Sports Poets Society

THE MERE MENTION OF MICHIGAN AND OHIO STATE IN THE SAME SENTENCE USUALLY AWAKENS THE BEAST THAT IS THEIR HEATED GRIDIRON RIVALRY . BUT FOOTBALL WON’T BE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN THIS YEAR WHEN THE WOLVERINES AND BUCKEYES SQUARE OFF DURING BIG TEN PLAY. YOU CAN THANK TREY BURKE AND HIS LONGTIME FRIEND JARED SULLINGER FOR THAT ONE. W O R D S . D Y L A N M U R P H Y, Dime , August/September 2011 PLENTY OF WIDE-EYED, over-confident recruits are swallowed up and ruthlessly spit out by lofty goals and higher expectations. Maybe it’s the pressure. Maybe it’s the attention. Or maybe it’s just a matter of mental moxie. Whatever it is, no one who knows Trey Burke is worried. He’s calm, well-mannered and disciplined. Humble with confidence protruding. A self-aware optimist . There’s a good chance that you don’t know Burke, and there’s an even better chance that you would scoff at his goal of 17 points and 10 assists per game for his upcoming freshman season at the University ...

IT TOOK ALMOST TWO SEASONS FOR THE SIXERS’ EVAN TURNER TO FIND HIS FOOTING IN THE NBA. NOW THINGS ARE FALLING INTO PLACE AND PHILLY’S DO-EVERYTHING RISING STAR IS READY TO TRULY BREAK OUT. W O R D S. P A T R I C K C A S S I D Y A RECURRING THEME OF THIS ISSUE is the weight of great expectations . After being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Sixers’ Evan Turner is all-too familiar with the pressures that come with soaring promise. After a turbulent two seasons in the League, it appears as though Turner is finally on the verge of his own breakout. Down the stretch of the Sixers’ surprising run in this year’s playoffs , Turner found himself in Philly’s starting lineup , leading the charge and taking the Boston Celtics to a hard-fought 7th game in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals . His minutes (34.5), points (11.2) and rebounds (7.5) all took a major jump in the playoffs, and he is now poised to do big things in 2012-13. I caught up with ...

Dime magazine #66, November 2011  As the second overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft , Evan Turner didn’t exactly live up to expectations last season. Though the Sixers surprised some people with their stellar play late in the year, Turner struggled to get minutes and was seemingly lost in translation.  Philly is loaded with solid wing players, but need a guy who can spread the floor and shoot a decent percentage from three; Evan Turner is that guy . After spending his summer working with Hall of Fame coach Herb Magee to tweak his shot, Turner knows that he’ll improve upon his averages of 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 23.0 minutes a game. And with the ability to create for himself off the dribble , look for him to make the leap this year.