Nets & Celtics Pull Off Blockbuster Trade

When the Boston Celtics won their last NBA Championship in 2007-08, they were powered by the big three of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Now the big three in Beantown is no more. Allen just won a championship with the Miami Heat, and now Garnett and Pierce are head to Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade.

The deal can't officially be announced until July 10th when the NBA moratorium on player transactions is waived. As of now the trade has been set in motion and looks like this. Brooklyn trades Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, Reggie Evans, Keith Bogans and three first round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 to the Celtics. In exchange, the Nets will get Garnett, Pierce and Jason Terry. According to reports, Terry was included in this trade to aid the offsetting concerns Boston has about Wallace's hefty salary, and he gives the Nets a scoring punch coming off the bench. So with this trade in place, the Nets starting five will look like this: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Brock Lopez, Pierce and Garnett.

Now when it comes to Pierce and Garnett, they are two future hall of famers when their careers are over. That fact I have no doubt. What I would be concerned about is their age. Pierce is 35 years old and will be set to make $15.3 Million next season, while last year he averaged 18.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists last year. With Garnett, he's 37 years old and will be making $24 million over the next two years. Last year he averaged 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds a game. Both guys are still very very good basketball players, there is no debating that fact. It is obvious that they aren't as good as they had been in their younger days, either one of them. During their careers, each guy has played over 1,000 games in the big league, Garnett has played 1,323 NBA games and averaged 19.1 points per game over that career. As for Pierce he has played 1,102 games and averaged 21.8 points per game during that 1,000 game career.

This move shakes up both teams in a big way. The Celtics prove they are going into a rebuilding mode, and it sort of became obvious when they let Doc Rivers go to the Clippers last week. With the Nets they are setting themselves up to become more of an established force in the Eastern Conference, and this coming a few months after the playoff birth and first round exit at the hands of the Bulls.

Both teams are going to come out of this trade better teams. Boston is getting younger, and will again be a contender in a few years. The Nets are getting better now and will be a stronger force and tougher opponent to play against next season.

Patriots Cut Ties With Aaron Hernandez

Well things seem to have gone from bad to worse for the New England Patriots and Arron Hernandez. A little over a week ago it was discovered that Hernandez may be a suspect in the murder of an associate of his by the name of Odin Lloyd. Well early this morning the reality came crashing down around Hernandez, as he was taken from his home in handcuffs by police, and two hours after his arrest he was released from his contract by the New England Patriots. Here is the full story from ESPN.

Aaron Hernandez was arrested Wednesday morning, more than a week after an acquaintance of the New England Patriots tight end was found dead in an industrial park near his house.

Less than two hours following his arrest, Hernandez was released by the Patriots, who announced the transaction on their official Twitter account.

The Bristol County District Attorney's office released a statement officially announcing Hernandez's arrest, although charges were not disclosed. Hernandez was arrested by Massachusetts State Police, who obtained the arrest warrant, and was booked at the North Attleborough Police station.

The Massachusetts State Police announced on its official Twitter account that the charges against Hernandez will not be revealed until his arraignment Wednesday at Attleboro District Court. Hernandez, wearing a white V-neck T-shirt, long red athletic shorts and black sneakers, was led around 9 a.m. ET from the front door of his mansion with his hands in handcuffs behind his back inside the shirt and placed into a police cruiser, which quickly drove away.

He casually spit into some bushes on his way to the car. Hernandez remains at the center of an investigation involving the shooting death of 27-year-old acquaintance Odin Lloyd.

State police officers and dogs had searched Hernandez's home for more than 3½ hours Saturday. ABC News on Friday reported that authorities were expected to execute an arrest warrant at some point for Hernandez for obstruction of justice.

Michael Fee, an attorney for Hernandez, released a statement Monday night that read: "Over the past week, our client, Aaron Hernandez, has been the subject of a relentless flood of rumors, misinformation, and false reports in the media. These include the repeated publication of a supposedly confirmed report that an arrest warrant had been issued for Aaron, a report that was exposed as untrue. "None of these false reports come from official sources and we appreciate the professionalism and restraint shown by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office to date with regard to its public statements while its investigation is underway. Out of respect for that ongoing investigation, we will continue to refrain from commenting on its substance."

The arrest warrant was prepared last week after police discovered that the security system at Hernandez's home, along with his cellphone, were destroyed, sources told ABC News. Surveillance video from the neighborhood shows Hernandez with Lloyd and two other people hours before Lloyd was killed last week, sources confirmed to ABC News late Thursday. Reporters have been camped out for days at Hernandez's sprawling home on the Rhode Island line, not far from the stadium where the Patriots play. The Patriots drafted Hernandez, who is originally from Bristol, Conn., out of the University of Florida in 2010. Last summer, the team gave him a five-year contract worth $40 million.

We would like to thank ESPN and their news sources for allowing us to use the story. So Hernandez arrested, and then cut. This really comes as no surprise to anybody that Hernandez that he was getting released from his contract. Evidence against Hernandez is pretty strong in this case as it relates to how he is going to be dealt with in the case. i think it kinda gives it away when you have you're cell phone destroyed around the same time somebody you know gets killed. I would have thought that he would have been smarter than that, and at least try to cover himself, even if was stupid enough to do something like this.

I will give the Patriots organization full credit right now for handling the whole situation with class the way they have. This was the official statement made by the Patriots just after cutting Hernandez. "A young man was murdered last week and we extend our sympathies to the family and friends who mourn his loss. Words cannot express the disappointment we feel knowing that one of our players was arrested as a result of this investigation. We realize that law enforcement investigations into this matter are ongoing. We support their efforts and respect the process. At this time, we believe this transaction is simply the right thing to do.”

As much as I dislike the Patriots, me being the Jets fan that I am, I tip my hat to the organization for doing the right thing in this situation and handling it with dignity and class. Now that Hernandez is out the Patriots are going to have to try and find another option at tight end.

Championship to Chicago. Hawks Win Stanley Cup

For the 2nd time in the last four years, the Stanley Cup will make its home in the city of Chicago. The Blackhawks claim the 2013 Stanley Cup Championship, the fifth title in the history of the franchise. With Chicago holding a 3–2 series lead heading into Game 6, the desperate Bruins outshot the Blackhawks 12–6 in the first period, with the Bruins ending the period up 1–0 due to Chris Kelly's goal. For Kelly, it was his 2nd goal of this years playoffs, with both goals coming in this series. Kelly scored his first goal in game two of the finals.

However, Chicago would fight back in the second period, as Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews scored on a shorthanded breakaway to tie the game (Toews' goal would be recorded as an even strength goal, as it entered the net just after Andrew Shaw's penalty expired). For Towes it was his 3rd of the playoffs, and two of his three goals coming in the finals. Despite being outplayed by the Bruins in the opening period, Chicago came storming back and took control of the game the rest of the way. Shots went in favor of the Hawks in the middle frame 9-6, and the quality of scoring chances was in favor of the Hawks as well, and by a wide margin.

 The teams entered the third period with the game tied 1–1. However, Milan Lucic would score at 12:11 of the third period to put the Bruins in front again. For Lucic, the goal would be his 7th of the playoffs, and he had established himself as a major force in this series. With the Bruins clinging onto a 2–1 lead late in the third period, the Blackhawks pulled goalie Corey Crawford for the extra attacker. This resulted in Bryan Bickell scoring his 9th of the playoffs, the game-tying goal with 76 seconds remaining in the game. Thus, with the score tied 2–2, it appeared the the Finals would go to overtime for the fourth time. However, only 17 seconds after Bickell's goal, this happened:


Dave Bolland scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, his 3rd of the playoffs. The Bruins were unable to get an equalizer in the final minute with goalie Tuukka Rask on the bench. Bolland's goal at 19:01 of the third period broke the record for the latest Stanley Cup game-winner scored in regulation.

And with that late game heroics from Dave Bolland the party broke out as the Hawks claim the Cup for the 2nd time in four years. Here's the final seconds and ensuing celebration:


With Patrick Kane winning the Conn Smyth Trophy as Playoff MVP, he becomes only the 4th American to ever win the trophy. The other three were Brian Leetch (1994 Rangers), Tim Thomas (2011 Bruins) and Jonathan Quick (2012 Kings). Of all the guys on the Hawks on this years championship team, eight guys were on the team that won the cup in 2010: Jonathan Towes, Patrick Kane Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland and Niklas Hjalmarsson. Of note, Hawks backup goalie Ray Emery was also involved in that 2010 Cup win for the Hawks, bu he was on the wrong end of that finals as he was the Flyers backup. And of note, since the last lockout in 2004-05, the team that has won the cup has done so on home ice only three times: Carolina Hurricanes (2006), Anaheim Ducks (2007) and the Los Angeles Kings (2012).

So there you have it the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals is in the books. Here are the important dates to pay attention to this offseason. The NHL Draft is Sunday June 30th, while free agency begins on July 5th and the schedule for next season is announced on July 17th.

So with the 2013 season in the books, everybody can rest and relax for the summer and gear up for what will be an exciting 2013-14 NHL season!

NHL Award Winners

It comes around once a year, and it honors the best individual efforts in a great team sport. Yes the NHL Awards have been handed out for the 2013 regular season and we got you're winners right here.

Ok so we are going to start off with the awards given out on pure statistics.
Maurice Richard Trophy - Most Goals Scored
WINNER: Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Art Ross Trophy - Most Points
WINNER: Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
William Jennings Trophy - Goaltenders from Club Allowing Fewest Goals
WINNERS: Corey Crawford and Ray Emery, Chicago Blackhawks

Now lets take a look at the winners of the awards that were given out at the end of last week. First up is the  NHL Foundation Player Award, which is awarded to the player who applies the core values of hockey to enrich the lives of people in his community. This year's winner is Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings. Then we have the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. This years winner is Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins.

Next up we have the Bridgestone Messier Leadership Award which is awarded to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season (Awarded by Mark Messier, himself). Finalists for this award were Daniel Alfredsson, of the Ottawa Senators; Dustin Brown, of the Los Angeles Kings; and Jonathan Toews, of the Chicago Blackhawks. Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators walked away with the award, and it's not much of a surprise because how what he was able to do with that Ottawa Senators team he had to play with this year.

Now here is the full final list of the Award nominees and winners:
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy - Perseverance, Sportsmanship, Dedication to Hockey Finalists: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins; Josh Harding, Minnesota Wild; Adam McQuaid, Boston Bruins. Winner was Josh Harding of the Minnesota Wild.

General Manager of the Year Finalists: Marc Bergevin, Montreal Canadiens; Bob Murray, Anaheim Ducks; Ray Shero, Pittsburgh Penguins WINNER: Ray Shero, Pittsburgh Penguins. Murray and Bergevin both deserve strong consideration for this just because of how they were able to assemble playoff teams and got their teams better than they were a year ago. The reason I feel Shero won the award was because he was just a step above the other two guys in being able to pull off the moves he was and able to assemble the best team in the Eastern conference.

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy - Sportsmanship and Gentlemanly Conduct Finalists: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks; Matt Moulson, New York Islanders; Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning WINNER: Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning. St. Louis had only 14 total minutes, it was a bit higher than the minutes total than the other two guys nominated, Moulson and Kane. I think it was just because of where he plays and his style of play is that of a superstar status but is more quiet than any other star in the league.

Ted Lindsay Award - Most Outstanding Player as Selected NHLPA Members Finalists: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins; Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals; Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning WINNER: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins. This one doesn't need to be discussed it was the players vote.

Frank J. Selke Trophy - Best Defensive Forward Finalists: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings; Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks WINNER: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks. This one was a bit of a surprise. Both Bergeron and Datsyuk have won this award, Datsyuk won it three years in a row and Bergeron won it last year. Both guys had outstanding years but Towes helped the Hawks to one of the lowest defensive numbers in the league. Towes just barley beat the othe two out in a close race.

Calder Memorial Trophy - Rookie of the Year Finalists: Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens; Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers; Brandon Saad, Chicago Blackhawks WINNER: Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers. Huberdeau had better offensive numbers than either Gallagher or Saad and was just a little more impressive than either guy in their rookie seasons. I think Saad is a little better off right now that he is playing for the Cup, but since this is a regular season award, Huberdeau had the better first year in the league than the other two guys.

Jack Adams Award - Coach of the Year Finalists: Bruce Boudreau, Anaheim Ducks; Paul MacLean, Ottawa Senators; Joel Quenneville, Chicago Blackhawks WINNER: Paul MacLean, Ottawa Senators. This one was somewhat of an obvious choice. Boudreau did a good job of turning the Ducks around and into a playoff team and a 4th place finish, he had a good year. Quenneville got the Hawks to the President's trophy as the best team in the league, and a record setting unbeaten streak to start the season. The reason though that MacLean beat him out is because, just like Ken Hitchkock last year, MacLean had a difficult situation to coach in. MacLean took an injury prone team, that had average talent during a chunk of the year and kept them in the playoff race all year and got them into the 2nd round of the playoffs. MacLean got Ottawa to where they are and deserved the award mroe than the other two.

Vezina Trophy - Best Goaltender Finalists: Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets; Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers; Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks WINNER: Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets. This award was a little tough to pick. Niemi had a good year with the Sharks but that's what is expected of him. Both Lundquivst and Bobrovsky had outstanding years and are a HUGE reason that their respective clubs finished where they did during the year. Both guys had outstanding numbers, don't get me wrong.
The difference is Bobrovsky did it for a subpar team in the Blue Jackets. Now I say subpar but I mean that only when comparing them to a team like the Rangers. There is one other person who should have been considered for this award and that is Craig Anderson of the Senators who had better numbers than all three goalies. Why Anderson wasn't nominated was because he played half as many games as the other guys due to injury. Had Anderson been healthy all year he would have won the award hands down.

James Norris Memorial Trophy - Best Defenseman Finalists: Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins; P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens; Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild WINNER: P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens. This again was a bit of a surprise, considering the fact that Subban had missed the beginning of the season due to contract disputes with Montreal. Once he did get into the Habs lineup though, Subban did have a better year than the other two guys and was deserving of the award.

Hart Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player Finalists: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins; Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals; John Tavares, New York Islanders WINNER: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals. This award was a surprise. I felt it should have gone to Tavares, and I'm not saying that as an Islanders fan. Yes Ovie had a great year and congrats to him for winning the Award. But the reason I feel it should have gone to Tavares is because he was the BIGGEST reason the Islanders even got into the playoffs. He carried that hockey team, and gave the Islanders a chance to win every single night. He played incredible hockey night in and night out and was by far the best player on his team on some nights. I think the reason Ovie beat him out is because he helped get the Caps the division title thats the only thing i can possibly think of.

There you have it the 2013 NHL Award Winners!

Jason Kidd Named New Nets Coach

Not long after calling it a career as a player, Jason Kidd begins his newest career as a head coach. It was announced yesterday that Jason Kidd is the newest head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, the 18th head coach in franchise history. The move reunites Kidd with the franchise he led to consecutive NBA Finals in 2002 and '03, when the Nets played in New Jersey. He spent 6½ seasons with the Nets, averaging 14.6 points, 9.1 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game, and is their career leader in numerous statistical categories. The Nets did not retain P.J. Carlesimo despite the fact he went 35-19 after taking over for Avery Johnson this past season. The Nets were beaten by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs.

If history is any indication, Jason Kidd may be putting himself in a decent situation. The most notable players turned coaches are Mark Jackson and Bill Russell having success on the bench. Now the only question mark I have is how well Kidd will be able to handle the situation. He just retired on June 3rd, and was hired less than ten days later as the coach, so he still has a good idea of what teams and players do around the league.

One of the main draws to Kidd is the effect he has on Nets point guard Deron Williams. Kidd and Williams are close friends, with Kidd somewhat in the big brother role. The Nets believe that if Williams is engaged and playing his best, many of their problems are solved and the Nets are a far better team. With Kidd at the helm, they believe Williams will play at his optimum level.

We all know how good a point guard Kidd was during his playing career, so now lets see how he turns that into a coaching career. Since he has just retired, his emotion as a player may still be evident and that could be a factor as a coach. Will he be a success behind the Nets bench, only time will tell.

Tim Tebow Signed With Patriots

So after a failed experiment in New York with the Jets, Tim Tebow is on to the newest chapter in his NFL career. After being cut by the Jets on April 29th, Tebow was sitting around doing nothing until yesterday when he was signed by the New England Patriots. According to some reports, as it has not been fully confirmed to this point, the contract is worth two years and $10 Million, although the money isn't guaranteed as of yet. The move reunited Tebow with Josh McDaniels, now the Patriots offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. To be totally honest, the only team I really feel can handle the media circus that will be surrounding Tim Tebow will be the New England Patriots.

It is unclear as to what position and role Tebow will have with New England as of now, but there have been a few theories thrown around as to what will be done. Rumor has it there are three positions he could be used in; backup quarterback, running back, or tight end. Again nothing has been set in stone as Tebow has just reported to the Patriots for the first time today. According to ESPN, Tebow has been criticized for his throwing motion but has said he wants to play quarterback, not switch positions. Still, the Patriots could need help at tight end after Rob Gronkowski underwent a fourth operation for a broken forearm and faces back surgery.

Now everybody knows he isn't the greatest throwing quarterback in the league, that has been very well documented. What he is best known for is his legs not really his arm. That's why if I was him I would be more open to moving positions. Face facts there is now way no how he is getting snaps under center this year if Tom Brady has anything to say about it. Brady is the starter and will be unless he somehow gets injured again, which I don't see happening anytime soon. So if Tebow really wants playing time I say he should be open to a possible switch in positions.

For Tebow as a player I do think that the Pats may be the best fit for him. The media circus that surrounded Tebow at Florida, Denver and with the Jets could be minimized by Belichick, who keeps a tight lid on players' interactions with reporters. So what will happen with Tebow with the Pats we will find out as the summer moves along and we get closer to the regular season.

For the record the Jets and Pats play both of their games before Halloween. First they play week two on Thursday night 12th at 8:25pm, in New England, then the final meeting will be at MetLife Stadium week seven on October 20th at 1.

Nadal King of Clay, Rafael Wins French Open

He is King of Clay for a reason. After dominating for most of the tournament, RAfael Nadal captured his 8th French Open title on the famed clay courts at Roland Garros. Nadal won his 8th title by beating David Ferrer in straight sets, 6–3, 6–2, 6–3. A week past his 27th birthday, Nadal now owns 12 major trophies in all -- including two from Wimbledon, one each from the U.S. Open and Australian Open -- to eclipse Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver and equal Roy Emerson for the third-most in history. Nadal trails only Roger Federer's 17 and Pete Sampras' 14.

Oh yeah and all time at Roland Garros, Nadal holds an all time record of 59-1. Nadal won a record 31 consecutive matches at the French Open until the fourth round in 2009, when Robin Soderling beat him. In 2010, Nadal started a new streak, which currently stands at 28.

This guy has been so good at what he does for so long, and it's now becoming more evident. Nadal is one of the greatest tennis players in our generation, maybe even all time. There's no telling how far this guy is gonna go, as he's only 27 years old. With 16 major titles at that age, there's no telling how many he is going to pick up before he decides to call it a career.

Nadal dominates on clay again, and at the pace he's going, he will shatter ever major tennis record in the books.

MLB Seeks To Suspend Players

The story broke last summer about the Biogenesis steroid scandal out in Miami. Now reports have been floating in that Major League Baseball will seek to suspend about 20 players connected to the Miami-area clinic at the heart of an ongoing performance-enhancing drug scandal, including Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun, possibly within the next few weeks. If the suspensions are upheld, the performance-enhancing drug scandal would be the largest in American sports history.This according to Outside the Lines and ESPN.

One source familiar with the case said the commissioner's office might seek 100-game suspensions for Rodriguez, Braun and other players, the penalty for a second doping offense. The argument, the source said, is the players' connection to Bosch constitutes one offense, and previous statements to MLB officials denying any such connection or the use of PEDs constitute another. The players who might ultimately face discipline from MLB include: Rodriguez, Braun, Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, Yasmani Grandal, Nelson Cruz, Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero, Jhonny Peralta, Cesar Puello, Fernando Martinez, Everth Cabrera, Fautino de los Santos, Jordan Norberto and a number of other players who either are identified by code names or whose names appear in other documents not obtained by "Outside the Lines."

The biggest question I have in this is what the hell took Baseball so damn long to get the ball rolling on this story. They knew about it last summer when the story first broke. I just feel that it should have been doing something like this long ago instead of getting running with it now. Granted baseball didn't really have much to work off of to push this issue, I just feel they could have tried at least to get going a bit faster on this or try and do something sooner before waiting till now.

This story also brings back the debate on what baseball can do about steroid use in its game. Buster Olney of ESPN feels that even if MLB is able to suspend players for 100 games, it won't deter others from using PEDs, and MLB won't ever get rid of its drug problems until penalties are even harsher. To a degree he has a very valid point. Suspending guys for 100 games after two failed tests isn't harsh enough in my opinion, I feel that should be the penalty for the first failed test.

Look we all know that steroids are used by athletes, that has been known for a long time now, even before baseball really started cracking down on it. Some people think that sports, and in this case baseball should consider just turning the other cheek, and I think that's a bad idea. Its putting a black eye on the world of sports, especially for the athletes who have gotten to the pro level on hard work and talent. I'm not saying there's a right or perfect way to weed steroids out of sports, because I honestly don't think there is ever going to be a perfect way to weed it out. What needs to happen is get the players union and owners together during the offseasons and try to figure out a solution that both parties can agree on. And it should be a mandatory meeting so the players have no way of getting out of it. Baseball should be able to figure this out, and lets hope they can figure it out before it's too late to really do something about it.

Episode #7

Well here it is. The Newest Episode of Solly & Steve on Sports is up and running for you're listening pleasure: