This is going to be one of the hardest blogs I've ever had to write. I'm convinced that my biggest obstacle to being a sports writer, besides the fact that I'm probably not nearly talented enough, is that I won't ever be able to cover sports in a impartial way. But here it goes....
Congratulations to the Lakers for winning the 2009 Championship. Am I bitter? Maybe just a little, but I do think the Lakers were the best team this year, especially without Garnett being in the mix. I'm also not one of those people you see in the Espn comment boards, that are ignorant and just hate on teams or player to hate on them. The Lakers were clearly better than this Magic team. Even though the series could've been 3-1 in the Magic favor, it was mostly because the Lakers didn't play their best basketball. I thought Game 5 was a really good indicator of how the rest of the series should have gone. They had the best player in the league and probably the best, or at least the most successful coach of all time, plus all the playoff experience. The Magic have some really good players, but their best player, Dwight Howard, is still extremely raw, and their point guards are inconsistent. This Magic team could be a force in the years to come though.
I've talked a lot about my dislike for the Lakers. But the truth is, I really only dislike Kobe Bryant. Kobe is an incredible player, probably one of the top 10 ever, but he is no Jordan. I think my respect and love for Jordan makes me dislike Kobe, and I will admit that it is a dumb reason to dislike someone. Kobe showed me something in that final game last night though. He finally showed that leadership quality and willingness to defer to teammates that I never saw with him before. This Lakers team is more deep and talented than any Bulls team Jordan had, but still Kobe is what makes them go, and his dedication and passion to the game is something to be admired.
I've always loved Phil Jackson as a coach. People always talk about how he has always had a superstar on his team, but what coach hasn't? Also, it takes a special coach to be able to coach superstars and teach them how to play within a team system. Plus, any success in professional sports, the NBA especially, is determined by the talent on your team. You could be the greatest coach of all time and still not get the Clippers to the playoffs. As much as I love Red Auerbach, he played in an era where three or four teams were good, and there wasn't anywhere near the depth of talent there is today. Plus the fact that they played two less playoff series and there was no free agency. That is why it is so hard to compare players and coaches from different eras. Anyway, congrats to the Lakers, but the Celtics will be coming for them next year!
Ahhh, basketball is over and with no Olympics or World Cup this summer I have officially reached the low point of my sports year. I really wish I was more of a baseball fan. I do love the Red Sox, but it is just painfully boring to watch. Plus, none of the regular season games really mean anything because there are about 1,000 games in a season. The good news is, with a two month wait till football season, it will give me a chance to talk about some sports related memories and thoughts from my own life. Thanks everyone for reading!
Congratulations to the Lakers for winning the 2009 Championship. Am I bitter? Maybe just a little, but I do think the Lakers were the best team this year, especially without Garnett being in the mix. I'm also not one of those people you see in the Espn comment boards, that are ignorant and just hate on teams or player to hate on them. The Lakers were clearly better than this Magic team. Even though the series could've been 3-1 in the Magic favor, it was mostly because the Lakers didn't play their best basketball. I thought Game 5 was a really good indicator of how the rest of the series should have gone. They had the best player in the league and probably the best, or at least the most successful coach of all time, plus all the playoff experience. The Magic have some really good players, but their best player, Dwight Howard, is still extremely raw, and their point guards are inconsistent. This Magic team could be a force in the years to come though.
I've talked a lot about my dislike for the Lakers. But the truth is, I really only dislike Kobe Bryant. Kobe is an incredible player, probably one of the top 10 ever, but he is no Jordan. I think my respect and love for Jordan makes me dislike Kobe, and I will admit that it is a dumb reason to dislike someone. Kobe showed me something in that final game last night though. He finally showed that leadership quality and willingness to defer to teammates that I never saw with him before. This Lakers team is more deep and talented than any Bulls team Jordan had, but still Kobe is what makes them go, and his dedication and passion to the game is something to be admired.
I've always loved Phil Jackson as a coach. People always talk about how he has always had a superstar on his team, but what coach hasn't? Also, it takes a special coach to be able to coach superstars and teach them how to play within a team system. Plus, any success in professional sports, the NBA especially, is determined by the talent on your team. You could be the greatest coach of all time and still not get the Clippers to the playoffs. As much as I love Red Auerbach, he played in an era where three or four teams were good, and there wasn't anywhere near the depth of talent there is today. Plus the fact that they played two less playoff series and there was no free agency. That is why it is so hard to compare players and coaches from different eras. Anyway, congrats to the Lakers, but the Celtics will be coming for them next year!
Ahhh, basketball is over and with no Olympics or World Cup this summer I have officially reached the low point of my sports year. I really wish I was more of a baseball fan. I do love the Red Sox, but it is just painfully boring to watch. Plus, none of the regular season games really mean anything because there are about 1,000 games in a season. The good news is, with a two month wait till football season, it will give me a chance to talk about some sports related memories and thoughts from my own life. Thanks everyone for reading!
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