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| Friday, 8-Apr-2011 01:51 |
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Post-Ups: Important MVP race deserves hard consideration
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As the regular season grinds toward its merciful conclusion, it's tempting to wipe it from your memory and move on to what really matters: the playoffs. As gratifying as that would be, there is important business to be handled first.
And by that, I mean the most difficult MVP vote in years.
First, to those wringing their hands that we might get this one wrong: relax. The Earth won't swallow us up if we pick the wrong MVP for the 2010-11 NBA season. As proof, no natural disasters occurred when the media chose Steve Nash over Shaquille O'Neal in 2004-05, or when the groundswell of support for Allen Iverson overwhelmed an equally (or more) deserving Tim Duncan in 2000-01.
But it's important, nonetheless, and should be taken seriously. And we in the business of covering the NBA do take it seriously -- more seriously than ever. Contrary to common belief that most sports writers are like Ray Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond, wandering aimlessly around our homes with nothing to do but argue with our parents, we have more tools than ever before to evaluate such issues as MVP and coach of the year. We still use our own eyeballs and, truth be told, can sometimes be swayed by usable quotes as much as by effective field goal percentage. But the MVP debate, by and large, is more intelligent and informed than it has been in a long time. Regardless of who wins, I call this progress.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy might be right: Some in the media may have already made up their minds that Derrick Rose is the MVP, all evidence be damned. Personally, I haven't. Even if you're like me and have been leaning that way for a few weeks, there is plenty of time for careful, thoughtful, and informed analysis before the ballots are due in the NBA office April 14 at 3 p.m. ET.
Van Gundy's assertion has been followed by a flurry of anti-Rose opinion writing, mostly by the vitally (though not exclusively) important faction of the professional NBA writing community that relies on advanced stats to form opinions. Based on numbers alone, the list of arguments against Rose as MVP is much longer than the case for him.
Rose's detractors, such as the skillful Mark Haubs of The Painted Area blog, cite the fact that the Bulls win with defense and rebounding -- two areas Rose has little to do with -- and also point to the fact that Rose is shooting 42 percent since the All-Star break and is a high-volume, low-percentage 3-point shooter (a shade under 30 percent on 131 attempts since the break). By contrast, Dwight Howard is almost entirely responsible for the two factors that contribute the most to Orlando winning -- which also happen to be defense and rebounding.
When it comes to what I consider to be one of the hallmarks of an MVP candidacy -- clutch performance -- Rose destroys Howard and is right there with several other top contenders, such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant. According to 82games.com, Rose is seventh in the league with 43.2 points per 48 minutes of clutch time (defined as the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime with neither team ahead by more than five points). Bryant (53.4) leads the league, followed by James (48.7), Durant (46.3), and Amar'e Stoudemire (45.7).
The danger in putting too much stock in "clutch" stats is illustrated by the fact that Mo Williams, who has logged only 51 minutes of clutch time with the lowly Cavs and Clippers, is sixth at 45.5. But our eyes tell us that the Magic can't and don't go to Howard late in games because A) he's not their clearest path to points when they need them, and B) he's a poor free-throw shooter. The numbers support the visual evidence; Howard is averaging only 25 points per 48 minutes of clutch time, right there with the always lethal (especially for his own team) Andray Blatche.
You can break it down further by looking at team and individual fourth-quarter production. The Magic score more in the fourth, but at a faster pace, while Rose unsurprisingly shoots a lower percentage in the fourth than Howard (.420 vs. .581), but scores more (6.3 points vs. 5.1) and leads directly to more offense with his 1.8 assists. Curiously, Orlando (23.4) gives up more points in the fourth than Chicago (21.5), according to Hoopsstats.com.
Then comes the eyeball test, which is where Rose gains an overwhelming advantage. As the point guard, and often the Bulls' only player on the floor who can create offense for himself or others, Rose has been so dominant, so often that it's impossible to ignore. His impressive closing performance against Miami on March 6, plus other fourth-quarter heroics such as orchestrating a 12-0 run in the final three minutes of a 95-87 victory in Milwaukee on March 27, simply scream MVP. Maybe the Bulls are so good defensively, in part, because Rose does so much offensively that coach Tom Thibodeau can close games with a mostly defensive lineup and let Rose carry the load at the other end.
Howard anchors one of the best defensive teams in the league despite being surrounded by average-to-terrible defensive players. Rose has the Bulls in the top spot in the East despite playing 54 games without either Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, or both.
And on and on. However the debate ends, what's important is that we're having the debate -- and that it isn't limited to Rose vs. Howard, nor should it be. Unlike when O'Neal got robbed by Nash in the 2004-05 MVP voting, Howard's team doesn't have the best record in the conference -- a fact that detracts from Howard's candidacy, since winning is the objective of all this. But what about the team that's winning in Miami? Did anyone think LeBron could hook up with one of the elite wing scorers in the game in Dwyane Wade and still be second in the league in scoring -- while also averaging more than seven assists and seven rebounds and shooting more than 50 percent from the field?
Advanced stats and metrics are useful, but also dangerous. You still have to use your eyes. With the MVP vote this season, the most difficult to evaluate in years, it'll be a little bit of both. Whoever wins, we should at least feel good about the (mostly) intelligent discourse. For the record, I haven't decided yet, but my unofficial (and thus meaningless and incomplete) rankings as of today are as follows: 1) Rose (unchanged from last week); 2) Howard (up from third); 3) James (up from fifth); 4) Bryant (down from second); 5) Durant (down from fourth).
Offseason carousel: With a lockout looming, the coaching and GM carousel may not stop spinning for months. But there's nothing to prevent the spin from beginning. At least two teams -- the Lakers and Pistons -- are likely to be conducting coaching searches when the post-lockout dust settles, while several other situations are very much in flux. With about 10 days before the chopping block heats up, here's an educated stab at the hot seat index:
Scorching
John Kuester, Pistons: With organizational gridlock finally set to be freed soon when the sale to billionaire Tom Gores is finalized, the first order of business almost certainly will be a coaching change. To be fair, Kuester was victimized by generational friction on a roster that has been frozen all season as president Joe Dumars' hands were tied by the ownership limbo. Given that, Dumars probably is safe. Kuester won't be so lucky.
Time to sweat
Rick Adelman, Rockets: Everyone's contract is up in Houston, including Adelman's. There's no doubt he's one of the game's finest coaches. But with Yao Ming's future up in the air, it could be time for Adelman to move on. When Portland gave Nate McMillan an extension last month, it opened the door for the Rockets to do the same with Adelman. But sources say communication and trust aren't great between Adelman and owner Leslie Alexander, who may conclude that it's time for a different direction. Then there is the uncertain future of GM Daryl Morey, whose contract also is up and whose status was described by one industry source as "questionable."
Bryan Colangelo, Raptors: The Raptors' complicated ownership group has to decide whether to pick up options for Colangelo and coach Jay Triano, and the early indications are that the coach has a better chance of staying. Although ownership was on board with Colangelo's plan to deal with the aftermath of Chris Bosh's departure -- rebuild with youth and picks rather than sacrifice the future -- there's a level of disappointment that the team hasn't accomplished more at this stage of Colangelo's tenure. One source described Colangelo's future as "definitely up in the air." There's also a feeling that Triano has done his part under difficult circumstances to develop young players -- such as Jerryd Bayless, DeMar DeRozan and especially Ed Davis -- and that if someone is going to get blamed, it won't be Triano. That leaves only one other candidate.
Keith Smart, Warriors: If Golden State hadn't waited so long to replace Don Nelson, Smart would've had more organizational capital heading into an ownership change. But Joe Lacob has proven to be not shy at all about volunteering his opinions, and has struck coaching industry sources as an owner who is itching to put his stamp on the franchise. GM Larry Riley has been a good company man and gets along well with rival execs, so it'll be status quo for him, sources say. While it wouldn't be wise to underestimate Lacob's determination to clean house, timing will be everything. There will be little reason to make a move before it becomes clear how many games the lockout will swallow. One source cautioned, "I don't think it's 100 percent" that Smart will be gone.
Getting warm
Kurt Rambis, Timberwolves: Rambis, not the best communicator or the feistiest general on the sideline, will have to make some changes to bolster belief in some segments of the organization that he's the right long-term fit. The choice of a successor to Phil Jackson in L.A. certainly plays into it, but Rambis appears to have developed the talent he's been given well enough to warrant coming back. The organization is pleased with the fact that Rambis was able to get through to the headstrong Kevin Love and resurrect the career of Michael Beasley -- the latter being no small task. In view of that, and with indications that Ricky Rubio has informed GM David Kahn that he plans to be in Minnesota next season barring a lockout, one industry source characterized Rambis' situation as "very salvageable."
Flip Saunders/Ernie Grunfeld, Wizards: Not everyone in Washington is pleased with Saunders, but the fact that he has two years and $9 million left on his contract gives him a stronger hand than he'd otherwise have. Owner Ted Leonsis has written in his blog that he's pleased with the direction of the team and is on board with the cost-cutting and rebuilding plan. Leonsis generally does not say one thing and do another, so it would appear that speculation about Grunfeld being in serious jeopardy is overstated. Saunders and Grunfeld are linked, however, and a change at the top would mean all bets are off for Saunders.
Larry Drew, Hawks: Atlanta could've hired either Dwane Casey or Mark Jackson, but instead promoted Mike Woodson's assistant in a transparent attempt to save money. Drew makes $1 million this year and $1.5 million next season -- depending on how many games are lost to a lockout. Among Drew's strengths reportedly was a strong relationship with Josh Smith, but the two have been at each other's throats all season. The Hawks are 11-12 since the All-Star break and appear headed for a brief playoff appearance that could necessitate a change. The question Atlanta ownership will have to ask is, who's the problem? Smith or the coach?
Frank Vogel, Pacers: The youngest coach in the NBA got off to a fast start, but the Pacers have come back to reality and will barely make the playoffs. But the fact that Vogel was able to bring the team back from losing eight of nine bodes well for his chances. "Exit interviews will be huge for him," said one source. If the players felt he was a good communicator and made them better, chances are the Pacers will give Vogel another chance. Everything, though, depends on team president Larry Bird's future. As of now, all indications are that if the Pacers make the playoffs -- which presumably, they will -- Bird will be back.
Probably safe
Paul Westphal/Geoff Petrie, Kings: Uprooting the franchise and moving it to Anaheim represents the best possible time to make sweeping changes in the front office and on the sideline. But industry sources do not believe Petrie will be shown the door, making this the ultimate test of the Maloofs' loyalty to him. Westphal also has regained support within the organization, and will be helped by the fact that his option already has been picked up for next season. What probably has saved Petrie is the trade that brought Marcus Thornton in from New Orleans. The team has played more cohesively lately, winning three straight on the road last week. Thornton's offense has taken pressure off Tyreke Evans, and psychologically he's become what one source described as the "cartilage" between Evans and DeMarcus Cousins, who have butted heads all season. "That trade may have saved everybody," a source said.
Mike D'Antoni/Donnie Walsh, Knicks: Ten days ago, speculation bubbled up that D'Antoni would be fired if he didn't figure out how to win with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. Now, the Knicks have won three in a row and there's talk of an extension. Both scenarios are premature. But D'Antoni's future can't be considered solidified until Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan decides what to do with Walsh, the executive who laid the groundwork for the Knicks' first playoff appearance in seven years. Thus far, Dolan has given no inclination that he'll exercise the 2011-12 option on Walsh's contract by April 30, preferring to deal with it after the 69-year-old's contract expires June 30. My strong opinion is that Walsh and D'Antoni both will be back. There's no mistaking Walsh's role in restoring dignity to a franchise that had been decimated by Isiah Thomas' tenure, and D'Antoni has done exactly what he's been asked to do: deal with a rebuild for two years, and make the playoffs in Year 3. His critics conveniently forget that it was D'Antoni who infused the players traded to Denver for Anthony with enough value to make the deal palatable to the Nuggets, who have thrived with the Knicks' castoffs since the trade.
Tweet of the week: "That's B.S. with Jay-Z. Michael Jordan can tell UNC players I will get you whatever shoes you want if you make to the Final 4." -- @bennorthernuk on the apparent double-standard regarding NBA owners fraternizing with college players who are not yet draft eligible. (The league is continuing to investigate the presence of Nets part-owner Jay-Z in the Kentucky locker room after a victory that sent the Wildcats to the Final Four. Sources say there's no rush to impose a penalty, which is expected to be little more than a nominal fine.)
Email of the week: "This may be the most stupid thing I have ever heard of: Professional athletes of today going on strike because they are not getting paid enough??????" -- CBSSports.com user Jay, illustrating why fans rarely side with athletes in labor disputes. To set the record straight: A) NFL players aren't on strike, they're being locked out by owners who want to make more money; B) NBA players won't go on strike, either. They, too, will be locked out if a new labor agreement can't be reached by July 1; and C) Most fans don't know the difference, and the rest don't care. Their instinct is to always blame the players.
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| Thursday, 24-Mar-2011 01:57 |
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Bisciotti: Flacco In Line For Contract Extension.
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Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, in speaking with the Baltimore Sun’s Jamison Hensley, stated that it was his belief that negotiaions would begin with Joe Flacco on a contract extension. Bisciotti, made a point to note that the negotiations would begin in a similar manner as those with head coach John Harbaugh, who signed an extension last month.
“I hate to speak for Ozzie [Newsome, general manager], but I would imagine that like John Harbaugh, we would be starting negotiations with [Flacco] so that entering 2012 he won’t be playing in his final year,” Bisciotti said Monday in an interview with The Baltimore Sun at the NFL owners meetings. “I would anticipate an extension that starts in 2012.”
It would seem that this move would be a no-brainer. Flacco has improved in his three years as the starter for the Ravens, and seems entrenched as the starter for as long as his performance meets the coaches’ standard. But should the Ravens go ahead and lock him up, particularly if he has issues coming up big in the big moments? If he cannot win the games that matter the most? What if Flacco regresses in the upcoming season (if there is one)? Should he and the club negotiate an extension of his current contract if his performance declines noticeably?
It appears that at least to the owner, the Ravens have their quarterback of the future, and that his past and predicted performance is ready to be rewarded. Good move, or questionable strategy? Leave your opinion in the comments.
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| Wednesday, 16-Mar-2011 03:41 |
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NFL Draft 2011 : RB Ryan Williams Will Be the Biggest Steall
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In every single NFL draft, there is always a player selected who's under the radar and turns out to be a star. They're considered to be a draft "steal."
Some of the more well-known steals over the years were Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Shannon Sharpe and Terrell Davis. A draft steal doesn't have to be drafted in the later rounds, it's just that they're drafted later than their NFL production played out to be.
I have analyzed 2011's draft class, and one player has really caught my eye: Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams.
The average fan may not be aware of Williams, but the real draft nut might say I'm crazy or that I'm spot on with my prediction.
The Virginia Tech Hokie projects, by many, to be selected in the third to fourth round. And whoever that team will be to select Williams will be snagging a quality, well-rounded back.
Williams only played two seasons at VT and was extremely effective in his first year.
In 2009, Williams ran for 1,655 yards, which is a school record, and earned a spot on the third-team All-American squad.
Despite such a promising season in '09, '10 was somewhat of a disappointment for Williams.Playing much of last year injured, only playing in only six games, Williams accumulated 477 yards rushing and a solid 4.3 average, one yard less than his '09 average.
Following Williams' inconsistent year, he declared eligible for the NFL draft on January 9th.
Entering the combine, Williams expected to succeed; however, it was nothing but mediocre.
Williams ran a disappointing and below-average 4.61 40-yard dash time—not too impressive.
With Williams subpar 40-yard dash time, his stock has fallen, and in my books, he has become an even bigger steal.
Williams has all of the intangibles to be a quality NFL running back for many years. He has decent speed, good hands and is a punishing back with good size, standing in at 5'10" and 211 pounds.
His style of running is well-suited for a long NFL career; he gives the hit rather than absorbing it like many running backs.
Out of every single prospect for 2011's draft, Williams is going to be this year's biggest steal.
Whichever team selects him in the middle rounds of the draft is going to be making a safe, smart and quality selection for a promising young running back.
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| Wednesday, 2-Mar-2011 01:38 |
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Jordan Crawford gets a surprising call to close
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http://zuobuwan.fotopages.com/
Jordan Crawford arrived at Verizon Center on Saturday as one of the least likely candidates to be on the court, let alone hitting a game-tying jumper, in crunch time against one of the league's best teams. Before arriving in Washington in the Kirk Hinrich trade, Crawford was collecting DNP-CDs with regularity in Atlanta, where veterans Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford were called in to close.But his former Hawks teammates, Mike Bibby and Maurice Evans, knew that the rookie was capable of responding in such a situation. And, he did. Crawford had 10 points -- coming within one point of his career-high -- in 17 minutes and buried a difficult jumper over Jason Kidd to tie the game at 97 with 96 seconds remaining.
With the Dallas Mavericks in town, Josh Howard wanted to be on the floor at the finish, but he asked out when he started feeling some soreness in his left knee. And since you know he had a year of pent up emotion, Howard must've been in some serious pain because adrenaline couldn't even push him along.
So Coach Flip Saunders called on Crawford, a player that the Wizards were high on during the draft last summer, when he was selected 27th overall out of Xavier. Crawford is most known for being the guy who dunked on LeBron James and had the video confiscated by Nike, but Saunders was familiar with Crawford because he had come up in Detroit around the time when Saunders coached the Pistons.
"He can make plays," Saunders said. "He is playmaker. He has the ability to score. He is extremely talented. He has no fear going against anybody, and the other thing was he made shots, so we kept him in the game."
He is extremely laid back, speaks with a slow drawl and slouched shoulders. But when he's on the court, Crawford can play a little frantic and fearless. "He definitely has a scorer's mentality," Evans said. "Missing shots doesn't bother him. He's going to stay aggressive."
When asked what Crawford needed to do to get better, Bibby said, "Get on the court. Being with a lot of the younger guys, getting a chance to play and show what he can do. Flip's going to let him do that."
Crawford didn't feel that he had the opportunity to improve simply by practicing against Johnson and Jamal Crawford every day in practice. "You can't, that's how I look at it. I don't think you can. Me, I was always the type of person that felt I play better five on five," he said. "Workouts is good because you stay in shape and stuff like that, when you're playing games, that's the only way to get better."http://fearheller.blog.co.uk/
Jordan Crawford added that Jamal Crawford offered some good advice while he was in Atlanta. "He told me, go out there and do what you do. Don't hold back. If you hold back, you're going to regret it at the end," he said.
After his first game with the Wizards, Jordan Crawford was sitting in front of his locker room stall at AmericanAirlines Arena, munching on a some barbecue potato chips. I asked him if he nervous on his shot, a rushed jumper that soared just a bit outside and didn't come close to touching...the net.
Crawford quickly put away the bag of chips, muched some more, dusted the crumbs from his fingers and asked me to repeat the question. Howard was standing next to him and said, "Oh yeah, the airball!"
Crawford shrugged and said, "I just came around [the screen] wrong."
He added that he was still waiting to get comfortable with his teammates. "I ain't even made it to D.C. yet."
Crawford made it to D.C. and had an influence on the game a little earlier than expected. "I'm glad coach gave me the opportunity and I'm looking for more down the road," he said.
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| Wednesday, 2-Mar-2011 01:35 |
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Ozen grad Perkins gets new contract with Thunder
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http://taiduolea.fotopages.com/
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Before even playing a game with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Ozen graduate Kendrick Perkins signed an extension Tuesday to stay with his new team for a while.
Perkins joined the Thunder five days ago in a trade with Boston, where he spent the first seven years of his career and won the 2008 NBA title.
Now, he's due to make about $36 million while staying in Oklahoma City through the 2014-15 season.
"It kind of felt like the worst day of my life when I got traded from the Cs, from being there so long. But when I got here, it kind of took my mind away from everything, I think, and everything just kind of blew me away," Perkins said after practice Tuesday. "It was kind of the worst but best day."
Perkins said he was attracted to stay in Oklahoma City because of similarities he sees to his Texas hometown and by his first impressions of the Thunder as a "first-class" organization. He would have become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but said he didn't "want to take anything for granted."
"I'm a country boy. I'm from Beaumont, Texas. I don't think it's really hard to please me," Perkins said. "I didn't really have just a crazy number in mind. We met, we came to an agreement, that's the most important thing."
Perkins was acquired along with Nate Robinson in exchange for Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic and a future first-round pick in a deal completed at the league's trade deadline Thursday. He played in 12 games for Boston after returning from a knee injury he sustained in Game 6 of the NBA finals, but is expected to miss as much as three weeks with a left knee sprain
The trade, along with a deal that sent veteran Morris Peterson and D.J. White to Charlotte for Nazr Mohammed, cleared about $2.5 million in cap space for the Thunder this season and Oklahoma City decided to use it to sweeten its offer to Perkins.
"The trades left us with some flexibility underneath the salary cap that we looked at and felt like it would be something that we should explore and bring to Kendrick and his representation," general manager Sam Presti said. "We were fortunate that that opportunity presented itself."
The 6-foot-10 Perkins was the 27th overall pick in the 2003 draft and has averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds over the course of his career. When the Lakers played at Oklahoma City on Sunday, Kobe Bryant - who faced the Celtics in the finals two of the past three years - called Perkins the "best low-post defender we have in the game."http://fearheller.blog.co.uk/
That sort of defense is exactly what the Thunder have been missing this season, although they had to give up two starters to get him.
"To tell you that this was some master plan, that we knew we'd have this opportunity weeks ago, I can't do that. I can't say that," Presti said. "We were fortunate that as a result of the trades that we made, it created this window and we looked to try to take advantage of it."
Last offseason, the Thunder signed NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant to a five-year, $85 million contract. Veteran forward Nick Collison, the only other player left from the franchise's days in Seattle, also signed a long-term extension in November.
Russell Westbrook, a first-time All-Star this season, will become eligible for a contract extension this offseason.
"We've talked for a long time about trying to put together a team that can grow and can sustain, and this is another step in that process of trying to put a foundation in place that we feel like can continue to be a competitive team year in and year out," Presti said.
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| Thursday, 17-Feb-2011 09:08 |
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Chuck Cecil to Interview for Pittsburgh Steelers Secondary Coach
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http://taiduolea.fotopages.com/
John Clayton is reporting, via Kuharsky, that Chuck Cecil is going to interview for the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary coaching vacancy. Cecil is a good defensive backs coach. Cheap NFL Jerseys He just wasn't ready to be a defensive coordinator.
If Cecil were to land a job it would be a break for Bud Adams because Adams would only have to pay him the difference between his salary with whatever team he coaches for and what his salary would have been with the Titans. So no one is more excited to hear this news than Bud.http://fearheller.blog.co.uk/
I like Cecil, and the thought of him working for the Steelers makes me a little sick, but I am glad to see that he is at least getting an opportunity to interview for a job. He still has some good coaching years ahead of him, and there really isn't a better coach to learn how to be a coordinator under than Dick LeBeau.
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| Wednesday, 5-Jan-2011 02:40 |
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USS Enterprise: Do lewd videos point to deeper problem for milit
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Washington
The news that US Navy Capt. Owen Honors was permanently relieved of his command Tuesday for making the lewd videos for the entertainment of his ship’s crew is likely to be just the beginning of an ongoing investigation. The question now is why US Navy leadership, which apparently knew about the videos – made from 2006 to 2007 and punctuated by simulated sex acts and gay slurs – didn’t intervene sooner.
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The news was received with some sadness by loyal subordinates who called Honors a caring leader who took part in these productions – broadcast over the ship’s closed-circuit television system – in an effort to keep up morale during a time of war.
It was greeted with some satisfaction by civil rights groups, however, who argue that the military has too long tolerated sexual harassment in its ranks – behavior, they add, that creates a climate that permits sexual assault to occur with far more frequency than it should in the American military.
IN PICTURES: Controversial US Generals
Indeed, Pentagon efforts to stem the increase in sexual assault and harassment in its ranks has been the subject of mounting scrutiny. A Pentagon report released last month found that cases of sexual assault at the US military academies increased 64 percent during the 2009-10 academic year. Earlier last year, a report to Congress disclosed an 11 percent increase in reports of sexual assaults throughout the services between 2008 and 2009.
When did the Navy know?
There was no shortage of introspection within the Navy this week. The Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported that Honors’s superiors apparently knew about the videos, as well as crew members’ complaints against them. Rather than censure him for it, they elevated Honors, then the No. 2 officer on the USS Enterprise, to be commander of the ship.
Given the Pentagon's stance that command cooperation and education are critical to reducing sexual harassment and assault, the reports were particularly troubling to some officials. “It’s a leadership issue,” says Kaye Whitley, director of the Pentagon’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.
Honors’s participation in the videos on his ship raises questions, too, about whether junior enlisted sailors felt compelled to participate.
The Navy acknowledged these concerns in a statement released Tuesday. “The responsibility of the Commanding Officer for his or her command is absolute. While Capt. Honors’ performance as commanding officer of USS Enterprise has been without incident, his profound lack of good judgment and professionalism while previously serving as executive officer on Enterprise calls into question his character and completely undermines his credibility to continue to serve effectively in command,” said Adm. John Harvey Jr., commander of United States Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Va.
But some believe that it calls into question the Navy’s judgment as well, and wonder why service leaders did not act sooner – particularly with evidence that cases of sexual assault in the military continue to rise.
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