Okay, after going after the Celtics and Paul Pierce I didn't think it was right to not comment on LeBron James. Was that not one of the weirdest things you've seen in a long time. In the closing seconds of game 5 LeBron shot a free throw left handed after injuring it sometime during the game. He still played well enough throughout the game to score 19 points, grab 10 rebounds and dish out 9 assists. Yet, with seven seconds left in the game he felt it was necessary to shoot with his left hand for fear of injuring it further! Then afterward he said he was completely fine. I'm just a little confused. Are we seeing some posturing here? I've seen some theatrics from LeBron before, baiting refs for foul calls, but this is a little different. LeBron will not let Paul Pierce out-do him in this playoff series...in anything. Maybe these guys are just gearing up for the upcoming World Cup this summer. Welcome to the NBA Playoffs, where over-dramatized injuries happen.
I think LeBron is just giving a preview for one of the most dramatic and mind-blowing performance in NBA history in round 2. How, you may ask, by pulling a classic Inigo Montoya and revealing that he really is left-handed and has been toying the NBA with his off hand. This may be a little far-fetched, but I'm totally hoping for this to happen.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Things I've learned
It's now been over one full week of the NBA Playoffs, and we've learned a lot from week one.
1. I do not want the Suns to play the Spurs in Round 2.
Going into the playoffs, I was really hoping the Suns would either pull off the two seed and get the seventh seeded Spurs in round one, or that the Spurs would jump to six and the Suns would get the three seed.
My rationale was this: the Suns had a surprisingly great season. They came in with low expectations and exceeded them. They played good defense. The bench developed even further and became a hard-nosed, shut down rotation that still had the potential to put up some points with Channing Frye and Jared Dudley ranked sixth and fourth respectively in the NBA in three-point percentage, and Goran Dragic developing into a guy that can drive and kick.
Despite these strides, I still did not feel that the Suns could contend with the Lakers even with the Lakers poor performance after the All-Star break. They are just too long, too quick and too skilled for the Suns. Thinking this, I needed a consolation prize for this revival season. That prize, had to be the Spurs. The Spurs were inconsistent all season, even losing to the Nets down the stretch while battling for playoff position. The acquisition of Richard Jefferson just did not seem like it was working out the way many thought at the beginning of the season. I knew that we could take them in a seven game series with home court advantage. If I wasn't so confident, then there is no WAY I would want to play them again. I couldn't have my fandom ripped out of me and trampled like it had been in previous years: the hip-check and suspension, the Duncan three. It was too much to go through again if I didn't really believe that they could oust the Spurs. I needed this closure.
Now, the first week is over. The Suns are tied 2-2 in a series with team whose best player can't elevate or cut because he's a week removed from knee surgery and whose franchise center and backup center have been out two-thirds of the season. The Suns should be running all over these guys. Instead, their 46 year-old point guard who can't jump and shoots a set, line-drive "jump" shot is dropping 31 points on them in game one and stealing the home court advantage. Why? Because of their physical, slow-it-down style of play. Does this sound familiar to you? Well, it should because this is the style of play that ousted the Suns in five of the last six seasons.
Now, if the Suns can't handle 52 year-old Andre Miller, Marcus Camby and a gimpy Brandon Roy, how are they going to handle lightning quick Tony Parker, a rejuvenated, playoff-ready Tim Duncan and an Argentinian whose been playing out of his mind the past three weeks? Now you might think, well, it's a good thing they got the seven seed and need to play the Mavericks who beat them three of of four in the season series. Wrong. The Spurs are up 2-1 and have already taken the home court away from Dallas.
If things keep going the way they are, and the Suns end up squeaking by this injury-riddled Blazers team and meet San Antonio in round 2, I might just end up driving my car into the now-flowing Salt River.
2. The Thunder are really, really good.
I'll admit, I haven't paid too close attention to this team, but they are really impressive at home. Kevin Durant scores as effortlessly as I do against my nine-year-old brother on a 8 foot hoop. These guys have the potential to do some crazy good things in the years to come. Just watch out for the Marbury-Garnet problems to occur. Durant is going to get some big money soon, but I don't think Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and Thabo Sefalosha are going to be chomping at the bit to take role-player money and lesser roles as Durant continues to develop and take more shots. Even though they have cap-space, it's not enough for the talent they have now. Stay tuned.
3. The Celtics are full of prima donnas and drama queens.
Is it just me or do the Celtics have more guys than the history of the league at milking injuries on the floor. Paul Peirce will never live down the moment during the 2008 NBA Finals when he was CARRIED off the floor after a leg injury, only to come back 15 minutes later and play like nothing had ever happened. Quinton Richardson wanted to know if he was faking again in game one when he collapsed to the floor after apparently running into the referee and stayed down for another 10 minutes as a fight broke out involving Richardson and Kevin Garnet. Rajon Rondo does this also. He gets fouled on a drive and just lays on the floor for a few minutes while the trainers look at him. I wonder what the conversations go with the training staff.
Pierce: Can the crowd tell that I grabbed the wrong knee? Are they eating this up?
Trainer: Yeah, let's pull out a wheel chair and take you into the back for a few minutes.
Pierce: Wheel chair? Don't we have stretcher. Shouldn't we immobilize my neck? I already did the wheel chair act man. I've got to go one further.
The most confusing part about this entire charade is how players act these days after they hit a big shot. When Pierce hit his game winning shot in Game three he turned and looked like he was ready to take on a gang of Hell's Angels. (Click Here). This isn't just Pierce either. Everyone does it. I miss the Reggie Millers of the world. That's how a celebration should really be. Excitement, exuberance, sheer joy. That's the way the game was meant to be played, like a little kid.
1. I do not want the Suns to play the Spurs in Round 2.
Going into the playoffs, I was really hoping the Suns would either pull off the two seed and get the seventh seeded Spurs in round one, or that the Spurs would jump to six and the Suns would get the three seed.
My rationale was this: the Suns had a surprisingly great season. They came in with low expectations and exceeded them. They played good defense. The bench developed even further and became a hard-nosed, shut down rotation that still had the potential to put up some points with Channing Frye and Jared Dudley ranked sixth and fourth respectively in the NBA in three-point percentage, and Goran Dragic developing into a guy that can drive and kick.
Despite these strides, I still did not feel that the Suns could contend with the Lakers even with the Lakers poor performance after the All-Star break. They are just too long, too quick and too skilled for the Suns. Thinking this, I needed a consolation prize for this revival season. That prize, had to be the Spurs. The Spurs were inconsistent all season, even losing to the Nets down the stretch while battling for playoff position. The acquisition of Richard Jefferson just did not seem like it was working out the way many thought at the beginning of the season. I knew that we could take them in a seven game series with home court advantage. If I wasn't so confident, then there is no WAY I would want to play them again. I couldn't have my fandom ripped out of me and trampled like it had been in previous years: the hip-check and suspension, the Duncan three. It was too much to go through again if I didn't really believe that they could oust the Spurs. I needed this closure.
Now, the first week is over. The Suns are tied 2-2 in a series with team whose best player can't elevate or cut because he's a week removed from knee surgery and whose franchise center and backup center have been out two-thirds of the season. The Suns should be running all over these guys. Instead, their 46 year-old point guard who can't jump and shoots a set, line-drive "jump" shot is dropping 31 points on them in game one and stealing the home court advantage. Why? Because of their physical, slow-it-down style of play. Does this sound familiar to you? Well, it should because this is the style of play that ousted the Suns in five of the last six seasons.
Now, if the Suns can't handle 52 year-old Andre Miller, Marcus Camby and a gimpy Brandon Roy, how are they going to handle lightning quick Tony Parker, a rejuvenated, playoff-ready Tim Duncan and an Argentinian whose been playing out of his mind the past three weeks? Now you might think, well, it's a good thing they got the seven seed and need to play the Mavericks who beat them three of of four in the season series. Wrong. The Spurs are up 2-1 and have already taken the home court away from Dallas.
If things keep going the way they are, and the Suns end up squeaking by this injury-riddled Blazers team and meet San Antonio in round 2, I might just end up driving my car into the now-flowing Salt River.
2. The Thunder are really, really good.
I'll admit, I haven't paid too close attention to this team, but they are really impressive at home. Kevin Durant scores as effortlessly as I do against my nine-year-old brother on a 8 foot hoop. These guys have the potential to do some crazy good things in the years to come. Just watch out for the Marbury-Garnet problems to occur. Durant is going to get some big money soon, but I don't think Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and Thabo Sefalosha are going to be chomping at the bit to take role-player money and lesser roles as Durant continues to develop and take more shots. Even though they have cap-space, it's not enough for the talent they have now. Stay tuned.
3. The Celtics are full of prima donnas and drama queens.
Is it just me or do the Celtics have more guys than the history of the league at milking injuries on the floor. Paul Peirce will never live down the moment during the 2008 NBA Finals when he was CARRIED off the floor after a leg injury, only to come back 15 minutes later and play like nothing had ever happened. Quinton Richardson wanted to know if he was faking again in game one when he collapsed to the floor after apparently running into the referee and stayed down for another 10 minutes as a fight broke out involving Richardson and Kevin Garnet. Rajon Rondo does this also. He gets fouled on a drive and just lays on the floor for a few minutes while the trainers look at him. I wonder what the conversations go with the training staff.
Pierce: Can the crowd tell that I grabbed the wrong knee? Are they eating this up?
Trainer: Yeah, let's pull out a wheel chair and take you into the back for a few minutes.
Pierce: Wheel chair? Don't we have stretcher. Shouldn't we immobilize my neck? I already did the wheel chair act man. I've got to go one further.
The most confusing part about this entire charade is how players act these days after they hit a big shot. When Pierce hit his game winning shot in Game three he turned and looked like he was ready to take on a gang of Hell's Angels. (Click Here). This isn't just Pierce either. Everyone does it. I miss the Reggie Millers of the world. That's how a celebration should really be. Excitement, exuberance, sheer joy. That's the way the game was meant to be played, like a little kid.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Bench Clearing Conundrum
I just witnessed the benches clear in the Diamondbacks, Cardinals game. I don't know about you, but I've always wondered what goes through everyone's heads as they slowly, lethargically trot onto the field. Are these players going to diffuse whatever "situation" there is out on the field? Or is all of this instigated by the bench players who need a little excitement to their two at bats per week?
Even though nothing ever amounts from these situations, I love it every time. I'm really ready for someone to get really fired up and just go at it. Every club should have a thug, just like in hockey. When the benches clear he should be the first one on the field throwing rainmakers. Best case scenario, he gets their star player suspended for the rest of the series against your team, and you finally get to see these baseball players get fired up on Wednesday night game in June. Now, this will only work if your own star players are instructed to STAY AWAY. That may be pretty difficult for players like Justin Upton or any closer in baseball. Those are the few that can get fired up for almost any moments. Just find a guy with their fire and little baseball talent, and a thug is born. I am definitely ready to see this happen. Roger Clemens: I think you've found another niche in Major League Baseball.
Even though nothing ever amounts from these situations, I love it every time. I'm really ready for someone to get really fired up and just go at it. Every club should have a thug, just like in hockey. When the benches clear he should be the first one on the field throwing rainmakers. Best case scenario, he gets their star player suspended for the rest of the series against your team, and you finally get to see these baseball players get fired up on Wednesday night game in June. Now, this will only work if your own star players are instructed to STAY AWAY. That may be pretty difficult for players like Justin Upton or any closer in baseball. Those are the few that can get fired up for almost any moments. Just find a guy with their fire and little baseball talent, and a thug is born. I am definitely ready to see this happen. Roger Clemens: I think you've found another niche in Major League Baseball.
Guidelines
Let's lay out some guidelines:
First of all, I'm no journalist. I am going to always give the fan's account. I don't have fancy-schmancy researchers looking up stats for me so I can compare the shooting percentage of a team with at least 10 straight wins after winning a championship. That's just not my thing. I'm just a dude that really likes sports. Luckily for me (and hopefully you), we live in a time where I have an outlet to share my thoughts.
Second, I promise to never make the normal run-of-the-mill comparisons. You've all heard them. If you don't like someone in politics, they are a Nazi. Obama was a Nazi, Bush was a Nazi, the anti-illegal immigration folks are Nazis. Really, I don't think any of those people have much in common at all with the Nazis. But, it sure makes for a nice effect.
The same idea, is used in the sports world far too-often. The worst of which is when the NBA talking heads evaluate a white guy. Why can we only compare white people to other white people? Someone please explain this to me. If someone is high on Gordon Hayward, the sophomore from Butler, people say he's the second coming of Larry Bird. If they think he's just going to be an average pro, then he's the the next Mike Dunleavy. Why can't he be a shorter Channing Frye?
Third, well that's pretty much the only one I have so far. I you think there should be more leave a post.
First of all, I'm no journalist. I am going to always give the fan's account. I don't have fancy-schmancy researchers looking up stats for me so I can compare the shooting percentage of a team with at least 10 straight wins after winning a championship. That's just not my thing. I'm just a dude that really likes sports. Luckily for me (and hopefully you), we live in a time where I have an outlet to share my thoughts.
Second, I promise to never make the normal run-of-the-mill comparisons. You've all heard them. If you don't like someone in politics, they are a Nazi. Obama was a Nazi, Bush was a Nazi, the anti-illegal immigration folks are Nazis. Really, I don't think any of those people have much in common at all with the Nazis. But, it sure makes for a nice effect.
The same idea, is used in the sports world far too-often. The worst of which is when the NBA talking heads evaluate a white guy. Why can we only compare white people to other white people? Someone please explain this to me. If someone is high on Gordon Hayward, the sophomore from Butler, people say he's the second coming of Larry Bird. If they think he's just going to be an average pro, then he's the the next Mike Dunleavy. Why can't he be a shorter Channing Frye?
Third, well that's pretty much the only one I have so far. I you think there should be more leave a post.
Intro
It seems as if everyone and there mom has a blog these days. I thought I should really get in on the action. So, without further ado, here is my new blog. I thought that I needed a topic, so I wondered what I should blog about. My problem is that the two things that I would first consider writing about, sports and politics, are already pretty well covered in the "blogosphere." At first, I still wanted to talk about sports. I love reading The Sports Guy, Bill Simmons on ESPN.com, but I was scared that much of my writing would seem too much like his style. I then thought about politics, but I know far too little to actually give an informed opinion. Although, I'm willing to bet that you could make a case that a hefty chunk of the political bloggers don't actually have an informed opinion. Despite that, I was still left without a topic.
My next topic was my life. That idea quickly went to the scrapheap because I can sum that up in just a few sentences. I live. I eat. I work. I go to school. I watch sports. Okay, that did it for me. I'm going to throw my name in the pile of sports bloggers. I'll just be to Arizona sports what The Sports Guy is to Boston sports, only without the porn and gambling references. That's me. From time to time I'll add my two cents about what's happening with the Arizona sports scene. Heavily geared to the Phoenix Suns, but covering the rest as well. There will probably be some other topics mixed in as I seem fit. More than likely, I'll just keep writing stuff and no one will even know it exists.
Well, there you have it. The first blog post. Check back again later, and there might even be some actual material in the blog.
My next topic was my life. That idea quickly went to the scrapheap because I can sum that up in just a few sentences. I live. I eat. I work. I go to school. I watch sports. Okay, that did it for me. I'm going to throw my name in the pile of sports bloggers. I'll just be to Arizona sports what The Sports Guy is to Boston sports, only without the porn and gambling references. That's me. From time to time I'll add my two cents about what's happening with the Arizona sports scene. Heavily geared to the Phoenix Suns, but covering the rest as well. There will probably be some other topics mixed in as I seem fit. More than likely, I'll just keep writing stuff and no one will even know it exists.
Well, there you have it. The first blog post. Check back again later, and there might even be some actual material in the blog.
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