Tag Archives: Sports and sports journalism

Hurricanes rise in ranks, media attention

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By NATE DERRENBACHER

On Saturday, Nov. 11, ESPN’s “College GameDay” came to UM’s Coral Gables campus for the first time in the show’s history – following one of the strongest football seasons in recent Hurricanes’ history.

The event not only sparked school spirit and excitement around UM’s football program, but it also brought to light who are true Hurricane fans and who are just hopping on the bandwagon. Starting on Wednesday, Nov. 8, ESPN crews began flooding campus, setting up all of the equipment and activities associated with “College GameDay.”

Although exciting for many, one thing became very clear – the news media will follow stories that are relevant and cater their opinions based off that relevancy. ESPN led into and opened the show with suggestions that the Miami Hurricanes just “got lucky” during the rest of the season and that they have finally met their match against Notre Dame – a team ranked higher than the Hurricanes before the match up.

Almost everyone other than die-hard Miami fans thought there was no possibility of the home team securing a win and rising in the polls. But then it happened. Following the Hurricanes’ monumental win, news media outlets such as ESPN immediately began to change their position on the game, saying “The U is back baby!”

In the era of “fake news,” biased reporting only gives fuel to the pandemic of labeling any story as “fake news” simply because one disagrees with the points and facts presented. Although ESPN’s “College GameDay” is a program that is heavily based off predictions and opinions surrounding each team playing on any given weekend, it brings a larger problem to light.

People across social media and other news outlets – both local and national – began changing their views and the way they reported their stories following the win. Sports are a difficult topic because everyone has their favorite teams and everyone wants to be a part of the winning spirit, even if that means ‘bandwagoning’ and following a team based on its success.

Although this is a common practice in sports, it gives people a new paradigm for opinionated and biased reporting. Changing a position on a story solely to gain more engagement and relevancy in the marketplace not only questions journalistic ethics, but also forces the journalism industry as a whole to conform to a new level of competition that hinders on the basis of the industry.

Cam Newton and the news media

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By JUSTIN STEVENS

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton doesn’t have many friends in the news media anymore.

Newton’s rocky relationship with local Panthers sports reporters and columnists took another turn for the worst last week when the quarterback left his press conference early with no explanation. This was his first press conference after skipping several press conferences over the course of a week. Many people believed that he was boycotting the news media because of an earlier incident that occurred involving a female reporter.

In this press conference, Newton was asked a large amount of questions about the Panthers’ struggling offense, which only managed to score a field goal in its game the previous Sunday. A reporter then asked Newton about “big chunk plays” that the Carolina offense was lacking, which sent Newton over the edge.

Newton responded to that question saying, “Next question,” then he rolled his eyes, paused, and then left the press conference without any explanation.

The Panthers released a statement saying, “Cam didn’t intend to be discourteous toward any specific media member, in his mind after answering questions for nine minutes he had fulfilled his obligations.”

It’s still questionable why that question caused his sudden outburst but it seems like his relationship with the news media has been stalled for a while. This comes a couple of weeks after  Newton replied with a sexist comment during a press conference to a female reporter when she asked about running routes. Newton later apologized and then lost an endorsement deal with Dannon.

The reality of the situation is that Newton can’t escape the news media. As a public figure and a former MVP quarterback, he is going to have to deal with questions he might not want to answer. Some of the questions might be pointless, but it’s also the job of the news media to ask questions that Newton might deem stupid or unnecessary.

But to Cam, it’s his world and the news media is just living in it.

Houston Astros win World Series

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By IZABELLA FELPETO

Just nine weeks after one of the worst hurricanes and severe flooding hit Houston, the Astros prove that #houstonstrong is more than just a trending hashtag.

On Wednesday night, the Houston Astros made history by winning the World Series in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, making it the city’s first baseball championship. Never had the team even made it to the seventh game before.

“Earned History,” is what the Astros posted on their Twitter after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 during Game 7, making it the first win for World Series veterans Justin Verlander and Carlos Beltran. This was retweeted more than 50,000 times.

“No matter what, this Series is going down in the history books as one of the best Series of all time,” said Verlander after the Astros took a loss in Game 6. “I think tomorrow’s going to be nothing short of spectacular either way. I hope we blow them out, but the way these things have been going, I don’t see that being the case.”

This game did well in bringing Houston together after some games were forced to be played away from Houston, due to the flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.

“My mom lost her car & nearly our house to Harvey. It’s her birthday & she’s SO happy the Astros gave her a World Series win #HoustonStrong,” tweeted Leah Ware, a local fan.

Most players helped with relief efforts and even wore the words “H Strong” on their jerseys.

Three Astros players, including shortstop Carlos Correa, dedicated their win to those affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Outfielder Carlos Beltran, a Puerto Rico native, donated more than $1 million to disaster relief for the island.

Girardi out as Yankees manager

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By JUSTIN STEVENS

Joe Girardi will not be wearing those Yankee pinstripes next season. The team announced that Girardi will not be resigned after completing the final year of a four-year, $16 million contract.

Girardi, 53, announced in an e-mail to local news media outlets that with a “heavy heart” that “the Yankees have decided to not bring me back.” In the same statement, he went of and thanked many people including Yankees executives and his assistant coaches.

The move comes right after the Yankees were one game away from reaching the world series. But their season ended after they lost to the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

Girardi was manager for the past 10 years and lead the Yankees to a combined 910-710 record, which equated to a .562 winning percentage. Along the way, Girardi also lead the Yankees to a World Series championship and they made the playoffs six times.

The decision was ultimately made by owner Hal Steinbrenner after general manager Brian Cashman recommended that the team swap managers. There had been an extreme amount of tension growing throughout the latter part of the 2017 season and the Yankees playoff run with Girardi making questionable calls along the way.

His biggest criticism came in Game two of the American League Divisional Series against the Cleveland Indians when Girardi declined to ask for a replay review on a controversial call. The decision opened the door for an Indians comeback.

Girardi was hired in 2008, replacing Hall of Fame manager, Joe Torre. His first season under the helm resulted in the first time the Yankees missing the playoffs since 1994. But in the next season, Girardi lead the Yankees to a World Series championship.

The biggest challenge for the Yankees will be hiring a new manager. With no clear-cut candidates the front office needs to decide if they go for a big name, or for a young gun who could connect to the young Yankees team.

Overall, the news media have done a great job reporting the release of Girardi and they’ve been fair to both sides. Although the move had been coming for some time, it showed that there was an immense amount of respect for the news media and to Girardi. Not many people who get fired turn to local news media outlets and break the story to them. Only with a mutual level of respect, does something like that occur.

Hayward fractures tibia, dislocates ankle

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By JUSTIN STEVENS

Boston Celtics star forward Gordon Hayward was removed from the Celtics season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia.

The injury, which was difficult to watch, occurred around five minutes into the first quarter after a collision in air with a Cavs player. When Hayward came down he landed awkwardly, twisting his leg and his foot was caught underneath his body. Immediately the camera shifted to Hayward and all you saw was an extremely deformed ankle.

Players on the court were visibly distraught by the injury, with many crowding around Hayward and praying. Play stopped immediately and medical crews came out to support Hayward and he was quickly taken to the locker room and rushed to a hospital.

The next day it was announced that Hayward underwent a successful surgery in Boston to repair his injured leg. No time table has been set for Hayward’s return. The injury is very similar to the same on sustained by NBA Superstar Paul George during a Team USA scrimmage in 2014. George was out for eight months before returning to basketball.

“You really feel for him,” said Celtics Coach Brad Stevens. He later added, “We’re expecting a full recovery.”

Hayward’s agent, Mark Bartelstein expects his client to miss the entire season.

Overall, this is a tragedy for the player and the team. Hayward came to the Celtics this summer after signing a four-year, $128 million contract. He joined the Celtics from the Utah Jazz to reconnect with his former college coach, Brad Stevens.

Bleacher Report and ESPN both wrote fantastic articles on Hayward and had pictures complementing the story. Without showing the injury, they achieved great storytelling and reporting. Sports Illustrated went a different route and brought in an orthopediest to help viewers understand the severity of the injury.

All news media publications gave Hayward the space to not show his injury, which has already dramatically changed his life.

Berlin soccer teams kneel before match

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By NINA GARZA

NFL players have been kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest discrimination but now the movement has gone worldwide.

During Hertha Berlin’s home game against Schalke 04, the starting players on the field, coaches, officials and substitutes all took in a knee in unity with the NFL players.

The soccer club team took to Twitter with a picture of the players kneeling and the caption “Hertha BSC stands for tolerance and responsibility! For a tolerant Berlin and an open-minded world, now and forevermore! #TakeAKnee #hahohe”

Sebastian Langkamp, Hertha defender, told a reporter during halftime, “We’re no longer living in the 18th century but in the 21st century. There are some people, however, who are not that far ideologically yet.”

Through the power of social media, this story has gone viral. Hertha’s tweet has received more than 13,000 retweets and counting. This shows how powerful Twitter is in distributing news and information, as well as all other social media platforms today.

Anchor Jemele Hill suspended at ESPN

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By JUSTIN STEVENS

This past week ESPN suspended star anchor Jemele Hill for two weeks after she violated ESPN’s social media policy for the second time in a couple of weeks.

The second suspension stemmed from Hill commenting on the Dallas Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones requiring all players to stand for the national anthem. Hill tweeted, “Jerry Jones also has created a problem for his players, specifically the black ones. If they don’t kneel, some will see them as sellouts.”

Hill was previously suspended when she called Trump a “white supremacist,” in a tweet.  John Skipper, president of ESPN, sent out a company wide memo shortly after Hill’s first suspension saying that “ESPN is about sports” and that it is “not a political organization.”

The White House eventually stepped in on the issue as Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that this was “a fireable offense.”

While I’m all for taking a side and standing for what you believe in, certain people need to be wary of what’s shared. The news media, in its truest form, is supposed to be as unbiased as possible. Hill is clearly unbiased when she attacks Trump and Jerry Jones.

In many situations reporters or people in the industry are fired for spreading their beliefs on social media or in press events. There is no issue with having a belief, but when you work in the news media, you can’t share it.

News and a useless vacuum of time

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By DANNY LAROSE

With President Trump’s comments last Friday regarding the NFL and those players who have knelt during the national anthem, a storm of controversy has blossomed that has the entire country talking.

Some people would argue that this should be the top trending story on all news programs, however, is it the news media’s job to discuss a very widespread, opinionated topic in detail and most extensively?

Leave it to the pundits and talk shows. Let a panel of partisan talking heads on CNN or Fox News debate each other on the legitimacy of the protest and the absurdity or necessity of Trump’s comments.

But news programs such as NBC’s “Nightly News” or ABC’s “Good Morning America” shouldn’t devote the majority of their air-time to a story lacking overall fact-based newsworthiness.

Naturally, a topic of such relevance to most if not all Americans and the magnitude of a controversy involving the most prominent person in the United States against the most popular sport in the country covers nearly all the bases for a story needing to be told.

Now that we are a week removed, however, it’s time to return to covering breaking stories and national coverage that have more severe consequences. News from North Korea and the latest of their nuclear endeavors or the latest from Puerto Rico after hurricanes Irma and Maria should take up the most time because they are more severe.

News programs have received a week to talk all around this controversy. At this point, it has become debate. Leave debating to partisan shows and pundits, and let the news programs stick to what’s news.

End of Pitino era at Louisville

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By JUSTIN STEVENS

This past Tuesday, the FBI announced that 10 people, with four being college basketball assistant coaches, have been charged and arrested in connection to fraud, bribery and corruption in the world of college basketball.

Coaches from prominent universities such as the University of Miami and the University of Arizona were linked to the investigation. But no school was connected more than the University of Louisville. Athletic Director Tom Jurich and infamous Coach Rick Pitino were both placed on administrative leave.

The basketball program acknowledged it was part of the scandal and allegedly collaborated with Adidas to pay an unnamed basketball recruit $100,000 to attend the University. The player in question is most likely five-star Brian Bowen, who was just suspended indefinitely by the university.

This scandal around Pitino is just one piece of a tarnished career. Two years ago Pitino was suspected of hiring prostitutes to entice basketball recruits into attending Louisville and was to serve a five game suspension this upcoming season because of that scandal.

Bleacher Report writer Jason King hits the nail on it’s head in his article titled, “FBI Bribery Scandal Reveals Rick Pitino Wasn’t Just a Hall of Famer, but a Phony.” In this article, King outlines Pitino’s fall from grace as a former mastermind of college basketball, who at his best, should be placed in the conversation with legendary coaches such as John Wooden and Mike Krzyzewski. Instead Pitino did acts that cost him his credibility and destroyed his name.

King accurately looked at Pitino as the perpetrator, not the victim, which he so rightfully deserved. He also took quotes from other Coaches in college basketball and related pitino to other successful coaches who did not break the rules.

In the end, Pitino did all of this to himself. From a fantastic coach who led Providence to a Final Four berth to all the way to 2013 where he won a national championship with only one player who is currently in the NBA. He started colluding and started to dig his own grave. Although Pitino pleaded ignorance, it’s hard to believe that a coach as smart as him, wouldn’t know what’s going on in his own program.

Trump, NFL clash on anthem protests

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By BEN EZZY

The battle of wills between the National Football League and President Donald Trump continues today, as week four of the NFL season kicks off tonight. This past week saw players, coaches and league officials from multiple organizations speak out and demonstrate acts of protest following a series of harsh comments from Trump.

The debacle began when, at a campaign rally, the president made several remarks about players who chose to kneel during the national anthem.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired,” said Trump, basking in the applause of his supporters.

What was once a personal protest by a single player, Colin Kaepernick, against a rise in police brutality toward black suspects and offenders quickly became a first amendment issue, and many NFL players chose to unite against the president’s comments.

“To have the president trying to intimidate people — I wanted to send a message that I don’t condone that,” said Julius Thomas of the Miami Dolphins, who had remained standing during the anthem before this Sunday’s game. “I’m not O.K. with somebody trying to prevent someone from standing up for what they think is important.”

The protest took an especially powerful turn at the day’s match-up between the Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks, as both teams remained in the locker room during the singing of the anthem.

After the day’s games, the feud continued on social media, with players posting Instagram pictures and tweets, denouncing the president’s harsh words. Trump took to Twitter in his usual fashion, biting back: “Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country. NFL should change policy!”

Week four of the NFL season begins tonight, as the Green Bay Packers face off against the Chicago Bears. Debate has been high all week, and the lasting effects of these protests remain to be seen. The media have done a good job covering the story from all points of view, finding unbiased sources who agree and disagree with the protests, as well as players and officials to comment on what the president has been saying.

Golden State Warriors invited to Capitol

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By NINA GARZA

On Sept. 23, 2017, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to disinvite Stephen Curry to the White House to celebrate Golden State’s 2017 NBA championship. The president tweeted, “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn”

Following Trump’s tweet, the Warriors announced that they would not visit the White House in honor of their championship.

However, back in June, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi invited the Warriors to visit the Capitol. On Tuesday night, she tweeted, “@StephenCurry30 & @warriors — the offer still stands . #DubNation” with a picture of the official invite, which was sent to head coach Steve Kerr.

Pelosi spoke out on Trump’s war with the NFL and the NBA on NBC’s “Meet the Press” stating, “I have always said that sports and the arts will bring America together.”

This topic has been an ongoing discussion since Trump’s tweet over the weekend and his ongoing battle with the NFL. The news media have been all the over the politics in sports interplay. The news media have done a good job covering and reporting this matter. The articles I read on this were not biased at all. Although this is a big and ongoing controversy, news coverage has been factual and not opinionated.

One way ticket to bankruptcy

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By Myles Valentine

I could only dream of becoming a professional athlete and being able to give back to everyone who helped me along the way. As a fellow athlete I think I can speak for a majority of athletes when I say we dream of huge contracts and many luxury items. One thing we don’t dream about is bankruptcy. It doesn’t matter how much they make. Recession or no recession, many NFL,NBA, and Major League Baseball players have an appetite for losing most or all of there money.

According to Pablo Torre from Sports Illustrated there and two numbers,78 and 60. 78 percent of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress due to joblessness or divorce by the time they have been retired for two years. Within five years of retirement an estimated 60% of Former NBA players are broke. Numerous MLB players have suffered from the same economic crisis.

“A pro athletes money is suppose to outlive his career. Most players never get that” says Bill Duffy a veteran agent who’s clients include Steve Nash and Carmelo Anthony. Put the salary aside and the closest analogue to a pro athlete is not some white collar executive. It’s a lottery winner who’s often in his or her early twenties. For athletes, it’s not a lottery, or a game of chance. Pro athletes go broke due to a constant series of bad decisions, and seemingly no amount of cautionary tales. For example Evander Holyfield burned through his $230 million fortune on a 235-acre Utah estate, which has 109 rooms and included at least one monthly electric bill of $17,000. There was also a $550,000 loan he took out to pay for landscaping; $200,000 in back taxes, plus alimony and child support for three ex-wives and 11 children.

Taxes also have to come into consideration when trying to figure out why athletes file for bankruptcy. Every year the average football,baseball or basketball player owes about 1 million in federal taxes. In an article that MLB All-Star José Canseco wrote for vice magazine, he says ” The issue is very simple: If you’ve got friends and family, the more money you make, the more you spend on them,So let’s say you spend half your money on them and the rest on yourself and the cost of living. It may so happen that during all of that, you forget to pay your taxes.”

So when you make it to the professional level, the number one thing is money management. It is the key to success long term.

 

UFC fighter Tim Hague dies at 34

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By NEYDJA PETITHOMME

Dan Grummett of CTV confirmed the news that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Tim Hague died on June 18, while also passing along a statement from the family:

“It is with incredible sadness, sorrow and heartbreak to report that Tim has passed away today. He was surrounded by family, listening to his favorite songs. We will miss him so greatly. We ask for privacy during this difficult time.”

Hague was only 34 years old when he died.

This is certainly a tragic incident. Logistically, 34 years of age, is still a baby in a world of life. Seeing a young man lose his life prematurely, makes one question UFC fighting and if it is worth a life taken away early.

Adam Braidwood earned a knockout win over Hague in Alberta, Canada, which resulted in Hague suffering a serious brain injury, according to James Lynch of Sportsnet.

Hague was then immediately transported to an Edmonton hospital, where Hague was treated throughout the weekend with no sign of improvement.

Something may have to give, either the fight inning of itself for the safety of the person, and I say person, not fighter because athletes are people first, or we find a better way to be competitive and still draw the line in safety.

Golden State claims another NBA title

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By ISAIAH TAYLOR

Late last night, almost every basketball sports enthusiast’s eyes were glued to the television. The much anticipated game five of the NBA Finals took place in the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. Fans from both teams were wondering if history will be made that night or if the Cleveland Cavaliers would force a game six.

Before the season started, people awaited the news from Kevin Durant, who just became a free agent of what he would do leading up to the next season. Not to my surprise, he ended up teaming up with Stefan Curry and the Golden State Warriors

Kevin Durant, the most-talked about player on the Warriors, won his first NBA championship last night. There was much speculation as to why Kevin Durant would leave his former teamm the Oklahoma City Thunder, to team up with the Golden State Warriors and their powerhouse. Some people believe that, of course, he was taking the easy way out, but I feel like he saw what he wanted to accomplish and knew what must be done. Throughout the entire final series, Kevin Durant averaged 30 points or more.

On the other side, there was LeBron James, who averaged a triple double throughout the series. LeBron James and the Cavaliers were not giving up easily as they put up a great first half keeping the score close until the final minutes. It was one of the most exciting games that I have seen in basketball in a while although I know many other people got tired of seeing those two teams in the finals.

The last three NBA championships have been fought between the Golden State Warriors in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Just like the previous two the teams did not disappoint. They provided an insane caliber match between the two rivals.

If you can’t beat them, join them

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By MYLES VALENTINE

On June 12, 2017 the Golden State Warriors became the 2017 NBA Champions.

The Warriors edged Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 129-120 victory to take game five and win the series, 4-1. There was a lot of talk about the series potentially going to game 7 so that the NBA would still bring in revenue. With addition of Kevin Durant to the already dominant Warriors, there was no way they were going to let the Cavaliers stop them this year.

The Warriors needed to add Kevin Durant to the core of a team that won 73 regular-season games and pushed James to the brink of elimination in the 2016 NBA Finals.

Last season, Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder blew a 3-1 lead of their own to the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference finals, Durant had still won two more games against Stephen Curry than he did against James the first time they squared off in the 2012 NBA Finals. Curry, he could beat. Probably should’ve beat. But they needed to join forces to defeat James and Kyrie Irving. I believe Lebron was the driving force behind Durant’s championship decision.

It has been five seasons since Kevin Durant had reached the NBA finals. This time he went out with a bang. Durant finished with 39 points, seven rebounds and five assists on 14-for-20 shooting in 40 minutes. He averaged 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the Finals, with a 55.6 field-goal percentage. With this amazing performance not only did he get the win over the Cavs, named Finals MVP. Durant also becomes the third player to win four NBA scoring titles and an NBA title, joining Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

I believe it’s safe to say that the Warriors+Durant is a recipe for domination. The next question is: Are the Golden State Warriors, who completed the best postseason record in NBA history by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 in the NBA Finals to finish 16-1, the greatest single-season team in league history?

3-on-3 Olympic basketball planned

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By MYLES VALENTINE

The International Olympics Committee added 3-on-3 basketball to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic program on Friday. The IOC called the changes more youthful, urban and female focused. They are striving to one day have an even split of 50 percent male and 50 percent female athletes. There were about 45 percent female athletes in Rio. As far as what teams are selected and how teams qualify, that’s still unclear.

“They don’t want just the basketball powers to compete in 3-on-3,” said USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley . “FIBA will get together and figure out how teams will qualify. They will definitely want to reward countries that have been doing a lot of 3-on-3 activities.”

The U.S. has been pushing 3-on-3 over the past few years and held a national tournament last month. The winners will head to the World Cup in France later this month.

Three-on-three only uses half of the court. It’s played with one-basket with two teams of four players (one sub). Typically, game time is 10 minutes or first team to 21 points. The 2020 Olympic 3-on-3 tournaments will include eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams.

The rules are made for more up-tempo competition. There should be more updates in the coming weeks .FIBA said it will announce qualification procedures and a competition format at a later date.

Hmmm. Who will win NBA finals?

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By MYLES VALENTINE

This year there was a lot of hype coming into the NBA Finals because of the stellar performances we all witnessed last season.

So, for anybody who knew what was going on in the NBA has assumed and hoped that Golden State and Cleveland would end up in a heated Battle Royale rematch.

The only real health concern on either side is on the Warriors coaching staff, and I guess we will ultimately see how much Steve Kerr’s absence plays a part. And Kerr, let me tell you, man, that as a person who has had a hamstring surgery and dealt with the nerve pain and shooting discomfort and all of that, I FEEL your pain and don’t blame you a bit for missing time.

My only suggestion would be to invest in some posture helpers and additional pillows for yourself if you do in fact make a return. I’m 100 percent positive an NBA team and their resources can come up with some sort of device to assist your pain while sitting on the bench.

My pick:

The Warriors. Klay, Draymond, Steph, and Kevin are simply too talented and too rested to lose this series. Way back in the day, I used to think that teams that shot a ton of threes were vulnerable in a series because the shooters could get cold and the percentages weren’t high and every other traditional basketball thought they teach you as a kid about layups over jumpers. Wellllll, the reality is that Durant, Thompson and Curry are such incredible shooting talents that they simply don’t really get that cold, and the odds of all of them being off are legitimately LONG. They play defense, they have simply stormed through the playoffs and they are HUNGRY to redeem themselves from last year.

Cleveland, Golden State ready to play

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By ISAIAH TAYLOR

The much-anticipated arrival of the third consecutive match up between Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors is making NBA Finals history. This match-up is so significant because no two teams have ever made it to three appearances in the Finals back to back to back.

Upon completion of the earlier playoff rounds, the Golden State Warriors turned out 12-0. LeBron and Company finished their series out of the Eastern Conference with a record of 12-1 only losing the one game to the Boston Celtics.

There has been controversy leading up to the opening Finals game to be hosted on June 1 on ABC-TV. The issue focuses on so many different players being hurt throughout the playoff runs during the past two seasons.

Lebron James has just recently passed Michael Jordan on the all-time playoffs scoring list  and is undeniably one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball. Currently James has 5,995 points in total while Jordan is at 5,987. These stats are incredible to accomplish, so the bar is set extremely high for an outstanding performance from the King himself.

With many skeptics thinking that the super teams have had an easy run to the top-seeded spot due to multiple injuries from the contending teams in the respected conferences. Of course, if you’re a fan of the game, then regardless of the conversation about the teams, it is easy to say that we will be enjoying a high-caliber basketball series hosted at the Oracle Arena.

Tiger Woods arrested for DUI

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By ISAIAH TAYLOR

Since his career began 20 years ago, Tiger Woods has been involved in multiple scandals including a car crash and adultery. However, his most recent journey into news headlines is by far the worst.

At 3 a.m., on Monday, Woods was pulled over in Jupiter, Fla., and charged with driving under the influence. Woods spent eight hours in custody and released a statement on Monday night explaining the issue.

In his statement, he acknowledges his behavior and assures the public that he was not under the influence of alcohol, but “prescribed medications.” He then apologizes to his fans and thanks the police department and sheriff’s office that dealt with the matter. He also stated that he cooperated fully with them, yet there have been reports that Woods refused to take a Breathalyzer test after the police who arrested him smelled alcohol.

The medications in question were prescribed after he underwent surgery one month ago, for unbearable pain due to back issues. This was his fourth back surgery, yet he claimed in his statement that he had an “unexpected reaction” to the medications he was given.

Whatever the cause of his state, Woods was not the first athlete to get in trouble due to a DUI and he certainly will not be the last, although he may have been the most famous. Other high profile DUIs in the athletic community include Abby Wambach, an Olympic women’s soccer player who won two gold medals, and Bernard Pierce, a running back for the Baltimore Ravens.

Woods had kept mostly under the radar since his affair scandals years ago and hadn’t played competitive golf for months due to his back problems. He is still remembered for his amazing accomplishments, but only time will tell what will happen to his legacy after this arrest.

Golf great Woods arrested in Jupiter

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By NEYDJA PETITHOMME

Winning 14 major tournaments — second only to Jack Nicklaus, Golfer Tiger Woods was arrested around 3 a.m. Monday morning in Jupiter, Fla. According to Jupiter police spokeswoman Kristin Rightler, Woods was taken into custody in a local jail and was released the same with no bond. According to Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, it was unclear if Woods was tested positive for alcohol consumption.

According to the information that I have been given, it should be necessary to arrest a person due to alcohol or drug assumption. Either a person tests positive or not. In this specific situation, whether a person is successful or not and even famous or not, the safety of the people around us, who are on the road is just as important. Whether Woods tested positive for drugs or alcohol, taking him off the road is just as important.

“I want to thank my doctors for their great work and support throughout this process. I also want to thank the fans for your phenomenal support. It means more than you know. There’s a long way to go, but as I said, words cannot convey how good it feels to be pain-free.” Woods said about his recovery from back problems earlier this year.

For those unaware, Woods has not won a major tournament event since 2008. He has had a rough process since his divorce. According to CNN’s contributor, David Close, Woods took time off from professional golf, to think about his actions towards his fans and family back in 2010.

It’s clear when a person goes through a troubling time in their lives, it can be hard to come back from it. Woods was never the same again after his divorce.