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.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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?
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
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?
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?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
