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Tebow personifies divide over spread QBs

In his rookie season, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow led his team in rushing touchdowns with six. He also finished first among all quarterbacks with fewer than 99 attempts in Football Outsiders’ passing efficiency rankings. As a 2010 first-round draft pick, and after a legendary career at Florida under Urban Meyer, Tebow’s NFL future looked bright.

Reality has proven to be different. In his second preseason, Tebow is facing much adversity. He’s got a new coaching staff, led by John Fox, with a need for an entirely different style of quarterback. He’s the likely third-string quarterback entering the 2011 season behind starter Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn. And he’s got a bull’s-eye on his back as a representation of all that is wrong with quarterbacks transitioning from college spread systems.
Despite an overall increase in shotgun sets each year for the last decade, the NFL doesn’t look ready for an influx of option-based quarterbacks who run before they should, have limited abilities to read defenses and often have throwing motions that are ill-suited for the pro game.

Greg Cosell of NFL Films, the executive producer of ESPN’s “NFL Matchup” show, says predicting future success in the pros is less about stats and more about mechanics. And for NFL success, Tebow, and quarterbacks like him, just don’t measure up.

“At the end of the day, he’s just not a very good passer – in all areas,” Cosell said. “He does everything in slow motion, his delivery is extremely elongated, he’s not particularly accurate, and the ball doesn’t come out of his hand well because his mechanics are so poor.

“Combine that with the nature of the offense he ran in college; the throws, due to scheme and personnel, were so clearly defined. And the receivers were so often wide open. He never had to deal with throwing from a muddy pocket, or throwing to receivers that are covered.”

There is concern in some scouting circles that no quarterback with Tebow’s throwing motion – an extended wind-up that starts around his hip and runs sidearm to the throw – will ever be successful against NFL defenses that run tight coverages and advanced blitzes that Tebow never had to read in college.

But there has to be a place for a player who looked good down the stretch in the 2010 season for a Denver team that had lost its way. Perhaps time is what Tebow needs.

“The movement is so strong in college football for guys to be in the shotgun most of the time, that there is a transition time for these guys,” said Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. “[It’s not] always automatic. The footwork, and getting out from under center … it’s different.”

Some never get it at all. The NCAA’s four career passing yardage leaders – Hawaii’s Timmy Chang and Colt Brennan, Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell, and Houston’s Case Keenum – were hothouse flowers in spread offenses that never stood a chance in the pros. And that’s why coaches like Carroll aren’t convinced that the adjustment is easier these days out of some misbegotten need for the NFL to meet the spread halfway. At a certain point, you still have to be an NFL quarterback, making NFL throws and processing NFL reads.

“There are some marvelous offenses that are run around the country, and the things they do are most challenging, but the field is different, and they play to the field,” Carroll said. “The defenses are not nearly matched up in college as they are here. The passing game is just more available. You just can’t find the defensive backs to match up, or the linebackers to run and cover, or the pass rush to make it like it is up here. It is so heated up here, and [the defenses] are so much better, relatively speaking. There’s just a big difference [in the NFL].”

Former head coach Jon Gruden, who studies quarterbacks for various ESPN projects, believes that it’s all about adapting the system to the player – if you want a Tim Tebow, or a Cam Newton, to succeed, you have to meet in the middle.

“With Tim Tebow and Cam Newton, you’re acquiring a tailback,” Gruden explained, illuminating the differences between pass-heavy and run-oriented option offenses. “Newton had more yards rushing than Bo Jackson and Ronnie Brown. They’re running gap power plays with the quarterback. Same with Tim Tebow. So I think you have to have a plan for those guys to utilize their physical capabilities, and I think you have to modify your offense to a degree to enhance some of the things that they can do themselves running the ball.”

Former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski, Gruden’s partner in the “Monday Night Football” booth, tends to think of even the best spread quarterbacks as one-pitch middle relievers. They’re positional oddities who can shake things up under the right circumstances, but not necessarily starter material.

“I’ve always been pretty adamant that these types of quarterbacks never have long-term success in the National Football League,” Jaworski said. “I always start with the belief that, to be consistent at the quarterback position in the NFL, you’ve got to throw the ball accurately and with velocity and be mechanically sound.

“Now, I think there is a place for these quarterbacks in the Wildcat, in the spread – [there are] different ways to use them. However, you take a beating in that style of offense. Through 16 games, you’d better have three or four of these same types of quarterbacks that can run the different styles of spreads that are out there. The defense will hit them, and they will hit them hard and try to beat them into submission. I don’t think it could ever be the backbone of your offense.”

Is Tebow the evolutionary Steve Young, just waiting for the right teacher to put it all together, or is he the NFL’s latest misfit toy? Some are more optimistic about Tebow’s chances.

“I think Tebow did some good things,” Gruden said. “The films I looked at, he played well against San Diego, played well against Houston late. He’s learning a new system in a lockout year, and it’s derailed him, I think. Maybe this team doesn’t fit him, but it’s a complex question. You’ve got to have a plan for him and adjust your book for him, and you’ve got to have a developmental playbook for him. It’s going to take some time, no question about it.”

“He did make some deep sideline throws,” Jaworski added. “He threw the ball very well down the middle of the field. So I did see some improvement in Tim Tebow, but mechanics are hard to improve upon. He had too much of a learning curve to be ready to jump in and play at an NFL level consistently. But I certainly think Tim Tebow continues to work hard, and he’ll make an impact in this league.”

Friday, 26-Aug-2011 06:47

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Kenny Britt meets with NFL

Kenny Britt said he had a very good meeting with Roger Goodell and that the NFL commissioner promised him a decision on whether he'll be punished as soon as possible.

The Titans receiver met with Goodell in New York on Tuesday and was back on the field Wednesday. Britt says he's not sure if he will be punished and was hoping to know the instant he walked out of Goodell's office.

"The only thing he actually told me was he better not see my face in that office no more," Britt said.
Britt was summoned to Goodell's office after two arrests in New Jersey during the lockout and two arrest warrants in Tennessee for inaccurate information on his driver's license applications. Those are part of seven incidents with police since Britt became the first player from Rutgers drafted in the first round in April 2009.

Those incidents involved outstanding traffic warrants, driving without a license, failing to pay bail promised for a friend and a bar fight in which no charges were brought against Britt after a grand jury investigation.

But in April, Britt was arrested April 12 in his hometown of Bayonne, N.J., and charged with eluding an officer and hindering apprehension when police accused him of driving his Porsche 71 mph in a 50-mph zone before leaving the officer. Britt later was found walking on a side street away from his car. Charges were reduced to a misdemeanor and a fine.

A day after those charges were reduced, two plainclothes officers at a Hoboken car wash smelled marijuana and accused Britt of holding a rolled cigar they thought was the source. Britt was wrestled to the floor and handcuffed, and police believed a man with Britt may have disposed of the cigar. Britt's charges included resisting arrest, and he faces a Sept. 20 court date.

Britt said he felt Goodell genuinely listened to what he had to say.

"That's what I felt good about," Britt said. "He was sitting there listening to me instead of just over there saying, 'You shouldn't do this, you shouldn't do that or you shouldn't do it like that.' ... He understands our life, 22 years old coming into the league, things can happen."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib also met with the commissioner Tuesday.

One league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter the players could be in line for "lengthy" suspensions.

Britt
The Titans' union representative, Jake Scott, told ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky on Monday that the NFL Players Association would challenge any fine and/or suspension passed down from Goodell's office for incidents that occurred during the lockout.

"I'm still a big believer that the league shouldn't have any authority to discipline guys for things that ... happened while there was no CBA," he said. "There was a separation agreement issued from the teams to the players, which means what it means. It means, 'We don't want anything to do with you.'

"To me, nothing means nothing."

Scott did say he wouldn't have any issue with Goodell putting Britt on notice.

Britt also said his Facebook account was hacked when a post showed up in June saying he was retiring and cursed Goodell. But Britt said he had reported the account was hacked in March and was shocked when his agent alerted him to the posting.

"This pops up, and I'm like, 'OK, I'm really going down the drain.' But I wasn't too worried about it," Britt said.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Britt shows great promise on the field, and he had the best game by a receiver in 2010 on Oct. 24 when he had 225 yards receiving off seven catches for three touchdowns. But he hurt his right hamstring a week later early at San Diego running on a deep pass route and missed the next four games.

Britt still led Tennessee with 775 yards receiving and nine TD catches.

He worked with the scout team Wednesday because his right hamstring is still bothering him, and coach Mike Munchak said Tuesday night on his weekly radio show the receiver also is dealing with a quadriceps muscle issue. Britt has yet to play this preseason but is hoping to play Saturday night against Chicago.

Friday, 29-Apr-2011 02:47

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Andre Iguodala excused from exit meeting with Sixers

It’s part of the end of season ritual in the NBA, whether you win a championship or have racked up the most Ping-Pong balls in the lottery.

A day or two after your season ends you clean out the locker, then you have a meeting with the coach and usually the general manager. You all talk about goals for you coming into next season, things to work on during the summer.

Reports had surfaced that Andre Iguodala skipped out on that, according to the Philadelphia Daily News (via Hoopshype). However, it has since been reported that he was excused from that meeting due to a doctors appointment.

Suspicions were raised because he had expressed frustration with the way the Sixers were removed easily by the Heat in the first round. There were questions of if he wanted to return to Philly next season (he has two years plus an option year on his current deal, so he does not have a lot of leverage there).

“I never said I didn’t want to be here,” Iguodala said today. “Like I said, I just want to compete for titles. We made a lot of strides this year. I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

The Sixers are moving in the right direction, and Doug Collins got about as much out of this roster as possible this season.

But the gap between them and a contending team was made clear in the series with Miami. And that’s a big gap that will be hard to close.

Monday, 25-Apr-2011 03:37

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Miami Heat, Brandon Marshall, NFL Draft 2011 and Sunday's Sports

Another Sunday of major sports action is upon us.

The NBA playoffs are now in full swing and each series has had its moments of great excitement.

But the team with the first opportunity to advance is down south in Miami, where the Heat can complete a sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers today.

Basketball isn't the only sport that's been interesting this weekend. Aside from the impending fallout of the Brandon Marshall stabbing situation, the NFL Draft is now just four days away.

Expect the rumors, innuendo, and smokescreens to kick into overdrive, starting today.

Friday, 22-Apr-2011 06:46

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Glavine has interest in buying Thrashers

Former Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said Thursday he would like to be part of an ownership group that keeps the NHL Thrashers in Atlanta.

Glavine told an Atlanta radio station he hopes to organize an ownership group.

"I'm trying on my end," Glavine told 790 The Zone. "No promises. We'll see what happens."

Bruce Levenson, one of the lead owners seeking to sell the Thrashers, said Glavine has expressed preliminary interest in the team.

"Like us, it is my understanding he would like to see the Thrashers stay in Atlanta and has indicated such to people in our organization," Levenson told The Associated Press.

Lady Byng finalists named: Loui Eriksson of the Dallas Stars, Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings and Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the finalists for the NHL's Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship.

The league announced the finalists Thursday. The winner will be announced June 22 at the NHL awards ceremony.

Ducks' Ruutu suspended for hit on Erat: Anaheim Ducks left winger Jarkko Ruutu was suspended for one game by the NHL on Thursday for a late hit on Nashville's Martin Erat on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Western Conference playoff series.

Ruutu will sit out Game 5 in Anaheim tonight. The series is tied 2-2.

Thursday, 21-Apr-2011 01:51

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New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics—Will Amar'e Stoudemire Play?

Less than 48 hours away from the return of NBA playoff basketball to the World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, both Knicks fans and Celtics fans wonder the same thing: Will Amar'e Stoudemire be able to play in Game 3?

Without Stoudemire on the floor in the second half of Game 2, the Celtics were able to focus all of their defensive attention on Carmelo Anthony, albeit with little effectiveness until late in the fourth quarter.

Without Stoudemire on the floor, Jared Jeffries was thrust into a situation he's simply not capable of succeeding in—having the ball in his hands with less then 10 seconds on the clock in the biggest game his team has played in the past decade.

Amar'e said that he injured his back attempting a dunk during warmups, and that his back stiffened and burst into spasms as the game wore on, leading to his untimely absence. During the postgame press conference, Stoudemire sounded unsure of his status for Game 3.

"I should be ready for Game 3," he said. "We'll see how it goes...but I'm pretty sure—I'm hoping—I'll be ready Friday."

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni sounded more optimistic then his all-star power forward/center, saying, "He should be OK Friday...He just felt a little twinge."

STAT (as Amar'e is commonly referred to: Standing Tall and Talented) does stand tall—his 6'10", 240 pound frame's mere presence on the floor demands respect and attention from Boston's big men—the seemingly rejuvenated Jermaine O'Neal, Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Kevin Garnett. Aside from his offensive prowess, Stoudemire's ability to alter and block shots on the defensive end may be just as important to this Knicks team.

The biggest thing Amar'e brings to the table is that he makes it more difficult for the Celtics to effectively double team 'Melo, as having Garnett or Davis come out of the paint to help Paul Pierce defend Anthony leaves the other in a one-on-one situation against Stoudemire—which, much like Jared Jeffries, is a situation that neither one is capable of succeeding in at this point in their careers.

Fans of the New York Knicks are an emotional, intelligent group. They wear their heart on their sleeves, and they bleed orange and blue. Their Knicks are coming home for their first playoff game in a decade, coming off of two heartbreaking losses to the defending Eastern Conference champions and a detested rival.

"The Mecca" will be rocking on Friday night, and this is what Stat signed up for. He came to the Knicks for this very reason, for this moment. Amar'e will have his "statement" game as a Knick, leading his team to victory over the Celtics.

Tuesday, 19-Apr-2011 07:04

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Habs say shot-blocking part of sacrifices needed to win in NHL p

Brent Sopel says it helps to be a little crazy for a player other than a goaltender to block shots in an NHL game.
And the lunacy becomes epidemic in the playoffs, when just about every skater is ready to stand in front of cannon-like blasts from the point to keep the opposing team from scoring.
"Yeah, it hurts," Sopel, the Montreal Canadiens' defenceman, said. "It's sacrificing.
"At this time of year it's all about sacrifice from everyone. You see different guys come up with big shot blocks and that's what it's all about. It's a team game and you need everybody. If I block a shot, it's not going in the net. It's trying to do whatever it takes to win."
In Game 1 of their first-round playoff series in Boston, forward Andrei Kostitsyn got a foot in front of a rocket from the hardest shooter in the NHL, Bruins' six-foot-nine defenceman Zdeno Chara.
He limped off the ice, but returned after the intermission and went down to block more shots. He had to miss Game 2 with an injured foot that may have been fractured, although teams don't elaborate on the particulars of injuries during the post-season.
Kostitsyn, who was expected back in the lineup for Game 3 on Monday night, was credited with only 26 shot-blocks during the regular season, which was 17th on the team. But he had three in that one playoff game, one fewer than Sopel and defenceman James Wisniewski.
After the first two games of the opening round, the Canadiens led all playoff teams with 46 blocked shots as they won twice on the road by scores of 2-0 and 3-1. Of the 66 shots that got through, Carey Price saved 65, but he wears full padding. The skaters aren't exactly dressed for stopping pucks.
"Some hurt, some don't," said defenceman Hal Gill. "You try to get it on the pad but if you don't, you feel the pain.
"Does it just hurt or is something broken? That's the next question. But you try to block that out as much as you can."
New York Rangers defenceman Dan Girardi led the league with 236 shot blocks this season, ahead of Greg Zanon of Minnesota with 212, Mark Giordano of Calgary with 193 and Montreal rearguard Roman Hamrlik with 192.
Girardi, who by Sopel's measure must be completely degenerate, is at it again in the playoffs with 14, tied with Anaheim's Francois Beauchemin after three games.
"You don't want to just go out and block shots, you want to put some pressure on them, but there's going to come a time when you're going to have to get in front of a shot," added Gill. "You have Kostitsyn blocking shots and it spreads through the team.
"It's a level of sacrifice. It goes with winning battles on the boards or taking a hit to make a play. All those things, every little thing, matters in the playoffs. At this time of the year you want the puck to hit you in the face if it's going to stop a goal. That's the mindset you have to have."
Part of the Canadiens' success in the playoffs both this season and a year ago when they upset Washington and Pittsburgh in the first two rounds was their ability to collapse the defence around the goaltender and keep the shooters to the outside.
Opponents end up firing a lot of rubber at the Montreal net, only some of which gets through.
And if a shot blocker is quick on his feet, he can turn it into a transition play and start an attack in the other direction, a move the Canadiens use frequently.
"After you make a block it probably adds a little oomph to your team and you feel like getting up and making a play," said forward Michael Cammalleri. "It's important.
"We have some guys who are very good at it. It's become a skill. Hal and Sopel lead the way, and Hamrlik, and then everyone else follows."
Coach Jacques Martin said shot-blocking has blossomed since the 2004-05 NHL lockout because defenceman can no longer push opponents out of the net area without incurring obstruction penalties, so they try to keep pucks from getting through instead.
Even then, he said, a player "has to have the will to do it."
Or be mental, as Sopel suggested.

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Monday, 18-Apr-2011 07:28

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Putting DeAngelo Casto's Decision In Perspective

In the past 24 hours, there’s been a lot of judgments passed on DeAngelo Casto, who opted to forgo his senior year and enter the 2011 NBA Draft. The decision to enter the draft was a formality, and doesn’t necessarily mean he thinks he’ll even be picked. It’s about forming connections and catching on somewhere, whether it’s in a summer league, the NBDL or overseas. He knows where he stands and is dead-set on playing professionally somewhere.

But the question of why kept coming up. Why stop short of getting a degree and why now? Some of it stemmed from Washington State fans longing for success in the immediate — Casto is a catalyst in the success of the team and the only low-post threat. But part of it stems from simply not understand Casto, who he is and where he’s come from.

In a post for CougCenter, I explored Casto’s past and how it’s shaped who he is and what he wants to be. As a product of the foster system, Casto has lived a rough, nomadic life at times. With a child in-tow and a family to provide for, it’s time for him to move on and take care of himself in the professional field.

There’s a nomadic way about DeAngelo Casto that’s been present throughout his life. He bounces around, never takes root in one place and slips away when its time to leave. It happened again this week as he took off for Las Vegas, packing his things and moving on again.

So while we preach education and realizing future earnings over immediate gratification, it comes from our own backgrounds, not his. The fact Casto has made it this far — through almost three years of school and on the cusp of a professional career — is amazing considering his background. But for him, it’s time to move on to the next stage.

There’s more to it, and I encourage you to read the rest. For more on Casto and the Cougars, be sure to bookmark CougCenter as a one-stop shop for Washington State news

Friday, 15-Apr-2011 09:01

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Why have NHL, Wayne Gretzky split?

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The NHL playoffs began this week, and for the second consecutive postseason the question of why Wayne Gretzky doesn't have an official job or even a very high profile in the league remains a sensitive one. Some hockey insiders will only discuss the issue on background rather than attach their names to their remarks. What soon becomes clear is there's a sort of Kabuki theatre that has been playing out in public. There are the painted-on smiles everyone presents. And there's what's going on behind the scenes.
Gretzky -- never one to roil the waters -- has repeatedly denied there's a rift between him and the NHL, even though he's still owed $8 million on the contract he had when his last team, the Phoenix Coyotes, went into bankruptcy in 2009 and the NHL bought the Coyotes rather than let an Ontario businessman purchase them. Several league sources confirm paying Gretzky what he's owed has been discussed by NHL's remaining 29 owners during the long, often difficult, effort to resell the Coyotes.

So what's the hang-up? The sharply worded reasons given when I call and ask league insiders are startling: "Every one of the 29 owners is part-owner of Coyotes now, and they're not looking to spend a penny more, OK? … Who gives any coach or GM $8 million a year anyway? That was a mistake. No wonder that franchise went into bankruptcy. … Wayne's done all right in life. He's just having a little pout. … There was a lot of support to pay him. There was also sentiment the franchise went down and he should suffer like everyone else who got stiffed."

There are words for how Gretzky is being treated by the NHL right now.

Indefensible is one. Shoddy is another.

Gretzky isn't "like everyone else."

This is the Great One we're talking about. The man who is easily the NHL's most important figure of the last 30 years. A former player/coach/league executive who ranks among the game's three or four most influential figures ever. He took the Los Angeles Kings to a Stanley Cup finals and proved hockey could work in U.S. Sunbelt states. He put together the 2002 Olympic squad that won Canada's first men's hockey gold medal in 50 years.
And yet, some of the same owners, who saw their pockets lined and franchise values lifted by the sheer magnetism of Gretzky's game and crossover appeal and tireless promotion of the sport, now don't want to do the right thing by one of the classiest superstars they've ever had? This, though NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been bragging the NHL is on track for a record $2.9 billion in revenues this year?

Dave Checketts, the current St. Louis Blues chairman and former chief executive of the New York Rangers, admitted he tried to make a case for honoring Gretzky's Phoenix contract at a league executive meeting he participated in 2009.
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"There was some discussion, in terms of the league taking over the Coyotes franchise, about what they actually owed Wayne because, look, in a traditional bankruptcy the guys who are owed money are out of luck, basically," Checketts said. "I think it was the commissioner that threw it out at a meeting and said, 'What do you think?' I said, 'Look, I signed Wayne in New York and he came. I can't say he was anything other than terrific in every way. He did everything we asked of him. He played his heart out for us and at the end of his career. He has always been a great ambassador for the NHL. He's the biggest name the league has ever had. I think we have to do everything we have to do to make him whole in this deal.

"'It would be different if we were selling this team to some Mr. X. But we're selling it to the NHL, and I think we have an obligation to do right by him.'"

It still hasn't happened, though the NHL could pay Gretzky what he's owed right now, if it wanted to.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, responding to several questions via email on Wednesday, wrote: "Any decision to pay Mr. Gretzky directly by the League would be ex gratia" -- which means done with a sense of moral obligation, rather than a legal requirement -- "and would be a decision made by the full board of governors."
So why hasn't a check been cut?

"There is currently litigation pending [by the NHL against former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes in which] the league is seeking as a claim of damages the balance due under Mr. Gretzky's contract," Daly wrote. "We feel Wayne is entitled to be paid, but that the obligor under the contract is Mr. Moyes, not the League."

In other words, You're on your own, Gretz. Don't call us. Call him.

When you look closer, the lawsuit that NHL filed against Moyes in March 2010 asserts that the league expected to lose millions running the team until it could be resold. The NHL had already paid $11.6 million to Coyotes creditors.

Yet, still Gretzky waits.
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Gretzky has repeatedly refused to publicly acknowledge that he's angry or bitter about the NHL's position. His typical public response is he has been enjoying his time away from the game with his family and "Everything I have in my life, I owe to hockey and to the National Hockey League." When he left as Phoenix coach in 2009, he told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun that Bettman and NHL owners had to do what's best for the league and "they can't always be worrying about individual people's feelings." Is he mad at the NHL? "No, no," Gretzky told the New York Post as recently as January. He still hasn't done work for the league in any official capacity for two seasons, but on Wednesday he did do a phone interview on the NHL Network's "NHL Live" and talked for about 10 minutes on how the playoffs shape up. He couldn't have been more amiable.

Both sides know how bad it looks for the NHL's biggest legend and the league to publicly be at odds.

Sources familiar with some of Gretzky's exchanges with Bettman say there is indeed unhappiness beneath the surface. The word "bitter" gets used, too. But so far, no one is acting as if it's irreparable.
Gretzky's agent, Darren Blake, said, in the absence of any promises from the NHL, "All we can do is go by the assumption, when the team sells, they'll make good on what they owe Wayne. Wayne's personality is he's a very trusting person. He's very patient. He knows Bill Day and Gary Bettman will do right. That's the idea that he's going forward with."

Blake admitted he and Gretzky have heard "rumblings" after every GM or board of governors meeting that the issue of finally paying off Gretzky's contract came up again and "certain things get said." But the Coyotes' possible sale to Chicago buyer Matthew Hulsizer probably has to be decided in the next month or so, Blake pointed out. "So there's no sense in rocking the boat now," he said. "We're almost at the end of the rope."

Blake hesitated, as if maybe he shouldn't say it, then adds …

"Here I am, always working on expanding the brand and name of Wayne Gretzky and hockey. He's been signed by three majors companies and lit the torch for Canada at the Vancouver Olympics in the last year alone, and he could be larger than life for the NHL. The flip side of that is I'm not feeling the love coming back at us from them."

It's indefensible. And cheesy. And still hard to believe.

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Wednesday, 13-Apr-2011 03:21

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Travis Leslie chooses to remain in draft

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Travis Leslie announced Tuesday his intention to remain in the NBA draft, and suddenly Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox finds himself in the midst of a rebuilding job.
Leslie and 6-foot-10 forward Trey Thompkins announced a week ago that they would turn pro, but Leslie said he might reconsider and would not sign with an agent.

Leslie’s decision to forgo his final season of eligibility means the Bulldogs will be without their two leading scorers next season.

Thompkins led the team in scoring (16.4 points per game) and rebounding (7.6 per game), and Leslie, a 6-4 guard from Decatur, averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

“It was my pleasure to coach Travis,” Fox said in a statement released Tuesday. “It has been a real joy to see him develop as a player the past couple of seasons. He has made a decision to pursue his dream, and we wish him nothing but the best.”

Fox declined further comment through a team spokesman.
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But after the players entered the draft a week ago he was asked how next season’s team might look.

He said Georgia likely would sign one more recruit “for sure” during the spring signing period, which begins Wednesday, and left open the possibility of signing more if Leslie left. He said the decision would boil down to whether to use an open scholarship at this late date or save it for next year’s recruiting class.

“Now you have that scholarship to offer a year early, but you just found out about it here in the middle of April,” he said. “Is it wise to use that scholarship on someone left in the crop? Or do you hold it for the original class that you were going to use it?
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“A lot will depend on who is available and really what we feel like is best for our program. This is a long-term process, and we need to make sure we make decisions with that in mind.”

Leslie leaves Georgia as one of the more exciting players in the SEC. He was known for his high-flying, rim-rattling dunks. One he executed as a sophomore over Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins crystallized him as Georgia’s most explosive player since Dominique Wilkins.

“I would like to thank UGA for giving me the opportunity, as well as Coach Fox and the staff in helping me to improve my game,” Leslie said. “Last but not least, I’d like to thank the Georgia fans for their support over the past three years.”