Short post today simply because ESPY voting opens. The ESPYS (July 11th at 9pm on ESPN) is an awards show that honors the best in the past year in sports. This is a quick run down of the major categories and who I think is deserving of the award. Expect another blog post tomorrow or Friday as well after the NBA draft.
Best Male Athlete
Nominees: Novak Djokovic, Aaron Rodgers, Justin Verlander, Lebron James
Winner: Lebron James
James won his third NBA MVP award this year as well as leading the Heat to an NBA title. He became the focal point for the Heat and showed how scary his athleticism and potential is. Look for more of these awards to come in the future.
Best Female Athlete
Nominees: Abby Wambach, Lindsey Vonn, Maria Sharapova, Brittney Griner
Winner: Brittney Griner
While I think Wambach had a larger national impact because she led the women's soccer team to the championship game in the World Cup, the way that Griner dominated games was impressive. She led the 40-0 Baylor Bears to a National Title, while winning by an average of 26.3 points per game. Add in her Sportscenter Top 10 dunks, and I think she deserves this honor.
Best Championship Performance
Nominees: Eli Manning, Tony Stewart, Jonathan Quick, Lebron James, David Freese
Winner: Jonathan Quick
This selection may seem surprising but that's because hockey is not as popular as football or basketball where Manning or James will likely win. For those that did not watch the NHL Finals, Quick was a stone wall. Not only was he facing shots from the likes of stars Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk, but was also going up against future Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur. Quick's team, the Kings, won in six games with Quick allowing only seven goals including a game three shutout. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable playoff MVP, and did it all while on an eight seeded team.
Best Breakthrough Athlete
Nominees: Alex Morgan, Jeremy Lin, Rob Gronkowski, Robert Griffin III, Anthony Davis
Winner: Anthony Davis
This was the hardest category to choose so far as I think Griffin III, Davis, and The Gronk, all are worthy of the honor. But Davis not only won the College Player of the Year award as a freshman, something only Kevin Durant was able to do, but also won a National Title at Kentucky while receiving the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament. He is also projected to be the number one draft pick in the NBA draft tomorrow, so look for Best Breakthrough Athlete to turn into either Best NBA Athlete or Best Male Athlete sometime down the road.
Best Record-Breaking Performance
Nominees: Lexi Thompson, Mariano Rivera, Drew Brees, Coack K
Winner: Coach K
A staple at Duke for years now, Coach K has instilled a tradition of winning, class, and fan frenzy into the Blue Devil's program. On top of winning multiple national titles and having all star players in college and the pros, he now holds the record for most wins in Division I men's basketball history after surpassing his coach when he was a player, Bob Knight. This would be a well deserved award for a coach that has contributed a tremendous amount to college basketball.
Best Upset
Nominees: Lehigh over Duke, Norfolk State over Missouri, Iowa State over Oklahoma State, Kings Win Stanley Cup
Winner: Norfolk State over Missouri
Toss up here between the two tournament games but I'm going to go with Norfolk State. Missouri, unlike Duke, had actually won their conference tournament and were steamrolling into the tournament. Ranked number three in the nation and led by harassing defense, I pegged them as a dangerous number two and a viable national title contender. Instead they were upended by fifteenth seeded Norfolk State who lost their next game by 34 points! A disappointment to say the least.
Best Game
Nominees: Missouri at Kansas, Rangers - Cardinals Game 6, Saints at 49ers
Winner: Saints at 49ers
I was fortunate enough to have seen all three games in their entirety and I must say that this is not even close. Forget the first three quarters, the final four minutes were enough to get the blood pumping in anyone, fan or not. With the score 23-17, the Saints scored a 44 yard TD with 4:02 left, then Alex Smith ran 29 yards for a TD with 2:11 left to make it 29-24. Not to be outdone, Drew Brees connected on a 66 yard pass to Jimmy Graham with 1:37 left to give the Saints a 32-29 lead. The cherry on top of this best game sundae was a perfectly thrown ball from Smith to Vernon Davis with nine seconds left to seal the game for the 49ers. Those who saw it know how epic it was, and those who missed it, we feel sorry for you.
Best Moment
Nominees: MLB Season Ends, Bubba Watson Wins Masters, Tebow to Thomas OT TD, Derek Jeter's 3000th hit
Winner: MLB Season Ends
Another one that I don't think is even close. The drama of the hapless Orioles, who were down by two in the ninth, beating the Boston Red Sox who were battling for a playoff spot wasn't enough. The Tampa Bay Rays, also fighting for a playoff spot, beat the New York Yankees by scoring six runs in the eighth inning, one in the ninth, and one in the twelfth. Even that was not enough. The Cardinals crushed the Astros 8-0 but still had to wait for the Braves-Phillies outcome. Only once the Braves had lost to the Phillies in thirteen innings was the most exciting night in baseball complete.
Best Team
Nominees: Alabama Football, Baylor Women's Basketball, Kentucky Men's Basketball, Miami Heat, New York Giants, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Cardinals
Winner: New York Giants
A case could be made for all of these teams obviously, they're all champions of their sport. But the Giants had to go to Lambeau Field in January against MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Then they had to go to Candlestick Park and face the vaunted 49ers defense. Finally, they had to beat the AFC Champion and number one seed New England Patriots. They had play makers on offense, (Manning, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks) defense, (Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul) and special teams (Lawrence Tynes, Steve Weatherford). They overcame injuries and a tough division to emerge as champion of the NFL.
-Matty O
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Will Lebron Ever Be Liked Again?
The Chosen One. The next Michael Jordan. Destined for NBA greatness. These names were replaced with Quitness, The Frozen One, and Prince James. A player who once led a group of mediocre players to the best record in the NBA and a Finals appearance has become a hated, championship winning bad guy. Once loved by his native Ohio fans, he is now despised and booed when he enters the arena. All it took was a move from the plain, hard working city of Cleveland to the flashy, stylish shores of Miami. The question is what can he do to gain back his fans or the public in general?
Personally, I went from being a doubter, to a fan, to a hater in the past nine years since he was drafted in 2003. When he was taken with the number one overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers, I thought he was another over hyped high school star who had the athletic traits, but not the basketball IQ or skills to be able to excel in the NBA. Since the turn of the millennium, there had been eight high school players drafted by an NBA team. Darius Miles, DeShawn Stevenson, Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, DeSagana Diop, Ousmane Cisse, and Amare Stoudemire. Amare is the only one on that list that should be considered worth it. Some could make an argument for Chandler or even Curry, but they were taken second and fourth overall in the 2001 draft. They should have accomplished more during their NBA careers at this point. Similar to these players, Lebron was an athletic freak in high school, a men amongst boys. He made an instant impact in the pros, scoring 25 points in his first game, which was the most points scored in a debut by a high school to NBA player. Impressive considering the likes of Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and Tracy McGrady had also gone high school to NBA. Even then, I was not convinced.
Even after he won Rookie of the Year, made the All Star game in his second year, and became the youngest player ever to get a triple double, I was still not convinced. It was not until the 2007 playoffs that I became a believer. Lebron led the Cavs to the second seed in the Eastern Conference and the NBA Finals. All this was accomplished with the likes of Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, and Anderson Varejao helping him. No offense, but ouch! He had his spectacular Game 5 performance against the Pistons when the series was tied 2-2 in Detroit. He scored 29 of the Cav's last 30 points en route to a victory with the Cavs eventually clinching the series in 6. They were swept by the Spurs in the Finals rather uneventfully, although this was a Spurs squad with Tim Duncan in his prime, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Michael Finley, and "Big Shot" Robert Horry. They were doomed from the start. But it was then that I accepted him. I thought, 'Okay, this kid's got skill. He's not a hot shot or gets in trouble off the court. I'll cheer for him and I'm excited to see where he will take the Cavs.'
For the next three years, it was more of the same. The Cavs finishing at or near the top of the league record wise, only to be thwarted in the playoffs. No titles, no problem...for me, as a fan. Even Jordan had to wait seven years to win his first title, so I figured it was a matter of when, not if. Everything changed in the summer of 2010.
Lebron became a free agent and it seemed like everyone from the Miami Heat to the Cleveland Browns thought he was going to choose their team. Mistake number one came on July 8th when he decided to air a special on ESPN called The Decision. I actually watched the whole thing, as did other people even if they won't admit it. It was a lot of hype, eventually leading to Lebron choosing the Heat where Dwayne Wade already was and where Chris Bosh had announced he was going as well. This special killed his popularity outside of Miami. The reaction of Cleveland fans, although a bit over the top and frightening at times, was understandable. They felt betrayed. This special felt like something you would see on the Bachlorette where the choices have been narrowed but she can only choose one. The owner wrote a letter ripping Lebron and questioning his effort in the final playoff series he played for the Cavs against Boston. Could both sides have handled it better? Yes. But free agent moves should not be announced via television without telling anyone except your closest friends and family. It should be discussed with ownership and executives to let them prepare for the loss and part on good terms or at least address it to the public in a positive light. Instead they, and myself, saw it as a superstar who could not get it done in one place, moving to team up with two other superstars to win a title. Cowardly to say the least.
My thoughts then are the same as they are now, even after the fact that Miami has won a championship. He should have stayed in Cleveland. Some people think I'm crazy for this, but hear me out. Although not technically his hometown (Akron, Ohio claims that honor), it was basically home for him. The fans embraced him from his rookie year and packed the arena every night to see what miraculous play or dunk he would have in store that night. He could do no wrong. Playing in Cleveland also would have helped him from a championship perspective. All he had to do was win one title in Cleveland, and I think that would have meant more than five or six titles in Miami. Why? Cleveland has a now legendary history of losing. Their last title was in 1964 by the Cleveland Browns. This was actually an NFL Title, not a Super Bowl Title which they have yet to win. The Indians last won a World Series in 1948 and the Cavaliers have never won a title. Add to that moments like this and this, and you can imagine what a title would have down. He would have become an immortal in that city. Forget the huge banner they had of him that they took down when he left for Miami, there would have been statues, streets, and buildings named after him. Every baby in Cleveland would have been named either Lebron or James. The parade would have been one to remember and the discussion would have started for if he was one of the all time greats.
Instead, he chooses Miami where the weather is hot and the beaches and women are hotter. He makes mistake number two before he even plays a game in Miami. The famous intro party/press conference/publicity killer where he, Wade, and Bosh came out to confetti and smoke with Lebron hyping up the fans with, "not one, not two, not three, four, five, six, seven." Where did this cockiness come from? Who are you to say something like that? They had not even played a game together yet, the rest of their roster was made up of scrubs at best, and there were still teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic who were title contenders. This move seemed out of character and worrisome about things to come.
Their first season together brought promise as they finished second in the Eastern Conference. Then they dispatched the Philadelphia 76ers, Celtics, and Bulls losing only a game to each. They were up 2-1 in the NBA Finals against the third seeded Dallas Mavericks who did sweep the second seeded Lakers but avoided a dangerous top seeded Spurs side who were upset by Memphis in the first round. Not saying they did not deserve to be there, but you never know. The Mavs then went on to win the next three games in the series, dispatching the "Dream Team" four games to two. Never had I felt so good about a team losing, not really the Mavericks winning. At that point the winning team didn't matter, only the losing team or rather the losing player, Lebron. It was at this point that he made mistake number three. Instead of humbly accepting defeat, he made these comments after they lost. I know what he is trying to say and I truly do not think he meant for it to come off as mean. He's trying to say that this was a choice of mine to play for Miami and you can feel how you want to feel but I'm trying to live my own life while supporting my family. An acceptable message. But it came off as James putting himself above other people. The common folk will still have problems and have never be as rich as me is how it came off. Not the best way to win over fans. But at least he won't win a title right? RIGHT?
Unfortunately, we (Lebron haters) were wrong. He finally got his first over the Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City Thunder. In a way, however, him winning a title with Miami justifies why I think he should have stayed in Cleveland. I cannot speak for other people, but it feels like his mission in Miami is still incomplete. You won a title Lebron. Congrats, but so what? You were supposed to. You have Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh on your team. You predicted a lot more championships so this first one was indirectly downplayed by yourself. Also, people still don't like you, myself included.
How can you change this, you might ask? For starters, get off the Heat. Even if Wade and Bosh leave the Heat and no superstar joins James, people would still not like him simply because the Heat as a team are seen as disliked. While I think Bosh is one of the more overrated players in the league, I actually like Dwayne Wade. While I was disappointed he did not come to Chicago in that 2010 free agent frenzy, I could understand him staying as he won a title there and it was his team. But now people will dislike him simply because they see Heat and they think bad. Next, you have to win a title with that team. Tall task I know. But until that happens people will always bring up that he played with two of the best players in the league to win his title(s). And before people bring up that Jordan played with Scottie Pippen, remember that Pippen was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, (well, not technically but the Seattle Supersonics traded the rights to him) not picking and choosing the team based on skill. He needs to go to a team where he is the unquestioned leader with good role players. Finally, he needs to do something to patch things up with Cleveland. The emotion they showed when he left was real. Crying eyes, burning jerseys, people in a state of disbelief. Since then, he has done nothing, at least publicly to mend ties with that city. He tries to give Cavs fans hope about how their team has up and coming stars and they look good, but never directly refers to him leaving. I think that once Cleveland forgives him, a lot of other people will too. On top of that I think that Cleveland will embrace him once again as their own and cheer for him to win. How he does that, I do not know. But regaining his hometown would do wonders for him.
Perhaps this article has changed your own mind on how you feel about Lebron. He actually is a good guy at heart and his actions have been misinterpreted along the way to an extent. But for now, I still cannot cheer for him which is unfortunate. I would love to rock a Lebron 23 (yes, go back to number 23) jersey. I would love to see him win a title and say to any nay-sayers "told you so." But for now, I wait, along with millions of other fans. To fail? Maybe. To come back in our favor? Without a doubt.
Personally, I went from being a doubter, to a fan, to a hater in the past nine years since he was drafted in 2003. When he was taken with the number one overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers, I thought he was another over hyped high school star who had the athletic traits, but not the basketball IQ or skills to be able to excel in the NBA. Since the turn of the millennium, there had been eight high school players drafted by an NBA team. Darius Miles, DeShawn Stevenson, Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, DeSagana Diop, Ousmane Cisse, and Amare Stoudemire. Amare is the only one on that list that should be considered worth it. Some could make an argument for Chandler or even Curry, but they were taken second and fourth overall in the 2001 draft. They should have accomplished more during their NBA careers at this point. Similar to these players, Lebron was an athletic freak in high school, a men amongst boys. He made an instant impact in the pros, scoring 25 points in his first game, which was the most points scored in a debut by a high school to NBA player. Impressive considering the likes of Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and Tracy McGrady had also gone high school to NBA. Even then, I was not convinced.
Even after he won Rookie of the Year, made the All Star game in his second year, and became the youngest player ever to get a triple double, I was still not convinced. It was not until the 2007 playoffs that I became a believer. Lebron led the Cavs to the second seed in the Eastern Conference and the NBA Finals. All this was accomplished with the likes of Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, and Anderson Varejao helping him. No offense, but ouch! He had his spectacular Game 5 performance against the Pistons when the series was tied 2-2 in Detroit. He scored 29 of the Cav's last 30 points en route to a victory with the Cavs eventually clinching the series in 6. They were swept by the Spurs in the Finals rather uneventfully, although this was a Spurs squad with Tim Duncan in his prime, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Michael Finley, and "Big Shot" Robert Horry. They were doomed from the start. But it was then that I accepted him. I thought, 'Okay, this kid's got skill. He's not a hot shot or gets in trouble off the court. I'll cheer for him and I'm excited to see where he will take the Cavs.'
For the next three years, it was more of the same. The Cavs finishing at or near the top of the league record wise, only to be thwarted in the playoffs. No titles, no problem...for me, as a fan. Even Jordan had to wait seven years to win his first title, so I figured it was a matter of when, not if. Everything changed in the summer of 2010.
Lebron became a free agent and it seemed like everyone from the Miami Heat to the Cleveland Browns thought he was going to choose their team. Mistake number one came on July 8th when he decided to air a special on ESPN called The Decision. I actually watched the whole thing, as did other people even if they won't admit it. It was a lot of hype, eventually leading to Lebron choosing the Heat where Dwayne Wade already was and where Chris Bosh had announced he was going as well. This special killed his popularity outside of Miami. The reaction of Cleveland fans, although a bit over the top and frightening at times, was understandable. They felt betrayed. This special felt like something you would see on the Bachlorette where the choices have been narrowed but she can only choose one. The owner wrote a letter ripping Lebron and questioning his effort in the final playoff series he played for the Cavs against Boston. Could both sides have handled it better? Yes. But free agent moves should not be announced via television without telling anyone except your closest friends and family. It should be discussed with ownership and executives to let them prepare for the loss and part on good terms or at least address it to the public in a positive light. Instead they, and myself, saw it as a superstar who could not get it done in one place, moving to team up with two other superstars to win a title. Cowardly to say the least.
My thoughts then are the same as they are now, even after the fact that Miami has won a championship. He should have stayed in Cleveland. Some people think I'm crazy for this, but hear me out. Although not technically his hometown (Akron, Ohio claims that honor), it was basically home for him. The fans embraced him from his rookie year and packed the arena every night to see what miraculous play or dunk he would have in store that night. He could do no wrong. Playing in Cleveland also would have helped him from a championship perspective. All he had to do was win one title in Cleveland, and I think that would have meant more than five or six titles in Miami. Why? Cleveland has a now legendary history of losing. Their last title was in 1964 by the Cleveland Browns. This was actually an NFL Title, not a Super Bowl Title which they have yet to win. The Indians last won a World Series in 1948 and the Cavaliers have never won a title. Add to that moments like this and this, and you can imagine what a title would have down. He would have become an immortal in that city. Forget the huge banner they had of him that they took down when he left for Miami, there would have been statues, streets, and buildings named after him. Every baby in Cleveland would have been named either Lebron or James. The parade would have been one to remember and the discussion would have started for if he was one of the all time greats.
Instead, he chooses Miami where the weather is hot and the beaches and women are hotter. He makes mistake number two before he even plays a game in Miami. The famous intro party/press conference/publicity killer where he, Wade, and Bosh came out to confetti and smoke with Lebron hyping up the fans with, "not one, not two, not three, four, five, six, seven." Where did this cockiness come from? Who are you to say something like that? They had not even played a game together yet, the rest of their roster was made up of scrubs at best, and there were still teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic who were title contenders. This move seemed out of character and worrisome about things to come.
Their first season together brought promise as they finished second in the Eastern Conference. Then they dispatched the Philadelphia 76ers, Celtics, and Bulls losing only a game to each. They were up 2-1 in the NBA Finals against the third seeded Dallas Mavericks who did sweep the second seeded Lakers but avoided a dangerous top seeded Spurs side who were upset by Memphis in the first round. Not saying they did not deserve to be there, but you never know. The Mavs then went on to win the next three games in the series, dispatching the "Dream Team" four games to two. Never had I felt so good about a team losing, not really the Mavericks winning. At that point the winning team didn't matter, only the losing team or rather the losing player, Lebron. It was at this point that he made mistake number three. Instead of humbly accepting defeat, he made these comments after they lost. I know what he is trying to say and I truly do not think he meant for it to come off as mean. He's trying to say that this was a choice of mine to play for Miami and you can feel how you want to feel but I'm trying to live my own life while supporting my family. An acceptable message. But it came off as James putting himself above other people. The common folk will still have problems and have never be as rich as me is how it came off. Not the best way to win over fans. But at least he won't win a title right? RIGHT?
Unfortunately, we (Lebron haters) were wrong. He finally got his first over the Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City Thunder. In a way, however, him winning a title with Miami justifies why I think he should have stayed in Cleveland. I cannot speak for other people, but it feels like his mission in Miami is still incomplete. You won a title Lebron. Congrats, but so what? You were supposed to. You have Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh on your team. You predicted a lot more championships so this first one was indirectly downplayed by yourself. Also, people still don't like you, myself included.
How can you change this, you might ask? For starters, get off the Heat. Even if Wade and Bosh leave the Heat and no superstar joins James, people would still not like him simply because the Heat as a team are seen as disliked. While I think Bosh is one of the more overrated players in the league, I actually like Dwayne Wade. While I was disappointed he did not come to Chicago in that 2010 free agent frenzy, I could understand him staying as he won a title there and it was his team. But now people will dislike him simply because they see Heat and they think bad. Next, you have to win a title with that team. Tall task I know. But until that happens people will always bring up that he played with two of the best players in the league to win his title(s). And before people bring up that Jordan played with Scottie Pippen, remember that Pippen was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, (well, not technically but the Seattle Supersonics traded the rights to him) not picking and choosing the team based on skill. He needs to go to a team where he is the unquestioned leader with good role players. Finally, he needs to do something to patch things up with Cleveland. The emotion they showed when he left was real. Crying eyes, burning jerseys, people in a state of disbelief. Since then, he has done nothing, at least publicly to mend ties with that city. He tries to give Cavs fans hope about how their team has up and coming stars and they look good, but never directly refers to him leaving. I think that once Cleveland forgives him, a lot of other people will too. On top of that I think that Cleveland will embrace him once again as their own and cheer for him to win. How he does that, I do not know. But regaining his hometown would do wonders for him.
Perhaps this article has changed your own mind on how you feel about Lebron. He actually is a good guy at heart and his actions have been misinterpreted along the way to an extent. But for now, I still cannot cheer for him which is unfortunate. I would love to rock a Lebron 23 (yes, go back to number 23) jersey. I would love to see him win a title and say to any nay-sayers "told you so." But for now, I wait, along with millions of other fans. To fail? Maybe. To come back in our favor? Without a doubt.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Excellence or Parity?
With the NBA Finals coming to a close, I was going to write either a Heat-bashing post or one on how ridiculous the comparison of Lebron James to Michael Jordan is. But instead I was reading a 5 on 5 round table article on the Finals where Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com writes, "Excellence, not parity, should be the goal of any sports league." I think this is an interesting point to make. But shouldn't parity be a goal of any sports league as well?
This is not to say that you do not want to put on the best brand of sport that you can in your league. Of course that is the goal of every sports league. But his quote seemed to imply that it is good to have the superstar teams at the top, and everyone else struggling to keep up. He goes on to say that the NBA is heading in that direction. Every league will always have the bottom feeders or monumental upsets, but I think it's good when the feeders are low and the upsets are high. This post will analyze excellence and parity for each league (Big 4 sports: NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB) this past or current season, and moving forward.
NBA
I would agree with Arnovitz's assessment that the NBA is moving away from parity and towards a top heavy league. There was one instance, however, that made it seem like the NBA, particularly commissioner David Stern, wanted more parity. Earlier in the season the Hornets had a deal in place to trade Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers. While it would have meant getting rid of Pau Gasol, it would have established a Lakers' own "big three" with Paul, Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum. Say what you will about Bynum, (inconsistent, injuries) but he is a presence and would improve with Paul on the team. The Lakers would have had a top five point guard (Paul), a top ten overall player and superstar (Bryant), and a top three center (Bynum) when he plays up to his potential. While there are no guarantees that this combination would have worked, it would have made a heck of a squad. Instead, Stern blocked the trade which still landed Paul in LA...with the Clippers. This wound up creating more parity as the Clippers became Lob City and advanced to the conference semifinals where they were swept by the Spurs. That scenario aside, the NBA is still moving towards a top heavy league.
Ask yourself honestly if you had anyone besides the top two teams in each conference winning the NBA title or even getting to the championship series. If you did, then you either do not know anything about basketball or are a die hard fan of one of the other teams in the playoffs. Boston fans will probably be livid and make the argument that they got to the conference finals and forced the Heat to seven games. True. But let me also remind those people that they were one Derrick Rose injury away from possibly not getting that far. Lakers fans will probably also be hot, but when they struggle to beat the Nuggets in seven and get pounded by the Thunder, no matter how talented they are, then your team does not deserve consideration. When the playoff bracket was finalized it was the Heat, Bulls, Thunder, or Spurs that were going to take it all. Every other team could have come up with scenarios where their team wins. But those would be far fetched fantasies (try saying that five times fast) and need an injury or miracle to happen.
Because the Big Three just won in Miami, I look for more superstars to create super teams. The Heat have proved that the assembling of superstars on one team formula works, and we are starting to see that develop. The Heat and Thunder are set in that regard. The Bulls have Rose and the pieces to trade for big names or develop the likes of Luol Deng and Joakim Noah. The Clippers have Paul and Blake Griffin. The Knicks have Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and I suppose you could throw Jeremy Lin in there as well. The Memphis Grizzlies have OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay. Boston could still be a threat with Rajon Rondo depending on what their big three of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce do. The Nets have Deron Williams, a new stadium, and a boatload of cash. And Dwight Howard still has to decide where he wants to be which will attract superstar attention. Whew. That seems like a lot, but it's only eight teams plus Dwight Howard who will probably wind up on one of these teams. You could toss in a team like the Sixers or Pacers, but I still think they are building. Give them a couple more years. But eight out of 30! Also, the teams that are not listed here would not just be a middle of the road team. They would be awful. All it takes is one good draft or free agent, but the NBA is rapidly moving away from parity and to a more predictable proletariat and bourgeoisie like make up.
MLB
In theory, baseball should have the least amount of parity simply because there is no salary cap. This means that if you have the money, you can get the player. This is the formula the Yankees have used for years. Get the best players and win World Series titles. The problem for the Yankees is that other teams have now caught up. They are not even the best team in baseball record wise, or skill wise in my opinion. I think that this year so far has shown how much parity there is in baseball. Consider that the Washington Nationals are in first in their division, the Pittsburgh Pirates are one game out of first in theirs, the Indians and White Sox are ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and the Yankees are trying to hold off the Orioles. To show how incredible this turn around is, take a look at how many games out of first these teams finished last year: Nationals - 21 1/2 games, Pirates - 24, Indians - 15, White Sox - 16, Orioles - 28. It is only June, but that just shows how good scouting, drafting, and management can help you compete in baseball against anyone.
It's harder to tell where baseball is going because it is not even halfway through the season. Any of the previously mentioned teams could easily wind up losing their division to the "favorites" and perhaps not even make the playoffs. But I think the days of anyone feeling safe in baseball is over. The Philadelphia Phillies finished with the best record in the majors last year at 102-60. As of this writing, they are 33-38 and in last place in their division. Do they have the talent to still make a run? Absolutely. The problem is that I do not think the Washington Nationals are a fluke. It is going to take some hard work and a bit of luck if the Phillies still want to win their division. It is still too early to tell for this league, but it appears that parity is starting to take over. Check back in October for a full assessment after the season.
NHL
This is the league that I think has the most parity when it comes to playoff teams. Not necessarily top to bottom because the NFL holds that distinction which I will get to in a bit. But I'd say the top eight or nine teams in each conference could have made a reasonable case for them to win the Stanley Cup this past year. Turns out, parity came through again. In the first round, half of the lower seeds won including an eight over a one (LA Kings over Vancouver Canucks) and a seven over a two (Washington Capitals over Boston Bruins). The finals went a step further featuring the Kings against the sixth seeded New Jersey Devils. The Kings won in six games, becoming the first eight seed to ever win the Stanley Cup. The NHL playoffs are actually set up, unintentionally, to prevent these lower seeds from making it. Unlike other sports, the NHL reseeds after each round so that the lowest seed always plays the highest. That means the eight seed could potentially have to beat the one, two, and three seed in their own conference as well as the one seed in the other conference. The Kings accomplished the one, two, three gauntlet, losing only two games combined through the three series.
This parity, however, does not imply a lack of excellence. The Kings are actually a loaded team. Anyone who watched the Stanley Cup Playoffs got to learn how good Jonathan Quick is, as he looked nearly invincible in the first three rounds, outplayed future hall of famer Martin Brodeur in the finals and took home the Conn Smythe Trophy for MVP of the playoffs. Drew Doughty anchors a young, but active group of defensemen. Dustin Brown, their captain, came up huge in the playoffs tallying 20 points (goals and assists combined) in as many games. Add to that four standout centers in Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Anze Kopitar, and Jarret Stoll and you have a team that looks like a number one seed. But that's the great thing. They weren't. And the rosters for the top teams look similar to this. The NHL awards ceremony this past Wednesday displayed the parity. Evgeni Malkin, the MVP, was on a fourth seeded team (Pittsburgh Penguins) that lost in the first round. The Vezina Trophy for the best goaltender went to Henrik Lundqvist who finished with a 1.97 goals against average in the regular season for the top seeded Rangers only to be shown the door by the Devils in the conference finals. Erik Karlsson, the Norris Trophy winner for the best defenseman, was on the eighth seeded Ottawa Senators in the east who pushed the Lundqvist's Rangers to seven games before losing in the first round. Parity and talent are running rampant through the NHL right now.
This is an exciting time for the league. Try to get into it next season, even before the playoffs. A lot of teams will have a shot at the cup. The draft day trade of Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes to unite with his brother Eric Staal instantly makes them a playoff team. Jordan finished the regular season with an even 25 goals and 25 assists, then put the team on his back and scored six goals and three assists in the six game slug fest with the Flyers in the postseason. Eric, meanwhile, is a four time All-Star, Gold Medal winner, and finished this season with 24 goals and 46 assists but failed to make the playoffs as they came in 12th in their conference. The Edmonton Oilers, who have been cellar dwellers for some time now, have stocked up on young talent and could see a Washington Nationals type explosion this season. Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, all 50 point scorers last year, lead a young and hungry group of players. Finally, Sidney Crosby. Coming off of an injury plagued season, the most recognizable face and name in the NHL today will be looking to capture another Cup and expand his already vast highlight reel. Look for the 2012-2013 NHL season to be a dandy.
NFL
This is the league that is top to bottom the most evenly matched. Excluding only Minnesota, Cleveland, Miami, and Indianapolis, I think you could make a case for every other team to win their division. The only reason those four teams are eliminated in the first place is because of the uncertainty surrounding their teams. But even they have positive "if" scenarios. For instance, if Christian Ponder progresses from last year, and if Adrian Peterson recovers well from his ACL injury, and if Percy Harvin stops having migraines, and if either Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, or Jay Cutler get injured then they might make the playoffs. But that's a lot of ifs. So those four teams are out. But for the top teams, is anything guaranteed anymore?
Remember earlier this past season when the Packers were unstoppable. I do. They were steamrolling through teams as NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers was posting astronomical numbers. A slight hiccup against the Chiefs aside, they looked a shoe in to at least get to the Super Bowl, if not win it. Then along came those New York football Giants. The Packers had already beaten the Giants in a 38-35 nail-biter that came down to a last second field goal. Just another win. The Giants were 6-6 and still had a home and home against the Dallas Cowboys, home against the Washington Redskins, then a Christmas Eve game against the Jets. The Packers wouldn't be seeing the Giants until next year. Surprisingly the least daunting game on the Giants' schedule (Redskins) was the only one they lost in that four game stretch allowing them to win the NFC East. After dispatching the Falcons in a 24-2 beat down, they traveled to Lambeau Field and stifled the high powered Packer offense beating them 37-20. Just like that, a 15-1 season down the drain as a 9-7 team led by the "lesser" of the Mannings had beaten a team destined for back to back titles. The parity doesn't show up just in the playoffs. Here's an example for all my Illinois readers (which is most of you) of parity as I make an argument for why the Bears can win, yes win, their division.
The Bears had a great off season picking up Bradon Marshall from Miami and getting rid of Mike Martz. Martz is a great coach as evidenced by his contribution to the "Greatest Show On Turf" era with the St. Louis Rams, but this is Chicago. Mike Tice will look to bring a more Chicago look to the offense. Marshall was a significant addition due to his and Jay Cutler's time in Denver together. Stats-wise they were at their best, but now both have matured and progressed and the possibilities are exciting. Couple that with the drafting of Alshon Jeffery, who I think will be better than Justin Blackmon this year, and signing Michael Bush, the Bears' offense looks like one of the more potent in the NFL barring the Matt Forte contract talks. Despite questions in the secondary, the core defensive players remain and they even drafted Shea McClellin in the first round to line up at defensive end opposite Julius Peppers. Who needs a secondary if McClellin can develop into a first round talent?
Their schedule seems to favor them as well. They get to play the NFC West, which was strengthened by San Francisco's success last year, but is still weak relative to the other divisions. They play the Packers the second week of the season, but the Packers play the 49ers the first week while the Bears play the Colts. An 0-1 start for the Packers and a 1-0 start for the Bears could change the mindset and outcome of that game. They also get their home game against the Packers late in the season in case they are in the division hunt. The Lions have to go to Soldier Field a week after playing in Philadelphia. This should help the Bears as well as facing the Lions on the last day of the season for divisional title purposes.
While the Packers and Lions have star players, mainly quarterbacks and wide receivers, they still have their share of questions as well. The Packers were last in the league in passing yards allowed with the Lions coming in at 22nd. Unlike the Bears, neither the Lions or Packers have an established running back as they clocked in at 29th and 27th in the league in rushing last year respectively. The Bears have better special teams with Devin Hester and Robbie "Good As" Gould, although the Packers are catching up with speedster Randall Cobb. If the Bears have the more balanced offense, why can't they beat both teams if not twice, at least once? Such is the NFL. Nearly every team has stars and a chance to dream every year. It is the most unpredictable league in terms of who will make the playoffs and has excellence everywhere you look.
So is excellence or parity the best? It is a dangerous balance. Too far one way and it becomes a four or five team league battling for the title while the rest are fodder. Too far the other way and everyone has a chance but the teams and talent are watered down or too spread out. Whatever your opinion, Heat fan or Bobcat fan, Oilers fan or Bruins fan, Yankees fan or Mariners fan, Patriots fan or Browns fan, keep the faith. Excellence on your team or parity in your league could be right around the corner.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Why Is Soccer Not More Popular In The US?
The World's Game. This is what soccer or football or futbol is referred to. Whether it is developed nations such as the US, France, and England, or third world countries such as Sierra Leone, Uruguay, and Ghana, they play soccer. In a world where globalization of goods and culture is at an all time high, it is a mystery to me why soccer is not more popular in the states.
To those who are saying to themselves right now, "but soccer is popular in the US," just stop. Maybe compared to years ago, but compared to the rest of the world it is nothing. Recent successes by the US Men's National Team have helped boost popularity for sure (wins over Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup, advancing to the Round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup, and defeating Italy 1-0 this February marking America's first ever win over Italy) and I am not trying to take anything away from that. But even after all that success, people still probably do not know who half the players are or are that clear on the rules. For the people who still contend that it is a popular sport in the US, use the following numbers as a lesson for you:
The Los Angeles Galaxy, a powerhouse in Major League Soccer (MLS), average 23,300 people at their games. Their stadium seats 27,000 people, putting it at 86.3% full on average. It is also in the sprawling Los Angeles metropolitan area with a population over 3,500,000 people. The only soccer team that is even close to them for stealing away attendance numbers is San Jose.
Meanwhile, Manchester United, a powerhouse in the English Premier League, average 75,387 people at their games. Their stadium seats 75,811 people, putting it at 99.4% full on average. Realize also that unlike LA, Manchester is a city of only 109,000 people. They also have to compete with their rivals Manchester City who also attract a large following of their own.
Is it a bit unfair to use Man U as the comparison team given their rich history and enormous payroll? Mayb...NO! Because that is what a US team could be viewed as. It is baffling to me how this is not the case. Nearly everyone has played organized soccer at some point in their lives. Ask your friends next time you see them if they ever played organized soccer or organized football (I view football as the most popular US sport). I guarantee you hardly any will say none, some will say both, but almost all will say soccer. It requires the same strategy, toughness, and athleticism as any other sport that is popular in the US. Yet, 99 out of 100 people in LA would take a Laker's ticket over a Galaxy ticket. And the one who did take a Galaxy ticket knew Kobe wasn't playing, the opponent were the Bobcats, and he was in the top row with a seven footer sitting in front of him. Why are we so willing to try and spread football or basketball to the world, yet not accept a game that the entire world holds dear?
The interest in soccer could easily start at a young age. There are many organizations that offer it to youths. When I was growing up there was AYSO, a public soccer league, and Spectre Soccer Club. There may have been more but I'm not sure. This was in the town of DeKalb, but the big cities like Chicago probably had even more options. It is a simple game to explain to kids. When you are young, you are told, "kick the ball, no hands, get it in the net, and play nice." Simple concept. As you get older you start learning more rules such as off sides (another time where my point is proven if you do not know what off sides is in soccer), better touch with the ball, and more strategy. All you need to play is a ball and two goals, and all parents need to spend money on is shin pads and shoes. It makes it an affordable option for parents whose kids want to play sports. Compare that to football where there are numerous pieces of equipment to supply the kids which factors into the cost of the program. Although that equipment should give parents peace of mind in football, they should be even more calm if their child pursues a career in soccer.
The dangerous effects of concussions in football has become a hot topic recently as more retired players are having problems because of all the high impact contact that happens in football. This is not to say that soccer is injury free as the game is played more aggressively than some people think as soccer sometimes earns a reputation for being "soft" in the US. Watch a Barcelona - Real Madrid game and tell me how "soft" that is. Will soccer players endure as much punishment as football players? Of course not. But that is due to the nature of the game, not a matter of toughness. With this in mind though, it may encourage more parents to get their kids interested in soccer. It would still allow them to be active, interact with their peers, and learn lessons like teamwork and perseverance. So while I'm not wishing injury on anyone, the concussions and serious injuries in football might indirectly lead to an emergence of soccer popularity among youths and eventually the population as a whole.
The real issue, though is not the parents, but the reasons why the kids want to play. One reason is the money. I think it is silly when you hear players say, "I only play for the love of the game," then the next day you see them on MTV Cribs flaunting their mansions and cars they never drive, or negotiating a new contract to get an extra million or two a year. Everyone fantasizes about being rich, admit it. And people who possess raw athletic talent realize that sports is an excellent way to become rich. Soccer is great gateway to doing so. According to Forbes.com, six of the top nine most valuable brands in sports are soccer teams (Man U at No.2, Real Madrid at No.3, Bayern Munich at No.5, Barcelona at No.7, Arsenal at No.8, and AC Milan at No.9). Pretty darn impressive. There are more outlets and options to become rich playing soccer. If soccer is the road they choose to go then it is certainly one paved with gold.
The second reason, which will need some time, is because of a role model or superstar in the sport. Not an international star either. There needs to be an American born icon/superstar that kids can point and say 'I want to be like ________.' Everyone has that one star they looked up to. Growing up near Chicago during the 90s, of course it was Michael Jordan. Now, my basketball skills are limited to say the least so I stopped playing after a while. But if I had that basketball trait, you can bet that everything I did would be modeled after MJ. That is what soccer needs. A Jordan-esque type figure. One that transcends the game. The closest I can think of is Landon Donovan. He is the all-time leader in goals and assists for the US National team, a four time US Soccer Athlete of the Year, and has even gotten to play in the Premier League with Everton. Still, he has yet to reach that icon status. Some may disagree, but would Donovan honestly be in the top 10, 25, or 50 most popular athletes in the US. I would say no. If someone is able to venture into that territory, the rewards would be tremendous. Kids wouldn't just choose to play soccer, they would want to. Companies would seek soccer stars to endorse their products, not just football and basketball. TV ratings and revenue would bring money to the sport as well as the teams and people who would want to watch this superstar sensation. All it takes is one, and popularity and culture would change in soccer's favor.
Imagine a "what if" scenario in a world where soccer was the go-to sport in the US (imagine this next part in a cool British commentator's voice). "Wade brings it up the pitch. He finds a streaking DeSean Jackson on the left side. No one can keep up with the blazing speed that he's shown all tournament. He makes a move and gets around Sergio Ramos. He's got men in the middle. Throws it into the box. LeBron! The header! Right past Casillas and the US lead 1-0 over Spain in the 90th minute! It's pandemonium in the stadium as the US will surely win the World Cup!" Names like that playing soccer are possible, all it takes is a change in culture and a breakthrough in the sport. Stay tuned.
To those who are saying to themselves right now, "but soccer is popular in the US," just stop. Maybe compared to years ago, but compared to the rest of the world it is nothing. Recent successes by the US Men's National Team have helped boost popularity for sure (wins over Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup, advancing to the Round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup, and defeating Italy 1-0 this February marking America's first ever win over Italy) and I am not trying to take anything away from that. But even after all that success, people still probably do not know who half the players are or are that clear on the rules. For the people who still contend that it is a popular sport in the US, use the following numbers as a lesson for you:
The Los Angeles Galaxy, a powerhouse in Major League Soccer (MLS), average 23,300 people at their games. Their stadium seats 27,000 people, putting it at 86.3% full on average. It is also in the sprawling Los Angeles metropolitan area with a population over 3,500,000 people. The only soccer team that is even close to them for stealing away attendance numbers is San Jose.
Meanwhile, Manchester United, a powerhouse in the English Premier League, average 75,387 people at their games. Their stadium seats 75,811 people, putting it at 99.4% full on average. Realize also that unlike LA, Manchester is a city of only 109,000 people. They also have to compete with their rivals Manchester City who also attract a large following of their own.
Is it a bit unfair to use Man U as the comparison team given their rich history and enormous payroll? Mayb...NO! Because that is what a US team could be viewed as. It is baffling to me how this is not the case. Nearly everyone has played organized soccer at some point in their lives. Ask your friends next time you see them if they ever played organized soccer or organized football (I view football as the most popular US sport). I guarantee you hardly any will say none, some will say both, but almost all will say soccer. It requires the same strategy, toughness, and athleticism as any other sport that is popular in the US. Yet, 99 out of 100 people in LA would take a Laker's ticket over a Galaxy ticket. And the one who did take a Galaxy ticket knew Kobe wasn't playing, the opponent were the Bobcats, and he was in the top row with a seven footer sitting in front of him. Why are we so willing to try and spread football or basketball to the world, yet not accept a game that the entire world holds dear?
The interest in soccer could easily start at a young age. There are many organizations that offer it to youths. When I was growing up there was AYSO, a public soccer league, and Spectre Soccer Club. There may have been more but I'm not sure. This was in the town of DeKalb, but the big cities like Chicago probably had even more options. It is a simple game to explain to kids. When you are young, you are told, "kick the ball, no hands, get it in the net, and play nice." Simple concept. As you get older you start learning more rules such as off sides (another time where my point is proven if you do not know what off sides is in soccer), better touch with the ball, and more strategy. All you need to play is a ball and two goals, and all parents need to spend money on is shin pads and shoes. It makes it an affordable option for parents whose kids want to play sports. Compare that to football where there are numerous pieces of equipment to supply the kids which factors into the cost of the program. Although that equipment should give parents peace of mind in football, they should be even more calm if their child pursues a career in soccer.
The dangerous effects of concussions in football has become a hot topic recently as more retired players are having problems because of all the high impact contact that happens in football. This is not to say that soccer is injury free as the game is played more aggressively than some people think as soccer sometimes earns a reputation for being "soft" in the US. Watch a Barcelona - Real Madrid game and tell me how "soft" that is. Will soccer players endure as much punishment as football players? Of course not. But that is due to the nature of the game, not a matter of toughness. With this in mind though, it may encourage more parents to get their kids interested in soccer. It would still allow them to be active, interact with their peers, and learn lessons like teamwork and perseverance. So while I'm not wishing injury on anyone, the concussions and serious injuries in football might indirectly lead to an emergence of soccer popularity among youths and eventually the population as a whole.
The real issue, though is not the parents, but the reasons why the kids want to play. One reason is the money. I think it is silly when you hear players say, "I only play for the love of the game," then the next day you see them on MTV Cribs flaunting their mansions and cars they never drive, or negotiating a new contract to get an extra million or two a year. Everyone fantasizes about being rich, admit it. And people who possess raw athletic talent realize that sports is an excellent way to become rich. Soccer is great gateway to doing so. According to Forbes.com, six of the top nine most valuable brands in sports are soccer teams (Man U at No.2, Real Madrid at No.3, Bayern Munich at No.5, Barcelona at No.7, Arsenal at No.8, and AC Milan at No.9). Pretty darn impressive. There are more outlets and options to become rich playing soccer. If soccer is the road they choose to go then it is certainly one paved with gold.
The second reason, which will need some time, is because of a role model or superstar in the sport. Not an international star either. There needs to be an American born icon/superstar that kids can point and say 'I want to be like ________.' Everyone has that one star they looked up to. Growing up near Chicago during the 90s, of course it was Michael Jordan. Now, my basketball skills are limited to say the least so I stopped playing after a while. But if I had that basketball trait, you can bet that everything I did would be modeled after MJ. That is what soccer needs. A Jordan-esque type figure. One that transcends the game. The closest I can think of is Landon Donovan. He is the all-time leader in goals and assists for the US National team, a four time US Soccer Athlete of the Year, and has even gotten to play in the Premier League with Everton. Still, he has yet to reach that icon status. Some may disagree, but would Donovan honestly be in the top 10, 25, or 50 most popular athletes in the US. I would say no. If someone is able to venture into that territory, the rewards would be tremendous. Kids wouldn't just choose to play soccer, they would want to. Companies would seek soccer stars to endorse their products, not just football and basketball. TV ratings and revenue would bring money to the sport as well as the teams and people who would want to watch this superstar sensation. All it takes is one, and popularity and culture would change in soccer's favor.
Imagine a "what if" scenario in a world where soccer was the go-to sport in the US (imagine this next part in a cool British commentator's voice). "Wade brings it up the pitch. He finds a streaking DeSean Jackson on the left side. No one can keep up with the blazing speed that he's shown all tournament. He makes a move and gets around Sergio Ramos. He's got men in the middle. Throws it into the box. LeBron! The header! Right past Casillas and the US lead 1-0 over Spain in the 90th minute! It's pandemonium in the stadium as the US will surely win the World Cup!" Names like that playing soccer are possible, all it takes is a change in culture and a breakthrough in the sport. Stay tuned.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Heat In The Finals Is Actually Good For Basketball
To preface, I hate everything the Heat stand for. Superstars banding together to form a "dream team" in one of the flashiest cities in the US. Having a huge welcoming party before even playing a game together. Teaching people that if you can't beat em, join em. This is not who you want representing the NBA.
On paper, they should be able to squash their competition. The trio of Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and James can take on any trio in the league. Yet, for whatever reason, they have not been the dominant force everyone thought they would be. One could argue that this is not the case as they have reached back to back NBA finals. But with three of the best players in the league, shouldn't you be able to finish with the best record? They have not, finishing behind the Bulls and Spurs the past two years, as well as the Thunder this year. Shouldn't you be able to sweep an opponent in the playoffs, especially when you are the two seed? They have not, and even their 4-1 series wins have been close when you look at them game by game. Their most recent series against the Celtics, which they won tonight, exemplifies how confusing this team is.
Give a lot of credit to the Celtics as I know most experts will. They do have three potential Hall of Fame players in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen with Rajon Rondo certainly boosting his credentials to someday be there. People will say they had too much pride and experience to lose to Miami easily. But who honestly thought this series would go to Game 7 after the Heat were up 2-0? It looked like the Celtics went all-in on Game 2 in Miami to try and even the series. Rondo, known for his passing but normally not his shooting, put up 44 on the Heat yet the Celtics still lost in OT. My thinking was Boston will probably steal one at home because of the three HOFers mentioned earlier but Miami will beat them in five or six.
Instead, Boston rattled off three straight wins, including one in Miami, and people were saying Boston could win one of two against the Heat and advance to the finals. This conversation should never have taken place. Experience is one thing, athleticism and raw talent is another. The Heat had the latter in bunches. They would show flashes of it with Lebron or Wade slashing through the lane, then doing a circus layup or dunk, disregarding the likes of Pierce or Garnett in the process. Other times, they could not get it done. Whether it was coaching, the Celtics, or themselves, they let Boston creep back into the series and the "foot on the throat of your opponent" mentality never kicked in. After Game 7, it felt that the Heat had survived, not won that series. Their entrance into the finals, regardless of whether or not you like them, is good for the game as a whole.
The first reason is it sets up a good vs evil match-up which everyone loves in sports. Keep in mind though, this is no underdog vs heavy favorite. Recently everyone's first instinct is to say, "It's a Giants-Patriots type scenario," when talking about a match-up that pits someone against a team that is hated outside of their hometown. That does not apply here. The Heat certainly are the Patriots. They have explosiveness, star power, a coach that is hard if not impossible to like, and an arrogance about them that makes you want to see them lose. The Thunder, however, are not the Giants.
They can match the Heat with star power and flashiness as they have their own trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and the Brian Wilson wannabe James Harden. They were able to slay the San Antonio Spurs juggernaut that finished with the best record in the regular season and appeared headed to an undefeated postseason. Unlike the Heat, they were down 2-0. My thinking was the same as in the Heat series. The Thunder will likely steal one at home, then the Spurs will do their thing as they had up until that point and advance. Even after the Thunder tied it at 2-2, they still would have had to win two more times in San Antonio if it went seven games. The Spurs wound up going back twice to San Antonio after Game 4, but the second time they went alone. The youthful Thunder out-hustled, out-ran, and out-youth'ed the mighty Spurs. They won their series while Miami survived theirs.
Despite their success, this is still a likable group and certainly more so than the Heat. Some people probably became fans of Durant and Westbrook when they were in college at Texas and UCLA respectively, and have cheered for them since they joined OKC. Rarely brash or outspoken, they get the job done and put on an exciting brand of basketball. As far as Harden goes, who can't like a guy who has a beard like this: http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1071612/20121805_gav_sv5_036_extra_large.jpg.
The second reason is purely from a match up standpoint. If the Celtics were to advance, I'm sure there would have been experts coming up with reasons why the C's may give the Thunder a close series. But, c'mon. Boston would have gotten run out of the building. The Spurs are a younger team than Boston and they got a look at what happens when athleticism meets experience. Experience gets left in the dust with their hair on fire as athleticism races past without missing a beat. The Heat, meanwhile, can counter this quality. Both teams are fine with running, gunning, alley-ooping, and slam dunking all day. This series may provide some of the most exciting plays we have ever seen in the NBA, not just this season, but ever. Could the Celtics have dragged the Thunder out to seven games like they did to the Heat? Maybe. But this Heat-Thunder series is, in my opinion, the most evenly matched and exciting Finals match up in recent memory (sorry, Celtics-Lakers). If the superstars in this series play like they are supposed to, this NBA Finals may be talked about for years, decades, even centuries to come.
The last reason has to do with the future of the game. Every sport goes through different eras and change. I think the Heat are ushering in a new era of athleticism in the NBA. It's always been important but they are proving that athletes, and less so fundamentally sound basketball players, are what will win championships in this day and age. Look around the league at the young, standout players. James, Westbrook, Durant, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, and throw in soon to be number one draft pick Anthony Davis and teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They aren't looking for that Tim Duncan-esque jump shot. They're looking for the big slam, alley oop, or SportsCenter Top 10 pass that makes the fans jump out of their seats. And it's working. It reminds me of the Big Ten vs SEC debate in college football. Big Ten power and fundamentals vs SEC speed and quickness. Recently, the speed has won and I think the same can be said in the NBA. A player's athleticism and speed, now more than ever, should have a great influence on where a player is drafted or how a trade deal looks. Will bigger, taking up space players still be an asset to a team? Sure. Just look at Kendrick Perkins on the Thunder who plays sound basketball and will be a key player, I think, in his series against the Heat. But the teams that can run, especially one with an athletic big man (Dirk Nowitzki last year and Durant this year) have a clear advantage in today's game and can use it to hide or make up for lesser pure basketball talent of an overall team.
So congrats to the Heat. You have improved the NBA. But even that won't save you from the Thunder storm (bad pun I know, but it's 1:10 am). The Durantula will show why he was an MVP candidate, and James Harden will show why he won sixth man of the year as he drops 20 a game and his beard tips in six. At least you will prove Lebron correct when he promised Miami "not one, not two, three, four, five, or six championships." Correct, just zero.
Matty O
On paper, they should be able to squash their competition. The trio of Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and James can take on any trio in the league. Yet, for whatever reason, they have not been the dominant force everyone thought they would be. One could argue that this is not the case as they have reached back to back NBA finals. But with three of the best players in the league, shouldn't you be able to finish with the best record? They have not, finishing behind the Bulls and Spurs the past two years, as well as the Thunder this year. Shouldn't you be able to sweep an opponent in the playoffs, especially when you are the two seed? They have not, and even their 4-1 series wins have been close when you look at them game by game. Their most recent series against the Celtics, which they won tonight, exemplifies how confusing this team is.
Give a lot of credit to the Celtics as I know most experts will. They do have three potential Hall of Fame players in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen with Rajon Rondo certainly boosting his credentials to someday be there. People will say they had too much pride and experience to lose to Miami easily. But who honestly thought this series would go to Game 7 after the Heat were up 2-0? It looked like the Celtics went all-in on Game 2 in Miami to try and even the series. Rondo, known for his passing but normally not his shooting, put up 44 on the Heat yet the Celtics still lost in OT. My thinking was Boston will probably steal one at home because of the three HOFers mentioned earlier but Miami will beat them in five or six.
Instead, Boston rattled off three straight wins, including one in Miami, and people were saying Boston could win one of two against the Heat and advance to the finals. This conversation should never have taken place. Experience is one thing, athleticism and raw talent is another. The Heat had the latter in bunches. They would show flashes of it with Lebron or Wade slashing through the lane, then doing a circus layup or dunk, disregarding the likes of Pierce or Garnett in the process. Other times, they could not get it done. Whether it was coaching, the Celtics, or themselves, they let Boston creep back into the series and the "foot on the throat of your opponent" mentality never kicked in. After Game 7, it felt that the Heat had survived, not won that series. Their entrance into the finals, regardless of whether or not you like them, is good for the game as a whole.
The first reason is it sets up a good vs evil match-up which everyone loves in sports. Keep in mind though, this is no underdog vs heavy favorite. Recently everyone's first instinct is to say, "It's a Giants-Patriots type scenario," when talking about a match-up that pits someone against a team that is hated outside of their hometown. That does not apply here. The Heat certainly are the Patriots. They have explosiveness, star power, a coach that is hard if not impossible to like, and an arrogance about them that makes you want to see them lose. The Thunder, however, are not the Giants.
They can match the Heat with star power and flashiness as they have their own trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and the Brian Wilson wannabe James Harden. They were able to slay the San Antonio Spurs juggernaut that finished with the best record in the regular season and appeared headed to an undefeated postseason. Unlike the Heat, they were down 2-0. My thinking was the same as in the Heat series. The Thunder will likely steal one at home, then the Spurs will do their thing as they had up until that point and advance. Even after the Thunder tied it at 2-2, they still would have had to win two more times in San Antonio if it went seven games. The Spurs wound up going back twice to San Antonio after Game 4, but the second time they went alone. The youthful Thunder out-hustled, out-ran, and out-youth'ed the mighty Spurs. They won their series while Miami survived theirs.
Despite their success, this is still a likable group and certainly more so than the Heat. Some people probably became fans of Durant and Westbrook when they were in college at Texas and UCLA respectively, and have cheered for them since they joined OKC. Rarely brash or outspoken, they get the job done and put on an exciting brand of basketball. As far as Harden goes, who can't like a guy who has a beard like this: http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1071612/20121805_gav_sv5_036_extra_large.jpg.
The second reason is purely from a match up standpoint. If the Celtics were to advance, I'm sure there would have been experts coming up with reasons why the C's may give the Thunder a close series. But, c'mon. Boston would have gotten run out of the building. The Spurs are a younger team than Boston and they got a look at what happens when athleticism meets experience. Experience gets left in the dust with their hair on fire as athleticism races past without missing a beat. The Heat, meanwhile, can counter this quality. Both teams are fine with running, gunning, alley-ooping, and slam dunking all day. This series may provide some of the most exciting plays we have ever seen in the NBA, not just this season, but ever. Could the Celtics have dragged the Thunder out to seven games like they did to the Heat? Maybe. But this Heat-Thunder series is, in my opinion, the most evenly matched and exciting Finals match up in recent memory (sorry, Celtics-Lakers). If the superstars in this series play like they are supposed to, this NBA Finals may be talked about for years, decades, even centuries to come.
The last reason has to do with the future of the game. Every sport goes through different eras and change. I think the Heat are ushering in a new era of athleticism in the NBA. It's always been important but they are proving that athletes, and less so fundamentally sound basketball players, are what will win championships in this day and age. Look around the league at the young, standout players. James, Westbrook, Durant, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, and throw in soon to be number one draft pick Anthony Davis and teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They aren't looking for that Tim Duncan-esque jump shot. They're looking for the big slam, alley oop, or SportsCenter Top 10 pass that makes the fans jump out of their seats. And it's working. It reminds me of the Big Ten vs SEC debate in college football. Big Ten power and fundamentals vs SEC speed and quickness. Recently, the speed has won and I think the same can be said in the NBA. A player's athleticism and speed, now more than ever, should have a great influence on where a player is drafted or how a trade deal looks. Will bigger, taking up space players still be an asset to a team? Sure. Just look at Kendrick Perkins on the Thunder who plays sound basketball and will be a key player, I think, in his series against the Heat. But the teams that can run, especially one with an athletic big man (Dirk Nowitzki last year and Durant this year) have a clear advantage in today's game and can use it to hide or make up for lesser pure basketball talent of an overall team.
So congrats to the Heat. You have improved the NBA. But even that won't save you from the Thunder storm (bad pun I know, but it's 1:10 am). The Durantula will show why he was an MVP candidate, and James Harden will show why he won sixth man of the year as he drops 20 a game and his beard tips in six. At least you will prove Lebron correct when he promised Miami "not one, not two, three, four, five, or six championships." Correct, just zero.
Matty O
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