As is the case every year, there has been an abundant amount of words spent on how difficult this year's U.S. Open will prove to be. Some are calling this year's site, the Oakmont Country Club, the toughest Open venue there is, which would be hard to believe after Winged Foot last year, and Pinehurst, Shinnecock, and Bethpage Black in recent years. But this year, the source of the carnage, if there is indeed any, will be of a different nature. At 7,230 yards, Oakmont is not one of the longer U.S. Open venues. In fact, the course is only slightly over 300 yards longer than when the first Open was held there in 1927. Granted, at par 70, it lends itself naturally to scores over par, but with the length being what it is, the major hurdles this week will come from on and around the greens. In fact, it's been reported that greens will vary greatly in their speed (from 11.5 up to 15 on the stimpmeter) due to elevation and how much sun and wind they are objected to based on where they are located on the course. Not to mention the severe undulations that exist on nearly every green. While the two par fives on the course both measure over 600 yards and the 288-yard par 3 eighth hole is a bit ridiculous, it also has four par fours under 400 yards, almost unheard of by today's standards. So it's not the overall length of the course that will cause the heartache, it's the greens, and three-putts and even four-putts may be commonplace.

 

All of this may add up to what a lot of golf fans have been waiting for; something that opens up the field to everybody, even the short hitters. Whether this actually plays out is anybody's guess, and make no mistake, longer hitters will always have an advantage. Provided they can place it where they need to be. But this course may level the playing field somewhat. Figuratively speaking, of course.

 

Without further ado, here is who I think we'll be watching come the weekend of the 107th U.S. Open.

Is it their time/Are they ready?

-Adam Scott-Greatness has been predicted and expected for this Aussie for several years. And those expectations got even greater after he won the 2004 Player's Championship. His current driving accuracy stats (59.65% of fairways hit, 109th on tour) could be his undoing this week. But if he can find a way to maneuver his way around Oakmont, his putting (currently 10th on tour) could secure his first major. At just 26, is he ready? Perhaps.

-Luke Donald-His driving distance is nothing to write home to England about (159th), but his accuracy is (21st). This week, that's a combination that may bode very well for the 29-year old. He also has five top-ten finishes in 13 events this year, and is ranked ninth in the world. He may be jumping up a bit after this weekend, if he has the maturity to be patient.

-Sergio Garcia-Believe it or not, Sergio is 27th in putting this year. He has long had a tee-to-green game rivaling anyone's, but it's been his putter which has let him down many times. Unfotunately, his driving accuracy is way down this year, as he currently ranks 161st on tour. But this week, he may be able to get around that. With Oakmont not being beastly long, as I mentioned, he can probably get away with hitting a fairway wood or long iron off the tee on many holes. If he has the mental discipline to do so. If he can keep it in the short stuff, I like his chances. A lot.

 

Is it now or never? These players have not won a major, and time is running out . . .

-Stewart Cink-Had a nice run at the Open from '98-01, including three top tens. And other than his driving accuracy this season, his stats are all pretty good (33rd in both putting and greens in regulation this season). Find a way to keep it in the short grass, Stewart. Many of us are pulling for you. You've had many a close call in majors before, and we'd like to see you win one.

-Padraig Harrington-Hard to believe he is 36 already. Like Cink, he has hung around long enough to win a major on more than one occasion, but it just hasn't happened for him yet. If not for his disastrous finish last year, he may be the defending champion. He has the game, and if he can put the close-but-no-cigars out of his mind long enough, which is much easier said than done, he could very well be your 2007 U.S. Open winner.

-Colin Montgemerie-No one will dispute the fact that Monty has the game. His achievements are well-chronicled. His best chance may have come last year. After hitting a near-perfect drive on the final hole, he had a mid iron into the green. Always a strong iron player, he hit the one shot that he no doubt will think about for the rest of his life if he never wins a major. His short-and-right second shot into thick rough led to a double-bogey, when a par would have won and a bogey would have put him in a playoff. Monty has had one of the world's most well-rounded, and best, games for a long time. But he'll be 44 later in the month, and the clock is ticking on his elusive first major victory. It would be a shame if he never wins one. It could very well be now or never for Colin.

 

Do no be surprised, even a little, 'cause you heard it here first, if . . .

-Steve Stricker wins. There are certain players who always seem to show up in tournaments like the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship. Players who have a solid game and the mindset to compete in those; Payne Stewart, Lee Janzen, Corey Pavin, etc. Players who may not be much of a factor at other majors, but have the formula to fair well in certain venues like the two I mentioned. They hit fairways, hit greens, and make a few putts. In the late '90s, Stricker was becoming one of those, and appeared on the doorstep of the elite players' home. He knocked a few times, but couldn't get in. He finished fifth at the U.S. Open in both '98 and '99, and second in the PGA in '98. Great things were on the horizon. But as we all know, golf is one of the most fickle of sports. He did win the Accenture Match Play title in '01, and finished tenth at the Masters the same year. But then, for whatever reason, he fell on hard times for the next few years. In 2005, he lost his fully-exempt card for the first time since '97 after finishing outside the top 150 on the money list for the third straight year. But in '06, he was back, winning comeback player of the year award. He's back even farther now, and up to 22nd in the world rankings. Look for him to be a major factor this week. And don't be surprised if he's holding the trophy on Sunday.

-K.J. Choi wins. Another player who flies a little under the radar, but always seems to show up in major championships. He's got the game for this layout. And his victory at the Memorial a couple weeks ago, where he came from five shots down at the start of the final round, showed a stalker's mentality that I don't think he knew he had. But he does. And he's mentally strong enough to win this week.

 

Maybe someday, but not just yet

-Aaron Baddeley, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, and Trevor Immelman-I would be surprised if all of these don't win a major by the time they're done. But the U.S. Open is as much of a mental test as it is about talent. Each of these are stellar shotmakers, and players on the rise. They will be a factor in this tournament for years to come. Perhaps as soon as next year. But not quite yet.

 

The Favorites

-Tiger Woods-If I need to expound on this, you've clicked on a golf blog by mistake. And it would be hard for you to explain why you've read this far.

-Phil Mickelson-Perhaps his name should be a question rather than a statement. Yes, I know his wrist injury will be a factor. But it may be a blessing in disguise. He may be forced to swing less than full from the tee with his driver, which may in turn put him in the fairway more often. If that's the case, he would have longer shots to the greens, to be sure. But if he can stay out of the brutal rough, he could very well be in the mix on Sunday afternoon. How ironic would it be that he wins the U.S. Open at the place he first injured the wrist while practicing for this tourney a few weeks ago?

-Jim Furyk-He seems to have the game that fits this course perfectly, for what it's worth. He's won it before, and has all the prerequisites required of an Open champ. A lot of smart money is on him this week, and I can't say I disagree much. As this Open starts, he's about as steady and solid as anyone in the field.

-Vijay Singh-Just about the time people forget about him, he shows us why we shouldn't. Winner of three majors in his career, it doesn't appear that his game has tailed off any, even well into his 40s. He's putting as well as he has in a long time, which could be a very scary thing for the rest of the field.

 

My pick for this year's champion? Sergio Garcia. It seems like he's older than 27, since he's been a factor in majors for quite awhile now. Which has given him invaluable experience. And I think his mental game, which is what ultimately determines almost every U.S. Open winner, has caught up with his ability. He has all the tools to win. Is he ready? Yes, he is. And this could be the start of something big. Really big.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

My apologies for not getting this out sooner, but after my appearance on the show, I have been flooded with phone calls, emails, text messages, telegrams, cards and letters, and smoke signals. But then, I always said I wanted to be like Elvis. (Note to self: Be careful what you wish for.) Between a crash course on the Morse code and answering all of the requests for my appearance on future "round table" discussions, not to mention delusions of grandeur that keep invading my dreams and altering my normal sleep hours, I simply haven't had the time or the energy to sit down and pound on the keyboard. But now that my kids are out of school and can help me plow through both of the requests But now that I've hired an agent to help me wade through it all, I have finally found the time. I even remember to turn the ringers off on my home and cell phones, so as not to be disturbed.

 

First off, let me say that I did catch enough of week two of the http://www.blogtalkradio.com/All_Star_Bloggers_Show to know that Frank handles the show like a pro. Unless he's got me completely fooled, (which isn't all that difficult), it seems like he prepares very well and handles being at the mike like someone who's done it many times.

 

I was anxious, excited, and admittedly a bit nervous as I called in to take my seat on the show. Going in, I had jotted down a few things I wanted to say right off the bat, i.e. mentioning demon's blogsite, which I would then let him expound on, Southern Cindi's situation and how we are all pulling for her, my appreciation to Fox Sports for giving us a forum in the first place, and how professional I thought Frank had been on the show, among other things. Naturally, I forgot all of those once the "On The Air" light lit up.

 

But I had been looking forward to inter-acting with Hoffman and demonicume. I have had many discussions with both of them via the blogsite. And while we didn't agree all the time, the discussions were still healthy. I only hoped that, in previous blog discussions, I had imparted as much insight on both of them as they had imparted on me. And frankly, I was afraid I hadn't, which added to my nervousness. Which would explain why, after the show, I thought of many things I wish I had said or things that I wish had come out differently. Perhaps I wasn't alone among my fellow guests in feeling that way.

 

As the show progressed, I realized a couple things. And I think this is the definition of a paradox, but while I didn't know if I was as well-spoken as either of them, nor was I sure that I had their ability to answer questions on the spur of the moment, I also realized that I could at least somewhat hold my own. Whether I did or not is up to the listeners, but I definitely did loosen up the longer the show went on. Yet there were still those moments when I thought of something to comment on or expound on based on what demon or Hoffman said, and just as quickly forgot it.

 

I appreciated greatly the callers to the show, as they definitely added something. And while my initial reaction would be to pine for a two hour show, I'm sure Frank has heard that request many times. I'm also sure that Frank has a life beyond this show, and that he's already considered the two hour suggestion. As we all know, it's not just strictly his call. So I think we should be thankful for what we've got. And be thankful to Frank for taking the time and the initiative in opening up the forum, as we should be to demonicume for his efforts on http://realsportsbloggers.com/, which have been arduous, to say the least.

 

I would love to do the show again, and maybe someday I'll get the opportunity. Now that I'm a pro at it, (cough) perhaps there will come a day in the near future when the Fox Sports Bloggers who are interested in doing the show have all gotten their chance. I would not feel right stepping in again before that happens. But best of all, I learned a lot while doing the show. At least that's what my kids agent tells me.

Don't forget to tune in this Wednesday at 10:00 P.M. eastern. And speaking of shows, The Dan has a pretty good one, too. His can be heard at http://www.chevradioam.com/ every weekday from 9 A.M to noon eastern.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read. And thanks to all who listened to the All Star Bloggers Show. Thanks again, Frank. 

Well, isn't THIS a kick in the teeth. This blog, that is. The one I didn't think I'd be writing. But unfortunately, I have to. This was the year I was certain that the Phoenix Suns would rise to the top. Claim the NBA title that has avoided them like the plague for so long. And if not for a few untimely and unfortunate circumstances, we aren't having this conversation. Even though the Suns have been one of the league's most successful, and well-run, franchises, the ultimate goal has eluded them. Until this year, I thought. Which is why this one hurts more than ever. I haven't been as pumped up for a game of any sort as I was for game six Friday night.

Sure, we could play the "what if" game all day long. What if Steve Nash hadn't butted heads with Tony Parker late in the first game. What if Bruce Bowen had been suspended for his knee to Nash's groin in game three. Does Robert Horry plant a hard foul on Nash if Bowen's already out? Probably not. What if the league decides to fine Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, but not suspend them? Or suspend Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen as well for venturing onto the court during play early in the same game? Or what if Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni had played his bench more during the season so he could rely on them when needed? Therein lies the biggest what if of them all.

 Phoenix, Arizona has three all-sports radio stations. With virtually every sport imaginable existing in this town, (okay, there aren't a lot of skiing or dogsled races going on), all three have no problem filling their airwaves with pertinent talk by the hosts and callers, year round. But make no mistake, the Suns own this town. Other than the occasional "breakout" season by ASU's Sun Devil football team, and the Diamondbacks World Series run in 2001, the Suns are the king of the Phoenix sports scene. Especially since Frank Kush was unceremoniously dumped as ASU's coach in 1979. Granted, Arizona State has a ton of things going for it right now-baseball, softball, women's basketball, both men's and women's golf, (golf? Did someone say 'golf'? I'm in!) Where was I now? Oh yeah. Back to the Suns.

 The rhetoric over the suspensions following game four has been tossed about to the Nth degree already, so I won't revisit that again, other than to say that for every "a rule is a rule" statement I heard from the league, I can produce multiple examples where a rule is not a rule. But moron that later. (Speaking of morons, anyone heard from David Stern lately? Okay, that was a cheap shot. At least I didn't check him into the scorer's table. Oops, another cheap shot. Horry. Uh, I mean sorry. Uncalled for. Unless you're Horry, of course. Who said that Nash flopped. Sure he did. Which makes about as much sense as thinking it was smart to "foul" the best free-throw shooter on the court with 18 seconds left.)

 This series slipped away from the Suns late in game four. In the fourth quarter, the Suns trailed the big bad Spurs by 11 points, yet somehow found a way to toughen up on D, hit some big shots, and win in San Antonio's building. That should have been the turning point of the series. It was not, unfortunately. Instead, what we heard for the next two days was talk of the impending decision from the league. Lost was the fact that the Suns did something no one expected them to do. Think about it. Late in that game, many thought the series was over, with San Antonio about to go up three games to one. But it wasn't. However, the momentum lost between a great Suns win and the game five tipoff was crucial. Not due to the suspensions, mind you, but due to the simple fact that the Suns played Spurs-type basketball in the Spurs' building at a crucial time, and it was overlooked. The Suns momentum was lost in the non-stop discussions regarding suspensions. The Suns never recovered.

 Which brings us to game five. A game that the Suns should have won. If there's one thing that D'Antoni should have learned in his three-plus seasons running the Suns, it's that depth is a great thing. Two years ago, Joe Johnson broke his face against the Mavericks. Last year, with no Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas, and a hobbling Raja Bell, the Suns lost again in the conference finals. If these events don't point out the value of a good bench, nothing will. Yes coach, you had the horses to win it all this year. Everybody knows that. But apparently your preparation is a little faulty. I'll give you kudos for even getting to the conference finals last year when no one thought you had a snowball's chance in hell. And how you didn't see at that point in time the value of a solid bench is beyond me. I'll take your top eight against anyone else's top eight any day of the week. Problem is, you're allowed twelve. And so are they. Marcus Banks, signed to back up Nash? Seven minutes in the playoffs. Jalen Rose? Nine. Jumaine Jones? Zero. I'm sensing a pattern here. Hopefully you are, too. These three were all off-season acquisitions. And you drafted nobody last year, other than Nate Robinson, who was only done so with the purpose of trading him.

 Personally, I think Marcus Banks could've slowed down Parker a little bit in certain situations. Rose could've provided some experience as game five (and game one, for that matter, with Nash bleeding) wound down. Pat Burke? Now there were some fouls to use on Tim Duncan, who, as we all know, is not a very good free throw shooter. But that would have meant that you would have had to play all of them during the regular season to get something resembling consistency out of them. Something you failed to do, coach.

 To be fair, the last quarter of game four showed me that your team can, in fact, play tough defense when needed. The 20 point rout of the Spurs in game two proved to me that your style can and will succeed in the post-season. Whether it succeeds under you or some subsequent coach remains to be seen. The only knock on you that has not been resolved is your short rotation. If I needed proof when I mentioned it before, I don't think I do anymore. If you had a bench you could count on, whether it's the fact that they haven't played enough or are not capable, either one falls on you. You called the shots. And regardless of which it is, you failed miserably.

 Many names will be bandied about in the off-season scuttlebutt while trades are mentioned, especially since the Suns already have the 24th and 29th picks in the first round, not to mention possibly picking up the Hawks first round pick if it's not a top three-something that will be decided tomorrow, during the lottery drawing. And while the temptation will no doubt be great to move a vital player or two, I think that would be a mistake. Nash and Stoudemire are what I would consider untouchable, as is Shawn Marion. Marion's name will be brought up like it has been the last two years, but dealing him just doesn't work on so many fronts. Add in Leandro Barbosa and Raja Bell, and you have a strong core with which to move forward. Barbosa had a poor series against San Antonio, but it would be ludicrous to move him at this point. Like Stoudemire, he is only 24 with a tremendous upside. But the fact of the matter is that, after factoring in even a couple signed draft picks, the Suns will be 10 to 12 million over the salary cap, if no other moves are made. And since the NBA regulations state that for every dollar over the cap, a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax must be paid to the league. (To improve the quality of officiating, I can only speculate. But, hey, a rule's a rule, right?). Suns owner Robert Sarver has stated that he would not be opposed to paying it if the team is title-worthy. Unfortunately, for the third straight year, a case could be made that we still don't know if they are or not. But the bottom line is that a significant move or two could be made, and such moves should not come as much of a surprise.

 Speaking of Stoudemire, I am aware that he has gotten a lot of flak for leaving the bench area and therefore inviting the decision by the league to suspend him. I understand that. He also played in all 82 games this season after recovering from surgeries on both knees, one a microfracture, and being named All-NBA first team. Like most fans, I don't know a lot about the microfracture procedure, other than it entails drilling holes in the leg bones near the knee and running ligaments through them, while encouraging them to grow and adhere. At any rate, Stoudemire showed a passion for the game this season. He changed his number from 32 to 1, to remind him of his quest to be the best. He got a new contract shortly before last season, and shortly before it was learned that he would need the major surgery. It's hard to say that microfracture surgery could ever be a good thing, but he made it as good as can be expected. While he was in the early recovery stages, and not yet able to do a lot of running and conditioning, he worked on his mid-range jumper and his free throws. And it showed. I don't think anyone could accuse him of playing simply to pick up a paycheck. Yes, he needs to show a little more maturity on the court. But I'll still take him. He's what is referred to as a keeper. Thirty-eight points in the game six loss. Tell me his absence didn't make a difference in game five.

 Looking at the contract situation of various Suns, it appears the following will not be back: Sean Marks. Unrestricted free agent. Played in three games. 'Nuff said. Jumaine Jones. Unrestricted free agent. Played in 18 games. Which matches the number of games he was inactive to close out the season. Probably could have helped more, had he not had an injury in the pre-season and/or been given more of a chance. Jalen Rose. Though many fans wanted to see more of him, (including yours truly), his lack of athleticism and the fact that he is a defensive liability probably sealed his fate.

 On the other hand, it would be easy to say that Kurt Thomas was the Suns' most consistent player in the Spurs series. Granted, he didn't exactly shut down Tim Duncan, but he did allow his teammates to play the other Spurs straight up and stay at home. Until they were instructed by D'Antoni to do otherwise, apparently. And seeing Duncan play several games in a row makes one realize just how great he is in the low post, on both ends of the floor. Even through Thomas' tough defense, Duncan hit on a vast array of shots. (Like I mentioned before kids-using the glass is a wonderful thing). Yet the Suns consistently let the Spurs perimeter shooters beat them.

Rumor has it, Boris Diaw has been given a Bunsen burner by the team as a lovely off-season parting gift, and has been instructed to sit on it. Hopefully it will be enough to light a fire under his ass.

Reportedly, Eric Piatkowski has been told that he will be back next season. Good thing, too. His 2.5 point average in 11 regular season games would be hard to replace. He played a grand total of three minutes in the playoffs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against 37 year old three point shooters having a place on the team, as long as they can forecheck. But I just don't see Piatkowski filling the bill. Unless the coach decides to let him off the bench once in awhile.

 That would leave three roster spots open, provided the Suns make no other moves, which is certainly not a given. Phoenix already has the 24th and 29th picks in the first round of the draft. Based on how the lottery chips fall, they may also have Atlanta's first round pick, thanks to the Joe Johnson/Boris Diaw deal. (Dang, should have gotten the Bunsen burner then). Stay tuned tomorrow for the final word on that. (Much more speculation regarding off-season moves to come, but that's fodder for a later time. In the meantime, can you say "Mike Conley, Jr"?).

 Visiting the "what if" question one final time would bring us to the realization that the Suns very well could have, and perhaps should have, won it all this year. Jerry Colangelo, who put this town on the sports map, saw his tenure with the team come to an end with its loss in game six. The fact that he never realized a championship with the team he helped mold from day one, and later purchased and sold, is a crying shame. And what seemed like such an immediately bright future just a couple seasons ago has now given way to the harsh reality that windows of opportunity seldom stay open very long in this business. Unless you have a Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, or Magic Johnson on your team. And the Suns have gone from the next big thing to just another also-ran. A season which I thought would mirror the 2006 Indianapolis Colts turned into, once again, more like the Buffalo Bills of the early '90s. Except the Bills at least got there. Nash is now 33 years old. Bell is 30. Yes, Stoudemire is still young, as are Barbosa and Diaw. But even Marion just turned 29 a couple weeks ago. Funny how times flies when you're having fun.

 Sunset? Perhaps. And unlike every other one in Arizona, this one may not be pretty.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

There have been more twists in this series than some teams see in a year. Steve Nash gets his nose split wide open late in game one, and I'm sure everyone immediately thought that he may miss significant time in the next game, which of course he did not. Then came the Bruce Bowen leg flail in game two, after which Amare Stoudemire referred to the Spurs as a "dirty team." Stoudemire later said he was specifically referring to Bowen and Manu Ginobili. (Earlier this season, Ginobili gave Bell a forearm shiver that cost Bell a game due to injury, a play I'm sure all the Suns remember.)  If you haven't heard, Robert Horry committed a flagrant foul on Steve Nash late in game 4. Perhaps out of frustration, perhaps with intent. Following the subsequent suspensions of Horry, Stoudemire, and Diaw, Commissioner David Stern and NBA Punishment-Hander-Outer Stu Jackson were fried by every media outlet in the country. (Isn't it just a little ironic that the player who called the Spurs dirty sits out a game as a result of a dirty play by Horry?) The phrases "a rule is a rule," "immediate vicinity," and "gray area" were thrown around more often than Bowen shows up on youtube. A couple of my favorites were, "It's not a matter of fairness, it's a matter of correctness." Huh? Actually Stu, it turned out to be neither. In fact, it wasn't in the "immediate vicinity" of either. Better luck next time.  And "The rule is the rule . . . We intend to apply it consistently." Strike two. (Look for a breaking ball low and away, Stu Mendoza.)  

 

A dangerous precedent was set with the Jackson/Stern decision. What is there to stop a team from sending out it's 12th man to bodycheck with the intent of inciting a reaction from the other team, which would result in a suspension of one or more players? For this, I bring in Alex Trebec. "The answer is:  nothing." I'm sure the league will change the rule after the season. But for now, I'll take "Gray Areas for $500, Alex."

And what does "immediate vicinity" mean, anyway? Stu Jackson-Mendoza, still trying to raise his average above .150, said in a local radio interview that Stoudemire and Diaw were 20 to 25 feet away from their seats. So, had their seats been nearer to the "altercation," would they have been, say, only 10 to 15 feet away? Would that still be in the "immediate vicinity?" Ah, the metric system is a beautiful thing, isn't it Mr. Mendoza? Perhaps we should apply it to your batting average. It may help. Or to your gray area, if you had one. Which we know you don't. You told us over and over. But repeating an ambiguous rule makes neither your decision nor the rule right.

 

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Phoenix. Pronunciation: 'fe-niks   Function: noun

 : a legendary bird which according to one account lived 500 years, burned itself to ashes on a pyre, and rose alive from the ashes to live another period; also : a person or thing likened to the phoenix

Through five games of one of the better series in recent memory, the San Antonio Spurs lead the Phoenix Suns 3-2.  And the better team almost always wins in a seven game series. Which is why I like the Suns chances of winning two straight.  Through the five games, the Suns have outscored the Spurs 497-486. One could be so bold as to say that, save for a Nash-Gash and an unfortunate suspension, this series may be over. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

 

In the '05 playoffs, Joe Johnson took a vicious fall against the Mavericks. He basically broke his face, yet the Suns still prevailed without him, only to fall the Spurs in five games. (Happy in Atlanta, Joe? At least you're the main guy now, aren't you?) Heading into the following season, Amare Stoudemire was thought to be lost for the season after micro-fracture surgery on one knee and a more common surgery to his other knee. Most NBA scribes labeled the Suns a .500 team at best. Mike D'Antoni though, said that his team would still win 50 games and be a force in the playoffs. After winning 54 and losing 28, and Kurt Thomas and Raja Bell to injury, the Suns made it to the western conference finals. (Granted, the seeding was a bit out of whack, which has since been fixed. But you can only play who they tell you to play.) Stoudemire wound up playing in three mid-season games before it was decided that he would be put on the shelf, as his knees were not recovered enough for the rigors of the NBA. And with his removal from the lineup came more predictions of a lost season. Yet the Suns rose again. And I believe they will in this series.  

 

There is one glaring reason why the Suns lost game five to the Spurs last night. Mike D'Antoni has answered the usual questions about his coaching ability.

 

His style can't win a title. Yes, it can. And even the biggest nay-sayers know it, I believe. They may not admit, but they can see it happening.

 

His team doesn't play any defense. Yes, it does. No, they're not the Detroit Pistons, and never will be. But I doubt even the Pistons could have played the defense the Suns did in the fourth quarter of game four. Or in game five, save for the last two minutes when the Suns ran out of gas.  

 

Which brings me to the one criticism that D'Antoni has failed to quell:

 

His bench is too shallow. Yup, it is. No argument there. It would be easy to say that he should have played Pat Burke, Marcus Banks, or, especially, Jalen Rose in game five. And he should've played all three to give his starters more rest, with Stoudemire and Diaw sidelined. But it's hard to play your bench when you don't have confidence in them. And this is where I fault D'Antoni. Yes, he should have played his bench more last night. But I don't know how much it would have helped. The real problem is that he didn't play them on a consistent basis during the season.  And therefore didn't feel comfortable doing it last night.  And that falls squarely on the D'Antoni's shoulders, since he made the personnel decisions in the off-season, as far as anyone can tell, and the playing time decisions during the season.

 

The worst thing about the game four incident is that the enormity of Suns effort in seizing the game from the Spurs was lost, due to all the Horry/Nash rhetoric and ramifications. The Suns shut down the Spurs defensively in the closing minutes and won a game no one thought they would win. Including Robert Horry, apparently.  To think that the Suns can't do it again in San Antonio in game six is a more than a little presumptuous.  And when it goes to a game seven, I'll take the Suns. And since my nerves will be shot, I can guarantee you I'll be leaving the "immediate vicinity" of my couch. Who knows, I'll probably get so excited that I may wind up 20 feet away. Hopefully I won't have to miss game one of the western conference finals because of it. That would give Shooter an advantage.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Hey David Stern, it's not my fault that you still haven't figured out how to schedule your playoff games. It's now 6:45 and the "6:30" Suns/Spurs game still isn't on. If this Nets/Cavs game goes to overtime, I'll be forced to go change my oil, which I've been successful putting off up to this point. Then I'll REALLY be pissed!

 

Okay, 6:55 now and still no Suns/Spurs. Where's my funnel and that oil filter I bought last month?

 

7:00 now, the Cavs/Nets game just ended and, after a couple commercials, I see that I missed three and a half minutes of the Suns/Spurs game. Sorry, your "fashionably late" b.s. isn't working for me. You should take a page from the NFL, the most successful sports league around. They start their games on time. Yes, even the playoff games. (Well, except for the concert and concurrent 45 minute halftime show during the Super Bowl. Okay, forget what I said).

 

 

Coming into this game, some observations I've noticed:

-Kurt Thomas has indeed played Tim Duncan pretty tough. Duncan has hit a lot of very tough shots, which is what makes him Tim Duncan. (Memo to young players-the backboard can be your friend. Learn to use it). I'd like to see the Suns continue to play Duncan straight up with Thomas instead of doubling him.

 

-Contrary to popular belief, the Suns defense has played pretty well. The Spurs have shot just 43% through three games.

-The Suns free throw percentage has been a little off. One of the best FT shooting teams in the regular season(80.8), and in last year's playoffs as well (83.1), they are shooting just 76.8% in this series. That's enough to make a difference.

-As for all the back-and-forth bickering about the officiating, I look at it this way: I think the officials call a lot of stuff based on a team or player's reputation, whether they intend to or not. The Spurs have the reputation of a tough defensive team, and therefore are going to get more calls in a physical game. The Suns have never had that reputation, and therefore are not going to get a lot of calls when they are physical, simply because it seems out of the ordinary for them. Much like a big man carrying the ball vs. a point guard doing it. Almost all point guards do it at one time or another, and it's almost never called. When a center does it, it looks so out of the ordinary that a red flag goes up and the officials will call it almost every time.
The fact of the matter, though, is that the team that feels like it's not getting the calls has a much better chance of getting some in the future if they play through it. We could go back and forth about which team whines more, but the fact of the matter is that both teams are doing it too much.

-I still haven't figured out why D'Antoni hasn't used his bench more, something I've been saying all season. Jalen Rose, for example, has the veteran post-season experience that would no doubt help the Suns. With James Jones having been replaced in the starting line-up by Thomas after game one, Rose would seem to me a natural for grabbing Jones' minutes. I'm not giving up on Jones yet, but this is about the here and now, and Rose should be playing. Don't laugh, but the Suns also have a sharp shooter, Eric Piatkowski, sitting on their bench. Like Brent Barry and Robert Horry for the Spurs, Piatkowski offers little more than a long-range presence, which may be effective at times. Unfortunately, he hasn't been used much at all this season, so who knows how accurate his shot would be. But I would have tried him against Barry or Horry early in the series to get a feel. Okay, enough about that. Let's get on with it.

 

At 3:08 of the first, (which is one of the first plays I saw in the game-thanks, Mr. Stern, you turd), Ginobili hits an open three. Stay on your man, Suns. Shortly after, Marion goes into the crowd trying to retrieve a loose ball, and has to jump over the cameramen. He landed at the feet of Suns' owner Robert Sarver. The incident reminded me of the Dennis Rodman incident many years ago, when he fell into the cameramen and kicked one of them on the way back to the court. And Rodman was either fined or suspended for it-maybe both, I don't remember. Far be it for me to ever defend Rodman's actions, but I remember getting into it with a lot of my friends at the time, because I felt that cameramen had no business being that close to the field of play. What would happen if a player falls or trips over one of them and tears up a knee or breaks a leg?

Anyway, Michael Finley, who was drafted by the Suns, hits a long jumper. Hey Suns, stay on your man! With 7:27 to go in the second, Duncan is called for a foul on Nash, which was not a good call. Perhaps it was a makeup call for Duncan shuffling both his pivot feet immediately prior to scoring on the other end. Just a thought.

With Duncan out at 2:17, Barry hits a three. Again, why are you leaving three point shooters open? Who are you doubling, Oberto? Wake the hell up.

 

Spurs lead 45-40 at halftime. One thing I've noticed-Nash is playing well for the most part, but he is committing too many turnovers. It's costing the Suns to this point. Great intensity through the first half, though. I wish all NBA games were like this. Though after listening to the last few minutes of the first half on radio, I wonder why the TV broadcast doesn't produce the same crowd volume. Also, it would be easy to say that the score indicates a Spurs scoring pace, but the first three games disproved that theory, so it means little at this point. And as I suspected, the officiating hasn't been an issue so far in the game. As much as we all complain about it, it seldom seems to last more than one game at a time. (Which is no excuse, Stern. It still needs to be fixed. Kind of like your scheduling).

Stoudemire converts a three point play late in the third. That's crucial. Suns need to get some momentum. And with five seconds left in the quarter, Barbosa dribbles right into traffic and doesn't get a shot off. Come on, Leandro. Use your head. Third quarter ends with an 80-72 Spurs lead, which I believe was the same score after three quarters in game three.

With 8:57 left in the fourth, there's a TV timeout, which occurs at the first whistle under nine, six, and three minutes of each quarter. Don't ask me why. Just think advertising. And the Suns have the "deer in the headlights" look. Not looking good for the Suns, as they trail by nine. But coming out of the TV timeout, Marion hits a three. This is a key point, no, a HUGE point in the game-perhaps even a watershed moment, as Steve Kerr suggested-for the Suns.

 

At 6:54 of the fourth, Ginobili goes down like he's been shot. But then he did run into Stoudemire, who had position. I can honestly say I've just seen the first really bad call of the game. Not to worry, though. Our eyes are on the prize.

 

At 5:10, Finley hits an open jumper. STAY ON YOUR F*****G MAN!! And Nash is still turning it over too much. It's costly. As I hear the stats on three pointers made, I can't help but think that the Suns haven't had as many open looks as the Spurs. Probably because they are not staying at home defensively.

 

Shawn Marion is having a huge fourth quarter, both defensively and on the boards. (Okay, we all know the Suns don't play any defense. You got me there). And as Sebastian said in "The Little Mermaid", my nerves are shot! But the Suns are not quite dead yet . . .

 

Marion gets another huge rebound, and the Suns are doubling Duncan just enough on the other end. It's working out nicely. Could it be?

Holy cow. With 32 seconds left, the Suns have a three point lead. NOW HEAR THIS: STAY AT HOME ON DEFENSE!! Which they did. And even with Nash missing two of four free throws in the last minute, the Suns win. (I'd trade Nash for a high-quality folding chair, since he can't hit his free throws). Suns win in a way that no one saw coming. Well, almost no one. 

 

Oh, did I mention that Steve Nash went a little overboard with Robert Horry late in the game? Yup, trust me. I saw it. Horry was just minding his own business, running over to defend Nash, and BAM! Nash suddenly tried to bite him in the elbow. Totally uncalled for. Oh sure, Nash flopped into the scorer's table like a Ginobili out of water, but he didn't fool me. No sir. I wasn't born yesterday.

 

As for the possible repercussions mentioned for Stoudemire and Diaw for coming off the bench, I would offer this: Earlier this season, after a game vs. Toronto, Raja Bell was suspended for one game because, in the league's opinion, he "intended" to knee an opposing player, though no contact was actually made. However, in game three, Bowen actually DID make contact with Nash's groin area, and was not suspended. I guess the league decided that Bowen did not actually "intend" for his knee to come in contact with Nash. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture? And when did raising one's knee in the direction of your opponents groin become a "natural basketball move"?

 

Okay, I'll move on. If Horry's move tonight results in a suspension for any Suns player, does that mean the age of the enforcer is back? You know, like back in the '70s when a player would get a little overly physical with an opponents star in hopes of getting the star, or other teammates, out of the game, or a subsequent game? I guess we'll see.

Before I go, let me leave you with this. Lyrikell, SoAmazin, and Mr. Popovich, with your "hard-nosed defense," you're all done. Bbing, jaysisko and all you other Suns nay-sayers; done too. You all have exactly four days to get your shots in. Because after Friday's game six, you'll have to wait 'til next year. Like I've been saying all along, the teams would split the first two in Phoenix and the second two in San Antonio, and the Suns would win in six. Ciao. You see, it's all about mental toughness.

And thanks for taking the time to read.