Tyler Hansbrough will be a solid NBA player

The NBA Draft is coming up and it is a lock that the Los Angeles Clippers will take Oklahoma stud Blake Griffin...usually I don't follow the NBA Draft, but I am intrigued by one player - Tyler Hansbrough...

Yeh, yeh, I know 96.4% of the country hates this kid and thinks he will be a flop and out of the NBA within 3 years...but I think Hansbrough has the toughness and a nice outside shot to hang in the league for a while...especially if he gets with the right team...

Hansbrough is not going to be the star of any team...but I could see him being a Bill Laimbeer-type player who was tough, had a good outside shot, was a decent rebounder, and a solid free throw shooter...and most of all, the opposition hated Laimbeer because he was the enforcer...

I notice that ESPN has Hansbrough going at #20 to Utah...another publication had him going #24 to Portland...Chad Ford for ESPN.com had this about Hansbrough:

Positives
- A warrior in the paint
- Outworks everyone for rebound and second-chance putbacks
- Strong, physical player who isn't afraid to do the dirty work
- Does a great job of getting to the line
- Decent free-throw shooter for a big man
- Turning himself into a polished scorer

Negatives
- Not an explosive athlete
- Plays beneath the rim
- Not the elite rebounder he should be
- Struggles to score against long, athletic defenders
- Limited upside

June 4 Update: For all of you who wrote me all season furious that I didn't have Tyler Hansbrough in my mock draft lottery -- now's the time to yell, "I told you so!" I think it's time to declare Hansbrough the big winner of the 2009 NBA draft combine. Although he was what you would expect him to be in the skills portion of the combine, he came out better than expected in the measurements and strength and agility testing.

My thoughts - I believe Hansbrough will go sooner than the experts think...don't be surprised if he goes #12 to Charlotte or #13 to Indiana...if for some reason he slides, the perfect team for him would be the Lakers...he would add some toughness in the post...also, the kid is a hustler...he will run through a freaking wall for a rebound...and he would be a luxury for the Lakers ala Kurt Rambis...

Another good fit for him would be the New York Knicks...now I am not saying the Knicks should take him at the #8 spot, however, if Hansbrough is still there at say #15, the Knicks should works some deal to draft him...the Knicks fans would love this kid and he would be the enforcer when the Knicks sign either LeBron or D-Wade after next season...honestly, I would want him on my team...

Tim Tebow: the greatest of all-time?

Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun was nice enough to respond to the "Five Good Questions" segment pertaining to Florida All-American quarterback Tim Tebow...I want to thank Pat for taking the time...

Tim Tebow File
Senior, quarterback, 6'3", 240 lbs.
Hometown - Jacksonville, Florida
2008 - 2,746 yards, 30 TDs, 4 Ints - 89 carries, 469 yards, 8 TDS
2007 - 3,286 yards, 32 TDs, 6 Ints - 210 carries, 895 yards, 23 TDs
2006 - 358 yards, 5 TDs, 1 Ints - 176 carries, 673 yards, 12 TDs

Q1. I assume Tebow would make this list. Therefore, who are your five all-time greatest Florida Gators - in order?
A. Tim Tebow, Danny Wuerffel, Steve Spurrier, Wilbur Marshall, Emmitt Smith

Q2. What is Tebow like off the field? He comes across as being a nice guy who cares about helping people. Is that for real or just a front?
A. Oh, it's real. Tim likes to have fun like any college kid but the work he does is truly amazing. I admire how he's able to juggle everything. And he's a funny guy.

Q3. What makes Tebow special compared to other great college quarterbacks?
A. There has never been one who is a five tool player. You hear that expression in baseball but it works here. 1. power running 2. open field running 3. passing with accuracy 4. leadership 5. toughness

Q4. In your opinion, what do you see Tebow doing in the NFL? Will he be a first round selection?
A. That's the big question. He'll play somewhere and I think he'll be a quarterback. but I don't see him being a starter. I think someone will take a chance on him in the first round

Q5. Last question, where would you rank Tebow among the greats in college football?
A. It all depends on how he finishes. Right now, he'd be in my top 10. Herschel (Walker) is still the best I saw but if Tebow has another big year and Florida is in the National Championship, I'd have to change my mind.

Jahvid Best: the nation's best running back?

An old favorite of Stiles Points is back - "Five Good Questions with . . . "...with college football coming on fast, Jonathan Okanes of The Oakland Tribune was kind enough to respond about one of the best secret weapons in college football - Cal running back Jahvid Best...Okanes covers the Golden Bears for The Trib...I want to thank him for taking the time to respond...

Jahvid Best File
Junior, Tailback, 5'10", 195 lbs.
Hometown - Vallejo, CA
2008 - 194 carries, 1,580 yards, 15 TDs
Best game - Dec 6, 2008 vs. Washington - 19 carries/311 yards/4 TDs/84-yard TD run

2008 - Led the Pac-10 and ranked third in the country in rushing, averaging 131.67 ypg ... his 8.1 yards per carry was the best of any player in the FBS with at least 125 rushes on the year, as well as a school record

Q1. Cal has had some strong running backs over the past few years, such as J.J. Arrington and Marshawn Lynch, how does Best compare to those backs?
A. The other backs don't have the flat-out breakway speed that Best does. Lynch was a rare combination of size, strength and athleticism. Best certainly doesn't have the ability to bruise defenses like Lynch did. But none of the other backs are a threat to go the distance as much as Best.

Q2. What are Best's strengths? His weaknesses?
A. His strenghs definitely lie in his speed. Get him in space and it will almost always be a big play. He also can make defenders miss in the open field. His weakness so far has been durability. He missed the final two games of his freshman season with an injury and missed one game and parts of a few others last year with an assortment of ailments.

Q3. How is Best off the field? Does he have an attitude? Is he a team leader?
A. Best has a terrific attitude off the field. He's very humble and always prefers talking about his teammates more than himself. He's not particularly outgoing, but he has said he wants to be more of a leader this season.

Q4. What does Best have to do in order to get the attention of the east coast sports writers?
A. Cal won't be on national TV much, so it will be hard for him. The biggest thing will be if Cal has a good year and beats USC.

Q5. What are your predictions for Best this coming season?
A. Best is out to prove he can stay healthy. If he does, I think he'll lead the nation in rushing. But the Heisman talk is pretty unrealistic. The three finalists from last year are back and rarely does a West Coast player not on USC get much consideration.

Neda - the face of a revolution in Iran

The protesting in Iran now has a face - Neda...

Neda, a 27-year-old Iranian woman, along with her father, walked in protest down Karegar Avenue in the city of Tehran...they were peacefully participating in the protests against the 2009 Iranian election when she was shot by members of the Iranian Basij volunteer militia...

As she was dying, the name "Neda" can be heard several times on the video clip, presumably by her father...it has been reported that he can be heard saying (in Farsi) "Neda, don't be afraid. Neda, don't be afraid. [obscured by others yelling] Neda, stay with me. Neda stay with me!"...

This 37 second video may change the world...please pass this on...God Bless Neda...

Happy Father's Day

Stiles Points want to wish all the dads a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY...moms get all the glory but the dads are the backbone of a family...so Happy Father's Day!!!!

Lucy Pinder is not Tim Tebow's girlfriend

Yesterday I ran a photo of a chick with some huge cans who I thought was Tim Tebow's girlfriend...G$ from The Money Shot straightened my ass out by correctly stating this chick was (and this is a direct quote), ". . . British whore, Lucy Pinder."

I did some research on this "British whore" and found out she was born December 20, 1983 which makes her 25 years old...she is "a glamour model noted for her large, natural breasts, which have been voted as being "the most beautiful all-natural pair in Britain."...well, here are some more photos of Pinder...enjoy...

Tim Tebow's Girlfriend

Serious question - is this chick really Tim Tebow's girlfriend?...there is another photo of her with Tebow...but you know how things get on the internet - sometimes people make shit up...I'd appreciate if someone can respond to my question...whether she is or she isn't, the fact is that this chick has incredible gallon cans...there is no doubt this poor girl suffers from severe back pain after lugging those jugs around all day...

Tim Tebow and Jahvid Best - find out more about them

Coming next week, "Five Good Questions . . . " segment is coming back...on Monday, I will have my interview with Jonathan Okanes from The Oakland Tribune as he discusses Cal running back Jahvid Best....on Tuesday, Pat Dooley from the Gainesville Sun responds to questions about Florida All-American and all-around quarterback Tim Tebow...

Michael Ynoa the Dominican wiz is shutdown by the Oakland Athletics

July 2 is the first day that Major League Baseball teams can sign international players...the top player this year is the 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Miguel Angel Sano...it has been reported that the Pittsburgh Pirates are ready to offer Sano a $3 million signing bonus...

Last year the Oakland A's set the standard by giving a $4.25 million bonus to Michael Ynoa (Inoa)...so what has Inoa been up to in the minors?...

First off, there is some confusion with his name...his real name is Michel Ynoa, but the Athletics "Americanized" his first name to be Michael...as far as his last name goes...through a mix-up or just plain poor hand writing, the press reported that his name began with an "I"...but this past February Ynoa got it straightened out...

Ynoa is a 6'7", 17-year-old pitcher from the Dominican Republic...Ynoa was being offered by the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Yankees...however he signed with the Athletics, even though they offered him less money, because of how they handle pitchers...

The Washington Nationals should be aware of Ynoa before they cave into the ridiculous demands of supposed pitching phenom Stephen Strasberg...this past week the Athletics shut down Ynoa indefinitely after he complained of elbow soreness...Ynoa had been doing a throwing program at the Athletics minor-league complex in Phoenix...the team was hoping he would pitch in the Arizona Rookie League this summer...

The Athletics were hoping Ynoa would be able to pitch in the Majors in 2011...

Fisherman falls short on record after catching a big tuna that is not Parcells

Ed Zieralski of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes about a fisherman who caught a 361.8 pound yellowfin tuna, but still fell short of breaking the world tuna record... "“Four hundred, 400, 400,” Ashford yelled, leading a crowd chant and holding four fingers aloft for the crowd to see. They chanted with him and cheered as Cates hoisted the yellowfin onto the digital scale. But as happens far too often with these big tuna, the catch didn't come close to expectations. Once up on the scale, it settled at 361.8 pounds, nearly 27 pounds shy of Wiesenhutter's all-tackle record." ...

Ed Zieralski

Texting championship held in NYC

You've heard of spelling bees, hot dog eating contests, but now you can add texting contests...yep, I found an article in the Gainesville newspaper about some kid who is competing at Madison Square Garden in the third annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship...what has this world come to?...

Tatiana Gonzalez

Derek Tatsuno and Mike Loynd: College baseball's only 20 game winning pitchers

I was reading through The New York Times from about two weeks ago when I came across an interesting fact...

There have only been two 20-game winning pitchers in NCAA history...the first was Derek Tatsuno (photo, right) of the 1979 Hawaii Rainbows who went 20-1 with a 1.86 ERA...in his 3 years at Hawaii he posted a 40-6 mark with 541 strikeouts...however, many of those strikeouts came against lower echelon competition such as DeVry Institute and Whittier College...he was a 1st round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the January 1982 regular phase draft...Tatsuno never made it to The Show...in 1982 he played for the Brewers' AA affiliate, the El Paso Diablos of the Texas League, going 7-2 with a 6.42 ERA and walking more than a batter an inning...he bounced around the minors until 1987...

Richard W. Johnston of Sports Illustrated did a feature story on Tatsuno in the April 30, 1979 edition of the magazine...

Richard W. Johnston article

The other 20-game winner was Mike Loynd of the 1986 Florida State Seminoles who went 20-3 with a 2.45 ERA...Loynd was a college stud as he was named the winner of the 1986 Golden Spikes Award which is the Heisman Trophy of college baseball...Loynd helped Florida State get to the College World Series...he was drafted by the Texas Rangers and was called up to the big leagues in less than two months...with the Rangers in a pennant race, Bobby Valentine gave the ball to Loynd as he won his first start 6-3 over the Cleveland Indians...

Loynd started his career 2-0 which would be his only highlight...soon thereafter, he began to struggle and within two years he found himself traded to the Houston Astros...he spent the next seven seasons in the minor league organizations of the Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves before ending his career with the West Palm Beach Expos of the Florida State League in 1994...Loynd finished his brief career with a 3-7 mark and 2 saves...

Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto writes about former Plain Dealer sports reporter Bill Nichols who died on Saturday

Terry Pluto of The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer writes about former Plain Dealer sports reporter Bill Nichols (photo, right) who died on Saturday... "Nichols spent 30 years at The Plain Dealer. He had some heart problems, but was well enough to have lunch with former Plain Dealer writers Eddie Dwyer and Dick Zunt on Friday at the Hometown Buffet in Parma. He died early Saturday morning at his home in Rocky River." ...

Terry Pluto

Washington Nationals quietly sign Drew Storen from Stanford - their other first round pick

As the Washington Nationals sweat it out in dealing with first pick Stephen Strasberg and his agent Scott Boras, they quietly signed their other first round pick Drew Storen to a $1.6 million signing bonus...

Storen was selected just nine picks after Strasberg...the 6'2" righthanded pitcher from Stanford went 7-1 with seven saves and a 3.80 ERA in 28 appearances for the Cardinal...in 42 2/3 innings of relief work, he tallied 66 strikeouts (13.9 strikeouts per nine innings) in his two years at Stanford, Storen had a combined 12-4 mark with 15 saves and a 3.64 ERA in 59 appearances...

Storen will start his professional career at Class A Hagerstown and wear No. 26...he is being groomed to be a closer...

John Calipari - an in-depth feature by Gerry Dulac

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes an in-depth story on Pittsburgh native and new Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari... "At age 50, he has ascended to the one program he long desired to oversee, a program whose fan base encompasses the entire state, border to border, and whose passion runs deeper than perhaps any other college sports program in the country. Kentucky is to college basketball what Notre Dame is to college football -- storied, tradition-rich, mystical. Or, as Calipari said, "Always one season away from where you were." ...

Gerry Dulac

Los Angeles Lakers - 15 time champions!!!

CHAMPION AGAIN

Jeanie Buss is the reason Phil Jackson is coaching the Lakers

Mike Wise of The Washington Post writes how Jeanie Buss is the one responsible for bringing the Lakers on the brink of another NBA title... "Wait. So, if Phil wasn't in love with Jeanie Buss, the daughter of owner Jerry Buss, a Lakers executive and one half of America's most powerful sporting couple, there is no Siddhartha presence in the locker room? No closing in on a 10th NBA coaching title -- one more than Auerbach's nine with the Boston Celtics?" ...

Mike Wise

Arizona State's 1-2 punch

Ted Miller of ESPN.com writes about Arizona State's potent 1-2 punch on the mound... "We should pause now and mention that these two have combined for a 25-2 record this season and are the nation's best one-two punch of starting pitchers. It's not clear yet who will start against North Carolina on Sunday in the Sun Devils' CWS opener (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET)." ...

Ted Miller

Alan Trubow of the Austin Statesman writes about the Texas Longhorns sparkplug who bats ninth... "The Longhorns, who head to Omaha tomorrow for the College World Series, like seeing that emotion out of the sophomore. While he looks quite stoic most of the time on the field, it's his fire, passion and competitiveness that make Rowe the player he is." ...

Alan Trubow

Great grandmother deserved to be tasered by officer

Most people have seen the video below of the 72-year-old great grandmother who was tasered by an officer in Texas...when I first heard about the incident, I was disgusted...I thought it was another law enforcement officer who is bullying a person...then I saw the video...

This old bag deserved to get tasered...just because you are old, that does not give you the right to be an asshole and not listen to the officer...if she would have signed the ticket, as she was politely told to do, this never would have happened...

If I was that officer I would have tasered this old lying bitch another one or two times...

Obama Girl plays Wii Tennis