You’re right “Sir Charles”, you are not a role model

As much as I’ve enjoyed watching the NBA playoffs, I wish seeing and hearing Charles Barkley didn’t have to be a part of it.

Let me explain.

The more I watch, the more I find myself wondering why he still has his job.

Granted, he has an insight into the league and expresses his opinions honestly, for which I give him credit. However, is that really enough to overshadow his arrogance and surliness? 

Is it enough to overshadow his character issues that consist of gambling, drinking, infidelity, and legal problems?

I think not.

So how much longer does Charles Barkley need to be on air cursing and spewing criticism that goes beyond being constructive?

I would hope not much, but until then I’ll hit the mute button unless one of his T-Mobile commercials with Dwyane Wade comes on. That’s about the only aspect of Barkley that I’ve enjoyed watching during the playoffs.

Wade: The Dark Horse

All I hear when watching ESPN is Lebron this and Kobe that.

The entire season, Lebron and Kobe have always been #1 and #2 for the MVP race and I can understand why; Lebron is averaging 28.1 points per game and 28.0 for Kobe.

They are two of the best leaders and figures in the NBA and in the world.

Even if you don’t watch basketball, you still know their names. But it was kind of expected from these two players to have great seasons, they are two of the best in the league.

Unfortunately, this isn’t their year.

Dwyane Wade is having one of the best seasons of his career.

Click here to check out the regular season stats: www.nba.com/statistics.

When it comes to numbers, Flash is definitely dominating the MVP race.

But of course, MVP doesn’t always go by the numbers. Many people are saying, “It’s not only the numbers that count, but how you’re team compares to others in the league.”

Exactly.

Lebron is playing with the same core of guys from last year, as are the Lakers.

 As for the Heat, only two of the five starters from last year are on the team and seven out of 15 players this year were on last year’s team. The Heat are one of the youngest teams this season and have a rookie head coach who is the youngest in the league.

At this point, no one can stop Dwyane Wade. He has single handedly lead the Miami Heat to a fantastic season is dominating the league in points. When it comes to stats, Flash is #1; when it comes to team leadership and performance on a nightly basis, no one can take control like D-Wade can.

For all the people that think LJ or Kobe are the MVP’s, I’m sorry but you’re wrong. You need take a second look at the different qualities for an MVP and look over your numbers. I’m sorry Lebron and Kobe, you are both having great seasons, but it’s just not enough.

Keep it up D-Wade.

ACC Women’s tennis player of the week

University of Miami sophomore Julia Cohen’s recent accomplishments have gained her the title of Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Week

Tuesday morning the ACC office in Greensboro, N.C announced that the Philadelphia native had earned the title due to her defeat of back-to-back Top 5 opponents.

Cohen is currently ranked 13th nationally in the latest Campbell’s/ITA singles poll and all of her top-10 wins this season have come on the road.

She credits coach Yaroshuk-Tews for guiding her through her victories.

” She told me to keep fighting, playing my game and not to get down on myself.” Cohen said.

“It’s pretty easy to listen to her because we get along so well. I not only see her as a coach, but as a friend too.”

Congratulations to Cohen and the University of Miami women’s tennis team, who are now ranked No.6!

doing the right thing

In an era that is seemingly defined by athletes making the wrong choices, it’s good to know that every once in awhile they make the right ones.

As DeKalb High School senior Darius McNeal stepped up to the line to shoot his free throws, he focused intently.

Not on making the two shots, but on missing them.

Rules dictate that if a player not originally in the scorebook enters the game, a technical penalty is assessed as a result.

Such was the situation for the Milwaukee Madison high school team facing DeKalb that night.

Johntell Franklin, a senior for Milwaukee, showed up to the gym late in second quarter after having lost his mother to cancer earlier that day.

Franklin, who wasn’t expected to make an appearance, told his coach Aaron Womack Jr. that he wanted to play.

Knowing that they would be penalized with a technical foul, Womack was prepared to put himin anyway, but their DeKalb opponents were well aware of the situation.

DeKalb coach Dave Rohlman told officials he didn’t want to technical foul called.

The referees had no choice but to enforce the rules.

Rohlman and his team found a way around those rules.

“I gathered my kids around and said, ‘Who wants to take these free throws?”’ Rohlman said. “Darius McNeal put his hand up. I said, ‘You realize you’re going to miss, right?’ He nodded his head.”

McNeal set up at the line as if preparing for a routine free throw, but instead shot the ball only two or three feet in front of him, letting the ball roll on the court past the basket.

He did this twice.

” I did it for the guy who lost his mom,” McNeal said.

“It was the right thing to do.”

Womack, overwhelmed by the gesture of sportsmanship, wrote a letter to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle to recognize what the hometown coach and team had done.

It’s refreshing to see  these athletes break the rules for all the right reasons.

Women’s tennis team returns home to face Boston College

Coach Yaroshuk-Tews and her team will face ACC opponent Boston College Thursday, March 5 at Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Play will begin at ten a.m. as the Hurricanes return home from a victory over No. 18 Michigan State.

Miami (10-2) remains ranked 10th going into the match against Boston College and hopes to improve upon its doubles play.

Losing the doubles point is getting old,” Yaroshuk-Tews said.

“Our goal is to get that doubles point and really put the pressure on our opponents to try and beat us four-out-of-six in singles.”

Road trip for women’s tennis team

The University of Miami women’s tennis team will travel to Texas this weekend to face a tough No. 7 Baylor and No. 21 TCU this Saturday and Sunday.

Miami, currently holds an 8-1 record and has moved up in the rankings to No. 10.

The Hurricanes, who fell in last week’s polls to 15th, are now in the Top Ten for the first time all season.

Having lost twice to Baylor in 2008, the University of Miami is looking to avenge a 4-1 setback suffered at the hands of the Bears in the NCAA “Sweet 16″  Tournament.

Despite that loss and a 4-1  defeat that came earlier  that year, Miami leads the all-time series against Baylor 4-3.

The last time the Hurricanes met with TCU was back on March 15, 2002 when the Horned Frogs took a 5-2 victory over Miami.

However, Miami leads the short series between the two teams 2-1 and is looking to extend its neraly flawless record this weekend in Texas.

Women’s tennis goes 2-1 over the weekend

The women’s tennis team pulled off the biggest upset of the year by defeating No. 5  Stanford yesterday in the consolation round of the ITA Women’s Tennis National Team Indoor Tournament.

After a decision by Coach Yaroshek-Tews to make some changes to the doubles lineup during warmup, the Hurricanes took two-of-three doubles matches giving them the 1-o advantage heading into singles play.

Miami’s Gabriela Mejia extended the lead by defeating Cardinal’s Veronica Li with scores of 6-2, 6-2 in the number five spot.

Standford was, however, able to close the gap 2-1 with a 6-0, 6-2 victory by Hilary Barte over No. 8 Julia Cohen.

The Hurricanes responded with impressive wins by Laura Vallverdu, Michaela Kissell, and Bianca Eichkorn to improve Miami’s record to 8-1.

The team finished the tournament with a strong 2-1 record, including a 7-0 sweep of host Wisconsin the day before this victory over Standford.

Up next for the Hurricanes is a road trip to Texas on February 21 and 22 to battle against Baylor, currently ranked fourth in the country, and No. 21 TCU.

What does Miami need to do to endure this tough stretch ahead?

Women’s tennis team is still perfect

The University of Miami women’s tennis team is still undefeated after beating UCF 6-1 Sunday afternoon at Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

This is not only the Hurricanes ninth straight victory at home, but is also just the second ever 6-0 start for head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Yews since she began at Miami eight years ago.

The Miami team will now head to the University of Wisconsin for the upcoming ITA National Team Indoor Tournament on February 12th.

Will the Hurricanes’ perfect season continue?

In response to the A-ROD/Phelps blog: athletes as role models

I think the spotlight these athletes receive does just what the name implies; it shines a bright light on them to expose and reveal their character.

Some athletes do just enough to stay out of trouble, some genuinely go out of their way to make a difference in their community and be role models, and others can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

Others just make mistakes.

It’s impossible to require an athlete to be a role model if that individual wouldn’t behave in such a manner in the first place.

I don’t think athletes should be held to any higher or lower standards then we, as a society, hold anyone else. They shouldn’t be excused for their actions just because they can throw, catch, kick, or shoot a ball with superhuman skill.Their above average talent, however, does not allow for us to expect them to be above average people.

I was watching ESPN one day and one of the athletes being interviewed, I can’t remember who, said something that resonated with me. He said that people are wrong when they say money changes a person. Money and fame don’t change you, they just make you more of who you already were.

I couldn’t agree more.

Athletes are just human beings on a grander stage than the everyday life we are exposed to, but regardless they are a representative sample of the human race.

There will always be the jerks, the troublemakers, the philanthropists, and the average joes who just mess up occasionally.

It comes down to the end

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

Losing to Duke in overtime 78-75, UM’s hot start in the first half became insignificant when Duke’s fiery offense took control and never let go.

The Blue Devils cut UM’s 16 point lead down to six with over 13 min left in the second half and continued their scoring run all throughout the half with the help of Henderson and Scheyer.

Difficulty finishing the game seems to be a re-occuring theme recently for the University of Miami, which has also suffered overtime losses to Virginia Tech and NC State.

What’s the problem?

I know what it wasn’t in this game.

McClinton, who had a game total 34 points, put on a star performance hitting a long-distance three-pointer to tie it up

68-68 with 14 seconds left, sending the game into overtime.

However, Duke proved to be the team that remembered how to finish a game.

That’s all that matters.