Da Real MVP: Happy (Belated) Father's Day!

There’s something truly special about sports and their ability to build and strengthen bonds between father and son. Whether it’s simply playing catch in the backyard, a cutthroat game of 21 in the driveway (where the loser has to mow the lawn) or even attending a game together, it’s these moments that allow even the most awkward relationships to flourish. So in honor of (a now belated) Father’s Day, let me tell ya a bit about my kick-ass, awesomely-cool dad and some memories we’ll always have because of sports.

Just to be clear, my dad isn’t the most hardcore fan. He isn’t an avid follower of any team, doesn’t track stats and quite frankly would rather watch “This Old House” or “Mysteries of the Museum” reruns over flipping the channel to, let’s say, last night’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He (most likely) can’t tell you who won this years’ NBA MVP award, or the historical value behind it. He’s the outdoorsy type – you know hiking, camping and such – who recently climbed Devils Tower in near-record time. He couldn’t care less about sports, but always understood their importance to ME.

In short, he just gets it.

I remember my first trip to “The Shoe.” Seeing Script Ohio come to life before my very eyes, being utterly dumbfounded at the surgeon like precision of the band – playing instruments while actively spelling words, what?? The numbness of my tush from sitting on the rock-hard bleachers with no cushion. Witnessing Drew Brees’ first game in Ohio Stadium where he caught a touchdown pass from Vinny Sutherland that silenced the Scarlet and Gray faithful. The go-ahead touchdown by Jonathan Wells late in the 4^th, the subsequent blocked field goal by Ohio State to seal the game, and the rush of my dad and I joining 100,000 strangers for The Wave. Unforgettable!

I remember us making the 2-hour plus drive multiple times to Cleveland to watch the Cavs play in (then-named) Gund Arena. Filled with infant-like joy as we pulled into the parking garage to watch Allen Iverson put on a show in the height of his MVP season. The thrill of a random fan snapping a picture of my Matt Harpring jersey – yes, I, Justin Shepherd owned a Matt Harpring jersey – because he didn’t know they sold Harpring jerseys. Seeing the ’03-’04 Lakers during the height of Kobe Bryant’s Colorado case. When I witnessed a 19 year-old LeBron James drop 32, when I first realized just how damn big Shaq’s feet were, because my dad had gotten us tickets five rows back from courtside. Being able to hear all the trash-talk and reminiscing about our heated one-on-one games where mom was forced to step in. I remember my dad – a relatively calm, quiet-natured person – joining my friend Jordan and I to scream at ungodly decibels in overtime at Maurice Carter to miss free-throws (this did get us audibly on SportsCenter that night). However, the most memorable experience came in 2002 when “His Airness,” Michael Jordan returned from yet another basketball hiatus to play for the Washington Wizards.

There we were, sitting at the tippy-top of the stands near the rafters, our heads cocked at a 90-degree angle because we were literally touching the dome, uncomfortably close to the A/C vents to watch Jordan – and a young, corn-rowed Rip Hamilton – take on the deadly pick-n-roll combo of Andre Miller and Chris Mihm in a predictably-packed Gund Arena. While we were both hopeful for a Cavs win, we also wanted to witness an aging No. 23 do something Jordan-esque. Since we couldn’t see the game being played on the actual floor, we were relegated to watch the game from the Jumbotron. We shared nachos, hot dogs, talked about the free hats given to us courtesy of Aramark, and he even mustered up the courage to ask me about my then ‘girlfriend’. He shared previously unheard stories of his “rebel days” as a high-schooler, and I fessed up on why exactly I was suspended from school a few months earlier – let’s just say I was really into Nelly’s Country Grammar that year – and we honestly got lost in conversation and paid no mind to the game that was unfolding.

Until late in the 4^th quarter…..

Less than 30 seconds left in the game, Cavs up by one, Jordan steps up to the line and knocks down two free-throws to give the Wizards a 91-90 lead. Cavs call timeout, shortly after Andre Miller finds Chris Mihm with a lob near the rim and Mihm misses the tip-in, proceeds to claw the rebound away from a herd of Wizard defenders and gets the put-back. Cavs lead 92-91 with 1.6 seconds left. Then it happened. Jordan catches the inbound pass from the free-throw line, takes a hop-step dribble and lets it fly with only tenths of a second left on the clock. Swish!! That majestic moment we both had hoped for, came to fruition. We lost it. Gund Arena lost it. The place went INSANE over a player from the opposing team hitting a game-winner. We tossed our drinks, hugged and high-fived strangers, each other. There we were – a young father and his asshole step-son – hugging it out over a basketball game, our love for spicy nachos and the fact that we just learned more about each other in the span of two-ish hours than we had in the last two years! To think that none of this would’ve been possible without my dad deciding that he was going to take his moody, sports fiend son on a trip WITHOUT his momma! Just two guys, watching sports and bonding.

So thank you to my Dad, and every other dad out there who has used sports as a way of bonding with their sons. Even if it seems insignificant, or if we think you’re corny for showing up to the play hoops wearing shorts from the 60’s and a pair of T-Macs, we appreciate the effort. Thank you for the profound impact you’ve had on our lives and the experiences you’ve given us. From sons everywhere, we love you (even though we might not say it in public).

Happy (Belated) Father’s Day!!

-Shep

Podcast!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen I have good news- we have a podcast! If you've liked what you've read over the past few months (which will continue to be updated more regularly, I PROMISE) click HERE to check it out directly, or for those of you who use RSS Feeds you can copy and paste this - http://handdownfandown.podomatic.com/rss2.xml into your RSS Feed of choice and it should be added to your app! Thank you so much for checking out Hand Down, Fan Down- Sports Talk with a Twist!

-Shep

All Filler, No Thriller: Thank You Timmy D

“I am not a role model.” This is in reference to a 1993 Nike commercial featuring NBA Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley.  In an era of ego-driven athletes-- fueled by skyrocketing contracts, 24/7 Truman Show-esque media coverage, and social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, one player has managed to feed his (basketball) ego while staying (sometimes literally) grounded - “The Big Fundamental” Tim Duncan, or has he likes to call himself, “Merlin.” (I’ll get to that in a moment).  I could spend time firing off the numerous accolades that Tim Duncan the basketball player has earned over the course of his 19-year, Hall of Fame-worthy career, but frankly that would be as mundane as watching an infinite-looping Vine of Tim hitting a 17-foot bank shot from the wing. Instead I’m here to celebrate Tim Duncan the human being, and why everything he’s not, is everything that makes him great.

ULTIMATE TEAMMATE

From his prime, to now deep into the sunset years of his career, Timmy D has been class personified when it comes to being a teammate. He reminds you of the kid on your high school team who knows he’ll never see any action unless there’s a blowout, catastrophic injury, or the obligatory Senior Night start in which he’s immediately pulled after the first 10 seconds- and yet, he’s totally fine with it. He’s the first one off the bench during timeouts running out to embrace his teammates with open palms and a smile. He’s the one who starts chants on the sidelines, the one who initiates dry-humored pranks to get a brief smirk during tough stretches in games, the one who gives you the head pat and whispers, “don’t sweat it” after you make a huge mistake even though he knows it may cost the game. It didn’t matter if Timmy played 40 minutes, 20 minutes or no minutes, up by 10 or down by 30, he was consistently involved in his team. That’s something you don’t see from many professional athletes, much less those of Hall of Fame caliber.

HE’S (LITERALLY) NOT FLASHY

Duncan is the guy who once showed up to accept the NBA MVP award wearing an ill-fitting black shirt front-tucked into a pair of Jim Harbaugh-esque khaki pants. Before (and after) the implementation of the Allen Iverson Rule NBA dress code, he often wore awkwardly colored plaid shirts tucked into voluminous, loose-fitting jeans held together by a mismatched belt. In short, he dressed more like a down-on-his-luck substitute chemistry teacher rather than a high-profile, millionaire athlete. He was and still is relatable to those of us who lack the ‘fashionista’ gene—did I also mention that he was recently caught wearing a total dad-like novelty T-shirt recently?

HE’S FUNNY….NO SERIOUSLY, HE’S FUNNY

Duncan has a sense of humor akin to that of Norm Macdonald— notoriously dry but exceptionally witty. Nothing showcases his comedic abilities more than this Footlocker ad or the local spots for H-E-B Grocery Stores, including this one in particular where he recites a poem about a smoked brisket (alongside teammates Bruce Bowen and Brent Barry). He pulls juvenile pranks to amuse himself, such as the long-time running gag of messing with former San Antonio teammate and current Spurs’ analyst Sean Elliott—Duncan would bounce basketballs off the back of his head, take the foam covering off of the microphone and flip his tie over his shoulder during the pregame broadcasts. (His pregame handshake with teammate Patty Mills is also noteworthy). How about the time official Joey Crawford once tossed him from a game because of excessive laughing while on the bench?!?! See, he’s THAT funny.

DUDE NERDS OUT

Earlier I had mentioned the nickname “Merlin” because well, that’s what he wanted his nickname to be when he first entered the league. So it’s all too fitting to know that Duncan has tattoo of the famed Arthurian wizard on his chest. He is an avid Dungeons & Dragons player, an attendee of the Texas Renaissance Festival and has a vast collection of knives and swords. Tattoo aside, this is the literal embodiment of my dad—he kept the collections and various festival attendances but dropped the D&D once he married my mom. Could you imagine a game of D&D with Duncan and Vin Diesel (who too is an admitted player- particularly a witch hunter, a character Diesel also played in a film)? I would pay to see the greatness that would ensue.

This is just a glimpse into what makes ol’ Timmy D a remarkably relatable human. Even I, a self-proclaimed ‘Spurs Hater’, own a Duncan jersey. I may never like them (or him) for dismantling the Cavaliers in the ’07 Finals, but I respect the body of work that has taken place over the span of 19 seasons. I might be writing this prematurely—as Duncan hasn’t officially released a statement on retirement, but if this was in fact the last time he’ll ever wear an NBA jersey, I just want to say THANK YOU! It’s been an honor to not only watch your greatness define a generation of basketball, but also see you become a superstar who IS a role model for malleable young minds of those watching. It’s been a helluva ride, and I’ve enjoyed mostly every minute of it (even if it was through a T.V.).

Edward A. Ornelas / San Antonio Express-News

Draft Dodgin': Solving Tanking in the NBA

Is there any conceivable way to solve the tanking epidemic in the NBA? Many have thrown out proposals ranging from a 14-team, winner-take-all playoff system, to betting on “future success” of franchises. All of these proposals offer significant upgrades to the obsolete, ping-pong ball style system that is the NBA Draft Lottery, but are still riddled with potential pitfalls. I say this not because I feel these concepts can’t work, but because teams will eventually figure out ways to beat the system (I’m looking at you, Philadelphia 76ers). That being said, let me offer my not-so-perfect, perfectly-flawed proposal to prevent tanking in the NBA, as well as possibly improve player development.

Implement MLB style draft

Let’s allow high school prospects to declare themselves eligible for the NBA Draft, but with a twist. Advocates of the prep-to-pro argument will have no problem throwing out names like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard, while those in opposition will be quick to cite the disappointing careers of Darius Miles, Kwame Brown, DeSagana Diop, Robert Swift, and Martell Webster. As risky as this concept may be, the NBA, like all professional sports is based on two things; age and potential. Here’s my simplistic approach.

*Players chosen out of high school may decline to sign with the team that drafted them, on the condition they enroll in a college/university for a minimum of two years before re-declaring in a future draft. *

Why it will work:

·         Ready-made players, such as those mentioned above, will be able to develop their game against top-tier talent in the NBA without wasting critical time/years spent at college with coaching staffs who seem overwhelmed and unfit to handle high-caliber players (such LSU’s Ben Simmons, who looked bored and uninterested, while receiving little to no direction from coach Johnny Jones).

·         Knowing drafted players may decline to sign with their prospective team’s will force GM’s and franchises who are “habitual tankers” to try to consistently improve, rather than packing it in after they’ve officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Franchises who are unable to sign their first-round picks will be awarded compensatory picks in future drafts (released during the offseason, as to further prevent in-season tanking). -injuries, trades, free-agent signings/losses, and record will determine the overall value of the pick-

·         NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has stated publicly he’s in support of raising the age restriction from 19 to 20, so this helps further his plan to “extend development” and lessen the likelihood of draft-day busts.

·         Two years in college will allow NBA scouts more time to evaluate prospects and determine growth and potential.

·         Prep stars who are less polished out of high school (such as Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, and Dorell Wright) have the ability to hone their craft and in turn have a higher likelihood of making an instant impact on an NBA roster, instead of being career journeymen, D-Leaguer’s, or out of the league after a few years.

·         The NCAA will LOVE this because it’ll allow them to corral talented players for an extra year, and that means one thing….$$$$$$

Why it won’t work:

·         Possibility of immature prospects getting an instant “diva” complex by thinking they are too good to play for certain franchises, thus potentially making them uncoachable.

·         As always, risk of injury during college playing career while being considered a high draft choice.

·         Potential to hinder progress of young franchises that have taken risks in free-agency, trade market, and player retention (look at the New Orleans Pelicans in the last few seasons).

·         If the NCAA is on board with policy changes that affect the NBA, that alone should be reason to pause.

Will this solve issues with the NBA Draft, its lottery system, and tanking in general? Probably not, but who knows where the evolution of the NBA and its changes will take the game; four-point shots, elimination of the Hack-a-Shaq/Howard/Jordan/Drummond, or a plethora of high-tech cameras that replace the human element of officiating? Who knows what we’ll see in the future, but it’s amusing to think about.

What's Yours (Should Be) Mine: Brief History of "The Move"

Ken Blaze, USA TODAY Sports

The 2016 NFL season will have some historical, albeit depressing significance (for some), as it will mark the 20^th anniversary of the first kick-off in Baltimore Ravens franchise history. Or if you choose to look at it from the perspective of a Northeast Ohioan, the 20^th anniversary since the city of Cleveland was forced to miserably watch as ‘its team’ made the move to Maryland, and then go on to become one of the most successful franchises in recent memory. We’ll have a brief look at why the Cleveland Browns fan base should feel angered, slighted and even emphatically pissed, as well as why there might be a glimmer of hope for the future of this seemingly floundering franchise.

The 1996 offseason proved to be a mixed bag of emotions for fans caught in the middle of the relocation process. With the city of Cleveland no longer having a franchise to cheer for, (as the Browns wouldn’t be reinstated until the 1999 season as an expansion team) fans watched as the Ravens selected offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden (4^th overall), and linebacker Ray Lewis (26^th overall) in the first round of the 96’ Draft. Both would go one to have Hall of Fame careers (Lewis is not eligible until 2018, Ogden was elected in 2013), and while Ravens fans cheered, Browns fans were left feeling like a scorned ex-lover who is repetitively pondering ‘what if’ and ‘that should’ve been me us’. 

 Since the Browns’ reinstatement in 1999, they have amassed a record of 87-185, have had only two winning seasons, 2002 (in which they finished 9-7 and made their lone playoff appearance, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers 33-36 in the Wild Card game), and again in 2007 (finished 10-6 but failed to make the playoffs due to the Tennessee Titans owning the tiebreaker). In the same time span, the Ravens have a record of 157-115, 10 playoff appearances (including Super Bowl wins in 2000 and 2012) against only four losing seasons (2002, 2005, 2007, 2015). 

John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer

After drafting Joe Flacco in 2008, the Ravens have only used three other quarterbacks, all of which played in the 2015 season due to injury (Flacco tore his ACL/MCL in Week 11). The Browns? 15. Yes, I said…15! The list includes to likes of Johnny “Party-Like-a-Frat-Bro” Manziel, Brandon “Let’s-Take-a-28-Year-Old-Man-in-Round-One” Weeden, Brian “Four-Pick-Playoff-Game” Hoyer, and Ken “Noodle-Arm” Dorsey, to name a few. As you can tell, there are many, many, many, many, MANY reasons why fans in Cleveland should be disgusted and envious by what Baltimore has accomplished, but despite all the negativity in past seasons, there is reason to still believe.

A few days ago, Cleveland traded away the #2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for the first-round (8^th overall), third-round (77^th overall) and fourth-round (100^th overall) picks this year, as well as a first-round pick in 2017 and second-round pick in 2018. This now gives them 12 picks in 2016, including six in the top 100. If the front office execs, as well as first-year head coach Hue Jackson have done their due diligence in the scouting department, this could be the year that reinvigorates the franchise and just might bring a little 'bite' back to the Dawg Pound.

The Jackie Moon Effect: Seeing Irony in the LeBron Led Cavaliers

If you haven’t seen the movie Semi-Pro starring Will Ferrell, allow me to give you a brief synopsis. Owner/GM/coach/player Jackie Moon takes the Flint Tropics from worst-to-first with a variety of personnel moves, questionable tactics, tough love and the invention of the alley-oop. Get it? Good. Cavalier fans may find parts of this storyline eerily similar to what’s actually unfolding in Cleveland. Are LeBron James and the Cavaliers the embodiment of this sports spoof? Let’s take a look at The Jackie Moon Effect.

Owner/GM LeBron

Jackie Moon traded away a washing machine for an old, used up Ed Monix, played by the great Woody Harrelson. LeBron James forced signed off on a similar deal in the Kevin Love for Andrew Wiggins trade. Wiggins is the washing machine for a number of reasons. He isn’t afraid to get dirty on D, he delicately glides through the paint with grace, and has added a patented spin cycle like finish to his repertoire. Love is Monix because he’s always banged up, seems to be a shell of his former self, and at times genuinely seems disinterested in his teammates. 

Now I know these comparisons are a stretch, but you get my point. Wiggins seems to be slowly progressing on the offensive end this year (20.8 PPG this year up from 16.9 PPG last year) playing alongside the likes of Zach LaVine and rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns. Love on the other hand seems to be regressing (shooting a dreadful 42% the second lowest of his career). It’s not as if he lacks skill or the ability to be a key player on this Cavs team, he just hasn’t proved to be the player that LeBron or the Cavaliers thought they were getting. We’ll come back to that in a minute.

Start the timer: other questionable moves include having a big hand in the 5-year, $82M deal signed by Tristan Thompson (9.7 PPG 8.6 RPG career average) who is represented by James’ friend and agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, as well as the 4-year, $40M resigning of Iman Shumpert, who seems to be more interested in his rap career (to his credit, he’s actually not that bad). *Through 54 games he’s shooting 37% and 29% from 3PT*

Time’s Up! Back to Love

James likes to be surrounded by big men who can stretch the floor and give him space to drive and create. At first glance, Love fits the same mold as former Miami Heat teammate Chris Bosh. Both are capable outside shooters with an ability to crash the offensive and defensive boards. Match made in heaven, right? Not exactly…Bosh (who doesn’t get enough credit I.M.O.) was the embodiment of both Love (offense) and Tristan Thompson (defense). He could shoot from mid-range, developed a reliable 3pt shot and had a sneaky back-to-the-basket game. On defense is where he really separates himself from Love. Unlike Love, he was able to effectively guard the pick-and-roll (playing either the roll man or hedging out and defending the shooter on a switch). Another overlooked part of his defense was his ability to alter and block shots around the rim. If you’ve yet see a Cavalier game, watch Love in both those aforementioned situations.

Spoiler: he plays D like a matador.

Coach LeBron

Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports

James went “full coach mode” during last year’s playoffs, most notably in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals when he changed coach David Blatt’s final play (James was to inbound the ball) and instead received the inbounds pass and took the final (game-winning) shot from the corner. It’s usually a good strategy to give the ball to your best player in crunch time, so I’ll give James a pass for that occurrence. However, during the NBA Finals against Golden State is where he officially took the job from Blatt.

This is what ESPN’s Marc Stein had to say,

“I saw it from close range in my role as sideline reporter through the Finals for ESPN Radio. LeBron essentially calling timeouts and making substitutions. LeBron openly barking at Blatt after decisions he didn’t like. LeBron huddling frequently with Lue and so often looking at anyone other than Blatt.

There was LeBron, in one instance I witnessed from right behind the bench, shaking his head vociferously in protest after one play Blatt drew up in the third quarter of Game 5, amounting to the loudest nonverbal scolding you could imagine.

Which forced Blatt, in front of his whole team, to wipe the board clean and draw up something else.”

Need I say anything else? No? Good!

Uncle Drew/Coffee Black

Kyrie “Uncle Drew” Irving is the equivalent of Clarence “Coffee Black” Withers played by Andre “3000” Benjamin. Both are great finishers, exceptional ball-handlers, owners of inflated egos, and have ZERO problem playing 1-vs-5 on the offensive end. In the movie, Withers was given a reality check about how he would never play in the NBA. It wouldn’t surprise me if Irving was given a similar reality check by LeBron in the upcoming weeks. 

Here are a few lines (tweaked slightly) from the movie that are all too fitting for Irving.

“And I got news for you Clarence Kyrie for all your flash, you are never gonna play in the NBA for another ring….one day you’re gonna look back at your life and you’re gonna realize that you never even learned how to play (team) BASKETBALL.” (followed by LeBron throwing 1 of his 2 rings at Irving)

Scarily similar, isn’t it? If Irving (who also folds like a lawn chair on defense) can learn to play less like Withers on offense, the young (he’s only 24) point guard may still have an opportunity to work his way back into the good graces of LeBron.

Now I know some of these comparisons are mostly exaggerated or even a bit harsh, but you can’t deny the similarities in both the Cavaliers and Tropics (unless you haven’t seen the movie…why are you still reading this…seriously, go watch the movie…NOW). Despite everything mentioned above, the Cavs are currently sitting in the top spot in the East with a record of 56-24, and while far from perfect, are still favored to advance to the NBA Finals for the second straight year.

The Flint Tropics Big-3 were able to put their egos aside and transform the team from (last place) losers to (fourth place) winners. Can Cleveland’s Big-3 do the same? Yes, but only if Irving and Love can pick up on LeBron’s version of E.L.E. (Everyone. Learn. Everything), if so they just might have a chance at winning one for “THE LAND.”

"Allow Myself to Introduce.....Myself "

Hello and welcome to HandDownFanDown- Sports Talk With a Twist. I’m Justin Shepherd or “Shep” for short. You may also refer to me as “Big Sexy,” much like the MarketPointe dining hall lady at the University of Cincinnati used to. The goal here is to give you a honey & Sriracha mix of sports stories, analysis and unique takes on all things basketball and football. Whether you want serious, silly or Steve Ballmer, you’ll get it all here! Feel free to comment and share (or not, I’m not your mother). Thank you and like J. Kidd said, “We’re gonna turn this team around 360 degrees.”

-Shep