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Kobe To Have Surgery on Rotator Cuff

January 27, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Los Angeles Lakers star shooting guard, Kobe Bryant, has elected to undergo surgery on his injured right shoulder in order to repair a torn rotator cuff. The injury and surgery will almost certainly keep Kobe from competing for the remainder of his 19th season in the NBA.

Kobe has been dealing with wear and tear this season, more so than in the past due to an abnormally high amount of minutes he was forced to play earlier in the season in an attempt to compensate for other injuries that the team was dealing with at the time.

The Lakers have not been able to enjoy very much success this season and the loss of Kobe Bryant for the foreseeable future is only going to exacerbate the issues that are already present within the team’s present situation.

The Lakers star aggravated what had been a lingering shoulder injury last week after a dunk in the Lakers contest against the New Orleans Pelicans. After the injury had been confirmed to be a rotator cuff tear, the Lakers and Kobe decided on Monday that Kobe will get a surgery to repair the injury. The surgery will require several months of rehabilitation.

“Kobe is probably not going to play” again this season, coach Byron Scott said.

“We all know how tough he is,” Scott added after Monday’s practice. “He’s a trooper, so we pray for him that his return will be sooner rather than later.”

There has been some speculation as a result of the injury that this may result in the longtime Lakers superstar finally hanging up his jersey and retiring. Those close to the star and the team feel like that will not be the case.

“I don’t think we appreciate how tough he is, all the injuries and other things that he’s played with, to be able to come back the way that he’s come back. I don’t see Kobe as the type of guy that wants to leave his legacy on [these] terms. I think he wants to go out on his own terms. We’ll just have to wait and see,” Scott said.

Investigation Into Deflated Balls Ongoing

January 23, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Since last Sunday’s AFC Championship game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots, the NFL has been caught up in investigating allegations that game balls being used by the Patriots were under inflated to the point of not falling in line with NFL allegations.

Since the allegations were originally investigated when the inflation of the balls was retested at halftime, 11 of the 12 balls that were being used by the Patriots were under inflated and not by an insignificant margin.

The league has been continuing the investigation all week and has conducted over 40 interviews with various personnel who may have light to shed on the situation.

“While the evidence thus far supports the conclusion that footballs that were under inflated were used by the Patriots in the first half, the footballs were properly inflated for the second half and confirmed at the conclusion of the game to have remained properly inflated,” the NFL’s statement read.

“The goals of the investigation will be to determine the explanation for why footballs used in the game were not in compliance with the playing rules and specifically whether any noncompliance was the result of deliberate action. We have not made any judgments on these points and will not do so until we have concluded our investigation and considered all of the relevant evidence.”

So far the NFL has not conducted any interviews with any individual players, nor have they announced any kind of ramifications, nor who is wholly responsible for the incident.

The reason the deflation of the footballs could be so important is that under inflated footballs could provide a competitive advantage as the balls are more easy to grip for wide receivers, and they are easier to throw for the quarterbacks.

This new scandal known as “deflategate” doesn’t appear to be drawing to a close, as there are still a number of questions that need to be answered.

Ichiro Suzuki May Be Going To Miami

January 23, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Current free agent and former right fielder for both the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees is close to finishing a deal that will send him to play for the Miami Marlins for the 2015 season, as he continues his quest to potentially tie Pete Rose for number of overall hits.

Between his time spent playing ball in Japan, and his time spent so far in the MLB, Ichiro has racked up an impressive 4,122 hits in his career, just 134 hits shy of being tied with Pete Rose for total number of hits. 2,844 of those hits of his have come as a result of the 14 seasons he has played in Major Leagues with Seattle and New York.

Should Ichiro and Miami come to an agreement, Ichiro will likely be the first outfielder off of the bench as he works with one of the best young outfields in baseball.

The Marlins already boast a squad featuring Christian Yelich in left field, Marcell Ozuna in center field, and slugger Giancarlo Stanton in right.

With one of the most talented outfields in the league, Ichiro’s role will likely be smaller than what the Japanese standout is probably used to. That said, having that level of experience to be able to call off of the bench will be a major benefit to the Marlins squad.

Aside from his consistency at the plate, Ichiro will also be able to help the young Marlins outfielder improve their fielding and pass on some veteran knowledge to the young guys.

The multiple time gold glove award winner is nearing a deal that will offer Ichiro $2 million for 1 year to play with the team, as Ichiro continues to secure his legacy as one of baseballs most consistent hitters of all time.

Last year for the Yankees, Ichiro managed to hit .284, steal 15 bases while playing 143 games last year.

Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose Defends Coach

January 23, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Amid the Chicago Bulls recent skid, there has been much speculation that the Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau has lost a grip on the team, but after Thursday nights big 104-81 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, Derrick Rose came to his coaches defense.

Ros came out saying that he believes it is the responsibility of the players, his teammates, not Thibodeau, need to be the ones held responsible for the struggles that the Bulls have been experiencing.

“This don’t have anything to do with Thibs at all,” Rose said. “The way that we’ve been playing don’t have anything to do with Thibs. He’s preparing us right. He’s doing everything and did everything possible to prepare us as a coach. It’s up to the players to give that effort.”

Rose wasn’t the only person to support Tom Thibodeau. Spurs head coach Greg Popovich also had nothing but glowing remarks about his oppsitions head coach.

“He’s not gonna lose any team,” Popovich said before the game. “I think you guys just have to have stories. So somebody loses a few games, there’s got to be a reason. I guess that’s the one that was picked. Sometimes players listen to me. Timmy Duncan stopped listening to me a long time ago. I don’t even coach him. You guys think I’m kidding. He just plays. I talk to him once in a while, but sometimes some guys don’t want to hear it.

“But as far as the team and being lost and that kind of thing, that’s not what’s happening here.”

While praise from a coaching legend like Popovich is nice, it’s the commetns of players like Rose that truly indicate the bond coach Thibodeau has with his team.

If the resuilts of the game, and the comments afterwards are anything to consider, the Bulls like they are still in a rather strong position.

LA Lakers Kobe Bryant Out For Season

January 23, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Los Angeles Lakers star shooting guard Kobe Bryant is expected to miss the remainder of the 2014-2015 season as a result of a significant tear to his rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

This is another injury setback that has been plaguing Kobe Bryant over the last few years. Kobe has had to deal with injuries to his achilles tendon, as well as to his knees, and as a result only was able to play in a total of 6 games last season.

While the organization is certainly going to be hurt from the loss of the Kobe for the remainder of the season, the organization does believe that the future hall of famer will be able to return an d play once again, as he has done so in the past.

“This is one of the toughest guys I’ve ever been around as far as dealing with injuries and things like that and being able to come back,” coach Byron Scott said. “Everybody said he was done after the Achilles and he came back pretty strong.

“Knowing him the way I know him, I know he doesn’t want to go out this way. I think he’ll rehab it if that’s the case and then we’ll have to wait and see.”

Kobe Bryant is expected to take the upcoming weekend to decide if he wants to undergo surgery to repair the tear, but wither way, Kobe won’t be wearing a Lakers’ uniform again this season as a result of the injury.

Kobe has missed 6 of the clubs last 18 games a a result of wear and tear, and before the injury had been voted to his record 17th consecutive all star game.

Kobe has certainly had to deal with some major wear and tear this season, and one can;t help to speculate on how much that played into the injury. Only time will tell if Kobe will play in the NBA once again.

USMNT Goalkeeper Hope Solo Suspended

January 22, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

The goalkeeper for the US Women’s National Soccer Team has been suspended from the squad for 30 days as a result of what appears to be a culmination of various issues that have occurred over the past few weeks.

U.S Soccer has stated that the suspension of the goalkeeper stems from an incident that occurred at training camp in Carson, California, but declined to offer any further details regarding the incident.

A source close to the team, however, has indicated that this suspension is not the result of one isolated occurrence, and is, at least in part, related to Solo’s run in with the police earlier in the week.

Solo was the passenger in a car being driven by her boyfriend, and former Seattle Seahawks tight end, Jerramy Stevens was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Although Solo did not face any charges, nor was she arrested, her failure to report the incident to the USWNT was cause for concern, as the team found out about the incident due to TMZ.

“During our current National Team camp, Hope made a poor decision that has resulted in a negative impact on U.S. Soccer and her teammates,” USWNT coach Jill Ellis said in a statement. “We feel at this time it is best for her to step away from the team.”

The suspension will take effect immediately.

Hope Solo has been very amicable about the decision, accepting the suspension and apologizing to her teammates.

“I apologize for disappointing my teammates, coaches and the Federation who have always supported me,” she wrote. “I think it’s best for me to take a break, decompress from the stress of the last several months, and come back mentally and physically ready to positively contribute to the team.”

Solo will miss two matches during her suspension, but will be back in time for the World Cup this coming summer.

2015 Last Full Season For Jeff Gordon

January 22, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

After the 2015 season, longtime NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon will no longer be racing full-time.

“As a race car driver, much of what I’ve done throughout my life has been based on following my instincts and trying to make good decisions,” Gordon said in a press release. “I thought long and hard about my future this past year and during the offseason, and I’ve decided 2015 will be the last time I compete for a championship.”

Gordon does, however, still plan to remain active in the racing scene, though he currently doesn’t have any plans to drive for any events, though he was unwilling to rule that out as a possibility in the future.

“I won’t use the ‘R-word,’ because I plan to stay extremely busy in the years ahead, and there’s always the possibility I’ll compete in selected events, although I currently have no plans to do that.”

Gordon has raced his way to 92 wins over the years in NASCAR, good enough for 3rd on the all-time wins list, trailing only David Pearson with 105, and Richard Petty with an incredible 200 victories.

In addition to being 3rd all-time in victories, he holds that same distinction with championships, having 4 to his name.

The entire racing world has been reacting all day to the news of Jeff Gordon’s impending slow down. He broke the news in person to his Hendrick Motorsports teammates today and after that point many drivers, including Jimmie Johnson, Danica Patrick, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to twitter to address the last full season of Gordon’s career.

Gordon has etched himself into many of the all-time leader lists over the course of his career, and has earned the respect of the entire NASCAR world. Though 2015 will be the last time that Jeff Gordon drives his famous 24 car in pursuit of a championship, the legacy he will leave behind will last for years to come.

LeBron James Meets With Ray Allen

January 22, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

Cleveland Cavaliers all-star small forward met with current free agent guard, and former Miami Heat teammate, Ray Allen while LeBron was in Miami to rest and recover, in an attempt to convince Allen to join the Cavaliers this season and contribute to potentially play for another ring.

Allen, the NBA’s all time leader in 3 point scoring, told the league and various teams back in December to get in touch with him in January to see if he will in fact return for his 19th season in the NBA, and then figure out which team he would play for, if he so chose to return, in February.

While, at the moment, nothing is set in stone by any means, the Cavaliers have been making sure to keep in contact with the guard in an effort to keep him open to the idea of joining the Cavaliers. In addition to LeBron, James Jones and Mike Miller, who also played with Allen during their time in Miami, have also been keeping in touch with Allen.

Cavaliers associate head coach Tyronn Lue has also been keeping in contact with Allen, as Lue knew Allen from his time spent as an assistant coach in the Boston Celtics Organization.

Allen has been keeping the possibility of a return open whenever asked about it, though he has remained non-committal.

The addition of Allen would be a big get for the Cavaliers who currently rank 17th in 3 point percentage, at 34.7%, and 11th in number of 3 pointer made per game, at 8.3.

Allen who has been one of the most consistent 3 point shooters in the history of the NBA with a quick, smooth stroke and an uncanny ability to hit the clutch 3 pointer, would be a big acquisition for any team in the NBA, but the Cavs seem very focused on getting him, and they even have an open spot on the roster that appears to have Allen’s name written all over it.

Seattle Seahawks Marshawn Lynch Fined $20,000

January 22, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

The running back for the Seattle Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch, has been fined $20,000 by the league for an obscene gesture Lynch made during last Sunday’s NFC Championship game victory over the Green Bay Packers.

While the NFL declined to comment as to specifically what the gesture was, there was an incident after Lynch scored a touchdown in which he grabbed his crotch, but that aside, there is no clear indication of what Lynch may have done to warrant the fine.

This fine is certainly not the 1st time Lynch and the league have butted heads on a variety of issues. Another issue occurred on Sunday’s game during which Lynch wanted to wear gold cleats, but the NFL threatened that Lynch may not be allowed to take the field with those cleats as they would be in violation of the NFL uniform guidelines.

In addition to those issues, Lynch often times faces fines for refusing to speak to the media, which has landed him two $50,000 fines for Lynch in the past.

Not speaking to the media will be difficult for Lynch starting next week as the lead up to the Super Bowl includes an impressive number of media events and the NFL has threatened fines much stiffer than $50,000 if Lynch does not participate in those scheduled interactions with the media.

As it stands right now, the Seahawks and the NFL are in discussions on the best way to handle Lynch’s self imposed silence toward the media, and what they could do to mitigate any negative effects as a result of Lynch’s desire to not speak toward the media.

With this $20,000 fine imposed now, and who knows how many more fines potentially looming over Lynch next week, the lead up to the Super Bowl could be an incredibly expensive issue for the star running back.

Bill Belichick Comments On Deflation Controversey

January 22, 2015 By Grant Hamersma Leave a Comment

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick addressed the media on Thursday with an 11 minute conference devoted solely to addressing the deflated ball controversy that has been the subject of much analysis since the Patriots victory over the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday in the AFC Championship game.

Stemming from that game were the allegations that the game balls the Patriots were using had been deflated out of NFL rule guidelines, which could have provided the Patriots with a competitive advantage during the game to decide who would represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLIX.

The allegations launched a probe by the NFL which discovered that 11 of the 12 game balls that were being used by the New England Patriots during the game had in fact been deflated to outside the NFL guidelines after being inspected by officials 2 hours and 15 minutes before the game.

After a statement that lasted approximately 8 minutes, Belichick fielded questions from reporters, emphasizing that he has told the reporters everything he knew about the situation.

“In my entire coaching career, I have never talked to any player or staff member about football air pressure,” Belichick said. “The footballs are approved by the league and officials pregame, and we play with what’s out there. That’s the only way that I have ever thought about that.”

While the investigation is still ongoing to determine, if possible, who is responsible for the deflation of the balls, the NFL will still be faced with an unprecedented case of this kind of tampering occurring in a playoff game.

Punishments for this offense typically include fines of some sort, but it seems as though something further ought to be done in order to ensure that this kind of ting doesn’t happen in the future.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is set to address the media Thursday at 3:45 in regard to this same controversy.

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