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DEL.ICIO.USWilliams ready to assert himself at highest level
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
J.C. Clemons
1. Has life in the NBA humbled your boy Louis Williams yet?
Quite the contrary, we hear. In fact, now that Lou has that guaranteed contract deal (the one nobody except he thought would happen), the Sixers’ rookie guard sounds as effervescent, or brash, as ever.
According to the Associated Press, Lou is still being Lou.
He arrived at training camp in Durham, N.C., in full self-assertive mode, complete with this declaration: “I’m even going after Allen’s spot… . The awe factor ended this summer, three months ago once I first got into Philly.”
Uh, that’s Allen Iverson whom the pride of South Gwinnett High was speaking about. High words indeed for someone once considered by many to be a “project.”
But, Lou has not totally lost touch with reality,
“Really, it is impossible,” Lou said of supplanting A.I., “but that’s just the confidence you’ve got to have.”
Coach Maurice Cheeks endorses Lou’s strident mind-set.
“Why should he be a guy that just comes out there and says, ‘I’m not going to be one of the guys and I won’t be able to play,’ ” Cheeks said. “Certainly, he’s not as good as A.I. now, but as time moves on, maybe he will. Who knows that?”
All Lou knows for sure is that he is in a place of his dreams.
“How many 18-year-old guys can even have this opportunity?” Williams said. “There’s millions and millions of high school basketball players out there in the world and I get to practice every day with Allen Iverson.”
For those who just can’t wait until the Sixers visit the Hawks on Dec. 23 to find out, Lou and A.I. play a preseason game in Columbia on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs.
2. Now that it’s over, will your other boy, Jeff Francoeur, be Rookie of the Year?
Will he? Probably.
Should he? Nope.
As much as we all love Jeff around here, in an ideal world he would finish third in the voting. I say Jeff falls behind the Phillies’ Ryan Howard (.288, 22 HRs, 63 RBIs in 88 games) or the Astros’ Willy Taveras (.291, 34 steals, 82 runs in 152 games). To me, either would be a more worthy winner.
But being a former card-carrying member of the Baseball Writers Association of America, I will let you in on a little secret. Most award voters are biased. It’s hard to deny human nature.
Voters tend to favor candidates who are nice to them (“How are the wife and kids doing?”), accommodating (do not hide in the training room after a tough game) and/or are quick with a witty quote. Like, for instance: “We should be back in Atlanta right now.”
Still, Jeff’s splendid campaign (.300, 14 HRs, 45 RBIs in 70 games) gives Braves diehards hope for next season.
Once again.
3. Since Brookwood has all but clinched its region, which football team do Bronco fans want to finish runner-up?
Grab a seat, this may shock you. Parkview gets the nod.
Players, of course, couldn’t care less. If you are a true-blue Brookwood backer, though, you would much rather see the hated Panthers win out and take second place in Region 8-AAAAA. That way, Parkview would land in the opposite side of the playoff brackets from Brookwood. Meaning they could not meet again until the state final.
Ironically, Bronco fans would rather Parkview finish third than land the fourth and final playoff berth, even though that would mean Parkview would have to play at opponents’ fields throughout the playoffs.
Until, that is, a possible rematch with the Broncos in the semifinals at the Georgia Dome.
While we can be assured Parkview will be heard from again this season, Central, Berkmar and Grayson will all have a huge say in how the region ultimately shakes out.
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