WEEKEND IN REVIEW 6/6

What a weekend! Lets get started ...

NBA
Even though this series has been played very close thus far, I'd be very concerned if I was a Mavericks fan right now. After blazing a trail to the finals, they have finally fallen to earth and looking like the team that everyone was writing off before the playoffs started. Games like last night prove that it takes at least two to win. While basketball is the one sport where an individual can truly take over the game, Dirk can't expect to win when he tallies more points than the other starting four combined. He has to get help from some where, otherwise this series may not even make it to game six that I projected. On an interesting side note though, while Dwayne Wade has played very well this series, what Dirk has done as far as carrying this team especially late in games has been spectacular. If the games continue to play out the way they have been, I think it's fair to say Dirk should be considered for the MVP if the Mavs lose. It has happened once before with Jerry West, and to this point Dirk would be a deserving recipient.

NHL
You're the Boston Bruins. You're headed home down 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals, and you're pissed. After abruptly losing game 1 when it looked like you were headed to OT, a player who arguably shouldn't have been playing in game 2 kills you. Alex Burrows was almost suspended for biting a Bruin's player at the end of game 1, ended up being allowed to play, and ends up with an assist and two goals including the OT winner. The Bruins are a strong enough team to climb back in to the series, but in the end I still feel like the Canucks will be too much.

THE BIG SEND OFF
Its starting to get to that point where true legends of the game, who's entire career I was able to take part in, begin to retire. The first came Friday, when Shaq announced he was bringing an end to his 19 year career in the NBA. When we look back, I think he'll be forever remembered as the most dominant force ever. He may not be the best center to ever play, but he is among a select few (Kareem, Olajuwon) that would absolutely dominate at any era. Bill Russell was an unbelievable player. Would he have been that dominate in today's game though? Probably not. Shaq's speech was everything you'd think it would be -- gracious, funny, thoughtful. It was an unbelievable career that I was proud to witness and take part in at both the Forum and Staples Center. I am happy that the Lakers have extended the honor of retiring his jersey, and am glad he wants to be remembered as one in the Hall of Fame.

AROUND THE SPORTS WORLD
Plaxico Burress is a free man, and if I was an NFL owner in need of a big reciever i would be at his doorstep, lockout or no lockout. Burress was sent away for being stupid and naive but did nothing criminally on the level of a Michael Vick. Assuming he's in decent shape, this is a Super Bowl caliber wide receiver that could help a lot of teams immediately. To not look at him as a possible addition to your team if needed would only flip those perceived as being naive. At my event this weekend, we had another solid turnout at Halle park in Memphis, TN. Our guest was head coach of the Grizzlies, Lionel Hollins, who couldn't have been more gracious. He gave me a lot of good insight on next years team, and promised to stop killing the Lakers. Perhaps the coolest part of the weekend though, was having a nice car roll through the park during event, and who should pop out but Michael Oher. The man is a force to be recognized in person and has some serious basketball skills.

That's all for now. Hope everyone had a good weekend. On to Omaha!

 Michael Oher at Halle Park

 Grizzlies head coach, Lionel Hollins

DESTINY ON ICE

Throughout the playoffs I have been going back and forth comparing the NBA and the NHL product on display. Now that both have reached their respective finals, unless the Heat and Mavs play to an epic game seven, this NHL playoffs will be the more memorable. In the East, you have the Boston Bruins. A member of the original six, (inaugural six teams inducted in to the NHL) that have a long and storied history, which includes not having won a cup since 1972. Since that cup run, they have been agonizingly close but always seemed to run in to some of the greatest teams in history, i.e. the dynasty Canadiens, Gretzky's Oilers, and Lemieux/ Jagr's Penguins. Vancouver may not be an all time team, but they have been the most dominant team from start to finish. Looking at this Canucks team, I'm reminded in some ways of the 2004 Boston Red Sox. While they don't have the grand history of the Red Sox, they do share a lot in common. In it's 40th season as a NHL franchise, the Canucks have never won a Stanley Cup. 40 years may not seem as unbearable as the 86 years that the Red Sox waited, but try telling that to a Canadian hockey fan. In 1982 they made an unfathomable Cup run, but were swept in the finals. In 1994, they hit the post in game six trying to send the game to OT with less than a minute to play. In the last few years, they have had their chances and their hurdles, namely the Chicago Blackhawks, but have pushed them all aside this year. Last night they didn't steal game one, because both teams played incredibly well, but it was supposed to go to overtime. You have to think Boston had the air taken out of their sails with the game ending so abruptly, so who's to know what their state of mind will be headed into game two. The NHL took about ten steps backwards with the lockout, but has slowly been climbing back. The game is fast and physical, and at a cheaper price than football, basketball, or baseball if you're a Yankee's fan, attending a game is more enjoyable in some ways. While I question the NHL's decision not to try and get back in the good graces of ESPN, this series might surprise people with the ratings it generates. Hockey will never be on the level that the other sports are in America, predominantly because it's not an American game. Still, if you are tuning it out completely, you're missing out. FINERSIDE PREDICTION: CANUCKS IN 6

ROUND 2

Almost five years ago to the day I was showering after a Warped Tour show in the tunnels of the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Some things I'll never forget about the Heat locker room was how nice it was decorated, how big everything was considering the chairs, sinks, showers, toilets, etc. are built to cater to a league where average height is probably 6'6, and my friend Mike's feet hanging up off the ground while using said toilet. And the streamers ... and the champagne bottles ... and the confetti. That's because three days earlier, the Heat captured the NBA title. The franchise's first at the expense of the Dallas Mavericks. A Mavs team that seemed destined to finally break through had the series turn in game three on a few, very suspect calls, cue Dwayne Wade, and the rest is history. Unless your name is Dirk Nowitzki or Mark Cuban, in which case you probably think about that series every time you hit the floor. Six years later, Dirk and the Mavs have the chance at redemption. For Dallas, I think the most important thing in this whole series will be keeping Wade and James off of the free throw line. Easier said than done though. For Miami, you know what to expect out of Wade and James. I think a big key to them would be getting consistent play out of Bosh, and at least one other player. Throughout the playoffs, Dallas has lived and died by the three, have four guys that are more than capable at knocking them down, and can shoot their way into any game. Miami needs to establish another scoring source, because Wade and James together may no longer be enough by themselves. Through the last week, the question being brought up around the sports world has been who has more at risk, Dirk or LeBron. For Dirk, I don't think his legacy doesn't take that much of a hit if he loses. He's already the best foreign player ever in the NBA. He's already a hall of famer. Winning a title doesn't raise his stature enough in to the best all time discussion that his rise or fall will be that substantial. That said though, he can cement himself as perhaps the last great, lone player to win a championship. At the most crucial time of the year, Dirk has played his best basketball and carried an average team to the brink of a title. With the exception of Heat fans, he also has everyone else in his corner. Partly due to spite, and partly due to fear, I think most don't want the Heat to win a title. At least not yet. If they can win one in their first year, during the learning curve time period and all the bumps in the road, than that's plain scary and makes you think they'll be the favorite for the next three or four years. That's what James is facing. His chance to vindicate the last twelve months. To prove he was right, and everyone who doubted him, mocked him, or slandered his name was wrong. While I feel he's already done that to a degree, only (multiple) championship rings will silence the critics. Unlike Dirk, James can fully expect to return to the Finals a couple more times, and has the chance to raise his stature among the all time greats. While it's not the end of the world if he loses, the hype on his legacy is so high that starting to build it now would be beneficial. All along, I have said that the Heats biggest asset is their raw talent, and what I call the "surprise" factor, putting teams at a disadvantage as their opponents are the ones that usually have to adapt on a game by game basis. With that, I think the Heat will drop a game at home, and one on the road, but ultimately win in six. I hope I'm wrong.

"VEST" IN PEACE

Ohio State head coach has Jim Tressel officially resigned this morning amid ongoing investigations into his football program. Nearing the end of 2010, news broke that current OSU football players had received some improper benefits via traded memorabilia. Since then, the information has snowballed to include past players, free cars, cash handouts, and most importantly Tressel not only knowing about all of this but covering it up as well. Seven months later, Tressel has been removed and OSU braces itself for the fallout. Honestly, I believe this instance is big enough that the NCAA will not only come down hard on OSU, but also make changes as to how it handles future infractions. Ohio State is one of the biggest NCAA  brands in the country. They pull a lot of weight, and both their athletic director and school president are big wigs. In a nutshell, this isn't a slap on the wrist handed down to Akron. No offense to all of my followers from Zips nation. If there's one thing the NCAA absolutely hates, it's when schools try to make them look bad and undermine their rules. Moving forward, I think the powers at be are going to realize that the five game suspensions handed out to five players at the start of next year, and Jim Tressel's self imposed suspension were some what of a mockery to the system as the allegations continue to grow. Also the way that OSU handled initial reactions and penalties were laughable at best (literally in some instances as school president Gordon Gee joked, "I hope he doesn't fire me" when asked if he would consider firing Tressel). There's little doubt in my mind that even though Tressel resigned, he was asked, or forced, to do so by school officials. They couldn't let him stay because of all of the sanctions that will eventually be imposed on the school specifically because of his actions, and they couldn't fire him because that would reflect poorly on them and raise questions of why they never did so earlier. Tressel resigning was the only thing that could happen with both sides saving a little face. USC just had its sanctions of two years without being bowl eligible and 30 scholarships being taken away upheld, and that's when the coach claims to have known nothing. In this case, its proven that the coach not only knew about what was going on but lied about it too, as well as more and more people coming forward with stories that make it seem like Tressel's entire 11 year reign was tainted from the start. I think it's a fair assumption then that OSU is facing some huge sanctions, bigger than those at USC. In life, everyone needs a little dose of humility every now and then, and Ohio State's time has come. After years of taking shots and mocking other programs, it's their turn. As stated, I expect OSU to potentially be hit with one of the biggest sanctions ever seen in major college football. So in a few years when someones asks who was hit with the biggest fine ever, you could say, "That's easy. It was THE Ohio State University!"

RANDOM THOUGHTS

With so much going on in sports and life in general, I find it impossible to focus on one particular thing. So in the foot steps of Mr. Jack Handy, here are a collection of random thoughts ...

• The Lakers have hired Mike Brown and my first reaction was vomit inducing. While I have come down off the ledge since the news broke, I still find a lot to worry about. Brown is a defensive minded guy, which isn't bad and something the Lakers needed this season. Problem is the Lakers are old. Getting them to commit to rigorous defense may be very challenging. Second, and more importantly, to this point in his career Brown is a regular season coach and that wont cut it. From Jerry Buss all the way down to Joe Smith the Lakers take the court in October to win championships, not flame out in the playoffs. Some of his past coaching choices in the post season are questionable at best. How he builds and manages a relationship with Kobe may be the biggest key, and you also must account that all of his regular season success was in the East where a team eight games below .500 may be a seventh seed in the playoffs. Very skeptical is the only way I could describe entering next years season.
• As the Mavs head in to their second finals since 2006, I think everyone will remember this post season as the year Dirk Nowitzki cemented his Hall of Fame status, not just as the best foreign player ever, but as the guy who truly lives up to all the expectations of his game. I don't buy that he's a top ten player all time, but perhaps he an all timer as far as someone who maximized their potential. You know what to expect from Dirk and he rarely disappoints. In a league where it's evident that you need help to succeed, he his doing it all by himself and will probably have the support of everyone in America that doesn't hail from South Beach.
• Wilson Valdez, Philadelphia Phillies infielder, got a win last night as a reliever in the 19th inning. The last guy to do that? Babe Ruth. Go figure.
• The NCAA has chosen to uphold all of the sanctions brought down on the USC football program. After spending the last two weeks at Ohio State, it amazes me that they continue to dance around the wrath of the NCAA, especially when more and more info continues to leak out. I unsuccessfully tried to find the tattoo shop in question, but from what I heard from local Buckeye fans the place is essentially an illegal shrine to Buckeye football.
• Finally, what a week it's been for me.So far I have survived rapture, hydroplaning in a box truck on the free way, and a tornado. I wonder if they make superman pajamas in my size.

DO IT FOR THE KIDS

As the NFL lockout seems to pick up steam when it looked like it was headed for resolution, it becomes more and more clear that the biggest losers will be the rookies. They can already expect to lose out on money and signing bonuses whenever a new agreement is reached. They already had to keep face during a tainted draft day. Now they're being stripped of the rookie symposium, their first official chance to get acclimated to the league. A few months back I heard that for someone to make it as a professional athlete, you could assume that the individual has put in approximately 10,000 hours of work in their particular sport. That accumulates to almost a year and  a half of work, or in layman's terms a lot of f***ing time. So to finally achieve the ultimate goal and have a lot of the joy that comes with it be stripped away seems pretty disheartening. There's a reason football is the one sport where no one has been, or ever will be, allowed to make the jump early to the pros. It's because its hard -- really, really, hard. The speed, the playbooks, the styles of play, the physicality. Everything about the NFL is a much bigger jump from its collegiate counterpart in comparison to the other sports. Denying the rookies the chance to build towards being ready for this jump is a big negative, and with the exception of the truly gifted guys at the top, may make next season somewhat of a lost season for the guys unable to adapt on short notice. In addition, that's just the on-the-field aspect of it. How to handle your new found wealth, life on the road, women, relatives, all while maintaining a professional demeanor may be the biggest challenge for some. The inability to learn from league officials and veteran peers may result in a lot of the young guys learning a few things about their new job the hard way. It's a shame that the lockout has gotten to this points. It's hard enough to make it in a pro sport. Not being afforded all the help past players would expect to receive makes it all the more difficult. Before the lockout gets way out of hand, hopefully something is resolved so that the future of football is ready when their time comes.

WEEKEND IN REVIEW 5/23

I'm curious to know what the punishment for false rapture prognosis is. Regardless, glad to still be alive and here is the inaugural edition of weekend in review post earth's potential demise.

NBA
I feel like the two biggest reasons for what has been such a compelling playoffs so far, is uncertainty and star power. About %90 of the leagues biggest stars were on display when the playoffs started, and each team remaining is still showcasing at least one. As for uncertainty, I feel like it's everywhere this postseason and has benefited the league a great deal. Through all of the series thus far we've heard about the Mavs being too old, the Lakers running out of gas, the Heat trying to put it together and on a much smaller level the Knicks, were the Thunder truly ready to contend, is Memphis for real, and could the Celtics still contend with the hit they took to team togetherness. Not really having a true front runner in either conference has made for a lot of additional excitement. Out West, I expect to see more of the same throughout the rest of this series. That is the Mavs come with the first punch, the Thunder counter with a new game plan, and the Mavs go back to the drawing board. Although down 2 - 1, if I'm the Thunder I am in no way intimidated or concerned heading into game 4. In game 1 they simply lost to one of the best playoff performances ever by the other teams best player. Game three looks worse, but kudos to them for hanging tough and making it some what close at the end. If Nowitzki has an average night for the Mavs in game 1, they lose by double digits. In the East, is it possible that  Udonis Haslem gets the MVP for this series if the Heat win? His sheer presence on the court has completely changed the Bulls game plan, and has limited everything they need to do on the boards to win. The biggest benefit the Heat have, regardless of who they play, touches on that uncertainty aspect again. With the Bulls you know what they have to do to win: Control the boards, get Rose the ball and let him get to the line. These are all things you can work on to control in practice. With the Heat, you never know where the offense or play making is going to come from. Obviously you have a good idea, but the second you double Lebron, Wade starts to kill you. Then every third game, Chris Bosh rediscovers the game of basketball altogether, assuredly driving opposing coaches and players nuts. While I still think they could get rid of Bosh for two or three consistent role guys and be better, playing with this "surprise" factor seems to be working heavily in their favor.

NHL
On the ice we have two series that, before the game yesterday, were headed down the same path. Twenty four hours later they're headed in two very opposite directions. In the East, what was going to be a 3 - 1 series lead for Boston headed home evaporated in the span of about 10 minutes. While most of the team has been dismantled, people are quick to forget that the Lightning still tout some championship veterans and one of the games most dynamic young players in Steven Stamkos. I feel like game five has the potential to be a must win for Boston, otherwise Tampa Bays momentum may be too much to overcome in game six. On the flip side, the Sharks were in the same position out West. After dominating game three the sharks had five consecutive power play chances in the first period of game four -- a golden opportunity to jump all over the Canucks. The Canucks fought off all five of them, and in a 10 minute span of their own midway through the second, they had three consecutive five on three power plays. Three shots. Three goals. Series over. I thought the Sharks were simply over matched coming in to this series, but through the years their inability to capitalize on key moments has continued to hurt them. It's never over til its over, but the Sharks coming back in this series would carry more weight than a team coming back from down 0 - 3.

MLB
Since all of my teams are out of the playoffs, and the NBA has the most ridiculous playoff scheduling, it has allowed some time for me to start watching baseball. So far, I feel like the biggest story this year has been the rise of the unknowns, notably the Cleveland Indians and Jose Bautista in Montreal. Before the season, I was joking about what number would be higher: the Cavaliers 2010 - 2011 total losses, or the Indians 2011 total wins. Two months in, the Indians still hold the best record in baseball at 29 - 15, and are already almost half way to the Cavs 63 losses ... My bad. The cast of characters that the Indians are winning with is pretty entertaining, especially considering baseballs lack of a cap and the handful of loaded teams around the league. Also, Canada (a.k.a. America's attic) may be harboring the best baseball player this year. Bautista leads not just the AL but the entire MLB in home runs and batting average. Over the weekend I heard that in his last 275 games or so he has about 85 home runs. That's on the level of the greatest power hitters to ever play. Definitely will be interesting to watch the ebb and flow of his production level as the season goes.

Thus concludes are inaugural post-rapture post. Hopefully there will be many more to come.