same empty expression. Yes, he was supposed to guard Jason Terry on the play and was supposed to stay within reasonable distance to close out. But James didn’t even move, as though he was frozen in a daze.

This strange zone James played in did not take inside information to see. It was plainly clear to the millions of people across the world who watched the game. It was clear to his team, too.

“He struggled,” Bosh said. “Point blank, period.”

“Well, we’ll have to look at film,” Heat coach Erik Spolestra said. “Obviously, we would like to get him involved.”

The film is not going to acquit James well. In fact it might make it worse. He did have nine rebounds, seven assists and made some plays. The Mavs were double teaming him -- as has nearly every opponent he's dealt with since early in the 2004-05 season -- and he was making some passes out of them to set up teammates. But in that vital fourth quarter, with the Larry O’Brien Trophy and an insurmountable 3-1 lead starting to appear over the horizon as the Heat took a nine-point lead, James’ face took on that glaze.

“Definitely didn’t play great offensively,” James said. “I’ve got to do a better job of being more assertive.”

There are some concrete reasons to help explain why James isn’t having the series everyone, especially him and even the most optimistic Mavs fans, expected. Shawn Marion is proving to be an effective primary defender on him and the Mavs’ schemes that involve zone defense and jamming him on pick-and-rolls are working.

If you include the regular-season games, these teams have now played six times. Even before his 3-of-11 shooting night on Tuesday, James was 34-of-86 against the Mavs. Add it together and that's less than 40 percent shooting for a player having the best shooting season of his career. The sample size is significant, and it can be said that the Mavs give James some problems offensively.

But going back to that fourth quarter, Marion played all of 12 seconds. James defenders were DeShawn Stevenson, whom James has a long history of showing up, and Jason Kidd. For a few possessions it was even the outsized Jason Terry. All are smaller defenders James has the weaponry to attack in numerous ways. Yet there he was, deferring and standing as far from the ball as he could.

This is why James might go into a media blackout until Game 5, because these things are so hard to explain. With these stakes and with what was taking place in the game -- the Mavs closing on a 21-9 run -- that is what put this particular effort into the mystifying territory.

“They haven’t changed their coverages on me,” James said. “I still got to make plays for my team, but also make plays for myself.”

It’s also possible James just got tired. He’s hasn’t had a break in the second half of games for weeks now and it is about to become the longest season James has ever played. With Dallas coach Rick Carlisle changing his rotation to give Marion a rest and get fresh bodies on James, there is the possibility that James could have been out of energy. But this is denied.

“No, he’s physically fine,” Spoelstra said. “I just have to do a better job of making sure he’s in positions where he can be aggressive.”

For a 48-hour period, James is going to be debated in every corner where they discuss professional basketball. Some of it is because the Heat lost and the series is in jeopardy and James is one of the biggest lightning rods in the league’s history. But that’s not all -- there’s more than just hype here.

Last summer when James had to contemplate what went wrong in a season during which he was sure he was getting his first title, he had to face the facts of that Game 5 nightmare. Then he fairly could say his teammates weren't able to pick him up, they’d “died down in the moment” as James said two weeks ago. On Tuesday, Wade and Bosh combined to score 56 points. The Heat’s defense held Dallas to less than 40 percent shooting and just 41 points in the second half. The Heat lost because James died down in this moment in the same strange way he did a year ago.

For now, he’s going to get encouraging texts from friends and mentors. Pat Riley, the king of the motivational speech, will surely be lightly rapping on James’ door. James has a support system and it’s served him before.

Ultimately, the Heat are probably going to need the real James to step forward in this series. They couldn’t get here without him. Last season when James went into that shell there was no recovery time to get out. The series is new again now, a best-of-three. But James is going to have to look in the mirror and decipher what demons returned in Game 4. There’s no more room for it to happen again.

“I’m confident in my ability,” James said. “I’ll come back in Game 5 and do the things that need to be done.” (ESPN)


"Dwayne Wade has clearly played harder,more consistent,and with more passion than Lebron James on the NBA's biggest stage,it gets no bigger than this." Wade has been Miami's best player hands down in these Finals,Lebron is playing like the hefty sidekick thats been overhyped his whole career." True indeed the Heat are probably going to go ahead and win it all this year but it still doesn't negate his poor play on the leagues biggest stage. Lebron has finally surpassed Kobe in 2011 as the single most dominant player in the world currently but what has that equalled out to?

In this world and this society its all about winning and winning it all,championships fair or not is the ultimate measuring stick in sports. So do we all hail the Queen or King??? Check the definition of both and get back to me because MJ. without 6 Championships would not be immortalized and revered as the greatest to ever do it and its unfair to MJ. and all the Legendary greats that Lebron be prematurely compared to them and their lofty accomplishments. Think About It!!!!!(THA CHILL ONE)Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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Tiger Woods Is Still The World's Highest Paid Athlete!!!Kobe #2.

The business of Tiger Woods has been taking on water the past two years. Sponsors like Accenture, AT&T, Gillette and PepsiCo have jumped ship since his November 2009 car crash and the resulting scandal. His golf course design business has been hammered by the economic downturn. His winless streak on the course is at 20 months and counting, and the former No. 1 golfer in the world is now ranked 13th. Woods’ annual earnings have plummeted $50 million over the past two years.

Yet Tiger Woods is still the highest-paid athlete in the world–and it isn’t even a close call. Woods earned $75 million over the past 12 months, easily outdistancing second-ranked Kobe Bryant, who made $53 million.

Woods can thank two long-term sponsors for his hefty income. Nike signed Woods to a five-year, $40 million deal when he turned pro in 1998. Electronic Arts released its first “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” videogame in 1998.

The two companies have built significant businesses on Woods’ back, and his paychecks from both have grown. Nike launched its golf division with Woods essentially holding up the brand; last year it reported sales of $638 million. EA released its 14th Woods videogame in March, and the game racked up record first-week sales of 225,000 units; that topped the old sales record, set in 2007, by 17%. EA and Nike combined are responsible for more than half of Woods’ $75 million in earnings.

Bryant leads 15 basketball players that made the list, more than any other sport. Bryant added Turkish Airlines and Mercedes-Benz’s Smart Car to his endorsement portfolio this year. His $24.8 million salary with the Los Angeles Lakers is $4 million more than any other NBA player. No. 3 on the list is Miami Heat forward LeBron James, who earned $48 million over the past year (see “LeBron James Looks To Conquer The World”). Bryant is on point within the next two seasons to be the first NBA Player to be paid in the likes of Michael Jordan at $30 Million a season according to the terms of his extension with the Lakers.



This year’s 50 highest-paid athletes earned $1.4 billion combined, or $28 million on average. That’s down 11% from a year ago, thanks in large part to the drop in Woods’ earnings and the inactivity of Floyd Mayweather, who hasn’t fought in 13 months after appearing at No. 2 on last year’s list with earnings of $65 million. The minimum to make the list was $18.8 million, compared to $21 million in 2010.

Another big factor in the drop in athlete earnings is the NFL lockout. The owners locked out players in March, and very few contracts were signed beforehand, including no blockbusters with big signing bonuses in the short offseason.


Last year’s NFL draft class also failed to land a player on the list. The top two picks, Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh, signed rich contracts with guarantees of $50 million and $40 million, respectively, but most of that money has not yet been paid out. Last year nine NFL players made our list, but this year only three made the cut, led by No. 13 Tom Brady at $31 million.

Once again women are under-represented among the top-earning athletes. Tennis player Maria Sharapova is the only woman who cracked the top 50 for the second straight year. She ranks 29th with earnings of $24.2 million, largely from her lucrative Nike deal, which pays her royalties on her lines of tennis apparel and Cole Haan shoes.Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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Mustapha Farrakhan:::: On The Come Up

Mustapha Farrakhan Biography



Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com

WORTH NOTING
• One of the team's tri-captains for the 2010-11 season
• Honorable Mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection in 2011
• Shot 77.6 percent (170-219) from the free-throw line for his career
• Averaged a career-high 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 30.8 minutes played a game for the 2010-11 season
• Averaged 14.3 points and 3.3 rebounds a game in ACC regular season games in 2010-11
• Scored a career-high 31 points (11-12 FG, 8-9 3FG) and tied a school record with eight consecutive three-pointers made vs. Howard (1/4/11)
• Scored an ACC career-high 23 points and tied a career high with five assists vs. Georgia Tech (1/22/11)
• Scored in double figures 24 times during the 2010-11 season, including five games of 20 or more points and one game of more than 30 points
• Averaged 6.5 points and 21.0 minutes a game in 2009-10, and shot 78.3 percent (47-60) from the free-throw line
• Scored 17 points, had five rebounds and four assists vs. Longwood (11/13/09)
• Made his first 18 free throws of the 2008-09 season, second longest streak to open a season in school history (Jeff Lamp made 32 consecutive free throws to open the 1980-81 season)
• Scored 17 points on 5-7 FG (4-5 3FG) in 12 minutes at Virginia Tech during the 2008-09 season
• Played in 19 games as a freshman during the 2007-08 season
• All-State selection in Illinois as a high school senior
• Averaged 20.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game as a senior at Thornton Township High School
• A state resolution was passed by the Illinois General Assembly (HRO276) in honor of his academic and athletic achievements as a student at Thornton Township High School

AT VIRGINIA
2010-11 SEASON
• Team tri-captain
• Averaged 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 30.8 minutes played a game while shooting 77.6 percent (104-134) from the free-throw line
• Averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 33.1 minutes played a game in ACC regular season games
• Played in all 31 games and started 27
• Scored in double figures in 24 games, including 16 of the last 18 games
• Scored 20 or more points five times and more than 30 points once
• Led the team in scoring in 15 games, in assists in seven games and in rebounding in one game
• Honorable Mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection
• Honorable Mention All-State selection by the Richmond Times-Dispatch
• Scored a career-high 31 points (11-12 FG, 8-9 3FG) and tied a school record with eight consecutive three-pointers made vs. Howard (1/4/11)
• Scored an ACC career-high 23 points and tied a career high with five assists vs. Georgia Tech (1/22/11)
• Had 23 points (8-14 FG, 4-5 3FG), five rebounds and four assists at No. 15 Minnesota (11/29/10)
• Scored 21 points (including six in the final 36 seconds) and had six rebounds vs. Clemson (2/2/11)
• Had 20 points at Miami (2/5/11) in a career-high 38 minutes
• Scored 14 points and tied a career high with three steals vs. Miami (3/10/11) in the ACC Tournament
• Had 19 points at Maryland (3/5/11)
• Scored 15 points, had four rebounds and three assists vs. NC State (3/1/11)
• Had 17 points (9-10 FT) at Georgia Tech (2/23/11)
• Scored 16 poinits vs. Virginia Tech (2/19/11)
• Had 11 poinits vs. No. 5 Duke (2/16/11)
• Scored 13 points at Wake Forest (1/29/11)
• Had 14 points and a career-high seven rebounds at Boston College (1/19/11)
• Scored 15 points and had three rebounds at No. 1 Duke (1/15/11)
• Had 18 points and five rebounds vs. Norfolk State (12/20/10)
• Scored 17 points and had three rebounds vs. Oregon (12/17/10)
• Had 14 points and three rebounds vs. Radford (12/7/10)
• Scored 14 points at Stanford (11/18/10)
• Lettered for the fourth time

2009-10 SEASON:
• Averaged 6.5 points, 2.0 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 21.0 minutes played a game while shooting 78.3 percent (47-60) from the free-throw line
• Played in 30 games and started 10
• Scored in double figures 10 times
• Led the team in assists in nine games
• Scored 17 points, had five rebounds and four assists vs. Longwood (11/13/09)
• Scored nine points, had four assists and five rebounds vs. Duke (3/12/10) in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament in 35 minutes
• Had 10 points and four assists vs. Boston College (3/11/10) in the first round of the ACC Tournament
• Scored eight points and had a career-high five assists vs. No. 22 Maryland (3/6/10) at JPJA in the first ACC start of his career
• Had eight points and four assists at Boston College (3/3/10)
• Scored 11 points and had three rebounds vs. NC State at JPJA (2/3/10)
• Had 10 points and three rebounds at Wake Forest (1/23/10)
• Scored 13 points (4-5 FG) vs. No. 23 Miami at JPJA (1/16/10)
• Had 15 points, four assists and a career-high three steals vs. No. 20 Georgia Tech (1/13/10)
• Scored 10 points, had two assists and tied a career high with two blocks vs. No. 24 UAB (12/30/09)
• Had 10 points and two assists vs. Hampton (12/23/10)
• Scored 11 points in 33 minutes vs. Cleveland State (11/25/09) in Cancun
• Had 13 points and four assists vs. Oral Roberts (11/21/09)
• Scored eight points vs. Rider (11/19/09)
• Lettered for the third time

2008-09 SEASON:
• Made his first 18 free throws of the season, second longest streak to open a season in school history (Jeff Lamp made 32 consecutive free throws to open the 1980-81 season)
• Played in 23 games, starting two
• Averaged 4.3 points and 10.4 minutes played a game, and shot 90 percent (18-20) from the free-throw line
• Had 10 points, four assists and his first two career blocks in 27 minutes vs. North Carolina (1/15/09)
• Scored 17 points on 5-7 FG (4-5 3FG) in 12 minutes at Virginia Tech (1/10/09)
• Scored 12 points in 16 minutes at Georgia Tech (12/28/08) on 3-5 shooting from the field, including 2-3 from three-point range, and made all four free throw attempts
• Scored 10 points in 14 minutes vs. Hampton (12/23/08) when he was 3-5 from the field, including 2-3 from three-point range, and made both of his free throw attempts
• Had five points vs. Boston College in the ACC Tournament (3/12/09)
• Scored four points vs. Maryland at JPJA (3/7/09)
• Scored nine points vs. Brown (1/6/09)
• Had five points vs. Xavier (1/3/09)
• Scored five points vs. Longwood (12/17/08)
• Had four points, two assists and two steals in 12 minutes at Minnesota (12/2/08)
• Scored five points vs. Liberty (11/25/08)
• Made first career start vs. VMI (11/16/08) in the season opener and had two points
• Had nine points and five assists in the exhibition vs. Shepherd (11/9/08)
• Lettered for the second time

2007-08 SEASON:
• Scored 17 points and had 15 rebounds while playing in 19 games
• Had four rebounds at Maryland (1/30/08), playing a season-high 12 minutes
• Scored three points vs. Georgia Tech (1/27/08)
• Had three points at Xavier (1/3/08)
• Scored two points vs. Elon (12/22/07)
• Had two points and an assist vs. Hampton (12/19/07)
• Scored his first career points (4) in 10 minutes of action vs. Howard (11/14/07)
• Made his Cavalier debut vs. Vermont, playing four minutes (11/11/07)
• Had 13 points and five rebounds in an exhibition game against Carson-Newman (11/4/07)
• Lettered

HIGH SCHOOL
• 2007 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association first-team All-State
• 2007 Associated Press second-team All-State
• 2007 Chicago Sun-Times All-Area
• 2007 Daily Southtown Player of the Year
• 2007 Star Newspaper Player of the Year (Chicago Sun-Times News Group)
• 2007 Class AA All-State by MidStateHoops.com
• Earned all-conference and all-area honors as a senior and a junior
• As a senior, led his conference in scoring and three-point field goals and was second in assists and steals
• Averaged 20.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game with season scoring highs of 45, 30 and 29 points as a senior at Thornton Township High School for head coach Troy Jackson
• Team captain as a senior
• Averaged 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game as a junior
• Selected to attend the 2007 Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis and was selected to the 2007 Nike All-American Senior All-Star Team
• Selected to attend the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp in his junior year
• Invited to attend Michael Jordan's 2006 Basketball Camp (one of only four high school players) and served as a counselor
• Named MVP of the fourth annual Riverside-Brookfield Shootout in 2006
• A state resolution was passed by the Illinois General Assembly (HRO276) in honor of his academic and athletic achievements as a student at Thornton Township High School

PERSONAL
• Full name is Mustapha M. Farrakhan
• Son of Karen and Mustapha Farrakhan
• Grandfather is Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan
• Was on the high honor roll for three years in high school
• Graduated from Virginia in May of 2011 with a major in sociology








Mustapha Farrakhan is the grandson of the leader of the Nation of Islam and you'd never know it.

Many of his University of Virginia contemporaries are probably unfamiliar with the Nation of Islam and there has been nothing about Farrakhan's demeanor or appearance that would offer much insight.

He is an intense, athletic, streak-shooting UVa basketball player who is leading the Cavaliers in scoring while otherwise displaying few of the trappings of fame.

If you look closely, you'll notice that Farrakhan, a senior who is playing his final home game tonight, has a tattoo of a basketball on his left shoulder.

Inside the basketball, in neat print, are the words "Chosen One."

Be careful not to read too much into that.

"My name, in Arabic, means 'the chosen,' " Farrakhan said. "I got the basketball on my arm because I love to play basketball. Then, I just wrote the meaning of my name.

"I wanted a tattoo pretty bad, so I talked to my family about it. I didn't just make a hasty move and say, 'Hey Dad, look.' "

This summer, he added a tattoo with "FARRAKHAN" in block letters across his back.

"That one's pretty big," he said. "My dad said, 'Well, everybody knows who you are now.' "

Mike Scott, like Farrakhan a senior but is redshirting this season, is the resident tattoo authority on the Cavaliers' roster.

"You get a tattoo on your back, that causes a lot of pain," Scott said.

Scott and Farrakhan were part of a four-man recruiting class in 2007 that included walk-on Will Sherrill. When Virginia observes senior night prior to tonight's meeting with North Carolina State, only Farrakhan and Sherrill will be playing at John Paul Jones Arena for the last time.

Jeff Jones transferred to Rider after the 2009-10 season and Scott was shut down by the Cavaliers after doctors recommended his second ankle operation of the season.

Scott meets the criteria for a hardship appeal "but I really wanted to go out with these guys," he said. "That's what had me at a crossroads before the second surgery. I came in with 'Mu.' I didn't want to feel like I was letting Mu and Will Sherrill down."

Scott took a postgraduate year at Hargrave Military Academy after high school and barely knew Farrakhan, who graduated from Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Ill., a year later.

"Once I saw his name, once I heard his name, 'Mustapha Farrakhan,' I just put two and two together,' " Scott said. "I knew who Louis Farrakhan was. Actually, I met Mu's grandfather when I went to Chicago a couple of years back. I went to his house and everything.

"Not a lot of people can say they met Louis Farrakhan. We sat down and talked, talked about basketball mostly. I'm sure everyone knows, but it doesn't really come up."

Louis Farrakhan was a classically trained violinist who gave up music to head the Nation of Islam, a Muslim African-American organization. He helped promote the 1995 Million Man March at which he and other African-American speakers preached on the need for commitment to family and community.

Louis Farrakhan has never been to a game at Virginia, although Mustapha said recently that there was a chance that his grandfather will come to tonight's game.

Mustapha's father, also named Mustapha, frequently attends UVa games and could be seen leaving the stands with his wife to check on their son after a nasty spill against Virginia Tech.

The younger Mustapha and his dad still communicate daily. His father was a major influence in Farrakhan deciding to stick around after two seasons marked by inconsistent playing time.

Farrakhan played in 19 games as a freshman, averaging 6.1 minutes. He played 10.4 minutes per game as a sophomore. That number has climbed to 30.5 this year.

"I would think about leaving," said Farrakhan, who butted heads with then-UVa coach Dave Leitao, "but where else would you go? You could go into the same situation. I would talk to my dad a lot and he said, 'What decision once made you happy, you can't regret.'

"Going through that adversity helps build character. I try to tell younger guys, 'Sometimes, you're not going to get the smooth side of the mountain."

Farrakhan, scheduled to graduate in May with a degree in sociology, says he's had an opportunity to grow under Tony Bennett, who succeeded Leitao after the 2008-09 season, But not everybody can play at once and players have transferred under Bennett too.

"When you're a new coach, you try not to take too much into account," Bennett said. "Certainly, you look at game film, but you want to draw your own conclusions. I can say this about Mustpha: He's improved in two areas, as a player and in handling his emotions.

"He's an emotional guy. He can go on runs offensively and get so excited and other times he'll battle his emotions and get discouraged and get off the track. But that's part of who he is and what makes him good."

On several occasions this season, Bennett has exhorted Farrakhan to "lead us," and one wonders if that isn't part of Farrakhan's DNA.

"Not many people have seen or dealt with the things that Mustapha has, being who he is and who his grandfather is," Bennett said. "I think that brings a whole 'nother element into play.

"He acts like a normal college athlete, but there are things that are there. Mustapha is a very deep young man. What's that they say about 'still waters run deep?' There's more there than meets the eye."Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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Utah Jazz Evaluates "Farrakhan's Grandson "Mustapha" And "Stockton's Son "Michael"!!!

The four players the Utah Jazz brought in for a workout on Tuesday may not make millions of dollars in guaranteed money.

In fact, it’s likely that the four players the Jazz will welcome to the Zions Bank Basketball Center won’t even be drafted.
But, it’s also highly likely that Jazz fans will remember this particular workout for quite some time, because of the people involved.

Westminster guard Michael Stockton, BYU guard Jackson Emery, and guards Brady Morningstar of Kansas and Mustapha Farrakhan of Virginia will not receive much notoriety from a national perspective, but it’s pretty certain that Stockton, son of Jazz Hall of Famer John, Emery and Farrakhan might.

The name Stockton is synonymous with success and statues and plaques around these parts, and somebody in the Jazz organization must be hoping that Michael is the second coming.

If he pans out, there’s a third Stockton (David, a sophomore guard at Gonzaga) in case the organization would like to bottle lightning and sell it at a warehouse in Utah County.

Michael is not the second coming of John, sadly. His numbers at tiny Westminster College in Salt Lake City were good (18.2 points per game) but he wasn’t facing Division I competition, either.

He doesn’t wear No. 12 like his dad, he doesn’t have the same bulldog mentality as his father, but he does have a pretty good jump shot like Pops.

And, he did achieve such numbers with a Stockton-like iron man’s fortitude in his senior year, averaging 33 minutes of play per game.

The one statistic Jazz fans are probably dying to read about are Michael’s assists; he averaged four per game at WC, which was good enough to lead the Griffins but not remotely close to John‘s output with the Jazz.

The best Michael can hope for, really, is a spot on the Jazz’ training camp roster, since the NBA cancelled its summer league due to a possible lockout.
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If Stockton Part Deux gets that far, Michael will be forcing his way into a crowded roster filled with what will likely be a slew of young talent dealing with the same summer doldrums.

The solution in a plethora of words? All for one, and European basketball for all.

Same goes for Emery, a hard-working point guard who didn’t get Jimmer’s accolades, yet quietly did his thing and played hard-nosed defense.

Emery also led BYU in steals and shot over 42 percent from the field, giving even more cause to Jazz fans who think the state of Utah has some good basketball talent.

It won’t be the first year the Jazz have taken a look at their home grown stars, and it won’t be the last. But the chances of either player being drafted in the first two rounds is so slim that no draft board has either Stockton or Emery listed as a possibility.

As for Morningstar, the Kansas guard, he doesn’t come with any of the accolades accorded Stockton Part II or Emery, but he does have a long track record for being a consistent, though average performer at KU.

Morningstar can shoot from three-point land with the best of them, and he’ll need to if he has any shot at cracking any NBA team's roster.

Farrakhan is also bit of an anomaly, a four-year starter who was decidedly average his first three years at UVA before coming out of his shell in his senior year.

He is the kind of player the Jazz like, a studious type who focuses on all of the right things, and his grandfather is none other than the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan himself.

That said, all the lineage in the world won’t get any of these four players drafted this June, but it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see any combination of the four playing this summer in a foreign land.Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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The G.O.A.T.??? The Legendary Bill Russell//The Boston Celtics

All-Star Games

1958 NBA
1959 NBA
1960 NBA
1961 NBA
1962 NBA
1963 NBA
1964 NBA
1965 NBAAwards

1954-55 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player
1957-58 NBA MVP
1960-61 NBA MVP
1961-62 NBA MVP
1962-63 NBA All-Star Game MVP
1962-63 NBA MVP
1964-65 NBA MVP Championships (11)

1966 NBA
1967 NBA
1968 NBA
1969 NBA
1957 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1959 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1960 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1961 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1962 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1963 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1964 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1965 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1966 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1968 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1969 Boston Celtics (NBA)

MVP Award Shares

1956-57 NBA 0.024 (7)
1957-58 NBA 0.570 (1)
1958-59 NBA 0.351 (2)
1959-60 NBA 0.496 (2)
1960-61 NBA 0.568 (1)
1961-62 NBA 0.699 (1)
1962-63 NBA 0.718 (1)
1963-64 NBA 0.348 (3)
1964-65 NBA 0.535 (1)
1965-66 NBA 0.155 (4)
1966-67 NBA 0.183 (3)
1968-69 NBA 0.181 (4)
Career 4.827 (5)


Honors

1954-55 NCAA AP All-America (1st)
1955-56 NCAA AP All-America (1st)
1957-58 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1958-59 NBA All-NBA (1st)
1959-60 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1960-61 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1961-62 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1962-63 NBA All-NBA (1st)
1963-64 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1964-65 NBA All-NBA (1st)
1965-66 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1966-67 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1967-68 NBA All-NBA (2nd)
1968-69 NBA All-Defensive (1st)



During Bill Russell's 13-year NBA playing career, his Boston Celtics won 11 championships, a record for winning unmatched by any player in any sport. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player five times.

He was born in Louisiana in a time when blacks were not allowed many of the rights and achievements whites took for common. After his mother was accosted by a policeman and threatened with arrest for dressing too well, "as if she thought she was white", his family decided to pack and move to California. They took trains across the country, and as the train left the South, Russell remembers, he was amazed that along the way, the train stations stopped having separate drinking fountains and restrooms for blacks and whites. His family settled in Oakland, where young Russell attended integrated schools, made friends white and black, and reached heights that almost certainly would have been denied him in the segregated South.

He was not a natural star. In junior high, he was cut from tryouts for the basketball team. In high school he barely made the junior varsity squad as a sophomore. But he worked at it ceaselessly, eventually making the varsity team as a junior, and he joined the starting line-up as a senior, as his team won the league championship. Still, the sports star at Russell's school was his baseball playing classmate, Frank Robinson, and only one college — the University of San Francisco — offered Russell a scholarship.

At USF, with perpetual practice, he became a better and better player. He made the varsity team in his sophomore year, and in his junior and senior year USF won two consecutive NCAA championships. Russell literally changed the way the game was played, when, after the 1955 NCAA tournament, collegiate coaches enacted two key rule changes in direct response to Russell's dominance -- the free throw lane where defensive players are not allowed to congregate was widened from ten feet to twelve, and "goaltending" (touching the ball on its downward arc toward the basket) was banned.

After graduation, Russell was drafted by the NBA's St. Louis Hawks, but he was immediately traded to the Boston Celtics (in exchange for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagen). He missed the first month of his rookie season, instead fulfilling a childhood dream by playing for the US Olympic basketball team, winning a Gold Medal.

In his pro career, Russell averaged "only" 15 points per game, but he played defense like nobody had before, proving that offense really is only half the game. With Russell clogging the middle, opposing teams were forced to shoot from outside, unable to find an easy lay-up. And when either team missed a shot, Russell was there for the rebound -- he led the league in rebounds five times, and after his Olympic-shortened first season he never had less than a thousand rebounds in a season. With his height and agility, he could leap and block shots to great psychological effect, often batting the ball back with force to intimidate opponents just when they believed they had out-maneuvered him -- and just as often, deflecting an opponent's shot to Russell's teammates for a fast-break basket. He would undoubtedly hold the career record for blocked shots, but that statistic was not kept until after his retirement.

The match-ups between Russell and his era's other dominant center, Wilt Chamberlain, drew huge media and fan attention. Chamberlain usually led the league in scoring and won two championships, but when it came to crunch time, Russell's teams usually won. Eight times their teams faced each other in the playoffs; seven times Russell's team won. Chamberlain might score 30 points in a game, but Russell would pull down 20 rebounds, block half a dozen shots, and rack up another half-dozen assists. Their rivalry, though, was mostly in the media's minds. In reality, they were friends. The Celtics and Chamberlain's Philadelphia Warriors traditionally played each other in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving day, and Russell would eat turkey dinner at Chamberlain's house.

Russell was also an outspoken advocate for civil rights. He was one of the first celebrities to proudly call himself black, when "negro" was still the accepted and polite term. At least twice, he refused to play a scheduled game when his black teammates were given inferior accommodations, and since Russell's presence sold many tickets, the problem with accommodations was quickly addressed. He spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, and established an off-season sports training camp open to kids of any color. In 1967, still playing for the Celtics, Russell took over as coach when Red Auerbach was promoted, making Russell the first African-American to coach a major league professional sports team. The next season he became the first African-American coach to win an NBA championship.

After his playing career, Russell worked as a coach and sports commentator. He was a pallbearer at the funeral of Jackie Robinson, and spoke at Chamberlain's funeral in 1999. His brother, Charlie L. Russell, is a playwright whose most famous work, Five on the Black Hand Side, was produced on the New York stage starring Demond Wilson, and made into a movie featuring Godfrey Cambridge. His daughter, Karen Russell, is a TV reporter and commentator with Huffington Post. His second wife, Dorothy Anstett, was Miss USA in 1968, and was white, which made their marriage controversial at the time. Russell is the namesake of the Most Valuable Player Award for the NBA's annual championship series, and in 2011 he was honored with the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.



Lebron James and most of these great young players today can't hold a candle to the legendary Bill Russell,the NBA's all-time greatest winner with 11 championships!!!!!Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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Kareem Abdul Jabbar's Open Letter To Scottie Pippen!!!!

How Soon They Forget: An Open Letter to Scottie Pippen

Dear Scottie,

I have nothing but respect for you my friend as an athlete and knowledgeable basketball mind. But you are way off in your assessment of who is the greatest player of all time and the greatest scorer of all time. Your comments are off because of your limited perspective. You obviously never saw Wilt Chamberlain play who undoubtedly was the greatest scorer this game has ever known. When did MJ ever average 50.4 points per game plus 25.7 rebounds? (Wilt in the 1962 season when blocked shot statistics were not kept). We will never accurately know how many shots Wilt blocked. Oh, by the way in 1967 and 68, Wilt was a league leader in assists. Did MJ ever score 100 points in a game? How many times did MJ score more than 60 points in a game? MJ led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons for 10 years but he did this in an NBA that eventually expanded into 30 teams vs. when Wilt played and there were only 8 teams.

Every team had the opportunity to amass a solid nucleus. Only the cream of the basketball world got to play then. So MJ has to be appraised in perspective. His incredible athletic ability, charisma and leadership on the court helped to make basketball popular around the world -- no question about that. But in terms of greatness, MJ has to take a backseat to The Stilt.

In terms of winning, Michael excelled as both an emotional and scoring leader but Bill Russell’s Celtics won eight consecutive NBA Championships. Bill's rebounding average per game is over 22.5 lifetime, MJs best rebounding years was eight per game (1989). But we will never know exactly how many shots Bill Russell blocked because again, they never kept that statistic while he played. However, if you ask anybody that played against Russell, they will just roll their eyes and say he blocked all the shots he wanted to block in the crucial moments of a game.

Bill played on a total of 11 championship teams and as you very well know, Scottie, the ring is the thing, and everything else is just statistics. So I would advise you to do a little homework before crowning Michael or LeBron with the title of best ever. As dominant as he is, LeBron has yet to win a championship. I must say that it looks like Miami has finally put the team together that will change that circumstance. Its my hope that today’s players get a better perspective on exactly what has been done in this league in the days of yore.

Affectionately,
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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Lebron Better Than M.J. Upserd!!!!Lebron Has To Surpass Kobe 1st.

Scottie Pippen had a front-row seat to watch Miami's LeBron James help oust the Chicago Bulls from the playoffs, and the Hall of Famer believes James might supplant Pippen's former running mate Michael Jordan as the greatest player ever.


"Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to play the game," Pippen said Friday on "Mike & Mike In The Morning" on ESPN Radio. "But I may go as far as to say LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he is so potent offensively that not only can he score at will but he keeps everybody involved.


Mike and Mike in the Morning
Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen says Michael Jordan was the greatest scorer ever, but LeBron James could be the greatest NBA player ever.

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"You have to be on your P's and Q's on defense. No guy on the basketball court is a threat to score with LeBron James out there. Not only will LeBron dominate from the offensive end as well, but he's also doing it on the defensive end, which really makes him the complete package. He's able to get in those passing lanes, shoot those gaps and create transition opportunities where he is pretty much unstoppable."


Horace Grant, a close friend of Pippen's who won three titles with Jordan's Bulls, was shocked to hear of Pippen's comments.


"Pip is my man, and we will always be close but I totally disagree," Grant said Friday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "LeBron is going to be one of the top players to ever play the game. But Michael Jeffrey Jordan, who we bumped heads with at times, is I think in my era, the best who ever played the game.


"I'm kind of at a loss for words because Michael Jordan ... when you win numerous MVPs and you've taken the team to six championships -- and probably could have been eight if he didn't retire those two years -- and MVPs in the playoffs ... and he made us better.


"Believe me, he made myself, Scottie, B.J. [Armstrong], even Bill Cartwright who I love, he made us better players. He gave us that confidence. But first we had to earn his trust. And once we earned his trust you saw championship after championship."


Pippen took to Twitter to defend himself later Friday.


"For all of you that don't know, I played the game you keep watching and cheering," Pippen tweeted.


Later he tweeted: "Don't get me wrong, MJ was and is the greatest. But LeBron could by all means get to his level someday. "


The Heat closed out the Bulls with an 83-80 victory in Game 5 on Thursday, setting up an NBA Finals matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. A championship in his second career trip to the Finals could help solidify his legacy, but James already has put to rest one knock on his game, in Pippen's view.


Jordan vs. LeBron
Is LeBron James better than Michael Jordan? Vote!
"I'm seeing a great player, and a player that we've all admired for the last [seven] years of his career, but this [eighth] year here, he has really brought the complete package," Pippen said. "I've never seen a player that can dominate a game the way LeBron James can. He don't always have to score. He makes plays for other guys. But when the game is on the line and you need a shot to be made, he's going to make that play. He's shown that throughout this series that he can make big shots.


"I think there has always been a knock on him that he don't make the big shots down the stretch. Well, I think they can put that behind him now. He's a shotmaker. And right now he's a man on a mission."


Pippen, who won six NBA titles alongside Jordan in the 1990s, said the Bulls exceeded their talent level to reach the Eastern Conference finals against the Heat.


"They have to keep their head up and realize they had a great season," said Pippen, who attends most Bulls games in his role as team ambassador. "I think you have to take something positive from this season. I think this team really laid their hearts out on the line and played great basketball all season long, but I think we all know that (the Bulls) were overachieving to some degree.


"I think we realized we really didn't have the personnel to go all the way through the playoffs and be considered the NBA champions. This Miami Heat team was established to be able to really run through every team in the league, and they have been able to do that thus far."

What planet is Scottie Pippen really from?? Lebron James hasn't surpassed Kobe's accomplishments yet and in no way can anyone truly compare Lebron to Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan has no equal still to this day in 2011. Kobe is the closest player to Michael Jordan that i've seen in my life to this day. Kobe is still above Lebron hands down in NBA accomplishments career-wise. Lebron is a beast with crazy talent but Kobe has won on every level and with the same franchise,he didn't have to switch teams to win championships with and without Shaq. Lebron had to team up with two other NBA Superstars to get back to the NBA Finals and potentially win his first championship after 8 years seasons. Wake up sports world,Wake up sports world!!!!!










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Kobe Bryant's Hall Of Fame Career Playoff Stats!!!!

All-Time Playoff Records in Striking Distance of the Black Mamba
The playoffs are here and the Black Mamba is on the attack. He's scored 30 or more points in two of the three games so far, bringing his career 30-point playoff game total to 80, second only to Michael Jordan's 109. Kobe Bryant has played in 201 playoff games in his career so he has exceeded the 30-point mark in roughly two out of every fivegames. In order to pass Jordan at that pace, he would need to play another 75 playoff games. To put that in context, the Lakers played 67 games over the last three playoffs. Kobe and the Lakers would need quite a run the next few years to make that milestone obtainable. While the odds may be against Kobe for that record, there are other playoff records well within striking distance.



All-Time Playoff Points Leaders
Kobe currently sits in the 4th spot and will likely move past former teammate Shaquille O'Neal into 3rd sometime during the next round of the playoffs. Perhaps more interesting though is that Kobe has averaged 666 points in each of the last three playoff runs, and if the Lakers play their way into a 4th consecutive NBA Finals appearance he should finish right next to Kareem Abdjul-Jabbar and possibly pass him for number two all-time. If the Lakers can avoid being the victims of an early upset this year and next, Kobe will certainly pass the great Michael Jordan for the #1 spot all time.

It's a spot that Kobe would likely retain for a long time. A few more deep runs in the playoffs and Kobe could finish with almost 7,000 career playoff points, well ahead of anyone else on the list. As for other players catching him, the two closest active players are Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki, neither of whom is all that close. In fact, no other active player is even halfway to Kobe's total.

While a scoring record for Kobe is not a surprise, there are other playoff records that may be.

All-Time Made Field Goals, Threes, and Free Throws Leaders




Given Kobe's position on the all-time playoff points list, it shouldn't be a surprise to see him near the top of the list for field goals or free throws. What may come as a surprise to many is his position on the list of three-point field goals made. Kobe currently sits tied in the #2 spot with the all-time regular season leader, Ray Allen. They both trail the previous all-time regular season leader, Reggie Miller. When people think of the NBA's best shooters Kobe Bryant rarely makes the list. as he doesn't exhibit the same sniper-like efficiency of players like Allen or Miller. He does, however, have the ability to get into the zone and catch fire NBA Jam-style and absolutely burn the nets from deep. For instance: Kobe holds a share of the NBA record for threes in a game with 12, something that Allen or Miller do not have.

Kobe will likely finish either #1 or #2 all-time on this list when he retires. He's almost certianly going to pass Miller as he needs only two more deep playoff runs to do so. The biggest challenger he has is Ray Allen, who hits more threes per game than Kobe. Will Ray play enough games in the remainder of his career to hold off Kobe? Only time will tell.

As for field goals and free throws, Kobe is currently #4 in both but will likely finish at the top of the list when he finally hangs it up. He needs two deep playoff runs plus a round or two to finish atop the field-goal list, certainly within reach given the Lakers roster. He will move into the #1 position for free throws sometime in next year's playoffs. The list of current active players also offers no immediate threats to Kobe's standing on these all-time lists.

Steals

Here's a list that many probably didn't realize Kobe was on. Kobe has long been a superb defender, as evident from his 10 All-Defensive team selections. The only knock on Kobe defensively has been his periods of relaxed play on that end. In the playoffs, though, the moments of relaxed defensive focus are few and far between. As a result he's amassed a large number of steals and thus sits 8th on the all-time list. The list is pretty condensed, so Kobe will likely move past Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks and Larry Bird in the second or third round this season. After that there's quite a gap between each of the remaining names. A deep run to the finals this year would put Kobe around 310 steals. He would still be 85 short of defensive ace Scottie Pippen for first all-time. The Lakers would need at least two more trips to finals after this season for Kobe to catch him.

The only two active players even remotely close to Kobe are Jason Kidd and fellow teammate and Lakers bulldog Derek Fisher. Neither is any threat to pass Kobe. While reaching #1 may be a long shot, Kobe is almost certain to finish at worst fourth in this category, right next to fellow Lakers legend Magic Johnson.





Assists

This has to be the most shocking list to see Kobe's name on given the media's incessant claims of his ball-hogging nature. Sure he currently resides at only the #11 position, but this list is also rather condensed. Kobe has averaged 123 assists over each of the last three playoff runs. Another trip to the finals would probably yield another 110 assists this postseason and bring his total to around 1,074, which would launch him from #11 all-time all the way up to #4. The only players still ahead of him would be the trinity of arguably the top 3 point guards in history: Magic Johnson, John Stockton and Jason Kidd.

Kobe has no chance at catching either of the first two Hall of Famers, but Kidd could be passed depending on how long he plays and how far Dallas makes it in the playoffs. If the Lakers continue to make a deep run or two over the next few seasons and Dallas continues to play only one or two rounds, there should be enough games in Kobe's favor to move him past Kidd.

Once again there are no other active players currently threatening to catch and pass Kobe. Only two have more than 600 assists, Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker. Billups is an older point guard that will probably retire before Kobe and is not on the type of team to make a deep playoff run. Parker on the other hand is younger and on a solid team, but the gap between him and Kobe is very large and will likely result in Parker falling short.





Summary

It's not surprising to see Kobe charging to the top of the playoff scoring list. Finishing near the top in threes, steals, and assists is more unexpected. Assuming that Kobe and the Lakers were to make the finals this year, the conference finals next year, the second round in 2013, and just the first round in 2014 (the last year of Kobe's current contract), Kobe would likely finish #1 in points (including #1 in the trifecta of field goals, threes, and free throws made), #3 in assists, and #3 in steals.

It's a testament to Kobe's all-around ability as both a scorer and facilitator along with his defensive greatness to finish with such lofty totals. Obviously the all-time playoff stats are greatly influenced by the number of playoff games played and Kobe has been the beneficiaryof playing for teams that have made it to 7 NBA finals and counting. However, he has been the engine (or at least engine 1A) for all of those teams and has driven them to success. Perhaps that speaks to Kobe's greatest strength of all - winning - and why he will likely find himself at the top of one more list when he retires: Most All-Time Playoff Wins.










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Kobe Bryant::: Still The NBA's Most Dangerous Player.........

Some say that the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant has lost something with age. But even if he has slipped back to the rest of the pack, he still is the leader of that pack. That’s because, like Michael Jordan before him, Kobe is a stone-cold assassin who has evolved his game even as the miles have racked up.

And as another playoff run approaches for the two-time defending champion Lakers, Kobe remains the league’s most dangerous player.

Belittle him during the regular season, question his lift, harp on his injuries and endlessly debate his skills. The simple fact remains that Kobe is a player on a team no one really wants to play come May and June.

No matter the struggles of the Lakers throughout this season, which has been an up-and-down ride nearly unlike any other season, this is still a team that appears to be able to flip a switch, turn it on and win key games. And they don’t get any bigger than in the playoffs.

The Lakers aren’t just Kobe Bryant. That much is clear, not only this season, but really since the arrival of Pau Gasol.

But the reason for LA’s title success these past three years that resulted in NBA Finals trips is that Kobe Bryant sets LA apart from all others.

Exactly like MJ before him, no matter sick, ailing or aging, Kobe is cut from that same block. We thought the mold was broken with MJ. Think again.

But why? What are the main reasons that makes Kobe so dangerous, especially in the playoffs?

No. 8: Driven Fueled to simply be the best, Kobe might be the most driven player in NBA history, outside of Michael Jordan.
Kobe has an internal fire and drive that propels him further, pushing himself and his Lakers to greatness. That makes Kobe extremely dangerous come the playoffs, as other teams must match that energy and drive or get run over.

No. 7: Closer Like MJ before him, Kobe is a killer at the close of a game.
Everyone, from opposing coaches and players to viewers at home, knows where the ball is going at the end of the game for LA. But you can’t stop it.
Kobe’s legendary game-closing ability makes him deadly in any tight game or series.

No. 6: Work Ethic Kobe’s work ethic is legendary and he is another factor as to why he is so dangerous, especially in the playoffs. Kobe will be prepared, both physically and mentally.
Last year, especially in the Boston series in the NBA Finals, Kobe hired his own personal scout to provide him with game tape on the Celtics and what they were trying to do to him, as well as how they were defending him.
All of that is on top of the physical effort that he puts in and the lengths Kobe will go to for his body to be ready for the playoff run.
Don’t discount this dangerous point. There are plenty of talented players in the NBA, but Kobe clearly understands that work ethic also separates the great from the good.

No. 5: Respect Don’t kid yourself. One of the things that makes Kobe so dangerous in the playoffs is the same thing Jordan possessed—respect.
Opponents know what Kobe is capable of. That alone allows doubt to creep into their minds. Kobe already has an edge, but now the opponents mindset opens that gap.
Kobe will stand up to anyone and for any teammate.
And don’t think that if a game is close, the other team doesn’t respect and know where the Lakers will be getting the ball for a go-ahead bucket.

No. 4: Fear Is a Great Motivator Kobe has described himself as a “talented overachiever” and it is that fear of failure that fuels his internal fires.
The fear propels him and, unlike many players, especially in the playoffs, Kobe embraces that fear and uses it to achieve excellence.
It is a dangerous and highly-combustible energy source and it is the sole reason he was able to play injured during last year’s playoffs.
Look for that same fear—maybe even more so as he ages—to fuel him again.

No. 3: Mindset Schooled by Phil Jackson, Kobe excels at being in the present moment. The game slows down for Kobe, like it did for all the greats.
And Kobe seizes those moments and attacks those opportunities. He not only works hard to be the best physically, but also mentally.
He always has that scorer’s mentality, knowing the next shot will go in. And that mental approach makes him always prepared, exactly like his Zen Master coach has the Lakers during championship runs.

No. 2: Talent Simply put, Kobe’s game has changed as he has aged. He’s developed an even more lethal mid-range game and a wicked post-up one.
Like MJ, Kobe has a patented turnaround move that is nearly impossible to guard, especially if Kobe has any lift remaining in his aching knees.
And Kobe is still the league’s most skilled offensive player, possessing the ability to score from anywhere on the court. He has nearly zero weaknesses.
This makes him a tough matchup and the focus of any opponents' game plan.

No. 1: Experience Five NBA titles in seven appearances. Kobe has played in more NBA Finals than his hero and the player he is chasing, Michael Jordan.
And, like MJ before him, that experience, hardened by playoff battles, is priceless.
Coached by the Zen Master himself, the Lakers play as instructed by their head coach. They never panic, and neither does Kobe.
Kobe and his Lakers are the quintessential "been there, done that" team. Experience is always an ally.

People with no real history or knowledge of the game like to make the arguement that Lebron is the best in the world but simply put Lebron hasn't really won anything, anything yet. Lebron hasn't performed at the level of Kobe especially on the NBA's biggest stage "The Finals". A few personal individual accolades aside, what has King James conquered yet? Lebron is an excellent player and all around talent and the heir apparent to Kobe not Michael but Kobe but what has he done to began to solidfy his legacy to the highest level?

Kobe Bryant is still the most dangerous player in the NBA right now. We're talking right now and he's in a great position to achieve more history in a very storied career.Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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Adrian Peterson Goes All In On NFL, "It's Another Form Of Modern Day Slavery"

Minnesota's Adrian Peterson: Lockout Is 'Slavery'‎

“It's modern-day slavery, you know?” is what Adrian Peterson, star running back of the Minnesota Vikings said about the current situation between the NFL owners and the players association.

He went on and said,
“People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too."

Adrian told Yahoo! Sports after the NFL lockout was announced on Friday that he felt it was unfair that the league would refuse to open their financial books.

"Obviously, there's a lot to hide — these guys are professionals, and they're maximizing what they do. But they know that if all this information comes out, the information the players want, it'll be right out there for everyone to see."


No matter what NFL players may be doing in the offseason, the ongoing labor negotiations are never far from their minds. Even stars like Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson have strong feelings on the issues being debated by NFL players and team owners, who are fighting over how to divide the league's estimated $9.3 billion in revenue.

Speaking just minutes after the owners locked out the players, Peterson compared the players' place in the game to "modern-day slavery," a statement that, while ill-advised, was made in the context of how the players feel they're being treated in these talks. (Note: Based on the context in which the comments were made, I do not believe that Peterson was actually equating his current position in the NFL with any kind of slavery. I will update this piece if he clarifies his statement.) What follows is our full interview.

See the controversial quote in its entirety here.

SC: We're talking about 15 minutes after the NFLPA sent in the paperwork to decertify, so the lockout's on everybody's minds. I've talked to a lot of players about this recently, and I always ask the same question — what is the message you want to get out to the people who love the game and are tired of hearing all the labor talk?

AP: We're business-minded, also. It's not just fun and games. A lot of football players, whether it's Sunday or Monday night — we're out there on the field, competing, hitting each other. But people don't see everything else behind it. It's a job for us, too — every day of the week. We're in different states, sometimes thousands of miles away from our families and kids, and a lot of people don't look at it like that. All some people see is, 'Oh, we're not going to be around football.' But how the players look at it … the players are getting robbed. They are. The owners are making so much money off of us to begin with. I don't know that I want to quote myself on that…

SC: It's nothing that I haven't heard from other players, believe me.

AP: It's modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money … the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money. I understand that; these are business-minded people. Of course this is what they are going to want to do. I understand that; it's how they got to where they are now. But as players, we have to stand our ground and say, 'Hey — without us, there's no football.' There are so many different perspectives from different players, and obviously we're not all on the same page — I don't know. I don't really see this going to where we'll be without football for a long time; there's too much money lost for the owners. Eventually, I feel that we'll get something done.

But this crazy idea about an 18-game season … I'm sure they want more entertainment and more revenue, but we're not going to see a pinch of that (the increased revenue), and it's just the business we're in.

SC: It seems to most of the players that if the owners had nothing to hide financially, and if the current business model was as unsustainable as they claim, they'd have no trouble opening the books and showing audited profit and loss per team. Is that your impression?

AP: Exactly! It's like … 'Well, show us.' We want more information, and they want to bull****, going around, saying this and that, just open it up and give us the information we want. If they have nothing to hide, just give us the information. Why not? Obviously, there's a lot to hide -- these guys are professionals, and they're maximizing what they do. But they know that if all this information comes out, the information the players want, it'll be right out there for everyone to see. It's a ripoff — not just for the players, but for the people who work at the concession stands and at the stadiums. The people working at the facilities, you know?

SC: Do you feel that you're represented well by DeMaurice Smith and George Atallah and what now used to be the Players' Union?

AP: Yeah, I think so — they're doing a good job. And with the veteran guys on board, and the player reps, they give us a lot of confidence.

SC: Obviously, last season was a disappointment for the Vikings — your team went 6-10 while the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears played for the NFC championship, and the Packers won the Super Bowl. How do the Vikings get back to the top of the NFC North? And how should you get that new quarterback now that Brett Favre(notes) is gone?

AP: We need to make some adjustments. Obviously … I mean, Favre hasn't retired yet! (laughs) You never know! The quarterback situation is up in the air, and some adjustments need to be made there. We need to go out and do a good job of recruiting in free agency (whenever there is free agency) — bring some new guys in, patch up some areas, and I feel that with Coach [Leslie] Frazier and the changes he's made, they're all for the better, and they'll help our team in the ways we're hoping for. It's all about having 53 guys that come together, and can get it done with the same goals, and will make sacrificed to accomplish those goals.

I see so many teams … the Patriots are a perfect example. Tom Brady's(notes) the guy everyone knows about, but it's about all the other players — the role-players who, one way or another, will get it done somehow. It's not all about talent, and we were a perfect example of that. Brett Favre at quarterback, me at running back, the offensive line, Sidney Rice(notes) … Percy Harvin(notes) is one of the best athletes I've ever seen. Our defense is always ranked in the top five … that shows you that talent doesn't always get it done. So, the changes Coach Frazier has made, new offensive and defensive coordinators, I feel like the mindset those guys bring to the table will be the key we need to get back to that level.

Peterson is one of the best players in the game, and he's staying busy as the labor issues get hashed out — he recently teamed with Power Balance performance wear and Converge to shoot a "Double Take" video in which he interviewed himself and dealt with delicate subjects like McDonald's restrooms, fantasy football, and power handshakes.

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Kobe NBA All-Star Game MVP......(HISTORY)

LOS ANGELES -- This was supposed to be a tribute to a unique accomplishment by Kobe Bryant … except Kobe wasn't having any part of it.

With the All-Star Game back in Los Angeles, Bryant is the only player since the NBA-ABA merger to make two All-Star Game appearances in his home arena in a single city. When I brought that to his attention, he didn't seem impressed.

"Is that supposed to mean anything?" he said.

I added this: Of the 24 players who participated in the 2004 All-Star Game at Staples Center, only Bryant and six others have stayed with their same respective teams in the seven years that have elapsed. And of those six -- Paul Pierce in Boston, Tim Duncan in San Antonio, Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas, Andrei Kirilenko in Utah, Michael Redd in Milwaukee and Yao Ming in Houston -- only Pierce, Duncan and Nowitzki will be back at the All-Star Game.

Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are still All-Stars, only now they're in Boston. Jermaine O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal are in Boston, too, but no longer earn trips to the league's showcase game. Tracy McGrady has gone from one of the top scorers in the league to a point guard for lottery-bound Detroit. Some scattered across the globe in order to keep playing, Steve Francis to China and Allen Iverson to Turkey.


LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant won his record-tying fourth All-Star game MVP award to the delight of his hometown fans, scoring 37 points and propelling the West to a 148-143 victory over the East in the NBA's midseason showcase on Sunday night.

The Los Angeles Lakers' veteran guard put on another show among stars at the 60th All-Star game, also grabbing 14 rebounds and overcoming LeBron James' triple-double for the East.

Clearly pushing for another trophy against an East roster stacked with rival Celtics and Heat, Bryant matched Bob Pettit's NBA record with his fourth MVP award in just 10 years.

"Being at home, I wanted to come out and play hard, put on a good show," the 32-year-old Bryant said. "This will be my last All-Star game in front of these home fans, so it feels good to be here."

Although the protracted courtship of West starter Carmelo Anthony dominated much of the All-Star weekend discussion, Kobe gave the Los Angeles crowd another memory to go with Clippers rookie Blake Griffin's dunk contest win on Saturday.

James had 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for the East, but Miami teammate Dwyane Wade limped off in the third quarter. Wade finished with 14 points.

Bryant didn't score in the final 6:48, falling short of Wilt Chamberlain's All-Star game record of 42 points in 1962.

Bryant won the All-Star MVP trophy in 2002 and 2007 before sharing it with Shaquille O'Neal in 2009. Pettit won four MVP awards with the St. Louis Hawks from 1956-62.

NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant had 34 points for the West, and New York's Amare Stoudemire had 29 for the East.

The West maintained a steady lead against an East team with a combined seven players from Boston and Miami, arguably the top contenders to replace the back-to-back champion Lakers.

Back-to-back baskets by Amare Stoudemire and James trimmed the margin to 142-140 in the final moments. Bryant then missed a jumper, but Lakers teammate Pau Gasol tipped home the rebound.

After two free throws by Chris Paul, Boston's Ray Allen hit a 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left, but Durant finished it with two free throws.

Boston placed a record-tying four players on the squad, led by 14-time All-Star Kevin Garnett, while the Heat sent league MVP James alongside Bosh and Wade, last season's All-Star MVP in the East's two-point win at Cowboys Stadium.

Anthony had eight points and seven rebounds in less than 23 minutes as a West starter -- and perhaps the NBA's most hottest property was a bit distracted.

The Nuggets forward apparently spent the weekend working on his agonizingly protracted separation from Denver. Los Angeles was abuzz with rumors of talks with management from New York and New Jersey throughout the weekend, but the 'Melodrama had no resolution before the game.

Anthony also picked up three early fouls -- no small feat in a game where officials typically swallow their whistles.

Anthony even got a smattering of boos in the first quarter when he chose a layup over a dunk on a breakaway. Bryant remedied that moments later, hovering underneath the rim before throwing down a two-handed jam on the other side.

(espn)


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Kobe "The Black Mamba" 2011

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Blake Griffin Brings It Home In NBA All-star Dunk Contest!!!!

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Martin Luther King lll, Major Part Of Investment Group Seeking To Buy NYC Mets Franchise

Green is the only color that will count in any deal for the Mets.

And that could be a home run for Martin Luther King III, who wants to become the first black owner in Major League Baseball, a baseball source said yesterday.

"[Met owner] Fred Wilpon needs money, and I think that whoever comes in to buy the Mets is going to have to have very deep pockets and ready cash," the expert said.

No problem, King's partner Larry Meli says.

"We have the deep pockets, and deep pockets means cash. Our guys could do this, no question," Meli said.

The Post reported Sunday that King, son of the civil-rights leader, and Meli lead a group of investors -- including original Amazin' Ed Kranepool and Donn Clendenon Jr., son of the 1969 World Series-winning Mets -- seeking to buy the cash-strapped Flushing franchise.


Robin Nelson for the New York Po
Martin Luther King III
In his first public comments on the issue, King yesterday acknowledged that the Mets have had a tough few years.

"Well, no tougher than the Braves," he joked at his suburban Atlanta home.

He later issued a statement saying, if he "personally, or as part of a collective, can advance the vision of a more diverse ownership group in professional sports . . . then, like my father, I am prepared to act in that spirit."

(newyorkpost)

“I believe in the merit and American value of creating an example,” King said in the statement, “and if I personally, or as part of a collective, can advance the vision of a more diverse ownership group in professional sports, domestically or internationally, then, like my father, I am prepared to act in that spirit.”

He added, “There has been a lot of discussion and speculation about my participation in the acquisition of the New York Mets. The public release of those discussions was premature.”

King declined through a spokesman to elaborate on a report in the New York Post that he is collaborating with several major money players in the venture, including Mets legend Ed Kranepool, entrepreneur Donn Clendenon Jr., son of the 1969 Mets World Series MVP; and TV executive Larry Meli.

“It’s fitting with the legacy of Jackie Robinson essentially transferring to the Mets; what better place to have African-American ownership than with the Mets,” Meli told the Post.

King, 53, is scheduled to come to New York this week to set up a meeting with the owners, who announced Friday they’re looking to sell up to 25 percent of the team, the Post said. Meli told the Post he and his group wants to purchase at least 50 percent of the club.

“Martin Luther King Jr. died for the common man to do better in his life,” Meli said. “That sort of legacy is going to take hold here.”Source URL: https://jembutmuwsexywallpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Sports
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After 14 Years Mentally Challenged Man Freed From Prison....................

Raleigh, North Carolina (CNN) -- For 14 years, Floyd Brown was confined to a mental hospital in North Carolina, accused of murdering an 80-year-old woman. His chief complaint in his psychiatric assessment report: "I was framed."

His case is one of several that have shaken the foundations of the criminal justice system in North Carolina.

In 1993, Brown, then 29, was arrested in Wadesboro, North Carolina, suspected of killing Katherine Lynch. Acting on a tip that an African-American male knew something about the crime, an agent of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation brought Brown in for questioning.

Brown didn't match the description in the tip, and there was no physical evidence linking him to the killing. But after a day of questioning, SBI Agent Mark Isley had something even more compelling: A six-page confession that he said Brown had dictated to him.

His lawyers found it unbelievable.

Read the confession (PDF)

"Floyd could never in a million years make that confession," said Kelley DeAngelus, one of Brown's attorneys. "He doesn't have that capacity, he doesn't have the communication skills, he doesn't have the knowledge, he could never speak with that much definition or detail."

Isley, who is under investigation by the North Carolina Department of Justice, declined to comment.

"I didn't murder nobody. I got locked up for a crime I didn't do."

--Floyd Brown, released after 14 years in a mental hospital

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In the confession, Brown allegedly stated his address, even though, according to DeAngelus, he didn't know where he lived. The confession also quoted Brown as saying he awoke at 6 a.m., even though he couldn't accurately tell time.

But even more surprising to DeAngelus was the sentence structure and logical narrative of the confession. "When I met Floyd, he couldn't put together a single grammatically correct sentence. Everything was in three-word or two-word phrases; having a conversation with him was very difficult."

The only thing Brown wrote on the confession was his own name, misspelling "Brown."

But the confession was enough evidence to commit Brown to Dorothea Dix mental hospital in Raleigh. There, he entered a legal limbo. He was accused of a serious crime, but for years, he was ruled incompetent to stand trial and therefore unable to have his day in court.

Finally, in 2007, DeAngelus and attorney Mike Klinkosum got Brown another hearing, and a last-ditch attempt at freedom. "This was the hearing where if we didn't win here, we really didn't know what we were going to do," DeAngelus said.

At that proceeding, Mark Hazelrigg, one of Brown's doctors at Dorothea Dix, said that Brown wouldn't have been able to dictate the six-page document. "This statement is not made in a language that is typical or even possible for Mr. Brown to make spontaneously on his own," Hazelrigg testified.

In an affidavit, Hazelrigg, the chief of forensic services at Dorothea Dix, continued: "Mr. Brown has a limited vocabulary. His speech is simple and repetitive. Mr. Brown does not use complete sentences. ... As a whole, the alleged confession is too detailed and organized for even a normally intelligent person."

The judge agreed. He freed Brown and ruled that there was no "convincing evidence" to keep him detained at Dorothea Dix. Klinkosum recalls that he didn't seem to understand that he was finally free.

"We were all hugging and so forth, and I saw Floyd, and he was walking back to the holding cell, and I said, 'Where are you going?' And he said, 'Court's over. I gotta go back in here.' "

Three years after being released, Brown, 46, lives with a full-time caretaker and has a job cleaning a school in rural North Carolina.

"I didn't murder nobody," he said. "I got locked up for a crime I didn't do."

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