lamondmurray01

How You Got High Expectations But Got No Patience?

2006-11-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

It's all fun and games until someone lights someone else up for 50

There is no burden as heavy as that of expectation. It is a unique weight that can crush the foundations of preparation; that can drag down true accomplishment to the level of mere adequacy; that can encumber the most nimble mind until it mistakes patent foolishness for admirable daring. It's why a smart person might fuck up the SATs; why Tiger Woods might ever be seen as slumping; why the Roots made The Tipping Point. The pressure of negative expectation can be just as onerous: On The Wire, the alleviation of the weight carried by expected failure renders the "corner kids" paralyzed and embittered as the school system that regularly relies on the easy marginalization offered by suspensions ("out of sight, out of mind" in its saddest, most belittling iteration) instead opts for increased attention and prolonged patience. In this void of the punitive dismissals we come to appreciate the enormity of the burden usually carried by these children.

Expectations weigh heavily upon us, and this is why the instances when we exceed the most admiring or contradict the most scornful are also so fulfilling. It is in these soaring times when we all best imitate Harrison Bergeron and cast off the shackles that often serve to hold us back.

At the outset of the last NBA season, the basketball landscape was awash in the dreary sepia of harmful expectations. The Lig, to some extent truly and to a further extent imagined, felt as though it was struggling to change an identity of antisocial behavior and diminishing quality. The Brawl had happened; the Artest suspension had happened; the supposedly sloppy NBA game had been conquered by a purer brand of basketball played in places like Argentina; and perhaps worst of all, the Association was aesthetically ruled by the theoretically clumsy, proletariat, utilitarian style of smash-mouth basketball championed in places such as Detroit and San Antonio. Even worse, the most public and dramatic (emphasis on the drama) personification of this low-scoring, slow style was the somber, aggrieved Larry Brown, hailed as the greatest basketball coach in the world. No one important wants to consume this thuggish, boring product--that was the collective thought that appeared to grip the NBA power structure.

What was the Lig to do? Well, it got a dress code (no more thugs here); it got an age requirement (no more young punks who don't have skeelz); it got new rules that promoted scoring (no more of that boring-ass "defense"); and best of all (though not as a direct outcome of any NBA-sanctioned action), it got a new generation of stars (no more Allen Iverson-as-savior. Woo hoo!) By the end of last season, all of the talk was of the ascendancy of LeBron and Dwyane Wade; of the maturity of Carmelo Anthony; of the precocity of Chris Bosh and Chris Paul; of the ferocity of Dwight Howard and Amare Stoudemire. It was a tidal wave of positive sentiment that even allowed Darko to rise out of the Mariana Trench where he'd be discarded and then kept down by his myriad critics for nearly three years. An exciting playoff cycle concluded with a bevy of budding ballers, an emerging good-natured rivalry for Lig-wide preeminence, and a figurative image of David Stern, his owners, and their players holding hands and humming "Roundball Magic" as all of the off-season changes were venerated.

The NBA was back!

And this year, it's even backer, elevated by an expectant press and public that both want to fawn over the Association's quarter-century-old superstars. From Sports Illustrated to fantasy-basketball drafts, the heralded surge in NBA value can be seen in the grinning faces of the L's newest Triumvirate of Relevancy: LeBron, Dwyane, and Carmelo. Their faces are on the magazine covers, their jerseys are on the people's backs, and their production is supposed to carry the fantasy owners to victory. Those three and their young-gun friends are all expected to break out as the definitive stars of a league that may have finally (David Stern has his fingers crossed) moved beyond the post-Michael comparisons (Penny, and Grant, and Kobe, and Jerry, and...) and petty, reactionary, foolish media fetishes over tattoos and cornrows.

But as we all know, expectations can be burdensome, so please try to account for things like growth, failure, and everything else that makes us, and our court-bound heroes of the hardwood, human. We all want Lebron to score 75 on Kobe; while Dwyane and Carmelo have a duel; while Chris Paul shows that he could even make Jerome James an all-star; while Chris Bosh helps basketball supplant hockey as Canada's national pastime; while Dwight Howard hits for 40 and 40; while Gilberto Arenasio (he's Cuban) tickles an armpit while making a halfcourt jumper to win a Game 7. But it might take time, just as Michael wasn't even fully Michael the minute he dropped 63. And let us not forget the words of this patron saint of "Did he really just do that?": If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome. Here's to hoping that the Triumvirate of Relevancy et al. haven't been reading too much this summer.

With that said, let the excitement ensue....

- 2005 Preview, Pt. 1
- 2005 Preview, Pt. 2

- John Tesh, "Roundball Magic"

Back Like Cooked Crack Award - Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns

Gonna be a familiar sight, I'd imagine

For all of the product-moving, imagination-capturing Davids who have demanded our attention and elevated the game in the past twenty-odd years, it is the can't-sell-sneakers, said-to-be-extinct Goliaths that continue to own the lease to a certain part of the romantic basketball narrative that most NBA fans follow. From the sublime efficiency and intelligence of Tim Duncan to the awe-inspiring power of Shaq; the poetic athleticism of a sweeping hook to the enviable power conveyed through a decisive rebound and clearing of the lane; the beautiful grace of a drop step that pins a defender on a pivot's back to the electrifying authority of a put-back dunk, the staples of the big man's game are seductive and enduring fundamentals of the game.

There was something hopeful about Amare Stoudemire--he wasn't just a windmill on the eternal horizon. With his nimble feet, unmatched athleticism, and dedication to his craft, he was equipped to emerge as the modern paradigm of post presence. But then he had the microfracture surgery that ruined his '05/'06, and we are now left hoping that he can return as the embodiment of promise, not a shell of potential. From a tentative Penny Hardaway to a gimpy Chris Webber, followers of the Lig have already seen the microfracture rob our culture of many milestones that may have been and experiences that never were. Amare's battle--against his body, his confidence, his opponents, and his knowledge of history--will be a compelling story this season. Not least of all because if Stoudemire can be the Amare of old by the end of February, the Suns may well be the best team in the Association.

Forgot About Dre Award - Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets

Still the chairman of the Straight Bangin' Select List

As Kobe was dropping 81 and assembling more proof that he may be the best player in the world, Tracy McGrady's legs and back were breaking. As LeBron James was asserting himself as the Lig's most important presence, McGrady was being indirectly blamed for Houston's poor performance. And as Dwyane Wade won an NBA title and thrust the New Jack era upon us, everyone stopped talking about TMac. Hello? This is the same McGrady who, when healthy, can't be stopped and can basically start nailing jumpers the minute he crosses half court, right? The same McGrady who finishes with his left better than any other righty in the NBA? The same 6'7" McGrady who shut down everyone's favorite 7'0" German in the playoffs two years ago? Am I taking crazy pills? So long as he's healthy, TMac will remind people that his name needs to be in the discussion...

Tony Yayo "Dude Gets Shine?" Award - Peja Stojakovic, New Orleans Hornets of Oklahoma City

If he's putting the ball on the floor, it must be the first half

There was a time when I liked Peja very much--he was a great shooter who spoke the rhetoric of a solid teammate and appeared to be poised to break through as a true NBA star. But then he remembered that he was soft, averse to contact, and easily injured. And from that point forward, he stopped being likable. Now, he's an oft-hurt spot up shooter who's allergic to crunch time. And yet the Hornets are paying him max money? What am I missing here?

Skyzoo "Stop Sleeping" Award - Maurice Williams, Milwaukee Bucks

I define what you look at as cold

Milwaukee has to be one of the most commonly forgotten real cities in the U.S. and A. No one ever talks about it, no one goes there--it's like it doesn't exist. This widespread neglect tends to obscure the Bucks, one of the most entertaining teams last year. If you happened to be watching them, you might recall that Milwaukee was often making a run or seizing the emotional upper hand when Mo Williams was in the game. Kid ran their offense nicely last year while scoring well for a PG and offering some outside shooting. With T.J. Ford gone and Charlie Villanueva in the house, Williams is gonna blow up a little bit. Watch.

Memphis Bleek "Just Happy to Be Here Award" - Jason Kapono, Miami Heat

I dare you to find a decent action shot of this dude on the Heat.

Our first repeat winner from last year. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Dominique Wilkins, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson--I hope that you're all reading this post and looking at this dude's picture, because he has more championship rings than all y'all combined. That is arguably one of the saddest stats in all of the world. It's bad enough that Kapono gets to be in the NBA and make good money for working two hours a day, five days a week. But he also gets to be on a championship team? AND live in Miami?! Ridiculous.

Let this also be said: You know you're a douche bag if...you wear gel in your hair to play basketball. Kapono = guilty.

This world of ours really blows sometimes.

Rick Ross "Sucks" Award - Kenyon Martin, Denver Nuggets

A stoic, simmering KMart with injured people around him. What a pithy encapsulation...

Five years ago, when Martin was a still-raw god-body post defender punking the old Antoine Walker, there was something cool and, if nothing else, tolerable about his ornery demeanor and proclivity for violence that tested the limits of the sport's organization. You assumed he would improve, harness that emotion, and emerge as an imposing power forward. Well, that didn't happen. The easy baskets weren't as easy without Jason Kidd, the winning didn't happen without Kidd, and those skills never really came. What did come was a knee injury that seems to have functionally ended KMart's career. He now exists in this odd limbo: his own team doesn't seem to like him, no one else wants him or his albatross contract, and he's still quite angry. He's basically become a cancer.

The worst person for him to spend his days with is confrontational, combative, snarky George Karl...and of course, that's who coaches KMart. These two already hate each other; it's year three in Denver for Karl, usually the year in the coaching stint when the wheels start to fall off; and the situation will only become more bilious as Karl likely rides Martin every day. This will surely wind up making Martin an even worse, even more upset teammate. And thus, he temporarily steals this de facto "Sucks at NBA Life" award from Darius Miles until Captain Petulant, the Sultan of Idiocy, does something characteristic again.

Lil' Wayne "What's the Appeal" Award - DeShawn Stevenson, Washington Wizards

The NBA should pay Stevenson to be its living testament to an age requirement's necessity

Really, this is an open-ended question. What do people see in him that continues to net him starting jobs?

Ghostface Killah "Tony's Money" Award - Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix Suns

"Fuck around, leave you with a mouth full of murder sauce"

Everything I read about the Suns highlights: Steve Nash is OMG Teh Greatest Ever; Amare needs to get healthy; Shawn Marion is the truth; and Boris Diaw is gonna blow as he plays four positions. I'm not saying that those things are wrong (well, numbers two, three, and four might not be), but Barbosa is gonna be really, really good as the backup PG on this team. Just give him some love. Especially when voting for Sixth Man.

Cam'ron "Label Change = Star" Award - Marquis Daniels, Indiana Pacers

Already fitting in

Let's see: Stephen Jackson is crazy; Danny Granger is a forward; and no one else can play SG on this team. That almost guarantees that Daniels is going to get a lot of touches. Theoretically, Indy is gonna run more this year, so that also augurs for this dude's success, as he is certainly a good athlete. So long as he stops getting all gully with Jackson, I think he might break out.

Kool Keith "Can This Get Any Weirder?" Award - Tim Thomas, Los Angeles Clippers

The saga of Tim Thomas defies description

Really, I am at a total loss when it comes to Fugazi these days. I have killed him on this site, at Madison Square Garden, and everywhere else for years. He's such a disappointment, he says stupid things, he sleepwalks through entire years--and yet here he is, signing big-money deals following the most unlikely string of playoff heroics that I can remember.

But that's not even the crazy part.

In the Sports Illustrated NBA preview, there was a curious passage about the Clippers that read:
One thing the Clippers hope won't change is the hot hand of Thomas, 29, who led Phoenix with 48 three-pointers during the playoffs, celebrating many of them by waving his right palm in front of his face as a nod to his rapper pals in G-Unit.I read that and chuckled--of course Tim Thomas would count an idiotic rap clique among his friends. Especially since he was trying to act tough while living in New York. That's so Raven Tim! I even noted that I wanted to blog about it at some point. And then I read about 50 and Tony Yayo appearing at Villanova's midnight madness event because Thomas had put Nova Coach Jay Wright in touch with Yayo. That was just too perfect. Tim Thomas is officially the mayor of Bizarro World. I am at a loss--I can't even ridicule him any more.

Pt. 2, with picks and more awards--some even conventional--tomorrow...

NBA Playoffs 2nd Round

2006-07-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

Eastern Conference

(1) Detroit Pistons defeat (4) Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3
Game 1: DETROIT 113, Cleveland 86
Game 2: DETROIT 97, Cleveland 91
Game 3: CLEVELAND 86, Detroit 77
Game 4: CLEVELAND 74, Detroit 72
Game 5: Cleveland 86, DETROIT 84
Game 6: Detroit 84, CLEVELAND 82
Game 7: DETROIT 79, Cleveland 61

(2) Miami Heat defeat (3) New Jersey Nets 4-1
Game 1: New Jersey 100, MIAMI 88
Game 2: MIAMI 111, New Jersey 89
Game 3: Miami 103, NEW JERSEY 92
Game 4: Miami 102, NEW JERSEY 92
Game 5: MIAMI 106, New Jersey 105

Western Conference

(4) Dallas Mavericks defeat (1) San Antonio Spurs 4-3
Game 1: SAN ANTONIO 87, Dallas 85
Game 2: Dallas 113, SAN ANTONIO 91
Game 3: DALLAS 104, San Antonio 103
Game 4: DALLAS 123, San Antonio 118 (OT)
Game 5: SAN ANTONIO 98, Dallas 97
Game 6: San Antonio 91, DALLAS 86
Game 7: Dallas 119, SAN ANTONIO 111 (OT)

(2) Phoenix Suns defeat (6) Los Angeles Clippers 4-3
Game 1: PHOENIX 130, LA Clippers 123
Game 2: LA Clippers 122, PHOENIX 97
Game 3: Phoenix 94, LA CLIPPERS 91
Game 4: LA CLIPPERS 114, Phoenix 107
Game 5: PHOENIX 125, LA Clippers 118 (2OT)
Game 6: LA CLIPPERS 118, Phoenix 106
Game 7: PHOENIX 127, LA Clippers 107

Are you ready for this?

2006-07-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

(Pastor, Miami, USA).- Todo el mundo sabe que la temporada regular de la NBA es aburridisima, salvo contadas excepciones de partidos que se dan de vez en cuando con 2 equipos que estan "on fire" o los ultimos 3 o 4 cuando estan luchando por entrar a los Playoffs y se puede ver un poco (poquito nomas eh) de juego playoffero.
Por eso este resumen de la NBA hasta el momento (supongo que la seguire viendo hasta que empiece el Mundial, despues se va a cagar) es solamente de los Playoffs.
Al principio de la temporada se sabia que la final era San Antonio Spurs por un lado, Detroit o Miami por el otro, y en el Este las cosas se dieron asi, pero en el Oeste no y eso hace que este post sea un poco mas largo.
Empecemos con las sorpresa y el equipo al que quisiera que sigan todos juntos: Chicago Bulls. El equipo de Nocioni es una banda de chabones jovenes liderados por Kirk "brazos largos" Hinrich, Ben "emocion" Gordon y Andres "aprendo ingles mirando Transporter" Nocioni con otros cuantos chabones que si se quedan juntos podrian pelearle a los grosos del Este. Encima pegaron numero 2 del draft (gracias a Isaiah Thomas que hizo todas las pelotudeces juntas en N.Y) con lo que van a poder conseguir un buen flaco o usar la seleccion como "parte de pago" por algun jugador. Seria bueno que Kevin Garnett pueda ir a los Bulls, ahi le pondria mis fichas para ser el equipo a vencer el año proximo pero seria complicado.
Otra sorpresa, fueron L.A Clippers, no solo pasaron a los Playoffs despues de 10 años sino que.......ganaron la serie!! Increible la frase de Corey Maguette (creo) que dijo "Es mayo y los Clippers estamos jugando, que talco?" (la argentinice, pero la onda es esa)
El fiasco fue Denver Nuggets, pegaron número 3 en la Conferencia pero eran los mas flojos de todos, todavia se deben querer matar por pagarle fortuna y media a Kenyon Martin que no hizo ni mierda desde que piso Colorado. Se ganaron el #3 porque ganaron una Division donde el resto de los equipos no existia.
En el Este: Cleveland de la mano de Lebron "el Gago de la NBA" James pasaron de ronda. Aca quiero dejar dicho que aunque el flaco juega bien (bastante bien) todo lo que hace la prensa lo infla muchisimo. Por ejemplo, hace un tiempo batió el record de menos edad para conseguir un triple doble......claro que se dio en un partido que al termino del tercer cuarto ganaban por 25 y terminaron ganando por 250 mas o menos. La cosa es que las "estrellas" se tienen que guardar cuando el partido ya fue, pero hay que palanquear. Igual mucho no le debe importar, a él Nike le garpo 90 palos antes de ser drafteado....
El resto de los que quedaron fuera no existe, va a haber un parrafo especial para el equipo de todos pero ahora siguen los que estan en carrera.
Dallas vs. Phoenix: Ayer Phoenix saco ventaja de 1 a 0 en Dallas lo cual lo pone en buena forma para por fin llegar a una final de la liga. En Dallas esta el mejor jugador del mundo: Dirk Nowitzky, que aparte de jugar de todo (como Castroman) canta un tema de David Hasselhoff cuando esta en la linea de tiros libres, un grande. Lo acompañan unos cuantos buenos jugadores como Terry y el mono Stackhouse, pero tambien tiene al amargo de Keith Van Horn y unos cuantos pivotes re locos.
Phoenix tiene mejor equipo, desde Steve "te paso hasta mi vieja" Nash a Amare Stoudamire pasando por el siempre efectivo Radja Bell, supuestamente especialista defensivo pero que se destapo la serie pasada y Tim Thomas que siempre cumple. Aca esta tambien Brian "porro loco" Grant, ese que jugaba con rastas en Miami y L.A Lakers, pero no existe. Ojala pase Dallas.
Miami vs. Detroit: Miami es el equipo al que los que no son fans de ellos les agarraron odio. De la mano de Dwayne Wade y Shaq, pero con un plantel bastante amplio que incluye a Alonzo "riñon" Mourning y Gary "el guante" Payton de suplentes de lujo son el equipo que mas descansado está (liquido 4 a 1 la serie anterior) y si Antoine "soy muy amargo" Walker esta en una noche inspirada las super estrellas no son 2 sino 3. Tambien se puede destapar Jason "chocolate blanco" Williams que debe fumar a lo loco (?). Creo que Shandon Anderson se afeito la chiva (?) y ya no merece que lo nombre.
Detroit es una banda de hijos de puta liderador por los Wallace, Ben y Rasheed. Ben Wallace es el mejor defensor de la NBA por cuarta vez en 5 años, Rasheed boquea a todo el mundo y con Rip "The Mask" Hamilton y Chauncey Billups (un gran base) son el cuarteto mas cabeza de la nba. Tambien tienen a Antonio McDyess que ya tiene sus años pero todavia rinde. Carlos Delfino ni juega pero se hizo amigo de los Wallace y jode con ellos, por algo no se debe querer ir (?)
Por un lado quiero que gane Miami y salgan campeones asi hay joda por aca (?), encima se robaron el primero en Detroit asi que los veo mas en la final que a los Pistons.

Terminamos con San Antonio Spurs, el equipo de todos (?): Campeones 2005, no se fue nadie importante (se fue Glenn "mad dog" Robinson que choreo el anillo de campeón nomas) y trajeron a Nick Van Excelente y Michael Finley que eligio San Antonio por sobre la mitad de los equipos de la liga sabiendo que ahi iba a ser suplente y en el resto titular y 25 puntos por partido (?).
¿Que pasó?. La super estrella es Tim Duncan, uno de los mejores jugadores no solo de la actualidad sino de todos los tiempos, pero es muy amargo, demasiado. Tony Parker es otra estrella, es frances, es amargo y se mueve a esta, asi que no le importa nada. Tambien sacó un disco de rap con los amigos (!).

Los 2 pivotes son Rasho Nesterovic que es más amargo que Caneo y Nazr Mohammed que no tiene sangre. Tambien estan Brent "shaggy" Barry al que no le importa nada y Robert "Mr. May" Horry que este mayo se tomo vacaciones. Nos quedan Bruce Bowen que tiene cara de amargo pero si hay piña se mete y Ginobili que no es amargo, pero de vez en cuando amarguea con todos los compañeros que tiene.

El ejemplo mas claro fue el final del juego 7: Mete un triple muy groso, sacan 3 de ventaja. Minuto Dallas, jugada preparada. El gran Dirk Nowitzky se manda abajo del aro (generalmente tira desde por ahi, esta vez se mando como si jugase al rugby para adelante (!)), Bowen que no sabe que hacer, llega super Manu (?), y cuando Dirk esta tirando le hace un foul muy pelotudo que lo pone en la linea y empatan. Quedan 16 segundos y cuando todos esperaban que defina Duncan (que estaba intratable) se la dan a Ginobili que hace una de "Pipino" Cuevas, nadie sabe como pasa y cuando define......no entra por bastante. Suplementario y Duncan amargueo todo, un tal DIOP (por una P no es metalero) se lo morfo y se termino el sueño (?).

Major League Soccer

2006-07-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

Hello futbol fans. I'm new to this blogging stuff, so be gentle. I saw a reference to this blogger site in a major business magazine and I decided to check it out. I'm glad I did and now I have a great opportunity to talk about the wonderful world of American soccer free of charge. It's like having my own personal genie with three wishes. Now, if I can get hooked up with an audience, then I would be all straight. Having said that, let me tell you about myself and my intent for my humble blog postings.

First off, I live in LA, I am a "professional" and I have been a soccer fan for a number of years. I attend several Major League Soccer matches each year as well as certain VIP events hosted by the LA Galaxy. I have known and continue to be acquainted with Galaxy managment past and present. I have also corresponded with the good folks at Anschutz Entertainment Group (who own half of the league) from time to time and have gained the attention of the boss man himself and others in the AEG fold. There are occassions where my opinions are considered and adopted by the Galaxy and other MLS teams, but as of late I seemed to have lost my voice. My hope in this posting, as well as the others that will follow, is to raise the profile of MLS football and to solicit opinions from soccer fans around the world on how to improve the product. One voice in the wilderness is one thing, but thousands of voices saying the same thing is another matter and will get notice. I will tell you now that some of my opinions will be edgy, but hopefully they will be thought provoking. For one thing, if you are a fan of Chivas USA and Mexican League players, this is not the site for you. I am going to say some pretty tough things about Senor Vegara's outfit in LA and how he is operating (or lack thereof)and it ain't pretty! It's all inside information and I am sure that Chivas management does not want anyone to know or read this posting. But, that's not all sports fans. Over the course of the 2005 season, I will discuss such topics as uniform design and proposed changes, expansion to other markets, scheduling, television coverage, playoff structure, salaries and bonus money and the US Open Cup soccer tournament, which may be one of the oldest ongoing sports tournaments in America that you have probably never heard of. You will get all of that and more depending on the response that I get. I hope to bring this all to you before I get shut down or served with cease and desist papers.

The first order of business will be the question, what's up with Chivas USA? They are terrible! I mean they are Tampa Bay Mutiny bad. These scrubs can't put a decent product on the field, they can't sell tickets at home and they aren't bringing in the television audience as promised. My sources in the soccer world were handicapping this to me months ago, but I didn't take it too seriously because I couldn't believe that an astute business man like Mr. Vegara would be so unprepared. But, it's all true. It wouldn't be so bad if Mr. Vegara hadn't proclaimed his Chivas USA crew as the second coming of football. He made it seem like Chivas damn near invented the game with his "futbol es aqui" (Spanish for "soccer is here") promotion. Well, we have a saying in LA that goes like this---somebody just showed his ass and Mr. Vegara's butt is hanging out all over the place and it's going to get worse for Chivas USA fans as the '05 season
continues. The LA market is a gold mine and he knows it. Hence, he has put in little effort to get his team ready other than poaching Galaxy managment for personnel, signing up has been players from Mexico and selecting never was cast off players from MLS. Mix it all together and you get a disorganized team that has won only one match. Unfortunately, relying on players from the Mexican league to play in the "Major" is not a good idea. Do that and you are going to get beat every weekend. They are like Guiness beer, great back home, but they don't travel very well. Others have tried this approach and flamed out. You don't get the performance on the field and smart folks don't want to spend money to see them play. Think I'm crazy or bigoted? Okay, how many Mexican league soccer players do you see playing abroad and compare that to the tally of any football playing country you like. We all can't be wrong. It's a shame really, but Mr. Vegara has the potential to turn into LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling if he keeps it up. By the way, if you are reading this Mr. Vegara, your rent on the Home Depot Center is due next week and don't be late this time. That's a joke, my friend. That's all the time I have for now, sports fans. I hope you enjoyed this little sample. More will follow.

Peace out,
LA futbol, Inc.

NBA Day 3, NHL Day 4

2006-07-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

It's HOT HOT HOT!!!

Like always, let's start with the NBA!!

My second favorite team, The LA Clippers, played tonight and I watched the entire game. So let's start at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

LA CLIPPERS vs DENVER NUGGETS

All that mountain air must have damaged the Nuggets' heads because they just can't take it in LA. The first game was fun, nail biting, and close as hell. The second game was fun but hardly nail biting and definitely not close. The Clippers took control right from the start and they never let go. Carmello played horribly. He missed his first 12 shots and had to sit down early in the game because of two quick penalties. He played far better in the second half, but not nearly well enough. He wasn't the only Nugget missing shots though, the entire Denver team played horrible, due in large part to some great Clipper defense.

LA CLIPPERS WIN 98-87 (LAC LEAD THE SERIES 2-0)

MIAMI HEAT vs CHICAGO BULLS

This game was oddly reminicent of game one between these two teams. Miami took control from the start, Chicago partly stayed with them. Near the end, Chicago made a great run and closed in on Miami, but couldn't complete the job. The thing that pissed me off in this game was at the end, there were 40 seconds to go, Chicago has dropped to 8 points behind, yet they were still fouling and taking time outs like they thought they could win. At that point you just have to give it up and move on to the next game.

MIAMI WINS 115-108 (MIA LEADS THE SERIES 2-0)

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Over to the NHL we go!

DALLAS STARS vs COLORADO AVALANCHE

So this game started out pretty shitty for me, seeing as I picked the Stars to win it all. The Avs had a 3 point lead going into the 2nd period. The Stars, however, weren't going to take that crap lying down though. They scored FOUR goals in the 2nd period and kept that one point lead going into the 3rd. The Avs, however, scored one to send it into overtime. Then, in overtime, the game ended as shitty as it started when Joe Sakic (damn you Sakic!!) scored to put that Avs up 2-0 in the series. It's hard for any team to come back from a 2-0 defecit, so it's not looking so great for my pick.

COLORADO AVALANCE WIN 5-4 (COL LEADS THE SERIES 2-0)

NEW JERSEY DEVILS vs NEW YORK RANGERS

In brighter news, my pick in this matchup, the Devils, beat out the Rangers yet again. I'm not sure if picking the Devils to win was a no brainer, or if I'm just a genius. John Madden scored a hat trick (2 on a power play), to help the Devils win. There's not much to say here, The Rangers are the Devil's bitch, they have no chance.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS WIN 4-1 (NJD LEAD THE SERIES 2-0)

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS vs BUFFALO SABRES

I think I may have made a very bad error here when I picked the Flyers to win this series. I'm not ready to throw in the towel just because the Sabres have already won twice, but they really just slapped the Flyers around today. The Flyers may just have well have left their goalie on the bench. How emabarrasing.

BUFFALO SABRES WIN 8-2 (BUF LEADS THE SERIES 2-0)

MOTREAL CANADIENS vs CAROLINA HURRICANES

When I picked Carolina to win this series, I never gave a second thought to the idea that Montreal could actually be competition for them. It's ridiculous to think that a team as great as Carolina has lost again to the Canadiens. I'm sure Montreal is a fine team, but Carolina is usually such a powerhouse. It was a close game (it went into double overtime), but, as the saying goes, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

MONTREAL CANADIENS WIN 6-5 2OT (MTL LEADS THE SERIES 2-0)

Okay, so today every team that played took their series up 2-0. Let's take a look at my record for today though:

NBA: 2-0
NHL: 1-3

Clearly I'm better at picking the NBA bracket than I am at the NHL bracket. Oh well, these are best of 7 series, they're far from over.

Blogger Post-Season Awards

2006-07-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

The NBA regular season has come to a close and the playoffs are underway. The league asked many fine individuals to vote for respective awards this season. Unfortunately the network of Bloggers was apparently overlooked when the league office was sending out ballots. For that reason, Page4Hoop has taken a poll of our own collecting votes from many of the NBA Blogging community’s finest members. Here are the results of that poll.

→Sixth Man of the Year (preseason prediction: Donyell Marshall): Mike Miller
--- Bloggers and actual voters agreed on this one, Mike Miller is clearly the sixth man of the season. Although his season this year wasn’t as good as it was last year, where he was a starter for the most part and shot higher percentages from all over the field, it was a year right in line with his career averages. Miller proved to be an excellent piece off the bench for Memphis and was able to help the Grizzlies to a 49 win season.

→Rookie of the Year (preseason prediction: Andrew Bogut): Chris Paul
--- Chris Paul clearly has had one of the most impressive rookie seasons ever, but in terms of individual and team statistics, and will run away with the award. His doubters said he was too small; too turnover prone and he couldn’t shoot the ball. Well, he is awful small, but he makes up for it by averaging a healthy 5.2rpg. He wasn’t a particularly great handler in his rookie year, but he made up for it with impressive passing numbers, such that were good enough to keep him 6th in the league in assists-per-turnover. To those who said he couldn’t shoot, well, he sort of can’t, but he can run an offense. Paul’s play turned his team from an 18-win team, to a team in contention for the playoffs. All of this should make Chris Paul the rookie of the year.

→Most Improved (preseason prediction: Kwame Brown): Boris Diaw
---It is hard to imagine the changes that have occurred in Diaw this season. He changed positions, from “pseudo-point-guard” in Atlanta to Center in Phoenix, improved every single one of his numbers and carved a future for himself in the league. In a system like Phoenix, Diaw is a perfect fit: a mobile post player who can pass and shoot. The only knock on his future is that Diaw will need to remain in a system like this. While he is a good defensive player, his rebounding numbers, 6.9rpg, are not particularly strong when you consider he is playing center most of the time. That, combined with the fact that he is a good 3-5 inches shorter than most centers in the league, may force him to evolve yet again, but for this season, Diaw has been absolutely brilliant in the role the Suns created for him.

→Defensive Player of the Year (preseason prediction: Tim Duncan): Ben Wallace
---Even though his rebounding numbers and blocked shots are down the past two years, there is still not a force in the paint as intimidating as Ben Wallace. It isn’t really necessary to elaborate on how much of an impact player Ben is on the defensive end except to say this: he is top ten in steals, rebounds and blocks. Other interesting players that received votes were Bruce Bowen, the Spurs lock-down perimeter defender, and Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls guard who is currently making a very solid case for receiving this award with his play against Dwayne Wade.

→ Executive of the Year: Elgin Baylor.
---That’s right, Elgin Baylor. Say what you will about him, but he was able to, if only by blind luck, assemble a collection of players that took the Clippers to the playoffs for the first time in a long time. They are well on their way to visiting the second round of the playoffs and show no signs of slowing down. The real test on Baylor though will come in the off-season, when Sam Cassell is a free agent.

→ Coach of the Year: Mike D’Antoni
---Mike D took this in a landslide, as well he should have. Not only was he able to coach his team the second seed in the western conference, he was able to do it with a ridiculously atypical post game. With Amare Stoudamire, Brian Grant and Kurt Thomas missing most of the season, D’Antoni converted Boris Diaw, Tim Thomas and Shawn Marion into centers and power-forwards. He was also able to create an offensive strategy to further utilize Steve Nash’s passing talents. However, D’Antoni’s greatest accomplishment this season was creating defensive schemes that hide Steve Nash’s shortcomings. The Suns are a drastically different team than they were a year ago, and a lot of it has to do with D’Antoni completely re-envisioning his game plan for this year’s roster.

→ MVP (preseason prediction: Ron Artest): Kobe Bryant
---Although many people thought Lebron James should receive this award, Kobe was the clear favorite. After leading the league in scoring, and free throws, Bryant has totally changed his game up to confuse the Suns in the playoffs. Its certainly worked, as the Lakers have taken a 3-1 series lead. The team is looking so fluid right now that it’s not unthinkable that they could make it out of the second round as well.

Clippers Advance for First Time in 30 Years

2006-05-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES, May 1 (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Clippers are headed to uncharted territory.

Cuttino Mobley and Corey Maggette scored 23 points apiece as the Clippers advanced out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in 30 years with a 101-83 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

la clippers

2006-02-04T04:36:00.001-08:00

In 1984 the Clippers moved to Los Angeles, California, playing in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena while the Lakers, with a better reputation, continued to play at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, a few miles south. The Clippers were completely overshadowed by their cross-town counterparts, who were in the midst of a championship run with future Hall of Famers, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy. The Clippers, under head coach Jim Lynam (and later Don Chaney) and new acquisitions Marques Johnson, Junior Bridgeman, and Harvey Catchings (all acquired via trade from the Milwaukee Bucks), finished with a disappointing 31-51 record in the first season in the City of Angels.