The Buzz Is In Los Angeles

It's all smiles in Los Angeles, and the Kings are a big reason why.

What do the Los Angeles Lakers, Kings and Clippers have in common? Well for one they are all from Los Angeles, obviously. Secondly, they all play in the Staples Center. But that's about it. The Lakers are the cream of the NBA organizational crop, trailing only the Boston Celtics in championship banners. They've had some of the greatest players in the history of the NBA and are pretty much synonymous with the NBA. The Clippers, on the other hand, are widely considered one of the worst organizations in sports, let alone basketball. Since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego in '84 the Clips have only won one playoff series and have made numerous organizational blunders that live on in infamy. Finally we have the Los Angeles Kings who have only been to one Stanley Cup in their history and have the unfortunate title of almost screwing up Wayne Gretzky immaculate legacy. However for the first time since 1993 all three Staples Centers tenants are in the playoffs and actually are looking strong.

This year's version of the Los Angeles Lakers has been an interesting one. Despite having preseason expectations of being old, injury prone and no longer overwhelmingly long in the post, the Lakers are sitting pretty at the #3 seed in the West. Though they're without Metta World War for the first seven playoff games the Lakers are an interesting pick going forward. Yes, they are a bit old, though they got much younger trading longtime vet Derek Fisher in favor of a younger, yet untested, Ramon Sessions at the deadline. L.A. has witnessed the transformation of Andrew Bynum from an immature, awkward big man with cheese knees into a monster rebounder, scoring and overall post-presence. They've also watched Kobe Bryant put up major minutes in a compressed lockout season and play like the old Kobe. Well the Kobe that shoots a lot, scores a lot and makes a lot of noise in the locker room. Kobe is on a quest for his sixth ring which would put him on the Jordan plateau and make that Kobe, MJ argument actually relevant. If the Lakers can somehow get by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Semis then there is a pretty good chance that Kobe could meet Lebron in the Finals and we all know how that would go(or so we hope).

In the offseason the Clippers made a serious splash landing superstar Chris Paul to team up with highlight reel man Blake Griffin, block party connoisseur DeAndre Jordan and a slew of decent guards. For once L.A.'s second team was making headlines for all the right reasons. CP3 gave this team instant credibility and allowed the Clippers to enter the realm of relevancy for the first time since Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson were doing their head pat celebration or whatever it was. But even this talented Clippers team couldn't escape a classic Clipper fiasco. Chris Paul and co. brought about a mutiny between the squad and their head coach Vinny Del Negro. At one point in February it was so bad that people were saying VDN wouldn't make it through the year, but the squad got itself back together with a couple big winning streaks and looks poised to make some noise in the playoffs. But at the same time a lot of people don't have faith in Blake Griffin on the defensive end, and a banged up Chris Paul needs to play at a hundred percent for the Clippers to actually be a serious contender. Either way, the Clippers are in the playoffs, completely relevant and while they might not be the basketball purists favorite squad, they are exciting to watch.

For the last two years the Kings have started to really knock on the Western Conference door. They lost both first round series, but really turned it on this year(or at least til the last week of the season). With Vezina candidate Jonathon Quick and his silly 1.95 GAA leading the way, the Kings are already making plenty of headway in the playoffs. Even though they were an eight seed, they actually were the #3 seed until the last week of the season when the Phoenix Coyotes ripped their heart out and sent them to the eighth and final spot. Long story short: they're not your typical #8 seed. But even with the knowledge of the Kings talent, the world was still shocked when they quickly brushed aside the President Trophy winning Canucks in five games. This team has the scoring depth and absurdly hot goaltending that is necessary for them to win a cup. For the first time since the Great One laced up his skates in city of Angels, the Los Angeles Kings are for real, like really for real. 

The city of Los Angeles is sky high right now. All three teams have their eyes on deep playoff runs and all three have a realistic shot at doing so. Not like L.A. needs anymore excitement in their bright lights, big city, but they've got something coming. I really like the Kings in the West and I wouldn't be surprised to see Kobe and co. take Oklahoma City out for some good old fashion "7 games from hell." The Clippers are more just a nice little novelty that L.A. can tuck in its back pocket for good measure and a bunch of epic youtube videos. I'll tell you what, Los Angeles will be the place to be for the next two months and not for all the celebrities, good weather and beautiful women. Enjoy this L.A. because this could be one of the greatest city runs ever. Think spring of '94 in MSG, but a little less rugged. 

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Fallback Friday Classic Pic Of the Week

Doc Gooden and Daryl Strawberry


The late 80s Mets were a group of seriously talented, eclectic and wild players that brought a ton of good times and a slew of bad ones for the Met faithful. Doc Gooden and Daryl Strawberry headlined the Mets off the field issues, but also led the Mets on the field with immense talent and serious promise.

Strawberry was one of the most highly touted prospects in MLB history and was drafted first overall by the Mets in the 1980 draft. By Daryl Strawberry's 1983 rookie of the year campaign, it was looking like he was going to live up to his first overall billing as a monster power hitter. In 1987 and '88 Strawberry put together two monster seasons hitting a combined 78 HRs and 205 RBIs in those two years. Strawberry finished 2nd in the MVP voting in 1988 and was a serious leader in the Mets lineup.

Doc Gooden exploded on the MLB scene winning rookie of the year in '84 compiling a 17-9 record with a 2.60 ERA. Gooden could absolute gas it, often clocking in at 98 MPH on his fastball and then buckling hitters with a mean curveball. In '85 at the young age of 20, the gunslinger recorded one of the greatest pitching seasons in the history of the league. Gooden went 24-4 with a mind blowing 1.53 ERA, 16 complete games and 8 shutouts. If this was going to be any indication of Gooden's future, the Mets were going to have one of the greatest pitchers of all-time.

As talented as these two individuals were, their off-the-field issues were just too much. Gooden never again won twenty games and Strawberry oddly never hit 40 HRs, though he came close three times. Both Strawberry and Gooden enjoyed the fast life a little bit too much, indulging in cocaine and partying to a level that not only ruined their careers but their lives as well. Though they embodied the '86 Mets almost perfectly(hardcore partiers, but serious ball players) they received the worst of this lifestyle later on in life. Once Strawberry was traded to the Dodgers in '91 his career had absolutely tanked, and at the age of 29, cocaine had already taken its toll. Gooden on the other hand, failed a drug test in '87 and never truly regained form after that.

It's actually truly sad to hear the accounts of these two extremely skilled players losing a large portion of their lives to drug addiction. Gooden's no-hitter for the Yankees in '96 gave him a brief return to glory, but couldn't erase the damage the drugs had done. Anyways you can still see the detriment today as both Strawberry and Gooden look aged way beyond their years. The Mets probably wouldn't have won the World Series in '86 without these guys, but the question still remains: if these two never got caught up in the fame would we be talking about hall of famers? Multiple World Series champs? We will never know.

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"Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Night Boston"

If last night's Game 7 OT winner by Joel Ward wasn't surprising and awesome enough, the call by the Capitals radio announcer has to be one of the best of all-time. Not only is the quote memorable, but the delivery is straight off of a movie script. It gave me goosebumps and I don't even like the Caps. What a game, what a series, what a win.

Enjoy

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The Magnificent Rise and Brutal Fall of The New Orleans Saints

The Loomis and Williams' scandals will destroy the Saints, and not even a great coach like Sean Payton will be able to fix it.

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina almost completely wiped away the city of New Orleans; there were only three things keeping the city alive, the New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Hornets and Lil' Wayne. The first two weren't doing much in terms of keeping the city positive, and Lil' Wayne is only one individual and while successful, never brought the city anything more than a couple anthems to beat their collective chests too. But in 2006 the New Orleans Saints found their calling and then took the NFL by storm.

Led by a reborn Drew Brees, the exciting Reggie Bush and a slew of underrated wide receivers, the Saints surprised the NFL and won their first NFC South title at 10-6. Their first playoff home game since '01 brought the city to its feet even amidst a ever growing amount of physical and mental damage in the greater New Orleans area. Even though the Saints couldn't beat the Bears in the NFC Championship Game, their win at home was a great boost the city's morale, but the train wouldn't stop there.

A two year playoff absence in the seasons following was more out of a sense of underachievement then a lack of talent. But the Saints returned with a serious chip on their shoulder in 2009. After dominating the NFC with a 13-3 record the Saints embarrassed the Arizona Cardinals in the Divisonal round, then squeaked out a win in the NFC Championship Game against the Minnesota Vikings thanks to a Brett Favre INT in OT. With the city finally starting to regain its identity the Saints were poised to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history. But first they had to defeat Peyton Manning and the well-known Indianapolis Colts. No one expected the Saints to win in the fashion they did, but Tracy Porter's game sealing pick six on Peyton Manning will probably go down as one of the most jaw-dropping plays in Super Bowl history. The Saints had not only won the Super Bowl but they had done it by outsmarting the league's smartest quarterback. New Orleans couldn't recreate their Super Bowl magic in the following year's, but still remained a premier NFL franchise.

The 2012 offseason was supposed to be a celebratory one for the Saints. They were supposed to sign Drew Brees to a long term contract, and they were supposed to re-tool and once again contend for a Super Bowl. But instead of rewarding Drew Brees for all his stellar play, the Saints cheaply franchised tagged him and offended him in the worst way. Yet, the Brees contract issues were the least of New Orleans worries. In late March Gregg Williams and the entire Saints coaching staff was accused of holding a bounty system for different players. Then in early April, audio was released that showed these acquisitions held true. Roger Goodell suspended Williams, head coach Sean Payton, GM Mickey Loomis and LB coach Joe Vitt. These suspensions were heavy and extremely damaging. But the league had to do it. The accusations were bringing serious negative press to the NFL and exposed the league's lack of protection for its players. There was outrage on both sides, some people said bounties were apart of the game, other vehemently bashed the NFL for promoting violence. Either way the Saints organization was the major loser in the whole ordeal. But the damage would continue to pile up. Just a few days ago general manager Mickey Loomis, already facing suspension from the bounty issue, was accused of wiretapping opposing coaches in the Superdome from 2002-2004. These accusations are far more serious because of their legal ramifications(it's completely illegal to wiretap people without a warrant). Loomis and the entire Saints organization denied the allegations, but the damage had already been done. In few short years the New Orleans Saints went from one of the league's finest organizations, to the scapegoat for all of the NFL's problems.

How could this happen to such a efficient and promising franchise? Who knows in the coming days. From this wiretapping investigation we'll might learn of even more illegal activity associated with the Saints organization. But honestly this situation is just unfortunate for the NFL, America's favorite league. Watching one of his premier franchises go up in flames must be difficult for commissioner Roger Goodell to watch. After the great things the Saints did for the city of New Orleans post-Katrina, it's hard to imagine any of this actually happening. Yet it did happen and it is ugly. Don't expect the Saints to avoid these offseason distractions without their head coaches and GM who is now amidst a potential court case. I feel bad for Drew Brees who's one of the good guys in the league, yet he is being unfairly low-balled by his organization and is now unintentionally knee deep in a pair of scandals that are not a representation of him in the least bit.

Scandals of this magnitude shred franchises to pieces. Have it happen to twice and you can sign yourself up for ten years of disaster organizationally, structurally and on the field as well. It's going to be a long summer for New Orleans...a long summer.

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Saying A Pathetic Goodbye To The New Jersey Nets

Even when they were the Nets were the best, no one cared.

To say the New Jersey Nets are the laughing stock of the NBA is probably an understatement, I'd say they're more like the laughing stock of professional sports. I'm not even going to sit here and bash them for the fact that they play in the New Jersey, it just that they've never been relevant...even when they were relevant.

When I think of the New Jersey Nets, I think of three things. One, the Izod Center, which has to be the worst named venue in the history of venues, and was located in the shadows of the Meadowlands, which was the only thing that kept it a recognizable structure. Two, the Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Jason Kidd era but I'll touch on that more in-depth later. Finally, number three, Jay-Z's small ownership of the team(something like 1.5%) which he takes far too seriously. As he said, "If Jesus is paying Lebron James, I'm paying...Gerald Wallace?" With the Izod Center lacking relevance, I'll go deep on the other two subjects.

Since I'm not old enough to remember the days of Dr. J, Otis Birdsong or Daryl Dawkins I'll pretend the Nets franchise started in 2001 when they acquired Jason Kidd. Trading the highly talented, but seriously immature Stephon Marbury, for Kidd was by far the greatest move the Nets ever made. The veteran superstar joined up with the likes of Kerry Kittles, Keith Van Horn and rising stars Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin. The Nets took off that year and made it all the way to the NBA Finals before getting obliterated by the Kobe-Shaq duo in Los Angeles. The trio of Kidd, Martin and Jefferson helped the Nets return to the NBA Finals the next year where they fell to the growing dynasty out in San Antonio. In '04 New Jersey tried to revamp its roster by adding Vince Carter, but instead of putting them over the top, they failed to get past the second round three years in a row. This 6 year playoff run ended ugly as the Nets have failed to make the playoffs since. But even in the Nets finest hour they were still mired in the basement of relevancy.

The early 2000s was the NBA's darkest hour. As the Lakers broke up, the league fell to the hands of the Spurs, Pistons and Nets, who drowned the league with boring basketball in towns no one cared about. Add the NBA's offseason issues, such as Allen Iverson's antics, Kobe's rape case and Antonie Walker's scary gambling addiction, and you had a league in peril. So while the NBA was off dealing with ratings and image issues, the Nets were winning games, and yet no one cared. Even in the Nets glory days they just simply couldn't shake their East Rutherford blues.

In 2004, right in the midst of these so called "glory days", Jay-Z was apart of an ownership group that bought the Nets. Later in 2009, Mikhail Prokhorov, a russian entrepreneur bought the controlling shares of the Nets and teamed up with Jay-Z to be the faces of the Nets with plans to move them to Brooklyn in 2012. Prokhorov and HOV advertised the living hell out of these "new look" Nets, but really had nothing to show for it. They took part in the Lebron sweepstakes in 2010 and felt like they had a good chance to get him, but like the Nets usually do, they ended up empty handed. But instead of getting any of the big name free agents like the Knicks did, New Jersey's best acquisition was Travis Outlaw who turned out to be absolutely worthless. At the deadline in 2011 the Nets thought they had made a major acquisition by getting highly touted point guard Deron Williams from the Jazz. This move was ultimately to lure Dwight Howard to New Jersey at the next trade deadline, but once the Howard circus resulted in him staying in Orlando, the Nets were once again looking empty handed.

Jay-Z and Prokhorov have been talking a ton of smack about the Knicks since they day they've arrived, but the only relevant team in New York is still the one that plays in MSG. The Nets can keep talking a big game, but right now they're looking like they're heading for another long stay in the league's cellar. Deron Williams will surely opt out, heading for greener and more championship ready pastures. Gerald Wallace might not opt out, but I'm not really sure anyone is shaking in their boots knowing the Nets best player will be him. Kris Humphries is unrestricted along with the emerging Gerald Green. Right now the Nets summer looks like it's going to be an ugly one. Brooklyn might be excited for it's first professional sports franchise since the Dodgers, but it won't be excited for too long. Next year it's just going to be a case of "talk s**t get hit" for the Nets and the ones doing the hitting will be Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said "good riddance, see you later" to the Nets. I can't wait 'til Brooklyn wants to do the same.

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Young Guns Get It Done For The Rangers

Young guns Chris Kreider and Derek Stepan carried the Rangers last night, and might just be the spark plug this team needed. 

As the Rangers faced one of the most important games in their recent history, I'm sure they were expecting some of their veterans to step up in order to provide the team's inspiration and a point total. Veteran Brad Richards stepped up to the challenge, but it was truly the play of NHL infant Chris Kreider and the 2nd year Derek Stepan who carried the Rangers back to the Garden.

After falling down 1-0 early in the first period, the Rangers looked dead in the water. They were generating no offense and the Senators were buzzing behind their raucous crowd. But the Rangers settled down forced some penalties and turned the momentum around though they were still heading into the dressing room trailing by one. Midway through the second period Richards connected with Stepan in front of the net on a beautiful pass that Richards eventually stuffed away after a few whacks. Later in the period on a 5-on-3 power play, Stepan returned the favor by hitting Richards who launched a bomb right underneath Craig Anderson's arm. About a minute later Stepan once again connected on another beautiful pass to Chris Kreider this time who calmly put it past Anderson to give the Rangers what would be the game winning goal.

Last night's game signaled good things to come for the Rangers. One, they get to head back to MSG with the momentum in an epic Game 7. Two, they might have found a gem in Chris Kreider for this playoff run and three, if all else fails their future is seriously bright. But New York isn't thinking about the future, they're thinking about the present. Now that they've breathed life back into their playoff hopes, the Rangers should be ready to step on the Senators' throat in Game 7.

Maybe last night was indication of how the Rangers are going to win going forward. They're always going to have to get some help from Lundqvist, we realize they are somewhat offensively challenged, but it's the guys who scored last night who might be the real difference. We all know about the silly contract that they threw at Richards this offseason, and while he hasn't really lived up offensively, his leadership has been invaluable. But they drafted Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider in successive years to exactly what they did last night, attack the net and abuse the twine. Obviously Stepan is almost two years ahead of Kreider in NHL experience, but that doesn't mean the former Eagle has to play like a rookie. Maybe it's time for us to move away the Rangers old style, score a goal or two and then hope Lundy is a stone wall. Those days might be behind the blueshirts thanks to some youthful exuberance and some raw skill. Kreider and Stepan won gold in 2010 at the World Junior Championships, so why can't they capture some more hardware this year? If last night is any signal for how these two will play going forward then the Rangers cup dreams could be a lot more realistic than we think.

Or New York could have just been teasing us last night, only to disappoint on Thursday night in the Garden and be sent home early with a boatload of questions. But if the Rangers think they're worthy of Lord Stanley's presence then these two young guns will be the propellers to this ship.

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Remembering Flying Brian

Dawkins' energetic style of play was contagious.

It's been a while since the days that Brian Dawkins was patrolling the middle for the Philadelphia Eagles, knocking out wide receivers, assaulting running backs and making big plays. But today Dawkins decided to hang up the cleats for good and it is honestly a gloomy day for the NFL.

Thinking back on those great Eagles teams in the mid 2000s, who are the most well remembered? Well for one Donovan McNabb, because not only was he a phenomenal talent, he was a walking media circus. Two Brian Westbrook for his ridiculous fantasy value and three, Brian Dawkins because he was simply a monster. Dawkins was a 9-time all-star, 6 time all pro and a member of the NFL All-2000s decade team. But it wasn't Flying Brian stats or accolades that garnered him fame, it was his energetic, feisty and sometimes wild play that led him to be known as the 2000s best strong safety. Dawkins was the consummate leader on defensive, always delivering fiery pre game speeches that weren't always for sensitive ears. But number 20 would back up his talk with a balls-to-wall style of play that was absolutely contagious. He also had a nickname for himself on the football field, and that was "Weapon X" or "Wolverine" as some of us know it. The Eagles long time safety was out of his mind on the football field and that is probably why he will be considered one of the greatest of all-time. He inspired his teammates not only with his choice words, but also with a fearless attitude.

Personally I remember Brian Dawkins for a few things. One, his wild Ray Lewis-like introduction dance, two his visor, which certainly hid some crazy eyes, and three, the "Flying Brian" tackle.  I've always been a big fan of his high flying style and his pre game hype. Dawkins played sixteen quality years in the NFL and certainly should go down as one of the greatest safeties of all-time. Today is a sad day for the National Football League to see a pro bowler move on to the football afterlife. I'm sure he'll be accepting a hall-of-fame invitation in five years from now, though I bet that speech won't be as fiery as his pre game ones.

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Mocking The Mock Draft

McShay and Kiper make a mockery out of the mock draft process.

NFL Draft week is upon us, and as we inch closer and closer to 8 PM on Thursday, the mock drafts get more "accurate," the coverage more in-depth and the feud between Todd McShay and Mel Kiper reaches a boiling point.

I love to watch the NFL Draft. I love the emotions on the kids faces as their dreams come true. I love the surprise trades and picks that make Chris Berman and co. go "whoa." But let's get serious for a second. The mock draft is an absolute...mockery... of the actual draft. It gets even worse when ESPN turns Todd McShay and Mel Kiper loose side-by-side. The two slave over the draft from the time the college season ends all the way up until that primetime slot on Thursday. By the time people start caring about the draft, let's say a week or so before, these two are wired to the max, probably losing their minds off of red bull, adderall and Andrew Luck/RGIII. Both of them have mocked at least 10 drafts of the first round and 5 of the entire draft. Kiper does it from his mom's basement, while at least McShay is in studio. But neither situations make it right for what they do next.

ESPN always once or twice puts these two analysts(more like clowns) on-air together to debate over whether Andrew Luck is better than RG III or who the best defensive player. At first it is always civil between these two, but then they end up spending the next few minutes just yelling and trying to talk over each other. Kiper always has this scowl on his face like he wants to knock McShay out and McShay always has this surprised look like he's about to say, "Come at me bro! See me in the streets!" The Sportscenter anchor always has to step in and eventually shut the circus down because neither has said anything decipherable at all. Jokes aside, watching these two individuals bicker at each other is some of the most unprofessional analysis I've ever seen. Both just want to flex their draft knowledge at each other and couldn't care less about doing their job.



This is a major reason why I don't waste my time listening to ESPN's pre-draft coverage or spending any quality time on the mock drafts. Just because Mel Kiper has been doing this since 1984 doesn't make him any more superior that McShay and just because McShay does his work in studio and Kiper does it from his mother's basement doesn't give the young McShay superiority either. I get that they have to cover the draft, because people do really care about it. Trying to mock a draft is one of the most sensitive things in sports. If one pick goes wrong, an entire mock draft can fall out of sync. That's when I click on a "Kiper's Mock Draft 4.0" I read it, take notice and then say "I'll believe it when I see it," and move on with my life.

So as you watch Sportscenter this week and see these two jokers go at it, hopefully you can laugh, because I'm going to just turn it off.

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Fallback Friday Classic Pic Of The Week

Jordan got the best of Kemp in the '96 Finals, but Kemp's high flying style was all too exciting.

Shawn Kemp In The '95-'96 NBA Finals


If there ever was an NBA Finals matchup that featured two regular season juggernauts in the Seattle Supersonics and Chicago Bulls. The Sonics won 64 games and the Bulls set the regular season record for wins with 72-10. Unfortunately for Seattle they ran into an absolute freight train in what could be considered Jordan's best year. The Bulls burst out to a 3-0 lead, but the Sonics rallied back with two monster wins at home, yet in classic Jordan-fashion the Bulls finished Seattle off in Game 6.

But our focus isn't on the prowess of the Bulls or how damn good Michael Jordan is, it's about Shawn Kemp. The "reignman" as they called him was the first true poster dunker, not Dr. J, not Dominique, not Daryl Dawkins. Kemp's cock it back and jam it in your face style was vicious, but it was scintillating. He also would let you know that you just got posterized with a finger point in your face. This picture is amazing not only because he's dunking over Jordan but that he's also got his legs wide like Jordan always did. Plus that Sonics jersey is classic.

If I could put my finger on one player not named Jordan that represented "90s cool" it would be Kemp. He was a straight gangster on the court playing with energy and a swagger that fit the times perfectly. His lanky frame made it seem like his dunks were coming from the parking lot. Unfortunately drug addiction got the best of Kemp like many players of that generation.

I look at the Reignman as the role model for the likes of Vince Carter, Blake Griffin and Jason Richardson so enjoy his top tens and think of him every time Blake Griffin puts his you know what in someone's face.

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Naming The Eastern Conference Playoff Contenders

Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers are the Darkhorses of this year's playoffs.

As the playoff race in the Eastern Conference barrels toward a scintillating finish we here at BDD&C want to give names to all nine of the teams in contention in the only way we can.

1. Chicago Bulls
The  Ultimate Team's Team
The Chicago Bulls haven't had Derrick Rose for a majority of the season, yet they still have shown all year that they're the best team in the Eastern Conference. The Tom Thibodeau-led Bulls are defensive, scary deep and have knock 'em out, drag 'em out attitude that is reminiscent of their 90s forefathers. Their old-school style has a lot of basketball purists drooling. Chicago is a likable squad that play hard and have a quiet superstar who plays with the intensity of a bull, literally. They're most likely going to be the matchup of the Miami Heat in the ECFs, which will make them everyone's team. If any team in NBA could be compared to a unified college team, this one is it. Their inexperience killed them last year, maybe their experience will be their savior this time around.

2. Miami Heat
Legion of Doom
No one likes the Miami Heat except for a bunch of fair-weather Miami fans, a couple people who have a dying affection for Lebron James and stat geeks who are all fired up about James' PER. Miami plays a suffocating style of defense and loves to run the fast break like Michael Vick likes to hit DeSean Jackson on the fade. Their 3-star alignment combined with a mockery of role players is at times laughable and other times mind-blowingly good. Mike Miller and Shane Battier have been horrendous in their respective roles, and if it wasn't for Norris Cole's emergence and Chalmers steady play, the Heat's 2nd unit would be a joke. The Big Three has accepted the villain role, but are struggling to uphold it.

3. Indiana Pacers
Darkhorses
It's actually sort of wild to think that the Indiana Pacers are 18 games over .500 even with the preseason hype they got this year. This team could be called the poor man's Chicago Bulls or the rich man's Philadelphia 76ers, whatever floats your boat. They are deep, play like the Hoosiers and have a serious chip on their shoulder. Danny Granger is one of the more underrated players in the league, but the emergence of Roy Hibbert as an all-star along with a formidable power forward in David West whom they acquired in the off season have taken the Pacers to the next level. If the pieces fall the right way this team could stumble into an Eastern Conference matchup with the Chicago Bulls which could be an interesting series despite it's lacking in national interest. I'm not as high on the Pacers as everyone else, but I see them as a good matchup for the Heat in the second round.

4. Boston Celtics
The Aging Wonders
Every year it's supposed to be the Celtics final try and every year they make a run in the regular season that dispels that notion. Boston was struggling to maintain the 8th and final playoff spot earlier in the year, now they've clinched the division and at least secured the fourth spot in the East. The turn around has seen a revival of Paul Pierce and the quick development of Avery Bradley as a lock down perimeter defender. If Ray Allen's relegation to the bench can resurrect his shooting career then the Celtics could be dangerous. They'll face the athletic Hawks in the first round, and if their solid defense can shut down the high flying, yet sporadic, Hawks then they'll meet Chicago in an exciting second round matchup.

5. Atlanta Hawks
The Bad Boys
The Hawks are an interesting team here, they're chalk full of talent but are a sometimes selfish and lazy group. Three straight losses in the Eastern Conference Semis has this team both thinking they're a contender and realizing that they just might not have enough to escape the second round. Josh Smith is one of the most talented players in the league, but his basketball IQ is low, making him an eye sore at times. I wouldn't compare them to the bad boys of the 90s Pistons in so much that they are fighters, but more because they can make it look easy or they can make it look like they just don't give a damn. Every year this team is a dark horse and every year they hit a brick wall in the second round.

6. Orlando Magic
Cirque De Soleil 
Dwight Howard turned a contending Orlando Magic team into a complete and utter mockery with his trade deadline shenanigans. Then he had an encore performance by enjoying the night out with his boy Jameer Nelson in New York and then losing by 30+ points. Howard and co. have quit on their coach and have made the Orlando Magic exactly who the Indiana Pacers want to play: a big joke. Aside from getting blazingly hot from the three point line, the Magic have no offense(or defense) beside D12. If Dwight doesn't play hard in the playoffs, which he won't, then expect a quick and ugly exit from the Magic.

7. New York Knicks
The One Man Show
The Knicks have two things right now, defense and Carmelo Anthony. Anthony has been on a tear since Mike Woodson took over and is trying his best to recreate Dirk's magical one man ride last year. 'Melo and the Knicks are blessed to have the same defensive stalwart in Tyson Chandler that Dirk had. The Knicks can be a threat in the playoffs if two things happen, one, they play exceptional defense and let Carmelo just go to work or two, have Amar'e come back and tear it up in a similar way. I'll tell you what, if the Knicks can somehow pull off the upset against the Heat, they will have a damn good chance of beating the Indiana Pacers and being in the Eastern Conference Finals.

8. Philadelphia 76ers
The Fading Upstarts
At one point the Sixers were 20-9 and clearly a lock for the Atlantic division title, let alone the playoffs. Now they are on the verge of missing the playoffs, and probably won't be seeded higher than eighth. This sort of collapse is exactly what happens when you're a team of 10 sixth mans. Andre Iguodala has been a bigger offensive disappoint than Michael Jordan is as an owner. Lou Williams has emerged as a nice player, but the rest of the team just hasn't picked up the slack. Spencer Hawes who was a heralded player earlier in the season has been an absolute disappointment lately. These Sixers will probably make the playoffs thanks to an ugly Bucks loss to the Wizards last night, however I'm pretty sure the brooms will be out in Chicago once the Sixers come to town.

9. Milwaukee Bucks
Too Little, Too Late
The Bucks made an interesting move at the deadline bringing Monta Ellis for the oft-injured Andrew Bogut, but have slowly realized that trade might have been a bad one. The volatile Ellis, Jennings backcourt could blow up in their faces next year and it hasn't really got them closer to a playoff spot this year. Even though the Sixers are trending downward fast, I don't see the Bucks catching them. Oh and Ersan Ilyasova just isn't that good.

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Ugly Sweaters, Beautiful Game, The Nashville Predators

Their ugly yellow sweaters and unfortunate franchise location hasn't kept the Predators down.

They rock the ugliest jerseys in the league. They play in Nashville, Tennessee. They've never won a division title, and are an ugly 1-5 in all-time playoff series. But this season the Nashville Predators are poised to obliterate their franchise history and maybe even take the Western Conference by storm.

When the Nashville Predators caught fire in the month of January winning 14 of 17, folks around the league started to raise their eyebrows. They have scoring balance, a monster set of blue liners and a goalie who has been an absolute warrior, playing 73 games and winning 43 of them. Shea Weber and Ryan Suter headline one of the best D pairings in the league and Martin Erat, David Legwand and Mike Fisher lead the team in the scoring department. Nashville was clearly a Western Conference playoff team, but what they did on the deadline transformed them from pretender to contender in a few short hours.

The Predators had to make major moves to take their status to the next level, and that's exactly what they did. Their go for it all attitude was made clear when they acquired wily veteran Paul Gaustad from Buffalo for a first round pick. It's questionable to say that the former Sabres face-off man was worth such a high price, but his worth was made clear with Nashville's Stanley Cup aspirations. Gaustad's game does fit perfectly for the playoffs as he wins face-offs and patrols the boards so we are talking about one of the elite grinders in the show. Nashville also acquired Andrei Kostitsyn, joining his brother Sergei to shore up scoring wing depth. The hockey world knew that the Predators were good, but these moves sent a clear message that it was cup or bust in the Music City.

Entering the playoffs as a four seed the Predators had the daunting task of unseating one of the NHL's greatest franchises and finest playoff teams, the Detroit Red Wings. But the deadline acquisitions the Predators made allowed them to match the veteran-nature of the Red Wings, and with Pekka Rinne carrying the entire city of Nashville on his back, Detroit just can't seem to find that killer instinct anymore. Nashville took a 3-1 lead last night with a solid two-way win, pushing the Red Wings to the brink. Heading home on Friday should help the Predators seal the deal and move on to the second round.

Nashville has taken on the dark horse role quite nicely. We understand their located in probably the most non-hockey town in the entire United States, but their management has shown over the years(especially this year) that they are among the elite in the league. No hockey purist wants me to sit here and rave about a team located in the South, or a team that rocks a hideous yellow sweater at home, but the Predators are for real. Let the Sharks, Blues and Kings soak up all the Western Conference spotlight, Nashville will just keep steady on it's goal of sipping Jack Daniel's from Lord Stanley's chalice.

I don't know if I like the Predators against the likes of the Rangers, Flyers or Bruins, but I see them as a serious threat to take home Campbell trophy. So cringe all you want at their screaming ugly yellow jerseys, they'll just respond with a W.

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The Ugly Reality In This Pens, Flyers Series

The Flyers embarrassment of the Penguins, might just signal that they're "warming up for June." 

When it was made clear that major instate rivals, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, were going to play in the first round of the NHL playoffs the whole hockey world was bursting with excitement. "This is going to be an insane series"or "best series in all of the playoffs here," they would say. And while this series has lived up to the excitement it has done so in a way no one expected.

The Penguins came into this series as the favorites, hotter than ever with Sidney Crosby recently returning and Evgeni Malkin well on his way to a Hart Trophy. Philadelphia on the other hand was the hated team, playing a style that reminisced just slightly to their Broad Street Bullies days in the 70s. This series had all the making of a bang 'em up, drag 'em out, seven game slugfest. But it just hasn't turned out that way.

After the Penguins exploded to a 3-0 lead in Game 1, it looked as if the Penguins were clearly the superior team. But as the Flyers had done several times this season, they chipped away at the lead, tied it in the third and won in dramatically in OT. To watch it live and say it was shocking would be an understatement. Philadelphia had just ripped the Penguins heart out in their own building, but most importantly the series had begun in the exact fashion everyone predicted. Game 2 was certainly going to be the Penguins game; it had to be right? Not so fast. Pittsburgh blew leads of 3-1, 4-3 and 5-4 on their way to getting shellacked in the third period 4-1, finishing the game at 8-5. The seed of doubt had been planted in the Penguins locker room. What happened? Why was the sexy pick looking like a victim of the broom? Game 3 explained it all.

As expected the Wells Fargo Center was popping off before the puck even dropped. The sea of orange looked more like a group of blood-thirsty individuals rather than a bunch of faithful fans. Pittsburgh struck first, not like that matter to anyone in the building. The Flyers were going to answer right back. Maxim Talbot answered with a weak shorthanded goal that somehow got by the newly discovered sieve Marc-Andre Fluery and instead of just skating back to the center dot, the Penguins answered with fisticuffs. This was the moment when Pittsburgh had lost it, and everyone realized that once the red light went on for Philly, Pittsburgh was going to dip deeper and deeper into the realm of insanity. Briere scored twice in the next four minutes, and the Penguins again starting pushing and shoving battles that were meant for the elementary schoolyard. But the defining moment in all of the games shenanigans came before Briere scored his second goal, when Brayden Schenn destroyed Paul Martin with a totally clean hit. Aaron Asham took an issue with Schenn and retaliated with a monster two-hand to Schenn's neck, dropping him to the ground. Once Schenn was on the ice and basically helpless Asham threw a right hook to his head. The refs were having none of it and sent Asham to the dressing room immediately.

What happened in the rest of the game doesn't even really matter. The game was settled already. As the Flyers coasted to an 8-5 win, James Neal added to the Pittsburgh immaturity by blindsiding Sean Couturier who didn't even have the puck. But none of this mattered, the Flyers had already burrowed deep inside of the minds of the Penguins and were beating their psyche into the ground. The Penguins were supposed to be the mature team, chalk full of wily veterans who weren't interested in being tough, just winning the cup. Instead they went out there in Game 3 with their backs against the wall and acted with inappropriate vengeance. This isn't the USHL, there is no room for childish actions like Asham and Neal's hits. Pittsburgh acted like a bunch of spoiled kids who weren't getting what they want. Yes, they are the more skilled team, but heart is trumping skill in this series. Philadelphia is playing like a team that wants a drink of PBR out of Lord Stanley, while Pittsburgh has drifted far away from their ways that won them the cup in 2009.

I will say that I cannot guarantee to anyone that this series is over. If there is any team that knows how to turn the ship around fast, it is certainly the Pittsburgh Penguins. But if they even ponder the idea of playing a vengeful style game on Wednesday they will surely become the victim of the broom. All in all, the Flyers have embarrassed the Penguins in every facet of the game. They're 16 goals in the last two game is more than what most teams score when they win a playoff series. It's been an absolute shellacking and it's been done by the team that no one thought would. This series might end on Wednesday night, but it has shown us just enough about this Flyers squad's attitude; they're coming for blood, so watch out Eastern Conference.

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Getting You Fired Up For Tonight's Opening Games Of The Stanley Cup Playoffs

Tonight marks the beginning of what should be another wild ride in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. It's hard pressed to find a sport that becomes all that more exciting as hockey does when it enters its second season. The games are faster, smoother and the advent of sudden death overtime allows for the immortalization of heroes and the unfortunate creation of goats.

So while I don't have much time to give you a detailed run up or predictions for these playoffs, I'll just leave you with CBC closing montage of last year's playoff. A touch of nostalgia, a boatload of excitement and my three bold predictions for the first round. Rangers in 4. Canucks in 7. Predators in 5.

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Bubba Watson, America's Kind Of Masters Winner

Bubba Watson won the first of many majors in his growing career.

When Sunday's final round of the Master's began, Bubba Watson was a bit of an afterthought. Yes, he was only 3 back of Saturday's leader Peter Hanson and was playing seriously consistent golf(-3,-1,-2) but between Phil Mickleson's masterful 6 under 3rd round and Louis Oosthuizen's annoying but scintillating last name, Watson wasn't really on the mind of the those watching Sunday's performance. That was until Sunday's final pairings actually began.

The final round of the Masters exploded out of the gates thanks to the tournament's first ever albatross by the little Hobbit man himself, Louis Oosthuizen. The South African immediately jumped into the lead at 10 under. So before the viewers could even catch their breathe, Oosthuizen had taken over, but that still didn't deter them from rooting hard for Phil Mickelson all the way through. Lefty triple bogeyed the fourth hole forcing himself to be aggressive to get back to the top. Phil kept pushing all the way to the end, yet couldn't overcome his hideous blunder. So while the South African and the beloved American battled each other through raucous applauses, Watson quietly kept chipping away at the lead.

The 14th hole was where Bubba Watson broke through. He teed off the par-4 with a beautiful bomb right in the middle of the fairway and then equaled the drive with a masterful approach shot in which he looked to overshoot the green only to spin the ball back close to the hole. Cool as ever, Watson nailed the birdie putt and then our leaders were tied. As the rest of the country watched and prayed for Lefty to make a dramatic run to the top spot, the two leaders conservatively pared their way to a playoff. 

Once both Oosthuizen and Watson missed their birdie putts on 18, Americans instantly swung their attention to the Florida-born 33-year old. Each pared the first playoff hole on 18, sending the two to the 10th hole where the tournament was ultimately decided. 

Watson was up first to tee off. Right as he connected with his drive he raised his right hand and pointed in the same direction. It was a frozen moment. Watson stood there signaling to the anxious crowd around him, and the Americans watching on television, that he had blown it. That he had let his country down. That his drive was sailing wildly to right most likely along with his chance at a green jacket. But he calmly picked up his tee, said a few relaxed words to his caddy and proceeded to watch Louis Oosthuizen do what everyone thought he would do, hit a conservative 3-wood drive right down the middle of the fairway. But instead the South African shanked his ball similarly, though not as dramatically, to the right. This breathed life back into Watson. Oosthuizen followed up his poor drive, with an even worse approach shot leaving it short of the green. Bubba was fortunate to have a quality lie in the pine needles. The crowd formed a lane for what would be seen as the shot of the tournament. Watson lifted his shot and hooked it exactly as planned and landed the shot within nine feet of the hole, and now, barring a Hobbit-like miracle it was Watson's hole, and tournament, to win.

Bubba Watson's 2012 Masters never really encapsulated that wild drama that plenty of Masters victories before him have. He played a consistent game all the way and made it count when it mattered. Yes his magical approach from the pine needles will surely go down as the defining moment of his tournament, but his consistency round-to-round was the difference. Bubba Watson celebrated his first Masters win in the only fashion we appreciate, a face full of grateful tears and a round of hearty hugs. This won't be Watson's last major victory and it might not be his most memorable but the image of his pink driver, wild swing and luscious flow will be forever seared into the memories of golf fans forever.

Congratulations Bubba, see you in June. 

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New: Fallback Friday Classic Pic of the Week

2002 Los Angeles Clippers

What is there to say about the 2001-'02 Clippers? For all the hype surrounding this team in the preseason no one realized that this team was heading nowhere fast. Aside from Elton Brand, this group of clowns including Quentin Richardson, finished a disappointing 39-43 and missed the playoffs. Brand actually had a great season averaging around 18 and 12, but Lamar Odom only averaged 13 and 6 and Darius Miles didn't even eclipse the 10 point a game mark. Actually I'm pretty sure Miles was more interested in his acting career. Remember the Perfect Score? I certainly don't. But I do remember his cameo in National Lampoon's Van Wilder. Classic.

This squad is probably the epitome of the Clippers organization. All hype, no success. Even though Miles had a penitence for abusing the rim and happened to be my favorite player as a youngin', he was never that good. The Clippers wisely traded him to the Cavs for Andre Miller, but then tanked the next year only winning 27 games. I'd say that this time period was the dark ages for NBA basketball, but this cover speaks for itself.

Each player is wearing each other's jerseys, backwards, which was a fad that started and died probably within in the same month. The NBA was truly trying to clean up its image at the time of AI running around getting arrested and Kobe's rape case, so this cover wasn't David Stern's favorite. Darius Miles' look is phenomenal though with the unwrapped doo-rag underneath the headband. I just wish he had been throwing up the "head bump" that he did with Q-Rich, then we'd be talking about a hall of fame caliber cover here. However, Odom takes the cake in this picture looking like "Lurch" from the Adams Family. I get that these guys were doing it "together," but they were hardly doing anything. Anyways, I thought this was a great way to start off Fallback Fridays. 

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Blake Griffin Makes Pau Gasol His Son

It's been a while since we had a good 'ol Blake Griffin poster slam on our site here, probably because the Clippers have been amidst a mutiny and weren't really interested in making any highlights. Well last night, the Clippers didn't actually win the game, but Blake Griffin was back at it. Griffin made it clear early that he had something to prove to the Lakers, maybe that he isn't soft or that L.A. is his town(which after the loss is clearly not). Early in the first quarter Blake went up for a put back and absolutely embarrassed Pau Gasol, though it may or may not have been an over-the-back.


Then later in the game Blake did one of his classic pick-and-roll posters by putting his off hand in Pau's face and then just abusing the rim. Unfortunately folks, this play, similar to the dunk on Perkins, was an offensive foul. Griffin clearly pushes off Gasol to get leverage and would not have been able to completely the dunk without him. Yet, I give the refs credit. You cannot call that offensive foul in that situation. Pau basically traded in his man card by not only getting dunked on like a school boy, but also letting himself get thrown down afterward and not even responding to Blake in anyway. Again, while it is an offensive foul, this is a man's league, so when you act like a school boy you get treated like a school boy.


Side note, what's going on here?

Look at the far right. Andrew Bynum is laughing at his own teammate getting absolutely man handled. There are plenty of obvious things wrong with this picture. One thing isn't obvious, Bynum, why are you at the free throw line? You're a defensive center playing defensive, you shouldn't be hanging around the perimeter. You should be down there taking Blake Griffin to the ground before he even gets a chance to put your soft teammate on a poster. Anyways, Andrew Bynum seems to me like one of those guys that just isn't always interested and this is obvious in this picture. The face is priceless though.

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The Masters

The first weekend in April always signals a couple good things. One, the weather is steadily improving though it's probably actually 50 and rainy most days. Two, the NBA and NHL playoffs are reaching their final week and third and most importantly the Masters.

Every year the Masters arrives with a flurry since it is the first of the four PGA majors, and is probably the classiest of them all. Augusta National is still is mired in a somewhat admirable, somewhat backwards philosophy that promotes only the classiest of individuals, but still doesn't admit women. The allure of Augusta has and will never die and that's why the Masters will always live on as America's favorite golf tournament.

This year's tournament features a restored Tiger, coming off his first win in what seems like forever, the returning champion Charl Schwartzel who certainly won't repeat, Rory McIlroy who is still trying to become the next Tiger and of course Phil Mickelson who you never rule out, especially in the Masters. Like every major tournament in the PGA, one of our favorites probably won't win and we will watch some no name( like Schwartzel) ascend up the leaderboard and either hold on for dear life or cave into the pressures that only the finest golfers can defeat. 

I'm actually a far bigger fan of the U.S. Open because of it's course changes from year-to-year. The Open highlights the United States's finest courses, but the Masters is just too much of a classic to deny. Nothing is better than sitting down with the family on Easter Sunday and watching the final round of the Masters. I feel bad for anyone whose family isn't as into the Masters as mine is. When we're lucky enough to have Masters Sunday on Easter Sunday we all should genuflect to whatever lord we believe in and celebrate, because this occasion only comes around every once and a while.

Don't look to me to pick a favorite for this year's tournament. I don't watch enough golf outside of the Major tournaments and the TPC to know whose going to win this year's Masters. But I'll be right there watching about every minute as I know most of you will too. Enjoy the time with the family and the gentlemen's game.

And now enjoy Tiger's chip in 2005 for the 19390th time.

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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly From The National Championship

Kentucky's victory on Monday night signals bad signs for college basketball.

Mondays's national championship game was interesting to say the least. Though it didn't always enthrall us with end-to-end exciting basketball it did leave us with some different ideas to take in both during and after the game.

The Good

Kentucky As a Whole

Kentucky might not have been the best team all season but their style of play tantalized us with a showcase of supreme athleticism, undying selflessness and a serious commitment to defense. That's exactly how they won the National Championship on Monday night. Despite John Calipari being one of the slimiest characters in sports let alone college basketball, his Kentucky team was much more attractive than his free-wheeling, over privileged '07-'08 Memphis Tigers team that went on to lose dramatically to a similar Kansas team. Last night that wasn't going to happen because of the Wildcats solid team D. Even when UK got cold, their defense stayed the part.

Anthony Davis' Final Showcase In College

Anthony Davis declared for the NBA before he even entered Rupp Arena, but we knew that, so the whole season began and ended with us assessing just how good this 6'10" lanky, athletic and downright ugly center could be. Everyone had their premises about how he might be the best player in college basketball and it didn't take long for that to come true. Davis had shown himself all season as being a solid offensive player with phenomenal defensive play-making ability transforming him into a dynamic player. But Monday night he solidified himself and his draft status with an overly impressive game letting scouts and NBA GMs that no one should even second guess him. Davis had only 6 points. But chipped in with 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 blocks and 3 steals. He was asked last night to be the defensive enforcer and to crash the glass, and he did so as only the best college basketball could. The surefire 1st overall selection should only grow in the NBA game, but for now we can just dream of the possibilities for this kid. All-Star? All-Pro? Hall-of-famer? We shall see, last night was a definitely a good start.

Kansas Made It A Game
Kentucky led for most of this game at a 14/15/16 point click and really dominated both sides of the ball holding Kansas to ugly shooting numbers while connecting for more than 60% of their own shots. But the Jayhawks buckled down late and cut the lead to 5, but when you fall behind 16 points to something of a D-League team, you're just not going to win. At least they made it exciting, with Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor bringing their Jayhawks back through a series of pick-and-rolls and beautiful finishes. I've always been impressed by Thomas Robinson's game and I knew that he had to get hot in order to bring Kansas back. Unfortunately it was too little, too late as Kentucky, unlike their Memphis predecessors, actually hit their free throws to preserve the win. I'm sure I'm not the only one who was glad that Kansas dug down deep and made it a game.

The Bad
Kansas's First Half
I don't know why Kansas tripped out of the gates and appeared like they were a Cinderella team that waltzed unknowingly into the mouth of a beast. They were playing like VCU, not Kansas. Kentucky dominated all facets of the game and stuck it to the Jayhawks like they had a chip the size of the United States on their shoulder(which they probably did). Kansas keyed in on Anthony Davis who made them pay in all different ways and unselfishly let his teammates like Doron Lamb and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist lead the way. Bill Self rallied his troops in the second half, but the ugliness of that first half will haunt them forever. I'm sorry but you can't dig yourself a six foot hole against the best team in the nation and actually dig yourself out.

The Ugly
What Kentucky's Win Means To The College Basketball World
Monday night set a lot of college basketball purists into a winding and deep depression that should leave them somewhere between maddeningly confused and downright pissed off. John Calipari's "one-an-done" philosophy finally turned to gold after years of things going wrong. For a while our college ball traditionalists had a strong case against Calipari. "Yeah, your freshman-laden team is pretty good, but their inexperience will catch up to them," they would say. They were totally right until now. I think what's worse than the fact that Calipari won with 3 freshman and 2 sophomores is that Calipari won it with smug openness about how he will recruit the best players in the nation no matter what age they are or what their future plans are. It's ugly, because all of these Wildcats players will go on to be 1st round picks and John Calipari will simply retool with another group of phenom 18 year olds who will push Kentucky deep into the NCAA Tournament once again next year. Now that Kentucky actually has hardware to back up its revolutionary recruiting philosophy there is no reason for any "one and done" player to go anywhere else. Calipari knows how to handle egos and craft superstars; his teams are like D-League teams because there is no academic standard or school spirit. These players are here to win a National Championship, grow as budding professionals and get themselves ready for the National Basketball Association. Monday signaled the death of college basketball as we know it and a true transition into the "one-and-done" era. 

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Bar Down Dandy March Madness Champion: Dwyane Wade

The Legacy of Dwyane Wade started at Marquette.

For Dwyane Wade a journey toward stardom started at the budding basketball program known as Marquette University. Playing alongside dynamic shooters Steve Novak and Travis Diener, Wade exploded for what was considered one of the greatest individual NCAA Tournament's ever. In the Elite Eight, Marquette upset #1 Kentucky due in large part to Wade's triple double of 28 pts, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.  The lack of respect D-Wade has gotten over his career all began on draft day in 2003. Despite his phenomenal tournament and known talents, the Marquette star still found himself behind four players. One, his newest teammate, Lebron, two a major league bust in Darko Millic, three, National Championship winning Carmelo Anthony and four, another one of his teammates, Georgia Tech's Chris Bosh.

Next up was the Miami Heat, who wisely selected Dwyane Wade with the 5th pick. Wade immediately made an impact on his new Miami squad, averaging 16.2 points both coming off the bench and as a starter helping his team reach the second round of the playoffs. But 2004-05 was the budding star's coming out party. The Heat acquired big man Shaquille O'Neal and everything changed, including Wade's game. In the next year, Wade took his game to new heights averaging 24 pts, almost 7 asts and 5 rebounds. At this point he was starting to become the solid all-around offensive player we know today. Shaq had helped open up the game for Wade, who in turn, took off. Once again the Heat fell short of the NBA Finals, but Wade put on a performance in the ECF against the Detroit Pistons that would have everyone at home clamoring for more.

After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Pistons, Wade took his game to the height an even greater level in '05-'06. This season was, to this day, still his best season ever. But it wasn't what he did in the season or even most of the playoffs that brought Wade into the "best in the game" discussion, it was actually his performances in the 2006 NBA Finals.

Dwyane Wade dominated Dirk Nowitzki in the 2006 NBA Finals

Dwyane Wade's 2006 NBA Finals could be considered the ceiling or the marker in which to judge him on and he hasn't been able to recreate this since. Whether that has to do with all the injuries he's accumulated since or the acquisition of Lebron James, people still wonder if Wade can ever emulate his 2006 NBA Finals form again. After the Mavericks took a commanding 2-0 lead at home the Heat looked dead in the water. Wade was doing his part, (sort of with 28 pts in Game 1, 23 pts in Game 2) but his teammates weren't. However, games 3, 4, 5 and 6 all belonged to the Heat and Wade was their driving force. In those four games Wade averaged an astonishing 39 points per game including two double-doubles. The Finals MVP was his and he was now immortalized amongst the Jordan's, Kobe's, Bird's and Magic's Finals performances.

After this series we all realized what we had here. Despite all the hoopla surrounding the human highlight reel that was Lebron James, Dwyane Wade might have just become the best player in the NBA at the time. I mean John Hollinger said that Wade's PER in the Finals was the greatest ever, and even those that don't salivate over stats said that this could rival Jordan's best. It was Jordan-esque because it didn't reach a Game 7. It was Jordan-esque because at times, Wade was unstoppable. But most importantly it was Jordan-esque because when Wade was called on to put his foot on the opponents throat, he did so, and did it without a smile or a hesitant thought. Dwyane Wade was a player with super skills, but he had shown that he had a penitence for greatness.

Wade and the Heat struggled in the next few years as both he and his teammates battled injuries and inconstancies. Shaq could never regain his form and Wade was trying to do way too much on the court pushing his body past its limits. From '07-'10, the Heat never could get out of the first round of the playoffs and the doubts about Wade resurfaced. By the end of 2010 playoffs, with a potential early termination option lurking in the shadows, the Miami Heat guard had shown concerns on whether he thought Miami was doing what it takes to build around him again. But instead of leaving to Chicago in July of 2010 like many sources had said, Wade stayed in South Beach and recruited his good friends and stars Lebron James and Chris Bosh.

Without even knowing it, Dwyane Wade had already become the most under appreciated NBA player of all-time. His new teammate, Lebron James had attracted so much attention with his pompous "Decision" show on ESPN and his brutally cheesy "Next year I'm taking my talents to South Beach," that D-Wade could never reclaim ownership of the Heat as "his team." The Heat will live and die by what Lebron James did, no matter how many big shots Wade hits or how many points he has. Dwyane Wade sent in his resignation from ever having an MVP going forward. None of his titles from here on out will ever truly have his name on it. He is the same player he was in '06 and he has that same Jordan-esque killer instinct, but after 2010 nothing Dwyane Wade ever does will truly be appreciated in the way it should.

But we here at Bar Down Dandy & Co. will give him credit now, and give him credit later. Congratulations Dwyane Wade on being named Bar Down Dandy & Co's QB#1.

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NHL Redraft: 2005

Jon Quick was the steal of the 2005 draft(72nd overall), where would he be drafted today?

As we barrel uncontrollably toward this year's NHL playoff, we at BDD&C decided to take a step back and see how the 14 lottery teams would have drafted in 2005 with 7 years of hindsight in their possession. I understand 7 years comes off as an odd number but 7 years in an NHL draft is actually more like 5 years because of the redraft policy which allows an unsigned player to re-enter the draft within two years of getting drafted. Here we go:

1. Pittsburgh
Redraft Pick: Sidney Crosby(1)
Original Pick: Sidney Crosby
This one is still a no-brainer even if Crosby's career teeters on the edge thanks to these head injuries. He, when healthy, is a top 3 player, won them a Stanley Cup and was their best player despite Malkin winning the Conn Smythe that year. Easy one here.

2. Anaheim
Redraft Pick: Anze Kopitar(11)
Original Pick: Bobby Ryan
These is a rivalry changing pick. Kopitar would have jumped right into the '06-'07 Stanley Cup winning Ducks team and fit nicely. Could you imagine Kopitar as the Ducks #2 center behind Getzlaf? Talk about zero drop off from line one to two. The Yugoslavian product has only improved since his arrival in the NHL in 2006. He has not only been a consistent 60+ point scorer, but he has really improved his all-around game with a +42 rating in his las three years compared to a -44 in his first three. '09-'10 turned out to be his true breakout year where he had 81 points, a +6 rating and led the Kings to their first playoff appearance since '02. The Ducks are 24th in goals per game and could really need Kopitar's dynamic offensive game.

3. Carolina
Redraft Pick: Marc Staal(12)
Original Pick: Jack Johnson
I'm sure the Hurricanes are regretting not selecting their star Eric Staal's brother for more than just the family ties. Marc Staal, despite a slew of injuries, has become a mainstay on the Rangers #1 blue line unit. He has a nice balance between a "move the puck" game and a defensive game. If the Hurricanes had Staal they could the push the promising, but unexperienced Justin Faulk to the second line as Staal would certainly team up with Tim Gleason forming a solid first line D-pair. Carolina is dead last in the Southeast because they are almost dead last in goals allowed. Staal here would be a major upgrade to a defensive corp lacking depth.

4. Minnesota Wild
Redraft Pick: Carey Price(5)
Original Pick: Benoit Pouliot
Here's our first bust. Pouliot actually has finally found his game with the Canadians this year, but then again Montreal was about as bad as the AHL teams Pouliot has been playing for. Niklas Backstrom, the Wild's current goalie is a solid tender but is not anywhere near Carey Price. Price has led the Canadians to multiple playoff appearances and despite his mental breakdowns from time-to-time, he still is one of the best goaltenders in the league. Bringing in a goalie with hall of fame potential may just be what the Wild needed to break their four year playoff drought.

5. Montreal Canadians
Redraft Pick: Paul Stastny(44)
Original Pick: Carey Price
The Canadians would have loved to selected Price here, but since he's gone they'll settle with Paul Stastny, who becomes our first major reach guy(drafted 44th overall).  I toyed with this one for a while(between Stastny and Bobby Ryan) but I like Stastny's all around game a bit better. Montreal would immediately have their first line center here with Stastny who is a solid guy in every facet of the game. He is also the kind of leader that the volatile Canadians' locker room needs. Maybe having the level-headed Stastny instead of Nutcase Price would have benefited these Canadians more in the playoffs over the years.

6. Columbus Blue Jackets
Redraft Pick: Bobby Ryan(2)
Original Pick: Gilbert Brule
Bobby Ryan is a highly talented player who doesn't always perform and sometimes doesn't give it his all. Ryan and Nash would be a dynamic duo if they wanted to play on the same line, or they would create real depth at the winger position for the Jackets. Some consider Ryan as a 50-goal talent, though I'm not sure he has the head for it. Columbus is 28th in scoring, which means that Ryan's 30+ goal average would really help out their sputtering offense.

7. Chicago Blackhawks
Redraft Pick: Jonathan Quick(72)
Original Pick: Jack Skille
If the Blackhawks had drafted Quick instead of Skille, we might be talking about two or three Stanley Cups for Chicago. Quick has been solid over his career, but has become an absolute stalwart in net the last two years. Right now Quick has a 1.92 GAA and a silly .930 save percentage. If the Blackhawks had Quick they wouldn't have wasted money on Ray Emery and had to call up the overwhelmed Corey Crawford. Despite the Stanley Cup victory a few years ago, this bust pick might have costed them more serious success. Quick might just take over Miller as the USA's goaltender in 2014.

8. San Jose Sharks
Redraft Pick: Kris Letang(62)
Original Pick: Devin Setoguchi
Kris Letang has truly come into his own as one of the best in the game. He's a move the puck defensemen who makes very few mistakes. Last year he put up a sensational campaign of 50 pts and a +15 rating. Letang would fortify an already strong D corp and make a phenomenal pairing with Dan Boyle who fancies himself a lot of points as well. Setoguchi, the Sharks original pick, has been in and out of the lineup his whole career with injuries and while he has showed promise, Letang is a much more formidable pick here.

9. Ottawa Senators
Redraft Pick: Keith Yandle(105)
Original Pick: Brian Lee
Yandle is one of the premier offensive defensemen in the league and is a huge reason for the Coyotes success over the last few years. Yandle would team up nicely with the budding star defensmen Erik Karlsson and create a great D pair. The Senators rank 24th in GAA, though they are currently 7th in the East. Yandle would definitely create some depth on the blue line and add even more firepower to one of the league's best offense. Brian Lee has been in and out of the AHL and hasn't yet found his game in the NHL.

10. Vancouver Canucks
Redraft Pick: T.J. Oshie(24)
Original Pick: Luc Bourdon
The Vancouver Canucks are already an elite team in the NHL, adding Oshie instead of Bourdon would have been a major upgrade to their scoring depth. I'm not sure Oshie could crack the Canucks second line, but he would be surely be a threat on the third line. The North Dakota product is a pure energy player, who has sweet hands and is a consistent 20 goal scorer. Oshie has showed some immaturity on and off the ice, but I think we'll see his true colors this playoffs. The Canucks aren't killing themselves for not drafting Oshie here, but it definitely would've added fuel to an already burning fire.

11. Los Angeles Kings
Redraft Pick: Jack Johnson(3)
Original Pick: Anze Kopitar
Well the Kings knew what was good with both of these players, getting a steal with Kopitar at the 11th pick and acquiring Johnson for a fading Eric Belanger and a lesser defensemen in Tim Gleason. These two players are a big reason to why the L.A. Kings are no longer the laughing stock of the Western Conference.

12. New York Rangers
Redraft Pick: James Neal(33)
Original Pick: Marc Staal
James Neal had been a solid NHLer for the first three years of his career, but this year he has exploded. Neal has 80 points and though it's 100% because of Evgeni Malkin's phenomenal season, his offense would definitely help out a Rangers squad contending for a title. Neal would fit in perfectly on the Callahan and Dubinsky line. Unfortunately not being able to draft Marc Staal might seriously hurt their defensive prowess, but at least they'd be a bit more exciting to watch.

13. Buffalo Sabres
Redraft Pick: Mason Raymond(51)
Original Pick: Marek Zagrapan 
Raymond hasn't put up the greatest scoring seasons, but that's mostly because of his relegation to third and fourth lines on the scoring heavy Vancouver Canucks. Raymond's soft hands would fit perfectly with Derek Roy or Tyler Ennis at center for the Sabres. Marek Zagrapan on the other hand, had his try in the NHL and has proven that he is just not worthy of an NHL roster spot. The Sabres could really use a high IQ two-way forward like Raymond.

14. Washington Capitals
Redraft Pick: Niklas Hjalmarsson(108)
Original Pick: Sasha Pokulok 
The Washington Capitals always need stay at home defensemen and this guy is exactly what they need. I think he would be a perfect fit with the run-and-gun happy Mike Green. Hjalmarsson isn't going to blow you away with his stats but he works hard and brings a great attitude to the game. Attitude problems have been one of the Capitals biggest downfalls, leading them to disappointing early playoff exits. Sasha Pokulok, their original pick hasn't even touched the NHL ice let alone played on it.

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Mike D'Antoni Should Be The Next Coach Of The Los Angeles Clippers

Mike D'Antoni would maximize the talent on the Los Angeles Clippers.

As they sit and watch an inevitably lame duck coach in Vinny Del Negro ride a wild roller coaster seasons toward some disappointing early playoff exit, the Los Angeles Clippers have a decision to make for next year; who's going to be the man at the end of the bench? Given the circumstances that happened in New York and the team assembled here in L.A., Mr. "run-and-gun" D'Antoni seems like a very likely and smart choice for the next Clippers head coaching job.

Just imagine Chris Paul under Mike D'Antoni's wide open system. Paul is arguably the best all-around offensive point guard in the game and would absolutely flourish under D'Antoni who can turn mediocre point guards into monsters. Whether it be the drive and dish to a corner 3 point threat, or the devastating pick and roll game with Blake Griffin, Paul and D'Antoni would be a match made in heaven. Remember Nash and Stoudemire in Phoenix? We're talking a consistent 50-win season every year for the Clippers and just imagine the shootouts they would have with the offensive-minded Oklahoma City Thunder. Unbelievable.

Clippers fans would also eat D'Antoni up. I'm not sure whether they actually care about winning a championship, but I can certainly tell you that they want to be entertained. That's exactly what a D'Antoni Clippers-led team would be, straight scintillating. The Staples Center would become the stage for basketball's most exciting Hollywood act(at least when it was a red night and not a yellow one.) So what if it has become clear that D'Antoni will never alter his system or ever win a championship, Chris Paul and co. fit all too perfectly for him. If the Clippers want to sell the you know what out of the Staples Center and maybe even rip the spotlight right out of the Lakers hands, then they must hire D'Antoni.

There of course are some roadblocks to this picture perfect scenario. One is the most obvious, if Vinny Del Negro can end this mutiny and maximize this team's potential, which in laymen terms means take them to the Western Conference Finals, then he'll most likely come back. You have to reward for post season success like that. The second roadblock isn't as much of a roadblock as it is a prerequisite to success. The Clippers are currently 12th in 3 point shooting percentage, and while that isn't terrible, it's not great either. D'Antoni's offense is centered around the point guard's ability to drive to the hole and either dish off of the rolling screener or hit someone behind the arc for three. With that being said, it won't be hard to find a Jason Kapono or Steve Novak but I actually really like them bringing in Lou Williams(if he opts out) to play the SG position alongside Chris Paul. The options are pretty wide open for the Clippers who have some cap space to play with.

As we saw in New York with Carmelo and D'Antoni, a superstar can force a coach out of a city. We might just see the same happen with Del Negro and Chris Paul. As ironic as this whole situation is, CP3 will thrive under D'Antoni, as in a 25 and 15 type of thriving. Another factor that should help increase the potential of this scenario is that Paul will most likely definitely be playing under D'Antoni's tutelage on the USA Olympic Team this year. That means that they'll be comfortable with each other even before a potential hiring occurs and we all know what happens when D'Antoni and his point guard get comfortable(cough cough...Raymond Felton...cough cough...Jeremy Lin) and those two aren't even in Paul's stratosphere.

If the Los Angeles Clippers know what's good for them, which often they don't, they'll bring in D'Antoni and watch a offensive masterpiece emerge out of Del Negro's ashes.

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