The Australian Open is the Grand Slam without an identity. Roland Garros, Flushing Meadows, and, of course, Breakfast at Wimbledon come seeped in tradition and truly feel 'major'.
The Australian is known for what? Its blue courts?
That being said, I've seen some of the most intriguing and interesting tennis I've ever seen in the past couple days that I've seen in any Grand Slam. I'm talking about what ESPN calls "Super Saturday," which was filled with upsets galore, the unstoppable force Roger Federer looking infinitely stoppable, and many great stories and rising stars.
There were the late matches deep into the night (the latest starting time in any major in fact), Federer pushed to the brink and to his wits end with his opponent, the Aussie Lleyton Hewitt playing a gutsy match in front of his home crowd, Baghdatis in the same match tasting defeat so bitter it brought him to tears, the fierce comeback of James Blake, and the only Aussie on the women's side advancing and bringing her mother to tears.
It was a wild Saturday in Sydney, the crowds of Rod Laver Arena buzzing in delight. And me sitting back and not worrying about the Australian finding an identity, because it already has one: Great tennis from the best players in the world, playing their hearts out down under.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Do You Remember the Time?
Tell me if this sounds familiar: A Laker team with a dominant superstar with the ability to take over games and was considered the best player in the NBA, a wily veteran with championship experience and a penchant for hitting big shots, a 2nd unit that knew how to hit big shots and could be trusted in long stretches, and an undeniably talented young prodigy with an intense work ethic and staunch killer instinct.
Yes, this describes the Laker team in 1999 that won its first championship in the Shaq, Kobe and Phil Jackson era.
What's that you say? You're right, this could also describe this year's Lakers team. Kobe replaces Shaq as the superstar, Fisher instead of Horry as the big shot veteran, the second unit led by Farmar replaces the one led by D. Fish, and Bynum over Kobe as the blossoming kid out of high school.
Nobody has really said this yet, but there are so many similarities to that squad that began its three championship run, to the one that is on the cusp of one now. Fisher, Kobe, Phil and the coaching staff are holdovers from that team (including Shaw off the bench), and eight years later it looks like the Lakers have rebuilt admirably.
The comparisons are everywhere, but the key this year, like the key that year, is the young prodigy.
Bynum has the competitive, eff the world attitude that Kobe had and still has. There is a major buzz about this talent, who like Kobe was drafted out of high school late in the lottery. Sure they play different positions, but that legendary nature to be the best inside both. Bynum hired his own personal trainer on his own accord and has an attitude that can be seen in his play. He wants to make the big play and dominate on both ends of the floor. Does anyone remember that time when got dunked on Shaq and ran back down the floor and spun right by him and dunked one of his own? I do. This is why Bynum is a special player. We didn't know it then, but Bynum has the ability to do that all the time, and oddly that Shaq would be doing that all the time.
There are definitely small differences; this Lakers team is much younger and less experienced, there's no way this team wins 67 games, nor will they be a favorite going into the playoffs.
Still, there are so many things to like. They have the same coach and system, they have Kobe, they even have the dislike between their two best players (Kobe and Bynum).
If they make their run, I believe they will have to beat the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, closing the door on that franchise like they did with the Portland Trailblazers in the 1999-2000 season.
Winning in the playoffs, something that has been unfamiliar to Laker fans.
Note: I generated this blog in my head on friday, and only got the chance to write it today. Good news and bad news that happened since then: The Lakers are in sole possession of first place in the West, but Andrew Bynum is hurt. He's going to be out 8 weeks, and hopefully he'll reach the same form he had pre-injury. Otherwise, I'm an idiot for jumping on the Bynum hype and jinxing the entire season.
Yes, this describes the Laker team in 1999 that won its first championship in the Shaq, Kobe and Phil Jackson era.
What's that you say? You're right, this could also describe this year's Lakers team. Kobe replaces Shaq as the superstar, Fisher instead of Horry as the big shot veteran, the second unit led by Farmar replaces the one led by D. Fish, and Bynum over Kobe as the blossoming kid out of high school.
Nobody has really said this yet, but there are so many similarities to that squad that began its three championship run, to the one that is on the cusp of one now. Fisher, Kobe, Phil and the coaching staff are holdovers from that team (including Shaw off the bench), and eight years later it looks like the Lakers have rebuilt admirably.
The comparisons are everywhere, but the key this year, like the key that year, is the young prodigy.
Bynum has the competitive, eff the world attitude that Kobe had and still has. There is a major buzz about this talent, who like Kobe was drafted out of high school late in the lottery. Sure they play different positions, but that legendary nature to be the best inside both. Bynum hired his own personal trainer on his own accord and has an attitude that can be seen in his play. He wants to make the big play and dominate on both ends of the floor. Does anyone remember that time when got dunked on Shaq and ran back down the floor and spun right by him and dunked one of his own? I do. This is why Bynum is a special player. We didn't know it then, but Bynum has the ability to do that all the time, and oddly that Shaq would be doing that all the time.
There are definitely small differences; this Lakers team is much younger and less experienced, there's no way this team wins 67 games, nor will they be a favorite going into the playoffs.
Still, there are so many things to like. They have the same coach and system, they have Kobe, they even have the dislike between their two best players (Kobe and Bynum).
If they make their run, I believe they will have to beat the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, closing the door on that franchise like they did with the Portland Trailblazers in the 1999-2000 season.
Winning in the playoffs, something that has been unfamiliar to Laker fans.
Note: I generated this blog in my head on friday, and only got the chance to write it today. Good news and bad news that happened since then: The Lakers are in sole possession of first place in the West, but Andrew Bynum is hurt. He's going to be out 8 weeks, and hopefully he'll reach the same form he had pre-injury. Otherwise, I'm an idiot for jumping on the Bynum hype and jinxing the entire season.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The NBA's Most Suprising Team (And no it isn't the Lakers)
While I am happy as can be that the Lakers are doing better than projected, I still have my doubts. Yet, all I hear are showers of praise about how surprising the Lakers are, and how they could soon be "contenders" in the stacked West. This worries me. With that aside, this post is about what reallyshould be THE story of this year (besides those damned Celtics): the Lakers' next opponent The New Orleans Hornets.
Oh, you haven't heard of them? I'm not surprised, considering the lack of national airtime this team gets, the empty seats in their arena, and little "insider" hype around their team. Make no mistake, this is a great team, and people better pay attention.
It begins and ends with the all-world Chris Paul. This guy is the REAL DEAL. Nobody can stay in front of him, he has the vision that ranks with the Steve Nashes and Jason Kidds of the world, and oh yeah, he's only 23!!!!! Nash is 33 and Kidd is 34. Who said it takes a while for point guards to develop in this league? Paul, along with Deron Williams, are throwing that age old NBA theory to the wayside. Paul is an MVP candidate in my book, leading this Hornets team to a top seed in the west, only 1 game off the top seed! Look at it this way, if you put Paul on the Chicago Bulls, instantly they become a top 3 seed in the East, who could contend for a title. Replace Paul with Hinrich, and well, you get the Chicago Bulls (and I mean that in the worst way). This all trickles down to the underrated cast the Paul leads.
Tyson Chandler, who at this point has become Ben Wallace with slightly more scoring ability and without the horrible contract. He defends the paint, grabs a bunch of boards, and flushes down the dimes dropped to him by Paul. Let him run the floor, defend the basket, and dunk the ball. Sure he can't create his own shot, but with Paul, and the next guy, he doesn't have to.
David West is the most underrated player in the league right now. His stat line: PPG 19.4 | RPG 9.4 | BPG 1.3. David West is averaging nearly 20 and 10 a game. He is a post up threat, can hit a J, leads his team in blocks, and does this all without much fanfare.
Peja Stojakovic is still one the best shooters in the game. With a team with these stars, Peja is still a threat to stretch out the defense, shooting 43 percent from the three. If he can stay healthy, Peja can add the three point shooting to this team that will free up the lanes for Paul and West to operate.
Their bench isn't as strong as others, but their top three players are still very young, and they will be a mainstay in the already crowded Western Conference for years to come. Even this year, I think they will push another, more celebrated team to the brink. They are really just a wing defender, a little more maturity, and a better home crowd away.
And they don't have Kobe Bryant.
Oh, you haven't heard of them? I'm not surprised, considering the lack of national airtime this team gets, the empty seats in their arena, and little "insider" hype around their team. Make no mistake, this is a great team, and people better pay attention.
It begins and ends with the all-world Chris Paul. This guy is the REAL DEAL. Nobody can stay in front of him, he has the vision that ranks with the Steve Nashes and Jason Kidds of the world, and oh yeah, he's only 23!!!!! Nash is 33 and Kidd is 34. Who said it takes a while for point guards to develop in this league? Paul, along with Deron Williams, are throwing that age old NBA theory to the wayside. Paul is an MVP candidate in my book, leading this Hornets team to a top seed in the west, only 1 game off the top seed! Look at it this way, if you put Paul on the Chicago Bulls, instantly they become a top 3 seed in the East, who could contend for a title. Replace Paul with Hinrich, and well, you get the Chicago Bulls (and I mean that in the worst way). This all trickles down to the underrated cast the Paul leads.
Tyson Chandler, who at this point has become Ben Wallace with slightly more scoring ability and without the horrible contract. He defends the paint, grabs a bunch of boards, and flushes down the dimes dropped to him by Paul. Let him run the floor, defend the basket, and dunk the ball. Sure he can't create his own shot, but with Paul, and the next guy, he doesn't have to.
David West is the most underrated player in the league right now. His stat line: PPG 19.4 | RPG 9.4 | BPG 1.3. David West is averaging nearly 20 and 10 a game. He is a post up threat, can hit a J, leads his team in blocks, and does this all without much fanfare.
Peja Stojakovic is still one the best shooters in the game. With a team with these stars, Peja is still a threat to stretch out the defense, shooting 43 percent from the three. If he can stay healthy, Peja can add the three point shooting to this team that will free up the lanes for Paul and West to operate.
Their bench isn't as strong as others, but their top three players are still very young, and they will be a mainstay in the already crowded Western Conference for years to come. Even this year, I think they will push another, more celebrated team to the brink. They are really just a wing defender, a little more maturity, and a better home crowd away.
And they don't have Kobe Bryant.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Real NFL Season Begins...
Thank goodness that the NFL network caved in and allowed the world to see the Patriots try to get to 16-0. I mean, who doesn't to see the Pats dominate a Giants team who has essentially nothing to play for? Ok, I'm all for giving the fans the opportunity to "witness history," and for standing up against the precedent that NFL Network would be setting by not giving in to the masses. But folks, does anybody recall that the most important thing in sports is winning a championship? The REAL historical feat is 19-0, and BELIEVE ME, that will not be on NFL Network.
The Chargers this year have had a tumultuous season under Norv Turner. Everybody was calling for his head after their terrible start, but now that they've won 5 in a row and are poised to clinch the third seed in the playoffs, those detractors have been all but silenced. This team has the same talent as their 14-2 team last year, and are beginning to really gel. Maybe this is the year that they finally win a playoff game, more than they ever did with Marty-ball. Playoffs is where great teams and great players make their mark, and this is the best chance for the Chargers yet.
It's been said so many times this year, but it demands repeating: How bout that Brett Favre! He is still better than the majority of the QBs in this league at his age, carries the torch of an entire franchise in his right hand, and is leading this Packers team into a first round bye. If there is nothing else to like about the NFL, Favre is the one thing we can all cheer about.
The Chargers this year have had a tumultuous season under Norv Turner. Everybody was calling for his head after their terrible start, but now that they've won 5 in a row and are poised to clinch the third seed in the playoffs, those detractors have been all but silenced. This team has the same talent as their 14-2 team last year, and are beginning to really gel. Maybe this is the year that they finally win a playoff game, more than they ever did with Marty-ball. Playoffs is where great teams and great players make their mark, and this is the best chance for the Chargers yet.
It's been said so many times this year, but it demands repeating: How bout that Brett Favre! He is still better than the majority of the QBs in this league at his age, carries the torch of an entire franchise in his right hand, and is leading this Packers team into a first round bye. If there is nothing else to like about the NFL, Favre is the one thing we can all cheer about.
Friday, December 21, 2007
It's a Virtue.
It's good to know that I'm not alone on my thoughts on this current Laker squad. Marc Stein of ESPN just wrote in his weekend dime about the Shaq trade that I discussed in my last post.
What's the lesson in all this? Patience.
Patience by Kupchak and Lakers management to allow this team to grow and not make a panic trade to appease Kobe and those "win now at all costs" people out there.
Patience by Kobe Bryant, who needs to realize that this team is the best situation for him. Any team that would trade for him would not have the young, talented squad the Lakers have
Patience by the fans, who have a low tolerance for losing in the Lakerland. Don't worry, the Lakers will be a top team for years to come.
With or without Kobe.
What's the lesson in all this? Patience.
Patience by Kupchak and Lakers management to allow this team to grow and not make a panic trade to appease Kobe and those "win now at all costs" people out there.
Patience by Kobe Bryant, who needs to realize that this team is the best situation for him. Any team that would trade for him would not have the young, talented squad the Lakers have
Patience by the fans, who have a low tolerance for losing in the Lakerland. Don't worry, the Lakers will be a top team for years to come.
With or without Kobe.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The Laker Game
Ok, I know it's early in the season still, but I've watched plenty of games this year, and there is just something... different about this Laker team. By different, I really mean better. A couple of reasons:
The Bench
For all the heat Mitch "Cupcake" gets (see sidebar), this young Laker team looks like it has a pretty damn bright future. Let's list some of the draft picks from the last five years:
2003 - Brian Cook, Luke Walton
2004- Sasha Vujacic
2005 - Andrew Bynum, Rony Turiaf
2006 - Jordan Farmar
2007 - Javaris Crittenton
Sidebar:
(Everybody said the Shaq trade was horrendous, but why would we mortgage our future for an aging center with weight issues demanding to be overpaid? Look at what Miami is dealing with now, and you'll know what I mean. Now trading Caron for Kwame, that one is inexcusable.)
This bench was drafted by Mitchie! Does anyone remember the heat we took for taking Bynum instead of SEAN MAY? Dear LORD. I find it hard to imagine that we could have traded May or any big man from that draft for Jason Kidd! AND TURN IT DOWN! Funny how everybody says that there is no way we should make that trade now. Doesn't that mean that Kupcake did good by not doing it last year? I would think so.
(The big men drafted above Bynum in the 2005 draft: Andrew Bogut, Marvin Williams, Channing Frye, Ike Diogu. If we did this draft again, Bynum goes right after CP3 and D-Will.)
For all those who like to mention how Phil Jackson is only great for his ability to manage big egos and star players, his teaching ability is way underrated. He has groomed this bench and has always used the regular season to give experience to his bench in big situations.
Oh, and Farmar looks like he's going to be a stud.
Kobe...the leader?
Ok, so maybe his tactics aren't the most tactful. Calling out your teammates outside the locker room multiple times isn't exactly the best strategy. He just says what we all are thinking. Andrew Bynum? This was Jason Kidd we were talking about. His supporting cast? Couldn't hit a jumper last year. Build for the future? Kobe's window as the best player in the league is shrinking.
Hey, this is KOBE BRYANT remember? The one who got thrown under the train by his coach, Phil Jackson. The one who was accused of rape in Colorado. The one who most consider the closest anyone has ever come to Jordan. Yeah, that one. For the record, Kobe is now closer than ever to Phil (if Kobe can forgive, why can't his teammates?), had the charges dropped, and still has the intensity and demand of his teammates that Jordan had.
Maybe they NEEDED to be called out. Nobody likes to be disrespected. Just ask those 14-0 Patriots.
Still, there are some concerns. The Lakers still need another hard nosed defender/rebounder. I don't know if the Kwame, Mihm, and Turiaf triumverate is good enough. It also might be time to put an end to the Odom experiment. I love his talent, but he just doesn't fit well with Kobe (CARON on the other hand...). We could really use a hard nosed defender that can score from the wing (guess who would be a good fit...).
(Imagine, if you will, this lineup in two years: Farmar, Kobe, Caron, Odom, and Bynum. Off the bench: Fisher, Vujacic, Walton, Turiaf, Mihm, Radmanovic, Ariza. That is a championship team.)
Either way, the Lakers are playing well (They are number three(!) on Hollinger's rankings, and we all know that is the REAL indicator of a good team. It did after all say that the Spurs were better than the Mavs last year despite their records). At least this is what I keep telling myself.
Kobe really shouldn't be asking for a trade because he is in the best situation he can possibly be in. Kobe just felt a little disrespected by Laker's management. Maybe it's just what HE needed.
The Bench
For all the heat Mitch "Cupcake" gets (see sidebar), this young Laker team looks like it has a pretty damn bright future. Let's list some of the draft picks from the last five years:
2003 - Brian Cook, Luke Walton
2004- Sasha Vujacic
2005 - Andrew Bynum, Rony Turiaf
2006 - Jordan Farmar
2007 - Javaris Crittenton
Sidebar:
(Everybody said the Shaq trade was horrendous, but why would we mortgage our future for an aging center with weight issues demanding to be overpaid? Look at what Miami is dealing with now, and you'll know what I mean. Now trading Caron for Kwame, that one is inexcusable.)
This bench was drafted by Mitchie! Does anyone remember the heat we took for taking Bynum instead of SEAN MAY? Dear LORD. I find it hard to imagine that we could have traded May or any big man from that draft for Jason Kidd! AND TURN IT DOWN! Funny how everybody says that there is no way we should make that trade now. Doesn't that mean that Kupcake did good by not doing it last year? I would think so.
(The big men drafted above Bynum in the 2005 draft: Andrew Bogut, Marvin Williams, Channing Frye, Ike Diogu. If we did this draft again, Bynum goes right after CP3 and D-Will.)
For all those who like to mention how Phil Jackson is only great for his ability to manage big egos and star players, his teaching ability is way underrated. He has groomed this bench and has always used the regular season to give experience to his bench in big situations.
Oh, and Farmar looks like he's going to be a stud.
Kobe...the leader?
Ok, so maybe his tactics aren't the most tactful. Calling out your teammates outside the locker room multiple times isn't exactly the best strategy. He just says what we all are thinking. Andrew Bynum? This was Jason Kidd we were talking about. His supporting cast? Couldn't hit a jumper last year. Build for the future? Kobe's window as the best player in the league is shrinking.
Hey, this is KOBE BRYANT remember? The one who got thrown under the train by his coach, Phil Jackson. The one who was accused of rape in Colorado. The one who most consider the closest anyone has ever come to Jordan. Yeah, that one. For the record, Kobe is now closer than ever to Phil (if Kobe can forgive, why can't his teammates?), had the charges dropped, and still has the intensity and demand of his teammates that Jordan had.
Maybe they NEEDED to be called out. Nobody likes to be disrespected. Just ask those 14-0 Patriots.
Still, there are some concerns. The Lakers still need another hard nosed defender/rebounder. I don't know if the Kwame, Mihm, and Turiaf triumverate is good enough. It also might be time to put an end to the Odom experiment. I love his talent, but he just doesn't fit well with Kobe (CARON on the other hand...). We could really use a hard nosed defender that can score from the wing (guess who would be a good fit...).
(Imagine, if you will, this lineup in two years: Farmar, Kobe, Caron, Odom, and Bynum. Off the bench: Fisher, Vujacic, Walton, Turiaf, Mihm, Radmanovic, Ariza. That is a championship team.)
Either way, the Lakers are playing well (They are number three(!) on Hollinger's rankings, and we all know that is the REAL indicator of a good team. It did after all say that the Spurs were better than the Mavs last year despite their records). At least this is what I keep telling myself.
Kobe really shouldn't be asking for a trade because he is in the best situation he can possibly be in. Kobe just felt a little disrespected by Laker's management. Maybe it's just what HE needed.
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