Short Hiatus, Returning July 1

Sorry to those of you that loyally visit every day because as you can tell I have been on a short hiatus from updating the blog.  That will all change tomorrow as Home Field Advantage returns with fresh commentary, a slighly updated look and back on our regular schedule.  See everyone back here tomorrow!

2008 NBA Mock Draft

While I have no problem sitting here and telling you that I can do a NFL mock draft as well as any of the experts (and did this year), a NBA mock draft? Not so much. What I will do, however, is provide my mocked-up lottery selections for tonight's 2008 draft. Through sites like Sportsbook.com you can bet on these picks, so feel free to take my advice if you're a bit stuck.

Note: If the Seattle/L.A. Clippers trade goes through, expect Eric Gordon to go to the Clippers and Brook Lopez to the Sonics.

1. Chicago Bulls - Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
Chicago needs two character attributes desperately on their team—leadership and speed. Rose has both along with ideal size and court vision for a point guard. They would be hard-pressed to do better in the draft, and that is not to mention getting a player from Chicago who wants nothing more than to be a member of the Bulls. The no-brainer of all no-brainers.

2. Miami Heat - Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas State
Miami is not going to give Beasley away for free. There is enough value in him for them to gain some players they want while still getting a top draft pick. Look for them to trade down somewhere in the top five, but first they will have to make this selection.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves - O.J. Mayo, SG, Southern California
While Mayo does not fill their biggest position of need, he is the third best player in this draft without question. There is a top tier and these three guys are in it. Minnesota is also considering Stanford C Brook Lopez (and will move Al Harrington to PF or trade him) but that looks doubtful.

4. "Seattle" Sonics - Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
Seattle is said to be very interested in UCLA PG Russell Westbrook, Indiana SG Eric Gordon and Lopez at this slot. In the end, while they need a PG to pair with Kevin Durant, I feel they will opt for the big man to sure up the middle and help provide Durant with an inside-out game.

5. Memphis Grizzlies - Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana
There was supposed to be a trade with the New York Knicks here, but it does not look like that is going to happen. Eric Gordon is the most talented shooter left in the draft while Kevin Love is the most versatile big man. Memphis will go with one of the two here, and I think they are shying away from Love.

6. New York Knicks - Russell Westbrook, PG, UCLA
The Knicks need a PG to replace Stephon Marbury at year's end and defense. Westbrook satisfies both needs. GM Donnie Walsh actually wants Mayo and has been trying to trade up to No. 3 in order to get him. If that does not happen, 3-4 should be as projected here and Westbrook should fall to the Knicks. Otherwise, gasp, Danilo Gallinari or even Joe Alexander.

7. Los Angeles Clippers - Jerryd Bayless, G, Arizona
Mark it down now: the Clippers are taking a PG. It just depends who is available.

8. Milwaukee Bucks - Joe Alexander, SF, West Virginia
Scott Skiles likes him and Alexander has been one of the easiest calls of the whole draft. He's tough, high-energy and knows Manderin so he can converse and be friends with Yi. Alexander is a bit rough around the edges but should work well in Milwaukee.

9. Charlotte Bobcats - Kevin Love, PF, UCLA
If the draft plays out as I've laid it out, Charlotte will be happy because one of the most talented and fundamentally sound players will fall into their lap. Larry Brown will be pacing until he is available and ecstatic that they grab a player with an old school mindset and drive.

10. New Jersey Nets - Danilo Gallinari, SF, Armani Milan (Italy)
If the Knicks pass on Gallinari, rumor has it he still has a guarantee to be drafted in the top ten. Is it from the Nets? Maybe. Could it be from another team with a deal in place to trade up (cough, Portland, cough)? More likely. Especially if they can get a PG in Jarrett Jack in return.

11. Indiana Pacers - Anthony Randolph, SF, LSU
After trading Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana wants to replace him in the middle. They are said to be looking at Randolph and Kosta Koufos. With Texas PG D.J. Augustin still available, they have a tough decision to make. Nevertheless, I see them going with Randolph here.

12. Sacramento Kings - D.J. Augustin, PG, Texas
Augustin won't have to wait too long. He still gets drafted in the lottery and for good reason; right now he is the best and most ready PG in the draft. The only negative is his height.

13. Portland Trailblazers - Brandon Rush, SG, Kansas
95% chance Portland trades out of this pick; they really want to move up for Augustin, Randolph or Gallinari. If they don't trade and the three aforementioned are gone, it is Rush in a heart beat. The Blazers will be able to contend next year and Rush is a defender and shooter.

14. Golden State Warriors - Kosta Koufos, C, Ohio State
Some has Koufos off the board already, I do not. If he's gone, look for the Warriors to take Robin Lopez or Donte' Greene. Greene is the most talented, Koufos and Lopez fill a need for size and offense.

As for the rest, tune in to ESPN at 7:00 p.m. See you back here tomorrow! Feel free to leave comments or questions below!

Fresno State Sets Records, Wins College World Series, Not at Midnight

Talk about a Cinderella story.

The Fresno State Bulldogs became the lowest seeded team in history to win a NCAA National Championship on Wednesday evening. Not just in baseball or in men's sports but the lowest seed ever in any sport for any gender.

Starting their season 8-12, the Bulldogs barely earned a Regionals birth. (They only got a chance to contend in the College World Series after suprisingly winning the Western Athletic Conference.) They were then given a No. 4 seed (the lowest possible) in the Regionals. This is the equivalent of a 13 or 14 seed in March Madness. To put it in perspective, imagine if George Mason won the whole thing in 2006.

I'll spare you the details of the journey to the ultimate dogpile and rather point out some amazing circumstances surrounding their win on Wednesday.

• Fresno State had never won a men's national championship before tonight.
• Tonight was only Fresno State's second national championship in school history.
  
• OF Steve Detwiler went 4-4 in the final game, hitting two home runs and driving in all six team runs. He also hit a double and a single and, by the way, only has use of one thumb from a torn ligament.
• Fresno State is the first team in five years to come back from one game down to win the CWS.
• P John Wilson pitched eight innings strong with 9 Ks, only allowing one run late in the game.
• Fresno State scored 62 runs to tie for most in a CWS.
• The Bulldogs' 31 losses were the most ever for a CWS champion.
  

At first everyone was chocking the Bulldogs' run up to luck. Right time, right place. But to beat this many ranked teams, in order, with very few losses or let-downs...is there really any question? Congrats to the Bulldogs (never thought I'd say that) on the win and amazing story.

Hey Shaq, how does being a civilian taste?

Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal may have been asking former teammate Kobe Bryant to "tell me how my ass tastes," but his freestyle rap at a club in New York has his fans, the media and the Maricopa County police asking a bunch of other questions.

Once such question: Hey Shaq, how does being a civilian taste?

Following the publicity given to Shaq's freestyle, the head sheriff of Maricopa County is asking the future Hall of Fame center for his badges back. And no, he's not doing it because of Shaq's lack of talent on the mic but rather the racially derogatory language he used while doing so.

"I want his two badges back," Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they're fired. I don't condone this type of racial conduct."

You see, Shaq has a love of law enforcement. In Maricopa County he was a special deputy then promoted to a colonel. It is no suprise, though, that the Miami Beach Police are keeping him as a member of their team.

I really don't mind the freestyling, the shots at Bryant or much else of what O'Neal said. Watch the whole freestyle. Well, except for two lines:

That's like Patrick Ewing having more rings than me

AND

Kobe, can't do without me

I can't stand up for anyone taking shots at Ewing, my favorite player. Not to mention if Ewing and the New York Knicks had a Bryant and didn't have to play every Conference Finals against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, he'd have a few rings of his own. He was a victim of circumstance.

Bryant may not have won a ring without Shaq, yet, but he will. Shaq was carried to his last title on the back of Dwayne Wade, and odds are he'll never win one again. His future is as an entertainer not a basketball player.

He used to be able to tell us how the glass tastes. Now he'll just be telling us how his gas tastes.

Imus Opens Mouth, Inserts Foot...Again

Don Imus is a racist. Has been a racist. Will forever be a racist. He has been on the radio for decades and colleagues can point to dozens of occasions where he either uttered the defamatory N-word or made racially offensive statements both on AND off the air. And all of that was BEFORE 2007.

I am not going to revisit last year's controversy because, let's be honest, if you don't know about it then you were living under a rock. What I will do is show you his newest defamatory statement about new Dallas Cowboy Adam "Pacman" Jones.



Few things here. 1) It is racist to ask, "What color is he?" Implying that the man's skin color has an impact on or is a reason for his actions. 2) Responding, "Well, there you go, now we know" also directly implies that he expected the answer to said question to be "black" or "African-American" confirming his racist beliefs.

To say anything else is ludicrous and laughable.

"I meant that he was being picked on because he's black," Imus said. "What people should be outraged about is that they arrest blacks for no reason," Imus said Tuesday. "(I was trying to) make a sarcastic point."

I call bullshit.

When defending himself, Imus also reminds everyone that his show has a black producer and two black co-hosts. Like that makes a difference. It somehow makes what he said acceptable. Having black employees now gives you a shield to say whatever you want because you are "down." Even his black co-host (who happened to be reading the news story) was offended, hence his lack of response to not stir anything up on the air.

Not to mention, and this is the most important point, the three black staff members are brand new to his WABC show. He has never had a black co-host or producer prior to the Rutgers incident! It was almost a condition of his new hiring.

People are termed hypocrites, racists and a number of other terms without justification. Imus deserves both labels. He also deserves to be off the air and back at his ranch, where he can rant and rave and have the same number of listeners as he does now.

George Carlin: Baseball and Football

I figured with today's recent events, it would be a good idea to bring it full circle with one of Carlin's rants on sports, more specifically baseball and football.

R.I.P. George Carlin: 1937-2008

It is not often that I will dive into a non-sports topic here at Home Field Advantage but certain days and events cause for us to take a step back and remember. This is one of them.

George Carlin was, without question, the funniest person I have ever seen, heard or read. Alive for 71 years, he practiced his hilarious brand of stand-up comedy for 52 of them. There was never a Carlin special that did not have me rolling on the floor or crying hysterically.

Entertainers and comedians pass away as often as the rest of us but few make you stop and think about your whole life. I may not be that old, but I remember watching Carlin from childhood (maybe that wasn't the best of ideas) to just a few months ago in his last stand-up special. Intelligent. Profane. Hysterical. Sarcastic. Consistent.

He taught me how to curse intelligently, and while some saw him as profane to a fault, I saw him as a man who hated hypocrisy, was intrigued by word play and loved to make people laugh. Either way, everybody loved George Carlin and he will be greatly missed.

Award-winning comedian George Carlin dies - CNN.com
How George Carlin Changed Comedy - TIME.com

Pacman Jones: Just Call Me "Adam"

In his latest effort to improve his image now that he is a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Adam "Pacman" Jones is telling you, I and whoever else will listen what to call him these days. Like it makes a difference.

"There's really just a lot of negativity behind (the Pacman nickname)," Jones said. "It's just time for a change, man. I'm doing everything to make sure that I'm all right as a person, mentally and emotionally."

While that is all well and good for his brain, in reality what you call yourself couldn't matter any less. In fact, dropping a nickname after it is already established in the sports landscape is usually more of a negative change than a positive one...at least for Jones' portfolio.

Now I realize Jones worked in professional wrestling during last season but things don't work the same way in real life. You don't become a good guy just because you change your name from Rocky Maivia to The Rock or a bad guy because you go from Hulk Hogan to Hollywood Hogan.

You improve your image, career and legacy by BEING a good person. Making assurances that you are not around situations or people that could compromise your image, personality and actions. Making smart decisions starting with those that advise and surround you.

"Pacman" Jones was marketable. Adam Jones is nothing. Nobody even knows who he is because as far as the average fan is concerned, he's never exited. Jones may want to be like his new idol and mentor Deion Sanders (who coincidentally dropped the "Neon" after departing the NFL), but Adam is not as cool of a name as Deion is. Trust me, I know.

Stick with football, your coaches and teammates, your new mentor and improving your day-to-day life and associates. Stop worrying about trivial things like your name. Nobody else, including the media, your employer or your fans do. What they care about is you keeping your nose clean (literally and figureativley) and only "making it rain" on an American Indian reservation. And no, not a casino.

Misses of the Week

Every week the sports media reacts to certain stories that they should leave alone and makes poor decisions that aren't spotlighted enough. From time to time I will provide some "Misses of the Week" that I either failed to cover previously or did not necessarily constitute a full column. This week...

Barkley back to gambling: After being embarrassed during the NBA Playoffs when a casino made it public that Charles Barkley owed them $40,000, he swore he would quit gambling for at least "a year or two." While that is laughable in itself (imagine an alcoholic saying he'd quit drinking for two years), what is even more crazy is how the media is jumping all over him for accepting an invitation to play in a charity poker game. Sure, it is not the best way to stay away from a casino, but gambling implies risking your own money; Chuck is playing for charity. Give the man a little slack.

NBC, Notre Dame sign new deal: Five more years?! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE watching football and all sports on NBC. I also hate that they've lost MLB and NBA coverage over the past decade to crappy FOX and ABC respectivley. The reason this deal bothers me is two fold. First, signing Notre Dame to their own television deal keeps them independent from a conference. We all know it is time for them to join the Big 10 and allow them to be a REAL conference with a championship game. Second, well let's be honest, Notre Dame sucks.

NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol said the network doesn't look at year-to-year results when it comes to Notre Dame, calling the football program a premier brand that defines the network as much as the Olympics, the NFL and the U.S. Open golf championship. Really?! Maybe he should. Notre Dame is NOT what it once was and does not deserve this type of treatment, even if Tony Kornheiser continues to call them the "university of football in America."

Switch PITCHER vs. Switch Hitter

Any baseball fan has heard of and probably seen a switch hitter in action, but very few have seen, let alone thought about, a switch pitcher. Pat Venditte, an ambidextrous pitcher from Creighton recently drafted by the New York Yankees in the 20th round of this year's MLB Draft, has set out to change your line of thinking.

After the draft, Venditte was immediately sent to begin his pro career with the Class-A Staten Island Yankees. All was going well for Venditte who, on 39 occasions in college, struck out batters from both sidess of the mound in a game.

That is, until he met his apparent arch-nemisis, switch hitter Ralph Enriquez of the Class-A New York Mets-affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones. In classic fashion, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Enriquez enraged Venditte by continuously switching sides of the plate before the first pitch. Venditte countered by switching glove hands and sides of the mound. After an official time out, some warm-up pitches and a consultation with the rule book, everything ironed out.

Watch the highlight and full video of the at-bat here.

Venditte's father encouraged his son's ambidextrous pitching from the beginning. He uses a six-fingered glove that has two webs and switches hands depending on whether he's facing a lefty or righty hitter. As a toddler, Venditte's father traced his hands and requested a special glove from Mizuno (a baseball equipment company) and continued to do so as his son's hands grew.

Notes about Venditte:

• The Yankees wanted Venditte so badly that they actually drafted him in the 45th round in 2007, but he decided to stay in school.
• He throws 10 mph harder from his right side, up to 90, though has effective off-speed pitches with his left arm.
• He is a reliever rather than a starter.
• Being able to pitch from both sides does not limit pitch count, meaning he could be perfect for long relief or late inning substitutions in various situations.

Mets a Gangsta's Paradise?

We all know the story by now. The New York Mets went ahead and pulled a Baltimore Colts, taking out the dirty laundry in the middle of the night when they fired manager Willie Randolph a few mornings ago. One is to assume GM Omar Minaya did this to shake up the clubhouse and, let's be honest, save his job for the time being. But nobody thought he would replace Randolph with 50 Cent.

In his first game as interim manager of the Mets last night, Jerry Manuel met resistance from shortstop Jose Reyes when he wanted Reyes to leave the game after his left hamstring tightened.

"I told him next time he does that I'm going to get my blade out and cut him. I'm a gangster. You go gangster on me, I'm going to have to get you. You do that again, I'm going to cut you right on the field," quipped Manuel.

Is this guy freaking serious?

Where is the media on this one? Then-Miami Hurricanes TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. says he's a f'n solider and everyone goes crazy. A man in a position of authority says he's a gangster and "going to cut you right on the field" and nobody bats an eye?

Even the author of the article where the quote is originally published doesn't react to it. Besides, wasn't Manuel's rap when he managed the Chicago White Sox that he was too laid back?

It is not that I have a problem with the quote; simply the hypocracy of the media. Has Manuel been dooping us all along? Seeming mild-mannered while he's been spendin' most his life, livin' in a gangsta's paradise?

Woods Won and Done 'Till 2009

Following up from my post on Monday, Tiger Woods was apparently so badly injured during his remarkable U.S. Open run that he will undergo season-ending knee surgery that will force him to miss the remainder of this year's tournaments and majors.

Two weeks ago, Woods suffered a double stress fracture in his left tibia (knee) that caused him most of the pain he encountered at Torry Pines. He did not discover the fracture until before the Memorial Tournament at the end of May and barely had enough time to rehabilitate it before the U.S. Open. This was following an arthroscopic knee surgery on April 15, two days after Woods finished second in the Masters.

Now, in addition to rehabilitating the fracture, Woods will undergo surgery to repair his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the same knee. What is most interesting about the ACL injury is that it actually occurred in 2007 while Woods was running at his home in Orlando after the British Open. He said he decided not to have surgery at that point, and he went on to win five of the next six events he entered.

"While I am obviously disappointed to have to miss the remainder of the season, I have to do the right thing for my long-term health and look forward to returning to competitive golf when my doctors agree that my knee is sufficiently healthy," Woods wrote on his Web site. "My doctors assure me with the proper rehabilitation and training, the knee will be strong and there will be no long-term effects."

One can only hope his doctors are right in this case. Even though it came out of Woods' own mouth, many pundits did not agree that Monday's U.S. Open victory was his greatest major win to date. With a stress fracture and ACL injury hampering his drive strength, shot quality and walking ability...is there really any doubt?

NBA Finals - Game 6

Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals leaves the series in a position that I did not previously anticipate. In addition to thinking the Los Angeles Lakers would be up at least 3-2 at this point, I also never would have predicted that they'd blow such huge leads to the Boston Celtics (in one case causing the latter to win the game) at home.

With the series 3-2 in the opposite direction, tonight's game holds obvious signifigance. Two prevalent questions will be answered. 1) Can the Lakers win a decisive game on the road? 2) Do the Celtics have the wherewithall to prevent a Game 7? Two other thoughts are pretty standard throughout the playoffs. The home team's bench plays better, and great players play their best in do-or-die situations.

With that said, you would expect the Celtics bench to dominate as they have in the past. Kendrick Perkins expects to play but is not 100%, and Ray Allen is still reeling from his child's illness which may lead to some increased opportunities for Eddie House and Leon Powe.

While Paul Pierce may very well win the MVP if the Celtics prevail, Kobe Bryant is the best player in this series. He's been dynamite throughout the playoffs but has struggled a bit with the multiple coverages and defenses thrown at him by defensive guru Tom Thibodeau. The question is whether or not he can overcome that adversity in a decisive game on the road.

On a betting angle, I took the Lakers (yes, again) +5. The Celtics have covered the spread for all five games in this series. That doesn't happen. Covering six would include a win tonight, and I must stick to my guns even if it means going flat even for the entire playoffs.

91 Holes, Only One Tiger Woods

Is there anyone in sports who is more automatic than Tiger Woods?

Stuck at two U.S. Open titles and thirteen major wins, Woods came back from a surgically-repaired, still injured left knee to play in a tough U.S. Open tournament at Torrey Pines. He hadn't walked or played 18 holes since his surgery on April 15, let alone 72...or 90...or 91.

Yet while hobbling throughout the tournament, grimacing from twisting his knee during most of his tee shots and double bogeying the first hole in three of the four regulation rounds, Woods once again made the impossible possible and won his fourteenth major to date in possibly the most amazing fashion.

I've watched my fair share of final round Sunday's but decided this tournament would be my first to watch from beginning to end. In addition to seeing a tough fight to stay above par all weekend, I witnessed two of Woods' top ten shots of all time--the eagles on 16 and 18 on Saturday.

I also saw someone fight against continuously increasing adversity including hitting his final birdie on 18 Sunday to force today's playoff. Everyone knew he would make that put, including the best sport I have ever seen, Rocco Mediate. Then today, Woods loses a three shot lead at 10 to drop a shot below Mediate and doesn't capitalize until the last minute--grabbing another birdie on 18 to force a sudden death playoff. That's not to mention two puts that fell short of winning Woods the title outright both in regulation and at 19.

It only makes me wonder how this tournament would have turned out if Woods was healthy. That is something we may not see for a while as indicated by Woods in his post-match interview.

"I'm glad I'm done. I'm done. I really don't feel like playing any more. (My left knee) has been sore, and all I can say is the atmosphere is what kept me going. The tournament being a major championship here at Torrey Pines, all the people. I could never quit in front of these people--it wasn't going to happen."

"(I'm) not (going to play) for a while. I'm going to shut it down here for a little bit and see what happens."

But for now, Woods is stuck no more. Make that three U.S. Open titles and fourteen major wins, even if it took 91 holes to accomplish perhaps his most amazing major win thus far.

NBA Finals Picks

There isn't much to say, except that I've had this NBA Finals series all wrong. While personally I am able to place bets during games with the service I use (and have been doing pretty well), my pre-game line picks have been off. That is probably because I have picked the Lakers in all five games so far, though even when they are win they are not covering the spread.

I hope I will be able to do better for the last game or two, though I do see myself taking the Lakers yet again in Game 6. I would be hard pressed to take them a third time in a row in a Game 7, however. As long as I finish even for the Playoffs, I guess no one can complain!

Will be back with another update this afternoon, probably on the U.S. Open playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. Should be fun to watch the beautiful weather at Torry Pines in San Diego, CA while it is down pouring rain here in South Florida.

And the picture? Gambling + Golf + Basketball = Chuck. Plus, you have to admit, it's pretty funny.

Bomber Attacks as Iraqis Celebrate Soccer Win

We have all heard about ridiculous celebrations associated with soccer wins and losses but rarely does one hear of a suicide bombing attack coinciding with a national team victory. Even in the Middle East.

Earlier today in northern Iraq, a female suicide bomber targeted exhuberant soccer fans who were in the process of celebrating a national team win in a big match against China. More than 29 people were wounded when the suicide vest was detonated in a marketplace with no casualties being reported as of press time.

The match, which Iraq won 2-1 in China, was part of the Asian qualifier for the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa. Iraq, along with China, Australia and Qatar are in Group 1 of the qualifier. The top two teams will advance to the next stage of qualifying. Iraq was able to eliminate China from the competition with their win this morning and is on their way to advancing.

With Iraqis fighting over a number of issues, one of the few things all of their people can rally around is watching their national soccer team in worldwide competition. In Baghdad, as is customary, celebratory gunfire rang out after the Iraqi team won. Certainly no one expected a travesty to unfold the same day the nation was able to come together and celebrate a victory.

MLB to Institute Replay Aug. 1

I found it interesting that after all of the hissy fits commissioner Bud Selig threw after being told instant replay was instantly necessary in MLB, it is now looking like we will miraculously have it working and instituted by Aug. 1.

Two months too late but good progress nonetheless for a league that historically takes the longest to make the least. As I have already written in these four posts, if the NHL could make a brand new rule and institute it during their playoffs, why couldn't baseball get this done as quickly or at least in, you know, a month? Especially considering the league's owners had already agreed to look into instant reply nine months earlier.

USA Today reported Friday on its Web site that MLB had approached the World Umpires Association about implementing replay on Aug. 1. However, it appears that's merely a tentative target date. While it's possible a system could be in place that soon, some baseball officials merely want to get some form of replay system up and running before this year's postseason. -ESPN

All's well that ends well, I suppose. Except, that is, for the outcomes of those ten games that were already affected this year by botched home run calls and the ten more that will occur over the next six weeks.

Kobe Respnds to Schilling Slander

So how does Kobe Bryant respond to the questions of motivation, leadership and chemistry brought forth by blow hard Curt Schilling's 38 Pitches blog? By being a New York Yankees fan, of course.

"You're asking for my response to it? Go Yankees."

"Look, I know my team," said Bryant. "After all those bleeps, we almost pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in history. It seemed to motivate the team pretty well."

There's one high and tight for ya, Schill.

The best part of it all is that Bryant admits to his tirade and the players did respond reasonably well to it, albeit half of a quarter later.

"They're used to it and we all have thick skin around here on the team," Bryant said. "That's just how we, we're brutally honest with each other. Our team is built for that. We all love it."

And if the Lakers are in the process of going down again tonight in Game 4 at home, expect a repeat performance from Bryant. They've come back from 16 twice against the Spurs to win and came within points of coming back from 24 against the Boston Celtics in Game 2.

Schilling is a JERK-of-all-trades

With respect to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times, I stole the title of this post. Simers wrote an article this morning condemning Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling for comments made in his blog following Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. Schilling was in attendance and sitting in seats ridiculously close to the Los Angeles Lakers bench and shared his criticisms on Kobe Bryant in his blog, 38 Pitches.

"From the first tip until about four minutes left in the game I saw and heard this guy (Bryant) bitch at his teammates. Every TO he came to the bench pissed, and a few of them he went to other guys and yelled about something they weren't doing, or something they did wrong. No dialogue about 'hey let's go, let's get after it' or whatever.

"He spent the better part of 3.5 quarters pissed off and ranting at the non-execution or lack of, of his team . . . as a fan I was watching the whole thing, Kobe, his teammates and then the after-effects of conversations. He'd yell at someone, make a point, or send a message, turn and walk away, and more than once the person on the other end would roll eyes or give a 'whatever dude' look."

Aside from the fact that I think blogging by athletes in general is a bad idea for a number of reasons, Schilling is already known as the blow hard of all blow hards, the asshole of all assholes, a jerk-of-all-trades if you will. He created his blog as a way to refute press reports about him and tell his side of the story. That is fair and acceptable enough. However, he has instead used it as a public forum to start conflicts with the media, management and even other players like Barry Bonds, making comments on issues that are none of his business.

I know you could turn this around and say I am being hypocritical because, well, isn't that what I am doing? The difference is that Schilling is a public figure and knows the media reads his blog solely to find tidbits of information to publicize.

Now he wants to comment on team chemistry and make insinuations on certain looks and comments on a sport he knows absolutely nothing about? Do you know how insanely crazy Schilling would get if Gilbert Arenas made comments on his demeanor inside the Boston Red Sox dugout in his blog the next day after being given tickets right next to it? While Simers' article comes off as a bit biased because he is a columnist in L.A., the general concept of his anger and justification for it are spot-on.

Schilling should keep his mouth shut. He is not a news reporter or basketball player, he is a baseball player--one that throws fits when the media makes false accusations or insinuations about him. How does he think the Lakers or Bryant feel about his comments?

And while taking his dump on Bryant and Pau Gasol ("saw a seven-footer who grabbed like four rebounds and spent the entire game whining about getting fouled"), he gives props to his Boston Celtics pals Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. How purely biased is he going to get? I wonder who got him the seats? Why was he next to the Lakers bench anyway? Bill Beli-cheat got the seats right behind Doc Rivers. Wait a minute...Boston athletes by each bench, all of whom love and support each other...are all of these teams in cahoots? I mean, Schilling has nothing better to do anyway...

Viagra Being Used for On-field Edge?

...and I thought the golden thong story was weird.

According to the New York Daily News, Viagra has recently become a popular pre-game drug for athletes looking for an edge on the field (and I suppose off the field as well.) In particular, the paper cites a source familiar with the New York Yankees clubhouse that says Roger Clemens stashed the little blue pills in a GNC bottle in his locker.

But don't think for one second that Clemens was alone. Reports are that numerous athletes have been using Viagra and doing so for a while, making it one of the hottest locker room drugs. Apparently use has become so widespread that anti-doping officials have begun looking into it.

"All my athletes took it," BALCO founder Victor Conte said. "It's bigger than creatine. It's the biggest product in nutritional supplements."

In addition to the main use Viagra that we are all familiar with, it is said to build endurance, especially for athletes at high altitudes, by delivering oxygen, nutrients and performance-enhancing drugs to muscles more efficiently.

It is important to note that Viagra is not a banned drug in any sport, though the World Anti-Doping Agency is funding a study at three U.S. universities to determine if it aids training and improves performance. And if studies are conclusive, it could be added to the list of prohibited substances in Olympic sports as soon as the 2012.

So while just as strange as a golden thong, the use of performance-enhancing Viagra may have one advantage...it works.

There Can Only Be One

Say what you will about this blog, but you cannot deny that I have been more on than off over the last month. As further proof, I remind you of this post from last Thursday. I also provide the image to the right that went along with that article and the following submission which one of my readers, Chad, pointed out aired on ABC during the tail end of the third quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals this weekend.

If you didn't believe me at the time that the NBA was trying to fuel this series by its past rather than the merits of its current players, this should be enough proof for you.

Yankees Surge; Red Sox, Rays Tussle

The AL East is always a topic of conversation when talking about MLB. Usually the conversation is whether or not a team other than the New York Yankees can win the division. In recent years, especially this season, that conversation has changed. It has become, "Can the Yankees come back to win the division or get a Wild Card?" and "Are the Tampa Bay Rays for real?"

I'll answer the latter question first. Yes, the Tampa Bay Rays are for real. Any team with Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena stands a solid chance to win a division, especially when their young pitching and supporting cast is playing well.

As far as the tougher Yankees question goes, it is looking like it might get a little easier to answer. Looking back over the last week in baseball, it seems the tides may be turning a bit in baseball's best division. The Bronx Bombers are 12-6 in their last 18 games and have won four of the last five. Alex Rodriguez's return from the DL, coupled with the reemergence of Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi has propelled the Yanks offensivley. They are averaging 6.5 runs a game over the aforementioned span and put up eight or more runs in six of those games (one extra inning loss). Their pitching is struggling a bit, but Joba Chamberlain and Dan Giese's recent appearances should give them some hope.

On the other side, the division-leading Boston Red Sox and Rays are struggling. Injuries have plagued both teams; David Ortiz and Daisuke Matsuzaka are out for the Sox, while Pena and Rocco Baldelli are out for the Rays. Fights are occurring for both teams on the field against each other as well as in each team's dugout. The on-field fights led to suspensions for both teams while match-ups of Kevin Youklis/Manny Ramirez and Matt Garza/Dioner Navarro have stirred up both clubhouses.

With the Yankees surging, this is the worst time possible for the Sox and Rays to start infighting. With over a month until the All-Star break, there is plenty of ground to catch-up before the Yankees have everyone dissecting them while they are in the spotlight and hosts of the game.

Belmont Stakes, Big Brown Wrap-Up

While I, along with the rest of the world, was certainly disappointed at Big Brown's performance and inability to win the Triple Crown, the 140th Belmont Stakes wasn't all bad. Due to the close attention I paid to the first two legs of the Triple Crown, I was able to get a nice look at some of the competition and saw Denis of Cork as strong competition that could go the extra distance.

It led me to take three bets on Saturday--Big Brown to Win (simply for fun and with the odds at 1-5 it couldn't have been for the money), Denis of Cork to Win, Place or Show and Denis of Cork to Place. Obviously two of the three came in, and at 16-1, it paid nicely. That doesn't mean you should start listening to anything I say about horses; I'm simply patting myself on a back for a day of betting gone well.

It will now be interesting to see if Big Brown's trainer, blowhard Rick Dutrow Jr., plans to race his horse in the Breeder's Cup in October. Everyone expected Big Brown to race in the event if he won the Triple Crown to "prove" his dominance in the sport. Now that he failed during the third leg, what will his legacy end up being? We shall see...

Ham Sandwich?

Sorry for the late post today, was down in Miami at an interview and away from the computer. Let's hope it was all worth it!

Now, let us discuss Game 1 of the NBA Finals. After sitting through three quarters of glory, my Los Angeles Lakers pick fell apart during the fourth. That's OK. More importantly, I was dismayed to see how the Lakers and Kobe Bryant especially handled the Boston Celtics' defense and rebounding. Granted they are going into the game undersized, but the Lakers are certainly more talented from top to bottom.

Even more interesting, aside from predictions and results, was Paul Pierce and his "injured" knee. I put "injured" in quotes because, let's face it, that seemed to be a bit of a ham job. You cannot have it both ways. You either get carried out (which was funny enough on its own) , put into a wheelchair and sit out the game or come back much later after being worked on, or you hobble your way to the locker room, get a cortisone shot and go back on the court.

To see Boston rally behind either an overblown (maybe even fake) injury really turned my stomach. Sure there are die-hard Celtics fans, but where have these people been the last decade? First there were the New England Patriots fans that appeared out of nowhere, then "Red Sox Nation" which encompassed all true die-hard Sox fans and soon all New York Yankees haters and now the Celtics are the big ticket?

If I had my own dictionary, front-runner and Bostonian would be synonyms. As would ham and Paul Pierce.

Back to the Future

No matter what you do, where you look or how hard you try to avoid it, you cannot help hearing the 2008 NBA Finals be compared to the 1987 Finals, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and every other time the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics previously squared off for the trophy.

It is in the ESPN promos, on the front page of every Web site and will undoubtedly be centrally featured both on pre-game montage videos and in-game statistics. The problem is...none of it matters. It doesn't matter that the Celtics have won a majority of the meetings or that the Big 3 are supposedly a reincarnation of the old Big 3. They aren't even this bad with Yankees/Red Sox series.

I understand games need to be advertised and hyped. I also understand that Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, James Worthy, A.C. Green, Byron Scott, Robert Parish and Danny Ainge are not on the court. So instead, let's concentrate on the guys who are and keep the spotlight where it belongs, on the accomplishments of two teams in 2008, not 1987.

Since when were Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Pau Gasol, Ray Allen and Lamar Odom not good enough to advertise a Finals series? Look at their shoe endorsement contracts and then tell me they can't sell product. Bryant in the Finals without Shaquille O'Neal, Pierce playing against the team of his youth, Garnett trying to prove he can win the big game, Phil Jackson trying to break (Boston Celtics Coach) Red Auerbach's record nine NBA titles. Which of those is not compelling enough for you?

I'll count the references tonight, from pre-game onward, and I doubt they'll fit in two hands. Honestly, I'm still surprised they haven't done the split-screen promo with Magic and Larry yet. Then again, there are two more weeks to go.

NBA Finals - Pick of the Day

The NBA Finals...after a week-long wait they begin tonight and the Los Angeles Lakers, almost suprisingly, are favored over the best defensive team and the team with the best overall record in the NBA, the Boston Celtics.

While I will still pick each individual game, the most important bet you can place on the Finals is the series bet. And for this series, I see the Lakers taking the title without question. Even though it is going off at -200, it is worth putting a double game bet on the line. (Ex. If you bet $20/game, put $40 on the Lakers at the series line).

It is tough to bet every individual game and doubling-up on the series allows you the comfort of knowing you have a straight-up, solid bet if everything else goes wrong. (Of course, the Lakers could lose...in which case you lose it all...but that is why this is called gambling.)

Tonight could very well be the best game of the series, think Suns/Spurs Game 1 in the first round. Coach Phil Jackson knows how important Game 1 is, especially when the Lakers get three consecutive games at home in filling out the 2-3-2 format of the Finals. We take the Lakers tonight with the minuscule +2.5 points (which could change to +2 by game time). If they're going to win the series, they need to start somewhere.

Pats Also Good at Spying for Government

New England Patriots offensive lineman Nick Kaczur was arrested in April for illegal possession of painkillers but somehow it never got out to the media. That is because Kaczur, instead of being arraigned like a normal arrest, decided to cooperate with federal agents in a sting operation against his alleged supplier.

Even though Kaczur, 28, had purchased hundreds of oxycodone pills from this dealer beginning in November 2007, the federal government must have seen something that said "spy" in him and had him wear a wire during three drug buys in southeastern Massachusetts. According to the Boston Globe, the third of those buys was followed by federal agents arresting the alleged supplier.

While, of course, no one will comment on the matter further, it does make for an interesting thought: Maybe the Patriots teaching their players to cheat and their team to spy is good for something?! Nah...

Flipped Out

For the second consecutive time in his career, Flip Saunders has been fired as head coach of an NBA team. This time, Saunders will say goodbye to the Palace at Auburn Hills and the annual NBA title-contending Detroit Pistons.

And, honestly, it is no surprise. Sure, he's a player's coach and everybody loves Saunders, but you can't lose the Eastern Conference Finals three years in a row and keep your job! It is not that the Pistons can't win with Saunders, they simply can't win in the playoffs with him at the helm. These Pistons players take themselves to the conference finals every year and need Coach to take them over the top. He isn't defensive-minded, controlling and strong enough to keep them together as a cohesive unit. This thing was over when he lost Game 5 to the Cleveland Cavaliers last year...Joe Dumars just didn't want to admit it.

In my opinion, Dumars should have known better. This was obvious from the get-go, considering Saunders' history of falling short with Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves. He made the playoffs eight consecutive times with Minnesota--seven first round exits and the 2004 Finals appearance. He was a questionable hire in the first place and even more questionable now.

The Pistons need a mature, strong and calming influence with sound basketball strategy to get them to that next level that they achieved twice under former coach Larry Brown. Someone to take the reigns of Rasheed Wallace and prevent him from getting six technical fouls, make sure there is no lull or lapse in desire just because you are probably going to win a series and to take this team to the level it is talented enough to be--the perennially contending San Antonio Spurs of the Eastern Conference.

If this was a perfect world, Brown would not have taken the Charlotte Bobcats job and would be returning to the Pistons. But, it isn't, and now Dumars is left to decide if he is going to promote from within or go scour the barren wasteland of free agent NBA head coaches like Avery Johnson. My suggestion? Jeff Van Gundy.

Supreme Court Declines Case on Fantasy Sports

In the vain of "What will the government waste their time with next?" finally comes a story about the Supreme Court declining to hear a case between Major League Baseball and fantasy sports about licensing rights. The MLB was sued for denying a fantasy sports company, C.B.C. Distribution and Marketing, a license to use the names of players saying they would be illegally profiting from the commercial use of a person's name.

With fantasy sports exponentially growing on a yearly basis, "A federal court and the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis ruled in favor of the fantasy baseball business, saying that enforcing state law rights would violate C.B.C.'s right of free speech protected by the First Amendment."

Of course, this answer wasn't good enough for MLB, who tried to take the case to the Supreme Court but were flat-out denied. Interestingly enough, the NFL Player's Association supported MLB's request that the case be heard.

Weird that the NFL and MLB want the government's help now but continue trying to keep them out of other matters much more important to the fairness and legitimacy of their games and call those an intrusion on their private businesses. Can't have it both ways, fellas.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Some stories from the past weekend, then a new post later today!

Prior injured, again: San Diego Padres pitcher Mark Prior has a shoulder tear, again, will require season-sending surgery, again and will go without pitching in another full season, again. All the talent in the world and this guy can't catch a break for anything.

Kimbo should box: The New York Post's Dave Willis writes a great article about Kimbo Slice following his so-so coming out party on CBS. Willis thinks Slice's fists would have been better off in boxing then MMA. I happen to agree.

Whose moving to L.A.? With Los Angeles still without a NFL team, many have begun speculating who will take the home of the new $800M stadium that has already been promised a Super Bowl? The San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings are all viable options. This article explores the issue.

Get over it! And finally...New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison is stuck in denial over New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree's circus catch in Super Bowl XLII. I guess Bill Belichick didn't have the Spygate film on that one. 18-1 is perfect to me.

Update: Taylor Speaks, Does Not "Demand" Trade

Miami Dolphins DE Jason Taylor was expected to formally, and publicly, demand a trade from the sole team he has known in his career at a press conference at 11:30 a.m. EST on Sunday. Instead, he announced his full intentions to play football in 2008 and will do so with the Miami Dolphins if a trade cannot be completed. While Taylor did make these statements, he would not confirm that he would be at mandatory team training camp in July to the media or the team.

Taylor also said he will skip the team's reamining OTAs and mini-camps and only show up for training camp if not traded. This will cost him about $8,638 in daily fines.

“Do I want to be traded? I want to win in ‘08, and that’s what I want to do. I told the Dolphins from Day One that was my intentions. My intentions right now are to play one more year. I tried to give the Dolphins an opportunity that if they wanted to do something and move me that I was OK with that. If they could get value for me, then do that. That was a conversation we had behind closed doors a long time ago.”

Please discuss in the comment section below and visit a forum thread on PhinsCENTRAL.com for more!