Attn: Daniel A. Krow

I DON'T UNDERSTAND. Why the Donley love? Nothing memorable about this guy's game. Can he blog? NO. Can he write a good email every now and again? I'LL GIVE HIM THAT. Coach, would you agree it's a little hot in here for a mock turtleneck? I WOULDN'T DISAGREE WITH IT. Can self-questioning be used in almost any situation? YOU BET YOUR ASS.

Again, what screams Greek God about this guy? We're all devastatingly good looking, so that's a push. His game? Team LFTW better gameplan for this guy or he might slap another 6.6 and 5 on us. His commitment to team? Lebron at least showed up for every game...All I personally remember about this guy's game is his blatant disregard for my safety. The guy tried to murder me with every obvious foul he committed worse than McKinney tried to. GET A LOOSER FITTING UNDERSHIRT.

Comparing Donley to a Greek God is like comparing Joe Thompson's acting abilities to Keanu Reeves. IT'S UNETHICAL AND UNTRUE.

If he brings a premium wheel of cheese to apologize for his vicious attacks on me during the course of PCTI2 play, maybe I'll change my feelings. But as Borat would say: NOT. LFTW will make this a quick series for you guys, I'm sure Scott might need the extra couple hours to do nothing or something along those lines.

WORK DRUGS.

Rebuttal to BC

This is what me and all of my teammates feel will happen on the court to big Brent Carney and his team come April. As you will see conditioning (or ecstasy) gets the best of Kenny. Just as it will will team bBC.

#Sabin2012

This is how me and all my teammates feel every time Sabin tries to make the argument that because his team will be in superior physical shape [something he is clearly repeating over in hopes that if he says it enough it will actually be true] they will have an edge on us when we play a series of basketball games.

Man I Fear Most

For those of you who do not know Smo's dad, Mr. Orr ( I could not think of his first name for the life of me) this will probably have very little meaning to you. But the man is pretty much the epitome of old school, savvy, hard nose, no nonsense basketball. With that being said, I'd like to share some thoughts on the man I am most nervous to see on the court again as an opponent in PCTI III.

I am convinced Scott Donely trained at the very secretive "Mr. Orr's Dungeon" growing up as a young pup. Similar to the famous "Stu Hart's Dungeon", where the late great Stu Hart would teach young fellas how to wrestle with excellent execution, Mr. Orr taught how to play basketball like a savvy badass. I believe this is where Scott learned not only his savvy, very physical style of play, but also where he was taught the ways to develop his body into something only written about in Greek Methodology. Scott MUST have been Mr. Orr's prized disciple because not only did he teach him the secrets to Old Man Basketball he taught everyone else that attended the dungeon, he taught him how to perfectly pull off his most deadly and unstoppable offensive attack...The Pump Fake Up and Under. I have been victimized repeatedly by this undefendable (<---Word?) move by Mr. Orr himself over the years ( I would even go as far as ass raped by it at Danny's wedding) and this is what led me to believe Donely was trained by Mr. Orr. himself. Scott embarrassed me with this move quite frequently during our hoop years at Knoxville and the similarities are uncanny. Now, I do not think anyone will EVER master/use the art of the Pump Fake Up and Under quite as well as the man himself, but if anyone can do it, Danger Donely can...May God help my team if he ever does.

This is why he is the opponent I fear most coming into PCTI III.

Over the course of the last week or so, my team has had an opportunity to come together as we prepare mentally and physically for PCTI 3. You can imagine how great it's been to have teammates who support each other and are looking for ways to help each other succeed. However, the last 4 days or so, Breaking Bad has decided to introduce smokescreen to the public forum by making ludicrous public proclamations like "We like our team", "We have a shot in PCTI 3", and "We are good at basketball". Nothing could be further from the truth.

As such, I've decided to propose hoops categories that I believe are important to winning 4 games in PCTI, and which team has the competitive edge in those categories. My hope is that you will find it instructive as Breaking Bad attempts to talk itself into having chemistry that doesn't exist.

1) Shot Selection: Breaking Bad has some problems in this category. Between Abe thinking any shot is a good shot and the Doctor taking 3s from 5 feet past his shooting range, it will be interesting to see who wins the race for worst FG%. Although I anticipate that BC, Dawson, Brian, and Donley will shoot a solid percentage, it will be offset by Hops' incessant heat checks. I recognize that there will be a game in PCTI 3 that Hops goes off for 6 3s, but his team should worry about the other 6 games in this thing. Pitto will most likely stop shooting the ball after me, Bruise, Smo, Beas, and DK swat his shit on consecutive possessions, so not much to worry about there. Team LFTW largely avoids problems in this category by getting out in the open floor and shooting layups and getting high percentage open looks. EDGE: LFTW

2) Fast Break Points: Legs Feed the Wolf has a roster replete with guys who want to get in great shape so we can get up and down the floor. DK likes the long hit ahead pass for layups, BMW likes to go coast to coast, and the rest of us run for layups and jumpers. On the other side of the floor, Breaking Bad may be the first team in PCTI history to commit multiple 10 second violations. I can't wait for Pitto and Joe to fight each other for "walking the ball up the floor" MVP while Brian pleads with them to slow it up. Should make for some interesting comedy. EDGE: LFTW

3) Offseason Preparations: I have it on good authority that many members of team Breaking Bad use the 6 months before PCTI to stuff their faces with Whoppers, fried foods, and various selections of Little Debbies. Except for Donley...that guy is a physical freak. 3 weeks from go time, they'll try and get in shape by doing P20X or some variation of bicep curls or bench press. They may even try to run on the treadmill at 12 minute/mile pace. If somebody is really motivated, maybe he will actually make it to the basketball gym and play some pickup hoops against a bunch of old white guys in Rec Specs. Unfortunately, it will be too little, too late. EDGE: LFTW

So long story short, I'm having a difficult time seeing how any of Breaking Bad's pieces fit together or how they make each other better. They clearly are at a disadvantage in the areas of basketball that make for successful teams. But if they keep trying to talk themselves into it, maybe they will fool themselves into believing it. And when that happens, anything is possible.....except for a Breaking Bad victory.

Sabin

Actual quotes from a delusional man.

Thanks to Jeff for basically writing this for me. His lack of touch with reality has made for entertaining quotes not only myself, but anyone with some sense of how PCTI works (aka a BASKETBALL tournament). A quick opinion after each awful quote:

“Should the fact that we just ran your team through the mud on the site with no competitive responses from your teammates give you cause for concern? Without question” and “It should be noted that Legs Feed the Wolf is absolutely dominating Breaking Bad in blogging content and site visits.”

• Nothing shows a great team and leadership than getting on a blog and ripping another team. While the other team behind closed doors, reads each blog and gets more confident. You know what someone does when they are bluffing? They get loud and try to seem strong.

“One guard who likes to facef*ck the camera more than hoop”

• This part is half true. Unfortunately for the insane man, Joe realizes the best way to get on camera, is make great basketball plays (at least in the PCTI world). I am looking forward to all the facef*cking I can handle.

“A cockstrong Wisconsin native whom I admire”

• All truth here.

“Listen, the Bruise is the only guy in this tournament that can get where he wants to go regardless of the defense.”

• He can get anywhere he wants? Why doesn’t he just go right under the basket and make layups all day long? I would say something more along the lines of, “Bruise is good at getting good position down low, shoots a pretty good percentage and when his team can get him the ball in those spots he can have big games.”

“One forward who struggles with layups” and “Hops: ‘I'll go practice shooting layups on Smo. I know it didn't work last year, but it should in PCTI 3.’”

• You know why I miss layups? Because I take layups. You know, the best shot you can take in basketball. Shooting 70% on layups might be bad, but compared to 36% on other shots, I’ll take it. As far as shooting on Smo, while it might not have benefitted me with points or shooting percentage, it does help whoever Smo was actually guarding get easy offensive rebonds.

“One who struggles with the 3 ball”

• Why do people think Brian struggles with 3s? Is it because he shot 71% last year? Or because he is patient, makes the defense play defense longer, and gets his teammates involved? I can’t choose either.

“You think the BMW's gonna shoot 21% from 3s next year?”

• Maybe, but I guarantee below 28% will happen. Outside of his his 7 for 10 performance, which is not going to happen for another 90 games, he has shot 26% on 3’s.

“An injured shooting savant”

• A good point, only if the event weren’t 7 months away.

“Meanwhile, you’re looking at your roster thinking “Man will I even touch the ball until game 3?”

• My team is thinking, lets freeze out the lefty who can shoot and get to the rim. (Can you see the sarcasm dripping yet)

“Mine is a referendum on team basketball versus your team’s shot happy, optional defense mentality.”

• I looked at some stats. While good basketball isn’t all about stats, it does help show a little bit of how people perform. While your team had the better overall A/T ratio for 1.8 to 1.4, our team had 35 more overall assists. Also our “optional defense” team has more overall steal (66 to 43) and almost even in blocks (31 to 33). While I know those two stats don’t mean a certain team plays great D and might not take everything into account (ie Pitto’s D inside and Smo only playing one year), it does mean our team can get after you.

All in all, Team LFTW better jump out early, because our team is so talented and competitive, it will be an ass kicking.

Stephens' Indictment of Teammates leaves Breaking Bad in Shambles

Fox Business News -- Dallas, TX -- September 24, 2011

In a stunning development that could have significant adverse consequences, Josh Stephens, the recently elected captain of the PCTI basketball team Breaking Bad, lashed out at his teammates earlier this week for a perceived lack of basketball chemistry. Apparently, Stephens fears that his team could succomb to the pressure that comes along with enjoying each other's company and playing unselfish basketball. Under condition of anonymity, but not fully realizing that the Internet is open to everybody, Stephens posted a blog and revealed the insidious nature of his team's lack of cohesion and disdain for one another. "All this chatter about my team's inability to get along is annoying me. I realized that Sabin took all the great teammates with his draft picks, but I didn't realize he wouldn't leave me with a single warrior to go to battle with".

In the last 48 hours, things have only worsened for Breaking Bad. Anticipating early on that his team would have trouble with some of the most disruptive personalities in the 3 year history of PCTI, Stephens mentioned "I've got 2 influential leaders in Brian and Hops that will keep things in check if need be". Some in the media have praised Stephens and his prescience for selecting these 2 leaders in anticipation of the firestorm to come.

Stephens began to rock his team's foundation by unnecessarily taking shots at his teammates in the media. One reporter read the blog and couldn't believe that Stephens printed "Pitto can singlehandedly ruin a game", while another read in disbelief "Ahop every once in a while misses layups". But the daggers didn't stop there. Stephens also mentioned that "Brian has a tendency to hurt himself" and that "Donley left a day early last year". Asked what he thought about the team's new PG, he produced a backhanded compliment, "Joe is undefeated at PCTI, and has the most brilliant smile in the history of mankind". When asked how Joe's basketball ability would mesh with his own, Stephens declined further comment. Some are speculating that there is tension between the two that could manifest itself on the court in April. Stephen's criticism didn't stop there though. He also was quoted as saying "I've been known to take bad shots and make bade decisions". Nowhere was this more evident than the PCTI draft, insiders are claiming.

Asked if there was anything positive he could say about any of his teammates, no matter how small, Stephens did find the courage to say "BC is a spectacle of nature". Some have questioned whether this was a compliment at all as Stephens clearly mixed metaphors while describing Carney.

What makes the accusations that much more stinging is that Stephens hardly seems to care about the outcome of the pending basketball tournament. After ripping his teammates in public, he then went on to add confusing statements like "I love my team", "I wouldn't have it any other way" and "I believe and trust in everyone I picked". Although basketball experts are not sure what he meant by these contradictory statements, some are claiming that it is just a transparent attempt to get his teammates to pass him the ball for extra FGAs. When asked about the likely outcome of defeat in the upcoming tournament, Stephens said "My plane tickets are comped, so regardless of the outcome, it should be a great 3 day weekend for me!". Some basketball analysts have suggested that this type of leadership will not work in PCTI 3. This blogger's guess is that those analysts are right.

Stephens closed the controversial public humiliation of his teammates by responding to the idea that his team lacked the ability to overcome Team Legs Feed the Wolf, whose talented and cohesive roster is loaded with guys who do all of the little things necessary to win. "When all of those little things get added up, yeah, I guess it looks bad for us". Stephens is reportedly hiding in the mountains of Colorado, most likely to avoid the shitstorm that awaits when his teammates see him in Dallas. It is unknown if Stephens will ever blog or email again.

Sa-BOMETER Part II

Continuing on with part deux:

8. Dawson Huff-Trending Neutral-This relationship took off like wild fire after $hot quoted Ace Ventura for the, what-4 millionth time? Little did he know that a movie quote that has not been relevant for atleast ten years (Since, you know, we all grew up) would have Sabin on the floor laughing, leaving Dawson not knowing what to do because he made someone laugh for the first time. The two guys have continued to grow their relationship on deep basketball conversation and just overall disinterest in anything else. This relationship, that NO ONE else is jealous of, has the upside to really grow moving forward. Who cares.

9. Wes Murray-Trending Up-Sabin called this guy in PCTI1 a "Cold-Hearted Killer" in reference to his backbreaking shots that he made a living on hitting. Seeing as that Murray is probably the only overall cool guy that is actually likable in this thing, you would think he would be higher. However, boasting about the amount of times he ate Chick Fil-A over the past six months (Which no one blames him for) while Sabin was taking wheat grass shots for breakfast, lunch and dinner just does not help your case when trying to get in Sabin's world. Regardless of which, lucky for Murray Sabin is high on him going into PCTI3.

10. Anthony Hopkins-Trending Down-I can't tell you how many times I've heard the words "I love Hops" out of Sabin's mouth ever since Hops moved to Dallas on a Friday night, and showed up to Sabin's 6:30am Saturday hoop game the follow morning. It was a match made in heaven. However, it's starting to appear that the two have begun to develop a bit of an on-court rivalry, to already go with their off-court rivalry of who is the better organizer of pick up games. The two will always be fans of each other, but one can't help but to wonder if this time next year you will be looking at a 15 next to Hopkins name. He also needs to hit the gym a little harder and cool out on the fast food before Sabin can show him anymore love.

11. Michael Orr-Trending Up-This pick is actually no fun for me to write because frankly Sabin has said nothing but "I love Smo." He has not given me much to work with, however I blame that completely on Smo not providing him enough material to break down. All you can really say about the guy is that he plays hard, is a great teammate, and was extremely active on defense last year... All things Sabin values. The big question on this selection is going to be how much of a hard on Sabin gets when he sees that Smo has packed on 25lbs of muscle this offseason. I would almost call this choice incomplete.

12. Joe Thompson-Trending DOWN-Talk about a relationship that started at the top of the mountain and has nosedived ever since. Although friends, these two guys have a love-hate brother like relationship, that when the cameras are rolling... It's always on the HATE side. After almost coming to blows in PCTI2, I can't help but to think an actual brawl would have been the best thing for these two guys. With their size, style, skin color and good looks being almost identical, the rivalry between the two of these guys contines to organically grow. Sabin claims he doesn't take too kindly to Joe's Hollywood, camera obsessed style. The funny part about that is that outside of Joe, who is in the camera most? SABIN.

13. Brian Eskildsen-Trending Down-The respect and love for this dude could not have been any higher going into PCTI2. ESK was Sabin's biggest fan coming out of his disappointing PCTI1 performance, and immediately traded for him after the PCTI2 draft. Sabin was ecstatic about the opportunity to play with the high IQ/MVP, and responded by bulking up and letting Brian know he was willing to play anywhere he needed. When Sabin came out of the PCTI2 gates doing his own thing, Brian immediately took matters into his own hands, causing an immediate rift between the two. Although a good relationship off the court, until the two can have a good showing on the court, I don't expect this relationship to prosper anytime soon. ESK probably dropped 11 slots from where he would have been last year.. Talk about having a bad offseason.

14. "Big" Brent Carney-Nosediving-Carney was the early favorite to secure the #1 overall choice for his second time, and now should put his foot in his mouth because that's what ruined it. Despite always giving his best effort on the court, BBC spent the last few months being a funny boy talking about all the bad food he puts in his body, the fact that he does not work out, and how he is going to dominate PCTI3. Little did he know everytime he opened his big mouth, Sabin was re-adjusting his big board. Sabin's thinking was simply this-While BBC is out grabbing some McDonalds and having a Baby Ruth, Bruiser is doing kettlebell and rope swings trying to prepare as best he can to contribute in PCTI3. Big Brent's mouth made Sabin's decision easy, and nothing short of a great showing at PCTI3 will take him out of the doghouse.

15-Josh Pitto "Trending Nowhere To Go But Up"-This rivalry has been extremely entertaining once everyone got over the initial uncomfort of the open dialogue about the two hating each other. However, if these two bicker on the court at PCTI3, I plan on smacking both of them.

The idea from this post actually came from Scott Donley.

But I wrote it.

Sa-BOMETER

A Friday night post? Why not? I have worked, activated my core, done cardio and talked to Sabin. What else does a man need to accomplish in a day?

That being said, this blog posting is dedicated to a genius idea I came up with all by myself. It's obvious Jeff Sabin has entrenched himself as a brash, no-nonsense bad boy within the PCTI ranks. All that being said, who are his favorite guys in the tournament? This may be controversial as many athletes are doing all they can to be in Captain Sabin's good graces, but who truly tops the list?

1. Scott Donley-Trending Up. This selection is going to come under fire as Donley only has five career games under his belt. In my eyes, that's what makes the relationship between the two even more intriguing. Following PCTI2, I had the pleasure of listening to countless comments from Sabin about how physically imposing and well conditioned Donley is as an athlete. Don't get me wrong, the guy is a good athlete, but I couldn't help but to question the conversation about him being talked about like he is the second coming of Brandon Bass. For anyone that has read the last two posts from Sabin, you can notice he shredded every member of the apposing team... Except Scott. His "Shredding" of Donley was this-"A cock strong Wisconsin native, I have nothing but respect for the guy." Do you think Scotty knew when he shut off the baseline when guarding Sabin (With a pretty good push while he was at it) that it would turn into excessive compliments weekly about how imposing he is? Regardless, I'm sure he is enjoying the attention.


2. Ian Van Horne-Trending Up-This guy has been a favorite of Sabin's since day 1. Think about it, what does Sabin value? He values guys like himself-Tough, physically imposing, relentless, mean. Doesn't that make Bruiser the perfect counterpart? Is there a better nickname for these two than the Bash Brothers? The actual humorous part about this is before he met Bruiser, Sabin had not actually lifted a weight in his adult life. I like to think the Bruise helped Sabin find himself... Finally at 35 years old. Maybe latching on to Bruiser was Sabin's way of keeping Pitto from smacking him around? Who knows. Regardless, the Bash Brothers are a force to be wrecken with as no opponent wants to set foot in the lane that those two mix it up in.


3. Danny Krow-Always Trending Up-I really can't do anything wrong in this guys eyes.


4. Michael Beasley-Tending WAY UP-This guy is saying/doing all the right things to stay in his new coaches good graces. Listening, learning and paying attention has been his mantra since being added to the Legs Feed the Wolf ballclub. Give the guy credit, he knows who the important PCTI members are to get in good with, and has done so in a short amount of time.


5. Ben Wilson-Trending Neutral-Somewhere along the 0-2 start, Sabin and Wilson formed a relationship based around losing... The bond grew even stronger after two months of emailing, talking about how much the two of them would like to be on the winning team (For once). Rare to see a guy that's not a body builder in Sabin's top five, I guess it shows how talented the guy really is.


6. Bryan McKinney-Trending WAYYYYY UP-Let's do a little word association with Jeff Sabin.. Tough, Physical, Mean, CROSS FIT... In a move out of nowhere, B. Mac signed up for Cross Fit as of a month ago, immediately getting himself in good graces with JS. Knowing the premium that he puts on conditiong, give McKinney credit for recognizing a way to get in with the captain, and now being looked at as a potential top 3 scorer in PCTI3.


7. Josh Stephens-Tending Neutral-Respect comes to mind when thinking of Stephens in Sabin's mind. Rarely, do you find a guy of Sabin's stature compliment a fellow player that does not care about defense on being such a quality player. Consider Josh the exception. Since joining PCTI, Sabin has gushed over Stephen's talent, dubbing him "By far and away the most talented player in PCTI." Although claiming he does nothing in the offseason, his conditioning each year makes Sabin gush even more, leaving him as a can't miss favorite. Do things change? Yes. Does Sabin's love for being in good shape? No.

The rest tomorrow.

Thoughts from from the captain

All this chatter about my teams inability to get along is annoying me. Let me throw out some factual information as seems to be the standard at which this blog is held.

First off, I love my team. Wouldn't pick it any other way if given the chance.

Secondly, I have no qualms about Team Pitto's lack of chemistry. I've got 2 influential leaders in Brian and Ahop that will have no problem keeping things in check if need be. Yes... Pitto can single handedly ruin a game. But he can also single handedly win a game. Worth the risk imo. Yes... I have been known to take bad shots. Let's clarify... I have been known to make bad decisions. But when those bad decisions go in (which like everyone else happens about 35% of the time), they become damn good shots. And as for Joe... he is my only undefeated counterpart in this thing now that Hite is playing daddy, so say what you will about him, but he's still rockin' a 2-0 lifetime record at PCTI and the most brilliant smile in the history of mankind. Other than that, there is really nothing you can say about any of the other team members. Yea, so Scott left a day early last year. Whoopdeedoo. And Ahop every once in a while misses a layup. Don't we all? Of course Brian has a tendency to hurt himself. Just means he's giving it 110%. Can't say anything bad about BC. Kid is just a spectacle of nature. But when all those little things are blown out of proportion, yea it's gonna sound bad. Duh.

In summary, my team is better than yours. From top to bottom. I believe and trust in everyone I picked and don't think for a second that we are going to lose. And if it does somehow happen, my plane tickets will be comped anyway. So regardless, it should be a nice 3 day weekend for me.

REVISION - Team Review - Legs Feed the Wolf

Danny,

You know how much I value your basketball opinions, and you know that I almost always agree with your player evaluations (except for Scott Donley - I think he's really good even if you don't). And even though you may have oversold Chase Hardin to us last year, I still regard your basketball IQ as among the highest I have ever come across. Of course, now that I think about it, I think you once also described Hops to me as "ridiculously good". But I digress...I say all of that so I can tell you this: Legs Feed the Wolf draft grades are woefully inadequate. I'd like to re-grade my players based on what these gentlemen bring to the table:

1) BMW - DK Grade (B), Sabin Grade (A+)
Not only did this guy's family invent a pretty solid basketball (Evolution, Solution), but this guy can flat-out score in bunches. When you slap up 27-13 and 21-11 on the regular, you have everybody's attention. Plus, nobody's factoring in that I'm picking this guy up on the rebound. You think the BMW's gonna shoot 21% from 3s next year? No, I didn't think so. With a new offensive philosophy and teammates who actually care about him, look for his output and productivity to soar in PCTI 3 from the Ultimate Driving Machine.

2) Bruise - DK Grade (B), Sabin Grade (A++)
I rolled the dice that Bruise would be there for me in the second round, and luckily he was. Abe made a terrible mistake here. Listen, the Bruise is the only guy in this touranament that can get where he wants to go regardless of the defense. With a team that encourages him and wants him to get touches, the sky is the limit for this athletic freak. Remeber, in PCTI 2, Bruise freaked out on Danny Krow, his best friend in this tournament, when he took exception to a DK foul. Just imagine what he is gonna do to people that he actually doesn't like (Abe, BC, Joe, Pitto). I shudder to think...

3) DK - DK Grade (F), Sabin Grade (A)
Do I want more than 3 PPG from my PG? Yes. Do I like when DK yells "Rhythm" and "Shooter" to guys like Hops and Joe that can't shoot? No. Is DK a guy that makes a math formula like 1+1=3 makes sense? Absolutely. I'm going to compare this guy to the driver of a high performance Lexus ES 350. You put the right kind of tires on the car, the right kind of gas in the car, and the right kind of engine under the hood, then all of a sudden the driver becomes a badass. Something to think about as Breaking Bad is arguing among themselves about who gets to walk the ball up the floor.

4) Beas - DK Grade (Unrated), Sabin Grade (A+)
Have I ever seen Beas play? No. Am I prepared to accept DK's scouting report on Beas in light of his evaluation of Chase Hardin? Maybe. Do I love what Beas brings to the table in terms of a nasty competitor who can fill up the stat sheet? Undoubtedly. Believe me when I tell you that this guy is a player after my own heart, and his enthusiasm and competitive streak are already on display. So, I guess a question for Breaking Bad is this...when Beas, Sabin, Smo, and Bruise are defending your team and on the floor at the same time, how will you guys score? I'm not sure either...

5) Smo - DK Grade (B), Sabin Grade (A+)
Last year, Smo played on a selfish team that didn't value his varied and asundry talents. If you want the Big Dog to protect the house, you need to feed him once in a while so he feels connected to the family. This is where BC's team from PCTI 2 missed the boat. Smo is now on a team that values his passing skills, help defense abilitites, and shot blocking acumen. We may even create a new category for defensive disruptions and call it the "Smo", because this is the king of disruptions to an offense. Yeah, he may get some points, and he'll get some boards and steals too, but his contribution to the team cannot be measured by the stats alone. His game is much bigger than 7 categories. In many ways, he is the opposite of Pitto in terms of being self-sacrificing teammate who brings winning plays to the table that are often unmeasured.

6) McKinney - DK Grade (A), Sabin Grade (A+)
What nobody knows about McKinney is that he is in the process of transforming his body and mind into a powerful force of nature. His CrossFit workouts are yielding a renewed confidence and a sense of enthusiasm that he can return to his post as a dominant baller. You think Abe valued this transformation? Hell no. Did Sabin? Hell yes, because I lived it last year. I feel like I purchased BMac for 5 cents on the dollar and his real value is 3 quarters, 2 nickels, amd a dime. Huge dividends coming from this guy. Big mistake letting this guy fall to me at this position.

7) Wes - DK Grade (Unrated), Sabin Grade (A)
Talk about getting value at the end of the draft. Granted, did Murray show up in pristine condition for PCTI 2? No. But many of us remember PCTI 1 when Wes busted up Pitto and Danny Krow for bucket after bucket of sweet jumpers. In fact, it got so bad at one point that when Wes shot the ball against us, we just went under the net because we knew the ball was coming out at that exact position. We'll probably nickname him "Strings" for PCTI 3 because he doesn't hit the rim when he's in his shooting rhythm. With an increased workout regimen, I anticipate that we will see mcuh more of PCTI 1 Wes than PCTI 2 Wes. And that means trouble for Breaking Bad.

So long story short Krow, I know you didn't want to seem like a homer with your draft grades, so I took the liberty of adjusting them to their proper levels. And that's what your hoops brother is here for.

Sabin

Team Review-Legs Feed the Wolf

Toughness. Chemistry. Physical Conditioning. Heart. Those are the words that Jeff Sabin has instilled in his team within one week as first year team captain. Sabin has come under fire since PCTI2 as a renegade veteran that is going to do things his way, regardless of how it is received. He has no problem being the bad guy if he thinks someone is stepping out of line. Now, in a leadership role, the question becomes how his hand picked team will respond to his dictator-like ways. One thing that can't be argued is the group he drafted are going to show up every game, play their butts off, and do whatever it takes to win. Now, on to the grades.

#1 Overall-Ben Wilson-B

This pick was up in the air whether Sabin would take his fellow 0-2 running mate, or Brent Carney. Teasing his teammates with greatness each year, Wilson has shown he can be the most explosive scorer in PCTI... There is not a time more necessary for him to be that guy than on this team. The question becomes-Will he get in top conditioning so he can lead this team offensively for a full seven games? After looking at the rest of Legs Feed the Wolf's draft, there is no doubt BW was the right choice at this spot.

#4 Overall-Danny Krow-F (Sorry Bruise, gave myself this slot)

Do-nothing guy that has continued to develop his already overblown reputation as a great teammate (Because he doesn't shoot), tough defender (Because he talks a lot on D), savvy player (Because he does not do anything outrageous therefore never turning the ball over), great mid range shooter (Which he shoots about 35% but since no one else can hit the shot he gets the credit), team leader (Because he is loud), and try hard guy (Despite the fact that he actually does not try overly hard). Krow has not returned to college form yet (Which was not that good) and continues to make excuses everytime he moves that that is the reason for his lackluster performance. With his biggest fan of Sabin, will it be forced on him to run the show for this "Racehorse Basketball" team? If so, how will he respond?

#5 Overall-Bruiser Van Horne-B

The new look Van Horne burst onto the scene of PCTI2 and immediately got down to business. After physically dominating the first two minutes of Game 1, teammates were in awe of his aggressiveness and confidence on the court. The Bruiser has the most upside in PCTI-The only guy that can physically dominate a game when motivated/conditioned. After showing up in what appeared to be top physical conditioning last year, the lack of hoops he played over the course of the year caught up in certain moments. He has re-dedicated himself the Sabin mantra, so the question becomes this-If he finds a way to play more basketball over the next year, is there a possible chance we are calling him captain this time next year? Time will tell but on court confidence will be key.

#8 Overall-Michael Orr-B

Smo's first PCTI was very well received by the rest of the league, as it is anyone that plays with him. What's not to love about a guy that takes personal pride in protecting the rim and not allowing an easy shot to go up? Smo made a living in PCTI2 as a trash man, help side defender, and shot blocker. This year, he will be asked to shoulder more of a scoring load, something that will probably keep the guy up at night. Despite shooting a career 75% with his quick hook, his unselfish ways make it impossible to get him to shoot more than 5 shots a game. Look for Wilson and Sabin's scoring totals to improve significantly thanks to Orr's ability to find open shooters along the perimeter. Look for his scoring totals to improve slightly only because when Sabin demands something from a player, the player responds.

#9 Overall-Michael Beasley-Unrated

After giving Brian Eskildsen an A for his drafting of Chase Hardin last year, I don't think it's fitting to give a PCTI rookie a grade based off his previous performances. Here is what we know about Beasley circa college-He plays tough, physical defense, he gets better as the competition gets better, he is a rare athlete (In PCTI terms), and likes to attack on offense. He also has a great headband look, giving Ben Wilson a serious run for his money. Although the relationship appears to be a match made in heaven, the storyline over the next six months will be how seriously he will take Sabin's coaching, and if he will truly understand what it takes to get through seven games of high octane (Ha) basketball. The good thing is that with the successful sending of two emails, he has already surpassed Chase Hardin's output. Don't expect Beasley to show up in Dallas with a girlfriend/fiance/etc. However, expect him to have one following him around by the end of the weekend.

#12 Overall-Bryan McKinney-A

I'm going to continue to pump this guy up because no one in PCTI knows what he is capable of. B. Mac used to torture me (I refused to play with him) for years with his octane, board crashing, three point drilling, aggressive style basketball. After three grueling years of law school, no hoops, and bad weather, McKinney is finally back in Scottsdale and has since re-dedicated himself to PCTI. Recently signing up for Cross Fit was a nice way to get in Coach Sabin's good graces, so with a year of extreme training along with frequest basketball playing, will B. Mac return to college form and become the 15 ppg guy he is capable of being? I'm calling yes. If nothing else, he can continue his newfound role as enforcer, taking out whoever the top offensive player from the opposing team by any means necessary.

#13 Overall-Wes Murray-Unrated

There is no one in PCTI with more question marks by his name than my man Wes Murray. After bursting onto the PCTI scene with about five back breaking three's in what might have been the biggest offensive explosion by a guy that does not shoot (8 for 15 for 19 points), Wes showed up to PCTI2 boasting about the fact that he had not touched a ball in about five months. Although coming out of the gates immediately tossing Thompsons lazy runner, Wes took the first few games to get re-acclimated to the game of basketball. As one of the most popular players/guys in PCTI, it's expected around league circles that Murray has re-dedicated himself to his craft, and will be looked upon to knock down countless 3's, all the while shutting down Josh Pitto with ease. After a big offseason of showing that he knows how to email, the sky is the limit for this guy in this system.

Breaking Bad Lost Conversation

So after the recent PCTI draft, I had a chance to review the roster for both my team, Legs Feed the Wolf, and Josh Stephen's team, Breaking Bad. With each pick that went my way, I grew more and more confident that my team had the goods, and this feeling was confirmed once I had a chance to step back and evaluate each roster. On the one hand, LFTW has size, speed, strength, shooting ability, handle, defensive demons, rebounding masters, and one scoring savant. When I looked at Breaking Bad, I saw one awkward lefty with bony hips, one guard who likes to facef*ck the camera more than hoop, a cockstrong Wisconsin native whom I admire, one forward who struggles with layups, one who struggles with the 3 ball, an injured shooting savant, and a guy who refuses to defend, play hard, or develop chemistry with his teammates.

So naturally, I thought to myself: "Why do they like their roster so much?". I mean, at the end of the day, I understand why I like my roster because we genuinely like each other and we want each other to do well. Add in the fact that each of my warriors is committed to preparing themselves physically to produce outstanding performances, and I have the formula for a winning weekend. But I just couldn't understand why they liked their roster so much, too.

Well, the answer came to me a few days later, and here it is. Team Breaking Bad defines itself by the chaos and misery it produces internally. In other words, they hope that their team will play better by combining some of the most caustic and dysfunctional personalities in PCTI. I mean, look it, you throw Joe Thompson and Josh Pitto into the same pot, you're not gonna produce Filet Mignon, more like a shit sandwich. If that's not bad enough, throw in Josh Stephens and Brian Eskildsen, one a raging gunner and the other a fundamental, technical ballplayer that doesn't tolerate poor shot selection. I'm not so confident that's a great combination to start the team with. As if all those problems weren't enough, throw in the fact that Hops and Brian will incessantly have to remind their team to rebound, compete, play hard, and share the ball, and you have the recipe for an unmitigated disaster.

But maybe I'm overthinking this. Maybe their misery, lack of cohesion, disconformity, and terrible shooting will generate the results they are seeking. And maybe I'm putting too much value in the fact that basketball is a game that requires defensive competitors and guys who like each other enough to share the ball. I suppose only time will tell. But it helped me to listen in to secret audio from Breaking Bad last night:

BC: Sabin doesn't know what he's doing. He drafted guys who will compete, give a crap, and own the boards.
Stephens: I know, he's so stupid. I mean, look at our team and all the terrible teammates I got. That's what Sabin is missing.
Joe: All I know is I better get the chance to walk the ball up the floor and not generate any fast breaks for us.
Pitto: What? That's my job!
Stephens: Both of you shutup. I will have shot the ball long before either one of you ever touches it.
Dawson: (alone on the corner) I'm a good shooter, maybe we could work to get me some open looks.
All: Shut the fuck up, Dawson! We'll handle the strategy!
B-EZ: Maybe we should think about taking good shots and getting back on defense to slow up their transition game.
Stephens: Brian, we all know what a good shot is, you don't have to tell me that.
Hops: Yeah, but who's gonna stop Ben from scoring, keep Bruise off the glass, and stop Sabin from providing chemistry and winning motivation?
BC: Hops, Sabin is so dumb. He created a team with great shooters, competitive defenders, world class rebounders, and unselfish winners. Plus, they all like each other!!! Can you believe that? So dumb!
Stephens: Yeah, not like our team that hates each other, won't share the ball, takes bad shots, and doesn't care about defense. Now that's how to build a winner at PCTI.
Pitto and Joe: I'm gonna go practice walking the ball up the floor!
Stephens: I'll go practice contested 3 pointers from 3 feet behind the line!
Hops: I'll go practice shooting layups on Smo. I know it didn't work last year, but it should in PCTI 3.
B-EZ: I'll go read a book about basketball virtues from the 1970s.
BC: I don't care what you guys do. I hope we lose every game while I go for 20-10. After all, when I subjugate my offense so the team does well, I hate it. As long as I get mine, I'm good.
Pitto: Fuck all of you. I will personally prevent any of you from enjoying this weekend!
Donley: Maybe Sabin was right...chemistry does matter.
Dawson: I'm still open in the corner, guys....

And now, I understand.

Sabin

BREAKING NEWS

(AP) SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Several PCTI members are reconfirming that the group's annual weekend trip will continue to revolve around competing in a series of basketball games.

A small group representing players from both teams held a secret, eleventh hour meeting late Wednesday night in the wake of a tumultuous 72-hour period following the league's third annual player draft. Multiple sources confirmed to the AP that Springfield, Mass., was chosen as the site for the clandestine meeting because it is the birthplace of basketball and a drivable distance for Wisconsin-native Scott Donley.

Unofficial league commissioner Danny Krow confirmed that there was a meeting.

"It became clear following the draft that there were differing thoughts [about the purpose of the league] and the emails that followed only further skewed the truth. We felt it necessary to make sure both teams were on the same page and were clear that in no way is PCTI evolving in to a competition in anything but the game of basketball," Krow said.

The confusion began Tuesday while the draft unfolded. Jeff Sabin - voted by his peers to serve as a team captain - drafted a team largely devout of any significant basketball talent. Sabin's counterpart Josh Stephen was free to select a team full of players that appeared vastly superior to Sabin's in every statistical category.

"I knew Sabin was weird, hell I had to play with him last year. But after the draft, I just thought he was stupid," said Anthony Hopkins, who was selected by Stephen.

While many in the league were blasting Sabin's decision making, his reaction suggested he could not be more happy with his newly-drafted team. The veteran from Dallas lauded his team's potential to train in the off-season and get along with each other.

"He was clearly very confident but he never brought up basketball, specifically how they were going to score more than thirty points a game. That's when I began to get concerned about his motives," said Brent Carney.

With PCTI relocating to Texas after holding it's first two events in Kentucky, much of the planning for PCTI3 is being handled by Sabin. Following his draft and subsequent reaction, many in the league began to wonder about what he was planning for the league.

"I heard from several people that they were concerned we would arrive in Texas and wouldn't find a basketball or a hoop anywhere. There were a lot of people worried that Sabin was planning for us to race in a triathlon or have a weight lifting contest or something one morning and to play some sort of Family Feud style game against each other the next day. I got to admit, it didn't seem too hard to believe" Bryan McKinney said.

Krow confirmed Sabin was not present at Wedensday's meeting. According to Krow, Sabin was concerned that the travel time would disrupt his training schedule.

"That's a risk I can't afford to take, the tournament is only 176 days away," Sabin said when reached by phone Thursday morning.

Sabin reaffirmed his pleasure with how the draft turned out but avoided discussing the widespread criticism that he ignored considering a player's ability to play basketball when making his picks. When asked directly whether his team was actually good at the sport, Sabin quickly ended the conversation.

"I'm sorry, I only have 20 seconds in between sets. I'm doing weighted box jumps, you know? I will tell you this, our team gets along really well" he said.

While Sabin remained largely noncommittal, other players treated the news that the league would continue to compete solely in basketball as a major victory.

"This is the best day of my life!" said a sobbing Joe Thompson, who likely was in the midst of an acting exercise.

The news was greeted with a shrug of the shoulders by Stephen, who admitted he was unaware of the controversy.

"I did wonder when he bragged about his team being so physical since I have the bigger team. And I did think it was weird that he talked about how good of shape his team would be in when he drafted all the guys who were out of shape a year ago. But I guess I just figured he was a bad drafter? Whatever," he said.

Draft Review-Team Pitto

When I received a call from Josh Stephens yesterday to confirm that we had 14 guys that play in this tournament with us, ten minutes before the draft was set to begin, I thought there was no way this guy is able to put together 7 solid selections. I must admit, I was wrong. Stephens showed that he was out to win this thing, not see how many points he could score (Despite what all of us may have thought). He shocked the PCTI world selecting Brian Eskildsen and Joe Thompson, two guys that are known for verbally berating his on court tactics. Overall, you have to be impressed with Stephen's sticking to his board and showing that he wanted talented, strong basketball players, not guys that would help him put points on the board. Now, for a recap pick by pick:

#2 Overall-"BIG" Brent Carney-B+

There is no rhyme or reason this pick does not deserve an A, but my goal is to show that I don't just hand out perfect grades for nothing. This was a no brainer-BBC is a do-it-all guy that plays hard, scores in bunches and gives the team some size and hip flexibility.

#3 Overall-Brian ESKildsen-B+

Give Josh credit for sticking to his board and recognizing a perfect compliment to himself and Big Brent. Brian can handle, defend anyone on the court, and is a quality cheap shot artist. He brings a sound IQ to the floor and will make sure if it's the last thing he does that the floor is spaced perfectly at all times. That being said, can the guy stay healthy? History would say no.

#6 Overall-Joe Thompson-A+

Great value at this selection, the other MVP candidate from PCTI2 dropped due to his lack of popularity and his Hollywood persona. After bursting onto the scene in year 2 as a run and gun ballhawk, the question will be if he sticks with his successful style, or if he wants to go back to the Hollywood look at me approach that he showcased in year 1. Give Stephens credit, no one thought he would select Thompson because of Joe's history for taking bad shots at David Lipscomb, but he stuck to his board and recognized the value he was getting.

#7 Overall-Scott Donley-B+

The new look SD came out of the PCTI gates firing last year, and it earned him immediate respect around the league. With his new muscular physique and gun slinging ways, Donley scored a quick 7 points in about two minutes, giving his team a significant lift in his first PCTI game during his rookie year. With a year of experience under his belt, will it help him, or has everyone learned his repitoire in the post? Also, Stephens needs to be concerned whether he will choose to fly or drive to Dallas. If he is able to play all 7, getting a big guy to battle with the Bruiser in the trenches will go a long way for this team.

#10 Overall-Dawson Huff-C

Value wise, there is no question this should be an A. After a strong PCTI1, $ shedded about 20lbs. of baby fat in hopes of being more explosive on the court. His hard work was shattered when he shredded his knee doing one of his explosive moves down low. Going on 6 months of rehab, $ claims he will about around 90% come game time. He has also gone on record saying his shot has never felt better. If there is one thing that proves to be deadly in PCTI, it's a guy that can hit open shots when the defense is tired (Which it is 95% of the time). The next few months will be important to see what kind of contribution Team Pitto will get from this beautiful man.

#11 Overall-Anthony Hopkins-A

Give Josh credit, the consensous PCTI opinion was that he would jump at his homie and pick him with either his second or fourth pick. He let the board come to him and still got his kryptonite, while stockpiling talent along the way. Between his leadership skills, speeches in the huddle, lock down defense, and one game a year that he goes off, you know you are getting a key glue guy that is necessary if a team wants to win. The missed layups are not important when he is busting 50% from three point land. THIS DUDE GETS LOOSE.

#14 Overall-Josh Pitto-C

Did Pitto get his wish? Yes. Did Sabin get his wish as well? You bet he did. In one of the biggest storylines over the PCTI offseason, Sabin and Pitto have put their enemy cards on the table, making PCTI3 that much more intriguing. Whether their hatred for each other as people, on the court or it's just a jealousy issue between both of their valiant efforts to become top villain within the PCTI ranks, expect this storyline to keep on giving. As a player, you have to give Pitto credit for his high % shooting and ability to distribute the ball. Will his teammates find the same humor he does about him not playing defense? Will Thompson and Pitto be able to Co-Exist? Time will tell.

Welcome

Gentlemen,

Welcome to the Website/Blog.  This will be interactive and everyone will have access to posting their thoughts.  We will be able to post video, podcasts, photos, etc. to give a really nice multimedia experience.

I'm going to work on putting up a history section filled with stats, all-tourneys, career leaders, and records.  Just trying to make this as awesome as possible.

Yours in combat,
Dr. Joe "the Show" Thompson, Jr. I