And the world returns to its normal axis, as the Heat dismantle the Pacers and effectively end any shot Indiana had at winning this series. Dexter Pittman's wink -- caught on camera -- after he gave Lance Stephenson a shot to the neck at the end of the game is why he'll probably sit Game 6, not that it matters.
More:
*The NFLPA's collusion lawsuit against the NFL is a joke.
*Larry Bird calls the Pacers "soft": You're not helping.
*The Magic would be a better fit for NBA martinet Jerry Sloan than the Bobcats.
*Kings advance to Stanley Cup finals: Yeah, that would-be penalty was a somewhat dirty move, but if you're Phoenix, you've got to deal and rally. They were going to lose the series anyway, let's be honest.
Sorry for the short (and way-late) post today.
Tons of great stuff on Quickish today (and yesterday, too). Click here for a quick-hit version or just head over to the site.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
05/21 (LeBron) Quickie
What I don't understand is pundits who tell me/us that I/we have to like LeBron.
Why can't I simultaneously appreciate that LeBron is jaw-droppingly awesome -- as he was yesterday afternoon -- yet still root against him?
Do these pundits also insist I root for the Yankees? How about Duke hoops? How about the Patriots?
The history of sports is loaded with examples of otherworldly players that we fans appreciate but are otherwise allowed to root against. LeBron is no different.
Meanwhile:
*Dwyane Wade: Nothing like a brilliant bounce-back game to implode the previous day's narrative. (Am I still allowed to root for the Pacers to win the series? No? That's OK: I'm fine watching the Heat get past Indy then get past the Celtics before being dismembered by the Spurs.)
*Spurs: Four, four. The West finals against OKC will be epic, but is it hard to envision the Spurs sweeping again? They probably won't, but at some point -- even if you don't like the Spurs or want to see them win yet another title in the NBA's Duncan Dynasty -- you kind of want them to go 16-0, simply because we haven't seen that.
*NHL: I don't think the Kings have much to worry about. The Devils, on the other hand, should be worried that they are out-playing the Rangers yet still stymied by Lundqvist. If you believe in process over outcome, it should eventually even out -- but (a) not in a short series and (b) not with Lundqvist playing out of his mind.
*Get more: A bunch of great Heat-related reads at Quickish this morning, along with an awesome longishread about the star of "Born to Run" (which was the focus of a Quickish tip from Outside.com last month, but is re-done by the New York Times in fine fashion today). Check it all out here.
-- D.S.
Why can't I simultaneously appreciate that LeBron is jaw-droppingly awesome -- as he was yesterday afternoon -- yet still root against him?
Do these pundits also insist I root for the Yankees? How about Duke hoops? How about the Patriots?
The history of sports is loaded with examples of otherworldly players that we fans appreciate but are otherwise allowed to root against. LeBron is no different.
Meanwhile:
*Dwyane Wade: Nothing like a brilliant bounce-back game to implode the previous day's narrative. (Am I still allowed to root for the Pacers to win the series? No? That's OK: I'm fine watching the Heat get past Indy then get past the Celtics before being dismembered by the Spurs.)
*Spurs: Four, four. The West finals against OKC will be epic, but is it hard to envision the Spurs sweeping again? They probably won't, but at some point -- even if you don't like the Spurs or want to see them win yet another title in the NBA's Duncan Dynasty -- you kind of want them to go 16-0, simply because we haven't seen that.
*NHL: I don't think the Kings have much to worry about. The Devils, on the other hand, should be worried that they are out-playing the Rangers yet still stymied by Lundqvist. If you believe in process over outcome, it should eventually even out -- but (a) not in a short series and (b) not with Lundqvist playing out of his mind.
*Get more: A bunch of great Heat-related reads at Quickish this morning, along with an awesome longishread about the star of "Born to Run" (which was the focus of a Quickish tip from Outside.com last month, but is re-done by the New York Times in fine fashion today). Check it all out here.
-- D.S.
Friday, May 18, 2012
05/18 (Friday) Quickie
*Let's not downplay D-Wade's mid-game sideline rant at coach Erik Spoelstra. That felt like a defining moment of the Heat falling short of a championship -- possibly falling short of even making the Eastern Conference Finals. (Chris Bosh: Heat MVP. Chew on that.)
*The Spurs are awesome, full stop. They have a superstar, regular stars, role players, luck, design, system, a Hall of Fame coach, a Hall of Fame GM. It is, like most championship teams, absolutely not a replicable model for other franchises. (Indiana, however....)
*SEC and Big 12 pair up for a bowl game to rival (or eclipse) the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Brilliant. Not as brilliant as the SEC forming its own billion-dollar 8-team playoff that doesn't include any other teams, but not bad given they don't seem willing to go that far. (The Big 12 doesn't need Florida State, but they should sign them up anyway.)
*Kerry Wood is retiring: His career was derailed with injuries, but he will always be remembered for the 20-K game, which Bill James once argued was the single-greatest pitching performance in baseball history. My old ESPN.com editor David Schoenfield made a compelling case that Wood's legacy is alerting teams to over-using young pitchers' arms, which has led to much better pitching (and much more hamstrung offense -- an unintended consequence, I'm sure).
*Preakness pick: the NYT's Joe Drape is picking Went The Day Well. The real questions are: (1) Will I'll Have Another pick up another leg of the Triple Crown? (No.) (2) Will Bodemeister finish what he started in the Derby and set up a rubber match at Belmont? (No.) (3) Then who will win? (Creative Cause, with Bodemeister to place and I'll Have Another to show.)
Have a great weekend. Plenty of great reads on Quickish today, with more coming this weekend. Check it out!
-- D.S.
*The Spurs are awesome, full stop. They have a superstar, regular stars, role players, luck, design, system, a Hall of Fame coach, a Hall of Fame GM. It is, like most championship teams, absolutely not a replicable model for other franchises. (Indiana, however....)
*SEC and Big 12 pair up for a bowl game to rival (or eclipse) the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Brilliant. Not as brilliant as the SEC forming its own billion-dollar 8-team playoff that doesn't include any other teams, but not bad given they don't seem willing to go that far. (The Big 12 doesn't need Florida State, but they should sign them up anyway.)
*Kerry Wood is retiring: His career was derailed with injuries, but he will always be remembered for the 20-K game, which Bill James once argued was the single-greatest pitching performance in baseball history. My old ESPN.com editor David Schoenfield made a compelling case that Wood's legacy is alerting teams to over-using young pitchers' arms, which has led to much better pitching (and much more hamstrung offense -- an unintended consequence, I'm sure).
*Preakness pick: the NYT's Joe Drape is picking Went The Day Well. The real questions are: (1) Will I'll Have Another pick up another leg of the Triple Crown? (No.) (2) Will Bodemeister finish what he started in the Derby and set up a rubber match at Belmont? (No.) (3) Then who will win? (Creative Cause, with Bodemeister to place and I'll Have Another to show.)
Have a great weekend. Plenty of great reads on Quickish today, with more coming this weekend. Check it out!
-- D.S.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
05/17 (Thunder) Quickie
Thunder d. Lakers: For all the offensive pyrotechnics of Durant and Westbrook and Harden, last night's comeback close-out felt like a defining moment for the Thunder.
(As for the Lakers' final shot? Kobe was supposed to get the ball, but MWP saw Blake open in the corner for an entirely reasonable shot. It was the right play to make -- but you can't disprove a negative, which is why Kobe's fans are howling this morning (the way Kobe was shooting at the end of the game, he had far less of a chance of making a contested shot as Blake had of making an uncontested one).
Celtics Take Game 3: I'm not a huge KG fan, but I am absolutely loving his renaissance as an elite talent in his late-30s.
LeBron/Heat/Bosh: Yes, it's harder for LeBron to play power forward than it is for him to play small forward on the perimeter. But it's not like he doesn't have the physique to pull it off -- he's like twice the size of Kevin Love. I'd love to see him go 20/20, but it sounds like he might not be up for the challenge.
NHL: Fantastic (arguably must-have) win for the Devils last night. Totally changes the feel of the series.
NFL: Hard to understand why the Saints aren't giving Drew Brees what he wants.
MLB: You know Pujols is having a tough season when every home run -- and he's now up to all of two of them -- is the lead MLB story of the night.
Preakness: I'll say Bodemeister wins the rematch with I'll Have Another, who won't even place.
Pop on over to Quickish to catch up on the best takes on all these stories, plus some really great other reads.
-- D.S.
(As for the Lakers' final shot? Kobe was supposed to get the ball, but MWP saw Blake open in the corner for an entirely reasonable shot. It was the right play to make -- but you can't disprove a negative, which is why Kobe's fans are howling this morning (the way Kobe was shooting at the end of the game, he had far less of a chance of making a contested shot as Blake had of making an uncontested one).
Celtics Take Game 3: I'm not a huge KG fan, but I am absolutely loving his renaissance as an elite talent in his late-30s.
LeBron/Heat/Bosh: Yes, it's harder for LeBron to play power forward than it is for him to play small forward on the perimeter. But it's not like he doesn't have the physique to pull it off -- he's like twice the size of Kevin Love. I'd love to see him go 20/20, but it sounds like he might not be up for the challenge.
NHL: Fantastic (arguably must-have) win for the Devils last night. Totally changes the feel of the series.
NFL: Hard to understand why the Saints aren't giving Drew Brees what he wants.
MLB: You know Pujols is having a tough season when every home run -- and he's now up to all of two of them -- is the lead MLB story of the night.
Preakness: I'll say Bodemeister wins the rematch with I'll Have Another, who won't even place.
Pop on over to Quickish to catch up on the best takes on all these stories, plus some really great other reads.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
05/16 (LeBron) Quickie
Gabe turns 6 today. For those of you who have been around since the day he arrived in 2006 (announced in the Quickie, I believe), thank you.
He gets his presents tonight, but this morning we gave him his first gift -- a Cam Newton t-shirt jersey. Newton is his favorite player. He didn't even have it on before he did Cam's "Superman" move in celebration. I think it'll be impossible for me not to buy him a real Newton Panthers jersey this fall.
(He is also getting a half-dozen packs of various sport cards -- just in case you were wondering if analog sports fandom was dead. It's not -- turns out 6-year-olds are as fascinated by the facts and data on the back of a sports card as they have been for three generations.)
More:
*Heat lose to the Pacers: Chris Bosh turns out to matter... a lot. But the story of the game was LeBron missing those free throws at the end, then standing around as Mario Chalmers took the would-be game-tying shot at the buzzer. I understand why Spoelstra would use LeBron as a decoy to get the cleanest shot possible, but it sure doesn't look good. If the Heat lose to the Pacers -- and at this point it's 50/50 (which is a lot more tenuous than it was this time yesterday) -- then at least they have the built-in excuse that Bosh wasn't playing, no different than the Bulls getting bounced without Rose.
*Spurs win, handily. It's their title to lose. Today's best read is a sneak peek of this week's SI, which has a great profile of Tim Duncan by Chris Ballard.
*Head over to Quickish for some really great reads about the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
He gets his presents tonight, but this morning we gave him his first gift -- a Cam Newton t-shirt jersey. Newton is his favorite player. He didn't even have it on before he did Cam's "Superman" move in celebration. I think it'll be impossible for me not to buy him a real Newton Panthers jersey this fall.
(He is also getting a half-dozen packs of various sport cards -- just in case you were wondering if analog sports fandom was dead. It's not -- turns out 6-year-olds are as fascinated by the facts and data on the back of a sports card as they have been for three generations.)
More:
*Heat lose to the Pacers: Chris Bosh turns out to matter... a lot. But the story of the game was LeBron missing those free throws at the end, then standing around as Mario Chalmers took the would-be game-tying shot at the buzzer. I understand why Spoelstra would use LeBron as a decoy to get the cleanest shot possible, but it sure doesn't look good. If the Heat lose to the Pacers -- and at this point it's 50/50 (which is a lot more tenuous than it was this time yesterday) -- then at least they have the built-in excuse that Bosh wasn't playing, no different than the Bulls getting bounced without Rose.
*Spurs win, handily. It's their title to lose. Today's best read is a sneak peek of this week's SI, which has a great profile of Tim Duncan by Chris Ballard.
*Head over to Quickish for some really great reads about the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
05/15 (Thunder) Quickie
Gabe turns 6 tomorrow (already?), and I realized too late that I should have pulled him out of kindergarten today to go to the Nats' 1:05 start (featuring Strasburg, no less). Bad parenting.
NBA: I'm not sure the Thunder are going to win the NBA title -- the Spurs are going to be a handful -- but I am sure that they are going to wallop the Lakers so badly it will end the Kobe Dynasty there.
Bosh out indefinitely: They don't need Bosh to beat the Pacers. They don't need Bosh to beat the Celtics (or Sixers). They need Bosh to beat the Spurs. So rest him until the Finals. (Bonus: If they fall short, his injury is a convenient excuse.)
NHL: So the Devils aren't as good as the Caps, is that what we're saying after last night? (Meanwhile, Dale Hunter was never going to stick around -- they'll be hard-pressed to find another coach who can get the team to the brink of the conference finals.)
MLB: Bryce Harper's first career HR. Unclear any player has had a more compelling first two weeks at the MLB level than Harper. (That said: With Kemp on the DL, the best show in the league remains, clearly, Josh Hamilton -- although Harper is a pretty close second.)
NFL: As someone trying to get back to fighting weight (via Weight Watchers, just like Charles Barkley!), I appreciate Donovan McNabb's effort to slim down and re-find his relevancy.
CFB: Would anyone miss Florida State in the ACC if they left for the Big 12? (Unclear why the Big 12 isn't galloping to sign FSU, which would bring the league Florida cachet. They might be nervous about getting crushed by the interloper -- as they should fear about Holgorsen's WVU.)
On my must-read list for the summer: Smart Football's upcoming book "The Essential Smart Football" -- Chris Brown is phenomenal, and he's self-publishing, so worth your support. Get info here.
Love that ESPN is re-upping the "30 for 30" documentary series -- and particularly that they are expanding to digital short films that work better online.
-- D.S.
NBA: I'm not sure the Thunder are going to win the NBA title -- the Spurs are going to be a handful -- but I am sure that they are going to wallop the Lakers so badly it will end the Kobe Dynasty there.
Bosh out indefinitely: They don't need Bosh to beat the Pacers. They don't need Bosh to beat the Celtics (or Sixers). They need Bosh to beat the Spurs. So rest him until the Finals. (Bonus: If they fall short, his injury is a convenient excuse.)
NHL: So the Devils aren't as good as the Caps, is that what we're saying after last night? (Meanwhile, Dale Hunter was never going to stick around -- they'll be hard-pressed to find another coach who can get the team to the brink of the conference finals.)
MLB: Bryce Harper's first career HR. Unclear any player has had a more compelling first two weeks at the MLB level than Harper. (That said: With Kemp on the DL, the best show in the league remains, clearly, Josh Hamilton -- although Harper is a pretty close second.)
NFL: As someone trying to get back to fighting weight (via Weight Watchers, just like Charles Barkley!), I appreciate Donovan McNabb's effort to slim down and re-find his relevancy.
CFB: Would anyone miss Florida State in the ACC if they left for the Big 12? (Unclear why the Big 12 isn't galloping to sign FSU, which would bring the league Florida cachet. They might be nervous about getting crushed by the interloper -- as they should fear about Holgorsen's WVU.)
On my must-read list for the summer: Smart Football's upcoming book "The Essential Smart Football" -- Chris Brown is phenomenal, and he's self-publishing, so worth your support. Get info here.
Love that ESPN is re-upping the "30 for 30" documentary series -- and particularly that they are expanding to digital short films that work better online.
-- D.S.
Friday, May 11, 2012
05/11 (Mother's Day) Quickie
Happy mother's day to all the moms out there, especially my own mom and the mom of my kids -- having the third kid in March makes this mother's day all the more awesome.
Very quickly:
*Kobe: Not happy after puking his guts out, then watching his teammates lay down against the Nuggets in Denver last night, forcing a Game 7. Either his teammates respond on Saturday night -- dramatic in its own right -- or they don't, and it's time to blow up the Kobe Lakers dynasty.
*76ers vanquish the 1-seed Bulls (and the Celtics shrug off the pesky Hawks): I don't think the Sixers have much of a chance against Boston, and I think we're all looking forward to a Celtics-Heat East finals. (BTW: Love Iguodala making his free throws in the 4th quarter, particularly in the final seconds, after struggling with FTs for his career.) For the Bulls, it's just One Of Those Things. The point that they drive themselves to disability through a maniacally intense regular season falls apart as soon as you acknowledge that Rose's knee injury wasn't from overuse, but a freak occurrence.
*Game of the weekend: Caps-Rangers Game 7.
*Great weekend reading: Chris Ballard on Kobe's dad, Joe.
-- D.S.
Very quickly:
*Kobe: Not happy after puking his guts out, then watching his teammates lay down against the Nuggets in Denver last night, forcing a Game 7. Either his teammates respond on Saturday night -- dramatic in its own right -- or they don't, and it's time to blow up the Kobe Lakers dynasty.
*76ers vanquish the 1-seed Bulls (and the Celtics shrug off the pesky Hawks): I don't think the Sixers have much of a chance against Boston, and I think we're all looking forward to a Celtics-Heat East finals. (BTW: Love Iguodala making his free throws in the 4th quarter, particularly in the final seconds, after struggling with FTs for his career.) For the Bulls, it's just One Of Those Things. The point that they drive themselves to disability through a maniacally intense regular season falls apart as soon as you acknowledge that Rose's knee injury wasn't from overuse, but a freak occurrence.
*Game of the weekend: Caps-Rangers Game 7.
*Great weekend reading: Chris Ballard on Kobe's dad, Joe.
-- D.S.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
05/10 (Expectations) Quickie
We spend a lot of time here talking about expectations.
Is it a "good" season for the Knicks that without Lin (and without Shumpert), they made it to the playoffs, even if they lost in the first round?
Does it matter that they lost to the best team in the league -- a team that a full-strength Knicks team couldn't beat 4 out of 7 under any circumstances?
Would Knicks fans rather have missed the playoffs altogether? (As a Wizards fan, I will tell you that's not a great option.)
I think the expectations for the Knicks -- at least as a 7- or 8-seed -- was that they would lose in the first round. At full strength, you'd hope they would make it an interesting 7-game series (as other presumptive first-round losers are doing across the rest of the league).
But they weren't at full strength. A sweep was inevitable. Thus, losing in 5 -- at least getting the thrill of that Game 4 win at home -- was slightly better than expectations.
(I'm not sure what happens to those expectations next year: If Lin is healthy and Shumpert is healthy and the rest of the team stays healthy and they have a good coach... they might end up with the 4-seed -- maybe 3 -- in the East, which means the expectation is "Get to the conference semifinals before losing." It's not exactly "Four, Four, Four.")
Meanwhile:
The Caps! Now HERE is a team that has surpassed expectations, wildly. I think most folks didn't give them a chance to beat Boston in the first round -- and certainly not to beat the Bruins in Boston in Game 7. Now they have taken the Eastern Conference's top seed to a toss-up 7th game, with all the momentum back from the gut-wrenching Game 5 loss. It is fine to madly hope for a Game 7 win, but if the team loses at Madison Square Garden, it will be hard to feel like fans were robbed (which is decidedly NOT the case in previous years where the team has fallen short and/or choked).
Correction! In yesterday's post, I assumed away that the Eastern champ would win the Stanley Cup over whichever team from the West it faced. Reader Zach Smythe -- alas, no relation to the Cup MVP award namesake -- called me out on it, reminding me the Kings had blitzed through the top two seeds in the West and were very much a viable candidate to win it all. I stand corrected. Thanks, Zach!
Grizzlies-Clippers! The Grizz send it back to LA for Game 6, down 3-2 but certainly capable of winning the next game and forcing a Game 7 in Memphis. So what's more difficult: Coming back from 27 points down in less than a quarter... or coming back from being down 3-1 in a series? Seems like 144 minutes of win-or-go-home is more arduous than 10 minutes of frenzied comeback.
The most interesting thing I read yesterday: Greg Oden's interview with Grantland's Mark Titus. It's really hard not to root for Oden to at least get a chance to play relatively healthy for a little while.
Tonight's must-see: All those NBA Game 6s. Chicago tries to stave off rare 1-seed elimination at Philly, Atlanta (newly rejuvinated by the return of Al Horford, one of my favorite players) tries to stave off elimination at Boston and -- in the late one -- the Nuggets will try to use home-court advantage (and the -- I can't believe I'm saying this -- "JaVale McGee X-Factor") to stave off elimination against the Lakers. Would love to see all of these go 7.
-- D.S.
Is it a "good" season for the Knicks that without Lin (and without Shumpert), they made it to the playoffs, even if they lost in the first round?
Does it matter that they lost to the best team in the league -- a team that a full-strength Knicks team couldn't beat 4 out of 7 under any circumstances?
Would Knicks fans rather have missed the playoffs altogether? (As a Wizards fan, I will tell you that's not a great option.)
I think the expectations for the Knicks -- at least as a 7- or 8-seed -- was that they would lose in the first round. At full strength, you'd hope they would make it an interesting 7-game series (as other presumptive first-round losers are doing across the rest of the league).
But they weren't at full strength. A sweep was inevitable. Thus, losing in 5 -- at least getting the thrill of that Game 4 win at home -- was slightly better than expectations.
(I'm not sure what happens to those expectations next year: If Lin is healthy and Shumpert is healthy and the rest of the team stays healthy and they have a good coach... they might end up with the 4-seed -- maybe 3 -- in the East, which means the expectation is "Get to the conference semifinals before losing." It's not exactly "Four, Four, Four.")
Meanwhile:
The Caps! Now HERE is a team that has surpassed expectations, wildly. I think most folks didn't give them a chance to beat Boston in the first round -- and certainly not to beat the Bruins in Boston in Game 7. Now they have taken the Eastern Conference's top seed to a toss-up 7th game, with all the momentum back from the gut-wrenching Game 5 loss. It is fine to madly hope for a Game 7 win, but if the team loses at Madison Square Garden, it will be hard to feel like fans were robbed (which is decidedly NOT the case in previous years where the team has fallen short and/or choked).
Correction! In yesterday's post, I assumed away that the Eastern champ would win the Stanley Cup over whichever team from the West it faced. Reader Zach Smythe -- alas, no relation to the Cup MVP award namesake -- called me out on it, reminding me the Kings had blitzed through the top two seeds in the West and were very much a viable candidate to win it all. I stand corrected. Thanks, Zach!
Grizzlies-Clippers! The Grizz send it back to LA for Game 6, down 3-2 but certainly capable of winning the next game and forcing a Game 7 in Memphis. So what's more difficult: Coming back from 27 points down in less than a quarter... or coming back from being down 3-1 in a series? Seems like 144 minutes of win-or-go-home is more arduous than 10 minutes of frenzied comeback.
The most interesting thing I read yesterday: Greg Oden's interview with Grantland's Mark Titus. It's really hard not to root for Oden to at least get a chance to play relatively healthy for a little while.
Tonight's must-see: All those NBA Game 6s. Chicago tries to stave off rare 1-seed elimination at Philly, Atlanta (newly rejuvinated by the return of Al Horford, one of my favorite players) tries to stave off elimination at Boston and -- in the late one -- the Nuggets will try to use home-court advantage (and the -- I can't believe I'm saying this -- "JaVale McGee X-Factor") to stave off elimination against the Lakers. Would love to see all of these go 7.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
05/09 (Hamilton) Quickie
Josh Hamilton is on my fantasy team and yet I am near the bottom of the league standings -- I should take a lesson from the Rangers: Hitting is great, but great pitching matters just as much (particularly when you play in a 5x5 head-to-head league).
My favorite Hamiltonian stat: There have been fewer players (16) to hit 4 HR in a game than there have been perfect games (21).
Should the Rangers (over)pay him? When healthy, he is clearly worth the kind of money that has been given to Prince Fielder and Joey Votto. But he is 31, he averages less than 120 games per season and he's got some mileage on his baggage car.
I could see the Rangers being willing to give him more money per year for less years -- I could also see a team with cash and a sense of urgency giving him even more (if not for the Nats' brutal deal for Werth, they could have been huge players, I think).
The Rangers have a lot of money. They have a willingness to spend it. They have a wide-open window to try to win a championship. They have a triple crown contender in the lineup. What would you do?
More:
JaVale McGee: As a long-suffering Wizards fan, I am fairly expert at the inconsistency of McGee. Here's what you need to know: As the 6th-best player on a playoff team, he will thrive -- as an almost child-like knucklehead, he needs structure. Where he got into trouble in DC was that he was expected to be a franchise player, surrounded by no structure. He isn't a player worthy of being paid like a near-superstar. If a team makes that mistake, they will figure it out pretty quickly.
The Hawks and Bulls both push their series to Game 6: I could see both series going 7, which would at least make them interesting. No such luck for the Heat-Knicks.
NHL: The Devils roll on to the Eastern finals. I think the Eastern winner wins the Cup, and it's easy to envision the scorching Devils getting past a spent Caps-Rangers survivor.
Tonight's must-see: Caps-Rangers Game 6. Wish I could be at Verizon Center for that. I'll content myself screaming from the couch with my kids.
-- D.S.
My favorite Hamiltonian stat: There have been fewer players (16) to hit 4 HR in a game than there have been perfect games (21).
Should the Rangers (over)pay him? When healthy, he is clearly worth the kind of money that has been given to Prince Fielder and Joey Votto. But he is 31, he averages less than 120 games per season and he's got some mileage on his baggage car.
I could see the Rangers being willing to give him more money per year for less years -- I could also see a team with cash and a sense of urgency giving him even more (if not for the Nats' brutal deal for Werth, they could have been huge players, I think).
The Rangers have a lot of money. They have a willingness to spend it. They have a wide-open window to try to win a championship. They have a triple crown contender in the lineup. What would you do?
More:
JaVale McGee: As a long-suffering Wizards fan, I am fairly expert at the inconsistency of McGee. Here's what you need to know: As the 6th-best player on a playoff team, he will thrive -- as an almost child-like knucklehead, he needs structure. Where he got into trouble in DC was that he was expected to be a franchise player, surrounded by no structure. He isn't a player worthy of being paid like a near-superstar. If a team makes that mistake, they will figure it out pretty quickly.
The Hawks and Bulls both push their series to Game 6: I could see both series going 7, which would at least make them interesting. No such luck for the Heat-Knicks.
NHL: The Devils roll on to the Eastern finals. I think the Eastern winner wins the Cup, and it's easy to envision the scorching Devils getting past a spent Caps-Rangers survivor.
Tonight's must-see: Caps-Rangers Game 6. Wish I could be at Verizon Center for that. I'll content myself screaming from the couch with my kids.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
05/08 (Rangers) Quickie
The downside of going all-in on the Capitals since my DC homecoming is nights like last night. I thought the 3OT loss was bad -- losing a lead with 6.6 seconds to go in the game... then losing the game a couple minutes into OT... yeesh, that's rough. In a blink, it went from one of the greatest wins in franchise history to one of its worst losses. That's playoff hockey. Wednesday's Game 6 is a must-see.
NBA: As noted here endlessly over the years, expectations are everything. In the case of the Clippers, making the playoffs was great. Winning a first-round series would be incredible. And they should enjoy it now, because the Spurs are going to break them in half.
MLB: Cole Hamels suspended 5 games -- not even one start -- for intentionally hitting Bryce Harper on Sunday night. Baseball's "code" is a funny (even silly) thing, and it became yet another moment for Harper to distinguish himself. He took the HBP in stride, then made Hamels pay when he stole home. Then, Harper had nothing to say about it after the game, as opposed to Hamels, who bragged about it. The punishment is toothless, obviously, and the way this is settled is on the field over the rest of the season.
NFL: Given the scope (and hubris) of the Saints' bounty program -- going all the way to the top -- why do you think Williams and Vita wouldn't tell players to stonewall the NFL's investigation?
College: The Big East commish is out. I've always found it hard to accept Big East bleating about how big-time that football has become (with the Big East on the outside looking in), when it was the Big East itself that established the template for made-for-TV big-time college sports when it was formed 30 years ago specifically to take advantage of the new realities.
Government: So how is the state of Minnesota going to pay for this new stadium?
-- D.S.
NBA: As noted here endlessly over the years, expectations are everything. In the case of the Clippers, making the playoffs was great. Winning a first-round series would be incredible. And they should enjoy it now, because the Spurs are going to break them in half.
MLB: Cole Hamels suspended 5 games -- not even one start -- for intentionally hitting Bryce Harper on Sunday night. Baseball's "code" is a funny (even silly) thing, and it became yet another moment for Harper to distinguish himself. He took the HBP in stride, then made Hamels pay when he stole home. Then, Harper had nothing to say about it after the game, as opposed to Hamels, who bragged about it. The punishment is toothless, obviously, and the way this is settled is on the field over the rest of the season.
NFL: Given the scope (and hubris) of the Saints' bounty program -- going all the way to the top -- why do you think Williams and Vita wouldn't tell players to stonewall the NFL's investigation?
College: The Big East commish is out. I've always found it hard to accept Big East bleating about how big-time that football has become (with the Big East on the outside looking in), when it was the Big East itself that established the template for made-for-TV big-time college sports when it was formed 30 years ago specifically to take advantage of the new realities.
Government: So how is the state of Minnesota going to pay for this new stadium?
-- D.S.
Monday, May 07, 2012
05/07 (Monday) Quickie
NBA: I respect the expectations management by the Knicks that "not getting swept" is cause for celebration.
It sure seems like LeBron wanted to take that last shot -- Erik Spoelstra has to give him the chance.
(Things are less good for the Bulls, who can't fall back on "well, we lost without Rose and Noah," because they entered the playoffs in "title or fail" mode.)
Bryce Harper: In the first week of his MLB career, there have been a half-dozen "whoa!" moments -- none better than him stealing home last night (with a nano-second of glare at Cole Hamels after Hamels hit Harper to put him on 1st base in the first place).
Wild: But MLB's Player of the Weekend had to be Chris Davis of the (best-record-in-MLB) Orioles: 0-8 yesterday against the Red Sox... but he came in to pitch in the 16th and 17th innings and got the win.
Pujols: The question was never going to be if Albert Pujols was going to hit a home run this season, but the issue remains whether he can possibly find form that would have him on pace for 20 HR (let alone the 5 HR is on pace for now).
NHL: No one on the East Coast is paying attention, but the Kings have rolled into the NHL's Western Conference finals. Meanwhile: Caps-Rangers Game 5 tonight is a must-see.
Anniversary: 10 years ago today... "Practice?"
-- D.S.
It sure seems like LeBron wanted to take that last shot -- Erik Spoelstra has to give him the chance.
(Things are less good for the Bulls, who can't fall back on "well, we lost without Rose and Noah," because they entered the playoffs in "title or fail" mode.)
Bryce Harper: In the first week of his MLB career, there have been a half-dozen "whoa!" moments -- none better than him stealing home last night (with a nano-second of glare at Cole Hamels after Hamels hit Harper to put him on 1st base in the first place).
Wild: But MLB's Player of the Weekend had to be Chris Davis of the (best-record-in-MLB) Orioles: 0-8 yesterday against the Red Sox... but he came in to pitch in the 16th and 17th innings and got the win.
Pujols: The question was never going to be if Albert Pujols was going to hit a home run this season, but the issue remains whether he can possibly find form that would have him on pace for 20 HR (let alone the 5 HR is on pace for now).
NHL: No one on the East Coast is paying attention, but the Kings have rolled into the NHL's Western Conference finals. Meanwhile: Caps-Rangers Game 5 tonight is a must-see.
Anniversary: 10 years ago today... "Practice?"
-- D.S.
Saturday, May 05, 2012
05/05 (Very) Quickie
Annual Derby pick, based on my favorite name: Daddy Nose Best (or Daddy Long Legs), with Creative Cause a more likely winner.
Last night's MVP: Pam McGee, JaVale's mom.
Quote of the last 24 hours: "I am coming back. Write it down in big letters. I'm not going out like this." (Mariano Rivera)
I still think the Bulls can win the series with Philly, even if they're now down 2-1. But what's the point? So they can get drilled in the East semis?
I hate the Celtics but I love big games from the ageless KG.
Heard around our house this morning: "Let's! Go! Caps!"
RIP MCA: Got more hits than Sadaharu Oh.
Your weekend longread: "The Kid Who Wasn't There" by ESPN.com's Wright Thompson.
Catch up with the best of Quickish this week -- just go here and scroll down.
-- D.S.
Last night's MVP: Pam McGee, JaVale's mom.
Quote of the last 24 hours: "I am coming back. Write it down in big letters. I'm not going out like this." (Mariano Rivera)
I still think the Bulls can win the series with Philly, even if they're now down 2-1. But what's the point? So they can get drilled in the East semis?
I hate the Celtics but I love big games from the ageless KG.
Heard around our house this morning: "Let's! Go! Caps!"
RIP MCA: Got more hits than Sadaharu Oh.
Your weekend longread: "The Kid Who Wasn't There" by ESPN.com's Wright Thompson.
Catch up with the best of Quickish this week -- just go here and scroll down.
-- D.S.
Friday, May 04, 2012
05/04 (Mariano Rivera) Quickie
There is not a more universally respected baseball player -- possibly not a more universally respected athlete, period -- than Mariano Rivera.
That's my biggest takeaway from the overnight reaction to the news his season (and possibly his career) is over, after a freak knee injury shagging BP flies in centerfield, Rivera's favorite ritual.
(Great stream of reactions to the Rivera news over at Quickish -- check it out here.)
When we look back on the generation of baseball that started with the post-strike Yankees dynasty and lasted until, say, the start of Bryce Harper's career, it will be defined by no player as much as Rivera.
Not Jeter. Not Bonds. Not Clemens. PED scandal? Maybe. "Moneyball?" Partially. Big-spending behemoths? A bit.
But all those things evoke mixed reactions. Not Rivera. There is "Enter Sandman." There is No. 42. There is that cutter. There is yet another save. There is postseason brilliance.
There is universal respect and admiration for Mariano Rivera, the finest practitioner of pitching a baseball as we have seen in generations -- one of the greatest players of all time.
Here's to his recovery and an ending to his career befitting his legendary status.
-- D.S.
That's my biggest takeaway from the overnight reaction to the news his season (and possibly his career) is over, after a freak knee injury shagging BP flies in centerfield, Rivera's favorite ritual.
(Great stream of reactions to the Rivera news over at Quickish -- check it out here.)
When we look back on the generation of baseball that started with the post-strike Yankees dynasty and lasted until, say, the start of Bryce Harper's career, it will be defined by no player as much as Rivera.
Not Jeter. Not Bonds. Not Clemens. PED scandal? Maybe. "Moneyball?" Partially. Big-spending behemoths? A bit.
But all those things evoke mixed reactions. Not Rivera. There is "Enter Sandman." There is No. 42. There is that cutter. There is yet another save. There is postseason brilliance.
There is universal respect and admiration for Mariano Rivera, the finest practitioner of pitching a baseball as we have seen in generations -- one of the greatest players of all time.
Here's to his recovery and an ending to his career befitting his legendary status.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
05/02 (RIP Seau) Quickie
The death of the all-time great NFL linebacker Junior Seau is a tragedy. Did his suicide have something to do with his playing career? Let me step around that:
The fact that it is a topic that is immediately coming up -- whether or not the evidence ends up bearing that out -- is further confirmation that the link between football and brain trauma is both mainstream and entirely intertwined.
The idea remains: If there was a test for CTE or other brain trauma linked to football that could happen pre-mortem, I think tackle football would be over beyond anything but for a lunatic fringe.
The idea remains: Even with the little we know now about the link between brain trauma and football, you would have to be insane to let your child play organized tackle football, at any age.
The idea remains: As powerful as the NFL is -- and it is as close to all-powerful as we get in sports -- I do not believe that in 30 years it will exist in the form that it is in now.
More:
*I found the Saints' bounty program abhorrent, yet I think that giving Vilma a year's suspension -- same as the head coach -- is overly severe. If Vilma gets a year, Sean Payton should get five.
*As I get older, I come to appreciate Kobe's singular moments of brilliance so much more. Appreciate him, folks, because when he's gone, it's hard to see who will replace him. (Durant? Maybe, but Durant -- while relentless -- is too nice. Kobe's level of aggressive obsessiveness is the last of a bygone era.)
*The Bulls are cooked. Could be this round, could be next round. The fact is that they're done, and that even getting out of this Philly series should be viewed as overachieving.
*The Caps offer free admission to their a.m. skate-arounds, and I took my 3-year-old, who is obsessed with hockey, to practice today. He went bonkers. It was an awesome moment.
-- D.S.
The fact that it is a topic that is immediately coming up -- whether or not the evidence ends up bearing that out -- is further confirmation that the link between football and brain trauma is both mainstream and entirely intertwined.
The idea remains: If there was a test for CTE or other brain trauma linked to football that could happen pre-mortem, I think tackle football would be over beyond anything but for a lunatic fringe.
The idea remains: Even with the little we know now about the link between brain trauma and football, you would have to be insane to let your child play organized tackle football, at any age.
The idea remains: As powerful as the NFL is -- and it is as close to all-powerful as we get in sports -- I do not believe that in 30 years it will exist in the form that it is in now.
More:
*I found the Saints' bounty program abhorrent, yet I think that giving Vilma a year's suspension -- same as the head coach -- is overly severe. If Vilma gets a year, Sean Payton should get five.
*As I get older, I come to appreciate Kobe's singular moments of brilliance so much more. Appreciate him, folks, because when he's gone, it's hard to see who will replace him. (Durant? Maybe, but Durant -- while relentless -- is too nice. Kobe's level of aggressive obsessiveness is the last of a bygone era.)
*The Bulls are cooked. Could be this round, could be next round. The fact is that they're done, and that even getting out of this Philly series should be viewed as overachieving.
*The Caps offer free admission to their a.m. skate-arounds, and I took my 3-year-old, who is obsessed with hockey, to practice today. He went bonkers. It was an awesome moment.
-- D.S.
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