Adonis Smith Heads For Greener Pastures

One devastating night of Wildcats sports has been followed by more rough news out of Evanston, as coach Pat Fitzgerald announced that sophomore running back Adonis Smith is transferring out of Northwestern. His final destination remains unclear, but his departure certainly leaves us with plenty of questions, both about the team’s future and what went wrong.

One of the highest recruits in recent program history, Smith was well on his way to an impressive college career, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He only had 462 career rushing yards, however, and was presumably disappointed with his limited number of carries. He also couldn’t have been pleased when young Treyvon Green passed him as the Cats’ featured back. Still, this is a tough loss for Northwestern fans to swallow. Smith added depth to the Cats’ running corps, and without him, Northwestern really has only one electric threat at running back.

It seemed like no matter how well Smith played, he couldn’t earn his way into consistent minutes. After an impressive 60-yard performance at Iowa, he didn’t play in Northwestern’s next two games, and he didn’t play in the Wildcats’ regular-season finale or bowl game either. I can’t really blame him for leaving. It’s interesting to note that he’s the second star running back prospect out of California to transfer in recent years, following in the footsteps of Arby Fields. I wonder if they can’t handle the Chicago winters or something.

Also, interesting statistic flashed by ESPN in advance of tonight’s Knicks–Hawks contest. The New York Knickerbockers are +98 with Jeremy Lin on the court, -60 when he is off the court. Now, that’s something to get excited about. The rest of the fuss, the stories about how excited China is, and how everyone loves him, well I can take them or leave them. Let his game do the talking. And please ESPN, stop the overkill.

New Jersey Nets, NBA Lite and GoDanica.com

The story, according to ESPN and the rest of the NBA Lite crowd, is that Jeremy Lin has lost. The majestic Taiwanese guard for the New York Knicks actually cut down on his turnovers, putting forth another solid performance. He finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and four steals, while giving the ball away just three times. That marked a radical departure from the Knicks’ last six games, each of which featured at least six Lin turnovers. This was the smallest number of turnovers Lin has posted since a win over Washington, in which the Wizards’ defense seemed to magically disappear at every juncture. But as nicely as Lin played, as ferociously as Stoudemire dunked and as rapidly as the Knicks dished the ball at times, this night belonged to the Nets. Despite New York out-scoring New Jersey in the paint (40-20) and on the fast-break (20-11), and despite 17 turnovers, the Nets won as a result of Deron Williams, who has somehow become one of the most underrated players in the game. Well, I guess it’s not that surprising. That’s what tends to happen. Players get mired, lost in the swampland that is the Meadowlands. Everyone except Eli Manning that is. Williams was dead-on tonight, scoring 38 points, and hitting pretty much every three-pointer he attempted Monday night. It was pretty amazing. Every three-pointer didn’t just hit the hoop, it hit the same exact section of the basket, causing the netting to kick back up the same way each and every time. Coach Mike D’Antoni was among Williams’ fans following Monday’s game:

Deron Williams is really good. You have to give him credit because he is one of the best players in the league.

That quote came via the official online home of the NBA. Give credit to the New Jersey Nets. That’s two big upset wins in a row. First, they toasted the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. Then, they beat up on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Whether or not this season ever goes anywhere for the Nets, this is one special two-game stretch for this generally lackluster franchise.

Anyway, now that we’ve discussed a story that deserves more attention, let’s discuss a story that deserves less attention. The good folks at SportsCenter were talking again about Danica Patrick. Apparently, it’s her first race in a new venue, and now she has qualified for the Daytona 500 with a time that exceeded that of many past winners. It’s exciting, to be sure, but I’m getting kind of sick of hearing about her. Qualifying for the Daytona 500. Are you serious? When was the last time we cared about such things? Patrick seems like as much of a has-been story as Anna Kournikova. I know she’s breaking barriers, but is she actually when the focus on her is as much about her being a sex symbol, as it is about her being a racer. At this point, she’s known primarily for her looks, and asides from her long, dark hair and racy outfits, I’m not even sure I understand that. She looks as frightening as she does sexy, in my opinion. Anyway, the point is, I have nothing against Danica, but can we please put this story away until after she’s done something, after she’s posted some notable result?

When Melo Returns, Centers Dominate and Teams Overpay

It’s hard enough being a Northwestern basketball fan. It’s even harder watching other teams boast in spades what we haven’t been able to find in more than a decade: a quality post player. In a rare break from Big Ten coverage, I had the chance to check out highlights from Monday’s Kansas-Kansas State game, and the Jayhawks are fortunate to not only have a forward who averages a double-double but a center who blocks shots like it’s nobody’s business. We all know about Thomas Robinson, although I only realized today that he is easily averaging a double-double, with 18.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, but perhaps the world was not aware of Jeff Withey, who made his presence known with a nine-block performance against the Wildcats, the Wildcats of Kansas State that is. The seven-foot center has freakishly long arms, and also boasts impressive speed, which allows him to get to players on the fast break, sneak up behind them, and swat their shots against the glass. I couldn’t believe some of the shots he got to. And then for a rather meek looking kid, he fights hard down low, and even has the ability to tip shots in. Of course, I’m making my judgments from one set of highlights, and it’s doubtful that a kid like this could ever play more than a reserve role in the NBA, but still Withey and his 3.2 blocks per game and 6.3 rebounds per game are worth noting.

Also, the latest fuss out of the Big Apple is what will happen when Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony return to the starting lineup. Will brilliant babysitter Jeremy Lin be forced to turn his keys over to the established stars, and head back to the bench? Of course not, there’s always room for an electric scorer and unselfish passer like Lin in the Knicks’ starting lineup. He seems perfectly content to feed Anthony and Stoudemire all day if necessary, and this will make it harder for teams to crack down on the so-called Linsanity, because if they crack down on his drives to the hoop in future games, he will have the option to dish it out to an open Anthony or Stoudemire in the post. Both are menacing threats. So, I think this could work out quite nicely. And this could help Anthony get open shots, rather than force shots off the dribble. Watch Anthony’s atrocious 40 percent clip from the field skyrocket with Lin at the point. The Knicks will have two guys who can drive to the hoop and hoist up shots from the outside, in Lin and Anthony. They’ll have a dominant scorer in the post, in Stoudemire, and the game’s most underrated big man, perennial double-double threat Tyson Chandler, who’s averaging 9.9 rebounds per game. Chandler carried my fantasy team back in the day, and I have no doubt he can carry the day on the boards for the New York Knicks. Landry Fields makes for a nice role player, spark player in my opinion, and they have two veteran ball-handlers off the bench in Baron Davis and Mike Bibby, both formerly among the game’s best, who should provide leadership during a potential playoff run. Yes, I like the look of this team very much. And with a slate of easy games coming up, the Knicks have a chance to capitalize on their current momentum.

As for the return of the old guard, if this quote from ESPN New York’s Ian Begley, attributed to Stoudemire, is true, then the Knicks should have nothing to worry about.

Lin is finding guys out there. He’s playing totally unselfish. He’s taking what the defense gives him. He’s studying, which is what you want from your point guard, a guy who wants to be that facilitator and get guys involved and get guys open shots. He’s passing the ball right on the numbers where guys can catch and shoot. That brings up high-percentage shooting.

Also, happy payday to DeSean Jackson. By getting the franchise tag slapped on him, the Eagles wideout will be paid like an elite wide receiver, despite finishing 22nd in the NFL with 961 receiving yards, 46th in the league with 58 receptions and tied for 63rd in the league with just four touchdown receptions in 2011. Jackson obviously contributes to more than just the receiving corps, as he is an electric option on punt returns, but similar players can be found in the draft. And better yet for Jackson, after a miserable contract year, he gets one more chance, and if he can cross the millenium mark once more, he should be in line for a fat new contract, whether it’s with Philadelphia or someone else.