Author Archives: rl111346

Typically, low blows are given in boxing out of desperation, rarely is it given in mistake. Low blows are also given by females to males because they know that the area is the ultimate weak spot and can end arguments, disputes and fights in little time. However, the low blow is not a respectable strike and if someone delivers it, it better be backed up by a good reason if not it’s just wrong.

Team U.S.A. went up against a solid Argentinian squad on August 6 and won the game 126-97. Argentina put up a good fight in the first half going into the second half only trailing by one point. U.S.A. then went on a 42-17 run in the third quarter, opening a wound that Argentina never healed from.

In the final seconds of the third quarter Argentina guard Facundo Campazzo delivered a disgraceful low blow to Carmelo Anthony as he rose up and shot a three. Anthony made the three but was floored from the low blow.

Listen to this interesting recap of the situation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnA4sI_bo4Y

In American basketball getting fouled is part of the game, even delivering hard fouls is something embedded in American style of play. I played ball in Spain for a couple of months and the difference between American style of play is very different than the European style of play. European style play has less contact and more passing, if contact was made the player would complain, where as in American ball it is common.

Getting back to the story, the low blow by Campazzo wasn’t acceptable contact, it was a cheap shot. I wouldn’t blame Anthony if he got to his feet and dropped Campazzo right where he stood. Campazzo didn’t apologize for the act and said that Chris Paul had hit him in the same manner earlier in the game and didn’t apologize. Maybe it showed some type of balls on Campazzo’s part but who knows what will happen if they meet again.

“In New York there’s a basketball court at every corner. Basketball is all we knew.” –Carmelo Anthony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5g0JZ7dFT4

Born on May 24^th 1984 in the Red Hook Projects area of Brooklyn, Anthony has come along way from balling in street corners. Anthony moved to Baltimore when he was eight-years-old and grew up in a hostile outside environment. His father died when he was two-years-old and was raised by a single mom.

Growing up he was a top basketball prospect playing in elite basketball tournaments such as the Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald’s All-American Game. At the McDonald’s All-American game, Anthony played with future teammates Raymond Felton and Amare Stoudemire, scoring 19 points and winning the Sprite Dunk Contest. He was ranked 2^nd in the nation by College Basketball News.

Anthony only played one year of college ball and helped Syracuse win their first NCAA Tournament title in 2003. During that season, Anthony averaged 22.1 points and 10 rebounds, not too bad for a freshman. In the championship game when Syracuse played The University of Kentucky he scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds. He then chose to enter the 2003 NBA Draft where he was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets. Darko Milicic was selected second overall and Lebron James was first overall in the same draft class.

In the beginning of his career Anthony established himself as a great player, landing spots in the NBA All-Star game and average 20 or more points a game. He played for the Nuggets from Jan 2003 and then was traded to the Knicks in Feb 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgCLYseWS4

All this information makes for a nice NBA resume, no one can argue that. In an article “Carmelo Anthony Is Overrated: Melo Isn’t Even a Top-10 NBA Player” Analyst Rich Kurtzman goes into depth on why he believes that Anthony is overrated.

“He pump-fakes under the hoop more often than just attempting a dunk the first time and either making the shot or getting fouled in the process. Of course, Melo gets many of his free throw attempts while driving, but his weak finishes could be and-ones instead of misses and two shots from the free throw line,” said Kurtzman.

Kurtzman then goes on to say that Anthony doesn’t grab enough rebounds, doesn’t get a lot of assists, making him bad for the offense, he gives to much energy on the offense and that’s the reason why his defense lacks. He continues to say that Anthony is not a leader and is not the first one in the gym and last one to leave either.

This may all have some merit and Kurtzman makes some valid points. I agree that Anthony needs to make more assists and needs to work on his defense but that does not make Anthony overrated. Anthony is a scoring machine and has one of the most efficient jab and shoot game the NBA has even seen. He’s fast for his size, making it difficult for defenders to guard him on the perimeter, he also goes hard in the paint. He’s also one of the best clutch shooters in the NBA.

On August 2, 2012 Anthony hit 10 out of 12 three-pointers breaking the record for attempted threes and made threes against Nigeria in the London Olympic Games.

Anthony clearly has skills and is no doubt an elite NBA player. There’s only one argument that can be made against him and that is that he has no rings. Lebron James didn’t hear the end of it until he obtained his current NBA title. James has it worse though he has to get some more rings before critics let him rest.

Anthony has a different kind of burden because no one is comparing him to the great Michael Jordan. Anthony must win a ring and if he does not people should then have the right to say he’s overrated. The truth is, Anthony has more time to prove himself and until then he is not overrated.

“In New York there’s a basketball court at every corner. Basketball is all we knew.” –Carmelo Anthony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5g0JZ7dFT4

Born on May 24^th 1984 in the Red Hook Projects area of Brooklyn, Anthony has come along way from balling in street corners. Anthony moved to Baltimore when he was eight-years-old and grew up in a hostile outside environment. His father died when he was two-years-old and was raised by a single mom.

Growing up he was a top basketball prospect playing in elite basketball tournaments such as the Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald’s All-American Game. At the McDonald’s All-American game, Anthony played with future teammates Raymond Felton and Amare Stoudemire, scoring 19 points and winning the Sprite Dunk Contest. He was ranked 2^nd in the nation by College Basketball News.

Anthony only played one year of college ball and helped Syracuse win their first NCAA Tournament title in 2003. During that season, Anthony averaged 22.1 points and 10 rebounds, not too bad for a freshman. In the championship game when Syracuse played The University of Kentucky he scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds. He then chose to enter the 2003 NBA Draft where he was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets. Darko Milicic was selected second overall and Lebron James was first overall in the same draft class.

In the beginning of his career Anthony established himself as a great player, landing spots in the NBA All-Star game and average 20 or more points a game. He played for the Nuggets from Jan 2003 and then was traded to the Knicks in Feb 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgCLYseWS4

All this information makes for a nice NBA resume, no one can argue that. In an article “Carmelo Anthony Is Overrated: Melo Isn’t Even a Top-10 NBA Player” Analyst Rich Kurtzman goes into depth on why he believes that Anthony is overrated.

“He pump-fakes under the hoop more often than just attempting a dunk the first time and either making the shot or getting fouled in the process. Of course, Melo gets many of his free throw attempts while driving, but his weak finishes could be and-ones instead of misses and two shots from the free throw line,” said Kurtzman.

Kurtzman then goes on to say that Anthony doesn’t grab enough rebounds, doesn’t get a lot of assists, making him bad for the offense, he gives to much energy on the offense and that’s the reason why his defense lacks. He continues to say that Anthony is not a leader and is not the first one in the gym and last one to leave either.

This may all have some merit and Kurtzman makes some valid points. I agree that Anthony needs to make more assists and needs to work on his defense but that does not make Anthony overrated. Anthony is a scoring machine and has one of the most efficient jab and shoot game the NBA has even seen. He’s fast for his size, making it difficult for defenders to guard him on the perimeter, he also goes hard in the paint. He’s also one of the best clutch shooters in the NBA.

On August 2, 2012 Anthony hit 10 out of 12 three-pointers breaking the record for attempted threes and made threes against Nigeria in the London Olympic Games.

Anthony clearly has skills and is no doubt an elite NBA player. There’s only one argument that can be made against him and that is that he has no rings. Lebron James didn’t hear the end of it until he obtained his current NBA title. James has it worse though he has to get some more rings before critics let him rest.

Anthony has a different kind of burden because no one is comparing him to the great Michael Jordan. Anthony must win a ring and if he does not people should then have the right to say he’s overrated. The truth is, Anthony has more time to prove himself and until then he is not overrated.

Growing up there was this kid we use to play basketball with and he had a receding hairline and a large forehead. Everyone use to call him fantastic forehead, it wasn’t bullying or anything it was just one of those nicknames you get stuck with when you’re a kid. He would laugh about it and so would everyone else and of course everyone else had their own nickname to worry about. I think the title has passed on and is better suited for one NBA player.

I was planning on doing a summary of the U.S.A./Tunisia game but I decided not to, given the fact that there wasn’t much of a story. U.S.A. gave Tunisia a southern style beating, winning the game 110-63. And I thought France got it bad… After the game a player from Tunisia asked Kobe Bryant to autograph his sneaker, what a groupie…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1MgetaTjxw

Team U.S.A.had there way with France on Sunday, winning the game 98-71. That’s just embarrassing for France especially when they have five NBA players on their roster, one of them being Tony Parker.

Tony Parker and company didn’t show up to play and when you don’t show up to play going up against Team U.S.A. you get abused like a younger sibling. And that’s basically how France played like a younger sibling. U.S.A was varsity basketball and France was junior varsit

Supposedly, Tony Parker didn’t train because of his wrist blah blah blah. Come on now, why even play if you’re going to make excuses? I know that playing with an injury is really difficult, depending on the severity, but like people say “no one wants to hear excuses.”

Former NBA player Jalen Rose said it best on ESPN “here’s a challenge for all players on an international roster show up!” I think that might be one of the realest things Rose will ever say in his life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MClRG3nn9rA

Of course we all want to see U.S.A.win gold but at least make the games fun to watch.