SB Nation User Blog: miles

OT: NBA going down the drain fast...

miles — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:22:51 -0000

Not only is the NBA getting a hit from the donaghy scandal, but now there is worry about keeping their stars in the U.S.A.

Carlos Delfino, Bostjan Nachbar, Carlos Arroyo, Jorge Garbajosa, Earl Boykins and Juan Carlos Navarro

What do all of these players have in common? They left the NBA to play overseas for more money. Why is this? there is no cap where they are playing. Some of these owners overseas are some of the richest people in the world.

They are willing to drop 40 or 50 million a year on players such as Lebron and Kobe. Would Kobe and Lebron consider that? Definite yes.

When Kobe was asked if he would go overseas for the right amount of money, he responded "You can't turn down $40 million (a year), I don't care who you are," Bryant said. "If someone turns down 40, I'm beating them up."

Lebron was also all ears when asked if he would go elsewhere in 2010, as he said "I haven’t been offered that, I haven’t talked to anybody," James said. "It’s just rumors?" When I asked him if he liked hearing them, he smiled and said: "I like hearing good rumors, not bad rumors. That’s a good rumor."

D Wade was also asked the same question when he responded "They throw 30, 40, 50 million a year at me? I can't turn that down," said Heat star Dwyane Wade, a free agent in 2010.

The thing is that overseas owners are willing to pay the dollars to get world class superstars on their teams, these owners are some of the most powerful men in the world. How can Kobe or Lebron turn down 50 million a year when the most they can be offered in the NBA is 20 million?

So is this the end of the worldly status of the NBA? The power is already switching, can Euro basketball get bigger? The fan base is there, and it can only get bigger if they bring in American superstars.

Former Mav Pops Mensu Botsu is a fan favorite as they chant his name every game and treat him like a god.

How would Kobe Bryant or Lebron James be treated?

Barry Bonds vacationing with his family.

miles — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:29:35 -0000

Barry Bonds vacationing with his family.

OT: I'm stressed

miles — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:37:36 -0000

I don't even know where to begin, I am so stressed out right now.

Lets start from yesterday. I was walking down the street and somehow I lost my wallet. My wallet had everything in it including my school ID which is used for meals and to get into buildings, My debit card, all my cash, and my Texas drivers license which I need to get on airplanes.

I have no cash right now which is not good since I need to buy all this stuff ect. My new bank card doesn't get here for 8 days so I have to wait. Actually, I have 21 dollars, and I need to buy books for classes and other stuff.

Thats not even the bad part. So my last final was today for this summer session. I drank that 5 hour energy stuff last night to study some and it felt good for awhile and then it just messed me up. It made me like drugged tired. I set my time for my alarm for the next day, but I didn't slide the thing over to actually set the alarm.

My class is 8-10, I didn't wake up until 9:30. My professor understood my situation which is more than I could ever ask for. I finished my exam because she gave us extra time, but that class was hard anyway and I don't think I'm going to do very well.

This is the most I have ever been stressed out in my life, I basically lost all of my identification, and all monetary sources. Its just that I am busy 24 hours a day it seems, I always have something to do or somewhere to be and its just a change.

It takes me a long time to get used to things and this is no different. I am 4 states away from my home, in college. I'm still trying to figure out how to study because I have never had to in my life. I didn't study nearly as much as I should have this session of summer school, and I'm feeling the side effects hitting me right now.

Now I see why people smoke, I used to wonder why. This stress is building up inside of me and it just gets more and more. It just seems like everything is crashing at once. I don't know what to do anymore.

And its not like I hate this place. I love this place and school, I would pick going to school here than any place in the world. I love everyone here, they are nice and chill people. I'm just trying to get used to this environment and how to be successful here.

To make this kind of a on topic diary, I will tell a story.

I had forgotten the HR derby was on TV a few weeks ago. So I was coming in the lobby and all these Japanese exchange students where watching it. These were the same kids that wouldn't talk to me before. So I started watching it with them and I could feel us bonding. When Josh Hamilton came up, I told them he would dominate. During that first round, they were amazed at him.

This is just another example of how sports are the universal language. It pulls two cultures together into one common interest. Now I am great friends with many of them, we even play baseball together outside.

It is amazing how a sport can make two different cultures come together and become great friends.

Stephen A. Smith Heckled in the 2008 NBA Draft

miles — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:51:48 -0000

Stephen A. Smith Heckled in the 2008 NBA Draft

A-Rod and Cynthia split....

miles — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:39:24 -0000

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080703/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bba_yankees_rodriguez

Another example of open marriages not working.

This comes just a few months after the birth of their newborn.

This is what happens when both spouses cheat on each other. Recently, Cynthia has been seen with Lenny Kravitz in Paris holding hands.

A-ROD DOES NOT HAVE A PRENUP, SUCKS TO BE HIM RIGHT NOW.

NEW YORK - Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and his wife have split less than three months after the birth of the couple's second daughter, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

The story on the newspaper's Web site comes amid reports linking Rodriguez to Madonna. Rodriguez refused to address the topic on three occasions Tuesday, once saying "no" when asked if he had any comment.

Shan Foster singing! He is BEASTLY AT EVERYTHING!

miles — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:53:22 -0000

Shan Foster singing!

He is BEASTLY AT EVERYTHING!

OT: I'm pissed

miles — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:58:54 -0000

Yeah, so I'm at summer school. Drove three days to get here, stopping at Bedford, Arkansas and Lexington, Kentucky overnight to get here.

I drove through Kige Ramsey's hometown Bowling Green, Kentucky, went around his college of Western Kensucky university and looked at the town. I wish I knew where he lived so I could drop in and say yoyoyo.

So, we had to drive through all these hickish towns to get to the place, which pissed me off.

But I basically got dropped off in a secluded town 4 states away from my hometown to a place I know nothing about, and have no idea where anything is. But it was like a wakeup call to me, I have been secluded in "the bubble" my entire life, this is a entirely different setting... Like a 180, not a 360 you idiot Jason Kidd.

So of course all I care about is the babes. And let me tell you, these girls are not nearly as hot as the chicks from Texas. And let me tell you, I am pissed.

So I am walking around the dorm doing hell knows what and this group of girls won't leave me the F alone. And right now you are probably saying, why wouldn't you want girls following you around? Well they weren't hot, ok? I can't get away from them, they follow every step of the way. After like an hour and a half, I go to my dorm room, and guess who follows me?

Point is I could have had them if I wanted. But I DO NOT lower my standards. Do they know who I am? Do they know my status? Thats what I thought.

About 30 percent of the people in summer school are Asian.

So I see these two hottie Chinese girls sitting in the lobby( I am usually not attracted to Asians), so I go over and say what up....... They start talking Chinese to each other, and I'm just about ready to punch a hole in a wall.

Classes haven't even started yet, I can't find the hot chicks and its pissing me off. I knew girls in Texas were hotter than other girls in the US, but not by this much margin.

What is pissing me off a lot as well, is there is nothing to do right now. Every thing is closed right now. Recreation center, stores and everything. Don't think I'm going to the library.

Hopefully everything picks up when the classes start, because I am pissed!

Dirk and Rick Carlisle in Germany ready for the championship year.

miles — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:17:14 -0000

Dirk and Rick Carlisle in Germany ready for the championship year.

The next A-Rod?

miles — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:55:56 -0000

Dayán Viciedo is a 19 year old who escaped Cuba and is now in Miami. Viciedo is a 19 year old and is compared to Omár Linares, as he dominated Cuban league.

Viciedo left Cuba on a boat bound for Mexico on May 20, accompanied by his family. Several days later he crossed the border from Mexico and traveled to Miami to reunite with friends and relatives.

''At first I didn't like to be compared to Linares because he is almost a legend,'' Viciedo said. ``Later, I felt proud. As a third baseman I have two idols: Linares from the Cuban National Series and Alex Rodriguez from the major leagues.''

At 202 pounds, Viciedo stands 6-2. He s is a 5 tool player who has tremendous power and is a plus defender. He can also play shortstop, outfield. He used to play pitcher, and his fastball was clocked in the 90's.

Since age 9, he has played for Cuban national teams in all categories, and at 15 he started playing in the Cuban national championship. He is the first Cuban to play for three national teams at the same time -- 15-16 year-olds, juveniles and majors.

http://www.miamiherald.com/590/story/562497.html

via media.miamiherald.com

via www.cubasi.cu

Juan Dominguez: The True Underdog

miles — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:34:09 -0000

It has been a busy few weeks. Trying to get the word out about Juan Dominguez without any help from the media or any type of publicity. Juan had a few showcases set up with the Marlins. The Marlins were impressed with the stuff of Dominguez, but said “they didn’t have any room in the minors”. It was evident that the organization couldn’t get over the past problems that Juan has endured.

It didn’t help that the past agent for Juan Dominguez called him an alcoholic. Nothing like a guy that represents you that has no faith in you and assumes you have a drinking problem because of what happened years ago.

After the fallout with the Marlins, its was time to hit up the independent leagues. For some reason, the Fort Worth Cats are full of themselves and think they are above everyone. I will leave it at that so I do not further embarrass them.

The Laredo Broncos showed immediate interest and offered straight up. The location and money was not enough, it is not a good situation to put Juan in the middle of nowhere earning 1500 dollars a month.

The Broncos refereed to The Silver Sox from Reno who would provide Juan with a better situation to be put in and better monetary services.

The Washington Nationals showed interest in Juan and set up a showcase in the Dominican Republic. I learned the true meaning of a work horse. Just a few days prior to the Nationals showcase, Juan threw 100 pitches. A day later, he threw even more pitches. Remember, this is a few days before he has one of the most important showcases of his life. Juan wanted to workout and run for an hour before the showcase the next day, I disagreed full heartily. The only thing he needed to do was stay home and ice his arm.

Regarding the independent leagues, it will be hard to get Dominguez on Payroll. Dominguez has a visa that is valid if he is offered a contract. The independent leagues need a social security card and a US ID to verify him being on payroll.

The sad thing is many teams write Juan off for being a “headcase”, this couldn’t be further from the truth. This is a guy that gives everything he has to help others, he is a humble guy. He is always on the field working out; he is determined to make a comeback to show he still has his stuff and can help a team win.

The Washington Nationals showcase was set for 9:30 in the morning. Mr Santos and Juan had to drive far away for the showcase, out of the city. It was a rainy day, but they still went. They showed up but no one was there, so they waited. They ended up waiting for 3 hours, and the Nationals scout never showed up. Remember, gas is a bargain in the U.S. compared to the Dominican Republic.

This comes with another point that I have learned about Dominican scouting. The scouts think they are lords over everyone else, and are usually cruel and unfair. They believe they are above everyone else, and it is their way or the highway.

Now it is time to go back to option B, get Juan the visa to get a contract in order with an independent league. The next move is to talk with Jeoffrey Leonard who is in charge of the Silver Sox about the visa problem at hand.