Both have made it to the ultimate stage in their professions, and have long careers ahead of them.So, is it any shock that NASCAR, the ultimate sport in hype and face time, would jump on the bandwagon and get themselves a nice young face?Armed with praise from the likes of Mark Martin, Logano wasted no time in competing in the sport that will make him a superstar. Quite like Crosby and James, Logano has jumped onto the scene.It also won’t be long before he makes his way to the Sprint circuit and with Kyle Busch dominating at such a young age, there is little doubt that Logano will be able to do the same.Logano has been racing for some time now, and it would be rather useless to go over the endless number of races he’s won So, let’s just put it at this. He’s very good, and NASCAR can’t wait for him to break into the Sprint series.He also isn’t afraid to speak his mind, especially after the mix up during a pit stop, in which he expressed his frustration over the team radio.”Sliced Bread” is also smooth talker at such a young age, and he has the star appeal that NASCAR loves. A sport that makes it’s living off putting their drivers’ faces out there for the public to see. Don’t expect them to waste any time with Logano.He even has a cool sponsor that people his age can identify with: Gamestop, a video game retailer.Logano also wants to win, and he makes no bones about it.Is the young stud happy with his sixth-place finish?“It wasn’t what I was looking for, I won’t be happy until I win.”Charisma, promotional appeal, talent, and now drive?That’s a deadly talent bucket in NASCAR..
All right, so this season may have left the Suns and their fans feeling disappointed. Even with such a blockbuster trade for Shaq, I think it’s safe to say more things should be fixed and changed. First off, since this league is equipped with so many young point guards, Steve Nash is at a disadvantage. Also, there are many great point guards who I believe could be traded to the Suns simply because of the minutes they are getting. For example, Marcus Williams has the ability to become just like Deron Williams. I doubt he will get enough minutes when the Nets have Devin Harris. If the Suns were to acquire him in some sort of trade, then he would really give the Suns great energy off the bench in the PG position. Daniel Gibson is also another great PG, as we discovered in last years’ playoffs. He also does not get enough minutes to show us all his abilities. Also, the league is full of young and athletic point guards who just don’t get time to impress. With an aging Steve Nash, a Phoenix trade for Utah’s Ronnie Price wouldn’t be a bad idea. During their series with the Spurs, Boris Diaw and Raja Bell showed us something we never knew they could do. In Game 4, I doubt I was the only one impressed by the two young stars. Bell was explosive for the Suns from absolutely anywhere from the floor, while Boris scored and passed like a veteran.
Consistent play from those two players is vital for the Suns’ success next season. Boris Diaw, Barbosa, and of course Amare are the future of the franchise by all means. Barbosa off the bench has always been impressive for the Suns, whether he replaces Nash or Bell. He would always give the opposing team something to worry about. Diaw, I believe, will shock all of us next season with post play that we have never seen from him before. He will also pass the ball in a way that would make Amare that much better. As for Amare, he has the biggest responsibility of them all; he was the one that said that the Suns need an offensive leader, and we all know he’s the best one for the job. Over the summer, Amare will have to improve defensively and will have to keep his shot as great as it was this season. If he does that, he could be a great franchise player and a serious MVP contender for next season. This all doesn’t mean that those are the only guys that have to step up next season.
Many others are of great importance for the team; Steve Nash will have to come back strong and must be ready to make everyone around him great offensive threats. The improvement of Diaw must be something that Nash should be a part of. Also, I do believe Nash will still be able to perform on a high level. Nash, as I mentioned above, will need strong support off the bench for his position and that will make a world of difference. Shaquille O’Neal and Grant Hill find themselves in similar positions. They will both need to elevate their game to as far as it could go. Whoever would coach the Suns next year must use Hill and Shaq in the smartest way possible.
They are both good enough for around 30-35 minutes per game. That means that Diaw should start. When Shaq is on the bench, Diaw plays PF and Amare C while Bell steps up for the SF position. Barbosa or Giricek should be ready to play SG. This all depends on who ends up coaching the Phoenix Suns, Amare’s D and how players are rotated all goes down to him. One thing I would expect is Diaw starting at SF instead of Hill. The Suns do still have chances for a great season, only if there will be more changes in the roster and in the team defense.But for the time being, the Phoenix Suns are still a coachless team and that coach will make all the difference. So Steve Kerr, you better get ready to make some positive moves, starting with that position and then hopefully some roster changes for younger stars full of potential.. With the passing of Luc Bourdon on May 29, something terrible happened for the Vancouver Canucks family and the residents of the Northern New Brunswick town of Shippagan.
You can subscribe by e-mail to receive news updates and breaking stories.