May Be the Right Way...

All we hear from China is that they're plowing over everything from the old and throwing up everything new...Nothing is sacred when it comes to public space...

I picked this post up from China View via AdFreak.

It seems that with the ban placed upon advertising in Tiananmen Square that China is way ahead of the game with regards to advertising in public spaces.

Now, I am a fan of a blended approach when it comes to privatization in public places, or should I even add a "tasteful" approach. Yet, there has to be a standing limit as to what can be implemented and what can not be plastered for the eyes.

This article makes a great point about how Moscow has become one giant billboard...Perhaps, we can borrow the example of Tiananmen Square banning advertising as a way to preserve our public treasures, no matter if they exist in small towns and municipalities...As far as cities go, we don't even want to go there with how bad subway stations, public markets, and highways have become.

It's good to see that there is a preservation plan for public places developing in the rest of the world. Let's keep it up.

Easy on the Eyes,
IronDog

Tywon Time

I told you George Mason is nice...

Yes, I'm following my boy, Scott Cherry, on the bench this weekend. What more can I say? He hit two Final Fours as a player and now he has reached it as an assistant coach. It's always great to see one of your boys shine.

With that said, I'm looking to Wednesday's McDonald's All-American Game, which is always fun to sleuth for the first ten minutes or for a half. Well, this year for UNC fans should be a doozy. There are three UNC signees playing in the game, Brandan Wright, Wayne Ellington, and Tywon Lawson. Personally, I'm enamored with Tywon Lawson's play...Three seasons at Oak Hill, playing at the level of comp...Yes, you better believe he's ready for the elite college level game.

And I thought this was an interesting tidbit from Oak Hill Coach Steve Smith, who has coached Lawson since his sophomore year.

Smith touched on Lawson's talent during Oak Hill's HDTV game against D.C. rival Montrose Christian team, who is headed by Stu Vetter. Smith, who is very unassuming about rating his best players, stated last week on the HDTV telecast of the Oak Hill that the best player who ever played at Oak Hill was Rod Strickland...(By the way, I wholeheartedly agree)...He then added.

"Lawson is better."

How's that for a thought for the kid who's plays like Strickland but has the build and speed of a LaDaininan Tomilson...

The Tradition Continues,
IronDog

Fare Thee Well, Coach Ray Meyer

Coach Ray,

If there was ever a person who understood how sports can be used to create relationships with people from all walks of life, it was you.

If there was ever a person who understood that we should all be treated equally regardless of race, economic background, or athletic prowess, it was you.

You introduced and understood the importance of utilizing basketball to develop people.

Thank you for showing us how to be a leader. Thank you for showing us how the beauty of working as a team through basketball can bring us together within our urban communities.

Fare thee well, Coach Ray.
Bret Dougherty

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Don't make me pinch you today...

I'll be visiting the 241st St. Patrick's Day parade at lunchtime. Should be a lot of fun...It's a shame that McHale's Tavern has closed...Oh well. There are a thousand other spots to catch a corned beef and cabbage.



Have a great St. Patrick's Day, and keep up the great work.


Wearin' O' Green,
IronDog

My Picks

Alright, here are my picks...You can hold me to them.

Final 4:

Duke - Yes, I picked the Devils. Why? I think they pulled a great region. The one team that could shake them is Syracuse, but I just think of how disciplined your play as to be in order to beat them. Then, I fade on the Orange in the Final 16.

I do like Iowa to do something...Just read my post from a day ago, and yes...I'm still torn on whether to go with LSU. It's something about the sprained ankle of Tyrus Thomas that scares the hell out of me when it comes to looking at their momentum.

Oh, here's an upset to look out for...If Cal gets by NC State, watch out for that potential game against Texas. Cal with their front line would match up very well with Texas. The only problem is that they are soooo inconsistent. Who will show?

Gonzaga - I can't believe that I drank the Gonzaga kool-aid...But yes. I took a sip and maybe two to many...

I know that despite their Ws of late that they've had too many close ones to regard. Yet, I was very impressed with how they played on the road and in big arenas throughout December and January. Just something that's stuck in my head along with the play of Adam Morrison. I love the guy.

I like them over UCLA. I love Aaron Afflalo, and I'm impressed with the emergence of Jordan Farmar. Yet, without Josh Shipp, I'm not buying a huge run. Then again, I have them in the Final 8.

Look out for Pitt. I love Carl Krauser, and they play scrappy. I also like hard defense against Memphis. Watch out. Yet, I still had Memphis getting to Gonzaga in the 8.

Boston College - I loved their run...As did everyone else.

What I like about Al Skinner's teams is that they'll play hard D. Also, they stayed focused for long stretches of the season, and it culminated in the ACC Tournament. I have them playing against Villanova in the Sweet 16 and Georgetown in the Final 8. Big East love...They've played both teams before. And they split with Villanova last year...I'm going with BC on familiarity and confidence.

UCONN - Yes, I chose UCONN over UNC. Don't throw Miami Subs wrappers on me on Franklin Street, but I had to do it. I just like their athleticism on us. They have the gunners. They have a experienced front line with sharp wings. I like the way they roll.

Watch out for Wichita State. I watched them against George Mason, where my boy Scott Cherry is coaching. They play hard, and I'm going to give the MVC respect. I enjoy Bruce Weber and the way he coaches. Watch out for the Illini. With Dee Brown, they've been there.

Final Game - UCONN and Duke
Championship - I went with UCONN...No shockers here.

Let me know your thoughts...

Time to Jump,
IronDog

Working on My Picks...Out of the ATL

I'm working on my picks right now...

There are a few teams that I'm stuck on. That's mainly LSU, Iowa, Syracuse, and North Carolina.

Why, you ask?...

LSU - Will freshman, Tyrus Thomas, rebound from a sprained ankle. I fell in love with this team around Christmas time after watching their loss at West Virginia. They have a great guard with Darrel Mitchell, a great rebounder and post player with Glen "Big Baby" Davis, and a solid swing-man with Tasmin Mitchell.

Yet, I hated the way they lost to Florida without Thomas...A 16 point loss...yeech. With Thomas, this is a very dangerous team, but who is going to show?

Syracuse - Same thing...Watching them play in the Big East was one of the best drives that I've seen in a league tournament since N.C. State in '83 and Maryland in '03. They were decisive underdogs, who had been getting their @$$&$ kicked all year, and they pulled off a caper with a Big East Championship.

Gerry McNamera is the Arturo Gatti of college hoops...Yet, Syracuse freshman, Eric Devendorf, plays like his hair is on fire. He makes dumb mistakes under pressure. Yet, he also makes huge plays and buckets when you don't expect him to step up.

They have a great front line when they show up...Then again, who's coming to dinner? And can they do it again? I have them over LSU right now, and a exit to Duke.

Iowa - Fell in love with this team in December when I watched senior guard, Jeff Horner, hobbling around with a Joe Namath style knee brace. They were a classic "Hoosiers" farm-boy style of team.

Watching them play over the past two months with a healthy Horner has been a treat. Yet, is there really a big man that will step up when needed. Also, if they dig up against Texas or Duke in the Atlanta region, can their Center, Erik Hansen, keep Brad Buckman or Shelden Williams off the boards.

The team plays great D...I have them in the Final 8 right now.

North Carolina - Wow...People keep picking them to go far...I'm still stuck on whether or not they'll get out of the second round against Michigan State. My pick...They'll be in the Final 8. I'll be back with more...

Pickin',
IronDog

Answering Saturday ACC Qs

It's ACC weekend...That means there are a lot of emails coming through...

Here are some questions that I touched on this morning..

Q: How quickly after the Wolfpack get outsted in the NCAAs does Herb Sendek get fired? The way things are going for N.C. State, they'll probably win two games and fell like they have to keep him. Boy, they have faded fast.

A: If they fire Sendek, are they going to get someone better? I don't think so...The only fit that I can foresee who could do a good job is Xavier's Sean Miller. Yes, his brother is the head assistant at State, and he has the energy and the basketball knowledge. Yet, he has only two or three years experience, and can he recruit at that level?

I also think Herb has recruited fairly well in the competitive ACC. He's a go-to guy away. Brandon Costner will be good. Simmons is very strong. Grant can ball, and Astur is very savvy. Now, he needs a versatile 'to-to' player like Hodge again. Who will that be?...I don't know. He really misses a guy who can get points.

Everyone wants to get rid of Sendek...My question for them is, who's a better coach, can recruit, and will take that role with that booster heat? Billy Gillespie? Karl Hobbs? Those are tough grabs and still iffy at that level. State is now a tough place to coach. Love the one you're with...Keep him.



Q: The BC game may be the toughest of the two next games, seriously. We have matchup problems with the guards and they have a strong presence in the middle. I like the revenge angle, however. We are favored by 4...but that may be because we have been soooo hot.

A:This is going to be a very difficult game. They play hard and are strong and athletic. I didn't like our match-ups when we played them January. Then again, we were an entirely different team in terms of development and chemistry.

Q: I was driving home last night and flipping radio channels. I heard the LSU announcer, of all people, comment that if UNC won the ACC tourney, they could get a #1 seed. Remarkable.

A: We win the ACC...We're a #1 Seed...The funny part will be if we're a #1 seed and Duke plays with us in the first round at Greensboro with a #2 seed.

By the way, I love LSU...Those dudes are raw.

Q: Will the G-Boro crowd be behind us? Versus previous years?

A: I thought in past ACC tourneys that we were always the team to hate. We were the Celtics, the Yankees, the Canadiens. Everyone poured a lot of haterade on us in the '80s and '90s. Duke was the cuddly team. Now, they have lead dog role now. I think we're going to inherit Duke's old role or the cuddly role that everyone loved with the Bulls over the Pistons or the Red Sox over the Yankees...That makes people want to pull for us. Another factor in the past may be the big money buying up those tourney packages in Greensboro are "Iron Dorks".

Q: Nice to see Miller drain some 3's yesterday. Unlike previous years there is not a player on this team that you can leave open (OK, perhaps Sanders)...but geez, they are versatile.

I still love Ginyard over the guy, but you're right...I think you can get more out of him as seen in the Duke game...Yet, Miller can flat-out bomb 3s and he doesn't turn over the ball with hustling D. He earned his tick. He also makes people think because they have to be aware of him on the floor. Now to answer the question, you're absolutely right...We haven't had great shooters since the mid-90s when we saw Shammond, Dante, Donald, and Vince.

Q: I think Wake has a chance. They are playing loose, they have underachieved all year, and suddenly, Duke seems very mortal, don't they?

A: Still stunned at Wake's W...They still don't have a point. As Gray goes, they go. They are so inconsistent. I think Duke beats their @$$ today.

Q: Maryland will likely get in, but they are a woeful shooting team aren't they?

A: With McRae, they're an NCAA team. Without him, they're a sham. Give their bid to a mid-major.

Good Qs....

ACC Semi Saturday
IronDog

Queen City Bringing It Home

Kudos to Queen City for landing the NASCAR Hall of Fame today...

Charlotte pulled in the NASCAR Hall of Fame today. Check out the details here. Now, the question for the Charlotte City Council is how to drive traffic to a revitalized downtown from the Hall. There is absolutely no question as to how valuable will a NASCAR Hall of Fame be to the local economy. This is going to be a major traffic and revenue generator for a long time.

Great land...Major Kudos to the Charlotte City Council.

Now, where do you place the Hall? Do you put it near downtown to create a spill-over into the entertainment venues, restaurants, and public spaces? Do you put it off one of the interstates for parking the parking demands of weekend traffic and the RVs of the NASCAR fan base? Do you want a track as an exhibit? How big should the Hall be?

Here's an interesting tidbit from the article above.

“This is going to be the most technologically advanced hall of fame that has ever been created in all sports," City Council Chairman, Brian France said. "We’re going to have a lot to be proud of in the future

Im looking forward to the experential marketing methods that are going to be implemented. NASCAR is quite innovative with creating new marketing plans to reach their consumers while respecting their fan base.

Here are my questions. With an interactive exhibition space, how much space are you going to need? What ancillary properties are you going to develop to support and grow with the Hall? How are you going to deal with noise from engine exhibits?...By the way, wouldn't that be a cool exhibit? Compare engines from the '60 dirt tracks to the roaring engines of today.

The Council, along with Mecklenburg County commissioners and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, must give final approval to any plan. Nail it down...Kudos to NASCAR for keeping the roots of NASCAR in it's original home. Way to recognize your roots.

Vroom,
IronDog

NASCAR Hall of Fame
Charlotte City Council and NASCAR

'Nuff Said

UNC Wins...'Nuff said.



83-76,
IronDog

UNC/Duke Night

This game is always ready for prime-time...

I've turned down a couple of solid invites to parties this weekend...People keep asking me why...They just don't know...They just don't know....

It's not even a question. I would never miss a UNC/Duke game...Never.

First off, did anyone see those ESPN polls to measure the Duke/Carolina rivalry...Typical ESPN. Anything before the '80s might as well never had happened.

What a bunch of dorks...And people, if you knew who was in charge of constructing these questionnaires, your ESPN program choices would dwindle to games only. Let's just say that you send a year's supply of Kleenex to wipe snot off the joysticks on their desks.

How any poll for the greatest moments in the rivalry could forget the moments of Walter Davis and the comeback of the '74 game and the Heyman/Walsh/Brown/Moe fight is despicable. Hell, I'll even throw in the Duke victory in the '84 ACC Tournament as a classic.

Here's my question. Wouldn't you think before throwing up a poll to a national audience that maybe you would solicit the response from a local beat writer like Art Chansky?...The people are hopeless.

By the way, I voted for '95 as the best and '92 as the runner-up for the best games since 1980...I would give '05 the bronze medal. That '98 game pulled some sweat out too. I also should consider the 2OT game of '84.

Here are my factors for tonight's game.

1.) Josh McRoberts: His 17 points in almost as many minutes killed Carolina during the last game. For tonight's game, I think he'll have the biggest impact on our game. He forces Carolina to play David Noel on him. That leaves Bobby Frasor and Wes Miller on J.J. Redick...I would like to see Noel on Redick. If McRoberts has a big game, the Duke team is more than just a two-man team, and they win...Bottom line.

2.) Impotant Factors for the game: I still say Reyshawn Terry and David Noel have to not only bring their 'A' game into Cameron but also throughout the ACC to continue their stretch run of success. By the way, I'm thrilled by how well they're playing right now...Actually, I should say stunned...Roy Williams has done an incredible job. He's earned the accolades and the money.

3.) "Shocker" - ESPN had a question on their poll of whether you would choose Frasor over Paulus. They're trying to start a fight with that one. They play different roles and I believe they'll have different careers. Yet, because they're both white and McDonald's All-Americans and they happen to both play point right now, they'll be compared for the next four years.

Well, here's my opinion, and we can debate this one all day...Around and Around. But I'll take Bob. In my opinion, I think Bob is by far a more cerebral guard. That wins points over athleticism. I also think even despite Frasor's plagued finger problems on his shooting hands, he's a better shooter.

I'm not telling you my pick...Duke at Home...Senior Night...Saturday Prime-Time...Tough task for the Heels. I hope these two teams play during the ACC Tournament in Greensboro.



Beat Duke,
IronDog

Griping on the Road Back

I noticed this post on the Silver and Black blog today...

It looks like a few Raider fans are starting to spew their grievances at Brother Al and the gang for the two year deterioration project under Norv Turner. Check out this post from David Moody on SFGate's Silver and Black Blog.

Although Moody is supporting the team, he is way down on the Radiers choice for Art Shell to man the Raiders for the rest of the decade. I have to admit that I'm puzzled at Shell's choice of Tom Walsh as his offensive coordinator...Considering that Walsh has been running a bed and breakfast for the last three seasons...I'm up for giving Art Shell his due this year. Here's my comment.

-------------------
Although I agree with this comment...

"The diagnosis of the Raiders is not good I'm afraid; we are a team which has two years to live. The team, the fan base, and Art Shell have two years and with the hiring of Tom Walsh we will fail next year and I know this before we even suit up."

You have to give Art a chance. He may have picked up a thing or two in Kansas City, the Super Bowl run in Atlanta, and during his time with the League Office.

Yes, I think when Wisenhunt chose to stay that everyone was shocked, and I have to admit that I do question the Walsh hire. Yet, I'm sure that Brother Al has faith with his move, or else it wouldn't have happened.

Let time do it's thing. The Raider mystique has left over the past two seasons, and the front office is making changes to adapt. They're doing a great job clearing cap room and restructuring contracts right now. Also, the Raiders have always drafted well. So, the restructuring process is in place. If anything , Art Shell will be the patsy for the reconstruct.

In the meantime, give the Raid-ahs and Art Shell a shot to re-load.

Dave Dalby,
IronDog

Operation Yao Review

Here's a good read for you...

I wrapped this one up a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't been able to get a review to you. I've also posted a review here on my site.



I've been waiting for the real story on Yao Ming for a long time. Ever since my first sighting of Yao in a Marriott Courtyard lobby during an AAU tour stop in '98, I've always wanted to know the 'true' story behind the giant boy wonder. I was wowed by the secrecy around the guy at the hotel. And even though, you would see little tidbits in USA Today or you would hear stories a la 'BigFoot' stories around basketball circles, the stories felt a little too exaggerated for me to believe them.

After reading this book, I not only received the story behind Yao's emergence, but also I received a lot more from Brook Larmer about what's going on in Shanghai sports culutre, the creation of sports marketing for Nike in China, Chinese economic development, and the sociological ramifications of Mao in China through one fell swoop. Larmer coorelates the emergence of Yao to the development of the Chinese economic boom. That's why I have to give major kudos for Operation Yao, The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of a NBA Superstar. ...

My personal bump-in aside, I first saw Yao play against the USA World Championship Team that featured Ben Wallace and Antonio Davis. After that game, I knew there was something more to Yao's game than the fact he was a freak of nature. The guy can shoot with a soft touch, pass, plays hard, and more importantly, plays a team game.

My questions were; what developed him as a person to play the team game in today's 'Me-Me-Me' basketball world? How did he develop his skills under the Chinese sports culture umbrella? Did Nike have a big influence on his development? Where did he get his height? Are there more players to follow in his footsteps?

After reading this book, you'll be able to answer those questions with more authority. You will also understand why Yao is the type of player that he is in the NBA. He's a team guy first and foremost.

Critics have been killing Yao for becoming too soft or for not stepping up to the mantle. After reading this book, my requests are.

Please read this book to learn about the environment that surrounded Yao and Shanghai during his development. Please realize that Yao is from an entirely different culture that professes team, not the "I", which the majority of today's NBA superstars are developed under. He's a product of Soviet Training which emphasizes the group's interests above personal accolades...For a cultural comparsion, does anyone remember the late '80s version of Arvydas Sabonis?

Larmer touches it all by detailing politics, the reign of Mao, alternative health and herbs, Soviet training methods, Nike, academies, agents, the NBA and sports marketing. Overall, I give it a 4.5 stars out of 5 on the Amazon Star Level scale. Tie this in with 'World is Flat', and you'll grasp a better glimpse of sports in the 21st century.

Now get Yao to a real 'TEAM',
Irondog