The Shots Heard Around The World: Sports

MLB blatantly breaks anti-trust regulations

2011-10-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

The sports leagues social and legal contracts with America requires that teams be allowed to autonomously operate. But Major League Baseball blatantly breaks that standard. Somehow that standard does not apply when it comes to matters like allowing teams to set their own post season ticket rates.

As an Angels season ticket holder, I complained to the Angels when they switched their resale service from Ticketmaster to Stubhub and I consequently was required to pay larger fees and commissions. They told me that they had no control of it. Major League Baseball mandated that all teams used Stubhub. That is illegal and egregious.

The latest illegal action from MLB that has been exposed is that they mandate who throws out first pitches. We found this out when it was leaked that Dirk Nowitzky was initially turned down to throw out the first pitch of Game 3 of the World Series.

MLB has reversed its decision and Dirk will throw out the first pitch after all. But that is not the issue. MLB should not be making that decision in the first place. The Texas Rangers should have relatively full control of their own activities. We needn't accept MLB blatantly spitting on The Constitution of the United States Of America.

Gentleman!

Washed-up Johnson?

2011-10-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Dan Johnson was only hitting .108 when he pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and nobody on. The Rays season would be over if he could not save it. And a lot of people were talking. Was he a washed-up Johnson?

Down to his final strike, Johnson hit a home run and saved the Rays season!

Later that night, the Orioles beat the Red Sox on a walk-off single and Evan Longoria hit the game winning homerun in the bottom of the twelfth. But it was Johnson that saved the Rays.

2011 Red Sox knocked off by a walkoff

2011-10-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

The Red Sox season was ended by a shot that was long long Longoria gone. Oh wait. It was only a 315 foot shot over a little league styled waist high wall. Shots Heard dedicates the shot to the Red Sox fans and their 298 foot waist high fence by Penske Poll in Fenway.

An American hockey legend retires

2011-09-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

The all-time American born leader in goals and points, Mike Modano has retired from the NHL after 21 seasons. Shots Heard salutes Mike Modano.

Where have you gone Colonel Reb?

2011-09-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

Political correctness took Johnny Rebel (Colonel Reb) away from Ole Miss. As one fan put it, "now they have a stupid bear."

Political correct savvy administrators had already banned Confederate flags at football games.

Despite being dissed by pansy ass suits, the colonel can be found making the rounds. Check him out if you're in Mississippi.

Bye Bye Bubba

2011-08-04T04:32:00.000-07:00

Former NFL player of nine years, Bubba Smith, aka Spare Tire (Officer Hightower of Police Academy) has died. He will always be remembered for his epic battle with Al Four Touchdowns In One Game! Bundy.

Proof that paid off boxing judges are still around

2011-08-03T00:34:00.000-07:00

The above video response of middleweight fighter, Matthew Macklin inspired us to investigate the Matthew Macklin versus Felix Sturm boxing bout. Sure enough, Macklin's brash words that he had been robbed by the scoring decision were words of truth. I scored the fight 119-113 for Macklin, with Sturn only winning the final round on a flurry of punches during the final ten seconds.

How rigged was the fight? German television gave decision to Macklin by four. The two judges that voted against Macklin, had him losing by four. That is an unheard of discrepancy!

Levi Martinez scored the bout 115-113 for Macklin.

Roberto Ramirez scored the bout 116-112 for Sturm.

Jose Ignacio Martinez scored the bout 116-112 for Strum.

Conveniently, Martinez and Ramirez both had Sturm up 106-103 going into the final round. So even had Macklin scored the bout's first knockdown and won the round 10-8, he still would have lost.

Macklin dominated the fight. He landed more punches. He was the aggressor in every round. One could argue that he won it by a larger margin than the 119-113 Shots Heard tally.

The evidence suggests that all three judges are corrupt. Just because Levi Martinez scored this 115-113 for Macklin; don't assume that he was on the up and up.

Watch the fight

Sportphoria: Landon Donovan's goal versus Algeria

2011-07-22T02:42:00.000-07:00

The MLB All-Star Game counts: Get over it media whores!

2011-07-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

Another year rolls around and another slew of columns telling us that Major League Baseball needs to abolish tying World Series home field advantage to the All-Star Game has come around.

It's the same lame arguments. “It’s an exhibition game,” rookie Atlanta Braves closer, Craig Kimbrel said. Naturally, writers will latch on to those key words while overlooking the fact that if it were an 'exhibition game' then nothing would be on the line right?

For the sake of fans, it has been decided. It's that simple. That's what the fans want and all these ideologues need to shut their pie holes already.

Quibblo.com has ran a poll on this very issue. Forty-five percent of voters like the All-Star game stakes, 29 percent do not, 19 percent don't care, and 6 percent do not care. There was no lead article swaying opinion. No talking head giving marching orders. It was just a random question and it gave people the chance to think for themselves and answer the damn question.

Shots Heard went to another site that had a bleeding heart story on Game 7's deciding the World Series. Then fans were polled on whether the All Star Game should decide home field advantage. Inevitably the vote was 65 percent against.

It is easy to create artificial intensity and face value opinions. That is why the Disney Sports Network clubs us over the head with this junk every year. Instead of embracing the system, what the fans want, they just keep with this tired storyline in the hopes of garnering extra viewership.

The all-star game counts. We constantly hear the excitement of players who embrace it. We don't have to watch a bunch of overpaid athletes dog it anymore (like was happening). And let's be honest. That is what was happening. Naturally we get the 'Oh we're professionals, we've always taken this serious' nonsense quotes. But really, those games were starting to resemble fifth grade PE games in which everyone gets a turn and the score of the game had become secondary.

But the media whores will use any tired argument that they can find. When Atlanta Braves pitcher, Jair Jurrjens pointed out that All-Star games had more intensity, Yahoo apologist, Jeff Passan's answer was 'Oh was Charlie Hustle (Pete Rose) dogging it when he barreled over the catcher in 1970.

Would you listen to yourself Passan? 1970? That's how far you have to go back to find a supposedly inspired play? Were you even born yet? And come to think about it, in lieu of that many inspiring all-star moments, the media has clubbed us over the head with that play for decades.

And Shots Heard has news for you Passan. Rose did not barrel over that catcher, Ray Fosse and ruin his career because he was that worried about the run and the 'exhibition' win. He did it because he was a dick and he knew useful idiots would glorify him for it.

Rose was going to easily beat the ball and he could have just slid or simply found his way around him. But in Rose's neanderthal mind, Fosse was blocking the plate. It did not matter to him if the game was an 'exhibition.'

And as long as we're on the subject, Shots Heard is going to give a special shout-out to MLB for obviously pulling all Youtube videos that involve that Rose/Fosse play. MLB clearly wanted a monopoly on that video for the sake of pimping their 2011 All-Star game in this video. So videos had to be pulled for MLB's propaganda piece coud receive a whole 2,135 hits? Nice one, geniuses.

Passan also argued, if the game means so much, how could Derek Jeter be sitting out with the lame excuse of exhaustion?

Really? You really want to play that angle Passan?

Well. Okay. Let's look at the core issues then.

First off, Derek Jeter is not the hero that the media paints him to be. You'll remember that in the wake of the steroid controversy, Jeter was not condemning the cheating A-Rods of the world. He was throwing out smoke screen arguments to justify cheaters taking their millions. So let's just remember that, before we take his words and actions in such high esteem.

Second off, even if it was just an 'exhibition,' clearly Jeter is giving the fans the finger. On Saturday, he had no problem being everybody's hero going five for five and getting his 3,000th career hit on a homerun. But all of the sudden on Tuesday, the game's media whore proclaimed 'most liked player' is saying he's too tired to play for three innings of game he plays 200 other days of the year for nine innings?

Any story about Jeter dogging it, should be just that. Jeter is dogging it. He's bought the media whore hype that he can do no wrong. And for the record, during the all-star break, Jeter is recovering from his 'mental and physical exhaustion' by hanging out with his girlfriend in Miami.

It makes us wonder how important home field advantage really is to baseball players. It really did not mean a thing to the 05 Angels that went back to Anaheim for three games after a split in Chicago. They lost all three games and the series four to one.

And let's look at one last obvious factor. If Jeter sluffs of an All-Star game because 'it's just not important enough' and therefore 'the exhibition game should not have World Series home field advantage tied to it,' then who ultimately benefits from restoring the exhibition factor to the all-star game? Oh that's right? Jeter's New York Yankees benefit. C'Mon!

It's sort of ironic that while the media whores drone on about the system being unfair, the All-Star game has actually leveled the playing field a bit. No longer, can the New York Yankees buy home field in the World Series. In fact, that is why MLB alternated World Series home field advantage between leagues for decades!

In conclusion: STFU media whores. Fans have embraced the high stakes all-star games. We don't want to hear your constant whining and shameless attempts to broker a different reality.

Picture 1: Being the psychopath he is, Pete Rose attempts to stare down Ray Fosse after effectively ruining his career during an 'exhibition game.' (1970 All-Star Game)

Picture 2: Even stumbling as he made his final approach, Rose was going to beat the throw in plenty of time. He still decided to needlessly plow into Ray Fosse in a fit of rage. The media whores will the play as a pure testament to sport though.

Picture 3: (Minka Kelly also pictured) Derek Jeter's exhausted. Those months he gets off during the winter are not enough! He clearly needs to sit out a few innings of an All-Star Game so that he's fresh for the final seventy or so games.

Tragedy at The Ball Park In Arlington

2011-07-08T23:54:00.001-07:00

Our Thursday Rememberance

2011-07-07T05:41:00.001-07:00

Larry Bird's Passing Skills

Albert Pujols: On HGH and Roids

2011-07-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

Forget about sports, have you ever heard of anybody recovering from a broken wrist in two weeks?

Well if you're Albert Poop Holes; excuse me, Albert Pujols, that is how you do it. The man who broke his wrist on June 19th was ready to return to action on the day that his 15 day DL stint ended. He played a day later.

The man long suspected of using HGH (and other anabolic steroids); the man that defended Barry Bonds to the hilt; the man who's personal trainer, Chris Mihlfeld, distributed steroids to Jason Gimsley (according to Deadspin); has now made an unprecedented return to health.

The return to health can be explained by two reasons. The first reason is the logical reason; Pujols cheats and uses HGH, a substance known to drastically increase healing time. The second reason is the reason that only slobbering fans and politically correct cohorts (E.G. Anybody in the mainstream media) dial up: that Albert Pujols is an unnatural freak of nature.

We all remember it well, the pivotal Game 5 of the NLCS; the night that Albert Pujols hit the ball out of the atmosphere to morally crush the Astros. Pujols's Cardinals would go on to win the World Series. Or maybe we don't remember it that well. MLB for some (facetiously) odd reason has had pulled all of the videos of it off of Youtube.

MLB wouldn't want the obvious display of steroid use on file. They wouldn't want all the conventional wisdom that Pujols is a cheater to be the talk of the tube.

Once upon a time, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez all hit insane cannon shots one hundred feet beyond the fences. They've all been exposed as frauds. Yet for some reason, we are to believe that Albert Pujols is the one guy that is that one freak of nature? He's the one guy that has broke the mold and only done what cheaters have been able to do?

Sadly, there is no smoking gun. However, we are sitting in a pile of smoke. The smoke is in our lungs and we are now coughing up our lungs. The person or persons that may be sitting on the smoking gun needs to hold it up already.

Shots Heard believes that Pujols likely will be caught. We expect his arrogance to be his downfall. Barry Bonds went from skinny to the Incredible Hulk overnight. He rubbed our faces in his cheating. Pujols is rubbing our faces in it too. He has no problem showing off the fact that he's 'getting away with it.' That is why, he did not even bother to lay off the HGH for his broken wrist.

Pujols will be exposed as a cheat. Mark my words, write them down and see if they don't come to pass!

Jimmer lands in Sac Town

2011-06-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

Classic WWE Basketball Finals Moment

2011-06-26T22:23:00.000-07:00

In the history of David Stern rigging playoff series, the 2006 WWE Basketball Finals between the Dallas Mavericks likely only ranks behind the 2002 WWE Basketball Conference Finals as the biggest rig job.

To celebrate that rig job, WWE Basketball (AKA the NBA) has released a video showing Dwyane Wade's favorite moment. Watch as Wade does a spin move and takes about five steps towards the rim. It was one of many blatantly bad calls or missed calls by the interficials.

Also, as long as we are on the subject of the 2006 NBA Finals (2006 WWE Basketball Finals) being rigged; it is worth noting that David Stern has pulled all of the great Youtube videos that chronicle the corruption. He knows that 'the ball don't lie' but sometimes the whistle does.

Bonus - Taj Gibson posterizes Dwyane Wade

A Classic Dirk Moment

2011-06-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

Bonus

Major League Baseball's self imposed star deficiency creates an inferior product

2011-06-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

Even before the 2011 Gold Cup, I've recently found myself watching soccer and tuning out baseball. It's two 45-minute uninterrupted halves. The players are fit, athletic and skilled. And teams play about twice a week so the value of the victory is not watered down.

Baseball has none of those aspects. The pitchers and batters spit and grab their crotches for ten seconds between each pitch. Commercial eye sores are on the outfield walls and thhe players are fat. And if you're team loses, well there's 161 more games to go (not including the postseason).

So why then is a sport that is desperate for an young talented athlete like Bryce Harper systematically locking him out of the major leagues?

We know the stale arguments. If you bring him up to fast...

Tell that to Ken Griffey Jr. The Mariners brought him straight to the majors and he dominated right away. For a time, he was even on pace to break Hank Aaron's homerun record. One could reasonably expect the same type of career from Bryce Harper.

But because of baseball's pathetic collective bargaining, the Nationals are systematically locking Harper out of the league so that he can develop. Of course it is no secret that a team like the Nationals would have to pay Harper more money in long run if they brought him up this year. Consequently, the Nats general manager, Mike Rizzo, has already boldly stated that Harper will not play this year.

Major League Baseball expects billions of dollars each year from their fans and this is how they repay them? By locking away their brightest star down on the farm?

Nonetheless, if MLB wants to systematically lock out a player that is more than capable consistently knocking towering homeruns, then fans have other entertainment options. And while teams like the Nationals attempt to save millions, MLB is collectively losing millions by putting an inferior product on the field.

Who knows though. Maybe if baseball insists on putting inferior talent on the field, it will pay off. It works for the WNBA right? Oh wait.....

Picture: Bryce Harper

Jimmer will make Disney Sports Network reporter, LZ Granderson eat crow

2011-06-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

Disney Sports Network writer, EZ Granderson wrote a column, stating that despite the lost endorsement revenues, Jimmer Fredette would be better off playing for the Sacramento Kings and not the Utah Jazz. His conclusion could be correct.

The truth is, the Utah Jazz needed Jimmer more than Jimmer needed them. The Jazz cost themselves millions upon millions in revenues by not doing what it took to draft Jimmer. (Nevermind the fact that they will be worse on the court too.)

Back to the issue at hand though. Granderson's conclusion may be correct, but his supporting points just show the subtle Jimmer hating that you can expect to see until he's holding up a Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Granderson: "Jimmer ain't all that."

This is actually is least objectionable point. Mainly, because he seems to be arguing that Jimmer perhaps is over-hyped when in fact he may be just a serviceable or good player at the end of the day.

Like all the critics, who in the back of their mind, know just how good Jimmer really is; Granderson immediately hedges after declaring, "Jimmer ain't all that." He goes on to say, "Now, that's different from saying he isn't going to be successful. I love his game."

Granderson puts himself in a position to say that he called the hype or to put a positive spin that Jimmer even exceeded his expectations. Either way, he's covered. Perhaps that's reasonable. It seems like watered down analysis in my view though.

Granderson: "But he isn't a franchise savior, and in Utah, his relentless fame would've miscast him in that role."

Hmm. Now Granderson is starting to take a little bit more of a hard line. He is admitting his belief that Jimmer has a very earthy ceiling.

Of course, that doesn't mean that he's completely selling out Jimmer before he even sees him step foot on an NBA court. There is nobody in the NBA right now that can pull up and drill a shot like Jimmer. There are few players in the NBA right now that can finish in the lane like Jimmer. And the guy does it while playing point and getting others involved. If that's not franchise savior potential then what is?

Granderson: "The Kings already have budding stars in Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins to carry the burden of taking the last-second shot."

Yea and the San Antonio Spurs have Richard Jefferson and DeJuan Blair to carry the burden of taking the last-second shot, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. The ball will be in the hands of one of their sharks, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili or Tony Parker.

Quite frankly, it was this Granderson statement that gave away his jealousy of Jimmer and that he is likely rooting in secret rooting for Jimmer to fail. His declaration is so far away from from reality that that is about the most rational explanation I have to figure the cause of his statement.

Tyreke Evans was constantly missing last second shots last season. He knows it and we all know it. Evans is an all-star caliber player, but at 29 percent from three he is the less than ideal person to have the ball in his hands down two or three with the clock running out. Sure you might run some plays through him because he is a distributor. But let's not pretend that Jimmer can relax so long as the ball is in Tyreke's hands. That is just truly stupid.

And the idea of DeMarcus Cousins taking a shot with the game on the line? That guy is not a shooter. He shot 43 percent from the floor and his game is based on chippies. Decorum prevents me from saying just how stupid Granderson's rationale that Cousins is a closer for the Kings.

Granderson: "Jimmer can go to Sac-Town, be inconsistent (like most rookies are) and find a way to be a contributor without the pressure that being Jimmer in Utah would have brought."

This is just another statement that shows that Granderson just doesn't get it or he's jealous and wants to defy reality or both. Jimmer doesn't need a pressure valve. Jimmer is the pressure valve. The guy thrives on pressure. He lives for it.

He's already carried the town of Glenn Falls, the state of Utah and Mormon Nation on his back. Never at any point has he shied away from the pressure. When the game is on the line, it would not matter if Kobe Bryant was his teammate. He would want the damn ball. And furthermore, he has the skill set to expect the damn ball in Sacramento.

Being the team player Jimmer is, he might defer to Tyreke in the early going. But once he Jimmers a few teams that will change. He will be the man when the game is on the line. And he would not have it any other way.

And by the way, what's with the expectation that Jimmer will be inconsistent? Jimmer is a great shooter that can create his own shot. That means he'll have some off nights and keep on shooting. But don't expect inconsistent to be a word that describes Jimmer. That's just silly. Again, we see how Granderson is eager to lump Jimmer in with the prototypical player that struggles early in his career.

Jimmer is not prototypical though. I can guarantee that it'll be boom or bust. And frankly, my money is on boom. Expect Jimmer to turn any heads that aren't already turned. And in Granderson's case, to open the eyes on his already turned head.

Granderson: "In Utah, the public pressure to have him in the starting lineup would've made second-year coach Ty Corbin's life a living hell. Now he gets to see how lottery picks Kanter and Alec Burks (who the Jazz took at No. 12) fit in, as opposed to having to make room for Jimmer.

Sadly, Granderson seems to have nailed how Jazz management seemed to view the Jimmer situation. The Jazz seemed to be paying lip service to wanting to get Jimmer at 12 while hoping that someone would bail them out before that. It would have been interesting to see the Jazz pick at 12 with Jimmer still on the board.

The fact that the Jazz never committed to Jimmer if he was still on the board at 12 really says a lot.

But let's get back to Granderson. First off, 'pressure to put Jimmer in the starting line-up' should not be viewed as problem. Jimmer is already slated to be the Kings starting point guard at opening tip of the 2011-2012 season. Pressure to make a starter worthy player into a starter should not be viewed as a negative at this point.

As for Kanter and Burks, they are bigger risks than Jimmer ever was going to be. We suspect that Kanter can contribute right away. However, there are doubts that he'll ever truly live up to the billing of being a three pick. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the Jazz were hoping for a Gasol or Nowitzky and may not even get another Okur.

As for Burks, his earthy ceiling is Raja Bell. Don't ever expect him to be better than that. So the Jazz did not even upgrade with their twelfth pick! And do not be surprised to see Burks toil in the D-League for two years, maybe even lead the league in scoring and then toil in the NBA a year or two before getting cut. One Morris Almond comes to mind.

The Jazz passed on a potential MVP candidate in Jimmer Fredette while drafting two players that quite likely will never come close to making an all-star team. The Jazz would have been much better off with that "public pressure."

And who says public pressure is a bad thing anyhow? In the end it's that public pressure that would have drove Jimmer to thrive while the Jazz counted their millions.

Granderson: "Sometimes, it's better not to go home again."

Then again it usually is. That's why people routinely head home for the holidays. In Jimmer's case, a support system would have been awesome. Granderson is making the mistake of presupposing failure when Jimmer believes in himself more than any other player in the draft. If Jimmer somehow does not pan out, it won't be because of superficial excuses like hometown pressure.

Granderson: "This way, if Jimmer is a bust in Sacramento, he'll still be worshipped in Salt Lake City."

No matter what, Jimmer will be a Salt Lake City celebrity. So that is just fallacious logic. Anyways, he seriously overlooks Jimmer's potential. Jimmer full well expects to get it done on an NBA stage. In the event of failure, falling back on his old time glory is not going to give him any extra measure of consolation at the end of the day.

If Jimmer were happy with his Glenn Falls glory or his BYU glory he would have never signed his personal contract to get to the NBA. In fact, it is time for Jimmer to sign another contract; to be an all-star and an NBA champion. He probably already has!

Granderson: "This way, if free agency or a trade down the road brings him back to Utah, fans won't be frothing at the mouth with unrealistic expectations."

This seems to be a misleading statement. Is it unrealistic to expect Fredette to be an elite NBA player? One could make the case. Is it unrealistic to think that he may be an elite NBA player? Not at all. Granderson seems to have all but written off that possibility.

Regardless, Granderson is missing the larger point. Boom or bust, the Utah fans were ready to roll the dice and accept the outcome. Nobody in Utah doubt Jimmers abilities or his heart. They are in his corner regardless of the outcome.

Consequently, the Jazz management have done their fans a great disservice. Nobody in Utah was going to hold Jazz management's feet to the fire if Jimmer did not work out. Sure the national media would do some hit pieces about a Jimmer bust. But they'll do a lot more hit pieces against them when Jimmer works out in Sacramento.

Granderson: "...Kings'coaching staff who weren't convinced Fredette is the right player for them, according to reports on Friday -- about his quickness, his size, his defense... he still has to prove he can handle playing point."

There is not one player in the NBA draft that does not come with doubts. So how is this really at all relevant? The Cleveland Cavaliers would not commit to Kyrie Irving until the last possible moment because they doubted how good he could really be.

There is no need to play doubt card. Solid players like Kawhi Leonard (among others) were still on the board at ten. The Kings clearly believed in Jimmer or they simply would have taken a pass.

And come on! 'Reports' don't mean a thing. As far as I am concerned, nobody on the Kings staff was likely to have been throwing Jimmer under the bus before he even stepped on the hardwood.

These 'reports' are just predictable manufactured garbage by media wanting to sell a tired story.

Granderson: "...so he'll (Jimmer) be under some pressure. But it's nothing like he'd have experienced in Utah."

Nonsense! The reality is that Jimmer had the more attention on him for the single elimination 2011 NCAA Tournament than any other player in NCAA Tournament history. CBS and ESPN pretty much ran marketing campaigns to trumpet him. Until Jimmer reaches a Game 7 of an NBA Finals, he'll never face more pressure than what he has already faced.

Granderson: (End of article) "Now maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Jimmer would've been just fine in Utah. Maybe his game would've blossomed there and he would've had an All-Star career. Maybe. But as a fan, I'm glad he doesn't have to find out."

Granderson does not end on his subtle Jimmer bashing schitck. Instead, he gets in a final round of hedging. Weak!

Granderson even concedes Jimmer's all-star potential. Funny. One would have never even considered such a notion while reading the first ninety-five percent of the article.

Finally, Granderson metaphorically slaps every Jimmer/Jazz fan in the face. As a fan he's allegedly glad to not see what Jimmer would have done in Utah? Are you kidding me? Every real Jimmer fan wanted to either see Jimmer go to Utah and/or play for his/her team. Don't claim to be a fan of Jimmer, Granderson. You are not a Jimmer fan. You are a Jimmer hater and you know it.

Picture: LZ Granderson

New York Knicks Managment: Heads up their asses

2011-06-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Disney Sports Network reporter Rachel Nichols just relayed on the 2011 NBA Draft broadcast that the Knicks would not be trading up to draft Jimmer Fredette becaus "the price was too high."

The price - Toney Douglas or Landry Fields. - To put it in net lingo LMAO, ROFL.

As a Celtics fan that just watched my team sweep the Knicks out of the playoffs, I can say that neither of those players were so wonderful. In fact, neither of those players would have even been in the Celtics playoff rotation.

I'm glad that I am not a Knicks fan. Knicks management thinks the formula to success is trading away key pieces like Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton for the the no defense diva, Carmelo Anthony and past their prime players like Chauncey Billups. They think it's a good idea to hold tight to throw away pieces instead of going and getting arguably the best player in the draft.

One only has to notice that the Knicks played terrible after the Carmelo trade while the Nuggets played much better without their alleged super star. Super a-hole is more like it.

JR Smith had no problem reveling in the trade.

"Everybody is playing together. We got eight guys in double figures (in Saturday's 131-101 win over Detroit). I think we can count on one hand how many times that happened before the trade."

It sucks to be a Knicks fan. Oh well. They aren't my dog in the race, so it's all good by me.

Picture: Rachel Nichols

Picture: Jimmer Fredette

NBA GMs and Media: Jimmering themselves

2011-06-23T05:23:00.000-07:00

Here we are only hours away from the draft and the conventional thinking is that the 2010-2011 college basketball player of the year, Jimmer Fredette will be drafted as high as 7th by the Sacramento Kings or as low as 17th by the New York Knicks.

But why not draft him number first overall? Of course, this might seem like a silly question if there was a Shaq or a Jordan or even a C-Webb on the table. But here's the thing; there is no can't miss prospect on the table. And for our dollar, Jimmer Fredette is the closest thing to a cant miss!

A wise GM would draft Fredette with the number one overall pick. Or rather, given the lay of the land, he would trade back to five or six and then draft him. But certainly Fredette is worthy of being the number one overall pick.

Opening Argument (Why Jimmer Fredette is worthy of the number one overall selection)

Fredette is the best shooter to come out of college since Larry Bird. How is that type of player going to go drafted anywhere below the top five in the shooter deficient NBA?

With 2:27 left in Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals with the Miami Heat down 10, the Heat came out of a timeout. Who's number do you think they called? Ah, the great who will get the shot when you need it debate: Lebron or Wade.

It was Eddie House who took the three pointer out of a timeout in a play that was clearly drawn up for him. And why not? Wade or James couldn't throw a rock in the ocean.

If Fredette was on the court his number would've been called. We've seen him pull up on a dime from forty feet away and hit a three. We've seen him go off a screen and pop a three. How many NBA players can do that consistently as Fredette? We would argue zero. Though we would admit that guys like Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry certainly may come close.

Rebuttal: To the predictable and stale arguments

Argument: Jimmer is too slow.

What? Anybody that followed J.J. Reddick's career at Duke, knows that the entire Blue Devil game plan was to run Reddick off screens and get him a three. He was too slow to create shots for himself.

Despite that obvious deficiency, Reddick is a quality rotation player that occasionally starts at the NBA level. And it's worth noting that he has actually improved his ability to create shots while doing it at 'the next level.'

Of course besides the shooting prowess, Jimmer Fredette and J.J. Reddick are no the same player. Did the critics bother watching Fredette play? He drove to the basket at will against anybody. When the tournament rolled around, teams knew what was coming and they still could not stop it.

Why? Because he has a crazy quick cross-over when they get up in his grill and if they sag back he'll nail a forty footer in their eye. It's pick your poison. And when Fredette did drive to the rim, he nailed off balanced shots with Manu Ginobili styled precision.

The slow argument is a complete farce (especially on the offensive side of the ball).

By the way, it's worth noting that Jimmer's vertical at the NBA combine, was measured at 36 inches. He's not the slow white guy that can't jump.

Argument: Jimmer's too short

Jimmer is listed 6'2". Kyrie Irving is listed at 6'3." Too short? C'mon. Is Chris Paul too short?

Argument: Jimmer can't play defense

Out of all of the concerns, this may be the most valid concern.

Still, Jimmer was not asked to really play defense at BYU. And why would they? He was their offensive motor and it hurt the team if he fouled out or tired himself out on defense while consistently playing all forty minutes. Not to mention, his back court mate Jackson Emery was only the greatest BYU defender in BYU history and he was great at picking up the defensive slack for Fredette.

Jimmer may surprise us all and turn out to be a solid defensive player. But for a moment, let's assume he ends up being a sub-par defensive player. Is it really as big of a deal as we think it is? The truth be told, how many 'Kobe stoppers' are there anyways?

Teams are not fashioning their defenses to clamp down on outside shooters. The Mavericks played zone almost the entire 2011 NBA Finals. Lebron James and Dwyane Wade's resulting shooting made Shaun Marion and the old geezer, Jason Kidd, 38 look like defensive wizards. Do we really think Jimmer would play much worse defense than them?

Argument: 'We're just not sure his game will translate at the next level'

Here's the cold hard truth. Many first round picks never pan out. A significant number of lottery picks never pan out. And in some cases even first overall picks like Kwame Brown (2001) never come close to even making it to an All-Star game.

Anyone using this argument, is really just being indecisive and lazy. They are straddling the fence. They know damn well whether or not they think Fredette will make it at the next level.

By the way, it's not just the run of the mill free-lance journalist or Disney Sports Network 'expert' saying these things. Following BYU's Sweet Sixteen exit, Colin Cowherd ran a promo saying, 'Jimmer Fredette coming to an NBA bench near you.'

Dan Patrick joked about a random person's tweet about moving the his scoring stats two decimal points to the right. So instead of averaging 28.9 points, he would be averaging 2.89 points per game. He made sure to point out that was not his thought per se. In other words, he's happy to say he knew all along that Jimmer would be a bust if it happens. But still, he's not really sure and more than willing to hedge isn't he?

Clearly, DP was being a weenie. We can actually respect Cowherd for taking a stand and even believing in it enough to run a promo on it. Of course, he'll be eating crow.

Shots Heard is calling it now, Jimmer Fredette will be an NBA all-star. We feel more confident predicting that about Fredette than any other player in the draft.

Argument: Jimmer might be the next 'Insert crappy white guy high draft pick bust.'

Adam Morrison, Shawn Bradley, Darko Milicic. Sure they were all high draft pick busts. Yea, they all happened to be white. Then again, players like Larry Bird, Chris Mullin, John Stockton, Peja Stojakovic did pan out just fine. Why are a few white busts making GM's so gun shy?

It's ridiculous. If Fredette were black, he'd be a no brainer for the first overall pick. NBA GMs and critics need to drop the white voo doo politics and believe what their eyes.

Kevin Durant didn't let that seed of doubt or rather white bias, grow in his mind when he tweeted 'Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world!'

Considering the weak draft class

Let's repeat: Jimmer Fredette is the closest thing to a 'can't miss prospect' in this craft class. To understand that further, we need to look at just some the most touted players in the draft.

Kyrie Irving

Irving typifies just how weak the 2011 draft. In many draft years, we are not sure that Irving would even be a lock to be a lottery pick. Nothing about Irving stands out, not his speed, strength, shot making, passing, physical presence (he's listed 6'3"). Nothing!

We're pretty sure that the experts bought their own hype about how well Duke played at the start of the season with him in the line-up and how bad they played when he went out. But do they somehow forget that he was in the line-up when the Arizona Wildcats crushed them by 20 to end the Blue Devil run?

The apologists will point out that maybe Irving's toe was not healed. Maybe that's a fair enough point (maybe it really isnt'). But do they really see something so stellar in his play at the end of the day?

Irving marks the first paper first overall pick. Last year he averaged 17.5 ppg 'in a system' while shooting over 50 percent from the floor and over 90 percent of the line. But the truth be told, nothing about his individual skills leads us to believe that his skills will actually translate at the next level.

How come nobody is actually bringing that up? It seems like a double standard; one standard for the black player and another for the white player. The truth is Irving just succeeded in a system while Jimmer was just told go score the damn ball. What is actually more impressive when you think about it?

Derrick Williams

William reminds me of another former number one overall pick, Kenyon Martin. Just like Martin, Williams is a a four that can shoot. He can even shoot a bit better than Martin. Both of them are/were athletic fours that could rock the rim.

Besides their games, Williams matches Martin's same bad attitude. Like Martin, Williams talks and talks. When Williams found out Cleveland had the number one overall pick, he tweeted that he could fill the void that Lebron James left. It's the type of tweet that a younger Martin would have tweeted. And frankly, Martin's attitude made him think that he didn't have to work on his game.

Of course they are not dead ringers. Martin was a three point eight. He was mainly a four but he could play a little three in a tall line-up. Martin on the other hand is a three point five. That does not bode well for him at all. It means he'll get man handled when he plays the four and out quicked when he plays the three.

Williams will contribute right away, but it'll take a couple years for his body to mature into a three or four. And even then, the kid is no lock to be an all-star.

It's also worth noting, that Williams draft stock rose on account of his 32 point, 13 rebound performance against Duke in the tournament. But what did he do in the previous game against Texas? How about 17 points on 4-14 shooting and only 9 for 15 from the line. And what did he do in the game after Duke, against UCONN? Try 5-13 shooting for 20 points and only 5 rebounds.

Clearly Williams is not a consistently dominant player. He is simply capable of having a strong outing.

Enes Canter

He's a European player that has Dirk Nowitzky potential. But perhaps that is just a lot of hype. We really have no idea at this point if he'll even not be a bust. We are sure that there is a European player that every year is called the next Dirk. But in the last thirteen years we haven't exactly seen the next Dirk have we? (Unless you count the real Dirk resurrecting his career and winning the championship this year).

Brandon Knight

Knight is expected to be a top five pick. Had he stayed in college for two more years he would have possibly made it to the number one overall pick status. Then again, he might have exposed a ceiling on his game and slid to the mid first round.

Either way, Knight is not what Obama would call a 'shovel ready project.' He likely will not start before his third year in the league. Think a more athletic Ty Lawson. Yea, that's how weak this lottery draft class really is.

Kawhi Leonard

We actually think Leonard is an unpolished Paul Pierce type of player. And just like Pierce was overlooked, so is Leonard being overlooked. At the end of the day, the only one with a bigger chip on his shoulder than Leonard, might be Jimmer.

Like Pierce, Leonard can shoot the three and he's very comfortable operating in the high post. His shot is not as smooth as Pierce's shot. But he is a monster rebounder. He would possibly be the best three/four combo

player rebounder in the league right away (Kevin Love is a four five combo rebounder for the record).

Jonas Valunciunas

He's predicted to go as high as four overall. He's probably just the next Eric Montross (speaking of white busts). He's certainly not a player that any GM with a half a brain would take over Jimmer. Of course, most GMs apparently don't have half a brain.

Jan Vesely

He's put a few nice poster dunks on some other white guys and now people are hyping him. But the reality is that the 6'11" small forward is not even a poor man's Kevin Durant. He doesn't shoot from range or make free throws.

Tristan Thompson

We're guessing that in this weak draft class, NBA execs like his NBA ready body. But in many years he's not even a first round draft pick.

Kemba Walker

He's basically a middle class man's Chris Paul. Quickness and defensive prowess are his two greatest assets. How his shot will fall at the NBA level is an unknown. How well he can run a team is an unknown as well. He will have to develop greater court awareness, particularly in the pick and roll and his passing game. Inch for inch he is definitely the most athletic player in the draft.

Conclusion

So we see that this is not at all a top heavy draft (some would argue it is deep though). But there is one guy, one brand name that has that 'larger than life' presence with the skills to match. He is Jimmer Fredette. Besides his great game, Jimmer has great character. It's that same charcater that brought him to this point.

How many NBA teams have primadonnas infecting their locker rooms like a cancer? That is not Jimmer. It damn well is Williams or possibly a Walker.

How many GMs suffer while they watch their teams put up brick after brick? You won't have that problem with Jimmer. In fact, those GMs will be on their feet with fans as Jimmer routinely puts on a shooting exhibition.

As you watch draft night unfold, note each team that passes up on Jimmer Fredette. Each of those teams has a GM that likely won't be a GM in about two to three years. Because any GM passing up on Jimmer clearly does not know what he is doing.

Jimmer will make the naysayers pay.

Roses N' Gold

2011-06-23T03:01:00.000-07:00

The United States beat Panama 1-0 in their CONCAF Gold Cup Semifinal. Meanwhile Mexico beat Guatemala 2-1 in their semi.

It's on! The United States plays Mexico this Saturday night at the Rose Bowl for the Gold Cup Trophy!

Our Thursday Rememberance

2011-06-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

1990 - #1 Miami vs. #16 BYU (Opening Game)

Highlights

Full Game

Part 1 (Follow The Ending Tracks To Watch All Parts)

Historical Contrast

2011-06-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

In crunch time of the 2011 NBA Finals games, Dirk (Nowitzky) Daggerheimer stepped up his game while Jester (Lebron) James shrunk from the pressure.

Within the last five minutes of 2011 NBA Finals games when the game was within five points these are the two players stats:

Daggerheimer

26 points

8-13 FG

9-9 FT

+18 (Team)

Jester James

ZERO points

0-7 FG

0-0 FT

-16 (Pawns)

Source: The Disney Sports Network

Heading into the Lakers series, Charles Barkley called it best, stating that Dirk Nowitzky is the best closer in teh game right now.

As for Lebron James (and even Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh), well late in Game 6, coming out of a timeout and the Heat's championship hopes essentially on the line, they came out and executed a play for Mario Chalmers. That pretty much says it all.

Picture: LBJ can't mock nearly as well as he can choke.

Ohio Governor Disses LeJoke

2011-06-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

Buttheads!

2011-06-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Story

Come on and feel the noise!

2011-06-12T23:26:00.000-07:00

For years we have watched Dwyane Wade and Lebron James basically be selfish (on and off the court). Their selfish attitudes were only magnified during the 2011 NBA Finals.

We are hearing key words coming from Wade, James and even their apologist coach, Erick Spoelstra. We are hearing that we (and every other critic) is merely an 'outsider' and any possible criticism is merely 'noise.' All three of them have strategically thrown those words out there day after day.

It is easier for them to deflect than to absorb. It is easier to dismiss than to admit. It is easier to self praise than to accept criticism.

In the post Game 6 press conference, it is laughable to watch James repeatedly talk about how his only allegiances are to his teammates and himself. And he says it ad nausea, following the Nazi rule that if you say something enough that it will become true.

Lebron, it is not true that you are selfless. It is not true that you are mature. It is not true that you do not seek short cuts. This is not Nazi Germany and you can't brainwash us or 'market' your brand to the wise.

And certainly it is not about your teammates Lebron. Mo Williams just tweeted, "Dallas just healed my HEART."

After the Miami Heat's Game 5 loss, Lebron talked about how he could've made more plays. He was quick to point out that he still had a triple double though. He will always focus on his image. There is no real intrinsic value to the team concept.

Pawns don't have much value to a 'king.'

When Lebron was asked if it bothered him that so many people were happy he lost, he answered that they still would have their own personal problems and their own lives. Translation: 'No. I'm still better than them.'

Lebron, you are not better than somebody just because you have more power. Until you learn that lesson you will be plenty hated. Then again, when power is the barometer and not love then undoubtedly you have no intention of caring about such sense.

Lebron was literally crying as he left the court. But we should not make him any sort of sympathetic figure. He was not crying because he did things the right way and came up short. He was crying because he lost a degree of glory.

In our neanderthal sports culture, we've deemed rings to be glory and Lebron is still at zero. He wants to be the next Michael Jordan and zero is still a long way from six.

This video is dedicated to the D-Lame, Jester James and the 2011 Miami Heat. We're sorry that we lesser thans burdened you with our noise.

The Big Three are champs!

2011-06-12T22:23:00.000-07:00

What? Did you think we meant D-Lame, Jester James and the RuPaul of Big Men? No, we are talking about Dirk Daggerheimer, The Jet and The Kidd.

Picture: (Left to right) Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzky, Jason Terry

D-Lame and The Jester James

2011-06-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

Shots Heard blasted Dwyane Wade and Lebron James for mocking Dirk playing with a Game 4 illness. It was especially pathetic that after Wade and James did this video before Game 5, Wade ended up missing a half of Game 5 by faking a hip injury.

At least in the back of my mind, I wanted to believe that Wade saw something that made him think Dirk was faking the illness or even embellishing it.

But in a recent comments, Wade validated that he was a complete fool. Now he claims that he was really coughing and he blames the media for taking it out of context.

D-Wade? Try D-Lame.

On an off day, following Game 5, when Dirk caught wind of their mockery he called them out (as Shots Heard did), calling them "a little childish and a little ignorant."

Try completely childish. Wade is not just the child that gets into trouble. He is the child that does something stupid right in front of your face and then says he did not do it. The dude just ain't cool and by the way the D in D-Lame does not stand for Dwyane. You can figure out what it stands for.

As for James, his well documented antics are pathetic as well. A recent story talked about him texting an anonymous player and saying 'yo it's King James.' No it's not. You're a Jester in D-Lame's court.

WWE FInals Game 3: How the company men do it!

2011-06-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that David Stern uses 'company men' to interficiate basketball games and get the results that he wants. In Game 3 of the WWE Basketball Finals, his company men conveniently overlooked Haslem blocking Dirk like a linebacker while Chris Bosh sank what would be the game winning shot.

But before it even gets to the end of the game, the company men keep it close by making up fouls. In this play Wade flops on a rebound that he never had any chance of getting and the refs not only take away the possession from the Mavs, but they give Wade two free throws.

Announcer Jeff Van Gundy discusses Wade fooling the ref. But there was no fooling the ref. The ref called what he wanted to call. Wade just gave him the excuse he needed.

Goons! Hired goons! That's all NBA refs are.

Bonus shout-out: Van Gundy and fellow announcer Mark Jackson have constantly criticized the officiating throughout WWE Basketball Finals game. And then at one point in Game 4, they agreed that the NBA refs are the best refs in the world.

Really? Is that your version of Heil Stern? The man on the street would be a better ref and you know it! At least bad officiation goes both ways. Stern's agenda is ruining the game and you know it. Don't just kiss ass after the fact because you're sipping more than your fair share of the gravy a-holes.

Have they ever watched an international basketball game? The refs call the game right. Flops are not rewarded. Charges are charges. Blocks are blocks. Moving screens are moving screens. Stop pretending like officiating is an amazingly difficult task. It's not (at least for a significant portion of the population).

If WWE Basketball wanted to fix the reffing deficiencies they would. But that is not how the WWE Basketball Leauge works. Heaven forbid a real basketball game breaks out.

Stern desperately tries to avoid the wrong teams getting the glory (and the lower ratings). In the 2005 Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons, the two most fundamentally sound teams in league history squared off. Even Tim Duncan's nickname was 'The Big Fundamental.'

However, that series was one of the worst rated series in the post-Jordan era. That meant less money for Stern. Sometimes even Stern's company men cannot prevent the undesirable match-ups from occurring. But they will be ever vigilant in favoring the higher rated teams. The entire world knows that.

Congress should step in and make the NBA and the referees independent of each other. That may never happen. But in the meantime we don't need Van Gundy and Jackson giving us the good news and bad news Young Guns 2 style.

What's the bad news? There's only sh*t for commentary.

What's the good news? There's plenty of it!

The whiny bunch mock Dirk and pay

2011-06-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we posted an article blasting Wade for faking an injury and sitting out a half of the biggest game (Game 5) of the WWE Basketball Finals. We were not even aware that before the game James and Wade had mocked Dirk playing sick in Game 4.

Really Wade?

You're going to mock a guy that was clearly legitimately sick? How else do you explain Dirk missing the six shos in a row possibly for the first time in his career if not months or years. The dude had been making anything and everything before that night.

Now, I understand that the media and players often embellish their illness. To this day, I have no reason to believe that Jordan was that sick when he played in the Finals. Because frankly, if he was that sick he would not have been playing.

But there is no doubt that Dirk played a game while being under the weather. You could see it in his face. And down 2-1 in a series, Dirk was much more worried about actually winning the game than attention whoring it up.

Attention whoring is your game James and Wade. And your game is weak. Wade faked an injury (infirmity) in Game 5, the very thing he had just mocked! And then when he could not come back in the game and make a heroic comeback he decided that he had enough of that. He did not want to even worry about his pretend injury going forward.

Perhaps Wade learned a little something something from his fellow whiner, James. Last year in a game against the Bulls James tried to make his second free throw with his left hand. When he completely bricked it he spent weeks faking a right elbow injury.

In James own words, "it's nothing structural." It was merely a "funny bone" injury. Oh yea, I've had funny bone injuries and then ran around like my arm needed to be in a sling. JACKASS.

Lebron made such a joke of himself that one dude even made a twitter account mocking him:

http://twitter.com/#!/lebronselbow

And let us take time to remember this play by Wade. The dude charges into Brian Cardinal, gets right up and and makes two free throws and then acts like he got shot in the hip. JACKASS.

Wade and James mocked Dirk and then went out and lost Game 5. Idiots.

The sad thing is that we've seen this show before. Wade and James celebrated their Game 2 15 point fourth quarter lead right in front of the Mavs bench and then choked away the game.

The Heat have adequately proved the adage, 'fools mock but they shall mourn.'

Bonus: The third drama queen (Bosh)

'No respect!' for Jason Terry (and Jason Kidd)

2011-06-10T00:23:00.000-07:00

Perhaps Jason Terry is the Rodney Dangerfield of the NBA. He has been putting up numbers for years and where is the respect?

Even after he made the biggest shots of the pivotal Game 5, including the game clinching three in Lebron James eye; Michael Wilbon mentioned that the series was short on star power as there were only three (potential) Hall Of Famers in the series.

Wilbon was assuredly referring to the three drawing stars of the series, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzky. But Jason Kidd is undoubtedly a first ballot Hall of Famer. And more interestingly, what about Jason Terry? Is he not a future Hall Of Famer? One has to wonder.

But first, let us consider the Jason Kidd omission. He makes most people's top five or ten lists for all-time best point guards. He gets mentioned in the same breath as John Stockton and Magic Johnson. Certainly, Wilbon simply forgot that Kidd was a part of the series (as he's not that stupid).

It is a somewhat understandable error. By his own admission, J Kidd is not the 'ferrari' he used to be. Nonetheless, it is a glaring omission. After all, Kidd is still a team leader and a crucial component of the Mavs success on both sides of the court.

But the more compelling question is is Jason Terry a future Hall Of Famer? He has never been named to an all-star team. Could a man that has never been named an all-star be a Hall of Famer? It is a realistic proposition. He has had all-star types of seasons, averaging more than 19 in three seasons.

But it is his consistency combined with longevity that is compelling argument. He has averaged 16.2 ppg and scored a total of 15,537 points and he is closing in on 20,000 points.

Twenty thousand points is basically basketball's version of baseball's 3,000 hits. The unwritten rule in baseball is that any player that reaches 3,000 hits will go into the Hall Of Fame. In basketball, no player that has reached 20,000 points has been denied Hall of Fame status.

Terry is 34 and certainly he is nearing the twilight of his career. But if he continues to play at a high (but practical) level for four more season he can reach 20,000 points. Certainly he seems to keep in great condition and avoid injuries. So it certainly can happen.

And when it is all said and done, Terry will be remembered as Robin to Dirk Nowitzky's Batman. One would have to wonder if Dirk reaches two NBA Finals (and potentially wins one NBA Finals) without Terry.

Terry may not be a super super hero, but he is relevant in the scope of great success. Certainly he gets overlooked though (as Wilbon has shown).

Terry's that rare great player that does not go to all-star games (Manu Ginobili was in that boat for a long time). He might not get his due until he is giving a speech in Springfield!

Picture: Will 'The Jett' (Jason Terry) land in the Basketball Hall Of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts?

WWE Basketball Finals: The Heat's Big Three come up short in Game 5, but a potential Game 7 might be different

2011-06-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

The Miami Heat's Big Three could not get the job done. No we are not talking about the media's pretend Big Three of Dwyane Wade, Lebron James and Chris Bosh.

The Big Three does not include Bosh. Is that what you thought? Please! At times we hardly even remember Bosh is on the court! At best, Bosh is an x-factor.

No, we meant the big three of Dywane Wade, Lebron James and top company man, Joey Crawford. That big three did not pull the Heat to a Game 5 win. Although, Game 7 could be a different story.

With seven minutes left (give or take some seconds) in a close Game 5, the Disney Sports Network affiliate showed the Big Three gathered together. We only wish we had the picture to show you! Go back and watch the game and you'll see it.

It was perfect! No words needed to even be spoken. Wade and James just leered at Crawford as to say, 'we can't take this game over by ourselves. We're going to need ya big guy.'

Perhaps Crawford gave them a silly call or two from there. But he did not make any especially outlandish calls with regularity. One might even say he called it straight up (but Shots Heard would never pretend that Crawford is ever on the up and up).

Shots Heard called that Crawford would be the Game 5 and Game 7 referee. We know David Stern's game. Stern is an a-hole. We have no need to even sugarcoat that fact.

Despite Crawford predictably being chosen to officiate, it was clear taht Crawford would be saving his best game rigging stuff for Game 7. Frankly, a Heat win in Game 5 would likely only build momentum for a Game 6 series clinching win at home in Miami.

Neither Stern nor Crawford want a six game series.

Stern's pockets get lined by Game 7 earnings and that reality is reflected by Stern handsomely paying Crawford by the playoff game.

Crawford did his best to keep the game close by rewarding Wade with 12 free throws in 34 minutes. But he was not going to go so far as to absolutely throw this game for the Heat (2006 WWE Basketball Finals style) by putting Wade on the line every time a Mav breathed on him.

If there is a Game 7, Crawford knows who Stern wants win: THE HEAT. That is when the figurative heat will really be on him to make bogus calls or conveniently miss calls just like he did in last year's Game 7 WWE Finals in which he did Stern's bidding of ensuring a Lakers championship victory against the Celtics.

To win, James or Wade had to have a great game or Crawford needed to interficiate and throw the balance of the game. None of those things happened. But might it be a different story in Game 7. One thing is for sure, Stern's best company man, Joey Crawford will be officiating a Game 7 if there is a Game 7. It's sad that we know that (without actually knowing it). Sad.

Faker! Wade's childish antics cost him this time

2011-06-09T22:18:00.000-07:00

It seems appropriate that David Stern runs the NBA like the WWE because Dwyane Wade has taken WWE Basketball to the next level.

In the first quarter of the pivotal Game 5 of the WWE Basketball Finals, Dwyane Wade banged into Brian Cardinal (The Custodian). He was okay though. He even immediately asked his teamates to help him up. He made his two free throws and then suddenly he acted like he suffered a Bo Jackson career ending hip injury. He was faking (remember Shots Heard is based on calling it how it is).

While his team needed him on the court, he was milking his pretend injury and dreaming of his coronation as the latest great sports hero of our time. He even built up the drama by calling his return to the game 'questionable.' Of course, nobody believed that he was not coming back into the game. Well anybody that isn't a stupid idiot didn't believe that anyways.

Wade did not bother to come back into the game until half way through the third quarter. The game was still close. And with the Heat down for most of a close game, he did not even bother to pretend that the pretend injury mattered.

Of course, maybe the plan all along was for a rested Wade to come back into a still close game relatively late. Maybe it was a ploy. Either way, the entire ploy insulted the senses.

Often times, the aftermath verifies the reality. In this case, the aftermath would be the post-game press conference. When Jason Terry was asked to regard Wade's injuries he pointed out that Wade was as aggressive as ever.

When Wade was asked to address the injury, he admitted that it did not affect his play and he would not regard it further. The charade had left a bad taste in his mouth. Moreover, he knew it was something of potential folklore that had only melted down into a pathetic ploy gone wrong.

Want further proof that Wade was faking? He wasted no time declaring that he would be fine to play Game 6. There was no talk of an MRI or whatever have you.

How many times have we seen Wade get touched and act like he got blasted? He has always loved the attention for the wrong reasons. His bad behavior is constantly reinforced by officials giving him 'star calls.' This time, he paid the price.

Picture 1: Dwyane Wade is always looking to the refs (and viewers) for sympathy. It's no wonder that Charles Barkley call his team 'The Whiny Bunch.'

Picture 2: When this is your self image, you want to make a heroic second half entrance and lead your team to the promised land.

2011 WWE Basktetball Finals: The numbers do lie, Points in the taint

2011-06-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

Through four games of the 2011 WWE Basketball Finals, the Dallas Mavericks have shot 21 more free throws than the Miami Heat. The Phil Jackson approach to such numbers would be to think that the Mavericks are getting the benefits of the calls. That would be a fallacious approach to the matter (as was generally the case in Phil's history). Not all teams were created equal.

Let us consider why the Mavs should get to the free throw line more often than the Heat.

The Mavs size advantage

The Dallas Mavericks have three seven footers (Dirk Nowitzky, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood) who offensively perform on the low post. The Miami Heat have none. The closest thing they have to a low post presence is Chris Bosh, who is really a high post player and has no intention of consistently bodying up the Dallas bigs. For that matter, he has no intention of rough housing with anybody's bigs. Shaq knew what he was saying when he called Bosh the Rupaul of Big Men (Oh and special shout-out to the RealGM.com a-hole mods who thought it was cool to censor any and all conversation on that matter).

It's also noteworthy that the Heat would much rather see Haywood (the league's worst free throw shooter) on the line rather than shooting chippies. They will foul him on purpose and if the refs conveniently miss the call, all the better.

Mavs are ready for the James and Wade drives (and they do not need to foul)

It is true that Miami Heat stars Lebron James and Dwyane Wade can consistently use their quickness to get into the lane. But when it happens, the Dallas defense is geared to have helpers prevent easy lay-ups and dunks by those players. Of course that will leave somebody open, but let's face facts, the Miami role players are not inspiring fear in anybody.

The strategy is clearly to force the role players to make open shots or force James and Wade into bad shots. It's a solid strategy, but some of it is negated when interficials look for any excuse to turn a non-foul into a foul.

How often in this series have you seen Wade and James get easy driving non fast break lay-ups and dunks? You could probably count them on one hand.

There is just rarely a need to foul James and Wade. That fact is reflected in Game 1. In that game James and Wade shot a combined 7 free throws.

When David Stern inserted his Company Man Dream Team of Joey Crawford, Ken Mauer and Ed Malloy for Game 2, they called enough pretend fouls to put Wade himself on the line 12 times. The Heat went to the line 24 times that game to the Mavs 21.

Mavs have more players that frequently get to the rim

Besides James and Wade, who gets to the rim for Miami? That's right, nobody! On the Mavs side you have Dirk, Chandler, Haywood, Marion, Barea and even Terry. Even a player like Kidd is going to penetrate the lane more consistently then any third player on the Heat.

Essentially, foul shots are the result of getting to the basket and the other team not wanting to give up an easy basket. In a fairly officiated game it is unlikely that the Mavericks would have less than a ten free throw surplus.

***

It is all about Points In The Taint

During last year's WWE Basketball Finals between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers it was obvious just how many ways that the interficials could decipher the outcome. Shots Heard had to make up a term to describe it. That term was and is 'points in the taint.'

The Lakers won the points in the taint battle and their series clinching play was even a points in the taint play (Gasol landing/traveling before making his series clinching shot).

Back in the days of yore, teams that won the points in the paint match-up usually won the game. In today's NBA, teams like the Miami Heat (who have no low post presence) win games and series by winning the points in the taint battle.

Points in the taint comes in many fashions. It can come by the interficials allowing the Heat to bang against the Mavs on one end and calling touch fouls on the Mavs at the other end. That is actually the best way for the interficials to have an impact on the game. The cumulative effect of calling a game in that manner can turn a 20 point blow-out by the Mavs into a 4 point win for the Heat. This is a very under-rated tactic. And the best part for the interficials, is that there is no signature play that points towards unfairness or corruption.

Missed calls count too. At one point in Game 2, Wade dunked an offensive rebound into the hoop while it was easily over the cylinder.

Last but not least - more and more officials are using technical fouls to deflate a team's morale. On two occasions, the interficials have hit Mavs coach Rick Carlisle with a bogus technical foul. Both times, the refs made a bad call that was civilly objected by Carlisle. Yet, the interficials added insult to insult by t'ing him up. During the first such instance, announcer Jeff Van Gundy said he monitored the entire interaction and found absolutely no wrong doing (including cussing) by Carlisle.

In the previous three five game series, the Miami Heat out shot their opponents from the free throw line by about 50 free throws per series. Given how 'soft' the Miami Heat really are, that's a mind boggling stat.

The discrepancy was so profound that before the series even began, James and Wade were bragging about the touch fouls on drives being a part of their team's model for success. As a fan that watches that type of crap unfold, I'm sickened. It's like a victim having to hear his assaulter brag about the crime after the fact. And yes, the state of NBA officiating is a crime to the senses (and likely a real crime that has yet to go prosecuted).

Make no mistake. The Mavs have a free throw surplus, but the Heat are winning points in the taint. With each of the last (potential) three games being so much more critical we can only expect the points in the taint advantage to be more profound.

If the Mavs play their A game like they did against the Lakers, they willl win the series regardless of points in the taint. The same concept held true for the Celtics when they played the Heat. They were the better team on paper. But a tired team playing their C game lost that series in 5.

If the Mavs play their C game like they have been, they will lose this series.

If the Mavs play their B game, anything can happen, assuming the Heat don't bring their A game. But so-so jump shooting teams rarely bring their A-game. And the Heat's A game is only an A if good shooting is combined with good defense that leads to fast break points. That is a rare combination for the Miami Heat who are essentially a two and a half man team.

Either way, expect points in the taint to have a major impact on the conclusion of this series.

Picture 1: Eric Spoelstra and Dwyane Wade tell Joey Crawford how he can be a better interficial. Seriously, why do the officials insist on conferencing with the 'stars?' It's to make sure they are content and have reached their star call quota.

Picture 2: How often do we see it? Wade goes in for a lay-up free and clear, grazes against a finger and a ref blows his whistle for the and one. Sickening!

Picture 3: You won't catch Crawford sharing intimate looks with the 'mid market' team's players like he does with Dwyane Wade.

It's Go Time For Joey Crawford

2011-06-08T03:55:00.000-07:00

Despite David Stern's best efforts, the Mavs and Heat series is tied two to two after four games. For marketing purposes, Stern needs two Miami victories in three games for the Dwyane Wade / Lebron James 'Dynasty' to begin.

It's time for Stern to go to his best company man, Joey Crawford. Shots Heard is predicting Joey Crawford appearances in the most pivotal games, Game 5 and Game 7. Book it.

And if for some reason we are wrong and Stern does not want to appear so blatant in using Crawford in WWE Basketball Finals games 5 and 7 two years in a row, then still expect to see Crawford in Game 6 or 7 in Miami.

If the Mavs are up 3-2, Stern will use Crawford to stem the tide and at least get the series to a Game 7. If the Heat are up 3-2, Stern will save Crawford in the event that a Game 7 is necessary. The latter is optimal for Stern. He loves Game 7 money and having his best man on the floor when the series and financial vitality of the NBA are in the balance.

Bam! 'A Whole Lot Of Nasty'

2011-06-07T03:32:00.000-07:00

Tower Jumping (Tribal Style)

2011-06-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

Cavs for Mavs

2011-06-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

Cleveland fans hate Lebron.

Buy your Lebron shirt today (Or don't).

Buster Busted

2011-05-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Coach Nick's 2010 Analysis of Miami Heat (Versus Dallas Mavericks)

2011-05-30T00:56:00.000-07:00

Bonus: 2010-2011 Mavericks Versus Heat Regular Season Game Highlights

WWE Basketball...Stern predictably rigs Game 4 of Heat vs. Bulls

2011-05-24T21:54:00.000-07:00

True to the spirit of my word, I have not followed the Eastern Conference Finals charade. I know that the WWE has the higher rated Miami Heat slated for a victory. There is no need to watch a rigged fight. But just for fun, I flipped the channel to overtime of Game 4 of the Heat/Bulls. I did not bother to watch regulation.

First thing I did was to identify which company men were on the case.

Right away, I spotted Joey Crawford's bald shiny head (He is Stern's number one man). Bennett Salvatore was on the case. He is another Stern favorite. The third referee was Ed Malloy. He seems to have a Tim Donaghy heir about him. Malloy was the company man that needlessly ejected Paul Pierce during the fourth quarter of the 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2 Miami Heat win against the Celtics.

Stern was clearly serious about getting the Heat a crushing 3-1 lead against the Bulls. The line-up paid dividends.

Late in overtime, Lebron James drove to the basket, barreled into the chest of Joakim Noah and made a lay-up. James wanted the 'and one.' These days, 'stars' not only expect to have their offensive fouls ignored, they whine when they are not rewarded with free throws in such instances.

It's the Kobe Bryant Syndrome. How many times have we seen Bryant throw elbows, push defenders away and then drive to the basket get then get a ghost foul and one. I for one have seen it enough to know just how rigged the NBA is. But this is nothing new. Back in the 98 WWE Finals, Michael Jordan two hand pushed Bryon Russell away and then nailed a wide open shot to win the championship.

The no-calls are a huge weapon in the company men's arsenal. Never was this more true than in overtime of the Heat and Bulls. In overtime, the interficials (refs) swallowed their whistles when Lebron James traveled and when Dwyane Wade goal tended.

On the traveling no-call, James pump faked, and the defender lunged forward and closed out without fouling. With the shot clock winding down, James now had no space to take a good shot. That was no problem, he simply had to switch his pivot foot while literally taking two steps to free himself from the defender. It was an amazingly obvious travel, but the refs did not want to call the travel against their dog in the fight. James subsequently made the jump shot.

On the very next possession, Derrick Rose drove to the hoop, shot a scoop shot that was on its downward path when Dwyane Wade blocked the shot. Once again, the company men swallowed their whistle.

That four point swing sealed the win (and essentially the series) for the Heat. Stern gets what he wants; LBJ/Wade championship ratings. The company men will get rewarded with their per diem championship games and playoff bonuses.

It's ridiculous. It's not even a conspiracy theory any longer. We've seen this before. David Bowie said it best. 'The film is a saddening bore.'

Picture 1: 'This is my house!' Ed Malloy tells Paul Pierce. 'Get out of here! My Heat are going to win this thing! I don't care if Wade has to take out Rondo in Game 3! This is our series!'

Picture 2: No amount of pleading by Avery Johnson was going to stop Bennett Salvatore from fallaciously putting Dwyane Wade on the free throw line during the 2006 WWE Basketball Finals.

Picture 3: 'You'll get your chance smart guy!' Joey Crawford shows fans just how far he's willing to go to shut up the competition.

Our Thursday Remembrance

2011-05-19T22:40:00.000-07:00

Dubya's Freedom Pitch

Man embarrasses fat cops at Astros game

2011-05-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

When you think about it, this was probably by far the funnest thing that has happened at an Astros game this year. That's sad really.

The Wafffe -- Straight Milk Dawg

2011-05-15T23:57:00.000-07:00

Dan Patrick has the wifff. Shots Heard has the Wafffe.

Silly Von. Wafers are for dunking (into milk)

Miami Heat's playoff advancement is unfortuante

2011-05-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

The Boston Celtics could have won all five of their series games against the Heat. They consistently did not execute at key moments though. The better team lost. Nonetheless, the better team did not do what they were supposed to do and they deserved to lose (on a certain level at least).

However, it is still unfortunate that the Heat advanced to the next round of the playoffs. Now basketball fans have to endure another round or two of watching the NBA put them on the free throw line any time somebody looks at them wrong.

In the interest of disclosure, Shots Heard has always been a pro-Celtics website. But our annoyance is not based on sour grapes regarding the Celtics loss. Our annoyance is based on the league manufacturing points for the Heat and taking away from the game.

Constantly throughout the Celtics Heat series, Dwy-ane Wayne (learn how to spell Dwayne) and Lebron James would drive into the lane, lunge into a defender that was standing or jumping straight up; and the refs would call the defensive fouls. Sadly, we all knew that that would be the case going into this series. The NBA's dirty tricks are well known.

The only thing, more annoying then the fact that the interficials played this shell game of pretend fouls; was watching Wade and James become enraged when the fallacious calls weren't called. At one point James jumped into the chest of Big Baby Davis and put up a shot that KG blocked (all ball). LBJ and Wade both threw their hands up like babies despite the fact that the only possible realistic call would be an offensive foul.

Up 87-81 in Game 5, Wade drove into the lane, wildly charged into Nenad Krstic, who was standing straight up and then he threw a shot up that rolled off the rim and into a Celtic player's hands. The ref whistled Krstic for the foul. The call gave the Heat a break, two points and returned momentum to their side.

Krstic could only laugh and demonstrate that he was standing still with his hands straight up.But it's not really a laughing matter. It was not merely a missed call. It was an intentionally bad call that we have seen time and time again from Stern's company men.

We talk about the bs calls. We know they aren't a figment of our imagination. Yet under the Stern regime, the pattern ensues. That is because the pattern is not considered a problem.

It is notable that the corrupt Game 5 rigging came on the heals of Wade committing a flagrant 2 foul that dislocated star Celtics point guard, Rajon Rondo left elbow and effectively took him out of the series. Rondo had 6 points and 3 assists in Game 5. Those numbers are well below his averages. Those numbers are well below what is expected from a player known to elevate his game and constantly post triple doubles in the playoffs.

Adding insult to injury, the NBA did not bother to enforce their own rules and kick Wade out of Game 3 and suspend him for Game 4. It could have easily been the Celtics up 3-1 going into that game. The Celtics could have easily taken that rebound on the Wade miss and gone down and put the dagger into the Heat. And even had they choked, they would have likely won Game 6 at Bean Town.

The Eastern Conference Finals features arguably the three best players in the game; Wade, James and (Derrick) Rose. But the writers at Shots Heard does not plan on watching that high profile WWE Basketball match-up that is slated to go seven games (if Stern gets his way).

Let the peons that Stern is catering to, (especially) enjoy that series. It's not a series for fair minded fans though. Of course, what series is these days?

For those of you that do watch the series, enjoy watching Rose, Wade, James go to the free throw line every time someone breathes on them wrong. Enjoy watching Wade and James barrel into people and get put on the free throw line.

We at Shots Heard, were watching to see if the Celtics could rise above the fray that is Stern and his minions. It is a rooting interest that keeps fans watching sometimes. But Stern has taken away the default rooting interest; the purity of the game. Once a fan's team is eliminated, that fan has no need to 'witness' the ensuing bs.

We won't lie though. This is what the public wants. They want the Bulls and Heat. We are not so silly as to think that the ratings are not the bottom line in Stern's world. The NBA is but a microcosm of the world's corruption. We only speak to those with an embedded sense of pride; you know, the real minority.

NBA Nepotism alive and well in Celtics organization

2011-05-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

Austin Ainge just coached a brilliant 18-32, fifth place season for the Maine Red Claws. To reward that stellar accomplishment, his father and Boston Celtics GM has hired Austin to be a part of the executive team; proving once again it's not what you know but who you know.

Wade's flagrant 2 foul conveniently overlooked by the NBA, Media

2011-05-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

Game 3 of Celtics versus Heat

Dwayne Wade commits a flagrant 2 foul (see video) against Rajon Rondo.

NBA's Flagrant 2 definition - If contact committed against a player, with or without the ball, is interpret-ed to be unnecessary and excessive, a flagrant foul.

How is it a flagrant foul? We must establish how the foul is unnecessary and excessive. After Wade gets the ball knocked away from him.

Wade needlessly hinders Rondo's progress, by boxing him out and not going for the ball. Such a foul is considered unnecessary. Then he takes it to an excessive level by hooking and pulling him down to the ground with his right arm. As he was doing that, Wade also stuck back his left leg to give him power and leverage. That is excessive.

Were it not for Wade's unnecessary and excessive actions, Rondo would not have dislocated his left elbow. It's an injury that clearly limits Rondo's play going forward. Furthermore, the injury could have ended his season. The injury also could plague him throughout the rest of his career.

The NBA's blind eye towards Wade's flagrant 2 foul

If a call a flagrant 2 is called, then a player is automatically ejected and suspended and that player also is suspended for the next game. Wade should have been kicked out for the remainder of Game 3 and suspended for Game 4.

Even if the interficials (refs) do not call a flagrant 2, 'the league office' still reviews the play and can deem the foul a flagrant 2 and suspend the player for the next game.

Conveniently, the NBA did not do their job. Instead, Wade was predictably allowed to play a Game 4 taht the Heat won in overtime. The game puts the Heat up in the series 3-1.

The NBA has sent a message (time and time again) that the rules will be applied differently for star players (and certain teams). This instance was not an exception to the rule. It is the unwritten rule.

The media's blind eye towards Wade's flagrant 2 foul

Where is the media outcry? There is none. The media has millions of dollars at stake. They stand to make millions more dollars if the Heat make it to the finals.

You will not find articles, videos about the play being flagrant. Instead you can find articles about Lebron James characterizing the notion of the play being 'dirty' as 'retarded.' You get political correct condemnation from the media. Meanwhile, reality is completely ignored.

It is so ridiculous. It would be like someone reading this article and only condemning my use of the term 'blind eye' while completely disregarding Wade's Sacred Cow status.

And if they need more fodder, they could condemn the use of the term 'Sacred Cow.'

It's not about 'protecting the players'

We hear time and time again that it's about 'protecting the players.' Really? Rondo's career could have been ended on Wade's flagrant 2 foul. Yet, that fact is being overlooked. It's always going to be about protecting the NBA and the media's financial interests. That's what it's about. PERIOD.

Our Thursday Remembrance

2011-05-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

The man that unofficially is the all-time infield can of corn leader, Tim Salmon hit an infield can of corn on his last at bat. But it doesn't matter because he's our hero and we love him!

Shameless

2011-04-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

The WWE Basketball Playoffs continue

2011-04-19T02:03:00.000-07:00

Company man, Bob Delaney did David Stern's bidding last night. During the closing minutes of (First Round) Game 2 of Indiana versus Chicago, the most pivotal sequence was not a matter of players making plays. It was an interficial exhibition.

At one end of the court, the refs called a border line offensive foul on Roy Hibbert. And then on the next possession, Carlos Boozer plowed over Jeff Foster as he was trying to rebound the basketball. The ball went out of bounds, off of Foster. No foul was called. Bob Delaney was staring right at the play and he did nothing. He knows when to conveniently swallow that whistle and 'earn his money.'

The NBA got what they wanted; a win for D Rose (this year's anointed MVP) and the Chicago/National Market.

Of course, Shots Heard has no intention of keeping a daily log of the silliness. But make no mistake, this type of crap is going on every night in the NBA, especially during the playoffs.

David Stern is on notice for the umpteenth time. We know that you control who refs what games. We know that you give 'performance bonuses' for this type of officiating. We know why you pay refs much more money for playoff games. We also know exactly why you are paying per playoff game (and your interficials clearly get it too). We know that you block Youtube videos that chronicle the corruption.

The 2011 WWE Basketball Playoffs have begun

2011-04-17T02:19:00.000-07:00

The NBA is a joke. You know it. I know it. The whole world knows it. For the longest time, they've been rigging games. And the start of the 2011 WWE Basketball playoffs continued the pattern of obvious corruption.

Late in the Heat, Sixers game, Duane Wade drove to the basket. Nobody hit him but he fell down like he was walloped anyways. None other than Bob Delaney called the 'and one.'

Late in the Bulls, Pacers game, the Bulls were down four when Derrick Rose drove to the basket and threw up a flip shot that scored. Nobody touched him, but none other than David Stern's main 'company man,' Joey Crawford gave him the 'and one.'

This is just Shots Heard relaying what we saw in the highlights. We don't bother to indulge in hours of that trash. We all know David Stern's dirty tricks. It would be a conspiracy theory to believe that he was on the up and up!

Picture: Vince McMahon might as well be running the NBA.

Our Thursday Remembrance

2011-04-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

The Last Great Comeback Of Brett Favre's Career

Get a clue Giants Fan(s) - There is no appropriate occasion to glorify cheating

2011-04-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

People in the baseball world know about San Francisco Giants fan, Bryan Stow being severely beaten by Dodgers fans on the 2011 Opening Day. That is tragic and Shots Heard is making it clear that what we are about to opine about gives absolutely no justification to that type of behavior. That type of occurrence is an abomination.

Still, when Stow friends and family gathered together in a show of solidarity and support for Bryan on April 5, 2011, one (arguably trivial) detail still catches our eye.

John Stow, Bryan's cousin is wearing the uniform of the infamous cheater, Barry Bonds! Poor taste! Poor show!

There is no instance (even a vigil in which emotions are running high) in which this detail deserves to be overlooked. Bonds shamefully spit upon the institution of our National Pastime while making millions. And 'fans' that are still glorifying his name deserve to be called out in every instance.

Even as Shots Heard writes this, we are aware that nine out of ten people are going to deem us insensitive. You might say things like, 'you've missed the point.'

No. We get it. That is why we are making it perfectly clear that there is no justification for the Bryan Stow beating and we are painstakingly making it clear that it is an utter tragedy.That is simply not the focus of this article.

Simply, Shots Heard must adhere to its values. It is our mission to realistically discuss matters that the paid ass clown PC media won't touch with a ten foot poll.

Cheating is cheating. And glorifying cheating is glorifying cheating. And we have no problem calling out John Stow and other clueless Giants fans who are still justifying and glorifying Bonds behavior to this day. Get a clue John Stow. You're rooting for a cheater and no amount of sympathetic circumstances is going to get you a pass on this matter.

Pictures: John Stow, Bryan Stow's cousin.

Man Ram, The Next Rafael Palmeiro?

2011-04-08T19:32:00.000-07:00

Rafael Palmeiro hit 569 home runs and 3,020 hits. Before him, nobody in the history of baseball had hit either mark and was not voted into the Hall Of Fame on the first ballot. But none of those players were busted for using performance enhancing drugs or had waved their finger at Congress, claiming adamantly that he was on the up and up.

Today, Manny Ramirez 'retired' after receiving inside information that he would be banned for 100 games due to his third offense of using banned drugs. (By the way, why are players finding out ahead of time about these offenses? This demonstrates MLB's looming corruption.)

One has to wonder Man Ram will receive the Palmeiro treatment when he makes his way on to the Hall Of Fame ballot. Or will the media execute one of their patented double standards?

When that time comes, do not allow the media to throw out the Palmeiro's finger wave as a red herring. Cheating is cheating. When a player cheats, he is corrupting the game while being millions of dollars and often breaking records. It makes no difference whether he's piled shame upon shame and lied to Congress or committed perjury (Barry Bonds) or continued to hang out with his supplier (Alex Rodriguez).

Palmeiro's reaction to the 2010 Hall Of Fame Voting

"This is one of those dark days in my life. The last five years, ever since that incident, I've felt like they were putting me in a coffin and putting nails in. Today, they were throwing dirt on my coffin."

Picture: Well known cheaters, David Ortiz (left) and Manny Ramirez (right) embrace.

Our Thursday Remembrance

2011-04-07T03:13:00.000-07:00

Anaheim Angels: Garret Anderson (Left) and Tim Salmon (Right)

Who let the dog out?

2011-04-03T05:06:00.000-07:00

2011 NCAA Tournament: The Final Four - Evil Versus Good

2011-04-02T15:31:00.000-07:00

You ever hear the term Good Versus Evil and wonder, why does good get top billing? Of course you don't. Because it's good, right?

The lines are blurring though. More and more people think that Good Versus Evil is an archaic notion. Anybody that would believe in such a thing surely is some 'right wing, tea bagging, Christian Fanatic!' Right? Shots Heard believes in such a notion. And never in our three and a half years online have we ever pimped the Republican party, discussed the national debt or touted religion.

But today's Final Four is just that, Evil Versus Good. And just like real life, Evil has the upper hand and top billing.

The Evil - Kentucky And A University In Connecticut (Formerly known as UCONN)

Kentucky's John Calipari committed 'major violations' at UMASS and Memphis. The schools were 'punished' and what is Calipari's reward? Only arguably the 'best coaching job' in the nation. In the NCAA, cheaters do prosper.

A University In Connecticut's coach, John Calhoun was found guilty of major cheating. His punishment? He misses three games, NEXT YEAR. It's a laugher, we know. The NCAA truly is a joke. And when a company like the NCAA has no real ethics, then they have no idea just how pathetic they look. There's no seeing the forest for the trees.

Kentucky and A University In Connecticut represent 'The Power Six' conferences. They represent the group that has an unethical strangle hold, not only on college basketball, but college sports in general (See BCS). These are the 'money makers.'

These teams represent the NCAA's win at all costs attitude. These teams represent the millions of dollars of greedy executives. These teams represent the transition from pure sport to pure evil. If you ask Jim Calhoun if he is overpaid he will only take it as an insult. Money is not only the bottom line, it's the core value at these evil institutions.

The Good - Butler And VCU

Butler is just a little school that humbly does the right things. Coach Brad Stevens once remarked, "the greatest compliment I can receive is when a professor tells me I didn't know that student was on the basketball team until I turned on the television set and saw him in the game." Student athletes at Butler are not receiving improper benefits and special treatment.

That is a far cry from Calipari's Mempis, where Derick Rose cheated on the SAT to be a part of his win at all costs program.

VCU meanwhile is a the 'everyday man on the streets.' Maybe they are good, maybe they are a little bad. But they are not the real problem in college sports. We root for VCU because we root for 'the little guy.' Certainly their run in the tournament has been inspiring and epic. They show us that anybody can live the American dream.

But VCU represents the current bitter sweet taste of the American dream. They represent the affirmative action instituted by the Evil that runs the system. VCU got into the tournament ahead of 15 to 20 more qualified teams.

It divides. How dare we say VCU has not earned everything it got, right? Wrong. But certainly we do not blame VCU. They did nothing wrong. They just played ball with honor.

Just like real life, affirmative action is Evil's way of handpicking pawns and disregarding actual merit and accomplishment. There were more than fifteen teams that were more qualified than VCU to be in the tournament. But the committee wanted somebody that they thought would be one and done (like real life). And they wanted to look benevolent for throwing some crumbs on to the floor for 'the little guy.'

But we don't care about 'the little guy.' Honestly. The only one that ever truly cares about 'the little guy' is the little guy. In fact, we are not rooting for 'the little guy' more than we are rooting against AIG's and Bank Of America's of the world that are keeping the 'have nots' down.

What we care about is fairness. We don't care about affirmative action. Affirmative action is a means to give unfair benefits and divide 'the have nots' while Evil swims in their riches.

Are we really rooting for VCU or are we just rooting for an F U to the system? Shots Heard suggest the ladder.

Of course, in Butler's case, they are easy to root for. They have earned everything that they got (and then some). They have received lower seeds than they deserved and still beat against the system.

So...

So as you watch this Final Four, ask yourself. Are you for Evil or for Good? Perhaps it's time to pick up your cross and carry it.

Picture: Butler does it the right way, 'The Butler Way.' It's all blood, sweat and tears. It's an honest day's work for an honest day's pay.

2011 NCAA Tournament: Butler - Pitt Coaching Breakdown

2011-04-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

'The Butler Way' And The VCU Way - Hogging in on the media whores and NCAA Committee whores gravy

2011-03-31T01:10:00.000-07:00

Some readers of Shots Heard might think we are crazy to suggest the greedy corruption among the media whores and the NCAA Tournament Committee whores. The rest of you have common sense.

This video details this estimate; the Butler gained $639 million dollars worth of publicity from last year's tournament run. That does not include a total for their back-to-back Final Four appearance!

Ask yourself; if you were a 'major' school president that had control over who gets into the tournament and what teams and conferences get those millions then might you systematically limit and disparage the Butlers of the world?

And if you're a media whore and you received many more millions from UCLA making a Final Four than say a Butler, then might you play down the success of the 'lesser thans' and pimp those big market schools and subtly (or overtly) dismiss the small market schools? (Shout out to Doug Gottlieb on that one).

This year was no exception. The mutual systematic corruption of the media whores and NCAA Committee whores was primed and running as smoothly as ever when they locked out Harvard RPI 35 (Tied first place in The Ivy League), Cleveland State RPI 40 (a team that tied Butler for first place in the Horizon League), Missouri State RPI 41 (First place in MVC).

It was more important that the whores get their 18-13 USC Trojans and their eleven Big East teams into the tournament. There were millions of dollars on the line after all.

One would even ask; how did the fourth place Colonial League team, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) RPI 68, get into the tournament ahead of those clearly qualified teams? And you heard correctly; VCU was the fourth place team in that weak conference. One would never know that because the media whores have been careful not to touch that. Instead, they have mentioned 'three Colonial Conference teams making the tournament.' (It's a Jedi Mind Trick).

VCU coach, Shaka was living in a common sense field (if not 'reality') when he did not have his team engage in a selection party. We heard one media whore pimp that point when he stated that the coach was being sensitive to his seniors and not wanting them to have the rejection as their final basketball memory.

Hello! There is a little tournament called the NIT that they would have been invited to attend. Also, there is no shame in accepting the reality that more qualified teams were chosen to be in the tournament. (Freaking media whores.)

To repeat the question, why VCU? Why not the clearly more qualified Harvard, Cleveland State or Missouri State? For that matter (to name other more qualified teams), why not Colorado State, Witchita State, St. Mary's, Marshall, Southern Miss or New Mexico. All of those teams better RPIs and resumes than VCU. None of those teams were given an at-large bid though.

The answer is so simple. Money.

The committee whores gave USC an unearned eleven seed play-in game in the hopes that it would boost ratings in the coveted Los Angeles market (the second biggest national market). But the gravy train would end before it began if USC lost. So instead of putting a team like Harvard into the mix, why not throw in VC Who?

Besides, a team like Harvard could have knocked off USC and then devastated some of the 'major' teams as well. We all saw how their equal nemesis Princeton almost finished off Kentucky (a Final Four team) in the first round of a virtual Kentucky home game. The committee whores don't really want the 'underdog' taking their gravy (Despite what they say).

So yea, just throw VCU into the mix and let them get beat by 15 or 20. Que the tears of a small school dreaming large in the first round.

Except it did not happen that way. Ya'll know the story, VCU beat anybody and everybody from about every conference on their way to a Final Four.

And even though, CBS and ESPN will be touting the 'underdog angle' with vigor. Do not fall for that window dressing. They are crying in their milk. Millions of dollars have been lost.

Be happy. VCU and Butler have held up their middle fingers to the system. And one of them is going to keep holding it high as they enter the championship game. But lament the fact that their runs will not appear to do anything to spurn real fairness in the near future.

Ralph Nader calls for ending athletic scholarships - NCAA Football - SI.com

2011-03-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ralph Nader calls for ending athletic scholarships - NCAA Football - SI.com

Shots Heard partially agrees with this concept. We realize that Nader likely has unrealistic 'feel goodery' types of motives. It also smacks of the 'steal from the rich and give to the poor' mentality that only robs a person of the incentive to be prosperous.

However, Shots Heard recognizes the need to restore honor to academic institutions and to 'de-professionalize' student athletes. College athletics should be an institution for serious academic scholars. Those people that are not serious about education should not be getting undue economical advantages via athletic scholarships.

Shots Heard does not agree with 'needs based scholarships' but Shots Heard does support rewarding academic achievement and not pandering to the 'big money' college administrators who do not look out for the overall integrity of the institutions that they oversee.

Eliminate athletic scholarships and allow whoever is enrolled in an institution to try out for a program. But stop punishing the high school students that 'do it right,' by handing out scholarships to kids that never bother to ever even pick up a book (let alone know how to read a book).

Article Transcript:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is calling for the elimination of college athletic scholarships, saying the move is necessary to "de-professionalize" college athletes.

Nader's League of Fans, a group aimed at reforming sports, proposes that the scholarships be replaced with need-based financial aid. He says that would help restore academic integrity to college sports.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the proposal Thursday, ahead of its official release.
Nader, a former presidential candidate, argues that his plan would also help reduce the "win-at-all-costs" mentality in high schools, by reducing the incentive of college scholarships.

Amazing - It's Going To Happen Today

2011-03-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

The Jimmer show continues today with BYU's Sweet Sixteen game against Florida. Florida is a tough team that has all five starters returning. BYU is coming off of their 22 point blow-out of Gonzaga.

'You Are The Jimmer'

2011-03-21T23:26:00.001-07:00

The Pathetic State Of College Sports - Two More Schools Renamed

2011-03-21T20:42:00.000-07:00

Bruce Pearl Fired (Too Late), But Still Financially Benefits

Reference: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/ncaa/03/21/bruce.pearl.fired.ap/index.html?eref=sihp

The University Of Tennessee's decision to fire Bruce Pearl is too little, too late. They should have canned his ass a long time ago. But the school stuck with him through his suspension for violations.

How did he repay them? By committing more violations. What does UT do? They fire him, but they also let him keep his $950K salary. This is a public institution. Letting a dishonest character collect an exorbitant money to not work is a slap in the face to every American. None of us can f up our jobs and our companies and lie and cheat and draw damn near a million dollars in the aftermath. What makes Bruce Pearl so special?

Shots Heard will no longer allow for UT to have the honorable distinction of The University Of Tennessee status. UT will now be known as A Tennessee Institution That Pays Cheaters.

By the way, this decision by UT just shows how cancerous the money is in college sports. If coaches are going to be overpaid and paid excessively even in the wake of cheating then there is no reason to believe that players are not also receiving undue benefits on a mass scale in college sports.

Also, we see that schools like ATITPC only are firing Pearl in the hopes of lessening sanctions. It is not even a matter of ethtics or they would have fired him in the first place. This is a disgusting common occurrence in college sports.

Notre Dame Values Football More Than Life

Reference: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/03/21/notre-dame-floyd-dui.ap/index.html?eref=sihp

Notre Dame football 'star,' Michael Floyd, was indefinitely suspended from the football team for drunk driving. His blood alcohol level of .19 was more than double the legal limit of .08.

Do we or do we not believe that drunken driving can kill people? If we do, then 'indefinite suspensions,' which can end any time, are not enough. This is a slap in the face to the kids that are making right choices and to victims of drunk driving.

This incident alone should warrant kicking him off the football team. As it stands, it is his third alcohol related incident since 2009 though.

And if you want a final slap in the face, Notre Dame released a statement from the kid that Shots Heard is not going to even bother to post (check the article). If a kid wants to show real contrition and do things the right way and address questions from the media and state his corrective process then fine. But we do not want bureaucratic white wash from Notre Dame.

In dishonor of this event(s), Notre Dame is also being renamed. It will now be known as The School That Panders To Drunk Driving Athletes.

Upsetting Reality: Exposing the NCAA Tournament Committee's 'Major Upset' Scheme

2011-03-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

On the first day of the 2011 NCAA Tournament, there were 'two major upsets.' At least that is what the media would have you to believe. The 'two major upsets' were 12 seeded Richmond beating 5 seeded Villanova and 13 seeded Morehead State beating 4 seeded Louisville.

Richmond (25-7) had the 41st best RPI of .5881. Villanova (21-11) had the 39th best RPI of .5889. When we consider that, an elementary estimation would tell us that Richmond had a 49.9 percent chance of winning. Not so upsetting is it?

Louisville (25-10) had an RPI of 17 and Morehead State had an RPI of 77. So there is a case to be made that this was an upset. But maybe not so fast! Louisville was only 9-7 versus teams in the Top 50 RPI. And against teams in the 51-100 RPI, Louisville finished 3-3. So overall, Louisville was a mediocre (but respectable) 12-10 versus Top 100 teams. To add perspective the other four seeds, Wisconsin (14-8), Texas (13-7), and Kentucky (13-7) all had better records versus the top 100 RPI teams.

Also, being that Morehead State and Louisville are both Kentucky teams, it is quite likely, Morehead State had likely scouted Louisville on television throughout the season. It's a subtle advantage (but an advantage that likely paid huge dividends).

When one really looks at the reality of the match-ups, this part of the bracket was the most tailor made bracket for a 'Cinderella' to emerge into the Sweet Sixteen. And now that 'cinderellas' Morehead State and Richmond are matched up in The Round Of 32, the NCAA Tournament Committee have their coveted underdog element.

'Here's your biscuit America. Enjoy it. Of course we're going to manipulate the rest of the brackets to serve our interests and put teams like SDSU (RPI 3, Seed 2), BYU (RPI 5, Seed 3) and Utah State (RPI 15, Seed 12 and opponent's RPI 24, seed 5) down by giving them lower (worse) seeds (and tougher match-ups) than they earned.

How it would have worked in fair system

Shots Heard will use it's fair seed analysis: What seed a school should have received by the RPI (See the following chart).

Morehead State would have still been a 13 seed (tweaking Shots Heard's 'Fair System' to still allow for automatic bids). They would have faced off against A University In Connecticut. They would not have had the television advantage. A University In Connecticut is 4-1 against teams 51-100 RPI and that is the half of it. There is an 80 percent chance that A University In Connecticut would have won. Had Morehead State won, then it would have been at best, 'a mild upset.'

Villanova would not have been a five seed that they had no business holding. They would have been a nine seed. Meanwhile, Belmont would have been a 10 seed that faced off against George Mason. That game would have been an interesting match-up, but there would be no artificial upset bid on the line. It would just be two teams playing in the match-up that they earned.

A true 'major upset' that did not happen - Princeton beating Kentucky

The closest thing to a 'major upset' was Princeton beating Kentucky. Although had the upset occurred, Shots Heard would classify it as simply an upset. Although Kentucky undoubtedly has future NBA players and Princeton likely has none. The Princeton team was older and more disciplined.

The overall reality is reflected by Kentucky's 7 RPI and Princeton's 40 RPI. How often do teams with a Top 10 RPI lose to teams in the Top 50 RPI? Top 10 RPI teams were 85-33 (72 percent).

A rough estimate then gives, Princeton a 28 percent chance of winning that game. But then account for the fact that Princeton is at the lower end of the Top 50 RPI and the chances go to 20 to 25 percent.

But here is the kicker. With the game being played in Tampa, Florida (a fourteen hour drive or cheap Southwest flight) away from the hardcore Lexington, Kentucky fans; thousands of Kentucky fans traveled to see the game. The entire lower bowl was essentially filled with raucous Kentucky fans in blue, creating a home court type of atmosphere. So the most realistic estimate would be that Princeton had about a ten percent chance of winning that game.

Remembering the real upset

We witnessed an RPI 40 Princeton team play a solid game to almost pull off the virtual road victory against RPI 7 Kentucky. But let us not forget that teams like RPI 35 Harvard, who Princeton beat on a buzzer beater, were worthy of being in the tournament and making their mark. Unfortunately, the 'Power Six' corporate styled Tournament Committee were not having any of that.

Instead it was important to cater to conferences like what Charles Barkley calls 'The over-rated Big East.' Aren't you glad that that (tied) 9th place, RPI 64 Marquette could get into the tournament instead?

And what did UCONN get for finishing 9-9 and tied for ninth in the Big East? They got a four seed after 'increasing their stock' by winning all five of their conference tournament games.

So 'power conference team' can use their conference tournaments to 'improve their stock' but its death by buzzer beater for teams like Harvard?

Is that shady? Is the mafia shady? No. It is corrupt.

Picture: Morehead State's Demonte Harper

2011 NCAA Tournament: Whorish Propaganda

2011-03-15T01:31:00.000-07:00

Watch as the CBS whores ask softball questions to a university in Connecticut's Athletic Director, Jeff Hathaway (next year's head tournament selection whore).

Media whore, John Rothstein's question: Why give one of the last four at-large bids to a small conference team (VCU) and not give all of the bids to 'big conference' teams.

Shots Heard: What kind of f'd up question is that? Stop acting like the 'smaller schools' are 'given' anything.

Jeff Hathaway: He references 'the eye ball test' and data.

Shots Heard: Seriously, the eye ball test? You have the RPI. You know EXACTLY what teams have accomplished. Who died and made these guys gods.

Media whore, John Rothstein: He alleges to question Jeff if the Big East is worthy of their high seeds but then he never really asks the question! He does ask why Pitt got the third one seed, ahead of Duke (the last one seed) and others.

Jeff Hathaway: They spent a lot of time evaluating who should be the number one seeds. They made the one seeds based on 'the criteria.

Shots Heard: Jeff, it does not matter how much time you put into the process if you f'd it up. Like my father always said, don't confuse efforts with results. And in this case Shots Heard is not going to confuse honesty with dishonesty.

And then what kind of f'ing answer is that? Well it's based on 'the criteria.' Yea well what is the criteria? Pitt had only the 10th best RPI. And by the way, teams like BYU and SDSU had better records and RPIs than Pitt.

And where is the follow-up question when Jeff gives a phony answer? Don't slap us in the face with your pretend sports journalism CBS.

This is why the sports media has earned your media whore status. It's just pimping their interests to their markets.

Random Ass Clown Whore: Hey you work really hard, how about that?

Shots Heard: Come on! How about asking about the inherent conflict of interest of the tournament selection whores? Of course you aren't going to ask that because you have a mutual conflict of interest. In the mean time, the majority of schools are being screwed and the integrity of college sports has been hijacked.

2011 NCAA Tournament Selection: A Matter Of 'The Haves' and 'The Have Nots'

2011-03-14T02:36:00.000-07:00

Those of you that follow Shots Heard, know that in recent weeks that we have ranted and even raved about the systematic unfairness of the NCAA Tournament Selection committee and the BCS (football). We've done it to an unhealthy degree even (but we are not wrong). Worse, we have basically been trying to stop a flood with a block of wood.

And it occurs to us that Collin Cowherd basically is right when he says that the typical sports fan is a dumbass. He may not have used that term, but that's basically what he has called the average sports fan that routinely sees reality through his/her own team's filter.

This is why if you go on a sports forum right now you'll see stupid posts like this (regarding selection/seeding):

Colorado is the best team to not make the tournament.

How did Alabama not make the tournament? Georgia is in as a ten seed and Alabama beat them twice in the last week. (Maybe because Alabama lost to a bunch of losers and has an RPI of 81 while Georgia handled their business to a better degree and has a 48 RPI. Dumbass.)

San Diego State is the weakest two seed ever.

If average sports fan cared about fairness you would see more posts like this:

USC got into the tournament as an at-large with a 67 RPI and Harvard was snubbed. For that matter.

Why does the media always pimp the 'how they finished' if a team like Pittsburgh can lose two of their last three and still get a one seed even though they have an RPI of only 10.

If finishing strong is so important, how can Florida lose the SEC Championship game by 16 and be a two seed?

UTEP (25-9, 2nd Conference USA), Cleveland State (26-8, 1st Horizon League), St. Mary's (25-8, 1st West Coast Conference), Missouri State (25-8, 1st Place Missouri Valley Conference), Wichita State (24-8, 2nd place Missouri Valley Conference) all had fine records and better RPIs than USC. What gives? I guess the Pac-10 was really strong this year. Oh wait it wasn't and since the RPI already accounts for conference strength then that doesn't matter. How does a 19-14 team in a weak conference get so much love?

Michigan State was a bubble team and now they are a solid 10 seed?

Shots Heard has put forth the plan that the NCAA Tournament entrants and seeds should be decided via the RPI and without human interference. Below, are listings of the teams that are either in the Top 68 RPI and would have made the tournament via the Shots Heard plan and the teams not in the Top 68 RPI that still made the tournament under the currenty system.

The first chart shows the fair seed (Shots Heard Plan) versus what seed a team was awarded by 'the committee.' My _____. It's like we're in a bad Star Wars movie.

The second chart shows how the Haves (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac-10, SEC - You know, the BCS conferences) did versus the Have Nots (everybody else).

A reminder: That the MWC had the fourth best RPI among the conferences but clearly being a have not, that did not translate to a damn ounce of love.

Final Analysis

San Diego State finished with a 32-2 record. Their only two losses were to a team (BYU) that was arguably the best team when they lost to them. If any team from a 'major conference' had compiled a 32-2 record then that team would be an unquestioned number one seed. It's not like the MWC was not rated better than three of those conferences either. And with a 3 RPI, SDSU was certainly worthy of a number one seed (if not a number one ranking).

So why is San Diego State getting the shaft?

There is a universal answer to that question and other. The other 'major conferences' control the committee. With that in mind, let's see how they screwed over the rest of the 'Have Nots.' Bare in mind that we will only go over selected examples. It will not be a cumulative analysis.

BYU gets a 3 (or 4 seed) despite being a 2 seed quality team).

This comes as no surprise. We already told you that after one loss to New Mexico, the 'experts' were dropping BYU from a one seed to a four seed in their prognostications (an unprecedented drop)

Utah State: Bend over and grab your ankles.

This is easily the biggest tragedy in the selection process. Utah State had an RPI of 15 and a record of 30-3, but they were given a 12 seed!

By the way their comfortable 8 point victory against the streaking Boise State Broncos should have 'impressed' the committee. Utah State kept one of those unwanteds out of the tournament and that's how the committee repays them (sarcasm)?

And to add insult to their ridiculous seeding, they play a 5 seed Kansas State (a proven mid major killer that took BYU out last year) that has been one of the hottest teams in the country. Before their last loss of the season, Kansas State was on a six game winning streak that included three wins against Top 20 teams (one of which, was a 16 point win over #2 Kansas).

Old Dominion takes a hit

Old Dominion is legit. They are perhaps college basketball's best kept secret. They are tall and can dominate the boards and the post. They also have decent shooters and that is also important. They are basically a mirror image of Pittsburgh.

Given the fact that ODU could play Pittsburgh, it is a good thing that they match-up well with Pitt. But they should be a 5 (or at worst a 6 or 7 seed) and have an easier road to The Sweet Sixteen.

Xavier shows they are something of a 'Have; a Legacy' - St. Mary's is not a 'Legacy'

Teams like Xavier are legacies. Even though, they are not in a 'major conference,' the committee does not want to stir the pot and put down a team that has been to The Sweet Sixteen three straight times.

Being a legacy, does not mean that a team will not get the shaft. But it does mean that the committee will think twice about b-slapping them. Gonzaga is a team that has achieved legacy status. Had they lost to St Mary's in the WCC Championship, they would have likely still earned an at-large bid.

Instead, St. Mary's lost to Gonzaga. And even though they are just as good as the Zags, they are not a legacy and they did not make the cut.

The subtle 8-9 Combo

Shots Heard sees this every year. The committee relegates 4-7 seed caliber teams to the 8 or 9 seed and thus relegating them to play a 1 seed in the second round and not make The Sweet Sixteen.

UNLV and George Mason are this year's victims of the 8-9 combo.According to the RPI, they both deserved seven seeds and much easier paths to the Sweet Sixteen. Instead, if they are not upset in their first round match-ups they will collectively face the top two teams Ohio State and Kansas.

Teams like Cincinatti (Big East) who should be a nine seed benefit from UNLV and George Mason's demotion. Cincy should get a nine seed, but instead they will get a six seed and an eaiser route to the Sweet Sixteen. And of course, CBS would much rather be talking about 'how many Big East teams made the Sweet Sixteen' rather than George Mason or UNLV.

And remember that this all goes back to the average dumbass sports fan. You won't see dumbass on the boards talking about how Cincy got an unfair seeding. You'll see him bragging that 'man, we were a good Big East team. Yea we deserved it man.' Dumbass Big East fan does not care that UNLV or George Mason might actually be better. He just has to be told 'Big East, Big East, Big East. Ah man, Big East, Big Hoops! -- Madison Square Garden.'

A Have Not with a 35 RPI does not make the tournament

At this very moment, there are a bunch of Big Twelve fans on boards, crying that their Colorado (RPI 65) team did not make the tournament. Everyday Dumbass Fan does not bother to care that Harvard (RPI 35) beat them by 16 points.

Everyday Dumbass Fan might counter, 'Yea well they had a 29 blowout loss to UCONN.' Yea letdowns happen all of the time. That's why Shots Heard thinks that all the so and so beat so and so is horse and buggy thinking anyhow. The RPI measures a teams overall performance and when it comes to the who beat who game, it's really not a transitive property. Every game is going to be different and a myriad of unexpected outcomes will occur. The fairest thing is to look at a team's RPI.

And by the way, you will never see a Have with an RPI of 35, not make the tournament. It just will not happen. If Bill Walton were alive, he would say why even have an RPI if you're not going to use it.

Anyhow, Shots Heard digresses. Ya'll can look at the tables and make your own determinations.

The NBA - Where ___________ Happens / Where Will Amazing Happen?

2011-03-13T03:53:00.000-07:00

Nate Robinson / Paul Pierce

Rudy Tomjanovich

Cheating

Joey Crawford (NBA Interficial)

Big Baby

Teen Wolf

The Karate Kid

Hoosiers

Derek Vinyard

Kevin McHale

Larry Bird (4)

BCS Is A Joke Video

2011-03-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

Auburn won the paper championship against Oregon. But they will never know if they would have beat TCU (or Boisie State).

A school of liars sweeping Tressel's dishonesty under the rug is symptomatic of a larger problem

2011-03-08T21:15:00.000-08:00

A school of liars in Ohio (the school formerly called Ohio State) could not act for eight months when they found out about their football players breaking rules and selling sports memorabilia. Yet, in the space of 24 hours they could suspend Jim Tressel for two games and fine him $250,000?

A school of liars in Ohio is only acting fast now in the hopes of sweeping this under the rug. Their corruption in house and their corrupt cluthces on college sports is not going away just because Tressel is suspended.
The token suspension is as token as the underlined clause in Tressel's contract that he report any violations immediately. The see no evil way of life at a school of liars in Ohio has not been altered one damn bit by this.

Eight months after the violations, they became became public. It was then that Tressel tried to excuse the sales as 'necessity' (IE the players need to put bread on their table). That of course speaks to the pathetic issue of why are coaches making millions while players are supposedly not getting enough food? Of course, players are getting enough food, just look at them. They are perfectly healthy.

If Tressel lied to the school president and athletic director and he should be fired. But the more likely reality is that Tressels and the administration had a prearranged slap in the wrist punishment if it ever came to light that Tressels knew about the violations before it was brought to the university's attention by the US government.

Again, Shots Heard harkens back to our umbrella point. It's these type of whores that are corrupting college athletics.

Gene Smith chairs the NCAA Tournament committee and the school also was directly responsible for creating and maintaining the corrupt BCS for football. Give us our sports back. It's un-American that these a-hole power brokers should have their clutches on our sports.

Remembering how the Committee Whores screwed BYU over in 2009-2010

2011-03-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

Shots Heard just made the case that the NCAA needs to use the RPI to determine tournament rankings. This will significantly reduce the undue influence of the media whores and even eliminate the selection committee whores.

Shots Heard pointed out that the whores plans on screwing over BYU. By the RPI, BYU has (currently) earned a one seed. But the media whores (currently) plan on only giving them a four seed. One might wonder why Shots Heard is ever vigilante about this subject (we are wondering it ourselves).

At any rate, we saw BYU get screwed over by the whores all of last season (2009-2010) and we just decided that enough is enough. We are going to write about the systematic injustice.

Last season, BYU was a top 15 quality team (if not better) that was not ranked for most of the season. They were still unranked when Jimmer's Cougars handed Arizona their asses (see videos). Consequently, the Arizona coach and the Wildcat players talked about how BYU was a three or four seed quality team (not the seven seed that BYU would end up receiving).

The Arizona coach even said that the idea that BYU was not ranked, discredited rankings! Shots Heard has been saying that!

Only near, the end of the season, did they crack the Top 25. BYU was even ranked in the Top 15 by the end of the regular season.

Top 15 - It would go to figure that BYU would get a four seed, right?

Wrong.

BYU was given a seven seed, which meant they had to play a Top Ten team in Round Two (Kansas State a two seed). In principle, no Top 15 team should have to face another Top 16 team, let alone a Top Ten team before the Sweet Sixteen.

But this is how the committee whores routinely screw over 'mid majors' and it's BS and Shots Heard is taking a stand this year.

College Basketball - NCAA Tournament: Use the RPI and get rid of the BS

2011-03-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

CRecently, Shots Heard has spent a lot of time and effort detailing the corruption of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. We have detailed the inherent conflicts of interests of the committee and how that has led to systematic oppression of schools not in the loops.

Shots Heard has predominantly used BYU as an example, but the reality is that all schools that are not a part of the loop are trodden by the unfairness of the system.

Shots Heard has the solution to the problem. And we will point out that it is the solution and not just a solution. The solution is to just put the top 68 RPI teams into the tournament and to seed the teams according to their RPI ranking. The RPI measures performance and it properly regards strength of schedule.

The RPI has an immaterial margin of error as it is an amazing accurate ranking system. The variations in poll ranking relative to the RPI are man made errors. Shots Heard has detailed that the discrepancies perpetually relate to the media whores and 'big school' whores serving their own interests. The rankings are not at all valid corrections to the RPI.

(Below, you will see the listed RPIs from a week ago - Not the RPI listing used for this article.)

How will using the RPI restore sanity and fairness to the NCAA Tournament?

Teams would get the high seeds that they have earned (Take the 'selling out of it').

--BYU and SDSU would receive the number one seeds that they've earned. Please remember that RPI's will change after the conference tournaments. But at this point there is absolutely no doubt that they are worthy of 1 seeds. CBS projects that the committee whores will give BYU a 4 seed and SDSU a 2 seed. That is less than what they earned.

--Pittsburgh and Notre Dame are currently projected as one seeds, but really by the RPI Pitt is a two seed and Notre Dame is a three seed. Anybody that follows college basketball knows that that is entirely accurate. The media whores want Pitt and Notre Dame as number one seeds because they have been pimping the Big East as this master conference all season (And the Big East does have the best RPI, but it's still pretty much smoke and mirrors)

By giving Pittsburgh and Notre Dame opening round softball games (against weak 16 seeds from nowhere), they will ensure that those teams get opening victories and that the big markets tune in for longer (and that they get more money).

The best 68 teams would make the tournament.

Would the schools that end up 69, 70, 71, etc think that they were still worthy of making the tournament? Would they 69 look at 68 or even 62 and say 'I think we're better.' Of course. It is human nature to feel such a belief in one self. Nonetheless, they would still have to admit that it is fair and they would have to take their lumps.

The NCAA Tournament committee claims that they don't take prestige into the equation, but the truth of the matter is that they do. If New Mexico were to have an RPI of 49 and UCLA were to have an RPI of 71, the committee would look for any reason to justify UCLA's entrance and to deny New Mexico.

That is just not right. That decision is based on money and not fairness. The tournament will make more than enough money. Fairness needs to be a real priority and not something that is a lip service (non-value) value.

'Mid majors' would get their due (Stop canceling each other out)

--The committee is fond of pretending that top 25 'mid majors' are middle of the road teams and matching them up to try to erase solid mid majors from the tournament so that they can hopefully get 'major' teams and better ratings later in the tournament.

For instance, Utah has an RPI of 17 and George Mason has an RPI of 27. That would mean that Utah State should be a five seed (likely even a four seed if they win their conference tournament) and George Mason would be a seven seed. Predictably though, CBS bracketology has Utah State, an eight seed facing off against George Mason as a nine seed.

The committee wants to get rid of George Mason and Utah State ASAP and have as many 'major schools' make the later rounds as possible. And the committee hopes that the final extermination of Utah State or George Mason will come in the second round at the hands of a Kansas or Ohio State (teams that they should not be playing so early in the tournament in a fair system).

Cinerella is Cinderella, not who the media says they are.

If Utah State and George Mason were properly seeded, then they would not be considered Cinderella.

The Cinderella of Cinderellas would be Marquette. But Marquette is a Big East school! Nooooooo! Say it's not so! But they are (panting), a Big East school! Yes, Cinderella does not have to be the 'little school.' Cinderella happens to be the team that sucks. Write that down.

There would be no more automatic bids, but small schools would still be treated fairly

We have come to love watching the automatic bids for the conference tournament winners. But is it really fair for a better team to be excluded because some junior college level team won their conference tournament? Of course it is not so.

But excellent 'small schools' will still have an opportunity to rise above the ashes. And when they do, they will get the seed that they deserve. For instance, Harvard would get the nine seed that they have earned and not the 12 seed that the media whores (CBS projection) say that they should get.

There would not be an unwritten rule that 'small conferences' only will get one team into the tournament. That would mean that Harvard and Princeton would be in the NCAA Tournament this year! And yes, that is how it should be for this particular year.

A team like Old Dominion (RPI 23) would not be getting screwed over by the tournament committee. They would get a six seed. Instead, the committee plans on screwing them by giving them an eight seed and a match-up against UCLA, the second place Pac-10 team. If they win that match-up they'll get to play a one seed. That's not right.

Conference tournaments would still have great meaning

Also, if a 'small school' has an RPI of 75 heading into a conference tournament, then there would still be the drama of seeing if they can make that push for 68. Their performance relative to teams in other conference tournaments would still make for great drama.

There would be tougher match-ups and winning the tournament would have added meaning (and possibly even ratings)

Depending on the play-in match outcomes, the 16 seeds would be four of these eight schools:

Witchita State (23-8) - The second place team in the Missouri Valley Conference (They would not have to have won their conference tournament to get the seed that they deserve already).

UCF (18-10) - Eighth Place Conference USA team - What? The Conference USA is that good? I guess they just aren't 'major' enough for people to know that.

Oklahoma State (18-12) - They recently lost to Kansas by 12. What would you expect from a realistic 16 seed?

Virigina Tech (19-10) - Again, they are no that good, but they did beat Duke at home just a couple of weeks ago. They are certainly better than many of the 'small schools' that would lay down and die by 30 to a one seed.

California (17-13) - Look at this. All of the people that whine that their privileged 'major conference' deserves more teams; California would make the tournament with their 10-8 record against the weak Pac-10. They would likely lose by 14 points, but hey it beats 30. And certainly, there would be a realistic 'upset' opportunity that is almost non-existent in the current format.

Marquette (18-13) - The media has clamored for nine Big East teams. With the current batch of undeserving 'small schools' making the tournament it is quite likely that a worthy school like UTEP (RPI 60 - from a non 'major school') will be bumped in favor of the less deserving Marquette (RPI 66). This way, both deserving schools make the cut and get the seeding that they deserve.

Valparaiso (21-11) - Shots Heard honestly does not care about this team. But the media whores should not have the power to rob them of what they have earned at this point. They have an RPI of 67 so they make the cut. There was a segment on ESPN touting Colorado's accomplishments. 18-12 was a 'pass.' 8-8 in Big Twelve play was a 'pass.' 'The what have you done for me lately column (last 10 games) - 5-5 was laughably a 'pass' because we are supposed be in awe that they are in a 'tough conference.' 'Quality wins' was a pass for beating Kansas and Baylor (it somehow doesn't matter as much, the weak teams that they lost to).

Well here is real reality check Valparaiso has a 67 RPI and Colorado has a 78 RPI. In the fair system, Valparaiso gets 'the pass.' The ESPN whores are just sugar coating the fact that they want to pander to the Denver market / Big Twelve marke and not the who the hell cares about the Valparaiso market. The whores need to not have their hand in this anymore. It's pass/fail based on real results and some loud mouth a-hole on the air or d-bag on a committee gets no more say about it.

USC (18-13) - Right now they are not even a realistic bubble team. But if the tournament fairly recognized merit then they would be in (if results hold).

Also, Iona is RPI 69. They just lost their conference tournament and they know that they are not going to make the tournament? Why? Because they are not from a 'major conference?' That's BS. They should be watching the television rooting for others to lose and hope that their resume still cracks the top 68.

RPI Listing from March 6 (RPI listings from March 8 used for this article)

    
Rank   Team                W    L   SS   Rank   RPI   1. Kansas               29   2  .6146  10  .6768
   2. Ohio St.             29   2  .5907  24  .6718
   3. San Diego St.        27   2  .5826  29  .6604
   4. BYU                  27   3  .6014  15  .6590
   5. Duke                 27   4  .5825  30  .6548
   6. North Carolina       24   6  .6160   9  .6488
   7. Pittsburgh           27   4  .5817  32  .6470
   8. Purdue               25   6  .5920  22  .6451
   9. Notre Dame           25   5  .5811  33  .6447
  10. Florida              24   6  .6237   5  .6410
  11. Georgetown           21   9  .6545   1  .6404
  12. Kentucky             22   8  .6118  12  .6369
  13. Wisconsin            23   7  .5917  23  .6339
  14. Texas                25   6  .5944  20  .6326
  15. West Virginia        20  10  .6384   3  .6265
  16. Arizona              25   6  .5640  49  .6234
  17. Utah St.             27   3  .5262 111  .6229
  18. Syracuse             25   6  .5738  39  .6226
  19. Kansas St.           21   9  .6280   4  .6203
  20. Louisville           23   8  .5976  18  .6186
  21. Xavier               24   6  .5609  58  .6184
  22. St. John's           20  10  .6181   7  .6173
  23. Connecticut          21   9  .6107  13  .6136
  24. Old Dominion         26   6  .5530  72  .6125
  25. UNLV                 23   7  .5774  38  .6113
  26. Vanderbilt           21   9  .6096  14  .6103
  27. George Mason         26   6  .5433  86  .6095
  28. UAB                  22   7  .5592  62  .6050
  29. Temple               24   6  .5235 120  .6038
  30. Texas A&M            22   7  .5614  56  .6016
  31. Villanova            21  10  .5892  27  .5998
  32. Cincinnati           24   7  .5368  94  .5953
  33. Missouri             21   9  .5629  50  .5941
  34. UCLA                 22   9  .5725  41  .5933
  35. Harvard              21   5  .4974 163  .5928
  36. Tennessee            18  13  .6475   2  .5922
  37. Butler               21   9  .5576  66  .5884
  38. Memphis              22   9  .5642  48  .5878
  39. Georgia              20  10  .5796  35  .5870
  40. Illinois             19  12  .5970  19  .5850
  41. Cleveland St.        24   8  .5276 108  .5846
  42. Missouri St.         25   8  .5179 130  .5841
  43. Colorado St.         18  11  .5881  28  .5835
  44. St. Mary's           22   7  .5273 110  .5826
  45. Boston College       19  11  .5903  26  .5823
  46. Florida St.          21   9  .5423  88  .5816
  47. Washington           20  10  .5581  65  .5805
  48. Michigan St.         16  13  .6126  11  .5784
  49. Va. Commonwealth     23  10  .5388  92  .5781
  50. Marshall             19  10  .5600  61  .5766
  51. Belmont              30   4  .4418 288  .5758
  52. Princeton            22   6  .4753 212  .5757
  53. Southern Miss        18   9  .5450  83  .5745
  54. Penn St.             16  13  .6204   6  .5740
  55. Richmond             24   7  .4991 159  .5736
  56. Michigan             18  12  .5931  21  .5735
  57. Clemson              20  10  .5469  78  .5715
  58. UTEP                 22   8  .5213 124  .5713
  59. Wichita St.          23   8  .5337  99  .5710
  60. UCF                  18  10  .5735  40  .5703
  61. Oakland              22   9  .5080 146  .5691
  62. Gonzaga              22   9  .5281 107  .5680
  63. Oklahoma St.         18  12  .5656  47  .5665
  64. Virginia Tech        19  10  .5347  97  .5651
  65. Iona                 22  10  .5274 109  .5650
  66. California           17  13  .5982  17  .5649
  67. Col. Charleston      24   9  .5001 157  .5646
  68. Marquette            18  13  .5825  31  .5642
  69. Southern Cal         18  13  .5668  44  .5610
  70. Valparaiso           21  11  .5282 106  .5609
  71. New Mexico           19  11  .5259 112  .5601
  72. Drexel               21  10  .5032 151  .5596
  73. Miami-FL             18  13  .5666  46  .5593
  74. Minnesota            17  13  .5799  34  .5592
  75. Washington St.       19  11  .5389  91  .5587
  76. Colorado             18  12  .5468  79  .5573
  77. Morehead St.         22   9  .4948 169  .5573
  78. Nebraska             19  11  .5591  63  .5565
  79. Alabama              20  10  .5108 139  .5548
  80. Long Island          26   5  .4438 281  .5546
  81. Mississippi          19  12  .5504  73  .5545
  82. Bucknell             24   8  .4720 219  .5544
  83. Tulsa                18  12  .5610  57  .5538
  84. Baylor               17  12  .5787  37  .5537
  85. Indiana St.          19  13  .5445  84  .5536
  86. Hofstra              20  11  .5151 134  .5526
  87. Kent St.             20  10  .5135 136  .5526
  88. Dayton               19  12  .5532  71  .5520
  89. James Madison        21  11  .5065 148  .5511
  90. Long Beach St.       18  10  .5218 123  .5505
  91. Seton Hall           13  17  .6178   8  .5477
  92. UW-Milwaukee         19  12  .5259 113  .5468
  93. Northwestern         17  12  .5348  96  .5467
  94. East Tenn. St.       21  11  .4953 168  .5458
  95. Duquesne             17  11  .5247 115  .5452
  96. Vermont              23   8  .4714 221  .5427
  97. Rhode Island         18  12  .5191 128  .5424
  98. Maryland             18  13  .5503  74  .5407
  99. Fairfield            24   7  .4448 277  .5397
 100. Robert Morris        18  13  .5132 137  .5383
 101. St. Peter's          19  13  .5097 143  .5381
 102. Air Force            14  13  .5602  60  .5378
 103. Coastal Carolina     24   5  .4324 311  .5376
 104. Rider                23  10  .4741 215  .5371
 105. Miami-OH             15  15  .5723  42  .5368
 106. Portland             20  11  .4975 162  .5365
 107. IUPUI                17  13  .5156 133  .5363
 108. Montana              18   9  .4642 233  .5337
 109. Northern Iowa        18  13  .5203 126  .5330
 110. Florida Atlantic     19  10  .4758 210  .5329
 111. St. Bonaventure      16  13  .5244 117  .5322
 112. Mississippi St.      17  13  .5441  85  .5314
 113. Northern Colo.       17  10  .4698 224  .5313
 114. Murray St.           21   8  .4612 236  .5309
 115. Furman               20  10  .4614 235  .5307
 116. Wofford              20  12  .4935 172  .5301
 117. East Carolina        13  14  .5618  54  .5295
 118. N.C. St.             15  15  .5607  59  .5295
 119. Utah                 12  17  .5905  25  .5288
 120. Arkansas             18  12  .5231 121  .5284
 121. Boise St.            18  11  .4794 201  .5270
 122. San Francisco        15  14  .5416  89  .5248
 123. Rutgers              14  16  .5568  68  .5243
 124. Wright St.           17  14  .5160 132  .5221
 125. American             22   9  .4361 304  .5217
 126. Creighton            19  14  .5146 135  .5214
 127. Iowa St.             16  15  .5481  76  .5206
 128. South Carolina       14  15  .5491  75  .5202
 129. Idaho                17  12  .4962 166  .5201
 130. Akron                18  12  .4865 183  .5200
 131. Austin Peay          18  13  .4930 173  .5197
 132. Lipscomb             16  13  .4876 180  .5192
 133. Oklahoma             13  16  .5793  36  .5180
 134. Boston U.            20  13  .4736 217  .5178
 135. Virginia             16  14  .5219 122  .5175
 136. Geo. Washington      17  13  .5029 152  .5174
 137. North Texas          19  10  .4559 248  .5163
 138. Oral Roberts         18  14  .4866 182  .5151
 139. New Mexico St.       13  16  .5717  43  .5149
 140. Evansville           14  15  .5338  98  .5135
 141. Delaware             14  17  .5303 102  .5128
 142. Stanford             15  15  .5245 116  .5114
 143. Jacksonville         18  11  .4466 271  .5113
 144. Quinnipiac           22   9  .4365 303  .5106
 145. Detroit              16  16  .5087 145  .5106
 146. Providence           15  16  .5423  87  .5090
 147. Massachusetts        14  14  .5236 119  .5081
 148. UNC Asheville        16  13  .4832 191  .5081
 149. North Florida        15  19  .5311 101  .5076
 150. Cent. Conn. St.      19  12  .4501 262  .5075
 151. Hawaii               17  11  .4810 199  .5074
 152. Weber St.            15  11  .4680 229  .5068
 153. Arizona St.          12  18  .5620  53  .5068
 154. Oregon               13  16  .5573  67  .5066
 155. Ohio                 17  14  .5107 140  .5049
 156. Yale                 14  13  .4959 167  .5044
 157. Northern Arizona     17  11  .4369 300  .5042
 158. Texas Tech           13  18  .5586  64  .5014
 159. Santa Clara          17  14  .4909 178  .5007
 160. Buffalo              16  12  .4592 241  .4999
 161. South Florida         9  22  .6012  16  .4996
 162. Georgia Tech         13  17  .5459  82  .4996
 163. McNeese St.          15  10  .4416 289  .4981
 164. Saint Louis          11  18  .5668  45  .4974
 165. Pennsylvania         13  14  .4840 189  .4971
 166. Hampton              20   8  .3891 339  .4959
 167. Wagner               13  17  .5251 114  .4958
 168. Iowa                 11  19  .5567  69  .4953
 169. UW-Green Bay         13  18  .5208 125  .4950
 170. Western Michigan     18  11  .4367 301  .4945
 171. Western Carolina     17  15  .4536 256  .4942
 172. IPFW                 17  12  .4451 275  .4938
 173. Ball St.             17  11  .4344 309  .4931
 174. Northeastern         11  20  .5557  70  .4930
 175. Texas Southern       18  11  .4057 329  .4926
 176. Canisius             15  15  .4936 171  .4926
 177. Loyola-Maryland      15  15  .4828 192  .4925
 178. Davidson             16  14  .4574 245  .4919
 179. La Salle             14  17  .5297 104  .4914
 180. South Dakota St.     17  11  .4370 299  .4913
 181. Indiana              12  19  .5621  52  .4912
 182. Sam Houston St.      13  12  .4791 202  .4912
 183. Pacific              14  14  .4761 208  .4910
 184. San Jose St.         14  14  .4846 187  .4907
 185. Arkansas St.         15  15  .4801 200  .4900
 186. Liberty              16  13  .4547 253  .4896
 187. Columbia             14  13  .4712 222  .4894
 188. Rice                 11  17  .5379  93  .4879
 189. Tennessee Tech       17  12  .4461 273  .4879
 190. Nevada               11  18  .5471  77  .4878
 191. Appalachian St.      14  15  .4721 218  .4867
 192. UC Santa Barbara     13  13  .4766 206  .4867
 193. Saint Joseph's        9  21  .5618  55  .4864
 194. Cal Poly             15  13  .4434 282  .4863
 195. Bethune-Cookman      16  11  .4296 314  .4858
 196. Western Kentucky     16  15  .4688 227  .4854
 197. Fresno St.           13  16  .5021 153  .4843
 198. Loyola-Chicago       16  15  .4648 232  .4830
 199. Chattanooga          14  16  .4837 190  .4819
 200. SMU                  14  13  .4768 205  .4797
 201. VMI                  14  13  .4489 268  .4790
 202. Siena                13  18  .5044 150  .4785
 203. Presbyterian         13  18  .4817 196  .4768
 204. Lehigh               16  15  .4423 287  .4759
 205. UALR                 15  16  .4701 223  .4757
 206. Southern Ill.        13  19  .5110 138  .4757
 207. Middle Tennessee     15  15  .4554 250  .4754
 208. Cornell              10  18  .5237 118  .4732
 209. Southeastern La.     12  13  .4425 283  .4727
 210. TCU                  10  21  .5462  80  .4727
 211. UMKC                 15  14  .4446 279  .4702
 212. St. Francis NY       15  15  .4396 293  .4699
 213. Drake                13  18  .4941 170  .4695
 214. La.-Lafayette        13  14  .4500 265  .4693
 215. Maine                14  15  .4505 260  .4690
 216. Albany               16  16  .4443 280  .4690
 217. UNC Wilmington       13  18  .4841 188  .4685
 218. Mercer               14  18  .4862 185  .4679
 219. LSU                  11  20  .5283 105  .4676
 220. Georgia St.          12  19  .5004 156  .4665
 221. Stephen F.Austin     14  10  .4057 330  .4661
 222. Charlotte            10  20  .5201 127  .4660
 223. Lafayette            12  18  .4889 179  .4658
 224. Winthrop             11  17  .4916 177  .4654
 225. William & Mary        9  22  .5401  90  .4653
 226. N.C. A&T             12  16  .4602 238  .4652
 227. Texas-San Ant.       13  13  .4237 317  .4629
 228. Nicholls St.         10  13  .4561 247  .4625
 229. Texas St.            13  14  .4548 252  .4624
 230. Northwestern St.     16  12  .3861 340  .4616
 231. DePaul                7  23  .5628  51  .4614
 232. Oregon St.           10  19  .5184 129  .4612
 233. Mount St. Mary's     11  21  .5075 147  .4611
 234. Tennessee St.        12  16  .4618 234  .4608
 235. Morgan St.           15  13  .4051 332  .4606
 236. Tulane               10  16  .4812 197  .4595
 237. Bradley              11  20  .5047 149  .4595
 238. Charleston So.       12  16  .4549 251  .4587
 239. Houston              10  17  .4924 175  .4583
 240. Coppin St.           13  13  .4097 327  .4561
 241. Brown                10  17  .4864 184  .4560
 242. Stony Brook          14  16  .4347 308  .4556
 243. North Dakota St.     12  15  .4491 267  .4555
 244. Pepperdine           11  21  .4927 174  .4551
 245. Utah Valley          15  10  .3715 344  .4545
 246. Mississippi Val.     13  18  .4385 295  .4541
 247. Jackson St.          14  14  .3992 334  .4538
 248. Bowling Green        12  18  .4601 239  .4535
 249. Denver               13  17  .4686 228  .4515
 250. Wyoming               8  20  .5328 100  .4507
 251. Louisiana Tech       11  20  .4827 193  .4498
 252. CS Northridge        11  17  .4461 272  .4494
 253. Fordham               7  21  .5461  81  .4473
 254. Auburn               10  19  .4975 161  .4465
 255. Bryant                8  21  .5106 141  .4454
 256. Montana St.          11  18  .4606 237  .4452
 257. Wake Forest           8  23  .5303 103  .4446
 258. St. Francis PA        9  21  .4976 160  .4430
 259. Illinois St.         12  19  .4739 216  .4430
 260. Eastern Kentucky     13  16  .4132 325  .4426
 261. Gardner-Webb          9  21  .4714 220  .4425
 262. High Point           10  19  .4748 213  .4420
 263. Troy                  7  21  .5170 131  .4415
 264. N.C. Central         11  14  .3986 335  .4405
 265. Savannah St.          7  18  .4531 257  .4401
 266. Elon                 11  17  .4350 307  .4396
 267. Southern Utah        10  18  .4692 226  .4396
 268. Loyola Marymount      9  21  .4973 164  .4381
 269. Sacred Heart         11  18  .4272 316  .4349
 270. Texas-Arlington       9  16  .4384 296  .4346
 271. Seattle              11  19  .4357 306  .4344
 272. UC Riverside          9  18  .4576 243  .4344
 273. South Alabama        10  16  .4360 305  .4336
 274. Hartford             11  20  .4593 240  .4335
 275. New Hampshire        11  18  .4272 315  .4326
 276. Army                 10  19  .4406 290  .4325
 277. Campbell             11  19  .4425 284  .4310
 278. Fla. Gulf Coast      10  20  .4558 249  .4310
 279. Florida Int.          9  19  .4788 203  .4308
 280. Texas A&M-CC          7  21  .4963 165  .4291
 281. Holy Cross            8  21  .4761 207  .4289
 282. Norfolk St.          10  19  .4502 261  .4279
 283. North Dakota         12  14  .3919 337  .4279
 284. Monmouth              9  21  .4812 198  .4276
 285. Niagara               9  23  .4754 211  .4274
 286. Towson                4  26  .5358  95  .4270
 287. Samford              10  19  .4404 291  .4269
 288. Manhattan             6  25  .5090 144  .4268
 289. Illinois-Chicago      6  24  .5021 154  .4264
 290. Portland St.         12  16  .4229 319  .4263
 291. Eastern Wash.         8  20  .4820 195  .4261
 292. Tennessee-Martin     10  21  .4457 274  .4260
 293. Alabama St.          12  17  .4061 328  .4258
 294. Lamar                 9  17  .4305 312  .4248
 295. Youngstown St.        7  21  .5017 155  .4247
 296. The Citadel           8  22  .4760 209  .4240
 297. UC Irvine            12  18  .4056 331  .4240
 298. UNC Greensboro        7  24  .4919 176  .4237
 299. CS Fullerton         10  19  .4305 313  .4231
 300. Navy                 10  20  .4425 285  .4227
 301. Binghamton            8  23  .4671 230  .4212
 302. UC Davis              8  20  .4657 231  .4209
 303. Idaho St.             7  20  .4820 194  .4207
 304. Delaware St.          7  20  .4544 254  .4183
 305. Marist                6  27  .5102 142  .4169
 306. SE Missouri St.       9  22  .4448 278  .4162
 307. Central Michigan      9  20  .4366 302  .4160
 308. Alabama A&M          10  14  .3932 336  .4159
 309. Stetson               8  22  .4576 244  .4157
 310. New Jersey Tech      11  14  .3800 343  .4139
 311. CS Bakersfield        9  19  .4423 286  .4104
 312. Dartmouth             5  23  .4862 186  .4093
 313. Northern Ill.         8  20  .4384 297  .4090
 314. USC Upstate           5  25  .4871 181  .4077
 315. Eastern Illinois      7  20  .4482 269  .4070
 316. Colgate               7  23  .4501 263  .4068
 317. San Diego             4  24  .4993 158  .4041
 318. Kennesaw St.          7  23  .4517 259  .4007
 319. Longwood              8  19  .4212 321  .4000
 320. UMBC                  5  25  .4787 204  .3974
 321. Grambling St.        10  20  .3832 341  .3972
 322. South Dakota         12  14  .3263 345  .3929
 323. Florida A&M           8  19  .4123 326  .3923
 324. Ark.-Pine Bluff       7  23  .4204 322  .3875
 325. Louisiana-Monroe      5  24  .4491 266  .3870
 326. Fair. Dickinson       5  24  .4519 258  .3868
 327. Md.-East. Shore       6  21  .4387 294  .3857
 328. Eastern Michigan      6  21  .4376 298  .3852
 329. SIU-Edwardsville      4  21  .4698 225  .3846
 330. Sacramento St.        5  21  .4474 270  .3822
 331. Howard                6  23  .4541 255  .3767
 332. Jacksonville St.      4  25  .4397 292  .3760
 333. Prairie View          7  21  .3907 338  .3738
 334. Radford               2  24  .4743 214  .3727
 335. Western Illinois      4  23  .4333 310  .3690
 336. Alcorn St.            4  24  .4235 318  .3664
 337. Toledo                3  27  .4586 242  .3658
 338. S.C. St.              5  21  .4171 323  .3645
 339. Chicago St.           4  24  .4212 320  .3635
 340. Central Arkansas      2  24  .4568 246  .3597
 341. Georgia Southern      2  27  .4448 276  .3538
 342. Centenary             1  27  .4500 264  .3490
 343. Texas-Pan Am.         3  24  .4166 324  .3398
 344. Southern U.           3  24  .4039 333  .3374
 345. Houston Baptist       4  23  .3820 342  .3262

Rank      CONFERENCE        W   L   FII  Rank  RPI   1. Big East            303 185  .5903   1  .5832
   2. Big Ten             203 128  .5846   2  .5777
   3. Big 12              232 129  .5748   3  .5749
   4. Mountain West       158 105  .5672   4  .5627
   5. Atlantic Coast      218 145  .5574   6  .5579
   6. Southeastern        214 147  .5646   5  .5559
   7. Pacific 10          171 130  .5561   7  .5468
   8. Conference USA      197 142  .5362   8  .5378
   9. Atlantic 10         224 191  .5326   9  .5273
  10. Colonial            200 176  .5255  10  .5247
  11. Horizon             160 148  .5153  11  .5143
  12. Missouri Valley     167 147  .5148  12  .5124
  13. Western Athletic    141 121  .5079  14  .5117
  14. West Coast          120 121  .5093  13  .5012
  15. Ivy League          109 109  .4900  16  .4997
  16. Metro Atlantic      152 163  .4932  15  .4915
  17. Atlantic Sun        155 185  .4712  18  .4740
  18. Northeast           166 197  .4737  17  .4730
  19. Southern            163 200  .4675  20  .4707
  20. Mid-American        159 191  .4704  19  .4693
  21. Summit              133 156  .4639  23  .4689
  22. Big South           127 159  .4668  22  .4672
  23. Sun Belt            156 192  .4671  21  .4658
  24. Big Sky             110 136  .4593  24  .4641
  25. Patriot             109 133  .4561  27  .4636
  26. Big West            110 142  .4581  25  .4629
  27. Ohio Valley         133 162  .4548  28  .4624
  28. America East        122 154  .4563  26  .4599
  29. Southland           133 175  .4426  29  .4521
  30. Mid-Eastern         118 184  .4291  31  .4299
  31. Independents         50 110  .4368  30  .4183
  32. Southwestern         98 186  .4064  32  .4105
  33. Great West           61 123  .3842  33  .3884

The lying whores at a school of liars states that fellow liar Jim Tressel's job is safe; retain their stranglehold on college sports

2011-03-08T16:09:00.000-08:00

As reported earlier, a report showed that a school of liars in Ohio (formerly called Ohio State) knew about their players selling sports memorabilia (an infraction) seven to eight months before what there football coach, Jim Tressel, athletic director, Gene Smith and president, Gordon Gee previously reported. (And it's worth noting that Ohio State did not self report - They only got involved when the US government outed the issue).

One day after Yahoo Sports exposed the cover-up, the whores leaked to ESPN that Tressel's job was safe. Of course it is. It's a Den Of Thieves and they look out for each other. The ESPN article also pointed out that it is underlined in Tressel's contract that he will report any known violations immediately. Tressel is in breach of contract he has damaged the integrity of the institution, but essentially a school of liars in Ohio is saying that they have no integrity.

A school of liars in Ohio deals in power, not integrity.

Shots Heard believes that a school of liars in Ohio issue is only symptomatic of a bigger, much more pressing problem. Schools like a school of liars in Ohio have taken undue control with the BCS (football) and NCAA Tournament (basketball). In both sports, they have systematically locked out teams from other conferences and oppressed them, both financially and in terms of championship opportunities.

A school of liars president, Gordon Gee bragged that fellow undefeated (and better) teams TCU and BSU (Boise) were unworthy of being in a national championship game when in fact they were just as worthy as any opponent.

It was university presidents like Gee that set-up the system to disregard such teams whether or not they were as good or better even. And it is presidents like Gee that run scared when the Boise States of the world offer to play them. It is the Gees of the world that are bragging that college football is not broke while they maximize their revenues in their paper championships (As far as Shots Heard is concerned there was no college champion last year with TCU also going undefeated and more than capable of beating Auburn).

In basketball, Gene Smith chairs the NCAA Selection Committee. Year after year, 'smaller' schools are overlooked in favor of 'big school' interests.

The world needs to take notice that the media whores and 'big school' whores (like the ones at a school of liars in Ohio) have hijacked college sports.

A school of liars in Ohio is further implicated

2011-03-08T00:22:00.000-08:00

How ironic that only hours after Shots Heard renamed 'The Ohio State University', A school of liars in Ohio, a journalistic investigation has found out that Ohio State covered up it's knowledge of Ohio State football players selling memorabilia for money. According to the Yahoo Sports report, A school of liars in Ohio apparently knew about the violations eight months before it became public. And the violations only became public because the government exposed it.

Ironically Shots Heard posted the video of a school of liars athletic director, Gene Smith going over the time line in this article just yesterday (before the Yahoo report was posted)!

Shots Heard's umbrella point in that article was that the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee is a bunch of whores that deal in power and not fairness as a school of liars athletic director, Gene Smith leads that committee this year (a different 'major conference' whore chairs the committee each year).

While the Yahoo report only initially implicates, a school of liars football coach, Jim Tressel, one still would have to wonder what Gene Smith really knew and when he knew it.

Tressel claimed that the buck stopped with him. But the reality is that even as he was saying that, he knew that the buck never did stop with him. And in fact, he refused to report the incident when he found out about it.

The buck quite frankly starts with a school of liars president, Gordon Gee and also it athletic director, Gene Smith. The buck never ends unfortunately.

Shots Heard is reasserting the original point, that the d-bags at a school of liars in Ohio (and other schools whorish leaders) should not have oppressive control over the BCS or the NCAA Tournament. It's un-f'ing American and it needs to stop.

Yahoo Sports: Player Hatin' on Jimmer Fredette

2011-03-07T21:46:00.000-08:00

Shots Heard asks who has the better stats. Player A or Player B?

Player A - 27.9 ppg, 45.5 FG%, 40.4 3FG%, 89.6 FT%, 3.5 Reb, 4.3 Asts, 3.5 TOs, 1.5 Stls, 0.0 Blks

Player B - 21.8 ppg, 47.0 FG%, 36.2 3FG%, 81.9 FT%, 4.8 Reb, 5.2 Asts, 3.2 TOs, 1.3 Stls, 0.1 Blks

Also for the scope of understanding recognize each team's performance.

Team A (Player A) - 28-3, RPI 4, SOS 20

Team B (Player B) - 27-4, RPI 5, SOS 30

Anybody and their dog who claims to know thing one about evaluating performance would pick Player A. So what the F is the Yahoo 'experts' problem? They picked Duke's Nolan Smith (Player B) ahead of Jimmer Fredette (Player A) for their college player of the year.

It's official, Yahoo Sports has added their experts to the brothel of sports media whores will pander to bigger markets for more web hits.

By the way, the Mountain West Conference as a whole had a better RPI than the ACC, so the media whores don't have that golden oldie excuse of 'well he had to play against tougher competition.'

Yahoo's Jason King wrote the article of explanation.Yahoo reasoned:

- Duke is 27-4 and it may have been worse if not for Nolan Smith stepping up his game after Irving Smith was injured when Duke was 8-0. Nolan Smith led them to a 19-4 record after the injury. "Most teams would've crumbled after losing a player such as Irving."

Jeff King, did you want to throw up when you wrote the line? "Most teams would've crumbled after losing a player such as Irving."

Not only is that patently bad sports clique, but what the heck is it even supposed to mean?

In Duke's case they have a bevvy of talent and going 19-4 after losing any player was not at all unexpected. If anything it was expected.

And when it comes to player of the year awards, it's pretty lame to play the where would a team be without a player card anyhow. By that measure, one player could perform better and still be at a disadvantage.

But even if you are going to play the where would they be card then what's the point if you're not going to legitimately answer the question? Where would Duke be without Nolan Smith? I don't know, maybe a four or a five seed at worst. Where would BYU be without Jimmer Fredette? I don't know, maybe not even making the NCAA Tournament.

You see. These media whores don't even care if their reasons make sense. They just want to reward their dog in the race. Get it together Yahoo Sport 'experts.' You were supposed have independent analysis (unlike ESPN). But it appears that is no longer the case (if it ever really was).

At any rate, stop player hatin' Yahoo Sports. Ya'll saw Jimmer doing stuff on the court that has not been done since the days of Pistol Pete and ya'll can't recognize? Shots Heard pronounces shame upon Yahoo Sports. Shame.

Shots Heard dedicates these Depeche Mode lyrics to Yahoo Sports. It all seems so stupid. It makes me want to give up. But why should I give up when it all seems so stupid. Shame.

Shame indeed.

College Basketball: The whores are hard at work, laying their groundwork for screwing over BYU, SDSU, Others

2011-03-07T02:04:00.000-08:00

Video: 2011 NCAA Tournament chairman, Gene Smith has connections. He can defer suspension to his OSU football players allowing them to play in bowl games and go pro the next season.

Media Whores and Big School Whores chomping at the bit to oppress BYU

BYU lost their second best player due to an in-house suspension. They then lost their next game to a good New Mexico team by eighteen points at home.

The media whores and 'big school' whores that run the NCAA Tournament selection committee were chomping at the bit to knock BYU down. The real math did not even have to add up. They just had to get 'eighteen point loss' and 'man down' out there and it was done.

Before the loss to New Mexico, BYU was a projected number one seed on cbsbracketology.com. After the loss, they were dropped to a four seed!

Unheard Of Happenings!

Recently, Shots Heard posted the stat that never in the history of the NCAA Tournament has a team with an RPI of one and only two losses been denied a number one seed. Yet, an ESPN media whore was making a very salacious argument that BYU was somehow unworthy of the number one seed despite having that credential.

Here is another Shots Heard reality check: Never in my years of following the NCAA Tournament have I ever seen a team dropped from a projected one seed to fourth in the span of a one loss! It is unheard of! But as long as you think 'embarrassing loss at home' and 'man down' then the whores are counting on the general consumer to not care.

Trying to make sense of the illogical

But that does not mean that the general consumer, who likely follows a 'big market' team should not care. Fairness should be a cornerstone of any major American event like the NCAA Tournament.

For the sake of focus, Shots Heard will not debate exactly what BYU's seed should be. But let us look examine CBS's projection that Syracuse should be a two seed. Let us try to imagine if it is justified that Syracuse would be a two seed while BYU is relegated to a four seed.

And by the way, the four seed is a full four seed projection. While the selection committee reserves the right to bump a team a seed in either direction to accommodate geography, BYU was projected as a four seed in the Southeast Bracket. Had they been a projected four seed in the West or Southwest then it would be conceivable that they were bumped from three to four to get placed in their geography.

BYU vs. Syracuse Comparison

BYU: Record 28-3, RPI 4, Strength Of Schedule 20

Syracuse: Record 25-6, RPI 18, Strength Of Schedule 33

As you can see, BYU is the better team across the board.

But what about BYU's eighteen point loss at home to New Mexico? That's what the media whores will point out.

Okay. (Media Whore Gottlieb Style. Okay (Listen). As Shots Heard has mentioned before, the RPI is a measure of strength of schedule and performance. The numbers basically speak for themselves.

But if that is not enough for you, then take into account Exhibit B. Syracuse got their buts kicked by twenty two points to 13-17 Seton Hall. BYU lost to 20-11 New Mexico by less at home.

And then you might bring up, well BYU's second best player is gone. So what? If Paul Pierce gets injured on the last day of the season, will the NBA drop the Celtics from a one seed to a six seed? Teams earn whatever they earn. If Jimmer got hurt would that mean that BYU should be a 12 seed? The media whores love such arguments even though they have no real merit. Merit is what a team accomplishes and not how good the media whores think a team is at any given moment.

So what gives?

We'll tell you what gives. The first thought is perhaps they are going for the highest ratings. But the reality is more people are chomping at the bit to see the soon to be crowned player of the year, Jimmer Fredette than a Syracuse team that nobody outside of New York cares about. And if ratings was the trump card, then Stephen Curry's 'lowly' and deserving Davidson squad would have made the NCAA tournament his final year at college.

Although ratings are always a factor (like when the committee gave Duke a softball bracket in last year's tournament). The precedent for deciding who gets into the tournament and who gets the favored spots goes to who is from a 'major' conference. The committee is made up of administrators from those conferences.

What does it matter? (A four seed is almost as high as a two seed anyways)

Well, besides the basic principle of right and wrong there is a huge difference between getting a two seed and a four seed. With the four seed, BYU is projected to play last year's finalist, Butler. With the two seed, BYU would play someone like the weak Long Beach State squad (and we say that with all deference to Long Beach State as we will be rooting for them).

Other Mountain West Teams getting screwed

Now mind you, that just about all of the conference tournaments are yet to be played and the landscape will significantly change in the upcoming days. But let's look at how the Mountain West is tentatively scheduled to be screwed over by the selection whores.

San Diego State

San Diego State should be a projected number one (not Notre Dame, according to CBS). They would be undefeated and have an RPI if not for their losses to BYU. But let's not justify based on fuzzy math like the media whores. Let's look at the numbers.

Notre Dame is 25-5 and has an RPI of 9 and SOS of 27. SDSU is 29-2 and has an RPI of 4 and SOS of 34. Clearly SDSU, who has a better record and RPI is more deserving.

UNLV

UNLV is projected as a six seed. With a 23-7 record, 25 RPI and 37 SOS UNLV should be about a six seed. We honestly are not sure what the occasion is that they are getting what they deserve. Is it the Las Vegas connection? Hmmmm.

Colorado State

CSU (4th - MWC) has a 19-11 record, 43 RPI and 34 SOS. What about that resume says that they do not deserve to be in the tournament?

But let us look at some of the 'major conference' teams that are projected to be in the tournament.

Marquette (9th - Big East) - 18-13, 67 RPI, 41 SOS

Clemson (T4th - ACC) - 20-10, 58 RPI, 74 SOS

Virginia Tech (T4th - ACC) - 19-10, 64 RPI, 87 SOS

Michigan State - (4th Big Ten) - 17-13, 48 RPI, 9 SOS

The numbers speak for themselves. CSU has better numbers than all of those teams and yet it is the 'non major conference' team projected to get the shaft. This stuff is like clockwork for the selection whores though.

New Mexico

New Mexico (5th MWC) has a 20-11 record, 71 RPI and 90 SOS. They truly are a bubble team. But if New Mexico was from a 'major conference' you would be hearing the bubble talk anyhow. As it is, you are hearing nothing about them even though they have two very impressive wins against BYU on their resume and comparable numbers to the other bubble teams.

Ohio State: A school of bitches

2011-03-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

Picture: Jared Sullinger.

The world has become more and more politically correct. Cameras and even satellites are constantly documenting our moves. Anybody with a computer is documenting our words. As such, political correctness has become the default. That is why it is great when we see a man that says, 'Enough! I ain't doin this song and dance.'

Picture: Jared Sullinger fouls a player.

On February 12, 2011, the Wisconsin Badgers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Wisconsin fans stormed the court. But after the game, Jared Sullinger tried to claim (via Twitter) that he was spit on by Wisconsin students before and after the game!

Think about that. How often do players ever get spit upon in today's fully recorded culture? Yet, Sullinger is willing to claim that it happened before and after the game? And we are supposed to believe that these alleged events did not incite any physical encounters?

During a Big Ten coaches, teleconference, the Ohio State coach shamelessly attempted to verify the incident when he was asked about it, saying,

"A student ran by and spit on him. Nothing too major. What are you going to do? Those things happen. It was a crazy environment, which was great for college basketball and for their fans, that sort of stuff. You don't like to see that happen but you can't do anything about it."

Picture: Thad Matta on the sideline.

Is it possible that he is trying to downplay it because he knows that it did not happen? If that happened to my people, I would not be saying what can you do, it's "nothing too major." Also, he claims that there is nothing you can do about it when indeed if it happened, then the authorities can get statements and find the culprit(s). But there is no culprit(s) and a guy named Matta knows that (he does not deserve the title of coach. Coach Wooden would not behave so dishonestly).

Shots Heard hereby strips Matta of his coaching title. Now he's going to just be a liar on a sideline.

Picture: Wisconsin coach, Bo Ryan.

Wisconsin coach, Bo Ryan essentially called the liars out for their made up story, saying,

"Every area of our facility is all videotaped. There is absolutely nothing that has come to my attention. We have the greatest fans in America. All I know is we won the game, deal with it."

Picture: Wisconsin fans have a new rally towel.

Shot Heard pronounces shame upon 'The Ohio State University.' Until they apologize for trying to slander the fans of Wisconsin, they shall hereby be called 'A school of liars in Ohio.'

Picture: Athletic Director, Gene Smith deals in dollars, not values.

It seems fitting that this year's NCAA Tournament Committee Lead Whore is the Ohio State athletic director, chairman, Gene Smith (Can you say blatant conflict of interest). When you have whores hijacking college sports then the players that they oversee are allowed to make salacious accusations that have no merit.

Picture: The BS starts at the top. Last year, the Ohio institution's president, Gordon Gee ran his mouth about TCU and Boisie State not being worthy of playing in the paper championship game (football) even though continues to support the systematic oppression of such schools.

Video 1: Cameras capture Jared Sullinger (0) as he is walking away from the excited students. Nobody is even looking at him, let alone spitting on him.

Video 2: Bird's eye view of court storming. Sullinger is nowhere near the students in question.

BYU Bounces Back - Wins 2010-2011 Mountain West Title

2011-03-06T04:45:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, BYU dismissed their starting power forward and defensive anchor, Brandon Davies after he broke the Honor Code (A BS decision by the way by BYU's admin but that would be an entirely different post). The move almost certainly cost BYU a number one seed (and probably a two seed ore even three seed - (see media whores) as they got routed at home byt New Mexico by 18 points.

If there's a happy ending at least in the short run, it is that BYU beat Wyoming last night and thereby won the Mountain West Title for the fourth time in the last five years.

BYU will be in the West Coast Conference next year (for basketball).

Jimmer Fredette scored 38 points to finish his season with an eye popping 27.9 scoring average. He is a lock for player of the year. Shots Heard is pretty sure that even the media whores are not going to f that one up.

BYU vs. Wyoming - 03/05/2011 - Official Highlights

BYU vs. Wyoming - 03/05/2011 - In Stands Cam

BYU Student Flash Mob

Jackson Emery - Post Game Tid Bit

Utah Jazz Talk Jimmer

Teach Me How To Jimmer

ESPN media whore Doug Gottlieb (Twat!) attempts to rob BYU basketball of their rightful seeding in the NCAA Tournament

2011-02-28T19:10:00.000-08:00

The college basketball rankings came out today. Predictably, the 'experts' did not give BYU the number one ranking that they deserve. But it's like Clint Eastwood told Gene Hackman in 'Unforgiven,' deserves gots nothing to do with it (as noted in a recent Shots Heard rant).

We already told you that it's about the media whores serving their bigger markets. So of course it came as no surprise that BYU came in at number 3 in the recent rankings behind Ohio State and Kansas even though they have a better RPI and strength of schedule than both of those teams.

Granted, polling is subjective in nature and designed to allow for some additional reasoned analysis. And on that basis we would not condemn any individual fan or pollster that believes that a Kansas or Ohio State should get the nod over BYU. Our problem is that collectively the media whores clearly have their vested interests and that they routinely and systematically discriminate against non 'major' teams.

Want proof? BYU, Kansas and Ohio State are all in the top 3 in RPI in that order. They are also all 27-2. They are all clearly comparable teams although if you look at the data, BYU does hold an edge over those teams.

BYU 27-2, Strength of Schedule - 12, , Record versus Top 50 RPI: 9-1

Kansas 27-2, Strength Of Schedule - 13, Record versus Top 50 RPI: 6-2

Ohio State 27-2, Strength Of Schedule - 27, Record versus Top 50 RPI: 6-2

Now if the pundits/'experts' were giving proper credence to the numbers, the voting would almost certainly be close. But let's look at the reality:

AP Voting Totals

Ohio State - 45 First Place Votes

Kansas - 14 First Place Votes

BYU - 5 First Place Votes

So BYU is numerically the best team in the country and yet they get less than eight percent of the vote? The media whores are busy at work.

Speaking of media whores, it gets worse when you look at the USA/ESPN Poll. There are seventeen first place votes for Ohio State, fourteen first place votes for Kansas and ZERO first place votes for BYU.

San Diego State (RPI 4, Strength Of Schedule 26) would be 29-0 and they would be the undisputed number one team in the nation had BYU not handed them their asses by thirteen points not once but twice. Yet, BYU is somehow unworthy of recognition from any of the ESPN media whores?

Speaking of media whores, let's have a laugh as we watch media whore, Doug Gottlieb pretend that not only is BYU unworthy of the number one spot in the rankings, but also a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament (a tournament that is also ran by money whores, the 'major' conference heads).

Analyzing the 'better conference myth'

You will notice that when the pundits speak of The Big East, Big Ten, or even the especially weak ACC that we are supposed to hold those conferences in some sort of reverence compared to the The Mountain West. (And by the way, what happened to the SEC this year? - Guess they aren't too 'major' this year).

Mathematicians were paid handsome sums of money to develop the strength of schedule formula and RPI formula. Anybody that has taken a college level statistics course will know that every formula has a margin of error. From everything I've read, the RPI and SOS formulas have very minimal margins of error and are quite reliable. And certainly, any margin of error does not justify the votes in the polls.

Let's assume for a moment that the voters were on the level. In such a case, the lack of first place votes for BYU would be quite the statistic anomaly. But we know that it is not truly an anomaly. Rather, the media whores are whoring it up the way they do.

And so knowing that the RPI and SOS formulas are legitimate formulas, then we legitimately surmise that the Mountain West is solid even 'major,' else BYU would have a much worse SOS (not to mention RPI) than Kansas and Ohio State. And so ti is that the Mountain West is a tough conference as all of the teams in the conference are .500 or better in non-conference play.

The only team not better than .500 in non conference play is Utah. The Utes were 7-7 in conference play. However, Utah is BYU's arch nemesis and teams generally bring their A-Game against rivals. BYU still beat the Utes by an average of 19 points in their two meetings against each other.

The Mountain West, Conference USA, Big Ten and the Big 12 were the only conferences with all of their respective teams perform at .500 or better in non conference play. It's noteworthy that South Florida was the only Big East team (6-7 in non-conference play) with a sub .500 record in non-conference play. (Currently the media whores are slobbering about the idea of eleven Big East teams making the Big Dance). We can see though that the Mountain West is roughly on par with the teams from supposed 'major' conferences.

Relaying Doug Gottlieb's flaming pile of analysis

In the above video ESPN's Joe Lunardi and Doug Gottlieb are asked to give their number one seeds, essentially the top four teams. Shots Heard will analyze their slutty analysis (particularly Doug Gottlieb's Bull Durham).

Joe Lundardi's Top Four

Ohio State - East

Pittsburgh - Southeast

Kansas - Southwest

BYU - West

Doug Gottlieb's Top Four

Ohio State - East

Pittsburgh - Southeast

Kansas - Southwest

Texas - West

In the beginning of the video, Joe Lunardi is fairly reasonable with his logic. He clarifies that the choice for the fourth number one spot was between an over-rated Pitt (an over-rated team that has terrible outside shooting, but great inside presence and a solid closer with Wannamaker) and Duke (a good all around team from the weak ACC). Even Lundardi was wise enough not to totally whore it up and to deny BYU who is clear cut number one seed.

Then Joe Gottlieb gave his load of cow dung analysis:

I'd have Texas over BYU and Joe my logic behind it is the number one seed is a reward. It's a reward not just for stellar play in conference but what do you do on the road and I know that you're going to come back with BYU's road numbers; but also what you do out of conference and how you schedule up. Now BYU plays a decent out of conference schedule; Arizona, UCLA; split those two, essentially home and away, quote unquote neutral sites, Utah State they play every year and St. Mary's. You compare that to Texas and what they challenged themselves with; Pittsburgh in Madison Square Garden, a two point loss. They played Carolina in Greensborough a win. They played Michigan State, a preseason top ten and I know numbers wise it does not help them as much. But you consider those wins that they had out of conference and how they challenged themselves. They go to USC and get beat on the road. Probably the same thing would have happened to BYU. And then within conference they don't get the benefit of having Kansas come and play them at their place. And instead they have a monster victory (at Kansas). You got a two point loss and a win on the road at two of your one seeds. I still think Texas is the one seed, especially considering they have a chance to win at Baylor, Kansas State at home tonight. I think Texas has a better resume in terms of pure wins than BYU does.

Joe Lunardi Response:

If it was close, I would absolutely take Texas and their win at Kansas putting them up to the top line but it's really not close. The non-conference schedule strength for BYU is actually 14th (strength of schedule) and they're 14-1 against that schedule. Texas is seventy fourth in non conference (strength of schedule) and they have extra non conference losses. So it's really BYU across the board in terms of number of losses, schedule strength, both overall and non conference, and then of course in the what have you done for me lately category, Texas has lost two of its last three.

Joe Gottlieb Counter:

Texas has also played a far more difficult stretch of road games with Nebraska and Colorado. Look, I'm with you generally. I do fall back on some of the numbers. But I only point this out, of the ten true road victories BYU has, Okay? Eight of them are one hundred (presumably RPI) and below. So they loaded up on road wins against..And then you're counting a Colorado State and a UNLV, two at-best bubble teams. I think UNLV is going to get in (to the NCAA Tournament) largely on the back of win of Wisconsin going back to the first month of the half of the season.

I like BYU, not a shot at BYU. I just think that we're falling a little bit in love with the numbers based on the Arizona win, played essentially on a home court (Utes court) and the latest wins against San Diego State. They've dominated their conference and they got the Arizona win. Outside of that, there's not a lot to fall in love with.

Analyzing the 'Employee Of The Month' level analysis

'Employee Of The Month,' starring Dane Cook is possibly the worst movie in history. It is so bad that you can analyze any segment of it and laugh at how bad it is. Watching Doug Gottlieb's analysis is so bad that if it were a movie it would be on par with 'Employee Of The Month.' It truly deserves a critical dissection. It is just that bad.

So prepare to laugh as we dissect the idiot's (Doug Gottlieb's) analysis. Gottlieb's words are in italics.

I'd have Texas over BYU and Joe my logic behind it is the number one seed is a reward.

Oh! Stop the presses! The number one seed is a reward. Shut your hole you condescending twat (ironically I thank Dane Cook for revitalizing that slang word). BYU has earned a number one seed. There has never been a two loss team with an RPI of 1 that did not deserve the reward of a number one seed. Think about that. Never! And yet this guy is trying to state that not only is Texas more deserving, but that BYU does not even merit a number one seed; that they should not get that reward. Twat! It needs to be restated.

It's a reward not just for stellar play in conference but what do you do on the road and I know that you're going to come back with BYU's road numbers; but also what you do out of conference and how you schedule up.

Joe Lunardi basically trumped Joe Gottlieb's BS by stating that BYU has a non conference RPI of 14 to Texas's 71! It is not even close as Lunardi states.

Now BYU plays a decent out of conference schedule; Arizona, UCLA; split those two, essentially home and away, quote unquote neutral sites, Utah State they play every year and St. Mary's.

Let's look at the impressive BYU wins that the a-hole glossed over

(Oh how can you not be civil?) I'm not going to err on the side of civility when I deal with con artists. Just because ESPN is paying this guy handsomely to tickle the ears of the customers in the big markets doesn't mean I'm going to pretend that this guy is worthy of my respect.

BYU beat currently ranked 18th Arizona by 22. Sure it was in Salt Lake City. But it was still a 22 point ass kicking. What were they supposed to win by 35 for it to be worthy of Doug Gottlieb's love?

And let's just look at this straight-up. At one point this season, Texas had a 21 point win at home against currently 21st ranked Texas A And M. Last I checked, 21 is not better than 22. So what's the point of claiming that the Arizona win was in Utah if Texas isn't supplying better fruits in the Top 25 ass whoopin' department on their own home floor? There is no difference.

Con artists like Gottlieb will throw out numbers and not care if they actually make sense. He knows that he just has to fool most of the people (who aren't doing in depth fact checks) for a few minutes on television.

Gottlieb mentioned BYU's loss in Anaheim to UCLA. Okay, but he did not mention that BYU played uncharacteristically bad that game and that UCLA is pretty good. They are currently tied with Arizona for first place in the Pac-10.

Then he tried to gloss over the six point win against the WAC Champion, Utah State and WCC Champion, St. Mary's. And he did not bother to mention that Utah State is 26-3 and has and RPI of 21. Instead,, he wasted time stating that BYU plays Utah State every year as if that is supposed to support his premise that BYU did not challenge themselves.

You compare that (BYU's aforementioned wins) to Texas and what they challenged themselves with; Pittsburgh in Madison Square Garden, a two point loss. They played Carolina in Greensborough, a win. They played Michigan State, a preseason top ten and I know numbers wise it does not help them as much.

I love the line, and what they challenged themselves with. Apparently Arizona, UCLA, Utah State, St. Mary's were not a comparable challenge.

Gottlie mentions the Texas's two point loss to Pitt at Madison Square Garden. But Pitt is an over-rated team (they have terrible outside shooting). It's tempting to point out that BYU has beat a comparable opponent, San Diego State by 13 points twice. But perhaps that would not be fair because we are comparing non-conference feats and SDSU is a conference opponent. But fine, don't factor in SDSU and we still come back to the actual non-conference RPIs.

The North Carolina win is impressive, but it is enough to overlook losing to a team like Nebraska and Colorado? Impressive non-conference wins should not cancel out bad performances in conference. Certainly, if BYU accumulated extra losses to Colorado State and Air Force (two comparable teams) then BYU would not even be afforded three seed consideration, despite the fact that those opponents both have similar records and RPIs.

And what is so impressive about Texas anyhow, that Gottlieb can overlook losing a 22 point lead and losing to Colorado? What kind of number one seed cannot hang on to a 22 point lead? If all things were even then okay we could possibly overlook that parameter. But since BYU is 27-2 with a number 1 RPI then should Texas not have such pathetic happenstances on their resume?

They played Michigan State, a preseason top ten and I know numbers wise it does not help them as much.

Let me remind you that Gottlieb is trying to speak about the context of impressive non-conference wins. He is stacking up 16-12 Michigan State against three conference champions and another second place team that will quite possibly finish in the Top 25. Wow! Way to try to sneak that one in under the guise of preseason top ten. Twat!

But you consider those wins that they had out of conference and how they challenged themselves. They go to USC and get beat on the road. Probably the same thing would have happened to BYU.

WTF! I would say the real words of that acronym, but decorum prevents it. Is it plausible that BYU could have lost on the road to USC. Well USC is 17-12. So yes they are good enough to beat anybody. But would BYU go to USC and probably lose? No a-hole. BYU would have probably went into the one third filled Galen Center and beat them down by 20 points. That is what they probably would have done. If BYU would have probably lost to USC then why did they not fold in SDSU (a team with a legitimate claim for the number 1 ranking)? Twat!

BYU has a 49 point and 50 point win on their resume and they did not get to 27-2 and a 1 RPI by losing or even barely beating teams like USC. Obviously, I can't repeat 27-2 and 1 RPI enough.

For stating that BYU would have probably lost to lowly USC, Gottlieb ought to be banned from the airwaves for a year. I'm not even saying that for effect either. As a consumer, I don't want watch whores lie to my face.

This is how the double standard is really in effect; Gottlieb would not be claiming that Ohio State or Kansas would likely go to the mediocre USC and lose. Yet, BYU is the same caliber team as those teams. And by the way, going to USC is not exactly a daunting task in the first place.

And then within conference they don't get the benefit of having Kansas come and play them at their place. And instead they have a monster victory (at Kansas). You got a two point loss and a win on the road at two of your one seeds. I still think Texas is the one seed, especially considering they have a chance to win at Baylor, Kansas State at home tonight. I think Texas has a better resume in terms of pure wins than BYU does.

Actually idiot, the RPI significantly weights road wins and conversely punishes losses at home. So playing Kansas on the road was a really good thing; especially since Texas won. And really since, Pittsburgh is an artificial (borderline) number one (they are not BYU, OSU or KSU) then your touting Texas's playing two number ones is fairly disingenuous. And it's worth noting that they went 1-1 in those games! Fifty percent win percentages is hardly a trump card. BYU could have just as easily went fifty percent (or better) against those teams.

SDSU, 27-2 has a 4 RPI and they are a legitimate number one seed caliber team. And BYU DID beat a legitimate number one seed twice and by 13 points (None of this only losing by two points BS).

By the way, what is that BS about pure wins? Gottlieb is just making up terms! There's no definition or measure for pure wins! Gottlieb only compounded his stupidity by trying to sound especially smart. The only thing more annoying than having a smart person trying to con you is having a dumb person trying to con you! It's like dude, just shut the f up. You sound like such an idiot and we don't want your snake oil.

(Further analyzing) I still think Texas is the one seed, especially considering they have a chance to win at Baylor, Kansas State at home tonight. I think Texas has a better resume in terms of pure wins than BYU does.

Hmm. Texas will play Kansas State at home and Baylor on the road. KSU has a 25 RPI and Baylor has an RPI of 72. Yes that is more impressive than the RPI of BYU's last two opponents who are New Mexico, RPI 91 and Wyoming RPI 258. But will that somehow be enough to move Texas's RPI from 9 into the top 4 and BYU from 1 into 5? No. Even if so, it is pure speculation at best. It does not justify this a-hole's going on television and claiming that five loss, nine RPI Texas is more worthy of the one seed than two loss and top RPI team, BYU.

I know that we are making fun Doug Gottlieb's BS, but let us not forget that Joe Lundardi is basically a wolf in sheep's clothing either, when he conceeds, If it was close, I would absolutely take Texas and their win at Kansas putting them up to the top line but it's really not close.

That's the big preliminary load of BS that we are dealing with from the outset. Why is it preset that if it is close that Texas gets the nod over BYU? This a-hole undoubtedly put his preset bias right on the table for you. He made a Freudian slip and showed you exactly how the ESPN whores divvy out rankings. Lundardi is basically the equivalent of a sports bigot. The fact that he is not trying to pile on like Gottlieb only speaks to his pragmatism and not a sense of real fairness.

Texas has also played a far more difficult stretch of road games with Nebraska and Colorado.

Yea and they lost those road games to bubble teams (at-best bubble teams if they were in the MWC). BYU has won their road games against bubble teams. BYU went to the gyms of similar teams like Utah, Colorado State and Air Force and handled their business. And they won their road games against tougher teams like UNLV and SDSU.

Look, I'm with you generally. I do fall back on some of the numbers. But I only point this out, of the ten true road victories BYU has, Okay? Eight of them are one hundred (presumably RPI) and below. So they loaded up on road wins against..

You ever have someone look you in the eye and pretend like they are adhering to reason when you know they are just trying to get away with a huge con? This guy is not falling back on the numbers is the big problem. He has completely thrown the numbers out the door.

But Gottlieb pretends that he is adhering to numbers when he mentions that BYU has eight victories against opponents with an RPI of one hundred or higher. Okay? (I'm going to do the Gotliebb Okay? technique -- Like listen to me I know what I'm talking about okay?).

Texas performed better in their non-conference road schedule? They only had four road games and they went 2-2 in those games! Fifty percent again! The rest of the time Texas loaded up with all really weak opponents at home (not challenging themselves).

And in Texas's two challenging non-conference games against UCONN and Illinois, they went 1-1. Fiftye percent again!

Let's remember the crux of Gottlieb's argument. He wanted to value the non-conference performance. Hmm. Texas went 3-3 against Top 100 RPI teams in non-conference play (that's how they got that justified 71 non conference RPI by the way).

And I like how he tried to pretend that it was about Texas finishing strong against KSU and Baylor. That would just magically disregard BYU's accomplishments.

Do you ever wonder why a media whore will tout how a team finishes? It's because in the olden days, before RPI and quick data, it was easier for the pundits to snow people into thinking somebody finishing on a good note was more worthy of a seeding. It somehow did not matter the team sucked earlier in the year.

But does that really make sense?

If a Guy A finishes a marathon with a better time than Guy B do we say that Guy B deserves the win because he was ran the last two or three miles faster? No. That would be preposterous. The same principle should apply in college basketball.

Nonetheless, 'experts' will often use the 'who's hot' trick to whore it up for their bigger markets. But even Gottlieb is using that tool to take an unprecedented leap. Gottlieb is taking so much undue liberty with that Joe Lunardi has to pragmatically remind his fellow media whore: So it's really BYU across the board in terms of number of losses, schedule strength, both overall and non conference, and then of course in the what have you done for me lately category, Texas has lost two of its last three.

So they (BYU) loaded up on road wins against..And then you're counting a Colorado State and a UNLV, two at-best bubble teams. I think UNLV is going to get in (to the NCAA Tournament) largely on the back of win of Wisconsin going back to the first month of the half of the season.

Okay, I cannot say this enough mister a-hole (Gottlieb). The RPI is a measure of strength of schedule and performance. So stop trying to pretend that the Mountain West is weak when they are one of only four conferences in which all of the teams have winning non conference records.

Also characterizing CSU and UNLV as two at-best bubble teams is so contemptuously pathetic that someone ought to just slap you in your snide face.

UNLV has a 26 RPI and 33 SOS and they are 22-7. Granted a pinhead like yourself will come back and say cough, cough well look at their 3-6 record versus Top 50 RPI teams. Of course idiots like yourself would ignore the fact that they were all hard fought games. If it were Kentucky or UCONN and they had the exact same numbers, Gottlieb would not be pretending that they were bubble teams. So knock the double standard off already media whores. We know you're game. It's old.

Idiots like Gottlieb are not going around calling UCLA a bubble team or at-best bubble team. UCLA is only 3-4 against the Top 50 RPI teams with a 46 SOS and a 21-8 record that is worse than UNLV's 22-7 record. Could it be because calling a likely first or second place team of a 'major' conference is sacrilege but calling a third place team in a 'non major' conference is standard procedure?

Quite frankly if UNLV was in the ACC or Pac-10 they would have been competing for a conference title and then it would be unthinkable to call them an at-best bubble team.

Colorado State has an RPI of 47 and an SOS of 38 to go with an 18-10 record. Admittedly, with two games left they are a bubble team in that if they finish the season with losses, they would jeopardize their tournament selection. However, CBS Bracketology 'experts' have CSU in the tournament as it stands right now and they certainly are not an at-best, a bubble team. So again, the a-hole lied to the viewers.

Getting back to UNLV; they went to Virginia Tech and beat the Hogies by 12 points. Duke went to Blackburg and lost by 4. A couple days ago, Gottlieb would have been willing to give Duke a number one seed. This guy knows that UNLV is not a legit contender, not a bubble team.

And what's more, Gottlieb's going discredit UNLV while worshiping University of Wisconsin basketball?

I like BYU, not a shot at BYU. I just think that we're falling a little bit in love with the numbers based on the Arizona win, played essentially on a home court (Utes court) and the latest wins against San Diego State. They've dominated their conference and they got the Arizona win. Outside of that, there's not a lot to fall in love with.

Gottlieb tries to to make BYU sound like a fluke. He paints a picture that BYU only got a few lucky wins. This is a patented media whore maneuver. BYU is 9-1 vs. the RPI Top 50 whereas Texas is 7-2 vs. the RPI Top 50.

Here is the real tragedy. Anybody that has watched BYU play, knows that they are for real. They can and will beat anybody anywhere.

BYU has played as well as any team in the country and they have performed great on both ends of the court. They also have an offense that has outperformed everybody. Jimmer Fredette has routinely bombed forty foot threes. Despite that reality, the ESPN whores seek to discredit them.

And let's not just pretend that this is on Gottlieb. The show's producers and the Disney executives knowingly allow for this system of deceit to continue.

Picture: ESPN whore, Doug Gottlieb

Noteworthy: Soon after the publishing of this article, Texas lost at home to KSU.

The Association: 2010-2011 Boston Celtics - First Two Episodes

2011-02-22T23:25:00.000-08:00

Episode 1

Episode 2