Are the Knicks in a Lin-Lin Situation?

How could you miss it? Every time you turn on ESPN they are talking about it. Who ever would have thought that a 23 year old undrafted Harvard grad would be causing a city like New York to go Lin-sane. Jeremy Lin has not only taken over New York City, but he has taken over the whole United States and is the most talked about player in the NBA at this very moment. It it very hard to be more popular than the likes of Kobe, LeBron, Kevin Durrant, and even his own teammate Carmello Anthony, but he has found a way to do it.
    Lin got his first start vs the Jazz and had 28 points. This came after scoring 25 off the bench vs the Nets a game before. You may say "Ok 25 points in 1 game, whats the big deal?" Well it didn't stop there. He has gone on to put up 28, 23, 38, and 20 in his first 4 career starts. Lin scored 89 and 109 points in his first 3 and 4 career starts, respectively, the most by any player since the merger between the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the NBA in 1976–77. He is also the first player in the NBA with at least 20 points and 7 assists in his first 4 starts. Not to mention, in the game he scored 38, it was against the Lakers and Kobe only had 34. Then last night for Valentines Day he warmed everyone's hearts by hitting a game winning 3 pointer as time expired to beat the Raptors. The biggest impact he has had is in the win - loss column. Since he has been inserted into the starting line-up, the Knicks haven't lost.
    The Knicks might be in a little conundrum. See Carmello has been out with a groin injury. He has only played 6 minutes total over the span of this most recent winning streak by the Knicks. Carmello is the Knicks best player and leading scorer. It is always great to get your best player back. It is going to be very interesting to see how Carmello and Lin play together when he returns. They both score the ball very well. With that being the case, it should give opposing defenses plenty to worry about. Teams wont be able to focus on just 1 player or the other will hurt them. It is going to be fun to watch the both of them on the court at the same time, now that we know what Lin is capable of doing. The main question I have is, will there be enough shots to go around. We all know that Mello likes to shoot. We have also found out as of late that Lin likes to get his shots too.
    This stretch Lin has been going through, reminds me eerily of what we experienced this past year in the NFL with Tebow-mania. Lin has taken the NBA by storm. He has returned excitement and hope to a Knicks team that has had a down year so far. Not to mention their best player, in Carmello Anthony, had just got hurt. Lin has come on to lead the Knicks out of whatever funk they were in. In my opinion, when Carmello comes back, the Knicks will be in a Lin - Lin situation.

Band of the Day: Nine Lashes

There are few times in my life when I come across an album and am left speechless (trust me). Well...this is absolutely one of those times. Nine Lashes out of Birmingham, AL have produced what in my opinion is a masterful piece of musical art. Every single song on "World We View" took me on a different emotional journey culminating into one seriously pleasing experience. From pure adrenaline, as expressed in the said titled track featuring Thousand Foot Krutch's Trevor McNevan, to the soothing ending track "My Friend", showing a little more sensitive side of the group, this album, in my opinion, was nothing less than fantastic. "World We View" is definitely on my radar for Album of the Year, and should ABSOLUTELY be heard by all. Check them out. Nine Lashes F...T...W!

http://ninelashes.com/

Check out their video for their debut single "Anthem of the Lonely"

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, From A Sports Fan's Perspective

We consider this part of the season "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year". This time of the year is filled with good tidings of great joy. When most think of this part of the year, they think of the holidays. The latter part of December brings Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. It is the time of the season where families get to come together and celebrate. There is nothing like being with your family, enjoying food, fellowship, and gifts. Most of the time everyone is in a great mood, unless they are not looking forward to Aunt Beth's annual "you gave me that as a gift?" gift. I absolutely love this time of year in more ways than one.

This time of year can't get any better for a sports fan. The only other time I can compare it to is the spring when March Madness is ending, the NBA season is coming down the stretch, and the major league baseball season is about to start. I am a huge baseball fan so I am biased there. There is so much going on this time of year in the sports world. Around the holidays has something for all sports fans. For football fans, the NFL only has a few weeks left in the regular season, fantasy football playoffs are in full force, and college football bowls are getting kicked off. Hockey fans can enjoy the regular season, along with the New Year's Day NHL Winter Classic. Every year on January 1, the NHL has an outdoor hockey game featuring 2 NHL teams. This years Classic features the Flyers and the Rangers. There is also something for basketball fans to enjoy. College basketball season is in full tilt and teams are finishing up their non-conference games and preparing for conference to start up. The NBA is usually in mid-season form, except this year it was post-poned due to the lockout. Teams will not have an official start day until Christmas. Just when you think there is nothing for baseball fans, you are wrong. The baseball winter meetings take place. This is where most of the negotiations for the free agents take place. This year saw some of baseball's bigger names sign with new teams. For example, Jose Reyes left the Mets for the new Miami Marlins and Albert Pujols left the defending champions Cardinals for the Angels.

This is truly the most wonderful time of the year. There is nothing better than getting to spend quality time with your loved ones. This time of year is also a sports fans dream with all that is going on. So this holiday season, while you are enjoying time with the family and trying to figure out what that gift is that Aunt Beth just gave you, turn on the TV and enjoy a good game or two. Nothing brings a family closer like chugging a few eggnogs and pulling for your favorite team!

NHL Realignment

by David Caudle

Rarely do you overhear a conversation that sounds like, “did you catch that great hockey game last night?” Hockey is not a commonly watched or supported sport in the south. However, cities like Nashville, Tampa, and Dallas do have strong fan bases. The NHL in general is always pushed aside for leagues such as the NBA and NFL. Hockey did steal the spotlight in 2004 with the infamous NHL Lockout. Since the lockout has resided, the NHL is in full swing and is gaining more support every year. The NHL has always tried to please the players and fans, and this may be why it is sometimes considered “the greatest sport on Earth.” Going along with pleasing the players, the NHL has recently realigned the conferences. This realignment makes travel easier and shorter by putting teams in the same geographical region within the same conference. The realignment also lets the teams have a “home-and-home” with every other team in the league. The following chart displays the new conferences: (courtesy of yahoo sports)

Conf. A Conf. B Conf. C Conf.D

Anaheim Chicago Boston Carolina

Calgary Columbus Buffalo NJ Devils

Colorado Dallas Florida NY Islanders

Edmonton Detroit Montreal NY Rangers

Los Angeles Minnesota Ottawa Philadelphia

Phoenix Nashville Tamp Bay Pittsburgh

San Jose St. Louis Toronto Washington

Vancouver Winnipeg

This system is going to be a big change for all teams, but it can be assumed that this was a much needed plan. The only teams I see as “losing” in this deal are the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. These Florida teams have to travel to Canada AND the New England area to play the teams in their conference. They will travel to each team at least three times during the season, totaling 15 trips to the North.The other main miscue with this realignment is the loss of rivalries. Teams like Vancouver and Chicago will only meet twice in the season. The Boston Bruins also lose two rivalries in the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers. The playoffs start within the conference and the top four teams will play in the divisional playoffs. Overall the realignment was needed and it was known that it was going to come sooner or later. Hopefully this change will enable fans to commute to more of their favorite teams home AND away games giving the teams the support they deserve.

*David is an expert on all things hockey, ultimate frisbee, and Alabama Crimson Tide football. He grew up playing ice and roller hockey his whole life. He is currently a sophomore as Mississippi State studying Pre-Med. We are excited that he will be providing us with his hockey expertise as he will bring great insight to the game. You can follow him on Twitter at @david_caudle .

In This Cold and Flu Season, Grizz Fever is Contagious

There is no doubt the city of Memphis is a basketball town. Memphis Tigers basketball has always been the city's first love. On March 26, 2001 the Grizzlies relocated from Vancouver to Memphis. The city was ecstatic back then and has been ever since. I guess you could call it Grizz Fever. Just like any city, when things tend to go wrong, cities tend to rally around their teams. It brings the fans together. No matter the race, age, or social class, everyone is a fan of that one team come game night. Teams play a huge role in bringing cities together.

For example, the city of New Orleans rallied around the New Orleans Saints in 2006. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the city and wiped out many homes, business, and the place was unrecognizable. That 2006 season, the city rallied around their Saints all the way the NFC Championship Game. Did the Saints win the Superbowl that year?No. But it did give the city a sense of pride and something to cheer about while all of the rebuilding was going on.

The Grizzlies are getting ready to start up their season on December 26 vs. the Spurs. How ironic is it that the Grizzlies are starting off their season trying to recapture "Grizz Fever"vs the team that started "Grizz Fever" a year ago. As we all know, last year in the playoffs the eighth seed Grizzlies beat the first seed Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. I still get chills to this day thinking about it. The Grizzlies had to play hard all the way through the last game of the year just to get into the playoffs. It had been 2006 since the Grizz had last made it into the playoffs. The city was ecstatic just to be in playoffs. So when the Grizzlies pulled off the game 1 upset in San Antonio vs the #1 off of a game winning shot by Shane Battier, "Grizz Fever" was in full force. The city had a certain buzz to it wherever you went. As we all remember too vividly, the Grizzlies went on to win that series but lost in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.

The city had rallied around the Grizzlies and it was something I had never seen in the city before. Every single person was rooting for the Grizzlies. A ton of people who don't usually go to Grizzlies games found themselves in the FedEx forum come playoff time. The city was in the middle of a rough patch. The economy had been down for a years. People were losing their jobs and companies were having to be shut down. Not to mention Memphis was experiencing flooding around the city at the time. The Mississippi River had gotten so high that Tom Lee Park was under water. The Grizzlies were a bright spot for the city at that time. Fans could get away from all the negative things going on in their personal lives for a few hours. They were able to leave all that stuff outside when they would head into the FedEx Forum to watch "Their Grizzlies".

Grizz Fever caught on last year. Now that the new season is approaching, the city is looking to continue it over from last season. The city still has its fever bottled up from the end of the playoffs, I know at least I do. We are ready to send our team further in the playoffs than they went last year. Get your thunder sticks and growl towels ready because Grizz Fever is about to hit the city again and it is contagious!

In the Midst of Rivalries, Classiness and Respect Still Exist

The definition of a rival according to the dictionary is "one who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same subject as another; a competitor". We can all agree that when we think of the word rivals the first thing that comes to mind is sports. Usually it comes down to the proud traditions of each school, team, or person. Location plays a huge part in the rivalry. Most of the time the teams are located within the same city, state, or region. The closeness, location wise, of the schools and the split fan bases makes the hatred of the opposing team that much stronger. When you think of rivals the first to pop into your head are Alabama/Auburn, Ohio State/ Michigan, or Duke/ North Carolina. The schools are so close to each other. With a win a team/fans can have bragging rights until the game is played again. Most of the time the teams don't play again for another year. The fans live off of winning a rivalry game. Rivalries are usually full of dislike for the opposing team and school. There is usually not much respect or classiness involved. I am here to let you know that respect amongst rivals is still alive today. I witnessed a truly classy act over the weekend that I will remember forever.

Let me start with a little bit of background information on the schools. Christian Brothers High School (CBHS) and Memphis University School (MUS) are private schools here in Memphis. They are located about 4 miles down the road from each other. Both schools are tops in athletics among private schools every year. Those two schools make up most of the private school population in the city. When you ask a young man, of high school age, where he goes to school the answer most of the time is CBHS or MUS. This in a very intense rivalry due to the closeness of the school and most of the students knowing each other outside of school. My grandfather, step dad, and uncle all attended CBHS. My little brother is currently a freshman at CBHS. Now that we have a little background on to the story at hand.

My grandfather Jim Mathis, Coach (as players refer to him) or Pappy (as family refers to him) is 77. He played sports at CBHS and ran track for Memphis State University. He went on to coach basketball at St. Dominic School for decades. He also coached at St.Agnes for many years. Pappy is such a great person and is such an influential person in the Memphis sports community. He has made such an impact on everyone he has coached. I have talked to numerous former players that have said "He helped mold me into the person I am today". He has a great sense of humor and loves nothing more than to spend time with his family. Last week Pappy had a small seizure and was rushed to the emergency room. The initial scan showed nothing. They did a follow up scan with dye and found a mass on his brain. The next day they preformed a MRI and it showed that the mass was a glioma tumor. This is not the news we wanted to hear. Our whole family is devastated and we all have been trying to spend as much time with him at possible.

Sunday night the whole family went with Pappy out to eat. We enjoyed a great meal. As we were leaving a group of guys, probably around 10-12 guys, came up to us at the car. This group of young men were in the middle of their dinner with their group of friends. What was about to happen was one of the classiest things I have ever seen. The young man who was in front said "Coach Mathis, we play basketball at MUS. Coach Peters (the long time MUS basketball coach) told us about your battle and what you are going through. We just wanted you to know that you and all of your family are in all of our prayers". They then continued to go up and shake his hand. Not one or two of them, but every single one of them. My whole family just stood there in aww for a minute. Things like that usually dint happen much any more, much less from a cross town rival. These young men could have easily continued to enjoy their social hour with their friends. Instead they took the time to get up and offer prayers and get well wishes to a cross rival. They could have easily just told one of us family members that they were keeping him in their prayers, but they instead wanted to tell Pappy face to face. I still have chills thinking about it. It was one of the most awesome things I have ever seen. I now have a whole new respect for MUS and the leadership that is at the head of that program. It goes to show that in the midst of rivalries, classiness and respect can still exist!

Please continue to keep my grandfather in your prayers. There has been a caring bridge website set up to keep up with his journey.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jimmathis/journal

Happy Thanksgiving! We are so blessed and thankful for all that we have. We hope you have a wonderful holiday spending time with the ones you love!

Veterans/Military....Thank You!

We here at ROWYJO would like to send out a big THANK YOU to all the Veterans and military out there on this Veterans Day! It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sometimes we all just need to slow down, take a step back, and realize how blessed we are to live in this great county. Men and women of the military, past and present, put their own lives on the line so we could have the freedom to live our lives the way we would like. They sacrificed thier own lives for our country. There is no greater self-less act than that. If it weren't for them we would not be able to go out and enjoy the things in life we enjoy. Today we reflect on the pride and heroism of those that have come before us and those that still serve today. All of us know someone who is has served or who is currently serving. So make sure you give them a call, send them a text, or just shoot them an email latting you know they are appreciated. They fought for our freedom, so the least we can do is tell them thank you. If you are out and about and see a Veteran, make sure you shake their hand, look them in them in the eye, and tell them thanks for their service. There is no better way to start off a great sports weekend than to pay respect and thanks to those who allowed it to be possible. Here is to a great sports weekend and an even better Veterans Day. We are and will always be the greatest county in the world. Thank you for your service and God Bless America!