It's Hard Out Here for a Star at USC

Since this is a New York Sports blog, I am writing this under the guise that if OJ Mayo is available for the Knicks to take in the NBA Draft, I think that they should select him, over Eric Gordon and over Jeryd Bayless.

By now I am sure that you have all read the story about one of OJ Mayo's confidants coming clean about all of the violations that Mayo committed as a high schooler and as a freshman at USC this season. Allegedly Mayo was receiving cash and other gifts from his friend/advisor Rodney Guillory who was getting the money he was spending on Mayo from BDA (Bill Duffy Associates), the sports agency that Mayo signed with when he declared for the NBA draft. Obviously, if true, this is a violation of NCAA regulations and Mayo as well as USC and BDA should be punished for it. This is all well and good, I have no issue with there being punishments when a violation occurs. However, on Sportscenter this morning, there was a 5 to 10 minute piece in which the Outside the Lines reporters spoke with Louis Johnson (the confidant who is accusing Mayo and Guillory, after Guillory "sabotaged Johnson's relationship with Mayo") and then proceeded to follow around Mayo and Guillory with their accusations. The reporters ambushed Mayo the day of his press conference to announce his draft intentions, on one of the happiest and most important days of his life, Mayo was confronted and attacked by these so-called reporters. I understand that they were just doing their jobs and that as journalists it is their duty to find the truth. But Mayo is still just a kid, was it really that important for them to ruin his draft intentions? Did they need to come in guns ablaze trying to catch him and trick him into admitting that he had received money from BDA? No it was not. The piece reminded me of the recent Miguel Tejeda piece that Outside the Lines did, where they confronted Tejada about his age, and the fact that he is two years older than the Astros organization believed. Two freaking years. The way that ESPN covered the story you would have thought that he had admitted to taking steroids, with Roger Clemens, in Jose Canseco's house, will falsifying documents for terrorists. Yes Tejeda made a mistake and yes Mayo might have potentially made a mistake, but the guerrilla tactics that these reporters are using to confront these men make the reporters seem like the bad guys.

-Mose

Last Weekend in New York Sports

Darrell was kind enough to give me the weekend off, I know you all missed me. Anyway if you took the weekend off to spend more time with your mother here's what you missed.

Friday:
Yankees-5 Tigers-6
As Darrell wrote so eloquently last week, Kei Igawa sucks. And he followed through on his terrible pitching ability Friday night going 3 innings, allowing 11 hits, 6 runs, and not striking out a single batter. Besides Igawa the Yankees were good Friday night, nearly coming back to tie the game up against Todd Jones, alas it was not to be. But 5 innings of shut out ball from the bullpen and another home run from Jason Giambi were very positive indicators for the Yanks. Even Robinson Cano had two hits, so you know it must have been a good day.

Saturday:
Mets-12 Reds-6
For the opening half of Saturday's doubleheader, the Mets came out swinging, scoring seven runs in the first five innings of off starter Matt Belisle and reliever Bill Bray, before Mike Lincoln came in and shut the door, allowing only four runs in two innings. Everyone was able to hit off of the Reds pitchers, David Wright had two hits and Carlos Beltran was able to hit a triple, his second of the season. Santana pitched well, although he did allow 10 hits in just six innings, but the offensive firepower was more than enough to make up for Santana's less than perfect pitching.

Mets-1 Reds-7
The second half of the doubleheader looked like the exact opposite of the first game. The Mets offense could not put it togther against Reds starter Bronson Arroyo, who surrendered just four hits over eight innings. Mike Pelfrey had a pretty good start himself, allowing two runs over six. And the game stayed close until the 8th, when Duaner Sanchez game up another two runs, and at that point it was all over. 3 unearned runs in the 9th off of a David Wright error, and the game ended up looking like a route, but it was really a close game for the Mets.

Yankees-5 Tigers-2
Darrell Rasner had his second consecutive strong start and the Yankees finally ended their losing streak against the Tigers. Derek Jeter hit his first homerun of the year and Jason Giambi continued his slump busting ways, hitting a double and driving in a run in the Yankees victory. The bullpen showed up yesterday as well, good for 3 innings of shutout ball. Kyle Farnsworth is securing his spot as the 7th inning guy in the Yankees bullpen, making this team reminiscent of the Yankees teams of yore, when the Yanks were nearly unbeatable with a lead after the 6th inning.

Red Bulls-2 LA Galaxy-1
In the first Red Bulls game since I wrote my post about them, the Bulls squeaked past the LA Galaxy thanks to goals by Angel (I mentioned him) and Danleigh Borman (I did not mention him). David Beckham is on the Galaxy and the Red Bulls held him scoreless even though he did take like 5 free kicks. Where is your bending power now punk? So the Bulls have not lost a game in four consecutive matches, and they have only played six matches in all. Just to remind you it is not too late to join the Red Bulls bandwagon.


The Knicks sign Mike D'Antoni to be their next head coach. Yeah, let's see how well that works out.

Sunday:
Mets-8 Reds-3
After taking the second game of the double header off on Saturday the Mets offense came back strong on Sunday, scoring six runs off of rookie Johnny Cueto in just 4 2/3 innings. Carlos Beltran hit an RBI ground-rule double and a two-run homer in the victory and Oliver Perez had one of his best starts of the season as the Mets took care of business at home against one of the worst teams in the Majors.

-Mose

We Remember - Chris Childs

We will be running a segment called "We Remember" in an effort to honor old New York players, who may not have been the best, but were able to help their teams in different ways. Today, we remember Chris Childs.

He didn't go straight to the NBA. After going undrafted in 1989, point guard Chris Childs graduated from Boise State and left to play in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) hoping to be signed by an NBA team, eventually. Childs dedicated himself to the CBA from the '89-'90 season to the '93-'94 season, when finally made his mark averaging 17.9 points-per-game, 7.6 assists-per-game and winning the league MVP. He was signed by the Nets at the end of the season and was finally given his first shot at an NBA career. 

As a 27-year-old rookie, Childs started 11 games in New Jersey, averaging 5.8 points-per-game and dishing off 4.1 assists-per-game. In his second season, a contract year, Childs started 54 games at point guard for New Jersey, averaging 12.8 points and 7.0 assists, both career highs. He had a 17-assist game against the Lakers in February. 

At the end of the season, he signed with the Knicks, the team he will always be most associated with. In '96-'97 Childs helped the team to 57 victories and a playoff appearance. In '98-'99, he helped them win 27 games in a strike-shortened season and become the first number eight seed to power its way to the NBA finals. That same year, he was named to the All-NBA Interview Second-Team as one of the most likable and intelligent basketball players. A team leader, Childs continued to help the Knicks win until he was traded to the Raptors for Mark Jackson and Muggsy Bogues in 2001. It was the last time the Knicks have finished over .500.

After spending one and a half years in Toronto and 12 games in a return to New Jersey, Childs was released by the Nets and decided to call it quits. Childs' Knicks legacy: leader. His career points-per-game and three-point-percentage both climbed higher in the playoffs. We remember Childs as s big game player with a character that can't be questioned.

- D. Spell

Great New York Sports Jerseys-Basketball Edition

Compared to other great sports cities around the country I tend to think that New York has some of, if not the greatest uniforms around. Yes we have some of the worst, the Islanders Angry Fisherman is truly terrible, but for the most part New York jerseys are great. Here are some of my favorite jerseys, starting with basketball.

-Mose

5. New York Knicks Saint Patrick's Day Alternate

4. New York Knicks Jersey 1972-73 Season

3. 1986 New York Knicks Jersey

2. Classic Knicks Jersey, Non-Starbury Version

1. New York Nets ABA Jersey

A Rose Is Not a Rose If It's a Beasley

Everyone knows about the draft lottery game on ESPN.com. Nearly every possible outcome of the draft can be simulated if you click enough, and in every instance Michael Beasley is the number 1 pick, followed by Derrick Rose at 2. That is, every instance except for when the Knicks win the lottery. When the Knicks win the lottery the number 1 pick in the draft becomes Derrick Rose. (Of course Chad Ford could just be taking into account that no one in the Knicks organization seems to have any idea about what they are supposed to be doing, but under Isaiah if there was one thing the Knicks did passably it was the draft. David Lee and Renaldo Balkman have both become serviceable players and fan favorites.)
Yes the Knicks need a point guard, yes Michael Beasley does not fill one of the gaping holes on the Knicks roster, but Beasley just had the most impressive collegiate season of my any player during my lifetime, much better than last year's College Player of the Year Kevin Durant. So if the Knicks do get the 1st pick in the draft, they have a 7.6% chance of winning, then they must trade the pick away or take Beasley. I have nothing against Derrick Rose, he is a great player, a great point guard, and he should be the second overall pick, but if the Knicks take him over Beasley they are nuts. But Derrick Rose is the next Chris Paul and the next Deron Williams combined you say. That may be true, but he will not develop into a Chris Paul caliber player on this New York Knicks team. Paul has Tyson Chandler and David West to dish to, Williams has Carlos Boozer, and Mehmet Okur, Rose would have Irregular Heartbeat and Lazy Fatass to pass to, and unfortunately they are not at the same level as anyone on the Jazz or Hornets. Since the Knicks do not and have not had a point guard for quite awhile now, it is difficult to measure how well the team would play if they had a real passer on the team, and because of that Rose is a smart pick if Beasley is gone. But at 1 Beasley will be there, and if the Knicks are there too, then we better be welcoming Mr. Beasley to Gotham next fall.

-Mose

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- Darrell and Jim