Unable to Phil the void
With that Phil Jackson is done.
Reports from NYC have the Knicks parting ways with Jackson, the 11-time NBA champion head coach who was an unmitigated disaster as team president. How are these for some numbers:
The Knicks lost 50 or more games in each of Jackson's three full seasons running the franchise. The Knicks were 80-166 in those three seasons.
Jackson reported was open to trading Kristaps Porzingis, the lone building block he was able to acquire. And the final straw was the toxic end to the much-celebrated acquisition of Carmelo Anthony, who has two years and $54 million left on his deal with the Knicks that includes a no-trade clause that Jackson granted him. Simply put, Anthony's contract likely is the worst in all of team sports.
All of this is pretty straight forward and makes the decision to dump Phil seem like a no-brainer. But the ripples are what intrigue us.
How does this change/damage Jackson's legacy?
As a coach he's got 11 titles for Pete Maravich's sake. But all of those were with either MJ or Kobe, two of the top 10 players ever. Will he be remembered as a fossil who could not adjust and tried to force an outdated triangle in a modern-day game that is designed around an arc?
It also is the rare moment that truly shows the danged-if-you-do, danged-if-you-don't nature of sports that no matter the move the grading is in the results.
Remember when Jackson was hired? It was lauded as a universally great move from every corner and the fan base was giddy.
Then, Knicks owner James Dolan stepped out of the way and left Jackson run things, which is what every 'expert' and fan always asks of ownership. Then, the Anthony acquisition, which everyone praised and thought would be the first wave in a river of talent headed to the Big Apple.
All of that was praised at every turn.
And then it unraveled, and the only good days for Knicks fans is when people are told to leave.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Sean Newcomb watches a throw during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the San Diego Padres in San Diego, Tuesday, June 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)Midweek Braves report
For the rest of the summer, we'll offer a Wednesday Braves update.
Hey, it's a slower time of year, right?
It also is a sign of respect for a team that is better than we believed it was going to be, and doing it in surprising ways. We did not expect the offense to be this impressive.
The Braves are on track to set a franchise record for most runs in June. Yes, these Braves have scored this month more than those staked Braves lineups of the 1990s with guys like Sheffield, McGriff, Chipper, Andruw and so many more.
Last night's starting eight had one player hitting less than .292 on the season, and that's Dansby Swanson, who has been hitting better than .300 in June. And friends, that's without Freddie Freeman, who has been on the shelf for the last six weeks.
We are a week away from the halfway point - Atlanta is 37-39 through 76 games - and the Braves' .268 average is third in the NL. Offensively, this team has added pieces and parts to what is a very solid lineup.
But the best news this morning is that last night's 3-0 win over San Diego represented the first big-league win for Sean Newcomb.
Newcomb, you may remember, was the key part the Angels sent to Atlanta in the Andrelton Simmons deal.
He's a power left-hander who touched 95 mph last night, and that's not even his best pitch. He has a plus-plus curve ball and like guys with great breaking stuff, he has multiple versions. The main reason he did not start the season with Atlanta was his occasional struggles with control.
Well, since being called up because of Bartolo Colon going to the DL for stinking, Newcomb has been aces. And has flashed the look of a real, top-of-the-rotation starter that this club is starving for.
He's made four starts, each would be referred to as quality and other than a 5-0 setback in his second start when he walked four, his control has been better than good. While wins are an arbitrary number that are haphazard, Newcomb's direct stats in four starts are pretty excellent.
ERA - 1.48
Batting average against - .202
Walks/hits per inning - 1.07.
Welcome to the bigs Mr. Newcomb, you are another surprise part of this surprising Braves first half.
Sports editor Stephen Hargis, left, and sports writer David Paschall, right, interview Atlanta Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley on stage at the Times Free Press's Best of Preps banquet at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Beasley was the guest speaker at the banquet which honors the area's best prep athletes.Best of Preps
There are few events in and around the Chattanooga area that are cooler than the Best of Preps.
The annual Times Free Press banquet to honor the stars and the coaches and the contributors and the fans of high school sports in the area.
If you have been with an athlete, then we'd love to hear your memories of it.
If you have been as a fan, we'd also like to hear your recollections.
If you have not, well, we know the tickets can be a little steep, but it truly is an event.
Here's the column from last night's event with featured speaker Vic Beasley, the Atlanta Falcons star who led the NFL is sacks last year from TFP ace columnist Mark Wiedmer.
It also got us thinking, who do you think would be the best speaker for a future Best of Preps banquet? (And know this, the powers that be at the TFP have tried for years to get Peyton Manning, even before he became big enough to host the ESPYs.)
This and that
* Florida captured its first College World Series title last night with a 6-1 win over LSU to win the best-of-three series 2-0. Congrats Florida, which had a pretty awesome year considering that the football team won the East, the men's basketball team made the Elite Eight, the softball team made the College World Series Finals and the baseball team won it all. Florida becomes the first program to win national titles in football, men's basketball and baseball.
* This is the definition of life-changing money for Titans cornerback Logan Ryan, who signed a $30 million contract with Tennessee and gave his brother a check for $82,000 to pay off his student loans on his 29th birthday. Good times.
* The NFL vets in the flag football league are familiar names such as Mike Vick, T.O., Chad Johnson and Jimmy Clausen. They had their first exhibition game, and to no one's surprise Vick dominated, throwing for 500-plus yards and half a dozen TDs.
* Speaking of former NFL quarterbacks, on Tuesday, Sports Illustrated published a very interesting story on Vince Young. The former Titans quarterbacks, who was 31-19 as an NFL starter, has some strong words about how in the world Blaine Gabbert still has an NFL gig and he doesn't. Same for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Also, know that Young will not be offering any professional references for former coach Jeff Fisher any time soon.
* Miguel Montero, the back-up catcher for the Chicago Cubs is now 0-for-31 in throwing out base-stealers after giving up seven stolen bases last night against the Nationals. Montero then blamed his pitchers for not holding Washington close. Egad.
Today's questions
Have you sent a mailbag question?
We have a bunch of questions peppered throughout today's commentary. Let's review:
Does Jackson's time wit the Knicks damage his legacy?
Who would be the best Best of Preps speaker not named Peyton?
Does Vince Young have a legit beef that he should still be in the league?
As for today, well, it was 20 years ago today that Mike Tyson bit Holyfield's ear, in what had to be one of the most surreal moments in sports history.
On this day in 1846, Antoine-Joseph Sax patented the Saxophone. On this day in 1914, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie are assassinated and it is the cause of World War I. On this day in 1919, the Treaty of Versailles is signed, establishing the League of Nations and ending World War I.
John Elway is 57 today. Kathy Bates is 69. Mel Brooks is 91.
Rushmore of Mel Brooks movies.
Go.