The Kansas City Star editorial board published an editorial that suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of what the First Amendment does and doesn’t do. The lede: “Here’s a brief refresher course on the First Amendment we all studied in the seventh grade: Individuals in America are free to express their opinions and beliefs.” The problem? They left out … Continue reading When A Newspaper Editorial Board Doesn’t Understand the First Amendment→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
I wanted to love Sully, the 2016* film starring Tom Hanks and directed by Clint Eastwood about airline pilot “Sully” Sullenberger successfully executing an emergency water landing on the Hudson River, but I couldn’t because the movie was crummy. And what grated as I watched: it didn’t have to be. Critics and audiences liked Sully a … Continue reading “Sully” Sucked, But It Didn’t Have To→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
I FINALLY made time to write something. This piece is about how the Wizards have been better without John Wall, and how he could help them get better yet by making some simple adjustments to how he plays. Specifically: Don’t shoot quite so much. Especially cut back on the two-point jumpers with more than 10 … Continue reading Better Without Wall? My Latest at Bullets Forever→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
Three new items today: Episode 2 of my new Washington Wizards podcast Becker & Broom with longtime friend Ben Becker. Subscribe on iTunes, Overcast, or wherever you find podcasts. A companion article about how 2016-17 is a classic #SoWizards season. The team is winning, fans are feeling good, and they really just look average. A Player … Continue reading Read All About It (and Listen Too)→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
I meant to post these as I published them, but… Anyway, here they are: Marcin Gortat’s decline this season has more to do with his touches than his age The Wizards’ future is handcuffed by its past And, of course, my new podcast with Ben Becker. Our first episode focuses on the article about Gortat’s touches, … Continue reading New At Bullets Forever→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
With an average starting unit and the NBA’s worst bench, the Wizards are lurching toward an inevitable appointment with the 2017 draft lottery — assuming team president Ernie Grunfeld doesn’t trade the pick for the next Markieff Morris in an all-out dash for 9th or 10th. The disastrous bench was in the works at least … Continue reading Wizards Roll With NBA’s Worst Bench→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
No time for major analysis the next couple weeks, but…here’s the Player Production Average update. It’s not pretty. Player GMS MPG LW PPA Otto Porter 12 35.3 173 177 John Wall 10 33.1 168 167 Marcin Gortat 12 34.8 135 146 Danuel House 1 1.0 119 Bradley Beal 9 32.1 66 92 Sheldon McClellan 6 … Continue reading Wizards Stagger Continues→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
The Wizards fired Randy Wittman for this? Six games into the tenure of Scott Brooks, the team sits 14th in the East with a 1-5 record. Washington’s futility is comprehensive — they rank 23rd in both offensive and defensive efficiency. There are four key team stats that determine who wins and loses in the NBA. … Continue reading Wizards Staggering to Start Season→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
Yeah, I know the season is underway. Many teams have three games in the books; the Spurs already have four. This still serves as my Wizards preview, because while I’ve watched their first two contests (both losses), I’ve used nothing from those games in the projection. The approach this year is similar to the one … Continue reading Wizards Remain Mediocre and Will Miss Playoffs for Second Straight Season→| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
After spending two years carefully clearing cap space for an offseason in which nearly half the league would be able to have room to add a maximum salary free agency, the Washington Wizards top fre…| The First Draft by Kevin Broom
Player Production Average (PPA) is an overall rating metric I developed that credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, play-making, defending) and debits them fo…| The First Draft by Kevin Broom