Yao Ming Done for the Season

The Rockets have had a pretty good season thus far. They've won 13 games in a row and many are wondering how long that streak can last. Well, it might not last much longer since we just learned that their star center, Yao Ming will miss the rest of the season due to a stress fracture in his left foot.

I feel bad for those Rockets! If it's not one thing it's another and it's almost rare to see the entire starting lineup all healthy at the same time.

I feel like Tracy McGrady is always injured. I mean always and usually with old man problems. There's just something in him that won't let him stay healthy. His injury history is extensive, and he's missed games with everything from back spasms to knee and elbow issues. He's only missed a few games this season, none of them due to the back problems that have plagued him his first 3 seasons in the league.

So here we are thinking the Rockets are on a roll, winning 13 games in a row. Yao is out, how much longer will it last? McGrady has never been out of the 1st round of the playoffs and some thought this would be the year. He's healthy now but me saying that just now could have already jinxed him. The Rockets with no post presence making it 1) to the playoffs and 2) out of the first round? Sounds a bit far-fetched to me. Old ass Dikembe Mutombo would really have to step up and play some serious minutes, but I've seen him this season coming off the bench and he looks - relatively young. he's still blocking shots and wagging his long spindly fingers in the air. Not in his house...

Rafer Alston, Carl Landry, Luther Head all gotta step up in Yao's absence, not only to keep the streak alive, but their playoff hopes as well.

Good luck to the Rockets. They're solid, but not strong.

Just A Few Things...

1. R.I.P. Eddie Griffin. He died August 17th after the SUV he was driving collided with a moving freight train. He was 25 years old, and on pace to resurrect his NBA career. He was highly touted after high school and spent his college career at Seton Hall University in NJ. He was drafted 7th overall and played for the Houston Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. His NBA career was rocky, due to several run-ins with the law, and drug and alcohol abuse that plagued him since high school. Alcoholism ain't no joke, shout out to everyone caught in that struggle.
   
   
   
2. Rafer Alston - Hardened Criminal? Clearly he's taken more than a few pages from Pacman's new novel, How To Screw Yourself on the Daily, and has gotten himself arrested twice in the past month. On August 5, Alston, AKA Skip to My Lou, was charged with misdemeanor assault and public intoxication stemming from an incident at a parking lot. He allegedly grabbed and spit at an attendant after his car was towed from the lot. Skip denies he ever touched the man and claims, not only that he wasn't drunk, but that the two men only got into a shouting match. Three weeks later, on August 28, he was arraigned on felony assault charges, after reportedly stabbing a man at Stereo, a Manhattan night club. The 41 year old man alleges that after bumping into Alston in the club, they got into an argument that resulted in Rafer slashing the man across his neck. This guy's whole story sounds suspect because he left the club, according to witnesses, with no apparent injuries. He later went to the hospital for treatment, then the police station to file a complaint. Either way, Skip needs to stay his ass outta some trouble. We're all happy you made the jump from streetball to the NBA, but if you keep this up, you'll be jumpin from cell to cell. Prison that is.
   
   
   
3. The Philadelphia Eagles dropped linebacker Jeremiah Trotter on 8.21. What? Why? What did I miss? He's been in the NFL for nine years and is a four-time Pro Bowler. In his career, he's amassed 1,184 tackles, 12.5 sacks and nine INTs. He's 30 years old, and the only thing I can think of is that the Eagles know a lot more about him than they're letting on. They recommended that he retire. Huh? He had three years left on his contract, in which he was guaranteed to make at least $8.6 million dollars. His release was not a salary cap move. Second-year pro, Omar Gaither, will be starting at middle linebacker instead. Sure Trotter's not the youngest guy around but he's a force nonetheless. During a press conference he said "I will always remain an Eagle," but that was a damn lie cuz now he's a Buccaneer! He worked out for Tampa Bay at the end of August, and today signed a one-year deal. Well, one team's loss...

2nd Annual Elite 24 Hoops Classic

The summer's winding down, and next week my schedule really kicks into high gear. My lazy summer will turn into a hectic fall, and I'm surprisingly excited about it. So I called up my girls and decided to have a nice night out. I live in Harlem literally a stone's throw from the legendary Rucker Park. During the summer they have tournament games within the week, and sometimes they host special basketball events. Last night the 2nd Annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic presented by Rise Magazine was at The Rucker. The top high school juniors and seniors from all across the nation got a a chance to shine on what is arguably one of the most famous basketball courts in the nation. Some of these high schoolers have already committed to programs like USC, Nevada, UNC, Arizona, Ohio State, and UCLA. I'm a huge NCAA basketball fan, and I love tracking player progression, usually from college to pro. A chance to see some of these guys even earlier? Jump on it!! Basketball game at Rucker Park, and menzes galore! It was slated to be one of the best nights I've had in a while. I had it all planned out.

Armed with a pen, pad and comprehensive roster, me and girls went to the park. We were met with a line that was super long and a park that was super full. Security told us the park was closed and that they weren't letting anyone else in. My girls, not avid basketball fans like me, decided to leave. I decided to stay. Travel light, travel far right? There was no way I was not getting into that park. I buddied up to security and he saw me writing on my pad and asked me if I was press. "Hell yeah I'm press!" He asked me who I was with and I told the truth, myself. I told him I'm an up and coming sports writer, I gave him my website info (which reminds me I need business cards) and he led me in through VIP. I made my way to the sidelines and got a front row seat behind the bench. Shortly after that, another friend of mine showed up so I wasn't completely alone. Former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian, Houston Rockets PG, Rafer Alston, AKA Skip To My Lou, and Golden State Warriors PG Baron Davis coached the 2 teams. I sat behind Davis' bench and had the opportunity to talk to him and ask a few questions. Nate Robinson was there, and they said Magic Johnson was supposed to show but I didn't see him. The GOAT Squad came out ahead and beat the Skip To My Lou Squad, 169-164. Looking at the final score, it's clear that there were some outstanding performances. Lance Stephenson, a 6-5 shooting guard and rising junior led his school, Lincoln HS in Brooklyn, to a state title last year. Being in NYC, he was definitely the hometown favorite. Stephenson won co-MVP honors and scored an Elite 24 record 38 points, along with 4 assists. While most of the players chose to pound the lane the entire game, Stephenson also showed his ability to knock down threes. The other MVP was Arizona-bound PG Brandon Jennings. The 6-1 senior from Oak Hill Academy (VA) proved to be even more impressive, finishing the game with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and an Elite 24 record 23 assists. This is his second time playing in the tournament and the kid has great hands, a strong drive to the hoop, and not to go unmentioned, hops. Other standouts included Kemba Walker, Demar DeRozan, Samardo Samuels, and Luke Babbitt.