NBA announces games will be broadcast on World Wrestling Entertainment networks for 2013/2014 season

In a bold move the NBA has decided to broadcast all 2013/2014 games on the World Wrestling Entertainment network, adding several other initiatives to the league to smooth a merger with Professional Wrestling. 

LrBron James perfecting his flop

In an initiative seen as a precursor to an inevitable merger with Professional Wrestling, NBA commissioner David Stern today announced that all NBA season and pre-season games will be broadcast solely on the World Wrestling Entertainment networks next season, 2013/2014. Stern said that the move is primarily designed to improve revenues, increase entertainment values, and also to clear away any confusion as to whether the NBA was ‘real’ or ‘fake’.

‘Take last night’s game six, for example’ Stern said, alluding to the last point, clarity around the questions as to whether the NBA was in actual fact, ‘real’, or just staged, like the WWE. ‘Obviously, I mean, people can clearly see that we are trying to create something entertaining, and dramatic, and with Joey Crawford officiating the game, we would have thought it was pretty clear that we wanted the game to have a ‘dramatic conclusion’. Yet, still there are people confused, is it all scripted, or is it real? We just want to clear that up’.

Stern is hoping that with this switch to the WWE network and with an eventual merger with the WWE, people can just sit back and relax and enjoy the games, and not worry about how many steps LeBron takes, how many times Manu Ginobili is fouled on the drive, or just how far back into the stands Danny Green is shoved on his last second attempted 3 pointer.

Stern continued ‘This merger will bring all sorts of advantages, with a new format coming into place shortly, and fans in places like Miami won’t miss a second of the action, as we will obviously ensure that anything important is scripted in to the middle of the show, as opposed to the start or the end. We don’t want scenes like last night where hundreds of loyal Miami fans tragically missed the end of the game, leaving before Ray Allen’s game tying three’

Miami fans stream out of the stadium minutes before their team tie the game

Stern also took the time to outline a few more initiatives that will come with the merger with the WWE

Pre-game rituals will be replaced with one or two of the bigger stars taking a seat in center court pre-game and talking to through a scripted narrative. For example, LeBron and Delonte West might have a heated argument about the latter sleeping with the former’s mother.

The traditional ‘foul’ will be officially eliminated. As Stern said ‘We could all see last night how the fouls not being called on Miami in the last few minutes really sped the game up, and that’s something we are looking to do going forward.’

Players will be allowed to pick up empty side line fold up chairs and whack opponents with them. Again, this was given a trial run last night, as Chris Bosh threw Danny Green into the stands as the game ended.

The playoffs will be eliminated, instead the league will go with Miami against a computer selected opponent, and by computer selected we mean David Stern will decide the Heat’s opponents and type them into an email, on his computer. This will eradicate meaningless first round games, and speed up the process towards the Miami final, and increase fan enjoyment of the product.

Vince McMahon, CEO of the WWE, welcomed the merger, saying that ‘We are delighted to bring such fine entertainers as LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade into the WWE family. These guys really know how to put on a show. LeBron is a born entertainer, and freed from the chains of the NBA rule book he will finally deliver on that promise of multiple championships to his loyal fans.’

LeBron works an opponent

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Fan and media indignation at Celtics coach Doc Rivers is hypocritical

Doc Rivers is looking for another job. Boston fans and sporting media are not happy about it. 

Doc Rivers - ''Calm down, people, calm down!''

It would appear as if the Doc Rivers 'trade' to the LA Clippers, in a package with Kevin Garnett, might be dead in the water. After a painful few days of drawn out negotiations, the Clippers have said they are leaving the table, and not coming back. The Celtics, and Doc Rivers, are left standing there with their pants down a little.

Meanwhile, the Boston sporting media is not amused.that Rivers seems to have been actively flirting with the Clippers. 'Should Doc be allowed back to the Celtics?' one headline cried, as if Rivers was a naughty street urchin, who isn't getting any supper. 'Can Rivers come back to the Celtics?' asked another, while a further headline appealed to the masses 'Do you think Rivers can come back to Boston?' It is safe to say the Boston Celtics fans at large, and the Boston sporting media, are seriously indignant that Rivers should dare talk to another club about working for them, while employed in Boston.

Wait a second.

How on earth is it okay that we are going to judge Rivers on this, and find him guilty?

Are we really suggesting that nobody should be allowed look for a better job, a better situation, a better opportunity, than the one they are in currently?

Are we really saying that none of us have ever looked for another job while currently employed somewhere else? Are we really suggesting that with a straight face and no hint of a snigger?

Another aspect to this is, hasn't Rivers done his job and more, with the Celtics? Hasn't he delivered? They were generally competitive as a ball club for the large part of his tenure. They delivered a glorious NBA title, and were only just short of a couple more. Has Rivers not delivered on his remit?

Or do people in Boston, both fans and media, feel as if they have some sort of bizarre ownership of the man?

One final thought, This whole thing is ugly. Boston fans and media suggesting Rivers is behaving anything other than exactly how all of us, bar none, would act in his position, in a regular job, are not only being stupid and ignorant to common every day facts, they are being incredibly arrogant too.

This happens all the flipping time in sports. Coaches move on, particularly when they are in a position to make their jobs, their salaries and indeed their lives better.

Sure, the deal may be dead. Either way, Boston sports fans and Ye Olde Towne sporting media have made a donkeys backside of themselves yet again.

Rivers is perfectly entitled to pursue a better life. We all are. Suggesting anything less is frankly pretty un-American. You don't hate America, do you?!

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Amazingly some people still calling for Bruins coach to be fired

Almost unbelievably there are some Boston Bruins fans out there that want coach Claude Julien fired. We take a look at a few of them

Claude Julien - Boston Bruins coach

Some folk are just never happy. Despite the fact that Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien has been a large part of the reason hockey is now relevant again in Boston, there are people out there who are demanding he is fired. #fireclaude is actually a 'thing' on Twitter, believe it or not. Apparently guiding your team to one Stanley Cup title and having them on the verge of another doesn't get people a free pass anymore!

There are actually two entire Twitter accounts setup with a view to having Julien fired. The below account is going all out, however has only managed to attract 17 followers thus far.

This account really hasn't managed to get off the ground as yet!

Zero followers just isn't going to get it done.

Let's have a look at some of the individual Tweets. To start, this person basically shouldn't be allowed watch hockey.

Series can't start soon enough. I'm taking at 2 week break to enjoy it but when it's over goin rite back to #fireclaude win or lose
— Mark Lange (@Coach_Lange) June 9, 2013

Straight to the next idiot. Would a second Stanley Cup win be acceptable? Probably not to this demanding soul.

Two first round exits in two consecutive years. Unacceptable. #FireClaude
— Vick Reilly(@Vick_Reilly) May 14, 2013

This clown uses weak, short term statistics to back up a hasty demand to have the coach fired, despite the team going deep into the postseason

#FireClaude RT@trenni: The #Bruins have gone 78 minutes, 18 seconds without scoring a goal. Scored first & only goal 1:42 into the game
— Mark McLaughlin (@marktmcl) June 6, 2013

At least this guy accepts he might have been a bit hasty

And who was the IDIOT who started that #FireClaude nonsense? Oh yeah that was me. #Bruins #WeWantTheCup
— Adam Bailey (@BeantownSports) June 8, 2013

The moral of the story, as ever, is that some people should simply not be allowed on the Internet!

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The New England Patriots snap up Tim Tebow

The New England Patriots have snapped up former Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow. Let the circus begin. 

Tom Brady and Tim Tebow - the odd couple

There are some who thought this would be a relatively quiet stepping stone like season in New England. The defense would grow up a little more, and Josh McDaniels would have another season to gel with Brady and the offence, perhaps leading to a stronger title challenge in 2014/2015. Well, with the acquisition of Tim Tebow, the Patriots ‘13/’14 season is going to be anything but quiet.

If anything, it will be probably as close to circus like as the astounding 2007/2008 season, and all that went on therein.

What will be extremely interesting is to read, hear and see the first few interviews with Tom Brady, to try and judge how he might be taking this very interesting addition to the New England Patriots roster.

Basically Brady might be looking at the acquisition of Tebow from two angles.

First and probably most likely, he will welcome the addition and tout the party line about how the team comes first and so forth. He might actually enjoy a small portion of the attention usually deluged on his shoulders being diverted instead to the Tebow circus. He might see the move as beneficial in a number of ways.

Secondly, and more worryingly for Patriots fans, Brady might be annoyed. Watch closely to see if his interview responses are a little more taut, staged and or barbed in the next few days. Brady might have been hoping for a relatively quiet off-season, leading into a business like, professional attack on the Superbowl. Brady takes the off-season training sessions very seriously and will no doubt bristle at any distraction that occurs.

Brady’s reaction should be watched closely, but, apart from that, there are so many story lines attached to this incredible development. The most glaring is of course, what will the Patriots do with Tebow? Where will he line up? Bear in mind, Tebow, assuming he makes the cut, will be playing for a coach who once deployed Troy Brown as a defensive back, and had Randy Moss in on defence on hail-Mary type situations. In short, a coach who isn't afraid to think outside the box. Way outside, in fact.

Belichick won’t hesitate to roll the dice with Tebow either. Once again assuming he makes the team, can you really bet against Belichick using Tebow on the goal line against the Jets, just because he can (and, it’s the Jets)?

You have to wonder just how much a part of the fact that the Jets failed to find a use for Tebow drove the decision behind bringing him to New England. There is no doubt about it, Belichick has a mischievous streak beneath that hoody, and would no doubt love to have Tebow run in a meaningless touchdown at the end of a rout the next time the Patriots play the Jets.

Whether it gets to that point is anyone’s guess, however, the next couple of months of Patriots training camp reports have instantly become must-read material.

Hey, if anything, this deluge of Tebow mania gives us five seconds breathing room from the usual barrage of LeBron dirge on ESPN.

Small mercies, right?

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Chipper Jones outs himself as flaming racist

Former Braves star, famous for 18-month extramarital affair with a Hooters waitress which produced a son, shows incredible lack of sensitivity and shocking grasp of basic English language skills in wildly racist Tweet

Chipper Jones

What is it about the Atlanta Braves? Don't they do sensitivity training down there? We all remember John Rocker, but, now Chipper Jones has thrown his stetson firmly into the 'outrageously racist' ring with an unbelievably immature, insensitive and racist Tweet.

The Jones Tweet - no doubt soon to be deleted from his account

Where do you start with this? First of all, the very people he is mocking probably have a better grasp of the English language than Jones. Sure, people abbreviate on Twitter, but there's abbreviation and there's 'wud'. Secondly, his choice of target, an ethnic minority group, is cowardly. Jones come across as a school yard bully.

No doubt he thinks this is all hilarious, Jones kills harmless animals for fun (he calls hunting a pastime of his) so we should not be too shocked if he thinks this Tweet is funny. The only shock is he was able to get his knuckles high enough off the ground to type.

The saddest part of all this? Not one sports media entity has taken Jones to task on this as yet.

Perhaps he is just too white and famous.


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The top 50 highest paid athletes list is a cesspit of wasted money

Sports Illustrated's list of the top 50 highest paid athletes in the United States is full of names that will surprise and or shock you

The immortal Carl Crawford

Sports Illustrated's recently released lists of the top paid athletes in sports is well worth a look.

Fascinatingly SI have separated their lists into two, a United States list, and an international list. This separation perhaps unexpectedly provides a look into the soul of American sports. Much as we all love it, it's not always pretty.

I would argue the top eight athletes in the list are acceptable, from the point of view of value for salary. Every athlete in the top eight belongs in this list, it is hard to argue the impact and value of LeBron, Drew Brees, Kobe, Peyton Manning and so on.

From the 9 spot in the order we see problems start to arise. Alex Rodriguez is the 9th highest paid athlete in sports in the United States. That's right, A-Rod. Right after the man most to blame for the horrific logjam on the New York Yankees payroll comes perhaps the most overpaid individual on the list. Zach Greinke is good, sure, but unless you were his Dad, can you look me in the eye and say he should be the 10th highest athlete in sports in the USA? Forget athletes from other sports, there are literally dozens of MLB pitchers who should be ahead of Greinke in terms of annual earnings.

The rest of the list is a scrap heap of carnage. Take a deep breath, and, know that Alfonso Soriano, Barry Zito, Carl Crawford, Vernon Wells, Carl Nicks, Mario Williams, Johan Santana and A-Rod are all part of the top 50 highest earning athletes in the United States this year.

Soriano, Crawford and Wells (Vernon Wells, seriously!) are all laughable or chilling entries in the list, depending if you find the fact that people are paying them hundreds of millions of dollars to play sports funny or scary.

Whatever about those, Joe Johnson, Dwight Howard, Matt Schuab, Vincent Jackson and Zach Greinke might be decent athletes, but come on, seriously, top 50 paid athletes in the entire United States?

Those are just the most egregious names on the list. You could probably argue half a dozen more or so.

Compare that with the international list.

I'll give you David Beckham, he's questionable at best, and right at the top of the list. You could argue he is currently on the books of a hot French side (PSG) and is still very much 'significant' in the world of soccer, but he really doesn't represent value as the highest paid athlete in international sports.

After that though the list is pretty tight. Most, if not all of the rest of the athletes on the international list are worthy of their spot, and most if not all are at least close to the top of their respective games.

Put it this way, there is nobody like Carl Crawford stinking up the International list.

What does this all tell us?

In short, it suggests strongly that the system is, if not broken, seriously damaged in the United States. The best athletes are not the highest paid athletes. The highest paid athletes list in the USA is infected with a large percentage of players who are are broken, cheating, underachieving losers, clogging up the list with dead dollars.

Dead, wasted dollars.

I am sorry if it offends him or his 7 remaining fans, but in no universe is it logical to have Vernon Wells as one of the top 50 highest paid athletes.

Perhaps most worryingly of all, it does not appear that anyone gives a damn.


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