The Rise, Fall, and Future of Kenny George

When I first laid eyes upon Kenny George I could not help but become instantly enamored with the 7'9 giant, and pride of UNC-Asheville. Many people probably first saw George on ESPN getting dunked on by Tyler Hansborough or the recent news that he had part of his foot amputated because of an infection. But George is more than meets the eye. He has much more upside then I think anyone gives him credit for even despite the partial foot amputation.

Kenny seems more like the gentle giant then the imposing man child he appears to be. He draws comparison to Gheorghe Muresan or Manut Bol but there is a huge difference between George and them. First, Muresan was 7'7 and 300 lbs, Kenny George is more around 7'9 and 360 lbs. He is much stronger than Muresan and a more active shot blocker. Second, George plays college ball in America. Muresan played in Romania where the competition was much thinner. Furthermore, it seems that George will not be overvalued in the eyes of NBA execs. Muresan was given top consideration and taken 30th Overall in the 1993 NBA Draft, which saw another towering player in Shawn Bradley taken 2nd Overall. Scouts will be more likely not to take him at all, especially with his recent foot problems. I believe the key is obviously in how Kenny George reacts and adapts to his foot. It is unclear how much was amputated, but if it was a rather minor part, then perhaps a suitable prosthetic could be alright. There is one thing that no one can dispute, he is a game changer defensively.

Kenny George does not have to jump to dunk. That is not an exageration, he literally does not have to jump. The inbounds play that is sprinkled all over Youtube is how his teammates lob him a pass over the corner of the backboard on an inbounds play. No can can jump that high to get to his reach and he easily stuffs in the ball. Now, that probably won't work in the NBA where the athleticism and size are far superior but defensively Kenny George can make a positive impact in the NBA. Here is how he will affect the NBA if he returns from the partial loss of his foot.

(1) He is a dynamic shot blocker- George averaged 3.3 blks/game while only playing under 20 minutes! If he gets into a situation where he can join a team that develops a strong team defense with active guards that will force drives and inside passes then George can thrive. Now, this may only work with certain teams that are also good at stopping the fast break because he can not get down the court in a timely manner.

(2) On the Offensive glass, he can do the job- Again, this relies very much upon the system of offense that his team runs. He would not be suited for the run and gun teams. But as for a team that shoots a lot of threes, where the rebounds are long, he can thrive. His long wingspan will him to get rebounds that should be tracked down by guards. He can finish around the rim, though he does not create his shot very well. But if he can get in position, which might be his biggest struggle in the physical NBA, then he can finish based on size alone.

(3) You can't teach size- Athleticism can be heightened and stamina can be improved. But you can't teach size. Even by NBA standards he would be the most imposing defensive figure in the NBA. Can you imagine Yao Ming (7'6) trying to take on George down low? Yea Yao has moves and speed but if he comes in the lane, he is still facing a guy three inches taller and is going to force Ming to change his shot. It may pull Yao outside for longer jumpers which most coaches will take.

I know the odds are long but I firmly believe that if Kenny George can make a solid defensive impact in the NBA. If he can recover from the loss of a part of his foot then he can become a very active shotblocker and a serious asset to a team in need of size and rebounds.

MLB 2005 Draft

Alright Boys and Girls, here is the day we have all been waiting for, the draft for my XBOX 2005 MLB Baseball Draft. I will of course be playing as the Yankees. This year I hope to construct a solid team that will take me to new heights. Here we go with the Draft:

(1st pick, 1st Overall) Alex Rodriquez, 3B- I know the conventional wisdom says Pujols, but to give you an indication of this draft, Pujols went 9th to the Mets. He is the ultimate 5-Tool player. He can play SS or 3B and will give me a dominant player. It also allows me to see who develops and plays better, Reyes or Figgins.

(2nd Pick) Joe Mauer, C- He is a solid pick. Power hitting catcher who plays great defense. Very happy to get him this early and very satisfied with investing in him long term.

(3rd Pick) Roy Halladay, SP- Cy Young Candidate every single year. Heavy fastball, and a multitude of breaking pitches makes this SP one of the best in the game.

(4th Pick) Ted Lilly, SP- I decided to go with Lilly here because he is a lefty and he was best available pitcher on the market. A solid off-speed guy who is on the upswing in the game.

(5th Pick) A.J. Burnett, SP- A fireballer who doesn't yet have injury issues in the game. He has over-powering stuff and is very inexpensive. I am very pleased with this pick.

(6th Pick) Rocco Baldelli, CF- This was before he got severely sick and injured. He is a lightning bolt in this game. He has speed and power and fields extremely well. It shows why people compared him to Joe Dimaggio when he came up.

(7th Pick) Matt Holliday, LF- Now he hasn't excelled yet like he does in real life. A very under the radar pick and player in the game. He will hit for solid average and massive power. He will "continue to blossom into one of the best players in the game" according to the scouting report.

(8th Pick) Brandon Webb, SP- I am very surprised he was available. But I took him knowing that he is young in the game and will continue to develop his Cy Young ability.

(9th Pick) Jason Giambi, 1B- I needed a first baseman with some power and it was either Giambi or JT Snow. Snow plays better defense but Giambi will hit many more home runs. Interesting thing here, he actually is the exact player he is currently. Terrible average with pretty good power. Also, I will look to find a solid defender later in this draft.

(10th Pick) Chone Figgins, 2B- Speed and contact make this 2nd basemen a steal.

(11th Pick) Jose Reyes, SS- In a later version of the game Reyes will be gone way higher in the draft. But in this game he is young but still has great speed and surprisingly strong power, especially to right field, which is good for Yankee Stadium.

(12th Pick) Daniel Cabrera, SP- Can't beat this power pitcher. He has a great fastball and nice curveball. And the best part, you can be the one who harnesses his control, making his dominant.

(13th Pick) Julio Franco, 1B/DH- Some might question this pick, but after his first game I got rewarded big time. He went 3/5, 4 RBI's, and 2 Homers. He makes great contact especially to the opposite field. He plays solid defense and will give me great flexibility in the field.

(14th Pick) Chase Utley, 2B- A good backup to Figgins. He is like Reyes as well; would be good in later versions of the game. But he will become a strong player and I can move Figgins to the outfield.

(15th Pick) Grady Sizemore, OF- Needed to complete the outfield and got this young speedy outfielder. Not great with the power or contact but he will develop. Gives me a sturdy defensive presence as well.

(16th Pick) Danny Haren, SP- Another player like Holliday, so undervalued in this game. Strong breaking stuff but not too much power in his arm. A satisfying pick but I am not thrilled with his lack of velocity on the fastball.

(17th Pick) Damaso Marte, RP- Needed to compile some relievers. He is a strong arm and a lefty. Thank god he was available.

(18th Pick) Ryan Howard, 1B- Considered a Top 100 Prospect (According to Baseball America, a nice addition to the game). He will develop nicely, even if he has to spend some time finding his stroke in Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre.

(19th Pick) Xavier Nady, OF- A good backup who provides some power. He will definitely be a late inning defensive replacement.

(20th Pick)Steve Karsay, RP- I am making him the closer. He throws 96 MPH in this game and has good breaking stuff. Love the fact that his career hasn't taken a nose dive in the game yet.

(21st Pick) Randy Choate, RP- Classic example of being a video game pitcher. He has filthy slurves and curves and a decent fastball that keeps hitters off balance.

(22nd Pick) Brandon Phillips, 2B- Solid backup for Figgins, Utley, and Rodriguez. He can play every infield spot and hit for decent average in the event of a long-term injury.

(23rd Pick) Dionner Navarro, C- Best available catcher left...I will probably trade for John Flaherty for nostalgia.

(24th Pick) Brandon League, RP- Throws 97 MPH and has a good curve for a side-armer. Will eventually serve as closer in future years.

(25th Pick) Jose Capellan, RP- This guy throws 101 MPH. You got to take a guy with that kind of power with the last pick. Superior set-up guy.


Players I want to trade for:

(1) John Flaherty, C- I want him because he is actually surprisingly good in the game. He sprays the ball to all fields and will be a very suitable replacement for Mauer on off days. Furthermore, he very well excel in the DH spot if need be.

(2) Mark Wohlers, RP- Power arm. Brings solid heat and I want to give his career a rebirth in this game. I want all fireballers in the pen, aside from Choate. If I acquire him for a Triple-A player then I would have Capellan, Karsay, Marte, and Wohlers in the pen.

Yankees Redux

Here is Part 3 on the what the Yankees need to do to return to glory:

(1) If you get Sabathia, sign Lowe- Here is the argument against Lowe...he is getting older. But he has never been a power pitcher. His last four years have been very strong. He throws a great sinker and is big game proven. Also, he won't demand as much as Burnett or Sheets, who is also an injury threat. Can you imagine having to face Lowe as the 4th Starter! That is an extremely effective four man rotation of Sabathia, Chamberlain, Wang, and Lowe. Then, you can either fill it in with Petitte or Mussina. If Mussina AND Petitte sign, then put Joba back in the bullpen and create the best pitching staff in baseball. It would not hurt to have Mussina, a 20 game winner, be your 5th starter. If they get Lowe and Sabathia, the Yankees instantly become the favorite to win the World Series.

(2) Think about trading for Peavy- Ok here is the deal, Peavy said that he is willing to take a trade to the Yankees. Then deal for him. Peavy is one of the most dominant young pitchers in the game. He is still entering his prime. The Yankees could potentially give up Hughes, Kennedy, and Cody Ransom from Triple A. Also packaged in the deal could be Melky Cabrerra or sure-handed Alberto Gonzalez. The idea about packaging the two big prospects of Hughes and Kennedy is alright because if you get Peavy, you get him and sign him long term. Then you have Wang, Chamberlain, and Peavy guranteed for years. Then add the aquisition of Sabathia and the Yankees have all stud young pitchers who are entering their primes and all signed long term. This puts them in the best position they have ever been in. Do not worry about the money, the new ticket sales and the potential for the Yankees winning 115 games will bring back the money. Pursue this aggresively. There are no untouchable young players except Cano. Everyone else is free on the market, though I would not give up Gardner unless I really had to.