Sports Zone Blog : On the Greene

On the Greene - The Perfect Storm

dgreene — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 03:11:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

I realize bad things happen in sports sometimes. Sports figures aren't perfect. You're going to get the occassional baseball steroid abuser, Tour de France blood doper, NBA game fixer, and NFL puppy murderer. But all at once?! I'm waiting for Roger Federer to be accused of fathering an alien baby from Omega galaxy.

Is it me, or are we becoming desensitized to the horrible things that are going on in sports? Now when a player gets arrested for drug possession, it's like, "Big deal. Call me when he runs over his Nana." Mike Vick and Tim Donaghy have truly raised the bar when it comes to messing up their sports. I really don't know what to expect next. Maybe Kobe Bryant will strangle a kitty cat, or Tiger Woods will get arrested for bashing Jack Nicklaus with a 7-iron. Bring it on! I'm ready for the sports world to continue to sprial into the abyss.

Now, if there turns out to be some kind of fantasy football scandal...that I couldn't deal with.

On the Greene - Paging Dr. Football

dgreene — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 04:01:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

I'll admit it. I need my football fix. Now. Watching last night's paint-drying contest (AKA the Major League All-Star Game), confirmed it for me. Not even an improbable 9th inning comeback by the National League could get my blood pumping. I mean Tony La Russa obviously didn't care either, seeing how he kept his own best player, Albert Pujols, on the bench. But don't get me wrong, once the pennant races really start heating up at the end of September, I'll be rooting my Dodgers on as much as Sir Thomas Lasorda. Of course, football will be in full swing by then, too.

And I enjoy the Rocky Mountain Revue too, but how excited can you really get about Carl Elliott dishing to Wen Mukubu on the fast break? (By the way, those are Jazz players I just mentioned). I am looking forward to seeing Paul Millsap go up against Joakim Noah, and Ronnie Brewer and Kevin Durant going at it, but I'll really be thinking about football the entire time.

Let's face it, this is a slow time of year in the world of sports. But with the Utes, Cougars, Aggies and Wildcats just a few weeks away from two-a-days, and NFL training camps set to open even sooner, plus with all the high schools ready to sweat it out on the practice field, salvation is on the horizon.

On the Greene - Almond Tastes Good with Fans

dgreene — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:36:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

The crowd went nuts (pun intended) when Morris Almond became the Jazz 1st round draft pick. They wanted a shooter, and they got a shooter. Fans love guys who can bomb it up from 3-land, and Almond can do just that. But is that all he can do? If he eventually does earn some playing time, don't the Jazz still have that problem of getting torched by opposing 2-guards? I take it Jerry Sloan won't put Almond on the floor too much until he does learn how to play NBA defense, but still.

I said earlier the Jazz should go big with the 25th pick. And predictably, they didn't listen. Now, don't get me wrong. Morris Almond is a high-character, very intelligent and all-around good guy, but he doesn't solve the Jazz more pressing low post problem. (Neither does the Ukranian Kyrylo Fesenko, either). All this means is less opportunity for Ronnie Brewer, who I think can be come a very good wing player. With Glen Davis, or Josh McRoberts, or even Nick Fazekas still on the board, I think the Jazz should have gone with a big body down low.

However, if the Jazz were bent on a shooter, I always felt Almond was the only 2-guard worth taking at #25. Let's hope they're right.

On the Greene - No More Shooting Guards

dgreene — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:55:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

The NBA Draft is coming up next week, and for their first two days of workouts, the Jazz brought in a total of 8 shooting guards to look at. Now, I realize they might not select any one of these guys, but please, Kevin O'Connor and gang...don't take another 2-guard. You already have your shooting guard of the future, and his name is Ronnie Brewer. He didn't get nearly enough playing time last year (no shocker there), but this kid is ready to assume the position and be a starter for years to come. If he learns to shoot that is. And if he doesn't, you already have an NBA shooter ready for more playing time as well...C.J. Miles.

If the Jazz take Alando Tucker, or Daequan Cook, or Arron Afflalo, or Morris Almond (who actually might be OK)...that just means less playing time for Brewer and Miles. If the Jazz stay at #25 (and that's a big if), they need to go big. Take a project center like 7-footer Marc Gasol (brother of Pau), or 6-11 Kyle Visser of Wake Forest, or even 7-1 Aaron Gray of Pittsburgh. At least these guys can clog the middle, and maybe eventually play some interior defense.

But if you want my honest opinion, I think the Jazz should trade all of their picks, AK, Brewer, Miles, Memo, and whoever else the Lakers want for Kobe. That'll solve that shooting guard problem.

On the Greene - It's Just Not Their Time

dgreene — Thu, 24 May 2007 23:17:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

I realize I've been touting the Jazz as the Western Conference representative in the NBA Finals this year, but come on...I wasn't really serious. After spending the last two games in San Antonio, I got a first hand close look at the best team in the entire league...the Spurs. These guys are unbelievable.

How they didn't win 70 games is beyond me. They obviously just coasted through the regular season, waiting to explode once the playoffs began. This team has everything. They have three legitimate superstars who can beat you from inside and out (Duncan, Parker and Ginobili). They have the role players who can play suffocating defense and don't whine about their playing time (Bowen, Oberto, Elson and Vaughn). And then they have deadly 3-point shooters who can get hot at any time (Finley, Barry and Horry). They don't have a weakness. Even their head coach is one of the best in the league. And let's get this straight...Manu Ginobili is the best all-around player in the league. The guy can do EVERYTHING, and he doesn't even start on this team. And Tim Duncan is the best big man in the game today. No doubt about it.

Utah really didn't play that poorly in games 1 and 2. But in each game, everytime the Jazz got close, the Spurs pulled away. It seemed as if they could score or get a stop anytime they wanted. I know the Jazz are a better team at home, and maybe they can take one or even two games here. But I just don't see anyway they can win four against the Spurs. Maybe in a couple years when the Jazz have gotten used to playing in this kind of environment, but this just is not their time. The Spurs will win their 4th NBA Title in the last 9 years.

Of course you realize, me saying this will hopefully turn the tide in this series. I know it's hard to believe, but I have been wrong before.

On the Greene - We Believe

dgreene — Thu, 17 May 2007 03:22:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

I wasn't here in 1997. I wasn't here in 1998. But I can't imagine Jazz fans of those teams were as excited as they are now. Back then, fans expected the Jazz to reach the NBA Finals. And after 1997, they expected an NBA Title. But it would be harder to find someone hiding in Carlos Boozer's eyebrows, than to find a Jazz fan that expected their team to reach the Western Conference Finals. This has to be more exciting for the fans...to root for a team that when the playoffs started, nobody outside of Larry Miller's wildest dreams thought would do what the Jazz are doing.

Remember when the Jazz blew a 22-point 4th quarter lead at home to the hapless Sonics? Or remember when the Jazz lost six in a row in early April when they were trying to secure home court advantage? Me neither. To see EnergySolutions Arena, no, feel EnergySolutions Arena these days, you could make a case that the Jazz have the best homecourt advantage in the entire league right now. Even Don Nelson, who has been an NBA head coach for the better part of 8 decades, said he has never coached in an arena that was as loud as it was in Game 5.

I think it's because this Jazz team flew so far under the national radar this year, that even Jazz fans stopped believing in them. When the playoffs started, even the the most passionate Jazz fan couldn't have imagined Utah would be sitting at home, waiting for their Western Conference Finals opponent. The sitting at home part, yes.

What a ride it's been so far. And to witness the different styles the Jazz have been able to win in the playoffs -- physical, run and gun, ugly, you name it -- even the so-called experts who have all but ignored the Jazz all year long are starting to believe they have chance in the next round. I'm telling you...NBA Finals...it's not so unbelievable anymore.

On the Greene - The Classiest Guy in the League

dgreene — Wed, 09 May 2007 20:33:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

I can't possibly even begin to imagine the emotional rollercoaster Derek Fisher has been on this last week. To not know whether your child is going to live or die has to be the most difficult period of anyone's life. Most guys would have shut themselves off, or closed themselves down to the outside world. Most guys would retreat to their families and loved ones and put the rest of society on hold. Most guys aren't Derek Fisher.

Not only has he dealt with his 10-month old daughter Tatum's illness with the utmost class and dignity, but he is also making it his mission to spread awareness about retinoblastoma. Everyone would have understood if Fisher didn't want to talk to anyone in the media about his daughter's condition. Afterall, it's the most private thing a man has to deal with. But Fisher waited for the appropriate time to go public, after his heroic appearance in Game 2. He wanted every parent to be aware of this potentially fatal disease, and to raise money to help find a cure. Fisher hopes his daughter's illness may help one day save the life of another child. And for that, it doesn't matter what Derek Fisher does on the court the rest of his career. He is already in the good guys hall of fame.

On the Greene - NBA Finals, Here We Come

dgreene — Tue, 08 May 2007 22:35:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

Houston? No problem. Golden State? See ya, #8. San Antonio? Go on home you know. Yes, the Utah Jazz are headed to the NBA Finals. You heard it here first. I know some guys may have jumped off the bandwagon after they blew that 22-point lead against Seattle (right, Wes?). And other guys may have thought the Rockets were going to blow through the Jazz in 5 (right, Dana? Oh wait.) But all that is in the far distant past. These are the new and improved Jazz. And they can win in any kind of style you want to play.

Houston tried to physically beat the Jazz up and keep the score somewhere in the low-40's. Didn't work. The Jazz out-hustled, out-rebounded, and flat out out-played the Rockets. Now the Warriors want to turn this series into a track meet? Go right ahead. Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and Andrei Kirilenko can run right with and through you guys. Keep jacking up those 3's, too. They might win a game or two for you, but eventually you have to be able to pound it inside, and the Warriors just don't have the beef to do it. The Jazz are deeper, more experienced, and their 15 minutes of fame are not about to run out.

As for either the Suns or the Spurs...those guys are going to literally beat the you know what out of each other. I mean, have you seen Steve Nash after just one game? The dude looks like he just had a face to face meeting with Tony Soprano and Christopher Moltisanti. Whoever emerges from that series is going to have nothing left.

And so yes, I am boldly going where most prognasticators are too afraid (or too smart) to go...the Utah Jazz are going to the NBA Finals. As for winning the NBA Title? Well, that's a blog for a different day.

On the Greene - AK Finally Gets Involved

dgreene — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 23:12:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

As much as you might think Andrei Kirilenko is a waste of 12 million dollars, he has to get involved somehow if the Jazz are going to beat the Rockets. And in Game 3, he finally was. I have been practically begging Jerry Sloan to put AK on Tracy McGrady. But for some reason, Sloan went with the smaller Derek Fisher and Gordon Giricek in Games 1 and 2. T-Mac went off, and the Jazz went down. After scoring 13 first quarter points in Game 3, it looked like T-Mac would go for 50, but then Sloan finally put Andrei on him, and McGrady struggled.

We all know AK's psyche is a little...let's say...weak right now, but while he continues to be a liability on the offensive end, he's still the team's best defender. So why not put him on McGrady the entire game? Maybe it's because Sloan wants to use Andrei as a help-side defender, or maybe he thinks Fisher and Giriceck can do the job. Whatever the reason was, hopefully now we'll see Andrei continue to shut down T-Mac. And with Okur doing a stellar job on Yao Ming...this series can quickly turn in the Jazz favor.

On the Greene -- Rushing to Judgment

dgreene — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 03:37:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

Quick! The Duke lacrosse team is accused of rape...make a judgment!

Hey! Don Imus made an idiotic comment ten seconds ago...I need to know right now if he should be fired! You have 2 minutes!

Whoa, whoa, whoa there everybody. Why is it the minute a story breaks, we have hundreds of so-called experts telling us what should be done about it? Turns out, the stripper was making it all up. But do you think we'll see the likes of our resident African-American "experts" Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton rescinding their vicious comments about the Duke team? Uh, ya. I think both of the Reverends should be suspended from all bandwagoning for the next month. They're not the only African-Americans that can comment about persons of color, but it sure seems that way, doesn't it? Why don't they learn about the evidence, or lack thereof, before rushing to judgment. And I don't want to just pick on them. It's the whole 24-hour news system that's at fault here. I'm just sick of these "experts" babbling on and on about things nobody knows the truth about.

And in my opinion, the only reason Imus got fired instead of suspended had nothing to do with black or white. It was all about the green. Sponsors started pulling out from the show, and CBS had no other option but to fire the guy. I'm not saying he shouldn't be let go. What he said was definitely a fireable offense. But do you think if the public outcry wasn't as loud as it was (and rightly so), he would still be fired? I doubt it. Money talks, and now, Don Imus doesn't. Then again, I'm no expert.

On the Greene - Not So Jazzed About the Playoffs

dgreene — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 22:39:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

I'm lost. Who is this team that plays NBA basketball in Utah? Is it the team that started the season 12-1, and just two weeks ago was 24 games over .500? Or are we looking at a first round playoff sweep waiting to happen? I have no clue. This team frustrates and bewilders me and everybody that follows them. Some nights, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer look like the second coming of John Stockton and Karl Malone. Other nights the Jazz look like they'd get drilled by the Utes. So is there time to return to the glory days of the 2006-2007 season, or will it all become a distant memory in a couple of weeks? No idea. None.

I'd like to think Jerry Sloan can motivate his team to actually play some defense, and not let John Salmons and Travis Outlaw play like perennial all-stars. I'd also like to think a 22-point leads in the 4th quarter at home would translate into Hafa time. It would also be nice if borderline playoff teams wouldn't turn their games with the Jazz into the McDonald's All-American dunk contests. I just don't know if any of these things are going to happen, though.

Either the Jazz are bored and don't think playing for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs is actually that important, or they are dead tired and just coasting towards the post-season. I realize Kirilenko isn't even playing, and Williams is playing hurt. And they've had trouble defending shooting guards all season long. But what has happened to Mr. Money Man, Mehmet Okur? Why is Carlos Boozer not able to put this team on his back? Why can't Derek Fisher hit a clutch shot to save his life? These are the puzzles that need to be solved.

No team wants to go into the playoffs on a big losing skid, but the Jazz aren't just losing...they're getting embarrassed. Losing to the Mavericks and Spurs is one thing, but the Blazers, Kings, Sonics and Warriors? All in a row? Yikes. Yes, the Jazz still have the talent and the ability to get as far as the Western Conference Finals. But I'm just hoping they can win another game before the playoffs start.

On the Greene - Boylen Over with the Utes

dgreene — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:36:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

We won't know if Jim Boylen was the right choice to become the next University of Utah head basketball coach for a couple years. But we can take a guess, can't we? I'm guessing he is the right man for the job. My primary reasoning for this conclusion is simple: Boylen knows talent.

Having spent the last two seasons as the top assistant at Michigan State, Boylen helped recruit a caliber of athlete the Utes were only able to dream about when Ray Giacoletti was the coach. And before his work with the Spartans, Boylen coached in the NBA for 11 seasons. The man worked with the likes of Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen and Yao Ming. I'm not saying Boylen will be able to bring those kinds of players to Utah, but when he goes into a kid's living room and can roll off those names, it sure makes playing for the Utes look pretty enticing.

Any coach will tell you, players play and coaches coach. If a coach can't bring in a certain level of athlete, it doesn't matter how good of a coach he is. Giacolleti was a good enough coach, but he wasn't able to bring in championship level players. Boylen coached in one of the best programs and with one of the best head coaches the NCAA has to offer. He knows what it takes to make it to the NBA...he's been to the show. So he should be able to upgrade the caliber of player the Utes have been able to get the past few years. His job depends on it.

On the Greene - Giacoletti's Big Mistake

dgreene — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 03:36:00 GMT

by Dana Greene

You can't win 25 games in two seasons and expect to be coaching the University of Utah basketball team much longer. But the thing is, Ray Giacoletti had to have known this. He must have realized his team had to win this season in order to keep his job. So what did he do? He brought in six freshmen, expecting them all to contribute. That was the kiss of death.

Curtis Eatmon, Luka Drca, Stephen Weigh, Kim Tillie, Danile Dean and David Foster may all turn out to be pretty good players. But not in their first year of college basketball. Nobody in their right mind would expect these freshman to help lead the Utes back to the NCAA Tournament. Yet, this is was Giacoletti expected, and it led to his demise. He must have thought he'd have at least a couple years with these young guys, and maybe he deserved that chance having led Utah to the Sweet 16 just two years ago. But why take that chance? I realize he didn't plan on Justin Hawkins and Richard Cheney leaving the program prematurely. But how about bringing in a couple more junior college guys that could have helped the team sooner?

The worst part is, the Utes could be very good next season. With Luke Nevill, Johnnie Bryant and Shaun Green a year wiser and hopefully better, and with the development of the young guys, the Utes would have been in position to make a serious run at a conference title. Unfortunately, we'll never know if Giacoletti would have been the man to lead them to it.

On the Greene - Hardaway the Hypocrite

dgreene — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 22:58:00 GMT

Tim Hardaway put his foot in his mouth, and he might not be able to get it out for the rest of his life. In case you missed it, the former NBA all-star announced to the world on a radio show that he hates gay people, and if he had a gay teammate, he would try to get him removed from the team. Hardaway also said homosexuality shouldn't be allowed in the world or in the United States. Nice.

What really upsets me about Hardaway's comments is the hypocrisy behim them. I guarantee Tim has no problem with pre-marital or extra-marital sex, even though those are also considered sins in The Bible. And no sin is worse than another, right? Also, it pains me to see an African-American, whose people have struggled through unthinkable persecution and hatred over the years, express such hate towards another group of people. I realize people may think the difference between being black and being gay is black people don't choose to be black. But do you really think gay people choose to be subjected to this kind of bigotry and discrimination? I don't remember somebody coming up to me when I was a kid and say, "OK, what's it gonna be...gay or straight? You gotta choose."

Tim Hardaway obviously isn't alone in his beliefs. And he has every right to express his opinions. Actually, I'm kind of glad he said what he said because it proves to the people who don't think this is such a big deal, that there is plenty of hatred and bigotry that still exists in our society today.

On the Greene - Will it ever happen?

dgreene — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:53:00 GMT

I realize the timing of John Amaechi's coming out party coincides with the release of his new book. And since he admitted the only reason he played NBA basketball was for the money, we have to believe Amaechi has dollar signs in his eyes when it comes to his admitting he is gay. But we shouldn't dismiss his declaration as insignificant.

The odds tells us there are plenty of homosexual male professional athletes playing sports right now. But why have none of them come out? Perhaps it is none of our business, and they obvioulsy shouldn't be forced to declare their sexual preference, but in reality they are afraid of the ramifications, and understandibly so. They obviously feel the treatment they would receive from the fans, the media, their opponents, their teammates and coaches isn't worth it. As socially developed as we'd like to believe we all are, the truth is there is still a ton of prejudice against gays.

I applaud athletes for coming out, especially if they have been persecuted by their peers. But the true pioneer for the gay athlete will be the one that comes out while they are still playing. I'm not saying that athlete would face the kind of discrimination Jackie Robinson had to endure, but there would still be a harsh stigma attached to them. But say 50 years from now, if and when gays are more accepted in mainstream society, the athlete that came out in the prime of their career would be considered a true hero, and not just for the gay population. I just don't think today's society is ready for it. And that's sad.