In Week 7 of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Chloe Fama, challenges Correspondent Joshua Fidler, News Editor Hilarey Wojtowicz and Correspondent Mark Barroso to answer questions about the effect Carmelo Anthony will have now that he is a New York Knick, whether or not Trevor Bayne can be a face of NASCAR and which NHL team is currently the best in the Western Conference.
1. Carmelo Anthony is finally a New York Knick, but is Anthony an essential addition to the Knicks, or is he simply a big name that the team didn’t necessarily have to trade for?
JF: The team has had one need since the beginning of the season — a big man who can defend. Every title team has one. The Lakers have Pau Gasol, the Celtics have Kevin Garnett. Amar’e Stoudemire is not a center. He is a power forward. That was the Knicks’ biggest need, and it wasn’t filled. That being said, the Knicks needed another viable scoring option. The players who were shipped out were loved by the fans, but they were never enough to take the Knicks over the top. You could see it when Amar’e was in foul trouble or was having an off night the Knicks would have an off night; in the first game with Melo and Amar’e, Amare’e fouled out, at that point, Melo put the team on his back. To sum it up, it’s a good trade, but they still need a big man.
HW: Carmelo Anthony is just like every other big name out there looking for the spotlight, but this time he’s multi-tasking. The Knicks have been holding their own this season so far, and Anthony can only help the team get better and win more games, while getting the fame and recognition he’s looking for. He may be a big name, but this might be his big break and the addition that the Knicks have been needing.
MB: Anthony, with a 24.8 career points per game average, was a necessary addition to the Knicks. Melo will bring the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The acquisition of veteran guard Chauncey Billups brings the team much needed playoff experience — Billups won the 2004 NBA Finals MVP. The Knicks have 27 important games to play, so the addition of two playoff caliber stars was essential.
CF: Joshua gets 3 for pointing out the spot Melo needed to fill on the Knicks. Hilarey gets 2 for stating Melo’s search for personal fame and recognition. Mark gets 1 because he barely mentions Melo in his response.
2. Trevor Bayne became the youngest driver to win the Daytona 500 last Sunday. Can he be one of the faces of NASCAR, and will this help the league?
JF: Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500, and he is now a young gun who has a lot of hype surrounding him. He reminds me of that other young guy who had a lot of hype too,
but no one remembers his name. The reason no one remembers Joey Lagano is because he has not won, so he has not become the face of NASCAR. To put it simply, you have to win and win a lot to be the face of any sport. Trevor also has a lot of catching up to do; a certain driver has already won five Sprint Cups, in a row.
HW: The 20-year-old driver may have won the Daytona 500, but he still needs to prove himself . Of course this win will help the league because the younger the driver, the younger the fanbase, which is growing with every race. However, Trevor Bayne is not even close to being one of the faces of NASCAR. Bayne still can’t even get enough sponsors for his upcoming races at Talladega and the Sprint Cup. Give him a little more time to win races and the young driver will get it, but one race isn’t enough.
MB: Bayne, a 20-year-old from Nashville, Tenn., won the Daytona 500 as part of the oldest active team in NASCAR, the Wood Brothers. Bayne has been racing since he was five, which is great for NASCAR’s image because this kid is a born and raised driver. Winning the Daytona 500 isn’t a mistake, so Bayne is a face of NASCAR. Some NASCAR stars are Dale Earnhardt Jr., 36, NASCAR’s highest-paid driver earning $29 million in 2010, Jeff Gordon, 39, a winner of 82 Sprint Cup Series races, and Tony Stewart, 39, a two- time Sprint Cup Champion. They are all almost double his age. You can be sure Bayne will donate some of his winnings to charity, a great public relations move. Bayne’s win brings NASCAR positive attention from the media because he is a nice, brought-up-by-his-father man, who is too young to pop champagne bottles after his victories.
CF: Although he only won one race, Bayne is definitely a new face of NASCAR, so Mark gets the 3. Hilary gets 2 for pointing out that he will help the league attract some younger fans. Joshua gets 1 for basically stating that Bayne winning the Daytona 500 has no effect on his career or on the image of NASCAR.
3. With the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings staying strong and the San Jose Sharks creeping to the front, who is the best team in the NHL’s Western Conference right now?
JF: The best team in the Western Conference has to be the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings have All-Star players like Johan Zetteberg and Nickolas Lidstrom. They also have a lot of playoff and Stanley Cup experience. Two of the last three years, the Red Wings played for Lord Stanley’s Cup. On top of that, they also have an intimidation factor with the octopi.
HW: Vancouver is definitely the best team in the Western Conference right now. The Canucks are getting solid wins this season and are holding strong with a record of 39-15-9. The team is first in overall number of goals per game and that’s what it really takes to win. The Sharks and Red Wings have nothing on the Canucks — they’re the No. 1 team in the Western Conference.
MB: The first place team, the Vancouver Canucks, with a record of 39-15-9 and 87 points has been the best team in the Western Conference throughout the season. However, the best team right NOW is the San Jose Sharks (36-21-6 with 78 points) because they have won 10 of their last 12 games and are now on a five-game win streak. The Sharks are atop the Pacific Division and goalie Antti Niemi has only allowed 31 goals in the past 17 games. The Sharks have scored multiple goals in every game since Feb. 11, while the Canucks finished with just one goal on Feb. 17, and the Red Wings just scored one goal on Feb. 24. The Western Conference playoff picture is very tight, and the Sharks are looking to sliver in.
CF: Hilarey gets 3 for pointing out the Vancouver Canucks’s standing as first in overall number of goals per game. Joshua gets 2 by stating the Red Wings’ previous Stanley Cup experience. Mark gets 1 for basing his choice on the Sharks’ recent five-game win streak.
Hilarey wins this week’s AtD, 7- 6 - 5.
