Wednesday, June 08, 2011

06/08 (What the Heat?) Quickie

Grantland.com launches today. As a fan of all media start-ups, sports and otherwise, I had a few things to say. Onward...

Heat, LeBron choke away Game 4 to the Mavs: All credit to Dallas for gutting it out, but for a second time in this series, the Heat collapsed.

Yes, Dwyane Wade was incredible, but -- yikes -- LeBron was a non-factor, in a way that seems to trouble most everyone.

It's not that he didn't score -- I don't care about that. It's that he wasn't aggressive or engaged, which has yet to be accounted for in post-game reports. The "Why?"

LeBron is the most talented player in the NBA -- that doesn't necessarily mean he has a killer instinct. He has shown flashes, but then again, he has shown flashes of NOT having it.

Here's the thing: LeBron and the Heat will win a ring (or rings) eventually and inevitably. It doesn't matter how much he has to do with that, because we'll largely only remember the titles.

Even games like last night -- or last year's check-out vs. the Celtics -- will be buried under the weight of "CHAMPION," as these things almost always are.

But games like last night have a way of sticking with people. In the same way it elevated our already out-of-this-world appreciation of Dwyane Wade, it diminished our belief in LeBron.

A few other thoughts:

*Terrelle Pryor leaves Ohio State: The guy was bad news from the start, even before he signed with OSU. He should have played elsewhere -- then again, would he have earned that $40K in autographs in Ann Arbor or Happy Valley or Gainesville or Eugene? (Maybe, if he was inclined to.)

Pryor leaves a legacy of winning, but not ultimately winning; he always seemed to have terrible games in those single losses that ruin Ohio State's season. (Ohio State fans who focus on Big Ten titles rather than national titles are missing the point.) He also leaves a legacy of scandal.

*Tiger drops out of the US Open: If he's too hurt to play -- or play well -- he's too hurt to play. But it just reinforces the idea that he'll never compete at the elite level (winning majors, I mean) again.

*The Pistons hiring Isiah would be a joke. The Pistons hiring Laimbeer would be inspired.

*Red Sox beat Yankees: Just can't get excited about this yet. (On the flip side, I'm going to be in Tampa for July 4 weekend and have every intention of going to a Rays game. Extra 2%, baby!)

*Congrats to Arizona State women's softball on winning the College World Series (over Florida, yes).

Tons of great stuff on Quickish today -- recommendations to the best NBA Finals Game 4 analysis, more reactions to today's top news and no more meta-coverage of Grantland -- just money quotes and links to Grantland's best stuff.

-- D.S.

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