411 Sports Fact or Fiction 02.28.2008: Yao Ming, NFL Combine, Fallout at the University of Indiana, and More!

Posted by Dan Owen on 02.28.2008

It's another action-packed edition of Sports Fact or Fiction, as editors Larry Csonka and Ramon Aranda debate a number of topics including the fallout from the recruiting scandal at Indiana, the NBA's season structure, the strength of the case against Roger Clemens, and more!

Welcome back, Sports fans. This week we've got a battle of the titans as Wrestling Editor Larry Csonka faces off against Games Editor Ramon Aranda. This much awesome can't be contained for long, so let's get to it!


1. Yao Ming's season took a turn for the worse when he broke his foot. At this point, you would call Yao Ming's NBA career a disappointment.

Larry Csonka: Fact

I will say disappointment, but not bust as there is a difference and I do not think he is a bust yet. To me disappointment is the perfect way to classify Yao. This year through nearly 50-games he was averaging career highs in minutes (37) and rebounds per game (10.9), while scoring an average of 22-points. His career averages are 32, 9 and 19. So he was on track for a better season than usual and then the injury came. What also is disappointing is that in the last three seasons he hasn't played more that 57-games. He's your big man, he's the anchor and you need him there. In the last three-seasons he hasn't been. Osteomyelitis in 2006, a broken tibia in 2007 and now the broken foot in 2008. Yao may be breaking down, and if he does so goes the future hopes of the franchise.

Ramon Aranda: Fiction

His season hasn't quite been the same since that broken foot but you just can't call his career a disappointment. Sure he hasn't quite played through an entire season in a while but the man is still a force to be reckoned with on the court and you can't deny it. On the other hand, if Yao continues his trend of not being healthy then you know his stats and his team will suffer even more. I'd like to see how the next two seasons play out before I can say if Yao is a disappoinment.

Score: 0 for 1


2. With players such as Yao, Brandon Roy, Gerald Wallace, Kevin Garnett, and many others being injured, the NBA should look at ways to reduce the strain on the player's bodies through changes to the structure of the schedule.

Larry Csonka: Fact

I have to admit that I am not a big basketball fan. I watch some, I pay attention to it, but overall if it disappeared it wouldn't be a tragedy. But when you consider the length of the season and the injuries that we are seeing, I would have no problem with a change, namely shortening the season. As an avid hockey fan I admit that I feel the same way about the hockey season. I understand the whole "it's a marathon, not a sprint" ideology, but as mentioned, I cannot follow a full season with excitement. I tune in after about 25% or so of the season is done and then I am a go. I know some people love the long season, and that is cool, but for me I would like it to change. I also think that the playoffs need a change, but that's a topic for another time.

Ramon Aranda: Fiction

Hey it's basketball, a professional sport and guys will get injured year in and year out. It's not any different from other sports and changing the schedule would be a cop out. Point being, these guys need to be more careful with out they play the game. You don't need to dunk on someone's face or jump around the court like the ball is a pot of gold. Slow it down and relax guys. Some of these players play like they want to kick somebody's ass and until they chill the f**k out, you're going to see stupid injuries. Of course guys do get injured just from weary muscles and what not but you don't see football players or baseball players asking for a shorter schedule. Suck it up!

Score: 0 for 2


3. The NFL Combine is overrated.

Larry Csonka: Fact

ELEVENTY BILLION TIMES A FACT! Listen, I understand that the NFL Combine is a useful tool to check out some of those aspects and intangibles of a guy that you can't see in a game time situation. And I understand that you need to know a guy's 40 and how much he can bench and all of that happy horseshit. It makes complete sense to me. What annoys me to no end is the fact that every time I turn ESPN on I heard that "X-Player has raised his draft stock" because he shaved 0.0019 off of his 40-time. Seriously, you are going to tell me that shaving 0.0019 off of a 40-time is going to take a guy from a number 14 pick to a number 4 pick? You are going to make me believe that the 30-40 games he has played over his college career weren't enough to make your decision, but 0.0019 off of a 40 is the big determining factor? Sorry, I don't buy that. The Combine is a televised and overrated workout session that some people actually live and die by. But that's just my opinion.

Ramon Aranda: FACT!

Totally gonna have to agree with you Larry on this one. I thought I was the only one sick of the Combine being the measuring stick for how good a player is going to be. That's why there're scouts at college football games. I couldn't care less if one guy runs a half second faster than another. If he can play the game, then sign him up. There's a difference between running track and strapping on that helmet and hitting the gridiron every Sunday. Show me some toughness, skill, ball handling and smarts before showing me how much he bench presses, how fast he runs the 40. The Combine is the NFL equivalent of the swimsuit competition.

Score: 1 for 3


SWITCH!


4. There was nothing wrong with several of the University of Indiana's basketball players skipping a Friday practice in show of support for former coach Kelvin Sampson.

Ramon Aranda: Fact

Regardless of what Kelvin has gotten himself into, the fact that his players want to show support is their prerogative. Showing respect and admiration for your coach is just fine in my book and though skipping practice isn't what the team wasn't to see, the players have every right to do what they did.

Larry Csonka: Fiction

I have to disagree here. I get them wanting to show some respect for their coach…in a way. I know that the bond with a coach and player all to well. The level of respect between them is something similar to a father son relationship. That being said when Sampson broke the rules he really should have lost that trust and respect. Say what you will about Bobby Knight, but when he was at Indiana he had a high graduation rate and never broke NCAA rules. The guys skipping practice I feel puts their priorities in the wrong place and is an example of taking your ball and going home because you didn't like a decision. This man wasn't wrongfully terminated or wrongly accused, he messed up, broke the rules and the players still supported him instead of the program.

Score: 1 for 4


5. Cheating is much more rampant in the world of college recruiting, the NCAA simply does not have the tools to catch many coaches.

Ramon Aranda: Fact

We all know that recruiting tactics are getting dirtier by the year. With so many damn colleges however, it's nearly impossible for the NCAA to be able to track everything that's going on. Hell, Major League Baseball has trouble pinning a few of their players, how the hell can the NCAA be expected to crack down on the myriad of coaches that it watches over? They can't.

Larry Csonka: Fiction

I mostly agree with Ramon actually. The NCAA has the means to put a stop to this by actively searching out people breaking the rules and by making the infractions harsher. But to a point I feel that they don't want to stop it. There is a ton of money going around and a lot of people have a finger in the pie, and it is a damn good pie. I think that the NCAA is an extremely corrupt group that is out to make as much money as possible. But that's just me.

Score: 1 for 5


6. An investigation into whether or not Roger Clemens lied to the Congressional panel will go nowhere.

Ramon Aranda: Fiction

If you put enough pressure and get enough facts, something will happen to Roger Clemens. I don't know exactly how much evidence they may have against Clemens, but they can't just let this one sit. I can see how a panel may not go anywhere but I feel that if they try hard enough, they'll bring him down. We can all see that Clemens is lying through is teeth and if the panel has it in for him bad enough, they'll punish him.

Larry Csonka: Fiction

Oh the hammer is going to fall and fall hard. As Ramon said if there is enough pressure put on someone will crack. Either Clemens, the trainer or his best friend will talk and spill the truth. They are going to push and push and push and then someone will decide that they do not want to become FUBAR'd while spending time in GEN POP, cause they sure the hell aren't headed for Oz. I cannot wait for more mud slinging, shit talking and character assassination. It will make for glorious TV, better than the damn NFL Combine that's for sure.

Score: 2 for 6


With that, our epic battle comes to an end. Be sure to join us next week for another action-packed edition of Sports Fact or Fiction!