One Hand...No Problem

Recently 6'10 center Kevin Laue, a Northern California native, signed with Division I school Manhattan of the MAAC. While the MAAC is far from being one of the Big Six conferences (Big 12, Big 10, SEC, ACC, Big East, Pac-10), the conference does boast talented teams (Siena) and owns a gaurunteed spot in the annual NCAA tournament.

Manhattan College boasts a rich athletic pedigree, claiming 5 NBA players, 1 NBA coach, and even a Harlem Globetrotter during the history of their athletic program.

Which brings us to the case of newly signed center Kevin Laue. At Amador Valley High School Laue starred as the starting center on the varsity basketball team, averaging 5 blocks a game. In 2007, Sports Illustrated called him "the most exciting player in basketball". Scouts Inc. describes the young center as "a prospect that could instantly help a number of low major Division I programs" and cites his "quick leaping ability" and "effectiveness on both offense and defense".

So why was Manhattan head coach Barry Rohrssen taking a huge risk signing Laue to a scholarship?

Kevin Laue, the 6'10 center out of Northern California, was born with one hand, with his left arm's circulation being cut off at birth by his umbilical cord. As seen in the picture his left arm is cut off right after the elbow, however his large right hand permits Laue to easily palm the ball.

Rohrssen is taking an enormous risk by utilizing a precious scholarship on a player with ONE HAND. The increasingly competitive nature of Division I basketball, where there are March Madness berths on the line, often results in shady dealings as well as under handed recruiting.

Head coach Rohrssen easily justified his decision saying, “We take chances on kids who have poor academic histories, who have disciplinary problems both on the court and off the court. We give opportunities to players who don’t appreciate them, who take them for granted. For all the right reasons, Kevin deserves this chance, and he should make the most of this opportunity.” And he would be absolutely correct in his ideology.



Problem children, criminals, and academically ineligible students are often given second, third, and fourth chances, while players like Kevin may not even receive that first opportunity. Competing in a sport where use of both hands is essential, and a one handed basketball player seems unfathomable to many, Laue has developed a unique skill set and legendary work ethic. For these reasons, the young 6'10 center out of California was offered a scholarship by Manhattan College. However, the businesslike nature of college athletics in modern times will put the spotlight on Kevin Laue and his large right hand, as well as the entire Manhattan athletic department. And this is what makes this story all the more remarkable. By giving Kevin that first chance, the first opportunity that no one else was willing to give, head coach Barry Rohrssen essentially put himself on job notice. If this decision blows up in his face, Rohrssen will have to live down being known as the coach who gave a scholarship to a one handed player. Hardly a cheap proposition, a semester at Manhattan costs an average of nearly $20,000 after factoring in room and board as well as essential living expenses. For an athletic program without the prowess and resources as an Ohio State or Kansas this can be a catastrophic decision.

However, we applaud coach Rohrssen for taking a chance on a player who if given two hands might have very well gone to a Big Six school. We applaud the entire Manhattan athletic program for allocating a valuable scholarship for the one handed Laue. And most of all we applaud Kevin Laue, an inspiration to the rest of us. For if Laue can play Division I basketball with one hand, imagine the things we can do with two.

The Birdman Phenomenon

For those of you who aren't familiar with the ultimate "Disney style" feel good story of Chris Andersen, here's the cliff notes version.

Of course Andersen immediately is thrusted into the underdog role, going undrafted (UNDRAFTED) in the 1999 NBA draft. Granted the '99 draft featured such All Stars and luminaries such as Elton Brand, Steve Francis, Shawn Marion, Richard Hamilton, Baron Davis, and Ron Artest. Not to mention the second to last pick in the draft, a little known, undersized guard from Argentina (Hint: Manu Ginoboli).

From there things just got harder. He then went on to play in China and D-League, the D-League average salary being around a paltry $30,000, until the forward was called up by Denver to the NBA. He even managed to hook on with New Orleans and, due to a massively miscalculated PR decision, was featured in the '05 Slam Dunk Contest. Which went kind of like the Vietnam War. Except a lot funnier.




Chris Andersen ('05 Slam Dunk)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_ksqrFQPgU

From there life just from bad to hellish. He kept the ugly haircut, got disqualified from the NBA for violating the NBA drug policy, and gets reinstated to the league by Commish David Stern two years later to New Orleans/OKC.

This is the part you need to pay attention to however. The next few sentences are a testament not only to Chris Andersen's character and mental fortitude, but also to the fact that America can forgive nearly anything given results. Following his reinstatement to the league, Andersen gets released by New Orleans/OKC and signs with the Denver Nuggets once again. He then proceeds to turn into a poor man's Dikembe Mutumbo, albeit without the offensive skills, flap his wings, gel his hair (Which must cost a fortune in hair products), and take over the city of Denver.

So in the midst of a year, a single NBA season, Andersen goes from NBA outcast to NBA sensation sweeping the nation. Not everyone knows who Chris Andersen is. But EVERYONE, even the Indian family across the street whose house smells like New Dehli, knows who Birdman is. Yes, Chris Andersen, the undersized, even underskilled (I don't even know if that's a word) has officially become larger than life. Simply known as "Birdman", he has swept the nation with Birdman Mania, spawning numerous copycats in arenas around the country.

Top 5 Potential Mike Vick Destinations

Former Pro Bowl QB Michael Vick was released from federal prison today, and will be eligible to resign with any NFL franchise for the upcoming season. Any team that signs the much maligned QB will be getting a still ultra talented and athletic football player, as well as loads of bad publicity and potential boycotts. Regardless, Vick wasn't a 3 time Pro Bowler with the Falcons for no reason. Any team with a bad quarterback situation should definitely look up the newly free signal caller.

1) San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have been linked to Vick numerous times, and this is a franchise that has fallen on hard times at the QB position since Pro Bowl QB Jeff Garcia left town in 2003. The team that has boasted Pro Bowl quarterbacks such as Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Jeff Garcia are now saddled with a black hole at the position, with the likes of Shaun Hill, Damon Huard, and former #1 overall pick, and current bust, Alex Smith battling for the starting QB job. Not a pretty situation. Vick would be a massive upgrade over any of the mentioned players, and new head coach Mike Singletary is the tough love type disciplinarian that can handle a Michael Vick in the locker room.

2) St. Louis Rams
The Rams went 2-14 last season. So things cannot get much worse in St. Louis for this once proud franchise. Signing Vick would create buzz around the team, and the turf at the Edward Jones Dome is perfect for the speedy quarterback.

3) CFL (Canadian Football League)
The last time a former Pro Bowl NFL player went to the CFL, he came back to the NFL and has thusfar succeeded at a reasonable level. That would be current Miami Dolphins RB Ricky Williams who played in all 16 games this past season, gaining 660 yards and 4 TDs on the ground sharing carries with Ronnie Brown. Mike Vick could use some time playing organized football away from the bright lights and media scrutiny of the NFL. Eventually people forget, even if they never forgive, and former Pro Bowl RB Ricky Williams, once almost completely forgotten, is now an essential player on a Miami squad that is favored to return to the playoffs this season.


4) Nowhere
Commish Roger Goodell has been forced to be the tough enforcer, implementing a 0 tolerance policy in recent years. Since Vick's reinstatement to the league is still contingent on the commissioner's decision, there remains a chance the QB never sees the field this upcoming season. Moreover, Goodell has repeated that he wants Vick to show remorse before he reinstates the former Pro Bowler. Remorse? What exactly does that mean? Well I looked it up and it is, according to dictionary.com, a deep and painful regret for wrongdoing. So what, the Commish wants Vick to say sorry? Donate his salary to FEMA? Watch Marley and Me? I don't know, and neither does anyone else I'm guessing, not even Commissioner Goodell.

5) Seattle
Seattle's QB situation is not very stable, with former Pro Bowl QB Matt Hasselbeck slowly declining. The rest of the roster at QB is scary. Seneca Wallace? Enough said. Also, head coach Jim Mora Jr. coached Vick at Atlanta for a few successful seasons, and has an established relationship with the quarterback.

Mock Draft 2009

The NBA draft lottery was last night, and the Los Angelos Clippers landed the first pick of the 2009 NBA draft. So without further ado, here's my mock draft for 2009.

1) LA Clippers
Pick: Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) PF
This is the Clippers' 20th year in the draft lottery. The lottery has existed for only 25 years. Moreover the last time the Clippers had the #1 overall pick was 1998, and they drafted eventual bust Michael Olowokandi. So whats new this year? Two words, Blake Griffin. Blake Griffin has scouts comparing him to Carlos Boozer with more hops, but even that may be selling the power forward out of Oklahoma short. Griffin is easily the best player in the draft, and is the closest thing to a surefire NBA All Star in this draft. He's good at almost everything; Griffin can shoot, score consistently in the post, and is freakishly athletic (ESPN's Fran Frischilla compared him to a "dump truck on a trampoline").

2) Memphis Grizzlies
Pick: Ricky Rubio (DKV Joventut) PG
The Grizzlies already have Michael Conley Jr. you say? Well this extremely young, but extremely talented, point guard from Spain is only 18 years old drawing comparisons to some of the greatest point guards ever to play the game. Rubio never played college hoops, and the late night, early morning Olympic games were the only time most of America ever saw Rubio. And he's still projected to be a top 3 pick.

3) OKC Thunder
Pick: Hasheem Thabeet (UConn) C
The Thunder have a ton of problems, and Thabeet will merely attempt to fill one of them. Thabeet was a monster in college, and at 7'3 and very athletic, he has vast potential. The big man has only played organized basketball for 5 years, and the best is probably yet to come. However, Thabeet's offensive game is underdeveloped, his hands are unreliable, and he was dominated by 6'7 DeJuan Blair in all of their head to head matchups. The Thunder simply hope he can be a poor man's Dikembe Mutumbo, and that may be very well in reach for the young center out of UConn.

4) Sacramento Kings
Pick: Demar DeRozan (USC) SG
The rangy guard out of USC stands at 6'7, can jump out of the building, and at 19 years old, has already begun to draw comparisons to Kobe Bryant. He is the biggesr high risk, high reward player in this draft, and DeRozan's one year at USC did nothing to settle the argument one way or the other. Think of a similar skill set as talented wing players Bryant, McGrady, or Carter. Or he could go complete bust.

5) Washington Wizards
Pick: Jordan Hill (Arizona) C
Hill is not exactly a household name, even after playing at a basketball powerhouse (Arizona), and making a suprise run into the Sweet 16 in this year's March Madness. He didn't exactly set the world on fire at Arizona, and the Atlanta, GA native is still a work in progress as a basketball player. However, Hill is 6'10, athletic, and has the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Not to mention the players at the 5 position for the Wizards include Brandon Haywood and Etan Thomas.

6) Minnesota Timberwolves
Pick: James Harden (Arizona St.) G
Harden may be the hardest player to project to the NBA in this year's draft. Harden is coming out of Arizona St. at 6'5 220 lbs averaging over 20 points a game last season, albeit with limited athleticism and a set 3 point shot. However, Harden is the most stylish player in this draft, and his basketball IQ is off the charts, which certainly warrants the selection here by a Minnesota team that sorely needs an offensive force in the backcourt.

7) Golden St. Warriors
Pick: Tyreke Evans (Memphis) G
Evans can play the 1 or the 2, and at 6'6 is a force in the backcourt. So much so, John Calipari switched the talented Evans from the shooting guard to point to eliminate the one pass needed to get the ball to Evans each trip down the court. Yeah, he's that good. The Warriors offense under Don Nelson is perfect for Evans to run the court, although he could certainly work on his shooting; his form looks kind of like he broke his elbow and tried to practice shooting in a cast. That being said the talented guard out of Memphis was the best player on the fast break this past year in the country, and he should be a perfect fit in Golden State's fast paced offense.

8) NY Knicks
Pick: Stephon Curry (Davidson) G
Curry can also play both guard positions very well, much like Evans, with the exception that Curry is only 6'3, and was not recruited to a Big 6 college out of high school due to his percieved lack of athletic ability. But the young guard out of Davidson is the best shooter in this draft, and few players are more polished and fundamental than Stephon Curry. Which is exactly why I hope the Knicks do not draft him at the #8 slot. However, the Knicks could use a 3 point shooter amongst many other things, and Curry very well follow in the footsteps of his dad, long time 3 point sharpshooter Dell Curry (17 NBA seasons, 1994 6th Man of the Year).

9) Toronto Raptors
Pick: Brandon Jennings (Lottomatica Roma) G
Jennings' Europe experiment was apparently a success, with the young guard surviving the competitive Euroleague and ready to be a starting point guard in the NBA. Also, at the #9 spot Jennings might prove to be a steal, with many people forgetting he was the top ranked prospect in country coming out of high school. With the Raptors not overly gifted in the backcourt (Anthony Parker and Jose Calderon) the Jennings experiment looks to be on a full display in Toronto.

10) Milwaukee Bucks
Pick: Ty Lawson (UNC) PG
Lawson is the fastest player in this draft coming off a season where he led the Tar Heels to a national championship. The blazing fast point guard has his flaws; Lawson is not a great shooter as of now and has had injury problems, but his amazing body control and incredible strength and athleticism might pay off in a Derek Rose like rookie season. The Bucks will gladly take Lawson at #10, and he will likely play immediately at the point guard position (Provided Scott Skile doesn't start Luke Ridnour, which might be grounds for immediate dismissal).

11) NJ Nets
Pick: Gerald Henderson (Duke) SG/SF
Henderson is the type of player the Nets need right now. He is super athletic, one of the most athletic players in the country in college, and can play the guard position as well as the small forward position. Henderson can play defense and rebound, and has developed a decent mid range jumper. The athletic wingman out of Duke is still improving by leaps and bounds, and may very well be able to make an immediate impact at the small forward position for New Jersey.

12) Charlotte Bobcats
Pick: Earl Clark (Louisville) G/SF
Earl Clark may not have the same acclaim as his contemporaries likely to be picked earlier in the draft, but the guard out of Louisville is 6'9. He will likely have to switch to the forward position in the NBA, but at 6'9, Clark is still very athletic and can handle the ball as well as shoot just as well as a guard. This is also a Charlotte team which has all the pieces to succeed, and Earl Clark may very well be the player that pushed the perennial underachievers over the edge. If all goes well, think of Lamar Odom on the Bobcats.

13) Indiana Pacers
Pick: Johnny Flynn (Syracuse) PG
The Pacers already have a talented PG in TJ Ford, but Flynn may be too hard to pass up at the #13 pick. Although saying a basketball player has heart is the equivalent of a guy saying a girl has a nice personality, Flynn's fortitude and team oriented attitude is perfect for a point guard. This was clearly evident in his 67 minute performance in Syracuse's 6 OT victory over UConn (http://johsportsmecca.blogspot.com/2009/03/game-of-year.html), during which he went a perfect 16/16 from the free throw line. Oh, and he's good at basketball and stuff too.

14) Phoenix Suns
Pick: DeJuan Blair (Pitt) F
While the 6'5 Blair played center at Pitt, that will prove to be nearly impossible in today's NBA, so the talented big man will most likely move to the forward position, either the 3 or the 4. Blair grabbed nearly 25% of Pitt's offensive boards this past season, and outrebounded entire teams in some games. However, Blair is undersized (6'5) for a power forward and overweight (277 lbs) for his height, which will cause him to fall to #14 where the Suns hope he can channel another undersized, overweight former Suns big man; former All Star and league MVP Charles Barkley. This pick also shows the transition from the run and gun Suns of the D'Antoni era to the current Pheonix squad.

LA vs. Denver

The #1 seed, the Los Angelos Lakers, have finally disposed of the hopeful underdog Houston Rockets. After blowing out the upstart Rockets 89-70 in Game 7 last night, the heavily favored Lakers now face a well rested Denver squad who dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in just 5 games. The Lakers have been inconsistent of late, however even the Denver Nuggets have been preparing for the duo of Gasol and Bryant with Plan B (Houston) on the backburner "just in case". Even the ever diplomatic, not to mention widely respected, Chauncey Billups mentioned,

“Of course, Houston had a chance. They played a great series. But like everybody else we kind of figured L.A. would win at home."

However, with the Lakers nearly unstoppable at home (36-5) this season, and Pau Gasol playing at an All Star level (18.5 ppg and 10.8 rpg) during these playoffs, the top seeded squad from La La Land figure to be the favorites going into the series. On top of that, Denver head coach George Karl hasn't won at the Staples Center since he was hired as Denver's coach in 2004. The Nuggets have gone 1-10 against Los Angelos in the past 2 seasons, including last season's playoffs when Denver earned the honor of becoming the first 50 win team to get swept out of the playoffs in the first round.

All that being said, Denver has been red hot since trading much maligned "point guard" Allen Iverson to Detroit for Chauncey Billups, going 8-2 thusfar in these playoffs. Also, the Nuggets feature a head coach with eons of experience, with George Karl being one of the few coaches with the pedigree to stand across the court from the Zen Master himself, Phil Jackson.

Frontcourt
Advantage: LA Lakers
Yes, Denver has two monsters in the post in Kenyon Martin and Nene Hilario. However, the Lakers do feature two 7 footers (Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum) along with occasional starter, and 6th man, 6'10 Lamar Odom. Gasol has had his way in the post for the most part during the playoffs, easily able to score at will (18.5 ppg) against Mehmet Okur and Andre Kirlenko of the Utah Jazz in the first round, and a Yao Ming less Houston squad in the second round. This Denver frontcourt is a bit different however, with former All Star Kenyon Martin and bullish center Nene able to score and play defense. This unlike a Utah team that featured two big men who could shoot but not much of anything else (Okur and Kirlenko), and a Houston frountcourt that could play defense but couldn't buy a basket (Chuck Hayes and Co.). However, the Lakers are an excellent offensive rebounding team, and their size will be a problem for the Nuggets.


Backcourt (Point Guard & Shooting Guard)
Advantage: LA Lakers
The Lakers barely edge out the Nuggets in the backcourt matchup, and this shows just how valuable Chauncey Billups has been to this Denver team. A veteran point guard who led the Pistons to 4 Eastern Conference Finals and 1 NBA championship, more than anyone else Billups was the heart and soul of those Piston teams. And during the playoffs Billups has amped his game up, already with 3 30+ point performances, shooting well over 50% from behind the arc. J.R. Smith is enjoying a career year, averaging a career high 15.2 ppg, and while a bit one dimensional, Smith can also be counted on to do one thing, score. This being said, Kobe Bryant is simply unstoppable. Very few players in the league can even attempt to guard Bryant, and more often than not he'll get his 25-30 points no matter who guards him. Derek Fisher, while clearly not on the same level as Billups, still has championship pedigree, with 3 rings of his own and plenty of veteran experience. Fisher can shoot the open 3, and Phil Jackson trusts him to run the offense even with the best player in the league (Kobe Bryant) on the court. Also, Fisher and Bryant combine to form one of the best defensive backcourts in the league, with Bryant earning First Team All Defense honors once again this season.

Small Forward
Advantage: Denver Nuggets
By a mile. Carmelo Anthony has developed into a quiet superstar alongside Billups out in Denver. Anthony can score from nearly anywhere on the court, and is a mismatch for most forwards in the way LeBron James is for the Cavs. Too quick for power forwards and too big for small forwards, Carmelo has finally cashed in on his vast potential coming out of Syracuse. He is the first scoring option on a very offensively talented team, and can be counted on to score 20+ just about every night. The Lakers do start a very talented and athletic Trevor Ariza who is capable of scoring in bunches (21 vs. Utah in Game 1) and leads the Lakers in steals as well (1.7 per game). If Ariza can match up with Carmelo, both players are listed at 6'8, then the Lakers will cruise by the Nuggets and into their second consecutive Finals berth. However, Anthony is an annual MVP candidate, and should have his way in this series.

Bench
Advantage: Denver Nuggets
Both teams are very deep, and this matchup should prove to be pivotal in this series. The Lakers should hold the bench advantage at home, Sasha Vujacic turns into Manu Ginoboli at the Staples Center, but Denver will most likely have the advantage when at home also. The Lakers' bench advantage will come from their athletic guards (Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmer, and the aforementioned Sasha Vujacic), while the Nuggets go very deep with their bigs ("The Birdman" Chris Anderson, Linas Kleiza). However, the Nuggets' second unit features a rare blend of experience (Anthony Carter), scoring ability (Linas Kleiza), and defensive prowess (Chris Anderson and Dahntay Jones) mostly unseen on the bench.

In the end, the series should be very close and while I will be far from shocked if Denver pulls a mild "upset", it remains very hard to pick against the Lakers.

Lakers in 7

422 to 1

Golf legend Arnold Palmer, standing at a lean 5'10, won 62 PGA events over the course of an illustrious Hall of Fame career, with 7 of those victories majors. Palmer was the most, and is still perhaps, beloved figure in professional golf, boasting a fanbase so rabid and vast it was dubbed "Arnie's Army".

All that being said, golf's greatest ambassador recently was awarded the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest honors given to civilians. Just to give you an idea of the magnitude of this award, Palmer now shares this honor with Jackie Robinson, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Dr. Michael DeBakey. Who is Dr. Michael DeBakey? He just perfected a little procedure called the heart transplant. You may argue that Arnold Palmer may not belong in such select company, but if Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, and Charles Shultz are eligible for the honor, then "The King" is surely worthy.

This brings us to the subject of this blog. The House of Representatives vote on the award, and the final vote ended at 422-1. My question is, who was the one? The mystery man? Republican Ron Paul from Texas. Yes, that Ron Paul. Before you label the congressman as a golf hating curmudgeon, keep in mind Paul did not vote against Arnold Palmer the man, but rather the principle of the award itself. The man voted against Rosa freakin Parks for Christ's sake.

Funny thing is, Congressman Paul has a good point too. According to his spokeswoman Rachel Mills;
"It is certainly nothing personal against Mr. Palmer. In fact, Congressman Paul admires him greatly. Dr. Paul opposes using public monies for any and all of these gold medals given to private citizens, just on principle. Not to mention, it is unconstitutional to use taxpayer dollars in this way. He even suggested on the House Floor before he voted against Rosa Parks's medal that if it meant so much to the Members of Congress, why not fund the award out of their own pockets? He pulled $100 out of his own wallet, but had no other takers. At a time like this when all budgets are stretched so thin, it seems especially inappropriate to lavish gifts like this on private citizens, as much as he may admire the individual."

In these harsh times, this type of honesty and standing by your principles is refreshing. So here's to Arnold Palmer, The King, for reserving his place in American history. And to Congressman Ron Paul, a refreshing beacon of honesty and principle in these rough times.

The Unknown National

Tucked away on a last place squad in Washington D.C., a third baseman is batting .357 with 8 HRs and 26 RBIs. More importantly, this hot hitting infielder ends his past hitting streak to 30 games. Thes streak was the longest for a third baseman since George Brett in the 1980 season, with luminaries such as Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, and Miguel Cabrera failing to match the mark. With 20 HR 100 RBI power and production, as well as the ability to hit .300 consistently and steal double digit bases (11 SB in 2006), this Nationals slugger is in elite company.

Who is this? Try an infielder whose prowess with the glove prompted former Montreal/Washington manager Frank Robinson to compare the young third baseman to Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. A player who shares the Montreal/Washington franchise record for home runs by a rookie, 20 HRs, with former Expos outfielder Brad Wilkerson (2002). The player? 24 year old Ryan Zimmerman. Already the face of the Washington National franchise, Zimmerman is, at 24, already an elite third baseman along the lines of Florida's Miguel Cabrera and Atlanta's Chipper Jones.























However, Zimmerman rarely receives his due respect on the level of his aforementioned peers. Being tucked away on a last time team, from the beginning (Washington Senators), to the days in Montreal, till the present (Washington Nationals), has taken its toll on the attention around All Star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Also, this does not seem subject to change anytime soon. Washington is 11-21 so far this season, the worst mark in baseball, with Zimmerman leading the team in batting average (.357) and runs scored (28).

Even as the streak ended at 30 games, the first player to mount a challenge on Joltin Joe's hallowed hit record, Ryan Zimmerman, has now garnered attention lost through the past seasons. From lost awards (Close second to Florida SS Hanley Ramirez in 2006) to the seasons wasted languishing on a last place squad with no light visible at the end of proverbial tunnel, Zimmerman's career has undoubtedly been stunted by having the unfortunate fate of toiling away for a last place team in an apathetic home market. However, the next time you see the Nationals on TV (which shouldn't be anytime soon unless you have a satellite dish the size of a swimming pool), watch #11 show off flashes of Brooks Robinson in the field while yielding a potent bat such as the likes of any third baseman in baseball.

Rising Hawks

If there's one thing the Atlanta-Miami first round series has taught us, it is this: Watch out for these Atlanta Hawks. A young team bursting with potential for so long has finally begun to cash in on its wealth of talent with an appearance in the second round of the playoffs. To put this accomplishment in perspective this is a franchise only 4 years removed from a 13-69 debacle of a season, and now the Hawks will face the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

After a surprisingly touch 7 game series against an overachieving Miami Heat squad, including the first ever Game 7 held in Atlanta in franchise history the young Hawks will now travel to Cleveland, where any team not named the Lakers go to die (The Cavaliers finished 39-2 at Quicken Loans Arena). Even as the daunting task approaches this up and coming Atlanta franchise, there remains a glimmer of hope for the A-Town Hawks in toppling the NBA's most winningest team this past season.

At first glance the Cavalier's front court tandem of Big Z, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Anderson Varejao. However, with Al Horford back and healthy, along with the resurgence of Zaza Pachulia in these playoffs, the Hawks more than measure up to the bigs of Cleveland. In these playoffs the seldom used Pachulia has been a rejuvanated presence in the post, doing everything from crashing the boards and diving for loose balls, averaging 9 points and 9.5 rebounds in Atlanta's 4 wins in the series.

Moreover, Miami's back court, featuring All Star Dwayne Wade, was handily shut down by the Hawks' defense, with Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby proving to be matchup nightmares throught out the series for the Heat. With all due respect to Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, and Moe Williams, all whom are fine, talented players, none of the aforementioned guards show off the scoring prowess and killer instinct of Dwayne Wade. West and Williams are no pushovers however, and the Hawks finally face a legitimate, All Star caliber point guard in the form of Moe Williams.

However the main task , and also the most impossible, facing Atlanta in their second round matchup is Lebron James. Namely, who is going to guard the 2009 NBA MVP? Arguably the most unguardable player currently in the league, James combines speed with power to create mismatches both in the post and on the perimeter. And therein lies the reason why this blogger, as well as most "experts" have been picking the Cavs to not only win, but dominate this series.

While this young Atlanta squad is very talented, and may yet reach the Finals in the near future, the Cleveland Cavaliers are far too dominant to lose in the second round. Take this into consideration: Not only did the Cavs finish with the best record in the league, but they also feature this season's MVP (Lebron James) and Coach of the Year (Mike Brown). The Hawks? They do boast a deep bench (Flip Murray, Zaza Pachulia, Maurice Evans are all valuable contributors) and an elite backcourt (Bibby and Johnson), their inexperience and lack of a "superstar" player will ultimately doom them in this unfortunate second round matchup.

But one thing no one can do is write the Hawks off as a surefire victim to the Cavs. Last season, this exact same team, a year younger in fact, took the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics, to 7 grueling, hard fought games as a #8 seed. This season Atlanta enters the playoffs as a #4 seed, and feature improvement across the board. Moreover, the Hawks, while a young squad, feature valuable veteran leadership and playoff experience in guards Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson. Coming over from the rugged Western Conference, those two have been through tough playoff series against the best teams in the league (sorry Eastern Conference). Once one puts those intangibles into perspective, the debate between Mike Bibby(58 playoff games, all starts) and Joe Johnson (22 playoff games) or Delonte West and Mo Williams (25 playoff appearances combined) begins to tilt heavily in favor of the underdog Hawks. Another reason to hope for the Hawks? While the season series between the two teams was 3-1 in favor of Cleveland, the final 3 matchups were decided by 6 points or less with the Hawks even managing to pull out a victory at Phillips Arena, accounting for their lone win against the Cavs.

Cleveland in 6