Last night the Knicks went into Los Angeles and downed the Lakers in thrilling fashion. Seems they’ve been involved in more than their fair share of last second, heart-stopping contests. This time they finally came out on top in a nail-biter, as Lamar Odom’s last chance miss secured a 107-106 victory.
In fact, the Knicks (23-29) have gone a very respectable 14-12 since the brawl with the Denver Nuggets this past December. That incident definitely had a unifying effect on the team. In fact, had New York been able to close out 4 gut wrenching losses in just the past month, their record since the infamous Carmelo Anthony sucker punch could very well be 18-8. Allow me to dream, for the past cannot be undone. With victories in those four games, they would have a record of 27-25 and be 1 game behind Toronto in the Atlantic Division (and in the playoffs if they started today).
Last shot losses:
Jan. 17th: 99-98 (L) @ Washington
Jan. 19th: 101-100 (L) vs. New Jersey
Jan. 28th: 107-105 (L) @ Milwaukee
Feb. 10th: 104-102 (L) @ Utah
I know, I know…coulda, woulda, shoulda. You are what your record is. It’s the same for all teams. However, for a club desperately trying to change its perception around the league, it’s especially frustrating. For a fan base that’s had virtually nothing to cheer for in a long time, it’s actually refreshing. We don’t want to identify with the the likes of the Boston Celtics and their epic losing streak any longer. We’ve been there ourselves. We crave the playoffs! Although if the Knicks come up short, maybe, just maybe, they can earn a high lottery pick and keep building toward the future.
On that note, I bring you these never say die New York Knicks (symbolic style). They aren’t as bad as you think.
Stephon “Starbury” Marbury: Finally playing some team ball and doing it and doing it and doing it well. He’s distributing the ball first, and scoring when necessary.Steph is taking it to the hole with authority. A star is reborn.
Jamal “Quick Draw” Crawford: He’s sometimes erratic but always exciting. He dropped 52 high caliber points against the Heat on Jan. 26th. Jamal is lightning fast. If there’s a clutch shot to be taken, he’s your huckleberry.
Quentin “Richie” Richardson: He’s returned with a vengeance from an injury-plagued year that saw him lose his brother to murder. Holla’, cause his 3-point shot is top dolla’. Q-Rich is also rebounding like a power forward that’s paid to bash, while defending as if someone's trying to steal his cash.
Channing “The” Frye “Guy”: Long and thin but graceful and gifted. Solid outside range for a man his height. He needs to bulk up, but when that jump hook in the lane is sizzling, his offensive game becomes scalding hot. If you let him, he’ll burn you.
David “Buddy” Lee: This guy has more rebounding moves than anyone I’ve seen in a long time. He’s starring as his own action star on the Gotham stage and performing all the stunts. Anyone notice the eye-jammy he’s been sporting lately? Every team needs a blood and guts guy.He’s reminds me of old favorite Charles Oakley.
Eddy “Baby Shaq” Curry: He’s scoring lots of points in the paint, and many of them off powerhouse dunks. Doesn’t rebound enough for a man his size. Overall conditioning is improved but still a concern. Erratic from the line. Sounds Shaq-like to me and that’s pretty damn good. Too bad he was All-Star snubbed in favor of the full sized version.
The team also has a solid and balanced player in Jared Jeffries, who is rounding into form after early season injuries. Steve Francis is just now returning from his own physical ailments as well. Rookie Renaldo Balkman, when given minutes, plays defense like a Doberman.
If Stevie “Franchise” gets his wind back, and plays like a man who wants to silence his many skeptics, the second half could get very interesting for New York. Well, at least as interesting as fighting for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference can get (insert laugh track).
Baseball, once considered the National Pastime, is still most definitely America’s game. Football has surpassed it in overall popularity. Basketball may nip at its heels. Even so, no other sport provides us with a clearer reflection of modern day “Americana”. Bear with me. That's not a good thing.
I love baseball. The rest of the word may call soccer, “The Beautiful Game”, but here in the states nothing rivals baseball’s aesthetic appeal. It starts young, often with Little League. You can’t compare playing catch with children using a hardball and glove to tossing a football. It’s just not the same. From sun-filled summer days at your favorite stadium, to graceful athletes roaming the vast field, to majestic flights of homeruns hit over 400 feet; the sport is pleasing and easy on the eye. Even the unique symbolism of baseball uniforms signifies camaraderie. It reminds us that anyone, despite any limitation, can in some way belong (just like our country).
How then has such a wonderful game become so damn corrupt?
Baseball currently finds itself in a very foul condition. If something is rotten in the state of Denmark, then it’s absolutely rancid in the world of baseball. Everyone involved, from management to players, shares the blame. They need to own this fact, provide the public with the truth, clean up the game and move on. Take a stance on steroids and enforce it (for better or worse). The future is what needs to be protected. What’s been done is done. This is the only way to repair baseball’s image. Bringing down Bonds as some type of sacrificial lamb, and thus avoid tarnishing the hallowed homerun record, is not the cure all. Statistics are symbolic but impossible to compare across eras. Although they certainly have meaning and importance, they are hollow in essence. Besides, it’s Baseball Inc. that needs fixing, not the record books.
The fact that baseball has been unwilling to come forward with the truth should surprise none of us. It has long sought separate and unequal status in comparison to its peers. We can trace this back to baseball’s antitrust exemption, established in 1922. In essence baseball once held somewhat of a “monopoly” status. It was able to hold franchises and players hostage based on personal interests. For example, free agency was a hard fought battle and a long time coming for players. Ironically the owners claimed it would ruin the game. This is now an all too common criticism by fans today, since large market teams can sign all the best players away from their less affluent competitors.
Not all double standards come from management. The player’s association continues to oppose any type of salary cap. Growth in wages may have slowed slightly, but an absurd amount of money is made. The other major sports annually tweak their collective bargaining agreements, yet baseball can’t even create one. I’ve always wondered how a group of people can belong to a “union” as baseball players do, but refuse to a uniformly established pay scale. I understand that players are the employees and the product. However, they are not entrepreneurs nor do they even work in the private sector. As I said, they belong to a union and union workers are supposed to have standards of compensation that are negotiated and set for a specific period of time.
Whereas other sports have instituted age minimums before young athletes can declare themselves eligible for the draft, baseball has no such standard. In fact baseball has gone so far as to set up “academies” in impoverished countries such as the Dominican Republic, where they literally try and cultivate children into the next great star. Some may argue that baseball is giving these people a chance to do something with their lives. I would respond by saying, "How arrogant"! These are no more than boys being exploited and it’s immoral. What will baseball do for them after it becomes apparent that not everyone is major league material? Pay for them to go to college and get an education I suppose? Find them a job? Taking children from their families to play baseball would never fly in our country. Why is it okay somewhere else? If the motives were altruistic, then we’d see similar academies all across America, especially in urban areas.
Speaking of urban, have you ever noticed that many in society have the perception that there are more uneducated and violent athletes playing football and basketball, whereas baseball players are viewed more favorably? Could it be due to the ethnic make-up of professional rosters? Obviously the majority of athletes in the NFL and NBA are African-American and the majority of baseball players are white. The likes of Ryan Howard of the Phillies is becoming increasingly uncommon. Due to the nature of how players become professionals, more athletes in baseball have less education than in any other game. The vast majorities go straight to the minor leagues from high school and/or have been imported from Latin America. At least players in other sports have some higher-level education, even if just a year or two in some cases. How productively each individual spent his time at a university is a personal matter. We can’t deny that at least they were there.
Clearly, much has changed since 1922, but baseball continues to follow a different set of “rules” in comparison to other sports. Some of these are immoral, some hypocritical and all are self-serving.
Utopian ideals alongside materialistic practices? Simple purity contaminated by scandalous behavior? Age-old values shattered by hypocrisy and lies? Persistent double standards in the land of equality? It’s the good, the bad, the right and the wrong all rolled into one. That’s what life and greatness is all about. Yup…sounds like America’s, “The Beautiful Game” to me.
Sometimes you get tired of the mere formality that the regular season has become in sports. We all know that the Eastern Conference teams in the NBA have no chance against any of the various Western Conference juggernauts. It’s common knowledge that the American League baseball teams have far too much firepower in their line-ups for those inferior National League squads. In professional football the AFC rules. As a matter of fact, it sure was a great Super Bowl last Sunday between the Patriots and Colts, as some people openly considered it.
I think the NBA champion Miami Heat, or the World Series king St. Louis Cardinals, might have a little something-something to say about that nonsense. Are there any Florida Gators fans that want to chime in about things? I think I know what they might say: “Crown this!” sounds about right. Thankfully it’s required that the games actually get played.
Early Vegas lines have the Colts a 7-point favorite over the Bears. I know I’m in the minority, but I have to tactfully disagree. I’m here to drop my Super Bowl DIMES of knowledge.
Defense wins championships, or so they say. I don’t care what “slump” the Bears defense went through or what improvement the Colts have shown; Chicago’s defense is better. Don’t buy into the media’s accusations of vulnerability. They have All-Pro playmakers in the trenches, among their linebackers and in the secondary. This is a championship caliber defense and such groups win Super Bowls. Now they’re the underdog and feel disrespected. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. That counts for a ton and they are going to absolutely bring IT on game day.
Intangibles are easily overlooked or forgotten entirely. The Bears hold the advantage in this area of unpredictability. The Colts have atrocious special teams play. They repeatedly allow huge returns to their opponents on kickoffs and punts. Unfortunately for them, all-world return man Devin Hester plays for Chicago. The Bears also force turnovers as well as any team in the league. Very few units are as adept at stripping the rock away from ball carriers. Rex Grossman may have thrown too many interceptions, but it feels like no other quarterback has accounted for more “homerun” touchdown passes. Look for a couple in this game as Indy overloads to stop the run. Finally, even place kicker Adam Vinatieri can’t be considered much of an advantage for the Colts, since Robbie Gould of Chicago is as cool as they come.
Mentality is something the Colts do not have on their side. Peyton got the #### off his back when he finally beat Brady and the Pats in a meaningful game. Yadda, Yadda, Yadda. Says who? It’s not a #### on his back in the first place. It’s freaking King Kong and he's still there. Those same doubt-filled thoughts will be dancing in his head on Super Bowl Sunday. In fact I expect them to be even worse. He’ll have two full weeks to think about things. If you don’t believe the fear of failure is still on his mind, and in the heads of all his teammates, YOU… ARE… NUTS. It’s just his legacy that we’re talking about here, and perception is everything to some folks.
Execution of the game plan (as usual) will be critical to winning. Thanks to their defense, this will be easier for the Bears. Just think back to the NFC Championship game and repeat after me: “Reggie and Deuce who”? Brian Urlacher and crew will do the same to Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. They may seem to give up too much passing yardage, but that’s what happens when you stuff the run. Manning will get his of course, but the Colts will be forced to play one-dimensional football. It’s been demonstrated many times that Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne can be disrupted by physical play. Don’t be surprised to see it yet again, leaving Manning overly reliant on his tight ends. The Bears will gladly take that exchange. On offense Chicago can stay true to their plan. They’ll pound the run to set up the passing game for the occasional deep ball. It’s a big if, but if Grossman protects the ball, the Bears will win this game handily.
Staffing on the teams is remarkably similar. (Enter sarcasm) Hey, did y'all know that Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith are the FIRST African-American head coaches to ever make it to the Super Bowl?!?! Oh…you’ve already heard? Seriously, let’s think about Dungy for a minute. If you ask me, more comparisons should be made between him and Marty Schottenheimer, than with Lovie Smith. Even though Tony has now made it to the big dance, and Marty still hasn’t, both coaches are notorious for having their teams fail when it matters most. This goes back to when he was leading Tampa Bay into contention, and Lovie was one of his assistants (Watch as the apprentice bests his mentor this year). Tony couldn’t pull it off back then and he’s not about to with the Colts. Oh, and need I remind you that Jon Gruden won it all with the Bucs, the very same season he replaced Dungy? I don’t think it was a coincidence. For the record I think Tony Dungy is a fine coach and an even better man. It’s just his karma.
Ultimately though, what do I know? I’m just not buying that this is Peyton’s year. These are my DIMES and I’m sticking with them.
A lot of people just don’t get professional athletes and their seemingly senseless behaviors. Time and again we’re left shaking our heads while watching ESPN or the local news. Words like ####, lowlife or maniac come from our mouths as we stare in disbelief at the TV screen. I think our reactions have less to do with what was actually done and more to do with what we consider to be a total and utter lack of discipline. How can people have so little self-control? Well, minus the fat money clips, these guys are just like the rest of us. It shouldn’t surprise anyone.
I bet most of us remember those old ice cream commercials. The ones with the catchy little jingle, “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” In the case of professional athletes it should be, “What would you do for millions of dollars?” Stop smoking marijuana? Don’t drink and drive? Keep your married hands off some trick looking to sleep with a rich athlete? Stay away from certain “things” that allow you to get a leg up on your competition? Not gamble on sports? Not fight? Over and over the answers to these questions are no, no, no, and no.
I’m not on some high horse preaching, nor do I condone most of the outlandish behaviors that are reported with regular frequency. It’s just that we have very little sympathy for those who sel####estruct. There are so many examples of how people who lack discipline wind up judged by others. People in general can deal with a person’s mental or physical limitations. It’s those who can’t stay out of their own way that get our ire and wrath.
The latest joke is on Michael Vick and his water bottle with its secret compartment. I personally care less about the fact that Vick smokes pot, and more that he didn’t have the self-control to leave the bottle at home. So what if maybe he's not so bright. I’ve known plenty of intellectually challenged guys who had discipline. They show up to work every day and don’t openly break rules or negatively affect others. Their private business stays in the confines of their home.
Let's think about gambling. We have state lotteries, scratch-offs, on-line/off shore poker accounts, Las Vegas, and even local bookies. It’s all acceptable in small doses. Lose the mortgage payment, then it’s a problem. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Daly literally blow millions and we hardly bat an eye. They have virtually unlimited funds or the potential to earn it back. Pete Rose gambles and becomes a pariah. Why? He didn’t have the self-control to honor the oldest “rule” in the book. Do not bet on your own sport and perhaps team.
How about drinking? Most of us indulge on occasion and some of us get behind the wheel when maybe we shouldn’t. We tend to accept the drinker and scorn the drunk. We see a super talent like Shawn Kemp prematurely out of the NBA and realize he traded his ability for the bottle. Rather than looking at him as a man with demons, he’s just another alcoholic with no discipline.
Anger management anyone? Many people were horrified when Ron Artest ran into the stands in Detroit, even though most of us would clobber a guy who threw a beer in our face. Some people wanted defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans banned for life when he stepped on the head of the helmet less Andre Gurode of the Dallas Cowboys. Never mind that Haynesworth has a surgically repaired knee and that Gurode had chop blocked him earlier in the game. Albert snapped and caused bodily harm to another person. That is unacceptable under almost any circumstance (short of sel####efense in a life or death situation). Haynesworth probably viewed it as sel####efense at the time, in some twisted lack of self-control sort of way.
Even overweight people get similar treatment. Most of us carry a few extra pounds, especially once we get into our thirties. That’s fine though. A little extra padding never hurt anyone. When we see an obese person it’s another story. Why can’t they stop stuffing the spoon into their pie hole? Maybe the person has a thyroid problem slowing down their metabolism. Perception is everything. We tend to believe that they refuse to control what goes into their bodies. Athletes who eat their way out of the game are no different. I hear that William "Refrigerator" Perry is hurting for cash and has been doing some crazy stunts to earn money. If he had played a few more seasons maybe he wouldn’t need to. No discipline.
So when I hear a person marvel at the stupidity, hostility or lack of integrity of some athlete, my first thought is to say, “Look in the mirror before we judge.” Then I hear that annoying Klondike Bar commercial in my head and think to myself, “Just what the hell would I stop doing for a 20 million dollar contract?” I’d like to say anything and everything but I just don’t know. Would I lose my extra weight? Would I never lash out in anger again? Would I stop having a couple of pints before I drive home after dinner at a restaurant? Would I give up betting my illegal football sheets? Unfortunately I doubt I’ll ever find out, but here’s to being disciplined and demonstrating self-control. (Usually)
It’s been so long, but it feels even longer. We’ve grown accustomed to uninspired and meaningless basketball. The harsh opinions regarding our coach and most recognizable player have been accepted as fact by too many. Their very names bring feelings of contempt to some. It takes great patience to be a Knicks fan but things are finally starting to change. Call it wishful thinking if you want. Perhaps only those emotionally invested in the franchise can sense it.
After the now infamous brawl against the Denver Nuggets on December 16th, the young team has seemingly come together. In the 11 games since, the Knicks have posted a very respectable 7-4 record. Along the way they have beaten quality teams, as Utah, Chicago and Detroit have all been victims during this mini run. In fact, minus a 3 game western conference losing streak, New York has looked downright talented. At the forefront of it all have been Stephon Marbury and Isiah Thomas.
The general public just never seems to embrace certain types of players. Many tend to prefer their athletes confident, not arrogant: proud, not egotistical: well spoken, not street. Unfortunately for Marbury, AKA “Starbury”, this just happens to be a recipe for unpopularity. From whining his way out of Minnesota to proclaiming himself the best point guard in the league to openly pouting under Larry Brown last season, Stephon has lost more fans than he has made. The hometown boy from Coney Island, Brooklyn has done more than his share to sabotage his own reputation.
During the Knicks recent turnaround he has also been doing more than his share on the court. Playing team oriented basketball, he has been a force. Since the incident with Denver he is averaging 19.8 points, 6.8 assists and 3.7 rebounds. It may only be a small sample, but those are All-Star worthy numbers on what many still falsely consider a bad team. Most important are the karma and chemistry that he and the team exude on the court. Passion, camaraderie but most of all enjoyment are visually evident on the players’ faces and in their body language. Only one man can take credit for that. Isiah Thomas. It’s also something that Larry Brown could never have pulled off.
Thomas has seen his reputation suffer even more so than Marbury. Despite a Hall of Fame playing career, people now openly suggest that he knows nothing about basketball. That’s stupidity. It was just back in 2003 when Isiah led the Indiana Pacers to 48 victories and the playoffs. I don’t think I've heard a word of praise for him since. Accusations that he butchered salary caps, by absorbing large contracts of veteran players do hold some merit. Perhaps the “financial management” aspect of the job came slowly to him, but the man knows talent.
Check "Zeke's" record if you’d like, but his drafts cannot be criticized (Tracy McGrady, Damon Stoudamire, Marcus Camby in Toronto along with the new incarnation of young Knicks such as Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee). Oh, and by the way. Eddy Curry (18.8 points and 7.2 rebounds) is starting to look like he was worth that pick the Knicks forfeited in last year’s draft (the Bulls selected Tyrus Thomas). The future history books remain open on that one, but Curry deserves serious All-Star game consideration in the present.
Eleven games do not a season make. Coincidentally enough there are eleven games left this month. The Knicks record stands at 16-21, just a ½ game behind Toronto in the division, and the 4th seed in the playoffs. They play an even blend of bad, average and good teams to close out January. If they can replicate their recent run of 7-4 they’ll be pushing .500 and could possibly be perched atop the Atlantic division. It may not sound like much, but even their harshest critics will be forced to admit that they’ve come a long way.
I’m sure many people are rooting against Isiah and Stephon, maybe even you. Some may not want to believe this, but they're on the road to proving all of their public attackers wrong. They are now tightly intertwined. If they fail, they fail together. A bond has been forged out of mutual goals and needs. Such bonds are often the strongest. Watch them the next time they play your team. You’ll see what I see. A team with no quit. A team with fire and hunger in its belly. A team that believes in its coach.
The stench in the air around 34th Street in Gotham has started to dissipate. The reign of the Jokers in Madison Square Garden is nearing its end. The smog may not lift all at once, but what most said could not be done is slowly beginning to take shape. They may not be Batman and Robin, but you watch. Zeke and Starbury are going to wind up being the “good guys” after all. Believe that.
Once 12 out of the 32 franchises made it into the NFL post-season, simple math told us that a little more than one-third (approximately 38%) of all football fans still had a dogin the fight. Considering that most people want to keep on rooting for somebody, then the “fair weather ratio” means that better than half of us are already pulling for some other team. (Since 20 clubs have already packed their bags) Were you able to remain loyal or are you looking for a new best friend this January? Let’s take a lighthearted look at all the playoff dogs. Hopefully this is a pleasant alternative to the BCS bickering.
AFC Playoff Teams By Seedings
Dobermans (San Diego Chargers): They’re sleek, athletic and strong. They look the part and can usually back things up. They do have a reputation for inconsistency. The playoffs are the worst possible time to let intruders come into the house and take what they want. Will Coach Marty fall asleep on guard duty again, this time with home field throughout the playoffs?
Rottweilers (Baltimore Ravens): Think Dobermans but even more frightening in many regards. Burly, tough and intimidating, these guys fit the role. Not nearly as gifted when on the offensive, but what they lack in grace they compensate for in power. The smaller playoff dogs will have to find a way to make their superior strength and aggressiveness work against them.
Greyhounds (Indianapolis Colts): These guys try to kill you with speed. Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch them with Peyton The Man. Unfortunately Greyhounds are never any good in a fight and we know what happened to that Gingerbread fellow. Yep, he got gobbled up on the ground.
Golden Retrievers (New England Patriots): Ah, the Golden One himself. Just like one of America’s most popular and beautiful dogs, here comes Tom Brady again. Blechh! A very well rounded dog truly represents this very well rounded franchise. No matter what litter of receivers they have running around the field, these guys are always impossible to count out.
Jack Russell Terriers (NY Jets): Definitely one of the smaller pups in the fight, the Jack Russell is reputed to be the world’s smartest breed. They’ll have to get by on the wits of young head coach Eric Man”Genius” and resurrected quarterback Chad “Rhodes Scholar” Pennington. They may lack the physical stature to rumble with the big dogs, but at least they have brains on their side.
St. Bernard’s (Kansas City Chiefs): BIG time running back, BIG time tight end, BIG time quarterback, and BIG name head coach with BIG time sound bytes. This team represents the BIG and famous working class dog that never quite gets the credit or glory it might deserve. Now Herman Edwards’ BIG time sloppy play calling and clock management issues, along with his foaming at the mouth sideline antics reminiscent of Cujo, probably doom them.
NFC Playoff Teams By Seedings
Great Danes (Chicago Bears): There’s nothing quite as scary as looking up at a fanged animal, that’s built more like a small horse than a dog. Too bad most Great Danes are nothing more than babies at heart. Just about fits the perception of a Bears defense that seems to be getting worse as the season goes along rather than staying dominant. After Rex Grossman performs like a little whelp (again), people might be saying, “Awww, look at the giant puppies.”
Collies (New Orleans Saints): Lassie come home! Give the Saints credit; they brought the love back to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Much like Tinsel Town’s most famous celebrity pooch, this group is looking for a Hollywood ending of their very own. Everybody loves to root for something like this. Expect most bandwagon fans to find their way to The Big Easy.
Bulldogs (Philadelphia Eagles): There’s no quit in a bulldog. That’s one determined mutt. Speaking of mutts who don’t give up, mega-props to Jeff Garcia. Eagles fans that would have preferred A.J. Feely counted him and the team out. After running the table to close the season and win their division, Philadelphia looks to keep bulldogging ahead.
German Shepherds (Seattle Seahawks): The Seahawks had their chance last year and came up short. The soft German shepherd had its chance as the premier guard dog and also flopped. Both are just too darn nice. Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch are always smiling too much to make a believer out of me.
Chihuahuas (Dallas Cowboys): Seems Terrell Owens is always barking about something. Then Bill Parcells gets asked too many questions and he starts growling too. After awhile it all sounds annoyingly like yip, yip, yip. Lately, everybody on the team and especially the defense has been playing Aye-Chihuahua sized. (That's small for you gringos) Forget the Vince Lombardi Trophy down in Big-D. At this rate it’s more like the Chalupa Bowl.
Basset Hounds (NY Giants): Even after a win in the season finale to propel the team into the playoffs, everybody seemed disinterested. After rushing for over 200 yard and 3 TDS, Tiki Barber didn’t act overly inspired during post-game interviews. Basset Hounds also bear a striking resemblance to Eli Manning when his play is bad, which is just about every week. Hey, G-Men! Use that famous schnauzer and smell the playoffs you slugs.
If your favorite team has been insulted in your estimation, and is deserving of a more prestigious pedigree, well too freakin’ bad. Besides, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Whose bite can match their bark? (Be it a yap or a growl) Outthink, outplay, outlast. It’s Canine Survivor, NFL playoffs style. You lose, you go home, and you’re nothing but just another mongrel.
For the record I expect the Dobermans to have their way with the Collies at the Big Dance. Then again, sometimes the Big Dog goes down. That Jack Russell Terrier sure would make a cool alternative.
Pick a pooch and get ready to roll. A couple of these dogs are riding shotgun all the way to the top.
I keep reading opinion pieces where high scoring teams such as the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets are ripped to pieces for not playing enough defense. Seems every time we have a success story in the making, someone inevitably comes along looking to be the #### at the party. Fans staunchly stand up to defend their favorite ballers, but wind up being called homers by their critics. I chuckle a bit to myself at some of the debates, but then I wonder, “Who’s right”?
There’s a cliché for every occasion. Many people say, “Defense wins championships”. Others claim, “The best defense is a good offense.” Professional coaches usually hedge their bets. They’re always looking for just the right “balance”. In an ideal world that would be great. Problem is, most teams have a weakness on one side of the ball or the other and their opponents are pretty damn good at finding it. That’s why styles make fights in boxing while individual match-ups and intangibles make instant classics in team sports. In one team isn’t properly equipped to exploit the flaws of its foe then we’re simply left with another blowout waiting to happen.
Compared to other sports, defense in basketball is highly overrated. It’s just my opinion of course, but the situation in a game usually determines a teams’ defensive level of intensity. Sometimes football teams quit on defense but only after being thoroughly dominated. The same goes for hockey. Otherwise players are always on the lookout for the next big hit. Defense in baseball is a bit more subtle. There may be some mental lapses from time to time but for the most part even the mediocre fielders are still pretty good. In basketball though, the players often D-up only when the score is close. If that isn’t true then please explain to me why so many 15-20 point leads are squandered so often. If I hear, “Basketball is a game of runs” only a thousand more times in my life I’ll consider myself lucky. Of course it is, because most guys only go all out on defense when it matters most.
The only numbers that truly count are wins and losses. Sure it’s nice to know that the Knicks are 1st in total rebounds or that the Kings are 2nd in steals or that the Sonics have the 3rd highest free throw percentage but so what. The most telling statistic that leads us to overall winning percentage is point differential. The top 10 teams in this category just happen to be arguably the 10 best teams in the league, with 7 coming from the Western Conference. Now that may not be a surprise but the data does prove a few things.
Data does not include games played on Friday 12/29/06
TeamPoint Diff.Record Total Off.Total Def.
San Antonio + 9.4 22-8 100.5 pts (9th) 91.1 pts (2nd)
If we can accept the idea that teams play tougher defense based on how close the score is then it’s no surprise that teams like Phoenix (1st in Off/ 27th in Def) and Denver (2nd in Off/ 28th in Def) allow a ton of points. Why should they work hard for defensive stops if they are blowing teams out more often than not?
On the contrary, teams like Houston (23rd in Off/ 1st in Def) and Cleveland (24th in Off/ 3rd in Def) need to get in their opponents’ chests. With Yao Ming sidelined for several weeks things will be even tougher for the Rockets. We all know LeBron has to do a lot of everything night after night for the Cavaliers. If you have problems scoring, you better believe you need to work harder to keep the other guys from breaking 100 points.
The other top six teams in point differential all demonstrate somewhat more of a balanced ratio. However, when you look carefully you notice that the Lakers and Utah are more offensive minded whereas Dallas and Detroit seemingly focus more on defense. Only Chicago has numbers that match up evenly on both sides of the ball in comparison with the rest of the league. As for San Antonio, right now their point differential has them in a league all their own.
The one thing that remains constant is the bottom line. All of these teams are winning more than they’re losing. If they are scoring a lot of points then they are usually playing less aggressive defense. (And vice-versa) That’s why it’s a little unfair to criticize teams like Phoenix for not doing enough of what they really don’t have to.
If given a choice of flaws, I believe it’s easier for a high scoring team to step up its game on defense than for a low scoring team to pull points out of thin air. Defense is based more on energy, desire and necessity whereas offense is highly dependent on the individual talent of certain star players. Does it mean that teams like Denver and Phoenix can get by on offensive talent alone? Of course not. However, when push comes to shove, I like their chances of stopping you more than your chances of stopping them. There’s a difference between not being ableto play tough defense and simply not having to. ( A luxury high-scoring teams often have until the playoffs start.)
Coaches have it right though. I’ll take a balanced approach any day of the week.
This side of Barry Bonds, has there ever been a bigger witch-hunt than that which follows Lance Armstrong? Yet another doping allegation has been filed against the 7-time Tour de France champion. No one can say for sure what Lance is guilty of, if anything. I tend to keep my distance from forming opinions on such matters until all information comes to light. In this case I feel I have enough evidence to draw one specific conclusion. Before I can get to what I believe Lance is guilty of, it’s only fair to review the statements presented by his accusers.
The most recent accusation took place just this week. A lady by the name of Betsey Andreu, who happens to be the wife ofa former teammate of Lance’s, (Frankie Andreu) came forward with new information regarding his rumors of doping.The couple claims that Armstrong confessed to physicians about using EPO, HGH, and other drugs including steroids, prior to brain surgery for cancer in 1996. No records of a confession exist on any medical forms filed by Lance’s doctors.
Last year Lance was brought back into the media spotlight when a French sports newspaper, L’Equipe, claimed that blood samples he had provided for the Tour de France in 1999 had tested positive for EPO. (For clarity, EPO boosts the capacity of red blood cells to carry more oxygen.) Lance was cleared of the accusation as it was impossible to prove the samples had not been tampered with.
In 2004, as Lance prepared to go for his 6th straight tour de France win, a French-language book titled L.A. Confidential: The secrets of Lance Armstrong, was released by authors David Walsh and Pierre Ballester. They had interviewed many people and put together a damning case against Armstrong. Obviously the timed release of the book sought to discredit Armstrong’s quest and of course make money. The authors were willing to explain that their book did not contain proof, just circumstantial evidence.
Also in 2004, fellow American and former 3-time Tour de France champion Greg Lemond accused Lance of cheating by using performance enhancers. LeMond was publicly quoted as saying, “Lance is ready to do anything to keep his secret. I don’t know how he can continue to convince everybody of his innocence. Lemond also claims that Armstrong threatened him by saying he could find 10 people willing to claim that Greg had taken EPO himself. This qualifies as no more than one man’s word against another’s.
A former employee named Emma O’Reilly also levied accusations against Armstrong. She served as his masseur, physical the#### and personal assistant in the late 1990s. O’Reilly claims that Lance had her dispose of used syringes during the Tour of the Netherlands in 1998. She also stated that Lance asked her for makeup to hide syringe marks on his body during the 1999 Tour de France. It’s possible that she is looking to slander him since he chose not to keep her on staff. For the record O’Reilly admitted that she had no idea what was in the syringes.
Lance was openly linked with Michele Ferrari, an Italian man who helped to train many top cyclists. Ferrari was convicted in October of 2004 for sporting fraud and illegally acting as a pharmacist. He was banned from practicing medicine. His experience with performance enhancers and blood doping goes back to 1984 before any regulations against them were put into place. In regard to Armstrong, Ferrari was acquitted of distributing sports doping products, which legally got Lance off the hook as well.
Daniel Croyle, another former teammate of Armstrong has written a book titled Lance Armstrong’s War.I read an excerpt that I feel is ultimately relevant to my personal conclusions about Lance. The excerpt is as follows.
Booknoise: What’s our biggest misconception about Armstrong?
Daniel Coyle: That he’s a nice guy. Lance is smart, charismatic, incredibly hardworking, and he does a lot of good works, especially within the cancer community. All that has led most of us to the misimpression that he’s saintlike or even cuddly. He’s not, by a long shot. Like DiMaggio, like Sinatra, like Babe Ruth, Armstrong is one of those who lives life all the way up. When it comes to his sport, and especially winning the Tour, niceness is just not part of his decision-making.
So what’s he really like? Let’s put it like this: He’s the kid from nowhere who became best in the world at a sport that is very difficult, painful, and dangerous. He’s the proof that Darwinism works. As his best friend, John Korioth, says, Lance is animalistic, the ultimate alpha wolf. On the bike, and often off the bike, he’s a competitive beast. It’s what makes him a fearsome competitor—it also makes him a complicated human being to deal with.
I don’t know for sure what Lance may or may not be guilty of. As with Bonds, we are talking about perhaps the greatest ever at what he does. Strikingly both have faced similar allegations looking to bring them down and dishonor all of their accomplishments. Both should benefit from the “innocent until proven guilty” mantra that our nation is based on. (At least legally in court, if not always in the court of public opinion.)
What does all the information tell me? Assuming Lance never doped, until proven evidence is provided, what is it that he can be really guilty of?Just like Bonds he’s probably guilty of being a first class ####. If he did cheat by using performance enhancers he loses all respect and credibility. If he is “clean” as he says, then he must really be one hell of a jerk. That is the only way to explain why former teammates, cycling legends, and employees have all taken a turn at bat trying to bring him down.
Lance’s recovery from cancer, his Live Strong campaign and donations to cancer research are all fine things. These facts make for a great story all by themselves. However, surviving cancer does not make it OK to cheat (if he did) or make the lives of those who work with/for you uncomfortable.
I once had the utmost admiration for Armstrong, but as I weigh the entire story something just tells me that Lance is not truly the person he wants everyone to think he is. Pick a cliché. Where there’s smoke there’s fire, regarding doping or Be careful who you step on, regarding his ambition. Either way, one of these labels has to fit. I’ll hold off on my final judgment until later, but his stock is slowly starting to sink in my eyes.
Whatever happens, if anything, I'll still remember the good he has done too.
After watching the United States get eliminated from World Cup play, so shortly after the culmination of the NBA finals, I sit and ponder sports in general. I come away with one thought in my head: Thank goodness for baseball. In an era where the next conspiracy theory lies just behind the next big game in most sports, at least we can count on America’s traditional national pastime for pure, unadulterated results on the field of play. (Steroid controversy aside of course.) For the record, I do not wholly support the validity of conspiracy theories, other than their existence in the minds of many. You cannot validate that which cannot be proven, even that which is highly su####ious.
Watching Team USA play soccer, left those of us who cared, feeling a tad bit dismayed. Whether it was the now infamous “red card” incidents against Italy, or the free kick foul awarded to Ghana in the elimination game, fans could only wonder at the subjective nature of the sport. In fairness to their foes, it remains clear that the American brand of soccer still has a ways to go before it can truly be considered World Cup contender caliber. Even so, when many controversial foul calls go against one team, it only fuels speculation that bias plays a role. Perhaps these suspect decisions were simply bad twists of fate. Maybe they were prejudiced, either intentionally or sub-consciously. We will never know for certain. All that remains are unanswered questions.
The NBA Finals, as they so often seem to do, also left many feeling disillusioned and bitter. Dwyane Wade put on an epic display of talent that even rivaled the great Michael Jordan. Was he really that good or were the officials blinded by some perceived agenda of David Stern and the league in general? After all, he virtually out-shot the entire Dallas team from the free throw single-handedly. It appeared as though all a Mavericks player had to do was break wind near him and a foul would be called. Argue the point or not if you choose, but you cannot claim that any other player in this series, or perhaps ever, has been the recepient of so much benefit of the doubt. As the league searches for its next great superstar, some have to wonder if much of his finals mystique was earned or simply handed to him on a platter. Once again, we will never know. However, the simple fact that so much has been debated taints his otherwise great performance.A championship with so many innuendos of foul play, pun totally intended, further tarnishes the already questionable reputation of the league regarding fairness and bias. (Just ask Bryon Russell of Utah if Jordan pushed off or consider the curious nature of the NBA lottery.)
The WHOLE world saw Mike push off.
To complete the conspiracy hat trick during this calendar year, we need only look back to the Super Bowl between the Steelers and Seahawks. Yet again fans were left scratching their heads. I had no rooting interest in the big game other than to see a worthy finale to yet another exciting season of football. Somehow, once again it felt as though all the chips fell in favor of one team, in this case Pittsburgh. Time and time again, a most curious event would stifle any momentum that Seattle was generating. Whether it was a drive killing penalty, the now famous “push-off” of Seattle Wide receiver Darrell Jackson, or the touchdown dive by Ben Roethlisberger that wasn’t, so many points of contention came into play. Do I think the fix was in for Pittsburgh? No, not one single bit. Do I think there may have been some unintentional bias that benefited the Steelers? Maybe, maybe not, but by now it’s a moot point. The bottom line is that the seeds of doubt had been placed and yet another high profile sporting event had a permanent stain entrenched in its fabric. When will it ever end?
Well it ends in baseball. The only truly subjective plays in baseball are balls and strikes along with calling a runner safe or out on the base paths. When an umpire blows a call, it is exactly that: A blown call. Sure fans get irate and want to hunt down the offending party. We openly question their worthiness to stand on the field of play. It just never seems that the dreaded word of “conspiracy” ever comes into discussion. Monumental gaffs have transpired. Take the blown call in the bottom of the 9th inning, during game 6 of the 1985 World Series between the Cardinals and Royals for example. In that game umpire Don Denkinger called Jorge Orta of the Royals safe at first base, even though it was painfully obvious that he was out. Trailing 1-0 the Royals then rallied to win 2-1 and extend the series to a seventh game. (Which they convincingly won 11-0) Ask any Cardinal fan alive at the time and I am sure the memory still lingers painfully. Another play I recall among countless others is Derek Jeter’s infamous Jeffrey Maier homerun. As the Yankees battled the Orioles in the 1996 playoffs, the young fan reached o
Stephon “Starbury” Marbury: Finally playing some team ball and doing it and doing it and doing it well. He’s distributing the ball first, and scoring when necessary.Steph is taking it to the hole with authority. A star is reborn.
Jamal “Quick Draw” Crawford: He’s sometimes erratic but always exciting. He dropped 52 high caliber points against the Heat on Jan. 26th. Jamal is lightning fast. If there’s a clutch shot to be taken, he’s your huckleberry.
Quentin “Richie” Richardson: He’s returned with a vengeance from an injury-plagued year that saw him lose his brother to murder. Holla’, cause his 3-point shot is top dolla’. Q-Rich is also rebounding like a power forward that’s paid to bash, while defending as if someone's trying to steal his cash.
Channing “The” Frye “Guy”: Long and thin but graceful and gifted. Solid outside range for a man his height. He needs to bulk up, but when that jump hook in the lane is sizzling, his offensive game becomes scalding hot. If you let him, he’ll burn you.
David “Buddy” Lee: This guy has more rebounding moves than anyone I’ve seen in a long time. He’s starring as his own action star on the Gotham stage and performing all the stunts. Anyone notice the eye-jammy he’s been sporting lately? Every team needs a blood and guts guy. He’s reminds me of old favorite Charles Oakley. 
Eddy “Baby Shaq” Curry: He’s scoring lots of points in the paint, and many of them off powerhouse dunks. Doesn’t rebound enough for a man his size. Overall conditioning is improved but still a concern. Erratic from the line. Sounds Shaq-like to me and that’s pretty damn good. Too bad he was All-Star snubbed in favor of the full sized version.
At one time or another I've been both these guys.
involved, from management to players, shares the blame. They need to own this fact, provide the public with the truth, clean up the game and move on. Take a stance on steroids and enforce it (for better or worse). The future is what needs to be protected. What’s been done is done. This is the only way to repair baseball’s image. Bringing down Bonds as some type of sacrificial lamb, and thus avoid tarnishing the hallowed homerun record, is not the cure all. Statistics are symbolic but impossible to compare across eras. Although they certainly have meaning and importance, they are hollow in essence. Besides, it’s Baseball Inc. that needs fixing, not the record books. 
slightly, but an absurd amount of money is made. The other major sports annually tweak their collective bargaining agreements, yet baseball can’t even create one. I’ve always wondered how a group of people can belong to a “union” as baseball players do, but refuse to a uniformly established pay scale. I understand that players are the employees and the product. However, they are not entrepreneurs nor do they even work in the private sector. As I said, they belong to a union and union workers are supposed to have standards of compensation that are negotiated and set for a specific period of time.
basketball, whereas baseball players are viewed more favorably? Could it be due to the ethnic make-up of professional rosters? Obviously the majority of athletes in the NFL and NBA are African-American and the majority of baseball players are white. The likes of Ryan Howard of the Phillies is becoming increasingly uncommon. Due to the nature of how players become professionals, more athletes in baseball have less education than in any other game. The vast majorities go straight to the minor leagues from high school and/or have been imported from Latin America. At least players in other sports have some higher-level education, even if just a year or two in some cases. How productively each individual spent his time at a university is a personal matter. We can’t deny that at least they were there. 
rs defense went through or what improvement the Colts have shown; Chicago’s defense is better. Don’t buy into the media’s accusations of vulnerability. They have All-Pro playmakers in the trenches, among their linebackers and in the secondary. This is a championship caliber defense and such groups win Super Bowls. Now they’re the underdog and feel disrespected. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. That counts for a ton and they are going to absolutely bring IT on game day.
know that Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith are the FIRST African-American head coaches to ever make it to the Super Bowl?!?! Oh…you’ve already heard? Seriously, let’s think about Dungy for a minute. If you ask me, more comparisons should be made between him and Marty Schottenheimer, than with Lovie Smith. Even though Tony has now made it to the big dance, and Marty still hasn’t, both coaches are notorious for having their teams fail when it matters most. This goes back to when he was leading Tampa Bay into contention, and Lovie was one of his assistants (Watch as the apprentice bests his mentor this year). Tony couldn’t pull it off back then and he’s not about to with the Colts. Oh, and need I remind you that Jon Gruden won it all with the Bucs, the very same season he replaced Dungy? I don’t think it was a coincidence. For the record I think Tony Dungy is a fine coach and an even better man. It’s just his karma.
he catchy little jingle, “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” In the case of professional athletes it should be, “What would you do for millions of dollars?” Stop smoking marijuana? Don’t drink and drive? Keep your married hands off some trick looking to sleep with a rich athlete? Stay away from certain “things” that allow you to get a leg up on your competition? Not gamble on sports? Not fight? Over and over the answers to these questions are no, no, no, and no. 
The latest joke is on Michael Vick and his water bottle with its secret compartment. I personally care less about the fact that Vick smokes pot, and more that he didn’t have the self-control to leave the bottle at home. So what if maybe he's not so bright. I’ve known plenty of intellectually challenged guys who had discipline. They show up to work every day and don’t openly break rules or negatively affect others. Their private business stays in the confines of their home. 
accounts, Las Vegas, and even local bookies. It’s all acceptable in small doses. Lose the mortgage payment, then it’s a problem. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Daly literally blow millions and we hardly bat an eye. They have virtually unlimited funds or the potential to earn it back. Pete Rose gambles and becomes a pariah. Why? He didn’t have the self-control to honor the oldest “rule” in the book. Do not bet on your own sport and perhaps team.
How about drinking? Most of us indulge on occasion and some of us get behind the wheel when maybe we shouldn’t. We tend to accept the drinker and scorn the drunk. We see a super talent like Shawn Kemp prematurely out of the NBA and realize he traded his ability for the bottle. Rather than looking at him as a man with demons, he’s just another alcoholic with no discipline.
the stands in Detroit, even though most of us would clobber a guy who threw a beer in our face. Some people wanted defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans banned for life when he stepped on the head of the helmet less Andre Gurode of the Dallas Cowboys. Never mind that Haynesworth has a surgically repaired knee and that Gurode had chop blocked him earlier in the game. Albert snapped and caused bodily harm to another person. That is unacceptable under almost any circumstance (short of sel
especially once we get into our thirties. That’s fine though. A little extra padding never hurt anyone. When we see an obese person it’s another story. Why can’t they stop stuffing the spoon into their pie hole? Maybe the person has a thyroid problem slowing down their metabolism. Perception is everything. We tend to believe that they refuse to control what goes into their bodies. Athletes who eat their way out of the game are no different. I hear that William "Refrigerator" Perry is hurting for cash and has been doing some crazy stunts to earn money. If he had played a few more seasons maybe he wouldn’t need to. No discipline.
After the now infamous brawl against the Denver Nuggets on December 16th, the young team has seemingly come together. In the 11 games since, the Knicks have posted a very respectable 7-4 record. Along the way they have beaten quality teams, as Utah, Chicago and Detroit have all been victims during this mini run. In fact, minus a 3 game western conference losing streak, New York has looked downright talented. At the forefront of it all have been Stephon Marbury and Isiah Thomas. 
er Larry Brown last season, Stephon has lost more fans than he has made. The hometown boy from Coney Island, Brooklyn has done more than his share to sabotage his own reputation. 
management” aspect of the job came slowly to him, but the man knows talent. 
Dobermans (San Diego Chargers): They’re sleek, athletic and strong. They look the part and can usually back things up. They do have a reputation for inconsistency. The playoffs are the worst possible time to let intruders come into the house and take what they want. Will Coach Marty fall asleep on guard duty again, this time with home field throughout the playoffs?
Rottweilers (Baltimore Ravens): Think Dobermans but even more frightening in many regards. Burly, tough and intimidating, these guys fit the role. Not nearly as gifted when on the offensive, but what they lack in grace they compensate for in power. The smaller playoff dogs will have to find a way to make their superior strength and aggressiveness work against them.
Greyhounds (Indianapolis Colts): These guys try to kill you with speed. Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch them with Peyton The Man. Unfortunately Greyhounds are never any good in a fight and we know what happened to that Gingerbread fellow. Yep, he got gobbled up on the ground.
Golden Retrievers (New England Patriots): Ah, the Golden One himself. Just like one of America’s most popular and beautiful dogs, here comes Tom Brady again. Blechh! A very well rounded dog truly represents this very well rounded franchise. No matter what litter of receivers they have running around the field, these guys are always impossible to count out.
Jack Russell Terriers (NY Jets): Definitely one of the smaller pups in the fight, the Jack Russell is reputed to be the world’s smartest breed. They’ll have to get by on the wits of young head coach Eric Man”Genius” and resurrected quarterback Chad “Rhodes Scholar” Pennington. They may lack the physical stature to rumble with the big dogs, but at least they have brains on their side.
St. Bernard’s (Kansas City Chiefs): BIG time running back, BIG time tight end, BIG time quarterback, and BIG name head coach with BIG time sound bytes. This team represents the BIG and famous working class dog that never quite gets the credit or glory it might deserve. Now Herman Edwards’ BIG time sloppy play calling and clock management issues, along with his foaming at the mouth sideline antics reminiscent of Cujo, probably doom them. 
Great Danes (Chicago Bears): There’s nothing quite as scary as looking up at a fanged animal, that’s built more like a small horse than a dog. Too bad most Great Danes are nothing more than babies at heart. Just about fits the perception of a Bears defense that seems to be getting worse as the season goes along rather than staying dominant. After Rex Grossman performs like a little whelp (again), people might be saying, “Awww, look at the giant puppies.” 
Collies (New Orleans Saints): Lassie come home! Give the Saints credit; they brought the love back to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Much like Tinsel Town’s most famous celebrity pooch, this group is looking for a Hollywood ending of their very own. Everybody loves to root for something like this. Expect most bandwagon fans to find their way to The Big Easy.
Bulldogs (Philadelphia Eagles): There’s no quit in a bulldog. That’s one determined mutt. Speaking of mutts who don’t give up, mega-props to Jeff Garcia. Eagles fans that would have preferred A.J. Feely counted him and the team out. After running the table to close the season and win their division, Philadelphia looks to keep bulldogging ahead. 
German Shepherds (Seattle Seahawks): The Seahawks had their chance last year and came up short. The soft German shepherd had its chance as the premier guard dog and also flopped. Both are just too darn nice. Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch are always smiling too much to make a believer out of me. 
Chihuahuas (Dallas Cowboys): Seems Terrell Owens is always barking about something. Then Bill Parcells gets asked too many questions and he starts growling too. After awhile it all sounds annoyingly like yip, yip, yip. Lately, everybody on the team and especially the defense has been playing Aye-Chihuahua sized. (That's small for you gringos) Forget the Vince Lombardi Trophy down in Big-D. At this rate it’s more like the Chalupa Bowl. 
Basset Hounds (NY Giants): Even after a win in the season finale to propel the team into the playoffs, everybody seemed disinterested. After rushing for over 200 yard and 3 TDS, Tiki Barber didn’t act overly inspired during post-game interviews. Basset Hounds also bear a striking resemblance to Eli Manning when his play is bad, which is just about every week. Hey, G-Men! Use that famous schnauzer and smell the playoffs you slugs.
championships”. Others claim, “The best defense is a good offense.” Professional coaches usually hedge their bets. They’re always looking for just the right “balance”. In an ideal world that would be great. Problem is, most teams have a weakness on one side of the ball or the other and their opponents are pretty damn good at finding it. That’s why styles make fights in boxing while individual match-ups and intangibles make instant classics in team sports. In one team isn’t properly equipped to exploit the flaws of its foe then we’re simply left with another blowout waiting to happen. 
thoroughly dominated. The same goes for hockey. Otherwise players are always on the lookout for the next big hit. Defense in baseball is a bit more subtle. There may be some mental lapses from time to time but for the most part even the mediocre fielders are still pretty good. In basketball though, the players often D-up only when the score is close. If that isn’t true then please explain to me why so many 15-20 point leads are squandered so often. If I hear, “Basketball is a game of runs” only a thousand more times in my life I’ll consider myself lucky. Of course it is, because most guys only go all out on defense when it matters most. 
NBA basketball teams: What flavor are you?
Also in 2004, fellow American and former 3-time Tour de France champion Greg Lemond accused Lance of cheating by using performance enhancers. LeMond was publicly quoted as saying, “Lance is ready to do anything to keep his secret. I don’t know how he can continue to convince everybody of his innocence. Lemond also claims that Armstrong threatened him by saying he could find 10 people willing to claim that Greg had taken EPO himself. This qualifies as no more than one man’s word against another’s.
What does all the information tell me? Assuming Lance never doped, until proven evidence is provided, what is it that he can be really guilty of?
Watching Team USA play soccer, left those of us who cared, feeling a tad bit dismayed. Whether it was the now infamous “red card” incidents against Italy, or the free kick foul awarded to Ghana in the elimination game, fans could only wonder at the subjective nature of the sport. In fairness to their foes, it remains clear that the American brand of soccer still has a ways to go before it can truly be considered World Cup contender caliber. Even so, when many controversial foul calls go against one team, it only fuels speculation that bias plays a role. Perhaps these suspect decisions were simply bad twists of fate. Maybe they were prejudiced, either intentionally or sub-consciously. We will never know for certain. All that remains are unanswered questions.
The NBA Finals, as they so often seem to do, also left many feeling disillusioned and bitter. Dwyane Wade put on an epic display of talent that even rivaled the great Michael Jordan. Was he really that good or were the officials blinded by some perceived agenda of David Stern and the league in general? After all, he virtually out-shot the entire Dallas team from the free throw single-handedly. It appeared as though all a Mavericks player had to do was break wind near him and a foul would be called. Argue the point or not if you choose, but you cannot claim that any other player in this series, or perhaps ever, has been the recepient of so much benefit of the doubt. As the league searches for its next great superstar, some have to wonder if much of his finals mystique was earned or simply handed to him on a platter. Once again, we will never know. However, the simple fact that so much has been debated taints his otherwise great performance.
To complete the conspiracy hat trick during this calendar year, we need only look back to the Super Bowl between the Steelers and Seahawks. Yet again fans were left scratching their heads. I had no rooting interest in the big game other than to see a worthy finale to yet another exciting season of football. Somehow, once again it felt as though all the chips fell in favor of one team, in this case Pittsburgh. Time and time again, a most curious event would stifle any momentum that Seattle was generating. Whether it was a drive killing penalty, the now famous “push-off” of Seattle Wide receiver Darrell Jackson, or the touchdown dive by Ben Roethlisberger that wasn’t, so many points of contention came into play. Do I think the fix was in for Pittsburgh? No, not one single bit. Do I think there may have been some unintentional bias that benefited the Steelers? Maybe, maybe not, but by now it’s a moot point. The bottom line is that the seeds of doubt had been placed and yet another high profile sporting event had a permanent stain entrenched in its fabric. When will it ever end?
Well it ends in baseball. The only truly subjective plays in baseball are balls and strikes along with calling a runner safe or out on the base paths. When an umpire blows a call, it is exactly that: A blown call. Sure fans get irate and want to hunt down the offending party. We openly question their worthiness to stand on the field of play. It just never seems that the dreaded word of “conspiracy” ever comes into discussion. Monumental gaffs have transpired. Take the blown call in the bottom of the 9th inning, during game 6 of the 1985 World Series between the Cardinals and Royals for example. In that game umpire Don Denkinger called Jorge Orta of the Royals safe at first base, even though it was painfully obvious that he was out. Trailing 1-0 the Royals then rallied to win 2-1 and extend the series to a seventh game. (Which they convincingly won 11-0) Ask any Cardinal fan alive at the time and I am sure the memory still lingers painfully. Another play I recall among countless others is Derek Jeter’s infamous Jeffrey Maier homerun. As the Yankees battled the Orioles in the 1996 playoffs, the young fan reached o