FanIQ Blog

Dexter Pittman hard foul on Lance Stephenson

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:45:00 EDT

Dexter Pittman was assessed a flagrant 1 after this play, but is that enough? Check out the play in question:

A key piece of background info, for the uninformed:

Stephenson was the player who made the "choke" sign at LeBron James while James missed a couple free throws late in the Heat's game 3 loss.

As you watch the play, you can clearly see Pittman cock his elbow as he watches Stephenson enter the lane to go after the ball.

This was an absurdly obvious attempt at retaliation for Stephenson punking out the Heat's best player. As far as I'm concerned, there is no way avoiding that.

Clearly premeditated, clearly intentional, and clearly violent with complete disregard for the game of basketball.

Personally, I'd sit Pittman down for at least 5 games and slap a heavy fine on him as well.

Behavior like this has no place whatsoever in NBA games, no matter what kind of trash talk Stephenson had done.

What do you think? Should Pittman be suspended for this play?

Indianapolis 500 Preview

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:00:00 EDT

Over the last three years, the Indianapolis 500 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway has looked to its past as it celebrated its Centennial Era. This year, however, the 96^th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing looks to the future. For the first time in nine years, there are new cars, and for the first time in seven years, there is engine competition. The result is a lot more variables and a wide open field. Throughout the month, we’ve seen many different teams and drivers spend time at the front of the speed charts, and not just the usual suspects. Here are the big storylines going into the Indianapolis 500 (coverage starts at 11 AM Sunday on ABC).

The DW12: Its Biggest Test Yet

The new car, christened the DW12 in memory of Dan Wheldon, has so far performed very well in its debut season. While the look of the car may take some getting used to, it has been very racy these first four races of the season. Now though it faces its biggest test. Practice, however, indicates that it will pass that test. There’s been a lot of slicing and dicing in the practice sessions, and while more defending can certainly be expected on Sunday, it’s a good sign that the race will be exciting. The car has also performed well on impact with the wall. There were four wrecks on qualifying weekend, and some of the hits were quite hard. Despite that, all four drivers walked away uninjured. So far so good on that front.

The Return of Engine Competition: Honda vs. Chevrolet

After six years of Honda being the sole engine supplier of IndyCar, this year Chevrolet and Lotus have joined the fray. After four races, Chevy has the clear edge, having won all four of them. After a flap about turbochargers (it’s a long story, don’t ask), the engines looked even during Indy practice, with Honda possibly having a slight edge. However, IndyCar added boost to the engines for qualifying, and with that, Chevy dominated, taking 9 of the top 10 spots on the grid. Luckily for Honda, that boost will not be available for the race. The Honda teams are hoping that eliminates Chevy’s advantage, but the qualifying shellacking Honda took means their teams are going to all be starting mid pack or worse. That includes their biggest team, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, whose main drivers will start 15^th (Scott Dixon) and 16^th (Dario Franchitti).

The new equipment also introduces reliability as a variable again, something that hasn’t been a factor in years. In the past, it wasn’t just about being fast, it was about the equipment making it through the 500 miles. There are plenty of examples, from the Novi engines of the 1940s and 1950s to the turbines of the late 60s to the Buick V-6 engines of the 90s, of cars and engines that were fast enough to win, but just weren’t reliable enough to get the job done.

As for Lotus? It’s been an embarrassment, plain and simple. Most of their original teams have fled their camp, leaving them with two cars. Those two cars have been anywhere from 10 to 15 mph slower than the rest of the field all month, and not surprisingly, they qualified 32^nd and 33^rd, only making the field because only 33 cars attempted to qualify (sparking another firestorm of rumors as to why that was the case). It isn’t the fault of the teams, Fan Force United and HVM, and it’s not the fault of the two drivers, ex-F1 driver Jean Alesi and promising young driver Simona de Silvestro. It’s the lump of an engine keeping them uncompetitive and potentially unsafe. IndyCar has made it clear than if the Lotuses can’t make a minimum speed during the race (105% of the leaders pace), they will be parked. All indicators are this will happen quickly. The Lotus debacle is easily the biggest black mark on the race, and hopefully it will be resolved soon for the safety of all involved.

Helio’s Drive for Four

The Pantheon at Indianapolis is the Four-Time Winners Club, which currently consists of three names: AJ Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. This Sunday, Helio Castroneves will make his third attempt at joining this group. Helio has seen a resurgence this season, winning the opening race and sitting 2^nd in the points. Of course, Helio still drives for Roger Penske and his 16 Indy 500 wins. He starts sixth, and there’s no little doubt that he’ll be right in the thick of it.

The Andretti Autosport Renaissance

Last year, Indy was a disaster for the Andretti Autosport team. Two of their drivers barely made the field, while their other two didn’t. This year though it’s been a complete 180 for the team at the Speedway. James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay qualified on the front row, with Marco Andretti right behind them in the 4^th starting position. Their two part-time drivers, Ana Beatriz and Sebastian Saavedra, also qualified well. While many teams have spent time at the top this month, Andretti has been the most consistent team.

They are joined by Team Penske at the front of the field. Both teams combine for the entire first two runs, led by Ryan Briscoe on the pole. For Briscoe, this week is his time to shine after many years of being the forgotten man at Team Penske. He can definitely win this race, as could his teammate Will Power, who has dominated the road and street courses recently, but hasn’t seen that kind of oval success.

Add Dixon and Franchitti to these six and you’ve got your primary contenders to win.

An Intriguing Rookie Class

There are seven rookies this year, most with impressive credentials. However, three stand out. The first, Josef Newgarden, I profiled last week, and he has continued to impress. He was the only Honda to qualify in the top nine, and he’ll start 7^th. While we all know how difficult it is for a rookie to win this race (see: 2006 and 2011), Newgarden has to be considered at least a second-tier contender, and to see a young American win for a popular American owner (Sarah Fisher) would be huge for the race and the sport.

Going into the season, the rookie that commanded all the attention was 19 year Formula One veteran Rubens Barrichello. It’s been a transition period for Barrichello at the start of his IndyCar career, including at Indy practice, where he was near the bottom of the speed charts. However, Rubens rebounded in qualifying and will start 10^th. Barrichello has never run an oval race before, and has never run a race this long. Still, he’s as professional as they come, and while winning is probably too much to ask, don’t be surprised if Rubens is a factor late.

The other major rookie starter is Bryan Clauson, the two time USAC National Champion. In the old days, there was a very rich pipeline from sprint car racing to the Indy 500. Recently though, that pipeline has dried up, and any sprint cars racers wanting to graduate to bigger cars have gone to NASCAR. IndyCar is trying to buck that trend, and Clauson is the first one up, driving the 500 for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing as a teammate of Newgarden. Clauson has impressed most of the month, but made his first mistake on Pole Day, when he crashed on his qualifying run. The mistake meant he had to qualify Sunday, an intentionally conservative run that leaves him starting in the last row. Of course, for a guy coming from sprint cars, a solid, finishing run is what he’ll be looking good. It could be the start of a renewal of a long dormant relationship.

The Missing Drivers

While it’s a deep field this year, it must be noted the two high profile drivers that are not in Indianapolis, Danica Patrick, of course, left for NASCAR’s cash. In the short term, that will certain hurt the buzz of the 500, but long term, the race and the series needed to get out of Danica’s shadow. It’s still a loss though, don’t let anyone tell you different. The bigger and more tragic loss though is of Dan Wheldon. IndyCar is still reeling from the death of Wheldon last October. He is the first Indy 500 champion in 66 years who could not defend their title due to being killed in a racing accident. Dan will be honored during the race, as a champion like him deserves, but the hole in the heart of IndyCar is not filled and will not for a long time, if ever.

So, Who’s Going to Win?

This is a deep field, and while the usual suspects at Penske, Ganassi, and Andretti are the primary factors, there are another six to eight drivers that could conceivably win. The rest of the field, meanwhile, are not slouches and can easily end up with a good finish (well, if they don’t drive a Lotus that is). The tightness of the field and the raciness of the new cars should mean that Sunday’s race will be live up to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Who am I picking to win? Turn in tomorrow, when I rank the whole field from 33 to 1.

With the series tied at 2, the Rangers Goalie will be the key

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:05:00 EDT

The Rangers haven’t exactly cruised through the Eastern Conference playoffs the way their fans may have hoped. With back to back 7-game series and now a third round that looks to have 7 games written all over it, its been a dog-fight of a playoff run to say the least. But thanks to one of the most dominant players in the league, the Rangers should still feel extremely well about their chances to make the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since Mark Messier’s exuberant smile lit up Madison Square Garden.

Let’s face it: the Rangers just didn’t have it last night. Game 4’s are usually the most important games in evenly matched series, with the difference between a 2-2 tie and a 3-1 advantage being almost too big for words. And despite leading all three of their playoff series so far by a 2-1 margin going into game 4, the Rangers have failed to take that 3-1 lead once, losing 3-2 in both their first two game 4’s and 4-1 last night.

For whatever reason, the Rangers have continued to make things close, providing far more nail-biting action and suspense than the NBA’s one-seeded Spurs (8-0 through two rounds) or even the eighth-seeded Kings (11-2 going into tonight’s game 5).

Things aren’t usually supposed to be this way when a team wins over 50 games in the regular season – don’t tell that to Vancouver fans, of course. And to make matters worse, the Rangers have had a sort of red carpet rolled out for them on their quest towards cup #5. If the Kings and Rangers both advance to the Finals, the Rangers would be the first team in the history of the NHL to go four rounds deep in the playoffs and never face a team seeded higher than 6^th – now I didn’t backup this statistic with any research, but there’s just no way a team has ever had as easy a run on paper as the Rangers have this year: 8^th seed in round 1, 7^th seed in round 2, 6^th seed in round 3, and possibly another 8^th seed in round 4 = ridiculous!!

Yet the Rangers have done anything but cruise through the competition.

Last night, the team was flat on both sides of the ice. It looked like they were just hoping for the win to be handed to them, that Lundqvist would make all the necessary saves and at some point, the puck would trickle through Brodeur’s pads. Well the always dependable Marty was barely given a test, while the defense in front of Lundqvist failed on multiple occasions – failing to body up Salvador for the Devils’ first goal and leaving Girardi on the wrong end of a two-on-one to put Lundqvist in another difficult situation – cough, Del Zotto. Then throw in the mishap with Mike Rupp, who sucker-punched the widely respected Brodeur, and it’s clear that this game 4, like the previous two, was another example of the Rangers failing to be at their best.

But the NHL playoffs aren’t single-game elimination for a reason. And here are the numbers that have keyed the Rangers run so far:

4 – The amount of goals allowed by Lundqvist in playoff elimination games this year.

72 – The amount of saves made by Lundqvist in such games.

3-0 – The Rangers record when facing elimination.

The fact of the matter is that when the Rangers offense and defense has been taking care of their duties, Lundqvist has risen to the occasion and refused opposing teams the opportunity to end New York’s playoff run.

While Rangers fans would surely like to see a bit more consistency from their team, what really matters most is what happens in the end. For opposing teams, that means defeating Lundqvist after already taking three games in the series – not a task that any team should feel confident about.

He’s not unbeatable, and it’s possible for goalies like Brodeur and Quick to play every bit his equal, but as long as he’s given adequate support, the Rangers have to like their chances of being the last team standing.

NBA Playoffs: Spurs vs. Thunder Preview

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:48:00 EDT

Finally, the western conference semis are over. I was so excited for those two series (Spurs vs. Clippers, Thunder vs. Lakers) and I was crushed to see how they played out. I figured that both the Spurs and Thunder would come out on top, but I was thinking in a 6 or 7 game series, not 4 and 5. I'm much more confident about this series between the Spurs and Thunder not being such a one sided affair. These two teams can ball (obviously, as they're in the conference finals). Kevin Durant is my favorite player in the league, and I'm eager to see him build his clutch postseason resume against the top seeded Spurs squad. I'm excited to see this Spurs team that STARTS Boris Diaw at CENTER keep defying critics who say they're too old to be successful in this lockout shortened season. The Spurs may be the 7th oldest team in the NBA, but they also feature a group of good young players, lead by stellar defender Kawhi Leonard, that inject energy into this team.

The matchup I'm most excited to watch in this series (besides Durant vs. whoever is trying to guard him) is Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook. These two guys are speedsters who love to push the ball. Tony Parker had one of his best seasons, scoring 18.3 points per game on 48% shooting and a career-high 7.7 assists per game. Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, finished 5th in the league in scoring at 23.6 points per game. Westbrook is a crazy little firecracker on the basketball court, and it will be interesting to see if Parker can manage to find consistent offense while having to battle Westbrook on the other end of the floor. Something I'd love to see out of Westbrook, however, is for him to defer to Durant just a little bit more. Westbrook has taken more shots than Durant in 5 out of the 9 playoff games thus far, and is averaging more field goal attempts than Durant in the playoffs. Don't get me wrong, Westbrook should shoot, he's a talented scorer, but this year's scoring champ should be option number one.

I was sort of kidding before with that comment about Durant, because I truly am excited to see the matchup of Kevin Durant being defended by Kawhi Leonard. Leonard was acquired by the Spurs on the night of the 2012 NBA Draft when they traded guard George Hill to the Pacers for the draft pick with which they selected Leonard. His defensive mentality was what sold the Spurs on the 20 year-old prospect, and he hasn't disappointed. Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich is one of Leonard's biggest fans, comparing him to former Spurs' lockdown defender Bruce Bowen. "He’s aggressive and not afraid to stick his nose in it. Failure doesn’t bother him. You score on him, he doesn’t sulk and say gee coach, this and that. He goes back and tries to do it better,” Popovich said of Leonard.

Leonard has people raving about his defense through the playoffs thus far, but this next round will be a much tougher test when he takes on NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant. Just about everyone who attempts to guard Kevin Durant faces a mismatch. He crouches when dribbling and has the quickness of a guard, then rises with his incredible length to get to the rim like a 7 footer. He's listed at 6'9'', but many believe he's actually 6'10'' or 11''. Kawhi Leonard, at 6'7'', will have to deal with that size/quickness combination which will be his toughest task. Durant has faced off against the Spurs three times already this year. The first time he managed 21 points on only 9 shots, but the second time he only scored 22 on 19 shots, then scored 25 on 19. In none of those games did Durant reach his season average of 28 points, and I am very interested to see if Leonard can continue to keep Durant contained over the length of what looks to be a rigorous playoff series.

I'm also looking forward to seeing how 36 year-old Tim Duncan fares against the monsters in the paint for Oklahoma City. He did fine against the athletic combo of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in the series against the Clippers (averaged 21 points and 9.3 rebounds), but can he go another round against superior athletes at his age? Many people were critical of Duncan this season, thinking his career was on its last legs, but now he's got some of those critics thinking he's got a couple more solid years. Does he continue defying his age against Serge I-block-ya and Kendrick Perkins? It'll be interesting to see.

I want to pick a team to win this series, but I can't. All I can say is that I think it's going seven games. We're going to have some nail-bitting thrillers between these two clubs. Durant's ability in the clutch makes me want to lean towards the Thunder, but then again the Spurs look like the hottest team in the league right now. In addition, the Spurs have an entire week to rest Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili's old legs (Game 1 isn't until Sunday). Gregg Popovich is usually great at taking teams out of their game plans, but when the game plan is isolation and you have three players that are highly capable of doing it (Durant, Westbrook, Harden) it's tough to take it away. All I can say is that I can't wait for this series to start and I think it'll come down to Game 7.

PS - I'll be rooting for the Thunder. I want my favorite player, Kevin Durant, to get a ring for that Hall of Fame resume.

Move the Los Angeles Lakers Need to Make in the Off-Season

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:45:00 EDT

There are clearly problems with the Los Angeles Lakers. Last night, these all became more than apparent as they were knocked out of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Let’s break down the current roster.

Kobe Bryant seems to be the only man on the team who wants to play basketball, and can do so fairly consistently. I always think he should be in the MVP conversation because the Lakers are not “the Lakers” without Bryant.

Pau Gasol is unreliable and only comes to play basketball on some nights. He doesn’t look to drive to the basket, but rather settles for low-percentage jumpers.

Metta World Peace is, as Kobe has stated, the one guy who comes to play every night. He’s a force on defense but his offensive consistency is lacking. Still though, he is the Lakers second most valuable player night in and night out.

Andrew Bynum has had his problems all season, but these could be overlooked until last night. Bynum’s numbers were too awful to repeat, and he showed a complete lack of enthusiasm. It was as if he was already on vacation.

Then there’s Sessions. He started out so strong when the Lakers first acquired him, but showed in the playoffs that he needs some serious grooming.

The bench, for the most part is garbage. Blake had a few clutch shots, but was mostly horrible. Barnes is inconsistent at best. Hill is very promising and he should stick around on the team (especially since his contract isn't up). McRoberts, Murphy, and Ebanks were not much help in the playoffs and seemed to disappear.

I’m of the belief that Goudelock should have gotten a lot more playoff time than he did, but we’ll see what happens next season.

It’s pretty simple. The Lakers need to blow this team up. I think some interesting options are to not exercise Bynum’s team option and go for a cheaper, younger version of Bynum. We all saw what JaVale McGee is capable of in the playoffs, and he’d be a nice fit. Or the Lakers can keep Bynum and use him to lure some trades.

The bench for the most part has got to go. Barnes, Ebanks and Murphy all have expiring contracts, and only Ebanks possibly warranted a new one with the Lake Show. Blake has two more years, as do Gasol and World Peace. These are both large contracts that lock up a lot of cap space.

The Lakers should use their amnesty clause this year on a player, and it’s highly debatable which it should be. Gasol has more trade value than World Peace, but not by much. It’s unlikely that Blake will get traded, but then again, the Lakers were able to unload Luke Walton so never say never.

Oh, and there’s the matter of the Portland Trailblazers trying to woo GM Mitch Kupchak as well. It will be a busy off-season for sure, and the Lakers organization will undoubtedly put together another team that will take them to the playoffs and hopefully win.

Kellen Winslow is a soldier, traded to Seahawks

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:29:00 EDT

This is not breaking news anymore, but in case you haven't heard, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shipped tight end Kellen Winslow to the Seattle Seahawks yesterday. The Seahawks then signed free agent tight end Dallas Clark.

Winslow is one of the league's top tight ends and joins Zach Miller and Cameron Morrah in Seattle, giving new quarterback Matt Flynn a nice trio of big targets in the middle of the field. Winslow hadn't made a good first impression with new Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano by skipping the Bucs' offseason workouts.

The Buccaneers will receive a conditional 2013 draft pick in the deal.

Clark is also one of the league's top tight ends, and this will be his first season playing somewhere other than Indianapolis. Last season was his least productive as a pro. With Peyton Manning hurt and Clark himself limited to 11 games, he managed just 352 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the lowly Colts.

Frankly, it is probably a wash for Tampa Bay and an upgrade for Seattle. However, that is not what prompted me to write this post. Anytime Winslow is in the news provides an excuse to post this video. I'm sure you've all seen it already, but it really never gets old.

Now we all said and did stupid things when we were college-aged. Luckily for most of us, those idiotic behaviors are sequestered on our social networks, which the average person is indifferent towards. But for an athlete like Winslow, his "Soldier" speech will forever be glued to YouTube and embedded across the web. Lucky us.

Exact same fan catches two consecutive home run balls

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:48:00 EDT

The most amazing aspect of Monday night's Reds-Braves game in Cincinnati was not that Atlanta pitcher Mike Minor gave up three consecutive home runs in the fourth inning. The most amazing aspect is that two of those home run balls were caught by the exact same fan in the left field stands.

Reds organization, you might want to sign that guy and play him in your outfield.

"That guy" is Caleb Lloyd, a 20-year-old college student and random person who had the insane luck of having two of his beloved Reds hit home run balls right toward him. Lloyd caught both, video of which is below.
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Dude did not even keep either of the two baseballs. The first ball was Reds pitcher Mike Leake's first career home run, and the fan returned the ball to Leake in exchange for an autograph. The second ball, young Mr. Lloyd gifted to the friend of his who gave him the ticket to the game.

"The first one I actually barehanded, " Lloyd told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "It hit my hand and I didn't expect to actually catch it ... it hurt really bad, so I'm like, 'I'm not doing it again.' But the second one bounced behind me and then it bounced into my lap. My buddy's like, 'You caught a second one!' I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is crazy.'"

Shockingly, this is not the first incident of a fan catching two home run balls at the same game. Fox Sports reports that a Yankee fan caught two home run balls at a 2007 game in New York. A Houston Astros fan caught two home run balls in an 18-inning contest back in 2006.

Niether of those were in back-to-back at-bats, though, as these home run ball catches were.

The Reds organization does not actually have plans to sign the glue-handed fan and play him in the outfield. The Reds are, however, making Mr. Lloyd an honorary captain for tonight's rematch against the Braves.

Toronto Blue Jays a Team to Watch in AL East

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:37:00 EDT

Watching this year’s NHL playoffs has been eye-opening in more ways than one. First off, the games, especially those involving East Coast teams, have been highly entertaining and have re-energized my interest in the sport. The other thing that caught my attention was the lack of Canadian participation in the postseason. Sure there are plenty of Canadian players still lacing them up in these playoffs, but what about the teams? Only two of the seven teams that call Canada home qualified for the playoffs, and both of those--Ottawa and Vancouver-- were eliminated in the first round. Meanwhile, storied organizations (pronounced: or-gain-eye-zay-shuns) such as the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves languishing at the bottom of the standings. It’s enough to make folks in the Great White North give up back bacon and beer. But just as Canada’s hockey hopes have melted away, a possible salvation has appeared on the horizon.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the 2012 Toronto Blue Jays! What’s that? You forgot that Canada still had a baseball team? It’s an honest mistake. After all, the Jays haven’t really been relevant since Joe Carter was last seen galloping around the bases, and Mitch Williams, way back in 1993. The season’s still early but this Blue Jays team just may be a force to be reckoned with in the AL East. Not that anyone on the team is exactly setting the world on fire. They don’t have single everyday player hitting .300 but they do have some pop in the lineup with Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, and Kelly Johnson, among others, going deep on a regular occasion. Unless you’re a roto geek, their starting pitching doesn’t exactly feature a host of household names. But guys like Brandon Morrow, Henderson Alvarez, and Kyle Drabek are getting the job done. Just this past week, the Jays held the Yankees to two runs in two games sweeping the short set. They then showed the Mets they could win with offense, blasting five homers in a 14-5 rout, while beating them with pitching the very next day as Morrow went the distance on a three-hit, 2-0 shutout. It’s a work in progress (pronounced: proh-gress), but Toronto has the look of a team that could hang around and make some noise this year. And why not? Are the division-leading Orioles really scaring anyone? Does Tampa Bay have enough offense (pronounced: oh-fence) to avoid getting no-hit every 10 games or so? Can the Yankees possibly survive without Mariano Rivera? And let’s not get started on the Red Sox.

So, time will tell whether this Freaky Friday, Vice Versa, or take your pick of any formulaic personality-switch movie continues for Canada and its baseball and hockey fortunes. For the moment it seems like the only viable option for the country Homer Simpson once referred to as "America Jr."… at least until they wake the puck up.

Los Angeles Kings on Brink of Stanley Cup Berth

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:11:00 EDT

The Los Angeles sports scene was hit with a tsunami this past weekend. Six professional sports games to be hosted at Staples Center from May 17-20, 2012 included two Lakers, Clippers and Kings games. Both the Lakers and Clippers were hosting the second round of the NBA Playoffs while their co-tenant, Kings were to be hosting the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers managed to win one out of two, the Clippers lost both and the Kings grabbed one out of two. Los Angeles went 2-4 on the weekend, losing both NBA teams by this morning, while the Los Angeles Hockey Kings still stand strong.

Currently only one win shy of a Stanley Cup berth, the eighth seeded Kings have literally walked through the top two seeds to get to the Western Finals in Vancouver and St. Louis. After defeating the Canucks in five games, the Kings would move onto the Blues and obliterate them as well, only to set up a matchup with the third seeded Phoenix Coyotes, the team that beat them out for the division and the higher seed, for a chance to move onto the Stanley Cup.

After stealing the first two games in Phoenix, the Coyotes appeared completely demoralized. Jonathan Quick has continued his marvelous goaltending throughout the postseason, as he has only given up three goals once, and that was all the way back in the first round in Vancouver's only win. Dustin Brown has fearlessly lead his bottom seeded crew into battle, followed closely by each line the Kings send on the ice.

Aside from tremendous goalkeeping, the Kings have also been able to score in areas of the game they were unable to convert during the regular season. They currently have four players with 10 or more points this postseason led by Dustin Brown with 15 and Anze Kopitar with 14. They have undoubtedly been led by these two studs, however, timely scoring and great defense has been as much a storyline as anything.

Dwight King, who has scored five goals this postseason, has a continued flare for the dramatic. He put in what would ultimately be the winning goal, early in the third period of Game Three, giving the Kings their commanding 3-0 series lead over the Coyotes. That was only one of his four goals he has already put in the back of the net this series. At only 22 years old, hailing from Saskatchewan, King has found his niche with the Kings this postseason, contributing on both ends of the ice.

One issue the Kings have had during this historic run is the inability to convert power plays at a high rate, however, their knack from scoring short-handed goals has shone quite bright. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, both former Philadelphia Flyers, have been able to scratch and claw their way into scoring the few PP goals the Kings have mustered thus far. They have combine for four of the Kings six power play goals and continue to give the Kings complete faith in every line they put out on the ice.

This team has not a single ounce of over-confidence or individuality as they are all coming together quite nicely at the opportune time. They have combined for 62 assists on 37 goals. Not only has Dustin Brown scored two shorthanded goals and three game-winners, he has also dished out two short handed assists, providing the Kings with the entire repertoire this postseason, leading his team in every aspect of the game, even beyond the stat sheet.

With the Lakers and Clippers home for the remainder of the NBA playoffs, Los Angeles has now turned into a hockey city. As crazy as that sounds, it even has me writing about them. If I can somehow put together the $600+ for a Stanley Cup ticket, I'll be sure to witness the Kings historic run to the Cup live. You best tune in.

Should Kobe Play Robin to Get His Sixth Ring?

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:19:00 EDT

As Kobe Bryant begins the inevitable decline that every superstar before him has gone through, he is well aware that these next few years will determine where he ranks amongst the all-time NBA greats.

As of right now, the debate for the greatest player in NBA history, begins and ends with Michael Jordan. And don’t think Kobe Bryant is unaware of that. Ever since Kobe entered the league, he was always compared to Michael, especially since the two played the same position.

Fast forward sixteen years later and Kobe is less than 3,000 points away from surpassing MJ on the all time scoring list; a number he will more than likely surpass when he finally retires. However, when all is said and done, it’s not the total amount of points that the critics will be looking at; it’s the jewelry. Kobe has 5 rings and MJ has 6 rings.

Despite scoring 43 points in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs, the impact that those 43 points had on the game was not the same kind of impact that it had 5 years ago. Opposing teams are okay with Kobe pump faking three times before taking an ill-advised shot with a high degree of difficulty.

With younger superstars such as Durant and Westbrook effortlessly putting the ball into the hole, the Los Angeles Lakers need to find a way to get easier buckets. And a soon to be 34-year-old shooting guard is not the answer.

With older superstars (Duncan, KG, Pierce, Allen) stepping aside for younger teammates (Parker and Rondo), in order to succeed; is it time for Kobe to do the same?

Not in his mind.

After losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Kobe said, "I'm not fading into the shadows." But how much longer can the Black Mamba play the role of Batman only to come up empty? Or should he finally play the role of Robin in order to win his elusive 6^th ring?

Either way, it’ll be a win-win for MJ.

UFC 146

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:11:00 EDT

UFC 146 takes place this Saturday night in Las Vegas. The Main Event is for the Heavyweight title. Frank Mir, a former champion, takes on current champion Junior Dos Santos.

Speaking of Las Vegas, Mir is pretty lucky to be in such a position. Originally, Dos Santos was scheduled to defend his title against Alistar Overeem, but Overeem's March drug test showed a 14:1 testosterone-epitestosterone ratio according to the NSAC. Whether it's injuries or failed drug tests, you almost have to pray to the MMA gods (do they exist?) that a scheduled fight actually takes place. And in Overeem's case, his physique alone has long created skepticism; no real surprise in any failed tests with his name attached to it.

Frank Mir is coming off an impressive win over MMA legend Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. It was the 2nd time Mir defeated Big Nog in nearly 3 years; The first time was via TKO. We later learned Nogueira fought with a staph infection. In the re-match, Big Nog came out and dominated Mir with his stand-up, which resulted in Mir on his back. Noguerira, instead of going for ground and pound, decided to attempt a guillotine submission. It appeared Mir was done, but he then shocked most by escaping and reversing the position. Eventually Mir broke Big Nog's arm just as he was tapping out.

I felt Mir benefited from a terrible decision. Nogueria should have either went for ground and pound or just had Mir stand-up and continue attacking him on his feet. Mir, while in the guillotine, had time to recover from the stand-up beating he sustained. I also believe Big Nog had very little respect for Mir's submission defense and just thought he could end the fight on the ground. He learned the hard way. Mir has proven you cannot give him a limb--because he will break it. Had Nogueria not made such a mental mistake, it would be him in the position to fight for the title.

While I respect Mir's ground game, I just can't help but think of some of his performances against upper echelon fighters. He was clearly fortunate to escape Brock Lesnar's mauling in their first fight when he caught the green Lesnar in a kneebar submission. Once Lesnar figured out a few things, the re-match went pretty much the way their first fight started, only this time it ended in a TKO victory for Lesnar.

Mir and Dos Santos have 3 common opponents. They both defeated Roy Nelson via unanimous decision. They both beat Crocop. Mir was on his way to a decision victory before knocking out Mirko late in the 3rd round. Dos Santos dominated Crocop in the 3rd round and forced a verbal tapout. Shane Carwin is the major difference between the two. Dos Santos defeated Carwin via unanimous decision, while Mir was just absolutely destroyed by Carwin. Mir was cocky and overconfident with his newly displayed stand-up game and found out he was still far from a world class striker.

The biggest concern going into this fight for Dos Santos is how healthy his knee is following surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Mir is too smart not to test and see how well that knee has recovered. Unless Mir allows his ego to get the better of him, he knows that trying to stand with Dos Santos is likely to produce the same result as the Carwin fight. Conversely, Dos Santos wants to avoid the ground with Mir at all costs. Dos Santos needs to attack Mir the way he did Fabricio Werdum, when he knocked out the best BJJ guy in the game. I love that old saying--once you punch a black belt in the face they become a brown belt; punch them again and they become a blue belt etc etc.

The biggest question is, how does Mir get Dos Santos to the ground without going to sleep? I think Dos Santos is going to have to make a mental mistake in order to lose this fight. However, as I've stated Mir has had his fair share of luck, so you never know--anything is possible. Dos Santos has stated that his hero is Big Nog, so I'm sure he would love nothing more than to exact a measure of revenge for his hero by finishing Mir in devastating fashion. I'm predicting Dos Santos via knockout. I will be surprised if Mir escapes the first round.

Kevin Garnett says Philadelphia has fair-weather fans

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:27:00 EDT

Kevin Garnett is one of the biggest trash talkers in the NBA, not only on the court, but in post-game interviews as well.

His latest masterpiece was a wonderful comparison between Boston and Philadelphia fans, in which he referred to Philly fans as "bandwagon fans."

One can be sure that the fine folks of Philadelphia won't take too kindly to that. Keep in mind, these are the same fans who booed and pelted Santa Claus with snowballs.

KG might want to take a few extra precautionary measures before Game 6, because they might be out for his head.

Here's the quote:

Hat tip to Ball Don't Lie for the video

Peyton Manning Looking Good At Broncos' OTA's

Mon, 21 May 2012 18:49:00 EDT

ESPN reported that Peyton Manning has shown "plenty of zip on his throws" at the Broncos' first organized team activities that took place Monday, May 21. Great sign for the Broncos, obviously, as Peyton's ability to throw the ball, particularly to his left, has been in question since he received multiple neck surgeries over the past year or so. Denver has installed the future Hall of Fame quarterback into an offense that features very limited talent at the wide receiver position, so it will be interesting to see what Manning is able to do with his new weak receiving core. However, the Broncos also have an aggressive running game that ranked first in the entire NFL last season and a defense that many consider to be very solid. I think the Broncos could be a very good team. I don't see them at all as a Super Bowl threat, but Peyton Manning is a magician in the pocket and can often turn a mediocre offense into a juggernaut. However, there are a couple reasons that the Broncos may not live up to their expectations.

First of all, the running game. People look at that league leading 164.5 rushing yards per game and think Peyton Manning is getting put into an offense that will instantly become two dimensional. Peyton hasn't had a solid running game since the days of Edgerrin James, so people are excited to see what Peyton can do in an offense that can pound the football. What people don't understand, however, is that the Broncos traded away the most important piece to their rushing game - Tim Tebow. I'm not gonna get into a whole "is Tebow a good quarterback?" debate, but I'll give you some numbers speak for themselves as far as Tebow and the Broncos' run offense. In the games that former quarterback Kyle Orton started (exluding Week 5 when Tebow played the second half), the Broncos averaged 86.75 rushing yards per game, 30.25 below the NFL average of 117. In games that Tebow started, the team averaged 193 rushing yards per game, 76 yards above the NFL average. Tebow's running ability is what made that offense work. He turned a washed up Willis McGahee into an NFL Network Top 100 player. Unless Peyton can run the read option (which he can't), he'll find himself with a much worse running game than the Broncos had last season.

As far as the defense goes, a lot of people think that the Broncos can shut down anyone. Turns out that's not really the case. They finished 24th in the NFL in scoring defense last year, and gave up a lot of points to some very below average teams, such as the Bills who scored 40 on them and the Vikings who scored 32. In addition, they're potential Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins retired. He was far past his prime, but his leadership and on-field awareness were still of great importance to the Broncos' defense. The Broncos will also be missing linebacker DJ Williams for six games due to a positive test for performance enhancing drugs. They still have their excellent young linebacker Von Miller going into his second year and a great veteran cornerback in Champ Bailey, but don't expect this defense to be too exceptional.

As I said before, Peyton Manning is a magician. He's a Hall of Famer. If his arm ends up being at full strength he'll give that offense an aerial attack. I see the Broncos as the favorites in the AFC West but I'm only thinking about 10 wins for them. I get the feeling that people are overestimating their Tebow-less running game and their defense that was hit or miss last season, so just know that Peyton doesn't mean powerhouse.

Wade�s Knee Drain

Mon, 21 May 2012 18:44:00 EDT

After Dwyane Wade’s 5 points and 5 turnovers in Game 3 of the NBA playoffs, Miami Heat fans had to have been wondering what was going on with their superstar.

According to Michael Wallace, “Multiple sources close to Wade and the team told ESPN.com Sunday night that he required the minor draining procedure (for his knee) on Wednesday before the team's loss in Game 3.”

This would obviously explain Wade’s subpar performance in the first 3 games against the Indiana Pacers.

Game 1 (8-23 shooting)
Game 2 (8-22 shooting)
Game 3 (2-13 shooting)

Most players take a few days off after their knees have been drained; a luxury that Dwayne Wade did not have been between Game 2 and Game 3, especially with Chris Bosh out.

Game 4, however, was entirely a different story. Wade looked like a new man with a new body and responded with herculean numbers of 30 pts, 9 rbds, and 6 assists.

"I'm a no-excuse type person," Wade said. "When I'm on the basketball court, I'm all about trying to help my team win. Obviously, when things are going great, everyone pats you on the back. When things are not going great, some people turn their back. But I'm the kind of person that always believe in myself, believe in my teammates and know that it can always turn around."

Wade has been hush-hush about what exactly has been ailing him until recent reports, but if he continues to play the way that he did in Game 4, it may not matter, his game will do all the talking.

Report: Golden State Warriors bridge-and-tunneling to San Francisco

Mon, 21 May 2012 17:51:00 EDT

More sad sports franchise location news for the city of Oakland. With the Oakland A's already openly declaring they want to leave for San Jose and the Raiders' new owner having said "Los Angeles is a possibility," a report in the San Jose Mercury News scoops that the Golden State Warriors will soon announce their intent to move from Oakland to San Francisco.

The report says the move could be announced this week. No word on whether the franchise will be called the San Francisco Warriors, as they were from 1962 to 1971.

San Jose Mercury News blogger Adam Lauridsen broke the news Monday that the Warriors are moving to San Francisco, and plan to open a new San Francisco arena by 2017.

The Mercury News' ace sports reporter Tim Kawakami reached Warriors owner Joe Lacob for comment, and Lacob replied, "We are not prepared to make any announcements at this time."

That is about the strongest non-denying you will ever see in a non-denial. Lacob seems to anticipate that he will indeed be prepared to make an announcement at some time, once he gets his ducks, P's, and Q's in order.

The Warriors' new arena will reportedly be located at Piers 30-32 along the San Francisco bay front. That area, illustrated on the left, was set to be reconstructed to accommodate the America's Cup yacht race in 2013. Race planners dropped these piers from their plans though, and the Warriors are reportedly swooping in on the newly available real estate.

That geographic move would be cool in the sense that it would put the Warriors' arena right next to the Bay Bridge that is depicted on their current jerseys.

That geographic move is not cool, however, because of the way it jilts the Warriors' incredible Oakland fan base. If it ain't broke, as the saying goes, don't fix it. And the Warriors franchise attendance patterns at Oracle Arena in Oakland simply ain't broke.

Oakland fans have been exceptionally resilient and supportive of this perennially sorry franchise. Last year Golden State ranked tenth in overall NBA attendance, which is about where they usually rank.

That's pretty amazing for a franchise that has been to the playoffs just once in the last 18 seasons. The Warriors' 2012 attendance figures were actually better than those of the Boston Celtics and San Jose Spurs.

A huge percentage of those faithful Warriors fans will not be at all happy with the announcement of this move. And they will be none too kind the next time owner Joe Lacob grabs a microphone and asks them to stop booing.

A Week for the Pitchers

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:54:00 EDT

The drags and downers of Mondays have long been documented, noted and put in commercials and movies more times than Kevin Bacon and Sammy Jackson, combined - I don't have my numbers in front of me, but that has to be close to a million. The foamy relics of Sunday still bounce and stew inside the domes of many a weekend warrior, making the day almost move backwards. How can I impress Dotty with my knowledge of the unassisted double play when I haven't left this restroom in over an hour? It has happened to us all. The fountains of sports trivia and knowledge we wished to share around the donut feast , purchased by the so-called boss, is quickly replaced with fountains of Coors, Doritos and whatever that layer thing was with the cheese on it. Mondays!

But, before you sneak out the side-exit for a power nap in the parking lot, remember this: There is hope. Had The Bangles been blessed with the interesting stories from the MLB like tonight's and mid-week's, and they all looked like the lead singer, the song may have been called "Awesome Monday."

Attention costs nothing. So pay it to these three spectacles!

1.) Jamie Moyer - I know this festers in the "contradicting category," based on what I have said about Moyer in past writings, but this is different. This is history. When Moyer takes to the mound tonight in Miami it will be his 50th different ballpark where he has performed this task. That is more than any other pitcher, EVER! Any baseball fan will admit to the absolute amazing adventure it would be to pack up an R.V and visit every ballpark in America. The stories you would be able to tell, the memories you would have. Now, imagine if you were able to park that R.V on the mound for every game, and even get out and thrown a few innings. Then, what stories you would be able to tell? Jamie Moyer may be old, but he is still doing it better than most half his age, and tonight he will pencil in another line of history. Nothing too extraordinary, but a an interesting twist in the R.V dream that has to make even Ozzie smile. "Don't you go fallin in love with it now, cause we're takin it with us when we leave her next month." (See Christmas Vacation, AGAIN)

2.) Darvish vs. Hernandez - While history is being constructed in South Beach by the older folk, the youngsters of the new generations will be doing their thing in Seattle. Yu Darvish has analysts, fans and experts across the globe spraining their ankles - The bandwagon is almost filled, maybe room for one or two tubas, and that's it. At 6-1 and an E.R.A south of three, Darvish continues to control hitters with power and finesse. His opponent, King Felix, is coming off a terrible start against the Indians and is straining his eyes looking for run support. It is difficult to count a Cy Young Award winner as the underdog, but this match up has Darvish favored. Regardless, it will be a "pitchers duel" worth watching. Hit the record button if you can't stay up.

3.) Hamels vs. Harper - This will be the mid-week medicine people discovered two weeks ago. Wednesday night will have the Phillies taking on the Nationals on ESPN2. A national stage for the dramatic action thriller known as, "Hamels v. Harper II - The rematch!" Don King wishes he had a piece of this action. It will be like the day after a fight in middle school where the two opponents have to sit next to each other in homeroom. What will happen? How will they react? If he drops his pencil, will the other guy pick it up? Will they start fighting, again? What if the teacher comes in? The same guilty excitement will be swarming the ballpark, before, after and during. All eyes will be on the first pitch that leaves Hamels hand, as it rotates towards Harper, or the plate. What will happen? With all the fighters getting caught with steroids, this may be the only boxing we get to see for awhile. Put up your dukes, gang. Michael Buffer has announcement to make!

Remember, Nuprin is little and yellow...but baseball is the better.

This_is_Rick

Stan Van Gundy fired by the Orlando Magic

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:22:00 EDT

It became pretty clear this year that Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy absolutely could not co-exist in Orlando.

One of them simply had to go, for the sake of everyone in the Magic organization.

Turns out, the coach is the one who's going to have to leave.

Stan Van Gundy, along with GM Otis Smith, are done in Orlando.

Team CEO Alex Martins made the announcement, and released the following statement today:

"On behalf of the DeVos Family, we sincerely appreciate and thank Otis and Stan for all that they have done on and off the floor for the Orlando Magic. These are the days you dread in this business, but we feel it's time for new leadership and new voices. They both brought die-hard dedication and an unmatched work ethic on a daily basis. Their success is well documented, as the Orlando Magic has had the fourth best record in the NBA over the last five years, and entering the playoffs this year the third most playoff wins over that period of time. The disappointment of getting eliminated in the first round of the playoffs these past two seasons played a primary role in our decision, as we feel our momentum towards winning a championship has paused. We wish Otis and Stan all the best and we look forward to taking the next step towards winning that championship."

Van Gundy had an outstanding record with the Magic in his 5 seasons at 259-135, making the postseason all 5 times. Unfortunately for SVG, his relationship with Howard had deteriorated to the point where the team simply didn't have an option.

We'll see who wants to take over the job, in what looks like a futile effort to keep Howard from bolting in free agency at the end of the year. Good luck.

Is There A Double Standard When It Comes To Cheating?

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:04:00 EDT

In light of the ongoing trial regarding Roger Clemens and his alleged steroid use many people have raised the question of whether steroid users will get into the Hall of Fame. In short I believe that they should based on the fact that MLB and the union did nothing to stop rampant steroid use and made billions of dollars because of it. While morally it was wrong, once MLB did nothing to stop the first wave of steroid users the next wave felt compelled to do it to keep pace and protect their jobs. Until we know how many players actually used performance enhancing drugs we can't punish those who got caught.

That brings me to my next point. Why does their seem to be a double standard when it comes to cheating and getting caught? Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez, three of the sports greatest players to ever play the game are in jeopardy of not taking their places among the all time greats. Their reputations are forever tarnished and their accomplishments will always be looked upon with suspicion.

But what about Bill Belichick? Belichick was caught cheating in 2007 when it was revealed that he videotaped the New York Jets defensive signals. Belichick was fined $500,000 and the Patriots were stripped of draft picks as well as fined. What about Belichick's legacy? Despite not winning a Super Bowl since he was caught, Belichick is still regarded as one of the best coaches in NFL history. Not only that, he is a virtual lock to be enshrined in Canton.

Shouldn't Belichick get the same treatment as other cheaters?

MLB Power Rankings

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:00:00 EDT

Last week's Power Rankings featured the consistently powerful Texas Rangers in the top spot. With a surge from at least one team, that's changing this week, but the Rangers aren't straying very far.

When the Dodgers are continuing to win games, however, despite the injury to their all-world outfielder Matt Kemp, you just have to give them some credit.

That's why they're taking the #1 spot this week, with the best record in all of baseball.

Imagine what they'll do once their best player returns.

Without further ado, here are this week's rankings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (Last week: 2) - Congrats to the Dodgers, who take over the top spot. Kemp's injury hurts them, but they have the kind of lineup (and lead in their division) that they'll survive.

2. Texas Rangers (1) - You definitely can't bring the Rangers down too far, even though they're only 5-5 in their last 10 and the Dodgers have now leapfrogged them. They're still a supremely dangerous team, with the best lineup in baseball.

3. Baltimore Orioles (4) - The Orioles are still winning, but their pitching is starting to come down to earth. Is this the beginning of the end? I'm conditioned to believe that they're a bad team, so I'm guessing yes.

4. Atlanta Braves (5) - They've won 7 of their last 10, and with the 2nd highest scoring offense in the NL, they're doing it a little differently than the way they won 14 straight NL East titles behind Maddux , Glavine, Smoltz et al.

5. Washington Nationals (3) - Injuries are starting to chip away at their win total, but this team will be able to turn it around when healthy. The Nationals have some outstanding young talent, and could be good for a long time.

6. Tampa Bay Rays (6) - Another team suffering from injuries, the Rays are still doing pretty well, only 2 games behind the division-leading Orioles, and pitchers James Shields and David Price just keep plugging away.

7. St. Louis Cardinals (7) - With the NL's best offense, thanks to guys like Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran playing like they took a time machine back to the mid 2000s. Their pitching is holding up well, also.

8. Cleveland Indians (10) - Derek Lowe is another guy who's pitching like he turned back the clock by a decade. His sinker is as effective as ever, and he's inducing ground balls at an incredibly efficient clip.

9. Toronto Blue Jays (11) - Their offense is the 5th best in all of baseball, and their starting pitching has been masterful, with Brandon Morrow leading the way, along with Ricky Romero, Henderson Alverez and Kyle Drabek.

10. New York Mets (9) - The Mets (along with the rest of the NL East) are still above .500, but with a -31 run differential, can the Amazins keep it up? The numbers tend to hint that they'll falter at some point soon.

11. New York Yankees (8) - After a somewhat shaky but excusable first outing, Andy Pettitte looked outstanding against a decent Reds lineup. He might be just the shot in the arm that their rotation needed.

12. Cincinnati Reds (12) - Johnny Cueto is developing into a legitimate Cy Young contender, at 5-1 with a 1.97 ERA. If he could get a little more help from the rest of the rotation, they'd be able to pass the Cardinals for the division lead.

13. Oakland Athletics (13) - This team is hovering at a .500 winning percentage, despite the fact that they're offense is the AL's worst. Most of their hitters wouldn't scratch the roster on most other teams.

14. San Francisco Giants (16) - In any other division, the Giants might actually be competitive. Thanks to the way the Dodgers are rolling through the league, they're already 7 games back. That hurts.

15. Miami Marlins (14) - They're maintaining a pretty consistent record just above .500, but they'll need to do better in the highly competitive NL East if they want to live up to their ridiculous preseason hype.

16. Boston Red Sox (25) - After starting the season rather miserably, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester are starting to pitch like the aces the Red Sox need them to be. Combined, they were 4-0 this past week.

17. Philadelphia Phillies (17) - Carlos Ruiz is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now, hitting at a remarkable .355 clip, and Hunter Pence's 10 HR are also helping the Phillies tread water at 21-21.

18. Chicago White Sox (19) - After his perfect game, Philip Humber was 1-0 with a 0.63 ERA. Since then, his record has dropped to 5.31, and his record has dipped to 1-2. The textbook definition of a flash in the pan.

19. Detroit Tigers (15) - Few Tigers fans would say they're happy with the team's current 20-21 record, but they're still only 3 games out of the AL Central lead. Don't be surprised if they eventually close the gap.

20. Arizona Diamondbacks (18) - In only his 2nd season, Wade Miley is having an outstanding year for the Diamondbacks, leading them with a 5-1 record and a stellar 2.14 ERA. Chris Young's return should help them.

21. Pittsburgh Pirates (20) - The 5th best pitching ERA in baseball is a wonderful thing to have, and the Pirates are probably grateful for their effective staff, since their lineup is the least potent in baseball, by 15 runs.

22. Houston Astros (21) - Despite a positive (+3) run differential, the Astros are still sitting at 5 games below .500, at 18-23. Much of the credit can go to Wandy Rodriguez, who's only 3-4 despite a 2.24 ERA.

23. Seattle Mariners (22) - Their lineup has been a pleasure for opposing pitchers, which is becoming quite a long-term trend for this team. In Felix Hernandez's 3 losses this year, he's gotten a combined 5 runs worth of run support, and 6 more runs in 3 no-decisions.

24. LA Angels of Anaheim (23) - With 2 HR in the past week, Albert Pujols might finally be coming around. The Angels desperately need that (and more). In other news, Mike Trout is coming along REAL nicely.

25. Milwaukee Brewers (24) - Zack Greinke is pitching amazingly once again, currently sitting at 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA. Unfortunately for the Brewers, he'll be a free agent at season's end, and he'll be expensive.

26. Kansas City Royals (27) - The Royals are having a rough year, but they're probably appreciative of the Twins for making them look good. That said, Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas are looking solid at the plate.

27. San Diego Padres (29) - The Padres are inching upwards, only because other teams around them are collapsing badly. The Padres are on a mini 2-game winning streak, and are 5-5 in their last 10 games.

28. Colorado Rockies (28) - Losers of 4 straight and 8 of their last 10, things really aren't looking good for the Rockies. The culprit: Their pitching, which has been easily the worst in the National League.

29. Chicago Cubs (26) - With 6 straight losses, the Cubs just keep plummeting. There are still some bright spots here and there, but this is a pretty bad team, struggling through what will be a long, lousy season.

30. Minnesota Twins (30) - The Twins are absolutely abysmal. Their team ERA is 5.43, the worst in all of baseball by almost half a run. I'm starting to run out of words to describe their futility. It's not fun.

Where did I go wrong? Let me know where you agree or disagree.

Magic Johnson Praises LeBron's Playoff Performance

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:47:00 EDT

It has been brought to my attention by the one and only Skip Bayless via Twitter that Magic Johnson has apparently called LeBron James' game against the Pacers on Sunday "one of [the] greatest performances ever." LeBron stuffed the stat sheet with 40 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists, which is a feat that, in the playoffs, has only been accomplished once before, by Elgin Baylor. LeBron was exceptional, there's no doubt about it, but I think Magic is getting great performances confused with great numbers. LeBron 's first three quarters were dominant, as they often are, but he then disappeared in the fourth quarter, as he also often does.

After his put-back dunk at the 8:11 mark of the fourth quarter, LeBron failed to score, aside from the three free throws he made after being intentionally fouled when the game was all but over. LeBron had an outstanding game through three quarters and had the Heat leading by 6 points, then Bruce Wade (Batman, get it?) said "I'll take it from here, Bron Bron." Inside of 8 minutes it seemed like every time the Pacers were closing in and the Indiana crowd was going crazy it was Wade and Udonis Haslem who kept shutting the door. Haslem! He was exceptional. It's not completely out of line to say that the elbow to the face Haslem received from Lou Amundson was the game changer. For whatever reason, Haslem came back into the game with a band-aid on his eye like a man possessed. He was just drilling those Bosh-esque mid-range jumpers with hands in his face. LeBron, on the other hand, went 0-4 inside the final 8 minutes of play. When you are playing in a close game and can't score a meaningful point in the final 8 minutes, that's not a great performance. He was forced to fall back on his teammates to get the win for him.

Now something for those of you blinded by "The King's" Veil. A common argument that all these LeBron supporters have is that we're "too hard" on Bron Bron, and that if any other player put up those numbers we wouldn't be talking about his fourth quarter disappearing act. Well, LeBron likes to call himself King, so we're gonna judge him like a king. Sure, if Udonis Haslem had put up 40 then was awful down the stretch I wouldn't knock him. But he's Udonis Haslem, and we're talking about LeBron James, possibly the most physically talented player in NBA history. To live up to his name and the hype that he created for himself ("not one... not two...") he can't just put up great numbers, he has to close out games with signature performances. I'd be significantly more impressed if he went three quarters with only 12 points, then shut the door on the Pacers in the fourth with another 12. It's not about how you start, it's about how you finish, and LeBron once again came out of the gates at light speed then got stuck in the mud.

Another note for those of you who think Bron Bron is treated unfairly, just take a look at Kobe's game from Saturday night. The Mamba put up 38 points, but all anyone talked about after the game was his poor fourth quarter performance. Granted, the Lakers lost and the Heat won, but Kobe didn't get to fall back on Dwyane Wade when he couldn't get it going. The Lakers' loss was put on Kobe's back because of his performance down the stretch, so the Heat's win can't be put on LeBron's back because of his performance down the stretch.

I'm not one of those bitter Knick fans who pouted and said "waahh I hate LeBron he didn't come to my team!" I've been anti-LeBron since he was drafted, and of course I wanted him on the Knicks, I'm not an idiot, but when he joined forces with the Heatles I became mega-anti-LeBron. The fact is, the microscope that LeBron is under is completely fair, all the superstars are looked at in a similar manner. It seems like LeBron is more harshly criticized because he's ALWAYS messing up down the stretch, unlike most of the other superstars. He put up incredible numbers on Sunday, but it was no where near an all-time great performance. Sorry Magic, there's just no way I'll agree with you on that.

PS - The 6'0'' 160 lb Darren Collison ripping the ball out of LeBron's hands was priceless.