Dez Bryant: Right or Wrong?

Just as freshman are hazed in high school and college, rookies are hazed in the NFL and all professional sports. This does not occur because the veterans are trying to humiliate their rookie teammates, but rather it is a reminder that these young guys with huge contracts do not run their new teams. Dez Bryant, former Oklahoma State star WR turned team castaway turned first round pick with a huge 5 year contract, recently refused veteran WR Roy Williams' attempt at hazing. Roy wanted Bryant to pick up his pads and bring them to the locker room for him, but Bryant defiantly said no and made Williams do it himself. Whether it be because Bryant didn't want to give the man he was competing with any satisfaction or because he has an attitude problem, Bryant did not back down from his actions, saying today "I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player's pads."
And now, our opinions...! Is Bryant being a diva and thinking that he is different than everyone else? Or is he entitled to stand up to an unquestionably unfair system and to not be bothered with carrying a lazy veteran's pads?

Ryan: Since I have played sports my entire life, I have always been exposed to some sort of hazing, whether directly aimed at me or aimed at someone else. As a freshman coming up onto my high school track team, the senior members of the team would always look to embarrass myself and my freshman teammates at every opportunity before the first competition. And then at the first competition, I went out and beat all but 1 of said seniors. My performance earned serious respect, and I haven't experienced an ounce hazing since. Bryant has every right to refuse Williams in my opinion, provided that he backs up his arrogance with performance. Openly calling him out in the media is a little extreme, but Bryant is very proud of his abilities and is very well known for having this kind of attitude. Essentially, as long as Bryant has a good training camp and pushes Roy Williams to the extent he is capable of, then rookie hazing is very foolish. And Roy, watch your back, because Bryant is an unbelievable talent and could fill your unproductive shoes very quickly if you're not careful. Maybe you'll be carrying his pads soon if you don't focus on your game and don't transition back to the star you used to be.

MLB Mid-Season Awards

Ryan: A mathematical approach to the awards, sprinkled with a bit of reasoning.

American League

MVP- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit

Cabrera has finally cleaned himself up, and he is having one of the best seasons of his career. It has always been known that Miguel was one of the most, if not the most, naturally gifted hitter in baseball, but he always has had drinking problems that lead to poor fitness. These problems seem to be a thing of the past though, as Cabrera is batting .346 with 22 HRs and a league leading 77 RBIs. His scorching hot numbers compare only to Josh Hamilton's, but Cabrera leads him in key stats such as OBP, SLG, and runs scored. If it wasn't for Hamilton's record breaking month of June, Cabrera would be leading him in everything, so it will be interesting to see how their stats compare for the rest of this season.

ROY- Brennan Boesch, Detroit

Easiest award to pick by far. Boesch is batting a whopping .342 (MLB rookie leader), with 11 HRs (American League rookie leader) and 49 RBIs (MLB rookie leader). 'Nuff said.

Cy Young- David Price, Tampa Bay

It is truly incredible that David Price lived up to all the hype. The former first overall pick has had mild success before this season, and shown flashes of brilliance, but has never seemed like a superstar. Until now. Price leads the AL in Wins (12) and ERA (2.42), and already has 100 strikeouts. It is between Cliff Lee and David Price for sure, and I think the fact that Price leads the league in two major statistics gives him the edge.

National League

MVP- Albert Pujols, St. Louis

I originally picked Joey Votto for this award, but after looking at some statistics, I cannot pick anyone over Pujols. Votto has very comparable numbers to Pujols in the major stats, such as AVG, HRS, and RBIs, but the little things are what make Pujols the favorite. He has struck out 44 times, compared to Votto's 72, has walked more, has more doubles, and has more total bases. And recent studies have confirmed that Albert Pujols is actually 34% robot, and I would trust a proven hitting machine over and up and comer like Votto to win this award.

ROY- Ike Davis, New York Mets

WE LIKE IKE!! I dont know who should win this award betweeen Heyward, Ike, and Buster Posey from San Fran, but Ike has the best chant, and therefore is the ROY. Seriously though, this award is a crapshoot between those three rookies.

Cy Young- Josh Johnson, Florida

Who would have thought anyone could have picked someone without the name Ubaldo to win this award? Ubaldo does have more wins than anyone in the entire league, but Johnson simply has better numbers than any pitcher in the league. A jaw dropping 1.70 ERA coupled with only 28 walks issued (compared to Ubaldo's 46) and 10 more strikeouts creates an impossible to beat resume. The most important pitching stat is ERA, and Johnson's is far superior to the next best ERA (2.11 by Adam Wainwright). Ubaldo has the edge in wins, but Johnson trumps him in too many categories for the Cy Young not to be his.

Jason-

American League

MVP- Josh Hamilton, Texas

As great a year Cabrera is having, I think Hamilton is doing better. Hamilton leads the league in average at .353 and has 23 homeruns. The only category where he really trails Cabrera is RBIs (70 to Cabreras 83). After last season's disappointment, many thought that Hamilton's 2008 was a fluke but it clearly isn't as he is in the top 5 of every major hitting category.

ROY- Brennan Boesch, Detroit
As Ryan said this is a no brainer. Boesch has been a beast this year and no other A.L. rookie is even close.

Cy Young- Cliff Lee, Texas

Although he has struggled so far with the Rangers, Lee still has amazing numbers so far this season. His 2.59 ERA leads the A.L. and his .94 WHIP (walks, hits per innings pitched) is phenomenal. He is only 8-4 but part of that is because he started the season with the lowly Mariners. With Texas, the wins will come and so will the Cy Young.

National League

MVP- Joey Votto, Cincinnati

This award is really a toss up between Votto and Pujols and I think it will be decided by whoever wins the N.L. Central. If the Reds win I think Votto will get the award but if the Cardinals win it belongs to Pujols. However I do have to choose now and I think Votto will win the award. Votto now has more runs, homeruns, and SLG. percentage. Votto also only trails Pujols by .001 in OBP and his average is only 4 points less. As I said this will come down to the division winner but I think Votto should win this thing.

ROY- Gaby Sanchez, Florida

Sanchez has been having a stellar season. He leads N.L. rookies in AVG, SLG, hits, doubles, and total bases. He also has 42 RBIs and 10 homeruns. It is a very tight race between all the phenoms in the N.L. east and it will come down to the very end.

Cy Young- Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado

It's hard to pick anyone else for this award. I know Johnson leads the N.L. in ERA and WHIP but Ubaldo has been to dominant. Jimenez is 15-1 and his opponents batting average is just over .200. His WHIP is also just over 1 which is still very good. When you consider that Jimenez plays half his games at Coors Field it isn't a surprise that his ERA is higher than other pitchers but it's still a very respectable 2.38. Jimenez can rack up 25 wins this year and if he keeps the ERA down he should have no problem winning the Cy Young

Why Does Cliff Lee Keep Getting Traded?

Ryan: Don't you feel like a guy whose strikeout to walk ratio is an unbelievable 15:1 should not be shopped every single year? It's not like Cliff Lee is a mediocre pitcher that miiiiight be able to help a team get over the hump. He's the best damn pitcher in baseball, and is only rivaled by the likes of Ubaldo, Josh Johnson, Halladay, Lincecum, Carpenter, and Wainwright. Lee has won the Cy Young, pitched successfully in both leagues, tossed a Complete Game in the World Series, and had a season in which he was 22 and 3 with a 2.55 ERA. How can this guy continuously be shipped to team after team?
When he won the Cy Young in 2008 with Cleveland, he was inexplicably on the market the very next season. Maybe they thought that season was a fluke, but he never should have been traded after a historic season such as that. In 2009, he was the second-half MVP of the National League, pitched incredibly well for the Phillies, and was dumped in a trade for Roy Halladay, a pitcher considered to have the best durability in the MLB. Lee was expendable again here, because the Phillies staff already had an "ace" that was a lefty, if you want to consider Cole Hamels an ace. In Seattle this season, the Mariners already had a sensational young pitcher in the form of King Felix, and may not have wanted to commit large amounts of money to a pitcher that clearly deserved it.
So, yet again, Cliff Lee has been traded, this time to Texas. His situation continues to be incredibly puzzling, and it has only gotten worse this time around. The Rangers are bankrupt, and are currently being run by the MLB. They are in no position to resign Lee after the season is over, and he will hit the market again, this time as a free agent who can choose where he wants to sign. Hopefully, Lee will get some long-term stability this time around, and can settle down in one place and maybe, just maybe, live the life all superstar pitchers in the MLB live. One home, huge paycheck, loyal fans, and a chance to win the World Series.

Jason: I'll tell you why he keeps getting traded... MONEY!!!  Cleveland is a small market team who couldn't afford to keep him long term.  They knew that so they traded him even after his Cy Young.  The figured if they couldn't keep him they should get something for him so they traded him to the Phillies while he was on top of his game.  If Cleveland kept him until the end of his contract he would leave in free agency and they would get nothing. (see James, LeBron)  Also the Indians weren't contending.  Teams that are in contention don't trade an ace but teams that are out of the race try to get pieces for the future.  

Last season, Lee was phenomenal for the Phillies.  He had a great second half and one of the the best postseasons in history.  After the season, the Phillies decided that one lefty ace was enough in Cole Hamels so Lee was traded to Seattle.  The Phillies also wouldn't spend big money on a 30 year old pitcher.  The Phillies had the same thinking as the Indians, if they weren't going to keep Lee they should get prospects for him.  

This season has been another good one for Lee.  He is 8-4 with a 2.64 ERA and has been an inning eater however he has been doing it for the lowly Mariners.  Before the season, Seattle was a trendy pick to win the A.L. West however they are 35-52 and 15 games out of first so they shipped Lee of to division rival Texas.  In return the Mariners got a very highly regarded first base prospect.  If the Mariners aren't ready to win now they should build for the future which is what they are doing.  Also Lee is a free agent after this season and there was no way that Seattle could afford to keep him so they didn't.  

Now Cliff Lee is on the first place Texas Rangers.  who are bankrupt and in the process of being bought.  Now people would think, why would a bankrupt team trade for a soon to be free agent?  Simple, they want to win now.  There is a very slim chance that the Rangers will sign Lee to the mega contract that he will want.  The Rangers know that if Lee pitches the remainder of the season the way he pitched last season they have a great shot of reaching the playoffs and going past the first round. 

After this season Lee will have his needs sought after by the usual big spenders and will end up with a huge contract.  This will be the last time Lee gets a big free agent contract and he almost certainly won't be traded again with his new contract.  

LeBron Special Live Blog

Ryan: In all of my life, I have never seen anything quite like tonight's "The Decision" on ESPN. All of the sports fans in Chicago, New York, Cleveland, and Miami (and every other city) will be glued to their televisions as LeBron James announces where he will be playing basketball for at least the next 5 years. Most individuals would just let an agreed upon contract leak to the press, but not The King. Except for possibly Kobe Bryant, LBJ is the most well known player in the NBA, and he is taking advantage of that to the fullest tonight by hosting a 1 hour long special TV program featuring interviews, the decision, and who knows what else. All of the LeBron hoopla ends tonight, and I will be coming to you live with thoughts, comments, and very strong opinions, starting...NOW!

7:26- Just a little early, I know, but this is too ridiculous for me, I have to write about it. LeBron is so selfish for doing this its unreal. Remember how Wade and Bosh quietly announced that they were going to play together just yesterday? And how Kevin Durant used Twitter to announce his contract extension, not some ridiculous television special? This guy is so full of himself, I don't think he can help himself. ESPN knows people want to watch this, which unfortunately is true, and they keep showing camera shots of the currently empty room that LBJ is going to speak in. This is such a circus, I want it to be 10 already!

7:30- My sources tell me LeBron is signing with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

7:40- Anyone else realize that this got more attention than the World Cup, Wimbledon, and the MLB all put together? That's such a shame...I would never succumb to LeBron's shenanigans and spend 3 hours of my life writing a live blog about it...

7:45- LeBron's not even in his prime yet, why does ESPN have a segment entitled "Looking Back on LeBron" on SportsCenter...and OMG LeBron arrived at the Boys and Girls Club in Connecticut!! ESPN couldn't get a plate on the car what does that mean!?!? Oh wait he's not at the Boys and Girls Club, just some house, does that mean he's going to the Bulls? He's wearing sunglasses, that means he's going to the Knicks right? Ugh...

7:58- 1 HOUR UNTIL IT STARTS!!! More importantly...2 HOURS UNTIL IT'S OVER!!!

8:00- "LEBRON JAMES, WITH NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE" is still the best basketball quote ever. Nothing beats it. Nothing can.

8:10- Chris Broussard has reported that LeBron was favoring the Knicks, the Bulls, the Cavs, and the Heat at seperate times. I honestly can't believe that this Heat report is anything but the most recent "source". These reporters have been witch-hunting for weeks now, and I wonder how much of it is made up. Bill Simmons semi-accused Stephen A. Smith of making up a report about the Big Three going to Miami last week, and whether or not that is true, at least a few of these reports must be made up by either the "sources" or the reporters themselves.

Jason: I have to give my take on LeBronathon/LeBronocalypse because this is just too funny. I don't think I have ever seen a more egotistical maniac in the history of sports, and thats including T.O.

I think the ballsiest choice forLeBron would be the Knicks. He would be attempting to save basketball in New York. Winning one title for the Knicks will bring him more popularity than winning three titles with any other team. Also, if LeBron really wants to build his brand, which he clearly does based upon his new twitter account and website, than New York has to be his choice.

The choice that would show he truly cares most about winning now would be the Bulls. I think the Bulls have the most pieces in place to be a title contender for years to come. Joakim Noah is a beast on the boards and on defense. Also Derrick Rose has the ability to become one of the best point guards in the NBA and he is only 23 years old.

The safe choice would be the Heat. He would be going into a situation with Wade and Bosh where they could create a dynasty. I think that going to Miami would be a bad move for LeBron for a few reasons. First, he wouldn't be as big a star in Miami, it is after all Wade County. Also, even if he wins a few titles he still won't be considered one of the greats because he needed so much help. M.J. and Kobe built their teams but LeBron would be considered weak for having to play with another superstar and Chris Bosh (nowhere near the same level).

The choice good for the NBA would be if he stayed in Cleveland and tried to finish what he started. Leaving Cleveland would make him a villain, especially if he announced he was leaving on national TV. Leaving his home town has been compared to a nuclear bomb being dropped on the city. "The Leave" would be worse than the shot, fumble, and 1997 World Series, but not as bad as the drive or the departure of the original Browns. The Browns left more than 10 years ago and their owner still hasn't been welcomed back. If LeBron leaves his home town he will become the most hated person is Cleveland sports and never be welcomed back.

It's allot to digest but thats what could happen in just about half an hour in Connecticut. Speaking of the site of "The Decision", many of the kids at the Boys and Girls club in Connecticut are Knicks fans and have hung a sign saying, " Welcome LeBron... Please choose New York." We will know in just a few minutes what he chooses and how the NBA will be shaped for the next Decade.

Ryan: Great points, I actually agree with you this time. Don't get used to it. Anyway I'm back.

9:00- HERE WE GO!

9:03- Wiblon, Broussard, Barry, and Stuart Scott are all discussing it now...isn't it supposed to start? Where's the Drama King of the Hour...WE WANT LEBRON

9:06- Nice shirt LeBron. Purple is the color of the Kings...Sacramento?

9:12- If LBJ goes to the Bulls or the Knicks, the Eastern Conference will seize the throne of the best of the two Conferences. The Heat, Celtics, Magic, Bulls (without LBJ or with LBJ), and the Knicks (only with LBJ) would all have the talent to compete with the Lakers and the other Western Conference powers. This decision has such far reaching impacts, lets see what happens.

9:22- This is more intense than I thought it would be I'm so nervous...I've never seen this reporter before this is quite an opportunity for him. Mazeltov.

9:28- Some free agent just signed with the Heat.

9:28- This team is going to be so much fun to watch I can't wait. There has never, and will never be as large of a media circus as their will be in South Beach now that LBJ, Dwyane Wade, and CB4 are all in town. I think this was the safest move for LeBron, and the right move for him individually.

9:33- Poor Cleveland. They can never catch a break. But blame it on Dan Gilbert for not signing anyone to bolster the roster, and just seemingly assuming LBJ would fall into his lap. My heart goes out to the fans though. They didn't deserve this.

9:35- How will this team play ball together? Is every Heat game going to be similar to the All-Star Game? Food for thought: I can't wait until the Christmas Day special Heat vs. Lakers, where Bosh, LeBron, Wade, Chalmers, and some unimportant scrub play against the defending champs. The expectations for one team have never been higher than they are right now for Miami, but can the Heat even get out of the East? Can they win the Division?

9:37- I just realized, the Heat play in the Magic's division. This is unfortunate. Hawks, Magic, Heat. All in one division. Wow.

9:43- Alright, its over. No more LeBron drama. The stage is set for an epic trio of players that have only played together for the Redeem Team in 2008 attempting to wrench the NBA title from the L.A. Lakers. More comments to come, but the live blog is over. Thanks so much, I'm out.

Oranje Crush

The Dutch have reached the World Cup Finals for the first time since 1978 with their 3-2 victory over Uruguay in todays semi-finals match-up. Goals by Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst powered the Dutch over a feisty Uruguay team who got goals from star Diego Forlan and Maxi Pereria. The game was level at 1 at the half but the Dutch scored twice in a span of 4 minutes to seemingly put the game away however Uruguay wasn't done yet. Pereria's goal 2 minutes in to injury time made things very interesting. After that strike, Uruguay had a flurry of chances but couldn't connect on a clean shot before the clock ran out on their Cinderella story. The Dutch will go for their first world cup victory on Sunday against either Spain or Germany. The Dutch have been in the finals twice before but both times they were playing the host country. If Spain advances tomorrow it will ensure that a new name goes on the World Cup as neither Spain nor the Netherlands have won a World Cup. Amsterdam will be partying until Sunday and the when they play in their third finals and go for their first win.

Amare to the Knicks becomes official.

Amare Stoudemire has become a member of the New York Knickerbockers.  He has agreed to a lucrative 5 year 100 million dollar contract, the max amount he could sign for.  While it was debated earlier on the blog weather or not this was a good idea, most Knicks fans are very happy with the signing.  Many people, including myself, believe that this is only the first move for the Knicks and that this signing will lead to another marquee free agent wanting to join the Knicks.  With this signing it almost guarantees  the departure of David Lee who has been a very productive player in his time in New York.Stoudmire can sign the contract on July 8th and by that time the Knicks hope to have agreed to terms with another star.  After two years of waiting, the Knicks have signed a big name star but Knicks fans know that this signing isn't enough and are expecting more.  

World Cup Favorite?

Ryan: So, the Semi's are set. What a tournament its been so far; my goodness its been exciting. Star studded Holland vs. underdog Uruguay will play on July 6th to put one team through to the Finals. Wesley Sneijder has been a force during this tournament, scoring the game winner against Brazil in a huge upset two days ago, but Diego Forlan has put Uruguay on his back and carried them to the Semi's. What a stunning route Uruguay has taken to get this far, highlighted by the absurd ending to the Ghana game, with Suarez's intentional handball and Gyan's missed PK, followed by a 4-2 victory in the shootout. The other Semi, Spain vs. Germany, could very well have been the final if the tournament had been set up differently. Spain is finally coming into its own defensivly, but the shockingly poor form of Fernando Torres has prevented them from being the offensive power they should be. What more could be said about the way the Germans have played? Klose, Mueller, Ozil, and Schweinsteiger have played so well, running counter-attacks at an unmatched level. Although Mueller is banned from the Spain match, I still predict Germany will win, setting up a final with Holland. In a dramatic Final, I predict that the dominant force that is Germany will steamroll their opposition, and capture yet another World Cup title. What's your take?

Jason: I'm obviously going with my man Fernando Torres and Espana. He's bound to have a break out game. He's too good to not do anything the entire tournament. Spain also has David Villa who has been the second best player in the World Cup behind Klose, who could win his second golden boot. In the other semi-final game I think Holland will prevail fairly easily. Uruguay has had a great run including some very memorable moments,

(intentional hand ball), but Holland led by Wesley Sneijder has too much fire power for Uruguay to handle. Spain v. Holland next sunday and Espana will prevail.

Ryan: First of all, your man Torres is fresh off an ankle injury, and looks terrible. He can't score, and I don't believe he should even be a starter. Liverpool's Number Nine is one of my favorite players as well, and it's painful for me to watch him have such a hard time doing things he usually does so gracefully. Also, Spain, for all their star power, does not play well as a team. Villa is taking advantage of the opportunities Xavi and Xabi Alonso create for him, as well as the opportunities he creates for himself. But, he is the only player on the whole team that seems to remember he is one of the best in the world, and the team has really limped through the Cup, winning games by only 1 goal almost every time out. On the other hand, Germany has scored 4 goals on 3 seperate occasions, including blowouts of world class teams Argentina and England. The whole team is playing so well, and their counterattack is something not even Spain will be able to keep up with. The only reason Spain has a chance to win this game is because Mueller is out, but Germany is good enough to compensate for the loss of one player. It just seems too unlikely that the more talented side, Spain, will finally learn how to play as a team in the Semifinals of the World Cup. This is the team that lost to the USA last year and Switzerland just last month. As fun as they are to watch, I cannot pick them to beat the German juggernaut.

Amare to the Knicks

Ryan: What do you think about Amare going to The Big Apple? Personally, I think Lee is a better fit for the offense and is a far superior rebounder, but Amare is the big name they want so badly. He hasn't signed yet, but do you think signing Amare would benefit the Knicks? Save the Franchise? Screw the Franchise? Or my pick...perenial 6 to 8 seed, never advancing past the Conference Semi-Finals, and wishing they didn't sign a Power Forward who doesn't do anything but score (can't rebound, can't pass, can't block...ugh)

Jason: While I agree that Lee (20 ppg 12 rpg) may be a better player than Amare (22 ppg 7 rpg) the Knicks need to sign Amare over Lee because of star power. The Knicks desperately need a big name signing to ease the horrible public perception the currently have. Also one big name signing for the Knicks could lead to another. Lebron, Wade, and Bosh would be more intrigued by the Knicks offer if the have Amare. Lee doesn't have the same pull that Amare does. For that reason I believe that it is very important for the Knicks to sign Amare and do so quickly.

Ryan: Amare is a force, sometimes. D'Antoni's offense will do him wonders that's for sure. However, I know Bosh doesn't want to play with Amare, Wade would prefer playing with his buddy Bosh, and LeBron just isn't coming to New York. LBJ would play with Bosh, he would play with Wade, and he would play with Joe Johnson. Amare doesn't do anything but score, and this is why he and Steve Nash were never able to make the Finals. The big stars know that, and they won't be lured by Amare, despite his popularity with the fans.

It really bothers me that the Knicks want to cure their perception rather than win basketball games, I hate that argument (though I know it's the truth). A better strategy for them would be to, you know, try to put a winning team together. That usually is a better strategy than trying to be popular, and it will inevitably lead to that. Bring back Lee/sign Boozer to get good rebounding. Attempt to pry Brendan Haywood from Dallas to actually get some defense for once. Sign Felton to run the point, and get a fantastic 2-guard, like Joe Johnson. A starting of Felton, JJ, Gallo, Lee/Boozer, and Haywood has all of the tools a team needs to compete. But, the Knicks are going to sign Amare, not get anyone else, and ultimatley become less popular....so sad.

Rudy Gay

It appears the first domino has fallen on this years free agent class.  Via ESPN Rudy Gay has verbally agreed to stay with the Grizzlies for a 5 year 80 Million dollar deal.  That deal is much better than the 5 year 50 Million dollar deal that Gay turned down last year.  Sources close to Gay have also said that he has canceled a meeting with Minnesota who many believed he would sign with.  Although it doesn't appear the Gay signing will influence other signings it will be interesting to see if other free agents will soon follow and agree to new contracts.

Free Agency

Salmons, Delfino, and Gooden all signed with the Bucks, which is great for a team that showed a lot of promise at the end of last season. But really, a max contract for Rudy Gay?!? The guy was the second scoring option on his team last year but not even the third most effective, and thats about all the guy can do. All this talk about the economy going in the dumps obviously didnt reach the NBA owners, giving mediocre players like Gay a maximum contract. And Darko Milicic signed for big money, as did Gooden. Frankly, all these teams built up so much cap space, but it doesnt seem like their using it very well.
In other news, Dwayne Wade and Pat Riley want Amare and LeBron to play in Miami next season. This will take up all of their cap room, and give them 5 players on the team (in addition to Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley). Aside from the fact that this triumvirate features three guys that need the ball, namely LeBron and Wade, Chalmers and Beasley are just not good enough to fill out a starting five. Chalmers doesnt have any moves, and Beasley is undersized and uncommitted. Whereas the Michael Jordan Bulls had a Big Three surrounded by shooters and skilled players, this one is going to have two unproven players and a bunch of guys making the minimum around it. And although Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were surrounded by pretty average bench play, they had Rondo to set them up and run the break. Also, the year they first got together, they understood that it was their last hurrah and needed to win and win fast. LeBron, Wade, and Amare are all younger players and don't have this motivation. Obviously they are a superior bunch, in both talent and popularity, but I don't think this plan is in their best interests. They don't need to share the spotlight; they're fantastic players that could win without playing together. Too many stars spoil the broth, just ask the Athens USA Basketball Team.