Sports Quick Hits - Turds in the Punch Bowl

My schedule was thrown off a bit this week with work, so I'll get back to my NFL Draft Grades tomorrow, and hopefully by this weekend I'll have my Top 10 College Football Games article posted. So, that aside, here's Sports Quick Hits, a day late, but not a dollar short.

Golf
To quote the late, great Harry Caray, "Hoooolllllyyy Cow!" That was some performance by Rory McIlroy this weekend en route to winning the US Open. I mean, that was pretty brilliant. In the midst of round 2 of my fantasy golf run, and having missed the first round of the Open, I noticed two of my players, Y.E. Yang and Graeme McDowell were both in or near the top 10 heading into Saturday. Unfortunately for me, Rory McIlroy tallied a scorching 16 under par finish to take the title, and a cool $1.44M for the win. And good for him, after that terrible collapse at Augusta. Personally, I find it hard not to root for someone who goes out to see "Hangover Part II" in between rounds. You've also got to be very impressed by amateur Patrick Cantlay, who finished at even par. All in all, it was a great tournament to watch, and I'm sure Chizzy will have even more detail on this in the near future.

NFL
I thought I'd have better news regarding the lockout today given that the owners are in an informational meeting regarding the state of the lockout and a new proposed CBA. Lawyer Bob Batterman is confident the owners meetings won't stretch into Wednesday, as once thought late last week, as there will NOT be a vote on the new CBA.

Word leaked to media outlets that a potential owners meeting last week could "blow up" and halt negotiations with the players all together. ESPN ran a story this weekend stating that owners of two AFC teams were against the the proposed CBA that would end the lockout. In order for a new CBA to be enacted, 75% or 24 of the 32 league owners must vote in favor of the proposal. You may remember in 2006, when the late Gene Upshaw and former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue basically saved football, the CBA that expired March 1st this year was voted in favor by a count of 30-2.

The two owners who voted against it are interestingly enough in charge of AFC teams, and could perhaps be the same two owners, though I'll concede I think a separate owner could be part of that twosome this time around, who voted no last time around. They were Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, the oldest in the league at 92, who openly admitted he didn't understand what the terms of the 2006 CBA meant. I'll give him a pass for his age and the fact he did so much for the AFL and merging it with the NFL in 1970. The other was Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown whose team finished dead least in ESPN's franchise rankings. Just look to him to figure out why; the man is, and alway has been a turd, and as former University of Dayton Quarterback Rob Florian once told me, "You can't polish a turd." Al Davis could theoretically be the other based on the fact the Raiders may be heading back to Los Angeles. Again.

Giants C Shaun O'Hara reportedly told teammates to prepare for camp on July 27th, which is typically around the time camps start anyway. Stay tuned.

***Wednesday Update: After a labor-heavy intensive meeting yesterday, the NFL's owners committee and Rodger Goodell will meet with NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith in suburban Boston today and tomorrow in another "sectret" negotiating session. The major compromise appears to be in terms of free agents. Those players who have accrued 4, 5, or 6 seasons will now be unrestricted free agents. In the past, a player had to wait 5 years to become a UFA. There's a rumor that the proposed CBA will include something similar to the NBA's max contract stipulation, which would prohibit any one player from making 10-12% of a team's total salary. Those already doing so, for example, Tom Brady, will still have their contracts honored, but it means that Peyton Manning is a UFA, and the Colts probably won't be able to sign him to a monster $20M per year deal as they've done in the past, which I think is a good thing league wide. The NFL is also stipulating that teams must operate with a salary cap floor, meaning they have to be "X" amount of dollars away from whatever the cap is, and they can't go lower. If your team is competing for a free agent with Tampa Bay, sorry, but you'll lose at least in terms of money available. Here's to hoping they actually get something done that allows trainging camp to open near it's traditional July 22nd start date. I'll leave you with a tweet from Colts owner/pseudo wannabe rocker Jim Irsay. Here it is:

"I'm just so f-ing excited...but I don't know why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" For more details of the meetings scheduled in Boston for today and tomorrow, click here.***

NFL Odds and Ends
Outcast Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor will enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, which will be held and conducted via e-mail, as it's typically done, sometime in July. Pryor, right now, is the only major name that will enter as former Florida CB Janoris Jenkins, who was kicked out of school for repeated marijuana arrests, will transfer to Divison II North Alabama. Ironically, the North Alabama program is now being headed by Terry Bowden, and his brother, Jeff, is the associate head coach.

AEG has partnered with Farmers to form a potential plan to build an NFL stadium between the Staples Center and L.A. Convention Center as part of L.A. Live to attract a potential franchise to move to America's second largest market. Personally, I don't think there's any way the Vikings or Bills are moving, so I think it comes down to the Chargers, Rams, Jaguars, and possibly the Raiders. Of those four, I think the Chargers are the best fit as they started their franchise in the city of angels.

MLB
Chizzy's St. Louis Cardinals have taken the top spot in the N.L. Central again, but will lose Albert Pujols for 4-6 weeks with a sprained wrist. If Milwaukee and Cincinnati are for real, now's the time of them to make a move.

Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez resigned over the weekend giving way to 80 year old Jack McKeon. The Marlins started off 30-20 and were just a few games back of the Phillies. Something went terribly wrong as the Marlins have gone just 2-21 since that time. McKeon, who led the Marlins to an improbably World Series victory in 2003, said that, "I've managed since I was 14, and I'll probably manage until I'm 95." What team was he in charge of at age 14?

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig rejected the television proposal between the Dodgers and Fox Sports a day after Frank and Jamie McCourt agreed on a divorce settlement. In the TV contract, Frank McCourt was to receive $385M of a $3B total up front, allowing the Dodgers to make the June 30th payroll deadline. Now, they're in a state of limbo. If McCourt fails to make that deadline, Major League Baseball could seize full control of the Dodgers and put the team up for sale. Here's MLB's statement on the matter:

"This decision was reached after a full and careful consideration of the terms of the proposed transaction and the club's current circumstances," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "It is my conclusion that this proposed transaction with FOX would not be in the best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, the game of Baseball and the millions of loyal fans of this historic club."

Here's the rest of the story, including Frank McCourt's comments on Bud Selig's ruling.

NBA
The Dallas Mavericks shocked just about everybody and finished off the Miami Heat 4-2 to win the franchises first NBA Title. Perhaps even more embarrasing than Cleveland Cavaliers fans calling themselves Dallas Cavericks fans, is that Macy's mistakenly ran an ad in the Miami Herald the day after the Heat lost, congratulating them on winning the NBA Championship. Oops.

It's unfortunate that for so much of the LeBron hating, and some of it deservedly so as he choked about as hard in the fourth quarter of each game as the New England Patriots did against the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. Let's face it, LeBron's never, ever, going to be Michael Jordan. He's not as consistent as Magic Johnson even. LeBron is LeBron, and he always will be.

That said, it's unfortunate that stars like Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd won't be remembered as much for winning an NBA Title as the Heat will be for losing one. However, one rumor that I've heard that's quite interesting, is that if Jason Kidd does retire, Dallas would make a move to bring back Steve Nash. Wouldn't that be something if Dirk Nowitzki, once labeled soft and un-clutch, though not quite to LeBron standards, could win titles with Jason Kidd and Steve Nash?

As for those Dallas Cavericks fans, shouldn't you be more worried about the upcoming NBA Draft and how you're going to have to take Kyrie Irving and Enes Kanter? Yikes.

NHL
More turds in the punch bowl in the Stanley Cup Finals as the city of Vancouver's collective cheese slid completely off the cracker. Congrats to the Boston Bruins for winning game 7, and goalie Tim Thomas for setting a record of allowing only 8 goals in 7 games. That said, for a city known for its beauty, splendor, and based on the last Winter Olympics, the people, what the hell happened? I mean, it's not Rodney King redux, and it's not quite on par with the Cincinnati Police Riots, the only close rioting I've ever encountered, but's nonetheless very disturbing. I know Canadiens love their hockey intensly. I'm guessing it's about on par with how the British love soccer, I don't know, I've never been to a hockey game in Canada or on the pitch in the UK, but it has to be close. I mean, you didnt' see this in the city of Pittsburgh after the Steelers lost the Super Bowl.

Well, as you can see, it's been quite an interesting past few weeks in the sports world. Hopefully next week's installment of Quick Hits will have some more happy news.

6/13 Quick Hits and Weekend Happenings

Hey there everybody, let's do a little weekend recap!

NBA: Rest easy City o' Cleveland. Your fallen superstar will NOT win a title this year. The Dallas Mavericks finished off the Miami Heat in astounding fashion - the Heat didn't pack a punch at all in the fourth quarter - and brought the team its first every championship trophy.

Halfway through the fourth quarter of Game 2, this series looked like a mismatch as Dallas was already in a 0-1 hole and stared at the scoreboard, down 15 points. But they stormed back, and won Games 3, 4, and 5 to let Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry enact their revenge on the Heat for the 2006 NBA Finals loss. A few notes on my general thoughts for the Series:

1. Good for the Dallas Mavericks franchise, even though I picked them to lose in EVERY postseason series this year. I for one, love owner Marc Cuban. I think he's funny, really connects with the players, and is entertaining for the fans. It's good to see him win a title.

2. Dirk Nowitzki really solidifies himself as one of the all-time greats with a championship victory and Finals MVP. When Bill Simmons' "The Book of Basketball" came out in 2009, he ranked Dirk as the 37th best in NBA history (for the record, he had Jason Kidd at 42, LeBron James at 20, and Dwayne Wade at an astonishingly-low 53). But now he HAS to go down as one of the best shooters in history, as well as the best European player of all time. Seeing the emotions as he hoisted the trophy was fantastic, and you can't help but like the guy.

3. I can't really see this season as a failure like the media seems to be portraying it. If the Heat has missed the playoffs altogether, or lost in the first round, it would have been a failure. This team had difficulties all season long, and they weathered the storm. With the weight of the world on their back, they beat a very good Celtics team and the best regular season team this year in the Bulls. They'll be back here. No doubt in my mind.

4. Finally, the whole Dwayne Wade/LBJ situation. Look at those numbers again from the "Book of Basketball." Does Wade really deserve to be 53rd, and James at 20? First off, let's put to rest the idea that James is the alpha dog of the Heat. Because he isn't. That's Dwayne Wade's team, no question. James is this team's Magic Johnson, and Wade is this team's Michael Jordan. Even when James had a triple double in Game 5, he couldn't take the game over in crunch time. He didn't slash to the hoop, and last night there were at least three occasions when he could have risen up for an easy layup but optioned for a fancy dish to a teammate that wasn't expecting it. Lebron disappointed me in this series, but Wade didn't. In my mind, that's all the argument I need to show that this is Wade's team.

MLB: The big news in the MLB this week is word from the MLB executives that a realignment movement has been brought into discussion. Apparently, this is a real possibility and a move that I think needs to happen. The NL has 16 teams, and the AL has 14, creating an inequality in playoff chances between the leagues. The word on the street is that the Houston Astros will be the team to move over to the AL to create a natural rivalry with the Texas Rangers - again, a logical move. The interesting thing is that the MLB is considering having two 15 team divisions and eliminating the East, Central, West division scheme we see today. Why, you ask? Because the Blue Jays and Orioles have no shot at the playoffs behind the Red Sox and the Yankees in the AL East. A final decision on this is months or even years away, so stay tuned.

The Milwaukee Brewers swept the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend to take the lead in the NL Central (sigh) behind Zack Greinke's arm and Prince Fielder's bat. The NL Central race is shaping up to be a doozy, with three teams (including the Reds) with a legitimate shot to win the title.

Welcome back to reality, Cleveland Indians. After a fantastic start and early eight game AL Central lead, the Indians have lost 9 of their last 10 to fall into a tie at the top with the surging Detroit Tigers. The Yankees took three from the Tribe this weekend as surfire first-ballot Hall of Famer Derek Jeter got his 2,993rd hit yesterday, moving him closer to being the 28th player in MLB history with 3,000 hits.

NFL: Not much to report on the NFL front, but apparently the LA Sports Commission has had talks with five teams about moving to Los Angeles. The City of Angels - America's second largest metropolitan area - hasn't had a franchise since the mid 1990's. The teams in question: San Diego; Minnesota; Oakland; Jacksonville; and St. Louis. I find it interesting that the two teams that left LA in the mid 1990's - the Rams and Raiders - have discussed moving back. To me, Jacksonville seems to be the most logical choice, as they have had trouble selling tickets for years. Once again, this issue is months if not years from being finished, so stay tuned.

Soccer: Apparently there's a really important soccer tournament going on - The Gold Cup. The championship for North America (including the Carribean islands), if the U.S. wins we automatically qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Unfortunately, we lost to Panama in a shocker Saturday afternoon. But fear not American soccer fans. We still can win the title and qualify for Brazil.

On Tap This Week:

NHL - Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals is tonight. Roberto Luongo played a stellar game in goal to give the Vancouver Canucks a 1-0 victory on Friday night. Tim Thomas and the Bruins hope to take Game 6 tonight in Boston and take the series back to Vancouver for a deciding Game 7.

PGA Tour - One of my favorite weeks of the year, our national championship begins this week at Congressional Country Club in Washington D.C. The U.S. Open is golf's toughest test, as more players shoot in the 80's than in the 60's. Look for a winning score around par in a tournament that has a wide open field. Tiger's not playing, so I suggest you watch to familiarize yourself with some of the players that will be taking over the game in the years to come.

Chizzy's One-Game Late NBA Conference Previews

Hey there folks. I'm back after a two week hiatus, due largely in part to law school finals. However, now that I'm graduated (FINALLY), I can get back to writing. I wrote these this weekend, but am only now having a chance to post them. Because both teams I picked are now down a game, I regret the decision to post them late, as I now look like a fool.

(1) Chicago Bulls v. (2) Miami Heat

Alright everybody, here's the matchup we've wanted to see all season. Miami vs. Chicago. Let the games begin. The Bulls asserted themselves as the most consistent team throughout the regular season, and I kept thinking how great it would be to see them play the Heat in the playoffs. The possibilities are endless. Now that this series is upon us, I'm oozing with anticipation for tonight's game. Here's a few of the storylines that make this series Must See TV.

1. LeBron James—the "heir apparent" to Michael Jordan—is on a mission to win a title. And now, he has to go though MJ's Chicago Bulls to do it. The irony of the situation is unparalleled. If the Heat win, Cleveland will burn to the ground. Again.

2. Derrick Rose, at age 22, is looking to bring the first non-Jordan era title to Chicago in just his third season. He the youngest MVP in league history, but will he fold like a card table in crunch time with the pressure on against a hardened, veteran Heat team?

3. You have the NBA's most consistent team pitted against the NBA's most closely scrutinized team. It's drama city in this series, people. There may be tears in the locker room, fights under the rim and anything else under the sun. It wouldn't even shock me if Heat GM Pat Riley fired coach Erik Spoelstra mid-series to get another title under that oh-so-finely gelled mop of his.

4. The Heat romped through an overmatched 76ers team and then pulled away from an aging and battered Celtics squad. The Bulls were challenged a little bit too much for my liking against both the Pacers and the Hawks, two teams that lacked anything resembling a true league superstar. How will these squads stack up against talented, healthy and driven competition?

5. Both teams are considered to be top defensive units, and this is going to be a slugfest. While the Heat were labeled "soft" this season, James made the All-Defense team and Dwayne Wade is known as a shutdown perimeter defender. Meanwhile, Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson will be bullying in the post for the Bulls. If they rub Heat center Joel Anthony the wrong way, all hell could break loose on the court.

Those are the first five things that popped into my head about this series. I'm sure if I thought about it for awhile, I could come up with 15-20 more. With all that being said, let's dive into the series a little bit more.

Series Stud: LeBron James. For those who aren't familiar, I pick a player in each series that I think is going to be the MVP. I went with DWade for the first two Heat series. While I was right in Round 1, in the conference semis either James or Wade could have been deemed the Series Stud. However, James came through with some clutch shooting, stout defense and almost 10 rebounds a game.

I look for James to continue the hot play and take over this series—he's going to do it by being a jack of all trades. The "decision" is how Spoelstra wants to use him. Defensively, he's going to be with Bulls' guard Luol Deng on a regular basis. But James could be called upon to guard Rose's penetration into the paint. He also may provide a body in the post to frustrate Noah and Boozer. James has to do it all.

Offensively, he's going to play a significant amount of both point and power forward. While running the point, he'll need to facilitate the offense and penetrate to create points. As the power forward in a small lineup, he's going to need to face the basket and hit a lot of short jumpers, a la Michael Jordan in his later years. While posting up, he's going to have to hit slashers cutting into the paint.

If the Heat are going to win, LBJ is going to have to average close to a triple-double for the series by filling any role that is called upon him. I think he can do that.

The Bulls: Derrick Rose runs the show—we all know that. His Hawks series averages of 29.8 PPG, 9.8 APG and 4.3 RPG prove that he has been the man so far this postseason. His effectiveness here hinges on how the Heat can come up with ways to stop him. Will they stick Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers on him and rely on help defense? Or will they plug the hole at the source and stick James and Wade on him all the time? I don't know what the best way to defend Rose is, but that's why I'm not coaching.

If I were Tom Thibodeau, however, I would look to alleviate some of the offensive pressure off Rose and see if the Game 6 resurgence of Boozer continues against the Heat. Chris Bosh and Big Z are overmatched on the defensive end when playing against chairs, let alone actual basketball players. Boozer can have his way down low if he wants against these two, and if his Game 6 line of 23 points and 10 rebounds is the norm, the Heat will have problems.

Joel Anthony is a great defender down low (he has the highest +/- rating in the Playoffs so far) and I'm interested to see how he handles the superior post play of the Bulls. Noah, Boozer and Gibson hit the offensive glass hard, and if they get the rebounds, it could spell trouble for the Heat.

The Heat: I kind of hit on this earlier, but I think the Heat's success against the Bulls lies on how they stop Rose. If they can shut down passing lanes when Rose penetrates, it will frustrate the Bulls into an offensive scheme they are unfamiliar with. If Kyle Korver isn't on the court, the situation gets even worse as the Bulls lose their best (and only) three-point shooter.

The Heat's success also relies on their ability to initiate a competent half-court offense against a Bulls team that plays defense with the best of them. James and Wade need to utilize the pick-and-roll often, so the ball stays in the hands of their two best players. Minimizing the control that Mario Chalmers and Mike Bibby have on both ends of the court, as well as pressure on Bosh—who inexplicably admitted to being nervous against the Celtics—are of utmost importance.

The X-factor is the type of impact that Udonis Haslem will have. He returned from injury in the last series and was largely ineffective. But if the extra practice results in providing even 10 meaningful minutes a game, he will bring veteran nerves and much needed depth to a thin Heat lineup. He would also add intensity in the post that the Heat desperately needs. If the return of Haslem means the Heat can box out and protect their defensive rebounds, they will gladly run with the Bulls in the transition game. James and Wade are unstoppable when given a chance to create on the fly, and if they can push the pace of games it only benefits them that much more against a Bulls team that wants to create a half-court game.

The truth is that while the teams are very different, this series is extremely even. The Heat have the two best players, but the Bulls are the more complete team. Both teams need to play into their strengths and try to force the game into their type of tempo. Whoever controls the pace the most will win the series.

Prediction: While the Bulls were the most consistent team in the NBA over the regular season, the Heat have been on a mission since LeBron and Bosh made the move to Miami last July. These teams both have the talent to win a championship, but I think that heart and desire are going to decide this series. Whoever wants it more will win. My buddies and I do a year-long fantasy sports competition called the Gentlemen's Betting League. Before the regular season began, I picked a Heat-Thunder NBA Finals.

I'm not changing my prediction now. Heat in 6.

(3) Dallas Mavericks v. (4) Oklahoma City Thunder

Yowza. These two teams couldn't have gone through two more contrasting series in the conference semifinals. The Mavs brushed off the Lakers like a fly on the wall, while the Thunder went through a seven-game dogfight with the Grizzlies.

The Thunder got beat up battling Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol down low in the post in a matchup resembling a heavyweight title bout. The Mavericks were beat up—literally—through a few cheap shots at the hands of Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom.

The Mavericks effectively ended both a dynasty and one of the greatest coaching careers in history, while the Thunder ended a Cinderella story.

About the only similarity between the two series was that both teams closed out with a bang, blowing out their opponent to clinch a spot in the conference semifinals. But enough looking backward, let's peer forward into my little crystal ball to see what's on tap (I'll prefer a Sam Adams Summer Ale if you're asking) for the Western Conference Finals. It should be a good one.

SERIES STUD: Dirk Nowitzki. I mean, it's gotta be right? I could have picked either Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook for this spot, but those two have the luxury of knowing that if one has an off night, the other can pick up the slack. Who's picking up the slack for Dirk if he has an off night? Jason Kidd? Shawn Marion? Jason Terry, the Sixth Man who thinks he's an All-Star? (Note: I know Terry shot 9-10 from behind the arc in the closeout game against the Lakers. That's not happening again). I just don't see anyone taking over a shift if Dirk cashes out for a game.

If the Marc Cubans have any chance at winning, Dirk has to be the guy to carry them. We know Dirk is capable, as he practically took a team on his back to the brink of an NBA championship in 2006 until the referees handed the title to the Miami Heat. He has a toolbox full of offensive moves. He is one of the game's best shooters, he can post up, create in traffic and basically do whatever he wants on the offensive end. So far in the 2011 Playoffs, Dirk has averaged 26.5 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 2.8 APG. Those are pretty solid numbers. They have to be even better here.
I think they will. And it still may not be enough.

The Mavericks: This is a team that is high on heartbreak. Dirk and Jason Terry lost in the 2006 NBA Finals. Shawn Marion came close on multiple occasions with the Phoenix Suns, including the fateful series against the Spurs a few years back when A'mare Stoudemire was suspended for going onto the court during a scuffle. Jason Kidd lost back to back finals with the Nets, and Peja Stojakovic was on the 2002 Sacramento Kings team that was screwed by the refs in Game 6 against the Lakers.

Can this team get over its demons? Or will it be unable to rise to the occasion and chase another title?

The Thunder are not the Lakers. I never saw the Lakers getting back to the NBA Finals. Kobe's legs are giving out, Bynum is not as good as advertised and the bench was weak. They could only go as far as Kobe could take them. But the Thunder? Different story. I picked them to get to the Finals at the beginning of the season, and the Mavericks have to stop an intense, feisty and hungry team that sees the sky as their limit.

It all starts on the defensive end of the court. How will the Mavericks stop a potent OKC offense? Tyson Chandler will be effective on the boards if he can stay out of foul trouble, but if Westbrook and Durant are filling up the bucket his presence won't matter. Dirk isn't quick enough to guard Durant on the perimeter, and Jason Kidd hasn't played defense in years. The Thunder could put up a 110-point average in this series. I think the Mavericks put Shawn Marion and Deshawn Stevenson on Durant and Westbrook, respectively. Does anyone out there think that will matter? Marion is not the defensive mastermind he was in his prime, and Stevenson is not capable of staying with Westbrook as he drives into the paint.

On the offensive end of the floor, the Mavs need to keep getting red-hot three-point shooting. In particular they need Jason Terry to continue playing the second superstar role. If he can do that, Dallas may be able to keep up with the rapid pace of scoring that the Thunder want in this series.

The Thunder: Similar to my concerns about Dallas' ability to stop Westbrook and Durant, OKC isn't going to stop the Germanator. Coach Scotty Brooks has to be wrestling with the decision of either stopping Dirk or letting him have his way. By the way, how can a grown man still go by Scotty? I know Pippen did it, but anyone still using a "y" at the end of their name better be under the age of 14. It undermines his credibility.

In my opinion, the Thunder's best defensive option is to guard Dirk one-on-one and try and force him into the post. As far as who the Thunder use to cover Dirk, I'm not really sure. Thabo Sefolosha may be the best option. Part of me wants Serge Ibaka on him, but I also don't want to see him rack up foul after foul. He's better served roaming the court.

If you can get someone to limit Dirk in a one-on-one battle, you can focus on stopping the other four guys when they have the ball. I want my perimeter defenders closing passing lanes and putting pressure on Terry and Stojakovic. Jason Kidd is the world's worst three-point shooter that is considered a good three-point shooter. And Shawn Marion can't shoot a jumper to save his life. Let them jack up shots all day.

We all know about Durant and Westbrook, but what impressed me the most about the Thunder in the Grizzlies series is the quality minutes they received from their bench. James Harden really stepped up and started playing like the third overall pick he is. Daequan Cook came in at times and offered a spurt of offense with three-point shooting. Eric Maynor has proved a very cerebral, capable backup for Russell Westbrook, and I even saw him playing point at times when Westbrook was playing the off-guard role. Finally, Nick Collison provided some much needed post presence off the bench when Ibaka or Perkins got in foul trouble.

This team has proven that it's not just about Westbrook and Durant. They are the definition of a team that is young and hungry. They are young, but they did not crumble in either of the first two series. They won't back down here either.

Prediction: Dirk is going to go down as one of the best players in league history. Unfortunately, as time goes on, the clock keeps ticking on his window to win a championship.

I think think the Thunder learned a lot from their seven games with the Grizzlies. Dirk may want it more, but I'm concerned about the rest of the team's ability to keep things going. My guess is that the studly German follows the paths of Malone and Stockton and continues to seek a title. To me, whoever wins this series is the team that comes up with a better defensive scheme.

Ultimately, I think OKC's one-two punch proves to be too much for the Mavericks. The Young Guns move on in thunderous fashion in an exciting series. Thunder in 7.

Chizzy's Second Round NBA Preview - Part 1

Whew. Did you all catch these first round series? This has been one of the most exciting playoffs since I can ever remember. And we're just getting started.

My Western Conference Finals pick, the Thunder, destroy the Nuggets. The Celtics sweep a depleted Knicks squad after injuries ruin the Knicks' chances. DRose leads the Bulls on a hobbled ankle while Dirk pushes the Mavs past the upstart Blazers. The Sixers gave the Heat all they could handle in five games, and the Lakers were pushed singlehandedly by next-year Knick Chris Paul. Then the Magic are shocked by the Hawks, and the GRIZZ!?!?!?! Taking down the four-time champion Spurs? You've gotta be kidding me. And that was just round one.

We're just getting started here, so let's get a move on. Let's start with the two games starting today. Back with Part 2 tomorrow.

Record: 4-4 (Right: Heat, Bulls, Lakers, Thunder; Wrong: Grizz, Mavs, Celtics - injuries, Hawks). But I still have both Finals teams right.

(3) Boston Celtics v. (2) Miami Heat - The Big Three v. The Big Four

In the words of the Joker: "And Here... We... Go..." I'm jacked up for this series. It's going to get ugly. These teams hate each other. The Celtics - Pierce, Garnett, Allen, and Rondo. The Heat - James, Wade, Bosh. Seven all-stars on one court. This is going to be awesome.

I mentioned this in the first round, but when I think of the Celtics, I think of Viagra. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett need a little blue pill. When men are young and get lucky with a lady on a fateful night in the bar scene, they go home and can pull out all the stops. They have the moves that the ladies like, and it’s not a one track album, if you catch my drift.

But as we age, something happens. When we men get older, something happens. We still have all the right moves. But our back creaks, our stamina decreases, and it takes a hell of a lot longer to start the engine on the automobile. And once it does start, it’s probably not catching again until morning. That’s where the little blue pill comes in. But ladies and gentlemen, I don’t think the doctor wrote the Celtics a prescription this year.

The Celtics got lucky in the first round as the Knicks suffered some debilitating injuries to Chauncey Billups and Amar'e Stoudemire that crippled their chances. The Celtics smelled blood and swept.

Meanwhile, the Heat drew a 76ers team that played its little butts off throughout the entire series. The 76ers gave El Heat all they could handle, and I think that challenge was a nice "breakfast" that helped focus the team coming into this series. As LeBron said, now the Heat are "ready for some lunch."

SERIES STUD: Dwayne Wade. Not LBJ, I know. LeBron and DWade are going to get their points; LeBron may even average a triple-double. But I'm not talking about the best player overall, I'm talking about the player that is going to be the stud for this particular series.

And in this matchup of two top-five defensive units, the key is about shutting down the other team's catalyst. For the Celtics, that's Rajon Rondo. DWade better stick on him like white on rice or else the Celtics are going to be able to challenge the heat to the brink in this series.

My guess? Wade does everything he can to keep his man in front of him. He had 2 SPG and 1.4 BPG in the first round series while averaging 22.2 PPG and 8.4 RPG. If he can put up similar numbers while shutting down Boston's biggest creator, Wade's going to win his team this series.

THE HEAT: The Heat are going to wear down the Celtics on defense, and the Celtics hope to wear down the Heat on their D. So basically, this series could be a pick 'em.

But I just don't know how you stop the Heat on offense. When you have three of the game's best offensive players, the possibilities are endless. Chris Bosh is a maestro in the mid-range game, and Dwayne Wade and LeBron James are ... Dwayne Wade and LeBron James.

LBJ and DWade play similar slash and create games, so if the Celtics stop one, they can't stop the other. If they start running a pick-and-roll all series, it's going to create some matchup problems for the Celtics.

Additionally, I've been very impressed with the PG duo of Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers. While Bibby is a defensive liability, it seems that Chalmers has become a more effective game manager since Bibby joined the team. Maybe the vet is showing the youngster a few tricks of the trade.

Throw in the three-point shooting of James Jones and C Joel Anthony's defensive presence, and it becomes evident that this team really only has one weakness. Inside offense. If Zydrunas Ilgauskas can throw in 8-10 points in 15 minutes, it would be a huge boost to the team's chances. If not, the Heat are playing 4 on 5 on offense.

THE CELTICS: As I alluded to earlier, Rondo is the key to this series. Allen, Garnett, and Pierce are getting up there in age. Sure, the team is on nine days rest, but it's not like the Heat played a seven-game slugfest either.

Pierce is going to be primarily guarded by LeBron James, which will neutralize him to some extent. Mario Chalmers and James Jones are quick enough to keep up with Ray Allen as he rolls off screens, which is essential. Joel Anthony can matchup with Kevin Garnett and isolate the aging superstar in the post.

But Rondo is the Celtics catalyst. His ability to penetrate opens up perimeter threes for Allen and Pierce, and helps draw attention for back side passes to Garnett in the post. The Heat - primarily Dwayne Wade - HAVE to shut down Rondo's ability to create or else it may be a long series.

This team has not looked the same or played with the same intensity since the Perkins trade to OKC. If the O'Neals (Jermaine and Shaq - who may not play in Game 1) can make an impact and destroy Big Z and Chris Bosh on the inside, they may actually be the key to the series.

In my mind, the Celtics' offensive deficiencies toward the end of the season, their luck in the first round against the Knicks, and the Heat's defensive tenacity are telling signs that this may be the end of the road for Boston.

PREDICTION: This series is going to be a slobberknocker. There may be a melee or two throughout. But I just feel like the Celtics are a tad too old. They caught a break against the beat-up Knicks in the first round, and I think they get exposed here. The Heat's Big Three takes over, and the Celtics last great shot at another title is over. Heat in 6.

(8) Memphis Grizzlies v. (4) Oklahoma City Thunder - The Young Guns v. WHO?!?!?!

I'm pretty sure that I read this matchup correctly, but could someone PLEASE make sure for me? That is the Memphis Grizzlies that are actually in the second round of the playoffs right?

All kidding aside, the Grizzlies absolutely manhandled the #1 seed Spurs. I'm happy to see the city of Memphis have something to cheer about other than their world class rib and music scene, as the team has been the joke of the league for some time.

Memphis took care of business by providing stout perimeter defense and letting big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol wear down an overmatched Spurs front line. The Spurs looked old and tired, the Grizzlies brought the thunder (no pun intended), and impressively held off the four-time champions without blinking an eye.

Meanwhile, the OKC Thunder took the Denver Nuggets to school in the first round with a very balanced attack. With many scoring options and a defensive presence on the block and perimeter, the Thunder shut down an overmatched Denver team playing with heart for coach George Karl.

With both teams boasting some bangers down low, this series is going to be physical. They key will come down to perimeter play. We all know who wins that battle.

SERIES STUD: Russell Westbrook. For those who aren't familiar, I pick a Series Stud for this particular series, not who's the best player overall.

And for this series, I think Russell Westbrook gets the job done. He averaged 23.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 6.2 APG being guarded primarily by the Ty Lawson/Ray Felton combo in the first round. I look for him to expose Mike Conley's defensive weaknesses by penetrating hard to the basket. From there, he'll either score or dish to his big men down low.

Kevin Durant will get his points, but I think that guard Tony Allen and forward Shane Battier will neutralize him as much as humanly possible. When Durant is somewhat contained, it's Westbrook's time to shine.

THE THUNDER: With the way OKC electrified throughout their dominant five-game performance over the inspired Denver Nuggets, this team could be called the Lightning. In my first round preview (check it out on my blog), I picked the Thunder to be my Western Conference Finals representative. I'm feeling even better about that pick now.

Why you ask? Because since the addition of Kendrick Perkins the Thunder has been one of the best defensive teams in the game.

Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins destroyed Denver's big men (or lack thereof), and the Thunder was the best rebounding team in the first round. That's pretty good considering Denver was one of the league's top offensive teams in the regular season.

Ibaka averaged a RIDICULOUS 4.8 BPG in the series. What's going to be interesting is watching how he and Perkins handle an inside tandem in Gasol and Randolph that is about 10 steps up from what the Spurs had to offer.

I just don't see anyone stopping on the Grizz stopping a team that can hit you from a thousand different angles on offense. Westbook and backup Eric Maynor drive and create. Durant and James Harden shoot lights out. Ibaka and Perkins take you on the low blocks. This team scores at will, and I don't think that's going to change in this series.

THE GRIZZ: Memphis is into the second round for the first time in team history. The question for me is whether they can keep up the intensity after the biggest milestone in franchise history.

It's improbable me that the team takes another series, but it's not impossible. Memphis' strength comes on the inside, which is a problem as OKC has the ability to neutralize it.

Zach Randolph has taken the next step, becoming a player that can carry this team on his back. After the way he acted in his early career, particularly in Portland, I can't believe I just wrote that. Marc Gasol - not Pau - averaged a double-double against the Spurs.

Ibaka and Perkins will be all over Randolph and Gasol, and Rudy Gay is out for the post-season. But who is going to step up and score for Memphis here? Is it going to be Conley? Battier? O.J. Mayo off the bench?

Mike Conley is playing like he should have before his contract extension, and Tony Allen and Shane Battier bring a defensive intensity to this team that it never had before. But I don't think it's going to be enough.

It's not like OKC doesn't have perimeter defenders either. Durant, James Harden, and Thabo Sefolosha all can swipe the ball away from Memphis' guards and start the transition offense. Someone needs to step up the perimeter scoring for Memphis or this series is already over.

PREDICTION: This is going to be a great series. Ibaka/Perkins will be throwing 'bows with Gasol/Randolph for the length of the ride, and I think that's an even matchup. Ultimately though, Memphis doesn't have an offensive answer to the Westbrook/Durant one-two punch. It's been real Memphis, but better luck next year. The young guns roll on. Thunder in 6.

NBA First Round Preview - Part 1A

Chizzy’s First Round NBA Preview

This has been a pretty exciting season. For the first time in a long time, the regular season actually had some relevance. Derrick Rose’s emergence as a superstar. Kevin Love piling on double-double after double-double. Kobe’s discriminatory remarks. The Big 3, and their tears in the clubhouse. Cleveland’s record breaking losing streak, and questioning whether they would ever win again. This means it should make for an even better playoff season. I can’t wait. Let’s dive in. The series that start this afternoon are included here, and I'll post the rest of the series that start today this afternoon. I’ll include the rest tomorrow with my playoff picks.

Eastern Conference

Chicago Bulls v. (8) Indiana Pacers: On I-65 between these two cities, there’s about a billion wind turbines, and every time I drive that strip of land I find myself not paying attention to the road. I’m mesmerized by the turbines, and I know the road’s going to keep going straight. I think that’s going to happen in this series. I’m going to be paying attention to other series, because I know what’s going to happen. The Pacers give up more points than they score. If they couldn’t score against the rest of the league, how are they going to score against the NBA’s second ranked defense? That’s all I need to see. This is a lopsided matchup that I probably won’t pay attention to. I’ll watch more of the Bulls in the next round.

Series Stud: Derrick Rose. The best player in the NBA this year, Derrick Rose has come into his own. The 23 year old is making Chicago his team, but he has to win a title to step out of MJ’s shadow. I’ve talked with a few of my Chicago friends, and they all feel like he’s the “savior” to bring the franchise back to where it was in the 90’s. His 25 PPG and 7.7 APG tend to make me agree with this statement. His 3-point shooting has drastically improved this year, and since players have to respect his shot, it’s opened up his ability to drive to the hoop and create. But folks, MJ didn’t win his first title until he was 30. While I truly believe DRose may be the game’s next great, he needs a little more time. I’m excited for what’s to come.

Da Bulls: It’s good to see the Bulls on top again. I grew up an MJ fan, and loved those 90’s Bulls teams. This team has been almost as fun to watch, and they’re finally healthy. At the beginning of the season, they were without banger Carlos Boozer for 20 games. In the middle of the season, they lost banger Joakim Noah for a month. DRose distributes the ball like a champion. Boozer gets his points, Luol Deng gets his 15-18 foot jumpers, and Kyle Korver gets his 3’s. But Rose knows when to take over. And his supporting cast knows that it’s his team, so when he takes charge, there’s no questions asked. This is a hard nosed team that prides itself on defense. Noah and Boozer crash the boards, Luol Deng, Rose and Ronnie Brewer hawk the perimeter, and they grit out wins when their offense lets them down. This team is built for playoff basketball, and they will have no problems with the Pacers.

The Pacers: Nice. It’s the word I use describe the entire state of Indiana, and the word that can be used to describe this team. And I’ve always said that if all you have to say about a person, place of thing is that they’re “nice,” then there’s not really anything special at all about it. Unlike Reggie Miller’s chirpy mid-90’s Pacers, there’s no one thing that’s this team can call a defining characteristic. Chicago is DRose’s team. Whose team is this? Danny Granger? Darren Collison? Roy Hibbert? Mike Dunleavy? Tyler Hansbrough? I don’t know. Every team needs a star to have playoff success, and the Pacers don’t have it. All they have are a bunch of college stars. That doesn’t work in the playoffs. Not against the Bulls.

Prediction: Bulls in 5. Only because I hate picking sweeps. I think maybe Indiana steals Game 3 at home. But Chicago steamrolls through the overmatched in every way Pacers.

(2) Miami Heat v. (7) Philadelphia 76ers: A matchup of two very similar teams. The superstars versus the up and comers. Much fanfare has been made of Miami all season, ever since LeBron's decision to take his talents to South Beach. Little fanfare has been made of the Sixers all season. In fact, I'm betting many people can't name more than three people on their team. So what do we take away from all this? That El Heat is going to destroy the 76ers, and Elton Brand and Co. can take solace in some delicious Pat's cheesesteaks (That's right, I said Pat's. Not Geno's).

Series Stud: Dwayne Wade. I’m going to get a lot of crap for this, but the stud of this series is going to be DWade. LBJ is fantastic, and will probably have a few triple-doubles, but this is Wade’s team. It’s his city. LeBron came to Wade's team, not vice versa. I understand Cleveland is not Miami, but it tells me something that LeBron felt he needed to go somewhere to pair up with Wade to win. Plus, LeBron is notorious for his atrocious clutch play (see the playoffs the last few years), but DWade gets better as the pressure starts mounting is a killer in the final moments of a game. Anyone remember his play in the 2006 Playoffs? Let me remind you. 28.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.7 APG. 2.2 SPG. What was the end result? Championship. Until LeBron proves otherwise, this is Wade's team.

The Heat: We all know what the Heat can do. LeBron, DWade, and Bosh are going to carry this team. They’re going to run you all over the floor, push the pace, and shut down the other team with their perimeter defense. Without an inside presence for much of the season, the addition of Erick Dampier has shored up the post defense. They’ve fought through the early season struggles, the tears in the clubhouse, and the horrible coaching of Erik Spoelstra. But the question is this: When it comes to crunch time, can the Heat play nice with each other? I think so. When Mike Bibby came to the team in early March, the Heat lost their first four games with him in the lineup. But since that time, the Heat have won 15 of their last 18 games. Bibby has had experience handling stars on early 2000’s Kings (Chris Webber) and the late 2000’s Hawks (Josh Smith and Joe Johnson). He knows how to keep everyone happy, and the Big 3 need that.

The 76ers: Another nice team. Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala are going to have to make their presence known on the inside in order to make this team go anywhere. Brand is going to get his points, and he’s going to get his rebounds against the Heat’s biggest weakness, the inside post. But they’re going to need perfect performances from Jrue Holiday and sixth man Thaddeus Young, and if you’re relying on perfect performances from Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young you know you’re in trouble. But if the Sixers take this series deep, you have to give props to coach Doug Collins. In my mind, he’s the Coach of the Year. When you take a roster of rag tag players picked to finish at the bottom of the conference and get them into the playoffs, you deserve some credit.

Prediction: Heat in 5. The Heat shut down the 76ers in this series as Philly just doesn’t have the talent to contend. They had a great season, but the Heat is going overwhelm Philly by running on offense, shutting them down on defense, and coasting on to the next round.

The Daily Rant: He Ain't Going Anywhere... Yet.

I’m a St. Louis Cardinals fan. All of my friends know this. I have been since the day my favorite player, Mark McGwire got traded to them in 1997. The next year Big Mac broke Roger Maris’ age old HR record. In 2001, a third baseman with a bright future made his debut with the Redbirds in McGwire’s last season: Albert Pujols. As we all know, since 2001 Pujols has undeniably become the best player in baseball. Even Cubs fans admit that (at least they’re right on something).

Last offseason, the Cardinals failed to sign Albert Pujols to a contract extension. And since the day spring training started, all I’ve heard from all of my friends is how next year Pujols is going to be wearing Yankees pinstripes, Dodger Blue, or god forbid, a Cubs uniform. Or that the Cardinals are going to trade him to a contender this season. I’ve got news for you haters. He’s not going anywhere. Yet. So until this season is over, let’s stop talking about where Albert Pujols is going to be next year.

Throughout his career, Albert has respected the game. Always. He has refused over the course of his career to consider contract negotiations while the season is going on. This means that from the first pitch of spring training until the last pitch of the Cardinals season, he doesn’t talk dollars and cents. He wants to focus on his game, and on the team. And in my opinion, that’s how sports should be. Let the GM’s talk trades and transactions, but don’t talk to the player about extensions. So I respect Albert for asking his agent not to negotiate during the season. But in no way has Albert EVER insinuated that his refusal to negotiate during the season is an indication that he will not be playing under the Arch next year in St. Louis.

I understand my friends. They love to see me writhe in pain as I consider Albert playing in a different uniform. I’ve said that if Pujols leaves, I’ll burn his jersey. To me, Albert means ALMOST just as much to St. Louis as Lebron James did to Cleveland. He played high school ball in Missouri (closer to Kansas City), was drafted by the Cardinals, and came up through their farm system. But just because he has opted to become a free agent at the end of this season doesn’t mean he wants to leave. Albert’s agent said that “The expiration of today's deadline does not eliminate the possibility of Albert returning to the Cardinals in 2012, but simply delays negotiations until the conclusion of the Cardinals' season." In no way does that imply that he wants to leave.

I’m telling you. There is no chance in hell that the Cardinals decide to trade Pujols this season. If it happens, I’ll buy you a beer. And after the season, the Cardinals have negotiating rights to Pujols for five days. The team and its star player on not at an impasse over whether Albert wants to remain a Redbird, they are at an impasse over money.

Albert means too much to this team. He is the iconic figure in the city. If the team loses Albert, they lose their identity. But I’m not ruling out the possibility that Albert could head elsewhere. He may think he’s worth more than what he is, or the Cardinals may think he’s not worth what the market dictates. But until Albert actually hits free agency five days after the World Series ends, let’s stop talking about it. Nothing’s going to happen until then, and I want to enjoy watching the man play in the Cardinals’ uniform. Because I’m going to have a heart attack if I think of him stepping to the plate in Busch Stadium for the Cubs one more time.

The Daily Rant: LeBron Not for NFL

Prior to this offseason's lockout Miami Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall said he'd like to try out for the Miami Heat if the regular season is cancelled. We saw Chad Ochocino make a reserve MLS team in Kansas City. Ravens S Tom Zbikowski is 3-0 in his professional boxing career. Though it may not seem like it now, the NBA is headed towards a lockout is well, and despite the child-like arguing we've seen between Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith (whose hat collection is atrocious) the NBA's situation is worse.

Out the other night, I overheard someone say, "LeBron James will just play football and dominate in the NFL". I hope this was a delusional Cavs/Browns fan, let's face it they're one in the same, hoping he'd play back in Cleveland. Lord knows I'd hate it if he were in a Dolphins uniform. Which brings me to my rant, LeBron James would be an absolute failure in the NFL.

While some might point to the fact he was an All-American WR at St. Vincent St. Mary's High School...so where a hundred other kids that never made the NFL. Heck, even Heisman Trophy Winners have had a rough go of it as of late.

Charlie Ward, Florida State - played for the New York Knicks (not a typo)
Eric Crouch, Nebraska - switched to S by St. Louis, then out of the league
Jason White, Oklahoma - never played a down
Matt Leinart, USC - I'm sure he's living it up at a kegger somewhere
Reggie Bush, USC - he'd be an all-time bust if not for his special teams abilities
Troy Smith, Ohio State - career backup at best
Tim Tebow, Florida - John Elway's already looking at QBs in Denver

So please, don't tell me LeBron's skills would translate. We don't know how LeBron would've made it through at least 3 years of college football (the NFL's rule states you must be 21 or three year's removed from your high school graduation date). I don't see any 6'8" wide receivers roaming the league. LeBron's certainly got some athleticism, but he's a long-strider, which wouldn't behoove his frame. LeBron whines at getting knicked on the arm nearly every play - he's not tough. Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum constantly get held by two and three guys in the paint and don't whine half as much as LeBron.

How's it going to look when he's got to catch a slant or post over the middle and Ray Lewis or Troy Polamalu breaks him in half. This assuming he could even get off the line of scrimmage versus somebody who eats weights like LaMarr Woodley or Tamba Hali. If I have to watch another special of Todd McShay breaking down LeBron's football skills when McShay can barely breakdown a normal college football player, well, I'll probably call up Danny McGrath to take out LeBron and Todd McShay (yes, that was a Billy Madison reference). But seriously, just stop. LeBron won't be dominating the NFL. Ever.