*SPECIAL FEATURE: The following interview can be found in its entirety in the current issue, Dime #68.*

There have been many great stories to come out of the game we all adore. Personal journeys and how different players and coaches have made it to the NBA are often covered in the media, and many of those stories are truly remarkable. But the story of recently retired NBA referee Bob Delaney is a journey of a different kind. With his most recent book, Surviving the Shadows, Delaney makes it clear that his life mission is now supporting those that suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You may be asking yourself, “How does this relate to Bob Delaney?” or “Was the NBA that stressful for him as an official?” Read More »

Tyson Chandler

A few weeks ago, while the NBA Lockout was still on, I spent some time with Tyson Chandler during his visit to New York City.

Now, I could try to make you believe I closed him for the Knicks, but that just wouldn’t the truth. New York City did that for itself. As it turns out Tyson has quite an artistic side, specifically when it comes to fashion, photography and painting – and NYC is overflowing with opportunities for Tyson to explore those passions.

Thanks to Dime and Excel Sports Management, I had the opportunity to spend a November Tuesday bouncing around the city with him while he hit up various places to feed his creative hunger. Read More »

When you look at a story, the way it is told and the driving force behind it, there are so many elements, so many moments where things could have been done differently. In ESPN’s latest film, Unguarded, director Jonathan Hock (Through the Fire, Off the Rez) goes behind the curtain and into both the highs and darkest of lows in the life of former NBA guard Chris Herren. This story, like Herren’s life, could have turned out and been told differently; but thankfully for all parties it wasn’t. Read More »

After last night’s dynamic and captivating premiere of HBO’s Prayer For A Perfect Season, I can’t help but smile at both the timing of its release and the purity that it represents. Director Marc Levin, (Brick City, Protocols of Zion and The Last Party, amongst other works) has always been known as someone that does not pull any punches as his high-stakes mentality explores the human element of each story he follow. Prayer For A Perfect Season is no different as the human side drives this film forward with every scene, floor burn and four-letter word – which starts and stops with love. The love of the game; the love of team; the love of family; and perhaps most valuable of all, the love of the journey. Read More »

At the age of 12 years old, I saw UNLV absolutely dismantle the Duke Blue Devils in the 1990 national championship game. It was a blowout I would never forget, as was the upset Duke pulled on UNLV the following March in the 1991 national semifinal. Runnin’ Rebels Of UNLV, which debuted this past Saturday evening on HBO, reminds us how Coach Jerry Tarkanian and a university and town never known for basketball, became both a national power and target of the NCAA between the early 1970s until 1992. Read More »

“The first day the Fab Five stepped on the University of Michigan campus, that was the start of a revolution. It just so happened that this revolution was televised.” – Jalen Rose, The Fab Five

During last night’s dynamic and captivating premiere, I was immediately transported back to a time as a teenager when I wasn’t yet sure who I was, but I knew that I loved the game of basketball. And for anyone around my age, you understand that the Fab Five were something we all paid attention to as middle school players with varsity dreams. Read More »

When it comes to conference tournament play, some programs always seem to rise to the occasion. But without the right leader on the sideline and on the court, your team aura can only take you so far in a tourney that is stacked with contenders like the Big East. Yesterday, UConn took its second step towards being that team. You know, a squad that could steal the Big East Tournament, as they have both the sideline leader (Jim Calhoun) and floor general (Kemba Walker) to make a serious run at what has once again become “the tournament of all tournaments” during Championship Week. Read More »

March has brought NBA Friday back. It is that time of year when everything, and I mean everything, is geared towards getting right for the postseason. While it is officially March Madness for the NCAA, the NBA is also experiencing madness, as last night in Miami was complete pandemonium as were the final moments in Utah. Kenyon, really? Kirilenko, really? Oddest 1.5 seconds I have ever seen.

Lets look to tonight: Read More »

Upon leaving New York City for All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, we knew there was a very good possibility that either the Knicks or Nets would pull off a deal, most likely involving Carmelo Anthony. But what transpired last week for both New York teams (yes, the Nets will soon be in Brooklyn) has been nothing short of astounding. Read More »

When we talk “rivalries” in sports, the first question that needs to be asked is the following: Have both teams been competitive during the same established period of time?

The answer, of course, when it comes to the Knicks and Celtics is “No.” We are not talking about Boston vs. New York, which has been dominated by Yankee/Red Sox in terms of a sports rivalry with sprinkles of Jets/Patriots and even Giants/Patriots (Super Bowl XLII) recently mixed in. Read More »