It's Magic, LeBron. (Part 2 of 2/East Finals Breakdown)
There are times when this procrastination thing of mine, actually works out for the best. Sometimes things just work out to where what you want to write can honestly be improved greatly...just by waiting to write it. I know you all been waiting on the second half of my LeBron/Kobe thing and well, I truly apologize for the wait. But well, a funny thing went and happened over the last few days...
The Orlando Magic found a way to crap all over Nike's commercial and Madison Avenue's wet dream Finals matchup, exploiting the Cavs as the most overhyped 66 win team in NBA history.
So yeah, regardless of whatever unfolds over the next few days...Kobe's still the top dog in the Association. HOWEVER...LeBron's going to be great in due time. How many individuals can you recall averaged a 38 PPG, 8 & 8 for a SERIES and lose in 6 games? How often can someone say 'I had 25 points, 7 boards and assists, but that was my worst game of the series'? (Oh don't worry, I intend on going off on this in a bit.) LeBron is your quintessential freak, the 'once in a lifetime' talent that simply put, everyone's out of adjectives and superlatives to describe. If the man had...
A) Killer instinct, as in that Jordanesque ability to know when to simply seize a team by its throat and squeeze until it stops moving.
B) Mid-range jumper. Jordan killed people with this after he came back from his exodus from the sport. Even beforehand, when you denied his driving lanes, he popped one open from 15-20 feet with ease. Just ask Bryon Russell.
Right now, those two things are missing from his game. Oh and one other really important thing that will stunt his progression towards the Greatness everyone sees for him.
I've been watching a lot of the NBA Playoffs, which is crazy because I hate NBA basketball. However, one thing I do like are those new NBA "Where Amazing Happens" commercials. So when I saw this video over at Agent M's, I had to link it here.
As we speak, Kobe Bryant's playing the game that may very well define his career. No, it's not a Finals game or anything like that, but after the past year and change he has had...you may as well say it's that urgent. LeBron James, will be watching that game since his team has more or less been off for the past week and change. They're about 48 hours or so away from finding out who stands between them and their second trip to the NBA Finals in two seasons. However, today's about Kobe. Why? Well...let's go to the very beginning shall we?
Alright, I know we’ve been through this before. Favre can’t make up his mind whether he wants in or out. He has “retired” with the proficiency of a boxer, just ask Floyd Mayweather Jr. who is coming back in July. Apparently, just flat out saying you’re uninterested in your sport and want to go away until it gets interesting again, or want a bigger payday. Or in the case of Favre and this is what I think this really comes down to…
Payback. Sometimes, it’s just that simple. Brett Favre was sent packing (pardon the pun) by the franchise he helped revitalize in the mid 90s last season. Traded to the Jets for virtually nothing, so that Aaron Rodgers could get handed the keys to the car. Someone must have forgotten to run the little story by Ted Thompson on how this worked out for San Francisco in the early 90s. Sure, San Fran got one Super Bowl, but it took Jimmy Johnson retiring (George Seifert never beat Jimmy in the playoffs) for them to finally get by the Cowboys and get the “monkey” (who knew backups got those things?!) off Steve Young’s back. San Fran got rid of the man who made their franchise something in the 80s, fuck, he made them THE TEAM OF THE 80s…and haven’t been the same since. They haven’t seen an NFC Championship since 1994, haven’t advanced past the second round since that Super Bowl winning year either. Miami and Denver have had similar QB issues since their franchise QBs have retired, neither one having any legitimate success since Elway and Marino called it quits. Denver more dubiously, has seen its best QB since Elway hung it up pout his way to Chicago in return for Kyle Orton and a slew of rookies to be named later. But now, Green Bay finds itself faced with a most haunting image. Not just Favre coming back, but coming back…in Purple. Viking Purple at that. So to do as one Don King would, I’m gonna tell you why it SHOULD happen, why we should allow it to happen and why if you’re the Vikes, revolting would be greatly encouraged if at some point before training camp…Brett Favre jerseys aren’t available in Viking Purple.
So the first round is in the books and well, we had a lot of shit go down that got me wanting to write. I think we saw a team collectively quit on its team at home (we saw that twice actually, one game led to tying the largest margin of victory in the postseason, the other was simply the end of one of the better teams this decade). In any event, allow yours truly to take you through each series as only I can (since the networks are too busy cramming their wet dreams down your throats)…
Sports fans with an attitude, SportsBastards is a humorous take on the life-or-death struggle that is sports. It doesn't matter who wins or loses, but if they cover the spread.
