Rees Woodcock's NCAA Basketball fan blog

Jerry Jones signing of Terrell Owens, Detroit Pistons trading for Allen Iverson, the Lakers signing Karl Malone and Gary Payton, what are these teams thinking? Why can teams not be happy with their team and why do they think that the key to a championship? Hows this for a thought, get a roll player. We have seen these players go to these teams thinking we will win a championship, thank again. Terrel Owens destroyed that team, a team that was on the rise then Team Obliterater comes along and now look where they are. The Detroit Pistons go off and trade away one of the best point/2 guards in the NBA in Chauncy Billups and get Allen Iverson in return. Okay so maybe this is a good trade, in 1999 but what are they thinking getting a ball hogging old man? The Lakers coming off three NBA championships get future Hall of Famer's Karl Malone and Gary Payton. They did get to the Championship but Karl was hurt the whole year and if the "glove" does not fit you must...not sign him! I am not even mentioning the New York Yankees, who won so many championships then they go on a spending spree, getting rid of Alfonso Soriano, and signing A-Rod to one of the biggest contracts we have ever seen. It just does not make sense to me anymore. Why not save money and get some roll player to help out your stars already? Cowboys will be better off without T.O., Pistons need to trade A.I. and get some player like a Shane Battier, and the Lakers are the best team in the NBA, without the two Hall of Famer's. The Yankees are going to have A-Rod out till May too, anyone want to bet they are better off without him?

Continue reading "Big Stars: Bad For Teams"

Jerry Jones signing of Terrell Owens, Detroit Pistons trading for Allen Iverson, the Lakers signing Karl Malone and Gary Payton, what are these teams thinking?  Why can teams not be happy with their team and why do they think that the key to a championship?  Hows this for a thought, get a roll player.  We have seen these players go to these teams thinking we will win a championship, thank again.  Terrel Owens destroyed that team, a team that was on the rise then Team Obliterater comes along and now look where they are.  The Detroit Pistons go off and trade away one of the best point/2 guards in the NBA in Chauncy Billups and get Allen Iverson in return.  Okay so maybe this is a good trade, in 1999 but what are they thinking getting a ball hogging old man?  The Lakers coming off three NBA championships get future Hall of Famer's Karl Malone and Gary Payton.  They did get to the Championship but Karl was hurt the whole year and if the "glove" does not fit you must...not sign him!  I am not even mentioning the New York Yankees, who won so many championships then they go on a spending spree, getting rid of Alfonso Soriano, and signing A-Rod to one of the biggest contracts we have ever seen.  It just does not make sense to me anymore.  Why not save money and get some roll player to help out your stars already?  Cowboys will be better off without T.O., Pistons need to trade A.I. and get some player like a Shane Battier, and the Lakers are the best team in the NBA, without the two Hall of Famer's.  The Yankees are going to have A-Rod out till May too, anyone want to bet they are better off without him?

Continue reading "Big Stars and The Impact of Them"

I have been watching college basketball since the age of on and have seen some really good college players fail miserably in the NBA.  This mock draft is my own version of who I think should take who. 1) Sacramento Kings- This pick has to go to Blake Griffin, unless you want to turn into the Houston Texans with the Super Mario pick over Reggie Bush.  Blake Griffin has talent surpassing Michael Beasley last year and anyone I can think of in the years past.  With that size and speed he will be a good look to take some pressure off rising superstar Kevin Martin. 2) Oklahoma City Thunder- I really can see them getting Hasheem Thabeet.  They have Durant who can fire the ball and Westbrook to deliver all they need is a true, good big man to help them out.  Robe

Continue reading "The New Hope for Bad Teams"

  Larry H. Miller, one of the great NBA franchise owners and stand up guy in the community, died Friday from complications with type two diabetes.  Larry will be remember in the NBA world for years to come and will be a role model for what integrity and honor stands for.

  Larry Miller, in my eyes, will be known for him establishing the Utah Jazz as a premier powerhouse in the NBA and producing two championship runs, both ending in defeat to the great Mr. Air himself.  He brought big name superstars like Karl Malone, John Stockton, Jeff Hornacek, and current superstar Deron Williams.  He was also known to me by hiring one of the greatest coaches of all time in Jerry Sloan.  Jerry has took the Jazz to two championships and to the playoffs all but two years he has been coaching.

Continue reading "A Tribute to One of the Great Owners"

NCAA Men's Division I Basketball consists of 347 teams in which players can get lost in the fray.  We have had a few emerge over the years.  Stephen Curry has mad a strong impact on the scene, and that is what this blog is about, it is about the little guy who has big talent and just can not hit the lime light.  I am focusing on five main players here.  David Holston, of Chicago State, is averaging 25.7 points, Lester Hudson, of Tennessee-Martin, is averaging 27.7 points, Eric Maynor, of Virginia Commonwealth, who is averaging 22.9 points, Josh Akognon, of Cal State Fullerton, who is averaging 23.4 points, and Ben Woodside, of North Dakota State, who is averaging 22.9 points.  These guys are putting up the numbers to be on some of the top teams in the nation but they are not getting any credit for their accomplishments.  Eric Maynor with his 25.7 points per game has got Virginia Commonwealth in prime position to clinch a birth into the NCAA tournament as they are on top of their conference 12-4, 19-8 overall.  Lester Hudson also has his team on top of their conference with a 12-3 record and a 19-6 record overall.  Lester's 27.7 points per game has really boosted this team to a possible first round bracket-buster come tournament time.  Ben Woodside's  22.9 points per game has really given the momentum for a good North Dakota State team who sits on top of the Summit League with a 14-2 conference record and a 20-6 overall record.  All of these teams, if they get in, could be big time upsets in the tournament.  They have sharp shooters like these guys no tell what will happen.  March Madness this year, like many others, will defiantly not let their fans down.  This was my little segment of faces that should be found.

Continue reading "No Name and No Recognition"

  As quick as the Oklahoma City Thunder accepted the trade for big man Tyson Chandler, the sent it right back.  Late Wednesday night, Tyson Chandler of the New Orleans Hornets was shipped back to Louisiana due to a failed physical. One of the Thunder doctors gave him a physical and examined his big left toe.  He decided that the risk of injuring it again was to great to give him a clean bill of health.  Tyson Chandler has turned into one of the solid big men in the league but has really never lived up to his potential after being drafted second overall in the 2001 NBA draft by the Clippers and then traded to the Bulls for former rookie of the year, Elton Brand.  Chandler has averaged 8.2 points per game and 9 rebounds per game since he went pro in 2001.  This trade not going through may have helped the hornets more then people think though.  When Chandler gets healthy they'll be one of the top teams in the Western Conference again and maybe make a title run.  Then again if this trade would have gone through the Hornets would have had a potentially a deep, playoff experienced, team.  They could send more guys off the bench if the trade would have gone through and that could give them more fire power against Western Conference powerhouses like the Lakers.  The big question here is, will it be awkward to come back to a team who would just ship you off with no second thought?  It would feel to me like I was not appreciated there and why should I stay there when they do not want me around.  I would feel betrayed.  Then again I am typing on here and he is in the NBA, it is his choice. 

Continue reading "Trade That Never Happened"

Bulls pulled off a blockbuster deal Wednesday night by acquiring Brad Miller and John Salmons, arguably two of the most underrated players in the NBA, from the Kings for Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Michael Ruffin, and Cedric Simmons.  The Bulls, who are only one and a half games out of the final playoff spot made this trade possibly thinking of a strong late season playoff push.  Chicago has been on a playoff drought the past couple years and are really looking to get back into the playoff mix.  If the Bulls squeak in they would be playing the Celtics who have been shaky this year at times.  Brad Miller will be a nice addition to a young Bulls team that consists of talent like Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon.  When it comes playoff time watch out for this Bulls team,

Continue reading "Bulls Potential Playoff Push!"

The Illinois Fighting Illini have recently won three in a row and are 1 1/2 games out of the Big Ten leader Michigan State.  Is anyone really talking about a Big Ten team to be the national championship winner?  I have heard the North Carolina's, the Duke's, and the Oklahoma's but where are the Michigan State's or the Fighting Illini's?  Michigan has beat UCLA and Duke this year, Illinois and Michigan State have both beat Michigan.  Illinois has beat down number 10 Missouri and barely lost to a good Clemson team because they did not get a shot off at the last second.  Michigan State has beat Illinois and is a prime contender in the NCAA with coach Izzo.  Not to mention they are ranked fifth.  So where is the lo

Continue reading "Big Ten: Are They Contenders?"