After Two Weeks...

For the last three weeks, I would wake up in the morning and if I wanted to walk to the beach and watch the sunrise, it was only seconds away. If I wanted to escape anything or anyone, I just had to walk to the beach, put my feet in the sand and listen to the ocean as the waves crashed into the land. Life was as close to perfect as it comes. I am from Hawaii, so for the last three weeks, I went home to visit my family and stay with them for a while until I had to travel back to the mainland for school. Those three weeks were incredible. No school. No work. No drama. No worries. But as all good things in my life usually do, this, too, came to and end. It soon was time to return to the bitter cold of Idaho. Thats right, instead of going to school in Hawaii, I chose to attend a University in Idaho. Go ahead and call me crazy, everyone does. Sometimes I do too. When I got here this past Monday, it was 40 degrees outside and I was frozen stiff. It hurt me to walk. It hurt me to breath. But most of all, it was hurting me not to be back on the prefect beach. Then school started. If living in Idaho isn't hard enough already, now I have to deal with the added stress of school, searching for a job, and maybe finding a girl who is willing enough to let me take her out on a date. As a kid, I always thought life would some day, magically, get a lot easier. Well, that day hasn't come and is still probably a lifetime away. With all the stress, drama, and freezing cold that comes with my life in Idaho as a college student, each Saturday I find an escape from all of that. Each Saturday is dedicated to College Football. So although being back in school for the fall semester sure has its share of negatives, one of the biggest positives that outweighs it all is that the college football season is finally back. September is a bitter sweet month, but two weeks in to the season, I wanna only focus on one thing that is bitter and a few things that are oh so super sweet.
This has been an interesting first two weeks of the season. We still are waiting to see how good some of the top powerhouse teams really are because many of them are yet to play a challenging team, but other teams have already cleaned off the rust and are already sparkling.

Biggest Disappointment

The one team that has not found a way yet to shine who is still layered in rust is Virginia Tech. I think most would agree with me in saying that they have been the biggest disappointment of this early season. Truthfully, the ACC as a whole has been a huge let down already. Today Georgia Tech lost to Kansas, a team that they should have easily beaten. Miami put up a decent fight against Ohio State, but Jacory Harris threw 4 interceptions and simply gave the game away to OSU. And in one of the most anticipated games of the day, Florida State had its manhood snatched from them as they were beaten down by Oklahoma. But of all the games in the ACC today, none was more shocking than Virginia Tech losing to James Madison, a team from the FCS. An upset that is on par with the game in 2007 when Michigan lost to Appellation State. Preseason #10, Virginia Tech lost this past Monday to Bosie State in a thriller. They fell behind 17-0 in the first quarter before mounting a comeback to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. For those of us who follow college football, we knew that when BSU got the ball back with under 2 minutes to go, that game was far from over. They drove their offense right down the field and scored the go ahead and eventually game winning touchdown. Virginia Tech, although ranked lower than Bosie State, lost a game that they had in their hands, all their defense had to do was make a stop. But they couldn't. Virginia Tech only dropped three spots in the polls. But after their lose today to James Madison, I think it is safe to say that unless changes are made, it may be a while before we see Virginia Tech in the top 25.

Best Player

I love college football, but in no way do I profess to know everything about the sport. If you were to ask me two weeks ago who was the starting quarterback for Michigan, I would have had not idea the answer. But if you were to ask me today who I think is leading the early race for the Heisman Trophy, I would answer, the starting quarterback from Michigan, Denard Robinson. What an incredible two games he has put together. Last week, against Connecticut, Robinson threw for 186 yards and 1 touchdown and also ran for 197 yards and another touchdown. He alone generated 383 yards of offense and 2 touchdowns. But that was against UConn, a good team, but a team that Michigan was expected to beat. Many thought that it was simply beginners luck and that that luck would run out today against Notre Dame. Well, I think it is safe to say, this kid is not lucky, he is GOOD! Today against Notre Dame, he threw for 244 yards and 1 touchdown and also ran for 258 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner. 244 yards passing and 258 yards rushing, thats 502 yards of offense. The quarterback is the entire team! That is absolutely incredible. I have never been one to cheer for Michigan, and I am not going to start now, but wow, Denard Robinson looks to be the real deal. He may just be the one to save Michigan football and Rich Rodriguez's job.

Most Surprising Team

There are two teams that have stood out to me so far that I think will be a lot of fun to watch this season. First is Oregon. I know lots of people already knew they were going to be good, but I do not think that anyone thought they would be this good. Last week, against a not very good New Mexico team, a team that they should have beaten by about 40 points, they not only beat them, but instead made a remake of the movie Fight Club on the field as they completely destroyed everything beautiful in New Mexico by demolishing the Lobos 72-0. This week, against a much tougher opponent, Tennessee, an SEC team, they came out not looking so hot, trailing 6-0 early and simply being tied 13-13 at half. But soon enough, the beat down was back on. The Ducks scored 14 in the third quarter and another 21 in the third to step on the throats of the Volunteers, beating them 48-13. The Ducks are the defending Pac-10 champions and have a favorable schedule to repeat once again and return to the Rose Bowl. USC has not looked very impressive and both Stanford and Arizona, potentially difficult games, will both be at home in Autzen Stadium, one of the loudest stadiums in the Pac-10. I think Oregon has the potential to make a run not only to Pasadena, but to Glendale for the National Championship game.

Another team that has impressed me in these first two weeks is Houston. Yes, that is correct, the Houston Cougars. They have one of the most exciting offenses to watch and have been dropping touchdowns like bombs in a game of battleship. They beat Texas State 68-28 last week and defeated UTEP 54-24 this afternoon. They have a very balanced offense and are able to score in the air and on the ground. They had 348 yards passing and 308 yards rushing against UTEP. Houston plays in Conference USA, a conference they should have no problem winning, but I also think they have a schedule this season that may allow them to go undefeated and put themselves amongst the elite non-BCS schools like Bosie State and TCU.

Only two weeks of the college football season are behind us. Who knows what the rest of the year has in store. But one thing is certain, just like every season, this one is gonna be fun.

The Chase for Eighteen is back on

Let me paint you a picture of me as a twelve year old boy living in southern Arizona in the year 2000. Each morning I would wake up bright and early for swim team practice. I loved to swim and was actually a naturally swimmer. But just because I was good at it did not mean that my dream to be an olympic swimmer. I dreamed about being some sort of athlete for my entire life. During football season I wanted to be a football player, a wide receiver. During basketball season, I dreamed of playing point guard. I would invision myself playing for my favorite team and winning championship after championship. But in the summer of 2000, when even if I wasn't swimming, I was soaked in water, mostly sweat, from the 110 degree Arizona sun, I spent my days at the golf course dreaming about winning the Masters or the US Open. Basically, I was dreaming about being just like Tiger Woods. But of course, that dream did not carry me to a professional career. I made my High School golf team, but as you already know, I am not a member of the PGA Tour. I spent most of my afternoons that summer and many of the subsequent ones on the golf course. But that summer something special happened. Something that may not ever be duplicated. On June 18, 2000 Tiger Woods won the United States open by a margin of 15 strokes. Tiger finished at -12 while second place Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez finished at +3. An absolute domination, so much so that before the final round, Erine Els said "Before we went out, I knew I had no chance". And we forget, that this was only Tiger's third major championship. I remember watching the TV during the four days of that tournament thinking and knowing that I was watching something special play out. I was too young to understand the historical significance of what Tiger was accomplishing, but I do remember thinking "Wow, this is AWESOME!"

The next day, Monday June 19th, the Lakers defeated Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers to win the NBA Championship. The first title for Kobe and Shaq. Two major sports events in two days.

Each Thursday the weekly edition of Sports Illustrated would arrive in the mail and when I would get home from school my mom would always make me guess who was on the cover of it before she would let me read the magazine. So obviously my first guess was Kobe or Shaq or someone

from the Lakers. But I was wrong, it was Tiger Woods. And up in the corner next to Tiger's head was a mention of the Lakers championship.

Tiger Woods would go on to win the next 3 majors, completing what is now known as the "Tiger Slam", holding all four Major trophies at the same time. He would follow up the Tiger Slam by winning the 2002 Masters and the 2002 US Open. But I think we ofter forget that it took Tiger a long time to win another major. He finally got back on the bus winning the 2005 Masters. Nearly three years after his previous major victory. To date, Tiger has won a total of 14 major championships and is only 4 behind the all time leader Jack Nicklaus.

Jack won his 14th major title in 1975 when he defeated Bruce Crampton to win the PGA Championship. When Nicklaus won his 14th major, he was 35 years old. Tiger was 32, and is currently only 34, still younger than Jack. After Nicklaus won that tournament, it took him nearly 3 years to win his 15th major. He finally did so in the 1978 British Open. He then won two majors in 1980 and did not win his 18th and final major until the 1986 Masters at the age of 46.

I mention all of this because as we all know very well, this has been a tough past year for Tiger Woods. The media and myself included have all wondered at times if he is over and done with. Did Tiger Woods hit is prime back in 2000 as a 24 year old kid?

Today Tiger Woods shot a 65, -6 at the Barclays. His best round of the year, just days after his divorce to Elin Nordengren became oficial. Tiger has gone winless in his last 8 grand slams, so we have to ask ourselves, will he catch Jack Nicklaus? After his round today,

Tiger was asked that very question. He responded, "I look at it this way, [Ben] Hogan won all nine of his [majors] at my age and older. I think for every kid out there, the goal is to get there. That is the benchmark in our sport, and that's still my goal." Tiger thinks he can do it. And well, so do I. I am ready to stop hearing about Tiger Woods personal life and only focus on his golf game. Although I do not think we will ever be fortunate enough to witness golf miracles like we did back in 2000, I believe Tiger still has some magic juices left in him. It is sad that Tiger Woods, arguably the most talented athlete on the planet, lost his head and gave up something great, a marriage and a family, for a few moments of pleasure. But lets be honest, in some form or another, in ways big or small, we too do the same as Tiger. We all make mistakes and forget who we are. But since when can we not pick ourselves back up and keep going? It is sad to me that Tiger Woods, the man who I wished I was when I was 12, is someone now who I never hope to become.But having said that, if he can make changes in his life and come back from the nightmare he has experienced this past year and pass Jack Nicklaus, winning more Majors than anyone else, well that may be just as good of a story as what he did back in 2000 at Pebble Beach in the US Open. And that will be good enough to make the cover of Sports Illustrated.

What once was seven, Now will be eight

This week, when it is all said and done with, may be written down in the history books as one of the biggest in NBA history. But wait, there was not even a single game played. Good point. But it seems that it is very likely that a dynasty has just been formed down in south Florida. I still do not know how to feel about Lebron, Bosh, and Wade lacing up for the Heat. For all we know, this could be a major bust and a terrible disaster... or it could be the beginning of a string of four, five, six, or more championships. We will have to wait and see. Most top quality and/or championship teams have had a main man and his side kick. Jordan and Pippen, Duncan and Parker or Duncan and Robinson, Stockton and Malone, Kobe and Shaq, etc. But this is the first time that I can remember three future Hall of Famers, three players who can run a team by themselves, will be teaming up. Will they be able to mesh and share the spotlight? Or will their egos get in the way of what could be a truly amazing team. We still will have to wait til later this year to see.
But to be honest, the acquisition of these three super stars and all other sports stories have been placed on the back burner this past month as all eyes all over the world have watched the 63 games leading up to Sunday's final of the FIFA World Cup. Only 7 teams have ever won the World Cup, but for the first time ever, Spain and Holland will play in the final, which means we are guaranteed to have a new and first time champion, the eighth different team to win the greatest championship in all of sports. In a World Cup that may have been overshadowed by a few high profile bad calls, Sunday's match will be one for the record books. The Netherlands are the hottest team in the world right now. They did not lose a single game during qualifying and have yet to lose in the World Cup. On the other hand, Spain is looking to be the first team to fumble and lose their opening match of the World Cup and then turn it around to win the whole thing. And Spain may just be peaking as a team at the right time.
Both of these sides have similar styles of play. They both love to control the ball and are highly accurate with their passes. Neither team plays selfish soccer and almost all players will try to find the open man before looking for their own shot. Spain has some of the best midfielders in the world. Their midfield can control the tempo of the game with their crisp and perfect passes that allow David Villa to make his runs at goal. The midfield also does a great job at putting on the breaks and playing defense to win back possession for their team. Spain is not known for scoring lots of goals and is use to winning their games 1-0. One of the big questions is what is Spain going to do for their attack. Will Fernando Torres start or will David Villa be once again the lone striker? It has been apparent that Torres is not playing his best soccer, but when he came into the game against Germany for the last 15 minutes, he had multiple good runs and could have easily got his first world cup goal had Pedro made a simple pass instead of trying to make it all happen by himself. If Torres does not play and Villa is the only forward, fullbacks like Joan Capdevila and Sergio Ramos will most likely play up and join in on the attacks which allows the midfielders to sneak in behind the opposing defense.
Spain has had the best defense in the world cup only being scored on twice. They do have top quality defenders, but the real reason may be their midfield and the control that they have over the possession of the game.
Although Spain's attack has been impressive at times, the offensive power of the Dutch is, simply stated, better. They are second only to Germany in goals scored in this World Cup. They are led by five time goal scorer Wesley Sneijder. But Sneijder who is known for his control of the ball mixed with his ability to score for his club team Internazionale has not been able to control the ball very well this tournament. He has scored 5 times, which is the most important stat, but most of those goals have come off of set plays or one touch shots.
One big key for the Dutch will see if their defense, which has struggled at times, will be shaky or will they be able to stop the runs of David Villa and win back possession in the midfield before the Spanish get too many shots on goal. Also like Spain, the Netherlands defenders will often try to join in on the attack and can be very impressive when doing so, evident by the goal scored by Giovanni Van Bronckhorst against Uruguay in the semi-finals.
So who will win? I believe this game will come down to who can take advantage of opportunities on counter attacks and set pieces and who can exploit the other teams weaknesses. This may very well be a game in which whoever scores first will win because that goal will be the one and only. If Spain can put together a great attack and score early, they will be able to control the ball the rest of the game and wear down the Dutch. I feel like that may be exactly what happens and my brain is telling me that Spain will continue to play their style and win 1-0. But for some reason, I struggle to think that such a great attacking team like the Oranje will be held scoreless, even against the world's best defense. I think that game will end in a 1-1 tie after both regulation and 30 minutes of over time and will have to be decided on penalties. Look for Spain to win the game and become only the 8th nation to hold up this most desired World Cup trophy.

Time for the Super Sweet 16

Two weeks ago, on June 11, years of waiting came to an end as the 2010 FIFA World Cup began. I have always enjoyed soccer. I love to play it and although it took me a while, I love to watch it as well. I always have been this way, but 3 years ago, my life would change and my love for soccer would explode ten fold. I was privileged to live in Argentina for 2 years from June 2007 - June 2009. What an amazing experience that was for me. Although I lived and worked there as a missionary for the Mormon church, we took advantage as much as possible to play "futbol" with the locals. Until you have been to South America, you cannot quite begin to understand exactly what soccer means to them. It is more than a sport, but a part of their lives. It is much more important than any team here is to any American. When was the last time you saw someone with a Los Angeles Lakers tattoo on their arm, or an entire house pained with the logo of the Dallas Cowboys, that type of devotion is rarely displayed here in the US. Yes, we too have sports fanatics here, but no single game will shut down an entire city. The grocery stores will still be open, you can still go and fill up your car with gas during the Super Bowl. But in Argentina, if "la selección" (the Argentine National team) is playing, the entire city shuts down to watch the game. Soccer, to them, is more than just a sport, it is half of their heart and almost all of their brain. So after living in Argentina for two years and exponentially growing in my love for soccer, it was finally time to start the greatest tournament in all of sports. Two weeks of soccer have been played, 48 games up to this point, and we are out of the group stage and on to the knockout round where things get even crazier because now, no ties are allowed. The group stages was something special to be seen. Although some of the highly anticipated games turned out to be rather dull, like the Brazil vs. Portugal game, others became instant classics, like Italy vs. Slovakia and of course, the USA vs. Algeria game. The group stage was a chance for the South American nations to show their stuff, only losing once (Chile losing to Spain 2-1), while only conceding 6 goals in their combined 15 games. All five of the South American teams qualified for the round of 16, the most ever. While this was supposed to be a chance for the African nations to shine in the first ever World Cup held on their continent, only Ghana was able to qualify for the knockout stage. The host nation, South Africa became the first ever host country not to make it out of the group stage. But we cannot criticize Africa without also looking at Europe. In 2006, ten of the sixteen teams to make it to the second round were from Europe. This year, only 6 have qualified, the least amount since the 80's when the current World Cup format was introduced. Not to mention that both the finalist from 2006, Italy and France had dismal showings in their groups and both failed to advance. So lets just say that this has been one interesting and exciting World Cup. I cannot forget to mention that one of the most exciting, although, not terribly surprising feats is that the United States won their group for the first time since the very first World Cup in 1930 when they finished in 3rd place overall. They were two minutes away from going home when Landon Donovan became a national hero for a USA team that refused to give up until it was all over. What a memorable game. Lets hope that there is more to come from the United States.

So lets take a look at some of the upcoming games in the round of 16.

URUGUAY vs. SOUTH KOREA

South Korea finished second in their group behind Argentina and qualified for the knockout round even though they gave up more goals in the group stage than they scored. The Koreans are masters of the set pieces and have already scored multiple times in that way. But this and all Asian countries have history against them. No Asian country has ever defeated a South American team in any World Cup. Will this be the first? I do not believe so. Uruguay is led by two top quality strikers: Diego Forlan who has scored 120 goals in the past 6 years for Atletico Madrid, his club team in Spain, and Luis Suarez who is one of the best finishers featured in this world cup. The keeper Fernando Mulsera is yet to be scored on in their three matches. Although I think it is very likely that Korea will score a goal, this defensive mined Uruguay team will be able to capitalize on their counter attacks and will come out on top.

UNITED STATES vs. GHANA

A lot of us Americans do not know what to expect in this game. Should the United States win? Yes, of course. But which team is going to show up? The one who played like trash in the first half against Slovenia,or the one who came out in that second half and looked like the best team in the world. Ghana is the only team left from Africa to still be playing and they will have the support of an entire continent cheering them on against the yanks.It is very likely that after the 91st minute goal against Algeria just 3 days ago has the United States squad not only drained physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. But the US is also looking for some revenge. They were knocked out of the World Cup in 2006 by losing their third game of the group to Ghana. I think the USA will win this game, but it may have to come with some luck. After having been given a gift goal against England, the United States was robbed of two goals in their following two matched and against Ghana, they will need that same kind of luck they were given against England.

NETHERLANDS vs. SLOVAKIA

Lets face it, Slovakia did not even think they would be in this position. They had to overcome Italy, the defending champs to even make it out of the group. I think for them, they have already exceeded all their expectations and will be able to go home prouder than ever. But they just might be looking and hoping for more. Sadly, they are matched up against one of hottest teams in the World right now. Holland is currently ranked #4 (according to the SPI rankings) and has only allowed one goal in this World Cup. Although head to head, Slovakia has won 6 of the 8 times they have played, this is a Holland team that look poised to make a long run in this tournament led by striker Wesley Sneijder. The dutch should win this one easily.

BRAZIL vs. CHILE

These two teams, both from South America, know each other well having to play one another twice during world cup qualifying. Both of those qualifying games were total manslaughters by Brazil as they beat Chile 3-0 and 4-2. But Chile did finish second in the South American qualifying, only behind Brazil, but ahead of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. They do have a good team led by Alexis Sanchez up front. But Brazil has the top goalie in the world Julio Cesar and an entire arsenal of attackers including Maicon, Luis Fabiano, and Kaka. Brazil will be way too much for Chile. The Chileans will be the first South Americans to leave Africa.

GERMANY vs. ENGLAND

Team Rooney has looked sloppy and boring in their group games only scoring twice in three mathes. England had struggled in their first two games, but finally started to look like a dominant team against Slovenia. Although they were close to giving up the game tying goal in the 91st minute, they came out on top with very few scares from the Slovs. Rooney has taken 11 shots and you have to assume that soon, one of those will go in. But the English are matched up here against one of their biggest rivals, Germany. These two teams have met 4 other times in the World Cup, and interestingly enough, all four times the games have been tied after 90 minutes. Germany's coach, Joachim Loew said, "England is always England. It's a team with a lot of fighting spirit and very strong mentally, with incredible experience... The axis with John Terry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney has the highest quality you can find in European football." This I believe will be one of the most exciting games to watch in the second round and I believe Germany will find a way to come out on top, most likely once again, in overtime.

ARGENTINA vs. MEXICO

If any of you remember the 2006 World Cup second round match between these two teams, then you remember an absolute classic. As I previously mentioned, I love Argentina and want to see them win this match. But I also grew up an hour north of the Mexican border in Tucson, Arizona and have a love for the Mexican people and their soccer. But that being said, nothing is as strong as the love I have for the Argentine people and for their soccer. I love to watch this team play. I heard one of the announcers in the World Cup compare Argentina to a PT Cruiser. Sleek and stylish in the front, but ugly in the back. The Argentina front is, what I would consider, the best in the world. Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez, and of course, Lionel Messi lead the Argentine attack. But what about their back players, are they really that bad? Although they have yet to truly be tested in the group stage, they have only allowed one goal in their three matches. In the third match against Greece, Diego Maradona, already knowing that Argentina was going to qualify for the round of 16, took out 7 of his starters and played with many of his reserves. But those backup players include Diego Milito, Sergio Aguero, and the young and promising Javier Pastore. Lionel Messi still has not scored a goal, but his runs have been the reason for probably about half of the Argentine goals scored. He does lead the tournament with 20 shots, and soon, one or many of those shots will start to go in for him like they have in Barcelona. Mexico is a good team, and a fun one to watch, but this is not going to be their game to win. Argentina will inch closer and closer to their third World Cup championship and to having to watch Diego Maradona streak naked through the streets of Buenos Aires.

PARAGUAY vs. JAPAN

Another South American team against an Asian country. Japan is one of the surprises to make it to the second round. Before this world cup, the Blue Samari had not won a single World Cup match away from their home soil (Japan and S. Kores co-hosted the 2002 World Cup). They were able to upset the favored Cameroon in their opening match, and also, off of two tremendous free kicks(here and here), they beat Denmark in their third game. Japan does have a good team and I would not be shocked if they came out on top. The manager for Paraguay, the Argentine, Gerado Martino, has put together a very disciplined defense that swarms the opposition and makes it very difficult to even breath. Neither of these two teams has looked absolutely amazing, both have looked solid, but neither has shown promise to make a run at winning it all. Paraguay will win this game, but it will be a close one.

SPAIN vs. PORTUGAL

These two European nations which share a border and speak a similar language will meet up in what could likely be a classic. Portugal has a lot o

f potential, but it seems like the ego of Christiano Ronaldo is not allowing the team to flow as one, like they will need to come up big against Spain. Ronaldo seems to be only looking for his own goals and has taken some ugly shots instead of passing it off to a teammate. Portugal did give us the highest scoring game in this World Cup by beating North Korea, the lowest ranked team in the world cup, 7-0. They do have some great fire power, and as we saw against Brazil, they can also put the brake on and play defense. Which is what they will need to do against one of the best attacking squads in the world. Spain is led by Fernando Torres and David Villa. The Spaniards were considered to be the favorites going into this World Cup after having won the European Cup in 2008.They may have come into the tournament as the favorites, but lost their opening game to Switzerland. The Swiss played a near perfect game by playing a lock down defense and not allowing Spain to s

core a goal, while capitalizing on the few counter attacks that they were given. No team has ever lost its World Cup opener and come back to win the tournament. But if anyone is goi

ng to do it, it may very well be Spain. They were able to still win their group although they did look human at times against Chile. Fernando Torres is one of my favorite players to watch but he is still not playing to his top level as he continues to recover from injury. If the Portuguese can absorb the attacks by Spain and take full advantage off counter attack possibilities, they do have a chance at pulling off the upset. With that having been said, Spain will find a way to come out on top of this game, very likely after 120 minutes have been played and penalties have been taken.



Here is the current bracket, click to enlarge...

There is always next year...

Let me begin by saying that those five words are some of the ugliest sounding words in the whole world. I absolutely hate saying them, but I do, every single year when it comes time for the NBA finals. I say it every year when it is playoff time in the NFL. Which is actually little surprise since I am a Cleveland Browns fan. I say it every year around March Madness time, every college bowl season and every fall for baseball. But I came to a realization last night that one, just one championship would be enough.
As I was watching game 6 of the Western Conference Finals with my two best friends from Arizona, a cute girl from Arizona that I had invited over for the game, and another friend from Michigan (who was cheering for the Suns), the Suns had just recently fallen short on their miraculous comeback, when begin to say how much we now can care less about who wins the NBA Finals. This is the Lakers 31st finals appearance, and the 21st for the Celtics. The Celtics have won 17 championships and the Lakers have won 15. I mentioned to my friends that I do like Rajon Rondo and I think he is fun to watch, and I hate the Lakers, so obviouly, I want the Celtics to win. Jared, the kid from Michigan said that he also loved Rasheed Wallace. We all look at him like, what? How do you like Rasheed? And then I remember that Wallace played for his Pistons. Jared says, "He helped us win a championship!" It was in that moment that I realized how special it is to be able to say that your team has won an NBA Championship. In the past 30 seasons, only eight, that's right, only eight franchises have won championships (Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Pistons, Rockets, Heat, and 76ers). There are 30 teams in the NBA, and only a handful can say that they are NBA champs. Only 4 current coaches have championship rings (Phil Jackson, Greg Popavich, Larry Brown, and Doc Rivers). There are 14 teams who have never ever won a championship, some of which include Phoenix, Orlando, Denver, Utah, Dallas, Cleveland, and others. All of these teams that I mentioned where playoff teams this year, all of which had the chance to win one, but once again, in the Finals we find two teams that have won a combined 32 championships. There are a few teams out there who have won only one, the Heat, Blazers, and SuperSonics (who no longer exist). This total domination of the NBA by a few teams to me is sickening. I can almost guarantee that I will not be watching the Finals this year cause no matter who wins, it won't even be worth celebrating.
When Jared talked about his Pistons winning back in 2004, I realized that if I could only say that my team has won just one championship, at least I would be able to hold my head up high and feel proud. I said to Jared "I wish that I could just say that about my team, winning one championship would just feel so good, even one would be enough." The my friend Ryan reminded me that that is exactly how he feels about Arizona Wildcats basketball. Back in 1997, the University of Arizona's mens basketball team made an improvable march to the final four as a number 4 seed. They finished 5th that season in the Pac-10 winning only 19 regular season games and most people did not expect them to even make it out of the first weekend of the tournament. But they made it to the Final Four beating the tournament favorite Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16 and by coming from behind in every single game. They were not dominant, but they got it done. They then came from behind in the National Semifinal against North Carolina to advance to their first ever Championship game. They played Kentucky in one of the all-time most exciting final games ever played. Miles Simon, the MVP of the tournament, scored 30 points for Arizona that night as they came out on top, victorious in overtime. That game was one of the most memorable games of all time. With 2o ties and 18 lead changes, it was impossible to know who was going to finally come out on top. But by scoring 10 points in overtime, all from the free throw line, Arizona was able to finish off the defending champs from Kentucky, 84-79. It was literally Madness. Arizona was and still is the only team to knock off three number one seeds on their way to a NCAA Championship. No one, I mean no one thought they could do it. I was 9 years old. I still to this day remember the absolute joy that I felt as I saw my team win a championship. The year before in 1996, Arizona was knocked off in the Sweet 16 by Kansas. I still can remember crying the entire night. Nothing or no one could calm me down. I literally thought life would not go on from there. What to me at that time was most important, was just lost. But there was hope. I did not know it, and neither did anyone else, but the following season, that team, led by Mike Bibby and Miles Simon would make a historic drive to the championship. Arizona has since returned only once to the Final Four, losing in 2001 to Duke in the Championship game. But although I was absolutely devastated, in the back of my mind, I knew that my team still had at least one Championship. I did then, still do today, and will forever hold on to that 1997 victory with pride. They won it, and no one can ever take that from them or from me. They were National Champions.


So once again, an NBA season comes to an end for my team, the team I care about most, the Phoenix Suns. Although last night I did not cry when the game was over, well, I did plenty of internal crying, but luckily, no tears fell last night, it is hard to hold my head up and just say "Well, there is always next year." But the honest truth is what else can I say. I do not have a magic dagger or a Delorian that will allow me to go back in time, break Kobe Bryant's legs, and allow the Suns to go to Finals. So with the obvious being stated, all I can do is look forward to next season and hope that the Suns will get better (or that Kobe gets real sick, maybe from eating a fried avacado). But there are some things that I can look at from this season and be happy about. The year was not a total waste. I can be positive about some things:

1) The most important is that the Suns were not swept by the Lakers. I have been living in Utah for the past month. I hate the Utah Jazz and I very strongly do not like their fans. Even though the Suns made it to the Conference Finals and the Jazz made it to the Semis, that would not be enough to prove that the Suns are better than the Jazz. The Suns won two games against the Lakers, which is two more than the Jazz did, so I can at least hold my head high knowing that the Suns are once again, better than the Utah Jazz.


2) Steve Nash is playing like he is still in his 20's. My prediction is that he will only be around for 2 or 3 more seasons. He is getting old age wise, but his play is still young and better than any other point guard. NBA announcers are so quick to crown the new best point guard in the NBA. For a while it was Chris Paul, then when Deron Williams had some good games against the Nuggets, it was D-Will, then Rajon Rondo started to play like a stud against the Cavs and Magic and suddenly he is the best quarterback of his team. But can I please just state the obvious, no one has yet to take the crown from Steve Nash. Those other guys are great, but they are not consistently amazing every single game without getting cold like Steve Nash is for the Suns. Plus, Nash is not aging as much right now because he is getting plenty of rest, which brings me to my number 3,

3) The Phoenix Suns bench is the best in the NBA. I have been saying this for months now, but no one took time to notice them until the playoffs. Goran Dragic did have his coming out party against the Spurs in game three when he scored 26 points, 23 of which came in the fourth quarter, but if you have watched the Suns during the year, he has had other BIG games and has quickly and consitently been getting better and better. He is not only able to come in and run the team, but he gives Nash plenty of rest so that he can finish out the night. Sometimes, he plays so good that the Suns don't even need to put Nash back in. All this rest that Steve is receiving because of the great play of his backup, will prolong his career and allow him to be great for years to come.

But it is not only Dragic who is amazing, the rest of the bench has stepped up huge in huge ways. Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, Leandro Barbosa, and Sweet Lou Amundson have all shined in the spotlight of the playoffs this season. Each has had games where they have come in and been the spark that either gets the Suns back in the game or allows them to pull ahead and start blowing others out. The Suns are the only team that I know of that plays all 5 bench players at the same time. And those five guys are often going up against all or most of the opposing teams starting lineup. Nothing phases them. They play with such confidence and will attack anyone. They don't care that they are bench players, they will go after anyone, even the leagues biggest stars. I love the Suns bench and hope that all five of them are back next year.

4) With lots of off season deals that will be made this summer, Steve Kerr, the Suns General Manager may be able to find the missing piece for the Suns to help them get over the hump and make it to the Finals for the first time since 1993, when I was 5 years old. There are tons of free agents out there this off season, and although the Suns will not end up with a Lebron James or Carmelo Anthony, there are other guys who they could be the spark for this team next season. But there is one downside to all of this, Amar'e also is a free agent and he may not be coming back next season. But with a good run in the playoffs and a team that is starting to look like a possible future contender, he may just decide to stick around.

5) Alvin Gentry is amazing and is the perfect coach for this team, OK!

Although the season is over, and I do not want to say it, there is always next season. But for now, I am going to try to think about more positive things, like the World Cup that starts in two weeks. Maybe the United States will make it out of their group and make a good showing this year. But more likely, maybe, hopefully, Diego Maradona and Leo Messi will find a way to make magic happen together on the field the way that Maradona did in 1986 when he was touched by "the hand of God" and Argentina won their second world cup. The only thing that can in any way stop me from drinking my current problems away is the hope that the world cup too is not a huge disapointment like the Suns are year after year.

So well, GO SUNS, there is always next year...

The True Meaning of Hate

Hate. It is such a strong word. One that I try not to use ever. I do not remember the last time that I used the word hate to describe how I felt about another person. I have had girls lie to me, cheat on me, break up with me over text, but it didn't take me long to forgive them and I never described even my bitterest feelings towards them using the word hate. But today, I am going to use this word to describe how I truly feel for a certain person, actually a group of persons, a team, the San Antonio Spurs. This hatred that I feel comes from the fact that my team, the Phoenix Suns, cannot seem to beat them. But I am not only bitter because my favorite team plays worse than them, that is not always the case, sometimes, the Spurs get away with knees to the groin and body checks into the scorers table. Let me explain...
Back in 2007, I knew, with my whole heart, that the Suns were going to win their first championship. Everything was in place. They had been playing the best basketball of the season heading into the playoffs. They were the 2 seed in the west and the number 1 seeded Dallas Mavericks were knocked off in the first round by the Golden State Warriors. The road was paved for the Suns to make a run to the finals. But coming in their way was a dirty San Antonio team who had already beaten them in the playoffs in 2003 and 2005. The Suns lost game one at home 111-106, but came back to win game two by 20. Then it was off to San Antonio. The Suns lost a close game three in which Bruce Bowen sent his knee in the man parts of Steve Nash. (Watch Here) Bowen did not get suspended or fined for his flying knees. Then in game four, with the possibility of going down 3 games to 1, the Suns trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter before mounting a comeback. With under a minute to go the Suns took their first lead on a behind the back pass and jam from Nash to Amar'e. The Suns held a 3 point lead with about 32 seconds left. The Spurs had the chance to tie it with a three, but they missed their shot, Nash came up with the big rebound and began to bring the ball up court. The Spurs had to foul, but they did not just wrap up Nash, instead Robert Horry checked Steve Nash into the scorers table. (Watch the madness here) Nash got up obviously a quite upset, and understandably, both Amar'e and Boris Diaw, who where on the bench, stepped up to go and see what had just gone down. Neither of them got into the skirmish that ensued, but because they even took one step off the bench, they were both suspended for a pivotal game five back in Phoenix. To use a Poker term, with the suspension of their two big men, the Suns were on tilt, and although they did not lose game 4, the had just suffered a bad beat. Without their two starting big men, the Suns came out hot in game five, but they did not have the stamina to stop Tim Duncan and lost game five and the following game six back in San Antonio. It was the Spurs who committed the flagrant foul on Nash, and yes Horry was suspended, but overall it was the Suns that were penalized and lost the series because of a blow up by Robert Horry. So, I think my hate for the Spurs is quite understandable. The Spurs went on to win the Championship that year and the following season, they knocked off the Suns again in the first round of the playoffs. Not only have they beaten the Suns the last four times they have meet in the Playoffs, they have beaten them playing dirty ball. The last time the Suns won a playoff match up with the Spurs was in 2000 when a bleached blond Jason Kidd was running the point in Phoenix and Avery Johnson was not commentating on ESPN with his mouse voice, he was actually playing for the Spurs. That was 10 years ago. It has been an entire decade since the Suns have beaten the Spurs in the Playoffs. And now, in 2010, they meet again...
So the big question is will this year be any different? Once again, the Suns have home court as they are the three seed and the Spurs are the seven seed. But don't let their seed fool you. They just beat the Dallas Mavericks in six games and looked impressive in every one of their victories. The Spurs and the Suns are both different teams then they were back in 2007 and 2008. The key players are still around for both the Suns and Spurs. The Suns still have Nash and Amar'e while the Spurs have Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. But there are lots of new additions to both teams. Many of the players did not experience those playoff series and do not truly know the hate that exist between these two teams. I think Grant Hill, who was not with the Suns for their playoff defeats said it best, "It would mean a lot to beat the Spurs, but you can't get caught up in the emotion of it and the history. You have to disassociate all that stuff and remove all that emotion from the equation and just get down and play basketball. All that ill-will and all that hate, it's all in the past. There are a lot of new faces in this locker room and Alvin [Gentry] will do a good job of making sure we stay focused and attend to the task at hand." Jason Richardson, one of those "new faces" to the Suns said "I wasn't here for that stuff. There's a lot of bad blood. Anybody who's followed the NBA or watched the NBA understands there's bad blood there. Should make it fun."
So here we go again, another Suns vs Spurs playoff match up. What will happen this year? Will we see a repeat of the past or will the Suns find a way to finally knock out and possibly literally knock down the Spurs like they have done to them so often in the past? The Suns won two of the three meetings in the regular season, the most recent being on April 7th when the Suns ran all over the Spurs holding Manu to only ten points. Ginobili, going into that game, was the hottest player in the NBA, having scored 30 or more points in 4 of the previous ten games including 43 points against the Magic. But Jared Dudley found a way to slow him down. He went out and tweeted about Ginolbili, asking the fans how to stop him. The response, make Ginobili go right. That's exactly what the Suns did and they stopped Manu from catching fire.
I truly think that the key players for both teams will have big games, they're not gonna be stopped, Amar'e and Timmy will get their points. The Suns may try to stop Duncan, but he is one of the all-time great big men and he is going to score. The key will come down to the play of some of the role players for each team. Will George Hill be able to lead the Spurs with Parker coming off the bench? Will Richard Jefferson continue to score in the playoffs and fit in with the rest of the Spurs? Will Robin Lopez be healthy enough to play and also be effective? And most importantly, will Jason Richardson be able to score like he did against the Blazers? In the Suns wins against Portland, J-Rich averaged over 28 points a game, but in their losses, he only scored 14 points per game. If Richardson can continue to shoot over 60% from the field (including 51% from 3 ) against the Spurs and if Amar'e can have big dunks like this one, this just may be the year that the Suns find a win. Another big key for the Suns will be their bench. In game 5 of the last series, the Suns bench scored more then 50% of their points. But I believe the most essential part for the Suns chances of winning will be their scoring. The Spurs are only 2-12 this season when allowing their opponent to score 100 or more points. The Suns average on the season 110 points per game. If the Suns can score, and score lots with their much improved defense, their chances of winning increase exponentially. So if you were to ask me who is going to win, of course I will say the Suns, and my true feeling is that this is going to be their year. But that does not stop me from feeling nervous about this series. It is very possible that the hate I have for the Spurs grows and grows, but hopefully, this year, finally, after so many years, I will look back on the 2010 playoffs and have a soft spot in my heart for the Spurs because the Suns were finally able to break through against them.

NBA Playoffs (Can Anyone Please Beat The Lakers?)

It time, here we go! The sun is starting to shine, the flowers are blooming, snow is almost all melted, and it is NBA Playoff time. I must admit, I enjoy the NBA Playoffs, but they are a bit too long. We start now in the middle of April and we will not crown a champion until the middle of June. Most years I kinda lose my interest, mostly because we all know the Lakers or some other team I hate is going to run away with it again. But this year is feeling special to me. I think something exciting and unexpected will go down. Kinda like the 2007 playoffs when the #8 Warriors knocked off the #1 Mavericks, this Oklahoma City team may have what it takes to take down a slumping Lakers team who was below .500 in the month of April. The east looks like a race between two teams Cleveland and Orlando. So lets go ahead and break down these first round match-ups and look at some possible surprise teams and then, pick a champion.

EAST
#1 CLEVELAND VS #8 CHICAGO
I do not think there is a sports analyst out there who has the guts or is stupid enough to pick the Bulls. Well, I too am not stupid enough to cheer against the King and his team. Cleveland finished with the best record in the NBA and was able to rest Bron Bron for the few games. He will have some fresh legs and this series will be over in 4, yep thats right, the Cavs sweep Chicago. The 2 games in Chicago will be close, but the Cavs will find a way to pull them out. It all comes down to Lebron and he can't be stopped by the Bulls.


#2 ORLANDO vs. #7 CHARLOTTE
The Bobcats are in their very first playoffs ever since they became a team in 2004. It's too bad that they are playing the hottest team in the East right now. The Magic won the season series 3-1 but the Bobcats won the most recent meeting a month ago in Orlando. They are capable of beating the Magic, but they will not win more then 1 game against the Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, and friends. Orlando takes this series in 5.

#3 ATLANTA vs #6 MILWAUKEE
Two weeks ago this series would have been a whole lot more exciting, but now, with the injury of Andrew Bogut, this is looking to be another one-sided affair. The Bucks still have John Salmons and Brandon Jennings but that won't be enough to stop Josh Smith, Joe Johnson and the rest of the Hawks. The Bucks were one of the hottest teams since the All Star break but have recently sizzled down a bit with the injury to Bogut. The Hawks won't have a hard time working the ball down low through Al Horford who can either make a move to the hoop or kick it back out to one of the many deep threats for the Hawks. The Hawks will take this series in 6.

#4 BOSTON vs. #5 MIAMI
The grandfathers of the league will be taking on team D-Wade. Boston has been a roller coaster this season with moments where they looked unstoppable and other times where even the Nets could beat them, and beat them bad! They are one of the oldest teams in the NBA which means they are experienced. They won it all 3 years ago, but lets not forget, being the oldest team in the NBA also means they are brittle and subject to injury, which has happened all season long. Pierce has missed a number of games, Garnett is clearly slower then he use to be and he is allowing people to drive right past him. But Boston still has the talent to win this series and make a run into the playoffs. Will they? Nope. Even if they were to win this series, they would have to play Cleveland in the second round and no one will be beating the Cavs. Miami will win this series in 7. This may be the most exciting opening round series this year.


UPSET TEAM
The only team besides Cleveland that I think even has a possibility of making it to the Finals is Orlando. And even though that would not be much of an upset, no other team can make it past the Cavs. Atlanta has a lot of talent, but they don't have what it takes to beat the big guns. Orlando is the only possible upset team in the East.

EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
Do any of you remember when the Cavs started the season 0-2 and 3-3? They looked no better than a .500 team (which in the east would've qualified them for the playoffs anyways). Since that first 2 weeks of the season, no one has been better then them. Lebron James continues to amaze everyone. I was not alive for the early part of Michael Jordan's career, so for me, watching Lebron is something special and amazing. It is something that never gets old. It makes me stop doing homework, stop eating dinner, stop kissing girls, stop doing whatever I am doing just to watch magic happen. This seems to be the season that not only Lebron, but the entire team is ready to win a championship. They will play Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals and that will most likely be one of the all-time greatest and most epic battles. Remember the NCAA Championship game a few weeks ago, well imagine Duke vs Butler, that exact same game, but 7 times. That is what a Cleveland vs. Orlando series will be like. The front office in Cleveland has had only one goal all year long, keep Lebron in town next year and for many years to come. They have built a team around him good enough to win a title and hopefully good enough to make him want to stay. This year, we have all been witnesses to his greatness, and we will all be witnesses to his first NBA championship.

WEST
# Los Angeles vs. #8 Oklahoma City
Unlike the 1-8 match up in the east, this one is going to be close. All 8 teams in the west finished with 50 or more wins. So lets just say, all 8 teams are freakin good. This series has the feel of a "anything you can do I can do better" type series. The veteran Lakers will look to defend their championship, but they'll be playing a group of guys too young to even know that LA has 15 total championships. The Thunder are the youngest team in the NBA and most guys on the team can probably only remember 4 of the Lakers titles. Just to put this into prespective, Kevin Durant, the leagues youngest ever scoring champ was only 8 when Kobe was drafted back in 1996. Yep thats right, 8 years old. But he's not the youngest on the team, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka are all younger than Durant. The Thunder are so good, so young, this may not be their year, but can you only imagine what we will see from them in the years to come. The Lakers will take this one in 6 close games.

#2 DALLAS vs. #7 SAN ANTONIO
Both these teams are getting old and for Dallas, this may be their last chance to win a title with this set of players. Although they are the #2 team in the west, they are not playing a team worthy of a #7 seed. The Spurs have all the potential of upsetting the Mavs. This is the third time they have played each other in the playoffs in the past 5 years with the Mavs winning the last two times. This will be a close series, I think it will take all seven games for a winner to be decided, and I do not know who that winner will be. My gut tells me that Dallas will take it, but I feel there may just be an upset here. The Spurs are hurting a bit. Hill tweaked his ankle in the last game of the year and and Duncan is showing his age, but Ginobli is playing his best ball in years, possible of his career. The Mavs went on a 5-6 stretch a few weeks ago, but were able to finish with 5 straight wins and it appears that they have regained their focus. This is one of the best rivalries in the NBA and to be honest, their is no team I hate more then the Spurs, but the Mavs are always shaky when it comes to the playoffs, so I will give this one the San Antonio. The Spurs with the upset in 7 games.

#3 PHOENIX vs #6 PORTLAND
The Phoenix vs Utah game two nights ago was huge because the winner got the 3 seed and would be playing the weakest team in the west right now. Portland is a great team, with Brandon Roy, but without him, they will not be the same. It looks like Roy is going to have surgery today and he will miss the entire series. The Suns come into the playoffs as the hottest team in the west with the best record since the All Star break at 23-6. They had a 10 game winning streak a few weeks ago and finished the season on a 14-2 run. It may sound cliche since their the Suns, but this team is on fire. Earlier in the year they would build huge leads in the second and third quarters just to watch them find a way to give that whole lead away and lose. But recently, they have built those huge leads, and they have held onto them. Take for example their last two games of the season, both against top tier teams. They had a 28 point lead against the Nuggets and held on to win by 22. The next night, at a game I attended, the Suns had a 23 point lead against the Jazz and won that one by 14 points. Both of those games Nash sat out the entire 4th quarter. The most improved part of this team from the early part of the season is without question their defense. I am not saying that they have the best defense in the NBA, not even close, but they have been able to get big stops when they were needed. Without a Brandon Roy, the Suns will win this one in 5 games.


#4 DENVER vs #5 UTAH
I mentioned above how huge the game on Wednesday night was for the Suns and Jazz. Had the Jazz won, they would have finished with the 3rd seed in the west and would be playing an injured Portland team with home court, but since they lost, they will be playing Denver without the home court advantage. The Jazz have shown this year that they can match up against any team in the west, with only two exceptions, the Lakers and the Nuggets. I went to a Jazz vs Nuggets game back in January. The Nuggets did not have Billups or Melo and still were able to knock off the Jazz by 10. Without a doubt, the Jazz are a much better team now then they were in January, but the injury status of Carlos Boozer and Andre Kirilenko are not known. Boozer says he will play in game one against the Nuggets, but no one knows if his recent injury will affect him or not. If it does, this will be a nearly impossible series for the Jazz to win. They are a different team without Boozer. I think this series will come down to home court, so I have to give the advantage to the Nuggets in 7.

UPSET TEAM
It may sound biased, but I don't care. I truly believe the Suns have what it take this year to make a push for the finals. They are the hottest team in the west right now and the Lakers and Mavericks do not look to be playing their top ball of the season. The Suns have the most depth of any team in the NBA. On any given night, the Suns will have 10 or more players score. They have their starting 5 and then in the second quarter they send in new set of 5 players, led by Goran Dragic, Leandro Barbosa, and Channing Frye, which play a completely different style than the starters. It is simple for a team to draw up a plan to stop 3 or 4 players, but no team is able to make a game plan to stop 10 players. The Suns 5 back up players could easily beat the top 5 of any of the lottery teams. Back in 2007 I thought that the Suns would make a run to the finals, that was stopped by a dirty Spurs team, but this year, if they play how they have been since the All Star break, they'll find a way to win the west.


WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPION
I hate to say it, it beats me up inside, but it looks like once again, the Lakers will win the west. But this year, with all 8 teams in the west capable of winning one or more series, this is going to be a race to the finals and I will be biting my nails to see how the west will be won. I literally am praying that the Lakers do not win it, but if we lived in a world where good things happened to me, I would have a hot girlfriend, heck, I would have any girlfriend, I would have a good paying summer job, and the Suns would win the finals every year. But we do not live in that world, so most likely, history, a real sucky history, will repeat itself and the Lakers will be in the finals.

NBA FINALS
LAKERS vs. CAVALIERS
Need I say more...

NBA CHAMPIONS = CLEVELAND CAVALIERS