As the weather begins to warm, the NHL and NBA Finals are in full effect, MLB is off and running, and NFL and NCAA Football are holding training camps for their upcoming seasons. This is one of the best times of the year for a sports fan like myself. There isn't much about June that I do not enjoy. Southern California's blue skies and sunshine.
And in 2008, the Los Angeles Lakers are in the NBA Finals. After running through the Western Conference playoffs with a 12-3 record, the Lakers now await the Boston Celtics. While Boston did not have such an easy time through the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Celtics did beat the top competition in the East, shutting Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers down before defeating the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals.
This is a matchup that, at the beginning of the season, was not expected. Boston was expected to be here. The Lakers, on the other hand, did not even know whether or not Kobe Bryant would be wearing purple and gold when the season's first month ended after an offseason that found Bryant expressing his anger in public.
The Celtics began the season on a tear after acquiring Kevin Garnett from Minnesota and Ray Allen from Seattle in the offseason. Boston encountered a few bumps along the way to the East's best record, finishing 66-16.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, started the season sluggish, never really establishing themselves in the West until after the first month of the season. After center Andrew Bynum went down with an injured left knee in January, the Lakers were scrambling for answers. Kwame Brown was inconsistent and best. Ronny Turiaf, although a backup, did an excellent job filling in when needed. Chris Mihm has never regained his form after a series of injuries to his lower extremedies. Free agent signing DJ Mbenga filled in, but it took him time to adjust to his surroundings.
Pau Gasol, who the Lakers picked up February 1 in a trade that many are still scratching their heads about, has done a spectacular job as a center. While Gasol's stats may make him out to be those of a center, his natural position is respectively power forward.
After the Lakers acquired Gasol, they tore through the West on their way to the top of the standings, edging out San Antonio and New Orleans for top seed and home court advantage.
But to me, the thing that is most shocking is not the trades the Celtics and Lakers made to acquire these superstars, but that these two teams are playing, once again, for the NBA title. It has been 21 years since these teams last met in the Finals.
The 1987 NBA Finals were a matchup for the ages, with seven hall of famers playing on the court at one time.
Now, in 2008, while fans will not see quite as many potential hall of famers on the court as they did in 1987, they will be in for a great series, which will renew a rivalry that is best played at the end of the season: in the finals.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Should the '07 Patriots go down as one of the best ever?
Over the last 24 hours, many sports shows, radio, television, and wire, have discussed whether or not the 2007 New England Patriots should go down as one of the best teams. To sum it up in a few words, "It doesn't mean a thing if you don't get the ring." The 95-95 Chicago Bulls coined that phrase, after finishing the season 72-10, and knew their season wouldn't make a difference if they did not hoist the NBA trophy at the end of the season.
In 2001, the Seattle Mariners tore through the American League, winning 116 games en route to the best record in baseball, but would lose to the New York Yankess in 5 games in the opening round of the playoffs.
This Patriot team ranks along with those teams, who had a miraculous season, dominating their opposition en route to the playoffs, but when the final stage was set, they could not capitolize and join the '72 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated teams in NFL history.
There have been many great teams to finish the NFL season with just one loss on their record, but just a few of those teams, unlike this years Patriots, wound up leaving the Super Bowl victorious. The 1984 San Fransisco 49ers and 1985 Chicago Bears finished the season with just one loss on their record, winning the Super Bowl and staking their claim as one of the best teams in history.
When the record books have been written, this Patriots team will go down as one of the most talented, but will be accompanied by a championship. Tom Brady set a record with 50 touchdown passes. Randy Moss broke the record for single season touchdown receptions with 23, and the offensive unit surpassed the 1998 Minnesota Vikings as the most prolific attack in league history, scoring 589 points in a 17 game season.
Without the championship, the Patriots cannot boast that they are the best in the NFL. They cannot boast about an undefeated regular season, because they did not win their final game. The New York Giants proved one thing throughout the playoffs, whoever we lost to in the regular season means nothing if we get to play them again in the postseason.
In 2001, the Seattle Mariners tore through the American League, winning 116 games en route to the best record in baseball, but would lose to the New York Yankess in 5 games in the opening round of the playoffs.
This Patriot team ranks along with those teams, who had a miraculous season, dominating their opposition en route to the playoffs, but when the final stage was set, they could not capitolize and join the '72 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated teams in NFL history.
There have been many great teams to finish the NFL season with just one loss on their record, but just a few of those teams, unlike this years Patriots, wound up leaving the Super Bowl victorious. The 1984 San Fransisco 49ers and 1985 Chicago Bears finished the season with just one loss on their record, winning the Super Bowl and staking their claim as one of the best teams in history.
When the record books have been written, this Patriots team will go down as one of the most talented, but will be accompanied by a championship. Tom Brady set a record with 50 touchdown passes. Randy Moss broke the record for single season touchdown receptions with 23, and the offensive unit surpassed the 1998 Minnesota Vikings as the most prolific attack in league history, scoring 589 points in a 17 game season.
Without the championship, the Patriots cannot boast that they are the best in the NFL. They cannot boast about an undefeated regular season, because they did not win their final game. The New York Giants proved one thing throughout the playoffs, whoever we lost to in the regular season means nothing if we get to play them again in the postseason.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Good Trade Kupchak!
After Andrew Bynum went down for eight weeks, Laker fans knew it would be a tough stretch. Friday, Mitch Kupchak made that stretch a lot easier.
While giving up more than he got, Kupchak traded Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, two first round draft picks, and the rights to Aaron McKie and Marc Gasol. Many would view this trade as giving up to much.
Brown's contract expired after this year. Crittenton is a rookie. McKie was a sign and trade. Marc Gasol wasnt sure if he wanted to play in the states. The Laker's took Pau Gasol and his three-year, $39 million contract, and a 2010 draft pick, and to many, got rid of a player that needed to be traded.
Pau Gasol, 27, comes to Los Angeles after being named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2002, and an all-star in 2006. Gasol's career highlight was helping Spain win the FIBA World Championship in 2006.
With the acquisition, and when Bynum returns from injury, the Lakers present an extremely tough matchup for any team. Although Gasol does not bring a strong defensive game to the Lakers, he does bring a mid to low-range post game, along with knowledge of the floor, and the ability to play at both the 4 and 5 positions for coach Phil Jackson.
With two seven-footers on the floor, as well as Kobe Bryant, this team, which already was in the conversation as a Western Conference contender, should threaten any chance that San Antonio has to repeat as conference champions.
With the playoffs just three months away, do not be surprised if the Lakers go in, yet again, as a No.. 6 or 7 seed if Bynum needs more time to heal. When he is fully healthy, this team should storm through the playoffs, reminding fans of the teams that won three straight championships from 2000 to 2002.
While giving up more than he got, Kupchak traded Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, two first round draft picks, and the rights to Aaron McKie and Marc Gasol. Many would view this trade as giving up to much.
Brown's contract expired after this year. Crittenton is a rookie. McKie was a sign and trade. Marc Gasol wasnt sure if he wanted to play in the states. The Laker's took Pau Gasol and his three-year, $39 million contract, and a 2010 draft pick, and to many, got rid of a player that needed to be traded.
Pau Gasol, 27, comes to Los Angeles after being named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2002, and an all-star in 2006. Gasol's career highlight was helping Spain win the FIBA World Championship in 2006.
With the acquisition, and when Bynum returns from injury, the Lakers present an extremely tough matchup for any team. Although Gasol does not bring a strong defensive game to the Lakers, he does bring a mid to low-range post game, along with knowledge of the floor, and the ability to play at both the 4 and 5 positions for coach Phil Jackson.
With two seven-footers on the floor, as well as Kobe Bryant, this team, which already was in the conversation as a Western Conference contender, should threaten any chance that San Antonio has to repeat as conference champions.
With the playoffs just three months away, do not be surprised if the Lakers go in, yet again, as a No.. 6 or 7 seed if Bynum needs more time to heal. When he is fully healthy, this team should storm through the playoffs, reminding fans of the teams that won three straight championships from 2000 to 2002.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Another BCS Mess
Yet again, college football voters have encountered another wonderful time of year: Deciding who gets to compete in the national championship game, and where other teams should be placed.
The season can be described as unpredictable, with seven no. 2 teams losing throughout the season, and on the final day, the top two teams lost in their respective conference championship games, making way for other teams to jump into those vacant spots atop the polls. With just one team, Hawaii(12-0), ending the season undefeated, yet ranked no. 10 in all four of the polls that determine what college goes to which bowl, the current system is flawed, to say the least. College football fans were once told a two-loss team would not be eligible to make the championship game, but it seems LSU(11-2) and voters supporting them, could look past the pair of triple overtime losses to pencil the Tigers in for the Sugar Bowl. Ohio State(11-1), who is part of one of the few conferences in division one football without a conference championship game, was idle, yet still found a way to gain a trip to New Orleans, where they will once again square off against a stronger SEC team like they did a year ago. Luckily for Jim Tressel's Buckeyes, Les Miles and LSU dont have a combination of Chris Leak and Tim Tebow as Florida did when they crushed Ohio State in last years championship game.
As for the other teams that may have got snubbed, Kansas, the only other one loss team in the nation aside from Ohio State, has to face Virginia Tech(11-2) in the Orange Bowl.
Hawaii will face Georgia(10-2) in the Sugar Bowl.
Southern California(10-2), who came on strong at the end of the season after a disappointing October, will face Illinois(9-3) in the Rose Bowl, which returns once again to the traditional Pac-10 vs Big-10 New Year's Day matchup.
Missouri(11-2), who dropped out of the top spot on the final day, will face Arkansas(8-4) in the Cotton Bowl.
West Virgina(10-2), who fell out of the second spot, will face Oklahoma(11-2) in the Fiesta Bowl.
The mindset for most of these teams is the game we are in is a great national spotlight for their university and program. Other teams might not come forward to say it, but feel they belong in the championship game, and will prove it when gameday comes.
As for the other programs who might not have had the season they desired, some of the bowl games are great preparation for next season, but many are the last stop for most of the coaching staff.
Hopefully, the voting panels will correct their mistakes of this year and years past and implement a playoff system, which now seems like the most logical thing to do, as year after year worthy teams have been snubbed. If no remedy is made, college football will have to live with the fact that regardless of how good a team does, if they play in an inferior conference or lose to a college they should have not lost to, they will be snubbed, regardless of how dominant that team was throughout the course of the season.
The season can be described as unpredictable, with seven no. 2 teams losing throughout the season, and on the final day, the top two teams lost in their respective conference championship games, making way for other teams to jump into those vacant spots atop the polls. With just one team, Hawaii(12-0), ending the season undefeated, yet ranked no. 10 in all four of the polls that determine what college goes to which bowl, the current system is flawed, to say the least. College football fans were once told a two-loss team would not be eligible to make the championship game, but it seems LSU(11-2) and voters supporting them, could look past the pair of triple overtime losses to pencil the Tigers in for the Sugar Bowl. Ohio State(11-1), who is part of one of the few conferences in division one football without a conference championship game, was idle, yet still found a way to gain a trip to New Orleans, where they will once again square off against a stronger SEC team like they did a year ago. Luckily for Jim Tressel's Buckeyes, Les Miles and LSU dont have a combination of Chris Leak and Tim Tebow as Florida did when they crushed Ohio State in last years championship game.
As for the other teams that may have got snubbed, Kansas, the only other one loss team in the nation aside from Ohio State, has to face Virginia Tech(11-2) in the Orange Bowl.
Hawaii will face Georgia(10-2) in the Sugar Bowl.
Southern California(10-2), who came on strong at the end of the season after a disappointing October, will face Illinois(9-3) in the Rose Bowl, which returns once again to the traditional Pac-10 vs Big-10 New Year's Day matchup.
Missouri(11-2), who dropped out of the top spot on the final day, will face Arkansas(8-4) in the Cotton Bowl.
West Virgina(10-2), who fell out of the second spot, will face Oklahoma(11-2) in the Fiesta Bowl.
The mindset for most of these teams is the game we are in is a great national spotlight for their university and program. Other teams might not come forward to say it, but feel they belong in the championship game, and will prove it when gameday comes.
As for the other programs who might not have had the season they desired, some of the bowl games are great preparation for next season, but many are the last stop for most of the coaching staff.
Hopefully, the voting panels will correct their mistakes of this year and years past and implement a playoff system, which now seems like the most logical thing to do, as year after year worthy teams have been snubbed. If no remedy is made, college football will have to live with the fact that regardless of how good a team does, if they play in an inferior conference or lose to a college they should have not lost to, they will be snubbed, regardless of how dominant that team was throughout the course of the season.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
College Football Rivalries
For years, the debate has lingered: Which two schools are the fiercest rivals?
Time after time, week after week, schools stake claim to show how their rivalry is better than anothers. Being a resident of Los Angeles, I have been surrounded by the USC-UCLA rivalry since I was a child, regardless of the fact that I was unaware of the significance.
In recent years, I have seen how rivalry games are unlike any other games, where any national rankings or favoritism from the oddsmakers goes right out the window. An example of this is the 2006 USC-UCLA meeting at the Rose Bowl. USC entered the game with a national championship berth in sight as the no. 2 ranked team in the nation, a stellar defense, and an offense that had collapsed in just one game earlier in the season to Oregon State.
In that game, UCLA showed that regardless of their rivals ranking, rivalry games are played on passion for the game, and most of all, pride and the Victory Bell.
Other big name rivalry games I have watched through the years are USC-Notre Dame, Arizona-Arizona State, Cal-Stanford, Ohio State-Michigan, Florida-Florida State, Miami-Florida State, Oregon-Oregon State, Michigan-Michigan State, Wisconsin-Minnesota. Although most of these games provide more of a intruiging matchup for the fans of those colleges, to me, the USC-Notre Dame/UCLA is one of the most spirited rivalries in all of college football, as throughout the years, those games determined who would win the Heisman Trophy, who would appear in the national championship, who would take the conference crown, and who would walk away with the rivalry trophy.
Time after time, week after week, schools stake claim to show how their rivalry is better than anothers. Being a resident of Los Angeles, I have been surrounded by the USC-UCLA rivalry since I was a child, regardless of the fact that I was unaware of the significance.
In recent years, I have seen how rivalry games are unlike any other games, where any national rankings or favoritism from the oddsmakers goes right out the window. An example of this is the 2006 USC-UCLA meeting at the Rose Bowl. USC entered the game with a national championship berth in sight as the no. 2 ranked team in the nation, a stellar defense, and an offense that had collapsed in just one game earlier in the season to Oregon State.
In that game, UCLA showed that regardless of their rivals ranking, rivalry games are played on passion for the game, and most of all, pride and the Victory Bell.
Other big name rivalry games I have watched through the years are USC-Notre Dame, Arizona-Arizona State, Cal-Stanford, Ohio State-Michigan, Florida-Florida State, Miami-Florida State, Oregon-Oregon State, Michigan-Michigan State, Wisconsin-Minnesota. Although most of these games provide more of a intruiging matchup for the fans of those colleges, to me, the USC-Notre Dame/UCLA is one of the most spirited rivalries in all of college football, as throughout the years, those games determined who would win the Heisman Trophy, who would appear in the national championship, who would take the conference crown, and who would walk away with the rivalry trophy.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
closed minded college football fans
In the airport recently, I decided to pick up a USA TODAY and see what was going on in the world. Of course, the first section I went to was the sports section. After reading the majority of the articles, I found a comment from an SEC football fan stating "I say we discontinue football at all other schools but those in the SEC. There's no reason to continue competing. I suggest the rest quit. Take the budgeted money for football at those universities and send it to the SEC so they can recruit even bigger, faster, more talented athletes. And five some to all their people who keep all thsoe statistics on wins/losses versus other conferences, etc."
Personally, I know a few fans of the SEC, and their view is that their conference is better than all others. But the same goes for fans of the PAC-10, the Big 1o, the Big 12, the ACC, and all other conferences which hold the 119 Division 1 collegiate football teams.
What i don't understand is why someone would cut competition. Competition is a good thing. Day after day, people compete for jobs, athletes compete against other athletes, students compete against other students for better grades, and in election time, candidates compete against candidates, and along the way doing what they must in order to gain whatever legal advantage they can.
Over the past seven years(not including the destructive 2007 season), I can think of two SEC teams that have either won or split the national championship. 2003 LSU split with USC, as voters from USA Today and the Associated Press, the two main polls, voted different champions at the end of the season. In 2006, Florida rolled over Ohio State, leaving no doubt that Florida was the best team in college football at the end of the season.
When you look at the big picture, eliminating all other conferences would maked college football dull. Out of the last 5 Heisman trophy winners, not one of those winners have came from an SEC school, while 3 have played for Southern Cal. One cannot say that the SEC is the best conference, because without any of the other conferences, college football as we know it would be as dull as a tumbleweed, with schools like Arizona and Stanford and Arkansas defeating top ranked schools such as Oregon, USC, and LSU.
Personally, I know a few fans of the SEC, and their view is that their conference is better than all others. But the same goes for fans of the PAC-10, the Big 1o, the Big 12, the ACC, and all other conferences which hold the 119 Division 1 collegiate football teams.
What i don't understand is why someone would cut competition. Competition is a good thing. Day after day, people compete for jobs, athletes compete against other athletes, students compete against other students for better grades, and in election time, candidates compete against candidates, and along the way doing what they must in order to gain whatever legal advantage they can.
Over the past seven years(not including the destructive 2007 season), I can think of two SEC teams that have either won or split the national championship. 2003 LSU split with USC, as voters from USA Today and the Associated Press, the two main polls, voted different champions at the end of the season. In 2006, Florida rolled over Ohio State, leaving no doubt that Florida was the best team in college football at the end of the season.
When you look at the big picture, eliminating all other conferences would maked college football dull. Out of the last 5 Heisman trophy winners, not one of those winners have came from an SEC school, while 3 have played for Southern Cal. One cannot say that the SEC is the best conference, because without any of the other conferences, college football as we know it would be as dull as a tumbleweed, with schools like Arizona and Stanford and Arkansas defeating top ranked schools such as Oregon, USC, and LSU.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)