May 2009
Not "King" Yet, LeBron Can Watch the Lakers Win on TV
05/30/09 23:45 Filed in: NBA
Watching the Lakers dominate on Friday night, I saw this deep, all-around team, lead by the dominant player in basketball, Kobe Bryant, get back to the series they were aiming for since last June. Fighting through the Western Conference's top teams, the Lakers showed the depth, leadership, and coaching that is needed to win a title.
As I said before the season began, the Lakers have by far the best, deepest team in the NBA and the "Magic" will need just that to stretch the series to six. Boston was a shell of the team that won the title last year, due in most part to injuries, but also due to personnel moves and aging, and Cleveland is the most over-rated group of journeymen to get to a conference championship series in years. It did not take that good of a team to win the east, and the Lakers will show the "experts" who picked Denver to be playing next Thursday night what a true championship team looks like.
James, Howard, Wade, etc. are all great players, but Kobe is by far still number one, and his leadership alone, as he demonstrated Friday night, is enough to pull out close, key games. Gasol, Odom, and Ariza are playing like monsters, Luke Walton and Shannon Brown are providing tremendous vigor and intensity, and I feel strongly that in the finals the rest of the deep and talented Laker backcourt will have more than a few highlight moments. And, slowly but surely, Andrew Bynum (who, remember missed three+ months up to the start of the playoffs with a serious knee injury) is rounding into form.
Mr. Howard, who may well be number two to Kobe, will certainly have his moments, and score his points, and be dominant on the boards, but professional basketball is not a one-man game (right, LeBron?) and a team effort, led by the real number one, will be the reason the Lakers make up for last year's frustrating, demeaning, embarrassing, NBA finals.
theHoundDawg
As I said before the season began, the Lakers have by far the best, deepest team in the NBA and the "Magic" will need just that to stretch the series to six. Boston was a shell of the team that won the title last year, due in most part to injuries, but also due to personnel moves and aging, and Cleveland is the most over-rated group of journeymen to get to a conference championship series in years. It did not take that good of a team to win the east, and the Lakers will show the "experts" who picked Denver to be playing next Thursday night what a true championship team looks like.
James, Howard, Wade, etc. are all great players, but Kobe is by far still number one, and his leadership alone, as he demonstrated Friday night, is enough to pull out close, key games. Gasol, Odom, and Ariza are playing like monsters, Luke Walton and Shannon Brown are providing tremendous vigor and intensity, and I feel strongly that in the finals the rest of the deep and talented Laker backcourt will have more than a few highlight moments. And, slowly but surely, Andrew Bynum (who, remember missed three+ months up to the start of the playoffs with a serious knee injury) is rounding into form.
Mr. Howard, who may well be number two to Kobe, will certainly have his moments, and score his points, and be dominant on the boards, but professional basketball is not a one-man game (right, LeBron?) and a team effort, led by the real number one, will be the reason the Lakers make up for last year's frustrating, demeaning, embarrassing, NBA finals.
theHoundDawg
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LeBron this, LeBron that, Blah, Blah, Blah...
05/23/09 16:33 Filed in: NBA
Online, in the papers, on sports talk radio, or heaven forbid, turn on Sportscenter, or any other TV sports show, and that's all you read, hear, or see.
It seems that the Combined Sports Media is now the LeBron the Magnificant No One Else Is Any Good or Matters Anymore Media.
Exactly how many championships has he won? Oh, yea:
theHoundDawg
It seems that the Combined Sports Media is now the LeBron the Magnificant No One Else Is Any Good or Matters Anymore Media.
Exactly how many championships has he won? Oh, yea:
theHoundDawg
Sports Meets Real Life Head-On
Its been a tough few days for sports fans to remain in their fantasy bubble, keeping the realities of "real" life out of the toy department. In the past three days, 44 year old former NBA star Wayman Tisdale died, ex-Charger QB, first round pick, Div. II assistant coach, and all-time bust Ryan Leaf was arrested on drug and burglary charges, golfer Phil Mickelson left the PGA tour upon learning that his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, the 39-year-old wife of Arizona Diamondback lefty and former Angel Scott Schoeneweis was found dead by her 14-year-old daughter, and today the airwaves were full of discussions about a second chance for the scum-of-the-earth Michael Vick, who is scheduled to be released from prison tomorrow.
Words cannot described the tragedy of the deaths of people like Tisdale and Gabriella Schoeneweis, nor the ordeal that Phil and Amy Mickelson and their family will now have to endure. But as to the other two events, the track record of Leaf was pretty strong evidence that his so-called rehabilitation and re-entry into civilized society would be short-lived, and his return to his prior lifestyle could be readily anticipated, and as far as VIck is concerned, well.....
That miserable scum should never play another down in the NFL and should never collect another red cent from any pro football owner. On the field, he was the most over-rated performer in the modern history of sports, and off the field one of the true evil, vile, disgusting excuses for a human being to ever enjoy the fruits of an over-paid, over-rated athletic career. It is disgusting to hear commentators, such as former coach Herman Edwards, fawning over Vick, and anticipating which team will win a sweepstakes for the right to pay him to return to football.
Well, hopefully the next few days, with the NBA playoffs and MLB interleague play, will see a return to on-flied excitement and no more off-the-field stories at the top of the sports news.
theHoundDawg
Words cannot described the tragedy of the deaths of people like Tisdale and Gabriella Schoeneweis, nor the ordeal that Phil and Amy Mickelson and their family will now have to endure. But as to the other two events, the track record of Leaf was pretty strong evidence that his so-called rehabilitation and re-entry into civilized society would be short-lived, and his return to his prior lifestyle could be readily anticipated, and as far as VIck is concerned, well.....
That miserable scum should never play another down in the NFL and should never collect another red cent from any pro football owner. On the field, he was the most over-rated performer in the modern history of sports, and off the field one of the true evil, vile, disgusting excuses for a human being to ever enjoy the fruits of an over-paid, over-rated athletic career. It is disgusting to hear commentators, such as former coach Herman Edwards, fawning over Vick, and anticipating which team will win a sweepstakes for the right to pay him to return to football.
Well, hopefully the next few days, with the NBA playoffs and MLB interleague play, will see a return to on-flied excitement and no more off-the-field stories at the top of the sports news.
theHoundDawg
The New Pauley Pavilion - c. 2012
05/15/09 08:58 Filed in: College Basketball
 | Well, after years of rumors, a massive Pauley Pavalion renovation plan is official, to the tune of $185 Million in improvements, upgrades, and innovations. The anticipated result is a lavish palace befitting the NCAA's greatest basketball dynasty, and substantial additional costs to ticket holders. Years of anticipation, however, will now be followed by years of construction, as completion is now projected for Fall, 2012, and will require Bruiin road games only, for at least one season. They are not, of course, calling them road games, but what else would you consider UCLA games played in the Honda Ponda of Anaheim, Staples Center, the formerly Fabulous Forum, and who knows what other Socal venue that may be called into service to house the Bruins. All of the gritty details, and lots and lots of |
What is more important, though, is the impact of the renovation, and the cost thereof, on long-time season ticket holders, such as theHoundDawg, and ticket-seekers in general. It is a fact to deal with, that big donors will be rewarded with the best seat locations, pushing the rest of us further back. And, in order to keep even those seats, not only will ticket prices rise, as they have done yearly anyway, but we will also be required to fork over substantial payments - personal seat licenses or what ever they may be called - for the right to spend thousands of dollars for the actual tickets.
Antiquated Pauley needs a renovation, but the powers that be need to realize that the average fans, primarily Bruin alumni, are the backbone of Bruin support, and if they price us out of the new Pauley, support of and interest in Bruin basketball could be irrevocably damaged.
theHoundDawg
Angels Weather Storm, Dodgers Still in Trouble
05/15/09 07:55 Filed in: Baseball
The Angels' early-season nightmare is over.
With Earvin Santana back in the rotation, John Lackey about to be back, with Joe Saunders and Jared Weaver pitching outstanding, consistent ball, and with the emergence of Matt Palmer, the Angels' decimated rotation is now back to AL dominance. With the anticipated return of Glad, the consistent play of Kendry Morales, and the tremendous defensive improvement of Chone Figgans at third base, and with a division full of early-season pretenders, the Angels should now be on their way to another year of regular-season dominance.
Whether or not they can, for the first time since 2002, carry that over to the post season and actually win something of importance, is another matter.
Yet another matter is the Dodgers. Despite winning two-of-three on the road from the Champion Phillies, the Dodger mess is still not pretty. Andre Ethier continues to struggle, Juan Pierre is coming back to earth, and the previously dominant Jonathan Broxton "vultched" his fourth victory of the season yesterday, after blowing his second save of the season.
With Jeff Weaver entrenched in the rotation (at least for now), Eric Mitlon's recall, Jason Schmidt's beginnng rehabilitation, the demotion of John McDonald, and Clayton Kershaw's struggles, the face of the Dodger staff is seemingly in the process of a dramatic change from reliance on strong, young, healthy arms, to being composed of tired, old, questionable, injury-prone retreads.
This could, in the long run, be more of a problem then the loss of Manny.
theHoundDawg
With Earvin Santana back in the rotation, John Lackey about to be back, with Joe Saunders and Jared Weaver pitching outstanding, consistent ball, and with the emergence of Matt Palmer, the Angels' decimated rotation is now back to AL dominance. With the anticipated return of Glad, the consistent play of Kendry Morales, and the tremendous defensive improvement of Chone Figgans at third base, and with a division full of early-season pretenders, the Angels should now be on their way to another year of regular-season dominance.
Whether or not they can, for the first time since 2002, carry that over to the post season and actually win something of importance, is another matter.
Yet another matter is the Dodgers. Despite winning two-of-three on the road from the Champion Phillies, the Dodger mess is still not pretty. Andre Ethier continues to struggle, Juan Pierre is coming back to earth, and the previously dominant Jonathan Broxton "vultched" his fourth victory of the season yesterday, after blowing his second save of the season.
With Jeff Weaver entrenched in the rotation (at least for now), Eric Mitlon's recall, Jason Schmidt's beginnng rehabilitation, the demotion of John McDonald, and Clayton Kershaw's struggles, the face of the Dodger staff is seemingly in the process of a dramatic change from reliance on strong, young, healthy arms, to being composed of tired, old, questionable, injury-prone retreads.
This could, in the long run, be more of a problem then the loss of Manny.
theHoundDawg
Caught With The Goods: FBI, IRS and U.S. Attorney Have Evidence of Tim Floyd Cash Payoff
05/12/09 22:47 Filed in: College Basketball
As reported by Yahoo Sports late this afternoon, the sc brain surgeon's jig is about up, with evidence that head basketball coach Tim Floyd made a direct cash payment of $1,000 to Rodney Guillory, the "runner" who allegedly lavished former brain surgeon guard OJ Mayo with all those fancy accoutrements that decorated his dorm room.
Former Mayo confident Louis Johnson has told FBI, IRS. U.S. Attorney, and NCAA investigators, all about the payment, a small part of the $30,000 or so in illegal benefits paid to Mayo during his short trojan tenure.
Again, local media, protecting sc at all costs, has failed miserably, and it's Yahoo Sports that is reporting what scant info there has been about the now three-year-old investigations of sc basketball and football violations. Their report comes only a few days after Johnson gave his account to the NCAA, but almost a full year since he spilled his guts to the federal investigators.
One bad thought, however, permeates the "flow" of information about the sc basketball program: Are things being set up for the basketball program to take the fall, with the outrageous criminal enterprise that is the sc football program, getting off with a slap on the wrist?
And Floyd had believed that losing Renardo Sidney, whom he thought he had bought and paid for, was the low point of the off-season.
theHoundDawg
Former Mayo confident Louis Johnson has told FBI, IRS. U.S. Attorney, and NCAA investigators, all about the payment, a small part of the $30,000 or so in illegal benefits paid to Mayo during his short trojan tenure.
Again, local media, protecting sc at all costs, has failed miserably, and it's Yahoo Sports that is reporting what scant info there has been about the now three-year-old investigations of sc basketball and football violations. Their report comes only a few days after Johnson gave his account to the NCAA, but almost a full year since he spilled his guts to the federal investigators.
One bad thought, however, permeates the "flow" of information about the sc basketball program: Are things being set up for the basketball program to take the fall, with the outrageous criminal enterprise that is the sc football program, getting off with a slap on the wrist?
And Floyd had believed that losing Renardo Sidney, whom he thought he had bought and paid for, was the low point of the off-season.
theHoundDawg
Bob Melvin - 2007 Manager of the Year is Now Arizona Scapegoat
05/08/09 19:49 Filed in: Baseball
In 2007, the season before last, the Arizona Diamondbacks had the NL's best record, and manager Bob Melvin was Manager of the Year. Now, with the team off to a 12-17 start, behind the stellar hitting of Chad Tracy (.221), Stephen Drew (.205), Chris Snyder (.204), Conor Jackson (.191), Chris Young .177), and Eric Byrnes (.139), and a team batting average of .222, plus the loss of ace starter Brandon Webb, on the DL with an era of 13.50, he no longer knows how to manage.
He brought the team back from oblivion in his first season as the Diamondbacks' manager, leading a 51-111 2004 team to 77 wins in 2005. His 2007 team won with mirrors, and Melvin's rare managerial talent, compiling a 90-72 record, despite being outscored for the season, by 20 runs.
GM Josh Byrnes and owners Ken Kendrick, Paul Schloss, and Jason Ellis should be ashamed of themselves. Melvin's replacement, former catcher A.J. Hinch, has zero managerial experience anywhere. Learning on the job, a team batting average of .222, and a disabled list loaded with key players, makes for a long season for Hinch and, unfortunately, for the D'Back fans.
All I can say is that what certainly seemed to be no worse than the second most talented team in the NL west is now no longer a threat to overtake the Manny-less Dodgers.
theHoundDawg
He brought the team back from oblivion in his first season as the Diamondbacks' manager, leading a 51-111 2004 team to 77 wins in 2005. His 2007 team won with mirrors, and Melvin's rare managerial talent, compiling a 90-72 record, despite being outscored for the season, by 20 runs.
GM Josh Byrnes and owners Ken Kendrick, Paul Schloss, and Jason Ellis should be ashamed of themselves. Melvin's replacement, former catcher A.J. Hinch, has zero managerial experience anywhere. Learning on the job, a team batting average of .222, and a disabled list loaded with key players, makes for a long season for Hinch and, unfortunately, for the D'Back fans.
All I can say is that what certainly seemed to be no worse than the second most talented team in the NL west is now no longer a threat to overtake the Manny-less Dodgers.
theHoundDawg
Here Yesterday, Gone Today
05/07/09 22:52 Filed in: Baseball
At this time last evening, the Dodgers, led on the field, as well as emotionally and spiritually, by Manny Ramirez, possessed the best 2009 won-lost record in baseball, the record for most home wins at the start of a season, and looked to most observers as the team to beat in the NL, if not in the majors.
24 hours later, the team is demorzlied and fans disgusted, as Manny is gone for 50 games under baseball's baned substance policy, and after a valient offensive effort failed due to a total meltdown by the bullpen, the Dodger's home win streak is now just a piece of historical fluff.
The young Dodger nucleus, of Andre Ethier, of Matt Kemp, of James Loney, of Russell Martin, of Chad Billingsley, of Jonathan Broxton, needs to focus on the game and nothing else, and play as if there is and there was no Manny. They cannot feel that his loss is a reason, an excuse, to lose. The Dodgers can, and should, win the West Division, without Manny. The team needs to prove that to the fans and to themselves.
Joe Torre needs to show why he is one of the game's great managers, and that he belongs up there with Walter Alston as the best the Dodgers have had. He needs to convince his team they had their bad day, and that the season starts tomorrow, with a new winning streak, and a drive to still be in first place, and maybe they'll even have the best record in baseball on July 3, when that guy with the long hair returns.
theHoundDawg
24 hours later, the team is demorzlied and fans disgusted, as Manny is gone for 50 games under baseball's baned substance policy, and after a valient offensive effort failed due to a total meltdown by the bullpen, the Dodger's home win streak is now just a piece of historical fluff.
The young Dodger nucleus, of Andre Ethier, of Matt Kemp, of James Loney, of Russell Martin, of Chad Billingsley, of Jonathan Broxton, needs to focus on the game and nothing else, and play as if there is and there was no Manny. They cannot feel that his loss is a reason, an excuse, to lose. The Dodgers can, and should, win the West Division, without Manny. The team needs to prove that to the fans and to themselves.
Joe Torre needs to show why he is one of the game's great managers, and that he belongs up there with Walter Alston as the best the Dodgers have had. He needs to convince his team they had their bad day, and that the season starts tomorrow, with a new winning streak, and a drive to still be in first place, and maybe they'll even have the best record in baseball on July 3, when that guy with the long hair returns.
theHoundDawg
Angels Back on Track
05/06/09 13:18 Filed in: Baseball
With word that John Lackey and Ervin Santana are beginning rehab, that Vlad may be back as DH in a few days, and with good outings by Matt Palmer and Shane Loux, things are looking up for the Angels' recovery. They've won three in a row and are only two games out of first, after weathering what is hopefully the worst of an historic stretch of pitching staff injuries.
It looks like Seattle's hot start is over, and though Texas has been on a role, they still do not have the pitching to compete with LA, so long as at least half the Angel staff remains on the active roster.
theHoundDawg
It looks like Seattle's hot start is over, and though Texas has been on a role, they still do not have the pitching to compete with LA, so long as at least half the Angel staff remains on the active roster.
theHoundDawg