Dale Hanson one on one with Mark Cuban, see it here.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
dirk blows, refs blow more
Great video of Cuban answering questions after Game 5 here.
Its hard to blame a game on the officiating, especially with the free throw opportunites that the Mavs had late but missed. But something has to be said about the officiating in Game 5 and throughout much of the Finals. How does the official the furthest away (Bennett Salvatore at half freakin court) call a foul on Dirk when both officials that were closer to the play thought it was a non-call? Replay indicate no foul was made, though there did appear to be an obvious push off by Wade on Terry during his drive that went uncalled. Neither was an apparant back-court violation by Wade which happened right in front of Salvatore. What a horrible game changing missed called that could turn out to be. Hmm, a trend is developing. How does Dwayne Wade shoot more FT attempts than the whole Mavs team? Wade set a Finals record in FT attempts! The Game 5 officiating could go down as the worst ever in a NBA Finals game. But that's history now. It's time for the Mavs to get some home cooking, as in favorable calls. If that doesn't happen in Game 6 then I'm calling bullshit on Stern, Jackson and the whole f-in NBA.
Its hard to blame a game on the officiating, especially with the free throw opportunites that the Mavs had late but missed. But something has to be said about the officiating in Game 5 and throughout much of the Finals. How does the official the furthest away (Bennett Salvatore at half freakin court) call a foul on Dirk when both officials that were closer to the play thought it was a non-call? Replay indicate no foul was made, though there did appear to be an obvious push off by Wade on Terry during his drive that went uncalled. Neither was an apparant back-court violation by Wade which happened right in front of Salvatore. What a horrible game changing missed called that could turn out to be. Hmm, a trend is developing. How does Dwayne Wade shoot more FT attempts than the whole Mavs team? Wade set a Finals record in FT attempts! The Game 5 officiating could go down as the worst ever in a NBA Finals game. But that's history now. It's time for the Mavs to get some home cooking, as in favorable calls. If that doesn't happen in Game 6 then I'm calling bullshit on Stern, Jackson and the whole f-in NBA.
Wade getting the "phantom" call
Sunday, June 18, 2006
more support that stack got hosed...
It's not just the Dallas media saying that the Mavs and Stackhouse got hosed by the NBA...
Stackhouse suspension unfairly punishes Mavericks - Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News
Stackhouse suspension clearly an overreaction - John Jackson, Chicago Sun-Times
Mavs right to cry foul on this one
Kevin Blackistone, DMN - June 17, 2006
MIAMI – You would think a guy who coached Charles Oakley for two seasons knows the difference between a hard foul and a dirty foul. But NBA disciplinarian Stu Jackson does not.
Friday afternoon Jackson kicked Jerry Stackhouse out of what on Sunday already threatened to be the most pivotal contest in these NBA Finals because of the foul Stackhouse handed Shaquille O'Neal in the Heat's singeing of the Mavericks on Thursday in Game 4.
This is one time Mark Cuban will be absolutely correct in screaming bloody murder about an officiating decision concerning his team.
After all, the veteran referees, including the highly respected Dick Bavetta, who called Thursday's game and couldn't help but miss Stackhouse leveling Shaq on a two-on-one fast break, tagged Stackhouse with a flagrant foul but did not feel compelled to toss him from the floor. Shaq, 7-1 and threehundredsomething pounds, dismissed the collision after the game, comparing it to being tackled by his daughters.
Pat Riley did compare it to James Posey's rundown of Chicago's Kirk Hinrich, which drew a one-game suspension for Posey during the Heat's first-round series. But there appeared no intent from Posey in that incident other than to knock Hinrich silly.
The only thing excessive about the Stackhouse incident is the penalty imposed by Jackson.
Now these NBA Finals, which just started living up to the promise from what has been an absolutely spectacular postseason, are marred, or at least Game 5 will be. Put an asterisk next to this one.
In hindsight, maybe Stackhouse shouldn't have raced back to try and stop Shaq. Maybe it was just one of many mental meltdowns for the Mavericks on Thursday night, like the Josh Howard turnover that led to the event. The Mavericks were down 17 then, but it was just midway through the third quarter.
All Stackhouse was doing was trying to thwart an easy basket, which is what you're supposed to do at this time in the season. Had he been in a Heat uniform, you can bet Riley would've applauded his attention to detail and Cuban would've sounded Riley's charge. That's the way it goes.
But now Stackhouse won't be around for Game 5 because one guy overruled the officials and decided Stackhouse's foul was over the top.
This isn't Jason Terry being tossed during the San Antonio series. The rules are clear on that one. Throw a punch, no matter how weak, and you get a game off.
This isn't DJ Mbenga getting a six-game suspension for checking on the well-being of Mrs. Avery Johnson, Cassandra, in the Phoenix stands. The rules are clear on that one, too. Any player who goes into the stands will be suspended.
The decision on Stackhouse was subjective, unnecessarily so.
It isn't like Stackhouse has, as NBA czar David Stern said once of Ron Artest, some previous pernicious history. He has a reputation in this league as a scorer, a selfish scorer, which he's proven in Dallas, by the way, to be untrue. He has a reputation as a tough player, a fearless one. He did unfortunately fracture Joe Johnson's face on a great block last season.
But Stackhouse as a ruffian? No.
This is one instance where the NBA would do itself well to borrow a page from FIFA, the folks who sanction the World Cup and issue yellow cards for excessive contact. Two and you're gone.
The NBA has a point system for flagrant fouls. A flagrant 1, which is what the referees gave Stackhouse, is worth one point. A flagrant 2, which is what Jackson upgraded the foul to, is worth two points. A player who tallies at least three points is automatically suspended, kind of like a soccer player who gets a second yellow card.
Guess who is walking that thin line right now? Dirk Nowitzki. He has two points. Who said Dirk is soft? One more and he'll have to sit. Obviously, the Mavericks can't afford that.
But they can't afford losing Stackhouse, either, their only punch (oops, poor choice of words here) off the bench. He's been as valuable to this team as anyone.
This could work out in an odd way. The Mavericks could respond like an aggrieved group, rallying around the hole in their lineup and playing out of their heads. They weren't, however, able to do that when Terry got tossed.
This could get them hopping mad by the time Stackhouse comes back in Dallas. But by then, it could be too late.
If it looked in the last five quarters like it is getting easier for the Heat, it just got that much easier. The Mavericks got robbed.
Stackhouse suspension unfairly punishes Mavericks - Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News
Stackhouse suspension clearly an overreaction - John Jackson, Chicago Sun-Times
Mavs right to cry foul on this one
Kevin Blackistone, DMN - June 17, 2006
MIAMI – You would think a guy who coached Charles Oakley for two seasons knows the difference between a hard foul and a dirty foul. But NBA disciplinarian Stu Jackson does not.
Friday afternoon Jackson kicked Jerry Stackhouse out of what on Sunday already threatened to be the most pivotal contest in these NBA Finals because of the foul Stackhouse handed Shaquille O'Neal in the Heat's singeing of the Mavericks on Thursday in Game 4.
This is one time Mark Cuban will be absolutely correct in screaming bloody murder about an officiating decision concerning his team.
After all, the veteran referees, including the highly respected Dick Bavetta, who called Thursday's game and couldn't help but miss Stackhouse leveling Shaq on a two-on-one fast break, tagged Stackhouse with a flagrant foul but did not feel compelled to toss him from the floor. Shaq, 7-1 and threehundredsomething pounds, dismissed the collision after the game, comparing it to being tackled by his daughters.
Pat Riley did compare it to James Posey's rundown of Chicago's Kirk Hinrich, which drew a one-game suspension for Posey during the Heat's first-round series. But there appeared no intent from Posey in that incident other than to knock Hinrich silly.
The only thing excessive about the Stackhouse incident is the penalty imposed by Jackson.
Now these NBA Finals, which just started living up to the promise from what has been an absolutely spectacular postseason, are marred, or at least Game 5 will be. Put an asterisk next to this one.
In hindsight, maybe Stackhouse shouldn't have raced back to try and stop Shaq. Maybe it was just one of many mental meltdowns for the Mavericks on Thursday night, like the Josh Howard turnover that led to the event. The Mavericks were down 17 then, but it was just midway through the third quarter.
All Stackhouse was doing was trying to thwart an easy basket, which is what you're supposed to do at this time in the season. Had he been in a Heat uniform, you can bet Riley would've applauded his attention to detail and Cuban would've sounded Riley's charge. That's the way it goes.
But now Stackhouse won't be around for Game 5 because one guy overruled the officials and decided Stackhouse's foul was over the top.
This isn't Jason Terry being tossed during the San Antonio series. The rules are clear on that one. Throw a punch, no matter how weak, and you get a game off.
This isn't DJ Mbenga getting a six-game suspension for checking on the well-being of Mrs. Avery Johnson, Cassandra, in the Phoenix stands. The rules are clear on that one, too. Any player who goes into the stands will be suspended.
The decision on Stackhouse was subjective, unnecessarily so.
It isn't like Stackhouse has, as NBA czar David Stern said once of Ron Artest, some previous pernicious history. He has a reputation in this league as a scorer, a selfish scorer, which he's proven in Dallas, by the way, to be untrue. He has a reputation as a tough player, a fearless one. He did unfortunately fracture Joe Johnson's face on a great block last season.
But Stackhouse as a ruffian? No.
This is one instance where the NBA would do itself well to borrow a page from FIFA, the folks who sanction the World Cup and issue yellow cards for excessive contact. Two and you're gone.
The NBA has a point system for flagrant fouls. A flagrant 1, which is what the referees gave Stackhouse, is worth one point. A flagrant 2, which is what Jackson upgraded the foul to, is worth two points. A player who tallies at least three points is automatically suspended, kind of like a soccer player who gets a second yellow card.
Guess who is walking that thin line right now? Dirk Nowitzki. He has two points. Who said Dirk is soft? One more and he'll have to sit. Obviously, the Mavericks can't afford that.
But they can't afford losing Stackhouse, either, their only punch (oops, poor choice of words here) off the bench. He's been as valuable to this team as anyone.
This could work out in an odd way. The Mavericks could respond like an aggrieved group, rallying around the hole in their lineup and playing out of their heads. They weren't, however, able to do that when Terry got tossed.
This could get them hopping mad by the time Stackhouse comes back in Dallas. But by then, it could be too late.
If it looked in the last five quarters like it is getting easier for the Heat, it just got that much easier. The Mavericks got robbed.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
stack/shaq video
View replays of the foul on Shaq below... still blows my mind that the NBA suspended Stack for this.
Friday, June 16, 2006
stu jackson, what a dumbass
If this doesn't resonate of the NBA’s top brass dislike of Mavs owner Cuban, I don’t know what does. Stackhouse fouls an off-balance 300+ pound Shaq, knocking him to the ground and that deserves a suspension? Three seasoned officials saw it live and called it a Flagrant 1, I'm betting they've seen more hard fouls than Stu Jackson and David Stern combined. An absolute horrible call by the NBA during a finals series. I’m sure Stern is grinning ear-to-ear right about now. The Mavs need to stop getting bullied around the court and start throwing those elbows themselves... are you listening Dirk?
Anyone got an email for Stu Jackson or David Stern? Someone needs to call bullshit on this one.
Anyone got an email for Stu Jackson or David Stern? Someone needs to call bullshit on this one.
avery's not a happy camper
did cuban jinxed the mavs?
Buy a clue, Cuban
Dan Wetzel - Yahoo Sports, June 16, 2006
He sat there on David Letterman's show with a cocksure grin and a smack-talking mouth in a guest appearance whose bad timing was exceeded only by its imbecilic arrogance.
What in the world (other than his Texas-sized ego) possessed Mark Cuban to go on national TV Wednesday and yuk it up like the NBA Finals were in the bag? What was Cuban thinking when he decided to take a pot shot at Miami Heat coach Pat Riley, criticizing his style of play as being ugly and overly physical?
Well guess what, the NBA Finals just turned into just that kind of Riley-perfect series – a physical slugfest.
It's a style that doesn't suit a Dallas Mavericks franchise that will have questions about toughness (physical and mental) until it either wins a title or has Cuban stop pampering them with opulent locker rooms, easy excuses and a home-court environment long on one slapstick silly gag after another.
The Heat didn't just outplay Dallas in their 98-74 victory on Thursday. They pushed the Mavericks around and out-toughed them to take a series that once looked over at 2-0 to a 2-2 tie heading into Sunday's critical Game 5 back at AmericaAirlines Arena.
"It's just really disappointing when the other team is pushing and we're not pushing back hard enough," lamented Mavs coach Avery Johnson.
You can't win the NBA title without being tough, and right now, that same old question is still hanging, unanswered, over Dallas. The Mavericks have the better team here, but that may not be enough if they are going to just wilt in the South Florida humidity.
Cuban may famously prefer a free-wheeling, wide-open game and goofy circus acts to entertain the fans, but you don't win championships by being prettier and friendlier than everyone else.
"I think when you get to this time," said Riley, who was heart-attack serious as usual, "it becomes as much about will as it is execution."
Will and toughness were the shortcomings that Johnson was supposed to solve, and in leading Dallas to the Finals, it appeared he had. But who knows now? The Mavericks haven't shown the ability to get nasty after getting popped in the chops – the way championship teams do – since a late Game 3 rally by Miami floored them.
"In New York, they call it Rucker Park," Johnson said. "Where I'm from [in New Orleans], it's called Lyman Park, playground basketball. And a lot of times, that's what it is because you can't expect anybody to bail you out.
"I've tried to get a team that really [doesn't] complain; [they] just play," Johnson said. "But when we're complaining and we're not playing, we're not going to get it done."
There is no doubt Johnson is wondering about his team's fortitude. "It's hard for me to watch some of this stuff," said Johnson, who as a player would never have backed down.
Other than Jerry Stackhouse, whose flagrant foul on Shaquille O'Neal spoke of a player who wasn't going to go down easy, there wasn't any spark. (Predictably, Shaq was not going to give Stack any satisfaction – "My daughters tackle me harder," he said.)
In an increasingly physical game, Dallas scored just seven points in the fourth quarter and watched its star Dirk Nowitzki hit just two of 14 shots and complain to the officials after nearly every miss.
"[Udonis] Haslem is roughing him up," said Johnson, who wasn't complaining, just stating fact. "[James] Posey is playing physical. They are putting a blanket on him and he's going to have to get that blanket off of him.
"You know," Johnson sighed, "we've had certain demonstrations on how to do it. Now it's just a matter of will power."
And this has been the question with the Mavericks. Cuban is a colorful personality and often a breath of fresh air among all those stodgy owners, but he also coddles the players, offers constant complaints about officiating that serve as easy excuses and can overstep his boundaries.
It would be dumb for a player, in the middle of the Finals, to go on a late-night TV talk show and rile the opponent. It would be downright stupid for a coach to do it? But the owner? The stinkin' owner? A guy who doesn't even play? It's inexplicable.
Everyone wants to watch Cuban have a good time, but winning a championship takes discipline and focus, not appearances on "The Late Show," the leaking of championship parade dates to the local newspapers and juvenile blog entries.
He should be either smart enough – or, since he's rich enough, hire someone smart enough – to stop inserting himself in the middle of a title chase and stop setting the less-than-serious tone, especially when he is trashing the exact style of play that has his team on its heels.
Dallas is playing right into the hands of Pat Riley, whose Heat will keep slugging until someone other than Stackhouse slugs back harder than a Hasselhoff.
Because no matter what Cuban thinks of Pat Riley's style of basketball, Miami's coach has four rings that not even Cuban may be able to buy.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
shut up and play, miami
Why is there always drama surrounding Wade when facing a big game? Sick for Game 6 last year vs the Pistons, sick again in Game 6 this year, not 100% supposedly in Games 1 & 2 and now a "knee injury" that allegedly made it difficult for him to get out of bed yesterday. The more the Heat make of Wade's issues, the more it looks like they are just planting an early excuse for when they lose. Suck it up, play the game and don’t talk about it. As they say, are you hurt or injured, if you're injured, sit the bench and heal, if you're just hurt, shut up and play.
The Mavs win tonight, no choke this time and no question about it. Mark it down, write it in pen... good thing Wade and the Heat already have their excuse.
Mavs in 6!
The Mavs win tonight, no choke this time and no question about it. Mark it down, write it in pen... good thing Wade and the Heat already have their excuse.
Mavs in 6!
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Monday, June 12, 2006
can the mavs sweep?
Just two of the 27 teams that have fallen behind two games to none in the NBA Finals have rallied to win: Boston in 1969 and Portland in 1977. That doesn't bode well for the Heat.
Up until last night, there had only been 6 4-point plays in all of the NBA Finals history. Last night the Mavs had 2 4-point plays. What are the odds?
Up until last night, there had only been 6 4-point plays in all of the NBA Finals history. Last night the Mavs had 2 4-point plays. What are the odds?
Sunday, June 11, 2006
why i hate the heat
1) jason williams is a thug, always has been
2) shaq gets away with an offensive foul on every possesion
3) antoine walker has never understood the concept of being a "team player"
4) dwayne wade needs to learn how to spell duane
5) gary payton is a trash talker who can no longer back it up
6) udonis haslem has serious hair and jumpshot issues
Six reasons this series goes 6 games with the Mavs winning 4-2.
2) shaq gets away with an offensive foul on every possesion
3) antoine walker has never understood the concept of being a "team player"
4) dwayne wade needs to learn how to spell duane
5) gary payton is a trash talker who can no longer back it up
6) udonis haslem has serious hair and jumpshot issues
Six reasons this series goes 6 games with the Mavs winning 4-2.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
game 2 strategy
Because of the NBA Finals' 2-3-2 format, Game 2 is a must for the Miami Heat
Steve Kerr - Yahoo Sports, June 10, 2006
If they fall down 2-0 to the Dallas Mavericks, they would realistically have to win all three home games in Miami to put themselves in good position to win the series. Only Detroit in 2004 has won all three middle games at home since this format was adopted. It's a difficult task, particularly when you have to win all three.
I've always felt the team with home-court advantage has one thought going into the Finals: Somehow get to Game 6 with a 3-2 lead, and then take your chances with two cracks at the title in your own gym. The Mavericks would be in great shape to be in that position by winning Game 2.
Breaking down Sunday's game is a matter of perspective. If you're a Dallas fan and a "glass is half full" type, you're ecstatic. Your team is up 1-0 despite the fact that your best players – Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard – combined for just 26 points on 7-for-28 shooting. Each struggled with his shot, perhaps because of some Finals jitters or maybe because Miami's defense was strong. Regardless, it is difficult to see those two coming up empty again in Game 2, and if they break out, Dallas could really be in business.
On the other hand, if your glass is half empty, you might be a little worried. Howard's shot was off all night, and you wonder if he'll get it back any time soon. He's not a natural shooter – more of a "made" one – and his rut might last a while. Howard needs to get to the rim and create some easy looks for himself, but every time he tried to do that in Game 1, Shaquille O'Neal was there to alter the shot.
Nowitzki drained a couple of big threes in the second half but otherwise wasn't himself. Did Udonis Haslem do that good of a job on him, or did Dirk just settle for jumpers? Was Nowitzki reluctant to attack the rim because of O'Neal's presence? If Haslem and O'Neal can continue to bother Dirk into poor shooting nights, and Howard remains off the mark, the Mavericks could be in some trouble.
From Miami's point of view, Sunday's game is about getting contributions from its peripheral players. The Heat reserves scored just two points in Game 1 and were thoroughly outplayed by their Dallas counterparts. Antoine Walker made just three of nine three-pointers and Gary Payton missed all three of his attempts as Miami shot 5-of-20 overall from beyond the arc. With O'Neal facing plenty of double teams, the Heat have to make open shots from long range in order to win.
On the bright side for Miami, its defense was solid. The Heat held Dallas to just 44-percent shooting and 90 points – 12 under their playoff average. Obviously, they'll need to do a better job on Jason Terry, but there was a reason he was open all night in the opener.
Miami rotated help onto Nowitzki all night, and Terry was free to roam to open areas. The Heat didn't count on him going 13-for-18 from the field, particularly since he has struggled with his shot for much of the playoffs. But he's a clutch shooter, unafraid of the big moment, and if he's hot it puts Miami into a quandary. To help on Dirk or not to help? That is the question.
That said, Game 2 is a critical one for the Heat. A loss would put them in a 2-0 bind, but a victory gives them huge momentum going into Tuesday's Game 3 in Miami. The series very well may hinge on the outcome Sunday.
-----------------------
Game 2 should bring out the best in strategizing
By John Hollinger - ESPN Insider
The first game of any playoff series tends to be pure vanilla, with teams trotting out their basic alignments and spending much of the game feeling each other out. That was certainly the case Thursday. Sure, there were a few wrinkles -- such as Miami's use of a zone for stretches -- but, by and large, Game 1 held little intrigue in terms of strategy.
Fear not, however, for things will change soon. With two off days in which to dissect more film and plot new strategies, both coaches could come back with much different strategies that shift the tide of the series on Sunday.
Certainly, that's been the case for Dallas throughout the postseason. The Mavericks lost the opening game in each of their past two series, only to come back in Game 2 with revamped lineups that ultimately led them to victory. Against San Antonio, it was Avery Johnson's daring switch to Devin Harris in the backcourt that helped the Mavs outpace and ultimately vanquish the defending champion Spurs. In the Phoenix series, Johnson inserted DeSagana Diop after he took a DNP in the opener, and he proved to be a defensive difference maker the rest of the series.
However, our eyes should be equally focused on Pat Riley. In general, it's the losing coach who has the most incentive to upset the apple cart, because he's the one whose Plan A didn't work. If that's the case here, the Heat coach should have several changes to introduce when he tries to even the series on Sunday. While Riley's team isn't as deep or flexible as Johnson's, giving him fewer options in this area, he still has several options to choose from.
Here's the fun part: trying to figure out what adjustments each side will make heading into Game 2. While any number of arrangements are possible, a few can safely be eliminated. For instance, I doubt Michael Doleac will replace Jason Williams at point guard, and I can pretty much rule out Dallas' using Darrell Armstrong to guard Shaq.
Beyond the ridiculous, however, everything is on the table. Based on what happened in the opener, here are some of the shifts in strategy you're most likely to see in Game 2:
More Miami moves to the basket. Here's one of the untold stories from Game 1: All the attention on Miami's inaccuracy at the free-throw line caused us to lose sight of how rarely the Heat got there at all. Miami took only 19 free throws, and only two players earned free-throw tries.
The Heat averaged .41 free throws per field-goal attempt coming into the Finals, but had only .24 in Game 1. Based on their playoff rate, a more normal free-throw total for them would be about 30, and the disparity was a major reason Miami mustered just 49 points in the final three quarters.
The most egregious offender in this area was Antoine Walker, who reverted to his tendency to throw up slop rather than going hard to the rim. As a result he didn't have a single free-throw attempt despite taking 19 shots, nine of which were 3-pointers, and he committed six turnovers. Miami's other big offensive weapon, Williams, didn't have a free throw either. As a result, look for the Heat's secondary players to be more assertive about going to the rim rather than settling for jumpers in Game 2.
More touches for Shaq. OK, this one isn't rocket science. Based on their comments afterward, the Heat players knew one problem with their Game 1 approach without even looking at any film.
"We know we have to get the ball down to Shaq more," said Dwyane Wade. "We have to make sure we get the ball to Shaq a little more," said Walker. "Eleven attempts isn't enough for him." "We've got to get him more touches," said Gary Payton.
"We've just got to keep doing what we've been doing, inside-out," added the Big Fella -- actually, he said that twice in five minutes during his postgame interview.
Shaq's 11 field-goal attempts were his fewest since a 10-shot effort in Game 5 against the Nets in the second round, and on that night he played only 25 minutes due to foul trouble. On a per-minute basis, it was his lowest shot output of the playoffs.
The Mavs would like to think they had something to do with it. Centers Erick Dampier and Diop mostly prevented Shaq from getting the easy alley-oop dunks and putbacks that normally pad his total, and Dallas' double-teams put the pressure on Miami's secondary players to beat them.
But it's not like Shaq has never seen a double-team before. Miami has some simple remedies for getting O'Neal more involved. For starters, it could put in a play or two to get him an easy look before the double arrives. The Heat also need to work on reposting Shaq after the initial kick out -- that's often when he's at his most dangerous.
But most of all, the Heat just need to remember that he's on the floor. After a concerted effort to get him the rock early on, the Heat seemed to forget about Shaq after halftime, and their offense withered as a result.
Less Gary Payton in crunch time. One thing that Pat Riley is probably trying to get his head around today is the fact that he's no longer playing the Pistons. Against this Dallas team, 80 points simply isn't going to cut the mustard, so having a player like Payton play 18 minutes and take home a bagel is a major liability.
That's especially true considering his opposite number. Jason Terry can score in bunches, as he showed amply in Game 1, but defense has never been his calling card. Jason Williams can take advantage of that, and to an extent he did on Thursday, scoring 12 points. But Terry gets a free ride when Payton is on the floor.
However, down the stretch Riley went with Payton ahead of Williams. Williams checked out with 7:54 left and didn't return until two minutes remained and the Heat were in desperation mode. That's been Riley's usage pattern for the two players throughout the postseason -- normally James Posey and Payton have finished games despite not starting them. In light of his team's need for more offense, he'll have to reconsider that strategy.
Riley also has a few options on his bench that he might utilize. Miami's bench scored only two points in 47 minutes in Game 1 and threw in one measly assist, a scandalously lame effort that should have Riley scrambling for more firepower. If so, Derek Anderson could be a candidate for more playing time on Sunday, probably at the expense of Payton.
More pick-and-pop plays for Dirk. Remember, Dallas has to adjust too. The Mavs know how lucky they were to win Game 1, or at least they ought to know. Miami had two more field goals and five more offensive rebounds than Dallas, but lost by 10 because of its implosion at the line.
The biggest concern for Dallas is Nowitzki's poor night against Udonis Haslem. This was supposed to be a huge mismatch, but Haslem did a great job of pushing Nowitzki away from the basket and using his 6-9 frame to contest the 7-footer's jumpers. For the game, he shot an un-Dirk-like 4-for-14 and took a modest six free throws.
Nobody thinks Dallas will win Game 2 without more production from Dirk, but to get it the Mavs may need to change a few things up offensively. The post-ups at the foul line that were so effective against smaller defenders such as Bruce Bowen and Shawn Marion aren't as much of a weapon against the taller Haslem, so they need to rethink how to get shots for Dirk.
One option is to revert to the Steve Nash days and involve Nowitski and Terry in a myriad of pick-and-pop plays. Miami's pick-and-roll defense certainly is suspect, as evidenced by Terry's Game 1 explosion, and Haslem doesn't have the speed to help out on Terry and still race back to the 3-point line to guard Nowitzki. Even if Haslem can make the rotation, it exposes him to the shot-fake-and-drive tactic that Dirk has employed with much greater frequency in recent years.
More of Devin Harris. As expected, Dallas changed its starting lineup for this series by replacing Devin Harris with Adrian Griffin. Griffin did a good job, too, scoring eight points in 13 minutes, while Harris scored only one point in 18 minutes.
Despite that, I have a feeling we'll see more of Harris in Game 2. One reason Griffin started was that the Mavs were leery of having the smaller Harris defend Wade. What we learned in Game 1, however, was that Wade's quickness against Griffin and Josh Howard was a greater concern than his height advantage on Harris.
Wade scored 28 points, but none of them came in the seven minutes when Harris guarded him in a two-guard alignment with Terry. Of the five Dallas defenders to play Wade -- Griffin, Howard, Harris, Marquis Daniels and Jerry Stackhouse -- Harris was the most effective, primarily because he's the only one whose lateral movement comes close to matching Wade's.
Additionally, the Terry-Harris backcourt allows the Mavericks to push the pace, something they'll need to do after playing the Heat's game in the opener. This was how the Mavs ran San Antonio ragged in the second round, but it was thought the matchup with Wade would prevent them from doing it to Miami. Based on Game 1, we need to reconsider that theory.
Steve Kerr - Yahoo Sports, June 10, 2006
If they fall down 2-0 to the Dallas Mavericks, they would realistically have to win all three home games in Miami to put themselves in good position to win the series. Only Detroit in 2004 has won all three middle games at home since this format was adopted. It's a difficult task, particularly when you have to win all three.
I've always felt the team with home-court advantage has one thought going into the Finals: Somehow get to Game 6 with a 3-2 lead, and then take your chances with two cracks at the title in your own gym. The Mavericks would be in great shape to be in that position by winning Game 2.
Breaking down Sunday's game is a matter of perspective. If you're a Dallas fan and a "glass is half full" type, you're ecstatic. Your team is up 1-0 despite the fact that your best players – Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard – combined for just 26 points on 7-for-28 shooting. Each struggled with his shot, perhaps because of some Finals jitters or maybe because Miami's defense was strong. Regardless, it is difficult to see those two coming up empty again in Game 2, and if they break out, Dallas could really be in business.
On the other hand, if your glass is half empty, you might be a little worried. Howard's shot was off all night, and you wonder if he'll get it back any time soon. He's not a natural shooter – more of a "made" one – and his rut might last a while. Howard needs to get to the rim and create some easy looks for himself, but every time he tried to do that in Game 1, Shaquille O'Neal was there to alter the shot.
Nowitzki drained a couple of big threes in the second half but otherwise wasn't himself. Did Udonis Haslem do that good of a job on him, or did Dirk just settle for jumpers? Was Nowitzki reluctant to attack the rim because of O'Neal's presence? If Haslem and O'Neal can continue to bother Dirk into poor shooting nights, and Howard remains off the mark, the Mavericks could be in some trouble.
From Miami's point of view, Sunday's game is about getting contributions from its peripheral players. The Heat reserves scored just two points in Game 1 and were thoroughly outplayed by their Dallas counterparts. Antoine Walker made just three of nine three-pointers and Gary Payton missed all three of his attempts as Miami shot 5-of-20 overall from beyond the arc. With O'Neal facing plenty of double teams, the Heat have to make open shots from long range in order to win.
On the bright side for Miami, its defense was solid. The Heat held Dallas to just 44-percent shooting and 90 points – 12 under their playoff average. Obviously, they'll need to do a better job on Jason Terry, but there was a reason he was open all night in the opener.
Miami rotated help onto Nowitzki all night, and Terry was free to roam to open areas. The Heat didn't count on him going 13-for-18 from the field, particularly since he has struggled with his shot for much of the playoffs. But he's a clutch shooter, unafraid of the big moment, and if he's hot it puts Miami into a quandary. To help on Dirk or not to help? That is the question.
That said, Game 2 is a critical one for the Heat. A loss would put them in a 2-0 bind, but a victory gives them huge momentum going into Tuesday's Game 3 in Miami. The series very well may hinge on the outcome Sunday.
-----------------------
Game 2 should bring out the best in strategizing
By John Hollinger - ESPN Insider
The first game of any playoff series tends to be pure vanilla, with teams trotting out their basic alignments and spending much of the game feeling each other out. That was certainly the case Thursday. Sure, there were a few wrinkles -- such as Miami's use of a zone for stretches -- but, by and large, Game 1 held little intrigue in terms of strategy.
Fear not, however, for things will change soon. With two off days in which to dissect more film and plot new strategies, both coaches could come back with much different strategies that shift the tide of the series on Sunday.
Certainly, that's been the case for Dallas throughout the postseason. The Mavericks lost the opening game in each of their past two series, only to come back in Game 2 with revamped lineups that ultimately led them to victory. Against San Antonio, it was Avery Johnson's daring switch to Devin Harris in the backcourt that helped the Mavs outpace and ultimately vanquish the defending champion Spurs. In the Phoenix series, Johnson inserted DeSagana Diop after he took a DNP in the opener, and he proved to be a defensive difference maker the rest of the series.
However, our eyes should be equally focused on Pat Riley. In general, it's the losing coach who has the most incentive to upset the apple cart, because he's the one whose Plan A didn't work. If that's the case here, the Heat coach should have several changes to introduce when he tries to even the series on Sunday. While Riley's team isn't as deep or flexible as Johnson's, giving him fewer options in this area, he still has several options to choose from.
Here's the fun part: trying to figure out what adjustments each side will make heading into Game 2. While any number of arrangements are possible, a few can safely be eliminated. For instance, I doubt Michael Doleac will replace Jason Williams at point guard, and I can pretty much rule out Dallas' using Darrell Armstrong to guard Shaq.
Beyond the ridiculous, however, everything is on the table. Based on what happened in the opener, here are some of the shifts in strategy you're most likely to see in Game 2:
More Miami moves to the basket. Here's one of the untold stories from Game 1: All the attention on Miami's inaccuracy at the free-throw line caused us to lose sight of how rarely the Heat got there at all. Miami took only 19 free throws, and only two players earned free-throw tries.
The Heat averaged .41 free throws per field-goal attempt coming into the Finals, but had only .24 in Game 1. Based on their playoff rate, a more normal free-throw total for them would be about 30, and the disparity was a major reason Miami mustered just 49 points in the final three quarters.
The most egregious offender in this area was Antoine Walker, who reverted to his tendency to throw up slop rather than going hard to the rim. As a result he didn't have a single free-throw attempt despite taking 19 shots, nine of which were 3-pointers, and he committed six turnovers. Miami's other big offensive weapon, Williams, didn't have a free throw either. As a result, look for the Heat's secondary players to be more assertive about going to the rim rather than settling for jumpers in Game 2.
More touches for Shaq. OK, this one isn't rocket science. Based on their comments afterward, the Heat players knew one problem with their Game 1 approach without even looking at any film.
"We know we have to get the ball down to Shaq more," said Dwyane Wade. "We have to make sure we get the ball to Shaq a little more," said Walker. "Eleven attempts isn't enough for him." "We've got to get him more touches," said Gary Payton.
"We've just got to keep doing what we've been doing, inside-out," added the Big Fella -- actually, he said that twice in five minutes during his postgame interview.
Shaq's 11 field-goal attempts were his fewest since a 10-shot effort in Game 5 against the Nets in the second round, and on that night he played only 25 minutes due to foul trouble. On a per-minute basis, it was his lowest shot output of the playoffs.
The Mavs would like to think they had something to do with it. Centers Erick Dampier and Diop mostly prevented Shaq from getting the easy alley-oop dunks and putbacks that normally pad his total, and Dallas' double-teams put the pressure on Miami's secondary players to beat them.
But it's not like Shaq has never seen a double-team before. Miami has some simple remedies for getting O'Neal more involved. For starters, it could put in a play or two to get him an easy look before the double arrives. The Heat also need to work on reposting Shaq after the initial kick out -- that's often when he's at his most dangerous.
But most of all, the Heat just need to remember that he's on the floor. After a concerted effort to get him the rock early on, the Heat seemed to forget about Shaq after halftime, and their offense withered as a result.
Less Gary Payton in crunch time. One thing that Pat Riley is probably trying to get his head around today is the fact that he's no longer playing the Pistons. Against this Dallas team, 80 points simply isn't going to cut the mustard, so having a player like Payton play 18 minutes and take home a bagel is a major liability.
That's especially true considering his opposite number. Jason Terry can score in bunches, as he showed amply in Game 1, but defense has never been his calling card. Jason Williams can take advantage of that, and to an extent he did on Thursday, scoring 12 points. But Terry gets a free ride when Payton is on the floor.
However, down the stretch Riley went with Payton ahead of Williams. Williams checked out with 7:54 left and didn't return until two minutes remained and the Heat were in desperation mode. That's been Riley's usage pattern for the two players throughout the postseason -- normally James Posey and Payton have finished games despite not starting them. In light of his team's need for more offense, he'll have to reconsider that strategy.
Riley also has a few options on his bench that he might utilize. Miami's bench scored only two points in 47 minutes in Game 1 and threw in one measly assist, a scandalously lame effort that should have Riley scrambling for more firepower. If so, Derek Anderson could be a candidate for more playing time on Sunday, probably at the expense of Payton.
More pick-and-pop plays for Dirk. Remember, Dallas has to adjust too. The Mavs know how lucky they were to win Game 1, or at least they ought to know. Miami had two more field goals and five more offensive rebounds than Dallas, but lost by 10 because of its implosion at the line.
The biggest concern for Dallas is Nowitzki's poor night against Udonis Haslem. This was supposed to be a huge mismatch, but Haslem did a great job of pushing Nowitzki away from the basket and using his 6-9 frame to contest the 7-footer's jumpers. For the game, he shot an un-Dirk-like 4-for-14 and took a modest six free throws.
Nobody thinks Dallas will win Game 2 without more production from Dirk, but to get it the Mavs may need to change a few things up offensively. The post-ups at the foul line that were so effective against smaller defenders such as Bruce Bowen and Shawn Marion aren't as much of a weapon against the taller Haslem, so they need to rethink how to get shots for Dirk.
One option is to revert to the Steve Nash days and involve Nowitski and Terry in a myriad of pick-and-pop plays. Miami's pick-and-roll defense certainly is suspect, as evidenced by Terry's Game 1 explosion, and Haslem doesn't have the speed to help out on Terry and still race back to the 3-point line to guard Nowitzki. Even if Haslem can make the rotation, it exposes him to the shot-fake-and-drive tactic that Dirk has employed with much greater frequency in recent years.
More of Devin Harris. As expected, Dallas changed its starting lineup for this series by replacing Devin Harris with Adrian Griffin. Griffin did a good job, too, scoring eight points in 13 minutes, while Harris scored only one point in 18 minutes.
Despite that, I have a feeling we'll see more of Harris in Game 2. One reason Griffin started was that the Mavs were leery of having the smaller Harris defend Wade. What we learned in Game 1, however, was that Wade's quickness against Griffin and Josh Howard was a greater concern than his height advantage on Harris.
Wade scored 28 points, but none of them came in the seven minutes when Harris guarded him in a two-guard alignment with Terry. Of the five Dallas defenders to play Wade -- Griffin, Howard, Harris, Marquis Daniels and Jerry Stackhouse -- Harris was the most effective, primarily because he's the only one whose lateral movement comes close to matching Wade's.
Additionally, the Terry-Harris backcourt allows the Mavericks to push the pace, something they'll need to do after playing the Heat's game in the opener. This was how the Mavs ran San Antonio ragged in the second round, but it was thought the matchup with Wade would prevent them from doing it to Miami. Based on Game 1, we need to reconsider that theory.
Thursday, June 8, 2006
steriods wasn't a big enough scandal
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
more nba predictions
The Mavericks will be the NBA Champions - Norm Hitzges, June 4, 2006
It appears to me that the battle for the title in the NBA this year was actually decided in Overtime of Game 7 at San Antonio in the Quarterfinals.
It appeared San Antonio had come back from the dead, rallied and was about to put the Mavericks away leading by 3 with less than a half minute to go. Then Dirk Nowitzki drove, scored, got fouled and hit the free throw and Tim Duncan’s flip at the buzzer missed. The Mavericks then controlled the overtime.
Miami’s a fine team with it’s own superstar in Wade. Shaq’s still an impact player on some nights. But the Heat can be had. The rest of their role players—Posey, Haslem, Williams, Walker, Mourning—all have trouble defending the outside shot.
With all due respect to the Pistons, I don’t believe Miami’s played as a good a team as Dallas in the playoffs so far.
In analyzing this series, there may be 4 key role players for Dallas that you might not imagine could play significant roles. Yes, Dirk, Terry, Howard and Stackhouse must be good to very good for Dallas to win. But, there are others who’s play in roles could tilt the title toward Dallas.
#1—Dampier—First of all he should be well rested after virtually not playing in the Phoenix series because of matchups…But he’ll play 30 or more minutes a night using his strength to defend Shaq. He must remain fairly free of foul trouble.
#2—Harris—In rolling through Chicago, New Jersey and Detroit the Heat hasn’t faced anything like Harris’ quickness at guard. And, realize they’ve virtually never seen him. Given his sparse playing time as a rookie and bench role earlier this season. His lightning quickness could drive the heat crazy.
#3—Griffin—All those Miami role players we mentioned above, give Griffin a chance to play a key defensive role. Spare parts like Posey and Walker cannot be allowed to get on a roll. Griffin will have lots of responsibility in that area.
#4—Van Horn—I know. I know. He looked dreadful vs Phoenix. But Van Horn is still a dangerous 3 point shooter. When he’s on the floor, who does Miami assign on him to stop him on the perimeter? That matchup for a few minutes each game could be a killer for the Heat.
The bottom line? I believe Dallas is the better team from the better conference. And they have home floor advantage. The long wait will be over. This will leave the Rangers as the only major pro team in the area to have never won a championship.
It appears to me that the battle for the title in the NBA this year was actually decided in Overtime of Game 7 at San Antonio in the Quarterfinals.
It appeared San Antonio had come back from the dead, rallied and was about to put the Mavericks away leading by 3 with less than a half minute to go. Then Dirk Nowitzki drove, scored, got fouled and hit the free throw and Tim Duncan’s flip at the buzzer missed. The Mavericks then controlled the overtime.
Miami’s a fine team with it’s own superstar in Wade. Shaq’s still an impact player on some nights. But the Heat can be had. The rest of their role players—Posey, Haslem, Williams, Walker, Mourning—all have trouble defending the outside shot.
With all due respect to the Pistons, I don’t believe Miami’s played as a good a team as Dallas in the playoffs so far.
In analyzing this series, there may be 4 key role players for Dallas that you might not imagine could play significant roles. Yes, Dirk, Terry, Howard and Stackhouse must be good to very good for Dallas to win. But, there are others who’s play in roles could tilt the title toward Dallas.
#1—Dampier—First of all he should be well rested after virtually not playing in the Phoenix series because of matchups…But he’ll play 30 or more minutes a night using his strength to defend Shaq. He must remain fairly free of foul trouble.
#2—Harris—In rolling through Chicago, New Jersey and Detroit the Heat hasn’t faced anything like Harris’ quickness at guard. And, realize they’ve virtually never seen him. Given his sparse playing time as a rookie and bench role earlier this season. His lightning quickness could drive the heat crazy.
#3—Griffin—All those Miami role players we mentioned above, give Griffin a chance to play a key defensive role. Spare parts like Posey and Walker cannot be allowed to get on a roll. Griffin will have lots of responsibility in that area.
#4—Van Horn—I know. I know. He looked dreadful vs Phoenix. But Van Horn is still a dangerous 3 point shooter. When he’s on the floor, who does Miami assign on him to stop him on the perimeter? That matchup for a few minutes each game could be a killer for the Heat.
The bottom line? I believe Dallas is the better team from the better conference. And they have home floor advantage. The long wait will be over. This will leave the Rangers as the only major pro team in the area to have never won a championship.
Tuesday, June 6, 2006
nba finals predictions cont.
WHY THE MAVS WILL WIN By Dr. Jack Ramsay, ESPN Radio Analyst
I've had a front-row seat for Miami Heat games for many years, including nine seasons as a Heat broadcaster during coach Pat Riley's initial tenure.
Their march through the Eastern Conference, including their decisive six-game demolition of the Detroit Pistons, was as impressive a display as I've ever seen from the Heat. They are playing at a very high level, with the excellent teamwork and defensive effort that fans and Riley always envisioned.
I've watched Shaquille O'Neal closely for many years, and especially the last two seasons in Miami. His performance against the Pistons was vintage Shaq, especially in Game 6 -- in fact, that was as good as he's ever been, in my opinion.
The problem for Miami and Shaq is this -- the Dallas Mavericks are just not a good matchup for them.
The Mavs' trademarks are depth and quickness, two traits the Heat lack. The Mavs' starting lineup is quicker than Miami's, and they can bring in a number of talented, athletic players off the bench.
For Dallas, it starts with Dirk Nowitzki, who will be a very tough cover for the Heat. Udonis Haslem will probably need help covering Nowitzki, which will open up the court for the rest of Mavericks. As Chicago showed, a quick, penetrating team can get to the rim and create foul trouble for Shaq. Well, the Mavs are even more talented than the Bulls.
Other than Dirk, the Mav who will cause the most headaches is Josh Howard. The Dallas swingman is a defensive stopper who can slow down Dwyane Wade on one end and then run amok on the offensive end, because the Heat just don't have an answer for him.
Likewise, the Heat have no natural matchup for Dallas' secondary offensive stars, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse. And that's before you get to Devin Harris and Keith Van Horn, who also will be a handful against the larger, slower Heat.
With this kind of team speed, the Mavs at times will threaten to run the Heat right off the floor.
Of course, a big question for the Mavs is how they'll match up with Shaq. But even this can turn into an advantage for them if they can make Shaq work at the defensive end. Dallas coach Avery Johnson has the option of going small and forcing Shaq out of the defensive paint. Or he can play Shaq one-on-one with DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier, two defensive and rebounding specialists who combined for 5-of-7 shooting and 16 rebounds in just 37 minutes the last time these two teams played.
The Miami Heat have Shaq, Wade, a savvy team of veterans and a coach with four rings. But they don't have the depth, quickness or shooting ability to match up well with Dallas.
That's why I expect the Mavs to win in six.
I've had a front-row seat for Miami Heat games for many years, including nine seasons as a Heat broadcaster during coach Pat Riley's initial tenure.
Their march through the Eastern Conference, including their decisive six-game demolition of the Detroit Pistons, was as impressive a display as I've ever seen from the Heat. They are playing at a very high level, with the excellent teamwork and defensive effort that fans and Riley always envisioned.
I've watched Shaquille O'Neal closely for many years, and especially the last two seasons in Miami. His performance against the Pistons was vintage Shaq, especially in Game 6 -- in fact, that was as good as he's ever been, in my opinion.
The problem for Miami and Shaq is this -- the Dallas Mavericks are just not a good matchup for them.
The Mavs' trademarks are depth and quickness, two traits the Heat lack. The Mavs' starting lineup is quicker than Miami's, and they can bring in a number of talented, athletic players off the bench.
For Dallas, it starts with Dirk Nowitzki, who will be a very tough cover for the Heat. Udonis Haslem will probably need help covering Nowitzki, which will open up the court for the rest of Mavericks. As Chicago showed, a quick, penetrating team can get to the rim and create foul trouble for Shaq. Well, the Mavs are even more talented than the Bulls.
Other than Dirk, the Mav who will cause the most headaches is Josh Howard. The Dallas swingman is a defensive stopper who can slow down Dwyane Wade on one end and then run amok on the offensive end, because the Heat just don't have an answer for him.
Likewise, the Heat have no natural matchup for Dallas' secondary offensive stars, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse. And that's before you get to Devin Harris and Keith Van Horn, who also will be a handful against the larger, slower Heat.
With this kind of team speed, the Mavs at times will threaten to run the Heat right off the floor.
Of course, a big question for the Mavs is how they'll match up with Shaq. But even this can turn into an advantage for them if they can make Shaq work at the defensive end. Dallas coach Avery Johnson has the option of going small and forcing Shaq out of the defensive paint. Or he can play Shaq one-on-one with DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier, two defensive and rebounding specialists who combined for 5-of-7 shooting and 16 rebounds in just 37 minutes the last time these two teams played.
The Miami Heat have Shaq, Wade, a savvy team of veterans and a coach with four rings. But they don't have the depth, quickness or shooting ability to match up well with Dallas.
That's why I expect the Mavs to win in six.
nba finals predictions
The first of many that I'll be posting...
Six reasons I'm picking the Mavs - Chris Sheridan, ESPN NBA Insider
posted: Tuesday, June 6, 2006
On this sixth day of the sixth month in the sixth year of the millennium, here are six reasons I am picking the Dallas Mavericks to defeat the Miami Heat in seven games (sorry, not six) in the NBA Finals:
1.The uberstar
There are three players in this series who are unqualified superstars, and the one who is going to be the toughest to defend is Dirk Nowitzki. The Heat will try using Udonis Haslem on him and might switch to James Posey and/or Alonzo Mourning, but Haslem and Mourning are not mobile enough on the perimeter and in isolation situations, and Posey is too short to be effective against the 7-footer. Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade will be tough to guard, too, but Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop have the size to pound with Shaq, and Josh Howard is quick enough on his feet to keep Wade in front of him.
2. The defense
It used to be a clever little joke to refer to Dallas as "Allas" and Dirk as "Irk" (get it? No D). But that moniker no longer fits since Avery Johnson took over, and the lockdown job the Mavericks pulled against the Suns in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference finals (holding Phoenix to 42 points) was as stifling as any defense played by any team in the playoffs thus far. The Heat's defensive success against the Pistons was more about Detroit's missing open shots.
3. The speed factor
It'll be interesting to see whether coach Johnson will be able to use the guard tandem of Devin Harris and Jason Terry together -- because it will cause matchup difficulties on the other end -- but when Terry and Harris are out there together, it adds a dimension of quickness Dallas can use to break down Miami's set defenses and create open shots. Look for the Mavs to hold a big edge in fast-break points when all is said and done.
4. The X factor
For the Mavs, that would be Howard, a player seemingly on the verge of a breakout performance in the national spotlight just as Manu Ginobili was a year ago. Dallas is 25-0 when he scores at least 20 points, and he's averaging nearly as many points (17.4) in the playoffs as Terry (17.8). His athleticism should give him the matchup edge over Antoine Walker, and he has been a more accurate shooter from 3-point range than 'Toine.
5. The benches
Dallas' is deeper, with Jerry Stackhouse able to provide scoring, Adrian Griffin and Marquis Daniels able to add defense, Keith Van Horn able to sink 3-point shots, and Dampier and DJ Mbenga (after he returns late in this series from a six-game suspension) able to at least foul Shaq, if not stop him. Miami's reserves are more experienced, but age has reduced the effectiveness of Mourning and Gary Payton. Neither can be counted on to contribute consistently.
6. The home court
I picked this one to go the full seven games, and the support and energy the Mavs receive from their crowd should carry them over the top in the final game. That's what happened in San Antonio last year when the Spurs finished off the Pistons, and I'd expect Dallas to play from ahead in the deciding game and clinch it by pulling away in the fourth quarter behind Nowitzki and Howard. But I also expect the Mavs to have to win both Games 6 and 7 at home because I believe they're going back there trailing 3-2 after Game 5.
Six reasons I'm picking the Mavs - Chris Sheridan, ESPN NBA Insider
posted: Tuesday, June 6, 2006
On this sixth day of the sixth month in the sixth year of the millennium, here are six reasons I am picking the Dallas Mavericks to defeat the Miami Heat in seven games (sorry, not six) in the NBA Finals:
1.The uberstar
There are three players in this series who are unqualified superstars, and the one who is going to be the toughest to defend is Dirk Nowitzki. The Heat will try using Udonis Haslem on him and might switch to James Posey and/or Alonzo Mourning, but Haslem and Mourning are not mobile enough on the perimeter and in isolation situations, and Posey is too short to be effective against the 7-footer. Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade will be tough to guard, too, but Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop have the size to pound with Shaq, and Josh Howard is quick enough on his feet to keep Wade in front of him.
2. The defense
It used to be a clever little joke to refer to Dallas as "Allas" and Dirk as "Irk" (get it? No D). But that moniker no longer fits since Avery Johnson took over, and the lockdown job the Mavericks pulled against the Suns in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference finals (holding Phoenix to 42 points) was as stifling as any defense played by any team in the playoffs thus far. The Heat's defensive success against the Pistons was more about Detroit's missing open shots.
3. The speed factor
It'll be interesting to see whether coach Johnson will be able to use the guard tandem of Devin Harris and Jason Terry together -- because it will cause matchup difficulties on the other end -- but when Terry and Harris are out there together, it adds a dimension of quickness Dallas can use to break down Miami's set defenses and create open shots. Look for the Mavs to hold a big edge in fast-break points when all is said and done.
4. The X factor
For the Mavs, that would be Howard, a player seemingly on the verge of a breakout performance in the national spotlight just as Manu Ginobili was a year ago. Dallas is 25-0 when he scores at least 20 points, and he's averaging nearly as many points (17.4) in the playoffs as Terry (17.8). His athleticism should give him the matchup edge over Antoine Walker, and he has been a more accurate shooter from 3-point range than 'Toine.
5. The benches
Dallas' is deeper, with Jerry Stackhouse able to provide scoring, Adrian Griffin and Marquis Daniels able to add defense, Keith Van Horn able to sink 3-point shots, and Dampier and DJ Mbenga (after he returns late in this series from a six-game suspension) able to at least foul Shaq, if not stop him. Miami's reserves are more experienced, but age has reduced the effectiveness of Mourning and Gary Payton. Neither can be counted on to contribute consistently.
6. The home court
I picked this one to go the full seven games, and the support and energy the Mavs receive from their crowd should carry them over the top in the final game. That's what happened in San Antonio last year when the Spurs finished off the Pistons, and I'd expect Dallas to play from ahead in the deciding game and clinch it by pulling away in the fourth quarter behind Nowitzki and Howard. But I also expect the Mavs to have to win both Games 6 and 7 at home because I believe they're going back there trailing 3-2 after Game 5.
Monday, June 5, 2006
in my opinion...
Michelle Wie wont be at Winged Foot in two weeks, thank God. She once again couldn't hang with the big boys and missed the cut to make the US Open by 5 strokes. Seems like her time would be better spent competing and trying to win on the women's tour than just scrambling to not be cut in men's events.
If the Rangers stay in first place into July, it may be time to start taking them seriously.
Tonight's Oilers/Hurricanes game provided the first ever successful penalty shot in a Stanley Cup finals game... by a defenseman at that, Chris Pronger.
Vegas has the Mavs at 2-1 favorites to win the NBA Championship. Seems like a good bet to me.
If it's not about the money, why wait until the Astros are virtually out of contention in the NL Central (8.5 games back and 4 games under .500) before deciding to make a comeback? Sure seems like the Yankees, Red Sox and Rangers all would have given him a better shot at the playoffs.
I just dont get this. Anyone in the tourney had a chance to win the car, how is that special treatment? The NCAA and the school make millions off their "student-athletes" yet only the elite that make the pros get a similar return on investment.
You're with me, leather... read about the quote here if you haven't heard about it before.
If the Rangers stay in first place into July, it may be time to start taking them seriously.
Tonight's Oilers/Hurricanes game provided the first ever successful penalty shot in a Stanley Cup finals game... by a defenseman at that, Chris Pronger.
Vegas has the Mavs at 2-1 favorites to win the NBA Championship. Seems like a good bet to me.
If it's not about the money, why wait until the Astros are virtually out of contention in the NL Central (8.5 games back and 4 games under .500) before deciding to make a comeback? Sure seems like the Yankees, Red Sox and Rangers all would have given him a better shot at the playoffs.
I just dont get this. Anyone in the tourney had a chance to win the car, how is that special treatment? The NCAA and the school make millions off their "student-athletes" yet only the elite that make the pros get a similar return on investment.
You're with me, leather... read about the quote here if you haven't heard about it before.
Sunday, June 4, 2006
headin to south beach
The Mavs made it to the NBA finals for the first time ever! After a horrible first half, the Mavs played some D and shut the Suns down in the second half. Dirk played big againa and Josh got his 20, virtually guaranteeing the win. Cuban's done a great job putting this team together with the right coach in Avery Johnson. The Mavs are better than the Heat and have played better competition leading up to the finals. I think the Mavs will hold court in the first two, take one on the road and then close it out at home in Game 6. Go Mavs!
The Rangers took 2 of 3 from the defending champion White Sox this weekend and lead the AL West by 3.5 games over the A's. Why isn't Gerald Laird getting more playing time? 4 for 5 with two doubles and two homers today, not a bad day. Oh yeah, he's batting .367 for the year. The starter Barajas is batting just .235. Second questions... why isn't Wilkerson, aka Mr K, riding pine? He added another 2 strikeouts to his major league leading total and he's batting just .245 on the year.
Albert - Get well soon!
Michelle Wie - Try winning on the women's tour before wasting a spot in a men's event.
Western Conf. Champs
mark and avery
Mavs in 6
The Rangers took 2 of 3 from the defending champion White Sox this weekend and lead the AL West by 3.5 games over the A's. Why isn't Gerald Laird getting more playing time? 4 for 5 with two doubles and two homers today, not a bad day. Oh yeah, he's batting .367 for the year. The starter Barajas is batting just .235. Second questions... why isn't Wilkerson, aka Mr K, riding pine? He added another 2 strikeouts to his major league leading total and he's batting just .245 on the year.
Albert - Get well soon!
Michelle Wie - Try winning on the women's tour before wasting a spot in a men's event.
Western Conf. Champs
mark and averyMavs in 6
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
the mavs suck...
...well for at least tonight they sucked. It wasn't the return of Raja Bell that doomed the Mavs. It was the same symptoms that cost the Mavs the win in Game 1... poor shot selection (specifically by Dirk and Stackhouse) and incredibly bad transition defense. A 3-1 series lead would have virtually put the Mavs in the finals, but now there's a good bit of work left to do. It's a new series, tied 2-2, with the Mavs owning 2 of the last 3 games at home. Game 5 just became very close to a must win for the Mavs.
The Rangers have a 5 game lead in the West over the A's and Angels... unfreakin believable! It's the biggest lead a Rangers team has had at the end of May since 1999, the year the Yankees toasted them in the playoffs. I still say its smoke and mirrors. Let's see how things look in late July.
mavs in 6
The Rangers have a 5 game lead in the West over the A's and Angels... unfreakin believable! It's the biggest lead a Rangers team has had at the end of May since 1999, the year the Yankees toasted them in the playoffs. I still say its smoke and mirrors. Let's see how things look in late July.
mavs in 6
Sunday, May 28, 2006
rangers, hornish win; f- barry
Who are John Rheinecker and Rick Bauer and how did they combine to throw a 4-hit shutout for the Rangers? Playing a slumping and underachieving Seattle club helped some but you have to wonder if Buck is doing this with smoke and mirrors.
What a beating it has been to watch any of the Eastern Conference basketball playoff games. The Miami/Detroit game tonight was a complete snooze-fest. Two teams that dont shoot the ball well at all, cant even hit free throws, so they decide to just play defense, since that's all they've got... majorly boring.
What a great finish to the Indianapolis 500! There's no doubt that open-wheel racing has fallen way behind Nascar in popularity, and for good reason, but the Indy 500 was the best race this Memorial Day. Congrats to Sam Hornish, what an incredible finish. Outside of Mario's lone win back in '69, the Andrettis seem to be snake bit at Indy. Danica Patrick finished 8th, not bad, but she really hasn't lived up to all the hype she gets.
The French Open started play on Sunday, but without any real American threat to win (Agassi isn't playing), is anyone watching?
715 was hit by mr roids and I couldn't care less! On a brighter note, Pujols hit his 25th today!
Hornish wins the second closest Indy 500 ever
What a beating it has been to watch any of the Eastern Conference basketball playoff games. The Miami/Detroit game tonight was a complete snooze-fest. Two teams that dont shoot the ball well at all, cant even hit free throws, so they decide to just play defense, since that's all they've got... majorly boring.
What a great finish to the Indianapolis 500! There's no doubt that open-wheel racing has fallen way behind Nascar in popularity, and for good reason, but the Indy 500 was the best race this Memorial Day. Congrats to Sam Hornish, what an incredible finish. Outside of Mario's lone win back in '69, the Andrettis seem to be snake bit at Indy. Danica Patrick finished 8th, not bad, but she really hasn't lived up to all the hype she gets.
The French Open started play on Sunday, but without any real American threat to win (Agassi isn't playing), is anyone watching?
715 was hit by mr roids and I couldn't care less! On a brighter note, Pujols hit his 25th today!
Hornish wins the second closest Indy 500 everThursday, May 25, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
mavs choke, rangers suck
The Rangers have lost 6 of their last 10 and 2 in a row and are a .500 club right now yet still lead the West by 1 game of Oakland.
As good of a team as the Mavs are, they are horrible at closing out close games (see Games 1, 5 , 6 & 7 against San Antonio). How do you F up a 9 point lead with just over 2 minutes remaining in the game? Bad shot selection, no shots by Dirk and horrible transition defense, thats how.
Diaw shoots down the Mavs
As good of a team as the Mavs are, they are horrible at closing out close games (see Games 1, 5 , 6 & 7 against San Antonio). How do you F up a 9 point lead with just over 2 minutes remaining in the game? Bad shot selection, no shots by Dirk and horrible transition defense, thats how.
Diaw shoots down the MavsMonday, May 22, 2006
mavs in seven part ii
Only one team in the last 27 years had won a game 7 on the road, now there have been two teams as the Mavs fulfilled my prediction, though not as convincingly as I had thought. I'd like to see the Suns beat the Clippers to set up a rematch with Phoenix in the Conference finals, mostly because I'd like the Mavs to beat Nash and partially because I just don't think the Clippers are deserving of making the conf. finals, they're just not that good. The Clippers are a team that purposely lost games down the stretch to avoid having to play the Mavs in the first round and instead they're losing was rewarded with home court in their series against Denver.
Against Phoenix, I'd expect the Mavs to revert back to their old form of offense first and defense as an afterthought as they'll try and match the Suns pace. I think the Mavs beat the Suns in 5 or 6 games. It will then be interesting to see who's tempo wins out in a potential finals matchup with the Pistons. Hopefully by then Avery will remind them how to play defense cuz defense wins championships.
Against Phoenix, I'd expect the Mavs to revert back to their old form of offense first and defense as an afterthought as they'll try and match the Suns pace. I think the Mavs beat the Suns in 5 or 6 games. It will then be interesting to see who's tempo wins out in a potential finals matchup with the Pistons. Hopefully by then Avery will remind them how to play defense cuz defense wins championships.
Dirk doing his best MJ impressionmavs in seven
What a great night for sports... Two Game 7's, the Yankees playing the Red Sox and Pujols vs Bonds (no secret who I want to see play better in that one).
The local Dallas media here has already started to provide the Mavs with excuses should they lose tonight to the Spurs. They all start and end with having to play Game 6 without Jason Terry. That might have been the missing ingredient that would have carried them over San Antonio that game, but even without Terry, the Mavs still should have won. They had the lead inside of two minutes and couldn't close it out.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the Mavs return to Game 2 form and for an up-tempo game and take game 7 in San Antonio tonight 117-104. Jet comes up big in this game along with Josh Howard.
The local Dallas media here has already started to provide the Mavs with excuses should they lose tonight to the Spurs. They all start and end with having to play Game 6 without Jason Terry. That might have been the missing ingredient that would have carried them over San Antonio that game, but even without Terry, the Mavs still should have won. They had the lead inside of two minutes and couldn't close it out.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the Mavs return to Game 2 form and for an up-tempo game and take game 7 in San Antonio tonight 117-104. Jet comes up big in this game along with Josh Howard.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
pujols fan club
• Albert Pujols hit his 22nd homerun today... this starts my official count down, just 52 more until someone legitimate holds the season HR record. Pujols also leads the majors with 53 RBI, oh and he's hitting .317 as well.
• The Mets took 2 of 3 from the Yankees over the weekend. Only a bullpen collapse in the second game kept them from a sweep. Coincidentally it also cost Pedro a win in a game that he pitched 7 scoreless innings.
• Somehow the Rangers have managed to stay tied for the lead in the AL West even after losing 6 of their last 10 games… that tells you all you need to know about the West.
• How are the Detroit Tigers the best team in MLB? It’s called pitching and timely hitting; two things the Rangers have never been able to master. Wouldn’t it be nice to still have this guy in the Rangers rotation? He's tied for the major league lead for wins.
• Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro emerged from over six hours of surgery and was able to stand on Sunday, a day after the colt broke his right rear leg in three places at the Preakness. Read more about his amazing surgery here. In a sport that really could have used some positive media attention like a potential Triple Crown winner, read here about a possible way to make the sport safer for the horse.
Barbaro post-surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center
• The Mets took 2 of 3 from the Yankees over the weekend. Only a bullpen collapse in the second game kept them from a sweep. Coincidentally it also cost Pedro a win in a game that he pitched 7 scoreless innings.
• Somehow the Rangers have managed to stay tied for the lead in the AL West even after losing 6 of their last 10 games… that tells you all you need to know about the West.
• How are the Detroit Tigers the best team in MLB? It’s called pitching and timely hitting; two things the Rangers have never been able to master. Wouldn’t it be nice to still have this guy in the Rangers rotation? He's tied for the major league lead for wins.
• Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro emerged from over six hours of surgery and was able to stand on Sunday, a day after the colt broke his right rear leg in three places at the Preakness. Read more about his amazing surgery here. In a sport that really could have used some positive media attention like a potential Triple Crown winner, read here about a possible way to make the sport safer for the horse.
Barbaro post-surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton CenterSaturday, May 20, 2006
a bad day for sports
• It was very disappointing to see Barbaro break down on the front stretch of the Preakness. What a great horse that could have easily won the triple crown if he had the chance. There hasn’t been a Triple Crown winner now for 28 years, the longest gap between winners ever. Hopefully surgery on Sunday will save him.
Barbaro held by jockey Edgar Prado after injuring his leg at the start of the 131st Preakness Stakes
• Home teams have won 82% of all game 7's in the NBA playoffs... not a good omen for the Mavs, especially if they don’t speed up the tempo of the game and play the style of ball that won them games 2-4.
• Jason Terry's suspension was bogus and the NBA should have only fined him. With both Ginobli and Finley jumping on top of him, its not surprising that he wanted to get them off of him, though at the same time, Terry should know better and in a critical situation like that needs to be able to control his emotions.
• I still hate Barry Bonds. I have no respect for someone who has to cheat to win.
Barbaro held by jockey Edgar Prado after injuring his leg at the start of the 131st Preakness Stakes• Home teams have won 82% of all game 7's in the NBA playoffs... not a good omen for the Mavs, especially if they don’t speed up the tempo of the game and play the style of ball that won them games 2-4.
• Jason Terry's suspension was bogus and the NBA should have only fined him. With both Ginobli and Finley jumping on top of him, its not surprising that he wanted to get them off of him, though at the same time, Terry should know better and in a critical situation like that needs to be able to control his emotions.
• I still hate Barry Bonds. I have no respect for someone who has to cheat to win.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
jet looking for some love
Mavs guard Jason Terry looking for a little love from teammate Jerry Stackhouse after Jet's 32 point performance in the Mavs Game 4 123-118 OT win? No tongue was involved...
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
juan pierre is my hero
Juan Pierre's leaping catch against the wall in center robbed Bonds of home run No. 714, and the San Francisco slugger remained one shy of tying Babe Ruth for second place after the Giants' 6-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. Said Pierre, "I know I ruined about 40,000 people's nights tonight." Well not mine, that was my play of the day!
Bonds watches as Pierre robs him of a home run during the fifth inning
Bonds watches as Pierre robs him of a home run during the fifth inningTuesday, May 9, 2006
avery johnson = dave tippett?
Don't look now, but Avery Johnson is pulling a Dave Tippett. He's moving Jet over to the two-guard and starting Devon Harris at the point. That's quite a big change to a starting lineup for a team in the second round of the playoffs. He seems to be over-reacting to the Game 1 loss, similar to what Tippett did after the Stars had lost Game 1 to the Avs. Tippett's move to change up his lines back-fired big time on him as the Stars gave up 3 first period goals while the new lines tried to adjust to playing with each other. Lets hope Avery's move doesn't have the same outcome. What the Mavs need are people to step up and score, like Dirk, Jason Terry and Josh Howard. Does inserting Harris at the point help them knock down more shots? I guess we'll soon see.
Monday, May 8, 2006
just one more reason to hate barry bonds
Barry Bonds is a selfish prick, and that's putting it nicely. He's going to pass Babe Ruth soon, and unfortunately, that's unavoidable. We can only hope that weak knees, a bad elbow and without steriods, Bonds will retire before being able to pass Aaron. After hitting #713 Sunday night, he refused to autograph the ball for the fan that caught it which happened to be a Giants fan in the Air Force currently stationed in Philadelphia. Barry did, however, require the fan to sign a waiver so that Bonds could use this for his Bonds on Bonds reality show on ESPN. Read more on the Barry the jackass here.
A sign in left field during Sunday's Phily/Giants game that reads "Ruth did it on hot dogs and beer; Aaron did it with class; How did YOU do it?"
A sign in left field during Sunday's Phily/Giants game that reads "Ruth did it on hot dogs and beer; Aaron did it with class; How did YOU do it?"Saturday, May 6, 2006
random musings
A one man show...
No one showed up for the Lakers tonight except Kobe Bryant... No one from the Lakers, outside of Kobe, could hit the broad side of a barn tonight leading to a Phoenix rout in Game 7 of the opening round of the playoffs. Kobe had 23 in the first half but LA was still down 15 and never got any closer. In addition to not being able to buy a shot, the Laker defense looked like swiss cheese as Phoenix scored at will.
Still in first, but barely...
The Rangers still lead the West, but barely. After back to back loses to the Yankees, the Rangers hold a slim 1/2 game lead over the A's. The Rangers are finally playing a quality team, after beating up on lowly Tampa Bay recently, but are coming up on the short end of the scoreboard. Hopefully they can salvage a win in the series on Sunday.
Number 8s...
Dale Jr. won at Richmond tonight, beating Denny Hamlin to the line. Kevin Harvick led the most laps but decided not to pit with the lead during a late caution and ended up 3rd.
Barbaro was untested in today's Kentucky Derby despite a full field of 20 horses. Unbeaten and well rested heading into the Derby, he will carry that same momentum to the Preakness in two weeks.
Junior's win at Richmond
Barbaro with Prado aboard runs away from the field
No one showed up for the Lakers tonight except Kobe Bryant... No one from the Lakers, outside of Kobe, could hit the broad side of a barn tonight leading to a Phoenix rout in Game 7 of the opening round of the playoffs. Kobe had 23 in the first half but LA was still down 15 and never got any closer. In addition to not being able to buy a shot, the Laker defense looked like swiss cheese as Phoenix scored at will.
Still in first, but barely...
The Rangers still lead the West, but barely. After back to back loses to the Yankees, the Rangers hold a slim 1/2 game lead over the A's. The Rangers are finally playing a quality team, after beating up on lowly Tampa Bay recently, but are coming up on the short end of the scoreboard. Hopefully they can salvage a win in the series on Sunday.
Number 8s...
Dale Jr. won at Richmond tonight, beating Denny Hamlin to the line. Kevin Harvick led the most laps but decided not to pit with the lead during a late caution and ended up 3rd.
Barbaro was untested in today's Kentucky Derby despite a full field of 20 horses. Unbeaten and well rested heading into the Derby, he will carry that same momentum to the Preakness in two weeks.
Junior's win at Richmond
Barbaro with Prado aboard runs away from the fieldThursday, May 4, 2006
rangers in first?
Don't look now, but the Texas Rangers are the hottest team in MLB right now with a 6 game win streak and a 1 1/2 game lead in the West over Oakland. They get a real test this weekend as former Ranger Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees come to town. Vincente Padilla starts things off tomorrow night against Mike Mussina.
To Raja Bell, Steve Nash and Co. - Just shut up already! If you saw Bell's close line of Kobe in Game 5 and you don’t think he should have been suspended, then you're just plain ignorant so go away, you're too stupid to be here. Nash is complaining because he choked Game 4 away. Bell is whining because he can't guard Kobe and he needs the officials help. Personally, I think Bell got off easy. Not only did he throw Bryant to the court by his neck, the next day he said he didn't regret doing it and if he could do things over again, might do the same thing. Not only does that show a lack of respect to his competitors, but also to his team and the league. He probably should have been suspended two games easily but the league wanted to give the Suns a chance in a possible Game 7, so they just sat him for one game. You do the crime, you do the time. Just shut up already!
To Raja Bell, Steve Nash and Co. - Just shut up already! If you saw Bell's close line of Kobe in Game 5 and you don’t think he should have been suspended, then you're just plain ignorant so go away, you're too stupid to be here. Nash is complaining because he choked Game 4 away. Bell is whining because he can't guard Kobe and he needs the officials help. Personally, I think Bell got off easy. Not only did he throw Bryant to the court by his neck, the next day he said he didn't regret doing it and if he could do things over again, might do the same thing. Not only does that show a lack of respect to his competitors, but also to his team and the league. He probably should have been suspended two games easily but the league wanted to give the Suns a chance in a possible Game 7, so they just sat him for one game. You do the crime, you do the time. Just shut up already!
Wednesday, May 3, 2006
a tad bit of a gambling problem
John Daly claims to have dropped somewhere between $50M-$60M in casinos over the years, and, he observes, if he keeps it up, it’s going to ruin him. Hmm. Kind of makes you wonder how long it took to come to that conclusion. Most of us probably would have figured it out after dropping the first $5M or so, don’t ya think? The comment was prompted by the imminent release of Daly’s book, “John Daly: My Life In and Out of the Rough.” In it, sports’ favorite good old boy confesses that he’s got a bit of a gambling problem. A bit of a problem, that is, in the same way that the Pacific Ocean is a bit of water.
Now Charles Barkley has come out saying that, he too, has a gambling problem and has lost at least $10M. Even though he acknowledges he has a problem, he has no plan of quitting because it's "his money". Back in the '90s, Jordan had a little gambling issue made public and this last off-season Arod was seen in some underground NY poker houses. They're not losing the $10M+ that Barkley and Daly have claimed, but there's plenty of gambling going among athletes and as long as they aren't gambling on the sport they play, it doesn't violate any of the league policies.
Question of the day - Why does every Barry Bonds homer rank as the #1 play of the day on ESPN's Sportscenter? Is Barry going opposite field really all that exciting considering that a high majority of fans would rather he never hit another home run, ever? He's going for second and as we all know second is the first loser, and maybe in this case, the biggest loser! Even Commissioner Selig stated there will be no fanfare when/if Bonds passes Ruth's mark. This isn't a record he's breaking. More proof that ESPN must be in bed with Bonds and his sham of a series on that network. I'd boycott the channel, but then I'd miss all my Kobe highlights... speaking of, the dunk over Nash in Game 3 SHOULD have been the #1 highlight of the day.
Kobe dunks over Nash
Now Charles Barkley has come out saying that, he too, has a gambling problem and has lost at least $10M. Even though he acknowledges he has a problem, he has no plan of quitting because it's "his money". Back in the '90s, Jordan had a little gambling issue made public and this last off-season Arod was seen in some underground NY poker houses. They're not losing the $10M+ that Barkley and Daly have claimed, but there's plenty of gambling going among athletes and as long as they aren't gambling on the sport they play, it doesn't violate any of the league policies.
Question of the day - Why does every Barry Bonds homer rank as the #1 play of the day on ESPN's Sportscenter? Is Barry going opposite field really all that exciting considering that a high majority of fans would rather he never hit another home run, ever? He's going for second and as we all know second is the first loser, and maybe in this case, the biggest loser! Even Commissioner Selig stated there will be no fanfare when/if Bonds passes Ruth's mark. This isn't a record he's breaking. More proof that ESPN must be in bed with Bonds and his sham of a series on that network. I'd boycott the channel, but then I'd miss all my Kobe highlights... speaking of, the dunk over Nash in Game 3 SHOULD have been the #1 highlight of the day.
Kobe dunks over NashTuesday, May 2, 2006
dakota dowd
whats in the nhl western conf water
The Red Wings have followed the Stars in exiting stage right in the playoffs. The Red Army, the President's tophey winners have been ousted by the lowly Oilers who hadn't won a playoff series in 8 years! Detroit pulled off a bigger choke than the Stars by twice giving up 2 goal leads in the 3rd period to lose games in Edmonton and gave up 4 goals in the 3rd tonite to choke away the series clincher. It's only the 3rd time ever that the President's Trophey winner has lost in the first round. Time to say goodbye to Stevie Y.
The 1, 2 and 4 seeds have now been eliminated in the western conference and the 3 seeded Flames are now in a must win Game 7 situation against the Mighty Ducks. By Wednesday night, its quite possible only the bottom 4 seeds will remain from the western conference.
The Mavs wrapped up their series in 4 as predicted and the Griz still have never won a playoff game.
The Clippers won a playoff series for the first time since moving to LA. The last time the Clippers had advanced was when they played in Buffalo back in 1976 where they beat Phily in the opening round only to lose to the Celtics in the next round.
If the Lakers can beat the Suns one more time (in 3 chances) they will set up an all LA series vs the Clippers. The edge there would go to the Zen Master.
The 1, 2 and 4 seeds have now been eliminated in the western conference and the 3 seeded Flames are now in a must win Game 7 situation against the Mighty Ducks. By Wednesday night, its quite possible only the bottom 4 seeds will remain from the western conference.
The Mavs wrapped up their series in 4 as predicted and the Griz still have never won a playoff game.
The Clippers won a playoff series for the first time since moving to LA. The last time the Clippers had advanced was when they played in Buffalo back in 1976 where they beat Phily in the opening round only to lose to the Celtics in the next round.
If the Lakers can beat the Suns one more time (in 3 chances) they will set up an all LA series vs the Clippers. The edge there would go to the Zen Master.
Monday, May 1, 2006
mavs in four?
An interesting little NBA factoid... the Mavs have never swept an opponent in the playoffs (never won in just 5 games either btw) and the Grizzlies have never won a playoff game. One of those streaks will end tonight. My guess is that the Mavs will sweep as the Griz appear pretty down and out after the OT loss in Game 3.
So tired of all the Dirk hype again after Game 3... he's playing Memphis who has no one that can guard him. When Dirk carries the Mavs to a series win over a real team, we'll talk.
So tired of all the Dirk hype again after Game 3... he's playing Memphis who has no one that can guard him. When Dirk carries the Mavs to a series win over a real team, we'll talk.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
tough way to go out
So for a third time the Stars outplayed the Avs only to lose in overtime. Three loses in OT and three loses at home wont get it done in the playoffs. They again out shot the Avs in a huge way, 52-30. When you put 50+ shots on goal, you need to get more than 2 through to the net. Theodore gave up fat rebounds all game but the Stars didn't have anyone out front to bang them home.
Similar to Games 2 and 3, Turco allowed one soft goal, when he left a small opening between his pad and the post when the Stars had momentum and a 1-0 lead in the second period. Jim Dowd found the hole from the side on a rebound.
With the Stars having some momentum in the latter half of the 3rd, Modano took a brutal shoulder-to-jaw hit from Colorado defenseman Brett Clark that should have drawn a penalty. Modano was out cold and had to be helped off the ice, looking for sure that he was done for at least today. The Stars were a team that looked loss on two power plays it was awarded late in the 3rd while Modano was in the locker room gathering his senses while trying to remember what day it was.
Without Modano the Stars had no go to guy, no one to create with the puck. Tippett tried to turn to Jason Arnott, but Arnott, who despite having produced a career year, had just one game-winning goal to show for 90 previous career playoff games. Arnott, a key unrestricted free agent, failed to score in the playoffs.
Modano miraculously came back to play in the overtime and despite an 11-4 SOG edge, the Stars still couldn't find the net. That seemed to be the theme of this years playoffs for the Stars. So there will be no magic comeback in the series, no Stars in 7. A series they should have won in 5 games they instead lost and now Doug Armstrong needs to figure out who from this team should stay and who should go. A task made tougher by the 53-win season, Turco's 40 wins, Guerin's season long MIA (though he played very well in the playoffs) and Arnott's career year then playoff disappearing act.
Stars in 7, next year.
Scattershooting...
The Rangers lead the West after one month and have 5 blown saves.
Though its not official yet, explain to me how Steve Nash is the NBA's MVP? Over Kobe, Dirk and LeBron? Get real.
First there was the monster dunk over Nash in Game 3 and then the winning buzzer beater in OT in Game 5 to put his Lakers up 3-1 over Nash's Suns. I think that's Kobe's way of saying "I got your MVP right here."
So the Texans decide to pass on hometown favorite Vince Young and Heisman winner/superstar Reggie Bush for a defensive end... that will really help the ticket sales.
Similar to Games 2 and 3, Turco allowed one soft goal, when he left a small opening between his pad and the post when the Stars had momentum and a 1-0 lead in the second period. Jim Dowd found the hole from the side on a rebound.
With the Stars having some momentum in the latter half of the 3rd, Modano took a brutal shoulder-to-jaw hit from Colorado defenseman Brett Clark that should have drawn a penalty. Modano was out cold and had to be helped off the ice, looking for sure that he was done for at least today. The Stars were a team that looked loss on two power plays it was awarded late in the 3rd while Modano was in the locker room gathering his senses while trying to remember what day it was.
Without Modano the Stars had no go to guy, no one to create with the puck. Tippett tried to turn to Jason Arnott, but Arnott, who despite having produced a career year, had just one game-winning goal to show for 90 previous career playoff games. Arnott, a key unrestricted free agent, failed to score in the playoffs.
Modano miraculously came back to play in the overtime and despite an 11-4 SOG edge, the Stars still couldn't find the net. That seemed to be the theme of this years playoffs for the Stars. So there will be no magic comeback in the series, no Stars in 7. A series they should have won in 5 games they instead lost and now Doug Armstrong needs to figure out who from this team should stay and who should go. A task made tougher by the 53-win season, Turco's 40 wins, Guerin's season long MIA (though he played very well in the playoffs) and Arnott's career year then playoff disappearing act.
Stars in 7, next year.
Scattershooting...
The Rangers lead the West after one month and have 5 blown saves.
Though its not official yet, explain to me how Steve Nash is the NBA's MVP? Over Kobe, Dirk and LeBron? Get real.
First there was the monster dunk over Nash in Game 3 and then the winning buzzer beater in OT in Game 5 to put his Lakers up 3-1 over Nash's Suns. I think that's Kobe's way of saying "I got your MVP right here."
So the Texans decide to pass on hometown favorite Vince Young and Heisman winner/superstar Reggie Bush for a defensive end... that will really help the ticket sales.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
gut check time
The Stars finally played a complete game this series and look what happens when they did. They crushed the Avs in every aspect of the game in a 4-1 victory. The Stars outshot the Avalanche, 39-23 (Bill Guerin had nine shots), had a 21-15 advantage in hits, had 23 blocked shots to Colorado's 16 and won 38-of-59 face-offs. What's more, the penalty kill shut down the vaunted Avs power play on six opportunities. When the Stars show up and play for 3 periods, they're a tough team for anyone to beat. After Friday's game, Philippe Boucher said, "We had flashes and spots in the last two games, but tonight we had 60 minutes. We've shown all year that if we play 60 minutes, we can be a really good team." Quite a novell concept, play the whole game. What should be a 3-1 Stars lead is a 3-1 deficit in this series because they've been playing about 50 minutes, letting up at the end trying to nurse home one goal leads. Turco looked much better, a good call by Tippett to start him. There's still hope. The Stars are the best come from behind team in NHL history. They are playing a franchise that has a history of blowing series leads, and they know they should be ahead in the series. They have to take it one game at a time, and play all 60 minutes.
Stars in 7.
Stars in 7.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
long road back
For the second time in as many games, the Stars outplayed the Avs but gave up a late 3rd period goal, allowing the Avs to force overtime. Once again, it took just one shot for the Avs to finish things off. Now down 0-3, look for Johan Hedberg to be in goal for Game 4 in Denver on Friday night. It will take a lot of heart for the Stars, who could easily be up 2-1, to come out and play good enough to win Game 4. If they do and can come home and win one, anything could happen. Win two in a row and shift the momentum and the Avs might get tight for a Game 6. But thats a long way away, tomorrow will tell if the Stars live to see another day.
Stars in 7.
Stars in 7.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
stick a fork in them
They're done. The Stars playoffs aren’t officially over, but that's a mere formality. In the NHL, you can't lose the first two games at home and have much chance at winning the series. Sure its been done, most recently by Tampa Bay during their Cup run in 2003. But right now, the way they are playing, the Stars will be lucky to make it to Game 5 back in Dallas.
How does a team that many predicted would contend for the Stanley Cup play so poorly? Goaltending is atrocious, defense is horrible, and coaching is terrible. How did this team win 53 games? They've had leads in both games though they were thoroughly outplayed in Game 1. Game 2 was a different story. They won every aspect of the game except the final score. Put this one on Turco and Tippett. Turco can’t give up 5 goals a game, the last two he definitely should have stopped. Franchise goalies must make those stops. And Tippett, he throws 50+ wins out the window with some crazy line changes that did nothing but turn over the puck creating odd-man rushes. Modano, Guerin and Hagman? wtf? Arnott, Barnes and Miettinen? Huh? Morrow, Kapanen and Lehtinen? What was Tippett smoking? Those lines hadn't ever seen ice time together and it showed. And why didn't Tippett use a TO after the Stars were down 2-0 or even 3-0 to try and settle his team down? Very poor coaching on Tippett's part. Sitting Daley though wasn't a bad move. The defense sucked on Saturday so something needed to change and sitting a rookie for a playoff vet isnt a bad call and Niinimaa responded with a good game. If the Stars bow out here in 4 or 5 games, Tippett's job security should go out with it.
So yeah, its been done, several times actually in the last few years, but it must start with Game 3 Wednesday night.
Fifteen teams in NHL history have come back to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first two at home. Here's the list since 1994:
How does a team that many predicted would contend for the Stanley Cup play so poorly? Goaltending is atrocious, defense is horrible, and coaching is terrible. How did this team win 53 games? They've had leads in both games though they were thoroughly outplayed in Game 1. Game 2 was a different story. They won every aspect of the game except the final score. Put this one on Turco and Tippett. Turco can’t give up 5 goals a game, the last two he definitely should have stopped. Franchise goalies must make those stops. And Tippett, he throws 50+ wins out the window with some crazy line changes that did nothing but turn over the puck creating odd-man rushes. Modano, Guerin and Hagman? wtf? Arnott, Barnes and Miettinen? Huh? Morrow, Kapanen and Lehtinen? What was Tippett smoking? Those lines hadn't ever seen ice time together and it showed. And why didn't Tippett use a TO after the Stars were down 2-0 or even 3-0 to try and settle his team down? Very poor coaching on Tippett's part. Sitting Daley though wasn't a bad move. The defense sucked on Saturday so something needed to change and sitting a rookie for a playoff vet isnt a bad call and Niinimaa responded with a good game. If the Stars bow out here in 4 or 5 games, Tippett's job security should go out with it.
So yeah, its been done, several times actually in the last few years, but it must start with Game 3 Wednesday night.
Fifteen teams in NHL history have come back to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first two at home. Here's the list since 1994:
Year Team Opponent Series
1994 New Jersey Boston Won in 6
1995 Chicago Toronto Won in 7
1996 NY Rangers Montreal Won in 6
1996 Pittsburgh Washington Won in 6
1999 Colorado Detroit Won in 6
2000 Philadelphia Pittsburgh Won in 6
2002 Detroit Vancouver Won in 6
2003 Tampa Bay Washington Won in 6
2006 Dallas Colorado ????
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
stop the dirk insanity
I'm sure I've mentioned it before but I'm REALLY freakin tired of all the local media homers proclaiming that Dirk is the NBA's MVP. Pleeeeeeeease get real! The MVP is for the best player in the league, not who someone arbitrarily thinks is the most valuable to their team, how can you really even determine that. The award is for the most valuable player of the LEAGUE, and this year that player is Kobe Bryant. Dirk could never carry the Mavs the way Kobe has carried the Lakers into the playoffs. This year, picking anyone ahead of Kobe Bryant as the NBA's most valuable player is insane. Dirk's a great player on a great team, but also one that Kobe outscored by himself until taking the fourth quarter off! Kobe's beaten Dirk 2 out of 3 times this year, not that it really matters. The important factors are that Kobe's the first player to average 35+ points/game since Jordan did it 19 years ago, not to mention the 81 he put up in a game back in January.
With the #1 seed on the line at Golden State a week ago, did Dirk carry his team to victory? Nope.. he scored a whopping 2 pts over his average... on a night when the Mavs needed someone to step up, to be a team leader and it didn't happen. Dirk doesn't play D and cant carry the team on his own, two things Kobe does night in and night out. What has Kobe done with the Lakers playoff birth on the line? Led the team to four straight wins while averaging 40+ points per game.
Up next is LeBron, because supposedly his overall numbers are better? What? An assist and two boards more but 5 less points? Lets get real, only 5 teams in the East even have a above .500 record! What a pathetic bunch the East is after Detroit and Miami. Put the Lakers in the East and they're the 3rd best team in the conference. Put the Cavs in the West however (against which they are merely .500) and they are fighting Sactown for the last playoff spot. LeBron hasn't carried the Cavs, the weak East has, where 3 of the playoff teams dont have a winning record.
Anyone who doesn’t vote Kobe as MVP isn’t voting for the best player but instead voting for a more likeable player. You may not like him, but Kobe's carried a team that everyone said had no chance of making the playoffs to a 45 win season and the #7 seed and deserves more respect as the best player in the league. Enough with the homer calls here in Dallas, Dirk's good, but he's not the best. Two words - Eighty One.
With the #1 seed on the line at Golden State a week ago, did Dirk carry his team to victory? Nope.. he scored a whopping 2 pts over his average... on a night when the Mavs needed someone to step up, to be a team leader and it didn't happen. Dirk doesn't play D and cant carry the team on his own, two things Kobe does night in and night out. What has Kobe done with the Lakers playoff birth on the line? Led the team to four straight wins while averaging 40+ points per game.
Up next is LeBron, because supposedly his overall numbers are better? What? An assist and two boards more but 5 less points? Lets get real, only 5 teams in the East even have a above .500 record! What a pathetic bunch the East is after Detroit and Miami. Put the Lakers in the East and they're the 3rd best team in the conference. Put the Cavs in the West however (against which they are merely .500) and they are fighting Sactown for the last playoff spot. LeBron hasn't carried the Cavs, the weak East has, where 3 of the playoff teams dont have a winning record.
Anyone who doesn’t vote Kobe as MVP isn’t voting for the best player but instead voting for a more likeable player. You may not like him, but Kobe's carried a team that everyone said had no chance of making the playoffs to a 45 win season and the #7 seed and deserves more respect as the best player in the league. Enough with the homer calls here in Dallas, Dirk's good, but he's not the best. Two words - Eighty One.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
nba playoff seeding - how to win by losing
With two games left in the season, Memphis and the Clippers are battling it out for the 5th seed in the West. Denver has their division locked up ensuring the 3rd seed. The 5th seed plays the 4th and the 3rd seed plays the 6th seed. The interesting piece here however is between the 3rd and 6th seed where the team with the better record gets home court advantage, even if they are the lower seed.
So now both the Grizzlies and Clippers both have clinched home court advantage over the Nuggets so basically the team that loses more of the their last two games gets home court advantage against the Nuggets. The team that wins more earns the 5 seed and gets to play the Mavs while starting on the road.
Something doesn’t seem quite right there. Normally the goal of the whole season is to win as many games as possible in order to gain home court advantage for the playoffs. How much fun is it going to be to see these teams trying to lose games? Or more to the point, lying about trying to win games while “resting” their players.
And home court isn’t just about having a better chance to win with your fans behind you, its an opportunity for teams to make more money. Sounds like the NBA needs to restructure their playoff format so teams cant win by losing.
So now both the Grizzlies and Clippers both have clinched home court advantage over the Nuggets so basically the team that loses more of the their last two games gets home court advantage against the Nuggets. The team that wins more earns the 5 seed and gets to play the Mavs while starting on the road.
Something doesn’t seem quite right there. Normally the goal of the whole season is to win as many games as possible in order to gain home court advantage for the playoffs. How much fun is it going to be to see these teams trying to lose games? Or more to the point, lying about trying to win games while “resting” their players.
And home court isn’t just about having a better chance to win with your fans behind you, its an opportunity for teams to make more money. Sounds like the NBA needs to restructure their playoff format so teams cant win by losing.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
more kobe for mvp
A good article on the NBA MVP race..
Who's the NBA MVP? By Bill Simmons of ESPN.com
Say what you want about the NBA, but the league offers seven superior features to every other professional sport: a wildly entertaining draft, a new dress code that caused "Big and Tall Store" stock to jump eight points, the wit and wisdom of Mr. Jalen Rose, cheerleaders who dress like hookers, a ridiculously surreal All-Star Weekend and, of course, the only "Most Valuable Player" award that truly matters.
Can you name the last 10 NFL MVPs? Of course not. Can you remember the last 10 MVPs in each baseball league, and definitively say which guy was better every year? Nope. Do you even know the name of the NHL trophy? Unless you're Canadian, probably not. The MVP concept works best in the NBA: Every player is eligible, everyone plays against one another, it's relatively simple to compare statistics and, if you watch the games, you can always figure out which players stand out over everyone else.
Of course, the experts seem just as confused as they were last season, when Steve Nash stumbled into the award because some people thought it would be fun to vote for a white Canadian dude with bad hair who didn't play defense. As it turned out, Nash raised his game in the playoffs and vindicated everyone who picked him. (Note: I thought Shaq should have won the award and still do.) But that raises a bigger question: What makes for an NBA MVP?
I concentrate on three questions:
1. Ten years from now, who will be the first player from this season that pops into my head?
2. In a giant pickup game with every NBA player waiting to play, and two fans forced to pick sides with their lives depending on the outcome of the game (I think this is how the annual Rucker League tournament works), who would be the first player picked based on the way everyone played that season?
3. If you replaced every MVP candidate with a decent player at their position for the entire season, what would be the effect on their teams' records?
The first two questions are subjective. You might think the 2004-05 season belonged to Nash, whereas I thought it belonged to Shaq. And until this season, I would have picked Shaq first in any pickup game, you may have picked Kobe or LeBron. But the third question isn't nearly as subjective, it's also crucial to this year's dilemma. We're dealing with the deepest pool of potential MVP candidates ever (eight by my count). And I think the choice is pretty clear. But before we get to that, check out some of the names who didn't make the cut:
Read the rest of the article here
Who's the NBA MVP? By Bill Simmons of ESPN.com
Say what you want about the NBA, but the league offers seven superior features to every other professional sport: a wildly entertaining draft, a new dress code that caused "Big and Tall Store" stock to jump eight points, the wit and wisdom of Mr. Jalen Rose, cheerleaders who dress like hookers, a ridiculously surreal All-Star Weekend and, of course, the only "Most Valuable Player" award that truly matters.
Can you name the last 10 NFL MVPs? Of course not. Can you remember the last 10 MVPs in each baseball league, and definitively say which guy was better every year? Nope. Do you even know the name of the NHL trophy? Unless you're Canadian, probably not. The MVP concept works best in the NBA: Every player is eligible, everyone plays against one another, it's relatively simple to compare statistics and, if you watch the games, you can always figure out which players stand out over everyone else.
Of course, the experts seem just as confused as they were last season, when Steve Nash stumbled into the award because some people thought it would be fun to vote for a white Canadian dude with bad hair who didn't play defense. As it turned out, Nash raised his game in the playoffs and vindicated everyone who picked him. (Note: I thought Shaq should have won the award and still do.) But that raises a bigger question: What makes for an NBA MVP?
I concentrate on three questions:
1. Ten years from now, who will be the first player from this season that pops into my head?
2. In a giant pickup game with every NBA player waiting to play, and two fans forced to pick sides with their lives depending on the outcome of the game (I think this is how the annual Rucker League tournament works), who would be the first player picked based on the way everyone played that season?
3. If you replaced every MVP candidate with a decent player at their position for the entire season, what would be the effect on their teams' records?
The first two questions are subjective. You might think the 2004-05 season belonged to Nash, whereas I thought it belonged to Shaq. And until this season, I would have picked Shaq first in any pickup game, you may have picked Kobe or LeBron. But the third question isn't nearly as subjective, it's also crucial to this year's dilemma. We're dealing with the deepest pool of potential MVP candidates ever (eight by my count). And I think the choice is pretty clear. But before we get to that, check out some of the names who didn't make the cut:
Read the rest of the article here
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
more local musings and mvp talk
• Today marked the first time in 45 years that the SF Giants had back to back home games rained out... Maybe God is trying to give Bonds a hint?
• The Mavs can beat the Spurs on the road, but not Golden State (playing on back to back nights)?
• The Rangers won for the first time in their last 9 tries against the Angels and stopped a 9 game losing streak in Anaheim.
• The Rangers have put Ian Kinsler, their best hitter thus far this season, on the 15 day DL with a dislocated thumb that happened while trying to steal second base on Tuesday. He was thrown out on the play. Kinsler was batting .476.
• Is Mike Modano a serious contender for the NHL MVP award?
• Who's the NBA MVP this year? My rankings:
Kobe Bryant - he simply does it all and if you have one shot to win a game, who else would you want taking it? Carried Lakers on his back and into the playoffs. Can you say 81?
Chauncey Billups - the best player on the best team
Dirk Nowitzki - consistent 25-10 guy but cant carry the team when needed
Steve Nash - heart and soul of the Suns, but not on Kobe's level
Lebron James - good scorer but not quite at mvp level
• The Mavs can beat the Spurs on the road, but not Golden State (playing on back to back nights)?
• The Rangers won for the first time in their last 9 tries against the Angels and stopped a 9 game losing streak in Anaheim.
• The Rangers have put Ian Kinsler, their best hitter thus far this season, on the 15 day DL with a dislocated thumb that happened while trying to steal second base on Tuesday. He was thrown out on the play. Kinsler was batting .476.
• Is Mike Modano a serious contender for the NHL MVP award?
• Who's the NBA MVP this year? My rankings:
Kobe Bryant - he simply does it all and if you have one shot to win a game, who else would you want taking it? Carried Lakers on his back and into the playoffs. Can you say 81?
Chauncey Billups - the best player on the best team
Dirk Nowitzki - consistent 25-10 guy but cant carry the team when needed
Steve Nash - heart and soul of the Suns, but not on Kobe's level
Lebron James - good scorer but not quite at mvp level
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
random musings...
I attended both the Rangers and Stars games yesterday starting with some tailgating at the Ballpark at around 10am, ending with a late PP goal by Joe Thorton lifting the Sharks to an OT win with 20 seconds left ending the chances of a possible shoot out. What a buzz-kill that was, but it was still a great day of sports capped with watching the end of the NCAA Championship game.
I dont want to over-react with just two games played for the Texas Rangers but isn't this the same type of team they had last year? They lose 7-3 yesterday, only generating offense on two long balls and then win 10-4 today, again getting the bulk of the offense from the long ball. How long before they feel the affect of losing Soriano's 35-40 HRs? The pitching again appears to be Jekel and Hyde. That rotation would look imensly better with Kenny Rogers in the #2 spot.
The Rangers pulled out all the stops for Roger Clemens yesterday, even going so far as to have Mack Brown throw out the first pitch with Daryl Royal along with him. Geez Tom, could you be a bigger orange koolaid homer? Besides it's not going to be enough to bring Clemens to Arlington. If he ends up playing, it will be in Houston again.
Jesse Jackson, just shut up already! Said Jackson regarding the syringe incident Monday in San Diego, "That fan should have been arrested. That object could have had a needle in it. It could have hit him. The commissioner of baseball must be outspoken in protecting any players whose lives are in jeopardy, whose security is at risk." Ok, there was no needle, it was actually some type of toy and not even real. Shut up Jesse and go back to what you do best, having illegitamate kids.
Barry Bonds deserves every bit of ridicule and criticism he gets this year. He should leave the game now and stop tarnishing the record books.
If two women's teams play a basketball title game in Boston and no one cares to watch, does it still count?
This came out a couple months ago, but with April 15th coming up, it just cracks me up.
I dont want to over-react with just two games played for the Texas Rangers but isn't this the same type of team they had last year? They lose 7-3 yesterday, only generating offense on two long balls and then win 10-4 today, again getting the bulk of the offense from the long ball. How long before they feel the affect of losing Soriano's 35-40 HRs? The pitching again appears to be Jekel and Hyde. That rotation would look imensly better with Kenny Rogers in the #2 spot.
The Rangers pulled out all the stops for Roger Clemens yesterday, even going so far as to have Mack Brown throw out the first pitch with Daryl Royal along with him. Geez Tom, could you be a bigger orange koolaid homer? Besides it's not going to be enough to bring Clemens to Arlington. If he ends up playing, it will be in Houston again.
Jesse Jackson, just shut up already! Said Jackson regarding the syringe incident Monday in San Diego, "That fan should have been arrested. That object could have had a needle in it. It could have hit him. The commissioner of baseball must be outspoken in protecting any players whose lives are in jeopardy, whose security is at risk." Ok, there was no needle, it was actually some type of toy and not even real. Shut up Jesse and go back to what you do best, having illegitamate kids.
Barry Bonds deserves every bit of ridicule and criticism he gets this year. He should leave the game now and stop tarnishing the record books.
If two women's teams play a basketball title game in Boston and no one cares to watch, does it still count?
This came out a couple months ago, but with April 15th coming up, it just cracks me up.
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