not so fast says the mavs

It was already written. ‘Heat take 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Dallas’ – hold up! Not so fast.

The Heat had this game sewed up until Dirk and ‘nem started going HAM with a little more than two minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Mavs were up three (93-90) with about 27 seconds left in the game when the Heat’s Mario Chalmers hit that sweet three-pointer from the corner baseline to tie the game. You are not seeing double. If this looked familiar, in 2008, Chalmers hit a three to send the 2008 NCAA Championship game into overtime, giving Kansas a second chance at life after Derrick Rose missed a key free throw. This essentially erased Memphis’ chances to put them away in regulation and ultimately ending with Kansas as the victors in the end. Fast forward to this year’s Eastern Conference finals and Derrick Rose had a little de ja vu. That’s all I am going to say about that one.

Anywho, so, Chalmers went retro on us last night. Taking himself back to that moment in 2008. And ohhhhhhh snap! It’s electric! Boogie-woogie-woogie! Ladies and gentlemen, the game tied, AGAIN! So what did the Mavs do?

Their superstar took over. Dirk (injured left hand and all) crossed Chris Bosh and completed a lay-up (with that same left hand) for an easy two points with about three seconds left in the game. The Heat drove to their end of the court, dumped it off to their superstar, but this time DWade’s shot missed the basket. The final score, 95-93.

So, the Mavs stole Game 2 on Miami’s court. Until this loss, the Heat had won eight straight playoff games at home this season. Now, the Heatles must get pretty comfortable in Dallas because the next three games are in the state where everything is B-I-G.

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“extra bright i want y’all to see this”

This was not supposed to happen.

After the slow start, LeBron’s “Bump Gate” with Coach Spoe and the players crying in the locker room after a loss – the Heatles were not supposed to make it to the NBA Finals this year. Whelp, they sure fooled me.

Well, let me take that back. I am not fooled. I mean with all that star power (Wade, James, and Bosh), missing the Finals this year would have been a failure as the Big 3 proclaimed throughout the entire regular season. I just did not think it would actually happen. The Heat beat a so, so Boston Team, and a pretty damn good Chicago Bulls team to make their second trip to the Finals in franchise history.

So, the pre-party last summer, was worth it. Or was it? Afterall, LeBron said this team would win not one, not two, not three, not four, and so on. Team chemistry was an issue early on and they were not able to closeout games in the fourth quarter. Plus, there was a whole bunch of extra mess associated with LeBron’s exodus from Cleveland. See my earlier posts here:

Tuesday, the team began their quest to win the first championship for the Heatles era. Now they face a Dallas Mavericks team that very few, if any, had making it to the Finals. The Mavericks? Man, I know I did not have them even getting out of the first round of the playoffs – but just like the Mavs did to everyone else, they shocked the hell out of me!

The Heat and Mavs played in 2006, when DWade won his and the franchise’s first championship. They face a different Mavs team. Dirk is truly tapping ass on the court (excuse my French). I remember reading his stats….something like averaging 30-plus points a game during the playoffs. Not LeBron, DWade hell even Kobe – DIRK! Yep, Dirk is on a mission, and for a bunch of old guys, the Mavs definitely have eyes opened.

The Heat did convincingly win Game 1 of this series. That elusive chemistry finally got the memo and made it to South Beach – just in time for the Finals in an attempt to help the Big 3 back up all this season’s hype. I think the Heat will beat the Mavs in six. I really think they’ve finally meshed and are focused enough to handle the Mavs and get that ring. But, then again, nothing will surprise me. With the Lakers and the Spurs taking early exits (AMEN!) in the playoffs, the Mavs may find some way to make Miami work and eventually be the last one standing. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Game 2 is tonight. Who’s going to take it?

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Image from www.istreetball.com

Chicago Beams for its Native Son

I am still kind of new to Chicago (I’ve only been here for two years), but I am certainly not new to the championship swag this city has had in the past in basketball. One name – Jordan. Michael Jordan and his other Hall of Fame teammates brought six championships to Chicago. SIX….that dynasty era will never be forgotten.

As champion-caliber cities do, Chicago suffered a drought. A drought which lasted for a while until that first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft of Chicago Native, Derrick Rose. It takes time to rebuild a championship city, so the rewards were not granted to a starving fan base right away. However, as loyal fans do, they stick behind their team and support them. Chicago knew with that first pick, Derrick Rose would lead them back to that championship, winning mentality.

This year Rose’s labor of love, passion, and sacrifice for his game have paid off. During this season, he willed is team to the best record in the Eastern Conference, coming only second to the San Antonio Spurs with the best record in the NBA. Rose and his teammates continued to persevere through hardships as two of their key members (Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah) missed games due to significant injuries. Rose had an MVP-like regular season and everyone knew he would get the call.

The NBA put to rest all the speculation this week and named Rose the 2010-2011 Most Valuable Player. What an accomplishment! He is now among the elite – Russell, Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan, Bird, Johnson, and many more. He is the youngest, at 22, to join this class of great players.

Derrick Rose credited his personal work ethic and his determination to work on his game during the offseason, so that he could be the MVP. Rose set a goal to be the MVP this year and he did achieve this goal. He also credited his mother Brenda. With a moving testimony to his mother, Rose began to shed tears. Certainly they were tears of joy and appreciation. Rose is so humble and even with all of his fame, realizes who continues with him on his journey. Rose is a humble young man, and that will definitely gain you cred on and off of the court.

The Bulls beat those pesky Indiana Pacers in the first round of this year’s playoffs and are battling a tough Atlanta Hawks team (Hawks lead 1-0). Who knows how far this Chicago Bulls team will go this year, but one thing is for certain, they have brought back the Championship-swag to this city. No, I don’t think it is too early to claim that because even if the Bulls don’t go further in the playoffs, they brought back the mojo to a city which has waited to feel again.

Meanwhile, they continue to support the Bulls and I think the fans here will say this was a good year after the playoffs finish. An MVP and the Coach of the Year (Tom Thibodeau), aint too bad.

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cutler’s mysterious knee gate

Now let me preface by saying that I am still heartbroken that my Saints were knocked out during their wild card battle with the Seattle Seahawks. However, as a person living in Chicago, I Beared Down on Sunday, just like everyone else.

We had a Bear Down situation on Sunday, literally. Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears’ starting QB, was knocked out of the NFC Championship game last weekend and no one knew until Todd Collins began to take the snaps. Who? What? When? Where? How? And Who, again? I think I am going to add ‘Wait a minute?’ there as well. I must have gone to get a second helping of chili when Cutler got injured because the next time I saw him, he was on a bicycle – on the sidelines. I blinked and Cutler was gone!

So the Collins dude was injured after a couple of plays as well. The Bears were down to their third string QB, Caleb Hanie. So, I am watching this game with a group of friends who were all diehard Bears fans, except for me and one of my girls. They were loud! Everyone was so upset and confused! I was right there with them – dazed! LOL!

Hanie proved not to be all that bad, he sure played better than Cutler did when he was in the game. It still was not enough for the Bears to overcome Aaron Rodgers and the Pack. They won the game, punching them a ticket to the Superbowl XLV in Dallas. What a bummer?! Just like that, the Bears’ season was over – joining my Saints on the couches.

But it was not over! Media, players and everyone took shots at Cutler’s alleged injured knee. Jay Cutler has a way with his facial expressions. He really looked listless and not interested at all on the sidelines. That’s when the criticism poured in. Players took shots at Cutler via Twitter and other social networks, questioning Cutler’s toughness. The media also took to their columns questioning Cutler’s determination. Hey, Jay you only were sacked over 50 times this season (the most in the League) and you took your team within a game of the Superbowl. You have to know that you were going to get some back talk from others for not completing the game. With all that said, I still believe some people were pretty harsh.

Lovie Smith told the media team doctors advised Cutler not to continue to take those snaps, but he, indeed, wanted to continue to play. His teammates, especially Chris Harris and Brian Urlacher, showed Cutler overwhelming support – which was a good thing! I mean if Cutler’s teammates were calling him out, which would not have been a good look.

Cutler had an MRI earlier this week which revealed he had torn MCL with a severe sprain to his knee. OOUCH! Well how about that? Turns out, even if the Bears made it to the Superbowl, Cutler would have probably been questionable to play. Only Cutler knows what’s really going on with his knee. However, TMZ just released a video showing Cutler and his reality star girlfriend, Kristin Cavalari walking around Los Angeles. Peep the link and you be the judge:

TMZ (@TMZ)
1/27/11 8:53 AM
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler mustered up enough toughness to stroll around an L.A. shopping center with …http://bit.ly/e8koVM

 

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89, 90, 91…

And so it was done. Yes, you heard right. A women’s basketball team surpassed the current record of 88 consecutive games won set by John Wooden’s dream team UCLA Bruins about 35 years ago. Geno Auriemma and his Angels have everyone talking about women’s basketball. The record to break is now 89, thanks to win yesterday against #14 Florida State. It must be a great feeling to know that you could possibly, better yet probably will break your own record. The UConn Huskies Women’s Basketball Team has not lost a game since the beginning of the Fall 2008 season.

They are the reigning NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Champions. Maya Moore, their senior freak of a guard (I mean freak in a good way) does not know what it means to lose. She’s been winning since she was a sophomore. Moore posted 41 points, a career high for her as she led her team right into the history books. Moore is a champion and is right along with other UConn greats such as Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird. This girl can ball. I mean really ball.

Geno Auriemma received a call from President Barack Obama right before his post-game press conference. Take a listen above.

The hype began when the ladies tied the record at the 88-game mark on Sunday. Auriemma told the eager media that no one would even care about the Lady Huskies of they were not women about to break a record set by men. Sad, but true. I really hope the team’s accomplishments won’t go unnoticed and people begin to pay attention more to these Lady Ballers because they are fierce. Really fierce.

I am going to close with this: “You could be the king, but watch the Queen conquer.”  Yes, I went there. I used a snippet from Nicki Minaj’s power-laced verse from Kanye West’s “Monster.” Just goes to show you, mover over boys! We are coming!

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the decision

Okay. So, do you remember where you were when LeBron James made is infamous decision? C’mon! I know you remember! Think harder! It was just about a month ago.

I dashed in my apartment right before James said he would take is talents to South Beach. I have to admit, I was not a big fan of “The Decision” and the whole LeBron Regularly Scheduled programming that hacked ESPN that entire day, but I aint gonna lie, I was all in the television. There was so much hype surrounding where King James was going to go! UGH…I am a sports phenom, fanatic, but y’all I was getting a bit tired of the hoopla coverage. Oil Spill? What Oil Spill? ESPN just was not enough. CNN even wanted to know where LeBron was going. The coverage was just crazy.

Personally, I feel the hoopla did not mesh well or reflect “The Decision.” First, let’s talk about the setting. Connecticut? I guess he really picked a neutral spot, although Connecticut is no stranger to basketball because of the Divas at UConn. I guess (inserts *shrug* here). The interviewer….Jim Gray. Seriously, that gets a C’MON SON (*Ed Lover Voice*). Where did ESPN dig up all monotone, lame, wack Jim Gray for such a spectacle? You mean to tell me Stuart Scott could not hop on a bus or a plane and make it to Greenwich, Conn. from Bristol? Somebody should have done a Google Map search or Mapquest, horse and carriage, messenger pigeons….something – someone other than Jim Gray! I feel Jim Gray was even more boring than that shirt LeBron had on (*Blah*).

While I am talking about LeBron’s shirt, who is his stylist? Whoever he or she is should have told him not to wear stripes. That shirt was not appropriate because it was not easy on the camera. The stripes were too busy for the lens, and hard on the eyes!

So, I think LeBron needed a Hype Man! Yes, yes!! A hype man would have done the trick. I mean, for all the build-up and extravagant media coverage, the hour-long special was just plain boring. You know how you’re so excited only to be let down? That’s how I felt. I was expecting more fireworks, blow horns, streamers; hell a parade would have done the trick.

He had so much attention on him for weeks. Brett Farve…#youmad? Is this the norm for professional athletes nowadays?

In the end, King James decided to go to Miami. I have to admit, I did not think he was going to make that move but we shall see how “humble” he becomes when he is not dropping 40 and scoring triple doubles every other night this season. Ha! We’ll see. Get your popcorn ready.

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