Bobcats outlast 76ers 88-83 4/3/13

The Charlotte Bobcats were able to achieve their 12^th Home victory this season defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 88-83 on Wednesday night. The 76ers came into this game with eyes on making the playoffs this year trying to extend their three game win streak, but the Bobcats were able to spoil their chances. The 76ers are chasing the Milwaukee Bucks for the 8^th spot. With the win, and the Bucks losing, they would have only been five games behind. “They are a team that wants to get in the playoffs”, Bobcats Coach Mike Dunlap said. “They wanted the game bad and they couldn’t get it”.
Charlotte was lead behind Starting Guard Gerald Henderson with 24 points recording his 17^th straight game scoring in double figures and his 8^th 20-point game in the last 14 games. “I’m just trying to be aggressive. When I’m aggressive it makes our team better”, Henderson said. “I’m able to draw defenders and make a play for my teammates”. Also Star Guard Kemba Walker added 17 points and 10 Assist, while Forward Josh McRoberts also contributed with 12 points and grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds. Missing three centers in tonight’s game, Byron Mullens, Brendan Haywood, and Gana Diop was not a problem for Charlotte as they were able to out-rebound their opponent 50-47.
Philadelphia was able to jump out on Charlotte’s pretty strong gain to lead up to 16 in the second quarter but, Charlotte was able to battle back. The Bobcats defenses were too much for the 76ers. All Star Guard Jrue Holiday went 2 of 24 from the field and missed a key shot in the final minutes. “It was one of those nights where the ball would go in and out”, Holiday said. Despite the struggle of Holiday, Damien Wilkins was able to lead the 76ers in scoring with 20 points shooting 7 for 14 from the field and grabbing nine rebounds. Wilkins was able to hit the last point for the 76ers of the game allowing them to gain an 83-82 lead but Henderson was able to spoil that. With less than a minute in the 4^th, Henderson was able to knock down a 15-footer giving the Bobcats the lead.
Right after a timeout, Henderson came alive again stealing an in-bounded pass and driving it all the way for the slam giving Charlotte a three point lead. Jrue Holiday could have tied the game hitting a 3-pointer, but decided to drive to the lane and came up short. The Charlotte Bobcats improve to 18-57, while the 76ers will fall to 30-44 cutting their playoff hopes away.

Bobcats shred ten game losing streak beating Celtics 3/12/13

Better Luck next time! The Charlotte Bobcats were too much for the shorthanded Boston Celtics as they fell 100-74 on Tuesday night. The Bobcats were led behind Gerald Henderson’s Career-High 35 Point performance. Henderson shot 11 for 19 from the floor and was perfect from the free throw line on all 12 attempts. “I was just trying to be aggressive from the start and just attack”, Henderson said.
Henderson got off to a very hot start scoring 21 of his 35 points in the first half. “Gerald Henderson just looked at every one who was guarding him and said, “I’m better than you””, Doc Rivers said. “And we fouled a lot”. Despite Charlotte’s star, Kemba Walker, struggles from the floor (10 Points 4-11) after scoring 29 points against the Washington Wizards in their previous game. Ben Gordon and Josh McRoberts were key contributors off the bench. Gordon scored 17 Points and McRoberts recorded his first Double-Double in a Charlotte uniform with 13 Points and 10 Rebounds. Jeff Green and Jordan Crawford each had 14 points for the Celtics while future Hall Of Famer, Forward, Kevin Garnett, was held to five points on 2-of-10 shooting. Garnett only needed nine points to pass Jerry West and move into 15^th place on the All-Time scoring list, but struggled throughout the game.
“Kevin got frustrated in the first five minutes of the game”, Coach Rivers said. The Boston Celtics seemed a bit out of tune without their star Forward, Paul Pierce, missing tonight’s game due to resting. “Hopefully he rests when we play them again on Saturday”, Gordon said. “Tell him to go get more rest”. The Bobcats seemed to have wanted it more than the Celtics tonight outscoring the C’s 40-24 in the paint area and shooting 80% (24-30) from the free throw line. Also the Bobcats were also able to dominate the paint by out rebounding the Celtics 48-29 with 16 Offensive Rebounds.
“We didn’t let the game get sloppy and that’s what I like best about it”, Bobcats Coach Mike Dunlap said. Celtics Forwards Green, Garnett, and Brandon Bass combined for only 12 Rebounds which is an unusual stat line for the Celtics. The Bobcats were able to gain a great start on the Celtics jumping out on an 8-0 run. Boston was able to gain the lead (34-33) with 5:28 left in the 2^nd Quarter, but the Bobcats hot shooting continued. “I thought our guys thought well let’s trade baskets. If they score we can score back on them, but we couldn’t do that”, Coach Rivers said. “We couldn’t match how hard they played”.
With tonight’s win Charlotte was able to snap a 10 game losing streak. “We been in the dessert with 10 losses”, Coach Dunlap said. “I’m happy for the fans. I have great respect for our fans because they keep coming”. Charlotte leads the season series against Boston 2-1 and will face off again on March 16^th.

My First NBA Media Experience

On the court: The Charlotte Bobcats suffered yet another tough 4^th Quarter loss to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday 97-93. After scoring an embarrassing 69 points in a 16 point loss to Memphis just the day before, the Kings were determined to bring home a win.
The Kings were led behind Marcus Thornton’s 18 points off the bench followed by a strong fourth quarter push by Tyreke Evans (16 points) to receive the win. The Kings led most of the game dominating with 40+ points in the paint and shooting 85% from the free throw line. Shooting only 26-38 (68 Percent) from the free throw line prevented Charlotte from securing a comeback rally.
Bobcats star Guard, Kemba Walker, struggled throughout the game shooting 6/17, but contributed 10 assist. Walker had an opportunity to tie the game but shot an air-ball on a three-point attempt with three seconds left as Charlotte fell 10-31 for the season. “They gave me pretty good pressure, but I thought I had an open shot,” Walker said. “I kind of hesitated. I would’ve shot it right away, because I thought I was open. But I hesitated. It’ll be like that sometimes.”
In the final four minutes four missed shots, two turnovers, and a goaltending call determined the game’s outcome for Charlotte. Ramon Sessions led the Bobcats in scoring a contributing 16 Points for Charlotte, while The Kings Star Center, Demarcus Cousins, recorded his 18^th double-double Saturday with 17 points and 10 Rebounds.
Despite a sore back injury, Gerald Henderson, added 15 Points for Charlotte. The Bobcats remain winless at home since November 21^st losing fourteen games straight. “ We’ve just got to come out ready to play next time,” Walker said. “It’s tough. We’ve been losing some pretty close games, and we definitely need a home win. It’s been a long time.”

Off the court: My first NBA media experience was an enjoyable and cherish-able opportunity. Everyone who had a job in the arena from the security, Media Professionals, Dancers and NBA professionals not only enjoy what they do, but they take their job very seriously. It’s like these guys look forward to coming to work with no complaints.
“I’ve been working 25 years in the media industry, but I’ve never worked a day in my life”, said during a conversation with a Media Professional. "When you join a career you love, you never have to work."
During warm ups, I’ve observed that NBA players do not take their job lightly or for granted at all. For every shot Charlotte Bobcats Guards Kemba Walker and Ben Gordon took, it was to perfection to make sure they could almost never miss that shot in a game situation.
Observing those guys shot after shot truly shows they are competitors and professionals at what they do. On the other side, these professional players are HUMANS just like us. The music and conversations they would have I could relate to, because it was no different from my everyday life. The stereotypes that we put on these NBA players today are almost ridiculous because of the way fans can make players perceive themselves as terrible people.
When we watch an NBA game it’s very rare we would see a smile or even a smirk on a NBA players face, because of the competitiveness zone these players are in to achieve a win. But off the court, these guys embrace each other like brothers who share the same goals and share the same competitiveness. These are family men who enjoy life, just no different from the everyday life we live on a daily basis. The only difference is that they have an enhanced skillful talent in basketball.
Brendan Haywood, a 7’0” 263 lbs. Center for the Charlotte Bobcats, is perceived to be angry and aggressive on the court, but from my observation off the court, he is a humorous guy who enjoys his job. If you went to work every day and did not complete your work task each time, do you think your boss would be happy? In a lot of cases you would be considered to be on the top of the list of getting fired, simply because you have no value to that company.
Professional athletes share the same American Dream from everyone else and that is to work to gain a stabilize amount of wealth, and to take care of their family. The only difference is corporate America wants you to wear business attire while athletes wear a team uniform with a number on it.

More Than A Game

Have you ever attended an NBA game? When you attended an NBA game, do you ever realize the little things about the game off the court that makes your NBA experience great? During my time at the Bobcats-Celtics game, I was able to observe not just the great game between the two abundant teams but also the little things that Television programs do not often show.
From the time you step into Time Warner Cable Arena getting your tickets scanned to enter the game, there are many associates who welcome these fans with huge smiles. Once you enter the arena there are Cheerleaders taking pictures, fresh food, kids playing miniature basketball games, Bobcats rhythm drum team playing music, and much more entertainment. You can almost call it a professional entertaining circus but subtract the Clowns, dirt bikes, and animals. The way the NBA is today is much more different than the older days where you would just come for two teams to square off against each other.
In today’s day, the NBA is working efficiently on creating a “Family first” oriented game and business. They make sure that when fans attend a basketball game event, you and your whole family received their up-most entertainment that makes you want to come back for more. When you see NBA Players or Coaches perform immoral actions on the court, NBA Commissioner, David Stern, is forced to discipline them for their wrongful actions.
Commissioner Stern also has developed a charity program, “NBA Cares”, where NBA players can perform great deeds for their community to show they are more than just million dollar athletes. The “NBA Cares” goal is to create a place for Children and Families to have places to live, learn, and play. Since the establishment of NBA Cares in October 2005, the NBA family has contributed more than 1.4 million hours of hands-on service, raised more than $145 million for charity, and created more than 525 places where children and families can live, learn, or play.
The game itself between professional teams are real and still competitive for basketball fans to enjoy, but it is also a game where your family or other non-basketball fans will enjoy too. Do you ever find yourself getting frustrated when a commercial or halftime show comes along and puts your entertained mind on a halt? Well when you attend an actual game LIVE you never have to worry about that happening because there is non-stop entertainment to keep you and your family entertained. During those commercial breaks and half time shows that fans at home have to suffer with, at the Bobcats game they have music playing, t-shirt tossed in the crowed fans, game trivia, different kinds of contest fans can enter, and many more. Don’t forget about the mascot!
Charlotte’s very own Mascot “Rufus” is a great aspect of entertainment for your NBA experience also. He walks all through the arena cheering with fans, taking pictures, does silly actions around the court, and keeps the energy flowing in the building by fans. The NBA game is not just a game anymore but more of an opportunity for an extravagant fun for every sex, age, and gender making it More Than a Game!

Who is Stephanie Ready?

Not only was I giving an extraordinary opportunity to watch an extravagant game between the Charlotte Bobcats and Philadelphia 76ers, but before the game was actually my better experience. I was blessed and honor with an opportunity to interview an historical phenomenal women named Stephanie Ready.  Who is Stephanie Ready? Stephanie Ready is a former Basketball coach who became the first female to coach in a men’s professional league from 2001-2003. She served as an assistant coach with the Greenville Groove of the National Basketball Development League (NBADL). She is currently serving as a sideline reporter and Sports Analyst for the Charlotte Bobcats.
Ready is originally from Takoma Park, Maryland where she graduated Cum Laude from Coppin State with a major in Psychology. At Coppin State she was a standout player in Volleyball and Basketball ranking in the top 10 in assist, steals, points, and rebounds. The beginning of coaching years started at her Alma-Ata Coppin State as a Volleyball Coach where she served three years as the youngest coach in Division I Volleyball. One of her biggest accomplishments was snapping their 129-match losing streak. Ready coached the Volleyball team for three years and resigned in 2001.
Soon after that, Ready was hired by Ron Mitchell to assist him with the Coppin State men’s basketball team, becoming the third women to coach in Division I men’s basketball. In that same year Stephanie had to resign because she was giving the opportunity to help coach in the men’s D-League with the Greenville Groove. “It was an amazing experience”, Ready said. “It was also challenging of course because I was young in my career and there were players older than I was when I was coaching”. In the first year as an assistant coach, Ready helped led the Groove to a championship in their first year. “It was an extraordinary run” said Ready. “I still have great relationships with the coaches, players, and their kids”.
Stephanie is a great exemplar of what most females should follow when having doubts of trying to compete with males for a position. ESPN for example, which has a predominance of males working in that company, females are perceived to not fit the level of competition as a sports analyst like a lot males. Stephanie Ready definitely disagrees with that statement. “If you’re passionate about something then you will always find a certain level of success at that” said Ready. “In Sports in particular with females you really have to know what you are talking about. If you are passionate about it you will find success and don’t worry about what other people think”.
Would we ever see Stephanie on the sidelines again as a coach? “That’s a question I get asked a lot”, a chuckling Ready answered. “The answer is yes, but not right now. I love broadcasting and staying this close to the game without having the stress of being a coach”. When you attend a Charlotte Bobcats game just look towards the entrance of the Bobcats and you will Stephanie at her work desk working on her craft constantly studying her notes. She also has this emotional attachment with the fans that attend always willing to talk, take pictures, and fulfill the fans with a smile and wave.  It’s not a job for Ready but more like a career attachment with the game that she learned about and loves.