NBA Draft Grade Sticks

Hopefully by now, everyone in PCTI knows that I don't watch, follow or acknowledge any college sports.  However, I claim to be a draft guru with an eye for talent, hence why I challenged myself in college and walked away with a decorated sport management degree, something that has put me on the fast track to the not only the most competitive job to secure but also the least talented position in the entire business world, an NBA GM.  As we all have learned, GM jobs should not be for former players.  Every now and then a few slip through the cracks and are successful (Ozzie Newsome, ..., ....), but ultimately putting an ex-NBA player in to do a business job ends badly.  Contracts in the NBA are a disaster, players are drafted with no plan in mind as to how they fit into the team, and yet some of these GM's get 2, 3 or 4 chances.  The NBA is the EASIEST organization to be successful at, hence why I want to own a team and take candy from all these babies. 

Now that I have that out of me, I want to give to you my first round draft grades, all of which are compiled based on the opinions I have made in the last week watching analysis, highlight tapes, and running form.  I base my grades on how the players will fit into the team's current roster, along with the quality talent they brought on:

New Orleans Hornets-A:

This was a gimme when it comes to Anthony Davis.  I'm not sure what their plans are for Kaman, but I think he is one of the most underrated players in the league.  Dude is one of the few players in the league with a back to the basket game, and can step out and hurt you from mid range.  Davis can either mask his defensive shortcomings, or allow Kaman to come off the bench and torch the oppositions bench.  Rivers is going to be successful.  Him and EG will give them serious scoring punch, and Vasquez should be able to build on his success he had in limited time as a starter. 

Charlotte-A:

This grade is more because they didn't take the bait on Beals.  MKG is the most likable player I've ever come across.  All players love to talk about how much they love hoops and how important winning is to them, but when this guy says it, you really believe it.  This team is nowhere close to being good, but at least they have what might become the most well liked guy who's name is not Kevin Durant.  If they would have taken Beals their frontcourt would have been a combined 6'1".  I LOVED MKG's draft interview last night.  Dude wants no attention whatsoever.  Scroll to 51 seconds..  Love that guy.

Washington-B:

Beals is solid and actually has a father in his life.  Sadly, that means something and is really shocking.  His stroke is smooth and will work really nicely with Wall.  I don't think Wall is a great passer yet, so I don't think Beals will blow up early.  He is a lot like Evan Turner in the mold of SG's that rebound well, which will be helpful for a team that has one of the worst rebounding big men in the game (Nene).  Beals and Wall are great at shooting gaps, which should result in incremental buckets each game.  Beals has work to do taking the ball to the rack, but shouldn't have to worry about it with soon to be greatest player of all time, Jordan Crawford handling those duties.

Cleveland-F:

Dion Waiters came off the bench.  I don't care what tools he has and what his upside may be, but I can promise you this guy will be as productive as DaJuan Wagner was 8 years ago when he was drafted in this slot (I could be wrong about the amount of years and the draft slot, but don't feel like looking it up).  This, along with Tristan Thompson was a terrible pick and I feel bad for Kyrie Irving, who single handedly won this team 14 more games than the previous year (Yet again another estimate).  In reality, this team had to do something to fill the void left when Anthony Parker announced his retirement recently.  On the bright side, this team still has Boobie Gibson.

Sacramento-A:

Packaging up a high character and productive Thomas Robinson with a low character (But not a bad guy) in Cousins could be a really good start for this team.  Robinson is mature, muscular, productive and instinctive.  Between these two guy's, you have two of the biggest physical freaks patrolling the paint.  It's nice to see Sacramento attempting to build something, despite completely botching last years pick in hopes of putting a few extra people in the seats early on.  Now all they have to do is get rid of Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton.

Portland-C-:

Damian Lillard is an explosive scorer that should be a nightmare with LA off the pick and roll.  I give them credit for doing what all teams should be doing-Taking advantage of Billy King.  They shipped off lame duck Gerald Wallace for this pick, and immediately upgrades their PG position (Despite killing their locker room leadership) by moving away from Ray Felton.  I don't have a problem with the small time college because it appears every player that comes from a small school always ends up good, unless it's the Titans that draft them.  There is no one on the planet that can convince me Meyers Leonard has a chance of being more than a 3, 2 and 1 guy.  You know how I know?  He has bad running form.

Golden State-A-:

I love what this team is doing.  They took serious heat for the Ellis for Bogut trade but now all of a sudden their roster is looking strong.  Bogut is a great big and will hide David Lee's defensive shortcomings.  Curry will be healthy and won't have to defer to Ellis.  It's undecided if Barnes is going to amount to anything, but their roster on paper is looking really good.  I got the pleasure of knowing about Barnes early because he went to a local Iowa school, so I hope for Iowa's sake he turns out to be a player.  That state badly needs it since Collison left.  Plug in Klay Thompson and this team won't have a problem scoring it.  Plus, they have Richard Jefferson to do everything and Andres Biedrins to ice down games from the stripe.

Toronta-C:

Not that Terrance Ross was a bad pick, I just have no idea exactly what this pathetic organization is trying to do.  Their starting 5 right now is Jose Calderon, Demar Derozan, Terrance Ross, Andrea Barginani and Amir Johnson.  Ha.

Detroit-D:

Andre Drummond I guess was good value there, but I don't trust anything Joe Dumars does... Especially when it's in regard to a huge guy that isn't that good and claims his game resembles Kevin Durant (I guess the 29% foul shooting didn't make Drummond think otherwise about that assesment).  Detroit can get away with a luxury pick though now that they have Maggette and Austin Daye handling the leg work. 

Houston-A:

Royce White is my favorite player in the draft.  If anything, I think the anxiety issues make him more appealing.  Weird guys are the toughest to defend and get in their head, so on the court I think he will be a stud.  He must be even weirder than the media is portraying, because I'm not sure I've seen many freaks like this guy.  Dude is like a 6'9" point guard that can do everything but shoot.  He is a match up nightmare.  His shot might be the most broke one I've seen, but when you can do everything else that he can, it really doesn't matter.  Lamb can make up for that with his smooth stroke and ability to knock down off screens and off the dribble.  I think he plays stronger than he looks, so both picks should turn out pretty well.  I'm still confused why anyone thought three picks in the mid-first round was enough to entice the Magic to deal Dwight, but I guess it is the Magic.

Phoenix-C+:

They lose Nash, but get Kendell Marshall.  Everyone knows my obsession with good passers that make their teammates better, and that is exactly what Marshall is.  The only problem is that they actually lose Nash, making them immediately worse on the short term.  Oh yeah, and the Suns have a really bad front office that doesn't know how to build around quality players.  The bright side is that this team has a chance to really outmuscle the opposition, with Robin Lopez and Channing Frye down low doing the dirty work.

Milwaukee-D:

Henson is an atrocious foul shooter, but is very well spoken which I really appreciate.  He is well coached and is a good kid and should fill a small void left by Andrew Bogut.  Honestly, there is just something about this guy that I get a vibe he won't be good.  My instincts tell me something, I've learned it's smart to listen to them.

Philly-F:

You would think grabbing Arnet Moultrie (A guy they targeted with their pick at 15) would make me happy.  I really believe in grabbing rebounding junkies to fill your roster in late, and Moultrie is that, but with a little shooting range.  Hell, he might be able to replace Jodie Meeks as the only guy on the Sixers team who can hit a 3.  The problem with Moultrie and Moe Harkless is that they are the exact same player they have drafted every year for what seems like the last six, every since they finally got rid of Billy King, someone they should have sued for trying to dismantle the franchise.  The Sixers walked into this draft with no GM, leaving Rod Thorn running the show despite new ownership already telling him he is out the door.  That leaves Doug Collins making the picks, who although a great coach, is not a talent evaluator.  Thanks to Doug we are rolling with Evan Turner over Cousins (Both are head cases but Cousins is actually good), and Nicola Vucevic (A slow footed white guy with no chance of being good) over Kenneth Faried.  This draft is incomplete until they finally make the move of Gay for Iguodola, a trade that will make both Memphis and Philly fans happy, despite the fact that it's a complete wash of a trade. 

More to come, sorry for the typos.  This post was not edited.

Vid Stick From the Past

This promo got loss in the shuffle.

PCTI Dead Sea Scrolls

Has some time in the airport today:

Smo: SHAWN BRADLEY. Not a shooter outside of 12 feet. Builds frame in post. Wants to pass out of post. Better turning for shot over right shoulder. Can back tap him from post. DO NOT DOUBLE OR CROWD HIM IN POST. Make him beat us. Will try to block shots. G him nothing easy (poor FT shooter). Be an active helper on him (don’t hug him on perimeter). Pressure him if he is dribbling. Good rebounder. Does not move feet well on the ball. Attack him on offense.

Danny: ERIC SNOW. Not a 3pt shooter, will hit mid range with efficiency. Physical player, must match his effort. Active hands when he has the ball, he is a good passer (take away his vision). Likes pump fakes in the post (low man wins). Sets off ball screens, TALK and COMMUNICATE. Good defender in the half court.

Wes: DEREK FISHER. Role player. Solid shooter with space. Not looking to score. Good team defender, smart player. Conditioning may be an issue, beat him down the floor. He does a decent job of boxing out. Drives right much better than left. Not a good finisher. Pressure him with live dribble, make him be a scorer. He sets screens off the ball, be ready to communicate and talk. Can be beat off the dribble.

McKinney: BRENT BARRY. Underrated player, does all the little things quietly. Must box him out, he is an active offensive rebounder. Will set good on ball screens, be prepared to switch. Likes to drive right and spin back left. Good shooter with space out to 3 point line. Decent defender. Can be beat down the floor in transition. Watch him slipping screens.

Sabin: MONTA ELLIS. High volume, active shooter. Likes to catch and go immediately. Force him left. Will pull up to shoot when going left, doesn’t like pulling up when driving right. Better at attacking rim going right. Will crash the boards on both ends, but does not box out man. CRASH BOARDS if he is guarding you. Likes to get out early in transition. Must be prepared to run with him up and down the court. In the post, likes fade away over right shoulder. Close out thinking he will drive. Will gamble defensively for steals. Be physical with him. PUMP FAKE HIM, he is looking for swats.

Beas: AARON CRAFT. Solid scoring guard. Likes spin move, don’t over commit. Set shooter, not good shooter off the dribble. Force him left. Much better going right. Good ball handler, stay disciplined on the ball. Good athlete, solid defender. Will crash offensive glass.

Bruiser: ANDREW BYNUM. Big body block player. Not a shooter outside of 12 feet. Make him shoot mid range jumpers. Meet him early and don’t let him get deep post position. Turns over left shoulder in the post. High release on shot but no elevation, so you can block his shot if you don’t jump too early. BEAT HIM DOWN THE FLOOR. Not good in transition. Big time rebounder, must get a body on him. Does not move his feet well on the perimeter, drive him. You can crash on him as well. Pump fakes will go, he will jump.

Ben: DWYANE WADE. Versatile player. Good ball handler and driver. Inconsistent shooter. Be alert when he has the ball. Looking to score the ball. Needs to carry their team offensively, he is the key to the game. Better going right than left. Make him use left hand in post or finishing. Be physical with him in box outs. Quicker than you think he is. Likes step back 3’s going left. Watch pump fake and drive right. Must get back in transition. Help out whoever is guarding him on defense. Do not give him seems to the basket. Try your best to keep ball out of his hands. He can get frustrated with refs and disappear.  Can’t let him get it going, he can score in bunches. Good passer, whole team must be alert and engaged when he has the ball. Talk to the ball, he uses screens well. Likes to refuse screen and drive right. Can get lazy on defense. Must keep moving without the ball. We need to wear him down.

Best Coasts PCTI4 Episode 6 Pod Stick w/Dr. Defense

Listen to internet radio with BestCoasts on Blog Talk Radio

Once and Future King

A good piece from Grantland...

Is This Love Real?

Here's the story about LeBron James that I believe: He was a fun-loving kid with Cleveland, back when he was just a prodigious bright spot in a grateful town. He goofed around with his teammates, and he tread lightly on the NBA. Nobody wins titles that way, but still it was a blast, a near revolution. When the youth of it all was fading, he made one right decision by leaving a town where he could never thrive, and one wrong decision to announce it on television in a way that hurt his fans. He was still a good person, but he was entering the real world of expectations, and it reflected negatively on him that he couldn't see the pain he was about to cause. He was punished severely in the court of public opinion, and hatred followed him to Miami. As he admitted Thursday night, he returned that hatred in kind, and karma caught up with him against Dallas. He couldn't find a way to reconcile the love he had for the game with the high stakes and tension of the real NBA. He paid. And then this year, starting with Indiana, he discovered the path. The steps were clear — the Heat beat the Pacers, he became a legend in Game 6 against Boston, and he exorcised the remaining ghosts against Oklahoma City. He played the game on his terms, with love, and he won beautifully.

Maybe this is the story you believe, too, and it's definitely the story LeBron believes. I started coming around against Indiana, and I started loving the narrative after that stunning Game 6. But the question I can't quite answer, no matter how hard I try, is whether it's actually true. Is it just me, wanting to believe that all winners are deserving? I remember rooting so adamantly against LeBron last year, feeling in my bones that it would be wrong for him to triumph without struggle.

I wonder if I'm projecting qualities onto LeBron that aren't really there. Maybe he hasn't changed, and all this narrative wish fulfillment is just my need to reconcile the title with the fact that he made a hurtful move two years ago. Something must have happened in the interval if the man behind that insensitivity was now holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy, right? Otherwise, where's the justice?

It's not a debate that can be won or lost. I leave open the possibility that I'm mistaken — that I wrongly associate winning with more intrinsic qualities — yet I reserve my right to believe. I think I saw it in LeBron, that coming of age that someone like me is bound to crave. But all we know for sure is that sports exceeds the rest of life in one critical way: The outcomes are indisputable. You cannot bullshit your way to the top. Only LeBron James knows what's inside his head, but there's nobody on earth who can fake a championship.

All The Seasons!

Danny asked me to write something up for the blog. Since work was a little slower today, I agreed. The first thing I thought when I was thinking about what to write was, “What do I write about in the offseason?” That is when it hit me, what the hell is an offseason for PCTI. I kept thinking, and I have determined that I break down the year in 3 different seasons (I don’t have to specify PCTI since this is our life now).

• 1^st is the “offseason”. This is after the most recent PCTI has been played, but before the next draft. This is the hardest season for most of us, because we want to celebrate anything good we did in the most recent PCTI, but we also want to move forward and look to the new PCTI. The biggest thing we do is align ourselves with our team and talk shit to the other team. We like to point out the others flaws and hype up our own mediocre abilities. Except for those who played very well the last PCTI, all of us think that the next one we will play better (even though it’s probably not going to change). The “offseason” is kind of like seeing the same high school friends for a week during the summer; there is only so much to reminisce on from high school/ the last PCTI. The only thing that really happens for the future PCTI is a couple mock drafts. Otherwise, it’s what has happened in the past. This is why the draft always gets moved up.

• 2^nd is “Hype season”. Not sure if there is a better name, but that is one I came up with real quick. This is from the draft day until the next PCTI. I call it the “hype season” because this is where everyone gets on the blog and starts talking about how everyone is going to do. There are 100 different breakdowns and comparisons of each player and team from beers to NBA players. Most of the posts are done by a handful of people, but this is the season we will have an occasional person come out of their shell and bust out some PCTI literary. I also believe this blog would be a great source for an aspiring sports writer. The creative juices have to be on point to make a splash and the new angles need to be used. The closer PCTI gets, the more activity there is on the blog. This is what has taken PCTI to another level.

• 3^rd is the “THE season”. This is the actual weekend (soon to be week) of PCTI. The action packed 4 days are some of the best times of the year. Traveling to a new place, getting to see old faces, drinking, meeting new guys, spending time with people that you usually wouldn’t, drinking, hooping, eating, going out, going to the pool, drinking, hooping, hurting, and finally drinking. This is basically like a bachelor party without the dread of a marriage after it’s over. “THE season” is my favorite time of year. When it is over, you feel defeated for a couple weeks (even if you just swept the other team). I want “THE season” to be this weekend now that I’m talking about it.

Would love to hear if anyone else breaks it down differently. 

The Bruise

Congrats to the Bruise on his recent engagement. Since he has been relatively tight-lipped about the engagement details, I imagine it looked something like this...

http://vimeo.com/42828824

Good luck Bruise. You the man.

The Next PCTI Player

With Pitto's future in PCTI under duress, I've spent some time considering who should be his replacement. With the sensible candidates doing nothing to wow me, I began to expand my search and considered some unusual options.

With that, I think I've found the guy that's just right for us: Mark "The Mad Dog" Madsen. And before you laugh, keep in mind that last week Madsen was hired as an assistant coach at...wait for it...Stanford. Making his addition to PCTI completely possible.

 Potential problems solved by adding Mark Madsen

 1. Skilly missing his best buddy, since I have no doubt that if they're not already, Skilly and Madsen will become best friends.
 2. The financial commitment that was always a problem for Pitto.
 3. The sub-par post play year in year out in PCTI.
 4. Abe being a shoe in as the number one overall pick.
 5. Sabin being alone as the only mormon in his mid-thirties .
 6. He can speak Spanish - less you forget, PCTI IV is in Arizona - and he can party with the best of them. See below videos for proof of both.
  #Maddog16 "Get back in your cage"

The Blue Blazer Lives!

Yo DTOMFS, just because you don't like golf doesn't mean you have to steal someone's face, channel your inner Owen Hart, and just bird call all over Webb's interview.  Real classy man, thought you were better than that. 

Best Coasts PCTI4 Episode 5 Pod Stick MOCK DRAFT Part 1

Listen to internet radio with BestCoasts on Blog Talk Radio

Comparing PCTI Players to Wild Animals

As you all continue to get to know me, you will learn that there is one thing I do with most of my time:  Wikipedia.  What are my favorite things to wiki?  Wrestler's and wild animals.  If you all are ever bored, I suggest spending some time doing one or the other.  It really is interesting. 

Building off my first writing success comparing each of us to wrestler's, it's time I do the same, only this time with wild animals.  Wild animals are great comparisons as we have learned from "The Black Mamba" and "The Rattlesnake" so without further ado, allow me to begin:

Stickman-Polar Bears

Stickunit and the polar bears share one specific word when you look at them-"Cute."  Polar bears are cute and cuddly creatures that seem harmless to the natural eye.  When women see the Bruiser smile and dimples they can't help but to love it.  All is not fun and games when it comes to these two giants.  Polar Bears, when provoked, are one of the most viscious wild animals in all the land.  If you come within 100 feet of their food, they will attack.  If you pick on a family member or friend, they will attack.  When they attack, they use their enormous size, aggression, speed and shoulders to maul anyone and everyone.  Similarly, Bruise has lived that life.  The infamous moment when someone stole a piece of bacon off his plate is an anger I will never forget.  The guy has gotten into more fights defending his family and friends more than he has his own.  There was a time when a few UT punks were agitating him in a car when a drunk Stickman was trying to walk home.  They wouldn't stop so he walked up to the car, knocked out the guy in the front seat, walked to the passanger size, then knocked him out.  That reminds me a lot of the video when an obnoxious women was asking for a pounding, so the polar bear gave it to her.

Big Brent-Giraffe

It was a close call between a giraffe and a deer, but I decided we would go with the out of the box idea.  Giraffe's and BC have gotten through their athletic careers on the court/in the wild by utilizing their height, length, and ability to kick.  Although not overly powerful, giraffe's use a strong kick to keep their prey away.  BC's method of establishing dominance has always been to kick, something his Father Ryan teammates learned one time when a young sophmore made the mistake of boxing out too hard.  Both giraffe's and BC are fond of "Necking" something they do to drive the opposite sex wild.  Enjoy the video of the lion taking down the giraffe, something that reminded me of Wes doing BC similarly by taking him completely out of the picture via a box out.

Throwback Stick

A Bond Stronger than OAK

SHOUT OUT!!
#QUADPOD

Yo Spot

Ask and ye shall receive...

Also born on June 12th...

...Marv Albert!  I didn't want Scotty to feel inferior to Big Bad Brent Carnage by not having anyone acknowledge his birthday...which is technically over but who gives a hoot?  Please refer to this link if you haven't already as to why you should care that Marv Albert is still alive...mid-paragraph gets me everytime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marv_Albert#Sexual_assault_charges

But I made Scott a card.

Happy Birthday, @ScottDonley.

Tying Down An Old Playboy

For those of you that don't know already, the Stickman got engaged yesterday.  As I'm sure the timing of this wedding was the first thing that came to your mind (Much before you wanting to say congratulations), we can all rest assure knowing his fiance, Allison will plan the wedding of her dreams around PCTI.  One can't help but to wonder if the timing of this was to take the spotlight off his arch nemesis, Bambi's birthday weekend.

Regardless, congrats to Stickman and Allison.

In Celebration of Brent Carney's Birthday

For those of you that did not grow up with BC, let me tell you this.... You missed out on some of the all time great birthday bashes.  Since Smo and I were the only one's fortunate enough to take part in these killer parties each year from ages 10-16, please watch the emotional video.  WE TORE THAT PLACE UP.

Simmons-Gladwell

If you can set aside 20 minutes, this is a good read.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8016432/view/full/watching-world-turn-upside-era-constant-information

Sabin

PCTI Athletes Alter Ego's Part VII

Bryan McKinney-Bill Goldberg (Scroll to the 4:15 mark if you don't want to watch the match)

When you look at McKinney and Goldberg there are absolutely zero similarities whatsoever.  Goldberg is a rugged and tough dude with a mean mug like no other.  He is outrageously muscular with the biggest neck I've ever seen.  Enter McKinney.  He is pretty and finesse looking.  He has a lean, in shape build with absolutely zero neck muscles (Or any muscles for that matter).  All that being said, there are similarities.  Unfortunately, McKinney stripped his reputation as a silent wonder in PCTI 3.  Let's compare Goldberg's debut and fantastic post match interview with Mean Gene.  Would anyone have been surprised if McKinney's response would have been similar if BC approached him for an interview in PCTI 2?  There is also an uncanny resemblance between McKinney and Goldberg's in ring/on court skills.  Both are ultra athletic guy's that make absolutely everything look HIDEOUS.  Both of them only have one part of their games that is pretty (McKinney's shooting form/Goldberg's spear), which makes absolutely no sense why the rest is so hideous because both truly are great natural athletes.  In Goldberg's case, it can be debated that the reason his is so ugly is because his lack of in ring experience.  I'm still wondering what McKinney's is since he has been playing basketball since he was a child, and at this point I don't think I will ever have an answer for it.  Both are equally as indimidating, too.

Michael Orr-Sting

I'm going to preface this by giving a little Smo/Wrestling background to understand a little further why I chose Sting for him.  This was partly emotional.  I spent the better part of my life (Agest 7-16) obsessively following wrestling.  For any of you that haven't recognized it, when I get into something, I won't rest until all of my friends are equally as into it as I am.  Smo put my efforts to the test for most of those nine years by continuously refusing professional wrestling in every way possible.  He wouldn't budge no matter what I told him.  I could invite him over for a pay per view and offer pizza, donuts... Anything.  He would say no just to spite me.  Then came the nWo terrorizing STING.  I'm not sure how it began, but once Smo caught wind of the black crow character, he would call me every Monday night before Nitro with the same comment of "Do you think Sting will be on Nitro tonight?"  Keep in mind, we were no longer kids at this point.  At 15 years old, Smo was like a kid in the candy store everytime Sting's name came up.  It was a man crush.  His decision to watch on Monday night 100% hinged on if I thought Sting would show up (I always said yes because I wanted him to watch).  Now that the history lesson is over, let's get into some reasons why the comparison is similar.  First off, Sting is the only wrestler, possibly of all time that made a LONG career in wrestling always being a face (Or good guy for you idiots).  The closest thing he came to a bad guy was when he felt betrayed and walked away from Team WCW in Fall Brawl War Games, because Luger didn't believe that the Imposter Sting was really an imposter.  Smo is similar.  Never, in the history of this guy's life has he ever not been popular amongst his peers.  He has plenty of rivalaries, but all of them are because he doesn't like the person, not the other way around.  Enjoy the video knowing that on this night at that very moment, Smo was grinning ear to ear watching his favorite athlete in action.  Compare Hogan's face when the real Sting shows up to BC's face when Smo punks him out.  BC (Who by the way was compared to Hogan) fears Smo the way Hogan feared Sting.  BC and Hogan always had a comment for everything, making a living on constant babble and quantity trash talk to berate opponents.  It was refreshing for Hogan to meet his match with Sting, a guy that chose to punk him out repeatedly with little, but quality words and actions.  This is no different than the way Smo has consistently made BC look like the chump that he is, exposing him for everything in a way that the Bambi can't fire back at.  Thank you Sting and Smo for your efforts in piping down two of the world's all time big mouths.  Lastly, there are absolutely no similarities in their on court/in ring games outside of the fact that Sting made a living taking on more than one opponent, something Smo repeatedly does with his obsession with protecting the rim and stopping fast breaks.  Oh yeah, and a Smo Splash is just as lethal as the Stinger Splash.

This concludes my week long and favorite write up.  Thank you to everyone in PCTI for being ridiculous enough to deserve comparison sticks with fake, steroid induced, physcotic entertainers.

Per Anthony's Request

Best Coasts PCTI4 Episode 4 Pod Stick w/Huge Announcements

Listen to internet radio with BestCoasts on Blog Talk Radio

PCTI Athletes Alter Ego's Part VI

Jeff Sabin-"Slammy Award Winning" Owen Hart

Early on in his wrestling career, Owen Hart had quite a few alter ego's.  It all started (And unfortunately ended) with the Blue Blazer, a mystery character that no one knew anything about.  Sounds a lot like Sabin in PCTI 1.  Owen started off as the quiet yet skilled and well liked younger brother of Bret "The Hitman" Hart.  As Owen started getting comfortable, he started getting a little more vocal.  Then one day, the WWF made it's biggest mistake in ages-They crowned Owen Hart the winner of a Slammy Award.  The second Owen won the award (Fun Fact-He actually stole it), he was a changed man.  He was boisterous, obnoxious and constantly on the offensive (See the video).  He turned into a true heel in every sense of the word.  What does this sound like to you?  If you all thought anything other than when Jeff Sabin was crowned PCTI 2 Defensive MVP, you should immediately kick yourself out of the league.  Once Sabin won the award, the quiet, humble, nice guy turned into Owen Hart.  Both Sabin and Owen Hart are extremely skilled on court/in ring athlete's that have flirted with mediocrity at times during their career despite their upper echelon talent.  Let's hope Sabin's PCTI career doesn't end like Owen's wrestling career.

Make your own Countdown Clocks

PCTI Athletes Alter Ego's-Special Edition for Crybaby Ben Wilson

Ben Wilson-Big Van Vader

There are so many comparisons between these two it's not even funny.  For those of you that don't know "The Man They Call Vader," I encourage you to watch the video of his world class moonsault, a move that is difficult for any wrestler, no matter what the size.  Vader's ability to do this move at 450 lbs. showcased the natural athleticism that you're not used to seeing from a big man.  Ben Wilson is no different.  A very unassuming athlete, Wilson thrives on smooth, athletic moves that most from the opposition are not expecting, and should not be able to overcome.  Vader's moonsault is a perfect comparison to Wilson's spin move because it combines a difficult move for any big, along with the fact that the both men's body size makes their move that much more effective, if no unstoppable.  In addition to their athleticism, both men are terrible actors on the court/in the ring.  Vader's inability to act when getting beat up kept him away from ever being a dominant in ring performer (In wrestling you have to execute offensively and defensively).  Wilson's inability to convince refs he is getting fouled when he goes one on five to the lane has hampered him, along with the fact that he can't/won't/doesn't play defense.  For those specific reasons, both are slightly overrated considering their natural abilities.  Take Vader for instance-The biggest, strongest, meanest wrestler in the sport could match any guy half his size in athleticism.  How could he not be the best?  Has anyone ever seen "The Mastadon's" body punches he hands out?  That alone is something no wrestler should be able to recover from.  Now, let's look at Wilson.  Dude is supposedly a knock down shooter with great size, athleticism, handle, passing and rebounding ability, and instincts.  Why was Vader not a 5 time world champ?  Why isn't Wilson an MVP candidate?  It's confusing for all, but no one is to blame but Vader/Wilson themselves. 

PCTI Athletes Alter Ego's Part IV

Wes Murray-Bushwacker Luke

What exactly do any of us know about Wes?  Nothing.  What did anyone know about Bushwacker Luke?  Nothing.  Like Bushwacker Luke in the WWF, Murray has been in the fold in his respected sport for quite some time.  Both have been fan favorites since day 1, for reasons completely unknown to all involved.  Murray's craft on the court is as a super teammate who will does whatever his team asks of him.  Luke's craft, similarly, is to give whatever the fans want for entertainment.  Because of their ability to do that so well, they have hidden from the fact that both never anything positive in their respected sports, mostly because neither are the least bit interested in them (Murray's negative productivity % in PCTI3 and Luke from the video above).  I compare Bushwacker Luke's legendary performance in this Royal Rumble to Murray's legendary PCTI 2 performance, both of which left fans and peers wondering if Luke knew he was going in the ring for an opportunity to compete for the WWF Championship, and if Wes knew he was showing up to play basketball.

Spotlight-The Rock

Who was Rocky Maivia?  A nobody.  Who was Pat Higdon?  An even bigger nobody.  Who is The Rock?  A legend.  Who is The Spotlight?  A legend.  These two men are the poster children for what a nickname and speaking in the third person can do to a person's popularity.  The similarities don't end there, however.  Both do a legendary job at riding their wave of popularity to the top, despite being very mediocre in their respected sports.  Both The Rock and The Spotlight survive on two specific moves, the set up (People's Elbow and The People's Backdoor Cut) and the finisher (Rock Bottom and the Spot(light) Up 3).  My favorite comparison between the two though is how they are viewed among their fan base.  The Rock, for the better part of his career has actually been a bad guy.  For whatever reason, the fan base is so obsessed with him that they don't care, screaming and cheering on his behalf no matter what the situation is.  Watch the video for instance.  The Rock is verbally attacking one of the all time most popular wrestlers, the Undertaker, in this promo.  Spotlight is similar in that sense.  Ultra popular among his peers, Spotlight is actually a true villain at heart.  Let's not forget, before meeting anyone, Spotlight immediately went on the attack, verbally berating one of (If not the) most popular member of PCTI, Ben Wilson.  To both their credit, they have launched themselves into legend via a bad attitude, speaking in the third person, and having a great nickname.

Dan The Boy-Scott Hall

Eric Bischoff would be the obvious choice, but hear me out.  Scott Hall is a career big mouth who made up for lack of skill in ring skill by being the organizer of the most dominant faction in wrestling history, the nWo. Scott Hall masterfully crafted the nWo and as the first member, was able to put together his unit with whomever he wanted, similar to what The Boy has done in regards to PCTI.  Hall and Krow, because of their status as figureheads in their groups along with their big mouths, have been overhyped throughout most of their career (Hall winning the IC belt/Krow consistently picked higher in the draft than his pro % suggests), and look to be on the downside of their careers.  Hall has been jailed numerous times and has gone on record saying he can't believe he is still alive.  Krow has consistently said he feels his game has deteriorated from not very good in his prime to really bad, leading to question's as to if his career can continue to move on (Watch the video of Hall's life these days and think me after my PCTI 4 performance).  Lastly, both Hall and Krow live off two unorthodox specialties that are out of the box, but ultimately very low % finishers-Hall with his "Razor's Edge" and Krow with his mid range jump shot.  More people slipped off and out of the Razor's Edge more than any wrestler's finisher of all time.  Krow's mid range, despite being his specialty, is a 30% shot at best.  One thing you can't deny from either of these guy's-Both are very, very cool.

For the record, the first Scott Hall video is a GREAT vid if you have never seen it.  They did an ESPN documentary stick of him and his pathetic life.