Nobody's Perfect

Koshin Egal

With basketball and hockey deep into their championship season and also baseball starting again, one could be forgiven if they weren’t paying any attention to the French Open. I would be guilty of that as well. However, Rafael Nadal the undisputed number one male tennis player in the world lost today. Why is this a big deal? Nadal had previously never loss at the French Open ever!

Nadal the four-time French Open champion was gunning for his fifth in a row. If he had accomplished this feat he would have broken the tie between he and Bjorn Borg. Ironically Nadal had beaten Roger Federer at Wimbledon in arguably the greatest match ever last year. When Nadal did this he prevented Federer from also breaking a tie with Borg for most Wimbledon championships in a row. People were anticipating a French Open final between Nadal and Federer and why not since they have met each other in the past three years. However, Robin Soderling had a say in preventing this predictable final.

First Lebron can’t keep up his end of the bargain by meeting Kobe in the NBA finals and now Nadal will not be meeting Federer at this year’s French Open Final. Even though Nadal has been the best tennis player for the last year, there was a feeling that Federer could finally breakthrough Nadal at the French Open. Maybe now Federer can finally claim that elusive French Open he has been chasing to complete his career set.

In a way it is kind of sad that Nadal’s streak is over at the French Open but eventually a loss was inevitable. All great streaks no matter how spectacular have to come to an end. Somewhere Borg must be smiling at his countrymen Soderling.

The English Premier League is heading in a negative direction

Justin Thrift
A Point-Counter Point

The English Premier League is a sporting league like no other on this planet. In recent years, the world’s game (Soccer, as we refer to it here in America) has found no bigger stage at club level competition than England’s Premier League. It boasts a combined club revenue each season of around $1.8 billion, making it the world’s most profitable soccer league and fourth most profitable sporting league in the world behind only the NFL, MLB, and NBA. It enjoys being the world’s most watched sporting league with an estimated 500 millions viewers in around 202 countries world wide, and UEFA (The Union of European Football Associations) has ranked the Premier League as the most elite club in all of Europe for the past 5 seasons ahead of Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, and Germany’s Bundesliga.

What this means is that no other league in the world has been able to do a better job of selling the world’s game in recent time. No other league has generated as much interest, fandom, or shear quality that can match the face paced English game. There’s no doubt about it, this league has reached new heights that no other sports league has ever touched; but in the process, has the English Premier League crippled the game of football? I believe it’s heading in a direction that will seriously hurt the English game, and European soccer in general, long-term. The Premier League is perhaps the best prototype of business that modern sports leagues and teams have become, but it’s simultaneously nailing its foot to the ground and deflating one of the world’s most thrilling sports.

Now, before I proceed, it’s important that I make myself understood: there are very few Americans as invested in this league as I am. Born from a family of North Londoners, I will forever bleed the colors of Tottenham Hotspur. My life comes to a halt every four years when England attempts to reach glory at the World Cup, and English football has been just as potent on my sporting radar, if not more, then any other sport throughout my life. This is why it kills me to see the Premier League turning into what it is: an elitist enterprise for the select few. A business dealing of the most gross and imbecile measures. A totalitarian landscape of empires and regimes. Pick one, they all work perfectly.

Football League and the creation of the Premier League

What many American soccer fans don’t know is that the Premier League is rather young. However, football in England isn’t. In 1888 the first English football league was created, simply going by the name “Football League”. This lasted for four seasons, when the relegation/promotion concept was instituted with what became known as “Football League First Division”. This was the first concept of a “premier league”, or a league where the most elite clubs in England feature. As in the current system, the worst three teams in the top division were relegated downwards, as the top three in the Football League would be consequently promoted up to the first division.

In 1992, The English Premier League was formed after top clubs in England decided to split from the Football League in search of a more televised and lucrative league. Hence, the English Premier League was born. The Premier League was founded on the modern philosophy of big business in sports; it was designed to generate huge profits, and through its 17 seasons to date, that is exactly what it has done.

Addressing the issue of the “Big Four”

Today, the Premier League has developed into an unchecked financial goliath and while it’s succeeding in paying the bills for players, coaches and management, it has also succeeded in developing an archetype football club for ruining the sport in Europe. Let’s look at my first example. If you’re an American English-soccer enthusiast today, chances are you pay your allegiance to one of the “big four” teams: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool. And it’s no wonder. These teams command the most wealth of all English teams, and therefore, the most success and television opportunity. There’s no chance for an American kid to fall in love with any other team, they’d have to find them first. And besides, unless you were born in Sunderland, why would you root for a losing team? It’s easier, more convenient, and more popular to follow a team like Manchester United, with their continual ESPN coverage, infinite bank account to ensure they won’t fall out of winning habits, and a steady marketing agreement with the New York Yankees. For an impressionable American kid living more than 3000 miles away from the action, it’s a no-brainer.

All you have to do is consult Forbes 2009 list of the wealthiest football clubs in Europe, and you’ll be simultaneously looking at a list of the most popular clubs in the world:
1. Manchester United (ENG)
2. Real Madrid (SPA)
3. Arsenal (ENG)
4. Bayern Munich (GER)
5. Liverpool (ENG)
6. AC Milan (ITA)
7. Barcelona (SPA)
8. Chelsea (ENG)
(Notice how every “big four” team makes an appearance on the list.)

So, what the Premier League has done is create a stagnant environment within the league where four wealthy and historic clubs vie for the top places year after year with little to no competition except for themselves. In this undisturbed rat trap that occurs at the top of the league table are the four coveted Champions League spots that will, every season, be granted to the “big four”, as they’ve come to be known. Surely, a sick twisted design of monetary muscle if ever there were one, and a depressingly boring scenario for any team left out of the party (all other clubs in England.) If you aren’t lucky enough to be Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool, then your biggest goal is trying to seek entry into the UEFA cup (a collage of the best mediocre teams in Europe) or avoiding the relegation battle that would demote you down from the Premier League. If it sounds like a one sided scenario that repeats the same story every year, that’s because it is. Not convinced? Let’s consider some facts.

Since the Premier Leagues’ birth 17 seasons ago, only 4, out of 43 teams that have appeared in the league, have won the championship: Manchester United (11), Arsenal (3), Chelsea (2), and Blackburn (1). (Blackburn Rovers carried over their potent squad from their days in the Football League First Division and won the third Premier League season, a shocking title that would prove to be their ultimate peak before plummeting.) The Premier League has seen Manchester United win back-to-back championships twice, three championships in a row two times, and 11 championships total out of the League’s 17 year span. The past four seasons have seen the “big four” finish 1-4 in the league table, and no team other than a “big four” team has made a Champions League Final appearance since Aston Villa won the tournament in 1981. The “big four” have consistent winning records against every other team currently in the Premier League. (In addition, many of the league’s most entertaining games come from teams outside the “big four” as the most elite teams usually meet up in stalemate matches that only stress the viewer. One of the greatest games in Premier League history took place several seasons ago between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham in a back and forth game that jostled the fans hearts like a good football game should.)

These facts not only prove the dominance of the “big four”, they reveal a startling trend in the direction of the Premier League: downwards and monotonous. How can any professional sporting league this consistently one-sided be any fun to watch, let alone thrilling or appealing to fans? These four teams have monopolized the power in European football, and have leaked a disturbing trend into the rest of Europe where teams like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and AC Milan are copying the Premier League’s tactic of winning and using complete financial force to buy their way to Championships and protection (refer back to Forbes’ wealthiest clubs list). The modern surge of financial domination has also negatively affected fans in the prices they are expected to pay for tickets. Without charging an arm and a leg for a seat at a game, clubs have no way to replenish the obscene salaries that they now dish out to every one of their players. It’s a sad fact that since the dawn of the Premier League, the average player salary has expanded by many hundreds of thousands of dollars in less than 2 decades.

Crippling the English game

Some people may claim that the recent domination of the Premier League’s “big four” only helps the English game and that a Premier League that consistently tops La Liga and Serie A is a great achievement for England and English football. They say that having teams like Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, and Liverpool puts the English game on the map. While these teams certainly do bring the Premier League worldwide attention, it’s certainly not a result of English talent. How does it showcase the English game when only 10 out of 20 players on Manchester United’s First Team is actually English? Only 5 of 28 players on Chelsea’s current squad can claim English nationality. Perhaps most notable of all is Arsenal, who have a dismal 3 out of 29 First Team players who are actually English. Liverpool has 10 players on their monstrous 42 man First Team squad who are English. That’s, are you ready, 28 English players out of 119 First Team players on all top four teams in the 2008-2009 Premier League season. Wow, great exposure for England, right? It almost seems like the only thing “English” about these teams is where they play. And did I mention that an English coach has never won the Premier League?

All this proves is that this league would not be the powerhouse that it is without foreign talent to bolster its top teams and the overwhelming wealth that is required for dominant teams to bring foreign talent to England. Furthermore, in the process of fishing around the world for top talent, the Premier League along with other top European leagues have promoted a scouting tactic that robs players from leagues in Africa, Asia and the Americas, leaving those leagues in a desolate wasteland of lesser talent.

Solutions to be had: UEFA’s role

The problems that the Premier League is facing spawns from a simple issue: the Premier League is a league that does not adequately supervise its teams. This is a league where teams are able to have as many players as they wish, whenever they want, with as many positions as they desire. Teams are not confined to keep their payroll under a certain amount and may spend as much money as freely and as often as they wish. The management of these Premier League teams can reach for the stars with the minor regulations of a trading deadline and menial foreign player visa requirements. With freedom like this, it’s no wonder that the “big four” are able to sustain championship squads from year to year. It’s also no wonder how poorer teams face an uphill battle they can never win unless a billionaire buys them out; there is no lottery system, no draft, no league bailouts for Premier teams in trouble– your team is completely on their own. Would successful leagues like the NBA or NFL ever function properly under such loose rules? The answer is a definite no. These leagues provide new champions every year and give bad teams a fighting chance. NO league can provide thrilling entertainment in this age of billionaire business tycoons without a policing figure within the league to monitor fair business. To be clear, the problem is not with dynasty teams like Liverpool or Manchester United; dynasty teams are a rich tradition in any league, and a valuable asset to the sport. The problem is the environment in which the Premier League allows these now dynasty teams to operate in. Quite simply, without newly implemented rules and regulations to govern business in the modern European football arena, there will be no end to the streaks of “big four” championships, predictable score lines and league positions, and no end to the hopelessness that 90% of teams face at the start of each season. Business has its place in the game, it needs to be monitored closely.

So who should inherit these solutions? Don’t expect the leagues to. The responsibility cannot be put on a specific league, (whether the Premier League or La Liga); the responsibility must be acknowledged by UEFA, as they are the only organization in a neutral position to bring regulations over all European league clubs. Individual leagues cannot be expected to police themselves at the expense of losing players, money, and popularity to other European leagues. In other words, the Premier League would never institute a salary cap without the rest of Europe coinciding, or else they would pay the price of losing players to other leagues and watching those leagues carry out a dictatorship environment similar to the one present today. UEFA must realize the issue at hand and assume an authority position over the European leagues. If a league fails to acknowledge these guidelines, don’t include them in UEFA, a dire mistake that would destroy any league quickly.

From the mouth of the great English footballer Kevin Keegan, "This league is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world." Is that okay with you, or do you want more than 4 teams battling for the Premier League trophy each season? I know I do.

The English Premier League As The Best In World

Charlie Klein

The Premier League is the best league in the world. I would cite that, but so many in the game have uttered the phrase that I have absolutely no idea whom to quote. The amount of success the English Premier League has enjoyed over the past five years is immeasurable. It has easily outdistanced any other league of continental Europe and many of its clubs boast strong attendance figures.

“The English Premier League is best league in the world,” The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFHHS). The Premiership won this award for the second year running by virtue of English clubs’ performances in both the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. The Premier League defeated second place Serie A by 161 points. In each of the past two seasons at least three English sides have qualified for the semifinals of the Champions League. In the UEFA Cup the results have not been as strong, but there are any number of reasons that may be cited as to why this is the case. Structurally in the Champions League the third place team in each group drops into the UEFA Cup. The EPL’s strongest teams have not finished third in their group for a very long period of time, whereas third place has been occupied by other league’s second, third, or fourth best sides and have done well with their parachute into the UEFA Cup.

“The English Premier League is the best league in the world,” Patrice Evra. The League is at its highest point in its 16 years under its current conception. Financially, its collective revenue is worth 40% more than its nearest competitor, Serie A. According to the same agency, Deliotte Football Money league, in its newest rankings, places seven English sides in its top 20 richest clubs of 2007/2008. The rankings are sure to change considering Manchester City’s new ownership, although they did make the list at No. 20. The English clubs featured (in order) are Manchester United (2), Chelsea (5), Arsenal (6), Liverpool (7), Tottenham Hotspur (14), Newcastle (17), and Manchester City (20). Additionally, the Premier League has had the fourth highest league revenue of any league in the world, only behind the top three leagues in the United States, the NFL, MLB, and NBA, and it is ahead of the NHL.

“The English Premier League is the best league in the world,” Sven-Goran Eriksson. Not only is the league the richest soccer league in the world, but it is also it’s most competitive. My counterpart will argue that the existence of a top four (the four teams that have occupied the first four spots in the standings for the past five seasons) is what has been damaging to this league. The top four, as it is popularly referred to, addresses the fact that for the past five campaigns Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool have all finished in the top four, and yet those who try and discredit the Premier League’s recent success miss the fact that Newcastle United and Everton have claimed places in the Champions league as recently as the 2003/2004 campaign.

My counterpart will also probably argue that there is a certain concentration of wealth in the league that prevents lower clubs from reaching the heights of a team like Manchester United, yet this is simply misconstruing the facts already presented, in addition to those that I shall add. His team of choice, Tottenham Hotspur, certainly does not suffer from a lack of sterling in their coffers. Perhaps if they had decided to either retain the services of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane instead of selling them they would not have had to suffer for their first win last season until most children were preparing to don Halloween costumes. Instead of wasting 15 million pounds on David Bentley, who spent most of his time on the bench at White Hart Lane and 14 million pounds on Roman Pavlyuchenko whose five goals and plenty of pointless forays into the 18 yard box have forced Harry Redknapp to put him on the White Hart Lane chopping block. So perhaps he has his own club’s poor transfer window to blame for the fact that Spurs have missed out on a place in Europe next term.

Furthermore, money does not always guarantee success. An example of this is Manchester City, who are the richest club in the world thanks to their new Arab owners, and yet they, like Tottenham, have failed to qualify for Europe. Stoke City, a side promoted last term managed to avoid relegation and finished 12^th, a mere five points and two places behind Manchester City. The city of Stoke-on-Trent enjoyed victories over such cash rich sides as Arsenal, Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Manchester City. They also drew twice with Liverpool, a feat that not even the second richest club in the world Manchester United could accomplish against the boys in red on Merseyside. My opponent will cite the riches of Manchester United and Chelsea and attempt to prove a correlation between their transfer spending and the fact that those two teams have won the league each of the past five years. I have, however, proved that simple spending does not guarantee success. The fact that the 17^th richest club in the world, Newcastle United, was relegated and sides like Hull City managed to remain in the Promised Land is living proof that money alone does not always lead to success.

The English Premier League is the best in the world. This time I feel confident enough in saying it myself that I do not need the claims of others to feel substantiated with that comment. The league dominates all others financially and competitively. Inside the league there is better competition than any other league as any team with the correct mixture of proper management and talent can achieve their goals. Furthermore, on any give Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or even a Wednesday any team can feasibly beat another, regardless of world stature. All of those factors working in unison prove that the English Premier League truly is the greatest in the world and is thereby witnessing a golden age.

Cup Crazy

Charlie Klein

It seems that in such unpredictable times there is only one thing that a sporting man may rely upon these days, the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings took Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals 3-1 over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

The Red Wings were the beneficiaries of the notoriously fast boards at the Joe Louis Arena, receiving two goals that resulted from the utilization of pucks bouncing off the boards. The Red Wings took the first lead of the game in the first period when a shot by Brad Stuart that missed the net caromed right back to Fleury, bounced off of his leg and into the net. The Red Wings celebrated as if it had not been one of the more fortuitous goals scored in these playoffs.

The Penguins showed tremendous resolve in not allowing such a shocking goal kill their momentum as they got a bounce of their own. Center Evgeni Malkin fired a hard shot on net which Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood could only glove down into the path of Ruslan Fedotenko, who put in the easy rebound to tie the game up at one apiece. From that point on it seemed like the Penguins were bound to be the owners of the next lead in the game, but it was simply not to be. Chris Osgood had another fantastic game in net and helped kill off two Penguins powerplays during which the Penguins had many chances to score.

With a minute remaining in the second period, it looked as though there would be no resolution to the stalemate. Both teams had chances to break the deadlock but through either the brilliance of the oppposition goalie or by their own mistakes were unable to put the biscuit in the cage. That all changed two seconds later when Johan Franzen scored his 11th goal of the playoffs by firing a shot off the back of Fleury's leg and into the net. While surely it was not the prettiest goal that Franzen has ever scored, it did the trick. The Red Wings had taken the lead, one they were not to forfeit the rest of the game.

The boys in the red sweaters added another goal to put the game out of reach 2:48 into the third period on a great piece of individual effort by Red Wings newbie Justin Abdelkader. The newest Red Wing's first shot was deflected up into the air, but it was only a trifle for him as he gloved it down and fired top shelf (upper 90 for you soccer folk) over a sprawled out Fleury to give the Wings a 3-1 lead. NBC commentators noted that it seems whenever one puts a Red Wings sweater on a player, he just seems to become a much better player.

The Penguins did have further chances to score but were unable to convert. The Pittsburgh outfit were unable to benefit from the fast boards at the Joe thanks to Osgood's experience playing them. Osgood made 31 saves on the night, just another great playoff performance from a goalie who already has so many of them. “The goalie is the most important player every night,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “It’s hockey."

Game 2 is tonight in Detroit on NBC at 8pm eastern.

Do You Believe in Magic?

Charlie Klein

Throughout the entire Eastern Conference Finals, the Orlando Magic were out to prove a point. That point being that they were the better team and with their 103-90 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers last night at AmWay Arena in Orlando.

The Orlando Magic have ended the second longest drought between NBA Finals in league history. It was 14 years ago that a Magic team led by Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway won the Eastern Conference but then lost to the Houston Rockets. What makes their success that remarkable is that the Magic are six years removed from having the worst record in the league. Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel said that the Magic were, "back from the basketball dead."

For the Cleveland Cavaliers, it is an unfitting end of the season that no one saw coming. The Cavaliers had the NBA's best record, NBA MVP LeBron James, and NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown. The people in Cleveland, as well as pretty much everywhere else, believed that finally this would be the year that would end the city's 45 year championship drought. What proved to be this team's undoing was the fact that they only had one star player. James could not carry them throughout a seven game series in which the rest of the team was exposed for what they really were, role players. It seems crazy now to think that a team with Wally Szerbiak, Anderson Varejao, Ben Wallace, Boobie Gibson, and Delonte West would be thought of as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. All of those players are only in the NBA because they do one thing really well, and if they were not doing that, they would not be in the NBA. Against weaker opponents in the Eastern Conference the Cavaliers were made to look like world beaters, but when they came up against an actual team, they had no chance.

The Cavaliers could take a lesson from the book of the Magic. Build a team around three main players, not just one. The Magic made an awfully prescient decision by choosing Dwight Howard over Emeka Okafor in the 2004 NBA Draft. They also gave a controversial contract to Rashard Lewis. People wondered why they were willing to give him a big contract when he had no playoff experience. Hedo Turkoglu, who was brought in 2004, won the NBA Most Improved Player award last season and look at him now. The Magic also made a great draft choice in selecting Mikael Pietrus from France. Pietrus in this Eastern Conference Finals outscored the entire Cavaliers bench. The Magic even lost their All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson (another fine draft pick) and were able to overcome it by the trade for Rafer Alston in addition to the fine play of Courtney Lee, their 2008 first round selection. The Magic present difficult matchups for opponents. Lewis and Turkoglu are both 6'10'' and are knock down shooters. Dwight Howard is simply a monster in the middle who has finally learned how to use his size to his advantage.

The 2008-2009 Cleveland Cavaliers could go down as one of the biggest farces in NBA history. I myself always wondered how they were as good as they had been playing. I was one of the people who believed that the Cavaliers would win this series in five games, and we were all so wrong. The city of Cleveland will have to wait another year for its first championship in basketball, while the city of Orlando can look forward to adding its first championship versus the Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets, Game 6

LAL: Ariza (F), Bryant (G), Fisher (G), Gasol (F), Bynum (C)
DEN: Billups (G), Jones (G), Nene (C), Martin (F), Anthony (F)

wow, fantastic introduction for the Nuggets. props to the Pepsi Center, they got me jumping up and down too!

Keys to the game:

DEN: their bench HAS to show up tonight and provide some energy and production. This mainly falls to JR Smith and Chris Andersen. Maybe JR can hit a few threes tonight like he did in Game 4.

LAL: Lamar Odom has to play a similar game to the one he played in Game 5. If the Lakers get the balanced production that led them to the best record in the Western Conference, then they will undoubtedly take the series tonight.

ALL TIMES ARE THOSE OF THE GAME

@11:35 Anthony blocks a dunk by Bynum, looks like the Nuggets are ready to play some defense tonight.

@10:16 great ball movement, Ariza hits the open 3. 5-0 Lakers, as Gasol got on the board with an elegant hook shot.

@9:35 so far two alley-oops have been missed as Anthony was unable to convert on a badd pass.

@9:01 Anthony drives to the hoop, Bynum contests Anthony's shot and fouls him in the process, but Anthony can only convert one of two FTs.

@8:33 Dahntay Jones outjumps 24 and gets the tip in, 5-3 Lakers.

@7:54 Nene J's easily over Gasol. 7-5 Lakers.

@7:18 Bryant hits both FT's after being fouled by K-Mart in the act of shooting.

@6:28 Brilliant spin move in the paint by Martin as he hits a lay in, and then Bynum travels. JR Smith enters, and Jones takes a seat.

@5:58 Mr. Softee with a nice block on a driving Smith. First break in play. So far both teams have been unable to convert some easy chances at the offensive end and the Nuggets have continually left Ariza open, which the Lakers have yet to take advantage of. Expect the Zen Master to alert them to this during the timeout.

@5:22 Bynum picks up his second foul the hard way, by killing K-Mart's arms. He takes a seat and Odom will take his place. Martin misses both FT's. The Nuggets have to make those FT's.

@4:25 SMITH WITH A THREEEEEE 13-11 Lakers

@3:39 great drive to the basket as Anthony hits his first field goal. Odom with a nice kiss off the glass before that. 15-13 Lakers

@2:59 BILLUPS THREEEEE right after Ariza with a nice turnaround dunk. 17-16 Lakers. LAL FULL TO. Well both teams have started to heat up a bit, particularly the Nuggets with Billups and Smith both connecting from beyond the arc. So far it looks as though we are in for a treat of a game.

@2:33 Bryant drives and gets a nice lay up out of the timeout. 19-16 Lakers.

@1:12 Smith with a great drive to the hoop, and converts an easy lay in.

@53.2 Ariza hits the wide open three, why aren't the Nuggets covering him!?!

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER

Bryant and Carter trade misses and the score at the end of the first is 25-20 Lakers. So far the Lakers look to have the game under control, but if Smith and CO. can get hot from behind the arc look out for a nice Nuggets run. Denver has to do a better job defending Trevor Ariza of all people and not allow him to get such easy looks at the basket.
SECOND QUARTER

@11:43 Anthony gets an easy drive to the hoop and converts the lay up. 25-22 Lakers.

@11:03 another easy drive for a Nuggets player as Smith gets an easy look and hits. 27-24 Lakers.

@10:35 terrible pass by Carter leads to a turnover and on the other end of the floor Vujacic hits the tre. 30-24 Lakers.

@9:52 dumb foul by Walton and Anthony hits both FT's, and then Smith drives again and gets the lay up. 30-29 Lakers

@8:49 Smith is making it rain on the Lakers with a great Kobe-esque step back jumper and puts the Nuggets on top for the first time in this game. 31-30 Nuggets. FULL TO LAL. The Zen Master cannot be pleased as the Lakers soft defense is allowing Smith to blow right by them on his way to the cup. If he can have it like that the rest of the game, forget about him chucking threes. Even Smith will give those up for an easy two.

@8:04 the Nuggets have their white power lineup in the game with 2 of 5 white boys as Kleiza joins Andersen, who gracelessly throws the ball away.

@7:15 great defense by denver leads to a fast break tip in by smith.

@6:38 great hook shot by Odom. 34-33 Lakers.

@5:56 Farmar travels as he starts complaining, surely no one's fault but his own. Yet he starts complaining. That's the ninth Laker turnover thus far.

@4:55 nice shot fisher, hits the three, 37-33 Lakers.

@2:58 FULL TO DEN. Denver has not scored in the last four minutes, and yet are only down six.

@2:37 Kobe with an unstoppable jumper. 41-35 Lakers.

@2:01 Ariza hits another three, where is a Nuggets defender!?! 44-37 Lakers. Then Ariza picks up his third foul. I guess the Nuggets have to hope that he fouls out...

@1:24 Bryant has 13, with another jumper. The Nuggets just are not playing their style of basketball at all.

@1:04 How do you stop the unstoppable? You can't. Another jumper by Bryant.

@34 Andersen with terrible defense comes off Gasol to guard Fisher, Fisher dishes to Gasol who finishes easily for the Lakers first double digit lead of the game.

@4.1 kobe withan unstoppable three. 53-40.

END OF THE SECOND QUARTER

Terrible basketball by the Nuggets, who HAVE to play better or just show up in order to have a chance in this second half. 13 point lead for the Lakers. Kobe is hot and looks to take on his closer role unless the Nuggets can pull some magic out of their hats.

THIRD QUARTER

This quarter could be the most important quarter in Nuggets franchise history. They must come out with some energy in order to not only get the crowd going but also to get themselves back on track. For the Lakers, they have to keep doing what they already are, taking the open shots or just allowing Kobe to take over.

@11:03 WOWWWW KOBE AIRBALL!!! that was unexpected. but then Dahntay Jones gets T'd up. The Nuggets sure do know how to shoot themselves in the foot.

@10:32 Bynum dunks easily as the Nuggets have yet again failed to play any sort of defense. Denver cannot handle Gasol's passing. Just bad double teaming by the Nuggets.

@9:46 K-MART WITH THE SLAMMA finally some energy shown by the Nuggets. 58-45 Lakers.

@8:47 great individual play by Billups as he skips to his lou and gets a great lay in following some better defense by the Nuggets. 60-49 Lakers.

@8:12 Anthony goes to the line after being fouled by Walton. And hits 2 of 2 FT's. I can hear Dick Vitale yelling from I assume Tampa GOTTA MAKE THOSE FREE THROWS GEORGE KARL! AI9 (Andre Igoudala of the 76ers) commented on twitter, "Denver, get that boat ready...cause if they don't turn it around on the 2nd half, they goin fishin..." Mr. Igoudala just might be right.

@6:39 Gasol is coming out ready to party and has continued his offensive run. 66-55 Lakers.

@5:40 "you competed all year go out and compete now!" The Nuggets had best heed the call of their coach.

@5:03 KOBE SAYS YOU CAN'T GUARD ME! hits the shot and gets fouled. You kind of get the feeling that the Lakers are going for the knock out blow. 71-55 Lakers.

@4:50 Billups lobs it up to K-Mart as he throws it down, that's right, like a colonist. 71-57 Lakers.

@3:38 Luke Walton hits opens shots. Hell, my suitemate Mark Stangler would hit that shot too. 75-59.

@2:42, and the chant warm up the bus should probably be going off, Kobe with a great shot. 79-59 Lakers.

@1:57 SMITH WITH A THREEEE might be too late though 79-64 Lakers.

@1:16 Kleiza with a questionable three that will probably be reviewed and changed to a two.

@6.0 JR Smith has only himself to blame, just a dumb foul, another dumb foul, by the Nuggets. Just terrible. I can hardly bear to watch.

END OF THE THIRD

Well this series is over. I hope I am wrong about that, as everyone loves to watch game sevens, but this one is done. The Nuggets continually manage to stunt their own momentum with retarded fouls and horrid defense. All the Lakers have had to do is just make open shots.

FOURTH QUARTER

@11:40 Mr. Softee has been a force tonight with them dimes. 85-67 Lakers.

@10:59 When Lamar Odom hits threes on you, well you're done. Van Gundy just said when you put the kids to be you gotta turn off the tv. God I really don't like his comments. 88-67.

@10:29 And when Luke Walton dunks on you, I'd say that would make you more done than a piece of grilled chicken at my old dining hall (really done).

@9:54 and Walton steps out of bounds, THAT'S why you should feel bad when he dunks on you.

@9:30 Kobe hits both FT's. As if it makes that much of a difference.

@9:05 Pau Gasol again.

@8:43 reach in on Smith, who already has 5 fouls.

@7:48 Smith hits a three, after Kobe throws it down with force. 96-80.

@6:13 TO DEN, as Kobe hits another unstoppable three. Where are the Nuggets!?!?! Not here tonight.

@5:54 god this game is like watching your favourite pet slowly die... 101-82 Lakers.

Well this game is over. I'm killing this entry. The Lakers finally showed their killer instinct and have finished off the Nuggets. I figure if the people are leaving the Pepsi Center I should be allowed to as well. Thanks Nuggets for at least five games of interesting basketball. The Lakers are just too good.

Brady returns, Cassel moves West

The New England Sports Update
Justin Thrift

If there’s one thing that I enjoyed seeing this week more than a whimpering Christiano Ronaldo leading his team into a major Champions League loss, it was the sight of Tom Brady throwing a football and rejoining his teammates at Patriot training camp.

On a chilly overcast day in Foxboro, Massachusetts, the star New England quarterback talked to reporters for the first time since his surgery nine months ago and played warm-up scrimmages with his teammates. From Brady’s own words, it appears that his surgery was a complete success. “I feel as good as I could possibly feel,” Brady told NESN (New England Sports Network). After what seemed like the season from hell for Patriots fans and players, things seem to be coming back together smoothly for the team that many people consider the modern dynasty power in the NFL. Brady said yesterday that his injury is a testament to the physical nature of the game, an insight that allows for the unpredictable. "There are a lot of things that could happen in two months," he said. "I've got to drive home this afternoon in Boston traffic. You never know what could happen.”

In retrospect, Brady’s injury has lead to a number of peculiar and strange happenings; ironic things that spur small talk in local bars and create endless opinions that float from one sports junkie to the next. From a week 1 injury that shocked the entire NFL, we saw a kid from California receive a chance to prove himself as a quality quarterback on the biggest stage possible. We witnessed a championship caliber team deflate and miss the playoffs for the first time in six years. Maybe strangest of all, we saw that team engage in various business dealings that would send their new young talented quarterback, along with a longtime veteran linebacker to the team that injured their star player on opening day.

For the sake of clarity, it’s worth setting up a timeline of all the chaos that dictated last year’s Brady saga, and the aftereffects that will continue to ripple through the upcoming 2009-2010 NFL season.

September 7, 2008 – Tom Brady tears his ACL during the first quarter of the Patriots’ first game to the season, ending his season and ultimately the team’s Super Bowl hopes. The injury came from the hands of Kansas City Chiefs’ safety Bernard Pollard, who’s ironic position title didn’t factor much in this harsh tackle.

September 14, 2008 – Matt Cassel makes his first ever NFL start against the NY Jets and Brett Favre. Cassel completed 16 of 23 passes for a total of 165 yards giving the Patriots a 19-10 victory over New York. In being the winning quarterback, Cassel became the first player in history to beat Brett Favre in their NFL debut.

October 6, 2008 – Brady undergoes surgery to repair is knee injury in Los Angeles.

October 15, 2008 – Brady undergoes a second surgery to remove a minor staph infection that had formed as a result of him carrying his son around his hospital room. Negative effects of this surgery on Brady’s recovery thought to be minimal.

February 27, 2009 – After an impressive season with the Patriots, Matt Cassel along with Mike Vrabel are traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 34th overall round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

May 25, 2009 – Brady is caught on camera throwing short passes at Gillette Stadium hours before the NCAA Division 1 national lacrosse final game between Syracuse and Cornell. Brady would partake in small team practices that week and be seen in video on the official Patriots site working out with teammates.

May 26, 2009 – Brady is featured in Sports Illustrated were he tells a reporter that he feels excellent and plans to continue playing football for another 10 years.

May 28, 2009 – Brady talks to Boston media for the first time since his injury and is seen practicing with the team in Foxboro.

Whew. Tom Brady’s knee snapping under Pollard’s weight truly was the shot heard around the NFL last fall. With all that has happened in hindsight, one might wonder if the Kansas City Chiefs secretly applaud Pollard’s tackle, however unintentionally harsh it might have been. Seriously, could this team really have made out any better than they did after picking up a rookie Cassel who got his bearings on a championship team and proved his talent in a difficult AFC? Could the Chiefs ask for a better veteran guy than Mike Vrabel who has been a constant in the New England locker room for over 7 years and performs intensely and passionately every Sunday? I think the answer to all these questions is ‘no’, they couldn’t have made out better, and I’m happy to say that they deserve a player like Matt Cassel who will surely continue to blossom before our eyes this upcoming season.

It may still be a little early to say this, but are you ready for some football?

EPIC FAIL OF THE DAY

Charlie Klein

I thought it would be fun to do a daily sporting fail. Today's fail goes out to the Washington Nationals, who failed to ascertain the correct spelling of Roosevelt for their Teddy Roosevelt bobblehead dolls which are sold during games at Nationals Park. The Nationals sell bobbleheads of the four presidents whose busts are sculpted on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. The main event of every Nationals game is when four men (or women) dress up in presidents costumes and race each other. Mr. Roosevelt is the most beloved of the four racers because of his penchant for losing every race in a new way. Nationals fans love failures (that's why there are some people who still attend games of the 13 win outfit) and so anything Teddy flies off the racks. One such lover of our 26th president, Joanne Richcreek, submitted the above photo to the Washington Post. Dan Steinberg, author of the DC Sports Blog for the Post commented, "So maybe there was some sort of sly winking going on, like if the Nats started selling Bratworst, Done jerseys and New Error hats."

LeBron Does it Again

Charlie Klein

While the rest of the sporting world had labeled the Orlando Magic the 2009 Eastern Conference Champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers were winning game five. LeBron James added another triple double and came through in the clutch carrying the Cavaliers to a 112-102 win last night at the Quicken Loans Arena.

James proved what his puppet says in the Nike commercial, turn 23 around and it reads triple double! James' 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, including his truly amazing streak during the fourth quarter in which he either scored or assisted on 32 straight points. It was not all LeBron for once in this series for the Cavaliers, as point guard Mo Williams had his first game of over 20 points, contributing six threes and a total of 24 points. One of the most crucial decisions made by Cleveland coach Mike Brown was the insertion of Boobie Gibson, who contributed 11 points, including three crucial three pointers.

For the Magic, while it is surely disappointing to have not closed out the series, they have Game Six in Orlando Saturday night to fall back on. They showed tremendous determination in coming back from being down 22 points early on to close the lead to one point after Rashard Lewis, who if LeBron was not involved in this series, would probably be receiving his just deserts for being a clutch shooter, hit a three as time expired in the second quarter. Hedo Turkoglu had another strong game with 29 points. The most surprisingly impressive player for the Magic has been Mickael Pietrus, who has guarded James better than anyone else in these playoffs. His outstanding defense is not the only thing he offers. Pietrus is also a great shooter, hitting tough shot after tough shot in Game 5, including a difficult step back three.

The Cavaliers showed the reseiliency that had been missing from their performances in Orlando. After watching their lead slip away they came back strong in the fourth quarter and hit the shots they had to in order to force Game 6 in Orlando. Brown's strongest ability as coach is his ability to utilize James in order to not only amplify the King's greatness, but to use that greatness to get other players involved. For ever possession in the fourth quarter the Cavaliers ran James on an isolation and if he was unable to find a shot either Williams or Gibson were open for three's, which at least in Game 5 at home they were able to make.

Even if this series does end in six games with the Magic advancing, the Cavaliers have at least defended their home floor. And if somehow the Cavaliers disprove the sporting world again and win Game 6, Howard and Co. had better look out for the Cavaliers in Game 7.

The Power of A Memo

Koshin Egal

Billy Gillispie, the former basketball coach of the University of Kentucky Men’s basketball team, is suing the university for breach of contract. Ashley Judd’s favorite team has responded in kind by suing their former coach.

Gillispie, who filed his claim on Wednesday, is seeking $6 million. During his time with the team he complied a 40-27 record with one NCAA tournament appearance. Kentucky fired him and replaced him with John Calipari this year.

The interesting thing about this case is that Gillispie never signed a formal contract instead he signed what was a “Memorandum of understanding”. This understanding was put in place so that he could get to work and that in the reasonable future a proper contract would be made.

This never happened.

The memorandum, which was no more than a memo, calls for the school to pay Gillispie $1.5 million for the remainder of his contract. The courts will have to see if this memo was binding, which I could see it being so. The reasoning for this is that the memo was being honored as a contract for the two years that he was there, and if it includes a buyout clause then that will most likely be seen as binding.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets, Game 5

FIRST QUARTER

Hello and welcome, one and all, to the place to go for all of your NBA Western Conference news and updates. I'm in my recliner, beverage of choice close to hand, let's get it started.

atmosphere is electric at the staples center tonight, jack nicholson is there! i wonder why sometimes people think it makes opposing teams nervous having him courtside...

FIRST QUARTER

DEN: Anthony (F), Martin (F), Nene (C), Jones (G), Billups (G)
LAL: Ariza (F), Gasol (F), Bynum (C), Fisher (G), Bryant (G)

interesting lineups from both sides. a key to the game will be how Ariza plays. If he can hit his trademark three's and bring the defensive intensity, I think the Lakers will take game five. For the Nuggets the main question is if Melo is truly healthy and ready to score like he did in the first two games. That being said, Melo was not at his best and they dropped 120 on the Lakers. Interesting debate on Gasol, is he not getting enough touches?

ALL TIMES ARE THOSE OF THE GAME

@12:00 Lakers win the opening tip. nice shot fisher misses an open look from three.

@11:29: Billups knocks down the three.

@10:39 Ariza and Billups both have it their way and get lay ups at opposite ends of the floor.

@10:03 K-Mart throws it down for another early dunk, just like in game four, dunks it like a colonist!

@ 7:12 LAL FULL TIMEOUT. Denver off to a decent start in game five.

@7:08 LAL Kobe lobs it up to Bynum, who throws it down for the two points. 11-7 Nuggets.

@6:11 DEN offensive foul on Anthony. LAL on a bit of a run now as Bynum dunks again. Could he be finally walking the walk? 12-11 Lakers

@5:26 DEN FULL TIMEOUT. 8-0 run by the Lakers, look out Denver. LAL looks completely different at home.

@5:09 Nene wanted it more and gets the putback ending their scoreless streak.

@4:32 Ariza misses and Gasol grabs the rebound and puts it in. Then Anthony at the other end drives the basket, hits the shot, and draws the foul on Bynum, but misses the resulting FT. 16-15 Lakers.

@3:26 Denver gets the offensive rebound, no surprise, and Billups hits an open 3. but then Ariza shows he wants to ball in this game five with a great run to the basket and lay up.

@2:53 LAL Gasol proving to be a good provider, as he catches then passes to a streaking Ariza who is fouled in the act of shooting. Ariza hits one of two FT's.

@2:23 questionable foul called on Billups as he goes up for a lay up on Ariza. that's two on him. terrible call.

@1:57 Lakers bigs showing up tonight as Odom hits a shot. what a terrible call though on Billups, as to how the Nuggets rotate in addition to how nice a start Mr. Billups was off to.

@1:03 BIRDMAN WITHA BLOCK ON ODOM!

@36.6 what lazy defense by the nuggets as Farmar gathers his own miss and easily lays it in.

END OF THE FIRST

BIRDMAN WITH ANOTHER BLOCK!! Odom cannot help himself from getting owned by Andersen. If I had to make a call on who is going to win the game, I'd say the Lakers, who look like a different team than they were on Monday. That being said, don't count the Nuggets out of this one. It will be interesting to see what affect Billups' two fouls will have on the second quarter. All tied up at 25.

SECOND QUARTER

Time to get things restarted back here at the big stapler. great first quarter, let's hope the next three are just as high quality!

@11:41 J.R. Smith looks like he is going to keep things consistent and have a good game five. Assited a K-Mart 20 footer.

@10:48 Luke Walton can block? Anthony, cool as a cucumber, or a watermelon, knocks down the J.

@10:10 Odom proving he is not Bum-dom and takes it to the basket, hits and draws a foul from Andersen, his second. hits the FT. 29-28 Nuggets.

@8:54 shooting foul on Linus Kleiza. As is his usual this series, Mr. Softee holds the ball for too long and misses. Denver collects the rebound and Smith lays it in. 31-28 Nuggets.

Epic Fail of the night goes to Lamar Odom trying to drive a kids go-kart, a little big arentcha Mr. Odom?

@8:12 Walton was like hey! over here! and gets a wide open lay up. 31-31.

@7:20 JR assists a great lay up by the birdman. 33-31 Nuggets.

@6:12 the Nuggets may want to consider doubling down on Bynum, who just says Birdman, watch ME fly and gets the lay up.

@5:54 LAL FULL TIMEOUT. The Nuggets are turning it over way too much thus far and still they are only down 1. 36-35 Lakers.

@5:27 great play by Kleiza, fakes the shot and blazes to the hoop for an easy lay in. 37-36 Nuggets.

sorry mr. odom, you're off the hook. Epic fail goes to van gundy for making a hillary clinton reference. i know i'm really white, but he is even more so. "like hillary clinton said, it takes a village," in reference to how the Lakers are getting points from Odom, Fisher, and Bynum. Then Kleiza decides he wants in and misses two of three FT's. 38-38.

@4:28 Mr. Softee assists beautifully to Bynum, who lays it in and draws the foul. Bynum misses the and-1. 40-38 Lakers.

@2:36 wow two bad possesions leads to a thing of beauty by the nuggets, anthony to smith to anthony to martin who gets the easy tranistion lay up. then Billups picks up his third foul already. considering how badly things have gone for the Nuggets, they are still in it with a shout and are up two. 44-42 Nuggets.

@1:50 great play at both ends of the floor. Smith hits a long-distance three and then Kobe drives, hits the lay-up and converts his and-1 opportunity as neither team can separate themselves from the other. 49-47.

@46.9 Andersen blocks but Odom says hey I remember how to play basketball again and hits the shot.

@24.9 Kleiza can't handle a simple inbounds pass... Odom must feel like kid who got told he could have everything in the candy store.

HALFTIME

Disappointing play from the Nuggets has allowed the Lakers to come back into the game, as Vujacic hits the Lakers first three. Not that great of a first half in all honesty, both teams are not doing enough to put their stamp on the game. If the Nuggets can play this poorly and still lead for most of the game, then I'd be worried if I was a Lakers fan to see what happens when they actually play well. That being said, it's all tied up at 56 here at the half.

THIRD QUARTER

@11:36 Sloppy play from both sides as Pau laughably asks for a call.

@11:15 Anthony hits a three and then Kobe proves why he is a superstar and dunks off a great pass from Fisher.

@10:40 Nuggets just say hey I want the ball more than you Lakers and Jones after two offensive rebounds gets an easy uncontested lay in.

@9:12 Bryant with an unstoppable shot, damn he is good.

@8:26 K-Mart hits another open jumper from distance as the Lakers give him as much attention as liberals give alan keyes.

@7:58 fourth foul on Nene, as Ariza gets incredibly lucky and draws the foul. Ariza hits 2 of 3 FT's. 67-64 Nuggets.

@7:22 Bynum picks up his fourth and heads to the bench. Enter Lamar Odom.

@6:28 ANDERSEN BLOCK! Nuggets still can't hit the shots to put the Lakers away....

@6:03 FULL TIMEOUT DENVER as Mr. Softee dunks it. Something about him I just don't like. Denver is disappointingly not taking advantage of their opportunities and the Lakers looked poised to take advantage. 71-66 Nuggets.

@20 SECOND TO DENVER. BLOCK BY SENOR SOFTEE. but shannon brown can't hit the open three. Nuggets waste a timeout. STILL 71-66.

@4:17 DUNKTASTIC as Shannon Brown dunks over Andersen. "This is how you get a Birdman in your poster!" Oh and Odom wiht a three, all of a sudden, we're tied.

@3:01 Nuggets have messed up four possesions and now the Lakers can take the lead. They are unsuccessful in that endeavor as Kobe misses a 3 (poor shot selection by Bryant) and then Odom gracelessly runs down and manages to knock the ball out of bounds instead of saving it. FULL TIMEOUT LAL. 73-73.

@2:07 Billups THREE points. Boy did the Nuggets need that. Then Kobe hits a three.

@35 seconds: Who does Odom think he is? Chris Paul? Nuggets steal but fail to convert.

What a fantastic game. Everything tied here at the big stapler. This really is anyone's ball game. The Nuggets again are unable to make their advantage pay as they fail to convert on two possessions. My prediction for the fourth quarter is that Kobe decides to take the game over and carries the Lakers to a game five win. But I'd rather be wrong. At every break the score has been tied, stay tuned for the fourth quarter recap to find out how it all (might) end(s).

END OF THE THIRD QUARTER

FOURTH QUARTER

Well this is Black Mamba time. Let's see if the curse of the Nike puppets continues...

Denver Nuggets: 76
Los Angeles Lakers: 76

@10:56 Soft touch from Mr. Softee as he takes advantage of his height and lays it in over Birdman 78-76 Lakers.

@9:43 ODOM DUNKS AND A FOUL! Lakers have their largest lead of the game at only four. Andersen and Gasol get techicals for being retards. Excuse me a double T on Brown. Odom makes his FT. lead up to five. 81-76.

@9:33: Now Nene gets a technical, n***a calm down! George Karl needs to get his team back on track or the wheels could fall off quick. FULL TO DENVER. Anthony needs to get off the bench and provide some relief for the struggling Nuggets offense.

@8:54: takeover time for the mamba. Lakers up 85-76 Lakers

@8:11: huge jumper from Shannon Brown, Staples Center is bouncing here tonight. 87-76 Lakers

@7:19 great clutch three from Kleiza 89-81 Lakers.

@6:35 91-81 Lakers. The Nuggets can only trade buckets. If it continues, the Lakers will definitely take this game.

@4:58 LAL FULL TO. Nuggets are showing some signs of life but are still unable to get a good hold on the game.

@4:27 CARMELLO WITH A DUNK AS DELICIOUS AS A MILKY WAY CANDY BAR!

@4:02 Nene fouls out for the third time in this series.

@3:38 ARIZA LAYS IT IN AND A FOUL! just terrible defense by the Nuggets. 96-89.

@3:22 Gasol with a block.

@3:04 terrible foul call on Billups, his fourth, as Odom goes to the line. Misses both.

@2:24 OFFICIAL TO. Lakers look like they are in complete control. Jack Nicholson & Co. are loving it.

@1:24 great move by melo, 96-91 Lakers

@1:00 Odom converts a 3 point play

Game over, the Nuggets threw this one away. Lakers showed their resolve and take a 3-2 series lead to Denver to try and close it out. The Nuggets aren't done yet, as they are a different team in Denver. Lakers just outclassed them.