As we enter the top five, the players are getting even better with guys like Dwyane Wade, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, and Kevin Garnett appearing on this list.
The Supersonics franchise is ecstatic about their impending move to Oklahoma City, and why shouldn’t they be? Buster Gunning, a Seattle native, recently took a trip through “The Big Friendly” (it is really called that) and can whole-heartedly agree with the players' excitement.
Born within six months of each other in opposite corners of the world, two seven footers who are finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall are two of the best ever to play the center position.
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by Andrew Perna
I’m just a few days away from my Alaskan cruise, which means the Scoop will be on hold for two weeks. So I suppose you should enjoy my brilliance while it’s here…
Cleveland signed guard Daniel Gibsonto a multi-year deal on Wednesday, which should keep ‘Boobie’ alongside LeBron James well into the next decade. The financial terms of the five-year deal weren’t announced, but I really hope the Cavaliers didn’t pay too much.
Prep star Brandon Jennings signed with Pallacanestro Virtus Roma of the Italian pro league on Wednesday; opting to play overseas before entering the NBA. Nothing about this kid is retro or traditional except for his haircut, which reminds me of the late 1980s.
Tracy McGradyis reportedly interested in playing for the Pistons despite rumors that Detroit has not had discussions with Houston about a swap. I think T-Mac would be intriguing option for the Pistons, simply because he’s one of the best players in the league when healthy, but something makes me think that he’s not a Joe Dumars' guy.
Tyronn Luesigned a two-year deal with the Bucks on Wednesday, spurring the Suns and Celtics in the process. I’m thinking Milwaukee offered Lue more money than both Phoenix and Boston because I’d assume that at this point in his career he’d want to play for a winner.
Manny Ramirez wants to sit down with Red Sox brass to discuss his future with the team soon. The left-fielder seems to be entertaining the idea of returning home to play for the Yankees before his career is over. Boston would be wrong to let go him go, even if he’s beginning to dip a little bit.
Johnny Damon could return for the Yankees by next week, which manager Joe Girardi would likely love to see. Without Hideki Matsui and Damon in the lineup, New York is very thin in the outfield (hence the time that Brian Gardner has seen). The Yankees are three games closer to first place in the AL East then they were last year, so they’ve got that going for them.
The American League extended their unbeaten streak to twelve games in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night, or rather Wednesday morning. I’m proud to say that I was there, and I can’t say enough that it’s something I’ll never forget. It’s a little ironic that J.D. Drew of Boston took home the MVP trophy, but even as a New York fan, I’m fine with that.
Dodgers' closer Takashi Saito will miss six weeks with a sprained ligament in his right elbow. L.A. is just a game behind Arizona for first-place in the NL West, which is the worst division in all of baseball. If Andruw Jones can return to form, and both Nomar Garciaparra and Rafael Furcal are able to enjoy better health, the Dodgers will have a real shot to make the postseason.
Brett Favre claims that he is tempted to call the Packers ‘bluff’ by showing up to training camp in less than two weeks. Rather than discuss this more, I’ll leave it to a fellow writer.
The NFL is looking into game tapes to determine whether or not players flash gang symbols on the field. I’ll tell you why I don’t like this, some things are simply subconscious. Some of my life-long friends and I have been calling ourselves the ‘Wolves’ for years and years, using a hand gesture to greet each other. Are we a gang? No, but our hand signals might be considered to be so.
