18 days. 18 long days without a Sports Corna post. Let me explain myself first. I was in Massachusetts for 12 of those days. Sure I had internet connection up there but I had a lot of catching up to do. As much as I wanted to blog, there was little time. Second of all, I've been putting most of my resources to www.randallallday.com. A cute little project created by Doucet, Kyle, and yours truly. Peep it. And third, I still feel like I'm catching up on all the news that has happened in these past 12 days. Right when I'm caught up, or at least feel caught up, more shit keeps happening. Most eventful June EVER.
Anyways, here's just a few thoughts on recent sporting events.
The Seattle Supersonics, The OK City Thunder, whatever you want to call yourselves, they're a dumbass team. YOU PASSED UP RICKY RUBIO!?!?!?!?! As my Sports Corna counterpart, Doucet, pointed out, Rubio is the best. Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Ricky Rubio. Could you imagine that team. Well apparently neither could the Thunder.
Speaking of Rubio. The T-Wolves are also idiotic. First you don't resign McHale back as coach. Obviously the man knew what he was doing and he was beloved by the main core of the team, if you can call it a core. But then you draft another point guard in addition to Rubio. Now Rubio is gonna bitch back to Spain and you wasted/missed out on a great talent.
The Red Sox are 7-3 in their last 10 games. I like that. Despite inconsistencies from Dice-K, or more like consistently bad outtings, the Red Sox are still in first place. Once Smoltz starts to get his rust off, they're going to be that much better. Their roster is that deep that a player of Dick-K's status can be missed without major repercussions.
Oh how the mighty have fallen. I use the term "mighty" extremely lightly. Ryan Leaf was mighty alright. Mighty good at throwing interceptions and mighty great at being the top bust in NFL Draft history. It takes a good amount of suck in one's system to do the things he does. Just when you think the dude couldn't top his level of infamy, he goes ahead and does it. I'm nominating Ryan Leaf into induction of the "Tyson Zone". Bill Simmons, if you're reading this, put him in the "Tyson Zone". You know you want to.
If you haven't heard yet, a warrant was issued for Leaf in Texas. He's being charged with "one count of burglary to a habitation, seven counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and one count of delivery of a simulated controlled substance".
Pretty harsh charges if you ask me.
All I'm saying is that this is a sad story. It doesn't get much worse than Leaf's situation. For the rest of his life he will be known as the guy who epically failed in the NFL. And for an equally epic blow up in the locker room. Has this guy had plenty of chances to turn his life around. Absolutely. Does he deserve another chance? Probably not. But he does need to get in his mind that life is too short to screw up just because life has dealt us a bad hand. You may lose this hand but it doesn't mean you can't come back and win the next. (Oh God, I'm using an extended metaphor about life. I promised myself I wouldn't do this in the blog.) Truth is that Leaf does get some sympathy from me. I wouldn't exactly compare myself to this guy but I have made a few mistakes in the past few weeks. Things that I regret but can't turn back now. From the aspect of making mistakes, I guess me and Mr. Leaf have a few things in common. I just refuse to get charged with burglary or even do anything that would risk me being charged with anything. Period. I want to see Leaf turn his life around.
I can't say I've been to jail or experienced anything close to Ryan Leaf's life but in the short life I've lived so far I've had times in my life where the outlook seems bleak and dark. You just gotta use that to fuel your passion and overcome the demons. For every dark moment in life, you'll have an equal or greater shinning experience or experiences.
Seeing as Vick just got released from the Falcons, I could say the same exact thing about him. Actually I will. You can re-read the above and just replace Leaf with Vick.
I wish the best of luck to Michael Vick and Ryan Leaf in the future. Just cause these guys play(ed) pro football in the NFL doesn't mean they can't screw up a few times. They're human.
I totally agree with Vick being reinstated into the NFL but that's a topic for another post.
One more thing, in order to appeal to the non-sport audience.
The NBA Finals, the only sport without a semi-cool name for its championship. The NFL has the Super Bowl, baseball has the World Series, Hell, hockey, the zombie sport that won't completely die when you think it should have, has the damn Stanley Cup! Are you serious! And the best the NBA could come up with is the NBA Finals? +2 to the NBA for half-assing and unoriginality. I bet they came up with the name the same way Family Guy comes up with episode ideas. I'm petitioning David Stern to come up with a new name, like the the Basketball Extravaganza Championship sponsored by EA Sports. Okay, that name sucks but you get the point. Get sponsor names in the championship, like The Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi.
What the NBA Finals does have going in its favor: the trophy. The Larry O'Brien Trophy to be exact. That right there is dope. The dude who designed the trophy is a genius. The way I see it, I'd rather have the Larry O'Brien Trophy on top of my fireplace, while I'd rather have a NFL Super Bowl ring. The NFL knows how to pimp out a ring.
And now to the actual series. The unemployment line got longer last week when then Magic won the East. The creators behind the Vitamin Water and Nike LeBron/Kobe commercials should join the thousands of Americans filling out applications at Burger King. So it's going to be Orlando/L.A. Who would have thought that. Well, not David Stern. Regardless it's going to be a good series and these teams play their cards right, it might be a great series. A memorable one.
Orlando is basically facing LeBron West, a team with a superstar and a supporting cast (and I use the word supporting lightly) that isn't exactly Pippen and Rodman. So this series shouldn't be too different from what the Magic just went through. Only differences: 1)Kobe knows what he's doing on the big stage and 2)The Magic have have to do it in front of Jack Jack Nicholson. I know, Hollywood adds extra pressure. With that said...
I'm taking Orlando for their first NBA championship. They have a better outside game than the Lakers. If Orlando starts a 3 point shootout with them, I don't know how long the Lakers would be able to last. Right now, it's a toss up on how long the series will go. Van Gundy will find a way to lose a game, and Kobe's always that x-factor. My gut feeling is Magic in 6. I won't be surprised if it goes to a Game 7. Magic win regardless.
Baseball - Sucks, it isn't a sport. LA Dodgers all day cause I like their history and Detroit Tigers cause they have a dope black pitcher and I have like 2 or their hats cause its a D.
Football - Saints all day, the defense it being picked up. NFC - Saints, AFC - Texans. Chad Ochocinco isn't gonna do shit next year unless palmer can PALM the ball off the bench, ya dig? I say Chris Johnson will be leading rusher and Andre Johnson leading reciever. Brees leading passer, duh.
Soccer - Barcelona all day.
Tennis - Nadal all day. He's got swag, and is endorsed by Nike out the ass, like a black athlete.
Basketball - Shaq comes out to support the Lakers, lol. He's fucked either way. I feel kinda bad for him. Magic take it in 6, though. Screw Barack's pediction.
