Billups Wants No Part Of Deal

It's rumored that Chauncey Billups could be headed to the New Jersey Nets with Carmelo Anthony and possibly reunited with former teammate Richard Hamilton. Billups has no desire to leave Denver. He said that if he were to be traded he'd seek a contract buyout.

What a change of pace. In a world where most players are asking to be traded, Billups wants to retire in Denver. He knows it's a business and thought he would end his career with the Detroit Pistons. Billups is somewhat of a local legend in Denver. He grew up there, went to the University of Colorado, and now plays for the Nuggets. He would like to join the Nuggets' front office after his playing days are over. My take on it is grant the man his wish.

I know the Nuggets will soon be in rebuilding mode. But you couldn't have a more classy veteran to teach the youngsters in Billups. His wife was his high school sweetheart. He still has family in the area. His children are entrenched in the school system and does a lot of community work. That's the kind of player you want leading a rebuilding effort. Someone postive, that actually wants to be there. Someone that could show younger teammates the ropes instead of having a knucklehead factor on your team.

I know the Nuggets' front office wants to try and build for the future and get what they can in fair value for tradeable assets. They also need to have someone around to be a positive influence for younger teammates. They should know about having a team without solid leadership (the Allen Iverson days). That should be more the reason to keep Billups around. The Nuggets' window of oppurtunity is slammed shut. Get rid of Carmelo and cast an eye toward the future. Just keep the hometown legend.    

The Seahawks Showed The Experts

This wasn't supposed to happen. There was no way the Seattle Seahawks were supposed to be able to come within two scores of the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. You can put that all to rest. The Seahawks pulled the shocker of the playoffs (so far) beating the Saints 41-36.

Everyone complained and lampooned the Seahawks for winning the NFC West with a losing record. I said in a previous post, that you can hate them all you want but they won their division fair and square. They did what they had to do to get a home playoff game. They took care of business and it paid off for them. Now it's off to the divisional round to play Green Bay or Chicago. They could possibly get another home game out of this.

The NFL playoff system might not be the perfect setup, but it gives evryone a fair chance within the system. I don't necessarily agree with a team with a losing record getting a home game, but it is what it is. Like I said, they won the division which gets you a home game. That's all you have to do. Take care of business in the division and get rewarded for it. Unless you're the Raiders.      

Dumars Was Wise Not To Buy Into This Deal

In another episode of  'As The Melo Turns' , Carmelo Anthony's agent Leon Rose has been trying to drag the Detroit Pistons into the discussion.

Everyone knows Anthony wants out of Denver and is trying to get to the New York Knicks or the New Jersey Nets. Everyone knows that both the Knicks and Nets are desperately trying to get the deal done. Also everyone knows the Detroit Pistons want to get rid of Richard Hamilton  and their 2 year , $25 million they have committed to him for the next two years. That's where Rose comes in. Rose also represents Hamilton. Rose somehow talked Nets general manager Billy King into asking about Hamilton. The result was that New Jersey proposed sending Troy Murphy and his expiring deal and Johan Petro for Detroit's 2011 first round draft pick and Hamilton. Dumars shot that one down, not wanting to part with the draft pick.

Kudos to Dumars. When i first read that, I thought why would he want Petro. Murphy maybe but I wouldn't give up the pick either. Dumars' draft record isn't pretty, but he does know the art of the trade. Witness the Rasheed Wallace deal back in 2004 to get the Pistons over the hump. Or how he turned Mateen Cleaves and Rodney White into Jon Barry and a first round pick respectively. Dumars will trade Hamilton. Just because the Pistons are in a bad spot doesn't mean that Dumars will trade for the sake of trading. He'll wait for the right deal to come along and not give Hamilton away for a bobsled and a bag of basketballs.

Personally, I can't wait to see if the Pistons will be part of this deal or not. The rebuilding of the Pistons is overdue.

Odds Are Miles Stays At LSU

As I sat and watched the Cotton Bowl last night, I thought to myself Les Miles could've been at Michigan. I still believe ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit sabotaged that whole deal by announcing it before anything was a bonafide fact. With Michigan searching for another coach, I believe Miles will once again stay at LSU. I don't know why I feel that way I just think he will.

I would like to see him come here, although he does have the age factor working against him. Also you know there's some slimy business going on in the SEC. They're just like the old Southwest Conference. I have a strong feeling that Miles may have done some dirty dealing himself. Call me crazy, but I'd still welcome him here in Ann Arbor. Anyone that can make Jordan Jefferson look like a halfway viable quarterback, could make Denard Robinson look all world.

Michigan fans need to stop falling all over themselves for a "Michigan Man". I'm tired of hearing about having to hire someone that can "unite the fan base". Listen, all it takes are more wins. Damn everything else. You guys (Michigan Elitists), should get behind whoever is named coach and hope for the best. Whether it's Brady Hoke or someone else. I know there a loots that aren't thrilled with the prospect of Hoke being named coach. That may be the best you can do. I have a suggestion for Athletic Director David Brandon. Take $5 millon, throw it around, shoot for the moon and work your way down. He's a businessman and he should understand that money talks. Otherwise, bring on the Hoke! Because Les Miles ain't coming and I'd be surprised if he does. 

A Letter To All Michigan Fans

As you all know Michigan has fired head football coach Rich Rodriguez. In a way I feel sorry for the guy because, the people at Michigan and the fans did not exhibit enough patience with him. It wasn't all you guys' fault. A lot of problems he brought on himself, mainly wins and losses. Even before he set foot in Ann Arbor, you guys palced a blcak cloud over him that never left. I can understand he had a horrible 3 year run, but to you Michigan fans he was never good enough. Your complaints went beyond wins and losses.

I say you guys as in Michigan fans, who have a higher opinion of everyhting Michigan. That's what landed you Rodriguez in the first place. Lloyd Carr wasn't good enough. You wanted boring Lloyd out and he walked away. Then you couldn't get the "Michigan Man" when LSU punked Les Miles into staying in Baton Rouge. You want a "Michigan Man" so bad that it limits the pool of coaches you can go after. But then say we want a big name coach. Rodriguez was a big name coach. I understand he was hired amid a shroud of secrecy and left West Virginia unceremoniously. Remember, he had the Alabama job for about two days before he reconsidered. You guys wanted a fancy spread offense, the flavor of the month, and now you denounce it saying you need to get back to Michigan football. Didn't Bo Schembecler run the option. Yes he did. Sometimes do some history checking before speaking. True the defense was tremendously lacking, but the offense was ok. But the fact Rodriguez wasn't a "Michigan Man" was what made you dislike him.
     
Speaking of the defense, I've said it before, it was not Greg Robinson's fault. True he had the blood on his hands only because he was the defensive coordinator. The 3-3-5 scheme he was hired to run was not his scheme. But you guys only wanted him gone because he was the face of the defense. Robinson didn't bring that scheme to town with him. He's also a respected coordinator. He's won a Super Bowl and had a good run at Texas before bombing as a head coach at Syracuse. But hey, to you guys Robinson was the problem with the defense. That was a scheme Rodriguez brought in from West Virginia and swore by.

Now you guys want to hold Athletic Director David Brandon's feet to the fire. The bagman in the whole deal was former Athletic Director Bill Martin. He's the one who hired him and botched the coaching search in the first place. History check again. If Schembecler never mouthed the words "A Michigan man will coach Michigan" regarding the basketball program on the eve of the 1989 NCAA BASKETBALL tournament, Michigan's football program would never be in this position. No one wants to give a non "Michigan Man" a chance, but then say we want a big name coach. Maybe coaches outside of the Michigan family know something we don't. Or realize they could end up like Rodriguez, since they're not from the Michigan family. Get over it. Remember, Schembechler wasn't a "Michigan Man".

The pool of coaches are limited now. If you want a "Michigan Man" the best you can do is Jim Harbaugh. And that's no guarantee. In fact I doubt he comes back to Ann Arbor. Then there's Brady Hoke. If he gets hired I'll feel sorry for him too. You know why? Because that's not good enough for you guys. He lacks pizazz, but has done a credible job at Ball State and San Diego State. Also he's a Michigan man. He may not be ready for those bright lights but as far as "Michigan Men" go that's the best you're gonna do.
I don't believe Brandon will go down the Les Miles trail again. And Ron English isn't getting the job. Remember, everyone jeered Auburn when they hired Gene Chizik and his 5-22 record from Iowa State. So if Hoke is the choice get off your high horse, respect the hire and rally around the coach. Get over the fact that you won't get a high profile "Michigan Man" and just make sure they make a solid hire this time around. Besides the high profile coaches outside the Michigan family you might vilify them the same way you did Rodriguez.

Sayers: Hester Is Hall Of Fame Material

A Hall Of Fame kick/punt returner. Apparently Gale Sayers thinks so. He believes that Hester has Hall of Fame credentials.

  “Devin Hester deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, no question about it. He has a chance to get there. And more than likely, he probably will," Sayers told Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.


"I think I was probably the first (Hall of Fame) running back to return punts and kickoffs and run from the line of scrimmage," Sayers said. "I had a good career rushing with the football, too, and scoring touchdowns (22 as a rookie). (Hester) is only doing kick returns (although he is also a wide receiver) and he is having a hell of a career. No doubt, he will probably go into the Hall of Fame."

As great as Sayers is, I gotta disagree. The only way Devin Hester gets into the Hall of Fame is if he demolishes return records. He does play receiver but hasn't carved out a significant role for him on the offensive side of the ball. I think if they keep doing that he'll go the way of Dante Hall, the last star returner that got more snaps on offense and fizzled out. Hester is exceptional at what he does, but he's not Hall of Fame worthy. Even with a great lke Gale Sayers endorsing him. Eventually he (Hester) will lose a step so he'll have to make plenty of big returns to break records. Also teams will jsut start kicking out of bounds.

I'm Optimistic, But I've Seen This Movie Before

After winning the last four games of the season, I'm optimistic about the future of the Detroit Lions. I know I sound like a homer, but a if a few blown calls go the Lions' way, they might've been in the playoff conversation in the last few weeks of the year. But that's just like horseshoes and hand grenades. They took some significant strides this season and gave Lions fans hope for the future. I like what they're doing I'm just cautiously optimistic.

First, there's the labor situation. I think it will get resolved around draft time. it's just that if it goes any longer, it could halt what progress the lions have made. Secondly, I've seen this movie before. Lions fans let's take a trip in the time machine. Remember 1989, Barry Sanders' rookie season. The Lions were in their first full season under Wayne Fontes. They started off 2-9 and things weren't looking good. Then the team finally started coming coming together and they reeled off five straight wins to close out the season, including a win over the defending NFC Central champs, Chicago Bears. They had Barry Sanders running wild and the run and shoot offense was clicking under Bob Gagliano. The Lions entered the 1990 season with high expectations and playoff aspirations. They started 1-3, got a key win over Minnesota and then went to Kansas City and were thrashed as 43-24 as Barry Word ran for over 200 yards.

The dagger was when they hosted the Washington Redskins when they had a 35-14 lead only to see the Skins stormback to claim a 41-38 win on overtime. That broke the Lions' back, similar to the Jets game this year. The Lions stumbled to a 6-10 finish.

This year has a lot of similarities to that. The Lions are trying to build themselves up again. They have two of the better young players in the league in Ndamukong Suh and Calvin Johnson. They have one of the best defensive lines in the league and if they can build up some depth along the offensive line, linebacker, and the secondary they should improve on their 6-10 finish. I'm excited about their future, but this reminds me too much of 1989. Hopefully they don't repeat history and can take a step forward instead of a step backwards.