Brian Lucas

Finals Preview

2009-06-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

The Finals are set. Everyone wanted a Lakers-Cavs final (including myself) but after thinking about it for a bit, I find this match up much more intriguing from a basketball standpoint. It’s obvious that the NBA wanted Kobe v. LeBron in a battle for not only the title, but who is better individually. Lakers-Cavs would have been very similar to the Cavs-Magic series that just ended. The Cav’s would have had the same matchup problems, and LeBron would be going 1-on-5 because he’s the only one that can create his own shot, and shots for others. Good thing that kind of series happened in the Eastern Finals rather than in the NBA Finals. Lakers-Magic poses a bunch of interesting matchups, and should be a lot of great basketball. There are a few things to look out for during the series.

Who will guard Kobe? – It’s a simple question, yet very hard to answer. It’s the finals, Kobe will be shifting into 6^th gear, ready to just explode and get his hands on that title that he craves. He is going to be difficult to stop. There will be no stopping Kobe in the finals, but you can still make him work for his points. Pietrus did a decent job on James in the last round, but Kobe is a completely different player. Kobe is smart, and crafty with and without the ball. Great defenders such as Battier and Bruce Bowen know where Kobe is going. They can match wits with him. Since the Magic don’t have that kind of defender, then their best bet could be Rashard Lewis. His height and size could keep Kobe under wraps somehow, and keep him from getting into the lane. If Lewis guards Kobe, then Kobe would abuse Lewis on the perimeter, running him off screens, and pick and rolls. Also, the Magic don’t want Lewis wasting the energy when he has to be a creator on the offensive end. The best bet for the Magic on Kobe is to constantly be changing what they do to him. Double him on the catch, or the dribble, force him to drive, wall up and force him to shoot over defenders, funnel him baseline, funnel him towards Howard, and put different defenders on him all game. The Magic can’t let Kobe beat them. The Magic need to do what the Celtics did last year with Kobe. This is the most interesting aspects to the finals to me. Did the Lakers learn from last year against the Celtics? Can Kobe’s supporting cast toughen up and make plays when the magic shut Kobe down? I guess we will wait and see.

Odom v. Lewis – This matchup could be great, but then it could just as easily be terrible. Both players have the physical tools and bodies to be premiere players, but something is missing from each of them mentally. They would rather settle for 20 footers than get into the lane. If Lewis keeps playing the same way that he has all playoffs, and Odom plays the way that he can, then we’re in for something that we have never seen before. Never have we seen two 6’10’’ guys guard each other and play as if they are 6’2’’ guards flying towards the rim. Lewis could break out here in the Finals in a big way. He is proving that he is a clutch go to player late in games.

Home court won’t matter – The home court advantage won’t matter to the Lakers. The Laker’s home crowd in terrible. They can easily be taken out of a game. It’s as if games in L.A. are a neutral court with how quite it can be there. The Magic have also proven that they are road warriors. They closed out Philly in Philly without Howard. They won a game 7 in Boston, and they beat Cleveland (The best home team in the NBA) in game 1, and if not for LeBron’s heroics in game 2, the Magic would have won that game. They also beat LA at LA during the regular season. I will love to see if the Magic can steal one of the first two games in LA and make this series interesting

Can the Magic Stay on Fire – The Magic can’t seem to miss from the 3-point line. They are shooting nearly 50 percent, during the last 2 games against the Celtics, and the series with the Cavs. The old saying “You live by the 3 and die by the 3” doesn’t apply to them. They are living and feasting on the 3. It will be fun to see if they can stay on fire. If they do, this will be a great series.

LA’s defense – Phil Jackson doesn’t double team. I expect him to single cover Howard on the block and stay home on the shooters. He will force Howard to beat him, which is a good strategy considering that Howards has one move. The Lakers bigs are athletic enough to keep Howard from going around him, and force him to make a move. However, Howard is becoming a superduperstar right now. His tears after winning against Cleveland really show how much he cares about winning. I expect to see a hungry Dwight Howard. This could possibly force Jackson to double team.

The Prediction – So who will win? I have absolutely no idea. I’m about ready to draw from a hat, use a dart board, or ask the draft lottery for advice. So I will guess… The Lakers. They have the best player in the series, and Gasol, the Lakers 2^nd best player, is better than Orlando’s second best player in Turkoglu.

Game 5

2009-04-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

I just got home from game 5 of the Blazers vs. Rockets, and I have a few thoughts:

I have never been a part of a louder crowd. I’ve been a part of rabid crowds in Autzen Stadium, and other big home Blazer games, and I felt like I was at a rock concert. The ringing stayed in my ears for much of the drive home. I couldn’t hear myself yell in the 4^th quarter. Grown men who didn’t know each other were giving each other hugs after big shots. The roof was ready to blow at The Garden. The crowd gave the home team the energy and charge they needed in the 4^th to hit the big shots even though they were tired. I will never forget how loud it was.

Based on the last point, I feel like if this same exact game was played in Houston, the series would be over. Just about every shot that the Blazers sunk tonight was contested, with a hand in their face. Those kinds of shots only go through the hoop at home. Despite Aldridge having a very efficient game, scoring 25, I feel like Scola did a decent job defending. Aldridge never caught the ball with good position. Aldridge shot the ball well going 11-20, but several of those shots were tough. He either had a hand in the face, or he had to make some sort of spinning fall away (Still had a hand in his face on those as well.) Portland needs Aldridge to play well to take pressure off Roy, and create other shots for teammates. If the Blazers are going to bring back this series to Portland on Saturday, they need to find a way to get uncontested, open jumpers.

I see Houston running a lot of pick and rolls on Thursday. The Aaron Brooks and Luis Scola combo in the first quarter was almost unstoppable. Either Scola had a wide open jumper, or Brooks was getting into the lane. Scola is physical and will set good screens; he can also knock down the open jumper. This pick and roll combination could attract so much attention that Yao can get good one on one looks in the post. He could possibly have a big game on Thursday (Not mention two good shooters in Artest and Battier on the weak side for open jumpers.)

Despite the win, I feel like the Blazers were a little outcoached. The Rockets had a different look after every timeout. Whether it was a pick and roll, an isolation of some sort, or a set play for Artest, it was always something different. The Rockets changed things up defensively as well. They were being killed by the slash and kick. They made the adjustment. Every drive by a Blazer was funneled right to Yao, with the rest of the perimeter players shooting the lane for a steal. It happened two times. The Blazers made no adjustment, and continued to try to slash and kick. What worked is that Roy was so good; he was able to attract enough attention to break down the new scheme by the Rockets. The bottom line, The Rockets made more effective adjustments throughout the game than did the Blazers. But Portland did one thing that pushed them towards the win.

Portland refused to quit. They came out fired up and focused. Aldridge looked pissed off before the game. They were ready to win at any cost. The focus and intensity needed in the playoffs was finally there. Bad calls and physical play didn’t get in their heads. In games 3 and 4, the moments got too big, and the players crumbled making silly decisions. This time around, losing in the 4^th quarter, the team was patient with the ball and went with their bread and butter: Aldridge and Roy. The real difference in the series is late game situations in games 3 and 4. The Blazers made stupid decisions, turned the ball over, and got beat to easily on the defensive end (such as not keeping an eye on a streaky shooter in Battier.) The Blazers lived up to the challenge in game 5, and hopefully that’s what they needed. They now know they can get it done.

With this newfound will to win, and lack of fear of the playoffs, game 6 can be very interesting. The pieces are potentially in place for a great comeback in this series. The pieces are also in place for Houston to beat down Portland handily. I guess a wait and see kind of approach will have to be done for Thursday… I hate this kind of approach.

A Fearful Reality

2009-04-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

After watching game one between the Rockets and the Blazers, all my fears have become reality. Besides the Lakers, they are the only team that I feel like the Blazers can’t beat in a seven game series. I feared three things going into the series against these Rockets.

1. Yao Ming – The Blazers have no one to guard Yao Ming. An overpowering player is the only kind of player that can guard Yao. He’s so tall and so skilled that when he catches the ball in the paint, he is going to score. Przybilla, Aldridge, and Frye all don’t have the strength to keep him off the block. Oden has the size and strength to match up with Yao, but is too inexperience to guard him. Yao has made Oden look foolish many times this season. Yao is too crafty, and has an array of moves that keeps Oden off balance, and on his heels. Oden is a good defender when he attacks an offensive player and is aggressive. Unfortunately, Oden lacks a certain feel for the game, Yao has a great feel for the game, and this creates a bad mismatch for the Blazers.

2. The Blazers offense goes as Roy goes. They rely on his penetration ability to create shots for others. The Rockets have 2 of the top 5 perimeter defenders in the league with Shane Battier and Ron Artest. Battier is crafty, and smart with plenty of length to bother Roy. Artest has size and strength. He is very physical when he plays defense. The constant change between Artest and Battier will keep Roy from getting in a rhythm. Roy shoots a high percentage by getting into the lane. He is also a great passer when he gets in the paint. In the game last night, Roy wasn’t himself. He struggled against the defense shooting a low percentage. What’s really telling about his stat line from last night is that he only had 2 assists.

3. Playoff basketball is a different brand of basketball. It is tough and physical. A flagrant foul in the regular season becomes a hard foul in the playoffs. There is no such thing as an easy basket. The Blazers has never seen this kind of defense. There was uproar after the game that the officiating was horrible. In actuality, the Rockets understand playoff basketball and how physical it is. The Blazers need to adjust to the physicality and just play the game, rather than worry about the officiating.

One more observation from the game last night: The Rockets wanted it more. The Blazers came out flat and went through the motions. This was shocking. The Blazers are young and feed off their crowd. The Rose Garden was rocking. Something happened though that kept the Blazers from coming out energized. It could have been the media considering them as the favorite to challenge the Lakers in the west. It’s possible that they were complacent, thinking that they were going to be able to roll considering that they have been destroying everybody that has come to Portland the last month. The lack of energy could have also been a deer in the headlights sort of thing. The awe of the playoffs could have gotten to them. Whatever it was, it was bad to see considering it was Portland’s first playoff game in 6 years.

As a Blazers fan it kills me to admit that I don’t see Portland winning this series. It could be a very short series unless things change very quickly.

Jose Canseco: Misunderstood?

2009-04-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

Not many good things come to mind when Jose Canseco enters your ear. Cheater, meathead, sellout, idiot… the list goes on and on. Luckily for him things are beginning to change. More and more names are added to the list of known cheaters, players who someday will find the hall of fame. Because of these new circumstances a question is raised. Why not Jose Canseco for the hall of fame? Okay, maybe not the hall of fame, but he deserves to be seen differently than how he is currently portrayed.

For this to happen, the way that we view the hall of fame needs to change. For all intents and purposes, the hall of fame is a museum. It is there solely for the reason of teaching the public about the history of the game. Whether we like to believe it or not, the steroid era will forever be a part of history of the game. It is an era that can’t be ignored. If we change the way that we view the hall of fame, then the case for Jose Canseco can be made.

The steroid era has done this to the game. Fans have to assume that everyone is using some sort of aid. It will be impossible to distinguish between those who cheated and those who didn’t based on a "he said, she said" system. Fans are no longer shocked when a new name comes out. No one was surprised when the Alex Rodriguez story dropped. It’s coming to the point where fans become surprised if players come out and admit to being clean their entire career. The era deserves its own separate wing or hall with a sign that reads the following:

These players played in a time period known as “The Steroid Era”

The wing would be split up into two different rooms. One room with known users such as A-roid (oops, I mean A-Rod) Mark McGwire, Canseco, Bonds, Palmeiro, Clemens and Sammy Sosa. The other would hold names that we are pretty sure didn’t use anything. Names like Greg Maddux and Derek Jeter would be in this room. The player in the first room would be a permanent asterisk on their careers. It would be more shameful for them to be on display in the Hall of Fame than them not being in there at all. It would be better to put these players on blast than let them hide in the dark. The plaques for the players could say a variety of things. Palmeiro’s would say something along the lines of him blatantly lying to congress and then testing positive a few weeks later. A-Roid’s (oops again) would say that he lied on national TV, then less than a year later he admitted to using Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs.)

That brings us to the Bust of Jose Canseco. Seen just from a player standpoint, he is a hall of famer. Two World Series rings, he was a six time all star, was a rookie of the year and an MVP. He was the first ever 40/40 man. He accumulated 462 career home runs and had over 1400 RBI’s. Canseco was also part of one of the most feared and famous hitting duos dubbed the “Bash Bros.”

The thing with the hall of fame, it takes more than just numbers and career achievements to get you in. The biggest hurdle for Canseco is what he has done since he has retired. Openly admitting to using steroids has permanently taken him out of the hall of fame for most people. But people tend to look past what he has actually done for the game. He has started to clean up the game. He has taken the dark beast that is steroids and has put it into the light. He is a leading man in the cleanup of the sport.

As more and more names of good baseball players who used PEDs come out, it’s likely that the likes of McGwire and Sosa get in. McGwire and Sosa helped “save” the sport with their chase for the single season home run record in 1998. Their contributions to the game were obvious. They put people into the stands, and brought better ratings to networks carrying their games. It may not happen soon, but they will get into the hall (They just have to admit to using, and ask for forgiveness a la Pettite, Giambi.) Canseco saved the game of baseball in a different way that is less obvious. His book “Juiced” was groundbreaking at the time, dropping several names of great baseball players who were thought to be clean. Everyone thought he was absurd for making such claims, and that he was just missing the spotlight of being a pro athlete. Since the book however, several of those names have been revealed as using PEDs. He placed the whisper that was steroids in front of a megaphone.

When the likes of McGwire, Sosa and Bonds eventually get into the hall of fame, then the question for Jose Canseco has to be raised. Who would you rather have in the hall, a cheater who continually lied, or a cheater who admitted to his wrong doing, and has asked for forgiveness?

Photo Critique: Ocean Wave

2009-03-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

I love pictures that are taken at just the right moment. Everything has to go right to capture the perfect shot. Tis picture is a great example. I love all the color and the lighting that is present. The sand being kicked up in the lower left hand corner is something that is rarely seen.

Photo Essay: State Basketball Tournament

2009-03-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

Starting from top left and going clockwise: Josh Garlington (23) and Kody Butcher (32) of Century High School leap for the rebound in their win over Crater at the 5A basketball tournament in Eugene, Ore; Century's dance team performs at half time of their team's game at McArthur Court; Crater's cheerleaders encourages the student section to get louder; A sign outside of McArthur Court displays the time and temperature; Century huddles and strategizes during a time out; Century's student section celebrates a blocked shot.

Night Running

2009-03-06T09:09:00.001-08:00

Josh Alderin, 28, of Corvallis, Ore runs in the dark of his neighborhood on a dark and chilly night. "Night running is the best. There is no one else that can bother you."

Photo Critique: Snow Cat

2009-03-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

I found this photo just cruising the internet. Great job of catching the moment. I feel like it could have been cropped or zoomed in just a little bit better, but not too much. The trail that the cat leaves behind tells the story of the picture.

Photo Critique: Cat and Ladybug

2009-02-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

I really like this picture. I like how the ladybug is the only color in the shot. It's cropped well and the focus is on the action with the cat expressing interest in the ladybug.

Photo Critique: Spaghetti Dog

2009-02-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

This is a hilarious picture of a dog with spaghetti all over his head. The photo has a great idea but it's a little out of focus, and it could be cropped a little bit better. The environment has nothing to do with the pic, and more focus needs to be placed on the dog. Otherwise, it made me laugh a lot.

2009-02-13T09:13:00.000-08:00

The Georgia Pacific draws most of the attention in Avery Park just south of the OSU campus in Corvallis, Ore.

Steve Potter, 42, Dishes out his well known Chicago style hot dog. Potters Hot Dog & Sandwiches has been in Corvallis for three years.

Lewis Tucker, 25, plays shuffle board at The Peacock Bar & Grill in Corvallis, Ore.

Photo Critique: Bulldog

2009-02-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

Great mugshot of a bulldog. A little out of focus around the edges. I can't imagine a bulldog being any other way.

Photo Critique: afghanistan

2009-02-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

I love this photo. It does a great job of capturing the environment that the men are in, as well as capturing the mental and physical state that they are in. Very unique with the umbrellas

Employee Hard at Work

2009-01-30T09:27:00.000-08:00

Jenna Smith plays her Gibson guitar at Gracewind Music in Corvallis. Smith, 24, will be playing at Bombs Away Cafe in Corvallis on Valentine's Day.

Photo Critique II

2009-01-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love the story telling of this photo. Great idea for whoever thought of doing this. The photographer does a great job at capturing the moment, but it could have been cropped differently.

2009-01-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

Beth Williams,20, winds down a long day by playing with her cat Zoey in her apartment in Corvallis on Jan. 15, 2009. After a long day of school and work, joy can often times be found in the simple things in life.

Hudson River Chaos

2009-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

I love this photo. It does a great job of showing the chaos that ensues an emergency such as this. A plane crash doesn't happen very often, and the chaos is often times thought to be during the crash itself. This image does a good job explaining that the crash is just the beginning of the chaos.

2009-01-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

My friend Craig at a Halloween party. He is in complete character and is arguing for McCain for presidency (Although in real life he supported Obama)

"I ain't gon' vote for no Bama"

The next 23

2009-01-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

For the past decade Kobe Bryant has been called the next Micheal Jordan. This comparison has been made for good reason. They play the same position and they have very similar games, and even played in the same system with the same coach. But now this comparison is incorrect. The actual current player that should be compared to to Jordan wears the same number

Kobe is a great player and has a chance to be the best at his position for his generation. Kobe and Jordan have many parts of their game that are the same. They both have an incredible drive to be the best, both proved naysayers wrong by improving weak parts of their game(Defense, jumper, being a leader, not being a ball hog) But Jordan did something special to the game of basketball that Kobe can't do, but perhaps LeBron can.

Micheal redefined the game with his pure athleticism, leadership, and will to win. He was the first athlete to become a global icon. He had swagger, and confidence that leaked into the public. He was one of the first do everything kind of player. He could shoot, rebound, create his own shot, lead, play D, and was clutch. Micheal was unique, and no one else will ever be another Micheal because of how he redefined the game. Kobe is just doing, or at least trying to, do the same thing that Jordan did. LeBron is doing something different.

LeBron has a chance to be compared to Jordan not for his game, but for how he has a chance to change the game like Jordan did. Much like Jordan, LeBron is in a class of his own athletically. His size, 6'9'' 260 is unheard of for how fast he is, not to mention how high he can jump. Teams have something completely new to defend, as did teams in the 80s with Jordan. No one like LeBron has ever been seen (The same way with Jordan when he first broke in). LeBron is also similar to Jordan in the sense that he wants to become a global icon, while winning championships. Jordan was a business man that happened to play basketball... and LeBron is doing the same thing.

In the search to find the next Micheal, we can't keep looking for someone who has the same game, and body because no one will even ever come close to matching 23. But as far as how someone has impacted the game, and the potential for what he can become, LeBron is the best choice for the title of The Next Micheal Jordan.

We need a playoff

2008-11-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

Oklahoma looked great against Texas Tech. 65-21 is an absolute route and they should get all the credit in the world for being a great team. I am not trying to take anything away from Oklahoma and what they did Saturday, but how is it possible to be ranked in front of a team that beat you?

In the AP poll, Oklahoma is #3 while Texas is #4. This makes absolutely no sense. It gets even worse than that. Oklahoma is #2, while Texas is #4 in the coaches poll. The coaches poll is used in the BCS formula. (Look at poll results here)

I don't understand how someone can vote this way. Both Texas and Oklahoma play in the Big 12 South. They play the same teams. They each have one loss and were ranked very highly in the preseason. Oklahoma lost to Texas on a neutral site, I repeat, Oklahoma LOST to TEXAS on a NEUTRAL site.

Oklahoma has one thing going for them, and it shouldn't even be a "thing" that they have going for them. Oklahoma beat Texas Tech, Texas Tech beat Texas. Oklahoma beat Tech at home, Texas lost to Tech at Texas Tech on a fluky play in the final seconds. If that is justification for a voter for placing Oklahoma in front of Texas in the rankings, then their vote should be taken away from them.

If this isn't a call for a playoff system, then I don't know what is. A season like this just shows how screwing college football is. Now we are debating who has better non conference wins, and coaches are lobbying voters to get their teams into the National Title game. Things like that should not be happening. Deciding who the best team is should be decided on the field.

New NFL Playoffs

2008-11-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

I have a brand new way of deciding who will play in the Super Bowl. We will just take whoever we think the best two teams are, and have them play for the championship. This year it would be the Giants playing the Titans. We don’t need a playoff system because those two teams are obviously the best teams in the NFL.

In future years, say we have a team finish 14-2, but the next best record, say 12-4, is the same record for 3 teams. Well that solution is very simple as well. Whoever we thought was going to be better at the beginning of the year will get the nod because say if one the 12-4 teams is a team that came out of nowhere. Well their season was obviously a fluke, and the preseason favorite should play for the title. Now we have 2 teams at 12-4, how do we decide who plays for the title? If they don’t play head-to-head, we will vote on who had to play in the tougher conference. Hypothetically, we will apply this format to the current NFL season. Say the Titans is the team that finishes 14-2, and the other two teams at 12-4 are the Giants and the Cardinals. The Giants will play in the Super Bowl because the NFC East this year is much tougher than the NFC West. But don’t worry; we will put the Cards in a meaningless game against some other random team/division winner.

We could also use the aid of computers to help decide the better team. The computer calculates rankings based on a team’s schedule and who they beat, and the teams that were beaten by the teams the original team beat. Let’s say the 12-4 teams are Team A and Team B and a random team, Team C, is 8-8, and another random team, Team D, is 6-10. During the course of the season, Team A and Team B beat Team D. Team B also beats Team C, but Team A loses to Team C. Although Teams A and B have the same record, didn’t play against each other, and have similarly tough divisions, Team B gets to play in the Super Bowl because they beat a team that Team A lost to. That way, no human error is involved and we can get rid of a biased voting system. It’s that simple.

We will then have the division winners (8 teams) and 4 wildcard teams play each other in meaningless games just for the hell of it. So, the way that it will work out is that we will have 2 playing in the Super Bowl, and 10 other teams just playing for the hell of it, the “Just for the hell of it” games will be held on super bowl weekend. We can even get corporate sponsorship, such as Aflac or Applebee’s for the “Just for the hell of it” games.

There you have it, the perfect system for deciding the NFL champion. There isn’t a single flaw. I came up with that all on my own. Hopefully someday I can get the NCAA to follow such a format…

IKEA!

2008-11-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

I finally lost my V-card last night, and it's a night that I will always remember. It was 8:00pm, November 11th 2008. So many things that I have never seen before, it was easy to get lost perusing around everywhere. It was a special night since it was my loved ones first time as well. It didn't last as long as I wanted, but it's ok, I'll be coming back. After looking around, touching and playing with everything I finally arrived to the end. I found the coffee table that I was looking for, and went on my way. I'm sorry, did I forget to mention that I lost my IKEA V-card last night?

IKEA is absolutely amazing. I couldn't believe the size of the place. I felt like a little rat in maze. I kept looking for the security cameras that scientists used to study us in such a store as this. Classifying everyone that is in the store: First timers, seasoned shoppers, and remodelers.

The best of IKEA is the showroom. So many different idea's are presented on the showroom. European innovation and thinking out of the box is on display everywhere. A favorite Idea of mine was "Use less floor space, use useless wall space". This sign was next to a closet that was against a wall that arched over the bed.

It's a very dangerous place. I went there for just a 30 dollar coffee table, but I wanted to get a new drawer set, night stand, couch, entertainment stand, wine glasses, lamp, bed set and I actually left with candles. They have absolutely everything that you can think about there. They even have a cafe. It's also dangerous because of the prices. Everything has great value, which makes you want to buy more things. It's a vicious cycle.

I am now hooked on IKEA. I want to buy all my stuff there now. It is my new love, and I will be spending a lot of time there now in the future. I now know where to drop all of my scratch-it winnings on, IKEA!

From ROY to potential MVP

2008-11-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

There is a checklist for becoming an NBA star, and Brandon Roy is close to completing the list. Make every correct play down the floor, check. Be a team leader, check. Be great at something (Vision, basketball savvy), and really, really, really good at everything else, check. Make others around you better, check. Be clutch in big time moments, check (The ink is still fresh on that check mark.) Become consistent every night... not quite yet, but getting there.

Brandon Roy is becoming an all star in the NBA, and is beginning to look like a potential MVP candidate every night. Roy is developing into what MVPs are supposed to do for their team's. MVPs make the biggest plays in the biggest moments, no matter the struggles that they have had during a game. The shot that Roy hit last night against the Rockets proves that point. He also kept making plays for the rest of his team the other night in Utah even though he wasn't playing well. He's doing what great pitchers do in baseball, even though he may not have his best stuff, he keeps his team in the game by doing other things.

Roy makes every correct play down the court. Making correct decisions makes others around him better by putting them in great situations. This is important since he has the ball in his hands every possession. He feeds Aldridge when he has a mismatch, he penetrates and kicks when Rudy is on the floor. You don't see Roy kicking to the Vanilla Gorilla Pryzbilla 20 feet from the basket, and you don't see him kicking out to Batum. Batum's strengths are around the basket, being a slasher, and Roy knows this. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of all his teammates.

The main goal now for Roy is consistency. Jason Quick of the Oregonian in a recent article after the Utah game stated that Roy needs to be better. This is true, but one thing that Portland fans, and writers need to realize is that Roy is still growing. Roy is now facing defenses who have geared up to stop him all summer. Other teams have heard how great the Blazers are going to be this year, and they want to stop the best player. Roy is very smart and doesn't get too high, or too low. Adjustments will be made, there is no need for snap judgments after 4 games of an 82 game season. The Blazers aren't going to compete this year for a title anyways, they will be competing this year and the year after. He needs to go through the growing pains, the same way that rookies QBs can be thrown into the fire. I think Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, and John Elway turned out alright after going through growing pains. Basketball is no different, players need to learn how to play, compete, adjust, lead, and finish games at the highest level

If given proper time, and fans can understand that this year is still a rebuilding year for the Blazers, then Roy will be able to check the final box in his checklist of becoming an MVP candidate.

Do the Blazer's Have a Big 3?

2008-11-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

It’s common knowledge around the NBA. To win an NBA championship you need 3 all star caliber players. The Celtics did it last year with Garnett, Pierce, and Allen and the Spurs before them with Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker. The early 2000s Lakers were able to win championships with out a big 3, but they had 2 hall of fame players along with a hall of fame coach, same goes for the Bulls of the 90s, not to mention incredible supporting casts.

The Blazers know this all to well. They have one for sure in Brandon Roy. It’s very early on in the season, but he looks like a new Roy, and that’s saying something considering he was an all star last year. He now understands that the Blazers is his team. He is the go to guy in crunch time. He now knows that he’s a true leader on and off the court. He’s being more aggressive, taking advantage of mismatches, and makes the right play down the court just about every possession. Roy for sure is all star caliber player number one, and looking like potential MVP candidate in a few years as the talent around him improves.

The last 2 all star caliber players ( From now on All Star Caliber Players will be known as ASCP) for the Blazers are still unknown, especially since it’s beginning to look like Oden shook hands with Sam Bowie when he arrived in Portland. Aldridge is looking to be ASCP number 2. He’s developing a low post, back to the basket, gonna score because he’s freakishly tall with freakishly long arms with a freakishly high release point game. He bought a brand new bag of tricks over the summer. That bag is full of a stronger body, a quick hook shot, a fall away with a freakishly high release point, an up and under, and a power drop step. These are moves that Aldridge didn’t have last year, and he’s already put all of them on display in the first couple of game for the Blazers. He’s even learning how to stay out of foul trouble, stay on the floor, and contribute on defense. Last year all he did was pick and pop with Roy, or hang out of the weak side, or use his face up game from 20 feet. I always had confidence that Aldridge would be a great player, just not great on the post. I was scared he was just a reincarnated ‘Sheed Wallace with a full brain, but unlike ‘Sheed, Aldridge has a desire to be the best at his position. Every aspect of his game has improved. If he keeps improving, he will have a low post game, and face up game, and range to the 3 point line, how can that be stopped? If he can start commanding a double team on the block on a consistent basis, that can open up the door for potential ASCP number 3.

There is something about Rudy Fernandez that makes him special. He isn’t scared. He has absolutely no fear and he walks the fine line of being confident, but not a cocky, arrogant, asshole. Perhaps it’s because he’s not used to American culture, or he just isn’t a big star yet. I say yet with all the confidence that he will become a great player, while hoping that he stays grounded and fits in the with team unity thing that McMillen and Pritchard has built up. He’s already a part of the crunch time line up with Roy in the back court, Outlaw (Soon to be Webster), Aldridge, and the Vanilla Gorilla Pryzbilla/ Bowie 2.0. In the Olympic championship game Rudy displayed no fear. He took every big shot for Spain. Rudy was almost unguardable. He is constantly moving, looking for the big play, and looking to make the impossible play. Rudy thrives on making that “Oh my god he just jumped over every one, avoided the rim, grabbed the bad alley-oop pass, he’s 6’5’’ but gets as high as a 6’9’’ guy, trot down the floor and play D like it was nothing” plays. He’s a heady player who can take over games when the rest of the team is struggling. He just needs to learn when to take over games, and learn what makes a good shot good, and a bad shot bad. He also needs to learn how to play D, he can’t guard the chair that I’m sitting in. Fortunately McMillen is a great teacher, and preacher of D. There is a reason why he was an Olympic assistant coach.

The Blazers have 3 dark horses for being ASCPs if the obvious 3 don’t make it. The first is Oden. Maybe he will kick the bad luck bug and stay healthy, and form into the defensive force that he has the tools for. With all the scorers that the Blazers have, on the perimeter as well as a developing Aldridge, Oden can block shots and grab boards, get the clean up points around the rim and become an ASCP. Another dark horse is Martell Webster. I used to be down on him. The more I watch the more I begin to like. He’s big for his position, tall as well as strong. He can guard 3, potentially 4 spots of defense with his size and quickness. He has an absolute gorgeous jump shot. He can become an ASCP a la his jumper like Micheal Redd in Milwaukee. The darkest, pitch black of all the dark horses is Jerrod Bayless. He’s a shoot first point guard who has to learn how to become a distributor with all of the established and talented scorers that the Blazers already have. He will be waiting in the wing if the Blazers have injury problems. He is also a great trade bait that Portland can use to get the kind of point guard that they need.

The best part of the Blazers 3 ASCPs, as well as the dark horses, is that they are all really young. All of them are 25 or younger, Roy being the g’pa at 25. They have a few years to develop, and then dominate. The supporting cast is coming together, and they are just a few pieces away from contending for a title right now. If the city of Portland can be patient, and not pressure the young team, they can experience a potentially great stretch of basketball.

Watching football is forever changed

2008-11-05T11:33:00.001-08:00

By now everyone has heard of the craze that is fantasy football. Fantasy football is for crazy sport nuts who dream of running their own team. It's a very simple system. Every NFL player gets put into a pool, then each member/team of the league selects a player to put on their own team. You end up being able to have several different players from different NFL teams.

The way your team scores points is by converting the real stats that your players compile every Sunday, and turning them into fantasy points. Say you have a running back who runs for 76 yards and 2 touchdowns, then he scored 15 points for you. 6 points for each touchdown, and 1 point for every 20 rushing yard. .

Here is why fantasy football has ruined the way I watch my favorite team. I have a really good shot of winning my league this year, and I don't have a single Seahawk on my roster. My biggest competitor has Julius Jones, the Seahawks running back. I've gone from watching the Seahawks, hoping they win any way possible, to hoping they win without Jones having a big day. I also have Larry Fitzgerald, a great wide receiver who puts up huge numbers. Unfortunately he plays the Seahawks twice a year since he's a divisional opponent. When the Hawks play the Cardinals, Fitzgerald's team, I have to wish for a 48-45 thriller in which the Seahawks win, and Fitzgerald catches 2 touchdowns for a 100 yards.

I shouldn't be hoping that the opposing team plays well. In fact I should be hoping for a 48-0 drumming, but things have changed since fantasy football has arrived. The Seahawks used to be the most important team to me, but now my fantasy team is the most important team to me. I actually have money and time invested into this team. I put more thought into my fantasy team, my reputation is on the line.

There are some good things about fantasy football. I have never followed the league so closely as I have now. Obscure, unknown, and unproven players with huge upside are now the biggest part of conversations among my friend and me. I now follow every game around the league, and I can tell you which teams are actually good, and which teams just hope to be good. You learn what young talent is on the rise and which all-pros seem to be losing their edge. You even learn to look beyond the stats. Lots of stats are products of the system that the players play in. This is often why statistically monsters in college never seem to pan out in the pros. Statistical monsters for one team, may not work for another team. Examples of this is every running back for Denver since Terrel Davis. Mike Shanahan has the system in place to have runners go for big numbers for cheap money. Those players then think they deserve a lot of money, some other team foolishly picks them up, and the player is never heard of again i.e. Ruben Droughns, Olandis Gary, and Tatum Bell. These guys will end being drafted in a fantasy league, and the person who drafted them has to deal with the trash talk that follows a lousy pick.

Another problem is that you begin to think good fantasy players will pan out to good real life players. An example was the old Kurt Warner. He has great fantasy numbers. He throws for lots of touchdowns and yards. The problem however is that can't take care of the football. He throws too many interceptions, and fumbles the ball too often. Turnovers in a real NFL game hurt a lot more than turnovers for fantasy reasons. In fantasy, a turnover from your QB doesn't give your fantasy opponents opportunities to score, but in real life they do.

Although fantasy football has changed the way that I watch football, I will participate until I die. I am willing to sacrifice how I root for games. I still want my Seahawks to win first and foremost, but now I can appreciate a little bit more when their opponents do well. Watching Fitzgerald score a touchdown in the 4th quarter with the Hawks up 14 wont be as painful anymore.

100?

2008-11-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Is 100 points in a game possible? It’s happened once in NBA history with Wilt Chamberlain. But the situation for him was much different than it is for players today. He was so much taller and longer than the rest of the players, that all he did was have to catch the ball on the post, do a jump spin thing, and finger roll the ball into the basket. He was the team’s only scoring option. Not only was he taller and longer than the rest of the players in the NBA at the time, but he was also way more athletic than the rest of them. The competition that he faced was at a much lower level, the game wasn’t completely figured out yet. Defense was an afterthought, and there was no such thing as a bad shot. I’m not trying to take away what Wilt did, it was an amazing feat, but every variable was perfect for him to score the 100 points.

Some current players automatically come to mind, the first being LeBron. He has the size, athleticism, skill, determination, swagger, and the “I can’t be stopped attitude” that is needed for a player to drop 100 in a game. My favorite analogy of Bron Bron is that he’s like a 2 pitch pitcher. He has a fastball (Outside shot), and a slider (penetrating to the basket). He has an ERA under 1.00 with his 2 pitches, and goes at least 8 innings every start. If he were to develop a change up (Mid range game) and a curve ball (Power post up game), he will literally become unstoppable. With his size, a two dribble, stop and pull up will be unstoppable. And if defenses decide to put a small, quick guard to stop penetration, he will be able to bull them over on the block. LeBron is the only, and I mean only option for that Cavs team to score. No one else on that team can create scoring for themselves. A problem with LeBron is that he’s too unselfish and prides himself on making the right basketball play every time down the court. Bron only becomes a selfish player in the Playoffs, but teams are too good to allow 60 points, let alone 100.

Another player is Kobe. He’s already scored 81 points in a game. He has the most complete offensive game in the league, and an attitude that could allow such an insane point total. He can shoot, penetrate, post up, move without the ball, and hit the mid range shot. Kobe would be at the top of this list if I wrote it 2-3 years ago. He’s on the decline now with his age, and wants to win a title post Shaq so badly that he’s beginning to play harder on D, and sacrifice offensive numbers in order for the offense to be efficient. He doesn’t have the same spring and explosion anymore. Also 2-3 years ago Kobe was still trying to prove to the league that he was the best all around player, and he thought scoring a ton of points was the only to prove such a thing, now he understands that isn’t how it's done, and 100 is very unlikely for him.

A player that yet isn’t in his prime, but could hit 100 in a game sometime in his career is Kevin Durant. Right now he’s too young, way too skinny, and doesn’t shoot a high percentage. He has plenty of time to change all of that. For his age, his offensive game is amazing. He can create his own shot facing up, as well as posting him. He has range to the 3 point line, and can get to the rim. Once he’s able to get to the rim on a consistent basis, take the contact with a bigger frame, and finish the play for a 3 point play, he will battle LeBron for the best offensive player in the game. He’s a good offensive rebounder, and has the length to shoot over defenders.

Although he has long since retired, Micheal Jordan could have probably achieved 100 if the NBA was a little different while he was in his prime. One thing that many people forget is that when Jordan played, hand-checking was still legal. Defenders could put there hands on Jordan, and try to direct him with a stiff arm of sorts. Players now aren’t allowed to put their hands on penetrating players, which helps LeBron and Durant in their quests for 100. There were other rumors that several teammates and assistant coaches of Jordan wanted to let him try for 100, but Phil Jackson wouldn’t let such a personal feat happen in a team game. MJ is the best offensive player to ever play the game of basketball. He could post, penetrate, shoot, move without the ball, and knock down the midrange. Not to mention he had an array of post moves, as well as moves to the basket.

Scoring 100 in a game is such an impossible feat it will probably never happen again. A perfect storm is needed for such a thing to happen. I’m not ruling out such a task from ever happening, it’s just highly unlikely. It just goes to show how head and shoulders above everyone else Wilt was when he played. Too bad there isn’t any video of that game ever happening.

World Series Preview

2008-10-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

I'm having extreme trouble picking a favorite for this years World Series. America will be pulling for the underdog, the upstart Rays who have done nothing except lose up until this miracle year that they have had. I personally want the Phillies to win because I can side with how much the city of Philadelphia has been suffering. The city hasn't won a professional title sense 1983, and the worst part is that they have had plenty of close calls. The Rays don't have the same rooted fan base, in fact they struggled to sell out during the first round of the PLAYOFFS! If a team can't sell out during the playoffs I don't think they deserve to win. The same way Boston was destined to lose the ALCS because their fans started to walk out on them in an elimination game. The baseball gods let them hang around until game 7 then struck them down as soon as they smelled the World Series.

But strategically speaking, and all my personal preferences aside, this could be a great series and a very memorable one. Great clutch hitting, and players who love big moments on the Phillies, and tremendous pitching and defense for the Rays. The Rays dominate at home, but the Phillies were just as unflappable on the road this season. I see this series being decided by one thing, and that is Cole Hammels. The Rays are a young, fastball hitting team. They are very aggressive at pitches in the zone. Hammels will use his great changeup to use the aggressiveness of the Rays' hitters against them. Hammels will pitch 2 games, possibly 3. He will dominate in all of his starts and be named the World Series MVP.

The Dish on Tipping

2008-10-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

You have a girl in your life and things are going great. You have everything in common right down to hating the crust on your sandwiches. Things couldn't be better, but then she drops a bomb on you. Her parents are coming in to town to meet you, and they want to go out to dinner.

You wear your best shirt, you shower and shave, and head on out the door to meet the parents. You have prepared yourself for this moment. You order a partisan cheese plate to start with, and the seafood cioppino for your own course. A bottle of sauvigon blanc is ordered, and tiramisu for dessert. Dinner is going great as you look smart and sophisticated. You do the honorable thing and decide to foot the bill. That's when something disastrous happens. The dinner isn't too expensive, the problem is what to leave for a tip. You don't want to look cheap and leave too little, but you don't want to look like a fool and leave too much. That is where this handy little set of rules come in to play.

First of all, I have worked in the restaurant setting for some time now, and understand how everything works and what proper service should be. I also know what tips are proper for the service given. Without further ado, the answer to the age old question of "How much do I leave for a tip?"

When you receive the check after the meal ask yourself the following questions:

Was I needy?
Was my server friendly?
Did they get my side of honey mustard in a timely fashion?
Was my server knowledgeable?
Was my drink always filled?
Did my dinner come after my salad/appetizers in a timely manner?
Was I offered any specials?
Was I annoyed by my server?
Did I feel like a guest rather than a customer at the restaurant?
Am I wowed by the service?

This is just a general list, and there are other questions that you can ask yourself.

Really think if your server deserved a tip worthy of a high percentage. Servers have fallen into a belief that they should automatically get a good tip if they work in a nice restaurant, and they also believe that they are in control of the dinner setting, and they are the boss. These beliefs are false. The guest is always in control, and it is your money that you are spending. Tips are earned, not just given away. The amount of the tip depends on how good the service is. That is a golden rule that people tend to forget.

The tip amount should be used as a statement of how you feel the service was, and don't be afraid to sway to either extremes. A smart server will take a poor tip, and improve themselves to become a better server. If your side of ranch never arrives, your coke is always empty, and there are shrimp in your pasta even though you make it clear that you are allergic, don't be afraid to leave a bad tip, or even stiff. The server deserves 10% or less based off that service. On the other hand, friendly servers, who remember everything, quickly respond to your requests, and do the little things such as having the kitchen split your chicken pasta in the back so you don't have to, deserve more. They understand that you go to dinner to enjoy yourself, not to hassle yourself. They deserve the 20% tip. If the service you received is in the middle of that somewhere, then adjust accordingly. For an average serving job, 15% is a default percentage.

Now you're at the dinner table with your girlfriends parents, pen in hand and the check in the other. The cheese plate arrived quickly, the sauvigon blanc was presented in the proper fashion, and everyone's meals came out the way they requested. How much do you tip?

Diehards

2008-10-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing in life that you shouldn't do, something to stay completely away from, never become a diehard fan of any particular team. Unfortunately I'm a diehard fan of several teams, and it's a rough life. It's a roller coaster of a life, every high will be followed by a low, a very long and never ending low. My mood on Sunday's depends on how the Seahawks play, and my mood is affected every day over the summer by how the Mariners play.

It's only on a rare occasion where ultimate happiness is reached, and that's when your favorite team wins the championship. I've been close on a few occasions, but not reaching that pinnacle puts you in the biggest funk. All my friends wanted to stay away from me when the Seahawks lost the super bowl a few years ago. Even my girlfriend hated me because I had made a bet that I would get a mohawk if the Seahawks lost. Which brings up another point. If you're a person that has zero confidence, it's possible you will become the most arrogant person when it comes to your team. There will be non stop trash talking when your team collides with your buddy's team, and you will actually be confident that your team will win. Wins and Losses go out the door. An example of this is that my Seahawks have one win this year. That's right, ONE. My best friend's team, the Eagles, have 3 (the 3 losses weren't blowouts like the Seahawks suffered) wins, and they play in the toughest division in football. But when our teams collide, the Seahawks won't lose, it isn't possible.

Diehards always look for the small glimmer of hope in a bad season. Right now I'm thinking if only the Seahawks get healthy, and our defense returns to form, and if we (yes I say we sometimes when I refer to the Seahawks) begin to run the ball... The "ifs" never end. If we just score a touchdown and recover an onside kick, and score again, we'll be within one score. The previous sentence sounds crazy. But that was my precise thinking when the Seahawks were down at home against the Packers late in the 4th quarter by 17 points. You think about all the great comebacks that you see on Sportscenter, you think "Maybe we can be the team that pulls off the miracle comeback of the year."

All of the pain and suffering will be worth it when one of my teams finally win something. And when the Seahawks finally win the Superbowl, it will be the happiest day of my life.

Hmmmmm

2008-10-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was watching a fantastic show, probably one of my favorites, The Deadliest Catch. and I had a "Hmmm" moment (By the way, these moments don't happen very often. They are often life altering and I have to find a suitable answer). The moment went like this "Hmmm, could I possibly do that for a living?" I seriously and honestly thought about it. Then about after 2-3 minutes of thinking of an answer for that question, my answer is a resounding no.

I have a tendency to like the finer things in life. I like standing on solid ground, and working inside where it isn't wet. I also enjoy warm, comfortable beds as well as a regular sleep schedule. On the flip side however I would love the adventure that comes with the job and having the ability to say "I have the worlds most deadliest job" At this point my mental debate began creating a headache, and I had to come to a conclusion. The kicker ended up being something very obvious, something that I should have thought of from the get go (This answer has nothing to do with the image above). I'm a very social guy, and being away from ladies for that long (months at a time) wouldn't be good for my health. I would probably start hitting on the crab, and grow attached to them, which would be rather embarrassing. So before I hurt myself thinking, I found a simple answer to my "Hmmm" moment. Life without women is like having a PBJ without bread... It just doesn't make any sense.

Complaining Sport Fans

2008-10-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Recently I have grown tired of all the complaining that goes on in the sports world, and I'm not talking about the players or the coaches griping about how the referees blew a call late in the fourth quarter that cost them the game. I'm not talking about players complaining that they aren't making enough money, or that they aren't receiving enough respect, or how athletes are under the public microscope. In fact, what I've grown tired of is independent of players, coaches, or front office executives. I have grown tired of the complaining that is heard everyday from the fans. Some fans can complain all they want, others just need to keep quiet.

One fan base in particular, the Boston area sport fans. They have won 2 of the last 4 World Series, 3 of the last 7 Super Bowls, and the Celtics are the NBA champs. Not forgetting to mention that the Bruin's made the playoffs, and the city even had a top 3 draft pick in last years NFL draft when Atlanta took Matt Ryan. When your area sport teams have been that successful in the past decade, no complaining, or"woe is me" attitudes. They lose their star quarterback, and yes the season is lost, but they have had more than their share of success recently. I don't want to hear that the play Brady got hurt on was dirty, and I don't want to hear blame being placed on a missed block. It happened so deal with it.

The Ironic thing about this post is that I'm complaining about complaining, but earlier when I mentioned that some fan bases have a right to complain... well I'm one of them. I'm a fan of the Seattle area teams. The Seahawks (Sometimes known as the Seachickens), and the Mariners (Sometimes known as being just plain pathetic). If I were to begin writing about the horrible things that I have gone through, then I would start to sound like I just lost the love of my life. I say this because I remember everything that has gone wrong, and I so desparately want things to be the way it should be.

One more thing, New York Football Giant fans, I don't want to hear a peep for the rest of my life, you pulled off the biggest upset in Football history, and destroyed a perfect season.

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