NBA regular season ends
What a monster night that ends the NBA regular season. Kobe's final game. The Warriors chase for history. Playoff positioning still in the balance.
We will preview the playoffs Thursday, and cover Kobe in the mailbag, but today, let's review what has been an amazingly unique NBA regular season.
MVP - Steph Curry, Golden State (and the only question is will it be unanimous, which is an amazing testament to Curry's amazing season since Russell Westbrook may log more triple doubles in one season than any player in the last 40 years and Curry still should be the unanimous pick).
Most Improved Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee. Good luck pronouncing that, by the way. Another crazy fact that screams the greatness of Curry this year: Dude will finish top three in most improved voting after winning the MVP last year, too.
Rookie of the Year - Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota. This one may be unanimous too, considering K-A-T has been as a good if not better than every rookie big man since Tim Duncan came into the league.
Coach of the Year - Brad Stevens, Boston. Man there are a lot of guys who had amazing years - and someone on social media said LeBron should be coach of the year, which is funny - and it's tough to pick against what Dave Joerger has done with a Memphis team that has been ravaged by injuries. Still, Stevens is amazing and here's thinking, depending on the draw, Stevens and the Celtics will meet James and the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Defensive Player of the Year - Kwahi Leonard, San Antonio. Another one that could be - and likely should be - unanimous.
Sixth man of the Year - Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers.
FILE - In this April 4, 2015, file photo, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh answers questions during a press conference after their spring NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Jim Harbaugh hype train has reached its destination in Salt Lake City. After eight months of living in the spotlight as college football’s latest rock star _ and putting Michigan in the national conversation for the first time in years _ the Wolverines new coach is ready to move past the glitz and get gritty on the football field. (AP Photo/Tony Ding) File Satellite camps, round two
Jim Harbaugh has spoken out about the decision to ban satellite camps, and as you would expect when the emotional and controversial Michigan coach speaks, shots were fired.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Harbaugh delivered some verbal jabs at the decision-making process as a whole and a very thinly veiled shot right at Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, who when asked about satellite camps said he's glad they have been banned so he can work camps and sleep in his own bed:
"The image that comes to my mind is guys in a back room smoking cigars, doing what they perceive is best for them," Harbaugh told SI.com. "It certainly isn't the best thing for the youngsters. It's not the best thing for the student-athletes."
"You've got a guy sitting in a big house, making $5 million a year, saying he does not want to sacrifice his time," Harbaugh said. "That is not a kindred spirit to me. What most of these coaches are saying is they don't want to work harder."
For context, here are a couple of quotes Freeze delivered to the Clarion-Ledger on satellite camps: "I understand there's one side of the fence that says, 'Well, it could cost kids opportunities,'" Freeze said. "There's the other side of the fence that it could've been a total circus that would put so much pressure on these kids because you might have 50 camps in Atlanta or Dallas."
"I'm selfish with my time," he said. "I'm away from my family enough, and I just did not want to go. I was ready to. We would've jumped in with the rest of them and gone to work. But I'm glad we can have a camp and I can sleep at home."
Harbaugh's reaction is hardly a surprise, since he's kind of been the face of this debate from the start. In fact, in some ways the public opinion on the final version of the new rule - one that will cost non-Power Five leagues a chance to scout players at bigger camps at the power programs, and in turn cost kids chances to be seen and possibly offered scholarships - has turned to support Harbaugh.
In fact, we'd be stunned if the wording on this not overhauled to allow MAC and Sun Belt programs to work camps and evaluate campers at bigger events like those at Ohio State and Alabama.
Still, one of the things that we discussed yesterday in this space and that really is quite telling about the self-serving interest of the NCAA is the speed in which this process happened.
Satellite camps were a hot-button issue and then boom in a matter of days, there's a proposal, a vote and a new rule waiting to be finalized by the NCAA board in April. Remember, the NCAA normally moves with the dexterity of an air craft carrier. By comparison, this was handing a hairpin curve like an Indy car.
That really adds strength to Harbaugh's already strong accusations.
Washington Nationals' baseman Daniel Murphy (20) drives in a run with a double as Atlanta Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski (15) looks on in the tenth inning of a baseball game Monday, April 4, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Braves' positivity
Hey, looking good Lewis. Felling good Billy Ray. (Courtesy of "Trading Places" which ranks as one of the most underrated comedies of the 1980s and in the careers of Akroyd and Murphy.)
The Braves lost, because well, the Braves played. A 2-1 setback to the Nationals in the grand scheme of things was another 'L' in a season in which the Braves will pile up triple-digits of them. But unlike the defensive lapses that started the season and the pitching meltdown last weekend agains the Cardinals, the Braves looked like a big league club Tuesday. And losing while at least looking like a big league club is a positive step for these Braves.
Let's go to Optimistic Oliver (Positive Paul got a little overserved last night watch the Braves, so he needed an off day).
"Thanks for having us, 5-at-10, as we continue the trend of finding only the best in these Braves.
What's that Paul? No I can't type more quietly. Where were we? Oh yes, the Braves.
Yes, the offense was, shall we say less than active last night, but hey, the Nationals can pitch.
Still, Jhoulys Chacin was great for the Braves on the mound. Six scoreless innings with legit - not overpowering mind you - stuff that had movement and control. He fanned eight and did not walk a batter. Strong.
So the Braves will go back to the park still looking for win No. 1. All we can do is keep going back with them.
Until the next time Paul gets hammered, I'm Optimistic Oliver."
This and that
- Duke is investigating claims of alleged mistreatment of players in women's basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie's program. Considering that the school's handling of the investigation of its men's lacrosse team a decade ago was arguably the single worst-handled case in H.R. history, Duke will need to be especially thorough and transparent this time.
- Josh Gordon apparently failed a drug test and the NFL has reportedly denied his application for reinstatement. Couple of things here: First, traces of pot and a dilution reportedly were found both of Gordon's samples, and if that causes more rolling of his $1 million salary, well, that's a pricey joint. Second, we're pretty surprised that the NFL players union has not fought harder for lower pot penalties, considering that lighting up - which is now legal in some states - is viewed more harshly than domestic violence in the league's penalty hierarchy.
- Speaking of Josh Gordon, apparently Johnny Manziel is not living with the troubled Cleveland wide out. Manziel's living situation has become a source of headlines and punchlines - a lot like his passing. (Rim shot. Thank you, thank you. Remember the 7:30 show is different from the 9:30 show, and please tip your servers.)
- Here are some more details and players who got checks from the EA Sports settlement. The maximum is more than $7,000; the average is a little more than $1,000. That's from a pool of $60 million, and in true NCAA fashion, the players got some small rewards, and the lawyers split up $18 million for their effort.
- Amazing to think that with all the amazing running backs Tennessee has had in its storied history, that Jalen Hurd will almost assuredly be the all-time leading rusher (barring injury). Here's a good look at that from TFP UT beat ace Downtown Patrick Brown.
- And the story TFP all-around ace David Paschall did after the interview we had with Jacksonville State golf coach James Hobbs on Press Row has made it to pga.com. That's pretty cool.
Today's question
Thirty years ago today, Jack Nicklaus won his final major at a little event somewhere in East Georgia. It likely made some of the papers and highlight shows.
If you pause and think about that moment - his back nine 30, his son on his bag, the fact that he wore yellow for a dead kid he had befriended years earlier, Verne's iconic "Yes SIR" after the birdie on 17, and so much more - it's really one of the most special in the modern sports era.
Rushmore of best sports moments in the last 30 years. Go and remember the mailbag.