|
mike taylor to the nba?
Thursday 06-26-2008 11:00am CT
The annual NBA Draft will be held tonight in New York City. The Chicago Bulls are expected to make Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, a native Chicagoan, the first overall selection.
However, the pick I am most interested in is likely to come sometime in the second round and it involves former Iowa State basketball player Mike Taylor.
I'm sure you know Taylor's story. Taylor was the Cyclones' leading scorer and most valuable player in 2006. However, he was eventually kicked off the squad by head coach Greg McDermott following several run-ins with the law. He eventually hooked up Division II Clayton State for a short time.
Then, last December, Taylor signed on with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA's Developmental League. Taylor played well for the Stampede, averaging 14.5 points per game.
More importantly, Taylor not only resurrected his career but reinvented himself personally. Taylor told us on "Cotlar and Company" when the Stampede came into Des Moines to take on the Iowa Energy that he had matured as a person. He gave a lot of the credit to McDermott dfor his "tough love" in making Taylor realize that he had to turn his life around and stop making foolish choices in order to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA.
In helping to lead Idaho to the 2008 D-League title, Taylor became known to NBA scouts. His play at the Orlando pre-draft camp earned him tryouts with a dozen NBA teams and tonight, we find out the impression he made with them.
Tonight could be a special night for Mike Taylor, who only last year at this time, thought his dreams of ever playing in the NBA were only a fantasy.
What a difference a year can make.
'til next time, "cotman"
aplington-parkersburg football-how important is it?
Wednesday 06-25-2008 10:07am CT
During this morning's "What's Your Beef"? segment, one of our callers, Michelle, said she was bothered that of the 90-thousand dollars raised by the Jacksonville Jaguars for tornad relief in Parkersburg, $24,000 (26%) is earmarked for the football program with the other $66,000 going to the Parkersburg Relief Fund.
Let me back up a bit. The Jaguars as well as the entire NFL is pitching in because four NFL players happen to hail from the community of 1,800 residents. One of them is Jaguar center Brad Meester, who combined with Denver's Casey Wiegmann and Detroit's Jared Devries over the weekend in a fund-raising effort in Cedar Falls which raised nearly $200,000. The fourth NFL player from Parkersburg, Green Bay's Aaron Kampmann, was unable to be in Cedar Falls due to travel complications.
While I can understand where Michelle is coming friom with regard to the proportion of funds going to the A-P football program, several listeners have pointed out to me how important the football program is to the community. Many Parkersburg parents have told reporters that their kids and the community need football, which has been a source of pride throughout the years under the guidance of former national coach of then year Ed Thomas. Plus, I believe that football can be a healer for the community. A-P has been a perennial high school football in this state for a long time and while we're certainly not comparing football to life and death issues, I believe that not having a football team this fall would be devastating to the towns' morale. It's a way of showing that, despite tragedy, life still goes on and is to be enjoyed as much as possible.
I realize there are those individuals (and I don't count Michelle in this group) who don't believe that athletics are important. However, I respectfully disagree. Athletics can bring communities and people together and I see the continuing tradition of the Aplington-Parkersburfootball program as a uniting force throughout that tornado-ravaged community.
'til next time, "cotman"
shawn johnson and pressure
Tuesday 06-24-2008 10:35am CT
I am actually afraid to write this blog for fear of putting a hex on Shawn Johnson. America's latest golden girl is going to face pressure like she's never faced as she heads to Beijing to compete in the Olympics later this summer.
So far, Johnson has lived up to all the high expectations placed upon by the media and done so quite well. In fact, she has had only one real mistake, a fall earlier this year. Other than that, she has been nearly perfect, never finishing lower than second in any competition.
However, now she'll go into Beijing as the prohibitive favorite to win the overall gold medal in women's gymnastics. Nothing short of a gold will do. Which is unfortunate, but the way we in the media work nowadays, we tend to take an "all or nothing" approach".
For example, what will be the reaction should Johnson wind up winning a silver medal rather than a gold? Don't you think there will be those who paint her as something of a failure because she didn't take home gold? Of course there will. Even though winning a silver medal is a pretty sensational accomplishment. And God forbid, she garner "only" a bronze! Then, she will have "let her country and her team down".
It's unfortunate but we all realize that is a possibility. The thing that makes gymnastics so intriguing is that it doesn't take much to fall from the pedestal: a fall here, a slip there. There is virtually no room for error in gymnastics competition, much as it is in figure skating. Twist your big toe the wrong way on the balance beam, you are deducted one-tenth of a point.
The amazing thing to me about both gymnasts and figure skaters is their ability to make a mistake and then have to refocus immediately to avoid having his or her routine fall apart. These sports (along with diving) are essentially the only one in which you have to be nearly perfect in order to win. You have to have a short memory. If you screw up, just concentrate on your next move and go on.
If anyone seems to be able to handle the pressure she'll be facing in the weeks leading up to Beijing, it's the down-to-earth Shawn Johnson. She has a golden opportunity to be the next Mary Lou Retton if she can remain focused on the task at hand.
'til next time, "cotman"
|
© 2008