NBA Finals - Player Introductions

This is how player introductions should be in the NBA Finals...plain and simple without all the fireworks and crap...this was from the 1985 Finals between the Lakers and Celtics...

Cornrows are a thing of the past?

- Yesterday I had a post criticizing LeBron James for not showing sportsmanship after losing to the Orlando Magic...I was not the only one who noticed as the entire media has piled on James for this slight...James said he was not wrong for acting like a poor sport...oh well, maybe one day he will "get it"...otherwise, the national media needs to let this go and move on to another topic...

- I noticed this past season that Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony got rid of the cornrows...I am glad they have decided to go back to the old fashion tight cut hair style...I have never been a fan of cornrows even though many African-Americans wear it as part of their African heritage...this has nothing to do with race...I just like athletes with well groomed hair...just as I am not a fan of Pau Gasol and that mop he dons...

- 37 runs!!!...my gosh, Ohio State gave up 37 runs to Florida State in their NCAA Tournament game on Sunday...WTF!!!...

- Check out the 1:24 clip of the fight between Evgeni Malkin and Henrick Zetterberg at the end of Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals...

LeBron really upset after loss

Saturday's loss to the Orlando Magic was a very bitter pill for the Cleveland Cavaliers to swallow and especially for league MVP LeBron James...when a team is the top seed and expected to make at least the NBA Finals, James has every right to be disappointed, pissed, angry, etc...

But James must also learn how to accept defeat in a better way...when the clock finally hit zero on Saturday, I noticed that James immediately walked off the court without congratulating or acknowledging the Orlando Magic...James played on this year's gold medal winning Olympic team with Orlando's Dwight Howard...even a simple nod to Howard would have been acceptable...

If my memory serves me well, I believe James did the same thing after losing Game 7 to Boston in last year's Conference Semi-finals...he walked off the court without acknowledging the Celtics...

One of the best traditions takes place in the NHL when a series is over...both teams line-up at center ice and shake each others hands...it is one of the most stirring moments in sports...even if the series was brutal with many fights, both teams acknowledge each other when the battle is over...

On Saturday, James walked to the tunnel, showered, dressed, and went on the team bus without addressing the media...he was out-of-line with this poor display of sportsmanship and disrespect to the media...

James wants to be the face of the NBA, but with that position, he has to take the good with the bad...a few weeks back, James was more than willing to talk with the media after receiving the league MVP or after he made the winning shot in Game Two...

I could understand James' reaction if the Cavs lost because of a controversial call that cost them the game...but the fact remains, Orlando was the better team than the Cavs in this series and flat-out dominated them in Game Six...

James needs to take a lesson from former Philadelphia Phillies closer Mitch Williams...after giving up a World Series winning homer to Toronto's Joe Carter, Williams stood next to his locker and answered every single question the media had...

I also remember the professionalism of former Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson...after losing the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons then a few years later to the Chicago Bulls, Magic entered the victorious visitors locker room and congratulated his opponents...Magic wanted to win just as bad as anyone else, but when the battle was over, he had the wisdom to do the right thing...

James played hard and fought like a true warrior in this series...he was not to blame for the Cavs demise...he is a good person and an elite player...but he needs to handle defeat a little better...no one likes to lose, but when it does happen, a true professional knows how to handle it...

Orlando won both games over the Lakers this season

The Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers played twice this year with the Magic winning both games...

December 20th - Magic 106 Lakers 103


January 16 - Magic 109 Lakers 103

Penguins-Red Wings - Let's get it on!

It's a rematch from last year's Stanley Cup Finals when the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games...the Red Wings are once again favored in the series...if you believe Detroit is going to win the series, you would have to put down $15.50 to win $10.00...if the Penguins are your choice, you can lay down $10.00 to win $12.50...my money is going on the Penguins...

It all starts Saturday night on NBC...so let's get it on...

John Buccigross of ESPN.com goes over 10 factors that will determine this year's winner... "The Penguins' confidence is probably sky-high because they are young and appear to be the healthier team. And the Stanley Cup schedule favors youth and health. Games 1 and 2 are on back-to-back days to appease an American television network that doesn't pay a rights fee." ...

John Buccigross

Michael Farber of SI.com writes about the strange schedule for the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals... "The year is 1955. Canadiens fans riot outside the Forum when NHL President Clarence Campbell suspends Maurice Richard. Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white person. The Mickey Mouse Club premiers on ABC-TV. The NHL holds back-to-back games during the Detroit-Montreal Stanley Cup Final." ...

Michael Farber

Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press writes how the Red Wings need to thank Darren Helm... "The puck just there? Inches from the goal? An open net? All Darren Helm had to do was swing?" ...

Mitch Albom

Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes how Detroit won without the Capital C... "They didn’t have their C, were running out of A’s and sustained an even further depleted D when Jonathan Ericsson underwent an emergency appendectomy Wednesday after suffering abdominal pains following the Wings’ morning skate." ...

Drew Sharp

Zamboni is the word when it comes to cleaning ice

John Branch of The New York Times wrote an interesting article about the Zamboni - the ice resurfacing machine that is seen at ice rinks...the Zamboni is family owned and is located just outside of Los Angeles... "And, in this day, it may be comforting to know that Frank J. Zamboni & Company, still family owned and operated, is not asking for a government bailout." ...

John Branch

The Chosen One - Sonia Sotomayor

Don't count the Cavs out just yet

With the Memorial Day weekend over, here are a few thoughts that I had while off from work for a few days:

- Don't count the Cavs out against Orlando...a win tonight in Game 4 evens the series at 2 and gives the Cavs home court advantage once again...

- Even if the Cavs lose and find themselves on the short-end of a 3-1 series mark, I still believe they are capable of winning the series...whenever a team has a player the caliber of LeBron James, there is always a chance to win...

- Game 3 was over-officiated...whenever I see Joey Crawford officiating a game, I know there will be a lot of ticky tack fouls called...

- The Cavalier fans should not complain about fouls...quite often LeBron gets the benefit of the doubt when the whistle blows...that just shows that LeBron is one of the elite players in the game...all the great ones, from Bird to Magic to Michael, got this edge from the officials...

- LeBron's winning shot in Game 2 was reminiscent of something Larry Bird would do...

- The first college football preview books are on the newsstand...Athlon released its conference preview books late last week...

- If you are a fan of Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, and other big time powers, check out Maple Street Press and their preview books that are dedicated specifically for each team...each book contains quality writing and a plethora of stories...here is the link Maple Street Press

- It's hard to believe David Ortiz has only 1 homerun through Memorial Day...Big Papi hasn't just taken a dive, he has fallen completely off the table and cannot get up...

- What about the Indians last night...down 10-0, the Tribe pulled a LeBron and scored 7 runs in the bottom of the ninth and won 11-10...

- Did you Pepsi is bringing back, for a limited time, Pepsi-Cola that is made with natural sugar...I thought all that sugar was bad for you???...

The real reason for Memorial Day

Another Memorial Day Observance is upon us...with nice weather happening in the midwest, people are barbecuing and having family gatherings...but the main purpose of Memorial Day is to honor those who have given their life in serving our country...

We will see pictures of President Obama at Arlington National Cemetery...however, very few see photos of American cemeteries abroad in which thousands of Americans are buried...their bodies never came back to American soil...below are just a few snippets of those cemeteries...

God Bless America...

Cambridge, England - 3,812 of our military dead



Meuse-Argonne - 14,246 of our military dead


The American Cemetery at Ardennes, Belgium - 5,329 of our military dead


Luxembourg - 5,076 of our military dead

Ryan Church fails to tag third base - is called out

Stephen Strasburg - San Diego State phenom

Patricia Kara - one hot case opener

I never watched "Deal or No Deal" until their syndicated 30 minutes show...I knew they had hot models who opened cases, but I never noticed anyone in particular until I saw Patricia Kara...on the one hour show, she usually is with case #9...what I like about her is that she is not some 20 something ditzy chick...she is freakin 37-years-old!!!...she is MILF material (even though she doesn't have kids)...as an added plus, she is Greek, just like me...her real name is Panayota Karamouzis...she can open my case anytime she wants...

Happy Birthday Tina Fey

HAPPY 39TH BIRTHDAY TINA FEY

Miguel Angel Sano, the 16-year-old Dominican who can make or break the Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a decision to make that will impact their future...should they sign Dominican wiz Miguel Angel Sano to a rich contract...he is described as Albert Pujols in Hanley Ramirez's body...however, Sano is only 16-years-old...Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Dejan Kovacevic writes about the Pirates dilemma...

The Pirates' pursuit of Miguel Angel Sano, an elite 16-year-old Dominican prospect who projects to play right field, is fraught with risk whether they sign him or not.

Looking at three risks from each side, let us start with those that come with signing him:

• Most obvious is money. Sano could command a bonus of $4 million or more, which is 10 times greater than the Pirates' record investment in the region, the $400,000 paid to Venezuelan outfielder Exicardo Cayones last year. Few things are less predictable in sports than a 16-year-old baseball player, and it is far from certain Sano would ever see Pittsburgh.

• An excessive bonus could tick off the rest of Major League Baseball, just as the Oakland Athletics did last year with their record $4.25 million bonus for Dominican pitcher Michael Inoa. The draft and Latin American systems operate mostly through unwritten, unspoken agreements that teams should not throw out the entire pay scale, and low spenders such as the Pirates benefit from that more than anyone.

• The Pirates spent $9.8 million on the draft, $2 million on Latin America last year., each a franchise record. If they shift too much draft money to Latin America, they could damage their draft class, something that should be a great priority. Unless, of course, ownership adds money to the overall pool.

Among the risks of not signing Sano:

• The Pirates' talent evaluators, who are effusive in their praise of Sano's potential, could become dispirited. Signing talent in Latin America is much like recruiting college athletes in the United States. Connections are made, including with the athletes' families, and countless hours are invested beyond simply watching the players play. The Pirates have forged a bond with Sano, his family and his representatives, but none of that will matter without a check.

• The Pirates will stop getting special tryouts in the Dominican. The system on the island is that teams known to sign elite talent will get exclusive looks at top players. Such was the case when the Pirates' brass -- already in the country because of the opening of the team's new academy -- watched Sano and 14 other players in a workout late last month. Other teams have been denied such access, and that could happen to the Pirates, too, if they never step up beyond $400,000.

• If Sano really does become "Albert Pujols in Hanley Ramirez's body," as agent Rob Plummer described his potential the other day, the Pirates will regret it for years to come should it take place in another uniform and he could have been had for the same price it took to sign free-agent bench players Eric Hinske and Ramon Vazquez.

The Forum in Inglewood has not changed after all these years

Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times writes about what happened to the old Forum in Inglewood... "Actually, the doors have swung open quite often in the last 10 years, not only for religious services but also for concerts, video shoots, rehearsals and whatever else the owner can book into it, including USC and high school basketball games. Even the Lakers are exploring the possibility of returning to the Forum -- for an exhibition game in October. Their former center, Shaquille O'Neal, participated in graduation ceremonies at the Forum when he received his MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2005." ...

Jerry Crowe

College football writer Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution released his Spring Top 25 for the 2009 football season... "We did our RE (Ridiculously Early) Top 25 back in January, just hours after Florida had won the BCS national championship. Now we’re done with spring practice and June will be here before we know it. So let’s do our Spring Top 25, which should give us enough to argue about between now and two-a-days in August." ...

Tony Barnhart

Paul Dougherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes how the Cincinnati Bearcats dynamic coach Brian Kelly somehow finds time for everyone... "One BK is dropping the puck at a Cyclones game. The other is 100 miles away, speaking to a group of minority coaches in Indianapolis. I swear I heard Kelly was teeing it up at Shaker Run not 15 minutes after I saw him running on the treadmill on campus. The man is so scheduled up, he doesn’t need a Day Timer. He needs a stopwatch. If it’s 12:30 on Tuesday, this must be the Salvation Army luncheon." ...

Paul Daugherty

Jeff Rabjohns of the Indianapolis Star writes how the basketball recruiting battle between Purdue and Indiana has heated up again... "This comes at a critical juncture for both schools. If Purdue lands these recruits, it could go from seasons like last year's when it reached the Sweet Sixteen to making a Final Four push. If IU wins, it could rebound quickly from the decimation of the Kelvin Sampson era." ...

Jeff Rabjohns

Sonia Sotomayor played key role in ending Major League Baseball strike in 1995

Neil A. Lewis of The New York Times writes how possible Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor played a key role in ending the baseball strike in 1995... "After play resumed, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that by saving the season, Judge Sotomayor joined forever the ranks of Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams. The Chicago Sun-Times said she “delivered a wicked fastball” to baseball owners and emerged as one of the most inspiring figures in the history of the sport." ...

Neil A. Lewis

Candace Parker gives birth to baby girl

This was reported by the Associated Press...
Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker has given birth to a baby girl.

It is the first child for the WNBA's reigning MVP and rookie of the year and husband Shelden Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Goodwin Sports Management announced the baby girl was born in Los Angeles on Wednesday. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20 inches long.

"Shelden and I are thrilled," Parker said in a release. "This is such a life changing moment for us, we feel blessed to have a healthy and beautiful baby girl."

Parker averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds last season. She was also on the U.S. team that won a gold medal at the Beijjing Olympics.

Parker plans to rejoin the Sparks once she gets the OK from her doctor. The WNBA season begins June 6.

Kentucky Derby champ MIne That Bird gets no respect

Kentucky Derby champ Mine That Bird is getting no respect after winning as a 50-1 shot...first his jockey jumped ship, then he was listed as the third favorite behind Pioneerof the Nile and a horse that did not even run the Derby, and a filly at that, Rachel Alexandra (photo, above) -- who is going to be ridden by Calvin Borel, the same jockey who was on Mine that Bird two weeks ago...

Filly Facts
- It has been 85 years since a filly won the Preakness
- It has been 103 years since one won as the favorite
- Nellie Morse was the last filly to win, in 1924
- Whimsical, at 8-5, was the last winner to go off as the favorite

Ken Murray of the Baltimore Sun writes how the filly is the favorite... "History waits for Preakness favorite Rachel Alexandra on Saturday, and it's not good history. The 3-year-old filly drew the 13th and outside post Wednesday for the Preakness Stakes, drawing a groan from the crowd of invited onlookers inside an air-conditioned tent at Pimlico Race Course." ...

Ken Murray

Vic Ziegel of the New York Daily News writes how Mind That Bird's trainer says the Derby was not a fluke... "Mine That Bird, vanned from Churchill Downs, with Woolley driving all 10 hours, and received a police escort for the last few miles. "The first time I've had the police leading me instead of chasing me," the trainer said. A joke, he told a joke. Who knew he had a punch line in him? Or turn out to be something more than an aw-shucks cowboy who might be capable of delivering a complete sentence." ...

Vic Ziegel

Below is the 2:20 clip of Rachel Alexandra's win at the Kentucky Oaks...

Who would be the posterboy for what is wrong with baseball?

A lot has been going on with baseball over the last few years...the players who were once looked upon as heroes are now considered liars, dirty, cheats, and villans...so this brings up a question, if you had to pick a posterboy of what is wrong with baseball, who would be on that poster?...

Would it be someone like Alex Rodriguez or Barry Bonds...how about Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, or Manny Ramirez...does Jose Canseco fit the bill...and let's not just focus on the "alleged" steroid users...what about Pete Rose...who is the posterboy for what is wrong with baseball...

So take a few minutes to think about it and post your views in the comments section...

Thank you!...

Danny Ozark, former Phillies manager, dies

While going through my week's worth of New York Times, I came across the obit of former Philadelphia Phillies manager Danny Ozark...

As a kid, I remember Ozark always leading the Phillies to the playoffs and losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers...the Phillies had Steve Carlton, Larry Christenson, Randy Lerch on the mound...Greg Luzinski, Bake McBride, Mike Schmidt, Larry Bowa, and Garry Maddox patrolled the field for those teams...

This is what was written in the obit...
Danny Ozark, the manager who led the Philadelphia Phillies to three consecutive National League East titles but fell short of the World Series each time, died Thursday at his home in Vero Beach, Fla. He was 85.

His death was announced by team officials.

Ozark, whose streak of three consecutive N.L. East titles in the late 1970s is unmatched in team history, twice led the Phillies to more than 100 victories, with back-to-back 101-61 records in 1976 and 1977. The Phillies went 90-72 under him in 1978 for their third straight division title, but lost again in the National League Championship Series.

Ozark was fired late in the 1979 season as the Phillies stood at 65-67. They went on to finish 84-78 and rebounded under Dallas Green in 1980 to win the World Series.

The Phillies’ current chairman, Bill Giles, said, “His patience with some of the Phillies’ young players in 1973-75, particularly with Mike Schmidt, really paid off as the Phillies got to the postseason in 1976, 1977 and 1978 and eventually won the World Series in 1980 after he left.”

Schmidt, a Hall of Fame third baseman, reached the majors under Ozark’s watch.

Ozark was named Associated Press Manager of the Year in 1976 and finished with a 594-510 record in seven seasons with the Phillies. His 594 wins are the third most in team history.

Ozark is survived by his wife, Ginny, two children and three grandchildren.