I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who have served and are serving our country. We cannot thank you enough for your service and dedication to the United States.
I have been traveling too much for my liking and have not been able to write nearly as much as I would like. Let’s cover a bunch of topics in short order:
· I will be the first to admit that I never saw this coming from the Boston Celtics. I never anticipated them beating Cleveland and did not give them much of a chance against the Magic either. My Dad contends that he does not understand why people DIDN’T see this coming and I quote, “They are the same team that won the championship in 2008 but now they have a great point guard as well.” He just may be right, and hindsight is always easier, but anyone who saw this team play during the regular season, hell anyone who just follows the scores and standings, will attest that this team looked old, slow and past their window of opportunity. Only Pierce and Rondo were competing at a high level and the Celtics were all but ready to give Ray Allen away at the deadline. For someone like my Dad who doesn’t follow the NBA until the playoffs start, the above quote makes sense and maybe it proves that the regular season matters much less than we want to give it credit for.
· Meanwhile, everyone expected the Lakers to be here. I picked the Jazz to upset the Lakers in the second round but that was before their own seven- footer was out for the series, which pretty much eliminated any chance they had. When the Lakers are playing right, and by right I mean pounding the ball down low to Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum and then allowing Kobe to take over in the fourth quarter, they are the best team in the league. Their problem is that they do not play “right” nearly enough. It should be interesting to see how the Lakers attack the Celtics in the Finals. I will have much more on my thoughts heading into Game One later this week.
· Before the series began I predicted the Blackhawks to hoist the Cup in seven and so far my prediction looks good. I did, however, struggle mightily with this one as I feel the Flyers have what it takes to knock off the ultra-talented Blackhawks. The Flyers went out last summer and acquired Chris Pronger to deal with the likes of Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby come Stanley Cup Playoff time. They knew that the move may cost them some wins in the regular season as they adapted styles and integrated Pronger, but their objective was to become a better playoff roster and the plan has worked to perfection. Despite avoiding Ovechkin and Crosby in the playoffs, it has been Pronger’s presence along the blue line that has pushed the Flyers over the top of the Eastern Conference and into the Finals. I expect a big game from Pronger tomorrow night and hope the Flyers extend this series as it has been some really entertaining hockey in the first two games.
· The Pirates stand at 20-31 right now after losing 9 of their last 11, but I believe the number is 19-22 when Charlie Morton is not the starter. Granted many teams could potentially throw out a figure like that, but it goes to show that; (1) how bad Morton really has been, and; (2) that the Pirates are competing hard every night. As I alluded to in an earlier post, the Pirates obviously are not the most talented team in the league but they do have guys like Andrew McCutchen, Ryan Doumit and Garrett Jones that are worth watching and a few more of those guys, namely Brad Lincoln, Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata, that should be here in the near future.
· Speaking of Morton, his former team and my National League Wild Card pick the Atlanta Braves have been surging in the NL East. Their recent surge has nothing to do with the play of Nate McLouth, however, who is batting .184 on the year with 3 HRs and 4 SBs. McLouth is in danger of finding himself in a platoon role or possibly even a full-time bench role if he doesn’t pick up his play. Despite Morton’s struggles, I would still take the package today that the Pirates received for McLouth from Atlanta in a heartbeat. For reminder’s sake, that package also included Jeff Locke and Gorkys Hernandez in addition to Charlie Morton.
· Finally, with Boston starting to play as we expected and Toronto playing great baseball the AL East looks like it could be an unbelievable race throughout the summer. I do think that the Blue Jays will eventually take a backseat to the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox, but the intensity and urgency of the top three as they battle for what most likely will be two playoff spots should be great theater. One of these teams very easily could miss the playoffs with 90+ wins.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Stanley Cup Prediction
I have been on the road a ton lately and have not been able to write nearly as much as I would like. We will make up for that on Monday with a special edition Memorial Day Smorgasbord covering all of the things happening around the sports world. But with the Stanley Cup begining tonight, it is time to get an official prediction on record, with more of my reasoning coming as part of Monday's extended column.
Blackhawks in seven.
Blackhawks in seven.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Despite Record, Pirates Season Encouraging to Date
Before the season began I predicted a Pirates’ record of 74-88. Through 45 games, the Buccos sit at 19-26, a 68 win pace. I said that I thought 74 wins was an optimistic prediction as this team has a major void in talent, and that has shown true through the first 45 games. However, even the most pessimistic of fans has to believe the beginning of this baseball season has been an encouraging one for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
For starters, this is not the same team that limped down the stretch the previous two years, finishing with 95 and 99 losses, respectively. These Pirates are competing night in and night out. Yes they have a major lack of power. Yes they do not have a bona fide number one starter (probably not even a number two for that matter). And yes the series against the Brewers was historically bad. But the Pirates are playing fundamentally sound baseball (for the most part, Andy LaRoche base-running blunders not included), hustling at all times, and competing to the best of their ability. That is a credit to John Russell and his staff. You can question some of Russell’s managerial tactics, such as the non-traditional positioning of fielders, but you cannot question the fact that these guys are playing hard for him right now.
That is not the reason for optimism, however. That is what should be expected of professionals, but is not always what you get as evidenced by the August and Septembers put together by the previous two editions of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The reason for optimism is the play of the guys who might actually be in a Pirates uniform the next time the club is in contention. Aki Iwamura has been atrocious in the leadoff spot and almost as bad in the field. He has probably led to 3 or 4 of the Pirates losses single-handily, but that does not matter because the guy will not be here in 2-3 years when this team might have a chance to compete.
Instead, Pirate fans can take solace in the fact that Andrew McCutchen looks like he could become a super-duper star. Garrett Jones is not going to be the masher he was last year, but looks more than capable of being a solid contributor and power bat. Ryan Doumit has looked like Ryan Doumit. Andy LaRoche has played a solid third base and shows some skills that will hopefully allow him to make the transition to second base where his bat would play much better. Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and Ross Ohlendorf have all pitched well enough to form a solid middle of the rotation. The key will be to put one or two studs at the top of that rotation. Neal Huntington has proven that his strategy of putting a bullpen together year-by-year is the way to go and has shown the ability to identify the right guys for this role.
The only negatives toward the future is the total absence of power from Lastings Milledge (0 HRs in 144 ABs) and the complete ineptitude of Charlie Morton (1-8, 8.71 ERA). Each of these guys was acquired in a low-risk, high-reward trade, however, and their developments are not essential to the future of this club. Yes, if one or both could figure things out it would be nice and potentially speed up the rebuilding project, but neither needs to be counted on for the turn-around to be successful.
No, that success is being built where the most reason for optimism has transpired, in the Pirates’ minor league system. Jose Tabata and Neil Walker are tearing the cover off the ball in AAA. Pedro Alvarez is showing good patience and a great power stroke. Brad Lincoln looks like he could claim one of those spots at the top of the rotation. Even Bryan Morris, the much maligned pitching prospect acquired in the Jason Bay trade, pitched brilliantly in high-A ball and was recently promoted to Double-A where he again looked strong in his first start for Altoona. There is reason for hope up and down the minor league affiliates and that is a credit to Neal Huntington and the rest of the Pirates scouting staff.
The baseball season is still young and much is yet to be ultimately decided. But as the Pirates inevitably fall further and further from contention, Bucco fans may finally have some hope for the future as all signs point to encouraging for this young crop of Pirates and future Pirates.
For starters, this is not the same team that limped down the stretch the previous two years, finishing with 95 and 99 losses, respectively. These Pirates are competing night in and night out. Yes they have a major lack of power. Yes they do not have a bona fide number one starter (probably not even a number two for that matter). And yes the series against the Brewers was historically bad. But the Pirates are playing fundamentally sound baseball (for the most part, Andy LaRoche base-running blunders not included), hustling at all times, and competing to the best of their ability. That is a credit to John Russell and his staff. You can question some of Russell’s managerial tactics, such as the non-traditional positioning of fielders, but you cannot question the fact that these guys are playing hard for him right now.
That is not the reason for optimism, however. That is what should be expected of professionals, but is not always what you get as evidenced by the August and Septembers put together by the previous two editions of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The reason for optimism is the play of the guys who might actually be in a Pirates uniform the next time the club is in contention. Aki Iwamura has been atrocious in the leadoff spot and almost as bad in the field. He has probably led to 3 or 4 of the Pirates losses single-handily, but that does not matter because the guy will not be here in 2-3 years when this team might have a chance to compete.
Instead, Pirate fans can take solace in the fact that Andrew McCutchen looks like he could become a super-duper star. Garrett Jones is not going to be the masher he was last year, but looks more than capable of being a solid contributor and power bat. Ryan Doumit has looked like Ryan Doumit. Andy LaRoche has played a solid third base and shows some skills that will hopefully allow him to make the transition to second base where his bat would play much better. Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and Ross Ohlendorf have all pitched well enough to form a solid middle of the rotation. The key will be to put one or two studs at the top of that rotation. Neal Huntington has proven that his strategy of putting a bullpen together year-by-year is the way to go and has shown the ability to identify the right guys for this role.
The only negatives toward the future is the total absence of power from Lastings Milledge (0 HRs in 144 ABs) and the complete ineptitude of Charlie Morton (1-8, 8.71 ERA). Each of these guys was acquired in a low-risk, high-reward trade, however, and their developments are not essential to the future of this club. Yes, if one or both could figure things out it would be nice and potentially speed up the rebuilding project, but neither needs to be counted on for the turn-around to be successful.
No, that success is being built where the most reason for optimism has transpired, in the Pirates’ minor league system. Jose Tabata and Neil Walker are tearing the cover off the ball in AAA. Pedro Alvarez is showing good patience and a great power stroke. Brad Lincoln looks like he could claim one of those spots at the top of the rotation. Even Bryan Morris, the much maligned pitching prospect acquired in the Jason Bay trade, pitched brilliantly in high-A ball and was recently promoted to Double-A where he again looked strong in his first start for Altoona. There is reason for hope up and down the minor league affiliates and that is a credit to Neal Huntington and the rest of the Pirates scouting staff.
The baseball season is still young and much is yet to be ultimately decided. But as the Pirates inevitably fall further and further from contention, Bucco fans may finally have some hope for the future as all signs point to encouraging for this young crop of Pirates and future Pirates.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Conference Finals Look
The NBA and NHL Conference Finals are under way with one game in the books in each. After watching each of the game ones, I have not wavered from any of the picks I would have made before the series, though Orlando definitely came out flat. Let’s take a quick look at each of the series and who I think will advance.
In hockey I have looked pretty smart so far except for the surprising run by the Canadiens who have upset both Washington and Pittsburgh, two teams I expected to play in the conference finals. That being said I have still hit on two-thirds of the series so far and have generally forecasted what transpired.
I do think the Canadiens run is over, however, and Philadelphia, much like Pittsburgh and Washington, has too much firepower for Montreal to handle. Philadelphia looked dominant in game one and I do not expect this series to go very deep. The clock always strikes midnight at some point on Cinderella. Flyers in five.
In the west, I pegged Chicago from the start to make the Stanley Cup so there is definitely no point in changing now, especially after they found a way to win game one in San Jose. I expect San Jose to bounce back strong in game two and this to become a very physical, difficult series for Chicago. In the end, however, I think the Blackhawks have one too many stars with Toews, Kane and Hossa. Blackhawks in six.
My original forecast in the NBA playoffs has not looked nearly as good as my NHL predictions as three of the four teams still standing were not in my original final four. Who would have thought a Boston team that looked tired and old all season long still had something in the tank and that the Suns would finally get over their nemesis, the Spurs. The Lakers on the other hand, were expected to reach this point by virtually every pundit out there besides me. I still contend that a healthy Jazz team with their seven-footer would have at least made their Lakers series very interesting, with three of the four games still being very competitive despite Okur’s absence. Well let’s rebound to get these remaining series correct…
In the Eastern Conference I am sticking with the Orlando Magic despite their game one setback to Boston. This is the best that the Celtics have played since the 2008 Finals, but Orlando’s defense, depth and shooting ability will eventually be enough to squeak by the old dogs. Magic in seven.
Out West, despite the Lakers and Kobe’s brilliant performance in game one, I expect the Suns to make this series very interesting. The Suns are going to make the Lakers big men run the floor and play defense, and Kobe will not play that well every game. In the end, however, Lamar Odom is a big mismatch for Phoenix and I still trust Kobe Bryant to get the job done if this series reaches a game seven over anyone that the Suns have. Lakers in seven.
In hockey I have looked pretty smart so far except for the surprising run by the Canadiens who have upset both Washington and Pittsburgh, two teams I expected to play in the conference finals. That being said I have still hit on two-thirds of the series so far and have generally forecasted what transpired.
I do think the Canadiens run is over, however, and Philadelphia, much like Pittsburgh and Washington, has too much firepower for Montreal to handle. Philadelphia looked dominant in game one and I do not expect this series to go very deep. The clock always strikes midnight at some point on Cinderella. Flyers in five.
In the west, I pegged Chicago from the start to make the Stanley Cup so there is definitely no point in changing now, especially after they found a way to win game one in San Jose. I expect San Jose to bounce back strong in game two and this to become a very physical, difficult series for Chicago. In the end, however, I think the Blackhawks have one too many stars with Toews, Kane and Hossa. Blackhawks in six.
My original forecast in the NBA playoffs has not looked nearly as good as my NHL predictions as three of the four teams still standing were not in my original final four. Who would have thought a Boston team that looked tired and old all season long still had something in the tank and that the Suns would finally get over their nemesis, the Spurs. The Lakers on the other hand, were expected to reach this point by virtually every pundit out there besides me. I still contend that a healthy Jazz team with their seven-footer would have at least made their Lakers series very interesting, with three of the four games still being very competitive despite Okur’s absence. Well let’s rebound to get these remaining series correct…
In the Eastern Conference I am sticking with the Orlando Magic despite their game one setback to Boston. This is the best that the Celtics have played since the 2008 Finals, but Orlando’s defense, depth and shooting ability will eventually be enough to squeak by the old dogs. Magic in seven.
Out West, despite the Lakers and Kobe’s brilliant performance in game one, I expect the Suns to make this series very interesting. The Suns are going to make the Lakers big men run the floor and play defense, and Kobe will not play that well every game. In the end, however, Lamar Odom is a big mismatch for Phoenix and I still trust Kobe Bryant to get the job done if this series reaches a game seven over anyone that the Suns have. Lakers in seven.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Disappointing Loss for Pens
I do not know whether to pat myself on the back for an unfortunate but right on the money foreshadowing or kick myself where the sun don’t shine for my first-ever Pittsburgh jinx. At some point during the Penguins-Canadiens series I wrote the following two things;
“The loss was especially frustrating because the Pens are up against a Montreal team that is relying on their goaltender, luck and momentum for success in these playoffs…But what if, and it’s a big if but not impossible, Halak stands on his head Saturday night, or Fleury has an off night, or a couple of lucky bounces go the Canadiens way. All of a sudden the Pens could be on the brink of elimination” and;
“I do not want to jinx the Pens here, and I will save a longer version of my thoughts on Sidney Crosby until after the season and hopefully another Stanley Cup run, but as a Penguins fan could you ever imagine a Crosby-led team losing in a game seven when they are clearly the superior team.”
The former of those two quotes were from the Penguins game four loss to Montreal. A win in that game would have put the Pens up 3-1 in the series and all but eliminated the Canadiens. The latter quote was in reference to Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals losing game seven at home to the Canadiens, something that Crosby and the Penguins matched in the second round.
I tried to give myself a day to get over the immediate emotional reaction from a game seven loss and such an abrupt end to a season that looked so promising for another Stanley Cup championship. But in the end the only word that kept coming to mind was “disappointing”. The Penguins were clearly the class of the Eastern Conference, especially amongst the remaining teams fighting it out in the playoffs. They boasted of the best two players in the league still playing, the most playoff tested team and the most experienced goalie in terms of big games and big saves. In the end, none of that mattered.
Despite the Penguins outshooting, outhitting, winning more face-offs, having more scoring chances and generally outplaying the Canadiens for most of the series, it was Montreal that found a way to win four out of seven games, including a game seven on the home team’s own ice. The good news is that Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury, Orpik and Letang are all under contract for the next few years and this surely will not be this group’s last run at a Cup. It’s just a shame that this season had to end this way.
“The loss was especially frustrating because the Pens are up against a Montreal team that is relying on their goaltender, luck and momentum for success in these playoffs…But what if, and it’s a big if but not impossible, Halak stands on his head Saturday night, or Fleury has an off night, or a couple of lucky bounces go the Canadiens way. All of a sudden the Pens could be on the brink of elimination” and;
“I do not want to jinx the Pens here, and I will save a longer version of my thoughts on Sidney Crosby until after the season and hopefully another Stanley Cup run, but as a Penguins fan could you ever imagine a Crosby-led team losing in a game seven when they are clearly the superior team.”
The former of those two quotes were from the Penguins game four loss to Montreal. A win in that game would have put the Pens up 3-1 in the series and all but eliminated the Canadiens. The latter quote was in reference to Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals losing game seven at home to the Canadiens, something that Crosby and the Penguins matched in the second round.
I tried to give myself a day to get over the immediate emotional reaction from a game seven loss and such an abrupt end to a season that looked so promising for another Stanley Cup championship. But in the end the only word that kept coming to mind was “disappointing”. The Penguins were clearly the class of the Eastern Conference, especially amongst the remaining teams fighting it out in the playoffs. They boasted of the best two players in the league still playing, the most playoff tested team and the most experienced goalie in terms of big games and big saves. In the end, none of that mattered.
Despite the Penguins outshooting, outhitting, winning more face-offs, having more scoring chances and generally outplaying the Canadiens for most of the series, it was Montreal that found a way to win four out of seven games, including a game seven on the home team’s own ice. The good news is that Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury, Orpik and Letang are all under contract for the next few years and this surely will not be this group’s last run at a Cup. It’s just a shame that this season had to end this way.
LeBron Retraction (Sort of)
I wrote right here yesterday that last night’s Cleveland-Boston game could be a defining game in LeBron James’ career. That could very well be the case, especially if James decides to leave this summer for New York or Chicago or wherever. This game, and particularly this series, would then be a defining moment in his career and professional sports in Cleveland no matter what LeBron goes on to accomplish somewhere else. After watching last night’s game, however, I have to back off the statement that he may not reach the historical greatness we all thought he would achieve for a number of reasons. If LeBron never reaches that historical level, we will certainly look back at this series as the first sign that he would not, but I am not ready to give up on him just yet, and here’s why:
First and most importantly, LeBron just turned 25-years-old in December. Michael Jordan won his first title after turning 28. Yes, MJ was in his seventh season, the same as LeBron is in now, but MJ was developing his game and learning how to win while at North Carolina, something LeBron did not have the benefit of. Further and just like LeBron, Jordan was the best player in the game in the late 80s but he was unable to win titles because his supporting cast was inferior to that of the Lakers, Celtics and then the Pistons. Jordan was being labeled the same things that LeBron is today; a choker, a regular season star, not as great as the veteran stars such as Bird and Magic (now Kobe for LeBron). Did we really learn nothing from Jordan’s early career? Do we really want to look back and have to explain why we were wrong, again?
Second, and this became evident to me last night, LeBron really does care. He cares about being great, he cares about what people say and he definitely cares about winning. LeBron obviously did not have his A-game last night, but he still did everything he possibly could to try and will his team to victory. His competitiveness may have led to his and the Cavs’ biggest problem last night, turnovers. LBJ finished the game with a triple double, and nearly a quadruple double considering his 9, yes 9 turnovers. LeBron was forcing too many things when they were not there. But guys don’t attack the glass, attack the hoop, and finish with 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists (on a poor shooting night to boot) if they do not lay everything they have on the line. LeBron even found his three point stroke to make a game of it in the fourth quarter.
There are certainly holes in his game. He needs to develop a mid-range jumper and a much stronger post-up game. Those skills would enable him to punish smaller defenders. The fact that Ray Allen was covering him for a stretch in game six is outlandish to me. Ray Allen would get destroyed by Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce or any wing player with a post game. LeBron needs to develop that skill and punish smaller defenders on the block. But the fact of the matter is nobody in the NBA dominates the game the way LeBron does for 48 minutes. He did not lose this series just like he did not lose the Orlando series last year when he averaged 38.5 points, 8+ rebounds and 8 assists in the Magic’s 4-2 series win. He is playing with an inferior supporting cast and an even worse coach. Which gets me to the final point of my retraction: I cannot make a case that this could be a defining game of LeBron’s career when he is playing for a coach that is totally and without question overwhelmed by the situation.
I gave Mike Brown, which is Cleveland’s coach for those that do not know, the benefit of the doubt when they were dominated in the Finals three years ago. I again tried to give him the benefit of the doubt against Boston two years ago in a Conference Semifinal loss, using Cleveland’s terrible surrounding players as an excuse. It started to become evident, however, in the Orlando series last year that maybe it is Mike Brown who is overmatched and not this Cleveland team. This Boston series put the finishing touches on the notion that Brown is a terrible coach to me. Not terrible in the sense that he should be unemployed, but terrible in the sense that the guy has no offensive pedigree, no sense for the situation, and no ability to adjust in a seven game series. He would be great trying to turnaround a bad team. His guys play hard, play good defense and generally like playing for him. He should not be coaching a team trying to win the NBA Championship.
I could go on and on about Mike Brown’s ineptitude, from his terrible rotations, to his panic move of playing guys in game five that he had not played in the playoffs at all to that point, to his stagnant offense and inability to put his players in a position to succeed. But this is not about Mike Brown, this is about LeBron James. I simply cannot put the bulk of this blame on James when he has a coach that has been so outclassed in each of his playoff losses. Here’s hoping that LeBron stays in Cleveland and Mike Brown does not. Here’s hoping that James is given the right opportunity to be historically great, something that is in serious doubt at this point but not something I am ready to write off.
First and most importantly, LeBron just turned 25-years-old in December. Michael Jordan won his first title after turning 28. Yes, MJ was in his seventh season, the same as LeBron is in now, but MJ was developing his game and learning how to win while at North Carolina, something LeBron did not have the benefit of. Further and just like LeBron, Jordan was the best player in the game in the late 80s but he was unable to win titles because his supporting cast was inferior to that of the Lakers, Celtics and then the Pistons. Jordan was being labeled the same things that LeBron is today; a choker, a regular season star, not as great as the veteran stars such as Bird and Magic (now Kobe for LeBron). Did we really learn nothing from Jordan’s early career? Do we really want to look back and have to explain why we were wrong, again?
Second, and this became evident to me last night, LeBron really does care. He cares about being great, he cares about what people say and he definitely cares about winning. LeBron obviously did not have his A-game last night, but he still did everything he possibly could to try and will his team to victory. His competitiveness may have led to his and the Cavs’ biggest problem last night, turnovers. LBJ finished the game with a triple double, and nearly a quadruple double considering his 9, yes 9 turnovers. LeBron was forcing too many things when they were not there. But guys don’t attack the glass, attack the hoop, and finish with 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists (on a poor shooting night to boot) if they do not lay everything they have on the line. LeBron even found his three point stroke to make a game of it in the fourth quarter.
There are certainly holes in his game. He needs to develop a mid-range jumper and a much stronger post-up game. Those skills would enable him to punish smaller defenders. The fact that Ray Allen was covering him for a stretch in game six is outlandish to me. Ray Allen would get destroyed by Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce or any wing player with a post game. LeBron needs to develop that skill and punish smaller defenders on the block. But the fact of the matter is nobody in the NBA dominates the game the way LeBron does for 48 minutes. He did not lose this series just like he did not lose the Orlando series last year when he averaged 38.5 points, 8+ rebounds and 8 assists in the Magic’s 4-2 series win. He is playing with an inferior supporting cast and an even worse coach. Which gets me to the final point of my retraction: I cannot make a case that this could be a defining game of LeBron’s career when he is playing for a coach that is totally and without question overwhelmed by the situation.
I gave Mike Brown, which is Cleveland’s coach for those that do not know, the benefit of the doubt when they were dominated in the Finals three years ago. I again tried to give him the benefit of the doubt against Boston two years ago in a Conference Semifinal loss, using Cleveland’s terrible surrounding players as an excuse. It started to become evident, however, in the Orlando series last year that maybe it is Mike Brown who is overmatched and not this Cleveland team. This Boston series put the finishing touches on the notion that Brown is a terrible coach to me. Not terrible in the sense that he should be unemployed, but terrible in the sense that the guy has no offensive pedigree, no sense for the situation, and no ability to adjust in a seven game series. He would be great trying to turnaround a bad team. His guys play hard, play good defense and generally like playing for him. He should not be coaching a team trying to win the NBA Championship.
I could go on and on about Mike Brown’s ineptitude, from his terrible rotations, to his panic move of playing guys in game five that he had not played in the playoffs at all to that point, to his stagnant offense and inability to put his players in a position to succeed. But this is not about Mike Brown, this is about LeBron James. I simply cannot put the bulk of this blame on James when he has a coach that has been so outclassed in each of his playoff losses. Here’s hoping that LeBron stays in Cleveland and Mike Brown does not. Here’s hoping that James is given the right opportunity to be historically great, something that is in serious doubt at this point but not something I am ready to write off.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Defining Game for LeBron
As a longtime LeBron James supporter and advocate that he is probably the most talented player ever born, I thought this season and these playoffs would begin to define him as a basketball player. When I say “most talented” I do not mean the “best”. He has been the “best” player in the NBA for two or three seasons now, and with apologies to Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Dwight Howard among others, it really has not been all that close.
But to be considered historically great along the lines of Jordan, Magic, Bird, Russell, Wilt, Kareem and even Kobe from a historical perspective, LeBron needs to make the next step into greatness: the ability to will yourself and your team to victory and eventually, championships. All of the others that I mentioned have done this. They have led their teams to new heights and championship rings. LeBron is now 25-years-old, in his seventh season and his time has come to make the transformation from great player to historically great player.
That is why I thought this playoff run would be a defining moment in LeBron’s career. I just did not think that the defining moment would happen in the second around against the Boston Celtics. I believed it would occur in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic or against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the NBA Finals. I thought at some point that we were going to see the competitive zest that makes great players great come out in James as he led his team to their first of what would become many NBA Championships. Instead, after what is being considered his worst NBA playoff game of his career, James’ Cavaliers face an elimination game on the road in the 2nd round.
I hope as a fan of LeBron’s, as a fan of basketball, and as a fan of greatness that “LBJ” steps up in Games 6 and 7, leads his team to victory, and goes on to win his first of many championships. If he is unable to come through tonight, however, or in a game seven at home against an inferior opponent, I and everyone else that has anointed him will have to start reevaluating what his career might end up looking like. That is why tonight’s game could begin to define LeBron James’ career and his legacy one day.
But to be considered historically great along the lines of Jordan, Magic, Bird, Russell, Wilt, Kareem and even Kobe from a historical perspective, LeBron needs to make the next step into greatness: the ability to will yourself and your team to victory and eventually, championships. All of the others that I mentioned have done this. They have led their teams to new heights and championship rings. LeBron is now 25-years-old, in his seventh season and his time has come to make the transformation from great player to historically great player.
That is why I thought this playoff run would be a defining moment in LeBron’s career. I just did not think that the defining moment would happen in the second around against the Boston Celtics. I believed it would occur in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic or against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the NBA Finals. I thought at some point that we were going to see the competitive zest that makes great players great come out in James as he led his team to their first of what would become many NBA Championships. Instead, after what is being considered his worst NBA playoff game of his career, James’ Cavaliers face an elimination game on the road in the 2nd round.
I hope as a fan of LeBron’s, as a fan of basketball, and as a fan of greatness that “LBJ” steps up in Games 6 and 7, leads his team to victory, and goes on to win his first of many championships. If he is unable to come through tonight, however, or in a game seven at home against an inferior opponent, I and everyone else that has anointed him will have to start reevaluating what his career might end up looking like. That is why tonight’s game could begin to define LeBron James’ career and his legacy one day.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Frustrating Loss by Penguins
The good news for the Penguins last night is that they got Jordan Staal back in the line-up and he looked relatively healthy from his foot injury. The bad news is that the Penguins blew a great chance to put a stranglehold on this series and move one step closer to their Stanley Cup goal. The loss was especially frustrating because the Pens are up against a Montreal team that is relying on their goaltender, luck and momentum for success in these playoffs. Despite Montreal’s comeback from a 3-1 series deficit in the opening round against Washington, a win last night for the Pens and the series would have been all but over. It was a game that championship teams must win.
If Montreal had come out and taken it to the Penguins, that would be one story. The Penguins, however, dominated this game from the start outshooting Montreal 26-9 in the first two periods and 35-25 for the game. The Penguins also drew four power-plays to Montreal’s two. As well as Halak played once again, the Penguins had ample opportunities to put the puck behind him and failed to do so. Evgeni Malkin had a break-away in the 3rd period which could have tied the game. Crosby and Letang both whiffed on shots that were to an open net. Time and again the Penguins failed to put the Canadiens away in the game, and for all practical purposes, the series.
In the end, Pittsburgh and Marc-Andre Fleury in particular, gave this one to the Canadiens. Fleury continues his frustrating play of making the spectacular save while allowing too many of the soft goals to sneak in. I probably would not trade Fleury for any goalie remaining in the playoffs, but at some point he needs to stop allowing these nonsense goals if he is ever going to be considered in the Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy elite status of goalies.
The Penguins have given the opposing locker room a belief that maybe this is meant to be. Somehow the Canadiens keep finding ways to win. The deeper they get in the series the more one lucky break or one great goaltending performance can mean pulling the upset. That is what Montreal is banking on.
I do think the Penguins take it to Montreal in game five at home and then put the series away in game six back in Montreal on Monday. They are simply too talented and too motivated not to win this series against a Canadiens team that is probably lucky to still be playing at this point. But what if, and it’s a big if but not impossible, Halak stands on his head Saturday night, or Fleury has an off night, or a couple of lucky bounces go the Canadiens way. All of a sudden the Pens could be on the brink of elimination…and that is what makes last night’s loss so frustrating.
If Montreal had come out and taken it to the Penguins, that would be one story. The Penguins, however, dominated this game from the start outshooting Montreal 26-9 in the first two periods and 35-25 for the game. The Penguins also drew four power-plays to Montreal’s two. As well as Halak played once again, the Penguins had ample opportunities to put the puck behind him and failed to do so. Evgeni Malkin had a break-away in the 3rd period which could have tied the game. Crosby and Letang both whiffed on shots that were to an open net. Time and again the Penguins failed to put the Canadiens away in the game, and for all practical purposes, the series.
In the end, Pittsburgh and Marc-Andre Fleury in particular, gave this one to the Canadiens. Fleury continues his frustrating play of making the spectacular save while allowing too many of the soft goals to sneak in. I probably would not trade Fleury for any goalie remaining in the playoffs, but at some point he needs to stop allowing these nonsense goals if he is ever going to be considered in the Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy elite status of goalies.
The Penguins have given the opposing locker room a belief that maybe this is meant to be. Somehow the Canadiens keep finding ways to win. The deeper they get in the series the more one lucky break or one great goaltending performance can mean pulling the upset. That is what Montreal is banking on.
I do think the Penguins take it to Montreal in game five at home and then put the series away in game six back in Montreal on Monday. They are simply too talented and too motivated not to win this series against a Canadiens team that is probably lucky to still be playing at this point. But what if, and it’s a big if but not impossible, Halak stands on his head Saturday night, or Fleury has an off night, or a couple of lucky bounces go the Canadiens way. All of a sudden the Pens could be on the brink of elimination…and that is what makes last night’s loss so frustrating.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Pens Need Staal
The Penguins won game three of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with Montreal last night at Bell Centre, taking a 2-1 series lead in the process. The win was not an easy one, however, as the Pens had to withstand a strong surge from the Canadiens in the first period most likely resulting from a rush of adrenaline playing in front of their home crowd. Pittsburgh began applying some pressure of their own in the 2nd period before eventually getting a goal past Jaroslav Halak with a man-advantage in the third period. The Penguins power play goal, scored by Evgeni Malkin, turned out to be the game-winner and the Pens tacked on an empty netter to get the final 2-0 result.
It was a welcome site to see the Penguins play a strong defensive game and get a great performance from goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury who stopped all 18 shots he faced. It was especially comforting to see the great defensive effort after somewhat criticizing the Penguins defense right here on the blog yesterday. The Penguins needed a stronger defensive effort in the absence of center Jordan Staal and winger Billy Guerin and got just what they needed from a makeshift lineup.
I also thought it was very apparent that the Penguins are going to need a healthy Jordan Staal to win the Stanley Cup. That is why it was fantastic news that Staal accompanied the team on the trip to Montreal and participated in a pre-game skate with his teammates. The Penguins managed only 25 shots against the Canadiens in game three, half of which seemed to come on the power play, and were unable to generate much pressure on Montreal outside of a great game by Malkin. The Penguins have gotten exactly two pucks past Halak in the past two games and are struggling to produce the assorted pressure that they normally get from all four of their lines.
Captain Crosby is seeing the Canadiens’ top defensive pairing and is not getting much support from his wingers so far in this series. With Maxime Talbot replacing Staal on the third line, where Staal and his linemates Tyler Kennedy and Matt Cooke do such a great job of cycling the puck, essentially two positions are negatively affected by Staal’s absence; his own and either the 2nd line wing or 4th line center where Talbot usually plays.
Luckily for the Penguins Montreal probably does not have enough fire power to pull the upset in this series with or without Staal and/or Guerin. As long the Penguins continue to stay out of the penalty box and avoid giving Montreal’s dangerous power-play unit too many opportunities, the Penguins should not have too much trouble getting through the Canadiens. It will be in the Eastern Conference Finals and with some good fortune the Stanley Cup Finals where Staal’s presence will be essential for the Penguins to successfully defend their Cup Title.
The Penguins need Staal cycling the puck on the third line with Kennedy and Cooke, they need him wreaking havoc in front of opposing goaltenders and they need that constant pressure from all of their lines. That is why it was great news to hear that Staal is already back on his skates and his return at some point looks promising.
It was a welcome site to see the Penguins play a strong defensive game and get a great performance from goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury who stopped all 18 shots he faced. It was especially comforting to see the great defensive effort after somewhat criticizing the Penguins defense right here on the blog yesterday. The Penguins needed a stronger defensive effort in the absence of center Jordan Staal and winger Billy Guerin and got just what they needed from a makeshift lineup.
I also thought it was very apparent that the Penguins are going to need a healthy Jordan Staal to win the Stanley Cup. That is why it was fantastic news that Staal accompanied the team on the trip to Montreal and participated in a pre-game skate with his teammates. The Penguins managed only 25 shots against the Canadiens in game three, half of which seemed to come on the power play, and were unable to generate much pressure on Montreal outside of a great game by Malkin. The Penguins have gotten exactly two pucks past Halak in the past two games and are struggling to produce the assorted pressure that they normally get from all four of their lines.
Captain Crosby is seeing the Canadiens’ top defensive pairing and is not getting much support from his wingers so far in this series. With Maxime Talbot replacing Staal on the third line, where Staal and his linemates Tyler Kennedy and Matt Cooke do such a great job of cycling the puck, essentially two positions are negatively affected by Staal’s absence; his own and either the 2nd line wing or 4th line center where Talbot usually plays.
Luckily for the Penguins Montreal probably does not have enough fire power to pull the upset in this series with or without Staal and/or Guerin. As long the Penguins continue to stay out of the penalty box and avoid giving Montreal’s dangerous power-play unit too many opportunities, the Penguins should not have too much trouble getting through the Canadiens. It will be in the Eastern Conference Finals and with some good fortune the Stanley Cup Finals where Staal’s presence will be essential for the Penguins to successfully defend their Cup Title.
The Penguins need Staal cycling the puck on the third line with Kennedy and Cooke, they need him wreaking havoc in front of opposing goaltenders and they need that constant pressure from all of their lines. That is why it was great news to hear that Staal is already back on his skates and his return at some point looks promising.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
NHL Playoffs Round-Up
The NHL Playoffs are in full gear and we are already seeing some injuries begin to mount from the remaining eight teams competing for the Cup. My predictions in the opening round looked like they were going to be pretty solid until Washington pulled one of the all-time choke jobs, becoming the first number one seed in history to blow a 3-1 series advantage over a number eight seed. Speaking of which…
· I do not want to jinx the Pens here, and I will save a longer version of my thoughts on Sidney Crosby until after the season and hopefully another Stanley Cup run, but as a Penguins fan could you ever imagine a Crosby-led team losing in a game seven when they are clearly the superior team. I have long withheld the notion that Crosby was a better all-around hockey player than Alexander Ovechkin, no matter how entertaining of a player “Ovie” is, and the Montreal upset of Ovechkin’s Capitals in the first round has cemented this notion for me.
· I alluded to the Penguins' defense being sub-par, at least compared with last year’s Cup team, after Ottawa’s game one upset in the Penguins opening round series. I have not seen much to dispel that thought since as the Penguins are allowing over three goals per game in their eight playoff games. If there is any reason why the Penguins will not repeat, barring injury, it will be their play in their own end of the ice that will be the culprit.
· I am a little shocked by the Boston Bruins’ ability to jump out to a 2-0 series lead against the Philadelphia Flyers. I liked the Flyers’ chances to slide by New Jersey in the first round and I really liked their chances to get by the Bruins in the Conference semifinals. The Flyers personnel department built this team for postseason success and the plan looked to be coming to fruition until the Flyers players decided to get outworked by the Bruins in the first two games of this series.
· The Bruins have scored the first and last goal in each of the two games and have yet to trail in a game in the series so far. If the Flyers do not come out with more intensity from the start of game three, this series could be all but in the bag for Boston. I do think, however, that the Philly crowd rejuvenates the Flyers and we end up getting a great series out of these historic rivals. I just don’t feel as confident about my Flyers pick as I did at the outset.
· In past years, the Western Conference had clearly been the superior conference top to bottom. I think the tide may have turned, however, judging by the speed and intensity in the Eastern Conference playoffs this year. I am sure that has had a lot to do with teams competing with and building their teams around playing against Crosby and Ovechkin.
· My Western Conference winner, the Chicago Blackhawks, have not played particularly well up to this point. The main problem has been goaltending. Take away Antti Niemi’s two shutouts and the goaltender has given up over 3.3 goals per game in Chicago’s other six games. Chicago did get a big win last night, however, to even up the series with Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks. I still feel as though the Blackhawks have too much talent with Toews, Kane and Hossa not to get out of the West, I just hope the goaltending does not cost them.
· Detroit trails San Jose, who I did pick to win this series, 2-0 in their Western Conference semifinal. Even down two games you get the feeling that Detroit will somehow get back into this series as they head back to Detroit for games three and four. The Red Wings have too much pride and too much talent still to bow out easily. Their problem, much like the Blackhawks, has been goaltending. This is their goaltender Jimmy Howard’s first action in a Stanley Cup playoff and the 26-year-old has given up 20 goals in Detroit’s five losses in the playoffs.
· I am sticking with my original prediction of the Penguins over the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. The key, for both teams, will be limiting their opponents’ opportunities as both hockey clubs possess more talent from their forwards than any of the other remaining playoff teams.
· I do not want to jinx the Pens here, and I will save a longer version of my thoughts on Sidney Crosby until after the season and hopefully another Stanley Cup run, but as a Penguins fan could you ever imagine a Crosby-led team losing in a game seven when they are clearly the superior team. I have long withheld the notion that Crosby was a better all-around hockey player than Alexander Ovechkin, no matter how entertaining of a player “Ovie” is, and the Montreal upset of Ovechkin’s Capitals in the first round has cemented this notion for me.
· I alluded to the Penguins' defense being sub-par, at least compared with last year’s Cup team, after Ottawa’s game one upset in the Penguins opening round series. I have not seen much to dispel that thought since as the Penguins are allowing over three goals per game in their eight playoff games. If there is any reason why the Penguins will not repeat, barring injury, it will be their play in their own end of the ice that will be the culprit.
· I am a little shocked by the Boston Bruins’ ability to jump out to a 2-0 series lead against the Philadelphia Flyers. I liked the Flyers’ chances to slide by New Jersey in the first round and I really liked their chances to get by the Bruins in the Conference semifinals. The Flyers personnel department built this team for postseason success and the plan looked to be coming to fruition until the Flyers players decided to get outworked by the Bruins in the first two games of this series.
· The Bruins have scored the first and last goal in each of the two games and have yet to trail in a game in the series so far. If the Flyers do not come out with more intensity from the start of game three, this series could be all but in the bag for Boston. I do think, however, that the Philly crowd rejuvenates the Flyers and we end up getting a great series out of these historic rivals. I just don’t feel as confident about my Flyers pick as I did at the outset.
· In past years, the Western Conference had clearly been the superior conference top to bottom. I think the tide may have turned, however, judging by the speed and intensity in the Eastern Conference playoffs this year. I am sure that has had a lot to do with teams competing with and building their teams around playing against Crosby and Ovechkin.
· My Western Conference winner, the Chicago Blackhawks, have not played particularly well up to this point. The main problem has been goaltending. Take away Antti Niemi’s two shutouts and the goaltender has given up over 3.3 goals per game in Chicago’s other six games. Chicago did get a big win last night, however, to even up the series with Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks. I still feel as though the Blackhawks have too much talent with Toews, Kane and Hossa not to get out of the West, I just hope the goaltending does not cost them.
· Detroit trails San Jose, who I did pick to win this series, 2-0 in their Western Conference semifinal. Even down two games you get the feeling that Detroit will somehow get back into this series as they head back to Detroit for games three and four. The Red Wings have too much pride and too much talent still to bow out easily. Their problem, much like the Blackhawks, has been goaltending. This is their goaltender Jimmy Howard’s first action in a Stanley Cup playoff and the 26-year-old has given up 20 goals in Detroit’s five losses in the playoffs.
· I am sticking with my original prediction of the Penguins over the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. The key, for both teams, will be limiting their opponents’ opportunities as both hockey clubs possess more talent from their forwards than any of the other remaining playoff teams.
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