Wade Says Beasley Needs To Dedicate Himself To The Game

Michael Beasley came into the NBA with a ton of hype and ability. The only concern any scouts had about Beasley were between the ears. I guess he may have been a little space headed. He still has ability to be a top shelf player in the NBA, that's not going anywhere. The question is whether or not Beasley can properly dedicate himself to the game.

Former Miami Heat teammate Dwayne Wade says that if Beasley is ever going to live up to his billing that he must have the focus and dedication to get there. A winning environment might also help.

“Michael is an unbelievable talent,” Wade said. “And he can erupt any game, any moment. The ability that he has to use both hands around the basket, finishing. His jumpshot. He has all the tools. With Michael, it’s just going to take him to continue to grow at the game, and get to a winning environment, and start understanding what his team needs from him. I mean, he’s a good player. He’s one of the best young talents that we have in the game. But he has the potential to be a great player. If he wants it. And that’s what we always told him in Miami. So we’ll see.”

To anyone that didn't know why Beasley was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a bag of hockey pucks, you know now. One day Beasley's mind might catch up with his body.


 

Lynch's Skittles Shoes Cost Him $10,000

The NFL's uniform police has a problem with Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Earlier this year Lynch was fined $5,000 large for wearing lime green socks against the St. Louis Rams.

Now the league is going after the shoes. After catching America's fancy by eating Skittles on the sidelines during the same Monday night game against the Rams, Lynch donned some Nike cleats with a Skittles candy pattern against San Francisco last week. Lynch will be fined $10,000 for violating the league's uniform policy a second time.

I know the NFL likes to keep everything in lockstep, but come on. The Seahawks have some of the worse uniforms in the league. I can't fault Lynch for trying to jazz them up a bit. Lighten up and focus on the bigger issues of the game like bad officiating and how to reduce concussions without taking the macho element of the game. It's not like hardcore fans look to see what uniform accessories players are wearing. I know I'm and I can care less what they wear out there.

I know what some say, it's a uniform and the rules should be followed. Sorry but I like a little showmanship. It's entertainment and a little individualism entertains me. Call me what you want but in a game like football there has to be some individualism as long as it isn't detrimental to the team and Lynch's shoes weren't detrimental to the team.    

Porcello Might Be Trade Bait

According to reports over the past few weeks, the Cubs may be looking to part with starting pitcher Matt Garza who went 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 2011.


Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that in return for Garza, the Cubs will more than likely want young starting pitching in return which seems to be the case with any potential trade.

Earlier in the week, it was rumored that the Detroit Tigers could be interested in acquiring the 28-year-old right-hander who does have a history of pitching in the American League Central. The Tigers too also have some young pitching in the farm system including Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner.

But could the Tigers trade an arm already in the rotation?

Jason A. Churchill of ESPN believes that there is a possibility that the Tigers use Rick Porcello as bait to land Garza.

Porcello and Garza are different types of pitchers in their own right however Porcello would fit the bill in terms of what the Cubs are looking for in return.

McGrady Thinks Howard And Williams Will Land In Dallas

Dwight Howard is still waiting to be traded and Deron Williams wants help in New Jersey. The two parties recently had dinner together. It could've been to get an idea of where each other wanted to play at next season.

There is one person who thinks that they will end up playing together. Tracy McGrady. You see, McGrady can predict the future and in his future he sees that Howard and Williams will go and team up with Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. I bet Mark Cuban would love for that to be true. I'd rather have McGrady tell me tomorrow's winning lottery number.

It could happen, since the Mavs jettisoned some contributors from last year's championship team and acquired some cap space. Enough to land the two biggest fish in next year's free agent class.

"D-Will is from Dallas," McGrady said. "You've got Dirk Nowitzki there. They're going to have [cap space] there. That looks sweet. Dirk. D-Will. And then you get Dwight Howard. That's it, right there."


McGrady added: "Dwight's going to find a sweeter spot for him next year with him being a free agent, with D-Will being a free agent, and Dallas already having an established star there. ... Yup, Dallas."


A dream scenario for Mavs fans and a possible nightmare for opponents. I think it won't happen and look for the Los Angeles Lakers to be a player for either one.




  

   

Raiola Hopes He Doesn't Get A Full Moon On Sunday

Now that the Detroit Lions are somewhat relevant again (they are headed to the playoffs), Green Bay Packers fans might have a reason to make them a target. In the past it was a guaranteed win for the Packers so the fans had no reason to get riled up for the Lions. Now that there has been some bad blood recently (the Ndamukong Suh stomping) there might be a "full moon" of sorts on Sunday. Everyone knows that the Packer fans like to flash opponents their backsides when they get off the bus.

Leave it to the Lions center Dominic Raiola to stir the pot regarding the Packer backers.

"It looks like they live a simple life," he said. "They love the Packers and that's about it. They are passionate. They tailgate right in their backyards, right where we park our busses."

Raiola or the Lions haven't been the targets of a moon shot but they could be this Sunday.

"We get there too early, but that would be pretty awesome," Raiola said. "Well, I don't know if I want to see some of those people naked, though. They aren't in the best shape."


We'll have to see if that comment gets back to Green Bay.

Owens Might Be Close To Signing With Indoor Football Team

Terrell Owens might be on his way back to a stadium near you. Not really, but sources say that he could be close to signing a deal with the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League in suburban Dallas. According to general manager and former Dallas Cowboys great Drew Pearson and owner Jon Frankel, it would be a six figure deal and possibly a stake in ownership of "50 percent".

The Indoor Football League's 14-game season begins on Feb. 25 with training camp starting two weeks earlier. The Wranglers, who won the 16-team league's Lone Star Division last season, play home games in the 6,200-seat Allen Events Center.


This would be no more than a ploy to get fans in the seats and generate interest in the league. Hey, whatever it takes to get noticed. Pearson doesn't seem to mind the possible circus involved in a possible Owens signing.

"Whoever did sign him, say an NFL team, they would have to deal with the media circus that follows that," Pearson said. "And nobody wants that kind of distraction, especially in the middle of the season. But if we sign him, we want the media circus. We want to ignite that fire and to bring the attention to the Allen Wranglers."

"There's no other athlete in my opinion who could fit what I'm doing and what I'm asking more than Terrell Owens," Frankel said. "At the end of the day, it is about entertainment."


Spoken like true businessmen. Pearson and Frankel see this more of an opportunity for fans who can't go to an NFL game, a game like experience. I can't say I blame them.

It remains to be seen whether Owens will sign the deal, since he still is seeking a spot on an NFL roster.

At age 38, I still think he can play and is a genetic freak, but that's not the reason he's not on a roster, but the Wranglers braintrust doesn't mind the baggage he would bring. They want the exposure that would come with bringing him in. It's a risk, but it's one they don't mind taking.



 

Reckless Driving

Apparently Andrew Bynum still has to learn the rules of the road. After being pulled over back in November 2010 for going 110 mph in a 55 mph zone in his Ferrari and parking in a handicapped space while grocery shopping in July, Bynum racked up two more tickets...this week.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Bynum was pulled over Tuesday for driving without a license plate and having illegally tinted tail lights. Bynum walked away with a fix-it ticket. But it was not lesson learned, because today Bynum was pulled over in his Porsche 911 on the freeway for going over 80 mph. Bynum was cited and released.


Maybe it's time for Bynum to consider hiring a chauffer or maybe taking a cab or bus to get around since he can't follow the simple rules of the road.