The insanity (sometimes known as Tiger Woods hero-worship) goes on.
Being the good little sports junkie I am, naturally I flipped to the Golf Channel to check out the Memorial -- Jack's tournament. Most of the big names were there.
But something was out of place. Where were all the Tiger Woods highlights? Then I found out he'd already finished his round, at pedestrian even par.
After just one round, Eldrick Tont found himself 7 seven shots out of the lead and mired in forty-some place. Sounded about right. Unless he picks it up in the second round, unlikely, he'll miss the cut -- again. Yawn.
Wait a second -- there it was. The evidently mandatory Tiger interview. No matter how far back he is, Eldrick will always get his face time.
What is it with these people? Woods hasn't won squat in many years, so why do they still insist on championing what is becoming more and more of a lost cause every day? Yes, he had his run of greatness, probably the most dominant decade of golf in history.
But it's over. Get used to it. While they're wasting air time on Tiger, they're missing out on the action of better players still on the course.
And now a word from our sponsors.
Didn't catch the brand name, but one ad definitely made me sit up straight in amazement.
$700 off the usual price, and free financing for 36 months.
For a --- gulp --- MATTRESS?
Just how much does that thing normally cost? The terms listed two lines above sound more like something you'd hear regarding purchasing a brand new car or truck. Not a freaking mattress.
For whatever price it is, that thing better not only be comfortable and therapeutic, it should be able to mow the lawn, go grocery shopping, and clean the house.
Back to business.
Speaking of misguided hype, unless one was in a coma, they knew that Danica Patrick was returning to the Indy 500, for a "swan song" race. So what happened? Exactly what was expected to happen of the one-woman demolition derby. She kissed the wall about a third of the way through.
The reason for her latest demise was officially listed as "contact". Evidently, the politically correct police have done away with the word "crash" as well. But crash she did. Chalk up another half a million bucks in wasted racing machinery. What's she up to now? 40-50 million worth over the years -- while not winning anything?
Finally -- mercifully -- she has decided to retire. The glorious Ms. P can gallop off into the sunset and the poor folks that got stuck with the tabs for making all those world-class racing cars can breathe a huge sigh of relief. The mega cha-ching girl is no more.
Here's hoping she doesn't wreck the horse.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Celtics choke away Game Seven
The usual tripe was on full display after the game. See Lebron James put in a "super-human" effort. See the Cavs "clamp down" defensively on the Celtics. See Cleveland "rise to the occasion" -- again. See them overcome the loss of Kevin Love in "heroic fashion". Blah, blah, blah, in politically correct speech.
All of which can be summed up in one word.
Horsepuckey.
The Cavaliers didn't "win" this game, the Celtics blew it. Big time.
Bad shooting? They couldn't throw it in the ocean. For such a sharp-shooting team all year, either they went stone cold, temporarily blind, or simply choked.
How else to explain brick, after brick, after brick? That were wide-open shots?
What did they shoot? Four for forty-some from the 3-point line? That's not going to get it done. Ever.
Hey, when an NBA team can't even score 80 points on their home court, they're SUPPOSED to lose.
So OK, congrats to the Cavaliers on making it back to the NBA Finals, and James continuing his streak regarding same.
But anybody that says Cleveland deserved to win this game is vastly mistaken. Boston absolutely choked it away. They deserved to lose -- and did -- in spectacularly bad fashion.
Period.
And they know it too.
All of which can be summed up in one word.
Horsepuckey.
The Cavaliers didn't "win" this game, the Celtics blew it. Big time.
Bad shooting? They couldn't throw it in the ocean. For such a sharp-shooting team all year, either they went stone cold, temporarily blind, or simply choked.
How else to explain brick, after brick, after brick? That were wide-open shots?
What did they shoot? Four for forty-some from the 3-point line? That's not going to get it done. Ever.
Hey, when an NBA team can't even score 80 points on their home court, they're SUPPOSED to lose.
So OK, congrats to the Cavaliers on making it back to the NBA Finals, and James continuing his streak regarding same.
But anybody that says Cleveland deserved to win this game is vastly mistaken. Boston absolutely choked it away. They deserved to lose -- and did -- in spectacularly bad fashion.
Period.
And they know it too.
Friday, May 25, 2018
The NFL and the anthem. It's so stupid
As NFL fans (and even those that aren't, due to the media blitz) know, the league has recently adopted a policy whereby the players will be required to stand for the national anthem -- if on the field -- but have the option of staying in the locker room if they don't agree with this mandate.
And you know what? It's just stupid, from top to bottom.
Let's count a few ways.
Does anybody seriously doubt the fans in attendance and, more importantly, the TV cameras won't zoom into who's on the sideline -- or not -- before the game when the anthem is played?
Put another way, this will give the TV announcers even MORE fodder to talk about, as they rattle off the names of who's on the field, and who's not.
Hence, the hordes of reporters will seek out the players, particularly those that stayed in the locker rooms, for post-game interviews, giving them an even BIGGER forum than they previously had to spout off about their beefs regarding "social injustices". Before, when no such policy was in place, when the game was over, all parties pretty much packed up their stuff and moved on. This is an improvement?
Some claim the new policy was to appease President Donald Trump. Anybody that believes that is an idiot.
The NFL and the 30 franchise owners don't care what the Donald thinks. They care about the bottom line -- see money. Whatever policy they can put in place to stop the recent bleeding (ratings) and maximize revenues is the one they're going to go for. Period. Who's kidding who?
The "poll" numbers get even more stupid.
OK, white people support this latest plan by roughly a 5-3 ratio. NFL fans, particularly those that actually attend games -- which are overwhelming white -- support it by an even larger margin.
No surprise there. Football fans (and most owners -- also white) have long been quite the patriotic bunch. We wouldn't see pre-game military color guards, giant US flags covering the field, and fighter-jet fly-overs unless this were the case. And good for them, if that's what yanks their crank. To each their own.
But it's also hardly surprising black people are likewise overwhelmingly against the same policy. HELLO, it is those very same people that had/have the beef in the first place.
Hispanics check in on the patriotic side. Of course they do. Given other recent "policies", many of them will do anything to appease Uncle Sam, lest they be detained and/or deported. You don't want to stand out in a "bad" way if you're in this position.
Yet taken as a whole, whites in America outnumber both blacks and Hispanics by a significant margin. So add it all up and the poll is skewed in the first place.
But here's the kicker. Roughly 70% of all NFL players are black. And they didn't get consulted regarding Roger Goodell's latest mandate, nor did the Players' Union. If you want peace and harmony, it's usually better when management sits down and works out some sort of compromise with their union counterparts, rather than hammering them with an edict from on-high.
Yes, the billionaires can force-feed the (mostly) millionaires such rules of behavior, but it doesn't solve anything. In fact, it might well make matters worse, due to resentment for the above-stated reason.
For now, the NFL, and many people, think this little "problem" has been put to rest, once and for all.
They couldn't be more wrong. Instead of dodging a bullet, the league, with the owners' sort-of approval has merely shot themselves in the foot.
[BTW, the league claiming the owners voted unanimously to adopt said rule rings about as true as your average Trumpism. A formal vote wasn't even taken, and a few owners are already going "rogue".]
Oh yeah, this is going to be a much BIGGER story this season than it has in the recent past, since Colin Kaepernick first took a knee.
Thing is, objectively speaking, who really gives a rat's behind whether jocks stand, kneel, or play with their smart phones while eating a Big Mac during the national anthem?
Hey, the US flag is a piece of cloth with a design, nothing more. And the anthem is a song with lyrics, nothing more.
[Also BTW, Francis Scott Key, generally given credit for composing the American national anthem -- did no such thing. He wrote a poem while watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. He was a poet, not a musical composer. The actual tune wasn't coupled with his verses until much later.]
One can dutifully worship them, or not. Since when is this anybody else's business? It doesn't cost them anything or put more money in their pocket either way. It's when you try to dictate the (lawful) behavior of others that problems arise.
[Personally, when I've been at various events, and that's in the hundreds, watching games over the years -- I've always stood and put my hand over my heart when the anthem was played. But that's just me. If others thought or acted differently, why should I care? It was none of my damn business, hence, who gives a rip?]
And that's all this whole sordid affair has been about in the first place.
Control of the masses, even over the minutest of things.
And it won't work anymore. At least not with people who can think for themselves and refuse to be led around like lemmings.
To even attempt it is just, well.... look back up at the title of this post.
And you know what? It's just stupid, from top to bottom.
Let's count a few ways.
Does anybody seriously doubt the fans in attendance and, more importantly, the TV cameras won't zoom into who's on the sideline -- or not -- before the game when the anthem is played?
Put another way, this will give the TV announcers even MORE fodder to talk about, as they rattle off the names of who's on the field, and who's not.
Hence, the hordes of reporters will seek out the players, particularly those that stayed in the locker rooms, for post-game interviews, giving them an even BIGGER forum than they previously had to spout off about their beefs regarding "social injustices". Before, when no such policy was in place, when the game was over, all parties pretty much packed up their stuff and moved on. This is an improvement?
Some claim the new policy was to appease President Donald Trump. Anybody that believes that is an idiot.
The NFL and the 30 franchise owners don't care what the Donald thinks. They care about the bottom line -- see money. Whatever policy they can put in place to stop the recent bleeding (ratings) and maximize revenues is the one they're going to go for. Period. Who's kidding who?
The "poll" numbers get even more stupid.
OK, white people support this latest plan by roughly a 5-3 ratio. NFL fans, particularly those that actually attend games -- which are overwhelming white -- support it by an even larger margin.
No surprise there. Football fans (and most owners -- also white) have long been quite the patriotic bunch. We wouldn't see pre-game military color guards, giant US flags covering the field, and fighter-jet fly-overs unless this were the case. And good for them, if that's what yanks their crank. To each their own.
But it's also hardly surprising black people are likewise overwhelmingly against the same policy. HELLO, it is those very same people that had/have the beef in the first place.
Hispanics check in on the patriotic side. Of course they do. Given other recent "policies", many of them will do anything to appease Uncle Sam, lest they be detained and/or deported. You don't want to stand out in a "bad" way if you're in this position.
Yet taken as a whole, whites in America outnumber both blacks and Hispanics by a significant margin. So add it all up and the poll is skewed in the first place.
But here's the kicker. Roughly 70% of all NFL players are black. And they didn't get consulted regarding Roger Goodell's latest mandate, nor did the Players' Union. If you want peace and harmony, it's usually better when management sits down and works out some sort of compromise with their union counterparts, rather than hammering them with an edict from on-high.
Yes, the billionaires can force-feed the (mostly) millionaires such rules of behavior, but it doesn't solve anything. In fact, it might well make matters worse, due to resentment for the above-stated reason.
For now, the NFL, and many people, think this little "problem" has been put to rest, once and for all.
They couldn't be more wrong. Instead of dodging a bullet, the league, with the owners' sort-of approval has merely shot themselves in the foot.
[BTW, the league claiming the owners voted unanimously to adopt said rule rings about as true as your average Trumpism. A formal vote wasn't even taken, and a few owners are already going "rogue".]
Oh yeah, this is going to be a much BIGGER story this season than it has in the recent past, since Colin Kaepernick first took a knee.
Thing is, objectively speaking, who really gives a rat's behind whether jocks stand, kneel, or play with their smart phones while eating a Big Mac during the national anthem?
Hey, the US flag is a piece of cloth with a design, nothing more. And the anthem is a song with lyrics, nothing more.
[Also BTW, Francis Scott Key, generally given credit for composing the American national anthem -- did no such thing. He wrote a poem while watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. He was a poet, not a musical composer. The actual tune wasn't coupled with his verses until much later.]
One can dutifully worship them, or not. Since when is this anybody else's business? It doesn't cost them anything or put more money in their pocket either way. It's when you try to dictate the (lawful) behavior of others that problems arise.
[Personally, when I've been at various events, and that's in the hundreds, watching games over the years -- I've always stood and put my hand over my heart when the anthem was played. But that's just me. If others thought or acted differently, why should I care? It was none of my damn business, hence, who gives a rip?]
And that's all this whole sordid affair has been about in the first place.
Control of the masses, even over the minutest of things.
And it won't work anymore. At least not with people who can think for themselves and refuse to be led around like lemmings.
To even attempt it is just, well.... look back up at the title of this post.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Ryan Hollins and the clueless factor
I must admit I had no idea who Ryan Hollins was when he showed up on the ESPN Jalen and Jacoby show. He was filling in for Jalen Rose, who was "indisposed". Of course he was. Dear Rosebud was on another network (Turner) schmoozing it up with Paul Pierce and Chauncey Billups, Probably for more do-re-mi, (moonlighting) while collecting his ESPN paycheck as well. Nice work if you can get it.
So I looked him up. Turns out, Hollins used to play a little roundball himself. Heavy on the "little". Good enough out of high school to get to UCLA, where he'd put up yawnish stats, and good enough to be drafted at the tail end by an NBA team. He bounced around from team to team, pretty much the last guy on the bench, surprising given he's 7 feet tall, and finally wound up playing overseas for Bologna, or was that Pastrami? Pepperoni United? I dunno, but I think it was in Italy somewhere. Let's just say the good Mr. Hollins didn't exactly become a household name due to his basketball skills.
So there he was, front and center, filling in for Jalen.
And Hollins (who mysteriously enough could pass for an older version of Klay Thompson) was in full-blown James Harden worship. When I say older version of KT, I'm referring to the edition we might see if KT the elder had somehow stumbled into a meth house and partaken of the goods. Those overly blinky eyes, twitches, faltering speech, and dazed grin somehow seem to fit a certain "profile".
Of course, James Harden himself could easily be confused with a younger version of Grady from the Sanford and Son TV series of old.
Nonetheless, Hollins attempted to explain why the Houston Rockets came back to win Game 4 in the NBA's Western Conference final against the Golden State Warriors -- at GS. Breaking their long home court winning streak.
It was all Harden's doing, quoth Hollins. See King James (the Houston guy, not the Lebron Buckeye dude) play some defense (for a change).
See James make a couple steals.
See James run up and down the court (hustle).
See James inspire his teammates by his overall effort.
See James single-handedly propel the Rockets to an improbable win.
All hail His Highness, James Harden, rambled Hollins.
To all of which I have an immediate three word response.
Shut up, fool.
Harden didn't win that game. The Warriors choked it away.
My evidence? When you've got three of the best shooters on the planet (namely Steph Curry, the afore-mentioned Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant), and they go 2 for 15, including 0 for 6 behind the 3-point line in the fourth quarter, thereby totally blowing what was a 10 point lead at home, some dude on the other team had nothing to do with it.
Even given the Warriors' epic late-game collapse, the Rockets barely, BARELY held on to win by 3 points.
The Dubs couldn't throw it in the ocean in the fourth quarter, and it cost them -- big time. It might wind up being the difference in the series, and a potential championship.
Because now instead of having a commanding 3-1 lead, with the Rockets likely to fold, the series is 2-2, with Houston regaining home court advantage, and all the confidence/momentum.
The moral of the story?
Congrats to Ryan Hollins for picking up another pay check as a fill-in on one the many ESPN yappy shows.
But please spare us the misguided hero-worship when it comes to your boy James Harden.
Because even a nit-wit like yours truly has eyes, a semi-functional brain, and can tell the difference between a heroic effort on one side, and a total choke job on the other.
It wasn't about HIM.
It was about THEM.
A difference.
BIG one.
But this is what happens in a world dominated by political correctness. Only praise is allowed. One mustn't ever be critical of any sports person or any team, at any time, lest the -- horrors -- word police come crashing down on your objective head.
I have a word for that too, but I'm pretty sure my editor wouldn't approve. He's been vewy -- shhh -- kwiet of late, which is a good thing in my Elmer Fuddish world.
Let's just say it rhymes with "fullwit".
So I looked him up. Turns out, Hollins used to play a little roundball himself. Heavy on the "little". Good enough out of high school to get to UCLA, where he'd put up yawnish stats, and good enough to be drafted at the tail end by an NBA team. He bounced around from team to team, pretty much the last guy on the bench, surprising given he's 7 feet tall, and finally wound up playing overseas for Bologna, or was that Pastrami? Pepperoni United? I dunno, but I think it was in Italy somewhere. Let's just say the good Mr. Hollins didn't exactly become a household name due to his basketball skills.
So there he was, front and center, filling in for Jalen.
And Hollins (who mysteriously enough could pass for an older version of Klay Thompson) was in full-blown James Harden worship. When I say older version of KT, I'm referring to the edition we might see if KT the elder had somehow stumbled into a meth house and partaken of the goods. Those overly blinky eyes, twitches, faltering speech, and dazed grin somehow seem to fit a certain "profile".
Of course, James Harden himself could easily be confused with a younger version of Grady from the Sanford and Son TV series of old.
Nonetheless, Hollins attempted to explain why the Houston Rockets came back to win Game 4 in the NBA's Western Conference final against the Golden State Warriors -- at GS. Breaking their long home court winning streak.
It was all Harden's doing, quoth Hollins. See King James (the Houston guy, not the Lebron Buckeye dude) play some defense (for a change).
See James make a couple steals.
See James run up and down the court (hustle).
See James inspire his teammates by his overall effort.
See James single-handedly propel the Rockets to an improbable win.
All hail His Highness, James Harden, rambled Hollins.
To all of which I have an immediate three word response.
Shut up, fool.
Harden didn't win that game. The Warriors choked it away.
My evidence? When you've got three of the best shooters on the planet (namely Steph Curry, the afore-mentioned Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant), and they go 2 for 15, including 0 for 6 behind the 3-point line in the fourth quarter, thereby totally blowing what was a 10 point lead at home, some dude on the other team had nothing to do with it.
Even given the Warriors' epic late-game collapse, the Rockets barely, BARELY held on to win by 3 points.
The Dubs couldn't throw it in the ocean in the fourth quarter, and it cost them -- big time. It might wind up being the difference in the series, and a potential championship.
Because now instead of having a commanding 3-1 lead, with the Rockets likely to fold, the series is 2-2, with Houston regaining home court advantage, and all the confidence/momentum.
The moral of the story?
Congrats to Ryan Hollins for picking up another pay check as a fill-in on one the many ESPN yappy shows.
But please spare us the misguided hero-worship when it comes to your boy James Harden.
Because even a nit-wit like yours truly has eyes, a semi-functional brain, and can tell the difference between a heroic effort on one side, and a total choke job on the other.
It wasn't about HIM.
It was about THEM.
A difference.
BIG one.
But this is what happens in a world dominated by political correctness. Only praise is allowed. One mustn't ever be critical of any sports person or any team, at any time, lest the -- horrors -- word police come crashing down on your objective head.
I have a word for that too, but I'm pretty sure my editor wouldn't approve. He's been vewy -- shhh -- kwiet of late, which is a good thing in my Elmer Fuddish world.
Let's just say it rhymes with "fullwit".
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Boston Celtics. A mind-boggling stat
Yes, I've been following the NBA playoffs, as would be expected of any true sports junkie/couch tater.
But I'll admit I didn't pay particularly close attention to the most recent game between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Something about flipping back and forth from that to Stanley Cup action, tending to a sick doggie, and my girlfriend going off on me for some perceived slight, that I still don't understand. Multi-tasking obviously isn't one of my strong points.
So I didn't notice it at the time, other than the Celtics appeared to be playing somewhat sloppily.
Until I saw the stat the following day. The Celtics had missed fifteen -- count em -- FIFTEEN dunks and lay-ups during the game?
Wait a second. This is a professional basketball team, arguably one of the best teams in the world. And they missed 15 dunks and lay-ups -- in a single game? Unbelievable.
Such shots are supposed to be "no-brainers", especially at that level.
It would be the equivalent of a world class golfer missing 15 six-inch putts during a single round. A Major League Baseball team dropping 15 routine pop-ups and/or fly balls during a single game. An NHL goalie facing 15 shots and, yep, giving up 15 goals. An NFL place kicker missing 15 extra point attempts in a row.
This...
is...
not...
supposed...
to...
happen.
And even my feeble brain can do the math when it comes to blowing 15 dunks and lay-ups during the course of a basketball game. That's 30 easy points they didn't get.
The Celtics would lose that game by only 9 points.
If they'd made even HALF of the gimmes, that's another 14-16 points and they win.
Sure, you're gonna miss an easy one once in a while, be it a tap-in putt or botching a pop-up, extra point, easy save, etc., but FIFTEEN -- in ONE GAME?
It's got to be just about enough to drive a head coach (Brad Stevens) crazy.
Ah well. Sometimes weird stuff just happens, I guess. Not all of it good.
On the bright side, my little yorkie boy seems to be much better today. He must have got into something bad in the back yard. Squirrel poop, leaves or flowers of a blossoming plant that didn't agree with him -- who knows?
Vegas is in the Stanley Cup Finals. Hurray. I love Vegas. Next to San Fran, my favorite city.
But my significant other is due over again any minute, and I still don't know what she's mad about. Got a feeling I'm going to get more details, though.
Sigh.
Such is life.
But if she tells me I'm a jerk 15 times during the same conversation, we're going to have a problem......
But I'll admit I didn't pay particularly close attention to the most recent game between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Something about flipping back and forth from that to Stanley Cup action, tending to a sick doggie, and my girlfriend going off on me for some perceived slight, that I still don't understand. Multi-tasking obviously isn't one of my strong points.
So I didn't notice it at the time, other than the Celtics appeared to be playing somewhat sloppily.
Until I saw the stat the following day. The Celtics had missed fifteen -- count em -- FIFTEEN dunks and lay-ups during the game?
Wait a second. This is a professional basketball team, arguably one of the best teams in the world. And they missed 15 dunks and lay-ups -- in a single game? Unbelievable.
Such shots are supposed to be "no-brainers", especially at that level.
It would be the equivalent of a world class golfer missing 15 six-inch putts during a single round. A Major League Baseball team dropping 15 routine pop-ups and/or fly balls during a single game. An NHL goalie facing 15 shots and, yep, giving up 15 goals. An NFL place kicker missing 15 extra point attempts in a row.
This...
is...
not...
supposed...
to...
happen.
And even my feeble brain can do the math when it comes to blowing 15 dunks and lay-ups during the course of a basketball game. That's 30 easy points they didn't get.
The Celtics would lose that game by only 9 points.
If they'd made even HALF of the gimmes, that's another 14-16 points and they win.
Sure, you're gonna miss an easy one once in a while, be it a tap-in putt or botching a pop-up, extra point, easy save, etc., but FIFTEEN -- in ONE GAME?
It's got to be just about enough to drive a head coach (Brad Stevens) crazy.
Ah well. Sometimes weird stuff just happens, I guess. Not all of it good.
On the bright side, my little yorkie boy seems to be much better today. He must have got into something bad in the back yard. Squirrel poop, leaves or flowers of a blossoming plant that didn't agree with him -- who knows?
Vegas is in the Stanley Cup Finals. Hurray. I love Vegas. Next to San Fran, my favorite city.
But my significant other is due over again any minute, and I still don't know what she's mad about. Got a feeling I'm going to get more details, though.
Sigh.
Such is life.
But if she tells me I'm a jerk 15 times during the same conversation, we're going to have a problem......
Monday, May 21, 2018
Just when you think you've got if figured out....
WHAM, you don't.
After the Washington Capitals won the first two games AT Tampa Bay in the NHL's eastern conference finals, they should have been a lock -- right?
Not so fast.
Back comes the Lightning to win the next two IN Washington, another at home, and take a 3-2 series lead. Of course, most Washington teams are famous for choking in the post-season, including the Caps, so it followed that Tampa Bay would dust them off in Game Six to complete another epic DC fold.
[And BTW, though the Nationals of Major League Baseball have been loaded with talent in recent years, they can't seem to get out the first round of the playoffs. Don't be surprised if they gag it up again this October.]
But it didn't happen. The Caps would prevail. On to Game Seven. Who will win that? Got a lucky penny?
In the NBA, the Boston Celtics won the first two games at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Beaners have yet to lose at home this post-season, and have home court advantage in the Eastern Conference finals. But they've pretty well stunk it up on the road as well.
Now the Cavs have come back to win Games Three and Four at home, evening the series. Still, they have to win a game at Boston somewhere along the line to get to the Finals.
And you get the feeling they'll do just that. Lebron and Co. will overcome. Maybe. Besides, the Celts are playing without their two best players, namely Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. It's somewhat amazing they've made it THIS far. Kudos to them.
In the West, everybody figured all along it would boil down to Golden State and Houston slugging it out. And so it has.
OK, the Warriors went into Houston and "stole" Game One, thereby gaining home court advantage. It's been a couple years since the Dubs lost a home playoff game, so they should be a lock -- right?
Um, not necessarily.
The Rockets would come back and thump the Warriors to the tune of 22 points worth in Game Two. Twenty two points is a beat down. And Houston had won two out of three from GS during the regular season, and had a better record to boot. So you had to figure the Rockets would have regained their confidence.
Until Game Three, back in Oakland. The Warriors won by FORTY ONE POINTS? Forget beat down, that's a massacre, a slaughter, where's the "mercy rule" when you need it? The league's "best" team got hammered by 41 points? Oh my. So much for the previous confidence builder. Welcome to the wood shed, Californee style.
But again, ya never know. If the Dubs blast them again like that to take a 3-1 series lead, Houston will probably fold. The pressure on the Rockets to win Game 4, even by the slightest of margins, is enormous.
Yet just when you think you've got THAT figured out, along comes a little blip on the radar. Or maybe not so little after all. Golden State's Andre Iguodala got a knee banged up. No, he isn't considered an "All-Star" like his four teammates Curry, Durant, Thompson, and Green. But he WAS a starter and played a quiet, if quite significant role for the Dubs. Namely, being a premier defender. Iguodala made things very difficult for the likes of Chris Paul and James Harden, depending on which he was guarding as they tried to drive the ball towards the hoop.
While supposedly not the "end of season" type of knee injury, subtracting him from the equation could prove fateful indeed. Remember, two years ago when the Warriors had a commanding 3-1 lead over the Cavs in the Finals, Draymond Green was (rightfully) suspended for Game 5, for his thuggish behavior. The Dubs would lose that game, at home, the tide turned, and the Cavaliers came back from the 3-1 deficit to capture the title.
Don't underestimate the presence, or lack thereof, of Iguodala. If the Rockets can "steal" Game Four in his absence, this series will take on a whole new look. Good for Houston. Not so good for Golden State.
But we'll see. Still got that lucky penny?
Cuz lord knows, just when yours truly thinks he has it figured out, he once again is shown to be clueless.
It never fails.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
It's getting ridiculous when.....
The coverage of the Preakness, horse racing's second leg of the Triple Crown, starts at 5 o'clock and the race itself won't happen until about 7 PM.
What in the world can the talking heads find to yap about for two hours, before a race that takes only about 2 minutes to run?
Are they interviewing the horses, Mr. Ed Style?
I managed to tune in just as the pampered steeds were being loaded into the gates, and a couple minutes later -- presto -- we have a winner. Justify, I think, but don't care.
You also know it's getting ridiculous when the horse-a-holics say this or that "magnificent beast" may have been overworked by running in the Kentucky Derby.
REALLY? That race was two, or was that three weeks ago? What animal under the sun can't get properly rested up over the course of that amount of time? I mean, what else do they have to do but graze, jog at leisure, get bathed and otherwise groomed daily, and pampered at every turn? If a horse is still "gassed" a few weeks after running hard for two minutes, I would humbly submit yon horse might be sneaking Marlboros in the stable at night. At least get him, or her, to an equine lung specialist to check for asthma, or some other ailment, because something is seriously wrong. And they're not supposed to be enjoying the pleasures of the horseflesh with the Grade A, USDA choice mare-babes, just yet, right? A few of those hump-arounds every day could wear out any otherwise healthy male. Including the two-legged ones. Couldn't hurt to check on late night stable hanky-panky either.
Here's a prediction. Yep, Justify has now won both the Derby and the Preakness. But if you looked close at the finish of the latter, he was gassed indeed, and the #8 nag had come from behind and was in the process of blowing by him, but ran out of real estate just before the finish line.
No horse racing aficionado here, but I'm pretty sure the last leg of the Triple Crown, sometimes called the Belmont Stakes, is quite a bit longer than either the Derby or the Preakness.
So yeah, they'll all have a week or three to rest up, but if form holds, look for Justify to fade badly down the stretch in the longer race.
It's like a world-class 100 meter sprinter being totally wiped after a race. Hey, he only ran hard for less than 10 seconds. Are they really that fragile and conditioned to shut down after such a brief spurt of energy and effort?
And those guys get far more fame, glory, and money than marathoners that run 26 -- count em -- TWENTY SIX five minutes miles in a row?
Ridiculous.
What in the world can the talking heads find to yap about for two hours, before a race that takes only about 2 minutes to run?
Are they interviewing the horses, Mr. Ed Style?
I managed to tune in just as the pampered steeds were being loaded into the gates, and a couple minutes later -- presto -- we have a winner. Justify, I think, but don't care.
You also know it's getting ridiculous when the horse-a-holics say this or that "magnificent beast" may have been overworked by running in the Kentucky Derby.
REALLY? That race was two, or was that three weeks ago? What animal under the sun can't get properly rested up over the course of that amount of time? I mean, what else do they have to do but graze, jog at leisure, get bathed and otherwise groomed daily, and pampered at every turn? If a horse is still "gassed" a few weeks after running hard for two minutes, I would humbly submit yon horse might be sneaking Marlboros in the stable at night. At least get him, or her, to an equine lung specialist to check for asthma, or some other ailment, because something is seriously wrong. And they're not supposed to be enjoying the pleasures of the horseflesh with the Grade A, USDA choice mare-babes, just yet, right? A few of those hump-arounds every day could wear out any otherwise healthy male. Including the two-legged ones. Couldn't hurt to check on late night stable hanky-panky either.
Here's a prediction. Yep, Justify has now won both the Derby and the Preakness. But if you looked close at the finish of the latter, he was gassed indeed, and the #8 nag had come from behind and was in the process of blowing by him, but ran out of real estate just before the finish line.
No horse racing aficionado here, but I'm pretty sure the last leg of the Triple Crown, sometimes called the Belmont Stakes, is quite a bit longer than either the Derby or the Preakness.
So yeah, they'll all have a week or three to rest up, but if form holds, look for Justify to fade badly down the stretch in the longer race.
It's like a world-class 100 meter sprinter being totally wiped after a race. Hey, he only ran hard for less than 10 seconds. Are they really that fragile and conditioned to shut down after such a brief spurt of energy and effort?
And those guys get far more fame, glory, and money than marathoners that run 26 -- count em -- TWENTY SIX five minutes miles in a row?
Ridiculous.
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