Learning the Hardaway

Giving the NBA All-Star Game new life, $chiano cashes in at Rutgers and other ramblings.

By Greg Wiley

What can I say about Tim Hardaway? The former NBA guard known for his “killer crossover” got crossed up this past week when he let the entire world know what he thought about homosexuals. Last week I said that hate was a strong word and he proved it true when he said he hates gays. Admitting he is a homophobe, Hardaway said that he wouldn’t want to be in the same locker room with a gay teammate and that homosexuality shouldn’t be allowed in the United States or in the world. Wow, what can I say? Next, I guess Hardaway, an African American, is going to say that homosexuals should have their own water fountains, schools and have to ride in the back of the bus.

I can understand with not agreeing with the lifestyle of homosexuals. But to go as far as not giving them the same inalienable right of everyone else, that seems a little extreme -- especially in a country that will soon be giving credit cards to illegal immigrants (thanks for that Bank of America, I’m sure the honest banking public will enjoy it when your fees go up to make up for the defaulting balances).

Hardaway later apologized for his comments, but no one bought it, and it wasn’t a surprise when NBA commissioner David Stern banned him from taking part in any NBA event in the future. I'm glad the NBA is taking a strong stand. The NBA commissioner can’t tell players and former players what to think, but he can take action when their beliefs don’t correspond with those of the league…

Sticking with the NBA theme, the All-Star Game was Sunday. I can't tell you who won because I'm so disinterested in all-star games it's not funny. So, what I think the NBA should do to generate more interest next year is have the U.S. play the World. Now that has the chance to be interesting. Imagine the starting five of Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands) tipping it up against Steve Nash (Canada), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Pau Gasol (Spain) Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) and Yao Ming (China). The U.S. might have the advantage with a deep bench, but International players have a lot of pride and would show up and play serious basketball against the Americans. My only question is who Clippers guard Sam Cassell would play for if he was chosen. The dude looks like he is from Mars. I give him props, though. He's old as dirt (not Dirk) and can still shoot...

Since we’re on the topic of over-the-hill, Martian-looking basketball players, Scottie Pippen made it known on Friday that he wants to return to the hardcourt to vie for another NBA title. The 41-year-old said he feels good and his body is ready to return to the NBA and play for a contender to earn his seventh NBA title. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Pippen piggy-back Michael Jordan for his first six rings? Now he wants to jump on someone else back and ride them to another title? Please, Pippen, give it up. You're free ride ended when Jordan left you searching for your own meal. You weren't good enough to lift the Bulls to a title without Michael and you're not good enough now to cash in on another meal ticket....

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano received a deserving pay raise this past week when he signed on to stay with the school through the year 2016. Under the new contract, he will make at least $1.7 million per season with the deal reaching over $2 million with bonuses. The contract makes him the 24^th highest paid football coach in Division-I athletics and the second-highest paid in the Big East (West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez will make more).

Good for Schiano. He deserved the salary hike. He turned a horrid football program in a starved market into a contender. Critics say the increase is unfair. Rutgers has faced major budget problems and was forced to cut six athletic programs along with other academic cutbacks. However, in the world of big-time college athletics only the strong survive. Schiano could have bolted for Miami and more money after the season was over, but he stayed with the program and was rewarded for that. His reported contract offer with the Hurricanes still would have paid him more than his new deal ($2.2 million per year from Miami), so the school needed to show its loyalty to him. Right now, only Schiano has the power to bring more money to Rutgers and he is humble about it and is not taking advantage. So to all those people out there who don’t like it, tough luck you’re going to have to deal with being a football-first university…

How a week can change things. Last week at this time I was excited about the return of Phil Mickelson. He blew away the field in Pebble Beach and I was excited about some final round pairing with Tiger Woods this season. But that all came to a crashing halt on Sunday when Mickelson choked away a three-stroke final round lead, bogeying the 18^th to force a playoff, and lost the Nissan Open to Charles Howell III. As a golf fan, I wish one of these players, preferably Mickelson, can step up and finally be the Ying to Tiger’s Yang. The golf world needs a rivalry for the major events and right now there isn’t one.

I was happy to see that Duke dropped out of last week’s Top-25 basketball poll for the first time in 10 years, but then all week I was force fed the Blue Devils on ESPN – as usual. I was hoping that the fall from grace would tone down Dick Vitale a little bit, but it didn’t and Duke went on to win a pair of games during the week. I think the only person sicker than me of hearing about Duke right now is Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong…

Well, it's begun. I told you last week that this is the worst time of year for me because of the lack of any good sporting events and the exuberant amount of germs going through my house with three kids and a wife who teaches. On Friday, the coughing, sneezing, nasal drip and everything else that comes with an illness began to hit me. I've tried the Sudafed, Nyquil and Tylenol, but still feel miserable (kind of like the way you probably feel while reading this). I can't wait until my kids get older and I can embarrass them in front of their friends. When they ask why I'll tell them it's payback for the annual cold they passed around the house.

Greg's column appears on the Phanatic Mag every Monday. Feel like ranting? Contact Greg at gwiley@phanaticmag.com