Casey Anthony's defense team said it would rest its case on Thursday in the high-profile murder case in Orlando, Fla.
Day 31 on Wednesday featured an emotional George Anthony back on the stand answering questions from Jose Baez about sexual abusing his daughter, Casey, and his suicide attempt in January of 2009. George Anthony came off as genuine and believable....at surface level. We know what kind of liar, actress and manipulator Casey Anthony is, but how far does the apple fall off the tree?
While I don't believe George Anthony had anything to do with the actual death of Caylee Anthony, there are lingering doubts about how much he isn't telling everyone. The testimony George Anthony gave Tuesday about visiting a woman's condo, while both were helping search for then-missing Caylee Anthony, showed one secret he doesn't want in open air. He denied sexually abusing Casey again today by saying, "I would never do that to my child." Baez countered with, "You would never admit to doing that" before prosecutors objected.
George Anthony broke down into tears on the stand when talking about his suicide attempt in a Daytona Beach hotel, and the letter he wrote to his wife, Cindy, while there. Casey Anthony stared unemotionally at her dad as he cried on the stand. 'If looks could kill' came to my mind.
All of this leads up to the million-dollar question: Will Casey Anthony take the witness stand?
My prediction: NO
If she takes the stand, she will be forced to answer questions she simply not capable of answering. First reason: She's a proven liar many times over. She'll be grilled about what she was doing in the month her daughter was missing. Jeff Ashton, the lead prosecutor, will be relentless in attacking her lies.
And what will her own attorney ask? Will they really ask her to lay out this accident story, and that her dad helped cover it up after there is no proof he did? There are far too many negatives for putting Casey Anthony on the stand.
The only reason she would take the stand would be to sell the sexual abuse theory. It could be effective, but it's only one part of the testimony. Once she's up there, she's stuck.
I believe the defense will call Casey Anthony's ex-fiance, Jesse Grund, to push the sexual abuse theory further into the jury's mind. Grund testified Tuesday outside of the jury's presence that Casey Anthony told him stories that her brother, Lee Anthony, had groped her and was caught standing over her as she slept. This could raise enough doubt in that area to avoid putting Casey Anthony on the stand to sell that particular theory.
The sexual abuse theory is bold, and yet to be proven. However, because it's of the nature of the alleged offense, we may never know if it's true unless Casey herself backs off the theory. Perhaps George Anthony has that deep, dark regret he is so ashamed of he will never admit, no matter what the cost. That's why I thought Baez's question of "You would never admit that..." was appropriate. While George could certainly be lying, history has shown many times over that Casey Anthony will commit to a lie until it can be proven.
Lee Anthony's inappropriate behavior, according to Grund, led Casey Anthony to tell Lee she didn't want him around newborn Caylee. Cindy Anthony apparently agreed because Lee Anthony testified to being ignored by his parents when asked about Casey's pregnancy, and how he wasn't allowed to visit the hospital during Caylee's birth.
All signs point to Casey Anthony not taking the stand in her own defense. This has been the game plan from the beginning. I don't believe there was ever any intention of calling her, but the defense certainly wishes it had gotten further with other witnesses to provide more evidence of its theories laid out in opening statements.
The defense says it will rest Thursday. Will they have done enough?
Moment of note: Before the day's session began Casey Anthony spoke in court for the first time by responding to a question from Judge Belvin Perry. One of her attorneys, Ann Finnell, was addressing the court by phone about declaring a mistrial based on the Florida death penalty being unconstitutional. Baez and Cheney Mason hadn't arrived yet and Perry asked Casey Anthony if she wanted to answer the question or wait for her attorneys. She said, "I can answer that now. I agree with Miss Finnell. ... You're welcome."
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Defense calls key witnesses - George Anthony and Roy Kronk
Day 30 in the Casey Anthony capital murder trial featured two witnesses the defense painted as key suspects in the theories presented in its opening statements.
Lead defense attorney Jose Baez called Casey Anthony's father, George Anthony, to the stand Tuesday morning to ask him about an alleged affair with a woman who helped search for then-missing Caylee Anthony.
Baez pushed George Anthony if he ever had a romantic relationship with Krystal Holloway, or River Cruz. George Anthony replied, "No, sir.....I find that very funny."
The defense tried to bolster its theory that George Anthony, while sharing an intimate moment with Holloway, told her Caylee's death was "an accident that snowballed out of control." George Anthony denied any such conversation ever took place.
George Anthony did admit to visiting Holloway at least three times at her gated condominium complex to "console" her because she was sick with a tumor. If nothing else, it raises the question of why was George Anthony visiting a search party member's home alone.
Though his testimony was brief Tuesday, and wasn't the "home run" many thought the defense was looking for, truTV's Sunny Hostin did say it was at least a "base hit" for the defense.
George Anthony's testimony may not be done. The defense may recall him to question him on other theories they've thrown out, like that he sexually abused Casey. This was brought up in cross-examination during George Anthony's testimony for the prosecution when he testified May 24.
Roy Kronk testifies
Roy Kronk, a meter reader who found Caylee Anthony's remains, also testified Tuesday. Baez called Kronk "a morally bankrupt individual" who thought he found "a lottery ticket" in opening statements. The defense claimed Kronk hid the body to cash in the reward money.
During his testimony, Kronk said he first noticed something that "looked like a skull" when he went to relieve himself Aug. 11, 2008, while working in the Anthony's neighborhood. He tried to get co-workers to check it out but they were too busy looking a dead rattlesnake.
Kronk called police in August about the skull, but essentially was ignored, or wasn't taken seriously. The defense claims Kronk called his estranged son a month before the body was discovered on Dec. 11, 2008 and told him to watch the news because he was going to be famous.
Defense attorney Cheney Mason didn't get Kronk to admit he hid the body but Kronk did admit to poking the skull and rotating it with his meter-reading stick, and to picking up the bag that contained the skeletal remains. This does raise questions as to how much that movement contaminated the crime scene, and to what else Kronk was doing in the four months before the authorities found the body.
The defense team continues to voice its theories on what happened, yet haven't been able to get any corroborating testimony from its witnesses.
SIDE NOTE: Casey Anthony's former fiance took the stand Tuesday afternoon outside of the jury's presence. James Grund spoke on conversations between he and Casey about her brother Lee Anthony's past behavior. Grund told Judge Belvin Perry Jr and both sets of attorneys that Casey told him Lee Anthony had groped her while she was sleeping, and on a separate instance, she awoke to find him standing over her. He also said Casey said she didn't want Lee Anthony around then-newborn Caylee, a statement proved by Lee Anthony's own testimony when he said he wasn't allowed to ask questions about Casey's pregnancy or be present during the birth.
Prosecutors claimed Grund's testimony is hearsay and not admissible. Judge Perry has not ruled if Grund can testify in front of the jury yet.
(Photo credit: Creative commons)
Lead defense attorney Jose Baez called Casey Anthony's father, George Anthony, to the stand Tuesday morning to ask him about an alleged affair with a woman who helped search for then-missing Caylee Anthony.
Baez pushed George Anthony if he ever had a romantic relationship with Krystal Holloway, or River Cruz. George Anthony replied, "No, sir.....I find that very funny."
 |
| George Anthony testified for the defense Tuesday |
George Anthony did admit to visiting Holloway at least three times at her gated condominium complex to "console" her because she was sick with a tumor. If nothing else, it raises the question of why was George Anthony visiting a search party member's home alone.
Though his testimony was brief Tuesday, and wasn't the "home run" many thought the defense was looking for, truTV's Sunny Hostin did say it was at least a "base hit" for the defense.
George Anthony's testimony may not be done. The defense may recall him to question him on other theories they've thrown out, like that he sexually abused Casey. This was brought up in cross-examination during George Anthony's testimony for the prosecution when he testified May 24.
Roy Kronk testifies
Roy Kronk, a meter reader who found Caylee Anthony's remains, also testified Tuesday. Baez called Kronk "a morally bankrupt individual" who thought he found "a lottery ticket" in opening statements. The defense claimed Kronk hid the body to cash in the reward money.
During his testimony, Kronk said he first noticed something that "looked like a skull" when he went to relieve himself Aug. 11, 2008, while working in the Anthony's neighborhood. He tried to get co-workers to check it out but they were too busy looking a dead rattlesnake.
Kronk called police in August about the skull, but essentially was ignored, or wasn't taken seriously. The defense claims Kronk called his estranged son a month before the body was discovered on Dec. 11, 2008 and told him to watch the news because he was going to be famous.
Defense attorney Cheney Mason didn't get Kronk to admit he hid the body but Kronk did admit to poking the skull and rotating it with his meter-reading stick, and to picking up the bag that contained the skeletal remains. This does raise questions as to how much that movement contaminated the crime scene, and to what else Kronk was doing in the four months before the authorities found the body.
The defense team continues to voice its theories on what happened, yet haven't been able to get any corroborating testimony from its witnesses.
SIDE NOTE: Casey Anthony's former fiance took the stand Tuesday afternoon outside of the jury's presence. James Grund spoke on conversations between he and Casey about her brother Lee Anthony's past behavior. Grund told Judge Belvin Perry Jr and both sets of attorneys that Casey told him Lee Anthony had groped her while she was sleeping, and on a separate instance, she awoke to find him standing over her. He also said Casey said she didn't want Lee Anthony around then-newborn Caylee, a statement proved by Lee Anthony's own testimony when he said he wasn't allowed to ask questions about Casey's pregnancy or be present during the birth.
Prosecutors claimed Grund's testimony is hearsay and not admissible. Judge Perry has not ruled if Grund can testify in front of the jury yet.
(Photo credit: Creative commons)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Casey Anthony trail: Competent to continue
The mysterious recess taken Saturday that cancelled seven hours of scheduled testimony was due to a motion filed by Casey Anthony's defense team challenging that their client is competent to stand trial.
It was another shocking twist in a trial filled with bizarre circumstances and testimony. After Judge Belvin Perry granted the recess, Anthony was examined by three psychologists over the weekend, who declared her competent to continue the trial.
Experts have speculated this motion was based on private conversations between Anthony and her defense team. Some believe it was due to an emotional breakdown. Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy, and brother, Lee, both gave emotional testimony on Friday.
Experts also suggest it could be due to a psychotic breakdown, or that she is hindering the defense's case, or that she isn't aware of what's going on in the case and courtroom. All is speculation. The psychologists findings were sealed by Judge Perry.
Another theory is this motion could be tied to whether or not Casey Anthony will take the stand later in the trial. Perhaps Casey Anthony is demanding to take the stand, against the defense's wishes, causing defense attorneys Jose Baez and Cheney Mason to file this motion to see if she is competent and fully understands the preceedings.
Speculation has ran rampant over the past few days in the most-watched and discussed trial of the decade. The defense is expected to rest its case later this week. George Anthony, Casey's father, will most likely be called back to the stand in what will be riveting testimony based on the accusations Baez made against him in his opening statements.
And the question of whether or not Casey Anthony will take the stand remains the hottest topic moving forward.
The defense continued its case today, the 29th day of the high-profile case, by calling the lead police investigators to the stand in the morning session. Casey Anthony has been seen smiling and laughing in the courtroom with the jury not present. Her stoic look returned in front of jurors.
It was another shocking twist in a trial filled with bizarre circumstances and testimony. After Judge Belvin Perry granted the recess, Anthony was examined by three psychologists over the weekend, who declared her competent to continue the trial.
Experts have speculated this motion was based on private conversations between Anthony and her defense team. Some believe it was due to an emotional breakdown. Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy, and brother, Lee, both gave emotional testimony on Friday.
Experts also suggest it could be due to a psychotic breakdown, or that she is hindering the defense's case, or that she isn't aware of what's going on in the case and courtroom. All is speculation. The psychologists findings were sealed by Judge Perry.
Another theory is this motion could be tied to whether or not Casey Anthony will take the stand later in the trial. Perhaps Casey Anthony is demanding to take the stand, against the defense's wishes, causing defense attorneys Jose Baez and Cheney Mason to file this motion to see if she is competent and fully understands the preceedings.
Speculation has ran rampant over the past few days in the most-watched and discussed trial of the decade. The defense is expected to rest its case later this week. George Anthony, Casey's father, will most likely be called back to the stand in what will be riveting testimony based on the accusations Baez made against him in his opening statements.
And the question of whether or not Casey Anthony will take the stand remains the hottest topic moving forward.
The defense continued its case today, the 29th day of the high-profile case, by calling the lead police investigators to the stand in the morning session. Casey Anthony has been seen smiling and laughing in the courtroom with the jury not present. Her stoic look returned in front of jurors.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Switching it up
I'm changing up this page. Things at this blog have slowed to a crawl since I began working full-time at the Spencer Daily Reporter. The opposite should be the case. I'm looking at stories even more these days, and creating content on a daily basis. Just not here. Over at the Daily Reporter, I'm doing high school game recaps on the daily, and working in a feature story every week. I write a column for the Saturday edition every week.
In this business, you have to keep pushing. I've got things to say, and as an editor, I need to be able to find the biggest stories each day. Most of my interest involves sports, in particular professional sports. Other current events have peaked my interest lately, however.
The Casey Anthony trial is the biggest thing going right now. I've been following it closely. This is a place to put those type of stories that I find interesting. Every day I find something I'd like to share, or find interesting enough to share. Twitter is good, but this provides more space.
I'm adding another deadline to my life. Deadlines and pressure are what make the journalism industry move. You have to be able to thrive with deadlines and pressure attached to your work. I said over two months ago this page wasn't dead, and I stand by that. Not for a while at least. Not until I get a couple more rungs up the ladder.
Don't expect perfection here. Simply information and thoughts on the stories I feel are most interesting each day. Weekends are optional for posting. This is a case study for my own personal research - to see if I can add something else to my plate.
So I introduce "The Jevne Journal." Technically, it's always been the Jevne Journal, it's been in the url line since the start.
By definition, a journal is a) dairy; or b) periodical, esp. on a learned subject; c) book for recording each day's business. All of those descriptions are used as the basis here. Current events is the criteria, not just sports. I'm sure sports will be the most discussed, but look for topical news items as well. I'm trying to expand my horizons and mind.
It won't always be rants and column-type work. Opinion will be featured more than likely but objectivity is always stressed, as are facts. That's the foundation. Continue checking out my re-modeled project here. I still need the practice.
In this business, you have to keep pushing. I've got things to say, and as an editor, I need to be able to find the biggest stories each day. Most of my interest involves sports, in particular professional sports. Other current events have peaked my interest lately, however.
The Casey Anthony trial is the biggest thing going right now. I've been following it closely. This is a place to put those type of stories that I find interesting. Every day I find something I'd like to share, or find interesting enough to share. Twitter is good, but this provides more space.
I'm adding another deadline to my life. Deadlines and pressure are what make the journalism industry move. You have to be able to thrive with deadlines and pressure attached to your work. I said over two months ago this page wasn't dead, and I stand by that. Not for a while at least. Not until I get a couple more rungs up the ladder.
Don't expect perfection here. Simply information and thoughts on the stories I feel are most interesting each day. Weekends are optional for posting. This is a case study for my own personal research - to see if I can add something else to my plate.
So I introduce "The Jevne Journal." Technically, it's always been the Jevne Journal, it's been in the url line since the start.
By definition, a journal is a) dairy; or b) periodical, esp. on a learned subject; c) book for recording each day's business. All of those descriptions are used as the basis here. Current events is the criteria, not just sports. I'm sure sports will be the most discussed, but look for topical news items as well. I'm trying to expand my horizons and mind.
It won't always be rants and column-type work. Opinion will be featured more than likely but objectivity is always stressed, as are facts. That's the foundation. Continue checking out my re-modeled project here. I still need the practice.
Friday, April 8, 2011
PGA needs Tiger back
New Daily Reporter column: PGA needs Tiger back. Published Thursday, April 7.
I'm not that interested in golf without Tiger Woods. I cheer for greatness. Tiger is the only golfer going now that I put in that category. Mickelson is good. He's great at times but he doesn't move the meter for me. I find it hard get into golf without Tiger.
I probably would be considered a "casual golf fan." As that, I can speak for other casual fans in saying Tiger is necessary on the leaderboard for any viewing or interest.
I've tried to be patient while he gets his head right after his personal life disaster. It's time to get it back on track though. During the Lakers/Warriors game Wednesday night Mark Jackson was discussing the Masters and Tiger's struggles since his drama. Comparisons to Jordan and Kobe were brought up. Jackson said, "I wouldn't put him in that category because Jordan and Kobe would have figured it out by now."
I would have to agree with Mark.
I'm not that interested in golf without Tiger Woods. I cheer for greatness. Tiger is the only golfer going now that I put in that category. Mickelson is good. He's great at times but he doesn't move the meter for me. I find it hard get into golf without Tiger.
I probably would be considered a "casual golf fan." As that, I can speak for other casual fans in saying Tiger is necessary on the leaderboard for any viewing or interest.
I've tried to be patient while he gets his head right after his personal life disaster. It's time to get it back on track though. During the Lakers/Warriors game Wednesday night Mark Jackson was discussing the Masters and Tiger's struggles since his drama. Comparisons to Jordan and Kobe were brought up. Jackson said, "I wouldn't put him in that category because Jordan and Kobe would have figured it out by now."
I would have to agree with Mark.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
It's Not Dead
This was a temporary break, not a death.
The Jevne Sports Journal, which one day will have an improved name, is still on the list of things to update. I thank anyone who's ever read one word on this site.
Over the last month I've been able to secure and start a position as sports editor at The Spencer Daily Reporter. I started March 22 and things have been progressing nicely. The staff I'm working with has been helpful as I get accustomed to the daily ins-and-outs of the job. The Daily Reporter is released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The gig will consist of local coverage of Spencer, Sioux Central and Clay Central-Everly school districts. There will some fringe coverage of Spirit Lake, Okoboji and Storm Lake events. Iowa Lakes Community College is also in the area, as well as Buena Vista University. Iowa Lakes receives more coverage from us than BV, as Storm Lake has its own paper.
There is also Associated Press material included in the paper. This allows me to include important regional or national stories that may be of interest. The AP is a wonderful source of information.
But as you can expect from a community paper, local coverage is the focal point. Spencer is a 3A school for most sports. The Tigers suffered a 0-9 football season this past fall, which jumps out at you. Football is obviously a major sport for any high school and community so hopefully they improve next year.
As I hit the ground running with on-the-job training, I'll be deep into spring sports - soccer, track and field, tennis, golf. Spencer was runner-up in boys soccer two years ago and have started 3-0. There's a strong soccer program in town and the coach knows the sport very well. Spencer boys golf have been runner-up two consecutive years and have a senior who is one of the top golfers in the state. Clay Central-Everly has a kid who's already high-jumped 6-06 this year. There will also be some strong track performances from Spencer.
I'll be working with a professional photographer, Michael Fischer, who's background includes taking photos for Dolphin Digest, a Miami Dolphins publication, and the Associated Press. I've worked with him a few times and I know I'll be able to learn a lot about photography, headlines and general tricks of the trade from him.
My writing duties will include game coverage, feature stories, columns and blogs. This content will be available in the print newspaper, which is the flagship product, the website and a free quarterly magazine called Sports Source, which focuses on local athletes and teams.
The paper's online presence is a work-in-progress. I hope to add new ideas and improve the online product as I continue to become more involved in the company. Right now, I have two columns posted online. The first one simply introduced myself to the reading community. The second featured some criticisms of the NCAA. I haven't gotten a blog up and running but I'm looking forward to getting that activated. I'll be directing you there from here with any new posts. I hope you begin to make spencerdailyreporter.com a frequent stop in your online browsing.
I will continue to post here because I like the outlet, I need a place to continue working on the craft of writing and editing, and I enjoy the occasional comments from readers. (You know who you are.) Of course I'm always able to write whatever I want here and I've gotten the impression that's encouraged for my columns and blogs for the paper and website. I'm excited about that.
As always, thanks for the support and I'll see you back here soon. And I know I'll see you over at spencerdailyreporter.com.
The Jevne Sports Journal, which one day will have an improved name, is still on the list of things to update. I thank anyone who's ever read one word on this site.
Over the last month I've been able to secure and start a position as sports editor at The Spencer Daily Reporter. I started March 22 and things have been progressing nicely. The staff I'm working with has been helpful as I get accustomed to the daily ins-and-outs of the job. The Daily Reporter is released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The gig will consist of local coverage of Spencer, Sioux Central and Clay Central-Everly school districts. There will some fringe coverage of Spirit Lake, Okoboji and Storm Lake events. Iowa Lakes Community College is also in the area, as well as Buena Vista University. Iowa Lakes receives more coverage from us than BV, as Storm Lake has its own paper.
There is also Associated Press material included in the paper. This allows me to include important regional or national stories that may be of interest. The AP is a wonderful source of information.
But as you can expect from a community paper, local coverage is the focal point. Spencer is a 3A school for most sports. The Tigers suffered a 0-9 football season this past fall, which jumps out at you. Football is obviously a major sport for any high school and community so hopefully they improve next year.
As I hit the ground running with on-the-job training, I'll be deep into spring sports - soccer, track and field, tennis, golf. Spencer was runner-up in boys soccer two years ago and have started 3-0. There's a strong soccer program in town and the coach knows the sport very well. Spencer boys golf have been runner-up two consecutive years and have a senior who is one of the top golfers in the state. Clay Central-Everly has a kid who's already high-jumped 6-06 this year. There will also be some strong track performances from Spencer.
I'll be working with a professional photographer, Michael Fischer, who's background includes taking photos for Dolphin Digest, a Miami Dolphins publication, and the Associated Press. I've worked with him a few times and I know I'll be able to learn a lot about photography, headlines and general tricks of the trade from him.
My writing duties will include game coverage, feature stories, columns and blogs. This content will be available in the print newspaper, which is the flagship product, the website and a free quarterly magazine called Sports Source, which focuses on local athletes and teams.
The paper's online presence is a work-in-progress. I hope to add new ideas and improve the online product as I continue to become more involved in the company. Right now, I have two columns posted online. The first one simply introduced myself to the reading community. The second featured some criticisms of the NCAA. I haven't gotten a blog up and running but I'm looking forward to getting that activated. I'll be directing you there from here with any new posts. I hope you begin to make spencerdailyreporter.com a frequent stop in your online browsing.
I will continue to post here because I like the outlet, I need a place to continue working on the craft of writing and editing, and I enjoy the occasional comments from readers. (You know who you are.) Of course I'm always able to write whatever I want here and I've gotten the impression that's encouraged for my columns and blogs for the paper and website. I'm excited about that.
As always, thanks for the support and I'll see you back here soon. And I know I'll see you over at spencerdailyreporter.com.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Problems "Heat"ing Up
They can't close out games. They cry after losing those games. They blow 24-point leads in the second half. They're 1-9 versus the top five teams in the league. They're shooting 1-for-18 in the final 10 seconds of games within three points. They self-gloss themselves the "Heatles." And those are just the surface problems for the most hated team in sports these days.
Although all of the above issues are cause for concern, there are underlining, root causes to those problems that are the main reason for Miami's struggles.
No. 1: The Roster
There's no depth. The front court is soft, old and injured. Pat Riley got James and Wade together but really dropped the ball putting anything around them. Chris Bosh is a jump-shooting 4 who rarely plays in the paint. Miami doesn't need someone to score from the wing, that's why they have James and Wade.
They need bigs who body and bang opponents. Some protectors and bruisers. Kurt Thomas is the type of guy they needed. He was available and Chicago smartly scooped him up to provide toughness, enforcement and experience to its front court. It's paying off. Erick Dampier is that type to a certain extent, but they only pick him up after Udonis Haslem went down early in the year.
Just a reminder: Miami started the season with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, Juwan Howard, Haslem and Bosh as its bigs. It's questionable that Magloire and Howard are still in the league, much less on the same team.You don't have to be Red Auerbach to see this isn't going to get it done throughout the season, and certainly not in the playoffs. Damp has provided some grit inside, he even flagranted Tony Parker during Friday's blowout, but he's no spring chicken and certainly can't carry it by himself inside.
Bosh could be listed as a whole separate problem but I'll include him in this roster section. As mentioned before he shoots nothing but jumpers. He's putting up 15+ shots per game because he needs to get his numbers up so people think he's good. Maybe in Toronto just getting 20 and 10 was good enough but in Miami, with James and Wade, Bosh needs to forget about his stats and jump shooting ways. The only way he will benefit them is to do some dirty work. Unfortunately, that's not his game, never has been, never will be. You don't get the nicknames "Bosh Spice" and "Rupaul of Big Men" by mixing it up inside. He's soft and is holding back LeBron and Wade.
Riley's biggest mistake was giving Bosh a max-contract. Did you know he's getting paid more than Dwyane Wade? That makes me sick. It's not a "Big 3." It's LeBron and Wade dragging Bosh along for the ride and trying to win in spite of him much of the time. Don't be fooled by the All-Star selection and 18 ppg and 8 reb (not that 8 rebounds a game is good for a 6'11" All-Star.) If I'm in the Miami front office, I'm trying to trade Bosh for anything. Actually if I'm in the front office, Bosh isn't on the team in the first place.
A couple more signings that made no sense: Mike Miller's $25 million deal. He's not stretching the floor, he's not making plays, and he's been hurt for most of the season. Signing Ilgauskas, as mentioned, was just silly. Why do you need another jump-shooting big? And one who can barely move to boot. Mike Bibby is the newest addition and is just as ludicrous as the others. What is Mike Bibby going to do for you? There's a reason he was traded, bought out of his contract and available after the deadline. How many inconsistent three-point shooters do you need? Miller, Eddie House, James Jones weren't enough, I guess. Better add another "shooter" instead of trying to sure up the middle, not that there was anything available in the post anyway.
What goes unmentioned much of the time is how well Dorell Wright is playing. He's second in the league in three pointers made and is having a breakout year in Golden State, averaging 16, 5 and 3. He was drafted out of high school by Miami in 2004 and after developing for six years, he was sent packing after the signing of James and Bosh. Wright is doing more this year than House, Miller and Bibby combined. Another swing-and-miss by Miami management.
No. 2: The Coach
It's easy to blame the coach. Man, it's easy. But sometimes there's a reason for blaming him. When your team is 5-13 in games decided by 5 or fewer points, a lot of that falls on the coach. When you consistently blow double-digit leads late in games, sometimes by 20+ points, the coach is going to take some blame. When you have an overhauled team, which features three All-Stars, yet you get out of the gate 9-8, the coach has to step up his game.
Erik Spoelstra seems to be a decent young coach in the NBA. He's done some nice things in turning around Miami over the past few years. I believe he can have a nice career as an NBA coach. But this challenge is too big for him. That become clear again this past week during Miami's losing streak. After Sunday's one-point loss to the Bulls he said there were "players crying in the locker room." I believe it was an effort to illustrate how bad the players "want" to win.
I didn't see the purpose of volunteering that bit of locker room info. And then, to make matters worse, Spoelstra back-tracked on the comments and claimed media "sensationalism" and they took his quote "out of context." He's not helping his cause with these explanations.
The Heat need a coach that can take charge of the team,and to a certain extent, the media. I'm sure James, Wade and Bosh respect him in terms of "he's-the-coach" respect, but they don't really RESPECT him. Because what's he done? He doesn't have the hardware, rings or experience. We've seen this already in Miami. Riley brought in Shaq, the Diesel clashed with Stan Van Gundy, Riley took over, Heat won championship. As Phil Jackson put it months ago, it "looks like a Van Gundy thing again."
In summary, the Heat have some problems and they're not complicated. It's the players and the coach. They don't have the roster to truly compete for a title this year, and it's causing a few more regular season losses than they planned on. They don't have a coach who can control two superstars and another All-Star who thinks he needs to shoot a lot of jumpers. And the combination of these players and this coach are having a hard time dealing with the constant scrutiny and pressure they face as the new villains of the NBA. They need to embrace it, not play the "woe is me" card like Wade did after the Bulls loss.
"Everyone is getting what they want, the Heat are losing games." Wade said. "The world is a better place now that the Heat are losing."
Poor, Dwayne. Use it as motivation and quit feeling sorry for yourself. Miami is still a good team. They're still third in the Eastern Conference. They're 43-20 and can easily go on another run. But the underlying root problems won't allow for a championship this season. It's a work in progress and this is year one of the movement in Miami.
Here's the way I see it playing out for the Heat: They simply have to ride out this year and take all the vitriol that comes with it. They'll get a top seed in the Eastern Conference. Maybe not the one seed but possibly two or three. They'll win one, maybe two playoff series. They don't make the Finals. In the off-season: New roster. Get some bigs that want to do dirty work. Get role players who want to play a role. Riley takes over. They shop Bosh around, hoping for a taker. They'll have a new outlook for the following season and how they are viewed by the public. They embrace their role as the "Hated Heat." They begin their quest for "five, six, seven" championships.
Not everyone is hoping the Heat fail and lose every game but most are. Only the guys in the locker room can do anything about it. And we all know there is only one way to get people off your back and in your corner: Win.
Although all of the above issues are cause for concern, there are underlining, root causes to those problems that are the main reason for Miami's struggles.
No. 1: The Roster
There's no depth. The front court is soft, old and injured. Pat Riley got James and Wade together but really dropped the ball putting anything around them. Chris Bosh is a jump-shooting 4 who rarely plays in the paint. Miami doesn't need someone to score from the wing, that's why they have James and Wade.
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| Celebrating the signings like a championship - bad move. |
Just a reminder: Miami started the season with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, Juwan Howard, Haslem and Bosh as its bigs. It's questionable that Magloire and Howard are still in the league, much less on the same team.You don't have to be Red Auerbach to see this isn't going to get it done throughout the season, and certainly not in the playoffs. Damp has provided some grit inside, he even flagranted Tony Parker during Friday's blowout, but he's no spring chicken and certainly can't carry it by himself inside.
Bosh could be listed as a whole separate problem but I'll include him in this roster section. As mentioned before he shoots nothing but jumpers. He's putting up 15+ shots per game because he needs to get his numbers up so people think he's good. Maybe in Toronto just getting 20 and 10 was good enough but in Miami, with James and Wade, Bosh needs to forget about his stats and jump shooting ways. The only way he will benefit them is to do some dirty work. Unfortunately, that's not his game, never has been, never will be. You don't get the nicknames "Bosh Spice" and "Rupaul of Big Men" by mixing it up inside. He's soft and is holding back LeBron and Wade.
Riley's biggest mistake was giving Bosh a max-contract. Did you know he's getting paid more than Dwyane Wade? That makes me sick. It's not a "Big 3." It's LeBron and Wade dragging Bosh along for the ride and trying to win in spite of him much of the time. Don't be fooled by the All-Star selection and 18 ppg and 8 reb (not that 8 rebounds a game is good for a 6'11" All-Star.) If I'm in the Miami front office, I'm trying to trade Bosh for anything. Actually if I'm in the front office, Bosh isn't on the team in the first place.
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| Bibby isn't adding what the Heat needed |
What goes unmentioned much of the time is how well Dorell Wright is playing. He's second in the league in three pointers made and is having a breakout year in Golden State, averaging 16, 5 and 3. He was drafted out of high school by Miami in 2004 and after developing for six years, he was sent packing after the signing of James and Bosh. Wright is doing more this year than House, Miller and Bibby combined. Another swing-and-miss by Miami management.
No. 2: The Coach
It's easy to blame the coach. Man, it's easy. But sometimes there's a reason for blaming him. When your team is 5-13 in games decided by 5 or fewer points, a lot of that falls on the coach. When you consistently blow double-digit leads late in games, sometimes by 20+ points, the coach is going to take some blame. When you have an overhauled team, which features three All-Stars, yet you get out of the gate 9-8, the coach has to step up his game.
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| Spoelstra might not be up to the challenge with this team |
I didn't see the purpose of volunteering that bit of locker room info. And then, to make matters worse, Spoelstra back-tracked on the comments and claimed media "sensationalism" and they took his quote "out of context." He's not helping his cause with these explanations.
The Heat need a coach that can take charge of the team,and to a certain extent, the media. I'm sure James, Wade and Bosh respect him in terms of "he's-the-coach" respect, but they don't really RESPECT him. Because what's he done? He doesn't have the hardware, rings or experience. We've seen this already in Miami. Riley brought in Shaq, the Diesel clashed with Stan Van Gundy, Riley took over, Heat won championship. As Phil Jackson put it months ago, it "looks like a Van Gundy thing again."
In summary, the Heat have some problems and they're not complicated. It's the players and the coach. They don't have the roster to truly compete for a title this year, and it's causing a few more regular season losses than they planned on. They don't have a coach who can control two superstars and another All-Star who thinks he needs to shoot a lot of jumpers. And the combination of these players and this coach are having a hard time dealing with the constant scrutiny and pressure they face as the new villains of the NBA. They need to embrace it, not play the "woe is me" card like Wade did after the Bulls loss.
"Everyone is getting what they want, the Heat are losing games." Wade said. "The world is a better place now that the Heat are losing."
Poor, Dwayne. Use it as motivation and quit feeling sorry for yourself. Miami is still a good team. They're still third in the Eastern Conference. They're 43-20 and can easily go on another run. But the underlying root problems won't allow for a championship this season. It's a work in progress and this is year one of the movement in Miami.
Here's the way I see it playing out for the Heat: They simply have to ride out this year and take all the vitriol that comes with it. They'll get a top seed in the Eastern Conference. Maybe not the one seed but possibly two or three. They'll win one, maybe two playoff series. They don't make the Finals. In the off-season: New roster. Get some bigs that want to do dirty work. Get role players who want to play a role. Riley takes over. They shop Bosh around, hoping for a taker. They'll have a new outlook for the following season and how they are viewed by the public. They embrace their role as the "Hated Heat." They begin their quest for "five, six, seven" championships.
Not everyone is hoping the Heat fail and lose every game but most are. Only the guys in the locker room can do anything about it. And we all know there is only one way to get people off your back and in your corner: Win.
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