Kevin Garnett is walking through that door!

Kevin Garnett won't have to work himself to exhaustion anymore.

Let's skip the small talk, get right to it:

KG to Boston is official. For Big Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, and two first round picks.

I love this trade for Minny. Big Al is ony 22 and came on strong last year - 16 and 11 on 51 percent shooting, and he may have more upside than Dwight Howard. He's The Man now. I've always liked Gerald Green - he hasn't done much, but I remember watching him once in summer league and seeing a little Tracy McGrady. He's not as big or as long, but I really think he could be a great scorer in this league for a long time. He's gonna breakout big-time next season. Bassy's garbage, and Theo Ratliff is a mummy at this point, but he's got an expiring contract that comes off the books after next year. Throw in Corey Brewer - a future star himself - and Randy Foye and you've got yourself a contender down the road.

(Post-post annex: Green did double his scoring average from his rookie to sophomore season, I just realized that. Bill Simmons' dislike for him must've been clouding my thoughts. And Gomes is a nice role player. Just wanted to add that.)

As far as Boston goes...they better win the East next year, and they should be able to compete with San Antonio and Phoenix. One future Hall-of-Famer, one seven-time All-Star who doubles as one of the greatest shooters of all-time, and another five-time All-Star who's one of the best pure scorers in basketball, all in the primes of their careers. And they're all warriors. There's no excuse for them not to win 55 games next year and make a run at the chip.

On the other hand, their window is short, and they just sold their future. In three years, Pierce will be 33, Ticket will be 34, and Jesus S. will be 35, and they'll be looking to clean house and start over again. By that time, Al will be throwing up a 24-12 every night, and G-Double will be good for 25 a night himself. So Boston looks better right now, but Minny will look better in the long run.

Mayweather-Hatton is on. December 8th. In case you didn't know, Hatton is the 43-0 (with 31 wins coming by way of knockout) junior welterweight champion from Manchester, England, considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. He beat Kostya Tszyu in June of 2005 and Jose Luis Castillo last month.

You should be a little more familiar with Floyd. He beat Oscar de la Hoya on Cinco de Mayo. He humiliated Phillip Ndou, Diego Corrales and Arturo Gatti; he easily outpointed Zab Judah and completely outclassed Carlos Baldomir; and he defeated Oscar in a split decision that should have been unanimous. He has a perfect record of 38-0 with only one debatable victory: a unanimous decision win over Castillo in 2002, and he won the rematch without controversy. He is the sport's most gifted athlete, with world class hand and foot speed and catlike reflexes. He is a pinpoint puncher and one of the two best defensive fighters in the world (along with Winky Wright). He has won titles in five weight classes and is the undisputed P4P king.

And he'll be facing off against Hatton in a litle more than five months at 147 lbs, for his WBC Welterweight belt. This is a huge fight, two undefeated champs going toe-to-toe. Something's gotta give. How can boxing be dead when fights like this are still taking place? The heavyweight division is dead, but the little guys are alive and well: Floyd, Hatton, Judah, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Manny Pacquiano, Jermain Taylor, Paul Williams...only Floyd has even turned 30 yet. Now, the Hatton-Mayweather fight in particular may not be that good of a fight - Hatton is moving up to welterwight, where he struggled in his only fight there against Luis Collazo last year. He really hasn't done much in this country, and he's facing the best boxer alive in his absolute prime. I predict that Hatton steps into that ring on December 8th and realizes he's not up to that level of competition, and that Floyd will get an easy points victory. But you never know. That's why you need to pay your $49.95 (+fees/taxes) and tune in to find out.

Soon I'll be posting my reaction to Bonds breaking the record, as well as my fantast football and NFL preview columns. So that's on deck.

And finally, the great Bill Walsh passed away yesterday at the age of 75 after a long battle with leukemia. The most influential football coach since Vince Lombardi, Walsh laid the blueprint for the NFL we see today: the scripting of the first fifteen plays to start a game and the discovery that you could run an offense based on skill, finesse, and precision are both credited to him. 29 head coaches came from his lineage, and between them they appeared in 17 Super Bowl's with 8 victories. He and his famed West Coast Offense will live on forever through them. He was classy and sophisticated and he built the 49er organization in his image. He won three Super Bowl's in ten seasons and was a genius at evaluating talent. Bill Walsh, gone but never to be forgotten.

Just a few things on my mind

Hey! It has been a while. I have a few thoughts in my head and I plan for you to read it. Starting with, Barry Bonds.

• I am one of those guys watching televised games of San Fransisco Giants games. It is very interesting waiting for this guy to beat the greatest record in baseball. I can see him doing it in Los Angeles, and I hope Dodger fans see it. Wouldn't that be a big slice of ice cream cake for Barry Bonds? If he does it there, (and I believe he has the motivation to do it there) he will be happy and retire at the end of the year.

• Who has it worst? Selig with steroids and Bonds? Stern with the ironically numbered 21 gambling referee? Or Goodell's issue with Vick? I think Stern has the most troubles. Selig can't do anything about steroids. Goodell just has to suspend Vick. Stern has to trace back all of the games in the past couple years that #21 officiated, and many teams should be upset.

• KG is supposed to be traded within the next 48 hours to the Boston Celtics according to reports by foxsports.com. Delonte West, Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, and possibly an expiring contract from Theo Ratliff. If I was KG, I would do it. Think about it. You have the chance to play with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. The Celtics would be at the top of the weak Eastern Conference with the Pistons, Bulls, Cavaliers, and possibly Miami Heat. KG, if the Lakers are not going to get you, go to Boston.

• Is anybody watching The Kill Point? It is a new crime drama on Spike TV with Donnie Wahlberg and John Leguizamo. It is a story in which former US soldiers are forced to start a hostage situation in a bank after a failed robbery. Please I beg you all to watch. Try to catch up with the first two episodes somehow. Read the show schedule. The third episode premieres this Sunday at 9 on Spike. Look for previous episodes (encore presentations).

• Smush Parker signed with Miami. Miami said his size, scoring, and defense will help the team. They said his defense. Wow. The Heat are in for a surprise.

• D-Fish is back with the Lakers, and everyone should be happy. With dumped Smush, and got a great veteran and friend. Go Lakers.

To be continued...

B-Hop, Winky, Beckham, and The Crooks

Bernard Hopkins (left) and Winky Wright are no longer the fighters they used to be.

And I'm back. I was burned out like Tarik Glenn last week, but I have returned, refreshed and ready to wax unpoetically. Got some catching up to do.

Caught the Hopkins-Wright fight Saturday night on HBO PPV. It was pretty boring, two old guys grabbing and holding each other all night in a very close match between two even boxers. Two things I'll take away from the fight: Number one, I used to think Hopkins was just a saavy veteran who knew all the tricks and used them to his advantage at every turn, which I have no problem with. But after a B-Hop headbutt in the third round opened up a gash over Winky's left eye, Jim Lampley and Co. made him sound (at least to me) like a flat-out dirty fighter who just knows how to be sneaky. Almost like boxing's version of John Stockton. Made me lose a little respect for him. Number two, I was almost outraged that the judges scored the fight by such a wide margin. One judge gave Hopkins eight rounds, the other two nine. There's no excuse for a professional judge to score that fight that lopsided. I'm just some schmo who who sits up eating cherry turnovers and drinking pink lemonade all day, and even I did a better job of scoring that fight. From my couch, I had it 116-114 Hopkins, six rounds too four with two rounds even. I know it's unpopular to score a round even once in a fight, let alone twice, but that was the kind of fight this was. Nearly impossible to call. Most of the rounds could have gone either way (although I definitely think B-Hop controlled the "championship" portion of the fight, he was clearly the better conditioned boxer, had more in the tank at the end ), and if Winky had gotten the decision, I would have had no problem with that at all. Really, the most fitting conclusion would have been a draw. There was no definitive winner in this fight, contrary to what the judge's scorecards indicated.

Looking forward, those were two future Hall-of-Famers in the ring Saturday, but both of them were obviously past their primes. Hopefully, they'll see the writing on the wall and hang it up now rather than later. Of course, that's not gonna happen. Never does with boxers. The writing will have to jump off the wall and start yelling and screaming at them before they get the picture.

A year from now, we'll see Winky in the ring again, being outclassed by Jermain Taylor in an ill-advised rematch. We'll be shelling out another $49.95 (+fees/taxes) to watch B-Hop get pummeled by some young light heavyweight, as a despondent Lampley calls the action, everyone just hoping that the corner steps in before he ends up irrevocably damaged. And that still won't be enough. With boxers, you gotta bang the point home over and over and over again.

That Team USA scrimmage was pretty competitive. And Durant looked good (22 points on 9-of-14 shooting). Put him down for 22-24 a night next year, he's gonna be better right away than people expect.

David Beckham has come to America...I don't care. He's playing for the hometown Galaxy...I don't care. He made his debut this past weekend...didn't watch it. For him to make soccer important important in this soccer in this, he'd have to be equal to Pele as a player...he's not. Not even remotely (my buddy Marlon said he isn't even one of the ten best players in the world). Look, apparently this Beckham guy is a good soccer player and the most famous athlete in the world. And he seems like a nice guy. But nobody in this country knows him or cares about him. He's not relevant here.

Now, on to the criminals:

Mike Vick = bad man. Allegedly. And now ESPN is reporting that he has been banned from training camp by Roger Goodell. Congratulations, Falcons fans: Joseph Harrington is your new starting quarterback. You must be ecstatic.

I think it's good that dogfighting has been brought to light, now that it's been exposed maybe we can put an end to it. I've read some terrible things about it. Did you know that they starve the dogs to make them more aggressive, or that they kill the losers by hanging, electrocuting, and shooting them, among other methods? It's the highest form of animal cruelty.

And I don't know what to make of this whole Tim Donaghy thing. At the very least, he's totally compromised the integrity of the league. People always joked about the league fixing games and complained about the shaky officiating; this is the worst thing that could have ever happened to David Stern's league. It's gonna hang over every poorly officiated big playoff game like a black cloud for years to come. Look what you've done, Tim Donaghy. I hope you get life in prison.

Rest in peace Big Michael Presley (1987-2007). You will be missed.

Ookie is in trouble

Well here we go. Michael Vick was just indicted for his alleged participation in dogfighting. If proven guilty with three other men, Vick faces six years in prison and over $350,000 in fines.

Oh boy.

This is now serious then it has ever become for Vick. This just ruins the Falcons season. Although he has not been found guilty, the accusations alone will hurt his image for a very long time.

This will be for Vick what Colorado did to Kobe, or what Auburn Hills did to Ron Artest. It labels you as a bad guy. When you get that label, it is very hard to take it off.

The dogfighting operation was said to have began in 2001 as Vick was drafted #1 in the NFL Draft. It was centered on a property owned by Vick which was well protected for outside eyes. Over the years, pit bulls were trained and often starved in order to "make them more hungry for the other dog". 66 dogs were originally seized by authorities, 55 of them being pit bulls. The Bad Newz Kennels purchased pit bulls to be trained as fighters, and in April 2007, 8 were killed because they were not ready to fight. One was reported to have been slammed into the ground.

Ookie, as Vick was referred to in the dogfighting world, was allegedly consulted before a wounded dog who just lost a fight, was doused with water then electrocuted. Other methods such as hanging, shooting, and drowning. Just sick.

Vick is supposed to be the face of Nike Football, and the fan favorite in the NFL. What is he now? Innocent of guilty, he is just sick now.

As a fan of Vick and the Atlanta Falcons myself, I really hope he had nothing to do with it because putting on a red Michael Vick jersey would be a shame.

To be continued...

"Yeah, well, look at me up in here." (Season 4)

This scene always makes me think (and reminds me to do everything I can to stay out of trouble). Can you imagine being in your mid-30's and knowing that you're gonna spend the rest of your life in the can, never again to step outside the confines of a prison? Well, Wee-Bey lives with that reality everyday. Avoiding the death penalty by confessing to numerous murders (including some he didn't commit, in order to shield other members of the Barksdale organization), Bey is serving consecutive life sentences in the pen. And in this scene, Wee-Bey, the consummate soldier, seems to regret for the first time on-screen the deeds that put him in his position. And after listening to some real talk from Bunny Colvin, his son Namond's teacher and a former police major who explains to him that his offspring is not built for the game and attempts to adopt him, he moves to get his child off the corner by taking him away from his lazy, no-good mother. He doesn't want his son to end up like him. There are too many people in real life that are in the same position as Bey, and they all serve as motivation for yours truly to continue walking the straight and narrow. Prison scares the hell out of me. Literally.

(Post-post correction: Watching a re-run of this episode on HBO, I just noticed something: the person who posted this video on YouTube inexplicably cut out a little dialogue of Wee-Bey telling D'londa that his word still carries much weight and can reach her no matter where she is. If you're very observant you may have noticed it, the scene gets a little bit choppy at the point it's left out. It was irrelevant to the point I was making, but I still thought it was something I should point out, just in case you noticed it, and if you didn't, just so you know. See you on Monday.)

"You're a soldier, Bodie."

If the clip didn't make it clear enough for you, if what McNulty told him at the end of the bench scene didn't make it obvious, I'll put it in black and white for you: Bodie Broadus was the game. He embodied it. Fearless, loyal, smart...he was the game. And he went down the only way he knew how, on his corner, gun blazing, dying for what he felt was his, for what he was, for what anyone who ever accepted being walked into a vacant house to be murdered wasn't. Once the s--t was on, his boys ran for their lives. Bodie wouldn't.

"This ain't about ya money, bruh." (Season 3)

In the end, Stringer Bell was a little too smart and cunning for his own good. He played Omar (legendary stick-up artist, the one with the trench coat and shot gun) and Brother Mouzone (Avon's Muslim muscle from New York) against each other in an attempt to eliminate Mouzone, who was protecting Barksdale territory by interfering with the work of Prop Joe's (Joe and Stringer were co-founders of the New Day Co-Op, a partnership between Baltimore's most powerful drug dealers) dealers, terrified by the mere presence of the peaceful-looking assasin. Joe threatened to boot String from the Co-Op if the Mouzone problem was not handled. Naturally, String turns to the art of deception, and tricks Omar into believing that Mouzone was responsible for his lover and partner-in-crime Brandon's (yes, Brandon; no, not a female named Brandon) death (in reality, he was murdered by Barksdale hitmen in retaliation for the robbery of one of the organization's stash houses in season 1). With this misinformation, Omar tracks down Mouzone in his motel room and hits him with a gunshot to the stomach, then aims for the fatal head shot; but before he fires, he realizes through the words of Bow-Tie that he has been duped. Later, he and Mouzone team up and go after Stringer. With a tip from Avon (who has no choice but to cooperate in order to quench the Brother's thirst for revenge and, thus, maintain his standing with his Big Apple suppliers), Omar and Mouzone ambush String at his development site and kill him, as you see above. Notable because Stringer was one of The Wire's major characters, very popular, his death the show's equivalent of Christopher Moltisanti getting whacked on The Sopranos. The most memorable and important scene in the show's history.

"There go a life that had to be snatched, Avon." (Season 3)

Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell were like brothers. They grew up together, took over West Baltimore together, ran their criminal empire together. Blood couldn't make them any closer. But you see, Avon's beloved nephew, D'Angelo, was also family, his sister's child, and Avon cared for him like a son. Problem is, D was looking at twenty years after being caught by the police while attempting to haul in drugs from New York. And with that prospect (along with his stated desire to leave the game for good and start his life anew) clogging his thoughts, he nearly flipped once and behaved coldly towards Avon in prison, attempting to seperate himself from his uncle, his family, and his past. Afraid that D would turn snitch and bring down the entire organization, Stringer was forced into action. Going behind Avon's back, he arranged for D'Angelo to be murdered and for his death to be made to look like a suicide. Stringer's manipulation goes unbeknownst to Avon until this scene, when he finally confesses to his friend the hard, hurtful truth. A life had to snatched, and String snatched it.

Cut it Short

The 2007 Home Run Derby was a waste of time for me to watch. I mean, no Barry Bonds, no A-Rod, no Miguel Cabrera, no anybody.

The most anti-climactic moment of the derby was when Big Papi, David Ortiz, gave Vladimir Guerrero a bat made out of some kind of "special wood" out of a "special box" and the next few attempts by Vlad ended up in outs. WOOT. What a great bat switch.

The derby wasn't anything like last year. For one, score for the final round was Vlad, 3 Alex Rios, 2. Was that great or what? The first round is the most exciting round because all the players have some sort of stamina.

The MLB needs to cut it short. It is too long. The players work so hard to get out of the first round, then they have nothing to give later. And the whole Kenny Mayne in the bay thing was hilarious because nothing came there. In the whole derby, no balls hit the water. Good thought, but nice try.

I think if you did it like the NBA Dunk Contest, have four really great power hitters. Have A-Rod, Pujols, Howard, and maybe Bonds. Two rounds, more home runs. BINGO! We have have excitement.

Think about it Selig.

Also, can anyone believe Dan Patrick is leaving? WOW.

To be continued...

"The game ain't in me no mo'." (Season 3)

Cutty, the 40's-looking bearded dude who absolutely nails this scene, was a legendary gangster who once popped a guy, then dialed 9-1-1 and told the coppers: "I just shot a n---a, come get him." About to be paroled after a 14-year stint in the can, he was approached by Avon and Wee-Bey (all three serving time at the same prison) about a possible job in the Barksdale organization upon his release, and given a package of narcotics as a little homecoming present. After a brief period working as part of a landscaping crew, he eventually decides to take Avon up on his offer and becomes part of an effective soldiering duo along with Barksdale enforcer Slim Charles. Soon, however, it becomes obvious to Cutty that the game is no longer in him. In his jailyard meeting with Avon, he seemed less than enthused about the job tender. At one point in the meeting, after Cutty implies that his fourteen years in the pen have taken their toll, Avon queries, "But you still a soldier, right?" and is met with pure silence from Cutty, causing the drug lord to worry that the joint may have broken the old-timer. The culmination of Cutty's change comes during the botched hit on two of rival Marlo Stanfield's young dealers, in which he had a point-blank shot at the boy but couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger. But by being man enough to stand in Avon's presence and confess that he blew the shot on the kid, then basically retire from the game right then and there, knowing full and well the risk he was taking (just look at his eyes when Avon lets him know they're all good, he's damn near shocked), he ensured that the respect he had garnered over the years would remain intact. A man in his time, a man today, a man, period.

The Wire

Starting tomorrow, I'll be posting some of my favorite clips from The Wire, undeniably the best show on television, and the subject of one of my earliest posts. I'll have a different clip each day next week. Consider them my favorite five that are available on YouTube, in chronological order of when they happened on the show. But before we get to them, here's a little taste to get you ready:


"Where the f--k is Wallace?" (Season 1)



Where the f--k is Wallace, D'Angelo's young protege, former friend of Bodie and Poot? Dead. A loose end that had to be tied up.


"N---a is you takin notes..." (Season 3)



This is just funny. Why the hell would you take minutes on the kind of meeting these crooks are having? Freakin' Shamrock, what a moron.

Stephon Marbury HIGH AS HELL

Just watch. And enjoy.

Mabuhay!

Great hospitality, great food, great times!

Hey Wilson's World readers! (Wait... readers... nevermind...) Well if you were wondering why I have not posted in two weeks is because I was in the Philippines! It was my first time there and it was truly an experience I won't forget. I am as wide awake as the guy in your work place that does not stop drinking coffee so I will try to get some sleep. Now I know what jet lag feels like.

Anthony, I am back!!!

To be continued...

2007 NBA Draft: Billy Knight Finally Gets It Right

The Celtics' acquisition of Ray Allen will either work out great or be a great disaster.

Alright, some thoughts on last night's draft:

Obviously, Portland and Seattle had the two best drafts (even though the Sonics screwed up the Ray Allen trade, which I'll get to later), so let's focus on everybody else. Love what Atlanta did. The Hawks got one of the top fiveguys in the draft, Big Al Horford, who'll be like Horace Grant, only more physical and with a much stronger low-post game. Law is a Sam Cassell-type. If they can turn Josh Childress and Marvin Williams into a center to pair with Al, then add a little depth to the bench, they'll be set for years to come, with Joe Johnson and Josh Smith already in place.

And Boston picking up Ray Allen and the No. 35 pick (Big Baby Davis) for Delonte West, Wally's World, and the rights to Jeff Green? Excellent deal for them. I don't understand Mark Jackson's criticisms last night: for one, Ray's played with Cassell and Big Dog Robinson in Milwaukee (made Game 7 of the East Finals in 2001) and with Rashard Lewis in Seattle (won 54 games in 2005, gave champion to-be Spurs trouble in the West semis), and Paul Pierce played wiith Antoine Walker in Boston (East Finals in 2002). Both of them needing the ball won't be a problem. Also, Ray Allen just keeps getting better with age, he's shown zero signs of decline, he's never been better as an all-around scorer. Even when his physical skills start declining, he'll still be very effective and valuable because of that jump shot (one of the best ever) ain't goin' nowhere (just look at Reggie Miller).

Basically, if Boston stays healthy next year and they can't make the East Finals with a trio of Allen, Pierce, and the ever-improving Al Jefferson leading the way, something's wrong. Seriously, you wouldn't take them over Cleveland or Miami right now? How about Detroit, who's run is all but over? Chicago's the only team that scares me right now if I'm Boston. You can never count out LeBron, and Miami will likely add a big name like Bibby or Artest this summer, but until they do, Boston's got to be considered one of the two best teams in the East on paper right now.

(What's that? You say Jesus Shuttlesworth is coming off ankle surgery in April? On both ankles? *Pauses for a second, digests that information* Oh. Well, in that case, maybe they should've just taken Corey Brewer. You know, just to be safe.)

I don't like that trade for Seattle, I'm not too sold on Jeff Green. They should've had Boston take Brewer instead, he's a star. Can you imagine Brewer and Durant on the same team? Can I get an "Oh Baby!"? (Where's Erik "Caliente" Valiente when you need him?) So Seattle fouled that up.

If I'm Pau Gasol, I'm begging management to let me stay in Memphis so I can play with Junior Conley for the next ten years. And Noah's a good fit for Chicago.

Who messed up? Philly, they should've taken Al Thornton. And New Orleans should've taken Nick Young. It's like those two picks were too simple and obvious for Billy King and Jeff Bower to make, they decided to overgeneralmanage (that is a word).

That means Washington got lucky with Young at No. 16. I really like him, he's got good size for the two, he's a great athlete and he can shoot. Washington needed a big guy more than they needed another perimeter player, but who were they gonna take, Sean Williams? Jason Smith? Please.

Also, I like who the Lakers got at No. 19, Javaris Crittenton, a 6-5 point god out of Georgia Tech. Phil loves them big guards. And Phoenix, at No. 29, got Alando Tucker, who could turn out being this year's Josh Howard: a fabulous college forward who stayed four years, had his pro potential greatly underestimated, fell all the way down to the end of the first round, and ended up being a star in the NBA.

My second round sleepers: Big Baby, No. 35 to the Celtics, he's gonna be a contributor in the NBA, one of those Millsap-Maxiell types, only a better scorer. Chris Richard, the third in Florida's big man rotation, at No. 41 to Minny. He's a brute, reminds me of a 6-9 Malik Rose (when Malik was with the Spurs, of course). And D.J. Strawberry (Daryl's son), at No. 59 to Phoenix. He's an excellent defender who'll be better than Bruce Bowen and Quentin Ross because of his versatility on offense. He's the perfect fit for the Suns.

Couple of other big Draft day trades: Portland gets Channing Frye and Stevie Francis for Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau, and Fred Jones. That gives Portland a nice young big man trio of Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Frye, frees up Aldridge to start, and gets rid of one of the last two bad guys on the team (now if they can just move Darius Miles). But how good is Stevie at this point? Don't know. And they definitely could've gotten more for Zach. On the other end, doesn't New York already have a low-post scorer? Why have two when the game is clearly becoming more and more perimeter oriented? And is there really gonna be enough space down there for both of them to operate? Aldridge and Oden compliment each other because Aldridge is more of a mid-range jump shooting big man and will give Oden room to work. You can't say the same for Eddy and Zach.

And Brandan Wright's rights to Golden State for Jason Richardson and the rights to Jermareo Davidson. I don't know about Wright, he's got talent but no fire. Real lackadaisical, and not in a T-Mac way, in a bad way. I like J-Rich for Charlotte, though, he's a veteran, he averaged 23 a game two years ago, one of the best rebounding guards in the league. Adam Morrison looked shaky last year and they might lose Gerald Wallace to free agency, so excellent move by MJ. I guess there really is a first time for everything.

(On a completely unrelated note, last night on Letterman Robin Williams said that as a kid his family didn't have water, so they made their own by taking hydrogen and oxygen and shoving it together. Don't even try and pretend like that's not the funniest thing you've ever heard.)

Simmons vs. Ford: A Battle for the Ages

Greg Oden will be the No. 1 pick in today's draft.

A few thoughts:

I'm nominating this for "Online Sports Article of 2007." Hands down, the most entertaining internet column I've read this year, and I've read a lot. These two need their own show. Who knew Chad Ford could talk smack like that? We knew Simmons had it in him, but the Chadster really surprised me. Neither guy was backing down, they were both taking the other guy's best shots and coming right back with some heat of their own, two champions at the top of their games, going all out. This was like Corrales-Castillo I. If you love the NBA, check this out, it'll get you ready for the draft. Most people have probably read it, to those who haven't and read this blog, I apologize to the six of you for not giving you the heads up sooner.

Anybody who thinks wrestling isn't a sport either has never watched it or needs to re-evaluate their interpretation of what a sport is. I agree, it's all scripted and purely entertainment, not to be taken seriously. And a lot of it is acting. But these guys are athletes. They're trained professionals at flying over ropes, jumping off of turnbuckles and ladders, and bouncing off of canvases that aren't exactly made of rubber. Wrestling is a higcontact sport that, with very few exceptions, requires supreme physical condition, endurance, and stamina. You're gonna tell me golf is a sport and this isn't? Tiger Woods is more of an athlete than Matt Hardy? Please.

As far as the Chris Benoit thing goes, I'm hoping Vince McMahon didn't know all of the details before airing that ridiculous tribute to him on Tuesday. Benoit was a great wrestler but a cowardly human being and a murderer. The latter crushes the former. Chris was one of my favorite guys back in the day, when I watched wrestling religiously and still thought it was real, but I have no sympathy for him. Zero.

On Reunited: The Real World Las Vegas: Frank, stop drinking so much. It's not even funny. A the same time, Arissa and Irulan...quit bitchin'. What the hell is wrong with those two? I can't believe seven formed adults, who have lived with each other before and knew fully what they were getting themselves into when they agreed to reunite, can't get along for three measly weeks. What are they, kindergarteners? Then again, if people casts to be on The Real World behaved like grownups, there'd be no show. So I guess it's necessary.

KG to L.A. for Bynum and Odom? Cooled off considerably, may be dead. KG to Phoenix for Amare? Appears to be warming up, a real possiblity. Bill Simmons was the first guy to propose the idea, his most intriguing point being the fact that Garnett is the one guy who can come close to playing Tim Duncan to a draw. And you know what? Phoenix needs to make it happen. Amare is an unstoppable low post scorer, but he doesn't rebound enough or block enough shots. KG doesn't block enough shots either (he's only averaged more than two a game twice in twelve seasons, believe it or not), but he's a better rebounder by three a game (12.8 to 9.6) and has led the league in that category four straight years. And he's in another stratosphere than Amare as an all-around defender, team and individual (6 first-team All-Defense selections, two second teams, one of the best big man defenders ever). Amare is average at best on that end. Obviously, something's missing with Kevin in terms of his impact on teammates and just the game overall - sure, his teammates have been mediocre for all but two years, all his coaches have sucked, and Kevin McHale is a complete moron, but can you imagine Tim Duncan missing the playoffs even once, let alone three straight years? - but on a team as loaded as the Suns, with Nash at the helm, where he won't have to be the man, that shouldn't be a problem. Garnett and the Suns complete each other.

Portland will take Greg Oden, Ric Bucher reports. Ric's a very busy and popular man. What would we do without him? Anyways, that's the right pick. Durant was the better player in college and will be the better player in the pros, but Oden will be more valuable because he's a center. Oden will be a dominant, game-changing pivot in the mold of Duncan (who we we all know is really a center). He'll hit his stride at 24 points, 13 boards, and 3-4 blocks a night, someone who commands a double-team and the closest thing defensively to Bill Russell since Bill Russell. And he'll win multiple rings.

Durant will be a franchise wing. Once he puts on some weight, he'll become the most freakish four-man in league history, 32-10-4 with two blcoks and two steals in his prime, an unstoppable offensive machine and a disruptive defensive presence. He'll make a run at Kareem's all-time points record, that's how good a scorer he'll be. And at least one ring.

And who'll be remembered as the third best player from this draft? Mike Conley Jr., a future perennial All-Star point guard.

Write it down.

EA Sports Fight Night Round 3: Keepin' it Real

EA Sports, taking boxing games to a whole new level.

I'm late on this. Very late. I know. This came out in February of '06. Read it anyway.

I first became infatuated with Fight Night Round 3, the latest in EA Sports' video game boxing franchise, right before the Mayweather-De La Hoya match, while reading a scouting report on ESPN.com. They had a little video on there simulating the fight and still shots that complemented the report. I had purchased Knockout Kings 2002 (which can be considered the great-great grandfather of Round 3) years back, with Ali on the cover, and played it a lot when I first got it. It was good. But it didn't come close to matching the realism I was witnessing on that computer screen that day.

After finally copping it yesterday for the PS2 from Best Buy (only $19.99!), I have to say: this one of the most impressive video games I've ever played, and I've played many. Pound-for-pound, this comes closer to matching the Madden and NBA 2K series than any sports game I've ever played. Obviously, boxing is pretty much irrelevant now, not nearly as important or popular as the NBA, which isn't nearly as important or popular as the NFL. So Round 3 isn't gonna get the same the same kind of publicity or sales as NBA 2K-whatever (consistently the best basketball titles out there) or Madden (the undisputed heavyweight champ of sports games).

But in terms of pure quality? It's right up there.

The actual matches are the most impressive. The two fighters enter the ring to some of the best hip-hop you'll ever hear on a video on a video game soundtrack (although I have to admit, watching guys like Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta come out to a track with Akon on the hook is just ridiculous), trainer at their side, acknowledging the crowd, then stepping through the ropes and doing a little shadowboxing for good measure.

Once the bell rings, the action that takes place in the ring is nothing short of revolutionary. Couldn't get any better. Incredible. Knockout Kings 2002 is like Rocky; me and my cousin used to bludgeon the hell out of each other on that thing like Balboa and Drago. Whether you're playing with a friend or against CPU, the best path to victory is just jabbing the flick out of the other guy until he finally goes down. Bobbin' and weavin' don't work. In real life, no one could survive the kind of beatings that are given out in those movies or in that game; it would be too much punishment. I mean, don't get me wrong: it's fun. It just ain't practical.

This game, on the other hand, is more like Ali, which featured the most lifelike fight scenes ever. In FNR3, you can't just rely on one punch; you must have variety. Power shots, combinations to the head and body, hooks with each hand, etc. Mix it up.

And defense is of the utmost importance; you gotta be able to stick and move in there. Hit, duck. Hit, lean to the left. Hit, lean to the right. Hit, lean back. Hit, get the hell out the way. Shield your face and ribs. Roll them shoulders. Protecting yourself is the name of the game.

On top of that, it looks and sounds awesome, and catches all of the little things. They've completely captured the fighter's physical appearances, fighting styles, and in-ring mannerisms. Ali has blistering hand speed and moves better than everyone else. Roberto Duran is a brawler. Sugar has the best all-around skills. Furthermore, Joe Frazier fights from a very low position, always crouching. Roy Jones has that unorthodox stance, left hand near the waist, right arm bent at a 90-degree angle, ready to strike at a moment's notice. And B-Hop keeps that right hand covering the right side of his face. Plus, they're covered in sweat, and you can see the anguish on their faces when they take one in the abdomen and hear them grunting when they swing big and miss.

Between rounds, the trainer gives his guy advice, criticism, praise, the whole deal. You even have the option of playing cornerman and tending to the cuts and bruises.

But the best part so far (I haven't tried "Career Mode" yet, so I can't give the game a final grade) is the "ESPN Classic" feature, which allows you to re-create some of the most famous matches in boxing history, complete with a breakdown of each competitor's traits and strengths. It's excellent.

The only negative I see so far (other than Ali entering the squared circle with Dipset blaring in the background) is the "Create-a-Player" mode, which is very mediocre and frustrating. Other than that, I have zero complaints.

Definitely money well spent.

Bill Plaschke calls Lakers fans stupid.

Watch out, Kobe. Plaschke's comin'.

Well, not exactly. But he did question our intelligence a little bit. In today's L.A. Times, Mr. Plaschke, an excellent writer, laments why Lakers fans (and all Lakers fans are Kobe fans) continue to support Kobe even though he clearly no longer wants to play play in Los Angeles anymore. As Bill spins it, the Kobester doesn't just want to leave the organization, he wants to leave us, the people who watch him on T.V., spend their money on his jersey and buy tickets to watch him play. Basically, Plaschke writes, he's a disloyal, petulant troublemaker who's turned his back on the franchise and the fan base, and William doesn't understand why his followers remain so faithful. An excerpt:

"It's startling, indeed, how Lakers fans are willing to forgive Bryant for a petulance that was never this bad in O'Neal. It's amazing how they are willing to forget every odd twist to his unsettling career here for a chance to watch him take one more shot.

The second half of the late-season game in Sacramento. The fourth quarter of the playoff game in Phoenix. The practice fights, the Karl Malone phone calls, the Phil Jackson expose.

And, of course, Colorado."

That Plaschke, always trying to start something. If only he would use his talent for good more often. You see, Bill, part of the reason we continue to back Bean is because he's right. The Lakers hae failed in building a championship-caliber roster around him. Even you agree with him. More than that, we just don't buy into the whole "Kobe is the devil" nonsense. He's not. He's an unbelievable basketball player who's misunderstood and often unjustly criticised. Surely, he's made his share of mistakes during his career: the incident in Colorado, including throwing Shaq under the bus during that police interrogation; playing so selfishly and stupidly during the Finals against Detroit in 2004, trying to win by himself when the Pistons were single-covering Shaq and using a non-violent version of the "Jordan Rules" on him, playing right into their hands when he should have deferred to Big Daddy and gotten his fourth ring; and his habit of talking to the media so friggin' much, which only creates more problems for himself or complicates/intensifies already existing ones. And a couple of the ones you pointed out in that little passage.

But you know something? So what. He's human. He's not perfect. Neither am I. Neither is anyone who's reading this (which, according to our profile views, is probably no one. But still.). Neither are you, Plaschke. Apparently, you Mamba-haters out there have never made a regrettable decision and are void of past transgressions. Us Mamba-supporters reaize that we are not holier-than-thou and Kobe isn't either. We can relate to him like that.

Excuse us for not being so damn self-righteous.

Long Live "The Kid"

Junior Griffey: healthy, hitting, and happy.

I once attended an Interleague Game with my dad at Chavez Revine, the Dodgers taking on the Mariners on a beautiful summer day years back, when Ken Griffey Jr. was still worthy of Wheaties box covers and mentioned in the same breath as Babe Ruth. When he flirted with Maris at the plate and channeled Mays in center. When he placed on the same plateau of sports icons as John Elway and Michael Jordan. When he was the best player in the game.

Why do I bring this up? Nostalgia. Junior's Summer of 2007 is taking me back to a much simpler time for me, when I still had my youth and the game still had it's innonence, when it was still pure, before it was considered tainted by cheaters. Before "The Steroids Era." As I write this, Griffey's played in 64 of a possible 70 games and hit 18 homers and 43 runs batted in. He's on pace to play 156 games and finish with a .287/44/105/.957 OPS season, which would be his best year since 1999, his last year in Seattle. Sure, he's on a last place team, but who cares.

Griffey's downfall always saddened me. Granted, even if he had never played a single inning in a Reds uniform, he still would've made it to Cooperstown, already having totaled 10 All-Star Game appearances, 10 gold gloves, and 398 home runs. And overall, he's a 12-time All-Star who's eighth on the all-time home run list (581 and counting) and tied for the second most gold gloves amongst outfielders (with Al Kaline, behind Mays and Brooks Robinson, who each have 12). But he should have been the best ever. He should've won 15 gold-gloves, played in closer to 20 All-Star games and shattered Aaron's record. Unfortunately, injuries would not allow it. It wasn't meant to be.

So instead, let's forget about what Ken Griffey's Son (Does Kenny Mayne still do Sportscenter? If he doesn't, he needs to.) should've been and focus on what he is: a first ballot Hall-of-Famer and one of the 25 greatest players ever. And remember the days when the game was still good.

(Of course, it's only a matter of time before he gets hurt. He'll be rounding third tomorrow and tear all four of his quadriceps muscles, causing him to miss the rest of the season. But still.)

Tony Parker - Finals MVP and Eva Longoria.

To hell with Chuck Norris - right now, Tony Parker is the best a man can get.

Some random thoughts...

All, right, it's time to talk legacies.

I've written before that I believe Tim Duncan is the best all-around big man to ever play the game, and we all agree that he's the best power forward ever. Now, after last night's series clinching win over the Cavaliers, a four-oh sweep and a fourth ring for the Postmaster General, Duncan has, in my humble estimation, cemented himself as the greatest forward in NBA history, period. It's been in the works all postseason and culminated last night. Larry Bird is Larry Bird, a legend, historically clutch, one of the all-time greats. And he definitely played in a tougher era. But the facts are that Duncan now has one more ring, is a vastly superior defender than Bird was (he's made seven all defensive first-teams and two second teams, while Bird only made three second teams) and has won his titles with an inferior supporting cast. Duncan's teammates, as a whole, have always been very good but never great. You'd take Tiny Archibald, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge, and Bill Walton over David Robinson, Sean Elliot, Avery Johnson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry, and Michael Finley any day of the week. Overall, you have to give Timmy the edge.

Also, he's firmly established himself as the greatest player of the post-MJ era. Shaq was more dominant at his peak, but Duncan was always more complete and he's more accomplished.

And while Kobe is the best individual player in the game today, Duncan is indisputably the most valuable, as well as the one you'd most like to build your team around. He's won titles with two entirely differently supporting casts - there's no one on the last two title teams who was also on the '99 team. Except, of course, Tim himself. Call him The Big Constant.

As far as Popovich goes...he's one of the best ever. Four titles now, .676 career winning percentage. His resume speaks for itself. Put him in the same sentence as Auerbach, Jackson, and Riles. He belongs.

Also, this has to make Big Shot Rob a lock for the Hall-of-Fame now, right? He's got the most rings of anyone who never played with Bill Russell. If K.C. Jones is a HOFer for playing D and winning a bunch of rings, then Bob has to be in for the HUGE shots, all-around team play, and winning seven - SEVEN! - titles in the modern era. He has to be.

Everybody talks about the lack of respect the Spurs get, but I, for one, can appreciate the way the Spurs play (efficient offense and stifling defense) and what they've done over the last ten years. They're one of the two best franchises in sports, along with the Patriots. Obviously, Duncan is the most important factor, but it all stars with management. Pop and R.C. Buford know exactly what they're doing. They found one All-Star from a foreign country at the end of the first round (Parker, France, 28th pick, 2001) and another at the end of the second (Ginobili, Argentina, 57th pick, the last selection in the draft). They've shied away from making any big moves, instead staying committed to the personnel they had and thus negating any chance of disrupting their excellent team chemistry. They could've panicked this year, at the trade deadline, when it appeared that Dallas and Phoenix had passed them by. Instead, they trusted that their system and role-defined roster, their trademarks over the years, would outlast the others and prevail in the end. And it did.

LeBron will be back to the Finals. Several times. With a different outcome from this year.

Finally, so long to Robert William Barker, an American television icon. The last The Price is Right with Bob as the host aired today, the primetime showing ending about 30 minutes ago. I think they should retire the show along with Bob, he's the only person who should be able to host it. Sure, it's possible that they could find a replacement who's excellent in his own right (like Jay Leno on the Tonight Show), but I doubt it. One thing's for sure, though: between the ending of The Sopranos and Bob retiring, this has been a sad week in television. If you'd excuse me, I have to go cry now.

Enough Already

So many such as Jerry Stackhouse, Grant Hill, Vince Carter, and the obvious Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have been labeled the next Michael Jordan. Expectations go too far sometimes.

What my issue is with the famous basketball comparison is the fact that we expect too much. There is so much criteria when it comes to this MJ and "who is the next like him?" thing. It is like a Geometry book. In order to show a triangle is like another triangle, you need so many formulas and theorems to prove that it. It is just too much and you don't want to care. Ring a bell with these pointless comparisons?

What do you expect from such a young guy? Did anyone expect James to carry his team on his own against the San Antonio Spurs? If you haven't noticed, the Cavs are getting whacked* and there is nothing they can do about it. We have got to stop judging these players based on what the "greatest player of all time" has done. If you want to do this, wait until Kobe and LeBron retire. I hate hearing today's radio shows putting down LeBron because of what he can't do in the Finals. Let him learn and grow. But then again what are radio show host going to talk about right?

Stop the Michael Jordan comparisons. If MJ was the "greatest" then we should not be looking for a new one.

Jerry is Jerry. Grant is Grant. VC is VC. Kobe is Kobe. King James is King James.

Let's just leave it at that.

To be continued...

*(Sorry to all the Sopranos fans for that mysterious ending that will never be solved by anybody.)

The Sopranos Finale: WTF?

So long, guys. You'll be missed.

Last night's series finale of The Sopranos was many things: tense, unsettling, exciting, emotional, masterful, and, ultimately, disappointing.

The culmination of one of the greatest works of entertainment in the history of American media, any form or genre, was the most intense and well-crafted 65-minutes of television I have seen in my short time on this earth. But it was also the most frustrating.

Now, I probably shouldn't have been as affected as I was. I was no diehard Sopranos fan; in fact, I didn't even purchase HBO until Saturday so I could see the last episode. I am not proud of this fact. It is shameful.

But I knew the major players, through viewings of it on my cousin's On Demand, A&E reruns, and, mostly, their Wikipedia entries.

The spectacular penultimate episode - with the shootings of Bobby (dead) and Sil (comatose) and the final shot of Tony lying in his bed at the hideout house, shotgun in tow - mixed with the "Final Episode Ever" teaser and just the general hype surrounding it made it pretty much unmissable. It transcended a T.V. show; it was an event.

I had never been as hyped up for a non-sports related affair as I was for this. I woke up this morning not knowing if I could make it until the the first showing, at 6:00 L.A. time. I took a nap around threeish to kill some of the time, asking J-Dawg to make sure I was awake by 6. Instead, I woke up at about 4:30, another 90-minutes to wait in anticipation. It was killing me.

So I watched one of the earlier episode's of Season Six B, then watched about 20 minutes of that Barbaro special.

And then, it was time.

"Made in America" was good to the very last second. Unfortunately, I mean that literally.

Now, I must be honest here. I watched with either my hand shielding large portions of the screen from my eyes or the sound muted with the caption on. So I didn't see Phil Leotardo get shot in the side of the dome or hear his head pop under the tire of his wife's car as it rolled over his face (she had gotten out to scream for help and left it in drive).

And during the now famous last sequence, I walked around the house with my hands covering my ears, only occasionally glancing at one of the T.V.'s it was playing on. (Should I be embarrassed by this? I'm not. Understand that I'm not afraid of seeing violence on a T.V. screen; I'm just afraid of being surprised by it.)

I saw Tony enter the diner and sit down, followed soon thereafter by Carmela and A.J., the camera panning to random people inside the small restaurant, either sitting at tables or coming through the door, making them all look shady. Then Meadow arrived and had a tough time parallel parking her car, an eerie sense of impending doom hovering over everything. The harrowing setup had been put in place.

What did I sense? That Meadow was about to get capped right outside the restaurant, for one. And that the rest of the family would be hit by one of those suspicious individuals. Or something like that. Something bad.

By this time, I had had it. I was no longer even peaking. Instead, J-Dawg and my cousin relayed the action to me as it was happening.

The tension nearing it's apex, I inquired anxiously:

"What happened?"

"They're eating onion rings."

"All four of them?"

"No, the girl is running, like someone's chasing her."

Short break in communication. A pause.

And then, this:

"Aw, shit. It went out."

"What?"

"It went to black."

For a second, we thought that the cable had gone out at the most inoppurtune time and that we were gonna have to sue Time Warner.

Then, shockingly, the credits started rolling.

It was very upsetting. Who wanted to see it end like that? After all that...nothing. No payoff. The Sopranos was over, the fate of Tony and his family left up to the imagination of the viewer. I hate endings like that. We all do.

I couldn't get over it. We were all disappointed. Unbelievable. It was like having the wind knocked out of you.

I watched it again at 9 and, obviously, I could watch it fully this time since I already knew what happened. The last 10 minutes doesn't seem as sinister as J-Dawg and my cousin made it seem, besides the creepy guy who came in with A.J., sat at the counter, did a double-take at the family, then walked past them to the bathroom. That looked fishy. But other than him, everyone else seemed innocent, and Meadow wasn't running like someone was after her, she was running like a person who was late to a dinner with her family and was in a rush to join them.

Anyways, after watching it one-and-a-half times, I can say these three things:

1. Phil's death was fulfilling.

2. The last ten minutes were the heaviest ten minutes in T.V. history, with Tony looking up everytime he heard the door, afraid that someone was going to walk in at any second and blow away him and his loved ones.

3. David Chase is an evil genius. Not just the last scene, but the entire episode. The way he directed it, leaving the viewer completely in the blue as to how it would turn out, toying with our emotions and totally captivating an hour and five minutes of our lives, was, like the series itself, brilliant. Congrats and thanks to him for bringing us this six season masterpiece. Television will never be the same.

On the flip side, the way he ended it, with that ambiguous, indecisive, non-conclusive conclusion, was just plain wrong. How dare he play with our heads like that.

You see, the main selling-point of the finale was that we didn't know how the story would end. We all wondered the same thing: How will they close it out? Everyone had a prediction - which you could find anywhere from internet message boards to The Sports Reporters on ESPN - but nobody knew for sure. And by capping it off the way he did - screen abruptly cutting to black, the fate of Tony and his family left high up in the air, dangling off a cliff forever - Chase ensured that that question would never be definitively answered.

And that sucks.

"Hey, Tom Friend, if you stop being a prick, I'll put you in my Fave Seven. I promise."

The best on the Web, Mr. Bill Simmons.

How are ya? Haven't posted all week because of college exams, but now I'm back with a list of my favorite sportswriters. What inspired me to do a post on my favorite columnists? I don't know, it just kind of popped into my head one day. Here's my Dream Team.

Bill Simmons, ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com: I first discovered Bill Simmons sometime around 2003, while flipping through the pages of ESPN The Magazine, and I fell in love with his worth. A good while later I realized that I had the internet and could read his online columns as well. Nowadays, that's the first place I go to when I hit the web each day. Simmons has a style all his own: he incorporates humor, pop culture, and family into his writings, so his colums are different than anything else I've ever read because of the multiple angles he can go with. Creative as hell, Simmons has penned columns ranging from his advising Kobe Bryant to follow the career path of Hulk Hogan to previewing the 2004 NFL season using quotes from Goodfellas. He's also extremely knowledgable (especially in the field of hoops), a sports junkie who writes from the perspective of a fan. Is Bill Simmons the best online writer ever? Yes, he is.

Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times: Nobody is better at the melodramatic article than Plaschke, and nobody captures a moment or event better. When the Lakers were dethroned by San Antonio in 2003, Plaschke's column the next day perfectly expressed the way any true Lakers fan felt. It was his seminal article, so good that I kept reading it over and over again until I memorized it. He's kind of annoying as a TV personality, but as far as newspaper writers go, no one touches Plaschke.

J.A. Adande, formerly of the Los Angeles Times: Most sportswriters have some kind of schtick, whether it's being overly pessimistic like Peter Vescey, comedic like Tony Kornheiser, or purposely controversial like Jay Mariotti. If you're gonna be straightforward and not have some kind of gimmick, you better good at being straightforward. And J.A. Adande is a trained professional. He may use a little humor here and there or make a pop culture reference every now and then, but for the most part, Adande is just focused on getting his point across. But he manages to make it entertaining because he makes such good observations. Sadly, as of last week, J.A. is no longer with the times, but I can guarantee you he won't be out of work for long.

Mark Heisler, Los Angeles Times: The best basketball writer alive. I don't read Bob Ryan's stuff, but he can't be better than this guy.

T.J. Simers, Los Angeles Times: The T.J. stands for Total Jerk. This guy is pretty unpopular among Times readers, but I think he's funny as hell. His riff on Barbaro was Hi-larious.

Scoop Jackson, ESPN.com: Not the Scoop who's had to tone it down for You Know Who, the old Scoop, who wrote for SLAM. The Scoop who used profanity in his pieces and was undeniably the best "hip-hop" writer of all-time. Scoop's style and tone while with SLAM was decidedly "black", but anybody, of any race, who liked rap and basketball liked this guy. Everyone who wrote for that magazine during that time was excellent, but Scoop always stood out. His new, somewhat censored stuff runs regularly on ESPN.com now, and it's not as good, but I'll always remember the good ol' days. His brilliant "Iceman 2000" piece on Tim Duncan for SLAM seven years ago remains my all-time favorite sports article.

Anybody who writes for Sports Illustrated: Especially Chris Ballard and the great Jack McCallum (a devestating NBA 1-2 punch). And Rick Reilly is always good, too.

Next up, my favorite TV and radio people, either tomorrow or Saturday.

Ducks Win

I watched a hockey game for the first time since the cancelled NHL season a few years ago. The game that I watched also happened to be the clinching game of the seven game finals series between the Anaheim Ducks and the Ottawa Senators. the Ducks won 6 -2 in a pretty one-sided game from the start. Leading all individual players with 2 goals, LW Travis Moen was a key to the early start for the Ducks.

Ottawa seemed in a daze as the Ducks scored the first 2 goals of the game: 1 off a power play by Andy McDonald, and the second coming from Rob Niedermayer.

Ottawa had some revival after the first intermission as they scored a goal, but were put down again as Anaheim scored. Going into the third period, the Ducks were up 4-2. Anaheim closed the game scoring 2 unanswered goals.

The Senators did not show any signs of panic, when at the time, desperation was really needed. It was too late to try to catch up in the 3rd, as the Ducks ran away. Scott Neidermayer won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the NHL playoffs. Although he did not score in Game 5, he did have an assist and played well. Props go to Chris Pronger or separating his should early in the game, and returning to play.

This does need celebration because Southern California has never had a NHL Stanley Cup and now we can say after only 14 years our Anaheim Ducks brought us one. With such a young core of players, watch for a potential Ducks repeat.

Hey, maybe I will watch hockey next year. MAYBE.

To be continued...

Daniel's Story

Many were a "Witness" to LeBron James and the Cavaliers make it to the NBA Finals yesterday. After Lebron's phenomenal performance in Game 5, he had a solid 20, 14, and 8. But did anyone notice Daniel Gibson? He was the story of the night and of the series.

Before the conference finals and the playoffs, Gibson was a solid backup. With so much potential, and an already blossoming jump shot, Gibson was a piece for the future. No one expected that future to be right now however. In the win last night, Gibson had an astounding 31 points, making all 5 of his shots from beyond the arc. Not to mention 12 for 15 from the charity stripe. Now in this series, this isn't the first time this happened. In Game 4, he had a similar performance, scoring 21 points, and going 12 for 12 from the charity stripe.

Who knew that this rook would be the guy to help carry the load for LeBron? The last time I can remember a rookie play so well was Magic Johnson playing center for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and winning his first title. Now if Gibson can repeat this kind of play in the NBA Finals, he can be the reason LeBron gets his first ring

Well now that the Cavs have to play the Spurs, everyone has to play like Daniel did last night. Just step up and play. With players such as Deron and Marcus Williams, Randy Foye, and Chris Paul becoming the nucleus of young rising stars at the point guard position, we can include Daniel Gibson in the mix as well.

To be continued...

LeBron Comes of Age

Remember this?

I first started hearing about LeBron James five or six years ago. He was still underground at this point, the hype machine just starting to gain steam. I remember two moments, specifically, where I was first recall hearing about him: listening to Stephen A. Smith talking excitedly about him on the Best Damn Sports Show Period, back when it still consisted of it's original method; and one night during an FSN news update (this may have been a report on when he broke his wrist that one time his junior year, it was a long time ago, I'm not sure). I don't remember which occured first or even if these really were the first instances I had heard of him, but these moments definitely stand out in my memory; I just know that after hearing Stephen A. sound so impressed by him, I officially became LeBron-crazy.

I have a prized artifact that centers around him: the first SLAM cover he did with Sebastian Telfair in identical poses to the one's Starbury and KG had done years back. Looked through some older SLAM's and noticed that he was the Diary Keeper his sophomore and junior years. Somehow, this went completely over my head. When it came to my realization, I tore through those diary entries, trying to soak up everything I could about this kid. Also in SLAM's pages I found a recap of the 2001 ABCD camp, the summer before his junior year, which had a short account of his legendary domination of senior-to-be Lenny Cooke, the number one ranked guy in his class.

Shortly thereafter, LeBron became mainstream. Sports Illustrated famously put him on the cover of their magazine in February of his junior year, dubbing him The Chosen One. Sadly, I don't have that classic (I think I might've read it at Lenscrafters one day before I knew who he was, I don't really remember; boy, my memory is bad). In December of 2002, ESPN the Magazine had him on the cover of that year's NEXT issue. All of it was justified: At 17, he was a 6-7, 235, chiseled guard/forward who combined the best traits of Magic (surreal passing sense and point guard skills at a size abnormal for the position) and Michael (explosive first step and unreal athleticism and scoring ability). Advanced well beyond his years, former SLAM editor-in-chief Russ Bengston wrote: "Akron's finest would be a top-five NBA pick right now - maybe even No. 1 - and we don't just mean on potential. Yes, he is that good." His senior season, ESPN showed a couple of his regular season games on the Deuce, the first a home-game in Ohio against Oak Hill in which he went for 31, 13, and 6 and a highlight-reel worthy no-look behind the back bounce pass that had Dick Vitale screaming at the top of his lungs. And then a game at Pauley Pavillion against D.J. Strawberry and Mater Dei (which my dad and I had tickets too, but I pulled out at the last second and he ended up taking his girlfriend instead. After what LeBron's done in the last week, I think I'll regret my decision to stay home that night for the rest of my life) in which he finished with a lackluster 21, 9, and 7.

The media circus peaked when he was unfairly suspended for accepting those free throwbacks. The ban was lifted after one game, and in his comeback at the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton, New Jersey, he dropped a spectacular 52 on Trevor Ariza and Westchester. In March he was named MVP of the 2003 McDonald's All-American Game, capping off a year in which he won his second consecutive Player of the Year award and his team won a mythical national championship.

Four years later, and here we are. Stephen A. works for The Worldwide Leader now, and he's one of the most well-known (and disliked, though I've always liked him) sports personalities around. BDSSP has been relegated to an hour-long nightly sports list countdown. Sadly, SLAM ain't what it used to be; they lost Scoop to ESPN and made too many changes to the format of the magazine. Sebastian is more well-known for his run-ins with the law than anything he's done with the Blazers or Celtics. And Lenny Cooke went undrafted out of high school and has never played in an NBA game.

This LeBron guy, on the other hand...he turned out alright.

He's all grown-up now, 22, bearded, playing for the hometown Cavs. Got $100 mil from Nike before he played a game in the league and he's been worth every penny. He's a three-time All-Star, a perennial MVP candidate, and one of the five best players in the league, a true franchise guy. 27, 7, and 6 over his first four years. He's turned Cleveland into a 50-win team with very little help. He's their coach and their emotional leader.

And last night, he led the Cavs in defeating the Pistons in Game 6 of the East Finals to advance to their first NBA Finals appearance in the team's 37-year history. After a 48-point performance in Game 5, he switched it up and took what Detroit gave him in Game 6, inviting the double-teams and setting up his teammates, especially Daniel Gibson, en-route to a 20, 14, and 8. This postseason, he's throwing up a 26, 8, and 8 in 45 minutes a game. LeBron James has not only exceeded the hype, he's made it obvious that he never got enough of it in the first place.

Personally, I think Cleveland's gonna get beat like a drum against the balanced, veteran, been-there-before Spurs, but you never know. After last night's game, I told my Dad, "A one-man team shouldn't beat Detroit," and his response summed up the whole LeBron Experience perfectly: "Well, when your one man is LeBron James, anything can happen."

LeBron Gets It

Cavaliers star LeBron James makes the game-winning layup in Cleveland's 109-107 double-overtime victory over the Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

I'm not sure how I should write this post. About an hour ago LeBron James turned in one of the greatest individual performances in playoff history. In a 109-107 double-OT victory over the Pistons in Auburn Hills that will become a part of NBA lore, the King played 51 minutes, scored 48 points (on 18-of-33 shooting), grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists. He made his team's last 11 field goals and scored 29 of their last 30 points, including the last 25. He made huge basket after huge basket, some tough fallaways mixed with a few strong drives to the basket that he capped off with even stronger finishes. On the game-winner, he drove right through the heart of the Pistons defense and finished with an acrobatic layup. He was unstoppable. He was not going to let his team lose this game.

I wasn't even alive when Magic did what he did sans Kareem at the Spectrum in the '80 Finals, or when Michael gave Boston 63 at the Garden in '86, but I know everything about those games and I've seen parts of both of them on ESPN Classic and NBA TV. And this performance is right up there with those two. All things considered, this one may be even more impressive. I mean, think about it: LeBron is 22-years old. He's in his fourth year out of high school, the savior of a traditionally bad team. He has a terrible coach and a very mediocre supporting cast. Even Kobe has more help (at least he has Phil and the occasionally brilliant Lamar Odom; LeBron has Mike Brown and Larry Hughes). The Cavs are the very definition of a one-man team. More than that, he's under more pressure and scrutiny than any 22-year old that's ever played the game; Cleveland's successes and failures rest directly on his shoulders, and when they lose, he is criticized more than any player in his position ever should be. Magic was on an excellent Laker team that, even wihout Kareem that night, still had Coop, Norm Nixon, and Jamaal Wilkes (who finished with a forgotten 37 that night). And while I would never compare this Pistons team to the 1986 Celtics, they're still a veteran, battle-tested, title-worthy club that's famous for for their big-game swagger, a very formidable foe. LeBron won his game; Michael didn't.

More than just this game, I'll remember the last five days as the time it all clicked for LeBron. Bashed after the first two games of the series for a lack of agressiveness and some shaky end-of-game decisions, he learned on the fly, playing games 3-5 with the kind of assertiveness and killer instinct that only Kobe, Wade, and A.I. can match. After the two losses in Detroit, I seriously wondered whether or not that last quality could be learned; afterall, if you look at any of the great money players of the last 25 years, they were all sharks from the beginning of their careers. From Magic to Bird to Michael to Kobe to Wade, they were all fearless and unshakable from day one. It's inborn. Kobe airballed those three threes at the end of those playoff games against Utah his rookie year, but even at 18, he still thought the next one would go in and wasn't afraid to shoot it. His confidence in himself never wavered, not even for a second.

Up until Game 3, LeBron seemed to be lacking that self-assurance. And I sincerely doubted if he had it in him. I was ready to write him off as the next A-Rod.

Over the past week and especially earlier tonight, he made me out to be a fool.

Let Him Free

All the Hollywood madness is back again. Kobe just announced today his desire to be traded. He lost his trust. It is no longer the condition of the roster. It is trust. You don't mess around with a man's trust. Especially one of Kobe Bryant.

This is Hollywood. There is more.

Then Dan Patrick got Kobe to lighten up a bit when he brought up Jerry West. Kobe backed away from trade talks. This is hard typing. We are talking about a frustrated World-Class Athlete, who wants to win. La ciudad is not giving it to him. As Shaq said, I believe Kobe 100%. The revelation of an already planned Shaq trade, a false promise of immediate team improvement, and a false promise of a championship.

This is where it hurts. Because of the lies, we have this terrible Lakers squad. I realize now that it was not ego that ripped our dynasty apart. It was the lies and false promises. It amazes me how the little things really bring about big consequences. I never... EVER... want Kobe Bryant to be in the same situation as a Kevin Garnett or Allen Iverson. He is about to be. He is reaching his 12th year in what seems like a career with not a single championship ring. Did you feel that vibe as this Kobe-era progressed?

Kobe; for once in the eyes of all criticizers and Kobe-haters, is not the selfish one here. Kobe Bryant is not selfish for wanting to be traded from an organization full of lies and no order.

This better not be the fault of Kobe Bryant. It is because of this Hollywood world where everything has to become public. Trusted insiders turned their backs. Hey, newsflash. This man who "ran-out-Shaq" probably is the only reason this organization still exists.

If and when Kobe is traded, there should be no hard feelings. Personally we all owe our sports lives to this man. Right now, Kobe isn't this selfish baby many see him as.

I planned on showing our fans some trade possibilities for Kobe, but I decided to rant instead. This is wrong of us to treat Kobe negatively in his time of sadness. Let us all lighten up on him. Let's show him support. A Laker by the start of the season or not, we owe it to him.

To be continued...

What the hell is going on with Kobe?

Does Kobe want to be traded, or doesn't he?

My grandmother, J-Dawg, uses the medical term "bipolar" to describe anybody that she deems to be a little "off," like bipolar is the general term for a crazy person or something. Someone used it incorrectly in a phone conversation with her one day, and she took that baby and ran with it. In the dictionary, it's defined as "any of several psychological disorders of mood charracterized by usu. alternating expressions of depression and mania."

Now, Kobe may be depressed because of the Lakers' current roster situation, but he can't be blamed for that. Anyone would be sad if they had to carry that collection of zombies. And he might go on maniacal city-to-city scoring outbursts like a serial killer goes on a tri-state killing spree, but that's a good thing (the scoring sprees, not the killing sprees). But he's definitely being a little moody lately. After three years of smiling for the cameras and appearing to be on the same page as the front office, he completely changes up after their first round losss to Phoenix and starts expressing his frustration with the lack of improvement that management has made to the team. A couple days ago, amid reports that he might ask for a trade, he stated that he does not want to be traded, only for his team to get better, and to get better immediately. Then I wake up this morning, take a look at ESPNEWS and notice that the "Breaking News" signal has been activated again. Kobe Bryant wants to be traded. He went on Stephen A. Smith's radio show this morning, talking about broken trust and private meetings and setting records straight and, most importantly, his desire to be traded. He put it all out there.

So.........

First of all, I'm going to give Kobe credit for being a team player. He took the bullet for the Shaq trade even though he was just an innocent bystander, then shielded the organization for three years by never criticizing the front office for their incompetence. Promised by Ol' Doc Buss that the team would be rebuilt to title status right away, he waited patiently as the Lakers went in an entirely different direction, drafting seventeen year-old Andrew Bynum with the no. 10 pick in the 2005 draft. According to Kobe, they balked on bringing in Baron Davis, Ron Artest, and Carlos Boozer. And at the trade deadline this season, they passed on Jason Kidd because they didn't want to part ways with Bynum. Through all of this, he never lashed out or complained. Instead, at post-game press conferences or chats with reporters after practice, he stressed that the Lakers were a "young team," and that they were maturing, and that it was all a process, bla bla bla. In the meantime, he just went out there and played his ass off, doing the best he could with the teammates he had.

But now, he can't wait anymore.

And he'll no longer hold his tongue or put up with anymore of this nonsense. He's already let the truth be known about the Shaq trade and exposed Dr. Buss as a liar. And he's not standing for team "insiders" slandering him, either. He's had it. Kobe Bryant wants to be traded and there's nothing the Lakers can do to change his mind.

(Of course, about twenty-five minutes ago, I visited espn.com's TrueHoop and learned that Kobe had spoken with Greg Anthony and told him that he will rescind his trade request if that "insider" is fired. Now he's gone on another radio show and taken it back altogether. Can we get this guy some medication?)

(Clarifications: That last little paragraph was a tad bit inaccurate and poorly written. Kobe didn't really take the trade demand back altogether, but he did ease off of it quite a bit after having a phone conversation with Phil Jackson. And that radio show he went on was Loose Cannons on KLAC 570-AM in Los Angeles; I assume he talked to GA on the phone. If Greg Anthony has a radio show, I don't know about it. Also, he first started his moonwalking on The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio, sometime in-between the interview on Stephen A.'s show and the chat with the Cannons. Just wanted to clear that up.)

Kobe's Ultimatum

Kobe wants a couple more of those gold balls, and he's upset that Lakers management isn't helping him in his quest.

Well, about 20 minutes after Kane posted the previous blog, I walk into my room and notice that the "Breaking News" signal at the bottom right-hand corner of the ESPNEWS screen has been activated. It reads: Kobe asks for Jerry West back or a trade. I'm shocked. I run into the living room and flip to channel 256 on Time Warner to show my grandmother; then Ric Bucher shows up on the screen and explains it all. He says that Kobe took the weight of the blame of the Shaq trade on his shoulders with the promise by Lakers management that they would build a championship team around him. He doesn't want to be traded; his wife is fond of the city and he would like to spend the rest of his career here. But they made him a promise that has not been fulfilled in the three years since they made it, and the roster has to be upgraded, and Kobe has demanded that West be brought back to do the job. At least this is what Bucher said.

Now............

I was floored by the news. Obviously, Kobe voiced his frustrations after the Lakers lossed to Phoenix in the first round of this year's playoffs. And in today's LA Times, Mike Bresnahan reported that he had a phone conversation with Bryant in which Bryant continued to express his frustration. And Bill Plaschke wrote a piece in which he states that the Lakers should trade him. But as impatient as Kobe sounded, I never imagined that he would ask for a trade. It just never crossed my mind that he really would.

The guy's been here for eleven years. He's won championships here. He's broken records here. He's played some of the most brilliant basketball anyone has ever seen here. He's become a man here. And he loves the city and it's fans.

Just not as much as he loves winning.

Initially, my reaction was, if Kobe wants to be traded, then trade him. Afterall, Allen Iverson played 10-plus years in Philly with the same problems before finally asking to be dealt. And KG has been in Minny for twelve seasons and has never demanded a trade (although he has expressed his disappointment in management on more than one occasion.) So you're telling me Kobe, who already has three 'chips, is ready to go after only three years? Come on. Quit whining.

But after listening to Bucher, my mind was changed. Ric reminded me that the real reason Shaq was traded was because Doc Buss didn't want to give him the monster extension he was looking for at 32-years old. Everyone convenienly forgot about this because they were so hell-bent on blaming Kobe. It amazes me how easily people completely ignore the facts and continue to fault Kobe for what happened. Oh, well. Anyways, Kobe took on a huge backlash from the media and fans that he didn't deserve, paying the price for something he had nothing to do with. Over the past two seasons, Kobe's played at such a high level that all most people can focus on is his transcendent ability as a basketball player; the abuse has definitely subsided. But it still lingers; that's why he's singled out by the league like he is (how can the NBA ever be taken seriously again when LeBron only gets a flagrant foul for whacking Chris Webber during Game 1 of the East Finals in the exact same way that Kobe was suspened for when he clocked Manu and Marko Jaric this season?). The point is, he carries that weight for them because he really wants to retire a Laker, and they haven't lived up to their end of the deal. Remember, Kobe could have easily gone across the hall to the Clippers and taken a lot of fans and revenue with him; if he had, the Clips probably would've won the whole damn thing last year, and they would've been contenders again this year and for years to come. But he didn't do that. He believed in them.

And by bringing back West, the legend with extensive experience in building title-worthy Lakers teams (and you know Jerry would come back in a heartbeat if it meant keeping his greatest career achievement in the purple-and-gold colors he's bled for more than forty-five years now), they would be rewarding him for his faith.