Now that the Finals are over and the Lakers came just 2 games short of an NBA title, once again the Kobe haters out and on the prowl. After shutting so many of them up with his MVP season, leading his team to the Western Confrence Championship and the Finals, the loss brings back all the negativity. First, let me give my congrats to the Boston Celtics, they had a great game plan. Don't let 24 beat us. The whole team focused on stopping Kobe and they did a great job. Kobe did not do his Superman rendetion, instead he stayed with the program that got them there and it back fired. Odom and Gasol needed to step up and free Kobe for some shots and that didn't happen. The Celtics didn't take Kobe out of the game, they took Gasol and Odom out of the series.

For all the Kobe Haters out there. Is it because you hate to admit that he is probably the greatest thing since Jordan. I am a Jordan fanatic, but let's face some realities here. Nearly every player in the NBA grew up wanting to do what the old Gatorade commercial said "I want to be like Mike" did you expect kids like Kobe not to take that literally? He was a basketball God and just about every kid across the globe was wagging there tounge attempting incredible shots trying to imitate Jordan, now we have a guy who has just mastered it and we hate him for it. We are such a hypocritcal society. Jordan was tough on his teammates, even B.J. Armstrong confessed that Mike slapped in practice. So Kobe gets a bad rap because he screams at his team mates. Is it because they don't share his same passion to win. When they make a mistake, do they forget every possesion is critical in the NBA Finals? Kobe is a warrior, and his desire is to win a Championship. Forget about doing it without Shaq, I am sure he wanted to win when Shaq was a Laker. Do you think that every year that Jordan suited up, he didn't want to win the Championship. Of course he did, and so does Kobe. Is it wrong to challenge Bill Russel for the most championship rings, or get more than Mike or even Shaq, hell he may be trying to catch his old buddy Robert Horry, he has something like seven right? I like Kobe chances of winning, especially when Bynum comes back. A trade or two for a defensively minded player couldn't hurt. I really think they need to get rid of Luke Walton and Chris Mihm. So for all the Laker fans (and haters), I hope that you watched the Duck Boat parade and I hope that watching the Celtics relish in thier glory, burns a hole in your side, because I know it is burning one in #24's side

The reguar season of the NFL has just ended and the real season begins on Saturday. Her is my awards for the 2007 season.

Most Valuable Player: Randy Moss: I know a lot of people including the sports writers are going to select his team mate Tom Brady, but let me share with you why it is Moss. 23 of Brady's NFL record 50 TD passes went to Moss, but every one of those passes only Moss would have caught, Stallworth, Welker or Gaffney wouldn't have made many of those catches. Speaking of Welker he finished the season with a leauge leading 112 receptions, don't you think that the attention to Moss had something to do with that? This award is suppose to go to the Most Valuabe Player to his team, Tom Brady has always been with the Patriots and they never expierenced a perfect seaon, soon as you get Moss, you can't lose. Runner up: Tom Brady

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Adrian Peterson, DUH!! Runner up: Lendale White

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Willis, San Fransico were suppose to show some improvement this year, but they failed at it miserably, but this is a guy who will probably replace the great Bryant Young as the face of the francise. Can you say 20 tackles in a game, twice. Runner up: David Harris

Coach of the Year: Many wold like to give the Patriots all the yearly awards, and Bill Belichek rightfully so should be considered, but I give the award to Joe Gibbs. The job that he did with losing 3/5 of his offensive line, with a progressing young quarterback , a host of injuries to starters like Jason Campbell, Santana Moss, Antwann Randle-El, Carlos Rogers, Marcus Washington, and the unfortunate death of Sean Taylor, it would have been easy for the team to roll over and lick thier wounds, yet he motivates them to keep playing and not only play, but win and make the playoff and are a serious contener in the NFC. Worthy of this award is an understatement.

One forth of the NBA season has passed and a lot has happened and a lot has not happened. I will list some of the awards and achievements and disappointents of the 2007-2008 season so far.

MVP: If anyone knows me when I blog, I am a huge Kobe Bryant fan, but he doesn't deserve this award this year. Maybe 2 years ago, but not now. Lebron James is the league MVP right now, he is the leading scorer and he puts up 8 boards and 8 assist a night. The Cavs looked like a varisty basketball team when he was out for 6 games. He will push the Cavs out of the hole they are in now and they will make the playoffs, but sad to say they will be one and done because they will meet the Celtics in the first round. Runner up: Kevin Garnett

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard: Howard is a double-double every night. We are just getting the tip of the iceberg with this guy. At 22 this guy is already the best center in the Eastern Confrence, passing yes the beloved Shaq. Runner up: Josh Smith

6th Man of the Year: Manu Ginobli: Coach Pop is a genius to bring this guy off the bench. He is instant offence and a change of pace from Timmy. He can give you 30 on any giving night, he is the X-factor for the reason why the Spurs will repeat as NBA Champions. Runner up: Leandro Barbosa

Rookie of the Year: Al Horford: I know, I know, everyone loves Kevin Durant, but that doesn't mean that he is the best rookie in the leauge. Besides scoring what else does he provide? Perimeter players take longer to develop in the leauge and big men can close the gap a little better. Horford will end the season averaging a double double. Runner up: Kevin Durant

Coach of the Year: Stan Van Gundy: The Magic are contenders in the East and not the pretenders they were last year. He has the luxuary of having a players like Howard and Lewis, but it is the role players like Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu that are making this a dangerous team. Runner up: Nate McMillian

Most Improved Player: Andrew Bynum: He is finally looking like he was worth the pick a few years ago. He worked hard on his game this summer and it is producing dividends. His maturity level as also grown, the riff between him and Kobe is a thing of the past, in fact most of his assist are to Bynum, he will also average a double-double this season, wonder why Phil signed that 2 year extention, he must see something on the horizon. Runner up: Al Jefferson

Biggest Acheivement: You would think that the Celtics big turn around would top this list, but you put Garnett with 2 other All Stars and imagine what that team would be like now. I think that the biggest achievement so far is the Portland Trailblazers, without Number 1 pick Greg Oden, the season was all but washed up, but low and behold Nate McMillian didn't allow his guys to hang thier head. Brandon Roy is a superstar on the rise and Aldridge is a beast in the post. Hopefully Oden doesn't become the 2nd coming of Sam Bowie, they can really do some damage next season. Honorable Mention: Grant Hill's resurgance, Deron Williams and Chris Paul, damn they good.

Biggest Disappointment: The Miami Heat, Dwayne Wade's absense in the early part of the season was a good excuse, but this team sucks even with him. Shaq is showing his age. No one is no longer afraid of the Big Bad Diesel anymore. D-Wade can only do so much, they have some talent on that team, but not enough to make the playoffs. Thankfully they are located in Florida, because this is going to be a cold winter for the Heat. Isiah Thomas and the Knicks, damn they awful,

NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs: Yeah, the will repeat, they have the best system in the game. Tim Duncan is simply unstoppable, Ginobli and Parker compliment him so well and with role players like Udrich, Finley, Barry, and Oberto, they can compete with anyone at any style of play. Runner up: Detroit Pistons.

Hey, the great thing about these blogs is that they are my opinon, please post your feelings what do you think, hope you enjoyed it, Happy Holidays to all and enjoy the rest of the NBA season, see you again at the All Star Break with my mid-season report.

The Michael Vick dogfighting saga is finally coming to a close and I hope that many of the high profile, or any athlete for that matter are watching. Michael Vick knew of his actions prior to copping a plea. He knew that at the minimum he was aware of illegal dogfighting on his property. His lawyers played him in my eyes, actually believing that they could get him off. After all parties involved pleaded for a lesser deal, it was then that his lawyers gained some common sense. This was a no win battle for Vick from the beginning, but I think that ego got in the way. His legal team could have least got probation for an extended period of time if they were just honest and upfront from the start. Now look where it has led him, Guarenteed prison time. I feel sorry for him, because another talent has been wasted. These pro athletes need to know when to let the hood and the homies go. I will never understand how you can get an opportunity of a lifetime and blow it because you can't let go of an illegal act. So many talents have fallen to the wayside because of things like this. Michael Ray Richardson, Ricky Williams, Chris Washburn, etc. Now Michael Vick is suspended indef without pay. Lost numerous sponsers and where does that leave him BROKE. Another tragic story of having everything to having nothing.

After watching the Lakers fall apart Sunday against the Suns, it further tells me that Lakers need a overhaul. The current team is a total waste of talent and Mitch Kupchack and Phil Jackson need to reevalute this team over the offseaoson, which should be coming up in about 3 games from now.

Kobe and Kevin Garnett are good friends, Garnett has a opt-out clause in his contract this year, they both live in Maui, they both need serious help in thier lineups. Both look tired of being thier teams only hope for winning. Oh, did you know that the Lakers have 4 draft picks in the upcoming draft.  You know where I am going with this. I have been a big advocate for KG coming to the Lakers. It is the best fit for him. If he goes to NY, they will have to surrender Curry and Crawford/Marbury for KG, where does that put him. In the same situation he is in now. KG and Kobe need the same thing, each other. They both have shown they can lead a team. KG needs someone to take the pressure off of him so he can dominate the post, Kobe needs a solid post player to finish. KG alone give you more points/rebound than Walton, Brown, Bynum, and Radmonivich combined. I can see a trade something of this effect, Odom, Brown, Cook, and 1st Round pick for Garnett and maybe Rashad McCants. The Lakers could open the 08 season with this linup.

PG - Jordan Farmar, SG - Kobe Bryant, SF - Luke Walton, PF - Kevin Garnett, C - Andrew Bynum

The Timberwolves would show

PG - Mike James, SG - Ricky Davis, SF - Lamar Odom, PF - Kwame Brown, C - Mark Blount

With the Lakers having probably the 14 pick, the T-Wolves could get someone like Josh McRoberts or maybe someone like Glen Davis.

McHale says that trading Garnett is not an option, if Garnett wants to win and not be in company of greats like Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and Dominque Wilkins, he need to make an address change this year.