Thur-what? Thursday!

Well a big big day in sports and you've come to the right place to hear about it. Big O Sports Blog has you covered from the NBA Draft to milestone day in MLB. Let's hit the ground running.


A Chance For New Beginnings

The NBA Draft is really a chance for basketball franchises to show their fans that, yeah even though we suck right now, there's hope for the future see? Well some teams are better at giving their fans hope then others. I am not a big fan of doing the big list of the winners and losers of the NBA Draft, I just want to give you some of the interesting things that went down here.

Let's start out with the Portland TrailBlazers who had an excellent day. To the surprise of no one, they took Greg Oden with the number one pick, yawn. But after that is when they really started making some noise. The Blazers traded Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau, and Fred Jones to the New York Knicks for Channing Frye and Steve Francis. Now the first indication I had that this was a good deal for Portland is that Knicks GM Isaiah Thomas was involved in the deal which automatically means his team is assured of getting absolutely hosed. Then, further review of the trade confirmed my original thoughts. The Knicks may not be getting hosed exactly, but Portland got the clear upperhand in this transaction. First of all they unloaded a team cancer in Randolph and they got rid of two guards who combined couldn't average 10 poitns a game. I am sure Jones and Dickau are very nice fellows, but they're just not that good at basketball. Secondly, the Blazers actually added some good talent. You don't know Channing Frye is as good as he is yet, but you will. Picture David Robinson and Tim Duncan except with both of them under 25 and sharing most of their primes at the same time. Channing Frye put up fantastic numbers when he got consistant and significant minutes but as bad of a GM as Isaiah Thomas is, he might be a worse coach seeing as he yanked Frye in and out of the lineup so much that he could barely break a sweat before he was wearing his warmups again. Mark it down, Frye and Oden together will absolutely dominate. And Stevie Franchise as a throw-in really isn't too bad at all. Francis has a history of playing very well for a while in a new city until he gets bored. He is a very talented player, and he is a veteran, he could legitimately help this very young team. Also part of Francis' troubles have to be chalked up to Thomas' ineptitude, they just have to be. Look for Stevie to contribute a good deal to the Blazers. This team just got scary in a hurry. As soon as Steve Nash's window to win a title closes, the West will belong to the Blazers.

One move I did not understand at all was the trade between the Boston Celtics and the Seattle SuperSonics. Boston sent its number five pick, Jeff Green, along with Wally Szerbiack and Delonte West to Seattle for Ray Allen. I believe there was a second round pick tossed in there somewhere but honestly I just don't care enough to look up who it was, that part of the trade is not important. What is important here is that the Sonics essentially picked up two 6'9'' small forwards who really can't play anywhere else, when they drafted Kevin Durant at number two and then traded for Jeff Green. I suppose you could put one of them at shooting guard but I get the feeling they would get backdoor cut to death on defense by smaller and quicker guards. And these two certainly won't be playing power forward anytime soon. Green's game is more of a perimeter game, and while Durant posted up sometimes in college, he will absolutely get eaten alive by NBA post players. Remember that whole not being able to bench his body weight things for Durant? Yeah down in the paint is where that would have come in handy, whoops, small oversight there Kevin. So basically the Sonics can get overpowered with both of their picks on the floor, or outrun, depending on how they line it up. This just isn't a move that makes that much sense. Unless the Sonics trade Green for a big man with a pulse I just don't know how this was a good play on their part.

Well that sums up the biggest moves on NBA Draft day, one that makes a ton of sense and will lead to domination for years to come, and another that leaves you with two 6'9'' guys that both can only play one position. Maybe having the number two pick this year wasn't the easiest draft position ever. Guess we will just have to wait and see.


Two for One Milestone Day at the Ballpark

Frank Thomas hit home run number 500 today and a few hours later Craig Biggio collected his 3,000 career hit as part of a five hit day. Thomas was always a good ball player, but he really never contributed much in the field even before his days of becoming strictly a DH. Biggio on the other hand is a different story. Biggio is the only man in Major League history to spend a full season as a catcher, a second baseman, and a centerfielder. And don't forget he made All-Star teams at catcher and second. This man is just a fantastic athlete. He was also always willing to take one for the team as he's among the all-time leaders in career hit-by-pitches taken. And while Biggio is in the twilight of his career, likely due to the beatings he's taken at the plate, behind the plate, and in the field, Thomas still seems to be going fairly strong, perhaps having a few more years in him.

Biggio definitely deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, considering all of his hits, his exploits on defense and his toughness in the batter's box, it seems like a no-brainer. Thomas on the other hand isn't such a clear cut case. 500 home runs used to be the clincher, the guarantee for a spot in Cooperstown. However as more and more players are racing past that mark, much of the luster of 500 homers has been lost. Sammy Sosa just past 600 dingers, and he isn't even considered a lock for the Hall. Thomas and Biggio shouldn't worry about things that won't happen for at least five more years. They should just enjoy their moment, and happily take their place in history. Congrats to Craig Biggio and Frank Thomas.

THE END!