The Book of Sports

7 Questions about the Cavs-Celtics after 2 games

2010-05-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

With apologies to Suns-Spurs, there is not a more interesting 2nd round NBA Conference Semi match up than Cavs-Celtics. After two games in Cleveland it stands 1-1 and seems to have the most lingering questions heading into Game 3 on Friday Night.

1. How hurt is Lebron?- I am an unabashed Lebron James backer, but even I am very confused as to what is truly going on with his elbow. While I am not in the camp that thinks he is faking it or trying to create drama by acting like it is worse than it is, I still cannot figure out his situation is. In both games 1 and 2 he seemed very passive and was in passing mode for most of the first half. In game 1 he stepped it up and lead the Cavs back to win, but in game 2 he never got into a groove and just seemed out of it. If the Cavs have any chance to take a game in Boston they need Lebron in full attack mode from the opening tip. My question is can he do it physically? Is he playing passive in the opening half intentionally or doe she know that his elbow cannot handle the physical style he plays for 40 minutes so he is trying to manage his game accordingly. If the elbow is holding him back this could be a short series for the Cavs.

2. Can Rajon Rondo keep it up? Plain and simple Rondo has been the best player on the floor in this series so far. He is destroying the Cavs off the dribble and getting into the paint whenever he wants. The question becomes are we witnessing Rondo making the jump to elite NBA PG and alpha dog of the Celtics or are we witnessing a hot streak by a good young player? If he is making the leap to elite, than it will be hard for the Cavs to win 3 more games in this series.

3. Will the real Mo Williams please stand up? Williams has been rightfully criticized by his complete no show in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, but seemed to be finding his playoff groove against the Bulls in the first round. In game 1 vs the Celtics Williams single handily kept the Cavs in the game and helped spark the Cavs 2nd half rally. Game 2 however was a nightmare performance that looked awfully similar to his stinkbombs vs the Magic last year. So moving forward it has become very obvious that as Williams goes so goes the Cavs. Lebron creates so many open looks for Williams that when he is hitting his shots it is almost impossible to beat the Cavs. So which Williams will we see in Game 3?

4. Can the Celtics Big 3 handle a long physical series? Its no secret that Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett have a lot of NBA miles on their legs, and this series will be sure to test them. Pierce has been tasked with trying to mark Lebron on the defensive end which is hard enough, but he is also the Celtics go to clutch scorer. To ask a veteran like Pierce to do this for 7 physical games seems like an almost impossible task. Garnett still looks rusty from his knee injuries and is being asked to exploit his match up with Jamison on offense. While Allen looks fresh, the fact remains Cleveland plays him very tough and has historically caused him to shoot poorly from deep. In order for Allen to get open looks he is running all over the court through backscreens, and this takes a toll on any shooter especially a pure jump shooter like Allen. All of these factors combine to make these next 2 games in Boston huge, because if they take both the Celtics are in great position to close it out early. If the Celtics drop one of these home games than the possibility of a 7 game series drastically increases, which begs the question, do the Big 3 have enough in them to win a Game 7 in Cleveland after 6 grueling physical games prior to Game 7?

5. What should Mike Brown do with Shaq? The Cavs got Shaq for 2 reasons the Magic and the Lakers. After watching 2 games in this series two things have became apparent. First, Shaq is struggling to score when he gets the ball in the post and second, the Cavs do not need Shaq in the line up in order to shut down Kendrick Perkins. So the question becomes what do the Cavs do with Shaq? They obviously need him to get minutes to prepare for battling with Dwight Howard and or Pau Gasol, but they clearly are hampered by Shaq when facing a smaller faster Celtics frontcourt. Mike Brown will need to find some sort of balance between these 2 factors or else the Cavs will be in serious trouble.

6. Will Celtics bench give them anything? While the Celtics bench has played decent so far, they clearly are not a deep team. There will come a point in this series where either due to fouls or fatigue that the Celtics will have to trust their bench to come up huge. The Celtics simply cannot rely on their top 5 to carry them 48 minutes a night for 7 games. The bench will get their chance and it will not matter if its against Cleveland's much stronger 2nd unit or against the Cavs starters, the outcome of the bench's performance will play a huge role in the final outcome of the series. The Celtics bench does not even need to outplay Cleveland's bench; they just need to hold their own. Can they do it?

7. How will the 4 day break between games 2 and 3 affect each team? The weird schedule means that game 2 was played on Monday while game 3 would not take place till Friday. Who will benefit the most from this extended time off. Both teams could use the rest because it gives the Celtics time to rest the Big 3, while also giving the Cavs more time to rest and treat Lebron's elbow. However, both teams probably wanted to play game 3 as soon as possible for very different reasons. The Celtics just game off two of their best all around games of the year and stole a game in Cleveland, so they would have loved to carry all that momentum into game 3 as quickly as possible. The Cavs on the other hand, turned in one of their worst performances of the year in game 2 and were probably desperate to get to game 3 to try and erase the feelings of the game 2 beatdown. Will these extra days off give any team an advantage?

I am very excited to see how this series turns out and in my gut I have the feeling that this series goes 7 games. As for a prediction, your guess is as good as mine. With so many unanswered questions the only thing that we can be sure of, is that the rest of this series will be must watch television.

Wasted Opportunity

2010-05-04T18:36:00.001-07:00

By now the dust has begun to settle from the NBA MVP voting and as most of you already know Lebron James won by a landslide. Most of you also know that he missed the first ever unanimous selection in NBA history by 7 votes. Most you have probably heard that the 3 1st place votes for Dwight Howard came from 2 paid employees of the Orlando Magic staff and one Orlando based sportswriter. While you can count me in the group that is upset that 7 voters ruined what should have been the easiest vote in sports MVP history, my reasons are very different than most.

All my life I have loved sports. For as long as I can remember there is nothing I like more than watching sports whether it is in person, on TV, or even getting updates on my phone and computer. I imagine there are millions of other people out there who are as passionate and dedicated as I am. Ask almost any guy what his dream job would be and i can promise a good number of them would say sports writer, sports broadcaster or something along those lines. Hell the reason I started this blog was that I wanted the chance to write about sports even if I was the only one reading it.

That is why I am so upset about the way these 7 voters threw away their respective MVP votes. These 7 guys are living every sports loving Americans dream and they took it for granted to try and prove there point. (I have not heard where the 4 Durant votes came from so I cannot focus on them) These voters are paid to watch the NBA and serve as our window into the league through their observations and opinions; something that most of us would do anything to do even for a day. They owe it to us to give us there full effort and use their MVP votes (which are a privilege not a right).

Now I know I am way up on my high horse with this entry but it upsets me that voters used these 7 votes to try and stand out. The Orlando Magic writers and broadcasters can write and talk with bias for 364 days a year and I will still respect their work but the MVP vote is supposed to be without bias. Every other voter put their bias aside to cast their votes so it should be expected that these 7 would as well.

When the names come out of who voted against Lebron each voter will put out an article that voices why they believe their vote was correct but I can promise if you hooked them up to lie detector every single one of them would fail because this MVP vote was so obvious. There is no possible way that any person who watched even 25% of NBA games this year could honestly believe that Lebron was not the MVP.

So please MVP voters of any sport, please start voting with your head and not your heart, because it is a slap in the face to all of us sports fans out there who would love nothing more to have the awesome job that you currently have. If you cannot do that then please give up your vote because lord knows I will be chomping at the bait to get a chance to be in your shoes.

Pretty Boy Floyd

2010-05-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

How does one define greatness? In most team sports greatness goes hand in hand with titles (Jordan or Montana), but even then a player can be great without winning titles (Marino or Malone). However, individual sports are much harder to grade greatness. In some sports like swimming or track we can rely on times or records to show how great a competitor is at his or her sport. If I say that Micheal Phelps or Usain Bolt are all time greats in their respective sports I can back that up with the world record times they have recorded.

The problem comes into play in individual sports that have no standard measurement of greatness. Sports like Golf, Tennis and Boxing have well established history and yet if you ask 10 people who the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) is they will likely give you a variety of answers. Often this boils down to one aspect the level of competition. The discussion turns to debating who faced more difficult challenges in reaching the summit.

Boxing makes this task even more difficult due to the variety of weight classes and title belts. Weight classes fluctuate over time with each going through periods of great fighters and not so great fighters. At least in golf or tennis you have to overcome all your opposition in order to be victorious. In boxing however you are left with the choice of fight the opposition in your weight class or move up or down to find higher level of competition. Therefore the age old question in boxing seems to be "Who did you beat?"

I was thinking about this after watching Floyd Mayweather (PBF) destroy Shane Mosley this past weekend, it was a masterful performance that seemed to further distance PBF from his contemporaries. After the fight though most of the dialogue centered on how PBF had finally fought a top notch opponent and won, which cemented his legacy as an all time great.

The more I listened to this logic the more upset I got. Shouldn't the legacy of a fighter be how he won instead of who he faced? PBF cannot control who was in his weight class, he simply has gone out and dominated everyone who has been put in front of him. It is not PBF's fault that his divisions lack the all time great P4P fighters that they once had and it would be unfair to ask him to jump to weight class he doesn't feel comfortable just so we can watch him fight another great fighter. Yet, somehow his legacy was tarnished by the fact that he was 40-0 with no real great challenges heading into Saturday night's fight.

Would PBF have been held in higher regard if he had lost some all time battles with great opponents like Sugar Ray Leonard? Does a guy, who has dominated boxing to point where no fighter has really challenged him in any match up, have to go out of his way to fight another all time great in order to be recognized as Top 20 P4P fighter of all time?

I say no. In my eyes its about how you fight instead of who you fight. PBF has been dominating force throughout his entire career and has yet to taste defeat or even really come close to it and that to me is much more impressive than any criticism a person has with his opponents. So if a dominating victory over a 38 Shane Mosley is the "great victory" you needed to finally believe that PBF is an all time great. In my humble opinion he was already in that discussion and has been for a long time.

Iverson to the Clippers!?!?

2009-07-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

The latest rumor going around the NBA Free Agency Season is Allen Iverson to the Clippers. I cannot overstate how awful an idea this is even for the woeful Clippers. If the Clippers sign Iverson it would go down as one of the worst moves in franchise history. Let that sink in this is The Clippers and it would be the worst move in their franchise history! The Clippers are maybe the worst run franchise in all of sports, I mean people in Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo look back after failed seasons and say "Well it could be worse, we could be The Clippers." and this could be there worst move ever.

While there are numerous reasons while this is a terrible, I will focus on 4.

1. Iverson and Baron Davis are the same player- They both require lots of shots and need the ball in their hands to create their own shot. Not to mention they both are awful on the defensive end, which is an area where the Clippers drastically improve. The two of them cannot coexist on the same team let alone on the floor together. If they sign Iverson, than The Clippers will be ruining their major free agent signing of last summer.

2. Iverson is uncoachable- Listen, Iverson is a first ballot Hall of Famer but we all know he is not a coaches dream. There are mayber 2 or 3 coaches who could actually manage Iverson and Mike Dunleavy is not one of them. There is no way that Dunleavy, who is his own right is an awful coach, can get Iverson to play as part of a team. This would be the coach-player nightmare. I would give it a month before either Iverson turns the team against Dunleavy or Dunleavy quits on Iverson and buries him on the bench.

3. The Clippers have a decent core- Baron Davis can still score with the best of them and is one of the best clutch players in the league. Eric Gordan is a fantastic young player who has the potential to be a perennial All Star. Blake Griffin is a fantastic player, who will be a force in this league if he stays healthy. They have 3 quality players and need to develop and sign some quality role players who can help out the 3 stars. Allen Iverson is not what the team needs. He will destroy the the young players and will hurt their development.

4. The promotional factor- The Clippers apparently want to sign Iveson because he will sell tickets and on the same hand they are talking about bringing him off the bench. You cannot sell your franchise to fans on the premise of "Hey come watch our 6th man play 20 minutes a game!" If you want to sell tickets with Iverson you will have to start him almost every night, which will hurt the team. As for Iverson coming off the bench, there is no possible way that this idea will end well. Iverson may say all the right things but we all know after about 1 month he will start complaining to the media and destroying the team.

So please Donald Sterling and Mike Dunleavy please rethink this idea. Despite your best efforts the Clippers could actually be not terrible this year, and signing Iverson will just destroy that progress.

The British Open

2009-07-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

On Thursday The British Open will begin at Turnberry in Scotland. While I cannot say who will win, my out on a limb pick some guy named Eldrick Tiger Woods, I will say this there may not be a better experience in sports than being at The Open Championship.

I attended The Open in 2004 when it was at St. Andrews. I was there for a practice round and the first round and my mind was blown. The courses are like nothing you have ever seen. Bunkers so deep that you cannot see out of them when you are in them and these are just the fairway bunkers! Heather so thick that you could play with a bright orange ball that was 3 times normal size and you would not be able to find it.

We got there at the start of the first round and started at the first fairway so that we could see Jack tee off. We then walked the course for about 3 hours just trying to see every hole, and at every hole we were stunned by the difficulty and beauty of each hole. We then positioned our self up in the grandstand behind the 2nd hole. In this spot we go to see players hit in to the 2nd Green, hit into the 17th hole, and tee off on 18, it was like golf heaven. It was up on the top of the grandstand that we felt the true test of The Open. The wind was blowing at about 20 MPH and you could feel every gust of cold wind, and I was floored that players were actually playing in the wind because it was at least a 3 club wind.

As we left it had started to rain which once again reminded me how difficult the conditions really are at The Open. We were walking and stopped to see David Duval's group play their approach shots onto the 7th hole. The rain was escalating as one of Duval's playing partners stuck his approach shot to the roar of the crowd. Next to hit was Duval who was fighting a broken umbrella and thick rough. He shanked one way left and after letting out a few F-bombs he took his malfunctioning umbrella and threw it as hard as he could into the hill next to him. The umbrella went probably halfway through as the poor caddie was left to try and pull it out.

It was an amazing display of the emotions that golfers have during a major and it was a perfect end to a mind blowing day of watching golf.

So I beg you if you ever get the chance even if its only for one round go see The British Open at least once before you die because it will be a truly wonderful experience.

The MLB All Star Week

2009-07-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

I love the MLB All Star game because it is one of the few games where players give it their all. Luckily baseball is one of the few games where you cannot coast because the game comes to you. Batters cannot take it easy at the plate or they will look silly, pitchers have to throw good pitches or they will get shelled, and fielder better be ready or they will look like Dan Uggla and make 3 errors in the game.

I love the Home Run Derby even though I think it is a little too long and should only be 2 rounds and have 4 guys in the finals. That would ensure that the finals are still competitive and will still ensure some drama with a lot of home runs. Overall though I am a huge fan of the Home Run Derby because it is not fixed like the slam dunk competition. (If you need proof of that go youtube Rudy Fernadez two dunks from this years dunk contest and tell me if there was not an agenda to get Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard in the Finals.)

However I think the MLB should expand the All Star festivities to have some skills competitions. Here are my ideas.

1. Fast Pitch competition- Think about it, all of the hardest throwers in the game trying to hit the highest on the radar gun. The only rule the pitch has to be a strike. Broxton, Papelbon, Verlander and maybe 3 other guys. Each gets 10 pitches with a generous umpire calling strikes. The fastest strike for each player counts winner takes all.

2. Fastest Round the Bases- Crawford, Sizemore, Ichiro and 3 other speedsters. Each gets one run around all the diamond and the clock stops when the players crosses home plate. Who is the fastest man in the Major League? This will settle it.

3. Outfield Assist- My personal favorite. Straight out of Tom Emanski Defensive Skills video. Get all of the outfielders selected to the All Star team, go out to the out field. They each get 5 throws from Left, Center, and Right from about 250 feet out. There will be a trash can in place behind home place. If the ball hits the trash can you get 1 point but if it goes in the trash can you get 3 points. The top four highest scores will go to the finals and the highest score there wins.

Are these ideas perfect no but at least it gets everybody involved in the All Star festivities and will make it much more entertaining just like the NBA, NFL, and NHL skills competition. The MLB has more than just home run hitters and its time to showcase some of that talent.

Take It Easy Lebron

2009-07-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

Allegedly Lebron James was dunked on by Xavier guard Jordan Crawford in a scrimmage after hours at Lebron James summer camp for top high school players. The scrimmage was between the counselors who are top college players and Lebron James, and early in the scrimmage Crawford went to the basket and dunked on Lebron. This was probably one of the highlights of Crawford's early career and probably would have gotten him on Sports Center and on multiple TV shows talking about the dunk. Unfortunately for Crawford Nike reps confiscated the video of the game and the tapes have not been released to the public. According to the people at the game after the dunk Lebron called over a Nike rep and said something and the rep later went around to gather the video evidence. Despite all of this Crawford acted maturely saying "It was exciting just to be playing on the same court as him. I can see why he is so great at what he does."

As much I love Lebron James and for the most part defend him when haters try to attack him, but I cannot defend this action. You got dunked on no big deal everyone who has played basketball at at least the college level has been dunked on by an opposing player. Jordan was posterized by Starks. Lerbon himself has posterized people from Sheed, to KG to Tim Duncan. Part of being one of the premier players in the league means people are gunning to score on you. Jordan dealt with everyone trying to make him look silly. Iverson crossed him once and the video is all over YouTube.

Lebron you cannot get upset just because a talented college kid threw it down on you, and as long as you are a premier player in the league you will be a target for people to try and dunk on you. Let the kid have his moment and let it go. No one will think you are less of an NBA player because you were dunked on by a college kid.

So please let the video out and throw on a smile. Laugh it off and give the kid some props. Nobody wants to root for a player who gets this upset at being dunked on by a fellow player. I promise you will still be considered the best player in the league.

Steve McNair

2009-07-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

I know everyone has already heard about the tragic death of Steve McNair, and I am also sure everyone has heard about the circumstances surrounding his murder.

In story's like that it is important to remember that athletes have two personalities. They have the on the field persona and a personal life as well. These are separate lives and need to be treated as such. Yes, Steve McNair made some bad decisions at the end of his life that may have eventually lead to his death, but that does not change how he should be remembered as football player.

At the end of the day Steve McNair was a warrior on the football field. The list of injuries that he played through is mind blowing, and he was a fearless leader whose teams rallied behind him. Not to mention he came from a Historically Black College in Alcorn State, and still manage to be a top 5 draft pick. He was a trailblazer who can serve as motivation for all football players who bust their humps at smaller schools. Also Steve McNair was a major contributor to the community and even paid for multiple football camps entirely out of his own pocket.

Was Steve McNair perfect off the field? Absolutely not, and the tragic nature of his death have blown his mistakes in his personal life into the mainstream media. However as a player, a role model on the field, a field general, and giving back to society he was most definitely perfect.

I will choose to remember the on the field version of Steve McNair because in my eyes he had that role down perfectly, and I hope you all do the same.

Keep it Down Serena

2009-07-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

I have nothing against the Williams Sisters. I think they are two of the greatest tennis players of all time, and helped bring a new style of tennis into this generation. They brought a power game that the women's side had never seen. They combined this power with grace and beauty and become icons. The fact that they were African Americans from the hard streets of Compton, California made them even bigger icons to all young girls.

I am always thrilled when they dominate a tournament like they did at Wimbledon this year. They steamrolled the competition to face each other in the singles final, and not to mention they crushed the doubles field to win another doubles title. Serena had one of the best two weeks of her life winning both singles and doubles on the same day. I even thought her shirt that read "Are you looking at my titles" was hilarious and a great way to play on her good looks.

What is did not like was her press conference about being ranked #2. She ripped number 1 Dinora Safina and the WTA rankings. Now I agree Serena is the best woman's player today, but that does not mean she should be ranked number 1. The WTA rankings are based on a year round performance not just the majors. Serena tends to only focus on the 4 majors and does not have the same intensity for the other tour events. Dinora Safina brings her A game to every tournament no matter how big and because of her consistency in those tournaments she has gained the right to be ranked number 1. Not only that its not as if she is losing in the first round of the big tournaments.

No one complained on the men's side when Nadal passed Federer even though Nadal had only won one major outside the red clay of Roland Garros and Federer had been in 3 Grand Slam Finals and 1 Grand Slam Final that season. Why because Nadal had a better year all around in the other tournaments. When Federer took it back after winning Wimbledon no one complained because he has had a better season in the past year.

So if Serena really wants to be number 1, she needs to go out and play all the tournaments on the circuit. She needs to give and A+ effort and win a few of those tournaments. If she only wants to focus on majors that is perfectly OK too. She can keep winning the big ones and get closer to the all time record and cement her legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.

However, if she does not play in the events necessary to accumulate points to overtake the number 1 spot than she needs to stop complaining. You cannot complain about a system that you do not fully participate. So Serena the proverbial ball is in your court, either give it your all and take back what you want, or stop whining about the system.

The Return of Manny

2009-07-03T20:31:00.000-07:00

As exciting as the frenzy of NBA free agency has been, I am putting that on hold till all the contracts become final on July 8th. Instead I am focusing on something more disturbing, the return of Manny to the Dodgers.

It has been the lead on SportsCenter all week long and frankly it makes me upset. Manny was suspended for steroids and yet he is being talked as the savior for the Dodgers World Series hopes. It would be different if he was returning from injury but he was suspended for taking performance enhancing drugs! He should be treated as a cheater not as a savior. For all the outrage over PEDs in the recent years, Manny seems to be getting a free pass. Bonds was rejected by all fans outside the San Fransisco area, Clemens is seen as a criminal, and A-Rod was ripped apart by every media outlet. Yet Manny does not seem to be getting any of this treatment.

I think one reason for this treatment was the suspension. Manny is the first superstar to actually be suspended for 50 games. There is a feeling that he did his time and now should be treated like a regular player. I just do not agree with this sentiment at all. He cheated and got caught this makes him a black sheep in the league and should be treated as such. Players should treat him differently in the locker room and the media should not put up with him avoiding questions about steroids.

If Manny continues to get a free pass then where is the real motivation to avoid PEDs. Yes you will miss 50 games games but if you are a valuable asset to your team you will return to hero's welcome when you get back. It is time for players, coaches, media and fans to treat Manny the way he should be treated, as a cheater who got caught and forever tainted his legacy. If not then the PED problem in baseball will never truly be fixed.

Singing a New Song

2009-07-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

Sports are a simple game, usually the best team wins and usually the best players win titles and and MVPs. What makes sports so appealing is the fan's perspective and the arguments sports present. Who is the greatest of all time? Who was the best team in history? and etc. Everyone who follows sports even a little bit has opinions on all things sports and everyone likes to voice their opinions to anyone who will listen. My favorite part about this is how we change our perspective in an instant in order to support our favorite team.

I am just as guilty as the next one. Some of my personal favorite flip flops include; Hating Roberto Alomar for spitting in an umpires face and yet cheering for him the minute he put on the Indians uniform. Calling Jamal Lewis a thug and a criminal and yet now looking for him in fantasy drafts because he is the Browns best offensive weapon. There are countless other times as well.

So naturally I have been thrilled by some of the flip flopping happening in the last few days in the NBA. In March the Cavs were talking about signing Shaq. All the Cavs fans were saying "We do not need Shaq to win the title, he will just slow our team down." Now after the Cavs have signed Shaq the Cavs fans sign "We have Shaq, now we our the favorites to win the title. Just think of how good our offense will be with Shaq."

All playoffs long I listened to Magic fans talk about how Hedo Turkaglu was the heart and soul of their team and when the Magic needed a big bucket in the clutch Hedo was their man. Then he opted for free agency and the Magic signed Vince "I only try in a contract year and if I am not happy I quit on my team" Carter and suddenly the Magic fans are singing "We are even better than last year. Vince is a huge upgrade for our team we are the favorites for the title"

Even in Lakerland people are singing new tunes. During the season all we heard was that Trevor Ariza was the next Scottie Pippen for Kobe. They told us that Ariza was one of the cornerstones of the franchise for the next 10 years. Now Ariza is asking for a bigger salary and will most likely sign somewhere else. Now the Lakers fans are singing "Ariza was not a big piece to our title run, we can find someone to fill his role easily. We are still the favorites for the title next year."

Whose next? Celtics after they sign Rasheed Wallace? I don't know but I know I will enjoy the singing of new songs by all the fans of of the title favorites but for now "Shaq will absolutely dominate the paint and improve our offense so my Cavs have to be the favorites for the Title."

The pressure of sports

2009-07-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

So often in sports we take the athletes for granted. I know I am just as guilty as anybody else out there, too often I watch a reliever blow a lead, a two guard miss an open 3 in a clutch situation, or a QB throw a pick in the last two minutes and get upset. We say things like "that guy is a bum or why is he even in the big leagues" At games we shower the goat with boos and agree as he is ripped apart through the media. However after hearing the story of Ian Snell and his near mental collapse after being sent down to the minors, I was brought back to reality. Ian Snell recently came out and admitted that as he was struggling mental as he was failing in the big leagues and was sent back down. He talked about how he fell into depression and thought about suicide, but thankfully thought better and is using it as a source of strength as he battles to return to the big leagues.

Too often we forget the massive amount of pressure these players face. They walk out in front of thousands of people (or hundreds if they play for the Marlins) and in front of millions on live TV or highlight shows. Not to mention in the cutthroat world of professional sports a few bad performances can end the dream before it even begins. Yes they are massively well compensated but that can only increase the pressure. A high paid CEO can work in obscurity and will have years to work on their company.

Now I am not saying that professional athletes should be immune from criticism because after all it is their job. I am saying that sometimes we as fans we take for granted the amount of pressure these athletes are under. So the next time you see an athlete make a mistake or blow a game, just stop an appreciate the stress and pressure that he is under, then feel free to get upset at the result. Just remember that the athlete is probably 100 times more upset than you are.

Weekend Recap

2009-06-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

I spent the past weekend at the Reds Indians series so I was not able to watch as much sports on TV as I would have liked. However I will still offer up some thoughts about happenings of the weekend.

Interleague Play- Interleague play wrapped up this weekend with the AL winning again. While I am not the biggest fan of Interleague, it was a pretty good weekend of games, except of coarse in Cleveland where the closest game was 7-3. I wish there was a way to eliminate the less appealing match ups of Interleague and play the match ups that people really like to watch. If the MLB insists on continuing Interleague play they should set up the match ups based on geographical rivalaries and last years records. I know I get a little more excited when the Indians are playing the Reds, than when they are playing the Rockies. If the MLB would like to eliminate Interleague play, I would not be upset either.

USA loses heart breaker in the Confederations Cup- This was a tale of two halves. The first half the USA came out looking like the best team in the world. They were attacking in all 3 parts of the field, firing shots on goal, and grabbed a 2-0 lead. While Brazil had some moments of promise in the first half it seemed more than probable that the USA could pull it off. Then the 2nd half started and before you could even get your first "USA! USA! USA!" out Brazil had scored to make it 2-1. The rest as they say is history, and the USA lost 3-2. No matter the result this was a great moment for USA soccer. While it will not make it a main stream sport or even stay in many people's thoughts for more than a week, but it was a watershed moment because the USA played and beat some of the big boys of the world and this should give them confidence going into South Africa next summer. The key will lie with Bob Bradley to keep the team confident but motivated. The team should know that they can hang with anybody in the world but also be well aware that if they decide to just rest on their laurels than they will come crashing out early in the 2010 World Cup.

Wimbledon- Monday represents the 4th round for both men and women. Look for Federer, Murray, Djokovic, and Roddick to cruise on the men's side. On the woman's side, its the Williams sisters' tourney to win it is just a question of which one. The second week of Wimbledon is one of the greatest weeks in sports so I highly recommend you check out the coverage this week.

That's all for now. I promise to have a full week of posts this week.

Miracle in South Africa

2009-06-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

All that was missing was Al Michaels counting down the time; 3, 2, 1 Do you believe in miracles?

USA 2 Spain 0. The USA team that a week ago looked like they did not even belong in the tournament, delivered the knockout punch to the #1 team in the world.

The USA came out early and played with passion and strategy. They knew that the only way to stop control Spain was to attack the midfield and try to score early and they did just that dominating the play in the first 3o minutes and getting the score on a brilliant move by Josie Altidore to get free and score. The goal signaled everything the USA needed. First they attacked in an odd man rush then Altidore made a great move to get in on goal. Finally the shot was partially saved by the Spanish keeper but still manged to catch the inside post and go in for the goal. This was a great break and great breaks never seem to go against the USA in big games.

Once the first goal was scored, the game was on. The giants from Spain realized this would be a dogfight and came out swinging. Tim Howard was breathtaking in the goal. He took a barrage a shots. The back line of the USA looked like hockey players laying out in front of shots to deflect them. As the game wore on and Spain kept pushing it seemed like it was impossible for the USA to hold them off. Then out of nowhere the USA was on the counter and Landon Donovan opted to pass instead of shoot, which seemed like a terrible decision but the deflection sat on Sergio Ramos foot for a second too long and Clint Dempsey put it home for an improbable 2nd goal. Now the win seemed possible. Despite and iffy red card on Michael Bradley in the 87th minute, the defense continued to protect the goal.

As the time ran out their was a sense of shock. I sat there in disbelief that it actually happened. I went into this game hoping that the USA could save face and keep it close. This was Spain the #1 team in the world, the defending EURO Champs, riding a world record 15 match winning streak, unbeaten in 35 games, and had yet to give up a goal in the entire tournament. The USA had backed their way into the semifinals. There was no way the USA was supposed to even compete in this game let alone win.

USA soccer is in a position to win a FIFA tournament for the first time ever. If they manage to beat Brazil/South Africa, it would be one of the most improbable turnarounds in soccer history. Regardless of the outcome the USA has found something that was severely lacking on the national team, confidence and pride. Next year the USA can show up to the World Cup and know that if they play with passion and strategy, they can hang with and beat anybody in the world.

What happens next is up to the 23 members of the national team and Bob Bradley, but for the first time in a long time I feel confident that the USA National Team is heading down the right path.

USA Soccer Remix

2009-06-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

So I do not know if anyone is even reading the blog but if you are then you surely saw that the USA pulled a rabbit out of their collective hat and served me some humble pie after my harsh critique of the team last week.

USA came out dominant and played with purpose and handed it to Egypt 3-0 and thanks to Italy failing to show up against Brazil, which was one of the most embarrassing performance in their storied history, the USA advanced to the semifinals.

While I was thoroughly pumped up about the win, I knew that the best team in the world, Spain, was waiting for the USA in the semifinals. Yes. I would love to see the USA pull of the biggest win in the program's history, but I am also a realist. Spain is currently ranked #1 in the world, they have a 15 match winning streak and a 35 game undefeated streak, and feature one of the most skilled teams in recent memory; so it is safe to say the USA will be a HUGE underdog.

However this is not a time for USA soccer to subscribe to the "Hey no one expected us to advance so who cares what happens in this game" mentality. This is a huge opportunity for the USA to show its not just a team that got lucky. I realize they probably cannot win this match up but it will depend on how they lose that will set the tone for the future. If USA losses 2-1 or 3-2 and gives Spain a test, then they will have sent a message to the world that they are for real. If USA comes out gives up 2 early goals and loses 3-0 or 4-1 than its back to square one. The USA needs a clutch performance even if it is a losing one because anything less means this tournament gave them nothing except a fluke win and some help from Brazil.

So please USA come out play with purpose, play with pride, and lets make sure we actually gain something from this tournament.

USA Soccer

2009-06-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

After the disappointing loss to Italy to start off the USA's campaign in South Africa for the Confederations Cup, I was excited for this morning's game vs Brazil. This was a chance for a motivated USA team to come out and take it to the greatest soccer country in history. Brazil had been tested by the African champions and if there was ever a chance for the USA to pull off the upset it was today. Much to my dismay the USA came out flat gave up 2 goals in the first 20 minutes and never really tested Brazil.

I love soccer and have been drinking the Kool-Aid that the US Soccer Federation has been serving since the teams incredible run to the Final 8 in the 2002 World Cup. When the team looked flat after the 2002 World Cup they said "We may be struggling because a new generation of players are coming up" and I believed that this generation would be the generation to take the USA to the next level. After the below par performance at the 2006 World Cup they said " We know we underachieved but we were in a brutal group and we tied the World Cup Champions in a great match". Although I was upset at the result, I believed them. When they went out on their tour of friendlies last summer with close loses to England, Spain, and a tie with Argentina. They said "Look how much better we are getting, we hung in with some of the best teams in the world". I was not overwhelmed by their performances against teams that were not at full strength, but still a believed them. As the team rolled through World Cup Qualifying, they said "Look we are the dominant team in CONCACF" and even though that was not saying much I believed them.

Then came this past month of qualifiers. An absolute beat down in Costa Rica, where they never looked into the game, and a win at home against Honduras, where they conceded an early goal and needed to rally late to win. Those last two performances had me doubting the actual ability of this USA team. So I was anxiously looking forward to the Confederations Cup knowing that they would face 3 very good teams in Italy, Brazil, and Egypt and there performance would serve as a barometer to see how much progress the team has really made.

Well after the last two performances against Italy and Brazil, I can safely say the USA has regressed under Bob Bradley and will be in for a very very disappointing World Cup in 2010 unless some things are changed quickly.

1. Fire Bob Bradley- I never like asking for a coach to be fired because I rarely think I can do better, but in this case I think it has to happen. The team is not responding to Bradley's coaching and the lack of effort on the field shows. They need to hire someone who will command respect in the locker room and will motivate both the young and old players to play with intensity.

2. Create a style identity- Look at the 3 premier teams in the Confederations Cup Brazil, Spain, and Italy. Spain is known for its dominance in the midfield and its ability to take over the possession of a game. Brazil is know for its wide open attacking style that puts pressure on every player in the midfield and back line. Italy is know for its lock down defense and the ability to strike quickly on the counter attack. What is the USA team identity? They are not know for their back line, their midfield play, or their scoring ability. The team seems to go into the game just hoping they catch some breaks maybe score a goal and hope Tim Howard can make it stand. It may take years to establish but the USA needs to create some sort of strategic game plan that they can excel playing.

3. Decide youth or experience- Currently the USA is a combination of either 7-8 year veterans or 1-2 year players. I realize you will never have all one or all the other but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the call-ups and team selections. If the USA wants to go with experience that is great but make the majority of the team veterans who have serious international experience. If they want to make this a youth movement, I love that idea too but lets really open the doors for young players to start and develop. There is no point in naming a lot of young players if they will only get minimal minutes or just training seasons.

4. Demand excellence on the national team level- When I watch the national team I get the feeling that some players are playing because they have to play not because they want to play. I feel that many of the players feel so secure in their spots on the team they do not bring their best effort for every game. Whoever the new coach is needs to be someone who demands excellence and pride in every game and if a player is failing to do that they sit the next game or do not get the call for the next international tournament. Playing for the national team is a privilege and I would much rather have a roster of 23 players who understand that than a team with more talented players who do not.

The US Soccer Federation has been trying to tell us for years that the Men's National Team is among the world's elite teams. Well I am not drinking the Kool-Aid anymore and I think majority of fans are coming around as well. Changes need to be made or else the USA is set up for disaster in 2010, which would be a huge blow to the efforts to grow the game in the USA.

Vick vs Dante

2009-06-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

In the current firestorm about Dante Stallworth's ridiculous 30 day sentence for DUI manslaughter many people have pointed out that Micheal Vick served almost 2 years for his role in a dogfighting ring and Dante Stallworth only got 30 days for killing a man. While I am disgusted that Stallworth will only be in jail for 24 days one important thing needs to be pointed out. You cannot compare the two crimes and the two prison sentences.

1. Vick's case was a federal case- Vick's dogfighting ring operated in multiple states which meant that the case was a federal case that would be tried in a federal courtroom with federal attorneys. Federal cases are very rarely settled by plea bargains so it most likely all or nothing. Not to mention the fact that it was a federal case meant that the FBI was using its full capability and resources to investigate the case. The evidence was damning against Vick and once his partners rolled on him there was no chance of avoiding a serious sentence for his crimes. Stallworth on the other hand was a local crime so it was investigate by local police and persecuted by local attorneys. This is not a condemnation of local police and attorneys but they are often swamped with multiple cases and have limited resources.

2. Media outcry- Right or wrong DUI manslaughter cases are not that uncommon even within athletes. Lenard Little was convicted of it in the past decade. Nick Adenheart was killed in an accident with a drunk driver this year, and Danny Heatley killed a teammate while driving drunk 5 years ago. Unfortunately these cases happen enough that they are not breaking news and there is little media outcry. However Vick's case was unique because how often do you about dogfighting rings, let alone dogfighting rings run by a franchise QB, who just signed a $120 million contract and had the highest selling jersey in the NFL. The media took this story and ran with it and by the time the case was going to court Vick was the most vilified man in America. Also the public outcry was for Vick to be punished to the highest extent of the law. Groups like PETA and other animal rights groups protested everywhere Vick went. Look back at the Stallworth story; I remember hearing about the accident, hearing that he was over the legal limit, and hearing about the prison sentence. There were not protests or media outcry until he was sentenced. Right or wrong our society reacts differently to crimes and in the case of DUI manslaughter it unfortunately happens so often that we quickly brush over the story and move on to the next story.

3. Stallworth did everything the right way- This sounds stupid but Stallworth's acted in the correct way from the minute the accident occurred. He stayed at the scene of the crime, admitted fault as soon as the police got there, and volunteered to have his blood tested for alcohol. He immediately said he was in the wrong and that he was sorry and settled for a cash settlement with the family. While this in no way absolves him of his crime, it at least made the judge view him favorably. Vick denied the claims and tried to fight it by all means necessary despite the damning evidence against him. Everyone knew Vick was guilty in some regard and his continual denials made him seem as if he thought he was untouchable and would walk away from the charges.

4. The evidence in the case- The man Stallworth hit was running at full speed across the street, and was not at a crosswalk. This made the case much more difficult for the attorneys because they knew that Stallworth's attorneys would try to claim that the pedestrian put himself in harms way and even sober Stallworth would not be able to avoid hitting him. While this seems implausible, attorneys never know how a jury will react. The district attorneys were faced with a distinct possibility that Stallworth could be found innocent. The attorneys figured better to get something over nothing so the plea bargain was offered. In Vick's case the evidence was overwhelmingly against him, and it would have taken a miracle that no lawyer would have felt confident about. The federal prosecutors knew they had Vick between a rock and a hard place and could push as hard as they want.

5. Motive- This is black and white issue to me. Vick and his colleagues planned this dogfighting ring from start to finish. They knowingly set up arenas for dogfighting coordinated with other dog owners to set up the fights, and were willing to execute dogs in the most inhumane way possible. While Stallworth's crime was awful it was an accident. Yes he caused it by drinking and driving but he was not out to commit murder. Hence the reason he is charged with manslaughter and not homicide. While it does not excuse Stallworth for the crime, it shows there was no motive and in the criminal world motive is what drives sentences to the more severe level.

At the end of the day, I am disgusted that Stallworth got off so easily. I think he deserves to be behind bars for at least 3-5 years for his crime. If he gets to play football this upcoming year I think his whole salary should be donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving or some charity similar to that. I know he will be forced to live with the knowledge that he took a man's life something that I cannot even comprehend, but I still do not believe that is punishment enough.

People have a million reasons to be outraged about the embarrassment that was the legal system on Tuesday but the one reason you cannot be outraged is that Stallworth got less time than Vick. They are both criminals but their crimes were different crimes and committed under different circumstances and therefore the punishments were different. I am furious that Stallworth got off so easily just not because Vick had a longer sentence.

The problem with relievers

2009-06-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Indians-Brewers game Monday night and watched as both bullpens faltered especially the Indians bullpen as they gave up 6 runs in the 8th inning. As I was picking up the pieces from my remote after Rafael Perez gave up a grand slam to Prince Fielder to officially blow the lead, I started wondering why there are so few good relievers in the MLB. I came up with a few reasons and I think they may shed some light on why even though so many games are in won or lost in the 7th, 8th, and 9th; teams continually fail to address the problems with today's bullpen set up.

1. Starters are less durable- Through the first 75 some odd years off baseball starters were horses. Pitchers went into the 7th almost every start regardless of the score. Most went 8 or 9 unless they were really being shelled. In the past 25 years though managers have begun to control pitchers more and more which has hurt the pitchers endurance. Now most pitchers are done by the 7th inning unless they have a gem going, which means more innings for the bullpen and by the law of averages the more innings for the bullpen the more often then bullpen will blow a game.

2. Hitters are too good- Whether it is all natural or by some "scientific" means hitters are getting better and better. They spend more time training in the winter and have technology unlike any previous generation. Hitters can have a bad at bat in the 4th inning go look at the video immediately and start making changes that could pay off by the 8th. Not to mention hitters can use video to study every pitcher on a team before a series starts. Hitters are too good for mediocre pitchers to get through and unfortunately today's bullpens are filled with mediocre pitchers

3. The overvalue of closers- In today's game teams have made the mistake of overpaying and overvaluing the role of closers. Realistically though the game can be blown in any inning and the system is so illogical that the follows scenario happens often. The 3-4-5 hitters coming up in the 8th in a one or two run game, and yet even though these are the hitters who are the biggest risk to scoring runs managers will trot out the set up man who 90% of the time has worse stuff than the closer. How does that make sense? Why because teams and closers are too focused on the save statistic. Without the save statistic managers would bring out their best relief pitchers to face the best hitters, whether its the 7th, 8th or 9th inning.

4. The rush to make every effective pitcher a starter or closer- Most teams have pitching prospects with pitches effective enough to be a reliever in the big leagues, yet the best prospects are pigeonholed into being the starter of the future or the closer of the future. Look at David Price or Joba Chamberlain for example. Both of these young pitchers have electric stuff and were lights out as late inning relievers, but both have made the move to the starting rotation. I am not saying those two will fail as starters but as they say "if it ain't broke don't fix it". There are plenty of average starters that can fill the 3, 4, and 5 pitcher so why force a young guy who is an effective reliever to be the 3rd pitcher in the rotation?

These are just a few thoughts but just know if I was a major league manager I will be bringing my best pitcher in to face the heart of the order in the 8th. My young pitchers will start as late relievers and if they succeed in that role they will be a reliever until the day I get fired, which will be never because I will have the most effective bullpen in the MLB.

NBA 2010 Preview

2009-06-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Seeing that the Lakers closed the Finals out in five (as you heard here), I figured the the best thing to do was to forget this season and offer you a preview for next season.

I realize there may be some serious trades (Shaq to Cleveland) some big free agent moves (Turkoglu leaving Orlando for more money) and a sleeper rookie pick (Rubio to Oklahoma City). However this is a pre pre-season prediction.

Let me preface by saying this by saying this has the potential to be one of the most exciting seasons in NBA history. Just some of the story lines.

The last ride of Duncan and the Spurs- Duncan has one more year as a dominant post player in the NBA. With Manu coming off surgery and Parker exploding as one of the most underrated stars in the league, this will probably be the last season the Spurs big 3 will contend for a title. Can Manu and Timmy stay healthy for one more year? If so the road to the Finals may go through San Antonio.

Boston's Big 3 part duex- With the injury to Kevin Garnett the Celtics were never really a factor in the playoffs. However, the Big 3 return at full strength and with the development of Rajon Rando, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis, and this could make them the outright favorite for the title.

Kobe Quest for Repeat- Kobe got his 4th ring, and has cemented himself as one of the Top Ten players in history. So he will probably just settle to enjoy the rest of his career and relax. I just cannot see that happening. Not to mention the Lakers could return with their entire nucleus back from a team that dominated the Finals.

Lebron- Will he stay or will he go? Will the Cavs get over the hump? What moves will be made to make Lebron believe they are a contender? Can Lebron repeat as MVP after one of the best statistical seasons in recent memories? Its a season of questions for Cleveland and yet I think everyone expects them to be a 60 win team.

60 wins- We could legitimately see 6 teams win 60 games this season. Lakers (lock for 60), Cavs (lock), Celtics (lock), and the Magic and Spurs could easily get above 60 wins themselves. The Nuggets could even be near that number as well.

Young Talented Teams trying to break through- Blazers, Bulls, Thunder, and Hawks. 4 teams that are loaded with young players and have the talent to be in the mix very deep into the postseason.

So my pre pre-season predictions
MVP: Lebron James
Coach of the Year- Greg Poppovich
Defensive Player of the Year- Dwight Howard
Rookie of the Year- Ricky Rubio
6th Man of the year- Manu (unfair because he is really a starter)

1st Team All NBA 2nd Team All NBA
G-Rajon Rondo G- Steve Nash
G- Kobe Bryant G- Dwayne Wade
F- Lebron James F- Kevin Durant
F- Dirk Nowitzki F- Paul Pierce
C- Dwight Howard C- Tim Duncan

Playoffs:
East:
1. Celtics
2. Cavs
3. Magic
4. Bulls
5. Heat
6. Hawks
7. 76ers
8. Pacers
9. Raptors

West:
1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Nuggets
4. Blazers
5. Rockets
6. Mavericks
7. Jazz (if Boozer returns)
8. Thunder
9. Suns

Round 1-
West: East:
Lakers over Thunder in 5 Celtics over Pacers in 4
Spurs over Jazz in 6 Cavs over 76ers in 5
Mavericks over Nuggets in 6 Magic over Hawks in 7
Blazers over Rockets in 7 Bulls over Heat in 6

Round 2:
Lakers over Blazers in 6 Celtics over Bulls in 6
Spurs over Mavericks in 7 Cavs over Magic in 7

Conference Finals
Spurs over Lakers in 6 Celtics over Cavs in 7

NBA Finals:
Spurs over Celtics in 6

So there is my pre pre-season review. We will check back in on these before the season and at the end of next year.

The Greatest Spectacle in Sports

2009-06-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

While I would love to write a 50,000 word post about how the Orlando Magic choked away the NBA Finals last night to the Lakers, I will instead focus on the the positives of the sports world. Tonight features the greatest moment in sports, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

As I have posted before I think the NHL playoffs are the greatest playoffs in sports due to the grueling games and the physical abuse that a team must go through in order to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. The best event in any sport is a Game 7 so naturally when the you get a Game 7 to decide the Stanley Cup Finals, it could easily be considered the best event in all of sports.

I am downright giddy at the prospects of this game. You have the old guard Red Wings trying to add another Cup to their dynasty. On the other hand you have the never say die, young guns Pittsburgh Penguins trying to establish themselves as the new team to beat. You have a series that the home team has held serve throughout the series going back to one of the greatest hockey atmospheres left in the NHL.

You have two great sports cities vying for a title. The downtrodden city of Detroit who has suffered so much economy wise, infrastructure wise, and sports wise. A Red Wings title will not fix their problems but will take some sting out of the Pistons collapse and the 0-16 Lions season. You have Pittsburgh who is trying to continue one of the greatest sports seasons in the city's history. A Steelers Super Bowl win, and University of Pittsburgh run in the NCAA tournament add a Stanley Cup Title and maybe the Pirates season does not look as bad.

You have some of the greatest players in the league taking the ice tonight. Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk. You have Marion Hossa who left the Pens after last year's defeat to go to the Red Wings just because he wanted to win a Cup. You have two goalies trying to prove themselves for different reasons. Chris Osgood, who is looking for his 3rd Cup as the starting goalie, which would elevate him to HOF status and eliminate the questions about his ability. Marc Andre Fleury, who is trying to win his first Cup, and wants to firmly establish himself as a premier goalie in the league.

Finally, there is the great unknown of Game 7 in the NHL, which is that anyone can be the hero. It could be the 3rd line winger or the 2nd line defense man. This is why Game 7's in the NHL are so amazing. There is not tomorrow so every player will be going for broke on every shift. If we are really lucky it will be tied going into the last 8 minutes and that's when the real fun begins. Every shot could be the shot that wins the Cup.

In the greatest of scenarios we could see overtime, and at that point everything goes out the window. You will see stars double shifting and role players delivering huge hits and any bounce or deflection could lift either city to total jubilation while plummeting the other into a crushing defeat.

My prediction Red Wings win 3-2 in overtime. Detroit needs this badly and I am just hoping for a great game.

Random Thoughts for the Day

2009-06-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

No specific column today just some overall thoughts on sports.

Kobe is not tired he just had a bad game- Listen, even MJ had games where he could not pull it out. Kobe owned up and said that he was off, so lets stop with this Kobe is exhausted story. Kobe does not want or need excuses for Game 3.

Most underrated story from Game 3- The Magic set an NBA record for field goal percentage. Kobe had an awful 4th quarter. Still the Lakers had a chance to win that game, if I am an Orlando Magic fan I am very worried about winning another game in this series.

Kareem says Dwight Howard's game is predictable- File this in the "Someone famous makes an incredibly obvious conclusion and people are intrigued". Listen everyone who has watched the Magic play can see that Dwight Howard is still has a lot of work to do if he wants to be an all time great post player. Even Dwight has admitted this so frankly I would have rather Kareem give us some real insight rather than just stating the obvious.

Alonzo Morning says Phil Jackson is not doing anything but calling timeouts- This is such a ridiculous statement it really should not even be a story. Zo, I appreciate you giving us some insight but seriously if you are going to bash a coach I would recommend not a coach with 9 rings.

Real Madrid pay $131 million to get Ronaldo from Manchester United- This is probably the biggest story in the world of sports. For Americans who hate soccer, Ill paraphrase in terms you will understand. This is like the Bulls selling Jordan to the Pistons, in the early 90's. The world's best player just defected from one of the greatest clubs in Europe to maybe the only club that rivals Man U's legacy. The ripple effects of this move will be felt in European soccer for the next decade.

Mike Brown could be on the hot seat- Despite Mike Brown pulling a choke job in the in the Eastern Conference Finals, he is still the coach of the year. He has improved by leaps and bounds every year so lets give him one more year to learn from his mistakes. If the Cavs do not win the title next year than he will really be on the hot seat. Although the one person in Cleveland who should be on the hot seat is Danny Ferry. He is about to embark on the most important post season in Cleveland since the beginning of Major League 2, and if he does not bring in the players who will elevate the Cavs to the next level, than I would not be surprised to see him gone before the season begins.

My pick for tonight. Lakers win a close one in Orlando to ice this series and crush the good feelings in Orlando

Lebron vs Kobe

2009-06-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Everyone can agree that there are 2 players who stand above everyone else in the NBA these days. So naturally the head to head comparisons are going to flow between the two, however there is something that everyone needs to understand. Kobe success does take away from Lebron and vice versa.

Lebron won the MVP this season and Kobe was the runner up. This does not mean Kobe is not in the same league as Lebron it just means Lebron meant more to his team. Just like last year Kobe was the MVP and Lebron was 4th. Did that mean that Lebron was that far behind Kobe in talent? No it meant Kobe meant more to his teams success than Lebron did.

Kobe's Lakers took 7 games to knock out the Rockets in the second round and Lebron's Cavs swept the Hawks. Yet this has no bearing on who is the better player, just who had a tougher series.

Lebron was knocked out in the Conference Finals and Kobe advanced to the Finals. This does not disparage Lebron James performance in the series or his ability in relation to Kobe Bryant's ability.

Kobe should win a title this year while Lebron and his puppet are sitting at home. While this title will establish Kobe as a top 10 player all time, it does not mean Lebron James is not an all time talent.

Too often people who are pro-Kobe or pro-Lebron uses either of the two accomplishments to tear down the other one. This cannot be the case. Their two accomplishments are separate from one another. If Kobe scores 50 in Game 4 that does not mean Lebron James sucks. If Lebron goes out and wins another MVP and a title next year and averages 40, 10, and 10 (not an actual prediction but just for argument's sake) it does not mean Kobe sucks.

Unless they played each other for every single game of the next season, you cannot judge one by the others accomplishment. I mean what if they both went for 50, 10, and 10 in a head to head game and the Lakers won, does that mean Lebron is not in the same league as Kobe? If the Cavs won does that mean Lebron is way above Kobe? NO!

Lets just admit they are both all time great players, and by the time they are retired we could be looking at two of the top players in NBA history. Lets just enjoy the ride and remember that just because one succeeds doesn't mean the other is a failure.

Why Graduate?

2009-06-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

The NBA draft is quickly approaching and after looking through the top prospects an interesting trend appeared. There are almost no college seniors in the top 50 or so prospects. This bothers me because it seems like a contradiction on the NBA stance on making players go to college.

I never had a problem with high school players making the leap straight to the NBA via the draft. Look at the NBA landscape and the 3 players who were the most hyped, Kobe, Lebron and Dwight Howard, all of which came into the league directly from high school. So it is clear to me that there are high school seniors who are ready for the NBA, and with the never ending prep season where players start AAU tournaments almost as soon as the high school state finals end, high school players today are more experienced in high level competition than college players of 15- 20 years ago. The major problem with the high school to NBA jump was a problem in quantity not quality. Too many high school players were leaving early and ended up not being ready for the NBA and had their life's ruined. The appeal of the big money and SportsCenter highlights lured kids into to culture and lifestyle that they were clearly not ready to experience.

So the NBA introduced the one year clause, which said a player must be at least a year out of high school in order to be drafted. The goal being that kids would go to college and get more experience as well as an education. Plus this meant the college game would be better off because more talented players would be at big time programs.

Only a funny thing happened, NBA teams went global and teams wanted to secure foreign players earlier. Suddenly the second round of the NBA draft turned into a foreign affair and teams were taking 7 foot centers from the Sedan who had only played basketball for two years and had no real experience just so that they could have his rights if he panned out.

This had a ripple effect on the college game because college players saw this and got the message, whether its true or not, "its better to be young and full of potential than older and have a polished game." So freshman and sophomores and college start believing that it is detrimental for them to stay 3 or 4 years because NBA teams do not want 23 and 24 year old rookies but 19 and 20 year old rookies.

So now we have the same problem that existed when the draft was high school eligible. Players leave early with no regard to if they are ready or not but because the culture of the draft says we want young potential above everything else.

It has almost become a stereotype for college seniors. It seems that if you had to play in college 4 years than you obviously are not good enough for the NBA. Reread that sentence and just let it sink in about how ridiculous it sounds. Players who spend four years in college trying to improve and get a degree are being penalized because they did not leave the first second an agent whispered in their ear "Hey you could be a first round pick".

The NBA is the hardest league to make it in because there are only 12 spots on each team and really only 7-8 guys get to play on a regular basis. The odds of having a full 10 year career in the NBA are highly against any player. Even the cant miss prospects still miss and with so few roster spots the NBA teams can cut the cord easier knowing that there are 100's of good to great players playing in the D-League or Euro League.

So now we have a system that leads players to believe the longer you stay in college the worse your lottery chances are, and a league that has the fewest amount of open roster spots than any other professional sports. This is a recipe for disaster and the worst part about it is that the kids suffer. Now the kid from Big State University who played as the 6th man as a freshman is leaving with about a semesters worth of college education and a year of not even playing in the starting 5 to go to league that will most likely chew him up and spit him out in less than 3 years before the player can actually make any significant money.

This needs to change, and to be honest I don't know how. Obviously you cannot force players to stay all for years in college because the truly gifted players will feel cheated out of 2-3 of NBA pay. You could go back to high school players are eligible but you will still have the same problems.

In my opinion there are only two solutions. 1. Make it a two year waiting period for high school players. This will require players to get at least a year and half of college education and give scouts more time to watch them grow as a player. 2. Make it like the MLB draft but modified. Which means you can make yourself eligible for the draft out of high school, but if you choose not to you are required to play at least 3 years of college ball.

Is either solution perfect no, but it at least is a start in the right direction.

King Roger

2009-06-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

I am not a huge tennis fan. I tend to watch the Finals of majors and try to get tickets when the ATP is in town but as a whole I am not constantly checking scores. However, when Rafa Nadal was bounced out in the 4th round of the French Open I became fully invested in the tournament. I like everyone else knew this was Roger Federer's chance for greatness. I was watching all his matches online and even watching the replay on ESPN 2. So on Sunday I made sure I was awake and had my DVR on to watch History. Roger did not disappoint as he dominated the Final and when that last ball went into the net and Federer fell to his knees, I could feel his joy all the way from Paris. As many people have said this win may have cemented Roger as the greatest player of all time and I have to agree that he is the greatest of all time.

1. He has tied the all time record for majors with 14 titles- I realize that Roger is not in his prime anymore but lets consider as badly as he has played, by his standards, he has won 2 of the last 3 majors and lost in 5 sets in the finals of the other. So to think that he will not get one more major title to eclipse the record would be naive.

2. He has a career Grand Slam- This French Open title was the one that always alluded him and he finally got it. He now is one of only 6 players to ever complete the career Grand Slam and has the most major titles in of all the members of this elite club. Not too mention his dominance is spread throughout the venues he has 5 Wimbledon titles, 5 US Open Titles, 3 Australian Open Titles and 1 French Open Titles.

3. He is arguably the 3rd best clay court player in tennis history- Sounds crazy because he only has 1 French Open Titles but its not his fault he is in the same era as the greatest clay court player in history. Since 2004, Federer is undefeated against players not named Nadal. he has reached 5 straight semifinals there and 4 straight finals at Roland Garros. Not to mention he has twice been the player who has ended Nadal's clay court winning streaks. Once at Hamburg and once at Madrid. If Rafa Nadal does not come around Federer could have as many as 5 titles at the French Open.

4. He has reached 20 straight Grand Slam Semifinals- Just let that sink in. That is 5 years of Grand Slams that have had Roger in the final four. That is video game like dominance! The previous record was 10 he has doubled it. Not only that he has reached 15 of the last 16 Grand Slam finals. This French Opened only further proved how amazing this stat is. Nadal, Djokovic, and Murry all lost before the semifinals, and yet Roger just calmly moved through the draw as he has done so many times.

5. The competition- Many people will say he has dominated because the competition has not been great but I look at it the other way similar to to Tiger Woods. The competition does not look great because Roger dominates it so thoroughly. Nadal has 6 major titles and is the greatest clay court player of all time. Djokovic has 1 major title and has been a a favorite in many tournament. Murray has been a top 4 player for over two years and is continually mentioned as one of the best players on tour. If you eliminate Roger who knows how many titles these 3 combine to win.

6. The Nadal factor- People point to Nadal's dominance over Federer as to why Roger cannot be considered the best. First, Rafa is hitting his prime as Roger is on the end of his career. Rafa did not Roger on surfaces not clay until last year. I agree Nadal is the better player at this time but he was not a factor outside the French Open until Federer started to slip. Secondly, Rafa has a long way to go to be in this conversation. He has 6 major titles and only 2 are on surfaces not clay. Not to mention the way Rafa plays is wearing on the body and we are already hearing rumors he may be out for Wimbledon because of a knee injury. If Nadal continues and ties Federer major titles than yes the head to head record will be a deciding factor but only in that case does it matter. Their primes were at least 2-3 years apart which means the head to head is skewed.

So for now, and that is a big for now because Rafa potential is still wide open, Roger Federer is king of tennis. Lets enjoy these next couple of years and see how far this run can go.

Why the Lakers will Roll

2009-06-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

This Finals is as good as over before it even starts. As much as I would like to see a good series or would love to see the Magic win a title to show how good the East really was this year. It is not going to happen.

1. The Lakers have Kobe- Now I firmly believe Lebron has surpassed Kobe as the best player on the world, but I also believe we will see Kobe play his best basketball ever in this Finals. He has too take this series and use it as his showcase. Kobe is getting near 1300 career games and you could already see it in this regular season his body is starting to break down. This realistically could be his last finals as the alpha dog of the team. Kobe has downplayed this angle but if he dominates and wins another title, then you can put him down in permanent marker as a top 10 player of all time and without a doubt one of the Top 3 guards in NBA history. He will seize the spotlight and will put forth a breathtaking performance.

2. The Lakers have a much much better team- Listen Lebron carried the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals and if Delonte makes a 3 from the corner in Game 1 and if Delonte tracks down that rebound instead of knocking it out of bounds in Game 4, its a whole different series. The Lakers have a much better supporting cast than the Cavs. The Magic have to respect the other weapons on LA, which means Kobe gets one on one and means he can get his points whenever he wants. If the Magic adjust Kobe plays the facilitator and his teammates take over. The Magic will not hold the Lakers under 100 in any game of this series and you can count on that.

3. The Magic starting point guard is Rafer Alston- I know he played out of his mind against the Cavs but lets be real for a second. Rafer Alston is a career role player for a reason, he is unpredictable and has the attitude that he should be the star. If I am Phil Jackson, I say let Rafer Alston shoot all day long from 3. If he goes for 30 he will have to shoot at least 15 to 20 shots and that is way too many for a role player.

4. The Lakers actually score and defend in the post- The Lakers will never ever have to double Dwight Howard. They have quality big men who can give at least 24 fouls on Howard. So again make Dwight Howard beat you by scoring 40 a night and shooting 20 free throws. On the other end Gasol and Bynum can get Howard in to foul trouble because he as great as he is off the ball defending he still can be taken advantage of in one on one post defense. Expect a steady diet of post possessions for the Lakers

5. The Magic cannot keep shooting 3s at a 42% clip- I know everyone says they lived by the 3 all year so it can carry over, but there is no way it continues for two reasons. One the Lakers will not double Howard which means the amount of wide open looks the Magic got against Cleveland will drastically drop and two they are defying the laws of averages at the rate the Magic are currently shooting. Their luck will run out and when it does it will get ugly.

6. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant- He will dominate this series. If you need a reason to watch its Kobe. This will be one of our last chances to watch him show his greatness on the big stage. Watch it, Savor it, and when you see him hold the World Title and MVP trophy remember that you are watching one of the ten greatest players of all time.

Prediction: Lakers in 5. Blowouts in Games 1 and 2. Magic get hot for game 3 and the Lakers win Game 4 in the only competitive game in this series, and Kobe carries the Lakers to the Title in Game 5.

My Contract Hold Out

2009-06-03T10:54:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyday on NFL Live I see a story about a player holding out for a new contract. It usually goes along the lines of "Yes I realize I still have 4 years left on my multimillion year contract but I feel I am undervalued and plus that dude on the Cowboys is way worse than me and he is making more than me" OK so the last part usually does not happen but I know behind closed doors agents and players are saying similar things. The amazing thing is that the players often win these debates or get traded to another team willing to restructure their contract. I figured since it works in the NFL for players why would it not work for me in my job. So I kept a daily journal of my hold out for you to read.

Day 1- I looked around the business world and realized that I was not getting paid as much as some other employees and felt this was unfair so I called my agent (Drew Rosenhaus) and he said I should hold out. So I decided to not go to work and let my employer sweat a little bit.

Day 2- I was enraged to find out that I was charged with a vacation day for my hold out. Well in order to straighten things out, I went into the office walked into our COO (the GM of the business world) and laid out my demands. He looked at me and said "What are you talking about you signed a contract with us to work at this salary". I stormed out and said "Until I get a new salary, I will not be attending any meetings, conferences call or employee training."

Day 3- I stayed home again to show my employers that I was serious about this hold out. Much to my surprise the Media was not outside or calling me for my quotes on the situation. I figured this would be a big deal for them because when Anquan Boldin and Thomas Jones were holding out the media was talking to them daily.

Day 4- I made an appearance at the office but just to check my email, I stopped by my COO office to see if he was willing to talk new contract. He looked and me awkwardly and said "No, now please go back to you desk you are almost a week behind on your assignments." Sensing that he was growing agitated, I demanded a trade to another company that would compensate me accordingly. This rattled him as he yelled for me to get out of his office. Perfect I had management right where I wanted them.

Day 5- I again came into the office to make an appearance and show that I want to be here but I have kids to feed. (Thanks for that advice Latrell). I am beginning to think the other workers resent me for thinking I am above contracts but I think they are just upset they did not think of it first.

Day 6 and 7- The weekend came and yet still no media coverage. I am thinking that the company is reeling from my hold out, and should be caving any day now.

Day 8- I showed up to work to again check my mail and show that I really want to be a part of this team. Much to my disappointment my whole week of hold out was charged as vacation days, I cannot believe they do not have a time code for contract hold out! Well much to my chagrin the bosses final called me in to talk. I walked with a sense of pride knowing that I had stood my ground and showed those fat cats that I was not going to cave to their desires to keep paying me at the current contract. We sat down in the office and I was promptly fired...

I don't get it. If NFL players can skip work to demand out of one multi-million dollar contract in order to get a better one, why can't I do the same. I beginning to think NFL players have a skewed sense of reality.

Weathering the Storm

2009-06-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

The skies are dark in Cleveland right now and it has nothing to do with pollution, the lake or any other global warming related problem. This cloud is entirely sports related after the Cavs meltdown in the Eastern Conference Finals the sports scene in Cleveland could not look any bleaker. The Cavs have an off season filled with questions of how to get a better supporting cast to Lebron. The Indians are currently sitting in last place in the AL Central and Grady Sizemore just went to the DL. The Browns look to be starting what seeems like their 7th rebuilding season since they came back in 1999.

So how is a Clevelander supposed to weather this storm, by the same way we have persevered for the past 50 years, stay strong and believe. Stay strong as the rumors of Lebron departing in 2010 fly relentlessly for the next year. Believe that the Indians bullpen will get it together and maybe make a late season charge once everyone gets healthy. Have faith that the Browns are moving in the right direction and will hopefully be around 500 this season and be set up for 2010.

Cleveland sports fan have gone through more heartbreak than probably any other city. True Cleveland sports fan had the sinking feeling that the Cavs would find a way to lose the title experts had christened them before the season started.

I know that I am still reeling from Game 6 and have had trouble even watching ESPN or listening to sports radio because the Lebron bashing has already begun. Luckily for me I have been hardened by past Cleveland failures and will stomach this loss and prepare for next year.

Cleveland must look to the future for hope. The Cavs still have the best player in the NBA and can hopefully add a Kendrick Perkins, Shaq, or Vince Carter in order to keep Lebron in Cleveland. The Indians are still loaded with young players and have one of the best farm systems in the MLB. The Browns still have a solid foundation and can hopefully settle on a QB and move forward.

As awful as the sports scene seems in Cleveland right now it will get better. Remember the sky is darkest before the sun rises...

The Trouble with MJ

2009-05-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

This will be delicate subject because it involves the greatest basketball player of all time and will actually be a little negative. Not anything negative about MJ but about the era he played in and the players he played against.

To start lets talk about those two puppets that everyone seems to be getting sick of seeing on TV. Kobe and Lebron have become the face of these playoffs and almost everyone assumed that the two would roll through the playoffs and collide in an epic Finals match up made for prime time TV. Along the way Vitamin Water, Nike and etc tried to get ahead of the game by releasing ads about the two best players in the NBA. With both the Lakers and Cavs in dogfights in the Conference Finals, many people have gotten sick of the hype build up for both players. This is where it ties in to MJ.

MJ was the first ever guard/forward to come along and control the game the way he did. Before MJ the game went through the post and the teams that won titles won titles with excellent post play, but then MJ came along and showed that a truly dominate guard/forward could take over a game/series and the offense could still work smoothly. Fast forward to today's NBA, the best players are all hybrid players. Now its a league that plays a style similar to Jordan's Bulls and this leads to the nonstop Jordan comparisons for the elite players. Luckily for today's NBA there are 3 players who can live up to the comparison D-Wade, Kobe, and Lebron.

When Jordan was playing he was the only one of his kind. The best guards of the time were still traditional shooters and passers like John Stockton, Mark Price, and Clyde Drexler. The league was still a big man league with David Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing, and the emergence of Shaq. What this meant was that there was still only one player playing the style and swagger of Jordan. SO naturally he became the face of the league because he was so unique.

Now fast forward to today, Lebron, Kobe, and D-Wade are the unique guard/forwards in the league that runs through the guard/forward position. Now instead of one unique player like MJ there are 3 or more depending on who you consider an elite player. So this leads to the overexposure of all 3 because the league does not want to leave another behind.

SO the problem with MJ was that he was so unique and so unchallenged at his position that it made publicity for the league easy, but in today's game we are blessed with multiple MJ style players and this means 3 times the publicity and advertising for those 3.

Not much to say

2009-05-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Not much to say today...

UEFFA Champions League Final was spectacular and I was thoroughly pleased that Manchester United lost. Not to mention the fact that Lionel Messi probably clinched Player of the Year of Christiano Ronaldo made it even sweeter.

Kobe the facilitator? Kobe takes only 10 shots but sets the table for the rest of his team and the Lakers get the big win to go up 3-2. I am left wondering if he really set out to do that or knew he did not have it and made the adjustments. Either way a spectacular display and makes me wonder if this means we will see a pass first Lebron tonight since the two just seem to go back and forth all playoffs long.

Ill be back tomorrow with thoughts on what could be a devastating night for me or the start of the greatest comeback in Cavs history.

The Fathers Dilemma

2009-05-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

After the Cavs heartbreaking loss last night to fall behind 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, I was especially devastated. Not just because the Cavs had the lead and lost it only to battle back and seem to have the game won only to lose it in overtime, but because it seems barring another King James miracle this much ballyhooed Cavs season will end well before it was supposed to end.

As a Cleveland sports fan I have almost learned to accept disappointment, but it seems the more I try to accept it the more each loss hurts and such is the never ending cycle for the Cleveland sports fan. My love for Indians, Cavs, and Browns was passed on to me by my father, who I wanted to be like and so I naturally started cheering for the teams he cheered for and I feel that most sons follow teams that have been passed on from his father. It is one of those unique bonds that make sports so enjoyable.

Now I am expecting my first child in late July, and if it is boy, (I pushing hard for Mark Price Stromberg as the name) I will put in an awkward position. Do I introduce him to the life of Cleveland sports fan? Or do I keep my rooting interests to myself and let him figure out his own teams? I mean as father can I knowingly bring a life of pain and suffering as a fan of franchises that continually break your heart?

On the other hand how could I allow for my kid to pick teams that he has no true allegiance to follow? What is he picks the Yankees, Patriots, or Lakers? Can I live with my son to root for a bandwagon team?

This my dilemma. I do not want Mark Price Stromberg to feel the pain I have already felt from Cleveland sports, but at the end of the day I want to be the one who takes him to his first Cavs, Indians, and Browns games. So unfortunately for Mark Price Stromberg he will most likely have to suffer through the next 50 years of Cleveland sports futility and heartache.

That is unless Lebron James carries the Cavs to a miracle comeback and a NBA title...

Crisis in the NBA

2009-05-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

If you watch the NBA on a regular basis then you probably already now where this post is heading. There is a major problem in the NBA right now and it is with the one area David Stern never wants to talk about, the officials.

The officiating in the playoffs has been downright atrocious this postseason, and we keep getting closer and closer to the point where the fans are getting fed up. This is not a Tim Donaghy situation, where games are being fixed. It has to do with the actual quality of the officials and frankly as a fan I am feed up.

The biggest problem is the lack of consistency. During the basketball game that broke out during the foulfest that was Game 3 of Cleveland-Orlando, there was absolutely no consistency in the calls. Delonte West was trying to body up Turkalo on defense and was called for a foul every time, but on the other end when Lebron came off screens defenders were banging him the whole time with no foul. Its either a foul or it isn't and frankly I do not care how they call it because both would be considered fouls but it needs to be consistent.

The flagrant fouls and technicals have also been way to severe. In playoff basketball the fouls are going to be harder and while there have been some deserving flagrant at the end of the day the officials need to let the players play. Anthony Johnson's elbow was the typical example of this because there was no malicious intent it was just playoff basketball. The technicals are even worse because the refs are taking emotion out of the game. There seems to be no rhyme or reason and the fact that Kobe is two technicals from being suspended seems a bit ridiculous. The Denver-Lakers series has been overrun by technicals and flagrant fouls and eventually its going to result in someone being suspended for a vital game.

I know there is probably no way to fix this problem this postseason but in the off season this issue needs to be address for sure. I know I do not know if I can sit through another postseason marred by terrible officiating, and I have a feeling I am not the only fan who feels this way.

Kobe doing Decoy??

2009-05-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

I think Phil Jackson is an amazing coach. He is an all timer and only needs one more title to give him 10 worlds title rings. The triangle offense allowed for Jordan to dominate and it was Phil who really got Jordan and the Bulls over the top and launched and allowed for their dynasty to take over the NBA.

However sometimes he lets his greatness disrupt his team. What I mean is that sometimes he seems to over think the situation. Basketball is a simple game at heart and too much thinking and too much strategy can hurt more than help. Call it the curse of the genius, but sometimes the smartest people cannot accept that the obvious solution is the right one because it is obvious and they feel that it cannot be that simple.

Last night in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals Phil Jackson fell victim to the curse of the genius. Trailing by 3 with with under 5 Phil called timeout and drew up a sideline inbounds play that went to Derrick Fisher. Fisher missed a contested 3 badly and the Nuggets got the board and the win.

Now I realize Fisher has knocked down huge shots but this postseason he has been dreadful from 3 point range. In my opinion that play has to get the ball into Kobe's hands. He is without a doubt the most clutch shooter playing in the NBA today, and to not get the ball in his hands in inexcusable in that situation.

Afterwards, Phil said he did not want Kobe to get the ball because the would probably get doubled or fouled immediately. This strategy makes sense on paper but the fact remains: YOU HAVE KOBE ON YOUR TEAM! I will take Kobe trying a contested 3 over anyone else. Worst case scenario Kobe lets the double team come and he finds a teammate for a wide open 3.

I think this was a classic example of over thinking the game of basketball. Almost anybody else would have called the play to Kobe and lived with the aftermath. In this case Phil over thought the situation and his team suffered.

In the NBA you live and die by your franchise player, and the Lakers have one hell of a franchise player. In this case Phil fell victim to the curse of the genius. I can promise you if the Lakers find themselves in the same situation Phil will call Kobe's number. After all true genius is learning from your mistakes and changing your strategy.

Lebron James

2009-05-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

Now I will admit I am a biased observer due to my love for the Cleveland Cavs but I think not enough has been made of Lebron James performance last night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Yes the Cavs lost the game but in my humble opinion I think Lebron's effort could be considered one of the top 20 playoff performances of all time.

It was not just the 49 points it was the fact that he shot 67% from the field. Not only that he did it with the full arsenal of moves 3 pointers and mid-range jumpers when the Magic tried to pack everyone into the paint. When he did get an opening, he took it to the rim with authority and had some incredible finishes. When neither of those were open he posted up and unleashed post moves that only a few players in the league could match.

It was not just the 8 assists. It was the way that down the stretch he did not force up bad shots when he was double and tripled teamed. He just calmly found the open teammate and trusted them to knock down jumpers. Honestly he could have had 12 or 13 if the shooters for the Cavs had even an average night of shooting. His court vision has always been great but hid ability to read defenses is a lost art in today's game.

It was not just his rebounding and defense. He seemed to always be coming down with the big boards or huge block when the team needed it.

It was all of that but the image I will remember is Lebron diving on the floor in the closing seconds to try and get a jump ball. How many All NBA players do you see doing that in today's game?

At the end of the heartbreaking loss. I was left in awe as a bloody Lebron had to be helped off the court after spending everything he had and more. In a game where his team did not even have its C game he put them on his back in the 2nd half trying to save the home court.

If there was ever any question of who the best player in the game today is, it was answered emphatically last night. Lebron was at a level that very few players can even dream of reaching.

To Foul or Not to Foul

2009-05-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Let me get on my soapbox for a while and rant about a trend I dislike.

Intentionally fouling when up by 3 under 10 seconds. Now just to preface I understand it is 100% the most strategic play and almost always resorts in victory so please do not think I am just some idiot who does not understand the game. I am strictly speaking from and entertainment point of view.

Is there anything more exciting than a buzzer beater? I love seeing the madness of a point guard running up the floor as time is running out trying to decide if he is going to pull up and shoot or look for an open teammate. Now it seems that we have been robbed of this joy by the intentional foul.

Think about it for a second there is no other sport that rewards a team for fouling in the clutch. Imagine if this rule worked in football. Imagine this scenario from the Super Bowl. Big Ben leading the Steelers down the field down by 7 in the last minute. Right before the snap the entire Cardinals defensive line jumps offside. The refs then tell the Steelers they have to kick a field goal because the Cardinals jumped offside! There would be massive uproar because the odds of the Steelers recovering an onside kick and then scoring would be slim to none, and yet when this same strategy happens in basketball everyone applauds the great strategy.

I have been burned by not fouling multiple times in my life most recently when Xavier was on the verge of knocking off #1 seed Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tourney in 2007. Xavier missed a free throw with 5 seconds left and Ron Lewis went down and buried a 3 to tie the game and send it to overtime. Was I upset? Yes. But I know I remember that game 100 times more vividly than if Xavier had fouled and won.

So while I know I am in the minority and am going against simple basketball logic but please coaches stop intentionally fouling up 3 int he last seconds. I would much rather see a memorable finish than a boring free throw ending.

A note to Gary Bettman

2009-05-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Bettman,

I know you are in the middle of the postseason but you may not have noticed that the NHL is still considered a niche sport by many people. I figured I would offer a few solutions to how you can become relevant again.

1. Eliminate at least 2 struggling teams- There are too many teams and not enough true talented players to keep things level. So eliminate a few of the struggling ones like Phoenix and Florida in order to save some money. This will allow for the the talent to be dispersed amongst the league which will result in more parity.

2. Move at least 2 more teams back to Canada- Hockey is a Canadian sport and the game is dominated by Canadians. So the more franchises in Canada the more successful the league will be. Lets say we move Tampa Bay and New York Islanders to Canada and instantly you have more rivalries between the Canadian teams. As well as a better chance of Canadian teams making the Stanley Cup Finals which the sport drastically means. Lets face it the Canadians are the most fanatic hockey fans so the more teams they can follow and get into the better. Ask yourself this would you rather see Carolina fan base or the fan base of a 2nd Toronto team in the finals?

3. Get the Playoffs on a Major Cable Network- There is no excuse for the NHL playoffs, arguably the most intense and grueling playoffs, not to be on a major network. I know its a money thing but for the good of the sport take a little less money and get the NHL playoffs on ESPN, ESPN2, NBC, etc. The sport is at an all time high and there is no reason for it be on channels that are triple digits. If ESPN can show the MLS and WNBA they can find room for playoff hockey games but you need to realize that a short term loss on TV money is worth the additional fans gained by being on national TV.

4. Versus- If Versus feels very strongly about having hockey then let them cover the regular season. They can have exclusive rights for the regular season for the next few years as the fan base grows. The regular season is not covered seriously anyway so any money you get for it is an added bonus.

5. Make the Center Ice Package significantly cheaper- I know this seems like a risk but trust me if you make it cheaper more and more puckheads like myself will order it. I know as much as I love hockey, I am not going to be willing to pay over 75 bucks for the season pass. If you make it $70, I promise there will be a dramatic increase in the sales.

I know these may be drastic measures for a Commissioner who seems to be determined to make this league fail but I have faith that you can pull your head out of the sand and make progress.

So please Gary take action and lets get the NHL back where it belongs as the 4th major sport. The talent in the league right now is too good and the games are too enjoyable to not cash in on this opportunity.

Sincerely,

The Book of Sports

Weekend Thoughts

2009-05-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

My thoughts from the weekend of sports

Game 7s in the NBA- Can you say disappointment? I mean I figured that Lakers would win but that was not even enjoyable to watch unless you were a Lakers fan. I mean the game was so out of hand that ABC was already showing promos for the Lakers Nuggets Western Conference Finals in the 3rd quarter. Game 7 in Boston was a little more interesting but still you never really got the feeling that the Celtics were going to make it close. I cannot wait for the Conference Finals as it looks like we have two very good match-ups. My picks are Cavs in 5 and Lakers in 7.

The Preakness- It was a spectacular build up between Mine that Bird and Rachel Alexandria and it absolutely lived up to the billing. This has been one of the best Triple Crowns in recent memory and I really hope that both horses race in the Belmont because if they both run the same race in the Belmont Mine That Bird wins down the stretch.

Red Wings vs Black Hawks- The Hawks but up a huge fight but they just could not overcome the Red Wings depth. As much as I would love to see this series go 7 and be an all time classic, I just see the Red Wings being too deep and too talented. I see the Red Wings winning in 5 and roll on to a 2nd Cup tittle.

Baseball- I watched a few games this weekend but I just have trouble getting into it this early and it doesn't help that my Indians currently have the worst record in the majors. So I am having trouble fully immersing myself in baseball.

As a whole it was an OK weekend but as the playoffs heat up I fully expect bigger and better things to come.

Why I Love Hockey

2009-05-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

I am a puck head and not ashamed to admit it. However the regular season is a little too long and there are at least 8 too many teams. So the playoffs are where I go to get my NHL fix, and since my beloved Columbus Blue Jackets made their first ever playoff appearance this season, and were promptly swept by the Red Wings (Game 4 was robbery by the officials and you cannot convince me otherwise!) it allows for me to watch countless hours of playoff games with no real rooting interest. This means i can just sit back and appreciate all that is great about playoff hockey.

Playoff hockey is amazing because of the intensity and nothing beats the intensity of a Game 7 in sports but for some reason a hockey Game 7 stands out even more. The feeling that one dumb penalty, one bad pass, or one spectacular play can completely wipe out 6 previous games. So naturally I was practically giddy at the upcoming schedule of 3 game 7s in 2 days. Of coarse much to my dismay the Pens-Capitals game was over before the 2nd period started.

So naturally after the letdown from that game I downgrade my excitement to carefully optimistic. Yet despite my feelings the NHL delivered all I could want and more.

First the Red Wings and Ducks deliver a 3 period battle that had me on the edge of my seat. As the clocked wound down in 3-3 tie, you got the feeling that it was heading for a great ending. Sure enough Bill Cleary scored and Joe Louis Arena crowd nearly blew the roof off the place. The Next 4 minutes were a blur of bodies and shots as the crowd grew louder trying to will the Wings to hold off the Duck's final surges. There is almost nothing as exciting as the last 2 minutes of a 1 goal game except...

Overtime in a Game 7 and that is exactly what the Bruins and Canes delivered. This is the ultimate in drama. Every shot makes your heart skip a beat and even better the officials put their whistles in their pockets and let the teams go at it. This combination is what makes playoff hockey so great. I cannot even remember most of the overtime as it was a nonstop rush of huge hits, great opportunities, even better saves, and players pushing themselves through fatigue I cannot even imagine. When the game finally ended I went to bed with a huge smile. The NHL had delivered two amazing game 7s and made me remember why I love watching the NHL playoffs.

As I got into bed, I had to grab my BlackBerry and get on ESPN.com. I was so wrapped up in the NHL playoffs I had forgotten that their were two pretty significant NBA games tonight.

So please people watch the NHL playoffs. I don't care if you have never watched a hockey game. If you see a Game 7, do yourself a favor and find someone with Versus because every so often the sports gods reward you with the two classics that were delivered tonight.

In my book the NHL playoffs are where amazing happens.

Welcome

2009-05-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce myself, My name is Brian Stromberg and this is The Book of Sports Blog. (Not to be mistaken with the ancient decree of King James I from 1617, although I feel if he could have blogged he would have.)

My goal of this blog is to use it as a forum to express my opinions on all things sports. I will try to write something new everyday but I cannot make any promises. I have a variety of friends that may make guest appearances and who knows if this thing takes off, we could even see podcast.

Two thing you must know about me before we start...
1. My teams are University of Michigan, University of Xavier (where I attended school), Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Cavs, and Columbus Blue Jackets. (If you follow professional soccer I love Bayern Munich)

2. I have the tendency at times to be a homer for my teams. So I ask that you cut me a little slack.

So I hope you give it a chance and if you like it forward it on to friend.

Lets get the show on the road...

MLB WRITERS

Let me preface by saying I have no respect for steroid users. This era has been marked by huge numbers and even more huge muscles. I have not made a final decision on steroid users and the HOF but with every new player busted it becomes more obvious that almost everyone was juicing during the past 10-15 years. If this is the case then I believe that the voters should vote solely based on numbers. Although I do think there should be some additional arbitrary punishment for steroid users allowed in the HOF. I don't care if they make a steroid era wing in the HOF, unanimously decide that no one who is linked to steroids can get voted in until 5 additional years of voting have passed, or some other form of arbitrary punishment. At the end of the day I still am undecided but the fact remains if the HOF is going to continue to add new players I would much rather have it be truly great players linked to steroids (oxymoron but I swear it makes sense)than fringe players from past decades.

However this is not my bigger concern. My problem is with the writers and baseball personality's that keep saying "I cannot vote for Player A or B because they have disgraced the game of baseball by taking steroids". Disgraced the game of baseball? Where do baseball fans draw the line of disgrace? The MLB started playing in the 1880's and did not allow African American players till the1950's, and in the past 60 years has actually had something called the Negro League. The Boston Red Sox arguably one of if not the most popular team in the MLB was one of the last teams to embrace African American players. Are the pre-Jackie Robinson eras considered a disgrace? No, in fact many people will call it the the glory days of baseball without even thinking about the fact an entire race of players was banned.

Is it a disgrace when pitchers throw at a batter's head in order to send a message, or even go as far as Bobby Jenks, who openly admitted he was trying to throw behind the head of Ian Kinsler? No, people say its part of the game and MLB manages to fine Jenks a whole $750 for the offense. Last time I checked a 97 mph fastball can do significant damage.

What about bench clearing brawls? What other sport allows for not only a fight to break out but encourages everyone to run on the field to get involved? I mean at least the NHL it usually is just two guys going at each other while everyone else watches. And yet again people tell you that these brawls are part of the tradition of the MLB.

Did anyone say we should keep George Brett out of the HOF because he was caught trying to bend the rules with pine tar? (I realize steroid usage is a much worse offense but the intent of the illegal amount of pine tar is still to gain an illegal advantage, which is the same advantage juicers are going for.) No, in fact his over the top reaction is often the most visible highlight of his career.

The Shot Heard Round the World? Bobby Thompson and the Giants were stealing signs. Yet it is considered to be one of the most memorable moments in baseball history.

You get my point. It seems the only thing in MLB history that is off limits and will earn you no chance of HOF is gambling on baseball so if your keeping score the most heinous offense a baseball player can commit is gambling on baseball or taking steroids, everything else is just part of the game.

So, do steroid users really disgrace the game? If you say yes, then ask yourself is there really that much integrity of baseball left to disgrace?

So you can tell me that Manny, Bonds, Big Mac, Sosa, Clemens, A-Rod, and etc were juicers and should be punished. You can tell me they broke the rules and that makes them cheaters. You can even tell me that they do not belong in the HOF and you will not get too much of an argument from me. However, do not tell me that they are disgracing the great game of baseball. In my book the great game of baseball lost the great a long time ago.