Kicking and Hookers

Q:
I noticed the other night while playing kickball with you that you chose to wear one shoe to kick the ball. You actually did it the opposite way I remember a lot of football kickers did it back in the day in that you kicked the ball with your shoe foot rather than your bare foot (much like the way Uter did it on the Springfield pee-wee football team on Simpsons). Your choice confirmed something I've always sort of believed: of course you get more power in your kick when you're wearing a shoe! Were all those bare-footed kickers in the 80s completely misguided? If not, why don't we see bare-footed kickers now? Same issue with the sky hook. Nobody really sky hooks anymore. Why? Is it because a defense was found against it, nobody remembers how to do it or it's too boring?

• Yeah, Barekicking the football was a thing of the past and it hasn't come back. Kickers today will wear different types of shoes for each foot, but they still wear two shoes.
  
  As far as the skyhook is concerned, it's a huge concern that nobody is using it anymore. Kareem dominated and stayed in basketball for 20 years with that shot. The fact that not one big man since 1988 has tried to make it work is unbelievable. If you could shoot 50% with that shot you could be next one. It's crazy to think that Shawn Bradley never developed that shot, since he was to slow and skinny to get past Shaq,he could have used it to his advantage.

BYU Football Thoughts

Q: What do you think about BYU's football team's chances this fall?

• Well, we are defending conference champs...We lost Beck, Harline, Coats, Cameron Jensen and Brown... but we do get the Utes at home along with Arizona.. I'd say we have a good chance at going undefeated at home once again, so I don't see us losing any of the games. I think it (renewing your season tickets) is a good purchase...

Q: What about the QB position?

• It's Max Hall. He beat out Cade Cooper (?) in spring tryouts. I think he'll be good. We miss a lot of key seniors, but I think we still have enough to win the conference.
  
• I think he is a transfer from Snow, or maybe Cade Cooper is, I can't keep my QBs straight. It should be on BYUCougars.com in the archives around March-April. There was a QB battle in spring camp for the starter spot and Max Hall won.

NBA Draft 2007

Q: What are you thoughts on the NBA Draft this Thursday?

• Hmmmm, the draft is on Thursday... I think it is a very deep draft, but I hate the lineup of the top 10 (as far as teams go). I think Oden and Durrant are future superstars, but why give them to Seattle (moving) and Portland (jailblazers)... I think one of those guys could have helped the Hawks. And why not bail out the Celtics... Or give the Knicks a higher pick to make things interesting... Or reward the 76ers for not purposely tanking... I dunno. I hope that one of the picks 3-12 becomes a superstar. Kind of like how Dwayne Wade became an instant all-star at No. 5 behind Carmelo and Lebron...

Q: Some people are calling this the deepest draft in a long time. Who do you take at numbers 3 - 6?

• Hmmm, I would go with:
  3) Horford. He has a polished offensive game.
  4) Conley Jr: I actually don't think he's top 5, but his stock has gone was up lately.
  5) Brendan Wright, NC
  6) Chinese dude (this guy will get picked way too high)

Q: You think the celtics will pass on Yi? What about Corey Brewer?

• Yeah, it's a really unpredictable draft after the number 3 pick. I do know that Yi and Conley Jr will go too high, I guess Brewer is quality, but he wasn't even on anyone's radar until the Final Four, so that worries me a little. I guess if he is as good as a defender as everyone says he is, he should get drafted top 5.... I think that 4-13 is really a crap shoot. All quality players available, but who will be the gem (KG, D-Wade, Kobe) who will emerge on a winning team. It should be interesting who the Bulls pick up at Number 9 (from the Knicks)... The Bulls are already loaded, but they have ZERO superstars. I think they should give the Lakers whomever they want for Kobe, but with the remaining players after the trade Kobe PLUS leftovers and Ben Wallaces rebounding could win the East.

Q: Who do you think has the best chance of being the "sleeper" superstar? What about Acie Law IV. I mean just for the dudes jersey shouldn't you draft him?

• Hmmm, I dunno who the sleeper is... The Chinese guy will be picked on his sleeper (TUP Tremendous Upside Potential) alone. But Law is a great choice. People say that Atlanta will pass on Conley at 3, then pick up Law at 13... I think the sleeper would have been Hibbert of Georgetown (7'3'') but he pulled out of the draft. I hear that the pasty white guy (Aaron Gray of Pitt) who looks like lurp, is actually ripped underneath his shirt... but I dunno who is the sleeper. I mean Dwayne Wade led his team to the Final Four, so maybe someone like Jeff Green would be the sleeper, but I never really watched him much. But Law IV, Aaron Afflalo and proven seniors are actually supposed to slide to the end of the first round, so maybe one of them will turn out to be as good as Josh Howard is on the Mavs... I would stay away from Big Baby Glen Davis forever... That guy is NOT sane in the membrane.
• Yeah, I think the Sleeper will be the Brandan Wright guy of North Carolina, I've decided. And I don't think Joaquim Noah will do anything in the pros, he will be a hustle guy on the boards and blocks, but offensive game is atrocious... Worse than Anthony Mason back in the day.

Q: New rumor today: KG to LA. Possible? With or without Kobe?

• Hmmmm.... LA doesn't have any trading chips outside of Kobe, so it would probably have to be Kobe. But Kobe wouldn't want to be in Minnesota, so it seems pretty far fetched. But those are the two biggest names on the trading block, but I never imagined them being traded for each other. I still think KG for Amare is the best bet, but I dunno if that will happen. I think Phoenix should do it just to lock up the 2008 title, may as well get one before Nash retires.