THE PHOENIX SUNS: HAVE THEY TURNED THE CORNER?

The NBA playoffs are in full swing and as we near closer to the NBA Finals, fans in Phoenix are just watching in hopes that one day soon their Phoenix Suns will be back in the playoffs.  The Phoenix Suns have not seen a playoff game since 2010.

The Suns hold the second longest streak in the NBS for seasons without a playoff appearance at 9.  They trail only the Sacramento Kings, who have 13 seasons since they last went to the playoffs.

The Suns have already made some off season moves such as firing their head coach and hiring Philadelphia assistance Monty Williams, that have the Phoenix fans asking, has the franchise finally turned the corner?

The proof may not come as fast as fans want it to, but yes,  the Phoenix Suns have turned the corner.  They have finally hired a coach with proven experience,  they have star power currently on the roster, and owner Robert Sarver seems to be sticking more to his role as an owner and less of a General Manager/Coach.

The Suns have the sixth pick in this years draft and are a point guard away from being a contender for a playoff berth.  Only time will tell if the Phoenix have truly turned the corner to the successful franchise they once were.

WHAT IF WEDNESDAY: 5/22/2019

This weeks "What if Wednesday" takes us to the basketball court.

What if players were never allowed to come straight from high school to the NBA?  How would this affect today's game?  How would it affect the players?

The first thing that comes to mind is what would have become of players such as Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Moses Malone?  You would think, wow what ever college they would have went to would have been so good.  But stop and think, and not just about the players I mentioned, but about all the players that skipped college.  Would they have even been accepted into college?

For some of them the answer is no.  So if they were never able to skip college we may have never seen some of today's greats on the court.  This would have also made an impact on college basketball.  How much of an impact is uncertain because if they only had to go to school for one year like now college basketball would still be what it is today, just at a faster rate.

I like that an athlete isn't able to skip college anymore, and not just because going to college gives you a better career path.  I like it because it gives a kid an opportunity to mature and be more affective when he finally gets to the NBA.

I personally would like to see the NBA and NCAA make players stay in college for 2 full seasons before entering the NBA Draft.

MEET NEW CARL HAYDEN FOOTBALL COACH STEVEN ARENAS

It's August 24, 2018 and the Carl Hayden Falcons find themselves trailing late in the game at Trevor Browne.  It's just the second game of the season and the Falcons are in awe as they just watch a two touchdown lead disappear.

There is less then two minutes in the game and Falcons have the ball 4th and goal.  Senior QB Emanuel Solorio drops back and finds his receiver through a tight window in the end-zone for the touchdown and the 48-47 victory.

That moment was one of many great ones for new Carl Hayden Football Coach Steven Arenas.  The then assistant coach says "that couldn't have happened to a more deserving young man" in an email interview.    The touchdown pass was the first for Solorio.

Arenas, 29, takes over a program that has shown improvement the last few years under Coach Gross.  Arenas has been a part of the Carl Hayden Football community for the past 3 seasons as a running back and defensive line coach.  Arenas also spent 6 years at his alma mater Westview and coached varsity offensive line in his final season before deciding to move to Carl Hayden.

Arenas goal as new coach is to continue to build an infectious football culture on campus and in the community.  He wants the neighborhood children to be excited about playing football at Carl Hayden.  He also wants the alumni to be proud of the football program.  Carl Hayden is a community high school and he plans on community involvement and community service to be a big part of his program.

There is more to Arenas than just football.  Family is a big part of his life.  He and his wife have been married for nearly five years and they have 2 children.   He is very close to his parents, Jose and Cindy Arenas and his brother Matthew teaches at Carl Hayden and will coach offensive line this fall.

Football has impacted Arenas' life and he plans to be a part of it for a very longtime, but he wants more.  He is very passionate about literacy and and urban education.  He will always consider himself a coach and an educator and one day he hopes to earn his doctorate degree and become a university professor.

Arenas is a hard worker and has his sights set on making Carl Hayden a great football program.  He is the right man to make the Falcons soar!

CAN SUNS WIN NBA DRAFT LOTTERY?

Tonight is the NBA Draft Lottery and for the Phoenix Suns and new head coach Monty Williams this is a big deal.  The Suns, along with the Knicks and Cavs have the best chance of getting the first overall pick in this year’s draft.

What’s at stake?  Zion Williamson.  The power forward from Duke will start right away and be a major factor for any team that gets him.  Some would say the Suns need a point guard more than anything, but you don’t pass on a guy like Zion.  He has potential to be as a big a star as Lebron James.  But like with any rookie coming in to the league, only time will tell.

The Suns desperately need star power, someone that will put fans in the seats and attract potential free agents all at the same time.  Zion can do all of that, even if he turns out to just be an average player.

Imagine a front court that features Zion and last year’s first overall pick Andre Ayton.  Pair them with guard Devin Booker and you have a solid young team that will be able to contend for several years.

"What If Wednesday" 5/8/2019

Welcome to the first edition of "What if Wednesday". In this segment I ask the question, what if, and I answer it with a scenario of what could have happened.  So let's get started.

What if Kyler Murray isn't good enough?

Murray was the first overall selection in this year's draft by the Arizona Cardinals.  It was a big deal because the Cardinals drafted what many thought was their franchise QB just a year ago.

The Cardinals have a new rookie coach in Kliff Kingsbury, who is bringing a new offense that Murray fits perfect in.  But what if Murray just isn't any good?

Rosen, last year's Cardinal QB, struggled and there was many reason made for him, bad coaching, terrible line play and him just not being ready.

So what's different for Kyler Murray?  He will have a coach that has never coached in the NFL, the line has not been upgraded much and what is gonna happen when the 5'10 QB is being chased by the likes of Aaron Donald or another 300-pounder.

Will Murray turn into the sensation that he was in college?  Only time will tell.