Boston Sports fan in DC

Super Bowl Preview: The Pats get Revenge

2012-02-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

The Pats are back in the Super Bowl for the 5th time in the last 10 years (god we Boston fans are spoiled). This time around is completely different than 07-08. Much of the talk this week has been about Eli Manning and how he and the Giants look so much like the team of 07. Actually, this isn't true. They are better than that team.

The Giants should be favored in this game and I'm not really sure why the spread is still -2 for the Pats. How do you beat the Patriots? Have a dominant defensive line that can pressure Brady and explosive receivers that can expose the suspect, though underrated Patriots defense. The Giants come equipped with both of these. Not to mention the hottest quarterback in the league, Eli Manning. The Giants in theory should win this game.

Why do I still think the Patriots will win? It is simple. The underdog role is when the Pats play their best football. Personally I hated the 2007-2008 season. Every game we had everything to lose and nothing to gain. We were always the top dog. Although the Patriots have been dominant at times this year, the defense is suspect at best and we have no outside receivers (Ocho Cinco is horrific).

What we do have is the best player in the game (Tom Brady), the best coach ever ( Belichick), and Gronk, who may or may not be a human being. You combine that with the revenge factor and I see a Pats win. My prediction is 30-20 Pats, though I hope it's a blow out. Those that want a "good game" are not real fans of either team. The best game I ever saw was the blowout of the Lakers in game 6 of the 08 Finals.

A couple quick thoughts before I go to sleep like the grandpa I am. Eli Manning is nowhere near as good as Peyton Manning. In the Twitter world we live in people only remember what's good right now. Eli had a great year and yes if he wins a second Super Bowl he's in the top 5 of active QB's but are you serious? I've always rooted against Peyton but that guy dominated for a decade straight and never had half as good a D as Manning. Put together 6 more years of this Eli and maybe you can be compared to your older brother.

If Brady wins Sunday he's the greatest quarterback ever. Four Super Bowls in 10 years is like winning 7 super Bowls back in the 70's. If he loses though, that's two straight Super Bowl losses as a "favorite". Even worse is the inevitable blabber we'll hear the from the talking heads who will say "Eli is the most clutch QB ever" way too many times. Don't make me turn off SportsCenter for 3 weeks again Pats. Let's do this.

What the Penn State Scandal tells us about Society

2011-11-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

"Paterno told Penn State athletic director Tim Curley that McQueary had seen Sandusky "fondling or doing something of a sexual nature to a young boy." About two weeks later, Curley told McQueary that Sandusky's keys to the locker room had been taken away." -The Detroit Free Press

Really? That's it. Are you kidding me? Paterno and the Penn State brass are told about a young boy being sexually abused and they treat it like some underage drinking offense? Whether or not this quote is fabricated, the fact is Paterno did not do enough. In this case it's not enough to just play by the book. Paterno backers and Penn State Alum will defend Paterno to the death and I guess I can understand that. He is Penn State. At the same time don't for one minute think they would be defending any other coach from any other school if they did the same thing. Sports fans have blinders on especially when it comes to the college they went to.

In case you've been living under a rock for the last week you know about the heinous acts committed by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky to 8 (probably dozens more) young boys during his tenure at Penn State. The acts are the most despicable you can imagine. The fact is Paterno knew that it was happening and didn't put a stop to it. Taking away someone's keys to the locker room? What a joke.

The riots at Penn State are microcosm of what is wrong with society. We treat our sports figures as larger than life and put them on a pedestal. The backers are all talking about how Joe didn't deserve to go out like this or they should've let him finish the season. Why? First off Paterno stopped coaching the team about 6 years ago but that is besides the point. If this happened anywhere else the person would've been fired. Did Joe commit a criminal act? No. At the same time he knew a criminal act was going on and just filed a simple complaint. That isn't acceptable. This isn't someone cheating on a test. This isn't someone getting a free ticket. This is knowing one of your coaches is having sex with young boys and ruining their lives forever. Yes, these kids lives are ruined forever and I guarantee he did it to more boys because not enough was done.

I saw riots at Umass after Red Sox wins and didn't understand them. In fact I don't really understand riots and breaking stuff in general. This isn't just a Penn state thing it's a society thing. I love sports as much as anyone but why are we so passionate about relatively unimportant things like sports and not about moreimportant matters like a child's well being? There were more people rioting against Joe Paterno's firing than rioting against the the Penn State leadership and everyone involved with these crimes. It's sickening.

Did we forget about moral code? Why is selling a jersey more of an offense than not following up on sexual abuse to a child? Sometimes it's not enough to just play by the book when their are young kids lives at stake. These kids are tainted forever and so are there families and so are there families families. Sure, Penn State is in chaos now, but it will bounce back. Unfortunately the victims will never be the same.

The Red Sox Didn't Deserve It

2011-09-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Last night's Red Sox loss to the Orioles completed an epic collapse never seen in MLB History. It marked the first time a team has lost a 9 game lead going into September. What made it that much more pathetic was that the Red Sox had to rely on the Yankees to get them into the playoffs. They didn't deserve to play in October.

Let's look at the facts. The Sox started the season with World Series aspirations and right out the gate went 2-10. The overly sensitive and dramatic Red Sox fans freaked, but the season is 780 games long so no one really should have paid attention.

The Sox ended up going on a roll and looked prime to grab only their second division title since 1995. Instead, the Sox and their $162 million payroll lost the final game and wild card spot to a team with a $42 million payroll. The fact that this salary disparity even exists makes me not really respect the game of baseball, but that is for another blog.

No one should feel sorry for Sox fans. We have won two world series titles in the last 7 years. We're relevant every year. We get any top player that doesn't go to the Yankees or Phillies. We are everywhere, so always have fellow Sox fans around.

With that being said, Red Sox Nation should be concerned with the direction the team is going. Being from DC, it reminds me a little of what Dan Snyder has done. Paying players exorbitant amounts of money ( Carl Crawford) and basically saying, you have to be an MVP or you are a failure. Crawford came on later in the season, but with his salary we probably won't be able to keep one of the best and most popular young players in the game Jacoby Ellsbury. We do not want to turn into the Yankees (if we haven't already).

The question really becomes, would you rather have the pressure to win it all every year with high priced free agents? Or would you rather build a team around less known entities like Ellsbury and Pedroia? Obviously, most players don't turn out like those two, but sometimes I miss the feeling of watching an underdog succeed. I haven't enjoyed the Red Sox the last few years because it just seems like the culture has changed.

Look, I don't blame the Red Sox for spending money. If you really want to change baseball you need a salary cap. While Bud Selig can talk all he wants about parody in baseball, the fact is the Orioles will probably never be in the playoffs again and the Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies will always at least be in the hunt. While this is a tough loss to take, I can take comfort in knowing that at least they will be back in the hunt next year. Unfortunately, most fans can't say the same.

Low Risk, High Reward....That is the Patriots Way

2011-07-29T06:47:00.000-07:00

The last time I wrote in this blog the Patriots had just been dominated by the hated Jets and I was in a state of depression. Was the Patriots dominance over? How would we bounce back from this? I should've known better. The Patriots are a winning organization. They are the best organization in sports because they draft well, only spend money on indispensable players (Tom Brady), and always follow the formula of low risk and high reward.

When I first heard the news of the Haynesworth signing yesterday I was shocked, then angry, then a little giddy. Look, I've lived in DC and seen first hand how much of a scum bag this guy is. I don't know if there has ever been a worse teammate in the history of sports than Haynesworth was on the Redskins. However, I then realized that bringing him in was pretty much a no risk situation.

We only have him for one year and have to pay him $5 million. The Redskins needed to get rid of the guy so we got a former defensive player of the year for a 5th round draft pick. Does anyone remember what happened after the Randy Moss trade? I sure do. I'll never root for Haynesworth but the Patriots were in serious need of D-Line help and I think at the end of the day Fat Albert will be a positive fit.

Ocho Cinco was a great pick up. People get this impression that he is a bad teammate. Not at all. Sure he's flamboyant and over the top but the guy plays hard on the field and wants to win. More importantly he already has a good relationship with Belichick. If Belichick sees something in him than I am on board. Also, remember that the corpse of Carson Palmer was throwing to him last year. The guy can barely throw 10 yards anymore. With the Patriots other weapons on offense Chad will get more single coverage and I expect 75-80 catches and 9-10 touchdowns out of him this year. He doesn't have to be a top 5 receiver for us he just needs to be a threat. Our lack of a true #1 was exposed in last year's loss to the Jets.

The Patriots do it again. Even if the Haynesowth and Ocho Cinco trades don't pan out(which I think is highly unlikely) what have we really lost? We still have one of the best young defenses in the league, the best quarterback in the league, and the best young pass catching tight ends in the league. Not to mention Robert Kraft who is the best owner in all of sports. I can't wait until football.

Not a fan of the favorite role

2011-01-17T05:54:00.000-08:00

After yesterday's tough loss to the hated Jets it reaffirmed my distaste for being the favorite. I hated the undefeated 2007-2008 Patriots season. Every week there was everything to lose and nothing to gain. This postseason was much the same. People all had us in the Super Bowl. Furthermore, playoff football is a one game elimination sport. The best team doesn't always win. It is about who is playing the best on that day.

With that being said, on paper the Jets are a better team than the Patriots. Overall they have better players than New England. They have more proven receivers and running backs. They have better corners, linebackers, and pass rushers. People always say in Belichick and Brady we trust, and I agree that they are the best coaching/QB duo of all time and have not lost faith in them. At the same time they surely aren't unbeatable. The Jets are what the Patriots used to be. A team with something to prove. The difference is the Jets like to talk smack and create controversy but that's for another blog. I'm hoping that next year the Jets will be the team everyone is going for and that the Patriots can get back to the underdog role they played so well earlier in the decade.

Before the season I thought this was a rebuilding year. We had a very young defense, Welker was coming off injury, and the O-line had question marks. On paper this was a 9 or10 win team. We flat out overachieved because of the great play by our rookies, most notably McCourtey, Gronkowski, and Hernandez. Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Law Firm for short, were outstanding. Brady had a season for the ages and Belichick showed he still has plenty left in the tank. We dealt with the Randy Moss issue and as usual came out on top. There is a lot to look forward to for next year especially with the 157 picks we have in the draft.

I hope we are in the Jets position next year. I hope we are the underdog going into New York. This is when the Patriots are at their best. I'm not going to start complaining and being bitter about this loss. I'm fortunate enough to have a team that is good enough to make the playoffs. Think of being a Browns or Lions fan. At the same time it's not always great being the hunted. On day's like this I think back to 2002 Super Bowl win against the Rams and get nostalgic. Anyway, it's Celtics season now. Time to move on. Life's too short to let a sports game get you down.

Should we forgive Vick?

2010-11-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

Dog Killer. Felon. Star Quarterback. Comeback. Redemption. Which word would you use to describe Michael Vick? Coming off his spectacular performance Monday Night against the Redskins I think it is a perfect time to ask the question: Should we forgive Vick?

We all know the story of Vick by now. We know what went on at Bad Newz Kennels. We know where he grew up from and what the culture was like. It seems like he has changed but has he really? Or rather, does it even matter? Some people will hate Michael Vick forever. Some people have already forgiven him. But for those of us that are undecided why have we not made up our minds yet?

America is a forgiving country especially if you are really good at something. If Michael Vick wasn't an NFL star he'd be working at your local grocery store or be out on the streets right now. People wouldn't be giving excuses for him or saying he served his time. He'd be another ex-con from the streets. But since he is a superstar athlete he is given a second opportunity at life. Whether or not that is fair it is the reality.

Do I think Vick has changed? In some ways. I'm sure he recognizes what he did was wrong and that he is sorry to some degree. But I don't think you can ever truly change someone's core values. In his head he knows he was wrong, but in his heart he probably will never realize how atrocious his crimes were.

For those of you who say he served his time and deserves a second chance I'd ask you the same thing I ask people who are anti-death penalty or anti-abortion. What if it happened to you? What if it happened to your dog? This guy knowingly allowed Pit Bulls to be hung and electrocuted on his property. These are defenseless animals killed for sport. Now the guy is going to get a huge multimillion dollar deal after this season and these dogs are still going to be dead.

But this is a place where we allow Dante Stallworth and Leonard Little to keep playing after killing someone while drunk. We allow people like Ben Roethlisberger to serve a 6 game suspension after an alleged rape. Why not give Vick another chance? Were his crimes worse than theirs? I guess it is all a matter of opinion.

If you do choose to forgive Michael Vick please never forget what he did. While I'm glad to see all the good he doing now for the community, it doesn't take back what he did for so many years before this. While he came from a place where this was part of the culture that by no means excuses his actions. Especially when he had the means to get out of that lifestyle and still chose to stay in it. Yes, Michael Vick is indeed back. Whether or not that is a good thing is for you to decide.

You have to be a little crazy to play in the NFL

2010-10-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

One of the hottest topics around the sports world these days are the huge fines and suspensions being handed down to players who partake in "dangerous hits". Some say it's good that the league is emphasizing safety and protecting its players. Others think the strict punishments will water down the NFL and change the way the game is played. Players like Steelers linebacker James Harrison have even gone so far as to threaten to retire from the NFL all together. It's certainly touched a nerve in both players and fans alike.

I'm somewhere in between on this one. I think on one hand you can't have defensive players taking head shots at defenseless receivers. On the other hand, suspending and fining players exorbitant amounts of money is a little excessive, especially for first time offenders. The biggest problem is what defines a dangerous hit because theire are so many factors involved. What if the receiver puts his head down at the last minute and the tackler inadvertently makes a helmet to helmet hit? Is that really worthy of a suspension? How do we know if certain plays are intentional or accidental? Most importantly, how can you really implement a rule that is so vague?

The fact is football is a crazy sport. When I have kids I'm going to encourage them to play tennis or basketball. I've played pretty much every sport and nothing compares to the feeling of making a big hit. It's not something that can be described. At the same time it is an extremely violent game and I only played at the high school level. I remember coming home after two a day practices with massive headaches every night from the beatings I took. I can only imagine what getting hit by Ray Lewis must feel like. The pads really don't do much.

The point is, when you're an NFL player you have to be a little crazy. You can't be a normal human being like the rest of us. You have to be a little off in the head. Why else would you risk debilitating injury every Sunday. In my opinion NFL players deserve every penny they get. You know what the average career for a running back in the NFL is? Two years. Name another profession like that. It's nuts and that is why we like watching. Americans pride themselves on being tough and its why NFL is king in this country. At the end of the day, let's remember that everyone in the NFL signed up for this. Safety is important but no one is making these guys go out there. They know what their getting into when they sign that dotted line. Let's hope Goodell and company don't start policing the NFL like David Stern does the NBA.

No rhyme or reason to the NFL

2010-09-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

It's impossible to analyze the National Football League. It just changes too much from week to week. Last week the Redskins looked like world beaters for three quarters and this week lose to the Rams. The Cowboys look terrible in week 1 and 2 then crush a supposedly solid Texans team. The defending champ Saints have looked downright pedestrian despite returning most of their Super Bowl team. Even the freaking Bills scored 30 points! Shame on you Patriots.

But this randomess and lack of consistency from week to week is why people love the NFL. It really is true that on any given Sunday any team can beat any other team. Except of course if you are the Browns, but even they give teams a run for their money. This is why it frustrates me when analysts and so called experts proclaim one team to be dominant one week, then totally switch around their opinions the next. The fact is the true identity of a team is somewhere in the middle.

Look, at the end of the day it's all about match ups and who is hot at the end of the year. When the Patriots lost last week to the Jets I didn't care. It's week 2 and they were playing in New York. You're supposed to hold serve on your home field right? Same with the Redskins. The Skins aren't as good as they looked against the Texans for 3 quarters, and not as bad as they looked against the Rams, who by the way aren't that bad of a team themselves. People need to be patient and look at the body of work.

With the 24 hour news cycle and constant analysis we basically have no choice but to buy into the hype. The Colts lose their opening game and suddenly their reign is over? I wish, but that is far from the truth. The Bears are 2-0 so now Jay Cutler has it figured out? Talk to me in week 8. Why do people feel the need to make such big statements about their teams. Just let the season play out.

The fact is it's hard to have consistency in a sport that has just one game a week. Each game is entirely different from the one before. But this is why we love football. Sports are one of the only things in life we don't want to know the ending too. We want to be surprised. We want to root for the underdog. We love sports because there is no script. I say stop all the analyzing, kick back and enjoy some football.

Summer Ramblings: Brett Favre, Shaq, T.O, A-Rod, and summer boredom

2010-08-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else ready for September? If I watch one more baseball "top 10" play I think I might throw up. Is the Sportscenter #1 play really a guy going three feet to his left to make a catch? I think our Alumni Softball team could make half the catches on that list. That's when you know it's time for football. Speaking of football, the Brett Favre saga has begun again. Will ESPN stay in business after he retires? I guess that doesn't even matter because he will never retire. Look, for everyone who thinks he really can't make a decision about his retirement they are living in a dream world. He's going to come back. He always was. He likes the attention and probably was in Cleveland burning Lebron jersey's with the rest of the city because he took the spotlight from him.

Speaking of Lebron, his former teammate, Shaq, is now a Celtic. I'm not sure if he needs to make alimony payments or just isn't ready for the inevitable "Shaq's Life" reality show. In all honesty, I think it's a decent move. The guy is a walking corpse, but he's a 7'1 walking corpse and can provide some stability till Perk comes back. Can you imagine this team 7 years ago? Besides the fact that Rondo would still be in college this team would have like 7 future hall of famers in their primes. Where is that Hot Tub Time Machine when you need it?

Now a little baseball. I have to laugh at this whole A-Rod thing. 600 home runs? Who cares? The last 10 years are tainted with steroids and before you say, "well everyone did it" talk to Hank Aaron. That's one of the reasons I don't respect the sport. 162 games, 15 hours between pitches, and games in November? You know how many young fans you are losing by staying with your ancient ways? This is the instant gratification world we live in. It sucks, but it's reality. Don't be surprised when hockey is more popular than baseball in 10 years.

Last but not least, T.O. Yes, Terrell Owens. About 6 months ago I said to myself that life was too short to hate anyone. The exception to this is T.O. I actually kind of like Ocho Cinco. He'll never win anything of signifigance, but at least he knows he's acting like an idiot. T.O is a phony and I hope he fails miserably in Cincinnati. I usually hate when people hate strangers they've never met. But I am 100% sure T.O is not a good human being.

Look, I know I sound bitter in this blog, but I'll blame it on the fact that August is the worst month of the year. The only good thing August has is vacations. It has no holidays, extreme humidity, no football or basketball. It's a worthless month, unless of course you were born then, in which case I apologize. Fall can't come soon enough. Have a great night.

Do Americans really care about soccer?

2010-07-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

The World Cup is over and Americans now have to ask ourselves one question: do we care? Sure, we all cheered as the US won their group for the first time in 80 years. Yes, the Donovan goal against Algeria was surely an electrifying moment. However, the question remains: what now? Do we forget about soccer for the next four years just like we forgot about track and field? Or are we going to start watching the Premier League or, gulp, the MLS.

In my opinion it's not that we don't like soccer, it's that we don't like anything but the very best. This is America where you're either a winner or loser. There's really no in between. You don't see people watching Triple A baseball or D-league basketball do you? That's essentially what the MLS is. What do you really expect when the professional product is a glorified minor league. Sure. there are some really good players in the MLS, but on a whole the Premier League is, no pun intended, premier.

Also, Americans like their stats. This is a country where we employ people to discuss fantasy sports. We don't want 0-0 games, we want numbers. We want a winner and a loser. Also, the flopping is a huge turn off. Americans love violence. We don't want people crying out in pain everytime someone touches them with their pinky finger. Some of the injures are legitimate, but most guys crumble in pain if they've been nicked in the foot.

With that said, count me in as a person that is willing to give soccer a chance. First of all, HD has helped soccer more than any other sport. The grass is so freaking green. What can I say I'm easily amused. Second, with no commercials you know when a game will be ending. There is no suffering through the plethora of Cialis and car insurance commercials that take up so much time in other sports. Also, it really is beautiful to watch when played at it's best. I still don't know how it's possible to do all that stuff with your feet, but they are like magicians out there.

In short, let's keep watching and more importantly, caring about soccer in America. We may just come to realize what the rest of the world already knows.

Don't blame Lebron, blame society

2010-07-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fan of Lebron James at all. I think he's arrogant, narcissistic, and an attention whore. I was all set to blast him in my column today, then I realized it really isn't his fault he's this way; it's society's. For those of you who have lived under a rock for the last month, the Lebron sweepstakes comes to an end tonight in an ESPN hour special appropriately called " The Decision." I'm not sure why anyone is surprised this is happening.

This is the world we live in where people know more members of the Backstreet Boys than Supreme Court justices. Where Jessica Simpson's weight issues are more important than what is going on in the Gulf Coast.

This isn't Lebron's fault. He's doing this because he can. It's like the cost of beer at a sports game. They charge $8 because people will buy it. It's the same situation here. I guarantee most of you reading this will be watching tonight at 9pm when Lebron announces to the world where he's going to play for the next 5 years. I know I will be. The guy's kind of a prick, but sure knows how to market himself.

You don't like what's going on tonight and what goes on in the media in general? Then stop consuming it. The same people that hate on overexposure in the media are the ones watching it. Since day 1 Lebron has been coddled and told he was the best at everything. The guy has been told he was a god since he picked up a basketball, so over time a person starts to believe that. Of course he has an ego, who wouldn't?

At the same time he needs to stop trying to make excuses of why he's holding the special. To raise money for the Girls and Boys Club? Are you serious? Does anyone actually believe that? He's holding it because he wants to grab every single bit of attention he can before Brett Favre rolls into the spotlight next week.

That being said, Lebron's decision tonight will affect the landscape of the NBA for the next 5 years. I think Chris Bosh is overrated, but still Lebron, Wade, and Bosh would be a real tough team to beat. I don't know how Wade and Lebron would work together, but I'm sure they'd figure it out. Let's hope for competition's sake Lebron stays in Cleveland or goes to the Knicks. Also, don't discount the ego factor here. Will Lebron be able to share the spotlight with Wade? They can say all the right things, but at the end of the day Lebron wants to be the #1 guy all the time. It's in his nature. I really can't wait for this whole thing to be over so I can eagerly await Brett Favre's annual "to retire or not to retire" saga.

Not a fan of the Dog Days of Summer

2010-06-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

For a lot of people the beginning of summer signifies great weather, pool parties, and vacations. It's a time for relaxation and fun in the sun. While I like being outside as much as anyone, for me summer represents one thing: the beginning of the worst sports period of the year.

The day the NBA Finals ends to the day football season begins is torture for me. Look, I like the Red Sox and all, but even baseball fans will admit the sport is boring. The season is too long, there are about 15 minutes between pitches, and we expect everyone as being on or having been on steroids. Hell, Ken Griffey Jr., one of the best hitters of his generation fell asleep in the clubhouse. I'm sorry, I tried to hold off on baseball bashing for as long as I could but there it is.

This offseason will be especially hard after the tough loss to the Lakers a couple weeks ago. Now we have to deal with the "where will Lebron go" drama and fear that a possible dynasty might be on the horizon. We also have to think about the Celtics future as a whole. The Celtics are in a difficult position right now. Do they keep the core players in tact and add one or two role players for one more run at a title? Or do they blow it up aside from Rondo, Garnett, and Perk and try to get younger. I wouldn't want to be in Danny Ainge's shoes that's for sure.

At the end of the day I don't care what the Celtics decide to do as long as basketball starts again. I already miss the chilly December nights sitting in front of my TV watching Rondo dish out assists and Tommy scream at the refs. I miss Garnett's scowl and Ray's threes. I miss watching Celtics basketball. The best part of the year for me is November when basketball starts and football is in full swing. Let's hope this next couple months goes by quick so we can start gearing up for another run at the title.

DC is becoming superstar city

2010-06-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

DC area sports fans are a long suffering fan base. The district hasn't won a major sports title since before Bill Clinton was president. The Redskins are the champions of the off-season every year before ultimately crumbling into mediocrity. The Wizards have the dumbest name in sports, and haven't been truly relevent since they were the Bullets. The Nationals have been bottom dwellers since they came to DC in 2005. The Capitals, while brilliant during the regular season, have continuously choked in the playoffs. Yes, the DC sports scene has been downright depressing.

Better days look to be on the horizon. Steven Strasburg has looked incredible in his first few weeks as a starter, and has single handedly brought baseball to the forefront in Washington. Alex Ovechkin is the best player in hockey and has brought the Capitals onto the national scene. With the selection of John Wall last night, the Wizards have their point guard of the future and look to be well on their way to bouncing back from the nightmare season of last year. Even the Redskins seem to be making good moves, with the addition of proven winners Donovan McNabb and Mike Shanahan. It all looks good on paper, but as we in DC know, it's a little early to get too excited.

To really turn the page and change the culture of sports here in Washington D.C, we need to get rid of a couple players. Those of course would be Albert Haynesworth and Gilbert Arenas. The first player is obvious. This guy is lazy, out of shape, and thinks he's god's gift to the world. Can he be a dominant force on the defensive line? Of course he can. But if the Redskins truly want to compete for championships they need to do away with signing these high priced free agents and bring in more character guys.

The Gilbert Arenas situation is a little more cloudy. One thing I think we can all agree on is the guy is not the sharpest tool in the shed. I don't think he's a bad person for what he did, just an idiot. The way he handled himself afterward is why people are so pissed. But the gun situation isn't the main reason I think he needs to go. I'd be willing to give him a second chance if he started becoming a leader on this team. With John Wall coming in, I'm worried having Gilbert around will hurt his progression as a point guard. Gilbert can say all the right things, but at the end of the day he wants the ball in his hands all the time. Also, let's not kid ourselves and think Gilbert is going to bring the Wizards into title contention. The guy had a couple spectacular years but is always injured and doesn't bring it every night. I say cut our losses(that contract truly is horrific) and move on to the John Wall era.

One more thing. I think John Wall is legit and will be a better pro than he was a college player. The guy has all the intangibles you need in a great point guard and I'm excited for what the Wizards can do next year if they put a few more pieces together. Though I'll always be a Boston sports fan at heart, I always have supported the DC area teams and hope the superstars can help Washington's teams live up to the hype.

The Kobe/Jordan debate is ridiculous

2010-06-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

We live in a "what have you done for me lately" society. People have short memories and often think whoever is hot at that moment is the greatest ever at whatever they do. No segment of the population is guiltier of this than sports fans. We proclaim everything as the “greatest game" or " greatest player". We are so quick to judge everything the day after it happens without putting it in any kind of context. This is exactly what is happening right now with Kobe Bryant.

Look, as much as I hate the guy, Kobe is one of the 10-15 best players of all time. But to compare him to Jordan is silly. What's even more ridiculous is making all of these comparisons before the Finals. If Kobe loses that will make him 4-3 in championship series’ and 1-2 without Shaq. That will also mean he has lost twice to his most bitter rival and three times as a favorite.

For anyone who forgets, Jordan was 6 for 6 in Finals appearances. Why are we so eager to anoint everyone the next Jordan? More than likely there will never be another player like him because the game has changed so much.

Even if Kobe wins the title this year, I don't think the Jordan comparison is applicable. Kobe spent the first part of his career as a secondary player to Shaq. Also, don't compare Scottie Pippen and Shaq please. Pippen was a great player and one of my favorites to watch, but he wasn't Shaq. Shaq is one of the most dominant players of all time and was in his prime during those title years. Also, I think we can all agree that it is much easier to win a title with a dominant big man than it is with a swing man.

At any rate, the simple fact is it's ridiculous to make statements like Kobe is better than Jordan when the facts don't back them up. The truth is if Kobe loses to the Celtics again those same writers will talk about how he has lost 3 Finals and is overrated. They will go right back on the Lebron bandwagon again. I wish people could just be more patient. These debates are fun but only when they make sense. Let's hope the Celtics crush the Lakers and end this debate once and for all.

Lebron showed us why he'll never be like Mike

2010-05-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

First off, the Celtics victory over the Cavs was no fluke. They are a better team than the Cavs top to bottom and dominated the series in pretty much every phase. The media and fans are coming down on Lebron pretty hard and for good reason. It's not so much that the Cavs lost the series, because like I said the Celtics are a better team when they are playing at their best. Rather, it's HOW they lost the series, or more specifically, what Lebron showed in defeat.

Lebron James is a truly remarkable player that eventually will win a championship or two. However, in my opinion he will never be Michael Jordan or Larry Bird or any of the truly great ones. The reason for this is simple; he lacks a killer instinct. Every great player in every sport has had an insane drive to win everything. Larry Bird walked into the locker room before the 1986 Three Point shootout and asked who would be finishing second. Jordan would turn everything into competitions from board games to black jack. These guys hated to lose more than they loved to win. Lebron seems content with just making a lot of money.

Also, Lebron typifies the modern day coddled athlete. Larry Bird played injured half his career. He could barely bend down after games yet still played his heart out and sacrificed his body diving for loose balls. We all know MJ had the flu so bad he was practically throwing up on the sidelines during Game 5 of the 1997 Finals. Yet he still willed his team to victory. Lebron would've been at home getting a foot rub probably. All in all, players these days just aren't as tough, and Lebron is the poster child for it.

Don't get me wrong, you can't get to this level without being competitive. However, killer instinct is something you either have or you don't. It's not something that can be taught. I'm sick of all the people saying "well Lebron didn't have enough help." Is that so? He seemed to have enough help when they had the best record in the regular season. Or "well Lebron's elbow was hurting." Was his elbow hurting when he scored 20 points in the first quarter of Game 3? I didn't think so. Stop making excuses for the guy and realize that at the end of the day he's won nothing in the NBA. Until he does that let's stop calling him the King and making the Michael Jordan comparisons.

Lebron is now the biggest free agent in sports history. From now until July 1st the pundits will be debating if he should go, where he should go, and who he will take with him. But, I wouldn't just assume Lebron is going to win multiple championships. Sure, he's still young, but if he goes to a place like the Knicks or Nets that is going to take at least 3 years to build a contender. Even the Bulls won't be championship caliber overnight assuming they don't also bring in an Amare or Bosh type of player. Besides that, until Lebron shows that insane drive to win that the other champions of the past did, he may very well turn into the next Karl Malone. Let's all remember before a person can be King they have to reach the top of the mountain first.

Why I like the McNabb deal

2010-04-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

It's been about a week since the surprise announcement that Donovan McNabb was coming to the Redskins in exchange for a second round pick this year and either a 3rd or 4th pick next year. The reaction around the DC area has been mixed, but many seem to hate the deal. This goes to show you the general attitude Redskins fans have of their team and for good reason.

The Skins have always been the champs of the off-season. Unfortunately they have not been able to follow that up with a quality product during the season itself. The truth is, they haven't made a big splash like this since I can remember. This is not trading for a running back, defensive tackle or linebacker. This is a trade involving their division rival for the most important position in not just football, but all of sports. It's a risk worth taking in my opinion.

McNabb is not going to carry this team on his shoulders. He's not the player he once was. However, he certainly is a winner. Five Conference Championship games with a mediocre at best receiving core(besides the TO year) is very impressive during the free agency era. Not winning a Super Bowl doesn't make you a bad quarterback. Marino and Jim Kelly never won a Super Bowl, and neither one of them played in the NFL today that is full of parody.

In addition, he's had to deal with the hostile Philadelphia sports scene. Skins fans are passionate, but at least they like their own team. He's also battled injuries and the biggest jerk in sports in Terrel Owens and still been able to be successful. Through all this he has for the most part carried himself as a true professional.

I think the biggest problem people have with this deal is that they see it as a typical Redskins move. That is signing a high priced, well known player on the downside of their career. They expect the worst. But I think McNabb can succeed if they put the right players around him. First things first, get an offensive line. Peyton Manning would have struggled last year behind that patchwork line. Granted Campbell takes about 3 days to get his throws off, but still that line was atrocious. Second, get rid of Portis and Haynesworth. Portis is a shell of his former self and is a "me first" type of player who the Redskins don't need as they try to turn another chapter. Haynesworth is an impact player, but is injury prone and plays half the snaps. Cut your losses and move on.

There has been a culture of losing in Redskins nation for the last 15 years or so. Dan Snyder doesn't know football and only cares about money so it's really not that unexpected. The good news is Shanahan and Bruce Allen both have proven track records and know football. I really think Shanahan's success with Elway at the tail end of his career is a good sign in terms of what we can expect from McNabb. Donovan is no Elway, but still has some good years left in him. Also, don't underestimate the power of revenge. McNabb can talk all he wants about having love for Philly and just being excited to start fresh. But he's a human being, and anyone would be upset after how he was treated there.

Lastly, let's not forget Jason Campbell. Campbell was set up to fail in Washington and it's best for him to try to find a team, any team, that he can start fresh with. I think we all can agree that Campbell handled himself like a true professional in his time in Washington and we wish him the best.

I think Redskins nation should embrace their new quarterback and hope for the best. This is a guy that has been there before and is a proven winner. Plus, don't underestimate the fact that he knows the defense of a team they play two times a year. I think the Redskins are better overall than they were before the deal and look forward to more moves this offseason.

Respect your Enemies

2010-04-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

I was all set to go off on a crazy tangent about my digust that the Yankees, Lakers, and Duke all have won titles this past calendar year. Then I stopped and thought, what is the use? The fact is, my teams have had a great run the past 10 years and I should appreciate that. If my major complaint in life are that the teams I hate the most are winning championships life is pretty damn good.

Next to the Lakers there is no team I despise more than Duke. However, I will give credit where credit is due. Coach K is an outstanding coach and deserves the recognition he gets. Past Duke teams have been soft, but this years team was tough mentally and physically. They had superior size and 3 guys that could score 20 points on any given night. I wish UNC had a point guard like Nolan Smith and shooters like Singler and Schyer(sigh).

They were gift wrapped an extremely easy bracket, but then again so was every team after so many teams fell early. It doesn't matter who you play, winning a national title is a tough thing to do. Watching Butler's run to the title game is proof that you actually do have to watch some mid major basketball to do well in your brackets. I had Butler out first round based on word of mouth alone. If I had seen how good this team was I would have had them at least to the Elite 8.

One of the hardest things to do as a sports fan is give credit to the teams you hate. If this was 5 years ago I'd be depressed and angry throwing around excuses like it was my job. But I like to think I have matured since then, and now realize there really is no use for stressing over things like this. What can you do? The teams won and that's that. Hope for a better season for your teams next year and move on with your life. Congrats to Duke, but UNC will be back next year and ready to take you down.

Anyone But Duke

2010-03-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

I hope to never see this again

The title of this post says it all. Since UNC and Umass aren't in the tournament this year my number one focus is Duke losing. Unfortunately, and it sickens me to say this, but they have played pretty well these last few weeks especially on the defensive side of the ball. Not to mention they were gift wrapped the easiest region of all time even though they were a borderline #1 seed to begin with. I guess the silver lining in all of this is I get to root against them one more time on Saturday. Like I've said before, rooting against a team can almost be as fun as rooting for a team.

Every March Madness is filled with surprises but this one seems to be especially "mad" if you will. Two 5 seeds playing each other and three of the four #1 seeds bowing out early. It goes to show you that basketball is by far the dumbest sport to bet on. It's way too unpredictable. My bracket was toast after Villanova and Kansas lost in the same day. It looks more and more like naming my work pool Anyone but Duke may have had the opposite effect. Let's just say I'll be a huge WVU fan this Saturday.

A few months ago I wrote a column "Down with the Haters" about my dislike of people that hate just to hate. Now, I guess in some ways I'm guilty of this when it comes to my feelings for Duke. However, I think it's okay to hate a team more than it is to hate a player. Unless that individual has specifically harmed you or someone you know there's no reason to hate that particular individual. The exceptions to this? Terrell Owens and Kobe Bryant; Everyone should hate them.

Hating a team is different because you aren't attacking a person but rather just an organization. I don't hate Coach K or John Schyer or any of those guys. I just hate or rather strongly dislike Duke's basketball team. Same goes for the Lakers. While I don't like a lot of the players on the Lakers I don't hate them personally, but I do hate the Lakers as a team. Well, I do strongly dislike Kobe because I don't see any possibility of him being a good person.

The point is, part of loving sports is hating some teams. But always make sure to not take it so seriously. Remember these guys did not do anything to you and are just trying to help their teams win. Also, like I always say we wouldn't hate these teams if they weren't good You can root against them as much as you want, but let's quit with the personal attacks. Except of course if those personal attacks are going against T.O or Kobe, then please attack at will!

Why we love the Underdog

2010-03-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

March Madness means the underdog takes front stage once again. In no other sporting event in the world do we see more upsets than during these 3 weeks. Nobody becomes somebody. Heroes are born. Goliaths fall. We embrace the underdog because in a way most of us are all underdogs in some sense. We want to see the little guy win because we have all been in that position before. Sure, when Northern Iowa toppled #1 seed Kansas most of us tore up our brackets. But then we cheered for these unknowns who were suddenly on center stage. Why? Because we've all dreamed of feeling that excitement for ourselves.

It's interesting that Americans get so behind underdogs because America is the anti-underdog. We are the most powerful nation in the world and besides soccer, expected to win pretty much everything. But while America itself is like that, the citizens themselves come from all walks of life. 99% of us will never set foot on the world stage. We go about our regular days fighting against the odds to succeed. The world is a cruel place sometimes and we are all battling to make it through. For us, we are the underdogs in this game of life (sappy but true!)

I realized when the Colts lost to the Saints in the Super Bowl that it is almost as fun to root against a team as it is for a team. That is another reason we love the underdog. We love to root against the favorite. For the casual fan who doesn't have money on their bracket, you are probably pulling for Cornell tomorrow night. Chances are you won't be rooting for Duke to win it all. I'd love to see an all mid major final someday. I can see Duke and Kentucky play anytime I want.

Nobody remembers the favorites who won. We all remember when George Mason made their magical run back in 2006, but some might take a few moments to remember who actually won that tournament. " Who is this year's George Mason" replaced "Who is this year’s Gonzaga". You never hear who is this year's Kansas or UNC or Duke. Every year there is a champion but usually it's the underdogs who stay in our memories forever.

My bracket is done and has been since Villanova lost last Saturday, but truthfully I don't care. I'm going to enjoy rooting for the Cornell's and Saint Mary's of the world. I'm going to hope Northern Iowa can continue their magical run. I'm going to root with everything I have against Duke. I will always cheer for the underdog unless of course it is against any of my teams. It's human instinct to root for them. Plus, it's just a lot more fun if the little guy wins than the favorite, don't you agree?

Athletes shouldn't be our role models

2010-02-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

In the wake of the recent Tiger Woods apology, I thought I would give my two cents. Originally I was going to comment solely on the speech itself, but that has been done 3,000 different ways already. I think we can all agree that Tiger Woods isn't the person we thought he was, and that he will never truly recover from this scandal. Sure, the sponsors will come back and people will love him again, but this will be a cloud over him for the rest of his life. It's a sad state of affairs, but he has no one to blame but himself.

There seem to be two main camps people are a part of. One group thinks Tiger's personal life is none of our business and he shouldn't feel the need to apologize. After all it's not like he broke any law. The other camp think Tiger is a fraud and thinks his personal life is absolutely our business. I tend to lean toward this group because the personal lives of public figures are open to being scrutinized in this day and age. Plus, I can't defend or say nice things about a person who cheated on his wife. Just don't get married Tiger.

So, what does all this have to do with the title of the post? Well, the biggest reason this is such a big story is because of a huge problem in the world. That problem being that we look at athletes and movie stars as our role models rather than people we actually know. It's kind of sad isn't it? A lot of people in this country come from bad backgrounds where they don't have anyone else to look up but famous people they read about and watch on T.V. We treat these athletes like they are our own family, but in reality we know nothing about them. Tiger Woods shouldn't be anyone's role models besides his own kids. Its fine to look up to him and want to have what he achieved, but don't act like he is the person you want to be because you don't know him.

My dad is my role model and always will be. Even if a red headed NBA player that likes 2pac, Phil Collins, and kayaking comes along, my Dad will always be my role model. You know why? He's always been there for me and I can trust him. I love Larry Bird to death, but he wasn't helping me with my homework when I was a kid or going camping with me. Role models should be people you know and that have been there for you through your good and bad times. Sure, your mom and dad don't have millions of fans paying to watch their profession every night, but that shouldn't matter.

There's a big difference between admiring someone and someone being your role model. I admire Tiger for his incredible talent on the golf course, but I think it's sad that people who have never even met the guy lose sleep over this whole incident. I really hope those people can build actual real relationships with people so they can have something more tangible to consider a role model. Thanks for reading everyone!

Peyton Manning isn't that clutch

2010-02-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

Watching the Colts lose is almost as satisfying as watching the Patriots win. Needless to say I was ecstatic with the Saints 31-17 victory in the Super Bowl last night. Going into the game everyone was talking about Manning being the greatest QB ever, and maybe at the end of his career he will be. However, he definitely isn't the most clutch and his playoff record is pedestrian at best. Manning has a career playoff record of 9-9 and has repeatedly lost games where the Colts were the favorite. His only Super Bowl win was against a team led by Rex Grossman. Even that year they had to come back from 18 points down to beat a Patriots team whose best receiver was David Givens.

The Colts are turning into the Atlanta Braves of the NFL. Year after year they win their division and come into the playoffs as favorites. But at the end of the day they can't finish. This is America where we value championships above all else. Hell, we consider Joe Namath one of the greats and his numbers were average at best. By the way, he could be the most overrated player of all time. Anyway, when Manning threw that interception to basically seal the game last night, I was the happiest guy in the room. I thought to to myself how thankful I was not to have to listen to two weeks of Manning coverage. The fact that he refused to shake hands at the end makes it even better. See, the Patriots aren't the only ones who are bad sports!

Enough talk about Peyton Manning though. Let's talk about one of the best stories in the history of sports; The New Orleans Saints. Remember this team was as good as gone after Katrina. But Paul Tagliabue insisted the Saints stay in New Orleans. The Saints had been the Clippers of the NFL for so long and were more or less a joke. Then Drew Brees gets signed as a free agent and the rest is history. By the way, that has to be the greatest free agent signing in sports history. Not only has he put up huge numbers and won a Super Bowl, but also been instrumental in getting the city of New Orleans back on its feet. I don't know anyone who doesn't like Drew Brees. The guy just seems like a genuinely nice person and he's also an incredibly gifted quarterback. I hope the Saints continue to do well in the coming years.

Sean Payton has to be given a lot of credit as well. The onside kick call to begin the second half was the play that changed the whole complexion of the game. What other coach makes that call in the NFL? Certainly not Jim Caldwell, who I'm still convinced is some kind of robot. That call reminded me of how Belichick used to be back when he was at the top of his game(sigh). If the play doesn't work out the Colts probably win the Super Bowl. But you know what, if they just kicked it off regularly the Colts probably would've won as well. Never underestimate the importance of momentum in sports.

Well, football is over now and it's bittersweet. The Saints beating the Colts was pretty much the best thing that could happen with the Patriots being elimintated. The fact that it happened in that fashion makes me down right giddy. On the other hand, football is over and my Sunday's wont be the same. Thankfully I'm a huge NBA fan, but there's something about football season that puts an extra hop in my step. Congrats to the Saints and to the city of New Orleans!.

The Super Bowl that could've been

2010-01-25T16:26:00.000-08:00

Even though the Patriots aren't in the Super Bowl this year, I'm still very excited. The two best teams all year are playing in the final game and that is how it should be. I've said all year that if the Pats didn't win I'd want the Saints. Hopefully they can pull out a victory in Miami. It's safe to say I'm very relieved the Vikings decided to fumble away(literally) the game yesterday. Now I don't have to avoid SportsCenter for two weeks.

As great as this match up should be it could've been better if both teams were undefeated. I think it's probably for the best each team lost because the pressure of an undefeated season can wear on you. But just think of what kind of excitement there would've been if both teams came into that game with no blemishes on their record.

The games itself were up and down yesterday. Even with the Jets up 17-6 I kind of knew the Colts had that game in hand. As much as I dislike them, they had a hell of a post season run and should be a great rival to the Patriots next year. Peyton Manning is an incredible quarterback. As much as I hate to admit it, he's the best we've ever seen and though I will be rooting hard against him in the Super Bowl it would be hard to bet against a team led by him.

The other game was just plain weird. Both teams kept trying to give the game away whether it was the Saints with penalties or the Vikings with fumbles. The Saints had a chance to recover two of those fumbles but the Vikings were able to recover. Adrian Peterson is going to have a hard time sleeping for awhile. Without his fumbles the Vikings probably win that game.

As great as Brett Favre has been in his career he's not very clutch. The last two NFC title games he has lost for his teams with dumb interceptions. You never throw the ball across the field especially in that situation. Plus, the fact that he could've scrambled for about 10 yards instead. I think all the hits he took during the game really influenced the decision. As much as I've hated on Favre this year for being a sellout I kind of felt bad for the guy afterward. He's been remarkable in his durability and is very entertaining player to watch.

All in all very satisfied with this match up. I don't see how any person who isn't a Colts fan would not be cheering for the Saints in this one. This city deserves a champion and what a moment it would be if they were able to win. I think it will be a close game throughout but in the end destiny prevails and the Saints win. It's silly to bet against Peyton Manning but I'm going to do it. Let's go New Orleans!

What in the Jets?

2010-01-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Mark Sanchez. Wait, Mark Sanchez? Yes, somehow the Jets are in the AFC title game and I'm still trying to piece together how this happened. I thought this was the only game that would be a blowout all week. As it turns out, the other 3 games, which I thought could go either way, weren't even close. I guess in retrospect it makes sense.

The Jets matched up very well with the Chargers, as the Chargers can't run and the Jets have the best pass defense in the league. Still, I thought Mark Sanchez would find a way to blow it, yet it was the Chargers that choked. I don't know how their kicker is going to recover from that. Also, LT needs to retire, like right now. He never runs for more than a 2 yard gain and it is just sad to watch one of the best running backs ever be so plain average.

The Jets win sets up a lose-lose scenario for any Boston fan. Colts-Jets is as bad as it gets, so I guess I'll just root for a tie(just kidding.) Thankfully the Saints are still in it. Everyone who doesn't have a team left in the field should be cheering for New Orleans. The city needs something positive to happen and that team is very likeable across the board.

I loved the Cowboys getting crushed yesterday but I wish it wasn't to such a sellout like Brett Favre. Anyone who has ever loved a team shouldn't respect a selfish person like Favre no matter how good he is. I'm hoping the Saints blow them out of the water next week in New Orleans.

All in all I guess it could be worse. With the Cowboys losing, it makes the nightmare of all scenarios, a Cowboys-Colts Super Bowl(which I would not watch) impossible. The Jets getting to the AFC Title game makes the Patriots loss seem even worse. There is no way Belichick lets that Jets team beat them in the playoffs. Oh well, I guess maybe the Jets fans deserve something good to come their way. Hope everyone had a great weekend and go Saints!

Patriots fans deserve an apology

2010-01-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's Patriots loss to the Ravens was embarrassing and unacceptable. Give the Ravens credit for playing a pretty solid game, but the Patriots simply did not show up. It's not the loss that makes me mad, because without Welker the Pats weren't going to win it all anyway. Rather, it is the fact the Patriots were so unprepared and out coached. I've defended Belichick over and over again this year, but I can't this time. I am finally at the point where I think he might have lost his touch. While I still think he's a good coach, he's no genius anymore.

Randy Moss is the laziest player in the NFL. Seriously, for all the great he did in 2007 we don't need players like him on this franchise. I can't remember the last time I saw a player put in so little effort in a game this big. He could be catching 3 touchdowns a game, but chooses when he wants to play. If he had half the heart of Welker he’d be unstoppable. Instead he just jogs around disinterested for most of the game. At this point, I say get rid of him. During our Super Bowl run we had Troy Brown and other role players as receivers and beat teams with our defense and coaching. I don't care if the Patriots don't win as many games. It makes me sick watching a player as talented as Moss play like such a coward.

This "is the Patriots dynasty over" story the media is conjuring up is crap. What is the definition of a dynasty anyway? The Patriots haven't won a Super Bowl since 2004 so if your definition of dynasty is winning titles then they haven't been one for a long time. The NFL is a fickle league, and just because the Patriots played one terrible game doesn't mean the franchise is done. People put way too much stock in one game and don't look at the body of work. Please also remember Brady just came back from knee surgery this year and had about 3 broken ribs for most of the season.

All in all it was a pretty terrible way to end what was an up and down type of season. The Patriots lacked heart and were unprepared; two things I never thought I'd ever say about a Bill Belichick coached team. All I can say now is, go Celtics.

NFL Playoff Preview

2010-01-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. The holiday season is behind us and it's time for playoff football. Three of the four first round Wild Card match ups will feature rematches from Week 17 games, and the fourth will be a rematch from earlier in the season. I was excited for a possible Patriots run until the news of Wes Welker's season ending injury.

First off, Welker should be a legitimate MVP candidate. He had 123 catches this season, even while missing almost 3 full games. He was by far the MVP of the Patriots, and is one of the toughest players in football. For those people out there saying Belichick was stupid to play his starters, I will say this. It's very easy to say things like that after the fact. But the truth is this was a freak accident and could've happened the first play of the playoffs too. I'd rather have a coach that takes risks and wants to win every game, than someone like Jim Caldwell whose team might as well have not shown up yesterday.

Let's not complain Boston fans because we've still had it pretty damn good the last decade. Even though there have been some really crappy injuries (Brady and now Welker), the fact that we have been consistently a top tier team during the post-free agency NFL is pretty remarkable. Plus, even if the Pats lose, at least we get to root against the Colts, Cowboys, and whoever is playing Brett Favre.

Though the Patriots are going to need a miracle to win the Super Bowl this year, I still think they can beat the Ravens. While they've lost Welker, they have all their running backs back and I'm not sold on the Ravens being that good. The Jets lucked out that they got to play the Bengals to get in the playoffs, and then get to play them again in the first round. The Bengals look to be by far the weakest team in the playoffs, and I expect the Jets to win an incredibly boring and ugly game.

The Dallas-Philly match up is intriguing and could be the best match up of the weekend. Dallas hasn't won a playoff game in 14 years. Let me say that again, Dallas hasn't won one single playoff game for 14 years. I would love if that streak reached 15 Saturday night, but sadly I think this could be Dallas's year to get to a NFC title game. I think Dallas wins a close one 24-20.

In the final game of the weekend I see Green Bay winning an exciting game against Arizona. My reason for this is simply because I have no idea what Arizona team will show up on any given week. Arizona could win the Super Bowl or lose to a JV high school team, you really just never know.

My Super Bowl prediction is Chargers-Saints, though to say I lack confidence in this pick would be the understatement of the decade. My only hope is that it isn't Dallas-Indianapolis. I seriously would not watch the Super Bowl if that happened.

In any case, the football playoffs are bittersweet to me. Though I love watching the games, it also sadly signals the end of football season, and means it's a few months closer to Baseball season. I guess we should all enjoy this last month as much as we can. Thanks for reading everyone!

Dream Decade for a Boston Sports Fan

2009-12-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago today if you had told me that Boston would be the most successful sports city in America going into 2010 I would have laughed. Then I probably would have gotten a little angry at such a cruel joke. However, after 6 titles in the 4 major sports this decade, that is the reality. We Boston fans love seeing the glass half empty, but we really need to recognize this past decade for what it was; the greatest decade for Boston sports ever.

Let's start off with Boston's favorite team the Red Soxxxxx. No fan base(besides maybe the Cubs) was more tortured than Red Sox nation up until 2004. I was attending Umass at the time, and was amazed how serious and loyal people from New England were about the Red Sox. You really need to be around it to comprehend the level of passion they have for their team. When the Red Sox came back to beat the Yankees in the greatest come back in sports history, mass hysteria ensued around New England. Sure, they had one more series to go, but nothing was stopping that train. With another title two years later, the Red Sox were no longer the loveable underdogs, but a team expected to win a title every year.

Now on to the dynasty of the decade. Say what you want about the Lakers or Spurs in the NBA, but everyone knows football is by far the hardest sport to build a dynasty. Yet, the 2000's(what are we calling that decade anyway?) Patriots were just that. Three Super Bowl wins in four appearances and a near perfect season made the Patriots the model franchise in the NFL. Sure, a lot of the haters will remember them for Spygate and 18-1, but what the Patriots accomplished in that decade could never have been predicted. Say what you want about Brady, but for a 6th round pick I don't think he's done half bad for himself. As for that unfortunate Super Bowl game against the Giants, I'm still in denial about that one. Patriots win that game 8 out of 10 but just got outplayed that day. Anyway, whether you love or hate the Pats, the past decade put them in the national spotlight, which could not be said for any decades before.

Now on to my favorite sports team, the Boston Celtics. Sure, until the 2007-2008 season the Celtics were mired in mediocrity. However, the 2008 title victory over the hated Lakers was worth it. The Celtics were the 3rd wheel in Boston with the success of the Red Sox and Patriots. But on July 31,2007 that all changed. The addition of Kevin Garnett brought back Celtic Pride and that whole season was a magical ride. My whole life I had heard about the great Celtics teams of the past, but had never witnessed more than a Conference Finals trip from my beloved team. Winning a title that year was worth all the years of frustration. The fact that we beat the Lakers made it even more sweet. That Celtics title was worth more to me than all the other Boston sports championships combined.

All in all I was ridiculously spoiled this past decade in terms of sports success. Along with the 6 titles my Boston teams won, my favorite college basketball team, the UNC Tarheels, won 2 titles and were in most people's minds the college basketball team of the decade. People need to cherish their teams success. Too often we think our teams will always be good, but sports is cyclical. The next decade my teams might be terrible but that will never erase the great decade that was the 2000's.

Happy New Year Everyone!

A quick recap of the last decade in sports(Part 1)

2009-12-30T20:49:00.000-08:00

So much has happened in the past decade that it would take 50 pages to chronicle it all, but I will do my best. The decade started and ended in similar places. The Yankees and Lakers both won titles in the first and last years of the decade, Tiger Woods was the headline of every major sports news outlet, and yes the Cleveland Browns still sucked. However, if I was to characterize this decade in sports it would be for the spectacular highs and equally spectacular lows.

Let's discuss the good stuff first. We saw Michael Phelps win a record 8 Gold Medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics. At those same Olympics, we saw Usain Bolt blow away the competition with flare and seemingly effortless grace. We saw Roger Federer win a record 15 Grand Slam titles and stay #1 in the world for 237 straight weeks. We saw Tiger Woods win major after major and literally carry the sport of golf on his shoulders. Boston fans enjoyed 6 championships in baseball, football, and basketball combined. This included the Red Sox breaking the 86 year old curse of the Bambino in style, coming back to defeat the hated Yankees from 3-0 down.

Memorable games and moments were aplenty. Who could forget the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and the Statue of Liberty play to give Boise State the upset win. Or afterward when Boise State running back Ian Johnson proposed to his girlfriend in front of millions around the country. I still remember the deep pain I felt during the Patriots loss to the Giants in the greatest upset in Super Bowl History, only to be replaced by the immense joy after the Celtics victory over the Lakers 4 months later. How about the 6 Overtime game between Uconn and Syracuse and the memorable run George Mason had in the 2006 Final Four.

However, with all the good that happened in the past decade, sadly some really terrible things happened as well. From the steroid scandal that rocked baseball, to the Tim Donaghy scandal in the NBA. You had the Michael Vick dog fighting ring and Kobe's rape allegation. Just recently the Tiger Woods scandal rocked the nation, leaving fans to question everything they thought they liked about the decade's most famous athlete. I'm not sure if there was just more bad stuff going on, or if the 24 hour news cycle and media overload led to more events being publicized.

Technology played a huge role in the changing of sports media. People went from reading the sports page to reading sports blogs. People were able to watch games on their phones and rewind plays using TIVO. HD TV made going to a game less appealing. Internet chat boards became perfect sounding boards for angry and often ignorant sports fans across America.

Yes, sports in the past decade were anything but dull. It certainly will be interesting to see what happens in the next 10 years. All I know is I will be watching every bit of it. In Part 2 I will discuss the great decade it was for Boston Sports fans. Hope you enjoy!

Treat Teammates Like Family

2009-12-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

When it doesn't go perfect out there, everyone wants to jump on Randy. It's all of us, and we all have to do a better job."-Tom Brady

When I first heard the comments from Panther cornerbacks Chris Gamble and Chris Harris badmouthing Randy Moss for supposedly giving up in last weeks game, I knew how the Patriots would react. You can say what you want about the Patriots or Boston sports in general, but they will defend their teams to the death. Brady, Belichick, and even the owner Robert Kraft stood up for Moss saying it was unfair criticism and that Moss was still one of the most dominant players in the game. Moss certainly did not have one of his best games, and admittedly does have a tendency to give up at times. But a teammate should never call out one of their own.

This is how a class organization like the Patriots handle things. However, this speaks to a larger issue in sports. Too many times these days players use the media as a platform to discuss what should be a private matter. From Larry Johnson tweeting about his distaste for his head coach, to Heinz Ward calling out his quarterback, there seems to be less and less team loyalty these days.

So, why is this? It could be that in the era of free agency, everyone is out for themselves. Players hop from team to team trying to get as much money as they can. Winning is still the number one priority, but for some teams and players, making money is a close second. Or is it the media and technologies fault? If the Internet and the 24 Hour News cycle existed back in the day would we have the same type of problems? Would Larry Bird and Robert Parish be bad mouthing each other through Twitter?

I really believe professional sports players should treat their teammates like family. I mean in essence isn't that what they are? Players often see their teammates more than their own families. They have to trust each other and believe in each other to succeed. If one of your own makes a mistake, it is the responsibility of the teammate to forgive and back them up.

If you look at the successful teams in sports, they all have tight bonds. My beloved Celtics are a perfect example of this. Have you ever seen any tension on this team? They all seem to genuinely like each other and go about their business as professionals. Even if this isn't really how it is, perception is huge in life. If you can outwardly portray a certain image and deal with things internally you will be more successful.

Look, just like families, teams have issues too. The important thing is to protect your own and not throw one another under the proverbial bus. I was proud to be a Boston fan on Monday. By backing the Patriots it reflects the loyal city that Boston is.

The Tiger Woods scandal: A Microcosm of Society

2009-12-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

During the last week or so every major news network in the country has been covering the Tiger Woods scandal like it was the presidential election. The scandal of course, is Tiger's involvement with at least one, and possibly many other women outside of his marriage. The reaction to this story has been mixed, especially between males and females. Not surprisingly females seem to have harsher criticism for Woods than males.

I think I fall somewhere in between total disgust and understanding. On one hand, though I don't condone it, I can see the temptation a person like Tiger Woods would have to venture outside his marriage. On the other hand, the fact that not only was he married, but he cheated on his wife while she was pregnant makes me have no sympathy for the guy.

The fact is this isn't the first nor will it be the last time an athlete cheats on his wife. So I ask you, why is this story bigger than the war in Afghanistan and the Health Care debate right now in America? The logical reason is that Tiger Woods is the most famous athlete in the world. Sure, that is part of it, but not the real reason. Michael Jordan had about 6 girlfriends on the side and no one really seemed to care.

In my opinion the real reasons this story is so big is two-fold. One is the death of journalism. There is no such thing as news journalism anymore. TMZ has replaced World News Tonight as Americans primary media source. We'd rather watch The Real World Cancun than our Nightly News. Sex has always sold, but never to this extent.

With the internet and the 24 hour news cycle, there is no time to write a well thought out article, because the next story will have already happened. This isn't the media's fault, it is the consumer's. You want real news start watching real news. Remember the media is a business just like anything else.

Second is perception. Tiger Woods has always kept his private life to himself, so we judged him as a person by what we saw on the golf course. 99.9% of us have never spoken or seen Tiger Woods in person. We assume he is a certain way because he has never gotten in trouble and hugs his wife and kids after every golf tournament. We see his carefully crafted image and assume that is just how he is. The difference with him and Jordan is that Jordan never pretended to be a family man.

This story shocked me at first, simply because Tiger has had such a spotless past. The real losers in all this are not Tiger or his wife, but his two small children. Tiger should never have gotten married and Elin should have been weary that a person of Tiger's stature might cheat. I'm sorry but if you are a spouse of a famous athlete you are in denial if you don't think your husband might cheat on you. I think there really is something to be said for professional athletes to wait until their playing careers are over to get married, because this seems to happen way too much.

Also, for all those holier than thou people out there saying they would never do what Tiger did, I will say this to you. Most of us could never imagine what it is like to be Tiger Woods. While there is no defense to what he did, don't try to say you wouldn't do something when you really couldn't comprehend the situation. The real issue here is that we as a society care so much about this situation, when we really shouldn't be concerning ourselves in the private lives of other's. Thanks for reading everyone!

Give credit where credit is due Boston Fans

2009-12-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

I'm a Boston sports fan for life, but I have to admit that there are no bigger "Homers" than Boston fans. They never give credit when credit is due, and always put blame on their own team for not playing well. It's okay to stick up for your team, but don't be ignorant.

The Saints simply dominated the Patriots in every facet of the game last night. Look, the secondary played a terrible game, but that was also a product of the Saints being such a great offense. The Saints have 4 guys on the outside that can beat you, not to mention the best quarterback in the game today, Drew Brees. Say what you want about Manning, Brady, and Favre, but Brees is the MVP hands down. He's the only one without a Pro Bowl receiver or running back. Favre is having a great season, but that Vikings team is probably 8-3 with Jason Campbell as the quarterback.

I don't get why last night's game was a surprise to anyone. The Saints came in undefeated playing on their home field on Monday Night. That usually is good for at least 7-10 points right there. Plus, the fact that the Patriots are hurting on the offensive line, have lacked a solid pass rush all season, and haven’t won a road game on US soil all year. The problem people have is that they just assume tradition trumps the present. If you look at how the two teams have played this year last night's result isn't surprising at all.

I jinxed the Pats secondary by saying they were playing pretty well this year, and for the most part I think they have been. However, last night they looked like the Redskins secondary letting receivers get way too wide open. A poor performance by the secondary is directly connected to a poor performance by the defensive line. Brees had way too much time to throw last night and it translated to 5 TD passes. On the other side, Brady looked as bad as I've seen him look since the Denver game. I'm hoping this is just an aberration and he gets back on track quick.

As a Patriots fan, I think it is important to look at the glass half full. Now we will be the underdogs again as a 3 or 4 seed and the pressure will be off. The Saints and Colts can go undefeated for all I care; I wouldn't wish that kind of pressure on my team again. Also, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop on Brett Favre, but it doesn't seem like it is going to happen anytime soon. He fell into a perfect situation and has been playing lights out football. I feel really bad for Packers fans.

To conclude, I really respect and find there is a lot to like about the Saints. With the Redskins out of contention, I will be pulling for them to go to the Super Bowl and hopefully set up a rematch with the Pats in February. Thanks for reading everyone!

The Redskins aren't as bad as you think

2009-11-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

Washington D.C isn't normally recognized as a championship-starved city like Cleveland or Detroit. But the reality is, it has been one of the the worst major sports cities for awhile now. The last championship to come through DC was in the early 90's. Even Cleveland got to the NBA finals 5 years ago. The fact is, people in DC could care less how the other teams do as long as the Redskins do well.

Redskins fans are some of the most die hard and loyal following out there. Their loyalty is truly being put to the test with all the terrible front office decisions made by Darth Snyder. Still they keep coming out to support their team. People can make fun of the Redskins all they want, but I really don't think they are that bad.

The Redskins have four major problems. They have an inexperienced, below average coach in Jim Zorn. They have an owner that cares about dollar signs more than the product on the field. Their offensive line is terrible, both because of injuries and because they refuse to draft anyone or pick up anyone in free agency. Finally, they have a quarterback that isn't bad but isn't good either. Jason Campbell is the defintion of average, and in today's game average won't cut it.

This may seem insurmountable, but I don't think it is. Look, even with all these problems the Redskins almost beat the NFC East division leaders yesterday without both their running backs. Not to mention the two interceptions they missed, and the two field goals missed by Suisham. Cowboys fans really shouldn't gloat after that win. I really think any game that ends with that low a score shouldn't even be counted.

The Redskins defense is one of the top 10 in the league, if not better. They made a mistake dumping all of their money on a player who barely sees the field, but I really like the D as a whole. Don't get me started on Jim Zorn's decision to kick a field goal at the end of the first half. Losing teams kick field goals in that situation. You can say what you want about Belicheck's call on 4th and 2 last week, but at least he has the balls to try to win games.

The saddest part about this Redskins season is that the NFC East is so mediocre. This was the year the Redskins could've made some noise. When will they realize that you can bring in all the high price free agents you want, but if you don't have a good coach, quarterback, and offensive line it is all for not. This Redskins team is good enough to be 8-8 this year, but they will probably finish 5-11. Redskins fans are used to the saying wait till next year, and unfortuantely they will have to again.

In other news, the Patriots beat the hated Jets. Now Rex Ryan is complaining that the Patriots "disrespected them" by throwing a deep ball late in the game. I'm sorry Rex, but weren't you the person that talked smack about the Patriots early in the season. This is the NFL, you get paid to beat people up. Brett Favre continues to defy the odds. I still dislike him for all he has done the past few years, but the guy can still play. He fell into an ideal situation and has made the best of it. It's weird to me that Jacksonville is 6-4. You can't always judge a team by their record, because I'm pretty sure the Redskins could beat the Jags if they were both healthy. Thanks for listening to me ramble. Keep your head up Skins fans. Zorn is only coach for 6 more games!

Belichick made the right call

2009-11-16T15:48:00.000-08:00

As Patriots fans we live by the phrase, "In Belichick we trust." Why wouldn't we? He has three Super Bowl wins in four appearances, and has been the leader of the most dominant team of the decade. Everyone is calling his decision to go for it on 4th and 2 idiotic, and that is understandable. But, would those same people be calling it gutsy if they had converted that 4th down?  That is what I always get so frustrated about with both the media and the fans. Their opinions often change based on the result.

My first reaction was the same as many of yours. Are they really going for it? Or, well they must just be trying to get them to jump offsides. I was crushed. We had dominated the Colts for most of the game and now our chance at home field was gone. This morning on my drive to work, I realized that this was really the only call he could have made. Does anyone think Manning wouldn't have driven 60 yards for a touchdown? He had two drives that quarter of equal or more yards, one which took less than 2 minutes. Sure, one of those drives was aided by a suspect pass interference call, but I think Belichick knows his defense well enough to know when they are out of gas.

Also, they had one timeout plus the two minute warning to work with. The Patriots were down  two defensive linemen and their best rushing linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. If you add that to the fact that Manning has gotten to the point where he always scores touchdowns in these situations, you can see why Belichick might have made the decision he did.  Would it have been more difficult than going the 30 yards? Of course. But I still think it was the right call for that situation.

Though I defend Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th and 2, he made plenty of other mistakes in the game. His first mistake was using up all of his timeouts too early. Even though I think Faulk did come up short, it would've been a play to challenge, and without the timeouts he did not have that luxury. Also, I don't understand why they called a timeout on first down after the kick off. Lastly, though Kevin Faulk is probably my favorite player in the league, why not go to Wes Welker on that 4th and 2? He was doing basically anything he wanted the entire game and is the best slot receiver in the league. Sometimes I  think Belichick is over confident and just expects the chips to fall in his favor every time.

What makes Belichick so great is that he is willing to take chances, but sometimes these risks backfire. I understand both sides of the debate, but at the end of the day it is easy to make opinions after the fact. The Patriots are still going to win the division and be a 2 or 3 seed in the playoffs. They aren't scared of the Colts at all, but I will admit Manning is in Belichick's head. Belichick showed the ultimate respect to Manning by going for it on 4th and 2. Peyton showed how great of a quarterback he is by virtually winning the game by himself, with the absence of a running game. I think he has developed into the equal of Brady in terms of being clutch, at least in the regular season.

The bottom line is this; Belichick made the call and has to live with the consequences. The game is over so there is no use in mulling over what could have been. If you can't make 2 yards, maybe you don't deserve to win the game. These two teams will most likely meet again in the playoffs on the same field, and I fully expect the Patriots to win that game. Remember hate him or love him, Belichick always will get your attention.

Down with the haters

2009-11-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

I've always been amazed how intelligent people become ignorant when their sports teams come up in conversation. Sure, some of these people are just dumb in general, but a vast majority are hard working, decent individuals in every other aspect of life. However, as soon as their rival team comes up in discussion it's,”I hate this team" or " I hope this guy gets injured." Whatever happened to just rooting for your team and enjoying the game?

Yesterday I was at a bar watching the Patriots game. The bar also happened to be hosting the Miami Dolphins DC game watch event. By the way, Dolphins fans are really obnoxious. When they weren't celebrating a 4 yard gain, they were cursing at the Patriots players, and even clapping when a Patriots player would go down injured. Look, you can dislike a team all you want, but celebrating or wishing injury on someone else is out of line. Also, what does yelling and screaming at the refs on TV do anyway? It just makes you look like an idiot.

I dislike the Colts and Lakers as much as anyone, but I would never wish harm on any players on their team. I can admit that they are two great franchises with great players. It doesn't mean I don't want them to lose every game, it just means I'm in touch with reality. I'm not stupid enough to blindly say these teams suck. If the teams sucked we wouldn't hate them, because we simply wouldn't care. Hatred and ignorance is a product of jealousy spurned on by people that quite frankly need to get a life. There is no greater feeling than watching the team you love win, but that doesn't mean that negativity and ignorance have to go with it.

If you go on any sports message board you will see ignorant comments everywhere. With the Internet people feel they can say anything because there is no accountability. They can blindly spew unsubstantiated claims in the privacy of their own homes. Would they say the same things to a person's face, of course not. I'm frankly embarrassed that people like this exist in the world. Sports are supposed to be fun, not a place to unleash anger and negativity. I'd like to say that I think things are going to get better, but the reality is it will probably get worse. Remember at the end of the day it is just a game.

Don't blame the Yankees, Blame Baseball!

2009-11-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

I can't hear you Royals fans!

As a Red Sox fan, seeing the Yankees hold up their 27th World Series title last night was not the most pleasant experience of my life. However, they need to be congratulated for a great season and a great postseason. Let's stop with all the, "well the Yankees bought the championship" complaints. You know what, maybe they did, but so would your team if they could. I hate when people claim that their team would never do what the Yankees did, or that the Yankees have no soul. The truth is they would love their team to do the same thing if given the opportunity. This is not the Yankees fault, but baseball's fault for not having a salary cap.

If you are a Red Sox fan you have nothing to complain about. First off, you have the second biggest payroll in the league, and assembled a team full of corporate robots similar to Yankees teams of the past. You have the opportunity to win a championship every year and have won two in the last five years. Yet you complain that the Yankees are bad for baseball. No, the system baseball has in place is bad. When you have the Marlins with a $36 million payroll and the Yankees with a $200 million dollar payroll, it just doesn't add up. The argument could be made that some owners have the money but choose not to spend it, and that is a valid point. But the fact remains if there was a salary cap, teams like the Reds, Pirates, and Royals would feel like they have a chance.

In other news, I'm utterly shocked that Brett Favre is not only still standing, but playing so well. He's making quick decisions, not throwing interceptions, and managing the game like he should with the personnel around him. The key for the Vikings is to get home field. You don't want old man river playing in Philadelphia in January.

This is a great day for me because baseball is finally over and there will be no more baseball in the Sports Center top plays. I never understood how moving 3 feet to your right to catch a ball is considered a top 10 play. Who makes those lists? I am so glad the NBA is here, mostly because of my beloved Celtics. I won't get into my love fest for all things Celtics because you can see that on CelticsLife.com(Plug!), but it is a great treat to see the Celts play every night again.

As sports fans many of us choose not to display common sense. We blindly hate teams and players and don't look at situations objectively. If you stop and think about this whole Yankees situation, you will realize it is silly to blame New York for what is going on in baseball. The fact is the Yankees had the best players and the best team this year. If they only won because of the money, why haven't they won the past 10 years? By the way, Yankees fans should still feel pretty bad that it took them almost 10 years to win a World Series. Hopefully baseball can get its act together before it gets even worse.

2009 NBA Preview

2009-10-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

I love the NBA. Look, it is certainly true that the players are overpaid and too many fouls are called. But the fact is, the best athletes in the world play in this league, and it is as exciting as any sport to watch. I think this year especially could be something special. You have 5 teams that have a legitimate shot to win the title, and will make for an epic playoffs. You have the two most storied franchises, in the Celtics and Lakers, at full strength. You have Lebron looking to avenge last years disappointment, and an overweight but motivated Shaq trying to prove he still can be the man. Don't forget about Vince Carter having a chance to play with a championship caliber team for the first time. Will he continue to underachieve, or will being on a good team elevate his play?

In the West you have the addition of Ron Artest to an already stacked Lakers squad. The question remains how Artest will blend in with his new teammates, and if the Lakers have the same fire they did a year ago. You also have an under the radar Spurs team that made some outstanding additions during the offseason. I still think the Spurs are the favorite to come out of the West.

There are individual players to watch as well. This could be the year Kevin Durant ups his game to the next level and becomes one of the top 5 players in the game. Will Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo build off there outstanding postseasons and be considered amongst the elite point guards in the league? How will KG come back from his injury, and will the addition of Rasheed Wallace be the piece that gets the Celtics another championship? Also, it remains to be seen if Gilbert Arenas will be able to stay healthy. I think the Wizards can be a 4 or 5 seed if Gilbert plays like he is capable of playing. A ton of questions, with the answers to be played out on the court. Don't assume the NBA isn't as good as it used to be. Sure the league has its problems, but it is an amazing game to watch.
Befiore I go, let's discuss a little football and baseball. First, congrats to the Phillies and Yankees(cringe) for making it to the World Series. I will be on the Philly bandwagon for the next week and a half, but sadly realize there is no stopping the Yankees this year. They remind me a lot of the 2004 Red Sox, and the Red Sox sadly remind me of the corporate robotic Yankess of the last 10 years. I'm looking forward to being in Boston for a couple of games. Rooting against the Yankees is almost as fun as rooting for the Red Sox.

The good news is the Redskins didn't lose yesterday. The bad news is they play tonight. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if they won, because the Redskins have always played to their competition, and are better as underdogs. Also, can anyone please explain to me why Jake Delhomme and JaMarcus Russell are still starting for their teams? I don't get this at all. How many times do these guys have to screw up for them to be benched? The Patriots have outscored their last two opponents 94-7 which is good. Unfortunately there last two opponents would probably lose to the Dillon Panthers at this point. I can't get over how bad some of the teams are this year. I can't remember a year with so many teams that are just flat out terrible.

Thanks for reading everyone. Go Celtics!

Darth Snyder

2009-10-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Redskins are a lot like the 1999-2001 Rams, except exactly the opposite. I don't know if I've ever seen an offense this bad. I've certainly never seen an offense with so many playmakers play this terribly. They are a joke of a team and should be embarrassed. There are very few fan bases more loyal than Redskins fans, but that loyalty is being pushed to the brink right now. Skins fans are getting used and taken advantage of by Darth Snyder.

Jim Zorn was over his head from the get go, and should have never been hired. You don't hire a substitute 4th grade math teacher to teach Advanced Chemistry at Harvard do you? That would be silly, but is in essence what is happening here. The rule of thumb in football is never hire a person that has never been a coordinator before. Good things rarely happen.

This isn't Zorn's fault. If you are asked to be the head coach of the Redskins you do it, especially if you were a quarterback coach before. This isn't Jason Campbell's fault. Jason Campbell is a drop back passer that is not a fit for the West Coast offense. He has a banged up offensive line and is too slow with his decision making for the quick decisions quarterbacks in that system have to make.

Also, why you spend $100 million in the offseason for a defensive tackle when your defense was already top 5 the year before is beyond me. Why not get two offensive lineman and a receiver instead? Do your homework for god sakes! Haynesworth is a great player but has always had injury problems and plays half the snaps. The Skins defense looks pretty good this year, but it doesn' matter how good they are if they can't score a touchdown against the Chiefs.

Thankfully I still have my Patriots. The 59-0 thrashing of the Titans yesterday was exactly what the doctor ordered. Look, I'm not going to say Brady is back, because honestly I don't think I've ever seen so many wide open receivers in my life. However, I'm starting to get really excited about this team. The defense looks as good as ever, the running game is solid, and Brady to Moss is back.

Now that the Redskins season is over, let's talk about the juggernaut that is the Saints. I like this Saints team a lot, and think they are clearly the class of the NFC after their whupping of the Giants yesterday. Drew Brees is the real deal. I think what this team is doing for the city of New Orleans is great. The fact that he is doing all this without any big name receivers makes it even more amazing. Here is hoping the Saints continue their torrid streak.

One other note on the Redskins. I love kayaking and often pass by Dan Snyder's massive mansion on my way to the C&O Canal. For those of you who don't know, he had hundreds of trees cut down illegally, so he could have a view of the water, and got in a ton of trouble with the federal government. So, not only does this guy not care about the Redskins, he doesn't care about nature! I say run this guy out of town ASAP.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Don't get too upset Boston fans!

2009-10-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

Today the Red Sox, Patriots, and Redskins all lost. I was upset for about 5 minutes then realized, you know what, life is still good. The fact is, the Red Sox weren't going to win it all this year. Also you shouldn't feel bad for a team with an $180 million payroll that has won 2 world series championships in 5 years.

Same goes for the Redskins. Look, as I said before it's all about expectations. When you go into the season with an unqualified coach, an average quarterback(who is below average because of a dismal offensive line), and a high priced free agent that plays only 50% of the snaps, this is what you get. What do Redskins fans really expect? This was always a 7-9 or 8-8 team and will continue to be mediocre until Dan Snyder leaves.

As for the Patriots, they lost a road game to a solid undefeated Broncos team. Tom Brady is still off, but the defense played pretty well. These two teams will probably end up meeting again in the playoffs and I expect the Patriots to bounce back. The Broncos are a great story, and are part of the reason this has been one of the craziest football seasons in recent memory. Who would've thought the Bengals and Broncos would be atop their divisions in mid October?

Look, this is sports people. You always have days where your teams lose, but get over it. It is going to happen a thousand more times in your life. How this took me 24 years to figure out I really don't know. Solid weekend overall. For those of you who haven't experienced the feeling of floating down the river on a fall day with pumpkin beer and Rod Stewart playing in the background, do it immediately.

Another work week tomorrow, time to rest up.

The Patriots of Old

2009-10-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

The Patriots pulled off a huge win yesterday against the previously undefeated Ravens. They did it with defense, efficient red zone offense, and a little luck. It reminded me a lot of the Patriots of old. The 2007 New England team was an aberration, and probably something that will never be seen again. The Pats have always been a team that wins a lot of close games and plays solid defense. There defense this year is the best I've seen in awhile. If not the best, it is certainly the fastest. The fact that they are doing this without their stud linebacker Jerod Mayo is encouraging. Brady still looks rusty, but is coming around. Also, there running game is stacked, but I don't get why Maroney still plays. Everytime Sammy Morris or Fred Taylor run they get at least 4 yards. Not to mention my boy Kevin Faulk who is an automatic first down every time. I really like how this Patriots team is coming together. Once Brady gets back to about 80% of his old self we should be ready for a great run in the playoffs.

Now on to the woeful Redskins. This has to be the worst 2-2 team of all time. Maybe not the worst, but they certainly have played the worst. The good news is they are 2-2 and playing Carolina and Kansas City in the next two weeks. Can you think of an easier schedule to start a season? The defense doesn't look too bad, but this offense looks atrocious. I don't get it, they have a lot of talent but don't seem to be able to put it all together. During the 2nd half they looked a lot better, but you can't beat the Rams and Bucs, maybe the two worst teams in the league, by a combined 6 points and expect to win any NFC East games. Let's hope the Skins play like we all know they are capable of playing.

In other news the Saints look downright scary now that they have a legitimate defense. The Broncos are one of the weirdest stories in the NFL. They bring in an offensive minded coach and are supposed to have one of the worst defenses in the league. As it turns out their defense has played great, but they can't score more than 17 points. They will definitely lose next week to New England.

One non-related sports story. Saturday I took a drivers improvement class from 8-5 and it was one of the top 3 most painfully boring events I've ever been involved with. Don't speed people, trust me it is not worth it.

Thanks for reading!

The Redskins Real Problem

2009-09-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'm a Patriots fan at heart, but I love the Redskins as well. For those of you not from DC, the Redskins reign supreme around here. In fact, no other team really comes close. Redskins fans are deeply loyal to there team, almost to a fault. For Skins fans there is always next year. One of my friends once said about the Redskins, "Loyality is a bitch" and that is so true. The Redskins always have great offseasons on paper. Then the product on the field always ends up not living up to the expectations. Take Albert Haynesworth for example. He could be the Defensive MVP this year and he wouldn't be worth his contract. The guy only plays 60% of the snaps, so even if he's dominant is that worth the $41 million guaranteed money? The answer to that is of course no.

The problem with paying these players so much money is that they lose motivation. Everyone plays hard in the NFL, but it's natural to play harder when you have money on the line. Therein lies the Redskins real problem. It isn't Campbell or Zorn, but rather the organizations fault, specifically Daniel Snyder. Zorn was never qualified to be a head coach in the NFL but Snyder brought him in anyway. That isn't Zorn's fault, it is Snyder's. As for Campbell, the guy is an average NFL quarterback, why do people expect anything else?

The Redskins do everything the opposite of the Patriots. They sign big name free agents and pay them a ton of money, then use the draft as a secondary talent source. The way you should do it is pay your big name players who have produced for you for years, and build through the draft. Then you have hungry, young players with something to prove. Until Dan Snyder releases ownership of this team they will continue to dwell in mediocrity.

Now on to the Patriots. I love Bill Simmons but he tends to lose hope on his Boston teams too early. The Patriots handily defeated a good Falcons team Sunday and the defense had another stellar effort. They've let up 16 and 10 points in the last two weeks without their best defensive player. The offense is going to come, but the defense was the big question mark. Do you really think Brady won't start being the Brady of old later in the season? The guy missed a whole year, do you expect him to throw 6 touchdowns his first game? It's a process but as fans we want immediate results. The fact is the Pats will be right there in the end and one of the best offenses in the league.

In other news, I got last place in my office pool last week so get to play for free this week. I'm also last in my two fantasy leagues. Why am I writing a sports blog again? As always, comments are appreciated. Have a great day!

The death of the pick up game

2009-09-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

Technology is a great thing. I don't know what my life would be without the Internet, HD, or my Ipod. But technology also makes us lazy and encourages stupidity. For example, I'm terrible with directions and have lost all hope in my ability to read a map. Therefore, I got a GPS and find myself typing in directions from the grocery store down the street. Not really, but you know what I mean. What does this have to do with pick up games? Well, with this updated technology people would rather sit around playing video games, then go outside and actually play sports. I never understood it. I'm going to be that 75 year old guy stumbling around trying to guard his grandkids.

As a kid all I did all day was sports. I'd play pick up baseball in my neighbors backyard and shoot hoops all day and night. I played so much that my basketball actually lost its grip. I hated being inside and still do. In high school when I wasn't practicing for a sport, I was playing pick up with the " Great Falls Crew". I was lucky enough to be good friends with people who all loved playing pick up hoops. We would battle almost everyday in the summer, and every weekend during school. This continued during summers in between college. Binns, Brett, Zane, Zo, Chow, Rich, and a variety of others would play almost everyday at Zane's court, or the courts at Village Green. Binns and Brett would talk a lot of shit, but they'd always back it up. Really we all talked a lot of smack to each other but it was all in fun. The important thing is we were all out there playing sports instead of sitting in a dark basement in our pajamas wasting away our youth. The exception to this is ofcourse Justin Chow who made a career out of playing Madden and has won a ton of money off it.

During college I had some of my best pick up games. We had a crew of 5 that played together everyday and would repeatedly go days without losing a single game. Everyone worked well together and we had Steve Perry, who is probably the player I've most enjoyed playing with over the years. He could take over a game when he wanted to, but was always a pass first player. I will always miss those pick up games.

Today I'm still always down for a game. Lately I've been frequenting the courts around Arlington and have rounded up a solid group of players to play with. Of course, I have to mention the battles that go down at the Dolly Madison courts in McLean. The main battles are with my arch basketball Nemesis's Waleed and Tarick Gamay, better known as the "Gamay Package". Nothing pleases me more than beating them in basketball, and conversely nothing makes me angrier than losing to them. They have perfected the "Gamay shuffle" and the "Gamay excuse." They have turned into some solid basketball players though, and have beaten me in about 10 straight games to this point. I can't forget to give a shout out to Kareem Yakub, the most improved player. He still can't cross over and look up while dribbling, but he has an automatic three point shot from the top of the key. This is all just friendly smack talk for all you sensitive types out there.

It is up to the youth of America to revitalize the pick up game. As we get older and more responsibilities come our way, we have less and less time to call up the boys for a game of basketball. Don't waste your youth. Before you know it you'll be 45 years old, with 3 kids, a wife and mortgage. You will be dreaming of the days when you had the ability to shoot a turn around J. All I know is as long as I can walk I'll always be down for a game to 11.

Thanks for reading everyone. Sign up to become a follower if you like the blog, or sign up so you can tell me how much you hate it every week! Happy Friday!

Getting over a loss

2009-09-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday I watched my Patriots get manhandled by the Jets, and I got to think about how I've changed in my reaction to losses. In my younger days, yes I'm an old man at 24, I would've been depressed or angry at such a defeat. Now I realize the big picture. Life is still really good. In fact, I wrote the draft of this entry at sunset on the Potomac in the Nations capital. It seems almost foolish that people get so upset about their teams losing. How does a loss by your team really affect you in the long run. Get a life, and yes that includes me.

The same thing goes for intramural sports. Saturday we lost our flag football game and everyone was acting like someone just kicked their dog in the face. Who the hell cares. I understand we are all holding on to our youth and are competitive, but it is all in fun. We are past the stage where any type of sports we play truly matters so just go out have fun and laugh. Remember the fact that you get to play flag football on a sunny 70 degree day makes you luckier than 95% of the world.

It's all about perception. It's great to be passionate. You won't find a more hardcore Celtics or Tarheels fan than me. But the fact is, at the end of the day what do you have to gain by fretting over a loss. What's done is done, so just move on. The exception to this is of course the Giants win in the Super Bowl two years ago. Now that is hard to recover from.

As for the Patriots loss itself. The media is going to proclaim the Jets and Mark Sanchez as the upcoming team and in turn will bury Brady and the Patriots. Truthfully, I hope they do. The Patriots in 2007 weren't a typical Patriots team. New England plays better as an underdog, much like the hometown Redskins. Speaking of the Redskins....They looked bad, but not as bad as the score might indicate. They had there chances to score, but just couldn't do it in the red zone. They need to beat Detroit by at least 20 points this weekend, and not have it be a replay of last years near loss. Remember, this isn't college football, a win is a win.

Thanks for reading all 5 of my readers. If you do read this blog please comment or become a follower. You can say this is the worst blog ever written and it would make my day. No person is easier to please than me. Have a great night!

It's Week 1 People!

2009-09-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first full day of the NFL season and the fans and the media are already overblowing everything. You don't know anything in the first 3-4 weeks, much less the first week, about how a team is going to fare the rest of the year. Let's start with good old Brett Favre. I thought it was amusing that one of the headlines on ESPN.com after the game said, "Favre and Peterson help Vikings beat Browns." No, Petersen and the Vikings defense won that game and will win most every game the Vikings play. Petersen is the best player in the league and the best running back since Barry Sanders. He is truly an amazing player to watch. The fact that they were playing one of the worst teams in the league in the Browns makes Favre's performance look even less impressive. Get back to me in week 8 when Favre has about 15 picks to his name.

I'm actually writing this paragraph over right now after that crazy finish to the Patriots game. I don't even know where to start. First off I don't know whether to be happy we won or disgusted cause we beat the Bills by a point. Look, the Bills played a great game but this is why you can never turn off an NFL game. I was jumping out of my comfy recliner when the Bills fumbled that kick off. Brady is back. He started off rusty but as the game progressed he got back to the Brady of old. I feel kind of bad for Bills fans, but at the same time, the Patriots were the better team for most of the night. That Jackson guy is legit, and whoever has him on their fantasy roster should be very happy. I saw a lot of hate on Facebook on the Patriots, and I think I should put my sports haters blog back up. Look, there are teams I don't like, but I'd never get to the point where I would wish injury or death even in a joking sense on a team. It's a game and we are living vicariously through these people. Jealousy is a bitch and the haters just wish they had a team as successful as the Patriots franchise. I really want to ask people why they hate Tom Brady. Probably cause he has everything that they never will. Anyway, awesome game and bring on the Jets next week!

Now on to the hometown Redskins. Calm down Skins fans, you weren't supposed to win this game remember! You were playing one of the better teams in the NFC at their home field. Anytime you win one of these games it's a great win but the loss is nothing to be ashamed of. For all the Haynesworth haters, you probably don't understand football. Defensive tackles don't get many sacks or tackles. Their job is to take on blockers so linebackers can make the tackles. Haynesworth gets double or triple teamed every play. Again, people over blowing the good and bad when the reality is something in between.

Drew Brees showed he is prime for another huge season with 6 TD's. He is right behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the quarterback hierarchy. If he can get a couple playoffs wins under his belt or a Super Bowl appearance he will be right there. The Broncos crazy finish cost me $140! I have a pool at work where you put in $5 a week and whoever gets the most games right wins the pool. With that game I went from 2 losses for the day, to 3. Should've known the Bengals would've found a way to screw up somehow. Jay Cutler had a nightmarish start to his career with the Bears. Cutler is one of those guys that you know just by looking at him is a prick. There is no chance he is a humble, nice, genuine person. If anyone knows otherwise please let me know. That coupled with Urlacher's season ending injury puts a damper on the Bears playoff hopes. McNabb's injury is unfortunate for an Eagles team that looked really solid yesterday. Picking up the greatest balding red headed quarterback of all time in Jeff Garcia was a great move.

A little tennis now. Congratulations Juan Martin Del Potro for beating the greatest player in tennis history on the biggest stage. This guy is only 20 years old and is only going to get better. Now Federer has a bunch of young guns going after him and I think he will raise his play accordingly. Also, congratulations to Kim Clijster for one of the great comebacks in tennis history. Just 18 months after having a child she is back on the circuit and winning the US Open.

Thanks for reading everyone. Remember Redskins fans and fans of other teams that lost this week. At least you aren't a Lions fan, they are the only ones that should be really depressed.

NFL Season Begins!

2009-09-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

It feels like Christmas. After months of anticipation the football season is upon us. This year is extra exciting because of all the subplots heading into the season. What kind of impact will Vick have on the Eagles? Will Favre last an entire season(hell no). Will Tom Brady be the Brady of 07 or will he show some rust? These are all questions that won't be answered right away, but by mid October we should have a better idea of how they have played out. The Patriots look great on offense this year, but I am a bit worried about their defense, with the loss of several key veterans. The good news is they actually have some guys that can run now, and our stud linebacker Jerod Mayo is one of the best young defenders in the league. If the defense can hold opponents below 20 there is no way the Patriots go any worse than 13-3.

As for my other team, the Redskins, it is really anyone's guess. I'm all for the build on your strengths strategy but the Skins needed to do more on the offensive side of the ball in the off season. It all comes down to Jason Campbell and if he gets the courage to take some chances and make some plays. The guy isn't a bad quarterback, but if you are going to win in this league you need an above average or great quarterback. The young receivers need to step up as well. If Antwaan Randle El is the 2nd leading receiver the Redskins aren't making the playoffs, that is a fact.

I'm not as high on the Vikings as everyone else. This is a team a quarterback like Jason Campbell would thrive in. Brett Favre is the exact opposite of what they need. They need a guy who doesn't throw interceptions and everyone knows Favre throws more interceptions than almost anyone. Plus the fact that he is about 67 years old and refuses to come out because of his pride. It is a recipe for disaster. I see the Seahawks as making a comeback in the pitiful NFC West, the Saints winning a tough NFC South, and the Giants winning an always brutal NFC East. I see the Giants coming out of the NFC because of their offensive and defensive lines. It is generic to say, but that is how teams win in the NFL, at the line of scrimmage. Just ask the 2007 Patriots.

In the AFC I see the Steelers, Pats, and Chargers as the only legitimate teams that could make a run to the Super bowl. I see the Pats-Steelers in the AFC Championship game with the Patriots using their home field advantage to advance to the Super Bowl. Then it is a Giants-Pats rematch with Karl having a massive panic attack before the game. Seriously if this happens I don't know if I can watch.

The truth is who the hell knows what is going to happen this year. The NFL is probably the most up and down league of any of the pro sports teams. Who is this year Atlanta Falcons? What teams will get hurt most by injuries? Injuries make or break a teams season. That is the reason why it is so hard to predict before the season. All I know is Kevin Faulk is the most underrated player in the league. The guy gets a 1st down every time he touches the ball. I named my Fantasy Football team after this guy. Watch for him this year on the Patriots. Him and Welker would give me a heart attack if I was an opponent of the Patriots.

Thanks for reading everyone. Keep the comments coming. If you hated the blog I want to know about it to make it better!

Seymour to the Raiders

2009-09-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day everyone! Lot's to get to today. Let's start off with the trade of Richard Seymour from the Patriots to the Raiders for a 2011 First Round pick. My first reaction to this trade was utter confusion and anger. Why would the Patriots trade their best defensive lineman for 8 years running, for a draft pick 2 years down the road? After I thought about it more it makes sense. The Patriots weren't going to sign Seymour, who has been injury prone the last few years, to a big new contract so they figured they should at least get something for him in return. I've learned to never question Patriots management, and so I am going to trust them on this one. The good news is, the Raiders almost always have a top 5 pick so the Patriots will most likely get a high draft choice or use that pick to acquire someone like a Julius Peppers. They also need the money to re-sign Brady, the only player that is non-tradeable on the Patriots. The Patriots will hopefully pick up Jeff Garcia, who was mysteriously let go by the Raiders a couple days ago. Everyone knows there aren't enough balding red heads in this league and the guy can flat out play. Plus, we need more than 2 quarterbacks.

College football started last weekend with a bang. Ohio State almost lost to Navy and BYU beat mighty Oklahoma. The loss of Sam Bradford was a crushing blow to Oklahoma's season. College football is crazy in that your season can literally be over the in the first week. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing but it sure keeps it interesting. I was at a wedding Saturday night so I missed the Tech game, but heard they looked pretty bad, especially on offense. One of these days the offense is going to have to catch up with the defense and special teams if they want to contend for a championship.

I had my first fantasy football draft last night. I picked up Steve Slaton and Michael Turner as my running backs, and Aaron Rodgers as my quarterback. The fact that I have Chad Ocho Cinco on my team puts me over the top(chuckle). Fantasy football is extremely nerdy but I love it anyway. I still can't believe there are people paid to simply analyze and give advice on it. You gotta love America!

The US Open saw Venus Williams and Andy Roddick go down last weekend. I don't know why Venus and Serena are considered even close to equal, as Serena is clearly the more dominant player, and has won on every surface. The men's draw should be really interesting, but in the end the Fed Express should take the crown.

Thanks for reading everyone. NFL preview blog is next!

I love Fall

2009-09-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

The weather is getting cooler which means football is upon us and the horrid month of August is over. Seriously, I love Northern Virginia, but the summers here are not pleasant. This summer was surprisingly cool, but still, the humidity is oppressive. I don't get why people are so sad to see summer go, especially when you work an office job. Sure, you get to go out and do things after work in the summer, but it's not like college where you have summers off and can sleep your way through a crummy summer job.

The fact is fall is the best season in Northern Virginia. In fact, there are probably few places in the country with better weather than early fall in DC. I love that first time I get to put on a sweatshirt and when the leaves start turning color. The river is absolutely incredible in the fall. The water gets deeper and bluer. Kayaking down the river in the fall is the greatest feeling in the world.

With fall also comes the start of football season, the exciting part of baseball season, and the start of school, or for those who work, the celebration of another year of no homework. It's weird this is the third fall I haven't been going back to school and I don't miss it one bit. Why would I want to be broke living in an apartment on the Amtrak line again? Plus, I live in Arlington and there is always tons of stuff to do and people to meet. Money isn't everything, but being broke just sucks. I hope to never have only $5 to my name like I did in college again.

With football season also comes fantasy football season. The time when us sports nerds get together for online drafts and smack talk. It's crazy, if you had told me 10 years ago there would be actual people whose jobs it was to give advice and analysis on fantasy football I would've laughed. But here we are talking about and hyping up our fantasy drafts. Gotta love the internet!

As much as I loath baseball at times I'm getting excited that the Yankees and Red Sox should both be in the playoffs and hopefully face each other in the ALCS. This is how it should be every year. The people that say parody is good for sport are dumb. Dynasties and great teams in big markets are good for sports. You aren't getting the casual fan with a Rays- Diamondbacks World Series, sorry.

The US Open in tennis has also started. This is my favorite tournament of the year and I would love to go to it at some point. I'm thinking Federer-Murray in the final with Federer winning a 6th straight US Open crown. This is yet another reason why I love this time of year. The first sunday of the football season will also have the US Open championship. I will be glued to my recliner all day.

It is a ghost town at work today with everyone leaving for the Labor Day weekend. I'm going to my friend Brian Crane's wedding tomorrow. It's crazy that one of my friends is getting married, I'm getting old. Thanks for reading everyone. Hope to write again very soon!

Why do certain cities like certain sports?

2009-08-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

A couple more weeks of filler blogs until football season is upon us. As much as this summer period is a slow one for sports, I have enjoyed writing about some of my random sports ideas and theories. Tonight's entry is about the mystery of why cities identify with certain sports even though logic says it doesn't make sense. Let's start off with Boston. I will never understand why the Red Sox are the number 1 team in Boston, and by such a large margin. My bias of baseball aside, it is freaking cold there 8 months out of the year. Hell, basketball was invented in Massachusetts, yet the Sooxxx are the most talked about team 12 months out of the year. I could understand if they were one of the most storied franchises ever, but the fact is before 5 years ago they hadn't won anything since World War I. In that time span the Celtics(who should be the #1 team) have won 16 titles and play in the state where basketball was invented. On the opposite end you have the Florida Marlins who can barely get half of there seats filled in a game, in a state where you can play baseball year round.

In LA basketball reigns supreme. This makes more sense because at least they have one of the storied championship franchises in history. But still,wouldn't you be playing baseball in LA? Why would anyone even go inside if you lived there. I was there for four days in July and I felt like I was in the movie Groundhog Day. It is 75 and sunny all the time!

Why did Texas and the south in general become the hot bed for football? Why are people obsessed with basketball in the midwest states like Kentucky and Indiana, though it's most popular teams lay on the coasts? I guess it's like anything else, it starts somewhere gains popularity, then everyone kind of follows the lead. I remember asking my friend Jim why the Red Sox were so popular in Boston and he said "because it is what we grew up with." I guess that is in essence the reason why anyone follows anything. You grow up loving or believing in a certain something and never stop to think why you do.

Plaxico Burress got a raw deal. Two years for shooting yourself is ridiculous. I know it is the "law" and that New York has very stiff(and rightfully so) gun laws, but two years for a crime where no one but the person who committed the crime got hurt is just wrong. I'm no Burress fan. The guy caused me one of the worst days in the last 5 years of my life when he caught that pass to win the Super Bowl two years ago. But to me it is pretty clear they were trying to send a message here. I just don't get the justice system. I know it is the best in the world, but that doesn't mean it isn't still unjust. I remember working in the Federal Probation office a few years ago, and seeing guys get 10 years for possession of marijuana and 3 months for child molestation. If anyone can explain that let me know. Burress should've got 3-6 months, 500 hours community service, and a hefty fine. The guy is a dumbass but not a criminal. This is one of those rare times where being a celebrity hurts you.

Thanks for reading everyone. Football preview blog is coming up. Have a great night!

Brett Favre

2009-08-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

This has got to be the most highly anticipated sports season of all time with all the story lines headed in. You have Vick's return from two years in jail, Brady's comeback from injury, and Favre joining the Vikings. By the way, Michael Vick and Rick Pitino should each take Favre out to dinner for taking the negative media coverage off them. What is it about this guy? Sure he was one of the greats to play, but what he's done the last 3 or 4 years is more negative than positive. The fact is, as much as people want to hate the guy, he generates interest and sparks ratings. If you want the coverage to stop then stop watching.

What more is there to say about Brett Favre? I'd really be interested in hearing a Packers fan take on this whole saga. I've never experienced anything similar with any of my teams. However, I can tell you this much, if Larry Bird had decided to come out of retirement and join the Lakers he would cease to be my favorite player. I would still like the guy, but I would lose a lot of respect for him.

It's not just Favre going to the arch rival Vikings, but the way he has gone about it. Football isn't like baseball, or even basketball. It is a total team game, and though the quarterback is the most important position, everyone needs to be on the same page to succeed. I can't imagine how pissed all the Vikings players are,(though they would never show it) at Favre acting like he is above everyone else. It is the Vikings fault too though. They enabled Favre to pull something like this.

I don't hate Brett Favre, but I do feel sorry for Packers fans. Say what you want about it being a business, but Favre went about this the wrong way. He did this for years before too. For the last 4 years as a Packer he went back and forth about retiring, until finally the Packers had enough with it. Let's be honest here, Favre isn't even that good anymore. The guy looked like he was about 67 years old on the HD TV. Sure, his injury contributed to his poor play the second half of last year, but does anyone actually believe a 40 year old guy, who thinks he's still 25, can stay healthy the whole year? Especially when he refuses to ever sit, because he wants to keep his record of consecutive starts alive. Will the Vikings be better? Probably, but they won't make it past the first round of the playoffs. They have a great defense and the best running back in the league, but you need to be able to pass in today's game. Favre can make some great throws but he will also make his share of bonehead ones, which will come back to haunt the Vikings.

I'm going to Boston this weekend to visit some college buddies. I'll be at Fenway during the Yankees game Saturday which should be an experience. For my next entry I want to write about the strange phenomenon of cold cities liking warm weather sports and warm cities liking cold weather sports. Why does Boston love baseball and LA love basketball. Shouldn't it be the opposite? Anyway, thanks for reading and have a great rest of the week!

Wild Start to the Football Season

2009-08-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

I thought preseason football was supposed to be relatively devoid of story lines? Let's start with Tom Brady's return to the Patriots. I can't explain in words how great it is to see him back behind center. Even the interception he threw was beautiful. I didn't get to see the full game, but the addition of Chris Baker was a huge pick up. Ben Watson has not lived up to the expectations he had coming out of college and Baker is a much better blocker. If Brady stays healthy, I think you can pretty much write in a Pittsburgh-New England AFC Championship for the ages. Even if you aren't a Patriots fan you have to admit that Brady being back is great for the league.

Unfortunately my other team, the Redskins, did not fair so well. You can't tell much from preseason, because much of the game is played by players that will never even suit up for a real game, but it is still never good to get shut out. Their defense on paper could be the best in the league. They are deep in every position. However it all comes down to how the offensive line protects Jason Campbell. Everything on offense is predicated on how well the QB is protected, especially when its someone like Campbell who has a tendency to hold the ball too long.

Michael Vick's return to the NFL is obviously a huge story. His signing by the Eagles was surprising to me at first, but makes sense when you think about it. I don't like the Eagles at all but they are a solid organization, that has a good coach and a stable, solid quarterback who also happens to be close with Vick. Vick and Mcnabb in the same backfield is kind of a scary thought, especially when one of your favorite teams plays in that division. I think that Vick did pay his dues, but deserves all the heckling he is going to get from opposing teams. I'm kind of in the middle on this whole debate. On one hand I recognize that Vick came from a culture where dog fighting was accepted, so part of me wants to sympathize with that. On the other hand, the guy made millions and millions of dollars and had every chance to stop the operation he was running and chose not to. I'm glad he was made as an example so hopefully dog fighting will cease to exist in this world. As a football player, Vick will take some time to adjust but eventually will become a scary weapon for the Eagles. They needed more playmakers on offense and they certainly got one.

This is shaping up to be one of the most interesting football seasons in recent memory. I'm supremely confident in the Patriots to have another spectacular season under Brady. I am a bit more apprehensive about the Redskins, but think they might be able to sneak out a 9-7 season and make the Wild Card. But what I think doesn't matter, that is why they play the games. Have a great weekend everyone!

Underrated signings by the Celtics and Pats

2009-08-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

Football has started! Well, preseason football, but after 2 months of nothing but baseball highlights I'll take what I can get. Speaking of baseball, the hated Yankees just swept the Red Sox last weekend creating a seemingly insurmountable 5 1/2 game lead in the ultra competitive AL East. I still think both the Red Sox and Yankees will make the playoffs, and hopefully play each other in the ALCS. The Red Sox getting Wakefield and Dice K back will be huge. I've always been a John Smoltz fan, but he just wasn't getting the job done.

The Patriots made another great move acquiring Raiders cast off Derrick Burgess for a 3rd and 5th round pick. Burgess had a down year last year, but like Moss before, is a former pro bowler that I really feel will excel with a winning team like the Patriots. What must Raiders fans think? These former Raiders taking less money and in some ways lesser roles to get away from them. I really have to admire fans of bad teams and their willingness to stick through season after season of disappointment. Burgess fills the Patriots dire need for an outside linebacker. Belichick has always gone intelligence over talent, but it helps to have some talent as well. With the offense they have they won't need to shut down other teams anyway.

The Celtics made a great move in bringing back Glen " Big Baby" Davis. Now they have Rasheed, Big Baby, Perkins, and Sheldon Williams forming a nice interior rotation. I'm still bummed about them not bringing back Leon Powe as he is one of my favorite players in the league. However, I still think they are markedly improved from last years team, which they needed to be because of the improvements of the other top teams in the league. Speaking of top teams, the more I think about this Artest signing, the more I think the Lakers might have gotten worse by letting Ariza go and adding Artest. First off, Artest is a headcase and though he might be better than before, he still can implode at any minute. Secondly, he isn't the defensive player he used to be and has a tendency to take bad shots that disrupt the offensive flow. I can see Artest winning a couple games for the Lakers this year but also losing a couple. Ariza was one of the biggest reasons the Lakers won the title last year, and was their defensive stopper. At 23 he also has so much potential. I think the Spurs might be able to dethrone them in the West this year.

I should mention the David Ortiz steroids news as well. This whole steroid thing is so depressing and I tend to blame the commissioner more than the players. Think about it, if you were a player and knew other players were taking steroids and getting huge contracts and putting up big numbers, wouldn't you be tempted to do it?Think about it. If you were a minor leauge player making 20 grand a year and you see your teammate, who is equal in skill, next to you taking steroids and getting a 10 million contract from a major league team, wouldn't that tempt you? What did the commissioner expect to happen? You can't assume people are going to be moral you need to have stricter rules. Hell, I bet if steroids were available back in the old days Willie Mays and all of them would have taken them to. Blame the system not the players. Well, blame the system back then. If players do it now they deserve to be punished.

The weeks before football season is almost like the weeks before Christmas for me. I get that tingly feeling inside. I'm looking forward to the openings games for the Patriots and Redskins this Thursday! Thanks for reading everyone!

Michael Vick

2009-07-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in awhile, because quite frankly I'm in a sports depression. It's generic to say, but I am counting down the days until football season begins. As much as I hate on baseball, I will admit that the last month or so can be rather exciting, especially since the Red Sox and Yankees are battling for the top spot in the stacked AL East. However, every month before that is pretty boring.

Anyway, this will be my first and last entry of the week. I'm going "Hollywood" tomorrow to visit my sister, friends, and maybe run into Tupac. I was going to wait until I got back to write, but I couldn't resist commenting on this Michael Vick saga.

As most of you know Michael Vick was reinstated to the NFL this week. It's anybodies guess at this point if he will miss any time, or how affective a player he will be. I hated on Michael Vick a ton when the dog fighting charges were brought against him a couple years ago. Though the disdain for him as a person has worn off a bit, I pretty much still hold the same view about him in general.

All the Michael Vick backers keep talking about how other NFL players have committed worse acts and gotten less punishment, and they are right. The fact is though, Vick was punished justly for his crime but the others weren't. That is the thing everyone is missing here. Don't compare Vick's situation to other situations, because everyone knows professional athletes get special treatment. For once the law cracked down. Leonard Little should have been banned from the NFL for life as far as I'm concerned. He killed another person while driving under the influence, then got another DUI charge a few years later. However, because he is a professional athlete and drunk driving is a common crime in this country, he was let off with an 8 game suspension.

I think as bad as this sounds, that is the reason Vick's crimes were looked and punished differently than all the DUI manslaughter and domestic assaults. It's because most people have known people that have gotten DUI's, or people that have gotten in fights that have escalated. In some twisted way they can relate to what happened. But most people haven't participated in the electrocution and drowning of innocent dogs. Also, the fact that dogs are helpless creatures and are seen as parts of the family for many people in this country, has contributed to the uproar.

It's also the fact of the planning and duration of the crime. Vick was doing this for years. He hosted these events at a house that was purposely secluded. He didn't have a few too many and drive a car, he planned these events out and knew what he was doing. Sure, he grew up in an environment where this was part of the culture. But that is no excuse for him to do it. I have no sympathy for Michael Vick. With money and fame comes responsibility no matter what anyone wants to say.

It should be interesting to see what team Vick goes to. No matter what you think of him as a person, the guy is flat out exciting to watch on the football field. I just hope the Patriots or Skins don't pick him up because it would be a media circus. Yes, Vick did pay his debt to society. At the same time, he deserves all the hateful treatment he gets. I'm willing to give him another chance, but I would guess he still doesn't think what he did was wrong. That in essence is what is wrong with our society. We punish people, throw them in jail, but sometimes they are not rehabilitated. Maybe for the first month or even year, but it is hard to change a person's inherent ethics and values.

I can't believe it is almost August(worst month ever) and the end of summer. I'm looking forward to a few days of relaxation on the beach and time spent with friends and family. Thanks for reading!

Why we are sports fans

2009-07-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

Sports are and always have been such a huge part of my life, that I've never stopped to think why me and millions others are so consumed with following them. Most of us played sports as kids. Some of us played in high school, even a few in college. But there comes a point in every sports lovers life that you lose the ability to be a player, and become only a fan. There in lies the core of why we are sports fans. We are living vicariously through our teams and our favorite players. When our team does something good or bad we do something good or bad. That is how we as sports fans stay connected.

It also has to do with wanting to feel part of something bigger than ourselves. I'm a Celtics fan and feel like I'm a part of the bigger Celtics community. When I go to bars and their on TV, I feel like I'm representing them in a way.. When I go into a bar in Boston I feel at home. It is almost like an extended family for sports fans. Sports gives us a chance to get away from the realities of everyday life for a few hours. When our team wins we feel a sense of accomplishment even though in reality we had nothing to do with it.

The problems come when you take it too seriously. I know first hand about this. I remember back in high school, anytime UNC would lose in the NCAA tournament I'd be depressed and angry for a week. It's ridiculous when you think about it. Does your life really change just because your sports team doesn't win? Nothing was worse than the Super Bowl 2 years ago when the Patriots lost. I thought I had slowly gotten over the stage of life when I let sports get to me that much, but I honestly couldn't watch or read any sports related items for two weeks. Yes, I am still kind of bitter. The good news is, even though I'm nervous when my teams play now, I get over losses a lot better than I used to. Being depressed about a sports loss is similar to a lot of things in life. It does no use to regret what already has happened, you move on and hope for the best next time.

The Internet has created a whole new breed of sports fan. Now you have so much negativity and hatred between people. Go on any message board and you will see tons of hateful comments and most of it makes no sense. It is ridiculous to hate anyone just because they are on a team you don't like. Look, I've done it before and for that I'm a total idiot. But I've realized that you can hate a team, but you can't hate the players. It is dumb to hate Peyton Manning just because he is on the Colts and really good. I don't know the guy at all, and just because he is the best player on my rivals team doesn't make him a bad person. The exception to this of course is T.O who sucks at life.

I love being a sports fan, though it can be an extremely frustrating life. This is especially the case if you like the Redskins, who always seem to underachieve, and whose owner only cares about dollar signs. But for some reason we keep rooting for our teams. No matter how much they break our heart, no matter how many times the players change, a sports fan always cheers on their team to the end.

A few quick comments about what is going on in sports right now. I think we all see why golf is not a sport at this point and rather just a really difficult hobby. Look, if a 59 year old can get within 1 shot of winning a grand slam championship it can't be a sport. Also, football season is 3 weeks away, thank god. The other night I was at a bar watching four baseball games side by side and nearly threw my head against the TV. One thing I will say about baseball is Albert Pujols is a flat out beast. If it ever came out he was on steroids I would never watch a baseball game again. The chase for the pennant between the Yankees and Red Sox should also be very interesting.

Thanks for reading everyone. If you haven't already, please go on the Potomac River at sunset. It will probably change your life.

Am I a Bandwagon fan?

2009-07-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

The good part about the next month and a half before football begins is I get to finally blog about some of my general sports theories. Today I'm going to write about "bandwagon fans." You know, the fan who likes a team just because they are good at the time, or because it is trendy to like them. Honestly, being a bandwagon fan is very understandable. It has to get frustrating to constantly rout for a team that sucks. I'll admit, I'm somewhat of a bandwagon fan when it comes to football, but not in the traditional sense.

First off, to be clear I've always been a fan of Boston Sports teams. My parents weren't that into sports, so my grandpa, who lives in Massachusetts, got me started watching Boston sports from an early age. It bugs me when people think I just like them because they have dominated the sports landscape for the last decade. While I'm not a bandwagon fan, I do admit to jumping off the proverbial "wagon" and stepping into another one. During the 90's I was a huge 49ers fan. Actually until about 6 years ago I was. I had 3 football teams, the Niners, Pats, and Redskins. After TO and the shitty Niners management destroyed the franchise, I pretty much only followed the Pats and Skins.

The reason the Pats became my #1 football team was my time at Umass. I got to watch every game and see how a 1st class organization was run. Look, it's hard being a fan of a team that is never on TV and has no players to get excited about. Especially if that team is not your home town team and the other team you love is winning super bowls. During the Steve Young era(who is my favorite player ever) the Niners were always on TV and I could follow them. Now they are on maybe once a year. I didn't jump on the Patriots wagon because I was always a fan, but I admit to disowning my 49ers fandom.

Look, there is no rule that you can only like 1 team from each sport. However, if the Patriots suck at some point, and I become a fan of another team you can call me the biggest sellout ever. The Patriots, Redskins, Celtics, Tarheels and Red Sox will always be my teams and you can quote me on that.

No one can call me a bandwagon fan of the Celtics. The Celtics have been my number 1 team since I was 6 and always will be. When they won the championship in 2008 it was one of the top 10 moments of my life. As for UNC, I really wanted to follow a college hoops team when I was a kid. Since my favorite active player at the time was Michael Jordan, I latched onto them. Plus their colors are awesome.

It is easy to understand why a person becomes a bandwagon fan, so I'm not going to hate on them. It becomes bad when your a habitual bandwagoner(great word). I've always been and will always be a Boston sports, Skins, and Tarheels fan no matter how much they suck down the road. By the way, my teams will suck at some point. Sports are cyclical and no one stays on top forever. I would say stick to your teams because then when they win you will feel so much better. You really never know what could happen. If you had told me the Celtics would win a championship this decade 5 years ago I would've laughed in your face. Remember it's just a game, when your team loses it doesn't mean your a loser. It took me 20 years to finally grasp that idea.

One more thing. One of the most annoying things a sports fan does is blindly defend their team. Look, the Lions suck, deal with it. Don't try to make excuses for them and say they should've won if they had scored 3 more touchdowns. What is even worse is people insulting another team just because they aren't their team. Look I'm not a fan of the Steelers but I recognize they are probably the best franchise in sports. The stupidity and ignorance of some sports fans is remarkable. You have these intelligent people, but when their sports teams are involved they turn into idiots.

Anyway, thanks for reading everyone and have a great week.

Next Blog: Why sports matter.

Federer makes history

2009-07-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend. Always tough coming to work the Monday after a holiday, but bills need to be paid. What a great weekend of tennis at Wimbledon. Serena Williams beat sister Venus for her 11th Grand Slam championship, proving that when they are on their game, the Williams sisters are still the most dominant players in women's tennis. It's really incredible what they have done. They are one of the few tennis players, man or woman, who have lives and careers outside of tennis. Still, they seem to always be there on the final weekend of major tournaments. I think that says something about taking some time off the tennis court. Just look at Rafael Nadal. His over scheduling of events cost him a chance to defend his Wimbledon crown.

What more can I say about Roger Federer? The match yesterday was a true classic and I really feel for Andy Roddick. Through 77 games he lost his serve once, but unfortunately for him it was still not enough to beat the mighty Federer. The thing about Federer now is he doesn't dominate like he used to, but he beats his opponents with a sort of calculating coolness that must be so frustrating to opponents. The reason he wins and won yesterday is his ability to win big points. The match with Roddick really turned when he missed the backhanded volley at 6-5 in the tiebreaker. Even if he had made that though, I still think Federer would have found a way to win. Like I said before tennis is not about who plays better overall in the match, but who plays better during the big points. The US Open in August could be a classic with a healthy Nadal, a rejuvenated Roddick, and Federer looking to win 3 out of 4 grand slams in the calendar year.

The greatest player of all time is Roger Federer without a doubt. Pete Sampras is my favorite player but never came close to what Federer has accomplished. It's not just that he has won the most majors. It's the fact that he has been in 16 of the last 17 finals. He is the surest thing in all of sports. To those that say he is not the best because Nadal has gotten the better of him, that is ridiculous. The fact is, Nadal has never even made a US Open final, has won two majors outside of the French, and will probably be off the tennis circuit in 3 or 4 years because of his style of play. I love the Nadal-Federer match up, but just because a person has a poor record against one person, doesn't discount what they've done to everyone else, especially in a sport like tennis.

In other news, the Celtics signed Rasheed Wallace! I was so excited when I heard the news because this puts the Celtics back in the championship hunt. Wallace can be a bit of a headcase, but his teammates have always liked him. Plus he has playoff and championship experience. For those that say they should've concentrated on keeping Big Baby, that is ridiculous. Davis had a great year last year but Wallace is a 4 time All Star and proven player in the league for over a decade. It is like the Ariza thing. One good year does not mean you are going to become a perennial all star. The fact is Big Baby is undersized and plays below the rim. He would probably never be more than a role player in this league.

Also, I like that the Celtics are trying to win now. There is no guarantee when you will get another chance at a title, and I think it shows dedication by the Celtics management that they realize their 2-3 year window is closing, and they need to go for broke now. Too many times in sports, teams try to look and build to the future. The fact is by looking toward the future you forget the present, and before you know it your in the lottery every year. As a Celtics fan in the 90's and for much of the millennium I know this feeling. With Turkoglu gone I think the Celtics are the team to beat in the East once again. In fact, I think the Magic losing Courtney Lee and Turkoglu, even while getting Vince Carter, means they got worse. If the Celtics can sign Grant Hill and keep either Powe or Davis that will further solidify the team. Can't wait for next season.

I want to touch briefly on the tragic news of Steve McNair's death this past weekend. McNair was a great player in the NFL and my condolences go out to the family. However, it is very sad that he was dating a woman almost half his age when he had a wife and 4 kids. Not only willhis family have to deal with the fact he is gone, but also with the shame of knowing he was being unfaithful. It is just a very sad situation overall.

Thanks for reading everyone. As always, any comments are appreciated.

The Rich Get Richer

2009-07-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

"Written Friday"

I have a lot to talk about today. First some sad news to report. My dog Arfa was diagnosed with a malignant tumor. The good news is we caught it early so there is a 60-70% chance it won't come back. It is so sad watching her now. She has to wear a plastic cone on her head to prevent her from licking the spot where the tumor was. Arfa is a very strong dog and I know she will pull through.

I want to start off today talking about Wimbledon. Roger Federer advanced to his 20th Grand Slam final today beating Tommy Haas in straight sets. Federer will look to break the men's grand slam championship record against American Andy Roddick. You have to feel for Roddick. In another era he may have won 3 or 4 more slams, but with the domination of Federer he has been looked at by many as a dissapointment. I expect Federer to win in 4 sets.

Federer is such an incredible player. Tennis is all about winning big points. Think about it, in professional tennis, especially on the men's side, they hold serve 90% of the time. Winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 is considered practically a blowout, but a few points here or there and the score could've been reversed. What makes Federer so great is his ability to come up so huge in big moments. I think that is what makes professional sports so incredible. Their ability to come up huge when the pressure is on is unbelievable. Can you imagine serving for a Wimbledon title, shooting a free throw to win the NBA Finals, kicking a last second field goal in the Super Bowl. Us normal people would pee in our pants, but the pros do this on a consistent basis.

Now onto NBA trades. Ron Artest verbally agreed to a contract with the Lakers yesterday, which is scary. While they lose Ariza, Ariza was still just a guy who had one good year. Artest is a proven great defender and overall great player in this league. As a Celtics fan my only hope is Artest implodes at some point and screws up their team chemistry. Unfortunatelythat is doubtful with Kobe on the team. Hedo Turkoglu going to the Raptors was an interesting choice. Like I said before I thought a lot of times Turkoglu was the best palyer on that Magic team during the playoffs. Even though the Magic got Vince Carter it doesn't necessarily mean they are better.

I first heard the reports of the Celtics trying to acquire Rasheed Wallace yesterday and was ecstatic. They've sent the Big 3 out there to convince him, and I hope his friendship with KG, and the fact that he wants another title will bring him to Boston. There is a common misconception that Wallace is a bad guy. Sure he yells at refs, but his teammates love him, and that matters a lot more. Though he underachieves sometimes I still see this as a poor mans Randy Moss deal. With the right team and with Garnett at his side, Wallace would play to his full potential. Talent wise there are few better big men in this league. Unfortunately it looks like he may be going to the Spurs instead.

Like I said in the title the rich are getting richer and though that is bad for society, it is generally good for sports in my opinion. The league has too many teams as it is, and I want to see the best teams stay great and compete year after year for a title. Think about how good the final 4 could be next year with the Celtics, Cavs, Lakers, and Spurs all improving. It is going to be quite an interesting year.

I wrote this blog yesterday so I will analyze Serena Williams's win and the men's final tomorrow. Happy 4th of July everyone!

NBA Draft and Trade Analysis

2009-06-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

What a crazy day it was both in and out of the sports world. As everyone probably knows by now, Michael Jackson passed away yesterday at the age of 50. While I love his music and recognize him as one of the true legends in music history, I can't really say that I am sad he is gone. It really is more tragic than sad, because of all the things that have gone on in his life. It's confusing to me that everyone said he was a child molester and freak for the last two decades but now claims to be his biggest fan. Society confuses the hell out of me. Anyway, I wrote a long tangent on how I really feel, but realize this isn't the right time. One thing is for sure, we will probably never ever see anyone like him again, for better or worse.

Last night was the NBA Draft and truthfully the trades that happened this week were more exciting than anything that happened at Madison Square. The Cavs getting Shaq will definitely make them better, but not push them over the top. They still need an athletic forward who can score and defend the 4 position. What a life Shaq has. People always said Kobe couldn't win without Shaq, but can Shaq win without a Hall of Fame Guard? The Magic getting Vince Carter from the Nets was a great move I think. With Hedo Turkoglu potentially opting out of his contract they need someone to fill that void. If Turkoglu stays, the Magic will be almost impossible to stop.

If you asked me yesterday, I would've said the Wizards made a good trade getting Randy Foye and Mike Miller for Etan Thomas, scrubs, and the #5 pick. However, when Ricky Rubio dropped to #5 last night I couldn't help but think how potentially devastating this could be if Rubio turns out to be great. Here's the thing, the Wizards will be better with Foye and Miller but not great. With Rubio they could've been worse or potentially great in a few years. The NBA Draft is a gamble and if you are a Wizards fan you have to hope Rubio doesn't turn into the next Steve Nash. I also really like the Spurs trade for Richard Jefferson. This puts them right back in contention in the West if Ginobli stays healthy. Also, for all the idiots who booed Hansbrough last night I bet you he is at least a top 8 player in this draft. The fact is he won't ever be a star but he'll be a solid bench guy for 10 years, and how many players can you say that about. Seriously, how many players actually pan out in the draft to be even decent players in the NBA. Like one analyst said, he is the "comfort food" of the draft.

That brings me to my final point. Everyone has really hated on this draft as being one of the worst in years. Maybe it is, but no one really knows how good or bad a draft is until about 3 years down the road. Did anyone know Paul Pierce would be the NBA Finals MVP when he was drafted by the Celtics. Hell, even Michael Jordan wasn't predicted to be anything better than a really good player, who "couldn't carry a team." In this day and age it seems we have to rate everything immediately. We see a close game and claim it to be the best ever. We see a draft and rate it as the worst in 10 years. As sports fans we have lost all patience. What is the use in rating drafts anyway, everything will pan out like it is supposed to. Does anyone truly know if Ricky Rubio will be good or not? Does anyone know if any of these guys will be good? The only real sure thing I can ever remember in a draft was Lebron. Most of these guys are so young anyway that it will take at least a few years to develop. Plus the fact that a lot of the top guys are put on horrible teams scews how good they really are or can be. But is is all in fun in the end. Arguing about sports is not a science. It is all opinion and that is why we love it.

Thanks everyone for reading. Happy Friday!

Life after Basketball

2009-06-23T05:35:00.000-07:00

I want to start off this blog by sending my condolences to all the friends and family of those that were killed in the DC Red Line metro crash yesterday. I've been on the metro so many times, and it is just scary to think that these events could happen to anyone at anytime.

I have kind of a strange blog today. With basketball over, I have to start covering sports that I have less knowledge and interest in. I found that there may be life after basketball after all. The US Open in golf took place last weekend, amidst a flood of rain that left Bethpage Black a soggy mess. The usual suspects, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, were right there to the end, but an unlikely qualifier Lucas Glover prevailed. That is the crazy thing about golf. These unknowns can win major championships and then are never seen again. That doesn't happen in basketball, football, tennis, or really any other sport. Your not going to have the Clippers winning the Finals, your not going to have a qualifier win Wimbledon, the US isn't going to beat Brazil in soccer(or could they...) Anyway, the only reason I watched, and I assume it was the same with 80 percent of the public, was Tiger Woods. The Phil Mickelson story was heartwarming, but without Tiger there is no golf. Makes you wonder what is going to happen in that sport when he retires.

I also watched some soccer this weekend. Soccer on the World stage is a different sport than MLS. Watching Brazil play was just amazing. How can they do that with their feet? I remember going to Brazil as a kid and seeing people play on the beach past midnight. It is crazy how a sport can be so popular around the world but not in the US. In my opinion it is because Americans need instant gratification. We want scoring and lots of it, and sports like soccer and hockey just don't provide that. Also, congratulations to the US Soccer team for advancing to the semifinals against Spain Wednesday. Let's hope they can advance and face Brazil(most likely) in the finals.

Wimbledon got under way yesterday in London. For those of you who don't know, Roger Federer is looking to make history this fortnight. If he wins, it will be his 15th major championship, which will surpass Pete Sampras for most all time in men's tennis. Again, we are watching the greatest player ever in his sport right now. He is more dominant in tennis than Woods is in golf. Think about this, he has gotten to 15 of the last 16 championship matches. Can you imagine anybody doing that ever again, it is nearly impossible. Anyway, Pete Sampras is my favorite player ever but I can't think of anyone I'd rather see break the record than Federer. He plays the game the right way and for anyone who has played or knows anything about tennis, they know how amazing he truly is at his craft.

NBA Draft is Thursday and I'm hoping these rumors about potential trades of Rondo or Ray Allen for a high pick are not true. I understand the Celtics need to look to the future, but we can get another title with the nucleus we have now. With a healthy Garnett I'm pretty sure they would've won it all last year. Unfortunately, I have no control over this situation so I guess we will see.

Thanks for reading everyone. Comments are appreciated!

Congrats to the Lakers

2009-06-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

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!

Kobe Chokes away Game 3

2009-06-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

I have so much to talk about in today's blog, but I am going to attempt to keep it short and sweet. It's amazing to me that the two biggest superstars of our league, the muppets themselves Kobe and Lebron, have been such choke artists late in games these playoffs. Last night in Game 3 Kobe missed five foul shots, including a huge free throw with less than one minute remaining. He also missed two open threes that would've tied or given the lead. The biggest gaff of them all happened when he had the ball stolen from him by Michael Pietrus to all but seal the game. I always thought the great ones got better as the game went on. Kobe started off on fire, scoring 17 first quarter points, but got progressively worse as the game went on. Can everyone please stop the MJ comparisons now. Jordan never lost in the finals and always showed up and was clutch in the closing minutes.

The sad thing is, the Lakers will likely win this series, and Kobe will most likely win MVP, though Pau Gasol has been the MVP so far. Sportscenter and the other media outlets will do their comparisons, and hype up Kobe, when in reality Kobe lucked out. He didn't have to face Lebron or a healthy Celtics team. Even in this series, they should be down 2-1. If Courtney Lee makes that layup we are talking about this series in a totally different way. Phil Jackson even said that play was probably a goal tend on Pau Gasol. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4246830&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines

That always fascinates me about sports coverage. One made or missed shot can totally alter how the media portrays a game, team, or player. That shot goes in for the Magic in game 2 and people are talking about the Lakers underachieving, rather than the great Lakers team. It's been an interesting series for me, because I've had to go from rooting against the Magic to rooting for them. I've really grown to like this Magic team and how they play. Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis are probably two of the most underrated players in the game and really fun to watch. I love Mickael Pietrus too. He has been the X-factor in the series and has done a great job on Kobe. He also somehow got away with the most obvious double dribble in the history of basketball last night. I think my grandma could've called that one, but if nothing else it was amusing. In conclusion, I think the Lakers will still win this series, but it is definitely going back to LA for at least a Game 6.

In other news, another Red Sox win over the Yankees last night. That makes them 6-0 vs. the hated Yanks this season, and puts them in a tie for first place in the AL East. Big Papi hit another home run and seems to be slowly coming out of his slump. No matter how bad he is now, if you are a Red Sox fan you should never boo him. He is the reason you won two titles and broke the curse. Fans often times are too quick to forget their heroes, and only live in the here and now.

One last thing, for anyone who ever wants to compare Kobe and MJ, please borrow my Michael Jordan DVD and the debate will be over quickly. Thanks for reading!

Federer finally conquers French

2009-06-08T05:43:00.000-07:00

(Written Sunday)

I'm switching gears a bit for this entry. For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge tennis fan. It is my second favorite sports to play, and I follow all the Grand Slam events rigorously. This morning I watched history. Roger Federer completed a career Grand Slam, finally getting over the hump and winning his first French Open title. With 14 major championships, he sits alone with Pete Sampras for most Grand Slams won, and will have a great chance of breaking that record in a couple weeks at Wimbledon.

We are witnessing the greatest player to ever pick up a racket right now, and I feel like the general public doesn't even appreciate it. With the depth of the men's field, it is harder to dominate now than ever before. Federer has dominated for 6 or 7 years in a row now. Sure he's had his low points, especially with his inability to beat Rafael Nadal. But still, his record speaks for itself. He's been in 15 of the last 16 grand slam finals. Let that number sink in for a second. For those of you who claim Federer isn't even the best player of his era, much less history, they obviously don't have very good memories. It's true that Nadal has gotten the better of Federer more often than not, but he has not shown the consistency Federer has against the rest of the field. Also, the way Nadal plays, he probably won't be able to sustain this high level for many years. Just yesterday it was reported he might miss Wimbledon. I hope everyone who loves tennis appreciates what Roger Federer has done and continues to do on the tennis court.

One more random rant before I leave for the day. I will never understand why Federer's dominance of tennis is not recognized like Tiger Wood's dominance of golf. I can understand why Woods is more popular. He is an African American in a white dominated sport and unlike Federer is an American. The fact is, Federer is every bit as good at what he does as Tiger is. Also, I hate when people compare golf and tennis. Golf is not even a real sport in my eyes. Tiger Woods is the only reason people watch and has single handily put golf in the mainstream. Any sport that doesn't require running and that a guy like John Daly can play professionally cannot truly be considered a sport. It is probably the hardest GAME to play, but it is not a sport. In turn, besides maybe soccer, there is no more physically demanding sport than tennis. For anyone who has actually played series tennis they can attest to this. You are out there by yourself with no time limit and often in grueling conditions. You couple that with the mental aspect of the game, which is comparable to the mental aspect of golf, and it is one of the toughest sports to play. Personally, no sport has gotten me more frustrated than tennis. Normally I am very low key and relaxed, but tennis drives me nuts sometimes. The fact that 25 is considered old in tennis tells you something.

I will discuss the Magic-Lakers series in my next blog. Thanks for reading everyone and enjoy your week!

Sorry David Stern, No dream match up

2009-06-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

The NBA and its media partners only got half of the much anticipated Kobe/Lebron showdown. My only question is, will the puppet commercials go off the air? Those commercials freak me out. There is nothing scarier than puppets to me, nothing.

The fact is the two best teams got to the finals. Without Kevin Garnett I thought the Cavs would coast. However, after watching them play in that Magic series, I felt like I had been cheated. This Cavs team was a Lebron fade away three at the buzzer from being swept. Their game plan never really changed, and without some truly amazing performances from Lebron this series would've been over much sooner. The question is, why didn't I see this coming? Why did I and everyone else buy into the Cavs are invincible crap. For that matter, how did the Magic do such a 360 from game 7 in the Celtics series to now. I thought the Celtics and Magic played terribly in that Eastern Conference semifinal series, but at least the Celtics had an excuse without Garnett. Then the next series I see the Magic raining threes from all over the court, and Dwight Howard playing like the superstar he supposedly is. Needless to say I was left utterly shocked.

The fact is the NBA is all about matchups. The Magic played the Cavs well all year, and it was no different this series. They pose tremendous match up problems for any team, with 4 starters who can hit the three. Also, they are the only team with two 6"10 power forwards that can take you off the dribble or sink threes in your face. The X factor this series was Mikhael Pietrus. Everytime he would shoot a three in the corner I knew it was going in. I can't help but wonder why he was continuously left open though. I think Mike Brown could be one of the first coach of the years ever to be fired.

The Magic simply had better players than the Cavs, and they will have better players than the Lakers as well. The issue I see with this Magic team is if they don't hit their perimeter shots they are sunk. Dwight Howard had a great series, but still has no offensive game beyond dunking or layups. If he polishes his low post game, it is going to be absolutely terrifying for opposing teams the next 10 years.

The Lakers-Nuggets series outcome should be no real surprise to anyone. Both were pretty evenly matched talent wise, but a team with as many hot heads as the Nuggets is not going to beat a Kobe Bryant/Phil Jackson led team. The Lakers lucked out this year. They don't have to face Lebron, or a Celtics team with Garnett. I am hoping the Magic can keep up this hot shooting and that Jameer Nelson will be able to add depth to a solid point guard lineup. Ultimately, I think the hated Lakers will triumph, but I will break the series down on Thursday.

In other news, Tom Brady is supposedly exceeding expectations in his recovery from surgery. This should really come to no surprise to anyone who has followed his career. I seriously can't wait till the NFL season starts again. On paper the Patriots should be even better than 2 years ago offensively, and they have added depth at corner as well. With another year under the Patriots system, Moss and Welker should be even more deadly. I predict a solid 13-3 season.

Sorry for the lack of blogging as of late. Hope you enjoyed, and let me know what I can improve on. Have a great night!

When did the Magic get good?

2009-05-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am utterly confused by what I am seeing in these conference finals. Actually let me rephrase that. I am confused by what is going on in the Cavs-Magic conference finals. The Lakers- Nuggets series is going pretty much as you would expect. They are two fairly evenly matched teams. and the Nuggets match up incredibly well with the Lakers. For anyone who thought it would be an easy road to the Finals for Kobe and Lebron, think again.

I'm still trying to figure out whether it is the Magic playing well, or the Cavs playing poorly that has resulted in a 3-1 series lead for Orlando. From what I saw of the Magic against a severely depleted Celtics team, I thought this series would've been over by now. To the Magic credit, they match up with the Cavs really well, and have withstood some epic performances from Lebron to take command of this series. They are doing what they do best, which is shoot a ton of threes, and have Dwight Howard command the offensive glass. Howard has played 100 times better this series than last, which I think is more a credit to Kendrick Perkins and Big Baby Davis, than it is to Howard(biased much?) The whole thing is kind of depressing to me. I keep thinking if the Celtics had Garnett and Powe we could've taken out the Cavs after all. Oh well, no use in playing the "what if" game.

I will admit, I haven't watched this Cavs series as much as I would have liked. I was at Dewey Beach, so I only saw bits and pieces of games 2 and 3. Although Lebron has been magnificent this series, he choked the game away last night. He turned the ball over 7 times and missed some huge free throws. I think what gets missed sometimes, is that for all of Lebron's greatness, he still turns the ball over a lot in the 4th quarter, and is not that clutch of a free throw shooter. Plus he gets a ton of calls at the end of games because he is such a superstar. I think it is clear that though Lebron is the best player in the NBA, most teams would still rather have Kobe take the last shot. I know Lebron hit that crazy game winner in game 2, but the turnovers in game 4 were absolutely inexcusable.

Everyone keeps blaming the Cavs supporting cast for the reason they are losing, and in some ways that is true. But I tend to think it is more the Cavs poor defense and poor coaching that has contributed to this surprising result. How can you let Orlando shoot open three after open three, especially Pietrus who has killed teams all playoffs with the corner three point shot. Also, if you want others to play better, run some plays for them! Everything they are doing is basically give the ball to Lebron and clear out. How about run some plays for Mo Williams or Delonte West.

Since the beginning of game 7 of the Celtics series the Magic are playing great basketball. What makes them so dangerous is their ability to stretch the floor with their outstanding three point shooters. What other team in the league can say they have two guys that are 6"10 and can hit the three.

I am going to comment more on the Lakers/Nuggets series in my next blog entry. I am rooting for the Nuggets, if for the simple fact that I would love to see the " Birdman" win a title. Talk about overcoming adversity. Anyway, thanks again for reading and enjoy your night!

End of the Road

2009-05-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in awhile, but not for the reasons you may think. As all of you know, my beloved Celtics were knocked out of the playoffs Sunday night in a very anti-climatic game 7 blowout by the Magic. I'm not that upset about the loss for many reasons. Number one, with Garnett and Powe out the Celtics weren't going to get past the Cavs anyway. It was really prolonging the inevitable. As much as I love Brian Scalabrini, if he is a guy that you need to count on as a key contributor you are not winning a title.

Another reason I'm not crying myself to sleep is simply because the Celtics won the title last year. For anyone who is a die hard fan of a sports team, you know you'd rather have 10 losing seasons and a championship, than 10 winning seasons and no title. As a sports franchise your one and only goal is to win championships, period. I was barely a year of age when the Celtics last won the championship, and seeing them not only win, but beat the hated Lakers was one of the best moments of my life.

I think above all else I am more mature now than I used to be. I realize that sports is in essence just a game and is cyclical anyway. Your team can't win every year, though my teams have had ridiculous success the last decade. There really is no sense analyzing the "what if's" of the series. The reality is the Magic were more talented than the Celtics. In fact, if they had more heart and were better coached the series would've ended sooner. Plus, the Magic should have probably won two of those games if not for epic meltdowns and Big Baby Davis. Dwight Howard really disappointed me in that series. I had never really watched him play that much but had heard he was one of the top 5 players in the league. After watching him play, he'd be lucky to be in the top 10. He has no offensive game besides dunking and layups. His defense is good but if you notice, almost every time he blocks a shot, he blocks it out of bounds instead of toward a teammate. As for rebounding, he is a great rebounder, but even those stats are inflated because he does not have any other rebounders besides Rashard Lewis on that team. I think the guy does not use half his talent and really hope that he dedicates himself to working on his post moves in the off season.

Michael Vick gets released from prison today. He will say all the right things but in reality he probably still doesn't think what he did was wrong. I have no respect for the guy at all. I understand that he grew up with dog fighting, but a lot of people grew up in a lifestyle then realize it is wrong and change. I hope no team picks him up, but alas some team will. Vick was one of the most wasted talents in sports history. The guy was blessed with skills probably no other played has ever had and wasted them. It should be very interesting to see the reaction he gets from fans around the country.

Usually when the Celtics are eliminated I have to start dreading two straight months of baseball, but I'm excited to see a potential Lebron vs. Kobe final. If Lebron and the Cavs don't win this year I would be shocked, but I guess anything could happen. More analysis of the playoffs next time. Thanks for reading!

Did that just happen?

2009-05-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to digest what I saw last night. The Celtics played like a bunch of fourth graders until about 3 minutes into the 4th quarter, and were able to pull out a huge game 5 victory. Even with the Garnett and Powe injuries, Scalabrini's sickness, and Ray Allen's lack of a jumper, these Celtics keep coming up huge. This whole playoffs they have been a Jekyll and Hyde team. One quarter they are playing like the champs of old, and the next they are playing like the Clippers. I just can't figure out this team.

What in the Stephon Marbury? Marbury hasn't been able to hit a shot since he got to Boston, yet found his touch at just the right time in the 4th quarter. He did exactly what the Celtics needed him to do with Rondo in foul trouble. I think Marbury on a whole has been solid for the Celtics, save for the fact he can't shoot, but I think that is more being out of the game for so long than anything else. Him and Big Baby Davis were the reasons the Celtics were able to win this game. Oh, and of course the fact that the Magic delivered one of the biggest choke jobs in recent memory.

What can I really say about the Magic. I would love to say the Celtics won that game, but in reality the Magic lost it. It wasn't just that they blew a fourteen point lead with 8 minutes left, but how they blew it. The Rafer Alston shot, if you could call it that, looked like he thought he was playing a game of HORSE. Also, why don't the Magic ever pass to Dwight Howard? Isn't he one of the top 10 players in the league and by far their best player? I just don't understand this Magic team. Clearly, they should be beating this undermanned Celtics squad, but they don't posses the desire or smarts the Celtics do. That and Doc Rivers is completely out coaching Stan Van Gundy. Perkins and Davis are good defenders but there is no excuse for Dwight Howard only getting ten shots in a game.

I love this Celtics team. There have been about a hundred times this postseason where they could have packed it in and used the excuse of no Garnett, but they keep fighting and with a little luck keep pulling out victories. Even if they get swept by the Cavs, this postseason has been so satisfying for me. For any of you fellow Celtics fans, it is amazing that we can now talk about the Celtics as a bonafide championship contender again.

Thank you all for reading. I will be taking a bit of a hiatus as I am going to a friend's graduation this weekend, but will hopefully be writing about a Celtics series victory when I get back. Hope you enjoy!

Big Baby!

2009-05-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

What a day for Boston Sports! The Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox won, two of the wins being seasons saving victories. I'm going to focus on of course my beloved Celtics. The thing I love most about this Celtics team is that there seems to be a different person that steps up every night. Sure the team as a whole has been wildly inconsistent, especially on the defensive end, but it sure has been a hell of a ride. Game 3 was really hard to watch for me. The Celtics played mostly uninspired basketball and Pierce and Allen continued to struggle with their jump shots. Eddie House continued his torrid shooting but did not play enough in my opinion.

In Game 4 I expected a better effort by the Celtics and they didn't disappoint. Pierce played by far his best game of the playoffs, Perkins and Rondo continued to be solid, and Big Baby Davis hit the game winning jumper. Let's talk about that last play. What a clutch shot by someone no one in the building expected to get the ball. Past history suggests that Pierce would've tried forcing a shot instead of passing out of the double team. Thankfully he made the smart choice. That is my one knock on Pierce. A lot of times he feels like he always has to take the last shot even when someone else is playing better that day, or someone else has a better shot. That was the biggest shot of the season for the Celtics. If Davis misses, their season is essentially over but now the pressure is back on the Magic. That's the crazy thing about basketball, an inch or a bad bounce can determine a season.
I still expect the Celtics to win in 7, but hope they can close it out in 6.

I wanted to quickly mention this whole Manny Ramirez ordeal. First of all, just another black mark on the sport of baseball. You have two of the best players in the game tied to steroids. The thing about Manny is that he really didn't need to take it because he is so naturally gifted. I thought the only substance abuse he would be doing would be marijuana. I'm already tired of the constant media attention this is getting. It's just another example of overexposure in the media. Unfortunately, I think this will only get worse in the future. I just hope it doesn't come out that Manny used during the 2004 World Series title run for the Red Sox. I think the city of Boston would literally crumble if that came out.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a great mothers day. Let me know if there are any topics you would like me to comment on in the future. Have a great day!

Eddie Eddie Eddie!!

2009-05-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Last night Eddie House returned as the streaky shooter we know and love. The Celtics dominated from the outset, and really have been the better team since mid way through the second quarter in game 1. There were a lot of outstanding performances last night, but House's definitely took the cake. For some reason when Eddie House hits a three it is more exciting than anyone else. I think it is because if he hits one, as a Celtics fan you know there are a bunch to come. As I said at the beginning of these playoffs, Eddie House needs to be a factor for the Celtics to advance, and the last three games he has been.

In addition to House's heroics, Rondo and my red headed brother Brian Scalabrini put in outstanding performances. Rondo tied Larry Legend's Celtics triple double record with another all around solid performance. This was probably the most exciting part of the game for me, as Rondo had not been the same player since he hit Brad Miller in the face in game 5. As everyone knows the Celtics go as Rondo goes. What can I say about my red headed brother Brian Scalabrini. He had another outstanding game, hitting threes and playing outstanding defense on Rashard Lewis. His performance makes the Garnett and Powe injuries hurt even more, thinking of what could've been.

Speaking of Leon Powe, everyone talks about the Garnett injury being so devastating but imagine if Powe was still in the rotation. With another big man the Celtics wouldn't have to worry about keeping Davis and Perkins out of foul trouble as much, and wouldn't have to bring in deadbeats like Mikki Moore and " the worst player in the NBA" Tony Allen. But hey, you have to live with what you got and I am very proud of this Celtics team. One more thing, how does Rafer Alston not get tossed last night? Say what you want about Rondo's hit on Brad Miller in the last series, but at least that one was during the play. Alston bitch slapped House in the head from behind. Can someone please tell me how games are refereed these days?

Dwight Howard has showed me in this series that he is not ready to step up to the upper echelon of superstars in this league. He has been essentially a non-factor offensively, and doesn't seem to care much about it. In all honesty, the Bulls scared me a whole hell of a lot more than this Magic team. At least you could sense they wanted it. I don't sense the Magic have that killer instinct and that is why I think this series is over in 6, not 7 like I had previously predicted.

In other news, Brett Favre needs to go away. I wanted to write a blog about people like him. People that always need the attention, that feel like they should be the center of attention at all times. I have lost a lot of respect for Favre. To me his talk of a comeback is purely selfish. He can't play in this league anymore at the highest level. If he thinks he is going to win a Super Bowl with the Vikings that is just ridiculous. The Vikings won't even win their division. I know it must be hard for star athletes to stay retired, but it is not right to constantly go back and forth about retirement. Just step away from the game before you damage your legacy further Brett.

Have to get back to work. Hope you all enjoyed, and I will write again this weekend. Go Celtics!

Celtics and Caps

2009-05-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this entry on my lunch break at work and still trying to piece together my thoughts on what transpired in last nights Celtics-Magic game. The Celtics looked absolutely pathetic up until about five minutes to go in the first half. Their comeback from 28 points was encouraging though, and I still think they will win this series. Tony Allen inexplicably got four minutes of playing time in this game. His first time touching the ball resulted in of course a turnover. I seriously do not know why they play that guy. I'd much rather put in Bill Walker or Gabe Pruitt.

The fact is, the Celtics even being in that game was a miracle when you consider the dreadful performances of their back court. Rondo has not been the same player since game 5 of the Bulls series, though he played better in the second half. Ray Allen was missing a ton of shots he usually makes, and I can pretty much guarantee he will drop at least 25 points Wednesday night.

As has been the story all playoffs long, the Celtics are getting killed with their lack of depth on the front line. Brian Scalabrini, a.k.a my brother from another mother, has actually played very well and given them some offense production off the bench. However, he lacks the athleticism to compete defensively with Rashard Lewis, though his defense in the second half was solid. I agreed with Doug Collins last night when he said, normally the Celtics should try fouling Dwight Howard more because of his poor foul shooting, but they simply do not have enough bodies. I was pleasently surprised to see Stephon Marbury make some shots for the first time as a Celtic. Basketball is all about confidence. For the Celtics to have a chance in this series and beyond, Marbury needs to continue to look for his shot and be more than just a role player on this team.

Like I said earlier, I think the Celtics will still win this series. Let's look at the facts. The Celtics came back from 28 points and were a Ray Allen three pointer from tying that game down the stretch. In fact, they missed so many opportunities to tie or get the lead that they would normally capitalize on. I think the Celtics did a great job on Dwight Howard, holding him to sixteen points. However, they need to do a better job closing out the Magic's three point shooters. I still think the Celtics will win this in 7, and actually think they match up better with this Magic team than they did the Bulls.

I want to talk a little bit about the Capitals in this entry as well. As you know, I basically know nothing about hockey and can't even skate. However, I am so happy that the Capitals are doing well, and that the DC area has something to be proud of. Over the years it has been nothing but disappointment after disappointment for DC area sports fans, so the Capitals success could not have come at a better time. The fact that Gilbert Arenas, who has been injured for like the last ten years, was known as the areas most popular athlete should tell you something. Now I think it is fair to say that Ovechkin rules the town, and for good reason. DC sometimes gets the reputation of a corporate white collar town, which for the most part we are, but Ovechkin is the opposite. He is not only probably the most talented player in the NHL, but also one of the toughest. I thought Mike Wise wrote a great article today in the post comparing Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. He wrote that it was beauty vs. beast with Ovechkin obviously being the beast. When you look at him you can understand why, if he wasn't a star hockey player he probably wouldn't be getting many dates, but the guy is tough as nails and a great sports symbol for this area.

Thanks everyone for reading. Please let me know what I can do to make this better. Have a great day and stay dry!

Survive and advance

2009-05-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Celtics victory over the Bulls last night finished off one of the greatest series in NBA playoff history. I half expected another overtime game, but was ecstatic the Celtics were able to win in regulation. Frankly I don't think my heart could take anymore overtime periods. I feel a mix of happiness and relief, and just hope the Celtics will have enough left in the tank to play the Magic tomorrow.

The Celtics won last night by getting back to their style of basketball. They hadn't played Celtics defense all series long, but played very well last night for the most part. Eddie House finally woke up and hit some big threes. His shooting had been notably absent the entire series and it is a good sign for Celtics fans that he seems to have woken up from his slumber. My red headed brother Brian Scalabrini(Jackie Moon) provided some much needed scoring off the bench. The Celtics bench had by far their best game of the series and I hope it continues. Big Baby Davis and Kendrick Perkins were once again beasts on the boards and did an outstanding job finishing around the basket. Pierce and Allen hit some big shots and even Mikey Moore provided a few solid minutes off the bench. Rondo has not been the same player the last two games. In the first five games of the series he was driving to the basket at will but seemed to be less aggressive in games 6 and 7. He still had one hell of a series though and I still believe he has the chance to be mentioned with the likes of Chris Paul and Derron Williams in the coming years.

A huge factor in the Celtics being able to build and hold on to a lead was simply that the Bulls were missing open shots. Heinrich and Salmons, who had killed the Celtics in the Bulls victories, were essentially non-factors. Ben Gordon, after a solid first half, was not a factor in the second half of the game. Having said that, this Bulls team is going to be really good in a couple years if they keep all these pieces together. It should be interesting to see whether they decide to sign Ben Gordon to a big deal this summer. As clutch as he was this series, I feel like he is way too selfish of a player for the Bulls to pay him anymore than what they offered before.

This series has to go down as the greatest first round series ever. You had multiple overtimes, game winning shots, amazing individual performances, and as much physical play as you will see in any NBA game. Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo gave us the first chapter in what I hope is to be a rivalry for years to come. Glen " Big Baby" Davis and John Salmons proved they are potential stars in the making. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce proved they are the best clutch shooting duo in the league, and Tony Allen proved once again he should not be in the NBA.

I think the Celtics may actually have an easier time with the Magic, though stopping Dwight Howard and the three point shooting of the Magic is going to be a difficult task. I think it could be another seven game series though. The home court advantage the Celtics earned by finishing as the two seed could come up huge. I will write my analysis of the series probably Tuesday after I have had a chance to recover from this last one.

Davis's outstanding performance reminded me of how good this Celtics team could have been with a healthy Garnett and Powe. I truly believe they would have been a better team than last years championship squad. Rondo, Perkins, and Davis are three times better than they were last year, and Allen is playing at a much higher level. I think next year the Celtics will have a reasonable chance to win banner 18. Not to say they can't win this year, but it is going to take a miracle to beat Lebron and the Cavs without Garnett.

Another great weekend in the books and another busy week at work ahead. Please let me know what you think of this blog, comments are always welcome. Have a great night!

Absolutely Incredible

2009-05-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

I didn't think the Celtics-Bulls series could get any more dramatic but last night took the cake. I can't say I've enjoyed this series, because as a Celtics fan I've probably had three mild heart attacks during the course of these crazy games. The triple overtime win for the Bulls last night, though devastating for me, was one of the best games I can remember seeing in recent history. The fact that it came on the heels of probably the best series ever, definitely the best first round series ever, made it even more amazing. Just when you thought one team had the game in hand the other would come back.

My initial reaction after the game was to point fingers at things the Celtics could have done to win the game. The fact that Paul Pierce passed up a good shot to pass to Brian Scalabrini, resulting in the game winning Joakim Noah three point play would be one. Or the simple fact that Pierce did not look for Ray Allen in the closing minutes of regulation and overtime. Sometimes I think Pierce, as much as I love him, doesn't look for teammates enough on last second plays. Even that last shot by Rondo which was blocked by Rose, was very questionable. Why is Rondo shooting fade away jump shots! However, the fact is none of us really know what was going on in that game. It is really easy to criticize from the safety of your couch. The one thing I will say that is absolutely unforgivable is putting Tony Allen in the game. The guy has to be one of the worst players in the league. Every time he is in the game I know something bad is going to happen.

Let's look at the positive. Rose played extremely well, though he continues to turn the ball over way too much. Ray Allen had one of the best shooting performances I can remember in playoff history, scoring 51 points. Pierce, though making some bonehead plays late, hit some very clutch shots for the Celtics. Brad Miller hit four crucial free throws and a had a huge three and driving lay up to bring the Bulls back in regulation. John Salmons is earning himself a lot of money the way he is playing this series. I didn't even really know who he was before the series began. The one guy I hope gets some recognition is Glen "Big Baby" Davis. This guy has improved more than any player I've seen and has actually probably been an improvement offensively over Garnett. He gets every loose ball, finishes better than most big men, and has a deadly mid range jumper. I really think the Celtics could've beaten the Cavs with a healthy Garnett and Powe(sigh). Whether or not they win or lose in this series, the Celtics have three young guys to build their team around after Pierce, Allen, and Garnett leave.

So what is going to happen in game 7? I really don't know, but I hope it is a Celtics blowout. All these other games, while nerve wracking were nothing compared to what I'd feel during a game 7. The thing that makes this series different than last year though, is that the Celtics don't really have a chance to win it all this season, so really they are playing for the conference finals. Last year I would have literally cried myself to sleep for a month if they had lost to the Hawks. But this year I'd be down about it for a day, then would move on. I think I will appreciate this series a lot more when it is over and I've had some time to reflect on it.

Like a lot of sports writers have been saying, I wish this series could go longer. The great thing about basketball, the thing that separates it from other sports, is the fact that no lead is safe. In basketball a ten point lead with four minutes remaining is nothing. After the playoffs are over I am going to dedicate a whole blog on my love for basketball. Anyway, thanks again for reading and happy Friday!

Best Playoff Series Ever?

2009-04-29T17:19:00.001-07:00

I know I just wrote about how much I hated it when people claim that things are " the greatest" right after they happen. However, I truly believe this Celtics-Bulls series, at least through the first five games, is the best series I've ever seen. This doesn't make me happy, in fact I feel like I've aged ten years since this series started. I would have much rather seen four blowouts by the Celtics, but if they win I think I will finally be able to appreciate it for what it was.

Let's look at the facts. Three overtime games, and one game that only ended in regulation because of a Ray Allen three pointer. You have one of the best point guard battles in recent memory between Rondo and Derrick Rose, though Rondo in my opinion has clearly shown he is the better point guard at least at this point in his career. Then you have some of the best clutch shooting displays put on my Ben Gordon, Pierce, and Ray Allen. You combine that with some extremely physical play and hard fouls(Rondo foul in particular) and almost every game going into triple digits, and you have kind of a throwback series. I can only imagine what is going to happen in game 6, hopefully a repeat of game 3.

Let's look at last nights game in particular. The whole series Derrick Rose has been turning the ball over like it's his job, and he did the same thing last night. Not only is Rondo putting up better numbers, but he is also turning the ball over less. Secondly, as amazingly clutch as Ben Gordon is, I don't think I've ever seen a bigger ball hog than him in my 20 years of watching NBA basketball. He literally never passes, but some team is going to pay him the big bucks because he can flat out score from anywhere and win you ball games in the closing seconds. Another fact that was made crystal clear last night is Stephon Marbury has no confidence. One of the critical plays that could have cost the Celtics the game last night was when Marbury passed up a wide open 16 footer. Instead he passed to Rondo who clearly was positioning for the rebound. I love how Marbury wants to be unselfish, but he needs to be more then just a guy who spells Rondo, he needs to be a factor in this series and the playoffs as a whole for them to win.

Kendrick Perkins. I think I've mentioned everyone but him in my blog at some point and he deserves to be recognized. For anyone who has watched him since he started in the league out of high school, it must be a joy to see him play now. He is an absolute beast on the boards and contests every shot. It kills me to think of what they could be with a healthy Garnett. I truly think with Garnett and Powe they would have had a better team than last year.

Lastly, the reason the Celtics are even still in this series is because of their championship desire. A lot of teams would have quit last night down ten with six minutes to go, but the Celtics overcame that adversity. That is why even though the odds are stacked against them, I would never count out this Celtics team and what they could accomplish this year. In my opinion even making the conference finals would be as, or more impressive than last years title, given all the injuries.

The great thing about basketball is that one or two plays can mean a win or loss. You can't control whether the shot goes in or not, but depending on how the ball bounces can affect an entire series and even an entire franchise. Like I've said before, it is trendy for people not to like the NBA. However, if you really sit down and watch a game, especially in the playoffs it is amazing what kind of athletes are out there.

In other news, congratulations to the Washington Capitals for coming back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the New York Rangers. I watched bits and pieces of the game while the Celtics were on commercial, and realized hockey is not that bad to watch especially in HD. As I've said before, for a person that can't skate, the fact they can play a sport on skates is pretty amazing to me. It is such a good thing for the DC area to have a winner again. This next series versus Sidney Crosby and the Penguins is great for the NHL. In baseball news, the Red Sox eleven game winning streak ended last night on an error, but it was a great run(no pun intended). The baseball season is a series of winning and losing streaks so I don't really see a point in making any predictions now.

I haven't been blogging as much lately, but hope to start up full time again soon. I got my first "not so great" vote the other day, so I think some people that I don't know may actually be reading it now. I feel like I could do a lot better if I did this full time, and not exhausted as crap from work, but alas one must pay the bills. Anyway, it's been a long day and it's time for me to kick back on my recliner. Till next time.

Overexposure in the Media

2009-04-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Trying to concentrate at work on a Friday is hard. Trying to concentrate at work on a Friday when it is 75 degrees and sunny is almost impossible. I really don't know how people in California ever get any work done. How could you possibly stay focused when you know you should be basking outside in the sunshine. I guess like anything else in life you get used to it.

I've been wanting to write about the ridiculous overexposure of sports by the media for weeks. With with the NFL draft coming up tomorrow, now is the ideal time. Look, I'm excited for the draft and hope the Patriots and Redskins pick well. However, what is the use for all these mock drafts and analysis 24-7. People actually get paid to talk about who they think is going to get picked. The fact is, it doesn't matter what they think. It matters what the organization thinks, so everything they are saying is pointless. I can understand a small segment a couple days before the draft, but this ridiculous overexposure is just nuts.

The draft is only one of a thousand topics I could mention. Let's talk about this Celtics-Bulls series. The Bulls and Derrick Rose were suddenly being touted as the only team that could challenge the Cavs. Then four days later they are down 2-1 in the series. Derrick Rose is being touted as the next Magic Johnson, and two games later Rondo has wiped the court with him. Do circumstances and teams really change this quickly, I don't think so.

We live in a very"what have you done for me lately" society. Every good game we see we tout as the greatest ever because that is all we remember. Sportscenter will tout one team as a lock to get to the finals, then four days later they are eliminated from contention. The reason for this is because we need immediate results, and the media knows this. I think a lot of people take what they hear from Sportcenter and talk radio as fact, not opinion. This is especially true for the casual fan. The other day my mom said that she heard the Celtics were definitely going to lose without Garnett and asked what team she should root for now. That is the most dangerous thing about the media. You have to take what they say with a grain of salt because their main objective is not to necessarily be rational, but to create a bigger story.

Maybe I shouldn't be talking about this because I too hope to be a part of the sports media at some point as a blogger. But this ridiculous NFL Draft coverage has really annoyed me. By the way, no team actually knows if they made a good pick or not until three years down the road. Thus giving teams a draft grade is kind of pointless.

In other news, Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson declared for the NBA draft yesterday. I was holding out a sliver of hope that maybe they'd want to come back to repeat, but I'm not surprised. I think they left on top and will be solid pros. They will be borderline all start on a bad team in a few years, or solid role players on a good team. Ty Lawson has the potential to be great, but we will see how he adjusts in the pros. I will never forget their contributions to the 2009 UNC championship run.
In baseball, the Red Sox are suddenly unbeatable. This proves my point about not having to follow baseball until August. There are just too many winning and losing streaks, so no one game really matters.

Friday afternoon and time for the weekend. I hope everyone gets outside in the sunshine and enjoys this beautiful weather. Wear your sunblock!

Celtics Avoid Disaster

2009-04-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

First of all, what a game! There were so many amazing individual performances. The best being the ridiculous shooting display Ben Gordon put on, and ofcourse the clutch three pointer to win the game by Ray Allen. The entire game I felt like the last team to have the ball would win, and that is pretty much what happened. I am just glad my Celtics came up on the winning end.

I want to start off by talking about the most important player on the Celtics team, and yes he is in uniform. That of course would be Rajon Rondo. People can say what they want about not having a chance to win a title without Garnett, and that is true in a way. But if you take Rondo off this team, they don't win a series. It was funny and predictable when Sportscenter and the rest of the media were touting Derrick Rose as the second coming after his game 1 performance. Did everyone seem to forget that Rondo scored 29 points, had 7 assists, and 6 boards. How about the triple double he got last night with an injured ankle? I'm not saying Rose isn't a good player, but he is not as good as Rondo. Rondo controls the entire game when he is in, and no one can stay in front of him. He even hit a huge jumper down the stretch last night to give them the lead. If anyone can give me an argument on why Rose is better please let me know. Maybe he has more potential, but I'd take Rondo over him on my team right now.

Big Baby Davis was an absolute beast last night. Coming into the playoffs, I thought either he or Powe had to assume a more prominent role, especially offensively for them to advance. With Powe's injury Davis has stepped up. I remember last year groaning whenever Big Baby would come in, but he has improved so much this year. His mid range jumper is spot on, he hustles for loose balls, and is an outstanding rebounder. The big advantage the Celtics have over the Bulls is their bulk inside. The Bulls have great leapers and shot blockers but can't compete with the sheer strength of Big Baby and Kendrick Perkins for rebounds.

Before I mention Ray Allen, I want to say Ben Gordon almost gave me a heart attack last night. This guy is the definition of streaky. When he turns it on he literally hits shots from anywhere. I feel like the Bulls have had two amazing performances in the first two games, by Rose in Game 1, and Gordon in Game 2. My hope is that there are no more to come. I've always liked Ben Gordon's game because it reminds me of my own. He finds way to score in very unconventional ways. This Bulls team has really impressed me overall. I still feel like the Celtics will win in 6, but it is going to be tough.

Ray Ray! What more can you say about Ray Allen. I think one of the huge factors that is overlooked in professional sports are how athletes bounce back from bad games. For instance, if I had gone 1-12 in my last game I would not be able to get that out of my mind and play two days later. Ray Allen is a true professional. Along with Rondo he saved the Celtics season in that second half dropping 28 points, including the game winning three with two seconds left. I just really hope he can continue that hot shooting in Chicago.

You could look at this series so far in a couple ways. If you are a Chicago fan you might say that they should be up 2-0, if not for some poor coaching, namely not saving a time out for the last few seconds to set up a play at half court. On the other hand, if you are a Celtics fan you could say this series should be 2-0. You could point to Paul Pierce missing a game winning free throw in game 1, or you could use the whole Kevin Garnett excuse. I tend to think the series is right where it should be. The Celtics look fine offensively, but their defense is definitely vulnerable without Garnett. I think they will win game 3, lose Game 4 and win games 5 and 6 to close out the series. Whatever team you are routing for ,you can't deny how competitive a series it has been thus far. Here's hoping for more blowouts in the Celtics favor!

On a closing note, what a great Patriots day for Boston sports fans. The Bruins, Red Sox, and Celtics all won. Thanks again everyone for reading. Have a great day!

Affect of Kevin Garnett's injury on the NBA Playoffs

2009-04-19T17:23:00.000-07:00

The NBA playoffs are here. I will admit that the news of Kevin Garnett's injury has brought my excitement down quite a bit, but I'm trying to stay positive. For those of you who don't know, on Thursday it was announced that Garnett will most likely be out for the entire playoffs. This pretty much eliminates the Celtics from contention. The fact is, even with a healthy Garnett, they would have had a really tough time beating the Cavs. In saying all this, I would like to point out that the Celtics still have a pretty damn good team without Garnett, In fact, they have put up better numbers offensively without him. For those of you who think the Celtics will lose to the Bulls first round, remember that the Celtics still have Paul Pierce. Let's not forget that it was Pierce who was the finals MVP last year, outdueling Lebron and Kobe in the process.

I still think the Celtics will advance to the conference finals. It really all depends how Big Baby Davis and Miki Moore play down low, if Marbury can be productive in backing up Rondo, and if Eddie House can hit big threes down the stretch. I'm not trying to be a homer here. In fact, even if Garnett was playing, I would've predicted the Cavs to win. But the fact is the Celtics still have Pierce, Allen and Rondo, as well as big time playoff experience under their belt. I'm going to be rooting for the Cavs to somehow lose. The only chance of that is if Dwayne Wade and the Heat play them. Also, I will be rooting hard against Kobe Bryant. Call me a hater, and maybe I am, but as much I enjoyed the Celtics game 6 Finals victory last year, the image of Kobe quitting on his team will always make me view him in a negative light. By the way, their is no way Jordan would've allowed his team to lose by 36 in a deciding game, zero chance.

In the West, I see the Lakers cruising to the finals. As much as I despise Kobe, he is a great player and will not let the Lakers be upset early. The only challenge to them would've been the Spurs, but the Ginobli injury takes that off the table. In the East I see a Celtics-Cavs conference final, with the Cavs winning in 5. The Cavs-Lakers will play in in the finals, and the Cavs home court will lead them to a game 7 victory. I say all this now, but I may have a different outlook two weeks from now.

While I'm sad the Celtics probably won't repeat this year because of the Garnett injury, their championship run last year is enough to last me another decade. I have to enjoy these next two months because after that it is a full two months of baseball season before football starts. Thanks for reading!

Sports talk

2009-04-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

I literally sat for ten minutes trying to figure out a clever title for this entry, but I finally gave up and wrote the most generic title ever. Anyway, in tonight's entry I want to rant a little bit about each of the four major sports. Let's start with the sport I know the least about, hockey. The only two teams I care even a little about happen to be the top 2 seeds in this years playoffs. Sorry fellow Boston fans, but the Washington Capitals need a championship more than you by a long shot.

I love DC and all the surrounding areas. I grew up here and I decided to move back here after college. We have really passionate sports fans, but unfortunately many of our franchises have been devastated by poor personnel decisions and underachieving teams. The Redskins break thousands of hearts every year with their wildly inconsistent play. The Wizards were absolutely dreadful this year, and their best player is one of the most selfish players in the league. The Caps have been the bright spot in Washington for the last 6 months, and I really hope they can advance far in the playoffs. Hockey is really amazing to me. I can't even skate so the whole concept of skating while playing a sport is absolutely fascinating to me. Plus the fact they are allowed to start brawls in the middle of games and only receive two minute "timeouts" is pretty crazy when you think about it.

Baseball season has begun and I already feel like I want to take a nap(just kidding, kind of.) Seriously, why should anyone care about baseball until August or September. Their are like 3,000 games and you could start 0-15 and still win the World Series(keep believing Nationals!)

The reason they call it the "national past time" is because that is literally what you do to pass the time when you are bored. The great thing about going to a baseball game is you don't actually have to pay attention to have fun. Sorry to all the hardcore baseball fans, but baseball is just too slow. What do you expect when their is no time clock. I almost want to hit the TV after the batter steps out of the box for the sixth time. I really think if their was a time limit on how long the pitcher could take between pitches, baseball would be much more entertaining. For all of those looking for great baseball analysis look elsewhere because it will be mostly baseball bashing(it's all in fun though.) Has anyone ever considered that the reason baseball stats are so highly scrutinized and analyzed is because the games themselves are boring as hell. Does anyone know how many points Kareem Abdul Jabbar had? No, but you certainly knew how many home runs Hank Aaron had.

Finally, time to talk basketball. I love this time of year. The weather starts getting warmer which means I get to go kayaking again, and the NBA playoffs begin. Say what you want about the NBA, but when you watch an NBA game you are seeing the greatest athletes in the world. Their are no Prince Fielders, or punters or kickers in the NBA, everyone is an athletic machine, well almost everyone. It also helps that the Celtics are great again. For years I had to pick a team to root for going into the playoffs, but with the Celtics resurgence it takes on a new meaning. I have written way too much for one entry so I am going to break down the first round NBA matchups on Friday most likely.

Tomorrow I am turning 24, which of course means one more year until I can drive a rental car without paying a fee. It also means one year closer to the day I have to figure out what the hell I want to do with my life, which is kind of scary. Life really does sneak up on you. Thanks for reading my blog and have an outstanding night.

Celtics and the Masters

2009-04-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! This was one of the first years I didn't participate in an Easter egg hunt, but I did get to do my state taxes, so it wasn't all that bad. I'm pretty exhausted tonight, so I will make this brief. Let me start out by saying I was embarrassed to be a Celtics fan today. Their 40 point loss to the Cavs was just plain terrible. Sure, they had already clinched the 2nd seed in the East with the Magic's loss last night, but you still have to show up and play. The fact is, if they can't get up to play the Cavs, who are their main rivals in the East, how do they expect to repeat as champions?

In saying this, I think the Celtics still have a chance to win their 18th title, but that all depends on how healthy Garnett is and how the bench plays. I don't sense that same fire the Celtics had last year. Maybe they are saving it for the playoffs, or maybe that killer instinct they had last year has faded a bit after their title run. I guess we will see starting next Saturday.

By the way, why do people always hate on the NBA? It seems like the trendy thing to say these days. Is it as good as the 80's and 90's was, absolutely not. Is it better than it was 5 years ago, yes it is. The NBA has a great crop of young superstars, and their two premier franchises, the Celtics and Lakers, are good again. My only issue with NBA basketball right now are the number of fouls called, and the length of games, especially on network channels. It seems like every ticky tack foul is called these days, and the refs just aren't letting the players play like they used to. Honestly, how are you supposed to stop Lebron if you can't touch him at all, it's impossible. Also, the games are just too long right now. The Celtics-Cavs game started at 3:30 today and ended at 6:15. That is almost the length of a baseball game. But of course more commercial breaks mean more money for the network and their sponsors, and we all know sports is all about the bottom line.

I don't like golf. I would even go as far to say it isn't a real sport, but I always watch when Tiger Woods plays in a major. The only two people in my lifetime that I watched simply because they were playing are Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Today at the Masters Tiger played a hell of a round, but stumbled late and could not win another green jacket. I felt kind of bad for the rest of the field with all the attention and cheers being given to Woods and Mickelson. I don't know anything about golf, never played in my life, so I can't do much more analysis than that, but was truly impressed and entertained by the Masters today.

Probably not my best blog entry tonight, but I thank you all for reading, and hope to write again soon. Please feel free to send this to family and friends and remember feedback is always appreciated. Have a great night!

Champions!

2009-04-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

Like Obama and I(and probably 100 million others) predicted, the North Carolina Tar Heels won the National Championship last night. It really should be no surprise to anyone. UNC was the best team at the start of the season, hit a couple valleys along the way, but turned it on and played to their potential when it counted. UNC proved what we really knew all along, that they simply have too much talent for anyone to compete with for 40 minutes.

First things first, what the hell was Michigan State thinking? Like I said a couple of entries ago, you can't beat UNC when you try to 1) play their high tempo, shoot early in the shot clock style, or 2) have no NBA talent. Michigan State fit both of these criteria to a tee. If I was rooting for them, I would've been pulling my hair out(if I had hair) about their decision to not slow the game down, and take quick shots. I don't know if it was nerves or simply a bad game plan, but UNC looked not only like the more talented team, but also the more poised team from the very beginning. I guess it's no surprise seeing how UNC has so many veterans that have been there before.

Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington were the best backcourt tandem in the tournament this year. Ellington, who has always been my favorite player on UNC, really took over the game early. He could not miss from three or really anywhere on the court in the first half. Ellington has developed his game so much since freshman year, when he was purely a spot up shooter. Lawson, as he has done all tournament, controlled the game from the get go and had a record 7 steals at halftime. Though he didn't have one of his best shooting games, he was still able to control the game, slashing to the basket at will and getting to the free throw line. The big matchup I thought coming into the game was Lawson vs. Kalin Lucas, and it turned out to be a huge factor in the game. Lucas showed his inexperience, looking down right afraid at times. Michigan State also lacked that star player to get the ball to when they needed a basket. They lacked that go to guy that every championship team has, and that UNC has about four of. Ed Davis turned out to be a huge factor in the game as well. Davis is a flat out beast, and I was so glad when I heard he is "definitely coming back next year." He is probably UNC's best NBA prospect, and will be at least 2nd team all ACC next year.

One more note on this game and really the previous three games. It was amazing how Oklahoma, Villanova, and Michigan State all shot so poorly against UNC. After the Oklahoma game I thought well UNC got lucky they didn't hit some of those open shots, but after the same thing happened with Villanova and again with Michigan State I realized that it wasn't about luck. It was that UNC puts so much pressure on the opposition to score, opposing teams feel pressure to knock down every shot. I'd love to hear any comments about this theory from the readers.

It was such a great feeling when that final buzzer sounded. Like any fan of a team, I felt a sense of pride when it hit me that UNC was national champion. I've been really lucky to see, just this decade, 3 Patriots championships, 2 UNC championships, 2 Red Sox championships, and 1 Celtics championship, which for me outweigh all the others. Sports is cyclical, so I know at some point my luck will run out, but I might as well enjoy the ride while I can.

Thanks again everyone for reading my blog. I've gotten some really good feedback, and it seems the readership is up(5 votes already in two days!). Have a great night everyone!

National Championship Preview

2009-04-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

Tarheels! Tarheels! I am so pumped for this game tonight and supremely confident that UNC will pull out the victory. In saying this, UNC could definitely lose this game if they start off slow and allow the partisan Michigan State crowd to get behind the home team. If I wasn't a fan of either team I would probably root for Michigan State. I totally respect Tom Izzo as a coach and recognize that not only are they the underdog, but they are playing for the state of Michigan which has clearly been devastated by the economy.

It's funny, this will be the first UNC game I watch by myself at my apartment. Usually during UNC tourney games I lock myself in a room so I can concentrate, almost like I think UNC will play better if I concentrate harder. I guess maybe it is a sign of maturity that I can watch the games in bars and around friends, or maybe it is just because I am so confident in this UNC team.

Anyway, here are some of my thoughts on the game. The winner of this game will be determined by who gets the best performance out of their point guard. Ty Lawson has not only been the best point guard in the tournament, but in my opinion also its best player. Kalin Lucas is a really good point guard as well, but will have to outplay Lawson significantly for Michigan State to win. That is pretty much the theme of this entire game. Michigan State must play a great game to beat UNC. If they play anything less than great they will lose. In addition, UNC has more talent and more weapons, meaning they have more margin for error. Look at the Villanova game. UNC missed more free throws than I've seen them miss all year and still were never in danger of losing. I think rebounding is going to come in huge as well. Both teams are excellent on the boards but I think Ed Davis could be a huge X-factor in this game. With Davis, Hansbrough, and Danny Green crashing the glass, I think UNC will be able to dominate the paint. Goran Sutan could be another X-factor. His ability to get Hansbrough into foul trouble and also stay out of foul trouble himself could be a deciding factor in the game.

All in all UNC is just too deep and talented for Michigan State to handle. I think it will be a close game, maybe 8 points or less, but Michigan State will ultimately not be able to hang with UNC for the full 40 minutes. Whatever the outcome, both teams had a great run in this tournament and the schools should be proud of their accomplishments. There is too much hate now a days in the sports world. Instead of criticizing athletes and teams, how about we commend them for their accomplishments, unless of course you are T.O or the Cowboys.

One more final note. Today Michael Jordan was elected to the Hall of Fame. For anyone who thinks Kobe or Lebron is as good as Jordan was, please ask me for my Jordan DVD. After you sit down and watch that you will realize how foolish you were. No one can compare to Jordan's greatness. Though Larry Bird is my favorite player ever, Michael Jordan is the reason I started watching basketball and the reason basketball is my favorite sport. He was the greatest winner in sports history. Sure, Bill Russel won 11 titles but there were only about 8 teams back then and the competition wasn't nearly as fierce. Jordan refused to lose and played the game with a combination of toughness and finesse that will never be matched. For anyone who thinks Lebron or Kobe is better remember that in Jordan's day there was no hand check rule, so the game was much more physical. If Jordan played now he would average over 40 points a game easily. Off the court, Jordan made basketball global and attracted fans like no one had before or probably ever will. I am proud to say I was alive during the Michael Jordan generation.

Thanks again for reading my blog. I have gotten some really good feedback on it, so please keep it coming. Go UNC!

UNC cannot be stopped

2009-04-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

It was such a beautiful weekend. Now that I'm working full time I truly live for the weekends, and always hope for weather like this past Saturday and Sunday. Somehow I got a pretty significant sun burn even though I was wearing SPF 70. That is the life of a red head. As mentioned in a previous entry, I joined my Umass Alumni Softball team even though I haven't swung a bat since the mid 90's. Today was our first practice and I actually wasn't half bad. I'm definitely looking forward to a great season where I can meet new people and establish new friendships.

The best part about this weekend was UNC beating Villanova and advancing to the national title game. I wasn't nervous at all before the game because I truly believe no one can hang with the Tarheels when Lawson is at a 100%. I will say, that in their last two victories, their opponents have shot an atrocious percentage from three. Nevertheless UNC was clearly the better team. It's funny, even though I wasn't nervous before the game, when the game finally began I couldn't help but think of the debacle of last years final four when UNC looked like a bunch of 3rd graders,falling behind by 30 at half time to Kansas. About 5 minutes into the game I knew Villanova was not good enough to beat UNC. Usually I can decipher if a team can win against the Tarheels within the first ten minutes. The two main factors that let me know if the team has no chance to beat UNC are:
1. Is the team trying to play the fast break style of UNC, which they inevitably will not be able to do.
2. Do they have NBA caliber players on the team.

Villanova fit both categories to a tee, plus they lack the size and depth to compete with UNC for 40 minutes. Their only potential NBA talent are Reynolds and Cunningham and neither are ready to make any kind of an impact at the next level. Also, what the hell were they thinking trying to play the transition game and shoot tons of 3's against UNC. First of all they are not a great three point shooting team. Second of all, missed 3's lead to transition opportunities which play right into UNC's hands.

Have I mentioned how much I love Ty Lawson? The guy is playing better than anyone and just three weeks ago some people thought he wouldn't even play in the tournament. Ellington, who along with Lawson is my favorite Tarheel since Antawn Jamison and Shammond Williams, was the main factor last night. Everytime UNC needed a shot he would deliver it. I really hope Ellington comes back for his senior year. He could be a late first or second rounder but with another year under his belt he could develop the rest of his game even further. I've already come to grips with the fact Lawson is leaving(tears flowing). I'm going to write about the championship game right before it starts tomorrow. Thanks again for reading and I hope you had a great weekend!

Final 4 Picks

2009-04-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to be as unbiased as possible in this Final 4 analysis, but it is going to be tough. I think one of the biggest obstacles for me, as I try to get my foot in the door in the sports media and journalism world, is going to be attempting to be objective when one of my teams is in the field. I've always admired the Sportscenter broadcasters and analysts and their ability to give unbiased opinions, even though they probably have a team they are rooting for. I hope that ability will come to me in time.

As a UNC fan I go into this Saturday's matchup with Villanova fairly confident. I'm actually more confident about this weekends game than last weekends games. The reason for this is simple. I truly believe with Ty Lawson playing like he is right now, UNC cannot be beaten. Lawson has been the best point guard in the league this year, and has had a total of two, yes you read that correctly, two turnovers all tournament. The NCAA tournament is all about point guard play, and he is the best in the business. In addition to Lawson, North Carolina's front line is going to be too much for the feisty but small Villanova front line. UNC simply has too many weapons. They beat you inside with Hansborough, Ed Davis, and Tyler Zeller. They beat you on the perimeter with Lawson, Ellington, and Green who are all knock down shooters, who can also score off the dribble drive. They have great bench play from, in my opinion, the best 6th man in the country in Ed Davis, and a great perimeter defender and backup point guard in Bobby Frasier. In short, they are simply too deep and talented for Villanova or anyone to beat them unless they have a bad game. One more thing, for those of you who don't know who Ed Davis is, he is a rebounding and blocking machine. He is probably the best NBA prospect on North Carolina, and I can only hope he will come back for one more year so he can bulk up and develop more on the offense end.

In saying this, Villanova is definitely a solid team. Lawson has shown a tendency to give up a lot of points to good points guards and Villanova's Scotty Reynolds is a very dangerous player. Villanova is also very good defensively and gets after you on every possession. Coming out of the Big East they have battled tough competition all year. They are well coached by Jay Wright and if they are shooting well they could pull out the victory.

The other game matches Michigan State vs. Uconn in a battle of two legendary coaches. In my bracket I had Michigan State losing in the second round to USC, so needless to say they have surprised me this tournament. It was more my lack of respect for the Big Ten than my lack of respect for Michigan State. Tom Izzo's teams always seem to peak in the tournament, and that is a result of his outstanding coaching. Michigan state has battle tested, experienced guards, and a big man in Goran Sutan who can step outside and shoot the jumper. They are disciplined on the defensive end as well, as shown in holding Louisville under 60 points. Uconn has a great scoring guard in A.J Price who could be huge down the stretch. They also have the premier shot blocker in the nation in Hasheem Thabeet, who will occupy space inside. I think one of the keys for the game will be who wins the guard battle of A.J Price and Kalin Lucas. Both are explosive guards and anyone who has watched the tournament knows guards win NCAA titles.

Ultimately, I see a UNC-Uconn final which I will preview if it happens Sunday. If it doesn't happen I will still do a preview, though I might still be crying in a corner if UNC loses(just kidding,kind of.) That brings up a thought I just had. I think I've come a long way since middle school and high school when a UNC loss or a big Patriots playoff loss would put me in a state of depression for weeks. Now I realize that at its core, though I will pull for my teams like a maniac during the game, it is ultimately just a game and you have to move on.

Just got news of the Jay Cutler trade. This is a good trade for all those involved. For Denver, they get to finally move on past all this drama of will he or won't he get traded. Remember, McDaniels is not only the coach, but also the offensive coordinator, and the relationship of QB and coordinator is arguably the most important on the team. Time will tell if this was a huge mistake on the part of Broncos management. For the Bears it is an even sweeter deal. They get a proven, young quarterback who is still getting better and has tremendous upside. The Bears have been looking practically their entire franchise history for a solid quarterback. Though Cutler might not be the next Montana, I think he certainly will have a better career than any other quarterback they have had in Chicago. Plus, the NFC North is about as weak a quarterback conference as there is in the league. With Jay Cutler at QB, newly signed Orlando Pace at tackle, and Matt Forte at running back, and with that always fearsome defense, the Bears should be heading back to the playoffs.

My apologies for the long entry tonight but when I get going it is hard to stop. Looking forward to some great weather this weekend and of course the Final 4. Go Tarheels!

Why do people hate Tyler Hansborough?

2009-03-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

It was such a beautiful spring day today. Unfortunately I was cooped up in an office for most of it. I signed up for the Umass Alumni Softball Team this morning which should be a blast. I haven't picked up a glove or bat since grade school, but I think it will be a great opportunity to network and meet new people. Plus, the team lead said there was one guy that was 72 on the team, which I would guess means it is definitely more of a social activity than a competitive one. While playing basketball tonight a couple weird things happened. In the game before us, a guy quit in the middle of the game and started yelling insults at everyone on the court. Afterward I learned that no one even knew the kid, and actually he had been the one fouling all game. I don't understand people like that. Everyone is just trying to have a good time and let off some steam after work and one guy ruins the whole game. I've always wondered how people like that don't recognize when they are being idiots. I was thinking about writing a blog on that at some point and probably will.

On to my topic of the day. I am ecstatic that UNC is in the Final 4. I will write a full analysis on the matchups Thursday or Friday but would like to talk about another topic that has always confused me. This is of course why people hate Tyler Hansborough, and why people hate individual players in general. Why would you hate a guy who maximizes his talent and ability, works his ass off every night without trash talking or whining, and is a winner. He doesn't brag, isn't flashy, just comes to play every night with 100% tenacity. I've heard that it's because he always is getting fouled or traveling. That is the dumbest reason I've ever heard. How is it his fault that he is fouled, the refs call the game! It all boils down to jealousy because he is the marquee player on a program that gets a lot of media attention. If anyone has a valid argument on why they don't like Hansborough please let me know, I'd love to hear it.

I think hating a team and hating an individual are two separate things. Maybe hate is too strong a word, because there is nothing a team or individual has done to most of us fans to warrant that. It's okay to dislike a team because as a sports fan you naturally pick teams you like and teams you dislike. But, disliking a player personally just because they are on a certain team is ridiculous. I dislike Duke and the Colts as much as anyone, but I don't have anything against their players cause I don't know them. I might not like Peyton Manning because he's the quarterback of the Colts, but I don't hold anything against him personally. The internet has made this phenomenon of personal attacks on players even more widespread. Now you have message boards everywhere with inappropriate, ridiculous and downright degrading commentary about famous athletes. It all spurns out of jealousy and immaturity. When did sport fans become so critical. Isn't sports supposed to be fun?

In other news, I think the move by Kentucky to get John Calipari was very smart. In college it is just as important to be a good recruiter as it is to be a good coach. Calipari has shown that he can turn middle of the road programs into Final 4 contenders. Hell, he even took my alma mater Umass to the Final 4 back in the mid 90s and unfortunately Umass hasn't gotten near that point since. In other news, even though I didn't watch it most of it, the Tiger Woods comeback was absolutely incredible. I don't really like golf and think for the most part it's extremely boring to watch, but I will always turn it on to see Tiger. When you think about it, their are only a handful of athletes in history you can say that about. In fact, the only one I can remember in my lifetime is Michael Jordan. Players like that come around once a generation, and we should all be aware we are witnessing history. I remember always being amazed whenever Jordan would hit a game winner, even though he did it over and over again. It is the same way with Tiger Woods and his clutch putts on the 18th green.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and thanks to all of you who have read my blog and supported me. I really wish I had more time to work on this but alas I must go to work to pay the bills. I encourage anyone who doesn't like Tyler Hansborough to tell me why, I think it would make for an interesting discussion. Time to watch some taped episodes of Law and Order. Have a great night!

UNC-Oklahoma

2009-03-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

I had a great weekend and it could be even better if this game keeps going like it is now. Today was pretty much the perfect day, hanging out on the Potomac in 70 degree sunshine with good beer and good music. That is truly living the dream. Now to this game. I am a huge UNC fan and was extremely nervous because Oklahoma has Blake Griffin. In watching this game, it is clear to me that Oklahoma doesn't have much besides him. Basicically they have Griffin, Warren, and a bunch of inconsistent players that are one dimensional. It's funny, during the Syracuse game I was thinking, I hope they are getting all their great shooting done now, and it came true. I truly believe no team can keep up with UNC for a whole game with Lawson at full strength. In addition, UNC has played their best defense of the season, though the missed three pointers by Oklahoma have helped UNC a ton. Blake Griffin is as good as advertised though. He is the only reason this game is even remotely close. UNC at its best can beat anyone in the country and they have played great basketball all tournament. I have a man crush on Ty Lawson. The guy is injured and has dominated every game this tournament. I really hope he comes back but I have prepared myself for his departure. UNC has too many weapons for any team to stop and that is without their best on ball defender Marcus Ginyard. You just don't see teams that have 5 guys who can score 20 points or more on any given night. With Pitt and Louisville out, UNC would be the clear favorite to win it all, but anything could happen. I am so happy right now, this could go down as one of the best days I've had in awhile. Going to go watch the rest of this beat down then write my other blog later tonight. Thanks for reading!

Celtics and Magic battle for homecourt

2009-03-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

There really is not enough time in the day, especially now that I've become addicted to blogging. I'm writing this blog on my recliner watching one of the biggest Celtics games of the year. Both the Magic and Celtics have virtually identical records and are battling for home court in the second round. In my opinion this game is much bigger for the Magic, in that they need the home court much more than the Celtics. The Magic don't really scare me. Dwight Howard is a beast, but he lacks the competitiveness and killer instinct needed to win a championship, at least at this point. Their whole offense is based on dribble penetration and kick outs for three pointers. If they aren't hitting the perimeter shot they will lose everytime which never bodes well in a 7 game series. For me, I would take Paul Pierce in a playoff series over Dwight Howard. For one, he is a forward and can create his own shot. Two, he is the reigning Finals MVP and has shown he can come up huge in the biggest moments. In all honesty, the Heat could be a tougher opponent than the Magic simply because of Dwayne Wade. The whole year I have thought Lebron should win the MVP going away but the truth is Wade does more with less and deserves it. Without Wade the Heat are definitely not a playoff team, without Lebron the Cavs probably are the 7 seed. In saying this, Lebron is the best player I've seen since Jordan and can do things no one has ever been able to do before. Either way you can't lose.
In other news, the Patriots getting Julius Pepper's seems to be slowly losing steam. Upon further reflection, I think this could be for the best for the Patriots. Signing Peppers would go against their usual philosophy of low cost free agents and building through the draft. With all the picks they have they could get another linebacker and maybe a safety. I love the pick up of Joey Galloway. He will see single coverage all year because of Moss and should be good for at least 2 big plays a game. Speaking of Moss, the guy dropped way too many passes last year, though he also was overthrown many times by Cassel.

This brings me to my next and final topic of the day, the Jay Cutler saga. Alot of people have been calling Jay Cutler a cry baby and a whiner but the honest truth is that the Broncos, specifically Josh McDaniel were unprofessional in their attempted move to get Matt Cassel. First of all, why would you want Matt Cassel over Cutler? Matt Cassel had one good year with the best wide receiving corps in the league on a team that was one miracle play away from a perfect season. Jay Cutler made the pro bowl last year and led a injury depleted Broncos team to a near playoff birth. Do I think Jay Cutler definitely will have a better career than Matt Cassel, no I really have no clue. The fact is Cutler has a better pedigree, and unless you are trying to deal for Brady or Manning, you shouldn't try to make a deal for your franchise quarterback behind his back.

I'm back to mostly sports talk in this blog because I have decided to create a separate blog chronicling my random thoughts on life. You can find that at http://kdillinger.blogspot.com/. I love writing both of the blogs, but found that my random thoughts blog could be a bit more interesting as it will touch on subjects and thoughts that aren't chronicled in the media elsewhere. At the same time, it will definitely be more of a niche blog than the sports one. Either way I don't really care cause I'm having fun and hopefully entertaining a couple of people at the same time. Time to lay on the recliner and watch the Celtics hopefully pull off a huge road win. Good night!

Boston Sports Fan Goes to Boston

2009-03-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

I am back blogging my heart away after a crazy weekend in Massachusetts. Though it was one of the best weekends I have had in awhile, it's something I couldn't do all the time. I'm not sure how I did it in college. Friday night I visited my alma mater, Umass-Amherst. Walking around campus I was hit with a wave of nostalgia. I remembered the walks to class in the frigid New England cold, the countless basketball games at Boyden gym, the parties, the late night pizza binges at Antonios, and all the old friends I have lost touch with since graduating two years ago. Isn't it funny how you build such strong relationships with people for four years, then you gradually lose touch. I guess that is why I keep a journal so I can always remember the good times. Nothing affected me more then walking to my old apartment on the train tracks. For those of you who never had the pleasure to visit that old shack, it is truly a site to behold. It's a studio apartment essentially the size of a closet, and is located directly on the Amtrack train line. My apartment would literally shake three times a day, including every night at about 1 am. I don't really know how I lived there for two years, but then again I also don't know how I drank Busch light every weekend, you got to love college. While at the bar that night I realized that it's not the college itself that makes the experience, but rather the people at the college. The same bars and restaurants I used to see friends in are now filled with inebriated strangers. It is all kind of sad. I realized then, that while I had a good time, I was glad that part of my life was over. Everyone talks about entering the real world after college, but it's not like you can press a button and have all your old habits go away. There is that awkward stage in between the college life and the corporate life that can be hard to get through.
Saturday I spent the day in Boston and felt right at home. Everytime I go to Boston I start pronouncing words without the "r". For example, at work today I kept referring to Haymarket as Haymaaaket. It was great relaxing with my fellow Boston sports fans, where no one talks about the Patriots as cheaters and everyone hates the Yankees. I was ecstatic when my beloved Tarheels pulled out a nail biting victory against LSU. What I was even more ecstatic about was the fact that Ty Lawson had 23 points and 6 assists and essentially carried the Tarheels on his back down the stretch. For anyone who didn't think Lawson was the most important player on the Tarheels, there is your evidence.

This is a sports blog, so I should probably talk a little bit about sports in this entry, right? The Celtics had a great win against the Spurs friday night. Garnett changes this team completely and I'm fully confident that we can beat anyone with our full squad. It all really comes down to how the refs call the game. The Celtics play such a physical style that if the refs call it tight they will be in a heap of trouble. These NBA playoffs could be one of the best ever.

I know I didn't do much sports analysis in this entry, but sometimes I just like to rant about my theories in life, that is just who I am. Speaking of theories, one of my long standing beliefs was disproved this weekend. I've always believed that in every group there is one person that no one really truly likes but they accept them because it's always been that way. You know that person, that most people could do without seeing but because there's been a long history they are in the crew. With my college group of friends, there really isn't that dynamic. Everyone likes each other, and everyone brings something unique to the table. That is what friendship is all about.

I promise the next blog will be devoted more to sports, but I do want to explore the possibility of creating a new blog for just my basic thoughts on life. That one would definitely have to be edited though. Anyway, I'm going to finish watching the Celtics demolish the lowly Clippers and take a walk. Good night!

Final 4 Picks

2009-03-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this entry on my recliner at halftime of the Celtics-Heat game. The Celtics have looked terrible lately. Marbury needs to go to the gym and shoot 1,000 jumpers a day before he is allowed on the court again, he is killing us. Injuries have obviously been a huge issue, but I just don't see the same passion from this Celtics team, that I saw in their championship run last year. I really think they are not only a different team talent wise without Garnett, but energy wise as well. I like Bill Walker, but the guy fouls like no other. Last night he committed 5 fouls in 6 minutes of playing time. I didn't even think that was possible. I hope my boy Leon Powe gets back on the court soon too, because Mikey Moore can't stay on the court without fouling. In saying this, the Celtics can definitely turn it on for the playoffs. I think their championship experience from a year ago will be crucial in their run to title #18.

Now to my Final 4 Picks. Even though I never feel too confident when I'm filling out my bracket, this year was especially bad. I filled out two brackets and then tore them apart. Finally, I just said screw it and went with the first team that popped in my head. I don't have any major upsets, but do have VCU knocking off UCLA in the first round. I feel like that is a very trendy upset pick though, which usually means the favorite will win. As I mentioned in a blog earlier this week, I am doomed every year because I follow my heart instead of my head when I fill out my bracket. I always pick UNC, and usually pick other games according to what would make UNC's bracket the easiest. I picked UNC this year again, but the confidence I had a few weeks ago in them has dissipated because of the Ty Lawson injury. It's kind of amusing in a way that the entire Tarheel's championship run rests on a big toe. I hope they rest him for the opening game against Radford. If we need Lawson to win that game, we don't even deserve to win the title. By the way, if Radford does win that game I wouldn't be able to show my face for weeks. Not only would it be the biggest upset in tournament history, but my friend Mike Binns, who went to Radford, would never get off my back. Anyway, I wanted to pick some crazy team to go to the Final 4, but as I was going through the matchups I just couldn't see any team higher then a 2 seed getting in. I always pick according to how many rounds a team could go if they win. It's basically a risk/reward scenario. Is the risk of picking a #14 seed over a #3 seed worth it if all they do is win that one round. I would say no, so usually I stick with the favorites. After much debate in my head about who to pick for my final 4, I finally settled on UNC,Pitt, Memphis, and Lousiville. Really boring, huh? Here is my rationalization for it. I figure at least 2 of those teams will get in and usually that is enough to at least be competitive in a pool. I really could care less about losing 5 bucks in a pool as long as UNC does well, and Duke does bad. For example, I'm going to pick Duke to go to the elite 8 but will be rooting for them to lose from round 1 on. Also, since I'm hosting the work pool this year, it will look suspicious if I win. One more random rant. Has anyone checked out the Facebook bracket application? Say what you want about facebook, but they got it right here. I don't understand why they keep changing the layout of their site though. If it aint broke, don't fix it right? My bracket will probably be destroyed by Saturday afternoon but March Madness is still the best sporting event of the year. Whether you are a diehard college hoops fan, or pick teams according to their mascot, everyone gets involved, and isn't that what sports is all about? In this ultra competitive world we live in sometimes we seem to forget that at its core sports really is supposed to be fun.

Still no followers on my blog, but I've gotten a lot of positive feedback, so I don't cry too much at night. I'm going to Boston this weekend, but will try to fit in another blog before Friday. Speaking of Boston, this weekend is going to be ridiculous. I'm hanging out with my old college friends and it is a guaranteed good time. We are even going back to visit my old college Umass-Amherst. Seems like a long time since I was in college, but it was only 2 years ago. For anyone who is still in college, cherish those moments because your life will never be the same. I actually enjoy work more than college on a whole, mainly because I hated having to choose between beer and food. However, I do miss that free time that was so abundant in college, and so scarce in the real world. One more random thought, I figured out what I want to be today, a blogger for the Boston Globe. I won't stop until I reach that goal. Time to watch the Celtics hopefully pull off this much needed win. Hope you enjoy March Madness tomorrow. Good night!

Pats and Celtics

2009-03-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

I was going to make this an all March Madness blog, but a couple things happened. First, upon further analysis of the bracket, I am at a total loss about who I am going to pick to get to the Final 4 and win it all. As a UNC fan, I know I will ultimately pick them to cut down the nets in Detroit, but I am nervous to say the least about their region. The South region is in my opinion the toughest in the tournament. You have the nation's best player in Blake Griffin, playing for the #2 seeded Sooners. In addition, you have arguably the nations two hottest teams in Gonzaga and Syracuse. Plus, you have the ever dangerous Clemson and the talented LSU. In saying this, if Lawson is healthy I don't think there is any team that can keep up with UNC. I actually ended up filling out a bracket, then tossing it angrily into my desk drawer as I realized I have no chance of winning. That's the problem with having your team be a potential winner of the tournament. Your judgement is clouded not only about who is going to win it all, but matchups all around. For example, I will probably pick Oklahoma to lose early just because I don't want UNC to play them, rather than picking who i actually think will win. But, the fact is I could never live with myself if I didn't pick UNC and they won it all, so case closed.

On to the Patriots. Today as I was mindlessly staring at my computer screen, I received a text message from a friend simply stating "F* yeah, patriots are getting Julius peppers! A UNC baller on the pats!" Really couldn't have said it better myself. I didn't want to edit out the F word but figured Mom might not like it. Anyway, ofcourse I immediately stopped what I was doing at work to go to Boston Globe.com and see the news. Here is the article for anyone who hasn't read it: http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2009/03/report_patriots_3.html%20ItIt's funny when I put links to articles out because I'm probably just sending them to myself. I think this potential deal, cause that is all it is right now, a potential deal, would be awesome for the Pats. For all the doubters who screamed about the Cassel trade, here proves Belichick is still a genius. By the way, check out my first blog where I comment on the trade being pretty even because it would open up cap space for Peppers. Besides being my favorite player on UNC's 98 final four team, well besides Shammond Williams, Peppers would be a great addition to the Pats defense. He is incredibly athletic and has a knack for getting to the quarterback and making big plays. Can you imagine him and Seymour coming at you? I think it will be a fairly easy transition to linebacker for him, though his pass coverage needs work. All in all I think anyone would agree, you take Peppers for Cassel any day of the week. Again, this trade is pure speculation right now, but if it happens watch out for the Patriots next year. A UNC guy on the Patriots, all he needs to do is try out for the Celtics and he replaces Larry Bird as my favorite athlete(just kidding.) I forgot to mention the pick ups of Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden. I witnessed first hand Shawn Spring on the Redskins. When healthy the guy was the best corner they had. The key for Spring has always been that health issue, but if he can play in 14 out of the 16 games it was well worth the signing. I don't know as much about Leigh Bodden as he was in purgatory(Detroit) all last season but I have heard only good things. More analysis on the Patriots later.

Unfortunately I don't have as positive an outlook on my favorite sports team, the Celtics. Clearly injuries have affected this team. and their chance at the number 1 spot in the East has all but vanished. Now they just have to hope they can hold off Orlando for that #2 spot. Marbury has had no affect on the team, maybe even a negative affect. He has been a team player but simply not a good player. He can't hit open shots and turns the ball over too much. I do like the way Leon Powe and Bill Walker have stepped in and played in the absence of Garnett. I really hope they keep Walker in the rotation instead of putting in Tony "Heart Attack" Allen. That guy is just terrible and literally makes me hold my breath everytime he has the ball. I think ultimately the Celtics will be okay with a healthy Garnett and Big Baby Davis, but it is going to be tough to beat Cleveland without homecourt.

I packed a lot of stuff into this blog. Hope I didn't bore you too much. Now time to watch some TV and chill in the recliner. Thanks for reading!