The 2011 Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul Press Conference

Story by L.T. Willis

Chris Paul will be wearing # 3 for The Los Angeles Clippers this season.
Photos by Eric Wade/T.G. Sports.



The Los Angeles Clippers have shown with the right people in the front office that there is going to be a new foundation that Clippers' fans and players can be proud of by bringing Chris Paul to Los Angeles. When the word was out that Chris Paul was coming to L.A. there was a buzz in the city even before Chris Paul came to town. The Clippers' new GM Neil Olshey along with owner Donald Sterling have change the image of the Clippers by building a team the right way with quality players.

Clippers' GM Neil Olshey has the organization going in the right
direction bringing quality players to the team.



The Clippers are a team on the up swing with the moves this season signing all star guard Chauncey Billups and forward DeAndre Jordan playing along side other exciting players like Blake Griffin, Caron Butler and Mo Williams don't be surprise if  you come to the Staple Center for a Clippers home game and all the tickets are sold out.  Just like when the Lakers comes into town don't be surprise also if other NBA teams  in the league if their  attendance goes up because of Chris Paul and The Los Angeles Clippers are coming into town.

Clippers' coach Vinny Del Negro was all smiles
during the Chris Paul press conference.



I know the happiest coach in the NBA was Vinny Del Negro  during the press conference was smiling all the time and who could blame him now that he is been giving one of the best point guards in the NBA Chris Paul and has already  Blake Griffin and has a great veteran and a leader in point guard Chauncey Billups to help stabilize the team this is going to be a very interesting season for the Clippers. I had a chance to talk with Joseph V. Safety II Vice President of Communications for the Clippers  how excited he is that Clippers' fans are the most loyal fans in the world and that they deserve to have a championship caliber team right here in Los Angeles. These fans have stuck by us when things were bad now they are being rewarded for their great support. All photos and video footage are by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports and EW Gems Images. For more Clippers coverage go to www.twitter.com/TGSportsEnt. Also you can go to our other youtube account at www.youtube.com/TGSportsTV also.





A Change of Attitude is What is Needed About Sports Officials Part 1

Story by L.T.Willis






All sports officials deserves respect during games.



Sports officials at all levels need to be respected during and after games.
Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports



During sporting events parents and fans need to change their attitudes toward sports officials at all levels of sports. Football season is really about to heat up as teams are now trying to make it into the state playoffs at the end of the season and  basketball season is about to start up.You have no ideal what it is like to be a sports official trying to learn all the rules and your responsibilities.When you are at work would you let your boss scream at you all day? What if your kid heard you  scream at them all day during a game how do you think he/she would feel.You see folks it's like soldiers being pinned down in war where bullets and rockets are flying  all over  your head and you trying to focus on what you are doing so you want lose focus on what is going on. You see it is no different than being a new person working on a job and everyone is screaming at you while training on a new job. Even in high school, college and pro sports during playoffs some officials are going thru training to help them develop. Where else are they going to learn except in the heat of the battle to find out what they need to improve on so they can do championship games and go to the next level in their sports.

Photo by Robert Helfman



 If you have any kids that are playing sports they are learning the game just like officials going to camps working on improving by going to summer leagues, fall and spring leagues also. Every practice players have to put in the work so they can get better and officials also. So imagine what a new basketball official have to deal with . People ask me all the time "  how do you put up with all the crap you get from players, coaches and fans screaming at you all the time?" So now imagine how a player feels when a coach is screaming all day at them and they are learning how to play a sport for the first time. It is not a good feeling. When your kid has a bad game you try to encourage them. A team can be up by ten points in the last two minutes but the officials gets blame because they lost the game because they blew or didn't blow their whistle. Don't blame sports officials for mistakes that coaches and players make because they are human and so are officials. Don't tell a official you suck because how would like if someone told your kid you suck. I hope after reading this you change your attitude about officials. Part 2 and 3 of this article we will cover when basketball season is about to really  kick off court coverage for two person crews, no calls and charge or block so stay tune.

Change of Attitudes is What is Needed Part 2

  Story by L.T.Willis Is this a offensive foul or not ? Now part 2 of this story i will cover what people say is the hardest call in high school basketball and that is a blocking or charge foul. The key to these calls comes down to the defensive position of the defender feet and body before the offensive players has left his/her feet to become airborne. I have 4 photos that i hope will illustrated and hope this will help fans understand these calls. Keep in mind that all these calls are judgement calls.  Below in photo #1 the defender's feet and body were not set before the offensive player left the floor  and this is call a blocking foul. Now in photo #2 the defender's feet and body was in front of the offensive player and  this would be a offensive foul or a player control foul. You hear all the time" hey ref the defender was moving". Also keep in mind it doesn't matter if the defensive player is moving if his/her feet and body are in front of the offensive player, the offensive player can't run over a defender.   Photo 1  Photo 2       Sometimes the play happens so quick that there will be always questionable calls in the game because the calls are all judgement calls for officials doing a game. Now in photo #3 the defender in white feet and body are not in front of the offensive player in blue and this will be a blocking foul on the defender. In photo #4 the defender feet and body is in front of the offensive player in blue and this will be a offensive foul. In high school basketball it doesn't matter if a player is standing under the rim or not if the defensive player feet and body are set before the offensive player is airborne this is a offensive foul. Now the photo at the beginning of my story you see a offensive player in white with his arm out in front of him to protect himself from the contact. This is legal as long as he/she doesn't fully exstend their forearm to push off or keep the defender away from their body. If a defender has his/her body in front of offensive player and starts to fall back before the contact this what is call flopping this will be a blocking call. If a defensive player turns away from the contact or move his/feet from a set position this is also a blocking foul. I hope this helps fans as part three of my story we will cover no calls and court coverage for officials.   Photo 4   Photo 3        





Change of Attitudes is What is Needed Part 3

Story by L.T.Willis Photo 1 Photo 2          Now part three of my story we will cover what is call no calls during a basketball game. Here are three photos that will help fans understand what is a no call on a shooting foul or what is a foul on a shooting foul. In photo #1 the defender in white has both of his feet set on the floor and his body and arm is straight up. In this photo this will be a no call because the contact would be by the offensive player. Now in photo #2 the defender  has the right to jump straight up to contest a shot this is legal. If any contact is made as long as the defender doesn't bring his/her arm down this will be a no call also. Now in photo #3 two defenders in blue are jumping out at the offensive player in white and if there is any contact it will be on one of the defenders in blue. Now let talk about court coverage with two officials working a game.    Photo 3   Now with two officials working a game they are are call a lead official and a trail official were both officials have primary court coverage during a game. In lead official photo #1 the lead primary is below the free throw line in the painted area during the game. He is looking for contact below the waist, pushing and shoving in the paint, illegal screens, over the back during rebounding and fouls. In the trail official photo #1 he has two primary responsibilities during a game. His first primary area are fouls above the free throw lane and and the three point line. He is looking for contact on shooting fouls, fouls above the rim during dunks, goal tending where a defensive players blocks a shot during a downward flight of the ball, basket interference is when a offensive player or a defensive player touches the net, the rim or the ball while the ball is directly above the rim or on the rim.   Trail Official Photo 1  Lead Official Photo 1        



The second primary of the trail is to help the lead in the paint on the backside of the court. Because the lead is on the baseline opposite the trail official and sometimes because of the size of the players he can be block out from seeing a play in his area. This is were the trail is helping on drives to the basket on the back side, backside screens and backside rebounding. If there is a double whistle and it's in the lead primary area the trail officials will ask the lead official what do you have first. When the ball is in one of the official area the other official should be looking off ball is where players are without the ball in their area. This is where you her coaches or fans ask" isn't that his call? Remember players all the time make mistakes on the court during the game because they are human and so are officials. After the game let's show respect for what they do.

2011 LAKERS' MEDIA DAY

Story by L.T.Willis

Lakers' Coach Mike Brown at the 2011 Lakers' Media Day. All photos are

by Eric Wade/T.G. Sports.



This year Lakers' Media Day had a  strange feeling to it than last year as Mike Brown was introduce as the Lakers' new head coach . Now that the lock out is over who would had thought that the Lakers were working out deals to upgrade their roster by trying to trade for Chris Paul for Lamar Odom and Paul Gasol. I know sometimes people forget that this is buisness, but players are human too and when you have been part of a family departures can be painful. Chris Paul is a great players and would be a great asset to the Lakers, but willing to give two of your best players does leave questions.

Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol having fun at media day.

This year media day had tension in the air as players did their best not to let all the trade rumors bother them but that was kind of hard to do when you could see it on their faces. The Lakers did address some of their weakness from last year by signing Jason Kapono who is deadly outside shooter and if he can hit shots as he did before that will make things a lot easier for Kobe Bryant and the other Lakers. Will this be the last time we see Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol playing together and will Dwight Howard be coming to Laker town?





Kobe Bryant.







The biggest question that was being ask if the trade for one player worth the value of two players. Of course fans look at it from a fans point of view because they become attach to players especially if they help contribute to winning championships. What fans may not know especially with all the new bargaining agreements that are current, The Lakers are trying to position themselves for a bigger move by trying to free up capital to get a premiere player or two to give them more depth for another title run. Yes even Kobe Bryant was shock about the trade rumors, but he understands that is the the nature of the NBA teams are always trying to find ways to improve their teams.

Andrew Goudelock.





Last year the Lakers had problems matching up with quicker guards in the league have address this concern by signing rookie guard Andrew Goudelock from Charleston who has great speed and quickness and plays solid defense and can score also. At the College of Charleston he average 23.7 points and 4.2 assist per game. The Lakers still have one of the best front courts in basketball with Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Metta World Peace. The biggest question on everyone ones mind is who is staying and who is leaving. We will have to just wait and see. All photos and video footage are by Eric Wade/T.G. Sports and EW Gems Images. You can also check out the video on our other youtube account at www.youtube.com/TGSportsTV also.

Keith Jackson Speaks At The Rose Bowl Committee Press Conference

Story By L.T.Willis



Keith Jackson is one of the best broadcaster ever to announce college
football attended the Rose Bowl Selection Committee Press Conference.
All photos are by Eric Wade/T.G. Sports.

One of if not the best college football broadcaster that ever live Keith Jackson was a special guest during the Rose Bowl Selection Committee Press Conference for the 98th Rose Bowl Game to be held on January 2, 2012. If you were ever a college football fan then you knew when Keith Jackson was announcing a game you knew it was going to be a good one. He was always fair and never took sides and one of the funniest sense of humor in college football. Keith Jackson has done so much for college football and especially The Rose Bowl Game.

The 98th Rose Bowl Committee Chair Libby Wright.



Along with Keith Jackson  Pasadena's Mayor's Bill Bogaard, Bill Flinn and Rose Bowl Committee Chair Libby Wright who had the honor to announce who would be playing in The 98th Annual Rose Bowl Game on January 2, 2012 The Wisconsin Badgers #10 (11-2) and The Oregon Ducks # 5 (11-2) were selected to play. The Oregon Ducks are the Pac 12 Football Conference Champions and The Wisconsin Badgers are the Big Ten Football Conference Champions.

Keith Jackson and Bill Flinn.



These two teams playing in the 98th Rose Bowl Game should bring a lot of scoring and excitement to Pasadena  on January 2, 2012. This game means a lot to the Pac 12 Conference since Stanford or Oregon had a chance to be in the BCS Championship game but loss games late in the season to knocked them out of the race. When said and done The Rose Bowl will still be the greatest honor that any team could be invited to be cause of it's history and what it has done for college football. On January 2, 2012 one team will be walking away with The Rose Bowl Championship Game Trophy.

The #10 rank Wisconsin Badgers will be playing the # 5 rank Oregon Ducks
for the Rose Bowl Championship Trophy on January 2, 2012.





 Keith Jackson had a chance to share some history about the Rose Bowl game and what it meant to him as as a kid and a broadcaster and what The Rose Bowl Game meant to college football. Some of the greatest games evered played were doing the Rose Bowl Game. One of those great  games was in 2005 when The Texas Longhorns played The USC Trojans for the National Championship.You can listen to Keith Jackson as he shares some laughs and  in the video highlights. All photos and video footage is by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports and EW Gems Images. You can also check out the video on our other youtube account at www.youtube.com/TGSportsTV also.



City Section Game of The Week Carson @ San Pedro Playoff Game

Story by L.T. Willis

San Pedro battles Carson in a city section playoff game. All photos
are by Eric Wade/ T. G. Sports.

The last time Carson played San Pedro they were shut out 21-0 and leaving questions marks on rather or not if Carson  is truly a city title contender. Well that question was answer as they defeated  San Pedro 24-19 with the defense leading the way. With better preparation the offensive and defensive plan came into play. Keep Kevin Potter from running wild and making plays on offensive. Carson's defense also made sure that they wouldn't let San Pedro's Darrell Santiago and Gregory Thomas roam free.

Carson's defense making sure that San Pedro's Gregory Thomas
doesn't break away.

San Pedro's QB Kevin Potter  has no place to run against
Carson's defense.

This game had the signs that Carson would bend and not break as they took into half time and 10-9 lead. This game was looking like who would have the ball last might win the game tonight. In the third quarter San Pedro took a 12-10 lead after  Christian Gonzales kicked a 32 yard field goal.  Carson's Rogers Jones responded with a touch down run  and Carson regain the lead 17-12 in the fourth quarter.

Carson's # 6 Rogers Jones scores a touchdown to give Carson
 17-12 lead in the fourth quarter.





 Carson defense came up big in the fourth quarter with a Potter fumble and was recovered by Carson's Dijon Battle and set up Carson offense in great field position. Moments later Roger Jones broke free and scored on his second touchdown of the night and push Carson lead to 24-12 and the Carson fans went wild as they could smell victory in the air tonight.  San Pedro still had one more bullet left in their gun and used it when Potter found Dominic Camacho deep in the end zone for a touchdown and now the score was 24-19 Carson.



 

Carson's Roger Jones scored his second touchdown of the night
and now the score was 24-12.

San Pedro's # 7 Kevin Potter finds  Dominic Camacho in the
with minutes left in the fourth quarter and now trailed 24-19.









San Pedro attempted a onside kick but Carson recovered the ball and ran out the clock to advance into the Division I City Section Championship Game against Narbonne. The defense made plays and Roger Jones came thru for his team mates. Roger Jones carried the ball 17 times for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kevin Mc Mahon was 13/of 17 for 149 yards and  1 touchdown. San Pedro's Kevin had a terrible game with three interceptions and a fumble on the night. All photos and video footage are by Eric Wade/T.G. Sports and EW Gems Images.