So There Is This Other Team From New York.......

…that is creating much buzz around the world of basketball. They haven’t been a contender to make the NCAA tournament since 2000 and have not made any noise in college basketball since 2003. Their name is the St. John Red Storm.

Now when you think of basketball, you think of New York; Rucker Park and Madison Square Garden. It is a hoop star’s dream to make your name there. Now During my time the Knicks was okay with Ewing, Bernard King, Oakley, Big Mase and his many haircuts, John Starks, Reggie Miller taunting Spike Lee, Jordan, Lebron, Melo, and Wade going for 50, and the infamous John Starks rising on Jordan.

What people don’t remember is that while all this was going on. The St. John Redmen (AKA Red Storm) was the one of the beast of Big East with other teams like Georgetown, Villanova, UCONN, and Syracuse in the 80s and early 90s. The Red Storm has the 7th-most NCAA tournament appearances (27), two Wooden National Player of the Year Award Winners, 11 consensus All-Americans, 6 members of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and has sent 59 players to the NBA Led by the one O.G’s of the “Sweater Committee,” Lou Carnesecca. The Redmen (name at that time) was a dominant force in the 80s led by one of the best playground basketball-turned NBA star in Mark Jackson and one the sharpest shooter in the NBA in Chris Mullin. It is also the alma mater of one of realist and craziest character of the NBA. This might help you out…….

Now the Red Storm has not been that team since 2003. Even Rutgers, who was always the laughing stock of the Big East was getting better player than they were. That was until Steve Lavin actually saw the Red Storm play in the Big East Tourney in 2010 and had a thought that most of the player from NYC were going to other programs such as Duke, UNC, Syracuse, Villanova, and UCONN where some of the NYC best high school players were leaving to become part of the their dynasty. He wanted to bring the NYC talents back home to play in the Mecca thus taking the job at St. John’s. This year’s Red Storm looks like the Old School Redmen, knocking off top 15 – caliber teams such as Notre Dame, Connecticut, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, and the Mighty Duke Blue Devils. Now, the Red Storm is in the ranked polls for the first time since 2000 and they are not trying to stop. Could the Johnnies be marching back into the ranks of the NCAA Elite? Only time will tell and we will find out soon if the Johnnies are back.

….but for now, the climb is waiting for the Red Storm.

- Stay Hungry My Friends!!!

-SA

The Ace Revisits: The 2005 NBA Drafts, The Busts

Yesterday I gave you the boom of the Class of 2005. Now today we are going to talk about the Who’s Who of the NBA Draft Class of 2005: The Busts

The UNC 4 (Marvin Williams, Raymond Felton, Sean May, Rashad McCants)- (picks 2nd, 5th, 13th, and 14th) I, The Smoking Ace, with along with many others thought that this Quad will go on dominate like they were in college.

….and that is when I heard that “Thud” because they had everybody picking up their faces.

Sean May can’t seem to get his game right, averaging 7 points and 4 rebounds respectively. Rashad McCants (10 points/ 2 rebounds) will only be known for dating the Big Kardashian and losing her to Lamar Odom (R U Serious?). Raymond Felton is an okay player (13.3 points/ 6 assists) , but more suited for a backup role after seeing him get handled by Jameer Nelson and Jason “Old White Chocolate” Williams. Marvin Williams is a good player, but being that he was picked 2^nd in that Draft behind both Chris Paul and Deron Williams will have people calling him the Sam Bowie of the 2005 Draft.

Gerald Green – Being the first of the last time high schoolers can come out, Gerald Green was suppose to be in comparison to Tracy McGrady, but that did not panned out. The only highlight of his career was winning the Slam Dunk Competition in 2007. Then again he is an answer to stepping stone of another high schooler turned pro, Kevin Garnett, career by being traded for him and other players for the Celtics to win a NBA Championship.

Juilus Hodge – You can really say bust when you only played 2.4 minutes and barely averaging scoring a point (.9).

Joey Graham – You can also say bust when you are being replace after 5 games of being a starter. Just never made it back after that 5^th game.

Who do you feel like was a bust in the NBA Class of 2005?

The Ace Revisits: The 2005 NBA Drafts, The Booms

Yesterday, the 2010 Draft started with the Washington Wizards becoming the team to draft the first overall pick. I always think to myself 5 years ago and the players that came out in the year of 2005 so I present to you the Who’s Who of the NBA Draft class of 2005. Today we are going to talk about the booms.

Deron Williams and Chris Paul (picks 3 and 4) – both point guards respectively change the demeanor for Utah and New Orleans. Paul came in after the Hornets let Baron Davis go and never looked back anchoring a second seeded team into the Playoffs, 2^nd in MVP voting behind Kobe. Deron Williams is what you call John Stockton reincarnated, leading his team to now three straight playoff appearances in 5 straight years after not being in the playoffs in three years, nuff Said. In combination 4 ALL-NBA Teams received (1 1^st team, 3 2^nd team), 2 Gold Medals in the 2008 Summer Olympics, 4 All-Star appearances, and both on the All-Rookie Team.

Andrew Bogut – (1st pick) other than Dwight Howard, Andrew is starting to live up to the big man status that he was picked. Although he was not an All-Star, he has put up number similar to Dwight Howard. This year he along with Brandon Jennings led the Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs for the first time in many years. Bogut will be fine at number one as long as he do not get hurt.

Danny Granger – (pick 17) Every fantasy player’s player. Granger can get you 20/10 in every game that he plays.

David Lee – (pick 30) Another fantasy player’s player. Lee is also double-double person and is the most under-rated player in the game. He will give 10/20 every game. Don’t believe me; ask Golden State when he notched 37, 20, and 10. The last guy that put up those numbers was some guy named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Andrew Bynum (pick 10) – Speaking of the man with the sky-hook, Kareem mentored this young man. Although he does not have an All-Star appearance yet (which I think is coming soon), He does have a ring (and possibly two more if Kobe doesn’t retire).

Honorable mentions: Charlie Villanueva (7th pick) , Jarret Jack (22nd pick)

If any basketball fans out there, Can you think of anybody in the class of 2005 that I omit of being booms? Who is your NBA class of 2005 booms?