Expanding the Vision

I'm always up for alternative training methods...Any way that gets you to be a 'raw dog', push it.

However, after reading this article from Nathaniel Vinton of the NYTimes on Steve Nash and how he's working out on the soccer fields in Central Park, I'm saying that Steve Nash is the coolest and one of the more intelligent athletes on the planet right now.

Now that his famed soccer workouts have been documented, I'm placing his off-season workouts up there with Wilt Chamberlain and his famed beach volleyball workouts, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his extensive martial arts and yoga workouts, Bill Walton and his bicycle rides, and "Pearl" Monroe's use of the tennis court throughout the '70s to improve his footwork...Too dope.

The cool thing is that the quote from Nash's boy, Claudio Reyna, shows he recognizes how passing his correlates in soccer and basketball through vision. “When you have vision in soccer, you can connect the pass. It’s the same idea. You can see that from playing basketball, and also from growing up playing soccer, he understands the game.”

With that said, check out the article. I'm placing Nash as one of my all-time favorite athletes. He's a beast.



P.S. I'm with the Conservancy on their booting...Fellas, you'll tear the turf up. That's a primo eye candy spot as well. What's the problem with not using the cleats?...Go to the indoor shoes that Nash uses, meatheads.

Visionaries,
IronDog

Go Slide Go..

I'm a big fan of Slide...

So, when I saw this BusinessWeek article from Jessi Hempel about how Slide, a site that lets users post snapshots of friends, say, or vacations in slide-show format, is developing strategies for generating revenue, I'm up for it.

Slide has fast become the most trafficked widget maker on the web. I'm a big user and proponent of what they do. Plenty of people who are connected through social networks are utilizing the widget. Yet, the question that I have is how the hell are they going to generate cash?

Do you use subscription service? Do you create pay-for-service models through a Flickr model? I don't know about this one...

Slidin',
IronDog

Bud is Back

Solid move by ESPN to bring back Bud Collins...

I was brokenhearted at the news that NBC was letting the longtime tennis analyst go. How would Sunday at Roland Garros and 'Breakfast at Wimbledon' be the same?!

What's even more solid news for tennis fans is that Bud will be paired with Dick Enberg again.

Collins worked with Enberg for 20 years at NBC, including the "Breakfast at Wimbledon" broadcasts starting in 1979. Enberg has been calling matches on ESPN's Grand Slam coverage since 2004.

From this Boston Globe report by Susan Bickelhaup, Collins will also be paired with Cliff Drysdale. I'm up for it...Bring back the insider, descriptions, pants, and that shiny dome.

From the Queen's Box,
IronDog

No More Select

Thank you NYTimes...

Thanks for freeing up the op-ed pieces and the archived articles of your great writers.

Although the announcement has not been issued, Holly Sanders of the NYPost has reported that the Times will be removing the restrictions established from their TimesSelect service.

On the media sales front, yes, you may not the same segments of highly targetable users. Yet, this move should be solid for more targeted page views and larger ad inventory. On the subscription front, I thought this statistic was interesting.

"The number of Web-only subscribers who pay $7.95 a month or $49.95 a year fell to just over 221,000 in June, down from more than 224,000 in April."

That stat may prove that there are still solid sources of online journalism available, and the decreases in readership from offering subscriptions may not be worth it in the long run.

The next question is when the WSJ will open up?

On my end, you'll see more links to the Times again.

Feed that Head,
IronDog

WUNC "Respect Yourself"

How did I miss this one...?!




Yes, how did I miss the PBS documentary, "Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story"?

I should be banned from a DVR for two weeks on this one. I pulled an airball with my selector, and I missed the show. I'm praying that WUNC will pull me a huge favor and air the show in the near future.

In the meantime, check out this Ginia Belafonte's review from the NYTimes. She's right on with not only how important the Stax sound was to music, but also how tumultuous the times were for R&B and Soul musicians performing and publishing their music in the '60s.

If you really are looking for a way to amp yourself up for this weekend, catch this snippet of Booker T. & The MGs performing "Time is Tight."

Steve Cropper strumming on electric guitar, Booker T. Jones banging on the organ, Donald 'Duck' Dunn thumping on bass, and Al Jackson keeping the tone. God damn this is hot! So, damn hot that Al Jackson even has to cool himself down.

Keep your game tight! WUNC play this one again!

Memphis '65,
IronDog

Farewell to General Walsh

Innovative leaders come in very small doses these days...

Which is why I became intrigued with the innovations and life of Bill Walsh, who passed this past week at the age of 75 from leukemia.

Growing up a Chicago Bears fan, I have to admit that I had a major bias against his legacy until after his retirement in 1989 when I discovered how much of an impact he had made upon the game of football. After reading Michael Lewis's 'Blind Side' this past winter, my memories were rekindled about how intricate Walsh's innovations were upon the offensive game of football and the development of the passing game.

SFGate has provided an excellent chronicle of his life over the past few days. Check out the articles here. This one from Scott Ostler from the San Francisco Chronicle is a great one describing Walsh's quirky ways.

I'm more impressed at his work with Stanford University. As a sports fan, I've always been amazed at his move to become Stanford's head football coach in '92 in order to work with the student athlete and how he regarded education and the development of the game. (Here's another great SFGate article on his Stanford days.)

In terms of memorials, I'm glad to see that a movement is occurring to remember Coach Walsh and his work through a public place. Although there is a buzz to name a portion of El Camino Real as Bill Walsh Way in Palo Alto, the best legacy may be for naming a campus practice facility, or better yet...Bill Walsh Field at the newly renovated Stanford Stadium.

Al Davis has another great idea from his state of the address yesterday. Name the award for the best college quarterback each and every year for him as well.

Since Ken Anderson is my original idol from the Cincinnati Bengals, I was familiar with Walsh's work when he left Paul Brown for the Chargers. Oh what could have been in Cincinnati...Check out Dr. Z's (Paul Zimmerman) take from SI. As usual, the good 'Doctor' provided some solid insights and memories, and I love these two quotes that he unveiled.

"My offense is the Cincinnati Offense," he said. "I wouldn't even mind if they called it the Walsh Offense. But the West Coast offense is that Sid Gillman, Don Coryell, Ernie Zampese thing. Why do they keep making that mistake?"

"Genius ... wouldn't you say that's term usually associated with some figment of crackpot?"

Walsh always seemed to be comfortable as someone in the background while his players were pushed into the spotlight. I've always respected that about him.

In terms of style, I enjoyed this description from former Walsh aide, Fred VonAppen, in Tom Fitzgerald's SFGate article listed in the link above.

"He's a complex man, somewhat of an enigma. I gave up trying to understand him a long time ago. In a way he has the kind of personality that creates a love-hate relationship. He's not always the distinguished, patriarchal guy television viewers are used to seeing on the sidelines. He's a very competitive guy, and he can be scathing, especially in the heat of battle. There have been times when I would have gladly split his skull with an ax. Then again, he's the greatest."

I enjoyed that description...

Like Al McGuire's death, I wish that we could have received more memories and thoughts from a great leader at the end of his life. Although he wrote an autobiography with Glenn Dickey called "Building of a Champion", I felt that he could have provided more insights upon the sport of football is evolving around education, university life, and front office management with his work at Stanford and his latter days with the 49ers.

To a class individual who led his life in the pursuit of education and innovation. Thank you for instilling new methods for bringing individuals together to perform as a collective.



Fare Thee Well,
IronDog

Back on the Air

If you were listening in on Sunday night, you heard right...

Yes, I returned to WXYC's SportsRap, and I'll be back for the next couple of months on Sunday nights.

Feel free to tune-in at WXYC.org or via the 'Eclectic' section on iTunes. 'Sports Rap' is back.

This year we'll try to get as many interviews and in-station appearances as possible for your Chapel Hill and North Carolina fix.

Special kudos to my brother, Ryan Dougherty, for a bang-up show...If you didn't tune in, you missed it. We unveiled some historical Chapel Hill nuggets.

Stay tuned.

Happy Listening,
IronDog

KG to the Celts

Kudos to Danny Ainge...Cut that...Major kudos...

I have to give the guy credit. Every critic in the world including me was wondering where the hell the Celtics were heading before the draft. Well, the Celts are now strong contenders for the NBA Eastern Conference title after landing Kevin Garnett today.

What a great trade for the Celts...Not only have they landed arguably one of the greatest power forwards of all-time with plenty of treadwear left on the tires, but also they have landed an inside presence that will combine with sharpshooting seasoned veterans, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, without giving up a lot in return.

Yes, people are enthralled with Al Jefferson, but was he going to take a team to a title? Especially with Sebastian Telfair? They also have rearranged their role players with Gerald Green and Ryan Gomes gone, and freed up room for much needed veteran help who may want to play for an immediate winner.

What is needed now...A point guard and an enforcer for inside protection.

Tip: Yes, they're in trouble with their luxury tax, but hit free agency hard and work the deals. Get Brevin Knight to support Rajon Rondo at the point and pick-up Austin Croshere and Dale Davis on the cheap. Mix them in with Glen Davis and Leon Powe for veteran experience. Not a bad mix...

Great moves. They're a couple of steps away.

Bring back the black shoes...They deserve them.

ChessMakin',
IronDog

The Saucony Comeback

I've been wondering about whatever happened to these guys...

Saucony used to be an off-shoot brand of Spot-Bilt back in the day. In terms of running shoe quality, they dropped off the scene. Yet, from the words in this Brandweek article from Eric Newman, the brand is making a comeback.

They're re-positioning their brand. According to their company president, Richie Woodsworth, Saucony is working upon bringing back their focus. “Saucony was inconsistent in its story and approach to marketing, with multiple identities, brand images and logos that ran across our product categories and didn’t make a whole lot of sense to the consumers,”

In the '80s, Saucony made a comfortable shoe. I'm glad to see that they're making a comeback.

What will be interesting to see are the in-store experiences that Saucony is planning for running specialty shops. From the Brandweek article, the compnay is planning on a stadium-inspired display program that features aluminum bleachers, branded shelving units, tower displays, fitting stools and welcome mats. The brand seems to be stepping toward similar in-store programs at larger retailers, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Sports Authority.

Let's see how the product fares...

Now, if Etonic can get back on track...Hmmm?

Runnin',
IronDog

H-O-R-S-E

I have been in a few H-O-R-S-E games in my time...

I've schooled, been schooled, and shot through it all. With that said, "Pistol" Pete Maravich is the greatest horse player that has ever taken the court. Check out this vid...It's a classic.



What makes this one even better is that there are some serious players competing against him. Bob McAdoo, Kevin Grevey, George "Iceman" Gervin are major heavyweights for that year.

Grevey was a helluva shooter, McAdoo was the MVP the year before and arguably one of the greatest frontcourt shooters of all time, Gervin...Fingeroll...'Nuff said. What makes it more wild is watching Gervin's face when he has to complete the "Pistol's" shot underneath the basket.

Hearing the voices of Don Criqui and Brent Musberger tops it all off...Damn, those Adidas suedes on Big Mac look tight.

Off-The-Glass,
IronDog

Uni Watch - Liebe Athletic Lettering

I'm a fan of Paul Lukas's Uni Watch on ESPN2...

Check out this great piece that has Lukas traveling to Chesterfield, Missouri to visit Liebe Athletic Lettering.

Lettering and logos are the most underrated facet of any uniform. My interest was piqued last night after watching "The Natural" last night on IFC. The patchwork on the letter jackets and the flannel "Knights" jerseys are incredible.

If you're a uni fan, be sure to check out Lukas's articles. He digs in...

Patchwork,
IronDog

Back Off - UNC Recruiting

Now that's a landing...

The Heels landed 6'9" power forward, Ed Davis. last week. He's the son of former Dallas Maverick and Washington Wizard power forward, Terry Davis.

With this signing, Coach Williams continues to mark his undoubtable legacy...The guy can recruit. He's a master.

With that said, I was stunned earlier this summer when I saw the amount of people taking shots and putting pressure on Coach Williams to land recruits this year. The boo-birds were coming out after Delvon Roe landed at Michigan State and shooting guard, Jrue Holiday to UCLA. My call...What 'evs...I really wonder about their basketball I.Q.

My question is...How can anyone question Coach Williams on his recruiting?

Look at his tough pulls:

1.) Marvin Williams - We weren't even in the picture for the big fella and arguably the top player in the class. We landed him in a couple of weeks time.
2.) Marcus Ginyard - Had a ton of hype going into his Junior year. Landed him immediately with his hire. Snatched from Duke.
3.) Tyler Hansbrough - Masterful job at a time when every high-school senior with any value was going pro. Defeated an all-out assault from KU and Mizzou.
4.) Frasor, Green - Two solid pieces and McDonald's AAs.
5.) Ellington, Lawson, Thompson, Stepheson - Top-level elite program lands.
6.) Greaves - Great local add...Especially when you consider how people were building the hype on him during his sophomore year. I know William pretty well. In his sophomore year, the kid was set on going to Duke. That was a nice swipe.
7.) Brandan Wright - How we snatched that kid from the Krzyzewski's jaws was amazing. Masterful performance...'Nuff said.
8.) Ed Davis Jr. - Yo Rob! Where you at? I think this kid is an incredible land. A couple of people had said that this kid was guaranteed to land at UVA because the UVA staff was all over him. 'Nuff said.
9.) Class of '09 & '10 - Point blank...Arguably the greatest back-to-back recruiting job ever in college basketball. Analyze this point if you will in 2011.

Feel free to add in your thoughts, I'm sure that I have missed more positives.

A lot of UNC followers believe that signing only Drew Jr. would have made for a good strategy as well. Let's go back to our classes of '91 and '92.

'91 - Donald Williams
'92 - Dante Calabria, Ed Geth, Larry Davis, Serge Zwikker
'93 Result: National Champs

In '92, a lot of so-called expert UNC followers were stating that Coach Smith was losing his touch with that class of minor pieces.

These statements were after the Class of '90 when he landed the "Original Fab 5." My thoughts are that Calabria and Drew Jr. were similar lands in the fact they are Top 50 guys who can provide solid contributions throughout their career. People also have to realize that elite-level kids are not apt for sitting behind someone for a year or two.

Similar strategy:

'07 - None
'08 - Larry Drew Jr....(Well, now add Ed Davis Jr.)
'09 Result: We'll see...

Personally, I stay away from that board, but I'm tempted to spit fire on those clowns. I'm sure that there has to be a lot of defenders of Coach Williams's recruiting on that thing. For the detractors, do they realize how loaded this team really is and how the landscape of top ten talent are behaving these days?

Even if UNC landed only Drew Jr., as a UNC fan, I would have been elated. I think Coach Williams's strategy of holding on recruits was excellent. I gave him an 'A' for holding last year.

Disregarding Davis Jr., if you're a elite-level recruit, where are you going to get tick behind a line-up filled with tons of in-game experience that consists of a potential line-up of juniors, Tywon Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Alex Stepheson, and Deon Thompson and seniors Danny Green, Marcus Ginyard, and Bobby Frasor, and quite possibly...1st Team AA, Tyler Hansbrough?

Does anyone realize how hard that sell is?

IC boards...What 'evs. Consider the sources.

I also have to trust that Coach Williams was pondering where the talent level of '09 was going to land. Personally, I think the next class is going to have a lot of impact when he has to replace the '09 class and a possible early NBA entry. I was anticipating this season to be filling in pieces and next season to have major big-gamers coming in.

With Davis Jr., he doesn't have to put all of his chips on that class.

Great, great moves, and here's another point...All are great, solid, and personable kids...Do those clowns realize how tough that is?

I can't doubt the guy. In terms of recruiting, Coach Williams is a beast.

Joe Holliday,
IronDog

Back In the Mix

Alright, I spent two days and nights of heavy listening, and I'm ready to make my call...

The new Beastie Boys brings that spirit in a '64 funky style..Very classy.

I've always felt that the Beastie Boys instrumental tunes were highly underrated, and I've often wondered when a instrumental album was going to emerge. The collection of instrumentals and B-Sides from "Check Your Head" and "Ill Communication" displayed on "In Sounds from Way Out" were nothing less than stellar, and it was time. Their musical influences, tastes, and integrity operate at a Wes Unseld level...With this album, they made a Hall-of-Fame Outlet.

"Money" Mark Nishita is back on the keys. From the start of the album, he showed that he's back in the mix with "B for My Name." "14 St. Break" brings the beat. The "Gala Event" is great for zoning out and nodding that head. "The Electric Worm" spaces it at the 2:52 mark. Get ready to do pull-ups on "Off the Grid." Watch out for the organ chirp on "The Melee." Don't sleep on the sitar guitar on "Dramastically Different", and be thankful for the closing bells on "The Kangaroo Rat."

They've intertwined styles throughout the album, and you'll notice beats stemming from 'Deep Cover', Incredible Bongo Band, 80's hip-hop, and...Aw Hell, whatever you want them to be...All are great calls.

They're rocking suits and shirts in colors that would could appear on an Impulse cover from the early '60s...Very classy. Since the Dead has faded, I can't think of another band other than U2, who is carrying the torch for integrity and newfound ground in listening experiences. Seriously, name five bands, who have consistently broken new ground throughout a twenty year career that in today's music world. Tough...isn't it?

My only hope is that they're still working on their jumpers...I have to catch these guys on tour.

Bring back the green tea, parano cheese, and protein shakes. That Jim Rockford feeling is back...Baccdafuccup.



Back In the Mix,
IronDog

Back in the Grill

Back in the grill again...To the grill again...

Yeah I'm back on the point with the verbals again. Here are some thoughts that have come across my inbox.

First off, special kudos to the cat at Yardbarker, who posted the 1998 McDonald's Slam Dunk Competition. Damn...Who says Ronald Curry couldn't ball? Yeah, Curry was overrated in High School...Yeah, right.

A football red-shirt year, a break here and a break there...Wow.




** Ray Young on that vid...Whatever happened to him at Kansas? He was nice...Dyed his hair blonde, and he kind of faded off the radar after a tryout with the Warriors. I need to get a full story on him.

** Meanwhile in the Hill...Sean May back in summer school fufilling his requirements...Good dude.

** Someone touched on whether or not athletes should be considered role models on my heelhoops list serv.

Here's my two cents.

I'll agree that athletes shouldn't be used as examples to raise your kids. Yet, how can we fully embrace that statement without using them as examples in youth sports. When athletes want to downplay their importance, I think they're shirking their responsibility. Especially, when the NBA, NFL, and MLB continues to push their presence for cereals, sporting goods, shoes, TV packages, barbecue fluids, etc.

We can cut the responsibility for athletes down to the bare bones that they should not be 'role models.' Yet, whatever way they want to cut it, a lot of kids look up to them.

With that thought in mind, professional athletes should be able to embrace that responsibility the same way that they preach to kids when they run their own camps, clinics, and events for the communities who pay for their performances...Just my two cents.

** Tough watching Rasheed Wallace going down last week with the Pistons. And when I see Drew Gooden working against Tim Duncan tonight, I feel cheated that I couldn't see a Championship match-up between two major rivals with Wallace and Duncan.

As for Rasheed...I still think he's one of the top 4 power forwards in the NBA. Yet, his on-the-court head is bordering on Rodman/Isaiah Rider proportions. The guy is over 32 now. He needs to drop the gripes, move on, and embrace the leader role.

If I were Philly right now, I would move for him. They could get him for cheap, and he would be back in his hometown. Not a bad move for Charlotte as well.

I still say that he's one of the best guys off-the-court that I've ever encountered in Chapel Hill. A complete classic...Would ball anywhere at any time, and a he was a helluva NBA Jams player at the old Barrell o' Fun.

** Another high impression for the baseball Heels...Josh Horton and Andrew Carnigan for the A's. You know what I think of Billy Beane. His chief scout, Chris Pittaro, is a Carolina guy.

Good to see that one of the top baseball management teams think so well of the players that are developing in Chapel Hill.

Beat Mississippi State,
IronDog

Great Night

What a night...

So long to Chapel Hill's old Boshamer Stadium. The Heels are headed to the College World Series.

The Sopranos ends on the perfect note.

Life continues with endless possibilities.

Enjoy,
IronDog