-Roger Federer is the GOAT. He is now tied with Pete Sampras for the all-time lead with 14 career grand slam championships and can now say he won each separate one after easily defeating Robin Soderling in the French Open Finals Sunday. Still don't think he's the best? That's OK, by the time he's done he's likely to add a couple more (Rafa might be out for Wimbledon?) and completely stop all debate - that said, if he retired today he'd go down as the GOAT to most knowledgeable tennis fans (Bud Collins be damned).
-The Big Unit got his 300th victory this weekend. Leading all left-handed pitchers in all-time strikeouts (4,845, he also is the all-time leader in k:9 with 10.67), he now joins a prestigious group that includes Warren Spahn, Steve Carlton, Eddie Plank, Lefty Grove and Tom Glavine as the only southpaws with 300 wins. I have always hated Johnson, but it is hard to ignore his greatness and the fact that he did once kill a bird with a pitch, which probably ranks behind only Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez literally smashing the cover off a ball as the most impressive single plays in baseball history:
-The NBA got a much-needed close game, with the Lakers pulling it out in overtime last night. Courtney Lee will be having nightmares about that one for some time now. I just want to shout out Hedo Torkuglo, reader Curtis's boy, for playing like a man possessed down the stretch. That said, I want to launch a couple complaints as well:
1. My buddy sent me a text last night when it was headed for overtime claiming it was unwatchable due to the time it took to play out the last thirty seconds. I somewhat disagreed, saying he was the only one not enjoying this, but after falling asleep with 20 seconds left in overtime, I woke up in total agreement. The NBA needs to find a solution for the lack of flow at the end of games due to timeouts. It is pretty ridiculous when there is a timeout after every play...I know they try to limit this with some restrictions but they need to get even more strict about it - that or don't go to commercial and get us in on the huddles.
2. What happened to the NBA policy of no-tolerance for complaining about calls? Ever since those damn Pistons teams that complained and whined about every call the NBA has become a cry-happy league (has always been to a degree, that is just the nature of basketball, ever played in a pickup game? I got into an argument just the other day with some kid trying to call a carry on me for losing the ball and smashing my buddy in the face accidentally). I expect Kobe to complain about every call, I expect Lebron to, go ahead Dwight, do your best Dikembe Mutumbo impersonation and act like you never committed a foul in your life...I really wouldn't care....but Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston complaining is cringe-worthy.
3. With all the gushing about Kobe, I honestly thought he played poorly last night. He took some poor shots, didn't get Gasol and Odom enough touches and missed a couple opportunities (like the last shot in regulation that Hedo blocked) to make passes to open teammates. And with all this talk about his defense, first of all I'm a little disappointed he's guarding Courtney Lee at the end of games, and on top of that Lee burned him a couple times and just couldn't finish. Pau Gasol was reason number one the Lake Show pulled that one out last night, I don't care what anyone says. And honestly, reason number two was Lamar Odom. Dwight Howard is a beast down low, but the Magic simply can't stop both of them at the same time.
-Speaking of Kobe how about that press conference after the game? Kobe Bryant comes off as fake as the WWF these days. I love watching the man play, his game is as pure as you'll ever see...but between that scripted mess that was Doin' Work, his bizarre faces and awkward, calculated interviews/press conferences - I came to the startling realization last night that Kobe Bryant is incredibly pewch. For all his non-pewch ability the man just constantly does pewch things out there, like the face he made to Pau Gasol after he put in that 3-point play.
-JJ Redick - Is there anything more bizarre than watching JJ Redick play in the NBA? How about him taking it hard to the rack and putting in a strong layup on Lamar Odom? How about him clanking open threes? How about him getting all that playing time? How about him playing some pretty decent defense, even being quick enough to shut off D-Fish on a couple drives and making some nice run-outs to contest open 3's?
-I don't watch hockey but I saw Detroit up 5-0 the one night. Funny how all the analysts were talking about a big momentum shift in that series and that Pittsburgh was starting to think they could win, and Detroit was thinking they could lose.
-Tiger Woods
-Braves phenom Tommy Hanson got touched up in his first start against Milwaukee yesterday allowing 7 runs (6 earned) in 6 innings on 6 hits (3 hr's), striking out 5 while walking just 1. Seems he was a bit unfortunate as he displayed good stuff with a fastball working around 95, a nasty slider and a 12 to 6 curveball. Perhaps most impressive is that the fastball comes with a lot of movement apparently, and while that movement hurt him yesterday as the ball found the middle of the plate and Ryan Braun and Mike Cameron took care of it - any pitcher with this type of arsenal is a good bet to become a true ace, for Hanson that may be sooner rather than later.
-what a dumbass bird. if that thing flies anywhere else in the stadium hes finding some left over peanuts and enjoying life somewhere, but instead he combusts internally.
ReplyDelete-The Kobe post game conference was brutal. I think he is just trying to oversell that he really wants to win a championship without shaq. We all know he wants to win, he doesn't have to make up some angry face that he has never done before and make comments like "happy? what's there to be happy about? is our work finished? then i'm not happy!" just play stop acting.
No weekend round up involving the NHL stanley cup finals...sure game 5 was a 5-0 blowout, but these 2 teams hate each other...You talk about the belmont stakes but who cares since mind that bird didn't win the preakness...Enough of the NBA finals too, this series was over before it began...Orlando lives and dies by the 3 and it's showing a great deal during the finals...And starting an all star in jameer nelson who mind you hasn't played since february (also came back 2 months earlier) over skip (who some say could have gotten you to the finals) is just horrendous...Way to go Stan The Man Van, you're pewch
ReplyDeleteI was also watching first take this morning and Skip Bayless said Federer's win at the French is tainted because he didn't beat nadal..Skip you might as well join Stan as being the 2 pewchest cats in the world...The man is 117-0 or something ridiculous like that against opponents ranked 5 or higher..He did what he had to do on clay and whooped his ass in straight sets...Just straight up pewch
If Hedo Turkoglu ever got a call, hed be a multiple time allstar.
ReplyDeleteTiger Woods.
JJ Redick has completely changed his game for the NBA.......for the worse.
Just for the record, there is a blurb up there about the Stanley Cup. As an admitted eastern New York hockey nitwit, that was the best I could do...saw it was 5-0, just can't get into it.
ReplyDeleteIn general I agree with calling Stan Van Gundy pewch, but let's at least be fair and give him credit for the play he drew up for Courtney Lee..Phil Jackson admitted that he out-coached him there and that the Zen master had all of his defensive focus on the shooters. SVG should have been the hero, Courtney Lee blew it.
And I was going to tackle the whole Roger Federer's French Open being tainted, but I know only morons like Skip Bayless would say that - it's so obvious he does it just to draw attention. When all the other top players were getting knocked off, Fed kept winning, doesn't that say a lot? Soderling easily beat Rafa. Is Federer supposed to step in and save Rafa every time he gets in trouble? He beat the guy who beat everyone else, give him his credit and move on.