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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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| NBA | |
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Danny Ainge: Brilliance Or Dumb Luck? By Ron Jumper With the Celtics appearing to have pieced together their roster, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I love every move they made. I look at the trades, along with the new free agents, and I can’t help but think that Ainge couldn’t have done a better job. However, did he stumble into all of this or did he actually map this out? We have to remember, this is the GM that is infamous for pulling the trigger on random trade after random trade. Can we honestly believe this was all done by design?  When he pulled the trigger to get Ray Allen, it was a controversial trade. Many Boston fans were happy about it, while others felt they gave up a valuable asset by letting go of the 5th pick. That being said, I think Ainge actually made the trade knowing he could make another trade down the line. Why do I say this? Because he didn’t give up any of their 4 most valuable trade pieces: Pierce, Jefferson, Green, and Rondo. This meant he still had some quality pieces available and a proven All-Star to make coming to Boston more tempting. A few weeks go by, KG starts to realize he can’t be traded to Phoenix. He looks over at Boston and sees Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. He starts to imagine what that would be like. However, Boston has to know he is willing to extend his contract before they will make a move. Surprisingly, KG is open to the idea. Suddenly, the talks get going again. The obvious pieces are Jefferson, Green, and Ratliff’s expiring contract. The Timberwolves aren’t happy with just that though, they want Rajon Rondo and picks thrown in. Boston won’t let go of Rondo, but offers Gomes, Telfair, and 2 first round picks. GM Kevin McHale takes it and the deal is done in principle. At this point, they have the KG-Allen-Pierce trio, but what else? They held on to Rajon Rondo, and have incoming draft picks Glen Davis and Gabe Pruit. They signed undrafted free agent Brandon Wallace. They don’t have enough players to even fill out a roster at this point. However, the key factor is that they still have their mid-level exception. They aren’t sunk by the contracts of their newly acquired trio. This gets the ball rolling and the phones ringing off the hook. After the KG trade, I said they needed another shooter and a veteran point guard. A spark plug off the bench would be icing on the cake. First, they go out and get Scott Pollard. Pollard is a serviceable big man who will provide depth and toughness. He doesn’t have to score and, truthfully, it helps team chemistry that he doesn’t score. The best signing they made was Eddie House. House is capable of being explosive in bunches offensively and is a veteran, knocking out two birds with one stone. Most people don’t think highly of House, but I know how good he can be when given the opportunity. He has played in places like Phoenix and New Jersey, which are set at point guard, so he didn’t get to showcase his ability. Just watch, you’ll see… The latest signing was James Posey. He adds valuable experience, toughness, and shooting. In the playoffs, you need someone to guard guys like Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kobe Bryant. This pretty much completes their roster and gives them every piece they need from top to bottom. While this seemingly worked out perfectly, there was a little luck involved. Ainge wanted to bring Reggie Miller out of retirement, which would have thrown off the plan. Luckily, Miller didn’t make the comeback. All in all, I think Ainge might have turned the corner. He might have finally figured it out and put the Celtics in position to return to their glory days. On the other hand, his big trades were with the Sonics and the Timberwolves, both teams that have arguably the worst GM’s in pro sports. Everyone rags McHale, but don’t underestimate Sam Presti’s ability to bring down a franchise. It might not be right to claim Ainge is emerging from his status as an incumbent GM, as maybe he is just better than McHale and Presti. You decide…  August 28, 2007 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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