Sports Law Issues Don’t Stop During Coronavirus Shutdown

Coronavirus sports lawsuit LeBron James Jimmy Butler Lamar Jackson

The effects of the Coronavirus is being felt in every industry. The sports industry is no different, but that has not stopped lawsuits involving LeBon James, Jimmy Butler, and Lamar Jackson. Roughly two weeks ago the NBA suspended their season after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for the Coronavirus. Soon after, his teammate Donavan Mitchell tested positive. Both players have recently been cleared of the Coronavirus. However, the continued reality of the threat of the Coronavirus led the MBL, NHL, and MLS to suspend their seasons as well. The NCAA was forced to cancel all spring sports and the March Madness tournament. Most recently, Japan and the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone the 2020 Summer Games to 2021.

Accordingly, sports fans are relying on the rebroadcasts of classic games for entertainment. Even though the entertainment portion of the sports has come to an unexpected halt, the business of sports keeps turning. This is especially true in the realm of sports law. In the last week, three lawsuits involving some of sports favorite athletes came to light. Two cases involve two of the NBA’s most notable players, LeBron James and Jimmy Butler. The third case involves the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player of the Year, Lamar Jackson.

Hold on King James…That Photo Does not Belong to You

During LeBron James’ 17-year career, he has been the focal point of some pretty iconic NBA photos. There are photos of James blocking Andre Iguodala’s shot in game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. There is the iconic photo of Dwayne Wade and King James on the Miami Heat when James lays down a monster slam dunk. Before the NBA season was abruptly halted by the Coronavirus, King James was caught in yet another timeless photo. On December 19, 2019 photographer, Steven Mitchell was working the Lakers versus Heat game. Mitchell caught an awesome moment of King James dunking over Meyers Leonard.

Soon after the game, the photo was cropped and posted to James’s Facebook account. The post, which is still up has received over one thousand likes, has been shared 92 times, and has 61 comments. The picture was also posted on James’ Instagram Account. There it received over 2 million likes. To many, this may not seem like a big deal. What could be wrong with James posting a picture of himself? The answer is that it could be a copyright law violation. Accordingly, the photographer, Steven Mitchell, sued LeBron James alleging that posting the photo onto James’ social media platforms infringed on his copyright law protections.

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Does James’ Post Violate Mitchell’s Rights in the Photo Under Copyright Law?

Copyright is an intellectual property right grounded in the United States Constitution. Authors are granted copyright protection for their original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright protection applies to photos. As such, Mitchell sued LeBron James, Uninterrupted Digital Ventures, and LRMR Ventures for copyright infringement. Mithcell alleges that James and the other defendants infringed on his copyright in the photo when it was cropped and posted on James’s Facebook and Instagram pages without Mitchell’s consent. The complaint asserts that Uninterrupted Digital Ventures and LRMR Ventures operate James’ Facebook page. Mitchell requests a jury trial to determine whether the federal Copyright Act was violated. He also seeks damages up to $150,000 per infringement.

Independent Sports and Entertainment Says Jimmy Butler Needs to Pay Up

Independent Sports and Entertainment (ISE) is telling Miami Heat star, Jimmy Butler, to “show them the money.” ISE has sued Jimmy Butler for breaching a Public Relations Agreement (PR Agreement) he entered into with them in July of 2013. ISE is an integrated sport, media, entertainment, and management company that represents talent throughout the entertainment industry. ISE assists professional athletes’ with their off the field and off the court activities. In the complaint, ISE alleges that Jimmy Butler breached their PR Agreement by failing to give them their share of profits from two deals Butler made with Nike.

Per the PR Agreement, Butler is required to pay ISE a 15% gross compensation fee in exchange for ISE’s services assisting with his personal marketing and public relations. ISE alleges that while Butler was under the PR Agreement, he entered into a contract with Nike where he earned $616,666,67. ISE has not received its 15 percent commission in the amount of $92,250. Butler later entered into an addendum on the contract. On the addendum, Butler received at least 5 million dollars. ISE has not received its 15% commission in the amount of $750,000 on the addendum.

In the complaint, ISE stipulates that the non-breaching party must provide notice of the breach to the breaching party and allow the breaching party 30 days to cure the breach. ISE alleges that they provided written notice to Butler and made attempts to collect the amounts due. Furthermore, ISE alleges that they were put in contact with Butler’s financial advisor Ken Kavanaugh who acknowledged that Butler owed the 15% fee and that payment would follow. The payment never came leading ISE to file this suit. Per the complaint, ISE is seeking damages for the amounts owed on the Nike contract and addendum.

Lamar Jackson Tells Amazon to Stop Selling his Unauthorized Merchandise 

Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback, Lamar Jackson, filed suit against Amazon.com and Amazon.com Services, Inc. (hereafter collectively referred to as Amazon) in a federal district court for infringing on his right to publicity. In the complaint, Jackson alleges that Amazon has directly advertised and sold items bearing Jackson’s name, nicknames, and images without being authorized to do so by him or the NFL. The alleged infringing items include items such as a “LAMARVELOUS Vintage Baltimore Football QB Jackson MVP T-Shirt.” In the complaint, Jackson acknowledges that Amazon had received negative publicity for facilitating the sale of items that infringe on others’ intellectual property rights by third parties in the Amazon Marketplace. However, Jackson contends that the sale of his items is different in that the sale of his items are not in the Amazon marketplace.

Jackson contends that the infringing items at issue are directly falsely promoted and advertised by Amazon as they are designated as “ships from and sold by Amazon.com.” Jackson claims to have requested that Amazon remove and stop selling the items in question. However, Amazon has failed to so. As such, Jackson seeks a permanent injunction requiring Amazon to stop the sale of the items in question. Jackson alleges that the unauthorized sale of items bearing his name, image, and likeness on Amazon has negatively affected his own clothing line business. Accordingly, Jackson also seeks damages and disgorgement of Amazon’s profits.

NBA Bubble Week 1 Recap: This Is Working

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Has the NBA bubble been a success or what? If you love basketball, the bubble has been heaven for fans. Nonstop action for 10 hours each day is music to my ears. It’s clear that the bubble is working.

Where do I even begin with storylines? The Lakers and Bucks are in cruise control, but they have glaring deficiencies. The Blazers could do damage if they make the playoffs. TJ Warren is now Michael Jordan? Here is a recap of Week 1.

Note: This blog was posted at 6:30 PM EDT on August 6.

Top Story: The Bubble Is Working

I was optimistic that the bubble would work. However, no one predicted that the bubble would be a resounding success. The television presentation has been seamless. No fans? No problem. I thought virtual fans would be corny. It surprisingly hasn’t been a distraction at all. Without the bad teams to beat up on (still love you, Knicks), 85% of the games are competitive. With games from 1 PM-1130 PM every day, the bubble is an NBA version of March Madness, Most importantly, COVID is under control. Things can change in the blink of an eye but for now, the bubble is working.

Top Basketball Story: The Lakers And Bucks Are Good, But Should They Be Worried?

Both the Lakers and Bucks will be the top seeds and should be the favorites to represent their respective conferences. However, both have major flaws. Right now, the Lakers are allergic to the offense. The offense hasn’t been bad; it’s been atrocious. After Wednesday night’s loss to the Thunder, the Lakers rank last in offensive rating at 96.6 points per 100 possesions. The Lakers won’t win any games if they shoot 5-for-37 from 3 as they did against the Thunder. LeBron and AD will be fine, but there are a lot of questions surrounding their supporting cast especially at the guard position.

As I write this blog, the Bucks are down 20 points to the Heat. This past Tuesday, the Bucks lost to the Nets as 19 point favorites, which is the biggest favorite to lose in an NBA regular-season game. Just like the Lakers, I also have questions about the Bucks’ secondary players around Giannis and Middleton.

Let’s not forget the Lakers and Bucks have the two best records in the NBA. They have the two best players in the game right now in LeBron and Giannis. I’m not writing them off whatsoever. However, I would be worried if their supporting casts are nonexistent in the playoffs.

Suprise Of The Bubble: Blazers

One could argue that the potential play-in game was put into place because of Zion. However, the team that’s benefitting the most from this new format is the Blazers. Despite making the Conference Finals a year ago, the Blazers are a better team now than they were a year ago. One word: health. The Blazers were decimated with injuries to two of their top big men, Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins, which explained their 28-37 record pre-bubble. With Nurkic and Collins, the Blazers are a different team. They can get production down low and guard bigger teams thanks to Nurkic, Collins, and Hasaan Whiteside. Plus, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are a top-5 duo in the NBA. If they secure the 8-seed, can the Blazers beat the Lakers in a 7-game series? Probably not. Can the Blazers give the Lakers trouble and push the series to six or seven games? Absolutely.

MVP So Far: TJ Warren

His name is now TJ “Michael Jordan” Warren. Who knew Warren could get buckets like MJ? More importantly, the Pacers are 3-0 and could be a tough out in the East.

LVP So Far: Pelicans

As previously mentioned, many including myself believe this play-in series was made for the Pelicans. However, after a 1-2 start, the Pelicans will need to step it up in order to get to the 9-seed. If the NBA wants Zion in the playoffs, New Orleans will need to let the big dog eat.

Storyline For Week 2: Effort

We’ve been blessed with competitive games for the first week. As more teams clinch playoff spots and the seeding falls into place, will teams continue to give max effort before the playoffs? Why play LeBron or Giannis if they’ve already clinched the 1-seed? I’m expecting a lot more lopsided scores in Week 2.

If you’re in the bubble, stay safe. Basketball in August has been a blessing. Let’s keep it that way.

What are your top storylines in the NBA bubble? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

MLB, NBA, and NHL: What to Expect From The Return to Sports

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Sports have returned, as the return of MLB baseball to television screens occurred last week. The NBA and NHL seasons will resume this week, as the NBA starts their seeding games on Thursday. The NHL Stanley Cup Qualifiers start this Saturday. There is plenty to look for as sports are returning on television screens across the United States.

Fans are interested to see how the gameday dynamic differs between each of the three sports. Players will have to adjust to playing with no fans and new possible distractions during play. In the NBA, there will be giant video screens behind the basket that could impact the game. It will also be interesting to see how people react to the fake crowd noise in these arenas.

What to Look for In MLB Return: Strategy Changes Amid Rule Changes

The MLB has returned, and there have been a few instances of the minor league rule of having a runner on second base to start extra innings. In the Angels-Athletics game this past Friday, Angels manager Joe Maddon decided to go with a five-person infield once the A’s loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th inning. It did not matter, as A’s first baseman Matt Olson hit a walk-off grand slam to end the game, but it gave a lens into how managers may try to approach extra innings. The A’s won the game, 7-3.

Another rule change that the MLB implemented even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit was that relief pitchers either had to face three batters. This rule change means that managers cannot use pitchers for individual matchups as readily as they would like. It will be interesting to see if relief pitchers do better or worse because of this rule. Managers will also have to manage their bullpen vastly different now.

One interesting tidbit of information from opening weekend is that no team was swept. Every team has already won a game. The gameplay proved to be competitive. Because of the shortened season, look for less sweeps to happen throughout as teams may have more of a focus on each individual game rather than the whole series.

What to Look for In NBA Return: How Teams Mesh Based on Roster Changes

In the NBA, there are certain teams whose rosters will look vastly different. The Brooklyn Nets will not have either Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant due to injury. They have also had four additional players opt out of the restart. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Andre Roberson made his first appearance in two years.

One of the interesting teams to watch in Orlando will be the Denver Nuggets. Before the pandemic, Nuggets fans were clamoring for Michael Porter Jr. to get more playing time. Now they will campaign to see Bol Bol get more playing time after his great performances in the Nuggets’ scrimmages together. It would be hard for any team to be able to defend a frontcourt with athletes of the caliber of Bol and Nikola Jokic. The Clippers and Lakers are the two favorites out west, but the Nuggets may force their way onto the national radar more if they can get production out of Bol Bol.

What to Look for In NHL Return: How Much Parity Will Be on Display in Stanley Cup Playoff Qualifiers

In the NHL, the 5-12 seeds will be playing five-game series to qualify for the 16-team traditional Stanley Cup Playoff bracket. These series have the potential to be closer to five games because of the long layoff. Still, expect teams with great individual talent on the offensive end to start off fast in this tournament. Some people believe that the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens have chances in their series because of their goaltenders. However, the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins, New York, and Montreal’s respective opponents, have better rosters. I think most of the higher-seeded teams will end up winning these qualifying series.

Also, it will be interesting to see how much the round-robin play for the top four seeds in each conference affects how they will play the rest of the way. One of these teams could technically lose all three of their round-robin games and still win the Stanley Cup. It will be interesting to see which of the top teams is able to peak in these early games, and if that will lead to further success in the playoffs.

Grab your popcorn, chips, or whatever you eat when you watch sports, because there is going to be a lot to watch on your TV screens for the next few weeks.

2020 NBA Champion’s Asterisk Will Signify Toughest Title Ever Won

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In sports, asterisks tend to have a negative connotation. Barry Bonds’ home run record, the Spurs 1999 championship, and the baseball team that plays in Houston have all been victims of the asterisk. (Houston deserves this asterisk in 2017, but we’ll refrain for now.) In the NBA, the asterisk might be placed next to this season’s eventual NBA champion. However, it should represent a badge of honor, not a stain on the sport.

Taylor Rooks of Turner Sports received the following text message from Austin Rivers, who discussed the NBA restart and the possibility of an asterisk.

As Rivers stated, the asterisk should elevate, not diminish, the champion. What’s occurred during the 2019-2020 NBA season is unprecedented. How it will play out is something we’ve never seen before. The regular season stopped abruptly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last game occurred on March 11, the same night when Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. Many players haven’t seen or practiced with their teammates for months.

After a four-month hiatus, teams are set to head to the Orlando bubble next week to finish the season. Games will take place in one location and be played with no fans in attendance. At first glance, the bubble at Disney may look like a summer camp for adults. DJ sets, ping pong tables, lounges, pools, and golf courses may seem like a 12-year-old’s dream come true.

However, if the 1992 classic, Groundhog Day, taught us anything, it’s that living the same day in the same environment over and over again could turn into your personal hell. The bubble is not a prison, but it’s also not utopia. Players and their families will be forced to remain on the campus at all times. Once they’re in the bubble, there’s no escape until your team loses. In fact, players could be suspended if they break the rules of the bubble and according to Stephen A Smith, they might break the rules for some “recreational activities.”

Last but not least, there’s a not-so-small threat looming at every corner, the coronavirus. If a player contracts the virus, they will be forced to isolate in their hotel room for at least 14 days before they’re eligible to return to play if they pass the required tests.

Between a pandemic, a shutdown, and a bubble, winning this season’s NBA Championship is going to one of the toughest tasks ever. If that’s the case, why would we think less of the team to win it all? Why should an asterisk go in front of an unmatched championship? There are some like Shaq who believe the season should have been scrapped entirely because the champion will never receive the same amount of respect that they would normally attain in a regular year.

I completely disagree.

For players, the remainder of the season will be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Guys are moving into a hotel for weeks, even months, and being told they can’t leave under any circumstance. Think about the joy one gets coming home after a long day of work. That feeling of relief when you walk into the door is something that money can’t buy. In the bubble, that mental reprieve vanishes and ceases to exist.

In 1993, Michael Jordan went to Atlantic City with his father during the 1993 conference finals in order to clear his head. Even though they lost the following game, the Bulls came back to win the series and went on to win the championship. In the bubble, where are guys going to go to clear their heads? Can LeBron James take a few trips on Space Mountain after a poor night shooting? Will Giannis Antetokounmpo ride the Tower of Terror if the Bucks fall behind 2-1 in the conference finals?

Let’s be honest. Twitter was going to put an asterisk on the championship if the Lakers, Bucks, or Clippers didn’t win it all. Guess what? The same asterisk will be put on the title in the bubble if a team like the Rockets or Jazz win it all.

We need to stop finding ways to invalidate this season and start accepting that it’s a season like no other. Winning the title in one location after four months while battling a pandemic could turn out to be the hardest path to a championship that any team has ever faced.

Erase the asterisk, and embrace the difficulty.

Do you agree or disagree with the idea of an asterisk? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

Return of USA Pro Sports: Common Ground Between Leagues and Fans

LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard

As the return of pro sports in the United States draws closer, leagues are getting set to embark on seasons that they have never had to deal with before, there are specific needs that have needed to be addressed between players, owners, and fans in each respective league.

Return of USA Pro Sports Scheduled To Start With MLB

The MLB has had the most contentious path to resuming their season thus far. Luckily for baseball fans, the season looks like it will start around July 23-24. The highlight of Opening Day looks like it will be the defending champion Washington Nationals hosting the New York Yankees. A possible Gerrit Cole-Max Scherzer pitching duel on Opening Night should be something that MLB fans salivate over. In a 60-game season, there is a chance that Opening Night has a playoff feel to it already.

NBA Players’ Concerns Need To Be Addressed Despite Responsibility to Fans

For the NBA, the season is set to resume on July 30. The Opening Night to the season resumption will be highlighted by a Clippers-Lakers showdown. This game will set the tone for the race to the playoffs for the NBA. If the Clippers win, it will be game on for the number-one seed in the Western Conference. If the Lakers win, then they will be in the driver’s seat for the number-one seed.

However, some players on the 22 teams set to resume play at the end of July have backed out due to their own concerns regarding COVID-19 and social justice issues.

Fans that may be upset at players backing out have their right to be. However, a player should be taking their own well-being into account when deciding if they want to put themselves in a situation where they are putting themselves and others at risks. Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler cares about the well-being of his family and will be spending time with them instead of playing in Orlando. In a profession that requires so much time away from one’s family, it is understandable why Chandler is making this decision.

These situations are imperfect, but the leagues, players, and fans have to make the best of their unique individual situations.

Return of Pro Sports During a Pandemic Lose-Lose Situation on Surface, but Could Be Big Win For Society

For example, the criticism of the MLB and the players from the fans was definitely warranted. In a middle of a pandemic where the regular person is looking for any form of escapism that they can find, they will become disheartened quickly at negative developments as far as sports returning.

As far as the commissioners are concerned, they have been put in a lose-lose situation. The leagues are already going to lose money because of no fans being present at the games. Sure, it will be interesting to see how much television ratings increase. However, the actual plausibility of certain scenarios will not be known until they are put into practice.

The MLB is going to keep games in teams’ home cities. However, the NBA and NHL have a benefit of a shorter timeframe because they are resuming, not starting, their seasons. They will have one and two hub cities, respectively, where all the teams will be secluded to a “bubble”.

The NFL does not have the luxury of keeping its players in a bubble. There are simply too many players on the rosters. It will be interesting to see if the NFL eventually allows expanded rosters. The issue of pay may also come up during the season also. What will players do if there is a sudden reduction of salary? The one thing that the NFL differs greatly from the MLB is that they already agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement. Thus, it is highly unlikely that the NFL and NFLPA would feud over money.

Sports Leagues Returning Across the World Should Be Encouraging For USA Pro Sports

COVID-19 cases are not rising in Europe like they are in the United States. Therefore, it is an encouraging sign for sports league everywhere that the top European soccer leagues have started to finish their 2019-20 seasons. The German Bundesliga was the first of the four main European soccer leagues that was able to finish their season. Some players on some of these teams, including Barcelona (La Liga), have taken pay cuts.

2020 has had its challenges on society, but having sports back will be a great benefit to the United States. It will both be able to bring important issues to light through sport and offer a source of escapism from the news for fans. Sports coming back will hopefully help the country stay connected through interacting with other fans on social media. Although fans may not be able to celebrate their favorite teams together, they will have the ability to cheer on their teams. It will mean a lot to everyone involved.  

What Steph Curry Taught Me About Manhood and Stability

Steph Curry Warriors Manhood kids NBA

It took Steph Curry’s domination of the NBA for me to fully realize the power and masculinity of stability.

As an athlete – at the high school, college and professional level – I bought the locker-room myth that chaos and struggle molded the most indestructible on-field warrior.

The narrative pervasive throughout black-jock culture goes something like this: “The toughest and most hungry players come from the struggle, the bottom. If you match up a kid from the suburbs and one from the ‘hood, the suburban kid can’t win because he’s not tough enough and doesn’t have the fight and desire as the other guy. You can’t be the toughest or the strongest without the struggle of a broken home and socioeconomic disadvantage. Street cred and the fear it provokes are important weapons. Good guys finish last in sports, too.”

As a man and professional athlete, you are always trying to be the alpha dog. Every man wants to be the biggest and baddest dude around. We want respect, credibility, clout, and money. In my life, the recipe for being alpha dog could be summed up in one quote: “Men do what they want. Boys do what they can.”

It’s a selfish mentality that can lead to sexual promiscuity and baby-mama drama, the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and irresponsible personal and financial decisions. The alpha-dog mentality certainly enhances your athletic-performance swagger. It makes you think you can accomplish all things through arrogance.

Derek Jeter is the exception, not the rule. His playing career seemed to be enhanced by remaining America’s top bachelor throughout his legendary baseball career. He managed to remain a bachelor and a gentleman.

But maybe the better path for athletes is choosing stability and a traditional home life? That’s what I believe I’m learning from Steph Curry. My favorite quote and life mantra – “Men do what they want” – is a path to hell? If not, it’s at least a path to not reaching your full potential personally or athletically.

I lived the dream of a professional athlete, but the mentality that got me there led me down a dangerous path.

How else do you explain a 6-foot-3 beanpole who couldn’t land a major scholarship being one of the best basketball players on the planet?

I believe Steph does what he wants on the court because off the court he’s remarkably grounded and stable.

Curry met his wife at a church function and married at just age 24. The absolute last thing I wanted to be at 24 was tied down to one woman and some sort of daily routine. I actually thought it would get in the way of achieving the respect I desired and that stability had no effect on my career. I now look at Curry’s life with his wife and his daughter’s famous press-conference appearances and wonder what the hell I was thinking.

Steph has defined himself as a man of faith, a loving husband, a devoted father, as well as an MVP basketball player and champion. Notice the order? Notice the priority? Curry focused on organizing his life properly, realizing this would help him organize his career properly. His life is consistent, his priorities are in order, and he realizes his purpose inside and outside of the NBA.

Deep down, I knew better.

I grew up in church and a two-parent home and the person I looked up to the most was a man of stability and integrity: My dad. I always admired the Tony Dungy’s and Kurt Warner’s of the world, but couldn’t reconcile the life I wanted with the life I created. When I was in the NFL, I chased alpha dog status and unwittingly created chaos. It was my drug. I juggled women and juggled all the drama that goes with that lifestyle. I had to be in the clubs with my boys. I thought those things would bring me happiness and I actually believed you reaffirmed your alpha dog status by being able to deal with drama. Stability was boring. I was a fool.

Steph Curry Warriors Man NBA

Steph Curry doesn’t fit the stereotypes of a superstar athlete, and that’s precisely what makes him so great.

Stability and consistency only help your life and make your life better. I have learned that in my own life. Even after I was done playing in the NFL, my life was unstable and chaotic. I didn’t even realize it. I had normalized chaos. I existed in a reality where lack of consistency was the routine.

I was failing in life personally. I was in and out of relationships and creating instability for my children. I was depressed. I reached a crossroads because of injuries and moving away from football. My mother always told me: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always got.” This made me return to my faith, and focus on rebuilding myself into the man I wanted to be.

I began to remove the chaos from my life and stopped trying to be the alpha dog and prove to everyone I was the man. I had to prioritize what I wanted in life and anything that wasn’t helping me achieve my goals had to go. When I changed, everything around me changed. My second career started to blossom. I got married. I embraced routine. Knowing what’s going to happen on a day-to-day basis and having that anchor of character and faith have been paramount to transforming my life. I am in no way perfect and still make mistakes. However, I can say with certainty that when I veer away from character and faith guiding my life, bad things happen. And when things start going left personally, I can attest that it impacts every area of your life.

Choosing the path of high integrity and character is difficult. It’s a struggle that builds toughness. That’s what I see in Steph Curry. He is one of the toughest guys I have ever seen on and off the court. He’s a hero. He’s a superhero. He’s a role model for kids, and grown men, too. He faces every temptation from complacency, hubris, sex, and drugs on a daily basis but he still stays focused and keeps his priorities in order. If you regularly fall into the traps of life, are you strong and tough? Or is the guy who stares them in the face daily and does the right thing the alpha dog?

It appears Curry doesn’t believe the lie. I bought the lie. Every now and then I catch myself making a comment that shows I am still a work in progress. I’m still battling a mentality that haunted me from childhood. I was a private school kid for most of my life, and guys I played with thought I was soft because of how I spoke and because I was “too nice.” I made poor decisions trying to disprove the thinking of small-minded individuals. Let me be clear. I loved my teammates. They were good guys. They were simply caught in the same culture and mindset I was.

The thinking is a bunch of garbage. Character trumps everything. I’ve seen rich kids who are the hardest workers and the most competitive. I have also seen people with special talents who didn’t have two nickels to rub together be extremely lazy. Your character and intestinal fortitude determine your toughness, competitiveness, and level of achievement as well as your ability to maintain it.

I’m glad Steph Curry is redefining for me and others how a real alpha dog handles his business. He puts a different spin on men doing what they want. Steph is doing EXACTLY what he wants, and he is the man.

The more men we have in this world, the better our future will be.

Which is Better: NBA or NHL Season Covid-19 Return Format?

NBA NHL LeBron James Sidney Crosby

Both the NBA and NHL are looking to bring basketball and hockey to television screens. The leagues have agreed to not finish the regular season as originally planned. Therefore, the NBA regular season will resume with 22 teams. All of these teams will play games in Orlando, Florida. Meanwhile, the NHL completely did away with the regular season, instead opting for a 24-team Stanley Cup Playoff. The NBA will have eight “seeding games” per team to determine the final playoff seeds.

NBA Keeps Regular Season in Imperfect Format

The NBA elected to give teams the chance to improve their seeding before the actual playoffs begin. Each of the 22 NBA teams returning will play eight regular-season “seeding games” to better determine how the playoff field is shaped. Thirteen Western Conference teams will go to Orlando, while only nine Eastern Conference teams will.

It may have been better for the league to go in the direction of not making the playoff brackets based on conference standings. The more practical approach could have been for the playoffs to not be conference-based, but rather league-based. Although it would have broken from tradition, it would have provided a better assurance of the 16 best teams being in the playoffs.

Another point of contention from the NBA’s return-to-play plan is that despite teams having different numbers of games played, every team going to Orlando will be playing eight games. The standings will be based on win percentage. This puts teams like the Dallas Mavericks at a disadvantage, as far as seeding, because they have played 67 games. The teams in front of the Mavericks have the same number of wins as them (40), but have only 24 losses, compared to Dallas’ 27.

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However, there is also an argument to be made about competitive balance as far as all teams playing the same number of games upon arrival to Orlando. It just seems like the Mavericks got the raw end of the deal. Three more NBA games does not sound like much, but one could argue the Mavericks lost those games due to the fact they had to play (slightly) more often than their opponents. Competitive balance is an issue, but fans will be happy to see this NBA season returning.

NHL Does Away With Regular Season, Opting For 24-Team Playoff

The NHL’s return-to-play plan is more succinct than the NBA’s, as teams already know who they will be playing in the first round of the playoffs. It was a good thing for the league to go 12 teams deep in each conference, as it feels like teams that would have been normally left out of the playoffs are getting a fair shot. However, some may not be happy if one of the teams who would have been normally left out of the playoffs ends up winning the Stanley Cup. Overall, the NHL made the right decision because teams that were gearing up to make a run for one of the final playoff spots simply were not able to do so. Also, if the higher seeds are truly better, they should be able to take care of business against the lower seeds.

The best part of the NHL’s 24-team playoffs is that the top four teams from each conference will get to play each other once to determine their exact seed for the playoffs. This means a team like the Colorado Avalanche, who ended up one single point behind the St. Louis Blues when the season was paused, will have a shot to basically jump ahead of them in the standings. The situation in the East is also unique, as the Philadelphia Flyers had arguably the best form of any team before the pause. The Flyers would have been the 4-seed, but now they will get the chance to show how much of an improvement they have made as they play Boston, Tampa Bay, and Washington to determine their exact seed line.

Both Leagues’ Postseasons Will Be Fun to Watch, But NHL’s Format May Be Better

The NBA and NHL both came up with creative ways to finish their seasons. One thing is for sure: they will both be entertaining to fans that have a thirst for the top-four major American sports leagues to come back. However, the edge in terms of which league had the better plan has to go to the NHL for now. Even though they may have let too many teams into the playoffs, it gives teams who were within a few games a guarantee at a chance to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The NBA teams that are going to Orlando are given that assurance to, but indirectly. They could be going home without playing an official playoff game. Also, it seems unbalanced in the fact that there are four more Western Conference teams that are returning than Eastern Conference teams. The teams in the East have a better assurance of making the playoffs than the teams in the West, which could be seen as unfair.

Fans will surely be entertained by both formats, but there was more clarity with the NHL’s return-to-play plan, despite the fact that there has been no announcement about the hub cities in which the teams will be playing. The NBA’s format could prove to be more successful, but on the surface, the NHL’s playoff format gives teams a more fair chance to win that respective league.         

New York Knicks Coaching Search: Take The Layup And Hire Kenny Atkinson

Kenny Atkinson

For years, basketball historians have said that the free throw is the easiest shot in basketball. Obviously, these historians never watched Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dwight Howard on the free-throw line. Because of its close proximity to the basket, the layup should be considered the easiest shot. It’s almost automatic especially if uncontested. When it comes to coaching searches, the New York Knicks have their version of a layup in Kenny Atkinson.

When Atkinson took the Brooklyn Nets job in 2016, it was nothing short of an uphill battle. With inexperienced players and little draft capital, walking on water seemed easier than rebuilding the Nets. However, not only did Atkinson achieve some success, he overachieved. In three full seasons with Atkinson, the Nets won 20, 28, and 42 games, with the latter resulting in a playoff appearance. More importantly, Atkinson turned D’Angelo Russell into an all-star and developed Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, and Jarrett Allen into integral players.

I have a love/hate relationship with the word,” culture.” What does it even mean to establish a successful and winning culture? Winning teams can have a bunch of assholes and degenerates like the 1986 New York Mets or star players at odds with its owner like the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. Does that mean they have the best culture? Regardless of your feelings, Atkinson successfully created a culture with the Nets, where young players flourished and grew as professionals.

The Nets’ improvement is why Atkinson’s firing, or forced resignation, this past March was surprising. Some of the players reportedly wanted Atkinson gone. Once the Nets signed Kevin Durant, it became clear that whatever Durant and Irving wanted, they would get including their coach of choice. Although both Durant and Irving had kind words to say about Atkinson, let’s call a spade a spade. If Kyrie and KD backed Atkinson, he would still be the coach.

The Nets’ loss could be another team’s gain as Atkinson will certainly be a top target for teams without a head coach including the Knicks. Atkinson is exactly what the Knicks need right now. The Knicks must hire a coach who can develop young stars like RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, and Mitchell Robinson and revitalize the careers of underappreciated talents such as Julius Randle. Atkinson is familiar with MSG thanks to his tenure as a Knicks assistant coach from 2008-2012. Plus, Atkinson’s emphasis on quality threes & layups, guard dominance, and team defense is a system that works in today’s NBA. For a franchise with seven straight losing seasons, adapting to today’s playing style might be the way to go, just saying.

With the NBA season set to restart its season on July 31, the Knicks coaching search has officially begun since they were not one of the 22 teams invited to Orlando. Although Atkinson is a target, he’s not at the top of the list for the Knicks. According to Shams Charania, Tom Thibodeau is the leader in the clubhouse for the head coaching position. Thibs has ties to the Knicks, having served as an assistant coach from 1996-2004. In his eight seasons as a head coach for the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, Thibs accumulated over 350 wins and only missed the playoffs twice.

Thibs is a smart coach with an elite defensive strategy who can win basketball games. There’s no denying that. That being said, his coaching style only works for a specific set of players. It has worked with players like Jimmy Butler. Specifically, Thibs has a tendency to overwork players in brutal practices followed by top guys logging a high amount of minutes. Thibs probably vomits in his mouth every time he hears the term, “load management.” That worked for players like Jimmy Butler. It didn’t work for young stars like Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Knicks need tough love. This is a franchise that’s won only one playoff series since 2000. Maybe Thibodeau is exactly what the Knicks need. Priority number one as the Knicks head coach will be to develop young talent. No star will ever come to New York if the coach can’t build winning players. Instead of taking a risk on a coach who mishandled a roster and hasn’t adapted to how the game’s played in 2020, choose the coach that grew a culture from the ground up and created the blueprint for how to attract stars to an organization. Take the layup and hire Kenny Atkinson.

Who would you hire as the next head coach of the Knicks? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

NBA Regular Season And Playoffs: Readjust, Not Reinvent, The Wheel

LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard

The 2019-2020 NBA season will restart at some point in the next two months. There will most likely be no fans and all the games will be played in one location. Commissioner Adam Silver wants it to happen. The NBA teams and players want it to happen. Fans are begging for basketball, and every sport for that matter, to restart in order to establish a sense of normalcy. The question is not if the NBA 2019-2020 will start, but how will it begin again.

Last week, the NBA sent a survey to all 30 general managers concerning the various proposals as to how to restart and finish the season. Competition formats, game locations, and roster issues were at the top of the list. Yesterday, Adam Silver held a conference call with NBA GMs to discuss the results of the survey. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke down the results.

It’s apparent that the biggest issues revolve around the continuation of the NBA’s regular season and the playoff format. It boils down to two questions: Should the regular season continue, and what format should be used for the playoffs?

Let’s start with the first issue, the regular season. This is where ownership and the players seem to be divided the most. Players want to have at least a few regular-season games to get back into “basketball shape” instead of jumping right into the playoffs. Plus, teams a few games out want to have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. The majority of GMs want to end the regular season and keep the current playoff format.

If the regular season ended today, how would it affect teams on the outside looking in? In the East, it shouldn’t matter at all. The 8 playoff teams are not going to change without a miracle. Washington is 5.5 games behind the current 8 seed, Magic. If the Wizards couldn’t make up that difference during the season, what makes you believe they’ll make up the ground now? Giving the 24-win Wizards the chance to make the playoffs should not be a high priority. In the West, there’s more of an argument. Memphis holds the 8th seed with a record of 32-33. Portland, New Orleans, Sacramento all are 3.5 games back, while San Antonio is 4 games behind. It’s not inconceivable that one of these teams could make a final push for the final spot, which is where a play-in tournament could be beneficial.

The other issue involves the playoff format. Several ideas are floating around as to how the NBA should proceed with their playoffs. They could leave it as is with 8 teams in the East and 8 teams in the West. A proposed World Cup group stage received some positive responses from the GMs. The group stages would replace the regular season and first round. It would be a round-robin type of event where 5 teams (amount of teams is yet to be determined) are placed into 4 groups. Teams play every team in their group twice and the teams with the best two records advance to the second round of the playoffs, where the current format would apply. Problems could arise if the teams are drawn at random like they are in soccer, so a “group of death” could form if the groups are not seeded beforehand.

Now is not the time to belittle creativity. In fact, the NBA should be praised for addressing concerns and creating new formats to serve as solutions. There really are no bad ideas. However, there is a word going around that should scare the NBA and that’s the word, “asterisk.” The NBA is in unprecedented territory, which means all hell could potentially break loose in terms of who wins the championship. Shaq mentioned the NBA should cancel its season because the champion would be labeled with an asterisk. Shaq’s not entirely wrong. If any team other than the Lakers, Clippers, or Bucks win a title because of a new format like a World Cup group stage, no matter how many times Silver says it’s legitimate, it will be difficult for many fans to accept the champion without using an asterisk.

However, if every team plays under the same set of circumstances, there’s no reason to put an asterisk on the season. In fact, one could argue it will be even harder to win this year’s title because of the stoppage and the removal of home-court advantage. Whatever the case may be, the NBA does not need to reinvent the wheel. The best way to ensure the legitimacy of the champion is to keep the playoff format as close to normal as possible. The best teams should advance in the playoffs no matter what. That being said, some minor adjustments could be made in order to give more teams a chance if the regular season is shortened or canceled completely.

If I was the commissioner, this would be my plan.

  • 24 teams restart the season. The teams: top 8 seeds in the East, the top 8 seeds in the West, and the next four teams with the best record in each conference.
  • Teams seeded 9-12 have a play in-game. 9 vs. 12 and 10 vs. 11. So if that happens, here are the matchups – West: 9. Blazers vs. 12. Spurs / 10. Pelicans vs. 11. Kings. East: 9. Wizards vs. 12. Knicks / 10. Hornets vs. 11. Bulls. Winners advance and losers leave town (literally).
  • The two winners then play the 7 and 8 seed in their conference to determine the final two spots in the playoffs. The higher seeded team from the play-in games will play the 8 seed. Potential matchups – West: 7. Mavs vs. lower-seeded team / 8. Grizzlies vs. higher-seeded team. East: 7. Nets vs. lower-seeded team / 8. Magic vs. higher-seeded team. Winners move to the playoffs.
  • While those play-in games occur, every team that’s in the top 8 will play two games that will count towards their record. To keep it random, the games would be against playoff teams from the other conference. To reward the higher seeds, it will be playoff-style seeding. For example, the top-seeded Lakers would play the 8 seed in the East, which is the Magic. The 2 seed, Clippers, would play the 7 seed, Nets, and so on so forth. For game number two, the same rules apply except there are fewer teams. The top-seeded Lakers would then play the 6 seed, 76ers, since teams 7 and 8 will be in the play-in game. 2 seed would play 5 seed and so on and so forth. These games serve as a way for players to get back into basketball shape before the playoff grind begins and in some cases, teams could improve their playoff seeding with wins.
  • Once the dust has settled, start the playoffs under the normal formula with 8 teams in the East and 8 teams in the West. If you need to cut games, make the first round best-of-five. Other than that, the best-of-7 format remains intact throughout.

The plan is not perfect, but no plan will be. Let’s just get the players back on the court and go from there.

How would you continue the NBA season? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

The Last Dance: Michael Jordan’s Views On Winning And Leadership Will Be The Biggest Takeaways

Michael Jordan

On behalf of America, I want to personally thank The Last Dance for airing during the quarantine. Seriously, The Last Dance has been a small beacon of hope these past few weeks. Michael Jordan went six for six in the NBA and now he’s one for one in airing great documentaries during global pandemics. Take THAT, LeBron!

Note: I like and appreciate LeBron James. I can’t wait to watch your documentary in 20 years.

Tonight marks the final two episodes of The Last Dance. However, no matter what airs tonight, my biggest takeaway from The Last Dance happened last week. The clip I’m referencing focuses on MJ and the perception that he’s not a nice guy. These two minutes gave us insight into one of the greatest winners of all time.

https://twitter.com/ZekeHealy/status/1259884600769331205?s=20

“Winning has a price, leadership has a price.”

Was an MJ an asshole? I think it’s safe to say that at times, Michael Jordan was an asshole. MJ punched Steve Kerr in the face, insulted Scott Burrell 24/7, ran teammates out of town, and pushed guys farther than anyone had ever pushed them in their lives. There are different types of leaders. Some leaders get in your face while other leaders tend to back off. There’s no right answer to this question. The only way to measure the greatness of a leader, in this case, is through success. Did Michael’s methods lead to victories?

The answer is a resounding yes. If Jordan didn’t win six championships and six finals’ MVPs, then we’d look at his leadership methods a lot differently. Frankly, there would be no documentary about him either if he wasn’t one of the greatest basketball players of all time. I can’t shake this quote. “The one thing about Michael Jordan was he never asked me to do something that he didn’t fucking do.” It’s not like MJ was barking out orders and sitting comfortably on the sidelines. If you took 100 shots at practice, MJ was going to take 200 shots. If you’re lifting weights for one hour, MJ would do it for three hours. He talked the talk and walked the walk. Jordan was no hypocrite.

It’s difficult for me to comment on Jordan’s impact in the 1990s because I was 6 years old when he won his sixth championship. Through no fault of my own, I’ll never fully appreciate his greatness, both on the court and off because I couldn’t witness it firsthand. However, one thing I can value is his drive to greatness. Watching Jordan discuss the price of winning and leadership makes me want to run through a wall for him. I’ve been waiting for the moment where I won’t like Michael Jordan, and yet, after every episode, I find myself liking him more and more.

MJ may not have been perceived as a nice guy, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. The results speak for themselves.