Random Sports Thoughts…

A few random sports thoughts in the wheelhouse…

1) Thanks Miami Thrice

Big Thank you to the Miami Heat for completely justifying my championship pick from yesterday against the Cleveland Cavaliers:

The team came out flat and stayed flat for the entire game.  They were like that uncapped Coke Zero in the fridge that you try and drink a month later – horrible.  My dad sent me a message – “Lebron must be pissed” and yet last night he seemed to not really care about the loss.  It is possible he feels he made his point when he destroyed Cleveland in his original return but it pains me to see the team so disinterested when they are in a battle for seeding in the East.  The team needs to finish first to avoid a Boston or Chicago 2nd round matchup.  So again, thanks guys for backing up my title prediction…

2) What does it say that last night’s game was one of the five biggest wins of Baron Davis’s career?

A lot, actually – and it speaks volumes about the type of player he could have been and the type of player he is.  He came into the league with so much potential and peaked when he played for the Warriors and led them to a huge first round playoff victory.  After that, he got his big contract and a return to his LA hometown (albeit with the Clips) – where he promptly set about eating himself into oblivion for three years.  I guess he was Clipperized and that should have sounded the death knell on his career.  Yet, here was a guy who could carry a team and did, just plain giving up.  As Bill Simmon’s has said, nobody relies more on a crowd than Baron Davis and recently, with LA Clips becoming relevant again so did Baron.  He was energized and active and quickly traded to the Cavs.  The Clips management should be charged with murder in the first degree for the salary dumping move.  There he was though, last night, ensuring that nine months from now a whole generation of kids is born named “Baron”.  This was the Cavs championship and they will make the most of it. 

3) The incredible Steve Nash

Adub summed up Nash taking over the NBA assist lead(!!!) with the word “Legend”, and the tag is definitely deserved.  This year the Suns have cobbled together a team of castoffs, has-beens and never was…then dynamited that team and stuck Nash with Comatose Vince Carter (who by the way, could not care less about basketball right now.  He is like the guy nearing retirement who is just showing up to collect a paycheck) and he has still passed Rajon Rondo to lead the NBA in assists at 11.4 a game!  Let’s put this in perspective: his best teammates are Grant Hill, a guy nicknamed “The Polish Hammer” and comatose Vince Carter and he still leads the league in dimes!  Keep padding those Hall of Fame credentials Steve, maybe one day you will get a shot with a contender. 

4) March Madness – That’s for sure!  The Craziest NCAA Tourney of All-Time

Most NCAA pools have wrapped up now…before the Final Four because no one could possibly have predicted a series that included no #1’s, no #2’s, one #3, Butler and an 11th seeded VCU.  Despite having no one in the Final Four, I won 2nd place in my pool.  Ridiculous.  A couple of thoughts:

A) I will never again pick against a semi-decent Butler team again, ever.

B) Ditto George Mason for the first round.

C) Listening to experts upset predictions ruined my bracket and led to a couple of bad choices.  Better to pick my own upsets – like I did with Gonzaga in the first round this year.

D) Current stage of grief = Acceptance.  Now I can sit back and enjoy a Final Four that will see either VCU or Butler having a shot at the National title.  Ridiculous.

5) Congrats to the Canucks!

My local boys sewed up number one in the West last night with a great win over the Nashville Predators.  This may be the best Canucks team ever and it is an exciting team in the city.  Of course, everyone refuses to talk about the team because we are completely terrified of jinxing anything come playoff time.  An odd mix of elation and complete terror on the 40th anniversary of our great team.  Great work boys, keep it going. 

6) Setting up to make some baseball picks

Not an easy year to try and predict what is going to happen.  The Red Sox could rise again, the Yanks could completely fall apart and Albert Pujos is looking more and more like he will be a Yankee in 2012.  Yet somehow I am supposed to make predictions? 

7) The Best Time of the Year for Sports has been epic

March Madness, the race to the playoffs, Spring Training – this truly is the best time of the year for Sports fans and I have never been more ready for the real season to begin.  NBA buzz is at an all-time high and despite my misgivings over the atrocious Cavs loss, I am sticking by my team – Miami Thrice will hoist their first title.  In Hockey – I am forbidden to make a pick due to my geographic location.  NCAA – Screw it, VCU or Butler will take the trophy in the most unlikely tournament ever…and why not given all that has happened?