Chiropractor Treating Concussions for Earlier Return to Play

A chiropractor is using questionable diagnostic and therapeutic measures to return athletes to play sooner after a concussion. Not a good idea.

from Science-Based Medicine http://bit.ly/2INMhKJ

Berry Tramel on Russell Westbrook refusing to answer his questions, his history with Russ and more

On this episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, Alex Kennedy is joined by The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel. Since January, Russell Westbrook has refused to answer Tramel’s questions. Tramel discusses how this all started, their history, Westbrook’s “us-against-them” mentality when it comes to the media as a whole, the response he’s received – locally and nationally – and more.

:48: Tramel shares when Westbrook initially started refusing to answer his post-game questions.

1:30: Last night, Westbrook changed his approach by saying, “That’s a good question, I don’t know,” instead of, “Next question.” Tramel was surprised and thinks Westbrook did it because of the blow back he’s received.

3:05: Tramel discusses the outpouring of support he has received – locally and nationally – since this story took off.

5:10: In 2015, Westbrook told Tramel, “I just don’t like you.” Tramel felt this was a shot at the media as a whole rather than anything personal since they don’t know each other. Many reporters have had difficult interactions with Westbrook over the years. Tramel discusses when Westbrook became so anti-media and whether it gradually worsened over the years.

8:55: After Tramel asked a question at one press conference, Paul George asked Westbrook, “Do you want me to tell him [next question]?” Tramel shares whether his interactions with other Thunder players have been impacted by the Westbrook situation.

12:15: There was an article by Grantland’s Bryan Curtis in 2015 about how the Oklahoma City Thunder created an anti-media culture. Tramel discusses if things have changed since then and whether he received any blow back from the Thunder PR staff or front office for participating in that piece.

15:30: Tramel shares why he continues to ask Westbrook questions even though he knows he won’t get a proper response.

18:00: By singling out Tramel, Westbrook has actually given the veteran sportswriter more exposure than ever and it has helped Berry build his brand nationally. Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd interviewed him in recent days, he was discussed on First Take and many outlets have written about him.

20:32: We sometimes hear how Westbrook is an amazing teammate and father. Why is he so different around the media, choosing to have this adversarial relationship with every journalist (even people who have written positively about him)?

27:05: Tramel discusses how the Thunder’s media protocol is meant to make things easier on the players and keep them happy. Then, he discusses how shocked and devastated the organization was when Kevin Durant left, considering they go out of their way to try to appease players.

33:10: The Thunder are on the verge of being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs once again. Tramel discusses what changes need to be made in order for this team to become a contender and how fans have reacted to this lackluster showing against the Portland Trail Blazers.

38:10: Westbrook is a complicated player. He puts up monster numbers (which his supports cite), but he’s inefficient and struggles with his shot (which his critics cite). Tramel breaks down Westbrook’s game and how he’s allowed George to become OKC’s No. 1 option.

40:15: Tramel continues to praise aspects of Westbrook’s game and even defends him at times, despite the way he’s been treated. He hasn’t taken any of this personally. He discusses why he handled the situation this way.

42:45: This is one of the biggest sports-media stories in a while. Did Tramel expect this story to blow up once the playoffs started (and Westbrook’s refusals were televised) or was he surprised this took off?

44:50: Tramel shares what happened back in January that prompted this treatment from Westbrook.

This episode is sponsored by Seat Geek! Be sure to download the Seat Geek app (or visit their website) and enter the promo code HOOPSHYPE for $10 off your first ticket purchase!

If you’re interested in advertising on The HoopsHype Podcast, email hoopshype@hoopshype.com for more information.

from HoopsHype http://bit.ly/2PpiREb

2019 draft prospect Luka Samanic: 'I like America a lot because everything is faster, a bit more fun'

Croatian-born power forward Luka Samanic has declared for the 2019 NBA Draft. The possible first-round selection caught up with HoopsHype.

He ranks No. 40 overall on our latest aggregate mock draft, appearing in the first round in a recent mock by SB Nation. He is a highly decorated player who in 2017 won MVP and took home gold at the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship B. The following season at the A level, he shot 47.4 percent from three-point range and averaged 17.0 points per game.

The 19-year-old also has experience playing for FC Barcelona B and is now on the roster with Olimpija Ljubljana in Slovenia. He spoke with us about his choice to make the jump to the NBA, where he will be represented by Jason Ranne and Sead Galijasevic through Wasserman.

What made you enter your name into the draft this season, especially at your young age of 19?

Luka Samanic: The NBA has been my dream since I was a little kid. I was in Barcelona and then I was here in Slovenia this season. I worked a lot for this and I’m ready. I’m trying to focus on my game but with social media and its impact, I had to think about my next move. I’ve been working on my body and my shot and everything else that will need to translate to the NBA as a modern big guy. And off the court, I’m just trying to stay healthy and enjoy this process.

How would you describe yourself as either a player or as a person or both?

LS: I’m super competitive, I hate to lose. As a player and in normal life, maybe a little bit too much. I like to win.

Your defense is a huge part of your game, can you tell me about your defensive mentality and how it has become so integral to you?

LS: If you want to play at the top level, you have to be as good or great at as many things as possible. I want to guard the best player on the team, it’s my mission before the game. I think I can switch onto any player on the court. I am pretty fast with good lateral movement. I’m not like most 6-foot-11 guys. I can move pretty good.

I would love to hear more about your jump shot because that is something that has been applauded for you in the past. How do you think it’ll translate?

LS: I got it from my father, he was a lefty and he was a really good shooter from three. Since I started, I was always the tallest but nobody ever stopped me from going under the basket either. I think over time, it has gotten better and better. Now that things are serious, I just want it to be consistent and to score every night and every game. If the question is how many times I can repeat it, I want the answer to be as much as possible. I’m confident.

What kind of schemes do you think you will be able to fit into for an NBA team?

LS: I like to think of myself as a defender who can guard anyone and I can block shots. On offense, I can run and spread the floor because I am a good shooter. I can play low in the post, too. I can pass, too, if they need it. I can adjust my game for anyone.

Where do you feel you have been most successful and what have you been most proud of thus far?

LS: I think I can run and move well and with time, I can get stronger. I already am doing a lot in the gym to work on my physicality. I’m most satisfied with my athleticism. I want to be the best version of myself that I can be. I don’t want to play under my skill set.

I’ve read you have a background in a lot of different sports, including handball and football. How has this helped you get to where you are?

LS: If I started counting for you, it would be 10 sports I’ve played at a competitive level. Handball, tennis, football, I also did break dance when I was younger. Anything you can imagine, whatever my friends were playing I was joining. Football helped me with my running and my speed. I was just the tallest and the quickest, it helped me a lot with what I am now.

I would love to hear more about your break dancing. What music were you playing? When did you do this until? Teams love to have good bench celebrations after a great dunk or play.

LS: I was maybe eight or nine years old. It was rap music. I was really good, actually. If I were to do it now, it would be to Drake and Meek Mill and Travis Scott. I haven’t done it since I was a kid, though. I think I dance okay, anyway. Dancing is all kinds of fun but I don’t do it anymore, maybe flossing sometimes but nothing serious just for fun.

What do you like about American culture and what are you excited about with your move, for off the court reasons?

LS: I’ve been to the USA a few times. Last year, I was at Basketball Without Borders in Los Angeles and got to speak with Ivica Zubac who is also from my country. We texted a little bit. I like America a lot because everything is faster. It’s just a bit more fun. I’m excited about the food and going to a new continent and to meet new people. I’m a very social guy.

Have you received advice from anyone in the NBA now about their transition to the league?

LS: My friend Rodions Kurucs for Brooklyn. He’s playing there. He said it’s much different and for him, it’s much better. He got opportunities and he showed he can play. He said it is fun and he’s working and playing and he’s enjoying it. He’s a good guy, too. We played together in Barcelona for two years. He brings energy and people underrate him because he was not such a high pick. He is so hungry and wants to prove himself.

Are you nervous at all about moving across the world for this new journey?

LS: I was 15 years old when I left my home and went to Barcelona. It was tough but once I got used to the distance between my family and me then it was much easier. I learned Spanish and I got used to the food. Having left then will make it much easier to leave again now. I’m sure I’ll have someone with me in the beginning until I get used to it but I don’t think this will be any kind of problem for me.

What do you think Luka Doncic, who shares your first name, has done to show doubters that European players can succeed?

LS: I never had a doubt about him coming there and showing everybody that he was a top player. He was the MVP of Euroleague. It’s really good to see someone also from Europe doing so well but not only him but also so many others. I’m happy about that.

Is there anything else you think people should know about you that you want them to know about you?

LS: When I was younger, I had no problems but I was a kid and people may have thought I was soft. Now that I am older, I’ve worked so hard and people might not know this but I know myself and I know that I am not. I don’t at all believe that about me.

from HoopsHype http://bit.ly/2W13sfu

These are the NBA draft early entries right now

This is the time of year where players have to make a huge decision regarding their future. NBA prospects have until Sunday, April 21, to declare whether or not they want to go pro early and enter the 2019 draft.

All the players you would expect to declare have thrown their hat into the ring and done so already.

That includes Zion Williamson, who many expect to go first overall and has the biggest star potential in his class. He’s a once-in-a-generation athlete, he’s an absolute terror in transition and attacking the glass, and he fills the stat sheet all across the board, on both ends of the floor.

That also includes guys like Ja Morant and RJ Barrett, who have the upside to be multiple time All-Stars. To excel and reach their full potential, Morant needs to keep working on his jumper as well as on cutting down on turnovers while Barrett will need to land on a team that will surround him with better shooting than he had at Duke, which will open up driving lanes for him and unlock his playmaking prowess.

There are some prospects who are more on the fence about their future plans, but for the most part, those are the mid-to-late first-round-types. Pretty much every lottery-caliber prospect has already declared.

Of course, thanks to new rules, just because players have already declared for the draft doesn’t mean they’re locked into going pro. Players are now allowed to go through the draft process and still go back to school or back to their teams overseas if they don’t like what they’re hearing from NBA teams. NCAA players have until May 29 to pull out of the draft (that’s 10 days after the combine), while international players have until June 10 (10 days before the draft itself).

Below you can find all the information about which players have declared so far. It will be constantly updated all the way through the April 21 deadline.

Key: (AMD) Ranking in our aggregate mock draft; (NR) Not ranked.

from HoopsHype http://bit.ly/2XAKaOG

How Much Should You Offer For That Property?

One of the most important questions you’ll ever have to answer as a real estate investor is this:

“HOW MUCH SHOULD I OFFER FOR THIS PROPERTY?”

It's a very important question, because your offer price has everything to do with your ability (or inability) to make money on a real estate deal.

Offer too much, and you won't have a large enough profit margin.

Offer too little, and the seller won't do the deal.

Considering how important the offer price is, I'd like to provide a bit of explanation on the basic math I use to come up with this number for any given property.

The Importance Of Price

No matter how you slice it, your offer price is going to play a major role in the overall scope of any transaction. With the right number, you'll have a grand slam deal on your hands. With the wrong number, you can lose yourself a lot of money in an instant.

There are a couple of sayings that a lot of real estate investors like to throw around:

“Begin with the end in mind.”

“In real estate, the money is made when you buy.”

Well, guess what, both are true. If you make the right assumptions about a property's market value and have an accurate idea of what your closing costs, holding costs and improvement costs (if any) will be along the way, you can essentially write yourself an enormous paycheck, simply by choosing an offer price that allows enough room for your profit margin… however big or small you'd like it to be.

How Most Investors Think

Most of the people who flip houses and buy investment properties use something called the 70% Rule – perhaps you've heard of it.

It's a simple mathematical equation where you take the anticipated value of a property (ARV or After Repair Value), multiply it by seventy percent (0.70), and subtract ALL costs along the way, which will give you your “maximum offer price” that you should consider for your subject property.

As an example, if you think a property will eventually sell for $100,000, and you estimate that you'll have to pay $10,000 in various costs along the way, your equation would look like this:

$100,000 ARV x 0.70 = $70,000 – $10,000 Costs = $60,000 Offer Price

Since you'll be paying $60,000 for the property and another $10,000 for various closing and improvement costs, your total investment will be approximately $70,000. However, since you're planning to sell it for $100,000 in the end, this means you'll have a net profit of $30,000.

Want to run the numbers yourself? Give it a shot with this calculator.

Of course, if you make any errors in your assumptions along the way, your net profit is also your margin of error.

Fore example, if you end up selling the property at a lower price than planned, or if you fail to account for some huge costs along the way, those errors will eat into your profit margin, and could even cause you to lose money if your assumptions are wrong enough.

The equation makes sense on paper. It's not a bad framework for making offers IF the market is trending upwards, IF your assumptions are perfect, and IF you really are able to sell the property immediately, it could work… but personally, I don't think it offers nearly enough certainty.

How I'm Different

When I was living through the great recession from 2008 – 2013, when real estate values in the United States were absolutely sabotaged, I saw too many people lose their shirts using this “tried and true” 70% rule.

There is always an element of uncertainty with any real estate deal, and with all the wild cards that can come up in a real estate deal, 30% just isn't a big enough profit margin to make me comfortable. I need more.

You see… a lot of the properties I buy are vacant lots, raw land and housing in C-class neighborhoods. When a real estate recession hits, these types of properties don't tend to sell quite as quickly when they're listed at “full retail value” (which by the way, is an incredibly subjective number to begin with).

Unless I'm offering some kind of crazy incentive in the form of:

• A very low asking price
• Seller Financing
• The #1 most desirable property in the neighborhood
• All the above

…I just don't think it's wise to rely on the 70% rule, because there's not enough profit and protection built in.

To put it another way… I don't want to leave ANY possibility of getting hurt, regardless of whether the market changes or I've made some kind of judgment error on the property's fair market value.

In my mind, the only way to get around this is to make offers that are way, WAY below market value. I'm talking 30%, 20%, even 10% of market value.

You might think this kind of offer is crazy, but it's not a pipe dream – trust me. I make offers like this all the time and when you're reaching out to the right demographic of property owners, many people are happy to accept them.

RELATED: Understanding the Motivated Seller

It's just a matter of knowing how to find motivated sellers (which is a topic for another blog post).

If you want to see my take on how I run these numbers, this video explains my approach.

As you can see, it follows a different logic than the 70% Rule.

Rather than giving me a wide range of percentages to base my offer on, it forces me to stay FAR below 70% (and frankly, I think 40% is too high for most of the vacant land properties I purchase – I generally keep my offers within the 10% – 20% range, depending on the market value).

It's important to note that the market value you determine for this property is a very, very important number.

If you get this number wrong (particularly, if you set it too high), it will completely screw up your results. As with any calculator, the quality of your outputs are only as good as the quality of your inputs, so make sure you have a reasonably accurate ballpark idea (at the very least) of what the property is worth. This is NOT the time to simply “wing it” and guess on the numbers without doing some research.

RELATED: The Real Estate Investor's Guide to Valuing Vacant Land

The beauty of it is, if I know my goal is to make an ROI of at least 100%, or if I have a specific number I need to hit as my Net Profit, it's very easy to adjust the numbers (whichever ones have the most flexibility) until those numbers fall where they're supposed to… and if I can't get the numbers to work, I walk from the deal. It's that simple.

Base Your Offers On Math, Not Emotion

What I love about this calculator is that it tells me in very plain terms what the consequences of my numbers will be – for better or worse.

If I'm going to stick to my business model and keep my emotions out of the equation, I need to make sure my Net Profit and ROI fall in line, and this all starts with finding a reasonably accurate market value for the property, and keeping the offer price in the acceptable range.

This approach help keep my emotions in check, so I can make my decision based on what the data says.

Am I going to miss out on some opportunities because my offer prices are too low? Absolutely.

Am I willing to compromise my business model just because I'm worried a seller might not accept my offer? Absolutely not.

Am I going to break my own rules and bump up my offer price just because I “fell in love” with a particular property? Um… are you kidding me?

YES – I have to play the numbers game and send out a lot of offers. Do I hear the word “No” a lot more than I hear “Yes”?  Of course!

But what do I get in return? I get peace of mind.

When someone does accept my offer – I get to be 1,000% SURE I'm holding the deal of a lifetime in my hands. And it's worth the effort! When we stick to our guns and make data-driven decisions, we can reap some huge benefits. If there's anything I've learned about real estate investing, it's that data-driven decisions beat emotion-driven decisions every time.

The post How Much Should You Offer For That Property? appeared first on REtipster.

from REtipster http://bit.ly/2UsZlra

Bleaching away what ails you: The Genesis II Church is still selling Miracle Mineral Supplement as a cure-all

Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS) has been sold by the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing as a cure-all to treat conditions and diseases as diverse as autism, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and malaria. Indeed, it's touted as a cure for nearly all disease. It is, however, basically industrial bleach. As ridiculous and harmful as MMS is, it's a quackery that just won't die, as I realized this weekend reading stories about a promotional seminar for MMS in Washington.

from Science-Based Medicine http://bit.ly/2ZnyArH

This is how the Indiana Pacers head into the offseason

The fortunes of the Indiana Pacers’ 2018-19 season changed late in January, when All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo suffered a devastating season-ending ruptured patella. They performed admirably without their leader, going 17-19 from the time of the injury through the end of the season, something that was especially impressive considering Oladipo was the only guy on their roster who could get his shot whenever he wanted. Ultimately, though, his absence was far too much to overcome, and the Pacers wound up getting swept out of the first round by the Boston Celtics. There were some encouraging moments this season for Indiana, like young big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner blossoming into productive contributors, and the fact that the team more or less held it together after losing their best player.

Overall, however, it could be a tricky summer for the Pacers, who will see eight players, most of whom are nightly contributors, become free agents, and could land contracts elsewhere that price them out of returning to Indiana. At the same time, that also means the Pacers could find themselves with a lot of cap space this offseason, and although they aren’t usually a free-agent destination, that could change this summer with the prospect of playing alongside Oladipo and for a stable franchise. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, what Indiana needs to focus on more than anything is getting Oladipo back and ready to go as early as possible in 2019-20.

GUARANTEED CONTRACTS FOR 2019/20

Victor Oladipo: $21,000,000

Myles Turner: $18,000,000

Doug McDermott: $7,333,333

Domantas Sabonis: $3,529,554

TJ Leaf: $2,813,280

Aaron Holiday: $2,241,960

NON-GUARANTEED CONTRACTS FOR 2019/20

Edmond Sumner: $1,588,231

Alize Johnson: $1,416,852

FREE AGENTS

Davon Reed: Restricted

Thaddeus Young

Wesley Matthews

Cory Joseph

Tyreke Evans

Bojan Bogdanovic

Darren Collison

Kyle O’Quinn

OFFSEASON GOALS

With so many impending free agents on the roster, the Pacers will have some tough decisions to make this offseason. Indiana will have the ability to open up over $43 million in cap space by renouncing the cap holds to all of their free-agent players. Will they opt to do that and chase star-level free agents, something they have rarely done in their past? Or will they opt to keep this core around and hope that the return of a healthy Oladipo will keep them in contention for an annual Top-4 seed in the Eastern Conference?

Another issue that the Pacers may have to resolve this summer will be figuring out what to do with Sabonis, the third-year big man out of Gonzaga who just put up a career season, and who will be eligible for an extension this offseason. Usually, this would be an easy decision. Most big-market franchises would offer him an extension near the max and be done with it – his play and upside certainly merit that type of commitment. But the Pacers are in a bit of a bind because they aren’t in a huge market, would rather not pay the tax, and just gave Turner, another center like Sabonis, a four-year, $80 million extension. The duo is talented enough to make it work together, but the fit is far from perfect. Either way, it won’t be an easy decision for Indiana, but at worst, they can put off making it for another summer by letting Sabonis become a restricted free agent in 2020.

A more pressing issue will be what Indiana decides to do with Bogdanovic. The 30-year-old has been great as a Pacer, averaging 16.1 points over the last two seasons and hitting 41.3 percent of his triples in that span. But he has major warts defensively and could land a huge contract from an opposing team in need of a wing shooter this offseason. Will Indiana prioritize the sharpshooting forward and bring him back at all costs? Or will they let him walk if the bidding war starts to get north of a $15 million annual price range? These are all tough questions the Pacers will have to answer this summer, but at the end of the day, just getting Oladipo back in tip-top shape will be by far the most important thing they do this summer.

POTENTIAL FREE AGENCY TARGETS

Kemba Walker: Next to Oladipo, Walker would form one of the elite backcourts in not just the East, but in the league. Indiana could open the cap space necessary to offer Walker a max, and if the All-Star point guard is tired of carrying the Charlotte Hornets on his own, the Pacers would be a solid landing spot.

Derrick Rose: Collison isn’t a lock to come back, and Rose, after a career-year shooting the three ball, could fit nicely next to Oladipo, giving Indiana two ball-handlers who can attack the basket and knock down triples.

Terrance Ross: By most accounts, Evans probably won’t be a Pacer next year. If he does depart, Indiana could use Ross as his replacement in the second unit. Ross might even be better suited for that role than Evans, since he’s a confident three-point bomber, while Evans struggled with confidence in his role.

Al-Farouq Aminu: If Bogdanovic lands some huge deal from another team this summer, the Pacers could be left with a hole on the wing. Aminu could fill it nicely, and would actually provide a huge upgrade on the defensive end, an area Bogdanovic has always struggled mightily.

Jeff Teague: Teague spent one season in Indiana. Could a return be in the cards? With Collison’s return up in the air, Teague could be a good replacement candidate, even despite his injury-related struggles in 2018-19.

POTENTIAL TRADE TARGETS

Mike Conley: If the Grizzlies blow things up, Conley will be next to get traded. Indiana, if they want an elite player to take Collison’s spot, could make sense as a landing spot. Conley and Oladipo would form an outstanding backcourt.

Jrue Holiday: The Pelicans could decide to start over after trading Anthony Davis, making Holiday another candidate to get moved. Holiday and Oladipo would be elite defensively, and Holiday would take some of the scoring burden off of Oladipo’s shoulders.

Nicolas Batum: Another team that could have a fire sale, the Hornets could be open to moving on from Batum. The Pacers, who might have a hole on the wing this summer, could target the 3-and-D playmaker to fill the void.

2019 DRAFT ASSETS

The Pacers own both their first- and second-round draft picks for 2019. They will select 18th overall in the upcoming draft this summer.

from HoopsHype http://bit.ly/2XuITIH