Let the Celebration Begin!

Heat Showing How Bad They Want it

The Miami Heat entered the 2012 NBA Finals as the underdog. They were told their team was incomplete, their stars wouldn't be enough and their role players simply weren't good enough to win a championship. Lebron James wasn't clutch enough, Chris Bosh wasn't tough enough and Dwyane Wade couldn't have the same impact that he has had in the past. This team had expectations to win multiple titles, but most believed that the Oklahoma City Thunder would become NBA Champions after the Finals were set. There’s just one problem with that prediction, the Miami Heat weren’t going to lose in back to back NBA Finals.

The Heat have won with a variety of ways in these playoffs, but it has come down to pure will in this series against the Thunder. The Heat have won three straight games that have came down to the final minute. They have played like a team and not just a Big 3. Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers and even rookie Norris Cole have stepped up in key moments for the Heat.

That is the difference this season. Miami is a complete team. They thought they could’ve played better as a team in last year’s Finals, but Chris Bosh and the rest of the Heat are going to make sure they leave it all out on the floor this time.  “That’s what the Finals is about, giving everything you have until you can’t walk no more,” said Bosh following the Game 4 victory. “It’s about will. It’s about nothing else. . . . We know it’s not over until it’s over, so we have to finish this job that we started.”

This Heat team is focused on one goal and after two years of scrutiny find themselves just one win away from reaching the pinnacle of the basketball world. That is something that many people, including myself did not think would happen when the Finals began.

Dwyane Wade let's everyone know how many games the
Miami Heat need to complete their journey
and win a Championship.

NBA Finals Prediction

Well, for the second year in a row Lebron James and the Miami Heat find themselves just four games away from an NBA Championship. The road has undoubtedly been hard for the Heat, who escaped the Boston Celtics in Game 7 on Saturday night. They’ve overcome an injury to All-Star power forward Chris Bosh, who is looking healthy and will need to be a major contributor for the Heat if they plan on winning a championship. But, will their struggles lead to an end of season triumph?

The Miami Heat are lacking quality players at the forward and center position. They have two Superstars in Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. The problem is they need other guys to continue to step up against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Not only do the Thunder have stars, but they have depth the Heat are lacking. Kevin Durant is a three-time scoring champion and one of the best players in the game today (if not the best). The Thunder have a very athletic guard in Russell Westbrook and the best 6th Man of the Year James Harden. The Thunder are bigger and better in the paint with high flying Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins.

The pressure is on Lebron James to win an NBA Title and quiet his critics, but in order for him to do that I think he would need to contain Durant on defense and average 35 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. That is too much for any superstar to do because Kevin Durant is that good and so are the young Oklahoma City Thunder. James will have a good Finals and so will Wade, but it won’t be enough.


I’ll take the Oklahoma City Thunder in 6 Games.

Game 1: Oklahoma City: 109   Miami: 100
Game 2: Oklahoma City: 91   Miami: 84
Game 3: Miami: 112 Oklahoma City: 89
Game 4: Miami: 103 Oklahoma City: 98
Game 5: Oklahoma City: 97   Miami: 89
Game 6: Oklahoma City: 92   Miami: 81

Solomon Tentman: Determined to Fulfill a Dream

Tentman looks to play a major role for the Bearcats'
this season just two years after being told
he may never play again.

On August 21, 2010 the University of Cincinnati football team was having its last major scrimmage at Camp Higher Ground in West Harrison, Indiana, before coming back to Cincinnati. The Bearcats were coming off of their best season in school history and it became clear that the football program was finally relevant. It was a sunny day, perfect for football. But, this day would change the journey of one Bearcat forever. As the scrimmage was coming to a close, Freshman Linebacker Solomon Tentman turned awkwardly on his left leg during a play.


In a matter of seconds, Tentman, who had been one of the top ranked high school linebackers in the country the previous year, was writhing in pain holding his knee.

 “One of the doctors and J.K. (Schaffer) carried me off of the field,” said Tentman. “I couldn’t even lay my leg straight. On a scale of 1-10 it [the pain] was a 20.”

The former three star recruit was told he had a torn ACL, LCL, MCL, PCL and partially torn patella tendon. For most athletes, an injury like this is career-ending. Every major ligament in his knee was damaged. The doctors were honest when they said his football playing days were most likely over. Six days later Tentman had surgery to repair his destroyed knee.

“The night after surgery was probably the worst night of my life. The nerve block only lasted about six hours, when it was supposed to last 24. I was in pain all night,” he said.

In just a few seconds, a game he had played since middle school was taken from him. However, the linebacker was determined to show everyone his love-affair with football only hit a speed bump and not a permanent road block.

When asked about his family’s reaction to the injury, Tentman admitted that he had to console them saying, “They were a little worried. I told them I would be fine and that I wasn’t giving up; that [giving up] wasn’t in my fiber. I knew I was going to play again.”

If Tentman was going to recover, he learned early on it would be a tough battle not just physically, but mentally as well. The rehabilitation process for a severe injury like his would be long and strenuous. That meant early morning workouts that consisted mostly of weights, agility drills, and mobility exercises. After each workout, Tentman would have to ice his knee or it would swell.

“I wouldn’t say the rehab was the hardest thing I’ve done. The mental aspect was the toughest part,” said Tentman. "Anyone can physically do the rehab, but getting the right mind set to do the rehab was the hard part.” The mental toll from an injury like this would be hard for anyone to deal with, and here was Tentman, facing it early in his college football career.

As the days, weeks and months passed, Tentman’s condition improved enough that the doctor said his career was not over and that he would be able to take the field after his knee healed. He worked hard to regain his old form, but with most severe injuries, time plays a major role in the healing process. Even though the process was long and grueling, Tentman didn't show any signs of giving up.

“As long as you keep working harder and harder and harder, then everything will come with it," he said. "It has been a gradual process and I just learned to accept it.”

Tentman had three or four sessions of rehab each day. Each session lasted at least two hours. He quickly realized that the exercise bike and bosu ball would be important in his recovery. The bosu ball was used strengthen the muscles around his knee so he could stay balanced and stable, not only on the football field but in everyday activities. Tentman admits one of the hardest things in rehab was not lifting weights or running; it was simply straightening his knee.

“They would extend and bend my knee forcefully so they could remove the scar tissue and regain full range of motion; which was one of the most painful parts," he said.

After he regained full motion in his knee, the strength training began. Tentman did numerous exercises to regain the power he once had in his legs including: leg press, reverse hyper lifts, and reverse dead lifts. Once he made it to this stage, it was a matter of gaining the lift and power he once had. This took time, but after he passed an exam given by the doctor he was cleared for agility and running drills. Eventually, Tentman was able to begin conditioning with the team and the hours of rehab and hard work he put in were paying off.

The injury took place 21 months ago and Tentman surprised a lot of people with his recovery. He was able to travel with the team and play in five games last season, but even he acknowledged he wasn’t 100% healthy. He was still walking and running with a slight limp. Even though he didn’t get much playing time last season, Tentman knew he had to be patient since he hadn’t fully recovered from the devastating injury. When asked about being completely recovered now, Tentman didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, definitely. With summer running and conditioning I feel 100% and I’m ready to go.”

His health is important for the Bearcats because senior J.K. Schaffer graduated and there is an opening at middle linebacker. Now fully healthy, Tentman looks to capture more playing time and help fill a need for his team. Schaffer wasimpressed with Tentman and undoubtedly believes in him: “I consider Solly a brother, and I am pretty confident that he feels the same way about me. I have spent countless hours in the weight room, locker room, film room, and field with Solly, and I know that he is going to be successful. The way he fought through his rehabilitation and his injury shows the toughness that Solly has, and also his persistence. Solly is a guy that I would go to war with any day.”

Complements on work ethic and determination have become a common trend when talking to peers and coaches about Tentman. People who know him seem to understand the potential Tentman has and how hard he had to work just to get healthy after that devastating injury.

"Not very many people are able to come back from that," University of Cincinnati Football Head Coach Butch Jones recently told Paul Dehner of GoBearcats.com. "Not only from the severity of the damage to the knee, but also the mental toughness, the mental conditioning that it takes to rehab yourself back to being football conditioned."

Tentman’s love for football started in Clifton in elementary school at Annunciation on Clifton Avenue. “My passion for the game started in the 2nd grade when we played two-hand touch on the playground,” he said. “I didn’t play organized football until the 5th grade.”

 Tentman realized in the 8th grade that he had the tools to play at the next level. He attended Roger Bacon High School in St. Bernard where he was the Greater Catholic League Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2009-2010. He tallied 179.5 tackles and 14 sacks during his senior campaign.

Although it may not sound like it, Solomon Tentman does have hobbies other than football. In his free time he enjoys cooking and playing video games. Steak is his favorite food to cook, but also enjoys preparing bacon and eggs. His favorite videogames include Call of Duty and NCAA Football. His football confidence extends to the virtual gridiron where Tentman claims, “I can use any team on the game and beat anybody with anyone [team].”

Tentman’s goal was to always earn a Division 1 college scholarship. “It became a reality my sophomore year [of high school] when I was getting interest from all over," he said.

He was recruited by numerous schools including Akron, Purdue, Minnesota, and Michigan. “I chose UC because I watched them when I was growing up,” said Tentman. “That was back when there was only a couple of thousand [fans] showing up to the games. It's home.”

He admits that getting more playing time this year is on his mind and didn’t shy away when asked about the possibility of becoming the starting middle linebacker for the Bearcats next season. “That’s definitely a goal of mine. I’m just trying to be more aggressive on the field and trying to become the playmaker that J.K. Schaffer was.”

This upcoming season looks to be Tentman’s first full year of college football. All of the pain he went through with his injury and the hard work he put in to make a return to the game he loves is astounding. All of the grueling workouts, rehabilitation and hardships he has faced in the last 21 months have come to an end and he will be able to resume playing football at full strength. There’s an old saying, you never know what you got until it’s gone. For Tentman, football was gone, but he didn’t take no for an answer and worked his tail off to return to the game he loves. Does Tentman look at football any differently now after his injury?
“I approach football with a no remorse attitude," he said. "There are certain times when I have fun, but I approach it very seriously because you never know when it's going to be over.”

Tentman has shown his family, teammates and fans that he is willing to do everything possible to be out on that field. The hard work he has put in to defy the odds is living proof that hard work and dedication can get you where you want to go in life. However, Tentman still has one thing left to do to complete his comeback: play in front of his hometown crowd.

“One moment I can’t wait for is September 6th vs. Pittsburgh on ESPN in a sold-out and blacked-out Nippert Stadium,” Tentman said thinking of a packed house for the Bearcats 2012-2013 season opener. After everything he has went through, no one can doubt his will to succeed.

Sports Talk Rundown- NBA Playoffs Edition

Everything seemed to be going against the Boston Celtics on Monday night. They arrived in Miami a day after defeating a pesky Philadelphia 76ers team in Game 7 on Saturday nighy. That meant little rest for the veteran Celtics. They had four technical fouls called against them and Kevin Garnett looked like the only played who came ready to play for the veteran ball club. Plus, they were on the road playing against two of the top five basketball players in the world. I picked the Miami Heat to win this series in 7 games, with Chris Bosh returning in Game 5. After Monday night, my opinion hasn't changed at all. The Celtics will get their feet under themselves and even up the series 1-1 on Wednesday night. It will be close, but I'll take the Celtics to defeat the Heat 89-84 in Game 2. They will get more physical with the Heat and play more zone defense. That will help against the fast-paced Miami offense.

Lebron James (left) and the Miami Heat ran passed the fatigued Boston Celtics
in Game 1. I expect Game 2 to have a much different result.

The San Antonio Spurs rallied at the end of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals to defeat the Oklahoma City  Thunder and take a 1-0 series lead on Sunday night. They play again tonight, but I am expecting the same result. The Spurs are a well-oiled machine. They do not have any noticeable weaknesses and everyone has a team first mentality. The Spurs always have a guy who steps up for them. Manu Ginobili did it in Game 1. Tony Parker will do it in Game 2 and the Spurs will win 98-89.

I'm guessing the Spurs will play well against
the Thunder from start to finish in Game 2
and come away with a 2-0 series lead.

The Answer Needs a Chance

Five years ago if you would've told me that Allen Iverson was on a basketball court in the NBA Playoffs, I would've thought he'd be starting for his team and playing a key role in his team's success. Unfortunately, that was not the case on Wednesday night. In fact, who would've thought the 36 year old Iverson would be in a Number 23 Philadelphia 76ers jersey and jeans presenting the game ball for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Iverson didn't appear much different, but everyone knew he was. The former league MVP had fallen off of a cliff and now he was presenting the game ball on the court he had so many great moments on.

 In the 2007-2008 season Allen Iverson started all 82 games for the Denver Nuggets. He averaged just over 26 points per game and there were no signs of his basketball skills declining. Iverson showed he could complement another star when he played with Carmelo Anthony, but they never made a deep playoff run together and this led to him being traded. After being traded, Iverson began to fall off of the cliff mentioned earlier. His stats declined and he just didn't seem like the same player.

Personal problems eventually took Iverson out of the league and A.I. was left trying to get his life back together. But, I do not want to feel sorry for the former scoring champion. I know he put himself in those positions and he only has himself to blame for the mistakes he made throughout his life.

The last time Iverson was on an NBA basketball court he was dealing with demons that he had to get rid of. His daughter was dealing with illness and his marriage was on shaky ground.  While dealing with those issues, Iverson managed to average 13.7 ppg in his last 28 NBA games. Half of NBA players probably wish they could average 14 points every night and Iverson did at his worst moment. But, after playing only 3 games in 2010, Iverson's issues became toomuch and he left the NBA.


Since then, Iverson has said he would like to play again, but not many teams (if any) have reached out to him. A.I. was interviewed during the game on Wednesday Night and when asked to comment on retirement he said, "I'm not using that word." Later, he was asked about a potential NBA return, "I mean, the way it is right now, I've accepted the fact that [playing in the NBA] might not happen," he said. "But I still want to play basketball. If I can get an opportunity to where it's going to make me happy at the end of my career, I'll take that opportunity. But I just love to play and I want to have another opportunity to play on the professional level."


Allen Iverson will be 37 years old in two weeks, but why shouldn't he get one last shot to play the game he loves? Last time we saw him, he still had the talent to play at a high level. Regardless of how these NBA playoffs turnout, I hope A.I. is on an NBA court next season because he deserves one last chance. It was clear during his career that he played every game like his last and if he wants to get back on the court I believe he will be more motivated than ever.

Allen Iverson presents the game ball before tip off of
Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

Lakers Must Improve to Keep Kobe Bryant

This was something most analysts predicted and fans expected, but it seemed surreal when it happened. "The torch has been passed," TNT Analyst Reggie Miller said, and many would tend to agree with him. That implies Los Angeles Lakers run with Kobe Bryant was over and the Oklahoma City Thunder are the top dogs in the Western Conference. The game had a movie-like feel to it. Kobe goes off one last time, not only on the Oklahoma City Thunder, but on father time himself. His 16 seasons in the NBA have taken their toll, but he wanted to try an lead his team to a Game 5 win to put off the inevitable. Bryant has led the Lakers into many battles before and he led them again on Monday night. He put the Lakers on his back, but the young Thunder were too much and the future hall of famer couldn’t do it alone.


Now, media all across the country is speculating what the future holds for the Los Angeles Lakers. Should they blow up the team and start fresh or should they try to add a piece or two to help return to the promised land? I believe if the Lakers do not improve in the offseason with trades and/or free agents, that Kobe Bryant will demand a trade. He wants to be the best and still has enough in the tank to lead a team. Bryant just wants to win championships. He understands the clock is ticking on his career and if that means going to play somewhere else to make one or two more title runs, I believe he is willing to do so.

During the game it became obvious that Bryant was frustrated with his teammates. He yelled at them, tried to motivate them, but nothing worked. The Black Mamba was playing with two 7-footers who lacked the aggressiveness and killer instinct that Bryant posseses. Kobe plays with more drive and will to win then any other player in the league today, a skill that his teammates lack . If that doesn’t change in soon, expect Kobe Bryant to be in a different uniform by the start of next season.

Kobe Bryant looks on as the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate
making the Western Conference Finals
for the second straight season.