Sneak Peek of the Nike Air Max LeBron VII

The Cleveland Plain Dealer published some pictures of LeBron James's next sneaker (Air Max LeBron VII), which is yet to be released.

Here they are:






Anybody know where this guy is hoping to land next season? It's hard to tell based on these pictures. That blue and orange would look odd paired with Cleveland's maroon, gold, navy, and white.

This is actually brilliant, because these will be even more sought after if he doesn't end up with the Knicks. So, either way it was smart.

happy new year.

Kobe/LeBron Puppets Episode V

About as disappointing as Rocky V. But, Kobe in an apron at the grill is pretty funny.



We also had this reenactment of the Kobe jumping over a car commercial:

Kobe/LeBron Puppets, Episode IV

Better than three, not as good as the first two. Certainly not as good as Rocky IV.



"Excuse me?!"

"No I don't think I will"

Kobe and LeBron Puppets, episode 3

I'm not crazy about this one. It's funny, because I'm already halfway to laughing from the first two. But, could it stand on it's own? Certainly not. Nevertheless, I'm already a slave to these puppets, so I'll watch it several times.


LeBron saying "I don't know" is kind of funny.

LeBron/Kobe Puppet Commercials

A lot of people I've talked to didn't see the LeBron/Kobe puppet commercials last night because they were either flipping over to the Bs at commercials or because they were out at bars. If you're upset about the games, you probably want to punch me in the face for posting commercials with puppets in them. But, please watch. Trust me, they'll make you laugh. I've watched about 500 times this morning (like an angry child that needs to be cheered up).

The first one embedded here (the three championship rings) kills me. "Why do we live together?"

KG May Not Be Done

From Celticsblog: KG's surgery is being delayed because there is a small chance he may be able to play.


Even as a Celtics fan who is trying to hate the Cavs, it is hard not to absolutely love this commercial (especially with Delonte at the end). Even Varejao is good in it. I like it, ok. Don't judge me:

from Ball Don't Lie

Day 2

Don't say I didn't warn you about Houston.


On deck for today:





Jazz at Lakers, 3:00

True Blue Jazz: Yeah, so most people seem to have no hope in the Jazz. Be you a Lakers fan hoping for a sweep, a "famous" person... aka, a mainstream media guy... predicting the Lakers in 5 or 6 or a Jazz fan hoping the Jazz don't get totally embarrassed, you'd have to say/admit things don't look good for the Jazz. They've been struggling for the last bit, both at home and on the road (though that's a season-long issue). Injuries come and go, tensions may be rising, the coach may be giving up (or just trying to goad the team), the players may be packing for the off-season (and a new home?), etc. That, though, is what it is. And it'll all be dealt with at some point. Right now though, the main thing ahead is the first round playoff series with the Lakers.




Forum Blue and Gold: The Lakers have mismatches all over the place to exploit in this series. If they are smart, they should score plenty.

That starts inside in the paint. Mehmet Okur cannot keep Andrew Bynum off the low block or alter his shot in close, and Pau Gasol has a huge size advantage inside. We saw this some in the last regular season meeting between these two. When isolated, Boozer (especially a hobbled Boozer) was virtually helpless on Gasol. There are members of the Jazz — AK-47 — that love to come from the weak-side and block shots — Gasol and Bynum need to be aware and be ready to give up the ball.

The other big problem for the Jazz is at the two — Ronnie Brewer cannot slow Kobe Bryant. In the first two games this season against the Jazz, he averaged 38 points a game. Again, the Jazz can do things to bring help, but that leaves other players open if the Lakers share the ball.


Roomofzen Note: The Lakers are your 2009 NBA champions. Get the broom out.








76ers at Magic, 5:00


Liberty Ballers: We all know the Magic are a thousand times better on paper. We all know they have Dwight Howard. And we all know what the Sixers need to do to win. (3-point differential, defensive rebounding and free throws.) So, instead of polluting your minds with more useless numbers and strategies, I'm simply going to tell you in a couple sentences how excited I am, and leave you with a few YouTube clips to get you pumped!

How excited am I? As excited as I've ever been to watch a basketball game. Need I say more? On the flip side, I'm as nervous as a 6-year old school boy about to ask his secret crush if she wants to share a bag of cheddar fries. I think the game will go one of two ways -- good or bad -- there's no in between.

Don't ask me why I have faith in this 41-win Sixers team who has disappointed me time after time this season, because I won't have an answer. There's just something a special about this group of guys, and the sky's the limit.



Third Quarter Collapse: The book on the Orlando Magic this season is that they're a one-dimensional, three-point shooting team that struggles to win when their threes aren't falling: In a post called "Die By It," Depressed Fan points out that Orlando shoots 40.5% from three-point range in its wins and 31.5% in its losses. While I don't believe their fortunes are inextricably tied to the three-point shot, it is indeed an important part of their offense, to say the least.

And it will be even more important in their first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Orlando's biggest advantage over Philadelphia is its ability to bomb away from beyond the arc. In the regular season, Orlando averaged 10 made treys per game, while Philly averaged just 4. If those figures hold up in the postseason, the Sixers will have to make up for an 18-point deficit from the perimeter alone. That's a tall order, especially against Orlando's elite defense.



Roomofzen Note: Goddamit! The Celtics were supposed to get Philly. How did this all go so wrong?









Heat at Hawks


Peninsula is Mightier: "The Heat's interior defenders will need to be wary of the Hawks tendency of over-driving. They get to the foul line a fair amount (25.4 free throws/gm during the regular season), but shot only 73% as a team, good for 28th (3rd worse) in the NBA.

Staying on the subject, should the Hawks get into foul trouble, expect coach Mike Woodson to go to his bench quickly. Apparently, he has a deep fear of his players fouling out and will go to great lengths to avoid that at all costs.

The Hawks big guys (Al Horford and Josh Smith) can get into foul trouble, and the primary backup for them is Zaza Pachulia, who isn't as good a defender as his aforementioned teammates. Attacking the rim and getting to the foul line should be a key point on the Heat's dry-erase board at practice.

Dwyane Wade has never lost a 1st round series when healthy, and he is very healthy. I'm just sayin..."


Peachtree Hoops: Outside of Bibby and Marvin, the Hawks have a tendency to lock in on shooting. Whether it is methodical penetration by Joe or under control back down by Al or "I might as well be blind folded" drive by Josh or Zaza, the Hawks tend to get tunnel vision. Sometimes this is ok. It works for the Hawks. They can draw fouls. They can out athlete a lot of guys at the end. Of course, I wish there was more ball movement, more cutting to the basket, but that is not just going to start happening at this point in the season.

Which means the Dwayne Wade help block could come to the front and center of this series. Rarely is someone that athletic, that quick, also that good at blocking shots. He can slip down off his man in half a step. Hawks players cannot feel satisfied with simply beating their man. Dwayne Wade will be lurking.


Roomofzen Note: I'll be rooting for Miami. I picked them to win and the more Dwayne Wade I can see, the better. Beasley, don't make me look bad!






Hornets at Nuggets, 10:30


Hornets 24/7: "First, expect some cross matching in the backcourts as both teams prefer to keep their best defender on the opposing team's point guard. Dahntay Jones will open defensively on Chris Paul, while Billups slips over to handle Rasual Butler. Vice versa, Rasual Butler will open defensively on Billups, with Paul taking Dahntay.................................................One interesting thing to note is that Chauncey Billups is perfectly in Rasual Butler's wheelhouse defensively, being rather slow and easy to defend on the drive because of Butler's length. In four games this season against the Hornets, Butler has held Billups to 35% shooting from the field and 32% shooting from deep while Billups has only earned .5 free throws more per game due to the defensive pressure. Billups has also only managed 4.8 assists per game. I expect more of the same as Butler sticks to him like glue."


Pickaxe and Roll: Chris Paul is their team. Denver took to trapping him off screens and it has worked beautifully so far. Paul averages just 3 turnovers a game, but against the Nuggets he's averaged 5.3 turnovers a game and that's his highest rate of slip ups against any team. Paul has averaged 20.8 points and 11 assists against the Nuggets this season. He shoots 81% from the foul line and likes to get there any way he can. Paul will work the refs as much as he can and has a knack for being able to initiate contact and draw calls. If Denver can corral Paul in this series the Nuggets can win it in 5 games. If Paul has his way the Hornets will be almost impossible to beat.


Roomofzen Note: Who cares who wins, I just want it to go as long as possible.


I'll computerless until Tuesday, but will be in the Garden tomorrow night. Enjoy the games everyone.

Foil in The Oven Returns: Playoff Predictions

"I don't need your fucking sympathy, man. I need my fucking johnson"

--The Dude

I woke up this morning being 26 years old for the first time. That, in itself, is a lot to deal with. By the time we hit ten o'clock, I was trying to somehow make sense of the announcement that not only was Kevin Garnett not playing in round 1 of the playoffs, but he was most likely out for the entire postseason. I had resigned myself to the fact that he just needed rest. I didn't see this coming. Then, around 3:00, the news comes that John Madden is retiring from broadcoasting. I, personally, would have appreciated a little notice before his last game. By 5 o'clock tonight, Danny Ainge had suffered a heart attack. The guy is in great shape. And, he's only 50. I'm now more than halfway there. Needless to say, this was a very complicated day. A lot of ins, a lot of outs, a lot of what have yous. Fortunately, we've been adhering to a pretty strict drug regiment here to keep our minds, you know, limber.


I can't speak fully to the KG injury right now. All I can really say is that I have never been anywhere near this deflated by an sports injury. If there are any Patriots fans out there (so pretty much 3/4 of our readers), please leave some comments about how this stacks up against the Brady injury.

The one thing I was finally able to arrive at that gave me the strength to push on with my day and pump out these predictions was this:

at least this didn't happen last year.

Really, can you imagine how devastating this would have been last year? It's not much, but for now it's all I've got.

So, let's not wait any longer. Here are the picks (the West picks are without comment because I certainly don't watch enough of the West to say anything meaningful).




ROUND 1

EAST

Cleveland vs. Detroit:

The Pistons gave up on this season the minute they sent Chauncey Billups to Denver. They were, of course, open to the possibility of catching lightning in a bottle with AI, but more than anything this move was about Joe Dumars conceding that his group was no longer good enough to make it out of the East. As things currently stand, with a record below .500 and AI literally paying no dividends on the court (I hope this ungraceful exit is not the last we see of him), the question now becomes not who will win this series, but what type of series it will be.

The Pistons have played the Cavs tough this season. Rasheed Wallace has gone on the record as saying that he expects his team to re-gain their swagger once the post-season begins. I do believe in Detroit’s veteran leadership. I believe in the power of their home crowd and in their ability on defense to make LeBron James have to beat them all on his own. However, I also believe I’ve seen him do that before. Since then, he’s gotten better and Detroit has gotten worse.

The pick: Cleveland in 6.





Boston vs. Chicago:

This Bulls team is not the matchup I wanted for round 1. They really improved themselves at the trade deadline, and they've had the look over the past month of a team that could shake up the post-season. All that being said, they have no shot here. If they were a legitimate threat, they would have beaten Toronto last night (the news about KG wasn't out yet, they had something real to play for) at home. The absence of Luol Deng means big production for Paul Pierce. Kendrick Perkins will swallow Joakim Noah. Derrick Rose had a great season, but Rajon Rondo has blossomed into one of the league's premiere point guards. The Celtics have the advantage in every matchup.

The pick: Boston in 6






Orlando vs. Philadelphia:

There is no way Philly takes this series. They have no answer for Dwight Howard and don't have anybody that can shoot, which should translate to a lot of easy buckets in transition off of missed shots for the Magic. The Sixers are also horrendous in the half court, and Orlando’s ball movement should lead to a lot of good looks both on the interior and from long range.

I wanted to actually analyze the matchup here, but all I really needed to do was point out that the Celtics beat Philly on Tuesday night without KG or Ray Allen, and that it took overtime for the Sixers to knock off Cleveland’s athletic training staff last night.

The Pick: Orlando in 5







Hawks vs. Heat:

These should be great games to watch, regardless of the score is when you flip to them. It’s hard not to get excited about a team as athletic as the Hawks facing off against Dwayne Wade. I really want to take Miami here. I think that D-Wade has been just as spectacular as LeBron this season. I’m also excited to see how Michael Beasley performs in his first playoff series. If he is able to elevate his level of play, he could give his team the edge. Miami has really impressed me over the second half of the season. However, while most of the national media has been ignoring the Hawks, they have been playing incredibly consistent basketball. It’s hard not to give Atlanta the edge when you weigh the matchups. The Wade/Johnson matchup will be great to see, and I will be interested to see how much Miami gets out of Jermaine O'Neal. This is hands down the toughest one to pick, so I’m going with my gut:

Even though it doesn’t make sense: Heat in 6.







ROUND 1
WEST (ABRIDGED):

Lakers over Jazz in 4:

Nuggets over Hornets in 7: Note: I don't want to miss one minute of this series.

Houston over Portland in 6:- I know people are saying "nobody wants to catch Portland right now", but I think Ron Artest provides Houston with the mentality they need to advance to round 2.

San Antonio over Dallas in 6:







ROUND 2: EAST

Cleveland over Miami:

Regardless of whether they see Atlanta or Miami, I wouldn't be surprised to see Cleveland coast in round 2. Detroit is a tougher matchup.

The pick: Cavs in 5.





Boston over Orlando:

I'm not sold on Orlando, and there is nothing they can do against Philadelphia that will convince me otherwise. I can't help but wonder if the people who wrote them in as championship contenders last month have been paying any attention at all to what has been happening this month. They were certainly impressive in March (12-2), but they have come crashing back down to Earth in April (4-5 this month, including losses to Toronto, New York, New jersey, and an 18 point loss to the Bucks).

On March 25th, the Magic defeated Boston by 2, and moved the Celtics down to third place in the East. This was the last game in which Kevin Garnett was able to play (and his role was very limited). Leon Powe, Tony Allen, and Brian Scalabrine were all out as well. How could Orlando not have held on to that 2 seed? It's inexplicable. They are not contenders.

Kendrick Perkins will be the key to Boston's success in this series, as he is the NBA's premier Dwight Howard stopper. Throw in the fact that there are serious questions about the health of Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, Boston is tough at home, and that there isn't anybody on the Magic capable of defending Paul Pierce, and this all adds up to a victory for the Cs.

The pick: Celtics in 7







WEST ROUND 2 (Abridged)


Lakers over Rockets in 5:

Spurs over Nuggets in 6:








Eastern Conference Finals:

Cavaliers over Celtics: There are many out there who say that the Cavs win this series even if it involves a healthy KG. I'm not one of those people. I think the Cavs are flawed, and I've felt all season long like the Celtics were the superior team. The two games the Cavs took from Boston this year were, in my opinion, two of the most uncharacteristically bad performances the Celtics turned in all season. Easter Sunday's performance was the worst (Pierce 4-17, totally flat performance, shooting 35% as a team). The statistics in these performances indicate that the Celtics would have lost to most NBA teams on these days. When they play at a level more aligned with their season averages, they have beaten Cleveland twice, including once with Kevin Garnett out.


So, just to clarify, if the Celtics were coming into this series with Kevin Garnett healthy, they would win. They simply have too much front line depth (KG, Perk, Big Baby, Leon, Mikki Moore) for Cleveland to handle.

But, we're dealing with reality here, and the reality is that I can't pick the Celtics to win this series. On paper, the Cavs seem harmless. Mo Williams? really? That's the other big gun? Delonte West? Don't try that shit with me. I'm well aware of what he can and can't do. When you look at the roster, and then you see how much LeBron is able to raise the level at which all of these guys play, you can't help but cast your MVP vote for anybody else. And, believe me, I'd like to.

The pick: Cleveland in 6





Western Conference Finals (abridged):

Lakers over Spurs in 5.








NBA Finals:

Lakers over Cavs in 5.

This is the Lakers' year, and nothing LeBron James does can change that. The Cavs will be totally outmatched in this series. There is no way they can compete with a front line of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. Number 24 is pretty good too. Even though he hasn't averaged so few points per game since 2004, I've never been more in awe of him.

A Look Into A New Era

From Lion In Oil : A study done by mycelebrityfashion.co.uk found that most European men (34% of the over 1,000 polled) would be more turned on by seeing their sexual partner in bed wearing the jersey of their favorite soccer team than seeing them wearing "sexy lingerie", fantasy role playing outfits, normal nightwear, and even nothing at all.


I'm sure there are people out there who will find this study shocking, and chalk it up as a testament to how fanatical European soccer fans are. I for one was not shocked, and am in fact surprised that the number was not higher than 34%. This is not rocket science. There is nothing hotter than a girl dressed up in a jersey of your favorite team. Every guy knows that. But, they would never say it. That's what makes this study so groundbreaking. We need to get this information disseminated to females everywhere.

Women have been led horribly astray by all of the advertising that's out there. Yeah, sexy lingerie is nice, don't get me wrong. It will never be turned down. Naked is great. It speaks to our primal instincts. French Maid outfits, Police uniforms with handcuffs, full black leather suits with whips and nipple clamps......for the most part, guys are always open to adventure. But, ladies, things don't need to be so hard. You don't need to drop 100 dollars on underwear, and you don't need to degrade yourself by sneaking in and out of sex shops wearing a large trench coat and sunglasses. It's a nice gesture, and we appreciate it. But, if you really want to give us what we're looking for, all you need to do is remember the famous words that Warren Sapp shouted to Mike Sherman and put a jersey on.





I'll be honest, I read this article this morning, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. There is so much more to be uncovered, and I think that there's a lot of money to be made now that we've cleared the air on this subject. Never again shall NFL Shop catalogs use males or blank space to model their jerseys. They will use buxom women. Guys know they can buy the jersey to wear to the game. But, when they see this women wearing it while striking a sexually suggestive pose, they will feel completely compelled to buy. I expect Internet jersey sales to skyrocket across the four major sports.

Now, I have been struck by a number of random thoughts, questions, and rules on this subject and I feel the need to get them out here:

1) Redhead or not, A Brian Scalabrine jersey is NOT a turn-on.

2) Which sports jerseys are the most sexually appealing and why? My mind gravitates directly to football and basketball, but those are also my two favorite sports to watch. Baseball could work unbuttoned, but overall I'd say it's the weakest.

3) Hockey jerseys have to have their own discussion here. At first, I dismissed them quickly because there is too much skin covered. However, it's hard to simply dismiss the sex appeal of a classic styled jersey with the top laces undone. If you're unfamiliar with this style, see below (I know the Rangers wear them):



This look is very classy, and says a lot about the girl with which you're sleeping. If you find girl who sleeps in an untied Chris Drury jersey, you take her home to mom right away.

4) What type of footwear goes best with the jersey? I once knew a girl (this couple's identity will remain confidential) who bought her boyfriend a Jeremy Shockey red Giants jersey (which could only be pulled off by a non-blonde. A blonde might appear a little too close to reality) for his birthday. She surprised him with it by wearing it with nothing else but red high heels. Matching heels are nice, but are they the ideal match? What about a pair of Air Jordans? Is this taking things too far? Difficult to say. (Note: The Shockey jersey would have been perfect for some hate fucking last summer, and would now no longer be effective).

5) Why aren't strip clubs on top of this? Babcock and I discussed the city of Tampa and it's lack of imagination on our pre-super bowl podcast. The city has 42 strip clubs, EXACTLY the number of Super Bowls that had occurred at that point. Having each one devoted to a specific super bowl and having the girls shed their sparkly high dresses for jerseys of players and teams from those historic game seems like a no-brainer. The introduction of jerseys would be a great way for strip clubs to up their purchases of lapdances. What would be the most common jersey amongst strippers? My money is on LeBron....I have no basis for this, but I think it's true.



Don't tell me you wouldn't buy champagne from this lovely lady....


6) What exactly makes the best jersey to wear? It's difficult to say. I don't think it necessarily has to be your favorite team, or even a team that you like. I hate the Lakers as much as anybody in Boston, but the thought of a girl coming to bed in a Magic Johnson jersey scratches me right where I itch. Scal, as I said, is a no go. KG is a go. As much as I love Eli Manning, I don't see this jersey doing anything for me. But, a Tim Tebow jersey would be great. I don't think I could get in to a Charlotte Bobcats jersey, but I think I'd be all over a UNC tarheel basketball jersey or a Penn State football jersey. Who knows.

7) Pink jerseys do not apply here. In fact, there is not a bigger turnoff out there than the pink Red Sox shirt or hat. Only the real thing please.


8) Why do we feel this way? We don't want to sleep with these athletes. Do we feel like we might somehow take on some of their powers by engaging in coitus with their jersey? Do we feel like it somehow solidifies a connection that we want desperately to have with them? I have read comments on sites (this article has been linked all over) by people who feel that jocks and sports fans have repressed homosexual tendencies. I feel very secure in my sexuality, and I really don't think it's homoerotic. A hot girl in a KG jersey is hot. However, I can say with quite a bit of certainty that I am not sexually attracted to KG himself. Who knows. Whatever it is, I assume it is probably related to the same underlying feelings that cause us to buy these jerseys for ourselves in the first place.


9) Does this have to end at major sports? What about pro wrestling? Would a girl dressed up with arm ribbons, boots, and face paint like the ultimate warrior do it for you? It's hard for anybody to say yes or no for sure without actually putting themselves in this situation. There is a lot of market research still to be done. And, at what point does the line become blurred between sports memorabilia and role playing outfits?




10) Finally, while I'm writing, I feel the need to chime in on what I think are the best jerseys for this type of thing. Here they are...the all-star team...hopefully appearing soon at a gentlemen's club near you:

Style Points

The Cavs are scary.

Chad Ford Breaks Down This Summer's Free Agents

Chad Ford breaks down the 2009 free agent class that has been flying under the radar with 2010 being the summer of LeBron. The Pistons will be about 40 million under the cap this summer and it will be interesting to see how much they're willing to spend. There are certainly some guys that could help them on this list, but I'd have to believe all teams that are in a position to spend big may want to play it conservative so as to give themselves a chance at the King.......sucks to be a free agent in 09.

Anyways, he breaks it down by unrestricted, restricted, and early termination/player option (but in reverse order).

Some names that stick out:

Chris Wilcox: Has been grinding away in relative anonymity, but impresses me every time I see him. Super athletic and effective both ends.

Ben Gordon: Would probably like to go to a team that allows it's leading scorers to start games.

Lamar Odom: Is just to good to be riding the pine for the Lakers. I'm not taking issue with Phil Jackson, but there are a lot of teams out there that would love to have this guy in their starting rotation. Obviously inconsistency and being sent to the bench in a contract year will cost him a lot of money.

Ron Artest: I would love it if the Pistons signed him. That would be the greatest storyline of the year. Not only would his style of play fit that city to a tee, but him playing 41 games a night in the Palace of Auburn Hills would be priceless. This has to happen.

Shawn Marion: It's unfortunate that injuries, questions about his motivation, and concerns about the fact that team success does not appear to be a high priority for him have all overshadowed his versatility and defensive brilliance over the past few seasons. Nevertheless, he will get paid. This is the kind of player teams want.

Sheed: As Chad said, it's unlikely that Sheed will be seeing top tier money. However, don't underestimate the impact he could have with a fresh start.

The Answer: AI can still put up points and assists with the best of them (see last night against the Warriors). But, the explosion that he has lost through the years makes it harder to look past his turnovers, low field goal percentage, and defensive shortcomings. He's still exciting, but the days of him taking the 76ers on his back and willing them to victory seem like a distant memory at this point.

Leon Powe and Glen Davis: Both are restricted, and I hope that both stay in green. Powe's not going anywhere. I can't imagine Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers would let Leon get away. I hope Big Baby will stay, but it's hard to know. If he keeps playing at a high level this season, somebody might be willing to overpay, and I can't imagine the Celtics would match if it's too much.

Charlie Villanueva: I am a UCONN fan, and I still don't know what the hype is all about. I've been hearing great things for almost a decade. All I see a guy that plays flat every night, is lazy on defense, and has no eyebrows. But, somebody will make him a big offer I'm sure.

The most intriguing names come from the list of players who have early termination options. That is where you can find Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Hedo Turkoglu, Eddy Curry, Al Harrington, and Jermaine O'Neal. Obviously, the plausibility of these guys leaving varies greatly. Kobe's not going anywhere (what a difference a year makes), Eddy Curry is almost certainly gone, Jamal Crawford has big money in New York but is playing well enough to possibly land in a more stable environment, and we'll have to wait and see with the rest.

Foil in the Oven: We are all Witnesses

Before we begin, I want to apologize for this Foil in the Oven coming so late and for its brevity. There were some electrical problems to deal with today.

There have been so many great aspects of this Celtics season, but perhaps none have been more satisfying and exciting than the play of Paul Pierce. Seeing him play with such joy and with the relief of not having the burden of the entire franchise on his shoulders has been uplifting for fans that have seen him give everything he has to the Celtics for his entire career. And, the results on the court speak for themselves. Pierce turned in the most complete season of his career, evidenced most by the fact that he has been receiving national attention for his defense. Furthermore, I couldn't be happier to see the national media finally acknowledging what a great player the Truth is. It was extremely frustrating to see him completely ignored during the 2005-2006 season, in which Pierce averaged a career best 26.8 points per game. The Celtics only played on national tv one time during that season (a memorable game in which Kobe outscored Pierce 40-39, but the Celtics won 112-111). There wasn't much more that Pierce could have done on the floor, and yet the Celtics weren't winning and he was rarely discussed in the media outside of New England. Memories like these make what happened yesterday even more memorable.

The performance that Pierce gave yesterday will always be remembered with the all-time great Celtics playoff performances. I can't remember a happier moment as a Celtics fan. The work is far from complete for this team. The competition is only going to get tougher, and I think we can all agree that it will be a disappointment if we're not watching the Celtics playing in the NBA finals. However, regardless of how things go from here, I don't think anything could happen that could possibly taint the memory of yesterday's game.

Throughout this series, the level of animosity that I felt towards LeBron James has been sky-high. I've screamed horrible things at him (at my tv) and I really believed all series long that I would never be able to appreciate watching him again. However, winning cures everything, and as soon as the game ended I began to appreciate what a great player LeBron is and what a great performance he put on yesterday. He didn't get much help, and yet he managed to keep his team in it against a Celtics team that controlled the momentum from start to finish (with the exception of the opening few minutes of the second half). The guy is only 23, and I am blown away by what he has done. He's been under a microscope since he entered the league. He's endured unthinkable scrutiny from critics and abuse from fans. He's been the entire focus of opposing defenses. And yet, he continues to exceed our expectations at every turn. I am excited to see the heights that his career will reach. I am even more excited that he is back at home today.




As much as we'd all like to sit in a bathtub of melted butter and eat steamers while we bask in the glory of this victory, business resumes tomorrow. The Celtics have played the Pistons well all year, particularly in the third meeting, but the playoffs are a different beast. It will be interesting to see how the rest will affect the Pistons' performance in game 1, particularly how healthy Chauncey Billups will be. Even if he's not 100 percent, Billups is a very tough matchup for Rajon Rondo. After matching up with LeBron for seven games, Tayshaun Prince might seem like a breath of fresh air to Paul Pierce. But, Prince is a great defender and he has always been a very tough matchup for Pierce. When he's in the right mindset, Rasheed Wallace can be the best player on the floor. The Pistons bench stepped up in the Magic series. This is going to be a hard fought series. But, I'm confident. I'm confident because it's going to be a hard fought series between two teams that play the same style, and I think that the Celtics play that style better. Ray Allen has been most valuable to this team on defense in its games against Detroit because he can run with Rip Hamilton. His shooting woes won't affect his ability to neutralize Hamilton and I expect him to have a big impact on this series, even if it doesn't show up on the stat sheet.

We at Roomofzen have been calling to see Eddie House for a while now, and he clearly gave the team a boost yesterday. The other player that we've been calling for is Tony Allen. I'd like to see Tony utilized on defense in this series. Although he did commit a foul on Chauncey that cost the Celtics the game at the end of the first meeting between these two teams, he is a good defender and he is a great option if Billups starts to heat up.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We'll have more on the Western Conference tomorrow. But, you can't tell me that you wouldn't be much more excited to watch the Hornets and Lakers than the Spurs and the Lakers.

I can't stand San Antonio anyways, but doesn't it make it worse every time you hear Skip Bayless refer to them as "my Spurs."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm going to talk about the WNBA today, and I don't care what you have to say about it. Candace Parker exceeded all expectations in her LA Sparks debut last night. With 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, Parker just narrowly missed a triple double. If you never took the time to see Parker play, you really should. She was completely dominant in college, and she is legitimately very exciting to watch. She is most likely going to be one of the WNBA's top players this season. She is a complete player, she can dunk, and she is attractive and charismatic. If the WNBA is ever going to take off, she will be the player that does it. Like Tiger Woods with golf and Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin with the NHL, Parker may be the kind of player that attracts fans who would be otherwise completely uninterested. I know from those commercials (which are horrible, but that's for another day) that the WNBA is on ESPN2 on Tuesday nights and ABC on Saturdays. If the Sparks are playing, and I'm watching tv already, I'll probably flip over from time to time. I might not be the only one, and that's how these things start.

Foil in the Oven: Ready for Game 6

Before we get to the important stuff, I want to make one final point about the media coverage of Spygate. Again, remember that I'm a Giants fan, and I don't say this stuff to defend the Patriots. I say it simply as an NFL fan that is trying to look at things objectively. Objectivity has been the main thing missing from ESPN's coverage this week, and it has become apparent that the network has a clear agenda with this issue. Mark Schlereth has been one of the crusaders leading the charge for ESPN. However, this profootballtalk article links us to this Washington Post article that pretty clearly outlines the penalties assessed to the Denver Broncos because of cheating ("circumventing the salary cap") that went on between the 1996 and 1998 seasons, when Schlereth was a member of the team. Remember, the Broncos won two Super Bowls during that time (97 and 98 seasons).


The organization was punished harshly by the league. Like the Patriots, they were forced to pay heavy fines and surrender draft picks. Schlereth would have you believe that this situation was totally different than Spygate, and it was. The Washington Post article names two specific players that the deferred payments went to, Terrell Davis and John Elway. So, instead of cheating by having a third camera on the field, the Broncos cheated by having a guy that rushed for over 2000 yards in a season and a Hall of Fame quarterback, both of whom won Super Bowl MVPs. Please, think about this the next time you see Mark Schlereth waxing poetic about keeping the integrity of the game intact and questioning the legacies of dynasties and whatever else he needs to say to push ESPN's agenda to completely sensationalize this issue. It makes it nearly impossible to take him seriously.



I'm not trying to put the microscope on those Broncos teams (not that I feel bad, Schlereth brought that upon himself) or suggest that their legacy is tarnished. Like the Patriots, they have already been punished. What I am trying to do is to show you that teams have been caught and punished for cheating throughout the existence of the NFL. That's why we have a commissioner and a league office. They handle these matters. The Patriots cheated. It is no different than when the Broncos cheated. It's no different than, as Casten said yesterday, the 49ers cheating by not following proper procedures in acquiring Lance Briggs. No law was broken here, just a league rule. A congressional investigation of this matter would completely undermine the NFL's administrative system. When NFL teams cheat, they are punished by the league. They are not investigated by Congress.


Finally, a propaganda tid-bit from NFL Live last night:

Trey Wingo offers up this quote from Ted Kennedy:

"With the war in Iraq raging on, gasoline prices closing in on $4 a gallon, and Americans losing their homes at record rates to foreclosure, the United States Senate should be focusing on the real problems that Americans are struggling with. I’m looking forward to another great Patriots season where they can let their play on the field speak for itself."

Wingo then says "of course.....Ted Kennedy, the senator from....." and they (including Schlereth) say out loud in unison "Massachusetts" and laugh as if they can't take these comments seriously because they are obviously biased and absurd. Now, believe me when I say that I don't share this story to endorse Ted Kennedy in any way. But, can anyone really take issue with that quote? Can anyone really say that they think Congress should be worried about Spygate given everything that's happening? The fact that even those who completely loathe Ted Kennedy can't disagree with that quote tells you something about what Spector is trying to do here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I'm going to go along with Babcock, and predict a big win in Cleveland tonight for the Celtics. There was a different swagger to this team on Wednesday night, and they reminded me of the Celtics from the regular season that I knew had what it takes to win a championship. Everything about the game they played in the second half tells me that Cleveland can't beat them. It wasn't just on the court either. The bench guys were up yelling, hanging out, and messing around like they always used to do. There was life to this team. There was energy. There was absolutely no remnants of the confused and lifeless team that played games 3 and 4 in Cleveland. If the Celtics carry that energy from game 5 into tonight, and play the way they did in that second half for the entire game, I don't see how the Cavs can beat them.


And, I'll just say it, I can't stand the way that LeBron was talking after Game 5. I know that we shouldn't hang on everything these guys say, and I really try not to. But, seriously. Think about all the greats: Jordan, Bird, Magic, Duncan, etc. Can you ever imagine one of them coming out after a big playoff loss and complimenting themselves for their individual performance? Can you ever imagine that? After they had come out strong in the first half and disappeared for an entire quarter in the second half (LeBron had 2 points in the third quarter). I can't help but think that there's something going on with the chemistry of that team. They will also be without Daniel Gibson the rest of the way, which rules out any chance of him repeating his heroics from last year's postseason.

It's just been too easy to predict so far. The home team winning in virtually every game. At some point, some team other than Detroit has to assert themselves and win a tough game on the road. I think that these Celtics do it tonight. I don't know why. I just have a feeling.

And, the best part is that if I'm wrong, they can just play again on Sunday.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Speaking of home court advantage, which still looms large after the Spurs waxed the Hornets in San Antonio last night, I came across this video of Shaq calling out Vlade Divac for comments he made about the Lakers not being able to win in Sacramento. It's hilarious.:


Also, here is Shaq on Jackass:


Shaq giving a great comeback to a reporter (why would the guy ask this question):


And, finally:


I think I speak for all of us when I say congratulations on being famous Nicole Richie. You've certainly earned it.

Foil in the Oven: Back in Control

Holy Shit, It's the Boston Celtics!

Those are the exact words that I said to myself about halfway through the third quarter.



The first half was ugly for most of the way. It seemed like nothing was working right offensively. Sam Cassell's five and a half minutes were a complete disaster (for the record, I've never seen so many Eddie House t-shirts). And, to make matters worse, LeBron was scoring points with ease (23 in the first quarter). At one point, Cleveland led by 14 and it seemed like the Celtics were just going to dig themselves into a deeper hole. You could feel the tension building in the arena. I couldn't cheer, I couldn't stand up, all I could do was sit there as the anger and frustration grew with every possession. To be honest, that whole first quarter and most of the second quarter seem like a blur now.

During the last five minutes of the second quarter, the Cs started to claw their way back in. Rondo came back into the game and hit a couple of big threes, we got some stops, and Pierce hit a runner with less than 5 seconds left that put us within three. Only down three, after that pathetic display. I got up for halftime and headed over to get some beer and a personal pizza. I was feeling less tense. I was relieved to only be down three, and excited that Jay-Z was in the building.


As I waited in line, I started thinking about the Hornets on Tuesday night. They too had played a bad first half. They too had found themselves only trailing by three at halftime. They came out, made adjustments, played a great second half, and won the game. Of course, that was a team that has been playing just as well (and, probably better) than they played in the regular season. That's a team that has shown the ability to hang tough and come from behind in games in the post-season. That's a team with a great coach who knows how to manage players and make adjustments. I was tense again. Why couldn't this team just play like the Celtics we've seen all year? Who is this team that I just watched in the first half?


And then, just when things seemed on the verge of collapsing completely, the real Boston Celtics appeared.


I can't point to any specific moment when it happened, because they played great the entire half. The defense was stifling, the ball movement and execution on offense was smooth. The players carried themselves like a team that knows it's in control and is confident that it's going to win. The noise in the building rose to a near-deafening level as Celtics fans everywhere felt the tension of the last ten quarters rush away.


A few notes

- The Celtics almost blew the game in the last minute. I don't know if it was a result of them being too comfortable with the lead or if they need to spend some time practicing end of game situations when the opponent presses them hard. This game was not as close as the final score would indicate. But, the Celtics kept it interesting with turnovers at the end.

- Huge game tonight from Rondo. Not only was he spectacular on both ends of the floor, but he played the entire second half. We've been saying all along that he's the key. This game is going to be great for his confidence. I can't stress enough the importance of those threes that he hit in the first half. It was also good to see Doc leave him out there when he played well.

- Nice to see some second half adjustments from Doc tonight. While I was totally baffled by the way he used Glen Davis on Monday, I loved what he did tonight. Putting Big Baby on the floor with Rondo and the Big Three was a great move. He gave the team a huge energy boost, and he was able to grab a couple nice hoops while the Cavs were so focused on stopping KG down low. I also loved having Pierce (30 points) start with the ball up top. It was a great way to get him some separation and to give the Cavs another look.


- Those who have been calling for KG to step up, be aggressive, and take over games got it last night. KG was extremely active on defense, it seemed like he was hitting all of his shots, and you could see him getting in his teammates' faces to keep them hungry. It was the classic KG that we all love and have always seen at home. If he can take that same game with him to Cleveland on Friday, this series may not return to Boston.

Great quote from ESPN about Doc Rivers and why he didn't call KG over to calm him down during the game "Rivers said 'he was talking so much to himself anyways, I didn't think I'd be able to get a word in'".

I love this interview with KG and John Thompson. I watched it about 55 times the day that the Cs acquired Garnett from Minnesota:




Now, after watching that, can you ever imagine KG saying the things LeBron said last night after a loss? "Great individual performance by me" (an indirect insult to his teammates). I couldn't be happier to be on KG's side. The Celtics are going to win this series.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arlen Spector is an idiot (typical Eagles fan), and that's coming from someone that's not a Patriots fan. He clearly knows nothing about football, and I can't believe that that he is calling for Congressional involvement in this matter.

Now, I was outspoken against the Mitchell Investigation. I thought that baseball's best option was to move forward with their harsh new policy, and not waste Congressional time, money, and energy investigating the past. But, at least when we talk about sterroids, we're dealing with actual breaking of the law. We're dealing with drug use, and international drug trafficking. We're dealing with high school kids all over the country with a dream of becoming a pro athlete, and a choice to make about sterroid use. What are we dealing with here? A breach of NFL rules? No law was broken here. I think Roger Goodell, by handing down a harsh penalty on the Patriots, did a great job of deterring this practice and I think that he will work hard to enforce it because he doesn't want his league to lose credibility. The incentive for him to police it is so huge, that I don't know why we doubt his motivation.

Right after the original Spygate happened in September, I thought that Belichick should have been suspended. I felt that the individual fine levied against him put too much blame squarely on him. It's never just one person. The organization as a whole should have taken that punishment. But, the organization did receive harsh punishments as well (most notably losing a first round draft pick). So, I might have gone about punishing the Pats differently. BUT, Goodell's punishment was harsh, and it was the largest punishment ever given out. What more does Spector want? We've seen everything that Matt Walsh has to offer, and to the best of my understanding there's no new evidence to indicate any new developments in this case.

Finally, let's take a minute to acknowledge the fact that the NFL is currently involved in a major dispute with Comcast, which just happens to be one of the largest overall contributors to the political campaigns of Arlen Spector. Those Eagles fans, you have to watch them.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was only able to catch the fourth quarter of the Lakers game, so I won't comment extensively on it. But, the two main things that stood out were Pau Gasol's passing abilities, and the fact that neither Boozer nor Okur can cover Lamar Odom. Kobe looked fine to me (although, Phil Jackson said his jumper looked flat. I defer to Phil). I think Utah wins game 6.

Foil in the Oven: All Tied Up

I just want to state for the record that I'm still supremely confident that the Celtics will win this series. It may go 7 games, but that really shouldn't be surprising. Let's not forget that these are the defending Eastern Conference champs that we're playing against. Let's not forget that this guy who plays for them could very well end up being the greatest player of all time (if you take issue with that, let's also not forget that last season at age 22 he put that team on his back and dragged them to the Conference finals). Let's not forget that the Lakers and Hornets are also at 2-2 in their series right now. Detroit very well could be if not for Orlando choking away that game on Saturday (something I don't expect a LeBron James team to do). Really, this series is right where it should be. We're all so used to having the outcome already in hand with this team. That's not the way things work when we get down to the conference semis.

That being said, there is something different about the way this Celtics team is playing. I hate to point fingers, but I think that it really boils down to the role that Sam Cassell has been given. When Sam first arrived, he was adamant about accepting a lesser role and playing the Celtics' style of basketball. I believed him, and I still think that he meant that. But, I don't think hes wired that way. Watching him throughout these playoffs, it's clear that he's imposed his will on this coaching staff and this team. He's playing more minutes than I ever envisioned. At times during this post-season, it has seemed less like Cassell was being used to spell Rondo and more like these guys were splitting time. Rondo is the key to this offense running smoothly.

We got to this point playing a certain style that involves a lot of ball movement, Rondo driving and dishing, and working the ball inside. We need Rondo on the floor as often as possible. Cassell has simply refused to play the Celtics' style of basketball. Even if he's not saying that publicly, he shows it on the floor. He rarely tries to move the ball, he often takes ill-advised shots, and he gives very little effort on defense. The way that Daniel Gibson abused him at the start of the fourth quarter last night drove me crazy.

Meanwhile, the two players that didn't see time last night (Tony Allen and Eddie House) are the two guys that Roomofzen has been calling for since the Atlanta series. Both were integral parts to this team's success this season. Tony is a great defender and Eddie looked awesome in his limited time in game 3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------



There is perhaps no greater testament to Chris Paul's greatness than the adjustments that Greg Popovich made for games 3 and 4 in San Antonio. Popovich took a look at the tapes and realized that the success of Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic were almost completely due to the fact that his team was focusing on Chris Paul, who was able to get these guys perfect looks despite the tremendous defensive pressure he was facing. Popovich took Bruce Bowen, the team's best defender off of Paul and put him on Stojakovic. In doing so, he essentially conceded that Paul is unstoppable and his team would be better served by focusing on stopping everyone else, something that is more realistic.

Think about it. How many points do you remember Chandler scoring that didn't look like this:



or this:



or this:


or this:



They all look like that. Two-handed dunks that Chris Paul giftwraps for him. Sometimes he may have to give one dribble or two. But, usually he just has to jump up, raise his two hands, put the ball in, hang there for a while, swing his legs, do a few pull-ups, scream, let go, and get back on defense.

Popvich essentially conceded that the Spurs, one of the best defensive teams in the league, were incapable of stopping Paul from scoring and killing them with his dishing abilities. The Spurs won games 3 and 4 easily despite Paul's impressive stats. Paul had 35 points (and, for the record, still had 9 assists) in game 3, and the Spurs were happy with that. This guy is a special player.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------




I can't make heads or tails of Mike D'Antoni's signing with the New York Knicks. First of all, I'd be terrified of joining that organization. As Babcock and Ted have pointed out, there's definitely something shady happening there. There's no other way to explain Isaiah Thomas still having a job(especially one that prevents him from doing anything). Did D'Antoni need to have his fingerprints erased? Did he have to sign some sort of document promising to protect and serve the New York Knicks for the rest of his life? Did he have to bend over and place his hands on hot coals while getting his ass paddled by a large man wearing an executioner's costume? Of course, we'll never know any of this stuff, which is probably a good thing.

D'Antoni comes to New York with a specific coaching identity. His Phoenix teams were known league-wide for their incredibly fast-paced style of basketball. It worked well with the personnel that he had, and it was fun to watch. However, it cannot work with this Knicks team. Eddy Curry? Zach Randolph? These guys are going to run and play up-tempo? I don't think so. Stephon Marbury? I might be incorrect here, but I'm pretty sure he was the first guy to leave Phoenix after D'Antoni arrived. So, one of two things is going to happen. Either, D'Antoni is going to adjust his coaching style to meet the profile of this roster (fat, slow, uninspired, uncoachable, etc.) or he's going to stand by and grit his teeth for the next two seasons while the Knicks put themselves in a position to rebuild. Once they can clear away some of that dead weight, they may be able to put together a team that D'Antoni can use. Let's also once again use this as an opportunity to point out that the Jazz have the Knicks 2010 first round pick. Just in case you had any doubt, the effects of Isaiah will still be felt two years from now.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The NFL power rankings came out yesterday, and I'm a little upset. The Patriots are number one. Now, I have some serious questions about their secondary. But, given their accomplishments of last season, their offensive firepower, and their easy division schedule, I don't have a problem with putting them on top.


I DO however have an issue with the World Champion New York Giants being listed as number 6. Let's take a look at what this team has done lately. They have won 7 of their last 9. One of those two losses, a close home loss to New England, was avenged in the biggest game of the season. They've beaten Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Green Bay on the road and beaten New England at a neutral site. I understand them not being one. The Patriots, Colts, and Chargers are all better than them. But, Dallas ahead of them? How the hell is Dallas ahead of them? If you read them on ESPN it says next to Dallas "Felix Jones should help the running game immediately." Really? We're putting them at number 4 because of Felix Jones? Felix Jones, the same guy that wasn't even the best running back on his college team and is yet to plan an NFL game? What about Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw? All I'm saying is, winning the Super Bowl should buy you a spot in the top 5.

One final Giants note: Kenny Phillips will be wearing number 21. Hopefully he can provide Big Blue with more toughness, leadership, and less ego than the last man who wore it.