Every once in awhile I just need to rant.  Usually there are four or five things that are not worthy of a whole post, but combined I can use to vent and then enjoy the rest of my afternoon.  Feel free to disagree and chime in with your own comments.

Barry Bonds:  The guy is the best baseball player I have ever seen.  If he wants to play next year he might well pass 800 HR if they will just pitch to him.  He is batting .349 with 6 HR's and 11 walks.   He is on pace to have well over 120 walks and that isn't even playing every day.  Pitchers are afraid to pitch to him and rightly so.  At this rate he will surpass Hank Aaron long before the All-Star Break.  Good luck Barry!

Jeff Gordon:  As I read other NASCAR posts, I am amazed at the hate for number 24.  All he does is win and yet people continue to spew venom in his direction.  He has 76 wins people.  At least acknowledge that he is a good driver and a winner.  It is impossible that NASCAR hands him wins as is being suggested.  If anything I would think NASCAR wants Little "E" to win more, but NASCAR does not fix races.  The simple truth is that Gordon is probably a better race car driver than both Earnhardt's combined.

Is there any doubt that Steve Nash is not the MVP again this year?  It will be unprecedented for him to win three years in a row, but I believe he probably will.  Watching him play today against the Lakers just confirms what I already knew.  The guy is an amazing basketball player who truly makes everyone on his team better.  While Kobe was choking in the second half with 13 points, Nash was coming through with key baskets and passes.  Meanwhile Kobe was forcing up bricks instead of passing up the rock to open men under the basket.

Shaq gets no love from the officials.  He was set in the lane twice yesterday when little guards ran right into him for what would have been a charge if it had been any other big man.  But because these guards bounce of the Man of Steel, he is called for blocking.  Shaq can not win.  If he is standing still he gets called for a foul and if he is active and goes for the block he is called for a foul.  No other basketball player that I have ever watched is given such a double standard when it comes to getting fouls called.  He can literally go up for a dunk with three men on his back and get a no call because he is so strong officials stand in awe and watch him dunk.  Meanwhile, if he breathes on another player he gets called for a foul.  If the Bulls win, chalk this one up on officiating.

NFL Draft:  I do not understand how the NFL Draft has become such a big deal.  Most of these guys drafted will all become busts and the fact is that Detroit, Oakland, and Cleveland will still be lousy next year.  I feel sorry for JaMarcus Russell and Calvin Johnson because the weight of the world will be on their shoulders next year as the top two picks and both will be on horrible teams. 

That is it for now, but feel free to join in.

SoCalSportsFan

One might consider the Dallas Mavericks or the Phoenix Suns as the hottest team in the NBA, but it is actually the Miami Heat.  Winners of nine in a row, they now have the longest winning streak.  All of this without All-Star Guard Dwyane Wade.  Some of the naysayers said this team couldn’t win without Wade.  Some said that Shaq was no longer the leader of this team.  Many still believe it was Kobe that won those three championships at LA, but the truth is that Shaq is still the man.  When he is on the court he makes players like Jason Williams, James Posey, Eddie Jones, and Antoine Walker much better than they are without him.   Had Eddie Jones moved on to any other team he would not be playing this well, but because teams still have to double up on Shaq perimeter players like Jones and Walker get many open looks.  Jones’ stat lines have looked like those from a bygone era.  Each night one of the perimeter players steps up their game while Shaq is putting up 20 points a night and nearly double digit rebounds.  He has also led his team in assists in two of those nine games. 

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the Lakers are in a downward spiral even though Kobe is still playing well.  Sure he has lost Lamar Odom, but Shaq lost Dwyane Wade.  Which team lost more?  If Shaq can win with players like Gary Payton and Eddie Jones, can’t Kobe win with Brian Cook and Maurice Evans?  The true superstars elevate their teams as Nash did with their recent double over time win over Dallas.  The Lakers are in trouble as is their troubled star.  Meanwhile Shaq is positioning himself for another title run.  The Heat own the Nets.  They slaughtered them last year in the play-offs and they won against them again tonight without Wade.  What chance does NJ have once Dwyane is back?  NONE!

Riley has done a tremendous job with this team.  His coaching and the return of Shaq virtually assure they will not miss the play-offs.  Once they make it and Wade returns, the sky is the limit.  Dallas, Phoenix, and the Heat are the teams to beat.

SocalSportsFan

Simply put, Shaquille O'Neal is still the man.  I have often tried to make the case that O'Neal made Penny Hardaway, Kobe, and now Wade better than they really are.  Now don't misunderstand what I am saying because Wade and Bryant are two of the best players in the NBA today, but without Shaq or a similar low post threat they will never win a championship again.

What do the Magic, Lakers, and Heat all have in common?  They all had Shaq in his prime and all went to the NBA Finals with him.  In fact, if Nick Anderson could hit free throws the Magic would already have won one title and Shaq may have still been in a Magic uniform.  Shaq led the Lakers to three titles and again would have had a fourth if Kobe had decided to pass the ball when they lost in their last attempt at a title against the Pistons.  Unfortunately, Kobe decided to try and win that championship on his own and we all know what happened.  Shaq left town and Kobe signed a huge contract.  Even Phil left town because Kobe was uncoachable.  It took 10 million reasons a year to bring Phil back, and I do believe Kobe has learned his lesson.  Too little too late though.

WIthout Wade this year the Heat have gone 1-7 but in those first games Shaq was also out of the lineup.  Now that Wade is gone and Shaq is there the Heat have won 2 out of the last three.  Shaq led the team in scoring, rebounds, and assists last night.  He had 31, 15, and 6.  Not bad for an overweight, over the hill center.  Yes, Shaq's best days are behind him, but he can still bring it and he is showing why the Heat will be a force in the play offs even without Wade.  Should Dwyane make it back then I think they are still the team to beat.

SoCalSportsFan

I said it last year and I will say it again this year.  As long as Shaq plays the Heat will win.  He is back and the Heat have the longest current winning streak in the NBA at 5 games in a row.  The Mavericks are also working on a 5 game winning streak.  The point is that as good as Dwyane Wade is, Shaq makes him better.  He causes double teams down low and it opens up more looks for the other players.  Even an older, fatter, and slower Shaq demands more attention than a 100% healthy Chris Kaman.  People can minimize Shaq's impact all they want but the fact is that when he is on the floor he makes his team better.  He made the Lakers better and he led them to their most recent titles and not Kobe.  Shaq may not be able to win it all by himself, but he can lead any team to the promised land and with help bring home the trophy. 

Shaq has learned that he does not need to score 20+ points a game to help his team win.  His "mere" presence is all that is needed to force teams to play the Heat differently.  With Shaq on the floor a Jason Kapona looks like a super star.  Shaq distributes the ball, he rebounds, and he defends the lane.   Lastly, he has learned to praise his other players.  Shaq does not need all of the glory which is harder for some superstars to admit.  The East better look out because Shaq is back!

Now let's see how long it takes for all the Shaq haters to post comments.

SoCalSportsFan

Just perusing a few headlines over the week and thought I would pose a few questions based upon that content.  Run your mouse over the links to see my answers.

What if:

Tom Brady did use steroids?  Should he be stripped of his Super Bowl rings?

Floyd Landis’ cheating caused the suicide of his father in law?

...

Evander Holyfield fought Mike Tyson in his next fight?

 Junior Seau had stayed retired? 

Annika Sorenstam, was not competing against media darling Michelle Wie, would the press even notice that she won again last week running her total to 82 victories world wide?

...

Shaq had stayed with the Lakers?

 

 

Bart Giamatti were still alive?

 

Greg Anderson testifies?

 

Barry Bonds is not inducted into MLB Hall of Fame?

 

Game of Shadows is absolutely true?

 

Kasey Kahne misses the Nextel Chase and has four wins and yet Mark Martin makes it with zero wins?

 

Anna Kournikova had never played tennis, would she still be modeling?

 

Maurice Clarett had stayed in school?

 

Just a few of the puzzling questions that I deal with on a day to day basis and none of them have easy answers.  I have my opinions, but I would like to hear yours.  I will respond to each and every one as I have time.

 

 

SoCalSportsFan

Much has been said about Shaq losing a step and how he is not the reason that the Heat are still in this series.  The word in the blogosphere is that Dwyane Wade carries this team.  Well, I am here to say that Shaq Daddy is still the team leader and the heart and soul of the Miami Heat.  He is the Chief of Police, literally and figuratively.   While Shaq is not the dominant player he once was when he was with the Orlando Magic or the LA Lakers, he still dominates in other areas that are often unseen to the untrained eye. 

While Wade is able to drive the lane effortlessly, in part he is able to do so because the Mavs are busy double teaming O’Neal.  If and when the help side defense comes, Wade has been giving up the ball for an easy dunk by Shaq.  Wade would not be able to get off nearly as many shots if so much attention were not given to Shaq.  You can not guard both of them and so far the Mavs have chosen to guard Shaq.  Tonight, I think you will see Avery Johnson try to double team Wade more and then foul Shaq when he touches the ball.  If I am right, then tonight is the night that Shaq will go for thirty points.  (Notice how the opposing player is trying to keep Shaq anchored to the floor by wrapping him up.  Of course this is a foul, but it happens all the time to Shaq and will continue because the refs have allowed it to happen for his entire career.  Shaq is an enigma when it comes to calling the game.  A foul, offensive or defensive, could and should be called every time he touches the ball. )

Shaq is a combined 12 of 17 for the last two games while Wade is 27 for 49.  Both shooting percentages are tremendous, but the last time I took a math course 71% is higher than 55%.  My contention is that one reason Wade can shoot at 55% is because of the double teams on Shaq.  On the other hand, Shaq’s high percentage has been because he has not forced up bad shots and been willing to pass the rock to the open cutter or shooter.  Shaq led the team in assists in game three with five.  If the Heat are to win, O’Neal needs more touches.  He has proven that he will not throw up 20 shots a game unless he is open. 

Defensively, Shaq has stepped his game up a notch.  The entire team has risen to a new level, but it is Shaq who is making the most difference.  He alters shots in the lane and I think Dirk has not been driving to the basket in part because of O’Neal.  Against the Suns, who did not have a true center in the game, Dirk would often drive down the center of the lane for an easy dunk or lay-up.  That part of Dirk’s game has been absent in this series.  Shaq has led his team in rebounding with two double digit games in a row and also four blocked shots.  He even had a steal in game three.

Shaq can not be stopped except when teams foul him.  Then if he hits his free throws even fouling him is futile.   In this photo, Dampier has his hand through Shaq’s arm as if he is taking him to the prom and Dirk has his elbow in his back holding him down.  If this were a guard, either the elbow or the reach in would be called, but because it is O’Neal, the refs let it continue.  This has been happening to Shaq since he entered the league.  Officials are not sure how much punishment to let him take before they call a foul.  I know there are many who think Shaq could be called for an offensive foul every time he touches the ball, but clearly as you look at this photo, he may have his shoulder down, but who is initiating the contact first.  In his younger days, O’Neal would have carried both players to the rim and slam dunked the ball and the sheer power of his dunk would make the officials forget the foul on the way up.  They, the officials, would argue if he could dunk with that authority a foul could not of occurred.  As Shaq has gotten older and wiser, he now dishes the ball off when the double teams come.  He is still being fouled.  Watch the game with impartial eyes today and you will see what I am saying is true.  Shaq is hacked everytime he touches the ball and even on the entry pass prior to his having received the ball. 

Lastly, Shaq plays with emotion.  The team feeds off of his energy.  Wade is slowly emerging with that quiet confidence of a leader, but make no mistake, Shaq is the energy of this team.  His dunks electrify the fans and his team mates.  His no look passes ignite the team and his coach knows this.  Look for an explosive Shaq today.

Don’t get me wrong.  I think D-Wade is the real deal.  His game is closer to Michael Jordan than any of the other pretenders out there.  LeBron and Kobe are phenomenol in their own right, but Wade is at a different level.  Wade is still improving and I think Kobe has reached a plateau.  Of course when you can score 80 points a night that is a pretty good place to arrive.  Much like MJ whose outside shot got better the older and more experienced he became, Wade’s outside shot is improving every year.  At this point in his career, he is settling for his athletic moves to the basket.  His outside shot is not his bread and butter, but if it continues to improve, it will make his move to the basket that much harder to stop.  On the other hand, Shaq has lost his explosive first step to the rim, (of course he is so close to the rim that he only needs one step) but he has learned the important principle that it is better to give than to receive.  Feed the big man and the series is over.  Feed him often and early and then do not forget about him in the third quarter.  Ten shots is not enough unless Shaq is touching the ball 30 times and is choosing to pass up on the other 20 shots.  If his team mates trust him, the Heat will have their first NBA Championship and Shaq will have his fourth ring. 

SoCalSportsFan

It is amazing to me how when the Mavericks were up two games to none how their fans were so sure they had these NBA finals all sewn up.  Now that the Heat have stormed right back into this thing, suddenly it is the refs fault or there is some huge conspiracy by the NBA, David Stern, and the major television networks so that they can make more money.  Let’s examine all of these absurd allegations and then look at the real reasons the Heat are on fire.

First, let’s pour some cold water upon the conspiracy theorists’ heads and then hopefully cooler and more rational heads will prevail.  While the NBA and David Stern would love nothing better than to have high ratings on television, they do not control the outcome of the game.  No directives were given to the referees prior to the game that would say to put Shaq on the free throw line more often or make calls favoring Wade. (An aside for all bloggers everywhere:  It is Dwyane, not Dwayne.  I do not know what possessed his mother to spell his name this way, but she did.  For me, if you honestly want people to think you are watching these games and posting from your expertise, then spell his name properly.  It is on the TV screen every 3 minutes as he shoots a free throw.  Look at it, memorize it, and spell it correctly!)  David Stern has no more leverage with the networks than George Bush has with Iran. 

This has nothing to do with large markets vs. small market teams.  If that were the case then in 2004 David Stern would have arranged for the Lakers with four future HOFers to beat the Pistons.  Detroit is a much smaller market than LA and why did the Pistons win in 4 straight if the networks were in cahoots with the NBA.  Surely they would have gone to seven games if it is all about the money.  The facts are that David Stern, the officials, and the television networks have very little say about who wins

(How is this not a foul.  Dirk's arm is in his back and when Shaq goes up he literally has to carry both players to the rim.  Shaq gets less calls than any other big man simply because he is so strong)

As for the league helping Miami by slapping a one game suspension on Jerry Stackhouse, he deserved it.  Forget the smack talk that Shaq said after the game.  It was a hard foul that was intended to take him out.  Stackhouse never even attempted to hit the ball.  His hands went into Shaq’s face.  If it were reversed, the Big Fella might have been thrown out of the game and Jerry taken to the hospital.  And don’t say it was just old school because in the old days players fouled hard but it has never been accepted to try and hurt a player when he is in the open court.  Those types of plays can end players careers.   All I can say is I am glad Stackhouse was not injured in the collision.  He is lucky to be alive.  Rumor has it Stackhouse asked to be suspended so he could recover from the head on collision.  If you have ever seen a convetible run into a Diesel on the highway, the truckdriver always walks away unhurt but it can be fatal to the other driver.  Physics demands that for every action there is an equal and opposite action.  Watch out Jerry!

 

If you look at the actual number of foul calls made, Wade and Shaq have been called for offensive fouls and defensive fouls just as often as the other guys.  No one has fouled out on either side that would affect the outcome of the game.  Dampier did foul out in this last game, but the Mavs were 20 points behind and the game was all but over.  If it were a conspiracy, Dirk would have fouled out early on, or Jason Terry.  In my opinion, for an NBA series, I actually think these guys have done a pretty good job.  In the game on Thursday night the Heat were called for 2 more fouls than the Mavs.  Haslem fouled out but of course he was guarding Dirk and deserved to foul out because he was all over the towering German like wet on water.   The simple truth is that the officiating is consistently and equally bad for both teams.

So why are the Heat winning.  MeanDovine has spoken about the desire to win and I am a firm believer in the “eye of the tiger” mentality.  The "heart of the champion syndrome" is alive and well in Miami.  The simple fact of the matter is that Miami is playing like they want to win it more.  From a purely statistical viewpoint the difference in the game is in rebounding.  In the last two games the Heat have out rebounded the Mavs by 15 and 12.  27 more rebounds translate into more points.  It is that simple.  Of course that is not surprising to me.  If you double team Shaq, it gives other rebounders more of a chance.  I will save that for my next post which should be up some time in the morning where I will investigate and report on why the Heat are winning part II.  I will discuss why Shaq is still the most dominant player on the Heat and not Wade. 

 

SoCalSportsFan

 

When I was growing up, my mother gave me some serious “whoopings.”  (Let's just say I grew up in a green state) I am not saying that I did not deserve them, but my mom never met a switch she did not like and if these episodes had happened today, Child Protective Services would have been notified.  The biggest reason I was on the receiving end of those willowy wisps of pain inducing perennials was because I always thought I was right.  I won’t go into all the proof that I have to this day that I was actually right most of the time because in my mom’s eyes it did not matter who was right, only that I stopped arguing with her when she said, “Be quiet!”  The words she despised to hear from my mouth were, “See, I told you so.”  Of course these are the words that I tormented my three brothers with over and over again because I really thought I was right all the time.  Over the decades the words have not changed, (although the connotations have changed for spanking) , no matter how many times my mom tried to expel the arrogance that comes from the curse of being right, only the audience has changed.  No longer do my brothers have to endure those five words, but now it is my wife, my coworkers, and my fellow bloggers.  Sure, occasionally I do have to eat some crow, but not tonight.  The Heat have advanced to the NBA finals and as I have predicted all year long, they are going to win it all.   What do the Miami heat have that no other team has and it has propelled them into the finals?  What is it that they alone possess that will help them to bring home the Larry O’Brien Award?  Here it is in a simple anagram:

 

Health, Energy, Athleticism, Teamwork

 

Health:  In last year's final series against the Pistons, Dwyane Wade was suffering from a rib injury which clearly limited his effectiveness in game seven.  This year he is in top form except for a mild cold.  Shaq also looks like the O'Neal of his Lakers days  and when he is healthy and hungry no one can stop him.  Right now Jerry Buss has to be wondering if he would have two more rings if he had somehow managed to keep both of his superstars on the same team.  (For the record, Kobe probably does not wonder about such things because in his mind he is still responsible for all three rings the Lakers have.  He never gave enough credit to the big man for how teams had to double up on Shaq which made his job that much easier.)  Teams have tried the Hack a Shaq approach and failed. (I do find it ironic that many people criticized Riley for using the same technique on Ben Wallace and yet every team in the league has used this same approach on Shaq for the last decade.)

Energy:  The Heat are hungry for this championship; maybe more so than any other team in the league.  Right now they are running the floor as well as any team in the NBA and they are pushing the ball in an up tempo style for 48 minutes of play.  They have Alonzo to spell Shaq and Payton is giving quality minutes to the backcourt.  They also disposed of the Nets in five games and now the Pistons in 6 games.  Should the Suns push the Mavs to a game seven, they will have the benefit of another extended rest.  This will only give them more energy.  The only thing on this planet with more energy is the Energizer Bunny.

Athleticism:  Dwyane Wade is the most athletic guard in the NBA.  King James comes in a close second, but right now Wade is able to contort his body as he flies through the air more than a Chinese contortionist in Cirque Du Soleil.  Athleticism comes in many forms and Shaq is still the most dominating center in the league.  For the most part, I have never understood why teams who have ridden the big fella during the entire season have shied away from him in the playoffs.  When he played for Orlando and they made it to the finals against Houston, the team began to rely on Nick Anderson and Penny Hardaway.  Then when the Lakers made it to the finals against the Pistons in 2004, Kobe decided to take over and forgot about his most valuable asset.  Feed Shaq the ball and it opens up everyone else’s game.  There is no answer for him in the league except officiating, and that is a whole post on its own that I may tackle one day.

Teamwork:  The Pistons have been vaunted as the best “team” in the NBA.  If this is true, then the best “team” was just derailed by the Heat in six games.  For the record, I think the team that is truly playing the best team ball is the Miami Heat.  Dwyane Wade is playing very unselfishly dishing out 10 assists tonight.  Even Antoine “Three First” Walker is passing the ball into Shaq.  Maybe when he played for the Celtics and then the Mavs the biggest reason he never passed was because he did not have a Shaq to give the ball too.  Maybe the biggest reason he passes to Shaq now is because if he does not he will have to face Shaq in the showers.  Either way, the entire team is clicking on all cylinders, not missing a beat.  On the other hand, the Pistons have been playing Cardiac ball for both of the last two series, barely getting past the Cavaliers and now falling behind against the Heat. 

So, there you have it.  In the immortal song of William Hung, The Miami Heat will win the whole "she####"  in six games.  Be careful what comments you leave on this thread because in about two weeks I will be on here to say, “See, I told you so!”

SoCalSportsFan

*For the record, my mom spanked me in love, but boy did it hurt! As for this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you speech, I do understand that now that I am a father of four.*

I posted this back in December of last year when the Heat beat the LA Lakers.  The original title was "If The Glove Does Not Fit..." I took some heat for it back then, but now that the Heat are beginning to gel, I thought I would reprint it for those who are still not believers.  Here is the link to the original article and the comments if you want to read them back then.

If the glove does not fit, you must Acquit!  Those were the famous words of the late Johnny Cochran, but I am not talking about that glove.  The Glove, otherwise known as Gary Payton, doesn’t fit as snugly to defenders as he once did, but he still proved valuable to the Miami Heat.  He scored 21 points and a critical 3 pointer that put Miami up for good in the fourth quarter.  (Does anyone else think that Payton's head is so recognizable even in a caricature?) While I did not like all of Pat Riley’s off season acquisitions this past summer, signing Gary Payton to a one year contract at a bargain price was a great move.  He will give stability to the back court where Jason Williams can have flashes of brilliance along with some lapses into play that I haven’t seen since the “Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” was a movie,  (There is a classic sports movie for those of you born after 1979 when it came out.)

Gary Payton was once known as a defender that could shut anyone done but after yesterday’s performance guarding Kobe, I am not sure what to think.  He did hold Kobe to 37 points, almost half of what the entire Dallas team allowed a few nights earlier, and this was the game where Kobe was supposedly trying his best.  So maybe it was a great defensive job, but either way, I find the move by Riley brilliant.  Picking up veteran leadership that has averaged over 17.6 points per game in his NBA career and all for the bargain basement price of ONE MILLION DOLLARS, (Said in the voice of Dr. Evil).

No matter what your opinion of Riley, he knows that keeping Shaq happy is the biggest piece of the NBA championship puzzle to solve.  Shaq wanted the Glove to fit in Miami, and apparently it is!