General

Shanoff’s W.U.C.: Wade, BCS, Manny, KFC

Jul 8, 2009, 1:11 PM UTC

Today’s Calls: Dwyane Wade vs. Heat fans, Coach K vs. John Kuester, Orrin Hatch vs. the BCS, Manny vs. Mets fans, Roy Halladay vs. the Trade Deadline, Tyler Hansbrough vs. James Harden, Magic Johnson vs. KFC and More.â†µâ†µThe Opening Pitch: What do Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Michael Jackson and KFC have to do with each other? I really don’t know, but if you watched yesterday’s Jackson funeral/tribute/wha?!?!, please let the rest of us know.â†µ

â†µâ†µMeanwhile, I’m sure fans in Miami are thrilled that Dwyane Wade signed his lucrative long-term contract extension with the Heat in the very first moments after midnight last night, the earliest he possibly could.â†µ

â†µâ†µWhat? He didn’t?â†µ

â†µâ†µWhat a terrific signal to send to his fans and his franchise that he is committed to bringing a title back to Miami — that it might not happen in 2010, but with him in place as the cornerstone, they can make a run at several of them.â†µ

â†µâ†µReally? No deal?â†µ

â†µâ†µAnd what a relief that he dropped the Palinesque “only quitters stick around” talking point that he wouldn’t sign unless the team built a title contender around him right now, even though he previously hadn’t committed to the team to staying around beyond next year.â†µ

â†µâ†µ“Palin-Wade 2012!”â†µ

â†µâ†µHeat fans now avoid the rest of us snickering at them as they attempt to justify their cheering all next season for a player who so obviously would have disrespected and dismissed them by not declaring his reciprocal allegiance as soon as he could.â†µ

â†µâ†µActually, they — and Cavs fans — are the biggest chumps in sports fandom.â†µ

â†µâ†µHow awkward would it have been had Wade NOT signed last night, and spent the next season as some kind of lame-duck -- with fans cheering for him half-heartedly, knowing that NOT signing with the Heat sends the strongest signal he almost surely will be bolting for another city next summer.â†µ

â†µâ†µUmm ... what’s that you say? He didn’t?â†µ

â†µâ†µWow, it sure is great that Wade cleared that up.â†µ

â†µâ†µNevermind.â†µ

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â†µâ†µCoach K back in Olympics? From “Redeem” to “Re-Dream,” it sounds like Coach K is interested in leading USA Basketball in the 2012 Olympics. Give him credit, because it would be easy to take last summer’s achievement and run; give him scorn, because it’s a drain and Duke hoops will suffer for it.â†µ

â†µâ†µBCS Goes to Washington: Most fans would like some sort of playoff system in college football; presumably, most fans would like to avoid climate disaster or heath-care systemic failure even more. Glad to see Senator Orrin Hatch has his priorities straight; would he hold the hearing if he was from Florida or Oklahoma or Texas? (I mean, really: A Justice Department investigation?)â†µ

â†µâ†µManny Meets New York: And, yes, he was booed. But — and this is incredibly important to understand — he was not booed as much as the home-team Mets were by their own fans. This is because cheating via steroids is bad, but futility on the field is, for fans, an even more egregious offense.â†µ

â†µâ†µMLB Trade Mania: Roy Halladay is on the block! All it will take is a bunch of prospects and the willingness to shell out half of Halladay’s roughly $15-million salary due for the rest of this year, plus the $15 million due next year.â†µ

â†µâ†µYou might immediately think “Yankees!” (and you’d be right), but the Jays would be crazy to put Halladay in their own division, if not this year then certainly the next. I personally think the Rays should go after him — low payroll notwithstanding — but the Jays shouldn’t trade him to the Rays for the same reason. Ultimately, the best team with the deepest pockets is across the country — the Angels. â†µ

â†µâ†µ(I would suggest the Mets, if only to get the fans off their back for a few days.)â†µ

â†µâ†µMLB Talking Pointsâ†µ

â†µâ†µ— Final Vote Update: Kinsler, Sandoval still lead.â†µ

â†µâ†µ— Phantom tag? Is ump calling Jeter a liar?â†µ

â†µâ†µ— Insult + Injury: LAA loses to TEX, loses Vladâ†µ

â†µâ†µ— Great pitching: Sabathia | Wainwrightâ†µ

â†µâ†µ— Zito pitches well: It’s always a surprise.â†µ

â†µâ†µ— Fantasy Stud: Paul Konerko (3-for-4, 3 HR, 7 RBI)â†µ

â†µâ†µMcNair Murder, Cont’d: Dan Steinberg on what it all doesn’t mean.â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Summer League Notables! Orlando Edition.â†µ
â†µ(1) Tyler Hansbrough: 23 pts (in another strong game!)â†µ
â†µ(2) James Harden: 19 pts (Russell Westbrook: 22 pts, 8 ast)â†µ
â†µ(3) Ryan Anderson (ORL): 33 and 14. Not bad for a VC trade throw-in.â†µ
â†µ(4) Eric Maynor (UTA): 12 pts, 5 ast, 4 reb.â†µ
â†µ(5) Jrue Holiday (PHI): 7 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast.â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Coaching Carousel: John Kuester hired by the Pistons. Players should expect a whole lot of “Well, when we won the title in 2004. ...” Here’s a good sign: Whenever I saw the Cavs taking a timeout, it looked like Kuester, not Mike Brown, was the head coach.â†µ

â†µâ†µEconomy: The NBA salary cap dropped a million bucks or so (although league revenue was up). The biggest impact is on the teams that will or won’t want to pay the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax for going over it. An extra million doesn’t seem like much; I think it’s a symbolic thing, to stay under.â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Offseason: The Raptors are not afraid of your salary-cap restrictions! They gave Andrea Bargnani a $50 million extension. Meanwhile, the Nuggets made their best move of the offseason by re-signing high-energy role player Chris Andersen, as valuable as any frontcourt player on the team, including Melo.â†µ
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â†µâ†µCBB Scandals: South Carolina reaches a new low of absurdity with “Bagel-Gate.” (Wait: 14 minor violations? Is Lane Kiffin the Gamecocks’ new recruiting coordinator?)â†µ

â†µâ†µBusiness: LeBron James is at Allen & Co.‘s annual (and supremely high-rolling) get-together in Sun Valley. I’m sure the moguls are a bit awestruck (but not THAT awestruck — that’s why they are moguls).â†µ

â†µâ†µUniform Watch: Ron Artest will wear No. 37 with the Lakers — to honor Michael Jackson by wearing the number representing the number of weeks “Thriller” spent at No. 1. Which is the awesomest rationale for a jersey number ever.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Last Word: Happy retirement, Joe Sakic.â†µ

â†µâ†µDan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/danshanoff. â†µ

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