Wade finds the spotlight shines bright in Miami
Basketball Betting Lines
07/19/2010 -
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - I spent a number of years hosting my own
radio show and am lucky enough to do quite a few guest spots around the dial
these days, so I realize how easy it can be to say something off the cuff that
someone, somewhere is alienated by.
In a society that grows touchier by the day, that kind of thing is just part
of the process, and generally I dismiss most of the Sally Sensitives out there
as just that.
However, there are a few topics I have been deft enough to avoid at all costs.
For instance, I'm proud to say I've never compared the New York Yankees'
treatment of Joe Torre to the Nazis like Tim McCarver, and I've yet to break
out September 11 in reference to a losing streak.
Dwyane Wade?
Not so much.
When asked Sunday how his new super team in South Beach would react to a
losing streak in the upcoming season, Wade handled it like a rookie stepping
up to the microphone for the first time.
"You [the reporters assembled] all are going to make it seem like the World
Trade has just went down again," Wade said before his annual charity
basketball game that he co-hosts with former Heat-teammate Alonzo Mourning.
Later in the day AOL, which first reported the quote, sent a different version
of it along with an with an editor's note explaining a transcription error
was made and the company "deeply regretted the error."
However, in the second corrected version, Wade still made the insensitive
reference, albeit with a bit of a qualifier.
"We're going to be wearing a bull's-eye," Wade reportedly said. "But that's
what you play for. We enjoy the bull's-eye. Plus, there's going to be times
when we lose two, three games in a row and it seems like the world has crashed
down. You all are going to make it seem like the World Trade is coming down
again, but it's not going to be nothing but a couple of basketball games."
Since D-Wade isn't Don Rickles or Lisa Lampanelli working blue at the Comedy
Shack, that's still about as tasteless as it gets these days.
It's not that I think Wade had any bad intentions or actually thinks he and
LeBron losing three in a row will really compare to 3,000 innocents losing
their lives. The All-Star clearly just stepped the wrong way in the politically
correct minefield that is America today.
Wade quickly apologized on Monday but made a second mistake in the process,
blaming the messenger.
"In an interview yesterday, I attempted to explain how some people may view
the Miami Heat losing a few basketball games in a row during the upcoming
season," Wade said in a statement. "It appears that my reference to the World
Trade Center has been either inaccurately reported or taken completely out of
context.
"I was simply trying to say that losing a few basketball games should not be
compared to a real catastrophe. While it was certainly not my intention, I
sincerely apologize to anyone who found my reference to the World Trade Center
to be insensitive or offensive."
It's still July and we are over three months away from basketball games
counting again, but it would have been nice to see Wade step up like a leader,
accept full responsibility and learn something very valuable from his little
faux pas.
The Heat, not the Lakers or Celtics, are now at the center of the basketball
universe and everything he, James, Chris Bosh and their teammates do will now
be put under a very powerful microscope.
Distractions like this during the season are exactly the types of things that
could lead to the losing streaks Wade so inartfully described.
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Pacific-10 Conference odds
Teams that should be in: Stanford
Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.
Should be in:
Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.
| Southeastern Conference odds |
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State
It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.
Work left to do:
Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.
Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.
Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.
Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile. |
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