For Love of The Game

Game On

2008-07-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

OK so I don't think this is real but I don't care so much. It is cool. Enjoy. Terryl and I did this stuff all around Wolfenbuttel (mainly because the hausmeister wouldn't let us in the gym)...

L.A. Confidential

2008-07-01T21:50:00.001-07:00

B-Diddy is coming home. And he is bringing his beard with him. Can this possibly be true? Did the Clippers just make a big free agent signing? Umm, come again?

I don't know what to feel right now. Incredulity is dominating my emotions. Perhaps Clippers owner Donald Sterling lost a bet in a poker game. Perhaps he is starting his own version of Punk'd and this is all part of an elaborate scheme to excite the Clipper Nation into believing there is hope only to somehow pull the rug out from underneath them in the end. That's when Elton Brand enters and a little thing called Free Agency takes over...

It almost makes perfect sense that the Golden State Warriors and Don Nelson would act in this fashion. Child-like comes to mind. You take our guy, we take yours mentality. It seems that they are the leading candidate in the How-Much-Can-I-Pay-Elton sweepstakes that is estimated to reach $90 Million dollars over 5 years. This just so happens to be about $20 Million MORE than the Clippers current offer to big EB. And so the hope that brilliantly illuminated Clipper Nation in the hours following the Baron Davis signing has started dimming. And all that remains is questions... Will Elton Brand remain loyal to his image and choose to stay a Clipper as he promised the fans and the management? It seems the team has come through with their end of the bargain, bringing in Davis and improving their status as a contender in the West. Now it is up to Brand.

Maybe the Clippers find a way to increase the deal on their side and get the numbers closer. Maybe Brand is content taking less money (a lot less money) to play along side Davis and keep his reputation as a man of his word intact. After all, this Clippers lineup with Baron and Brand is no slouch. Suddenly you are looking at veteran leadership from both the PG and the PF positions. An inside out combo to be reckoned with. I like. Not to mention a dynamite one-two punch off the court as well. We may have to start revisiting which team exactly is the Hollywood team in La La Land. What with Brand and Davis both producing hit movies this past year (Rescue Dawn and Made in America, respectively). It appears they are taking the whole Star Power thing to another level. Don't be surprised if Kobe appears in the next Spike Lee joint.
And so the waiting continues till at least this Wednesday for Clippers fans. Hopefully Brand can give Clipper Nation one more reason to believe that they are not just the lovable losers of the NBA. Perhaps he can be the professional athlete willing to play for something more than just money that we all believed he was. I, for one, still believe.

The Aftermath

2008-07-01T11:29:00.001-07:00

Well, I hope you are happy Shaquille. Your rap feud has reached new levels. Now not only do we have to listen to THIS but a whole new spawn of 13-yr old white rappers are sure to follow. These parents deserve the Best Child Raising Award this year no doubt (Best part is the little kid on the left "Yeah!").

Oh Happy Day!

2008-07-01T09:44:00.001-07:00

Contrary to popular belief (or in this case lethargy and depression) the world DOESN'T need a hug. Apparently we are all as happy as we ever have been. And I bet you didn't even know it!

Perhaps that guy that goes around offering free hugs HAS made a difference. Or perhaps the "scientists" and their "data" have the answer arguing that increased economic conditions for poorer countries, democratization, and societal shifts away from animosity have been the reasons for the rise in happiness. Either way, a new study from the National Science Foundation says the world as a whole has been getting happier over recent years.Denmark is the happiest nation (duh! but we all know deep down inside those Danish folk are just waiting to explode!) and Zimbabwe brings up the rear as the least happiest (turns out unruly dictators tend to diminish one's joy- go figure). America comes in at number 16 on the happiness scale out of the 52 nations in the survey. I have a sneaking suspicion that Lakers fans have brought that average down in the U.S. after the result of that NBA Finals (see I managed to tie this story back to sports somehow).

The Happiness Index created from the results of the survey (which included 350,000 people over 17 years) rose significantly for 40 of the 52 countries from 1981 levels to 2007 levels. Seems to me that measuring someone's happiness is no easy task. Ask any random person at a given time if they are "very happy" or "sort of happy" or "not happy at all" and they might give a different answer in the morning than one a few hours later in the day. It all depends on if they have taken their medication yet or not. But in the end, it all comes down to one key factor that clearly these scientists have overlooked: the international syndication of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. The increase in the number of viewers watching Bob Ross has no doubt led to the rise in happiness in the world. After all, "Happy Trees equals Happy People!"

Kazaam!

2008-06-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

Oh no he di'in't! Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in! Let's see, it only took Shaq about a week and a half after the Lakers (and Kobe) lost in the Finals to publicly announce his utter elation over the result. And it didn't come in the form of some interview quote or youtube soundbite. No the Big Aristotle decided it would be best if he took the mic in an NYC night club to freestyle rap it out. Who was there to pick it up but none other the always classy TMZ.com. As for the freestyle, Shaq offers some tasty options to Kobe (literally) and says "Kobe, you can't do it without me!" I'm guessing he is referring to winning a Championship and not eating 27 hot dogs in 3 minutes for off-season workouts.

Other tidbits include:
"Kobe ratted me out and now I'm getting divorced." Hmmm, that doesn't sound friendly.

"Hey Kobe, tell me how my a$$ taste?" Say what now? The hook could definitely use some work.

It's the Day After the Shaq rap and the question is: was this real or was this staged for publicity? Is there actually still animosity there between these two guys? Is the feud back? Will Kobe enlist the help of fellow rap aficionado Tyra as he did in the past and come back at Shaquille with a freestyle of his own? As a Lakers fan I certainly hope not. As someone easily amused by poorly executed embarrassing television fodder, yes I think he should.

So what happened? I thought they made-up like two years ago. That's what makes me think this whole "freestyle" rap was staged a la WWF built to bring up the ratings for those Pacific Conference games with the Suns vs the Lakers next year.
Clearly these two guys have had some bitter moments and hostile comments towards each other over the years. And no doubt deep down Shaq is happy Kobe has yet to win a title without him. But my feeling is this seems a bit forced. Who knows, perhaps if my teammate told everyone in the world that I had paid off girls millions of dollars to keep secret that I slept around on my wife and then demanded that I be traded from our championship caliber team... yeah I guess I might hold a little teeny tiny grudge. Perhaps...

Well, THAT happened...

2008-06-21T07:38:00.001-07:00

So much for the motivational speech. I have been too heartbroken to post until now. And without a doubt I can unequivocally say that the hatred of the Boston Celtics is back with a vengeance.

It never really went away but more was put on the shelf the past 20 years or so. Buried down until the two teams reached prominence TOGETHER once again. But it is back now. And I can speak for all Lakers fans that is has returned in a huge way. There is nothing harder as a fan than to have to watch your team get destroyed so badly that the celebration of the opponent begins in the 3rd quarter. And to your bitter rival of years past no less. Yes, I have diligently avoided ESPN and all ESPN media outlets since Game 6 out of fear of having to see some lame-ass Paul Pierce victory celebration. It's been a rough week.

Don't ask me about the video circulating with L.O. out late night after Game 5 before the Lakers fly cross-country to Boston the next morning. Am I upset that he didn't just get some rest? Sure, do I think it cost us the game? No. Maybe this is his ritual for every home win. He goes and releases some stress with some friends and has a couple cocktails. This was not the reason we lost the series or Game 6.So what about the Lakers? What happens now? I have heard many different comments since the Massacre took place and to most of them I just scoff. One particularly intriguing viewpoint is that the team is somehow cursed ever since Chick Hearn passed away back in 2002 after our 3rd in championship in a row. We have not won the title since and watching the games certainly has never been the same. Another theory floating out there is that the paranormal played a role in this outcome. Some believe that Red Auberach and his arrogant stogey antics somehow influenced the series in order to keep Phil Jackson from topping the all time NBA Titles list. Interesting theory indeed.

But it all really comes down to the fact that the Lakers were outplayed and outhustled in the Final round to a more physical team. Had the series been reffed tighter maybe the outcome would have been different. Who knows, but we are talented enough as a balllclub to adjust to the style of play needed to win. So no whining should come from our side.

And while I am hugely disappointed in our performance in the Finals, I am not throwing the team and certain players under the bus as has been the case with countless Lakers fans in the past week. We win as a TEAM and we lose as a TEAM. Certain players didn't play great in the series but without each one of them we would not have even gotten to the final round. Look at where we were in the pre-season and where we finished up and overall this was a remarkable year for the Lakers.
No title to show for the work but big strides taken to start that dominance once again. Young players that hopefully continue to get better and improve going into camp this next year. And with a healthy Bynum in the paint we have the force needed inside to dominate both defensively and offensively. I definitely like our chances going forward. The key will be coming back stronger mentally and hungrier than last year. I think Kobe will be even more motivated to prove that he can win post Shaq. And he will train even harder and push his teammates in the process. Watch out Bean Town, you may have won this battle but we plan to win the war.

Game 5: No More Mr. Nice Guy

2008-06-16T16:16:00.000-07:00

Sure some of you might be thinking "but what about Game 4?" And to that I wave my hand and deftly say "There was no Game 4. These are not the droids you are looking for..." And so we move on...

Game 5 was a gut-check for the boys in purple and gold. After having their heart wrenched out in The Game Which Must Not Be Named, the Lakers were left with a decision: give up or come out swinging. Happily for the fans of La La Land they chose the latter. And for the first time in the series it looked like they played with a chip on their shoulder. As if to defiantly say to the big bullies from beantown "Not Anymore! You will NOT push us around anymore!" Sadly that has really been the deciding factor in the series thus far. Call it aggression or call it toughness; the Lakers have been lacking it up until this win or go home Game 5.

Perhaps the refs took it away from them in the lopsided foul calls of games 1 & 2. Perhaps it was simply their style of play being a finesse passing team. Whatever the case may be, the days of the Lakers getting pushed around and not fighting back are over (hopefully for good) after Game 5. The team made the decision to fight back. And that's not to say the Lakers weren't putting the effort out there or playing hard before. It was the mentality that had to change. The physical nature with which that effort needed to be harnessed. Much like young Daniel Larusso learning the Crane Technique, the Lakers cannot back down from the Cobra Kai equivalent Celtics.
Message received.

The Lakers stopped looking at the refs every time they got pushed and instead pushed back. They knew the contact was coming and they played through it serving back some contact of their own. There is nothing harder than watching your team being punked by another team. Let's face it, that's what the Celtics have tried to do in this series. Could the refs call the games closer? Yes. Are they going to call it that way in Boston in Game 6? Highly unlikely. As in no chance. So the Lakers better adjust and keep giving it right back.

It all starts with Kobe Bryant. From the first tip back in Boston Game 1 Kobe Bryant has been all too friendly with the opponents. This is the NBA Finals. And this is LA Lakers versus Boston Celtics. This rivalry spans over 5 decades. There is more heartache and animosity between these two franchises (and their fans) than arguably any other two in any sport. Period. And the Lakers' Star and league MVP is out there joking with the Boston players at crucial moments in the game? I'm sorry but that is just not the right message to send to your young teammates. If Kobe comes out in Game 1 and shows his team that he is not going to take any crap from these Celtics then it filters down to the rest of the guys. He is NOT buddies with these guys when they are out on the court. He is NOT gonna let them push his guys around.

Because if there is one certainty that I have learned from this series it is that the Celtics are not your friend. They may smile and talk with Kobe but the second that ball is inbounded they are sucker punching and pushing at every turn. And until Game 5 the Lakers were letting them do it with no repercussions. Not only were they letting them step all over them on both sides of the ball but they were doing it with our star smiling all the while. Again, not the message you want to send to your young teammates Kobe. Besides, he is one of the few players that actually plays BETTER when he is angry. That fire and intensity only ratchets up his game that much more. I want to see that fire and controlled anger towards his opponent in this series.

I have NEVER seen more uncontested drives to the basket for dunks in a Finals than the number Boston has had this series. I don't condone dirty plays but the Lakers need to give a hard foul or two (maybe get Rick Fox incarnate out there). Show that they are in this thing for real. The Lakers had an image of being a "soft" team heading into the finals and they have done very little to change that perception with their performance thus far until Game 5. Can a team change their identity? Does it require more than just saying No Easy Baskets? Yes it requires action. I want to see Kobe get in the face of KG or Pierce and send a message that WE (the Lakers) are not standing for that stuff. There is no knockout punch you can throw at US. Gasol has adjusted to the physicality and played much stronger in Game 5. Odom has managed to play more effectively without fouling and asserted himself as a force inside. Stand up for yourself. That's the message.
Game 6 should be another heavyweight fight with the team that asserts themselves better coming out on top. If the Celtics want to run that small lineup (especially with Perkins possible out again due to injury) then the Lakers must pound the ball in the paint. Show that they are not afraid to take it strong in there and go with a sense of purpose. Post Gasol up and get a touch inside EVERY POSSESSION. Give Odom the rock with deep position ALL DAY long with Posey trying to check him down there. Put Kobe down there too. If they shoot threes then they need to be inside-out threes. If they can get out in transition the more the better but be sure to take it to the rack. Don't settle.

And in response to popular demand: Here are the results from the So You Think You Can Draw A Foul? (or Who Wants To Be A Flopper?) Contest
1. Vlade Divac
2. Manu Ginobili
3. Derek Fisher
4. John Stockton
5. Sasha Vujacic

Game 3

2008-06-10T11:48:00.001-07:00

No doubt we have all struggled through the first 2 games of this 2008 NBA Finals. Whether it was discrepancy in foul calls (as in we got none) or clanking misfires off the hand of the MVP, Laker fans are due for something to cheer about. Hopefully tonight will be that night. Considering the statistical significance of no team ever coming back from an 0-3 hole, I'm guessing we can all agree that tonight's bball game is in fact a must-win game. That being said, never been done before is only never been done before until someone does it. Deep, I know.

Predictions: I expect us to get to the free throw line about a hundred times tonight and Doc Rivers to say "Cmon dick, cmon" like a billion times. How old is Dick Bavetta btw? Shouldn't he be retired already? I know science has made it possible to live longer and with advances in modern medicine and his high level of income it isn't ridiculous to think that he will live to be 125 but running up and down the court with the speed of the game? Me thinks not. Which takes me to my next point: I think the NBA should put on a reality TV contest in the off-season choosing a replacement for Bavetta called "So you think you can ref?" Instead of dance-offs we would witness ref-offs and feats of strength/agility. Bavetta could be one of the judges along with Barkley and Rasheed Wallace. Tim Donaghy could do the PSAs. Priceless. Just for your info Bavetta was born in 1939. That's WWII time for those of you keeping score at home.

This is for John

2008-06-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

Divine Intervention

2008-06-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

And so the first game in the uber-hyped NBA 2008 Finals is in the books with a decisive overpowering victory going to the boys in Green. The Boston Celtics managed more than just a victory during the 98-88 final; they called upon a miracle. Yes there definitely was a higher power at work in the Boston locker room during the 3rd Qtr last night. The same room in which an apparent knee-injured Paul Pierce ran out of only minutes after being carried into writhing in pain. We all feared the worst watching as fans of the game not ever wanting to see anyone get injured as Pierce went down awkwardly in that 3rd Qtr. But what started as concern quickly turned to incredulity as a seemingly revived and healthy Pierce ran out onto the court less than 2 minutes of game time later. From that point he went on to hit 2 consecutive threes giving the Celtics the lead of which they never gave up again. Pierce went 6-6 in the second half scoring 19 points over the final two Qtrs. So what happened? Well, placing all acts of divine intervention aside; some of the same issues that have bothered the Lakers in earlier rounds this postseason reared their ugly head again in Game 1. The most notable being rebounding. It's not just the overall margin on the boards (13) but also the timely manner in which those rebounds came. It always seemed to be on the possessions where the Lakers were starting to get some momentum in the 2nd half. Or on a missed Boston free throw attempt that turned into more time off the clock and an additional two points for the Celtics.

Being outhustled to loose balls and outworked on the glass are painful things to watch as a fan. Combine that with an off shooting night from MVP Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were fortunate to hold close in the second half. Look for Gasol and Odom to have bounceback games if the Lakers are to steal a game in Boston. KG is going to be a tough matchup but the Lakers will look to disrupt his game a bit more as the series progresses as well as attacking the rim with more fervor and intention. With Game 1 jitters gone I expect a better performance in Game 2 for the Lakers. Of course, you never know what kind of magic Boston has in store for the second installation of this epic rivalry.

Make Money Money

2008-06-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

For Love Of The Game. That's the motto and the anthem of this blog. That's why we cheer so hard for players like Ronnie Turiaf and that's what makes sports so exhilarating. But there is no denying the simple truth that professional athletes today get paid vast sums of money. And it would be naive to believe that they play the game solely out of their love for it. In fact, many might be playing purely for monetary reasons as even the average players in the top U.S. leagues make mid-to-high six figure minimums. It begs the question: Have we lost the purity of the game amidst the tidal wave of salary earnings and endorsement deals?

Sports Illustrated recently released a list of the top 50 highest-earning athletes in the U.S. this past year and a breakdown of their earnings between salary and endorsements. I figured it would be fun to take a look at the top 10. The results just might surprise you.

1. Tiger Woods ($23 Million Winnings + $105 Million Endorsements = $128Million)
2. Phil Mickelson ($9 Million Winnings + $53 Million Endorsements = $62 Million)
3. Lebron James ($12.5 Million Salary + $28 Million Endorsements = $40.5 Million)
4. Floyd Mayweather Jr. ($20 Million Salary + $20 Million Endorsements = $40 Million)
5. Kobe Bryant ($19.5 Million Salary + $16 Million Endorsements = $35.5 Million)
6. Shaquille O'Neal ($20 Million Salary + $15 Million Endorsements = $35 Million)
7. Alex Rodriguez ($29 Million Salary + $6 Million Endorsements = $35 Million)
8. Kevin Garnett ($22 Million Salary + $9 Million Endorsements = $31 Million)
9. Peyton Manning ($17.5 Million Salary + $13 Million Endorsements = $30.5 Million)
10. Derek Jeter ($22 Million Salary + $8 Million Endorsements = $30 Million)
Of course no one should be surprised to see Tiger Woods topping the list. I don't know of a product he DOESN'T push on my TV screen. I was surprised at the sheer size of that endorsement number for the year at $105 Million. He more than DOUBLES everyone on the list and TRIPLES everyone except number 2. It is safe to say that he has become this generations Michael Jordan. Another two years at this pace and he will be the first $1Billion dollar sports earner ever. Not too shabby.

I was shocked to see Phil Mickelson at number 2 with a whopping $53 million in endorsements. I know he is a fan favorite and I hear people actually watch and follow golf but $53 million? Seriously? It is still up for discussion whether or not golf is actually a sport versus a skill. There is no doubt that Mickelson would have serious trouble competing in any cardiovascular activity. I doubt that he could run a mile under the 12 minute mark that the state requires for all 6th graders. And to be honest I can't think of what products sponsor him. Must be a bunch of financial companies catering to the older white guys who know who he is. Questionable.

The biggest surprise name on the list has to be Mayweather. Haven't we all decided that boxing is on the way out in the mainstream sports media. No one is excited about that sport anymore. I guess you can never underestimate the bump the comes after doing Dancing With The Stars. I seem to recall him fighting in a WWF match recently. That MUST mean things are going good.

It seems to me that Kobe has positioned himself for the biggest rise in the list come next year's rankings. He is going for an NBA Championship and Finals MVP to go along with his regular season MVP this year. And it has been a long 4 years since his run in with the law and that alleged incident in Colorado. Nike has already jumped back on board and I expect he will have many more sponsors come this off-season. Think about it, the guy jumps over Aston Martins in youtube videos in order to make a little more in the endorsement game. Not to mention water pits with snakes in them. So are these athletes worth the money? And has the sanctity of the game been lost with the huge increases in earnings? The old boston celtics players of the late 50s and 60s were champions many times over and leaders of the NBA. And yet many if not most of the players (Russell excluded) worked summer jobs in the off-season to cover their bills. It almost seems impossible to fathom that kind of a scenario with todays pro sports environment. In today's sporting world the growth in the media outlets and the market for advertising revenues has expanded so vastly that its hard to argue against the justification for paying these salaries/incomes. If the owners of the teams are willing to fork out the cash for these players then it must be worth it from a bottom line perspective.

The question of athletes being overpaid is really a function of our society and how much stake we put into entertainment and celebrities. If we actively campaigned and worked with as much passion for our school system budgets and medical care as we do for our sports teams then maybe the dollar amounts would change. After all, the demand drives the product. If there is no audience for a team or a league then the money goes away and it all dries up. Would this ever happen in a world where we care more about the winner of American Idol than the President of the Country? Don't hold your breath.

So it only goes up and up from here. Can the athlete of today hold on to that purity of sport that begins when he/she is a kid shooting hoops in the driveway after school? Can he/she manage to separate the game from the business that it actually is? Are there more Ronnie Turiaf's out there playing with pure joy and emotion for the sport that they love? I certainly hope so.

Conspiracy Theory

2008-05-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

No, not just a lame movie with Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, government cover-ups, mind control, and silent helicopters (I know it actually sounds cool but trust me not so much). I am talking about the recent rumblings from certain people that the current NBA Playoffs are NOT on the level. Sure, these loonies (or “truth” tellers as they call themselves) also believe that we have landed on the moon and that the Iraq war was a deliberately concocted scheme designed to profit friends and lobbyists. Craziness, I know. But what if…

So let’s get that paranoia feeling flowing and channel our best Oliver Stone impersonations as we take a look at the NBA: Conspiracy Style.

Some would have you believe that this all started way back in the off-season. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen surreptitiously arrived in Bean Town suddenly and dramatically reviving one of the classic basketball powerhouses in NBA History. Oh, and also a historically strong television ratings team. Hmmm. Next comes the mid-season steal, I mean deal, that sent Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kwame Brown. Again, some might say this was a lop-sided trade. I would argue however that Kwame is great at (not) catching the ball. Just a thought.

And so we have two classic big market teams rising to the top seeds in both the East and the West after arguably two of the most one-sided trades in recent NBA memory. A positive for the League one might think. Conspiracy theorists are rolling.

Fast forward on to the playoffs. The Celtics have struggled but continue to hold home court and are 1 game away from grabbing a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Lakers on the other side are also 1 game away from punching their ticket into the Finals of the Western Conference. In the most recent game 5 of the Lakers/Jazz series there was a controversial no-call on Pau Gasol’s offensive rebound and dunk over Mehmet Okur late in the 4^th Quarter. Conspiracy or flop?

Let’s take a look at the fouls. In the Lakers/Jazz series, the Lakers through 5 games have 123 fouls compared to the 149 fouls called on the Jazz. That equates to 25 per game for the Lakers versus 30 per game for the Jazz. If you look at the regular season numbers, the Lakers averaged 21 fouls per game and the Jazz averaged 24 fouls per game. The Jazz do happen to foul the most out of any team in the League during the regular season. The difference between the two in the series taking into account the regular season average is plus or minus 2 fouls; not much support for the conspiracy theorists here.

Looking at the other series in the Playoffs, you have teams like the Spurs (one game away from getting into the Western Finals) and the Pistons (already into the Eastern Finals now for the 6^th straight season) that do NOT bring big television audiences and yet they continue to win. Yet another knock against the conspiracy proponents.

And now we even have players becoming “believers”. Chris Paul said to the score’s table during last night’s blowout to the Spurs “It’s almost like someone called them (the refs) up at halftime and said ‘let them boys win’”. Interesting comment CP3, and even more intriguing is his country slang. Makes me wonder if he had a straw cowboy hat on chewing some tobacca while he made that comment.

Of course, the whole Tim Donaghy thing this past summer surely doesn’t help the non-conspiracy group. But think about the level of complexity involved in rigging a game. There are so many moving pieces in a basketball contest. The game has to play out a certain way for the refs to even have the opportunity to decide it. And gross discrepancies in calls or “phantom” calls just don’t happen out there. The only level of conspiracy I could accept would possibly be one ref being instructed that if the game is close and there is a 50/50 call then they make it based on the team with the higher TV ratings. I could maybe see something like that happening. But I just don’t buy it.

The fallout from a collusion strategy such as this one would be astronomic. The risks far outweigh the rewards because IF the NBA was to get caught trying to influence the outcomes then there would be great damage to the brand and the viewership. Greater I believe than the positive results of a higher televised series one year where no Detroit and no San Antonio appear in the Finals. Of course, if my team gets knocked out then hell yeah this whole thing is rigged!

To Trade or Not To Trade

2008-04-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

That is the question. And I think we have our answer.

Never before has ONE mid-season move created so much residual impact as the Pau Gasol trade that went down earlier this year. That one trade resulted in two legitimate Western Conference Title contenders (as previously constructed) to make major changes to their lineups. In what I like to call the "Drastic Overreaction", Dallas ditched up and coming PG Devon Harris for aging J Kidd and the Suns (who were one game away from winning the West last season) gave up Shawn Marion for aging Shaquille O'Neal. Both trades were done in order to win NOW. How'd that work out?

On a day when two teams punched their tickets to the Western Conference Semifinals, it was the guys who DIDN'T make the big trades that came out victorious. Both the Suns and the Mavs had their title hopes thwarted last night with first round exits. Oops.

And as the Temptations said so eloquently, what becomes of the broken hearted? The Mavs will no doubt part ways with the Little General (Coach Avery Johnson) as Cuban and he have not seen eye-to-eye for awhile now. And his ability not to get them out of the first round the past two seasons does not bode well. Add in to the mix that he clearly was not all too thrilled with losing his groomed PG Harris for the older Jason Kidd and you have a recipe for distaster. Would getting rid of Avery be the right move?Unfortunately for the Mavs, ever since they lost in the NBA Finals in 2006 (only the third time that a team lost in the Finals after winning the first two games) they have struggled mentally to regain that confidence in the playoffs. Last season they became only the 3rd team to lose as the #1 seed to an 8 seed in the first round. That's the wrong side of history again. And now they are out again in the first round this year. I think Avery is a very good coach but this team is scarred mentally and there does need to be some changes made. Personally I wouldn't get rid of the coach but can he co-exist with the veteran Kidd and give him more responsibility over running the team? IF Kidd is going to stay and Avery remains the coach, then there will need to be some serious team building exercises in this off-season. Trust Falls anyone?

And how about the Big Cactus? Shaq promised that the sun would rise in Phoenix when he arrived but it seems that he got the rising thing mixed up with the setting thing. He appeared to be rejuvenated arriving in Phoenix and moving better than he had been in Miami but he still showed in the Spurs series that his lift and movement are considerably down. I never thought I would see the day when Shaq couldn't throw down a dunk right around the basket. Tough to watch. His inability to play D on the pick and roll (standing at the basket when your guy sets a ball screen for Tony Parker at the 3 line is NOT an effective strategy) was a major factor in the Spurs scoring at will. His enormous contract is going to be hard to move so I think he will be a Sun for awhile meaning get used to the new look Suns.
Does that mean D'Antoni is out? His preferred style of play requires athletes that run fast and score even faster. Shaq doesn't exactly fit into that mold. Something has to give here.

So what have we learned kids. Making a move for the sake of making a move; not smart. Don't mess with a good thing. Should be an interesting off-season for these two clubs.

And now we are left to watch more Spurs basketball this post-season (thanks a lot Phoenix).

The NBA: Where Amazing Happens… Unless You Live in Seattle

2008-04-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

The National Basketball Association is supposed to be where caring happens. I've heard it, you've heard it, we've all heard it. But something tells me the people of Seattle aren't feeling all warm and fuzzy inside these days.

The League voted this week to approve the move of the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City despite numerous requests and pending lawsuits from Seattle politicians/citizens to keep the team there. And so a city with over 40 years of NBA basketball history is left to come to grips with the simple fact that the League is abandoning them. And I don't mean abandoning them in one of those "this is best for you" kind of ways. They are straight up leaving them behind. No stopping at GO to collect $200, just continue on around the board to Jail.

What's the reason? Two words: Luxury Boxes. Yet another franchise is skipping town because they can't get the newest biggest arena with the special rooms for the corporate sponsors. And the real sports fans WIN AGAIN! YIPPEEEE!

Yes sadly it all comes down to a new arena. Or in other words, the cheddar. As it turns out, the fans of Seattle are a little tired of spending their own money to build new arenas. After all, they just footed the bill for the new NFL Stadium and the new MLB Stadium over the last 9 years. They love their sports and all but 3 new arenas in less than 10 years all covered by the fans in the form of tax dollars? Seems a bit excessive even for the typical Dr. Frasier Crane-type.
Shouldn't the owners be funding AT LEAST half of the bill on these things? It's not like the citizens are sharing in the appreciation of the value of the team. Sure they might get more investment into the city and reap some secondary benefits, but let's be honest, the owners are the big winners in this deal.

It shouldn't be very surprising. Fans have been getting screwed for centuries. That's America's pastime. In today's sports environment (and really society as a whole), loyalty is as rare as seeing Kanye West not complain after he doesn't win an award. That's rare.

But who's the blame? Well you could say the writing was on the wall the moment Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO and previous Sonics owner) sold the team to Clay Bennett (and his Oklahoma City conglomerate). Obviously this guy and his posse (no matter what terms I use I cannot for the life of me make middle aged white businessmen cool) had no intention of keeping the team in Seattle. Duh. So Schultz officially signed away the Sonics when he sold the team back in 2006.
Or perhaps you want to look at Bennett, who we now know intended to move the team all along. His "good faith" arrangement to try and keep the team in Seattle consisted of buying a few latte machiatios, shaking some politicians hands, and making a gee whiz face when that didn't work. Oh well.

Which brings me to my next point: why are all billionaires douchebags? OK so that might be a bit vague and harsh. But at least 98% of them are. They got rich by being that way. And once you make that first billion, there's no turning back. Oh that first billion...

How come there is never a billionaire owner who just owns a team for the passion of being a fan? How cool would that be. You have enough money, just forget about the bottom line and build a fun team for the fans (that includes you) to enjoy. Think of it as your charity project.

The closest example that comes to mind is Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks). He puts money into the club in the hopes of getting the best/most exciting team he can field. This in turn results in selling out the arena as well as raising the overall franchise value. That's what I call a win win. It's not like Seattle is struggling to get fans and that's WITH a crappy team playing there. Case in point, Shutlz and his group paid $200 million for the Sonics in '01 and sold them for $350 million in '06. Not too shabby. I wonder how much the fans got outta that one.Of course there is the whole "legal" argument that says the team has a lease with the arena through 2010 (last I checked it's still 2008). Not to mention a lawsuit from season ticket holders saying they were duped into believing the team would be staying when purchasing tickets.

And just this week Schultz filed a lawsuit against the Oklahoma City Gang to halt the move. Turns out Schultz doesn't enjoy being told he sucks everytime he walks around the corner in Seattle. Even crazed Starbucks aficionados addicted to his java would not hesitate to kick him in the shins after this maneuver. But with the League having already voted to approve the move, is his return to save the team too late? Watch next week as this saga continues to unfold...

And remember Seattle fans, you saw Shawn Kemp aka The Rainman back before he got old and fat skying through Key Arena. And The Glove d-ing up on Jordan before he sold out to win a title in LA, I mean Miami. You hold on to that. Hold on to those memories. And pour a little out for those Supersonics...

NBA Playoff Talk

2008-04-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

So the first round games of the NBA Playoffs are in the books and you would think I might offer up some detailed analysis breaking down all the ins and outs of the matchups. You'd be wrong. Dead wrong.

I came across this picture and just had to comment. This guy is living the dream. Zaza Pachulia "plays" for the Atlanta Hawks (yes they are in the NBA and yes they are in the playoffs, I know). Below is his picture from the Atlanta Hawks team page. Seriously dude? I didn't know Hotlanta was looking for more guido Scarface lookalikes. Miami is that way bro.

Also I saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall this weekend (very funny, not as good as Superbad but better than Knocked Up) and the british rock singer steals the show. The actor's name is Russell Brand and I think he will be blowing up here in the US soon. Very funny. How does this relate to the NBA Playoffs you ask? Well not so much, although he does look surprisingly close to Luis Scola of the Houston Rockets. And both of them could easily be confused for former t.v. show The O.C. super cool dad, actor Peter Gallagher. Come to think of it so does Pachulia, that just blew my mind...

OK so after a couple games here is where I see these series finishing up:

The WEST
Lakers over Nuggets in 5 (enver (no D) somehow outshoots Lakers for 1 game max)
Hornets over Mavs in 6 (too much Paul and too old Kidd)
Spurs over Suns in 7 (defenseless Suns lose out to mentally tough Spurs)
Utah over Houston in 4 (tough to win in Utah for even the best teams)

The EAST
Boston over Atlanta in 4 (duh)
Detroit over Philly in 7 (the young kids have come to play)
Orlando over Toronto in 5 (superman in the building)
Cavs over Wiz in 4 (don't piss off the King)

Fan Participation

2008-04-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

Baron Davis has started the Fear The Beard campaign promoting fans in the Bay Area to grow their beards in support of the Warriors. Quick Footnote: my lack of facial hair growth precludes me from participating in said event. But that’s neither here nor there.

So it got me thinking, what other promotions could Professional Athletes advocate around the league? And here is the fruit of my labor:

Matt Leinart could sponsor Sorority Wet T-shirt Contest Night (it’s called Tuesdays at his house).

Kobe Bryant could promote the Buy-Your-Wife-Huge-Adultery-Diamonds Campaign. Based on statistical data there should be plenty of guys needing to get into this one.

Steve Nash could stay in the same category as Baron and do the grow your hair out thing. Although something tells me there are already plenty of middle-aged balding men rocking the Long-in-the-Back look in Phoenix.

Pacman Jones could start the strip-club of the week special. Just bring your sticky ticket stubs to the games and get twenty one dollar bills from Pacman himself.

Jeff Van Gundy could support a “Be Jeff! Night” where fans shave the top of their head, don’t sleep for a week, and grimace like they have an ulcer all the time. Should be fun.

Carmelo Anthony can start the new NBA Cares message promoting drunk driving. It’s not SO bad after all is it? The catch on this one is to make sure and only do it at the most important moments of your professional career. Like during the Playoffs or the night before your big presentation. Also let the police know that you are following the lead of your boy Melo (by showing your bar stamps on your hand) and they will for sure do you a solid too.

The Cincinnati Reds could do a throwback game honoring Pete Rose where all the patrons are given randomly selected parlay bets on the outcomes of MLB games that night. Papa needs a new pair of shoes!

Green Bay Packer Fans could wear cheese-hats, oh wait…

South Park Teaches Cheating

2008-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

How do I reach these keeds! Hilarious.

A GOOD Week

2008-04-04T16:39:00.000-07:00

You’re telling me. Andy Roddick may have just had one of the best weeks in the history of mankind. He picked up a new BFF (you might have heard of him, Terrell Owens) and an engagement to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Brooklyn Decker. Damn him. Oh yeah, he also beat Roger Federer (who HASN’T this year) for the first time in the past 11 tries. Yadda yadda yadda. That losing streak covers like 10 years. Roddick has now officially completed everything on his Bucket List. Anyways, here's another picture for you to enjoy. Don’t say I never did anything for you.

In the spirit of being fair to all of our readers, here is a picture of A-Roddick for the ladies out there (and of course Bob). Sidenote: are tennis players required to be tools or is it just a coincidence? He must work out.

In related news, Federer greatly regretting doing that Gillette Ad Campaign with buddy Tiger Woods. Many analysts have pointed to the gayness of these commercials having lead to his recent fall in the tennis rankings. He has yet to win a tournament this year.

When Animals Strike... Out

2008-04-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

You know you have all thought about it before. Every time the Discovery Channel runs a special on gorillas and their uncanny ability to reason like humans, you think it. It was only a matter of time. And now baseball marks the beginning of the end. Animals have made up their mind, putting their respective talons/paws into the circle of sporting events...

As if baseball needed to add more fuel to the Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry (all the media outlets do more than enough already), now we have Mother Nature weighing in on the discussion. Yes, apparently the red-tailed Hawks of the world are pulling for the Sox. Which side the always cantankerous Sea Otters will fall has yet to be determined. But what is known is the fact that if you are named anything remotely close to Alex Rodriguez, steer clear of Fenway. 13 year old Alexa Rodriguez (no relation) was taking a tour of Boston's Ballpark today when she was abruptly attacked by a hawk. Coincidence? I think not.

The only the logical conclusion is that the Boston Grounds Crew has been training this Hawk to attack anytime Alex Rodriguez enters the ballpark. Much like Derek Zoolander and the song Relax, this bird has been preconditioned to strike whenever the code word is spoken. Obviously the Hawk mistook Alexa for pretty boy Yankee third baseman and primary target Alex Rodriguez.
But this does pose the question; how many teams are employing animal services in their tactics to win titles? We already know the U.S. armed forces utilizes the skills of dolphins in complicated underwater bomb-defusing operations. And of course the power of dolphins in sporting events is well-documented by Snowflake in Ace Ventura. If I had to guess the percentage of teams using animal espionage I would say it is at least 82%. Some might say that is too low, but my gut says this is just as commonplace as Jose Canseco injecting dudes in the butt. It happens a lot.

All you have to do is look at the MLB Postseason las year, or as I like to call it When Flies Attack! Yankees were playing in Cleveland with Joba Chamberlain on the mound pitching well when all of a sudden things changed dramatically. Cleveland released their secret weapon. Flies swarmed Yankee players causing millions of people to feel really itchy. And most importantly resulting in Joba throwing wild pitch after wild pitch costing the Yankees the game. Nature always wins my friends. Think about it.

NBA ‘07-’08 Season: The Primary Metaphor

2008-04-01T20:04:00.001-07:00

Please allow me an absurd analogy. After all, that’s what I do. The NBA ’07-’08 Playoff season is just like the Presidential Primary season this year. The Western Conference is clearly the Democratic Party while the Eastern Conference represents the GOP. The West is loaded with talent (Clinton and Obama) while the East is old and boring (McCain). The West will undoubtedly beat each other up on the road to the finals weakening its prospects in the BIG game. The East’s strategy: get one solid team to represent them and let them cruise into the finals. Much akin to the Republican’s campaign machine built on personal attacks and fear mongering (remember the melee at the palace- that’s all East baby).

The winner out of the West will probably come down to some crazy ruling by David Stern like suspending Amare Stoudemire for stepping on the court last year in the Conference Finals during the Nash/Horry altercation. David Stern clearly represents the Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean in this analogy. All too ready to muck up the primaries with rulings in Florida and Michigan. In the end, if the East winner takes the ultimate prize then there will be mass revolutions and rioting in the world. And confirmation that the few with great power and money have more say and influence than the majority. Yaaaay democracy!

Video Games CAN Save The World

2008-04-01T15:23:00.001-07:00

I always knew that those movies about the nerdy kid who sat at home playing video games yet somehow uses his knowledge to save the world were realistic. We CAN do it! The proof is in the pudding (still not sure what that phrase means but sounded right there).

As if the Wii and iPhone needed any more positive marketing... apparently now the military will be using the Wiimote in sophisticated bomb detection. The Packbot (made by iRobot) searches for bombs and disposes of them out in the battle field. Who controls these robots? Well, if you have mastered the Wii sports games then even you could be the next operator. The military also plans to use the iPhone in coordination with the Wiimote as its size and transportability make for an ideal match.

So the next time the world is about the come to an end and the hopes are resting with one pimply faced teenager, fear not because his Wii skills and iPhone talents are just what the doctor ordered! I feel better already.

NBA Predictions

2008-03-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

This NBA season has had more twists and turns than an M. Night Shayamalan movie (Bruce Willis is dead; I so did NOT see that coming). From referee gambling scandals to blockbuster trades in the preseason (KG and Jesus Shuttlesworth to the Celts) to blockbuster trades during the regular season (Gasol, Diesel, J Kidd) to big names coming out of retirement (Webber, Cassell-coming from the Clippers is the same diff) to record-breaking winning streaks (Rockets won’t even make it out of the first round in the West and they have the second longest winning streak in NBA history); maybe the NBA really is where amazing happens. Any way you look at it, a whole lot has gone down this year. And there still is another month left till the playoffs. Imagine what sort of craziness is going to ensue over the coming weeks…

Well, no worries cause I'm gonna tell you what will happen. Just call me Basketball Nostradamus. Sure you might say that it’s impossible to pick the winners ‘cause we don’t even know all the teams in the playoffs. And this is true, but after filling out my college hoops bracket I am on such a natural high that it’s got me feeling like anything is possible. Don’t worry; I don’t have the Clippers making the playoffs. Personally I find it offensive that you would even think that about me. Being a professional, I take a full proof statistical approach that cannot fail. Sidenote: If you bet money on these picks and lose then I am in no way responsible citing Supreme Court ruling 157B. If you win then I expect 10%. It’s fair.

O.K., so this whole thing can really be broken down into two parts: The West and The Others. I will spend one paragraph on the East and this is it. It’s not just that the East is super boring and not good, but it’s also the whole no one cares thing. I will say that the Celtics have brought some enthusiasm back to the East and are a true title contender but that’s ONE team. And realistically the first rounds of the East couldn’t be more worthless than a condom at an abstinence convention. I mean think about it, the Eastern Conference playoffs are set to include such spectacular squads as Washington, Toronto, Atlanta, and/or New Jersey. Getting excited yet? It just so happens that NONE of these teams would even be remotely close (10-15 games) to the 8^th SEED in the Western Conference. Can you say irrelevant?

Now the West on the other hand, well that’s a different story. After all, the West Side is the Best Side. Tupac knew what he was talking about (which only makes me believe he is still alive that much more). Sports analysts would rather choose the next winner of the World Jai Alai Competitions than have to choose the top team in the Western Conference. You could easily make a case for all 8 playoff teams. And the current 9 slot would be a contender too if the Nuggets could figure out that whole Defense thing.

But I will attempt the impossible and give you the winner coming out of the West. First off, here are my predictions for the standings of the Western Conference at the end of the season:

Los Angeles Lakers
New Orleans Hornets
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz
Phoenix Suns
Houston Rockets
Golden State Warriors
Denver Nuggets

------------------------------

Dallas Mavericks

Before I break down these standings let me first explain how the NBA Playoff Seeding System works (sit down this is rather confusing). The teams with the best records in each of the three divisions (Pacific, Southwest, Northwest) within the Western Conference are declared division champions. These three division champions PLUS the one other team in the Conference with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 based on their records. This guarantees home court advantage in the first round for the division champions being among the top 4 spots. Only 8 teams make it into the Playoffs from each Conference. Never before in recent memory has home court advantage been so huge with the absurd parity in the West. Translation: you want to be in the top 4.

In my opinion the top spot in the Western Conference will come down to two teams; the Lakers and the Hornets. I believe the Spurs are forever jinxed to never win back-to-back titles. That plus I really don’t want to have to watch them for any extended period of time. So on to the rationale.

1.Los Angeles (49-23)

Yes I have the Lakers ending the regular season as the Number One team in the West. And yes I am a Lakers fan. There, I said it. But my decision to pick them as the number 1 seed in the West is completely unbiased and practical. They play 8 of their final 10 games at Staples Center (one is technically a road game against the Clippers but c’mon now) with only four opponents being playoff bound squads. Only half of the teams left on their schedule have winning records. Oh and the two road games are against Portland and Sacramento. Things are looking good in La La Land.

Now granted they are currently two games back of the Hornets in the Loss Column and just loss last night to the lowly Charlotte Bobcats at HOME! I will concede that the Lakers have not been playing their best basketball the past two weeks (5-5 over the past 10 games). I’m guessing the whole no Gasol or Bynum thing plays a factor there. It is true that injuries are by nature unpredictable, which makes this pick that much MORE bold. Gasol is scheduled to return two games from now and Bynum soon thereafter. The Lakers are a completely different team (read: better) with those two guys out on the court. They are in fact, the best team.

And the scary thought is that the real potential of the Lakers is still unknown with Bynum and Gasol having never played TOGETHER. But what is known is that with just ONE of them and sometimes with NEITHER of them out there they were able to win the season series against three of the major Western contenders (Suns, Jazz, Nuggets) and split against the Warriors with the deciding games still left between New Orleans and San Antonio (BOTH remaining games the Lakers play at home). Obviously a lot depends on the return and health of these two key players but I have faith in the witch doctor medicine of Trainer Gary Vitti. Plus I did a rain dance the other day, so we should be good to go.

The Lakers still have one more game to play against New Orleans at home on April 11^th and something tells me the Conference could be on the line in that one. Watch out if Bynum and Gasol are healthy for this matchup. Lakers need a win to split the season series. They play the Spurs two days later at home on the 13^th of April in a game with huge playoff implications as well. The Lakers have proven they can win on the road with the best road record in the West. This is huge come playoff time as will be the experience of their superstar Kobe Bryant. Now if only he can stop getting Techs…

2.New Orleans (49-21)

Who would have thought it? The New Orleans Hornets finishing above the Spurs, Jazz, Mavericks, AND Suns in the Western Conference. No one saw this coming except maybe Alan Greenspan. The Hornets are just as real as global warming. The potential of this team was never achieved last season due to injuries to key players (Stojakovic and Paul). But this year they have been able to stay healthy and rally around the superb play of MVP candidate Chris Paul. This group of youngsters follows their PG anywhere he wants to take them. The Little Engine That Could (as I like to call him) is no taller than 6’0” yet he has put together the best season of any PG in the League (at only 22 years old!) How quickly he stole the mantel away from Stevie.

The biggest thing going against the Hornets is the fact that they have to play 2 more games than most of the top teams remaining. More games in the vicious West means more opportunities to fall in the standings. New Orleans still has to play Boston, Lakers, and Dallas on the road. 8 of their remaining 12 games are in fact on the road. And they have 7 more games against Playoff teams. They are currently riding the longest winning streak in the West at 5 consecutive games. I personally would love to see a Golden State vs. New Orleans first round matchup. Lightning quick PG play on both sides would make for highly entertaining series (translation: lots of points). There is no doubt the Hornets have been the surprise team of the season snatching the West from those perennial Western Conference powerhouses but they will fall just short of the Lakers this year.

3.San Antonio (49-23)

Everyone knows about the Spurs and what they have done winning 4 titles over the past 9 seasons. Or at least a handful of people know that actually watched them. The simple fact about the Spurs is that they are always going to be there. Much like the fact that Matthew McConaughey will be shirtless tomorrow so too will the Spurs be a force to be reckoned with in the Playoffs. They are a team built for long grinding 7-game series boasting staunch defense and battle-tested coaches/players. BUT there is something about this season that tells me it is not their year. Could be the “never repeated before” story or it could be the aging lineup, but I don’t see them getting out of the 2^nd round this year. And IF they do manage to get to the Western Conference Finals then I believe they will certainly not make it to the NBA Finals.

Their remaining 10 games include 4 on the road and 6 against Western Conference Playoff teams. They are riding a 5 game winning streak right now (although this comes off a 4 game losing streak) but have only performed slightly above .500 on the road this year. It has been a rockier year than usual for the steady Spurs. This inconsistency and the wear and tear of having been through to the Finals last season with an older team will result in a 2^nd round exit this year.

4.Utah (47-25)

Nothing is a lock in the Western Conference but I would confidently wager that Utah will finish the regular season as the number 4 seed. They have a “strong” grasp on the weakest division in the West; the Northwest Division (up 3 games over Denver with 10 left to play), but are not going to make up the 2 games separating them from the other top Western squads. Don’t forget this team was in the Western Conference Finals last season. They have the best Home Court record in the entire League and getting in the top 4 will be huge for them. Home Court means the most to Utah than any of the other top teams. It must be the whole no alcohol thing that throws the opponents off when playing in Utah. That’s why John Daly never plays golf tournaments in this state.

Of their remaining 10 games, Utah plays only 4 on the road and that means you can pretty much count at least 6 more wins to their total. They do have to play 7 Playoff teams over this 10 game stretch and the final 6 games of the regular season will be particularly difficult facing the Spurs twice and with road games against New Orleans and Dallas. IF they do end up in the top 4 then watch out for Utah in the Playoffs.

5.Phoenix (47-24)

Phoenix is improving each week (The Big Aristotle actually looks like he is getting back into shape). And it appears Shaq has currently moved into the calling names stage of his post-trade antics (sucks to be Chris Quinn I guess). Amare is playing the best basketball of his career and Grant Hill has new found youth in the desert. The biggest issue for the Suns could be the fact that the West doesn’t seem to fear them any more. The top Western Conference Playoff teams sitting above them in the standings have dominated them this regular season (most notably the Lakers 3-1 and Hornets 4-0). Overall, the Suns have gone 10-4 against the top 4 Seeds this year. Of course the acquisition of Shaq has played a role in changing these statistics.

8 of their final 11 games are against Playoff teams and 6 of the remainders are on the road. I expect them to be bounced in the first round if they are matched up against Utah with the home court advantage. Utah took 2 of the 3 games against Phoenix during the regular season handily. Deron Williams is a tough matchup for Nash and Utah has proven they can force their tempo on the Suns. The Diesel will be swimming in one of his huge pools after the 1^st Round this year. Mark my words.

6. Houston (49-23)

Houston had a great run but much like Mike Myers, it appears that run is over. The adrenaline rush has worn off and the team is coming back to reality. The realization that they have over-achieved is not something that is easy to swallow. Especially when heading into a heated Playoff series where confidence is vital. Of their remaining 10 games, they have 7 on the road and all against Western Conference foes. Ouch.

I still believe the Rockets will get into the Playoffs but I predict a first round exit unfortunately for the NBA’s version of a Cinderella story. They will be matched up against the San Antonio Spurs resulting in the lowest scoring first round series in the history of the League. Can’t wait for that one. The Rockets should be proud of this season though. Losing Yao and managing to still win 12 MORE consecutive games is pretty incredible. I feel bad saying McGrady will lose ANOTHER first round playoff series but I would be lying if I thought they will win. “Do you want me to be honest or do you want me to tell you it’s the first time?”

7. Golden State

The team of misfits will once again crash the NBA Playoff party. Baron’s Fear The Beard Campaign is taking hold of the Bay Area. Making seamlessly even MORE homeless-looking people in San Francisco. I didn’t think it was possible, congratulations B-Diddy. The NBA does Care. The Warriors are leading the League in scoring at 111 points per game. That’s old school baby. They really should permanently rock the throw-back jerseys. Love watching the scoring parade that is Nellie Ball and the old cliché that no one wants to play this team holds true for the Golden State Warriors. Seriously, NO ONE wants to play them in the first round. Their frantic pace and tempo create mismatches for teams and results in an unorthodox style of play.

I have been impressed greatly by the play of Monta Ellis as well as the leadership/steadiness of team captain Stephen Jackson. Of course Baron Davis makes this team go and he will have to play huge for them to make a serious run in the Playoffs. The Warriors play 6 of their remaining 11 games on the road and 7 against Playoff teams. They play twice against Dallas AND Denver, so they pretty much hold the keys to their own destiny. As I see them seeded at the 7 position, they would be playing the New Orleans Hornets in the first round. Talk about an exciting series to watch. Be sure not to blink as both these two teams will race up and down the court. Speed will be the focus and the major asset in this one.

8.Denver

“We talkin’ bout PRACTICE!” Yes we are and the offensive juggernaut that is the Denver Nuggets will somehow squeeze into that Number 8 seed in the West. I said it here first! They will of course be one-and-done once they get make it but that’s neither here nor there. They have two more games against Golden State and just pulled off a victory over Dallas tonight to draw one game closer to that final spot with 10 left to play. 6 of their remaining games are against Playoff teams and half of them are on the road. Denver has struggled on the road this year going 15-21 thus far but two of their remaining 5 road games are at the Clippers and the Sonics. So if they can handle those two road games and take care of home court then I see them jumping over Dallas for the 8^th and final Playoff spot in the Western Conference. Besides, could a team with Allen Iverson AND Carmelo Anthony really not make the playoffs?

9.Dallas

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. And like that… he is gone.” The people of Texas are not all-too-happy with me after these predictions, I’m sure. But the Dallas Mavericks fall from grace will be complete after going from Number 1 Seed last season (and losing in the first round to the Baron) to missing the Playoffs this year. This Keyser Soze-esque maneuver is not going to leave many fans in Big D feeling satisfied. I wouldn’t rush to buy a home if I were J-Kidd.

The fact that Dallas will not make the Playoffs is not exactly fair. This team has been dealt a very tough blow with the reigning NBA MVP Dirk Novitzki going down to knee/ankle sprains. I have no doubt they would be IN the Playoffs as a 6 seed if he did not get hurt. But unfortunately he is out indefinitely right now and the lights are fading on Mark Cuban and his Luxury Taxes. The J-Kidd experience has seen mixed reviews (quite literally) with both wins AND losses (Mavs have lost 9 of 19 games since the trade). Playing .500 ball will not exactly get it done in the Western Conference.

In the end, the injury to the Great Deutsch Hope will no doubt result in the second coming of New Jersey Nets J-Kidd pushing the rock and playing more uptempo. I have them getting overtaken by the Nuggets for that 8^th and final playoff spot in the West. IF Dirk can make it back before season ends then there is a chance but it doesn’t look good. Losing to Denver tonight does not bode well for the Mavericks. Their schedule (which includes 6 road games of the remaining 10 and 6 against current Western Conference Playoff teams) does not favor them holding on and staying in the Playoffs either. Sorry Big D there is always football season next year.

WEST FINALS PREVIEW

And so after countless hours of examination and due diligence, the Finals in the West will come down to the Lakers versus the Hornets. And in a hotly contested matchup, I see L.A. coming out on top in the end. Currently the New Orleans Hornets hold a 2-1 regular season series record over the Lakers with 1 game left to be played in L.A. Regular season series records can be deceiving based on when those games took place as well as injuries etc. The Lakers lost to New Orleans in the first week of the season before Bynum really started taking off and won the most recent game in New Orleans without both Bynum and Gasol.

The key area to watch in this series will be how well the Lakers guards can keep Paul out of the lane. Fisher and Farmar will certainly have their work cut out for them in this task. But the biggest asset for the Lakers is having Bynum inside anchoring their defense. They are able to pressure the opposing team’s guards with the knowledge that the long arms of Man-Child Bynum are looming in the paint. The games since he has been out (and especially since Gasol went down) have shown horrendous perimeter defense (there goes MY MAN!) I expect this to revert back once Bynum and Gasol reenter the lineup; making it much more difficult for Paul to probe the interior of the Lakers defense.

Interestingly enough, the strongest one-two punch for the Hornets is the screen roll game with Paul and Chandler. But the Kobe to Bynum/Gasol roll game could arguably be even more effective than the Hornets. Odom and West are pretty much a wash. Radmonovic and Walton will have to stick close to Peja if they want to win the series (Stojakovic hit 10 threes against the Lakers in the first meeting of the season). Chris Paul is making a huge push for MVP this season but the REAL MVP Kobe Bryant will shine this postseason.

In the end, the youth and INEXPERIENCE of the Hornets will catch up with them in the Conference Finals. Kobe’s experience and his sheer determination to win will produce huge dividends for the Lake Show before all is said and done. Don’t underestimate that killer instinct and hardened will of Kobe Bryant. He rivals even the game’s greatest in that category. Also don’t forget he has 3 rings folks. And with the development of Bynum and Gasol having to only play ancillary roles as relative rookies in the playoffs under the tutelage of a veteran like Kobe will be the proverbial nail in the coffin for the Hornets.

So there you have it, go make your bets and remember that I am in no way liable for these outcomes. No one is crazy enough to promise results in the Wild West. Even I know that.

Bubblicious

2008-03-27T00:21:00.000-07:00

Who coined the phrase “On the Bubble”? Where did this start? Does one single person take credit for it? And why has it grown to monumental proportions? These are the things I think about.

It’s not that I don’t understand the metaphor. Bubbles burst eventually and therefore the NCAA Tournament future of teams is “uncertain”. But who started this terminology? Does he/she just sit back every year in March and smile at the phenomenon that is the bubble? I bet he says “I started that!” to everyone he knows and they all just roll their eyes at him thinking there goes crazy uncle Les again…

I always believed bubbles were fun happy things. So logically being on the bubble doesn’t sound negative to me. In fact, it sounds light and fluffy. Little kids play with bubbles at the park. They bring smiles and joy to children. I’m guessing that Arizona State and Virginia Tech will probably not be playing with bubbles outside or taking bubble baths anytime soon. It’s not fair that these bubble-related activities hold no more fun and enjoyment for these people.

So maybe next time bracketology comes around say in ’09, we will replace the phrase “on the bubble” with one of the following options (using UMASS as the example team):

1. UMASS is at the prom waiting to see if they’re gonna get lucky (SHORTENED VERSION: Will UMASS see what’s under that prom dress?)

2. UMASS is like the guy who farted in a crowded elevator; he must keep his cool quiet confidence and hope he gets to his floor next.

3. UMASS is the last brownie at a party, will they get eaten?

4. UMASS desperately wants to make love to a schoolboy.

5. Just like a U.S. Senator in an airport bathroom, UMASS must tap their foot and wait.

Let's make the change before more people are scarred and cannot play with bubbles anymore.

March Madness

2008-03-26T23:28:00.000-07:00

Selection Sunday had more than just your typical surprise snubs this year. It also included a major fall of one of the largest U.S. financial institutions; Bear Stearns. It appears that the Company was not happy about the tournament seedings and decided to lose all its money. The CEO strongly disagreed with the selection committee's decision to not include his alma mater Yale University. He thought it was a safe bet. Literally. He was, of course wrong. Just like taking on billions of dollars of sub-prime home loans made on overvalued houses to under-qualified buyers. Guess that one didn’t work out so well either. Oops.

No one has seen a plummet this big since the Mets last season. It's left people yelling "SHOW ME THE MONEY!" And not in a funny Jerry Maguire kinda-way.

The 6th Man

2008-03-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

In case any of you missed it this weekend, the UCLA Bruins and Stanford Cardinal both managed close victories advancing into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins were down 11 points to Texas A&M in the second half and needed monster performances from Kevin Love (7 blocks and 2 key fadeaways in the final minutes) and Darren Collison (5 threes and 1 game winning layup) down the stretch to pull it out. Stanford's coach Trent Johnson was ejected in the first half of their game against Marquette and the Cardinal pulled out a thrilling 82-81 Overtime win riding the 7 foot twins Robin and Brook Lopez to the victory.

Being dedicated sports journalists, Robert and I were on the scene in Anaheim to bring you the freshest analysis of the Bruin and Stanford wins. Here are the major observations from the day:

1. Beer and Pistachios make for great pre-game meal
2. The Lopez twins are big
3. Texas A&M has some crazy elaborate male cheerleader routines
4. Big West Refs are terrible
5. Someone sitting in our section has some serious gas issues- could be Boob
6. People are annoying, especially dude sitting in front of us who insists on talking to anyone who'll listen (or not) about how he knows the game. He doesn't. Feel sorry for his kid.
7. Stanford Band Leader rocks! She blows away the competition with her suspenders and dance moves. The big hand props are gold!
8. Kevin Love is good
9. Darren Collison is fast
10. Hugging strangers is only acceptable in a few situations; one of which is in celebration of a fellow sports team's amazing victory. The Honda Center was pumping!

After the Bruin Game, Kevin Love said "we won this game because of the fans, especially BJ and Bob." Literally, he said that. Or figuratively. The point is he was right. K Love correctly gave props to us for that win. We deserved it. Duh. Which brings me to my point; the 6th man in basketball is the most powerful in all sports. If you don't believe ME, then listen to this highly-technical analysis from our resident Doctor with a real Ph. D. and everything; Dr. Smith:

"K Love was right on with the props there. Fact: fans play a larger role in basketball than really any other team sport. It's simple if you think about it. In football fans are the 12th man, same in soccer, but in basketball the fans are the sixth man, which makes a lot more of a difference. Six is 20% more than 5 while twelve is only 9% more than eleven. That is the reason that golf fans have to be quiet - because 2 on 1 is really unfair."

It's SCIENCE.

NCAA Tourney: Bitter Kickoff

2008-03-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

The Georgia Bulldogs got hosed. Period. The Cinderella story that captured the hearts of America last week in the SEC Tournament came to a premature close this morning in the first round of the NCAA Tourney. The Bulldogs overcame a tornado and a double-header game (let’s play two!) to win the SEC Tournament and receive the automatic bid to the Big Dance last week. The result of their 3 wins in 30 hours and 4 wins in 4 days (

Georgia

had only managed 4 SEC League wins ALL SEASON) was a 14-seed and a matchup with Xavier in the first round.

Georgia jumped out to an early lead and had an 11-point advantage with just over 12 minutes left to play in the second half. That’s when the officiating decided to affect the outcome of the game. Every single drive to the basket by Xavier was met with tenacious interior defense and yet the whistles kept blowing. Clean block after clean block called fouls by those foot locker dudes. Tight calls for Xavier and NO CALLS for Georgia. The end result was 33 free throw attempts versus 5. I think you can guess who shot the 33.

Sure you might ask did you pick Georgia for the upset win in your bracket? And the answer would be SOOOOO! Could I be bitter over losing 5 of the first 7 games? Yes, but that is neither here nor there. The free throw differential in this game was ridiculous. That is a difference of 28 attempts for you counting at home. That’s insurmountable. And both teams were playing very physical in this game. The lack of consistent refereeing truly cost this Cinderella story. Even my little niece (who is 4 months old) was upset over the hose-job. They upset the baby. And that is unacceptable. Apologize to the baby.

This Just In: Pat Riley Used to Winning

2008-03-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

Breaking News: Pat Riley to follow in Dwayne Wade’s footsteps and have season ending surgery. Although he does not actually play for the team and has no significant injury, he feels it is best to focus on next season and start his rehab from Lasik Eye Surgery right away. Vision problems began while watching his team play this season.

Some have questioned the timing of Riley’s decision commenting “but he just sits on the sideline” and “he never had vision problems before.” Riley plans to recover by watching his soon-to-be first round draft picks play basketball in college tournaments. He also wants to get back to other hobbies of his that include watching ESPN Classic and polishing his rings.

On a sidenote, Shawn Marion officially labeled the most selfish athlete in pro sports winning the “I-Love-Stats-And-Don’t-Care-About-Winning Award”. Congratulations to him. He took the award away from 5-time back to back winner and “teammate” Ricky Davis.

To Grunt or Not To Grunt

2008-02-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

That is the question. One Australian girl appears to have had this decision made for her. The 9 yr old tennis player was recently banned for a month from playing at her local club due to the noise she makes during competition. In other words, she grunts loud.

This has to be the first case of grunting gone bad. Although there is something about the word grunt in general that makes you not like it. When is a grunt a good thing? Even baby grunts are not cute.

Grunting in tennis is just a glorified scream really. Monica Seles has often been dubbed the Originator of the grunt. She even leveraged her grunting into some lucrative marketing campaigns. The most notable current tennis grunter is of course Maria Sharapova. She just so happens to be this little girl’s favorite player. Maybe the reason people don’t have a problem with Sharapova grunting is the fact that she looks a this. Why do I feel like being bossed around after watching one of her matches? In bed.

But apparently grunting is a part of her game. And the question has to be does grunting give an athlete a competitive advantage? I had to get to the truth of the power behind the grunt. And so, in an attempt to create my own episode of Sports Science, the Grunt Experiment was born. Using one of those Drive Slower MPH Detectors parked on the side of the road, I tested the Grunt Hypothesis that shots hit with a grunt move faster than shots hit without a grunt. The results just may shock you.

I managed to hit the tennis ball 125 MPH faster with the grunt. I have since decided to utilize the grunt in all facets of my life. Never before have I typed so strongly. I will be needing a new keyboard however.

So does grunting actually create more power behind the tennis shot? Yes. The answer is a definitive yes. Don’t be the guy to go against science dude.

Human Giant: Rollerblading

2008-02-25T11:50:00.001-08:00

Definitely the hardest part...

Utopia

2008-02-15T22:07:00.001-08:00

Just found this link and felt I had to share. We all know The Fellowship is actively looking for the Shire... perhaps they found it. JTJ is so jealous right now.

Loooooove Me The iPod

2008-02-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

Something makes me want to create a new playlist...

Supercomputers

2008-02-13T00:22:00.000-08:00

When you hear the word Supercomputer, visions of the movie Tron with kickass blue and red glowing graphics come to mind. The point is the word conjures up images of something really Awesome. It's more than just a computer; it's a Supercomputer. So when the prestigious Dr. J. Smith brought to my attention the creation of this new Supercomputer, I was intrigued. I also thought; damn why don't I have one of those.

And after much investigation, I learned that this particular Supercomputer is actually intended to be used for Inter-Galactic communication. Will we be able to talk to the Universe? Well it certainly appears that She is talking to us. And the folks over at Syracuse University are ready to listen. An encouraging message for us to learn what with that whole Valentine's Day Thing approaching.

The title of the new Supercomputer is SUGAR. Aptly named for it's sweet demeanor, SUGAR's job is to record the Cosmic Symphony that is Black Hole Activity. Or as I like to call it, Hot Space Relations 3. Black Holes are essentially the "bullies" of the Universe. Huge masses always beating up smaller, weaker galaxies. Even going so far as eating the light around them. Not cool Black Hole.

So SUGAR is going to use it's special supercomputer powers to detect when such bullying occurs, and then report it for disciplinary action. Outer space is talking and SUGAR is here to listen.

Should we be worried about SUGAR overpowering it's owners and rising up to attack the human race? Yes. But that is why we invented the on/off switch. Duh. What's the worst that could happen?

Congrats to the 'Cuse Physics Dept. and Dr. J. Smith. Please let us know all the sordid details SUGAR picks up in the coming months and years.

The Code Red: Clemens' Testimony

2008-02-12T13:00:00.001-08:00

Want to know what’s gonna go down in that courtroom? Don’t feel like waiting for it to actually happen already? Well look no further. Our very own special investigatory team was able to find the transcript before even Clemens or McNamee said anything. The following may be shocking, prepare yourselves…

CONGRESS: “Did you order McNamee to give your wife HGH/Steroid injections?”

CLEMENS: “You really have no idea what you want do you.”

CONGRESS: “I want the TRUTH!”

CLEMENS: “You can’t handle the truth!”

CONGRESS: “Yes I can!”

CLEMENS: “No you can’t!”

CONGRESS: “Dude.”

CLEMENS: “We live in a world of baseball stadiums that have walls. And those walls are guarded by outfielders with gloves. Who’s gonna do it? You? You congressman Mitchell? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom! You weep for guys like McGuire and you curse pitchers like me. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That chicks dig the long ball, and while tragic as it was, the homerun chase probably saved baseball. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that mound. You NEED me on that mound! We use words like Strikeout, Innings-Pitched, ERA. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent pitching. You use them in your fantasy baseball leagues as statistical categories.”

CONGRESS: “I don’t really understand what…”

CLEMENS: “I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a Congress that rises and cheers under the blanket of the very entertainment I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you grab a ball and take the mound. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you want.”

CONGRESS: “But Roger...”

CLEMENS: “I’d appreciate it if you would address me as The Rocket or Sir. I believe I’ve earned it.”

CONGRESS: “OK Rocket, let me ask you this: do you have a problem with your wife’s body? Did you ever call her a fatty?

CLEMENS: “Come on now, I… there is no…”

CONGRESS: “Sources have stated that you referred to the very thought of sex with your wife as quote disgusting. Are you denying those claims?!”

CLEMENS: “How…”

CONGRESS: “Did you order McNamee to give your wife HGH?!”

CLEMENS: “I… I…”

CONGRESS: “Did you order it!”

CLEMENS: “You’re goddamn right I did!”

CONGRESS: “Oh snap! We did it! SportsCenter here we come baby! Oh and hey Rodge, probably not the best time and all but do you think I could get me one of your autographs, my kid’s a huge fan.”

Demetri Martin is Funny

2008-02-07T00:11:00.000-08:00

He plays the guitar and he makes me laugh. Subtle observations on life...

Fat Tuesday Strikes Again

2008-02-06T02:44:00.000-08:00

Quite an ironic scenario played out yesterday on Fat Tuesday. Not only was there a huge NBA trade announced but the major piece in the deal is none other than Shaquille O'Neal (aka The Daddy, Diesel). Certainly not known for his off-season workouts, Shaq has been ridiculed in recent years (like the past SIX) for being out of shape. Surprising huh? Especially considering his show, Shaq's Big Challenge is a call to action for overweight kids needing to workout. It really is not a laughing matter. But it is the definition of ironic.

What you get with Shaq (other than his HUGE contract) is a lovable big man that endears himself to the community and all its fans. There is no question his game has dropped this season (point to injuries and mileage). But you have to believe that as an owner you get more than just one of NBA's Top 50 players. You get all those intangibles. And if he can transition into the role of shot blocker/rebounder anchoring a questionable Suns Defense, then maybe this trade is NOT such a bad move. Shawn Marion wanted out of Phoenix anyways, and honestly how hard is it to find an athletic slasher type to catch money passes from Nash and dunk the ball. His numbers will decrease drastically moving to the Heat.

Much like Super Tuesday Exit Polls, the presumption that this trade is BAD for the Suns is just that; presumptuous. Yes the Suns have a great record and yes they . BUT the key statistic to remember is that the Suns want to win an NBA Title. NOT the Regular Season. They were going to have trouble getting past lots of teams in the West in a 7 game series. This trade is solely based on that fact. Will Shaq make the difference? I guess we will just have to wait and see. My money is on the big fella.

The AMERICAN IDOL-ization of the Super Bowl

2008-02-06T00:56:00.001-08:00

So I turn on my TV Super Bowl Sunday morning to kick off the big day with some awesome pre-game to get amped up. I find the Super Bowl Extravaganza on Fox and hesitantly switch the channel as this station represents all that is wrong in the world. But I manage to overcome my fears and press select. Commercials are on so I am O.K., for now.

Commercials come to a close and who do I see on my television screen but none other than Mr. I Swear I'm Not Gay himself. Yes I am speaking of Ryan Seacrest. My inner voice laughs hysterically and my outer body does its best Seinfeld impersonation saying “Newman!” Day NOT starting out as hoped...

I come to discover over the course of the ensuing hours leading up to the game that Fox has decided to have Seacrest on the “Red Carpet” of the Super Bowl. He doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the stadium and no players are ever seen being interviewed. What we do get is plenty of Paula Abdul lip-synching and other Idol promotional activities. Score one for the Football fan.

And so I am left wondering, is it too much to ask to have my football separate from all Seacrest/Idol related elements? The answer according to Fox is a resounding YES! Where will this cross-promotional branding stop? Is Seacrest going to be on the field doing interviews next Super Bowl? It’s called escalation. And as long as Fox controls our Super Bowl destiny then American Idol will be a part of it. It’s certainly not going away. More people vote for Idol contestants than Presidential Candidates in this Country. Still wondering why the U.S. is in its current state? Yeah, me neither.

Why am I on your T.V. screen when you expected to be watching the Super Bowl? Many are wondering this, but then again, why am I so gay?

Jackie Moon

2008-02-04T10:01:00.000-08:00

Sixty percent of the time, Jackie Moon delivers pure Gold EVERYTIME.

Will Ferrell Bud Light Commercial - Watch more free videos

Tom Brady Mancrush

2008-01-31T18:01:00.001-08:00

Captain Awesome is unstoppable

Jumbo-Tron

2008-01-29T02:31:00.001-08:00

We’ve all been there before. Having some good clean fun at a ballgame with your friends when all of a sudden you look up and one of your buddies is up on the Jumbo-Tron. Exciting right? Wrong. The next 10 seconds could drastically change his/her life forever. It is a little known fact that many a coup de tat was started from a simple Jumbo-Tron incident. Look it up.

It’s like watching a train wreck happen. You don’t want to watch but you can’t take your eyes away from the screen. Time slows down, you see the move coming but you cannot react fast enough. And before you know it your friend has taken his shirt off and is chanting indecipherable gibberish at the crowd. Perhaps the chicken dance comes next or maybe some roll the dice action. Not pretty.

But why? Can we possibly resist this Pavlovian Jumbo-Tron response? I have decided to start a new public service announcement campaign promoting Jumbo-Tron safety (the multi-colored wristbands are forthcoming). The message is simple: Help Me Help You or Don’t Be Such a Dumbass.

Will this be hard? Hell yes this will be hard. A person is smart, but people are big dumb animals. And when that crowd starts cheering and the peer pressure kicks in, there is almost no stopping the impending stupidity. Dance monkey dance. Yes you are up on the big screen for the whole arena to see. And yes your body is telling you to do something. But be strong people. Together we can beat this thing.

Losing is the NEW Winning

2008-01-29T02:18:00.000-08:00

What’s the difference between being labeled a winner or a loser? Some might say winning versus losing. Those some would be wrong. Way wrong. If you lose every game you play, aren’t you just really good at winning the battle of losing? Did I just blow your f-ing mind!

The worst winning percentage (or BEST losing percentage if you accept my logic and I think you do) in the history of the NBA (minus expansion teams) goes to… drum roll please… The CLIPPERS! Who would have thought?! Oh, yeah… me too.

Anyways, this plucky franchise started back in 1970 in Atlanta before moving to the whales’ vaj in ’78 and eventually its final resting place (there has to be a better way to say that) L.A. in ’84. Their impressive list of streaks includes 5, count ‘em FIVE winning seasons over the course of their 38 year history! But you know what they say, five is better than four. Yes it is Clipps. Yes it is.

And so I have some advice for Clippers fan(s) out there. Accentuate the positives. Sure it’s another season where your franchise guy is either A)injured or B)in the process of leaving due to free agency to go do great things for some other team (see Ron Harper, Tom Chambers, Danny Manning, Bob McAdoo, etc.).

And yes you still do live in a city where you have to always contend with “superior” Lakers fans giving you playful nicknames like “loser” and “you-don’t-belong-here!” Not to mention the noogies every time they see you. Damn those noogies.

And yes your owner is Donald Sterling (or the OD for the Original Donald as I like to call him) who prides himself in being the WORST owner in the history of ownership. Seriously, he actually has business cards that say that. That and CHEAPEST bastard ever!

BUT there are positives to be proud of: Losing is the NEW Winning. Everyone’s doing it. And although you do boast the worst single-season record for wins at 12 for the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, you do NOT have the worst single-season record EVER, which belongs to the Philadelphia 76ers (9 wins). Those guys have sucked worse! That seems like something to celebrate.

The Clippers possess a career .367 winning percentage over the course of the franchise history. That’s a helluva good batting average in baseball! You know what that statistic says to me? Every time a fan comes to a game they have OVER a 1 in 3 chance of seeing a win. Better odds than the lottery my friend.

In conclusion, should the Clippers organization be ridiculed for their less-than-stellar winning percentage? Should over-weight people be mocked simply because they are fat? I think NOT, no they should be applauded for being REALLY fracken good at eating. It’s not easy being the step-child of a loveless marriage. Or a franchise owned by the OD. There is more to life than being skinny or winning. And the Clippers get that.

Guaranteed

2007-12-10T10:34:00.000-08:00

Remember back when making a guarantee meant something? The Babe promising a home run as the last wish of a dying boy or Ali vowing to knock out Liston or Namath guaranteeing Super Bowl victory. These promises had real value. These predictions were the stuff of legends. They were bold (made at the biggest moments) and they were actually backed-up.

So what's changed? Are too many people making guarantees too often? It certainly seems like each week we are hearing about a new guaranteed victory. This high volume of guarantees not only makes us numb to their effect and meaning but throw in the fact that they are usually empty promises and we are all left annoyed and unfulfilled (much like I feel after being forced to watch the latest Cuba Gooding Jr. trailer).

Personally, I blame the guy from The Men's Warehouse. He is always guaranteeing we are gonna like the way we look. That is a bold claim and quite frankly I don't think he can back that up. His incessant outlandish prediction has driven our society to reach Guarantee Overload (officially ™ by respect-the-streak.blogspot.com).

In a society where arrogant bravado in sports is encouraged and where talk is more valuable than action, guarantees reign supreme. From this week's baseless guaranteed win by Steelers safety Anthony Smith (Final Score 34-13 Patriots-Good Call Tony) to Rasheed Wallace's weekly guarantees, we are constantly inundated as sports fans. I am fine with athletes being confident. In fact I expect ALL athletes to BELIEVE they will win EVERY time they step out on the field of play. But don't go out and brag about that confidence to anyone who will listen. How about going out and just proving it on the field. SHOW ME. Don't tell me. Just SHOW us all who is the better team. Deliver the goods. Make it happen. And IF you have the confidence to make a guarantee at least make it count. There should be a limit on the number of incorrect guarantees a player can make over their career. One and done. And the quality of guarantee should be monitored as well. Don't go out there and guarantee a win over the Dolphins or the Supersonics. Who hasn't beaten them? You're better than that Spanish.

Predicting victory has been going on for years, just look back at history. Didn't you know we won the war in Iraq back in 2003? Mission Accomplished. Religion made the first guarantees, and the beauty of those promises is that we have no way of proving their authenticity. That is the ultimate guarantee. Live your life this way or that way and you will be rewarded, guaranteed.

There is no denying the fact that we live in a world full of guarantees, spanning from the sports world to consumer products (make millions by doing nothing? Still waiting...) to politicians to religions. Are we that naive to think that all of these things are actually guaranteed to us? I, for one, refuse to be fooled any more. No more sitting waiting for that cream to take effect! I believe no guarantee. Until it actually happens it does not exist. Nothing in life is guaranteed other than death (nice uplifting message I know). Maybe Nike was on to something with the whole Just Do It ad slogan. Actions speak louder than words. And THAT you can count on, I guarantee it.

Steroids Part II.

2007-11-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

It’s Time To Let Go of the PED Crusade
(Part I. of this series is located below or you can click on the tab located to the right).

The simple fact is: some athletes in all major professional sports used/are using illegal means to improve their level of play. Everyone knows it. We’ve had it smashed into our heads for the past few years. Heck, even during McGwire’s monumental run in ’98 he faced questions about the Andro supplement found in his locker. This is old, insignificant news. Many of our stars are tarnished, some, perhaps, unfairly.

Major League Baseball would lead us to believe this is the single greatest cheating scandal to befall any sport and has arranged for a special investigator to unearth all of the sordid details (The Mitchell Investigation). How does this help us move forward? This report will tramp out a litany of shipping documents, eyewitness accounts, and other forms of evidence that provide a means for dragging certain players through the mud of being associated with Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). This report will solve nothing. Instead, the Mitchell Investigation will merely serve as a way for MLB to point the finger at problematic individuals without understanding the institutionalized cancer the problem has become.

The solution is simple. MLB and the Players’ Union must forget the past and focus on the future. To do this, both sides must agree to adhere to the most stringent of testing procedures, as they become available. Blood for proper HGH testing should be stored. Random, frequent testing of all players must become standard, accepted practice. Amnesty should be given to all players up to this date for any past transgressions with PEDs. Most importantly, Major League Baseball must strive to be on the cutting edge in testing for any and all PEDs. Finally, MLB should enact severe penalties for any players found to have used PEDs from this date onward. Any findings of PEDs from this point onward shall be met with immediate suspension from the game for one unpaid season. Any subsequent positive findings will result in expulsion from the game in perpetuity.

This solution levels the playing field, shows that both sides are intent on cleaning up the game, and will inject the public with a sense that their baseball idols are genuinely playing with tools provided through natural talent and hard work. By storing blood samples, players will be unlikely to attempt to find other ways to beat the system, as they know when a test is devised to find such supplements they will be discovered as frauds. Moreover, if baseball is willing to devise the most comprehensive testing system known to the world, players will be too frightened to challenge it.

I don’t care that players cheated in the past, because it is going to be impossible to adequately discover who did what. Instead of pointing fingers we should just sweep it all under the rug and start from scratch. This is the only way to ensure that the game is clean. From that point on, if a player attempts to cheat the game, he will be rightfully and severely punished.

Steroids Part I.

2007-11-18T23:41:00.000-08:00

Players and Management: Everyone’s Dirty

We stand on the eve of the steroid armaggedon that has been building since before Jose first plunged a needle into Mark McGwire’s butt. This week the federal government indicted Barry Bonds on Perjury and Obstruction of Justice charges based on his testimony before a grand jury in which he stated he did not use steroids. In less than a month, Major League Baseball will be releasing the Mitchell Report, which supposedly documents the usage of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) by players throughout the sport. This report and the Bonds trial fail to adequately correct the wrongs already perpetrated against the sport and fall well short of providing an answer as to how to pick up the pieces. Basically, why bother with a report when it is clear that everyone has contributed to this mess?

Players
Naturally, this is where the investigation begins and, if MLB has its way, where it will end. Each player who ever took steroids or HGH or whatever other PED they could find is guilty of tarnishing the purity of the game. It was their individual decision to cheat and they should be rightfully tainted for it. However, this simple thinking ignores how universal concerns pushed these people to cheat. Looking closer each player using PEDs did so for much more complex purposes: greed, job security, fame, talent enhancement, peer pressure, career pressure, etc.

I’ve seen it asked at other times, but which of us would ignore the Siren’s call to “rub the clear” on our bodies knowing that to do so could open the door to outrageous fortune and adulation the likes of which average people, like myself, will never know? What about the middle-aged player on the verge of being pushed out of the lime-light who “needs” one more good season to ensure a major league paycheck for his family? What about the minor-league kid who needs that extra bump in performance to get that first taste of major league coffee? Given these scenarios and the myriad of others, who among us could “say no” to PEDs? The allure of playing professional sports is too great to be ignored in this mess, so as much as I dislike the usage of PEDs in sports, I can understand where the desire to use them comes from. From a purely outside perspective we should vilify the players for damaging the sport, but we should also understand there is much more at play than meets the eye.

Management
No group is more complicit in the growth of steroids than the various owners who knowingly turned a blind eye to the situation until it became a national scandal. In essence, this group has it the best. They can claim ignorance to the problem, yet indulge in the immense popularity the steroids era brought to the sport. The game has never been more popular than when the long-ball was sailing out of the park. Fans came out in droves to watch Big Mac, Sammy, and eventually Bonds break single-season records and the all-time home run mark. All the while, owners and management ignored Barry’s ever-growing dome and the Andro found in Big Mac’s locker.

Now these players who received untold riches and fame are being rightfully persecuted for cheating, but the owners and management who must have known about the cheating and received even more wealth face very little public condemnation. Bud Selig gets embarrassed in front of Congress for a couple of hours, while Mark McGwire goes into total seclusion, ostracized from public exposure. Owners continue to get rich and Bonds goes to jail. The owners fed off of players who strove for fame and fortune. Basically, these fortune leeches got all the wealth and none of the responsibility, which is a deal they would make time and time again. Who should we expect more from, the individual players or the architects of our game? After all it was the owners’ implied condonation of this behavior that helped create this mess.

Part II will document what I believe should be done to move the game forward away from the steroid era and its fall-out.

Point/Counter-Point: A-Rod Sign Him or Deny Him (loads of cash)?

2007-11-08T16:39:00.000-08:00

BJ you ignorant slut!

You would choose to deprive this power-starved team the opportunity to land the player who will most likely wear the crown of greatest home-run hitter of all time, simply because he has yet to dominate the playoffs, or is not the gregarious, media-charmer that your beloved Kobe is? That is just dumb. I will break this down for you real simple so you understand how this is a no-brainer.

A. The Halos will receive about $30 million from a previously untapped revenue source, MLB.com, which is pouring about that much money into each team’s coffers. This money, which is new money and should be around this amount each year would cover the team for the cost of signing A-Rod. Thus, A-Rod could be signed without the Halos extending beyond what they already took in from last year.

2. I agree that it would be nice to bring in a proven championship caliber player, but look at the success Vlad has brought to the team and he has never won a title and has performed even worse than A-Rod in the postseason. And, the whole A-Rod sucks in the postseason argument is all myth, sham, balderdash, hooey, and crap. While in Seattle, A-Rod played in 15 playoff games had 53 ABs and hit .340 with 3 HRs and 8 RBIs. His first season with NY in the playoffs A-Rod hit .320 with 3 HRs and 8 RBIs. Clearly, he has performed exceptionally well on the big stage and could very well do so again. Basically, he has had just as many exceptional post-seasons as he has bad ones, so the potential is there for him to be dominant again.

Finally, the best part about signing A-Rod is the fact that, although he will cost us a lot of dinero, he will not cost a single prospect. Currently, the Angels are rumored to be in the running for Miguel Cabrera. Undoubtedly, Miggy is talented, young, and fat. The Marlins are looking at picking up top-notch, major league ready talent in exchange for him. According to rumors, the Fish want Howie Kendrick plus either Weaver, Saunders, or Adenhart, plus either Napoli or Mathis or maybe even Brandon Wood. That’s a lot of young, cheap talent to throw to another team in exchange for a player who is eating his way to a Hall of Fame bid from Sizzler. Not to mention, Cabrera will be a free agent in 2010 and will entertain offers merely a notch below those A-Rod is searching for. Whereas, with A-Rod, you shift Brandon Wood to shortstop, keep Howie, keep your young nucleus of starting pitchers and catchers and be a legitimate World Series contender for the next 8 years. I think that would pay for A-Rod.

My Team Did WHAT?!

2007-11-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

OK readers, we have all been there before, the GM of our favorite team decides to make a roster change that leaves us the fans completely baffled and enraged saying "Oh no he di'in't!" Whether it is a rookie draft pick that we all know is way too over-hyped (Michael Olowakandi anyone) or a monster trade/free agent acquisition that brings some prima-donna superstar to your team that you absolutely hated watching play before and cannot possible imagine cheering for. Say goodbye to your team's young prospects and hello to higher ticket prices. We have all been in this "glass cage of emotion. The bad man punted baxter!" Sure, it is easy to second-guess and nobody likes monday-morning quarterbacking, BUT some of these things really are no brainers (how does Adrian Peterson slip to #7 in the NFL draft?!) And how come it always seems to be the same GM's making the right moves? Is it simply a case of OVER-thinking much like most fantasy football GMs do every week? Or is there something else going on here? I want each of us to play GM for the day and make a roster decision based on the current big free agent move pending in Major League Baseball right now, Mr. Clean himself, Alex Rodriguez. What do you as fans think of this guy and would you go after him as the GM of your team?

My answer, speaking as the GM for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Orange County or whatever we are called these days, would be a resounding NO. Do NOT go after A-Rod. I repeat, Do NOT SEEK THE TREASURE! Why do I not like him so much? Well, you certainly cannot argue against his business acumen (about to sign the biggest contract in sports history breaking the old MLB record held by, ummm let me think, oh yeah HIM) or his ability to play baseball. Someone is willing to pay him that much money, so he is going after it. Does he value winning and his fit with a team more than making a few more million each season? I think not, and as a business man you cannot fault that reasoning. But as a fan and teammate that does not exactly inspire. And no doubt the guy is a machine at the plate and can play D (as long as he is not in the NY tabloids). BUT he is not a clubhouse guy. He is not a team captain. He is not a leader. In fact, it is his sheer dollar and sense approach to the game that makes his teammates not want to hang with the guy, let alone follow him out on the field. And it has to be hard working with someone that is more worried about getting the right amount of gel in his hair than what's going on in his teammates' lives. The cohesion in the Angels clubhouse is strong, I enjoy watching this group play and I do not think bringing A-Rod in (strictly looking at intangibles) is a good decision.

Working as the GM for a club I think there has to be something said for that one intangible ingredient that you cannot pay for that is absolutely VITAL to a team's success, chemistry. Now don't get me wrong here, I struggled through chemistry in school (but I did learn how to distill my own beer-thank you Mrs Becker) but all athletes have been on teams that have chemistry and teams that simply do not and there is a huge difference. Most of us can even point to lesser successful teams that maybe had MORE talent than other teams but achieved less because the team lacked any chemistry together. Chemistry doesn't necessarily mean all the players have to go to the movies together or throw monday night Jenga parties (although that doesn't hurt, JENGA!) But it is chemistry on the playing field that is crucial, and the addition or subtraction of one or two players here or there can greatly effect that cohesiveness.

And what is the biggest chemistry killer? Egos. The bigger the ego, the greater the tendency for team chemistry to fall by the wayside. And the greater the number of egos the greater the death of team cohesiveness. Are there examples where this is not the case? Yes, but they are the exceptions. You need a special group and a special coach to make it work. And sometimes having just ONE big ego can work because the others can manage to work with it. Those egos have to realize that they NEED their teammates to win and they eventually give in to that fact and value winning a championship over personal accomplishments. The Spurs are a great example of a group of selfless teammates willing to put egos aside for the common goal of winning titles. They have four bona fide superstars in the league and yet they all sacrifice and it starts with Tim Duncan who is not about me but rather about the team. A-Rod in my opinion is not one of those superstars, he wants to sign the biggest contract and put up regular season numbers so that he can sign an even bigger next contract. He is a member of the Wu-Tang financial group, CashRulesEverythingAroundMe.

But enough with the intangibles (which clearly do not favor A-Rod in my opinion) and on to the tangibles of statistics and of course the very tangible salary that he is reportedly asking for. A-Rod had a monster season last year:
AVG .314
HR 54
RBI 156
OBP .422
SLG .645
MVP numbers. And his career stats are off the chart as well, with 11 full seasons played he has already hit over 500 homers and his career average is over .300. Of all baseball players at age 30, he was the first in home runs and runs scored. Can't deny the guys talent, although further analysis of his hitting in post-season play does show some weaknesses, especially over the past few seasons. Since joining the Yankees in 2004, he has hit .244 in the playoffs. And from 2005-07 in the playoffs his average dropped even further to an abysmal .159, hitting just one home-run over those three playoff years. The term CLUTCH does not come to mind when thinking of this guy and analyzing his post-season performance proves that to be true.

Now on to his potential contract, the terms are something in the ball park of $300-350 Million Dollars over the next 10 years. "Why make it millions when it could be billions?" That equates to a yearly salary of $30-35 Million Bones. That per season number is MORE than the combined salaries of 4 ENTIRE TEAM Payrolls last season. For that kind of salary, as a GM I would have to be getting more than just regular season numbers. And I'm sorry but I just don't see A-Rod bringing those intangibles like leadership to the table either. But who knows, maybe he can pitch, and who needs a catcher or outfielders or infielders anyways.
Let me know what you think.

Poll Results

2007-11-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

Poll results are officially in and the readers have spoken! Well, sort of anyways. We have a TIE for the greatest sports rivalry of all-time between UCLA vs. USC and Lakers vs. Celtics. West Siiiide! Both of these epic showdowns received 7 votes, or 29% each of the total 24 votes tallied. These storied matchups are rich with history and legendary performances. But let us look forward at some of the upcoming games and see, as Bon Jovi says, if we can make a memory.

The Stats:
The Bruins (121 total team national championships of which 100 are NCAA Titles)
The Trojans (106 total team national championships of which 86 are NCAA Titles)
They meet this year on the football field at the Coliseum on Saturday Dec. 1st. Should be a good one, especially after UCLA upset SC last year on the last game of the regular season knocking them out of the championship bowl game (Ouchie). This rivalry continues to thrive and I expect some highly-competitive Pac-10 BBall games between these cross-town rivals this season as well. Pre-season college basketball rankings have UCLA #2 and USC #18 in the country. Both teams add extremely strong recruiting to their already powerful lineups going into this year (read OJ Mayo and Kevin Love). Get those tivos set to record!

The Stats
Los Angeles Lakers (most NBA Finals appearances (28) and the second most championships (14). The Franchise has only missed the NBA Playoffs 5 times in their 60 year history.)
Boston Celtics (Most NBA Championships (16). Most consecutive NBA Championships (8). The Celtics have faced the Lakers a total of 10 times in the NBA Finals, winning 7 times).
As for the NBA schedule, the Lakers play the Celtics first on Friday Nov 23rd in Boston and then the second time on Sunday Dec 30th in LA. The Lakers have had the advantage over the Celts in the past few years (although neither are near the levels when the rivalry was at it's peak in the 80s) but could there be a shift in dominance this year? I can think of three big reasons why that could be true.
Thanks for voting and remember we at For Love Of The Game always value your opinion... as long as it supports our own.

NBA-tastic!

2007-10-29T15:33:00.001-07:00

The NBA season kicks off morgen after an off-season filled with referee gambling scandals, huge franchise player trades, and of course Stephen Jackson shooting at someone in a club. He crazy. But don't frown David Stern, at least no one employed by your league has been torturing any puppies this off-season. It could be worse.

What to Watch For: Yes the NBA Season is long (nothing compared to baseball yawn) and yes sometimes watching an early season game can result in Damn-This-Is-Lame Disease BUT there is still plenty of exciting things for us to enjoy. Let me enlighten you with these awesome lists!

My Favorite Players:
1.Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns)- representing for all white guys in the world. OH CANADA!
2.Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)-bringing the power and the funk back. Gotta love it.
3.Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers)- best player in the game, has every shot and every move and does it with ease. Doesn't hurt that he plays for my team (or at least he did when I wrote this).
4.KG (Boston Celtics)-this guy loves to play bball and it shows on the court. I wonder if I will start to hate him as the Celts beat up on Lakes this season. He could be off the list soon.
5.Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards)-aka Hibachi, Agent Zero, Magic Man. This guy has GAME. And he has a chip on his shoulder, which means he competes harder and harder every season to prove the doubters wrong.

Prediction Time, here is my Top 5 Teams:
1.Spurs
2.Suns
3.Mavs (only if they don't play the Warriors)
4.Celtics (haven't seen them play but this is a superstar league and they have 3 of 'em)
5.Rockets (Definitely could see them making a push although they are situated in the brutal Southwest Division. They have underachieved since McGrady and Yao united so if they stay healthy who knows)

My picks to win each division.
Pacific Division: Suns
Can't deny the regular season success of D'Antoni's system. And when you have the best playmaker in the league setting the table for all these weapons (Amare, Matrix, Diaw, Barbosa, Bell) it is almost impossible to stop. And fun to watch to boot. Like the pickup of Grant Hill in the offseason, adds one more big-time clutch veteran guy to the mix.

Southwest Division: Spurs
This division is loaded, in fact three of my top five in the league are in this one division. Texas not only has the monopoly on spoiled rich no-good sons of oil barons but also three of the best teams in the NBA. Go figure.

Northwest Division: Nuggets
"We're talkin bout PRAAACTICE man. Praactice." I do believe the Nuggets will figure out a way to share the ball (among AI, Melo, the return of Martin, Nene) and gel together as a team. Carmelo continues to improve and barring no more swinging left hook suspensions, I predict they will beat out the Jazz in a tight divisional race.

Atlantic Division: Celtics
"Me and KGeeeee!" Yes the Big Ticket is in Boston and joining him there will be none other than Jesus Shuttlesworth, the Chosen One. As if things couldn't get any better for the city of Boston already. Oh yeah and Paul Pierce is still there too. Should make for some killer highlights. This WAS a race between the Raptors and the Nets last season, but too much money for Vinsanity (and his fadeaways) in his offseason contract extension will doom the Nets and Toronto is in Canada. 'Nough said.

Southeast Division: Magic
This young up and coming team is going to surprise some people this season. Howard is a beast and continues to improve. I think he turns 16 later this year. He young. His experience on the Olympic team and his work ethic are sure fire signs of more great things to come from this man child. Picking up Lewis in the off-season was a good, albeit pricey move ($118Mill over 6 years if you're wondering) and I think Nelson at PG has great potential. Wizards will be in the fight, especially if Hibachi can keep hitting game winners. Heat will be in it if D Wade is healthy.

Central Division: Pistons
Detroit is always a contender and I predict another division title this year although the Baby Bulls continue to get better and better, just not there yet. If Deng's learning curve can grow as much as it did last season then the sky is the limit for that team full of young talent. I can't believe I am still talking about the East. Next!

Feel Good Story of '07-'08 Season:
Last year we got the Warriors in the playoffs with Baron and his celebrity bay area friends marching through the Playoffs. Not to mention D Fischer's remarkable story and perseverance hitting game winners all while dealing with his son's illness. This year I think the feel good team will be none-other than the Charlotte Bobcats. Yes that's right, I said it here first. The Bobcats. Riding the momentum built from pre-game warmup mix tapes by part-owner Nelly and halftime pep talks from part-owner Michael Jordan, they will rise to above .500 ball. Which in the East is like a 3 seed right?

OK that's the scoop, I wish I had better predictions for the LA teams but losing Brand in the pre-season is a brutal blow to the Clips and the Kobe drama for the Lakers will be a distraction all season long. Let me know what you think.

Just Try Harder

2007-10-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

I came across this story while perusing ESPN this morning and I have to say this is definitely a first. I mean you always hear unruly fans calling out players for lack of effort or saying some guy tanked this game or that. But to come from an official DURING a match? Surprising indeed. It's not like this was some little league game and the coach was like "Billy, stop being such a pansy!" No this was a professional athlete in a professional tournament being told by the chair umpire to quote-unquote "TRY HARDER."

This story takes place in Russia at the ATP St. Petersburg Open (this is tennis for those of you who are afraid of any sports other than football). Nikolai Davydenko (the top-seed in the tournament) was playing a match against and Marian Cilic (Marian who?) that he eventually lost 1-6, 7-5, 6-1. During the match, after Davydenko's 6th Double Fault in the 3rd set, he was reprimanded by the chair umpire saying "Seriously dude? C'mon." Afterwards Davydenko was fined $2,000 for lack of best effort.

As for Davydenko's reaction, well after the match he said "this is just outrageous. how does the chair umpire know what I was trying to do? I was so upset with the whole thing I started crying." Talk about insult to injury. Oh and I forgot to mention this is the same guy who is already being investigated by the ATP for a large match betting scandal. Oops.

Everyone has bad days, and every athlete is bound to have some bad games. But where is the line between just being off that day and not putting forth the effort? So it begs the question, what performances or athletes can you remember watching where you thought something was just not right and wished you could have fined him/her for lack of best effort? Talk to me people.

World Series Preview

2007-10-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

The Sox will win in 5 or less. It pains me to say it, but it’s true and everyone knows it. The Rockies have one, and only one, shot, and that is to somehow take one of the first two games in Fenway. Otherwise, they will realize their magical, mystery tour has run its course and that they are no match for this actual professional baseball team they are facing. Right now the Rockies have forgotten how they needed to win 21 of 22 games to make the playoffs and become the National League representative in the World Series. I don’t mean they have forgotten that they won that many games, rather I mean they have forgotten that they were playing in the lesser division occupied by AAAA teams with no discernible quality opponents. Now they are facing one of the best teams in the grown-up portion of the MLB. And not just one of the best teams, but I would say the best playoff team in the bunch.

Obviously, having Beckett pitch at least twice in a series gives a team an outstanding opportunity to win, but there is also the way this lineup confronts the playoffs and big moments in games that puts it above other playoff teams. They are baseball’s version of the Lakers between 2000-2002 (and it hurts me to no end to write that). During the regular season this group of guys got by on their talent against the lesser teams to get into the playoffs, ala the Lakers coasting through regular season discontent and boredom. Upon arriving at the playoffs, both teams woke up and turned it up to 11. Both teams have their Big Two (Shaq, Kobe v. Papi and Manny). One cannot win without the other, but together the pairing is capable of taking on all contenders. Manny coasted all season, living in his own world and vacationing for 24 games with a less than severe injury. However, once the playoffs started there hasn’t been a more locked in player. He is unstoppable right now. Papi is slowly crumbling and looks suspiciously like Mo Vaughn, but currently the guy is a wrecking ball dismantling opposing pitchers.

Plus, the Sox have their supporting cast members all of whom play to their strengths and know their roles. Mike Lowell is their version of Derek Fisher. Steady, smart, and only capable of thriving in certain environments (Fenway). Kevin Youkilis is Rick Fox. Although he probably could not pull off a threesome in a movie, Youk does the little things a team needs to win and is a grinder. Fox realized that he could build a niche for himself with the Lakes as a gritty tough-minded defender who knocked down the occasional three. Varitek is Big Shot Bob. Both are clutch and by this point in their careers seemingly on their last legs. Of course, now Horry is vying for his seventh title, so Varitek could have some more fuel in the tank. Coco Crisp is Devean George. Fans don’t know if either player has talent, but they swear they’ve seen flashes of something that could be talent. Finally, J.D. Drew is Glenn Rice, each a version of a worthless, high-paid player (for the sake of the other members of these teams, Lindsay Hunter is Pedroia and B-Shaw is Lugo. Madsen is Ben Affleck).

The key element of that Laker squad was its ability to flip the switch at important times in games, seasons, and especially during the playoffs. It was uncanny how they would appear utterly lost for vast portions of games. Then without much fanfare the momentum would swing and they would jump all over the opponent just when it appeared all was lost. Only during the 2001 campaign were they locked in for the entire playoffs as they went 15-1 and crushed everyone, yet even that season they needed a regular-season ending 8 game win streak to earn a solid playoff seeding. Boston has exhibited this similar ability over the course of these playoffs. In the Halo series they toyed with them in Game 2 until Manny homered to win it, and then systematically crushed their spirit in Game 3 for the sweep. Against Cleveland, the Sox fell behind 3 games to 1 and appeared to be finished. Yet, quickly, efficiently and ruthlessly, they won the next three games by a combined score of 30-5.

The Sox have successfully followed the Lakers format of dominating when it matters and barring the Rockies pulling off a Piston sized upset, the Sox will win another title. Hopefully, the Sox will also follow the Laker blueprint for rebuilding after the glory days have passed.

Fast Times at Rose Bowl High

2007-10-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

And now for some On-Scene Reporting (yes this is a first and considering our dedication probably the last) from the UCLA vs CAL football game this past weekend. This story has something for everyone; drunken cougars, obnoxious co-eds, cussing med-students, cock fighting, and a shocking finale!

Before this adventure begins, let me start with a sidenote: Rose Bowl parking blows chunks! Moving on...

12:45PM: We arrive at our parking place on some golf course neighboring the Rose Bowl (great spot for a stadium!) after being guided by the highly-trained security crew of 12-yr olds. Safety first. We chug a few beers and begin the hike to the Bowl. With tasty barbecue aromas wafting in the air and footballs whizzing past us we navigated from the 15th hole bunker to the entrance.
1:15PM: Stop for quick hot dog and nacho purchase, feeling much happier.
1:25PM: Make it to our seats, which are located at field level (possibly even below field level) in the back of one of the end zones. I comment to the group "Damn we be close."
1:45PM: First spotting of extremely intoxicated cougar sitting across the aisle from us. Well sitting is not completely accurate, laying on the seat is more like it. One shoe missing, arms flailing uncontrollably. Best guess on age would put her at least 42 yrs old. We giggle to ourselves.
1:55PM: First of two UNREAL UCLA touchdown catches in our endzone. High fives all around.
2:15PM: UCLA male cheerleaders dazzle our section with their jazz hands.
2:30PM: Half-time. High School dance teams demonstrate ability to sway side-to-side while simultaneously holding a flag. Excitement overcomes the crowd.
2:45PM: Second UCLA touchdown catch in our endzone. Cal defender mistimes jump and UCLA receiver elevates for the sick grab. I comment to myself "I could've done that."
3:00PM: Hammered 42-yr old reaches tipping point and projectile vomiting ensues. Giggling stops.
3:15PM: Something happens on the other end of the field, probably was pretty cool.
3:30PM: Apparently CAL has been scoring too cause look up and they have the lead 21-20 starting the 4th Qtr. Also the slurred cuss words from some girl wearing a CAL sweatshirt have drowned out the fight songs. "F-you UCLA! Who smarter! Who smarter! F-all y'all!" I find out later that she is a soon-to-be doctor. She just wants to help people.
3:45PM: Dramatic late 4th Qtr drive by CAL (trailing 23-21 after a Bruin field goal) leads to a 3rd down and 5 yards to go with about 2 minutes remaining at the Bruin 30 yard line. CAL runs a short sideline route but pass is delivered late and UCLA defender cuts in front and picks it off running down the sideline all the way to the house. Pandemonium overtakes the Rose Bowl. Lots of "did that just happen?" looks around me.
4:00PM: We begin to leave the Stadium as chants of OVVVERR-RAAATEED! rumble from the UCLA fans. 86,000 screaming people, college football at its best.
4:35PM: We somehow find our car. Exiting the golf course the "Zipper Effect" losing out to the "My Car Is Bigger Than Your's Effect". Isn't road rage grand?
5-6:00PM: Drive home is peppered with yet more sights of human stupidity consisting of one car backing up on the freeway (I guess she missed her exit), two separate incidents of roadside peeing (girls look funny trying to do that, very classy), and of course countless numbers of fans sticking their heads out sunroofs chanting indecipherable gibberish. College education at it's best.

Final Thought: Listening to the bands of UCLA and CAL battle during the game I was greatly confused to learn that both schools have the exact same fight song. Talk about a mind-f*#k!

And Now for Something Completely Different

2007-10-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Today, I am providing you, our doting fan(s), with a little something off of the beaten path. I am going to review an album of great artistic significance. Now you may be thinking to yourself, what is so unique about reviewing music? Well, the way I do it is unique in that I only listen to the songs once and I only use the 30-second sample provided by iTunes. Based on this extensive research I form a completely arbitrary opinion about the song and ultimately the album.

For my first foray into reviewing music, I am going to check out the new Jennifer Lopez album, Brave. Is there always room for J-Lo? Let’s find out.

1. Stay Together – This song chronicles a young woman’s desire to fight through the issues plaguing her relationship with an untoward young man. Near as I can figure she is compelled to stay together instead of breaking up. Moving on…
2. Forever – I don’t know, she sings “follow me” for what feels forever and then some really cheesy, simplistic synthesizer beats come in as the chorus fades out. Definite chart topper.
3. Hold It Don’t Drop It – “I can’t control it, you’ve put something into me.” Hmm, methinks J-Lo is hinting at something here. No mention of what should be held onto, however I could venture a guess that she’s not talking about her virginity.
4. Do It Well – Is it me or is this title suggestive? Does anyone remember when J-Lo was on In Living Color as one of the “Fly Girls”? She did not look good. In fact, I would say she looked rather manish. Oh, the song’s over.
5. Gotta Be There – J-Lo flaunts her geography skills naming a variety of US cities she is touring through and how her “friend” has gotta be there. Some could argue she is channeling Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys with this tactic. That argument is probably a loser.
6. Never Gonna Give Up – “It’s so good, don’t wanna hear no woulda, coulda, maybe I shoulda stayed with someone who never knew I was so true.” Tough to tell what she is NOT going to give up, but I recommend her day job. Zing. Criticizing is fun.
7. Mile In These Shoes – Oh, thank goodness someone is brave enough to stand up to the world and talk about how tough she is for being in the perpetual media spotlight. That J-Lo, she’s one bad-ass, Gucci toting, Benz driving, bling wearing, champion of the working class. Stay strong you sultry souljah.
8. The Way It Is – I completely blanked out with this one.
9. Be Mine – Is it a sign of trouble when an alleged songwriter borrows lyrics from those awful Valentine’s Day candies? The B-side to this song is “Forever Yours.”
10. I Need Love – This is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of what J-Lo needs. Really, I think she needs to catch a clue and realize she’s dating Marc Anthony. What the hell is she thinking? He looks like Frankenstein’s monster with a heroin addiction. Is that mean? I may have crossed a line. I’ll go back to mocking her music.
11. Wrong When You’re Gone – “I just feel bad cause now all I’m left with is these shoulda, coulda, wouldas cause you’re gone. Now I’m out here trippin’ cause you came up missin’ and my head keeps spinnin’…” I dare say the lyrics of the gods could not sound as majestic in scope or in emotion. I can’t wait until Bono starts using “trippin” in his songs. I think the world needs that. Plus, I should point out that I am only listening to the 30 second clips, yet somehow she worked "shoulda, woulda, coulda" into two different songs and I happened to hear them. I'm no expert, but that probably is not a sign of strong song-writing skills.
12. Brave – Let me tell you about bravery. J-Lo thinks it is about facing a world where either she has lost another guy, or can’t match her purse to her sunglasses. I beg to differ. What I’m doing for the entertainment of our reader(s) is brave. Warning them about these self-aggrandizing songs is brave.
13. Do It Well (featuring Ludacris?) – It could be that Luda sold out. On the other hand, maybe he busts out some lines about getting girls into their birthday suuuuuiiiittttss, which could redeem him. Unfortunately, he is not heard in the 30 seconds, so who knows what his role is.

J-Lo fans will be satisfied with this recent effort, however they have no taste. Buyers beware. I need a shower.

Cry Me A River

2007-10-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

OK fellas, today's topic is all about crying. I know I know "There's no crying in baseball" but let's face it sometimes we all need a good cry-fest. Especially after an episode of Gilmore Girls. But that's neither here nor there.

Today was officially Day One of Joe Torre's Goodbye Tour from New York (tickets available now!) and watching highlights from the press conference I just couldn't help but think of my all-time favorite sports cry moments from days past. Sure Joe held it together pretty well up there, ESPN didn't get the free flowing waterworks they were hoping for (the columnists were one step away from asking about his battle with cancer or the time when he lost his dog fido in that tragic frisbee incident). But what other moments come to mind that make you sit back and say "Damn, that dude is really crying."

CRYING COACH: The one coach that jumps out to me has to be Dick Vermeil. And not even a single particular moment, they all just sort of run together as one big waterfall of emotion. Get the kleenex ready, put on some Death Cab, pour a glass of wine and curl up on the couch as Rudy plays on the TV cause we are getting in that crying mood. Just breathe. Nobody did it better or more often.

VICTORY CRY: Of course when you think of players crying in sports it usually comes following the big championship game victory, a la MJ hugging the NBA trophy in the locker room after winning his first title. That was pure emotion.

DEFEAT CRY: Gotta go with the guy playing for Kentucky after Laettner hit that miraculous shot sending Duke to the title game of the NCAA Tourney back in the early 90s. Close second and more recent would have to be Adam Morrison after losing early in the NCAAs. Now THAT'S what I call crying!

MOST NON-BELIEVABLE CRIER: One athlete I have trouble believing all the emotion and hoopla is Roger Federer. This guy does the ultimate body collapse fall to the ground as if he's just been sucker-punched every time he wins. And it's not like he wins infrequently. We get to witness this every couple months. Watch the tapes, it's uncanny.

In closing, let me just sum up how I feel about crying, I'm... I.. I'm.. one... I'm sorry, I just... I got a little... just... be... strong.

Fight For Your Market Capitalist Rights

2007-10-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

The New England Patriots recently won the right to obtain the names of season ticket holders who sell their tickets on Stubhub (an online ticket reseller), which they may use to revoke those people’s season tickets. (See link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3069481). As is the age old custom of ticket scalping, ticket holders would sell unwanted tickets for, ideally, greater than face-value. In one example from the article, a pair of $125 tickets to an upcoming game against the New York Jets was being resold for $1300.05.

Privacy issues aside, the greatest threat in this case is the idea that valuable commodities such as these tickets cannot be transferred in exchange for their increase in value. These tickets, in my opinion, became the property of the ticket-holders the minute they made their final payment to the team. At that time the holders should be allowed to do whatever they please with those tickets, including selling them for ridiculous amounts of money to fools who want to see the Jets lose by 65. According to my math, which is highly questionable, the holder of the $125 tickets shelled out about $2000 for the pair of tickets for the entire season. Thus, by selling his seats to a game that will be a blowout and of little interest, he will be recouping 65% of his costs. Now some idiot Jets fan gets to see his team get crushed by one of the greatest teams in recent memory, the season-ticket holder gets almost all of his tickets paid for and he can spend an extra weekend with his spouse pretending that she means more to him than the Pats. As Michael Scott would say, that is a win, win, win scenario.

Owners of teams raise ticket prices all the time, based on the idea that the demand will not evaporate with the increase. So, why shouldn’t ticket holders share that same ability? Rise up and fight for your right to resell your tickets for exorbitant amounts of money, which is the American way.*

* = As with all of my posts, this comes with the caveat that Angel and Laker fans cannot sell their playoff tickets as we should pride ourselves to be true fans above such petty concerns like making a profit.

Get Ready For More Yankee/Red Sox Madness

2007-10-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

According to a report in the Washington Times:

The four games [of the NLCS] on TBS drew an average rating of about 3.0, including a new record-low of 2.2 for Friday night's Game 2, according to Nielsen Media Research. The previous record-low for an LCS game was 4.9. Each ratings point equals about 1.1 million households.

Ordinarily, I could care less about the ratings for a playoff series. However, these ratings mean a great deal to any fan of a team not in New York or Boston. These ratings tell the networks, ESPN, and all other sports media outlets that the only way to attract readers and viewers is to focus even more on the Yankees and the Red Sox, which is why we are currently inundated with stories like: will A-Rod opt out? Is Dice-K a bust? Will the Steinbrenner boys fire Torre? What is Manny smoking? And so on. Unfortunately for those of us more concerned about other teams, these ratings are going to give us even more of these stories over the course of the Series and through the offseason, while the rest of the league is pushed to the back pages. These ratings signal to the shortsighted fools running the networks and Baseball that the only thing the viewing public cares about is a series involving the Yankees and the Red Sox.

However, the problem is not that two teams from secondary media markets were playing in the NLCS; rather the problem is that baseball chooses to only market the marquee franchises in New York and Boston, thereby limiting the public’s knowledge of other intriguing teams. Now baseball sits on the precipice of a World Series featuring the Indians versus the Rockies, which no doubt will be a ratings disaster for Fox. Yet, it shouldn’t be a ratings disaster, as there are a myriad of intriguing storylines from such a series: the first World Series for the Rox, Cleveland hasn’t won a pennant since 1948, Todd Helton’s first trip to the World Series, the Rockies and their amazing streak of winning 21 out of 22 games to get to the Series, World Series games in the snow, World Series Games played in the thin air of Denver, Chief Wahoo, Rick Vaughan and Pedro Cerrano. The Wild Thing in Colorado, next on Fox.

An example of what Baseball should be doing can be gleaned from the NBA. The genius of David Stern and the NBA was their use of the stars in the game to generate fan followings and interest in the various playoff series’. Stern found a way to focus on players from nearly every team and especially the perennial championship contenders to ensure that each series was followed by fans all over the country (i.e. in the 90’s with MJ, Pippen, Stockton, Malone, Robinson, Kemp, Payton, Hakeem, Miller, Shaq, Penny). It should be noted that the players on this list all played for mid-market teams. Admittedly, this contributed to the one-on-one nature of the professional game today, but at the time it raised the public profile of the league to incredible heights. Baseball has attempted a similar push, but has focused solely on Jeter, A-Rod, Manny, Big Papi, and to a lesser extent Pujols and Vlad. What about Matt Holliday, a near-Triple Crown winner this year (he led the National League in RBIs and Batting Average and was in the top five for home runs with 36)? What about Troy Tulowitzki, the rangy shortstop who should win the NL Rookie of the Year award? C.C. Sabathia? Pronk? The list could go on, but you would not know it if you merely followed the MLB commercials or ESPN highlights over the course of the season. Baseball’s exclusion of stars from mid-market teams puts it at a severe disadvantage in terms of generating fan interest for this upcoming World Series.

By ignoring the rest of its teams, by focusing on these two admittedly legendary franchises, Baseball has guaranteed that any series involving other teams will turn off casual fans. Good, interesting baseball will be played in a series involving these two teams. Newsworthy sports stories will come out of this series. Moreover, a number of talented, exciting players will be making their World Series debuts. And all of it will be missed, because the general public has been conditioned by Baseball, ESPN, and Fox to only care about the Yankees and Red Sox.

Trade Kobe

2007-10-16T22:33:00.001-07:00

Dear Laker Front Office:

Please trade Kobe Bryant.

Please ship this malcontent to another team, so we may be rid of the non-stop soap opera and get back to what matters: winning basketball games. He complained about not being the Alpha Dog while Shaq was in town. He pouted about the treatment he received from Phil in his first tenure with the team. He forced the Lakers to trade Shaq by filing for free agency. And now he complains about not having adequate talent around him to win a title. Nothing can please Kobe, and even when he gets what he wants he changes his mind and blames everyone else for creating his mess.

Please stop being blinded by his jaw-dropping highlights to realize that he is all flash and no substance. Yes, he scored 81 points in a game and has the uncanny ability to knock down game-winners, but he has won all of 4 playoff games in the post-Shaq era. His teams have finished 7th in the division the last two seasons and been sent home in the first round of the playoffs both times. And it could be argued that there is more collective talent on these teams than there was on the championship squads. Currently, he is surrounded by Odom, Bynum, Turiaf, Walton, Evans, Crittendon, Farmar, Fisher, Radman, Mihm, and Brown. Those championship teams had Shaq, Fisher, Fox, Horry, Green, Shaw, and Devean George. Oh, and I forgot about Madsen. With the exception of Shaq, the young talent surrounding Kobe now is arguably as good if not better than the savvy veterans on the championship teams. If he is as valuable as he outwardly should be, he would be able to take this group of young, talented players and move them beyond the first round. In fact, he seemed poised to do just that last season as the team started 26-13. Then the injuries mounted, the wheels came off, and the painful off-season began. A true leader, a selfless teammate, and a team legend would have carried the team through the injuries, through a disappointing first-round exit and vowed to come back stronger, more committed, and more supportive of the team the next season. Unfortunately, Kobe lacks such leadership skills. He is not capable of carrying teammates. He is only adept at bashing them to fans outside of supermarkets, in the media, and also behind closed doors. I don’t question his unparalleled desire to compete. I question his ability to lead, to support, and to be a teammate. Without those skills all we are left with are memories of an 81 point game against Toronto and first-round flameouts against Phoenix. Individual triumphs and team failures.

Please realize that the only way to win another championship is to begin by trading the best player in the game.*

* = any trade must be for a player or group of players from Phoenix, Dallas, Washington, or Chicago as mentioned in an article on ESPN.com. Any trade involving the Lakers acquiring crappy players is not acceptable.

Superjock

2007-10-16T00:55:00.000-07:00

Writing the last post about cross-hybrid combinations got me thinking about what athletes from certain sports would be absolutely sick crossing over into other sports. I remember watching an NBA game from early last season where the Cavs were playing the Spurs and Lebron James had about 5 And 1 buckets in the FIRST HALF! He was getting into the lane taking huge hits and still finishing layups and dunks as if he hadn't been touched. Light bulb flashed in my head, hmmm this guy is pretty strong. Takes hits and keeps going, runs as fast up and down the court as ANYONE in the league and oh by the way clocks in at 6'8" Two-Fifty! He debuted on SNL for the season-opener (which could be a-whole-nother post about why athletes should NOT try and do comedy) and let's just say standing on stage next to the cast it looked like he had eaten Fred Armisen. He's a big dude.

And so I am here making a push for Bron Bron to think about pursuing a multiple sports career, a la Bo Jackson. OK bad example, that whole broken hip thing didn't work out very well, so for arguments sake, let's just assume injury is not a factor. Can you name one NFL team that would not sign him right now if he came to their camp? Hellz no. He would INSTANTLY be the best receiver in the game (yes better than moss and T.O.) and with minimal work could be the best power-back as well. Can you imagine a cornerback trying to tackle him coming full speed down the field? He better try and go for the legs, oh but wait Lebron can jump literally 4 feet in the air so good luck with that.

Outside of the obvious over-lapping of seasons and possible injury implication issues; this would be a no-brainer from a business perspective. I am no math guy but two salaries are better than one no? And can you think of a better ad campaign than "Bo knows..."? I would even go so far as to issue David Stern and Roger Goodell a Call-to-Action that they need to make this deal happen. Help me help you. I am saying it publicly here that I want to see Lebron on an NFL team.

Or at the very least can we get a sports reality show where we have top professional athletes from different sports competing against other professional athletes in a slew of various sports (essentially intramurals for pros). If they can get Clyde Drexler on dancing with the stars, I think we can get him in a little friendly high diving competition. We could call the show The Ultimate Competitor. Or maybe just simply Superjock.

Who doesn't want to see Tiger try and hit a 90mph fastball? Is his talent limited to hitting non-moving objects? Which skill is harder to perfect? I know for damn sure that a lot of baseball players can shoot scratch golf but can many golfers hit a baseball? Questions like this one would be answered with this show and it would make for some good television. Who's with me? What other athletes would you like to see playing another sport? What other names can you think of for this new Survivor: Sportsman Edition?

Mystical Magical Creatures

2007-10-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

OK so we have all heard of Ligers, I mean they're prally like my favorite animal. BUT can you imagine my disbelief when I came across the much lesser-known yet just as special Zonkey. Yes you heard correctly, the Zonkey, half-Zeebra half-Donkey. This plucky side-kick character is best known for his witty comments and surprising quickness. I challenge anyone to try and catch a Zonkey. It just can't be done. Seriously, they will make you look foolish and then crack a joke about it.

How does this pertain to sports you ask? Well I was watching a Lakers pre-season game the other night (pathetic I know) and it just hit me like a ton of bricks, Kobe Bryant is a mystical magical creature much like the legendary Liger. He is not simply one genotype like most of us, but a special combination of equally bad-ass yet different types. Kobe is a hybrid between Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Keyshawn Johnson.

Let's analyze it, he has MJ's ability to get to the hoop and hang for the finish. Not to mention his tenacity on the defensive-end. He even sounds like him in his interviews, I am still waiting for the patented Jordan-tongue to show up sometime soon. Then of course you have all those game-winners, is there anyone you would rather have with the ball as the clock winds down than Mr. Clutch? Jerry West is the fracken Logo of the NBA shooting a 63 foot game-tying bucket, you can't get more money than that and clearly Kobe has those "no pressure genes" in him. And then on to the ball-handling skills reminiscent of another shooting guard known simply as "The Big O". His handles are not just impressive visually but more importantly they are effective dribbling skills. Of course he has some Keyshawn Johnson in him as he definitely wants the damn ball (which as all Lakers fans know led to superman heading east).

Anyways, let me know what you think. Maybe there is a better combo describing Kobe's skills? Are there other athletes in your opinion that appear to be a cross between previous greats? How about a little discussion on what combination would make the greatest athlete? All sports included, football, bball, baseball, ping-pong, jai-alai, etc.
Let me throw out a mix of ernie mckracken and donny (from Big Lebowski) as the ultimate bowling machine. "You're on a gravy train with biscuit wheels". Unstoppable.

What's the Point? You ask...

2007-10-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

In one hasty moment of annoyance after having listened to yet another over-the-top, obnoxious rant from (insert any sports analyst here) I decided to start my own site devoted to discussing sports news/stories. After all, it is the 21st century and who doesn't have a blog these days. Not to mention the fact that while perusing the google news section I came across a story of an elementary school kid and his highly-regarded site about pokemon. It was time for my voice to be heard.

And not in some important "listen to me on my soap-box" kind of way or anything, but just simple thoughts on the subject of sports. Because let's face it, sports is the great escape. Sports represent for most people either a flash back to a memory of joy when they used to PLAY (usually while "Glory Days" blasts in the background) or a way to leave their average normal everyday existence and simply enjoy athletic greatness. Sports are true entertainment without all the special effects and trickery (performance-enhancing drugs notwithstanding).

And yet sports do have the potential to transcend what we think possible. Whether that is overcoming huge personal trials and tribulations or cultural differences, sports have the ability to bring people and nations together. I mean what else can turn full-grown Home Depot card-carrying men to complete cry-fests a la that YouTube guy talking about Britney. LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE! Sure the occasional movie (Fever Pitch) or television commercial (Mastercard) can do that too, but not like watching your beloved team make it to the championship game only to lose in the final seconds of play.

So no matter if you are a sports nut or just like watching the games for the uniforms (Ralphie), please comment and talk amongst yourselves as this site is meant to be interactive and fun for all. Let the games begin!