The NBA Draft's Five Best Second Overall Picks Since 1984 & Sammy Sosa Is a Joke and He Does Not Deserve Induction into the HOF posted by Colin Linneweber

The NBA Draft's Five Best Second Overall Picks Since 1984

The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pick former Oklahoma Sooners star Blake Griffin Thursday with the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

However, there is not a consensus projection for the No. 2 pick and basketball analysts remain largely uncertain who the Memphis Grizzlies will choose tomorrow in Gotham.

In recognition of the NBA Draft, I have decided to rank the five most accomplished players selected second overall in the past quarter century.

1) Jason Kidd

Kidd, 36, attended the University of California and helped resurrect the Golden Bears dormant basketball program with his stellar play at the point guard position.

After being honored as a First Team All-American as a sophomore, Kidd declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 2nd overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 1994.

Unfortunately, the Bay Area native’s initial stint with the Mavericks didn’t materialize as most anticipated it would.

According to legend, singer Toni Braxton went to the Mavs team hotel to meet Kidd after a game.

However, instead of rendezvousing with Kidd, Braxton instead left with his Dallas teammate Jimmy Jackson and the two purportedly fornicated until the wee hours.

Subsequently, Kidd loathed Jackson and he demanded an escape from “Big D.”

Kidd, a 9-time All-Star and 6-time All-NBA nomination, was traded to the Phoenix Suns at the conclusion of the 1996 season and his career began to truly ascend in the desert.

Tarot reading for the Blazer/Thunder game tonight. posted by Andrea Murphy

So I've noticed that I got 8 out of my 9 last predictions right and since tonight's cards say we may win, hopefully this will be right too. I'm gonna just dive right in with this reading. The first card is again the Ace of pentacles, which is upright and since this one just came up last time I'm sticking with my previous interpretation of it. Success and prosperity, thinking we may go into All Star weekend on a winning streak. The second card is the Fool and he was upright as well. This one realtes to joy, the possibilty of adventure and a choice to be made. I think this one means some of the guys are going to have to make more decisive choices during plays. Let's face it, they have played some sloppy crap lately and yet haven't lost too many games. The last card, which was reversed, is the Knight of wands. This one stands for interupted work and discord. This could mean another come from behind win or another game where we squander a large lead. Let's assume the first two cards are the more telling and maybe the last card is just a balancer. After all, we do have an ax to grind against the esrtwhile Sonics (just can't get used to the new name!). The loss we suffered at their hands last week was ridiculous and shouldn't have happened. Somehow I don't think they'll let it happen again. Enjoy the game!Continue reading "Tarot reading for the Blazer/Thunder game tonight."

How I became a Pacers fan posted by Cam W.

While I struggled with the concept of losing a team I had grown up with, I wondered what my options were. Was there a way to jeopardize my fanhood in this situation? I came across an article ("Rules for being a true fan," Feb. 2002), which, though dated, actually helped me immensely in my decision. A friend of mine, also a die-hard Sonic fan, decided he would join me in deciding where we should take our loyalties.

Over pizza at a local Old Chicago, we went over every option. Do we wait it out and become NBA widows and hope Seattle gets a team again? Do we take our alliance and move it down to the upswing rivals of Portland? Or do we dare follow OKC, which represented all that was wrong with the NBA? Though I loved Sam Presti and the core he was building (Westbrook, Durant, Green, etc.) I felt it was not the players I loved so much, it was the city and the history of the franchise that I loved. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

So we poured over the remaining teams, quickly eliminating joining teams that would warrant the label "band-wagoners." Boston, LA, Cleveland, Orlando, Phoenix, New Orleans, Chicago, and Houston. Then we eliminated the teams we couldn't stand: San Antonio, Detroit, Dallas, Denver, and Utah. Having eliminated OKC and also Portland (we couldn't switch to the rival, even with Seattle gone), and all the east coast teams (we felt disconnected from them being in the west) we were left with LAC, GS, Sac, Ind, Mil, and Minne.

Clippers? No, thanks. GS? Please. Sac-town? Bleh. The Bucks? They need a new name. That left Indiana and Minnesota. Minnesota was (is) currently being pawned off as "Montana's Team" making annual exhibition games to Billings as the "home team." They were nice and upcoming with talent, but they lacked something. So we took a good hard look at Indiana. I had seen Indiana in Billings and also in Indianapolis while visiting some relatives. They were in the midst of redoing their image and had just pulled off a trade bringing in 7 new players. Bird and GM Morway looked like they finally had something going for this team. We couldn't be accused of band-wagoning, yet they missed the playoffs only by a game in the weak Eastern Conference. We liked the Jim O'Brien style of offense, fast and raining threes. I had a sense of familiarity and my friend agreed he liked the potential. No established all-star, similar to a certain Detroit Pistons ala 2004 with an emphasis on offense instead of defense. So we did it. We switched to the Pacers.

Inbound link contest winner announced! posted by Earn Money Blogging

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the "Inbound Link Contest".  We have a winner!  A big congratulations go out to Marija.  Thank you for all your hard work on this.  While we had a lot of people participate, Marija was able to win with only 4 links!  So it wouldn't have taken a lot to win this contest!  We'll be having another contest soon so stay tuned.

The whole purpose of this contest was to get our bloggers networking with other webmasters and to start to build up their inbound links which will help their traffic.  Even a few links can help you with the search engines as they will see you as more of an authority on your topic the more inbound links you have.

To learn more about marketing your blog check out this post: http://www.nbabasketballonline.com/sports_content-rev_share_faq.html#my_faq_2971

Marija's blog can be found here.  If you're a Knicks fan, check it out: http://www.newyorkknicksnews.com/marijak

The original post announcing the contest can be found here: http://www.nbabasketballonline.com/bloggers/weblog/2984.html

And if you're not already signed up with Google AdSense and making money from your blog, check out our Revenue Share FAQ page: http://www.nbabasketballonline.com/sports_content-rev_share_faq.html

What to name the new Oklahoma City NBA team? posted by Richard Zowie

We already know they can't be called the Supersonics because Seattle still holds the rights to that. I would've liked to seem the team choose a name that reflects the Native American culture of Oklahoma...perhaps the Cherokees. But even if the Cherokee officials gave their blessing, it would still be too politically incorrect.

My mother grew up in Oklahoma, and I remember two things about the visits there: the red dirt and my mom's talk about the tornadoes. I also like the name Oklahoma rather than Oklahoma City, since OKC regionalizes the team too much. With that, here's my suggestion:

Oklahoma Tornadoes

Team colors: Red, pewter and white

Pewter, a metal made mostly of tin with trace amounts of copper and antimony, is described as a "dirty silver".

Good Golly Miss Molly! posted by Matt Williams

At first I was ecstatic.  A Seattle icon will be the voice of the new Seattle Sounders FC.  Kevin Calabro, in the booth, calling the game, making soccer come alive in Seattle.  But then, I started thinking.  Am I going to like KC calling a soccer match?  When he speaks will I just hear echoes of Sonic basketball?  Am I ready for such a familiar figure donning a different shade of green? 

From a marketing perspective, this is the best move the new franchise could have made.  Calabro is a beloved, respected and trusted broadcaster in the Pacific Northwest.  His voice on the air again will soothe the unsettled stomachs of those still distraught about losing their Sonics.  Others will tune in to watch soccer for the first time just so they can hear the man speak again.  But me, I'm not sure how I'll feel.

His voice and persona is Sonic basketball and it will be hard for me to associate him with something different.  He calls basketball games so well because of his energy, but soccer is slower and it doesn't require the endless amounts of it he has.  I'm afraid it won't be the same.

But I'm not ready to swear him off.  I am more than willing to let him try and make me a believer.  I want so badly to be a believer.  Unfortunately that is just something I'll have to wait for.  252 days...and counting.

Inbound link contest - Win $100! posted by Earn Money Blogging

To try and motivate our bloggers to get inbound links we're going to have a contest to see which blogger can get the most inbound links to their blog. The contest begins now and ends July 31st, 2008. To be entered in to the contest all you have to do is go out and get as many websites to link to your blog as you can and at the end of the month send us an email listing all those links. All links must be active from August 1st through August 7th when we'll be judging the entries - a winner will be announced on August 7th. All entry emails must be received by Midnight on July 31st, 2008. You can email them to sportsfan@nbabasketballonline.com

We're going to impose some restrictions on the types of links you can get so please see below for the full list of links that do NOT count.

To get started simply go to Google and find other websites and blog that are about the sports and teams that you write about. Email the website owner and ask them for a link by explaining that you think your blog would be a good resource for their readers. Or offer to write a guest post for them with your by-line and URL at the bottom of the article. Or offer to exchange links with them by writing a quick write up of their site and a reciprocal link back to them. Some webmasters will be happy to add you to their blog roll even if you don't give them a link back (which is ideal) but some may want you to link back to them - you can easily do this with a quick blog entry on your blog about their website.

To learn more about inbound links and marketing your blog in general check out this post:

Furious posted by Matt Williams

I am furious.  The Sonics are gone and America doesn't seem to care.  On today's Around the Horn 3 of 4 panelists said the NBA is better off in Oklahoma City.  That statement is ludicrous.

The Sonics were 28th in the league in attendance (as one of the panelist pointed out), but that doesn't mean the city doesn't love their Sonics.  One, they had the second worst record in the NBA and two, they essentially played a lame duck season.  Neither of those is often associated with tremendous attendance figures.

Once again, DO NOT tell me the NBA is better off in Oklahoma City.  The team will help Oklahoma City.  Maybe the franchise will make money than it will in Seattle.  BUT, there is no way anyone can convince me that a new Oklahoma City team is better than a historic Seattle team if the teams were to make the NBA finals.  Stern, the NBA, and fans in the U.S. would rather have a team from Seattle than Oklahoma City in the finals.  Don't lie to me anymore about that.

And finally, the sports media has portrayed Seattle fans as whiners, losers and bandwagon fans.  We are no more of any of those things than any fans in the country.  There are few fans in the country who have had a team ripped from them and none of us wish this on anyone else.  It is a sad and disappointing day in Seattle.  Don't label Seattle fans.  If it were your team taken away you would be outraged just as we are.

It finally sets in, and I am pissed posted by Z.V. Sanders

Here are my thoughts about the city of Seattle letting the Sonics leave

1. Seattle/Washington legislature are all idiots
If you are a Washington resident, I implore you to not re-elect our Governor (Christine Gregoire). If you live in Seattle, we need a new city council and Mayor. These people had a chance to keep the team here, twice! Yet, nothing was done. We need change if we are to ever get basketball back here again.

2. David Stern is a bastard...
I used to respect David Stern. Needless to say I no longer do. Because of him, I will no longer be able to hear him announce "The Seattle SuperSonics select..." during the NBA draft. I used to think he was the best commish in sports. He used to be the only one who would speak frankly, openly, and honestly. Before this ordeal, he had done a hell of a lot of good for this league. David Stern, you have lost the respect of everyone in the state of Washington. I hope you enjoy it.

3. ...and Clay Bennett is no better
Clay is the major reason why the team is leaving. He bought the team, and strong armed the city into not getting him a new arena deal. I hope you go back to Oklahoma, and lose billions of dollars. Also, how dare you decide to make replicas of the Sonics championship banners and even a duplicate of the trophy. It's not your teams to take, it is ours.

4. Seattle has lost its muster
Seattle can no longer be called a major sports city. A major sports city has at least 3 major franchises, and sometimes 4. We now have 2 major league teams. People of Seattle, we are now Kansas City. Our Baseball team is rebuilding, and we are pinning all our hopes on the Seahawks.

The Seattle SuperSonics posted by Matt Williams

Like most, I am upset about the departure of Seattle's beloved SuperSonics, but I am not writing to vent or point fingers, but rather make other interesting points.

Interesting Point #1:  How will the NBA's western conference be aligned?  Or is the NBA just going to rename the Northwest division?  Oklahoma City is not the northwest and as a resident of the northwest I would be annoyed by the labeling of Oklahoma City as northwest.  It's just not right.  Are they going to be put in the Southwest division, where they belong, making western conference divisions unbalanced?  We'll see.

Interesting Point #2: Oklahoma City will have the same appeal to rookies as Salk Lake City and Sacramento.  I hate to drag those two in here, but let's face it, it's the truth.  It's not surprising David Stern would allow something like this though.  He has proposed the ridiculous idea of the NBA in Europe.  No players are going to want to play their home games in Madrid or Oklahoma City.  This move adds one more unappealing destination for rookies in the NBA.

Interesting Point #3: The Sonics move sets a precedent in the NBA.  It seems possible that if the NBA really plans to avoid interfering with individual teams, that any team could be purchased and moved to a new city.  It's possible.  I'm not saying the Knicks or Celtics are going to find themselves playing in a new city, but think about all of those midsize market teams who Stern doesn't care a lick about.

Interesting Point #4: The NBA lost the rivalry between the Sonics and the Trailblazers.  Oklahoma City is not going to pick up right where the Sonics left off.  The NBA loves it's rivalries, but this one is dead.  It's disappointing too because both teams were on the rise.  Albeit, the Sonics at a slower pace.