Typing with Iole: An Exclusive Interview

     With the deluge of bloggers everywhere, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish the real experts from the angry fan and it's no exception in the fighting world of boxing and mixed martial arts (mma).  While I claim to be no expert in these two fields, I do know an expert when I see one.  In boxing and mma, there is no bigger name than Yahoo! Sports' resident expert Kevin Iole.

     Covering boxing since the early 1980's, Iole has an impressive army of insightful and entertaining articles, not only about boxing, but also mma, which he started covering in 2000.  His articles combined the right amount of facts, drama and comedy all within a mostly objective tone.  T

hat's why I it was my great honor and pleasure to pick his brain about the burning questions I have about boxing and mma.  

     In this exclusive web interview, Iole discusses, among other things, his theory on why he's labelled "anti-Pacquiao," and who he believes to have the best chance of becoming the next Filipino boxing star.

Sharwin Tee:  Of all the fights you have covered, what would you consider as the greatest boxing match ever?  What MMA match you covered would you consider 

as the greatest?

Kevin Iole: 

The best fight I ever saw in boxing was Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I. In MMA, the best was Forrest Griffin-Stephan Bonnar I.

ST: With Marquez and Mayweather fighting soon, do you think it is possible that one of the two could fight Pacquiao by the end of the year?

KI: Unlikely either will face Pacquiao in 2009. I expect Manny to fight Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14

ST: Gerry Penalosa has announced he would fight at least one more time, planning on challenging for the 118 lbs belt (against the winner of the Fernando Montiel vs Eric Morel, if I recall).  Do you think it's a good idea for him and if he does fight for the title, what would his chances be?

KI: I think Gerry would beat Morel, but I think Montiel would beat him. He's younger and still in his prime.

ST: Shane Mosley has been saying all the right things (his willingness to drop weight and take less money) to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao, meaning he really thinks he ca

n handily beat Pacquiao.  Do you agree with him or will the drop in weight mean Sugar will have a difficult time?

KI: I think Shane's going to have a tough time getting to 144. When is the last time he made that weight? I believe it was in 1999.

ST: Other than Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, are you familiar with other Filipino boxing stars like Z Gorres, AJ Banal, Bernabe Concepcion and  World Champions Donnie Nietes (minimum weight), Brian Viloria?  Who among them would you say has the brightest future in the sport?

KI: I'm familiar with all of them but Nietes. Of that list, I think Viloria has the best sh

ot at becoming a star.

ST: While you have been fair in your articles, there is still a sentiment among others that you are anti-Pacquiao.  Why do you think this sentiment exists? 

KI: I'm not anti-Pacquiao, but I think Manny's fans don't want someone to say what they feel. I felt Oscar would beat him, feeling he was too big, and they took it that I didn't like Manny. Just because I don't believe a fighter is going to win a specific fight doesn't mean I'm against him.

ST: Let's switch to MMA.  With the impressive victory by Lyoto Machida over Rashad Evans, do you think it proves that a wrestling background isn't necessarily always the best base to train for MMA? Or do you think that Machida is merely an exception?

KI: Wrestling isn't a requirement, though it helps. But there are plenty of fighters in MMA who are successful w/o wrestling backgrounds.

ST: Personally, do you feel that Rampage Jackson ducked Machida by choosing to coach TUF 10 instead of challenging for the title because he feels he needs more time to train or does he really hate Evans so much he needs to coach against him?

KI: No. I don't think he ducked him. I think he is trying to make the most money and he'll make himself more known appearing on TV in the US on a weekly basis for three months.

ST: With the countdown to UFC 100 on Yahoo Sports, which would you consider to be the best and most spectacular knockout in the first 99 UFCs?  Best submission?  

KI: Best KO in my mind is Gonzaga over Cro Cop at UFC 70. Best sub was when Frank Mir snapped Tim Sylvia's arm, at UFC 48 (I think)

ST: The UFC is gaining prominence in the Philippines, especially with fighters with Filipino heritage like Brandon Vera, Philippe Nover and Mark Munoz making the UFC shows.  Unfortunately, they have all seemed to run into big time losses.  Which of the three do you see has the brightest chance to achieve popularity and success in the future?  Will any of the three win UFC titles?

KI: Vera is the best by far of that group, but I don't think any of them will win a title.

ST: Again, with regard to the popularity of UFC in the Philippines, is there a chance the UFC would put up a show here?  Maybe feature the Filipino fighters in three matches and then bring in a main event?

KI: UFC will eventually hold a show in Philippines, but will wait until the economy improves.

ST: Thank you for your time.

KI: Thank you for asking me.

Rise of the "Villains"

     Over the weekend, the public was treated to big and entertaining fights, with the victors suddenly turning from hero to villains, from "babyface" to "heel."  I'm not even talking about the WWE Smackdown and ECW Live in Manila show (where I ahem, ahem, held hands with Melina).  I'm talking about the UFC 100 show.  What turned the UFC into a bigger and more outrageous than the WWE?  It's really just two people.  UFC 100 victors, Dan "Hendo" Henderson and UFC Heavyweight Champ (and former WWE champ) Brock Lesnar turned the already landmark and memorable show into a spectacle to be discussed for weeks to come.  Unfortunately for them, they are now being condemned for their actions.  Well, I've decided that before they hang, we ought to give them a trial first.

Case # 1  People vs Dan Henderson

Plaintiffs (Critics) say: Attacking an already knocked out Michael Bisping with a vicious flying forearm/elbow and later saying, "that (elbow/forearm) was just to shut him up a little."  It was poor sportsmanship on Hendo's part and it was very dangerous.  It was fortunate that Bisping was able to leave on his own power.  

Defense (Supporters) says: In a fighting sport, especially MMA, there are plenty of flash knockdowns, where the victim goes down as if they were out but then are capable of standing up and fighting again.  This is why most fighters instinctively keep attacking until the referees stop them.  While Henderson attacked an unconscious Bisping, it was more of an automatic habit rather than a malicious attack.

Judgement (Mine): On the charge of maliciously attacking Bisping, I think Henderson is not guilty.  It's too much of a risk not to keep attacking your opponent in mma as any second of let up could mean your opponent gathering his/her wits, recovering and fighting back.  To his credit, he immediately stepped away when the ref touched him.  Henderson has been known as a classy guy and endangering an opponent by wantonly attacking them while incapacitated doesn't seem to be his style.  I've seen more malicious attacks than this.  "Babalu" Sobral was kicked out of the UFC because he wouldn't let go of his choke hold on an unconscious opponent even after the referee stopped the fight.  "Rampage" Jackson's fight with Wanderlei Silva ended worse that Bisping-Henderson when he landed two or three extra punches on an incapacitated Silva while the referee was pushing Jackson away. 

     What Henderson is guilty of is probably bad taste.  Bisping's brash words all throughout the Ultimate Fighter Season 9 probably wore on Henderson, as he promised to shut him up in behalf of Team USA.  That's probably why he thought it would be funny to joke about having the last elbow/forearm "shut him up."  Henderson has never been an outspoken guy, and maybe he should stay that way.

Case No. 2     People vs Brock Lesnar

Plaintiffs (Critics) Say:  After defeating Frank Mir to become undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar confronted Mir saying, "Talk all the (expletive) you want now."  Then, responding to the boos of the pro-Mir crowd, Lesnar decided to flip the finger(s) at the mammoth Nevada crowd. As if this display wasn't enough, Lesnar then ragged on Bud Light (UFC sponsor) by claiming he would drink Coors Light since, "Budweiser's not paying me nothing."  The icing on the cake was when Lesnar announced that he would celebrate with friends and then, "get on top of my wife (former WWE diva Sable)."

Defense (Supporters) Says: Frank Mir had the trash talk coming since he kept attacking Lesnar with his own set of trash talk leading up to the fight.  He took great pride in, "poking the bear," comparing Lesnar's ground and pound attack to girl's pulling hair.  Lesnar's giving the finger to the crowd was his response to the unfair public who keeps questioning his skills despite defeating Hall of Famer Randy Couture and then Champion Frank Mir.  Meanwhile, his Bud Light comment and comments about his wife were nothing more than a funny jokes that not all people appreciate.

Judgement (Mine):  After seeing and hearing Frank Mir's trash talking about Brock and even his very entertaining Echo Unlimited ad, I do agree that Mir had it coming.  Mir was hyping up the fight, but attacking your opponents skills and agility is not the classy way to go.  Besides, Lesnar's comments still seem tame compared to other UFC post fight altercations.  Tito Ortiz proceeded to play act digging a grave after defeating a Lion's Den fighter just to piss Ken Shamrock off.  As for his comments about Bud Light, I'm willing to bet that not only do the Bud Light people not care about that comment, they're probably secretly happy about the comments, as they still bring added publicity to their product.  In their minds, those comments actually made their money's worth.

     As for the middle finger response, I think Brock is guilty here.  Fans can get irritating oftentimes, and while they are human, pro athletes have a responsibility to refrain from attacking fans.  Such an obscene gesture is like attacking the fans and Lesnar has to remember that fans are what keeps professional sports alive.  As for his comment about his wife, Brock is guilty a second time.  No matter how hot your wife looked in leather cat suits during her WWE days, it's not classy to make comment like that with any person other than the couple in the room, let alone the thousands in attendance and the millions watching on pay-per-view.  That comment was just boorish and uncalled for. 

     People on the internet are quick to condemn these two victorious fighters, calling for their heads.  I think that's a bit of an overreaction.  What these guys are guilty of is a lack of proper training to deal with high profile public situations with class.  What Hendo and Brock need are PR people helping them speak and act properly in public.  As for the people threatening to ditch the UFC because of the two's boorish behavior?  Please.  When Henderson has his rematch with Anderson SIlva and Brock faces Fedor Emelianenko, these naysayers will be first in line to buy tickets. 

NBA Yearender: Awards

     Every year, the NBA awards its best players with awards recognizing their skills and efforts, but it isn't every year that I agree with their choices.  This year, though, I completely agree with their choices. Now, writing about how I agree with all those choices, so I decided to give my own set of awards to end this past NBA season.

Appendix Award (Best Player who didn't help or worsen the team)

Winner: Zach Randolph (Los Angeles Clippers)

     Every year, Randolph is the top player in this category.  To his credit, Randolph seemed to avoid getting into trouble with the law this past season so he didn't actually worsen the team.The news, on the other hand, is that this past season, he once again provided the team with tremendous points and rebounds numbers (20.8 points and 10.1 rebounds), but as with his past teams, he has not helped lift his team's standings in any way.  The Clippers, despite being stocked with talent, were a mediocre, 19-win team.  He was no great vocal leader and he was no inspiration.  It seemed like he ambled along, getting his own numbers.  It's good to know the Clippers decided to start the Blake Griffin era without Randolph.

Best Value For Money Deal

Winner: David Lee (New York Knicks)

     One of the bright spots for the Knicks, Lee is a base year compensation player and recently the Knicks made the 1 year qualifying offer to keep him a restricted free agent. The offer was in line with his salary and it totaled $2.6 million.  The Knicks certainly got their money's worth on the dynamic forward from Florida, as he averaged 16 points and 11.7 rebounds, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line.  The best part about all that was his sturdiness, managing to play 81 regular season games at that high level of his.  It's no wonder the Knicks are going to have problems keeping him.

Most Disappointing All Star

Winner: Mo Williams (Cleveland Cavaliers)

       For all his talk about how he served to be an all star when he wasn't initially picked, eventual all star guard Mo Williams was a dud when the Cavs needed him the most.  After putting up great numbers (17.8 points on 47 percent shooting), and proving to be clutch with late baskets resulting in wins in the regular season, Williams disappeared in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Magic.  In the critical first 5 games against the Magic, Williams eventually got his numbers, but at the cost of his team's offensive efficiency.  Shooting only 33 percent while taking over 15 shots, Williams was almost a big liability on offense as he usually is on defense.  His disappointing showing was mostly magnified in Game 4 (a game he guaranteed they would win), as he sot 5 of 15 from the field and scoring a mere four points in the tightly-contested 2nd half.  Maybe he should show up more in the playoffs before telling people they're wrong about picking Ray Allen before him in the All Star roster.

"Poor Deal" Player

Winner: Elton Brand (Philadelphia 76ers)

     After scoring what seemed like a free agent signing coup, the 76ers were excited about adding Elton Brand to their young and athletic line up.  Unfortunately, a season ending injury obliterated Brand's season, basically leaving the 76ers paying the first year of the newly-signed $85 million deal on a bench warming former All Star.  What's worse is that in the little time that he got to play, Brand seemed out of place and disruptive to the team's play.  Philly fans hope that new coach Eddie Jordan and his Princeton offense will help integrate Brand back into usefulness country.

"One Step in the Grave" Player

Winner: Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs)

      While I was harsh on Rasheed Wallace's game this year, I still sense a good season or two from him.  Apparently so do the Boston Celtics, who are doing their best college try to recruit 'Sheed.  That's why I think this award should be handed out to Bruce Bowen.  After being a much-valued defensive stopper for those San Antonio Spurs championship teams, Bowen seems to have finally hit the end of his productive career.  This year, almost all his numbers (points 2.7, blocks 0.2, steals 0.5, rebounds 1.8 and minutes 18.48) were down from previous years, causing Coach Greg Popovich to cut his minutes and use someone else.  It's no wonder the Spurs jumped at the chance to trade him in the Richard Jefferson deal.  It will also be no big surprise if the Bucks buy out his contract.

     So there you have it.  These are my own version of the NBA's annual awards, a little unorthodox, but honest, if I may say so myself.  This also concludes my set of year ender stories for the 2008-09 season.  Now, I can fully enjoy the wheelings and dealings before November and for sure I'll write about the more memorable ones.

NBA Yearender: Downer Stories

     While last season was a great season for a good number of people in the NBA, it was also a disappointing season for some.  To continue my NBA yearender stories, I present my top downer stories.

1.  'Sheed and AI, The Collapse - While many blame GM Joe Dumars and Coach Michael Curry for the Detroit Pistons' collapse this season (a disappointing 8th seed and first round sweep exit in the playoffs), equally or more so to blame are the Pistons two veterans.  Rasheed Wallace was considered one of the cornerstones of the franchise, one of its all stars, but he was a shadow of his former self, averaging a mere 12 points and 7 rebounds.  Generally, he looked liked an angry old man, shooting ill-advised threes, barely defending and gathering technical fouls left and right.  Allen Iverson was no better.  Acquired from Denver in a trade for Chauncey Billups, Piston fans' and observers' (including myself) interest were piqued at the possibilities of AI finally playing with a talented playoff team.  He, however, reverted to his old spoiled self, complaining about playing time, bogging down an already slow offense and just destroying team morale in general.  In the end, no amount of coaching could save a Pistons team being dragged down by two grumpy old men.

2.  Lebron's Whiner/Wiener Moment

     I've already dedicated an article on this, but it remains one of the NBA season's most disappointing stories.  Losing a hard fought victory to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, Lebron showed poor class in going straight to the locker room, thereby failing to shake hands with the Magic players and avoiding the press.  Instead of apologizing the next day, he claimed that he couldn't be blamed for not shaking hands since he was a winner, and winners don't shake hands with those who beat them.  The NBA fined him for missing media session, and while it was meant to chastise Lebron's poor class, it only gave him an out as he has since then felt no need to publicly and personally apologize to the Magic, especially his Team USA teammate Dwight Howard.  Make no mistake, Lebron is still a great player basketball wise, and maybe he will prove to be a winner in upcoming seasons, but this moment was a wiener moment.

3.  Big Injuries to Big Men

     Injuries are a part of every team in every NBA season, but some injuries are truly worse than others.  This was none more true than for the Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets.  Both teams were built for the long haul.  They both seemed on their way to challenge for the title, having great regular seasons and beating thier first round playoff opponents, but injuries to Boston's Kevin Garnett and Houston's Tracy Mcgrady and later on Yao Ming eventually derailed both teams.  What made their stories truly heartbreaking was that both teams played over those injuries and even took their opponents, eventual NBA Finals protagonists LA Lakers and Orlando Magic to the full seven games.  Imagine the chaos if they went on to beat their opponents.

4.  Steve Kerr's Losing Gamble

   

      With the Phoenix Suns failing to win or even enter the NBA Finals under Mike D'Antoni's whirlwind offensive teams, GM Steve Kerr was tasked to remold the team, refitting them for another attempt.  With Kerr spending championship years with great defending teams like the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, he gambled on building a team based on defense and not offense, basically a complete opposite of the previous Suns teams.  While it was a good plan on paper, Kerr inherited a team that couldn't defend.  Furthermore, he hired good friend Terry Porter, who as the head coach, coudn't get his team's ear.  What resulted was a mess.  Phoenix began playing a slow down, boring defensive game, without playing any defense.  As the losses mounted, team chemistry dropped and not even a change in head coach and the addition of Jason Richardson could save the lost season.  With Shaq traded this offseason and Amare Stoudemire on his way out, it's obvious that Kerr has recognized his gamble had clearly failed, and the Sun's run and gun team that was a thrill a minute for several years is now officially dead.

5.  The Donaghy Headache

     If you've had one of those pesky headaches that won't go away, you'd know how David Stern feels every time disgraced ex-NBA referee TIm Donaghy opens his mouth.  Already in jail for fraud, Donaghy continued his assault on the NBA and its integrity, claiming a "mob hit" was executed on him as two inmates allegedly busted up his knee cap.  To rub salt on the proverbial wounds, Donaghy has also warned of his plans to write a tell-all book, that will tell of, "the culture of fraud and manipulation that permeates the NBA."  While police have subsequently ruled out the voracity of his claimed "mob" attack, Donaghy's continued rumor mongering no doubt causes more headaches for the NBA which is looking to move on from this PR nightmare spawned by Donaghy's poor decisions and associations of the past.  His wild accusations, which are most probably false, only adds fuel to the fire that burns for those conspiracy theorists, who are convinced the NBA is a rigged league.  Donaghy's actions merely feed his need for fame and money, and take away form the efforts of all of the NBA's athletes, coaches and trainers.  

     Despite all these downer stories, the NBA continues to be a great source of entertainment, and undoubtedly millions of people around the world eagerly await the upcoming season, just like me.

(coming soon: My NBA Awards)

Grading the First Wave of NBA Trades

     Before I could even finish my series of NBA year ender stories, the first wave of off season moves began, and what wave it has been.  I thought it would be nice to grade these trades, to see how the teams involved will fare in the future.

Major Trade Number 1: The Shaq Trade

Cleveland gets: Shaquille O'Neal

Phoenix gets: Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic

     This trade had been in the works last season and after the Magic's domination of the Cavs, I'm sure the Cavs wished this trade happened last year.  In any case, the Cavs finally get a big and tough center to match up with Dwight Howard and a shot blocking defensive presence.  On first look, this looks great for the Cavs, but I have my doubts about this.  Shaq demands a lot of attention and ball possessions, most of which were given to reigning MVP Lebron James.  Unless Shaq finally learns to match his demand for attention with his diminishing skills, there might be a little iffyness in the team chemistry department.  Another issue would be Shaq's health.  Will he be healthy enough to actually make a difference for the Cavs?  In any case, what the Cavs have going for them is that Shaq will most likely be motivated and they can rest assured Shaq will give his best effort, if only so that Shaq can beat Kobe's team and Shaq can have more titles than Kobe again.  By giving up very little (Wallace and Pavlovic were useless in the playoffs anyway), the Cavs deserve an A for this.

     For the Suns, this isn't GM Steve Kerr's way of helping his friend, Cleveland GM Danny Ferry.  It was mostly a cost-cutting move to help the Suns avoid paying huge luxury taxes.  The move saved them a total of about 10 million dollars now, and if Wallace retires and agrees to a buyout, they save even more.  I think Kerr has recognized the need for the Suns to finally rebuild (about two years to late I think), and if they also successfully trade away Amare Stoudamire to Golden State for Setphen Curry and Andris Biedrins, the Suns would be able to rebuild, save money and still entertain fans.  They get a C from me, a B+ if they complete the Amare deal.

Major Trade 2: The VC Homecoming

New Jersey Nets get: Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie

Orlando Magic get Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson

     I find this trade as actually the most significant trade of the Eastern Conference.  Once again, the Magic are looking to outdo the Cavaliers, this time in the trade arena.  While many question VC's heart and health, he has been pretty solid for the Nets for the past two seasons, missing fewer games and playing better team ball all around.  He will give the Magic a scoring threat that can create his own shot while still giving Magic the three point threat they always have on court.  While much has been said of Carter's inability to win, he has never been on a contending team as well built as the Magic.  This, along with the fact that Carter is an Orlando native, could spur him to actually bring a lot more effort to his game.  Meanwhile, Ryan Anderson will get his chance to develop behind the Magic's athletic forwards, and he may turn out to be more than a trade throw-in.  Lastly, having VC around gives the Magic a little leverage to negotiate with free agent Hedo Turkoglo.  Now that the Magic have a new forward, they won't be tempted to over pay the Turkish native, but still have a chance to resign him, since GM Otis SMith said they are willing to pay luxury taxes.  Overall, this trade is good one for the Magic, a strong commitment to winning for the next two to three years.  A solid B+ (A if Turkoglo re signs with the Magic).

     The Nets have been letting go of expensive parts for years, first with Kenyon Martin, then Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and now Vince Carter.  Instead of a straight salary dump a la Phoenix, the Nets actually get some quality players.  Courtney Lee gives them a starting quality shooting guard at a much cheaper price while officially turning the team over to All Star guard Devin Harris.  Meanwhile, the veterans Rafer Alston and Tony Battie both give them not only vetera minutes of the bench, but also expiring contracts, which is still in line with their plans to bring in owner Jay-Z's best buddy Lebron James in 2010.  Overall, a great move by GM Rod Thorn, and also a solid B+.

Major Trade 3: The San Antonio Resurrection

San Antonio Spurs get: Richard Jefferson

Milwaukee Bucks get: Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto (later traded for Amir Johnson)

     The Spurs' Tim Duncan era is about to come to a close, so Gregg Popovich and co. figure to give it one more go.  Adding Richard Jefferson to one of the NBA's oldest superstar trios is a much needed shot in the arm.  Jefferson gives them a cushion against injuries that will likely hit one or all of their big three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker-Longoria, while sacrificing very little.  Bowen has long been past useful, while Thomas and Oberto might actually be bought out and come back to them.  Overall, this was quite a steal for the Spurs and there is (literally) a spring in the step of the Spurs.  They deserve an A.

     The Bucks have long been known as a small market team and so paying the luxury tax is not really ideal for them.  The move saves them a ton of money, but they received practically nothing in return.  While saving money will enable them to re sign their "important" free agents, you have to wonder if signing Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva was actually so important they gave away a former All Star for well, two grandfathers and one who plays like one.  Last year, they couldn't make the playoffs and Jefferson was their only stud, so Coach Scott Skiles has his work cut out for him next season.  This move was a total head scratcher, a D.

Major Trade 4:  Atlanta Loads Up

Atlanta Hawks get: Jamal Crawford

Golden State Warriors get: Speedy Claxton and Acie Law IV

     The Hawks had a second straight successful season but they need to add more to their roster.  While re signing Mike Bibby is one of their priorities this summer, they went ahead and got more help at guard.  Crawford will provide solid play for both guard positions.  This ensures that if Bibby leaves, it won't be a total disaster for them.  Meanwhile, Crawford gives them a player who has an unmitigated desire to shoot, which will help them avoid those weird offensive plays that went nowhere because no one would shoot.  It also gives them more leverage to try to sign Bibby to a more reasonable price.  What's best is that they gave away practically nothing.  A solid B+ for the Hawks.

     Golden State has had a lot of turmoil in the front office as well as with the players and coaches, so weird trades is not a surprise.  Barely a few months after aggressively acquiring Jamal Crawford in a trade, Coach Don Nelson couldn't wait to throw him away.  Throw is the right word as they basically got an aging, barely-used point guard (Claxton) and an official draft bust (Law).  What makes the move an even bigger head scratcher is that they just committed to signing Monta Ellis to a long term contract and they also picked up Stephen Curry (another point guard) in the draft.  Add to this the signing of mercurial guard Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggete to long term deals last year, and you can see the Warriors' front office has been slugging back too much alcohol.  They should have let former GM do his job, instead of bypassing him last year.  Obviously, either the Warriors know something we don't or they don't know anything.  In any case, they deserve a "D."

     Watch out for more NBA trades and their grades in the coming weeks.

NBA Yearender: Uplifting Stories

     The latest NBA season has come to a close, and congratulations are in order for the Los Angeles Lakers, particularly Kobe Bryant and Coach Phil Jackson.  Now, with the off season in full swing, it's a great time to look back at what was a wonderful year.  First, I'll tackle the season's top stories that warmed and uplifted my heart.

1.  Orlando's Magic Run  - While many considered the Magic a strong team with Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, few dared to predict how deep the Magic would go in the playoffs.  Just as I foresaw, Orlando put on an incredible run, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers (despite losing homecourt advantage and Dwight Howard for one game), overcame the defending champions Boston Celtics and dominating the Eastern Conference favorites Cleveland Cavaliers and its Golden Child, MVP Lebron James.  Despite losing to the eventual champs, the Magic gave the Lakers quite a scare as well.  Overall, it was a great season for the Magic, who proved tons of critics wrong.

2.   Derrick Rose and the Bulls' run to the playoffs - Facing great pressure to bring the Chicago Bulls back to the playoffs, things did not go well for the number one draft pick, hometown favorite Derrick Rose and the Windy City team.  After losing a majority of their games early into the season, the Bulls were already being written off and Rose being considered a rookie of the year by default.  Things turned around after the Bulls fixed their crowded guard rotation and trading for veterans Brad Miller and John Salmons.  Before people knew it, Chicago went on an incredible winning run, not only qualifying for the playoffs, but almost taking away fifth spot from the Miami Heat.  Then, the Bulls took the defending champions Boston Celtics into an epic seven game series, with Derrick Rose leading the charge.  He proved himself the true rookie of the year by taking charge when it counted the most.

3.  The Nuggets' Redemption - Almost all of the major players in the Nuggets rotation were written off, almost seemingly at the same time.  Chauncey Billups was supposed to be getting too old, JR Smith a basket case, Carmelo Anthony a "me-first" player who found individual stats more important than a championship, Chris Andersen a junkie, Nene a shadow of his former self after a bout with testicular cancer and Linas Kleiza a soft European player who couldn't contribute in the NBA and Kenyon Martin a player with both knees shot.  Collectively, though, they found a bond and trust in each other and it propelled them to the franchise's best finish since 1985.  Together, they helped each other overcome their bad reputations, seemingly showing a maturity and desire to win that showed not only their capability to win this year, but also for the next two years.

4.  Gina Marie Incandela - While this little cutie is not a household name anywhere outside of Orlando Magic fans' homes, her story is certainly a tremendous one.  Suffering from a kind of autism, PDD NOS, Gina Marie was not given much hope to be able to speak.  When her parents brought her to the University of Central Florida to help with her speech, Gina found herself expressing herself through singing; and sing she can.  Taking a liking to LeAnn Rimes' Star Spangled Banner performance, Gina began singing the national anthem, first in practice then later in major singing events.  When she sang for the Orlando Magic one time, the Magic won.  Then, she was asked to sing again.  The Magic won again.  Then, all of a sudden, she became the Magic's "secret weapon," with the Magic going 7-0 with her singing (6-0) in the playoffs until the Lakers spoiled the Magic's fun.  In any case, hers is an amazing story and the Magic, if they know what's good for them, will invite her again next season.

5.  Some Love for Kevin Love - When Kevin Mchale made another controversial decision to trade away top draft pick O.J. Mayo, fans collectively slapped their heads, thinking it was another lopsided trade a la Randy Foye for Brandon Roy.  The Wolves badly needed a guard, and Mayo seemed to be answer.  Instead, the Wolves traded him away, essentially for another rookie, Kevin Love.  Before the draft, Love was touted as a front court player who could, "make a decent baseball pass," not exactly the description of the savior the Wolves fans desperately sought.  As the season went on, however, O.J. Mayo, while scoring heavily, showed a lack of ability or willingness to pass to go along with his poor percentage shooting.  Meanwhile, Love finally received some love in Minnesota, earning it by posting averages of 11.1 points and 9.1 rebounds, including the most rookie double doubles.  Now, Wolves fans will look forward to a new era under a new GM, new coach and the promising front court duo of Love and Al Jefferson.

     While I'm sure the NBA season brought a lot more than five uplifting stories, these five were my personal favorites.  Do you have an uplifting NBA story from this past season? I invite you to post! 

(Coming soon: NBA's Downer Stories)

Lebron Simply Blew It

     Many people thought I was daft when I predicted an Orlando Magic victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games, but I held firm to my beliefs because in the end, I knew the Magic was simply a bad match up to the Cavs.  I knew how the Magic's lithe and quick frontline would pose problems for the Cavs' big but lumbering big men and I expected Lebron James' teammates would not provide enough support to lift the Cavaliers.  What I didn't expect though, was how bad Lebron James would blow it.  

     Forget about Lebron losing a chance to play in the NBA Finals on his Most Valuable Player season.  Forget about him losing to the less favored Orlando Magic despite finishing with the league-best 66 to 16 win loss record.  What Lebron blew was the opportunity to look like a classy guy.  

     After losing game 6 and the series to the Magic, James quickly retreated to the locker room, avoided the media and went straight to the team bus.  Most disappointingly, he never offered any congratulatory hugs or handshakes to the Magic players, even to his team USA teammate Dwight Howard.  Asked about his abrupt exit from the arena, the "King" explained, "It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them,” he said. “I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.”

     Come on Lebron.  Being a "winner" doesn't mean you don't congratulate the winner.  Recognizing and congratulating someone who has beaten you fair and square doesn't make you a loser; in fact, it makes you a bigger person worthy of adulation.  Even bitter rivals MAtt Hughes and Matt Serra congratulated each other after trying to kill each other in UFC 98.  Oscar de la Hoya found time and character to congratulate Manny Pacquiao after the Pacman beat him to a pulp.  

     There he was, Lebron James, a star athlete with transcendent popularity, a role model for kids all over the world with a chance to show them what true sportsmanship is all about.  He had a chance to show kids that sportsmanship is not just about playing fairly and cleanly and competing relentlessly.  It is, more importantly, accepting defeat and enjoying victory graciously Being the superstar James is, he simply can't do two out of three and expect the world to indulge him because of his youth and frustration.  Youth coaches in different sports from all around the world can try to teach kids about sportsmanship and graciousness, but in the end, kids' heroes like Kobe Bryant and James will impact the kids more with their behavior.  If he truly cared about helping kids and molding them into better people, he would have recognized his basketball camps with the youth in Akron, Ohio is not enough.  He should have seen this as a perfect opportunity to show kids how great and classy athletes take losing to worthy rivals.  He blew his chance to help educate kids about true and unadulterated sportsmanship.

     Lebron James is a tremendous athlete, one of those once-in-a-generation type athletes who will no doubt win many more accolades and championships, and I hate to think that this episode blemish a lasting legacy that he is destined to leave the world with.  I really hope he owns up to this boo boo of his.  He is once again presented with an opportunity to show kids proper behavior, to own up to one's mistakes and apologize properly.  Let's go Lebron.  Don't blow it this time.

Monkey Wrench into the NBA's Best Laid Plans

     It all started last summer, at the Beijing Olympics.  The U.S., hungry for redemption after their recent failure, brought along a team intent on winning.  It was the best team formed since the 1996 Olympics, and at the forefront were two huge, global stars, Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. Branded as leaders, the two elevated their games and brought home the gold medal.  Right then and there, the NBA sensed something great and licked their chops.  Kobe vs Lebron for the NBA Title.  Now that sounded like a blockbuster and the NBA started a novena, praying for  divine intervention to deliver them their dream finals match up.

     Lo and behold, as the season wore on, the NBA was beginning to smile.  Lebron and the Cavs razed through the Eastern Conference just as Kobe and the Lakers romped through out West.  With both teams entering their respective conference finals, the NBA's best laid plans for a blockbuster finals (with massive TV ratings) was so close David Stern could taste it.  Now, though, someone has thrown a monkey wrench or two into the well-oiled plan.  Enter the Orlando Magic and the Denver Nuggets.  

     As things stand now, the Magic and the Nuggets have taken away the two favorites' homecourt advantage, with the Magic leading the Cavs 1-0 and the Nuggets ties with the Lakers at 1 all.   Will these two teams, who are looking for redemption themselves, prove to be the proverbial monkey wrench or will they merely be cumbersome obstacles that will be hurdled?

     The Orlando Magic has not exactly been on everyone's radar when talking about who will win the Larry O'Brien trophy this year, and the boys from Orlando have taken the snub personally.  They now pose quite a threat to the Cavs and it's not just because they aren't the Pistons.  As shown in Game 1, Orlando had the Cavs beat on two ends.  

     First of all, Orlando's frontcourt is huge, but lithe and lightning-quick.  A front line featuring 7 foot Dwight Howard, 6-10 shooters Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu and 6-8 Michael Pietrus are simply too quick for the equally huge but lumbering front line of the Cavs.  While James can match up with any one of the Magic's forwards, he can't guard all of them at the same time.  In game one, while it was Howard's 30 points that lit up the scoreboard, the Cavs lost because of the other three forwards, with Hedo and Lewis combining for Orlando's final 17 points.  If the Cavs are to make it to the finals, like they told the world they would do, then their tall lumbering front line (Anderson "Sideshow Bob" Varejao guarding Rashard Lewis, are you serious?) must find a way to become light on their feet.

     Secondly, the Cavs played to Orlando's strength, which I believe is not their three point shooting but more so their defense.  Everyone reverted back to their "watch Lebron" playbooks, standing around hoping to get a pass for a spot-up three.  Although James had a monster game, going 20 of 30 from the field, it took too much out of James.  In fact, I think he passed up a shot on a late drive that could have won the game, simply because of fatigue.  All Star Mo Williams and Delonte West must regain their regular season shooting and aggressiveness and Zydrunas Ilgauskas must make Dwight Howard work on defense if they are to beat the Magic in this series.

     The Denver Nuggets almost became the poster child of how not to build an NBA roster as the past few years showed the Mile High team as a group of shoot first, players with immense talent but no will to win a championship.  What a difference an old and wise point guard makes.  Chauncey Billups has come into Denver and changed the team's outlook (and therefore) its chances this season.  The "new-look" Nuggets actually feature the same core of players, save for the enigmatic Chris "Birdman" Andersen, but they have shown a desire and will for teamwork and defense that was last seen on a Nuggets team when Dikembe Mutombo was wagging fingers at opponents.  They could pose problems for the Lake show because, as seen in Games 1 and 2, the Nuggets bring in a toughness and and offensive arsenal that have the Lakers on their heels.

     First of all, the Nuggets this year are tough, in a good basketball way.  They are showing a willingness and the health needed to bang bodies inside, once again threatening to expose Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as softies playing in a tough guy's game.  Kenyon Martin, Nene and Birdman have relentlessly attacked the lanes for both offense and defense, taking the Houston Rockets model of bullying the Lakers inside.  If the Lakers want to make David Stern happy, they must dig deep, fight back especially inside the paint to grab rebounds and loose balls, shoot high percentage dunks and layups and block and change shots.

     Secondly, the Nuggets while successfully approximating the Rockets' toughness on defense, are infinitely more talented on offense.  Carmelo Anthony has shown, at least in these playoffs, that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as King James and he has a lot of help.  Linas Kleiza and J. R. Smith are bringing it from the bench, K-Mart and Nene have been active and useful on the offensive end (Heck, Nene even had 6 assists in game 2. 6!!! OMG! The Black Hole of basketball learned to pass!) and most importantly, Billups has a stability to keep the Nuggets calm through thick and thin.  The Nuggets are clicking on all cylinders offensively, and if Kobe wants to get a chance to win his first title without Shaq, he must lead his team not just in offense, but more so on the defensive end.  They must clog the lane and force the Nuggets into shooting from the outside.  

     So now David Stern is beginning to sweat.  His dream blockbuster finals scenario is being pushed onto the brink of oblivion.  Will the Cavs and the Lakers bounce back and give Stern a reason to smile or will Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony be the Team USA teammates playing in the finals?

     As for me, you all know I love ruining best laid plans, so I will be in my usual place, eagerly awaiting Cleveland's and L.A.'s impending disappointments.  

How Now, Pacquiao?

     With his stunning second round demolition of Ricky Hatton last May 2, 2009, Manny Pacquiao is on top of the boxing world, with some claiming he is history's best.  Meanwhile, the very world the,  "Pacman" had enthralled is still under his spell, as everyone is awaiting word on what he is to do next.  Currently, Manny has been rightfully taking it easy and celebrating his latest conquest.  Pretty soon, though, he will have to decide what to do next.  Whether it be about his legendary boxing career or his polarizing political one, everyone seems to have an opinion on what Manny should do.  Of course, being the meddler that I am, I have some suggestions too.

Boxing Career

     Obviously, if Pacquiao stopped now, he would leave with a tremendous career and legacy that will be remembered by the world for generations to come.  I think, however, leaving this early will leave his legacy in question.  There are some unanswered questions I think he should answer before he retires and I have a plan of action that is not only feasible, but also fit perfectly into his desire to retire early and to run for congress.

     First, Manny should take on the winner of the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr., the man he replaced as boxing's pound for pound king or one of his greatest rivals, Juan Manuel Marquez.  Pretty Boy Floyd has talked some trash since announcing his return and some have already drank from the irradiated Kool Aid he has been serving.  Taking on Mayweather will finally answer the question of who is the best boxer in this open era, and Manny should not let an opportunity pass him by.  As for fighting Juan Manuel Marquez in what should be a farewell fight for both pugilists, Manny has the opportunity to finally rid himself of the pesky Mexican.  As Manny has been enjoying number one status in the "P4P" rankings, many consider Juan Manuel Marquez as "1A."  A third and final fight would be a fan's dream fight as we finally close the chapter on a wild and exciting rivalry.  This fight could indeed happen sometime in December, giving Pacquiao ample time to rest and prepare his political party for the May 2010 elections.

     Second, Manny should take a good look at Miguel Cotto.  While Cotto possesses power that could mean trouble for Pacquiao, I feel it is worth the risk because beating Cotto would give Manny a sixth world title.  This would enable him to match his idol, Oscar de la Hoya's belt career belt haul.  Now that would be a great way to end a career.  This fight could be penciled in at around September or October of 2010, giving Manny lots of time to rest and train after the elections.

Political Career

     I don't like the idea of Manny running for congress as much as anyone, but with having "Kabayan" Noli "extortion" de Castro as Vice President (and maybe even President) and Lito"the sound of silence" Lapid as Senator, how can we tell Pacquiao he isn't ready to lead us?  He should run if he truly wanted to and believe it or not, I would seriously consider voting for him if he ran in our district.  I, however, have an even better political plan for Pacquiao.

    If it were up to me, I'd have Pacquiao become president... of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP).  For years, athletes have begged to have former athletes lead their respective Nation Sports Associations (NSA), so that the leadership could empathize better, and Manny leading the ABAP would be great.  He knows boxing, its training, scouting, weight cutting, etc, and he would be in a prime position to advise ABAP on how to train and care for our boxers.  I understand amateur and professional boxing are different animals, but surely his talent would not be dominant on the pro ring alone.  Meanwhile, his current fame will go a long way in uniting a usually fractured ABAP leadership.  Furthermore, his international stardom will bring a level of credibility to our NSA, which would help garner more respect from the international boxing committee.  This, in turn, would help lessen the questionable judging we are always a victim of.  

     If Pacquiao is really determined to go along way politically, he can serve the ABAP for a while, then run for the presidency... of the Philippine Olympic Committee.  If Manny serves the ABAP well as president and unites it, then he deserves to be POC president.  In this position, Manny can take care of all the athletes and his well-respected character and discipline transcends all sports, so uniting the athletes is certainly doable.  I mean, if he can unite an entire nation enough to stop crime and war, he should be able to do it in sports.  I know he has mentioned that all he wants to do by running for congress is to help the people.  What better way to help than to unite a nation through sports?

     In the end, it's really up to Manny.  He's the one with five titles in five divisions.  He's the P4P King.  I think, though, my plan would certainly appeal to him.  After all, my suggestions for his boxing career would close his career and legacy elegantly, while my suggestions for him politically would help him achieve his goals.  

     The best part?  After he executes my plan successfully, he would still be young enough to run for congress.

Liking the National Team

     With the Philippine National Basketball Team coached by Yeng Guiao having played a total of five tune up games already, I thought it was high time to assess this team.  I watched all five of their games, including their series against Australia Hoopdreams, which I caught at Araneta Coliseum's courtside.  

The Good Stuff

Speed - Man, this team is fast and quick.  It looks like Coach Guiao is looking to run opponents to the ground to make up our size disadvantage, and he certainly picked up the right tools.  Players 1 through 12 can all run, and if they keep practicing together, they can form a formidable fastbreak attack.

Athleticism - Speed is not all we need to make up our lack of size and athleticism is that missing link.  With players like Gabe Norwood, Arwind Santos and Kelly Williams, our team has long-limbed, high-leaping bodies that when motivated properly, will be apt to tap loose balls, gather steals, grab rebounds and run.  

Camaraderie - This early, the team seems to have good camaraderie, especially in terms of the players liking each other.  Based on what I've seen during games and even during time outs and lulls, the players do genuinely like playing with each other.

Jared Dillinger - Among all the players, I am most surprised and pleased with Jared DIllinger.  The 6'4" guard has shown tremendous heart and passion, and I am surprised at his quickness, especially on his drives to the basket.  While I thought he might be the first player cut, he looks to be a more complete player than most as he can make long jumpers, drive the ball to the basket, bring the ball down court as a point and defend players from the 1, 2 and 3 positions.  I really wouldn't mind seeing him start for our team.

The Bad Stuff

Tentativeness - This has been, in my opinion, the disease that infects all our pro player-enforced national teams.  When all these unselfish superstars play together, they play like an All Star team, preferring to keep passing and passing, consciously avoiding being a "selfish" player that takes all the shots.  This disease actually makes our teams, including this one, ineffective in the half court game, with everyone passing and passing until the shot clock begins to run out and we are forced into a bad shot.  We would be best served to have a couple of players be the designated "go-to-guys" for half court plays.  Jay Jay Helterbrand, James Yap or a focused Willie Miller would be good candidates for this job.

In Between Game or lack thereof - While our players can all make threes (except maybe Asi Taulava) and finish strong at the rim, it seems none of our players are comfortable taking in between shots.  I know that most teams play zone defense, but having our players take (and make) pull up jumpers could help free up the lane for future incursions or post up plays.

James Yap - My goodness.  Has celebrity gone to his head or is he just going through a shooting slump?  After his first game against the Australians, Yap has been relatively bad, considering the reason why he is on the team is because he is supposedly our premiere three point shooter.  He has been missing consistently, even on open looks and if he can't make those, maybe he should consider playing defense.  And yes James, playing "matador" defense, where you look like a Spanish bullfighter is not playing defense.  If he keeps missing and not break out of his slump, would it be too late to ask Don Don Hontiveros to join the team?

     Overall, the National Basketball Team is on the right track and I think they will look even better with more practices under their belt.  Building a running team will take time as the players need to learn the little habits of their teammates so that they will run the fastbreak like they were a team that has been playing forever.  When the players get the hang of each other, though, Asia better watch out. 

Will the Doctors Decide NBA Playoffs?

     I'm back! I've been off the writing block for over a month, and it feels good to be back.  Speaking of being on the shelf, this year's NBA playoffs starting tomorrow is loaded with players on the shelf.  I'd like to take a look at each of the teams with injury woes, and how it will affect their chances.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

L.A. Lakers - The prohibitive title favorites were on a roll the whole year, finishing with the West's best record and homecourt advantage at least until the NBA Finals. What makes this playoff run even more exciting for them is that Andrew Bynum is back and looking healthy.  That means that their line up is at full capacity and the rest of the NBA should watch out.

San Antonio Spurs - The seemingly ubiquitous Spurs managed to win the South West Division via a close victory on their last game.  The playoff run, though, is going to be rough as they not only face the dangerous Mavericks, but they will miss spitfirish guard Manu Ginobili for the playoffs.  Another problem for the Spurs will be Tim Duncan and his bum knees as even the usually silent superstar has commented that he's playing on "half a knee." 

Portland Trail Blazers - The young Trail Blazers are back in the playoffs and Rip City is ablaze.  The line up looks good with young and now healthy players and they will only miss high-flying guard Martell Webster who has barely played this year anyway. Of course, they should take care and not let Greg Oden sneeze too hard, lest he injure himself again.

Houston Rockets - The always dangerous but oft-injured Rockets were a hair away from the number 2 spot but will now open their playoffs on the road in Portland.  Tracy Mcgrady, the team's go-to-guy for the past few seasons, has been declared out for the season and while even the Rockets admit his absence is a big hole, the 5th seed has shown they can play without T-Mac.  In the playoffs though, will they miss him?

New Orleans Hornets - The surprise season of last year can also be considered a surprise team this year, limping into the playoffs as a 7th seed.  While Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler will play as the Hornets attempt another run at the Western Conference, they have not looked 100 percent in their last few games.  Even James Posey is playing with a bad left hand and the Hornets bench is not exactly over pouring with talent.  Can Chris Paul be that good and carry them all with his good legs?

Utah Jazz - The Jazz are quite disappointed with finishing 8th, but they could give the Lakers trouble when healthy.  It looks like everyone will be in the line up for the Jazz, but Mehmet Okur will still be battling a nasal infection going into the first round.  The up and down play of Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko have not exactly inspired confidence in the success of the recovery of their surgically-repaired legs.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Cleveland Cavaliers - The NBA's best team is riding high on their franchise best winning record, and more importantly, Lebron James, Mo Williams and Zydrunas Ilgauskas good health.  The Cavs expect a long playoff run as their only injured player is Ben Wallace who has a bum leg.  The Cavs, however, have barely missed him with the inspired play of Anderson Varejao and Joe Smith.

Boston Celtics - The Big Three is now the Big Two, with KG out for the season.  While the defending champions are still quite formidable, Garnett was the heart and soul of their defense, which was what they used to beat teams.  Will Kendrick Perkins, Leon "the Show" Powe and Big Baby Davis step up to cover the gaping hole KG left?  If they don't, there will be a new champion in the NBA.

Orlando Magic - Dwight Howard may be Superman, but too bad he couldn't spread the health.  Jameer Nelson is out for the season with Rafer Alston trying to replace him.  Meanwhile, the heart of the Magic's vaunted three point shooting, forwards Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are not 100 percent.  Lewis seems to be mostly fine, missing the last two games more as a precaution, but Turkoglu's sprained ankle will limit him in the first round.  Can Howard be dominating enough to carry the Magic until the forwards get healthy?

Philadelphia 76ers - People can talk all they want about how Elton Brand did not fit into their system, but battling Dwight Howard would have been more doable with Brand patrolling the lane.  While attention will be on Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala, the health of Thaddeus Young who just came from the injury list, may be a key to the 76ers playoff hopes.  Will he be healthy enough and play well enough to offset Rashard Lewis' presence?

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls seemed to have been headed to the lottery, but a late run has gotten them the 7th seed in the playoffs, playing a KG-less Celtics.  For them to pull off the upset, they must disregard the absence of Luol Deng, who is out for the season.  Meanwhile, they must pray for a quick recovery for John Salmons, who is one of their best players, as he seems slow to recovery from his groin injury.  Will Salmons be healthy enough to give Paul Pierce a run for his money?

Detroit Pistons - Oh how the mighty have fallen.  After 6 consecutive Eastern Conference finals appearances, the end may be near for this core group of players.  Not only will they battle the red-hot Cavs, they must do it without Allen Iverson, whose on and off-court troubles have led Pistons fans to miss Chauncey Billups.  Another question mark is the health of Rasheed Wallace, who seems to be a step slow this whole season.  Whether or not the slowness is due to a physical or mental injury, the Pisotons will need 'Sheed to have a chance.

     The playoffs start tomorrow and time will tell if these injury issues will help decide the outcome of the Finals.  Will injuries lead to the NBA's preferred Lakers-Cavs match ups, or will this year's version of the playoffs produce more than its fair share of upsets?   

Breaking (Well-Conditioned) Hearts

     In my recent bowling league night, I bowled a total of thirteen consecutive strikes, and while only twelve is needed to bowl a perfect game, I didn't get one because my 13 strikes were split between two games.  I bowled 7 to finish the first game and 6 to start the second.  To make matters worse, I missed the cash prize given for games over 255 because neither of my games were over 255 (242 and 253)! What a heartbreaker!  

     My own heartbreak got me thinking about sport's biggest heartbreaks.  Here are some that I find to be history's biggest heartbreakers and heartbreaks.

Heartbreaker: Steffi Graf

Victims: Jana Novotna and Martina Hingis

     Both Novotna and Hingis, chasing the prestigious French Open Championships, both played tremendous first sets and second sets to bring their finals match to match point.  Graf, however, refused to wilt under the pressure and displayed the fiery form that won her 22 Grand Slam titles.  In both instances, Graf escaped the second set, and then thoroughly dominated the third set, much to the delight of the crowd and the chagrin of the other finalist.  While Novotna and Hingis both retired with their respectve Grand Slam Titles, I'm betting neither will ever forget how Mrs. Andre Agassi broke their hearts.

Heartbreaker: Los Angeles Lakers

Victims: Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings

     On their way to three NBA Championships and numerous trips to the NBA finals, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by the trio of Phil Jackson, Shaq O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, made sure they broke several hearts along the way.  The first to experience the pain would be the Blazers of the 2000 season.  Leading big in the fourth quarter of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, it would seem the Rasheed Wallace-Steve Smith led Blazers would get to taste the NBA Finals.  Unfortunately, the ultra-talented squad, which also featured Bonzi Wells and Arvydas Sabonis, went through an inexplicable dry spell in the last four minutes of the game.  This paved the way for a historic comeback by the Lakers, including a tremendous ally-oop from Kobe to Shaq.  That loss turned out to be last hurrah for the Blazers as that same talented team soon began to implode.  In the coming years, that team became known as the Jail Blazers and soon after that, Portland missed the playoffs for the first time in over two decades.

     The Sacramento Kings were also a talented bunch who fell victim to the Lakers date with Destiny.  The Kings, led by Chris Webber and Vlade Divac, looked to have the Lakers number and needed Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to take the Lakers to the brink.  However, a broken play by the Lakers resulted in a bad shot, a ball tapped to the outside and alas, that dagger three by Robert Horry.  The Kings and their fans never lived that shot down and never really challenged for the title again. 

Heartbreaker: Shawn Michaels

Victims: All wrestling fans in the universe

     It is only fitting that the Heartbreak Kid would be in this list.  While wrestling is entirely scripted, it doesn't mean the fans won't have their hearts broken.  When Nature Boy Ric Flair, a former 16-time World Champion, was punished by Vince McMahon, he couldn't afford to lose a match, lest he be banished to retirement.  Despite this, the Nature Boy still yearned to battle the best, who at that time, he deemed to be Michaels.  So in Wrestlemania 24, Flair fought tooth and nail against the younger Michaels, almost to a tie, until Michaels finished him off with a super kick to the face.  While almost everyone expected the WWE Hall of Famer Flair to lose and retire, his loss that night still triggered tears to fall from the thousands in attendance, including the victor, Michaels.

Heartbreaker: Bal David

Victims: San Miguel Beermen

     Despite a depleted line up propped up only by import Jeff Ward and Nelson Asaytono, the San Miguel Beermen still managed to put up a tremendous fight against sister team, the Gordon's Gin Boars (Ginebra).  The two teams engaged in a fierce semi-finals knockout match, which even went into overtime.  With the Beermen in the lead with just seconds to go and the Boars having no timeouts, it seemed the underdogs were about to steal it.  The Flash, Bal David, however, threw up a seemingly-impossible half court shot that drilled a dagger into many a beermen fan's heart.  While San Miguel and Jeff Ward would be reunited for another go the following year, they never did win a championship together.

     Do you know any heartbreakers more gut wrenching than these? Comment or send me an email at plated_thrills@yahoo.com 

NBA All Star Line Ups (Rants and Rave)

     As much as I claim to be a different and unique individual, there are some things that I enjoy doing just like everyone else.  Take the line ups for the 2009 NBA All Star Game in Phoenix, for example.  Just like everyone else, I've got my rants and raves about them too.

West

Starters: C Yao Ming, F Tim Duncan, F Amar'e Stoudamire, G Kobe Bryant, G Chris Paul

Rants and Raves: Not too many rants actually.  I think the fans got it right this time.  While I would have liked a small forward to be a starter, these five guys have been playing at a high level, especially this year.

Reserves: C Shaquille O'Neal, F David West, F Dirk Nowitzki, F Pau Gasol, G Brandon Roy, G Chauncey Billups and G Tony Parker

Rants:  David West has indeed morphed into a great player for the Hornets, but his inclusion this year leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  I think forwards Al Jefferson (23.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game) and Paul Millsap (15.1 points, 9.5 rebounds 1 block and 1 steal per game) have had amazing years and either would have been better than West.  West may be a great player, but not this year.  Tony Parker may be playing great, but maybe I'd feel better if he had played more games this season.  I would have loved it if Kevin Durant, who has been on a scoring tear (22.6 points 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks), was given the spot instead.

Rave: I definitely love the inclusion of Chauncey Billups instead of Camelo Anthony.  Obviously Mr. Big Shot is the main reason for the Nuggets' surge and he deserves an All Star slot for doing what Melo has not been succeeding in (leading the Nuggets).

East

Starters: C Dwight Howard, F Kevin Garnet, F Lebron James, G Allen Iverson and G Dwayne Wade  

Rants: I was hoping that the same populace smart enough to vote an African American genius into the White House would be smart enough to not vote in Allen Iverson, but you can't have everything.  Young point guards like Jameer Nelson (17.5 points 3.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists) and Devin Harris (21.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists) deserve that spot that AI currently has.

Rave: Thank goodness KG has enough fans to prevent a Yi Jian Lan travesty.  Late into the voting process Yi, aided by votes from China, actually threatened to overtake KG for a starter spot. Whew.

Reserves: C Chris Bosh, F Paul Pierce, F Danny Granger, F Rashard Lewis, G Jameer Nelson, G Devin Harris and G Joe Johnson

Rants: Paul Pierce was, is and will be Boston's main man and hero, but he has been less "The Man" and more "The Invisible Man" lately, especially in Boston's slide in early January.  Rashard Lewis is just a beneficiary of Dwight Howard's dominating presence and Stan Van Gundy's three point shooting system so I think the East should have dropped these two forwards and instead taken in Antawn Jamison, who has been a true professional (21.1 points, 9.1 rebounds,1.3 steals), toiling and toiling for the Wizards.  Another great pick would've been G Mo Williams (17.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists) who has been instrumental in helping Lebron make the Cavs dominant.

Rave: I'm glad that Joe Johnson is being more and more recognized for the stud that he is.  Atlanta is significant only as far as Johnson makes them.  Year in and year out, he has been the main man for the Hawks and it's always nice when a non-flashy but great player gets an All Star nod. I was also glad to see the Pacers' do-it-all guy Granger get a nod.  He has been carrying the Pacers all year and it's a nice reward for him.

     I know that while I have my rants against the All Star Picks, many will have their own rants and raves about my choices.  Let me know by commenting here or at plated_thrills@yahoo.com

Bowling When It Counts

     Bowling has been in the news a lot lately.  Unfortunately, it's more because of politicking by people who can barely play, and all that politicking, as we all know, amounts to nothing.  This week, though, the bowling world gets a chance to do things that really count.

     On Friday, January 30, 2009, the Xavier Bowling Team, together with the Xavier High School FACAMPA (the faculty and staff organization), in cooperation with BOSE speakers, presents the 6th Xavier Charity Bowl at the E-Lanes Bowling Center along Ortigas Avenue.  For the 6th consecutive year, the Xavier School family, consisting of students, teachers, parents and guests gather together to bowl in a friendly but nonetheless competitive tournament to raise funds for the Xavier School Educational Trust Fund (XSETF).  While no prizes except medals and donated goods are awarded to the winners, more and more people are joining the Charity Bowl to aid this noble cause.  This XSETF gives talented and deserving students a chance to receive a Xavier School education despite their financial handicap.  This year, the Xavier Bowling Team hopes to increase the funds raised, to continue its tradition of increasing the funds raised each and every year since the charity bowl's inception.  

     While the Xavier Charity Bowl is enjoyed by the entire Xavier family, everyone is invited to take part in the event, as competitors, spectators or even sponsors.  For more information, you may contact Coach Sharwin at plated_thrills@yahoo.com.

     Meanwhile, on Saturday January 31, 2009, bowling shifts to the Green Valley Bowling Center along C-5 as the bowling community urges everyone to participate in the Bayanihan Tournament.  SEA Games Gold Medallist and bowling hero Joonee Gatchalian was recently diagnosed with diabetes and glaucoma and he will be undergoing surgery to combat his blindness.  Unfortunately, only one eye may be saved due to the severity of his glaucoma.  With his medical bills piling up, Joonee needs help to defray these costs.  The Bayanihan Tournament hopes to raise funds, hoping that this time, the country that Joonee has served proudly as a national team member, comes together to serve him.

     The tournament features a simple 8 game with handicap format, with the winner taking a PhP 30, 000 first prize.  There are two squad times competitors can play in, namely the 1 p.m. and the 5 p.m. squad.  Those who cannot play but are willing to donate may do so at Green Valley on Saturday, where hopefully Joonee would be recovered enough from surgery to be there.  For more information please contact Louie Chuaquico at 0917 8120506.

     Both of these causes are very close to my heart and I am looking forward to participating in both these events.   I am hoping my brothers and sisters who bowl will too, and if you can't bowl, why not just come to support it?  I know I won't be the only one thankful for your support.

Sports' Best Monickers

      A lot of sports figures have become household names throughout the world.  No doubt, their unique and astounding skills have a lot to do with their enviable fame, but sometimes, their monickers or nicknames help tremendously too.  Here are some of my favorite sports monickers, names that are not only effective for name recall, but also quite fun too.

UFC/MMA - While names like "The Natural", "Rush" and "The Spider" dominate the win column and the, "Who is the greatest?" debate, my all time favorite monicker still belongs to Ultimate Fighter Alum Keith Jardine.  The bald mixed martial artist who defeated big names like Brandon Vera and Chuck Lidell is now called the "Dean of Mean."  Imagine that.  "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine.  What's cooler than that?

Runner ups - Huntington Beach Bad Boy, The Irish Hand Grenade, The World's Most Dangerous Man

Boxing - "Pacman" Pacquiao and "Money" Mayweather are certainly atop the pound for pound rankings, but in terms of monickers?  In my mind, nobody tops rising Filipino boxing star Donnie Nietes.  The boxer will soon be fighting at the Araneta Coliseum is known simply as, "Ahas."  Yeah, many boxers have been called reptiles before, but the name sounds so much cooler in Filipino.  Besides, Ahas actually brings a live one wrapped around him as he enters the ring.

Runner ups - Hands of Stone, El Terrible

NBA - Many NBA players simply use their initials or a few syllables of their name as their monickers, but some players have some great monickers as well.  Tops on that list would have to be Pete Maravich's.  One of the greatest players to ever play, this point guard revolutionized basketball, dribbling and passing, in particular.  Along with his trademark loose gray socks, is his monicker, "Pistol." Now that's a name.

Runner ups - Magic, Glyde, Mailman

PBA - In the PBA, dozens of players have monickers, thanks to our highly-imaginative commentators.  Of course, with a huge selection, there still has to be a clear winner.  For me, the coolest would still have to be Ricardo Brown's.  The original Fil-Am guard, could play both guard positions and most importantly could shoot from everywhere on the court.  He moved so well on the court that it was only fitting that he be called, "The Quick Brown Fox."  Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's way cool, huh?

Runner ups - Captain Marbel, The Ninja, Skywalker, Robocop

WWE - Of course, I would have to end the article on wrestling.  Sports entertainment would never be the same with the monickers.  In fact, it would be reduced to half with them.  While most monickers are creative, some are just plain better.  Number one on my list would be "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.  I mean how else could you explain his meteoric rise into stardom with his limited physical skills? The Texas Rattlesnake certainly owes a lot to his estranged wife, wh is credited for helping him come up with his enduring monicker.

Runner ups - Demon of Death Valley, Heartbreak Kid, Nature Boy  

     Almost everyone loves monickers, but I'm pretty sure everyone will have their own favorites.  So what are your favorites?  Write in your comments or send me an email at plated_thrills@yahoo.com  

New Year's Resolutions For Sports

     Everyone makes new year's resolutions lists  or wish lists during the new year, and those lists are usually left undone or unrealized.  In any case, making a list for sports is not just wishful thinking, but also great fun as well.  So here are my new year's resolutions if I were these prominent sports figures.  

Roger Federer (Tennis) - To show more emotion in matches and finding a way to defeat Rafael Nadal.

Jose "Peping" Cojuangco (POC)  - To not meddle in sports anymore and just retire NOW.

Stephon Marbury (NBA) - To quit whining and cooperate with a buyout that helps the New York Knicks move on.

Baron Davis (NBA) - To get in better shape and start working harder to help the Clippers.

Jeff Hardy (WWE) - To stay out of trouble and maintain the status of being the WWE's most popular superstar.

Manny Pacquiao (Boxing) - To concentrate on defeating Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather this year.

Brock Lesnar (UFC) - To learn submission defense in preparation for either Nogueira or Mir.

Chot Reyes (PBA) - To give Ren Ren Ritualo more playing time.

Chris Tiu - To play more basketball, either in the national team or the PBA, and do less TV.

Steve Hontiveros (POC) - To either grow a pair and actually work for the betterment of sports or retire permanently for the betterment of sports.

John "Bradshaw" Layfield (WWE) - To get in better shape because flab doesn't invoke fear or hatred.

Brandon Vera (UFC) - To bring back the fire in the heart and the firepower in the fists and knees lest he fade into obscurity.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (Boxing) - To put up or shut up regarding Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. (Boxing) - To just plain shut up.

Marlou Aquino (PBA) - To actually earn my paycheck.

Kenneth Duremdes (PBA) - To give up plans for playig and just concentrate on coaching.

     Like I mentioned earlier, resolution lists are usually left undone, but new year's day is also a great time to hope and wish, right?