Sunday, May 31, 2009

Completing The Journey & LeBron Talks About Loss Finally

As all of you know by now that 40 days ago I started a commitment to blog for 40 straight days. When I first started out on this venture a lot of people, including myself, believed that I didn't have the commitment to write for 40 days. However, as a co-brainchild of this blog (Franny is the other), I have come to love writing for this blog and keeping people up to date with relevant news and sports issues and letting my opinion on such issues be an influencing factor in the minds of those who read the posts.

I want to thank all the readers who tuned in every day and to those who only tuned in for one of the days in my quest. I would like to thank all the people that supported me in this venture and believed I could do it and that goes out to my good friends and writers of this blog. So a big thanks to Franny, for reading each of my posts and saying good things about them, and giving me the confidence to blog each day without the fear of sounding stupid. Also, thanks to the supporting crew: Gentlemanly Capitalism, Jen, and Mehpara Khan for believing in me. I would really like to thank my good friend MJY who tuned in for most of the posts about the NBA playoffs and commented on my facebook wall (next time just comment on the post, it's easier lol), I appreciate your thoughts MJY and go Lakers!! :)

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LeBron finally talked about not making the NBA Finals, and he insisted Cleveland's loss to Orlando will not impact his future with the Cavaliers. LeBron stormed out of Amway Arena without speaking to the media Saturday night after the Cavs were eliminated with a 103-90 loss to the Magic in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The league MVP, who also did not shake hands with Olympic teammate Dwight Howard, or congratulate any Orlando players as he left the floor, said Sunday that he's happy in Cleveland and feels the Cavs made major progress this season.

"I'm great. I feel great about this situation that's going on," LeBron said. "You want to continue to get better, that's all you can ask. We got better and I feel this team will be better next season. You don't want to take a step backward. I think we went forward from the Boston series (a Game 7 loss in the semis) last year."

"Hopefully we can go forward next year." The Cavaliers won 66 regular-season games and their second Central Division title this season. LeBron, who averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists against Orlando, said he hasn't given any thought to signing a contract extension with the Cavs this summer. Cleveland can offer the extension on July 18 (the three-year anniversary of him signing his previous deal). "I don't know," James said when asked if he'll sign. "I haven't thought about it just yet. I'm just going to take time off from basketball and not think about contracts or the game period. I'll relax with my family we'll figure out once it comes from them."

James said he sent an e-mail to Howard following Saturday's game although he did not congratulate him after the game Saturday night. "It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."

Peace and Much Love To Ya!! :)

Saturday, May 30, 2009

No Magic For Cleveland; 1 Day Left!!

Well, folks, maybe Kobe and LeBron will meet for the title in 2010 because this year, it's Superman's turn to go to the big dance. The Orlando Magic destroyed all hope for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 to earn a trip to the Finals. Overlooked and begging for respect all season, the Magic can no longer be ignored, and after 14 frustrating years of losing and disgruntled superstars, they've returned to the NBA finals.

Dwight Howard dominated inside for 40 points, while Rashard Lewis added 18 and the Magic, a team that can make 3-pointers rain like a thunderstorm out of thin air, hit 12 in a 103-90 victory over LeBron James and the Cavs in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night.

The Magic will be making their first finals appearance since 1995, one year before the other Superman, Shaquille O'Neal, bolted as a free agent for Los Angeles, leaving the Florida franchise in ruins. It's been a long, slow climb back, but Orlando has been rebuilt with a more faithful Superman and will meet those same Lakers on Thursday night at the Staples Center for Game 1 of the NBA finals, in the battle of Disney World vs. Disneyland, ok not really but it's fun to say.

Oh, and memo to Nike executives: It's time to break out the Dwight Howard puppet (not possible 'cause he's endorsed by Adidas). LeBron's can go in summer storage. For now, the only matchup between LeBron James and Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant will have to be limited to those cute TV commercials. I'm really gonna miss those commercials though.

With the city's most famous athlete, Tiger Woods, sitting courtside, Orlando made believers of all those who wondered if they were better than the Cavaliers, a team that won 66 games in the regular season.

LeBron scored 25 in his worst game of the series, but the Chosen One was magnificent for most of it, adding to a legacy still in its early stages. However, the league MVP had to do most of the work alone, as Mo Williams (17 points) lost his shooting touch (maybe it flew away in LeBron's pregame chalk?) and Cleveland's bench was badly outplayed by Orlando's reserves. Delonte West did add 22 points for the Cavs though.

During the closing minutes, LeBron was mocked by Orlando's crowd chanting "M-V-P" as Howard shot free throws. And after Superman muscled underneath for a thunderous dunk with 2:21 left, the crowd moved into finals mode chanting, "Beat L.A.!" Howard's one flaw has been his free-throw shooting, but he made 12 of 16 in Game 6.

The Magic's season hasn't been without its share of turmoil. All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson sustained a season-ending shoulder injury in early February, a setback that at the time seemed as if it would prevent Orlando from doing anything special this year. But general manager Otis Smith acquired guard Rafer "Skip To My Lou" Alston in a trade with Houston. Alston, a former playground legend, fit in perfectly. Then, following Game 5 of the Boston series, Howard called out Van Gundy for not getting him the ball enough and challenged his coaching. The Magic shook that off too, winning two straight, including Game 7 on Boston's home floor.

In the conference finals, they beat Cleveland with a devastating mix of inside power and outside firepower. Everything that could go wrong did in the first half for the Cavs. They couldn't stop Superman in the paint and when Cleveland's defense focused its efforts on containing him, the Magic worked the ball around the arc and took turns launching 3-pointers. On Cleveland's last possession before halftime, LeBron, who didn't score in the period, drove the lane and missed a runner while being knocked to the floor. He sat there in disbelief, looking for a foul, looking lost, looking for some hope. Cleveland's coaching staff stormed off barking at the officiating crew and coach Mike Brown was issued a technical foul.

When the final horn sounded, LeBron could only pull out his jersey and walk slowly off the floor just as he did last year in the Eastern Conference finals after losing Game 7 in Boston. As great as LeBron was, this just wasn't his season, and once again Cleveland fans will feel nothing but heartache as they wait for a team to end the city's 45-year championship drought. The city of Orlando just had a little bit more Magic in them.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Friday, May 29, 2009

Kobe Leads Lakers Back To The Finals; 2 Days Left

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, are headed back to the NBA Finals after beating the Denver Nuggets 119-92 in game 6 on Friday night. Kobe had a lot of scoring help from his supporting cast once again, mainly from, Trevor Ariza, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom as the Lakers shot 57.3 percent from the field to avoid having to play a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals back at the Staples Center. Odom and Gasol both scored 20 points and Ariza had 17, and the Lakers made all 24 of their free throws.

A hobbled Melo led the way for the Nuggets with 25 points and J.R. Smith added 24, but Denver trailed for all but a few seconds and never mounted a serious charge after halftime, although they kept hitting 3-pointers. Kobe didn't wait for the fourth quarter Friday night to give the Nuggets, who had posted eight postseason blowouts, a taste of their own medicine. He scored 11 points in a decisive 21-7 run that gave the Lakers a 53-40 halftime lead, which took the buzz out of the Pepsi Center and the air out of the Nuggets like they had taken a punch to gut. Kobe would end the night with his stat line stuffed by 35 points, 10 assists (see he CAN pass people!!), and 6 rebounds

The Lakers will finally get some much-needed and much-deserved rest after playing every other day over the course of a grueling two weeks. These Lakers, who are headed to their record 30th NBA Finals and are seeking their 15th title, are a more grizzled group, but are also more bruised and battered, than the one that fell to Boston in the finals last year. Instead of cruising through the West like last year; this time, the Lakers survived an arduous seven-game semifinal series against Houston and a very physical battle in 6 games against Denver.

The Lakers will face either Orlando or Cleveland in the finals. The Magic lead 3-2 and can clinch the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night at home in Game 6 and prevent the Kobe Bryant/Lebron James final that has all basketball fans (even casual ones) and corporate sponsors in a frenzy. The finals begin Thursday, at Los Angeles if Orlando wins, and at Cleveland if the Cavaliers prevail in their quest to rise from the brink of elimination.

Random Stuffs
- Los Angeles also became the first team to make consecutive NBA Finals appearances since the Pistons in '04 and '05.

- With Friday's loss, the Nuggets have now dropped eight straight contests when faced with playoff elimination. It's the longest such streak for any team in NBA history.

- Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 35 points and 10 assists, and now has scored at least 500 points in four different postseasons. Only Michael Jordan, who accomplished the feat eight times, has done it more.

- George Karl fell to 0-10 in postseason series after losing Game 1, the worst such record in NBA history.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

*Note: I realize in my last post I made an error when I said that the Magic had 2 chances to end their series with Cleveland early, when in fact they only have one chance to end it early. I apologize to everyone for the misinformation.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

LeBron Sends It Back To Orlando; 3 Days Left

"You ain't gonna win in my house" that's what Lebron James' play in game 5 seemed to speak to the Orlando Magic as he refused to let the Cleveland Cavaliers' season come to an end on Thursday night.

With Cleveland's sensational season on the line, LeBron had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, and Mo Williams, who boldly predicted his team would come back and win this series which looked one sided, finally showed up to play and added 24 points in the Cavaliers' 112-102 victory over the Orlando Magic. For Cleveland, a city banking on LeBron to deliver a championship after a 45-year drought, the MVP was again in a league of his own. LeBron scored 21 points in the second half (17 in the fourth quarter) and had a hand in 29 of Cleveland's 34 points in the final 12 minutes.

It's back to Florida for Game 6 on Saturday night at amped-up Amway Arena. The Magic overcame a 22-point deficit but missed their first opportunity to close out the Cavaliers, who are trying to become just the ninth team since 1947 to rally and win a series after being down 3-1, the Magic now have 2 more chances to end this series early, to reach the NBA finals for the first time since 1995.

Hedo Turkoglu had 29 points to lead the Magic, while Dwight Howard had 24 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 2:22 remaining when he was called for his sixth personal foul while trying to stop the LeBron on a drive.

Even Superman couldn't deny the Chosen One, and this time Mo-Will, his trusty side-kick all year finally showed up in the postseason to help out the Chosen One. As did Zydrunas Ilgauskus (16 points), Delonte West (13 points), and Daniel Gibson (11 points) who had two key momentum swinging 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

The Magic have twice ended series on the road this postseason, winning a Game 6 in Philadelphia in the first round and a Game 7 in Boston to make it to the conference finals. For a while it looked like Orlando might do it again, taking a 79-78 lead into the fourth quarter, but LeBron had other plans. He picked up his first assist of the period on a 3-pointer by Williams and his second on a 3 by Gibson. Cleveland then turned to the Chosen One every time down on offense, spreading the floor and forcing the Magic to defend him. If he wasn't backing down the lane, he was getting to the charity stripe or setting his teammates up from the perimeter. He also had four rebounds and four assists in the final quarter. Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said it best, "The game is basically, all LeBron, all the time."

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Lakers Bounce Back To Take The Lead; 4 Days Left

The Los Angeles Lakers owned the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets, Wednesday night. Now they have a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. Kobe changed his approach for the game and dared the Nuggets to double team him. With Kobe luring double coverage then passing to his teammates, the Lakers owned the fourth quarter in a 103-94 victory.

"It was a big gamble for me coming in, but I wanted to change my approach this game and be more of a decoy," Kobe said after the game, "The past couple games they really were loading to my side and I figured I could be a decoy and try to give chances to my teammates."

Kobe scored an efficient 22 points (he took just 13 shots) and added 8 assists, several of them out of double-teams in the fourth quarter. Lamar Odom had 19 points and 14 rebounds despite an aching lower back and Pau Gasol added 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers' front court finally showed up to play and took the pressure off of Kobe.

Game 6 is Friday in Denver, where the Lakers lost Game 4 by 19 points. Melo led the Nuggets Wednesday night with 31 points, hitting 12 of 13 free throws, while Chauncey Billups and K-Mart each added 12 a piece.

The teams were tied after the first, second and third quarters for just the fourth time in NBA playoff history. So it all came down to the final 12 minutes of the game. The trio of Kobe, Odom and Pau teamed for all but seven of the Lakers' 27 points in the fourth. They opened on an 11-0 run for their first lead of the second half and it was capped by a jumper from Shannon Brown that beat the shot clock. The Nuggets came storming back and used a 13-6 run to close it to 93-89 as Linas Kleiza scored 7 straight and Melo added 6 in the run. But then the Lakers regained control and finished off the victory. They improved to 20-0 in Game 5's at home when a series is tied 2-2.

Melo hit a jumper to get Denver to 96-91 with 1:24 remaining. But the Nuggets went cold from the field over the final 3:38, and the Lakers capitalized at the line. Los Angeles outscored Denver 10-5 in that span, including making six of eight free throws. This time, it was Denver coach George Karl's turn to complain about the officiating, after Lakers coach Phil Jackson and his organization were fined $25,000 each for griping after Game 4 about the officiating."I thought they got the benefit of the whistle," Karl said. "Every player in my locker room is frustrated, from guards to big guys. Gasol goes after at least 20 jump shots, 20 shots to the rim and gets one foul; our big guys have 16. Nene has six fouls, three or four of them don't exist."

Denver returns home needing a victory to send the series back to Los Angeles for a Game 7 on Sunday. However, history is on the Lakers' side. They haven't lost a best-of-7 series that was tied 2-2 after winning Game 5 since the 1969 NBA finals against Boston.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Magic Takes Control; 5 Days Left

It took an overtime session, but the Orlando Magic defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers by a final score of 116-114 Tuesday night. The series will now shift back to Cleveland for Game 5, where the Cavs now have their backs against the wall and face a situation where they must win three consecutive games.

Dwight Howard scored 10 points in overtime and the Magic rained threes like it was a Florida thunderstorm, to withstand 44 points and a last-second shot by LeBron James, to take a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals, and only need one more win to advance to the NBA finals for the first time since 1995. Howard finished with 27 points, 14 rebounds and again made his free throws (7 of 9) for the resilient Magic, who made a team record 17 3-pointers (11 after halftime). Rafer Alston had 26 points, while Rashard Lewis and Mikael Pietrus (off the bench) added 17 points each for the Magic.

LeBron James was spectacular again, scoring 44 points on 13-of-29 shooting, including a three-pointer to bring Cleveland within one in the final seconds of overtime, he also added 12 rebounds and seven assists, but he had eight turnovers for the Cavs, whose season of a lifetime is slipping away right before their eyes.

After Lewis made one of two free throws with 3.2 seconds left to give the Magic the 116-114 lead, the Cavs had one final chance; and every person inside Amway Arena and millions watching on TV knew who was going to get it, LeBron James. The league MVP, who saved the Cavs with a 3-pointer at the final horn in Game 2, was double-teamed on the inbounds pass but still managed to get free. He came back and got the ball before dribbling into the frontcourt as Magic fans held their collective breath. James then rose from 35 feet, and with a clean look at the basket, sent his shot toward the rim as the silent crowd could only gaze. It fell short, and Cleveland's dream season may be next.

Cleveland's Mo Williams, who guaranteed the Cavs would win Game 4 and the series, scored 18 points, and none after the third quarter. Delonte West added 17 and Zydrunas Ilgauskus had 12 as the Cavs struggled all night to find secondary scorers. Following the game, Magic fans chanted "One more win." And history is on the Magic's side heading into Game 5. Teams with a 3-1 lead are a staggering 182-8 in series dating back to 1947. All Cleveland fans can do now is hope their team can rise from the ashes.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Monday, May 25, 2009

Nuggets Crush Lakers; 6 Days Left

The Denver Nuggets evened the Western Conference finals at 2 games a piece after they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101 Monday night in game 4 despite a gimpy Carmelo Anthony.

Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith scored 24 points each and Kenyon Martin posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Melo battled himself all night to post a hard-fought 15 points as the Nuggets posted their eighth blowout win of the postseason but their first one against Los Angeles following three games that came down to the final seconds.

The Nuggets didn't need to worry about silly mistakes like the botched inbounds passes in the closing seconds that cost them wins in Games 1 and 3, although Kobe had another monster fourth quarter in a furious attempt to re-energize his team and insert some confidence within them now that the series shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 5 Wednesday night. Kobe, who is averaging 37 points a game in the series, scored 34, including 14 in the fourth quarter. He put a scare into the Nuggets and their fans until J.R. Smith hit back-to-back dagger 3-pointers for a 113-96 cushion.

Melo's shooting slump continued as he went 3-for-16 and missed his first 10 shots. To make matters worse, he rolled his right ankle in the first half. At the break, he needed fluids and had his ankle retaped, then returned with a dogged determination to help the Nuggets however he possibly could to pull even in the series.

Kobe and Pau (21 points) kept the Lakers in close most of the game. The Lakers cut a 16-point deficit to 102-92 on four Bryant free throws with 3:49 left thanks to technicals on K-Mart and Melo. But the Nuggets relied on a balanced attack with Melo ailing (seven players scored in double digits) and while they still didn't shoot very good from the floor (44 percent), they did work the ball around for better looks, attacked the lane more and got to the charity stripe (49 free throws). This accomplished exactly what all those misfirings couldn't in Game 3 to energize the raucous Pepsi Center crowd. The Nuggets, who haven't lost back-to-back home games all season, were coming off their first loss in the Mile High City since March 9.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Chinese Investment Could Help Keep LeBron In Cleveland?; 7 Days Left

Many believe that the chances of LeBron James remaining in Cleveland are very slim since New York is the world's biggest media market and LeBron is the most marketable athlete in sports, and the Knicks have taken steps to give him a max contract in 2010. However his chances of staying in Cleveland could increase if part of the team is sold to a Chinese investment group. Majority owner of the Cavs, Dan Gilbert reportedly has a tentative agreement in place with Chinese investors that would allow them to purchase a stake in the franchise. The group is led by JianHua (Kenny) Huang, a Chinese businessman who has become successful by linking American and Chinese companies. Huang and several of his partners were in Cleveland and attended Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals this week. They were all in Gilbert's courtside box Friday night to watch LeBron James hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to even the series with the Orlando Magic at one game apiece.

Such a deal would give the Cavaliers more capital, as well as position the team for new business ventures in China. Another perspective is that a move to bring in an additional investor indicates that Gilbert, who owns Quicken Loans, has been hit financially by the mortgage crisis in the U.S. "What Gilbert is acknowledging with this move is: a. Unlike James Dolan, Gilbert doesn't have the financial ability alone to handle the task of paying LeBron a king's ransom and keeping a championship team around him for the long term; b. The Knicks and New York are a very, very serious threat," Alan Hahn of Newsday writes in his blog.

Hahn also points out that Kobe Bryant has become "the biggest NBA star in China and there aren't any Chinese-based investors in the Lakers that made that so." Everyone is aware that LeBron has an ambition to become the first billion dollar athlete and in order to do so he needs to be marketed globally and not exclusively within the U.S. If this does go through it will open up James' profile to a huge overseas market even more so than it is. If the deal goes through, Chinese fans could start to feel a connection to James, and it could expand his business interests by remaining with the Cavs past next season when his contract with the team expires.

In other words, there is great potential in being with a franchise that has a deep relationship to China, maybe even more valuable than just playing in the largest market in America. "You have to think globally," LeBron said recently of his business interests. "I have a lot of fans in China, and they're important to me." LeBron and Nike, by far his largest sponsor, have been on a mission to create a bond with the Chinese since the three years before last summer's Beijing Olympics. James has made four visits to China, one with the Cavs as part of a preseason trip in 2007.

With basketball exploding in popularity among millions of young Chinese with exponentially growing buying power, LeBron has targeted opportunities in the Far East to make the same kind of marketing impact in modern China that Michael Jordan had in the United States in the late 1980s and 1990s. Only the market in China operates on a dramatically larger scale. Becoming the Jordan of China, from a marketing standpoint, would probably allow James to reach his goal of someday becoming the first billionaire athlete.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Angels & Demons; 8 Days Left

Saturday afternoon Franny and I went to go see the movie adaptation of Angels and Demons, since we're both fans of the novel by Dan Brown, and here's what I thought about the movie. Forget all the talk about whether or not it's anti-Catholic, forget the bestseller status of the novel, forget what you saw in The Da Vinci Code. Strip all that away from your mind and you'll see Angels & Demons for what it really is: a surprisingly entertaining journey through Rome and it's beautiful scenery, and a National Treasure like adventure story. And you know what? There is nothing wrong with that.

Here's the basic story. Tom Hanks is back for his role as Robert Langdon (The Da Vinci Code), a seemingly atheist scholar and an expert on secret societies and symbols, (in particular the hidden history of the Catholic church). While the events of The Da Vinci Code have certainly not endeared Langdon to Church leadership (though Angels & Demons was written as a prequel to The Da Vinci Code it is presented as a chronological sequel) they, the Church's collective mind, see him as a "formidable" opponent and an excellent authority on elements of Church history that they themselves know very little about. So when four Cardinals are kidnapped by a group claiming to be the Illuminati, who promise to publicly execute one Cardinal per hour before bombing the entire Vatican at the fifth hour, Langdon is called in to help.

Recognizing the fact that cooperation will get him long-denied access to the Vatican archives, Langdon agrees to help and is quickly whisked away to Rome, his task being to piece together the secret pathway to the ancient Illuminati meeting place where he believes the bomb (antimatter stolen from a particle accelerator) is being stored. The path is supposed to take him through four churches, each of which will be the execution site of one Cardinal. Got that? Four churches and four dead old guys, followed by one big boom unless Langdon can figure out the puzzle and put a stop to it, to sum it all up :).

Ewan MacGregor is a fantastic choice in a key role, and turns in his typical solid work. Also strong is Stellan Skarsgaard, as the head of the Swiss Guard charged with Vatican security. While the best supporting character is the casting of Nikolaj Lie Kaas as the brutally efficient assassin hired by the behind-the-scenes villains to carry out their plot. To be a good hero you've got to have a compelling and worthy adversary, and in Lie Kaas Angels & Demons has a spectacular one.

Angels & Demons is a great big popcorn film that just wants to entertain you unlike The Da Vinci Code and it does so surprisingly well. It's very different from the book and some characters won't be familiar because names have been changed to go along with the actors portraying them. That is why going in you have to keep an open mind and realize that it's not going to be like the book because it's on a different platform. The book was supposed to keep you reading and fill your head with intellegently thought out conspiracy theories. While that is still in the film, the film's main purpose is to give viewers a turbulent experience with intense action and a beautiful backdrop. It's not the best adaptation of a book but it did reflect most of the main points in the novel. You won't be disappointed if you go watch it, but you might be if you go in with the preconceived notion that it's going to be exactly like the book.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Friday, May 22, 2009

LeBron Evens The Series; 9 Days Left

After being unfairly criticized by many so called "experts" for passing the ball to Delonte West for the potential game winning shot and not taking it himself in game 1. LeBron James heard everything from, his team sucks and he should've taken the final shot, to LeBron can't handle the pressure of a game winning shot in the final seconds of a game. Friday night, LeBron shut them all up and the doubters were left with their jaws clamped tight and had nothing to say, for once.

LeBron made a fadeaway 3-pointer over Orlando's Hedo Torkoglu as the final buzzer sounded Friday night to give the Cavaliers some life in the postseason, as their playoffs were a heartbeat away from major trouble, a 96-95 victory over the Orlando Magic in game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals to tie up the series at 1 game a piece.

From 23 feet -- matching his jersey number -- LeBron made a shot unlike any before in Cleveland history. Taking the inbounds pass from, Mo Williams, LeBron only had time to turn his shoulders toward the basket and fire. As the shot dropped in, James sprinted into the arms of his teammates as 20,562 stunned fans hugged each other in disbelief. In the past, this was the kind of shot that happened against the Cavs. Remember Michael Jordan's shot over the Cavs' Craig Ehlo? Well now it's time for Cleveland to have those shots go their way and it's all because of the Chosen One, LeBron James.

One second before LeBron's shot, Turkoglu had hit a 12-footer to give the Magic, who overcame a 23-point deficit in the first half, a 95-93 lead. Mike Brown called a timeout for the Cavs and set up a play for LeBron, the league's MVP who finished with 35 points. James darted toward the basket to get some room on Turkoglu and then cut back near the top of the circle before letting go of the shot of his life. After seeing LeBron's only 3-pointer of the game fall, Mo Williams dropped to his knees and pounded the floor with his right hand as The Q shook to its core.

Rashard Lewis scored 23 points and Turkoglu had 21 for the Magic. Dwight Howard only scored 10 points but had 18 rebounds for the Magic. LeBron had 35 points and 5 assists, Mo Williams had 19 points and Zydrunas Ilguakas had 12 points and 15 rebounds for Cleveland.

Like the chalk LeBron famously blows above his head before every game, Cleveland's season was on the verge of disappearing into thin air. Their offense was wack and their defence was not up to its usual intensity as the Cavs let the Magic come back from a 23 point deficit. Until LeBron, the hometown kid from down the Interstate in nearby Akron wearing the same number of his boyhood idol Michael Jordan, who was a Cavs killer, restored their confidence that this might finally be Cleveland's season with a shot that will forever be remembered.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Thursday, May 21, 2009

A Magical Wednesday In Cleveland & Denver Strikes Gold In L.A.; 10 Days Left

The last two days NBA fans have seen some awesome games that went right down to the wire. First, it was the Orlando Magic who toppled the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were undefeated in the playoffs coming into game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Orlando went into the second half with a 15-point deficit and the game looked like it was over, but they fought back and delivered Cleveland their first loss of the postseason. Rashard Lewis had the game-winner to give the Magic a 107-106 win.

"It's a big victory," said Dwight Howard, who broke one of the shot clocks with a dunk in the opening minutes. "We kept fighting the whole game. We kept believing we could win." Indeed Dwight, the win was huge for the Magic as they have the Cavs on their heels after an improbable game 1 win.

LeBron James was magnificent with 49 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but the league MVP walked off the floor with a slight limp (apparently because of severe cramps he played through in the 4th quarter) after Cleveland's stunning loss (just its third in 46 home games). Lewis made a 3-pointer with 14.7 seconds left and the Magic, who dethroned the 2008 champion Boston Celtics in the previous round, survived two shots by Cleveland in the final seconds. Mo Williams missed a jumper off a jump ball as the horn sounded and the Cavs fell to 8-1 in the postseason.

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Thursday night, The Lakers' 24-year playoff domination of the Denver Nuggets came to an end. Kenyon Martin hit a layup in traffic with 29 seconds left and Chauncey Billups made 3 of 4 free throws to give Denver a 106-103 victory in Game 2 on Thursday night to even the Western Conference finals. In the process Denver got it's first-ever playoff win against the Lakers, which owned an 11-0 record dating to 1985, the second-longest postseason winning streak against one team in NBA history.

Carmelo Anthony had 34 points and 14 rebounds, Billups had 27 points and 4 assists and Linas Kleiza added 16 points off the bench. Nene finished with six points, nine rebounds and six assists. Kobe led the Lakers with 32 points, including making all 10 of his free throws, Trevor Ariza scored a career playoff-high 20 points, and Pau Gasol had 17 points and 17 rebounds for the Lakers, who dropped to 7-2 at Staples Center in the playoffs this season.

The Nuggets recovered from poor free throw shooting that cost them in a two-point loss in Game 1 to make 17 consecutive foul shots until Billups missed one with 4 seconds remaining. He hit the second to seal the victory.

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I am a huge fan of Nike not only for it's clothing and shoes but also because they have the best ad campaigns ever and this week they launched their new basketball ad campaign with the following commercials, they're freaking hilarious!!

Puppet Chalk



Three Rings



Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

BoSox Looking At Their Options, Papi Breaks Out Of Funk; 11 Days Left

Boston reportedly is interested in catcher Victor Martinez to help carry the offensive load because of David Ortiz's struggles. Cleveland Indians General Manager, Mark Shapiro, is talking to general managers around the league about possible trades, but it's not about subtracting players in preparation for next year. "We're doing everything we can to get better for this year," Shapiro said.

The Indians hold affordable club options on them for 2010 - $9 million for Cy Young winner Cliff Lee (whom the Mets are reportedly interested in) and $7.2 million for Martinez. If Martinez is traded this year, his base salary for 2010 would increase to $7.7 million. Now this deal wouldn't be financially bad for the BoSox and it would be financially great for the Indians if they don't start winning. There's two problems, one if the BoSox acquire Martinez they will have to undoubtedly shop fan favourite and current BoSox catcher Jason Varitek elsewhere to make room for Martinez. Two they will have to give up prospects since Cleveland will only move Martinez for financial reasons and won't look to acquire big contracts.

Well the BoSox may not have to worry just yet, David Ortiz hit a two-run homer to straightaway center in the fifth inning Wednesday night against Toronto, his first home run in 149 at-bats. Big Papi was embraced by manager Terry Francona when arriving back in the dugout before stepping out of the dugout and waving his upraised left arm for a curtain call. If Papi is out of his funk for good then the offence will once again be stablized but getting Martinez would be a great move. As much as I love Varitek, Martinez is one of the best hitting catchers in the MLB and he's younger than Captain Clutch, after all it is a business.

Also the MLB family, particularly Diamondbacks reliever Scott Schoeneweis, suffered a tragic loss Wednesday. Schoeneweis' wife was found dead at their Fountain Hills home on Wednesday.
Gabrielle Dawn Schoeneweis, 39, was unresponsive when deputies arrived at the home a little after noon. The couple's 14-year-old daughter called deputies after finding the mother of four on the floor of her bedroom. Mrs. Schoeneweis was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigating is ongoing. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Schoeneweis family.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Clippers Win The Lottery & The Lakers Win Game 1; 12 Days Left

No not the kind where one wins money, but they did win the right to draft the first selection in the 2009 NBA draft, moving up from the third-best chance to earn the top pick and the right to draft Blake Griffin, the national college player of the year from Oklahoma University.

This is how the rest of the lottery went:

1. Los Angeles Clippers
2. Memphis Grizzlies
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Washington Wizards
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
7. Golden State Warriors
8. New York Knicks
9. Toronto Raptors
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. New Jersey Nets
12. Charlotte Bobcats
13. Indiana Pacers
14. Phoenix Suns

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lakers legend and NBA logo, Jerry West, came out yesterday and said LeBron James had surpassed Kobe Bryant as the best player in the NBA. How did Kobe respond? He went out and lifted his team to victory. Bryant scored 40 points, including six free throws in the final 30 seconds, to lead the Lakers to a 105-103 come from behind victory over the Nuggets in Game 1 on Tuesday. He did it even with an injury, Kobe had the right ring finger on his shooting hand taped after the game. He dislocated it against the Cavs in January and had to have it popped back in place Tuesday.

Carmelo Anthony scored 39 points on 14-20 shooting and Billups added 18 for the Nuggets, who hadn't played since taking care of Dallas in five games last Wednesday. Game 2 is Thursday at Staples Center. The Nuggets have lost 11 consecutive playoff games to the Lakers, including a first-round sweep last season. This series could go the distance if Tuesday was any indication of what is to come but if Kobe continues to do what he did Tuesday, he could finish it quickly.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

*Note: Team names are coloured in their principle team colour why? just 'cause I wanted to :P

Monday, May 18, 2009

Remember The Rising Tied?; 13 Days Left

No? don't worry you're not the only one who can't remember Mike Shinoda's alter ego Fort Minor and the one rap album he came out with. Since there was nothing of note going on in my world I decided to go through my CD collection and through all the Tupac, Lupe, Nas, Common, B.I.G., The Game etc... in my rap collection I found (a very dusty) Fort Minor CD and decided to listen to it. Not surprisingly, I really enjoyed it and remembered why I had bought it, and that was because the CD was fucking awesome.

When Linkin Park's hip-hop savvy, Mike Shinoda, decided to delve into a rap project on the side in 2005 and assumed the name Fort Minor, critics laughed up his venture as a genre-bending gimmick and didn't take him seriously. Then everyone heard "Remember The Name" and they did (for a while anyway). Shinoda really didn't have to worry much about microphone finesse. Regardless of your feelings about Linkin Park's musical taste, Shinoda is actually quite nice on the mic. "Remember The Name" exposes the rapper in bright lights, an artificial pulse developing his aggressive flow on the mic in a very formidable fashion. It's still a bit more rock oriented than pure hip-hop grit, but the delivery is fluid and confident.

Mike's undeniable passion for hip-hop is evident throughout The Rising Tied. His indulgence in retro-rap flava was on full display on the first single, "Petrified." With its hard-hitting soundclash, "Petrified" is the sonic equivalent of getting brushed off the plate with a high fastball. Not a surprise from an artist who's seated on the opposite end of violent rap. In fact, he ridicules commonplace gangsterisms on "Cigarettes" ("everyone exaggerates a tiny little bit, make that shit sound a lot more gangster than it really is”).

The album really has it's moments. "Kenji", a sharp recounting of Shinoda's family history during the U.S. internment of the Japanese during WWII, has a rolling bassline that runs through the track that works well with the seriousness of the lyrics; and "Slip Out The Back" are some really catchy, yet melodic and emotional rap songs with deep meanings. Most of the songs are pretty original, and some songs have a rock edge as a nice balance to the CD. For example, "Believe Me" is a song that could very easily be used in a Linkin Park album; the chorus is sung very well (even sounds like Chester Bennington singing it) and flows perfectly with the couplets.

The Rising Tied didn't break any new grounds in the rap game, but it’s loaded with melodies that tug and bang at the same time. Overall, Fort Minor comes across as fluent in the edgy rhetoric of hip-hop.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Sunday, May 17, 2009

"Superman" And "La Bamba" Move On; 14 Days Left

The Orlando Magic knocked off the Boston Celtics 101-82 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Sunday night in Boston. Hedo Turkoglu led the way with a game-high 25 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds, Dwight Howard posted 12 points and 16 boards, and Rashard Lewis added 19 points and 6 rebounds in the win.

The Magic outscored the Celtics by ten in the first quarter, and closed the game out with a 35-21 edge in the final period. Ray Allen had a team-high 23 points on 9-for-18 shooting, Rajon Rondo tallied 10 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds, and Paul Pierce contributed 16 points in the season-ending loss. Pierce was held scoreless for a period of thirty minutes, and struggled from the field (4-for-13) once again.

The Magic's reward for defeating the Boston Celtics? an Eastern Conference finals match up with the undefeated (in the playoffs anyway) Cleveland Cavaliers and 2009 season MVP LeBron James. Superman versus the Chosen One should be an interesting battle but look for LeBron to take over if his teammates can't get the job done 'cause unlike Dwight Howard, LeBron is very adeft at creating his own shot and taking control.

The Lakers earlier in the day, defeated the Houston Rockets 89-70 on Sunday afternoon in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series. Pau Gasol starred with 21 points and 18 rebounds, Trevor Ariza posted 15 points and 5 boards, and Kobe "La Bamba" Bryant added 14 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. The Lakers won the rebounding battle by 22, and attempted four more foul shots in the deciding game.

Aaron Brooks scored a team-high 13 points on 4-for-13 shooting, Luis Scola tallied 11 points and 6 rebounds, and Ron Artest contributed 7 points, 8 boards and 5 assists in the loss. The Rockets forced 19 turnovers, but were outplayed thoroughly in all other aspects against the Lakers.

At the start of the postseason everyone believed that the Lakers were heads above all the other teams in the Western Conference would cruise to the finals much like the Cavaliers have been doing in the east. However, the Lakers were taken to game 7 by a Rockets team far inferior in talent (they were missing their top 2 scorers in Yao and T-Mac) but heaps ahead in terms of heart.

The Lakers will face the, number 2 seed in the West, Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. Denver has gone under the radar during the playoffs but they are a dangerous team offensively that will be able to keep up with the Lakers plus their interior defence is rugged and tough. Kenyon Martin, Nene, and Chris Anderson (or K-Mart, Nene, and Birdman to Nuggets fans) are tough in every sense of the word and won't back down from the Lakers. Seriously the Nuggets look more like thuggish gang, with everybody adorning tattoos and a street-like demeanour, than a basketball team. If the Nuggets win I won't be surprised because they are a team that plays on both sides of the ball and once their offence gets going their defence gets better too, plus they have the best PG left in the playoffs, and 2004 Final's MVP, in Chauncey "Mr. Big Shot" Billups.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

*Note: Kobe's real nickname is the Black Mamba the above is a play on words of his nickname and how many shots he takes


Saturday, May 16, 2009

21st Century Breakdown; 15 Days Left


The title of this post is the title of Green Day's new album, and since I have to have everything first :P I copped one at HMV yesterday (first day of release!) as soon as I rolled out of bed (seriously, I still had bedhead). Why? you ask; because Green Day are one of my all time favorite bands and since I haven't heard anything new from them in 3 years!! I had to get it and also I kinda got tired of repeatedly listening to Dookie, Insomniac, and American Idiot although I still love those albums.

The expectation following American Idiot is immense, and it’s far from an overstatement to say that the pressure to deliver another solid album has never been greater for the band, many critics had written them off and many don't expect much from the new album. However, Green Day are back just as they left, better than ever. 21st Century Breakdown completes the band’s transformation from punk revivalists into unapologetic classic-rock icons.

21st Century Breakdown is divided into three acts, as a concept album each act loosely follows a young couple, Christian and Gloria. The first act, “Heroes and Cons,” immediately introduces reactionary lyrics of dissent against a government’s restrictive and oppressive policies in classic Green Day fashion.

The second act, “Charlatans and Saints,” opens with a track titled, “East Jesus of Nowhere,” a song that attacks religious fundamentalism, which Billie Joe Armstrong addresses as “the church of wishful thinking,” adding, “The sirens of decay will infiltrate the faith fanatics.” The following track, “Peacemaker,” continues the album’s violent themes, and the song stands as one of the best on the first half of the record.

The final act, “Horseshoes and Handgrenades,” kicks off with a song by the same name that quite possibly bears the closest resemblance to classic Green Day. The opens with the line, “I’m not fucking around,” before later commanding, “Don’t you fuck me around because I’ll shoot you down/I’m gonna drink, fight and fuck and pushing my luck all the time now.” The song comes heavy with the guitar as forceful as its lyrics, and gives the album a sense of urgency. The next set of songs retreat into lighter guitar riffs, but remain lyrically diligent, with “The Static Age” Green Day launch an attack at the senselessness of modern advertising: “Are what you own that you cannot buy?” the final act peaks with the track, “Mass Hysteria,” enhancing the themes of anger and desperation that fuel the final act: “I don’t want to live in the modern world.”

“See the Light,” the album’s last song, serves as the story’s final resolution. It recaps the emotional battles that the characters overcame, and offers one last plea for hope as 21st Century Breakdown fades out: “I just want to see the light, I don’t want to lose my sight/I just want to see the light, I need to know what’s worth the fight.”

If you’re able to put aside your preconceived notions about how a Green Day album should sound, you’re likely to hear something that is unique and creative, because this isn't old school Green Day and they've evolved into a different type of band while still remaining true to themselves. It’s not the most artistic album of the year, nor is it the most musically sound Green Day album but it is the most well balanced, creative piece of work that Green Day has ever released. Once again listeners will be saying to themselves "how can they ever top this?" Like always, Green Day has raised the bar for themselves.

Here's the first single off the album, "Know Your Enemy", Enjoy!! :)



Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Friday, May 15, 2009

Manny Not On HCG?; 16 Days Left

Manny Ramirez's system found no trace of the medicine HCG at the time of his drug test, three sources with specific knowledge of the results have told the LA Times. It was a prescription for the drug HCG (which is a non-steroid but banned by Major League Baseball) that led to Manny's 50-game suspension for violating the major league's drug policy.

One of the sources with knowledge of the test results confirmed that the outfielder's urine sample was flagged for having an unusually elevated synthetic testosterone level, more than four times that of the average male. The sources also said that MLB's decision to suspend Manny would have happened only if the report showed a banned substance. Anti-doping experts said the absence of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), coupled with the league's suspension, indicates that Manny used steroids and not HCG like he claimed.

Manny was suspended for "just cause" based on "non-analytical evidence" and for which a "therapeutic use" exemption was available but was never requested. Once Major League Baseball had the prescription, Manny dropped his appeal and was suspended. When his suspension was announced, Manny said in a statement that his doctor, "gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me." Ramirez has not publicly commented since but on Friday, Manny apologized to his teammates for his 50-game suspension. It marked the first time he had addressed his teammates since receiving the suspension for violating baseball's anti-drug policy last week. "He knows he made a mistake. I forgive him," Casey Blake said. "It's his business." The meeting only lasted a few minutes, according to the LA Times.

This a serious thing for Manny and the MLB but Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal poked fun at the so-called steroid era in sports during an interview with 790 The Zone earlier this week.

"Like me, like I've told the world before, only thing I had was Frosted Flakes: Super Enhancement Cereal. That's the only thing I've put in my body," Shaq said. "Frosted Flakes Athletic Performance Enhancement Cereal. They ain't even out yet... For all the little kids, the Performance Enhancement Cereal is you take the Frosted Flakes, and you take the Froot Loops, and you mix them together, and then you get some of them sliced bananas and you put them on that thing, and then you get a big old bowl.

"The kind of bowl if you pull out out your mother say, 'Boy, you better put that bowl back!' And, then you pour that milk... 'You better get a job eating all that milk.' Mama, we ain't got no milk. 'You better put some water on that boy!"

Reading Shaq's comments, if the roles were reversed and Shaq was the one doping these are the kind of comments we would expect Manny to have made about the situation but sadly that's not the case. However Manny has one thing in his favour that A-Rod (who admitted to using PED's) doesn't and that's the fact that people like Manny as a person so it's easier to forgive him but that doesn't mean people won't forget.

Peace and Much Love To Ya

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Master Of Panic?; 17 Days Left

There’s been a lot said lately about Magic coach Stan Van Gundy buckling under pressure. This is what Shaq said on his former coach in Miami: “I know for a fact he’s a master of panic and when it gets time for his team to go into the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic. I’ve been there before. I’ve played for him.” Combine that with the comments of current Magic center Marcin Gortat to a Polish newspaper: “The nature of our coach, he panics very often during games. He’s got some behavior which is not good for us. With his gestures he makes us nervous on the floor.” And Van Gundy sounds like a guy who can't seem to find ways to face pressure. How could it get any worse? how about your best player now calling you out.

Magic all-star center Dwight "Superman" Howard called out the coaching following Orlando’s loss to Boston in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Upset he only got 10 shots in the game and only two in the fourth quarter, Howard had this to say: “I don’t think you are going to win a lot of games when your post player only gets 10 shots. It’s tough to get yourself going and get a lot of shots without a lot of touches. We have to do a better job with that. The coaches have to recognize what’s working on the floor. Stick to it. Even if it’s half your starters on the floor. Not just the guys you have put the most trust in. You have to have trust in everybody,” Howard said, “We moved the ball, we ran, got easy shots, and our coach has to recognize when he was a certain group out there and they are getting the job done and we have to leave those guys on the floor. We are going to make mistakes, but I think you have to go with what works."

Van Gundy obviously listened as the Magic defeated the Celtics 83-75 on Thursday night to force a seventh game in their semifinal series. Dwight Howard starred with 23 points and 22 rebounds. Boston, historically, is 32-0 when up in a series 3-2 and although this series is tied 3-3 now that still applies. So it's time for Van Gundy to show that he can deal with the pressure and put all this negativity to rest. If not, Van Gundy will forever be known as the master of panic but it's not going to be easy the Celtics have experience in game 7's and Doc Rivers is definitely not a coach who folds under pressure. Although it's the player's playing let's see if Van Gundy has enough trust in his players to let them play through mistakes because if not, the players won't trust Van Gundy and if the Magic lose he may also not have a job.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Just Some Sports Tidbits; 18 Days Left

NHL

Sidney Crosby scored twice to take his NHL-leading playoff goal total to 12, and the Penguins chased rookie goalie Simeon Varlamov early in the second period while shutting down Alex Ovechkin for most of the night in a 6-2 victory over the Capitals in Game 7 on Wednesday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

NBA

The All-NBA First Team consists of LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat.

The All-NBA Second Team consists of New Orleans’ Chris Paul and Portland’s Brandon Roy at guard, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan and Boston’s Paul Pierce at forward, and Houston’s Yao Ming at center.

The All-NBA Third Team includes Denver’s Chauncey Billups and San Antonio’s Tony Parker at guard, Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Paul Gasol at forward, and Phoenix’s Shaquille O’Neal at center.

The Denver Nuggets beat the Mavericks 124-110 on Wednesday night in Game 5 to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points, while Chauncey Billups had 28 points.

NFL

Defensive end Jason Taylor has agreed to a one-year, $1.1 million deal to return to the Miami Dolphins.

MLB

Washington Nationals third baseman, Ryan Zimmerman's hit-streak was snapped at 30 games on Wednesday against the Giants.

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman, Adam LaRoche became the first player to have a home run taken away by video replay.

David Ortiz is homer-less in his last 130 at-bats, and his struggles are starting to weigh on him. "Every day," the Red Sox slugger said when asked about how often he dwells on the slump. "Every day. Sleeping. Eating. Having breakfast. It's bad. You've got guys around the league that don't even have home run swings and they're hitting home runs like crazy. You think about it. You think, whoa, what's up?"

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The Doctor Was In; 19 Days Left

During their three seasons together with the Toronto Blue Jays, Roy "Doc" Halladay taught A.J. Burnett how to harness his nasty but wild skills, how to think in the game, and how to pitch. In turn, Burnett taught Halladay that it was OK to let up a little bit between starts, OK to have some fun, and OK not to be single-minded every single day. But Doc was always the mentor and Burnett always the protege, and tonight, when they met as opponents for the first time, they reminded everyone exactly why.

Doc didn't buy into the hype of their matchup, and with an electric crowd of 43,737 fans on hand, he just focused in and methodically dissected the New York Yankees like he always does with his trademark concentration and no nonsense attitude. While the Blue Jays offence capitalized on a bout of Burnett's trademark wildness in a three-run fourth inning for a 5-1 victory.

It was a brilliant a night of baseball as Jays fans have seen in a long time, and the game lived up to every last bit of the hype. Scott Rolen hit a key 2 run double to break out of an 0 for 18 slump and Aaron Hill continued his power surge with a solo home run (his 9th on the year) as the Blue Jays won their third straight, doing it against Burnett, the pitcher who spurned them over the winter by opting out of the final two years in his US$55 million, five-year deal, eventually reaching an $82.5 million, five-year agreement with the Evil Empire. A.J. has always stated that he left because he wanted to win and the Jays just weren't good enough and that the Yankees gave him the best chance to win a title.

And the fans didn't forget, booing Burnett vehemently from the moment he took the field and greeting him in the first inning with a deafening chant of "A.J. Sucks! A.J. Sucks!." We're about one-fifth of the way through the season, it's the Blue Jays (23-12) in first place in the American League East, 6 1/2 games in front of the Yankees (15-17), and looking very legit in their first meeting with an "elite" division rival. Burnett played a very good game but the Doc was in and the master showed why he was the master and A.J. the protege.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Monday, May 11, 2009

I Told You So; 20 Days Left (Halfway Done!!)

Cars honking, stereos blaring, smiles all around, some mischief in the air, and plenty of euphoria. That was the scene after the Vancouver Canucks swept the St. Louis Blues in the first round. Now it's the scene in Chicago as the Blackhawks head to their first Western Conference Final in 14 years.

After the Canucks won in the first round everybody jumped onto the bandwagon and believed this was the year the Canucks would make it all the way and the Blackhawks would be no challenge, everyone except for me that is. I didn't believe in the Canucks to start the season and I didn't believe in them during the season and I didn't believe in them in the playoffs either. Why? because the Canucks to me are a C- team with an A+ goaltender and although goalies are supposed to be the difference makers in the playoffs the team has to play well too, oh and they let Nazzy (my favourite Canuck) go retire with the Rangers. I had seen plenty of Blackhawks game's via the internet to know they would be the Canucks worst nightmare in the playoffs. The 'Hawks are a B- team with an A- goaltender, but guess what the 'Hawks have that nobody other than the Washington Capitals really has and that the Canucks definitely don't have. I'll tell you, it's called speed and in the "fastest game on earth" it is the biggest weapon one can have. The 'Hawks are the fastest team up and down in the Western Conference; they play purely on the offensive side and utilize their biggest playmakers, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Whereas the Canucks are a slow team that doesn't have any playmakers and relies too heavily on their goaltender.

In what was the final game, it was Chicago's two stars that dominated the game and exposed the weaknesses in Vancouver's game. Kane and Toews combined for 5 goals (3 & 2 respectively) and 2 assists (1 each) in game 6 and were the reason the 'Hawks are moving on. The only way the Canucks could have beat the 'Hawks was if they were physical but that has never been Vancouver's game and every time they do try they take senseless penalties and with a fast offensive team like Chicago the last thing you want to do is play one man down. Chicago has a realistic chance to make the Cup final but they will be matched up against either the Ducks or the Red Wings and both those teams are experienced and very physical. Chicago will have to be much more poised to win against either of those teams to advance but as Vancouver has learned don't count them out.

As for Vancouver many people are disappointed and will probably jump off the bandwagon and berate the Canucks' performance, but honestly this was a team that shouldn't have made it past the first round of the playoffs. They need some serious offensive upgrades and a playmaker. The Sedin twins will probably be back but the Canucks need a guy who can create for himself and they haven't had anyone like that since Pavel Bure really.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Sunday, May 10, 2009

LeBron Takes Control; 21 Days Left

LeBron James asked Coach Mike Brown to leave him in to start the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Hawks, Brown consented and the MVP showed the Hawks why he’s considered by some the best player in the world.

LeBron was remarkable for the first three quarters, tallying 34 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in 32 minutes. However, it was the way in which he finished the game that make people think he is the second coming of Michael Jordan. It was the poise he showed in the game’s final quarter, in a hostile environment on the road, that makes LeBron James the most valuable player to his team.

With the Hawks trailing by six and nine minutes left to play, LeBron took over. He hit back-to-back fade away jumpers in the corner and looked at the Hawks bench each time as if to tell them that it was over. On the next possession, James attacked the hoop and found a wide-open Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who drew a foul and hit one of two free throws. Then, LeBron split a double team and sunk another fade away in the corner. In just two minutes, LeBron had taken all of the emotion out of the desperate Atlanta crowd. He increased the Cavs lead from 6 points to 13 points. It was obvious that there wouldn’t be a momentum change, but he wasn’t done.

On the defensive end, James knocked away an alley-oop attempt to Al Horford. He then took the ball, split another double team and passed to Delonte West, who found a wide-open Joe Smith for a jumper. Following a Josh Smith jump shot, LeBron took the in-bounds pass and went end to end for a lay-up. The Cavs were up 15 points with five minutes to play. Yes, this one was over.

LeBron finished the game just short of another triple double with 47 points, 12 rebounds, and eights assists. The phenomenal play from James has restarted the comparisons with the greatest player that ever played the game. There may never be an answer to if LeBron will be better than Jordan. But, LeBron has a long career ahead of him and it seems to be only a matter of time, maybe only a few weeks, until he wins his first championship. There is no doubt that LeBron seems ready for the opportunity.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

*Note: We here at Arbitrary Opinions just want to wish our respective mothers a very happy mother's day and let them know that we love them.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Let's Go Where No Man Has Gone Before; 22 Days Left

Since I was about the age of 9, I have always been a Star Wars fan. I would only watch Star Trek if I was bored or if it was an episode from the Original Series (1966) or The Next Generation (1987) series. However, I didn't really get into the Star Trek franchise as much as I was into the Star Wars franchise; but tonight, after watching the new Star Trek movie (directed by J.J. Abrams) I have to say it got my attention.

The movie is young and hip in a way the franchise has not been since the '60s. As far as performances go, Chris Pine is outstanding as Captain Kirk. Zachary Quinto is brilliant in creating an emotionless man without being robotic (Spock). Bruce Greenwood, Eric Bana, Karl Urban, and John Cho (woot!) are all explosive and command the attention when they're on. Simon Pegg as Scotty provides a very funny comic presence that goes beyond the easy jokes and makes every one laugh, plus his accent is awesome.

The new Star Trek movie is easily the best Trek movie since The Wrath of Khan, and a captivating adventure that grabs you from the first moment and doesn't let go. The movie's first 5-10 minutes are brilliant and had me immediately on the edge of my seat. The effects are staggering (it's J.J. Abrams, enough said) and finally what the series has deserved so richly. There are enough huge fireballs, lasers, ear shattering explosions and exciting fights to go around.

The weight of the story has always been on Kirk and Spock, and they do not disappoint, and I can safely say that I like the new Kirk. He's still Kirk, but there's more humanity to him. Old Kirk was sometimes a dick because, well, he just was. This Kirk feels a little more pity, and a little more pain. Plus he really goes out of his way to save his crew, which makes him easy to root for.

Zachary Quinto as Spock, aside from the obvious physical resemblance (he looks like the old Spock), also feels right. Quinto does a good job conveying the inner turmoil and barely suppressed emotions boiling underneath the character's surface. The only issue I have is that a lot of the character development of Spock seems to be compressed into a very short time in the movie. In one scene, Spock seems to undergo a complete attitude adjustment in about five minutes. Consumed with rage and violence one minute then suddenly, after a quick epiphany, positive and collected and ready to help in any way he can the next. It feels like they cut something out.

There are several bits that feel rushed but overall the time flies by with very few lulls in the pacing. The movie reinvigorated characters and a franchise that had, lets be honest, grown boring. More than anything else, the movie just feels so much more fun than any previous film. There's more humor, more thrills, far more energy and a much better production than anything I've seen from Star Trek since the Picard days in The Next Generation. It is a fantastic movie in it's own right, and one I would definitely recommend to a Trekkie and new fans alike.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

*Note: Leonard Nimoy was the only Original Series cast member in the movie

Friday, May 8, 2009

Blue Jays Flying High; 23 Days Left

The Toronto Blue Jays are arguably the most surprising team in baseball right now. They have ridden a hot start to a 20-12 record, the best in the AL and second in the majors behind the Dodgers. I, for one, was one of the early naysayers who assumed that the Jays would have yet another mediocre season leading to a predictable fourth place in the Al East now that the Tampa Bay "Don't Call Us Devil" Rays have emerged as contenders. I was content that this was a rebuilding year for the Jays and that before it could get better it would have to get worse and I was hoping that they could somehow magically make a third place finish. However, it's May now, and the team still looks as competitive as ever, winning close games and showing pessimists, like me, a thing or two.

The question all Jays fans have on their mind is this: will the hot streak continue, or is this just a mirage? It's hard to say. There's been a lot of things going the team's way in 2009, and it's difficult to decipher what's for real and what's not. I do know this though the Jays need a lot of things to go their way this season if the want to play baseball in October. So here are some things that need to continue:

Roy Halladay's Dominance
The Doc is having another spectacular season. With a K:BB ratio of nearly 8:1, he's well on his way to another run at the Cy Young.

Scott Richmond's Solid Starts
While I do think Richmond will settle in as a solid 4th or 5th starter, that 2.67 ERA is due to inflate.

Aaron Hill's MVP Like Play
Hill's at an age where giant steps forward with the bat happen, and while his current .352 clip is a tad high, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was still hitting .320 in September. After all, his best friend in the majors is Dustin Pedroia (reigning AL MVP) and who's to say Hill can't take the crown of MVP away from him.

Scott Downs' ERA & Jason's Frasor's ERA
Downs has quietly become the Jays best reliever over the past few seasons, and in 2009 he's taken it to a completely new level. In 15.1 innings, he's struck out twenty and is yet to walk a batter. Frasor already has four wins, and he's been pitching well, but I foresee a spike in his walk rate sometime soon; the one walk he's allowed in his 11.1 innings doesn't match up with his career numbers.

Adam Lind's & Marco Scutaro's Power Surge
Lind had a fantastic minor league career, but hadn't put it all together in the majors until now. Now that he's drawing some walks and not hacking at everything that moves, the power should be here to stay. I love the patience Scutaro's been showing in the lead-off spot, but as someone with a career high of nine home runs, I don't see him hitting the 20-25 that he's on pace for.

Kevin Millar's & Jose Bautista's Solid Bench Production
Millar's a seasoned vet who's always had a potent bat. This potency is magnified in short spurts off the bench, where he should continue to hit. Bautista's valuable to have as a utility man, but Bautista's career .242 batting average leads me to believe that the .326 he's currently at can't be sustained.

Will the Jays continue to play this well? While there are some players that are likely to regress over the course of the season there are also some players who are likely to improve. There is a chance that with a less injury-riddled rotation and some improvement from guys like Rios and Snider, the good could help cancel out the bad. Which is to say that AL East, watch out. The Jays might just be in this for the long haul.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Manny Not Being Manny; 24 Days Left

Manny Ramirez, became the fourth player this season to be suspended for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy and the first big name star. A-Rod admitted to it but won't be suspended 'cause he did it in the past, but Manny got caught in a time where baseball is hurting and is trying to rid itself of steroids era.

Manny said he did not take steroids and was given prescribed medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance. A person familiar with the details of the suspension said Ramirez used the female fertility drug HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the banned substance wasn't announced.

HCG is popular among steroid users because it can mitigate the side effects of ending a cycle of the drugs. The body may stop producing testosterone when users go off steroids, which can cause sperm counts to decrease and testicles to shrink.

Manny's suspension was based not on the test result but rather evidence obtained afterward, a second person familiar with the suspension said, speaking on condition of anonymity because those details were not released. MLB had concluded the spring test was positive, but the person said the players' association would have challenged the result because of "testing issues."

The 36-year-old Ramirez told the Dodgers and fans he was sorry for "this whole situation."

"Recently, I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me," Manny said in a statement issued by the players' union.

"Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons."

While Manny had little to say, Jose Canseco, who planned a news conference Thursday night in Los Angeles, was quick to explain why someone might use HCG. "It could be that a player used it because he used steroids and went cold-turkey and needed HCG to get his levels back to normal. I had to use it when I quit steroids cold-turkey," said Canseco, who pleaded guilty last November to trying to bring HCG across the Mexican border into the United States illegally, told The AP. "I had to go to a doctor to get it and get my levels back."

Ramirez was not mentioned in the Mitchell Report in December of 2007, the MLB's official report on drug use, and there had not been whispers that he was among the sport's juiced players. A-Rod and Manny are the two highest-paid players in the majors. With this suspension, six of the top 17 home run hitters in history now have been covered by the cloud of performance-enhancing drugs.

Manny's suspension began Thursday. Barring any postponements, he will be able to return to the Dodgers on July 3 for a game at San Diego. Ramirez will lose US$7,650,273 of his $25 million salary. Manny's agent, Scott Boras, and the players' association had gathered materials for a possible appeal to an arbitrator, but Ramirez decided not to file one because he didn't want to risk missing significant time in the second half of the season, the person familiar with details of the suspension said. The union said merely that he waived his right to contest the suspension.

In his statement, Manny addressed Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt, and manager Joe Torre. "I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans," Manny said. "LA is a special place to me, and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."

So am I Manny, so am I :(

Peace and Much Love To Ya

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

We've Seen This Before; 25 Days Left

The Boston Celtics put themselves in a hole again by losing the first game in their Eastern Conference semifinal to the Orlando Magic at home 95-90. However, Celtics fans have seen this before and although coach Doc Rivers, said it was the worst game the Celtics had played in the playoffs thus far he was optimistic of his teams chances to win the series. The Celtics are going down a familiar road as they lost homecourt in the matchup against Chicago in the first round and eventually wrestled it back to win the series with Game Seven at home.

However this is different, with no KG in this round, the tall front line of the Magic ( 7'0" Dwight Howard, 6'10" Rashard Lewis, and 6'10" Hedo Turkoglu) can have their way with the Celtics small front line. What makes the Magic's front line even scarier is that they all have freakish athleticism and Lewis and Hedo can stretch out the defence, and the Celtics' bigs out of the paint, and hit the 3 pointer or pass it to the guards who will have much more room to operate. The Celtics will have to play small and try to run against the Magic and let the guards take over the game and be physical. That's exactly what they did in game 2.

In a crucial game for the Boston Celtics, the little guys came up big. Rajon Rondo (6'0") had 15 points, 18 assists and 11 rebounds for his third triple-double of the playoffs, and Eddie House (6'1") scored a career playoff high 31 points on Wednesday night to lead Boston to a 112-94 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 2 that evened the Eastern Conference semifinals to 1-1.

Howard had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Lewis had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, but the Magic trailed all night and never had a lead.

Ray Allen added 22 points for the Celtics after having a bad game 1, while Paul Pierce has yet to show up these playoffs and only scored 3 points in 16 minutes. However, Eddie House more than picked up the slack with a career high 31 points. House even goaded Magic guard Rafer Alston into a head slap that led to a double-technical. "All I did was hit a shot, turn the other way and I got hit upside the head," House said. "I guess he was tired of getting hit upside the head."

House went 11 for 14 from the field, making all four of his three-point attempts and adding four two-pointers from at least 20 feet in 27 minutes -- the most he's played in a playoff game since he was a rookie with Miami in 2001. In the last three games, House is 18 for 24 from the field and 10 for 12 from 3-point range. If the Celtics want to keep winning they need production like that off their bench every night.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Bay & BoSox Sweep In The Bronx; 26 Days Left

The Boston Red Sox are 5-0 against the New York Yankees for the first time since 1985. Jason Bay hit a three-run homer in the first inning against Yankees starting pitcher Joba Chamberlain, and the Red Sox beat the Yankees 7-3 on Tuesday night for a two-game sweep in the first trip to the Yankees' new $1.5 billion ballpark.

"I think Jason Bay is the only guy that thought it was a nice night out there," Red Sox manager Terry Francona joked. Bay is from Trail, British Columbia and like most places in the middle to southern part of the province it rains a lot and everybody thinks all of Canada is cold. That was exactly the case as the Red Sox and Yankees battled it out in weather which was much more suited for winter sports as cold rain poured down in the latter innings of both games and made the mound slippery. However, Bay thought it was just perfect.

"I'd much rather take this," said Bay, "than 95 (35 C) and humidity, as weird as that may sound. This is a nice spring/summer day sometimes where I'm from, so, you know, I enjoy this."

Bay has been the Yankees worst nightmare this season much like the man he was traded for last season, Manny Ramirez, was for his tenure with the Red Sox. Bay has hit 10 for 18 (.556) with three homers and 10 RBIs against the Yankees this season.

The new Yankee Stadium has not been very nice to pitchers as there have been 38 home runs hit in the first 11 games, two shy of the record for the first 11 games at a big league park, which was set at Houston's Enron Field in 2000. The Yankees have reportedly talked to physicists and engineers to figure out why the new stadium is so much more hitter friendly than the old one and have been ridiculed by many media outlets on their lack of preparation in building the expensive facility.

As if that wasn't enough for the Yankees troubles they have had a tough time selling seats at the new Yankee Stadium because they are so expensive, and Tuesday night it showed. Despite an announced crowd of 46,810 many of the most expensive seats again were empty. Just 54 of the 98 first-row Legends Suite seats costing $2,500 were occupied in the first inning, and three of the first nine rows behind the plate were mostly vacant.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Happy Birthday Gentlemanly Capitalism!!

The title says it all but all of us here at AO would like to wish Gentlemanly Capitalism a Happy Birthday (we won't say how old he is since he hasn't advised us if we can) he is a valuable and integral part of our family and we just want to wish him the best.

Franny and I personally would like to wish a Happy Birthday to GC 'cause he is like a brother to us and without him our little "family" would not be complete, we would just like to remind him that we will always love him for who he is and that we appreciate him.

Peace and Much Love To Ya GC!! <3

Monday, May 4, 2009

Alex The Great & Sid The Kid Live Up To The Hype; 27 Days Left

It seems most sports have individual rivalries that are bigger than the sport itself, Sampras/Agassi, Federer/Nadal, Gretzky/Lemieux, Reggie Miller/Spike Lee, Brady/Peyton Manning, and possibly the biggest and greatest individual rivalry of all Bird/Magic. Larry Legend and Magic started their rivalry in college, when Magic, a sophomore, took his Michigan State Spartans and defeated the much hyped Indiana Hoosiers who were led by senior Larry Bird in the 1979 NCAA title game, then they would take their rivalry to the NBA and every time the Lakers and Celtics would play all the talk was always about Bird and Magic. Now the NHL has its own duo of Magic and Bird, in the forms of Alexander Ovechkin and Sydney Crosby and the rivalry has lived up to the hype.

They are different in every way imaginable. Crosby is the babyfaced reserved superstar and is heralded as the second coming of The Great One, he keeps a level head and plays with the poise and elegance that reminds us of Gretzky. Ovechkin is the rugged looking rockstar that seems larger than life, he plays with a reckless abandon that just screams, this will be the last shift he ever plays, and a flamboyance that is much like Terrel Owens. Crosby is the polite gentlemanly date every parent would approve of and Ovechkin is the bad boy every girl's parents would hate to have their daughter associated with.

Now they meet each other on the biggest stage, the NHL playoffs, and neither has disappointed thus far. Game 1 was good, but Game 2 was the type of transcendent game that people will be talking about for years to come. Alex Ovechkin scored his first playoff hat trick and was worthy of so many red hats that Crosby wanted fans to be told to stop throwing them. Minutes later, Crosby completed his own first playoff hat trick, and less than half a dozen hats made it to the ice.

It was a historic night for the NHL. Its two biggest stars, rivals who don't care for each other, had their biggest playoff performances head-to-head. Ovechkin claimed the winning hand, breaking a tie with a pair of goals less than three minutes apart in the third period Monday night and celebrating them in his exuberant fashion that would have downright pissed off Don Cherry. Now the series shifts to Pittsburgh where Crosby will have the crowd on his side and maybe Ovie will be the one asking for fans to stop throwing hats onto the ice. Here's hoping this series lasts a while because the NHL is desperate for some national (US) attention and these two superstars could be the ones to bring the NHL back into the sports discussion for those south of the 49th parallel.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The Other Game 7; 28 Days Left

The Atlanta Hawks advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1999 with a 91-78 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday. None of the series' seven games were very close, and the deciding Game 7 held true to form.

Joe Johnson led Atlanta with 27 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, and Josh Smith added 21 points and 9 boards in the victory. While the Heat were led by Dwyane Wade who had 31 points on 10-for-25 shooting, and Michael Beasley who added 17 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.

After a mostly disappointing series, Johnson finally showed up when the Hawks needed him most. Johnson, the Hawks' top scorer during the regular season, was held under 20 points in five of the first six games by the Heat. It looked like more of the same when he missed his first five shots of the decisive contest. Then, suddenly, he found his range making six three-pointers to lead Atlanta to the second round where they will face King James and his #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

After a back-and-forth first quarter that ended with Atlanta ahead 20-18, the Hawks pulled out to a 49-36 lead at halftime. They might as well have started the celebration right then. There were only 15 lead changes in the seven games, and not one of them came after the first quarter.

Things got ugly late while the Hawks fans chanted "Hey, hey, hey, goodbye!"and Miami's Udonis Haslem basically clotheslined the Hawks' Zaza Pachulia who was driving to the basket. The Miami forward was tossed out of the game for a flagrant foul, while Atlanta coach Mike Woodson rushed onto the court to make sure no punches were thrown.

Miami is done, its finale epitomized by Haslem's inglorious exit. He ripped off his jersey on the way to the locker room, and threw it into the crowd before he disappeared down the tunnel. Still, it was quite a comeback season for Wade and the Heat, which bounced back from a dismal 15-67 record last year to make the playoffs as the fifth seed in the East this year.

This was the first Game 7 ever played in Atlanta and the Hawks had not won a Game 7 since 1961, when the franchise was still in St. Louis. A year ago, the Hawks learned the benefits of playing Game 7 at home. After taking the Celtics (who would go on to win the championship) to the limit, Atlanta was blown out in the decisive game 7 at Boston. This time, the Hawks got to play at home, and they doled out the same treatment to Miami.

Peace and Much Love To Ya :)