King James can’t save NBA for me fan

So Lebron James has supposedly saved the NBA?

If you listen to the national media pundits making the rounds on talk radio and ESPN, King James has apparently singlehandedly grabbed the steering wheel of the league, which was driving directly into a ditch, and drove right back onto the  freeway at high speed.

Whatever.

If you’re like me, that means you’re a Phoenix Suns fan. And if you’re a Suns fan, I hope you haven’t been watching one second of basketball since the Suns were unfairly dumped from the NBA playoffs.

Commissioner David Stern’s decision to suspend Phoenix Suns starters Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for leaving the bench during the “altercation” with Spurs cheap‑shot‑artist Robert Horry in the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs was the worst commissioner decision by anybody in any sport in my lifetime.

Now, it would be easy to chalk this up to emotion since the call went against my team, but I think of it more like common sense.

And common sense should tell all Suns fans to stay away from the NBA the rest of this season. Everybody seemed to think the winner of the Suns‑Spurs series was going to eventually be the winner anyway, so I don’t even know why anybody outside of San Antonio is still watching.

Oh, wait, I do know why. He’s called Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers–a.k.a. the best early Christmas present Stern ever received, even if the commissioner is Jewish.

James’ Herculian effort in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, in which he scored the final 25 points and 29 of his team’s 30 points in two overtimes and fourth quarter, was so Michael Jordan‑esque that apparently fans are now curious to watch the Finals just to see what King James does next.

Don’t count me as one of them.

It will likely be a short series, anyway. But then again, that’s what I was expecting when the Cavs faced the Pistons. In normal years, I would be glued to the TV in hopes of seeing an upset of the clearly better Spurs.

But that was before Stern drove the league into a ditch with his unjust penalty. I hope Suns fans join me in an NBA boycott for the rest of this season.

CALL ME CRAZY, but am I the only one surprised that neither Phillip Aholt or Kyle Watkins will be playing Division I college football next year?

Anybody who came withing sniffing distance of a Cactus Shadows football game last year knows that the Aholt‑Watkins connection was one of the biggest passing duos in the state last year, yet only two‑year NJCAA schools offered scholarships.

Aholt is headed to Arizona Western College in Yuma where he will compete against three other incoming freshman quarterbacks for the starting job.

Watkins, meanwhile, has agreed to play at Scottsdale Community College if an outside chance at a scholarship to the University of Nevada doesn’t pan out.

If Watkins doesn’t end up in Reno, there will be two talented players in Arizona’s JC system who clearly don’t belong.

Just look at the numbers the two put up a year ago in leading the Falcons to a 15‑0 record and first ever 4A‑Division II state championship. Aholt, who owns the Arizona record for career touchdown passes, passed for 3,592 yards 46 touchdowns last season.

Watkins’ stats were just as ridiculous. Despite missing parts of four games because of injuries, Watkins hauled in 88 passes for 1,559 yards and 24 touchdowns.

In the state championship game against Higley, Watkins caught an amazing 21 passes for 212 yards.

It’s those kind of numbers that makes you wonder why more colleges didn’t take notice. Watkins’ big day came on the biggest stage at the biggest stadium (University of Phoenix’s). Plus, his 6‑foot‑4 frame is the kind of big body big colleges like.

Aholt’s lack of respect is even more puzzling, considering his coach, Chad DeGrenier, was a former college and Arena Football quarterback. One would think that alone would get Aholt some attention, but apparently recruiters think DeGrenier’s superior offensive system was the reason for the success.

I don’t buy that. I think colleges will rue the day they passed on these two talented players.

SPEAKING OF FOOTBALL over at Cactus Shadows, DeGrenier said he’s excited about his team’s defense heading into the 2007 season. With the Falcons making the move up a division to 4A‑Division I next fall, stopping opponents will be a key.

DeGrenier said eight starters are returning from a defense which was already one of the state’s best last year. The Falcons have already begun play in a non‑tackle passing league and will resume summer conditioning in late July. Official fall practices begin Aug. 6 for all sports that begin on the normal week, which is the final one in August.

Some teams, like Boulder Creek, have their first football game a week early and can begin practice in late July.