His Shining Moment

Well this weekends Final Four games were somewhat disappointing to anybody who isn't a Gator fan or player. After a terrific first two weekends of play were filled with buzzer beaters, upsets, and close games, this last weekend proved anti-climatic.

Everybody's favorite story George Mason was disposed of rather easily by the Florida Gators. While it wasn't unexpected, it was still a little bittersweet. George Mason was eliminated, but on the plus side the Gators DID cover the spread.

Last night the Florida Gators beat the UCLA Bruins, and they beat them for 40 minutes. Out playing them, out hustling them, out shooting them, out everythinging them. Last night's Gator win was a masterpiece for the Gators. Every Gator had a solid game. On the other hand just about every Bruin had a disappointing game.

One Florida Gator in particular not only stood out last night, but really dominated the entire tournament.

Joakim Noah.

I really enjoyed watching Noah play the last few weeks, from the SEC Championship to Indianapolis last night, he was on a whole other planet than other college players. Here is a 7 footer that runs the floor well, can handle the ball, rebounds, scores, and blocks shots with such a frequency that opponents practically abandon their inside game.

Then it hit me. Joakim Noah could be a Chicago Bull next season. Think about it. The Bulls have the Knicks draft pick(sorry, but I can't stop thanking Isaiah. Thanks Isaiah!!), and more than likely that will be the #1 pick overall.

Name somebody who's a better pick at #1 than Noah right now. That's the greatest story of this tournament. Noah has gone in 3 weeks from a virtual unknown nationally, to probably the #1 pick in the NBA Draft should he decide to leave early.

There's Adam Morrison, and even though I still think he can get you 15 points a game in the NBA his stock has dropped a lot. Sobbing like a schoolgirl with his team down and 2 seconds left against UCLA in the Regional semi's probably didn't help much. There's Aldridge down at Texas, but I don't know if he's big enough yet. JJ Redick went from lottery pick to potential 2nd rounder. Brandon Roy will be a good NBA player, but doesn't have as many tools as Noah.

So really, there is not a player in college basketball that is better than Joakim Noah.

He'd be perfect for the Bulls too. He's like Tyson Chandler, but with talent. He would be that low post presence the team desperately needs right now. He would also be a very good compliment to Luol Deng who has really stepped his game up in the last few weeks. In fact ever since I wrote about the Bulls big mistake in not trading for Paul Pierce cuz they need a reliable scorer(Sitting of the Bulls) he's been on a tear. Averaging 21 ppg, and 8 rebounds. The Bulls in fact have been playing pretty well all around lately.

Andres Nocioni is really showing his potential on a nightly basis, while Kirk Hinrich literally did his Paul Pierce impression the other night against the Celtics. He went off for 11 consecutive points in a crucial stretch of the game that resulted in a Bulls victory. The team still misses somebody down low though. Mike "A Donut and a Cookie away from 350 lbs" Sweetney is a monster in the first quarter, but after that he disappears.

Noah would fit in very well. He runs the floor better than any 7 footer I've seen. He would be the first Gator up and down the court seemingly every time. Against Villanova we were able to see him handle the ball, and break the Nova press. He set a NCAA Championship game record with 6 blocks. He also set the blocks record for the Final Four (10) and tournament (29!! In 6 games! Thats 4.8 a game.) Oh and he averages 16 points, 7 rebounds and over 2 assists a game.

Yes he's still young, and he will have to get a little bigger to take the pounding of 82 NBA games in the post, but he'll fill out the older he gets. I mean I really see the potential that, along with more than a few hours in the gym, could help Noah develop into a Hakeem Olajuwon type player. The only difference being Noah's superior ball handling and floor running skill. I don't know that Noah could ever be the offensive threat Olajuwon was, but he's really only a few low post moves away from it.

Sure I could be getting a little bit ahead of myself with Noah. We don't even know for sure whether he'll be in the draft. I think it would be smart if he did leave school right now though. Noah's stock will never be any higher than it is right now. College basketball had a very odd year this season, in that there was no powerhouse program. That should change next season.

With the new NBA rule that prohibits players from joining the league straight out of high school means that the best high schoolers will be going to college, if for only a year. Well where are those blue chippers gonna go?

To the Duke's, the UNC's, the UConns, etc.

Next year the college basketball landscape will return to normal. That means that even if all the key Gators return, they won't be assured of anything. Duke will get better. UNC will be better. UConn will be better. Even UCLA will be better.

Now is the time for Joakim Noah to enter the NBA draft.

Hopefully it's also the time the Bulls finally get a center.

Random Thoughts

• Well Barry Bonds hit a laser on the very first pitch he saw this season. He went 1-4 with a double and scored the Giants lone run in a 4-1 loss to the Padres. He looks pretty good running the bases, but looked a little apprehensive at times in the field. Of course he was still limber enough to dodge the syringe that a fan threw at him from the stands. Seriously, love him or hate him, that's just uncalled for. As fans we can boo, yell, and insult players all we want. It comes with the price of admission, but throwing things at a player is over the line.
• Speaking of Bonds, his ESPN reality show, Bonds on Bonds, airs tonight, and I have my DVR set to record it.
• I remember last year when the announced the new entries to the basketball Hall of Fame, and Charles Barkley complaining (rightfully) about Dominique Wilkins not getting in. Well Barkley got his wish this year, along with the right to join Wilkins there.
• If your Steve McNair this is a bad sign for the upcoming season. I wonder if they'd let him in had he retired.
• Good performances I saw on Opening Day yesterday:Curt Schilling going 7 strong innings in Texas, Brandon McCarthy pitching 3 shutout innings after the rain delay, David Ortiz being David Ortiz, Jake Peavy pitching 7 great innings, even striking out the side before being pulled.
• Bad performances I saw on Opening Day yesterday: Any pitcher in the Cubs/Reds game, Adam Dunn missing 3 fly balls in that same game, Kevin Millwood found out why pitchers just don't like playing for the Rangers, Barry Zito being unable to throw a strike to save his life.
• Happiest moment of Opening Day for me (Sox game aside) was seeing Frank Thomas hit a home run in his very first at bat for the Oakland A's. I still think Thome will have the superior year, but it's nice to see Frank succeed.