Its Only Sports

What!??  We picked it - the Finals, Lakers, Celtics, where the 80s happen!

How do I see this series playing out?

One of two things is going to happen, nothing else.  Either:

a) The Celtics come out and play 4 games like they were playing in December.

or

b) Kobe destroys all.

There’s really no other outcome.  Sure, it could be a hard-fought, back and forth series.  In the case of a tight series, I favor the Lakers because they have Euro players and play the game “right” where the C’s play the game in a bit of that 90s “outshoot these guys” mentality.  In a tight series the passing of Odom and the shooting of Farmar and Vujacic are all-important.

I don’t even care who wins.  It’s hard for me to say that as a sports fan - but if Kobe wins, it validates his post-Shaq legacy.  If KG and Pierce win, well I’m happy for KG.  I like Rondo, I like Odom.  I enjoy watching both KG and KB play.  No matter how this series goes,  sports fans should be in for a treat.

Round 1 

Celtics vs. Hawks

Matt - Celtics in 4
JT - Celtics in 4

Pistons vs. Sixers

Matt - Pistons in 6
JT - Pistons in 5

Wizards vs. Cavs

Matt - Wiz in 7
JT - Cavs in 6

Raptors vs. Magic

Matt - Magic in 5
JT - Magic in 4

Lakers vs. Nuggets

Matt - Lakers in 6
JT - Lakers in 6

Mavericks vs. Hornets

Matt - Hornets in 7
JT - Hornets in 7

Suns vs. Spurs

Matt - Spurs in 6
JT - Spurs in 6

Jazz vs. Rockets

Matt - Jazz in 6
JT - Rockets in 7

Round 2

Matt - Celtics over Wiz in 6
JT - Celtics over Cavs in 5

Matt - Pistons over Magic in 7
JT - Pistons over Magic in 6

Matt - Lakers over Jazz in 5
JT - Lakers over Rockets in 7

Matt - Hornets over Spurs in 6
JT - Spurs over Hornets in 7

Round 3

Matt - Celtics in 5
JT - Celtics in 7

Matt - Lakers over Hornets in 6
JT - Spurs over Lakers in 7

NBA Finals 

Matt - Celtics in 6
JT - Celtics in 7

Pardon us, coming through, coming through, s’CUSE me.

Syracuse 77, Georgetown 70

Should have won the first time, got ‘em this time.  The poor Hoyas have lost 2 of the last 3 to Syracuse and the Cuse needs to string together more quality W’s as tourney time approaches with just 5 games left.  Will they be bubbled OUT again like they were in last year’s tourney?

Shaq vs. Marion - most people see this trade one of two ways.  Shaq = best C alive = Suns win the trade.  OR  Shaq = old & washed up, Suns lose the trade.

I see it differently.  I think both teams are going to win this trade. 

In 2008, I see the Suns getting to the finals and win, lose or draw with the Celts or Pistons, that’s an improvement.  I see Shaq battling TD with Amare’s help and with the two big Suns bodies, just giving him a bit of a rough time.  I see them battling up with Dirk and having the bodies to compete (unfortunately).

Past 2008, I see the Heat winning this trade if they resign Marion.  Matrix is one of the most enigmatic NBA players - basically because there’s few people like him.  Grant Hill & Chris Webber were in their prime great scorers, passers and rebounders.  That makes them good triple-double machines but they didn’t play D like Marion.  Marion may have few triple doubles but who would playing with the league’s 2nd best true PG?

If the offense in Miami were to run through Marion, he’d be a 3D machine nightly, a la Hill & Webber.  The difference in D though is amazing.  Hill was average at D, Webber slightly above average.  Neither were a true stopper like Marion.

I like the comparison ESPN made yesterday to Marion & Wade being like MJ & Pippen.  Blount is at least as good as Longley & Wennington and Udonis Haslem is a great defensive leader albeit not at the level of Dennis Rodman. 

I see this trade working out for both teams and wish more NBA teams would make deals that made sense like this!

The Superbowl starts in a few hours - the UNDEFEATED UNSTOPPABLE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS taking on the TEAM OF DESTINY AND TEAM LOVED BY THE FOOTBALL GODS FOR THEIR WEEK 17 PERFORMANCE NEW YORK GIANTS!!!!

Prediction: NE 39 NYG 17

Reasoning: The Patriots have to come out firing - if this game gets tight, they know “destiny” and 19-0 is working against them.  Bill Bellichek is smart enough to know that.  He knows that, like the Rams team his Patriots defeated, sometimes being the expected winner is difficult to overcome.

On the other hand, the Giants should be loose because of Week 17.  They aren’t as GOOD as the Pats though and should fall mightily.

MVP - Tom Brady (4 TDs)
LVP - Michael Strahan (0 sacks, 4 tackles)

Storyline - Randy Moss getting 2 TDs in the first half.

Go Pats…at least until 19-0.  I LOVE history.  Then I hate you again.

I should wait until the official BCS rankings come out but does it make ANY sense that LSU is #1 again?  Ohio State lost once and was pronounced dead.  Same with WVU and Kansas hasn’t even lost but if they lose once they’re going to drop below 10th.

The LSU bias strikes me as a “we predicted LSU to be good - so they’re good” by the media & coaches.  LSU *barely* won 3 of 4.  They could be 6-4 right now VERY EASILY.  They aren’t dominating - they barely beat Auburn, and lost their game to a team that’s proven they can’t beat ANYONE.  So the question is - why is anyone so hung up on LSU’s jock at this point?  Auburn & Kentucky exposed them.  Sure, they’re in the discussion - but #1 by far?  Please.  Ohio State has one loss, LSU has one loss.  One of them is consensus #1 by a mile.  The other isn’t top 3.  Kansas has ZERO losses in the Big 12.  *sigh*

If you want a national title in ANY sport you need to TAKE it.  Nobody in college football seems willing to do that this season.  Everyone except Hawaii & Kansas have losses.  LSU is inexplicably going to be #1 again even though they lost and only dropped to #4.  They subsequently almost lost 4 out of their last 5 and somehow are still #1 despite Oregon & Oklahome losing only one game as well and NOT almost losing every other game since.  Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas & Hawaii - that’s your top 4 right there.  Ohio State and LSU can play the “We had it, we lost it, we suck” game now.  Let’s make that a bowl.  The “Kentucky and Illionois beat us at FOOTBALL Bowl - sponsored by Buster Douglas and Doug Flutie”

Go Illini!

So I was reading this article by Jim Caple on ESPN this morning and I completely agree with almost everything Caple wrote - Clay has proven himself to be a terrible owner thusfar.  He has given the entire city a reason *not* to go to the next 40 home games.  If I were a fan in Seattle, there is no way I would entertain the IDEA of going to a Sonics game this year no matter who they play against, no matter how long I had been a fan.  Let’s see how Cash-Us does without ANY revenue.

The one thing I did strongly disagree with Caple on was Schultz.  Caple says earlier that the sale of the Sonics for $350 million was “the 4th biggest sale” in NBA history.  Are the Sonics anywhere NEAR the 4th best team going?  Are they they 14th best team in the NBA? (no)  Are they even in the top 24?  (maybe)

I’m going to give Jimmy Caple a bit of an economics lesson - you can’t call Clay’s purchase price “far too much for the team” and then wonder why Schultz took the offer.  BECAUSE IT WAS FAR TOO MUCH FOR THE TEAM MAYBE??!??!?!  Ok, I understand people WISH George Starbucks hadn’t sold the team - but let’s be honest, they aren’t very good, he obviously doesn’t enjoy their losing seasons, he wanted out and he had someone willing to pay “far too much” for his asset.  He may be wealthy but he didn’t get that way by being stupid either. 

If you have a house worth one price and someone comes along and asks twice what you think you could get for it, you sell.  Period.  Especially if it’s your 4th vacation home in Antigua.  Schultz is not to blame here.  He doesn’t have a DUTY to keep the Sonics or to keep them in Seattle.  It’s a business and he made a VERY good business decision.

When did it become cool for everyone to start slagging the media for “east coast bias”?  This is the *single most overused term* in 2007.  I thought it was going to be something nondescript like “potential” (see Oden, Greg or Bowie, Sam) or “rangy” (see: Durant; Garnett, Kevin).  Nope, “East coast bias.”  That’s why writers supposedly fixate on the Yankees, Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Knicks, Nets, Bruins, Rangers, Islanders, Mets and oh, Bill Simmons.

Correct me if I’m wrong:

The Patriots have won 3 of the last 6 Superbowls, had a cheating scandal earlier in the year, and are on pace to shatter every offensive NFL record.  Moss should easily hit 20 TD receptions and he may not even lead his own team in receptions or yards.  So we can understand why the media talks about the Pats right?  I still don’t know that they will own everyone and go 19-0.  If they do, enjoy that.

The Yankees, Mets and Red Sox have been involved in 8 World Series championships in the last 11 seasons including one Subway Series.  These three teams have won half of all World Series’ contended since the strike.  These three teams have won 1881 games since 2000 started.  That’s an average of 89.7 games per season.  The Yankees and Red Sox have finished 1st and 2nd in the AL East every year since 2000.  They dominate.  They also hate each other.  So we can understand why the media talks about the Yanks, Red Sox and Mets right?  It’s too much?  Alex Rodriquez will likely sign a contract that will pay him more than the entire Pirates team will make next year.  Enjoy that.

The Celtics are the only NBA team that added two current or recent all-stars to their roster in the offseason.   Celtic history is so deep that Robert Horry is the *only* NBA player in HISTORY to have 7 championship rings without being a Celtic.  Mix in the fact that the Eastern Conference is the most boring in basketball and you KNOW you’re going to hear a lot of “Big Three” chatter this season.  Enjoy that.

Then there’s our man, Bill Simmons.   There is a DEFINITE Bill Simmons bias - since the casual reader cannot comment on his articles.  You know what?  Name one other writer on this list worth reading on even a weekly basis:

Here’s hoping KB gets traded soon. Tonight’s line: 45pts 8 rebs 4 assists 1 loss. OH and note to the genius ref that had a 100% perfect view of this - it’s still rape if he jumps on Kobe even if he gets a piece of the ball, his arm and does a 3/4 dry hump.