The Laker's PDA (pathetic displays of aggravation)

There is little that can be said about the performance of the LA Lakers against the Mavericks in Game 4 of the series.  Did fans actually think that they would bounce back and win it all?  I agree that there’s a first time for everything, I just think now was not that time.  But NBA fans all around expected more than a 4 game sweep and we certainly could not have been prepared for the on-court antics of the Lakers.

Yes I admit I tend to be more sensitive than most. I gasp when a player goes down hard or avert my eyes when they replay moments of major injuries (I refuse to watch Rondo dislocate his elbow).  Perhaps the only time I have been rendered speechless is when I witness a major crash in a NASCAR race where it’s a miracle that the driver walks out of the car of his own accord. 

I’m not going to say that all professional athletes should keep their emotions in check.  The Lakers were losing and losing badly.  It is expected that play inside the paint may have become more aggressive and there would be more pushing around than usual.  I’ll even go so far as to say a foul such as the one committed by Odom against Nowitsky could be expected.  These are grown men playing in a highly competitive environment.  That amount of testosterone and anger is apt to boil over at some point. 

 But few (if any) excuses can be made of the behavior of Andrew Bynum.  When I saw J.J. Barea hit the ground in the manner he did, I clasped my hand over my mouth in shock. (I really suggest you watch the recaps to see what I mean).  Bynum is lucky that Barea didn’t suffer a major injury.  And then, as a child throwing a tantrum, Bynum rips off his jersey in the middle of the court (not that I’m complaining) and storms off.  To add to the humiliation, Bynum leveled the smallest guy on the court (Bynum= 7ft tall… Barea is under 6)… I was half expecting him to pound his chest and emit some random grunts… Taking out the little guy… so easy a caveman can do it.  It will be interesting to see what punishment the league deems appropriate.

What makes the end of the story even more depressing it that supposedly this game represents Phil Jackson’s last.  I saw supposedly because it seems that certain coaches just can’t retire… coaching is in their blood.  But as of now, Jackson is said to be retiring.  Though I am not suggesting this in any way will taint Jackson’s overall career… he more NBA titles than any other coach in the league, 5 with the Lakers, it is a game that will be talked about for some time… and I think (and hope) that it means some major changes for the franchise.  Because this team, divided against itself, has proven it cannot stand.   

The Lost Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be in some serious trouble… too bad I don’t care!  Just kidding… but truth be told I am not nor ever have been a Lakers fan (I’m a Celtics fan… and Lakers vs Celtics is considered one of the great rivalries in sports).  However the story of their struggles is compelling and has been a source of debate throughout the sports world.

No matter your spectrum of sports knowledge or expertise, you have to have heard of the Los Angeles Lakers and perhaps even the name Kobe Bryant is somewhat familiar to you.  Ladies (yes I’m making a generalization), if reality TV is your thing then Lamar Odom should also ring a bell.  The Los Angeles Lakes are one of the most recognizable franchises in the NBA, having won 5 NBA titles since 2000 and having recruited some of the best players in the league.  So why am I calling them the Lost Angeles Lakers?

Let me say one thing before I get into the apparent identity crisis the Lakers are going through: the Dallas Mavericks are a good team and I don’t want to take anything away from their wins.  It wouldn’t matter what team the Lakers lost to; the reason it’s making headlines is that the Lakers don’t lose the first two games in the series… AT HOME!!  These losses coupled with having one of their players (Pau Gasol) comment that the team has “trust issues” has the fans reeling.  Trust issues? Really? 

Yes, like any good relationship, things that might happen off the court and lack of trust in abilities on the courts will lead to foul play.  Despite being professionals, off court drama happens and it affects how they perform.  Even a slight hesitation on a pass can bring a turnover or cause players to miss uncontested (open) shots. The Lakers have been in the spotlight at time during the regular season, bearing criticism for their mid season “slump.”  Yet, they still made it to the play-offs, just like the Celtics and the Heat who faced similar situations.  They also have one of the winningest coaches in NBA history in Phil Jackson… this man has more NBA championship rings than fingers to wear them on (11). 

But getting out of a 0-2 start in their 7 game series is going to take more than a great coach.  The Lakers are going to have to man-up and confront whatever the drama it is that ails them.  Additionally, flagrant, unnecessary fouls such as the one committed by Ron Artest have to stop. Perhaps essentially clothes lining a player with about 24 seconds to go may be a physical manifestation of just how frustrated the Lakers really are, but now Artest has managed to put additional pressure on the other players to perform as he has been suspended in game 3.    

Who knows, maybe the Lakers thrive on this kind of drama and the “come from behind” scenario?  And  if the Lakers can manage to win this series against the Maverick, the title of my next blog could be “Lost and Found.”

Until next time….

Onto the Next One....

Let's take an NFL/draft/lockout  break and focus some attention on the NBA.

I grew up in an NBA loving household, watching the "greats" of my time which of course include Michael Jordan and the Bulls team of old... Pippen, Rodman, Kerr... *sigh*

Then something happened... I believe it was college, and I lost sight of the NBA, except to note that it had a bad reputation for being a place where guys just out of high school could go, show up to games dressed like "thugs" and taint the once classy style of the NBA.

In recent years the NBA has gone through yet another transformation.  When the players arrive at the arenas for a game, it's more like a runway show in Milan than anything else.  These guys are dressed to the nines!  And although sometimes what happens on the court is not exactly classy (ie Koby using the word fag and a whole lot of profanity), these are men playing sports in a competitive environment: do we expect any different?

So I've been drawn back into the NBA... not just because of the fashion :) but also because the players have once again become interesting.  The teams competing in the playoffs have a lot to prove.... During the regular season the Spurs seemed unbeatable... yet they didn't make it past the first round... perhaps showing some signs of their aging team.  The Celtics just suffered a loss to the Heat, despite the decisive sweep of their series with the NY Knicks.  And of course the Lakers have to continue to prove that they are still a viable team, yet are struggling to do so due in large part to their over reliance on Kobe Bryant. 

But the team with the biggest chip on their shoulder is the Miami Heat and the chip's name is LeBron James.

Now this may come as a shock to you, but there are perhaps thousands of articles you can read all about James and his journey from Cleveland to Miami... and though I am not from Cleveland nor do I have any allegiance to the state of Ohio, I find the whole process James went though, all the pomp and circumstance, the prime time news conference etc... to be completely distasteful... no... let me rephrase that... I think James should be ashamed of himself for the ego he displayed. 

But that's show biz right?  Anyways, so Miami has it's Big 3: James, Wade and Bosh... and big things were expected of them.  Truth be told, despite my hatred, right now they are meeting those expectations.  For all the grumbling and doubt during the regular season and their occasional lack of cohesion as a unit, the Heat are in playoffs and have a real chance to make it all the way. 

Whether or not you are a fan of the NBA, the playoffs format in the NBA is definitely fun to watch, especially because the matchups in this round promise to keep us on the edge of our seats, perhaps even taking us to a game 7 in multiple matchups (for those of you who don't know, they play a 7 game series... first to 4 games wins). 

More to come as we make our way through the second round.

This is Valentina signing off....

Initial Reactions to the Draft

WOW!

Prior to moving to South Carolina I did not watch a moment of college football… I was exclusively an NFL girl and thought that that was enough.  But now I realize that I lacked a crucial element in my football knowledge… THE DRAFT!

With limited time to prepare and learn about the incoming draft players, I did what research I could with the teams I know about.  See, that’s the trick if you are new to sports:  start by picking a team.  Either pick one based on your geography, join the bandwagon of a team (whoever is the strongest over time), or use any criteria that suits your personality (i.e.  I like the Reds because I have a crush on one of their pitchers). 

Armed with this limited knowledge I went out to Wild Wings to hang out with friends and watch the draft.  As predicted the first few picks were pretty anticlimactic.  But I knew that would change, because you have to keep in mind that this draft has a unique element… it is the first draft that is taking place BEFORE free agency.  So although it seems that the lockout is over and the free agency will eventually be open, you have no guarantees that when you go for different players you will be able to get them.  There are too many teams in need of a QB and not enough viable free agents to go around.  Desperate teams were going to have to take desperate measures.

“It’s going to get interesting after pick 5.” I said…. And I was right.

And then the madness ensued: out of nowhere, Atlanta makes a major move, takes the 6^th pick from the Browns and goes for Julio Jones.  Suddenly, all the draft knowledge from the “experts” was thrown to the wind.  Teams made decisions no one saw coming.  Every time a pick came out, you would hear ensuing boos or frantic cheers… sometimes people remained speechless, mouths wide-open. Any Vikings fans out there… you’ve got a lot to “Ponder...” Terrible and overused joke I know but the decision to draft Christian Ponder 12^th overall left many Vikings fans baffled.

As for my team, the New England Patriots, I have nothing to say because as a fan I live by a particular motto: “On draft day, in Bill Belichick I trust.” 

Draft Extravaganza!

As if just following a regular draft wasn't complicated enough, this lockout has really left a mess... and Judge Nelson isn't helping.

Judge Nelson has made it clear that she is on the player's side when it comes to the disputes between the NFL owners and the Player's Association.  But I wonder just how much Judge Nelson understands the ramifications of her recent actions: to deny the league's request to put the ruling on hold.  Let me explain in case you are a little lost already.

A few days ago judge Nelson issued a ruling in which she ended the lockout, and of course, the owners asked her for a stay on that ruling until they are able to go into the appeals process.  The answer from Judge Nelson:  the Lockout is over, end of story!

So just 24 hours before a group of young and promising athlete's who thought they knew where they might end up on draft day, everything could go up in smoke?!  Maybe....

Some pundits say that the NFL won't engage in any negotiations that involve free agents... good thing I'm not one of them.  I'm just putting out a sort of "what-if" scenario. 

If, in the next few hours, the free agency opened, that would change the outlook of the draft completely.  The scenario I presented in my previous blog would play out... Carolina would go after a veteran quarter back, and Cam Newton would see his stock in the draft fall.  Again, I doubt he would even go in the first round.  Without free agency, Carolina needs Cam because he is a polarizing figure who will (hopefully) bring some spark to the Panthers game and fill those seats.  But he's also a run-first quarterback (he takes a snap and, instead of throwing, runs with it himself) and with a shaky offensive line (the ones who are supposed to protect the QB) that puts him at high risk for an injury.  If the free agency market were indeed open, Carolina could pick up someone like Kevin Kolb or Donovan McNabb and then use their draft picks to fix the other problems they have which exist at almost every position. 

Or not....

That's what makes this draft so exciting... none of what I just spent the last 10 minutes writing about may happen at all... the free agency may well remain closed (although owners and being forced to open their facilities to the players and allow them to work out) and Cam will get his moment of glory with that number one pick.

Welcome to NFL draft day...

Lock-in... lock out...the draft... what's it all about?

The CBA... a lockout... do you know what it all means? 

Let me indulge in a little history lesson made simple.  During the years of the Industrial Revolution, workers worked in unsafe conditions and were often abused and underpaid by their bosses.  This led to the rise of unions and their right to collective bargaining.  This just means that unions have the right to sit down with the employer to negotiate better working conditions.

So the NFL players have their individual contracts with their team, and then they are protected by the umbrella of the CBA.  CBA= Collective Bargaining Agreement.  You can see the parallels right?  The unsafe working conditions? The abuse? Underpaid?  Sounds like the life of an NFL player right?  But I digress.....

The CBA expired and so the NFL player's association met with the commissioner of the NFL Roger Goddell for new terms of their CBA.  They couldn't come to an agreement.... the players want more.

What makes this so complicated?  I guess it's hard for us average Joes and Janes who work hard for a living to possibly live a nice life to understand why the top players in the NFL are looking for more money.  More money?  How much more could they possibly need?  But the truth is that this dispute is more about the fact that, in the eyes of the players, the owners of these teams are making more than their undue share of money when you take into account the amount of TV revenue that they bring in.  Though I have NO DOUBT I would enjoy a live game (I've never been), football has become a popular TV sport.  You get a better view of all the plays, can watch almost any game if you go to a sports  bar (which can help you follow your fantasy teams) and with HD TV, you can literally see every blade of grass on the field(artificial or otherwise). 

So what happens now?  Well, after the CBA expired, the owners "locked out" the players.  What does that mean?  That the players are literally NOT allowed to get to their training facilities, put their equipment in the locker, be seen by a trainer etc... They are locked out!  Additionally, there is no free agency.  So those players whose contracts have expired or are due to expire with their team (to be traded and such) cannot do so!

That's why this draft is so important.  Normally, teams can address some of their immediate needs through the free agency.  For example:  The Carolina Panthers, arguably the worst team in the NFL, need a quarter back.  More often than not, you don't throw a rookie into the starting QB position because many college players take time and grooming to adjust to the different play in the NFL.  So you go to teams like Philadelphia who have Kevin Kolb sitting on the bench and you negotiate a deal for a proven QB.  Then you use the draft to shore up your offensive line, or give your QB a new promising wide receiver.

Instead, with no guarantee that the free agency will open anytime soon, some teams are forced to make tough decisions and take a quarterback in the first round.  If there were a free agency, I would bet that Cam Newton would NOT be in the top 10 picks or maybe even go in the first round at all.  That may be a slight exaggeration however I am not convinced that this guy has what it takes.  But that's going to be Carolina's problem, not mine.

So yes, you heard that the judge ended the lock out....unfortunately there is lack of clarity on what that exactly means and thus far, the free agency is still closed... but technicallly players are going to be allowed back to the facilities?? To what, sit around and watch TV in the players rec room?

Confused yet?  Welcome to the club.  Stay tuned to see where this all goes.

Dear Jim Tressell....

Really?  You really didn't think you would get caught in a lie? 

A disclaimer... I know very little about college football, in fact, this is the first year I ever even followed it.  That being said, I doubt my lack of college football knowledge in any way precludes me from passing judgement in this matter. 

Do I think that there is rampant cheating going on throughout the NCAA: of course, I am not naive.  Do players get "paid" in ways that violate NCAA rules: yes.  Do I think the NCAA needs to completely revamp its system?  DUH....

But is Jim Tressell so old that he he thinks when he hits delete on an email it just goes away?

What I find so upsetting about this subject isn't so much that Jim Tressell felt he could lie and is above the rules... (he appears to  be invincible in the eyes of the Ohio State) I'm mad that the consequences of his decision to lie and cover up the truth ultimately trickle down to the players, most of which follow the rules, play hard and hope that the prestige of the University and it's stats will help them in the future. 

Jim Tressell I say SHAME ON YOU! 

Can't we just play some honest football? OK probably not...  But now what?  Do we go back and take away those wins that included ineligible players?  Is firing Tressell the answer?  Because if we do, it sends a clear message, but if we don't: what punishment is enough and who are we really punishing?

Sincerely,
Valentina