An NBA football team??
No i did not write this myself. I found this article on ESPN Insider written by David Thorpe and thought it was pretty cool. Since I am one of the few insiders we know, i decide to share it. (kinda pullin a Keifer huh?)
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Jason Kidd
The triple-double king has the three ingredients of a great quarterback: He can run, pass and lead. Kidd still has plenty of juice left in the tank. Just beat out Steve Nash, partly on size.
Tailback: Dwyane Wade
Changes gears and explodes through cracks like a bigger Marshall Faulk, but can make you miss with his twists and spins. He is the master at finishing (long runs, in this case).
Tight end: Amare Stoudemire
A nightmare matchup for an LB thanks to his speed and vertical, plus he has "hands for days." Picture the Chargers' Antonio Gates, who played hoops at Kent State, but six inches taller.
Wide receiver: Mike Miller
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is the perfect possession receiver on this team of stars.
Wide receiver: Leandro Barbosa
This speed demon can stretch any defense, and he is tough enough to make the catch in the middle, too.
Wide receiver: LeBron James
Think Michael Irvin, then add serious height and 20 pounds. His combo of speed and size makes him the go-to guy on this offense.
Left tackle: Reggie Evans
Kidd wants the meanest "big ugly" to protect his blind spot, and Evans has the long arms and the disposition of a great bodyguard.
Left guard: Carlos Boozer
Boozer's agility and speed make him lethal as a pulling guard. His massive frame will pave the way for some great sweeps.
Center: Chris Kaman
Kaman's a footwork master, and he comes from an underrated football conference.
Right guard: Eddy Curry
This big guy has developed into a nice power player, giving Wade the perfect lead for his power runs off tackle.
Right tackle: Danny Fortson
We needed some nastiness on the strong side to keep people out of Kidd's face on rollouts.
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DEFENSE
Free safety: Trevor Ariza
The fastest guy on the field, he can make up for any mistakes made in front of or behind him.
Strong safety: Chauncey Billups
Rugged and smart, will not fall for play-action passes. Also has the ability to knock down big shots.
Cornerback: Allen Iverson
He'd be playing on Sundays if he weren't such a gifted scorer. He's a former all-state high school quarterback and our best defender on the gridiron.
Cornerback: Nate Robinson
A mismatch at 5-9, but speed and vertical make up for lack of size (just ask Yao). Won't back down from anyone (see MSG brawl). And boasts experience (played DB for Washington Huskies).
Middle linebacker: Ron Artest
And you thought Dick Butkus was a maniac …
Outside linebacker: Ruben Patterson
Our blitzing specialist, he is very quick in tight spaces and plays with incredible energy.
Outside linebacker: Kobe Bryant
Relentless and will defend both the run and the pass -- our version of Derrick Brooks.
Defensive end: Dwight Howard
Super-quick big man. "Too Tall Dwight" will line up on the strong side and force the QB to throw over his massive reach.
Defensive tackle: Brian Cardinal
A bit undersized but will make things happen so our big dogs can eat. He's used to getting beat up and coming back for more.
Defensive tackle: Craig Smith
Maybe the strongest man, pound-for-pound, on our team.
Defensive end: Ben Wallace
The Smiths, Bubba and Bruce, were big and quick, but this cat is on a whole other level. Also a monster on special teams blocking kicks.
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SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter: Manu Ginobili
The Argentinean was born to kick, has great footwork and focus, and lives for the pressure moment. You can trust him in a field-position battle.
Kicker: Darrell Armstrong
A long-distance specialist nowadays. Was a kicker at D-II Fayetteville State, where he connected from 48 yards out.
Punt returner: Earl Boykins
Any guy crazy enough to think he can play in the NBA at 5-foot-5 is uniquely qualified to return punts ... plus he has the quickness too. Iverson can help us out here too.
Kick returner: Monta Ellis
The pride of Mississippi has the jets to be a gamebreaker every time he touches the rock.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COACHING STAFF
Defensive coordinator: Gregg Popovich
A master motivator who will use the tremendous team speed and nasty attitudes to create as much havoc as the '85 Bears did with their "46" defense.
Offensive coordinator: Don Nelson
With every trick in the book, Nellie will create and take advantage of mismatch opportunities for his freakishly athletic and tall skill players.
Coach: Pat Riley
The reigning champ gets the honor of coaching this team of stars, as Riley is just the man to get these athletes to play physically. He'll even look good in a windbreaker.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Jason Kidd
The triple-double king has the three ingredients of a great quarterback: He can run, pass and lead. Kidd still has plenty of juice left in the tank. Just beat out Steve Nash, partly on size.
Tailback: Dwyane Wade
Changes gears and explodes through cracks like a bigger Marshall Faulk, but can make you miss with his twists and spins. He is the master at finishing (long runs, in this case).
Tight end: Amare Stoudemire
A nightmare matchup for an LB thanks to his speed and vertical, plus he has "hands for days." Picture the Chargers' Antonio Gates, who played hoops at Kent State, but six inches taller.
Wide receiver: Mike Miller
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is the perfect possession receiver on this team of stars.
Wide receiver: Leandro Barbosa
This speed demon can stretch any defense, and he is tough enough to make the catch in the middle, too.
Wide receiver: LeBron James
Think Michael Irvin, then add serious height and 20 pounds. His combo of speed and size makes him the go-to guy on this offense.
Left tackle: Reggie Evans
Kidd wants the meanest "big ugly" to protect his blind spot, and Evans has the long arms and the disposition of a great bodyguard.
Left guard: Carlos Boozer
Boozer's agility and speed make him lethal as a pulling guard. His massive frame will pave the way for some great sweeps.
Center: Chris Kaman
Kaman's a footwork master, and he comes from an underrated football conference.
Right guard: Eddy Curry
This big guy has developed into a nice power player, giving Wade the perfect lead for his power runs off tackle.
Right tackle: Danny Fortson
We needed some nastiness on the strong side to keep people out of Kidd's face on rollouts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEFENSE
Free safety: Trevor Ariza
The fastest guy on the field, he can make up for any mistakes made in front of or behind him.
Strong safety: Chauncey Billups
Rugged and smart, will not fall for play-action passes. Also has the ability to knock down big shots.
Cornerback: Allen Iverson
He'd be playing on Sundays if he weren't such a gifted scorer. He's a former all-state high school quarterback and our best defender on the gridiron.
Cornerback: Nate Robinson
A mismatch at 5-9, but speed and vertical make up for lack of size (just ask Yao). Won't back down from anyone (see MSG brawl). And boasts experience (played DB for Washington Huskies).
Middle linebacker: Ron Artest
And you thought Dick Butkus was a maniac …
Outside linebacker: Ruben Patterson
Our blitzing specialist, he is very quick in tight spaces and plays with incredible energy.
Outside linebacker: Kobe Bryant
Relentless and will defend both the run and the pass -- our version of Derrick Brooks.
Defensive end: Dwight Howard
Super-quick big man. "Too Tall Dwight" will line up on the strong side and force the QB to throw over his massive reach.
Defensive tackle: Brian Cardinal
A bit undersized but will make things happen so our big dogs can eat. He's used to getting beat up and coming back for more.
Defensive tackle: Craig Smith
Maybe the strongest man, pound-for-pound, on our team.
Defensive end: Ben Wallace
The Smiths, Bubba and Bruce, were big and quick, but this cat is on a whole other level. Also a monster on special teams blocking kicks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter: Manu Ginobili
The Argentinean was born to kick, has great footwork and focus, and lives for the pressure moment. You can trust him in a field-position battle.
Kicker: Darrell Armstrong
A long-distance specialist nowadays. Was a kicker at D-II Fayetteville State, where he connected from 48 yards out.
Punt returner: Earl Boykins
Any guy crazy enough to think he can play in the NBA at 5-foot-5 is uniquely qualified to return punts ... plus he has the quickness too. Iverson can help us out here too.
Kick returner: Monta Ellis
The pride of Mississippi has the jets to be a gamebreaker every time he touches the rock.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COACHING STAFF
Defensive coordinator: Gregg Popovich
A master motivator who will use the tremendous team speed and nasty attitudes to create as much havoc as the '85 Bears did with their "46" defense.
Offensive coordinator: Don Nelson
With every trick in the book, Nellie will create and take advantage of mismatch opportunities for his freakishly athletic and tall skill players.
Coach: Pat Riley
The reigning champ gets the honor of coaching this team of stars, as Riley is just the man to get these athletes to play physically. He'll even look good in a windbreaker.
posted by pete silva at 4:41 PM
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