That's Gotta Sting!

Down 0-2.

No home court advantage.

No problem.

I hadn’t been this nervous going into a basketball game in a long time, not even a finals game. The Hornets were a tough matchup for the Spurs. We played them 7 times and would probably need 70 more to figure out a way to cover David West.

Sadly for the Hornets, we showed the league the best way to play them – let Chris Paul and West get theirs – stop everybody else.

Now it’s a date with the Lakers. It’s another tough matchup no doubt and we don’t get much time to rest.

But excuses are like a’holes – everyone has one and most of them stink.

But no matter what happens, I can smile knowing I’ve heard my new least favorite sound in the world for the last time this season….. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Honestly, when you need a shtick to get your fans fired up, you haven’t been winning very long. Take a lesson New Orleans – act like you’ve been there.

TIMMMMMMMMMMM-MMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYY D!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Get ready Jack... the defending champs are coming to town.

Go Spurs Go.

Rub Some Dirt On It!

I have no clue what this is, where it came from or why it was made, but it's sheer genius.

Thanks to Rubes from Johnny Wishbone for pointing it out.

Fantastico!



GO CUBS GO!

Jayhawk: A Meal Fit For A Tiger

There’s something about being eliminated from all your brackets (even though I had Memphis winning in one) and your blind draws (I had UNC, grrrrrr) that can really sink your enthusiasm for college hoops.

I have to admit, I can’t remember the last time I was so disinterested in an NCAA hoops championship game. It’s partly because I have no feelings either way towards either team. And it’s partly because I just can’t see Kansas hanging with Memphis. At all.

Admittedly, however, there is a bit of pride on the line as I’ve been picking Memphis to win it all for quite some time now (read the archives folks). So the “I told you so” factor is always nice. But we all know, that and 35 cents might get you a phone call.

Alas, I do have my four squares still in play -- we did random number squares for the entire NCAA tourney, a la Super Bowl squares. You get one set of numbers (or in my case, four sets) for all 65 games. Really a great way to make every game count down to the final buzzer. So while I will certainly be rooting for that, I just don’t think…

Oh who am I kidding. It’s the championship game. I’ll be watching.

Plus, I can’t miss arguably the best 30 seconds in sports all year – “One Shining Moment.” Regardless of the winning team, it gives me goosebumps every time. Never fails. Possibly Luther Vandross’ greatest song ever. Seriously.

Memphis 77, Kansas 59

Behold the power of Derrick Rose.

...

On another freshman point guard related note...

While Rose will declare and deservedly so, because he's actually ready (and should be the #1 pick, even over Michael Beasley), another freshman PG has already beat him to the draft sign in sheet.

Arizona PG Jerryd Bayless has declared himself eligible for the draft.

Laughable. No other word for it.

A guy with a ton of talent, and no idea whatsoever how and when to use it.

Lute could've worked his magic on Bayless and turned him into the next great UA point guard. The next Damon Stoudamire, Khalid Reeves, Mike Bibby, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Terry, etc.

Instead, world get ready to meet the next... Shaun Livingston.

Enjoy your pay day, dumbass.

Can Someone Tell The Cubbies We've Started Without Them?

Two games. Two equally painful losses.

Enough already.

100 years dammit. I don’t have enough fingers or toes to count to 101.

Clearly whatever we’re doing right now, just ain’t working.

For the record, I’m not worried (yet) about Kerry Wood as closer. It was the guy’s first try EVER as our full-time closer and he came in a non-save situation…. We all know what happens in games like that, regardless of who is on the hill.

Anyhoo, F the Brewers. Enough is enough.

I offer up a little GO CUBS GO to get the troops fired up!

Enjoy… and get on the bandwagon now while a seat is cheap. This team wins the division – and then some.

GO CUBS GO!!!!

The Rebirth Of Wildcat Basketball Begins

Ladies and gentlemen, the Silver Fox is back in the desert – and he’s not messing around.

Lute Olson held a press conference on Tuesday, addressing reporters for the first time since announcing he would be making his triumphant return to the UofA sidelines next season.

And while he skirted around many of the questions as to what exactly caused his temporary absence, there was one issue Lute had no problem speaking candidly about – Kevin O’Neill, who held down the fort (or at least tried to) in Lute’s absence.

Prior to the press conference, it was revealed the O’Neill (who earlier this year had been dubbed Lute’s eventual successor) would not be with the team next year.

Here’s what Lute had to say about letting O’Neill run the team (into the ground) and the players that were unexpectedly stuck with him for the season…

"I apologize for what they had to go through this year in terms of the change," Olson said. "They came here to play a wide-open game, and they didn't. That's no one's fault, because that's not coach O'Neill's belief on the offensive end. It was his team once I left. But I said we're going to play Arizona basketball and we're going to have fun doing it."

In other words, Coach O’Neill, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

Welcome back Lute!

And Then There Were Four...

My brackets are all but shot to hell.

Kudos to anyone who went straight chalk on their bracket. At least you’ve got all four Final Four squads.

I’ve still got 3 out of 4 alive (although I’ve hyped up Memphis all year long, I decided to pick Texas. Uggggh. Oh well)

My hopes now lie in my pick of UNC in the blind draw at work. Nice pick, huh?

First pitch in the new Nationals park is just moments away, so we’ll keep this short and sweet.

Memphis over UCLA – Two words: Derrick Rose. Could/should be the first pick in the draft.

UNC over Kansas – I said a long time ago I wasn’t impressed with Kansas. Still not. And no one wills their team to victory like Tyler Hansborough. Frankly, I think UNC wins pretty easily (I’ll call a 12-point win).

Well, I said it before and I’ll say it again. I’ve seen a lot of different teams play this year, and no one impresses me like those Tigers from Memphis.

Plus, Roy Williams is a chop.

Sadly, it appears my blind draw pick could be all for not.

Memphis over UNC.

Play Ball!

What a great day.

The Elite Eight becomes the Final Four.

Oh, and it’s Opening Day!!!!

So what if there’s only one game on the schedule… it’s still Opening Day!

Gotta love it.

Not gonna lie – planning for a wedding basically means no time to blog. I look forward to my triumphant regularly scheduled return sometime after August 16.

Mark your calendars.

But for now, a quick sampling of MLB predictions…

First things first – baseball. Here are my humble predictions for the 2008 MLB Season:


AL East - Yankees
AL West - Mariners
AL Central - Tigers
AL WC - Indians

NL East - Mets
NL West - Arizona
NL Central - Cubbies!!!
NL WC - Phillies

NL Champ - Mets
AL Champ - Tigers

2008 WS Champ - Mets

AL MVP - Alex Rodriguez
NL MVP - David Wright

AL CY - Erik Bedard
NL CY - Johan Santana

AL ROY - Erick Aybar
NL ROY - Fukodome

AL Manager of Year - John McLaren
NL Manager of Year - Sweet Lou

AL Comeback - Rich Harden
NL Comeback - Kerry Wood

AL Breakout Player - Josh Hamilton
NL Breakout Player - Michael Bourn

AL Breakout Team - Mariners
NL Breakout Team - Astros

AL Bust - Dontrelle
NL Bust - $18 million Andruw

AL HR Leader - ARod
NL HR Leader - Ryan Howard

Prop Bets:
Lead Leaguer in Blown Saves - Lidge
First Manager to be Fired - Bochy
First Season Ending Injury - Pujols
More Wins: Pedro or Pettite - Pedro
Most Starts: Schilling or Joba - Joba
More: Liriano Wins OR Wood Saves - Wood
Sori: More HR + RBI or K's - Ks
Will Cust Break The K Record? No
More K's Braun or Manny? Manny

Oh by the way, it's the 100 year anniversary of the last time the Cubs were world champs. Yes, 100 years.

Feels like a special year. What better way to celebrate a painful anniversary!

GO CUBS GO!!!!