Becoming Mr. Relevant

The last player pick in the draft is known as "Mr. Irrelevant"...a promotion started back in 1976 when the good folks of Newport Beach decided to invite him for a weekend celebration figuring it would be his one time in the Sun.

Not so for South Carolina kicker Ryan Succop... the 256th and final pick of the draft. Yesterday he kicked the winning field goal in overtime. The Chiefs upset the Steelers 27-to-24.

And yes. His last name is "Suck-up"...and he had to learn to fight at an early age. And his whole life he will have to hear..."So that's how you got the job."

The Little Lady Chimes In

The pressure is growing for 80 year old Bobby Bowden to retire as the end of the season. He wants to coach one more year.

Now his wife Anne has weighed in; saying..."You know, we don't need the university as much as they need us. If they want to pull that trick...we'll just shake the dirt off our feet and go to Europe or go on a long cruise or something."

And she adds..."They'll have to fire him for him not to go another year. If they've got guts enough to do it....let them do it."

Bobby probably said, "Dahlin'. 'precciate your support. But let's just leave it alone now."

Deer Hunting the Easy Way

And Mark Bree of Viroqua in Southwest Wisconsin landed a seven point buck...without leaving the house. He wasn't even deer hunting. He found the deer dead on his lawn....after he had apparently mistaken a concrete elk lawn statue for the real thing. And smashed heads and antlers. The deceased weighed 180 pounds. The buffed and bulked lawn ornament weighs 640!

Bambi gave it his best shot. The statue was lying on its side.


Can't make this up. It became legal when the game warden tagged it with "Lawn Ornament Fight. Dash. Lost."

An Attack On King James Court

Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has ripped Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards for allegedly assaulting a friend of his outside a Cleveland bar. LeBron's buddy is 5-7. He says the the 6-3, 215 pound Edwards knew it was his friend. And punched him because he is jealous of LeBron.

Out of habit...David Letterman apologized for the incident.

Wedding Bell Blue

Now the Web Site TMZ still insists Lamar and Khloe aren't legally married. They're still working on the pre-nuptual agreement.

I wonder if Lamar has any incentive clauses.?

Not going there.

Ochocinco Strikes Again

Remember Sunday how Bengals wide receiver Ocho-Cinco..(his legal name)...made good on his promise to leap into the end zone-stands in Green Bay if he scored a touchdown? And what were the odds there were three Bengals fans there to catch him? Pretty good. He had twittered that he would like some friendly folks there to cover him. The trio volunteered. Ocho got them tickets.

There was only one incident. Mike Bergs says...."I got punched by a girl! How embarrassing is that?"

Actually, Mike. In Los Angeles that usually costs extra so you got a bargain.

That Whacky New Laker

You would think Ron Artest would want people to forget that night in 2004 when he went into the stands in suburban Detroit... after a guy that threw beer at him. He was with the Pacers at the time. And set off a brawl that got him suspended for the season.
But no. He used his twitter network to locate the beer chunker; His name is John Green. But Ron wasn't looking to resume the brawl....but to bury the hatchet.

Ron says they "vibed"... and will probably travel around the country doing urban outreach for inner city kids.

I'm sure they'll appear on talk shows. But Ron. Larry. I'd avoid the "Jerry Springer Show."

Thank Goodness No One is Trivializing the Michael Vick Situation

Not everyone is forgiving Michael Vick his association with dog fighting.
"Main Line Animal Rescue" in Washington says every time Vick is tackled during the Redskins game with the Eagles October 26th...they will donate five bags of dog food to an Animal Rescue Shelter.
And urges people to volunteer at a shelter on game day... perhaps even "hugging a homeless pit bull."
Yeah. What could possibly go wrong with that?

The Punch Wasn't The Big Thing

Naturally, the sports talk shows were a-buzz with the sucker punch from Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount Thursday night after the Boise State loss. A sold blow to the jaw of Boise State defensive end Byron Hout that was caught on instant replay. And replayed. And replayed. And replayed. Yesterday, Blount was suspended for the rest of his senior season. And all the debate centered on "was it warranted?" Because of the punch...no. If it ended there...an indefinte suspension with guidelines to be met before he returns. Because it was in the heat of the moment and Hout clearly taunted him (After Bount trash talked all week about how the were going to spank Boise State). And Hout should be disciplined to a lesser degree.

But the punch was secondary to four security guards having to hold back Bount from going into the stands after some taunting Boise State fans. Imagine the nightmare scenerio if they weren't already all over him. He goes into the stands. Yeah, big strong guy. But he is greatly outnumbered. Other fans come from other parts of the stadium to get into the melee. The rest of the Oregon team rushes to his aid. Full scale soccer riot!!!

It's going to happen here someday. Remember the legenday Ron Artest episode in 2004. That could have been a lot worse had it not been at the end of a blowout game and the stands were already emptying. And NBA Commissioner David Stern still suspended Artest for the rest of the season.

The only problem with the Boise incident. No snappy name. The Pacer-Pistons incident at the palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan...easy. "Malace at the Palace". Discuss

Why Is Manny Sleepwalking?

There is a reason the Red Sox paid the Dodgers millions to take him off their hands. There's a reason no one but the Dodgers offered him a big contract in the off season. He's a spoiled, petulant child. When everyone is cheering him, the precocious side comes out like it did at the end of last season. When he's sent to his room for 50 games for cheating, he sulks. And when he sulks, he loafs. The fans boo. And Manny sulks some more.

And there's always the 'roid issue. One of the boosts it gives you is confidence. He's not the deepest thinker in the world. So if this latest slump has his wondering if he'll ever perform at that high level again (something he never worried about before), he's likley to rationalize that he could still do all the things he used to if he tried. But people are being too mean to him.

Either way, in my humble opinion, it's his last hurrah in a Dodgers' uniform.

Dog Days

Former Colts coach Tony Dungy has become Michael Vick's personal mentor... trying to help him stay out of trouble. After seeing photos of Vick drinking in a bar, Tony said... "Michael, you can't do that."

Then he said..."Sit. Now play dead."

As The Race Car Turns

The latest on driver Jeremy Mayfield and his estranged...to say the least..step mother. She's been arrested for tresspassing on his property. And allegedly slugging a caretaker. This after Mayfield was suspended after testing positive for meth-amphetamines...following testimony from Lisa Mayfield that she had seen him use the drug 30 times...which prompted him to accuse her of killing his father.

This is either a sad disintegration of a family. Or a Fox reality show. We're not sure.

Dog Fight-aholic?

Even though it seems every angle has been wrung out the Michael Vick story that can be, there actually is one that's being missed; the nature of addiction. Setting aside (just briefly), the horrific nature of what is going on...studies of addiction...even those that don't involve substance abuse...show a change in brain cells. It's basic. We're wired to attach to pleasure and avoid pain. Over time, the mind adjusts to the high (gambling, etc) to the point that withdrawal is as painful as drugs. Vick admits he has been following dog fights since he was nine years old. That's a long time for the pleasure to become ingrained. He has gotten a rush from it through his formative teen years and all his adult years.

So the argument isn't is he sincere when he says he will never do anything like this again. All addicts say it and mean it. But we all know of people, perhaps intimately, who had every reason to quit...it was ruining their lives....and yet they couldn't. An example is Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. A man who became a folk hero for overcoming terrible addiction. throwing away a multi-million dollar career...then getting it back. Only to be at a bar in January, get drunk with pictures that make the internet. It's a slip. Not the end of his recovery. And not to suggest Michael Vick can't make a recovery from his addiction. But just making a conscious decision to change; even recognizing what's at stake isn't enough. If it were....there would be no need for 12 step meetings. If Vick isn't being couseled as an addict...the lust will still be there. A part of him can see the error of his ways...even sympathize with the animals. But a more powerful part of him still has lust for "the game". He may avoid it until his playing career is over. But it will never fully go away. Knowing you have a problem is indeed half the battle. If you know and accept exactly what that problem is.

The Fickle Finger

Never an off season for news about the Lakers.

Pau Gasol suffered a broken left middle finger practicing with the Spanish National Team. He's had surgery and is out for three weeks.

That's his non-shooting hand. And, except for walking around New York, you can get by without the use of your middle finger.

Jose Cuervo, You Were a Friend of Mine

Titans running back LenDale White dropped 30 pounds in the off season. And he did it with the "Tequila Diet". Now before you get your hopes up...he QUIT drinking Tequila. The former USC star admits he loved slam 'em down but went on the wagon and is now a svelte 229 pounds.

When you are drinking so much tequila that it adds thirty pounds to your frame...your problem might not be diet.

Oh Roy, Oh Roy. Are You The Answer

With the bidding reaching stimulus proportions for Toronto pitcher Roy Halliday...just one thing that hasn't been talked about. We know he's a great pitcher in the regular season. But what if he's not one in the post season? Lots of Hall of Famers couldn't duplicate their success in the post season.

Not saying he would be a bust. But there is no way to tell if he is one of those who raises his game along with everyone else. He's never pitched in the post season. And being the star pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays is practically baseball's equivilent of the witness protection program. What if a team mortgages the future for "Doc" and it turns out he doesn't flourish under the microscope of the big games?

Just wondering.

Remember The Alamo (City)

While the eyes of the Lakers Nation have been soley fixed on the Lamar Odom-Lakers impassee, the Spurs have been quietly putting together a team for one last hurrah. They did make some news with the trade for free agent small forward Richard Jefferson. He's a multi talented, inside-outside threat. Althought he made more news for leaving his fiancee at the altar on their wedding day. But he is a significant upgrade on a team that still boasts three superstars...when healthy. (Just get him to the game on time).

They did have to give up two back up big men and Bruce Bowen, a guard who has given Kobe Bryant more problems than most. But in the last few weeks, they have acquired Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff. No longer elite big men but still an upgrade that can counter the Lakers' depth with Lamar. Without him...they are better. And the word is the Bucks will cut Bowen in training camp in a salary cap move and he will be back in San Antone. Throw in Roger Mason who was acquired last year. And who turned out to be instant offense off the bench..(something the Lakers thought they had in Sasha Vujacic but didn't) and the Spurs only worry is the health of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli. With word Lamar is leaning toward the Heat and Lakers owner Jerry Buss stubornly refuses to negotiate with Odom beause he dared to examine other offers... and the Lakers new dynasty could be one and done.

Ooops

One of the most dramatic home runs in Dodgers' history. But a lot of TV viewers apparently missed it. Reports that the Time Warner broadcast on the West Side and in the Valley had a major glitch. With Manny Ramirez coming to plate to pinch hit in the sixth....bases loaded....2-2 tie with the Reds....the picture froze. They cut to commercial. And came back for the celebration of Manny's grand slam home run.

We are efforting a reaction from the cable company.

They said they would call us back sometime today between nine and five. But we have to stay right by the phone.

Welcome Back

Mark Madsen... a popular Laker earlier in this decade...is coming home. But to the Clippers. Madsen one of three Minnesota players sent to the Clips for guard Quentin Richardson.
But look on the bright side, Mark. You'll never have to worry about embarrassing your self again in a championship celebration with a goofy dance.

Couple of Notes

Today's nominee for minor league baseball promotion of the year; The Brooklyn Cyclones offered...a Lamaze class in centerfield before last night's game; part of "Bellies and Baseball: A Salute to Pregnancy." Lots of other activities for the Moms-to-be... including throwing out the first pitch. But the best was "Craving Station"...with free pickles, ice cream and pizza.

All they missed was renaming time outs a "Pregnant pause."

81-year old Hershel McGriff became the oldest driver to compete in a NASCAR event. When he came in 13th in a race in the Camping World West Series in Portland.
Now it would be easy to say his only problem was keeping his left turn signal on the whole race...but I won't stoop that low.

Manny Mania

Manny Ramirez seems to have suffered no ill effects from his 50 game suspension for using a female fertility drug known to mask steroid use.

Though team mates say he has been reading a lot of Harlequin Romance books lately.

Don't Get Me To The Church On Time

The newest member of the San Antonio Spurs may have commitment issues.

Forward Richard Jefferson left his fiance at the altar. Literally. I mean, a lot of friends were already at the church for the two million dollar wedding.... when they looked around... and no Richard.

One possible reason; his fiance refused to ask one of her girl friends to join them in playing the triangle offense.

About Two Years Too Late

It looks like Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and (sort of) singer-actress Jessica Simpson are splitsville. And it was Tony's idea.

So their relationship started with great promise but he dropped her in the end. Just like he plays football.

But as a Cowboys fan....I'M NOT BITTER!!!!!

Lamar Will Still Be A Laker*

*Hey. You gotta leave yourself some wiggle room. The only "Unless"....unless one side or the other makes an emotional decision. And I'm not just talking the player here. Front offices and ownership are vulnerable to this. It's the nature of sports. Barring that....

There is no team out there willing to sign Lamar Odom to a 7-8 million dollar deal. In fact, very few capable with the lower salary cap. He would have to take the mid level exception. 5.8 million. And the Lakers will go higher than that. Just not the ten million he's asking for. They are over the cap. Every dollar they give to Lamar, they have to pay a dollar Luxury tax. A 10-million dollar deal automatically becomes a 20-million dollar package. And Jerry Buss is rich by your or my standards. But he's still a single owner versus a large corporation.

It will happen eventually. Lamar's only leverage is time. But he is indespensible as a versitle key to the triangle and a steadying influence in the locker room...especially to boyhood friend and potential chemistry buster Ron Artest. If Lamar waits...the Lakers might be willing to throw in an extra million or so...just to avoid the distraction as training camp nears.

But it will get done. If everyone keeps their head. (Otherwise, this post will disappear in 10 seconds.)

Why The Lakers Had To Get Better

Lost in the hoopla of the Shack to Cleveland, Vince Carter to Orlando ....was the Spurs trade for Richard Jefferson; a superior small forward. And rebounding terror DeJuan Butler of Pitt falling to them in the second round of the draft. Lots of ifs (Ginbolli's ankle, Duncan's age, Jefferson's attitude, Butler's past knee problems) but if there is a last hurrah in the old guys and health for the new guys...the Spurs were as good if not better than any team in the NBA.

And then there is the imminent signing by Portland of Hedo Turkolu. The Blazers with their young talent, who have the Lakers' number on their home court and can give them a tussle at Staples...add a veteran who proved in the playoffs he can take over a game in crunch time.

And let's not forget a pesky Denver team that should be a lot better next season. Best record in the West will be a season long duel. So the Lakers had to think about now. And Artest can give them the defense, and that ever popular "toughness" to hold off the barbarians at their championship gate.

But it does add one more reason to hate the long, long NBA regular season. Shouldn't Lakers fans still be basking in the glow of a title...instead of already thinking about training camps opening in just a little over two months?

The Post Game Interviews Will Be More Interesting

As far as human beings go, give me Trevor Ariza over Ron Artest any day. But on the court, not even close. Artest is among the elite players in the league and a raruty; a physically imposing small forward that can make life miserable for the other team's best perimeter players. Which also means that Kobe won't have to. (Remember how he compared guarding Carmello Anthony to wrestling with a bear? Remember his hands on his knees during one post game interview?) Now Ron can do the dirty work.

Another factor. The Lakers know they cannot count on Andrew Bynum avoiding injury. He might. But they can't count on it. He was supposed to give them the muscle inside they lacked against Boston. Though Arest wouldn't be guarding the same people...the Lakers are more physical if Artest is playing beside Pau and Lamar.

Locker room chemistry? Winning makes for great chemistry. The Bulls had Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan to keep Dennis Rodman in line and it worked. The Lakers have Phil and Kobe. Artest is a whacko. Rodman was a WHACKO!!!!!!

As for Trevor...he's going to make 5.6-million a year at least for a while; he got to win a championship and ride in the victory parade in his home town. He is no longer an NBA journeyman. Would have loved to see him stay here because of his character. But again...it's about talent.

Last arguement. Age. Trevor is 24. Arest turns 30 in November. But in all pro sports these days you have to go for your titles NOW. Kobe will be 31 in August. And he has logged a lot of minutes. The Lakers could be looking at a three year window to get as many trophies as possible. Yeah, at that point Trevor Ariza might...might.... be as good as a 33 year old Ron Artest. But between now and then... again. No contest.

And during those long boring dog days of the season... while we're just waiting for the playoffs.. Ron is going to say something that will spice up a lot of sportscasts. (Just say outlandish things, Ron. Don't do them.)

Baseball Loves Stats

The Dodgers took two of three from the Angels over the weekend.

The winning pitcher Saturday was Jeff Weaver of the Dodgers. The loser was Jared Weaver of the Angels.

Here is how to find out if your significant other is a baseball fan. Mention that it's only the 8th time brothers have faced each other in Major League history. And if they go, "really. That's something"...they're a fan.

If they say..."They keep track of stuff like that? Are you kidding"....chances are they aren't.

What A Difference A Title Makes

More of Kobe's whirlwind So-Cal Celebration after the Lakers' championship; the parade and rally...followed by an appearance on the Tonight Show. And yesterday...his own personal parade...down the streets of Disneyland.

Meanwhile, LeBron James got a free pizza at a Chucky Cheese in Akron.

LA Rules

I still contend that we are better at victory parades than any other city in the country. 'Cause we're used to traffic that moves that slow.

Bret With More Brett

Brett Favre tells HBO he might play this season if he recovers from surgery on his biceps. And if he does, it would only be with the Vikings. Who have yet to publicly say they want him.
Brett just keeps reminding me of the title of that classic country song; "How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away?"

Boy, We're Glad That's Done

Not saying there's not plenty of celebrating in Los Angeles after the Lakers win. But more like a chance to finally exhale. When your team makes a suprise run to a championship...that is the most fun. When the Lakers come to training camp ...with anything short of a title meaning a failed season....every littled hiccup along the way....for almost 9 months... just increases the angst.

Now some in sports bristle when a fan refers to his or her team as "we" with the snarky put down..."Oh, yeah. When did you play for them?" But the emotional investmentof the true fan...and there is such a thing here on the left coast...gives that drained (and either elated or crushed) fan every right to feel a part of it.

It's just that there was as much "Whew" as "Yay" last night.

The Story That Would Not Die

The Minnesota Vikings have backed off their pursuit of multi-retired and multi-comeback quarterback Brett Favre; saying call us when you know what you want to do.

Oh, yeah. That'll work.

"Hello, Vikings? This is Brett. I want to play. No wait a minute, I don't. Just a second. Now I do."

(You will note he misspells his own name)

A Manny Sighting

Manny Ramirez actually showed up at the Dodgers' clubhouse...saw his shadow... and will sit out 19 more games

Something to Prove

Much has been made of Kobe Bryant's serious...even cold blooded attitude during the NBA Finals. "I've covered Kobe for years and I've never seen him this focused!!" "Kobe is fixated on winning a ring without Shaq." "Keep your hands away from those teeth."

But while he's no where near going Hanibal Lecter on us... Pau Gasol in his own quiet way has been seething since the meltdown against the Celtics. Always having to deal with the belief that he is one of those European finese players who can't handle the rigors of the NBA...it got full blown "He's a whimp" after the mugging by the Celtics. You can say a lot of things about a professional athlete. But that he doesn't have the heart when the championship is on the line is the ultimate slam in that macho world. Ironically, Gasol has a chance to get more redemption in this series than the other Lakers. No one is confusing this Magic team with last year's Celtics. But Gasol (admittedly with some help) is holding his own and then some with the player labeled the game's best big man...Dwight Howard.

So when Kobe hoists the trophy, he'll still have to share it with a big man. But this time he probably won't mind.

The Lakers X-Factor

Keeping it in perspective, he was hardly one of the big stars of the Lakers' win over Orlando. But Andrew Bynum was a factor. And if he keeps that up....get ready for a traffic jam on Figuroa. Bynum's stats were respectible; 9 points, 9 rebounds and one block in 22 minutes. But the main thing he did was establish the tone early by pounding on Dwight Howard. The Magic are a team that needs a spark. Yeah, they get it from the three point shots and they will make some of those open looks in the games to come. But it starts with thunderous dunks by Howard. And when he's in a funk and frustrated... it spreads to the whole team. Bynum to compliment Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom means a wave of big men to wear down the Magic's big man. If Bynum keeps that up... even with the time lost to energy and the minimal contributions in the playoffs so far... he will have earned his money.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong

Troubled golfer John Daly ....who has had many trips to rehab...has been signed to endorse a sports drink. According to his agent...and I quote-"Corporate America believes in his comeback."

Which could explain the current state of corporate America

The Worm Turns Up Again

Among those on the new season of "Celebrity Rehab" will be former NBA star Dennis Rodman. There were subtle signs he might have a problem. Like getting kicked off another show... "Celebrity Apprentice" for showing up under the influence.

Next season he will be seen on "Celebrities who have run out of reality shows."

Naughty Horses

A fashion photographer has shot a photo spread of Rachel Alexandra for Vogue Magazine. Yes. Rachel Alexandra....the race horse. No word if Donald Trump will make her give up her Preakness win.

Taking a Chance on the Lakers

Now I did say on KFWB Friday that since the Lakers never did what we expected.... and they were expected to lose game six in Denver...they would win just to keep their skitzoid character intact.

So it is with with fear and trembling I'm going to actually make a Lakers prediction. A sweep, whoever comes out of the East. The Lakers goal has been to go back to the Finals and redeem last year's humiliation. Consequently, they just assumed they would win the West. That often meant loss of focus for the games in between.

Yes. The Lakers failed to take it ONE GAME AT AT TIME! They violated one of sports most cherished cliches. One that is hallowed, sacrosacnt, invioable.... wait a minute. Drat. My internet thesauras just went off line....

Anyway, game 6 was the first time the goal was finally in sight and for maybe the first time all season the Lakers team we expected showed up. And have you ever seen a less emotional "celebration" than the presentation of the Western Conference Final trophy? It was like being named "Miss Congeniality" in a beauty contest. Like the worst team in the conference getting the sportsmanship award.

This is a skinny, unstable limb I'm climbing out on. But I actually believe that the Lakers team that showed up Friday night will be there for every finals game (They will bring their "A" game just to fall back on another sports axiom (It's back on line). I have five days before Lucy pulls away the football one more time. (Peanuts reference for the kids)

The Lakers Roller Coaster

Listen. It isn't easy being a Lakers fan. It's hard to cheer for your team when you're holding your breath, you eyes are shut tight and you're crossing your fingers.

How Low Can You Go

Former baseball star and steroid whistle blower Jose Canseco got pounded in his mixed martial arts bout... with 7-2, 330 pound South Korean Hong Man Choi. In January he boxed former child star and disc jockey Danny Bonaduce to a draw.

And you know the sad part? Jose is still the most credible guy in the steroid scandel.

In Defense (Sort of) of Andrew Bynum

Lakers fans are still stressed despite a 2-to-1 series lead. And the favorite target of abuse is the lack of production of center Andrew Bynum. Who was supposed to cure all this "soft play" on defense and stop all those uncontested lay-ups.

This is not to say tha Bynum will ever be that force. (Or not). But we just don't know and won't know for a year or two. Early last season, the Lakers faithful (a list that changes quarter to quarter) thought they had stumbled onto a clone of Dwight Howard, Orlando's superstar. Let's use him as the comparison. A star since the day he stepped onto a basketball court, he came directly out of high school and was the overall number one pick in 2004. Bynum, an overweight, late bloomer, only came on his last two years in High School and the Lakers were roundly criticized for taking him with the 10th overall pick in 2005.

Howard started every game his rookie season and almost every Magic game since. Bynum sat on the bench his first two years. He was emerging last season when he went down with that knee injury and missed the rest of the season including the playoffs. Another knee injury in January and just four games before the playoffs.

This is a kid who is still learning to play center at any level...much less than the NBA... for the Lakers and in the playoffs. He's been under the microscope since day one while Howard honed his game in the obscurity of the Magic Kingdom.

Even if he were one of the great talents to come along in the last ten years (and he's not, though he has talent) and even if he were competely healthy (He's not. The knee is still sore) he still hasn't played enough to be anywhere near a major factor at this, the highest level of basketball.

Think of Trevor Ariza... out for the second half of the previous season... came back but was no factor in the playoffs. Compared to this go 'round.

Again, this is not to say Bynym will one day be a great player. And two major knee injuries in his only two seasons of extended play is a little too much coincidence.

But, for now, he will be an occasional contributor with the jury still out on what he will be in the long term.

I rest my case

A Blast From The Past

The train wreck that is Ryan Leaf is still moving. The former overall second pick in the draft has been indicted for breaking into an apartment to steal pain killers.

The Chargers once gave him 31 and-a-half million dollars. That qualifies them to run AIG.

What About the Rest of the Series?

The Lakers' 105-to-103 win over Denver in game one of the Western Conference Finals means...

The Lakers will go on to win the series. They took Denver's best shot, a Denver team that was well rested while they had been worn out in the seven game series with the Rockets. The Nuggets had the game under control but the Lakers made the clutch plays down the stretch which will hurt the Nug-Pups confidence. They expect the Lakers to win and they will.

Or...

The Nuggets will go on to win the series. Usually teams that have had long layoffs start off slow in game one of a series against an opponent that's been playing every day. But the Nuggets roared out to a 13 point lead. Physically abused the Lakers under the boards. If they hit just three of the 12 free throws they missed, they still win. They now know they can beat this team and the younger legs will prevail.

This post is subject to editing in a week or so.

Basketball Smackdown

It seems Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke...who also owns the Pepsi Center... rented it to World Wrestling Entertainment for this Monday night...but now have to ask them to reschedule...so the Nuggets can host the Lakers in game three of the series.

As a compromise to fans who wandered in by mistake... Kobe Bryant will be allowed to hit Carmelo Anthony with a folding chair.

We'll All Be Better For This

Lakers' coach Phil Jackson always wants to use games as learning experiences for his precocious lads. Judging by the post games comments...it apparently took them six games against the Houston Rockets to figure out two important concepts that might benefit them in the future.

1) You have to try really really hard in the playoffs. Because there's a chance the other team will.

2) Everything else being equal... tall teams do better than short teams in basketball.

Which calls on my all purpose fall back philosophy; when all else fails..chalk it up to character building.

A Traitor To My Profession:Bashing a Sports Cliche

"This team really knows how to win, Bob"

"Yeah. Score more points than the other team".

Lakers Lethargy

Thursday night, the Anaheim Ducks showed as much grit as the Lakers showed quit.

But one question. While the players roast under the whithering heat of national scorn...why does the Zen Master get a free pass?

Most sports fans think motivation comes entirely from fired up halftime speeches and the like. But players are motivated when they are prepared. When they know what another team is going to do and how to counter it. Or when the other team does something unexpected... the coach figures it out...CALLS A TIMEOUT...and make the proper adjustment.

Phil Jackson deservedly ranks with the great coaches in NBA history. You don't win 9 championships if you're just along for the ride. But different coaches have different strengths. Many coaches and managers (like Billy Martin or Larry Brown) are at their best with teams that are somewhat undermanned and they compensatve by strategy. But historically have struggled and been accused of over-coaching or over-managing when they have great talent. Conversely, a coach that just "lets the guys play" sparkles on a team with a lot of talent. But isn't as strong in the strategy department. This is not a new criticism of Jackson. It's always been there even at the height of his glory years. And his supporters rightly point out that getting ultimate talents like Kobe and Shaq or Michael Jordan and...anybody...to play together is a great talent.

Now back to the adjustments or lack of same. Last year the Lakers blew one of the biggest leads (24 points) in a finals game (4) in NBA history. Followed in two games by the biggest blowout in a finals clinching game ever (39 points). All season long the Lakers have blown big leads though usually (but not always) hanging on to win. The games against the under manned Rockets add to the body of evidence... that Phil simply can't adjust during a game. His exuse when teams are building up big leads is he wants the players to figure out what it is for themselves. A learning experience. Like when your dad didn't know how to spell a word but pretended he did; telling you to look it up so you'll remember it better. What's Phil using these "learning experiences" for? The summer rec league?

Players can look sluggish and loafing when they don't know what do to to counteract an offense or defense. A player standing flat footed can look really bad but unless he anticipated the play, he can't catch up.

And there may be one final problem. People create a mystique that helps them in their jobs beause those under them have a confidence the boss will find a way. It's not unusual for people to start, as Al Pacino said in "Scarface"...to start snorting their own...uh, stuff. For years players bought into the Phil Jackson "I'm smarter than anybody else and way ahead of them" mystique and it motivated them. It could be that Phil started to believe it himself. Forgetting the famous quote from Thomas Edison; "Genius is 10% inspiration. 90% perspiration."

Win or lose game 7...this will remain a problem.

Bret

“Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a great battle.”
Philo of Alexandria. 1AD