Hello friends,

Now that all your other teams in my case the Spurs and lottery bound Bucks and the rest of the NBA teams are out of the way we have the NBA Finals America really wants the Los Angeles Lakers vs the Boston Celtics. One of the questions though are we truly enjoying this series for its current paricipating players such as Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom and coach Phil Jackson going for his 10th NBA title as a head coach against the Big 3 of Boston with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen led by their head coach Glenn Doc Rivers.

Or are we watching ESPN Classic and for anyone over 30 lets be realistic 20 somethings and younger you don't really remember. The 1980's the Golden Age of Basketball in my opinion. Yes the players wore short shorts but at least they didn't go down to their knees and on the basketball court you had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdual Jabbar Byron Scott and James Worthy led by head coach Pat Riley against Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale, the late Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge and their great coach KC Jones.

Games were on prime time and on Sunday aftenoons in the old unairconditioned Boston Garden built in the first half of the 20th century with the old wood parquet floor which truly constituted a true home court for all the visting teams that rarely won there. And you had the old Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles which was one of the best arenas which wasn't as old as the Boston Garden and old Chicago Stadium but before the brand new arenas like the Staples Center which are a  little biger and even more brand new . But I liked watching the games that were on at the Forum. But that was through a tv set for me.

Anyway those were the best teams of the 1980s as the Milwaukee Bucks the team I followed and won seven division championships back then found out. The Bucks had the fourth best record in basketball but they could never get to the finals because they couldn't beat the Celtics or 76ers in the Eastern Finals and then of course the East winner mostly played the Lakers and a couple times the Houston Rockets when they got there.

So you watched the Lakers and Celtics or Sixers and Rockets. From 1980 to 1987 these were the only four teams to make the NBA  Finals and then at the end of the decade the Pistons arrived and won a few titles before Michael Jordan and the Bulls took over in the 1990s.

Now to you youngsters under 30. This basketball era or even Lakers -Celtics rivalry isn't the same. If it is why aren't they focusing more on this series than the 1980s or Bill Russell vs Wilt Chamberlin and Jerry West before that.

As I said I'm not old I don't think at 40 but I like a little more old school memories from the 1980s because that is when I was growing up. Pepole under 30 have been growing up now or the last decade or so so I understand that we remember what we are familiar with from our youth.

As I said in a previous blog I don't like new school basketball as much where the players wear longer shorts that look too long for basketball shorts and they don't go to college as often or at all sorry Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Lebron James in last years finals.  I wish you would go to school at least a little bit.

And why can't I get the Big Fella Shaquille O Neal out of my mind in this series even though he's not playing for the Lakers anymore?  Is it because Kobe Bryant is trying to prove he can win a NBA title without him?

Well as I've said these are my opinions and I like the old school NBA from the 1980s and the current team oriented less flashy some would call them boring Spurs who have won 4 NBA titles the last decade. Before that I admired Michael Jordan"s Bulls and Magic Johnson's Lakers who I rooted for back then against Larry Bird's Celtics who I didn't like but admired.

Kind of funny but I think I like the Celtics now. As I said I still can't get Shaq out of my mind and never really like his slow methodical bruising style and the way he missed free throws and strangely as I said he still has a presence here because he played and won 3 titles with Kobe and then left to win a title with Dwayne Wade in Miami. And then the thing with Kobe, Garnett and Lebron not going to school.

The Celtics still kind of seem old school maybe it's the plain old Celtic uniforms and they have home court in this series. But the Lakers have a younger athletic team and could be better longer. So I'll pick the Lakers to win in 6 games in the new Boston Garden but don't be surprised if it goes seven and the Celtics win. That's just the way it was between these two old rivals kind of like Cowboys Steelers in football or Yankees Dodgers in baseball, the big market winners whether you like them or not you were fascinated to see them play when they were on. As I said Boston is a little older so these next few years may be their time and the Lakers look to be a good young veteran team so we'll see where they can go the next few years. So enjoy this series and the nostalgia as well. Maybe 20 years from now we'll be talking about a Lakers -Cetics series or two from this time period. If only the late Celtics president and former coach Red Auerbach had lived to see this again.  Light up a victory cigar Red  and enjoy your popcorn friends.  Talk soon,. best wishes and have a great and productive day. fenfan 

Hello friends,

While once again the NBA or professional sports league has apologized for another blown call after the fact. In this case it was Brent Barry being bumped and foulled at the end of Game 4 against the Lakers. The Spurs were down 93-91 with 2.1 seconds left . The pass went into Barry who some say traveled. Then he got bumped by Derek Fisher, threw the ball towards the basket before the buzzer about a 23 foot jumper, mised and then looked to the referee for the foul. Later classily Barry and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said a foul wasn't likely to be called and while upset and disappointed there was acceptance UNTIL NOW! The NBA has issued another after the fact apology but in this case they could still do something that could still change the series.

I suggest before Game 5 tonight in Los Angeles in an empty arena with no competitive advantage to consitute San Antonio as the home team ha ha, Then have Brent Barry shoot the two free throws. If he makes them then overtime on an empty court so no Lakers crowd advantage ha ha to decide Game 4 before tonights Game 5. If the NBA is serious about it's apology then I want to see it. Remember when the Yankees and Royals came back to New York for a 12 minute game in the 1983 George Brett pine tar home run incident. Seriously though shooting these free throws is the best thing the NBA could do if they're sincere. But they WONT DO IT so all I as a diappointed Spurs and sports fan can do is talk about it. Let me know your thoughts friends and talk soon. Have a great and productive day. Best wishes. fenfan

Hello friends,

Well it looks like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Red Wings could be celebrating titles and re-establishing their long time dynasties again. The Lakers much to my chagrin as a San Antonio Spurs fan have proven to be the younger and more athletic team and they are gaining experience fast in this series and while it is only the Western Conference Finals they are on the way to dethroning the defebding champion Spurs and should be favored in the East against the PIstons or Celtics although they are good teams as well. They just havent beaten teams like the ones that the Lakers and Spurs face in the Western Conference. Kobe Bryant with help from Pal Gasol, Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom has reestablished this as his team and Phil Jackson is once again the ringleader as coach though he is brilliant as well.

The Detroit Red Wings are on their way to winning a fourth Stanley Cup in the last 11 years. This was supposed to be a dream matchup with Sidney Crosby and the young and upstart Pittsburgh Penguins. In a few years it might be once the Penguins get a little more experience. To this point it is a nice story for them and hockey but the Wings are also too dominant at this point. Of course at the time of this writing it is not over for either the Lakers or Red Wings but I look for both to be having championship parades in June. As always we'll see what happens. As for now it's almost time for a changing of the guard and watching the re-established champions in Detroit and Los Angeles come back to take their throne. Take care and best wishes friends. Have a great and productive day. fenfan

P.S. That being said I also give credit to the refs for the non call on the Brent Barry shot and possible foul at the end of Game 4 against the Lakers. There is always to much speculations with calls by referees in the NBA . Barry got bumped by Derek Fisher and then shot the ball afterward hoping it would go in to win the game or at the very least get the call. To Brent Barry's credit he said while he looked for the call as a player he didn't expect to get it and took it respectfully. I as a Spurs fan don't want to win cheaply and if the Lakers win the series as I said I'll be satisfied with the way the outcome happened and say congratulations.

Hello Friends,

How are you doing? Well it's another Red Sox Yankees weekend at Fenway Park and the only thing missing is Roger Clemens isn't pitching and the Yankees are 13 1/2 back. So what happens next?  Does Clemens resurect the Yankees season every 5 days? Does A-Rod have another embarrasing moment on or off the field or do the Red Sox just start putting the nail in the coffin and praying it's not another 1978 season. Dont worry Red Sox fans it shouldn't be. These aren't those Yankees but they are still the high priced and talented George Steinbrenner Joe Torre led Yankees so who knows and the Yankees are always interesting and worth a headline so we'll see.

June is also time for the Finals in the NBA and the NHL Stanley Cup Finals as well. First the NBA. I'm happy to see the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals again. Kind of a boring team to watch but I love the way they play and win and I especially enjoy those parades down the Riverwalk the best championship celebration site in sports I think and after that Tony Parker gets to marry Desperate Housewives Eva Longoria sorry I don't have a picture of her but you can imagine her in France where they are getting married July 7. Anyway  back to basketball it would be nice to see Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli my favorite player on the Spurs and Parker and the rest of the team win again for Spurs fans that is. It's an odd numbered year and the Spurs aren't going for a repeat so things could be in their favor this year. I think it would be fun to play Lebron James and the Cavaliers for NBA fans watching and I get tired of the Pistons boring defensive style even if they aren't quite the Bad Boys of the 1980's. As I always say we'll see.

As for the NHL for those hockey fans who are watching the Anaheim Ducks are dominating so far at 2-0 in the series but I'm looking forward to the series going back to Ottawa and the Canadian fans spirit. That's what I think makes the games exciting for those who watch and I hope Ottawa can bring back the Stanley Cup to Ottawa and Canada although it looks like Anahiem is the better team at this poiint.

Finally a couple of things what do you all think of Kobe Bryant wanting a trade out of Los Angeles and the Lakers and where should he go if he gets out of his contract? Also just in Billy Donavon has decided to leave the University of Florida Gators and two national championships to go down the road in Florida to the NBA and the Orlando Magic. I think that could hurt his legacy bacause great college coaches aren't  often great in the NBA or NFL ala Steve Spurrier and Billy Donavon's legacy will be hurt because he won't have the same control he did in college and those coaches are often disappointed. Meanwhile the one's who go to college coaching like USC's football coach Pete Carroll often have great success.So good luck Billy Donovan, but my opinion is you'll be back in college coaching again like your mentor Rick Pitino and also John Calapari. So we'll see what happens and let me know what you think as always friends.Best wishes and have great and productive days friends and talk soon again.