One More Thing, Vujacites.

Now I know, I know this Lakers flavor on ATA needs to end soon. I mean it has to end soon no? Especially considering that the NBA Season has now concluded. I just had to make one more comment, just because its so much fun supporting a player who really shoots too damn much for his own good. So, I was looking through the NBA Draft results and came across this article:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-lakers27-2008jun27,0,1934112.story

In it, Mitch Kupchak talks about his draft pick Joe Crawford. He seems decent, considering it "slipped" so low. But in reality, this Laker's team is so deep that he really has no place, especially if last year's draft pick, China's Sun Yue, comes over to the United States next season. Here's a clip:

So anyways, the real point of this post is because I wanted to highlight how free agency begins at 9 P.M. tomorrow. Mitch Kupchak knows this too. He's a good GM. Here's what Mitchie said about Sasha:

They are particularly interested in re-signing Sasha Vujacic, a restricted free agent.

"I intend to contact him at 9:01 on Monday night," Kupchak said.

Then pray tell
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING AT 9:00 PM???

Mitch better be on that horse by 9:00 PM.
Thanks to loljocks.blogspot.com for the picture.

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NBA Draft Lottery Breakdown

1 Chicago Derrick Rose 6'4 195 G Memphis
Easy pick for Chicago. Derrick Rose will follow in the path of Deron Williams and Chris Paul and prove how an athletic 1-guard can lead a team to success. Added benefit: Chicago can begin unloading their crowded (and overpaid) backcourt (Hinrich @ 11million, Hughes @ 12mil) and trade for legitimate front court players, veteran leadership, or cleared cap space.

2 Miami Michael Beasley 6'9 235 F Kansas St.
Miami would have loved Rose here, but instead they got the NCAA's top scorer last season (dammit all). Hopefully Mr. Beasley can mature quickly and prove how impressive his offensive arsenal is in the NBA; it would definitely make it easier on Wade. Oh, one more thing Miami, I heard NY and Chicago both have too many guards, all of whom are better than Jason Williams and Marcus Banks.

3 Minnesota O.J. Mayo 6'5 215 G USC
I have to be honest, I am not a big fan of OJ Mayo, nor do I believe in his potential. But he's athletic, has a lot of offensive moves, and people can't stop talking about him. In the future he's going to be one of those Larry Hughes type of players, always decent but never reaching perceived potential.

4 Seattle Russell Westbrook 6'3 180 G UCLA

Young gun from UCLA displayed tons of potential in the Final Four game, displaying poise, athleticisim, speed, defense, and offensive capabilities. He might have been picked pretty high but Westbrook brings defense, strength and intensity, skills Seattle definitely needs.

5 Memphis Kevin Love 6'10 250 C UCLA
People can't stop raving about the big man's full court chest passes but other than that, I havn't heard much else. He's a power player going into the NBA (uh-oh) and he actually lost weight (uh-oh), but he has a decent midrange shot, will play scrappy, and his height and overall girth should make him a rebounding force.

6 New York Danilo Gallinari 6'9 209 F
From what I hear, this kid is good. Great shooter and plays at a high level on the Italian team, but on a team as screwed up as New York with Marbury, Randolph and Curry, I believe his talents will go under the radar.

7 LA Clippers Eric Gordon 6'4 215 G Indiana
Love this pick for the Clippers. With Livingston returning from injury (once again), Elton Brand, Al Thornton, and Chris Kaman manning the front line, the best shooter in the draft should definitely help create interior space and provide security for when Corey Maggette finally leaves the Clippers.

8 Milwaukee Joe Alexander 6'8 225 F West Virginia
Joe Alexander was amazing in the NCAA tournament and continued to wow scouts in pre-draft workouts. This guy is explosive, aggressive, and oh yeah, he has a silky shot. Too bad he won't see too much playing time with the arrival of Richard Jefferson.

9 Charlotte D.J. Augustin 5'11 175 G Texas
I truly enjoy watching small guards such as Augustin but the height and length of the NBA is too much for them. Unless Augustin can prove to become an outstanding shooter, I don't expect much from this 1-guard.

10 New Jersey Brook Lopez 7'0 240 F Stanford
Always great to find a 7 footer who's not 100 pounds. Brook Lopez is decently sized, posesses a strong offensive game, and will help out on the defense end. Poor man's Tim Duncan.

11 Indiana Jerryd Bayless 6'3 193 G Arizona
This was only about the lottery picks, but this man should be top 10. Bayless is absolutely explosive and displays great elevation on his jumpers and drives. Great scorer, great intensity, a bit of a steal at the 11 spot.

Rookie of the Year goes to...
OJ Mayo. Contrary to my doubts about him, he's in the best position to display his talents. With no one to challenge him for a starting position at the 2-guard, he should eclipse the other rookies with the playing time he receives; not fair but that' s how it's going to go. Beasley a close second.

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The Pain of Prestige

As one who has bled Purple and Gold from the day I was born, it's hard not to write about my disappointment and grief after having watched the demolition. But another aspect in sports has grabbed my attention much more harshly, so in short, Kevin Garnett should be admitted to an insane asylum, Pau Gasol needs to hit the weight room, AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO REMEMBER THAT KOBE'S FREAKING FINGER IS BROKEN. PAUL PIERCE'S ANKLE MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY SPRAINED, BUT KOBE'S FINGER HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR OVER TWO MONTHS. Oh yea, and Bynum has yet to return.

Speaking of injuries, in wake of Tiger's US Open triumph, horrible news hit the golf world. Tiger has a tear in his ACL and shredded cartilage in his knee, is going into yet another knee surgery, and has stress fractures in his leg. Now I must admit Rocco Mediate is a likable guy, but if Tiger was healthy, no one would have any idea who he was. A one shot win with that kind of injury would have been a twenty stroke victory in full health. What Mr. Woods did was nothing short of miraculous.

I'm not going to pretend that I'm a certified doctor and I have no specialty in diagnosis of any type of injury, but after speaking to a few arthroscopic surgeons, Tiger's knee is in pretty bad shape. After the deterioration of his cartilage, the bone grinding on bone is horrible and Tiger is light years away from acceptable playing shape.

Tiger will be resting for the rest of the season, but with the torque and force put into the left knee with every golf swing, the condition can only get worse. It's hard to imagine, but we may not see the same Tiger that we know and love today. When you watch Tiger swing, you can see the harshness that travels into that part of his body. The amount of twisting and pulling that goes on can only make his knee worse and worse. So if he's hurt now, with the style Tiger plays and the rigorous workout he consistently puts himself through, this injury won't be the last.

A damaged Tiger doesn't only hurt him and his fan base, but the whole golfing world as a whole. It's like when Michael Jordan retired from basketball for the first time; dark days lay ahead, with no comparably dominant and attention-capturing player present on the Tour. A poll taken by ESPN shows that over 80% of the viewing public will watch less golf during Tiger's absence.

We can just hope that he's going to come back the same and win those five additional majors that would cement his status as the best in history. Then again, I wouldn't hesitate in the least bit to already call him the G.O.A.T. Good luck with your recovery, Tiger.

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I Wish the Lakers Were Still in it.... So I Could Watch More of the Machine.

Lakers? Celtics? Some could care less. Some just want to see basketball. Some don't like watching blowouts. Some just hate it when superstars sulk on the bench and give up. Some also hate it when regular stars act like they're 2 years old and pretend to be injured so they can get their diapers chagned in the locker room. Some just want to see Sasha Vujacic because they are girls and they think he looks so adorable. And then some just think that the Machine is AWESOME.

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The Day After Yesterday

So, the NBA season is at long last at its conclusion - with the Boston Celtics crowned champions. As a lifelong Laker fan, the fact that the Lakers unexpectedly reached the Finals serves as no consolation to the agony of watching the Celtics (THE CELTICS!) take the trophy. But now, 24 hours later, I've been able to digest the season as a whole a bit better.

Us Laker fans started the season scared out of our minds that for the first time in eleven years, we would be without the one constant that kept us hoping and believing - from Kobe's rookie season and his audacious airballs against the Utah Jazz, to his improbable buzzer beaters against the Portland Trailblazers to clinch the #1 seed, from his off court troubles in Eagle, Colorado, to his 81 point game against the Rapters - Kobe Bryant's excellence between the lines was never, ever in doubt. And yet, the threat was very real. We were about to enter a period of extreme unknown, a period when Kobe Bryant would be wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey. To deny that every Laker fan had already resigned themselves to the fact that Kobe was going to be traded would be dishonest. Even if most of us said, "No, it'll never happen!", deep down inside we knew that the trade demands were very, very real.

So now, sitting here a year and change later, to be disappointed in losing the NBA Finals...it's a good place to be, all things considered. Now don't get me wrong, once I realized that we had a shot, I was all in and fully engaged in winning a championship, and anyone who was with me watching these playoffs knows full well how pained I was when we first blew game 4, and then failed to show up in game 6. But I also know that to be a Laker fan means to be constantly spoiled by greatness. The pieces are there, but like MJ's young Bulls who couldn't get past the Pistons, like the Shaq era Lakers under Del Harris, it takes a few years of adversity and growth to find the fire that we so sorely lacked in Game 6. It hasn't been that long since our last championship, we just made the finals, and with a few new pieces, a little improvement over the summer from our youngsters - we are looking at a new Laker dynasty. 

Fret not, Laker Nation. The Purple and Gold is back.

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Lakers: Stress Center

Being a Lakers fan is has not been good for my health during the finals. Every game I watch I am stressed, unable to relax because with our current team versus Boston, every lead we have is not safe, every lead they have is insurmountable, life is absolutely horrible. I have undoubtedly lost a good 5-6 years of life from game 3 and 5 victories alone. And nearly 12 years from our losses so I'm only going to live until I am 103 years old now.

No matter how long I live to, watching the Lakers game has been a stressful roller coaster. With Paul fatboy Pierce playing out of his mind and Ray Allen actually hitting jumper after jumper, I find it highly doubtful that we're going to break history and win the finals after being down 3-1. The Lakers cannot sustain a lead, the "bench mob" has been quiet, the Lakers still cannot control the boards and Boston's play is too inspired. I hate to admit but this series is virtually in the refrigerator, but until Boston actually wins a 4th game, I refuse to believe that the jell-o's jiggling.

Praying for a Lakers miracle.

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The Machine can't stop.

In honor of a very honorable game by Sasha "the Machine" Vujacic. I present to you the next installment of the Sasha Videos. Thanks to Lakers-fan.com.

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Euro 2008

The biggest international soccer tournament outside the World Cup is set to kick start its opening ceremony on Saturday - are you ready? Do you even care? I doubt it. Either way, here is my Euro 2008 preview!

In the group stages, as in most tournaments, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinal knockout stage. So, without further ado, let's introduce the groups!

From a cursory glance, it is quite clear that Group C is the dreaded group of death. Two of the favorites to win the tournament, France and Italy, are in this group, as well as a quality Netherlands side who boast top notch attacking players such as Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Robin Van Persie, Dirk Kuyt, Arjen Robben, as well as Manchester United's Champion's League winner Edwin van der Sar in goal. It is extremely likely that Holland is eliminated here. Italy and France will advance through this group easily.

Out of Group A, the favorites to advance have to be the Czech Republic and Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo is simply too good a player, and unless his well publicized transfer to Real Madrid is weighing heavily on his mind, no defense in this tournament can stop him. Joining Ronaldo is the electrifying star winger from Porto, Quaresma and the reliable Portuguese legend Deco. And while Portugal will be dazzling in the attack with their fancy footwork, their defense will be solid as well, marshalled by one of the best in Ricardo Carvalho. If Ronaldo plays to his level, this could well be Portugal's tournament to win - and it would certainly cap Ronaldo's year off with a bang before he whines and manipulates his way into making a move to Real Madrid. Portugal is well set in the RB, CB, and attacking positions, likely employing either the 3-4-3 that Scolari used in leading Brazil to their World Cup success, or a 4-3-3. The midfield of Portugal is the only question mark, as outside of Deco, the options are either unproven youngsters or true veterans. Whatever happens though, if C. Ronaldo imposes himself on these tournaments, there is no stopping the Portuguese team.

The Czech team will be a formidable foe as well, if only because they have the unflappable stalwart between the posts, Petr Cech, who singlehandedly sent Chelsea to the CL Finals over Liverpool with some dazzling saves off shots by Fernando Torres. But in front of Cech will be one of the most solid back 4 in the tournament, led by David Rozehnal. It will be a difficult task for any team to unlock the Czech defense, but if there is one that can do it, it is the creative and pacy Portuguese team. Expect Portugal to win this group, with the Czech Republic coming out of it in 2nd.

In Group B, if one has not been following European international football closely, it might be compelling to simply take a peek at the group and tap Germany and Croatia to advance. However, that would be a dire mistake, as Poland will look to continue their run of good form after steamrolling their way into Euro 2008 by winning Group A over Portugal. I expect Poland to continue their run of good form, advancing to the knockout stages alongside favorites Germany, as Croatia is sent packing, leaving Croatia's Golden Boy Luka Modric to ponder his future as a Tottenham Hotspur.

Group D is a tough call - Spain are emerging as the sexy pick to win the tournament, and it is easy to see why. The attacking options Spain boasts are a who's who list for player of the year awards, led by sensational Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. However, Spain has seldom lived up to the hype, and could be stunningly sent packing after the Group stages if their defense is unable to slow opponents down. Against a team like Russia, who will pack the midfield with 6 men, it will be quite a task trying to get through - though with Torres as the lone man up front, you never know when an unexpected breakthrough might occur. Spain does not like to play long balls over the top of the midfield, as it goes against their technical ability to do so, but against Russia, it might be necessary to do so to eliminate the congestion in the midfield.

Sweden is ostensibly led by the mercurial striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic - who will one day look like the world's greatest in Serie A, and then proceed to lay up two stinkers and get played completely out of the match over Inter Milan's two leg match up with Liverpool in the Champions' League. Other than Zlatan, there is an abundance of talent with Sweden (although their top players are admitedly getting a bit old).

And lest we forget, the title holders, the defending Euro 2004 champions Greece. Often overlooked, they will not be this time, as they will have a target painted on their chests. In a stunning development, look for Spain and Russia to advance, as Sweden is knocked out and Greece is simply outclassed.

In the end though, it will be seen that Portugal simply outclasses the competition on the attack, and I predict Portugal will go through to capture the Euro 2008 championship (although my heart pulls for Spain in support of the Liverpool contingent...Viva Espana!)

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My Emotional Plea

Kobe Bryant, you said in the post game interview you had some very good shots that didn't go down for you. But c'mon Kobe, we all know you're the only person in the NBA who thinks those shots are easy, but you can easily get those shots any time you want. You looked like Kobe of old, forcing shots, not passing, not running the offense. Your teammates were completely out of sync, they need you to get them involved. And not just by piling up your own assist numbers, but by giving them the simple pass and giving them the confidence that you trust them.

Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Vladimir Radmonovich, please, defense does not end until you secure the rebound. Please, you forced plenty of poor shots and showed solid defense... until you let Boston grab 10 offensive rebounds including the exclamation put back jam by KG in the closing minutes.

Lakers, please calm down and show some poise. The entire game you guys looked confused, rushed, puzzled, and completely out of sync. The Boston crowd and team energy totally disoriented everyone on the court leading to poor passes, rushed shots, and a serious lack of focus (I'm talking to you space cadet).

Please! Please! PLEASE! Run your offense and focus on how you can improve. You guys were ALL one step behind Boston in game 1, it's obvious who actually did their homework. Regroup and steal one on Sunday. And Phil, please play Trevor Ariza.

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Chinatown's Finals Preview

So David already did his preview, but I disagree with several things he said, and also want to add my own input, so I'm going to do one too. :)

The Lakers and Celtics are, as many have pointed out, built very differently, and have very different reputations. The Lakers have a rep as offensive superstars who are soft and prone to being pushed around. The Celtics have a rep as defensive stalwarts who are beasts on the boards. While these trivial labels hold some truth, the fact is that the Lakers are better on defense than given credit for, and are not as soft as they seem (particularly Pau). The Celtics definitely fit their label well, as they are the best defensive team in the NBA, but they also possess a potent offense that can kill you in a variety of ways.

In light of that, let's delve deeper into what the Celtics and the Lakers will look to do in this first game.

Keys for the Lakers:

On Offense, the Lakers must stay true to the triangle. The Celtics defense is aggressive and quick on its rotations and close outs. They like to stack the strong side with help defenders, forcing teams that rely heavily on isolations (like the Cavs) into stagnant offensive sets. The only way to beat the Celtics is to have quick passing and ball reversals. Because of their aggressive close outs on the reversal, the Laker perimeter players will have the opportunity to pump fake and escape dribble for a midrange jumper, or take the ball to the rack. If the offense gets bogged down and Kobe begins to play 1 on 5 basketball, the Celtic defense will eat them alive. This Laker team is the best passing team in the NBA, and if they stick to their blueprint with a heavy dose of triangle offense, movement, and rotation, the Celtics will have a hard time covering them.

On Defense, the Lakers are severly underrated. They are long and quick, which causes plenty of problems for opposing teams. Key defensive matchups, if the Lakers matchup the way I believe they should, will be Odom on Perkins and Gasol on Garnett. As we saw in the Spurs series, Gasol can be an effective defender in the post - as long as he stays behind his man and gets his hands up to challenge the shot, his length can bother Garnett. If Gasol can keep Garnett from having a monster game, the Lakers can live without doubling KG. Garnett has never been a big time scorer, and one of the biggest knocks on him is that he is unselfish to a fault. By bringing a double team, it plays right into his strengths as a passer and facilitator - force KG to score 30+ points (which he has done only twice in this postseason) and become a volume shooter, and the Lakers have a good shot at winning. Perkins is a big banger who is aggressive on the offensive glass. Odom must put his effort into keeping Perk off the boards - if Perkins gets a double double, the Celtics will likely win the game. Ray Allen cannot be overlooked, and cannot be left alone. Any double teams that the Lakers throw at the Celtics should come off of Rondo, not Allen. Now, Rondo. Many Celtics fans are pointing at the matchup of Rondo vs. Fisher as a definite Celtic advantage. This is a huge error - the Lakers have matched up against 2 surefire future HOF (and one potential HOF-er) point guards in AI, Deron Williams, and Tony Parker. None of those three has been able to rescue their team. Fisher is a smart and strong defender, able to angle off drives and muscle his counterpart off their line. Rondo's offense is limited to floaters and runners in the lane, and a 15 foot baseline jump shot. The Lakers have enough shotblockers in Odom, Gasol, and Turiaf to deal with Rondo's unreliable floaters, but giving Rondo the 15 foot baseline jumper would be a mistake, but with double teams coming off of Rondo, it will be hard to limit the availability of that shot. 

Another option for the Lakers, which they used throughout the regular season, is to roll out their 1-2-2 full court trapping press at specific times. If you watched the Det-Bos series, in Game 4 down the stretch, the Pistons used a full court press effectively, trapping Rondo on the sidelines and forcing him to make risky lob passes out of the trap. With Rondo being their only effective ballhandling option, the Lakers could surprise the Celtics with their press and create a few turnovers/transition baskets with it, and in a series that looks to be as tight as this one, 6 points could be the difference between a win and a loss.

Keys for the Celtics:

on Offense, the Celtics must look to keep Rondo and Perkins involved. Garnett and Pierce will be good for 20-25 points every night, with Ray Allen adding anywhere from 0-30 points (depending on if he's feeling it or not). Rondo and Perkins will not have any plays called for them, and must take shots when they get them. The Celtics play a typical NBA offense, with lots of PNR and Isolation sets. The Celtics will want to control the tempo and keep the game in the 80s-low 90s, and not give the Lakers any chances to get off on the fast break. Rondo must not turn the ball over, and they need to force Kobe to expend his energy on the defensive end. If Kobe matches up with Allen, they should have Allen play a Rip Hamilton type game, and run him off multiple screens. If instead, he is matched with Rondo, Rondo must be aggressive going to the hole, looking to pick up cheap fouls on Bryant. However, the key driving force of the celtics offense must be Paul Pierce. Pierce can get his shot off through shot fakes and bumping his defender off to create space, and he has also improved his ballhandling off of pick and rolls allowing him to turn the corner or split weak hedges. What I would like to see is a small on small Pick and Pop between Pierce and Allen, with allen setting the pick on Pierce's man. What we would see there is likely a Kobe/Fisher switch, a Radman/Kobe switch, or a Radman/Fisher switch, because the man getting picked cannot leave Allen on the 3 point line unchecked. If Fisher gets matched with Pierce, he can easily go into the post, where he likes to operate, and get a layup or his favored turnaround fadeaway. To sum it up, the Big 3 must be on their game, the Celtics must limit turnovers, and Perkins must bang and go after offensive rebounds to give the Celtics extra possessions that they will likely need to match the Lakers potent offense.

on Defense, much like my preview of the Lakers offense, the Celtics must be wary of rotating and closing out too aggressively. The Celtics like to sag their help defense, stacking lots of people on the strong side of the floor. The Lakers will reverse the ball quickly from the post, as Gasol is a great passer, but the Celtics must be ready to control their aggression. The Lakers have great shooters in Vujacic, Radmanovic, and Farmar, and closing out on them will be key - but closing out too hard will open driving lanes or mid range jumpers. Expect to see the Celtics playing loose 1 on 1 defense with Kobe, hoping to entice him into taking long jumpers and turning the game into 1 on 5. The Celtics will outrebound the Lakers by a good margin, as the Lakers are not a good rebounding team and can be pushed off the boards. If the Celtics can limit the Lakers to one shot and out, they will have a good chance of keeping the Laker offense in check. If the score is in the 80s, the Celtics will be in good shape.

Final Thoughts: This series will boil down to the hungrier team. Will it be the Celtics, with Garnett, Pierce, and Allen looking for their first championships ever? Or will it be the Lakers, with Kobe proving that he has matured, Gasol getting his first taste of success, and the young bench coming of age? Does Doc Rivers have the ability as a coach to put his team in a position to win, or will Phil Jackson break his tie with Red Auerbach for most NBA titles? In the end, I believe the Lakers potent offense and solid defense will be too much for the Celtics powerful defense and stagnant offense to handle. When the Celtics go on their inevitable scoring drought, the Lakers will pull away. Plus, they have Kobe.

Lakers in 5 - winning Game 1, losing Game 2, then sweeping the games at Staples to close it out at home.

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Lakers vs Celtics: Keys to Win

TYPICALLY, there are specific game plans that can be devised to shut down any team in the NBA. So I had all intention of explaining what the game plan would be for each team in the finals. Unfortunately, I'm drawing a blank. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics both have so many weapons and so many different response tactics, you shut down one aspect and they'll fire back with a different weapon-- this is why these two teams are in the championship series. So though there aren't any sure fire ways to truly shut the other team down, as always, I will try (and most likely be right).

For BOSTON CELTICS to win:

Exploit and attack Derek Fisher. Yes, Derek Fisher has been reputed as a solid offensive and defensive presence, however, he has definitely lost a step or two. Deron Williams and Tony Parker ripped Derek Fisher apart on the offensive end using their quickness and an endless series of pick and rolls. Lakers have placed a lot of trust in Derek Fisher's able hands, but unfortunately, many times this trust is misplaced due to Fisher's age. And from a defensive point of view, force Fish to create on the offensive end. When Fisher sets his feet he is one of the best shooters in the game, but when he's forced to create on his own, he will undoubtedly take off-balance shots (that won't go in) and force layups into the opposing teams shot blockers.


Boston by far has the physical edge when being compared to the lanky frontline of the Lakers, but I don't find this to be too much of an advantage in the game of basketball. The Lakers will respond to Boston's strength so forcing the ball to the post will not win the series; don't force it down low.

Boston needs to exploit their three point shooters. James Posey, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce. They are big time three point shooters and if they can find their shot, the Lakers are in trouble. The Lakers have already had a lot of practice versus the pick and rolls by playing against Tony Parker, so it will ultimately come down to a three point contest against themselves.

Kevin Garnett always plays with heart, emotion and intensity, it's the only way he plays. But that's not going to win the basketball game. KG needs to take the scoring load on himself, plug the lane defensively, and forcible take games away from Los Angeles. Deferring to Pierce and his teammates will not win the series.


Keys for LOS ANGELES LAKERS to win:

Do not be intimidated by Boston's arena, the historic rivalry, their big three, or their record. The last two times these teams played, Boston destroyed Los Angeles not only on the scoreboard, but also in poise and energy. Lamar Odom, Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic, and Jordan Farmar need to play tough, physical, in-your-face defense and aggressive offensive for the Lakers to overcome Boston.

Kobe Bryant. With a defense as tough Boston, the only real answer is Kobe Bryant, a man no defense can stop. And if reports are correct regarding Boston's decision not to double-team Kobe, he should have a field day tearing up the defense. I also believe that the Kobe-Pau lob connection will be completely obliterated by Kevin Garnett, so I see Kobe looking for Lamar more often this series.

Lakers bench need to do what they've been doing all season. Entering the game and shooting the lights out, many times extending the lead. This will be extremely tough to do due to Boston's physicality in their starting lineup and their bench, but when did physicality affect three point shooting?

Double team Kevin Garnett, suffocate Paul Pierce individually, and force Ray Allen to be the man. If there was one star in the NBA who was never going to win a championship, it's Ray Allen. When you're slumping for two and a half series, you're not answering the call to be a champion. He did manage to find a few shots in Detroit but I can confidently state that he does not have the IT factor to lead Boston. Look to see him riding the bench for long periods of time.



Lakers in 6. I was going to say 5 but Luke Walton is going to screw up a game.

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I just realized

Kobe Bryant is 29. Michael Jordan won his first NBA title when he was 28. Could we be entering the golden age of Kobe Bryant, GOAT?

If the Purple and Gold go on a run of championships (which they very well may do), you have to at least consider Kobe dethroning MJ...right?

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Cycles of Suckitude

"50 said go ahead switch ya style up,
and if they hate then let em hate,
and watch the money pile up."

Everyone's been writing about basketball and the Lakers, so I figured with my first post I'd switch the style up.

I like thinking that sports in the United States are awesome. And typically, that's right. NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL are all the best leagues in the world for their respective sports.

What really irks me though, is the absolute atrociousness of American soccer. The MLS is simply a shit league. For a while, the signature player of the MLS was Landon Donovan, a man who couldn't even get into the starting lineup at Bayern Leverkusen. Now, the best player in the league is David Beckham, who, is admittedly still good, but the fact that a castaway, washed up 33 year old comes and is instantly the best player says a lot about the quality of players here.

I've given the MLS a chance - I watch as many games as I can, and I even went to a few Red Bulls games. Suffice it to say that I was extremely underwhelmed, particularly after being spoiled by watching my Liverpool team advance to the Champions League semifinals (only to taste heartbreak by the fuzzy red head of one John Arne Riise).

The game I recall best was the NY Red Bulls vs. NE Revolution - I had very good seats at midfield, and was fairly excited for my first taste of live MLS soccer. What. A. Letdown. While there were 2 goals, including one scored by the supposed future of US soccer (Josmer "Jozy" Altidore), the entire game was a farce. Players on both sides failed to control the ball, passes were sprayed all over the field with no direction, and any and all runs at goal were direct and had no creativity whatsoever.

Soccer is fun to watch because you never know at what moment the critical breakthrough will come. Will it come from a set piece? Will it come from a masterful run by a skilled player, or from a thrilling counterattack as both teams scramble? Will it be a perfectly placed cross, or a clever link up between two creative players on the same wavelength? There are simply so many possibilities that even when there is a lull in the action, I can't help but keep my eyes glued to the pitch. Every moment Zidane, Dinho, Messi, C. Ronaldo, or my favorite Stevie G is on the pitch is another potential moment of genius and creativity. Unfortunately, there are no midfield maestros of that class in the MLS. Neither are there top class finishers who take every chance they get a la Torres. Simply put, MLS is not dynamic - it's dull, slow, and direct.

Of course, this isn't news - everyone and their mother knows how shit-tastic the MLS is. My actual complaint is the vicious cycle of suckitude that doesn't allow MLS to break out of its own suckiness despite its best efforts: the MLS sucks -> nobody watches -> nobody plays -> future soccer players suck -> MLS sucks. It's interesting though, that every child plays soccer as a youngster in AYSO, but very few stick with it through high school. They move on to the big 3 mainstream sports: football, basketball, and baseball. Why? Because they are the "sexy" sports. All the big money superstars play those sports. How do we fix this cycle?

MLS is taking the right approach. By introducing the concept of the "designated player", they introduce a bit of the glitz and glamour to playing soccer. The biggest draws to being a professional sports player for a child, whether it is right or wrong, is the possibility of fame and fortune. Before, there was no fame nor any fortune to be had playing soccer. Kids in America don't even know how much money the big time soccer players make in Europe, but I bet if wages were at a similar level in America, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kobe Bryant would be playing soccer right now.

So, as usual, it all boils down to the $$$. America is the world capital of capitalism - if there is money to be made, someone will figure out how to make it - but the easiest way to monetize a sport is through sponsorships and advertisements. It's interesting to note that the 3 major American sports, football, baseball, and basketball all have stop and go action, allowing for commercial breaks every 4 minutes of action. Soccer is two 45 minute halves of uninterrupted action! No wonder corporate America aren't fans. So, that is the question. How can we change the business model of MLS to create revenue? With higher profit margins, players can get paid more, which will raise their level of celebrity (Q rating if you will). I don't know about you but, when I was a kid, if there were no Michael Jordan, I wouldn't have been that big a fan of basketball. In fact, I guarantee that if David Beckham were here and Michael wasn't, I'd eat breathe and sleep soccer instead of basketball.

And after all that, I have no idea how MLS should rethink its business model. Here's to hoping they have smarter minds than I.

Maybe Basccerball?

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Top NBA Draft Picks In the Past 40 Years

I wasted a good 10 minutes on this thing haha.

I got 33/40, which is pretty ridiculous considering these players were supposed to be the best each year.

More than half of these players aren't even going to be remembered as NBA players. Good Luck to Mr.Rose and Mr. Beasley. You may get money, but you can't buy yourself Fame.

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