Tease and Triumph: An Arsenal Supporter's Constant Battle

Written by: Kevin McGarr, The Reserve Clause

It’s a script that I’ve seen played out far too many times in my years as a devoted Arsenal supporter.  The club’s most talented player is set to leave.  Captain Robin van Persie announced that he would not sign a new contract with Arsenal, paving the way for the club to sell him this summer for approximately £20m+, or risk losing him on a free transfer if they decide to see out the final year of his contract. 

It’s a move that, on one hand, breaks my heart, and on the other hand, further strengthens my love for Arsenal.  Arsenal have long been known as fickle—not paying the borderline absurd wages that clubs such as Manchester City and Barcelona have been known to offer, not spending huge amounts of cash in the transfer window to bring in world-class talent, and opting to nurture and grow their youth squad in to formidable stars. 

Sometimes it works out, others it does not.  But the truth is, players come and go.  In the end, it’s a business and players have their own ambitions.  Some want to win trophies, some want to collect huge paychecks, and others (the very rare few) want to remain loyal to the club that they call home. 

But the one thing that has never changed for me through all the drama, all the players leaving, the good seasons and the bad ones, is my love for Arsenal.  Some might call it an obsession, some might call me insane, but the truth is that I can’t help myself.  Waking up bleary-eyed and hung over at 7:15 a.m. to watch Arsenal play on a Sunday morning after getting home four hours earlier has never phased me.  I became infatuated with Arsenal a long time ago, and never plan on letting go. 

This season I’ll likely see a new Arsenal squad, with a new captain.  Again.  Hopefully they’ll challenge for the title, but regardless I’ll be awake at 7 a.m. thanks to Advil and Tums (shout out to Pat Hammer, who put me on to the almighty hang over cure) on a Sunday cheering on the mighty Gunners. 

Come on Arsenal!  

2012 Mock NBA Draft

Written by: Zach Hammer & Andrew McLean, The Reserve Clause

If you couldn't tell from Tuesday's piece, we love the NBA Draft here at The Reserve Clause. So it only makes sense to bust out our own mock draft, an annual practice in complete futility, but a good time nonetheless. While it may be impossible to attempt to predict which rumors were true and which were simple smokescreens, we even threw in a couple trade predictions.

In honor of the 2012 draft, and in an effort to keep this a quick read (okay, we're lazy), we're keep descriptions to 12 words or less. Here goes:

1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky


Moving on...


2. Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

Bobcats trade pick to high bidder, guessing Cleveland for #4 and #24


3. Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

Barnes could be the choice, but getting Ariza changes priorities.


4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

Charlotte moves down, still gets the scorer they need.


5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

Could see them trading down, but if not, great pick here.


6. Portland Trailblazers: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber Stat

Small-school Lillard is a risk with a high ceiling.


7. Houston Rockets (via Golden State Warriors): Andre Drummond, PF/C, UConn

Rockets move up and get big man of the future.


8. Raptors: Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse

Colangelo pats himself on the back for doing nothing. Gets his guy.


9. Detroit Pistons: John Henson, PF, North Carolina

Dumars gets a defensive big to pair with G-Money.

10. New Orleans Hornets: Austin Rivers, PG/SG, Duke

Rivers represents BPA and Gordon-to-Indiana insurance.


11. Portland Trailblazers: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

In desperate need of a C, Blazers get a solid one.


12. Golden State Warriors (via Houston Rockets): Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn

Paired with Curry, Lamb gives them scoring duo lost in Ellis trade.


13. Phoenix Suns: Terrence Ross, SG/SF, Washington

Team with a lot of needs goes for the HR swing.

 14. Milwaukee Bucks: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

After losing Bogut, Bucks add a legit 7-footer.

 15. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky

Brand's getting older and more injury-prone.

 16. Golden State Warriors (via Houston Rockets): Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State

Great big to pair with Bogut, Warriors are team of the future.

 17. Dallas Mavericks: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

Kidd is FA and on his last legs. Also "Deron-stays" insurance.

18. Houston Rockets: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure

Morey loves advanced stats and they all say Nicholson is real deal.

 19. Orlando Magic: Moe Harkless, SF, St. John’s

A team with a lot of holes opts for a safe pick.


20. Denver Nuggets: Perry Jones, SF/PF, Baylor

With a loaded roster, Denver can afford to roll dice.


21. Boston Celtics: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State

With 2 firsts, Boston takes chance on immense talent with injury concerns.


22.Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

Someone needs to close the lane to LBJ and D-Wade.


23. Atlanta Hawks: Royce White, PF, Iowa State

Josh Smith on perpetual trade block and Royce can ball.


24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

Cavs continue rebuilding effort with intriguing wing player.


25. Memphis Grizzlies: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

An exciting young team gets backcourt help.

26. Indiana Pacers: Draymond Green, SF/PF, Michigan State

Day-Day could provide real minutes to this dangerous young team.


27. Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt

Heat need inside defensive presence more than anything.


28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

When you're this loaded, you take best prospect available.


29. Chicago Bulls: Tony Wroten, Jr., PG/SG, Washington

Bulls need guard help as D-Rose misses more games.

30. Golden St. Warriors: Furkan Aldemir, C, Turkey

Can't come over till 2014, Warriors sit and wait.


There you have it. Be sure to come back tomorrow to see how we did (i.e. make fun of us).

Morey the Magician

Written by: Andrew McLean, The Reserve Clause (Twitter: @andrewsmclean)

For most fans, the NBA season ends when a champion is crowned, the trophy parade makes for a fitting finale to a long season. But for me, the fun is just beginning. The off-season marks the beginning of draft season. With it comes the combine, the rumors, the smokescreens and the trades. For someone who's a fan of GMs as much as players, this is my time.

This morning the Rockets and GM Daryl Morey traded Chase Budinger, the high flying ginger, to the Wolves for the 18th pick in the draft. For most, this is a rather inconsequential, run-of-the-mill deal. And, in reality, it is. It doesn't mean Houston is cleaning house and it doesn't make Minnesota much more dangerous than they were yesterday. But there's another, more interesting, layer to this.

In the 2009 draft, with the Detroit Pistons on the clock with the 44th pick, Morey gave Pistons GM Joe Dumars a call offering a future protected 2nd rounder and some cash for the spot. Dumars, not liking what he had to choose from at that point in the night, made the deal. The pick was top 40 protected in 2012, top 35 protected in 2013 and 2014 and unprotected in 2015.

Fast forward to 2012 and that future 2nd is now the 44th pick in this year's draft. For Detroit, the deal has worked out well. They pick from the same spot, but now in a deeper draft, and picked up a little cash along the way.

But for Houston and Morey, it was GMing magic. In two simple sleights of hand, he turned the 44th pick into the 18th pick in the same draft. Whether he uses that spot to select a talented prospect who slid further than expected or packages to either move into the lottery or trade for a veteran, Morey has shown why he's one of the most respected GMs in the league.

While everyone pays attention to the big signings and blockbuster trades, it's under-the-radar moves like this that truly builds a team into a contender. I can't wait for the next couple days.

Stay tuned for The Reserve Clause's mock draft on Thursday.

This Year's U.S. Open was Just Plain Boring

Written by: Zach Hammer, The Reserve Clause (Twitter: @Zach_Hammer)

I’m a total golf snob and watch at least portions of each tournament, and all of every major. It’s what I do. It helps me aspire to be a better weekend duffer. It’s not just that, it’s the fact that I’m in love with the game.

Golf, in the Tiger Woods era, has transcended its “old, rich guy sport” moniker. It now reaches people of races, creeds and sexes of all ages. That’s a good thing. It’s a great sport, and is one that can connect all of these people. To many of these folks, watching major tournaments whittle down on Sundays are highly dramatic sporting events. But not this year. This year is painful to watch and here is why.

1.        Low Scores: Last year, Rory McIlroy rang in the new era of golf when he won the Open with a score of -16. He completely dominated the field and had the tournament wrapped up by the turn in his final round. Nobody else stood a chance, yet I was glued to the TV waiting to see what magnificent shot he would pull of out of his hat next. This year’s tournament is just painful. Coming into Sunday I would not have been shocked if the winning score was over par. That’s not good, entertaining golf. Shame on you, USGA. Your job is to make our national championship as exciting as possible, but when professional golfers are posting scores that a weekend duffer like myself is capable of posting, adjustments need to be made.

2.       Lack of storylines: Sure, ESPN was riding the early Tiger lead to the core, and was praying that he’d pull out some “Tiger magic” on Sunday. Instead, what happened? Bogey, Bogey, Double Bogey to open his final round. See ya, Tiger! The best story line therefore fell to Beau Hossler. The 17-year old soon-to-be high school senior was in contention to possibly win the tournament, which as an amateur alone is pretty incredible. But as typical amateurs do, they slip in the final round. Now we’re stuck with aging stars Ernie Els and Jim Furyk. Sure, I get the “importance” of an older golfer winning. Thanks, but no thanks.

3.       The other TV event: It’s just too bad that the more entertaining matchup is running while the final pairings make their way around the back nine. I’ve already switched channels. Why? Because it’s not boring.

I love golf and will always love golf. This column is not meant to imply that I think that the game is boring, just that this particular incarnation of our national championship doesn’t do it for me. Maybe it’s the thick fog forming over the Olympic Club or the sleepy San Francisco golf fans? I don’t know. Either way, congratulations to Webb Simpson. He certainly deserves it. I just hope that he gives the USGA a sincere ear-full after the tournament is over. He probably won’t.

Comparing the Incomparable

Written by: Andrew McLean, The Reserve Clause (@andrewsmclean)

This year marks the 20th anniversary for the 1992 Dream Team, the group of basketball superstars that forever changed the game. If you haven’t checked it out yet, do yourself a favor and watch the amazing NBA TV documentary, “The Dream Team”.

Not only did this elite squad inspire youth from around the world to pick up a basketball for the first time, jumpstarting the careers of guys like Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but they instilled a sense of national pride in this country that many young kids had never before felt. One of my earliest sports memories is experiencing pure awe at the dazzling passes, the seemingly unreachable alleys and the thundering oops that followed.

This year’s Olympic squad is packed with a new group of basketball heavyweights, but nothing will ever compare to that team, comprised of 11 future superstars (and the hilariously inadequate Christian Laettner), led by a coaching staff that included two more Hall of Famers in Chuck Daly and Mike Krzyzewski, the current Olympic coach. While the team itself is incomparable, fun can still be had from finding current comparisons for each member of the team. The attempt is not to create a current Dream Team, but rather to simply pay individual homage to each player by recognizing their current counterpart.

THE CREATORS

Magic Johnson: LeBron James

Magic is a rare player who transcended a single position – a 6’9” creator capable of playing all five positions. In my mind, there’s only one modern player who can compare, and it’s the game’s current best.

Other candidates: None

John Stockton: Chris Paul

Stockton holds the NBA records for most assists and steals, an amazing honor for a single player. Chris Paul is a threat to lead the league in both categories in any given season (2nd in both in 2012, 4th and 1st in 2011, and 1st in both in 2009).

Other candidates: Steve Nash, Tony Parker

THE SWINGMEN

Michael Jordan: Kobe Bryant

The world may never see another Jordan, but Kobe is the closest I’ve seen since: a dominant wing scorer with unmatched athleticism and a wicked competitive nature.

Other candidates: Dwyane Wade

Clyde Drexler: Dwyane Wade

Wade deserves some credit for his willingness to take a backseat to LeBron this season for the betterment of the team. He has shown the ability to lead a team, evidenced by his inclusion above as a candidate for Jordan’s comparison. But Drexler too boasted an all-around game, finishing with career averages of 20/6/5, closely mirroring Wade’s 26/6/5.

Other candidates: Rudy Gay

Scottie Pippen: Kevin Durant

Some may see this comparison as an insult to Durant, and while it may not fully take into account his ability to dominate a game, Pippen is much more than Robin to Jordan’s Batman. In his prime a 20/8/6 threat, Pippen could also change the game on the defensive end, something Durant is showing an increased ability to do. Bonus points for them both being drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, a fact fans often forget for both players.

Other candidates: Carmelo Anthony, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay, Paul Pierce

Larry Bird: Dirk Nowitzki

GASP, a non-American! Recall that the point of the column isn’t what I think the current U.S. Olympic team should look like. That’s been done to death. I don’t want to write that tired piece, and you don’t want to read it. What we’re doing here is finding current comparisons for each Dream Teamer, and Dirk and Bird’s game are strikingly similar. They're both creative big men who extend defenses out to the arc and show unexpected athleticism and playmaking ability for their size.

Other candidates: Kevin Durant

Chris Mullin: James Harden

Admit it, you thought I was gonna choose Mike Miller, didn’t you? Mullin was a efficient scorer with high percentages across the board, including 51% from the field, 38% from distance and 86% from the stripe. These match up favorably to Harden’s 2012 averages (and projected future averages) of 49%/39%/85%. While Harden doesn’t score in the mid-20s like Mullin, he hasn’t been asked to. If he decides to leave OKC for more money in his next contract, look for The Beard to increase his scoring as he’s tasked with leading a team.

Other candidates: Carmelo Anthony

THE BIGS

Charles Barkley: Kevin Love

This felt like an easy one. Both are undersized, scrappy double-double machines who can battle in the paint with the best of them.

Other candidates: Paul Millsap, Lebron James

Karl Malone: Blake Griffin

The Mailman was a freight train with tracks leading straight to the hoop. If you got in his way, you paid for it, much the same way Griffin makes victims of brave (and stupid) defenders who choose to challenge him at the rim. Both players show a strength and athleticism that’s near impossible for a single defender to handle.

Other candidates: Amare Stoudemire, LaMarcus Aldridge

David Robinson: Dwight Howard

They came into the league under very different circumstances – The Admiral a 24-year-old fresh off serving in the Navy, Howard as an 18-year-old straight out of high school – but their games are very similar. Both are true centers with elite rebounding and defensive skills. Howard would be smart to seek out Robinson as a mentor, and end the current Dwightmare.

Other candidates: None.

Patrick Ewing: Andrew Bynum

The fact that Bynum gets compared to a Dream Teamer shows the dearth of big men in today’s NBA, and is frankly an insult to Patrick Ewing. That said, I’ve tasked myself with picking a comparison for every player, and Bynum is as close as it gets among modern choices.

Other candidates: None.

Christian Laettner: Anthony Davis

I’ll be honest, I didn’t think about this one too much because Laettner is very much an afterthought when looking over this roster. I simply went with the most widely-respected collegiate about to be drafted.

Other candidates: None.

There you have it. But before you starting screaming about the glaring omissions, I remind you that this isn’t a list of the top players in the NBA, nor the players I’d select for the current Olympic team. These are the closest comparisons I could put together for each of the original Dream Teamers.

That means amazingly talented players like Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo all missed out because the Dream Team didn’t have an athletic PG like that (Magic was so much more than a PG). Had Isiah Thomas not been blacklisted from the team, those guys would have found a great comparison, but he didn’t, so they didn’t.

Debate time: Did I miss anyone? Disagree with a comparison? Let me know your thoughts in the Comments below. Without debate, sports just aren’t as fun.