AGRI Biz

Although I'm sure some people will disagree, it may be time to include Pau Gasol when discussing the best power forwards in the NBA. The Spanish-born player capped off a brilliant year, while winning his first NBA championship, and cementing himself as a cornerstone on a loaded Lakers squad. This discussion would not even be possible had Gasol not been able to free himself from the relative obscurity of the Memphis ...

Lamar Odom, for me, remains one of the most tantalizing figures in sports. Blessed with other-wordly skills and superior athleticism, Odom has superstar written all over him. The only thing is, that although Odom is a gifted player, he has never reached the stardom that was carved out for him. There are many possible reasons for this discrepancy, but from what I can tell, it seems to boil down to a lack ...

The NBA is home to some of the most ego-driven athletes in sports, and we, as fans can't get enough of it. We celebrate the singular achievement of our stars, while team efforts become almost circumstantial. Who cares who won the last championship? My favorite player's stats were better than yours, and thus the argument is lost. This is only one thing that has contributed to NBA players over-inflated value of themselves. In fact, ...

To all of the Indiana Pacer fans waiting to see if a healthy Tyler Hansbrough can make your team better, I feel your pain. As a fan of the North Carolina program, I am well-versed in the anticipation waiting game. Last season, it seemed all the news was about a foot (Marcus Ginyard), a toe (Ty Lawson), or Tyler's now infamous shins. For me, Tyler's problems have been more troubling, and at some ...

Raymond Felton is the type of person who believes in setting goals, and then achieving them. As a youngster in Latta S.C., Felton had dreams of one day playing for North Carolina and helping them win a national championship. He ended up being one of the best point guard prospects in America, and his high school career culminated with a scholarship offer from the Tarheels. Felton had his ups and downs in college, ...

With the birth of a new season comes renewed dreams of success. Like the mythical phoenix, new possibilities rise from the ashes of last season's failures. As the saying goes, Hope Springs Eternal. New faces in different places, rebuilding for some, reloading for others, and some teams just trying to find an identity. Everywhere there are questions, and that includes everyone, pretenders and contenders alike. In Los Angeles, the defending champion's hopes may ...

This for all of the haters of the sports world, you know who you are. You mask your disdain for a player by using numbers that paint a picture, but never tell the whole story. If a player scores 81 points for example, you lessen the accomplishment by mentioning that he only shot in the mid 40 percent range to get it. Nevermind that it's so monumental that you will probably never ...

Everyone remembers the exhiliration of Michael Jordan's last second shot against Byron Russell and the Utah Jazz. Just as many people remember the anguish of Russell, who feels that a push off created an unfair advantage for Jordan. It illustrated a dirty little secret that some fans felt about Jordan. Some people felt that he always pushed off on offense, and others said he grabbed and slapped on defense. To be considered a ...

From the moment most of today's stars displayed an aptitude for basketball, an incredible burden was placed on their shoulders. As their promise grew, so did their burden, until they were like Atlas, bearing the weight of the world. What happened next is inevitableùeither they conquered their burden, or they were crushed underneath it. Talent can be like that because it's great if you're blessed with it. But talent can also be a ...

From the moment most of today's stars displayed an aptitude for basketball, an incredible burden was placed on their shoulders. As their promise grew, so did their burden, until they were like Atlas, bearing the weight of the world. What happened next is inevitableùeither they conquered their burden, or they were crushed underneath it. Talent can be like that because it's great if you're blessed with it. But talent can also be a ...