NBA playoffs
Oh my, that just happened.
In San Antonio last night, a crazy final few seconds - including at least one missed call and potentially a few others - left the OKC Thunder with a stunning 1-1 tie against the almighty Spurs. It's the kind of drama these playoffs need.
Add to that the coin toss series between Miami and Toronto and the uncertainty of when Steph Curry may return, and the playoffs are about to get fun.
Side note: LeBron and the Cavs won Game 1 at home against the Hawks on Monday. It was an up-and-down performance - the Cavs squandered an 18-point lead before reclaiming a double-digit margin of victory. The Hawks got an insane performance from reserve point guard Dennis Schroder. It is also worth noting that no superstar since Shaq has been penalized for his physical superiority like LeBron. Dude is so strong driving to the basket that contact that would send a lot of players flying looks lighter than it actually is. In turn dude gets few calls. And that's with LeBron flopping entirely too much.
Series updates:
Golden State leads Portland 1-0. Game 2, tonight at Golden State, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
OKC and San Antonio tied at 1. Game 3, Friday, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Miami vs. Toronto, Game 1 tonight at Toronto, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Cleveland leads Atlanta 1-0. Game 2, Wednesday, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Former NFL player Jevon Kearse announces that the Tennessee Titans selects Clemson's Kevin Dodd as the 33rd pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)Draft review
Now that the dust has settled on the NFL draft, it's an appropriate time to look back.
This is not about grades - those are simply impossible at this point because the work has not been dine. In fact, grading a draft before two or even three years is a crap shoot. It is not too early, though, to point out moments and trends that will shape this draft.
How does the Tampa Bay pick of a kicker in round two play? How does the decision by several teams to pass on Connor Cook play out? How does the Titans decision to draft like it's 1996 rather than 2016 turn out?
Face it, the Titans drafted a run-blocking tackle first and used a top-50 pick on Derrick Henry, a bruising back who something 12 million carries for Alabama last year. If it works - and remember the Titans had a ton of holes so using a second-rounder on what likely is a back-up, third-and-short running back (at least in the beginning) considering they traded for DeMarco Murray and his contract - it could re-tool the process. If it doesn't - and with a number of potential stars at defensive tackle and defensive back still on the board when the Titans called Henry's name, it could be telling.
That type of review comes years down the road, though.
With that thought in mind, let's review the 2011 draft, one that was star-loaded and clear which teams hit home runs and which teams missed wildly. (Look at the top 10 and you'll see several teams that added stars that helped take them to among the elite in the league.)
Top 10 (plus 1)
1. Carolina - Cam Newton (franchise QB and last year's MVP; five year's later in the Super Bowl)
2. Denver - Von Miller (game-changing DE and renowned farter who was the Super Bowl MVP last February)
3. Buffalo - Marcel Dareus (a very good pick who has been productive, but look at the names the Bills passed on below)
4. Cincinnati - A.J. Green (bona fide No. 1 receiver who has helped the Bengals become a model of consistency)
5. Arizona - Patrick Peterson (lockdown corner around which the Cardinals have crafted one of the best defenses in the league)
6. Atlanta - Julio Jones (another surefire Hall of Famer who not only has helped the Falcons offense, the trade to get Jones was made through Cleveland, which botched every extra pick it received in the deal and is why the Falcons have contended for the playoffs and the Browns have contended for the No. 1 overall pick each year since)
7. San Francisco - Aldon Smith (a great pass rusher who has off the field issues; kind of a microcosmic personification of the 49ers' freefall of the last five years, no?)
8. Tennessee - Jake Locker (a quarterback bust that the Titans are just now starting to recover from)
9. Dallas - Tyron Smith (a franchise left tackle who has been the piece around which the Cowboys have built the best O-line in football)
10. Jacksonville - Blaine Gabbert (read what we said about the Titans' pick at 8 and insert it here)
11. Houston - JJ Watt (there are a lot of teams in front of this pick who would not trade for Watt, who is only the best defensive player in the league)
Now that's a difference-making top half of the first round. As for final grades, the Seahawks owned this draft and revamped their roster into a true power team in the league.
Here are the three best and worst draft hauls by teams in 2011:
Seahawks - A
Recap: They added several starters to a team that made three consecutive Super Bowls, including arguably the biggest steal in the draft since Tom Brady by adding Richard Sherman in round five.
Cincinnati - A
Recap: While not adding the amazing value picks the Seahawks did, the Bengals added Green in round one and franchise quarterback Andy Dalton with the first pick of round two.
San Francisco - A-
Recap: This grade has peaked at A-plus two years ago when we thought Colin Kaepernick was going to be a franchise quarterback, but it still was talent-rich across almost every round.
Worst
Chicago - D-
Recap: Missed badly on No. 1 pick Gabe Carimi, a tackle prospect who never developed, and did not add a meaningful starter.
Detroit - D-
Recap: First-rounder Nick Fairley has been wildly inconsistent and underwhelming. Plus, with limited picks elsewhere, the Lions' barren roster started with this missed draft cycle.
Philadelphia - F
Recap: The Eagles not only drafted poorly, they missed a real opportunity in almost every place. The Eagles had 11 picks, and arguably the biggest contributors they added was kicker Alex Henery in round four and part-time center Jason Kelce in round six.
FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2015, file photo, Nyquist (13), with Mario Gutierrez up, wins the Breeders' Cup Juvenile horse race at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. Unlike Pharoah-phever a year ago, Nyquist-mania hasn’t yet struck in the days leading to the Kentucky Derby. It might by next Saturday night if the undefeated colt ends up in the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File) Derby contest and stuff
We started this madness in October of 2010 - back when Cam Newton was starting to make Auburn fans believe a national title was possible - and have had five contests annually since.
We have had the bowl contest - Bowling for Bowls of Bowl Game Success (Bowler optional). We have had the Masterfully Mastering the Masters Challenge. We have had the Marching to the Madness First-Out, Last-In Game. We just completed another great round of Feeling the Draft (with a draught) Draft Questionairre.
Now we start the Doing the Derby Who's first, Who's last event (a derby or any other fancy hat optional).
Here is a look at field. (Final odds will be available tomorrow; early odds from derbycraze.com.)
Nyquist is the early favorite (as low as 4-to-1 in some early betting lines) after being crowned last year's 2-year-old champ. Nyquist - way faster than sibling Nyquil (kidding) - is unbeaten in seven starts.
Exaggerator is 9-to-1 and has four wins in nine career races.
Mohaymen has rich bloodlines - he was purchased for more than $2 million as a tot - and is 10-to-1.
Mor Spirit, Gun Runner, Brody's Cause each are at 12-to-1. Mor Spirit is more than a cheerleader's battle cry with seven races and no finish worse than second and has some name-recognized partners with trainer Bob Baffert and rider Gary Stevens. Gun Runner will likely be protested by the insensitive name, although somewhere Oliver North smiles.
Outwork is 14-to-1 and has a famous daddy in Uncle Mo. Not sure what Al McQuire would say about that.
My Man Sam is 18-to-1, and you have to think if he was truly someone important's 'man' the odds would be better.
Lani and Suddenbreakingnews each are 20-to-1.
Destin is 22-to-1. Panama City is not
Majesto, Mo Tom and Shagaf are each 25-to-1
Danzing Candy and Whitmore are 30-to-1.
Trojan Nation, which is either a shoutout to Southern Cal football or birth control, is 40-to-1.
Oscar Nominated is 50-to-1, which is about as likely a winner as the next Keanu Reeves movie being actually Oscar nominated.
Tom's Ready is 60-to-1, which begs the question of how long would the odds be if he wasn't ready?
(Remember the final field will be announced Wednesday.)
FILE - This Sept. 29, 2008 file photo shows then-Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James at the team's media day in Independence, Ohio. A person familiar with the deals says the Cavaliers have agreed to trade guard Jarrett Jack, swingman Sergey Karasev and center Tyler Zeller, moves that can help their pursuit of LeBron James by clearing salary cap space. The Cavs have agreements with the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics, according to the person who spoke Wednesday, July 9, 2014, to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because teams are not permitted to discuss any trades until the league's moratorium ends Thursday. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File) This and that
- Here is the political process working at its core. Fears of Donald trump becoming president are driving illegal immigrants to become citizens so they can vote against him. Fewer illegal immigrants is one of the primary stances on which Donald's campaigning.
- Here's TFP ace sports columnist Mark Wiedmer's excellent view on UTC football all-timer Jacob Huesman trying to take the next step with the Steelers. Here's
- LeBron James is reportedly in the talks to reboot Space Jam in the role MJ made famous. Say what you will, but LeBron was pretty excellent in Trainwreck. While trying to be the next Jordan the basketball player is impossible, being the next Jordan the actor is not going to be that difficult.
- The Braves lost at the Mets 4-1 after allowing three homers in the first inning. In our positive assertions about this team, well, they got nine hits. Nine times, right Ferris?
Today's questions
True or false, the Hawks have a chance against the Cavs.
True or false, we are watching the final week or so of Kevin Durant's time with the Thunder.
As for a Rushmore, since today is Teacher Appreciation Day, what's our Rushmore of TV or movie teachers?
Go and remember the mailbag.