The Interruption has been Pardoned Once and For All: Moving Day

To all my loyal followers, interruptionhasbeenpardoned.blogspot.com has been bought out. I will now be writing for trueball.wordpress.com, a true pioneer in the game and a site I have aspired to be like since entering sportsblog industry. I look forward to working with professionals and hearing your thoughts on the new page. It's been a slice!

www.trueball.wordpress.com

Tom Brady: The Most Underrated Player in Football

I hate to publish this article because it kind of hints to the good pals in my fantasy football league how high I value the guy, but Tom Brady IS the most underrated player in fantasy football this season, and in turn, football alone.
Lets talk facts. Everyone knows about the three superbowls, everyone knows about the near perfect season and the superbowl disaster, but it really seems to me lately like people forget that the last time this man played a full season of football, he broke the touchdown record. Threw fuckin 50. Everyone said Randy Moss would be a big bust and do just what he did in Oakland, but no. He ALSO broke the touchdown record. 23. This is the exact same offense taking the field next season, the only difference being a year of experience under their belt. Here's a fitting picture.

The haters? Well the haters like to talk about how a big injury like the one Brady suffered last season from Chiefs defensive linemen Bernard Pollard changes a QB's comfort level in the pocket and mentally puts him on edge. Sure, I can buy it for some. But come on people, this guy stepped in midseason his first shaving virtually no starts under his belt and won a superbowl. He's won two more since then. He's arguably the best quarterback to ever play the game of football (unarguably in my mind but whatever). Do you really think he's going to be mentally "on-edge" from this knee injury? Doubtful. Tom Brady's middle name is clutch, I don't care how many times he tells you it's Kenneth.
That said, am I really supposed to take Drew Brees over Tom? Really? Granted, Brees almost broke 5000 yards last season and Marino's record, but he has no go to receiver (check your stat sheets if Marques Colston just popped into your head). The run game seems to be improving in New Orleans with the emergence of Pierre Thomas as well and Sean Payton has said publicly he would like to see Drew's passing numbers come down a little bit as long as the rushing ones shoot up in return. Take the load off Ol' Drew.
Brady did just acquire Fred Taylor and the Pats running game is looking stronger than even the Corey Dillon days, (especially if they can sign Benjarvus to an extension), but this only serves to open up Moss and Welker more. This argument does not apply to the Saints because I said so.
I have even seen some Fantasy mock drafts where Brady is behind Peyton Manning. Now Brees I can understand, but why don't you just go ahead and draft Jamarcus Russell before brady too you idiots.


In his personal life, Brady gets to be the horse in the picture below, every night.

Sooo. Yeahhh.

To all my fantasy football friends: I value Brady really low and don't like him, won't even take him probably.

Orlando Drowning in the Nonexistent Lakes of L.A.

The Magic are in trouble. I know, I know, it has only been one game, and they say a series doesn't start until you lose a game at home. But my trouble with that is that it is then possible for a series to end without ever starting. Regardless, back to the current situation. Dwight Howard seems to have finally met his match in the post in a young, tough and big Andrew Bynum and a long, smart Pau Gasol. The opposing styles of these two guys gives Dwight a variety of defensive styles to try and contend with and he never really seemed to get a rhythm going in L.A.'s dominant game 1 victory.
I have counted the magic out once before in these playoffs, I know, but I'm doing it again. They are outmatched it seems in two critical areas, both non-technical (not to mention the techincals). First, solidified team experience. Kobe has played with Pau and Lamar now for a couple years, and this exact squad went to the NBA finals last year and took it to 6 games (minus Bynum and plus Turiaf of course). Pau's big man IQ mixed with Kobe's experience of knowing his teammates like Fisher and Farmar and Lamar, seems too much for the Magic defense. Also, simply put, Michael Pietrus nor Courtney Lee could really do SHIT to Kobe last game (the 40, 8 and 8 sums that up though) Second is sheer motivation. Kobe's alone seems outmatch that of the entire Magic squad.

Bryant lost an opportunity to claim NBA royalty just last year despite taking home the season's MVP. The media is getting him fired up about this Shaq thing again. LeBron (the reigning MVP) aint around to steal his glory. The Black Mamba is drooling with venom, and as long as the Lakeshow can keep Orlando's three balls to a respectable number like they had no trouble doing in Game 1, he should have no problem sinking his teeth into another golden basketball.
Prediction: As my boy K. Jensen said, the Lakers will take it in 5. Jensen understands the low-post and rebounding game particularly well and he doesnt see Dwight taking charge against this tough post d that Phil Jackson's team is supplying. Enjoy game 2 friends!

What a Dwightmare

A few weeks back when the Orlando Magic were on the road in a game 7 situation against the Celtics, I said that if the Magic were gonna beat the obnoxious Celtics, Dwight Howard would have to put the team on his cantaloupe shoulders, rebound, block, defend, but most importantly my friends, D12 had to score like channel 29 (whattup Shaw cable). I also said I didn't think he had it in him to do this and that the Celts would continue their run. Oh how pleasantly surprised I was.

You know how the rest of the story goes, Big Dwight and his sharpshooters did military presses with the measley Celts in game 7, winning by 20 pts. Dwight then took some of his magic into Cleveland and shocked the King and his Cavaliers in 6 games. D12 and the boys now have a ticket to Los Angeles for June 4th (which happens to be the same day as game 1 of the NBA finals). Shockingly, a playoff media frenzy that was dominated by the, well, dominant Cavs, suddenly switched to the Magic, and more significantly, from Lebron James to Dwight Howard.
There's no arguing that LeBron is the more talented, versatile player. But like many (including myself) say time and time again, it's all about winning, and that is what Stan Van Gundy's squad is doing. The way the Magic play with Dwight Howard, the way he frees up the perimeter shooting so drastically for such potent jump-shooters like Pietrus and Lewis to knock down their treys, is a championship formula. Leaving Dwight one on one always results in a backdown to dunk (usually a posterizing one) and he's quickly picking up a barrage of other post-moves. His foul shooting, which was not great in the regular season, has greatly improved when it has needed to also, in the playoffs. Oh did I mention defense by the way? Yes, he was the defensive player of the year easily leading the league in blocked shots and rebounds, and no surprise this trend is continuing in the playoffs.
While LeBron and Kobe and D-Wade are all unblockable players in a sense, no players are as unblockable as the Howards and the Shaqs. LeBron and Kobe can spot up for that jumper or drive through the lane at will it seems, but never can they body someone physically in the way Dwight can. He stands 7 feet tall, weighs over 270 lbs and bench-presses a mindblowing 365 pounds!!!! (Don't believe me? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lek3aSbUsUM). Think Shaq in his prime, times ten! Think most of Shaq's weight turned into muscle. Upper body muscle. Post and pivot and dunk the fuck outya muscle! Dwight is a freight train and when Anderson Varejao tried to hack-a-shaq him in game 5 of the conference finals by basically strangle-holding him, Howard finished the bucket. Brute strength was exhibited, plain and simple.
The comparisons to Shaq are fair, but Howard is just better. He is the quickest player ever to reach 10,000 rebounds, throws down more vicious dunks, (Dwight skipped breaking the backboard and went right to bobbling the shot-clock over with one). He is a better free throw shooter, in much better physical condition, has quicker feet, and in 2 years, should have a much more daunting post-game. But hey, that's just my opinion, and I'm just a guy. Let's just hope for the Magic's sake that the duration of his stay in Orlando also outdoes Shaq's.


What about the way Dwight has been marketed? Has he been done justice? Sure, he is one of the NBA's superstars, but he doesn't have endorsement contracts like LeBron and Kobe. I read a quote the other day saying that not signing Dwight Howard when they could have gotten him out of high school like LeBron will be one of Nike's greatest financial regrets. The Nike execs now have to sit back and and watch some of the most vicious dunks in NBA history (outside of Shawn Kemp) be thrown down in a crispy pair of size 17 Adidas!!!
So here's my forecast: Ten years plus of Dwight Dominance. He will be as dominant as Tim Duncan is with his fundamentals, he just might never get a Parker and Ginobili (although his current supporting cast is nothing to sneeze at). I see 2 or 3 championships barring injury in his career. LeBron will not be the only one in his career to suffer from a playoff episode of Dwightmares. Oh, by the way, I'm not posting this article until the Magic win the championship in 2 weeks. Whoops. Whatever...

Last 5 WhiteBoys You Wanna Mess with in the NBA!

5) Andrew Bogut
This fiery young gluestick is an intimidating fellow. Bouncing around the paint to block shots like the Kangaroos from his homeland, the man stands 7 feet tall and weighs over 260 lbs. He's also had 9 offensive rebounds in one game TWICE. Fairly beast.

4) David Lee
Whatchu know about David Lee? This stud of a 4-man from the Knicks is a double-double MACHINE and yes, he retains full whiteboy status! He is the first Knick to have over 30 pts and over 20 rebs in a game since Patty Ewing, just breakin records previously held by superior african-american beasts!

3) Stevie Nash
Canadian, extreme blue-collar tough guy player, consecutive MVP's, battles through the pain like in the pic, what else do you want? Plus, you fuck with Steve, you fuck with Big Aristotle!

2) There is no number 2, as there simply isn't a fifth man remotely intimidating.
1) Marcin Gortat - The Polish Hammer!!!
At 7 feet, 250 lbs, and simple Iron Man status, Gortat is a scary scary man. This man ate his perogies as a child and it has paid off in his post game. With a shnoz like an aardvark, he sniffs out the ball and swats it out of the way. In conclusion, a picture of the two of the scariest men in the NBA...lookin pretty jovial actually.

An Imagined Moment: Featuring LeBron James

At the Bank
-Wattup LeBron?
-Who are you?
-Just a guy who writes a blog, you mind if I ask you some questions?
-Not at all, after all, I am an extremely personable man.
-Interesting. So what are you doing at the bank?
-Just peepin my $90 mill from nike.
-So how are the playoffs going?
-Well, we started out playin insane basketball, but those was shit teams. Rasheed had some crazy kush that week and was NOT in the game. He's their x-factor. Hamilton can shoot the jumper, but you know, he a little bitch wit a facemask. I took all those fools on when they HAD Chauncey in the 07 conference finals. single handedly!
-I'm actually a fan of Rip and the D-town, so please, refrain. What about the Hawks?
-Their best players aint "best player" material. Joe Jonhnson? Josh Smith? I shit on em. Even got Ben Wallace so open he hit a few shots in that series.
-But LeBron, how can you sound so cheery? You're down 2-1 against the Magic in a series where they're pick and roll system is taking your defense by storm! You should be down 3-0 if not for an extremely heroic shot by you at the end of game 2.
-Yea that shot was the shit. Biggest shot o my life. But uh, yeah, don't tell anyone this, but I think we gonna lose this series. Orlando actually beat us 2-1 in the season series and they just match us up in a way that we can't defend. My cast just aint good enough. I need someone else, or I'ma get the fuck outta Cleveland!
-Wow so many huge headlines in that one statement!! I can't believe you broke that to Interruption has Been Pardoned first!!!
-What you talkin bout? This conversation actually just took place in your mind you psycho. Go Yankees!

Crunch Time

What's good in the hood sports fans? I hope we've all been keeping up to date on the wings, blackhawks, penguins and most importantly hurricanes. I hope everyone was a "witness" to LeBron and co's 3rd (but really only 2nd) loss in the slickly named Quicken Loans Center. I hope everyone realizes the Magic are undefeated when Dwight Howard breaks the shot clock with a dunk that would have set Bill Walton's hair aflame. And lastly, but certainly not least, I hope we have all been thoroughly enjoying this southwestern-slugfest between the LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.
"Shit be goin good, but good can turn to better". As is the case with professional sports. Late May is a time when every franchise in the NHL and NBA still playing games needs to check themselves and ask what they can do to turn their team's season from a good one to a championship one. Predictions? The Stanley Cup Finals is headed for a rematch. But this time, especially if Malkin shows up to play, the hungry Pittsburgh Penguins will take one home. But now onto more important things. The wonderful, racially diverse game of basketball.
Let me just lay this on the line for my buddy T.M. Wiliamson at Trueball.wordpress.com (a savvy blog nonetheless), but I would take my Chauncey Billups over his beloved CP3 in a championship run anytime. It has always been my opinion that (to a certain extent) experience, maturity, and basketball wisdom wins more championships than great numbers. No, Chauncey does not average 22 and 11 or whatever CP3 does. But he was easily the single biggest addition to any team in professional sports this year, turned Melo from a good player into a top 5 player (words from Carmelo himself), and coaches the young Nuggets squad like a guy who's been to many conference finals and has a chip. And best of all, Chauncey has the balls to bounce the ball off Kobe's back in an inbound play to himself and lay it in, and it should've been an And 1. So yes, I'm expecting tons and tons of beef calling out CP3 like that, because I myself admit he is the better point guard, but sometimes experience just wins out. Another one of my main concerns with Paul is that he did not necessarily get better this year. He was more fun to watch last year and took his team to the second round of the playoffs and almost the conference finals, losing a game 7 at home to the Spurs if I recall correctly. Once again, before you all throw your computers, I admit CP3 is the best PG in the NBA right now, but Chauncey is playing phenomenal basketball in the western conference finals, something Paul has never had the opportunity to do.

Anyway, in terms of predictions, I think the Lakers will win. I am really really pulling for the Nuggets and would love to see Chauncey win a second championship, but I think these finals are primed for Kobe-Lebron. Which brings me to the east.
The Magic shocked the Cavs in game 1, coming back from a 15 point halftime deficit. Dwight Howard put the team on his gigantic watermelon shoulders and dunked it exactly when he needed to, and dished it out to the perimeter when they doubled him for Rashard or Hedo to bury their consistent 3 balls (not to mention Johnson, Pietrus and Alston, all of whom can shoot the 3 above average). But not to worry Cleveland fans. The Cavs have not had to make an adjustment these whole playoffs, and I'm confident that the coach of the year and the MVP will have a slight idea what to do about it. There is one huge problem for the Cavs though, and that problem goes by the name of Zydrunas Ilgauskus and looks exactly like the bad Russian guy in "Fargo". Big Z cannot do anything on defense against two awesomely powerful Magic Post-men, D-Howard and The Polish Hammer, GORTAT!!!! If the Cavs can somehow solve this problem, maybe get Joe Johnson to play some physical d, and try to get as much help from LBJ as possible, the Cavs' offense will be near impossible to keep up with. Keep in mind that Cleveland was easily the defensive team of the year, but also the most chemically charged offensive squad in the NBA as well.
When the finals tip off on June 4th, I'm confident game 1 will be in the Quicken Loans Arena and the opponents dressed like Ludacris's weed, Yellow wit dat Purp. I apologize for this post being very ranty and tangenty, but hey, it's a blog, not a wedding toast (Although that woulda been one hell of a wedding toast).

Nuggets Homeless for Game 4

Stan Kroenke's Denver Nuggets, the second seed in the NBA's western conference, are just that. The SECOND seed. So of course, the Pepsi Center (the arena in Denver) is booked solid on potential gamenights right up until the last potential date for a finals game 7. Unfortunately for Nuggets fans, next monday the Pepsi Center is booked, but not for Carmelo, Chauncey and the hottest team in basketball. It's booked for WWE's Monday Night Raw, and it's already sold over 10,000 tickets!!! Do you smell what the Kroenke is cookin?
The point is this: If the owner of the Nuggets, a team that has been playing well all season and has always been in the playoff race, did not have enough faith in them to make it to the conference finals, then how are the fans supposed to have the faith? Luckily, this story did not come out until, well, Kroenke realized he was gonna get busted anyway if Carmelo showed up to his locker next monday to find the Undertaker lacing up his American Badass boots, or gravedigging boots, depending on how the Undertaker is feeling this year. So the fans did keep their faith without knowing the pessimistic forecast of their owner. But eventually, Mr. embarrassed owner came clean, and commish David Stern said he is staying out of this. "Vince Mcmahon and Stanley Kroenke will have to deal with this themselves" said a stern Stern. This has hell in a cell written all over it, and just in time for summerslam!!!

Big Baby makes a push into greatness!

As been made public before, I am not a fan of the Boston Celtics, but, I do admire their up and coming PF Glen Davis. First of all, he is likely the heaviest guy in the NBA. His wide, stocky body would make you think he's lining up every sunday to protect a Quarterback in the NFL, not hitting buzzer-beating jump shots on mondays. Second, he is in the headlines right now for pushing a young Orlando fan after hitting the said shot. Now this was not a taunt push, or intimidation to a fan (which I hope would be way beyond any professional athlete besides J.O. and Artest). It was simply "I'm so excited and I'm swingin my arms, so get outta my way". It was fine, and he should not have to apologize. Regardless, this is a hilarious highlight to watch. The fan is absolutely devastated at the shot Glen hits, and then is startled when he comes barreling down the floor in celebration and gets pushed by the game winner himself. Now that the kid's father's reaction has surfaced (one of the pussiest, lamest things I've ever heard) I would have loved to have seen Big Baby hit the shot and turn around and punch the kid square in the nose and say something like, "You just got knocked by Big Baby Davis bitch". Something blunt like that. In general, I would like to see more fan pushing.

GAME 7 TONIGHT

Hopes are on the capitals, moneys on the penguins...in turn, hopes are on the penguins. Hoo ah!

NBA - State of the Union

Here's my rundown of what's going on in the NBA right now:

LA Lakers vs. Houston Rockets: This series has been back and forth but last night I think LA sealed the deal for themselves. The Lake Show won the game by 40 and their starters basically rested the entire fourth quarter. Houston looks done like dinner. But this series has revealed some very positive things for Rick Adelman's Rockets. First, they know how to play shutdown defense on some of the NBA's best players. Second, the emergence of Aaron Brooks in this series has been shocking but delightful for the rockets. In game 4, when Houston was supposed to lose by 30 because of no Yao Ming, they WON by a huge margin and Aaron Brooks scored over 30 pts. There is no doubt in my mind that by the end of next season he will be regarded as one of the western conferences elite point guards, and yes, there are many. But as for now, Kobe, Pau, Lamar and Phil Jackson are too determined. They responded exactly as they needed to last night, and should have no trouble wrapping up the series to get a trip to the conference finals.

Denver Nuggets vs. Dallas Mavericks: It's really unfortunate for Dallas that the guy making all the headlines on their squad isn't even a player. The flamboyant Mark Cuban (the team's owner) swears at the refs (and Kenyon Martin's mom) more than KG does to himself on the bench. But let's talk basketball. Yes, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard and Jason Terry are all very good players. The trouble is, the Mavericks play by far the worst team-oriented basketball in the playoffs right now. Dirk's signature fade-away jumper requires no ball movement whatsoever and many of their other offensive executions require mainly one-man shows. I am yet to see an amazing TEAM play from the Mavs. Unfortunately, they're down 3-1 to the Nuggets, who play phenomenal team basketball, and use each other to put points up (perhaps with the exception of JR Smith who likes to launch it from wherever he feels appropriate. The thing is, it usually goes in for JR). It's pretty clear that the Nuggets will take this series and meet the Lakers in the conference finals; and that my friends, will be an amazing, amazing, sporting event. By the way, is Carmelo for real these days? If Carmelo Anthony plays like he has been lately when the Nugs meet the Lakers and Chauncey Billups stays healthy and productive, the Nuggets are my pick to win the west. In fact, the Nuggets will win the conference if Carmelo Anthony scores over 25 pts every game, ya dig?

Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic: This is the best series in sports right now behind the NHL's Capitals and Penguins. The defending champions are playing with a tenacity that has been expected. Ray Allen is easily the most clutch in the NBA right now, hitting another huge three-ball to take the lead in and eventually win game 5 last night. The key to the Magic's comeback will be the ability of Dwight "Superman" Howard to be a FRANCHISE player. Can Dwight save the franchise, when they need it most, and save Orlando from losing to the Celts? Can he rebound, dunk, and defend like crazy? Can he be Bill Rusell for two games and not let points be scored in the post? Simply put, no, he cannot. While I am a huge fan of Howard, his lack of offensive game is the entire Magic's kryptonite, and in general they're not an extremely exciting team to watch. Dwight is an entertaining athlete to watch, but for me its almost as entertaining seeing that man in a suit (no homo). This is an interesting situation for me as a fan. I HATE the Boston Celtics, and don't mind the Magic. but I'm cheering for Boston because I want to see LeBron get payback for last year. While I don't like Boston, I have to admit they play such entertaining basketball and find themselves in many exciting series. And mainly, like I said, I wanna see LeBron shit on these guys.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs ????: Here ye, Here ye, The pride and glory of Professional sports right now, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. They have swept two consecutive series winning EVERY SINGLE GAME by double digit margins. Phenomenal. Like, just great! LeBron is awesome and so are they. But, and this is a Mariah Carey BUT, they have not faced a good team yet. Pistons? Falling apart. Hawks? Up and comers still trying to find themselves. However unlike most, I see this as an advantage. While the Lakers and Nuggets have been wearing themselves down and will continue to do so ten-fold against each other, LeBron has been "chillin with his kids, watchin madagascar 2 and stuff like dat". He has been mentally prepping for the Conference finals and in turn the NBA finals (take it from a man who knows, Madagascar 2 gets you pumped). He will have lots of strength when he has to face a tired Lakers or Nuggets squad. By the season's end, King James will finally have his crown. BOOM. Enjoy a semi-related video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N-E3HjnZ7U

TOUCHDOWN

There are 3 touchdown passes I want to witness this upcoming NFL season.

1) Brady to Moss. This connection was the pride and joy of the 07/08 season when Brady threw 50 td's and moss caught 23, both season records. TB12 of course missed all of last season after Bernard Pollard of the Chiefs gave the rest of the league a security blanket and knocked out his knee. Moss however continued to shine with Matt Cassel. But according to New England, Tom's rehab went famously, and I'm anticipating big things from both him and Randy.

2) Brett Favre to Percy Harvin. Need I say more? Well I will. This is looking like more and more of a possibility each day. Childress continues to talk with Brett at "undisclosed locations" (knowing Brett, probably Hooters) and the chance of seeing "Favre" written on the back of a Vikings jersey this season continues to grow. Percy Harvin, Minnesota's touted draft pick, is a guy who knows how to have fun (just check his urine from the draft), but more importantly, an extremely talented wideout. Seeing the 40 year old Favre connect with the rookie Harvin would be one for the ages, and probably the highlight reel.

3) Anyone to Plaxico Burress, or Michael Vick to Anyone. No comment.

Ovechkin: Sick Game

Last night in game 2 of the Capitals/Penguins series, both Sidney Crosby AND Alex Ovechkin had hat-tricks. Both players were absolutely phenomenal but someone else on Washington managed to score as well while no one other than Sid could pop one by Washington's Varlamov, leading to a 4-3 Caps victory. The real difference and the blog-worthy part of this game came in the post-game press conference however.
Sid took the podium like a blue-collar guy ready to get back to work. "It's never a good sign when someone on the other team scores three goals, I didn't like all the hats being thrown on the ice, etc. etc." Hey, Crosby, SHUT THE F*** UP. You just gave the NHL one of the best games its ever seen! You scored your first career playoff hat-trick, granted you lost the game, but observe the situation with some objectivity and realism for once. Admit what happened out there was awesome and maybe a step forward for the game of hockey itself. Or, just whine. Whine like you always do.
Enter Alex Ovechkin. "Sick game! Sick three goals by me, sick three goals by him!" DAMN RIGHT. And said in that hilarious Russian accent, it sounded all the more fun-loving. Some of you may disagree with me, but I think Ovie would have said something similar had the Capitals lost the game because Alex knows how to have fun. He is able to appreciate the rarity of what happened in that game, and unlike Crosby, he doesn't think it's necessarily a terrible thing that a guy on the other team is scoring three goals, at least it's putting the NHL on the map!
Here's the final word, Ovechkin is the attitude the fans and the league want, Crosby is the guy you want on your team. Sid wants to win and nothing else matters. While this is the kind of attitude that is heralded in professional sports, it's not the one fans want. For example, Shaq vs. Tim Duncan. Terrell Owens vs. Marvin Harrison. And now, Ovechkin vs. Crosby. One's a show, one's a joe.
But hey, Duncan, Harrison and Crosby are the ones with the championships, or at least the playoff wins (in Crosby's case). But what I love about Ovechkin is that despite his foreign heritage, the way he carries himself is anything but. He seems to realize that this modern world of professional sports is a world of hype, attention, twittering, blogging, and making a splash. This is where Ovechkin greatly outshines Crosby, the media game (this is also what people say Lebron James does so much better than Michael Jordan). 30 years down the road, Ovie will be the one you want to catch for a quick interview if he's attending a game. He provides the humor and has a knack for the spotlight. He looks like having fun is important to him, and winning isn't all that matters, unlike Canada's Crosby. Oh, also, Ovechkin scores shitloads more goals. Sorry Sid.

Are the Lakers still the obvious favorite?

At the beginning of these NBA playoffs I figured the Lakers would cruise to the NBA finals and eventually win the championship. But as the Denver Nuggets keep getting big wins, L.A. is slowly becoming the second best team in the west. Here's the deal: The Lakers have three players who can be dominant when they're all clicking, Kobe, Pau and Lamar Odom. But the Nuggets are stacked player after player who have thus far been labelled as underachievers in their careers but are now reaching an extremely high level of play. Carmelo Anthony, JR Smith, Kenyon Martin and Nene ALL have the ability to average over 20 pts a game, not mention Chris the birdman Andersen on defense who is second in the league in blocks. And with Chauncey Billups running the point, they look like a championship-caliber team.
After the Nuggets smoked the New Orleans Hornets in game 4 of the first-round series by a comical 58 pts, their momentum hasn't let up, even when Disco Dirk came out firing this afternoon. No worries for George Karl's squad. They applied perfect defensive schemes and came out on top 109-95.
Phil Jackson has reason to be worried about his next ring. I would still call his team the front runner for the title. But, I think Denver is more likely to beat the Lakers than Cleveland is. Denver has an extremely poised and skilled point guard who knows how to win championships. Their energy as an all around team cannot be matched by any other in the league, and they have the big men to control the versatile duo of Gasol and Odom. The Cavs on the other hand are riding on home court advantage (which as we've seen so far matters ALOT in the NBA) and one other thing: The best player in basketball. Be afraid Kobe, be very afraid.

Capitals win, I lose

I had a pro-line riding on the Penguins this afternoon. But unlike my prediction, Washington looked pretty sharp at home. That is all.

Boston/Chicago Game 7!!!

Tonight's the night. Tonight is the god damn night for the Bulls! This young squad is going to go into the Boston Garden and show these old-man Celtics that they aint shit without their oldest man.
Do I really believe that? I wish. Unfortunately, The Boston Celtics have won more game 7's than any other franchise in the NBA. The Chicago Bulls on the other hand, have won 0 game 7's on the road, not even with MJ. This is something they must do tonight against the defending world champs. Chicago has been absolutely magical in this series, but if I was a betting man, I'd bet their season ends tonight, in regulation.
I HATE the Celtics. But Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo are all going to come out firing tonight and those are three of the most dangerous players in the league right now, not to mention the extremely consistent Kendrick Perkins. The jury's still out on Big Baby. Regardless, this is a veteran squad that knows how to win Game 7's, and they won 3 last year.
The Bulls can win. They can. But as I sit here watching game 6 again, the Bulls won that game because they took advantage of the Celtics' mistakes. If Ray Allen and Eddie house would have had their foot on the line for their long 2 balls at the end of that game, they perhaps would have won. If Boston continues to make these sloppy errors, Chicago could take advantage. I think Boston will be sharper than ever though, and it pains me to say it. (Hey, dont worry fellow haters, LeBron and Mo Williams are LICKING THEIR CHOPS).
My prediction: Boston wins by 10 in regulation. My Hope: Chicago wins by 1 in triple overtime. My Schedule: Going to Wasabi with the family at 7:30 so I'm gonna have to PVR this thing. NO TEXTS PEOPLE. NO TEXTS.

What the Favre?!?!

Well, It's May. Spring is in the air, NBA and NHL playoffs are ruling the airwaves, exams are wrapping up, and like clockwork, Brett Favre is thinking about playin' some football again. THINKING about it is all they're saying though. Pardon The Interruption (not The Interruption has been Pardoned) reported earlier this week that Favre asked TWICE to be released from the New York Jets organization so he could "retire". Now why would a player be so adamant about having his rights released if he were gonna do nothing but watch the 09/10 season on his LCD bigscreen anyway?
Something doesn't add up right? Right! Guess what? Brett wants to play again. No questions asked. And judging by this picture, Sports Illustrated may also have a feeling Brett aint done.
After his final season with the Green Bay Packers, Favre sat at the pressbox and cried his wholesome-as-corn tears out as he announced his retirement. Sports fans thought it was sad, I thought it was pathetic. If Glen Davis is Big Baby then Favre is Big Loser. Just as a sidenote, does anyone here recall Michael Strahan's retirement? "World, I won the superbowl, it's been a slice, I'm goin out on top, Peace!" And guess what? We never saw the man in uniform again, nor will we. (Yes, I know, measuring oneself against the Stray Dogg can be bad for anyone's self image, unless we're talkin teeth).
But not good old Brett. This sad sack of shit cried his eyes out over his retirement, decided to come back and see if Green Bay would take him back again, cause one of the greatest quarterback controversies of all time, put his good friend Aaron Rogers in an awkward position to say the least, and basically oust himself from Packer greatness. One of, if not the most legendary Green Bay QB of all time quickly became the lamest. (Props to Bart Starr, a man who understands retirement).
After a media melee, Favre signed for 6 billion dollars for one year with the Jets. He led them to a promising start too, only to have it absolutely shatter near the end when it mattered. Kind of a good metaphor for his whole career actually.
So now what? He's been released by the jets after I believe an 8-8 season (not sure about that one) only to twiddle his thumbs again. But as Wilbon said, which team will get their private Jet to wisconsin first, the Redskins or the Vikings? Because both organizations are clearly desperate enough at quarterback, judging by interest in by both teams in the availability of both Matt Cassel and Jay Cutler. (And let's just say if Sage Rosenfels is being flown in, your QB situation is DIRE).
And believe you me avid readers, also desperate enough is Brett. He can't leave football alone no matter how hard he tries. He's the kind of guy who gets a stiffy from the swine flu panic cause it reminds him of pigskin. He loves beer. He advertises for Wrangler jeans. He has a salt and pepper due and a cannon of an arm. Granted, Brett Favre is the definition of an NFL QB.

But pleaaaaaassseee Brett. You already lead the league in TD's, you lead the league in interceptions, you lead it in gayness. If you come back, you're just gonna add a little to all three. Do yourself and all of us a favor: Buy a pair of levis and enjoy football how it's meant to be enjoyed...on a crispy high definition television.

Copy and paste the link below for an in depth look at the projected cover

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3136/2690700258_ddafab5eee_o.jpg

Heat/Hawks tonight

D Wade and my Miami Heat better lay Josh Smith OUT tonight. Last game, up 20 points in the fourth quarter, Smith had a clear path to the basket and decided to attempt a through-the-legs dunk that failed miserably. Wade called it offensive, and I called it hilarious. The fact that he missed it by so much was almost enough justice for me, being a heat fan, but look for Jermaine O'neal or Udonis Haslem to establish a body on Smith early. GO HEAT GO!

Bulls/Celtics...One for the Ages

What a series!!! In the first quarter of last night's game 6 between the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo slammed Kirk Hinrich into the broadcasting booth and the intensity never let up. After Rondo was assessed a flagrant 1 while Hinrich a technical, the teams went back and forth for four quarters and THREE overtimes until rookie of the year Derrick Rose edged out Rondo on a defensive play that sealed the game. But the win would not have been possible without several things. First, Hinrich played relentless, Shane Battier-like defense (wattup to Richard Pollock) on Paul Pierce all night. Second, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and most importantly John Salmons, the Big Tuna himself, were extremely consistent in their offensive execution (Salmons' pump step 3 ball is becoming a late-game trademark). And lastly, Joakim Noah, in the final minutes of the third overtime, made a hustle play to steal the ball away from Paul Pierce and put in a vicious dunk that saved the game and maybe the series (not to mention the fact he was fouled by Pierce on the play, Pierce fouled out, and Noah made the free throw). As Matt Lederman says, "this kid is pure energy!"
Ray Allen's 50 point night did not go unnoticed either. With Garnett already gone and both Pierce and Perkins on the bench with 6 fouls, Allen seemed to pour in dagger after dagger to tie the game when it mattered. Fortunately if you're pullin for the Bulls (like me), Ray-Ray and fellow 3 point specialist Eddie House had their toes on the 3 point line for many of the shots, consequently making them only 2's in a game where every point mattered.

The Bulls ended up winning 128-127 on a ridiculous defensive play by Rose. Game 7 is set for The Boston Garden on Saturday, and I expect it to be wild like Minnesota. The series has had 7 overtimes thus far and could be called the best first round series of all time. The Bulls edged the celtics in an overtime thriller in Boston in Game 1, so don't look too surprised if they manage to do it again this weekend. Keys to the game? John Salmons needs to score, Ben Gordon needs to be clutch, Kirk Hinrich needs to play d and Joakim Noah needs to bring the energy, a guarantee. But most important for Vinny Del Negro's squad will be the play of their young rookie point guard. All great players need to be able win on the road, and on the road in the playoffs. Rose needs to bloom in the Garden.

From The Archives: The Best Ever

I could not even begin to recount how many pitchers of beer or plates of wings, how many games of Madden, or simply how many living-room or kitchen-table discussions I have had in the past few years that have been dedicated to the almighty question of "who is the best at something in their sport right now?" Who is the best point guard in the NBA? Up and coming Chris Paul? 2 time MVP Steve Nash? 3 time NBA champion Tony Parker? Not to mention Deron Williams and Baron Davis, and I'm sure I’m forgetting a couple. Who is the best wideout in the NFL these days? Larry Fitz because of his record-setting playoff run? Randy Moss and his record 25 td's? Or a more under the radar type young-gun like one of the Johnsons? (Andre and Calvin, cmon people). Again, not to mention superstars like Greg Jennings or even big, dumb T.O. After lots of pointless banter (and even more when the conversation takes place over beers) I have always found that the crux of the argument becomes this: To be considered the best ever does one have to know the glory of a Superbowl, an NBA title or a Stanley Cup? (Baseball is for juicers).
In a simple recount of the best, it would seem the answer is yes. Who is the best hockey player of all time hands down, no questions asked? Wayne Gretzky. How many Stanley Cups? 4. Who is hands down the greatest basketball player of all time hands down, no questions asked? Michael Jordan. How many titles? 6. And then we come to what I remember may have first sprung this conversation maybe 4 years ago. "Who is the best football player of all time?" This of course is an impossible question to answer, given the nature of the sport and the difference of skills and types needed for each position. However, if judged against others at one’s position, there is one man who if any can be called the greatest football player of all time and that would be Jerry Rice (3 rings by the way). He leads the NFL in all time touchdowns and almost every receiving record known to man. So again, in a very simple and (for all you people grinding your teeth as you read this) closed-minded view, to be the best you do need to win. Thus, who is the best NFL quarterback of all time? I suggested to some friends one time, all serious football fans, that the best quartebacks of all time could certainly be limited to Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, or Tom Brady. I was immediately met with disgusted sighs and moans and I think someone even told me to "fuck off". But hey, you know what these guys all know how to do? Win. Joe Nameth and his guranteed Superbowl victory, Roger Staubach and his tag as perhaps the best combination of passing and sheer athleticism in a Quarterback ever, and even Peyton Manning who is hearalded for his pigskin IQ, were all brought up by my field of inferiors as guys who must be considered in the argument. But with 3 rings vs 11 rings and the most touchdowns thrown in one season record, I still believed my 3 (Montana, Bradshaw and Brady) were the cream of the crop. The conversation got me curious though and research had to be done. I was of course led to a well-known quarterback from Pittsburgh who seemed destined to play for the Steelers, but ended up finding his fins in Miami. Dan Marino. The Ace Ventura man himself. Could Dan Marino be considered maybe one of the best quarterbacks of all time? He holds the record for most passing yards in a season, but the man has never won a superbowl. Yet many critics put Danny boy in the conversation. To me, this is baffling.
I don’t know where I’m going with this people. But for god’s sake, or for Brett Favre's, someone respond. What do you think?

J.R. SMITH

Does anyone in the NBA heat up like J.R. Smith??? This guy got so hot in the second half of last night's game between the Nuggets and Hornets it was unbelievable. He was sinking incredibly long 3 balls, amping up the crowd, and on one play completely crossed over a feeble New Orleans defender only to take it to the rim for a reverse dunk that as my man Chuck Swirsky would say was sick, wicked and nasty!!! I've heard the idea tossed around before that this guy has the talent to be a top 5 shooting guard in the NBA, and just needs time to develop. Unfortunately, after sinking literally a 26 footer, J.R. showed us why he needs to develop. He got cocky, and took another one...well guarded. It was an air-ball and Denver head coach George Karl could do nothing but shake his head and mumble to one of his assistants. This is something the real superstars in the NBA do not really do. The LeBron's, the Kobe's, the Wade's. But fuck, what potential!!! Another thing I really like about this guy is he looks like he is having fun, unlike, oh, Kobe? He wants to win and he plays with fire and passion. Keep your eyes on JR Smith being guarded by either Jason Terry or Josh Howard as the Nuggets advance to the second round of the western conference playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks.
P.S. Lookout L.A., The Nuggets are on the RISE

Capitals/Penguins Series: Fans Are Ready, But Is The League Itself?

When the Washington Capitals and the leading scorer in the NHL Alexander Ovechkin take the ice against Canada's golden boy Sid The Kid and his Pittsburgh Penguins this week, plenty, and I mean PLENTY will be at stake.
For starters, both Ovechkin and Crosby are among the top 5 most talented players in the world, and to many they are easily the top 2. With great talent comes great excitement and this series is guaranteed to be full of it. The supporting cast of the Penguins is Oscar-worthy as well. Evgeni Malkin, a 22-year old scoring machine cannot go without mention (so there, he was mentioned). Jordan Staal, Sergei Gonchar and an experienced Marc Andre-Fleury in net also bring lots to the table for a Penguin Squad that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. Ovechkin will not be coming alone however either. His fellow Russian Alex Semin and hilariously big-headed coach Bruce Boudreau look not to be outdone. The caps also have a sharpshooting blue-liner who goes by the name of Green.
The last times these teams met in the regular season it was a violent affair. Crosby and Ovechkin shared lots of ice time and things got hot. Both had words for the other after the game, and with the natural talent of both players and both coming into the league at the same time, quite the rivalry has ensued.
Despite all this drama, the question of the series is not "Who will win?" The real question, the one that will matter perhaps 5 or 10 or 50 years from now, is "Is the NHL ready"? Are the NHL and commissioner Gary Bettman ready to promote and sell this series in a professional sports market currently dominated by the NBA playoffs and the NFL draft?
Plain and simple? No. They aren't. Think of it this way, when the Lakers and Celtics met in the finals last year, the tenured David Stern marketed the rivalry geniusly. He employed commercials showing Magic Johnson playing with Bird, reaching out to a past generation of fans. The Lakers were marketed with the showtime aura again while the Celtics boasted their usual blue-collar, get-here-on-defense mentality. Yeah, but, that was the finals right? If Ovechkin and Crosby were playing in the Stanley Cup Finals I'll bet this would get more publicity...
Maybe so. But still, let's look at the NFL. In the regular season, exciting games are marketed with no mercy and the same games are milked schedule after schedule simply because they are the biggest money makers. For example, have you ever seen the Patriots play the Colts? Yeah, me too, probably ten times, and they aren't even in the same division. But Brady vs. Manning justifies it, and part of the reason is because the league itself has gotten us so excited about this rivalry. Marketing creates interest, not vice versa.
I have yet to see any Crosby vs. Ovechkin commercials. I have yet to see any slow motion, black and white plays of Ovechkin scoring one of his countless brilliant goals behind a dramatic piano score, only to have "Where Amazing Happens" appear on the screen and give us shivers. The NHL is not the marketing machine that other leagues are. They do not sell the soap well enough to compete.
The series should be incredible and certainly one of the highlights of the post-lockout era. Goals should be pretty, hits should be nasty, and the intensity high. As Washington's coach Bruce Boudreau said if you thought Washington and New York was nutty, well "This is Washington/Pittsburgh. Welcome to the circus." But I'll probably have to check the highlight reel, as I'll be watching more interesting sports. Sports who have made an effort to to get my ratings. Bulls/Celtics anyone? Seinfeld Reruns anyone?