Hornets make another move...maybe in the right direction

Dateline New Orleans... Just a day after swapping centers with the Charlotte Bobcats, my New Orleans Hornets sign free agent forward Ike Diogu and as usual they are keeping hush hush about the terms of the deal (it'll come out sooner or later though, you can best believe that). Diogu was the 9th overall draft choice of the Golden State Warriors in 2005. Since then he has been traded to Indiana with Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy and Keith McLeod for Stephan Jackson, Al Harrington, Sarunas Jasikevicius and Josh Powell... Then on draft night in 08 he gets traded to the Blazers along with the draft rights to Jerryd Bayless for Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts (i didnt even know he had gotten drafted) and the rights to Brandon Rush. and later to Sacramento for the Bulls' Michael Ruffin, (i dont know how that worked out but it did)..

This move may shore up some of the backcourt issues, that we have had at the forward spots, even though he is only 6'9". Only an inch shorter than newly acquired center Emeka Okafor, but packs on muscle and a 7'4" wingspan...this dude has length (NO HOMO). Hopefully he fits in and gets the job done...I still think we should have kept Tyson and gotten rid of David West. If you think Im hating now, just wait till the season starts...

In New Orleans Sports news...

Yesterday was a funny day in a sense sportswise, here in New Orleans. The Hornets traded (again) Tyson Chandler to the Charlotte Bobcats, for Emeka Okafor from the University of Conneticut. WOW! This guy, a year ago Okafor signed a 6 year extension that was worth $72 million, and now the Hornets have to pick up the tab. Not that I'm really concerned cause there is a possibility that the trade wont go through.. Last season, we tried to trade Tyson to Oklahoma City for the expiring contracts of Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, but Tyson didnt pass the physical. A good thing right? I'm pretty sure that something similar may just happen again.

Either someone on the coaching staff or in the front office really have it out for Chandler. They really have their signals crossed up. TC is a pretty athletic type guy, I admit he's a lil frail and not bulky in the paint, but he does play some serious defense, and is good for at least 2 blocks and 3 dunks a night. I know I've said it

before, but the ones they should be tryin to get rid of is a combination of David West, Antonio Daniels, Peja Stojackavic, Morris Peterson, and / or Rasual Butler. Peja wont go cause his contract is far too big. Daniels and Peterson are both a waste of time if you ask me and West and Butler just rub me the wrong way. D. West doesnt play as big as he could (and he is a 2 time All Star...go figure) and Butler to me has focus issues....HE IS ALWAYS IN THE DAMN CLUB!

On the upside of this issue, I watched a Summer League game and was really impressed with the play of our draftees, Darren Collison (PG from UCLA) and Marcus Thorton (SG from LSU). They are both athletic, hustle and have great court vision. Most importantly they can shoot the ball and defend. Only time will tell if they actually fit into Coach Byron Scott's scheme of things. Not saying that they are or they arent, but you gotta sorta look at his history with young players...i.e. J.R.Smith and Chris "Birdman" Anderson. They have made major contributions to the Nuggets and their playoff run. TC wrote on his blog...I just want to thank the city of New Orleans, the Hornets organization for the opportunity and for the great couple of years that I had there. I also want to thank my Hornets teammates for everything they've done for me. I had great time in New Orleans being able to enjoy the game again, with them. I'm just glad that he aint bitter and was gonna pop off about doin the Bee's dirty when the Bobcats come to town...LOL. I thought Mo Pete was gonna cry cause he knows if Tyson is gone from here, he's so next...

In other sports news...well it aint really sports and it aint really news, but appease me for the moment why dont you. New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and his TV Reality Show star girlfriend Kim Kardashian have called it quits. The news on the street is that Reg was gettin ready to go to camp and wanted her to come with, but she declined. She is getting ready to shoot yet another season of "Keeping up with the Kardashians" on E!TV and doing whatever it is these celebrity types do. Well maybe thats a good thing, cause now maybe, just maybe Reg can concentrate on football, and I know that wants to play well and make a lil noise. Here's lookin at you kiddo.

Also in NFL news, Commissioner Roger Goodell has conditionally reinstated former Falcon quarterback Michael Vick and he is now able to sign a deal with a team (whomever will have him) and participate in training camp and also possibly play in the last two exhibition games before having to sit out anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks of the regular season. This is good for him, because whoever picks him up (i wish the Saints would pick him up, but you never know) will have a quality backup quarterback (yes, I'm still on that) and he has time to get the playbook down in his head. There is also the option of the wildcat formation situations, where you never really know what he is gonna do, he may throw or ruyn the ball....this makes him more of a threat on the field than just thinkin you gonna have him returning punts or kicks or even playing running back. Oh well, its good to see he is gonna be able to earn a living and not have to keep working that construction job. And Antonio Pierce, Linebacker for the New York Giants is expected to be indicted in conjunction with the Plaxico Burress shooting incident in November...more details to follow....

THE ASSOCIATION...Free Agency Southwest Division Moves

The NBA Free Agency signing period has started and there are some good / bad things goin on.... I am gonna give my personal opinons on whats goin on and what my damn Hornets need to get a ring...

Today's big news is the 4 team deal (between the Mavs, Magic, Raptors, and the Grizzlies) that sent Shawn Marion to the Dallas Mavericks. This a day after Jason Kidd decided to stay with the team. These moves are gonna make it really hard to beat Dallas (even though the Bees will find a way)... They got rid of Jerry Crackhouse, Deavon George, Antoine Wright and a couple of after thought players, so there starting line up should be kinda hot (on paper).

• Jason Kidd at the point
• Josh Howard at the off guard position
• Shawn Marion actually playing the small forward position
• Dirk Nowitzki playing power forward
• Erick Dampier at center... WOWZERS this cat still has a job in the league? LOL

And dont forget they got Marcin Gortat from Orlando so they got some horses to do damage in the Southwest...and 3 point shooter Quinton Ross a Dallas native, just what Dallas needs is another cat that can light up from downtown. They are also tryin to hold on to Brandon Bass and James Singleton

The San Antonio Spurs are set to sign free agent forward/center Antonio McDyss, who may step into the starting line up with the departure of Oberto (or whatever his name is) who went to Milwaukee, I believe when they got Richard Jefferson (wow...it just gets deeper in the SW). These two cats right here are gonna take a lot of pressure of Pepe LeParker, Tim Duncan, and Mano Ginobli and put another scorer (Jefferson) and defender / board banger (McDyss) another move that looks to make the Spurs a hard team to beat...yet again

The Houston Rockets though seem to be in a lil trouble... They lose Ron Artest to the Lakers and has already "hoodalized" Sportscenter so who knows what he might do in the City of Angels. Yao Ming's broken foot will more than likely sit him down for the entire season and the league gave him the injury exemption so that also tends to lead that he aint playing. Dikembe Mutumbo retired after tearin his knee up in the playoffs, Tracy McGrady is a question mark cause he is soft as tissue paper and just as likely to tear up. So in essence all they have left to rely on from last season is Super Midget Aaron Brooks and Captain Shane Battier...but to the rescue fresh off winning the World Championship with the Lakers is Trevor Ariza (oh I'm dying laughin over here if they think thats the answer), who has already blamed his agent for landing him in Houston, been shunned by LeBron James who said he didnt really want him to come to Cleveland, and is really kickin himself in the ass for leaving LA for the same amount of money to play with the walkin wounded.

This brings us to the Memphis Grizzlies... They got a young team with Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo (who I thought shoulda been Rookie of the Year, but thats just me, I like his game), Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol. They picked up Darko Milicic...you know the cat that got drafter between LeBron and Melo (I didnt think you remembered) They are said to be making a run at "The Answer" Allen Iverson, who has fallen out of the graces of Philly, Denver, and Detroit. It seems like the future Hall of Famer will be added to the list of great players (at their position) to NOT win a championship, not to mention a 15 million dollar paycut (OUCH!). Other than that the Grizz aint making no noise so they gonna be content being cella dwellaz until Rudy and O.J. get pissed and want out.

Finally we get to the New Orleans Hornets (da home team...)
Even though we have the best point guard in the universe in CP3 (Chris Paul for you that have been under a rock the last 3 years), and 2 time All Star David West, Tyson Chandler and wonder sub James Posey after that the Hornets roster looks like some vagabons IMO.

• Rasual Butler - If this guy can stay out the club on Wednesday night he might be about something instead of the last minute prayer shooter
• Morris Peterson - Get the hell outta here with that one, I was mad when we signed him from Toronto
• Devin Brown - Dude hustles but aint worth two dead flies
• Antonio Daniels - Its not serious, he coulda stayed in D.C.
• Peja Stojakavic - Is the Hornets T-Mac, he can shoot the lights out but damn he's fragile...

The Bees tried to send Chandler to Oklahoma City, which I thought was a bad move in the first place but luckily (if there is such a case) he failed the physical and came back. Then sent Mike James who I thought was a solid back up to the Wizards for Daniels who hasnt impressed me at all. The problem is not money, it cant be when we turned down state money due to the increase in ticket sales. The Shinn's need to open that checkbook and make some moves before erybody get gone. Talks of Amari Stoudemire coming to the city are crazy cause he makes too much money. We drafter Darren Collison from UCLA who is gonna be a solid back up to Paul, and acquired Marcus Thorton (former LSU Tiger) via trade at the draft, but we need to get bigger up front...Chandler is slim even though his defense is decent and his Crescent City Connection with Paul are electrofying. David West NEEDS TO GO, yeah I said it. He plays soft relys on his mid range jumper, when he needs to be on the block banging cats. He is NOT the solution, I dont even see how he even made the All Star team twice (the first time he made it cause the game was in New Orleans and Byron Scott was the coach of the West).

There are free agents out there...I dont know how receptive they are to playing in New Orleans, but...

• Lamar Odom is there, but I seriously doubt the Lakers are gonna give him up
  
• David Lee the Knicks forward can jump out the gym (well he used to) and is a banger
  
• Former LSU Tiger and former Hornet Brandon Bass who actually played like a beast against us

This just in...The Hornets are set to pull the trigger on a trade with Phoenix which would send Chandler to the Suns for Ben Wallace. This is some bull, Wallace is talkin bout retiring and if he does then we not gonna have anything. They better go sit down, Big Ben is a shell of his former self and is now a fill in, but shit he could be a better filler than some of them other cats we got...

Anyway GEAUX HORNETS!!!!