WHY NOT HAVE NBA MVP VOTING AFTER THE PLAYOFFS?
The 100 voters for NBA Most Valuable Player probably did the Cleveland Cavaliers a favor by snubbing Le Bron James.
The MVP will be announced on a televised live NBA awards show June 26. The three finalists are Michael Westbrook, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. The balloting was done before the playoffs started.
King James wasn’t pleased and I don’t blame him.
Which of the three finalists would I have placed behind James? Westbrook. He deserved his spot on First-Team All-NBA, but I pointed out all season that his amazing statistics were inflated minus departed teammate Kevin Durant. Westbrook dominated the basketball – not hogged, there is a difference – because he had a less than stellar supporting cast. His field-goal and three-point field-goal percentages were not impressive. Neither was his defense.
James didn’t shoot nearly as much as Westbrook this season, but he had a much better field-goal percentage (.548 to .425). He also has a big edge over Westbrook on defense.
I believe the Most Valuable Player awards in all of the team sports should include performance in the playoffs. I don’t buy the argument that players from non-playoff teams would be at a huge disadvantage. With so many teams qualifying for the postseason, genuine MVP contenders from non-playoff teams would be few and far between.
When do the games count the most? In the playoffs. So why shouldn’t they carry more weight – or at least as much weight – as performance in the regular season?
Until Sunday’s night listless performance in a shocking 110-108 home loss to Boston (he had 11 points in 45 minutes and posted a triple-six – six rebounds, six assists and 6 turnovers), James has been spectaqcular in this season’s playoffs. If the Cavaliers somehow repeat as NBA champions, his failure to be among the three MVP finalists would be even more absurd.
It has been argued – and I agree -- that some voters might shortchange James because he has been so valuable for so long that they take him for granted. That’s not fair.
For the record, here is how James has fared in MVP balloting since his 2003-04 NBA rookie season:
2003-04 – 9th (Kevin Garnett was MVP)
2004-05 – 6th (Steve Nash was MVP)
2005-06 – 2nd (Steve Nash was MVP)
2006-07 – 5th (Dirk Nowitzki was MVP)
2007-08 – 4th (Kobe Bryant was MVP)
2008-09 – MVP.
2009-10 – MVP.
2010-11 –3rd (Derrick Rose was MVP)
2011-12 – MVP.
2012-13 – MVP.
2013-14 – 2nd (Kevin Durant was MVP)
2014-15 – 3rd (Stephen Curry was MVP)
2015-16 – 3rd (Stephen Curry was MVP)
2016-17 – For the first time in nine seasons, James will not finish in the top three for MVP.
CHRIS BOSTICK ISN’T SULKING AFTER A BRIEF LOOK FROM THE PIRATES
Chris Bostick (Aquinas Institute) didn’t get much of a look from Pittsburgh in his first stint in the majors earlier this month. He appeared in three games and was 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts before the Pirates sent him back to the Indianapolis Indians.
Bostick is playing like he wants a quick return ticket to Pittsburgh. Since returning to Indianapolis, he’s 18-for-45 (.400) 3 to lift his batting average to .345 (49-for-142), second-best in the International League.
Bostick has a great chance to be on the season-ending IL All-Star Team – if he isn’t recalled by the Pirates too soon to qualify.
OSHKOSH JOINING C-LEAGUE...ROCHESTER NOT IN THE PICTURE
The Oshkosh (Wisc.) All-Stars were a rival of the Rochester Royals in the old National Basketball League. When Rochester and others jumped to the NBA, Oshkosh was deemed too small to join the exodus.
Oshkosh was briefly in the Continental Basketball Association in the 1980s.
Pro basketball will return to Oshkosh for the 2017-18 NBA C-League (formerly the D-League) season. The NBA Milwaukee Bucks will owe and operate the team. It will play in a new 3,500-seat arena.
The C-League began in 2001-02 with eight teams. The NBA’s goal is to have a C-League affiliate for all 30 teams. There will be a record 26 teams for the 2017-18 C-League season.
The Toronto Raptors were interested in Rochester as their C-League affiliate for the 2015-16 season but the $6 million franchise fee was too rich for the prospective local owner/operator.
The C-League affiliate for Toronto now is Toronto 950. The defending D-League champions play at the 5,400-seat Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
My take on Rochester in the C-League: Rochester has never been a good pro basketball city. The NBA Royals and CBA Zeniths failed to survive and the PBL RazorSharks do much better on the court and in the standings than at the turnstiles...The C-League season is too long (50 games)...There are too many NBA games available on TV...It would be competing with the Amerks for the local live pro sports dollar. If the Amerks were good, the C-League team’s attendance would suffer....Some people think Rochester already has too many pro teams to sufficiently support.
POPULAR EX-RED WING EDDIE MIERKOWICZ DIES
Former Rochester Red Wings outfielder Eddie Mierkowicz died Friday at age 93. He was the 24th oldest surviving Major League Baseball player and the oldest survivor to play on a World Series winning team (the Detroit Tigers over the Cubs in 1945).
In Game 7 of that World Series, the Tigers had a 9-3 lead entering the bottom of the ninth inning at Wrigley Field when iron-man left fielder Hank Greenberg told the manager that he had a nagging injury and suggested that he be removed from the game. Mierkowicz replaced the star slugger for the final three outs. Tigers legend has it that Greenberg was doing a favor for a young, seldom-used teammate (he was 2-for-13 in 19 regular-season games). Mierkowicz proudly wore his World Series ring for the rest of his life.
In portions of four seasons (1949, 1950, 1951 and 1953) with Rochester, Mierkowicz played in 433 games. He batted .295 (427-for-1,149), with 59 doubles, 21 triples, 36 HRs and 238 RBI. His best season was 1949: .293, 15 HRs, 88 RBI in 128 games.
He appeared in 35 major-league games. He was 11-for-63, with 1 HR and 4 RBI. He once said of his career in the majors, “a cup of coffee but no cream.” He also said playing baseball at any level (including 15 different minor-league teams in his 14-year pro career) was a joy.
RATTLERS DROP TO 0-2 AT HOME...AT MIGHTY DENVER SATURDAY
A semi-respectable announced crowd of 1,744 last Saturday night at Capelli Sport Stadium saw the Major League Lacrosse Rattlers lose 9-8 in overtime to the Florida Launch.
The Rattlers drooped to 0-2 at home. They’re 2-1 on the road and travel to Denver Saturday to face the Outlaws. It will be a tough assignment. Denver has won 13 straight games. The Outlaws are 4-0 and have outscored opponents 52-34.
Conor Gately (Marquette) led the Rattlers Saturday with three goals. Buffalo Bandits NLL star Dhane Smith had 2 goals and 2 assists in his season’s debut for Rochester. Super goal scorer Jordan Wolf remained sidelined with a broken hand. Three key Rattlers – Joel White, John Ranagan and Jordan McIntosh of the indoor Georgia Swarm – won’t be available until after the National Lacrosse League Finals in two or three weeeks.
The next home game for the Rattlers will be Saturday June 10 against the Chesapeake Bayhawks.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS UPDATE: HOME TEAMS 39-39 THROUGH 78 GAMES
The Pittsburgh Penguins exploded for a 7-0 home victory Sunday over the Ottawa Senators to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals. The defending champions can advance to the Stanley Cup Finals with a victory Tuesday night in Ottawa.
NHL playoffs update through 78 games: Home teams are 39-39....26 overtime games...9 shutouts...Margins of victory: 1 goal (48 games, 2 goals (17 games), 3 goals (7 games), 4 goals (2 games), 5 goals (1 game), 6 goals (1 game), 7 goals (1 game)...394 goals in 78 games (5.05=goal average).
TWO EXAMPLES OF WHY BEING A PRO GOLFER IS A GREAT JOB
Two of Rochester’s pro golfers had a profitable week:
Dominic Bozzelli finished tied for 50th in the PGA Tour AT&T Byron Nelson and earned $18,090. In 17 events this season, he has missed the cut 9 times, finished in the top 10 twice and has won %675,301.
Jeff Sluman finished tied for 17th in the Champions Tour Regions Tradition and earned $34,577. In his last three events, he has finished 12th, 34th and 17th and earned a total of $80,862.
ROOTING FOR CHRIS COLABELLO
If you watched Chris Colabello tear up the International League for the Rochester Red Wings in 2013, you’re probably wondering what has happened to him and are rooting for him to bounce back.
Rochester 2013 – In 87 games, he batted .352 (119-for-338), with 25 doubles, 24 HRs, 76 RBI...Il Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.
Toronto Blue Jays 2015 – In 101 games, he batted .321 (107-for-333), with 19 doubles, 1 triple, 15 HRs and 54 RBI.
He was suspended early in the 2016 season by Major League Baseball after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He returned to action for Buffalo that season.
Buffalo Bisons 2016 – In 40 games, he batted .180 (25-for-139), with 0 doubles, 0 triples, 5 HRs and 11 RBI.
Columbus Clippers 2017 – Through 37 games, he is batting .238 (35-for-147), with 5 doubles, 0 triples, 3 HRs and 16 RBI.
SHORT SHOTS
Javier Castellano showed why he is a Hall of Fame jockey in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. Before the race, he chose to ride 13-to-1 long shot Cloud Computing instead of Gunnevera, the more highly-regarded colt he rode in the Kentucky Derby. Then Cloud Computing won the Preakness under a perfect ride by Castellano. They sat a patient third as favorites Classic Empire and Derby winner Always Dreaming battled on the lead for most of the race. Classic Empire put away Always Dreaming (finished eighth) and opened up a three-length lead but was caught in the final strides by Cloud Computing.
The National Women’s Soccer League defending champion North Carolina Courage, formerly the Western New York Flash, lost their second consecutive game, 3-1 to the Chicago Red Stars, Sunday at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Lynn Williams scored the goal for the Courage. Attendance was 4,786 – not great, but if the WNY Flash drew close to that in Rochester, they’d probably still be here.
David Price’s rehab start Friday night in Buffalo helped the Bisons draw 12,230 to Coca-Cola Field. Price didn’t last long. He threw 65 pitches in his two-inning stint, allowing 5 hits and 3 earned runs, with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts.
The American Hockey League is expected to expand by one team for the 2018-19 season – to match the NHL’s 31 teams. So the talent level in both leagues will be further watered down.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Monday, May 22 – Corey Dickerson (28)...Novak Djokovic (30)...Julian Edelman (31)...Eric Sogard (31)...Apolo Anton Ohno (35)...WWE’s Daniel Bryan (36)...Dre Bly (40)...Jose Mesa (51)...Marcus Dupree (53)...Jim Playfair (53)...Tommy John (74). Naomi Campbell is invited to the birthday party.
Tuesday, May 23 – Aaron Donald (26)...Darron Thomas (27)...Morgan Prossel (29)...WWE’s Bray Wyatt...Jordan Zimmerman (31)...Josh Pace (34; after an excellent pro career in New Zealand and a few other countries, the former SU star now is assistant coach for the Pepperdine University Waves women’s team in California)...Brian Campbell (38)...Rasual Butler (38)...Rene Ingoglia (45)...Victor Espinoza (45)...Gary Roberts (51)...Dave Babych (56)...Buck Showalter (61)...Marvin Hagler (65)...John Newcombe (74). Jewel (43), Drew Carey (59) and Joan Collins (84) are invited to the birthday party.
ON THIS DATE...
May 22
133 years ago (1884) – One-armed pitcher Hugh Dailey had 13 strikeouts.
106 years ago (1911) – Boston Braves pitched Cliff Curtis lost his 23rd straight decision. His career MLB record was 28-61.
54 years ago (1963) – Mickey Mantle hit a ball off the Yankee Stadium façade.
27 years ago (1990) – Andre Dawson received a record five intentional walks in a game.
26 years ago (1991) – NFL owners agreed to add two teams in 1994.
23 years ago (1994) – Toronto unveiled the name Raptors and logo.
14 years ago (2003) – Annika Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to play in a PGA Tour event.
May 23
144 years ago (1873) – Survivor won the first Preaness Stakes.
95 years ago (1922) – Harry Greb handed Gene Tunney his only professional boxing defeat.
76 years ago (1941) – Joe Louis beat Buddy Baer via disqualification for the heavyweight boxing title.
69 years ago (1948) – Joe DiMaggio hit three consecutive home runs.
35 years ago (1982) – Pittsford’s Cathy Morse won the PPGA Tour Chrysler-Plymouth Charity Golf Classic.