LeBron James once again was brilliant for the Cavs-- but this time, his teammates didn't let the effort go to waste. Four other Cav players notched double-figures, and the rest of the team actually shot slightly better than James.
Another big factor in game 5: orlando went cold from the outside. Just 8 for 25 from 3pt range, their worst percentage of the series (32% for you sociology majors).
But back to LeBron. He had as many assists as the Magic did as a team (12), and that's not counting the blown shots his teammates missed (Varejao missed what would have been an easy dunk, but James chased down the offensive rebound). And does anyone else find it interesting that when he scores over 40 points in this series, the Cavs are 0-3, but when he goes under that mark, they are 2-0? Truly a case of less is more...
As for the Lakers/Nuggets series, the last two games haven't been quite as dramatic in terms of the finish--but I can't wait for game six. Game five, the Lakers turned it on as a team-- Lamar Odom played like a man possessed. In a way, Chris Anderson is a great foil for him, because if he matches Birdman's energy, the Lakers are bound to be successful. As a matter of fact, if you crossed Odom's talent with Anderson's effort, the result would be staggering (like Dennis Rodman with an offensive game).
By the way, one more quick thought on the Birdman: yes he can block shots, but he goes for the block everytime, which leaves him out of position for the rebound when he doesn't get it. Having said that, he is still very entertaining-- the Eric Byrnes of the NBA...
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Its... Magic!
Great game four in Orlando Tuesday night. LeBron definitely got bailed out on the drive to the hoop at the end of regulation--former Warrior Mickael Pietrus was playing off him, and James just fell down. But two things really impressed me from Orlando.
1. Dwight Howard showed up in crunch time. Most of the playoff games this month, Howard has been huge in the first three quarters, then a shrinking violet as the clock winds down in the fourth. But not in game 4--10 points in overtime, including six straight that really put Cleveland behind the eight ball.
2. How about Skip to my Lou? Rafer Alston (Skip of course was his playground nickname--I know this because of my mad street cred) dropped 26 points, including 6 threes for Orlando. Despite Howard, the Magic really do live and die by the three pointer. And in game 4, they hit about 45% from beyond the arc. Peitrus and Alston combined to jack up 23 three point shots. What a novel concept-- fringe players willing to step up and knock down a shot.
On the flip side, aside from James, West and Williams, no Cav attempted more than nine shots from the field, or more than two free throws. For all the talk about the revamped supporting cast for LeBron James, he still seemingly needs to do everything himself--hence the eight turnovers (I believe three in OT).
Things do not look good for the Cavs, but then again, if they win at home in game 5 (which they should) and can steal game 6, the series will be up for grabs...
1. Dwight Howard showed up in crunch time. Most of the playoff games this month, Howard has been huge in the first three quarters, then a shrinking violet as the clock winds down in the fourth. But not in game 4--10 points in overtime, including six straight that really put Cleveland behind the eight ball.
2. How about Skip to my Lou? Rafer Alston (Skip of course was his playground nickname--I know this because of my mad street cred) dropped 26 points, including 6 threes for Orlando. Despite Howard, the Magic really do live and die by the three pointer. And in game 4, they hit about 45% from beyond the arc. Peitrus and Alston combined to jack up 23 three point shots. What a novel concept-- fringe players willing to step up and knock down a shot.
On the flip side, aside from James, West and Williams, no Cav attempted more than nine shots from the field, or more than two free throws. For all the talk about the revamped supporting cast for LeBron James, he still seemingly needs to do everything himself--hence the eight turnovers (I believe three in OT).
Things do not look good for the Cavs, but then again, if they win at home in game 5 (which they should) and can steal game 6, the series will be up for grabs...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Bad Refs, eh?
I've got a secret. Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals was determined by basketball players-- one team scored more points than the other. No, referees did not determine the outcome. Derek Fisher still had a chance to force overtime with a three pointer.
Yes, you can argue some borderline calls went against the home team. Perhaps they should have called a violation on the jump ball. But you could also argue that the Nuggets got hosed when the refs matched Billups against Gasol instead of Nene--even though Nene got there first to the loose ball.
Instead, the Lakers let the game slip away. Denver did a good job hitting free throws and locking down the non-Kobes, who over the last 7 minutes of the game were a combined 0-4 with 4 turnovers. Don't think you can blame the zebras for that. But shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I wouldn't want to ruin a Laker fan's day with reality.
Yes, you can argue some borderline calls went against the home team. Perhaps they should have called a violation on the jump ball. But you could also argue that the Nuggets got hosed when the refs matched Billups against Gasol instead of Nene--even though Nene got there first to the loose ball.
Instead, the Lakers let the game slip away. Denver did a good job hitting free throws and locking down the non-Kobes, who over the last 7 minutes of the game were a combined 0-4 with 4 turnovers. Don't think you can blame the zebras for that. But shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I wouldn't want to ruin a Laker fan's day with reality.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Lake Show Game One
So not a bad way to start the Western Conference Finals... Very competitive game, right down to the last 30 seconds or so. But a few things stand out to me:
First off, why did the Nuggets have 6-2 Anthony Carter inbounding the ball with 30 seconds left? You can't get somebody a few inches taller--say 6'6 Dahntay Jones or 6'10 Chris Anderson? Neither are big offensive threats but both still belong on the floor (especially with Nene fouled out).
Secondly, shouldn't Carter have used the last timeout instead of trying to force the inbounds pass? Maybe he couldn't see past Lamar Odom (who, again, is significantly taller than Carter), and I don't want to take away from Trevor Ariza, because that anticipation was fantastic. I was just a little surprised. Kind of like how Ariza, who left UCLA ostensibly because he didn't want to play grind-it-out defense under Ben Howland, has suddenly become an excellent defender. Puzzling, and a little frustrating that he left Westwood so early.
Another note from the game-- closely officiated, except for Melo and Kobe. They were shoving, trading elbows, you name it... no call. But then Jones goes straight up on Kobe, doesn't even flinch--and Kobe gets the and one. I'm sure there were some generous calls for Melo too, but I like it when they let teams play physical, though-- it is, after all, the playoffs. I just don't want to see it get out of hand.
But kudos to the Lakers for controlling the glass (46-37, including a +10 edge on offensive rebounds). Can't believe I'm saying this, but bring on game two!
First off, why did the Nuggets have 6-2 Anthony Carter inbounding the ball with 30 seconds left? You can't get somebody a few inches taller--say 6'6 Dahntay Jones or 6'10 Chris Anderson? Neither are big offensive threats but both still belong on the floor (especially with Nene fouled out).
Secondly, shouldn't Carter have used the last timeout instead of trying to force the inbounds pass? Maybe he couldn't see past Lamar Odom (who, again, is significantly taller than Carter), and I don't want to take away from Trevor Ariza, because that anticipation was fantastic. I was just a little surprised. Kind of like how Ariza, who left UCLA ostensibly because he didn't want to play grind-it-out defense under Ben Howland, has suddenly become an excellent defender. Puzzling, and a little frustrating that he left Westwood so early.
Another note from the game-- closely officiated, except for Melo and Kobe. They were shoving, trading elbows, you name it... no call. But then Jones goes straight up on Kobe, doesn't even flinch--and Kobe gets the and one. I'm sure there were some generous calls for Melo too, but I like it when they let teams play physical, though-- it is, after all, the playoffs. I just don't want to see it get out of hand.
But kudos to the Lakers for controlling the glass (46-37, including a +10 edge on offensive rebounds). Can't believe I'm saying this, but bring on game two!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Game Sevens...
Sorry for the recent absence, but I've been working on a different site that I should have in place this week. I'm hoping to be able to do both, and I will have a link to it later this week.
Having said that, had to offer a few thoughts on the game sevens from Sunday...
Rockets @ Lakers
Pau Gasol set the tone in the beginning of this one for LA, and Ron Artest did the same for Houston. Gasol was there for lay-ups, dunks and put-backs, while Artest was bricking off-balance threes. For all of Artest's intangibles, the tangible evidence is that he is not a great shooter--especially from the outside. I'm not saying he burried the Rockets in this one--the Lakers were by and large brilliant-- but during the 17-4 Laker run that set the tone for the game, Artest and Luis Scola were getting denied like the Discover card.
Magic @ Celtics
How about Hedo Turkoglu in this one-- 25 points on 9/12 shooting. Dwight Howard a decent effort, but odd that he didn't get to the line until the 4th quarter (only 2 FTs and 9 FGs attempted for one of the league's most physical players). And leave it to a former Warrior, Mickael Pietrus, to put the clamps on Ray Allen and even pour in 17 points of offense to keep the game out of reach.
The bottom line with the Magic is that if they hit their 3's (13/20, 65% on Sunday), they win games. Bad news in the next round, though--Cleveland led the league in 3pt % defensive in the regular season.
More to come this week; as always, thanks for the patronage.
Having said that, had to offer a few thoughts on the game sevens from Sunday...
Rockets @ Lakers
Pau Gasol set the tone in the beginning of this one for LA, and Ron Artest did the same for Houston. Gasol was there for lay-ups, dunks and put-backs, while Artest was bricking off-balance threes. For all of Artest's intangibles, the tangible evidence is that he is not a great shooter--especially from the outside. I'm not saying he burried the Rockets in this one--the Lakers were by and large brilliant-- but during the 17-4 Laker run that set the tone for the game, Artest and Luis Scola were getting denied like the Discover card.
Magic @ Celtics
How about Hedo Turkoglu in this one-- 25 points on 9/12 shooting. Dwight Howard a decent effort, but odd that he didn't get to the line until the 4th quarter (only 2 FTs and 9 FGs attempted for one of the league's most physical players). And leave it to a former Warrior, Mickael Pietrus, to put the clamps on Ray Allen and even pour in 17 points of offense to keep the game out of reach.
The bottom line with the Magic is that if they hit their 3's (13/20, 65% on Sunday), they win games. Bad news in the next round, though--Cleveland led the league in 3pt % defensive in the regular season.
More to come this week; as always, thanks for the patronage.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Man oh man oh Manny Ramirez...
Yes, you best believe Charlie Steiner took the news extra hard this morning, even before his usual hair of the dog breakfast of champions. Manny Ramirez gets popped and will sit out the next 50 Dodger games. The fact that he was using is probably no great surprise—most of the great players from the past 15 years have had allegations dog them. But consider this: Jose Canseco was right. Again.
Say what you will about the bumbling slugger, who sits at 462 career home runs. But he has been the Nostradamus of the steroid era. He has been ahead of the curve with virtually every big name that has come out in the last five years—Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, and yes, Manny Ramirez. Canseco called them all. As much as he lacks credibility as a true baseball player, as a source of information, he is a deep throat savant. I heard him compared to Woodward and Bernstein this morning—and you can’t argue.
But getting back to Manny (speaking of savants), the only thing lamer than getting caught when you know they are testing is the excuse he gave. My doctor gave me something for a personal medical condition, and I didn’t know. Ok, let’s take him at his word. Say it was a medical prescription for legitimate reasons. If this doctor didn’t know and tell Ramirez that the drug would result in a positive test, he should lose his medical license. Secondly, where were the team physicians on this? Isn’t that why teams have doctors, trainers, nutritionalists, et all? I’m not surprised that Manny had his own guys, but a team that doesn’t ask to be in the loop on medications their players are using is asking for trouble. Shouldn’t they be held accountable in some way too? Especially if the dubious, the-doctor-made-me-do-it excuse doesn’t hold water. You’d better believe that if teams were fined when a player on their active 25 man roster tests positive, those organizations would take a more active role in policing themselves.
It is a shame about Ramirez—he seemed to be one player that didn’t fit the steroid bill. He was everything Los Angeles needed him to be. He was charismatic, but not in a look at me kind of way. Loved by fans, media, and even his own teammates. Yes, bad things happened in Boston. But out in LaLa land, he got the clean slate that he wanted—and until Thursday, had earned. But we live in a forgiving culture—if you can produce, we will forgive. Yes, he is still a hall of famer, and yes, the Dodgers will still welcome him back with open arms. When you’re the mayor of Mannywood, life is good.
Say what you will about the bumbling slugger, who sits at 462 career home runs. But he has been the Nostradamus of the steroid era. He has been ahead of the curve with virtually every big name that has come out in the last five years—Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, and yes, Manny Ramirez. Canseco called them all. As much as he lacks credibility as a true baseball player, as a source of information, he is a deep throat savant. I heard him compared to Woodward and Bernstein this morning—and you can’t argue.
But getting back to Manny (speaking of savants), the only thing lamer than getting caught when you know they are testing is the excuse he gave. My doctor gave me something for a personal medical condition, and I didn’t know. Ok, let’s take him at his word. Say it was a medical prescription for legitimate reasons. If this doctor didn’t know and tell Ramirez that the drug would result in a positive test, he should lose his medical license. Secondly, where were the team physicians on this? Isn’t that why teams have doctors, trainers, nutritionalists, et all? I’m not surprised that Manny had his own guys, but a team that doesn’t ask to be in the loop on medications their players are using is asking for trouble. Shouldn’t they be held accountable in some way too? Especially if the dubious, the-doctor-made-me-do-it excuse doesn’t hold water. You’d better believe that if teams were fined when a player on their active 25 man roster tests positive, those organizations would take a more active role in policing themselves.
It is a shame about Ramirez—he seemed to be one player that didn’t fit the steroid bill. He was everything Los Angeles needed him to be. He was charismatic, but not in a look at me kind of way. Loved by fans, media, and even his own teammates. Yes, bad things happened in Boston. But out in LaLa land, he got the clean slate that he wanted—and until Thursday, had earned. But we live in a forgiving culture—if you can produce, we will forgive. Yes, he is still a hall of famer, and yes, the Dodgers will still welcome him back with open arms. When you’re the mayor of Mannywood, life is good.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Support Your Team-- Drink This Beer (NL West)
At long last, the final installment of our six part series matching beers to MLB squads... Again, all feedback is welcome: ddenicke23@hotmail.com
Here we go...
NL WEST
DODGERS: Bud Light. Very well-known selection. Supporters like the beer, but don’t really love it, much the way most Dodger fans would fall under the heading of fair-weather. Drinkers don’t always need to finish the beer to appreciate it—the alcoholic equivalent of leaving in the 7th inning to beat traffic. Both get “big-market” level attention, but actual quality of taste/performance usually ends before it gets anywhere substantive. The Dodgers have no shortage of national attention, but before last year, they had won exactly one post season game since 1988.
GIANTS: Filtered Hefeweizen. Ok, I know I already used this beer before, but let me throw this parallel at you: Barry Bonds is the dominant force behind the franchise. When you think Giants, he is what you think of. Now, in the world of beer, when you think Hef, you think lemon, which is usually added to the glass. Both Bonds and lemon are extremely sour, and most find them to be way to bitter to enjoy. Furthermore, the “additive” of lemon to the glass could be the HGH of the beer world; purists shake their heads, but the casual fan shrugs and is fine with it.
ROCKIES: Foster’s. Beer that had a lot of fan fare in the past, but eventually fizzled out faster than Paul Hogan’s career. The weird thing about Foster’s is that it is actually not very popular in Australia—but the marketing campaign builds it up to be more than what it is. In Colorado, they certainly support the Rocks, but it pales in comparison to most of the other teams (especially the Broncos). Attendance has fallen into the middle of the pack (13th last year), much the way finding Fosters on tap is not a given even at a large bar. Some consider the high altitude gimmicky (Australian for humidor), but it has recently become a bit more mainstream.
PADRES: Arrogant Bastard Ale. A local nod to a SD-based brew that is very dark and bitter—much the way Padre fans feel at the moment. The beer is actually pretty good, and cascades nicely in a pint glass, which makes it a cool thing to watch. But because it is so strong and so thick, you have to be a beer fan to really enjoy it. As for the Pads, they also look nice and inviting on the outside (Petco is gorgeous), but when you get down to it, they are not really all that entertaining. They don’t really hit home runs, they don’t have flashy players, and the long-time face of the franchise, closer Trevor Hoffman, is now in Milwaukee—no more hell’s bells. No wonder San Diegans have a bitter beer face the past year or so…
DIAMONDBACKS: Black and tan. What better comparison for a team that is as unpredictable night in night out than a beer that can change from sip to sip?
The Diamondbacks as a team are all up and coming players, but are extremely inconsistent. They can hit home runs in bunches, and then strikeout faster than a before-guy on the pick-up artist. As for a proper black and tan (preferably bass and Guinness), it starts out one way, and then somewhere along the line turns into something completely different.
Here we go...
NL WEST
DODGERS: Bud Light. Very well-known selection. Supporters like the beer, but don’t really love it, much the way most Dodger fans would fall under the heading of fair-weather. Drinkers don’t always need to finish the beer to appreciate it—the alcoholic equivalent of leaving in the 7th inning to beat traffic. Both get “big-market” level attention, but actual quality of taste/performance usually ends before it gets anywhere substantive. The Dodgers have no shortage of national attention, but before last year, they had won exactly one post season game since 1988.
GIANTS: Filtered Hefeweizen. Ok, I know I already used this beer before, but let me throw this parallel at you: Barry Bonds is the dominant force behind the franchise. When you think Giants, he is what you think of. Now, in the world of beer, when you think Hef, you think lemon, which is usually added to the glass. Both Bonds and lemon are extremely sour, and most find them to be way to bitter to enjoy. Furthermore, the “additive” of lemon to the glass could be the HGH of the beer world; purists shake their heads, but the casual fan shrugs and is fine with it.
ROCKIES: Foster’s. Beer that had a lot of fan fare in the past, but eventually fizzled out faster than Paul Hogan’s career. The weird thing about Foster’s is that it is actually not very popular in Australia—but the marketing campaign builds it up to be more than what it is. In Colorado, they certainly support the Rocks, but it pales in comparison to most of the other teams (especially the Broncos). Attendance has fallen into the middle of the pack (13th last year), much the way finding Fosters on tap is not a given even at a large bar. Some consider the high altitude gimmicky (Australian for humidor), but it has recently become a bit more mainstream.
PADRES: Arrogant Bastard Ale. A local nod to a SD-based brew that is very dark and bitter—much the way Padre fans feel at the moment. The beer is actually pretty good, and cascades nicely in a pint glass, which makes it a cool thing to watch. But because it is so strong and so thick, you have to be a beer fan to really enjoy it. As for the Pads, they also look nice and inviting on the outside (Petco is gorgeous), but when you get down to it, they are not really all that entertaining. They don’t really hit home runs, they don’t have flashy players, and the long-time face of the franchise, closer Trevor Hoffman, is now in Milwaukee—no more hell’s bells. No wonder San Diegans have a bitter beer face the past year or so…
DIAMONDBACKS: Black and tan. What better comparison for a team that is as unpredictable night in night out than a beer that can change from sip to sip?
The Diamondbacks as a team are all up and coming players, but are extremely inconsistent. They can hit home runs in bunches, and then strikeout faster than a before-guy on the pick-up artist. As for a proper black and tan (preferably bass and Guinness), it starts out one way, and then somewhere along the line turns into something completely different.
Laker Fans: Calm the F down!
Good God, Laker fans.
Lakers stink. Andrew Bynum is overrated, Lamar Odom is bi-polar like a magnet, and Kobe is a jerk. And Pau Gasol screams like a yeti every time he puts up a shot in traffic. But you know what? That's fine. Lakers are probably going to do just fine.
What drives me batty are Laker fans. I get being passionate, and following your team closely--trust me, I have my teams that I live and die with. No, the problem with Laker fans is that they complain ALL THE TIME. If the team wins, Kobe took too many shots, or Lamar Odom didn't try hard enough in the second half. If they lose, god help us all. People walk around like their dog just got mauled by a mountain lion. (This happens in the regular season, by the way, just as often as it does in the playoffs. The complaints, not the maulings).
Laker fans seem incredulous that the team is capable of losing a game in the playoffs. But it happens. Does this mean that the Lakers will lose a best of 7 series? No. Most likely, they will still beat the Rockets--even if they lose game two. But god forbid that happen--Laker fans will cry and complain how things are so terrible.
Listen up: your franchise has had an incredible amount of success and good fortune over the past 3 decades. So if on occasion the team doesn't live up to the hype, deal with it. Try pulling for the Warriors some time, then come crying about a game 1 loss in the friggin second round.
Lakers stink. Andrew Bynum is overrated, Lamar Odom is bi-polar like a magnet, and Kobe is a jerk. And Pau Gasol screams like a yeti every time he puts up a shot in traffic. But you know what? That's fine. Lakers are probably going to do just fine.
What drives me batty are Laker fans. I get being passionate, and following your team closely--trust me, I have my teams that I live and die with. No, the problem with Laker fans is that they complain ALL THE TIME. If the team wins, Kobe took too many shots, or Lamar Odom didn't try hard enough in the second half. If they lose, god help us all. People walk around like their dog just got mauled by a mountain lion. (This happens in the regular season, by the way, just as often as it does in the playoffs. The complaints, not the maulings).
Laker fans seem incredulous that the team is capable of losing a game in the playoffs. But it happens. Does this mean that the Lakers will lose a best of 7 series? No. Most likely, they will still beat the Rockets--even if they lose game two. But god forbid that happen--Laker fans will cry and complain how things are so terrible.
Listen up: your franchise has had an incredible amount of success and good fortune over the past 3 decades. So if on occasion the team doesn't live up to the hype, deal with it. Try pulling for the Warriors some time, then come crying about a game 1 loss in the friggin second round.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Is King James your MVP?
So LeBron James has been named the MVP for this season, eh? While its tough to argue against the best player on the best team getting the award for what is essentially the best player, the media missed out on an opportunity to crown the true most VALUABLE player from this season: Dwyane Wade.
Wade averaged 30 points, 7.5 assists and 5 rebounds per game (while shooting a higher FG% than Bron), but the argument for D-Wade goes beyond the scope of basic statistics. Take a step back and look at what Wade and LeBron accomplished this season.
Wade- took a team that was embarrassingly bad and pulled them into the playoffs as a 5 seed, despite a trade at the all-star break that took away his best teammate and forced him to adjust his style of play. His teammates can't carry his jock (which according to his ex-wife, may not be such a bad thing) but that also means they can't lift him up on an off night.
LeBron- Led the Cavs to the best overall record in the NBA, including 39-1 at home (not counting the last game when they rested James and 3 other starters). He had help with capable outside shooters (Delonte West and Mo Williams), as well as an inside presence that while by no means dominant, was at least respectable.
Now granted, the Cavs won 23 more games than the Heat did this year, but ask this hypothetical: how many would each have won without their stars? Take LeBron off the Cavs (say he got hurt the first minute of the first game) and you still have a three legged dog. Maybe not the most agile creature, but still a lovable family pet that you keep around. With the surrounding talent, they could still manage to win 45 games—consider the Hawks, who won 47, as the barometer.
But the Heat without D-Wade? Yikes. Old Yeller territory. The NBA comparison leans towards Washington— and that is giving a fair amount of credit to a team that doesn’t have anyone like Antawn Jamison or maybe even Caron Butler… DC won just 19 games.
So you’re looking at LeBron being worth about 20 wins for the Cavs, while Wade is worth about 25 for the Heat. Isn’t that more value? And I hate to take anything away from James, because he is legitimately fantastic. But Wade's accomplishments simply make him more valuable to Miami than James' do to Cleveland.
As for Kobe-- great player, and probably the best clutch scorer in the league. But the Lakers have the most depth of any team left in the playoffs, and the best talent in LA since Jenna Jameson retired. So the old arguments that worked for Kobe fans in the past no longer hold water. Talented player, but #3 on the ballot.
Wade averaged 30 points, 7.5 assists and 5 rebounds per game (while shooting a higher FG% than Bron), but the argument for D-Wade goes beyond the scope of basic statistics. Take a step back and look at what Wade and LeBron accomplished this season.
Wade- took a team that was embarrassingly bad and pulled them into the playoffs as a 5 seed, despite a trade at the all-star break that took away his best teammate and forced him to adjust his style of play. His teammates can't carry his jock (which according to his ex-wife, may not be such a bad thing) but that also means they can't lift him up on an off night.
LeBron- Led the Cavs to the best overall record in the NBA, including 39-1 at home (not counting the last game when they rested James and 3 other starters). He had help with capable outside shooters (Delonte West and Mo Williams), as well as an inside presence that while by no means dominant, was at least respectable.
Now granted, the Cavs won 23 more games than the Heat did this year, but ask this hypothetical: how many would each have won without their stars? Take LeBron off the Cavs (say he got hurt the first minute of the first game) and you still have a three legged dog. Maybe not the most agile creature, but still a lovable family pet that you keep around. With the surrounding talent, they could still manage to win 45 games—consider the Hawks, who won 47, as the barometer.
But the Heat without D-Wade? Yikes. Old Yeller territory. The NBA comparison leans towards Washington— and that is giving a fair amount of credit to a team that doesn’t have anyone like Antawn Jamison or maybe even Caron Butler… DC won just 19 games.
So you’re looking at LeBron being worth about 20 wins for the Cavs, while Wade is worth about 25 for the Heat. Isn’t that more value? And I hate to take anything away from James, because he is legitimately fantastic. But Wade's accomplishments simply make him more valuable to Miami than James' do to Cleveland.
As for Kobe-- great player, and probably the best clutch scorer in the league. But the Lakers have the most depth of any team left in the playoffs, and the best talent in LA since Jenna Jameson retired. So the old arguments that worked for Kobe fans in the past no longer hold water. Talented player, but #3 on the ballot.
Support Your Team-- Drink This Beer (NL Central)
Ok, so if you are growing tired of this, I promise we'll have some NBA stuff up later today. But in the meantime, here is part five of the team-beer pairings...
NL CENTRAL
CUBS: Old Style. What else? Not nearly as good as its/their fans would have you believe, but tradition makes it a popular choice. Team hasn't won a title in over 100 years-- have to believe its been at least that long since Old Style won any taste contests...
CARDINALS: Stella. Uber popular, both among people that know beer and the casual fan. Very common default selection—most fans don’t know why they are a fan per se, but if the beer is on tap (or the game on in HD), they’ll stick and stay.
BREWERS: Coors Light. Overall not that good, but on occasion can come through. On a hot day, refreshing (because it tastes like water). Come bar time, though, won’t stand up to the pressure, and will fizzle. Essentially can’t come through in the clutch, when you need a “go-to” beer.
ASTROS: Malt liquor. Fitting, considering the team used to called the Houston Colt 45s. Powerful, no doubt, but not many order this in public. Much like the 1980s jerseys, best covered up by a brown paper bag.
REDS: Cider. Had a nice run at the beginning, but purists roll their eyes at this one (Great American Ballpark is ridiculous). Neither can be taken too seriously-- Dusty Baker is the Pear Cider of managers: seems like a good idea at the time, but you’ll be snake-bitten before too long.
PIRATES: Zima. Laughably bad since 1993. Here’s a tidbit for you: the Buccos haven’t had a winning season since the year Zima was introduced. Coincidence? I think not!
NL CENTRAL
CUBS: Old Style. What else? Not nearly as good as its/their fans would have you believe, but tradition makes it a popular choice. Team hasn't won a title in over 100 years-- have to believe its been at least that long since Old Style won any taste contests...
CARDINALS: Stella. Uber popular, both among people that know beer and the casual fan. Very common default selection—most fans don’t know why they are a fan per se, but if the beer is on tap (or the game on in HD), they’ll stick and stay.
BREWERS: Coors Light. Overall not that good, but on occasion can come through. On a hot day, refreshing (because it tastes like water). Come bar time, though, won’t stand up to the pressure, and will fizzle. Essentially can’t come through in the clutch, when you need a “go-to” beer.
ASTROS: Malt liquor. Fitting, considering the team used to called the Houston Colt 45s. Powerful, no doubt, but not many order this in public. Much like the 1980s jerseys, best covered up by a brown paper bag.
REDS: Cider. Had a nice run at the beginning, but purists roll their eyes at this one (Great American Ballpark is ridiculous). Neither can be taken too seriously-- Dusty Baker is the Pear Cider of managers: seems like a good idea at the time, but you’ll be snake-bitten before too long.
PIRATES: Zima. Laughably bad since 1993. Here’s a tidbit for you: the Buccos haven’t had a winning season since the year Zima was introduced. Coincidence? I think not!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Support Your Team-- Drink This Beer (NL East)
As promised, we kick off the month of May with the National League side of things...
Remember, if you like what you read, be sure to sign up and follow along with the blog. If nothing else, it gives both of us a mild self-esteem boost. You get to join a kinda-exclusive club, while I get to pretend I have friends. Win-win!
On to the MLB beer pairings.
NL EAST
PHILLIES: Newcastle. Has a very loyal following, but that can polarize other fans because it makes a strong impression. The passionate fan base will stick with the beer through thick and thin (even out of a can, if necessary).
METS: Amstel Light. Certainly a popular choice, but you have to be careful what this beer says about you. The main 3 light beers (B-, C- and Miller Lite) are defensible as they are usually consumed in mass quantities. But how many times have you gotten hammered on Amstel, let alone even ordered more than one pitcher? Can’t completely hammer the beer, though, because it is a quality product. But perhaps the closest similarity is the performance over the course of a night: fantastic way to start, but Amstel doesn’t have much of a finish to it—kind of like NY’s last two Septembers…
MARLINS: Sam Adams. Casual fans seldom appreciate the beer (at least the Boston Lager), which has a lot of hops. But if you appreciate the nuances in play, Sam Adams does a lot of the little things right.; the alcoholic equivalent of going first to third. Also worth mentioning—comes up big in October (Octoberfest= their best seasonal).
BRAVES: Corona. A beer that most locals (i.e.- Mexicans) actually do not like. The beer is very popular mainly because of marketing (TBS) and the pairing of lime, which adds flavor to an otherwise bland product.
NATIONALS: Bud Light-Lime. Can’t think of any serious fan that would actually consider this product. An spin-off that falls flatter that “Joey”. Also considered Natty Light, because you know they’re bad, and they know they’re bad, but it seemed a little on the nose.
Remember, if you like what you read, be sure to sign up and follow along with the blog. If nothing else, it gives both of us a mild self-esteem boost. You get to join a kinda-exclusive club, while I get to pretend I have friends. Win-win!
On to the MLB beer pairings.
NL EAST
PHILLIES: Newcastle. Has a very loyal following, but that can polarize other fans because it makes a strong impression. The passionate fan base will stick with the beer through thick and thin (even out of a can, if necessary).
METS: Amstel Light. Certainly a popular choice, but you have to be careful what this beer says about you. The main 3 light beers (B-, C- and Miller Lite) are defensible as they are usually consumed in mass quantities. But how many times have you gotten hammered on Amstel, let alone even ordered more than one pitcher? Can’t completely hammer the beer, though, because it is a quality product. But perhaps the closest similarity is the performance over the course of a night: fantastic way to start, but Amstel doesn’t have much of a finish to it—kind of like NY’s last two Septembers…
MARLINS: Sam Adams. Casual fans seldom appreciate the beer (at least the Boston Lager), which has a lot of hops. But if you appreciate the nuances in play, Sam Adams does a lot of the little things right.; the alcoholic equivalent of going first to third. Also worth mentioning—comes up big in October (Octoberfest= their best seasonal).
BRAVES: Corona. A beer that most locals (i.e.- Mexicans) actually do not like. The beer is very popular mainly because of marketing (TBS) and the pairing of lime, which adds flavor to an otherwise bland product.
NATIONALS: Bud Light-Lime. Can’t think of any serious fan that would actually consider this product. An spin-off that falls flatter that “Joey”. Also considered Natty Light, because you know they’re bad, and they know they’re bad, but it seemed a little on the nose.
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