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Is the NBA ready for a W?

By KEVIN ROSENTHAL
Special to SidRosenbergShow.com

Brittney Griner

There has been a good bit of discussion lately as to whether or not an NBA team should draft NCAA women's hoops superstar Brittney Griner.  Apparently, a lot of the discussion is taking place due to recent comments made by Mark Cuban.  The Dallas Mavericks' owner has stated he would consider drafting Griner if she was the best player on the board.  Interestingly enough, there are no explicit NBA regulations forbidding selection of a female player in the draft.  A polarizing guy like Mark Cuban is just the kind of guy bold enough to make this kind of move.  But I think there are several reasons why this should not and likely will not happen.

First of all, do we even know if Griner wants to play in the NBA?!  That ought to be the most important thing here.  I would be surprised if she wanted to be on an NBA roster for any other reason than to say she was the first.  It would be an awkward locker room environment for her, something akin to a female kicker in football.  Why wouldn't Griner just go to the WNBA and dominate there?  She can go to the WNBA and be among other women and compete with players of a similar physical make up.  I am by no means saying a woman cannot compete with the men, I just don't see why one would choose that route.

How would she measure up against NBA players?  Look at it like this, Griner sizes up similarly to Tracy McGrady when he was a rookie.  Both go about 6'8". Griner weighs about 210, which is about what McGrady weighed when he was drafted.  On the surface, no big deal.  Problem is that she is a power forward/center in the women's game but compares more favorably in size to an NBA small forward or, in some cases, a big shooting guard.  I haven't watched much women's hoops this year, but if Griner is like most post players, then she likely lacks the ball handling skills needed to play small forward/shooting guard in any league.  In other words, Griner does not have enough bulk to play PF/C in the NBA and I doubt she has the tools to play other positions.  She is a great talent for sure, but I think the combination of her size and skill set would find her without any real positional fit in the NBA.  Place her in the WNBA, and she can certainly play her natural position against girls of similar stature.  Wouldn't seem fair to ask Griner to battle against guys like Dwight Howard in the post.  Again, not to say she wouldn't fair well against the men, just doesn't feel like a good fit.

That brings me to my next point.  Griner is the most dominant player NCAA women's hoops has seen in quite some time, but far from the first great female player.  So I ask why hasn't a woman made the leap before?  Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Candace Parker are just a few names that come to mind as top female hoops stars over the years.  All of them were WNBA MVP's at least once.  If none of them were deemed worthy of selection in the NBA draft, then why should Griner be any different?  I don't think there is much of a chance any NBA general manager takes a chance as big as drafting a woman.  There are only 2 rounds in the draft and elite talent isn't exactly growing on trees.  There are separate leagues for men and women for various reasons and I don't see any need to blur those lines.

Maybe one day a woman will land on an NBA roster and stick.  Brittney Griner will not be that woman.  Not for a lack of talent, but for lack of a good fit.  It just isn't a match.  It is much more likely we might see a big guard from the women's game make the leap to playing in the men's league.  The idea of an NBA exec drafting a female player certainly makes for great story potential but doubtfully will amount to any more than that.  It is certainly something that has gotten people talking!  But let's not out think ourselves.  There are certainly cases where men and women can and should compete together.  I don't believe major professional sports is a suitable arena for mixing genders in this fashion.  I think it serves a greater good for women to have their own product and not have to compete with men.  The WNBA and NBA are great in their own ways and for their own reasons.  Drafting a female player into the NBA likely does more harm than good to both leagues, so it seems best we leave that road untraveled for the time being.

Maybe they should call it March Magic instead of Madness

By KEVIN ROSENTHAL
Special to SidRosenbergShow.com

59-57. 

Robert Morris players celebrating
after beating Kentucky earlier this week.

That was the score that ended Kentucky's season.  That was the score that shined an enormous spotlight on tiny Moon Township, Pa.

Robert Morris University is a small university in a small town.  They have a small enrollment of just over 5,000 and their hoops team plays in a gym that holds little more than half that amount.  

59-57. 

That was the score that put this small school from a small town on the big stage.  Sure it was just the first round of the NIT, but for a program like Robert Morris these moments don't come all that often.  It is the game everyone was talking about this morning.  It doesn't matter that Kentucky is in a down year coming off a title run last year.  Kentucky doesn't lose to Robert Morris. Except in March.  

That is why this month is so special.  We call it "March Madness" but to me it is truly a month of magic.  Any team. Any day.  Rankings often go out the window and teams that aren't supposed to win find a way.  Players we have never heard of become heroes in mere seconds.  It begins with the conference tournaments and continues into the NIT and NCAA tournament.

I wasn't in the gym to witness Robert Morris' monumental upset.  But I can imagine what it was like.  There is an aura, an atmosphere without fitting description in college basketball this time of year.  

I know because I have been a part of it.  I attend Winthrop University from 2002-2006 and spent some time as an intern in Media Relations for Winthrop Athletics.  During my time at Winthrop, Coach Gregg Marshall (now at Wichita State) led the Eagles to three regular season Big South championships.  

While those were great, nothing compared to being in the stands for a conference tournament championship game.  Winthrop also won two conference tournament titles while I was there.  It is a small school, similar in numbers to that of Robert Morris.  The arena they play in holds around 6,000 and the enrollment is about the same.

But that is the magical thing about college basketball in the postseason.  I remember being in the Winthrop Coliseum when the game clock struck zero and the Eagles emerged as Big South tournament champions.  Even if just for a moment, that small arena felt like the center of the universe.  

The emotion of the players was indescribable, knowing they had earned an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament, a chance to shock the world.  It created a genuine buzz around the campus, among the community.  

The joy of those victories is often short lived as small schools from small conferences usually get matched up against powerhouse opponents first game into the tournament.  

Going back to 1999, Winthrop had been blown out in the NCAA tournament first round three times and lost a play in game once.  In 2005, things changed.  I watched from my couch as the game slowly slipped away.  It was close throughout.  

In the end, Gonzaga won by just 10 points, eliminating my alma mater from the tournament.  But a funny thing happened that day.  The little program from Rock Hill, SC began to believe they could do it. 

The year 2006 brought us a first round match-up with Tennessee in the Greensboro Coliseum.  My roommate and I made the short trip up I-85 for what would be one of the most memorable days of my life as a sports fan.  

Winthrop was up 61-60 in the final seconds, the Tennessee contingent behind us had long since gone quiet.  They feared they would be going home early. A 2 seed from the mighty SEC was going to lose to a 15 seed from the lowly Big South.  Until they didn't.  

The Vols inbounded the ball to star guard Chris Lofton and the pass led him into the corner.  Torrell Martin's defense was as good as it could have been without fouling. In an instant, Lofton turned and launched a three ball just over the outstretched arm of Martin.  

Just like that, game over. As the last 0.4 seconds ticked away in an instant, the excitement vanished and heartbreak set in.   To this day, despite the loss, it is the greatest single event I have ever attended.  The roller coaster of emotion throughout the arena was unlike anything I have ever seen.  

There was shock, amazement, tears of joy, tears of sadness.  

Tennessee relieved to have moved on, Winthrop heartbroken by an agonizing defeat.  But the world took notice of Winthrop Basketball and the next year they would earn an 11 seed, defeating 6th seeded Notre Dame before losing in the second round.

Something amazing happens when these upsets occur.  A school most of us have never heard of becomes a household name and ESPN regular for a time because of players we have never heard of either.  NCAA hoops upsets in March are usually of the most improbable kind.  Watching the tournament on TV is exciting. But nothing compares to the live event.  

There is truly no fitting description, no words apt to capture the experience.  

Having experienced first-hand the losing side, I can only imagine how it feels to witness the magic, to get the full upset experience.  I know it was only the NIT, but I would bet those in the gym at Robert Morris the other night would put the price of admission among the best money they ever spent.  

For the fans, it is a priceless moment.  For many of the athletes involved it is the pinnacle of their career. Most of them go on to normal careers; while a few may go on to continue playing basketball professionally.  No matter where the people go, the memory will surely follow.  

Every year around this time, I see Chris Lofton's three go through the net in my mind and the emotions of that day return.  

March is madness, but it is also magic in ways I'm not sure can be captured adequately.  So I will leave you with a video, an exhibit of the tide of emotion more descriptive than anything I have said here today.  And please, if you ever get the chance to attend an NCAA tournament game, do yourself a favor and take advantage. 

You just might witness history!

Read more of Kevin's work by clicking here.

The biggest losers in NFL free agency are ... (part II)

By KEVIN ROSENTHAL
Special to SidRosenbergShow.com

Super Bowls aren't won in March, but the championship hopes of some teams for the upcoming NFL season have taken a serious blow already.  For those teams that have suffered greater losses than gains so far this off-season, there is still plenty of time to wheel and deal with trades and free agents before the draft next month.  This part of the season is fun to watch as some teams are crowned off-season champs and others deemed all but doomed.  Here's a look at a few teams with some major roster issues due to key departures.

Ray got another ring and retired. Flacco got paid.

Baltimore Ravens: Might as well start with the obvious.  The defending champs have seemingly lost half their roster.  Ray Lewis retired, taking with him an unmatched presence and leadership.  Ed Reed doesn't appear to be returning to Baltimore, although he has yet to agree to contract terms with anyone.

A look at NFL free agency with Kevin Rosenthal

NFL free agency is in full swing at this point. A lot of the big names have already inked new contracts, but there are still a lot of really good players left looking for new homes.  Some teams have done really well and others not so much.  Then some others have really done very little if anything.  Let's look at some early winners by means of key acquisitions and departures.

Smith is tall and has great range. But his time in Miami
was a mixed bag.

1. Kansas City Chiefs:  They lose Glenn Dorsey and Matt Cassel. They add Alex Smith (although via trade, a huge addition), Sean Smith, Dunta Robinson, and Anthony Fasano.  Adding Smith and Robinson to the secondary to team with Brandon Flowers and Eric Berry gives the Chiefs potential for one of, if not the best secondary in the league.  A lot of people are critical of Sean Smith for his play in Miami, but they often failed to play him to his strengths.  If KC lets him play mostly press man he could blossom quickly.  Alex Smith is an instant upgrade to the qb position, which has been an issue there for along time.  Fasano will give Smith a reliable target in the passing game, along with Dwayne Bowe (re-signed with KC), and is one of the definite steals so far.  And let's not forget that Andy Reid is now running the show for the Chiefs.  Add all this up and as of right now the Chiefs are my early favorite to win the AFC West.

A quick look at the 'local' NHL teams: Who would have thought the best of them all would be the Islanders?

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. —

If you’re an NHL fan — and let’s face it, if you’re here, you probably are — this shortened hockey season has been quite enjoyable. Perhaps it’s the fierce nature of a 48-game schedule. Perhaps it’s the Blackhawks’ streak to open the year. Maybe it’s the unexpected play of the Ducks — or the Canadian teams (they’d all be in the playoffs if the season ended now). 

Regardless, it’s been a good one thus far. But for fans of the local teams — that includes the Panthers, Rangers, Devils and Islanders — this has been nothing but an out of the ordinary a season.

The Panthers are coming off their best season, by far, since 2000. Their improbable Southeast Division championship — and bringing the Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Devils to two overtimes in Game 7 of the quarter finals was extraordinary — and it revitalized  interest in hockey here in South Florida in incredible ways.

Panthers’ tickets were hot. The arena was often full. And it didn’t take visits from the Rangers or Canadiens for that to happen. And suddenly, just months removed from one of the most memorable Panthers’ seasons outside of 1996, they’re back to playing horrendous hockey — and have been hit with injuries.

Perhaps the biggest injury came when goalie Jose Theodore got hurt. He’s still weeks away, and Scott Clemmenson has not lived up to any expectations at all. 

The Panthers have been a shell of what they
were last year as Southeast Division champions.

The latest debacle nearly wasn’t. The Panthers were down, 3-0, to the New York Islanders — and came back to tie the game in the third period with three quick goals. But the Islanders won on a third-period goal from Casey Cizikas, his fourth of the year.

Perhaps most discouraging is that it appears Dale Tallon’s hands are tied — he’s done nothing to improve this bad season — and as such, it appears the Panthers will be more sellers than buyers when the NHL trade deadline comes in early April.

Meanwhile, the New York Rangers, a pre-season favorite to win the Cup — or at least get to the Stanley Cup Final — have been nothing but ordinary. 

Tortorella's act is getting old, and it may
very well cost him his job soon.

And to make matters worse, head coach John Tortorella seems to be losing this team.

Just a few days ago, he had yet another spat with the media — this time with beloved TV voice Sam Rosen. 

Tortorella’s act is getting very old very fast — and many Rangers fans, especially on social media, are already calling for him to be fired. And that might be just what’s needed for this team.

On a team with Rick Nash, Henrik Lundqvist and Brad Richards, there’s no excuse for the Rangers to be on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. And in this league, it’s the coaches that get changed — not the players — when things aren’t going well.

An all-too-common sight lately.

Important to note here, too. I’ve been saying all along that despite winning a Vezina finally, Lundqvist is hardly the “King” he’s been so-dubbed. This is a guy who has won only a handful of playoff series — and he’s been beyond the first round of the playoffs just three times in his career. He’s always lost the biggest game of his career. And though it’s extremely unfair to put the onus of a losing hockey team squarely on a goalie, this guy still has a long way to go to prove he’s the best goalie out there.

On the other side of the Hudson River, the New Jersey Devils, who started out just as they’d played in the 2012 playoffs (getting the Final), have been absolutely plagued by an inability to score — and plagued by a goalie who can’t stop easy shots.

Johan Hedberg has been in net for the Devils since Marty Brodeur injured his back several weeks ago — and unlike last year, when his relief of Marty was spectuche, Hedberg has been nothing short of miserable. Though he’s won 2 of his last four games, he looks psychologically spent — and unfortunately, head coach Peter DeBoer appears unwilling to start a rookie goalie in favour of the Moose.

It’s the first time in five hockey season in the NHL that I’ve questioned DeBoer. And he’d better be careful. Lou Lamoriello has fired coaches for far less egregious errors than what’s going on right now with the goaltending situation here.

Sans Marty Brodeur, the Devils
have just not been the same.
Is it time to worry though?

And if neither Lou or Peter are careful, the Devils will be on the outside looking in for the second time in three seasons come late April.

Finally, out to the Island, where the Islanders continue to surprise everyone. It’s certainly a product of a shortened season, but the Islanders are not going away folks — and there’s a good chance we’ll see them in the post season for the first time since 2007.

How are they doing it?

It’s simple.

They’ve got one of the best forwards in hockey right now — yet no one knows it because he plays where he plays — in John Tavares.

Tavares

If this guy were playing in Montreal — or hell, even a few miles away at the Garden — he’d be hailed, perhaps, as on par with the best scoring forwards in the league.

In just half a season, Tavares has 17 goals, 14 assists and 31 points. He’s really showing that he’s a leader. And it’s truly a shame the guy isn’t recognized for his talent. But he will be soon — perhaps this post season.

And what an irony it would be, indeed, if the only local team in the post season in 2013 were the Islanders.

There’s still enough time for the Devils and Rangers to turn things around. Perhaps not so much for the Panthers.

But regardless of what happens, this stretch run is going to be intense. And as ever, there’s no better post-season sport than hockey.

Let’s just hope at least a few of our teams are there to enjoy it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Sid Rosenberg Show

And what if Sid had been born Irish?

Sid's bracket challenge could win you prizes

Just a couple of the prize options if you're lucky enough to fare well in "Sid's NCAA Bracket Challenge." Wouldn't you like a day at the Bunny Ranch in Nevada with her on the house? Or a signed Doc Gooden jersey for the Mets and baseball enthusiast out there? The challenge is FREE so all you need to do is to sign up by clicking here. (LINK FIXED).

The league password is sidrosenberg (no caps, no spaces).

Also, don't forget coming in the next few days is Sid's Fantasy Baseball League Challenge. Check back for more details soon.

Join the Sid Rosenberg Show NCAA Bracket Challenge, win prizes

We'll announce a ton of prizes in the coming days. In the meantime, click here to join the Sid Rosenberg Show NCAA Bracket Challenge. The password, which you'll be asked for, is sidrosenberg.

Sid on the Howard Stern Show — without even knowing it

Have a listen right here.

Please help Sid's dear friend Chris Genske's sister, who lost her entire home in a fire

The Haefliger Family 

Many of you have no doubt heard Sid mention his dear friend Chris Genske's name on many an occasion on the air. Sadly, Chris's sister, who lives in Minnesota, lost her entire family home to a fire just a few days ago. Theirs is an amazing family story — a husband and wife who have given their lives for their children, including the adoption of several children. They lost everything but the clothes they were wearing. Please consider a donation to the family by clicking here. Every little bit will help. And of course, thank you for all you do in making the Sid Rosenberg Show what it is today.

Sid Cinaview: 'Stand Up Guys' made my wife want to stand up and leave

Sorry I'm a little late with the "Sid Cinaview," but it's not a very good one anyway. 

Saw "Stand Up Guys" with Pacino, Walken and Arkin last night. 

With that cast, I figured it's a can't miss despite getting lousy reviews. Well here it is: on a scale of 1-5 "Mookies," I'm being generous giving it 1.5 Mookies. 

My wife wanted to walk out midway. Ugh! 

1.5 Mookies for
'Stand Up Guys'

Sid @ The Super Bowl — Part III

Jim Gray

Vinny Testaverde

Dick Vermeil

Emmitt Smith

Frank Caliendo

Michael Kay

Troy Aikman

Sid @ The Super Bowl — Part II

Sid and Andy Roddick

Sid and Michelle Beadle

Sid and Maria Menonounos

Sid and Tracy Morgan