Need for Sheed

I know a couple of guys who really having a dying love for Rasheed Wallace. My love for Sheed isn't at their level so I had to have one of those guys, Minkley do a post honoring Rasheed.


With the news of Rasheed Wallace’s retirement comes much reflection and remembrance of a captivating and charismatic career. We have watched the self-proclaimed “Dirty 30” get rowdy, trash talk, yell and complain, drain threes, and most often…get ‘T’ed up…and again…and again


Over 15 years of an NBA career, “Sheed” has made it to the playoffs 14 times, been an All-Star four times, won one NBA championship ring (with the Pistons in ’04), and apparently has yet to commit a foul.

After game seven of the 2010 NBA Finals, Wallace’s last game (unless he pulls out a Jordan-esque return), Rasheed gave us a fitting night cap on his career when he waited outside the referees locker room, banging on the door while still in his game jersey. He had to be coerced back onto the bus, and God only knows what would’ve happened if the Crawford boys had opened up that door. Perhaps a little “ball doesn’t lie” and a quick game of “HORSE” were in order. Sadly, we will never know.

Sheed, you were always one to entertain. To the best of my knowledge, Wallace is the only player to ever have been ejected from the McDonald’s All American game for the top high school players in the country. From there, he terrorized collegiate officials for two years at North Carolina under Dean Smith before heading off to become the NBA’s most entertaining bad boy.

“Roscoe” had his best personal years playing for the Portland Trailblazers in the first half of his career, after his first (and only) playoff-less season with the Washington Bullets in ’95-’96. With career highs of 19.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 2.8 APG, Rasheed Wallace may have never realized his full potential as a basketball player, but as he holds both the single season (41) and all-time (306) records for technical fouls by a player, he never lacked enthusiasm and passion. He may have to come back at some point as a coach to chase down Jerry Sloan’s mark of 413 combined technicals as both a coach and a player.

There was the time Wallace was ejected for staring down the ref. There was the season after the Pistons won the title that he wore a WWF Championship Belt to every single game. There was his crazy Carlton dancing in the huddle prior to each game. There was his beat-boxing rendition of jingle bells; his creep behind Reggie Miller broadcasting; his lion’s roar at UNC’s Midnight Madness during his freshman year; and, of course, the classic “both teams played hard” press conference with the Blazers.

Rasheed just has the entertainment value that no other NBA player, save maybe Ron Artest, can match. It comes from his on-court tirades (Ball don’t lie!), off-court antics (2010 playoff karate chop), and strange appearance. Back in his Portland days, Sheed and his boys (Bonzi Wells, Scottie Pippen, etc…) started the headband fad that never seemed to fade in his mind. He also loved to grow out a nappy mini-fro from time to time, supplemented nicely by his classic beard. Whether you like him or not, it’s impossible not to chuckle at his appearance.

So next time you’re down at the bar with your buddies, or in my case, just chuggin’ brews wherever possible, I ask that you raise your glass one last time for the man who disguised his receding hairline with his headband, but could never hide that incredible bald spot; the man who was legitimately shocked and would sprint down the court with hands high above his head if a foul was ever called on him; the man who screamed in pain with his mouth wide open any time he was fouled; the man who will be forever known by one name: SHEED.

-Andy Minkley
If I am not covering something that you are interested in writing a guest post email me at tritscca@uwec.edu

NBA Preview: Eastern Conference: Central Division

In trying to make this blog more in-depth for the next week or so I will be doing a preview of each division in the NBA. We will look at key players, an outlook, and where they will finish in the East or West. Here we gooo.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers- KEY PLAYERS: SF LeBron James, PG Mo Williams, C Shaquille O'Neal. OUTLOOK: I didn't like how the Cavs looked last night and the Shaq deal I felt was a lateral move. They need to go out in February and bring in a key accusation because now I still feel they have a step away from being an NBA contender. PREDICTION: 3rd in the Eastern Conference.

2. Chicago Bulls- KEY PLAYERS: PG Derrick Rose, SF Luol Deng, PF Joakim Noah. OUTLOOK: I think this is a huge year for Derrick Rose who hopefully has developed more of a jumper and can make that supposed "second year jump". Losing Ben Gordon does hurt scoring, but I think he hogged the ball way too much therefore I think the Bulls will be a better team. PREDICTION: 5th in the Eastern Conference.

3. Detroit Pistons- KEY PLAYERS: SG Rip Hamilton, SF Tayshaun Prince, PF Charlie Villanueva. OUTLOOK- On paper, the Pistons look like they could have a formidable team, also Ben Gordon will help the bench immensely. Although, you have to wonder how much Hamilton has left in him. I think they are good enough to steal a bottom spot in the East. PREDICTION: 8th in the Eastern Conference

4. Indiana Pacers- KEY PLAYERS: SF Danny Granger, PG TJ Ford, PF Troy Murphy. OUTLOOK: The Pacers really should have a logo "What can white do for you?" Anyways, they could make some moves and Granger is the most underrated player in the NBA right now. PREDICTION: 11th in the Eastern Conference.

5. Milwaukee Bucks-KEY PLAYERS: SG Michael Redd C Andrew Bogut, PF Hakim Warrick. OUTLOOK: Ah, I told myself I am going to be a bigger Bucks fan but they are not looking good whatsoever with talks of Redd on the move come February. Plus Joe Alexander is out for 3-4 months, not good. PREDICTION: 13th in the Eastern Conference.

-Charlie.

Big Moves in Motown

I am combing this into one article when it really should be two but to be honest, its been a hell of a work week for me and that you should consider yourself lucky that I care about the integrity of the blog to keep it going. In addition, I thank all the University of Kentucky fans that found me, my buddy Ron compared to the Hoff in Germany which is fairly accurate.

Anyways lets begin with the Detroit Pistons decision to fire first-year head coach Michael Curry on Monday. I personally feel that this was the right choice for the Pistons because it was clear that Curry wasnt working with the players he had. Richard Hamilton hated him according to multiple sources for not giving him consistent playing time and when your star player is unhappy that is never a good sign for your career. I believe that Curry wanted to make his own waves doing it basically his way and he could never figure out how to do that.

I also would like to put some blame on General Manager Joe Dumars. Curry thought he would have Chauncey Billups all season and had a plan set around using Chauncey, Rip, and Rasheed Wallace only to get thrown out the window in the first week with a deal to get Allen Iverson. I realize this AI deal pays off later in the article but it did enough damage to Curry as a coach to get him fired. I would hope they get a guy like Avery Johnson who seemed to got the shaft in Dallas and would have something to prove.

Here is where Dumaes has his "Dumb and Dumber" moment where he totally redeems himself. Today on the first day of free agency, he inks two of the bigger free agents in Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. I am mixed on these two but because they are in the Eastern Conference, it will make a quick impact. I think CV in a way is like a softer, younger Rasheed Wallace. He loves to stay around the premiter and jack threes when they are not warranted. Also CV doesnt seem to make to be a true four and hang around the post, he only does it when needed. He gets his rebounds thanks to awesome athletic ability but its hard to believe he was a top 10 pick.

Ben Gordon is a guy I personally liked in college but not so much in the pros. He falls into the type of player that if he catches fire in the first quarter will keep shooting the rest of the game no matter if he misses the next ten which can cost a team a game. Now heres my question does Gordon come off the bench or are the Pistons not done this offseason? I am guessing right now the lineup looks like this Rodney Stuckney-Rip-Tayshaun Prince-CV-Jason Maxiell/Fabrico Oberto? I could see them trying to deal Prince for a solid center to free up time for the UCONN connection on the wings (never played together in college but always nice to have a guy who went to the same school)

-Charlie.

AI Headin to Motown; Billups Back Home

The first major trade in the NBA went down and we arent even a full week into the NBA.

If you have been watching ESPN at all today, you will realized that Allen Iverson has been traded to the Detroit Pistons and Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb all go to the Nugguts.

One of the first things I did was text my buddy Shay whose a huge Carmelo Anthony fan and said "the Nuggets became a contender again." He agreed of course but I really do believe they have vaulted themselves into the top five because they got Billups who is a top-tier defender plus he is an assist machine instead of being a shoot-first Allen Iverson. That also frees up guys like Anthony, and J.R. Smith. I really like the Nuggets chances in the West.

As for the Pistons, I dont understand how AI and Rasheed Wallace plan to coexist in Detroit. I mean it would make for a great VH1 reality show but not really a good mix of basketball players. Marc Stein on ESPN reported that Dumars has always been fond of AI ever since the year 2000 and that new Bucks GM John Hammond was the guy holding back deals for Iverson because if you remember when Philly was throwing his name around, Detroit was one of the interested suitors. I like Cleveland's chances more and more to be the number two in the East instead of Detroit because of this deal. The only real positive for Detroit is I think you will see Jason Maxiell will become a prime time player for Detroit.

-Charlie.