NHL, NBA and MLB RANT

Sigh!!! I can finally let down my hair.......lol......and relax a little. School is finally over for the summer. Now I can re-focus on blogging on here more often. Simmer down now, don't get over excited. Still won't be a every day thing though. Eventually, thevicariousathlete.com will be launched as a website that "actually" covers every major sport; before December of this year. Stay tuned!

Here are a few random thoughts and opinions on the most recent sports happenings:

NHL

• Hey Burns....look, it's hockey talk on thevicariousathlete...lol
• Since I hardly ever blog on hockey, (a trend that will be changing from now on)I will drop a few quick facts about my hockey favs.
  
• Favorite team: Ottawa Senators
• Favorite player: Jerome Iginla (his last name means "big tree". Really, it does!!) Dude is built like one.
• Team I hate with a passion (I know...hate is a strong word and I chose it because there's strength behind the feeling) Toronto Maple Leafs. I hope they don't sniff the playoffs for the next 75 years. I Mean that!!
• Should John Tavares really be the number one overall pick in the NHL draft on Friday? Some experts are saying that Victor Hedman might just be a little bit better than Tavares. This is exactly how people make mistakes like this in the draft. Tavares is going to be a stat stuffing machine in the league. Hedman will be a good player but in no way will he be what Sidney Crosby is to Alex Ovechkin.
• Shut up Dany Heatley. We don't want you anyway.
• Actually we do but good riddance if you don't want to play for us. You are a 50 goal scorer but also softer than goose feathered pillows.
• Hey Brian Murray, I know I'm not privy to what's going on in your draft war room but I really hope you trade this douche. How about Heatley to the Islanders for the first pick. Throw in a couple of prospects if you have to.
• Ovechkin is exactly what the NHL needs. A great offensive player with a lot of charisma and flare. I hope the old puck heads out there would just loosen their grip on the way the game is managed and marketed. It's a strange thing to me when the league and a bunch of old school hockey beat writers frowned on Ovechkins when he made the "burning hockey stick" celebration. C'mon now.....if you allow players to fight then why in the world would you be unhappy about a little celebration after a spectacular goal. If I hear that it's frowned upon because of the message it sends to kids, then I will throw fish heads on the ice at a Maple Leafs game. (Heck, I'd do it for no reason anyway..ah ah).
• The entire Pittsburgh Penguins team should all go clubbing and then get on the stage while simultaneously singing/rapping: "hey Hossa, tell us how our ass taste".
• Joe Thornton belongs on the the Montreal Canadiens.....ooh ooh, here's an even better one. The Sens should trade Heatley and two prospects for Thornton.
• Bold and shameless statement/prediction: Senators will win the Stanley cup next season and the Maple Leafs will win only nine games. :-)
  

NBA

• It's a little bit late to rant on this but it still bothers me a little. Hey LeBron, I know you are mad that you lost to the Orlando Magic but walking off the court at the end of a tough series loss without shaking hands. This does not show that you are a tenacious and competitive athlete, rather, it shows that you have a "sore-loser" bone in you.
• A big congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers on winning their fifteenth NBA championship. Kobe Bryant wins his fourth overall and in my mind cements himself as a first or second ballot hall of famer. Definitely first if he wins a couple more.
• Shaq is now a Cavalier. First thing that crossed my mind was what the "Big Aristotle" will call himself this time. He tends to give himself a new nick-name every time he changes teams. The "Big Cactus" only lasted a season and a half in Phoenix and did not bring the championship promise he made when he was introduced to the Phoenix faithful----ironically, the introduction was at a home game versus LeBron James and the Cavs. Shaq will get to start the 09/10 season on the Cavs roster, as King James biggest supporter. I can't wait till he starts sucking up to LeBron and in turn calls LBJ the best player in the league. Luckily, he won't be way off on that statement.
• LeBron James actually really wanted Shaq. I think this almost makes them an automatic selection to make it to the NBA Finals next year.
• I predict that some reporter will ask Shaq which of his three superstar wing men is the best! Kobe. DWade or LeBron. Common sense would dictate that Shaq should say something like "they are all great players in different ways"--but since Shaq loves attention and does not shy away from things like this, he will probably say something that's equivalent to planting his lips on King James buttocks.
  
• The Spurs are now my pick to face the Lakers in next years Western Conference playoffs. Tim Duncan should be healthy and so should Manu Ginobili. The addition of Richard Jefferson makes them a much potent offensive team without really giving up on their defensive philosophy. Bruce Bowen is not the same lock down defender he was a few seasons ago which makes him a liability for the Spurs. Interesting thing here is that the Milwaukee Bucks might actually buy Bowen out of his contract, thus paving the way for him to potentially return to the Spurs before the season starts.
• I really, really, really want the Raptors to draft DeMar DeRozan!!!!
• I really, really want the Raptors to draft Jonny Flynn!!!
• I really want the Raptors to draft Gerald Henderson!!
• Chris Bosh said last month that he will not sign a contract extension this summer. So far, he has been doing a lot of Toronto based community activities that makes me feel optimistic that he loves the city and will eventually sign with the Raps in 2010. Deep down though, the optimist in me is bowing down to the realist in me. TRADE BOSH NOW!! Offer him, Joey Graham and cash to the Clippers for the first overall pick. Draft Blake Griffin and use the nineth pick to select one of the three "I really want" guys above.
• I love Bosh but like all athletes and the GM's say: "It's a business"
  
• I just took a quick break from writing and scanned a few websites. Hoopshype.com is stating that the Lakers have traded their 29th pick to the Knicks for three million dollars. First thing that came to my mind: Why can't the Raptors do something like that to get a second round draft pick. I know we can spare a mil' somehow to get a another pick in this draft. C'mon Colangelo!!!
• I was just about to finish this segment when my boy Albs pinned me on my Blackberry. Vince Carter has just been traded to the Orlando Magic for Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie.
• I doubt that the Magic will have enough money to go after Hedo Turkoglu now. It would be nice if the Raps go after him.
  
• Seems like the Magic will be playing the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals next year.
  

MLB

• I am officially going to "write" out loud something that I have known to be true but was hoping was not. Barry Bonds is a cheat just like the rest of the silly saps that are destroying the beautiful game of baseball.
• Alex Rodgriguez admits to taking performance enhancing drugs. Sammy Sosa can't pretend that " I canot speekey no igwish" now that there is proof that he took banned performance enhancing drugs. The facts will be speaking for him now!!
• I wonder what Mark McGwire is thinking right now?
  
• Hey Blue Jays fans, it's time we start being a little cocky about our team. We have a good squad--short of a few pitching woes but altogether good enough to make the post season.
• Hey Blue Jays fans, we need to stop booing players that are going through slumps. An 0 for 18 slump is like having three bad games. It happens!! Who do we thing we are, the Yankee fans? We are not and we should rejoice in that. Yankee fans will boo a player that goes 4 for 21. Also....Yankee fans smell....and Boston fans too!!!
  
• Hey Blue Jays fans, simply because an athlete signs $125 million does not mean that he can't go through slumps. It does not mean that being booed does not hurt him. It does not mean that he simply doesn't care anymore since signing the mega deal. Here's my theory on "most" athletes that sign big deals and then their on field/court/ice performance starts to dip. I think the money actually makes them want to do more. This can result in the athlete over-analyzing simple things in their game.
• The previous two points were inspired by Vernon Wells.......just in case you were wondering.
• Hey Vernon Wells, you do know that you have been a sub-par player in comparison to your pre-mega-contract-self. Buckle up and start balling.........baseballing, that is.
  
• Almost forgot about Manny Ramirez. How could I? LMAO........Female fertility drug-HCG?!?!?

Man, I love sports!!!

ps. R.I.P Farrah Fawcett 1947-2009 and R.I.P Michael Jackson 1958-2009

Sportaculary yours,


The Vicarious Ahtlete

NBA Finals Prediction/The Kobe-LeBron Debate.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah and THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS WIN THE NBA FINALS OVER THE ORLANDO MAGIC, 4-2!!!


My record so far in this pundit-prediction business is woeful. So, if you are one of the very, very few individuals that actually take my prediction seriously, then I caution you to take what you are about to read with more than a grain of salt........a spoonful will suffice.

Before I go on with my rant on Kobe and LeBron, I would like to congratulate the Orlando Magic for proving everybody wrong. I can safely say that no one picked the Magic to beat LeBron James and the Cavs. In retrospect, I should have seen it coming though. After all, Orlando is the only team in the playoffs this year that provided a plethora of mismatches against their competition. Imagine being a head coach and having to devise a defense that would work against Hedo Turkoglu. Hedo can play the point, beat almost anyone off the dribble and then take your puny point guard to the post to get schooled. Now imagine the headache of stopping Rashard Lewis; a 6'10 small forward/power forward that shoots the ball like a shooting guard. Throw in the role players: Mickael Pietrus, Courtney Lee, J.J Redick and Anthony Johnson. There you have it; the guys that proved the basketball world wrong. The guys that served the basketball deficiencies of King James on a platter, and displayed it for everyone to see.

New paragraph for this one.....

Yes, you heard me correctly!!! LeBron James has deficiencies in his game. Not a lot but enough. I have discussed and argued with a good number of people over this topic and so far it seems like there are waaaaay more people out there that think LBJ is hands down the best player in the game right now. I say that Kobe Bryant is still best in the game. I would like to thank Mickael Pietrus and the Orlando Magic coaching staff for helping me to prove my point. The coaching staff came up with a game plan and Pietrus carried it out to the last letter of the plan. They allowed James to get his buckets in transition (I can't really say "allowed" because LBJ can not be stopped in transition) but Pietrus did a phenomenal job in keeping James in front of him in the half court setting and forced him to take jump shots or pass. King James shooting touch has definitely improved from last year but it's not quite consistent or clutch enough (please don't even bother bringing up the game winning shot in game two of the series. I made the "not clutch enough" statement in spite of what he did). LeBron has yet to fully develop his dribbling skills. This is the deficiency that I am noting here. LeBron can dribble but he can't DRIBBLE!!! He can obviously dribble the ball but he does not have the crafty ball handles that Kobe Bryant possesses.

I will not win this battle of opinions with regards to pointing out "certain" things about LeBron James. Nor will I win when it comes to stating that in comparison to Kobe Bryant, LeBron James set of skills simply does not....compare. One reason I can't win on this matter is that people will start getting emotional about it and accuse me of "hating" the guy. Please allow me to quell this notion. LeBron James is one of my favorite players in the league but unlike most people, I can constructively criticize someone I really like. Statements like "LeBron is way better than Kobe" is a statement made with biases and emotions. It is obviously not accurate but I have come across and heard many statements like this since the playoffs began. I will repeat something I have said on numerous occasions about how people react to someone or something that seems so dominant....or imposing! People put sub-conscious blinders on and fail to see the imperfections. The "new" seems way better than the "old".....even if the "old" is just as good or better. The term "great" is tossed around too loosely nowadays.

It's time to state the obvious!!

LeBron James is absolutely sick to watch. He moves very fast for his size. His skill set to size ratio is something to marvel at. At this point in his career, compared to some of the greats at this junction in their careers; LeBron as already surpassed them statistically. LeBron just might go down in history as the greatest player to ever lace up a pair of high tops.

I said high tops!!! Kobe wears his "low". I am talking 'bout sneakers ya'll.

I am trying to be clever here. Does anyone get it? Greatest player to ever lace up a pair of high tops but Kobe wears his sneakers low!!!!! I hope you get my point here.

If Kobe and the Lakers win this years championship and he manages to tie or pass Michael Jordan in the ring department in the next few years. Then absolutely nothing that LeBron James does (short of winning just as much "bling" or more ) will make me think that he is better than Kobe. Their are players that had better career numbers than Jordan but didn't win a championship. Those players are considered great but not great than Jordan. On that note, I'll end with this to all the "LeBron is better than Kobe" fan club members. Kobe has three rings (yes, he won it with Shaq but tell me if any great player has ever won it all by themselves). LeBron needs to win one before I will entertain anymore of this "who is better than who" talk.

Here's something for you guys to think about when comes to greatness:

"Great numbers can make a player great, but winning a championship makes a great player greater than....."

Lekan Afolabi

Sportacularly yours,

The Vicarious Athlete

'09 NBA Playoffs: Lebron James vs. Dwight Howard

NASA must be like a proud but yet conflicted father right now! Two of their most human-like robots will be going head to head tonight in the Eastern Conference Finals, for the NBA Playoffs. I am sure they will be watching with keen interest from the command center.

Alright...enough of the silly attempt at a joke. I think I'm the only one that gets a giggle out of calling Lebron James and Dwight Howard, NASA designed robots. Although, these two super-athletes will not actually be guarding each another; it would really please me, and any sports fan out there to see anyone of these scenarios:

• Lebron attempting a ferocious dunk on Howard
• Dwight Howard blocking Lebron on a massive dunk attempt
• Lebron absolutely obliterating Howard on a dunk
• Howard returning the favor with a two-handed dunk on Lebron's dome

Take a look at the first picture from my last post and you will notice that it is absolutely possible to sit on Howard's face with a nasty dunk. It would be a lot more exciting if it were King James in that picture instead of Kobe. I am not taking anything away from the sick dunk by Kobe but.......a robot dunking on another robot...................................okay okay, I'm really going to stop about this now.

On to the analysis/prediction:

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
1.Cleveland vs 3. Orlando
It is simply human nature to put extra emphasis on current events. It is also human nature to put blinders on when observing something or someone that is absolutely dominant. This err of the way we think dilutes our judgment and and skews our reasoning.

Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been very dominant during the season and they have been even more dominant during the playoffs. The effect that this is having on most fans and pundits is the feeling that the Cavs will be playing either the Nuggets or Lakers in the NBA Finals. Although the Orlando Magic struggles against the Celtics, this does not mean that the Cavs will sweep them like they did their first two series. Here are three reasons why this will not be a sweep for the Cavs:

1. Dwight Howard: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao and Ben Wallace will be given the unenviable task of trying to contain Howard. Big Z is not athletic enough and might just end up being dunked on at least twice a game during this series. "Mop-head" Varejao is a very crafty defender. He is not physical enough to keep up but I can count on him flopping a few times to try and get Howard in foul trouble. Big Ben!! I have a theory about Ben Wallace. This a a tad bit controversial, so please take this with a grain of salt. I think Wallace was taking performance enhancing drugs when he was with the Pistons. My theory goes further that the league must have discovered this and told him to stop without revealing it to the media. Hence the rapid drop in athletic ability that now has him playing like a shell of his former self. I will reiterate this; this is 100% my opinion and not anything based on hear-say or facts. Wallace will be useless in guarding Howard. Well, not entirely. He will be put in the game to intentionally foul Howard to force him to make his free throws.
   
2. Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkolgu, Courtney Lee and J.J Redick. These players are match up problems unlike the cast of players that the Hawks and Heat have. Atlanta and Miami have players that are athletic but can not spread the floor with good shooting. This allowed the Cavaliers to double team and provide weak side help successfully without the fear of being burned by a plethora of good shooters. With Turkoglu often playing the point and Howard requiring double teams; the Magic will have a lot of ample opportunities to take and make open three point shots. The Cavs coaching staff will have to devise a defensive strategy to slow Howard and his group of talented shooters.
3. Home court! It's a forgone conclusion that the Cavs will win their games at home. Home court in my reason why this won't be a sweep is about the Magic at home. Orlando will at least win one game at home. The Magic have only lost twice at home in this playoffs....by a total of three points.

Now that I have established that this series will not require any fan to bring a broom to a game; nor will there be a need to use the word sweep after game three in Orlando. I must now attempt to determine who will win this series.

"The Orlando Magic are going to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers" said Charles Barkley

Sir Charles made this comment right after the Orlando Magic handily beat the Celtics in game seven on Monday. Referring back to my point that we at times make statements that are influenced by the most current events. We temporarily forget the value or impact of something that happened in the recent or distant past. I think the dominant fashion in which the Magic beat the Celtics in that game made Barkley feel that victory was imminent for Orlando.

I would have agreed with him if Lebron James were 6'5 instead of 6'8. I would have agreed with Chuck if King James were 225lbs instead of 260lbs. I would have agreed with him if this was last years version of Lebron that could not shoot well from the field, instead of this years version that is proving that jump shots from fifteen to twenty nine feet (yes, twenty nine! Dude hits shots from one or two steps from mid-court) are like layups to him.

Finally, I would have agreed with Charles Barkley if Lebron James did not give me this feeling that he wants it (championship) a little bit more than Dwight Howard. I have watched every Cavs game and I have noticed a pattern with James. Whenever a team goes on a run against the Cavs; Lebron simply puts his head down and becomes aggressive. He drives to the hoop and gets a result. A basket, a foul or both. Point here is that momentum stops for the opposing team.

My prediction: Cleveland wins series 4-2

Sportacularly yours,

The Vicarious Athlete

'09 NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Finals Analysis/Predictions

It is really nice to see that the Orlando Magic finally played up to their skill level for a full forty eight minutes last night in game seven against the Boston Celtics.
Why did I pick the Celtics to win the series? Well, the one and only reason is not because I thought the C's were a better team without Kevin Garnett to beat the Magic but rather because Orlando is much like the Los Angeles Lakers in the sense that they both have a Jekyl and Hyde complex to their overall team personality. Both are very good teams that are stacked and should be putting other teams like the Celtics (sans KG) and Rockets (sans Yao Ming) away relatively easy. But for some reason they (Magic and Lakers) have been displaying a tendency to play horribly at times.

I find it utterly amazing that the four remaining teams in this years playoffs can be paired up in twos when it comes to their playing personalities. I have already alluded to the fact that Lakers and Magic are similar with their off and on play. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets are quite the opposite of them. Cleveland and Denver have relatively played at a consistent level so far. The Cavs swept the Atlanta Hawks (their second sweep in a row), while the Nuggets disposed of the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Both teams have been able to impose their will on their opponents and have won most of their games by double digits.

With the Conference Finals about to start on Tuesday, the question I have is, which team tendency/personality will be most dominant. Will the Lakers and Magic continue to play poorly at times. Will they turn it on just enough to win a series, much like the game sevens last night in which they both played really well. Will Denver and Cleveland be dominant in their respective series against the inconsistent two?

Here's what I think will happen in the West. My Eastern Conference analysis/prediction will be out by Wednesday morning.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
1. Los Angeles vs 2. Denver
In the back of my head, I am thinking that it would have been a better situation for the Denver Nuggets if the Lakers had won their series in five or six games. The fact that Kobe and his team mates had to dig deep in order to put the Houston Rockets away, means the Lakers have woken up and realized how good they are when firing on all cylinders. We all know that fear and a good kick in the butt can motivate us to take a step back and re-evaluate our approach to our situation. After cruising by the Utah Jazz in five games, the Lakers became lackadaisical in their approach against the Rockets. When the Rockets lost Yao Ming at the end of game three, a game in which they took bad shots and did not play good defense. The Lakers performance in the next game was absolutely bizarre for every one that was watching it. Their loss in game four was the much needed kick in the butt. They woke up for game five by blowing out Houston with a forty point margin. Fortunately, they lost game six......yes, I said fortunately!!! I say this because their inability to close out the Rockets in game six resulted in their elevated play in game seven.

Will game seven be the launching pad that the Lakers need in order for them beat the Nuggets?

Carmelo Anthony is flat out the best scorer in the league. I will give you guys a little while to let that sink in.............I hope that was enough time. I did not say best player. I said best scorer. Kobe can knock down his shots when he needs to. Lebron can simply out muscle almost anyone to get his shot. D-Wade does too much dribbling to get his shot and is still not much of a shooter. Carmelo Anthony is way more smoother and polished as a scorer than his counterparts. Nobody uses the jab step better than he does. His elevation and point of shot release is near perfect. If you have been paying attention like I have; you will notice that he almost never fades away for his shots. He simply uses his dribble to effectively create space and then just goes straight up for his shot.

This is not about Carmelo though. The reason I seem to be pouring out adoration for him has a more to do with how his team is a lot like him in the scoring department. The Nuggets score effortlessly against most defenses. The efficiency of Melo's Jab step brings to mind the efficiency of his supporting cast of players. Chris "Birdman" Anderson, J.R Smith and Anthony Carter are about as efficient as it gets. They play with high intensity at all times and have caused havoc on both sides of the court. Nene and Kenyon Martin are two of the most physical post defenders in the league. Dahntay Jones has surprised many people with his shooting but it's no surprise that it's his defense that will earn him the task of guarding Kobe in this series. Jones is very athletic and a good defender but the possibility of going head to head with Kobe is a daunting task. Good luck Dahntay!!!

The Lakers might have gotten the rude awakening that they needed and they will be determined not to play like they did in the Houston series. Denver has had problems with defense in the past but they have always been a good offensive team. So far, in this years playoffs, they have been tough on all facets of their defensive game. If Martin can make Dirk Nowitzki work really hard for every point that he gets, then how in the world is Pau Gasol (who is not as polished offensively as Dirk) going to be able to help the Lakers in the post. Andrew Bynum can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. Although he is much taller than Nene, I think that Nene's physical style of play will render the young Bynum helpless for the Lakers cause. Chauncey Billups is way too savvy and way too good at his job to let the recent success of the Nuggets to get in their heads. He will make sure that they are well prepared for this battle. I know Kobe is great and the Lakers "can" be explosive but the Nuggets are almost always explosive. Scoring comes naturally to the Nuggets and defense is finally something they pay a lot of attention to.
My Prediction: Nuggets win series 4-3

Sportacularly yours,

The Vicarious Athlete

2009 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference 2nd Round Analysis/Predictions

The Miami Heat played a series that looked on paper as if it should have been a cake walk for their opponent, the Atlanta Hawks. Dwayne Wade proved once again why he should be (at least in my opinion) the league MVP. He simply carried a team that wouldn't even have sniffed the playoffs but he and his supporting cast of over achievers pushed the "Jerkyll and Hyde" Hawks to a seventh game.

It would have been GREAT to see Wade go up against his good friend Lebron James.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Cleveland vs 4. Atlanta
Recent history of the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs will have you believe that they are an enigmatic team that find ways to play at a much higher level at home and then play a woeful brand of basketball on the road. They either blow you out or get blown out. In last years playoffs, they pushed the much better Boston Celtics to the bring of elimination. This year, they let a team that was pound for pound not on their level to take them to a game seven. Will they continue their perplexing style of play and keep the trend going? My answer to that will be revealed shortly!

Whenever a player or team is very good or basically considered by most to be great; the consensus tends to have blinders on and in turn make predictions that seem on the surface to be very logical. In this case, the very good player is Lebron James and the team is his Cavaliers. The "presumed" logical thinking here is that Lebron is too good (great is more like the right adjective here) and his supporting cast too strong for them not to have a easy time with their opponent. Not as easy as beating on the Pistons but presumed easy nonetheless. He definitely has a much better supporting cast than he did two years ago when he led his team into the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. The tone that you might be catching from this paragraph would be that I think that the Cavs will not be sweeping this series versus the Hawks. I have been discussing/arguing with a few friends about the outcome of this series. The consensus is a sweep or maybe that the Hawks will win at least one game at home. I think that the way this series will unfold will be determined by the win/loss margin in the second game.

The Best player on the Hawks is Joe Johnson but he sometimes disappears for long stretches and often is lackadaisical on offense. When Lebron takes it easy on offense, it is often because he is setting up his team mates and playing smart and aggressive off the ball defense. He (James) is the arguably the best player in the league and because of his dominant performances that I will not waste my penmanship on any of his supporting cast....well, except to say that they are better than the supporting cast that Joe Johnson has.

My Prediction: Game one will be a blow out but game two will be close. Cleveland will win both games but will lose a close game three in Atlanta. The two close games back to back will give the Hawks the confidence they need to feel like they can win more than just one game. When confidence is on high, teams and players tend to play beyond their talent level but that confidence can not sustain them for a prolonged period of time. They do get their second win but that's were it ends. The Cavaliers win the series 4-2.

2. Boston vs 3. Orlando
I might have predicted the Boston Celtics to win their first round series but I sure was hoping that the Bulls would upset them. I try not to be biased in my writing and I think I have been able to do that so far. I want the Magic to win this series but I am afraid that this might just be wishful thinking. Orlando is a good team but they are inconsistent and can easily be considered a hit or miss when it comes to how hard or smart they play.

The weaknesses in Dwight Howard's game is magnified in the playoffs. His lack of post up moves and his proneness for turnovers makes it hard for me to give him the edge over Kendrick Perkins. Howard is still learning how to effectively exploit or pass out of double teams. If you study him whenever he is double teamed, you will notice that he can pass out to the man closest to him on the wing but if the defense collapse to his side, his passes at times will result in turn overs. Perkins is not the focal point of his team offensively and this makes it easy for him to focus on defense, rebounds and garbage points. His job on this series will be to physically frustrate Howard and put him in constant foul trouble. Easier said than done because Howard is a freakishly athletic robot designed by NASA....(pssst...so is Lebron). Howard will average a double double and in turn get Perkins in foul trouble. If Perkins sits for too long then the Magic have strong chance. Am I hinging the success or failure of the Celtics on Kendrick Perkins? No, but I am saying that his role in this series is going to be more elevated than usual.

The back court play for both teams is in favor of the Celtics because Rajon Rondo will have a field day against this team and also because Rafer Alson sucks on defense. Courney Lee is the better option at the back up point guard spot (Tyronn Lue is on the team but......it's Tyronn Lue!!!) but he is not expected to even play in the first game of the series after having surgery to repair a fracture sinus bone. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen should be pleased that they will be playing in a series against a team that sometimes looks as if they are allergic to playing defense.
My Prediction: Celtics win series 4-2


Sportacularly yours,

The Vicarious Athlete

2009 NBA Playoffs: Western Conference 2nd Round Analysis/Prediction

Right of the bat, I'll say this about the San Antonio Spurs. The age of this team.....along with a few key injuries.....is the reason why the Dallas Mavericks won the series in five games. I am not taking anything away from the Mavericks but I still think that if Tim Duncan were completely healthy and if Manu Ginobili were in the line up; this series would have been a lot closer and eventually would have ended in the Spurs favor.

The Mavs can count there blessings and thank the basketball gods that Josh Howard played a spectacular brand of bball and also that Erick Dampier finally realized that he is a legit seven footer and should be averaging more than seven rebounds per game. Jose Barea is the little guy that managed to keep Tony Parker occupied on the defensive end but ultimately could not stop him from scoring at will (quite frankly, no one can stop Parker from scoring). Barea was excellent in putting the pressure on the Spurs and I think his play on both sides of the court distracted Parker on numerous occasions from being a play maker but rather made him feel like he needed to score a lot of points.

Kudos to Mavs coach Rick Carlisle for knowing exactly how to use his pieces. He confused the Spurs by starting Barea in games three to five; playing him along side Jason Kidd quite a bit. This move created mismatches and forced the Spurs to try and keep up with the Mavs brand of small ball. Unfortunately the Spurs did not have enough small play makers to keep up with the Mavs. Now this leads me to the my Western Conference predictions. What the heck is Coach Carlisle going to come up with when they face the Denver Nuggets?

WESTERN CONFERENCE
2. Denver vs 6. Dallas
I picked the Hornets to win the series versus the Nuggets. Why? Well, for starters I thought that Coach Byron Scott would actually use his bench in the series. The Nuggets played their ultra athletic bench players and that was a big reason why that series was one sided in Denver's favor. These same bench players are going to have a field day against the Mavericks. It seems like Carlisle will keep Barea in the starting line up because he has simply out play Antoine Wright and can cause match up headaches for most teams on both offense and defense. This means that Jason Terry is the only major threat that the Mavs have coming off the bench. Brandon Bass is no chop liver but he does not do so well on defense against teams that run and spread the court as well as the Nuggets do. The aforementioned Wright will be needed to play above and beyond expectations. I strongly doubt that he will. Dallas will need a stellar performance from Dirk Nowitzki in order to keep this series from looking anything like the Nuggets first round beat down on the Hornets. Chris "Birdman" Andersen and Kenyon Martin will make Dirk work for every basket he gets. Since Josh Howard is not known to be a good defender and so I'll assume that he will not be guarding Carmelo Anthony. Regardless of whom it is that is assigned to guard Melo, I predict high scoring games for him and Chauncey Billups. Speaking of Billups; Mr. Big Shot was very accurate from downtown in the first series. 65% makes him a deadly threat that should continue to kill defenders that slack off him. The deference in this series will be the team that is more prolific offensively. Both teams can score in bunches but there is no team in the playoffs right not that can stretch a ten point lead to twenty or thirty points better than the Denver Nuggets.
My Prediction: Nuggets win series 4-1

1. Los Angeles vs 5. Houston
Get your popcorn ready folks!!! I am predicting that this series is going to be just as exciting as the Bulls/Celtics match up. How can it not be? It's an epic clashing of two stacked teams! There is a plethora of big men and wing players in this series to satisfy all your basketball playoff needs.
The Rockets are the best defensive team in this years playoffs but they have also surprised most people by finding the perfect medium between playing "big-man" ball and also running the fast paced offense. The addition of journeyman Von Wafer .....(by the way, his real name is Vakeaton Quamar. I understand why he changed his name but....VON WAFER?!?! Actually, I think it would have been better if he had kept his real name. It sounds and resonates much better than VON WAFER???)......the addition of Wafer has been a pleasant surprise. Turns out that he almost beat out Lebron James in the McDonald’s All-America Slam Dunk. From my research, it seems that most people think he should have won but Lebron got it because he was more popular....even back then. Wafer will be coming of the bench to do more of what he did against the Portland Trailblazers. Score at will and infuse energy and athleticism. The Lakers will counter with Shannon Brown. Brown has beaten out Jordan Farmer for more minutes lately because he is more explosive on the wing but also because he has surprised everyone, including his own teammates by shooting really well. Fifty and sixty seven percent from the field and beyond the arc respectively. Trevor Ariza's job in the starting line up is not to score but he has been shooting really well from downtown also at a clip sixty percent. I am not sure if the hot shooting will continue for these two guys but one thing I can count on is for them to bring the energy needed for them to succeed.

Andrew Bynum will finally get to prove himself in his match up with Yao Ming. I am not saying that he will succeed in actually outplaying Yao but he will have plenty chances to try. I look for DJ Mbenga to get some playing time so as to give Bynum a breather and prevent him from constantly being in foul trouble. Luis Scola was known to be a better player in Europe than Pau Gasol and I think that he will try to convince the North American fans that he truly is better. They are country men and they both play for their national team and thus I am very certain that they are both looking forward to guarding each other. Scola is way more crafty on offense and very smart on defense. Gasol is hands down a very good offensive play and can hold his own on the other side as long as the play is not too physical. I look for Scola to be as physical as possible in other to get in Pau's head and hopefully throw him off his game. Shane Battier will on occasion be assigned to guard Gasol. I look for Battier to keep up his good shooting.

It has often been said that defense wins championships. The fact behind these two teams is that only one them plays really good defense. Ron Artest plays for this team and I can imagine that he is anxiously waiting for the games to begin so he can get all up in Kobe Bryant's face. A few days ago, Artest made a comment that Brandon Roy of the Trailblazers is the best player that he has ever guarded. This obviously and in my opinion was a deliberate omission of Kobe. I think this is an attempt by Artest to lure Bryant into playing a lot of one on one ball. If the mind games work, then this series will most likely end in Houstons favor. The Lakers are a much better team when every one is involved in the offense. They are even more lethal when Kobe does his"I'm taking over the game now" thing in the waning moments of a game. The Rockets are a more physical team and that can work in their favor if they don't get in foul trouble. Fouls will be the difference in this series. Artest's history for being a knucklehead will not help when getting the benefit of the doubt type of calls. I am tempted to say that this series will go seven games but I cannot ignore Artest woeful shot selection and Yao's pending foul troubles.
My prediction: Lakers win 4-2


Sportacularly yours,

The Vicarious Athlete

2009 NBA Playoffs: My First Round Predictions

Saturday, April 18th will mark the beginning of the NBA's second and most important season. The one that determines who gets the trophy with the golden ball and all the shiny rings. The one that every player wants to get to....well, almost every player. Players from the Clippers, Thunder, Grizzlies and Kings probably knew from the beginning of training camp they were playing just eighty two games this season.

Without any further delay and any more silly attempts of witty quips from yours truly. I present to you my complete first round predictions for the 2009 NBA Playoffs:

Note: I decided to do just the first round for the sole purpose of not being too shamed when half of my predictions don't pan out for the second round!!!

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Cleveland vs 8.Detroit
Lebron James and his band of merry men are on a mission this season. Their showcasing antics have drawn the ire of many of their opponents but it has not affected their spectacular level of play. I personally think that the "loosey goosey" attitude is the reason why they have played their way to the best record in the league. They know they are good and are simply having fun while kicking butts. Especially at home where the are 39 - 2.
Detroit in my opinion is a team that is simply trying to convince themselves that they have the experience to get past the Cavaliers. The blunt truth is they know deep down that they blew it when Mr. Big Shot Billups was traded for Allen Iverson.
Prediction: Cleveland win series 4-1

2. Boston vs 7. Chicago
News came out today that Kevin Garnett might not be healthy enough to play any games during this playoffs. To an untrained eye, it might seem like a big advantage for the very young and inexperienced Bulls. I think you can predict where I am going with is. Lindsay Hunter, Brad Miller and Tim Thomas are the only players with ten or more years of league experience. Aside from the three aforementioned vets, this team is very wet behind the ears. The Celtics will win this series without KG because they are a much better defensive squad than the Bulls...but I think that this will be a closer battle than most people realize. These guys are young, athletic with something or maybe nothing to prove. It depends on your perspective. I think they will be this years Atlanta Hawks that shocked the Celtics by pushing them to seven games.
Prediction: Celtics win series 4-2

3. Orlando vs 6. Philadelphia
Orlando might have a shot blocking phenom in Dwight Howard but they are not a strong defensive team. Although the 76ers limped into the playoffs by losing six out of their last seven games, they are still very much a dangerous team for the Magic to face. With that said, the difference maker in this series will be three point field goals. Orlando is one of the best teams in takes and makes this season. Philly has good transition defense but will definitely struggle in the half court sets. A team like the Magic will use this to their advantage by swinging the ball around for open threes. Too much threes and too much Howard. The only way the 76ers win a game is when...not if but when, the Magic give a game away by playing poorly. Coach Stan Van Gundy knows this about his team and should be prepared for them to lose a game they should have won.
Prediction: Orlando win series 4-1

4. Atlanta vs 5. Miami
This series is hands down the most exciting series for me. Dwayne Wade is playing like a Martian. Yes, I'm about to get corny with this. He is playing out of this world. He is the league MVP in my eyes. Only player in NBA history to have recorded at least 2,000 points, 500 assists, 150 steals and 100 blocks in a season. This series is not just about Wade though because he is surrounded by players that are simply overachieving right now. Players Like Daequan Cook and Mario Chalmers were not expected to be playing this well at this level. With Wade causing havoc to any and almost all defenses, guys like Udonis Haslem and Michael Beasley will have to keep playing just as well as they have been all season. Maybe even more because the Hawks have proven that they're a tough out in the playoffs. The Hawks will be going into this series as the team favored to win. It will be ironic if the Heat become the reincarnate version of the Hawks from last years playoffs. This series is a coin toss to me because I think it will go to seven games.
Prediction: Miami win series 4-3

WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Los Angeles vs 8. Utah
Two hall of fame coaches. Check! Two perennial all star power forwards/centers. Check! Two often underachieving forwards but sometimes stellar performers. Check! Two supporting casts that know their role and play it well. Check! The point I am trying to make here is to separate the x-factors in this series. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum for the Lakers. Deron Williams for the Jazz. These players stand out because their is no player on either teams that can guard them. Kobe all by himself is enough to put the Lakers over most teams but he does not need to perform any heroics in this series. Gasol will play well and so will Odom and the rest of the supporting cast. Deron will not be able to impose his will enough to squeeze out an upset but he will post some spectacular numbers in this series.
Prediction: Lakers win series 4-0

2. Denver vs 7. New Orleans
More than any other series in this playoffs, this two teams will have to find a way to win on the opponents home court in order to move on to the next round. The Hornets have more fight in them because of Chris Paul and I can see them stealing a win in Denver. Even though the Nuggets have Chauncey Billups to provide a calming and steady influence for this erratic team, they will lose this series because of lack of defense. I guess I should call them "_enver".
Prediction: New Orleans win series 4-2

3. San Antonio vs 6. Dallas
Jason Kidd is still a very good point guard in this league but just not as good a defensive guard as he used to be. With that said, how is he going to stop Tony Parker from running all over the court; scoring at will. Jason Terry is the ex-factor for the Mavericks. Dirk is their best player but crunch time belongs to the kid they call J.E.T. Tim Duncan is a little hobbled but he will still destroy and out play Erick Dampier. The addition of Drew Gooden gives the Spurs a definite advantage. If Dallas coach Rick Carlisle is smart, he will give Jose Barea more minutes so that he can return the favor to Parker. Jose can run all over the court while putting pressure on Tony and possibly get him in foul trouble. This will give Dallas a better chance of winning. I said better chance though! Even without Manu Ginobili, I think the Spurs have enough of everything else to get it done.
Prediction: San Antonio win series 4-3

4. Portland vs 5. Houston
For biased reasons only, I'd want Houston to make it to the NBA Finals. They were my favorite team before Toronto gave birth to the Raptors. Realistically though, I think it will be very difficult for the Rockets to get past a team with the talent makeup that the Trailblazers possess. Houston is hands down the better defensive team but Portland is the type of team that can explode with their athleticism and run their opponents off the court. Houston will prefer to play a game with scoring in the eighties and Portland would like the score to be in the nineties and above. Yao Ming will keep the foul prone Greg Oden in foul trouble. After Oden, it's the tough and underrated Joel Przybilla that will be guarding Yao. Same results. Enthusiasm and the City of Portland will give the Blazers a good boost on the court but that will probably only last for the second quarter of the first game.
Prediction: Houston win series 4-2

So there you have it. If I come out of this with a close to perfect prediction record, then I can confidently call myself a pundit!!!

Sportacularly yours,

The Vicarious Athlete

Umm....I Love Sports!!/My Playoff Predictions.

The process of putting thoughts and feelings into words can be complicated and somewhat tasking. The complication and confusion is multiplied when the thoughts and feelings are about things that an individual truly cares about. In such an instance, you'd want to do the thoughts some justice and make sure that the words you choose fully interprets and expresses the depth and magnitude of what is surging through your mind. In this day and age, the way people think has been going through a metamorphosis.

Now, my fellow vicarious athletes; I know you are wondering why I am rambling about thoughts and feelings that relate to the grand scheme of things outside the realm of sports. Well, the simple truth is that it is all connected. How many of you use sports as a medium more than just for entertainment purposes. A simple get away from your reality. A recluse from whatever you are going through. Sports has become more of an escape because it provides a temporary "numbing" effect on us all. For an average approximation of two to three hours during watching or participation in a variety of sporting events, you will find that nothing related to your problems or triumphs crosses you mind. You become totally engulfed in the feats of the professional athletes that are vivaciously competing on a stage before your eyes. Then there are the times when you yourself are completely captivated through participation. Whether you are playing a sport to stay in shape, to show off your skills or to simply bond with old or new friends. The fact remains that it provides a temporary mental getaway that can only be surpassed by going on vacation to a sunny location with lots of sand and water. Well...at least in my opinion.

This brings me to my point. I have found that as I continue to grow both mentally and physically that almost everything that matters to me is related to sports. Naturally, those that know me well know that God, Family and Friends are important to me but they also know that I think, breathe and eat sports. Everything about it makes me feel good on the inside. The competition, the camaraderie, the wins and the losses. The heartbreak when you favorite team loses and the excitement you feel when your team wins it all. It shapes and builds certain values that almost no other activity can provide to an individual. Teamwork, Confidence, perseverance, timeliness, patience and hard work a just a few of the character traits that being involved in sports can provide.

Alright people, I think I have said just about enough of this. This silly attempt at the philosophy of sports and how nice it makes me feel. Now back to the usual vicarious athlete in me.

The real reason I am feeling this way is because the playoffs is just around the corner in two of the four major sporting leagues in North America. The NFL is currently in hibernation right now but the 2009 draft is just around the corner. The season is just starting for the boys of summer and I must say that it's really exciting to be watching Baseball again!!!
GO JAYS GO!!!

Hockey fans are growing their playoff beards and are planning their days around their favorite teams schedules. They are making sure that their schedule is clear for the up coming evening games. Dudes are calling their boys and booking tables and booths at sports bars in advance for the weekend games.

Basketball heads are excited to watch the match ups. The uncertainty within the almost certain. Los Angeles Lakers will play Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.........(we'll see). Since I fall into this category; I know I'll be meeting up with the guys to watch the NBA playoffs. Albs, A-Ho, Brooks and the rest of the lads. The location will most like be at our usual sports watering hole. Drinks will flow, chicken wings and nachos will be devoured. Insults (in good fun of course) will be tossed back and forth and compliments (fake ones of course) will be passed around. We will watch athletes take their level of play to the highest peak of competition.

You must be thinking: "Goodness gracious....will you get to your predictions already!!!"

If you are a true sports nut like I am and have been watching or playing sports since you were a little one, then patience is one of the virtues that sports should have taught you by now. The NBA Playoffs will start on Saturday. My in depth round by round predictions will be made before then.

Until then, go back to your painful reality.

; )

Sportacularly Yours,

The Vicarious Athlete