Frank Vogel fined for trying to get the refs on his side

Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel tried to take the Phil Jackson approach and plant a seed in the referees' heads before the Pacers' second round series against the Miami Heat. Vogel told reporters that he felt the Heat were the biggest floppers in the NBA and now he's $15,000 lighter for the comments.

“It’ll be very interesting to see how the referees officiate the series and how much flopping they reward. . . . Every drive to the basket they have guys not making a play on the ball, but sliding in front of drivers. Often times they’re falling down even before contact is even being made. It’ll be interesting to see how the series is officiated.”


He's hoping that he can get some favorable whistles going his way and not falling victim to any superstar calls that benefit the Heat. I see him working and I can understand why, but in the NBA you can't comment the officiating without getting fined.

Next time don't read the Phil Jackson playbook of coaching.

Derrick Rose might miss the start of the season

When Derrick Rose tore his ACL in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers the Chicago Bulls' championship hopes took a big hit. The final result was a six game series loss to the Sixers and an off-season wondering what if.

Today Rose underwent surgery to repair his ACL and will possibly miss the start of next season.

Of course this isn't what the Bulls had in mind when they locked up the best record and homecourt advantage for  the duration of the playoffs. The front office will have some work to do, namely trying to improve via trade or fee agency.

Hopefully Rose can come back stronger and have the same explosiveness he had before injuries took their toll this season.

University of Michigan president says they shouldn't have hired Rodriguez

Rich Rodriguez is like the head that won't die around the University of Michigan. Somehow, someway his name always comes up in conversation regarding the football program even though he's been gone for almost two years.

While talking to a crowd in Flint, university president Mary Sue Coleman admitted what a lot of Michigan fans already knew. It was a mistake hiring Rodriguez. And she also told the crowd water was wet.



"We though, OK, well let's go hire the guy who invented the spread offense," Coleman said.


And it was the wrong call, she told members of the Rotary Club of Flint following a question on the topic from the crowd.


"He was a hot, young coach with a different approach," Coleman said of the decision to hire Rodriguez.


It could have worked if Rodriguez didn't have to deal with defections and taking knives out of his back. They screwed up the coaching search to begin with that led them to Rodriguez.

I'm not defending the guy but he never had a chance from the start.