Zydrunas Ilgauskas Reunited With Cavaliers

Did you really think that he would go anywhere else? The franchise leader in games played for the Cavaliers returns to the only team he has known. After being traded to the Washington Wizards, Zydrunas (Also known as "Big Z") was released by the Wizards and remained a free agent for a while until he was eligible to be resigned by the Cavaliers. Although Big Z's stats don't exactly pop out at you, the Cavaliers could use his size (He's 7'3) to match up against other centers in the post season. Big Z could also be used to give Shaq O'neal, the starting center for the Cavs (And a NBA legend) a breather off the bench.  

Shaq's Thumb Showing Improvement

With the playoffs drawing ever closer, there has been an update on Shaq's thumb injury, which has kept him out of the action since February 25th since injuring his thumb in a game against the Boston Celtics. Previously, I wrote an artical about the initial injury to Shaq's thumb, shortly after it was injured. (Click here to read it.) Shaquille is now finished with his surgery and working on strengthening his thumb. He is still not traveling or playing with the team, but the Cavaliers expect him to be back on the court in time for the playoffs.

Interview With Mr. Hannigan, Track Coach

With the 2010 track season within arm's reach, I interviewed Michael Hannigan, one of the coaches of the track team, to see what his thought on this season were.

Lockman: Will Henkle have a good track team this year? Why?

Hannigan: "There are four track teams to Henkle, 7th grade boys, 7th grade girls, 8th grade boys, and 8th grade girls. How each team does depends on the team. I think that the 8th grade girls will be very good this year, and whether or not the 8th grade boys have a good team depends on how many kids sign up for track.
I think that the 7th grade boys have speed, not size. That could hurt them in throwing events but help them in running. 
As for the e7th grade girls, I'm sure yet, it all depends on the turnout." 

Lockman: What is the most important quality of a track team? 

Hannigan:  "A drive to improve one's self. Even though track is technically a team sport, it is most important that every kid on the track team puts forth the effort to improve."

Lockman: What is the overall best part of track?

Hannigan: "The suffereing you take as a group. That may sound wierd but it is a good feeling knowing that you and your fellow teammates have endured a challenge as a group."

Lockman: Any other comments? 

Hannigan: "I hope that we have good weather this year. Last year had the worst track weather I've seen in a long time. There were days that we were just standing for hours in horizontal rain."

If you want attend Henkle Middle School and want to sign up for track, you can just ask Mrs. Owens for the sign-up sheet during P.E.

To finish this article, I would like to thank Mr. Hannigan for taking the time to let me interview him.

Henkle Middle School Book Fair

Henkle Middle School is having a "Buy One, Get One Free" book fair in the library, and there are lots of great deals.  There are many different types of books, posters, computer games, and other merchandise. The last day of the book fair is Wednesday March 10th, so hurry in!

HMS Track Season

Track season starts the first day after returning from spring break, and I'm starting to get excited! Coaches this year will be Steve Larson and Michael Hannigan. Steve Larson was also coaches of the 8th grade boys basketball team, and Michael Hannigan coaches the girls seventh grade basketball team. Like in basketball, expect reviews for all of the track meets this year.

Teryaki And Pepperoni Sticks; 1 For A Dollar!

Teryaki and pepperoni sticks are being sold by, me, Ryan Lockman, at the price of 1 dollar each. The money goes to the local boy scout troop who provide the teryaki sticks. The money that each scout makes will be put toward his summer camp fees. My first pack of 24 teryaki sticks were sold to other HMS students within three hours. If you are a Henkle student who would like to buy one, please find me in school and ask. There is also a possibility that I will soon be selling large candy bars for $2.00. As of right now, I am waiting for my next order to be arrived so I can bring the food to school, and there is already a list of long list of people who have reserved teryaki sticks.

Does Lebron's Number Change Give Us A Clue To His Free Agency Plans?

There is much speculation as to what team's jersey Lebron James will be wearing in 2011, (Due to free agency) but there is almost no speculation about what number he will be wearing. After spending the last few months contemplating his decision, Lebron James has filed his paper work for a number switch from 23 to 6. 

Lebron says that he is switching numbers out of respect for NBA legend Michael Jordan. Lebron has been wearing number 23 since his sophomore year of high school, with the exception of wearing number 6 when playing for the olympic basketball teams. There are three reasons why Lebron says he choose number 6 to switch to: 

1. His second favorite player, Julius Erving wore number. 
2. His first child was born on October 6th.
3. His second child was born in June, which is the 6th month of the year.

Although the NBA has the right to veto Lebron's number change request, it is unlikely that they will. Number changes often spike jersey sales to NBA fans, which the NBA would benefit from. 

Lebron James believes number 23 should be retired by the NBA in the way that Jackie Robinson's 42 is retired by MLB and Wayne Gretzki's number 42 is retired by the NHL. Right now, there are 12 other players in the NBA wearing number 23, with the most notable of which being Jason Richardon, Kevin Martin, and Marcus Camby, and Lebron is hoping that he can start a movement in which all 12 players switch numbers. Lebron says that he will be starting a petition for the retirement of Michael Jordan's 23.

 If you read between the lines about Lebron switching numbers, I think he may have unintentionally given us a hint about his plans for this summer.. NBA rules say that in order to switch numbers during the regular season, you have to file the request with the league office. However, when you switch teams, (Such as through free agency.) players are free to switch numbers with filing a request. Do you think if Lebron was planning to move to another team this summer he would really change his number now, with two months left in the season, rather then when he switches teams? I might be wrong, but this might mean that Lebron is planning to stay in Cleveland for next year with his new number 6 jersey.

Top 10 Injury Ruined Careers

So we all know that Tracy Mcgrady's amazing career has been ruined by an injury, but he is definietly not the first player to have a great career stolen from him. Some for injuries, some for other reasons. Here are the 10 best players to be ruined by injuries, or in some cases, even worse dilemmas.

10. Sam Bowie: Lets review the 1984 draft: 1st pick= Hakeem Olajuwan; 2nd pick= Sam Bowie; 3rd pick=Michael Jordan....(later picks) Charles Barkley...John Stockton. What is Sam Bowie doing on this list of all time greats? The Portland Blazers decided to satisfy their need for a big man instead of drafting Jordan, Barkley, or Stockton. How did Sam Bowie turn out? He was injured just about every single season, and he averaged 10.9 points throughout his career.

9. Shawn Kemp: So maybe his career wasn't ruined by injuries, but it was still ruined. When Shawn played for the Seattle Sonics, his leaping ability and creative dunks would send other players fleeing the scene in order to avoid ending up on a poster. After 7 great years in Seattle, he was traded to the Cavaliers. Upon joining the Cavs, it became blatant that Shawn was lacking effort. Weight also became an issue.  Even so, Shawn did all right in Cleveland, but when he was traded yet again, this time to the Portland Trailblazers, his career went down the drain, as his first season on the Blazers was cut short as he entered drug rehabilitation for his addiction to coccain. After that, he never was able to send defenders running like his days in Seattle.    

8. Bill Walton: We all know that Bill Walton is in the NBA Hall Of Fame, but that doesn't mean that his career was not limited by injuries. Numerous ankle injuries forced him to retire much earlier then he should have. After his basketball career, Bill Walton had both of his ankles fused.

7. Jamal Mashburn: Jamal was the fourth youngest player ever to score 50 points in a game. Everyone had high hopes for the "Monster-Mash", but when knee injuries hit, he was was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Miami Heat, where he more or less faded into obscurity.

6. Shaun Livingston: Every thing was going fine for Shaun Livingston. He was a fourth overall draft pick and was the Western conference's rookie of the month. Then, after coming down from a layup, he bent his knee in a way know body part should ever be bent. If you look up the video clip, you can see the video of Shaun coming down after a layup and landing sideways so his momentum forced his body sideways over his knee. (Search "Shaun Livingston knee injury" on Youtube.) Shaun has tried many times to come back into the NBA, but he just can't play at all anymore. His knee really killed his career. Some doctors have recommended having it ammputated. He is still technically an NBA player, but he no team is willing to sign him and he is therefore a free agent.

5. Len Bias: Remember how I said earlier that some the players had their careers ruined for other reasons, well Len Bias had a career ruined by "another reason." Shortly after being drafted second overall by the , the two time all American died of cardiac arrhythmia due to coccaine overdoese. Len never got to play a game in the NBA.

4. Reggie Lewis: Like Len Bias, Reggie was not injured. (Such as breaking a bone.) but Reggie Lewis definietly died a different and much more respectable way then Len Bias. In the opening game of a playoff series against the Hornets, the team captain of the Boston Celtics was running up the court when he suddenly collapsed on the floor. After being rushed to the hospital, Reggie was told that he had a heart condition that would prevent him from playing in the NBA. Reggie wanted to get a second opinion on the topic so he went to another hospital and was told that he had a minor and very common heart disorder, and that he would be able the keep on playing in the NBA. With that, Reggie had a choice; risk his life to continue prestigious basketball career or retire from the NBA and play it safe. Reggie choose option one, continue his career. Unfortunately for Reggie, his decision turned deadly, as he died 27 years old during an off season workout. There were rumors that Reggie's death was related to drug abuse, but doctors found his heart problems to be inconsistent with the affects of abusive drugs.

3. Penny Hardaway: Isn't it ironic that when Penny Hardaway was a kid, his grandma tried to steer him toward basketball instead of football because she didn't want Penny getting hurt? Penny Hardaway was once touted with unlimited potential, but after four surgeries, each taking away more and more of Penny's trademark quickness and jumping ability, Penny was never the same again. No longer did he have unlimited potential, instead, his career crash landed. Even though Penny retired in 2007, he had never had a season of significance since 1998, when he was voted into the NBA all star  game for the fourth and last time.

2. Tracy Mcgrady: There was a time when T-Mac was easily the best player in the NBA, much better then Kobe. There was also time when he could pull a team back from playoff defeat by scoring 13 points 35 seconds. (That's not and exageration, he really did against the San Antonio Spurs.) There was even a time when he won two scoring titles in a row. Yet even though Tracy Mcgrady is so great, he has been injured so much that never in his 11 year career has he been able to play all 82 games of the NBA season. Tracy was once known for having the explosiveness and leaping ability to dunk over players much bigger then him, but now he has to settle for soft layups and drawn fouls.

1. Grant Hill: When asked the question as to who would take Michael Jordan's place as the NBA's brightest star, everyone had just one answer: Grant Hill. At first, he was living up to all the hype. In his first 6 years, Grant Hill had points, assists, and rebounding totals that where only overshadowed by Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson in their first years. Then, his NBA career was derailed in a big way by five surgeries, plus hernia and groin issues. One of the operations almost killed Grant when he acquired a staph infection during an operation. Grant Hill may never reach his full potential, but Grant Hill has definietly showed his determination by coming back to play in the NBA after all of the surgeries he has had to go through.

Toughest to Omit: Greg Oden: Even though the Trailblazers could have drafted Kevin Durant, who was the quickest player to 40,000 points, the Blazers decided they would rather have another injury plauged center then a team changing superstar. Greg Oden could still turn his career around, but it is unlikely that he ever will and even more unlikely that he will ever catch Kevin Durant. Does anyone see the resemblance to the 1984 draft choice of Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan?

Easiest To Omit (That Could Be On This List): Even though Yao Ming could probably be on this list, I decided to disclude the 7'6 footer for one main reason. Even though he has never played a full 82 game season, he probably plays more games per year then any other player in the NBA. Why? Because his contract with China says that during the offseasons, Yao must return to his homeland to play in a Chinese league. So basically, China's biggest export (Pun intended.) never gets a break for all of the sores and aches he gets to heal. Many players would probably have the same injury problems if they played all year long. 

So what does this all mean? Well, for Shawn Kemp and Len Bias, it means that they could have had great careers if they had had just kept their heads on straight. For Reggie Lewis, it means that he made the choice to risk his life in order to play basketball, and it proved fatal. Lastly, it means the Blazers need to stop drafting injury prone centers instead of superstar swingmen. (Such as Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan and the Greg Oden over Kevin Durant.)