As I said yesterday, last night was not a must-win for the Heat. It was a must-win for the Mavs.
NOW it is a must-win for the Heat. Twice.
There are only three scenarios left in these instant-classic NBA Finals:
(1) The Mavs win Game 6. Despite close finishes, it would be a decisive knockout of the Heat, on LeBron's own home floor, no less.
(2) The Heat win Game 6, then the Mavs win Game 7. I think, given a preference, this is what almost every fan would like to see. By far the most powerful ending.
(3) The Heat win Game 6, then the Heat win Game 7. Games 4 and 5 in Dallas are forgotten. LeBron's mid-series problems are forgotten. The new narrative: Heat Champs ('nuff said).
That was a wonderful game last night, particularly if you are rooting against the Heat -- there was a national fan moment when Dirk had that baseline dunk, topped when Jason Kidd hit that 3, topped again when Jason Terry hit that absolute dagger 3 that had everyone going "Oh my god: This game is over. The Mavs are going to be up 3-2." (But it was more like OH MY GOD!)
If the Heat lose the series, last night's game -- specifically -- will be lost to history. So will Miami's other three individual losses. For that matter, so will the Mavericks' four wins.
What we will remember is that Miami lost in the Finals, that LeBron didn't play spectacularly. (OK, yes: That Dallas' vets found the craftiness and clutchiness to win.)
I keep reading that this is the Year of LeBron. What is being lost is that it's not the Year of LeBron -- it's the Decade of LeBron.
The Mavs will enjoy an extended summer of being champs -- perhaps even all of next season. But as quickly as the morning after the Finals end -- if they end with the Heat on the wrong end -- the storyline will be: Can LeBron and the Heat win that title in 2012? And there will be a year of build-up to next year's Finals.
I don't mean to be a downer here. But the Heat winning the title this year was always going to be a bonus -- they are built to contend annually for the next half-decade or so, and so you have to be willing to accept the inevitability of LeBron and the Heat winning a title. If not this year, then next. Or the next. Or the next. Or the next. (That's a lot of "nexts.")
What this year -- what last night -- represents is holding back that inevitability for one more day, one more game (or, in this case, two more games). That presumptions can be (and often are) wrong. That, like the Pistons crushing the heavily favored Lakers in 2004, expectations can be flipped.
Temporarily, the foregone conclusion is avoided. Last night, fans on the "Anyone But the Heat" side got our "must-win." The Heat may yet flip the script, but it sure looks less certain than ever. That is more than enough to celebrate this morning.
-- D.S.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, June 09, 2011
06/09 (Yeah, Yeah...LeBron) Quickie
"Now or never."
That's what LeBron tweeted in the middle of the night last night, and he's only partly right.
Tonight's Game 5 is a must-win for the Mavs -- if they lose, they would have to win two straight in Miami, an unlikely scenario.
If the Heat lose tonight, they still get two games at home -- entirely winnable. And so tonight is not must-win for the Heat.
Is it even must-play-well for LeBron? Again: Partly.
Would playing well get the media off his back? Only if the Heat win. And, even then, only if the Heat subsequently win the title.
Here's the reality: If the Heat don't win the title, it won't matter how well LeBron plays in Games 5, 6 and 7*, because he sealed the narrative in the 4th quarter of Game 4.
Conversely, if the Heat in the title, no one will remember Game 4. Oh, sure, there will be discussion of Wade's MVP performance. But the Heat don't win a ring without LeBron. And once LeBron has his ring, no matter how he gets it, that removes much of any lingering stigma.
And so "Now or never" is the right thing for him to say. It is an interesting thing for him to say. But the case can be made that tonight's game -- "now" -- isn't as important as Sunday or Tuesday.
-- D.S.
PS: For what it's worth, I think LeBron will shoot more and score more -- that is what his critics are asking for, right? -- but that doesn't mean the Heat will be in a better position to win. As it has been since the Boston series, LeBron's defense and facilitating are more important than his shot and scoring totals.
After 4 games, I am befuddled as to make a prediction on the game's outcome. Let's just root for an ending as entertaining as the previous four games. In a bit of a technocratic view, I'd like to see the Mavs win, if only because it presents the clearest path to a toss-up Game 7, which is in the best interests of everyone not a Heat or Mavs fan, while still preserving the "Heat don't win the title meme" for the vast majority of us who would like that result.
That's what LeBron tweeted in the middle of the night last night, and he's only partly right.
Tonight's Game 5 is a must-win for the Mavs -- if they lose, they would have to win two straight in Miami, an unlikely scenario.
If the Heat lose tonight, they still get two games at home -- entirely winnable. And so tonight is not must-win for the Heat.
Is it even must-play-well for LeBron? Again: Partly.
Would playing well get the media off his back? Only if the Heat win. And, even then, only if the Heat subsequently win the title.
Here's the reality: If the Heat don't win the title, it won't matter how well LeBron plays in Games 5, 6 and 7*, because he sealed the narrative in the 4th quarter of Game 4.
Conversely, if the Heat in the title, no one will remember Game 4. Oh, sure, there will be discussion of Wade's MVP performance. But the Heat don't win a ring without LeBron. And once LeBron has his ring, no matter how he gets it, that removes much of any lingering stigma.
And so "Now or never" is the right thing for him to say. It is an interesting thing for him to say. But the case can be made that tonight's game -- "now" -- isn't as important as Sunday or Tuesday.
-- D.S.
PS: For what it's worth, I think LeBron will shoot more and score more -- that is what his critics are asking for, right? -- but that doesn't mean the Heat will be in a better position to win. As it has been since the Boston series, LeBron's defense and facilitating are more important than his shot and scoring totals.
After 4 games, I am befuddled as to make a prediction on the game's outcome. Let's just root for an ending as entertaining as the previous four games. In a bit of a technocratic view, I'd like to see the Mavs win, if only because it presents the clearest path to a toss-up Game 7, which is in the best interests of everyone not a Heat or Mavs fan, while still preserving the "Heat don't win the title meme" for the vast majority of us who would like that result.
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Terrelle Pryor and the UFL
If the UFL actually thinks that bringing in Terrelle Pryor alone will juice interest in the largely hapless fledgling football minor league -- or if fans actually would have an interest (even passing interest) in the UFL if it did sign a known college star like Pryor -- then it makes it all the more obvious what the UFL's optimal strategy should be:
Undercut the NFL's draft age-restriction by two years, then recruit star college players after their freshmen and sophomore years directly into the UFL, to spend one or two years getting paid to hone their NFL skills until they are draft-eligible in the NFL.
We've been over this before: If the UFL could promise some money and, perhaps more importantly, a full-time focus on maximizing the players' draft prospects (and, ultimately, their long-term NFL prospects), they could not only bring in the "name" players that would increase interest in the league, but ultimately position itself as a viable development pipeline for NFL talent.
Again, this is all based on the assumption that single "name" stars from college, like Pryor, would materially move the needle for the UFL. If those individual players wouldn't, then the plan wouldn't work -- then again, why would people be talking about Pryor now if there wasn't some intrigue? You wouldn't need to recruit every talented rising college sophomore or junior -- just some of the bigger names, names you could market around ("See them now before you see them on the stage on the first night of the NFL Draft.")
What makes it so frustrating is both how obvious it is and the UFL's boneheaded insistence on trying to be a crappy version of the NFL, rather than taking advantage of the most glaring inefficiency in the NFL's development system -- its arbitrary age limit -- and arbitraging the 1-2 years between the emergence of college stars and their drafting into the NFL.
-- D.S.
Undercut the NFL's draft age-restriction by two years, then recruit star college players after their freshmen and sophomore years directly into the UFL, to spend one or two years getting paid to hone their NFL skills until they are draft-eligible in the NFL.
We've been over this before: If the UFL could promise some money and, perhaps more importantly, a full-time focus on maximizing the players' draft prospects (and, ultimately, their long-term NFL prospects), they could not only bring in the "name" players that would increase interest in the league, but ultimately position itself as a viable development pipeline for NFL talent.
Again, this is all based on the assumption that single "name" stars from college, like Pryor, would materially move the needle for the UFL. If those individual players wouldn't, then the plan wouldn't work -- then again, why would people be talking about Pryor now if there wasn't some intrigue? You wouldn't need to recruit every talented rising college sophomore or junior -- just some of the bigger names, names you could market around ("See them now before you see them on the stage on the first night of the NFL Draft.")
What makes it so frustrating is both how obvious it is and the UFL's boneheaded insistence on trying to be a crappy version of the NFL, rather than taking advantage of the most glaring inefficiency in the NFL's development system -- its arbitrary age limit -- and arbitraging the 1-2 years between the emergence of college stars and their drafting into the NFL.
-- D.S.
Bill Simmons' Grantland Launches Today
Today is the launch day of Bill Simmons' new ESPN-backed project Grantland.com. I jotted down a few launch-day/pre-launch thoughts. If this topic is of interest to you, please give it a read.
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
06/07 (Zip Around) Quickie
*Bruins thump Canucks: Sure feels like one of those beatings that complete flips a series, but small sample size... yada yada yada... let's wait until Game 4 is over.
*Warriors hire Mark Jackson: He might be the next Doc Rivers, but even Doc Rivers wasn't Doc Rivers until he had three Hall of Famers and the best assistant coach in basketball. That's not Jackson's situation with the Warriors; the "no previous coaching experience, head or otherwise" is the reason to be skeptical here.
*MLB Draft: So different from the NFL or NBA Drafts, where the impact at the top can be instantaneous. Most of these top players won't see the MLB level until 2013 at the earliest. That's a long way to go. Good thing we have...
*Bryce Harper Watch: After clocking a HR off a team that beaned him two days ago, Harper blew a kiss at the opposing pitcher, endearing him to no one. I don't mind the showmanship (or lack of sportsmanship) because this is obviously just who Harper is. He should be ready for the blowback, though. I'm sure the Nationals are trying to figure out how to mitigate the PR damage -- while secretly thrilled he keeps making national news as a single-A player.
*USC stripped of 2004 BCS title: I'm in the "let's not leave it vacated -- let's give it to Auburn." And I think the AP is derelict -- not to mention going against its stated goal of "not making the news itself" -- by not having the old voters re-vote. I think that would be tremendous in an otherwise slow offseason.
*West Virginia football coaching mess: Seriously, WTF? There's no way current head coach Bill Stewart can make it through this. And I suspect WVU can fire him for cause, thus voiding the hefty remainder of his deal. (Or, at the very least, settle for a figure way less than paying him out in full, if they simply fired him as they seem to want to.) Dana Holgorsen might be a flawed guy, but I think everyone is ready to see what he can do as a head coach. Let's get it going already.
*NFL planning for 8-game season? No, not "planning" as in "that's what it's going to be," but "planning" as in "contingency." And, frankly, let's be pragmatic: An 8-game season is better than a zero-game season. Would make for an insane sprint for the playoffs -- can you imagine how insane fans will have become without NFL in September and October?
*Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton resigns: Too little, too late.
*Michael Crabtree isn't sure about Alex Smith as 49ers QB: Who isn't? (This is news?)
*NBA Finals Game 4 tonight: Needless to say, it's a must-win for the Mavs.
Stick with Quickish all day for great recommendations and the best takes on the biggest stories.
-- D.S.
*Warriors hire Mark Jackson: He might be the next Doc Rivers, but even Doc Rivers wasn't Doc Rivers until he had three Hall of Famers and the best assistant coach in basketball. That's not Jackson's situation with the Warriors; the "no previous coaching experience, head or otherwise" is the reason to be skeptical here.
*MLB Draft: So different from the NFL or NBA Drafts, where the impact at the top can be instantaneous. Most of these top players won't see the MLB level until 2013 at the earliest. That's a long way to go. Good thing we have...
*Bryce Harper Watch: After clocking a HR off a team that beaned him two days ago, Harper blew a kiss at the opposing pitcher, endearing him to no one. I don't mind the showmanship (or lack of sportsmanship) because this is obviously just who Harper is. He should be ready for the blowback, though. I'm sure the Nationals are trying to figure out how to mitigate the PR damage -- while secretly thrilled he keeps making national news as a single-A player.
*USC stripped of 2004 BCS title: I'm in the "let's not leave it vacated -- let's give it to Auburn." And I think the AP is derelict -- not to mention going against its stated goal of "not making the news itself" -- by not having the old voters re-vote. I think that would be tremendous in an otherwise slow offseason.
*West Virginia football coaching mess: Seriously, WTF? There's no way current head coach Bill Stewart can make it through this. And I suspect WVU can fire him for cause, thus voiding the hefty remainder of his deal. (Or, at the very least, settle for a figure way less than paying him out in full, if they simply fired him as they seem to want to.) Dana Holgorsen might be a flawed guy, but I think everyone is ready to see what he can do as a head coach. Let's get it going already.
*NFL planning for 8-game season? No, not "planning" as in "that's what it's going to be," but "planning" as in "contingency." And, frankly, let's be pragmatic: An 8-game season is better than a zero-game season. Would make for an insane sprint for the playoffs -- can you imagine how insane fans will have become without NFL in September and October?
*Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton resigns: Too little, too late.
*Michael Crabtree isn't sure about Alex Smith as 49ers QB: Who isn't? (This is news?)
*NBA Finals Game 4 tonight: Needless to say, it's a must-win for the Mavs.
Stick with Quickish all day for great recommendations and the best takes on the biggest stories.
-- D.S.
Monday, June 06, 2011
06/06 (Advantage: Heat) Quickie
Get over to Quickish to catch up on last night's game and everything else from the weekend. Meanwhile: Let's get to it...
Heat win Game 3: Dwyane Wade was phenomenal. Chris Bosh was good enough. And this LeBron "shrinking" meme is ludicrous -- none of this works without him.
Meanwhile, it's yet another game that the Mavericks coulda-shoulda-woulda won, and when they lose the series, they'll look back and say "If only..."
Nadal d. Federer in French Open final: The big discussion today is Nadal's rising place on the "all-time" list. That he's even in the discussion should be good enough.
Albert Pujols: That is all.
Plaxico Burress freed from prison: He was wearing a Phillies cap, which was clearly intentional -- Philly is where Mike Vick landed, and they could use him.
West Virginia crazy: So that story about WVU coach-in-waiting Dana Holgorsen getting busted at casinos for being drunk and disorderly? Apparently the leaks came from the current coach, who apparently kind of resents the "in-waiting" thing.
MLB Draft today: UCLA P Gerritt Cole is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Pirates, but there is no Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg mega-star in this year's field.
Olympic rights bidding presentations: NBC/Comcast vs. Fox vs. ESPN, in Switzerland. Can't even begin to guess who will win, but suffice to say these folks are playing chess where the rest of us kind of muddle along playing checkers.
Lots more to come today on Quickish. Pop by!
-- D.S.
Heat win Game 3: Dwyane Wade was phenomenal. Chris Bosh was good enough. And this LeBron "shrinking" meme is ludicrous -- none of this works without him.
Meanwhile, it's yet another game that the Mavericks coulda-shoulda-woulda won, and when they lose the series, they'll look back and say "If only..."
Nadal d. Federer in French Open final: The big discussion today is Nadal's rising place on the "all-time" list. That he's even in the discussion should be good enough.
Albert Pujols: That is all.
Plaxico Burress freed from prison: He was wearing a Phillies cap, which was clearly intentional -- Philly is where Mike Vick landed, and they could use him.
West Virginia crazy: So that story about WVU coach-in-waiting Dana Holgorsen getting busted at casinos for being drunk and disorderly? Apparently the leaks came from the current coach, who apparently kind of resents the "in-waiting" thing.
MLB Draft today: UCLA P Gerritt Cole is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Pirates, but there is no Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg mega-star in this year's field.
Olympic rights bidding presentations: NBC/Comcast vs. Fox vs. ESPN, in Switzerland. Can't even begin to guess who will win, but suffice to say these folks are playing chess where the rest of us kind of muddle along playing checkers.
Lots more to come today on Quickish. Pop by!
-- D.S.
Friday, June 03, 2011
06/03 (Mavs!) Quickie
Never been more happy to be wrong. Writing off the Mavs after Game 1 was a mistake -- but, let's be honest: It took a collapse of epic proportions by the Heat last night to keep it from being 2-0.
That's what makes it so delightful: The complete and utter collapse, particularly after that little celebration after Wade's 3 put Miami up 15 (Wade leaving his hand up, like Sidney shooting against Billy Hoyle in "White Men Can't Jump" then LeBron giving Wade that "boxing-punch" move.)
Let's start with this: The celebration was not even close to out of line, based on other celebration comps. If there hadn't been a time-out, it wouldn't have even happened (well, maybe the Wade hand thing).
But if the celebrating made the Mavs mad enough to come back -- or, equally, made the Heat satisfied enough to let Dallas do it -- then that's the reality.
I'm not sure I would attribute the comeback to "I'm so mad that I'll play better!" -- mainly because the corollary (that you weren't playing your hardest to begin with) is so depressing to consider -- as much as Dallas executing at an extraordinarily high level and Miami imploding in a similar extraordinary way; with no margin for error, it took both.
And so we have the proverbial "It's a series." Everyone is better for it, mostly fans.
****
Federer knocks off Djokovic: Greatest win in Fed's career? Certainly his greatest non-title-match win.
Knicks split with Donnie Walsh: This can't end well for the Knicks, whether or not Isiah Thomas is involved.
Shaq's retirement press conference: He is so savvy -- and authentic. Killer combo. And "The Big AARP" is genius.
Giants GM Brian Sabean appears to want Scott Cousins hurt and his MLB career ended: Sabean is presumably defending his biggest star -- and certainly offering red meat to his fans -- and while I'm sure Buster Posey appreciates the sentiment as a projection of his own pure frustration, he can't possibly want to see Cousins drummed out of MLB, right?
As for Sabean basically announcing the retaliatory measures, it touches on one of my least favorite things in MLB -- "the unwritten rules." I hope Joe Torre tells Sabean that if anything happens to Cousins, Sabean will get personally fined $500,000 dollars and the offending player(s) suspended for 50 games. Baseball's unwritten rules are stupid.
Looks to be an amazing weekend ahead -- both in sports and just out and around. Enjoy it, and please stop by Quickish all weekend long for the best takes on the latest news, plus recommendations to some fantastic reads, both off the news and kind of serendipitous.
-- D.S.
That's what makes it so delightful: The complete and utter collapse, particularly after that little celebration after Wade's 3 put Miami up 15 (Wade leaving his hand up, like Sidney shooting against Billy Hoyle in "White Men Can't Jump" then LeBron giving Wade that "boxing-punch" move.)
Let's start with this: The celebration was not even close to out of line, based on other celebration comps. If there hadn't been a time-out, it wouldn't have even happened (well, maybe the Wade hand thing).
But if the celebrating made the Mavs mad enough to come back -- or, equally, made the Heat satisfied enough to let Dallas do it -- then that's the reality.
I'm not sure I would attribute the comeback to "I'm so mad that I'll play better!" -- mainly because the corollary (that you weren't playing your hardest to begin with) is so depressing to consider -- as much as Dallas executing at an extraordinarily high level and Miami imploding in a similar extraordinary way; with no margin for error, it took both.
And so we have the proverbial "It's a series." Everyone is better for it, mostly fans.
****
Federer knocks off Djokovic: Greatest win in Fed's career? Certainly his greatest non-title-match win.
Knicks split with Donnie Walsh: This can't end well for the Knicks, whether or not Isiah Thomas is involved.
Shaq's retirement press conference: He is so savvy -- and authentic. Killer combo. And "The Big AARP" is genius.
Giants GM Brian Sabean appears to want Scott Cousins hurt and his MLB career ended: Sabean is presumably defending his biggest star -- and certainly offering red meat to his fans -- and while I'm sure Buster Posey appreciates the sentiment as a projection of his own pure frustration, he can't possibly want to see Cousins drummed out of MLB, right?
As for Sabean basically announcing the retaliatory measures, it touches on one of my least favorite things in MLB -- "the unwritten rules." I hope Joe Torre tells Sabean that if anything happens to Cousins, Sabean will get personally fined $500,000 dollars and the offending player(s) suspended for 50 games. Baseball's unwritten rules are stupid.
Looks to be an amazing weekend ahead -- both in sports and just out and around. Enjoy it, and please stop by Quickish all weekend long for the best takes on the latest news, plus recommendations to some fantastic reads, both off the news and kind of serendipitous.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 02, 2011
06/02 (Shaqadelic) Quickie
Shaq retires: Shaq and I are almost the same age, and I vividly remember him at LSU (worth a trip to YouTube), then -- of course -- when he took over the NBA.
My favorite part about all the tributes from the past day (you've got to see the Quickish "Shaq" stream for the best of the best) is this:
Shaq intuitively understood the intersection between sports and entertainment. From the Pepsi ads to his rapping to his early adoption of Twitter, he was a populist at heart.
Yes, he didn't necessarily maximize his talents by working out maniacally -- then again, he was so good, he didn't have to; he won multiple rings and individual awards anyway.
He had work-life balance in a way we don't see or appreciate in the NBA anymore -- now it's all "Rise and Grind," with Kevin Durant's work ethic as the standard.
And that's all fine and good -- I certainly find a lot to admire about Durant's approach. But there is something to be said for Shaq's way, even if he was uniquely talented to pull it off.
More on the radar today:
*Stanley Cup: Oh my god, I can't believe this happened.
*NBA Finals Game 2: Must-win for the Mavs? Pretty much, yes. (All eyes on that injured left finger of Dirk's.)
*Ricky Rubio coming to the NBA: Can't shoot. Can't play D. But a showman! (And, frankly, that's what the T'wolves need. If you're not going to contend, you might as well be entertaining. And between Rubio, Kevin Love and -- presumably -- Derrick Williams, Minnesota will be.)
*Steve Spurrier wants to pay college football players: They already get massive extra benefits, so a little bit more cash will hardly tilt the balance. (But again: Where does it stop? If your standard is "The school makes millions off of them," then a few thousand bucks extra will never cut it.)
*Spelling Bee: One of my favorite events of the year, a sports event far more pressure-packed than an NBA Finals game or NHL Stanley Cup final game. As is my penchant, I tend to favor the competitors with previous experience -- I'll take Laura Newcombe.
Much more all day. Please pop by Quickish for the best takes on the biggest topics (moments of "breaking news" like Shaq's retirement are always a lot of fun).
-- D.S.
My favorite part about all the tributes from the past day (you've got to see the Quickish "Shaq" stream for the best of the best) is this:
Shaq intuitively understood the intersection between sports and entertainment. From the Pepsi ads to his rapping to his early adoption of Twitter, he was a populist at heart.
Yes, he didn't necessarily maximize his talents by working out maniacally -- then again, he was so good, he didn't have to; he won multiple rings and individual awards anyway.
He had work-life balance in a way we don't see or appreciate in the NBA anymore -- now it's all "Rise and Grind," with Kevin Durant's work ethic as the standard.
And that's all fine and good -- I certainly find a lot to admire about Durant's approach. But there is something to be said for Shaq's way, even if he was uniquely talented to pull it off.
More on the radar today:
*Stanley Cup: Oh my god, I can't believe this happened.
*NBA Finals Game 2: Must-win for the Mavs? Pretty much, yes. (All eyes on that injured left finger of Dirk's.)
*Ricky Rubio coming to the NBA: Can't shoot. Can't play D. But a showman! (And, frankly, that's what the T'wolves need. If you're not going to contend, you might as well be entertaining. And between Rubio, Kevin Love and -- presumably -- Derrick Williams, Minnesota will be.)
*Steve Spurrier wants to pay college football players: They already get massive extra benefits, so a little bit more cash will hardly tilt the balance. (But again: Where does it stop? If your standard is "The school makes millions off of them," then a few thousand bucks extra will never cut it.)
*Spelling Bee: One of my favorite events of the year, a sports event far more pressure-packed than an NBA Finals game or NHL Stanley Cup final game. As is my penchant, I tend to favor the competitors with previous experience -- I'll take Laura Newcombe.
Much more all day. Please pop by Quickish for the best takes on the biggest topics (moments of "breaking news" like Shaq's retirement are always a lot of fun).
-- D.S.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
06/01 (Heat FTW) Quickie
It's over.
Is it too early to say it's over? Because it's over. Oh, the Mavs might win a few games in Dallas, but after last night's spectacle, it is hard to think they can win 4 over these Heat.
Maybe those 3s don't go down for LeBron and Wade in future games -- maybe Dallas (particularly its bench) figures out how to shoot (or stop shooting... Jason Terry.)
But the Heat's defense appears relentless. And the stars -- yes, Bosh too -- are clicking, as they have been for the past month. By the end, the Heat were clowning the Mavs.
This is the new reality: Heat as champs. More that that, Heat as champs for a while. So settle in. Last night is the first of another dozen or so wins just like it over the next 3-4 years.
-- D.S.
Is it too early to say it's over? Because it's over. Oh, the Mavs might win a few games in Dallas, but after last night's spectacle, it is hard to think they can win 4 over these Heat.
Maybe those 3s don't go down for LeBron and Wade in future games -- maybe Dallas (particularly its bench) figures out how to shoot (or stop shooting... Jason Terry.)
But the Heat's defense appears relentless. And the stars -- yes, Bosh too -- are clicking, as they have been for the past month. By the end, the Heat were clowning the Mavs.
This is the new reality: Heat as champs. More that that, Heat as champs for a while. So settle in. Last night is the first of another dozen or so wins just like it over the next 3-4 years.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
NBA Finals Preview/Picks: Heat in 7
The narrative for the NBA for the next half-decade was set last July when LeBron (and, to a lesser extent, Chris Bosh) went to Miami to join Dwyane Wade.
Everything would be framed around that decision/Decision -- if the Heat fell short of an NBA title, it would be schadenfreude of the highest order. It would be about the Heat losing, not [Champion X] winning. The narrative would look ahead to next year, or the year after, or the year after. They would win eventually.
And if the Heat won an NBA title -- most specifically, if they won an NBA title immediately, in their first year together, right now -- it would be an affirmation of the strategy that brought them together: The "super-team."
I will never begrudge LeBron for leaving Cleveland to join Miami to try to win a championship. I have been looking for mega-stars to do that for 20 years -- to put winning a ring ahead of everything else.
Like everyone else, I loathe the way he did it. I can also root against LeBron and the Heat's ultimate success -- I find the "schadendfreude" narrative much more interesting than the "dynasty" one.
And so I will root against the Heat, but I can also recognize that they should win this series. It shouldn't be done as handily as the first three series -- let's hope it goes 7 games, if only for the drama -- but it will be done, a combination of the Heat's stars and the Heat's D.
For those hoping the Mavs defy the experts and the pundits and the sheer gravitational pull of the inevitability of a Heat title, I think back -- as I always do the day before the NBA Finals start -- to 2004, when I went on Around the Horn and said the Lakers would beat the Pistons in 4.
That year, the Lakers were assumed to be vastly superior to the Pistons, who -- as we all remember -- clobbered the Lakers so severely that it shifted the NBA globe a bit, permanently.
It is a good lesson that when everyone (or "everyone") says something is going to happen, it rarely turns out precisely the way they/we think it will.
And so I'll stick with Heat in 7, but root like hell for Mavs in any way possible. I'm not alone.
-- D.S.
Everything would be framed around that decision/Decision -- if the Heat fell short of an NBA title, it would be schadenfreude of the highest order. It would be about the Heat losing, not [Champion X] winning. The narrative would look ahead to next year, or the year after, or the year after. They would win eventually.
And if the Heat won an NBA title -- most specifically, if they won an NBA title immediately, in their first year together, right now -- it would be an affirmation of the strategy that brought them together: The "super-team."
I will never begrudge LeBron for leaving Cleveland to join Miami to try to win a championship. I have been looking for mega-stars to do that for 20 years -- to put winning a ring ahead of everything else.
Like everyone else, I loathe the way he did it. I can also root against LeBron and the Heat's ultimate success -- I find the "schadendfreude" narrative much more interesting than the "dynasty" one.
And so I will root against the Heat, but I can also recognize that they should win this series. It shouldn't be done as handily as the first three series -- let's hope it goes 7 games, if only for the drama -- but it will be done, a combination of the Heat's stars and the Heat's D.
For those hoping the Mavs defy the experts and the pundits and the sheer gravitational pull of the inevitability of a Heat title, I think back -- as I always do the day before the NBA Finals start -- to 2004, when I went on Around the Horn and said the Lakers would beat the Pistons in 4.
That year, the Lakers were assumed to be vastly superior to the Pistons, who -- as we all remember -- clobbered the Lakers so severely that it shifted the NBA globe a bit, permanently.
It is a good lesson that when everyone (or "everyone") says something is going to happen, it rarely turns out precisely the way they/we think it will.
And so I'll stick with Heat in 7, but root like hell for Mavs in any way possible. I'm not alone.
-- D.S.
05/31 (Tressel Quits) Quickie
Be sure to check out all the Jim Tressel coverage on Quickish -- it is a fast way to catch up on all the best columns, Tweets and more.
The Sports Illustrated article is all well and good -- the new info was the expanded scope of the tchotchkes-for-tatts thing -- but the Jim Tressel story remains incredibly simple:
He lied.
He lied to his school. He lied to the NCAA. He could get away with the former, mostly because the AD and president are so derelict. But the latter did him in.
It is a Quickie essential: It is always the cover-up and rarely the crime, never more on display than here. Jim Tressel lied -- repeatedly -- and when the truth was revealed, it cost him his job.
Tressel was finished as soon as it turned out he misled the NCAA about the proverbial "what did he know and when did he know it." (Answers: "Everything" and "very early.")
The lying was enough to take down any coach, no matter how celebrated. The fact that Tressel held himself up as some sort of moral vanguard among college coaches compounds his problems.
The swag-for-tattoos story isn't even that big of a deal -- have to imagine this is pretty prevalent across college football and basketball.
What IS a big deal is that Tressel lied, misled and deceived -- intentionally and repeatedly.
That is why he resigned in disgrace. That is why the NCAA will hammer Ohio State and the coach himself.
Terrelle Pryor and the players didn't do this to Tressel. The tattoo parlor workers didn't do this to Tressel. The NCAA didn't do this to Tressel. The media didn't do this to Tressel.
He did it to himself when he tried to cover all this up -- not just repeatedly to the school and NCAA, but when he did everything possible to ensure he would take the field with would-be ineligible players, denying other teams' players and fans a fair game.
He sanctimoniously portrayed himself as better than that. He wasn't.
More:
*NBA Finals Game 1 tonight: Heat in 7.
*Who's next for Ohio State? Urban Meyer.
*MLB Storyline of the Day: Jo-Jo Reyes wins!
*NCAA LAX: Congrats to UVA.
*FIFA: Even more corrupt than Ohio State.
*Weekend recap: The Indy 500 finish was the best possible scenario for open-wheel in the US.
-- D.S.
The Sports Illustrated article is all well and good -- the new info was the expanded scope of the tchotchkes-for-tatts thing -- but the Jim Tressel story remains incredibly simple:
He lied.
He lied to his school. He lied to the NCAA. He could get away with the former, mostly because the AD and president are so derelict. But the latter did him in.
It is a Quickie essential: It is always the cover-up and rarely the crime, never more on display than here. Jim Tressel lied -- repeatedly -- and when the truth was revealed, it cost him his job.
Tressel was finished as soon as it turned out he misled the NCAA about the proverbial "what did he know and when did he know it." (Answers: "Everything" and "very early.")
The lying was enough to take down any coach, no matter how celebrated. The fact that Tressel held himself up as some sort of moral vanguard among college coaches compounds his problems.
The swag-for-tattoos story isn't even that big of a deal -- have to imagine this is pretty prevalent across college football and basketball.
What IS a big deal is that Tressel lied, misled and deceived -- intentionally and repeatedly.
That is why he resigned in disgrace. That is why the NCAA will hammer Ohio State and the coach himself.
Terrelle Pryor and the players didn't do this to Tressel. The tattoo parlor workers didn't do this to Tressel. The NCAA didn't do this to Tressel. The media didn't do this to Tressel.
He did it to himself when he tried to cover all this up -- not just repeatedly to the school and NCAA, but when he did everything possible to ensure he would take the field with would-be ineligible players, denying other teams' players and fans a fair game.
He sanctimoniously portrayed himself as better than that. He wasn't.
More:
*NBA Finals Game 1 tonight: Heat in 7.
*Who's next for Ohio State? Urban Meyer.
*MLB Storyline of the Day: Jo-Jo Reyes wins!
*NCAA LAX: Congrats to UVA.
*FIFA: Even more corrupt than Ohio State.
*Weekend recap: The Indy 500 finish was the best possible scenario for open-wheel in the US.
-- D.S.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Memorial Day Shocker: Jim Tressel Resigns
Jim Tressel has resigned as head football coach at Ohio State.
The timing is a surprise -- or not, if they wanted to mitigate the fall-out by announcing it on a national holiday -- but the outcome is not. This was inevitable and obvious from the minute Tressel was caught lying and covering up NCAA violations.
His legacy at Ohio State is now primarily that of a disgrace, who happened to win a national championship and umpteen Big Ten titles -- rather than as a champion who had to resign.
But what is next at Ohio State? It is impossible to think that they don't spend the next year with this interim guy, but hire Ohio native Urban Meyer, who grew up rooting for Ohio State and is one of few coaches with the stature to rehab the program -- it doesn't hurt that Ohio State is one of the few mega-programs worth Meyer's time and energy. (As a huge Meyer fan and Ohio State hater, this entire thing is a disappointment, because he'll crush everyone there.)
The smartest thing for Ohio State and Meyer to do would be to cut a deal ASAP that names Meyer "head coach in waiting" for 2012, so he can begin to help the program recruit; if they wait too long, they will get pummeled for the entire recruiting cycle and set the program back even more than it will be with the inevitable NCAA sanctions.
Anyway, the headline remains: Jim Tressel is out. And no one is really surprised.
-- D.S.
The timing is a surprise -- or not, if they wanted to mitigate the fall-out by announcing it on a national holiday -- but the outcome is not. This was inevitable and obvious from the minute Tressel was caught lying and covering up NCAA violations.
His legacy at Ohio State is now primarily that of a disgrace, who happened to win a national championship and umpteen Big Ten titles -- rather than as a champion who had to resign.
But what is next at Ohio State? It is impossible to think that they don't spend the next year with this interim guy, but hire Ohio native Urban Meyer, who grew up rooting for Ohio State and is one of few coaches with the stature to rehab the program -- it doesn't hurt that Ohio State is one of the few mega-programs worth Meyer's time and energy. (As a huge Meyer fan and Ohio State hater, this entire thing is a disappointment, because he'll crush everyone there.)
The smartest thing for Ohio State and Meyer to do would be to cut a deal ASAP that names Meyer "head coach in waiting" for 2012, so he can begin to help the program recruit; if they wait too long, they will get pummeled for the entire recruiting cycle and set the program back even more than it will be with the inevitable NCAA sanctions.
Anyway, the headline remains: Jim Tressel is out. And no one is really surprised.
-- D.S.
05/30 (Memorial Day) Quickie
Special thoughts for everyone who served the country and sacrificed their lives -- either in combat or in the years afterward -- and their families.
Day 4 of "No NBA still?" and Day 3 of "No NHL yet?" -- everyone been catching up on their sleep... or their life?
With the stage all to itself, the Indy 500 had its most exciting finish ever, with rookie JR Hildebrand losing a sure win on the final turn. Watch the insanity here.
That's tough luck for Hildebrand but amazing luck for the sport itself -- nothing is more accessible for the non-fan than an epic choke. The four best words for a struggling league are "DID YOU SEE THAT?"
NASCAR had a similar finish last night, with Dale Jr. in the lead in the last lap, then running out of gas and watching the field pass him by in the last quarter of the track. Watch that here.
Luke Donald is the best golfer in the world.
Tom Watson is the oldest ever to win a senior major -- fair question: Can you imagine Tiger playing (and winning senior major tournaments) in his early 60s? I can't.
Huge congratulations to Northwestern women's lacrosse, which beat Maryland in the NCAA title game to win its 6th national title in the last 7 years (after losing to Maryland in last year's title game). There is no better dynasty in sports right now than NU's women's LAX team.
Pop by Quickish today for a really good selection of recommendations, including the best of Peter King's MMQB, Joe Posnanski on Tom Watson, some Heat-Mavs pre-series analysis and more.
-- D.S.
Day 4 of "No NBA still?" and Day 3 of "No NHL yet?" -- everyone been catching up on their sleep... or their life?
With the stage all to itself, the Indy 500 had its most exciting finish ever, with rookie JR Hildebrand losing a sure win on the final turn. Watch the insanity here.
That's tough luck for Hildebrand but amazing luck for the sport itself -- nothing is more accessible for the non-fan than an epic choke. The four best words for a struggling league are "DID YOU SEE THAT?"
NASCAR had a similar finish last night, with Dale Jr. in the lead in the last lap, then running out of gas and watching the field pass him by in the last quarter of the track. Watch that here.
Luke Donald is the best golfer in the world.
Tom Watson is the oldest ever to win a senior major -- fair question: Can you imagine Tiger playing (and winning senior major tournaments) in his early 60s? I can't.
Huge congratulations to Northwestern women's lacrosse, which beat Maryland in the NCAA title game to win its 6th national title in the last 7 years (after losing to Maryland in last year's title game). There is no better dynasty in sports right now than NU's women's LAX team.
Pop by Quickish today for a really good selection of recommendations, including the best of Peter King's MMQB, Joe Posnanski on Tom Watson, some Heat-Mavs pre-series analysis and more.
-- D.S.
Friday, May 27, 2011
05/27 (Heat Like Whoa) Quickie
Whoa. That's the only reaction to last night's close-out by the Heat to dispatch the Bulls in 5 games and advance to the NBA Finals.
If the earlier wins in the conference finals -- or that first win in Boston that effectively ended the Celtics' chances -- were the teaser, the final three minutes of last night's game were the Heat's jaw-dropping potential, fully realized.
LeBron, dominant on both offense and defense. Wade, supremely effective. And even Bosh, with the quietest 20 and 10 you'll see.
This is it -- the arrival. Or, more accurately, the Arrival.
Because barring a Mavs win in the Finals -- and they certainly seem like they could pull it off -- we have entered the Heat dynasty. Lament as you see fit.
About that entirely tantalizing Heat-Mavs Finals, I am waiting for the moment when the Heat switches Bosh off of Dirk and lets LeBron guard Dirk, the same way he guarded Rose. As unstoppable as Dirk has been this spring, LeBron seems like he could be the one to contain him.
Like many, I'm rooting for the Mavs, both because of the "Anyone But the Heat" factor and because I have come around to appreciate the aging, last-chance storyline from Dallas (not to mention appreciating the way they mowed down the West). But I'm saying Miami in 7.
More on the radar:
*Second-day Buster Posey reactions: People applauding him for blocking the plate (even if he wasn't really blocking the plate) are the same ones applauding the football players who "just shake it off" when they get a concussion. Catchers should stay the hell out of the way -- and baserunners should be ejected for initiating contact with catchers. The bigger point is that Posey needs to move to first base.
*Ohio State scandal, cont'd: It's so clear that the athletic department was actively delinquent in their "investigation" that I have to wonder if you can apply "lack of institutional control" to the Athletic Director himself.
*This weekend: Barca-Man. U in the Champions League final tomorrow afternoon. Even if you don't like soccer, well worth tuning in for. Barca is playing just about as well as any club team has ever played.
*Indy 500: Another event where I don't care much about the sport, but I will tune in for the pageantry and excitement of the event itself.
*Love the sale of 20% of the Mets to David Einhorn, basically a rich fan. It's important for those last two words -- he's rich, meaning he can/will buy the other 80% (or at least 31%) when the Wilpons finally crumble under the weight of the Madoff problems. And he's a fan -- a Mets fan -- meaning he will care deeply about the team and want it to succeed. Best news for Mets fans since they made the NLCS half a decade ago.
*So funny that USC is shocked -- shocked! -- that the NCAA denied the appeal that the program was corrupted during the Reggie Bush scandal.
*Caroline Wozniacki out at the French Open: The French has always been a quirky tournament, but this is a stunning exit for the world No. 1. Wasn't even close.
Have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. We'll be going strong all weekend long at Quickish, so pop by to keep up quickly with all the best takes on the biggest things that are happening, plus recommendations to some really good stuff worth spending your time on this weekend.
-- D.S.
If the earlier wins in the conference finals -- or that first win in Boston that effectively ended the Celtics' chances -- were the teaser, the final three minutes of last night's game were the Heat's jaw-dropping potential, fully realized.
LeBron, dominant on both offense and defense. Wade, supremely effective. And even Bosh, with the quietest 20 and 10 you'll see.
This is it -- the arrival. Or, more accurately, the Arrival.
Because barring a Mavs win in the Finals -- and they certainly seem like they could pull it off -- we have entered the Heat dynasty. Lament as you see fit.
About that entirely tantalizing Heat-Mavs Finals, I am waiting for the moment when the Heat switches Bosh off of Dirk and lets LeBron guard Dirk, the same way he guarded Rose. As unstoppable as Dirk has been this spring, LeBron seems like he could be the one to contain him.
Like many, I'm rooting for the Mavs, both because of the "Anyone But the Heat" factor and because I have come around to appreciate the aging, last-chance storyline from Dallas (not to mention appreciating the way they mowed down the West). But I'm saying Miami in 7.
More on the radar:
*Second-day Buster Posey reactions: People applauding him for blocking the plate (even if he wasn't really blocking the plate) are the same ones applauding the football players who "just shake it off" when they get a concussion. Catchers should stay the hell out of the way -- and baserunners should be ejected for initiating contact with catchers. The bigger point is that Posey needs to move to first base.
*Ohio State scandal, cont'd: It's so clear that the athletic department was actively delinquent in their "investigation" that I have to wonder if you can apply "lack of institutional control" to the Athletic Director himself.
*This weekend: Barca-Man. U in the Champions League final tomorrow afternoon. Even if you don't like soccer, well worth tuning in for. Barca is playing just about as well as any club team has ever played.
*Indy 500: Another event where I don't care much about the sport, but I will tune in for the pageantry and excitement of the event itself.
*Love the sale of 20% of the Mets to David Einhorn, basically a rich fan. It's important for those last two words -- he's rich, meaning he can/will buy the other 80% (or at least 31%) when the Wilpons finally crumble under the weight of the Madoff problems. And he's a fan -- a Mets fan -- meaning he will care deeply about the team and want it to succeed. Best news for Mets fans since they made the NLCS half a decade ago.
*So funny that USC is shocked -- shocked! -- that the NCAA denied the appeal that the program was corrupted during the Reggie Bush scandal.
*Caroline Wozniacki out at the French Open: The French has always been a quirky tournament, but this is a stunning exit for the world No. 1. Wasn't even close.
Have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. We'll be going strong all weekend long at Quickish, so pop by to keep up quickly with all the best takes on the biggest things that are happening, plus recommendations to some really good stuff worth spending your time on this weekend.
-- D.S.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
05/26 (Win or Bust) Quickie
Today's storylines: Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant vs. Expectations, Wilson Valdez vs. Buster Posey, Mike Brown vs. Kobe Bryant, Lightning vs. Bruins,
A common theme I write about here is the power of expectations, and it was on full display last night.
*Marvel at Dirk's reaction to winning the Western Conference title:
Nothing.
That's because the conference title is meaningless to him. All that matters is the NBA title. Anything less than the NBA title is a failure.
For the past few years, the Mavericks have been one of the few teams that are actually trying to WIN NOW -- that particular season -- accompanied by the expectation of "NBA ring or bust."
And so the West title is necessary but not sufficient. It was refreshing to see Dirk saunter right off the court, not even bothering to do a postgame TV interview, because he couldn't care less.
Aside from not wanting the Heat to win, it's easy to get behind rooting for Dirk and the Mavs in the Finals.
*Meanwhile, there is Kevin Durant and the Thunder. Durant was devastated. Yes, the individual games were a few plays from breaking the other way, yet the series was not close. Durant looked like he was sure he was going to win the NBA title -- or certainly the West title -- and presented the entirely fair idea that he couldn't care less about the Mavs.
And yet the expectations for the Thunder -- let's say preseason (or even at the start of the playoffs) -- were that they would make some steps this season, but not yet be ready to compete for an NBA title. In that respect, they entirely matched their expectations -- perhaps even exceeded them.
If they had won a first-round series then lost in the West semis, the idea would have been "Progress." Getting to the West finals is "Progress!" It is not unreasonable to accelerate OKC's expectations in '11-12 that anything less than winning the West is a failure.
Welcome to real expectations.
***
*Lightning-Bruins going to Game 7 on Friday. Nothing better in sports than an NHL Playoffs Game 7 with the Stanley Cup Finals on the line (except with the Stanley Cup title on the line).
*Today's Name to Know: Wilson Valdez, the Phillies position player who got the pitching win last night when the Phillies-Reds game went 19 innings. Awesome. Watch this homemade video.
*Buster Posey: Yikes.
*Should the Lakers have consulted Kobe about hiring Mike Brown? Here's the downside: What if Kobe says he's not a fan. Then the Lakers either kowtow to their aging star or mock him by making the hire anyway.
(Here's the thing no one is talking about: The way the Lakers were drummed out of the playoffs this year? That's not going to get better. The Lakers are no more likely to win the NBA title next year -- or beyond -- than they were the day after they got swept out. As of now, they fall in the bucket of "fascinating, but not a real contender." In that case, who cares WHO is coaching? For that matter, if they love Andrew Bynum too much to trade him for Dwight Howard, why not trade Kobe? It's hardly heresy. The only thing keeping Lakers fans from dealing with this is their denial that the window hasn't slammed shut this year.)
Keep up with Quickish all day.
-- D.S.
A common theme I write about here is the power of expectations, and it was on full display last night.
*Marvel at Dirk's reaction to winning the Western Conference title:
Nothing.
That's because the conference title is meaningless to him. All that matters is the NBA title. Anything less than the NBA title is a failure.
For the past few years, the Mavericks have been one of the few teams that are actually trying to WIN NOW -- that particular season -- accompanied by the expectation of "NBA ring or bust."
And so the West title is necessary but not sufficient. It was refreshing to see Dirk saunter right off the court, not even bothering to do a postgame TV interview, because he couldn't care less.
Aside from not wanting the Heat to win, it's easy to get behind rooting for Dirk and the Mavs in the Finals.
*Meanwhile, there is Kevin Durant and the Thunder. Durant was devastated. Yes, the individual games were a few plays from breaking the other way, yet the series was not close. Durant looked like he was sure he was going to win the NBA title -- or certainly the West title -- and presented the entirely fair idea that he couldn't care less about the Mavs.
And yet the expectations for the Thunder -- let's say preseason (or even at the start of the playoffs) -- were that they would make some steps this season, but not yet be ready to compete for an NBA title. In that respect, they entirely matched their expectations -- perhaps even exceeded them.
If they had won a first-round series then lost in the West semis, the idea would have been "Progress." Getting to the West finals is "Progress!" It is not unreasonable to accelerate OKC's expectations in '11-12 that anything less than winning the West is a failure.
Welcome to real expectations.
***
*Lightning-Bruins going to Game 7 on Friday. Nothing better in sports than an NHL Playoffs Game 7 with the Stanley Cup Finals on the line (except with the Stanley Cup title on the line).
*Today's Name to Know: Wilson Valdez, the Phillies position player who got the pitching win last night when the Phillies-Reds game went 19 innings. Awesome. Watch this homemade video.
*Buster Posey: Yikes.
*Should the Lakers have consulted Kobe about hiring Mike Brown? Here's the downside: What if Kobe says he's not a fan. Then the Lakers either kowtow to their aging star or mock him by making the hire anyway.
(Here's the thing no one is talking about: The way the Lakers were drummed out of the playoffs this year? That's not going to get better. The Lakers are no more likely to win the NBA title next year -- or beyond -- than they were the day after they got swept out. As of now, they fall in the bucket of "fascinating, but not a real contender." In that case, who cares WHO is coaching? For that matter, if they love Andrew Bynum too much to trade him for Dwight Howard, why not trade Kobe? It's hardly heresy. The only thing keeping Lakers fans from dealing with this is their denial that the window hasn't slammed shut this year.)
Keep up with Quickish all day.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
05/25 (Heat On Brink) Quickie
This morning: Heat vs. Destiny, LeBron James vs. Derrick Rose, Canucks vs. the Stanley Cup Finals, Mike Brown vs. Kobe Bryant, Barry Bonds vs. what you think of Barry Bonds, Hines Ward vs. Emmitt Smith and more.
Heat stave off Bulls to take commanding/decisive 3-1 series lead: And there you have it. The Heat are going to win the East and make the Finals.
LeBron seems unstoppable (particularly when guarding Derrick Rose, who has fallen apart; it's as if LeBron is taking the MVP-vs-MVP thing very very seriously). Wade had a terrible game...right up until he took over. Bosh was solid.
The Bulls are the new Cavs: Built for regular-season success, then stumbling in the playoffs against a team with more star power and experience -- a theme that also runs in the West, with the Mavs putting away the green Thunder. (But Derrick Rose's dunks: Oh my.)
Canucks win West, headed to Stanley Cup: I'm merely a casual hockey fan, but I can get behind a Canadian team in the Cup finals. The game-/series-winning goal is a must-see.
Mavs closing out Thunder tonight? Probably. More opportunities for fans to appreciate Dirk in new ways.
Lakers hiring Mike Brown? The reviews are in, and they are almost universally... "meh." You can only imagine what Kobe is thinking.
Barry Bonds paying for Bryan Stow's kids' college educations: You can dislike Bonds -- you can hate him, frankly -- but you mustmustmust admire what he did here. (And that he didn't look for publicity -- it just sort of leaked out.)
Hines Ward wins "Dancing With the Stars": Continuing the dynasty-like dominance of athletes on that show.
Politics: I'm a sucker for all videos of President Obama playing sports. Here he is playing Ping-Pong in England.
New post on Varsity Dad? Actually, two new posts on Varsity Dad.
-- D.S.
Heat stave off Bulls to take commanding/decisive 3-1 series lead: And there you have it. The Heat are going to win the East and make the Finals.
LeBron seems unstoppable (particularly when guarding Derrick Rose, who has fallen apart; it's as if LeBron is taking the MVP-vs-MVP thing very very seriously). Wade had a terrible game...right up until he took over. Bosh was solid.
The Bulls are the new Cavs: Built for regular-season success, then stumbling in the playoffs against a team with more star power and experience -- a theme that also runs in the West, with the Mavs putting away the green Thunder. (But Derrick Rose's dunks: Oh my.)
Canucks win West, headed to Stanley Cup: I'm merely a casual hockey fan, but I can get behind a Canadian team in the Cup finals. The game-/series-winning goal is a must-see.
Mavs closing out Thunder tonight? Probably. More opportunities for fans to appreciate Dirk in new ways.
Lakers hiring Mike Brown? The reviews are in, and they are almost universally... "meh." You can only imagine what Kobe is thinking.
Barry Bonds paying for Bryan Stow's kids' college educations: You can dislike Bonds -- you can hate him, frankly -- but you mustmustmust admire what he did here. (And that he didn't look for publicity -- it just sort of leaked out.)
Hines Ward wins "Dancing With the Stars": Continuing the dynasty-like dominance of athletes on that show.
Politics: I'm a sucker for all videos of President Obama playing sports. Here he is playing Ping-Pong in England.
New post on Varsity Dad? Actually, two new posts on Varsity Dad.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
05/24 (OKC Choke) Quickie
That was just about as big of a choke as you will see in sports: Losing a 15-point leads in the game's 5 minutes -- playing at home, in a must-win playoff game no less.
This doesn't feel like the kind of loss that you rally from, at least this season. It feels indelible. The Thunder go to Dallas to try to steal one in Game 5, bringing the series back to OKC for Game 6. Then -- if they win that -- a toss-up Game 7 with all the momentum back.
But this doesn't feel like that kind of loss. This feels like a door-slamming, come-back-when-you're-old-enough loss. This feels like the loss that fuels your workouts all summer and toughens you up for the next playoff opportunity when you are up 15 with 5 minutes to play.
It doesn't feel like the kind of loss where you simply bounce back, then win three straight -- including two on the road against a veteran team playing better than anyone right now.
I don't want to lean back on the easy narrative -- young team folds in face of vets. In any systemic failure like we saw, it's not a single thing, but (per Hollinger) at least a dozen things that all had to happen for this to end like it did. If any of those individual things breaks differently, the Thunder win and it's "what gritty competitors!" as the narrative.
But they didn't win -- they blew it and it almost assuredly cost them their season. I'm not sure that OKC wins 2 of 3 from Dallas had they tied the series last night. I'm sure they don't win 3 straight.
Not against a Mavs team so sure of itself that even a 15-point deficit with 5 minutes to go isn't enough to finish them off.
If you didn't drop by Quickish yesterday, there were some incredible must-reads from Shanoff/Quickish favorites -- Jeff MacGregor on Lance, Wright Thompson on Harvey Updyke, Tommy Craggs on Chris Bosh -- and just a bunch of other good stuff. (Be sure to check out that "save of the playoffs" by Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.)
-- D.S.
This doesn't feel like the kind of loss that you rally from, at least this season. It feels indelible. The Thunder go to Dallas to try to steal one in Game 5, bringing the series back to OKC for Game 6. Then -- if they win that -- a toss-up Game 7 with all the momentum back.
But this doesn't feel like that kind of loss. This feels like a door-slamming, come-back-when-you're-old-enough loss. This feels like the loss that fuels your workouts all summer and toughens you up for the next playoff opportunity when you are up 15 with 5 minutes to play.
It doesn't feel like the kind of loss where you simply bounce back, then win three straight -- including two on the road against a veteran team playing better than anyone right now.
I don't want to lean back on the easy narrative -- young team folds in face of vets. In any systemic failure like we saw, it's not a single thing, but (per Hollinger) at least a dozen things that all had to happen for this to end like it did. If any of those individual things breaks differently, the Thunder win and it's "what gritty competitors!" as the narrative.
But they didn't win -- they blew it and it almost assuredly cost them their season. I'm not sure that OKC wins 2 of 3 from Dallas had they tied the series last night. I'm sure they don't win 3 straight.
Not against a Mavs team so sure of itself that even a 15-point deficit with 5 minutes to go isn't enough to finish them off.
If you didn't drop by Quickish yesterday, there were some incredible must-reads from Shanoff/Quickish favorites -- Jeff MacGregor on Lance, Wright Thompson on Harvey Updyke, Tommy Craggs on Chris Bosh -- and just a bunch of other good stuff. (Be sure to check out that "save of the playoffs" by Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.)
-- D.S.
Monday, May 23, 2011
05/23 (Bosh!) Quickie
What we saw last night was the reboot of Chris Bosh's reputation, up 'til this point plenty maligned -- I've been a solid proponent of the "Big Two-and-a-Half" theory, but when Bosh is playing like that (and LeBron and Wade are playing like they did), the Heat are unbeatable.
I love what Tommy Craggs wrote over at Deadspin about Bosh last night:
Anyway: With a Bosh breakthrough, I think it's Heat in 6.
Tonight: Thunder-Mavs Game 4 in a must-win for OKC, playing at home down 2-1 in the series. Should be a fun one.
Lance Armstrong on "60 Minutes": Michael Wilbon -- who is turning into a quality value-add follow on Twitter -- set the new conventional wisdom: It is very very very hard to continue to believe Lance Armstrong's denials. Hamilton was simply too credible-sounding, even with the lies in his past (which would be necessary to conduct the initial cover-up anyway).
Must-see video: Kyle Singler's latest trick-shot vid is really well done.
Great "longish" read: The New Yorker on Fred Wilpon, the Mets owner, who either spoke entirely too frankly about his star players or knowingly figured that if he trashed Reyes and Wright and Beltran, it would distract sports fans and media from the bigger story that his franchise's financial situation is a shambles and he really should lose the team.
Lots of great stuff on Quickish today. Pop by and catch up!
-- D.S.
I love what Tommy Craggs wrote over at Deadspin about Bosh last night:
"I don't go in for all the "Chris Bosh is soft" crypto-gay-baiting. Big men don't all have to be Moses Malone to be useful (remember when Hakeem Olajuwon turned David Robinson inside-out with nothing but fallaway 10-footers?). But what Bosh did yesterday — hitting jump shot after jump shot, finding little seams in the paint, and generally looking like a very elongated version of Ricky Pierce — was soft, as soft as it was deadly, and triply demoralizing as a result. He hung 34 points on Chicago in all, and as a Bulls fan I can report that it was a bit like being smothered with a goose-down throw pillow for three hours."Meanwhile, in the not-so-crypto-gay-baiting world, there was Joakim Noah shouting "F--k you, f-----t!" at a Heat fan, which was depressing for me in two ways: (1) I hate that kind of talk and (2) I'm a huge Noah fan and thought of all players, the sophisticated Noah would be way above something like that. (I thought the same thing about Kobe, but probably double for Joakim.)
Anyway: With a Bosh breakthrough, I think it's Heat in 6.
Tonight: Thunder-Mavs Game 4 in a must-win for OKC, playing at home down 2-1 in the series. Should be a fun one.
Lance Armstrong on "60 Minutes": Michael Wilbon -- who is turning into a quality value-add follow on Twitter -- set the new conventional wisdom: It is very very very hard to continue to believe Lance Armstrong's denials. Hamilton was simply too credible-sounding, even with the lies in his past (which would be necessary to conduct the initial cover-up anyway).
Must-see video: Kyle Singler's latest trick-shot vid is really well done.
Great "longish" read: The New Yorker on Fred Wilpon, the Mets owner, who either spoke entirely too frankly about his star players or knowingly figured that if he trashed Reyes and Wright and Beltran, it would distract sports fans and media from the bigger story that his franchise's financial situation is a shambles and he really should lose the team.
Lots of great stuff on Quickish today. Pop by and catch up!
-- D.S.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
May 21 (Rapture) Quickie
Everyone still here? Good.
*I said this over at TimTeblog yesterday: I knew Judgment Day wasn't upon us because Tim Tebow's autobiography doesn't come out for another 10 days. He wouldn't schedule its release after today if he thought he (and the rest of us) would have other plans.
*The lack of an NBA game last night meant that it's a slow morning -- but between the Rapture and the death of Randy Savage, which became an overwhelming sports sensation (mostly because Savage's prime came at a moment when many/most in sports media where impressionable kids),
*The Cubs' return to Fenway after forever was memorable -- one of those things where it kind of doesn't matter that the game itself sort of sucked.
*Preakness: I'm all for an Animal Kingdom win -- the potential for a Triple Crown is the only thing that keeps horse racing relevant -- but it would be beyond absurd/amazing if Mucho Macho Man won.
*Mavs-Thunder Game 3 tonight at 9: Is it me or is it absolutely ridiculous that the Heat and Bulls are taking a full three days between games. Imagine if baseball ran the ALCS or NLCS like this -- the outrage that would be involved. Anyway, fascinating game tonight on a couple levels: Can the Thunder press the newfound home-court advantage? Can the Mavs snatch it back? What happens with Russell Westbrook int he 4th quarter if the game is close? (I have to figure Brooks plays him regardless, even if it costs them the game.) Will Kevin Durant make another poster?
Speaking of Westbrook, I found this amazing animation over at Daily Thunder this morning. Random but awesome.
Enjoy the day. We're all still here and it's a good day to go appreciate your life.
-- D.S.
*I said this over at TimTeblog yesterday: I knew Judgment Day wasn't upon us because Tim Tebow's autobiography doesn't come out for another 10 days. He wouldn't schedule its release after today if he thought he (and the rest of us) would have other plans.
*The lack of an NBA game last night meant that it's a slow morning -- but between the Rapture and the death of Randy Savage, which became an overwhelming sports sensation (mostly because Savage's prime came at a moment when many/most in sports media where impressionable kids),
*The Cubs' return to Fenway after forever was memorable -- one of those things where it kind of doesn't matter that the game itself sort of sucked.
*Preakness: I'm all for an Animal Kingdom win -- the potential for a Triple Crown is the only thing that keeps horse racing relevant -- but it would be beyond absurd/amazing if Mucho Macho Man won.
*Mavs-Thunder Game 3 tonight at 9: Is it me or is it absolutely ridiculous that the Heat and Bulls are taking a full three days between games. Imagine if baseball ran the ALCS or NLCS like this -- the outrage that would be involved. Anyway, fascinating game tonight on a couple levels: Can the Thunder press the newfound home-court advantage? Can the Mavs snatch it back? What happens with Russell Westbrook int he 4th quarter if the game is close? (I have to figure Brooks plays him regardless, even if it costs them the game.) Will Kevin Durant make another poster?
Speaking of Westbrook, I found this amazing animation over at Daily Thunder this morning. Random but awesome.
Enjoy the day. We're all still here and it's a good day to go appreciate your life.
-- D.S.
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