Like It Is

There's no explanation for snubbing Curry

It ended the argument before it ever started.

When it was announced that Golden State's Andre Iguodala was the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 NBA Finals, the debate about whether the Warriors' Stephen Curry or Cleveland's LeBron James was the MVP became a joke.

They were the leading scorers for their respective teams. They also are the headliners and the faces of their franchises.

Curry is the sharpshooter whose range seems to be anywhere on his side of the court.

James is simply the best player in the world, although it gets tiresome hearing him tell the world that. What he does on the court speaks volumes about how good he is.

The funny thing is that the panel of 11 voters gave Iguodala seven votes and James the other four.

Curry, who was named the NBA MVP for the season, received zero votes.

If those voters were trying to make a point about Curry bringing his daughter to postgame news conferences -- some media members complained of that during the playoffs -- they should be stripped of their voting privileges immediately.

Considering the Warriors won the series in six games, the MVP should have come off the winning team and a case can be made for Iguodala, who made his first start of the season in Game Four.

With Iguodala in the starting lineup, the Warriors won three consecutive games to capture the franchise's first championship in 40 years.

Still, he averaged 16.3 points per game while Curry averaged 26.

Iguodala also averaged 4 assists, 1.3 steals and 5.8 rebounds per game compared to Curry's averages of 6.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 5.2 rebounds.

For the record, James' statistics were off the charts as he averaged 35.8 points per game, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists. But while some superstars act otherwise, it is still a team game and the MVP should come from the winning team, especially if the series goes six games.

Apparently there was no talk of doing the logical thing and making Iguodala and Curry co-winners. The Warriors probably wouldn't have won without either of them, but for Curry to receive zero votes is absurd.

...

American Pharoah almost never was.

In 2010, Fifth Third Bank tried to take control of Ahmed Zayat's stables because he owed it $37 million.

Part of that breeding operation was American Pharoah's daddy, Pioneerof the Nile, and mare, Littleprincessemma.

Zayat filed for bankruptcy protection, but it took a fifth round of negotiations to work out a deal where he would pay off the debt over a period of time with a balloon payment of more than $12 million.

Two years later, American Pharoah was conceived, although his momma was later sold to Frank Lyon Jr., and the rest is history.

While American Pharoah's breeding rights were sold before he won the Triple Crown, there was a bonus plan in place in case he won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

It is estimated that his stud fees will bring in about $30 million over the next few years.

Zayat also retains control of the horse until the end of the year, and he said he intends to race him again.

...

The ninth annual Arkansas Sportscasters/Sportswriters Hall of Fame Banquet will be June 27 at Centennial Special Events Center at Centennial Country Club in Conway.

The meet and greet starts at 5:45 p.m., with dinner following at 6 p.m. and inductions at 7 p.m.

The honorees are George Kell (sportscaster and longtime analyst for Detroit Tigers baseball), Jim Lindsey (Lifetime Achievement Award), Louis Ambers (Member of the Year), Bill Valentine (ASCSW Service Award) and yours truly.

Sports on 06/18/2015

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