It's Time To Crown A Champion

                                                  

You have to give credit where credit is due.  The Miami Heat and most importantly LeBron James stepped up in big moments to capture the Eastern Conference Championship.  He was amazing in Game 6 with his virtuoso performance of 45/15/5, matched only in the playoffs by Wilt the Stilt, and great in Game 7 with a little help from his friends.


 LeBron has his eye on the prize.

The media has been asking for this from LeBron his whole career.  I have written before the regular season means nothing and what you do in the post season is what leaves the lasting memory.  He now is back in the NBA Finals and will be taking on a monumental task of beating the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The networks airing the NBA Finals are as happy as pigs in slop that they have superstars galore in this series.  The headliners being the three time scoring champion Kevin Durant and three time MVP LeBron James.  You also have OKC's Russell Westbrook and Miami's D'Wayne Wade.  Not to mention the emergence of the Thunder's sixth man-of-the-year James Hardin as a big time clutch performer and the return of Chris Bosh who was instrumental in shouldering some of the load for the Heat to end the Celtics run.

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Thunder's "Young Guns" Harden/Durant/Westbrook

The match-ups are significant as the youth and speed of the Thunder will be tested by the speed and experience of the Heat.  The up tempo style of play should make for some really high scoring contests.  It might look like the NBA of old with both teams likely to push the 100 point mark.  I think this bodes well for the Thunder as they have the better overall team scoring threats than the Heat on a consistent basis.

They both attack the basket like a dog after a bone and should probably set records for the amount of free throws attempted in this series.  The advantage in this regard goes to the Thunder as Miami has shown throughout the playoffs this is not a strong skill of theirs.  Missed free throws in a tight game mean everything.  I never understood how a player can fade away with a man and hand in his face and drain a jumper but can stand still with nothing but air in his face and brick a free throw!

The Thunder's other starters are stacked in the paint with low post defense as Kendrick Perkins and Serge , "I should change my name to Iblocka", Ibaka will get after it with fervor.  Perkins has past history of success against the Heat when  he was with the Celtics and they took out LeBron and his Cavs.  They also have a good defender on the wing in Sefolosha who could give some problems to either Wade and James but lets face it they will ALWAYS get their points.


Wade posterizing opponents will continue. 

The Heat's starting point guard, Mario Chalmers, is solid and has experience on the big stage.  He has made some big shots his his college career and NBA career and should use that to his advantage.  He was here last year so that shouldn't be a deterrent to his chance of success.  He will need to be good with the ball and not make turnovers and be careless.  He has a tendency to make bad passes and this will turn into quick transition points for the Thunder. 

The role players for each team will be a huge factor as it has become well known the Heat have players that sometimes show up and other times sit back and watch like fans while James/Wade/Bosh play.

The Thunder's biggest asset and key role player is Derek Fisher.  He has been in the league a while now and has a fist full of championship rings to show for it.  He is a calming influence on the young Thunder players and is a wealth of knowledge in general.  He keeps them focused in huddles and is a sort of "coach" on the court.  The Miami Heat can't match that level of championship experience on the bench and court.  (Don't count Pat Riley as he sits in the stands.)


Derek Fisher has 5 rings and plenty of experience.

The Heat have good role players who are in the latter stages of their careers like Mike Miller and Shane Battier, but are wildly inconsistent.  They have nights when they both could hit 3 to 4 threes or both go ice cold and not make a shot.  This inconsistency is what made the last two series for the Heat so difficult.  I know Bosh was out but they still have two of the best players on the planet and should have been able to dispose of the Pacers much earlier and easier.  They were outplayed actually from games 2-5 against the C's but were lucky they won game 2 or we would be talking about a Celtics/Thunder series.


Miami hopes for no poses like this from Mike Miller.

The emotion and energy Miami has expended this past series should make Game 1 of this series a virtual blowout.  The Thunder have been resting for days and will be eager to explode upon the Heat.  This has happened before in the playoffs when OKC dismantled the Lakers in Game 1.

The transition from home to away is different now in the Finals when Games 3-5 are all played in Miami so winning the first two games at home for the Thunder will be imperative.  If Durant and company can steal a game in Miami then they can come back home to Oklahoma City and close them out in Game 6.  As exciting as Game 7's are you never want to let it get that far as anything can happen in a Game 7.

We have seen LeBron come up big this post season but his past history shows he will not finish the job.  As the old saying goes those how "Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it."  I see them playing well in the series but when it comes to winning time I like Durant's killer instinct.  He has been extremely effective in those situations and WANTS the ball at the end of games.   

So that is how I see this series going with Oklahoma City capturing the NBA Championship, Kevin Durant being Finals MVP, and leaving LeBron once again with his off season thoughts to wonder why he hasn't won a title.


K. D. for Finals MVP???

With the current age of Durant/Westbrook/Harden being a collective 23 years old this may only be the beginning of what could be a decade of dominance from this "Big Three".  It seems scary that players so young could be on the verge of the ultimate prize.  The league is different than it ever has been and youth is being served earlier and earlier. 

 To quote a singing Jalen Rose, "They may be young but their ready!" 

Who's Your Daddy?

P. Diddy & son Justin Combs - Getty Images

The past few days there has been a significant debate on whether an athlete who's parent is wealthy should be able to accept a scholarship from a university.  I can't even believe this is an issue.  I stand by the fact of if a player is good enough to be recruited to play a sport then they should have the same ability to accept a scholarship regardless of their parents financial situation. 

This debate began when Sean "P Diddy" Combs' son Justin Combs accepted a scholarship offer from UCLA to play football.  The rap mogul who has amassed great wealth, $550 million according to Forbes, in the music business has been criticized by having his son take a scholarship worth $54,000 away from someone less financially stable. 

I have a huge problem with this ideology as it is the student athlete who has worked for this great achievement and is bettering himself without a "handout" from his father.  UCLA wasn't the only school recruiting him for his athletic abilities as others included Iowa, Virginia, and Illinois. 

I also have a problem with this coming out now and with it really creating a double standard in regards to ethnic backgrounds. 

I never once heard anything when Peyton and Eli Manning were scholarship athletes when their father could have paid their way.  I am sure this year's #1 NFL draft pick Andrew Luck's family could have paid for his education as his father was a former NFL player and now current Athletic Director, but it shouldn't have to be that way.  Austin Rivers, son of former NBA player and current Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, was a scholarship athlete at Duke this past year and there was no grumbling.  Heck, Michael Jordan's sons have both at one time had scholarships in basketball from Illinois and Central Florida respectively.  This from Mr. Air Jordan who owns the Charlotte Bobcats!

 
Jeffery Jordan

These players work extremely hard and I respect them for wanting to make a name for himself and not relying on their family for success.  I don't know Justin Combs personally but he is the one who earned the scholarship with his hard work and dedication.  His blood, sweat, and tears on the gridiron gave him this opportunity not his family's money.  His accomplishments are not limited to being a good athlete but also being a good student with a 3.75GPA. 

Merit based scholarships should be available to all players across all socioeconomic levels, period.  It isn't taking away opportunities from other players in urban neighborhoods because they need to earn what they get too.  I am not in the camp of giving handouts to people just because they are less fortunate in regards to receiving a free education.  I also have no problem with Justin Combs accepting a scholarship when is father is the richest rapper in the country. 

His father should have nothing to do with the university's decision to offer him this reward for his fine work on and off the field.  And it is a reward.

At the end of the day Justin is a student athlete trying to better his life and setting a solid foundation for his future through football. 

And he did it the old fashion way, HE earned it.
 

Now That's A War Face

In the classic 1987 movie Full Metal Jacket, Gny. Sgt. Hartman asks Private Joker,
"Let me see your War Face."

I think everyone who watched Game 7 tonight all just witnessed and now know Rajon Rondo's "War Face".

When the chips were down he went to war.

He played like a champion should when his team needed him most.  In the final 4:16 of a Game 7, after their team captain Paul Pierce fouled out, he refused to let his team lose.  Pierce is a pure scorer and thoughts of where point production was going to come from when he went out was a serious concern. 

Rondo put that concern to bed by scoring nine straight points in a stretch which allowed Boston to not only maintain their lead but increase it.  The shots he had been missing earlier and Philly had been begging him to take he now made with confidence. 

Big time players step up in big time situations and Rondo was HUGE down the stretch.
 
There can't be enough said for the performance of the Cetlics All-Star point guard.  He had his ninth career playoff triple double with 18-10-10.  He was absolutely amazing and clutch. 

Rondo was a killer and Philly had no answer.  He closed the book.

In his post game interview his comments were not about himself and his performance but about his team.  He stressed team.  He put his team on his back and carried them through to victory. 

He is a prototypical point guard and fits so well on this team because it has "The Big Three" of Pierce, Garnett, and Allen.  Rondo has showed he is one of the best point guards in the league and probably the most versatile. 

And he especially brings it out on the biggest and brightest stage.

That stage is only getting brighter as they now will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

This will be a great series as these two teams know each other well.  They met last year in the playoffs with Miami disposing of Boston in 5 games.  It was a liberating experience for LeBron as he finally got that monkey off his back. 

But that was a different Boston team. 

That Boston team was The Big Three and Rajon Rondo. 

It looks to me like it is now Rajon Rondo and "The Big Three".

And I can't wait to see Rondo's "War Face" when the HEAT is on.    

It's hard to "K" goodbye.

Kid K finished off his career in the only way he knew how.

By striking out one last batter.

Congratulations Mr. Dayan Viciedo you are now an answer to a trivia question. 

Kerry went out on his own terms which can't be said very often.  Too many times players hang on for one last chance at glory.  Heck the Cubs are notorious for trying to "capture lightning in a bottle" with players before. 

It rarely works. 

I have great respect for players who are aware enough of themselves and realize when the heat is gone and it is time to walk away.  Kerry had a good career with the Cubs and will be remembered as such. 

I was so excited when he was finally called up from the minors and Cubs fans everywhere were finally going to witness the fire from Kid K's arm.  He wowed us with his fastball and mesmerized us with his curveball.  He had hitters baffled at times and was a pure power pitcher. 

Everyone loves the strikeout. 

It was nevermore evident in his fifth start of his career when  he faced the Houston Astros in 1998.  I can still remember sitting at home and watching him mow down Astro after Astro after Astro.  He was so dominant that day that he struck out 20 batters.  He only gave up 1 lonely hit which was a scratch dribbler that barely made it out of the batters box.  It was one of the most amazing performances I ever witnessed and it made Kerry Wood an All-Time Cub Player fan favorite. 

Kerry may not have lived up to the hype and never got the Cubs a long awaited World Series championship, but he gave it everything he had.

In 2003 he started Game 7 of the NLCS against the Florida Marlins and as we all know came up short.  But he gave his best try and even cranked a homerun to help himself out that I will never forget.  I am not ashamed to say that it made me cry thinking the baseball gods were maybe finally on our side.  It wasn't meant to be but he put his heart and soul out there. 

Kerry was a tireless worker and truly cared about the city of Chicago and its wonderful fans. 

In all of his accomplishments throughout his career what really stands out to me is how much he did in charitable work.  He was a good baseball player but he is an even greater person.  Every year you would hear about what he and his wife did in the off season for charity and giving back to the city.  He had a big arm and an even bigger heart.  If every player cared that much about others as he does the world would be a much better and happier place. 

So I will miss seeing him stare down hitters.

I will miss watching them looking at their bats like he made it disappear while striking them out.

And so that leaves only one thing left to say in honor of Kid K.

"One, Two, Three strikes you're out at the old ball game!"

M.V.P(lease)

Today the NBA will announce that LeBron James will again be the MVP of the league for a third time in the last 4 years.  He will be joining elite company of players to win three MVP awards like Jordan, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Moses, Russell, and Wilt.  A great accomplishment for a super talented player and physically gifted athlete. 

Looking closer there is the one thing he doesn't have these other Hall of Famers do have.

The Ring!

LeBron has been a monster this season even though the year was in jeopardy with the risk of a total lockout.  He didn't sit on his couch eating bon bons and playing video games.  He prepared himself during the off season and during the lockout to remain in top physical shape.  He is a man on a mission.  He has succeeded to this point and should get all the praise that comes with being the MVP.  Give him a news conference and surround him with love and affection today. 

Then when the day is over...FORGET IT! 

Because the regular season means absolutely nothing. 

The regular season MVP means absolutely nothing. 

We are in the Post Season now and nobody cares what he did in the regular season.  It is time to win a championship. 

Lebron winning MVP's in the regular season is quite similar to his accomplishments in the post season.  He is great in the beginning but can't close in the end.  He has many times looked to facilitate offense rather than BE the offense in late game situations.  He needs to take a page out of the selection of HOF players he now joins and be a killer in the end. 

Even his own teammate D-Wade has the killer instinct. 

This for me is what separates him from being considered one of the all-time greats. 

Even Robert Horry was called "Big Shot Rob" because he wanted the ball in crunch time and took the shot with success.  He wasn't a supreme player but he had the "it factor" when it counted.  It is something you are born with.  It seems LeBron's mental make-up is lacking in this regard. 

Too many times he has passed off to lesser players.  If you want to be the man you have to be willing to take responsibility for the win or loss.  You CAN'T pass it off to a role player. 

If LeBron has truly changed his mindset and wants to be champion then he needs to show it this season.  He has a chance this year to better last years run to the Finals. 

D-Rose and the Bulls are out of the picture.  As much as Kevin Garnett doesn't want to admit it the Celtics are old.  And the Pacers are young and inexperienced.  This is a road paved with gold straight to the Finals. 

Whoever the Heat play in the Finals will be a great test.  The West is deep with talented teams and players.  But LeBron has made it to the Finals two times already in his career.  The third time HAS to be the charm. 

His accomplishments and talents are unquestioned but nobody remembers or even cares about the regular season.

He brought his talents to South Beach for one reason.

And it don't mean a thing if you don't get that ring. 

Knee Buckled Playoffs

The landscape of the NBA playoffs took an unfortunate turn yesterday as 2011 NBA MVP and Bulls superstar Derrick Rose tore his ACL late in a game 1 victory.  True basketball fans everywhere and especially Bulls fans throughout the world held their breath as one of the best players in the game laid on the court in pain.  The prospects of Chicago's playoff run just went from champions to chumps. 

As much as I respect Coach Thibs and the coaching job he did this season ,with Derrick missing game after game with injury after injury, I just don't see the Bulls going past round 2 of the playoffs without D-Rose.  I still think they have enough to beat the 76ers in round 1 but nothing past that.  This team has bought into Thib's team concept and defensive schemes but at the end of the day you need a closer.  Derrick is a closer.

This Bulls roster is full of good players (Noah, Boozer, Hamilton, et al.) and they have stepped up in the absence of D-Rose this season without question.  They play harder than other teams and play for each other.  This however was during the regular season and the playoffs are an entirely different animal.  The "Second Season" is where good players and good teams become great.  And I just don't see it happening as much as I would love it to be true.  It basically happened last year during the playoffs and they had Derrick the whole time.  Miami has two great players and one really good player in James, Wade, and Bosh.     

I would be shocked if the Miami Heat don't coast to the NBA Finals now that the Bulls are less than perfect. 

The Bulls championship run may still have ended against the Heat but under the circumstances it makes it harder to take.  The "what if" questions will be asked throughout the playoffs and into next season as Derrick rehabs his injured knee.     

As a Bulls fan and lover of basketball I hope the answers we get are from the prayers for Derrick Rose.



 

        

Take a Chance on Me...

This Thursday will be the NFL Draft and the Indianapolis Colts have the #1 overall selection.  They have already come out and stated Stanford QB Andrew Luck will be their choice.  He is considered by draft experts to be the best overall prospect at QB since John Elway.  He has all the physical tools and mental make-up to be a extremely successful player in this league.  Or does he?  The "science" of evaluating players and projecting their future success has been to this point a 50/50 proposition at best. 

This has been especially evident in the first round of the draft over the past number of years.  General managers go over each player with a fine toothed comb and leave no stone unturned to gain as much information in order to insure draft success.  When you are investing millions of dollars in a player you have to do your due diligence. 

The problem even when interviewing, evaluating, and watching players during their years in college is you still have busts.  It is going to happen the same as the sun will rise tomorrow.  I am sure Andrew Luck will be a fabulous quarterback and the experts are going to be right on so many levels.  I do want to reminisce a bit and think back at NFL Drafts of the last few years and see if they were dead on in their evaluations. 

In 2005 the top two quarterbacks were Alex Smith from Utah and Aaron Rogers from California.  The following are evals from ESPN.com describing each of them. 

"Alex Smith:  There isn't a lot that separates Aaron Rodgers from Alex Smith. Rodgers has the better arm, but Smith has the bigger frame. What it ultimately came down to was that new 49ers coach Mike Nolan fell in love with Smith's intelligence, charisma and overall intangibles -- and who can blame him?"

"Aaron Rodgers:  Rodgers was talked about as a potential No. 1 overall selection, but some bad luck and some concerns about his throwing motion and ability to adjust to NFL offenses sent him sliding. Nevertheless, there are worse places to land than as Brett Favre's understudy."

Alex Smith was taken with the #1 overall selection and Aaron Rodgers was selected 24th overall.  That means 23 other teams had the potential to take a chance on Rodgers and decided to pass.  This could be that they had a QB already or they felt the same regarding his throwing motion.  Who knows?  This just shows you really don't know what a player will be in 1 year, 2 years, or 5 years.  That word potential is a bad word at times. 

Some GM's would say potential gets people fired.  

In 2007 this was never more evident than in the draft pick of JaMarcus Russell out of LSU.  He was to be the next big prospect with a "powerful" arm and athleticism.  He shot up draft boards all the way to #1.  He had potential out the yin yang.  His eval from ESPN.com went as follows:

"Russell is the obvious pick for the Raiders because he fills a pressing need and has the most value at the position. Although he needs to continue to improve his decision making and work on his footwork, he has rare size and arm strength. If Lane Kiffin can get Russell to buy into his system, the sky is the limit for Russell and the Raiders."

In analyzing this it stated, "he needs to improve his decision making...footwork."  These are two of the most important aspects to being a quarterback as they have the ball in their hands on every play.  I have said before this is a quarterbacks league.  This is why a franchise like Oakland will look past this glaring weakness and only focus on the potential in his, "rare size and arm strength."  If I had a dime for every quarterback who has arm strength I would be a rich man.  Football scouts love the quintessential quarterback who is 6'5'' and looks like an Abercrombe model.  It takes more than just physical talent to make it and this is what makes the draft so hard to figure out.

Intangibles.  This is what separates the elite quarterbacks from those who flame out and are now either playing for the arena league, CFL, or bagging groceries.  In 1998 Peyton Manning had it, Ryan Leaf didn't.  In 1999 Tim Couch didn't have it as the #1 overall selection but in 2000 Tom Brady did at pick #199.  It is an unmeasurable entity that is hard to define but when you see it on the field it hits you like a ton of bricks.  The game comes naturally to them and the action seems to be in slow motion.  They have an air of confidence that no matter what comes at them they will have the answer.  It is within them.  They are able to be leaders of men into battle without anyone questioning your ability or their heart. 

This more than any physical ability is what draft gurus are truly seeking.  It just isn't easy.

So this Thursday we know for certain with the first pick Luck will be on the Colts side.

We just don't know HOW lucky and neither does anyone else.