The Greatest Laker

Who could it be? There are seven Lakers numbers that are hanging in the rafters at Staples Center right now. Worthy, Magic, Kareem, Goodrich, Baylor, Wilt and West. Don’t leave out George Mikan from the Minneapolis days. Check the numbers yourself. Chick Hearn is also there. You can bet that Kobe and Shaq will be the next two up in the rafters. But who is the greatest Laker of all time?

It can be broken down by generation. The 60s will argue Baylor and West to the 2000s Kobe and Shaq. The 80s will argue Magic and Kareem to the 70s West and Wilt. There is only one other NBA franchise that could have this kind of argument (Boston) and all Lakers fans have to acknowledge them.

Back to the issue at hand. Mikan was the beginning of the phrase “dominant big man.” He came before Wilt, Russell and Reed. No one could stop him in the 50s. Baylor and West ushered in the fast paced offense with incredible scoring ability. Wilt came along at the end of his career, but was a dominant force on the defensive side to finally get West, Baylor and Goodrich their first championship. Kareem, to refresh your memory, didn’t win a championship in LA until Magic Johnson came along. Magic starting at center in Game 6 of the 1980 Finals for the injured Kareem to win the championship. Shaq in all his talent couldn’t get over the hump without a sidekick. Kobe was the perfect compliment to his inside game.

Greatness to me is measured first by how you make your team better, then all the other accolades get lumped into the mold after. By that definition, the top 3 Lakers are Wilt, Magic and Kobe in no particular order. They all came to LA with an already talented roster, but without them the Lakers wouldn’t have won.

Being pressed into making a choice, the greatest Laker to me is Chick Hearn. Please let me explain. From 1960-2002, for 42 years, he was the voice of the Lakers. He was one of my idols and with Vin Scully the reason why I got into this profession. His “chickisms” are sorely missed, but will never be forgotten. He gave it to you straight. When the Lakers were good and bad. For some, he would talk fast, but it was clear and right to the point of what was happening. “Slam Dunk!” was the best. He put extra emphasis on it when a Laker did it. The most famous one of course was when the game was coming to an end. See if you can remember it before you read any further.

“You can put this one in the refrigerator. The door’s closed, the light’s out, the eggs are cooling, the butter’s getting hard and the Jell-O is jiggling.”

Now if asked who is the greatest Lakers player, I have to go with Magic. Magic did things that no one had seen from a player his size. He played every position and always put his team before himself. Those five championships were no fluke. Magic did have a talented roster that included Kareem, Worthy, Cooper and Rambis just to name a few, but you had to have a calm unnerving leader who wouldn’t crumble under the pressure. Magic 1, Kareem 2, West 3. No disrespect to the others who have worn the Lakers uniform, but those are the top 3. Kobe winning another ring or two will put him past West and maybe Kareem, but Magic was truly a one of a kind talent.

Follow me on twitter @TalkinSportsLB

NFL Conference Championship Games Preview

NY Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts

Breakdown: If you wanted to see what Super Bowl 3 was like, this will the closest thing to that without the Super Bowl attached to it. The Jets were ruled out by everyone including their head coach Rex Ryan leading up to the playoffs. The Jets have put themselves in a good position, the underdog. They blew past the Bengals. Kept pace with the Chargers and are looking to right a wrong with the Colts. Everyone still thinks if the Colts had wanted to play in Week 16, the Jets wouldn’t have won. This is their chance with a power running game lead by Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene. The defense is a perfect mold of what Ryan built as defensive coordinator in Baltimore. Peyton Manning and the Colts have their work cut out for them, but as we’ve seen before, they are probably the best in this situation. The Colts don’t have the power running or a tough smash mouth defense. What they do have is a prolific passing attack that has Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie for Manning to throw to. The Colts don’t have to smash you in the mouth, but will swarm to the ball with lightning speed. Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney are the scariest defensive end combo in the league. Their linebackers and secondary are undersized, but know where to be in the right situation. The third time is the charm in picking against the Jets this postseason. Colts win thanks to Manning.

Matchup to watch for: Darrelle Revis Jets CB vs. Reggie Wayne Colts WR

Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints

Breakdown: We all get our dream matchup in the NFC. We all said these were the two best teams before their lackluster finishes to the regular season. The Vikings are led by a resurgent keeping his wranglers off the ground forty year old quarterback Brett Favre. He seemingly can do no wrong. He gets clobbered, still completes a touchdown pass. He gets flushed out of the pocket and still manages to find the open man. I thought Adrian Peterson was going to need to have the big games, but it’s clear that Favre has to. Their defense played a great game against the Cowboys. Tony Romo had no time to think as the line put pressure on him all day last week. They will need to keep it up against the vaunted passing attack of the Saints quarterback Drew Brees. He has found that the running game can be useful and when Reggie Bush plays with aggression, he can be a great asset. The Saints don’t have much to go with defensively except when they force turnovers, they are hard to beat. Most of the time they do capitalize on mistakes and the Vikings have to be prepared for it. I’m expecting a shootout that hopefully won’t end up in a one sided affair like many of the other games so far. The Saints win in what should have been the matchup in Super Bowl 41. Colts vs. Saints.

Matchup to watch for: Vikings defense vs. Reggie Bush Saints RB

NBA All-Star Selections (that doesn’t include Iverson & McGrady)

I will show you how easy it is to select All-Stars for this exhibition game. Now, I do take into account stats and team success. But I also take into account injuries. If you’re not playing now, your out. If you’ve been hurt for most of the year, your out. Unless, you are a truly great player. To which when you came back from injury, you continued right where you left off. Since this is going to be in Dallas, I’m going to start with the Eastern Conference roster.
PPG – Points per game
RPG – Rebounds per game
APG – Assists per game

Starters
C Dwight Howard Orlando Magic – 17.3 PPG 13 RPG 1.5 APG
F Chris Bosh Toronto Raptors – 24.2 PPG 11.1 RPG 2.1 APG
F LeBron James Cleveland Cavs – 29.6 PPG 7.2 RPG 7.8 APG
G Joe Johnson Atlanta Hawks – 21.2 PPG 4.9 RPG 4.9 APG
G Dwayne Wade Miami Heat – 26.9 PPG 4.8 RPG 6 APG

Bench
G Rajon Rondo Boston Celtics – 14 PPG 4.1 RPG 9.6 APG
G Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls – 19.1 PPG 3.8 RPG 6 APG
F Paul Pierce Boston Celtics – 18.7 PPG 4.9 RPG 3.7 APG
F Gerald Wallace Charlotte Bobcats – 18.6 PPG 11.3 RPG 1.9 APG
F Antawan Jamison Washington Wizards – 22.2 PPG 8.7 RPG 1.2 APG
F Danny Granger Indiana Pacers – 23.5 PPG 5.7 RPG 2.4 APG
C Brook Lopez New Jersey Nets – 19 PPG 9.6 RPG 2.2 APG

Recap: I know it seems like I’m taking a page from MLB with this roster. I honestly am not. The Nets Brook Lopez is having a great season despite the entire teams poor performance. Danny Granger has been hurt, but since his return he has been back to form for the Pacers. He is the Kevin Durant of the Eastern Conference. No doubt about it. I have two Celtics because there isn’t anyone else at those positions that have better numbers than Pierce and Rondo. If you do find them, I’m all ears. Derrick Rose is a stud and will be here for quite a while. Jamison and Wallace can play both forward positions. Jamison is a true scorer in the sense that he always has a knack for getting the ball in the basket. Wallace is averaging over 11 rebounds playing the small forward for his team. I implore anybody to argue with the starters I have chosen for the East. Please, any of those voting for Iverson, tell why I’m wrong. Charles Barkley said this exhibition is not a popularity contest, but to congratulate those for a great season. I agree with Charles vehemently on this.

Western Conference

Starters
C Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs – 19.8 PPG 10.4 RPG 3.2 APG
F Amare Stoudemire Phoenix Suns – 21 PPG 8.7 RPG 1 APG
F Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder – 29.2 PPG 7.2 RPG 3 APG
G Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers – 28.3 PPG 5.2 RPG 4.5 APG
G Steve Nash Phoenix Suns – 18.6 PPG 3.1 RPG 11.2 APG

Bench
G Deron Williams Utah Jazz – 19.3 PPG 3.9 RPG 9.6 APG
G Brandon Roy Portland Trail Blazers – 23.1 PPG 4.6 RPG 5 APG
G Chris Paul New Orleans Hornets – 19.6 PPG 4.6 RPG 11.3 APG
G Monta Ellis Golden State Warriors – 26.7 PPG 4.3 RPG 5.5 APG
F Carmelo Anthony Denver Nuggets – 29.8 PPG 6.3 RPG 3.3 APG
F Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks – 25.5 PPG 7.9 RPG 2.5 APG
C Chris Kaman Los Angeles Clippers – 20.4 PPG 9.3 RPG 1.9 APG

Recap: The Western Conference is always the most difficult, but in hind sight it really isn’t. The starters you can’t argue with. Please those of you voting for Tracy McGrady tell me where I’m wrong. Having four guards is a little much, but there weren’t a lot of forwards that deserved the nod over these guys. Williams is a great point guard who will lead the league in assists some day. Paul who is the best point guard will always be averaging 20 and 10 a game, but he will also get plenty of triple double opportunities. Roy and Ellis are having career years that should be noted for this event. Even though the Blazers are still under the radar and the Warriors stink, they both should be here. Anthony is finally having a breakthrough season in which there is no doubt who is the best small forward in Western Conference. Dirk is always going to be here so long as he puts up those great numbers on a team that wouldn’t be able to replace him. Yes, I put a Clipper on the team. Why? Numbers and he is finally living up to his potential. The Clippers gave him almost 60 million and that investment is finally coming through. They won’t contend, but they at least having something to go with Baron Davis.

Follow me on twitter and let me know where I’m wrong in my selections. “Talkin’ Sports” returns to KLBC tomorrow night 7-9:30pm (Pacific) with Wes & JR bringing you their take on sports like you’ve never heard before.

NFL Divisional Playoff Preview

Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints

Breakdown: I will be the first to admit when I’m wrong. Last week when I said, “The Packers win in a blowout.” I was wrong. It was a close game that was the highest combined scoring game in NFL playoff history. It was also an exciting game. This week will be no different. The Saints are rested and looking to explode right out of the gate. Drew Brees is looking to get the Saints back on track after losing their last three games of the regular season. The Cardinals will be without Anquan Boldin for this game as well, but Steve Breaston and Early Doucet were more than ready to carry the load. Kurt Warner when he is on his game is one of the best quarterbacks in the playoffs. I don’t see much defense in this one either and the running games will the second class citizens for both teams. Arizona wins in a semi-shootout/close game.

Matchup to watch for: Larry Fitzgerald Cardinals WR vs. Darren Sharper Saints FS

Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts

Breakdown: The Ravens come in to Indiana looking to upset another powerhouse in the AFC. Peyton Manning, now a four time MVP, will be looking to quell any criticism of his team for its less than inspired play to finish the season. The city of Baltimore won’t be too upset if they lose to their old franchise. They will be ecstatic if they do beat them though. This is the Super Bowl for those fans that still remember when they had the Colts. The Ravens defense will be the key here. If they can put pressure on Manning like they did with Tom Brady, the game is theirs. The Colts don’t have a running attack to speak of and without Manning they are helpless. The Ravens do need to score their fare share of points to win of course. Joe Flacco is banged up with a hip injury, but it didn’t matter when you have Ray Rice and Willis McGahee to hand it off to. The Colts, however will do just enough to win another game against the Ravens. They simply don’t lose to Baltimore. Colts win barely.

Matchup to watch for: Peyton Manning Colts QB vs. Ray Lewis Ravens LB

Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings

Breakdown: Tony Romo looks like a new quarterback. Heck, the Cowboys look like a team that wants to win now. They have perfect balance on the offensive side. The defense is attacking the ball with tremendous speed. The Eagles had two chances at them and never had an answer. The Vikings had plenty of rest now have the task of stopping the Cowboys hot streak. Brett Favre was brought in for this moment. He has to get them past this hurdle and it will probably be smooth sailing to the Super Bowl. Adrian Peterson had better have fixed his fumbling problem because he can’t repeat what happened in the playoffs last year. This will be the best game of the weekend, no doubt. The Vikings defense has their work cut out for them too, but it will just enough with the dome crowd on their side to get one step closer to a title. Vikings win a great game.

Matchup to watch for: Brett Favre Vikings QB vs. DeMarcus Ware Cowboys LB

NY Jets vs. San Diego Chargers

Breakdown: The Jets are on coming off a great win against the Bengals in which everyone expected the Bengals to make a game out of it, but the Jets still hammered them like the week before. Mark Sanchez for a rookie QB isn’t doing a whole lot, but does he have to? They have a great running attack and a defense that gives it right back to that running game. Unfortunately for the Jets, they are running into a Chargers team that has won 11 straight games this season. Philip Rivers has done a fantastic job leading the offense, while the defense is as good as I’ve ever seen it. The Jets have their work cut out for them if the Chargers get out to a two touchdown lead. There aren’t many tricks in Rex Ryan’s playbook to ignite a comeback. Chargers win decidedly.

Mathcup to watch for: Vincent Jackson Chargers WR vs. Darrelle Revis Jets CB

The Rooney Rule is Here to Stay

Rules are in place for a reason. To create order and prevent chaos. To right a wrong that’s been in place for so long. That was the reason the NFL implemented the “Rooney Rule” as it’s called today. It was established in 2003 and named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney (pictured left) to help with the hiring of minority candidates being interviewed for head coaching and front office positions. It is not to force teams to hire minority candidates, but to get their names in fold for the positions.

The stats don’t lie. In 2003 there were only two minority head coaches. Tony Dungy (Colts) and Herman Edwards (Jets). As of today there are now six. There is a lot of speculation as to whether the rule should still be around or if it should be expanded. Many feel it is doing enough to satisfy its intention. I’m one to believe that the rule is doing good, but at the same time, it seems there are quite a few teams breaking this rule.

Now this year is not the first year the rule has been broken. In the rules first year, the Detroit Lions were fined 200,000 dollars for not interviewing a minority candidate when they hired Steve Mariucci. This year the Washington Redskins, who before firing Jim Zorn, interviewed assistant Jerry Gray for the head coaching position to satisfy the rule. Soon after, Zorn was fired and Mike Shanahan was hired. Does that satisfy the rule? No and no. Later on, the Seattle Seahawks fired Jim Mora Jr. and immediately it was reported they were after Pete Carroll of USC. Before they announced they had Carroll, they went to Minnesota to interview the Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. Frazier appeared to have no chance at the job, but they did interview him. Does that satisfy the rule? Yes and no.

To explain the Redskins case, to interview an assistant before you fire the head coach is pretty bad. To do it only to prevent the NFL from coming down on you for not interviewing a minority candidate is worse. They knew they pretty much had a deal in place with Shanahan, but according to the rule they did interview a minority candidate. The Seahawks knew who they wanted, but they interviewed someone from another team. They get more of a break here, but they still acted as if it was an inconvenience to interview Frazier.

With all that is said about the rule and what teams do to either comply or avoid it, the rule does need to stay. To say that it needs to be expanded is ludicrous. The only way you can expand it is by making the interview process longer and more obvious than it already is. It would either force teams to interview a certain number of minority candidates or you must hire a minority candidate. To get rid of it would do a disservice to the idea that there are other names out there that are just as good as the prominent ones. I’m not referring to race, but coaching ability. It’s to help the minority candidate, but it really helps everyone. The coordinators on offense and defense are stepping stones for a head coaching position in the NFL no matter race.

When you get interviewed and that GM/Owner thinks you did a good job, even if your not hired they will tell their friends and they will tell their friends and so on. People in management positions will hire those for which they know most of the time. If they don’t know you, but were told by others they know of your skills, they will consider hiring you. It’s not what you know, but who you know. That is said in today’s job world constantly. The rule is here to stay, but it must be closely watched by the league when cases like Washington and Seattle use it in their favor to try and avoid scrutiny.