Dwyane Wade: Is he the best player in the NBA?

I was torn watching game 6 of the NBA finals last night. I really wanted a to see a 7th game but I didn't particularly relish the idea of the Mavericks (ie. Mark Cuban) winning the title if if went that far. Now I'm not a huge Heat fan (I don't like Shaq, Riley, Walker, Payton, or Haslem) but if you have read any of my previous posts this year you know I'm a Dwyane Wade fan. What happened in the finals is what happened all season for the Heat. Wade took over when it mattered. Shaq is still relevant but not to the extent that he or others think. This is Wade's team and Shaq is an accessory, albeit a rather large piece of bling. I'm feeling somewhat justified about my pick for this season's MVP now and I would think that if the Heat are contending next season Wade will be a larger part of the MVP discussion.

I notice after many people having anointed either Lebron, Kobe and amazingly even Dirk (after his pre-finals play) as the best player in the NBA, they are now jumping on the Dwyane Wade bandwagon as the best player out there. People need to just relax. I have stated before that I thought Wade was the best this season but let's see what the next couple of years have in store. I think it will be a battle between him, Lebron James, and perhaps Kobe (if he can mentally ever get it together--doubtful). Kobe's disappearance in his final game this season as well as other games where he has pouted have put him on shaky ground but I'm convinced that to be called the best you have to be like a player like Kobe that is able to dribble and create your own shot. Nowitzki and even Tim Duncan rely on others to get them the ball. Notice that one of the last plays in the game last night was one in which Nowitzki got the ball at the top of the key but couldn't break his defender down and had to pass off (a pass which Eric Dampier couldn't handle). That's just too big of a limitation for a candidate for "Best player in the NBA". Same with Tim Duncan. Many times it's Tony Parker or Ginoboli who ends up taking the big shot at the end. They can create the shot whereas Duncan (as most bigger guys are) is limited. Plus you don't want Duncan shooting free-throws at the end of the game. That right there takes him out of the discussion.

Jordan is held as the gold standard and haunts all other players who would be called the "best". Besides Jordan's 6 rings there are other reasons why he is the template for which guys wanting to be called the best are compared to. He had the basketball qualities that defined greatness and if a player has most or all of these characteristics he could be called the "Best player in the NBA". These charactaristics include:



1. You have to be able to dominate an entire game offensively. This doesn't mean every game is this way but you have to physically be able to do it if needed. Wade, Lebron, Kobe, Dirk, Tim, and a host of others can all do this.

2. You have to be a clutch shooter late in the game including on the free throw line. Games are won with shots both ways. Obviously Duncan is not someone you want to depend on if there were no seconds left on the clock and a free throw decides the game.

3. You have to be able to dribble the ball (including slicing and driving) and create shots against multiple defenders. This goes back to clutch shooting. You have to be able to get in position to take the clutch shots and without the ability to create that shot you are putting the ball into someone else's hands. Like Eric Dampier or Jason Terry. Dirk Nowitzki can shoot and create better than any 7 footer out there but he's just a step too slow if he has multiple defenders.

4. You have to be good defensively. I think a great defensive player obviously make this a slam dunk but if a player has all other qualities and is still "good" on the defensive end then he could still be called the best. You can't be a defensive liability though. Wade still needs to improve in this area as he is not great defensively but he is a decent defender and I think on the verge of being a good one. Nowitzki could be called decent as well but you wouldn't label him a good defender by any means and I don't think he's going to get any better. Lebron James on the other hand is really not good on the defensive end. This is a big reason why right now I would rate Wade above James. I think James physically has it in him to be good or even a great defender but he has not yet made an effort to do it. We'll see if this changes in the future. Of all the "best in the NBA" candidates, Kobe Bryant takes this category hands down. There is a reason why he makes All-defensive teams.

5. This is a big one and yet it's one that has the least amount of physical traits attached to it. You have to be able to elevate the play of your teammates and be a true team leader. It can't be a one man show all the time . Sometimes guys like Steve Kerr, Brent Barry, or even James Posey (last night) have to have the confidence to hit big shots and make a difference. Jordan learned this the hard way. But he did learn it. I think Duncan, Wade, Lebron, and even Nowitzki in varying degrees are able to do this. This is where Kobe Bryant is still lacking.


---Three players have at least 4 out of the 5 qualities here. Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, and Kobe Bryant. I think Kobe physically is the best of the three but mentally his immaturity has and will keep him from assuming the mantle of "Best player in the NBA". I see Dwyane Wade and Lebron James as the two that will fight for this title (and who knows maybe the Eastern conference and NBA titles as well) in the next few years. As this season ends, Dwyane Wade in my mind holds both titles. But Lebron James may have something to say about that next year and the in the years to come. Should be fun to watch.

Mark Cuban swaps recipes with David Stern....or not.

This picture is one you won't be seeing replicated anytime soon. Cuban obviously is in full conspiracy mode right about now. Either that or he was mouthing "you complete me" to David Stern last night after the game when he was staring him down. But that's iffy at best. The rest of the Mavs are pissed too. What they should be upset about is that they aren't playing like they were the first two games. That and the fact that Dwyane Wade is killing them. He's just fun to watch isn't he? I'm interested to see how the Mavs respond in game 6. I hope this series goes 7 games just so I can watch Wade and Mark Cuban. Their entertainment value has gone through the roof! What would be really great is if Dallas loses in the last seconds of game 7 and "Cubes" goes beserk and goes into the stands after Stern. This is then followed by a court mandated counseling session with Ron Artest. I'm an optimist I know.

Dream Big: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at the US Open

I had a dream last night that I was in the U.S. Open Golf Tourney. I was ripping drives 50 yards past Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. My short iron game was on and my putting was unbelievable. Of course I was doing it while wearing clown feet and sporting a Ben Wallace Afro. Oh and occasionally a cartoon character would give me high fives. But that aside it was a very cool dream. I made a hole in one on a par 4 and promptly told Lefty and Tiger to eat my shorts. Then I made out with Jessica Alba. Which was nice.
So what does the dream mean? I don't know and frankly I don't care. I was kicking ass and scoring with a major hottie. Does there need to be complexity here?


And speaking of no-brainers, there is the matter of the real U.S. Open and the media's wet dream of having the final day come down to Tiger and Phil. I like everyone else would like to see this happen. We've been waiting for a rival for Tiger for years. Vijay Singh gave it a run for a year or so before his putter ran away with him (Maybe he'll make another go at it starting today. Hopefully not because Vijay's a major weenie. Nobody likes him because win or lose he pisses people off with his attitude).

Anyway back to Phil. With some Majors in his pocket now he has catapulted his way into the role of legitimate Tiger rival. A duel between these two this weekend would solidify it. It's what we all want. And since I won't be staring down Tiger and Phil anytime soon and a hookup with Jessica Alba is unlikely, this is the only dream that has a shot of coming true.

When will people get it?

I saw something on tv last fall about Kellen Winslow's motorcycle accident and Ben Roethlisberger was being interviewed about his penchant for motorcycle riding especially without a helmet. He defended himself saying he's careful. I thought to myself at the time that that was the most idiotic thing I had heard in a while. I told my wife watching with me at the time, "I hope he is around someday to regret what he is saying". I hate to be right about these things. If you've seen the news on Big Ben then you know what I'm talking about. Hopefully he turns out to be ok. If I was a Steeler fan I'd hope he never looks at a motorcycle again.

Heat vs. Mavs

I'm out of town on a work conference this week so I'll keep this short. Where can I buy the Mark Cuban voodoo doll complete with complimentary pins and matches? --Go Heat.

Wade cool. Theismann not.

---Dwyane Wade was awesome in game 4 against Detroit but I worry about his body holding up through the finals if they put away Detroit. He's taking a lot of abuse and hitting the floor way too much.



---I really hope the Suns/Mavs will go seven games. My hope is that in the final seconds of game seven Nash hits a three in the final seconds to win the series, turns aroud and makes eye contact with Mark Cuban and then rubs his fingers together as if to say, "should have showed me the cash dude". It won't happen but wouldn't that be a nice tv movment?


And although it seems I might be picking on Cuban a bit lately, I absolutely think he is a good owner for the Mavericks. I don't like the guy but I have to hand it to him; he is dedicated to making Dallas a winner and cares passionately about the game. You can't say that about all the owners out there. I still like my tv moment mentioned above but maybe the Mavs are better off without Nash. Their defense used to be atrocious. It is not great yet, but it is getting better and Nash leaving probably is one reason why. As good as Steve Nash is offensively; defensively he's a liability.


---Speaking of liabilities, how about ABC's future Monday Night color guy and broadcast liability, Joe Theismann. Joe T. criticizing Ricky Williams today was amusing. Does anyone care a damn about what Joe thinks? This is a man who can contradict himself 3 times in the span of 30 seconds while broadcasting a game. As long as he's throwing the word "disgrace" around to describe Williams he could toss the same word in to describe his brodcasting skills.

More Sports Ramblings

---Mark Cuban makes me want to root against the Mavericks even though I like most of the guys on their team.


---The Suns will lose to the Mavs because they can't play defense and Dallas finally can. Sorta.



---I have rooted against every team Shaquille O'Neal has been on since he's come into the league. I just don't like the guy that much. However I will be rooting for the Heat against the Pistons because of Dwyane Wade. I like him that much. My man-crush on Wade supersedes my one-sided feud with Shaq.

---There are some things about the Detroit Pistons that I really like. Ben Wallace for one. Who wouldn't want this guy on their team? Tayshaun Prince is also a player that I really root for. 30 pounds ago I used to be a skinny guy so I'm all for the slender types. Also, he plays tough defense and is underrated on offense. What's not to like about the Pistons? Well Rasheed Wallace is fairly annoying and for some weird reason Chauncy Billups bugs me. But what I hate most about this team is their damn homecourt announcer. Usually when you watch games on tv you don't even notice these guys. Not the Piston' dude. "Deeeetroooit Baaasketbaaaawl" This is a guy begging to be duct-taped naked to a goalpost and shaved from head to toe.



---Long live the Clippers. Let's hope owner Donald Sterling and GM Elgin Baylor don't find a way to screw this team up this summer.

---Elton Brand is awesome and I wish the Clippers hadn't matched the free agent offer sheet that the Jazz offered him a couple of years back. He is exactly what my Jazz need.



---Just like everybody else I hated to see Barbaro go down at the Preakness. The only time I tune into horseracing is when there is shot at the Triple Crown. Luckily it's been pretty regular the past decade with a lot of good horses making a run for it. I'm no prophet especially when it comes to picking a winning horse but I can predict this: the t.v. ratings for the Belmont are gonna suck.



---I wish Bonds would hit 715 already. 714 took long enough. I'm sick of the top story of news-broadcasts being that Bonds didn't hit one out. How is that news? I wish a pitcher would just serve him up a meatball so they'll quit talking about the guy.

--By the way, Albert Pujols defending Bonds just made me lose some respect for him and got me wondering if maybe he has skeletons in his closet. I'll bet I'm not the only one. The quote that really gets me by Pujols is this one: Pujols says about the coverage on Bonds, "That's why I get so angry when they talk and rag on Barry. The guy hasn't done anything and you guys are already friggin' ragging and wiping the floor with his name, which is real sad."
--So because he hasn't tested positive for the juice he never did it right Mr. Pujols? You have never tested positive either. So maybe you never did it in the past either.....hmmmm. Now I like Pujols and I would like to see him make a run on Barry's single season HR record. But even if he does I know another part of me will view it with suspicion. Not so much because of his comments but because Bonds, Mcgwire, Sosa, etc. ruined the excitement of home-run records for all of us. We can't help but be suspicious even with the testing now taking place. Barry didn't do anything ? Please. He just ruined you and every other power-hitter's credibility for years to come Albert.

Larry Brown: Evil Genius

-I'm starting to think Larry Brown had a plan when he took the Knicks job that was very similar to his plan when he was kicked out of town by the Pistons: Grab the cash and move on.

See I think a couple of years ago when the Pistons won the championship, Larry looked around and said, "shit is this it? I thought I'd feel more excited about this." I think right then Brown figured out what is most important to him in life: $$$$. He knew he was done in in Detroit after the 04-05 San Antonio finals loss yet he weasled his way out of town with a huge contract buyout that enabled everyone to see just what a scumbag he is. And I just don't buy that he actually thought he could fix the Knicks. He knew how much Isiah Thomas had screwed this team up and how with the lack of draft picks in the future and crazy and untradeable contracts it wasn't going to be fixed anytime soon. Even with his Barry Bonds sized ego he knew he was no savior here. He also knew that if he came in and had a terrible season and pissed everyone off he could pull the same crap he did with the Pistons. Only this time he can escape with the cash after just one year. I read reports that he could get a buyout for at least 20 million and who knows maybe he'll get out with even 40 million. Not a bad payday for a year's work. Larry's a genius all right. Not a basketball genius but he's one hell of a player nonetheless.

This Week's Random Sports Thoughts

--Steve Nash. MVP two years in a row. It still sounds weird. - I like Nash and appreciate the fact that he is what makes the Suns tick, so he definitely should be in the MVP discussion. Hell, maybe he even deserves it, but did you see the disparity in the votes? It was a landslide. His 57 first place votes compared to Kobe's 22 and Lebron's 16 were ridiculous. The most amazing thing about Nash's MVP is not that he won it but that he crushed the competition. Are we really that desperate for a white NBA superstar again? Lord help us if Adam Morrison ever averages over 25 points a game in the next few years. He'll own this trophy.


---The Pistons are looking as good as I have ever seen a team in the postseason. Granted the competition hasn't been great yet and we will definitely get a better sense when they play the Nets or Heat; but would you bet against them?



--- I really like Johan Santana (Twins pitcher). He's just 3-3 to start the season and his ERA is higher than I expected (3.69) but every time I watch the guy pitch I'm amazed by his stuff.


--- Joe Torre got his 1,000 win with the Yankees and that is an amazing statistic. It's a testament to the genuis of this guy that he was able to be with the Yankees long enough to do that. When your working for a guy that fired Billy Martin 5 times (yes it still defies logic) and you manage to stave off the axe long enough to wrack up that many victories, then kudos need to be served. Championships help allow a grace period it's true, but can you imagaine another guy surviving the last couple of years in Yankeedom? I can't. Joe Torre is the perfect manager for New York. He's a quality person, doesn't over-react and knows how to manage personalities. People say anyone could win with the Yankees talent but I don't agree. Torre is not only baseball smart but more importantly for a team like the Yankees, he knows how to manage stars and their egos. He also knows how to manage one of the most egomanical owners in sports. I'm not a Yankee fan, but I am a Joe Torre fan.

NFL Draft Thoughts

I caught bits of the draft (does anyone truly watch this thing straight through?) and came away with a few thoughts:

-The Texans are insane. Do I need to elaborate?

-As a Rams fan I wish the they had been able to get Texas' defensive back, Michael Huff. Tye Hill is not a terrible pick though, the Rams need serious secondary help and he was a highly rated CB.

-2 offensive players who I think will will end up being steals in the draft have the same first name: Maurice Drew (RB from UCLA 60th pick to Jacksonville ) and Maurice Stovall (WR from Notre Dame 90th pick to Tampa Bay).

Next to Reggie Bush, Maurice Drew was the most dynamic player I saw play this past season. They played in the same city and Bush got all the pub but Drew was awesome. I know he's small but have you seen the thighs on this guy? They are tree trunks. He's fast, elusive and I think he's going to be really good. Notre Dame's Samardzija got most of the attention at WR last year but Stovall had some of the best catches I saw all year. I think he's got great hands and will do what Keyshawn did for Tampa before he punked out.

- The NFL network had the tip on the Vince Young pick several minutes before it happened and ESPN had no clue. Score one for the NFL network. Think they had a little help on that one? How long before the NFL tells ESPN they're not welcome at the draft and Rich Eisen and the boys will get exclusive coverage? By the way I was very impressed with Ram's Safety Corey Chavous' draft analysis skills on the NFL network. He was a natural and sounded like he had been doing tv for years.

Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, and Retirement

I don't think Barry Bonds will finish out the season. He is obsessed with passing Babe Ruth and once that is accomplished I think it could be anytime after that when he retires. His injuries and age have caught up to him and he doesn't have the magic steroid pill (or should I say syringe) to ward off either of these problems. I know you can't trust anything out of the man's mouth so his latest statement about him doubting that he could break Hank's record (meaning he won't play long enough to) should be taken with a grain of salt. But after watching him grimace around the basepaths last night it's hard to imagine him making it through the entire season. I'm sure Bonds wants the all-time HR record but he also knows that if he gets it the steroid talk will never cease (it won't anyway) and he might end up with an asterisk by his name. Plus passing Hank Aaron doesn't hold the same allure for Bonds that passing Ruth does. You would have to have your head in the sand to believe race doesn't have something to do with this. In 2003 Bonds made this statement, "755 isn't a number that's always caught my eye..... the only number I care about is Babe Ruth's. Because as a left-handed hitter, I wiped him out. That's it. And in the baseball world, Babe Ruth's everything, right? I got his slugging percentage and I'll take his home runs and that's it. Don't talk about him no more."
Bond's doesn't claim that Ruth being white is part of his motivation but his other reported racist statements along with this quote, "Babe Ruth was a great player, but he wasn't black. I'm black, and it's tougher for blacks"; lead me to believe that Ruth's whiteness is definitely a motivating factor in his desire to pass him.
Anyway, whether or not race has anything to do with Bond's obsession with Ruth, the point is he is fanatical about getting ahead of the Bambino. To get to Hank's record he would need to play part of next season as well and I just don't think that happens. So here is how I see it playing out this summer.

- Bonds passes Ruth and gets giddy over it.

-Whether its a day later or 2 months later, Bond's will have a press conference and citing injuries as the reason, announce his retirement. Additionally he will pull out his victim act yet again and tell us that the emotional toil from all the media harassment has dampened his desire to play anymore. Tears will probably roll as he props up his very cute daughter next to him and whines about how tough it has been to be Barry Bonds. Then it's back to the mansion to swim in the pool.

-Also, this gets him out of active player status if and when this so called official investigation ever amounts to anything.

Just as a sidenote, I read something today that compared Barry Bonds to Ty Cobb. Although Cobb was definitely more racist and more of a jerk, the comparison has some merit. Both were extremely talented players with huge egos and personalities that turned people off.

NBA Postseason: I'm hoping for some of that fantastic stuff

What to do, what to do? Who do I root for in the upcoming NBA postseason? My Utah Jazz are out, so the question is what would make for an entertaining postseason?

The favorites to play in the finals have to be the Pistons and the Spurs. While I think both of these clubs are efficient, well coached, excellent teamszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....oh I'm sorry, did I nod off? Yeah. They are boring. Nobody on either team except the Spurs guard's Manu Ginoboli and Tony Parker are remotely fun to watch. And even those two don't make up for the overall snooze play of their team. Sorry Piston and Spur fans, but while theoretically the two best teams squaring off against each other should be great theater, I would say: wake me when it's over. I think this would be much like if the team I root for (the Jazz) were good enough to be there. While it might be exciting for me, the rest of the country would be fast forwarding their TiVo's.

So if I don't think the two best teams would be great to watch, who would I like to see in the finals? How about the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Miami Heat against either the Phoenix Suns or the Los Angeles Lakers. This would give us an extended look at Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant or a fun to watch Phoenix team. Now that's drama, highlight reel type plays, and made for tv games. Even Dallas might be fun just to see how much more of an idiot Mark Cuban could be.

Sure I'm shallow and don't understand how efficient, defensive basketball should be appreciated and not scorned. I know, I know, great team basketball is what the sport should be all about. Some would point to the great teams in the 80's like the Celtics and Lakers who played basketball this way. But they would be forgetting one thing. Those NBA finals involved Magic and Bird. That's what really made those series into what they were. It's exciting players on good teams that make the NBA fun to watch. Now maybe this means a Kobe led Laker team shouldn't qualify because the team in essence, really isn't that good. All I have to say to that is this: 81 point game. The Bulls in 1986 weren't that good either but Jordan's 63 point game against the Celtics still stands out. That's what I want for this postseason. Something memorable. Team basketball is nice and all but sometimes you just want to watch someone go off.


So castigate me if you must, but I freely admit I would love to see Lebron and Kobe with 40 + points in game 7 of the finals, matching each other shot for shot. I'm kinda stupid that way.

Lacrosse. Getting Headlines the Wrong Way.

Lacrosse and major sports story seem like words that don't belong in the same sentence. Normally that would be true. But then you add the words: Duke, rape, black stripper, rich white kids, dna evidence; and you've got yourself some tantalizing reading.

As of today it seems like the D.A. will have a tough time proving in court these kids had anything to do with a rape. Unless further evidence comes out, reports say that there is not DNA linkage, that there may even be evidence that one of the players indicted wasn't even at the party and that the other may not have been there at the time of the alleged rape. If this is true then the D.A.'s office is going to look like idiots in court. These kids got some heavy duty lawyers and we all know what good lawyers can do even with evidence that seems to be slam dunk worthy (see O.J. Simpson). The D.A. doesn't have that kind of evidence so the only conclusion I can come to is that he is worried politically and socially what would happen if they didn't charge somebody with something. Race and politics seem to be ruling the day here. I'm glad I don't have the D.A.'s job. If you do nothing you may not make it through the next election (which is soon) and the city could see protests that may even get violent. If you go ahead with the prosecution you may be committing career suicide anyway because the next election will bring up this trial which promises to be a debacle.

Who knows what really happened at that party. That's probably the one thing that won't get decided. I'm guessing that some (if not many) Duke Lacrosse players are a bunch of rich, egotistical, chauvinistic, bigoted dirtbags who are probably capable of rape. I'm guessing that many black and white folks in North Carolina have very different opinions on this matter. I'm guessing that Roger Cossack will continue to annoy me on ESPN. I'm guessing that this story will drag on for awhile.

I know that as interested as I am to see how it turns out, I'm already sick of writing this much about it. Can't we do this "CSI" style and get the result in under an hour?

NBA MVP Debate

I'll follow the crowd today and weigh in on the MVP debate for the National Basketball Association. Everyone and their favorite dog has an opinion on this and I'm no different.
The front-runners seem to be (in no particular order) Steve Nash, Lebron James, Chauncey Billups, Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, & Dwyane Wade. Also mentioned occasionally in the media are Sam Cassell, Tim Duncan, Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitizki, & Carmelo Anthony.

If it was all up to me this is how it would go down:

-First he has to be from a team that has a legitimate shot at winning the championship. What's more valuable than being the man who will lead your team to a title? Some teams have done better than expected and are playoff bound. This doesn't mean they will be playing in the championship game. The Cavs, Clippers, Nets, Lakers, and Nuggets have had decent years. Although I like most of these teams, I don't think any of them will be taking the trophy home. This eliminates Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, Sam Cassell, and reluctantly Elton Brand from my MVP ballot.

And yes I know my ballot is not real.

It should be though.


-And yes I realize anything could happen in the playoffs so maybe one of the teams I just lightly dissed will win it all and make me look like a bigger idiot than I already am.

I'll chance it. It wouldn't be that much of a drop for me.


-Second the MVP has to be the most valuable player on his own team. This cancels out Shawn Marion, who leads the Suns in most categories but in my mind is not as valuable as Steve Nash.

-Third, he has to be somebody my notoriously cheap self would be willing to pay to watch play if all TVs were suddenly taken away by George Bush's secret police and I actually had to leave my living room.
Chauncey Billups, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitizki, and Steve Nash please take a seat.


-That leaves just one guy standing. Dwyane Wade. He's my pick for MVP.
The odds favor the Pistons to represent the East but you have to say that the Heat have a legitimate shot at it. Plus he's been the main man for the Heat for two years running even with Shaq on the team. I think he is along with Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan, one of the 4 best players in the league. And other than Lebron, Kobe and possibly Vince Carter, Dwayne Wade is one of only 4 guys I would actually fork out money to see play. He fits all my criteria.

So there you have it. This year's MVP. I'm a genuis. Well, maybe not a genius, but I can ride a bike and I like to whistle. That's something.

A Lesson on Heroes

As I saw the news on Gooden heading back to jail I was reminded again of how easy it is to screw up your life. What a waste. When Dwight Gooden was mowing down batters in the mid 80's, I pictured a Hall of Fame career as his legacy, not an orange jumpsuit.
Gooden and his buddy Darryl Strawberry were actually very good role models in the "what not to do" category as I was going through high school. Strange because they started out as something very different for me. They were the reason I became a fan of major league baseball.

In the summer of 1986 I had just finished the 8th grade and although I liked to play baseball I didn't have much interest in following the Major Leagues. With the nearest professional team being a 14 hour drive to LA, I didn't have the benefit of going to games as a kid to spark a baseball obsession. My parents had just gotten cable and it was only then that I could see a game beyond the occasional Saturday Vin Scully broadcast. Now I could see Cubs and Braves games thanks to WTBS and WGN. For some reason that year I began collecting baseball cards. One of my first packs I ever bought had Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden in it. I knew almost nothing about them. But I began following them and the Mets in the newspaper. Wouldn't you know it, this was going to be the Mets' year. Strawberry in particular held a special fascination for me. His long looping and graceful swing produced some of the most picturesque home runs I had ever seen. Gooden's curveball and fastball were awesome.

I was hooked.

I followed the Mets faithfully that year and had posters of Gooden and Strawberry up on my wall. I annoyed the hell out of my dad that October as I hooted and jumped up and down during the World Series 6th game comeback. He was rooting for the Red Sox.

Awkward.

Anyway I stuck with the Mets for a few more years until most of the guys that I rooted for were gone. The year Howard Johnson and Kevin McReynolds were the main attractions I bolted for the Braves who were commanding much of my viewing time on tv. (It helped they were always on with their cable channel. Ted Turner was an evil genius) Although it seems I was just turning to another successful team when the Mets started losing, I actually started following and rooting for Atlanta the year before they came out of the basement. They still had Dale Murphy and he was something of a legend in Utah.

Anyway, Strawberry and Gooden went on to self destruction as is well known. Strawberry in particular was a good lesson for me as I was just reaching adulthood when he began his "I'm a screw-up, no wait I think I've changed, no really I'm totally messed up" cycle. Gooden was always a little more shy than Darryl so his screwups didn't quite make the headlines that Strawberry did, but his pattern has been very similar.

Dwight's 1985 stats were so good (24-4, 268 Strikeouts, 1.53 ERA) so early that it probably was impossible to live up to the hype he had created. Still, we'll always wonder how good he and Strawberry could have been without the booze, drugs, and partying. Seeing them both stand in prison garb has never made me angry, just sad. These were my first baseball heroes. The only orange I ever wanted to see them suited up in was found on the uniform of the New York Mets.

**SI Covers found on SI.com

Gators and Syringes

---So yeah I guess there was a National Championship game last night. I checked in once in the first half. Looked boring. Checked back with a couple minutes to go in the game and the blowout confirmed my earlier assessment. Gator fans are deservedly ecstatic and could care less what the game looked like. For those of us just hoping for an exciting Final Four weekend/Monday there is always next year. And really what do we have to whine about? Most of the tournament was pretty fun to watch this year.


--While I'm not an advocate of fans throwing things on the field at baseball games I did get a strange moment of satisfaction as I watched Bonds pick up the needle-less syringe thrown his way. This was in San Diego for hell's sake. He's in for a long year with that kind of stuff. Sadly, for this sorry excuse for a human being it will just confirm in his mind how much more of a victim he really is. You know, the only real victim is Bond's pillow, which has to put up with that huge melon every night.

More NFL Musical Chairs

This isn't NFL related but I have to mention that with my mid-major leanings I of course loved the George Mason upset. I'll say it again because it just feels so good. Screw you Billy Packer.

Anyway, back to NFL offseason happenings:

---How about that Aaron Brooks signing huh? The Raiders replaced one inconsistent-I want to throw up-after watching that pass- QB with a slightly more maddening, inconsistent-I want to crap my pants after watching that pass- QB. This is thrilling for Raider fans I'm sure. The Hater Nation does a good job of explaining the salivating excitement out there among the silver and black concerning this move.(& March 27th post)


Anyway, some are saying that this is a band-aid that will hold while they draft a QB and groom him. Maybe Young or Cutler if they are still available. Then again, who the hell knows with the Raiders. I know it's Al Davis but they can't be serious about Brooks as their future can they?


----I think Dante "I don't do lap dances, just dice" Culpepper is definitely an upgrade for the Dolphins. I know Brees was their first choice (for the right price) but Culpepper has got to inspire more confidence than what has been passing for QB play in Miami the last couple of years.



---Terrell Owens to Dallas. This is superb. I was getting lukewarm on my anti-Cowboy stance the past few years. Besides disliking Parcells (but really, who doesn't?) and being turned off by the obnoxious Jerry Jones, I haven't been able to entirely shake some of my gradeschool days affection when I worshipped Tony Dorsett. The past few years I have rooted for them to lose, but outright hatred was reserved for the Patriots. Aside from Jerry Jones' creepifying and possibly illegal move toward looking like my grandmother, I was finding it hard to direct a significant amount of negative karma their way. Problem solved. Now I've just got to locate my T.O. voodoo doll for a uniform change.


---In other prima-donna news, Keyshawn Johnson is a Panther now. Not a bad move but I think they are paying too much for him. But if Johnson is serious about fitting in, it might pay off.


---I also like Cleveland's signing of ex-Pat linebacker Willie McGinest. Nice addition to their defense.


---Speaking of ex-Patriots......just a great move by New England to let Adam Vinatieri go. Kudos. He has caused me and numerous others much grief over the past few years. Maybe he can help Manning understand that "clutch" doesn't mean that thingy next to the gas pedal. Then again maybe the Pats know know something we don't, as ESPN's Bill Simmons seems to think. Could it be that this dog has had his day? I mean he did blow a kick in the playoffs against the Broncos so apparently he misses occasionally in big games. Still I can't help myself, I'm giddy. Brady can still get them into field goal range like nobody else, but unless the next guy can kick in 4 feet of snow then I will rest easier. Somehow I don't think that will be the case for Pats fans. Mike D over at SportsBlah.com (Wed Mar 22nd) has a good post on a Patriot fan's dilemma of keeping faith in Belichick versus the unease at losing someone who has meant so much to New England.



-Also some say Edgerrin James will do fine in Arizona, while others think the O-line there will mean his stats will diminish dramatically. I think it will be somewhere in the middle. How's that for waffling? I think he will have about 1100 yards but his yard per carry average will be in the 3.8-4.1 range. He better get used to quicker snap counts as well. Warner is not quite the Ritalin candidate that Payton is.


---Ahhhhhh. The smell of NFL Europe League is in the air. Intoxicating isn't it? I was watching Dallas backup QB Drew Henson direct the offense for the Rhein Fire the other day, and I got to wondering what happens if he ultimately flames out of the NFL? My take is that at least he'll be rich and he can claim he fleeced both the Yankees and the Cowboys. That's a legacy I could live with.

Mistake or Not? The Drew Brees situation

I guess it's about time I share my thoughts on recent happenings in the NFL's offseason.

Today's topic: Drew Brees and Phillip Rivers

I think San Diego is taking the biggest gamble of anyone this year. Before the Brees defection, I felt the Chargers (despite missing the playoffs last season) legitimately were capable of making a strong SuperBowl push this coming year. Now I don't think that happens. I said it during the season and I'll say it now. If they choose Rivers over Brees it will be a decision they regret. They are banking (or rather G.M. A.J. Smith is) on Philip Rivers making a Carson Palmer like transition. Good luck with that. If I was Tomlinson and Antonio Gates, I wouldn't hold my breath. Now if Rivers impresses or Brees shoulder makes him into another Chad Pennington, then obviously they made the right move but if your going to gamble, don't you take the higher odds? The odds would say that Brees has a better shot of rehabbing and continuing his rise as a Pro-Bowl caliber QB than Rivers has of becoming as good as Brees . And even if he does, it will most likely take at least 2 seasons as a starter for him to really become that good. Even Carson Palmer had a one year transition (albeit a pretty decent one) before he broke out. More often than not it turns into a situation of continually waiting for the light to turn on (Joey Harrington, Kyle Boller, etc.). With the Chargers looking better the last couple of years than they have since their SuperBowl year of 1995, fans aren't going to be patient with a step backward.


The interesting question in my mind is what would A.J. Smith have done if Brees hadn't got hurt. Would he still have thought Drew's price tag was too high? Would both quarterbacks still have been around this next season? Would he trade Rivers or would he still have wanted to develop him because he drafted him? Logic says that the Pennington-like horror scenario couple with the nightmare of trading Rivers who then turns into Carson Palmer would be what drove him to let Brees walk. But pride often trumps logic. I'm not so sure Brees wasn't gone no matter the circumstances.


I also have to question Brees' choice of New Orleans. I know they made him feel all warm and fuzzy and he really hasn't gotten that with the Chargers but could he have gone with the Dolphins or stayed with the Chargers for just a little less guaranteed money? Unless it was an eye-popping amount there is no reason to go to a re-building club with a winning history worse than the team you just left. The Dolphins are ready to win now and Brees could have been the missing link. Plus it's Florida for Hell's sake. Other than some hurricanes what's not to like? Again unless his other offers were significantly and ridiculously low then joining the Saints will be something he might regret in a year as well.

I'll have more to say on other off-season moves next week.

Mid-Major Advocate

I was actually pretty annoyed with the tournament this weekend. The games I wanted to watch were not shown and the ones I cared about as much as I do a rectal exam were CBS's games of choice in my area. I'm looking forward to this tourney whittling down just for the fact that if there is a game I want to watch, I can.

-Teams that I picked that are still in the Sweet 16:
Duke, LSU, West Virginia, Texas, Memphis, Gonzaga, UCLA, Connecticut, Villanova, Boston College, Florida & Georgetown. Most of those were pretty easy to pick and most of you probably have the same teams in. Georgetown was a bit of surprise for me but I picked them based soley on my Hoya obsession when I was in 9th grade. Sometimes those 14-year old loyalties work out I guess. 12 out of 16 is not too bad but I didn't see Bradley, George Mason, Washington, & Wichita St. standing after the weekend was done. Still, I see this as Mid-Major validation. This has been happening the last few years and still Billy Packer and Nantz cry like my 3 year old when they feel too many of these "unworthy" teams get in. Well screw you Packer and Nantz. Yes, sometimes the best as well as the 2nd, 3rd, and even the 4th best teams in a Mid-Major conference are better than the bottom feeders of the major conferences. Hell, occasionally they are better than some of the top teams. Deal with it dumbasses.

My Utah State Ags didn't come through but George Mason beating North Carolina was one of the finer moments in the tournament. The Final Four still belongs to the Big Guys but on this first weekend it's all about upsets.

-Also, as you can tell I'm not the critic of the tournament committee that some were after the field was announced but what the hell were they thinking giving Tennessee a 2 seed. That was the easiest upset to call in the whole tourney so far. I'm confused as to how they got this ranking. They ended their regular season by blowing serveral games. They got ousted in their own conference tournament early, had a worse record than several teams with better resume's and they still managed to get the 2 seed. Huh?

"Starbury" and the "Big Dance"

A couple of thoughts today:

First, what would we do without NBA players like Stephon "Starbury". I love guys like this. They continue to help idiots like myself feel less idiotic. The self proclaimed "best point guard in the league hands down" feels he has attempted to pass the ball enough this season and will now get back to what he does best. Shooting every time he comes down the floor.
In case you missed his quote here it is in all it's glory:
"I went into this year trying to do something, to put myself in a situation where we can win, OK?" To help the team win games. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. So, what do I do now, as far as the way I play? I go back to playing like Stephon Marbury, aka Starbury. I haven't been Starbury this year. I've been some other dude this year."

So what's funnier, the fact that he calls himself "Starbury", or that he actually feels like the last few years he has helped his team win games and been the best point guard in the league? I guess that would be why he has already been traded 3 times. He's in huge demand.


Other thoughts today involve the NCAA tournament.

I'm pleasantly surprised with my alma mater Utah State making the field. It was unexpected considering how many times they have been hosed in the past. They had no reason to believe this year was any different. I guess the game against Nevada in the WAC tourney final helped. They should have won but a blown layup with no time left forced the game into overtime where Nevada pulled out a squeaker. I think they'll get beat by Washington this week but you never know. After all the Aggies are a 12 seed and 12 seeds have had some success in the first round historically.

Some may have gripes (or just get purple and nearly pop a blood vessel like Billy Packer) over the fact that some mid-majors like Utah St. and Air Force made the field when Florida St. and Cincinnati didn't get in. No sympathy from me. Mid-majors consistently get screwed in the selection process (Two years ago Utah St. was ranked in the top 25 for the last month of the season, was 17-1 in league play, won 25 games and still didn't get in) so I could care less if some mediocre ACC or Big East team doesn't get in.

As far as seeding goes, I thought like everyone else that Tennessee got a gift with a 2 seed. Maybe they prove the naysayers wrong in the tourney but it doesn't change the fact that this was one of the worst high seed decisions ever.

I'm picking Memphis and Connecticut to make it to the finals with Memphis cutting down the nets.

Memory Wipe In Process

The NCAA has some real geniuses at work. You know that right? This is the organzation that brings us the BCS after all. I'm continually amazed by some of their punitive sanctions as well. Sometimes NCAA justice is more comedic than a Dave Chapelle appearance. You may know that Ohio State basketball has now been placed on 3 years probation for using an ineligible player under coach Jim O' Brien from 1999-2002. Penalties include having to payback tournament revenues from that time period. Fair enough. I don't see the problem with that. Where it gets a little weird and really ridiculous is when they take away wins from seasons that have already been played. They are even being forced to forfeit their 1999 Final Four appearance and take down the Final Four banner in their own arena. It never happened. Seriously. Wipe it from your memory. Actually, Michael Redd might want to forget this photo of him and Scoonie Penn ever occured. Thanks to the NCAA he is assured that it didn't. Additionally, if you happen to own any memorabilia concerning this event, which was not real, some nice gentlemen in shades and suits will be arriving shortly to dispose of it properly. You've been warned.

Duke, Gonzaga & Isaac Bruce

- I don't see the POY candidates Reddick and Morrison getting to the title game of the NCAA tournament and producing the game that the media and television would slobber over. If you shut either of them down then their teams don't have another go to guy. Besides Gonzaga nearly lost in the semi-final of their conference tournament and then should have lost in the finals to a Loyola team that was 12-18 at the time. Only a blown layup prevented the shocker. That is two near losses to San Diego and Loyola Marymount! Now San Diego has won 18 games this year so they are not a gimmee but Gonzaga is ranked in the top 5 of the nation for crying out loud! Too many close games this year to inferior teams. No way Gonzaga makes the Final Four.
I think Duke will be upset as well, although I could see them possibly making the Final Four and then losing in the semi-final game . Sheldon Williams can be awesome at times so he could pick up the slack if Reddick has an off night. But I think Connecticut or Villanova should be the favorite for this tournament. They don't rely as much on one guy and they just seem like better teams.


-On a football note, I have mixed emotions about Rams long-time standout wide receiver Isaac Bruce getting released from the team. He was great for a long time and defined Ram football. He was a good guy and had great hands. He had some clutch catches over the years that can never be forgotten by Ram fans. But the Rams needed the salary cap space and it isn't shocking that Bruce was a casualty of cost-cutting measures. The spectacular play of Torry Holt of the last few years and the emergence of Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald really have made Bruce a luxury but not a necessity. It's a sad move for Ram fans but one that realistically needed to be made.

A weak rationalization

You may have noticed a little less effort put into this site since the end of the football season. My posts have been infrequent and probably a little lame.

Two explanations for this. The first one is that I have new responsibilities at work (yes, this means I got a promotion, and no it doesn't mean that much more money. Bastards.) and I don't have the time that I had before to use company time and company internet services for the purposes God intended, ----surfing the internet and blogging. This could change as I figure out how best to manipulate my time and responsiblities and get back to what I do best at work, which is studying the benefits of 3 receiver and 4 receiver offensive sets against the cover 2 defense.
So with work out of the picture in terms of time to update this site then I have to try and do it at home. This means competing with a wife and 2 kids under 4 years old who have the nerve to demand more of my time. All right, so they don't have to twist my arm. I am kidding on that one. I like spending time with my family and since I didn't have a dad who liked to hang with me when I was a kid, I try to let my kids drive me as crazy as possible.

The second reason I haven't been posting as much is that I realize I just don't have the passion about other sports as I do football. And the offseason for football doesn't really get my juices flowing. I mean I'm interested in things like the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the draft, free agency, etc. but it's not enough for me to want to post thoughts on these things daily or even bi-weekly. As far as other sports go, I imagine I'll be into baseball a little more when the season gets cranked up. When March Madness rolls around I'll definitely be into college b-ball and I'll take an interest in the NBA when the playoffs roll around. But football is why I started this blog in the first place. I had thoughts about Pro and college football that I wanted to write down and a blog seemed as good as place as any. That way people had the opportunity to tell me what a dork I am for thinking the way I do. I was getting too uppity for my own good anyway.

So I figure until football season rolls around again I'll continue to do what I'm doing. That is, post about once a week on sports topics that catch my interest. I would like to update every Monday or Tuesday. So check back at the first of each week for some new nugget of wisdom (or crap) from yours truly. Thanks for sticking with me.