Archive for February, 2008

Barry Chose Evil over Good

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 29, 2008 in Show recap. 1 Comment

Here’s what happened Friday on Doug and Wolf:

We Are Working for the Weekend!

* Brent Barry picked the Spurs. He chose Evil over Good

* Why is everything against the Suns right now? There is a dark cloud over the valley.

* ASU and U of A have big losses. DW speculates what this means for their tourney hopes.

Grid Iron Griddle:

The guys go through the top NFL free agent news. Something needs to be done with Larry Fitzgerald’s contract.

Guests:

Paul Coro, Suns Insider for The Arizona Republic: Paul told us why Brent Barry isn’t a Sun and if anyone is worried about the Shaq experiment yet.

Monday’s Show:

Live from Diamondbacks Training Camp in Tucson.

It’s a Mel Kiper Monday with ESPN NFL Draft Expert Mel Kiper, Jr.

 
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Make a Decision Barry!

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 28, 2008 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what happened Thursday on Doug and Wolf:

* Why can’t the Suns beat the Hornets? Doug and Wolf have their ideas

* Brent Barry needs pick a lane so we all can move on.

* Roger Clemens is in big trouble and his lawyer Rusty Hardin is clueless.

* President Bush plays night at the improve with the Red Sox at the White House.

 

Grid Iron Griddle:

Craig Wolfley, Steelers Sideline Analyst: Told us how big the death of Myron Cope is huge Steeler fan base.

 

Guests:

Jon Barry, ESPN NBA Analyst: John gave us the latest news on what direction Brent Barry (his brother) is leaning on which team he will sign with.

Al McCoy, Suns Hall of Fame Broadcaster: Al talked about the Suns blow out loss to the New Orleans Hornets last night.

 

Tomorrow’s Show:

 

We are working for the weekend!

 
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Doug: The Diesel needs Gas

Published by doug on February 27, 2008 in Column and Doug Franz. 1 Comment

I’m getting bombarded with anti-Shaq trade e-mails this week. Some people are thrilled that I came out so strongly against the trade. I’ve got some e-mails upset that I don’t remind people everyday that I was against the Shaq trade. One e-mailer called me a homer because I’m not going after the Suns anymore for the trade, accusing me of succumbing to the Suns to appease them.

Well let’s examine that for a second.

1) That idea has to be based on the fact the Suns care about my opinion. (They don’t.)

2) I don’t see the point in ripping the Suns because I already did. I believe in stating my opinion and then watching to see if I’m right or wrong.

Let me explain again. I don’t think you trade your best defender and rebounder to get better on defense and on the boards. I don’t think you improve chemistry by trading for someone who’s never played the role you’re asking him to play.

Now let me make a point that is much more important than the last one. I AM NOT RIGHT AFTER 4 GAMES.

If you were against the Shaq trade, you haven’t been proven right yet. The Shaq trade was made because Steve Kerr and Mike D’Antoni felt the Suns had a better chance to win the 2008 NBA Championship with Shaq and without Marion. Nothing has happened in the last 4 games that has cost the Suns the championship.

The torching of Kerr for the trade is fair at the time of the trade. What’s not fair is to use the last 4 games as evidence against him. I didn’t think this was a good trade for the reasons I’ve said and because I don’t believe Shaq has 2 ½ years of health left that will be worth $50 million. Everything I’ve said is wrong if the Suns win the championship. I also will recant if the Suns make it to the NBA Finals. I don’t know if Marion and the Suns would have won a championship, I do know they haven’t won one yet.

Imagine you and four co-horts have a huge presentation to make. You’re given 6 months to prepare. Then, six weeks before the presentation, management dumps the third most important person–who’s been around for 7 years–and replaced him with the biggest personality in your entire industry. Oh, and by the way, he’s also the third best in the history of his position. Now accept the fact that you’re pretty good at your job anyway. So the new guy who’s one of the best of all time has to change because you’re already 4 ½ months in but you’ve got to bring out the best in him so you can be ready for the presentation.

The situation with the Suns is exactly the same. How do you think that presentation would go if three days after the change is made it’s time to move up the day of the presentation to today? It wouldn’t work. The presentation would go up in flames. Please don’t ask the Suns to play a February game with playoff chemistry after making this significant of a change. No one has moved up the date of the presentation…or the playoffs.

Is Amare the Man?

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 27, 2008 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what happened Wednesday on Doug and Wolf:

* Suns get the win last night against the Grizzlies. Can they ever beat the Hornets?

* Wolf said Amare needs to make the Suns “his team”, if he wants to be the dominant superstar.

* Yao Ming is out for the season. Is this a bigger deal for the Rockets or China?

* Will Brent Barry join the goodness of the Suns or continue to lurk in the Spurs darkness.

Grid Iron Griddle:

NFL owners are trying to kill the golden goose by looking to opt out of the CBA.

Guests:

Thunder Dan Majerle, Suns Analyst: Dan defended himself against Tom Chamber’s shots to his ego. Dan thinks the Suns are already “Amare’s Team”.

 

Micah Owings, Dbacks Pitcher: Micah talked about the excitement around the team as they start spring training.

Al McCoy, Suns Hall of Fame Broadcaster: Al was fired up that the Suns offense finally scored some points.

Tomorrow’s Show:

Al McCoy, Suns Hall of Fame Broadcaster at 8:30

 
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Who fits in with the Suns, Sam Cassell or Brent Barry?

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 26, 2008 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what happened Tuesday on Doug and Wolf:

* Who is better for the Suns, Sam Cassell or Brent Barry? DW was split.

* Suns are in Memphis tonight to play the Grizzlies. We get Elvis and Graceland stories.

* We get more NFL Combine stories from Wolf.

* What the hell are the Marlins thinking? They are going to have fat guys as cheerleaders.

 

Grid Iron Griddle:

The guys give their thoughts on how much stock NFL teams should put on the combines.

 

Guests:

Herb Sendek, ASU Basketball Coach: Coach Sendek previewed this week’s huge games against the LA schools.

 

Tomorrow’s Show:

 

Steve Lavin, ESPN College Basketball Coach at 5:40

 

Thunder Dan Majerle, Suns Analyst at 6:20

 

Micah Owings, Dbacks Pitcher at 7:20

 

Al McCoy, Suns Hall of Fame Broadcaster at 8:30

 
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Pistons Pound the Suns

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 25, 2008 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what happened Monday on Doug and Wolf:

* What happened to the Suns against the Pistons? Is it a match up problem or should the Suns be concerned?

* An 11 year old could bring down Roger Clemens. DW joked that Bonds and Clemens could be sharing a cell.

* Doug and Wolf don’t get the Oscars.

* Wolf talked about walking around in his jock at the NFL Combine.

Grid Iron Griddle:

Darren McFadden had a great combine but is getting women pregnant and gets in fights. Where should he go in the draft?

Guests:

Todd McShay, ESPN NFL Draft Expert: He told us what people are saying at the NFL Combine about Darren McFadden. Todd would take Matt Ryan number one if he was the Miami Dolphins.

Al McCoy, Suns Hall of Fame Broadcaster: Al said that free T-shirts were the highlight of yesterday’s game.

Tomorrow’s Show:

Herb Sendek, ASU Basketball Coach at 7:20

 
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Doug: Planet Orange Not Aligned

Published by wolf on February 24, 2008 in Column and Ron Wolfley. 3 Comments

I miss Planet Orange.

After watching the Suns play against the Celtics and Pistons over the weekend, I’m wondering what The Matrix is doing.

Where is the tempo? Where are the high-flyers and ally-oops? Whatever happened to seven-seconds or less? I thought Shaq was going to adjust to the Suns style of play, wasn’t he? Where’s the energy?

Planet Orange appears to be suffering from a bigger energy crisis than planet earth.

They did beat Boston. But the Celtics had lost 2-games in a row on a long Western Conference road trip and couldn’t shoot the moon with a camera.

The Suns looked tired against the Pistons. Some would suggest they looked old. However they looked, they had the energy of a late-summer gnat on an ice-cube.

It was bad, real bad. I haven’t seen the Suns look so fatigued, so lethargic, so content to not push the floor since Luc Longley filled a lane. The ball didn’t move and neither did the Suns.

Steve Nash looked like he was playing in flip-flops and Shaq looked like a fish out of water – gasping for air. Worse than this, the Suns looked like a limbless llama drifting to the bottom of a cold, dark well, wondering if they could grow gills.

Llama’s with gills, fish trying to breathe air and a nationally televised game to bear witness of Planet Orange’s new ecosystem.

Bummer.

Shaq is no Idol

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 22, 2008 in Show recap. 0 Comments

Here’s what happened Friday on Doug and Wolf:

 

* Is tonight’s game bigger for the Suns or the Celtics? Celtics have more to prove.

 

* Will A-Rod have to recant on shoving his foot in his mouth again about drug testing?

 

* The NBA trade deadline has come and gone. DW gave their winners and losers.

 

* Shaq’s Suns debut could not beat Ryan Seacrest and American Idol. How does this happen?

 

Grid Iron Griddle:

 

It’s Official….The Patriots are the favorites to be this year’s Chicago Bears. Having the worse off season in the NFL.

 

Guests:

 

 

Greg Schulte, Voice of the Dbacks: Greg gave us his observations of Dbacks Spring Training so far.

 

Monday’s Show:

 

Todd McShay, ESPN NFL Draft Expert at 6:20 AM

Al McCoy, Suns Hall of Fame Broadcaster at 8:30 AM

 
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The Lakers are Better…..For Now

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 21, 2008 in Show recap. 1 Comment

Here’s what happened Thursday on Doug and Wolf:

* Shaq’s debut last night was very encouraging despite the loss to the hated Lakers.

* Doug thinks the Lakers are a better team right now. April could be a different story.

* Wolf like what he saw with Shaq and what his impact can be on the rest of the team.

* Doug and Wolf couldn’t get over the electric atmosphere at last night’s game.

 

Grid Iron Griddle:

 

Spy Gate with the Patriots could be over soon. DW is hopeful of this event.

 

Guests:

Dave Burns, Host of 620 Sportsline: Dave told us what a Suns fan does in Tucson when one of the biggest games of the franchise happens. The commissioner also gave us a Dbacks’ update.

Mike D’Antoni, Suns Coach: After a night to sleep on it, Mike gave us his evaluation of Shaq and last night’s crowd.

Al McCoy, Suns Hall of Fame Broadcast: Al gave us his thoughts of Shaq’s performance last night.

Tomorrow’s Show:

Greg Schulte, Voice of the Dbacks at 8:20

 
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Wolf: When Evaluating Shaq, Keep It Simple

Published by Doug & Wolf on February 20, 2008 in Column and Ron Wolfley. 1 Comment

Forget about how many points Shaquille O’Neal scores; forget about how many rebounds he rips from the glass; forget about his low post defense.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with statistics, they can be misleading.

If you want to evaluate Shaq’s debut with the Phoenix Suns, keep it simple.

The only thing I’ll be looking for out of Shaq is whether or not he still has the athleticism to be effective in the NBA. I want to see how he moves, watch his feet and see if he still has hops in those reportedly old, tired legs. Although conditioning will be a factor at some point, Shaq’s athleticism (or lack thereof) will be easy to spot.

This is important; if Shaq has juice in his athletic tank, everything else will come. The points will come, the boards will come, the defense will come and, with all of this, the leadership he brings will not be based on reputation, but production. And this is critical.

Shaq can say all the right things; he can point to his finger and say he wants a another championship ring (or two); he can talk about his four NBA titles; he can talk about elevating Amare Stoudemire’s game as the supreme sensei, preparing to pass along his knowledge to “Amare-son.” But if he can’t play, all of this talk won’t do squat and his immense leadership qualities will eventually fall on deaf ears.

Which brings us back to Shaq’s athleticism. If the big-man can still move his feet and regain some semblance of the agility he once displayed to a terrified league, everything else will fall into place.

Including championships…

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