(I Just want to say, this is the third time I have had to write this, for some reason I keep losing my train of thought and click on to another website and then of course I lose all that I have typed.  It's getting a little rediculous.)

Is Carlos Lee...

After tonight's game in which he hit a home run, doubled to deep left center and then scored the winning run, he is hitting .293 with 15 home runs, 28 RBI's and 27 runs.  He is trailing only Pujols in home runs, who somehow has hit 17. 

Although the above title may be a little exaggerated, he has proven he can consistently hit for average, power and in the clutch.  Tonight's double to deep left center in the top of the tenth was hit off of Trevor Hoffman, a future Hall of Fame closer, not to shabby.  If the Milwaukee Brewers are unable to hold on to Carlos Lee, some big time teams will come calling, and Lee could blossom into a superstar.  While the Brewers have a very good and young team, he may not receive the exposure in Milwaukee that he would receive as a Yankee or Red Sox.  However, I feel if Carlos Lee wants to really become a superstar, he should stay in Milwaukee and help turn that franchise into a dominant one.   

Carlos Lee may not be the third best player in the game yet, but it is something that may not be too far off.  He is definitely no longer just a quiet superstar(see post below.)

After tonight's disgusting outing by the Los Angeles Lakers, the arguments of Kobe Bryant shooting too much and not involving his teammates can be thrown out the window.  Right along with the 3-1 series lead they had after Kobe buried the game winning shot. 

Early on in this series the Lakers used team basketball and the triangle offense to take games from the Suns.  However, it was that same mentality tonight that got them run off the court and back home to Los Angeles.  All of the starters not named Kobe Bryant missed most of the shots they were hitting in the first 4 games, and allowed Phoenix to blow the game wide open early on. 

Phoenix scored 30 points in the first quarter and were hot right from the start.  This is nothing new as it is what they did all series long.  What the Lakers had been doing, was slowing the game down just enough to stay in it, by moving the ball frequently and making open shots at the end of the shot clock.  Tonight however, their shots weren't falling and they looked exactly like what they are, the youngest team in the NBA.

The dominance in the paint that had been there was gone.  With Kwame Brown missing easy jumpers in the paint and Lamar Odom driving to the basket and either missing a shot or making a bad pass, the Lakers had no chance to knock off the Phoenix Suns in game seven.  Everything that Phil Jackson tried, failed, and the game turned in to a blowout. 

Kobe Bryant was criticized for shooting to much and not involving his teammates, but tonight.....He proved he has to score 35 a game for the Lakers to truly be successful.     

When baseball season begins I find myself watching box scores, pressing the refresh button every so often for the possibility of an exciting statistic to appear.  As a big time fantasy baseball participant, and so many baseball games on at once, it is impossible to watch all the games.  So instead I sit at the computer and scan box scores, waiting to see someone on my team hit a home run or get a strikeout. 

Although ESPN has the fancy gamecast, I prefer to use the Yahoo Sports box scores, as I find that website more easy to navigate.  Checking box scores can go from unspectacular to exciting with just one click of the refresh button:

 - A. Pujols homered to deep right, J. Rodriguez and D. Eckstein scored

 - V. Guerrero doubled to deep right, O. Cabrera scored

- C. Utley homered to deep center, J. Rollins scored

- Carlos Lee singled to left

- Prince Fielder singled to left, Carlos Lee to second

- Carlos Lee steals third

These are just a few of the statistics that took place tonight, and examples of what I look for every night when I "watch" baseball games.  There are some who would say this is crazy to scan box scores, and there are some who do the exact same thing.  Before fantasy baseball was invented I would rarely even watch baseball games, much less press the refresh button over and over for updated statistics. 

Oh how the invention of fantasy baseball has changed everything.  Now I love to watch baseball games on TV and become paralyzed when they are on, and when they're not on.....there's always the refresh button. 
 

While trying to think of a sport that I could compare this with this contest, I realized it would be more difficult than I first imagined.  In basketball if you hit a shot at the buzzer the crowd will erupt, or go completely silent, and you know what you have done is great.  In football if you catch a game winning touchdown pass, your teammates will pile on top of you and you realize you have done something spectacular.  In baseball if you hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of ninth, and trot slowly around the bases, you know the glory that will be waiting for you when you touch home plate.  In a sports-writing contest, with little rules, you have know idea what will happen after clicking the "post to blog" icon.  You only have yourself, your mind and the confidence in yourself to continue to write blog after blog.  All for a hope that the NGS fairies will sprinkle the dust on your blog, and you will be selected as one of the sweet 16. 

That is when I realized NGS isn't a sport, it is practice.  It is shooting 500 jump shots in a row in the gym until the lights go off, and the shots go in, even when it is pitch black.  It is coming to practice early and staying late to watch game film or to fix a weakness.  It is running one extra lap around the track just because you feel like you have to.  It is giving everything you possibly can, because of a fear that your opponent could be going just a little bit harder. 

There is no coach, there is no one chearing you on, it is just you and hard work.  When you are alone in the gym, or in the film room, or in the locker room; you only have yourself, your mind and the confidence in yourself to continue to go hard even if you have doubts.

This contest requires a self-confidence that is rivaled by no sport.  You don't have teammates, you don't have coaches, you don't even have very much feedback.  All you have is hope.  Hope that all the practice pays off, and that when it comes time for the coach to annouce the team, that your name is called.

NGS II is writing one more blog before you go to sleep, just because you feel like you have to.

It's 3:43am, I'm still awake.....are you?    

Last week was the squad of young players who are up and coming.  This week I have put together a team of 35 or older players.  Some players who belong on the list did not make the cut because they were 34 and not quite 35.  Pedro, who seems alot older than 34, is the most noticeable player missing.  But with all these talented old guys, who needs him. 

Batting Order:

1) Omar Vizquel, SS, 39: hitting .356 with 20 runs scored and six stolen bases.  39 and still has wheels, pretty impressive.

2) Gary Sheffield, OF, 37: Sheff hitting second is big time power early on, and it only get's tougher from hear.

3) Jim Thome, DH, 35: On this team he is a youngster, recovered from his injury and blasting home runs daily (at least it seems like it).

4) Barry Bonds, OF, 41: The first three are hard enough to get by, then comes the best hitter of all time.

5) Moises Alou, OF, 39: The third Giant to crack the lineup, hope they have a good farm system.

6) Jason Giambi, 1B, 35: Another "young" teammate, Giambi hitting sixth is scary.

7) Jeff Kent, 2B, 38: He's in a slump, but that's Ok, he is batting 7th.

8) Bill Mueller, 3B, 35:  Third base is a young position around the league, hard to find someone so Mueller gets the nod.

9) Sandy Alomar Jr., C, 39:  Same goes for catcher, but he is hitting .414, so that has to count for something.

Pitching Staff:

1) Curt Schilling, SP, 39: Schilling should easily win comeback player of the year award

2) Greg Maddux, SP, 40: He is putting up amazing numbers right now with a 5-0 record and a 1.35ERA.

3) Kenny Rogers, SP, 42: Oldest of the oldies, but he can still pitch.  4-2 with a 2.59ERA.

4) Tom Glavine, SP, 40: Glavine and Maddux together again. Both were tailing off but have returned to form this season.

5) Randy Johnson, SP, 42: Randy fifth in the rotation is a little weird, but he is struggling right now.

6) Trevor Hoffman, RP, 38: The bullpen is filled with talented guys who can pitch one solid inning.

7) Jose Mesa, RP, 39: Superb so far this year with a .59 ERA in 15.1 innings of work.

8) David Weathers, RP, 36: Eight saves so far this season as the Reds closer earns him a roster spot.

9) Tom Gordon, CP, 38: Flash comes in and shuts the door in the ninth.  Eight saves, 19 K's and a .71ERA so far this season.

Next Week: Old guys play last week's young guys and we find out who wins in a best of seven series.