It's not very often one play can change the complexity of a 7 game series, but LeBron's block on Tiago Splitter Saturday night is a definite exception. For those of you that didn't see Game 2 of the NBA Finals (or the numerous replays on SportsCenter) LeBron James blocked a dunk attempt from Splitter at its highest point and at full force. The play lead to a Miami basket, the crowd went nuts, and LeBron started beating on his chest like Denzel Washington in Training Day. It's not the play itself that changed the entire series, but what the play represents. From here on out the Heat realize they are physically superior to the Spurs and no matter how well San Antonio executes their offensive plays Miami has the ability to neutralize their success on key possessions. The Spurs can argue it's not a big deal, but having your dunk blocked is embarrassing and demoralizing. I have a tough time believing the Spurs will be able to get that image out of their heads any time soon. The series is tied 1-1, but Miami has a distinct psychological advantage right now. The Heat will win games 3, 5, and 6 to repeat as NBA champions. Here are some observations over the weekend.
As predicted Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams were victorious at the French Open in historic fashion. Serena became the first woman to win French Open titles 11 years apart and Nadal became the first men's player to win a Grand Slam title 8 times. Grass is different than the clay, but I'm still picking these two to win Wimbledon in a few weeks.
The WNBA unveiled the ref cam during the Indiana/Phoenix game. The technology looked rather unnecessary until the Diana Taurasi got up in the refs face and received a technical. It was kind of cool to see the ref getting cussed out up close and personal. Don't ask me how I know this.
The Chicago Blackhawks will meet the Boston Bruins for the Stanley Cup. Chicago won the cup in 2010 and the Bruins won in Riotville, Canada in 2011. I assume this series will be close. There will be blood. Chicago in 6.
After watching the Belmont Stakes on Saturday I think I want to check out the triple crown races in person. Horse racing isn't as exciting as the NFL or the NBA, but given the right set of circumstances it looks rather intriguing. Maybe I'm just getting old.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
George Karl Is Not The Answer
I was on ESPN today and 81% of people think George Karl got a raw deal in Denver. Those people clearly are not aware of George Karl's track record. Although Karl wins a ton of games during the regular season and has a track record of taking teams to the playoffs his record in the playoffs is less than impressive. He has only been to the championship one time and that was 17 years ago. To say that George Karl is a great coach would be overstating the facts.
George Karl has no ability to make adjustments in a 7 game series and subsequently the teams he coaches end up underachieving. He's had great teams in Seattle and Milwaukee, but only once has he advanced past the conference finals. For some reason basketball executives still think of him as a top tier coach.
George Karl is not on par with Greg Poppovich, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, or Doc Rivers yet he gets the same respect. Now the Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly interested in his services. It would be a mistake to replace Lionel Hollins at this stage in the team's development.
The George Karl system is effective for the first 3 years, but then players get tired of his style. He wears out his welcome with superstars (Ray Allen, Carmelo Anthony) and relies an mediocre players to do things they are not fully capable of doing. In the end George Karl has a tendency to come up just a bit short when it really counts.
I won't say that George Karl is a bad coach, but I won't say he's a great coach either. For a team that has championship aspirations I would caution them to re-visit the facts before they make a rash decision. Hall of Fame coach yes. Legendary coach that can win the big one? No. Your thoughts?
George Karl has no ability to make adjustments in a 7 game series and subsequently the teams he coaches end up underachieving. He's had great teams in Seattle and Milwaukee, but only once has he advanced past the conference finals. For some reason basketball executives still think of him as a top tier coach.
George Karl is not on par with Greg Poppovich, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, or Doc Rivers yet he gets the same respect. Now the Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly interested in his services. It would be a mistake to replace Lionel Hollins at this stage in the team's development.
The George Karl system is effective for the first 3 years, but then players get tired of his style. He wears out his welcome with superstars (Ray Allen, Carmelo Anthony) and relies an mediocre players to do things they are not fully capable of doing. In the end George Karl has a tendency to come up just a bit short when it really counts.
I won't say that George Karl is a bad coach, but I won't say he's a great coach either. For a team that has championship aspirations I would caution them to re-visit the facts before they make a rash decision. Hall of Fame coach yes. Legendary coach that can win the big one? No. Your thoughts?
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Baseball Finally Has A Snitch
For the past few years baseball has suffered embarrassing defeats in their attempt to prove high profile players were using PED's. They were unable to convict Barry Bonds. They were unable to convict Roger Clemens. Ryan Braun got off on a technicality. Although the court of public opinion weighed in on their decision long ago MLB could never provide the smoking gun or the paper trail. Until now.
Tony Bosch, the owner of a sports clinic in Miami has agreed to testify in a court of law and name names. Bosch struck a deal that will give him immunity and witness protection if necessary. Unlike Victor Conti and Greg Anderson Bosch promises to fully cooperate in the investigation and provide whatever documentation MLB needs to make their case. In short, anyone who received PED's from this clinic is totally screwed.
The testimony of Bosch is a big win for MLB, but it also exposes the ugly truth. There is no avoiding superstar athletes trying to gain an advantage on the competition. The new rigorous drug testing methods were supposed to create a deterrent to cheating, but in reality it only created more of an obstacle. Players still managed to circumvent the rules and expose the flaws in the system. There is no way to clean up a sport if the participants are determined to have their way.
Hopefully we are past the point where we are surprised by these kind of stories and allegations of wrong doing. We have seen too much in the past decade to believe anything that comes out of an athlete's mouth with regards to PED's The drugs are there, they work, and there's always someone willing to use and distribute them. So long as professional athletes have the potential to make hundreds of millions of dollars this problem isn't going away.
Hopefullty
Tony Bosch, the owner of a sports clinic in Miami has agreed to testify in a court of law and name names. Bosch struck a deal that will give him immunity and witness protection if necessary. Unlike Victor Conti and Greg Anderson Bosch promises to fully cooperate in the investigation and provide whatever documentation MLB needs to make their case. In short, anyone who received PED's from this clinic is totally screwed.
The testimony of Bosch is a big win for MLB, but it also exposes the ugly truth. There is no avoiding superstar athletes trying to gain an advantage on the competition. The new rigorous drug testing methods were supposed to create a deterrent to cheating, but in reality it only created more of an obstacle. Players still managed to circumvent the rules and expose the flaws in the system. There is no way to clean up a sport if the participants are determined to have their way.
Hopefully we are past the point where we are surprised by these kind of stories and allegations of wrong doing. We have seen too much in the past decade to believe anything that comes out of an athlete's mouth with regards to PED's The drugs are there, they work, and there's always someone willing to use and distribute them. So long as professional athletes have the potential to make hundreds of millions of dollars this problem isn't going away.
Hopefullty
NBA Finals B3TZ
San Antonio vs. Miami
It's only fitting that the two best teams in basketball will meet in the NBA finals this season. The San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat both had to deal with some adversity in the playoffs, but they managed to hold it together and keep their eyes on the prize. On paper it looks like a no brainer. Miami is the more talented team with the world's best player and home court advantage. San Antonio has more championship experience however and an absolute mismatch at the point guard position with Tony Parker. If the Heat win the first game I think they will cruise to victory in the series. The first game will be tough though as both teams feel each other out and establish their presence of authority. Look for Ray Allen and Shane Battier to have big games while Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green struggle to find themselves. Miami in a close one.
It's only fitting that the two best teams in basketball will meet in the NBA finals this season. The San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat both had to deal with some adversity in the playoffs, but they managed to hold it together and keep their eyes on the prize. On paper it looks like a no brainer. Miami is the more talented team with the world's best player and home court advantage. San Antonio has more championship experience however and an absolute mismatch at the point guard position with Tony Parker. If the Heat win the first game I think they will cruise to victory in the series. The first game will be tough though as both teams feel each other out and establish their presence of authority. Look for Ray Allen and Shane Battier to have big games while Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green struggle to find themselves. Miami in a close one.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
How Grant Hill Changed My Life
Many of you know me as the self proclaimed expert on all things sports related and a sportsbook aficionado that can bring Vegas to its knees on any given weekend, but few of you know why I have that distinction and unparalleled powers of prognostication. It's all because of Grant Hill.
In the spring of 94' my friends and I traveled to Vegas during March Madness. Although my head was filled with sports knowledge (and Hennessy) I wasn't sure how to parlay that knowledge into financial success. The big board at the MGM sportsbook looked like the NYSE. A bunch of names, numbers, and spreads that all seemed foreign to me. Through all the hieroglyphics the one name I could clearly make out was Duke.
I never liked Duke. They ended UNLV's undefeated season and knocked out the Fab 5 in the championship game, but business is business. I saw the Blue Devils were underdogs by 4 points and I couldn't believe it. I thought to myself, "Doesn't Duke still have Grant Hill? Is that spread a misprint?" I bucked up and put down $200 on Grant Hill and the Devils on a straight bet. I watched my investment double in two hours and I've been hooked on the sportsbook ever since.
Grant Hill and the Blue Devils gave me the confidence to look the Vegas bookmakers in the face and say, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! MY SPORTS KNOWLEDGE IS SUPERIOR TO YOURS! I'LL TAKE YOUR MONEY WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT!" The following years would prove to be extremely lucrative and my successes have earned me the nickname Young Sam Rothstein.
Oh, and as for Grant Hill? He went on to win rookie of the year honors, lead the Detroit Pistons in 5 different categories (scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, and steals), made Allan Houston a MULTI millionaire, played a playoff game on a broken ankle, re-habbed it for 2 1/2 years, re-invented himself as the consummate role player, and carved out an 18 year career. Grant Hill is one of the classiest players the league has ever known and the person most responsible for my gambling addiction. Thank you Grant Hill. Your presence and attention to detail will be sorely missed.
As a side note after Grant Hill won me all that cheese during March Madness I felt compelled to rock the Grant Hill FILA's. Subsequently 3 months later Method Man rocked the shoe in his All I need video with Mary J. Blige. Grant Hill influenced me, I influenced Wu-Tang, and Wu-Tang influenced the world. Pretty cool huh?
In the spring of 94' my friends and I traveled to Vegas during March Madness. Although my head was filled with sports knowledge (and Hennessy) I wasn't sure how to parlay that knowledge into financial success. The big board at the MGM sportsbook looked like the NYSE. A bunch of names, numbers, and spreads that all seemed foreign to me. Through all the hieroglyphics the one name I could clearly make out was Duke.
I never liked Duke. They ended UNLV's undefeated season and knocked out the Fab 5 in the championship game, but business is business. I saw the Blue Devils were underdogs by 4 points and I couldn't believe it. I thought to myself, "Doesn't Duke still have Grant Hill? Is that spread a misprint?" I bucked up and put down $200 on Grant Hill and the Devils on a straight bet. I watched my investment double in two hours and I've been hooked on the sportsbook ever since.
Grant Hill and the Blue Devils gave me the confidence to look the Vegas bookmakers in the face and say, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! MY SPORTS KNOWLEDGE IS SUPERIOR TO YOURS! I'LL TAKE YOUR MONEY WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT!" The following years would prove to be extremely lucrative and my successes have earned me the nickname Young Sam Rothstein.
Oh, and as for Grant Hill? He went on to win rookie of the year honors, lead the Detroit Pistons in 5 different categories (scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, and steals), made Allan Houston a MULTI millionaire, played a playoff game on a broken ankle, re-habbed it for 2 1/2 years, re-invented himself as the consummate role player, and carved out an 18 year career. Grant Hill is one of the classiest players the league has ever known and the person most responsible for my gambling addiction. Thank you Grant Hill. Your presence and attention to detail will be sorely missed.
As a side note after Grant Hill won me all that cheese during March Madness I felt compelled to rock the Grant Hill FILA's. Subsequently 3 months later Method Man rocked the shoe in his All I need video with Mary J. Blige. Grant Hill influenced me, I influenced Wu-Tang, and Wu-Tang influenced the world. Pretty cool huh?
Monday, June 3, 2013
Weekend Observations
In my wildest dreams I never imagined the Eastern conference finals would go 7 games. I don't know if I should be impressed with the Indiana Pacers or embarrassed for the Miami Heat. If nothing else the Pacers have completely dismissed the notion that Miami has an aura of invincibility and the eventual 2013 NBA champion is still to be determined. With regards to the Miami Heat there are several people ready to hit the panic button, but I'm not one of those guys. I am still under the assumption a game 7 is too difficult for a lesser team to win on the road. I am still under the impression the Miami Heat shooters (Ray Allen in particular) will catch fire when it really matters. I am still under the impression LeBron James is the best player on the planet and will display his takeover ability when the situation calls for it. That being said Miami will win game 7 and everyone will say what a great and challenging series it was. Bring on the Spurs. Here are some observations over the weekend.
Jason Kidd and Grant Hill announced their retirement. Both of them had a lasting impact on the game and pop culture. I believe both players are hall of fame worthy. More on this tomorrow.
DeSean Jackson has fired his agent and is considering hiring Jay-Z. For someone that's never negotiated a professional contract for an athlete his potential client list (Robinson Cano, Victor Cruz) is starting to get out of hand. Nice move Hov.
Jason Bonderman returned to the mound for the first time since 2010. That is a great accomplishment, but the results were less than desired. I'm not sure he will get the opportunity to continue his pro career, but I respect the fact he stuck with it as long as he could.
Tiger Woods and Nike are negotiating a new contract. Do you think Tiger will give them a hometown discount for sticking with him when all of his other partners went running for the hills?
Jason Kidd and Grant Hill announced their retirement. Both of them had a lasting impact on the game and pop culture. I believe both players are hall of fame worthy. More on this tomorrow.
DeSean Jackson has fired his agent and is considering hiring Jay-Z. For someone that's never negotiated a professional contract for an athlete his potential client list (Robinson Cano, Victor Cruz) is starting to get out of hand. Nice move Hov.
Jason Bonderman returned to the mound for the first time since 2010. That is a great accomplishment, but the results were less than desired. I'm not sure he will get the opportunity to continue his pro career, but I respect the fact he stuck with it as long as he could.
Tiger Woods and Nike are negotiating a new contract. Do you think Tiger will give them a hometown discount for sticking with him when all of his other partners went running for the hills?
Eastern Conference Championship B3TZ
Indiana vs. Miami
The Indiana Pacers have given the defending champion Miami Heat all they can handle in the Eastern conference finals. Although their play has been somewhat inconsistent and they didn't have a superstar to lean on in close games the Pacers find themselves one game away from the 2013 NBA finals. That being said the dream will not materialize. Instead of shocking the world Indiana will become a footnote on the resume of King James. Look for LeBron to have a monster game, the Heat shooters to catch fire from behind the arc, and Indiana to get overwhelmed by the moment. Miami wins in a blowout and the Spurs will make reservations to be on South Beach come Wednesday.
The Indiana Pacers have given the defending champion Miami Heat all they can handle in the Eastern conference finals. Although their play has been somewhat inconsistent and they didn't have a superstar to lean on in close games the Pacers find themselves one game away from the 2013 NBA finals. That being said the dream will not materialize. Instead of shocking the world Indiana will become a footnote on the resume of King James. Look for LeBron to have a monster game, the Heat shooters to catch fire from behind the arc, and Indiana to get overwhelmed by the moment. Miami wins in a blowout and the Spurs will make reservations to be on South Beach come Wednesday.
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