NBA Finals Preview

Lebron wants to silence his critics.

I'm very conflicted writing this post. My heart wants the Mavs and the teamwork they embody to win the Championship, but my mind tells me that the Heat and their mercenaries are too much for the Mavericks to handle. In this series we have a match up between a team with a star surrounded by possibly the best supporting class in the league and a team with three stars who don't get much help from their bench. The Mavs have been relying on veteran role players like Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Peja Stojakovic, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, and Jose Barea. Comparatively, the Heat really only get points off the bench from Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers. The

Dirk has most of America's support.

Heat need their three stars to play well every game if they want to win. I also don't think Dwayne Wade is going to have another bad series like he did against Chicago. Both teams can score, so ultimately, I think this game's going to come down to two things: defense and Lebron. While Lebron took over games on the offensive end against the Bulls, we expect that from him. What was surprising was to see him shut down Derrick Rose the entire series. Obviously Derrick Rose and Dirk Nowitzki are polar opposites of each other, but I still think Lebron will have a huge impact on the defensive end. If the Heat's defense can keep the games within reach until the fourth quarter, look for Lebron to close out games. The games that the Mavericks win in this series will be blowouts. Unfortunately for the Mavericks and most of America, I don't see the Mavericks blowing out the Heat  too many times in this series. Even though the Mavs have had the Heat's number in the regular season, I predict that the Heat will beat the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

2011 Milton Academy Tennis Recap

            The Boys Varsity Tennis team entered the 2011 season hoping to build on a 14-1 record and second place finish in the I.S.L standings. Once again, we came up a little bit short.  Unfortunately, to win the I.S.L. crown we needed to go undefeated, and we narrowly missed doing so, finishing with a final record of 14-1. Milton tennis had another great year, and finishing second in the league is still a big accomplishment. This year, the team was comprised of five returners: three seniors (Noah Bragg, Andrew Strang, and Tyler Edwards), one Junior (captain Matthew Lebovitz), and one Sophomore (Alex Lauretti). The team added two freshmen (Bart Panarese and Chris McDonough) and a Junior, Henry Arndt, to round out the eight-man roster.  

The team returned to campus after March break ready for the season to begin. After a strong performance in a scrimmage against Dexter, the team moved on to our I.S.L. schedule. The team dominated its first five opponents. Out of a possible seventy-five sets, Milton won a staggering 69 sets. Milton’s first real test came on April 23^rd when we played a Belmont Hill team that is always in the I.S.L. title hunt. This match was even more meaningful for us considering Belmont Hill was responsible for our only loss during the 2010 season. With revenge in mind, Milton’s three doubles teams (1. Noah and Bart, 2. Matt and Tyler, 3. Andrew and Henry) set the tone by sweeping all three pro-sets. With a 3-0 cushion entering singles matches, we only needed five more sets to clinch the victory. At 2^nd and 3^rd singles, Matt and Bart won both of their two sets to give Milton some breathing room. At 4^th and 5^th singles, both Tyler and Andrew were able to bounce back and win their second sets after dropping their first sets to lock up a 9-6 victory for Milton. After two easy wins, we found ourselves facing our toughest opponent of the season in Roxbury Latin. Once again we came out strong in doubles as we picked up two of the three points. However, we struggled in singles and were only able to pick up three sets to make the final score 5-10. While the loss was still a huge disappointment, the match was closer than the score indicated as Roxbury Latin won three of their sets by a score of 7-5.  
Our next tough match came on May 18^th against an improved St. Paul’s team at their indoor facilities. After winning two of the three doubles points, Noah, Matt, and Bart defeated their opponents to give us six more points. At sixth singles, Henry clinched for us by defeating his hard-hitting opponent in an exciting match. His victory gave us a 9-6 victory. Unfortunately, due to a technicality we were not selected for the New England Tournament. While we had shown that we had the ability to compete for the Class A title, the committee didn’t give us a bid because we hadn’t played any other Class A teams. The only Class A opponents on our schedule were Exeter and Groton. Exeter was cancelled due to rain and our match with Groton, which we won 11-4, was scheduled for the Wednesday after the tournament.  After Groton, our last match of the year was against a young and up-and-coming Nobles team at Nobles. While they made it difficult for us, we were able to win the match handily and give Coach Duseau his one hundredth victory in only six years as Milton’s coach. The team will look to build off this year’s results, and our five returning players will continue to build on Milton’s strong tennis tradition. The team will miss the seniors, and we would like to wish them the best of luck as they move on to their chosen colleges and universities.

Barcelona Wins Champions League Final

Messi celebrates his goal in the second half.

Today, Barcelona were named Champions of Europe for the second time in three years. They made defeating Manchester United 3-1 look easy. Even though they were playing three hours from Manchester, the Spanish side put on a show for their loyal fans who made the trip and treated Wembley Stadium like it was the Camp Nou. Besides the first ten shaky minutes, Barcelona completely controlled the game. Led by Lionel Messi, Barcelona played keep away from the Man U team for the full ninety minutes, creating a huge possession difference of 63-37%. You can't score if you don't have the ball, and when United was able to wrench the ball away from Barcelona it usually wasn't in a threatening position. Wayne Rooney was the only player who was able to inflict damage to Barcelona, as he was the player who scored United's lone goal that leveled the game with about ten minutes left in the first half.

Wayne Rooney shows his frustration.

Other than the singular goal, Barcelona cruised the entire game, utilizing one touch passing and great movement off the ball to score two second have goals to put away their opponents. United looked powerless to do anything but dig in to their own half and hope for a clearance that would reach Rooney and allow him to make a run at the Barcelona defense, and this strategy could only produce one goal. You can't say that Man U played poorly because Barcelona is truly the better team.The ball seemed glued to Lionel Messi's feet as he sliced through Manchester United's defense. Even Barca's back four weren't afraid to venture forward and involve themselves. The machinelike offense created waves and waves scoring chances. Edwin Van Der Sar, playing his last career match, can't be at fault for the three goals he let in. I've never seen a more dangerous or fun to watch offense than the skills Barcelona showcased today.  After the success Barcelona has had this year in La Liga and the Champions League, I don't think anyone deny that Barcelona is the best soccer team in the world.

Why I Love College Sports

These two videos are perfect examples of why I love college sports. They're out there having the most fun imaginable. No way an MLB team lets its players joust during a rain day. In professional sports, you can't even play a game of pick up basketball because you risk getting hurt and having the team try to void your contract. In college, its about having as much fun as possible. I don't think the guys jousting from Radford and High Point are too worried about getting hurt and risking their professional careers. They play baseball because they love the game and its fun, not for money or fame because most likely they will never even have that opportunity. The Clemson vs Davidson video is just pure entertainment and creativity. Just teams having a good time with each other during a rain delay. You don't see that in the MLB. Professional players are too busy calling restaurants to change their dinner reservations.

Guy Boucher's Scar

So the Lightning defeated the Bruins 5-4 in Tampa Bay last night to force a game 7 back in Boston on Friday. The Lightning Power Play was the difference in the game as they went 3/5, and Martin St. Louis tacked on two goals. Game 7 is going to be nuts, but right now I'm more interested in Lightning Coach, Guy Boucher. How did he get that scar on his face?  A grizzly bear? Storming Osama's compound? The Michael Jackson "Beat It" Music Video? We'll probably never know. He says his kids don't even know. Bottom line, the scar lands him in the hunt for scariest coach out there. I wish I could give the award to him but then I remembered Kansas State Basketball coach, Frank Martin. He's probably the scariest guy I've ever seen. He looks like he belongs in an insane asylum, he's very large, and he freaks out a lot. So congratulations to Frank Martin for being the scariest coach in all of sports.

Maybe the World is Ending....

Here's a before and after picture of Bonds.

Barry Bonds might be the most hated man in the history of baseball. He started out as a likable guy, a player who could hit home runs and steal bases. Over time people's perceptions of Barry changed. As his head size and home run totals increased, so did his ego. He was so self-centered that he withdrew from the MLB Player's Association because he thought he would make more money if he was approached individually to use his likeness. To put that in perspective for you, he's the only person in the MLB to do that. As steroid allegations appeared, he became guilty until proven innocent in the eyes of fans. Breaking sacred MLB records did not help his cause. Now that he's out of the game, I'm just glad that I don't have to hear anything about him anymore. Because I was only alive to witness his post-steroid era, I've never had anything good to say about Bonds until today. According to Deadspin and "NBC Bay Area", Barry Bonds has pledged to pay for the college education of  Bryan Stow's two daughters. Stow is the Giants fan, paramedic, and single father who was brutally beaten by two Dodgers fans in a parking lot outside of Dodger Stadium. He suffered major brain damage, and is still in a medically induced coma. On top of his financial generosity, he even took the initiative to visit Stow at the hospital. The most telling detail about this story is that we might have never known about it if the Stow family hadn't told the press about it. It's nice to see that even Barry Bonds, who's been going through legal troubles, still has a heart.

Oklahoma's Collapse

What was the last sentence I wrote in the blurb about the Western Conference Finals yesterday? I said:

If Oklahoma City is going to beat the Mavericks in this series, Kevin Durant has to have the ball in his hands at the end of games."

Here's a pic of the celly that KD mimicked.

Well, the Thunder seemed to be doing just fine until midway through the fourth quarter. The offense was running on all cylinders, they were up by double digits, just cruising. Then, two things happened that possibly crushed Oklahoma City's playoff dreams. First, Kevin Durant hit a 3 to put the Thunder up by 15 with five minutes left. He obviously thought he sealed the game because on the way back to the bench he put on his championship title belt a la Aaron Rodgers, and after that moment he didn't score another point. Secondly, James Harden fouled out with less than five minutes left. After he left the game, the Thunder's offense sputtered, and they only scored six points.

Let's go back to Durant. I understand that the Mavs were double teaming and harassing KD every time he had the ball in his hands, but he's the superstar on this team and if he's not going to put the ball in the basket, he at least needs to manage the offense and create for his team mates. Six total points in the last nine minutes of the game is not going to cut it. On top of that, KD turned the ball over nine times. That's inexcusable if the Thunder expect to win. Granted,  the Mavs turned their game up and clawed their way out of a huge hole to win this game. While this was definitely a choke, you have to give a ton of credit to Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks.
While Durant's taunt sparked the Mavericks' comeback, I can understand KD's premature celebration. He is the leader of a young, unexperienced, up and coming team; a team that hasn't been in a situation like this before. He got caught up in the emotion of the moment playing in front of his hometown crowd as he nailed a shot that should have put the game beyond reach. It was tough to watch Durant during TV timeouts in OT as cameras focused on his face. The dejection and confusion in his face as he stared out to nothingness as his coach talked to his team. You could tell that although they were only down four points, that the game was already over. This was a great reminder of what it takes to win an NBA championship. While last night may have been the nail in the coffin of Oklahoma City's title chances, in the overall grand scheme of things this will provide great experience for a young team that maybe just wasn't ready to get over the hump this year. After the game, Durant reverted back to the Kevin Durant that everyone knows and loves. He said:

"I feel upset because I feel that I let the fans down, that I let the city down."

With that statement, Durant reminded everyone that he's different from other stars in this league. He doesn't just play for the fame and money. He's the anti-Lebron. He wants to win and he recognizes that the game is bigger than him. After seeing how Durant handles himself, its impossible to not root for him. I hope that the Thunder can rebound and win a title, because if anyone deserves a championship, its Kevin Durant.

What Tim Thomas?

Tim Thomas saved the game for the Bruins last night with that ridiculous save. The last thing you want in the playoffs is to run into a goalie who's been on his game, and Tim Thomas was a brick wall last night as he gave up only one goal on thirty four shots from the Lightning and made several spectacular saves.

Weekend Recap

 I was in Pennsylvania all weekend and wasn't able to blog, so here's a weekend recap of what I missed:

NBA Western Conference Finals: In Game 3, the Mavericks were able to fend off a fourth quarter comeback by the Thunder to take a 2-1 Series Lead. Russell Westbrook chipped in thirty points and helped spark the comeback, but he also turned the ball over seven times and failed to facilitate the offense through Kevin Durant at the end of the fourth corner. If Oklahoma City is going to beat the Mavericks in this series, Kevin Durant has to have the ball in his hands at the end of games.

Durant has to be frustrated with how much the ball has been in his hands. 

NBA Eastern Conference Finals:

Surprisingly, it was Chis Bosh and not Dwayne Wade or Lebron James who carried the Heat in Game 3 on Sunday night. The Bulls kept the game close for most of the game, but the Heat were never really threatened. Chicago is in big trouble in this series if the least heralded of the "big three" can take over a game.

NHL Western Conference Finals:

Vancouver won game four by a score of 4-2 on Sunday afternoon to take a 3-1 lead in the series. The Canucks were lead by the Sedin brothers who combined for seven assists. Even though Vancouver had only 13 shots on goal, the Sharks gave up three "5-on-3's"and Vancouver took advantage of all of them. San Jose had lots of goal opportunities as they managed to get thirty five shots on target. However, Roberto Luongo was solid in net, and the Sharks went 0-5 on the powerplay. The differences in success on the powerplay decided the outcome in this game.  After defeating the Sharks in San Jose, the Canucks will now have three chances to close out the series with two of them coming on home ice back in Vancouver.

French Open:

Djokovic is already through to the second round.

The French Open started on Sunday. There's a lot more buzz surrounding the tournament considering Novak Djokovic is 38-0 in 2011. Novak's won all seven tournaments he's played in, including the Australian Open. He's even 4-0 against Rafael Nadal, with all four victories coming in tournament finals. I expected his streak to end once the clay court season started, considering clay and Roland Garros has traditionally been Nadal's domain. While Nadal is the #1 seed at the French Open its hard to call him the favorite this year. Hopefully in two weeks we'll be seeing Nadal and Djokovic in the finals playing with the French Open title, Novak's streak, and the #1 ranking on the line. 

Two Days Later....

Two days later and there's already a "History Will Be Made" playoff commercial in honor of Tyler Seguin. The NHL and Versus kill it with each and every commercial they make. They're so good that they give the chills to people like me who aren't even hockey fans.

Dirk Nowitzki

Before recently, I had never even heard Dirk Nowitzki talk to the media. I think the last time I saw or heard Dirk off the court was on an episode of Punk'd like seven years ago. Even then he seemed like a humble, stand up guy. Not that I think differently now, but because of his private and quiet demeanor away from the court, I was really surprised when Dirk said:

"It doesn't really matter who's guarding me....I've been attacking no matter who's on me"

Here's Nowitzki's trademark jumper.

The thing about this statement is that he's right. From my couch, Dirk looks like the toughest guy in the league to defend. Anybody who's 7 feet tall and weight 245 pounds is going to be a tough assignment, but Dirk has the best jumper of any big man I've ever seen. I can't tell you how many times I've seen him with his back to the basket at the top of the key with two seconds left on the shot clock, and then he spins around, jumps backwards from one leg, and then drains the jumper like it was nothing. It's impossible to guard him. You can stick a hand in his face, but his release point is so high and he creates so much space for himself that it just doesn't matter. Combine that with a post up game and an 88 percent career free throw shooter, and you have an unstoppable scorer. Here's Dirk's Game 1 Stats: 48 points, 12-15 from the field, 24-24 from the free throw line, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks. If you're an Oklahoma City team that's unlucky enough to have to play Dirk when he's on fire like he was during game 1, you can't expect to win. The Mavericks have a star hungry for a ring in Nowitzki, as well as a solid group of role players in Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Peja Stojakovic, Tyson Chandler, Shawn Marion, Caron Butler, and DeShawn Stevenson. If Nowitzki can keep playing like he has been, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if the Mavericks were to win the title.

Bruins vs. Lightning

Goalie Dwayne Roloson got pulled in Game 2.

I'll be the first to tell you that I know very little about hockey. As a Floridian who's never been on ice before and attends prep school in New England where hockey is king, I've obtained the little knowledge I own from playing NHL video games or listening to my dorm mates scream at Mark Recchi for being old or Tim Thomas for trying to play the puck. With that being said, I know an entertaining game when I see one, and Game 2 of the Boston-Tampa Bay series was one of the best games I've ever seen. After losing a lopsided game one, the Bruins needed to win game two to avoid being swept at home and going down 2-0 in the series. That's easier said then done when you're up against a high caliber offense and a Goalie who is leading all playoff Goalies in Save Percentage and Goals Against (.941% and 2.01 GAA at start of Game 2) in Dwayne Roloson. After defensive lapses led to Tampa Bay goals in the first and last thirty seconds of the first period, the Bruins were down 2-1 entering the second period. However, the Bruins put on an offensive clinic in the second period as they scored five goals and headed back into the depths of the TD Garden leading by a score of 6-3. Although the Lightning threatened in the third and final period by picking up two goals, Tim Thomas and the defense buckled down to earn the victory for the Bruins.

Seguin didn't play like a rookie as he tallied 4 points.

        Tyler Seguin, nineteen year old rookie Center and second overall pick in this year's draft, stole the show for the Bruins as he delighted the crowd by scoring two goals and picking up assists on two other goals in the period in his second career playoff game. After his regular season play didn't necessarily match the Bruins expectations, Seguin was listed as a "healthy scratch" by Coach Claude Julian for Boston's first two playoff series. Seguin finally got his chance to play after an injury to C Patrice Bergeron, and the young rookie took advantage as he dazzled viewers. It will be hard for the Bruins to deny him more playing time after his performances in the first two games. Consequently, his performances will have many fans looking for answers as to why he wasn't dressing for the first two rounds in the first place.

Back to .500

Adrian Gonzalez has been the Sox best player this year.

Things can change quickly in Major League Baseball. After about forty games played it seems like the Yankees and Red Sox have traded places. At the start of April, it was the Red Sox who were in trouble after starting the season with six consecutive losses. However, as we approach June it appears that the Sox have righted the ship, and its the Yankees who are now facing adversity. The culmination of the role reversal occurred last night when the Red Sox beat the Yankees 7-5 to sweep them at Yankee Stadium. With the win, the Sox reached .500 for the first time this season, and pulled within three games of the first place Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox have climbed back into the hunt with great pitching from Lester (5-1, 3.28 ERA) and Josh Becket (3-1, 1.75 ERA), as well as MVP type play from marquis free agent signing Adrian Gonzalez (.319 BA/ 9 HR/34 RBI's). As the Sox have rebounded, the Yankees continue to slip. The Yankees have lost their last five games and now have a record of 20-18.  Other than Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixiera, and Robinson Cano, many of the Yankees big producers have been struggling at the plate. Mainly Jorge Posada who's hitting .165 which is good enough for lowest in the MLB.

Jorge Posada has the worst batting average in the MLB.

 Tension sprung up after he asked Manger Joe Girardi for a day off after being dropped to ninth in the batting order. That led to even more distractions after Captain Derek Jeter chimed in and defended his teammate. While saying that this trend will continue as we analyze in May is naive. Its hard to ignore the Yankees struggles. With many of their players on the decline at the end of their careers its not a stretch to say that the Yankees might not have the legs to make it to October. Especially since they don't have a dominant starting rotation to make up for the struggling bats in the lineup.

EPL Title Decided

        On the day after Manchester celebrated locking up its record breaking nineteenth English Premier League title, Arsenal FC walked off the field at the Emirates Stadium after losing 2-1 to a weak Aston Villa team that struggled to avoid relegation this year. Different year, same story for Arsenal as they walked off dejectedly and continued their collapse at the end of the season. After setting themselves up for a title run after a strong first half of the season, the Gunners were only able to take away 11 points from their last ten matches. You can make up as many excuses as you want to explain why Arsenal hasn't won a major competition since 2004, but at the end of the day does it really matter? Yes, Arsenal has gotten a little unlucky. Yes, Arsenal develops its own talent and doesn't throw around money like Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City. Yes, Arsenal plays a type of game that is entertaining to watch. Yes, Arsenal is a young team that is improving under Arsene Wenger's watch, and yes Arsenal has put itself in a position to win trophies. But, Arsenal has had time to win under this system, and just has not gotten the job done.
        What do they need to do to get over the hump? The answer: nothing. Arsenal has a core of young players in Denilson, Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Nicklas Bendtner that will be able to challenge for year's to come. Every single one of these players is twenty-three or younger. Combine those guys with Fabregas, Van Persie, and Arshavin and you have a team that can compete for a Premier League Title. They just need time to develop and learn Wenger's system. Of course there are going to be doubts surrounding this team until they can get the "monkey off their back", and every summer their are rumors that captain Cesc Fabregas is going to return to his home country and the academy that raised him at Barcelona. But, even if Fabregas does leave his transfer fee would give Arsene Wenger funds to bring in several quality players. Wenger is famous for buying talent when it is cheap and selling players for a huge profit. If Arsenal can spend a little money in bringing in players to strengthen a weak defensive back four, and bring in a new goalie, then Arsenal will be fine if fans just give Wenger one or two more years to work his magic. I feel comfortable predicting that within the next three years Arsenal will be walking off the field in May celebrating a Premier League title.

19 Year Old, Center Midfielder Jack Wilshere has been tabbed as the future of Arsenal as well as the English National Team.

Really Auburn?

Apparently Auburn is planning to unveil and erect a statue of Heisman-winning QB Cam Newton in the next year. You would think that it would take more than one year for a player to earn that honor, especially since the controversy surrounding his name. First of all, he was suspended while a Freshman for the Gators for stealing a laptop, and eventually transferred instead of facing punishment for three different instances of academic cheating. What's the over/under on how long this statue will stay up anyway? We all know about the NCAA's investigation that is still going on. Doesn't Auburn want until Newton's name is "cleared" before giving him this honor?  I guess the entirety of Auburn was living under a rock through out the duration of the Reggie Bush scandal. USC got punished five years after Bush was gone. That very well could happen in this situation. We know that Newton's father did in fact approach colleges to try to get money in return for Cam attending school, but I'm sure there's nooooooo way that Cam could have possibly known about that.

Twitter and the NFL Lockout

Some athletes today just don't get it. I understand that its a miniscule population, but the ones who make fools of themselves give all professional athletes a bad rap. For example, today on his twitter account, Reggie bush had this to say:

This is the same guy who tweeted, "It's been fun New Orleans" after the Saints traded up to draft RB Mark Ingram. Clearly Bush doesn't understand how to responsibly use Twitter. Another NFL star took a lot of heat for one of his comments about the lockout. Adrian Peterson said this in an interview in reference to the NFL:

"It's modern day slavery you know"

While many players publicly disagreed with Peterson, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall came to his defense and tweeted:

 "Anyone with knowledge of the slave trade and the NFL could say that these two parallel each other"

On a side note, many of you might remember that Mendenhall is the same guy who authored these brilliant tweets after Osama Bin Laded was killed:

Although those tweets are ridiculous, that's not the point of this post. NFL players need to understand how the general public views the lockout. I think I stand for just about everybody when I say: if you don't say anything stupid to remind us that you get paid millions of dollars to play a sport, date supermodels, and own multiple houses that I would get lost in that you show off on Cribs, then we will worship you and view you as the lesser of two evils in this lockout. We agree with you. We don't want players to get hurt. We want the NFL to take care of you long after a ten year career takes a toll on your body, because we've seen what has happened to guys like Steve Duerson and William "The Refrigerator" Perry. Further more, we don't even want a longer regular season. Not one person I've talked to thinks switching from sixteen to eighteen games is a good idea. That shows us that the owners don't have your best interest at heart and only care about making more money In this situation, we see the owners as the "bad guys". We see billionaire owners watching the games in their luxury boxes with their suits on, while they make millions of dollars off of their football franchise, and we can't relate to them. If athletes don't ignorantly compare making millions of dollars to slavery when they can walk away from the game whenever they want, we will take their side. Have player salaries gotten a little ridiculous and need to be changed? Absolutely, but when owners say they are losing money but won't show us their financial documents, we are inclined to take the players' side in this battle. At the end of the day, the owners, players, and fans want to see football, end of story. If players stop saying absurd things on Twitter, then myself and most NFL fans are willing to look past rookies signing contracts guaranteeing them $50 million dollars before they ever play a professional game. So athletes, please stop using Twitter to hurt your own cause, and take a pay cut. I'm sure you can still support your family making three million dollars a year instead of five. Let us take your side in this lockout so we can hopefully have NFL football back this fall.

Heat vs. Celtics Reactions

I think it's safe to say that we learned a lot about both the Celtics and the Heat last night. Let's start with the Celtics.

The Celtic's door to an 18th NBA Championship slammed shut last night and will probably stay that way for a few years. This series showed that the Celtics were not a Championship caliber team when they entered the playoffs. Shaq, Jermaine O'Neal, and Rondo were all banged up. KG was expending so much energy on the defensive end defending Miami's big three that he wasn't able to contribute much on offense. Even Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who has been reliable in the playoffs in years past, was nowhere to be found. The second half of the season showed that trading away Perkins and Nate Robinson was a fatal mistake for this year's team. The collective age of the Celtics showed as they collapsed in the fourth quarter in multiple games. They were helpless to do anything but watch as Lebron scored the last ten points of the game. While the "big 3" will be back next year they will need to make some changes if they want to contend for a title again.

Miami's beat down of the Celtics sent a message loud and clear to the remaining playoff teams. We all knew that their early season woes wouldn't matter once the playoffs started, and it looks like the Heat have put it all together at just the right time. "King James" finally got his revenge on the Celtics as he "put the team on his back"  and scored the last ten points of the game to eliminate the Celtics.

When it came down to it, Lebron was the guy with the ball in his hands, not Dwayne Wade or Chris Bosh. While it may be Dwayne Wade's team, Lebron James showed us what he's capable of doing. Until this point, he's never given us a moment where we could say, wow that was greatness.  This was Lebron silencing his critics, a big middle finger to everyone who said he gave up against the Celtics, and a glimpse of justification for leaving Cleveland that might be coming in the form of an NBA championship ring. Even after it was over, Lebron finally offered up an apology to the people of Cleveland. He said, "I apologize for the way it happened, but i knew that this opportunity was once in a lifetime." While this apology is almost a year too late, it showed maturity and the humbleness that we've never seen from him. Combining those traits with the flashes of greatness and motivation we saw last night, I would not want to bet against the Miami Heat in the postseason.

NFC West Draft Grades

Arizona Cardinals:

In my opinion, the Cardinals drafted the best player in the NFL draft, when they chose Patrick Peterson with the fifth pick of the draft. They may have needed a new QB rather than another corner, but I can’t argue when they pick up a player of this caliber. Arizona averaged the lowest number of rushing yards per game out of the whole league, so Virginia Tech RB Ryan Williams was a smart pick, even though he hadn’t received much publicity.  However, the Cardinals NEEDED a QB, especially with so many QB’s available in the draft. You have a problem when John Skelton is starting for your team, and the Cardinals didn’t address that position. We’ll see if they can pick up a solid QB in free agency. Overall, I’d give Arizona an A for drafting Peterson, and an F for not drafting a QB, so…….

Draft Grade: C-

San Francisco 49ers

With the 7^th pick of the draft the 49ers Selected DE Aldon Smith out of Missouri. He’s a DE but he can also play linebacker in the Niners’ 3-4 defensive scheme. Smith doesn’t have the upside or flash that other picks have, but he’s a solid player who will get the job done for San Francisco for years to come. I love their second round of  Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick. Alex Smith has had more than enough time to prove he can be a franchise quarterback, and he just has not performed. They have two other solid quarterbacks on the roster in Troy Smith and David Carr, but they need to groom a QB for the future. Kaepernick will probably be a little bit of an experiment considering the offense he ran in Nevada, but I think he has the possibility to surprise a lot of people. Overall, I like the 49ers draft picks, but the uncertainty of Kaepernick lowers their grade.

Draft Grade: C+

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks had one of the worst offenses in the league last year, so this year they decided to commit to strengthening their offensive line. They drafted Offensive Guards in the first and second rounds with their picks of James Carpenter and John Moffit. I’m a fan of these two picks. However, in the later rounds the Seahawks drafted guys who won’t have an impact on the team. I applaud the effort to strengthen their secondary after they ranked 27^th in receiving yards allowed, but they didn’t draft players who will be able to help. If you consider that the Seahawks also needed to draft a QB to eventually replace whatever is left of Matt Hasselbeck after the pounding he has taken recently, I would say that the Seahawks did not have a good draft.

Draft Grade: D+

St. Louis Rams

The Rams made a great value pick by drafting DE Robert Quinn out of UNC with the fourteenth pick. He has proven that he can get to the Quarterback when he’s on the field. However, he fell to the Rams because he was ineligible for his Junior year due to lying to the NCAA about receiving jewelry and other benefits. We’ll see if the year away from organized football will affect his play. With their next three picks, the Rams selected two WR’s and a TE for quarterback Sam Bradford to throw to. These were smart picks because they have a relatively weak receiving corps and they need to build around Bradford. Overall, the Rams did a good job drafting players that will develop and contribute to a rebuilding team trying to return to the playoffs.

Draft Grade: B+

The Lakeshow Gets Cancelled

Not only did the Lakers get eliminated from the playoffs this weekend, but they got embarrassed. Even after Kobe predicted that the Lakers could come back and win the series, the Lakers couldn’t even make game four competitive. All series long, the Lakers looked slow and old. Instead of running the Triangle offense featuring lots of ball movement, L.A. appeared to abandon what had lead to two consecutive titles in favor of isolation sets for Kobe while the rest of the players on the floor just seemed to stand and watch. That strategy might work when Kobe is hot, but what happens when he has an off night, or four. For example, the Lakers were fine in the first quarter when Kobe had thirteen points. However, after that Kobe only had four more points on 1-10 shooting, and right away the Lakers got outscored by twenty points in the second quarter alone. Not only did they play badly, but they acted poorly too. With the game already over, the Lakers looked like a bunch of little kids who didn't get their way. Both Bynum and Odom lashed out with unsportsmanlike flagrant fouls that deservingly caused them both to get the toss.

The Lakers could have taken their beating with that class that you should expect from a Phil Jackson coached squad. But on that night, the Lakers let their legendary coach down. Now, Los Angeles faces many questions this offseason. I'd bet my life that Phil isn't coming back, and many are expecting the Lakers to "blow up" their roster and try to rebuild around Kobe while there is still time. So, this summer will be a key transition period for the Lakers as they most likely look for a replacement for Phil Jackson, and make a roster overhaul. I for one will be surprised if they will be able to replicate the success they've had over the past three seasons.

NFC North Draft Grades

NFC North Draft Grades:

Minnesota Vikings:

With Brett Favre retired (hopefully for good this time, but probably not), the Vikings were left with a huge question mark at the quarterback. After all the #1 quarterback on the depth chart is Joe Webb. Anyone ever heard of him? I didn’t think so. I think we can all agree that they needed to draft a quarterback. Well, they did that by taking Christian Ponder out of Florida State at the twelfth pick. I’ve seen Ponder play in person and I can tell you that he is a smart quarterback who knows how to manage an offense. I think he’s prepared for the transition to the pro’s and I predict that he’ll be a solid, successful quarterback for Minnesota. He’s flown under the radar because he’s not as flashy as a Newton, Locker, or Gabbert, and I think that’s why some people are wrongly ripping on the Vikings for this pick. Maybe they could have traded down and taken him a little later in the round, but why risk it? They needed a quarterback and they got one. With their nine other picks in the draft, the Vikings drafted a bunch of lesser-known players who will strengthen their D-Line and O-Lines, as well as a good TE in Kyle Rudolph out of Iowa. I didn’t think they got anybody special in the later rounds, but then again I’m not Mel Kiper, so what do I know.

Draft Grade: B-

Detroit Lions:

The Lions had one of the best drafts of the year. They started the first round with a bang by drafting Nick Fairley, a Defensive Tackle out of Auburn. Fairley and Pro-Bowler Ndamukong Suh will eventually form, in my opinion, the best Defensive Line in the entire NFL. Detroit didn’t have many other picks, but they made smart picks that will be able to help out the offense right away in WR Titus Young and RB Mikel Leshoure.

Draft Grade: A

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers began the defense of their super bowl title with the NFL draft. I thought their biggest weakness entering the draft was the offensive line, and apparently the Packers agreed with me when they took OT Derek Sherrod. With starting tackle Chad Clifton being thirty-four years old, they needed to start grooming a replacement. Aaron Rodgers is their best player and the reason they’re the Super Bowl champions so they needed to invest in strengthening his protection. In the later rounds they added a few skill position players, by picking up WR Randall Cobb and RB Alexander Green out of Hawaii.  Cobb was a solid receiver at Kentucky, and since he’s joining one of the best receiving squads in the league, his greatest chance to make an impact on the game will be in the return game. Overall, I think the Packers addressed the few needs that they had, and helped add depth to the squad.

Draft Grade: B+

Chicago Bears:

The Bears’ draft might be best remembered for a trade that didn’t happen in a bizarre draft day trade snafu involving the Baltimore Ravens. All in all though, the Bears had a decent draft. The Bears picked up OT Gabe Carimi in the first round and DT Stephen Paea in the second. Both lineman will be able to step in immediately and contribute. The Bears always seem to make the right calls when it comes to drafting linemen so I’m inclined to believe in this pick. However I’m not exactly sure why they wasted a pick on QB Nathan Enderle. It doesn’t make sense to draft a future back up quarterback.

Draft Grade: B-

NFC South Draft Grades

Atlanta Falcons:

The Atlanta Falcons’ Draft recap can be summed up with two words: Julio Jones. Jones has already been compared to Terrell Owens and hall of famer Michael Irvin, that’s a lot of hype for a guy who hasn’t played a game yet. The Falcons wanted Jones so badly that they moved up to the 6^th pick to take him. While they ultimately got the guy they wanted, they had to give up an arm and a leg for him. In my opinion, the five draft picks they traded away were just too much. However, the Falcons already have a complete team, and they must think they are a contender to win the Super Bowl this year (if there ends up being a year), so this pick makes sense for a team playing in the present. Jones adds a dangerous partner for WR Roddy White in the receiving corps and another target for QB Matt Ryan to throw the ball down the field to. I really like their third round pick, RB Jacquizz Rogers out of Oregon State. He’s a small and shifty runner who will form a great tandem with Michael Turner.

They got an extremely talented player in this draft, but I feel the trade will hinder the team down the road. But, if we’re looking at this draft by itself, the Falcons had a solid draft and will hope Julio Jones is the final piece to their Super Bowl puzzle.

Draft Grade: B

  

Carolina Panthers:

First of all, it is impossible for me to write this without being biased. I can’t stand Cam Newton.  I never knew such a cocky and obnoxious human being existed on this planet. I can’t stand how much he loves the camera. With that being said, I guess he does know how to play football. However, he’s not the typical pro-style quarterback, and so there is a little uncertainty on how his career will turn out. In this league, the #1 draft pick has to be a homerun one hundred percent of the time. I don’t see Cam Newton becoming a franchise quarterback. I don’t even think he was the best player in the draft. What puzzles me even more is that they just drafted QB Jimmy Clausen last year. Are they already giving up on him? The quarterback position wasn’t their biggest need going into the draft. I think the Panthers fell victim to pleasing their fans and so they picked a guy who would attract more attendance. In the later rounds, Carolina filled their biggest need, which was the D-Line, so that was a smart move.

Its hard for me to not view drafting Newton as a mistake. At least they saved face a little bit, at least in my book by strengthening their Defensive Line.

Draft Grade: C-

New Orleans Saints:

The Saints made very conservative but good picks in the draft. They started out by drafting a DE Cameron Jordan out of Cal, and four picks later drafted RB Mark Ingram of Alabama. I’m a huge fan of drafting big guys because games are won in the trenches, and Mark Ingram was a great value pick considering he had an off year following his Heisman winning Sophomore Year. Ingram has shown he can get the job done, and I think he’ll be a great addition to the Saints. Ingram’s arrival means the overhyped Reggie Bush era may be over in New Orleans. With the rest of their picks, the Saints picked up defensive players who will have the opportunity to fight for playing time. Overall, I think the Saints did a great job in this year’s draft.

Draft Grade: A-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

My Tampa Bay Bucs continued to prepare themselves for a Super Bowl run in the near future with this draft. This year, they needed to replace an aging but strong defense. They spent their first two picks by drafting two DE’s, Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn and Clemson’s Da’Quan Bowers. Clayborn is solid, but I personally like the Bowers pick better. He has had injury problems in the past and his knee is still a big question mark, but if he can stay healthy he has a huge upside.  They also drafted a back up for injury-prone TE Kellen Winslow by taking Luke Stocker in the third round. In the fifth round, they drafted a Florida Gator Safety named Ahmad Black. As a Gator fan, I’ve watched him change games many times with his athleticism and ability to grab interceptions. I think he could end up being a steal.

Overall, I love the Bucs’ draft picks. They addressed an aging defense after focusing on the offense in last year’s draft. They are well on their way to becoming a Super Bowl Contender for Coach Raheem Morris. I’d give a higher grade, but they needed to get some help at the Corner position. We’ll see if Cornerback Ronde Barber can continue to produce at the end of his career.

Draft Grade: B+

Lightning Sweep the Capitals. Wait..........what?

The #5 seeded Tampa Bay Lightning completed a four game sweep and upset by beating the Washington Capitals 5-3 on Wednesday night despite Alexander Ovechkin's promised victory. The Lightning have been on fire since the postseason started. They're on a seven game win streak and have already bounced the Penguins and Capitals in their quest for the cup. Their offense has sprung to life as Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier lead the league in playoff points with 13 and 12 points, respectively. This along with G Dwayne Roloson leading all playoff goalies in Save Percentage (.941), who has been a big surprise because goalie play was the Lightning's achilles heel in the regular season. This marks the fourth season in a row the Caps have won their division and failed to advance to the Conference finals. There are rumors that this disappointing series for Ovechkin and his Caps could cause lovable coach Bruce Boudreau to lose his job.

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