The questions have seemed endless in the days leading up to the creshendo that was the Spurs 4th title in 9 years last night.  Are they a dynasty? 

To understand if they are or not, we must first understand what a "dynasty" is.

Webster defines "dynasty" as a succession of rulers of the same line of descent, or a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time.  The world of sports obviously uses the second definition when throwing around such a powerful word.  Are the Spurs a dynasty?  They are not even close according to Webster.

The key phrase in this definition is "maintains its position for a considerable time".  The Spurs have never even maintained their position as champions for two consecutive seasons.  San Antonio supporters may point out the overall depth and toughness of the West as support for their claim.  The mere fact that they've won the West so many times should count for something shouldn't it?  It does count toward their historical significance in NBA lore, but a dynasty they are not.

Sports fans and writers throw this word around as if it meant, "really good for more than a couple of seasons".  That only cheapens the few real dynasties the sports world has seen.  These are the only true dynasties in sports history:

1 - 1956-1969 Boston Celtics won 13 championships in a 15 year span including eight in a row from 1958-1966.  Loaded with Hall of Fame players, and the NBA head coach of all coaches, the Celtics defined dynasty for the NBA for all time.

2-  1936-1943 New York Yankees won 6 championships in eight years.  This stretch saw the end of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and the beginning of Joe DiMaggio.  Featuring Murder's Row and legendary pitching, the Yankees claimed the fans of New York from the Giants and Dodgers, never to give them back.

3-  1947-1962 New York Yankees won 10 titles in 16 years including five in a row from 1949-1953.  This era of Yankee dominance brought about Mickey Mantle, Maris' 61, Larson's no-hitter, and other moments that live forever in the annals of baseball history. 

4-  1964-1975 UCLA men's basetball cut the nets down 10 times in a 12 year span including seven consecutive titles from 1967-1973.  Jabbar, Walton, Johnson, Wooden, and others decorate the college basketball history books like no one has before or since.  They tought the people of Lexington, KY and the rest of the country what dominance really was.

5- 1956-1960 and 1976-1979 Montreal Canadians won five and four straight Stanley Cups respectively.  "Toe" Blake led the early version to success behind legends like Rocket Richard,  Jacques Plante, and Henri Richard.  Scotty Bowman raised the Cup behind the "new blood" of Guy LeFluer, Ken Dryden, and Rick Chartraw.  The Canadians and Yankees are the team with the best arguement of haveing two seperate dynasties, since some of the players carried over for the Yankees.

That's it.  That's the list.  Any attempt to include others only lessons the greatness of the aforementioned teams.  Many will try to include the Bulls of the 1990's, but the arguement would be better to support Jordan as an individual more than the team.  The two great Houston teams between their three-peats eliminates them from the conversation.  The Rockets were great in the middle, thus ending their run of a "considerable time". 

(Information was gathered from nhl.com, nba.com, mlb.com, and ucla.edu)

There is no doubt that the NBA playoffs are wonderful.  However, they just drag on ridiculously long.  The Baby Bulls will literally be the Adolescent Bulls by the time they actually take the floor against the Pistons.  So, let out your frustrations this weekend.  You have three magnificent events coming that are truly "must see" events that have nothing to do with Dr. Naismith or racist officials. 

Event One:

Game 5    New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabers

This has been an incredible series thus far with the toughness and will of the Rangers, behind King Henry (pictured), have evened this set at two games a piece with the talent-rich Sabers.  This matchup has featured two controversial reviewed goals (each team got one beneficial call), tremendous goaltending, skating, and hitting.  Jaromir Jagr has been amazing for the Rangers, while the Sabers have been their lightening fast selves for only spurts thusfar.  Should be fun the rest of the way.

Event Two:

133rd Kentucky Derby

Truly one of the greatest events of the year in any sport.  In all honesty, the field really includes too many horses to be a truly "great race".  However, the history and pagentry still makes it the "most exciting two minutes in all of sports".  I've got Hard Spun, so everyone please bet on the other horses to drive my payoff through the roof!

Event Three

De La Hoya vs. Mayweather

The fight that will save boxing?  I'm not sure it's going to be that good, but it should be an exciting fight at least.  This is a battle between someone who hasn't beaten many great fighters (Mayweather) vs. a guy who has always been overrated in the eyes of the public (Oscar).  Boxing is only as strong as the heavyweight division, which is sad.  Outside of Ali and Joe Louis, ALL of your historically great fighters were lighter.  The middleweight division is truly boxing's most classic division.  Having said that, look for De La Hoya to be a bit overmatched in this one.  Oscar will battle until the end, but it won't be enough.

This is going to be a special weekend, with or without basketball.  Keep in mind, if you have anything left on Sunday, check out Game 6 of the Rangers/Sabers series.  You'll thank me later!  Enjoy it!  Drink it in; it always goes down smooth.  Stay classy sports fans.  (Compliments of Ron Burgandy)

With so much going on in the last 72 hours, I feel like a guy with a big bag of Lay's potato chips in his lap.  I can't eat just one.  

Taylor vs. Wright fight - What a fight on Saturday night!  Extremely entertaining with the two contrasting styles of fighters.  I would've given the fight to Taylor if I had to pick a winner.  Calling it a draw was justified however.  If there is a rematch, look for Taylor to be more mindful of protecting himself against the jab.  That will lead to a clear-cut Taylor win. 

Stanley Cup Finals - We know that nobody is watching this so I'll spare you the "while you were sleeping" joke.  Edmonton has come out of nowhere to grab all the momentum in this series going into Game 7 tonight.  It should be a law that sports fans must watch any game 7 regardless of sport or interest.  The NHL always provides the best game 7's anyway.  Look for Carolina to turn the tide tonight on their home-ice and take the cup to . . .Raleigh?!?

U.S. Open - Is it really that surprising to everyone that an Open defined by the course would see someone in the clubhouse take home the championship because someone was defeated by the aforementioned course?  I was surprised at the winner, but not at how it took place.  This was still not as bad as Vandevelde!  Personally, I love to see the course get the best of these guys.  Every course gets the best of me.  Payback baby! 

World Cup - I want to say that I don't care so bad I could scream.  However, whenever nations are involved, I want the U.S. to do well.  Having said that, the dream is over.  There is no way that everything happens that needs to happen for the U.S. to advance.  Watch if you want to on Thursday, but I'm telling you its not worth it.  After all, it is just soccer.

I also have grown tired of soccer fans who say that because its the world's favorite game , we Americans are unenlightened because we don't "get it".   I don't get it.  I don't want it.  You can have Ronaldhino.  I'll take Tom Brady.

NBA Finals - Last but not least, the main event.  These finals have been incredible!  I would tell you that the Heat will win in six, but if you haven't heard that pick from me yet then you just weren't listening.  If you didn't know how big the NBA playoffs were, let me clue you in to what we've learned.

The NBA season ending with a 6 man race for MVP.  With that confusion comes the natural debate of who the best player in the league is.  There were people in the corners of Kobe, LeBron, D-Wade, Duncan, Nowitzki, Nash, maybe Garnett.  Now we are down to two.  I don't know anyone that has watched these playoffs that does not believe the two best players in the NBA are LeBron and D-Wade. 

Wade is performing on a level only seen in my life by the all-time greats.  How a man can shoot as poorly as he did for three quarters, then "flip the switch" like he had been red hot the whole game, and carry his team to a huge game 5 win is what legends are made of.  Great players don't have to score 50 every game.  They have to get the buckets when their team is in the most deperate need of them.  This was obviously D-Wade's major at Marquette. 

Dallas fans, please save the drama of the timeout, Stackhouse suspension, and phantom foul on Wade.  The timeout was obviously called by Josh Howard on the floor.  Period.  End of discussion.  Stackhouse should not have been suspended for the game.  The NBA must find a way to punish the officials who make a mistake instead of the players who benefit from the mistake.  The NBA presently does everything except change the final score in this regard.  Terrible.  Finally, Wade wasn't fouled.  However, Wade gets that call.  So does Dirk.  Tell your guy to go to the basket with the tenacity and passion that Wade does, and he'll be in that position to.  However, something tells me Dirk would've choked and missed the free throws.  I don't know why I feel that way?  

For the record, again, Heat finish the deal in Dallas in game six.  Can you still dig it?