WHAT'S GOING ON IN PHOENIX?

 The Phoenix Suns have 2 All-Stars on their roster.  One of them is one of this era of basketballs top 5 players.  They also have a championship winning head coach and on owner that is willing to do whatever it takes to win.  This was proven when just a few days after purchasing the team he pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that brought Kevin Durant to Phoenix.

Yet the Phoenix Suns have a record of 26-27 as we head towards the All- Star break.  They are in 11th place in the Western Conference.  So what's going on in Phoenix?  On paper the Suns should be a top seed yet they seem to struggle to get to .500 basketball.

There are two problems with the Phoenix Suns that are keeping them from contending for a NBA tittle again.  The first problem is Bradley Beal and the second problem the Suns are missing that intimidating player.

Bradley Beal came to Phoenix to be part of the Big 3 along with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.  Beal's inability to stay healthy and contribute when he is healthy made this plan a failure from day one.  To make matter's worse Beals performance and the price tag his contract carries makes it impossible to move trade him.  Because no other team wanted him the Suns were unable to trade for Jimmy Butler, who ultimately ended up in Golden State, creating another problem for the Suns.

Most people say the Suns need a center and that this has always been a weakness of the Phoenix Suns.  This idea makes sense but the man there missing doesn't have to be a center.  The person just needs to be an intimidating player that won't back down from anyone.  The Suns recently had a Jae Crowder who fits this description well.  The fact that the Suns don't have anyone like this allows other teams to bully them.  The Suns aren't tough emough to hang with the top teams in the Western Conference.

  

TIDBIT TUESDAY: OCTOBER 1,2024

 This week’s edition of Tidbit Tuesday comes to us from the baseball world.  With the MLB playoffs set begin lets give you a piece of knowledge about America’s past time that you may not know.

 

Former Cincinnati Reds star Pete Rose passed away yesterday of natural causes.  Did you know he was actually banned from baseball and not allowed into Baseball’s Hall of Fame?

 

Pete Rose was banned from baseball in 1989 for betting on games while he was the manager of the Cincinnati Reds.

CAN DBACKS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS?

 The Arizona Diamondbacks finished the regular season today with a strong performance beating the San Diego Padres 11-2.  They finished the season 89-73 just one spot out of a playoff berth.  But there is still hope.

The Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets are just ahead of the Dbacks, both having a record of 88-72.  Due to the hurricane Helene The Braves and the Mets had to cancel two games last week.  They will make up those two games tomorrow when they play a double header.

Although the Dbacks chances to get in the postseason seem complicated they are not.  Its simple, if either team wins both games that team and the Dbacks are in.  If both teams split the double header those two twams are in and the Dbacks season is over.

Both teams have pelnty to play for, but here is the reaity of the situation.  whichever teams wins the first game is automatically in the playoffs and doesn't have anything to play for and will most likely rest their starters.  Keeping this in mind and the fact that last season the Dbacks were a wildcard team and got hot and went on to the World Series I would win the first game and rest my starters in the second game essentially eliminating a dangerous Dbacks team.

If the Dbacks fail to make the playoffs because of lasts seasons unexpected success this season would be considered a failure to many fans and the players.  Regardless of the outcome the Dbacks were a fun team to watch and have a bright future ahead of them.

LEGENDARY PHOENIX SUNS VOICE PASSES AWAY

 

Al McCoy, the voice of the Phoenix Suns for 51 years passed away on September 21, 2024, he was 91 years old.  McCoy retired after the 2023 and was and still is the longest tenured voice of any NBA franchise. 

McCoy was a fan favorite due to his unique play by play calling.  He coined several phrases such as, zing go the strings and heartbreak hotel.  McCoy was best known for the phrase Shazam.  So much so that Arizona Cardinals voice Dave Pasch used the phrase the day after McCoy died when Kyler Murray hit Marvin Harrison Jr. for the teams for score.

Growing up a Suns fan I experienced the legend in action many times.  When you ask Suns fan who their favorite Suns and many of them would say Al McCoy.  When I was a teenager the Phoenix Suns would show the games on TV and air them on the radio.  I was such a fan of McCoy that I would turn down the TV and listen to Mccoy call the game from the radio.

Al McCoy is one of the most famous names when it comes to Arizona sports and belongs on the states Mount Rushmore.  McCoy will definitely be missed and is a legend.  May he rest in peace.

GUESS WHOSE BACK?

 Guess whose back?  Back again,  guess whose back guess whose back!

That's right The Az Sports Guru is back!

Beginning this week I will be posting at least 2 articles a week.  I will cover all the Arizona sports, as well as all the most popular stories.  I will give commentary and opinion and hope you enjoy what you read.  Please read and follow my blog, as well as my Twitter and Facebook pages. 

CARL HAYDEN LOOKS TO FINISH SEASON STRONG

Tonight, The Falcons of Carl Hayden High School play host to the Vista Grande Spartan’s.  Not only is it the last game of the season for Carl Hayden, it is also Senior Night and Homecoming.  Senior Night and Homecoming are always special but tonight has another special meaning for the Carl Hayden Falcons.

 

When the Falcons kickoff later tonight they are not just playing another football game, they are playing to be a part of history.  If they can come away victorious the Falcons will finish the season 6-4.  The first winning season since 2012.  But the important part is they will tie for the best record in Carl Hayden history.  The school has been around since 1957 and has only been to the playoffs once, in 1996.

 

Coach Steven Arenas has quickly changed the culture at Carl Hayden.  He and his coaches have the team believing they can win any game they play.  Even though the Falcons will most like miss the playoffs they have proved that they are a team to fear next year.

 

In Carl Hayden’s five wins they score more than 45 points in each game and only gave up more than 10 once.  The Falcons have a promising future and look to compete for a playoff spot next season.

SUNS HEATING UP!

 The 2021-2022 NBA season has begun and is trying to get back to pre- pandemic status.  For the first time in two seasons the NBA will play it's typical 82 game schedule.  Players and teams are getting ready for the long haul.  Some understand that they have a long season and have to pace themselves, some because they are going to make a deep playoff run.

The Suns are one of those teams.  Last season they surprised the NBA world by making it the NBA  Finals.  They added a backup center in Javale McGee, but the team brings back its core players from a year ago.  The season start with the Suns going 1-3 and some Phoenix faithful started to get worried.

Since then the Suns have won 6 straight and are now 7-3.  They have done so without DeAndre Ayton, who has been injured, which has made this an even better accolade.  The Suns have a lot of season left but are on the right path to repeat as Western Conference Champions.

ODELL WANTS TO PLAY FOR A CONTENDER

 NFL star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has officially cleared waivers and can now sign with any team he wants.  The former Cleveland Browns receiver was waived last Friday by the team.  He was waived in part due to a video his dad posted showing Browns QB Baker Mayfield repeatable not throw OBJ the ball.

 

Now that Beckham Jr. has cleared the waiver wire he is free to sign with any team he wants.  OBJ has said that he wants to sign with a contender.  As I listen to this report from ESPN, they say that two of the teams are the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.

 

My first thought is why in the world would anyone sign with Seattle or New England?  Seattle is 3-5 and plays in what is most likely the toughest division in football, The NFC West.  Seattle has a good receiving corps and an excellent QB in Russell Wilson, but he is injured and even though he is expected back soon we do not know how well he play upon return.  Seattle finds itself in a deep whole to get out of if they want to make a run at the post season.  Each week it gets harder with the way the Arizona Cardinals continue to find a way to win.  Bottom line is Seattle is not a contender.

 

The Patriots are 5-4 and appear to be in a two-team race with the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East title.  QB Mac Jones has not proven himself as of yet and even if they make it to the playoffs his inconsistent play will have the team relying heavily on the defense.  Even with OBJ on the Patriots they are still a wide receiver or two way from being a contender. 

 

TIDBIT TUESDAY 11/9/2021

                                              photo courtesy of google.com

This week's edition of Tidbit Tuesday could easily be Did you know The Az Sports Guru is back?  But we'll save that for another day.  This weeks Tidt come from the NFL.

Did you know the Arizona Cardinals are 8-1?  If you live in Arizona, of course you did, but if you live outside of Arizona you may know but act like you don't.  

The Cardinals are the only 8-1 team in the NFL but you would not know that by reading the national sports headlines.  The Cardinals won a tough division game without it's starting QB Kyler Murray and top recievers AJ Green and DeAndre Hopkins.  They proved they are one of the best teams in the NFL.  Now the question is when will anyone outside of Arizona believe the same thing? 

BOOKER WINS GOLD

 Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker lost the NBA Finals and jumped on a plane to Tokyo, Japan to play for Team USA in the 2020 Summer Olympics.  The games were pushed back one year due to the Covid 19 outbreak.

Team USA, like always, is loaded with talent, lost it's opening game to France but did not look back after the loss.  The US beat France on Friday 87-82 to win the gold medal and make it their rourth Olypic Gold in a row.

Devin Booker started 5 of the United States six games.  He scored 20 points in the semifinal win over Australia.  Booker was one of the US top players.  At just 24 years old Booker takes home is first Olympic Gold Medal.