NO MISTAKE ABOUT BLAKE

This past Saturday I had my first chance to see Blake Griffin in person, and I can say I had two sporting firsts. One, I was actually fully engrossed in a Clippers game for the first time ever. This a team that my old youth groups used to buy $5 seats for and be sitting twenty five rows from the court midway through the second quarter. Second. I have never been more attentive to one individual athlete than Griffin. The man is all that he is advertised to be and it's impossible to take your eyes off him. One second he is running the floor to get in an offensive position, the next he's cocking back a thunderous alley-oop dunk with his off hand, five feet from the basket no less. Certain things like his playing at 100 miles an hour, sophisticated knowledge of the game, and thunderous dunks are done no justice on tv. Same for an opposing player on Saturday, Rajon Rondo, whose speed, court vision, and general swagger don't translate as well to watching from home as it does live. Rest assure his jump shot is just as bad in person though. Few players are truly worth the price of admission, but Griffin has joined the elite in that regard. The scariest part -- he's only 22. His athletic abilities may peak soon, but his understanding for the game can only improve. With so much room to grow, Griffin is sure to be a showstopper for years to come.