So Distrespectul

Anyone familiar with Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless and their endless bickering on espn's First Take will enjoy this video.

This is just hilarious, and fun, and phenomenal.

I love Stephen A. Smith, and although I'm not a fan of the bickering that goes on during that program, I do understand that is what the show is all about.

Can't Beat the Heat

Congratulations to the 2012 NBA Champions, the Miami Heat.

I'm not sure there has ever been a more disliked, disrespected, and just out and out hated team to win a Championship.  What the members and coaching staff of this team has had to go through the past two seasons has really never been seen before.  Yet, here we are two seasons, two finals appearances and a one championship later.  So a tip of the cap to the Heat, and much respect from the Sports Doofus.

To Pat Riley - The Architect

Put together this team by wooing LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and re-signing Dwayne Wade.  His critics were many.  Who is going to play post?  With that much money spent on those three players how can he build a championship roster?  I cannot count how many times I heard something along the lines of "they have 3 good players, and nobody else".  Yet, the roster was evidently good enough to make the NBA finals both years, and won their title in their second try.  Here's the thing, this team isn't old.  I keep hearing about how the Thunder are the team of the future, and they may be.  But I don't think Miami is going away for the next few seasons.  They are going to be around awhile.

To Eric Spoelstra - The Coach

It was just a few weeks ago and I was hearing things like "Doc Rivers is coaching circles around Spoelstra", "He's in over his head", and "Spoelstra will be fired unless the Heat win the title".  Well, they won the title.  Now, this wasn't an easy task for any coach.  Sure he had his "Big 3" to build around, but who else could handle that many egos, that much publicity, that much pressure, and the constant scrutiny this team was under.  It could have and would have crippled many coaches.  Coach Spoelstra kept his cool and just did his job.  I loved how he handled himself throughout the past two seasons.  Every time the Heat fell behind in a series (down 2 games to 1 to the Pacers, down 3 games to 2 against the Celtics) the media was crying for his head and talking about how the Heat were "vulnerable" to this and/or that.  Adjustments were made, changes in gameplan were implemented, and the Heat were able to overcome.  I'm not sure it's possible that enough credit will be given to him.  He deserves as much credit as anyone.  Period.

To LeBron James - The Best Basketball Player on the Planet

LeBron will get most of the coverage for this championship, and deservedly so.  I don't think there has ever been a player who has been more criticized despite his greatness on the court.  Certainly, "The Decision" played a large factor in this.  I remember watching it, and I said it myself immediately afterward, "I hate the Heat".  I admit it.  I piled on.  I joined the Haters club.  I felt like he was a cop out, and a coward, and someone undeserving of any praise.  However, as the past two years went on, I couldn't help but pull for the guy a bit.  He's not my favorite player, or my favorite person, but c'mon people... this guy is simply amazing. In the Celtics series, he spent time guarding Rondo (the point guard) and Garnett (the center), he did it all.  He led fast breaks like a point guard, rebounded like a power forward, and led the team when they needed it (dropping over 40 points in Boston in a possible elimination game on the road).  Watching him play this post season was just epic.  It was an epic performance from the preeminent player in the world.  I hope now that some of the haters will let go of their issues, and just enjoy the amazing abilities the man brings to the table.

To Dwayne Wade - The Sidekick

One of the things we've been subjected to redundantly over the past two years is "who's team is it?".  After all, Wade had led the Heat to a title in 2006.  He was the "alpha dog" in Miami, he was the man and now he was going to have to share the ball with LeBron?  And countless discussions about how "LeBron and Wade play the same way... they can't survive that way" in addition to the "Who takes the last shot in a close game?"  Most people felt that it would be Wade's team, and LeBron would settle in as his 2nd in command.  It didn't work that way, LeBron is too good, too talented, and it takes a big man to "step aside" and let another player take over the "leadership" role (I mean, seriously can you imagine Kobe deferring to anyone?  anyone?).  Wade did that this season.  He let LeBron take charge, and correctly so.  

To Chris Bosh - The Forgotten

It wasn't long into this run, about 10 games in or so, that the jokes started.  "Big 3?  More like Big 2 and a half."  Bosh was chastised, called out, and at times scapegoated for the failures of the team (like they don't have a post player, and Bosh just wants to shoot jumpshots).  However, it was very easy to see in the Boston series how much Chris Bosh meant to this team.  Boston was having their way with the Heat inside until Bosh returned from his abdominal injury.  Notwithstanding his incredible performance in that game 7 win against Boston, it was just the difference he made to the team... Garnett and/or Brandon Bass couldn't drop off and help clog the lane, because Bosh made them pay from the perimeter.  And he was a very impressive player throughout the NBA Finals.  Lost in the hype surrounding the game 5 championship clinching win (LeBron's triple double, Mike Miller's shooting performance), was that Bosh played an outstanding game.  He scored 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks...And, he got the game started scoring inside a couple of times early, and made a beautiful move past Kendrick Perkins for a dunk that ignited the crowd.  Do not underestimate the importance of Bosh to this team.  In reality, he really is the perfect "3rd wheel" and played his role to perfection.

To The Role Players - Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Norris Cole, Mike Miller

For two years I've heard that the Heat "didn't have anyone outside of the Big 3".  Well, that just turned out to not be true.  

Shane Battier shot lights out from the field in the first few games, hitting timely 3's and keeping the floor spaced for Wade and LeBron to drive.  He took charges over and over again... really I don't think I've ever seen a better charge taker than Battier.  Without his performance there is no way the Heat win this title.

Mario Chalmers, despite struggling mightily from the field in games 2 and 3, made several big plays to seal game 4 for the Heat (scoring 25 points), and honestly, Chalmers is an underrated defender.  I'm not saying he's in the running for any all defensive team, but he's better than you think.

Udonis Haslem didn't do anything fantastic in the finals, but he was the only "big" who saw any playing time besides Chris Bosh.  He set picks, grabbed boards, and made hustle plays.  And he was also HUGE in their win in the Celtics Series, especially when Bosh was out with injury.  He's only 6'8" and was often guarding 7 footers, and then having to switch off on screens to guard speedy guards like Westbrook, Harden and Rondo.

Norris Cole as a rookie really came up big.  He made some nice plays in the Celtics series, and he scored a quick 8 points to start the Heat comeback in game 4 (remember, they were down 17 in the first quarter of that game).  This guy has a bright future in the league, and certainly showed he wasn't afraid of the moment.

Mike Miller - well, Mike didn't do much throughout the playoffs, he was bothered by a back injury, and he looked like it on the court.  He couldn't run from one end to the other, he was painful just to watch.  Then, game 5 of the finals he hits 7 of 8 3 pointers.  Just an unconscious shooting performance from the South Dakota native (former Mitchell Kernel).

Also, a tip of the hat to the Thunder.  An excellent young team, with an exciting and talented group of players that should be in the running for the NBA title for many years to come.  Westbrook, Durant, Harden, and Ibaka are only going to get better.  Remember Thunder fans, last season the Heat took it on the chin in the finals too.  This young team keeps improving, keeps advancing a round farther in the playoffs each year.  I can foresee another Heat/Thunder NBA Finals next year.

One last thought on OKC.  Coach Scott Brooks has done a great job with this team.  I started to read some rumors and whispers on a few talk shows, and on twitter blaming him for his team's failures.  It would be a colossal mistake for the Thunder to get rid of Coach Brooks.  They need to keep him and his team as intact as they can and bring it back again next year.

Thanks for reading my thoughts, enjoy your weekend!

Heat/Celtics Series Final thoughts.

First, before I start in on the Heat/Celtics Eastern Conference Finals, how about these NBA playoffs?  Just amazing drama and performances up and down the league.  It's been incredible to watch.

Starting with Derrick Rose tearing his ACL in the Bulls/76ers series, then his team fighting back and taking the Sixers 7 games.  The Nuggets took the Lakers 7 games in the West, another compelling series that could have gone either way.  Then in the second round... The Sixers and Celtics went 7 games, the Pacers led the Heat 2-1, and the Lakers/Thunder series was closely contested (even if the Thunder won in 5.. those games were tough and hard fought.

Then, looking the Conference finals...both were compelling, but the Heat/Celtics was clearly the better series.  OKC took a punch from the Spurs losing the first 2 games, and then won 4 games in a row.

This Heat/Celtics match up was epic.  Miami winning two at home, followed by Boston winning two at home (2 of those games going to overtime).  Boston beating the Heat in Miami in game 5, to go ahead 3-2 and returning home for game 6.  At that time, LeBron couldn't close...Spoelstra couldn't coach, Dwayne Wade wasn't playing great.  And they have to play in Boston, facing a team with oodles of confidence, who won 3 in a row.

Then, the LeBron James game happened.  He was amazing in game 6.  He was that "force of nature" we saw against the Pistons those years ago.  Unbelievable performance.

Which set up game 7 tonight.  I actually was surprised at the start of the game.  Boston took the early lead, and kept it for pretty much the entire first half.  I even tweeted that Miami "had to close within 5 by half, or the Celtics win".  They didn't.  They were down 7 at the break.  And yet, they found a way to win, actually running away in the final few minutes.  With that, I have 3 thoughts on game 7.

1.  Chris Bosh was HUGE tonight.  He was an amazing.  He hit 3 3 pointers, but more important than that was his defense and rebounding.  Remember earlier in the series when the Celtics were getting numerous offensive rebounds in crunch time?  With Haslem and Bosh on the court, the amount of 2nd shot opportunities for the Celtics simply weren't there.  On a few occasions, KG looked like he was in position to grab the board, but Bosh would slide over and snag it away.  It happened several times.  Chris Bosh came up big tonight, and proved that it really is a Big 3, not a Big 2.

2.  Rajon Rondo is an enigma.  In game 2 he goes off for 44 points.  He had 10 assists at halftime tonight.  He flirts with a triple double nearly every time he steps on the floor.  That said, his turnovers in Game 6 were a huge reason why the Heat were able to blow the Celtics out in that game.  And tonight, Game 7, NBA  Finals on the line... Dwayne Wade was playing 5 feet off him in crunch time.  There is no other "star" in this league who would be given this much space.  And I don't think you can be considered with the best players in the league when you're at the top of the key, and your man is standing on or slightly below the free throw line.  Don't get me wrong, he is an extremely talented player, and I'm not here trying to rip on his game, I just don't think you can be considered "elite" if the other team lays off you in crunch time.

3.  Eric Spoelstra can coach.  He was ripped on in the Indiana series, when they fell behind 2 games to 1.  Then the Heat ripped off 3 games in a row.  In this series, when they fell behind 3-2, I was reading things like "Spoelstra is in over his head".  Tons of credit were being thrown in the direction of Doc Rivers, and rightfully so, but you do realize he won 2 games with Rony Turiaf starting at center and playing significant minutes?  Then, he tried Joel Anthony, and he did what Joel Anthony does...mostly play a little D and stand around on offense.  When they got Chris Bosh back, they looked like a different team out there.  I'd really like to see the guy get some credit.  He got the Heat to the finals last year, in the first season of the "Big 3", and now he's returned.  You try and manage a team with that many egos, and the outlandish expectations of everyone in the media.  If the Heat lost this series, the cries for his firing would have been deafening.  And it would have happened.  However, they made the finals again.  Give Coach Spo his due, he deserves it.

Really looking forward to the Heat/Thunder finals.  The two young "Big 3's" get to face off Durant-Westbrook-Harden vs James-Wade-Bosh.  It's all set up to be a "good vs evil" finals.  The team from the small market, with the young home grown stars (the Thunder drafted each of those 3 in consecutive seasons), going against the evil, plotting, free agent signing Heat.  Really should be fun to watch.  Two teams with tons of athleticism and neither team is afraid to mix it up on the defensive end.  Can't wait to see how many fouls Kendrick Perkins disagrees with (all of them).  Can't wait to see how many "did you just see that shots" that Kevin Durant hits.  Looking forward to see LeBron leading the break, all 6'9" and 250 pounds of him (seriously, how scary would that be to see coming at you with a head of steam).

NBA Action, It's Fantastic!

Farewell Don Quixote

For whatever reason, some years back I determined that it would be a wise course of action for me to pursue reading great works of literary fiction.  I thought reading one "classic" a year would be good for me, and as someone who likes to read, I thought it would be something I'd enjoy.

Well, for the most part this has held true.  I have read a number of "classics" over this period, including:  Catch 22, Slaughterhouse Five, The Count of Monte Cristo, and so on...  I'm not sure if all the "classics" I've read are actually "classics".  For the most part, I have just picked a book that is older than I am and has some acclaim.

And then came Don Quixote.  I'm slightly ashamed to admit that the first two times I tried to read this book, I was unable to do so.  On both occasions I would start it, and then I'd lose motivation, and eventually I just gave up.

However, this time I was confident and motivated.  Last year I had made it through Dumas's "The Count of Monte Cristo" which had also been translated, and was written in another century.  So I figured, "I can read this".

Well, late last night I accomplished my goal.  It took me the better part of 3 months of reading almost every night (it's a terribly long book, 976 pages in Hardcover).  The language is pretty difficult, being that it is translated from a form of Spanish in the early 1600's.  When I was halfway through the book, I became convinced that I would never finish it, and also... that quite possibly it would never end.

However, last night as I finished the final few chapters I found myself sad with the realization that Don Quixote would soon be leaving me.  What  tremendous characters that Cervantes created.  It is sort of sad for me to let "The Knight of the Lions" and his faithful companion Sancho Panza fade away.

If you ever wanted to read Don Quixote, I would recommend it as a great story, with unforgettable characters and adventures.  However, you need to be warned that you need to bring your endurance...your patience will be tested, and ultimately, rewarded.  But it isn't easy reading.

As for me, I'm going to read some lighthearted comedy for a while, probably starting with Michael Ian Black's "You're Not Doing It Right".

Top Ten NBA Coaches

So, since we're in the heart of the NBA playoff season, and nearing the conference Finals, I thought it may be a good time to break down the top 10 coaches in the NBA.

(Well that, and the fact that I didn't have anything else to write about... the top ten list is the savior of the uninspired writer)

As always we will be using a highly specific and advanced system to measure, judge, and properly rank these coaches... namely my opinion.  So without further pomp and circumstance.... my top 10 NBA coaches.

10.  Lionel Hollins - Memphis Grizzlies 

I'm a fan of Coach Hollins.  I like the way he carries himself on the bench.  He did a pretty good job with Memphis this year, losing Zach Randolph for a big portion of the season.  Part of this ranking...being included in the top 10, is living off of last season's knocking out the Spurs in round one.

9.  Mike Brown - LA Lakers

Most Laker fans are not a fan of Coach Brown, and I will admit to being confused at some of his rotations, but the guy did not have an easy job this past season.  He had the Chris Paul trade vetoed, Lamar Odom asked to leave, Pau wasn't himself most of the season because of trade rumors, Metta World Peace got suspended for the first 6 playoff games, and he had to deal with all the Andrew Bynum stuff.  They lost in the 2nd round of the playoffs, but they were in, and could have won 2 of those games...  I liked how he carried himself, didn't make excuses, and accepted accountability.  Remember Coach Brown led LeBron and not much of anything else to the NBA finals, and had the best record in the league 2 straight seasons.  I think he's a pretty good coach.

8.  Scott Brooks - Oklahoma City Thunder

I've been very impressed with Coach Brooks throughout these playoffs.  He has really done a nice job with this Thunder team.  The players all seem to know their roles, there are no surprise rotation changes, and they pretty much play the same way every day.  Consistency is big.  Now how much of this is having a bunch of young stars to build around, and how much of it is coaching?  I guess we'll find out.

7.  Doug Collins - Philadelphia 76ers

Doug Collins is a great "teacher and builder" of teams.  Basically, if you suck and you have some young guys you want to improve, you bring in Doug Collins.  However, after a few years, his act wears thin on NBA veterans and he needs to be replaced.  However, he is a very sound coach, and really does a fine job in getting people to improve.

6.  Rick Adelman - Minnesota Timberwolves

This guy should probably be higher on the list.  Coach Adelman has built a pretty good career, and he's won pretty much everywhere he's went. (Except for Houston).  He was just a few games from making the finals in Sacramento, and actually made it to the Finals with Portland.  The Timberwolves got a good one here, and if they can keep the core of their young team together... they could be a team to watch in coming seasons.

5.  George Karl - Denver Nuggets

He's also never won the big one, but he made the finals once with the Sonics.  I'm also a bit biased towards George because he's a Tar Heel.  And consistently he has taken teams that aren't as talented as the teams he goes against, and stretches out a long series.  I think he's improved as an NBA coach over the years, and honestly his Nuggets team was probably my favorite team to watch during the season... watching Ty Lawson run the break, it was like watching the Tar Heels.

4.  Doc Rivers - Boston Celtics

I don't think I'd have had Doc this high if not for this season.  I wasn't that impressed with the title he won (beat the Lakers in 6 games without Bynum), they couldn't make the finals if one of their players were hurt, and he did have "The Big Three" to lean on.  Certainly he wasn't making any top ten lists the year before Boston acquired Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.  But he did a really good job this year.  And actually, the job he did this year made me re-think his entire tenure.  He's a pretty good coach.  Although he coaches for the enemy.

3.  Tom Thibodeau - Chicago Bulls

Here's how you know you have a good coach... your team's best player, the reigning MVP of the league gets hurt and plays in only 39 of 66 regular season games, in a compressed schedule, strike shortened season, and you still pull off the best record in the league.  Yes, they lost in the first round.  But they did lose Derrick Rose, again, in the first round.

2.  Rick Carlisle - Dallas Mavericks

Coach Carlisle finally reached the "top of the mountain" last year, and he has been a highly regarded coach in the NBA for many years.  He had been the head coach of the Indiana Pacers when they were given the death blow by the NBA for the Malice at the Palace incident.  He was hamstrung this past season as Dallas chose to let players leave to clear cap space.

1.  Gregg Poppovich - San Antonio Spurs 

Not much more can be said about coach Poppovich that hasn't already been said many other places.  But the fact that he can still have the spurs in a position to be NBA contenders after all these years is just simply amazing.  The only coach that is on Popp's level is Phil Jackson and he isn't in the league right now.  The Spurs have gone from a defensive team, to an unstoppable offense force.  From a team that was post orientated to a team that stretches the floor and hits 3's like no one else.  Popp's ability to get his team to continually be a contender no matter what style, no matter what year, sets him apart from the rest.

Fixing the Lakers at TV Fury.

Yesterday, New York author and blogger Shawn Fury and I did an e-mail exchange it which we attempted to fix the roster of the LA Lakers.

You can read the exchange here.

Thanks to Shawn and fellow site runner Terry Vandrovec for giving me the opportunity to contribute.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

So a few weeks ago, I was just sitting around and I noticed that the coachella music festival had a YouTube channel.  As I was working on a paper for Grad School that weekend, I spent a great deal of time with coachella playing in the background.  (BTW, how cool is it that you can watch free streams from music festivals now?  If they would have had things like this when I was in college, I'd have never graduated... I'd have gotten expelled after watching too many Lollapalooza's).

They had 3 stations or channels or streams or whatever you want to call them.  Usually with a different band performing on each one.  As evening rolled around I had just been really impressed with "We Were Promised Jetpacks", and was looking for who I was going to watch/listen to next.

And then I heard HER.  Check out this clip from that performance, it's short, and you'll see what I mean.

That voice was amazing.  Her band was locked in.  They had an old school kind of groove going on, and the crowd was eating it up.  I must have told my son about 15 times "these guys are amazing!"

And, on top of that... she's quite... how do I put this as not to offend... well OK, I'll just say it, she's gorgeous.  I kept thinking to myself as I watched the performance... "How is this woman not a Huge Star?"

So that night I downloaded their album "Grace Potter and the Nocturnals".  I have to say, it's pretty darn good.  The catchy single "Paris (Ooh, La, La)" is the most commercially successful track.

It just makes me wonder, how or why people become stars?  How do we end up listening to the crap we hear over the airwaves, and not hear people with actual talent?  

They have a new album coming out in June called "The Lion The Beast The Beat" and you can bet I'll be downloading that one as well.

One other thing I noticed in watching YouTube clips, is so many people mention how great a live band they are, and that they are a much better live band than they are on their albums.  And you can see this online... just go look on YouTube... you won't have any trouble seeing amazing performances.

I'll leave you with another clip from that coachella performance I watched that night.  Tell me that band isn't just having a great time?  You Go Grace!  (and your Nocturnals!)