Beantown is still trying to recover from the shock that was the NBA draft lottery, sponsored by the Pacific Northwest.  Each time the NBA's most historically significant team looks as if it cannot get any worse, the four-leaf clover finds yet another way to yield bad luck.  The death of Reggie Lewis, the injury plagued end of Larry, McHale, and the Chief, the selling of the proverbial soul for Pitino, trading Chauncey Billips, and the loss of the Oden/Durant sweepstakes are all events that any franchise would struggle to over come.  Adding them all up, the sum is utter NBA disaster and disarray.  Then 30+ year old NBA fans things back to his/her childhood and views the present state of the Celtics as "unfathomable".  How could the 16 time World Champs have possibly fallen this far?  How could the karma have changed so suddenly and so violently?  The end of every dynasty has a dramatic event, a turning point, a singular event that may seem innocent at the time, but proves to be the undoing of the seemingly immovable object.  Enter Len Bias.

Just eleven days prior to the untimely and tragic death of Maryland legend Len Bias, the Celtics had won their 16th NBA Championship, far and away the most in NBA history at that time.  The Celtics happend upon the #2 pick in the upcoming draft in a trade that sent Gerald Henderson to Seattle.  This was truly "the best of times" for a franchise that had seen better times than any team in league history.  Bird, McHale, and Parrish were in their respective primes, Jabbar was nearing the end in Los Angeles, and Celtics were primed to get a player who could work into the rotation slowly and take over for Bird when he decided to pass the torch. 

The draft featured two "sure-fire" NBA stars.  The first was the 7'0" center from North Carolina, Brad Daugherty, while the second was a tremendously gifted 6'8 swingman from Maryland, Len Bias (if this begins to sound eerily familiar. . .).  Cleveland, with the first pick, did what any team would do, taking the safer pick in the center.  This left Boston with the player that some publications at the time called the best forward prospect of all time.  The Celtics were set. . .so they thought.

The newly selected Bias celebrated his fame and fortune with his friends.  An evening of crack-cocaine later, Bias is no longer with us, and the wheels of age, injuries, and other unexplainable turns of misfortune lead the Celtics to, what Dickens' calls, the "worst of times". 

Outside of the drafting of Paul Pierce, and the historic comeback win in game 3 of the 2002 playoffs vs. the Nets, it's hard to find anything good that has happened for Red's bunch.  Nothing remains of the Celtic dynasty.  Red, the Garden, and Hall of Fame rosters seem closer to the Devil Rays future.  The Celtics have even watched the Miami Heat, who didn't exist at the time of their last title, and the Red Sox. . .THE RED SOX win world championships since.  Oh how the mighty have fallen.

As the last few days and weeks have rolled by in the world of sports, I have made two observations.  The first is that some of the most amazing things have been happening.  Things that a true sports fan lives to see.  We've had fantastic finishes, great team and player stories, as well as historically significant individual efforts.  There has also been things that have dominated headlines that are nowhere near "newsworthy".  The crime in this is that many fans' attentions are being diverted to this garbage, and missing these wonderful events in sports. 

As a teacher, I always assume that when people behave inappropriately it's because they don't know what the appropriate action is.  Therefore you, the fan, will no longer need to miss the unmissable.  I, XEA76, will help you navigate your way through the trash and find the treasure.

Worthy:  Derek Fisher

This guy flies 2/3 of the way across the U.S. to pray for his potentially dying child, support the mother of his child, and be there when a man needs to be there most.  When he knows all is safe, he flies back to Utah, suits up, and inspires his team to a huge OT win. 

Not Worthy:  Racially biased NBA officiating

You have to ask what the agenda is of any organization that would even support such a study.  Anyone who actually saw the raw numbers knows that the illedged discrepency of calls of officials to players of another race were not statiscally significant.  Translated, this is why all polls have a "margin of error".  The statistics were not so skewed that there appeared to be a problem, but there was a SLIGHT descrepency.  If you really want to help the racism problem, don't make it the issue everytime people that don't look the same are in the same room.

Worthy:  Barry Bonds

I started this blog over a year ago because of this man.  Barry is a jerk.  Barry MAY be a cheater (probably).  Having said that, Barry is the greatest baseball player I've ever seen, BAR NONE!  Baseball fans live their whole lives wanting to see records broken.  He's already broken the big one.  Now he's going for the #2 record in all of baseball, the all-time HR mark.  Don't miss this because of a stupid grudge.  This is what you want to tell your kids about.  If you ignore him, you make him a mystery to the next generation. Educate yourself about him.  Teach the kids why he's so good.  Explain why cheating is bad.  However, do not miss one of the most amazing feats by one of the five greatest baseball players of all time.

Not Worthy:  Curt Schilling

Speaking his name in public is difficult to do.  This is a guy who gives the media the quotes they want, so he gets a pass on being an idiot.  He is not a Hall of Fame player.  That's right, being an outspoken member of the 2004 Red Sox doesn't make you one.  Sorry Kevin Millar.  I'm not sure any person in sports is less socially significant while being oblivious to that fact at the same time.  He thinks he's important.  He speaks for political candidates.  He's a social commentator.  And frankly, all the Beanbrains want him to do is get people out.  That's right Curt.  If you make the country less dependent on oil and have an ERA over 5.00, then Boston will hate you.  I promise.

Worthy:  Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Jr. is leaving the company his father founded.  NASCAR's biggest star with it's biggest sponsor is officially a free agent (at the end of the year).  This event really has no other worthy comparison.  There is no other athlete more popular, in his prime, and about to be persued by about 15 Nextel Cup teams, the idea of starting his own team, or even other racing outfits like the IRL or Formula One.  Junior is the biggest free agent in the history of American sports. 

Not Worthy:  Car of Tomorrow

NASCAR made it.  NASCAR uses it now.  NASCAR wants it full time in 2008.  That settles it.  Shut up and drive it.

Worthy:  Tiger Woods

Tiger is on another dominating run.  He's winning almost every tournament he signs up for.  He's back to his dominating form with his 15th different swing.  He got to the point in 2000 when he decided to compare himself to himself, and not to the other players.  Now he's back to being so far ahead of the field it's almost laughable.

Not Worthy:  Mike Vick

He's the biggest bust since Ryan Leaf.  He's a punk who's popularity so far supercedes his accomplishments that it's obsurd.  He's a great athlete who can't play QB.  He's a spoiled brat who has robbed me of the 60 seconds of my life that it took to write this blurb.  I'm out!

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)

As a Yankee fan, I've had the priviledge of watching Mariano Rivera more than most people.  I remember him struggling as a young starter in 1995.  While setting up John Wetteland, he anchored a bullpen that allowed me to experience my first Yankee championship as a freshman in college in 1996.  Since becoming the closer in 1997, he's been on the mound in both my most charished and painful Yankee memories.  He's given up big hits to people like Sandy Alomar Jr., David Ortiz, and Luis Gonzalez to name a few. 

 Mo has also shut down these same men, along with literally hundreds of others in the same time period.  Mariano Rivera runs a close second to Derek Jeter as my favorite Yankee.  Metallica's "Enter Sandman" give me goose-bumps everytime I hear it both at the Stadium and in my car.  Mo is my guy!

It now pains me to publically admit what I've felt has been coming for two seasons now.  Mariano is coming to the end. 

The most remarkable thing about Rivera's career, in my opinion, is that he has had all of this success while basically using one pitch, the cutter.  When he first came into the league, Yankee fans remember, his style was to "stair-step" the four-seam fastball.  Strike one was at the knees.  Strike two was at the belt.  Strike three was a swing and miss at a letter high fastball.  It was about 1998 when the cutter came the pitch du jour, and the rest is history.  Now, sadly, Rivera may be as well.

When a pitcher throws one pitch, usually he's bagging groceries at the A&P.  However, Rivera was nasty enough to make it happen.  Now, the velocity is waning.  The desire to prove something is gone.  As the Barenaked Ladies sang, "It's all been done". 

Now the Yankees have done what they have refused to do in the Steinbrenner era.  They've held on too long to a player because of his past accomplishments.  Rivera hasn't yet had a season that doesn't meet his standards.  This may be the first, and because of that, it may be his last.  What a sad thing to say.

It is being reported that former and now current Creighton basketball coach Dana Altman has taken his old job back.  This, of course, makes Altman to Arkansas what Belichick is to the Jets,  a former coach that never actually "coached" his former team.  There is certainly a major problem right now in the Arkansas athletic department.  They seem to be unable to keep big name coaches and players intrigued enough to stay with the program.  Despite many rumors and speculation as to why this seems to be the case, the real problem is a lack of reality by the athletic department.

The University believes that it should be a top 10 football and basketball program each and every year.  These are great goals, but when they become and expectation, they become a hinderance to a program that is farther away from Corey Beck and Corliss Williamson than it realizes.  Arkansas reportedly offered the basketball position to coaches like:  Bill Self, John Calipari, Billy Gillespie, Tim Floyd, and Tom Crean before agreeing with Altman (source: ESPN.com).  These are all relatively established coaches at programs that are currently as strong, if not significantly stronger than Arkansas right now.  Why should they take the Arkansas job?  Obviously, these men couldn't find a reason either, so Arkansas is still and again coachless. 

Arkansas needs to "get real".  They need a young, energetic coach that can take a team that is ready to win to the second weekend of the tournament.  Arkansas needs to take a chance of a "small-name".  The Hogs should look no further than their hated rivals in Austin.  The new Arkansas head coach should be Russ Springman, assistant coach of the Texas Longhorns.

Springman has been working with Rick Barnes for nine years as an assitant coach.  He also worked with Billy Donovan at Florida for two seasons as a strength coach.  Springman has been exposed to two extremely successful systems of both recruiting and on-court production.  Kevin Durant keeps raving about Springman, and the role Russ has played in his personal success.  Springman has the exposure to big-time games and players to lead a program in the right direction.  On the down side, Springman has never been a Division I head basketball coach, but Arkansas is ready to win now.  This is the time to take a chance, and build a program behind someone the players can believe in.  Arkansas is hungry to recapture past glory.  Springman is hungry to prove himself worthy to be considered among his mentors as a great head coach.  This is the move the could lead both man and program to where they want to go.

(source: TexasSports.com)